Chapter 190 Missing Him Every Day
"Put these on quickly, it's cold. Don't catch a cold." Steven sat down beside her and lifted her ankle.
Nora jerked back as if she'd been electrocuted, quickly pulling her foot away. "I can put them on myself."
Her foot was injured, but she wasn't paralyzed.
"It's fine, let me help you." Steven's tone was suggestive as he insisted on helping her.
Nora could only close her eyes and let him do as he pleased. "Just hurry up."
"Okay." Steven pulled the socks up, his warm palms moving across her skin, Nora's breathing became irregular.
Finally, he leaned down, his lips grazed her earlobe as he murmured softly, "Nice figure."
Nora opened her eyes, her face burning hot.
After that, he didn't do anything inappropriate. He helped her put on the hospital gown, buttoning it up one button at a time. "The outfit I just bought you—wear it when you're discharged."
Then he brought over a towel and gently dried her hair.
A while later, someone delivered food. Steven raised the hospital bed and fed her.
Nora couldn't figure him out anymore. He kept saying he wanted a divorce, yet he treated her so well.
Her feelings were complicated as she ate the food Steven fed her, reaching out her small hand to tug at his sleeve.
She wanted to act cute with Steven, to persuade him to drop the divorce.
Although Steven was always so changeable, she still couldn't bear to let him go.
"Steven..." her voice was soft, "do you really want a divorce?"
At the mention of divorce, Steven seemed to instantly sober up. His gentle eyes became cold. "Yes. Is there anything you want from the divorce?"
Nora froze. The words "honey, let's not get divorced, okay?" stuck in her throat, but she couldn't say them.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
So Steven had really decided on the divorce. Even if she tried to sweet-talk him, he didn't want her anymore.
Nora lowered her lashes, hiding the tears in her eyes, her voice muffled. "I don't want anything."
Throughout their marriage, Steven had always given more. They had no shared property or business. There was nothing to divide in a divorce.
Steven touched her cheek. "The house, the car, money—you don't want any of it?"
He would try to meet her requests.
"No need." She had some savings now, and Olivia had rented a place. She could go live with Olivia.
Steven felt strangely conflicted hearing she didn't want anything.
If she took something, he'd have an excuse to see her often in the future.
But if she didn't want anything...
"I'll give you the Riverside Apartment." Steven made his decision.
"No need, I haven't contributed anything." Although she quite liked that apartment, in reality, she'd only been with Steven for just over a month. If Steven wanted to give it to her, she felt too embarrassed to accept. Plus, the apartment was too expensive - she wouldn't feel right keeping it.
"What do you mean you haven't contributed? You cooked for me every day, kept the house spotless, and took such good care of me. Isn't that contributing?" Steven noticed she kept her head down and guessed she was crying. He gently lifted her small face.
She was crying, looking pitiful with tears hanging from the corners of her eyes.
If Steven thought she was so good, why did he still want a divorce?
Why couldn't they just live a good life together, with her taking care of him every day?
Steven gently wiped away the tears from her eyes, his words full of tenderness. "That apartment is yours, and the Audi too. I have other properties. I'll live somewhere else from now on. You're a girl from out of town—life in South City is hard. Having an apartment gives you some security."
She looked like an abandoned puppy. "But that's too much."
"It's fine. If I say you deserve it, you deserve it."
They say divorce shows someone's character. She'd only been with Steven for a few months, yet he wanted to give her so much in the divorce.
Nora thought he was a good person, just that he didn't love her anymore.
"Did you hear me?" Steven looked down at her.
That apartment meant nothing to him, but for Nora, it was a place to call home.
Nora's heart ached. She sniffled. "I still think..."
"Don't think, just listen to me." Steven gazed at her with emotion in his eyes.
Nora looked back at him.
She felt that Steven still had feelings for her. She couldn't help but wrap her arms around his firm waist, boldly trying to kiss him. "Steven..."
Steven didn't refuse, kissing her deeply with all his longing.
"Honey..." Nora, supporting her injured leg, tried to sit on his lap, but Steven held her back. He lowered his eyes and said with restraint, "This goodbye kiss ends here."
Nora froze.
Steven had already stood up and straightened his suit. As if afraid he wouldn't be able to let go, he didn't even look back as he strode away.
Nora felt her heart plummet into an endless abyss.
Steven was gone. From now on, she'd be all alone.
Her eyes stung and swelled.
"Steven..." She still couldn't let him go. She got down from the bed and limped after him.
But there was no one outside.
Nora collapsed on the floor, crying bitterly.
After that day, Steven never appeared again. Olivia had moved out, and Nora lived alone at Riverside Apartment.
She didn't tell anyone Steven wanted a divorce, only saying he was on a business trip.
Nora had never missed someone this much before. She felt like she was going crazy, thinking about him every single day.
After fifteen days, Nora felt she couldn't bear this longing anymore. She missed Steven too much. She simply couldn't forget him.
Nora called Steven.
James answered, telling her, "Mr. York went abroad."
Hearing he'd gone abroad, Nora actually felt relieved.
At least Steven wasn't avoiding her—he was on a business trip. She asked James quietly, "How long has he been gone?"
"Half a month. He went to handle a project there."
Steven used to travel for business often. Nora nodded. "Do you know when he'll be back?"
"Probably another week or two," James answered.
Two weeks later.
Nora was at the company, supervising the property management, installing fire hydrants.
Nora hadn't seen Steven for a whole month now. She'd been living her life well, missing Steven.
Although Steven had said he wanted a divorce, he hadn't actually gone through with it. Nora still wanted to have a good talk with Steven.
Olivia and Willie were already divorced. She was single now.
The company renovation was almost done. Nora came over every day with her laptop, managing her online store while overseeing the renovation progress.
After more than a month, her store's products were pretty much ready. Though she was heartbroken, life had to go on.
Her phone on the desk rang. Nora picked it up.
It was Steven.
Tears welled up in Nora's eyes. He was finally reaching out to her.
"Hello." She gripped the phone, breathing a bit tight.
"Where are you?" Steven asked in a low voice.
"At Harman Tower. I've started working now."
"Do you have time to come out?"
Nora checked the time—two PM. The online store hadn't started promoting yet, so she wasn't busy. "I have time."
"Can we meet?" Steven asked.
"Okay." Nora agreed, then checked her outfit, regretting not wearing a prettier dress when she left home today.
She found her lipstick and added some color to her lips in a small mirror. At least now she didn't look so pale.
Steven arrived quickly, driving a Mercedes Nora hadn't seen before - a bodyguard's car that Steven had borrowed.
After a month apart, Steven was still as handsome and dazzling as ever.
But Steven noticed Nora had lost a lot of weight.
He gazed at her quietly without speaking.
Nora felt like crying.
Not seeing him for a month felt like several years had passed... She took a deep breath and walked over, opening the car door and getting in.
Steven stared at her.
Their eyes met quietly.
Nora didn't know what to say.
Steven didn't speak either, starting the car and driving to the Riverside Apartment.
A very sad foreign song played in the car. Neither of them spoke.
Finally, the song ended, and the journey reached its end...
"Nora." Steven parked the car and turned to look at her.
Nora felt his gaze was very deep. Her heart trembled inexplicably. "What?"
"Go up and get the marriage certificate."
Nora's face went pale.
Get the marriage certificate - that meant going to get divorced?
She looked at Steven in disbelief. She'd waited a month, only for this result. "Are we going to get divorced?"
"Yes, like we agreed before. I just got back from abroad today and thought I'd take care of this while I have time." Steven avoided her gaze.
Nora understood he'd made up his mind.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be so eager to handle this the moment he got back from his business trip.
They were thinking differently.
Steven was determined to divorce.
But she'd been holding onto hope for reconciliation. How ridiculous.
Nora laughed at her own naivety, dragging her heavy steps upstairs to get the marriage certificate.
When she came back, Steven was smoking in the car, his expression no longer indifferent but a bit sad.
Nora had a feeling he didn't want the divorce, but she couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
She could only follow along.
On the way to the courthouse, Steven handed her a document. "Take a look."
"What's this?" Nora turned to ask him.
"The property transfer papers. Sign them."
Nora's face went deathly pale.
He'd even prepared the transfer papers—he really didn't want any connection with her anymore, did he?
Nora clutched her broken heart and took the pen to sign her name.
Steven glanced at it, his brow furrowed deeply.
He could only wait until he finished his business, then come back for her.
For the rest of the drive, Nora didn't look at him, just kept watching the scenery outside the window.
At the courthouse, neither of them spoke as they smoothly completed the divorce registration procedures.
Steven saw her gazing at the sunset and couldn't help reaching out to touch her silky, long hair.
Nora turned to look at him, thinking he was going to say something, but instead he said, "After the cooling-off period, I'll contact you to finalize the divorce."
Nora's body stiffened. She finally gave up completely.
"Okay." The light in her eyes died completely, her heart turning to ice in an instant.
Steven drove her back to the Riverside Apartment.
"Thank you." Nora unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.
"Nora," Steven called out to her.
Nora turned around.
Steven asked her, "Is there anything else you want? You can ask."
Nora smiled miserably and shook her head. "No, I wish you happiness."
Steven looked at her for a long time without speaking.
Nora turned and left.
She opened the door to her home.
This apartment was hers from now on.
She had an apartment now.
But she didn't have a husband anymore.
Nora walked into the guest bedroom in a daze and collapsed on the bed, sleeping for a day and a night.