Obsession: His Runaway Bride

Chapter 6: Soul

Chapter 6: Soul

Noelle's lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile as everything began to make sense. The ache in her chest was heavy, yet it brought a strange clarity. She turned her gaze to Grace, who stood next to her, shooting daggers at Adrian and Bianca. They were so engrossed in the photoshoot. Adrian was adjusting Bianca's posture with a casual touch. Their faces were close while they exchanged conversations only they could hear.

"Grace?" Noelle called softly.

"Yes, love?" Grace answered, snapping out of her intense glare to focus on Noelle.

"I think..." Noelle hesitated knowing she was lying to her friend. "I think I left my phone in your car. Could you grab it for me, please?"

Grace narrowed her eyes slightly, glancing at her with suspicion. "Are you sure you're okay? You've been acting..." She trailed off, biting her lip as if debating whether to press further.

Noelle managed a small, reassuring smile. "I'm fine. I promise. I just need my phone."

Grace still looked hesitant but eventually sighed. "Alright. Stay here, and don't go anywhere, okay?" she said, giving Noelle's shoulder a quick squeeze before heading toward the exit.

As soon as Grace was out of sight, Noelle exhaled deeply, pulling the velvet ring box out of her purse. Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened it, remembering the memory of how beautiful it was the very first time she saw it. With a heavy heart, she carefully slid the engagement ring Adrian has given her, off her finger.

"You weren't made for me..." she whispered to the ring. She placed the ring gently back into the box, snapping it shut with care as though sealing away a chapter of her life.

Noelle scanned the busy set while her eyes searched for someone she could approach. Until her gaze landed on a young woman standing nearby. She had large eyeglasses perched on her nose with her clipboard in hand, and very much looking like someone trustworthy.

And so Noelle summoned her courage and approached her quietly, tapping her shoulder. "Excuse me?"

The woman turned to face her, blinking in surprise. "Yes? Can I help you?" she asked, her voice polite but curious.

Noelle hesitated for a moment, clutching the box in her hand. Then she held it out with a humble and composed expression. "I... I have a gift here for Bianca Monroe. From Adrian Blackwood," she said softly.

The woman's eyes immediately dropped to the box, and when she realized what it contained, she gasped as her eyes widened in astonishment. "Oh my god," she breathed. "Is that... is that what I think it is?"

Noelle was somehow confused and unsure of what else to say.

The woman's excitement bubbled over, and she quickly grabbed Noelle's arm, pulling her aside to a quieter corner of the room. "This ring..." she started in a hushed voice yet brimming with awe. "This is the 'Soul' ring, isn't it? It's world-famous! Designed by Valerie Aleeksev herself! There's only one of its kind in the entire world."

Noelle blinked, taken aback by the woman's enthusiasm. She hadn't expected such a reaction.

"It's legendary," the woman continued, "The designer said it was created with the belief that whoever receives this ring holds the giver's very soul. It's... it's priceless." She looked at Noelle with wide eyes. "Three years ago, it made headlines when it was sold at auction for an astronomical price! And Adrian Blackwood bought it? Oh my god, this is huge!"

Noelle felt the sting of tears threatening her composure, but she kept her head bowed, letting the woman's words wash over her. 'He gave me something so precious... but it wasn't meant for me,' she thought.

The woman suddenly straightened, realizing she hadn't introduced herself. "Oh! I'm so sorry for rambling. My name's Chloe Daniels. I'm Bianca's manager," she said with a bright smile.

Noelle nodded politely, still holding the box out to her.

Chloe glanced back down at the box, her eyes sparkling. "You must be Adrian's assistant, right? Thank you so much for delivering this. Bianca's going to be absolutely thrilled!" She gently took the box from Noelle's hands, clutching it like it was a treasure.

Noelle forced a small smile, nodding again. Her voice was caught in her throat, so she said nothing as Chloe returned to her spot by the photoshoot with the ring now in her possession.

As Chloe walked away, Noelle remained rooted in place, staring at her empty hands. The weight of what she had done sank into her chest, heavy and suffocating. Without another glance at the photoshoot or the people in the room, she turned and quietly made her way toward the exit. But she ended up bumping into Grace who looked troubled not finding Noelle's phone in her car.

"Noelle?" Grace's worried voice broke through the fog in Noelle's mind.

Noelle looked up to find Grace standing in front of her, holding her car keys and looking perplexed. "I couldn't find your phone," Grace said, her brows furrowed. "I searched everywhere. Are you sure you left it there?"

For a moment, Noelle's mind blanked. She had completely forgotten about the excuse she'd given to send Grace away.

"Oh..." Noelle forced a faint smile, her voice soft and unsteady. "I must've been mistaken. Maybe it's in my bag after all."

Grace narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Noelle's face. "You're acting strange," she said bluntly. "What's going on? Why are you so pale? And why..." Her voice trailed off as her gaze flicked to the direction Noelle had been staring moments ago—the heart of the photoshoot where Adrian and Bianca stood together, laughing about something as the cameras clicked away.

"Noelle..." Grace's voice softened, but there was a hint of alarm in it now. "What did you do?"

Noelle shook her head, her smile trembling as she looked anywhere but at Grace. "Nothing," she whispered, trying to step around her friend. "Let's just go, Grace. Please."

But Grace wasn't convinced. She grabbed Noelle's arm gently but firmly, pulling her back. "Wait a second. What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry? What did you—"

"Grace!" Noelle suddenly spun around, her voice breaking as she shouted, "I said, drive me home!"

The outburst stunned Grace into silence, her eyes widening in shock. Noelle's face was streaked with tears, her chest heaving as sob after sob broke free. It wasn't just anger, Noelle was unraveling right in front of her.

"Noelle..." Grace whispered, her voice laced with worry, but Noelle didn't wait for her to recover.

Noelle clutched her bag tightly to her chest before turning and rushed to where they first entered. She kept her head low, avoiding the curious stares of the people they passed as the weight of her emotions was too heavy to bear.

"Noelle, wait!" Grace called, quickly following after her, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she tried to catch up.

But Noelle didn't stop until she reached Grace's car, where she finally broke down completely. She leaned against the side of the car, her shoulders shaking violently as tears poured down her face.

Grace reached her in seconds, her breath slightly labored from the chase. Without a word, she enveloped Noelle in a tight hug, holding her as if trying to piece her back together.

"What happened, girl?" Grace asked softly, her voice filled with concern as she stroked Noelle's hair.

Noelle shook her head, her hands clutching Grace's jacket like it was her lifeline. "Nothing," she choked out, her voice muffled by sobs.

Grace frowned, her heart aching as she held her broken friend. "Noelle, please tell me what's going on," she urged, but Noelle only buried her face deeper into Grace's shoulder, refusing to say more.

Realizing she wouldn't get any answers now, Grace sighed and gently pulled back, cupping Noelle's tear-streaked face in her hands. "Okay," she said softly. "Let's get you home, okay? We'll talk when you're ready."

Noelle gave a shaky nod. Her hands trembled as she wiped at her face. Grace opened the car door and helped her inside, making sure she was comfortable before climbing into the driver's seat herself.

As they pulled out of the parking lot, Grace glanced at Noelle from the corner of her eye. She was curled up in the passenger seat. Her gaze fixed out the window while her tears still silently falling. Grace gripped the steering wheel tighter. Whatever had happened, it wasn't "nothing," and Grace silently vowed to find out the truth and to make sure Noelle didn't face it alone.