Come Back, Noelle

02 | The Comforting Illusion

    Dearest Noelle,

     Today I went to the bridge. Our bridge. Do you remember the time when you followed me there, my sweet Noelle? You almost got yourself killed then. Your childhood adoration and hero-worship, I realized, was going to be our biggest downfall then. I had found you following me, and you have this habit of running away when you are caught. You were running away and didn't realize when you slipped off the end, but I caught you.

    I'll always catch you. That is, if you want to be caught.

    But now, you don't want to be caught. That's why you liquidated all your assets which your mother had left for you, and are gone somewhere far. Maybe the time we spent apart taught you that you can always save yourself.

    But who's going to save me, Noelle? Please, come back and save me. For only you can catch me.

    Ever yours,

    Aiden

― Aiden Summers to Noelle Montcliff after six weeks of her disappearance.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

    "Mr. Summers? Really, Noelle?" Aiden chuckled, trudging forward to catch hold of her hand. He still couldn't believe it was Noelle. His Noelle. "I should have guessed when Aunt Jane told me about a pretty girl buying this girl―it could only be you."

    Noelle took a step back, her face calm and composed as if it not had been eight years since she had not been here. The indifference on her face, Aiden found, was unnerving and taxing. The man accompanying her stood by her side, faithfully. Aiden rose his eyebrows as the man asked Noelle, "Is he troubling you, miss?"

    "No, Mr. Gerald. He is just an old acquaintance. Why don't you go and start a fire in the house? I'll see you inside." The man nodded, silently following her command like a servant.

    "Where have you been? We've tried so hard to find you but couldn't find any paper trail. The Montcliffs would be so happy to see you back, you should come with me now. Your grandmother-"

    "The Montcliffs I knew are dead, Mr. Summers. Gabriel Montcliff and Lindsie Montcliff."

    "Noelle, I know you are mad-"

    "–Mr. Summers. I–"

    "–Aiden, dammit. I'm Aiden. Always Aiden. Like you are Noelle, Noelle Montcliff. Little Noelle. Sweet Noelle. Clever Noelle."

    "You see, that's where you have got it all wrong. I'm Noelle Frostine now. Thank you for the lovely chat, Mr. Summers. I'll see you and the famous Montcliffs in the society functions. Cherry Hills always seem to be so full of them." Noelle gave him a polite nod.

    Aiden's face blanched, almost as if someone pour over him a bucket of ice-cold water. He took a step back for the sake of self-preservation. She got married? There was always a part of him who always believed that she was his; that she would always adore him, no matter what. He hated that part so much because it was the reason why he had taken her for so granted. "Noelle, I know you are punishing us for what happened eight years ago, but you have to believe-"

    "–are you really saying you don't want to let go off the past, Mr. Summers? Okay, fine." Noelle answered for him, grimly. "After I was ostracized by my family at the age of sixteen for killing... Juliet–"

      Aiden flinched at her words. "I know you didn't kill her, Noelle." he whispered lowly, guilt in his voice.

     Noelle gasped in shock, animatedly. "Oh, but that's not what you said the last time now, was it? You asked me, if I had killed your wife, Aiden. I never expected the mighty Montcliffs to trust me. For them I was always the black sheep, the wild child who could kill her cousin out of jealousy. I never expected them to believe, but you―you knew me, Aiden―for you, I was little Noelle, sweet Noelle, clever Noelle, wasn't I?" She massaged her temples with her fingers, fluttering her eyes closed. "Even you abandoned me." It hurt too much to remember that night. When she had begun her penance for her biggest crime: loving Aiden Summers.