Chapter 22
Hector looked agonized as he threw the bouquet and ring aside, scattering the pink petals over the floor. They made a broken sight.
“Noelle…” He pulled out a dagger from his pocket and pressed it to his wrist. The blade slipped over the area, drawing blood.
“Tell me the truth, Noelle. Do you really not care about me anymore? Not even in the slightest? I was born in an affluent family, and money meant nothing to me. It was just like paper–I had too much of it to count.”
Hector looked up, his eyes filled with anguish. “Countless people flattered me and sucked up to me–they claimed they liked or loved me, but it was all for my family’s status and wealth, not because of who I was.”
Noelle backed away. “So what?”
“Do you know why I was so in love with Lindsey? Because she once saved my life. As a child, I was captured by one of my family’s enemies. She was the one who’d stepped forward and offered to give her life in exchange for mine.”
Hector smiled bitterly. “I later asked her why she did it after we were saved. She told me it was because she liked me, and I believed her. Think about it- isn’t it wonderful to have someone who’s willing to give up their life for you?”
“What does that have to do with me?” Noelle snapped angrily. “Have you gone crazy?”
Hector said, “Not long ago, when I investigated her, I found out that the so–called kidnapping was just something the Suttons orchestrated to get in with my family…”
Noelle was taken aback. Then, she sneered. “You two make a pretty good match, then. You like taking people hostage when you claim to love them. Here’s a suggestion use your life to love Lindsey, not mine and Ian’s.”
“I’m sorry, Noelle.” Tears streamed down Hector’s face. “I was blind, and I fell for the wrong person. I was stupid enough to use the lives of the people who truly loved me for something that didn’t even exist.
“I ignored you and Ian when you begged me to save you. It’s all my fault–I didn’t expect Lindsey’s true colors to be like this. I hate that I was so dumb, that I was blind to the truth.”
He looked at Noelle. “You’re the only one who’s different from them all. You’re the only person in my life who genuinely cares about me and loves me. You were the only person who stayed by my side when I was bankrupt and down on my luck… You even gave birth to Ian for me…
“I won’t let you suffer like that anymore, I swear! I won’t lie to you ever again!” Hector stepped forward. As he did, a few more slashes appeared on his
wrist.
He looked right into Noelle’s eyes and pleaded, “Please, Noelle… I can’t live without you. I’m left with nothing if even you’re gone…”
Hector slashed his wrist again, making more blood ooze out. “Please take me back, Noelle. I’ll learn how to love you and Ian. Don’t get at me for pulling something like this–I just can’t be without you. Please don’t go…”
Noelle bit her lip when she saw the blood all over the floor. “Hector, don’t make me hate you.”
“That’s not too bad.” He smiled gently. “It’s better than forgetting about me.”
“You’ve truly lost your mind!”
“I have!” He looked at her almost manically. “I really have, and you’re the only one who can rein me in! You’re the only one who can cure me!”
They fell into an impasse, and the atmosphere turned tense. After a long silence, Noelle took a deep breath and looked into Hector’s eyes as she said, “My answer is no.”
Hector dug the blade deep into his flesh, and blood spurted out. However, he didn’t even blink.
Noelle said firmly, “I stopped loving you long ago, and I don’t care about your so–called compensation.”
She turned around and left without another look back, the sound of her heels clicking against the floor echoing inside the empty chapel. It sounded final.
Cold sweat beaded on Hector’s forehead, and he fell to the floor, already weak from the blood loss. His blood dyed the tiles red, making them look horrific.
“Noelle…” His face was pale, and his voice was barely more than a whisper. “You’re so cruel…”
Noelle merely opened the chapel doors. Medical personnel with the Yarrow family’s crest sewn onto their white coats ran inside with a stretcher,
Noelle faced the sun while looking at Christian and lan, who were waiting for her outside. She smiled and headed toward them, her footsteps firm and sure. She didn’t turn back even once.
Two years passed in the blink of an eye, lan wore an impeccable white suit with a pink rose boutonniere. He looked adorable. He was still young and had yet to grow fully into himself, but it was clear that he would be handsome.
Happy marriage, Mommy and Mr. Hartinan.” He held a bouquet as he headed toward Noelle and Christian, who were surrounded by people.
Noelle wore a pure white wedding dress, and her veil, which was adorned with pink diamonds, cascaded over her shoulders. She looked gorgeous.
“You’re still calling me that, lan?” Christian looked dashing in his white tuxedo. He winked at lan
“Daddy,” Ian said. Then, he was momentarily taken aback by that unfamiliar address.
Noelle coudn’t help tearing up at that. “I’m so happy, Ian.”
Christian and Ian both reached out to wipe away her tears. When their hands met, they turned to look at each other with a smile.
“I’m leaving my beloved mother in your hands, Daddy! Take good care of her!” Ian said.
Christian gently wiped the tears from Noelle’s eyes and kissed her through the veil. Ian covered his eyes and cried, “What are you two doing? I’m still here!”
Christian flicked his forehead with a laugh. “You brat. Isn’t it natural for me to want to kiss my wife?”
Then, he crouched so they were eye level, just as he’d done two years ago. “Don’t worry, alright? I won’t just take good care of your mommy–I’ll take good care of you, too.”
Everyone wished them well, and the pastor looked at them. “Ms. Noelle Jensen, do you take Mr. Christian Hartman as your lawfully wedded husband? Will you have him in poverty and in wealth…”
Noelle looked at Christian. “I do.”
They kissed, and a sea of rose petals descended upon them, bringing them everyone’s well wishes.
Hector sat in his office as he watched the livestream of the wedding. Then, he shut his laptop. He walked to the window and looked out at the sun. He smiled as he thought about how happy Noelle had looked.
“How wonderful it’d be if I were the one to hold her hand and kiss her…” he mumbled.
He pulled out a photo of her from his chest pocket and gently stroked her smiling face. “Maybe this is my retribution clearly that I’m not the one making you feel like that.”
to see you be happy but to know
Another three years passed. Noelle’s fingers trembled slightly as she looked at the hormone test results and ultrasound report she held. “What happened? Did the doctor say what was wrong?” Christian ran to her after parking his car. He took the reports from her while saying, “I’m sorry, Noelle. There were too many cars, and I had trouble-”
He abruptly cut off when he saw the reports. Then, joy overwhelmed him.
Tears filled Noelle’s eyes as she nodded at him. “I’m pregnant, Chris.”
He threw his arms around her excitedly and spun her around. Then, he laughed like a child. “This is great! Ian’s going to have a sister!”
“He’ll be happy when he hears about this.” Noelle smiled tenderly, the diamond ring on her finger gleaming underneath the lights.
“There’s one more thing, Noelle. I heard about it when I got here.” Christian hesitated before saying, “It’s about Hector Yarrow. I don’t want to talk about him, but you have the right to know.”
Noelle’s fingers trembled. Then, she smiled and said, “Go on.”
He bit his lip. “He ended his life. I heard that he jumped off the top floor of Yarrow Group’s building. He made a horrific sight when he landed…” He looked into her eyes. “Either way, it didn’t look nice.”
Noelle was briefly silent. Then, she smiled. “You can tell lan about this. Let him know the truth if he’s interested. If he’s not, we can act like Hector never existed.”
She wrapped her arms around Christian’s neck and kissed him. “I’ve already forgotten about him. Some people are better left in the
past.”
He held her tightly, and they smiled at each other. As they left the hospital hand in hand, they talked about that night’s dinner and lan’s birthday. They also discussed the baby’s name.
Hector and the memories associated with him faded with time, leaving no traces behind. The years Noelle had spent with him and whatever conflict they’d faced ultimately disappeared with the wind.
