I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 53

"Let's not talk about the past, Felix," Nora said, pulling herself from her thoughts. Just as she started heading toward the exit, a figure caught her eye.

Seraphina walked past from the other end of the corridor, staring straight ahead as she pushed open the glass doors and stepped outside.

Nora's gaze followed her out into the evening.

A black Porsche Cayenne was parked near the institute's entrance. Finn stepped out of the driver's seat, impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit and a perfectly knotted tie, looking like he had just stepped off a magazine cover.

His eyes bypassed Seraphina and landed squarely on the radiant figure in red standing beside Felix.

Standing on the steps, the evening breeze caught the hem of Nora's red dress. Her hair drifted over her shoulders, highlighting her elegant neck and collarbones. She wasn't looking at him; her head was tilted slightly as she spoke to Felix, her profile glowing softly in the twilight.

Finn's gaze locked onto her, a flash of astonishment flickering in his eyes before a heavy frown settled on his face.

It felt like watching someone else walk away with something that belonged to him. Even though he had discarded it first, seeing another man near her still twisted his gut into knots.

Why was she dressed like that? Who was she trying to seduce?

Seraphina walked up to him and linked her arm through his, tilting her head with a sweet smile. "Darling, let's go."

Standing on the steps above, Felix watched the scene unfold with cold detachment.

Sensing the shift in his mood, Nora reached out and tugged his sleeve. "Felix..."

Before she could finish, Felix was already walking down the steps. Stopping in front of Finn, he stared at Seraphina's arm intertwined with Finn's, his gaze turning icy.

"Frederick, you're looking more and more like Finn every day."

He turned his head and shot Nora a smile. "Isn't that right, Nora? Anyone who didn't know better would swear Finn was standing right here in front of us."

Finn's expression shifted drastically. His arm tightened around Seraphina's waist, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Seraphina's brow twitched as her arm stiffened.

The air between them seemed to instantly freeze.

Finn suddenly let out a laugh, pulling Seraphina closer. "You're joking, Mr. Ford. Finn and I are twins. No one who meets us ever says we don't look alike. I've heard that comment a thousand times, so it's hardly a surprise."

Felix stared at him with a mocking smirk. "True. And if Finn were still alive and saw that Nora was finally moving on and starting a new life, I'm sure he'd be thrilled for her."

Finn's brow snapped into a fierce scowl. "What did you say?"

Felix didn't bother replying. Offering a faint smile, he turned back to Nora and seamlessly took her hand.

"Nothing. Just consider it the rambling complaints of an overly protective friend."

With that, he led Nora right past them and headed toward the parking lot.

Finn stood frozen in place, watching their retreating silhouettes grow smaller. That red dress stood out in the twilight like a burning flame.

The sight of Felix walking by her side with such casual intimacy felt like a fire searing through Finn's chest.

His face was a thundercloud of fury.

In Felix's car, Nora cracked the passenger window, letting the evening breeze hit her face and soothe her nerves.

Felix was driving. While stopped at a red light, he broke the silence, his tone thick with confusion.

"Why did you stop me back there, Nora?"

Nora knew exactly what he was referring to. "Why did you have to provoke Finn like that, Felix?"

Felix scoffed coldly. "If I don't spell it out for them, they'll really think you've got no one backing you and keep walking all over you. Let Finn stew on that for a while. If he had even a shred of conscience, he'd realize what a bastard he's being."

Nora lowered her eyes, a bitter smile touching her lips.

Five years. Finn had lied to her for five whole years—over eighteen hundred days and nights.

While she was standing in front of his tombstone in black mourning clothes, crying her eyes out, he was living under a new identity with another woman. He had never even planned on confessing.

If she hadn't uncovered the truth, he would have kept the lie going forever, letting her guard her title as his widow in total isolation.

He could happily play the role of Frederick at Seraphina's side while comfortably watching his legal wife remain a widow.

Thank God she had finally seen through the charade. His fake death was the perfect excuse to walk away—no mandatory divorce cooling-off periods, no need to sign papers together, no messy asset divisions.

As soon as she attended that seminar in a month and secured what she needed, this nightmare would be completely over.

"Are you just going to let them off the hook?" Felix asked, clearly frustrated.