Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 594

Hudson put down his phone. His face remained expressionless, but Nora noticed his grip tightening on the device for a split second.

"Tiffany was held hostage in the Bayside Business District."

He bent down to pick up his discarded jacket, his movements crisp and decisive.

Nora grabbed his hand worriedly. "I'm going with you."

Hudson turned to look at her. "Wait for me at home."

"I can help with this kind of thing."

She looked straight at him. "She must be terrified right now. I'm better at comforting women than you are."

Hudson stared at her for two seconds and ultimately didn't refuse. "Alright, let's go together."

...

The black Maybach sped through the streets of San Francisco, the neon signs outside the window blurring into streaks of light that flashed past.

The nightlife in the Bayside Business District was just beginning. The narrow alleys were packed with all sorts of neon signs for foot massages, saunas, and karaoke lounges.

Arthur parked the car at the entrance of the alley. As Hudson pushed the door open and stepped out, his gaze swept over the entire street, his brows knitting into a tight frown.

Nora followed behind him, subconsciously clenching her fingers.

Why would Tiffany be in a place like this?

Please don't let anything happen to her...

Hudson followed the address given on the phone into a karaoke lounge, walked up the stairs all the way to the third floor, and pushed open the door to the private room.

The lighting inside was even dimmer than the hallway, with only a spinning colored disco light casting rotating spots on the wall.

The air reeked of strong alcohol, mixed with an indescribable sickly-sweet perfume.

Tiffany huddled in the corner, her hands tied behind her back. Her hair was a mess, a faint red mark marred her cheek, and her lip was cut—she had clearly put up a struggle.

She was already trembling, but the moment she saw Hudson, tears streamed down her face. "Hudson..."

She struggled to stand up, but a man in a floral shirt next to her shoved her back down onto the sofa.

"Stay put!"

Hudson's gaze paused on the man's face for a second before sweeping over the other thugs glaring at them in the room.

The man in the floral shirt crossed his legs, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and tilted his chin up. "Your sister's boyfriend lost everything here. He owes hundreds of thousands of dollars, vanished into thin air, and left your sister to pay off the debt. She said you had money..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Arthur took a step forward and delivered a straight punch to the man's face.

Tiffany clearly hadn't recovered from her terror yet. She choked back a sob and nodded, clutching Nora's wrist tightly, refusing to let go, her fingertips still trembling.

The three of them walked out of the karaoke lounge. The night breeze hit them, and the cold air made Tiffany shiver involuntarily.

Arthur had already brought the car to the alley entrance. Hudson opened the rear door, letting Nora and Tiffany get in first, before taking the passenger seat himself.

The doors closed, shutting out the chaotic noises from the street, and the cabin fell silent.

Tiffany huddled in the corner of the seat, her shoulders still trembling slightly, her eyes completely red.

"Tell me, what happened?"

Hudson's voice was low, carrying an obvious chill.

Tiffany's tears started falling again, and she spoke through her sobs, "I... I got a boyfriend recently. He didn't know my identity. I thought he truly loved me, so I kept it a secret from him..."

Her voice grew quieter as she went on. "But one day, he said his business lost money, so I helped him pay off some of it. But the hole kept getting bigger... I was afraid he'd get suspicious if I pulled out so much cash at once, so I didn't dare give him anymore..."

"But that bastard drugged me, brought me to that karaoke lounge, and used me to pay off his debt..."

You could hear a pin drop in the quiet car.

Hudson's temple throbbed twice. "Tiffany, are you out of your mind?"