All eyes in the booth shifted in that direction.
Derek saw Norah, dazzling in a silver-white sequined dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Her brown hair flowed beautifully down her back, and her makeup was flawlessly applied, making her stand out like a radiant goddess among the crowd.
With just a glance, Derek knew it was Norah without a doubt.
Several men surrounded Norah, led by a hefty guy, while a few others wore menacing expressions.
The dim lighting made it difficult for Derek to read Norah’s expression. He was unsure whether she felt scared or was enjoying the attention.
“Mr. Carter, your wife is a true beauty.”
“That guy is Mr. Smith leading the pack, right? He’s known for being a bully, using his brother’s status in the entertainment business to act all high and mighty. If she gets involved with Mr. Smith, it won’t turn out well for her.”
“And who says she’s against it? Just look at her outfit. She’s bound to catch every eye here in the Glamour Club.”
“Damn! When Mr. Carter showed up with his wife at the party in the past, I failed to notice how gorgeous she was. I never imagined she’d be this stunning with such an amazing figure!”
Kathy echoed, “Before Derek woke up, she was always out there, dressing in a way that turned heads, just looking to catch the eyes of men. Now that Derek’s not with her anymore, she’ll have to hustle to support herself. She’s sharp, already snagging Mr. Smith’s attention.”
Her friends nodded in agreement and chuckled among themselves. Derek couldn’t hide his annoyance and sharply cut them off. “Stop it!”
Derek fixed Kathy with a stern look. “Kathy, where did you learn to talk like that? You’re lacking in manners. A lady should know better than to say such things.”
Kathy hung her head, feeling the weight of his words. She feared Derek more than anyone, her eyes brimming with tears.
Madeline gave Derek a gentle pat on the back and said, “Kathy’s still young. No need to be too hard on her, okay? What’s got you upset with her?”
Glancing at Norah, Madeline added, “If Norah hadn’t seen us together today, she wouldn’t have ended up here tonight, on the hunt.”
Derek’s mood darkened even more, and he snapped, “I’m not part of the reason for her choices.” Could Norah, who was naturally sneaky, hide her true self by acting innocent? Certainly not.
Norah was already riled up about Derek’s harsh words and Madeline’s return. The person who had reached out via Joanna hadn’t shown up yet, adding to her frustration.
With her patience wearing thin, Norah snapped, “Get lost, Jordy Smith!” He couldn’t handle the rejection and tried to lay a hand on Norah. “Who do you think you are? Dressed up like a slut, aren’t you here looking for company? I’m more than capable of keeping you company!”
Norah calmly smiled as she saw his chubby hand inching toward her shoulder.
She quickly snatched his wrist, gave him a swift elbow to the chin, and pushed him away.
Jordy yelped, stumbling back a few steps before collapsing.
He clutched his chin, grimacing in agony.
Spitting out blood and bits of teeth, he cursed, “Punk! How dare you hit me!”
The commotion from upstairs briefly halted when Jordy let out a howl, then resumed again.
Norah stood firm, warning, “Try it again, and you’ll lose more than just your teeth.”
With his teeth missing, Jordy muttered, “Do you know who I am? Who do you think you’re messing with? I could have you gone from Glophia by tomorrow.”
Norah remained unfazed.
She reached for her designer handbag beside her and started searching through it.
Thinking she was scared by his words and wanted to call for backup, Jordy said arrogantly, “You knocked my teeth out, and I won’t let you off the hook easily! You’ve got two options.
Spend the night with me, or face bankruptcy and a stint in jail. I’ve got pals in the police, and I can pull some strings…”
“Derek, where are you going?” Seeing Derek beside her rise abruptly, Madeline swiftly clasped his hand and asked, “You’re not planning to help Norah, are you?”
Derek looked serious as he explained, “Norah and I are still married in the eyes of the law. She’s technically still part of the Carter family. If she’s harassed, it reflects poorly on the Carter family.”
Madeline attempted to hold him back. “Derek, if you stay quiet, nobody will know she’s your wife. She’s asking for trouble on her own…”
Seeing the resolve on his face, Madeline pressed on. “Let’s not forget, she doused us with water earlier today. Besides, she’s fine. Whatever trouble she finds herself in, she’s asked for it. No woman who respects herself would be out here chasing men at a club after spilling up. She’s just playing the victim.”
In the middle of Jordy’s bluster, Norah coolly pulled a business card from her bag and flung it at Jordy’s feet, commanding, “Shut up!”
But Jordy was too worked up to stop. Without checking the business card, he commented, “Why do you think throwing a business card at me will make me shut up? That’s hilarious! You’re not getting out of the Glamour Club safe and sound today!”
Jordy barely glanced at the business card lying on the ground, his voice dripping with arrogance.
Norah remained unfazed, dismissing Jordy’s aggressive stance with ease.
“Sweetheart, just one night with me, and I’ll make sure you live in opulence,” Jordy offered.
Mesmerized by the gorgeous Norah before him, Jordy briefly disregarded the ache in his jaw and reached out to feel Norah’s sleek shoulder.
Suddenly, the sound of a beer bottle hitting someone’s head reverberated.
Everyone gasped as Norah slammed a beer bottle into Jordy’s head, making blood trickle down his face immediately.
“Do my words mean nothing to you?” Norah asked, her tone icy.
Frustrated by the necessity for such extreme measures, Norah’s actions spoke volumes. Some lessons are only learned the hard way.
The crowd was in disbelief.
If the earlier incident with Jordy’s tooth loss was surprising, this deliberate act of aggression from Norah was shocking!
“Poor Jordy, he’s probably going to give her a hard time.”
“Damn, is Norah always this bold? She just hit him on the head! It seems like that’s her usual move! Cool!”
“They check Jordy’s fate.”
“That beer bottle broke, and Norah went all out! I wonder if he’s got a bump on his head.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.