I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 457

Finnegan Fletcher didn't leave; he stood right outside the door.

The icy downpour soaked through his tailored suit, but he showed no intention of walking away.

The lights inside had already gone out, plunging the entire villa into total darkness.

Finnegan stared up at the second floor, his hands balled into tight fists. He dreaded imagining what was happening inside—every scenario playing out in his mind was a waking nightmare.

Slowly, his strength gave out, and he collapsed into the freezing puddles on the pavement. The icy water instantly soaked his trousers, the rain pouring relentlessly down his neck.

He remained completely motionless, determined to prove to Nora Newman that this wasn't just another act.

Meanwhile, a soft nightlight glowed in the second-floor master bedroom. Xander Harrison leaned against the headboard while Nora rested against his chest. Her eyes were closed, her fingers gripping the fabric of his pajama shirt.

Xander didn't say a word. He simply stroked her hair with gentle, rhythmic motions until her grip finally loosened and her breathing leveled out into a deep, peaceful slumber.

He knew Finnegan hadn't left and was still standing stubbornly in the pouring rain. As the storm raged outside, Xander felt nothing but cold indifference. The man had brought this suffering upon himself; if he wanted to stand out there all night, let him.

By daybreak, Finnegan was still outside. His face was ashen, save for an unnatural, feverish flush on his cheeks. His lips were completely bloodless, and uncontrollable shivers racked his body.

With his consciousness fading, he swayed dangerously on his feet. He knew he couldn't pass out—if he collapsed now, Nora would never believe his sincerity.

Suddenly, the roar of an engine broke the morning silence. Liam Mercer scrambled out of the car, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

Liam frantically rang the doorbell. As if on cue, the iron gates slowly swung open. Liam practically stumbled over his own feet as he rushed toward his boss, shuddering when he finally got a close look at him.

Finnegan tried to resist, but his energy was entirely spent. His legs, stiff from standing in the storm all night, couldn't even bend properly. He was practically dragged and shoved into the backseat of the car.

The second the door slammed shut, his vision went black, and he completely lost consciousness.

On the way to the hospital, Finnegan's face burned with a dangerous red flush, though his lips remained frighteningly pale. Even in his delirium, he kept muttering the same name over and over.

"Nora... just come out and look at me... just one glance, please? I promise I'll never mess up again."

Liam glanced at him through the rearview mirror, let out a heavy sigh, and pressed down on the gas pedal.

Once they reached the ER, the doctors took his temperature and revealed it had spiked to a hundred and four degrees. Any longer, and it would have developed into severe pneumonia.