Ch. 222: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 222

Chapter 222

Norah turned on her heel, ignoring Kevin’s presence. But before she could leave the room, his voice stopped her in her tracks.

“It’ll be ready in ten minutes. Are you that hungry already?” Kevin said, glancing over his shoulder at her.

Norah folded her arms, her tone sharp and unwavering. “I don’t care about your soup. I just want to know when you’re leaving.”

Kevin sighed, turning his attention back to the stove. “Ten minutes.”

Despite her resolve, Norah found herself sitting at the table when Kevin placed the bowl of steaming chicken soup in front of her. He wiped his hands with a towel, his expression calm but determined.

“Come on, give it a try,” he urged, lifting the lid to reveal the rich aroma of the carefully prepared dish.

Norah hesitated. The recipe was clearly tailored for pregnant women, but the sight of Kevin’s earnest effort only deepened her confusion. “You’re acting like you’ve accepted this child,” she said, her tone edged with disbelief.

Kevin’s face darkened for a moment, his hand pausing mid-motion. He carefully served her a portion and slid the bowl across the table. “Eat,” he said quietly, avoiding her eyes.

But Norah didn’t lift her spoon. Her voice was calm but cutting. “You, of all people, boiling chicken soup for me? The same person who wanted me to get rid of this baby? How am I supposed to trust this?”

Kevin’s jaw tightened. “You think I’d hurt you? Or the child?”

“Should I?” she shot back, her gaze unwavering. “You’ve done worse to others. Don’t think I don’t know about the pills you bought for Bianca.”

Kevin’s expression hardened as the tension in the room thickened. “Bianca has nothing to do with this,” he snapped, his voice low but cold.

“Doesn’t she?” Norah’s laugh was bitter. “Kevin, you wanted her, and I gave you the freedom to be with her. What more do you want from me?”

Kevin reached into his pocket and threw two airline tickets onto the table, his voice sharp with frustration. “Freedom? You call this freedom? Booking tickets for me and Bianca was your idea of fulfilling your duty as a wife?”

Norah glanced at the torn tickets but remained calm. “You didn’t go, did you?”

“No, I didn’t,” Kevin snapped, tearing the tickets into smaller pieces and letting them scatter across the table. “Because you’re a coward, Norah. You weren’t fulfilling me; you were running away. That’s all you ever do—run.”

She clenched her fists, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. “You think I’m running away? Look around, Kevin. Look at this tiny apartment, this life I’ve built without you. Does this look like the life of someone who’s running?”

Kevin leaned forward, his voice cutting like a blade. “And where’s the father of your precious child? He hasn’t come for you, has he?”

Norah turned her head away, refusing to answer.

“I knew it,” Kevin continued, his anger simmering just below the surface. “He doesn’t care about you, Norah. But you’re so desperate to keep his child that you’ll sacrifice everything, even yourself.”

“You don’t get to dictate my life anymore,” she said firmly, her voice laced with exhaustion.

Kevin slammed his hand on the table, his tone dropping to a dangerous calm. “You are my wife, Norah. You can’t make these decisions without me.”

“I’ve already made my decision,” she said, her voice as cold as his. “I’m keeping this child, Kevin. Whether you like it or not.”

Kevin’s eyes narrowed, his face hardening. “Don’t push me, Norah. You won’t like what I’m capable of.”

Her breath hitched, but she refused to back down. Tears welled in her eyes, but she lifted her chin defiantly. “This baby is a part of me. You’ll never understand that, Kevin. It’s not just a child; it’s my hope, my future. You can try to take everything from me, but you will not take this baby.”

Kevin’s hardened expression faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of something softer. He called her name, his tone gentler now. “Norah…”

But she wouldn’t let him see her cry. Turning her head to the ceiling to hold back her tears, she whispered, “For you, this baby may mean nothing, but to me, it means everything. I’ve endured enough, Kevin. Let me have this one thing.”

For a brief second, silence filled the room, the weight of unspoken emotions pressing down on them. But even as Kevin softened, Norah knew it wasn’t over. She had drawn her line in the sand, but Kevin was a man who didn’t know how to back down.