Chapter 305
NOAH.
I stand at the far end of the backyard, a glass hanging loosely from my fingers as my eyes lock onto Sierra.
The garden is strung with warm lights, laughter floating through the air as family and close friends mingle.
This is a little celebration her mother arranged to celebrate Sierra winning the case against Jocelyn and Bio-Renew.
She’s sitting next to Lilly and Iris. There are faint shadows beneath her eyes, the kind that come from weeks of stress and sleepless nights, but there’s joy there too.
A hard slap to my back jolts me out of my thoughts.
“I’m surprised you’re here,” Gunner says, grinning as he joins me.
I shouldn’t be here, but the moment Mom mentioned going to Sierra’s mom, I tagged along, using the excuse that the twins wanted to see her.
I tear my gaze from her and shrug. “I’m surprised her mom even let me be here p>
He snorts. “In all honesty I think Aunt Ivy is too damn happy to care p>
He’s not wrong. It’s no secret Sierra’s mother isn’t my biggest fan and after everything I’ve done to her daughter, why would she be?
I don’t blame her. I’ve hurt Sierra over and over again. No mother would ever side with the man who did that. Hell, if someone treated Nova the way I treated Sierra, I’d make sure there’d be nothing left of him to bury.
The thought alone makes my chest tighten. Just remembering the damage I caused makes it feel like a blade is twisting slowly inside my ribs.
I still can’t believe I did that to her. Destroyed her and all for what? Lies.
Lies Chloe told to keep us apart. Lies she crafted so she could slip into my life, wedge herself between us, and take the place that was never hers to begin with.
Lies that cost me years with Sierra. Years I can’t get back.
I close my eyes and draw in a slow breath, trying to steady myself, but even in the darkness behind my lids, I still see it. I see the ink on those journal pages.
Each sentence cuts deeper than the last and no matter how much I try to breathe through it, the weight on my chest doesn’t lift. It only sinks heavier.
[At first Noah didn’t let me near him even after I told him the lie, but I continued to stay. Continued whispering lies until he saw me the way I wanted him to see, the one holding him together, comforting him after the girl he loved destroyed him p>
[Seeing Sierra break was everything. Seeing her hurt when Noah ignored her, lashed out at her and called her names felt so good… I wanted to see her crumble. I wanted to see her in pain because why does she get everything? Why is she the one loved by everyone? Lilly, her parents, Gunner, Noah, Noah’s parents… his entire family loved her even his aunts and uncles and I hated her for it. I wanted everything she had p>
[Eventually, Noah asked me to be his girlfriend. He said I was there for him and helped him breathe easy… I can still remember how happy I felt. I’d finally won him over and he was mine… The chef’s kiss that day? Was watching Sierra slowly die right in front of us when Noah kissed me during one of his games after they’d won p>
I remember that day. Lord, I remember it so clearly; it feels like I’m standing there again.
The roar of the crowd. The adrenaline still pumping through my veins after the win. I’d ripped my helmet off, thrown it to the ground, lifted Chloe into my arms while she laughed, her legs wrapping around my waist… And then I kissed her hard as the school erupted in cheers.