THE STRANGER'S OFFER
320 Words
Episode 4
The man’s presence unsettled Nora. He stood tall, dressed in black, his eyes sharp as if he could see straight through her.
“Who are you?” she asked again, trying to sound firm even though her voice trembled.
He tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk on his lips. “Someone who doesn’t believe in fairy tales. Or in families that eat their own.”
Nora frowned. “Why are you following me?”
“I wasn’t following,” he said smoothly. “I was watching. There’s a difference.” His gaze lingered on her tear-stained face. “You looked like a woman who lost everything.”
Her chest tightened. “That’s none of your business.”
“Maybe not,” he admitted. “But sometimes strangers can see what family hides.”
His words struck a nerve. Nora turned away, but his voice followed her.
“Do you want it back?”
She froze. “What?”
“Your place. Your dignity. Everything they stole from you.” His tone was calm, almost teasing. “Do you want it back?”
Nora’s breath caught. She turned to face him again, her eyes narrowing. “Why would you care?”
He gave a low chuckle. “Let’s just say… I don’t like people who smile while others bleed. And tonight, I saw too many smiling faces.”
Her heart pounded. She didn’t know his name, his family, or his reasons. All she knew was that his words awakened the same fire burning inside her.
But before she could reply, a maid’s voice called from the garden entrance. “Miss Nora, Madam is looking for you.”
Nora turned, and when she looked back,the man was gone.
She stood alone, the morning sun warming her skin, her mind full of questions.
Who was he?
And why did it feel like her story with him had only just begun
- Writer
