Chapter 359
Noah hadn’t come home all night.
She rose slowly and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Aware that Laura was still in the guest room and not wanting to cause her concern, Sadie suppressed her own unease.
After freshening up, she descended the stairs and found breakfast prepared.
“Mr. Wall… didn’t come back last night?” Sadie asked Breck, her voice steady yet betraying a slight tremor.
Breck shook his head slightly. “No, Mrs. Wall.”
“Um, did he mention when he’d return?”
“He did not,” Breck replied, his demeanor respectful yet conveying an unspoken tension.
Sadie bit her lower lip, struggling to swallow the lump forming in her throat.
Sadie walked to the table, absentmindedly picking up a piece of toast. She took a bite, but it tasted like nothing—just another motion in a morning that felt hollow. From the staircase, Laura appeared, radiating energy, as if the weakness from her hospital stay had been nothing more than a passing shadow.
“Sadie,” she called out warmly. “Why didn’t you sleep a little longer?”
Sadie hesitated before forcing a small, tired smile. “Couldn’t get any.”
Laura slid into the seat beside her, studying her carefully. Then, she softened. “This is about Noah, isn’t it?”noveldrama
Sadie’s fingers clenched slightly around her silverware. She didn’t answer.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Laura said with a light chuckle. “Matters of the heart have a way of working themselves out. Don’t overthink what you can’t control.”
Sadie exhaled slowly, her chest rising and falling as she tried to absorb those words.
“I’m fine, Grandma,” she said softly.
Laura studied her for a moment, then sighed before turning to head back upstairs.
Sadie knew she meant well, but inside, she was a whirlwind of emotions—sweetness, bitterness, uncertainty—all tangled together.
Just then, Breck stepped forward, placing a beautifully wrapped gift box on the table with precise care.
“Mrs. Wall, this has just arrived from Ms. Shaw,” he announced.
Sadie blinked, her gaze landing on the package.
Already? She remembered Eva mentioning the dress for the Starlight Gala, but she hadn’t expected it to arrive so soon.
A warmth spread through her chest. Eva never did things halfway.
“Thank you,” Sadie murmured, nodding at Breck before reaching for the elegant ribbon. Her fingers worked delicately, untying the bow, anticipation stirring inside her.
As she lifted the lid, a breathtaking silver gown was revealed, shimmering under the morning light. Tiny diamonds adorned the fabric, catching every glimmer like captured stars.
Sadie ran her fingers over the smooth silk, the softness like liquid against her skin. She carefully lifted the dress, holding it against herself, unable to resist the pull of its beauty. A breath escaped her lips.
“It’s… stunning,” she whispered to herself.
With a maid’s assistance, Sadie slipped into the gown. The fabric molded to her frame like a second skin, accentuating every curve with effortless elegance. It was neither too tight nor too loose—just perfect.
She stepped in front of the full-length mirror, her breath catching as she took in her reflection.
.
.
.