Revenge amnesia upgraded to his brother (Norah and Lucien) novel Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Norah’s POV:

“Cough… cough cough…”

After a few more tries, he finally spat out some seawater and started gasping for air.

His eyes slowly opened.

At first, his gaze was all blurry, unfocused. Then it gradually sharpened and landed on my face.

“… Norah?” His voice was weak, barely more than a whisper.

“It’s me! It’s me!” Tears finally broke free, mixing with the rain. “How are you? Where does it hurt?”

He tried to move but winced, letting out a low groan.

“Don’t move!” I quickly pressed him down and started checking him over.

Fireshar

Besides the cut on his forehead, his arms and back were scraped and burned. The worst was his left leg–a big gash was bleeding badly.

“My leg…” he sucked in a sharp breath, trying to push himself up. “We gotta get out of here…. maybe there’s… others…”

“Don’t move!” Panic hit me hard as I looked at all his injuries. My heart ached like hell. “I’ll go get help! You stay right here!”

“No…” He grabbed my wrist with a grip so strong it scared me. “Together… not safe…”

“But you-”

“Help me up.” His voice was firm, no room for arguing.

I knew I couldn’t talk him out of it, and staying put was dangerous.

Amélie and that guy–we still didn’t know if they were alive or dead. What if they had backup_

I tore off a piece of my skirt and quickly wrapped his leg wound.

The salty seawater stung, and he gasped sharply.

Gritting my teeth, I hoisted him onto my shoulder, using every ounce of strength to help him stand

Most of his weight pressed down on me. I wobbled, almost falling, but held on tight.

His left leg was useless–he was basically dragging it behind.

With every step, sweat poured down his forehead, cold and clammy, but he gritted his teeth and stayed silent.

We struggled along the rocky shore, heading away from the lighthouse toward where the main manor might be.

The rain kept pouring, soaking us, cold and biting. My irt was ripped to shreds, and barefoot on sharp

stones and shells, every step stabbed like a knife.

His blood mixed with the rain, dripping onto the rocks, only to be washed away quickly.

Neither of us said a word–just the sound of wind, rain, rashing waves, and our heavy breathing.

“Why…” he finally broke the silence, his voice hoarse, almost swallowed by the storm.

“…What?” I didn’t catch that.

“Why…” He turned his head, wet hair plastered to his forehead, pale as a ghost, but his eyes were sharp, almost glowing. “Why didn’t you just leave on your own back there?”

I froze for a second.

“When the pipe was about to break…” He gasped for air, words coming out in broken bursts, “You clearly could’ve grabbed onto those vines on the wall, had a chance…”

I remembered those few seconds before I fell.

Yeah, there really were some stubborn vines clinging to he wall nearby.

In a life–or–death moment, your instinct is to save yourself first.

But I…

“I forgot.” I looked away, not wanting to meet his probing gaze, and muttered, dragging him forward.

“Forgot?” He repeated softly, like he’d just heard the dumbest joke, then let out a short laugh, half–mocking, half–sad, hard to read. “Norah, you never look me in the eye when you lie.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“Just like you said, you hate me…”

“Enough!” I snapped, cutting him off. “Now’s not the time for this crap! Save your energy!”

“I know…” He rested his head on my shoulder, warm breath brushing my neck, voice so faint I barely caught it. “You still… have me in your heart…”

Tears welled up in my eyes all over again.

“Nonsense…” I choked out, but held him tighter, dragging him with all my strength. “I don’t. I wish you’d just stay far away from me…”

“Then why just now…” He was gasping, a broken, weak laugh slipping out, “Why were you crying… so damn

hard…”

“I was choking on smoke! Drowning in seawater!” I snapped, a little pissed.

“Stubborn…” he muttered softly, his head going limp ony shoulder, his mind starting to drift. “Norah…”

“Yeah?”

“…I’m sorry…”

“What?”

“…About the kid…” His voice faded, like he was half asleep, “And… everything else…”

My heart twisted painfully.

“Don’t say anything else! Save your strength!” I yelled, but tears were pouring down my face like a flood.

“And…” He seemed not to hear me, whispering right by my ear, “I love you.”

My steps froze.

I stood there stiff as a board, rain pouring down on us. The lighthouse behind us still burned bright, its fire casting our shadows long and tangled on the rocks–twisted together, overlapping.

Did he just say that?

Love?

After all the betrayal, the pain, the breakups, the torment over these past three years?

After just barely clawing back from the edge of death?

While I was doing everything I could to hide the huge secret about our kid?

Why now?

I opened my mouth, trying to say something, but my throat felt like it was clogged with something, and no sound came out.

Only tears mixed with the rain poured down silently.

The weight on my shoulder suddenly went dead heavy.

He passed out.

“Lucien! Lucien!” I panicked, slapping his face and shouting his name.

No response.

Just faint but steady breathing.

I looked up and saw a huge rock not far away, with a natural hollow underneath that looked like it could keep us dry.

I glanced down at the man in my arms–unconscious and covered in wounds.

I gritted my teeth, braced his slipping body against myhoulder, and hoisted him up.

Then, step by step, I stumbled through the mud and broken stones, wobbling my way toward that shelter.