Chapter 164
Michael shielded Nora and kicked James in the stomach, "You got a death wish? Touching my people."
"Michael! Nora is MY woman!" James wiped the blood from the corner of his eye, glaring at Michael with fury, "We've been together since we were sixteen. Ask her if she still has feelings for me!"
"Sixteen? You really have the nerve to say that. What does a kid know about love?" Michael's voice was low as he held Nora tightly in his arms.
He didn't need to ask if Nora still had feelings for James. Whether she did or didn't, it didn't matter.
He just needed to do what he should do. Whether Nora would fall in love with him was her freedom.
"Nora, tell him! Tell him you still have feelings for me! Tell him I'm the one you love!" James's voice trembled, just like a child desperately trying to prove himself, childishly wanting affirmation and an answer.
Nora's whole body trembled numbly. Her anxiety symptoms made her unable to speak, unable to make a sound.
"Michael, if she won't answer, that means she still has feelings for me." James stubbornly provoked Michael, as if he had to win against Michael when it came to Nora.
"Nora, can we just talk? I know what happened six years ago wasn't your choice. Walter forced you, right? I still have feelings for you. I can't forget you. Let's talk." James said nervously, wanting Nora to give him a chance to talk properly.
Michael sneered.
James kept saying he loved Nora and couldn't forget her, yet he didn't even know that Nora had depression and couldn't speak when frightened.
Covering Nora's ears with both hands, Michael soothed her gently, "Don't listen. I'm afraid it'll disgust you."
All these years, the person who had harmed Nora to this point now had the nerve to say he still couldn't forget her.
Those words were filthy.
He couldn't let them dirty Nora's ears.
Nora slowly closed her eyes, her whole body stiff and trembling as she curled up in Michael's arms.
His heartbeat was strong, yet it became the medicine that quickly calmed her down.
"Michael, you just want to destroy me. You hate that my mom took your dad away. You're afraid I'll take what should be yours, so you want revenge on me. That's why you're using Nora. You know full well I'd give my life for Nora." In James's view, Michael was deliberately trying to provoke him.
Michael was doing it on purpose.
Michael was using Nora to get at him.
"You think you're worth it?" Michael left with Nora.
Using Nora to get at him? He really thought too highly of himself.
Holding Nora's hand, Michael brought her into his office.
Nora's stiff fingers were clenched tight. She wanted to open her fingers, but it was difficult.
The feeling of her hand cramping, not under her control.
Fortunately, there were no employees along the way, so no one saw Michael holding his assistant's hand.
Otherwise, the employees would be gossiping again.
"From now on, don't leave my sight." Michael got hot water for Nora and placed the cup in her cold hands.
Nora held the cup, feeling a bit warmer.
After taking a sip of hot water, she realized this was Michael's cup.
"Mr. Smith." Nora looked at the cup anxiously, almost crying.
How could she use Michael's cup?
Michael was a germaphobe.
Nora hadn't prepared a cup for herself. At the company, she always used disposable cups.
"I..."
Seeing Nora nervous and unable to speak, her eyes red and looking at him in panic, Michael felt a tightness in his chest.
He didn't dare have David investigate thoroughly what Nora had been through all these years.
Pressing down on Nora's head, Michael leaned down and kissed her.
His kiss was gentle, as if silently comforting Nora. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I'm here.
Nora's body stiffened for a moment, but then miraculously began to warm up.
Tears finally burst out uncontrollably. Nora hid in Michael's arms and cried for a long time.
Michael just let her cry.
"I..."
After crying for who knows how long, Nora tried to speak, her voice hoarse, "I..."
Michael patted Nora's back.
"Don't love, don't love James."
Hearing Nora's explanation, Michael's lips curved up, his mood excellent, "I know."
Only a fool would continue to love that scumbag.
Nora wasn't a fool. She was a smart little fox who could bite.
"He's bad."
"Right, he's no good." Michael agreed with Nora.
Nora cried again, "I'm sorry, I hit him."
She seemed to have broken James's head. The Smith family would definitely make a big deal out of it and cause trouble for Michael.
"You're right, it is your fault—for not beating him to death with a stick." Michael rubbed Nora's head.
Nora looked up at Michael, her eyes red but very bright.
Michael drew in a breath. Nora's eyes were probably the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen.
"Now, slowly open your fingers." Michael coaxed Nora to open her hands, not to hurt herself.
When she got agitated or scared, she always unconsciously clenched her fingers tight, her nails digging into her palms.
Nora looked down, trying hard to open her fingers, but they wouldn't quite obey.
Michael's large hands cupped Nora's hands, "Didn't I tell you that even if you're scared, you can't hurt yourself?"
Nora bit her lip guiltily and slowly opened her hands.
Only then did Michael discover there were several deformed candies in Nora's palm.
His eyes narrowed. Michael was instantly alert, "Where did these come from?"
"David gave them to me." Nora said in a small voice.
"They're not good." Michael threw the candies in the trash.
Nora instinctively wanted to stop him, but it was too late, "But they are."
The candy Michael had given her last time was the same kind.
It was delicious.
"They're fake. He likes to buy cheap stuff. Fake. I'll buy you some." Michael seriously criticized David, "That guy likes to be cheap."
Nora nodded.
Michael got the first aid kit and first wiped the blood marks on Nora's palm where she'd dug into herself, then like a magic trick, produced a big red apple.
Nora's eyes lit up, "An apple?"
"Right, better than what David gave you." Michael said meaningfully.
"I told David to go find you. Where did he go?" Only now remembering, Michael said ominously, practically grinding his teeth.
He'd told David to watch over Nora. Is this how he watched over her?
Outside the CEO's office, David held the materials James had mentioned and inexplicably shivered.
After sneezing twice in a row, David finally worked up the courage to knock on the CEO's office door, "Mr. Smith, James..."
As soon as the door opened, David jumped in fright.
Michael stood behind the door with a dark expression.
"Mr. Smith, why are you standing behind the door?" David didn't believe Michael was there to open the door for him.
"The desert project—James isn't going. You're going." Michael smiled darkly.
David's eyes widened. He almost knelt down to Michael. What had he done wrong now? "Mr. Smith, you can't be so heartless. Mr. Smith, you can't do without me. No, I can't go."
Half a month there—would he even look human when he got back? He wasn't going.
"Not going?" Michael snorted, "I'll give you a second option. Find a place without cameras, put a sack over James's head, and beat him up."
David gasped, "I'll go to the desert."
The Smith family—he couldn't afford to mess with them.
"Michael." Before Michael's anger had subsided, Aria arrived.
She was holding an envelope from a paternity testing center.