Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 522

Nora couldn't help but laugh at Sienna's playful banter. She grabbed her bag and stood up. "Call me if you need anything."

"I know, I know. You worry too much." Sienna waved her off again, her attention already back on her phone screen.

Nora opened the door and stepped out. As it clicked shut behind her, she could hear Sienna humming a lighthearted tune, sounding completely fine.

She lingered in the hallway for a couple of seconds, listening carefully. When she was sure there were no muffled sobs or signs of distress, she turned and walked toward the elevators.

...

The hotel lobby was brightly lit, the marble floors polished to a mirror-like shine.

When Nora stepped out of the elevator, she spotted Olive leaning against a pillar near the entrance. Olive was intensely focused on her phone, her thumbs flying across the screen as she played a colorful puzzle game. The sound effects of popping candy echoed loudly in the quiet lobby.

"Olive."

Olive didn't even look up. "Give me one second, Nora. I'm about to clear this level."

Nora didn't rush her, patiently waiting by her side.

After another ten seconds of furious tapping, a massive explosion of light lit up the screen. Olive clicked her tongue in satisfaction, shoved the phone into her pocket, and grinned at Nora. "Alright, let's go."

The two of them walked out the main doors.

The night air carried a sharp, late-autumn chill. Nora pulled her coat tighter around her neck, maintaining a steady pace.

Olive trailed half a step behind, her eyes casually sweeping the parking lot out of habit.

Suddenly, she paused.

Two unmarked black sedans were parked near the entrance. They looked ordinary enough, but the windows were heavily tinted, making it impossible to see inside.

It wasn't strange to see cars like that at a five-star hotel. What was strange was where they were parked.

One was angled aggressively near the fire lane exit. The other was parked directly beneath a security camera, deliberately obstructing its view.

Olive had worked under Hudson for years. She had a visceral, deeply ingrained instinct for danger.

Her gaze swept further down the street. A silver minivan idled near the corner, the engine running and the taillights glowing red, as if waiting for a signal.

Olive's expression didn't change, but her guard immediately went up.

"Nora, the car's parked a bit far. Let me go pull it up. Wait right here for me."

Nora nodded. "Okay."

Olive turned and walked toward the parking lot. Her pace was casual, her footsteps light, but her right hand subtly brushed against her waist.

She walked straight up to the black sedan parked under the camera and tapped lightly on the driver's window.

Five or six men poured out from different directions, moving with synchronized precision and lethal intent.

"Well, well."

Olive patted the back of the man's head, stood up, and cracked her neck loudly.

"So we're doing a group fight? Come on then..."

The words had barely left her mouth when the first thug lunged, swinging a massive punch at her face.

Olive easily sidestepped, bringing her elbow down hard on his ribs. He groaned, staggering back, only for Olive to sweep his legs out from under him with a brutal kick to the back of his knee. He collapsed to the asphalt.

The second attacker rushed her from the side, a telescopic baton gripped in his hand.

Instead of backing away, Olive closed the distance. She ducked inside his guard, drove her shoulder into his chest, and grabbed his weapon arm, wrenching it upward while driving her knee straight into his stomach.

The man gasped in agony, dropping the baton. Olive caught it mid-air, spun, and cracked the metal tip hard against the shoulder of a third attacker lunging at her back.

The man let out a roar of pain, stumbling backward.

Olive spun the baton in her hand, tilted her head, and let out a wicked grin.

"Is that all you've got? Who sent you? Was it that useless prick Silas, or that old pervert Lawrence?"