LOGINNora's POVIt was already lunchtime and I still had so much work on my table.The deeper I dug into the company's record systems, the more loopholes I found, gaps that should have been impossible to miss for years and somehow nobody had. I sat there shaking my head, genuinely baffled at how this level of negligence had gone unnoticed for so long.A knock interrupted my thoughts."It's lunchtime, Ms. Lennox," Marissa said, stepping in. "Mr. Adams made a reservation at Le Fontaine for you.""I'm not hungry," I said, not looking up from the screen. "I have far too much to get through, Marissa. These numbers don't add up and I want to understand why before I leave this desk.""Mr. Adams left very strict instructions," Marissa said, unmoved, arms folded.“You're not going to skip lunch for any reason. Those were his exact words, and I quote, even if she fights you on it, and Patricia is already there waiting for you."I leaned back in my chair, genuinely caught somewhere between amusement
Nora's POVBy the time we pulled up outside the Lennox Global building, there was already a crowd gathered near the entrance, the media clustered in tight knots, cameras raised, necks craning toward the car the moment it slowed."Lennox's new CEO is here!""Mrs. Adams! Mrs. Adams, can we get a statement!""Is it true you faked your own death? Genevieve, look this way please!"I stared out the window, momentarily frozen, my pulse picking up despite myself. "Who are all these people? Why are they congregating like this?""Don't worry, Mrs. Adams," Marissa said smoothly, already gathering her folio and reaching for the door handle. "This is exactly what I prepared you for this morning. I'll handle it."She stepped out first, opened an umbrella despite the clear morning sky, purely as a shield against the wall of cameras, and guided me toward the entrance."Ms. Lennox will not be taking questions this morning," she announced firmly to the cluster of reporters pressing closer. "A formal s
Nora's POV We came straight home after the gala, the four of us, still buzzing with adrenaline from the nightPatricia pulled me into a tight hug the moment we walked through the door."I'm so proud of you," she said. "Girl, you did that. The way you spoke to both of them, the slap, the divorce papers, all of it. I felt like I was watching a movie.""You were terrifying," Marcus added, grinning. "In the best possible way."Norman wrapped an arm around my waist. "I need everyone to understand something. She over delivered tonight. I am going to be spoiling this woman everyday because she deserves nothing less” "Speaking of delivering," Marcus said, glancing at Norman, "I had no idea you could throw a punch like that. I genuinely thought you were going to kill the man before those bouncers got involved.”"Fifteen years of built up anger has to go somewhere," Norman said simply."Do you think he'll comply?" I asked, settling onto the couch. "Twenty four hours feels ambitious.""Trust
Nora's POV Dennis's earlier bravado collapsed entirely the moment he registered the weight of what I'd just said."The cameras," he said quickly, glancing around at the dozens of phones already raised throughout the room.“Everyone is watching, Nora…I mean Genevieve, we can't do this here. For the sake of everything we once had together, please, let's step outside and talk privately."Nadia rounded on him immediately."What is wrong with you?" she snapped. "Why have you suddenly turned into a coward over an empty threat?" She turned back to me, chin lifted defiantly. "I dare you, Nora, or Genevieve, or whatever you're calling yourself tonight. Do your absolute worst. You can't do more damage than a dead rat scratching at a locked door. We both know you're just blabbing to save face in front of all these people.""You called us fraudsters," she continued, emboldened. "Where exactly is your evidence? Show it, or sit down and let the adults finish this conversation."Norman smiled and
Nora's POVNadia shrieked, her hand pressed to her bleeding lip."Babe!" she screamed, turning toward Dennis. "Come here right now, she just slapped me, do something!"But Dennis didn't move.He stood frozen, staring at me like he'd seen something rise out of the ground. Between Norman's return and now this, it seemed the universe had decided to collapse his entire world in one single evening."I thought you were…" he started, his voice trailing off."Dead?" I finished for him. "That's what you told the media, isn't it? That I suffered a mental breakdown after years of you tolerating my, what was it, my domestic violence behind closed doors? You painted yourself as the perfect husband, a victim of my abuse, when in truth, you were the one torturing me for five years."He opened his mouth."I can explain, Nora…""My name is Genevieve, you idiot," I snapped. "Not Nora. And to think I was going to make you CEO of my company the day my father finally handed it over to me. That's how much
Nora's POVThe room erupted into confused murmurs the second the words left my mouth.My father was on his feet before I had even finished speaking, pushing past two board members to reach our table. He grabbed my shoulders and turned me toward him, his eyes scanning my face like he was trying to remember it underneath everything that had changed."How is this possible," he breathed. "You're different, you look completely different. Are you certain you're Genevieve?"A bitter laugh escaped me."Isn't it strange," I said, "that a father wouldn't even recognize his own daughter?"Around us, the murmuring grew louder, more guests rising slightly from their seats to get a better view of what was unfolding."I don't blame you, though," I continued, my voice shaking now, tears gathering despite every effort to hold them back. ."How could you recognize me, when you had me locked away for over thirty years because you were ashamed of what the world would say? Ashamed because I wasn't the da
Nora's POVIt was finally the day.After weeks of recovery, transformation, and a wedding that had started as a strategy and somehow turned into something I no longer had a clean word for, we were flying back to New York.Tonight was the night I made my comeback.Not as Nora Adams, the woman the wo
Nora's POVThe club was nothing like what I had pictured in my head.I had always assumed clubs were strictly for people in their twenties but to my surprise the dance floor was full of couples in their forties and fifties moving easily to the music.At the far end a group of women who had to be ne
Nora's POV "Chicken and waffles with extra hot sauce," Norman said, without a single second of hesitation.I felt my face warm as I confirmed it into my own microphone."Correct!" the MC called, and a small cheer went up. "Alright, next question. Mrs. Adams. What is the first thing your husband sa
Nora's POV I was standing in front of the wardrobe in my robe, still pleasantly wrecked from the shower, when Norman appeared behind me and said,"I want us to match tonight."I turned to look at him."Is that really necessary? We can just wear whatever we like, it's just a concert Norman.""One h







