3. Nora
Chapter three
Nora
I step out of the steamy bathroom, wrapping a towel tightly around myself. I pat myself dry till I hear a soft knock and wrap the towel around me again.
“It’s Chase,” he says, his voice muffled through the door. “I got you some of your clothes.”
I open the door just a crack, peeking out to see him standing there with a bag in his hands. His eyes widen slightly, and his mouth parts in surprise, clearly not expecting to see me in so little. I see him trying to compose himself, his gaze flickering away and then back to me.
“Thanks,” I say, my cheeks warming under his scrutiny.
He clears his throat, trying to act nonchalantly about it. “Yeah, It’s no problem. I… uh, I hoped I picked the right ones or rather some useful clothing, I sort of just swiped the clothes into your bag.” His voice is unsteady, and there’s a hint of something in his eyes.
Suddenly, I feel self-conscious that I even asked him to do this. I take the bag from him, our fingers brushing for a brief moment. He holds my gaze a bit longer than usual, then quickly looks away again, his face a touch redder than before. Stop looking, Nora! I blink, and he clears his throat.
“Meet me in my office when you’re ready,” he says his voice more controlled now. “There’s work to do.”
“Okay.” I reply, nodding, and I watch him walk away before I shut the door. I scan through the outfits and opt for my matching lounge set with a cozy hoodie and joggers. That’s what I frequently wear anyways.
I pour the items on my bed, he’d even picked underwear! What was I thinking, sending him!? I take a deep breath trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment from earlier. I need to focus.
My phone screen lights up with Ethan’s name.
I let it go to voicemail, and he sends a text seconds later.
Why aren’t you picking up my calls? We need to talk.
I’d been avoiding his calls and contemplated blocking him, but I don’t want to cut him off completely. I know I should if I’m not going to answer…
My phone rings again, and I look at the screen for some seconds, hesitant to pick up his call. Well, it’s now or never.
“Nora,” he says, voice high with surprise. I open my mouth to reply, but he continues, voice turning dark and bitter. “So you finally pick up my calls. You owe me an explanation and apology. How could you do that?”
I hate his tone—it’s condescending and makes my skin prickle. But he’s not wrong. I take a deep breath.
“I’m so sorry I did that. I just couldn’t marry you.”
“Really, Nora, how can you treat me this way? What did I do for you to leave me on our wedding day?”
“I… I… You didn’t do anything. I just couldn’t do it. Our paths are different. I’m not interested in being a politician’s wife.”
Ethan’s inhale is sharp and measured. I know it well—he’s trying not to scream at me. I appreciate the effort. I’m not sure I’m worth it right now.
“So why didn’t you just say so?” he asks. “Rather than putting me through such a mortifying experience.”
My hands shake. I switch my phone into the other hand, trying to say something that is true but not mean. “I thought you wouldn’t listen to me. I’d… I’d tried to bring it up…” Not well, of course. I take a deep breath. “I had no choice.”
“You had a choice! I can’t believe you could do such a thing to me.” He screams. “You’re going to regret this.”
“I’m sorry. I wish things could have turned out differently.”
“You’re selfish, Nora!” He starts yelling into the phone. “You’re a selfish bitch, do you know what this looks like? How this affects my image—”
He continues ranting. This, at least, is familiar territory for me. I’m used to Ethan ranting and raving, usually because I’ve done something wrong. I’ve gotten pretty good at listening without hearing.
Chase will be waiting for me , I muse. I wish he was here, that he could swoop in and fix this for me. If I don’t find a way to stop this conversation, Ethan will go on and on.
“I’m sorry… I have to go. Can we talk later?” Hopefully not!
“No! You will not hang up on me!” He yells. My lungs are shaking, but I hang up anyway.
My phone starts ringing again immediately, and I suck a breath through my teeth sharply. I answer, intent to tell him to stop or I’ll block him.
“Listen, Eth—”
“Hey, are you coming?” I look at my screen in surprise. Chase’s voice is calm, but there’s an edge of impatience to it. I thought it was Ethan calling again.
“Sorry, I got caught up. I’ll be there in a sec,” I hurriedly throw the clothes on, brush my hair, and leave it hanging down wet. I half race, half walk up to his office and see him entering commands into a large screen monitor and mapping out unfamiliar terrains, as he tries to connect the dots on a mini tactical map. I look at the screen closely hoping he doesn’t ask about my reaction on the call, and luckily, he doesn’t.
“You can do this without me, you know,” I say, as he gestures to a seat beside him.
Already, I’m feeling more normal. Loath as I am to admit it, Chase was right—going back to work has been good for me.
“Yes, I can. Yet I choose not to. Alright, get to work, techie.”
“I prefer analyst,” I grumble. He waves a hand in the air dramatically and points to the monitor screen before he continues to highlight different parts on the map.
“It seems a communication line was breached in the messages you decrypted, and they're speaking in code, but I could still pick up a few things. Try to see if there’s something more.” He hands me a pair of headphones as I turn the monitor towards me. I play the record multiple times and begin to work on it.
As I go through the data for Chase's mission, I notice his gaze lingering on me. His hazel eyes flicker with intensity, but I pretend not to see, focusing on my work instead. I feel torn in two—Chase’s attention always makes me feel joyful, like I am worthy of his sharp gaze. But it’s a double-edged sword today. I don’t want him seeing all my secrets when I’m still reeling from talking to Ethan.
I duck my head down, forcing the thoughts out of my mind. For a long while, I only focus on work.
When I finally make it through the recordings, I look up. He’s still watching me.
I clear my throat and begin to analyze my findings to him. “There isn't much information, but I think we can track the source and coordinates, and it should be a smooth evacuation from there.”
He nods without saying a word, watching me type some code to determine the coordinates, and he writes them down. We trace the location on the map, but I sense Chase's eyes on me instead.
I glance up to get his attention and continue my explanation. “You can come in from this angle.” I move a pin to another point on the tactical map before tying my hair up, since it is getting in the way.
I notice his eyes trail my hands as I tie my hair up into a bun, and I can't stop myself from calling to get his wandering attention. “Chase? Chase.” I call out, and he blinks, clearing his throat.
“What? Where were we?”
“Trying to find a way to get you in undetected.” I remind him. I can’t help but smirk. “What were you thinking about? You were miles away.”
He doesn’t say anything.
I cock my head to the side. “Are you thinking of the mission? It’ll be fine. Don’t worry. You have the best team with you. You have me here, and Titan.” I point to the Belgian Malinois whose ears prick up when he hears his name. “And you are one of the greatest lieutenant commanders I’ve ever worked with.”
His expression brightens. “Oh, now, that’s flattery.”
“Okay. Well, you’re the only lieutenant commander I’ve worked with so far, and I’ve seen you fight. You’ll do great and make the nation proud. I know it.”
“Thanks.” He smiles warmly. “I’m not worried, but thanks for encouraging me.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s wrap this up so you can leave early. How do you keep yourself occupied all alone in this big house?” I'm finally realizing that I'll be the only one here till he gets back. Except for Titan, of course.
“It’s not as lonely as you think. I have Titan, and my sister comes around sometimes.”
“Oh, your sister. I'd love to meet her some time. Yes...” I pause, scanning through the data again. “And I think we're done. You have all the information you need about this mission. Whatever it is about. I'll be in the living room if you need me.”
“Sure. I'll let you know the next time she comes to visit. Thanks, Nora. You've been a great help. You could switch on the TV.”
“You sure?”
Chase is notorious around the office for hating noise distractions.
He nods, though he’s already looking back at the screen.
“That doesn't sound like a bad idea, then.” I leave him to pack his gadgets and equipment thinking of what to do with my free time and decide to take Chase's advice. “TV it is,” I say out loud.
I take a seat on the plush couch, and Titan crouches beside me. I grab the remote and start flicking through each channel searching for what to watch, absentmindedly rubbing his fur. After watching some random cooking show for a few minutes, I start flicking through the channels again and land on a soap opera. Who still watches soap operas these days?
Chase comes in, a bag slung over his shoulder.
I look up.
“Hey Nora, I'm leaving now. I'll join the rest of the team at base, and we'll head out from there.”
I feel a pang of disappointment.
“Alright. Good luck. I hope this mission won't be long.” I hesitate. “Are you sure you want me to stay? I can head home.”
He shakes his head. “No way. You gotta watch Titan.”
I feel a burst of relief. I grin. “Well, okay. Hurry home. This house is pretty big for just me, but I have Titan, so I'll be fine.”
“Don't worry. I’ll be back before you know it.” He calls out, offering me a smile, before he heads out. I wait until I hear him shut the door.
I stop on a channel giving news updates and check through my phone messages. I read the text messages from my best friend Sarah and start typing a reply, but I decide to call her instead. I dial her number, anticipating her response as it rings, and I receive a scolding as expected.
“Two weeks! Two weeks, Nora Evans. You made me look so stupid and guilty. Your parents were eyeing me suspiciously after you went off like that! No. Allow me to correct myself, you didn't go off! You ran away ! From your own wedding! If you didn't want to get married, why didn't you just say so or at least carry me along with your plans? I thought you’d gone ballistic running off like that.”
“Sarah... I—” I try to explain but she cuts me off.
“Young lady, you will keep quiet and let me rant as much as I want.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“What did I say? Keep quiet.” A long silence follows, and I hear Sarah breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath. I'm seriously trying not to laugh.
“Now, I know you're probably trying not to laugh,” she says, and I start laughing as soon as the words come out of her mouth. I can picture her face palm.
“My God! Nora Evans. How can you laugh after getting us all so worried? Some people wondered if you’d gone crazy or something! I was worried, and that fiancé of yours was almost accusing me of being in on it, but luckily your parents didn't stand for that.”
“Oh, I'm so sorry. I should have told you, but I didn't want you getting in trouble. I'm sorry if Ethan accused you of anything.”
“It's fine. Where are you now?”
“I'm at a friend's place.”
“What, my place isn’t good enough?”
I laugh again. “Ethan knows you,” I explain. “I’m at a work friend’s so he or my mom can’t just show up. Don't worry.”
“Okay. What about your parents? Please tell me you've contacted them?”
“I've only sent text messages. I haven't taken any calls. I needed to clear my head.”
“That's not good enough. You should call them. Trust me, they are really worried. I'm surprised the entire police force isn't looking for you, but I guess it's because you texted them.”
“I've told them not to worry, Sarah. I'll talk to them soon.”
“You should. You should call them today. In fact, after this call, call them immediately. I can't imagine how it must feel when your only—”
“Your only child runs away. I know.” I interrupt her, and she sighs.
“Thanks for your concern, Sarah. It means a lot.”
“Yeah, and from the way Ethan treated me, I'm starting to see why you ran away. But I need to ask, is there any particular reason why?”
“We are on different paths, Sarah. He's only interested in politics, and I'm not. If we got married, I would have had to bury my dreams for his.”
“Did you talk to him about it?”
“Yes, but he didn't see reason. I just had a realization on that day and had to bolt. It wasn't the wisest thing to do, but I just had to.”
“I see. Well, what's done is done. I know you'll be fine. I wish we could talk more, but I'm currently at work. I'll call you later, okay? I love you. Gotta go.”
“I love you too, Sarah.”
I end the call and dial my mom's number. My heart races as I think of what to say. Are they going to yell? Are they going to ask me to get back with Ethan? Oh, I hope they understand. I swipe my sweaty palms on my joggers, suddenly feeling hot. I should have worn shorts instead.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Nora!” She yells into the phone, and I wince. I hear her call out to my dad in the background and he calls my name. His voice is softer than usual and I'm overwhelmed with emotion. “Nora, what happened sweetie? You got us worried. Please tell me, are you okay?”
“Yes. I'm okay. I'm sorry I ran away. I just couldn't marry Ethan. I never loved him, Dad.” I feel the weight of their disappointment seeping through the phone.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself to explain why I couldn't go through with the wedding to Ethan. My parents listen in silence. I feel their resolve softening as I bare my soul, telling them about our different paths and ambitions.
When I finish, I can't hold back the tears, and I can feel my parents’ anger dwindling. “We're sorry, Nora,” my mother says softly. “You deserve to find happiness, my dear. We should never have suggested that you marry Ethan or anyone at all. We should have left that choice to you.”
“Your mother's right. We should not have tried to take that away from you. I'm glad you chose to leave,” Dad says, and my heart soars at their understanding. “Even though you could have done it in a much better way, but it's done already. Go ahead and find love. Take all the time you need. You have our blessings to be with whomever you want to be with.”
“Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad.” I sniffle, wiping at my tears.
“When are you coming back?”
“Soon. I need to report to work, and then I'll come see you. Say next week?”
“That's fine, Nora. We miss you so much.”
“I miss you both. I love you so much. Thanks for understanding me.”
“We love you, too. We'll call again soon. Take care. Oh, and call Ethan to explain. I'm sure he'll understand.”
I don’t think so, but it is something I have to do anyway.
“I'll explain myself to Ethan. Take care, Mom. You too, Dad.”
After the emotional conversation with my parents, I feel a newfound sense of liberation. I'll go ahead and find love and I'll hold onto the hope that, somewhere out there, I'll discover a love that's genuine and unconditional. I look at the TV, contemplating turning it off until the next thing that comes out of the journalist’s mouth shocks me to my bones.
“Ethan Sinclair Denies Breakup Rumors, Claims He’s Still with Nora Evans.”
“Ethan Sinclair's Perfect Image Shattered When Bride-to-be—”
What!? My head spins at what I just heard, and I blink multiple times to make sure I'm seeing this correctly.
“Get more information on all the new headlines on our website.”
I head to my browser and type in the link with shaky fingers. Be calm, Nora. Be calm , I chant multiple times.
I stare at my phone screen in disbelief as I read the damning headlines. Is this what he means by I'll regret what I did? Spreading fake rumors?
My hands tremble as I scroll through the relentless onslaught of headlines, each one more damning than the last.
Now, I need to make that call. I need to confront Ethan, to set the record straight once and for all. With a deep breath, I dial his number, readying myself for the inevitable confrontation, my heart pounding in my chest.
When he finally picks up, his voice drips with disdain. “Nora, what do you want?” he sneers.
“What do you mean, what do I want?! I just listened to the false news you spread of us still being together. You know that's not true. And another one says I shattered your image! That's not true, either. Why are you spreading lies?” I squeeze the remote in my hands and turn the TV off in anger.
“Lies? Lies? How dare you call me a liar? You deceived me! You led me to the altar, and ran away! Who's the liar? You're the liar!”
I want to defend myself, but I realize he's right. I led him on when I should have spoken up a long time ago.
“Ethan, I... I...”
As I try to explain myself, Ethan cuts me off with a tirade of accusations. “You've ruined everything, Nora,” he seethes. “Do you have any idea what you've done to my political career? You're selfish, always thinking about yourself. You need to fix this mess you've made.”
The accusations sting, cutting deep into my already-fragile state. Ethan's words weigh heavily as he launches into a rant. “I've done everything for you, Nora,” he says, his voice laced with bitterness. “I've sacrificed so much, and this is how you repay me? By destroying everything I've worked for? You owe me, Nora. You owe me your loyalty.”
As Ethan continues his pathetic rant, I feel the familiar sense of suffocation creeping in, the weight of his expectation pressing down on me like a lead cloak. I can't let him bully me into his own will, and this time, something inside me shifts. I refuse to cave in to his manipulative tactics. I refuse to sacrifice my own happiness for the sake of his political ambitions.
“Is that all you’ve ever cared about?” I yell into the phone, and he stops.
“What?” he asks, shock evident in his voice at my sudden outburst.
With newfound resolve, I stand my ground, pushing back against Ethan's toxic influence. I refuse to be swayed by his guilt trips or his attempts to control me! And in that moment of defiance, I realize that I'm finally free from the shackles of his expectations. Why am I hiding?
“Do you even care about me, or is your image all you ever cared about?” I ask this time, my voice dangerously calm. “ Your reputation! Your image! Your life! All you ever care about is you! You narcissist!” Without waiting for a response, I hang up the call and fling my phone onto the couch.
My phone dings with multiple messages and I angrily walk towards it. I read through its contents and suppress the urge to delete them.
You could still come back to me, you know. You should stop this drama while my parents are still ready to take you back. I'll pretend it never happened and take down all the news headlines. You have 48 hours to clear this mess up!
The nerve! Not once did he say he loves me. He’s not upset we’re not married—he’s upset that this looks bad on him.
I have to do something to get Ethan off my back or he'll still stand in the way. I rack my brain for solutions, but anger clouds my mind. I'm tempted to dial my dad's number but that will cause more drama and might put an end to years of family friendship. That's if I haven't done that already—and I should not make it worse.
Though I know I said I’d be fine, I wish for a minute that Chase was here. I know he can’t fix this, but his steady presence and firm opinions make me feel sturdier. On my own, I’m afraid I’ll cave.
Just a few more days, and he’ll come back. I just have to make it till Chase gets home.