NORA’S POV
I walked back from the clinic, my body tired but my mind was restless.
The evening air was cool against my skin, and the palace gardens stretched out before me, shining in the soft glow of the setting sun.
I should have felt at peace, because I had done the right thing.
I had pushed Lucian away, protected myself, and focused on my work.
So why did I feel so empty?
I told myself it was for the best.
Greta.
Lily.
The age gap.
His reputation.
All the reasons I had listed to him in that hallway echoed in my head like a drumbeat.
I was doing the right thing.
I had to be strong.
I had to stop thinking about the way his silver-gray eyes had looked at me, the way his voice had cracked when he told me I was not a joke to him.
I shook my head and kept walking, with my head held high, trying to believe my own words.
But then I saw him.
Lord Harry was walking toward me, with a bouquet of red roses in his hand, and his face split into that same charming smile he had worn in the gardens before.
My stomach turned with disgust, but I kept walking, pretending I had not seen him.
“Nora!
Nora, wait!”
I ignored him, but he hurried to catch up, stepping into my path and blocking my way with the roses extended toward me like some kind of peace offering.
“Please, Nora,” he said, his voice smooth and pleading.
“I have been trying to reach you for days, but you have been avoiding my calls, and turning down our meetings.
I just want to talk.”
I stopped and looked at him, and asked calmly, but in a cold manner.
“What do you want, Lord Harry?”
He smiled brightly, and held out the roses.
“I wanted to see you.
I missed you.”
I stared at the roses, then back at his face, and a bitter laugh escaped my lips.
“Do you think I am a joke?” I asked in disbelief.
His smile faltered, as he stammered, “What?
Of course not.
Why would you ask that?”
I laughed again, the sound hollow and sharp in my ears, and took a step closer to him.
“Let me ask you something, Lord Harry.
When you walked through the gardens with me, when you smiled at me, when you told me how much you enjoyed my company — were you actually thinking about what a good position this would get you?
Were you imagining yourself sitting on the council, thanks to the Luna Dowager’s favor?”
His face went pale, and tried to look away.
“Nora, I do not know what you are talking about—”
“Don’t,” I cut him off sharply, raising my hand.
“Don’t you dare lie to me.
I know I am not the regular beauty you see every day.
I know I am not thin or young or whatever it is you prefer.
I have heard the whispers.
I have seen the looks.
I have been mocked my whole life for my size.
So don’t stand there and pretend you were ever genuinely interested in me.”
He opened his mouth to deny it, his face flushed with panic.
“Nora, that is not true.
I would never—”
“Would never what?” I said, stepping closer, and my voice rising angrily, “Would never laugh at me behind my back?
Would never call me overweight with your friends?
Would never joke about having to force yourself to be nice to me?
I heard everything, Lord Harry.
Everything.”
He stumbled back, his composure cracking, and asked in feigned anger.
“Who told you?
Who had been spreading lies about me?”
I laughed bitterly.
“Lies?
You think I need someone to spread lies about you?
You think the truth doesn’t have a way of coming out?
You were using me.
You were using me to get closer to Greta.
And the worst part is, you thought I was too stupid to figure it out.”
“Look, I do not know what you think you heard—”
“I heard enough,” I said flatly. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
“I heard that you called me a joke.
I heard that you said you had to force yourself to smile.
I heard that you laughed at my weight with your friends.
And then you had the nerve to show up here with roses?”
He was silent for a long moment, his face pale and his hands shaking.
“Nora, please, let me explain.
It was not like that.
I was just—”
“Just what?
Trying to use me?”
“No.
I was trying to…
I was nervous.
I did not know how to handle my feelings, so I said things I did not mean to impress the other lords.”
I stared at him in shock, with my heart pounding in my chest.
“So now you are blaming your cruelty on nerves?” I scoffed.
“I am not blaming anyone!
I’m just—”
“Get out of my sight,””I said quietly, my voice steady.
“If you want something from Greta, find another way.
But stay away from me.”
Then I turned and walked away, with my hands shaking, my heart racing.
I did not look back, because I did not want to see his face.
I reached my chambers, closed the door, and leaned against it, letting out a long breath.
My hands were still shaking.
I hated that he could still affect me like this, even after everything.
I hated that their words still had the power to sting.
Then my phone buzzed on the table.
I picked it up and saw Tessa’s name flashing on the screen.
I answered, with a tired voice.
“Hey.”
“Nora!” Tessa’s voice was warm and excited.
“How are you?
I have been thinking about you.”
I sighed heavily, and sank onto the bed.
“It has been a long day, Tessa.
A really long day.”
“What happened?
Tell me everything.”
I told her everything.
Lucian’s warning.
The cruel words of the lords.
Lord Harry’s pathetic attempt to win me back with roses.
The confrontation in the garden.
The way he had tried to lie and make excuses.
Tessa was silent for a moment, then she exploded.
“I would have broken his head!
How dare he show his face to you after what he said?
How dare he bring you roses like he did not just mock you behind your back?
The audacity of that man!”
I laughed weakly.
“I know.
I could not believe it either.”
“And he had the nerve to deny it?
To act confused?
Oh, I would have torn him a new one.
I would have—”
“Tessa, calm down,” I said, laughing despite myself.
“He is not worth your anger.”
“He is not worth your tears either,” Tessa said firmly.
“Are you okay?
I mean, really okay?”
I paused, trying to find the right words, and said finally, “I am trying to be.
I am used to the mockery, Tessa.
I have heard it all before.
It still stings.
It does not matter how many times I tell myself I don’t care, it still gets under my skin.”
“Nora, listen to me,” Tessa said, her voice gentle but firm.
“You are beautiful.
You are beautiful, and you are strong, and you are worth more than all of them combined.
Don’t ever forget that.
Those lords are pathetic, insecure little men who need to tear others down to feel big.
They are not worth your time.
They are not worth your tears.”
I felt a lump form in my throat.
“Thank you, Tessa.
I needed to hear that.”
“Always,” she said.
Then her voice shifted, and I could imagine her teasing grin through the phone.
“So, tell me something else.
This Lucian…
he defended you.
He told you the truth.
And he is young and handsome, isn’t he?”
I groaned.
“Tessa, don’t start.”
“Start what?” she said innocently.
“I am just saying, if you are going to have your heart broken by a man, at least it’s by a young, handsome Alpha who actually tells you the truth instead of a snake like Lord Harry.”
I laughed bitterly, and lied effortlessly, “Lucian is not my type.”
“Oh, really?” Tessa teased.
“Then why are you blushing right now?
I can practically hear it through the phone.”
“I am not blushing!”
“You are.
And you know what?
I bet he has got that whole intense Alpha thing going on.
Tall, broad shoulders, smoldering eyes…” She sighed dramatically.
“And you are telling me you never thought about what it would be like to be handled by someone like that, again?”
“Tessa!” I shrieked, my face burning.
“One time is unbearable enough.
You are impossible!”
“I am just saying,” she said, laughing.
“A woman has needs.
And I am sure he would be very… thorough, like before.”
I threw a pillow at the wall, even though she could not see me and cried, despite myself.
“I hate you.”
“You love me,” she said casually, oblivious of my discomfort.
“But seriously, Nora, I am not telling you to do anything stupid.
Greta is my friend too, and I know how complicated this is.
But I am telling you that if I were in your shoes, with a man like that looking at me the way he looks at you… I would be very tempted.”
I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling.
“You are hopeless.”
” I am honest,” she said.
“That is what you love about me.
Now, are you going to be okay?”
I took a deep breath and shrugged my shoulders lightly.
“I will be.
Eventually.”
“Good.
Call me if you need to talk.
And Nora…
don’t forget to eat.
You look terrible when you don’t eat.”
I laughed.
“Goodnight, Tessa.”
“Goodnight, Nora.”
I hung up and lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
I tried to convince myself that I had made the right choice.
I had pushed Lucian away.
I had confronted Lord Harry.
I was doing everything I could to protect myself.
But as I closed my eyes, all I could see was Lucian’s face.
And I knew I was lying to myself.