Chapter 3 - Nico Found the Life Norah Had Hidden From HimThe woman's name was Clara.
Norah's cousin.
She finally agreed to meet Nico.
She sat across from him in a small restaurant.
“You look terrible.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
Nico almost smiled.
“You're not afraid of me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Norah taught me not to be.”
That sentence hurt.
“What did she tell you?”
“That you weren't always like this.”
Nico looked down.
“She talked about me?”
“Every day.”
Hope flashed.
“Where is she?”
Clara shook her head.
“Don't.”
“I need to know.”
“She doesn't want you to.”
“Then why send my ring?”
“Because she wanted to say goodbye.”
Nico's chest tightened.
“She's leaving the country?”
“No.”
“Then where?”
Clara hesitated.
“Michigan.”
“Why?”
“She inherited a house.”
“What?”
“Her mother left it to her.”
Nico stared.
“Her mother is dead?”
“Yes.”
He sat back.
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
He closed his eyes.
Norah's mother had died while they were together.
And he hadn't known.
“How?”
“Cancer.”
Nico couldn't breathe.
He remembered that month.
Norah had been quiet.
He had assumed she was angry because he missed dinner.
She had been grieving.
He had never noticed.
Clara looked at him.
“You didn't deserve her.”
“I know.”
“But she loved you.”
He swallowed.
“Does she still?”
Clara shook her head.
“I don't know.”
She finally gave him an address.
A small lake house.
Nico drove there.
He stopped outside.
No guards.
No gates.
No cameras.
Just a simple white house beneath tall trees.
Norah was sitting on the porch.
She saw him.
She did not stand.
He approached slowly.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
She looked healthy.
Calmer.
More herself.
Nico's throat tightened.
“You look good.”
“I am.”
“I've been looking everywhere.”
“I know.”
“I wanted to apologize.”
“You don't have to.”
“I do.”
She looked at him.
“You told me how you felt.”
“I lied.”
“Maybe.”
“No.”
He sat on the step below her.
“I didn't care that you left.”
Norah stared.
He forced himself to continue.
“I cared the second the door closed.”
She looked away.
“I didn't know how to say it.”
“You always know how to say what you want.”
“Except what matters.”
Silence.
He handed her the wedding ring.
“You left this.”
“I meant for you to have it.”
“Why?”
“So you could remember what you lost.”
He looked at the ring.
“I don't want the marriage if I can't have you.”
She looked at him.
“You don't get to say that now.”
“I know.”
“You had three years.”
“I know.”
“You could have chosen me.”
“I know.”
“You chose silence.”
He nodded.
“I did.”
She stood.
“I can't go back.”
“I know.”
Her eyes softened.
“I believe you.”
He looked up.
“Then what can I do?”
She looked toward the lake.
“Nothing.”
The answer destroyed him.
But she wasn't being cruel.
She was being honest.
He returned to Chicago alone.
The men noticed.
No one asked.
Arthur was the only one who said anything.
“You saw her.”
“Yes.”
“She coming back?”
“No.”
Arthur sighed.
“Then it's time to change.”
Nico stared.
“Change what?”
May you like
“You.”
For the first time, Nico didn't argue.
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