Chapter 185
Silverlight City, the Wood Villa.
Noah made over a dozen phone calls to get Walter back from Emerald City.
"This paternity test for Samuel. You personally arranged for it to be done?" Noah asked in a low voice.
Walter frowned. Noah found out?
"Yes."
"Nora shouldn't have the ability to tamper with a paternity test, right?" Noah's trust wasn't in Nora, but in Walter.
As for the kinship report the Clark family gave him, he could just ignore that.
"She doesn't have that ability." Walter nodded, taking all the responsibility on himself, afraid that when Noah eventually found out Samuel wasn't a Wood family child, he would go after Nora.
"Tell your grandfather the truth. Is this child yours?" Noah looked at Walter. He just wanted the truth.
Walter took a deep breath, "Grandpa, I want Nora."
Noah frowned slightly, "Nora is a smart girl. If her background was clean, I'd actually like Samuel too."
According to the arrangement, the kindergarten sent Noah videos of Samuel at school every day. Samuel called him grandpa so sweetly, and Noah really liked Samuel.
As for Samuel's identity, since there was a paternity test, Noah just turned a blind eye to it.
"But don't forget what status the Wood family has, and what status Nora has." Noah reminded Walter not to disregard the Wood family's social standing and reputation for a woman.
Walter remained silent for a long time without speaking.
"What Michael did to the Clark family also damaged the Wood family's reputation. To make such a mess over a woman to the point of no return—that's just stupid." Noah's voice was low. He was using Michael as a warning to Walter.
Michael wasn't his grandson, so he couldn't control him, but Walter was.
Noah had watched Walter grow up. If he didn't listen, Noah would definitely step in.
"A woman like Nora—if you want to have some fun, fine. But if she affects the Wood family and the company's interests, I'll have no choice but to step in." Noah reminded him again.
"I'll fight for Samuel's custody first." Walter stated his position to Noah.
He knew this was Noah's purpose in calling him back today.
To confirm Samuel's identity again, then take Samuel back to the Wood family for him to raise personally.
That was Noah's ultimate goal.
As for him and Nora...
As long as Samuel was there and Walter didn't make too many big moves for Nora's sake, Noah could turn a blind eye.
As for status, Walter thought that Noah was old and couldn't control things for many more years. As long as Nora was willing to wait, after Noah died, he could give her the status she wanted.
Walter thought what he could give Nora was already more than enough—something others absolutely couldn't give her.
"Very good." Noah nodded with a smile and took out his phone to play a video of Samuel solving math problems, "Look at this—you can tell right away this is Wood family genes. So smart and likeable."
Walter took a deep breath. He could tell Noah really liked Samuel.
What he feared now was that once Noah knew the truth, he wouldn't be able to accept it.
"Grandpa, I'll bring Samuel back as soon as possible." Walter stood up and glanced at the time, "You rest well."
"Good. If the engagement with the Clark family is canceled, I'll have to find you a new fiancée." Noah reminded Walter.
"No rush." Walter frowned.
"I'm in a rush. How many more years do you think I can live?" Noah sighed. He just hoped to see Walter settle down.
Then he could rest in peace.
Walter's throat felt tight. He lowered his head without arguing.
---
Emerald City, the Smith Group.
As soon as Nora entered the company, she heard people gossiping.
They said Kurt had submitted his resignation, originally trying to scare Michael, but Michael directly agreed, so now he was stuck.
"Did you hear? Kurt is holding an internal meeting with the project department right now. There's probably going to be a show today—he's probably going to lead the entire project department in resigning to protest against Mr. Smith."
Standing at the elevator entrance, Nora listened to the office gossip.
Kurt was making his last struggle.
"Nora." Behind her was James's voice.
Nora's body stiffened. She didn't turn around, just pretended not to hear.
James frowned and followed Nora into the elevator, coldly telling the others, "You all wait for the next one."
The employees looked at each other and wisely got off the elevator.
Nora kept her head down and also wanted to get off, not wanting to be alone with James.
But James grabbed Nora's work badge and pulled her in front of him, "Why are you running?"
Nora didn't speak, her body rigid.
"Nora, I don't believe you have no feelings for me left." James's voice was low.
Nora still didn't speak.
When she got scared, she would lose her ability to speak.
"Nora, what about all those years we had together?" James's voice was hoarse as he trapped Nora in his arms.
Nora's fingers stiffly tried to pry James's arms away, her emotions somewhat out of control, "Let me go."
James refused to let go, holding Nora tightly, his voice choking, "Nori, I regret it."
Nora's eyes reddened as she struggled to push James away.
If regret worked, murderers wouldn't need to be executed.
"At the trial five years ago, I regretted it. Why did you plead guilty? You did it on purpose to get back at me, didn't you?" James had always wanted to ask Nora why she pleaded guilty.
He was just angry at Nora, deliberately trying to upset her, but he never expected Nora to plead guilty.
She used five years in prison to deliberately hurt him.
"James, I don't love you anymore." Nora spoke hoarsely.
From age fourteen when she first fell in love, to twenty-one when he personally sent her to prison.
Seven years of feelings had long been burned away during five years in prison.
Over these years, James had bribed people in prison to humiliate her in every way. She had long become numb.
And couldn't love anymore.
James's arms stiffened a bit, and his hands slowly loosened their hold on Nora.
His expression went from disbelief to anger, "What right do you have not to love me?"
Nora couldn't understand James's anger and didn't want to waste words with him.
She even felt disgusted that she had once loved him.
"Say something!" James couldn't stand Nora's silent attitude the most. It drove him crazy.
"Does Evelyn know?" Nora spoke up, questioning James.
He was asking her if she still loved him—did Evelyn know?
"Even if I still loved you, would you break off your engagement with Evelyn for me?" Nora asked James sarcastically.
Since he wouldn't, why ask her? How shameless was he?
James froze, looking at Nora, "You still care, don't you? You care about me, so you care about my relationship with Evelyn. Nora, you owe Evelyn. I can't abandon her for you."
Nora took a deep breath, feeling somewhat helpless.
The elevator doors opened.
Michael was standing outside the elevator at some point, his face dark.
James had never pressed a floor button, so he and Nora had just been in the elevator the whole time.
Michael walked into the elevator, and the moment the doors closed, he pulled Nora into his arms, "James, I warned you—she's your sister-in-law."