One Last 110

Chapter 110
Irene’s POV:
My heart clenched as I stood by Charlie’s room door, I was watching him play with his toys, his innocent laughter filled the air of the room. He looked up when he noticed me watching, giving me that bright, gummy grin that could melt away all my worries in a heartbeat. But today, it only deepened the ache in my chest.
His small hand reached out, touching mine. “Mummy, are you okay?” He asked innocently.
Forcing a smile that I hoped would reassure him, I crouched down to his level. “Mummy ha has to go on a quick work trip for a few days. Aunt Delores will be here with you, making sure everything’s alright.”
His face fell, and my heart clenched. “No mummy, I want you to stay,” he said, his little voice pleading that it nearly broke
me.
“It is just for a few days, my love. I will be back soon.” I softly said, brushing a strand of hair away from his temple. “And Aunt Delores will make you pastas while I’m gone, just the way you like them. I’ll also call you every day. Does that sound okay?” He hesitated a bit before nodding his head and putting on a brave face. “Okay, Mummy. But you’ll come back soon, right?” “Absolutely,” I promised, kissing his forehead.
I looked over at Delores who has been my rock through all of this, and I knew I could always ccount on her. She stood in the doorway, a comforting presence that I needed as much as Charlie did.
“Don’t forget to make sure that he takes his medications in the morning and night,” I reminded her in a low but urgent voice “And just… keep an eye on him. He’s been a little sensitive lately, more than usual.”
Delores gave me a reassuring nod, placing a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll be fine, Irene. Go do what you need to. I’ve got him.”
With a final hug, I left Charlie in Delores’ capable hands and snuck out of the home before I could reconsider. As I drove away, the familiar streets felt unfamiliar, as if I had already traveled far from the life I had known. This decision felt huge, as if I were forging a new route, leaving behind all that had previously anchored me.
The hotel looked modest and clean, it was a simple three-star establishment on the outskirts of the city. I had chose it deliberately because it was located in a serene and quiet area. I checked in without issue, the receptionist handed m me the key to my room with a polite smile and no intrusive questions.
The room itself wasn’t that big or spacious but it was cozy. It was painted in soft, neutral tones that somehow matched wiyh my mood. As I set down my suitcase, I took a huge breath, letting the reality of my decision sink in.
I had done it. I had left, even if it was only for a little while. This space, this silence, felt like an taste of freedom. And yet, it was unfamiliar, as if I had just stepped into a life that wasn’t my own.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, i stared blankly at the wallpaper for a few moments before thee exhaustion pulled at me. Thi wasn’t just physical fatigue but a kindz of emotional wearinews that had been simmering under the surface for months. It was held in place by my relentless need to keep going, to hold everything together.
Taking a quick glance at my watch told me it waa still early evening. The thought of just sitting here and being trappedz in my own thoughts, was unbearable.
Maybe an alcoholic drink would help, something to ease the tension that coiled withim me like a spring.
Grabbing my bag, I quickly freshened up, and nade the quick decision to visit the bar downstairs. As I approached the
1/3
. 22%
+5
Chapter 110
elevator, my mind driftesd to everything waiting for me back home. Charlie, Delores, Damien, and even Eva, whose manipulations had pushed me here.
As the elevator doors parted open, I stepped inside, pressing the button for the lobby. And jus as the doors were about to shut, a manly voice called out, “Hold the elevator, please!”
I quickly reached out, pressing the ‘Open’ button as a tall man entered, flashing me a grateful smile. He looked to be around Damien’s age, with an air of quiet confidence that caught my attention. He was well dressed, his sharp features softened by the faintest hint of a smirk that made me feel like I should stay clear.
“Thank you,” he smiles, his voice came out too smooth. He glanced at mec, his eyes lingered just a second longer than they neededz to.
“You’re welcome,” I simply said, feeling a strange ripple of tension in the small enclosed space.
The elevator hummed quietly as it descended, but his presence filled the silence, a reminder that this encounter might not end once we reached the lobby. There was something almost familiar in the way he looked at me-like he’d been expecting to find me here.
He offered a polite smile, yet I sensed an intensity behind it, a curiosity that felt too deliberate. “I’m Noah, by the way,” he said and extended is hand in a casual but intentional gesture.
[ hesitated a bit befire taking his hand, the firmness of his grip was a quiet reminder that he wasn’t the kind of man ro be easily dismissed. “Irene.”
His gaze sharpened slightly, his smirk widening just a fraction as if he’d heard a secret I hadn’t spoken. “It’s nice to meet you,
réne.”
The elevator doors parted open, revealing the lobby and I quickly pulled my hand back, stepping out with a small sigh of elief.
¡ut as I was making y way toward the bar, I felt his gaze following me, a faint feeling that refused to fade.
sat on a barstool and quickly ordered glass of wine, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that Noah wasn’t just hoping to be a ormal encounter.
here was something about him, or rather say. an energy that left me unsettled.
o my dismay, only moments later, he took the seat beside me, ordering his own drink with an easy confidence. He turned me, his eyes gleaming with that same unnerving curiosity.
o, Irene,” he began, his tone casual but his gaze anything but, “are you here on business or just a quick escape?”
omething like that,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral, unwilling to give him more than I had to. Yet his question struck rve, resonating too closely with the reality I was trying to escape.
:smiled, a knowing gleam in his eyes. “Sometimes, distance is exactly what we need to get perspective. Though it seems u’re not entirely at ease.”
nd what makes you say that?” I narrowed my eyesat him feeling both intrigued and irritated.
a
shrugged his shoulders, and took a sip of his drink. “Just an observation. People don’t usually escape to three-star hotels hey’re perfectly content with their lives.”
swords hung in the air, a quiet challenge that unsettled me. There was something too perceptive, too attuned in his inner, as though he’d seen through the carefully built defenses I wore.
hat about you?” I countered, refusing to let him have the upper hand. “Are you here for the thrill of cheap drinks and >nymous company?”
15:06 Thu, Oct 31 RUG
Chapter 110
“I’m here for a bit of both, actually.” He chuckled, seemingly unfazed by my deflection. “Though I must admit, I didn’t expect the company to be quite as interesting.”
22%
I resisted the need to turn away from him because I could feel the weight of his eyes crushing against my determination. Something about his presence made it difficult for me to resist, even though I hadn’t come here to have a stranger psychoanalyse me.
+5
Before I could way anything, he leaned in slightly and lowered is voice. “You know, sometimez running from the problem only mak it harder to find a solution. But if that’s why you’re here, then! I’ll respect that.”
There was a hint of understanding in his tone, it was unexpected I took a sip of my wine, letting it soothe my nerves, equally annoyed and strangely drawn to his presence.
“Look, Noah, I appreciate the insight, but I’m not sure I’m in the mood for such a deep convo this evening.” I said finally, forcing myself to sound casual.
He lifted his glass in a mock salute. “Fair enough, Irene. I’ll leave the revelations for another time.”
But as he took another sip, his gaze was still on me, as though he was saving every emotion,m and every sign of vulnerability. He exuded an intensity that simultaneously felt like an invitation and a threat.
I had come here for solace and to get some distance, but now this stranger was attempting to tear down the barriers I had painstaking ly built, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. And as much I really wanted to ignore him, I couldn’t help but be fascinated.
I could feel that Noah wouldn’t be disappearing from my life anytime soon. And I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a new character to hop into my messy story.
Phewww.