Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 328

She subtly nudged the cooler closer to Hudson, looking up at him with absolute smugness radiating from her features.

Taking in her adorable, triumphant expression, a devastatingly handsome smile spread across Hudson's face.

"My wife is amazing."

...

The sun dipped below the horizon.

By the time the superyacht docked back at Sapphire Cove, only a faint streak of fiery orange remained in the evening sky.

Night had completely fallen by the time they returned to Cloudwater Estate.

Having spent the entire day out at sea, Nora felt sticky, her hair smelling faintly of salt. The moment they stepped through the door, she made a beeline for the master bathroom.

Hot water cascaded over her skin, filling the spacious shower with a thick cloud of steam.

She had just reached for the shampoo when the glass door suddenly opened.

Startled, Nora spun around. In a blind panic, her hands hovered, unsure of what to cover first. She hurriedly snatched a towel off the rack, clutching it desperately against her chest as her face flushed a furious shade of scarlet.

"What are you doing? I'm not done!"

Hudson's gaze trailed slowly from her burning face down to the luminous skin of her bare shoulders and the slender curve of her calves left exposed by the towel. His lips curved into a wicked smirk. "I'm joining you."

"No! Get out! You can shower when I'm done."

"We're showering together. I'll wash your back."

Nora glared at him.

"I don't need you to wash my back!"

"Then you can wash mine," he offered smoothly.

She was utterly speechless.

As she frantically tried to figure out a way to physically push the broad-shouldered billionaire out of the bathroom, Hudson's voice dropped into a gravelly, seductive murmur. "Honey, we haven't seen each other in days. Haven't you missed me?"

Her face burned hotter. She didn't say a word, but of course she had.

From the crack of dawn, the ancestral estate was a hive of chaotic activity. Servants rushed back and forth carrying velvet jewelry boxes and elaborate decorations, while mountains of lavish floral tributes and exorbitant gifts piled up in the grand foyer.

Beatrice Lancaster had built a fearsome legacy over her lifetime, commanding immense respect throughout San Francisco.

Coupled with Hudson's absolute dominance at the helm of the family empire, the Lancasters were untouchable.

Invitations to the gala had become the most fiercely contested currency among the city's billionaires, with only the absolute apex of high society securing a spot on the guest list.

By the time a sleek black Maybach pulled up to the entrance of Lancaster Hall, dusk had settled over the estate.

Hudson guided Nora out of the car, his hand resting possessively on the curve of her waist. In the distance, Lawrence stood by the massive double doors, greeting the arriving guests.

He was dressed impeccably in a custom-tailored dark crimson suit that made his posture appear imposing yet refined, knocking several years off his actual age.

With a disarming, charismatic smile, he shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with everyone who walked through the doors, perfectly playing the role of the humble host.

When he spotted Hudson approaching with Nora, the smile on Lawrence's face deepened into something sickeningly warm.

"Hudson, you made it."