Chapter 17 Pleading for Kalista
Nora got into Mortimer's car, and he escorted her to the shop.
Later, he brought her medication, a new set of clothes, and a midnight snack.
"Thank you." Nora sincerely expressed her gratitude, yet she felt terribly sorry. "I apologize for tonight. You got hurt because of me."
Mortimer's gentle laugh carried through the air. "I've told you, we're friends. No need for formalities. If you keep apologizing, I might just get mad."
"But even between friends, one shouldn't just expect the other's sacrifice," Nora countered.
"How about this? Once you're healed up, you can take me out for a meal as a thank you." Mortimer suggested with a smile.
"Alright." Nora nodded. "You've got wounds too. Put that stuff down and head back to take care of yourself."
Seeing the bruised mess he was in, guilt washed over her for having sent him out to get things for her.
"Okay, I'll get going then," he reassured her, "Call me if you need anything. I'll be there for you no matter what."
"I get it. Just go!" she urged.
Mortimer didn't linger any longer and turned to leave.
However, after he'd walked a fair distance, he discreetly made a call and summoned a bodyguard to keep an eye on the area. He instructed them to watch out for any danger that might befall Nora or to contact him immediately if Isaac showed up to cause trouble.
---
At the hotel.
Shortly after Nora and Mortimer had left, Isaac awoke.
The blow from Mortimer wasn't particularly heavy; Isaac had just been out cold for a few minutes.
As he came to, he found himself alone in the room.
Nora and Mortimer were long gone.
The empty room, coupled with the disarray, cast a shadow over his expression.
"Mortimer, how dare you knock me out with an ashtray and run off with my girl? Just you wait!" he hissed through clenched teeth.
And then there was Nora!
She had actually left with Mortimer!
Even after witnessing Mortimer knock him out, she didn't care to check if he was still alive.
Was being with Mortimer more important to her than his life?
"Nora, don't ever dream of ending up with Mortimer. Even if we divorce, even if I no longer love you, don't you dare think you can have him!" he seethed.
Isaac took a deep breath to quell the rage boiling inside him. He then called Wesley to see if he could find out where Mortimer had taken Nora.
Wesley answered the call.
Before Isaac could even ask, Wesley spoke slyly, "Mr. Porter, I spotted Nora and Mortimer leaving the hotel. I followed them, and they went into Nora's art studio. After Mortimer set Nora down, he picked up a few items for her and then drove off. However, shortly after he left, a man sneaked around near Nora's shop, much like I had been lurking. Judging by his getup, he must've been one of the Radcliffe family's bodyguards."
Isaac squinted his eyes.
Mortimer sure was invested in Nora, having someone watch over her even after he's gone.
Was it to stop me from approaching Nora?
How naive. Did they really think a mere bodyguard could stop me?
Wesley's voice came through the phone again, "Mr. Porter, should we rough up that bodyguard, making it look like we're fending off a thug, then take credit for it in front of Nora to win her gratitude?"
Even though Wesley was also near the hotel, he hadn't followed Isaac inside, unaware of what had transpired between Isaac and Nora.
But Nora had left the hotel in such a mess, surely because of something Isaac had done.
Now that Nora likely had a poor impression of Isaac, he needed to do something that would endear Issac to her.
"I don't need to fish for compliments or her gratitude!" retorted Isaac.
"Mr. Porter, you can drop the act. Do you think I don't know how you feel about Nora?" teased Wesley.
"If you keep waffling, Nora might actually start dating someone else!"
"Do you think you know me better than I do?" replied Isaac coldly.
Wesley sensed danger in his words, shuddered, and quickly backed off, "Sorry, Mr. Porter, I was just spouting nonsense. Don't mind me."
Isaac let out a snort and hung up.
With a stern face, he stood up, ready to go see Nora.
But after a few steps, he halted.
If he went now, they'd surely end up arguing again.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
He dialed Wesley again. "Get a new outfit ready and bring over my disguise mask now."
After hanging up, he took out another phone and called the only number saved in it.
Back in the studio.
After Mortimer had left, Nora didn't immediately attend to her wounds.
She slumped to the ground, her whole figure coiled into itself, arms tightly wrapped around her knees, emitting soft sobs as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
While at the hotel, Isaac hadn't managed to harm her physically.
But if it hadn't been for Mortimer's intervention, Isaac would have never let her be.
In front of Mortimer, he would have trampled her dignity without mercy.
She had loved him humbly for so many years, and in the end, she received nothing but his uncompassionate shame and degradation.
Isaac was just too cruel.
She didn't know how long she cried when her phone suddenly started ringing.
She didn't want to answer, but the ringing persisted nonstop.
After a while, she wiped her tears carelessly and suppressed the sobs. She then grabbed the phone and answered the call.
"Hello?"
A pause on the other end of the line preceded a deep, somewhat familiar, and somewhat strange male voice. "It's me, Steve."
Steve?
Nora blanked for a moment.
After a brief flash, she remembered Steve was the name she had given her new boyfriend.
It was originally to honor the memory of Isaac.
But now, freshly wounded by Isaac, hearing that name made her stomach turn with disgust.
Nora asked, "Steve? What's up calling this late?"
Despite her effort to control it, the quiver in her voice was unmistakable.
Isaac, who had been angry at first, felt his anger fade completely upon hearing her cry.
He asked, "Why aren't you home yet?"
"I lost my keys and can't open the door. I'm going to stay over at the store tonight," Nora explained.
Steve softly said, "Why didn't you reach out to me? Don't you remember you gave me a spare key?"
Nora wore a look of embarrassment. She had indeed forgotten about that.
Right before Steve's call, she had practically erased his existence from her mind.
Also, Steve hadn't come over last night.
"Where are you? I'll come pick you up," Steve offered gently.
Nora sniffled and responded, "No need, I won't go home tonight. You should rest."
Steve insisted, "You don't sound good, and as your boyfriend, I can't just ignore it when you're upset. Tell me where you are; I'm coming to you."
His voice carried a tender allure as if weaving a spell that wrapped her in his gentle charms.
Without thinking, Nora found herself giving away her location.
It wasn't until the phone call ended that she came to her senses.
A bitter chuckle escaped her lips as tears breached her defenses once more.
"If only Isaac were half as tender as Steve," she wished.
Sadly, that was impossible.
Isaac and tenderness were strangers.
No, that's not true. He could be tender.
He had been tender with her once.
Now, his gentleness was reserved solely for Kalista.
His affection was still there; it just wasn't meant for her anymore.
Around thirty minutes had passed when a knock landed on the shop's door.
Nora opened it to find Steve's towering figure looming in the doorway.
His muscular build cast an imposing shadow over her, engulfing her in darkness.
Perhaps the shadows Isaac had cast upon her were too intense; even knowing that the man before her was not Isaac and wouldn't treat her as such, she couldn't help but tremble with fear.
Instinctively, her legs began to retreat backward.
But in the next heartbeat, Steve reached out and pulled her petite frame into an embrace.
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