Chasing Infinity

Chasing Infinity Aria Harding All rights reserved. Copyright @ 2023 Aria Harding No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact Aria Harding at [email protected]. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred. Cover Design by: Graziana with Chris Covers First Edition published 2023 ISBN: 9798379174910 Dear Reader To my Loyal Readers, It has always been my dream to write an Epic Love Story that tells the whole story, not just the bits and pieces. That is “Chasing Infinity.” This is an epic love story that spans decades. This book is long, and detailed, but it is everything. This book is focused more on the journey, so it may seem slow at times, but everything has been crafted meticulously. I hope you read this book and fall in love with Addison and Noah just as I have. I wouldn’t be here, writing this epigraph without the support of everyone who put time and dedication into this book. Thank you to all my lovely readers on Inkitt who stood by me while this book was being written. Without you all, I would have nothing. Love, Aria Foreword Some of the material in this novel may be triggering. This novel contains traumatic material such as mention of physical abuse by a parent, death of a parents to a fire, and themes referencing human trafficking. This is not a dark romance, but if any of these themes may make you uncomfortable, please read with discretion. Chasing Infinity is a long novel, purposefully designed that way. It aims to tell the entire story between Noah and Addison, the good, the bad, and everything in between. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this epic love story! Contents Dear Reader Foreword I. Now Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 II. Then Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 III. Now Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Epilogue Bonus Epilogue Acknowledgments About the Author Also by Aria Harding Part One Now I love her, and that is the beginning and end of everything. - F. Scott Fitzgerald * * * Chapter 1 Noah Thunder rattles outside, making the frame of my car shake. The rain bombards the windows and I groan, pulling the edges of my flimsy pillow across my ears to drown it out. Shifting around in the backseat of the pathetic run-down car, I try to get comfortable. It takes great effort not to let my situation weigh me down too far. My life is a shit show. Nothing about where I am right now would have been on my plan for my life. I never imagined the catalyst to bring me back to this godforsaken town would be my mother's funeral. But here we are. Life has a funny way of turning the tables around on you. Almost ten years have passed since the last time I set foot in this town. While the threat of knowing I'd have to return at some point lingered in my mind like a foul odor, I generally did a fair job of keeping myself distracted. I was living in a happy little fantasy outside this picturesque place. Unfortunately, now that I'm back, the bubble has burst. Willow Heights is where I was born, where I grew up, and where I crashed and burned. The residents of this town probably still walk around whispering my name like a legend. This place elicits too many memories for me to be comfortable hanging around for too long. But it's home. This is why I begrudgingly parked in front of Monty's Market & Pharmacy when I rolled up to the city limits last night. As I slowed to a stop, I attempted to deter myself from recalling when old Monty caught me buying a pack of condoms at fourteen. I was mortified. Throughout the rest of the night, the memories of growing up in this town flood my brain as I attempt to get some sleep. I keep tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable, but it's pointless. There is nothing left for me in this town, and reliving all those years here is a stark reminder. I sit up in the car with a groan and lean my head against the window. Rain is pelting down on the frame of my vehicle. The clatter of the raindrops on the metal soothes me. Usually, it would lull me to sleep, but I've concluded that it likely won't be happening at this point. I peer out the window at the giant clock tower looming like a beacon on the Main Street square. I squint my eyes, trying to read the hands. Six-thirty. The heavy clouds hanging over the town give the morning an ominous air. I weigh my options: I could stay in my car and hope that sleep comes to me for another few hours, or I could leave my car and brave the rain. I'm camped out a few storefronts down from a cozy-looking café. The lights are on, and I see people walking in and out holding coffees and bagels. They're all much too cheery for it being six-thirty on a Thursday. I can't blame them; their world