The Captain I Married by Chance novel Chapter 516

Nora offered a soft, helpless smile and let the comment slide.

Julia usually maintained such a meticulous, serious demeanor in the lab. It was refreshing to see her so animated.

A small part of Nora couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.

Having been forced into survival mode at such a young age, Nora had completely bypassed the carefree stages of youth. Her emotional baseline had flatlined years ago.

While girls her age had been agonizing over prom dresses and petty drama, Nora had been operating with the stoic resilience of a brick wall.

Her friends used to joke that she had the emotional range of a statue.

They had nicknamed her the "Ascetic Monk," teasing that her entire existence revolved around studying and scraping together rent money.

It wasn't that she hadn't wanted to have fun; she simply hadn't had the luxury of time.

Her mother had sacrificed everything for her. The least Nora could do was alleviate that burden.

She had needed a flawless GPA to secure the scholarships that would ultimately pull them out of poverty. That required a relentless, punishing work ethic.

She had squeezed every productive second out of every single day. There hadn't been a spare minute for anything as trivial as makeup or dating.

"Hey, we're here," Julia announced.

The memory abruptly snapped. Nora blinked, her focus returning to the dusty windshield as they rolled to a stop.

"Costello Ranch..." Julia read the faded lettering on the rusted iron gate.

"Not very creative, is it?"

"Sounds like the name of a generic motel in the middle of nowhere."

Nora barely glanced at the sign. Her eyes swept over the desolate expanse beyond the gates. A heavy silence hung over the property, and her brow furrowed.

"Nathan and the strike team are supposed to be securing this perimeter. Where are their vehicles?"

Julia blinked, swiveling her head to survey the empty dirt lot. "You're right. It's completely deserted."

Nora shoved her door open and stepped out into the dry heat. She spotted a series of tracks cutting through the dust and walked over to inspect them.

Julia hurried out and followed close behind.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify