38 - I don’t love you, Noah.

***POV ISABELA***

I hurried down the stairs, nearly running, and saw Daniel standing in the middle of the room. As soon as he noticed my presence, he turned toward me. My gaze fell on his hands—he was holding my phone.

“What are you doing with my phone?” I asked as I approached him, snatching it from his hands with a bit of force, and stepping back a couple of steps.

“I was about to bring it to you. I noticed you had left it down here. No need to get so upset about it, Isabela. Or do you have something to hide from your husband?” he asked suggestively.

I took a deep breath, biting my tongue to avoid responding how he deserved.

“I don’t like people messing with my stuff, and you know that very well,” I replied, gripping the phone tightly.

“Sorry, love.”

I felt nauseous and disgusted. I turned away to head back to my room.

“I’m going out for a bit; it won’t be long,” he announced.

It didn’t make a difference to me whether he stayed or left. I hated him more every day.

Never in my life did I think I could have such a horrible feeling for someone, especially for Daniel, my ex-husband, whom I had known since I could remember.

But he had thrown away all the affection I once had for him, all the consideration, everything…

Blackmail me? Make my life a living hell?

After Daniel found out about Noah, he started blackmailing me. He said he would spill everything, and worse, he would lie to our daughter, telling her that I was already with Noah before the separation. My daughter would never accept my relationship with Noah, but she would hate me even more if she believed that man’s lie.

He agreed to keep it a secret, on one condition, of course. He wanted me back—wanted to move back in.

I had no other choice, no other option... I took him back.

It’s been a week, and I’m the unhappiest person in the world. I can’t stand looking at him, which is why I spend most of my time locked in my room.

“Stay out as long as you like,” I muttered under my breath, thinking aloud.

“What did you say?” he asked, pretending not to understand, but I knew he had heard perfectly well.

“Nothing.”

I hurried my steps to get away from him. His presence made me nauseous and suffocated me. I walked to the kitchen, hearing the front door open and close, signaling that he had left. I sighed in relief. Every second next to that man was a different kind of torture. I never imagined I could hate someone so much in my life.

I grabbed a glass from the cupboard, filled it with water from the filter, and drank the cold liquid.

Then I heard the doorbell ring. Strange.

I wasn’t expecting anyone. The only person who came here was my friend Alex, but since I took Daniel back, he hasn’t been here. Needless to say, he was completely against my decision—we even argued. He didn’t understand me. No one would. But if it were Alex, he wouldn’t ring the doorbell. He never cared about that.

I put the glass down on the kitchen counter and approached the front door. I opened it and was startled to see Noah standing there.

My heart raced.

My legs went weak, and I had to hold on to the door frame to keep from falling.

I hadn’t expected to see him so soon…

But I had missed him so much.

“Hey,” he said, giving me a small smile. As always, our eyes were locked on each other.

“Noah,” I looked around nervously, afraid Daniel might show up. “What are you doing here?”

“Isa,” he said, stepping forward, and getting closer to me. “I’ve missed you so much. I know I said I wouldn’t chase after you anymore, but damn it, I can’t stand the distance between us.”

I didn’t know how to respond. I missed him so much. Every single day.

“What’s wrong?” he asked after I glanced around again. “You look scared, nervous…”

“You need to go,” I pleaded, my eyes welling up, but I held back the tears.

“Mom, who is it?” I heard my daughter’s voice. I looked back anxiously, then turned to Noah, feeling nervous.

“Noah,” I closed the door and grabbed his hand, leading him to the back of the house. “You need to leave.”

“Why? Don’t you miss me?” he questioned, searching for the answer in my eyes. I stayed silent. I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t miss him when my heart bled every day because we were apart. “Isa, my sister told me that you and that jerk got back together. I need to know… is it true?”

For the first time, I lowered my gaze, looking down in shame.

“Love,” he said, cupping my face in his hands, making our eyes meet again. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s happening. Is he threatening you? Are you being forced? I can help you. I’d move heaven and earth for you. Just tell me what’s going on.”

I took a deep breath.

“Mom!” I heard my daughter call again.

I pulled away from his touch, putting a safe distance between us. It hurt my heart, but it was necessary.

“Daniel and I talked,” I took a deep breath, swallowing hard to continue with the lie. “We decided to give it another chance.” I pressed my lips together, gathering the courage to look at the man in front of me.

His expression crushed me. He looked so disappointed…

His eyes scanned me completely as if searching for all the answers.

I heard his laugh—bitter, sarcastic, I would say.

“Isa, tell me the truth,” he asked again. “I remember all our conversations. You always made it clear that there would be no going back to that relationship. You said you couldn’t stand him… So why this decision? Is he forcing you? Threatening you?”

He stepped closer again, holding my hands in his. I looked down at our hands intertwined, then raised my gaze to his face. A tear slipped from my eye—I couldn’t hold it back.

“I’m telling you the truth. You have to accept it.” I pulled my hands from his and quickly wiped away my tears. “Noah,” I said, looking at him tenderly. “You are an incredible man! It is the dream of every woman, and I am so grateful for every moment we spent together, but you need to move on.”

He shook his head. I watched his tear-filled eyes, and when he closed them for a brief moment, my world crumbled as I saw his tears falling down his face.

“I’m only leaving when I’m certain about what you’re saying. I know you don’t love him. I know you love me, damn it.” Once again, he held my hands and placed them on his chest. I could feel his heart racing wildly. “Look me in the eyes,” he ordered. I hesitated—I didn’t want to face him. “I’ll walk away from your life forever if you look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me.”

I bit my lip, holding back the sob that was on the verge of escaping my mouth.

“Look me in the eye,” he repeated once more.

At this point, I couldn’t control the tears streaming down my face. I lifted my gaze to meet his.

“Tell me, my love. Say it, looking straight into my eyes, that you don’t love me!”

My chest was heaving, and my heart was beating fast.

I bit my lip. It was so hard to lie, but it had to be done… I couldn’t be selfish and only think of myself…

“I don’t love you, Noah.”