“I thought I would be happier,” he admitted.
“Why?”
“Because I finally have my life back.”
Diana remained silent.
Noah stared at the photograph.
“The problem is,” he whispered, “I don’t know what my life is anymore.”
To understand why, he had to go back twenty-two years—to the morning when everything changed.
Part One: The Night Noah’s Old Life Ended
At thirty-one, Noah Carter’s life was ordinary, but it was his.
He had a steady job, a small apartment, a used truck, and modest plans for the future. He hoped to save enough for a house. He wanted to travel. Maybe he would meet someone, marry, and have children someday.
There was no urgency.
He thought he had plenty of time.
Then, one cold November morning, his older sister Emily called.
Or at least Noah thought it was Emily.
When he answered, all he heard was crying.
