He Loves Me Right, Finally novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Let’s Postpone the Marriage License

“I’ll marry you.”

Standing outside the closed doors of the City Hall, Wynette Jewell stared at the empty entrance and pulled out her phone.

Today was the day she and Noah Shepherd were supposed to get their marriage license.

She waited from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

Noah never showed up.

He was the one who suggested getting the license. Yet he was also the one who stood her up.

This was the third time.

Wynette finally gave up and immediately called Noah’s biggest rival, Adriel Gallagher.

She still remembered the first time she’d been left hanging at City Hall. That was when Adriel asked her to marry him.

She turned him down.

The second time ended the same way.

Then this morning, Adriel texted her again. He asked her to marry him.

This time, she said yes.

Just minutes ago, she saw a new post on Instagram.

From Noah’s first love.

In the photo, Noah sat upright at a table, carefully slicing an apple. The caption read, “Whenever I need him, he shows up. That’s what being chosen feels like. That’s my peace of mind.”

Wynette let out a quiet, mocking laugh. She tapped Like and commented, [Locked in for life. Wishing you two forever.]

To her surprise, she felt nothing.

In the past, she would’ve screenshotted it and stormed over to Noah, demanding an explanation. It would’ve turned into a vicious fight.

It always ended with him slamming the door on his way out.

But now, she didn’t even have the energy to be angry.

She really didn’t want him anymore.

A voice on the other end of the call pulled her back. “I’m on a business trip. I’ll be back in a week. If you still want this, 9 a.m., I’ll wait for you at City Hall.”

Adriel’s words echoed in her ear. Only then did she realize why the man who once waited outside City Hall asking her to marry him had sent only a text today.

A week.

She wasn’t stupid. He was giving her time-to deal with Noah and to back out if she changed

her mind.

“I’ll wait for you,” Wynette said softly.

She hung up and drove home.

She lived in a vintage condominium in the heart of downtown. When Noah found out, he bought the unit next door and knocked down the wall to combine the two into one.

Even though they lived under the same roof, they each had their own space.

When Noah bought the condominium, he put it under Wynette’s name.

She looked around the massive place. Every corner carried traces of their relationship- photos, matching couple items, and even the layout was designed to his taste.

What once felt like happiness now felt like a joke.

It took her only a few hours to gather everything related to her and Noah. She dumped it all in the storage room, planning to throw it out tomorrow.

Staring at the now half-empty condominium, she called a realtor and told them to list it.

If she were letting him go, there would be no reason to keep anything tied to him.

“Yes. I don’t care about the price. I just want it sold fast,” she said firmly when the hesitated.

Once she let him go, the things she once couldn’t tolerate no longer mattered.

She truly didn’t care anymore.

She adjusted her mindset and soon drifted toward sleep.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, she felt the mattress dip.

A second later, she was pulled into a warm embrace.

Her body stiffened slightly.

Noah wrapped his arms tightly around her, burying his face in her neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to miss today. Lorelei’s condition is really serious. If I’d gotten there any later, she might not have made it.

“Wynette, I’m the only one she has. I can’t just abandon her. Let’s postpone the license. When she gets better, we’ll go get it.

“I’ll give you a grand wedding, I promise. While she’s staying here, don’t make things difficult. Let’s focus on her first, okay? I’ll make it up to you.”

He was delaying the marriage license again-because of Lorelei. Wynette stayed calm. A faint, mocking smile touched her lips.

Every word was about Lorelei. Even when he lowered his voice, it was to make sure Lorelei wouldn’t be bullied by her.

She’d planned to pretend to be asleep, but being held by him made her feel sick.

Quietly, she slipped out of his arms and turned her back to him. “What’s between you and Lorelei isn’t my business. Do whatever you want. You don’t need to explain it to me.”

“Wynette.” His tone carried irritation. To him, this was just her being jealous again.

Whenever Lorelei was involved, Wynette always had that same sarcastic edge.

He thought he’d already lowered himself enough. If she kept this up, it was childish.

She heard the anger in his voice but didn’t turn around.

That only made him angrier. He flipped off the bed, face dark, about to lecture her.

But before he could speak, the bedroom door flew open. A figure rushed in and hugged him tightly from behind.