LOGINNora's POV The food arrived and the conversation gradually shifted into something lighter, the weight of the day dissolving slowly between bites and easy laughter.Norman told me about a call with his engineering team that had gone spectacularly wrong, two senior engineers spending nearly twenty minutes arguing passionately over a complex software issue that turned out to have the simplest possible explanation."Someone had forgotten to plug the server in and the power cable was sitting on the floor the entire time."I stared at him. "Please tell me you're exaggerating.""I genuinely wish I were. Twenty minutes of sophisticated technical debate and someone finally walked over and looked down.""Norman." I pressed my hand to my mouth. "You employ geniuses.""I do," he agreed. "Brilliant, accomplished, occasionally completely useless geniuses."I laughed properly at that, the kind that made my shoulders shake, and he watched me laugh like he was enjoying the view considerably more than
Nora's POV The shopping spree with Patricia lasted three hours and resulted in far more clothes than I'd planned to buy, mostly because Patricia had an opinion about everything.By the time we were done, I had evening gowns, day dresses, two pairs of heels I was genuinely afraid of, and enough lingerie to make me blush just looking at the shopping bags."Norman is going to lose his mind," Patricia said with deep satisfaction as we loaded everything into the car.I laughed. "That was clearly the goal."She winked. "Oh, it absolutely was. Every single item was chosen with maximum destruction in mind."I shook my head, still smiling. "Thank you so much, Patricia. I genuinely had fun today. More than I expected.""My pleasure, sweetheart." She squeezed my arm. "Just wait until Norman sees everything. The man won't know what hit him."The driver dropped me back at Lennox Global at four instead of taking me home, and I slipped back upstairs before anyone could talk me out of it.I told my
Nora's POVIt was already lunchtime and I still had so much work on my table.The deeper I dug into the company's record systems, the more loopholes I found, gaps that should have been impossible to miss for years and somehow nobody had. I sat there shaking my head, genuinely baffled at how this level of negligence had gone unnoticed for so long.A knock interrupted my thoughts."It's lunchtime, Ms. Lennox," Marissa said, stepping in. "Mr. Adams made a reservation at Le Fontaine for you.""I'm not hungry," I said, not looking up from the screen. "I have far too much to get through, Marissa. These numbers don't add up and I want to understand why before I leave this desk.""Mr. Adams left very strict instructions," Marissa said, unmoved, arms folded.“You're not going to skip lunch for any reason. Those were his exact words, and I quote, even if she fights you on it, and Patricia is already there waiting for you."I leaned back in my chair, genuinely caught somewhere between amusement
Nora's POVBy the time we pulled up outside the Lennox Global building, there was already a crowd gathered near the entrance, the media clustered in tight knots, cameras raised, necks craning toward the car the moment it slowed."Lennox's new CEO is here!""Mrs. Adams! Mrs. Adams, can we get a statement!""Is it true you faked your own death? Genevieve, look this way please!"I stared out the window, momentarily frozen, my pulse picking up despite myself. "Who are all these people? Why are they congregating like this?""Don't worry, Mrs. Adams," Marissa said smoothly, already gathering her folio and reaching for the door handle. "This is exactly what I prepared you for this morning. I'll handle it."She stepped out first, opened an umbrella despite the clear morning sky, purely as a shield against the wall of cameras, and guided me toward the entrance."Ms. Lennox will not be taking questions this morning," she announced firmly to the cluster of reporters pressing closer. "A formal s
Nora's POV We came straight home after the gala, the four of us, still buzzing with adrenaline from the nightPatricia pulled me into a tight hug the moment we walked through the door."I'm so proud of you," she said. "Girl, you did that. The way you spoke to both of them, the slap, the divorce papers, all of it. I felt like I was watching a movie.""You were terrifying," Marcus added, grinning. "In the best possible way."Norman wrapped an arm around my waist. "I need everyone to understand something. She over delivered tonight. I am going to be spoiling this woman everyday because she deserves nothing less” "Speaking of delivering," Marcus said, glancing at Norman, "I had no idea you could throw a punch like that. I genuinely thought you were going to kill the man before those bouncers got involved.”"Fifteen years of built up anger has to go somewhere," Norman said simply."Do you think he'll comply?" I asked, settling onto the couch. "Twenty four hours feels ambitious.""Trust
Nora's POV Dennis's earlier bravado collapsed entirely the moment he registered the weight of what I'd just said."The cameras," he said quickly, glancing around at the dozens of phones already raised throughout the room.“Everyone is watching, Nora…I mean Genevieve, we can't do this here. For the sake of everything we once had together, please, let's step outside and talk privately."Nadia rounded on him immediately."What is wrong with you?" she snapped. "Why have you suddenly turned into a coward over an empty threat?" She turned back to me, chin lifted defiantly. "I dare you, Nora, or Genevieve, or whatever you're calling yourself tonight. Do your absolute worst. You can't do more damage than a dead rat scratching at a locked door. We both know you're just blabbing to save face in front of all these people.""You called us fraudsters," she continued, emboldened. "Where exactly is your evidence? Show it, or sit down and let the adults finish this conversation."Norman smiled and
Nora 's POV Dennis didn’t even wait for me to process what was happening.“You heard her,” he said flatly, his voice leaving no room for argument. “Go do it.”I stood there frozen, staring at him, waiting for even a flicker of hesitation, but there was nothing.Nadia leaned into him dramatically,
Nora 's POV “No,” I said, wiping at my tears with trembling fingers. “No… this is insane.”An hysterical laugh burst out of me, tears rolling down my cheeks as I shook my head.“This is a prank, right?” I looked from Dennis to Nadia, desperately searching their faces.I swallowed hard, my chest r
Nora 's POV For a second, I just stared at him, then I laughed not because it was funny, but because it had to be a lie.“Stop playing,” I said sharply. “There is no way you’re a CEO of Monarch Technology”His brow lifted.“That company is worth trillions,” I continued, my voice rising slightly. “
Nora 's POV Never in my life did I think I would wake up to the realization that someone had thrown me off a six-story building… and I was still somehow alive.Sharp pain slammed into me the moment I opened my eyes, and I winced instantly, squeezing them shut again.“Okay… nope,” I whispered weakl







