Chapter 346: Fire Nora

Chapter 346: Fire Nora
[Theodore]

The elevator doors slid open with their familiar soft chime, and Sarah stepped out into the marble lobby like she owned the building. There was something different about her posture—a satisfied set to her shoulders that told me everything I needed to know about what had just happened upstairs with Nora. Despite the chaos, despite the mess this would undoubtedly create, she looked... lighter somehow.

That dangerous satisfaction in her expression made something primal twist in my chest. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?" Her voice cut through the tension, sharp and questioning.

I didn't answer. Couldn't answer. Instead, I started walking, pulling her with me toward the building's exit.

Behind us, I could hear Victoria's heels clicking rapidly against the marble as she tried to follow. But Alex's voice stopped her short.

"Victoria, don't." His tone carried the authority I'd given him to handle situations exactly like this. "Nora's been taken to the hospital. Her nose is injured, and she's having an emotional breakdown. You should go check on her."

The parking lot was empty except for a few executive vehicles scattered across the premium spaces. The late morning sun cast long shadows between the luxury cars, creating pockets of privacy that felt both intimate and exposed. I released Sarah's arm once we were far enough from the building's entrance.

Victoria's black BMW pulled out of the garage just as we reached the center of the lot. Through the tinted windshield, I caught a glimpse of her face—a mask of barely contained fury as her gaze fixed on Sarah. There was something calculating in that stare, something that made my protective instincts flare even hotter.

Sarah was examining her right hand, flexing her fingers with a slight wince. The skin across her knuckles was red and slightly swollen—evidence of the physical confrontation that had just taken place. The sight of her injured hand, knowing she'd put herself and our child at risk, sent a surge of conflicting emotions through me.

"Sarah," I started, my voice rougher than I intended. "Don't you think your behavior was reckless? Look at your belly. How could you dare to get physical with someone in your condition?"

She looked up at me then, those dark eyes flashing with defiance. "If I hadn't done that, I would have been furious. And being furious would be bad for the baby." Her logic was so matter-of-fact, so perfectly Sarah, that it left me momentarily speechless. "Besides, sometimes people need a wake-up call."

"Are you certain it was her?" The question came out sharper than I meant it to, but I needed to know. Needed to understand what had driven her to such drastic action.

Her entire demeanor shifted, the satisfied calm evaporating as fury rekindled in her eyes. "If it wasn't her, then was it me?!" The words exploded from her, raw and painful. "Theodore, use your brain! Who else could have pulled off that elaborate setup?"

I felt my own anger rising, but I forced it down. This wasn't the time to let emotion cloud my judgment. "If you have evidence, I'll handle it through proper channels. But these kinds of accusations require proof—"

"If I had evidence," she interrupted, stepping closer, "why would I give it to you? Do you think that if I had concrete proof, I couldn't handle this myself?"

The question hit me like a physical blow. Of course she could handle it herself. Sarah had never needed anyone to fight her battles, had never relied on others to solve her problems. The assumption that she'd come to me for help rather than handling things her own way revealed just how little I understood about her motivations.

"It's windy out here," I said finally, my voice carefully controlled. "You should go inside and rest."

I turned and walked away before she could respond, before I could say something I'd regret or do something that would prove her right about my supposed weakness. My footsteps echoed off the concrete as I put distance between us, but I could feel her eyes on my back, could sense her confusion at my restraint.

Behind me, I heard one of her security guards approach. "Ms. Sullivan? Should we escort you home?"

I didn't wait to hear her response.

---

My office felt suffocating when I returned, the familiar space somehow smaller and more oppressive than usual. Alex was waiting for me, his expression grim as he looked up from his tablet.

"Sarah's accusations against Nora," he began without preamble. "She claims Nora impersonated her and was responsible for what happened to Wilson's eyes. I have to say, Theodore, the allegation is... disturbing. But Sarah doesn't seem to have any concrete evidence, and technically, Nora is the victim here."

I moved to the window, staring out at the city skyline without really seeing it. The logical part of my brain agreed with Alex's assessment. Without proof, Sarah's claims were just accusations driven by emotion and suspicion. But the part of me that had seen the satisfaction in her eyes, the careful way she'd targeted Nora specifically...

"My recommendation is that you stay out of this," Alex continued. "Let them work it out between themselves."

I was quiet for a long moment, processing everything that had happened, everything I'd felt in that parking lot. Finally, I turned back to him.

"Fire Nora."

Alex blinked, clearly not expecting that response. "Theodore, she's the victim in today's incident. Firing her now would look like—"

"I don't care how it looks." The words came out flat, final. "Contact Mike directly. Have him inform Victoria that Nora's employment is terminated, effective immediately."

"But why?" Alex's confusion was evident. "Without evidence of wrongdoing—"

I cut him off with a gesture. "I can't accept having a woman who looks like Sarah working near me. Whether Nora was born looking like her or had surgery to achieve the resemblance, I don't care. I'd rather never have Sarah than settle for an imitation."