Noreen was honest.


    She looked right at Seth and told him clearly, "I did."


    A flicker of hope ignited in Seth''s lifeless eyes. "And now..."


    Before he could finish, Noreen cut him off. "But that''s all in the past. I''ve moved on."


    Her words plunged him back into the abyss. She was too calm. From beginning to end, herposure hadn''t wavered. In that moment, Seth had no idea what to do. It seemed he had realized things a little toote. No, far toote.


    Years ago, when he had seen Dn Wilder give Noreen flowers, he hadn''t been able to stop himself from rushing to her apartment. The congrattions he''d meant to offer had turned to sarcasm, fueled by jealousy. But Noreen had simply told him that she had repaid everything she owed him.


    Seeing the tears welling in her eyes that day, Seth had nearly broken down. He had almost said it. Noreen, I regret it. I''ll give up on my revenge. Can we go back to how things were?


    But it was all toote. When she said she''d moved on, she meant she no longer loved him.


    Noreen prepared to leave again. At that moment, Seth had the overwhelming feeling that if he let her go this time, they would be two parallel lines, never to intersect again.


    "Noreen."


    He called out to her again, urgently.


    A hint of irritation crossed Noreen''s brow as she turned back to him.


    "Do you... do you love him?" he asked, referring to Castle.


    Noreen pressed her lips together, her gaze shifting away. "I do.”


    “No. Look me in the eye and answer that question again.”


    Seth was like a drowning man clinging to hisst piece of driftwood. He was desperate.


    "Is the answer really that important?" Noreen asked, frowning.


    Seth''s jaw tightened. "It''s very important!"


    "I don''t think so," Noreen said, her eyes meeting his again. "Besides, I have no obligation to tell you about my rtionship with my fiancé. You have no right to know."


    "I hope you can maintain a sense of decorum and boundaries, Mr. Harcourt. Don''t pry into our private lives."


    "And anyway, if I didn''t love him, why would I be engaged to him?”


    Long after Noreen had gone, Seth remained standing in the same spot, motionless.


    The night grew deeper, the wind colder. His thin shirt offered no protection against the chill. But still he stood there, frozen. Noreen had just snapped hisst lifeline.


    "Hon, do you think it''ll be a boy or a girl?" ire was already daydreaming.


    "If it''s a boy, I''ll have to teach him to be faithful from a young age, so he doesn''t grow up to be a jerk! His father''s genes aren''t great, after all. I can only hope mine will bnce things out."


    "If it''s a girl, I''ll spoil her rotten. I''ll give her so much love and so much money that she''ll never be fooled by some scumbag."


    "Hon, are you even listening to me?" ire realized she''d been talking to herself for


    a while without getting a response. She turned and saw Noreen waspletely lost in thought.


    "What?" Noreen asked, finally snapping back to the present.


    ire narrowed her eyes. “Something''s not right with you."


    "Is there?" Noreen wouldn''t admit it.


    "It''spletely obvious," ire said, leaning closer and staring at her intent


    This is weird Who in the


    world besides that bastard could possibly make you this distracted?"


    After she cursed, her eyes widened in realization. "Wait... you didn''t run into Seth, did you?"


    Noreen''s expression becameplicated.


    ire pped her forehead. “I knew it. Why won''t that ghost just stay buried?”


    "Let''s change the subject,” Noreen said, clearly wanting to avoid talking about Seth. The topic made her skin crawl.


    ire didn''t want to talk about him


    either. Instead, she leaned in and


    said, "I have a job in Northcrest tomorrow, one I signed on for a


    time go. Why don''t youe Yong


    to clean your


    me it''ll be a good way head."