Chapter: 26

Reflecting on her recent talk with Norah, Juliana concluded, "I've made my point clear. That woman out there is not qualified as your wife. You need to give this some serious thought.”

Derek stayed quiet like a statue without uttering a word for quite some time.

Meanwhile, oblivious to the discussions unfolding at Carter Manor, Norah enjoyed a tranquil rest, followed by her skincare routine and a leisurely lunch, and then reached out to Derek with a message.

Norah asked, "Mr. Carter, do you have any free time today? Could you meet me at the court at 2 p.m. to go through the divorce formalities?"

Since she slept in, she scheduled the appointment for the afternoon.

Derek's prompt response caught Norah off guard, as she was accustomed to waiting for his replies, sometimes up to an hour.

Derek's message was brief. "Today's not good for me."

Norah texted back, “When might you have some time? I can adjust my schedule accordingly."

Derek answered, "My schedule has been packed recently."

After that exchange, Derek ceased responding, regardless of Norah's further messages.

Norah gazed at her phone, puzzled. She couldn't grasp why Derek, who had been eager to rush things with Madeline yesterday, pressing her for a quick divorce, was now unavailable to finalize it. Norah believed he wanted to propose to Madeline earlier.

Joanna joined Norah, wearing a facial mask and holding a Coke. “Norah, Bryson was wondering if you'd be interested in giving a talk at Bexlyn University. You are, after all, a distinguished alumna. What's your take? You could share insights into your career journey with the students. Norah accepted the Coke, the fizz pleasantly tickling her taste buds, her eyes narrowing in contentment. "Nah, I prefer to skip it. I want to clinch first place at the Krusa Mountain Racing in four days, so I need all the time to practice and get to know the track better."

Setting down her drink, Norah continued, "Bexlyn University tends to engage in such ceremonial activities. They like having honorary alumni speak as a form of prestige. Bryson is welcome to participate, but it's not for me."

Joanna responded, “Alright, I'll turn it down on your behalf. Bryson does enjoy these grand gestures to increase his popularity. You might not be aware, but he has gathered over a million followers on Stellar Social."

Stellar Social, a leading social media platform renowned for its vast user base and focus on video sharing, boasted daily active users in the millions, marking its significant influence.

Bryson's following of over a million on Stellar Social underscored his remarkable presence.

Norah recalled her seldom-used social media account offhandedly and said, "That's quite an achievement."

Norah always viewed Bryson as the epitome of a disciplined business elite, embodying perfection in all aspects.

These days had seen Norah send Aaron a couple of design proposals, attend one of Bryson's lectures at Bexlyn University, and devote her remaining time to driving practice and car familiarization.

Returning to racing after a two-year hiatus brought a mix of excitement and nerves for Norah.

On race day, Joanna drove Norah to Krusa Mountain.

Participating with the code name "Selene," Norah embraced the anonymity required by the event's organizers, with only select officials aware of the racers' true identities behind their masks.

With the race over an hour away, Norah and Joanna settled into their seats among the spectators for a chat.

"Derek, I've heard Nocturne's entering this race. Wouldn't it be amazing to meet him? I imagine he's quite handsome!" Norah easily recognized Kathy's voice and couldn't help but frown.