Zayan had returned to Switzerland with Arion, Kasir, Royce, and Imara to finalize some urgent preparations. The moment he left, Nora grew silent. She cried alone, curling into herself like a wilting rose under moonlight.
Aaila and Kyomi quietly observed her behavior.
"She loves him so much she can't stay away from him," Kyomi whispered.
"Yeah, she can't," Aaila said with a soft laugh, though her eyes stayed on Nora's blank expression.
That evening, Nora sat by the window as the moonlight glowed across her face. She stared at the sky and whispered, "I miss Z."
Asher, seeing his sister's pain, took out his phone and called Zayan. The moment Zayan picked up, Asher turned the camera toward Nora.
Zayan's voice softened, "Ash, give her the phone."
Asher called gently, "Nora?"
She turned, and he handed her the phone. "What?"
"Hey, my princess," Zayan said lovingly.
Her eyes lit up. "Z! My Z!"
They talked for a while. She told him about her lonely day, how quiet the mansion had become. "I miss you so much, baby," she whispered.
"I miss you too. I'll be back the day after tomorrow, love. I promise."
She smiled. "Alright… bedtime, darling," he said.
"Okay…" she whispered. She didn't want to end the call, but Asher took her to bed. She fell asleep holding the phone tightly.
Later that night, as Asher returned to his room, he was surprised to find Aaila inside.
"Hey? Need something?" he asked.
Aaila stepped forward, her gaze intense. She pulled him gently to her height and whispered, "I want something… Can you give it to me?"
"What do you want?" he asked nervously.
"You," she whispered. "F*ck me, Asher. I want you inside me. You drive me crazy."
Asher froze. "I'm seventeen… You're older. I don't want to hurt you…"
Before he could finish, she pushed him onto the bed and straddled him. "I don't care. Just make me yours."
He hesitated—but the fire between them couldn't be denied. He kissed her. That night, their bodies became one, skin to skin, moans echoing through the dark.
The next morning, Nora was still asleep, wearing one of her favorite gowns. A guard whispered urgently to Shaw:
"Sir… they're going to ambush the mansion. Rune's men are coming."
Shaw moved swiftly, ushering everyone out quietly. But it was too late.
Gunshots rang out. Rune's men stormed the mansion.
Nora awoke abruptly. No one dared wake her from sleep—except death.
Furious, she grabbed Zayan's dragon staff and hid it. Shaw's nose was bleeding from a brutal hit. Rune entered, demanding, "Where is that bastard?"
Nora threw on Zayan's shorts and a top. "I'm going to beat the dumbass myself."
She grabbed Asher's phone and called Zayan.
"Z… it's Nora."
"Nora? What's wrong?"
"That asshole… the one who touched me before. He's back. Gun in hand."
Zayan stood immediately. "Stay hidden. I'll send backup—now."
Zayan called Miska and deployed the guards.
Meanwhile, Rune's men searched for Nora.
She moved barefoot through the halls, stole a gun from one of the invaders, and returned upstairs. She shot four of them silently. A spark of fear crept into her heart—but she nodded to herself and crawled onward.
Rune barked in rage, "Where the hell are they?!"
Nora aimed and shot the men behind him. Rune's arm broke. He panicked. Asher kicked the man behind him, and chaos erupted.
Miska and the guards burst in.
Nora ran to defend Asher—but just as Rune aimed a gun, she leapt in front of her brother.
Bang.
Two bullets pierced her back.
Still, she clutched the dragon staff and hurled it at Rune's head. Blood poured down her back, but all of Rune's men were soon dead.
Zayan received the call.
"Zayan… y-your wife got shot—twice. She was trying to save someone."
He froze. "WHAT?!"
"We're rushing her to the hospital now."
Zayan didn't pack. "Let's go. Now."
He and the team rushed to the airport and boarded the plane to London.
At the hospital, Asher carried Nora in, trembling. "Emergency!"
She looked at him with glassy eyes. "Mama… Nora loves you…"
Asher broke down, his body shaking violently. Kyomi and Aaila, skilled doctors, rushed her into surgery. They successfully removed the bullets. But Nora's heart was failing.
Inside her mind… she wandered in a peaceful dream.
"Hello?"
A familiar voice called: "Nora, darling child."
"NANA!!!!"
She ran into her arms, sobbing. "I missed you!"
"My baby girl… you've suffered too much. But it's not your time yet."
"Please don't send me back…"
"You have a long life ahead, my child. Zayan… Asher… they need you. You'll remember everything when you wake up."
Outside, the heart monitor flatlined.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep.
"NOOOOOO! NORA!!!" Asher collapsed. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
Zayan landed. Shaw called him. "Z-Zayan… I'm sorry… she's gone."
Zayan paled. "DRIVE FASTER!"
At the hospital, Asher begged her lifeless body:
"Please… come back. I won't go abroad again. I'll stay here. I promise. Just… come back…"
Zayan burst in, his world crumbling. "Nora… I'm here… your Z is back…"
Kyomi tried to speak. "Mr. Kai… she's not—"
"Shhh. She's sleeping. No one wake her…"
Everyone gathered around. Catalina, Aveline, Lisa, the guards, and staff mourned. Her body was taken home.
Zayan sat beside her, brushing her hair.
Then it happened.
"N-Nana…" she whispered.
Heads turned.
"NANA!" she screamed.
Nora's eyes flew open.
She touched her bleeding back. "Ouch! Z! My back hurts!"
Everyone stared, stunned. She stood and grabbed Asher.
"Ash! Are you okay? Did they touch you?!"
Asher stood speechless.
Zayan moved forward, "Are… you…"
"Z!!! You're back!" she squealed. "I had a dream—Nana was there! She said I have a long life to live!"
Kyomi checked her. "Her wounds… they're still there. But the monitor—she was… dead."
Royce said, "We need to take her back to the hospital, now."
Zayan picked her up. "Come, love. Let's fix you up."
Later, Asher's men captured Rune as he tried to flee the country.
Asher, still barefoot, loaded his guns.
He walked in slowly, his voice cold. "You almost killed my mother today."
Rune laughed. "Serves you right."
Asher grinned like a madman. "Hell for you."
He shot Rune. Again. And again. And again.
Rex and Maverick tried to stop him, but Asher had already gone insane.