"Yes, it was," Greg confirmed with a smile. Nora, clearly taken aback, struggled to find words. "How? I mean, you looked and dressed differently," she finally managed to say.Greg leaned in, his smile unwavering. "I had a meeting, so I decided to dress differently," he explained. When Nora remained silent, Greg added with a hint of humour, "Those are preloved. I mean my outfits, I got them from a vintage store that sells designer outfits. "Their waiter arrived with their order, effectively breaking the awkward silence. Nora seized the opportunity to change the subject, offering a charming smile. "So, you also shop for preloved clothes. Vintage is definitely the way to go to look fabulous on a budget," she remarked.Even as Nora smiled and tried to engage in the conversation, her reservations about Greg still lingered. However, she chose to accept his explanation and pushed aside her lingering doubts, feeling that she might be becoming overly paranoid.Nora flashed a playful smile as

Nora stood in the midst of the sea of red roses, her heart pounding as she tried to comprehend what was happening."Nora, what is this about?", her father asked. "Dad I am as shocked as you are", Nora answered.She spotted a card nestled within one of the bouquets, her hands trembling as she reached for it. She retrieved the card and opened it. Inside, she found a heartfelt message:"I would give you a million roses just to show you how sorry I am for every hurt I caused you,Alexander."Nora couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions – confusion, surprise, and a faint stir of something else.Nora's heart sank as she read the card. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was a grand gesture, but it left her feeling conflicted. She handed the card to her father and he read it and handed it to Nora's mother. Her father looked at her, concern etched on his face. "Nora, do you want to talk about this?" he asked gently.Nora took a deep breath and shook her head. "Dad, I think I n

Nora's eyes widened in surprise and joy. "What? That's incredible news!" she exclaimed, putting down her coffee and hugging Veronica tightly. "Congratulations, Ronnie! This is amazing!"Veronica smiled, her eyes shimmering with happiness and a touch of apprehension. "Thank you, Nora. It's a whirlwind of emotions right now. But I'm excited."Nora pulled back and looked at her friend, her enthusiasm bubbling. "A baby! You're going to be an amazing mom, Veronica."Veronica laughed, "Well, let's hope so. It's a whole new adventure.""You'll do wonderfully," Nora reassured her, feeling a surge of happiness for her friend. "And now we'll have our little ones growing up together."Veronica nodded a soft smile on her face. "Yes, that's pretty amazing. Two best friends and now future moms together."As they sipped their coffee and chatted about the exciting times ahead, Nora's heart felt lighter. Veronica's initial joy gave way to a sombre expression, her eyes clouding over with a mix of emoti

Nora could feel Alexander's gaze on her as she entered the sitting room. She knew her choice of outfit had made an impression. With confident strides, she approached the door, expecting Greg's arrival.As she swung the door open, her anticipation was met with the sight of Greg. His eyes widened in appreciation as they fell upon her. The midnight-blue dress clung to her curves in all the right places, highlighting her hourglass figure. Nora greeted Greg with a warm smile, welcoming him into her home.Immediately they walked into the sitting room, Nora turned drew Greg into her arms and hugged him tightly. She felt his body tense and he immediately relaxed and hugged her. Nora released Greg and turned to Alexander, "This is Greg, a friend of mine", she tried gauging his emotions but he simply kept a straight Face. "Greg this is Alexander, my ex-husband. Alexander got up from his seat and Nora didn't know what would happen next. As Alexander rose from his seat, Nora braced herself for a

When she got to the hospital, Nora went straight to her father's room and his bed was empty. Nora sat right there on the floor and tears rolled down her cheeks. She felt a sting pain in her chest, she could not believe her dad was dead. She walked out to the corridor. Nora's tears continued to flow as her mother found her in the hospital corridor. She held her sleeping daughter close to her chest and struggled to speak. "How did it happen?" Nora choked out between sobs, her mind racing with dark thoughts.Her mother, realizing the misunderstanding, gently comforted her daughter. "Your dad is alive," she said, her voice wavering but filled with relief, "he's being prepped for surgery. I thought he was gone too when I first saw the empty bed, but he's getting the help he needs."Nora's fear began to subside as the weight of dread was lifted off her shoulders. She nodded, tears still glistening in her eyes, and held her mother close."But Mom," Nora said, her voice trembling, "why is he