The Divorce That Brought Us Back novel Chapter 290

Deep in the night.

The office was completely enveloped in silence.

Nora had spent the morning working on her sewing, then rushed out in the afternoon, drove across town, and spent hours navigating exhausting mental hurdles. After such a grueling day, she really was completely drained.

Maloney's embrace was both deeply familiar and incredibly warm.

Without even realizing it, Nora drifted off to sleep.

She had a dream.

In the dream, she was transported back to her childhood.

It was during summer break.

Bella had snatched Nora's summer homework. She was holding it up, tossing it high into the air, laughing brightly as she clapped her hands at the sound of the pages violently fluttering in the wind.

When the notebook hit the dirt, Nora lunged to grab it, but Bella viciously stomped on her hand, screaming that she was nothing but a trash-picking beggar.

Back then, Nora was so tiny and frail. She couldn't overpower Bella; she could only watch helplessly as her precious homework was treated like a cheap toy.

Tossed up, slammed down. Tossed up, slammed down.

Suddenly, a motorcycle roared past their front yard.

The passenger on the back of the bike reached out and snatched the notebook right out of the air.

The boy laughed cruelly, shouting back at Nora, "Catch me and it's yours!"

That notebook was one of Nora's very few prized possessions.

It sounded ridiculous.

Most kids would probably be thrilled to have their homework stolen.

But Nora was different.

From a very young age, she had clung to her education like a lifeline.

It wasn't the first time Bella had stolen her books. Her teachers always pitied her and tried to help, but she absolutely hated being a constant burden to them.

She wanted to fight for herself.

Nora sprinted after the motorcycle, chasing it all the way from her front door to the edge of The Gated Community.

Right as she ran past Maloney's grandparents' house.

Maloney, who was home for the holidays, happened to be sweeping the driveway.

He watched as the motorcycle intentionally slowed down to a crawl, the riders sadistically taunting the little girl desperately running behind them.

He gently stroked her head, over and over.

Nora just mumbled a single word against him: "Dad."

In the past, Nora's father had actually been decent to her.

He used to buy her clothes and snacks, he would stand up for her, he would yell at Vivian Cole for her blatant favoritism, and he would strictly lecture Bella about treating her little sister properly.

But every time her father defended Nora, Vivian would absolutely lose her mind, screaming that Bella's father had died to save her, so what was wrong with showering Bella with a little extra love?

Bella grew up without a father, she would cry, while Nora still had hers—so who was supposed to love Bella?

It was the same exhausting argument, over and over again.

Eventually, her father got sick of hearing it.

Slowly but surely, he stopped trying to intervene, no longer wanting the headache.

Then came the day Bella stole the birthday present Nora's father had bought her. When Nora couldn't fight her off, she went looking for her dad to help, but he wasn't home. So, she went out searching for him.

A neighbor heard she was looking for her father and kindly offered to help.

Only for them to accidentally stumble upon Nora's father sneaking into the home of a widow who lived in The Gated Community.