Chapter 103
"You can go check the surveillance footage yourself." Nora took a deep breath and looked at Aiden.
There were 360-degree surveillance cameras at the entrance of the Smith Group.
If he suspected her, he should have come with evidence to accuse her, not just convict her directly like this.
Nora didn't want to explain, because explanations were meaningless. When Aiden pushed her, he had already convicted her.
Aiden frowned, looking at Nora with a complicated expression.
"Let's go." Walter tried to take Nora's hand, but she dodged.
Nora lowered her head in silence and got into Walter's car.
Walter sighed. Nora was really too stubborn.
But right now, he couldn't bear to use overly forceful methods on her.
With Samuel as a connection, Nora wouldn't completely cut ties with him anyway.
"Nori, why did you suddenly think of coming to the Smith Group?" Walter really minded Nora coming to the Smith Group.
For Nora to get into the Smith Group, Michael must have extended an olive branch.
But with James and Luna at the Smith Group, how could they possibly let her stay there comfortably?
He really wanted to hide Nora away, lock her up, but Walter also understood Nora's personality.
He could only let her back down after hitting obstacles.
"The Smith Group is great, and they're offering me good salary and benefits," Nora said softly.
"If you're willing, you can come work with me. I can pay you double what the Smith Group offers." Walter frowned.
"What position would I have by your side?" Nora asked.
Walter paused.
Nora's student records had been expelled. All that could be found now was a high school diploma. What position could she hold at Mountain Construction Group?
"You'd just stay with me, by my side every day, as my assistant."
"An assistant doesn't need such a high salary." Nora looked at Walter quietly.
Walter was still treating her differently because he didn't believe she could do the job well.
But Michael trusted her.
That trust gave her peace of mind.
So she'd rather take the normal salary for the position, not double.
"Nori, do you have to be so headstrong?" Walter rubbed his temples. "Society is complicated. The inside of a large company is a microcosm of society, even more complex than society itself."
Walter couldn't bear to let Nora suffer more grievances.
Nora hid her hands in her sleeves and said nothing.
Walter reached out to her. "What happened to your hand?"
Nora shook her head and stayed silent.
"Let me see." Walter grabbed Nora's wrist.
Only when he forcibly pulled it over did he discover that Nora's palm had been scraped raw.
The blood had already dried in the crevices between her fingers.
Walter's expression immediately darkened. He cursed and found a first aid kit in the car to treat her wound.
Nora didn't speak or make a sound the whole time.
"Nori, why do you have to suffer like this? If you stay by my side, stay with me obediently, I won't let you get hurt again. I won't make the same mistake twice." Walter still couldn't understand.
As long as Nora stayed obediently by his side, he could give her complete security. She could live easily, so why did she have to make things so hard for herself?
"Stay by your side as your mistress who can't see the light of day?" Nora asked back.
Walter was caught off guard. How come he never noticed before that Nora could be so sarcastic?
"Do you have to think of it that way? My marriage to the Clark family is just a partnership, because of Grandpa." Walter explained.
Nora knew what Walter meant. As long as Noah was alive, he couldn't divorce Pearl and had to maintain this relationship with her.
But if Noah passed away, he would immediately divorce Pearl.
He was asking Nora to wait—wait for Noah to die.
"Even if I stay with you, even if Noah passes away, you still won't marry me." Nora was very clear about this.
Walter might divorce Pearl, but he definitely wouldn't give her a legitimate status.
"Is a title that important? As long as I divorce Pearl, you'll be the only one by my side. Except for that marriage certificate, everything will be yours." Walter rubbed his temples.
Nora looked out the car window, feeling weak all over.
Everything would be hers—what would be hers?
Even Michael knew that only a marriage certificate could give her peace of mind about their partnership.
With a bitter smile, Nora felt her eyes burning as tears gathered.
Her relationship with Michael was also a business marriage.
Similar to Walter and Pearl.
Actually, it was quite sad.
But the sense of security and respect Michael could give her was something Walter couldn't.
"Think it through carefully." Walter still wanted Nora to think clearly.
Luna wouldn't let Nora stay at the Smith Group, and James wouldn't let her off so easily after he got out either.
And then there was the Clark family. After Pearl got out, she would definitely cause trouble for Nora too.
If Nora wasn't by his side, he was afraid she'd get hurt.
"Walter, I have my own life to live. I have a son to raise, a brother. I'm a person." Nora was grateful for Walter helping her time and again. "Status and marriage are very important to me, even though someone like me doesn't deserve to have them."
Nora had fantasized countless times about her wedding, wearing the most beautiful wedding dress.
Walking step by step on a path covered with roses, toward her lover, her husband.
But such a scene would never come true, because no man was willing to give her a legitimate status, or even a wedding.
Her marriage with Michael was just a transaction too.
Walter frowned at Nora. She could see through things clearly, yet couldn't think them through.
She had just gotten out of prison after all and had experienced too little.
He could only bear to let Nora experience some more pain before she would truly understand that staying by his side was the best choice.
"You really want to stay at the Smith Group that badly? Michael won't look after you." Walter sighed.
"I'll do my best." Nora's gaze was determined.
Walter felt a tightness in his chest. "Call me first thing if anything happens. After you see Savannah, I'll have Royce drive you back."
To make the round trip from Silverlight City to Emerald City without being late for work tomorrow, they'd have to take the highway and drive fast.
Nora didn't refuse and nodded in agreement.
---
Silverlight City Hospital.
Royce drove for over four hours, leaving at 5:50 and arriving at 10 PM.
"Thank you for your trouble." Nora walked up to Royce and thanked him softly.
"This is what I should do. You and Mr. Wood go up. I'll rest in the car for a bit, then drive you back later." Royce waved his hand with a smile.
Seeing Nora looking uncomfortable, Royce spoke again. "If you feel bad about troubling me, it'll probably be morning when we get back to Emerald City. How about you buy me breakfast?"
Nora looked up at Royce and nodded firmly, smiling. "Okay, what would you like to eat?"
Royce's breath caught for a moment as he stared at Nora.
When she smiled, she was still very pretty.
"A burger and milk, I guess. I really miss the burgers from that place on Maple Avenue." Royce said with a smile.
Nora nodded. "Okay!"
"Let's go." Walter glanced at Royce with displeasure, not liking Nora smiling at other people.
Nora turned and followed behind Walter, speaking softly. "What did the doctor say about Savannah's condition..."
"I've already had the doctors do their best to save her, but her uterus definitely can't be saved. If she takes good care of herself afterward, the club will give her appropriate compensation." Walter entered the elevator in the inpatient department.
Nora followed in, feeling somewhat lost.
Losing her uterus meant she could never have her own children again.
Savannah actually really liked kids.
Nora knew this.
In prison, Savannah's favorite thing was asking her about Samuel. You could tell she really loved children.
The day Savannah got out of prison, she even asked for a photo of Samuel.
Her phone rang. Nora glanced at it—it was Michael.
She grabbed for her phone in a panic, but it fell to the ground.
Walter looked at the phone on the ground, his expression darkening as he picked it up.
"Give it back to me." Nora was a bit panicked.
Walter looked at Nora's nervous expression, growing even more annoyed.
He hung up on Michael directly and pulled Nora into a corner. "Nora, do you think Michael is some kind of good person? Do you know that Michael had sex with Pearl's sister Aria? Had sex with her and didn't take responsibility, causing Aria to attempt suicide many times?"