Chapter 3 – The Wife Who Never Died
Chapter 3 – The Wife Who Never Died
Three days later...
The newspapers called Nora Blake "The Hero Waitress."
Television stations offered interviews.
Charities offered money.
She declined every one.
Instead...
She quietly returned to Ruby's Pier Diner.
The broken windows had been replaced.
Fresh paint covered the bullet holes.
But nothing felt the same.
Every customer recognized her.
Every conversation stopped when she walked in.
Hank only grinned.
"You finally became famous."
"I was hoping for a raise instead."
For the first time since the shooting...
They both laughed.
That afternoon...
A black Rolls-Royce stopped outside.
Every waitress froze.
Vincent Callahan entered alone.
No bodyguards.
No weapons visible.
He carried a small lunchbox decorated with cartoon rabbits.
"Lily made this."
Nora looked confused.
Inside sat two slightly burned grilled-cheese sandwiches.
One read in shaky ketchup letters...
Thank You Mom.
Nora's heart almost stopped.
"You shouldn't encourage that."
"I didn't."
Vincent sighed.
"I corrected her."
"And?"
"She cried for two hours."
Nora closed the lunchbox.
"She misses her mother."
Vincent stared through the diner window.
"So do I."
That evening...
Lily insisted on showing Nora something.
In the Callahan mansion stood a beautiful white piano no one had touched in years.
"My mommy played every Sunday."
Lily climbed onto the bench.
"I forgot how she sounded."
She looked at Nora.
"Can you sing?"
Nora smiled sadly.
"My mother taught me one lullaby."
Softly...
She began singing.
The old melody floated through the empty mansion.
Halfway through...
Vincent froze in the hallway.
His late wife...
Sophia...
Had sung that exact lullaby every night.
Only three people had ever known it.
Sophia.
Lily.
And himself.
After the song ended...
Vincent quietly asked,
"Where did you learn that?"
Nora shrugged.
"My mother."
"What was her name?"
"Claire Blake."
Vincent's expression changed.
Years ago...
Sophia had once spoken about her childhood best friend.
Claire Blake.
The woman she had lost contact with before marrying Vincent.
The coincidence felt impossible.
Yet before either of them could ask another question...
Every light inside the mansion suddenly went dark.
The backup generators failed.
Then every security alarm activated at once.
Luca's voice exploded over the intercom.
May you like
"Boss!"
"They're inside!"
