Chapter 353

Chapter 353:

For a long moment, Noah stood frozen, staring at the closed door, his pulse hammering.

Then, with a heavy exhale, he pulled out his phone and dialed.

“Samuel,” he said, his voice cold, unreadable. “Find out why Sadie wants the Starlight Stone.”

The call ended. Noah dragged a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.

He didn’t know what frustrated him more—the way Sadie looked at Alex, or the way it made him feel. Restless. Possessive. It was like he’d lose something vital if she slipped through his fingers.

Then, his phone buzzed. Samuel was calling back.

“Sir, I have the information. It’s for the Dewy Hibiscus, the jewelry series. Mrs. Wall needs the Starlight Stone to restore it.”

Noah’s jaw tensed. “Dewy Hibiscus?”

“Yes. It’s been damaged. From what I gathered, the Starlight Stone is the only thing that can fix it.”

Noah ended the call without another word. His mind was filled with images of Sadie—lost in her work, hands covered in paint and dust, her brows drawn in fierce concentration.

No wonder he hadn’t seen her around often these past few days.

The next morning, Sadie’s reflection in the mirror was proof of a sleepless night—swollen eyes, pale skin, a heaviness that clung to her like a shadow.

She sat at the dining table, moving her fork absently.

Across from her, Noah ate with effortless composure, as if the night before had never happened.

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His knife cut through his pancake with deliberate precision, each movement calm, controlled. Too controlled.

The silence between them thickened, suffocating. The rhythmic clink of his silverware against the plate felt deafening in the stillness. Sadie finally set down her utensils, pushing her plate away.

“I’m done.”

Her voice was quiet but firm.

Without another word, she rose from her chair and walked away, her steps echoing in the silence.

Noah exhaled slowly, watching her go, his fingers tightening around his fork.

Sadie went straight to her room and shut the door, pressing her back against it as she drew in a slow, unsteady breath. Lifting her chin, she straightened her shoulders and moved toward her closet.

Just then, her phone buzzed.

An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen.

Sadie hesitated, her thumb hovering over the answer button. Something about it made her pause. Then, with a deep breath, she picked up.

“Hello?”

“Miss Hudson?” The voice was deep, unfamiliar.

“Yes, who’s this?”

“I’m a jeweler. Word is, you’ve been searching for a rare stone—the Starlight Stone.”

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