Chapter 131

Hannah

I descended the staircase, my hand trailing along the polished banister. The chatter from the living room grew louder as I approached, and I took a deep breath before taking the last step. For a moment, I just paused, smoothing down the front of my dress.

It was the night before the Lunar Festival and, just a few hours prior, Noah had informed me of his intent to have a gathering at the house—a gathering which, much to my chagrin, would include Zoe.

I hadn’t seen Zoe, nor had I spoken to her since the day I had showed up at her house. That was a week ago now, and I supposed that a stupid, tiny part of me had hoped that I wouldn’t have to see her at all before the Lunar Festival.

But here we were.

Finally, I nodded to myself, rounded the corner, and stepped into view.

The conversation died as every head in the room turned toward me. I felt my cheeks flush under their scrutiny, acutely aware of how my dark blue dress clung to my slightly fuller figure—I had been gaining weight lately, which was a good thing, but still made me feel self conscious.

Zoe’s eyes widened as I approached the group, her gaze sweeping over me appraisingly and momentarily lingering on my larger breasts. Even Noah, standing by the fireplace, seemed taken aback by my appearance.

But it was Drake’s reaction that caught me off guard. His eyes locked onto mine, a mixture of surprise and something else I couldn’t quite place flickering across his face.

I just stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. The room was full of people, many of whom had returned to their idle conversations, but I felt like I was in my own little bubble of silence.

Zoe, surprisingly, was the one who broke that silence. Before I could say a word, she was hurrying over to me with two glasses of champagne—one in each hand. “Hannah,” she said, her hips swinging as she strode up to me. “Drink?”

I hesitated, knowing I should refuse, but Zoe’s expectant look made me falter. I’d have to swap it out for a non-alcoholic one, of course, but perhaps not beneath her prying eyes. Right now, with the divorce coming closer and closer by the day, I couldn’t risk anyone else finding out about the baby.

“I... thanks, Zoe,” I finally said.

As I accepted the glass, however, Drake smoothly intercepted. “Actually, I think Hannah might prefer this one,” he said, his fingers brushing against mine as he swapped my drink for another. “I know you prefer gin and tonics over champagne.”

My eyes widened slightly. Drake winked at me subtly, turning his head so that only I could see. Frowning, I glanced down at the bubbling glass—and it was then that I realized he had given me a non-alcoholic alternative. Upon taking a sip, I discovered that it was just Sprite with a slice of lime in it.

“Oh, um, yes. Thank you, Drake,” I said, smiling gratefully. I glanced over at Zoe, who was checking her nails with disinterest, and felt my shoulders sag slightly with relief. As I took another sip of my soda, I caught Noah’s eye from across the room. But he quickly looked away, his jaw tightening.

Dinner passed in a blur of laughter and small talk, of catching up with old friends and packmates who I hadn’t seen in a while. Congratulatory toasts were had, speeches were made, dessert was served, and all the while, I kept a pleasant smile on my face and continued to sip my soda.

As the last plates were cleared and the party began to split off into small groups of people dancing, playing games, and chatting, I excused myself to freshen up. I slipped into the bathroom and took a deep breath, running my fingers through my perfectly-curled hair.

Exhaling, I turned sideways in the mirror. There, ever so slight, was a little bump on my lower belly—not my baby just yet, but something just as precious. A little bit of extra, healthy, flesh.

I couldn’t help but smile a bit as I looked in the mirror. Since the beginning of my eating disorder recovery journey, I had officially gained eight pounds. And it showed, too, not just in the fat deposits on my body, but in my hair, my skin, my eyes. I was… glowing.

Things were looking up, weren’t they?

For a moment, though, my fingers itched for my phone. I had been checking that damn forum post every day, watching as the likes ticked up one by one. Last week, it had already been at five thousand. The count had since slowed, only reaching a little less than six thousand now, but… still.

Before I could pull my phone out and check, I quickly shook my head and turned back toward the door. No. I wouldn’t lament over some bullshit forum post; it was likely just a troll, someone trying to get internet clout at my expense.

Besides, there was no proof anywhere that Noah and I were getting a divorce… Right?

When I finally returned to the party, the sound of voices in the study carried out into the hallway. Rounding the corner, I found a small group gathered there: Noah, Drake, a few others, and… Zoe, of course.

“There she is!” Drake called out when he saw me. “We’re just starting a game. Care to join?”

I approached cautiously, still gripping my ‘gin and tonic’ in my hand. “What kind of game?”

“Truth or drink,” Drake replied.

I raised an eyebrow. “Truth or… Drink?”

“It’s like truth or dare, except only truth. Drink if you don’t want to answer, or if someone calls you out correctly on a lie,” Zoe replied, leaning against Noah’s desk. Noah, meanwhile, was silent—sitting in his swiveling office chair with a stony expression on his face.

Against my better judgment, I sat down in one of the chairs opposite the desk and crossed my ankles, pointedly ignoring the feeling of both Drake’s and Noah’s eyes on my cleavage. “Alright, sure. I’ll play.”

The game started off tame enough, with innocuous truths and obvious bluffs. I sipped my soda each time, watching as the others got drunk in front of me. But as the game went on, the questions grew bolder.

Drake’s turn came, and he fixed his gaze on me. “I pick Hannah,” he said, pointing at me from around the rim of his glass.

“Hit me.”

He leaned forward, his eyes suddenly growing intense in a way that made me instinctively lean back in my chair. “Would you ever be attracted to a man other than Noah?”

The room fell silent. I could feel Noah’s eyes boring into me, both waiting for my answer and silently daring me to watch what would happen if I did. My heart raced as I considered my options. Tell the truth, bluff, or…

I reached for my glass, taking a long sip—the coward’s way out. Noah’s jaw clenched, but he remained silent.

Zoe’s eyes narrowed, flicking between Drake and me. “My turn,” she suddenly said, standing from the edge of Noah’s desk, where she had been perched this entire time. “I choose Drake.”

Drake nodded, seemingly unfazed. “Go on.”

Zoe’s lips curled into a smirk. “Do you have feelings for anyone in this group?”

Drake’s confidence faltered. He looked at Zoe, then his gaze shifted to me. Our eyes met, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the room. Then, without breaking eye contact, he raised his glass and drank.

Zoe huffed, clearly annoyed. “Coward,” she muttered, sinking back down onto the edge of Noah’s desk.

The tension in the room was palpable by this point, only broken when Noah stood abruptly. “I think that’s enough for tonight,” he said, clapping his hands together and turning to one of the other guests. “How about we make our way to the living room? Steven, I’ve been meaning to show you my new record player.”

The other guest nodded, following Noah—whose shoulder brushed me and made me grit my teeth as he passed—out of the room. As the others began to disperse as well, I caught Drake’s arm. “Can we talk? Privately?”

He nodded, following me out onto the small veranda behind Noah’s office. The cool night air was a welcome relief after the stuffy room, and I paused for a moment, my fingers tightening around the railing.

Finally, I turned to face him and crossed my arms. “What was that back there?”

Drake ran a hand through his hair, looking conflicted. “Hannah, I…”

“You what?” I pressed. “You’ve been acting strange all night. The drink swap, the looks, and now this?”

He stepped closer, his eyes roaming shamelessly over me in a way that made my face instinctively redden. “Can’t you guess?”

I felt my breath catch, and I quickly took a step back. “No. I’m not playing games anymore, so you’d better just tell me what’s going on.”

He sighed, and his gaze was intense as it met mine. “I think you know, Hannah.”