I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 77

By the time Nora and Bonnie arrived, WonderWorld Theme Park was already packed.

Vendors weaving through the crowds sold helium balloons, massive clouds of cotton candy, and light-up cartoon headbands.

Bonnie stared up at everything, utterly mesmerized. "Nora, this place is amazing. Dad has never brought me here. He's always working."

"What do you want to eat?" Nora asked, crouching down with a warm smile.

A vibrant strip of restaurants lined the park's entrance, offering everything from classic diners and ramen shops to fast-food burger joints.

Truthfully, Bonnie didn't want any of it. All she wanted was Nora's cooking. The comforting taste of yesterday's pumpkin oatmeal was still fresh in her mind.

But she knew she needed fuel for the rides. Tilting her head in thought, she randomly pointed at a bear-themed diner.

They walked in and grabbed a booth. Nora immediately suggested they wash their hands first.

Nora rolled up Bonnie's sleeves and turned on the warm water. Beside them, a young woman was helping her own daughter wash up. The girl was about Bonnie's age, rocking twin pigtails.

The woman glanced at Nora, then at Bonnie, and smiled warmly. "Is she your daughter? She's absolutely precious."

Nora opened her mouth to correct the assumption, but Bonnie instantly latched onto her hand and piped up. "Yep! Thank you! Your daughter is really cute too."

The woman laughed, completely charmed. She looked down at her own child. "See? Look how sweet and polite she is."

With that, she led her daughter out of the restroom.

Nora looked down at Bonnie. The little girl stared back, blinking innocently with a remarkably smug grin plastered across her face.

Nora ended up ordering a few kid-friendly items. While they waited, her phone vibrated on the table. Assuming it was an update from Felix, she picked it up, only to freeze at the name flashing across the screen. It was Cassie.

She answered the call, and Cassie's petulant voice immediately blasted through the receiver. "Mom, can you come take me to the amusement park?"

The smile vanished from Nora's face. Across the table, Bonnie sat perfectly still, her hands neatly folded, sensing the shift in mood.

Nora exhaled a slow breath, her voice detached. "Sorry, Cassie. I'm busy right now."

"Why are you always busy?! You're literally always busy! I'm stuck at home by myself and it's so boring!" Cassie shrieked, her tone dripping with furious entitlement.

A heavy weight settled in Nora's chest. She knew Cassie wasn't calling because she missed her mother or genuinely wanted to spend time with her. She was only calling because she was bored, and she had completely run out of better options.