I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 56

Nora turned her head.

Finn's hand was clamped around her wrist like a vice, his knuckles digging painfully into her skin.

His face was a mask of dark fury, his deep eyes swirling with rage as he frowned and said coldly, "Nora, this is not the time or place for your tantrums."

"Do you have any idea how important tonight is? Do you know how long Seraphina prepared for this, how much blood, sweat, and tears she put into it? And you just ruined everything."

Nora opened her mouth, but before she could get a word out, he cut her off.

"Even if she said something you didn't like, you should have kept the bigger picture in mind. Whatever grudges you have, settle them behind closed doors."

Listening to his barrage of words, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed over her.

A heavy weight settled in her chest. The bitter sting of unshed tears burned in her throat and stung her eyes, but she ruthlessly forced them back down.

She let out a long, shuddering breath. "I've told you. There are cameras everywhere. You can see exactly what happened if you just look at the footage. Instead of wasting your breath lecturing me, call the police."

Finn narrowed his eyes. "Are you really trying to blow this completely out of proportion?"

The underlying implication in his tone suddenly made everything crystal clear. Nora wasn't stupid.

Of course he knew the truth. He had watched the entire thing unfold. Even if the cameras didn't catch the precise angle, anyone with half a brain could figure it out in a second.

He refused to check the footage because he didn't care about the truth. He just needed the situation resolved, and the easiest person to sacrifice was her.

Nora lowered her eyes, a self-deprecating smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'm sorry."

She heard her own voice echoing hollowly in the air. "Is that enough?"

With that, she turned to walk away.

The moment she wrenched her wrist from his grip, a raw red mark was left behind on her skin, burning hotly against the ballroom's air conditioning.

Then, a sudden, shocking chill rushed down her back.

It dripped from her shoulder blades all the way down to her waist. Glancing down, she saw a massive, dark stain blooming across the skirt of her red dress, the overpowering scent of sweet juice filling her nose.

She whipped her head around, her pupils shrinking in shock.

Seraphina had just dumped the rest of the juice straight over Nora's back. Her eyes were red-rimmed, playing the ultimate victim. "Not every 'I'm sorry' deserves an 'it's okay,' Nora."

Having delivered her line, Seraphina spun around, acting like she was the one deeply traumatized, refusing to look back. And through it all, Finn stood perfectly still, watching Nora get humiliated without moving a muscle.

Nora's heart plummeted. He truly didn't care about her at all.

Taking Seraphina's hand, Finn's voice was devoid of emotion.

"Actions have consequences. Consider this a lesson so you don't make the same mistake again."

Without another word, he led Seraphina away, disappearing into the depths of the grand ballroom.

Nora stood frozen in place.

Thankfully, at events like this, everyone was far too self-absorbed with networking to fixate on a stranger's humiliation for long.

The waiter guided her down a side hallway toward a dark wooden door at the far end. Pushing it open, he stepped aside to let her in.

"This is a backup lounge. Hardly anyone ever uses it. There should be some spare dresses in the wardrobe. You can check if there's anything in your size."

Nora paused at the doorway and nodded. "Thank you."

The waiter offered a polite smile and walked away, his footsteps fading into the quiet corridor.

Standing alone at the threshold, Nora let out a long, heavy breath.

The hallway was dead silent. She pushed the door open slightly wider and stepped inside.

The lounge was modest in size, its thick curtains drawn tight. A single floor lamp glowed in the corner, casting a dim, amber light that blurred the silhouettes of the furniture.

A faint scent of sandalwood hung in the air, mixing with the smell of old wood and fabric, giving the impression that the room had been empty for a very long time.

Without turning on the main lights, she leaned against the closed door and squeezed her eyes shut, taking a moment to gather herself.

Then she spotted the wardrobe across the room. Just as she stepped forward and wrapped her fingers around the brass handle to look for a dress, a voice cut through the silence.

A deep, commanding voice echoed from the shadows behind her. "Who's there?"

Nora's hand froze on the handle, her heart skipping a vicious beat.