Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 271

The bathroom fell silent.

The only sounds were the steady drip of water from the showerhead and the cadence of their intertwined breathing.

Hudson didn't say a word.

He lowered his head, pressing his face into the crown of her hair, and closed his eyes.

His arms tightened around her, as if he wanted to fuse her into his very being.

It took a long time before he finally spoke, his voice so hoarse it was almost a whisper.

"Okay."

...

Meanwhile.

Just like any other day, Penelope Reed left the house at exactly nine in the morning for her beauty appointment.

The driver had been with the Reed family for years. He was steady behind the wheel and never made mistakes.

But just as the car pulled out of the estate gates, before the tires even hit the main road, a figure suddenly darted out from the side, throwing himself directly in front of the vehicle.

Screech!

The driver slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched against the asphalt, and the vehicle jerked to a violent halt.

Penelope was thrown forward, nearly slamming her head into the front seat before the seatbelt snapped her back.

"What the hell is going on?!"

She clutched her bruised chest, her voice shrill. "Watch where you're driving!"

"Ma'am, someone just jumped out..."

Before the driver could finish, the man rounded the hood, walked up to the rear window, and tapped the glass.

Knock, knock, knock.

Three times. Not too hard, not too soft—almost agonizingly casual.

Frowning, Penelope turned her head and locked eyes with the face on the other side of the glass.

In an instant, it felt as though an invisible hand had clamped around her throat. Her pupils contracted violently.

It was a face she thought she would never see again in this lifetime.

He was gaunt and haggard. His cheekbones jutted out sharply, his eyes were sunken, and a dark shadow of stubble covered his jaw.

She was fifty, but she barely looked over forty. Her skin was flawless, her figure trim, and the pale yellow dress she wore only accentuated her striking beauty.

"Doing well for yourself, huh?"

He didn't answer her question. His gaze slowly dragged down her face, trailing over the curves hugged by the dress before resting on her slender legs. He licked his lips.

"Is your husband home?"

Penelope's face grew even paler. She dropped her voice to a harsh whisper. "What do you want?"

Arnold smiled pleasantly. "Just catching up, wife."

Penelope went rigid, a layer of cold sweat breaking out across her back.

She frantically glanced around. Once she was certain no one was watching them, she grabbed his arm.

"We can't talk here. Follow me."

Arnold trailed behind her, his pace leisurely, as if he were taking a stroll in his own backyard.

The two of them walked into the Reed Residence one after the other.

The staff paused in surprise at the sight of Penelope bringing a strange man inside, but nobody dared to ask questions.