Written in the Stars

Chapter3

Joelien Point OF View

That morning, when she finally woke, she found herself alone in the living room, curled up on the sofa with a warm blanket draped over her. Talia was gone. The house felt unusually quiet. The sound what she are use to.

But in the kitchen, on the table, she found a plate of breakfast waiting for her, along with a small note:

“Have some breakfast… sorry I couldn’t stay.”

A faint smile touched her lips.

Talia—always thinking of her, always taking care. She didn’t know what she would have done without her. After the miscarriage and the divorce from Driven, Talia had been her rock, the one who held her together when she couldn’t hold herself.

She would be dead if it was not For Talia who dragged her out that bed and helped her to get her life back together.

She ate her breakfast slowly, surrounded by the quiet of her kitchen. Each bite of the delicious meal Talia had lovingly prepared filled her with warmth and comfort.

Just as she began to relax into the moment, a knock at the front door broke the stillness, sending a ripple of curiosity through her. She wondered who could be visiting on this Saturday morning.

Rising to her feet, she made her way to the front door, her heart fluttering with anticipation.

When she opened the door, her breath caught in her throat as she saw her old friend Josh standing there.

With his arms crossed over his broad chest and those piercing dark blue eyes, he seemed both familiar and intensely captivating.

“Josh,” she breathed, feeling a mix of nostalgia and discomfort as she stood before him in her oversized old gray shirt and baggy checked pajama pants.

He looked effortlessly charming in his white V-neck shirt, showcasing his muscular build, paired with blue jeans and rugged boots.

She couldn’t help but feel a rush of memories wash over her.

“Good morning, Jo,” he said, giving her that playful smile that had always drawn her in. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”

Joelien took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.

“Not at all. I was just finishing breakfast... Come in, and I’ll make you a warm cup of coffee.” As she turned away, she felt the familiar flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

Even after all these years, his presence still stirred something deep within her.

Josh followed her into the house, where she moved back to the kitchen to prepare the coffee. She turned on the kettle, taking a moment to collect herself.

“Talia told me what the doctor said when I called her,” Josh mentioned, his voice tinged with concern. Joelien felt a wave of emotion; of course Talia would share that information. Josh was not only her best friend and first love but also someone who deeply cared for Talia.

She grabbed an empty mug and began to fill it with coffee powder and sugar. Then, with hesitant sincerity, Josh asked, “Is it true that your anemia has gotten worse?”

Looking over at him, she saw the worry etched on his face, and it softened her heart. “Yes, I’m afraid the doctor said I need a blood transfusion.”

His expression deepened with concern as he processed her words. She broke their gaze when the kettle began to whistle, the sound interrupting the moment. Pouring the hot water into the mug, she turned to the fridge to get some milk.

Closing the door, she found Josh standing at the kettle, looking at her with such genuine concern.

“Jo, why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Taking a deep breath, she moved back to the kettle and poured milk into the mug. “I was going to; I just found out yesterday and was still trying to wrap my head around it."

When she turned to face him again, she noticed how he leaned against the countertop, his gaze filled with compassion. “I’m really worried about you, Jo,” he admitted softly.

His words struck a chord in her, resonating with the history they shared. Even after years apart, his care for her seemed undiminished. It touched her heart in a way she hadn’t expected.

“Josh, I’ll be fine,” she reassured him gently, wanting him to feel at ease, even as she struggled with her own worries.

She walked back to the island where her food remained, wishing to lighten the moment as she processed everything that lay ahead.

Josh Point of View

His chest tightened as he stood there, his gaze following Joelien as she walked back to the island and settled down behind her plate of breakfast. If there was one woman who would always hold a special place in his heart, it was her.

She had been his first love, the very first person he had ever shared an intimate moment with.

Though he had Briar now who he secretly see ,and a daughter who he never know, Joelien would always hold that irreplaceable piece of his heart that no one else could touch.

Josh picked up his mug from the counter and made his way toward her, stopping on the opposite side of the island.

He observed her quietly, feeling a mix of affection and concern.

“I know you, Jo,” he said softly, wanting her to feel seen.

She glanced up at him for just a moment, but her eyes quickly dropped back down to her plate as she stabbed a piece of bacon with her fork and took a bite.

“I know you do,” she murmured, a hint of strength in her voice. “And you need to know that I’ll be fine. I’m stronger than this.”

His heart sank a little as he watched her, feeling the weight of her words. She always spoke like that, projecting strength even when he knew she was battling hidden fears and uncertainties.

A blood transfusion was serious; it meant her body was at a point of needing help. He could only imagine the struggles she had faced before anyone caught on.

She caught him staring and frowned slightly. “What?” she asked around another bite of bacon, her defensive instincts kicking in.

A warm smile crept across his face. In that moment, she looked so endearingly vulnerable—messy hair, sleepy expression, and those captivating hazel eyes that had the power to undo him time and again.

“Nothing,” he reassured her softly. “Just looking at you.”

Joelien offered a faint smirk, a sign that she dared to lighten the mood. She reached for a slice of bread, tearing off a piece to eat.

“If you’re thinking about my blood transfusion,” she said firmly, “don’t. Because I don’t want to talk about it.”

He nodded slowly, the quiet hum of the refrigerator a low thrum beneath her words.

He felt the weight of her unspoken fears, a shadow in her brave facade. Leaning forward, the cool, smooth granite of the island counter pressed against his forearms, his gaze locked on her, willing her to see the steady presence he offered.

"Okay," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I won't bring it up." A faint sigh escaped him, the scent of brewing coffee hanging in the air.

"But I know you. Trying to be the brave girl." His tone softened further, a gentle caress. "Still... I'll respect your wishes."

Josh pulled back slightly, the ceramic of his mug warm against his palm. He lifted it, the dark, rich aroma of coffee filling his senses as he took a long, slow sip, savoring the bitter warmth.

"You care too much about me," Joelien murmured, her voice barely a whisper, the clink of her fork against the plate a small, sharp sound.

Her eyes met his, and a heavy silence descended, thick with unspoken emotions.

The sight of her, framed by the soft morning light filtering through the window, sent a familiar ache through his chest.

He still loved her, a deep, steady current beneath the surface.

She was the only one who had ever felt truly real, unlike the chaotic, guilt-ridden entanglement with Briar

Briar, married to Driven, a situation he knew he should end because she is married.

But Joelien… Joelien had been pure gold. And he still couldn’t fathom how Driven had let such a treasure walk away. He would not let a woman like her slept through his finger tips. If he never moved away back then he would have married Joelien and would give her the world she deserve and make her happy and show her every day how much he loves her.

“Because even if we’re not together,” Josh said, his voice rough with emotion, the warmth of the coffee lingering on his tongue, “you’ll always mean something to me, Jo.”

He finished the last of the coffee, the mug suddenly lighter in his hand as he set it down with a soft thud on the counter.

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she shook her head slightly before pushing herself up to her feet.

“Josh,” Joelien said quietly, “why do you always try to make things so hard?”

A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he stepped closer to her. He knew that she is going to say that. It was not that he tried to make it hard it was the words from his heart.

“I’m not making things hard,” he murmured. “I’m just telling the truth.”

He stopped directly in front of her, only inches separating them now.

Joelien hazel eyes locked onto his, and her lips parted slightly as she looked up at him. The sight of her standing so close made every nerve inside him come alive, but he fought to keep control of himself.

Slowly, he lifted his hand and brushed his fingers gently along her cheek. He watched the faint color rise beneath his touch.

“Jo,” he whispered, his eyes holding hers captive, “no matter what happens, you’ll always mean everything to me.”

His thumb stroked softly against her skin.

“We may only be friends now… but we have history. And I’ll always care about you.”

Silence fell between them again as he continued tracing his fingers over her cheek. This was the woman he knew he would always love, no matter where life took him.

A small gasp escaped her lips as she stared at him, her breathing unsteady. Josh couldn’t look away from her. His fingers slowly drifted from her cheek toward her parted lips, brushing lightly over them as though he still remembered exactly how they felt against his.

Josh’s fingers lingered against her lips for a second too long.

The air between them felt heavy, charged with years of history, heartbreak, and feelings neither of them had ever truly let go of.

Joelien’s breathing turned uneven as she stood frozen in front of him, her hazel eyes locked onto his.

“Josh…” she whispered softly, almost like a warning. But even then she didn’t step away.

His jaw tightened as he looked at her. God, she still affected him in every possible way. One look from her and it felt like the entire world around him disappeared.

Slowly, carefully, he lowered his hand from her lips, though his fingers brushed lightly against her chin before falling away completely.

“I shouldn’t do this,” he murmured hoarsely. Her eyes softened at the sound of his voice.

Josh’s fingers lingered against her lips a second too long, the warmth of his touch igniting a fire deep within him.

The air between them felt magnetized, heavy with unspoken words and memories that flooded back, reminding him of everything they’d once shared.

It occurred to him that the years had only intensified his feelings, wrapping them in a complicated mixture of love and regret.

Joelien’s breathing turned uneven, her hazel eyes wide and searching, reflecting confusion and raw emotion.

“Josh…” she whispered, her voice trembling, almost like a warning. Yet, despite the tension in the air, she stayed rooted to the spot, a small part of her caught in the magnetic pull between them.

His jaw tightened as he studied her, aching to bridge the distance, but knowing all too well the potential wreckage that could follow. God, how could she still affect him this way? One flicker of her gaze, and the outside world faded to nothingness, leaving just the two of them alive in this fragile moment.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, he lowered his hand from her lips.

His fingers swept across her chin, leaving behind a ghost of warmth before they finally fell away completely, the absence of contact painfully palpable. “ You have no idea how much I wanted to kiss you …”

At the sound of his voice, her eyes softened, turning glassy with unshed tears that threatened to spill.

“Josh don’t go there ” she answered, her tone fragile, lacking the conviction he desperately wanted to hear.

The words hung in the air like a prayer and a plea all at once.

A quiet breath escaped him, almost a laugh tinged with pain. “That’s the problem, Jo,” he said, his voice thick. His gaze bore into hers, raw and searching. “I never know how to stop loving you.”

The silence that followed felt like a weight—the kind that bore down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Joelien swallowed hard, her pulse racing as she looked away, as if seeking solace in the space around them, trying to find composure. But he couldn’t let her retreat. Gently, he reached out, his fingertips finding her cheek once more, coaxing her back to him, urging her to confront what lay between them.

“You don’t get to say things like that,” she said softly, the quiver in her voice telling him just how deeply the words stung. “Not after everything.”

The fight in her eyes reminded him of the tumultuous history they held—the love that had been as bright as the sun, followed by the storm that tore them apart.

Regret washed over his face, a tempest of emotion swirling inside him. “I know,” he admitted, his own heart tightening at the admission. “I know I screwed things up. More than once.” His thumb gently brushed beneath her eye, a silent apology for all the pain he’d caused.

“Josh…” Her voice cracked mid-sentence, and he could see the weight of their past pressing down on her, making it harder for her to breathe.

He watched as her expression twisted between longing and fear, the internal struggle evident. She was fighting against the current that pulled at them, desperately trying to stay strong while part of her longed to give in.

“I’m trying to respect you, Jo,” he said quietly, feeling every word like a dagger to his heart. “Because the last thing I ever want is to hurt you again.” His own voice faltered, the sincerity in his eyes reflecting the tumult of emotions clashing within him.

Suddenly, the dam between them cracked wider, and he stepped back, instinctively creating more space, but it felt like a betrayal.

It was a desperate move to keep the remnants of control he had left. “I don’t want to see you hurt,” he murmured, his heart racing, sensing the walls she was trying to build around herself.

But the honesty of his words broke something in her.

He watched as the barriers fell slightly, revealing a glimpse of the vulnerable woman beneath—a woman still haunted by the memories of their shared laughter and tear-streaked faces. The fight inside her softened as she searched for understanding, for clarity.

“Josh…” Her voice trembled with unspent emotion, but she didn’t retreat this time. Instead, her gaze locked onto his with a fierceness that made his heart race.

He stepped closer again, unable to help himself.

The air between them crackled with a familiar intensity, an internal struggle waging on both sides. He wanted to pull her to him, to breathe her in, to hold her tightly and forget the world outside. But instead, he stayed just shy of that boundary, waiting, hoping she would meet him halfway.

“Tell me what you want,” he pleaded softly, desperation creeping into his voice.

The words hung between them—a lifeline dangling in the unknown. And as she battled with her emotions, they both knew there was only one truth that remained unshakable: regardless of the distance, regardless of the mistakes, she would always mean everything to him.

And no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn’t let her go.