Chapter 264

“And another thing-when I realized I didn’t have my phone, I was going back to the lounge to get help—”
“Nora, you’re lying. You never went back to the lounge,” Mrs. Quinn snapped, her eyes rimmed red, brimming with a mother’s pain for her daughter.
As soon as Eleanor spoke, everyone laid the blame squarely on Nora’s shoulders.
“You did this on purpose. You wanted to ruin Eleanor.”
“I Nora tried to explain-she’d been caught up herself at the time.
But no one gave her a chance to speak.
Daniel’s expression was ice cold. His gaze flicked to Louis, who still had a steadying hand on Nora’s shoulder.
“So your so-called attempt to get help was that just running to Louis?”
He didn’t believe her.
Nora opened her mouth, but her throat felt tight, words sticking unspoken. Daniel actually thought that of her…
“Daniel, she—” Louis couldn’t stand it anymore and tried to defend Nora. “Enough.” Daniel cut him off sharply, unwilling to hear another word. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on
He squeezed Hans’s shoulder. “Take Eleanor to the hospital.”
Hans nodded and, without hesitation, swept Eleanor up in his arms and left.
Daniel followed after, never sparing Nora a glance.
“Daniel, I didn’t Nora hurried to catch up, trying one last time to explain.
Daniel didn’t slow down.
Mrs. Quinn spat, “Nora, you vile girl, if anything happens to Eleanor, I swear I’ll never forgive you.”
Mrs. Chambers looked at her with the same scorn, her voice dripping with contempt. “You really are disgusting, Nora.”
One by one, everyone left.
No one stayed to listen to Nora.
They’d decided-Nora had stood by and done nothing.
It was all her fault.
Nora stood there in a daze, eyes stinging with tears.
“Nora.” Louis’s voice was gentle, full of concern. “Let’s go ask the manager for the security footage.”
There were cameras in the hallway; once they saw the footage, the truth would come out.
“No need.” Nora’s voice was tired, utterly depleted.
In Daniel’s mind, Eleanor was pure and blameless-the kindest, sweetest soul in the world.
And Nora? She might as well be the very definition of deceit.
Even if the footage cleared her name, it wouldn’t change the way Daniel saw her.
“Sorry, Louis. I ruined your dinner.”
She apologized, her tone empty.
Only she knew the pain twisting inside her.
Louis brushed a gentle hand through her hair. “Let me take you home.”
Nora glanced at the rowdy, drunken men still sprawled on the floor nearby. “Let’s call the police first.”
Once the officers arrived and hauled the men away, Nora finally left with Louis. She didn’t go home.
Instead, she asked Louis to drive her to the hospital.
She had something to discuss with Hans.
At the hospital, she checked with the nurse, then made her way to Eleanor’s room.
She’d barely stepped inside before Eleanor spotted her.
Eleanor’s reaction was instant and hysterical-she started screaming, frantic and
wild. “Get out! Get out! I don’t want to see her!”
Daniel stormed out, face thunderous, and yanked Nora into the hallway.
“What are you doing here?”
Nora shook off his grip, her expression blank. “I need to speak to Hans.”
“What for?”
He sounded impatient, irritated.
Nora replied, “It’s about Una.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed sharply. “Isn’t Una in Quamk?”
Nora gave a cold, bitter laugh. “Daniel, doesn’t it bother your conscience to help Hans lie?”
He knew perfectly well Una wasn’t in Quamk. Hans was hiding her somewhere. She didn’t know why Daniel was helping Hans, but it all came down to one thing: making sure Eleanor could marry Hans without complications.
“Truly, Daniel. You’re such a good brother.”
“For Eleanor, it wasn’t enough to ruin me you’re willing to throw Una under the bus, too.”