ALBERT'S POV
From my perch in the tree, I carefully ensured Evelyn was still fast asleep. Her peaceful expression, the soft rise and fall of her chest, gave me a strange sense of calm.
I remembered I had to be somewhere this morning, and lingering would only complicate matters.
Reluctantly, I climbed down and headed back to the hotel.
When I entered my hotel room, sunlight streamed through the curtains, flooding the space with a sharp brightness that contrasted with the tension I could already feel building in my chest. Nora was lying on the bed, fully dressed this time, her phone pressed to her ear.
She noticed me and quickly ended the call. "Let me call you back," she said before facing me fully.
I didn't even glance her way as I shrugged off my jacket, heading straight for the bathroom.
"Where have you been all night, Albert?" Her voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet.
"I was around," I replied evenly, trying to keep my tone nonchalant as I splashed water on my face.
"Around?" she repeated incredulously, crossing her arms as she approached the bathroom door. "That's not an answer. Where were you?"
I sighed, bracing my hands against the sink. "I needed some time alone, Nora. Is that so hard to understand?"
Her laugh was humorless. "Time alone? It sounds more like you were with someone else. Who was it? Are you cheating on me?"
I stepped out of the bathroom, meeting her accusing gaze. "Nora, I'm not cheating on you," I said, my patience fraying. "Why does it always have to come to this?"
"Because you're so secretive!" she shot back, her voice rising. "You disappear in the middle of the night and return without a word. What am I supposed to think?"
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're not supposed to be here in the first place, Nora," I said, my words measured but firm. "We're not truly together, not in the way you think. This whole thing... it's about family expectations, not us."
Her face fell, and the fight in her momentarily dimmed. "Not supposed to be here?" she repeated, her voice cracking slightly. "And what do you mean, not truly together? We're betrothed, Albert. That's not nothing. Or is it to you?"
I ran a hand through my hair, the weight of her disappointment pressing down on me. "I can't do this right now," I muttered, reaching for my shoes.
"Of course, you can't," she said bitterly. "You never can. Always too busy for me, for us. Since you left Mooncrest, you've been a ghost. What's so important you can't share it with me?"
"I have somewhere to be this morning," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. "I applied to sponsor this year's charity event."
Her eyes narrowed. "Then I'm coming with you," she said defiantly. "Let's see who she is... the woman you're so desperate to hide."
Her accusation hit a nerve. I slammed my hand against the dresser, the sound echoing in the room. "Enough, Nora!" I howled, my frustration boiling over. "I don't owe you an explanation for every move I make. I'm dealing with things you wouldn't understand."
She didn't flinch, her gaze steady and unyielding. "Try me," she challenged. "What are you dealing with, Albert? If it's not about a woman, then tell me. Prove me wrong."
The truth hovered on the tip of my tongue, but Evelyn's face flashed in my mind. I couldn't drag Nora into this.
Not now. Not ever.
"Just drop it, Nora," I said quietly, my voice tinged with exhaustion. "For once, let it go."
She stared at me for a long moment, her resolve faltering. Finally, she shook her head, her expression a mix of anger and hurt. "Fine, Albert," she said, her voice cold. "Have it your way. But don't think for a second that I'll back down. You're mine, and I don't share."
"Let me drive you home," I offered, my tone softer.
"I don't need your help," she snapped, grabbing her bag. With one last icy glare, she stormed out, the door slamming behind her.
As I stood there, my chest ached with the weight of my secrets. The collision of duty, family, and my own desires was tearing me apart. It was only a matter of time before Nora discovered the truth.
And when she did, everything would unravel.
*****
NORA'S POV
I sat in my car, staring at the entrance of the hotel, waiting for Albert to come out. Frustration bubbled inside me, tightening around my chest.
What was going on? I thought to myself.
Albert and I had always been on good terms. He used to share everything with me, but now he felt distant; secretive, even.
I couldn't shake the memory of our conversation earlier. Why had he been so evasive? The thought that there might be another woman gnawed at me. Maybe that was why he'd been acting so strange. The possibility stung, but I needed to know the truth.
I'd followed Albert out the night before, determined to find answers, but he'd disappeared into the shadows, his scent vanishing as if he'd been swallowed by the night itself. It left me restless, haunted by the possibilities.
As I sat there, my mind drifted back to the conversation I'd had with my father the day before.
"Nora," my father had said, his expression unusually serious, "Albert's hiding something. He's been acting suspiciously. Did you know he even disguised himself when he came to the Chambers?"
"Disguised?" I had asked, bewildered. "Why would he need to do that?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," my father had replied. "But it doesn't sit right with me. You need to keep a close eye on him."
I had nodded, my stomach tightening as his words echoed in my mind. Now, sitting in the car, I could feel the knot in my gut growing tighter.
After what felt like an eternity, I started to feel that something wasn't right. Albert should have been out by now. A nagging feeling told me to go back inside and check the hotel room again.
I got out of the car, my heart pounding, and made my way back into the hotel. Each step felt heavier than the last. When I reached the room, I found it empty. Albert was gone.
Panic surged through me. Where could he have gone? He'd played me twice in a row.
I looked around the room, hoping for some sign, but there was nothing. I checked the bathroom, the closet, everywhere, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Albert, where are you?" I whispered to myself.
The words tasting like betrayal on my tongue. Fear and anger twisted together inside me. What was he hiding, and why had he disappeared without a word?
I pulled out my phone and dialed his number, but it went straight to voicemail. My mind raced with possibilities, each one more unsettling than the last.
Finally, I remembered he was going to the charity center today
I couldn't sit back and wait for him to return. I needed answers.
Determined, I grabbed my keys and headed out of the hotel. If Albert thought he could just vanish without an explanation, he was sorely mistaken. I was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what it took.