Chapter 26
During the days Chase was hospitalized, Nora visited him twice–and both times, she brought Dominic with
her.
“Thank you for saving me,” she said, her tone polite but firm. “Let’s be clear, Mr. Whitmore–your life is yours,
and mine is no longer part of it p>
Chase’s eyes were red as he stared at her. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. “Nora, I don’t feel well. I’m in so much pain… Can’t you stay with me a little longer p>
Dominic slapped his hand away with a loud smack.
“Chase, we’re grateful you saved her–but that doesn’t mean you get to cling to her now. Have some dignity.
She’s engaged to me now p>
Chase let out a cold laugh, his gaze filled with bitterness. “Even if you’re engaged to her, she’ll always be
mine p>
There was no point continuing the conversation.
Nora turned and left with Dominic, but just as they reached the hospital entrance, they ran into Camila.
Nora nearly didn’t recognize the disheveled woman in front of her. “What happened to you p>
Camila threw herself at Nora’s legs, sobbing hysterically.
“Chase is a monster! He threw me into a lake–I nearly drowned! He left me there to be bitten by snakes, then brought in a group of men to rape me. I’m ruined! The doctors say I won’t live long… Nora, please, I’m begging you–help me get revenge p>
Nora looked down at her, not a trace of sympathy in her eyes. “Wasn’t this exactly how you all treated me
back then p>
“You want me to avenge you? Who avenged me p>
She glanced toward Dominic, her voice level but laced with steel,
“If kindness is repaid with hatred, what do we have left to repay kindness with p>
Camila froze, stunned into silence.
Nora walked away without a second glance.
She would never pity the people who once hurt her–never sympathize, and certainly never forgive.
Whatever Camila was suffering now was her own doing. Her downfall was her own consequence. To show mercy to Camila now would be to betray the girl who nearly drowned in that lake years ago.
22.81 %
Nora walked fast. Dominic had to hurry to catch up.
“Nora, things aren’t looking good at the Whitmore Group. Chase’s injury has the board circling like sharks p>
Nora nodded. “Leaving Camila raving mad at the hospital entrance–that was already revenge enough for
both him and the Whitmore Group p>
That afternoon, the story of Camila’s public breakdown hit the papers. The Whitmore Group’s stock lost a
hundred million dollars in value.
Chase didn’t care.
Instead, he hired a professional “love coach” to help him win Nora back.
“So, about your ex–wife p>
“She’s my wife,” Chase interrupted coldly.
The coach corrected himself. “Right, your wife. You originally married because your company was in
financial trouble, correct p>
“Yes p>
“Then this is easy,” the coach said confidently. “From what I can tell, she’s a kind person. She likely helped you out of loyalty and compassion. All you have to do is recreate that situation. Make her feel that same sense of responsibility again p>
Chase’s eyes lit up. That same night, he released a confession video online–dramatic, shameless, and
calculated.
In the video, he confessed that he had been seeing Camila during their marriage, and that they even had a child together. But to win Nora back, he’d forced Camila to abort the baby.
The internet exploded.
The Whitmore Group’s stock shed another hundred million dollars.
Chase didn’t care–he immediately picked up the phone and called Nora again.
“Nora! I’ve got bad news–Whitmore Group is about to go under p>
But Nora could hear the delight in his voice and frowned. “What ridiculous stunt are you pulling now p>
“I’m not lying! It’s real! Check the news if you don’t believe me!” Chase insisted.
She opened her phone and sure enough, headline after headline screamed about the Whitmore Group’s stock
collapse.
This time, she didn’t hang up.
22.81%
Instead, she smiled, slow and deliberate.
“All right. Let’s set a time. Face to face. I insist p>
The bigger the storm, the pricier the fish.
It was time to close the net.
22.81 %
business move.
But during those seven years, Chase never once said it. So she always assumed she was nothing more than
a pawn to him.
“I just… couldn’t admit it. I didn’t want people thinking I used a woman to climb back up, so I kept pushing you away, kept acting cold. Nora, I was wrong. I know that now p>
Nora turned her face away, her voice muffled. “Enough. I get it p>
“No, you don’t,” Chase said, choking up. “I really, truly loved you. I never remembered our anniversary–not because I forgot, but because every time it came around, it reminded me of how shameful our wedding day
was. I couldn’t bear to face it p>
“But every single year, I still prepared a gift for you. All seven years. They’re all in the attic at the Whitmore estate. Everything you like p>
Nora stared at him, disbelief flickering in her eyes, her shoulders trembling faintly.
For seven years, he’d never once remembered their anniversary–always brushing it off as forgetfulness or
work pressure.
She never imagined he’d actually prepared gifts for her every single year.
Had he… really loved her all along?
Her lashes fluttered, and a tear welled up–but didn’t fall.
But the visit was over.
As the guards escorted her away, Chase looked after her with desperation, then suddenly mouthed something with all his strength.
Nora understood.
He was asking, “Do you still love me p>
A single tear traced down her cheek. But her lips curled into a soft, decisive smile. She shook her head.
“No p>
Not anymore.
Not for a long, long time.
admin