Knox Wilder leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the alley that Nora had just flee from, He knew she was not easily shaken, that he could scare her in a dark alley and yet that would not really change anything, He had watched her long enough to understand this.
'Nora…' He said to himself, a dark laugh slipping with the word as he pulled out a stick of cigarette with obvious, deliberate ease.
'.... you are an interesting character, you're an obedient little girl, you've always been, but then it comes to marrying me and you realize it's a hard limit for you.' He chuckles again. His hands crushing the still unlit cigarette, ' but guess what georgous….. I don't really like hearing No.
**********************************
'Nora's legs won't stop shaking, she held her coat around her firmly as she ran, scared that at some point her legs would give way.
Goosebumps were all over her body, and she struggled to swallow the panic rising from her chest.
She turned into a corner too fast and bumped into something solid, someone.
'Nora' the voice said. It sounded vaguely familiar. She looked up into Ryan's concerned face and then his words blurred, her ears were roaring and her lungs were being greedy for air.
Her knees buckled and staying upright failed.'Knox….' Her lips shaped his name before the world went out of focus'
**********************************
Ryan was stuck with Leo all morning, they had an early dinner together and finally after the umpteenth time of asking, Leo finally agreed to let him go to work to grab some documents for his meeting the next day.
' You do realize that some of us don't own a world leading e-commerce platform right ,some of us work, besides its getting late.'
"And you do realize that it's not world leading, it's just leading in 114 countries, and besides you do not have a mom giving you silent treatment and a really boring job, and before I forget, you also own an international hotel.' Leo replied in a drawl.'
"You should honestly make up with my godmother you know, and I see why you've been all around me for these few days.''
"Please can you be her son for the next 9 months ?"Leo said in mock plea.
'Trust me I prefer where I am for now' Ryan said with same mock sincerity.' Alright, you can go to the office alright but first there's something want us to check first.
''What's that'
'I invested in a redevelopment for an orphanage, been pumping money for months but yesterday, I overheard two teenagers talking about the deriotating condition of the place, I want to check out the place myself, just to be sure.''
"Then can I have my life back?"
''It'lld be my pleasure' Leo replied.
40 minutes later they were staring at a crumbling building, with graffiti stained walls on the narrow street.
'This doesn't look like a redevelopment site at all,' Ryan said stating the obvious.
Leo adjusted his cuffs scanning the shadows , the stench of garbage mixed with sour smell of damp concrete, this wasn't a place for them to be that night, it was creepy.
'Remind me again why we came here alone, in the middle of the night' Ryan asked.Leo shot him a look, ' I don't need an army for a simple inspection, besides coming here with people wont exactly show I genuinely care for this people.
'Ryan shakes his head,' And dragging me here somehow makes it better...
''Sssh…. Did you hear that'And the faint pattering of running feet became clearer, a few more seconds and a whiff of perfume filled the air, Ryan moved closer to the approaching figure and Leo armed himself with an iron pipe lying on the floor
'Nora?!'Her wide terror stricken eyes lifted to his and for the first time that night, Leo felt his pulse stumble.
Leo felt blood rushing to his head when he heard Ryan say "Nora?"
He immediately dropped his makeshift weapon on the ground and rushed to her just in time to support her falling weight and hear her say something that sounded like a name, Knox.
Ryan immediately went to get the car and they were off to the hospital. Ryan called Ivy dropping the name of the hospital they were headed to as he was driving while Leo sat in the back with unconscious Nora.
He held her hands it was still warm but her face was so pale, placing his hands in hers he tried to calm himself and that's when he saw it...
Red marks on her wrists as though they were being pricked with something really pointy.
He felt himself reeling with anger he couldn't express, " who did this to you?" he thought to himself.
30 minutes later, the hospital doors slide open with a hiss. Ivy bursts through, her hair still damp from the shower, clinging in loose strands around her face. She hadn't even bothered to dry it properly,her blouse is slightly wrinkled and inside out, shoes half-slipped on in her hurry.
She walk-runs the nurse at the desk, breathless, "Nora nora Storm, She was just brought in—where is she?"
The nurse glances at the chart, calmly, "Room 304, second floor. She's stable now, ma'am."
Ivy barely waits for the explanation. She nods quickly, mutters a rushed "thank you," and takes off down the hall, her damp hair leaving a faint trail of water against her collar. Ryan who had been waiting for her sees her running towards the room and follows.
When she reaches the room, she hesitates only a second at the door before pushing inside. Relief and panic fight for space on her face as her eyes land on Nora lying pale against the sheets. She doesn't notice Ryan who had been running after her or Leo who was pacing around in the room.
"Nora…" she whispers.
" How long has she been out ?" she asks Leo who she sees for the first time.
"An hour" He replied and almost immediately , Nora's eyes flicker open.
"Hey...". Ivy says gently .
Nora doesn't say anything, she's still trying to understand where she is.
The ceiling above her is white and harshly lit. She stirs, realizing she's not home, and then voices reach her.
"Nora! You're awake. Thank goodness. You gave us such a scare." Ivy says holding her hands
Nora blinks,throat dry, "Ivy… where am I ?"
"You fainted in the middle of the street. If Leo hadn't been there—" Ivy started.
"What were you doing there, in the middle of the night, that kind of place" Leo asks cutting Ivy off, his eyes having a weird looks, it was angry and concerned and more angry.
Nora's gaze shifts. Only then does she notice Leo standing near the window, hands shoved in his pockets, watching her with unreadable eyes. Her chest tightens, but she keeps her face calm.
Ignoring him, Nora talks directly to Ivy "It wasn't a big deal."
"Don't call collapsing in the middle of the street in the middle of the night nothing." Leo snapped, his voice sharp before he can stop himself
Ivy glances between them, surprised at the edge in his tone. Nora looks directly at Leo and snaps back
" What's it to you anyway....and what are you doing here?"
Ryan immediately interjects
"Hey you need to rest first, we could talk later."
"He's right. You need rest, Nora. But I need answers. What happened?"
"Nothing happened, at least it's not something I can't handle."
" Oh.. I saw how great you are at handling stuff right now you know " Leo said sarcasm dripping with his words.
" Why are you getting worked up about this it's not like I'm your problem anymore"
The room falls quiet. Leo exhales slowly, trying to rein in his anger. He wants to explode, but Ivy's presence keeps him restrained. His eyes never leave Nora, though — a storm brewing behind them.
"Okay… okay. Don't push yourself. I'll go tell the doctor you're awake." Ivy says trying hard to change the flow of conversation.She stands, giving Nora a small smile before slipping out, leaving them in heavy silence.
"Thank you Ryan and Leo....You didn't have to stay though but all the same I'm grateful."
"It was nothing, any body would have done same, I'm more worried about you, what happened" Ryan asks genuinely.
"It's not something I want to bother you with " Nora say with a dry smile.
"Damn it, Nora, you need to get say something I can't leave here without worrying and wanting to protect you."
Nora's eyes soften, but she looks away quickly "That's not your job anymore. We're not… we're not us."
Leo laughs a low, bitter laugh"Yeah. Exes. That's what we are. But it doesn't change the fact that when you fall, I won't try to catch you."
The doctor comes in and gives his report and thanks speech but it was evident that no one asides from Ivy was listening.
When the doctor leaves silence hangs around the room and is broken by a notification ping from Nora's phone on the table.
"Hey georgous....."
Her gasp is loud.
" What's that??" Ivy asks bending the phone over.
"It's Knox isn't it? Was he the one who you met last night? What did he do?" Ivy asked at once.
Nora kept quiet, motioning to Leo with her eyes
" We'll leave now." Leo says immediately and left, Ryan followed after telling Ivy her sweatshirt had been inside out
Embarrassed Ivy and tired Nora said their goodbyes.
On his way down, Leo places a phone call.
"Jones, I need a background check on Knox"
" Knox who?"
" I don't know but I want every freaking Knox that has something to do do with Nora Storm, I want everything from his name to his favorite coffee."