Chapter 6
Damien never expected a bowl of chestnut soup to put Norah’s life at risk.
In the ambulance, his face was pale, and his body trembled.
“Norah, don’t scare me!”
Norah was rushed into the ER and wasn’t brought out until five hours later.
The doctor took off his mask, sighing, “If she’d arrived a few minutes later, even the best doctor couldn’t have saved her.
“Did the family not know about her allergy?”
Damien was speechless.
He knew, but he still forced her to eat that deadly soup.
Damien was filled with regret.
He stayed by her bedside until Norah woke up.
Her throat was still swollen and sore.
He held her hand. “You didn’t say anything about how bad chestnuts would affect you. Why not tell me?”
What else could she have said? Was she supposed to beg him on her knees?
When she stared at him silently, Damien looked away, feeling guilty.
His phone rang, and he hesitated before picking it up.
Chapter
“Norah’s okay. Don’t blame yourself. Don’t cry.”
Then he handed the phone to Norah. “Dakota feels guilty and insists on apologizing personally.”
Norah brought the receiver to her car.
Dakota’s tone instantly changed. “Norah, I heard you almost died. Damien barely scolded me, so who do you think is more important to him?
“I knew you were allergic to chestnuts. I did it on purpose. You can call the cops if you want, too bad you’ve got no proof.”
Norah clenched the blanket and slammed the phone to the floor.
Damien stood up.
“Norah! Dakota was just trying to apologize. Why won’t you let it go?”
Using all her strength, Norah shouted, “Get out!”
Damien’s face darkened. “I’ve hired a nurse to take care of you. You need to calm down these next few days.”
After speaking, Damien picked up the broken phone and left the room.
That same day, Norah signed a waiver and was discharged.
Back at the “home” she had carefully built for five years, her heart felt heavy.
Every detail of the villa, from location and decor to the sofa and even the trash cans, had been chosen by her with care.
Damien hung the wedding photo in the center of the living room. Both of them were smiling so sweetly.
07.29
”
But if you count the dates carefully, Dakota had gotten pregnant right then.
Norah grabbed the vase on the coffee table and smashed it hard against the photo.
With a loud crash, the heavy frame fell, kicking up dust.
The housekeeper rushed in at the noise. Norah pointed and said, “Damien. and I are taking new photos. Burn this one.
“All the photos of my husband and me in this house, burn them all.”
The housekeeper nodded and began gathering every album and frame, piling them out on the lawn.
Norah opened several bottles of Damien’s prized wine and poured it over the pile.
She poured herself a glass and handed one to the housekeeper.
Clink. The sound of their glasses was like the shattering of five years of love.
Norah lit a lighter and threw it into the mountain of memories.
In the firelight, she tilted her head back and drained her glass, tears tracing down into her collar.
The rest were gifts Damien had given her over the years–bags, dresses, jewelry.
Norah packed everything up and listed it all on a resale site, directing the payments to the Child Welfare Center.
Damien’s assistant called him. “Mrs. Harvick put all the gifts you gave her up for sale online.”
Chapter 6
His face darkened as he hurriedly put on his clothes.
On the way, Damien kept calling Norah, but she didn’t answer.
Panic and worry made him drive recklessly, running several red lights.
Before the car even stopped, he rushed into the yard.
Norah sat in a recliner, holding a wine glass, surrounded by scattered
wine bottles.
Her cheeks flushed as she hummed an unfamiliar tune.
Damien finally felt his racing heart settle. He walked to her and crouched
down.
“Norah, why didn’t you answer my calls? You scared me.”
Norah slowly turned to look at him. “Why did I scare you that much?”
Damien reached out, stroking her flushed face. “Of course, I thought you were mad at me, avoiding me.”
Emboldened by the alcohol, Norah finally asked her lingering question, “Damien, are you hiding something from me
me?”
