Noah’s The first morning at Amelia and Clara’s apartment felt strangely peaceful.
For the first time in months, I didn’t have to rush Ethan to daycare before heading to Ashford Biotech.
I didn’t have to walk through those familiar glass doors.
And most importantly, I didn’t have to worry about running into Adrian.
I had officially taken a month’s leave from Ashford Biotech.
A month away.
That was all I needed.
At least, that was what I kept telling myself.
“Daddy!” Ethan’s voice came from the living room.
I smiled and walked out of the bedroom.
He was sitting between Amelia and Clara, his stuffed fox on his lap.
Clara was attempting to fix his hair while Amelia held a bowl of fruit.
“Look at your son,” Clara said.
I looked at Ethan.
His hair was sticking up in three different directions.
I laughed.
“What happened?” “He wouldn’t stay still,” Clara complained.
Ethan immediately defended himself.
“No!” Amelia laughed.
“He says you’re lying.” “I can see that.” I crouched in front of him.
“Come here.” He climbed into my arms.
“Morning, sweetheart.” “Morning.” Clara smiled.
“You look exhausted.” “I’m fine.” Both sisters looked at me.
I sighed.
“Okay.
Maybe I’m a little tired.” Amelia folded her arms.
“You’ve barely slept since you came here.” “I’ll sleep tonight.” “You said that yesterday.” “And I’ll say it again today.” Clara shook her head.
“Stubborn.” I gave her a look.
“You two are enjoying this too much.” “Of course,” Amelia said.
“We finally have our little brother back.” Something warm settled in my chest.
I had missed this.
Being around my sisters.
Being somewhere that didn’t remind me of Adrian every five minutes.
The apartment even smelled different from Adrian’s house — coffee and laundry soap instead of quiet, expensive stillness — and somehow that ordinariness felt like a small mercy.
For the first time since leaving Ashford’s house, I felt like I could breathe.
After breakfast, Amelia took Ethan to the living room while Clara helped me unpack.
She noticed the folded work clothes inside my suitcase.
“You’re really taking the entire month off?” “Yes.” “Good.” I looked at her.
“You sound relieved.” “I am.” “Why?” She gave me a knowing look.
“Because you need a break from that place.” I knew exactly what she meant.
Ashford Biotech.
Adrian.
Everything connected to him.
I lowered my gaze.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.” Clara stopped folding the clothes.
“About Adrian?” I didn’t answer.
She sighed.
“You know, Noah, you don’t have to figure everything out this week.” “I know.” “Then stop acting like you do.” I smiled faintly.
“You’re both becoming philosophers.” “We’re your sisters.
We have earned the right.” I laughed.
Then my phone vibrated.
I froze.
I looked at the screen.
Adrian.
My smile disappeared.
Clara noticed immediately.
“You don’t have to answer.” “I know.” I stared at his name.
After a few seconds, I opened the message.
How is Ethan?
I swallowed.
He hadn’t asked about me.
Maybe that was better.
Maybe he was respecting the distance I’d asked for.
I typed: He’s doing well.
A reply came almost immediately.
I’m glad.
I stared at the words.
Nothing else.
No pressure.
No questions.
Just that.
I locked my phone.
Clara watched me.
“You miss him.” I shook my head.
“No.” She raised an eyebrow.
I sighed.
“Maybe a little.” She smiled softly.
“That’s okay.” I looked away.
“It shouldn’t be.” “Why?” “Because I left for a reason.” Clara placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Taking a break doesn’t mean you stopped caring.” I didn’t respond.
Because that was exactly what frightened me.
I still cared.
Maybe more than I wanted to admit.
Later that afternoon, Ethan and I went for a walk with Amelia and Clara.
We didn’t go anywhere near Ashford Biotech.
I had made sure of that.
No familiar streets.
No familiar buildings.
No chance of seeing Adrian.
Ethan held both my hand and Clara’s as we walked.
He looked happier than he had in days.
“Daddy.” “Yes?” “Home?” I smiled.
“Yes, sweetheart.
We’re going home.” He nodded happily.
I looked at my sisters.
For the first time, the word didn’t feel like a place.
It felt like people.
Amelia.
Clara.
Ethan.
My family.
Maybe this month away was exactly what I needed.
Maybe I could finally remember who I was before Adrian Ashford became the center of every difficult decision in my life.
But as my phone vibrated again inside my pocket, I already knew who it was.
I didn’t check.
Not yet.
I wasn’t ready.
For one month, I had promised myself that I would breathe.
And I intended to keep that promise.
I didn’t check my phone until we got back home.
The moment I stepped inside, Ethan ran toward the living room, dragging his little fox behind him.
“Slow down,” I called.
He ignored me completely.
Amelia laughed.
“He’s definitely your son.” “Unfortunately.” Clara gasped dramatically.
“Unfortunately?” I smiled.
“You heard me.” She threw a cushion at me.
I caught it before it hit my face.
“Violence in front of the child?” Ethan giggled.
“Again!” “No.” “Again!” “Absolutely not.” The three of us laughed.
For a while, I forgot everything.
No Adrian.
No Ashford Biotech.
No questions about the past.
Just my sisters and Ethan.
It felt normal.
I needed normal.
That evening, after Ethan fell asleep, I finally checked my phone.
There were three messages.
All from Adrian.
The first one had been sent earlier.
Did you get settled in?
The second came a few hours later.
Don’t worry about work.
Your leave has been approved.
The third was more recent.
Take the time you need.
I stared at the screen.
He hadn’t asked me to come back.
He hadn’t complained about my absence.
He hadn’t mentioned the kiss.
He was giving me exactly what I’d asked for.
So why did my chest hurt?
I placed the phone beside me.
“You’re thinking about him again.” I looked up.
Amelia stood in the doorway.
“You walk too quietly.” “I’m your sister.
I know when you’re pretending to be okay.” I sighed.
“I’m trying.” She came over and sat beside me.
“That’s enough.” I looked at her.
“I don’t know what I’m doing.” “You don’t have to.” “I have Ethan to think about.” “I know.” “What if Adrian finds out everything and hates me?” Amelia was quiet for a moment.
“Then you’ll deal with it.” “And if he doesn’t?” “Then you’ll deal with that too.” I frowned.
“That’s your advice?” “Yes.” I laughed quietly.
“Very helpful.” She smiled.
“You’re trying to control the ending before you’ve even reached the middle.” Her words stayed with me.
Maybe she was right.
I couldn’t decide Adrian’s reaction before he even knew the truth.
I couldn’t decide whether he would forgive me.
I couldn’t decide whether he would want Ethan in his life.
And I certainly couldn’t decide what would happen between us.
All I could do was stop running long enough to figure out what I wanted.
A week passed.
Then another.
My life slowly settled into a quiet routine.
Ethan stayed home with us.
Amelia worked remotely whenever she could, while Clara took turns keeping Ethan entertained.
Some mornings, I helped prepare breakfast.
Some afternoons, we watched movies together.
Some evenings, we sat on the balcony and talked about everything except Adrian.
But Adrian still found his way into my thoughts.
Sometimes through a message.
Sometimes through a memory.
Sometimes for absolutely no reason.
One afternoon, I was folding Ethan’s clothes when Clara walked in.
“You’re smiling.” I looked up.
“I’m not.” “You are.” “I was thinking about something funny.” “Was that something named Adrian?” I threw a shirt at her.
She laughed.
“That’s a yes.” I shook my head.
“You people are impossible.” She sat beside me.
“Do you love him?” The question hit me harder than I expected.
I stared at the shirt in my hands.
“I don’t know.” Clara didn’t push.
She simply nodded.
“Then figure it out.” I looked toward Ethan’s room.
“I have a month.” “Then use it.” I smiled faintly.
Maybe I would.
Maybe this month wasn’t supposed to make me forget Adrian.
Maybe it was supposed to help me understand why I couldn’t.
My phone vibrated on the bed.
I glanced at it.
Another message.
This time, Adrian had sent only one sentence.
Ethan asked about me today.
My heart squeezed.
I stared at the message.
Then I typed: He misses you.
I hesitated.
Before I could delete it, another message appeared.
I miss him too.
I read those words twice.
Then a third time.
I didn’t know what to say.
So I simply placed the phone against my chest and closed my eyes.
A month was supposed to create distance.
Instead, every passing day was making one thing clearer.
I hadn’t left because I didn’t care about Adrian.
I had left because I cared far too much.
And somewhere between the coffee-scented mornings and the quiet evenings on the balcony, I was starting to understand that a month wouldn’t be nearly long enough to unlearn that.
Noah is finally getting the break he desperately needed, and having Amelia and Clara around him is giving him a little piece of the family he has been missing.
But let’s talk about those messages from Adrian.
“I miss him too.” Noah thought distance would make everything easier, but instead, he’s slowly realizing that leaving Adrian behind didn’t make his feelings disappear.
And Ethan missing Adrian too?
That little boy is already making things harder for Daddy!
We’re still in the one-month-away arc, so we’re going to let Noah breathe, spend time with his sisters, and sort through his feelings before everything starts moving again.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting the story.
See you in Chapter 21!
— Ari1