?Chapter 1166:


    As soon as they stepped in, Katrina broke down into dramatic sobs. Outside Yvonne’s room, she cried as if her life depended on it.


    Seeing Alexis’sck of effort, she pinched him sharply. “Apologize to Mrs. Burke! If it weren’t for you, none of this would’ve happened!”


    Reluctantly, Alexis joined her act, adding his own fake sobs as they tried to enter. But the bodyguards blocked their way.


    Inside, Yvonne frowned at the noise outside. Norton gently squeezed her hand. “I’ll handle this.” She nodded, and he stepped out. The tenderness vanished the moment he faced Alexis and Katrina. His expression turned cold and hard.


    The two dropped to their knees, begging at his feet. “Mr. and Mrs. Burke, please forgive us! We’ve learned our lesson! We won’t do it again!”


    Norton ignored them, waving his hand. The bodyguards understood and dragged them out roughly. They didn’t hold back, and Alexis and Katrina cried out in pain.


    Once outside, the police arrived and took them into custody.


    With that settled, Yvonne felt some relief, but her spirit remained low. Norton noticed and grew worried.


    He asked the doctor, “Why hasn’t my wife recovered yet?”


    The doctor checked her records and replied, “Physically, she’s fine. But she’s still carrying emotional wounds. It might have something to do with what she’s been through in the past. A change of scenery and some rest might help.”


    Norton nodded and left the office. Outside Yvonne’s room, he paused, deep in thought, then called Leif. “Look into Yvonne’s past,” he instructed.


    After hanging up, he returned to the room. When Yvonne saw him, her face brightened a little, a faint smile breaking through her sadness.


    A spark red in Yvonne’s eyes, a fleeting glow that hinted at the fire she once carried. Norton’s lips curved into a faint smile, warmth softening the edges of his usually guarded expression.


    He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to tousle her hair with a gentle, familiar ease.


    With a yful swat, Yvonne brushed his fingers away, herugh bright but brittle. “I am not some delicate flower, Norton. You do not need to handle me with kid gloves.”


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    His gaze flickered, a shadow of something deeper—regret, perhaps, or unspoken longing—crossing his face. “I just hate seeing you hurt,” he murmured, his voice low.


    Yvonne froze, her breath catching. Her mind spun, parsing his words for meaning. She forced a light smile, turning her attention to the television’s mindless chatter, hoping to anchor herself in its noise. But her thoughts drifted, tugged by the weight of his confession. Did he mean what she thought he did? Or was she reading too much into it? She shook her head slightly, willing the question away.


    Norton’s eyes lingered on her, intense and unwavering, as if she were the only thing in the world worth seeing.


    Her cheeks warmed under his scrutiny, a flush creeping up her neck. Just as self-consciousness prickled her skin, he broke away, his focus shifting to the phone buzzing in his pocket. The screen’s glow illuminated his face as he unlocked it, fingers swift but deliberate.


    In the past, Norton had drawn a line, refusing to pry into Yvonne’s private life. It was not his ce, he had told himself. But now, something had shifted. He needed to know—needed to understand the shadows that clung to her.


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