I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 317

As soon as the question left her lips, Nora felt a palpable shift in the car's atmosphere. Blaming the sudden flush on her ears on the vehicle's intense heating system, she quickly looked out the window and clamped her mouth shut.

She couldn't believe she had just said something so blatantly flirtatious.

Watching her flustered reaction, Xander's eyes curved in amusement. A stunning, magnetic smile reached his eyes, though he mercifully didn't tease her further. Once he finished bandaging her hand, he gently placed it back in her lap.

The air inside the cabin had grown thick with unspoken tension. Nora's heart hammered against her ribs, leaving her restless. When she finally gathered the courage to glance his way, she saw Xander leaning back against the leather seat, his eyes closed in quiet repose.

She let out a silent breath of relief. Thank goodness. If he was resting, she didn't have to worry about continuing the conversation.

They soon arrived at the restaurant. It was an upscale establishment with private dining rooms for each family. As Nora walked into her assigned room, she was surprised to find Finnegan and Seraphina already seated inside.

Nora stopped in her tracks. Finnegan immediately noticed Xander walking in right behind her. His eyes darkened as he stood up. "Nora, you really need to watch your image."

Nora couldn't be bothered to entertain his hypocrisy. She walked straight to an empty chair and turned to Xander. "Please, sit."

No one else at the table said a word. Benedict Newman, seated at the head of the table, met Xander's gaze and gave a brief, respectful nod.

Finnegan, however, was outraged. He turned to Benedict. "Father—" Catching his slip, he quickly corrected himself. "Benedict, this private room is strictly for family. What is the meaning of letting an outsider intrude?"

Nora frowned, but before she could defend him, Xander let out a low, mocking chuckle. "Well, this 'outsider' certainly wouldn't engage in filthy acts in front of a memorial. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Fletcher?"

Comforted by the thought, the tightness in his chest eased.

During the meal, Victoria Newman shot Nora an icy glare. She knew that ever since Nora married into the Fletcher family, she had abandoned her career. In Victoria's eyes, a woman who threw away her future for a man had no right to step foot back into the Newman Estate.

"Nora, I hear you're just a stay-at-home mother now? Don't take this the wrong way, but a woman should really have her own career. Look at you—your entire existence revolves around a husband. How pathetic. It's honestly embarrassing to talk about."

Feeling the intense hostility radiating from her aunt, Nora's expression remained perfectly calm. She offered a faint, unbothered smile and chose not to respond.

Dominic Caldwell, Nora's cousin, sat beside Victoria, smirking arrogantly. "Yeah, exactly. Speaking of careers, I heard the cancer research project at the Capital Institute is making major headway. And get this—the lead scientist is actually a woman."