I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 44

Nora gently cupped the little girl's cheek, her voice softening into a gentle hum. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Bonnie. You did such an amazing job. I absolutely love it."

Bonnie flushed a little at the praise, squirming shyly before looking up at Nora with bright, sparkling eyes.

"So, Nora, can I give you a kiss?"

Nora felt her heart completely melt. "Of course you can."

Bonnie threw her arms around Nora's neck and planted a loud, wet kiss right on her cheek. Immediately after, she felt embarrassed and buried her face in Nora's chest.

Xander sat beside them, quietly watching the interaction between Nora and Bonnie. His deep, predatory gaze held a complex, unreadable emotion that made it hard to tell exactly what he was thinking.

Suddenly, he spoke up, his deep, resonant voice filling the car, though his eyes carried a hint of scrutiny. "Happy birthday, Ms. Newman. I must admit, you never fail to surprise me."

Nora turned to look at him. He was dressed in a dark gray casual button-down today, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He looked far more approachable and relaxed than his usual aloof self.

His gold-rimmed glasses rested sharply on his nose, and the eyes behind the lenses were fixed squarely on her, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

"Thank you, Mr. Harrison," Nora replied with a polite smile, though she felt a subtle wave of pressure. It was obvious the man still suspected she had deliberately manipulated Bonnie into knowing it was her birthday.

But she had to admit, he was an incredibly devoted father. Even with all his suspicions, he still tagged along just to ensure his daughter was happy.

The drive took nearly two hours before they reached the coast.

The salty sea breeze hit them the moment they stepped out. The sun was shining brightly over the pale golden sand, while a few seagulls circled low in the distance.

Xander hadn't chosen a packed public beach. Instead, he brought them to The Shoreline Resort, a highly exclusive and private area that was peacefully quiet.

Nora stepped out of the car and took a deep breath, feeling her tense muscles finally unwind. Bonnie grabbed her hand, practically vibrating with excitement as she dashed back and forth across the sand. She didn't even bother picking up her shoes when they slipped off, preferring to run barefoot, leaving a trail of tiny footprints behind.

She turned back to Bonnie, took a deep breath, and decided to steer them in the opposite direction to avoid crossing paths.

Today Bonnie was here, and she refused to let anything ruin the celebratory mood.

She was just about to lead Bonnie away when another figure entered her line of sight.

A woman in a floral dress was walking toward Seraphina, a bright smile on her face as she carefully balanced a cake in her hands.

"Seraphina! Happy birthday!"

Nora stood absolutely paralyzed.

That was Sienna. The same best friend who, just two days ago, claimed she was way too swamped with work to celebrate Nora's birthday. Yet here she was, standing right beside Seraphina.