Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 668

Nora took the card, glanced at it, and gave a polite nod. "Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Please, lead the way."

The three of them took the elevator to the third floor. Lucas skipped the small talk and immediately dove into the competition format and potential collaboration models for the show's third season.

Nora listened intently, occasionally interjecting with sharp, critical questions about specific milestones. They bantered back and forth for nearly an hour, and the atmosphere was far more harmonious than she had expected.

Lucas closed his folder, his smile much more genuine than before. "You truly know your stuff, Director Reed. After speaking with you, I'm even more confident in this partnership."

Nora offered a small smile. "You flatter me, Mr. Bennett. It would be an honor to work with *The Rising Voice*."

They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Lucas escorted them out.

As they waited by the elevator, Nora's phone buzzed. It was a text from Olive.

[Mrs. Lancaster, I'm parked by the east exit. Take the B elevator down.]

Nora typed a quick 'Okay,' slipped the phone back into her pocket, and turned to Chloe. "Let's go. Olive is here."

Chloe nodded. The two of them exited the main lobby and walked toward the building's east side.

The east exit led out to a relatively secluded alleyway lined with ancient banyan trees. Their massive canopies blocked out most of the sky, filtering the sunlight into fractured shadows on the pavement.

The black Maybach was parked near the mouth of the alley. Olive was leaning casually against the driver's side door, a lollipop stick poking out of her mouth. Seeing Nora, she pulled the candy out and waved. "Over here!"

Nora smiled and started walking toward her.

But when she was barely five paces away from the car, the shadows on both sides of the alley suddenly shifted.

Three figures lunged out from different directions, charging straight at Nora.

Olive reacted instantly. In a blur of motion, she sprinted forward, throwing herself between Nora and the closest attacker. She delivered a brutal kick squarely to the man's chest. He grunted in pain, flying backward until he smashed into a metal dumpster with a deafening crash.

The second attacker swung at Olive from the side, wielding a heavy black baton aimed right at her ribs.

Instead of dodging, Olive stepped into his guard. She slammed her shoulder into his chest while simultaneously grabbing his wrist and twisting it sharply downward. With her free arm, she drove an elbow into his ribs. The man let out a cry of agony, dropping the baton. Olive caught it mid-air and backhanded the third attacker right across the face as he charged in.

The third man stumbled back, blood instantly gushing from his nose and coating half his face.

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