Chapter 4

Eric's sudden appearance stirred nothing in me but disgust.

I pretended not to notice him and turned to head back inside.

He called out, "Nora."

I stopped but didn't turn around.

I said coldly, "What do you want?"

He hesitated for a moment. "I heard you're seeing someone new?"

I said flatly, "That's none of your business, Mr. Johnson."

I used his last name on purpose.

We were divorced, and I had no intention of letting him back into my life in any way.

Eric's tone softened, almost pleading. "Nora, don't be like that. We were married once. That has to count for something."

Married? I nearly laughed out loud.

Where was he when his mother pointed a finger in my face and called me barren?

Where was he when I was choking down one fertility supplement after another until I threw up?

And when I finally hit my breaking point and asked for a divorce, he signed the papers faster than anyone.

Now he had the nerve to stand here and talk about what our marriage meant?

I looked him dead in the eye. "Eric, we're done. I'm happy now, and I need you to stop showing up like this."

I turned to walk away, but he stepped forward and blocked my path.

"Does he treat you well?" he asked. There was something in his eyes I couldn't quite read.

"He does," I said, and my voice didn't waver. "A thousand times better than you ever did."

I didn't feel like wasting another word on him. I stepped around him and walked into the flower shop without looking back.

He didn't follow me inside. He just stood at the door for a long time before he finally turned and left.

That evening, Owen picked me up after work.

I told him about Eric's visit because I didn't want any secrets between us.

Owen listened to the whole thing, and when I finished, he just reached over and held my hand.

"Don't worry," he said quietly. "I'm right here."

He didn't ask a single unnecessary question, and he didn't show a hint of jealousy. He gave me complete trust and the kind of security I had never felt before.

In that moment, I knew I had made the right choice.

Our love grew stronger with every quiet, ordinary day we spent together.

Owen took me to his house.

It was spacious and bright, with a clean, modern design that suited him perfectly.

A black-and-white photograph of his mother hung on the living room wall, and the woman in the picture had the warmest, most gentle smile.

Owen held my hand and walked me over to the photo.

He said softly, "Mom, this is Nora Lane. She's my girlfriend."

He paused, then added, "She's going to take good care of me from now on."

My eyes burned with tears the moment he said that.

I could feel it in every word. He truly wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.

He introduced me to all of his friends, and every single one of them was kind. No one looked down on me for being divorced.

They all said the same thing. Owen had changed since he met me. He had become softer, more open.

Before me, he was the typical workaholic, cold and distant, the kind of man who kept everyone at arm's length.

One of his closest friends joked, "Nora, you're an absolute lifesaver."

I laughed, but deep down, I knew the truth. Owen was the one who saved me.

He pulled me out of the darkest place I had ever been and made me believe in love again. He made me believe in myself.

After six months together, Owen proposed.

It happened on an ordinary evening. We had just finished dinner and were walking through the park.

He suddenly dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring.

It wasn't some flashy diamond, but the design was unique and elegant. It was exactly my style.

He looked up at me and said, "Nora, I know this might feel fast.

"But I've already made up my mind about you, and I don't want to waste another second.

"I want to see your face every morning when I wake up, and I want to fall asleep holding you every single night.

"Will you marry me?"

The glow of the streetlamp fell across his face, and his eyes shone brighter than the stars above us.

I covered my mouth as the tears streamed down my cheeks.

I had waited so long to hear those words.

Not from Eric. From a man who truly loved me, respected me, and wanted to build a life with me.

And now, he was right here.

I nodded as hard as I could.

I whispered, "Yes."

He slid the ring onto my finger, and it fit perfectly.

He stood up and pulled me into his arms. His voice was soft against my ear as he whispered, "Mrs. Grant."

I buried my face in his chest and felt his heart beating, strong and steady.

In that moment, I felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

We went to get our marriage license shortly after.

This time, when I walked out of the city hall, I was smiling.

The marriage license in my hands carried all the weight of our hopes for the future.

We didn't have a wedding. I told him, "I don't want anything big."

He said, "Whatever you want. I'm good with that."

We invited a few close friends, had a nice dinner together, and called it a celebration.

Married life turned out to be even sweeter than I had imagined.

Owen spoiled me beyond belief. He insisted on doing all the housework and even started learning to cook. His food wasn't great, but every bite tasted better than anything I'd ever had.

He remembered everything I said, no matter how small.

I mentioned wanting to see the ocean, and by the following weekend, he had already booked the flights and the hotel.

I said a new candle at the boutique downtown smelled amazing, and the next day, the exact same one showed up on my nightstand.

He showed me what it meant to be truly loved.

I often thought to myself that I must have been a saint in a past life to end up with someone like Owen.

But there was one thing that still weighed on my heart.

A baby.

Owen kept telling me he didn't care about it, but I knew better. He loved kids. Every time we passed a cute baby on the street, his eyes would linger, soft and full of warmth.

I didn't want him to live with that regret.

So I quietly made an appointment with a fertility specialist to see if there was anything I could do.

I was hoping for a miracle.