Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 669

Nora instinctively turned around just as a metallic clang echoed on the concrete. A bloody combat knife had fallen to the ground!

Chloe was on her knees, desperately clutching her right wrist with her left hand. A horrific, bleeding hole was blown straight through her palm, crimson blood pouring onto the pavement.

"Chloe, what..."

Before Nora could finish her sentence, Chloe's wild eyes locked onto the fallen knife.

Without a second thought, Nora kicked the blade far out of reach.

Chloe staggered to her feet, her face contorted with murderous rage, and lunged directly at Nora.

But before she could even get close, a vicious kick planted itself squarely in her chest.

Chloe flew backward, slamming heavily against the concrete pillar with a sickening thud. She slid to the ground, her face completely drained of color, entirely stripped of the strength to move.

The very next second, Nora was pulled into a warm, deeply familiar embrace...

The crisp, clean scent of him, laced with a faint hint of peppermint, enveloped her completely, making her feel instantly safe.

Hudson's arm locked securely around her waist. He looked down, his eyes turning terrifyingly dark and violent when he saw the streak of drying blood across her cheek. "You're hurt?"

Nora quickly shook her head. "It's not my blood."

She pulled back slightly, her gaze falling on Chloe, who was slumped against the pillar. "She tried to kill me."

Hudson followed her gaze.

Chloe was leaning against the concrete, her skin paper-white, her entire body trembling.

Archer's gunshot had blown clean through her hand. If the bleeding wasn't stopped, she would die here.

"She works for Lawrence."

Nora looked up at Hudson in absolute shock, refusing to believe her own ears.

Chloe was... Lawrence's mole?

Ever since Nora had started at Star Entertainment, Chloe had been the one to welcome her. She had helped her navigate countless obstacles.

When Nora had been ostracized at work, Chloe was the only one who stood by her side and trusted her unconditionally.

Nora had viewed her as her closest friend at the company...

And yet, moments ago, Chloe had tried to murder her.

"Boss..."

Arthur ran over from the mouth of the alley, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. "Everyone is secured. Not a single one got away."

Hudson cast an icy glance at Chloe. "Take her back. Interrogate her thoroughly. You handle it personally."

"Understood."

Arthur gestured behind him, and two guards stepped forward, grabbing Chloe by the arms and dragging her up.

As they pulled her away, Chloe stumbled past Nora. She paused for a fraction of a second, her voice so hoarse it was barely a whisper. "Nora, I'm... I'm sorry..."

Right now, the only thing that could make the almighty Fairchild heir lower his head was the Vanguard TBM Chip.

Under normal circumstances, Hudson wouldn't have given him the time of day.

Technology and defense contracts relied on hard data and brutal capability; trying to brute-force a spot through social connections never ended well.

But things were different now.

The Fairchilds had Felix Vaughn.

And Felix Vaughn held the Ring Laser Gyro Technology that Hudson desperately needed.

"It's nothing major. Just following up on Gavin Hamilton wanting to meet..." Finnian paused slightly. "I happen to have some business in San Francisco over the next few days. I figured we could set up the meeting there. I'm flying out this afternoon. My schedule is entirely open tomorrow, so I'll leave the arrangements to Gavin."

"Alright," Hudson nodded. "I'll pass the message along."

Remembering the terms of the meeting, he added, "Are you coming alone? Or..."

Gavin had made it clear that he wanted Evangeline there if possible.

But if she refused to go, they obviously couldn't force her.

"I'm coming with Jude."

Hudson let out a knowing chuckle. "Got it. Safe travels."

When the call ended, Finnian let out a long, exhausted sigh and tossed his phone onto the desk.