Chapter 9

Norah passed out before she could question why Sheldon had come to save her. When she woke up again, she was in the hospital. Blinking against the dryness in her eyes, she shifted her gaze from the stark white ceiling to the man seated by her bedside. After several glances to ensure she wasn't mistaken, Norah still found it hard to believe that Sheldon was the only one by her side. She hid her surprise and asked calmly, "Aren't you going to check on Isabella?" "I already did. Everyone's with her. Antonio's there too." Sheldon watched her closely, expecting a reaction to Antonio's name. However, Norah's expression remained unchanged. She said dismissively, "Then you should head back. I prefer some quiet." When Sheldon didn't move, she glanced at him in puzzlement. "Is there something else?" "Don't marry Antonio." He hesitated for a long while as though searching for the right words, but once the words were out, he couldn't stop. "He doesn't care about you. He only got close to you to make room for Isabella." As the secret he had been carrying spilled out, Sheldon felt a strange sense of relief. Yet, when he looked at Norah, he noticed her calm demeanor hadn't shifted in the slightest. It was as if she had already known about it. The realization struck him. "You knew all along?" Norah didn't answer and merely repeated, "If there's nothing else, please leave." Instead of leaving, Sheldon snapped in frustration, "You know the truth, yet you're still marrying him? Have you lost your mind?" Norah chuckled softly. "What does it matter to you? I've already broken off our engagement and returned you to your precious Isabella, haven't I?" Her words left Sheldon speechless. He didn't understand why he felt this way either. He should have been happy, but every time he looked at Isabella, he would think of Norah. Even in his dreams, it was her he saw. After a moment of silence, the door swung open, and Antonio stepped inside. His expression darkened as soon as he saw Sheldon. "What are you doing here?" Now that Antonio was here, the topic had to be dropped. Sheldon cast Norah a long, searching glance before turning to leave. Meanwhile, Antonio hurried to Norah's side and pulled her into an embrace. "Norah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you behind. I mistook Isabella for you. Please don't be mad at me. I swear, I won't go near her again. "Just promise me you won't see Sheldon anymore, okay? You've finally stopped liking him and agreed to be with me. If you go back to him now, I'll lose my mind." As Antonio continued his string of apologies, Norah remained impassive. She said nothing, but as she closed her eyes, a single thought echoed in her mind—let this all be over soon. In the days that followed, Antonio made a show of his commitment. He stopped visiting Isabella entirely and avoided any news about her. He devoted his attention solely to Norah, showered her with gifts and affection, and did everything he could to please her. This continued until the night before their wedding. That evening, Norah began packing her things without explanation. Antonio didn't think much of it and even took the initiative to help her. It wasn't until he started sorting through the items that he realized she was packing everything he had ever given her when he had been trying to win her over. There were the hundreds of photos he had taken of her, the countless love letters he had written, and the gifts he had bought for her.