When There Is Nothing Left But Love

Death sentence?

I spent the rest of the afternoon chatting with Laurel and Tabitha, then returned to the villa.

I arrived to see Nora in the midst of moving out of the villa next door, much to my astonishment. She’d hired a bunch of professional movers who streamed in and out of the doorway toting boxes of various sizes.

Nora stood just outside the door supervising them, occasionally reminding them to be careful with her things.

I stood rooted to the spot in the yard, watching her. Nora saw me out of the corner of her eye and turned in my direction. Our eyes met, and I could see that hers were swollen and red with crying even at that distance.

What on earth has happened?

I hadn’t much of a clue what had transpired and didn’t suppose it was a suitable time to ask. I smiled at Nora embarrassedly, then stepped into the villa. Ashton was still stuck at Moranta fighting Armond. Cameron had originally extended an invitation to Summer and me to return to K City in the meantime. However, I was busy resenting Armond for having deceived me and in no mood for socializing.

I was vexed but was determined to try and accomplish something.

at the villa, I collapsed onto a chair in

over and peered out of the window. Nora was standing outside, patiently

out to the yard and beckoned her. “Do you

shook her head. She replied glumly, “It’s all right. I came over to return this to you.” Having thus declared, Nora wriggled the bracelet that she was wearing off her arm, then handed it to me. Channing had originally given me a matching set of bracelets. I’d given one to Nora

at the bracelet lying in Nora’s outstretched palm, then looked back at Nora. “This bracelet belonged to your grandmother. If you’re here to ask for it back, I’ll return it to you. There’s no need for you to return anything to me. I gave the bracelet to you in the first place because of the relationship between our families and because I believed that our friendship was genuine. I never thought that anything could ever come between us. I see now that perhaps I was wrong. Even if that’s the case, I don’t want your bracelet. I gave it wholeheartedly

shut the gate

She paused, then said in a trembling voice, “Thank

stoically. In the three years that I’d spent waiting for Ashton, I knew that despite how much I loved him, I would

willing to chase after a friendship. Nora was presently entangled in her own difficulties, and I thought the best course of action would be to retreat and respect whatever decision she

to part ways with me, there was no point dwelling any further. I thus chose to flash a bright smile at her and

always loathed. I now uttered it with absolute sincerity, however. I did hope that Nora and I would

truly goodbye. I would no longer continue journeying through life with Nora, but I hoped that my well-wishes would remain with her when

gate closed with a steely clang. I exhaled, then walked slowly back into my villa. Just as I was about to head into the room to sleep, the doorbell rang a second time. I opened it to see Nora still standing

I have to tell you that I was drunk that night at the Imperial Hotel. If I had known that he would have turned