Ch. 204: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 204
Chapter 204
From a distance, Norah's soft voice called out, "Kevin." She stood there, looking composed but slightly worn, with Gloria at her side. Gloria, concerned for Norah’s safety, had insisted on accompanying her to the hospital.
Kevin froze at the sound of her voice. Turning swiftly, he saw her—alive and standing. Relief and joy surged through him, emotions he hadn’t allowed himself to fully feel until that moment. Without hesitation, he walked briskly to her and pulled her into a tight embrace.
The hug was almost overwhelming for Norah. She didn’t expect this reaction, and as Kevin's arms tightened around her, she found herself momentarily breathless.
Kevin’s voice broke, soft and hoarse, as though he was afraid speaking too loudly might cause her to vanish. “Where did you go? Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
The scene stunned everyone nearby. Norah wasn’t just a secretary. For Kevin to hold her this way, with such protectiveness and care, it was clear that she meant far more to him. Even Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins exchanged surprised glances. Tessa, who had long suspected Norah's deeper connection to Kevin, felt her assumptions finally confirmed.
Norah hesitated briefly before gently pushing Kevin back, slipping from his embrace with a calm smile. “I’m fine. I was rescued by fishermen and brought here. I didn’t have any way to contact anyone, so I asked the nurse to call Gloria. It’s nothing serious—I’m fine now.”
Her tone was composed, almost dismissive, as if the events of the past hours hadn’t shaken her. But Kevin wasn’t fooled. Her serene demeanor only deepened his guilt. He wished she would yell at him, blame him—anything but this calm indifference that tore at his heart.
Kevin opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Norah pressed a finger to his lips. “It’s okay,” she whispered with a soft smile. “I know everything, and I’m fine. Really.”
Her words silenced him, but they didn’t ease the knot in his chest. He could see it in her eyes—there were things left unsaid, and the thought of losing her again was unbearable.
Tessa approached hesitantly, wiping the last of her tears. “Ms. White,” she said softly, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Norah gave her a warm smile. “Thank you, Tessa. I’m fine now.”
The moment of calm was shattered by Mrs. Jenkins’s voice cutting through the air like a knife. Her eyes locked on Norah with unrestrained fury. “You’re Norah, aren’t you? You’re the one who hurt my daughter! How dare you show your face here! My Jamie is lying unconscious in that hospital bed because of you!”
Before Norah could respond, Gloria stepped forward, her voice sharp. “Didn’t you hear her? She fell into the sea too. Your daughter isn’t the only victim here! Stop accusing her without proof!”
Mrs. Jenkins, undeterred, shot back angrily, “How could my Jamie hurt anyone? She’s the one lying on the hospital bed, fighting for her life! That woman is standing here, perfectly fine—do you think I’m stupid enough to believe she’s a victim? She’s lying to cover up her crime!”
Gloria’s patience snapped. “You’re being ridiculous! Call the police if you want, but stop this baseless slander!”
Mrs. Jenkins sneered. “Oh, I will. The police will see right through her lies. The surveillance cameras at the dock have been broken for days. Without evidence, there’s no way she can prove her innocence. I’ll make sure she goes to prison for what she did to my daughter!”
Kevin, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his icy gaze fixed on Mrs. Jenkins. His voice was calm but carried a dangerous edge. “You think you can send Norah to prison without evidence? Let me make one thing clear—if you try, the Jenkins family will be bankrupt by morning.”
Mrs. Jenkins’s face twisted in fury, but before she could retort, Mr. Jenkins stepped in, his tone equally cold. “The Jenkins family isn’t afraid of your threats, Kevin. We’ve sacrificed enough for this partnership. If you won’t support us in defending our daughter, don’t think for a second we’ll back down!”
Kevin’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a faint, chilling smile. “Let’s see who loses more in this game, Mr. Jenkins.”
As tension mounted between the two families, a voice suddenly called out from the ward. “Miss Jenkins is awake!”
The Jenkinses immediately turned and rushed into the room, leaving Kevin, Norah, and the others behind.
Inside the ward, Jamie lay pale and weak, but her eyes fluttered open. Mrs. Jenkins rushed to her side, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, my daughter! You’re awake! You have no idea how worried we’ve been!”
Jamie’s voice was faint as she looked at her parents. “Mom… Dad… why are you here?”
“How could we not be here?” Mr. Jenkins replied, his stern face softening. “You’ve been through so much. We were worried sick!”
Jamie’s gaze drifted past her parents to the doorway, where Norah stood silently. Her expression hardened as memories of the dock came flooding back. She had tried to push Norah into the sea but had miscalculated, ending up in the water herself. Seeing Norah now—alive, unscathed, and standing—fueled her anger.
“Mom… Dad…” Jamie’s voice quivered, but it wasn’t from weakness. “She pushed me into the sea! She wanted me dead! She tried to kill me, and now she’s pretending to be the victim! You have to make her pay! I never want to see her again!”
Hearing this, Mrs. Jenkins’s protective rage reignited. She turned to Norah with venom in her eyes. “You hear that? My daughter just told the truth! You tried to kill her! I’ll see to it that you rot in prison for this!”
Norah remained calm, her expression unreadable. She met Mrs. Jenkins’s fiery gaze with quiet strength and said evenly, “I’ve already called the police. They’ll be here soon. Let’s see what they find, shall we?”
The room fell silent as everyone waited for the storm that was about to come.