Page 66 of When Love And Destiny Collide

"I have an owie on my knee," he shrugs, lifting his leg.

Where’s your tooth, Buddy?"

"Mommy has it."

"Come here," I say softly, taking his hand. "Let’s go into the kitchen and put some ice on that chin."

The moment the ice pack touches his skin, he squirms. "It's cold!" he exclaims, pulling back slightly.

"Keep it there for a few minutes," I encourage him, stepping toward the hallway. "I'm going to grab some antibiotic from the bathroom for that scrape on your knee. Wait here, okay?"

"If you don't mind, I'm going to say goodbye to my son!" Marian’s voice cuts through the air, stopping me in my tracks as I head toward the bathroom.

She strides in, Noah right behind her, both wearing expressions that scream battle. I suddenly wish I could disappear into the walls.

"Well, if it isn’t the other woman," she sneers as soon as she sees me, her sarcasm sharp enough to cut.

"I'm getting some antibiotic," I reply, keeping my voice calm. "Excuse me."

"Antibiotic? For what?!" she snaps, her voice rising. "He's fine!"

"He’s got a bruise on his chin," I say, pointing to the spot, "and he scraped his knee when he fell."

Marian's eyes narrow, her gaze dropping to my hand. "Why are you wearing Sharon’s ring?" she asks, her voice laced with disbelief and simmering anger.

Before I can respond, Noah steps forward, his voice commanding. "I've asked Lily to marry me."

The room feels like it’s shrinking, the words hanging in the air. Marian's shock is evident, but I don’t stay to see what happens next. "Excuse me," I mutter, slipping past them and retreating down the hall. I escape into the bathroom and quickly shut the door behind me, but their voices seep through the walls. Every word finds me—each one sharp and cutting, reminding me that the storm is far from over.

"So playing house isn’t enough for you, Noah? You're going to marry her?" Marian's voice is bitter, each jab aimed at him—or maybe they’re aimed at me.

I feel their sting, like invisible daggers piercing through the walls. I can hear the resentment; it feels so personal, as if I’m taking something that was never meant to be mine.

"Marian," Noah replies, his tone tight but controlled, "our son is in the kitchen. Can we talk about this later?"

Her laugh is harsh, almost mocking. "So he doesn’t know? He doesn’t know that his father is trying to replace me?"

I press my back against the bathroom door, my breath catching. The walls feel paper-thin as Marian's words slice through the quiet, and all I can do is stand here, frozen.Get it together, Lily!I admonish myself, fighting the urge to cry.

Steeling myself, I walk back into the living room, my steps firm despite the turmoil inside. "I’m going to take Davey upstairs," I announce.

"Don’t you dare touch my son!" Marian’s voice is a fierce roar, each word raw and angry.

The room goes still for a moment, and I can feel the weight of every gaze on me, including Davey’s, now standing in the doorway, his small frame tense and unsure. The silence is intense, pressing in from all sides. But when I meet Noah’s gaze, his eyes plead with me to take Davey.

I walk over to Davey and take his hand in mine, offering him a reassuring smile. "Let’s go upstairs so you can shower and get ready to visit your aunt and uncle."

His face brightens instantly. "And my cousins?!" he asks, his voice bubbling with excitement.

"Of course," I say softly, squeezing his hand, grateful for the small moment of joy. We exit the room, but the silence weleave behind is deafening. Like the calm before the storm. Each footstep up the stairs echoes despite Davey's chatter about his cousins.

Once in his bedroom, I quietly shut the door and help Davey into the shower. The sound of water fills the room, but I can’t shake the tension still clinging to me. I stay close, setting out his outfit, trying to focus on the small, familiar tasks.

Walking over to the window I pull the curtain aside to peer down at the driveway, anxiously waiting for Marian’s car to pull away.

The soft knock on the door a few minutes later breaks the silence, telling me Marian’s gone, and Noah has come to check on Davey. "Come in," I say, hoping my voice sounds normal. He steps into the room, and without saying a word, he walks over to me and pulls me into his arms, his embrace warm and grounding. "Lily, I’m so sorry," he murmurs, his voice thick with guilt.

“You did nothing wrong,” I whisper, resting my head against his chest. I can hear the strong rhythm of his heartbeat, slowly easing the tightening in my chest.

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