NovelOnlineFitch sat alone on the couch, his mind lingering on Zoey. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, the memory of her still vivid. After stime, he grabbed a tissue and cleaned up, then headed upstairs alone.
Nolan was still awake, his big eyes staring at the ceiling, his small hand gently stroking his stuffed animal, Ozzy.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Fitch asked softly.
"Daddy, did you... hurt Mommy?" Fitch paused, considering how to answer. "If what happened betweenand your mom is considered hurting, well, it's a kind of hurt you'll understand when you're older." "I don't want a wife if it means hurting them," Nolan said with a frown.
Fitch chuckled, amused by his son's innocence. "You might not look for a wife, but that doesn't mean they won'te looking for you. Or are you saying you've got your eyes on someone special? Like Rosemary?" Nolan's face turned red with embarrassment, and he quickly hid his face. "No!" Laughing, Fitch ruffled Nolan's hair. It amazed him how quickly children could form feelings and attachments.
Meanwhile, Zoey was back home, lying in bed and unable to sleep. Her cheeks were burning, and she felt like she was about to explode. She got up and went to the bathroom; where the bright light revealed faint marks on her skin, reminders of their intense moments together, yet also of Fitch's gentleness. The slap she had given Fitch replayed in her mind. It was a reflex born out of panic and confusion. She splashed cold water on her face, but it did little to calm her racing heart.
Her phone buzzed with a message from Henry, her boyfriend. The tdifference meant it was morning there. The message snapped her back to reality, filling her with and shame. She was in a าวน guilt relationship yet had crossed a line With another man. How had ite to this? With trembling fingers, she replied to Henry, keeping it brief. They rarely talked much, and Henry had been distant lately, busy with his own matters. Zoey preferred being pursued rather than taking the first step, so their lack ofmunication made her feel unneeded. Now, Henry mentioned he'd be busy for the next two months. Their already weak relationship felt even more tenuous, but this didn't lessen her guilt over Fitch. Determined to set things right, she decided to keep her distance from Fitch. It was the only way to avoid furtherplications. The next morning, Fitch waited for Zoey to join him for breakfast, but instead, he received a message from her: "I've already eaten, don't wait for me." They had been eating together recently, so it was clear she now wanted to distance herself. Fitch understood, though reluctantly, that last night's events and her relationship with her barely-there boyfriend were influencing her decision.
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