Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 79

"Of course not."

Nora let out a dark chuckle. "I've never been one to turn the other cheek. If someone slaps me, I'm going to break their arm before we call it even."

Chloe blinked. "What are you going to do?"

"Return the favor."

Nora paused. "Is Leo still in the building?"

"Huh?" Chloe hadn't expected the sudden pivot, but she nodded quickly. "Yeah, he is."

"I need to talk to him."

Nora stood up and headed for the door.

This was going to require Leo's specific brand of leverage.

"What are you planning?" Chloe was practically vibrating with curiosity, rushing to keep up.

"You'll see in a minute."

The two of them chatted and laughed as they walked toward the elevators.

But the moment they rounded the corner, a voice rang out from behind them.

"Eleanor... Vance?"

Nora stopped dead in her tracks.

In that instant, it felt as though she had been nailed to the floor. Her spine locked up, and her fingertips turned to ice.

A deafening ringing exploded in her ears.

Eleanor Vance.

That name...

No one had called her that in a very, very long time.

So long that she genuinely believed she had buried that identity, that name... and that past, forever.

"Jade?"

Chloe noticed her sudden paralysis and frowned. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong?"

The man's eyes scanned her face intently, his brows furrowing as he tried to press the issue, but Chloe immediately stepped between them.

"Who the hell is Eleanor Vance? She said you have the wrong person." Chloe's tone was sharp and unyielding.

Intimidated by Chloe's hostility, the guy awkwardly stepped back.

"Maybe... maybe I did make a mistake," he muttered with a forced laugh. "My bad."

He held up his hands in apology and turned away.

But after taking two steps, he glanced back over his shoulder, muttering something under his breath that neither of them could catch.

Chloe linked arms with Nora and pulled her forward. Nora's legs felt like lead.

She could feel the guy's stare burning a hole right between her shoulder blades, making the hairs on her neck stand up.

It took a dozen steps before she dared to turn her head just a fraction to check her peripheral vision.

He was still standing there, frowning intently at her back.

When he caught her looking, he actually flashed her a wide grin and waved.