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.

chair in fatigue. At

Nora was standing outside, patiently waiting for me beyond the gate

and beckoned her. “Do you

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

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

to shut the gate without waiting for her

stopped the gate with one swift motion. She paused, then said

pursued anyone, accepting the eventual end of any relationship stoically. In the three years that I’d spent waiting for Ashton, I knew that despite how much I loved him, I would never fight for

chase after a friendship. Nora was presently entangled

chose to flash a bright smile at her and replied, “There’s no need

with absolute sincerity, however. I did hope that Nora and

Nora, but I hoped

Just as I was about to head into the

she muttered, “Whether you believe me or not, I have to tell you that I was drunk that night at the Imperial Hotel. If I had known that he would have turned out to be so violent, I would never have dreamt of calling you. I never wanted to cause you any harm, not