Chapter 18
Working Title: The Call That Never Came
"What are you doing?"
Lexi looked up from the glow of her phone. Gia stood in the doorway, holding a tray with a bowl of Rocky Road and two steaming mugs of tea.
Lexi sighed and placed the phone down. "There are missed calls from Noah."
Gia set the tray on the table and sat beside her. "Did he leave a voicemail?"
"No," Lexi murmured, hugging the bowl of ice cream. "Not like he usually does."
She traced a swirl of chocolate with her spoon. "I keep wondering… if my phone had been working… would I have answered?"
Gia didn't reply right away. Instead, she reached for her own bowl, letting the silence stretch just enough.
"Lexi, listen," she said gently, "Noah might be acting like a bastard right now, but he's not heartless. Maybe he just wanted to check on you. Maybe even apologize."
Lexi let out a bitter laugh. "Why would he check on me? He's engaged to Molly."
Gia shot her a look and raised a warning finger. "That is not confirmed. Do not spiral because of some online rumor. And let's not forget;you're still married. To him."
Lexi went quiet.
Then, softly, "Gia… What if he called because he wants a divorce?"
Her voice cracked on the word.
Without hesitation, Gia reached over and took the bowl from Lexi's lap, setting it down. She wrapped her arms around her, and that was all it took. Lexi collapsed into her friend's embrace, tears breaking free.
"You're spiraling, honey," Gia whispered. "Don't overthink it. It's late. You're tired. The stress isn't good for the baby;or for you."
Lexi drew in a shaky breath. "You're right. We don't know anything until he says it. And he hasn't."
"Exactly," Gia nodded. "He'll probably call again tomorrow. And you'll be ready."
Lexi wiped her cheeks and reached for her ice cream again. "Thanks for this."
"Took three grocery stores to find the right one," Gia smiled. "But totally worth it."
Lexi hesitated. "I should tell him, shouldn't I? About the baby."
Gia's smile faded into something more serious. She thought for a beat. "Yes. But maybe wait until you've had that next appointment. Just to be sure everything's okay."
Lexi nodded. "Yeah… yeah, that makes sense."
Meanwhile, at the hospital…
"Who's that?" Nurse Warren whispered, peering down the hallway at the sharp click-clack of heels on linoleum.
His colleague didn't even look up from her gossip magazine. "That's Molly Carlton. Heiress to that skincare empire. Word is, she and Noah Blackwood just reunited and got engaged."
The other nurses gasped and leaned toward the windowed corridor.
"That's so romantic!" one whispered. "Meant to be!"
"She's wearing the ring," another swooned. "Noah's grandma's heirloom. There's only one like it."
Molly swept past the nurses' station like a black-haired hurricane in designer heels. Her lipstick was perfect, her dress flawless. She didn't stop.
"Where's Noah Blackwood?" she snapped.
"Room 420," a nurse offered, flustered.
Molly was already gone.
"I swear that diamond was the size of a walnut," someone muttered.
Room 420
Noah stirred as the door swung open and the scent of expensive perfume drifted in. He blinked slowly, head wrapped in bandages, gauze itching against his temple.
The woman who entered ran to him in a dramatic sweep and threw her arms around his neck.
"Noah!" she gasped. "I was so worried!"
He flinched slightly as she pulled back. Her face was inches from his;smiling wide, eyes glassy with excitement.
"I'm sorry…" Noah frowned. "Who are you?"
Molly froze. Her smile faltered. "Noah… it's me. Your Molly bear."
He stared at her, eyes narrowing. There was something vaguely familiar in her features. But it was like seeing a stranger wearing someone else's clothes.
"I… hit my head," he muttered. "There's a lot I don't remember."
Molly blinked once.
Then smiled again;this time more controlled. This was her opening. And she knew exactly what to do.
She sat down at his bedside and took his hand. Her fingers sparkled with that oversized ring.
"You poor thing," she cooed. "I'm your fiancée. Look, it's grandma Blackwood's ring. You wouldn't give it to someone you don't love, right?"
Noah looked down at her hand. Something tugged in his memory. That ring… he recognised it. What Molly said made sense. He wouldn't give his grandma's ring to just anyone.
He nodded, slowly.
Molly smiled sweetly, resting her head on his shoulder.
"There's just one thing you should know," she whispered. "There's a woman named Lexi. She… tricked you. Forced you into a fake marriage. Slept around. And now she won't let go."
Noah didn't reply. His brain was fogged. But something about the name Lexi stirred something. A faint flicker. A name on the edge of a dream.
Molly kissed his cheek. "Don't worry, baby. I'll protect you."
Lexi blinked against the pale morning light and reached instinctively for her phone. It was still on the nightstand, her new one, charging. She picked it up and stared at the screen, her thumb hovering.
Still nothing.
Her heart sank. She hadn't been able to shake the feeling that something was wrong. Not just the usual spiral;this was different. She scrolled through her call log again, hoping somehow the missed calls would come with new clarity this time. Nothing. Still no voicemail.
In the kitchen, Gia was humming softly. Lexi could smell fresh tea;maybe the chamomile one;and something sweet, possibly her favorite oat cookies. She slipped out of bed, tugged Noah's old hoodie tighter around herself, and padded into the kitchen barefoot.
Gia took one look at her and frowned.
"No messages?"
Lexi shook her head. "Just the missed calls. No voicemail. I keep wondering if it was just a pocket dial. Or… or maybe he wanted to tell me something and changed his mind."
Gia gently slid a mug across the counter. "Don't do that to yourself. You'll never know unless he calls again."
Lexi bit her lip. "What if he did want to talk? What if I missed my only chance to fix this?"
Before Gia could respond, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen;then went completely still.
"What?" Lexi asked, suddenly tense. "What is it?"
Gia didn't answer immediately. Her face had gone pale, and her eyes scanned the screen again to make sure she hadn't misread. Then she turned it around and handed it to Lexi.
It was a post from a gossip account. The kind that always had the inside scoop on influencer drama. But this time, it wasn't about Molly's bikini or Lexi's rainbow dress.
"Sources confirm that popular content creator and wilderness merch entrepreneur Noah Blackwood was hospitalized last night following a late-night car accident. Details remain unclear, but eyewitnesses say the car flipped twice after a collision near Ridgewood exit."
Lexi's world narrowed to the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
"No…" she whispered.
She was already halfway to her bedroom when Gia caught up.
"Lexi, wait-"
"Noah called me!" Lexi shouted over her shoulder. "He called me and I didn't answer. What if he needed help? What if/" Her voice cracked and she sank to her knees on the bedroom floor, clutching the phone to her chest.
Gia knelt beside her. "Lex, stop. Please. This is not your fault. He would've called 911 if it was urgent. You weren't the only one he could've called."
Lexi nodded mutely, but tears had started to form in the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away angrily.
"I'm going to the hospital."
"Then I'm coming with you."
Lexi stood, already moving toward the closet. "I want to bring him something. Something to remind him he's not alone. He loves those stupid lemon cookies…"
Gia grabbed her car keys. "I'll drive. You focus on breathing."
–
At the hospital.
Lexi clutched the small paper bag to her chest like it was a lifeline. Inside were Noah's favorite cookies;those stupid crunchy things with a weird name she always made fun of. It was a peace offering. A step toward healing. A sign that maybe, despite everything, she still believed in them.
The elevator doors opened to a too;white corridor. Lexi stepped out, heart hammering, legs trembling, and walked up to the reception.
"I'm here to see Noah Blackwood," she said.
The nurse barely looked up. "Name?"
"Lexi Nova. I'm-"
"Oh." The nurse's eyes narrowed. "You're her."
Lexi blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You've been explicitly denied access. Mr. Blackwood's fiancée said "no visitors, especially not you."
Lexi's throat tightened. "Fiancée?" she echoed. So the rumours were true?
"I'm his wife!"
The other nurse leaned over. "Miss, I'm going to say this as kindly as I can: he's with Molly now. They obviously belong together, so you need to leave them alone!"
The word homewrecker wasn't said aloud, but it hung in the air like smoke.
Lexi's eyes burned. Her fingers clenched tighter around the cookie bag. "I need to see him."
"If you don't leave, we'll have to call security."
But Lexi had already turned and was walking- no, sprinting- down the hall. Room numbers flew by as she peeked into every open door. A man with a cast. An old woman sleeping. A nurse changing bedsheets. Her heart beat faster with every wrong face. Until-
Room 420.
She stopped cold.
There he was.
Noah.
Awake.
Sitting up.
Bandages around his head, bruised but alive.
Molly sat beside him, curled into his side like she belonged there. She was holding his hand.
Lexi took one step inside,and Noah looked up.
His expression was blank.
Stranger blank.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
Lexi's entire world tilted. "Noah… it's me."
Molly stood slowly, like a predator preparing to pounce. "This is Lexi. The girl I told you about."
Lexi stared, breathless. "Noah, please. You know me. You have to remember. We're married. We- we live together. We were in love."
Noah's brows furrowed, and for a second,just a second,something flickered. His hand went to his forehead. He winced.
Molly jumped up and rushed to his side. "Noah, don't! Don't strain yourself, baby. The doctor said no stress. Remember what happened the last time you tried to remember too much?"
Lexi took a cautious step closer. "You always teased me about my smoothies. You said my towel smelled like unicorns. You danced with me in the kitchen when the power went out. You-You told me I felt like home."
Noah groaned, gripping his temples. "Stop… please…"
Molly threw her arms around him. "Get out! You're hurting him! Can't you see what you're doing?!"
Lexi froze. Her gaze locked on Noah's face. He didn't look at her. Didn't say her name.
Didn't stop her when she turned and walked out.
The paper bag slipped from her fingers on the way.
She didn't notice.
But the hallway, too white, too quiet, felt like it had swallowed her whole.
She couldn't even protest when security grabbed her. No one saw Molly's satisfied smile as she tended to Noah.
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