Chapter 8

The summer night breeze at the top floor felt amazing. After being stuck in the hospital all day, Samantha finally felt like she could breathe. The tension in her chest eased up, and with a light bounce in her step, she headed toward the rooftop.

A thick door blocked her way, and to her surprise, it had a keypad lock. She turned back to look at Noah, raising an eyebrow. "I've seriously never seen a rooftop locked like this before."

"There's a lab behind it, along with the rooftop," Noah explained as he walked up and opened the door with his fingerprint.

"A lab?" Samantha blinked, curiosity instantly kicking in as she stepped through.

Sure enough, right there on the rooftop was a fully enclosed lab, lights already on inside. But what really caught her attention was the rest of the rooftop—it felt like something out of a movie.

A little pavilion stood in the center, comfortably decorated with artsy chairs and a table that looked both casual and stylish. Warm-toned fairy lights wrapped around the space, casting a soft glow. Off to the side were a couple of rocking chairs and a beautiful swing, with green plants tucked neatly into every corner. It was unexpectedly... lovely.

Samantha was visibly impressed, her eyes drifting over to Noah with a touch of envy.

"Wow, your job is seriously cool. Helping patients, doing research, and when you need a break, just come up here and stargaze or catch some fresh air. Not bad at all."

Noah's usual calm demeanor cracked into a smile, clearly amused by her poetic take. He handed her a glass of water. "What about you? What do you do?"

"Me..." Samantha hesitated, her expression getting a little awkward. She lowered her gaze. "I've been taking care of my Grandma."

It wasn't that she didn't want a job outside the home—it was just that Grace needed constant care. And Samantha was grateful to her, really. Staying in the Smith house and looking out for everyone had been her choice.

If she had to label what she did, she guessed... it'd be something like being a live-in caregiver?

Basically what people like Evan and the nosy neighbors thought—she was a rare case, a housemaid who got engaged to the master of the house, and was expected to become the lady of the family. A plot twist no one saw coming.

Thinking about that, and then looking at Noah—this accomplished, almost too-perfect man—she started feeling self-conscious. Especially when she realized his eyes hadn't left her.

"Sam," he called her name softly.

Startled, she looked up and met his gaze.

"You're amazing," he said, voice low and calm, but dead serious.

Samantha froze for a second. "I didn't know how impressive you were before we got married. I should've introduced myself properly... I'm sorry."

"No need. You're already amazing," he repeated, his eyes fixed on hers, and the corners of his mouth curved into a satisfied little smile.

For a beat, Samantha thought she caught a flicker of warmth in his expression—like he was actually fond of her—but it faded as quickly as it came, replaced by his usual calm, gentle demeanor.

She'd been so busy dealing with daily chores that she honestly couldn't remember the last time someone complimented her... That simple "You're amazing" felt like a spark, something warm that settled into her heart. She smiled, a genuine one. "Thanks."

"I'll find a job soon, though," she added a bit quickly.

Noah frowned slightly. "You don't have to rush into that."

"So, what, you want me to be a stay-at-home wife?"Samantha looked at him, curiosity flickering in her eyes. The more she got to know Noah, the more she realized he was like a puzzle—hard to read, even harder to figure out.

That strange mix of uncertainty and curiosity made her heart beat a little faster. It had been a long time since she felt this alive.

Noah gave a small shake of his head. "Nope."

"Then..." she asked softly, looking a little unsure.

Noah let out a tiny sigh, a helpless kind of smile tugging at the corners of his lips—warm, a little indulgent.

"Sam, when I said there's no rush to find a job, I didn't mean I'm stopping you. You should do whatever makes you happy—I'll support that."

His words wrapped around her like a blanket. After a whole day of anxiety, her tense heart finally relaxed. She smiled, sweet and a little shy. "Thanks."

After losing her memories and spending three years depending on others, dealing with the everyday grind, she'd almost forgotten that she was just a twenty-something girl.

And now, surprisingly, that buried bit of excitement and youth in her—Noah just brought it back to life. She got up and made her way to the swing set, plopping down with a gleeful bounce.

Looking up from there, she could see the whole sky filled with stars.

Then she heard a click. Turning her head, she saw Noah holding up his phone—unclear if he was snapping a photo of the sky... or of her. A little flustered, she bit her lip and looked away, a tiny smile playing at her lips.

Noah strolled over and held his phone out to her. On the screen was a photo of a girl in pink loungewear, her hair caught in the breeze, swinging under the starry sky.

"That's gorgeous!" she gasped, her eyes lighting up.

"I thought so too."

His tone was gentle—soothing, even more so than the wind.

Her gaze drifted to him. Her heart stumbled. She meant the sky... but was he talking about her?

"Oh, and I sent you that video Toby Carlson recorded earlier—it's on your WhatsApp," Noah added casually as he saved the picture.

She blinked, surprised. She hadn't even mentioned Evan to him, but he'd already figured things out? Was having Toby mess with Evan his way of standing up for her?

"You ever study psychology?" Her sudden question made Noah pause.

"Huh?"

She grinned—first time catching him off guard. It was unexpectedly funny. "Why are you always so good at reading my mind?"

"Such as?"

He raised an eyebrow with a certain easy charm. Damn he looked good.

"Lila said... you told Mr. Smith that we're visiting Grace tomorrow?" she asked, still trying to figure him out.

Noah nodded. "You've been by her side these past three years. Now that you're gone, and with Mrs. Smith really sick, I figured you might be worried. So I arranged for a nurse to help out—partly to give you peace of mind, partly to thank her for being there for you."

She honestly hadn't expected him to think through everything. Not just her feelings, but even looking after Grace. It left her speechless, moved.

He didn't seem to realize how much he'd just shaken her. Instead, Noah gave a small apologetic smile. "Since I don't really know the Smiths well, I figured you'd need to show me the way. Cool with you?"

Her mind flashed to a phrase: loving someone, loving even their shadow.

She wouldn't go as far as to say he'd fallen for her just based on a few moments together. But his effort, his attitude—it told her loud and clear, he took this marriage seriously.

And that... threw her off a little. In a good way.

Samantha paused for a moment, then shook her head. "You've already done so much... I really don't want to trouble you anymore."

Noah frowned again, his brows knitting together. "Did you forget what we are?"

She gave a hesitant smile, lips barely lifting. "You've been more than kind."

"If you keep being this polite with me, I'm seriously gonna be annoyed," he said, his tone lightly stern, those sharp eyes narrowing.

That made her tense up again—both hands clenched the swing's rope. "It's not that I'm being polite... I just feel like you're helping me a lot, and I haven't done anything for you. I don't wanna feel like I owe you everything."

"You're just not ready to take this marriage seriously, are you?"

There was a calm sharpness in his eyes, like he could see right through her. She immediately looked down, a little guilty.

She thought she heard him let out a soft sigh. She expected him to turn and leave. But instead, he leaned toward her.

At that moment, the swing swayed gently right to where he stood—the space between them suddenly disappeared. Her knees bumped into his legs. She could even catch the hint of his clean, fresh scent. Her face heated up. She held her breath.

She was secretly hoping the swing would quickly pull her back so she could jump off and put some distance between them.

But Noah reached out and grabbed the swing's rope, holding her still. His star-like eyes narrowed as he smiled gently, letting her legs lightly touch his.

"Samantha, I'll give you time. But I need one thing from you."

He wasn't joking. That made her nervous all over again. "What is it?"

"Don't throw the word ‘divorce' around lightly."

He looked her dead in the eye, like he wanted those words to be carved deep into her mind.

She gave a small nod. "Okay, I won't."

She might not be fully ready to spend a lifetime with him yet, but she wasn't taking this marriage as a joke either.

"Remember that."

He could get serious at times, but right now he was more intense than usual. It made her feel like whatever she said next would be locked in forever, like a vow.

She took a deep breath and nodded harder. "I will. I promise."

Seeming satisfied, Noah let go of the rope with one hand and gently placed his hand on her knee. Her loungewear pants felt cold from the breeze, but his warm palm still managed to send heat right through to her skin.

She instantly relaxed, tension slowly melting away.

"Hold tight. I'm letting go."

He lowered his voice near her ear. Maybe it was just the close distance, but the way he said it sounded more like lovers whispering sweet nothings.

She flushed and gripped the ropes tighter.

Then he let go and went back to the lab.

Left alone on the spacious rooftop, Samantha swayed lightly in the swing. The wind blew a little too cold now, and she couldn't help a small shiver. Funny—when he was here, she didn't notice how empty or chilly this place was.

She suddenly lost interest in the swing. Her feet touched the ground and stopped the motion. She sat there, staring blankly at the stars. The sky didn't seem that pretty anymore. She thought about getting up to head back to bed.

She hadn't even moved when a pair of warm arms reached around her from either side, and a soft blanket was laid gently over her knees.

Startled, she turned to look—Noah was behind her, leaning in.

He must've noticed her turning, because he met her gaze at the same time.

Neither of them had expected how close they were. As he turned, the tip of his nose brushed against her cheek, bumping lightly into hers.

Noah's face loomed close, so close she could make out every detail—and still, not a single flaw. His scent hit her first—fresh, clean—it wrapped around her, and just like that, Samantha's heart kicked up a beat. She pressed her lips together nervously, eyes flicking away, about to retreat, when Noah's hand suddenly landed at the back of her head.

Her breath caught in her throat.

With wide eyes full of surprise, her lashes fluttered slightly in the night breeze. She could swear he was leaning in—

"Whoa!"

A sharp yelp from the lab entrance cut through like ice water dumped overhead.

Startled, Samantha squeezed her eyes shut. When she peeked again, Noah had already straightened up, one brow arched as he turned toward the noise.

His tone got noticeably sharper. "Toby Carlson, your research summary doesn't make the cut. Redo it."

"No, no! Sir, I swear I didn't see anything! Just pretend I wasn't here!" Toby scrambled awkwardly back into the lab like he was on fire.

Was that... a threat?

Samantha couldn't help it—a laugh slipped out. For a second, she tried to keep it in, but failed miserably.

Apparently, her laughter was contagious. Even Noah laughed, low and genuine. That was the first time she'd ever heard him laugh like that—deep, smooth, like the opening notes of a cello from a master musician.

She stole a glance at him, just briefly. A second ago... if Toby hadn't barged in, would they have really kissed? On just their third day of knowing each other?

The next day, they paid a visit to the Smiths.

Samantha had spent three whole years living in that house, walking in and out of that front door more times than she could count. But returning after just a few days stirred up more emotion than she expected.

What truly caught her off guard was how quickly Grandma Grace warmed up to Noah. It was like they'd known each other for ages.

Over one meal, the two of them chatted like old friends, giving Samantha a rare glimpse of Noah in a domestic, relaxed vibe.

Grace had been against the idea of hiring a caregiver arranged by Noah. But after he leaned in and whispered something in her ear, she changed her mind in an instant. Samantha was dying to know what he said—but Noah just smiled mysteriously and wouldn't spill a word.

Before leaving, Arthur quietly handed Samantha a heavy gift box. "Grandma picked out these supplements for you—make sure you keep them safe and don't give them away."

She didn't have the heart to refuse, so she placed it in Noah's car trunk before they left.

Later that afternoon, Noah had gathered top neurosurgeons from various city hospitals for a case consultation for Evelyn. Samantha helped Lila pour tea and play host, all while trying to catch any medical insight she could.

Noah was totally focused, listening to an elderly doctor's analysis, when suddenly, Toby burst into the room in a rush. "Sir—something's happened!"

"What is it?" Noah's calm was unshaken.

Toby looked hesitant, like the words were jammed in his throat.

Noah frowned slightly, walked over, and lowered his voice. "Just say it."

"Someone reported you for taking bribes. The hospital admin just created an emergency task force. They're on their way here now. And—someone called the cops too. There's gonna be a formal investigation."

Toby had spoken louder than he probably meant to. The whole room went quiet. Everyone heard.

Samantha's heart skipped a beat.

She stared at Noah, her grip unconsciously tightening.

She couldn't help thinking about that insanely luxe "apartment" of his. About how he had casually handed Evan 600,000 dollars like it was pocket change.

Was he really as clean as he seemed?