Noah's POV
Something was wrong.
I knew it before I opened my eyes.
Before I sat up.
Before I even saw the empty side of the bed.
Something felt...
Off.
The house was too awake.
Too early.
Too tense.
I couldn't explain it.
Only feel it.
The sensation lingered even as I got dressed and headed downstairs.
The moment I entered the hallway, I stopped.
There were more security personnel than usual.
A lot more.
At first I thought I was imagining it.
Then I counted.
And stopped counting.
Because there was no reason for this many guards to be inside the residence.
My stomach tightened.
One of the guards gave me a respectful nod.
Another was stationed near the staircase.
A third near the main entrance.
A fourth outside.
What was happening?
By the time I reached the dining room, Diamant was already there.
Dressed.
Ready to leave.
The sight immediately made me suspicious.
"You look busy."
"I am."
Not unusual.
Except today it was.
Because he had only returned from Country B a few days ago.
Normally he'd force himself to stay home at least one morning.
Even if he was technically working.
Today he looked like he was preparing for war.
Calm.
Collected.
Dangerously focused.
The expression made something cold settle in my chest.
I sat down slowly.
"You're leaving?"
"A meeting."
The answer came too quickly.
Almost prepared.
I stared at him.
He calmly sipped his coffee.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Then I noticed his phone.
It hadn't stopped vibrating.
Not once.
Every few minutes another message appeared.
Another call.
Another notification.
Diamant ignored most of them.
Which somehow worried me more.
Because Diamant ignored nothing.
Not important things.
Not emergencies.
Not anything.
My fingers tightened around my cup.
"What happened?"
His gaze lifted.
Nothing changed in his expression.
But I knew him.
Something flickered there.
Gone before I could identify it.
"Nothing."
The answer felt wrong immediately.
My chest tightened.
Nothing.
People always said nothing when something was definitely happening.
I knew because I did it too.
Diamant stood.
Walked over.
Pressed a brief kiss against my forehead.
I blinked.
Slowly.
Suspiciously.
Very suspiciously.
He never did things like that in the middle of random conversations.
At least not without a reason.
"You're being weird."
"I'm leaving."
"That's not what I said."
He ignored that.
Of course he did.
Then came the next problem.
"A few days?" I repeated.
"Yes."
A few days.
The words echoed unpleasantly inside my head.
A few days.
Country B.
Again.
My stomach dropped.
Immediately.
Before I could stop it.
Before logic could intervene.
A thought slipped through.
Sharp.
Painful.
Unwanted.
Is he going to see her again?
The woman.
The one from Country B.
The one I'd spent months trying not to think about.
The one I hated thinking about.
The one I told myself didn't matter.
Because Diamant had chosen me.
Because he stayed.
Because things had gotten better.
Yet somehow the thought still found its way back.
Quiet insecurities always did.
I hated that.
I hated myself a little for it too.
The worst part?
I couldn't ask.
Because if I asked, I'd sound ridiculous.
Jealous.
Insecure.
And maybe I was.
A little.
My chest ached anyway.
Diamant was already moving toward the entrance.
I followed without thinking.
Something inside me refusing to let the conversation end yet.
The front doors opened.
Cool morning air drifted inside.
And that's when I noticed them.
More guards.
Outside too.
Several vehicles.
Additional personnel.
My thoughts stopped completely.
Forget the woman.
Forget jealousy.
Forget everything.
Because this...
This wasn't normal.
Not even for Diamant.
Not even close.
I looked around again.
Security near the gate.
Security near the driveway.
Security near the perimeter.
Enough protection to make anyone uncomfortable.
My heart began beating faster.
Why?
Why would he do this?
Diamant wasn't paranoid.
Cautious, yes.
Protective, definitely.
But this?
This felt different.
Like preparation.
Like anticipation.
Like he expected something.
And suddenly the insecurity from moments ago disappeared.
Replaced by something worse.
Fear.
Not for myself.
For him.
Because Diamant Reed did not casually increase security overnight.
He didn't spend money unnecessarily.
He didn't create problems where none existed.
If he'd done this...
Then he knew something.
And if he knew something...
Why wasn't he telling me?
"Diamant."
He looked at me.
"What happened?"
The question came out quieter than I intended.
For a second, something crossed his expression.
Something almost apologetic.
Then it disappeared.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
That answer only made everything worse.
Because now I was definitely worried.
He stepped closer.
His hand briefly touched my cheek.
A small gesture.
Simple.
Yet strangely reassuring.
"I'll be back soon."
I wanted to argue.
Wanted to demand answers.
Wanted to tell him that sending an army of guards after me wasn't exactly calming.
Instead, I only nodded.
Because I knew that look.
The one that meant his mind was already somewhere else.
Already working.
Already solving problems.
The car door opened.
He got inside.
And just before it closed, our eyes met one last time.
Then he was gone.
The gates opened.
The convoy disappeared down the road.
And silence settled over the estate.
I stood there longer than necessary.
Watching empty space.
Thinking.
The woman.
The security.
The rushed departure.
The unanswered questions.
All of it tangled together into one uncomfortable knot inside my chest.
Eventually, I turned toward the house.
Only to find two guards discreetly following several steps behind me.
I stopped.
They stopped.
I moved again.
They moved again.
I stared.
They stared straight ahead.
Professional.
Unmovable.
Ridiculous.
I rubbed my face.
Something was definitely wrong.
And whatever Diamant was hiding...
I had a feeling it was much bigger than he wanted me to know.