Page 76 of The Hotel Room

Her anger had simmered into something hotter now—raw hurt. She shook her head, stepping back. “It’s fine. You handled it.”

“No.” His voice gentled. “It’s not fine. He shouldn’t have said that. You’ve doneeverythingfor this family. Forme. And I won’t let him talk to you like that.”

And there it was.

The crack. The thing that made the tears burn hotter behind her eyes. Becauseyes, she had done everything. She hadgiveneverything.

And James had still gone out and broken it all.

Lily, who had been quietly watching, suddenly slipped off her chair and rushed toward Kate, her small arms wrapping around her waist.

“Mommy, please don’t cry,” she whispered. “I don’t like when everyone fights.”

Kate dropped to her knees instantly, pulling Lily close, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“I’m okay, sweetie. I promise.” Kate wrapped her anger and pain up tight again, forcing herself to steady her voice for her daughter’s sake.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

James

The house was quieter than usual that evening, the tension from dinner lingering like a shadow. Noah had been stomping around upstairs for the past hour, and James knew he couldn’t let it sit.

This was his fault, in a way. The weight in the house, the fractures—he’d caused them. And his son was caught in the fallout.

With a steadying breath, James knocked gently on Noah’s bedroom door.

“Go away,” came the muffled voice.

James ignored it, stepping inside.

Noah was sprawled on his bed, hoodie pulled halfway over his face, his phone in hand but clearly not paying attention to it.

James crossed the room slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Hey.” His voice was calm, but firm. “I get it. You’re mad. But we need to talk.”

Noah didn’t answer, but he shifted slightly, just enough for James to know he was listening.

“Look, what you said at dinner...I know you’re upset. But what you said to your mom wasn’t okay.”

Noah exhaled sharply, finally pushing the hoodie off his head. His face was tight, frustrated, but not as defensive as earlier.

“I know, okay? Iget it.” He stared hard at the ceiling. “I’m just—” His voice dropped, cracking slightly. “I’m just scared, Dad.”

James’s heart clenched. He hadn’t expected that.

He leaned forward slightly. “Scared? Of what?”

Noah shrugged, voice quieter now. “Emily’s been talking about schools too.” His hands fidgeted in his lap, restless. “And we...I love her, Dad. Ireallylove her. But...what if she goes somewhere far? What if we break up? I thought we’d be together forever, like you and Mom. But now you and Mom—”

He stopped, his voice catching.

James’s stomach sank.

The fight. The distance.His betrayal.

It wasn’t just hurting Kate. It was reshaping the way their son sawlove.

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