Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 144

"Do you know what Hudson did the day he found out?"

Nora's throat constricted. She wanted to run, but her feet felt like they were cemented to the floor.

Silas leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper.

"He fed the man to his dogs alive."

Nora's pupils dilated in pure horror.

"There wasn't even a bone left."

Silas straightened up, idly tossing the bottle of wine from one hand to the other, his tone shifting back to its usual refined elegance. "My dear brother hates being lied to more than anything else in the world."

His gaze traced the lines of Nora's face, his smile growing increasingly wicked.

"Tell me, sweetheart..."

He suddenly reached out, catching a strand of hair that rested on Nora's shoulder, and lifted it to his nose, taking a slow sniff.

Nora froze entirely. Her scalp tingled with panic, and she instinctively scrambled backward until her shoulders slammed hard against the cold wooden wine rack.

Silas didn't chase her. He stood right where he was, still rubbing the strand of hair between his fingers, his smile deepening.

"Tell me, what do you think would happen if Hudson found out that you aren't actually Jade Reed?"

He paused, his voice turning into a lethal hiss, like a viper baring its fangs.

"What would he do to you? What would he do to the Reed family?"

Nora's heart hammered frantically against her ribs.

A layer of cold sweat broke out across her back, soaking through her thin cardigan and sticking uncomfortably to her skin.

It felt like a bomb had gone off in her head, leaving behind a deafening, blinding static.

She couldn't even fathom what Hudson would do if he found out she wasn't Jade.

Would he throw her to the dogs too, just like he did to the traitor?

He despised liars.

The only reason he treated her so well was because he thought she was Jade Reed.

None of that tenderness belonged to her.

She was a fake.

A worthless impostor.

The second he found out the truth...

Nora's hands started to tremble.

He would march straight to Hudson with the truth.

Agree?

At least she could buy herself a few days to figure a way out of this nightmare.

"I have plans this weekend. I'm afraid I..."

Before she could even finish, Silas let out a dry laugh and smoothly pulled out his phone. "Fair enough. I'll just give Hudson a call right now and share the good news..."

"Don't..."

Desperate to keep him quiet, Nora forced a nod. "Fine. I'll be there."

A victorious smirk curved Silas's lips.

"I knew you were a smart girl. We have a deal."

He turned and headed toward the stairs, but stopped after a few steps and glanced back over his shoulder.

"Oh, and by the way..."

He raised a finger to his lips in a shushing motion, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"This is our little secret."