I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 313

The shattering noise snapped Seraphina out of her haze. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned to Finnegan. "Fred, did you hear that? It sounded like glass breaking."

Finnegan hastily adjusted her clothes. Just as he turned to inspect the damage, a frantic set of footsteps echoed toward them. Before they could even locate the source, an agonizing cry tore through the air.

"Mom!"

Finnegan and Seraphina snapped their heads toward the entrance. Nora stood in the doorway, her eyes wide with horror as she stared right at them. Following her line of sight, they saw it—the memorial portrait of Nora's mother lay face-down on the marble floor, its protective glass completely pulverized.

Finnegan's pupils constricted in panic. In a blind reflex, he shoved Seraphina away.

Caught off guard, Seraphina crashed hard onto the floor, the sharp pain bringing tears to her eyes.

Nora sprinted forward, her breath hitching wildly as she stared at the desecrated memorial. Her eyes were bloodshot with unspeakable grief.

Ignoring the two of them entirely, she dropped to her knees, her trembling hands reaching out to salvage her mother's photo from the shards.

Guilt slammed into Finnegan. He furrowed his brow, kicking himself for losing control in such a sacred space.

Seeing Nora's sheer devastation, a spike of panic pierced his chest. He had no idea what to say or how to comfort her.

He slowly knelt down, reaching out to help her clear the glass, but Nora violently shoved him back.

"Get away from me!"

Finnegan tumbled onto the floor, staring at her in sheer disbelief. He couldn't fathom that the woman who had once loved him so fiercely was now looking at him with pure venom.

"Nora, I didn't mean to."

Caught off guard, Nora tried to wrench her hand free, but his aggressive pull sent her stumbling backward. Just as she braced for the impact of the hard floor, she collided with a solid, broad chest instead.

She whipped her head around and met Xander's dark, formidable gaze.

"Mr. Harrison..."

For some inexplicable reason, the moment she saw him, Nora's hardened defenses crumbled. Her eyes burned hotter than before, and hot tears spilled down her cheeks.

Xander lowered his gaze, locking onto the single, crystalline tear sliding down her face. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Raising a hand, he gently brushed the tear away with his thumb, then lightly squeezed her shoulder. "Don't cry."

Pulling Nora protectively behind him, Xander's demeanor shifted in a fraction of a second. The warmth vanished, replaced by an aura of absolute ice.