Chapter 136.

The prison had begun to blur together.

Noah sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the concrete floor between his shoes. They moved him to a new prison.

He hadn’t shaved properly in days.

His hair was longer than usual, falling messily over his forehead. There was a fading bruise near his temple, another along his jaw, and a small cut at the corner of his mouth.

He looked nothing like the man who used to walk through Blackwood University’s halls as though the world belonged to him.

The prison had taken some of that arrogance.

A metallic sound came from the corridor.

Noah lifted his head. He knew the sound of the guard’s boots.

But there was another pair behind them.

Noah stood.

The guard stopped outside his cell.

"Visitor."

Noah frowned. "Who?"

The guard stepped aside.

His uncle stood behind him.

Noah’s expression immediately changed. "Uncle." He suggested with relief. He hadn’t seen his uncle for weeks now.

His uncle looked at him. His eyes travelled slowly over Noah’s face.

Noah stepped closer to the bars. "Did you find something? Can I leave now?"

His uncle glanced at the guard. "I need privacy."

"You have ten minutes."

His uncle nodded. The cell door remained closed, but the guard moved several feet away.

His uncle pulled a chair closer to the bars.

Noah sat opposite him.

"You were right."

Noah’s eyes narrowed. "About what?"

His uncle leaned forward. "They were together."

Noah went completely still. His uncle watched his reaction. "Emilia and Adrian."

Noah swallowed. He looked away. Satisfaction moved across his face. "I knew it. That lying whore."

Noah scoffed. "People thought I was jealous."

His uncle’s voice remained calm.

"I know you, Noah." He leaned back. "You don’t become obsessed with something without a reason. I believed you."

Noah stared at him.

"He lost his position."

Noah looked up. "Because of her?"

"Because of their relationship."

A slow smile appeared on Noah’s face.

His uncle’s mouth curved slightly.

"The university didn’t expel her."

"No."

"She’s still enrolled?"

"Yes."

"Her scholarship?"

"Still intact."

Noah’s smile disappeared. "How?"

His uncle shrugged. "Apparently she convinced them she was a victim."

Noah looked at him in surprise. Slowly, his surprise dissolved into acceptance. He laughed quietly in disbelief. "Of course she did."

His expression hardened. "She’s stupid, and a slut"

His uncle leaned forward. "He said she became entangled with him because of naive feelings."

Noah’s jaw dropped, and then, he laughed briefly.

"You were right about her." His uncle shrugged.

Noah smiled again for the first time in months. For weeks, he’d imagined Emilia regretting leaving him.

He’d imagined her discovering Adrian’s true nature.

His uncle’s expression softened. "You’re my nephew." He reached through the bars and squeezed Noah’s shoulder. "I won’t sit around while they destroy your life."

Noah swallowed.

His uncle continued.

"They’ve already taken your freedom." His voice became colder. "I’m not letting them take anything else."

Noah stared at him. "What are you going to do?"

His uncle glanced toward the guard, then he lowered his voice. "You won’t be here much longer. I’m getting you out."

Noah stared at him.

His uncle’s expression didn’t change.

"How?"

"You don’t need to know."

"When?"

His uncle looked directly into his eyes. "Tonight."

Noah’s heart slammed against his ribs.nHe leaned closer to the bars. "Tonight?"

His uncle nodded. "We’ve already arranged everything."

Noah stared at him. A strange energy began moving through his body. After weeks of concrete walls, locked doors, and guards, there was suddenly an ending.

A way out.

He stood.

His uncle rose too.

"Listen to me carefully."

Noah nodded.

"Once you’re out, you disappear."

"Where?"

"I’ll tell you when the time comes."

Noah frowned. "Uncle—"

"Trust me." His uncle straightened his coat. "You’ll have somewhere safe to stay."

Noah nodded slowly.

"And Emilia?"

His uncle paused.

Noah’s voice was quiet. "What happens to her?"

His uncle looked at him for a long moment.

"That depends on what you decide."

Noah’s eyes darkened. "I need to make her suffer." his breathing fastened. "She’s a bloody lying whore who made me look insane for saying the truth."

"Calm down, Noah."

He clenched his fists together. "And even with this whole truth out, the school did not think it would be inportant to apologise to me? After dragging me out of her room like a mice?"

The guard began walking toward them.

Their ten minutes were almost over.

"Calm down, Noah." His uncle repeated, and stepped away from the bars.

"Uncle."

He stopped. "Thank you."

His uncle turned. A faint smile appeared on his face. "You don’t thank your family for doing what they’re supposed to do."

Noah nodded.

His uncle held his gaze for another second before turning away.

The guard unlocked the outer door, and his footsteps slowly disappeared down the corridor.

Noah remained standing. He watched the empty hallway long after his uncle was long gone.

Tonight.

The word kept repeating in his head.

Tonight, he will leave this place.

Tonight, he would breathe air that didn’t smell like concrete and disinfectant. He would sleep somewhere without bars outside his door.

He would wake up without a guard deciding when he could eat, when he could move, and even when he could speak.

His fingers curled slowly into fists. Emilia would no longer be somewhere he could only think about.

She would be somewhere he could reach.

Noah walked back to his bed and sat down.

For weeks, he had imagined the moment he would finally get out.

He had imagined Emilia’s face when she saw him again. He had imagined her regret, and fear.

He lowered his eyes.

A smile slowly returned to his face.

This time, he wouldn’t make the mistake of believing she would understand on her own.

He would make sure she did.

Noah leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. He cleared his throat, and waited.

Outside his cell, footsteps continued moving through the corridor. However, for the first time, they didn’t sound as irritating as they used to.

He started his countdown.