Chapter 717
“And what does all of this have to do with Don Falcon? Who is he?”
This time, Lydia stayed silent longer. Her thoughts turned in circles, weighing how much she could say without exposing something she didn’t even fully understand herself. Her fingers tightened against the bedsheet, her breath catching briefly before she spoke again.
“I don’t know everything,” she said softly. “Naomi has never really been open about her past.”
“Then?” Althea pressed, her tone now more careful.
Lydia stared ahead, her gaze unfocused. “What I do know… is that she used to be tied to someone. Not in a normal way.” She paused, choosing her words with care. “More like… someone who had control over her life.”
“And that’s Don Falcon?” Althea asked.
“Yes.”
Lydia gave a faint nod, even though it couldn’t be seen. “Naomi owes him something. But from the way she reacted, it’s not just an ordinary debt. It feels like… something deeper than that. Cale said he already paid it off, but then why would that man come after her all the way here? It doesn’t feel like something that can be settled with money alone.”
On the other end, Althea didn’t interrupt.
Lydia continued, her voice now edged with frustration. “And what makes everything even more complicated… is that Naomi also has a connection with Cale.”
“What do you mean?” Althea finally asked.
Lydia drew in a slow breath. “I don’t know the details. But it’s not a coincidence that Cale reacted the way he did. The way he’s been protecting Naomi from the start. The way he talks to her, the way he wouldn’t let her leave. You know… that’s not just someone trying to protect a person who happens to be under his roof.”
She lowered her gaze, recalling the look on Cale’s face not long ago.
“As if he already knew from the beginning,” Lydia continued softly. “Or… maybe he has another reason for protecting her.”
Althea fell silent, taking it all in.
“So now,” Lydia murmured, her voice almost like she was speaking to herself, “Naomi isn’t just someone being chased by her past.” She lifted her gaze, even though no one could see it. “She’s also tied to Cale’s past.”
For a while, Althea didn’t say anything. “Lydia,” she called gently. “Are you still there?”
“Of course.” Lydia let out a quiet laugh. “At least talking to you makes it easier to breathe.”
“Just say whatever you’re feeling, Lydia. You know I’ll always listen. I’ll always take your side too.”
“I’m grateful to have a best friend like you.” Lydia exhaled slowly, then leaned back against the headboard, letting her body
sink into it.
“But for now, try to calm yourself first.”
Lydia had a feeling Althea was about to go on, and she didn’t interrupt. When it came to certain things, Althea could be remarkably composed, especially now, when the situation involved something so deeply personal. Lydia was no longer just Cale’s fiancée. She was his wife.
“A man like Cale doesn’t make a decision that big without thinking it through, Lydia.”
Lydia hadn’t said anything, but Althea continued anyway. “Sometimes,” she said slowly, “protecting someone also means
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giving them the space to do what they need to do.”
Lydia closed her eyes. She knew Althea was right, but that didn’t mean she could accept it easily. “I don’t like this,” she murmured.
“I don’t either,” Althea admitted honestly. “But you have to trust him.”
In the end, Lydia let out a long breath. “You’re right. I have to trust him. I don’t even know how many times Cale’s actions have caught me off guard. I should be used to it by now, shouldn’t I?”
On the other end, Althea let out a soft laugh. “Understanding your partner takes a very long time. Even now, I still have to learn how to keep up with Daven.”
They didn’t bring up Cale or Naomi again after that. The conversation drifted into lighter, more random topics until the call eventually came to an end.
Lydia remained where she was, her phone still in her hand. Her thoughts kept circling, restless and unrelenting, yet none of them offered any real comfort. In the end, the only thing she could do was try to sleep. She couldn’t afford to look exhausted tomorrow, even if tonight passed without giving her any real rest.
And morning came too quickly.
Upstairs, Naomi sat alone in her room, her back resting against a chair by the window. The curtains were still drawn, letting only a thin sliver of light slip through the gaps. Her face looked pale, her eyes empty, and the table in front of her was filled with untouched food.