As Time Passes By

Chapter twenty: Love with disgrace

Giselle

I woke up before dawn even risen and made myself a cup of hot coffee. But something stopped me.

I hear muffled cries from... Noelle's room? That's strange enough to catch a glimpse of my attention.

She never cries, right? Or is it me being such a dumbass that never notices?

Without hesitation, I entered her room silently without disturbing her. She was asleep. But most disturbingly, her face was tear-stained. Has she been crying?

I brushed a strand of her hair, making me brush drool. Shit, disgusting. My eye caught something. Her phone.

Yes, yes, yes. She had been on it lately, and I just want to be the spy of the house for a day, and not Kiki.

I'm the bad bitch of this legacy, and not Noelle nor Layla. Me. The 2nd granddaughter of Jennifer Nichols.

I took her device and crawled out of the room like some kind of mice bitch with a smirk on her lips.

I eventually got to the kitchen counter and opened her phone with hot chocolate on my hand. Delicious.

I started searching on her phone; from the search history (she's declared innocent from the cruel websites of Google), to eventually, the messenger.

I took a bite of a candy apple; yes, I know it's only 4am in the morning but I'm an abnormal and loves candies.

My jaw almost dropped to the floor when I clicked: Noah Armstrong.

Wait... As in like Noah Madison Armstrong? The heir of Nama's greatest rivals for over billions of decades?

This dude has been cursing on her like "bitch, wake up", "Elle, don't fucking ignore me"

Like bitch what? What did you say?

I wanted to answer, track his location and cut off his head. Nobody dares to talk to our Noelley like that or their heads are gone to the dumpster.

Yet, 10 years ago, when I was just 6 years old, the Nichols and the Armstrongs made a truce: The Nichols must give the Armstrongs 10 million dollars in order so they wouldn't chase after the heiresses of this generation. Noelle never knew about the deal; but seeing the heir of the Armstrongs chase after her again even when Nama already handed the truce was making me motherfucking mad.

A truce is a truce, and Noah fucking Armstrong is breaking it.

Noelle

Approximately after 4 hours, I woke up from the sound of my phone buzzing. When I opened my eyes, Giselle was looking at my phone as if she just touched it.

"Crap!" I screamed as I fell off the bed, which echoed the whole room. Giselle jumped and walked towards where I was laying and helped me get up.

"Jesus, Ellie, are you okay?" Giselle asked with concern etching on her voice. "Yeah, just my nose feeling that it has been crushed." I spoke up, feeling slightly gooey.

"What time is it?" I asked while I rubbed my eyes to clear up my vision.

"It's almost 9 o'clock, Bae." She replied, giving me a sweet smile.

After an hour, I was walking in the streets of London, wearing my hello kitty cut-out jeans with a jacket on to warm me up on the cold winter.

My cheeks were in reddish tint as I entered a Cafe I used to visit 3 years ago. It was all the same: the chair arrangements, the menu, everything was the same.

I walked towards the counter, remembering the same cashier that always handle my service when I come here.

He was slightly became older, not gonna lie it has been 3 years since I last came here.

"May I take your order?"

"Yeah, thank you. May I get the combo A, will ya?"

"Cash or Card?"

"Cash."

"Name?"

"Noelle Catalina Nichols"

Ok, ok, let's just call him Bob.

Bob's eyes widened in realization as he looked at me in the eye, realizing it's the one and only combo A addict: Noelle Nichols.

"Ellia! It is you!" Bob said in excitement, his voice really british.

I smiled in amusement at his surprise comment. He was my best friend when I was Grade 5, and now that I am grade 8, I was still able to reconcile with him.

"How's life?" I asked after he took my order to the kitchen.

"Well, just got married!" Bob exclaimed with happiness before walking away to grab my order.

After 3 hours, I went back to the mansion early because there was one again a family gathering for Christmas.

But still, I couldn't ignore the guilt that was tugging in my heart since this morning. The feeling of him laying in the hospital bed hurts like shit.

It fucking hurts..