Page 75 of Love Spell

Noah shut his eyes, braced for another attempt, but why?He had, in fact, said absolutely everything that needed to be said.

He stood abruptly, surrendering the seat to Timo, who kissed him and dropped into it.Beside the desk, he watched Timo open trades.

His key was in his pocket.He’d been spending next to nothing for the past two weeks.He even had Anjali Mahal’s card.He could call her, say never mind, book his flight, and look after himself.No one else was going to do it for him.

Even when you stumbled into someone who would gift-wrap the world for you, at the end of the day, people were self-serving.Timo wanted what Timo wanted.Just because Noah made that list didn’t turn Timo into a genuinely caring person or healthy partner.

Noah shouldn’t blame him.He, Noah, was the one who’d made a mistake.Timo had been put under a spell, then acted out his obsession in the only way that fit his personality.Noah was the one who’d allowed himself to be swept along in the heat of the moment and should have known better when their styles and ambitions were so impossible to square.

Noah had momentarily fallen for the fantasy, not the reality.The only trouble with that was waking up the morning after.

Heart still pounding, breathing hard, Noah walked out.

In the doorway he ran into Spencer.

“Hi, Noah.This is Jeong Nari.”He hesitated on the name, glancing apologetically around at his companion.

“It’s Nari.”Smiling, the Korean-English woman in slacks and a forest-green jacket reached past to shake Noah’s hand, which he did while realising dully that he couldn’t feel his hands.She had a messenger bag on one shoulder.

“Noah,” he mumbled automatically.“Excuse me.”

“Noah?”Spencer turned with him as Noah walked past.“Nari is here to see you and Timo.”

“For what?”

“Uh…” Spencer and Nari glanced at one another.“Timo didn’t tell you she was coming by?”

“My fault,” Nari said quickly.“I messaged him this morning and he said come over.It was all so sudden I’m not surprised he hasn’t had a chance to tell you.Congratulations on your engagement, by the way.”

“Tell me what?”

“I’m a journalist fromGlobal Voices.We’re an online publication and podcast — you might have seen us on social media?I’ve been writing a series focusing on the positive impact immigration has on adopted countries — growing economy and infrastructure, building community, increasing diversity in the lives of our children with greater cultural exposure, and so on.As an immigrant millionaire who founded his own company in his adopted country, boosting the British economy, you can see why news of Mr Volkov’s engagement to another expat caught my interest.”

Noah simply stared throughout her explanation, looked at Spencer, looked back through the office doorway where Timo was working, oblivious of them, looked at Nari.

“You’re ssss-” Noah bit his tongue, shut his eyes for two seconds.“You are writing apress releaseabout our engagement?”

“Well …” She laughed a little.“I wouldn’t call it that.But I would love to interview you about your experiences.Anything you’d like to share.It won’t take any time.”

“Sure.I can s-sum up the whole st-t-ory for you: It’s over.We’re not get-t — going to be married.”Noah marched to his desk, put everything he wanted, including his lucky cactus and laptop, into a discarded box, and left.

24

“Timo?Nari is still waiting.”Spencer again.

“I told you to have her talk to Noah first.I’ll be right there.”Timo didn’t take his eyes from his screens, fingers ever working on keys and mouse.

“Noah left.Remember?That was fifteen minutes ago.”

“Left?Give me a minute, Spencer.”

It couldn’t have been fifteen minutes.Spencer was prone to exaggeration.

Timo just quickly checked in on his trades.By the time he emerged from his office, he was more interested in finding out what Spencer meant about Noah than about meeting the journalist.

He had to put up with the latter while calling for Spencer, who came running.

“Where’s Noah?”

---