I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 209

Standing in the shade of a massive sycamore tree, looking effortlessly sharp in his black trench coat, Xander slowly turned around. His piercing eyes narrowed slightly, and an unreadable, subtle smirk touched his lips. His tone was perfectly calm.

"What exactly do you mean by that, Dr. Ford?"

Felix scoffed coldly, pivoting to face the billionaire head-on. The two men were of equal height, and the silent friction between them practically sparked in the open air.

Felix didn't bother hiding his hostility. "Nora is an extraordinary woman, not just in her career, but in every aspect of her life. It's perfectly natural if you harbor certain intentions toward her. But if you're a real man, you compete fairly. Pulling cheap, manipulative stunts that everyone else can see right through only proves you lack the spine to do things properly."

Xander let out a low chuckle, neither confirming nor denying the accusation.

Felix felt a surge of hot rage. What the hell was he laughing at? Was he wrong?

Xander simply reached down to adjust the cuff of his coat. Looking past Felix, he spotted Nora and Bonnie waving frantically at them from a cotton candy stand.

Sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves, washing over Nora and casting a radiant, golden halo around her. She was bending down to hand Bonnie a massive cloud of spun sugar, and her profile bore that gentle, luminous smile Felix knew so intimately.

Seeing it made Felix freeze. Xander's eyes rippled with an imperceptible softness as he took the lead, striding toward them. "Let's go."

Nora and Bonnie led the charge through the booths, while Xander and Felix trailed closely behind.

Every time Bonnie paused to admire a stall, Felix instantly whipped out his phone to scan the payment code, his speed rivaling a quick-draw duel.

Xander would simply say, "If you like it, get it."

And Felix would instantly cut him off, practically lunging forward. "I'll pay for it!"

Finnegan nodded, trailing behind them. But as his gaze casually swept the crowd, he froze dead in his tracks.

Nora was standing just a few yards away. Beside her were Xander and Felix. The three of them were laughing and chatting effortlessly, and Nora's smile was absolutely dazzling. It was a smile he hadn't seen on her face since before he 'died.'

Why did she look so happy?

Finnegan's brows instantly crashed together in a furious scowl. Why the hell was she with Xander Harrison? Why were they laughing together? And who was that little girl clinging to her side? Was that Xander's daughter, Bonnie?

Since when were they close enough to attend a family fair together?

It felt as if someone had shoved a lit match down his throat, a scalding wave of jealousy and rage boiling from his stomach straight to his chest.