Noah stepped out of his brother's room with a quiet finality that felt heavier than any slammed door.
The corridor stretched before him, long and silent, bathed in the pale gold of early morning light. For a fleeting second, his hand hovered over the doorknob behind him, as if some invisible thread still tied him to that space, to the faint remnants of a person who no longer belonged in his life.
Then he let go.
Without another glance, Noah turned and walked toward his own room.
The moment he stepped inside, he didn't hesitate.
He began to clean.
Not in the casual, absent-minded way one tidies up out of habit, but with purpose. With precision. With something dangerously close to obsession.
Drawers were emptied.
Bedsheets were stripped and replaced.
Curtains were pulled open, letting harsh sunlight flood every corner, exposing even the smallest trace of dust, of memory.
Of him.
William.
Every object that even remotely reminded Noah of that man was removed. A pen left behind. A shirt he had once borrowed. Even the faint scent lingering in the air felt suffocating.
Noah opened the windows wide.
Cold wind rushed in, sweeping through the room like a cleansing force.
"Disappear," he muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening around the edge of the desk. "All of it… just disappear."
Time passed without him noticing.
When he finally stopped, his chest rose and fell unevenly, strands of hair clinging to his damp forehead. The room stood spotless now, pristine, untouched, as if no one else had ever existed within its walls.
No traces.
No memories.
No William.
Only then did Noah allow himself a small, satisfied breath.
"Good," he whispered.
It was gone.
After washing up, Noah changed into fresh clothes and made his way toward the dining room.
Each step felt strangely surreal.
This house…
This life…
It still hadn't fully sunk in.
The dining room was already lively when he arrived.
Voices overlapped, soft laughter filled the air, and the clinking of cutlery created a rhythm that felt almost… nostalgic.
Everyone was there.
His father. His mother.
His siblings.
Alive.
All of them.
For a moment, Noah stood frozen at the entrance.
His gaze instinctively found Bruce first.
His eldest brother stood near the head of the table, speaking casually while adjusting his cuffs, his posture straight and confident. The same brother Noah had seen...
Dead.
That image flashed through his mind without warning.
Blood.
Stillness.
Silence.
Noah's fingers curled slightly.
Bruce was supposed to be gone.
In the past… he had died as the manager of their company. Noah had seen it with his own eyes too...the lifeless body, the irreversible truth.
And yet,
Here he was.
Alive. Breathing. Talking as if nothing had ever happened.
Noah's throat tightened.
Then his gaze shifted.
Lia stood nearby, listening to Bruce with a soft smile, her expression gentle as always. She had never cared much for business, choosing instead to follow her love for animals. In the future Noah remembered, she had become a veterinarian.
But her end,
Noah didn't know it.
He had never seen her final moments.
He had never even gotten the chance to say goodbye.
And Lily...
She sat beside their mother, her posture relaxed, but her eyes sharp and observant.
Lily, who had died too soon.
An accident.
Sudden. Unfair. Cruel.
She had never even finished her studies.
Noah swallowed hard.
One by one, the faces before him overlapped with memories of loss, of grief, of unbearable helplessness.
And yet now,
They were all here.
Together.
Laughing.
Breathing.
Alive.
A sharp ache rose in his chest.
Happiness.
And sorrow.
So overwhelming that it felt suffocating.
Noah quickly turned his face away, blinking rapidly as he wiped the corners of his eyes.
He couldn't let them see.
If they noticed,
They would worry.
They always did.
Because they loved him.
So much.
There were three empty seats at the table.
One was his.
One belonged to Mark, his brother studying abroad.
And the last,
At the very head of the table,
Belonged to David.
The pillar of the family.
Their father.
The "king" of their world.
David was a busy man, the CEO of their company, burdened with responsibilities that never seemed to end. And yet, no matter how late he was…
He never missed a meal with his family.
Never.
That was the kind of man he was.
Noah walked quietly to his seat and sat down.
He kept his movements controlled, careful.
Normal.
He had to be normal.
But the moment he lifted his head,
He met Lily's gaze.
She was already looking at him.
Watching him.
Carefully.
Too carefully.
A flicker of unease passed through Noah.
Lily had always been the closest to him.
She knew him too well.
Too well.
"Noah… are you okay?" her voice came, gentle but laced with concern. "You look pale."
Before Noah could respond, another voice joined.
"Noah, what's wrong?" his mother, Sheli, leaned forward, her brows furrowed. "Are you sick?"
Noah hesitated for the briefest moment.
Then he smiled faintly.
"No, Mom… I'm fine. Just… feels like I caught a cold."
The words slipped out easily.
And instantly,
He regretted it.
"What?! A cold?"
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Wait, come here!"
The table erupted into chaos.
Hands reached toward him.
Someone brought a thermometer.
Another touched his forehead.
Voices overlapped again, but, filled with worry.
Noah stiffened.
"…Mom, it's just a cold," he said helplessly, trying to calm them. "You don't have to worry so much."
But they didn't listen.
Of course they didn't.
This was his family.
"Noah."
Lily's voice cut through the noise.
Sharp.
Direct.
He turned toward her.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Are you hiding something?"
For a split second
Noah's heart skipped.
But his expression didn't change.
"What would I be hiding?" he replied calmly.
Too calmly.
Lily studied him for a moment longer.
Then,
Before she could press further...
A deep voice echoed from the entrance.
"What's going on here? Is someone sick?"
David.
Everyone turned.
He stood at the doorway, still in his work attire, his presence commanding yet warm.
"No, no," Sheli quickly said, smoothly stepping in. "Come, sit down. Everyone's hungry."
She shot Noah a subtle glance.
A silent message.
Later.
Breakfast began.
Conversations flowed naturally again.
David, as always, steered most of them toward business discussions, talking about markets, investments, strategies.
Bruce listened attentively.
Lily tolerated it.
Lia looked half-interested.
And the rest...
Were clearly bored.
Noah remained quiet.
Listening.
Observing.
Memorizing.
Every voice.
Every expression.
Every moment.
Because he knew,
How easily all of this could disappear.
"Everyone… I have something to say."
The words came unexpectedly.
Even to himself.
The table fell silent.
All eyes turned to Noah.
Surprised.
Curious.
Because Noah,
Was never the one to speak first.
David looked at him, slightly intrigued.
"What is it?"
Noah met his gaze.
Steady.
Unwavering.
"I want to cancel the engagement with William."
Silence.
Heavy.
Absolute.
"Ah…?" Sheli was the first to react, her voice filled with shock. "Why?"
Noah didn't hesitate.
"I don't like him."
Simple.
Direct.
Final.
David's expression darkened slightly, not in anger, but in thought.
"Is there a reason?"
"There is."
Noah's voice remained calm.
Cold.
"I found out he has multiple affairs outside. I won't marry someone who isn't sincere. Even if you force me… I will never accept him."
The reaction was immediate.
Shock.
Disbelief.
And then,
Anger.
Not toward Noah.
But toward William.
"That bastard-" Lily's grip tightened around her fork, her eyes flashing with fury.
"How dare he?" Bruce's voice dropped, dangerous.
Even Lia looked visibly upset.
Their innocent, quiet Noah...
Had been treated like that?
Unacceptable.
David exhaled slowly.
Then he spoke.
Firm.
Decisive.
"We will never force you."
Noah's chest tightened slightly.
"You can marry whoever you like, whenever you want," David continued. "I'll inform them that this proposal is off."
Just like that.
It was over.
Noah lowered his gaze slightly, hiding the faint smile that threatened to appear.
Warmth spread through his chest.
This family,
They had always been like this.
Protective.
Loving.
Unwavering.
And this time,
He would protect them.
No matter what.
His fingers slowly curled against the table.
His eyes darkened.
And deep within them
A storm began to form.
William…
A cold, merciless thought echoed in his mind.
'You're finished. I will ruin you.'