hapter 373 The One And Only Lenora
Chapter 373 The One And Only Lenora
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Bewildered, Lenora regained consciousness. As she opened her eyes, she found herself staring at a pristine white ceiling, momentarily lost in a daze.
Recalling the events before she fell unconscious, tears welled up subconsciously and streamed down her face, disappearing into her hair. A profound sorrow gripped her heart, leaving her struggling for breath.
How she wished it was all just a dream. A dream where Jasmine had never set foot in Jacaster, and she remained Fernando’s daughter.
“Nora, don’t cry.” A large hand reached over, its slender fingers gently brushing away the tears from Lenora’s eyes. “The doctor said you need to stay calm now, otherwise it won’t be good for your health.”
Lenora’s gaze slowly fell upon the person before her. She gulped, her voice choked with emotion. “Zachary.”
Mmm–hmm, I’m right here.”
Zachary gently held her from behind, helping her to sit up. He then slid a pillow behind her back for support.
Lenora embraced him, her head resting on his shoulder. As tears fell, she sobbed, “Zachary, I’m not my father’s daughter. I’m a b*stard…”
Zachary’s breath hitched as he looked at Lenora’s red and swollen eyes. It felt as if his heart was being ripped apart.
He held Lenora close, gently patting her shoulder to comfort her. “Nora, you’re not a b*stard. You are the one and only Lenora.”
However, such words did nothing to soothe Lenora.
Zachary understood that this was different from his relationship with Ronald. He had never met Ronald since he was a child, so there was no emotional connection.
Upon learning that he was Ronald’s son and that he was born from the affair between Tamara and Bertram, he wasn’t particularly emotional about it. This was in line with his personality.
However, Lenora and Fernando’s relationship was different.
After the passing of her grandparents, Fernando was the only family Lenora had left. Her childhood experiences had caused her to rely deeply on her father. Fernando was a man of integrity, known for exposing the dark side of the business world, a fact that earned him great admiration from the public. Lenora had always idolized her father. During the car accident, Fernando had saved Lenora’s life, a testament to the profound depth of their familial bond.
Additionally, considering Lenora’s sensitive nature, when she was suddenly informed that she was not Fernando’s child, but the daughter of a frivolous, uneducated playboy who had fathered her due to his reckless dalliances, it was impossible for her to accept the truth.
Lenora was still crying, her sobs making it hard for her to catch her breath. “I feel so miserable… I shouldn’t have been born into this world, then perhaps my father wouldn’t have died.
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Chapter 373 The One And Only Lenora
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“Nora, don’t say that.” Zachary held her tightly. “Your father’s death wasn’t your fault. The perpetrator who caused his death hasn’t been brought to justice yet. You should gather your strength, for your father’s sake, and seek revenge. Sometimes, blood relations aren’t as significant as you might think. The man who raised. you is your true father.”
“But… I’m really feeling awful inside…” Lenora said, choking back sobs.
Zachary gently patted her shoulder. “Don’t be like this. Think about it, Fernando risked his life to save you because he wanted you to live well. Don’t let these mundane matters bother you, or else you’ll fall right into Jasmine’s trap.”
Lenora spoke pessimistically. “He saved me because he thought I was his daughter. If he knew I wasn’t, would he dislike me and regret saving me?”
This was a question no one could answer.
Zachary knew she was overthinking, his fingers gently smoothing the crease between her brows and wiping away the tear at the corner of her eye. He calmly reassured her, “I’m not your father, I can’t know what his choice would be. But I believe, given your father’s character, he would still have saved you even if e knew you weren’t his daughter… Moreover, that’s all in the past now. No matter what, at the moment of his death, you were his daughter and he wanted you to keep living.”
After a few seconds of silence, Lenora knew full well that Zachary had a point, yet she still felt a pang of heartache.
But… Mmm…
Zachary silenced her by pressing his lips against hers, swallowing the words she was about to speak. Their noses were touching, lips brushing against each other. Zachary looked into her reddened eyes and said, “Don’t think about hypothetical situations now, alright? Just clear your mind.”
Lenora pursed her lips, giving him a pitiful look.
Zachary went on to change the topic. “You haven’t had dinner, did you? I’ll have someone prepare some oatmeal for you, alright?”
“I don’t want any.”
Even though her stomach was empty, she didn’t have an appetite.
“If you don’t want to, then don’t.” Zachary didn’t insist. It’s already the wee hours of the morning. Get some sleep. When you wake up, things will start to look up.”
Lenora pursed her lips, took a brief trip to the restroom, and then settled back onto the hospital bed. She glanced at Zachary who was sitting by her bedside, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. “Are you leaving?” she asked.
I’m not leaving. I’m staying with you.”
Zachary removed his coat and turned off the light. He lay down next to Lenora, his arm draped gently over her. “Sleep,” he whispered.
2/4 “Cover yourself with the blanket. It’s cold at night,” Lenora suggested, pulling back the blanket to share half
10:46 Fri, Nov 15
Chapter 373 The One And Only Lenora
with him.
Taking advantage of the situation, Zachary slipped underneath it, embracing Lenora.
In the darkness, no one spoke again.
The hospital room fell silent, with only the sound of their breaths remaining.
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After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, Lenora rolled over and whispered, “Zachary, are you asleep?”
“No,” Zachary said softly.
“I can’t sleep.”
“Still thinking about it?”
“Mmm–hmm.” Lenora pursed her lips. “Have you known about this all along?”
Zachary remained silent, offering no response.
Lenora posed another question. “The two secrets Susanna holds over me, is this one of them?”
Initially, her sorrow was just from knowing she wasn’t her father’s biological daughter. But now, as she calmed down and thought about the identity of her real father, the revelation hit Lenora even harder. She was actually the daughter of Susanna’s father, making her Susanna’s half–sister.
“Yes.”
Lenora took a deep breath.
No wonder Zachary has always kept it from me.
Initially, she felt that she had no vulnerabilities that Susanna could exploit. But now, she wasn’t so sure.
If this is just one of them, what is the other one? Could anything be more shocking for me than this?
“When did you find out?”
“Do you remember running into Kenneth at the airport last November? His behavior was odd at the time because he had discovered your true identity. He managed to get a hold of your hair to conduct a DNA test. Later on, Helen found out about the test results.”
Lenora suddenly understood. “So, is that why she kidnapped me?”
“Yes, when Elijah led his team to the Carston residence to apprehend Helen, he unexpectedly came across the DNA test report and handed it to me.”
“I see.”
That had happened several months ago.
The thought of how Zachary had gone to great lengths to keep this matter hidden from her and even
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Chapter 373 The One And Only Lenora
enduring her misunderstandings warmed Lenora’s heart.
Even though she eventually found out about it, there was no denying Zachary’s intentions.
“Don’t worry about Jasmine. I’ve got everything under control,” Zachary said.
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After Lenora fell unconscious, the driver took her to the hospital and contacted Zachary, as he was one of Zachary’s men.
In this brief period, Zachary had already understood the reasons behind the situation.
Summer grew up alongside Jasmine, who held a deep affection for her. Given that the injuries on Lenora’s body were not severe, it was somewhat understandable when Jasmine tried to persuade Lenora to forgive Howard for Summer’s sake.
However, what was unforgivable was that when Lenora disagreed, Jasmine shockingly revealed Lenora’s true identity.
he only cared about Summer and didn’t even consider how Lenora would handle the truth.
Lenora bit her lower lip, her drooping eyes carrying a hint of desolation. Her mouth moved but no words
came out.
Zachary had already done so much for her. Hence, she didn’t want him to do more.
