Ch. 282: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 282

Chapter 282

"Hey." Kevin sat still, his gaze softening when he heard Norah's voice. Speaking hoarsely into the phone, he said, "I miss you."

For a moment, Norah clutched her phone tightly, unable to respond.

She had almost been kidnapped earlier today. The fear still clung to her, and the thought of a stranger staying next door left her uneasy. She wasn’t sure how safe she was here, but talking to Kevin was a welcome distraction.

Unable to hold back, she asked, "Where are you?"

Kevin glanced outside, where the sound of shouted commands echoed loudly. He got up and closed the window tightly before replying, "I'm out of town."

"You're out of town?" Norah echoed, recalling the day they had parted. Kevin had been busy rushing off to something important, but she hadn’t realized he’d gone out of town.

"Yeah, something came up," he replied vaguely.

Kevin didn’t elaborate—he didn’t want to overthink things or make her worry.

He shifted the focus back to her. "How are you doing?"

Kevin had always cared about Norah, especially knowing she often skipped meals or neglected herself.

"I'm fine," Norah replied after a pause, though her voice betrayed a hint of unease.

Kevin wished she would say more, but even hearing her voice was enough to soothe him.

Glancing at the time, he asked, "Are you going to sleep soon?"

"Yes," Norah answered softly.

Not wanting to disturb her further, Kevin said, "Alright then, rest well. I’ll let you go."

"When are you coming back?" Norah asked before he could hang up.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Kevin's lips. "The day after tomorrow."

Norah continued, "What about the interview? I'll handle it when you’re back."

She was referring to work.

Kevin couldn’t help but think she might also want him to return sooner, but her tone was all business as usual. That was just like her—practical and reserved.

Even so, Kevin couldn’t bring himself to be upset. In a low voice, he reassured her, "Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you finish everything on time."

Norah held the phone tightly, her anxiety lingering. For some reason, she felt particularly vulnerable tonight. But in this fleeting moment, Kevin’s voice offered her a fragile sense of security.

When she stayed silent, Kevin noticed something was off. "Is there something you’re not telling me?" he asked.

Norah hesitated before answering, "No, I’m just tired. I’ll hang up now."

She didn’t tell him about the near-kidnapping. It wasn’t something she wanted to share, and she didn’t want to lean on him too much.

Sometimes, she reminded herself, it was better to let go.

After the call ended, Kevin stared at his phone for a moment, sensing something wasn’t right. Then he set it aside, deep in thought.

Norah, meanwhile, turned on every light in her room. The dark felt suffocating tonight, and she couldn’t stand it.

She had been better before—at worst, she only disliked cramped spaces. But tonight was different. She was still shaken from the day’s events and couldn’t bear the thought of a dark room.

She lay in bed, tossing and turning for what felt like hours. Just as she began to drift off, the doorbell rang, startling her.

Her heart raced as the bell rang twice, each chime tightening the knot of fear in her chest.

She opened her bedroom door cautiously and stared toward the front door. If someone was there, they’d knock next.

At that moment, her phone buzzed.

She grabbed it quickly and saw Gloria’s name flashing on the screen. Relieved, she answered.

"What are you doing? Why aren’t you opening the door?" Gloria asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Realizing it was her friend, Norah felt her tension melt away. She hurried to open the door.

Gloria stood on the threshold, her arms crossed as she studied Norah’s pale face with a puzzled expression. "What’s going on, Norah? You’re home—I thought you weren’t."

Gloria came in carrying an armful of items.

Seeing her, Norah looked as if she had just spotted a savior. She immediately hugged Gloria, saying, "I’m so glad you’re here. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep tonight otherwise."

Gloria frowned. "What’s going on? No wonder Kevin called and asked me to check on you. Turns out, something really did happen."

For Kevin to ask her to come over, it clearly wasn’t a trivial matter. Worried, she had come right away.

"He called you?" Norah asked, a little surprised.

Gloria nodded. "Kevin couldn’t come himself, so he asked me to stay with you." She touched Norah’s face gently. "Look at you—your face is pale. You’ve been scared, haven’t you?"

Norah took Gloria’s hand, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "I don’t know who I’ve offended, but I was almost kidnapped today."

"What?" Gloria’s face turned pale with shock. "Why didn’t you tell Kevin? If he knew, he’d handle it for you and track down whoever’s responsible. And why would someone want to kidnap you? Think about it—who might you have upset?"

Norah thought back. Ever since marrying Kevin, she’d made quite a few enemies, both in her personal and professional life. "There are too many possibilities," she admitted. "I’d have to go through them one by one."

"How did you manage to escape?" Gloria asked, her voice still laced with concern.

Norah’s mind immediately went to Jace. She couldn’t figure out whether he was trustworthy or not. "Do you remember Jace?"

"Of course, I do," Gloria replied.

Norah hesitated for a moment before saying, "He saved me."

Gloria’s eyes widened, then her expression softened into a smile. "I knew it. He has a soft spot for you. He cares about you and stepped up when it mattered most."

Norah frowned. "But don’t you think it’s strange? How could it be such a coincidence that he happened to be staying next door to me and just happened to save me?"

She found the timing too suspicious to be mere chance.

Gloria considered her point but said, "Even if it’s odd, he didn’t harm you."

Norah shook her head. "What if it’s all part of a bigger plan to gain my trust?"

"Why would he go to such lengths to deceive you?" Gloria asked, perplexed.

"I don’t know," Norah admitted, her voice heavy with uncertainty. "I just feel like it’s not that simple."

She couldn’t fully let her guard down when it came to Jace.

Noticing Norah spiraling into her thoughts, Gloria quickly redirected her. "You need to eat something. You’re pregnant, remember? Small, frequent meals are important to keep you and the baby healthy. Your belly is already starting to show."

Norah’s gaze dropped to her stomach. She gently ran her hand over it. "You’re right. I can’t let anything happen to the baby."

Her child’s safety was her biggest concern. She wasn’t just responsible for herself anymore—she had to protect the little life growing inside her.

"I’ll stay with you for the next few days," Gloria said firmly. She couldn’t bear to leave Norah alone, especially knowing how vulnerable pregnant women could be.

"Won’t this affect your work?" Norah asked hesitantly.

"Work can wait," Gloria replied without hesitation. "I’m more worried about you. I won’t feel at ease until Kevin gets back."

Norah pursed her lips. "Why did you have to bring him up?"

"Because I’m right," Gloria said bluntly. "If he’d been here, this kidnapping attempt wouldn’t have happened. Whoever’s behind it waited for the perfect moment."

Norah couldn’t argue with that. Gloria had a point.

Things definitely weren’t as simple as they seemed.

Meanwhile, Siena stood outside another door, holding two thermos flasks. Her eyes kept darting inside, scanning for any movement.

When Bianca’s assistant, Cleo, finally stepped out, Siena’s face lit up with a smile. "Cleo! How’s Bianca doing? The last time she left my place without saying a word, I was so worried. I’ve been calling her for days, but she hasn’t answered. Is she alright?"