Chapter 0399

Noah stood still as a statue while Zoe straightened his bow tie, her fingers working with practiced efficiency. The silk felt cool against his neck, a stark contrast to the warmth of Zoe’s minty breath as she leaned in close.

“There,” she finally said, stepping back to admire her handiwork. A sweet smile spread across her face, her eyes twinkling as she took in her groom’s appearance. “You look very handsome, Noah.”

Noah nodded mechanically, as though his body were moving on autopilot. “Thank you,” he replied, leaning in to place a chaste kiss on her cheek. “I can’t wait to see you in your gown.” Zoe’s smile widened, and she tilted her head as he kissed her cheek. Her hand lingered on his chest, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his lapel.

“To think, after all these years…” She sighed dreamily. “Nothing could ruin our special day, you know that? Nothing. No one.”

“No one,” Noah echoed, though it felt strange to say.

“Noah, darling,” she said, her voice taking on an odd, cautious tone. “Could you tell me just one more time what happened the other night? When I was out at my bachelorette party?”

Noah’s brow furrowed. Why was she asking again? Hadn’t they already discussed it several times? He pushed the thought aside and answered, “Of course. I played with Adam until you got home from your party, and then we went to bed. The next day, yesterday, was spent making final wedding preparations.”

As he spoke, Noah couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The words felt rehearsed, as if he were reciting lines from a script rather than recounting his own experiences. But that was ridiculous, wasn’t it? All he had said was exactly what had happened over the last two days. Nothing more, nothing less.

And yet, he couldn’t help but feel as if other memories were there—memories fogged over, like steam on a mirror.

Zoe’s face visibly relaxed, relief washing over her features. “Oh, good. That’s wonderful to hear,” she said, her voice warm.

Noah cocked his head. “Why do you keep asking?”

Zoe’s fingers tightened dangerously on his lapels for a moment, her eyes flashing with something Noah couldn’t read. But then she relaxed, quickly schooling her features back to pleasant neutrality. “It’s just so nice to hear about you and Adam playing together. That’s all.”

Noah smiled stiffly, ignoring the growing unease in his stomach. “He’s a good boy.”

“And he will be your heir in just a few short hours,” Zoe grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Noah nodded, the words escaping before he could think. “Of course. It would be an honor to name Adam my heir.”

Zoe beamed at him, leaning in to place a soft kiss on his cheek. “Well, I’d better go get dressed,” she said, turning to leave. “I’ll see you at the altar, my love.”

As the door closed behind her, Noah let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He turned to the mirror, and instead of seeing the smiling face of a groom, he saw a man who looked drawn and tired.

The wedding was about to begin, and he should have been thrilled. This was the day he had been waiting for, wasn’t it? The day he would finally marry his true love? It should have been the happiest day of any man’s life. And yet…

As Noah made his way toward the altar, each step felt heavier than the last. A part of him was screaming, urging him to stop, to turn around, to run. His legs felt like they were fighting him every step of the way. But why? This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? He and Zoe had been waiting for this day for years, ever since they were ripped away from each other and forced into arranged marriages. They had only ever wanted to get back to each other. And now it was finally happening. And yet…