Noah’s POV:
As I stepped into the house, I noticed that the kids were asleep, leaving the house unusually quiet. I walked into the living room and caught a glimpse of Mirabelle, her head bent over a stack of paperwork.
Leaning down, I placed a gentle peck on her cheek.
“Hey, babe,” I murmured, feeling the warmth of her skin against my lips.
Hey, babe.” He said, leaning down to give me a quick peck on the cheek. “How was your day?”
“Busy, as always.” She replied without looking up.
“What are you up to?” I asked, heading towards the bathroom to freshen up.
“Just the usual paperwork.” She said, returning the smile.
I nodded, then I stepped into the bathroom. After a few minutes, I returned, dressed in his nightwear with a face towel draped over his neck.
Noticing that Mirabelle was still focused on her papers, I opened my mouth to suggest she get some sleep when she turned to me.
“Babe, I want to tell you something. Promise me you won’t get upset.” She said, her voice trembling slightly.
Genuinely confused, I raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on?”
Her words hit me like a punch. “Mitchelle got Ken arrested for domestic violence, and I bailed him out.”
I forced myself not to show how hurt I felt, I managed to maintain a neutral expression.
However, a part of me shattered inside. How could she do this? A little voice in my head nagged at me: Maybe she still has a soft spot for him.
I fought hard to ignore that voice. “How did you know he was arrested?” I asked, trying to keep my tone calm, but my heart raced.
“I received a call from him, from prison. He begged me to bail him out. I insisted he call Caitlyn or your dad, or maybe even you. But he was persistent, so I made a few calls and all.” She explained, her gaze dropping to her hands.
I could feel anger boiling inside of me, but I wanted to understand. “What made you think I would be upset?”
“No husband would want to learn that his wife ran an errand for her ex.” She said, a hint of shame in her voice. “Now that I’m saying it out loud, I realize how stupid it was for me to have done such a thing.”
“Also, Mitchelle called me earlier.” She added, her voice barely above a whisper. “She mentioned that I shouldn’t have bailed Ken out without telling you.”
“Was that the reason why you decided to open up to me?” I asked, staring deeply at me.
“Of course not, I was already planning to tell you about it. Besides, I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else.” She continued. “I just… I didn’t want you to feel like I was keeping secrets.”
I leaned closer, pulling her into a gentle embrace. “You could never hurt me intentionally. Just talk to me next time, okay?”
“Okay.” She whispered. “I love you.”
I took a deep breath, trying to brush it off. “It’s not that big of a deal, Mirabelle. Just… try to be more careful next time.” I forced a smile.
She nodded, looking a bit relieved but still troubled. “Okay.”
“Why don’t you go to sleep? You look tired.” I suggested, hoping to ease the tension in the room.
She placed the documents on the side table, a sigh escaping her lips as she laid down comfortably on the bed, and I joined her.
I could feel her warmth next to me as she leaned in and pressed soft kisses on my cheek. My heart fluttered momentarily, but I was still a bit upset about everything.
Suddenly, I pulled her close, spooning her gently. “You must be tired. You should rest.” I whispered in her ear.
She nodded, and soon, she fell asleep. While I lay there, trying to make sense of everything.
—
The next morning, the house was alive with the sounds of the kids.
Mirabelle was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, her hair pulled back in a messy bun, and she looked beautiful.
“Good morning!” I greeted, taking a seat at the table as the kids scampered around. Tyler and Mika were already arguing about who would get the last pancake, while Skyler quietly nibbled on his, observing the commotion.
“Morning, babe!” Mirabelle called over her shoulder, flipping pancakes in the pan. “You’re just in time for breakfast.”
“I actually forgot to tell you that I purchased our movie tickets for tomorrow evening,” I announced.
The kids’ heads perked up, and Tyler’s eyes widened. “Can we come too? Please?” he pleaded.
“Yeah, please, Mommy! I want popcorn!” Mika added, bouncing in her seat.
Mirabelle exchanged a glance with me. “No, sweethearts. It’s a special date for Daddy and me.”
Mika’s face fell, and tears began to well up in her big brown eyes. “But why not? We always go together!”
“Next time, I promise,” I said quickly, trying to soothe her. “We’ll make it a family outing soon.”
Tyler crossed his arms, pouting angrily. “That’s not fair!” He exclaimed.
Skyler, still munching on his salad, finally chimed in. “Mummy, Daddy, why have you both started going out every night?”
I looked at Mirabelle, who appeared momentarily taken aback by the question. “Well, honey, we just like to spend some time together, just the two of us.” She explained gently.
“Yeah, and grown-ups need time too. To do grown-up stuff,” I added. “Don’t get me wrong though, we love you guys, but sometimes we need to recharge.”
“But I want to be with you!” Mika cried.
“Next time, I promise. How about we plan a movie night at home this weekend?” I suggested, trying to divert their attention.
Mika perked up at that, her face brightening. “Can we make popcorn?”
“Absolutely,” Mirabelle replied, smiling at her.
“Yay!” Mika cheered, clapping her hands.
Just then, my phone buzzed on the counter. I picked it up and saw a message from an unknown number.
I opened the message: “Just checking in. Have you talked to Mirabelle? You need to know what she did.”
Sighing, I typed back: “Who the fuck is this?”
“Mitchelle.”
Letting out a deep sigh, I blocked her number.