Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 346

"My son, you were the heartless one first."

Lawrence lowered his gaze, raised his glass, and drained his wine in one gulp.

"Fine. As you wish, Mother."

...

By ten o'clock, the gala had drawn to a close.

The guests filtered out in groups, luxury cars pulling away from Lancaster Hall one by one.

Lawrence stood by the main entrance, watching the final taillights fade into the night. His polite smile vanished completely.

Leaning against a massive stone pillar, he pulled a cigarette from his pocket, clamped it between his teeth, and flicked a lighter.

The flame illuminated his dark, predatory gaze for a split second.

"Lawrence."

Silas walked up behind him, his face still pale. "About Arnold... it was Clement Burke who took him."

Lawrence frowned.

"Mother's lapdog?"

Silas nodded, keeping his voice to a hushed whisper. "Clement gave me a message for you."

"What was it?"

Silas swallowed hard. "The matriarch said... you need to stop acting out and live quietly."

Lawrence didn't say a word. He took a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke into the cool night air.

Every single one of the operatives he deployed tonight had failed.

He had assumed Hudson had outmaneuvered him.

Now, it was clear that it wasn't Hudson at all.

It was his mother.

His darling mother had quietly dismantled his entire operation.

"What do we do now?" Silas asked cautiously.

Before Lawrence could answer, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket, his face darkening with rage.

The grand entrance fell deathly silent.

Silas held his breath, terrified of setting off his uncle's explosive temper.

Just then, Hudson walked out, his arm wrapped firmly around Nora. Their eyes met. Lawrence's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Did you plan this little stunt tonight, Hudson?"

Hudson didn't even bother acknowledging him. He simply guided Nora past him.

"Hudson."

Lawrence's voice trailed after them, dripping with casual amusement.

"I can afford to wait a year or so."

He paused, leaning back against the wall, slipping his hands into his pockets with an effortless grin.

"But Hudson... do you even have a year left to live?"