I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 72

The Stratosphere was one of the hardest restaurants in the city to book. Located on the penthouse floor of the CBD's tallest building, its floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the river's nightscape.

Normally, it required a reservation a month in advance, unless you had VIP connections.

Nora booked this exact table a month early every single year to celebrate her anniversary with Finn. For five years, she had never missed a single one.

Now, staring at the text, she felt absolutely nothing.

In the past, seeing the word "confirmed" would have sent a thrill through her, and she would have immediately started planning her outfit.

Even though The Stratosphere was a high-end restaurant, she always made a point to bake a special dessert that Finn loved and bring it along.

Looking back, all those years felt like a tragic one-woman show. She had raised her glass to an empty chair, smiled at a ghost, and turned a couple's anniversary into a solitary performance.

Meanwhile, Finn was in the same city, celebrating their milestone with someone else.

Nora looked down and gave a self-deprecating smile. She was just about to text back and cancel the reservation when her phone began to ring. The caller ID showed Felix's name.

The moment she answered, Felix's excited voice exploded through the speaker. He fired off words like a machine gun, barely giving her a chance to breathe. "Nora, where are you? Did you hear? Professor Vance just told me Arthur Caldwell is coming back!"

"Professor Caldwell?" Nora paused.

"Yes! Arthur Caldwell! The Titan of Oncology! Did you know he's won the National Science Award twice? His expertise completely eclipses even Professor Vance's!"

Felix sounded practically giddy. "Professor Vance wants us to pick him up. Do you know any good spots? We need to throw him a proper welcome dinner. The man has high standards, so it can't be some dive, but it can't be too generic either."

Nora's grip on her phone tightened, her brows knitting together.

Arthur Caldwell was returning tomorrow?

Felix was stunned into silence for a second before bursting into laughter. "Look at you go! You need a month's notice for that place, so I crossed it off my list immediately. I can't believe you scored a table."

His laugh carried a sense of unrestrained joy over the line. "Awesome! It's settled, then. We'll pick him up at the airport tomorrow afternoon and head straight to The Stratosphere for dinner."

Nora did some quick mental math. She could take Bonnie to the amusement park in the morning, drop her off by noon, head to the airport in the afternoon, and host the dinner that evening. The timing was tight, but she could manage both.

That way, Bonnie wouldn't be disappointed, and the lab could finally get its desperately needed breakthrough.

Meanwhile.

Finn pulled up to the mall to pick up Seraphina. She walked out with Sienna. Spotting Finn, Seraphina's eyes lit up, and she jogged over.

"Finn! Sienna just told me she got a reservation at The Stratosphere and is willing to give it to us. Let's go celebrate there tomorrow!"