Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 221

The belt of the robe fell away, and the white silk slipped from her shoulders, pooling silently at her feet.

Hudson's breathing grew heavy.

His gaze drifted slowly down from her collarbone, tracing the undulating curves beneath the sheer fabric, lingering on her slender waist...

His Adam's apple bobbed as his fingers curled slightly.

The light from the walk-in closet spilled over her back, casting a fragile, slender silhouette on the hallway carpet.

She stood there with her eyes downcast. Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, betraying her nervous uncertainty.

"Hudson..." she called out softly. Her voice carried a hint of a tremble, a touch of shyness, and a trace of anticipation she hadn't even realized herself.

Hudson moved.

He closed the distance between them with rapid, urgent strides, carrying the force of a dam finally breaking after being restrained for far too long.

Before Nora could react, she was swept entirely into his arms.

His arms banded around her waist, pulling her flush against him as if trying to press her into his very bones, yet he was careful to avoid the delicate straps, terrified of hurting her.

He lowered his head, burying his face in the crook of her neck. His scorching breath fanned across her sensitive skin, sending a cascade of shivers through her body.

"Nora..."

His voice was wrecked, squeezed from the depths of his throat with an agonizing amount of pent-up desire.

Nora's fingers knotted into the fabric of the robe at his back, leaving deep creases in her wake.

"Are you... are you agreeing to it?" Her muffled voice drifted from his chest, laced with a sweet, pouty edge.

Hudson let out a low chuckle that rumbled deep in his chest, making her own heart flutter.

"I agree. To all of it."

He lifted his head, framing her face with both hands, his thumbs gently brushing her flushed cheeks.

Beatrice Lancaster sat at the head of the table. Spread across the mahogany coffee table in front of her was a row of photographs.

They were laid out side by side—some taken covertly, others pulled from social media. The resolutions and angles varied, but the subject matter was identical.

On the left was Nora Reed. On the right was Jade Reed. Side by side, the difference between the two faces was glaringly obvious.

Nora's features were exquisite, radiating an aloof, ethereal elegance like a muse stepped right out of a painting.

Jade was pretty too, but she lacked that vibrant charm. Her features were a touch plainer. Standing next to Nora, she looked like a common rose trying to compete with a breathtaking peony.

Beautiful, but nowhere near stunning.

Beatrice's eyes darted back and forth between the two rows of pictures, her expression growing increasingly thunderous.

She had lived a long, ruthless life and had weathered countless storms.

But being played for a fool by a girl from some insignificant family? This was a first.