I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 399

Soon, the doctor finished his instructions and stepped out, leaving only the two of them in the hospital room. The moment their eyes met, Nora clearly saw an emotion in his gaze that she had never witnessed before.

It was heartache, tangled with something else she couldn't quite put into words.

Xander's voice was flat, though it carried a faint undercurrent of anger. "How do you feel?"

Nora instinctively felt that something was off. In all the time she had known Xander, even though he had been guarded at first, his eyes were always gentle. He was usually so composed that he wouldn't even flinch if the sky fell. But now, his brows were knitted together, and he stared at her as if trying to see right through her soul. There wasn't a trace of a smile on his lips.

Nora spoke slowly, her voice so hoarse it was barely a whisper. "Cassie..."

"She's been calmed down," Xander interrupted smoothly. "She's in her room, and the nanny is taking good care of her. You'd be better off worrying about yourself first."

Nora fell silent and lowered her eyes. She had a vague feeling about what he was going to say next.

Sure enough, the man's cold voice rang out slowly, heavy with suppressed restraint. "Going alone to meet a kidnapper. No backup, no plan. Just rushing in single-handedly. Nora, do you realize that if that knife had been just an inch off, you wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed right now? You'd be in the morgue."

Nora opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words. The situation had been desperate, leaving her no time to think. For Cassie's sake, she hadn't had a choice.

Xander cut off the explanation she hadn't even voiced. He leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze fixed entirely on her. Deep within his eyes, Nora saw a flicker of lingering dread.

Nora lowered her head and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Xander suddenly covered his eyes with his hand. He stayed quiet for a long time. Nora almost thought he had fallen asleep, until she saw a single tear slide out from beneath his palm, trailing down his cheek and disappearing into his collar.

Nora's heart gave a violent jolt. She didn't know where she found the courage, but she reached out and gently hooked her fingers around his. His fingertips were ice-cold, and at her touch, Xander went completely rigid.

Nora called his name softly. "Xander, I promise you, I will never do something like this again. I will always talk to you before taking any risks."