It Had To Be You

Chapter 26: Dying Relations

Noella's POV

The sun was on its peak, making the surrounding shine bright with its strong light. I took a day off today, because of last week's work load. Being a professor can be hard. I just sat there in an almost empty but tranquil cafe, devouring my coffee while I scrutinized the words of a book. I did this every once in a while so that my racing mind can halt for a bit and give me peace.

There was the chiming of the entrance door which made me snap out of the deep end of the words.

Numbness. I felt nothing but numbness in my bones. It felt like a mirage to me. But I was not excited, rather just one question popped into my mind. 

Why now? 

That was all I wanted to ask the person who was giving his order of coffee now. 

His voice came out as clear as the daylight which was shining upon my emotionless face through the window. 

He turned around but stopped on his tracks when he saw me looking at him. Our eyes met. That's when all my emotions started to surface. Anger, sadness, hatred. All of them at the same time. 

My mind started screaming to just get out of there and I obeyed. I hastily stuffed the book in my hand into my bag, ready to get the hell away from his sight. But as I got to the door he reached for my wrist. I gritted my teeth indicating him to leave me at once, but he didn't budge. With all my might I shook him off and exited the café and sped walked but he wasn't in the mood to give up. He followed me calling for my name. People on the street started giving us looks which made me halt on my tracks. 

"What do you want?" I spoke in a low yet infuriated voice. 

"I just want to talk to you Noella. Please give me this one chance. Let me explain everything to you." He pleaded. 

I let out a humourless chuckle. 

"What could you possibly have to explain after all these years?" "Just hear me out this once."

We got to the nearest park. It was the same park when we once used to spend our evenings together. 'Just how times change', I thought to myself. I just waited for him to talk. 

"I am so happy that I ran into-" 

"Get to the point. I have to be somewhere." I cut him off. 

I wasn't in the mood for sweet talk. I just wanted to know what he had to say for all that he did. Sadness reflected in his eyes. 

"I am sorry for what I did. You have every right not to forgive me. But just know whatever I did was for a reason. I knew whatever I was doing was wrong. Very wrong. But I had no other option but to do what I was told."

*Flashback*

**10 years ago**

Spencer's POV

"Nat, please talk to me. You have been in there for a week now." Natasha has locked herself up in her room since mom's death. It has taken a severe toll on her. She just comes out to have lunch and dinner but doesn't utter a word to me and dad. 

It has affected all of us equally. She was a woman who would love us so unconditionally and would sacrifice everything for us in a blink of an eye. It came to me as such a shock when I heard the news. It clenched and tore my heart into pieces. I wanted to stay strong for both the people who were my only family now.

When she didn't respond, I left her room, like always in this past week. My father was talking to his friend in the hall. 

Charles Reynolds.