I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 105

Nora pushed open the front door and stepped inside. Only a single floor lamp illuminated the living room, casting a dim, heavy glow over the sofa while the rest of the space remained swallowed in shadows.

Finnegan sat on the couch, leaning back with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

He was waiting for her, and it was obvious he had been waiting for quite some time.

Nora faltered for a second, her footsteps pausing in the entryway before she approached. "Finnegan, what are you doing out here? If you're going to stay and keep an eye on things, I'll just head back to work."

Finnegan looked up, his chiseled face darker than the night outside, his mouth set in a grim, straight line. "Nora, I can understand the pain of losing someone you love, but you can't just lash out because you're bitter about someone else's happiness."

Nora was completely blindsided by the accusation.

She stared at him in utter disbelief. "What are you talking about? I don't understand a word you're saying."

Finnegan let out a cold scoff and rose from the sofa, towering over her with a judgmental glare. "You were clearly at the campsite yesterday, and according to Seraphina, you knew they were there the whole time. Fine, you didn't want to help Seraphina. She's not blood. But Cassie is your own flesh and blood. How could you just stand by and watch them suffer?"

Nora felt a violent tremor run through her chest at those words.

It finally dawned on her. This was an ambush. He was sitting here, wielding his authority, playing the righteous judge based entirely on hearsay.

She looked at the man standing before her, unable to fathom his audacity. He had hidden behind his false identity for years, watching her shoulder every burden alone, watching her pour her heart out for Cassie.

And now, he had the nerve to wear this mask of moral superiority, accusing her of deliberately endangering her own child.

"Nora, shedding tears doesn't make you the victim." He took a menacing step closer, his voice dropping to a harsh, demanding register. "You'd better give me a valid excuse right now, and then you're going upstairs to apologize to Seraphina and Cassie until they forgive you."

Hearing his utterly absurd demands, Nora let out a low, bitter laugh.

Finnegan's frown deepened. "What's so funny? Are you completely incapable of remorse? Is it really that hard to just say you're sorry?"

He had been about to accuse her of framing others out of jealousy, but he abruptly bit back the words, realizing they might cross a line.

He took a breath and continued, "If you had just stepped up and helped them pitch the tent yesterday, nobody would have been put in danger, right? Admit when you're wrong, Nora. I'm a reasonable man. All you have to do is apologize to Seraphina, and we can put this behind us."

Nora stared up at him, the remnants of a smile lingering on her lips, though not an ounce of warmth reached her eyes.