After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

The silence between Arnold and Nora was thick, stretching between them like an invisible wall neither wanted to cross.

It wasn't the comfortable kind of quiet they had once shared, nor was it the cold, sharp silence of an argument. It was something else entirely-heavy, suffocating, filled with unspoken thoughts and lingering regrets.

Nora sat in the car on the return trip, she looked out the window and didn't notice Arnold looking at him thoughtfully.

"I have things to do, I have to leave first in a few minutes." Arnold glanced at his watch, "Til have the driver take you home."

Nora simply nodded, not bothering to ask where he was going. What was the point? She had long stopped expecting answers

from him.

Arnold hesitated for a brief second as if expecting her to say something-maybe a question, maybe a complaint-but she

remained silent.

Taking that as her answer, he turned and walked out, the soft click of the door the only sound breaking the stillness.

As soon as he was gone, Nora let out a slow breath, pressing her fingers against her temples. The silence felt different now. Not heavy, not suffocating-just empty.

Then, her phone rang.

The name flashing on the screen made her brows furrow slightly.

**Vincent.*

Her divorce attorney.

She hesitated for only a moment before answering. "Vincent."

"There's been a development," his voice was direct, professional. "Arnold's side wants to revise the divorce agreement. They're offering you additional properties- worth hundreds of millions of dollars."

For a moment, Nora didn't respond. She stared at the floor, her grip on the phone tightening slightly.

Hundreds of millions?

She wasn't sure if she should be surprised, insulted, or indifferent. Was this Arnold's version of closure? A final settlement for their years together?

I understand," she finally said.

Vincent paused, as if expecting her to react differently, but when she offered nothing more, he sighed. "I'll send you the details. Let me know how you want to proceed."

Nora ended the call without another word.

She sat in silence, staring at the phone in her hand, before placing it face down on the coffee table.

**This is what you wanted, isn't it?**

Then why did it feel like something was pressing down on her chest?

09 20%

The next day. Nora visited her grandmother again. The hospital corridors smelled of antiseptic, the cool air making the sterile environment even more impersonal. Yet, in the midst of this cold atmosphere, she found warmth in the presence of the old woman who had always cared for her.

But just as she stepped out of the car, she noticed a familiar figure standing by the parking lot.

Linda.

Dressed elegantly in a fitted coat, her arms crossed, Linda was leaning against her car, her expression unreadable as she looked straight at Nora.

Nora's lips curled into a faint smirk.

**Why does she keep coming here when Grandma doesn't even want to see her?

**

Was it stubbornness? A desperate need to prove something? Or was it all just an act?

Nora didn't spare her another glance as she walked into the hospital. She had no energy to waste on pointless exchanges.

Inside, she found her grandmother sitting up in bed, a soft smile appearing when she saw Nora.

"You came," the old woman said, relief in her voice.

"Of course." Nora sat beside her, gently adjusting the blanket. "How are you feeling today?"

They chatted for a while, the conversation light, comforting. But in the back of Nora's mind, something gnawed at her.

Arnold hadn't arrived yet.

And Linda was still outside.

Something told her that was no coincidence.

Just as she suspected, when Arnold finally walked in an hour later, his expression was neutral, but there was something distant about him. He didn't look like a man who had just arrived at a hospital. He looked like a man who had been

somewhere else first.

Nora didn't comment on it.

She didn't need to.

But her grandmother, ever perceptive, noticed the tension. She glanced between them before sighing. "Arnold, take Nora to

dinner."

Arnold hesitated for the first time. A flicker of conflict passed over his usually unreadable face.

Before he could respond, Nora smoothly cut in. "Don't bother. I've already made plans with a friend."

Her grandmother studied her carefully before nodding. "At least see her downstairs."

Arnold gave a short nod and walked with Nora to the elevator.

Neither spoke as the doors slid open, revealing the hospital lobby. The cold night

air seeped in from the glass entrance, but the chill in the atmosphere between

them had nothing to do with the temperature outside.

06:34

After I left, Alpha father and son went crazy

99.5%

Just as they stepped out, a familiar voice called out.

"Hey!"

They both turned to see **Harrison**, his book bag slung over one shoulder, his

face bright with excitement.

"You won't believe what just happened!” he said, practically bouncing. “I saw Linda-**my goddess!** I even got her autograph!"

Nora stiffened, her fingers curling slightly.

Arnold, however, smirked slightly, watching the boy with mild amusement.

Harrison blinked at him. "Brother, why are you so calm? Don't you know my goddess?"

Arnold didn't reply, but the smirk remained.

Nora had no patience for this conversation. The weight in her chest had returned, pressi

The silence between Arnold and Nora was thick, stretching between them like an invisible wall neither wanted to cross.

It wasn't the comfortable kind of quiet they had once shared, nor was it the cold, sharp silence of an argument. It was something else entirely-heavy, suffocating, filled with unspoken thoughts and lingering regrets.

Nora sat in the car on the return trip, she looked out the window and didn't notice Arnold looking at him thoughtfully.

"I have things to do, I have to leave first in a few minutes." Arnold glanced at his watch, "Til have the driver take you home."

Nora simply nodded, not bothering to ask where he was going. What was the point? She had long stopped expecting answers

from him.

Arnold hesitated for a brief second as if expecting her to say something-maybe a question, maybe a complaint-but she

remained silent.

Taking that as her answer, he turned and walked out, the soft click of the door the only sound breaking the stillness.

As soon as he was gone, Nora let out a slow breath, pressing her fingers against

her temples. The silence felt different now. Not heavy, not suffocating-just empty.

Then, her phone rang.

The name flashing on the screen made her brows furrow slightly.

**Vincent.*

Her divorce attorney.

She hesitated for only a moment before answering. "Vincent."

"There's been a development," his voice was direct, professional. "Arnold's side wants to revise the divorce agreement. They're offering you additional properties- worth hundreds of millions of dollars."

For a moment, Nora didn't respond. She stared at the floor, her grip on the phone tightening slightly.

Hundreds of millions?

She wasn't sure if she should be surprised, insulted, or indifferent. Was this Arnold's version of closure? A final settlement for their years together?

I understand," she finally said.

Vincent paused, as if expecting her to react differently, but when she offered

nothing more, he sighed. "I'll send you the details. Let me know how you want to proceed."

Nora ended the call without another word.

She sat in silence, staring at the phone in her hand, before placing it face down

on the coffee table.

**This is what you wanted, isn't it?**

Then why did it feel like something was pressing down on her chest?

09 20%

The next day. Nora visited her grandmother again. The hospital corridors smelled

of antiseptic, the cool air making the sterile environment even more impersonal. Yet, in the midst of this cold atmosphere, she found warmth in the presence of the old woman who had always cared for her.

But just as she stepped out of the car, she noticed a familiar figure standing by the parking lot.

Linda.

Dressed elegantly in a fitted coat, her arms crossed, Linda was leaning against

her car, her expression unreadable as she looked straight at Nora.

Nora's lips curled into a faint smirk.

**Why does she keep coming here when Grandma doesn't even want to see her?

**

Was it stubbornness? A desperate need to prove something? Or was it all just an

act?

Nora didn't spare her another glance as she walked into the hospital. She had no energy to waste on pointless exchanges.

Inside, she found her grandmother sitting up in bed, a soft smile appearing when she saw Nora.

"You came," the old woman said, relief in her voice.

"Of course." Nora sat beside her, gently adjusting the blanket. "How are you

feeling today?"

They chatted for a while, the conversation light, comforting. But in the back of

Nora's mind, something gnawed at her.

Arnold hadn't arrived yet.

And Linda was still outside.

Something told her that was no coincidence.

Just as she suspected, when Arnold finally walked in an hour later, his expression

was neutral, but there was something distant about him. He didn't look like a man

who had just arrived at a hospital. He looked like a man who had been

somewhere else first.

Nora didn't comment on it.

She didn't need to.

But her grandmother, ever perceptive, noticed the tension. She glanced between

them before sighing. "Arnold, take Nora to

dinner."

Arnold hesitated for the first time. A flicker of conflict passed over his usually

unreadable face.

Before he could respond, Nora smoothly cut in. "Don't bother. I've already made

plans with a friend."

Her grandmother studied her carefully before nodding. "At least see her

downstairs."

Arnold gave a short nod and walked with Nora to the elevator.

Neither spoke as the doors slid open, revealing the hospital lobby. The cold night

air seeped in from the glass entrance, but the chill in the atmosphere between

them had nothing to do with the temperature outside.

06:34

After I left, Alpha father and son went crazy

99.5%

Just as they stepped out, a familiar voice called out.

"Hey!"

They both turned to see **Harrison**, his book bag slung over one shoulder, his

face bright with excitement.

"You won't believe what just happened!" he said, practically bouncing. "I sawnoveldrama

Linda-**my goddess!** I even got her autograph!" Nora stiffened, her fingers curling slightly.

Arnold, however, smirked slightly, watching the boy with mild amusement.

Harrison blinked at him. "Brother, why are you so calm? Don't you know my goddess?"

Arnold didn't reply, but the smirk remained.

Nora had no patience for this conversation. The weight in her chest had returned, pressing against her ribs.

She inhaled sharply, her tone colder than she intended. "I have to go." Turning on her heel, she walked straight past Arnold and out into the night, not looking back.

When Nora arrived home that evening, she barely had time to take off her coat before Alex came running toward her, his small arms wrapping around her legs in an excited hug. His eyes sparkled as he looked up at her, his face full of enthusiasm.

"Mommy!" he called out, his voice filled with excitement. "I went out with Cole and

Abby today!"

Nora raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the mention of those names. "Oh?

Did you have fun?"

99.79

ng against her ribs.

She inhaled sharply, her tone colder than she intended. "I have to go."

Turning on her heel, she walked straight past Arnold and out into the night, not looking back.

When Nora arrived home that evening, she barely had time to take off her coat before Alex came running toward her, his small arms wrapping around her legs in an excited hug. His eyes sparkled as he looked up at her, his face full of enthusiasm.

"Mommy!" he called out, his voice filled with excitement. "I went out with Cole and Abby today!"

Nora raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the mention of those names. "Oh?

Did you have fun?"

99.79