MasukChapter 185: The Frost King Lizzie Charlotte’s eyes widened as she fought back a grin, clearly delighted by the turn. “I knew it.”I already had an idea who River had in mind. The way she’d been watching him all evening hadn’t gone unnoticed—at least not by me.“Hudson,” River said quietly, ducking her head to hide the rosy blush spreading across her pale cheeks. It was a stark, beautiful contrast against her usual composed demeanor.“Oh my my.” Charlotte covered her mouth with both hands, shock written all over her elegantly made-up face. “Hudson? You mean THEE Calder Hudson?”Her genuine surprise was honestly hilarious. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing outright.“How could she not know?” Riley drawled in that bored, knowing tone of hers. “The one and only frost king.”I stifled a laugh, the nickname fitting Hudson perfectly. The man was ice personified—distant, unreadable, and still somehow magnetic because of it.“Hold on, you knew?” Charlotte asked, turning wide eyes o
Chapter 184: Loyal Little Warriors Lizzie The revelation hit me like a slap of cold water. Charlotte knew. She had known about Alyssa, this entire time, and she was sitting here sipping her drink like we were discussing the weather. My stomach twisted into knots. How had she found out? When? And why on earth hadn’t she said anything? Why hadn’t she looked at me with hatred instead of that calm, knowing smile?“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Charlotte chuckled, lifting her glass for another slow sip. I nodded sheepishly, heat creeping up my neck. “I thought you weren’t aware—”“That my husband has a child with your cousin?” She finished the sentence for me, her voice light but carrying an undercurrent of hurt. “How could I not know?”“You didn’t act like it,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.Charlotte leaned back, crossing her legs with effortless grace. “Was I supposed to pull you by the hair and smash a bottle of wine over your head because my husba
Chapter 183: Not My Type Lizzie The moment the heavy dining hall doors closed behind Reese and Alex, the girls swarmed toward me like sharks catching the scent of blood in the water. Even River, usually the quiet observer, drew closer with a shy, curious smile playing on her lips. A laugh tore from my lips as I glanced around at their expectant faces. “What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”Riley shrugged with exaggerated innocence, but the mischievous glint in her eyes betrayed her. “I don’t know. Ask them.” She pointed toward River and Charlotte. Charlotte laughed, a rich, throaty sound that filled the suddenly lighter space. She leaned forward, elbows on the table, her wine glass still half-full and catching ruby reflections from the lights. “You’re something else, Lizzie. Every other person fears the General. They wouldn’t dare say such filthy things in his presence. Myself included.”A light-hearted laugh bubbled from me as I settled
Chapter 182: That's A TrapReese “What do you mean by that?” Roman asked, his temper clearly rising the moment Penelope’s name left my lips. His voice sharpened through the phone speaker, cutting through the quiet night sounds of the garden.“Someone saw her here—” I started, my own words measured. “Who?” He demanded, his tone dropping into a near-growl. “Who was the one that saw her? What if it’s a mix-up?”“Ramsey,” I said simply.There was silence over the line—thick, heavy, and telling. I knew he was thinking the same thing I had earlier. Even before he spoke, the weight of it settled between us. “So… it really is true then,” he said finally, voice low.“I’m afraid so,” I replied, glancing at Alex who stood nearby, arms crossed, listening intently. The cool night breeze rustled the rose bushes, releasing another wave of sweet, heady fragrance that clashed oddly with the dark conversation. “There’s even a photo. I’ll share it with you.” I quickly forwarded the image from my pho
Chapter 181: What's The Rush? Reese “Roman, you didn’t tell me you were sending in a friend,” I said the moment he picked up. The night air in the rose garden felt cooler now, carrying the sweet, almost cloying scent of blooming roses that mixed with the faint, acrid trace of Alex’s cigarette smoke.I heard him chuckle over the line, that familiar low rumble that always carried a hint of calculated amusement. “Just sent you a little something to help facilitate the process.” “What’s the plan? Zahir has an agenda, doesn’t he?” I pressed, pacing slowly along the gravel path. The small stones crunched under my shoes, a steady rhythm against the distant gurgle of the fountain. “Met him at dinner and instantly knew he was a wolf.” “Definitely,” Roman replied. “I’ve done business with him for over three years, and in those three years he’s always tried to play a fast one on me.” He sighed, the sound crackling slightly through the speaker. “The smartest thing to do when signing a cont
Chapter 180: Net Worth Reese I stopped dead on the marble steps leading out to the estate grounds, the cool night air brushing against my heated skin.He just laughed, stopping in his tracks. Then he leaned in close, voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. “Didn’t you give her a task? She’s preparing herself to seduce Hudson.” Alex pulled me by the arm, his grip firm but brotherly. “Come on. Let’s go where we can have a little privacy.”I was still swimming in confusion as he dragged me out into the grounds. The night air wrapped around us carrying the sweet, heady fragrance of night-blooming jasmine and freshly watered roses. The fountain gurgled softly in the distance, its water sparkling under strategically placed garden lights that cast long, dancing shadows across the manicured lawns. We stopped near the rose garden, far enough from the scattered guards that their low murmurs blended into the background hum of crickets.I tugged my arm free, frowning deeply. “I admit I sen







