Chapter 5 Too Late
That daywasn’t a holiday, yet Fantasyland was still packed, mostly with couplesorfamilies, yet Lenorawas alone.
She didn’t go on any rides. Instead, she picked a quiet spot and sat there the entire day, from sunrise to sunset. She didn’t receive a single word of explanation from Zavier.
As night fell, it was already 8 p.m. Lenora took out her phone and sent him a message. “Fantasylandcloses at nine. There’s just half an hour left until the fireworks show.”
Zavier, who’d been completely silent all day, replied instantly.
“Sorry, Nora. There’s been a tricky issue at the company. I need a little more time before I can get there.”
A few minutes later, he sent another message. “I spoke to the staff. I paid to delay the fireworks by half an hour. The park will close at 9:30. I promise I’ll be there before then!”
Even through a screen, Lenora could feel the sincerity in his words.
But9:30wouldbe too late.
She’d already agreed with Daneto leave the placeat 9 sharp to head straight to the airport and go abroad,
Boom!
The fireworks began, brilliant and colorful bursts lighting up the sky.
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Lenora covered her ears, but the crowd’s excited cheers still rang out
around her.
She looked up at the fireworks above. Yes, they were beautiful, but not as breathtaking as she’d imagined. Just like the past ten years with Zavier, not as firm and steady as she’d once believed.
Suddenly, it hit herthat if she had truly taken that bet with Melany, she might not have won after all.
At that moment, her phone ticked over to 9:00.
Right on cue, Danecalled. “I’m in the parking lot. We can leave anytime.”
Lenora looked up. The fireworks were still going. Zavier paid for that.
But she didn’t plan on watching them anymore.
She turned, walkedagainst the flow of people toward the exit, and started to look forDane’scarin the parking lot.
Just then, Zavier’s call came through. She glanced at the screen, hesitated for a few seconds, and then declined the call. Almost immediately, a text popped up.
“Nora, please don’t be mad. I’m at Fantasylandnow. Where are you? Let’s watch the fireworks together, okay?”
Zavier was here?
Lenora stopped in her tracks, fighting the urge to turn around and search for him in the crowd. It was already 9:02.
Two minutes late. But still late.
She forced herself to stay focused, pulled out her SIM card, snapped it in
two, and tossed it into the bushes by the road. Then, she took off her wedding ring and threw itas well.
In the tangle of cars, she finally found Dane’s.
As she got in, he smiled warmly and extended a hand. “Welcome home, LilianaFinley.”
“Liliana…”
Lenora repeated her real name softly and then smiled. “Let’s go home.”
Zavier kept calling, but each attempt was met with a shutdown message. His hands were trembling so badlythathe could barely control them. He had really meant to come and see Nora.
But something had gone wrong with Melany. She suffered unexpected bleeding. The hospital
bleeding was dangerous.
d the p
was under three months and the
He’d spent the whole day by Melany’s side for tests, only just finding time to leave now. Otherwise, how could he have left Nora alone for so long?
But that child in Melany’s belly was the one he’d dreamed of for years.
In ten years, Nora had never once lost her temper with him. Zavier tried to convince himself maybe her phone had just died.
Yet, despite all that, he had aterrible hunch. Just as he redialed, Melany’s call interrupted the attempt.
“I think I’m bleeding again. I’m scared. Can you come back?”
Frustration flashed across Zavier’s face. He had already been with her all day. For hersake, he had made Nora wait so long.
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He wanted to hang up and keep searching for Nora, but when he thought about the baby, he hesitated.
“I’m coming.”
With a tight frown, Zavier turned back toward the hospital. As he walked, he sent another message to Nora.
“Your phone’s been off. If you can’t find me, just head home. Let’s watch the show together tomorrow, okay?”
So focused on sending the message, he didn’t notice the car that passed by. Inside it, in the passenger seat, sat the very person he was looking for.
When Lenora saw him, her first instinct was to hide. But Zavier never even lifted his head, so she simply lookedat him openlyandcalmly.
She watched him for the last time and saw that moment as a proper goodbye.
“You know him? Want to say hi?” Danenoticed her gaze and slowed down.
Lenora pulled her eyes away and smiled peacefully. “Let’s go. I don’t know him.”
Zavier didn’t get home until 2 a.m.
Melany clung to him all the time. Every time he tried to leave, she brought up the baby. In the end, he had to threaten to take her for an abortion before she let him go.
Unlocking the door, Zavier felt uneasy. He had no idea how to face Lenora.
It washis fault. If she was willing to forgive him, he would make time for
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her every night from now on.
He paused at the door, mentally preparing an apology, and then finally gathered his courage to walk in.
The room was just too quiet.
Zavier froze.
It was already so late. Had Nora still not come home? Her phone was off, too. Had something happened to her? Or was she too upset to come home?
But when Zavier turned on the lights, he realized he was wrong.
The shoe rack by the door was spotless. The pillow Nora always hugged on the couch was gone. Even the closet in the bedroom was completely empty. Not a single piece of her clothing remained. Every trace of her life had been wiped away.
This didn’t look like she had run away from home.
It was more like… Nora had never existed at all.
Zavier felt like his heart had stopped beating He stepped into the house cautiously as if he could still smell the scent of Nora’s favorite perfume lingering in the air.
That familiar scent, along with the memories he’d carried in his mind for years, proved that Nora had once been a real part of his life. But why had every sign of her presence vanished?
Zavier’s mind went blank. He trembled uncontrollably.
For a moment, he even began to question his own sanity. He then suddenly remembered the photo album in the drawer.
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The album!
Even if Nora had been angry enough to throw everything else away, she would never get rid of that album!
He saw a silver lining. Zavier rushed back to the bedroom and yanked the drawer open. The photo album was still there.
He let out a deep breath, and his heart finally settled.
He just knew it. No matter how angry Nora was, she wouldn’t have thrown away ten years of memories.
But the moment Zavier opened the album and saw the empty pages inside, he stopped breathing again.
It was empty.
