Our Fault

Mercedes Ron’s Our Fault is a contemporary young adult romance novel. Originally published in 2018 on Wattpad's online writing forum, Our Fault is the third and final installment in Ron’s Culpable Saga. The novel has been published in many languages and sold over 1 million copies. Tracing the forbidden relationship between Noah Morgan and Nick Leister, Our Fault explores themes including the Redemptive Power of Love, the Quest for Personal Growth, and Guilt, Regret, and the Past. 

Almost a year after Noah and Nick break up, they are forced to reconnect when their best friends Lion and Jenna Tavish get married. The wedding compels Noah and Nick to face their anger with each other and heal from their heartbreak over their separation. Over the following months, the ex-lovers continue to run into each other—encounters that complicate how they see themselves and their future as a couple. When Noah makes an unexpected discovery after a back injury, she and Nick must reconcile their differences if they want to find lasting happiness. 

This guide references the 2024 Bloom Books paperback edition of the novel. 

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of cursing, graphic violence, sexual content, substance use, emotional abuse, pregnancy loss, child death, child abuse, mental illness, and illness. 

Plot Summary

Roughly a year after Noah Morgan and Nick Leister break up, Noah flies to New York for her best friend Jenna Tavish’s wedding. Nick attends the wedding too, as Jenna’s husband Lion is his best friend. When they see each other with different people at the ceremony and reception, they are both jealous and angry. Nick lunges at Noah’s date, punches him, and storms out. Noah follows him and expresses her frustration with his behavior. She professes her love, insisting that their breakup isn’t all her fault. She only cheated on Nick with her ex-therapist Michael O’Neil because she thought Nick was cheating on her. The two kiss, but Nick is too afraid of getting hurt to go any further. 

Before Noah returns to her home and life in Los Angeles, she confronts Nick once more about their relationship. She begs for forgiveness and asks him to take her back. Confused and frustrated, Nick demands she take off the pendant he gave her years prior and reveals that he’s in a serious relationship with Sophia Aiken. A devastated Noah leaves Nick to return to LA. 

Back in California, Noah decides to move on from Nick. She throws herself into her college classes and even secures a new job at LRB—an offshoot of the company Nick inherited from his grandfather, Leister Enterprises. For Thanksgiving break, she travels back home to see her mother Raffaella and stepfather William Leister. She’s feeling positive until Nick shows up with his little sister Maddie. The two agree to get along for Maddie's sake during the holiday. 

On Black Friday, Noah and Nick take Maddie to the mall. There they run into Nick’s mom Anabel, who reveals that she has been diagnosed with leukemia. That night, a devastated Nick brings Noah into his room and begs her to be with him. They temporarily let go of their anger and have sex. 

The next day, a confused Noah returns to campus without saying goodbye to Nick. She tries settling back into her life over the following weeks and even starts dating her boss, Simon Roger. One day, Jenna comes over to help Noah pack boxes to move into her new off-campus space. Noah hurts her back, and Jenna races her to the hospital, where the doctor reveals that Noah is pregnant. The pregnancy is high-risk, and the doctor insists Noah go on bed rest for the next several weeks. Jenna insists that Noah stay with her and urges her to tell Nick the baby is his. Noah is determined not to involve Nick, but her feelings change when she gets her next ultrasound. 

When Nick comes back to LA for Lion’s birthday, Noah gives him the news. Nick is thrilled and insists that Noah move in with him and give him partial custody. Noah doesn’t want Nick to control her and sneaks off to her apartment to be alone. Nick finds her the next morning, apologizes for his behavior, and accompanies her to her next doctor’s appointment. The doctor informs Noah and Nick that the baby is a boy, and he’s safe and healthy. 

Noah and Nick decide to raise the baby together despite their continued differences. They end their other relationships and agree to work together. Nick returns to New York to wrap up business before relocating to LA. He and Noah stay in touch, but Noah quickly grows lonely and anxious. Nick promises to fly home as soon as possible. At the airport in LA, Noah waits for Nick to arrive, horrified when a disgruntled LRB employee shoots him. An ambulance races him to the hospital, where Nick undergoes surgery and stays in the ICU for several days. 

After Nick heals, he and Noah vow to be together forever. They gradually let each other heal before reigniting their sexual relationship. One day after Noah finishes class, Nick surprises her by bringing her to the house he has bought for them. Noah is thrilled, as it’s everything she’s dreamed of for her family. 

When Noah is eight months pregnant, she visits her former friend Charles—Michael O’Neil’s brother. She still cares for Charles but informs him that she can’t have him or Michael in her life anymore. Back at home, her water breaks. Several hours later, she gives birth to a healthy baby boy who she and Nick name Andrew. 

Noah and Nick settle easily into their life as new parents. Nick travels to San Francisco for business and, while he is away, his ex-girlfriend breaks into the apartment and tries to kidnap Andrew with Michael’s help. Noah pushes the panic button, and the police apprehend Michael and bring Briar to a psychiatric hospital. When Nick returns, he swears never to let anyone hurt Noah or Andrew again. 

Eight years later, Noah and Nick are happily married with two children, Andrew and their daughter Julie. On Nick’s birthday, Noah surprises him with a new Ferrari.