Chapter 0355

It was in that moment, as I took in his features, that something hit me. I suddenly turned and strode out of the bathroom. The cool bedroom air chilled my damp skin as I padded to the closet. There, I retrieved the box I had kept hidden for so long.

Noah was standing in the bathroom doorway, brow furrowed. I held the box aloft. "Take a seat."

Curiosity evident on his face, he obeyed, perching on the edge of the bed. I set the box beside him, opened it, and pulled out a stack of yellowed envelopes. "What's this?" he asked, cocking his head.

"These are the letters you wrote me all those years ago," I explained, handing them to him. "The ones you said you don't remember."

His brow furrowed as he began to read, his eyes scanning the pages. I watched his face intently, looking for any sign of recognition, but saw only confusion and a hint of frustration. "Hannah," he said finally, looking up at me, "are you sure I wrote these?"

I nodded, biting back the sting that question left in my throat. "Positive."

He frowned as he flipped to the next page. "These are incredibly heartfelt. And it's my handwriting. But… I don't remember writing any of them."

"You really don't remember?"

He shook his head. "Not in the slightest. It's like there's a blank space where these memories should be."

My heart sank, but I tried not to show it. "Do you think something traumatic might have happened during that time? Maybe you have some kind of… I don't know… selective amnesia?" He'd mentioned those were dark times before. Maybe they were even darker than either of us knew.

Noah ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. "I don't know. It's possible, I suppose."

"Have you ever considered therapy? It might help unlock those memories, if there are any."

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes distant as he considered my words. Then he nodded slowly. "I'll think about it," he said. "For now, though, I want to focus on the present. On us."

He rose, towel still draped loosely around his narrow hips, and pinched my chin gently between his thumb and forefinger. He tilted my face up to meet his gaze. "We should finally throw you an official baby shower. I want to treat you like the princess you are, Hannah. You deserve it after everything you've been through."

I felt my cheeks heat up, a warmth spreading through my chest at his words. "I… I think I'd like that."

With that, he nodded and went into the closet, returning a few moments later with a shirt and pants—and a sundress for me. He laid everything on the bed, and I raised an eyebrow at how casual his own attire looked for a workday.

"What's this?" I asked.

He shrugged as he toweled himself off and began to dress. "We've got a day of party planning ahead of us. I hope you're ready for it."

I cocked my head. "No meetings? On a Tuesday?"

Noah smirked. "I canceled everything while you were still asleep earlier."

I wanted to smack his arm and call him a lovestruck fool, but I contained myself. Instead, smiling, I dressed alongside him. He glanced over as I did, taking in the plush appearance of my thighs, my rounded belly.

"You look great lately, by the way. It's nice to see you recovering."

I blushed, and he added, "You know, when you were so thin… I was terrified. I thought I might lose you."

I swallowed hard, those words striking deeper than he realized. For a moment, I considered telling him that I had died. That everything we'd been through lately was a second chance. But as I opened my mouth to tell him, I couldn't. The words felt stuck in my throat.

"Hannah?" He noticed my hesitation. "What is it? You look like you want to say something."

I shook my head, forcing a smile and pushing down the guilt of keeping this secret. "Nothing," I said, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "I was just thinking that I'd like a chocolate cake for the party."

Noah chuckled and shook his head at me. "Chocolate cake it is, then."