Chapter 36
Masks Begin to Slip Noah stared out the window of his study, hands deep in his pockets. The file Marlon gave him lay open on his desk behind him, with photos and documents scattered like broken memories. His mind was a battlefield—flashes of a life he couldn’t fully grasp fighting with the lies he was just beginning to see. He heard footsteps and quickly closed the folder. Anna entered, holding a tray with tea. Her eyes were swollen from last night’s confrontation, but her voice was steady. “You didn’t eat anything.” Noah turned, his expression unreadable. “Thanks.” Their fingers brushed when she handed him the cup, and for a moment, the world paused. His gaze lingered on her lips. He remembered… warmth. Something real. But it slipped away like mist when she looked down. “I’m sorry,”
- Writer
