Chapter 9

Noah sent Isabelle a message, reminding her to arrive early, then got back to work with full focus. The flowers at the venue had been flown in and dyed in a gradient of blue, just the way Isabelle liked them. In the center stood a massive crystal glass slipper, filled with the gifts Noah had carefully prepared for her. He wanted to use tonight as a chance to let Isabelle know that he was coming back to her. Just thinking about the joyful look on her face made Noah's lips twitch into a faint smile. She would be so moved that she'd throw herself into his arms in tears. Before long, all the guests had arrived. But Isabelle was still nowhere to be seen. Noah started to feel restless. He took out his phone and tried to call her. He called five times, but no one picked up. He sent her a message, but there was no response. For the past ten years, Isabelle had always answered immediately. She never ignored his calls or texts. They had never lost contact like this. As he thought back t