Chapter 147 This is Longing!
"Can you help me pack after you finish eating?" Steven looked at her.
"Okay, I'm done eating." Nora wiped her mouth and walked into the master bedroom, opening the closet.
This was her first time packing for Steven's business trip.
Nora thought for a moment and took out a few suits. "Can you take these?"
"Sure." Steven followed her into the master bedroom. "It's only a three-day trip, just bring two sets of clothes."
"Okay."
Nora responded, picking out ties and comparing them against him, then grabbed socks, and finally, underwear.
Steven's underwear...
She forced herself not to think about it, rolling them up with her hands and stuffing them into his suitcase.
Steven watched her pack seriously, increasingly feeling like Nora was his wife.
At this thought, he walked over and hugged her from behind.
"After Olivia gets out of the hospital, if she has nowhere to stay, you can let her stay here temporarily." Steven's lips pressed against her ear, giving it a light bite.
Nora couldn't quite handle it, her body trembling slightly.
Steven's eyes darkened. He turned her head and kissed her deeply.
The two embraced tightly.
The kiss was full of longing and reluctance...
Gradually, Steven changed from holding to caressing, his palms stroking her skin. "Do you want to? If you do, I'll satisfy you before I leave."
Nora melted in his arms from the kiss, but still shook her head. "No, let's wait until you come back."
"Okay." Steven's eyes brightened considerably. "When the time comes, When you come back, I'm going to make it up to you twice over."
Nora's face flushed, and her heart raced. "Hurry up and go!"
She kept urging him to leave, but when he actually left, Nora felt quite down.
Nora stood by the elevator, watching it slowly descend... Steven was gone.
She suddenly felt a bit lost.
Eleanor was helped home by Bianca, dizzy the whole way.
When Willow's family saw the online public opinion, they couldn't sit still either. Her whole family went to the Reed house.
"Eleanor, just tell us how you're going to handle this!" Willow had been detained, and now it was her son speaking.
Eleanor's face was gloomy. "I really have no way out. You saw it yourself - I said all the nice things I could, made threats too, but now our family is being attacked online instead, we've become the ones being criticized!"
"Wasn't it you who instigated it?" Willow's son stood up. "Anyway, I don't care. My mom was detained because of you. You have to be responsible for getting her out, this isn't over between us!"
Eleanor's face was dark.
Three days later.
It was the day of Willow's trial, and also the day Olivia was discharged from the hospital.
Olivia sat in her hospital room and said to Nora, "Nora, I want to go to court."
Olivia wanted to see with her own eyes the person who killed her child being sent to prison.
"Okay." Nora packed Olivia's things.
Steven had left the Audi for her.
Nora drove Olivia to the courthouse.
At the courthouse entrance.
Eleanor's eyes were swollen. As soon as she saw Olivia, she dropped to her knees. "Olivia, I'm begging you, please don't hold it against Willow anymore. Drop the charges against her. I apologize to you, I admit my mistakes, I'll kowtow to you. We were wrong. Don't send her to prison, she's almost sixty years old."
This time, Eleanor was truly apologizing.
Unfortunately, she'd put on too many acts. People around shouted, "She's putting on an act, don't believe her!!"
Some even threw eggs at her.
Eleanor looked completely defeated.
But Olivia wouldn't sympathize with her anymore. She quietly looked at the fallen Eleanor, then turned and entered the courthouse with Nora.
One minute before the trial began.
Alton appeared, wearing a sharp suit, walking gracefully to his seat.
Olivia sat in the gallery, meeting Alton's eyes across a moderate distance.
Olivia looked away first.
The trial began.
Alton opened his files and began presenting the case calmly and methodically.
Olivia's hands were clenched tight.
Nora covered Olivia's hands, giving her strength.
An hour later, the court announced that Willow was sentenced to three years in prison!
Eleanor nearly fainted on the spot!
This time, she really had no way to explain to Willow's family. It was all that bastard Olivia's fault!
Eleanor's eyes filled with bloodshot hatred.
Coming out of the courtroom, Olivia cried. She hid in the bathroom, sobbing uncontrollably.
These tears were for her lost child.
From now on, she would live well.
Coming out of the bathroom, Nora handed Olivia tissues.
Olivia wiped away her tears and said to Nora, "Starting today, I'm going to forget the past and live well."
Nora nodded.
Nora felt that this time, Olivia had truly moved on.
The two walked to the entrance and ran into Alton. He glanced at Olivia. "You've been crying?"
Olivia was a bit embarrassed. "Yes, thank you, Mr. Bridges."
"Next up is the divorce case?" Alton asked her.
Olivia nodded. "Yes."
The two talked as they slowly walked out of the courthouse.
Nora walked behind them alone. For some reason, at this moment, she really missed Steven.
She wished he were here.
Happiness, joy, sadness, anger - she wanted to share everything with him.
"Nora."
She thought she was hearing things.
Nora felt like someone was calling her.
"Nora."
The voice sounded again.
Nora paused slightly.
She looked up.
In the sunlight, a tall man wore a black shirt. Whether it was his handsome features or his cool demeanor, everything about him was so dazzling she couldn't look away.
It was Steven! He was back!
Nora's heart raced!
Then, with a cry, she rushed over and hugged Steven tightly. "Steven!"
She held him.
He held her, too.
In that moment, warmth bloomed.
Nora felt like all the emptiness in her heart was filled.
This was what missing someone felt like!
She greedily breathed in his scent.
Steven chuckled softly. "Alright, you look like a little puppy right now."
Olivia and Alton were still watching nearby.
Nora felt a bit embarrassed, let him go, and fixed her hair. "We just finished the trial, we won!"
Nora's eyes were bright and shining.
"Should we go back now?" Steven asked her.
"Yes!" Nora looked at Olivia. "Olivia, you should stay at our place for now!"
"Thanks for having me." Olivia smiled.
The three of them were heading back to Riverside Apartment, so they had to part ways with Alton.
Alton glanced at Olivia. "See you next time."
"Mr. Bridges, bye!" Nora waved sweetly.
Her palm suddenly hurt. She looked down - it was Steven, squeezing her hand hard.
"Who said you could smile at him like that?" Steven glared at her a bit jealously.
Nora pouted. "I was just saying bye to Mr. Bridges."
"Don't smile so brightly at other men," Steven instructed coldly.
"Fine!" Nora agreed reluctantly.
The three got in the car.
Steven drove, Nora sat in the passenger seat, and Olivia sat in the back.
Olivia watched them getting along so well and smiled with relief.
When they arrived at Riverside Apartment, Nora helped bring things upstairs. "Olivia, you just got out of the hospital, you should rest at home for a few more days and take care of yourself. Don't cook these days - tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you. And don't touch cold water."
"I know!" Olivia couldn't stand Nora's nagging.
Nora put Olivia's things in the guest bedroom.
Olivia took a phone call, spoke a few words, then said to Nora, "Nora, Tanner asked me - Mom and Dad want to come visit your place and see me too. What do you think?"
Usually, after getting married, parents would come to visit.
Nora went out to ask Steven. He was standing on the balcony, watering her vegetables.
"Steven, my parents want to come see our place."
"Sure." Steven turned and responded.
Nora smiled. Although Steven didn't like the Adams family members, he still showed Nora respect.
If you got married and didn't let your parents visit, that would be rude.
So Nora was happy. "Olivia, send Tanner the location of the Riverside Apartment."
She checked the time - it was past ten in the morning. She could go buy groceries and invite her parents for lunch at home.
"Steven, let's go buy groceries. We'll have my parents over for lunch." Nora went to the balcony to talk to Steven.
Olivia had just been discharged, so Nora let her stay home and rest.
"Don't want to eat out?" Steven asked her.
Having her parents over meant cooking at home would be time-consuming and exhausting.
Most importantly, Nora would be tired.
Having to entertain guests and cook, then clean up afterward - it was really tiring.
"Olivia just got out of the hospital; she should eat light food for a few more days."
Olivia had been hospitalized for 15 days. Although her health had improved, she still needed to take it easy for at least a month - no strenuous activity.
"Alright then." Steven agreed.
The two walked out.
Nora leaned against Steven as they walked, sneakily reaching out to hold his hand.
"Steven, we need to buy a lot of groceries today. Should we go to the supermarket?"
Steven's hand was pulled by hers. He paused, then held her small hand back, a smile on his lips. "Okay."
The two got in the Audi.
Nora gathered her courage and said, "Honey, let's buy some seafood today?"
She'd been wanting to call him honey, holding it in, and now finally said it, feeling relieved.
But her ears turned red.
Because she was really shy.
"What did you call me?" Steven raised an eyebrow, doubting he'd heard correctly.
Nora actually called him honey?
Nora's face was a bit red. "Can't I call you that?"
Steven looked up at her, seeing all the shyness in her eyes.
Steven's seatbelt wasn't fastened yet. He let go, and it retracted. He raised his hand to cup her face. "Say it again."
Nora's face was very red. "I just thought... It's a pet name."
"It is a pet name. Say it again." Steven's gaze deepened.
Nora bit her lip, her voice sweet. "Honey..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Steven pulled her over to sit on his lap.
Nora was startled. "Steven, this is the parking garage."
"Call me honey." Steven looked at her.
Nora lowered her voice. "This is the parking garage."
"So what? We're in the car." Steven chuckled, still staring at her red face.
Nora felt uncomfortable, sitting on his lap while he looked at her teasingly, her face flushed and heart racing.
"Why don't you dare look at me?" Steven looked at her. "We haven't seen each other for three days. Did you miss me?"
Nora bit her lip. "I..."
"Did you miss me?"
"Sort of."
"Just sort of?" He frowned, seeming dissatisfied.
Nora was just shy. Of course, she missed him, but this was her first time having these feelings, and she didn't dare show them too intensely.
She didn't know why either. Maybe she was just conservative at heart.
Too embarrassed to say it out loud.
"I missed you a lot, though." Steven glanced at her.
Nora froze, blinking, as if she couldn't believe it.
Steven said he missed her.
"Really?" She turned her head.
He was looking at her, too.
Face to face, their lips almost touching.
Steven's eyes darkened, his voice husky. "Nora, I want to kiss you."
Nora shyly lowered her head, unable to help smiling.
Then he should just kiss her.
She wasn't stopping him.
Actually, she wanted to kiss him too. They hadn't seen each other for three days, and meeting again felt so sweet.
"Pucker your lips." Steven deliberately teased her.
"What?" Her face flushed, and her heart raced. Couldn't he just kiss her directly? Why did she have to pucker her lips?
Nora felt embarrassed, her fingers pinching the clothes on his shoulder. "Do I have to?"
"Yes, you have to listen to me." Steven pretended to be angry, his eyes becoming dangerous.
Nora obediently puckered her lips.
Looking like she was begging for a kiss.
Steven almost laughed.
She was so cute.
But looking at those pink, tender lips, he couldn't resist the temptation. He cupped her face and kissed her.
The longing in his heart seemed to find its place in an instant. He kissed her, as if pouring all his longing into her, kissing her passionately and tenderly.
Nora felt like Steven was drawing out her entire soul.
He was so good at kissing.
He kissed her until she was dizzy, her body heating up.
Steven kissed into her mouth, tangling with her tongue, the two of them kissing intensely in the car.
His hands also began caressing her body.
Nora startled and came to her senses. Before her eyes were Steven's dark eyes filled with desire.