Noah's Adventure - 34. Love hurts

I dreaded the conversation with Shiloh. Deep down, I knew this was going to blow up in my face.

The next morning, before lunch, we sat across from each other in the chairs in my room.

For a long time, neither of us spoke.

Finally, I broke the silence.

I told him everything Silas had told me—the story about fate, destiny, and how everything had supposedly been connected from the beginning.

I left out Little B’s involvement.

When I finished, Shiloh sat quietly for several seconds before finally speaking.

“Funny how you left your cousin out of the story.”

“What?” I sputtered, immediately trying to remember if I’d accidentally mentioned Little B.

“I heard the story this morning,” Shiloh said coldly. “Not from you. Not from Little B. Tristan told me.”

The room went completely silent.

And suddenly, I was furious.

Not at Shiloh.

At Tristan.

“I didn’t want you to be angry with me,” I admitted, trying to think through how badly this had just gone.

“You lied to me,” Shiloh snapped, his voice rising. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?”

This was spiraling faster than I could stop it.

“I can explain—”

“I think we need to end whatever this is,” Shiloh interrupted, tears streaming down his face. “I’ll go back to Pennsylvania, go off to school, and try to forget this disaster of a summer.”

My stomach dropped.

“Shiloh—”

But before I could say anything else, he stood up and walked out.

I rushed after him, hoping we could still fix this somehow.

But he was already gone.

He wasn’t downstairs. Neither were his brothers.

Grandma came out of her office and found me sobbing on the couch.

Through tears, I explained everything—how Shiloh found out, how the conversation exploded, how he stormed off.

She listened quietly and nodded.

A moment later, Grandpa stepped out of the kitchen.

“They left,” he said softly.

“Left?” Grandma repeated, disbelief written all over her face.

“Yes, dear. Nathan and Luca packed the car this morning. The boys left right after Shiloh came downstairs.”

“My son left without saying goodbye,” Grandma said darkly.

“Yes,” Grandpa replied carefully, “and I think this was planned.”

Grandma narrowed her eyes. “How so?”

She pulled me closer into a hug, almost protectively.

“I overheard Nathan and Luca arguing the last few days,” Grandpa explained. “Luca was fine with the boys staying here—or even with their aunt. Nathan wasn’t having it.”

Understanding flashed across Grandma’s face instantly, and I could hear the anger underneath her calm tone.

“I know you spoke to their aunt,” Grandpa added, giving her a look. “I know how you work, Mrs. Jacobs.”

Grandma huffed dramatically. “Yes, I spoke to their aunt. She had some very colorful opinions about her brother and sister-in-law. She wanted the boys to move in with her and Caleb.”

“I don’t think Nathan wanted to let them go,” Grandpa said quietly.

“They only have temporary custody anyway,” Grandpa added. “The boys turn eighteen in a couple months.”

Grandma’s expression hardened.

“So instead, they break Noah’s heart and run back to a ranch that technically belongs to us.”

“Precisely,” Grandpa replied with a small chuckle.

I tried texting Shiloh over and over.

No response.

My calls went straight unanswered.

I tried calling his brothers.

Nothing.

Then Uncle Nathan.

Then Uncle Luca.

Still nothing.

For several nights, I cried myself to sleep wondering why my father hadn’t come back to visit me either.

The only comfort I really had was the blanket Uncle Matt had given me.

Eventually, Uncle Matt gave Grandma the name of a therapist after I spent days barely leaving my room or eating.

I decided to take a gap year.

The thought of college felt impossible.

Slowly, painfully, I tried to move forward, but it felt like I was trapped in place while everyone else kept living.

Grandma tried to track Tristan down to get answers, but apparently he’d gone completely radio silent.

Then one night, while scrolling Facebook, I saw that Shiloh had enrolled at Penn State.

That hurt enough.

But then I saw the relationship status.

In a Relationship.

My chest tightened so hard I couldn’t breathe.

The phone slipped from my hand as I collapsed to the floor, crying.