Chapter 211
When Michael came back, Nora had already finished making dinner.
She was wearing an apron with her hair simply tied up.
Setting the food on the table, Nora smiled at Michael who was bringing Samuel back, "Wash your hands, dinner's ready."
Michael paused for a moment and put Samuel down.
Nora standing there fulfilled all his fantasies about home.
Because of his parents' cold marriage, Michael had always been resistant to the idea of getting married and having children.
But now he felt warm.
Like he'd been flying alone for a long time and finally found his way home.
"Mommy." Samuel washed his hands and sat obediently at the dining table, "Joseph didn't go to school today."
Nora was a bit surprised and looked at Michael, "Joseph didn't go to school?"
Michael nodded. He didn't want to be nosy but maybe the kid was sick?
Nora didn't ask more questions either. Veda seemed to care about Joseph quite a bit, so there wasn't much to worry about.
"I made braised pork ribs today." Nora said softly, waiting for Michael to bring up what happened at the company.
But Michael never mentioned it.
Not a single word.
Nora felt distracted, with a heavy feeling in her chest.
"My mom caused a scene at the company and the police took her away?" Nora carefully brought it up.
"Yes, Jasper called the police." Michael had a strong survival instinct—after all, Opal's identity was rather sensitive.
No matter what, Opal was still Nora's mother.
"I hope she learns her lesson this time." Nora said quietly, knowing she'd caused Michael a lot of trouble.
"I can understand some people doing whatever it takes for money and profit, but between a mother and daughter, even without twenty years of care, shouldn't there at least be basic human decency?" Michael wasn't cursing Opal, just raising a reasonable question.
If he hadn't protected her, if Jasper hadn't solved this in time, Nora would definitely have been held responsible for the damage Opal and those relatives caused to the company.
Nolan had seized the opportunity to try to push Nora away from him, and today had used every trick in the book trying to force him to end his marriage with Nora and marry into the Clark family instead.
"Maybe it's my fault." Nora lowered her head in shame.
Over these years, she'd gotten used to looking for reasons within herself.
Because whether it was Opal or Ava who had loved her for twenty-one years, they all ended up hating her.
"Is it possible that it's not your fault?" Michael held Nora's hand, "I suggest you do a paternity test with Opal. I don't see any similarities between you two. Let's see the test results first."
Nora stared at Michael blankly, "You think I'm not her daughter?"
"Haven't you ever wondered?" Michael looked at Nora.
She was so smart—couldn't she at least question it and wait for the results before drawing conclusions?
Nora lowered her head, gripping her hands tightly, "I have wondered, and I did suggest doing a paternity test with Opal, but the Adams family didn't care at all. They only cared whether Evelyn was their daughter, not whether I was actually Opal's daughter."
After a long silence, Nora spoke again, "Actually, I'm pretty selfish too. I'm scared that if I'm not Opal's daughter, then I'd truly be homeless, with no home and no family."
Michael's eyes darkened as he looked at Nora.
He suddenly remembered when he first saw Nora at the hotel, covered in blood as she came out of that private room, her forehead cut by broken glass from a bottle, looking desperate but determined as she begged him to save her.
Back then, Michael couldn't understand why Nora didn't know how to fight back, why she would protect those people even in front of the police.
Now he might understand.
Because of his family and upbringing, when Michael faced problems, his first thought was how to solve them quickly and effectively, because with his abilities he could maintain maximum control.
But Nora couldn't.
When she encountered problems, she thought of countless possible outcomes, each one more than she could bear, so she became more and more insecure, more and more humble.
"Samuel." Michael glanced at Samuel and gave him a look.
Samuel happily ran to the living room and brought back the flowers Michael had prepared in advance, hiding them behind his back, "Mommy, these flowers are from me."
It was a bouquet of blooming red roses, gorgeous and vibrant, in full bloom.
Nora looked at the roses in surprise, opening her mouth several times but unable to say a word.
"Nora." Michael looked at Nora, his gaze intense, "Now, you have a home, you have someone to shelter you from the storm. Don't think about anything, don't worry. I'll block the big waves ahead—you just bloom."
Michael wanted to see how brilliantly his white rose would bloom after transforming and being reborn.
He wanted Nora to have support behind her, wanted Nora to bloom freely and brilliantly.
Without worrying about so much, just bloom her flowers.
Show her beauty.
Nora held the bouquet, tears welling up, and finally spoke after a long while, "Michael, will you protect me for a lifetime?"
"The contract is canceled. There’s no prenuptial agreement anymore. If you don’t mention it, we won’t get a divorce." Michael looked at Nora seriously.
Nora felt lost for a moment.
Michael wasn't the romantic type, it was just an ordinary dinner, yet he brought out his most passionate feelings.
Nora looked at Michael in disbelief, tears constantly threatening to fall.
"I know you can't fully trust me yet. Can we take it slow?" Michael tore up that so-called prenuptial agreement right in front of Nora, then reached out his hand to her, "Where's yours?"
Nora was completely stunned.
Michael was serious?
"Come with me to the County Recorder's Office tomorrow." Michael spoke again.
Nora quickly nodded, "Okay, Mr. Smith."
"What?" Michael narrowed his eyes.
"Okay." Nora bit her lip.
"So what should you call me?" Michael asked back.
Nora lowered her head, her ears turning red, unable to say it for a long time.
"Honey!"
"Michael." Samuel and Nora spoke at the same time. Even Samuel knew that spouses should call each other honey.
Samuel covered his mouth and giggled, lowering his head to continue eating.
Nora panicked so much she almost dropped the flowers, "Who taught you to say that?"
Samuel tilted his head, "But that's what they say in TV shows—mommies call daddies honey."
Nora was so nervous, "Watch less TV from now on."
Michael smiled slightly, propping his head up as he looked at Nora, "Let me hear you say it? There's a reward."
Nora jumped up and hid in the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers.
She really, really loved them.
Holding the bouquet and looking at it for a long, long time, Nora's gaze became distant.
She used to dislike the boldness of red roses, only liking the restraint and quietness of white roses.
She didn't know when she'd fallen in love with red roses.
Michael said to let her bloom freely.
Her blooming season had long passed, what kind of flowers could she still produce?