Secrets of Lakefront House
CHAPTER 48. VISITING NOAH

Noah sat on the bed, which was a little more like a cot, but the man immediately jumped to his feet as Jilena and Jonathan walked over. Jonathan holds the cell door open and Jilena sneaks in. “Yells just to call the guard when it's done." Jonathan shuts the door, makes sure it's locked, and lurks far away.

Jilena saw Jonathan leave. When he was sure he didn't hear Jonathan's footsteps anymore, he turned to Noah. Jilena dragged the chair made of metal closer to the bed and stared straight at Noah, the man's hand outstretched as he sat on the mattress. “I want to spend time alone with you, Jilena, but this is not what I imagined.”

He seemed to be struggling to keep his voice sounding calm and still looking his spirit.

“I also did not expect to visit you in jail.” He was very surprised when he received the news. That's far from what he expected. Jilena is hopeful that the killer is not Noah.

His voice turned serious. “My father and his lawyer told me not to speak to anyone.”

"I came here as your friend" said Jilena.

"So, whatever I'm about to say won't be recorded?"

"No"

His curious gaze explored his body. “You don't have some kind of wire or— recorder tool on you, do you? ”

“No, Noah, there's nothing on my body. It's just me."

"Why did you come?" His sharp eyes traced his face, as if hoping for a joyous answer.

“Police have proof that you killed and buried Mariana near your fund house.”

“My family lake house to be exact,” correction.

“They said if you have a strong motive and alibi to do that, and with your DNA it was—forensics who found other items in the grave, they hooked you up to the murder.”

“Yes, that's what my lawyer said, but I don't understand how they could have found my DNA there. I've never been anywhere near that woman.”

"You sure?" ask Jilena. "And are you lying now?" she asked.

“I never stop loving you.”

Jilena turned towards the bars, her heart beating faster.

“We were too young to get married and have a baby back then,” she said.

“Not only us but also our son—you know.”

"I know."

“I'm immature and selfish. I just want to be a big soccer star and don't want that baby getting in the way of my dreams.” He slowly turned around and looked at her, his eyes suddenly wet.

"Not only a baby—baby kita—our son.” says Jilena.

“You know what I mean. I thought about the little boy for years, wondering if he looked like me, if he grew up and liked football like I did.”

“So, it's still about you, isn't it?”

“I didn't mean it that way. I hope he grew up in a good family, not a messy family like me, had too much money and too little love.”

Did he really think about their son all this time? He had always believed that noah was indeed thinking about their son.

“I'm not that guy anymore, Jilena. I've been trying to build my own life, working to be a good businessman in my own way, not just using all the facilities of my papa. Can't you see that?”

He studied it, wondering how much he should believe. Noah was always good at talking. As she looked into her eyes, something was pulling her heart, pulling Jilena towards her—but the girl refused

"Related. I never did" she replied.

He jumped up as well and grabbed his shoulder, locking his gaze on Jilena's two eyes. “Listen to me, Jilena. I didn't kill Mariana!”

Jilena tried to pull away, but the grip of her hand was too strong. "Let go! you've hurt me."

His hand slid to the side. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it." Fear piled in his eyes. “You have to trust me. I didn't kill that woman. They caught the wrong person.”

"Or maybe it was a woman" he murmured. His mind was fixed on what he thought of Ramira the night before, but his friend was not the only woman who might have wanted him dead. Arlina Arsyanendra could have wanted to silence Mariana too. Maybe even Ratih, his ex-wife.

"Woman?" Noah's eyebrows wrinkled.

"I mean if it wasn't you, it could have been a man or a woman."

“If it wasn't me? So you think I can do this?” He drowned his face into the bed, moving his fingers to his hair. "Oh God."

He sat next to her. "It could have been an accident." Something inside urged him to embrace her and comfort her, but he held back.

“Maybe she went to talk to you and things got out of hand. Or him

attacking you and it is self-defense.”

Noah shook his head, then looked directly into his eyes, gently holding hands. “No, Jilena. I didn't kill Mariana—not under any circumstances."

You have to trust me. I don't know how my DNA could be in that woman's body, but it's not me— I swear.”

Jilena looked into his eyes deeply, trying to investigate the truth. There was clearly an expression of fear that he had never seen before, but today, it filled his eyes and spread all over his face. Even in the night when they had to tell their parents that she was pregnant, there was nothing compared to her expression now.

"Say you believe me," she pleaded, her wet eyes begging.

He pulled his hand back. He can't do it. “I want to say, Noah, really. Yes, but I have to follow the facts.” And he will continue to follow them, wherever they go, but for now he is satisfied that he has got what he expected when he comes here, to look Noah in the eye and hear from his own lips that he—dn't kill Ramira's mother.

"Then I'll follow the facts and prove my innocence." He seemed to gain strength in his resolve. “Don't let the police stop looking for the real killer. You know how they can be. They arrested the suspect and they stopped considering the possibility of another.”

Jilena stood up to leave. "I'm not gonna stop looking for the truth, Noah."

"I believe you." He took his hand again. “I mean what I said back then."

He pulled his hand back. “You told me in the park that you were too drunk to remember anything.”

"I lied."

"And are you lying now?" she asked.

“I never stop loving you.”

Jilena turned towards the bars, her heart beating faster.

“We were too young to get married and have a baby back then,” she said.

“Not only us but also our son—you know.”

"I know."

“I'm immature and selfish. I just want to be a big football star and don't want the baby getting in the way of it.” He slowly turned around and looked at her, his eyes suddenly wet. "Not only a baby—baby we—son's us.”

“You know what I mean. I've thought about the little boy many times over the years, wondering if he looked like me, if he grew up and liked football like I did.”