Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 713

Three days flew by.

It was just two days before New Year's Eve.

River Sterling sat in the living room of the hillside estate. The gunshot wound on his left shoulder had its stitches removed, but it was still wrapped in a thin layer of gauze, hidden beneath a thick turtleneck sweater. Unless someone looked closely, it was impossible to notice.

He lowered his gaze, his fingers drumming a rhythmic, absentminded beat against the armrest of the sofa.

Miles Lancaster lounged in the armchair opposite him, his legs crossed, his eyes darting toward River's phone every few seconds. "It's almost noon. Still no word from Nora Reed?"

Arthur Lancaster II walked out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee. He let out a low chuckle. "What's the rush? The longer she drags this out, the more conflicted she is. And her hesitation only proves how much she cares whether Hudson Lancaster lives or dies. The more she cares about Hudson, the stronger our hand becomes."

He sat across from River, blew on the steaming surface of his coffee, and took a slow sip. "River gave her three days. Time isn't up yet. Why are you so anxious?"

Miles scoffed. "I'm not anxious. I'm just furious every time I remember the two slaps that brat gave me back at Lancaster Hall. Once Hudson is dead, I'll make sure she begs for mercy to pay me back."

Arthur's expression darkened, clearly reminded of his own unpleasant memories.

His cheek still throbbed phantom pain whenever he thought about those slaps.

He had never been slapped in his entire life, let alone by someone of a younger generation in front of a crowd.

He was going to make sure she paid for it.

"What are you guys talking about? Sounds lively."

Just then, Clara Montague walked out of the kitchen, carrying a platter of freshly sliced fruit.

She wore a lavender knit sweater, her hair loosely pinned back with a wooden clasp. Tiny pearl earrings dangled from her earlobes, swaying gently with her every step.

Although she was in her fifties, she maintained a radiant complexion. With her luminous skin and crescent-shaped eyes, her smile held a soft, almost girlish innocence.

Arthur immediately took her hand and pulled her to sit beside him. "Why are you up? Didn't I tell you to rest in your room?"

"Rest from what?" Clara placed the fruit platter on the coffee table. "It's the holidays. Am I really going to exhaust myself over a little prep?"

She picked up a piece of mango with a silver fork and held it to Arthur's lips. "Try this. I picked it up fresh from the market this morning. It's incredibly sweet."

Arthur opened his mouth, chewed slowly, and nodded. "Yeah, it's good."

Clara smiled in satisfaction, then offered pieces to Miles and River. "Miles, River, you boys have some too."

The two accepted the fruit. "Thanks, Mom," River said, while Miles offered a polite nod of thanks.

"Oh, right, I bought some fresh tangerines too. Let me go grab them."

"Clara, don't bother. Let the boys get it."

"Oh, it's fine. I'll just be a second."

While the family enjoyed their warm moment, Arthur's phone suddenly vibrated.

He glanced at the caller ID. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

Eleanor gave a brief acknowledgment and was about to hang up.

"Eleanor..."

Just then, Arthur blurted out her name. "I'm sorry..."

The line went quiet for a second before the call abruptly disconnected.

Arthur let out a heavy sigh. He was just turning to go back inside when he realized Clara was standing right behind him.

"Who was that?"

Arthur pursed his lips nervously. "Um..."

"It was Eleanor, wasn't it?" Clara's eyes immediately turned red.

Arthur stepped forward to comfort her. "Clara, don't misunderstand. She only called because..."

But Clara refused to listen, swatting his arm away. "It was her, wasn't it? What does she want? Is she demanding you spend New Year's Eve with her and her daughter? Does she have no shame?"

Arthur quickly grabbed her by the shoulders. "No, you've got it all wrong. She called to set up our divorce tomorrow..."

Clara, who had been on the verge of breaking down, looked up at him in surprise. "Divorce? Really?"

"Really."

Clara wiped her tears away. "Well, that's more like it. At least she finally knows her place and is stepping aside for us..."