Chapter 67
Nora tried helplessly to explain, but the more she explained, the more flustered she became.
Over these years, Nora had become increasingly bad at explaining herself.
Walter grabbed Nora's wrist and pulled her in front of him. "Okay."
Nora's remaining words died in her throat as she stared at Walter in a daze.
"You make the demands, I'll agree to everything." Walter lowered his head, looking at the scars on Nora's wrist—all marks from cutting herself.
"Was it hard in prison?" Walter asked quietly.
Nora sat on the floor in front of Walter, powerlessly lowering her eyes.
Hard?
Not really that hard.
After all, all hells are connected.
Whether outside or inside, it was just the difference between one hell and another.
"These scars can be removed." Walter looked at Nora.
Nora pulled back her wrist, covering it with her sleeve. "No need."
Why bother with such pointless cover-ups?
"You don't need to go to the club anymore. You'll stay with me. I can't keep you working at the front desk. You'll be with me for three years. Each month I'll have someone transfer a hundred thousand dollars to Samuel's account, and the rest will go to your card. You can use my supplementary card freely, and if you need money for anything, just tell me directly."
Walter didn't know how to make it up to Nora, except that he could do his best to provide for her materially.
"No." Nora lowered her head. "I promised Savannah I'd come help."
Walter frowned. "Think it through."
Nora nodded and spoke again. "I hope we can keep it private."
This was for Walter's sake—she didn't care about her own reputation anymore.
Walter reached out and rubbed Nora's head, not giving a direct response. "You're not sleeping yet? Planning to sleep with me?"
Nora panicked and instinctively backed away.
Walter smiled. "Before you figure things out, I won't touch you, but I don't want you to make me wait too long."
Tears still hung on Nora's lashes—she had clearly been crying.
Walter thought for a moment and spoke again. "Are you really not bringing Samuel over?"
Nora stood up and shook her head.
If she brought Samuel over, she would truly be trapped by Walter.
"Go to sleep. After the chamber of commerce banquet ends, I'll go back with you." Walter was making a promise to Nora.
Nora nodded and ran back to her room.
Walter sighed helplessly. Having the meat right there but not being able to eat it was torture.
But what could he do? He brought this on himself.
Who told him to stand by and watch so callously?
---
Nightfall Clubhouse.
When Nora came to work, everyone at the club secretly watched her.
Nora was used to it by now. Ever since the breakfast incident with Walter and the incident where Michael dragged her away, the employees had been like this.
Even Yasmin had become careful. "Nori."
Yasmin looked around and spoke quietly. "What's your relationship with Mr. Wood?"
Nora kept her head down. "No relationship, we knew each other before."
Yasmin gasped. "Nori, you're the talk of the club now. Look over there."
Nora glanced at the staircase—dozens of women were standing there densely packed, all looking at Nora.
They probably all wanted to know which woman from the club had won over Walter, who was always extremely picky about women.
And Nora had become that famous figure.
"Some big clients are coming today, everyone stay sharp and get to work." The manager shouted toward the staircase.
Everyone dispersed, and the manager walked over to Nora with a smile. "Nori, have you had breakfast? Front desk work is boring. Do you want to switch positions?"
The manager had wanted to transfer Nora to a higher-paying, easier position.
Nora shook her head and refused.
The manager didn't press further.
A red sports car stopped outside the club's revolving door. A woman dressed head to toe in luxury brands got out, tossed her keys to the valet, and walked straight through the revolving door.
Nora kept her head down and didn't look up.
"Miss, you are...?" The manager quickly stepped forward and asked.
The woman shoved the manager aside, looked around, and after recognizing Nora, walked straight over.
A loud slap rang out, and the entire lobby fell silent.
Nora numbly raised her head. After seeing who had hit her, she instinctively turned to run.
"Run?" Pearl smiled, leaning against the bar, watching Nora run. "Keep running. If you don't get on your knees and beg me today, I'll sell that little bastard of yours overseas."
Nora's steps froze. She turned back, breathing heavily, and looked at Pearl. "What do you want?"
"Not running anymore?" Pearl laughed and walked toward Nora step by step.
"Who are you?" Yasmin had just recovered from her shock and bravely stood in front of Nora. "How can you just hit people?"
The manager and security also reacted and rushed over.
"Are you all blind?" Pearl raised her head proudly, her voice mocking. "My name is Pearl, daughter of the Clark family, and I'm your boss Walter's fiancée."
The manager looked at the security supervisor in shock. They had indeed heard that the Wood family and the Clark family were arranging an engagement.
Pearl was the second daughter of the Clark family, the one who was supposed to be engaged to Walter.
Years ago, they heard that Pearl had gone after Bronte, pouring milk tea directly on Bronte's head in front of the entire crew and having someone beat her up. This incident caused a sensation at the time but was quickly suppressed by Walter.
Walter hadn't gotten angry at Pearl for going after Bronte, which only emboldened Pearl further.
For years, Pearl had acted as Walter's fiancée, being domineering wherever she went. No matter what bad rumors spread, Walter handled them for her.
Hearing it was Pearl, the manager didn't know what to do.
"Nora, you ran from Emerald City to Silverlight City. Very capable." Pearl shoved Yasmin aside and grabbed Nora's hair. "The men in Emerald City's circles have practically used you up, and now you're seducing my man?"
Nora clenched her trembling fingers and said nothing.
The lobby quickly filled with onlookers, all shocked by the scene.
The wife catching the mistress?
"Everyone look, do you know who she is?" Pearl laughed and spoke loudly. "Nora, remember the real and fake heiress case that shocked the whole country six years ago?"
People around started talking among themselves.
Nora felt her vision going dark. It was that feeling again—being discussed and criticized in public.
That feeling that made her wish she were dead, that made her feel suffocated just thinking about it.
"This is the thief who stole the real heiress of the Adams family's life for twenty years, a slut." Pearl grabbed Nora's hair and continued. "Do you know what the men in our circle in Emerald City call her? A whore, used-up goods."
Nora bit her lip hard, blood flowing.
How could she explain? How could she fight against such gossip?
"I still have videos of her. I saved so many. Want to see them? Eighteen and up, restricted, lots of men." Pearl smiled and took out her phone, looking for videos she had recorded when bullying Nora before.
Nora cried, trying to stop her, her fingers numb.
"Scared now? When you were seducing my man, why weren't you scared? Nora, you're really something." Pearl laughed wildly. She didn't take Nora seriously at all—she just enjoyed the thrill of bullying others.
"Remember? Six years ago—I almost forgot—when you were cornered in that alley, you were even pregnant, and they still didn't let you go."
Pearl's words were like hell itself, forcing Nora to relive it all, making her wish she were dead.