Chapter 4 Flashback

The spacious dining room was filled with the mellow buzz of classical music, the clink of exquisite china, and the subtle aroma of flowers. At their long mahogany table, Eliza Callahan sat opposite Noah, their polished faces glowing warmly in the candlelight. The moment felt chilly, like an empty ballroom amid winter, even though the magnificent chandelier above them glistened with crystal beauty.

There was no genuine warmth in Noah's piercing blue eyes as they met hers. A smile twitched his lips, but it was a mechanical one, well-practiced. He was the ideal man for any woman: tall, well-groomed, and self-assured enough to command the room. However, Eliza could only sense the gap between them as she gazed at him now-the gap that seemed to get wider every day.

Noah's voice was velvety smooth as he remarked, "You've been silent tonight." His outfit was neat and perfectly made, and his dark hair was groomed. They were the ideal couple, the Manhattan power couple, to anyone who happened to glance at them. Eliza, however, was wiser.

She sipped her wine slowly, the glass quivering slightly in her hand as she searched for the proper words. It had grown hard to find words in this life. There was no room for vulnerability or honesty. Although they had constructed a life of flawless gloss, it was a jail.

Even to herself, her voice sounded strange when she said, "I'm alright." She was no longer able to communicate with him. Not when their mutual silence weighed heavily on their shoulders like a blanket.

Noah arched an eyebrow. "Really? Since you appear to be a million miles away.

Eliza put the wine glass down and absently traced the rim with her fingertips. Like leaves in a brisk fall wind, her mind wandered back to the years they had invested in creating this façade. They were the ideal pair in the ideal world-the lavish penthouses, the charity galas where they had posed for the cameras, the trips to Paris. However, it had all been a show. Additionally, she had performed in a play that she had not written as a supporting actress.

At the time, Noah lived in a world of power-dominance in the social realm, business, and all facets of existence. And she had been his trophy wife, his lovely accessory, who looked stunning beside him. The extravagant presents, the diamonds, and the private planes had all seemed thrilling at first, but the glitz quickly faded.

On certain nights, she would lie in their large bed-a bed they had purchased together using the money Noah had accumulated-and look up at the ceiling, wondering when she had lost her sense of self. In the effort to maintain the image he had crafted for them, she had lost parts of herself. She had given up on aspirations, and dreams, and fought for anything other than the life he had prepared for her.

The Plaza Hotel's charity event instantly sprung to mind. Everything about the evening had been flawless. Noah had been the devoted husband, wrapping his arm around her waist as they stood for the photographers. She had been wearing a sapphire-blue gown, with her hair arranged in loose waves. Eliza, however, had felt suffocated beneath the beauty. She was under continual pressure to maintain the ideal life, to be the ideal wife, and to smile, and this had broken her spirit.

With a smile that stopped short of his eyes, Noah had introduced her to a prominent customer at that event, where they were standing in front of a group of powerful people. A moment too long, his hand had rested on her back, a nonverbal declaration of his possessiveness. She had played her part, nodded, and smiled, but on the inside, she was consumed by a gnawing, dark emptiness.

In actuality, there had always been implicit expectations and limitations attached to Noah's love. Never once had he enquired about her desires, dreams, or hopes. In his meticulously planned existence, he had desired a companion, but never a lady with a distinct personality.

Eliza had once, madly, loved him. She had thought that love could be based on respect for one another and a common goal, and that the ideal marriage was achievable. However, the reality had come to light in a hundred subtle ways, such as the icy, uninterested looks they exchanged across the breakfast table when they both realised they had nothing to discuss. Or how, while she had attempted to keep their collapsing lives together, Noah had started to lose himself in his profession, his concentration on meetings, purchases, and contracts.

One of their trips to the French Riviera came back to her. On the waves of the Mediterranean, they had chartered a yacht that gleamed like a gem. The dinner had been delicious, the air had been soft, and the sun had been warm. Eliza had made a great effort to act as though it was everything she wanted, and it was a life that many would envy. But Noah hadn't seen her silent displeasure since he was too preoccupied with a phone call. He hadn't noticed her yearning for something tangible as he was too preoccupied with clients and the next sale. Wondering if she would ever find herself again, she stared at the horizon the entire way.

The most peculiar thing, she now understood, was that Noah had never paid much attention to her attempts to speak up. His conviction and his vision for their future had always overshadowed her remarks, leaving no space for her voice. The quiet wasn't the only thing that had choked her. It was the understanding that she would never be good enough or enough herself, and would always be secondary in his world. Like a shadow that only existed to enhance his brightness, she had vanished into the backdrop of his life.

As Noah's words broke through the fog of her recollections, Eliza blinked, bringing herself back to the here and now.

With a calm smile and a glitter of power in his eyes, he leaned back in his chair and remarked, "Eliza, you've been quiet for too long." "Do you believe you'll ever really comprehend the significance of this?"

She saw only a stranger when she looked at him, the guy she had once loved deeply. He was a man who had never really seen her or comprehended her.

She added in a quiet but determined voice, "I think I'm finally starting to comprehend." It seemed like a revelation, but the words had from her lips before she could stop them. The reality. She was starting to realise how expensive life was in his world. Furthermore, she was no longer prepared to bear the expense.

For a second, Noah's face clouded, but then he leaned forward and grinned. "You believe you can handle this without my help?" He spoke in a low, nearly demanding voice. "You believe you can get by without all of this and succeed on your own?"

She took a while to respond to him. Between them, there was a heavy, oppressive quiet. However, the truth of her decisions weighed heavily on her chest as she sat there, like a burden she had carried for years. She had already decided what to do.

What about Noah? He would never get it.

"I already am," she declared as she rose from the table, her choice irrevocable.

She realised as she turned to go that this was the start of her real existence. He no longer defines it. His expectations were no longer a constraint.

She had freedom.

However, she had the unshakeable impression that Noah's grip on her was still very much in place as she entered the outside world.