Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 763

Hudson led Vincent into the adjacent reception room and shut the door.

The room was small but comfortable, featuring a dark gray leather sofa and a few potted plants on the coffee table.

"Have a seat." Hudson leaned back into a single armchair, crossing his long legs in a relaxed posture.

Vincent sat on the long sofa, his hands resting properly on his knees. His back was straight—polite yet visibly tense.

Hudson didn't speak immediately. He took out a mint, slowly unwrapped it, tossed it into his mouth, and chewed twice before lazily lifting his gaze.

"How did you and Hunter meet?"

Vincent blinked his grayish-green eyes, clearly surprised by the question. He chuckled softly. "At a bar."

Hudson raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "A bar?"

Vincent nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "Hunter was cornered by five or six girls who were demanding he pick one of them to be his girlfriend. Hunter told them he liked men, but they didn't believe him..."

"I just happened to be walking by, and Hunter grabbed me, claiming I was his boyfriend. The girls finally backed off..."

He paused, offering a slightly shy smile. "That's how we met..."

Hudson leaned against the backrest, tapping his fingers lightly on his knee. "So, you two are an item?"

Vincent froze for a second, then smiled. "We're friends."

"Friends..."

Hudson rolled the word around on his tongue, his lips curving upward, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. "If you're just friends, why not be a little more honest?"

Vincent's smile didn't waver. "Honest about what?"

Hudson tilted his head, his tone languid. "You're using him as a human shield."

Silence descended over the room.

Vincent let out a soft laugh. "Mr. Lancaster, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Your English is flawless. You should understand me perfectly."

A tiny crack finally appeared in Vincent's composed facade.

Hudson remained comfortably seated, his voice calm. "Don't be so tense. I originally thought you had ulterior motives for getting close to Hunter, so I did a little digging. Turns out, your family's aristocratic title is a hot potato, and none of you brothers want to inherit it... Vincent... are you faking being gay?"

The smile vanished completely from Vincent's face.

He looked down, staring at his fingers for a few seconds before lifting his eyes back to Hudson. The relaxed demeanor was gone, replaced by a sharp, calculating vigilance.

"Whenever someone mentions San Francisco, your name always comes up. Seeing you in person today... the rumors were clearly an understatement."

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