I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 227

Xavier arched an eyebrow, leaning back with his hands folded over his stomach. His expression betrayed neither approval nor anger—only the piercing scrutiny of a veteran academic.

His tone was measured, colored by a cryptic, half-formed smile. "So, you assumed I'd shoot this down?"

Nora's fingers twitched against her sides, the unconscious tell exposing the anxiety still simmering beneath the surface.

She fought to keep her voice perfectly candid. "That's not what I meant."

Xavier didn't press her. He simply watched her in absolute silence.

The air in the office felt like wet concrete. The rhythmic ticking of the antique clock on the wall amplified with every second, deafening in the heavy quiet.

Nora licked her lips. She knew exactly what he was doing—he was waiting for her to break. Waiting for her to speak her actual truth, just like she had years ago, rather than feeding him sanitized platitudes.

Drawing a massive breath, she finally gave in.

Her voice was soft, but every syllable bled with raw honesty. "Professor Vance, this is the first time I've spoken to you about this so formally. I finally realize just how catastrophically wrong I was back then. I'm not here to feed you excuses or put on some theatrical display of remorse. I know my choices devastated you, and I know I sabotaged the timeline of the trials. It's completely rational that you still don't fully trust me. I understand that."

She paused, gathering the sheer nerve required to push forward.

When she steered back to the topic at hand, her pace was slower, her logic razor-sharp.

Xavier finally spoke. His voice was lower than usual, his pacing deliberate, as if he were uncorking words that had fermented in his chest for years, finally seizing the perfect moment to let them breathe.

"You've been the one compiling all the trial data. I've been watching you closely these past few weeks, and your performance has been nothing short of spectacular. Nora, seeing you stand here today, owning your decisions with such clarity—it fills me with an immense sense of pride. You've finally crawled your way out of the mud."

The moment the words registered, tears instantly flooded Nora's eyes.

Biting her lip hard, she managed a choked, breathless "Professor."

Xavier held up a hand, silently commanding her to hold back her tears.