OwenThe girl called Noah explained that she heard a boy scream on her way to collect groceries for her age group. She told me and my parents exactly what happened. This convinced me that it was her. She was the girl who saved me.When my parents told her they wanted to adopt her, Noah was over the moon. She couldn’t believe she would finally have a family and a home. It was her biggest dream come true.We grew up together and got closer and closer with the years. We had our first kiss that one magical evening, when we were 18. I finally admitted to her how I felt. I was the happiest man in the world when we got married. We had such a happy life together. But everything changed when we went to Josie’s place for a dinner party.Noah and I usually invited Josie over to our villa. Josie never had a long term place of her own. When she finally bought her own apartment, she invited us to her housewarming party. It was a cozy night with lots of laughter.When I went to the toilet, I took th

OwenAs I drove back from the cemetery, Noah’s words echoed in my mind. They left me unsettled and filled me with doubt. I needed answers. Josie seemed to hold the key to understanding what happened at the Grand Palais hotel.When I arrived home, I found Josie sitting alone in the living room. She was still wearing the inappropriately sexy black dress that she wore to the funeral. Her expression was a mix of sadness and defiance. She looked up as I entered. Her eyes searched mine for a hint of what I was thinking.“I saw you talking to Noah before I left the cemetery,” She pouted, “What were you talking about? Was it about those texts? Did you not believe me?”I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before I spoke.“Josie, I need to know the truth,” I began, my voice tinged with urgency. “Noah told me what happened at the hotel. She said you drugged her and almost got her raped.”Josie’s eyes widened, shock flashing across her face before she composed herself. “Owen, I… I didn’t d

NoahAfter a night full of strange, vivid dreams, I woke up as a wave of nausea hit me. I was prepared for it this time. I threw up into the bucket I had placed next to the bed the day before. I was hoping to find that my period started last night. It hadn’t.I got up and had a long shower. My appointment at the hospital later this morning made me feel nervous. Although it would be good to finally get some answers.I got out of the shower with a towel wrapped around my body and another around my hair. I noticed the pregnancy test that I had tossed next to the sink yesterday. A nagging feeling of anxiety nestled in my chest. I hid the test in the back of a bathroom cabinet, then got ready for the day.“Morning,” I said to Raymond as I passed him in the hallway. He had been feeling a lot better lately. His rib was healing well. He even felt good enough to work from home. He spent a lot of his time in the study, on conference calls and working through emails that had built up over his si

 Noah Suddenly, I became aware of my behavior and quickly put my phone down. What was I doing? My mind raced. I couldn’t just call Raymond. This wasn't the right time to tell him. We weren’t even in a relationship. A one-night stand? What did that even mean? I took a deep breath and forced myself to stand up. The hospital's fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I walked to the exit. The world outside felt disorienting after the emotional whirlwind I just went through. When I got back to Raymond’s villa, the quietness of the place felt overwhelming. The spacious rooms, filled with memories of shared laughter and late-night talks, now seemed to echo my confusion and worry. The d

 Noah Owen’s response shocked me. Why did he think it was his baby? We hadn't been intimate for at least 3 months. I supposed he didn’t see the time period of my pregnancy on the report. “Owen…” I began. Curiously awaiting my response, he dropped the hand that held the piece of paper. I took the opportunity to grab it. With a swift motion, I folded the report and put it back in my bag. “Please stay out of my private matters. You had no right to look at this.” I said to him with a cold stare.  I hesitated. Now was as good a time as any to tell him the truth. “You’re not my baby’s father, Owen. Now leave me alone. You're so sure about Josie’s good heart, so why do you keep bothering m