NovelEnglishChapter 0358
Hannah
Viona’s nimble fingers worked expertly through my hair weaving intricate braids and curls as | sat in front of my
vanity. The sweet scent of floral perffilled the air, mingling with the subtle aroma of the styling products she
was using.
I'd forgone my usual stylist tonight in favor of Viona, wanting a few hours alone with my friend. Amber and
Emma would be at the party, but they both had their own things going on and wouldn't be able to arrive until the
party started.
From what | understood, Emma was finalizing the divorce with her husband today. And Amber... Well, she had
apparently met someone new. And from the little tidbit of gossip that Viona had shared with me, I'd gathered
that their third date went well enough last night that he had spent the night at Amber's place and their date had
bled into today.
Speaking of blossoming relationships...
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“I still can’t believe how much has changed with Noah lately,” | mused, watching Viona's reflection in the mirror.
| toyed with my necklace, a delicate gold chain with a little crescent moon pendant.
She smiled, her eyes meeting mine. “I'm really so happy for you. | know you two have been through a lot, but |
always kind of hoped you'd be able to work it out.
“It’s like he’s a different person. Or maybe... maybe he’s finally becoming the person he was always meant
to be.”
Viona’s hands stilled for a moment. “What do you think caused the change?”
| considered her question, my hand absently stroking my belly. “I think... maybe the prospect of the baby
snapped him out of his icy haze. And perhaps whatever trauma he endured that gave him selective amnesia
added to his iciness in the first place.”
“Selective amnesia?” Viona asked, resuming her work on my hair.
| sighed, explaining the letters and Noah’s complete inability to remember writing them. Not just them, but all of
the events that led up to us becoming penpals-that summer we'd spent getting to know each other, even
sneaking into his mother’s hospital room. He didn’t remember a shred of it.
“If he couldn’t remember our past together, then no wonder he was always cold toward me,” | mused. “To him, |
was hardly more than an acquaintance. A random girl he was forced into an arranged marriage
with.”
| paused, watching as Viona plucked a bobby pin from between her lips and slipped it into a curl.
“I think that having his fated mate bond severed with Zoe was what may have caused it,” | continued, dropping
my voice a bit. “But | can’t bring it up to him. I think it would hurt him too much, and it's probably best reserved
for a therapist.”
“He never talks about it, does he?” Viona asked.
“No,” | said softly. “But | know it left its mark on him.”
| winced just at the thought of the pain he endured during that process. Severing your bond with a fated
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Chapter 0358
mate was not a pleasant experience in the slightest. Everyone who did it claimed that it felt like being stabbed in
the heart with a knife, over and over and over again for days.
He'd never talked about it to me, not even once, but | knew.
We fell into a comfortable silence as Viona finished my hair and moved on to my makeup. She worked skillfully-
lately, she'd been taking cosmetology classes at night, which she had begun when we weren't talking during
those weeks.
She'd explained that, with her parents still not speaking to her, she had decided to get certified so she could
open her own salon. I'd always known that she had a knack for it, but taking classes made her skills even more
polished.
“Vi,” | said suddenly, catching her hand as she reached for a brush, “I just want to say that I'm so glad we're
friends again. | missed you. And I'm sorry for fighting with you.”
Chapter 0359
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