Revenge amnesia upgraded to his brother (Norah and Lucien) novel Chapter 184

Chapter 184

Norah’s POV

I dropped to my knees in the Washington villa and pulled my kids into me.

Tight.

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Leo’s arm was still in that damn cast, but he puffed out his little chest, putting on a cool, tough- guy act. “Mommy, you go fight the bad guys. I’ll protect Sister.”

Luna just wrapped herself around my neck and held on. Her little face was a mess of tears. “Don’t

go, Mommy… I want Mommy…”

I kissed her forehead. My fingers brushed Leo’s cheek.

Then Mateo was there. He scooped up Luna and took Leo’s good hand. His voice was soft yet firm. “Go, Nono. I’ve got the home front. I’ve got the kids. Go take back what’s yours.”

I stood up. I looked at my kids–my two treasures–one last time. Then I turned and walked

away.

I had to get back to Paris. Now. My last stronghold was under attack.

Irina slammed a stack of papers on the table. Her face, usually all bright and bold, was tight, burning with a rage she was choking down.

“Every single order points back to one source. The Constantine Group.”

She stared at me, her eyes burning into me, and forced the name out through her teeth. “It’s Lucien. He’s turning the entire wealth and power of Europe against us.”

Boom-

My mind went blank.

Even though I knew it was him, hearing Irina say it out loud felt like a fist squeezing my heart. The pain stole my breath.

I thought my heart was dead. Numb.

But it could still fucking hurt.

I grabbed my coat off the sofa and headed for the door.

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Chapter 184

Any sadness or weakness in me vanished the second I turned.

Replaced by a rage so tall it blocked the sun.

A cold, hard hate.

He wants me on my knees? Begging?

Over my dead body.

“Norah! Where are you going?!” Irina and Katarina both chased after me.

“To see him.”

I said it flat. Calm.

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The Constantine Group headquarters was a cold, steel monster, towering over Paris.

I marched straight to the front desk. Two guards moved to block me.

“Sorry. No appointment, no entry,” the receptionist said with a professional smile. Her voice was ice.

“I’m Norah Hawthorne. I need to see Lucien Constantine.”

“The President is in a meeting. He is not seeing anyone today.”

I looked at her. I felt the stares from everyone around us–some felt sorry for me, most were just watching the show. A wave of humiliation, hotter than anything I’ve ever felt, washed over

1. me.

Was this his game?

Have them stop me here?

Let the whole company watch his ex–the woman he destroyed–make a fool of herself, not even worth a minute of his time.

I took out my phone. Dialed the private number I swore I’d never use again.

It rang forever before someone picked up.

But it wasn’t him. It was his secretary. Cold. Professional.

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Chapter 184

“Miss Hawthorne, the President is in a critical cross–border video conference. He is unavailable.”

“A meeting?” I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous chill.

“Yes, Miss Hawthorne. The President, he-”

“A meeting to study the best way to burn my life’s work to the ground,” I cut her off.

“Miss Hawthorne, the President, he-” Her voice held a note of panic.

¢༠

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And in the background, through the phone, I heard it. A man breathing. Close to the receiver.

Him.

He was listening.

I spoke into the phone, my voice shaking with barely controlled fury:

“Lucien Constantine! Hiding behind your secretary? Using tricks to corner a woman? That’s the move of a fucking coward!”

“You want me to bow? Come down here and make me. Otherwise, this war doesn’t end.”

I hung up. My hand was shaking.

I turned to leave.

Then, my phone lit up.

An anonymous text. No number. Just a picture.

I opened it.

The background was that hospital corridor in Washington.

In the photo, I was a wreck, crying. Mateo was holding me tight, his head bent like he was kissing my forehead, his expression full of heartbreaking tenderness.

The angle was deliberately misleading, making us look like a couple bound together by a life- and–death ordeal.

How did he get this? How did he know about that hospital?

Does he know about Leo and Luna?!

My heart seized with a sudden, sharp fear.

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Chapter 184

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No. He can’t.

If he knew about the kids, he’d be there himself, using them as leverage. Not just throwing money at a corporate attack.

But now I got it. Lucien had it all wrong.

He thought I ran from Paris for Mateo.

He thought my tears were for another man.

So, this was his payback. His punishment for my “betrayal.”

Fine.

Fucking fine.

Lucien, you used your power to teach me a lesson in cruelty.

You’d better pray you never have to learn one yourself.

I deleted the photo. Permanently.

Then I turned, straightened my spine, and walked out of that building with absolute, unshakeable resolve.

Lucien, you’d better not regret starting this.

Back in the car, I dialed a number I hadn’t called in years.

It was picked up fast. “My little Thornbird finally remembers her aunt?”

“Aunt Giulia, I need your help,” I said, my voice eerily calm.

“Speak, child.”

“How is the fund my mother left?”

“All is well. As she arranged, it’s completely independent of the family assets. Held in secret trust at Union Bank of Switzerland. Only you can access it, with the key only you and your mother possessed.”

“Good.”

I looked out the window at the Constantine skyscraper. A slow, cold smile curved my lips.

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“Activate it. Now.”

:

“Move all the capital into international gold and crude oil futures.”

“I’m going short.”

Aunt Giulia went quiet on the other end.

“Norah, are you certain? This is extremely high–risk. If the market moves against you…”

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“There is no “if“,” I cut her off. “Auntie, the two pillars of his empire are shipping, and energy and metals. He’s all in on gold and oil right now.”

“He thinks he’s untouchable. I’ll break his foundation.”

“He’s too arrogant. He thinks no one in Paris would dare challenge him. That arrogance is his weak spot.”

“I’ll make him pay the highest price for his pride.”

“I’ll make him understand that Norah Hawthorne was never a lamb to be slaughtered.”

“I am the hunter, and I’m coming for his life.”

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