Chapter 404: Her family’s legacy
"It’s in the past," Demitri said, his voice calm but firm. "But I hope you don’t believe what she said today. I’m not saying I was entirely blameless—I know I didn’t give her enough time. But I did love her once, deeply. My resistance to dating now stems from that breakup. After what happened, I just couldn’t bring myself to open up again. I never told my grandmother about it either. It would have only upset her."
Nora frowned, her hands balling into fists. "I can’t believe people like her exist," she muttered. "It must have been incredibly painful to love someone only to be betrayed like that." She sighed, then added with a slight pout, "But what she said today was too harsh. I should have given her a proper response."
Demitri’s lips curved into a small smile at her indignation. "Don’t let her words ruin your mood," he said, taking a sip of his coffee.
She hummed in agreement, focusing on enjoying the warmth of the drink and his quiet company.
When they finished, Nora reached for his mug. "I’ll wash these," she offered, gathering both cups. "And I’ll cook dinner tonight."
Demitri arched a brow. "Aren’t you tired?"
She shook her head, already heading toward the kitchen. "No. And even if I were exhausted, I’d still have to cook if I were living alone," she reminded him with a playful glance over her shoulder.
"Yeah. But let me help you," Demitri said, stepping closer until he was right behind her.
Nora promptly turned around to refuse, not realizing how little space was left between them. Her breath hitched as her nose brushed against Demitri’s, and her lips hovered dangerously close to his, less than an inch apart.
For a brief moment, neither of them moved. Neither of them blinked.
Nora swallowed hard, her fingers instinctively curling at her sides as she averted her gaze. "Sorry," she whispered.