Chapter 3 - THE BRIDE WHO WOULDN'T TELL THE TRUTH
Norah woke in a private hospital room.
White walls.
Soft lighting.
The steady rhythm of a heart monitor.
Her side burned.
But the suffocating tape was gone.
Clean bandages covered the wound.
A doctor stood beside the bed.
“You're lucky.”
Norah stared.
“People keep saying that.”
The doctor smiled faintly.
“The injury was serious enough to require treatment, but no major organs were damaged.”
Norah closed her eyes.
Then she heard a familiar voice.
“Leave us.”
Leo.
The doctor hesitated.
Then stepped outside.
Leo stood near the window.
Still wearing his wedding trousers.
His shirt had been changed.
But his expression was darker than she'd ever seen.
“Who shot you?”
Norah swallowed.
“I told you.”
Leo turned.
“My brother.”
She nodded.
He studied her.
Then said:
“Matteo was at the cathedral three hours before the ceremony.”
Norah froze.
Leo continued.
“I checked.”
Her stomach tightened.
“He couldn't have been at the docks.”
Silence.
Leo stepped closer.
“Try again.”
Norah looked down.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
Then she whispered:
“I don't know who shot me.”
Leo closed his eyes.
“Why did you lie?”
Her voice broke.
“Because I was afraid.”
He looked at her.
“Of me?”
Norah swallowed.
“Yes.”
The answer seemed to hurt him more than the accusation.
Leo sat beside the bed.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then whispered:
“You should have told me.”
Norah laughed bitterly.
“And watched you start a war on our wedding day?”
Leo looked down.
She continued.
“That marriage was supposed to stop the killing.”
Her eyes filled.
“I couldn't let another person die because of me.”
Leo stared at her.
Then said quietly:
“Norah.”
May you like
He took her hand.
“You were the person who almost died.”
