Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 209

Beatrice and Lawrence bypassed the lobby and took the private elevator straight up to the surgical ward.

Seeing them step off the elevator, Hudson frowned sharply. "Grandma? What are you doing here?"

"How is Xavier holding up?"

"He's still in surgery."

Beatrice let out a sorrowful sigh. She walked over to Nora and took her icy hands. "Jade, don't fret too much. Modern medicine works miracles. Your brother will be alright."

Nora kept her eyes downcast, murmuring softly, "Thank you."

Beatrice patted her hand affectionately before turning to Marcus and Penelope.

She spent the next few minutes offering the couple warm, reassuring platitudes, expertly stroking their egos until they practically beamed with profound gratitude.

"Penelope..."

Just as the tension seemed to ease, Lawrence, who had been lingering silently in the background, suddenly spoke up. "If I recall correctly, you have another daughter, don't you?"

Penelope's grateful smile fractured instantly.

Before she could stammer a response, Lawrence snapped his fingers as if a memory had just surfaced.

"Your second daughter. Nora, right? Why isn't she here? With her own flesh and blood in critical condition, I'd imagine a loving sister would be frantic."

Penelope's lips parted, sheer panic flashing in her eyes before she frantically masked it.

"She... She's out of state. It's too far for her to make it back in time."

Beatrice's brow twitched imperceptibly. Her piercing gaze locked onto Penelope for a fraction of a second before smoothly sliding back to Nora.

"Jade, you must bring your sister around when you have the time. We're all family now. Don't let a lack of blood ties create distance; after all, you grew up together."

Nora's heart skipped a terrifying beat.

She looked up, meeting the older woman's weathered, fiercely perceptive eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but the heavy operating room doors finally swung wide.

"Jade, focus on nursing your brother. I'll come back and check on him in a few days when he's stronger."

Nora nodded. "Thank you."

Lawrence guided Beatrice toward the elevators. But after just two steps, he paused and glanced back at Nora, his lips curving into a deliberate, knowing smirk.

It was a perfectly polite smile, flawless in its execution—yet it sent a paralyzing shard of ice straight down Nora's spine.

...

By the time they returned to Cloudwater Estate, night had fully fallen.

Utterly drained from the day's brutal emotional toll, Nora practically collapsed. After taking a long, scalding shower, she curled under the duvet and instantly plummeted into a deep sleep.

Hudson sat on the edge of the mattress until her breathing grew heavy and even. Only when he was certain she was dead to the world did he rise and slip out of the bedroom.

Arthur was already waiting for him in the study.