Chapter 102
After a busy afternoon in the office, Nora didn't even notice when it was time to get off work.
Glancing at her notebook, Nora put away her materials and answered Walter's call.
"Savannah is out of danger now and has woken up, don't worry." Walter went straight to updating her on Savannah's condition. "The hospital staff said Savannah's emotions are unstable. I'll pick you up and we can go see her."
Walter brought up Savannah because he was afraid Nora wouldn't go with him.
Actually, Walter did understand Nora. Her job hunting in Emerald City was simply because she wanted to completely cut ties with him.
In Walter's view, Nora was throwing a tantrum, angry that he wouldn't call off the engagement.
But the marriage arrangement with the Clark family really wasn't his decision to make. Noah's health hadn't been good these past few years - he couldn't get angry or be upset.
"Okay, where are you? I'll come find you," Nora said quietly.
"Where do you work? I'll pick you up and we can go directly from there?" Walter just wanted to know where Nora worked, since even Royce couldn't find out.
"The Smith Group." Nora didn't hide it - they'd find out sooner or later anyway.
She would definitely be working alongside Michael in the future.
On the other end of the phone, Walter fell silent. Even through the phone, Nora could feel Walter's displeasure.
"I'll be right there." After a long pause, Walter said in a low voice.
Nora took a deep breath and hung up.
After arranging the items on her desk neatly, Nora left the office area.
Most of the company's employees had already left work. The first-floor staff were mostly in entry-level positions - they didn't need to work overtime.
"See that? That's Nora. You know about the real and fake heiress story? That's the shameless one. I heard she even tried to trick her way into a marriage alliance with the Smith family. She almost became the mistress of our group."
"Really shameless. Wanting to marry James, to be Mr. Smith's sister-in-law - so shameless."
"James is at least the second heir of our company, Michael's own brother. She had quite the plan."
"Too bad it turned out like this. I heard she just got out of prison."
At the entrance, several mid-level employees gathered together, as if specifically waiting to see what kind of person Nora was.
Nora said nothing, keeping her head down, trying to leave.
"Shameless." But those women didn't plan to let her go so easily.
"How do you have the nerve to come to our company? You nearly ruined Mr. James Smith, didn't you?" An employee from James's team had come specifically to confront Nora. "The person who got Mr. James Smith taken away by the police was you too, right? Using that kind of method to get a chance at the Smith Group - you're really shameless."
Luna had kept James's trip to the police station so tightly under wraps that even though it made the trending topics, no one knew the real reason James was taken by the police.
But these people blocking her at the company entrance were clearly acting on Luna's instructions.
"Nora."
Besides these people, there was another heavyweight figure.
When Nora heard her voice, her back went cold. It was Evelyn.
She had actually come in person to wait for her to get off work. How ridiculous.
Evelyn's face was somewhat pale as she got out of a black luxury car - James's car.
Clearly, Evelyn was here to mark her territory.
"Using James's future as a threat to get a chance at the Smith Group - I really underestimated you." Evelyn said softly and weakly, then in front of everyone, stepped forward and slapped Nora across the face.
Nora stood there numbly. She had guessed Evelyn would hit her, but she didn't dodge.
Probably guilt was still at work.
She had enjoyed twenty years of life that should have belonged to Evelyn.
So all these years, no matter how excessively Evelyn treated her, she endured it.
But Evelyn seemed still unsatisfied, getting worse and worse.
"You think staying at the Smith Group means you'll have good days ahead? My mom said you came back for revenge?" Evelyn laughed, clearly looking down on Nora. "Just you? If I wanted to crush you, it would be like crushing an ant."
Evelyn looked at Nora threateningly.
Nora remained silent throughout.
"She's so shameless. How does she have the nerve to come to the Smith Group?"
"She even wants to be Mr. Smith's assistant. What was she thinking?"
The people nearby all sided with Evelyn. After all, Evelyn was the 'victim,' the legitimate heiress and James's official fiancée.
While Nora was just a thief, with no power or influence, and a criminal.
"She used despicable methods to threaten Michael, making him keep her as his assistant. These tactics are her specialty." Evelyn said mockingly.
Luna didn't dare tell anyone about Nora and Michael getting their marriage certificate, at least not yet.
So Evelyn only thought Nora was using the case withdrawal to threaten Michael.
"Nora, you think you'll have good days after offending Michael?" Evelyn continued sarcastically, about to hit Nora again. "I'm waiting to see what happens to you."
Nora looked up directly at Evelyn. This time, she didn't let her slap land.
"What I owed you, I've already paid back long ago. Besides, the person who owes you isn't me. That slap just now was the last time. If you lay hands on me again, I don't mind calling the police again." Nora pushed away Evelyn's hand.
Evelyn looked at Nora in shock. She really had become tougher.
Ava had come home saying Nora had shown her true colors, that she had changed and stopped pretending. She hadn't believed it.
But today she witnessed it.
Taking advantage of the moment, Evelyn sat down on the ground and fainted with a weak expression.
"She hit someone! She's the one who hit her! Ms. Evelyn Thomas's health is so fragile, how could she do such a thing!"
"Don't leave, don't you dare leave. If anything happens to Ms. Evelyn Thomas, the Adams family won't let you off." Evelyn's driver rushed over, grabbing Nora's hand and refusing to let her go.
Everyone was blaming Nora.
Nora just felt suffocated, unable to breathe.
She was afraid of this feeling of being surrounded by many people, making her unable to breathe.
"Evelyn!" Hearing that Evelyn had come to the Smith Group to block Nora, Aiden had originally been worried about Nora, but when he rushed into the crowd and saw Evelyn unconscious, Aiden looked at Nora with intense anger and pushed her away forcefully.
Nora's heart was already racing, and losing her balance, she fell to the ground. Her palms scraped and her forehead bruised.
Her vision went dark for a moment. Nora looked at her palm in pain - bloody and stinging.
Aiden picked up Evelyn and looked at Nora angrily. "You better pray Evelyn is okay."
Otherwise, the Adams family really wouldn't let her off.
Nora laughed coldly, supporting herself to stand up. Looking at the onlookers watching the drama unfold, every single one was accusing her.
In reality, anyone with eyes could see that Evelyn was framing her.
But everyone instinctively cast her as the villain.
This was human nature.
"Aiden, if Evelyn is sick, take her to see a doctor. Don't let her out in the wind when there's nothing wrong - it's easy for accidents to happen."
A car stopped at the entrance. Walter got out, his voice low.
Aiden frowned. It was Walter again.
"Mr. Wood? That's Mr. Wood from Mountain Construction Group, right?"
"Is Mr. Wood helping this Nora?"
People nearby were all discussing.
"Mr. Wood, it was Nora who deliberately pushed Ms. Thomas." The driver said angrily.
Walter walked in front of Nora. "Did you push her?"
Nora didn't speak.
If it were Michael here, he definitely wouldn't ask her such a question, but would directly solve the problem.
Nora paused, surprised that she would think of Michael at a time like this.