Beneath Her Smile

4.

Autumn's chill had settled into the city, and as evening fell, Vivienne lay beside Noah, his arm draped over her. She felt his warmth, his breath slowing as sleep pulled him under, but she stayed awake, enjoying the steady rhythm of his chest rising and falling.

Then he murmured, his voice soft and half-asleep. "You remind me of her sometimes."

Vivienne's eyes sharpened, though her smile remained gentle as she turned toward him. Her fingers traced light patterns along his jawline. "Do I?" she asked, her voice a purr that wrapped around his fading consciousness.

"Yeah." His fingers trailed over her arm absentmindedly. "The way you're there for me. She... she was like that." A soft, bittersweet smile lingered on his lips.

Vivienne's gaze didn't falter, her smile deepened. "Lucky me, then," she replied, her words calculated yet laced with a warmth only he could feel. "But, Noah," she said, gently tilting his chin so he met her eyes, "I'm not here to be anyone but myself."

He exhaled softly, gazing at her as if seeing her anew. "I know. And I'm lucky to have you."

Her smile flickered into something sly, a glimmer of satisfaction she didn't bother hiding. As

Noah drifted off beside her, Vivienne's mind wandered to that night, the one she had compartmentalized so well. A street, a flicker of shock in Celine's eyes before her silence became permanent. But that memory held no fear for her, no threat—only a sense of triumph, of how far she'd come. She'd done what needed to be done, and her prize lay peacefully beside her now.

The next day, Vivienne observed Noah as he sat at her kitchen table, engrossed in his laptop, unaware of her gaze on him. Her confidence never wavered. She had crafted every aspect of their relationship with precision, knowing exactly how to draw him in without being too obvious, how to fulfill the role of the woman he needed. He wasn't just a project—he was hers.

And that knowledge only deepened her sense of control.

One night, they attended a gathering at a friend's apartment. As the familiar buzz of laughter and music filled the room, Vivienne saw Noah relaxing, his guard down as he chatted with old friends. She allowed herself to drift through the crowd, her presence effortless but magnetic, never losing sight of him.

Midway through the evening, she noticed a girl approach him—Emma. Vivienne immediately recognized her: an old friend, warm and open, someone who knew Celine. Their conversation started innocuously enough, but Vivienne caught the shift when Celine's name was mentioned, that slight softening in Noah's eyes, the nostalgia creeping back.

"Celine... she was one of a kind, wasn't she?" Emma said, a reminiscent smile gracing her lips. "I still think about her sometimes. I know you do, too."

Noah nodded, a somber glint in his gaze. "Yeah, I do." He chuckled softly, a wistful note in his voice. "Feels like it was just yesterday..."

Vivienne glided closer, her expression serene as she caught the tail end of their conversation. She placed her hand on Noah's shoulder with ease, leaning in with a warm, relaxed smile. "It's always good to keep our memories close," she said, her voice smooth, her gaze direct. "But life keeps moving forward, doesn't it?"

Noah looked up, his attention immediately drawn to her, and something softened in his eyes as he nodded. "You're right, Vivienne. You always know what to say."

Emma offered her a polite smile, her gaze wavering slightly under Vivienne's subtle but undeniable poise. Vivienne could tell her presence was working exactly as intended—no grand gestures, no overt interruptions. Just a quiet reminder that she was the one here, now, with Noah.

Later, as they walked home, Vivienne kept close to him, her arm linked through his. She could feel his lingering melancholy, the sense of Celine's memory still hanging between them. But instead of pushing him, she simply let her presence envelop him, her silence as powerful as any words she could have chosen.

When they reached her apartment, she turned to him with a soft smile, her voice low. "You don't have to apologize for your memories, Noah. I understand," she said, running her fingers down his arm. "Celine was a part of your life... but that doesn't mean you have to live in her shadow. I'm here with you, whenever you're ready to step into the present."

He looked at her, gratitude flickering in his expression as he reached for her hand. "Thank you, Vivienne. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Her smile was serene, her grip firm as she intertwined their fingers. "You don't have to know. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."---The following week, Vivienne moved with the same quiet confidence. Every moment they spent together was another layer she added to their bond, a further step away from Celine's shadow and deeper into her carefully constructed world with him. When he mentioned something as simple as a book Celine had loved, Vivienne responded with gentle, encouraging warmth, subtly redirecting him to their shared memories, their own inside jokes.

One evening, as they lay on her couch watching a movie, Vivienne ran her fingers through his hair, watching as he relaxed, his focus fully on her.

"Do you ever think about the future?" she asked softly, her eyes warm, her gaze piercing.He looked at her, thoughtful. "Yeah. I think about it all the time," he replied. "It's funny—I used to imagine it so differently... but now I can't see it without you."

Vivienne's smile widened, satisfaction flickering in her gaze. "Then let's make that future," she said, her voice unwavering, confident. "Together. Just us."

Noah leaned in, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. As they parted, his eyes met hers, the hesitation she'd once seen now replaced by something deeper, a trust that only she had managed to cultivate.

Later, as he slept beside her, Vivienne lay awake, tracing her fingers along his cheek, a soft, victorious smile on her lips. She'd taken his past, folded it neatly away, and carved a new space for herself. Every move, every word had brought her here, and Noah was now exactly where she wanted him. Celine was nothing more than a fading memory, one that she'd carefully, deliberately eclipsed.

"Sweet dreams, Noah," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, filled with quiet triumph.

Because in the end, it wasn't about competing with ghosts—it was about being unforgettable in her own right. And Vivienne was certain of one thing: she was his future.