Chapter 233: Racing Through Heartbreak
Chapter 233: Racing Through Heartbreak
Nora’s POV
I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles bleached white, hot tears turning the highway into a blurry mess of smeared lights and asphalt. The needle edged past eighty as I weaved between lanes, ignoring the pissed-off honks blaring behind me like accusations.
"FUCK YOU, Alexander Claflin!" I screamed, slamming my palm against the wheel so hard it stung. "You self-righteous, martyring ASSHOLE!"
How dare he? How the fuck dare he shove me away like it was some heroic bullshit?
"You think I'm better off without you?" I choked out to the empty car. "When the hell did I beg for that? If I wanted to bail on your sorry ass, I would've signed those divorce papers years ago and never looked back!"
Blue and red lights exploded in my rearview, snapping me back to the present. Shit. I hadn't even clocked the patrol car tailing me.
I eased onto the shoulder, frantically swiping at my tear-streaked face with my sleeve. Perfect. Just the cherry on this shit sundae of a day.
The officer approached slow and steady, a stocky guy with salt-and-pepper hair and eyes that crinkled with unexpected kindness when he clocked my mess of a face.
"License and registration, ma'am," he said, then softened his tone. "You alright?"
I fumbled through my purse, hands trembling like leaves in a storm. "I'm sorry, Officer. I know I was speeding."
"And swerving all over the place," he added, scanning my docs. "You been drinking?"
"No," I sniffled, sounding pathetic even to myself. "Just... one hell of a bad day."
"You're a wreck, ma'am. Driving like this? You're a danger to yourself and everyone else out here."
"I know," I whispered, fresh tears spilling free. "I'm so sorry."
"What's got you this worked up?" His voice shifted from cop-mode to something almost fatherly.
The words tumbled out before I could stop them. "We're getting divorced." They hung there like poison in the air, and regret hit me like a punch. "I mean... he wants it. Not me."
His expression softened even more. He handed back my papers without a ticket. "Look, I'm cutting you a break with a warning. But pull over somewhere safe till you get your head straight—a coffee shop, rest stop, anything but this road. Got it?"
I nodded, gratitude flooding me. "Thank you. I will."
After he left, I slumped against the headrest. My phone buzzed—Karen from the office.
"Nora? Where are you? The Claflin Enterprises team's waiting for the 10 AM. They're all set up in the conference room."
Double shit. The Lunora contract review. I'd blanked on it completely.
"I can't make it," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "Something came up. Reschedule for tomorrow."
I can't face him. Can't sit across that table, pretending I'm not crumbling while he stares at me with those ice-cold eyes.
After hanging up, I pulled into a dingy roadside diner lot and just sat there, staring at nothing, my mind a whirlwind of what-ifs. The phone rang again—Charles.
"How'd it go with Alexander?" he jumped right in.
I let out a bitter laugh. "How do you think? He's dead set. Our marriage is toast."
Silence stretched, then: "I'm sorry, Nora. I know you were fighting tooth and nail for this."
"I tried everything," I whispered, my voice cracking like glass. "But he's convinced he's toxic for me. That I deserve better than his baggage."
Charles sighed, heavy and knowing. "I've been thinking. Aiden and I should fly out to Kingsley City. You shouldn't handle this solo."
The idea of seeing my boy sparked the first real warmth I'd felt all day. "You sure? Your meetings..."
"Can wait. We'll grab the company jet—be there by noon. Which hotel?"
I rattled off the details, a sliver of relief easing the ache in my chest. At least I wouldn't face this nightmare alone.
---
Three hours later, the hotel suite door flew open, and Aiden barreled in like a pint-sized hurricane.
"Mom!" he yelled, launching into my arms with that wild, full-throttle energy only a four-year-old could pull off.
I caught him tight, inhaling his familiar scent—boyish sweat, apple shampoo, and that pure Aiden essence that always grounded me. The knot in my chest loosened just a fraction.
"Hey, buddy," I murmured into his messy dark hair. "Missed you like crazy."
"Missed you too," he said, pulling back to scan my face with those piercing green eyes—mirror images of his dad's. "You've been crying."
Not a question. My kid was sharp as a tack, always had been.
"A little," I admitted, brushing a lock from his forehead. "Grown-up stuff."
Charles stepped in behind him, looking effortlessly handsome in a navy blazer and jeans. "I'll grab the room next door," he said, nodding to the connecting door. "Give you guys some space."
I shot him a thankful glance as he hauled the luggage away. Alone with Aiden, I sank onto the plush sofa, pulling him close.
"Dad made you cry again, didn't he?" he asked, straight-up blunt.
I blinked, caught off guard. "What makes you say that?"
He rolled his eyes like a pro. "Mom, I'm not a baby. Every time you see Dad, you come back all puffy and sad."
A surprised laugh bubbled out of me. "When'd you get so damn smart?"
"Always have been," he said proudly, chest puffed. Then his face turned serious—way too grown-up for four. "If I have to pick, it's you, Mom. Not him."
My heart twisted like a vise. "Aiden, sweetie, you don't have to choose. Your dad loves you more than anything."
"Then why doesn't he love you anymore?" The hurt in his voice shattered me all over again.
"It's complicated," I said softly, fighting back tears. "Sometimes people love each other but still end up hurting."
He mulled it over, brow furrowed like a mini philosopher. "Like when Tommy pushed Sarah on the playground 'cause he likes her?"
I smiled through the ache. "Kinda like that, but grown-up stuff's messier."
"Tell me," he pressed. "The real story about you and Dad."
I hesitated, debating how much truth a kid could handle. But he deserved some piece of it—this chaos was flipping his world upside down too.
"Your dad and I met at a party," I started, toning down the wild nightclub hookup for kid ears. "We butted heads at first. He thought I was too stubborn; I thought he was too bossy."
"But you fell in love," Aiden prompted, eyes wide.
"We did," I whispered, the memory bittersweet. "Deeply. And when we found out about you, we were over the moon."
I swallowed hard, skipping the ugly parts—the accident, the memory wipe, Alexander's cruelty in the fog of amnesia.
"Then Dad had a bad accident," I continued. "It changed things. Sometimes, when people get hurt like that, they push away the ones they love most. They think they're protecting them."
"That's dumb," Aiden declared flatly.
I laughed, real and raw. "Yeah, it really is."
"Is that why he left? 'Cause he got hurt?"
"Partly," I said, my voice catching. "But also because... we lost someone important."
His eyes went huge. "Who?"
The words lodged in my throat. We'd never told him about his twin—the brother he'd never meet. But lying now felt wrong.
"You were supposed to have a twin brother," I said gently. "But in the accident, we lost him."
Aiden froze, processing. "I had a brother?"
"Yes," I whispered, pulling him closer. "And Dad... he blames himself. Thinks staying away keeps us safe from more hurt."
"But that's just making it worse," he said, his simple kid logic slicing through the bullshit.
I hugged him tight, kissing his head. "Adults complicate everything, huh?"
---
"This place is awesome!" Aiden gushed as we trailed the maître d' through the swanky restaurant that evening.
The Opal & Oak was Kingsley City's hottest spot—towering ceilings, crystal chandeliers dripping old-money vibe. My usual scene, and Aiden was buzzing over the "fancy" setup.
"Second floor, VIP," Charles told the hostess, who flashed a smile and led us up the grand staircase.
At the top, I froze solid. There, across the elegant room at a corner table with Jason, sat Alexander.
You've got to be fucking kidding me.
Of every damn restaurant in this city, we land in the same one as my soon-to-be ex?
"Mom?" Aiden tugged my sleeve, tracing my stare. His eyes popped wide. "Is that Dad?"