She Had To Burn Bridges

Noelle pushed open the front door of her apartment, the image of Flynn's handsome face flashing briefly in her mind. She quickly shoved the thought away.

She had bigger problems to deal with than her newly acquired, and potentially soon-to-be-ex, husband, no matter what his gorgeous smile did to her belly. She just wanted to go upstairs, lock herself in her room, and try to make sense of the chaotic mess her life had become in the past few hours.

As she stepped into the living room, however, she stopped short. Evan and Ma-Ri were there, perched on the sofa, their posture a little too casual, their expressions a little too…sheepish. They looked like two teenagers caught in the act of something they were not supposed to be doing. A wave of nausea washed over Noelle. She could not believe that it had been right under her nose and she had never figured it out. After Ma-Ri's confession in her past life and seeing them together, the confirmation of everything, was like a punch to the gut.

They quickly rearranged themselves, pulling apart slightly as if they had been caught in an embrace. Ma-Ri smoothed down her dress, while Evan ran a hand through his hair, his eyes darting nervously towards Noelle.

Noelle simply stared at them, her face expressionless. She did not say a word, she did not need to. She just looked at them, her gaze unwavering, taking in the subtle cues, the unspoken language of their body language. It was all there, the guilt, the awkwardness, the lingering intimacy.

She didn't need any more proof. She knew.

Without a word, she turned and started to walk towards the stairs. She just wanted to get away from them, to escape the irritating presence of their lord and scheming.

Evan, however, jumped up and hurried after her. "Noelle!" he called out. "Wait! What is wrong? Aren't you even going to talk to me after I came all this way and you kept me waiting."

Noelle stopped, but she didn't turn around. She could hear his footsteps behind her, his voice less harsh and laced with a forced concern.

"What is wrong?" he repeated, his hand reaching out to touch her arm.

Noelle flinched, pulling her arm away. She finally turned to face him, her expression cold and distant.

"Don't touch me, Evan," she said, her voice flat.

Evan's brow furrowed. "What is going on, Noelle?" he asked. "You are acting so strange."

Before Noelle could respond, Ma-Ri chimed in, her voice laced with a practiced sorrow. "Noelle," she began, her tone pleading. "I…I am so sorry. I can see that you are upset. Is it…is it because of me and Evan? I was only keeping you company since you did not come back on time."

Noelle stared at Ma-Ri, her eyes narrowed. The performance was almost laughable. The feigned innocence, the carefully crafted sorrow, it was all so transparent.

"Stop the pretense, Ma-Ri," Noelle said, her voice sharp. "I know."

Ma-Ri's carefully constructed expression faltered. She exchanged a quick glance with Evan, her eyes filled with a flicker of panic.

"Know what, Noelle?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I know that you two have been sleeping together," Noelle said, her voice cold and even. "I know everything."

The air crackled with tension. Evan and Ma-Ri stared at her, their faces pale and drawn. They didn't say anything. They couldn't. They knew she had caught them.

Noelle looked from one to the other, her eyes filled with a mixture of disgust and weariness. She had never suspected it and she felt stupid. She had been determined to become Mrs. Evan Clarke and she had made excuses for everything.

"Don't even bother denying it," she said, her voice flat. "I'm not stupid. I've seen the way you look at each other. I've heard the things you say when you think I'm not listening."

She paused, taking a deep breath. "I don't care anymore," she said, her voice laced with indifference. "Do whatever you want. Just…leave me alone."

She turned and walked towards the stairs, leaving Evan and Ma-Ri standing there, their faces a mixture of guilt and shock. They didn't follow her. They didn't say anything. They simply watched her go, their silence a testament to their guilt.

Noelle climbed the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the huge house. She reached her wing and stepped inside, then closed the door behind her, and leaned against it, her eyes closed. She felt numb, empty. The betrayal, the deception, it was all so…tiresome.

She had been so focused on her own problems, her disastrous marriage, her chaotic life, that she had almost forgotten about Evan and Ma-Ri. She had almost forgotten about their betrayal. Now, it was all coming back to her, the pain, the anger, the sense of violation.

She opened her eyes, her gaze falling on the photograph on her nightstand. It was a picture of her and Evan, taken during their early days of dating. They were smiling, laughing, their faces filled with happiness. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

She picked up the photograph, her fingers tracing the outline of their faces. She remembered the way she had felt about Evan, the love, the trust, the unwavering belief in their future together. It all seemed so distant now, so unreal.

She stared at the photograph for a long moment, then, with a sigh, she tossed it onto the nightstand. She didn't need the memories anymore. She didn't need the pain. She was done. She was done with Evan, done with Ma-Ri, done with the lies and the deceit.

She walked over to the window, gazing out at the city lights. She felt a sense of detachment, as if she were watching her life unfold from a distance. She had made mistakes, she had trusted the wrong people, but she had learned from her experiences. She was stronger now, more resilient.

She knew that she would be okay. She would survive this, just as she had survived everything else. She would pick up the pieces of her life and start again. She would focus on her career and live life on her own terms.

And as she stood there, gazing out at the city lights, she felt a flicker of hope ignite within her. She didn't know what the future held, but she was ready to face it. She was ready to start again. She was ready to move on and if she had to burn bridges, she was not afraid to.

One thing was certain, Ma-Ri and Evan would not get a chance to destroy her.