I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 339

By the time Nora finished and stepped back out, she saw Xander was still waiting in the living room. Her cramps had subsided slightly, but it still hurt fiercely, forcing her to hunch over and clutch her stomach as she slowly walked toward him.

"Thank—"

Before she could finish the word, Xander handed her a steaming mug of ginger tea. Nora blinked in surprise and took it. Just as she was about to speak again, he offered her a painkiller. "I heard this brand works exceptionally well for cramps. It should help take the edge off."

Nora looked down and realized it was the exact brand of painkillers she usually took.

He had even prepared this?

Nora moistened her lips, her emotions tangling into a complicated knot.

When they first met, she had pegged Xander as a man who was warm on the surface but icy and heavily guarded underneath. Very few people were ever allowed into his inner circle.

When she found out she was his arranged marriage partner, she had fully prepared herself for a transactional, emotionally detached partnership where they each lived their separate lives.

She never expected him to be this meticulously caring tonight. Not only did he go out and buy pads and prep fresh clothes, but he even had her specific brand of painkillers ready.

Was this really the same Xander Harrison?

Xander let out a soft chuckle. "What? Don't recognize me?"

Nora looked up at him. The amber lighting highlighted his tall, broad-shouldered frame. Without his glasses on, his usual intimidating aura had completely softened.

A slow, genuine smile tugged at her lips, and she lowered her head slightly. "A little bit."

Xander wasn't offended. "You should get used to it as soon as possible. It's going to be like this from now on."

Nora wanted to ask why, but on second thought, this was probably just how he treated people once they were in his inner circle. Nothing fundamental had really changed.

Nora murmured an agreement and stepped inside. She gave him one final, long look before closing the door behind her.

She let out a deep exhale, clutching her stomach as she walked over to the bed.

She felt worlds better than she had downstairs. Just as she was about to pull back the covers and lie down, she noticed a heating pad resting on the bedside table.

Nora paused. She hadn't even noticed when Xander had slipped that in here.

Picking up the heating pad, a soft smile graced her lips. Only then did she finally settle in and fall asleep.

She slept incredibly well that night, without a single dream to disrupt her peace.

When she opened her eyes the next morning, the rain had stopped. Bright sunlight filtered through the curtains, and the agonizing ache in her abdomen had completely subsided.