The Hide and Seek Game That Lasted a Lifetime novel Chapter 28

Chapter 18

In the quiet attic of the Whitmore estate, Nora found herself standing before a towering stack of boxes, each one tightly sealed and heavy with the weight of years gone by. The air was thick with dust and memories, the silence almost palpable. Each box was like a time capsule, locked away with secrets and stories waiting to be uncovered.

On the top of every box, a date was neatly inscribed in a handwriting she recognized instantly—his handwriting, familiar and tender.

[March 10, 2011. Married Nora today. So happy. Bought her favorite plush doll. I’ll give it to her someday.]

[April 28, 2014. Nora’s birthday. Told her I was too busy with work to come home. Bought a minor planet and named it after her. I’ll tell her someday.]

[May 23, 2016. Fifth wedding anniversary. Still didn’t make it home. Bought her a private island instead. I want to retire there with her someday…]

Nora’s vision blurred as tears welled up, threatening to spill over. The truth was undeniable—he had loved her. Quietly, secretly, and with a relentless devotion that had never faded. Every note, every gift, was a testament to a love that existed in the shadows, a love that had been waiting for the right moment, a love that had imagined a future they never got to share.

She traced the dates with trembling fingers, feeling the ache of all those “somedays” that never arrived.

But now, her heart belonged to someone else.

Her steps faltered, and she instinctively leaned into a pair of arms she knew so well. Dominic caught her effortlessly, his embrace a refuge from the storm inside her.

“Don’t cry,” he murmured softly, his voice steady and warm. “Come with me to Bali—let’s get some fresh air.”

The sun bathed the beach in golden light as they sat close, the gentle sound of waves creating a peaceful backdrop. Dominic’s hand rested protectively on her stomach, a silent promise of the life they were building together.

“Nora,” he began, his tone almost nostalgic, “I actually met you when I was six.”

She looked up, surprised. “When?”

“At the time, Chase and I were still friends. We were climbing over a wall when I saw you for the first time. You were wearing a pink dress, and you looked so beautiful.”

Nora smiled softly, the memory vivid in her mind. “Dominic, the truth is—I saw you first.”

She curled closer into his arms, her voice tender as the sunlight filtering through the palm leaves. “I believe you.”

Then, with a playful glint in her eye, she teased, “Guess when I fell for you?”

Dominic tapped her nose lightly, grinning. “The day I confessed?”

She shook her head, laughter dancing in her eyes. “No, it was the very first time I saw you—at the cold storage facility. I liked you the moment our eyes met.”

Dominic’s expression shifted to one of stunned disbelief. Nora’s voice softened, filled with raw emotion. “I was terrified back then. I thought, if I couldn’t escape, I’d rather die right there. But then you appeared—like a savior.”

“Dominic, I was so, so grateful to you. I love you,” she whispered, sincerity shining through every word.

His heart tightened at the memory, a blend of fear and relief washing over him. He tightened his embrace. “Thank God I made it in time.”

“Our Nora has faced many hardships, but now she’s fortunate to have found you. Promise me you’ll take good care of her.”

Dominic answered with heartfelt sincerity, “You have my word. Nora is my everything. I will love her and care for her all the days of my life.”

Nora, too, made a solemn vow to the Faulkner elders. “I will be a good wife to Dominic. Together, we will support each other and build a happy home.”

The wedding concluded perfectly, a celebration of love and new beginnings.

That night, hand in hand, they strolled down the sycamore-lined avenue toward their home.

The streetlights cast long, gentle shadows behind them—shadows that mirrored the long journey of life ahead.

Their future stretched wide and bright before them, a path that belonged only to Dominic and Nora Langston.

As for the pain and people of the past, they vowed never to let those shadows touch their lives again.

This was the start of a beautiful new chapter, one written just for them.

—

When she discovered her sister lying beneath her husband, her hands flew to her mouth in shock.