Zayan had left for Switzerland with Arion, Kasir, Royce, and Imara to finalize important preparations. Nora watched him go, silent tears streaming down her face. She didn't speak much after that—just retreated into herself.
Aaila and Kyomi exchanged glances as they observed her.
"She loves him so much," Kyomi whispered. "She can't even stay away from him."
"Yeah," Aaila chuckled softly. "She can't."
That evening, Nora sat by the window, bathed in moonlight. She whispered to herself, eyes on the stars. "I miss Z…"
Asher saw her, sorrow heavy in his chest. He quietly made a video call to Zayan. When Zayan answered, Asher turned the phone so he could see her.
"Nora?" Zayan's voice came through.
Asher called her, "Here, he wants to talk to you."
"What?" she muttered, taking the phone. Her face lit up.
"Z! My Z!"
"Hey, my princess," Zayan smiled. They talked for a while—she told him about her day, how empty the mansion felt without him.
"I miss you so much," he said.
"When are you coming home?"
"Day after tomorrow, love. I promise."
"Alright…" she whispered. "Bedtime now, darling," he said. She nodded reluctantly. Asher walked her to her room, and she fell asleep with the phone in hand. Asher ended the call quietly and headed to his own room—only to find Aaila waiting inside.
"Hey? Need something?" he asked, confused.
She stepped closer, eyes scanning him. "I want something. Can you give it to me?"
"W-what do you mean?"
Without hesitation, she pulled him to her height. "F*ck me, Asher."
He froze. "Huh—what?"
"You heard me," she said, breathless. "I want you inside me. You drive me crazy."
"I'm a kid… I'm seventeen. You're older—I don't want to hurt you."
Before he could finish, she pushed him onto the bed and climbed on top. "I don't care. Just make me yours."
He bit his lip—and kissed her.
They spent the night together, a tangle of limbs, moans echoing through the night.
The Next Morning
Nora, as usual, wore one of her loose gowns. One of the guards whispered urgently in Shaw's ear—an ambush was coming.
Shaw began evacuating everyone. Nora was still asleep when Rune's men stormed in, guns blazing.
She woke up—furious.
No one woke her from sleep. Ever.
She grabbed Zayan's dragon staff and hid it. Rune barged into the mansion.
"Where's that bastard?" he roared.
Shaw's nose was bleeding. Nora was enraged. She slipped into Zayan's shorts and a top. "I'm gonna beat the dumbass."
She took Asher's phone and called Zayan. "Z," she whispered.
"Nora?! What's wrong?"
"That asshole who touched me… he's back. He's got a gun."
Zayan stood up. "Stay put. I'm calling backup now."
Within moments, Miska and their men were mobilized and headed to the mansion.
Rune snarled, "I want his wife. Bring her to me!"
Nora had already stolen a gun and crawled through the halls barefoot. She shot four men silently and headed downstairs again.
"Where the hell are they!?" Rune growled.
Nora aimed from above—took out his backup.
Asher kicked one of the attackers. Miska's team burst in, guns blazing. Chaos erupted.
Rune fired at Asher—Nora jumped in front of him.
Two bullets struck her back.
Still, she stood.
With her last strength, she hurled Zayan's staff at Rune's head.
Everyone was down.
Miska and Asher rushed to her. She was barely conscious.
Miska called Zayan: "Your wife… got shot twice. She protected someone."
Zayan went pale. "HOW LONG TO GET BACK?!"
"Six hours, sir!"
"WE LEAVE NOW! GET TO THE AIRPORT!"
Asher cradled Nora, rushing her to the hospital.
"I love you… Mama Nora loves you," she whispered in her childlike voice.
Asher broke down.
In surgery, Kyomi and Aaila removed the bullets, but Nora's heart rate dropped.
Beep… beep… beeeeeeeep.
"I'm sorry," the doctor said. "We… we couldn't save her."
Asher collapsed. "No… no no no—NORA!"
Zayan's flight had landed. Shaw told him, "She's gone…"
Zayan's world shattered.
He rushed into the hospital, eyes scanning for her. Asher was crumpled on the floor. Everyone was pale and shaken.
But Nora… Nora was somewhere else.
In the Dream World
"Nana?" she called. "Hello?"
A warm voice answered. "Nora, darling child."
"NANA!!!!" She ran into her arms, sobbing.
"My baby girl. You've suffered too much."
"I missed you…"
Nana stroked her hair. "You must go back. Zayan needs you. Asher needs you."
"Okay…"
"You'll remember everything, my love."
Back in the Mansion
Beep… Beep… Beep… BEEEEEEP.
Flatline.
Then suddenly…
"N…n…Nana…"
A whisper.
Everyone thought they were imagining it.
"NANA!!!" she shouted, eyes flying open.
"Z! MY BACK HURTS!!"
Everyone turned. She was alive.
"Nora?!" Zayan gasped.
"Z, look! My back is bleeding. It hurts!"
She ran to Asher, childlike, inspecting him.
"Did he hurt you, Ash? Are you okay?"
Zayan fell to his knees. "My God… you're back…"
Nora grinned. "Nana kissed me! She said I have a long life!"
Imara whispered, "Her wounds… they're bleeding—but we didn't heal them."
Kyomi added, "She was dead. The monitor flatlined."
Royce called it: "We need to take her back to the hospital."
Zayan carried her. "Come on, love. Let's fix you up."
The End of Rune
Asher's men caught Rune trying to flee the country. They dragged him back.
Asher had lost his innocence.
He pointed the gun at Rune, a wild, haunted look in his eyes.
"You almost took my mother…"
Rune sneered. "She should've stayed dead."
Asher laughed—unhinged—and emptied the gun into Rune again and again.
Maverick and Rex pulled him back. "Come on. You need to be with Nora now."
Later That Night
Asher brought Nora her favorite food. She was already telling Zayan how she used his staff to fight.
"I smacked that idiot with it! You should've seen his face!" she giggled.
Zayan just stared. Still in awe.
"N…n…Nora…" Asher called.
"Ash!" She hugged him tightly. "Nana came like you said. In my good dreams."
Zayan whispered, "I'm so sorry, love. I promise… I'm not leaving you again."
That night, everyone stayed in the hospital room. Zayan and Asher fell asleep beside Nora, who had finally found peace.
Outside, Arion pulled Zayan aside.
"We have to postpone the operation. Her injuries are still too fresh. If we do it now, the risk of trauma… even brain damage… is too high."
Zayan nodded. "Then we wait. But I'm never letting her go again."
He looked through the hospital window at the woman who'd died and come back.
"Thank you… for coming back to me."