Chapter 0361

Hannah

The sounds of laughter and music softened as I made my way into the kitchen, an empty snack bowl in hand. The staff had offered to refill it, but I’d insisted on a few moments alone.

Apparently, they’d interpreted this as requiring a completely empty kitchen, as there wasn't a soul present when I entered. Not that I minded.

But my solitude was short-lived. Footsteps sounded behind me, followed by a familiar scent. A moment later, warm hands covered my eyes.

“I wonder who that could be,” I purred, smirking. I felt Noah shift behind me and heard something placed on the counter.

“Open,” Noah’s deep voice rumbled near my ear.

I blinked as his hands fell away, my eyes adjusting to a small box on the counter. Grinning, I lifted the lid and gasped softly. Inside was a delicate silver picture frame, empty and awaiting a photograph.

“I thought it would be nice for our baby’s first picture,” Noah explained, his arms wrapping around me. “We can fill it with a photo of all three of us once the little one arrives.”

Tears pricked my eyes as I lifted the frame, feeling its weight. It was heavy, pure silver. I brushed my thumb across the delicate engravings. “Noah, thank you,” I murmured. “It’s perfect. I can’t wait.”

I set the frame down and turned in his arms. He smiled, wiping away a tear that escaped down my cheek. “Happy tears, I take it?”

I nodded, laughing softly. “Very happy tears. I’m a bundle of emotion lately with these hormones.”

“I can tell. Come on,” he said, taking my hand and nodding toward the back door. “Let’s get some fresh air. Just you and me.”

We slipped out into the gardens, the cool night air a welcome relief from the warmth of the house. Crickets chirped in the darkness, and the sweet scent of night-blooming jasmine filled the air. As we walked hand in hand along the winding path, the muffled sounds of the party drifted to us.

Suddenly, the music inside grew louder, the beat pulsing through the night air. Noah turned to me with a mischievous glint in his eye. “May I have this dance, my Luna?”

I laughed, allowing him to pull me close. “You may, Alpha.”

We swayed together slowly. The stars twinkled overhead, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world. I rested my head on Noah’s chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart.

But as we turned, movement caught my eye. I stiffened, my eyes narrowing. “We have an audience.”

Noah lifted his head and followed my gaze to the window where Zoe stood, blatantly staring at us, arms crossed, lips pursed. Had she spoken to anyone at this party, or had she been brooding all night?

As soon as she realized we’d spotted her, she quickly turned away, pretending to be engrossed in conversation with another guest.

Noah shrugged, pulling me close again. If it bothered him, he didn’t mention it. But I’d had enough; the party—my party—had been filled with nothing but coy looks and saccharine smiles. It was time to be honest.

“Noah, there’s something I need to tell you.”

He pulled back slightly, concern etching his features. “Something wrong?”

I took a deep breath. “If we’re going to work on our marriage, I need to be honest with you. I… I want to be kind toward Zoe, I really do. But I’m at the end of my rope.”

Noah’s brow furrowed. Before he could speak, I continued.

“I’ve tried to make her feel welcome, to include her, to be kind. But she always seems to take little digs at me or act strangely. It’s exhausting, and…” I hesitated, my hand coming to rest on my stomach. “I don’t want that kind of negative energy around our child.”

Noah was silent, his steps slowing. My heart raced, worried that I had hurt him.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” I said quickly. “I just felt like I should be honest about how I truly feel.”

To my surprise, Noah’s face softened. “Hannah, you don’t need to apologize. Actually, I’ve been thinking about this for some time.”

“You have?”

He nodded, guiding me to a nearby bench—the same one we’d sat on earlier that morning. We sat down, and Noah took both of my hands in his. “When you were kidnapped, Zoe’s behavior… It was strange. She kept giving wrong directions to where you might be, and she didn’t seem all that concerned about your safety.”