Chapter 8321 

+25 BONUS 

Chapter 0321 

Hannah 

I felt the blood drain from my face as my father’s words echoed through the ballroom. He shouldn’t have announced that here, not without my permission. This was my news to share, on my terms, when I was ready. 

But now everyone was looking at Noah and me, applauding and cheering and shouting their congratulations, and I had to plaster that damn smile on my face. The room spun slightly from it all, and I felt Noah’s arm tighten around my waist. 

“It’s okay,” he murmured in my ear. “He’s just excited, and wasn’t thinking.” 

I nodded stiffly, knowing that he was right; my father was just happy to be having a second grandchild, and he didn’t mean any harm. Would he be making this announcement if he knew that Noah and I planned to divorce, though? 

I thought it was over, but it wasn’t. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” the crowd began to chant. 

Oh, Goddess. Here we go…. 

Noah’s grip on me tightened further. “We should probably give them what they want,” he said softly, turning to me. “Just a quick peck, to make them happy. Is that okay?” 

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak at that moment. Noah leaned in, his lips brushing mine gently. The sensation was overwhelming, so familiar yet so foreign at the same time. I hadn’t tasted him since that night together, that night which felt so long ago now… 

My knees buckled just from the intensity of that small contact, and Noah practically had to hold me upright as the crowd erupted in applause. 

“To Hannah and Noah’s baby!” my father’s voice boomed over the noise. “May the little one be blessed with health and happiness!” 

Glasses clinked all around us as the toast was made. Noah and I pulled apart again, although his arm remained, steadying me. The room suddenly felt too hot, too crowded. I needed air. 

“I need a minute,” I whispered to Noah, slipping out of his grasp and making my way to the balcony. 

The cool night air was a relief as I stepped outside. I gripped the railing, sucking in a few deep breaths to steady myself. The sounds of the party seemed distant now, muffled by the glass doors behind me. I started to feel better, if only a little. 

I should have been happy. Elated, even. I should have been up there with my father, excitedly announcing my long–awaited pregnancy to the world. An heir to Nightcrest, finally, after all these years… The news would quickly spread. Dammit, I should have been the one screaming it from the rooftops. 

But instead, all I could think about was how this would affect the divorce. How it would affect us. 

“Here,” Noah’s voice suddenly came from beside me. I turned to see him holding out a glass of ginger ale. 

thought you might be feeling nauseous.” 

I took the glass gratefully, sipping the bubbly liquid. “Thank you,” I murmured. I hadn’t realized that I had begun to feel a bit nauseous during the ordeal, but I felt better now. 

+25 BONUS 

Chapter 0321 

Noah leaned against the railing next to me, his eyes searching my face. “Are you okay? You seemed a bit… weak after the kiss. Is my cologne too strong? I can stop using it if it’s making you nauseous.” 

I shook my head. “No, the cologne is fine. It’s just…” I trailed off, unsure how to explain myself. 

“Just what?” Noah prompted. 

I sighed. “I don’t know how to act when we kiss anymore. It’s been so long since we’ve… you know. Especially in public.” 

Noah was quiet for a moment. Then, “Do you… like kissing me?” 

I couldn’t answer that. How could I tell him that his kisses still made my heart race, even after everything? How could I admit that my knees went weak whenever he touched me, even if I couldn’t say I loved him anymore? 

Instead, I said, “It’s always felt strange kissing you in public, even when it’s just for show, like tonight.” I paused, then added in a shaky whisper, “I always wonder if you picture Zoe when we kiss. She’s so much prettier than me, and she knows how to act better in public.” 

I thought that Noah might get upset; in fact, part of me almost hoped that he would get upset. Because fighting… that was easier. That was normal. Comfortable, even. 

But to my surprise, Noah simply reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Hannah,” he said softly, “you are beautiful. I’ve always found you beautiful.” 

Today’s Bonus Offer