Ethan's mouth opened, then closed. He looked down, guilt flickering across his face. "I didn't mean to make you hate me," he murmured.
Noelle turned without answering and walked to her door. Her hands shook as she unlocked it, but she didn't look back. Once inside, she slid the bolt shut and leaned against the door, breathing hard. Outside, footsteps faded into the night.
Her phone buzzed a few seconds later. A message from Mei Ling, just a simple "Did you get home safe?"
Noelle stared at it for a long time before replying: Yeah. I'm home.
She didn't add the rest but I don't feel safe.
Noelle hadn't really slept.
Every sound, a car door slamming, the radiator clicking, felt like footsteps outside her window.
When her alarm went off, she silenced it instantly. She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the half-open curtains, half-expecting to see Ethan's shadow out there.
Her phone buzzed.
Ethan: Can we please talk? Just once. I promise I'll stay where you say.
Her throat tightened. The message sat on the screen like a live wire.
For a moment, she almost typed No but deleted it. Then she started again, slower, deliberate:
Noelle: Stop contacting me. I mean it. Don't come near me again.
She hit send. Blocked the number.
Then silence.
It should've made her feel safer, but instead a hollow ache spread through her chest. She realised her hands were trembling. Her mind, desperate for something steady, drifted to Ren. Noelle pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around them. The apartment felt too big, too quiet.
She whispered to no one, "I wish you were here, Ren."
It was barely midmorning when Noelle caught Ren by surprise.
He had just finished checking the staff roster when she appeared beside him, tying back her hair.
"Hey," she said, voice lighter than she felt. "You're doing site visits today, right? Mind if I tag along?"
Ren blinked, a little taken aback. "How did you know where to find me? You want to come with me?"
"Yeah," she said quickly. "I figured that I'll pop by the usual outlets to see if I can meet you there. It might be good to see how the other outlets are doing. You know… learn a few things." She smiled, trying to sound casual.
He studied her for a moment. Volunteering to spend an entire day on the road with him was… new.
"Sure," Ren said finally, still a bit puzzled. "You're always welcome."
He offered a small grin. "Though I might make you lunch later."
Noelle laughed softly, relieved he didn't ask more questions. "Deal."
They drove across the city to two restaurant outlets, Ren talking about renovations and supply shortages. Noelle nodded in all the right places but her mind kept wandering to her apartment door, to the shadow she'd thought she'd seen the night before, to Ethan's last message before she blocked him.
At a red light, Ren glanced sideways at her. She was staring out the window, fingers twisting the strap of her bag.
"You've been quiet today," he said gently. "Everything alright?"
She blinked, forcing a small smile. "Yeah. Just tired. Needed a change of scenery, I guess."
Ren didn't look convinced, but he let it go. "Alright," he said. "Just don't overwork yourself. You're usually the one reminding me to rest."
Her laugh came out thin. "Guess we switched roles."
Back home, the silence pressed in again. Noelle locked the door, double-checked the window latches, then stood there, listening to her own heartbeat. She told herself she was being paranoid. That Ethan wouldn't come back. But then she remembered how easily he'd found her before. How calm he'd looked under the streetlight when she told him to stay away.
She sank onto the couch, phone in hand.
Her thumb hovered over Ren's contact.
He'd noticed. She could tell by the way his voice softened, by the tiny frown he'd tried to hide when he thought she wasn't looking.
She almost called him. Almost. But fear and pride tangled together, keeping her silent.
Instead, she whispered to the empty room, "I should've told him."
The morning saw Noelle moving on autopilot. She'd slept little, her thoughts looping through the same fragments of conversation, the same hollow ache she couldn't name. She tried to focus on the small, simple things like the sound of the kettle boiling, the soft scrape of a spoon against her mug.
When her phone buzzed, she half expected it to be a reminder or a useless update from email or IG notification. But it was him.
Ren:You awake?
She hesitated, fingers hovering over the screen before typing back.
Noelle:Barely.
His reply came almost instantly.
Ren:Good. I'm bringing coffee. Don't argue.
Noelle sighed, but a faint smile tugged at her lips despite herself. Typical Ren: never asking, always deciding. She thought about texting don't bother, but the truth was, she didn't want to be alone.
By the time he arrived, she'd at least changed out of her sleep shirt and tied her hair up. The knock on her door was firm, familiar.
When she opened it, Ren stood there, holding two cups and a brown paper bag that smelled like fresh croissants. His expression softened when he saw her.
"Morning," he said quietly.
"Morning," she echoed, stepping aside.
He set the coffee down on the table, glancing around the apartment: the half-folded blanket on the couch, the open notebook on the counter. Everything about her space felt like her: organised, but lived in; calm, but somehow restless today.
"You didn't have to come," she said, trying for lightness.
Ren shrugged, handing her a cup. "Maybe not. But I missed you."
She blinked, caught off guard. "You… missed me?"
He met her gaze steadily, a small smile touching his mouth. "Yeah. Is that so hard to believe?"
Her fingers tightened slightly around the cup. "No. Just… unexpected."
For a while, they stood there in the quiet morning, Noelle sipped her coffee, feeling the warmth seep into her hands. Ren leaned against the counter, watching her with that same thoughtful crease between his brows.
Finally, she broke the silence. "You always know when something's off with me. How?"
He gave a small, crooked smile. "You stop meeting my eyes when you lie."
Her laugh was quiet, almost embarrassed. "Guess I'm terrible at hiding things."
"Not terrible," he said gently. "Just human. And only because I know you."
She looked up at him then and for a moment, something unspoken passed between them, that
Ren exhaled softly, then reached for her, drawing her into his arms. The motion was unhurried, gentle but certain, as if he were gathering her into the calm center of his own small world. Noelle hesitated for a heartbeat, then let herself sink against him, her forehead resting lightly against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat filled the quiet between them. His arms tightened just enough to make her feel held and Noelle stayed where she was, enjoying this sacred bliss.
The peace was broken when they heard her phone buzzed as Mei Ling's message blinked back at her.