Chapter 74
In Hotel.
Michael was a light sleeper at night. Due to some past experiences, he had suffered from insomnia for a long time and had to rely on sleeping pills to fall asleep.
On the nightstand were the sleeping pills David had prepared in advance, but Michael didn't take them today. His mind was filled with thoughts of Nora.
It was strange, really. Michael had never thought he would be attracted to a woman.
Nora had spoken so indifferently about how her left ear couldn't hear anymore.
About how she had attempted suicide many times.
No crying, no fuss, as if she was describing something trivial.
Michael glanced at the time. It was already 3 AM.
Rubbing his temples, Michael felt irritated.
Why couldn't he stop thinking about Nora?
His phone screen showed an incoming call, but in sleep mode, the phone wouldn't even vibrate.
City Outskirts.
Nora stared at her phone, trembling all over, her body shaking so much she was losing strength.
"You should call the police," said the night jogger, clearly frightened. She looked like she had lost too much blood.
Nora's eyes were red as she stubbornly continued calling Michael.
Finally, on the third attempt, Michael answered. "Who is it?"
His voice was cold, sounding hoarse and tired.
"Michael..." Nora's emotions surged, her words thick with tears, but she couldn't get the rest out.
On the other end, Michael's breathing caught. He sat up abruptly and asked tentatively, "Where are you?"
It was Nora.
He recognized Nora's voice.
"This is..." Nora asked weakly, her vision already going dark.
The passerby quickly took the phone. "This is the city outskirts, Third Ring Road. Your friend is in bad shape, covered in blood. Should I take her to the hospital?"
"Help stop the bleeding. I'll be right there."
After hanging up, Michael first called for an ambulance, grabbed his car keys from the table, and rushed out in a panic.
He had a feeling that something had happened to Nora.
Today, when David mentioned that the Clark family had all come to Silverlight City, he knew they probably wouldn't let Nora go.
But Nora had been at Walter's place all along, so he didn't expect anything serious to happen.
Cursing in frustration, Michael drove toward the outskirts.
The caller said she was covered in blood.
When Michael arrived, the ambulance hadn't gotten there yet.
Getting out of the car in a panic, Michael saw a trembling figure curled up in the grass by the roadside.
Nora's face was very pale.
Her feet were bare, her insteps frozen blue and purple, the spaces between her toes filled with blood.
Nora stared blankly into the distance. The moment she saw Michael get out of the car, she cried.
He ran toward her through the light of the headlights, looking exactly like a god coming to save her.
Was there really a god who hadn't abandoned her?
But this was only temporary.
Michael couldn't protect her forever. Nora knew that clearly.
It was nothing more than temporary use.
"Michael." Nora's voice was hoarse.
Michael stood in front of Nora, breathing heavily.
Quickly taking off his coat and draping it over Nora, Michael pulled her directly into his arms. "The ambulance will be here soon. Hang in there."
Nora could finally let herself pass out. She had held on for so long.
He came. He really came.
Actually, Nora hadn't held much hope.
She had thought that if Michael didn't come, she would choose suicide. After she died, the Adams family, the Clark family, and the Smith family would surely stop targeting Jasper and Samuel.
But Michael came.
Her breathing grew weaker, and Nora collapsed unconscious in Michael's arms.
So warm.
He was so warm.
Michael's breathing stopped. Nora's body was too cold.
On such a cold day, when even puddles were frozen, she had sat here barefoot—how long had she waited for him?
"Don't be afraid. You'll be okay."
Michael's voice sounded distant to Nora, yet unusually clear.
So warm.
She instinctively burrowed into Michael's embrace. Really so warm.
"Nora, stay awake. You can't sleep now." Michael tried to keep Nora conscious. With so much blood loss, she couldn't sleep now.
Nora was so tired.
"I'm so tired," Nora sobbed, her tears burning hot.
She was really so tired.
"How long do I have to atone?" Nora murmured.
As if asking the messenger of hell how much longer she had to atone before she could be free.
"You have no sin."
Using all her strength to try to open her eyes, Nora heard someone say she had no sin.
In that moment of being torn apart by countless hands from hell, she seemed to suddenly hear redemption.
The ambulance arrived. Michael carried Nora into the vehicle, never putting her down.
The doctor and nurse looked nervously at the wound on Nora's neck and gasped. "Did you call the police?"
Michael nodded. "The police will go to the hospital."
Michael's expression was grim. Having let things escalate to this point, the Clark family shouldn't expect to get away easily.
Abandoned Factory.
Not long after Nora escaped, Aiden turned his car around halfway and drove straight back, crashing through the warehouse door.
Getting out of the car, breathing heavily, Aiden thought he must be crazy—he was looking for Nora.
But Nora was no longer in the warehouse.
The warehouse was empty, with only a pool of blood.
Aiden's fingers felt numb. He lit a cigarette, turned around, and followed the blood trail.
He found nothing.
Frustratedly punching the car window, Aiden's mind kept replaying Nora's words: "My last name isn't Adams, it's Thomas."
Silverlight City, Chamber of Commerce Gala.
At 3 PM, the gala opened.
As the organizer of this event, Walter naturally had to arrive early.
Royce looked somewhat panicked, wanting to tell Walter that Nora was in trouble and not at the villa, but he was stopped by Noah's people.
"Royce, Mr. Noah Wood wants to see you."
Royce's heart jumped. He knew something was going to happen.
If he was taken away, Walter wouldn't know that Nora was in trouble.
Royce wanted to shout for Walter to hear, but he was afraid that Nora wasn't important enough in Walter's heart. If he shouted, his career would be over.
"Royce, if you offend Mr. Noah Wood, there won't be any place for you in Silverlight City." Noah's people warned Royce, and before he could speak, they covered his mouth and shoved him into the car.
"You're going too far!" Royce shouted weakly. "Going after a woman with such despicable methods—doesn't your conscience bother you!"
"Royce, you've worked for Mr. Wood for so many years. Haven't you learned one thing? When something doesn't concern you, you should keep quiet. What, did you sleep with Nora too?" In the passenger seat was James.
Royce's breathing caught. He instantly understood that this incident was orchestrated by James, Aiden, the Clark family, and Noah working together.
How could Nora—a woman with no power, no background, trampled into the mud—fight back?
"James, you were once her fiancé. Treating her like this, aren't you afraid you'll regret it?" Royce looked angrily at James. "What did she do wrong? Was it her fault that her life was switched, or was it her fault that she was raped? You only take it out on her, but you don't dare touch the people who hurt her. Coward!"