Chapter 0358

Hannah

Viona’s nimble fingers expertly worked through my hair, weaving intricate braids and curls as I sat before my vanity. The sweet scent of floral perfume filled the air, mingling with the subtle aroma of her styling products.

I’d forgone my usual stylist tonight in favor of Viona, wanting a few hours alone with my friend. Amber and Emma would be at the party, but they both had other commitments and wouldn't arrive until it started.

From what I understood, Emma was finalizing her divorce today. And Amber… well, she’d apparently met someone new. Viona's gossip indicated their third date had gone so well that he’d spent the night at Amber’s, extending their date into the next day.

Speaking of blossoming relationships…

“I still can’t believe how much has changed with Noah lately,” I mused, watching Viona’s reflection in the mirror. I toyed with my necklace, a delicate gold chain with a small crescent moon pendant. She smiled, her eyes meeting mine. “I’m so happy for you. I know you two have been through a lot, but I always hoped you’d work it out.”

“It’s like he’s a different person. Or maybe… maybe he’s finally becoming the person he was always meant to be.” Viona’s hands stilled for a moment. “What do you think caused the change?”

I considered her question, my hand absently stroking my belly. “I think… maybe the prospect of the baby snapped him out of his icy haze. And perhaps whatever trauma he endured, causing his selective amnesia, contributed to his coldness initially.”

“Selective amnesia?” Viona asked, resuming her work.

I sighed, explaining the letters and Noah’s complete inability to remember writing them. Not just the letters, but all the events leading to our pen-pal relationship—that summer we’d spent getting to know each other, even sneaking into his mother’s hospital room. He didn’t remember a shred of it.

“If he couldn’t remember our past together, then no wonder he was always cold toward me,” I mused. “To him, I was hardly more than an acquaintance. A random girl he was forced into an arranged marriage with.”

I paused, watching Viona pluck a bobby pin from between her lips and slip it into a curl.

“I think having his fated mate bond severed with Zoe might have caused it,” I continued, lowering my voice. “But I can’t bring it up to him. I think it would hurt him too much, and it’s probably best left for a therapist.”

“He never talks about it, does he?” Viona asked.

“No,” I said softly. “But I know it left its mark on him.”

I winced at the thought of the pain he endured. Severing a bond with a fated mate was excruciating; everyone who’d done it described it as being repeatedly stabbed in the heart for days.

He’d never talked about it to me, not even once, but I knew.

We fell into a comfortable silence as Viona finished my hair and moved on to my makeup. She worked skillfully—lately, she’d been taking cosmetology classes at night, starting when we weren’t speaking. She’d explained that, with her parents still estranged, she’d decided to get certified to open her own salon. I’d always known she had a knack for it, but the classes had made her skills even more polished.

“Vi,” I said suddenly, catching her hand as she reached for a brush, “I just want to say that I’m so glad we’re friends again. I missed you. And I’m sorry for fighting with you.”

Chapter 0359