Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 707

By the time the family dinner wrapped up, it was almost ten o'clock.

The night wind, carrying the lingering chill of late winter, brushed against her face, making her shrink her neck slightly.

Hudson turned toward her, adjusting the collar of her coat to keep the cold out. His fingertips lingered on the edge of her jawline for a fraction of a second before pulling away.

Upon returning to the hotel, Nora immediately went to take a shower.

Once she had changed into her pajamas, she practically collapsed into Hudson's embrace.

"I'm really... happy today."

Hudson looked down, resting his chin gently on the top of her head. "Yeah?"

"I have a family now... I have a grandmother, a dad, and so many brothers and sisters..."

She had never dared to dream she would one day be surrounded by so many relatives.

She tilted her head back to look at him, her bright, almond-shaped eyes sparkling. "From now on, my family is your family, too."

Hudson's arms tightened slightly around her, pulling her closer against him. The corners of his lips curved upward as he nodded. "Okay."

He knew exactly what she meant.

Sure, he had a grandmother, a brother, and several uncles back home.

But not a single one of them cared for him genuinely.

They weren't a real family.

Today's sudden explosion of social media drama, however, had shown him firsthand just how fiercely the Fairchilds protected Nora.

He had initially planned to test the Fairchilds' true attitude toward her.

But now, her simple mention of the word "family" was proof enough.

That was why he had so readily agreed to let Henry into the chip development project.

"Oh, right..."

As if suddenly recalling something, Nora looked up at him again. "I asked my dad today about what happened when my mom and I disappeared. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something from me..."

Hudson reached down and playfully tapped her nose. "My mentor has always held a grudge against Henry because of our mom's situation..."

Nora couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle at his repeated stumbles to correct his phrasing. "Alright, there's no one else here. You don't have to force the change in titles."

It wasn't just Hudson; even she was struggling to get used to it.

Finnian was easy enough to call her brother...

After all, they had interacted before and were somewhat acquainted.

But the rest of them still felt like strangers to her.

Hudson let out a low chuckle. "Alright, whatever my wife says."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "Honestly, I don't know much about what happened back then either. But my mentor always calls Henry a 'gold digger,' claiming he only secured the position as head of the Fairchild family by riding Felix's coattails..."

Nora furrowed her brow in deep thought. When Henry spoke about her mother today, his expression had been full of nostalgia, but...

Early the next morning, Hudson and Nora packed their belongings and headed to the airport.

Since they had already bid farewell to Matriarch Fairchild the night before, there was no need for formal goodbyes.

Their private jet was parked on the tarmac. Artie had loaded their luggage ahead of time and was waiting by the stairs.

Just as they were about to board, they spotted a convoy of cars slowly approaching from a distance.

The doors opened, and Finnian stepped out.

Behind him trailed a teenage boy.

The boy looked to be around eighteen or nineteen, though he had clearly hit a growth spurt, easily pushing six feet tall. He wore a black, high-collared jacket. His hair was cropped short, revealing clean, sharp features.

"Finnian?" Nora approached, clearly surprised. "What are you doing here? Didn't we say last night that you didn't have to see us off?"

"I forgot something yesterday..."

Finnian gestured behind him, signaling the boy to step forward.

The teenager took two steps and stopped in front of Nora. His eyes remained lowered, his posture respectful but entirely devoid of submission.

"This is a bodyguard raised by the Fairchilds... Once the children of the Fairchild family come of age, they are assigned someone like this to stay by their side and ensure their safety."

Nora froze, her gaze settling on the boy's face, which still carried a trace of youthfulness.

He really didn't look very old. His features hadn't fully matured, maintaining the distinct awkwardness of adolescence. Yet, his eyes were incredibly intense, like a bottomless pool of dark water.