I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 106

"So, let me get this straight. You want me to apologize to the woman I saved? Don't you realize how ridiculous that sounds, Finnegan?"

Finnegan looked at her cold, unyielding gaze, and that strange ache in his chest flared up again. He couldn't pinpoint where the feeling was coming from, but he quickly shook it off and dragged the conversation back on track.

"Is it really that hard to just offer an apology?"

"I didn't do anything wrong, so I won't be apologizing," Nora stated firmly. She sidestepped him and headed straight for the staircase.

She froze mid-step as she turned the corner. Cassie was standing at the top of the stairs. The little girl's cheeks were flushed an unhealthy crimson from the fever, her lips were chapped, and her hair was a mess. It was obvious she was miserable.

The moment Cassie saw Nora, her eyes lit up. She quickly ran down the stairs, rushed over, and grabbed Nora's hand. Tilting her small face up, she asked, "Mom, is it true what Finnegan said? Were you there yesterday, and you just ignored us?"

A sharp ache pierced Nora's heart as she looked into her daughter's questioning eyes.

She crouched down to eye level, doing her best to explain with endless patience and a gentle tone. "I didn't know you were there, sweetheart. I was just passing by on an assignment for the institute. Don't you believe me?"

In the next second, Cassie violently shoved her, sending Nora crashing to the floor. The little girl's face scrunched up in fury as she burst into tears, her wails echoing through the cavernous living room.

"You're a liar! Finnegan and Seraphina both told me! You did it on purpose! I never want to speak to you again!"

Without waiting for a response, Cassie spun around and sprinted back up the stairs, never once looking back.

Nora sat slumped on the hardwood floor, her palms pressing flat against the ground. A suffocating wave of despair washed over her, dragging her spirit into a heavy, endless freefall.

Finnegan's accusations were one thing, but Cassie's absolute lack of trust cut her infinitely deeper. She had always believed that, as Cassie's mother, their undeniable bond would be strong enough to withstand anything. She never expected to be discarded so easily.

Finnegan stood two steps behind her, watching the entire scene unfold in stony silence.

Still, he held his tongue. Since he was already there, he turned and headed into the kitchen to prepare a bowl of oatmeal for Cassie.

Upstairs, Nora knocked gently on Cassie's door. The door remained tightly shut, and the muffled, hostile voice of the little girl drifted through the wood.

"You're an awful mom! I don't want you in here!"

Nora was only worried that the high fever would cause lasting damage, so she kept her tone perfectly even.

"Just open the door, Cassie. Once I know you're okay, I'll leave right away."

Cassie's heart clenched when she heard that. She didn't actually want her mom to leave; she was just incredibly hurt that Nora had supposedly been there yesterday and hadn't rushed to her rescue.