Chapter 54 I Will Explain
A series of ringtones echoed from Isaac's pocket.
Without hesitation, he excused himself and stepped into the restroom.
Abruptly, the ringing ceased.
On Nora's phone, a notification popped up, signaling that the call had been disconnected.
Nora turned deathly pale, a frigid wave swiftly enveloping her, causing uncontrollable tremors.
Now, she was almost certain.
The messages she sent had all gone to the phone in Isaac's pocket.
Meaning that Isaac and Steve were one and the same!
Instinctively, her fists tightened, her breathing quickened, her face ashen.
During this time, she openly shared her lingering feelings and reluctance to let go of Isaac in front of Steve.
She spilled numerous secrets and confessions to Steve.
The person she had trusted wholeheartedly, who made her feel safe, and who housed her longing, was actually Isaac!
Why would Isaac fabricate an identity just to deceive her?
Was it to humiliate her?
To see her humiliated by him and yet still pining for him in secret, did that please him?
The more Nora thought about it, the angrier she became.
She stood up abruptly and marched toward the restroom.
"They sure seem close," Edmund chuckled, covering his mouth and thinking they were off to kindle their romance.
Nora quickly reached the restroom door.
She raised her hand to knock, but the door swung open first.
Isaac's tall frame came into view, casting a massive shadow that enveloped her petite body, oppressive like she could never escape his grasp.
Nora felt as if she couldn't breathe.
Her eyes, bloodshot and filled with rage, glared at him.
Before she could confront him, Isaac spoke in a deep voice, "Let's finish lunch and send Grandpa off. I'll explain."
He sidestepped her and returned to the living room without waiting for a response.
Nora closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath to forcibly suppress the turmoil within.
She made her way back to the living room after Issac.
The meal continued, but Nora ate absentmindedly, the food devoid of flavor on her tongue.
Even when Edmund occasionally spoke to her, she hardly registered a word.
After lunch, Edmund lingered for a while longer to keep her company.
After sitting for over an hour, Edmund got up to bid farewell.
Before he left, he made sure to entrust Isaac to Nora's care.
"Nora, you're hurt, and it's hard for you to get around with that injury. He's partly to blame for this situation as well. So, it's only fair that he takes care of you until you're completely healed. I'll leave him with you to look after you. If he doesn't do as you say or if he dares to mistreat you, just give me a call, and I'll set him straight!"
A warmth surged through Nora's heart, and she nodded lightly, "Thank you, Grandpa."
No matter how Isaac acted, at least Grandpa genuinely cared for her.
Nora wanted to accompany her grandfather downstairs, but he stopped her.
"You shouldn't be wandering around with your injuries. Let Isaac take me downstairs."
Nora's eyes darkened as she looked toward Isaac.
She wanted to go down with Isaac and Grandpa, fearing Isaac might flee.
Sensing Nora's hesitation, Isaac spoke up, "Don't worry, I won't run off. I'll come right back up after seeing Grandpa to his car."
Nora shifted her focus to Edmund, "Then, I won't go down with you, Grandpa. Take care."
Watching Edmund and Isaac step into the elevator, Nora turned and went back to the living room.
She took a seat on the couch, her gaze pinned to the direction of the door.
Her mind was in tumult, yet she seemed unable to think anything through.
She didn't know how to come to terms with the truth.
After confronting Isaac, what was she supposed to do?
Perhaps, after Isaac admitted he was Steve, regardless of his reasons, she wouldn't stay in Aridonia.
She couldn't bear to see him, not till her dying day.
Even though she couldn't let him go completely.
She wouldn't stay to endure his mockery.
Time passed until the door was pushed open.
Nora looked up to find Isaac had returned.
She hadn't locked the door, leaving it ajar so he could walk straight in.
Isaac closed the door and sat down across from her in the living room.
Nora watched him in silence.
Under her gaze, Isaac extracted a cell phone from his pocket and placed it on the table.
Nora's eyes dropped to the phone on the table; she clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and a fleeting flash of red crossed her eyes.
She recognized that cell phone.
It was Steve's phone!
"So, are you admitting you're Steve?" she asked.
Their fists were still clenched, the corners of her mouth twisted into a sarcastic smile, and her eyes clouded with tears.
"Why? Why play these games with me? Does it give you a sense of accomplishment?"
Even as she tried to keep her emotions in check, her voice still trembled uncontrollably, on the edge of breaking down.
Isaac furrowed his brows, a flicker of confusion crossing his face, "Who's Steve? I don't know anyone by that name, and this cell phone isn't mine."
"I accidentally swapped this phone with someone who visited my grandma's place today."
Nora's eyes widened in utter surprise.
This wasn't Isaac's phone?
Did he mix it up at Katie's?
Steve knows Katie; he went to visit her and left his phone behind by mistake—it all made sense.
"Oh yeah, the man is the same one in the video Kalista played at grandma's anniversary party, hugging you," Isaac added casually.
He looked at Nora with a mock smile, "Is Steve a name you came up for him?"
"No!" Nora denied it reflexively.
Admitting it would mean revealing her lingering feelings for him, that she might have even found a stand-in for Isaac, bestowing a similar name!
"And what about his name?" Isaac pressed.
Avoiding his gaze, Nora murmured guiltily, "He chose it himself."
Isaac's lips curled into a sardonic smile at her response, neither confirming nor denying it.
Nora clenched her fists, skeptical, "So, this cell phone isn't yours? You really just got the wrong phone?"
Isaac shrugged nonchalantly, his expression open, "I have no reason to lie to you. If you don't believe me, call my number and see if my phone rings on me. That will tell if I'm lying."
Nora studied him for a few seconds, considering.
He didn't seem to be lying.
And besides, he despised her so much; why would he pretend to be someone else just to date her? Treating her well and caring for her just didn't add up.
But Nora still felt uneasy.
After a brief hesitation, she pulled out her phone and dialed Isaac's number.
No ring came from Isaac.
A while later, the call connected.
A voice came through on the phone.
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