I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 47

"Really," Nora nodded with absolute sincerity. "You've already given me two amazing surprises today."

Bonnie sprinted out from behind Xander and threw herself into Nora's arms, tilting her head back to look at her. "So, in a few days, do I get a present too?"

Nora laughed out loud, gently tapping the tip of her nose. "Of course you do. I have a very special gift waiting for you in a few days."

Bonnie practically vibrated with excitement. "Really?! I get a present too!"

Bonnie dragged Nora over to cut the cake. Nora guided the little girl's hands, helping her slice it into perfect pieces. Bonnie was incredibly focused, glancing up at Nora after every single cut, desperately seeking validation.

Nora plated a massive slice and handed it to Bonnie.

Bonnie took it, scooped up a large spoonful, and stood on her tiptoes, holding it right up to Nora's lips. "You take the first bite!"

Nora leaned down and accepted it. The frosting was overwhelmingly sweet, practically melting on her tongue, but to her, it was the most spectacular cake she had ever tasted.

Once they finished eating, Nora realized her hands were sticky with frosting. She excused herself to wash up. There was a shallow, crystal-clear stream flowing down from the hills just a short distance from the tent.

She walked over, crouched down, and began rinsing her hands. A set of footsteps approached from behind.

She turned her head. Xander was standing right behind her, his tall silhouette backlit by the golden glow of the setting sun.

Nora stood up, wiping the excess water on her dress. "Is there something you need, Mr. Harrison?"

Xander didn't say a word. He simply pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and held it out to her.

"That was Bonnie's gift," he said, his tone cool and collected. "This is mine."

Nora was genuinely taken aback.

She hadn't expected Xander to give her anything.

From the moment they met, he had treated her with nothing but calculating scrutiny, constantly evaluating whether she had some hidden agenda for getting close to his daughter.

She had accepted that without complaint. Honestly, she would have been equally suspicious of a stranger suddenly entering a child's life.

Nora lowered her gaze, a bitter, cynical smirk briefly crossing her lips before she looked back up, her eyes completely devoid of emotion.

"Yes. What a coincidence."

It was more than a coincidence in birthdays—they shared the exact same husband.

But there was absolutely no reason to dump that baggage onto Xander. At the end of the day, their only connection was Bonnie.

The moment Bonnie no longer needed her, they would likely never cross paths again, leaving nothing but a transactional history between them.

Just then, Bonnie came sprinting out of the tent, grabbing Nora's hand tightly. "Nora, let's go over there! They have super cool stuff, and I want to see!"

She pointed excitedly toward a small craft market set up for the resort guests further down the beach.

Nora crouched down, gently wiping a smudge of dirt off the little girl's cheek, her voice instantly softening. "Okay. You go ahead with Daddy first. I'll go back to the tent, change into something else, and catch up with you."

Bonnie nodded emphatically, then darted back to grab Xander's hand. The tall man and the tiny girl began walking along the riverbank toward the vibrant stalls.