I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 471

Just as the car began to pull away, Nora watched in horror from the passenger seat as one of the men drove a blade straight into Finnegan's abdomen.

Her eyes widened in sheer disbelief at the brutal scene unfolding before her.

Xander quickly covered her eyes with one hand. His deep voice resonated through the car, carrying a steady, grounding strength.

"Don't look, Nora. Don't be afraid. I'm right here."

He hit the gas, accelerating away from the chaotic scene as fast as he could.

The moment Finnegan collapsed onto the pavement, he turned his head and caught a glimpse of Nora's face through the receding window.

Even with Xander shielding her eyes, he could still see the sheer panic etched across her features.

Lying there on the ground, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips, taking the very last ounce of his strength.

The look in his eyes seemed to say: I won't let anyone hurt you.

Just as the thug raised his knife to strike again, the shrill wail of police sirens pierced the air, freezing them in their tracks.

One of the accomplices panicked and yanked on the leader's arm. "Boss, the cops are here! Let's go!"

The men scrambled back to their vehicle in a chaotic rush, gunning the engine and disappearing down the road in an instant.

Finnegan lay motionless on the asphalt, one hand pressing desperately against the wound on his side. Blood pulsed steadily through his fingers, impossible to stop.

The ambulance arrived simultaneously with the police cruisers. By the time Finnegan was loaded onto the stretcher, he had lost consciousness. His face was completely ashen, drained of all color, leaving only his blood-soaked hands as a stark contrast.

When Xander stepped out of the temporary interview room, he found Nora sitting alone on a bench in the corridor. Cassie and Bonnie had already been safely escorted back to the Harrison estate to be watched over by Genevieve Harrison.

Xander walked over slowly, sat beside her, and took her hand in his. "It's over now. Try not to dwell on it."

Nora's voice was shaking, her whole body trembling slightly. She never could have imagined that Finnegan would suddenly appear out of nowhere and risk his life to save them.

If he hadn't delayed the attackers before the police arrived, she couldn't bear to think of what might have happened.

Xander knew there was a sliver of complex gratitude tangled in her emotions. Just then, Nora's phone rang. She glanced down—it was Adelaide Fletcher.

The moment she answered, a heart-wrenching wail tore through the speaker. "Nora! Nora, can you please come down here? Come sit with Finn. He did this for you! How can you bear to let him lie alone in the ICU, terrified and waiting to die?"