The Teacher's Heart

Chapter 26: The Truth Unveiled

Noah sat in his car outside Emily's apartment, his heart racing. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—fear, regret, and a sliver of hope. The possibility of Emily being pregnant had consumed his thoughts since the investigator's report. He had spent days replaying every moment they'd shared, every time she had pulled away, trying to understand why she hadn't told him.

His hands gripped the steering wheel as he took a deep breath. He couldn't wait any longer. He had to know the truth, no matter how terrifying it might be.

With a sudden burst of determination, Noah stepped out of his car and walked up to her door. His hand hesitated over the doorbell, but he forced himself to press it. Seconds felt like hours as he waited, his pulse quickening with each passing moment.

The door finally opened, and there she stood—Emily. Her face was pale, her eyes tired, and for a brief second, they just stared at each other. Noah's breath caught in his throat. She looked more fragile than he remembered, as if she had been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. And suddenly, he was more certain than ever—she had been hiding something.

"Noah..." Emily's voice was barely a whisper, her eyes widening in surprise.

"We need to talk," Noah said, his voice thick with emotion. "Please."

Emily's hand gripped the door, her gaze flickering with hesitation. For a moment, she seemed like she might refuse him, but then she stepped back and let him inside. The apartment was quiet, and as he entered, the weight of the situation settled over him like a suffocating blanket.

They stood in the living room, the tension between them palpable. Noah didn't know where to start. He wanted to ask her, to confront her, but at the same time, he didn't want to push her away again.

"Why are you here, Noah?" Emily asked, her voice strained. She crossed her arms over her chest, clearly defensive.

He took a step closer, his eyes searching hers. "I need to know the truth, Emily."

Her brows furrowed, confusion and wariness filling her gaze. "What are you talking about?"

"The hospital," he said, his voice low but insistent. "I know you've been seeing a gynecologist."

Emily's face paled even further, her lips parting slightly in shock. She looked away, her hands trembling at her sides. "You... hired someone to follow me?" she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief and hurt.

Noah ran a hand through his hair, feeling the guilt gnaw at him. "I didn't know what else to do. You've been avoiding me, and I thought you'd moved on. I had to know why."

Tears welled up in Emily's eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. "Moved on? Noah, what are you—"

"Are you pregnant?" he cut her off, his voice breaking. "Is it mine?"

Emily froze, her breath hitching, before her expression twisted into something sharp, wounded. She blinked rapidly, her chest heaving. "Is it yours?" she repeated in disbelief, her voice rising. "How dare you?"

Noah flinched at her tone, his eyes widening in surprise.

"You think that after everything, I would keep something like this from you?" she cried, her face turning red. "You have the audacity to come here, accuse me, and ask if it's yours?"

Noah tried to speak, but Emily wouldn't let him.

"Do you have any idea how much it hurt me to watch you change after France? You didn't even tell me when you came back! I had to find out a week later—through someone else! You didn't care enough to call, to tell me you were back!" Emily's voice cracked, her eyes blazing with anger and hurt. "I didn't matter to you, Noah. Not after Vanessa, not after the way you treated me. You let me believe I didn't mean anything."

Noah opened his mouth, but Emily cut him off again, her voice trembling as tears spilled from her eyes. "I saw the messages, Noah. I know you came back and just went to the mansion. You made your priorities clear, and I wasn't one of them. I've been here, alone, terrified—and you weren't there!"

Noah's heart dropped. Guilt slammed into him with full force. He hadn't realized how much his distance had hurt her, how deeply his actions had affected her. "Emily, I—"

"No," she snapped, her voice thick with pain. "You don't get to apologize, not right now. You don't get to waltz back in here and act like everything's okay, like you suddenly care after pushing me away."

Noah took a step toward her, his face filled with remorse. "I didn't know what I was doing. I thought—"

"You thought what? That I would just wait around for you while you sorted through your feelings?" Emily's voice was raw, broken. "Well, I didn't. I had to take care of myself, Noah. I had to figure out what was best for me and this baby—on my own. And now, you come here, and the first thing you ask is if it's yours? You don't deserve to know."

The room was silent, Emily's breathing heavy as she fought to hold back her tears. She turned her back to him, arms crossed as if she were trying to protect herself from further hurt.

Noah stood there, rooted to the spot, his heart breaking. He wanted to say something, to fix the damage he had caused, but words failed him.

"I want you to leave," Emily whispered, her back still turned.

"Emily—"

"Get out." Her voice was louder this time, laced with finality.

Noah's heart sank. He knew he deserved this, but the thought of walking away now, after everything, was unbearable. He didn't move.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, his voice steady but soft.

Emily spun around, glaring at him. "I said get out!"

"No," Noah repeated, walking over to the couch and sitting down. "I'm staying right here."

Emily's anger flared again, but there was exhaustion beneath it. She was tired—emotionally, physically—and deep down, part of her was relieved that he wasn't leaving. She didn't want him to go, but she couldn't forgive him so easily. She needed to show him how much he had hurt her, how much she deserved better.

"Fine," Emily finally said, her voice quieter now, but still cold. "Stay. But don't think this is over. You have a lot to make up for, Noah."

Noah nodded, his face etched with guilt and determination. "I'll make it right," he promised softly.

Emily didn't respond. She turned and walked to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She leaned against it, tears streaming down her face. She wanted to believe him, but she couldn't let herself get hurt again—not without a fight.

And as Noah sat on her couch, staring into the darkness, he knew that he had a long road ahead of him if he was going to win her back. But he wasn't giving up. Not this time.