?Chapter 1073:


    Maybe he was just exhausted. He hadn’t even woken at his usual time. He washed up, feeling oddly calm. The irritation from the day before had dulled with sleep. He headed downstairs.


    He ate slowly, chewing each bite with quiet deliberation, his eyes drifting toward the staircase more often than the te in front of him. By now, Yvonne should’vee down. She was always up by this time.


    What was going on today? He tried to shake the unease and continued eating.


    But even as it neared the time Yvonne usually left for work, she still hadn’t appeared. His patience began to wear thin. He waved Z over. “Z, why hasn’t Yvonnee down yet?” he asked, frowning.


    Z blinked, surprised. “She left early this morning. Didn’t she tell you? I heard her on the phone—she said she’d already informed the family. She’s on a business trip. Abroad, I think!”


    “Abroad?” Norton froze, caught off guard. Yvonne hadn’t said a word to him.


    He slowly tightened his grip on the fork before pushing his te aside. After a long pause, he pulled out his phone and dialed Yvonne’s number.


    The call went directly to voicemail.


    It seemed to deepen the distance between them. Yesterday’s issue was still lingering, and now she’d left on a business trip—without telling him. Did she care about him at all?


    Norton stared at the phone in silence, then nced down at the untouched breakfast. Suddenly, he had no appetite at all.


    Rising from the table, he moved to leave, jaw tense with quiet frustration.


    Z stepped forward, looking hesitant.


    Norton caught her nce. “Is something wrong?”


    She hesitated, then spoke up gently. “Last night, Mrs. Burke prepared a fruit tter just for you. You didn’t eat any of it.” She paused, then added softly, “It’s understandable she didn’t tell you about her trip.”


    “What fruit tter?” Norton ignored the hint of reproach in her voice and pressed for details.


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    “She washed and cut the fruit herself,” Z exined. “I offered to help, but she said she wanted to do it on her own and brought it upstairs for you.”


    Norton’s brows slowly furrowed as her words sank in. He thought back to the previous night. It wasn’t a dream. He really had heard her voice at his door. Had she actuallye, hoping to make peace?


    “She even cut the strawberries and watermelon into heart shapes,” Z went on, her voice tinged with quiet indignation. “She put so much care into it. She really hoped it would help you two make up.”


    Norton stood still, her words settling heavily in the silence. “I see,” he murmured atst. Whatever resentment he’d held onto the night before slowly slipped away.


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