?Chapter 1029:


    Only then did Sadie allow herself to rx. She slowly sat up, a mix of emotions crossing her face. Had he really left, just like that? An irrational sense of loss welled up inside her chest, as if some part of her, deep down, had expected him to stay.


    But then her lips curled into a self-deprecating smile. “What are you thinking, Sadie?” she softly mocked herself. “Did you really expect him to stay? Don’t be silly. He is Hailey’s husband now. He isn’t yours anymore.”


    She was still wading through her jumbled thoughts when the knob turned again, and the door swung open.


    Noah had returned.


    Sadie was startled, but she quickly adopted her previously aloof demeanor. Noah was just as surprised to see her in a sitting position. Then he noticed her feignedposure, and a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes.


    He walked to the bed and leaned close enough that his breath brushed against the shell of her ear.


    “Well,” he drawled yfully, “were you sad to see me leave?”


    Sadie’s heart skipped a beat. She could feel her cheeks heating up at his proximity.


    Instead of answering him, she huffed and pulled the nket over herself. In the dark cocoon of the covers, all she could hear was the furious pounding of her heart.


    Noah’s deration from earlier kept echoing in her head. He had told her that Hailey didn’t mean anything to him, but what did he mean? Was there trouble in their rtionship? Had he regained his memory?


    As soon as thatst thought urred to her, Sadie dismissed it. Impossible. If Noah’s memory had returned, he wouldn’t be treating her this way. He should be itching to kill her on sight.


    As Sadie’s mind continued to swirl in turmoil, she felt the mattress dip beside her. The bed immediately felt cramped. On instinct, she peeked over the nket to see what was going on. It was all she could do not to gasp out loud.


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    Noah had somehow climbed onto the bed! He was lying next to her, eliminating any semnce of distance between them. The warmth of his body radiated through the nket, along with his heady,vender scent. The air inside the room seemed to have grown thick and heavy. Sadie’s heart was hammering so fast, she wouldn’t be surprised if it beat right out of her chest.


    She held her breath, not daring to move even a single inch. Sensing her tension, Noah reached out and gently brushed aside the stray strands of hair that framed the top of her face. Then Sadie felt a tender kiss on her forehead, so light and careful, it was like the brush of a feather against skin.


    “Be good,” Noah’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it still carried a gentle kind of authority. “Get some sleep.”


    Sadie pushed the nket down so that her entire face was now exposed. And she gazed at his handsome face. Noah’s eyes were closed, his expression serene.


    She had yearned for this face for three agonizing years. It had appeared countless times in her dreams, but each visit had only left her feeling empty upon waking.


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