Chapter 287

Gloria furrowed her brows and spoke firmly, her tone sharp yet steady. “Are you letting fear cloud your judgment? What do you mean, ‘too weak’? You’re not a soldier. You’re not trained in combat. You’re a pregnant woman, Norah. Stop blaming yourself for something that’s entirely out of your control! The real criminals are still out there, and blaming yourself won’t solve a damn thing.”

Norah’s guilt gnawed at her. She hated feeling helpless, hated that her weakness had put others at risk. She couldn’t help but replay everything in her mind—the danger, the kidnappers, their relentless thirst for her life.

Gloria softened her voice but kept her resolve. “Listen, Norah, no matter how much you beat yourself up, you can’t change the fact that someone tried to hurt you. You can’t prevent every threat, no matter how strong you think you should be. These people need to be stopped, and they will be. But you can’t carry this weight on your shoulders alone. Kevin would never let that happen.”

Norah, trembling, leaned into Gloria’s embrace. Her voice wavered. “I’m scared, Gloria. This wasn’t just some random kidnapping. It felt… calculated. I don’t think I can fight them. I’m not strong enough.”

The darkness of the trunk flashed in her mind—the suffocating fear, the weight of impending doom.

Gloria gently stroked her back, her voice a soothing balm. “You don’t have to do this alone. I’ll be with you every step of the way. We’ll face this together. You’re not as alone as you think.”