Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Nora hastily got up from her seat and moved towards the living room to confirm her suspicion. Then she heard the kids asking why she got up without finishing her food but she didn't bother to reply. She could feel Zanvil also following her behind. When she reached the living room her eyes fell on two figures standing there talking. One was Bill and the other one was Lara. Nora's eyes went wide in shock. She couldn't believe it was truly Lara who was standing at the entrance of her house.

"Just tell her, it's me Lara, her cousin. She will definitely come here to see me, please." Nora heard Lara pleading to Bill. She came out of her shock and frowned before finally speaking.

"Let her in, Bill." Nora stated firmly without showing any emotion. Hearing Nora's voice both Bill and Lara turned around. Bill nodded.

"Nora!" Lara shouted emotionally before running towards Nora at a lightning speed and throwing herself in Nora's arms. She started crying hysterically. Nora was caught unprepared. She frowned seeing her dissolved state but didn't push her away nor hugged her back. Maybe sensing Nora's unresponsive behavior Lara pulled away and tried to calm her emotions. She looked at Nora with tearful eyes. She looked really pathetic. She was wearing a quite expensive dress but her demeanor was like a woman who had been abused. Nora couldn't understand what had happened to her.

"Why are you here Lara? What happened to you?" Nora asked, a bit concerned. Even though she didn't like Lara, seeing her in such a state made her feel a bit bad for her.

"Nora, I-I need your help. He... He.. my husband, he will sue me. I don't know what to do. Please help me." Lara sobbed uncontrollably. Nora didn't understand what she was saying. So she pulled her towards the couch to sit and let her calm down first.

"Here drink this water first and calm down." Nora said, handing Lara a glass of water. She quietly took the glass from Nora and gulped the water down in one go. Nora took the glass from her and kept it aside on the center table. Meanwhile Zanvil also came downstairs after putting the kids in their room carefully. He didn't want his kids to watch anything they shouldn't. He knew that woman Lara was here with some drama in her sleeves and he didn't want his kids to witness those so he kept his kids away.

Nora turned around hearing Zanvil's footsteps. Lara also looked up to look who came.

"Where's the kids?" Nora asked softly when Zanvil took a seat beside her on the couch.

"I have tucked them on their bed." Zanvil replied gently.

"Zan, this is Lara. My cousin from my father's side and Lara this is Zanvil, my husband. I know you guys didn't get to meet each other formally after our wedding." Nora said softly introducing them. Even though they already knew each other it was the first time they met after her marriage with Zanvil and she needed to introduce them formally.

"Yeah. I remember." Lara said with a smile. Zanvil didn't say anything, just gave a firm nod. No matter what he couldn't forgive this woman. She was the reason he had misunderstood Eleonora in the first place and put her through those pain. Even though he was also at fault he couldn't just behave normally with her like nothing happened.

"Lara, tell me what happened to you." Nora said turning towards Lara who was lost in her own thoughts. She came out of her thoughts and looked up at Nora with a sad smile on her face. Her eyes welled up again but she ignored it and started speaking.

"You probably have heard I married a few years back. My husband's name is Derek and he owns a restaurant here. We had met a few years back and fell in love and decided to get married. But soon he started changing after we got married. He started gambling and doing drugs. When I tried to stop him he.. he started beating me. I.. I couldn't do anything. He kept abusing me mentally and physically. B..but I couldn't leave him. I loved him so much. I thought he would change one day but he didn't and now he's having affairs and planning to divorce me. He.. he's accusing me of having affairs so that he doesn't need to give me any kind of alimony after marriage. I don't have anyone here in the US whom I could call my own except you. That's why I took your address from Mom and came straight to you. Please help me Nora. I know you are probably still upset at me for what happened in the past. I know what I did in the past is wrong and I regret it. I was young and immature that time. Please forgive me and help me Nora. I have nowhere to go. He will sue me and take everything from him. He forced me to get abortion. I.. I didn't want to kill my baby but he made me do it. I don't know what to do now. All I wish for me is to die." Lara finished and burst into crying. She started sobbing uncontrollably making Nora pity her more. Nora looked at Zanvil who had a frown on his face before moving towards the crying Lara. She pulled Lara in a hug in order to console her and patted her back. After a while Lara finally calmed down and broke free from Nora.

"Don't worry. I and Zanvil will help you and make sure that Bastard pays for what he did to you." Nora promised without thinking. She felt angry and upset at Lara's husband for doing those to Lara and killing their unborn baby.

"Thank you Nora. I don't know if I could ever repay you for your kindness." Lara said holding Nora's hands and looking down pitifully. Her whole face was steamed with tears making her look like a pitiful white lotus flower. Nora felt pain watching that girl she spent her childhood with suffering so much.

"You don't need to thank me. You must be tired. You need to rest. Come, I will show you the guest room so you could rest. We will talk tomorrow." Nora said while pulling Lara with her who nodded softly. Nora looked at Zanvil who didn't talk throughout the whole conversation.

"I will show Lara her room and then come to our room." Nora said softly looking at her husband whose face was still blank.

"Come soon. I will check the kids." Zanvil said with a gentle smile on his face before getting up and moving towards upstairs.

Nora also moved towards the guest room with Lara.

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After showing Lara the guest room and settling her in the guest room Nora moved towards the kids room to check on them. They were already fast asleep. Nora felt bad for not tucking them in bed. But soon shook off the negative feeling and moved towards her own room.

When she entered the room Zanvil had already changed for bed. He was half lying on the bed by resting his head on the headboard of bed while doing something on his laptop. When he noticed Nora entering the room he looked up and smiled at her. Nora smiled back and closed the door gently.

"I will go and change first." Nora informed before heading towards the closet and picking up her nightie. After picking up a black nightie she headed straight in the washroom.

When she came back changed into the black nightie she found Zanvil was already lying on the bed. She moved towards the bed smiling and climbed up. After entering under the comforter she hugged Zanvil from the behind and spoke.

"Are you angry with me because I had let Lara stay here and promised to help her without asking your opinion?" She asked gently while burying her head on his back. Zanvil slowly turned around and pulled her on his chest.

"Of course not. It's just I don't trust her after what she did to us in the past." Zanvil told her honestly what he thought.

"I know. But she already apologized and asked for our help. She's been through so much that I couldn't just send her away." Nora said softly while placing a soft kiss on Zanvil's bare chest. Zanvil had his arms around her waist. Zanvil sighed. He couldn't say no to her. He would always support her in every decision she took.

"It's okay. We will find a way to help her tomorrow. Now let me love you." Zanvil said while hovering over Nora who just grinned at him mischiefly.

"I love you." Nora said before placing her lips on his waiting one. Zanvil moved his lips softly against her with a smile. He knew that and of course he loved her too. More than she could ever imagine.

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