Chapter 69
Before Abby could recall Nora’s name, Alex’s eyes rested on the same doll. He held out his hand and hesitated for another moment.
“Abby… can I have that one?” he asked, his voice uncertain.
Abby’s attention was diverted, and she blinked. “Why?”
Alex glanced toward Linda before looking down. “I want to give it to… her.”
Abby hesitated. She didn’t want to give up the doll she had chosen for Nora, but she also didn’t want to be selfish. She pressed her lips together, thinking hard.
“I… I wanted to give it to an aunt,” she explained. “I played with her today. She’s really nice.”
The adults around them didn’t pay much attention to Abby’s words, but Alex did. As he listened to her talk about her time with her aunt, something strange stirred inside him.
The games Abby described–the playful running, the laughter, the way her aunt had spun her around in the air–felt oddly familiar.
He had played those games too… when he was little.
With his mother.
He was inexplicably a little lost in his mind. He was supposed to play these games with his own mother today as well, but he met his father and Aunt Linda..
Just then, Abby’s eyes caught something else on the table. “Oh! There’s another one!”
She grabbed another similar doll and handed it to Alex. “Here. Now we both have one.”
Alex’s face lit up with relief. “Thanks!” He quickly ran over to Linda and handed her the doll.
Linda looked down at it, slightly surprised. “What’s this for?”
“For you.” Alex shifted on his feet, suddenly a little embarrassed. “Abby picked one for her aunt, so 1 thought… you should have one too.”
Linda’s lips curled into a small smile, but there was something unreadable in her eyes. She accepted the doll, running her fingers over its soft fabric.
Abby, watching the exchange, suddenly asked, “Are you going to get one for your mom too?”
Chapter 69
Alex froze.
He had been so focused on Linda that he had forgotten. His mother.
He swallowed, feeling a strange pressure in his chest. T… I’ll pick one later,” he said vaguely.
Cole, observing everything, said nothing. But he saw how Alex’s small hands clenched at his sides, how Linda’s fingers tightened around the doll.
Something was off.
And Cole intended to figure out what it was.
Meanwhile, miles away, Nora was sitting in her car, staring at her phone.
Her uncle, Alexander, had just called. His voice had been tense, strained.
“Nora, listen carefully. My company was pushed out of a major deal today. Someone intentionally blocked us. And I found out who one of the shareholders is.”
“Who?” she had asked, gripping the steering wheel.
There had been a long pause before her uncle answered. “Linda.”
Nora’s breath caught.
Linda.
The name left a bitter taste in her mouth.
She knew this wasn’t a coincidence. It was a message. A warning.
Clenching her jaw, she scrolled through her contacts and pressed a name. Arnold.
The phone rang. And rang.
Finally, someone picked up.
“Hello.”
Nora’s grip on the phone tightened. She knew that voice.
Linda.
12:12 O
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Chapter 69
The air between them turned heavy, even through the phone.
I need to speak with Arnold,” Nora said, keeping her tone even.
There was a brief silence before Linda responded, her voice smooth and unbothered. “He’s taking a shower right now. You can talk to me if you need anything.”
Nora’s nails dug into her palm.
Of course.
This was Linda’s way of showing control. Letting her know that she had access to Arnold. That she was in his space.
Nora wasn’t stupid. If she spoke to Linda now, nothing good would come of it.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret
I still don’t see the regret from her husband and son No divorce yet I would like to see Nora and Cole hooking up together...
neverending story.....repeated same story lines....boring...
What a bad spot for the book to come to an end, I truly do hope there is more to come would be sad to not have a ending to this story........
This page has repeated same story lines that was already said.......
Iam kinda wondering if the writer may speak another language??? Cause iam noting that some of the words kind of seem like another language I could be wrong but every page has a spelling mistake it's making it hard to understand most of what is happening in the book....
Iam loving this book so far but it would have been much better if someone had prof read it 1st there is alot of spelling mistakes some of which I knew what was meant but some I have no clue at all....
Is there any more...