Free Web NovelChapter 45: Chapter 45 The Past Erased
Christina’s POV
I watched Louisa’s face soften as I defended Hudson.
"Hudson isn’t like most Alphas," I said. "He’s not some power-hungry tyrant who barks orders. When he speaks, people listen because they want to, not because they have to."
My mind drifted back to that night at the Laurent mansion.
I thought about that night at the Laurent mansion.Hudson abandoned his own elaborate party the moment he saw my distress.No questions, no hesitation. He wrapped his designer coat around me like I was precious and personally drove me to the hospital.
Niall would have left me crumpled on those marble floors. Probably annoyed I’d ruined his evening. He might have called someone to clean around me like I was an inconvenient spill.
So no, Hudson Laurent wasn’t "just some guy." He was something else entirely.
"He treats me well," I repeated,"Aunt Louisa, I’ve found something better than what I had with Niall. You don’t need to worry about me anymore."
Tears welled in Louisa’s eyes as she nodded reluctantly. "I see that now. Niall never deserved you. He’s the one who lost something precious."
I gestured toward the jewelry box on the table. "Aunt Louisa, about the ring..."
She sighed heavily, shoulders sagging with resignation. "I understand. Whatever bond you and Niall once shared is broken now. That old keepsake means nothing anymore. I’ll fetch your family’s ring for you."
I watched her climb the stairs, her body moving with the weight of impending family drama. Each slow step seemed to carry the burden of explaining to her husband why half the mating ceremony invitations they’d already sent would need to be recalled.
Guilt pinched at my heart. Clive Granger would explode when he heard the news, and Louisa would bear the brunt of his rage.
My remorseful thoughts were interrupted by Willow’s contemptuous snort.
"Never took you for such a social climber, Christina," she sneered."Somehow you’ve managed to snag Hudson Laurent. Who knew you had that kind of ambition in you?"
Her jealousy was radioactive. Hudson wasn’t just wealthy and attractive; he was the billionaire bachelor that made gossip columns salivate. Just yesterday, some Z-list actress had "accidentally" orchestrated paparazzi photos of herself bumping into him outside an upscale restaurant.
Even someone as stuck-up as Willow had probably fantasized about "coincidentally" falling into his powerful arms.
And now he was mine.
Well, sort of.
"That day at the hospital," she hissed, eyes narrowing to suspicious slits, "I knew something was fishy when he showed up with you. Did you trick him? Get some compromising photos for blackmail? Or maybe you drugged him—"
I slapped her before I could think. The crack echoed through the room.
"Watch your filthy mouth," I growled.
"You just slapped me?!" Willow shrieked, leaping from the sofa like she’d been scalded.
She lunged forward, arm swinging wildly, but I caught her wrist mid-air. My nails dug into her skin just enough to make her squirm and whimper.
"Last time I didn’t retaliate out of respect for your mother. Don’t mistake that restraint for weakness.That slap was for the disgusting insinuations coming out of your mouth."
I shoved her back onto the sofa with enough force to make her bounce.
"I didn’t even know Hudson until after I ended things with your brother. So maybe shut up before you embarrass yourself further."
"Oh please," she spat, face contorted with rage. "You expect me to believe you two magically fell in love right after rejecting Niall? Give me a break. I see right through women like you."
I calmly collected the marriage certificate from the table and tucked it securely into my bag.
"Your precious brother cheated on me with my own sister, and you have the audacity to attack me? That’s rich. Either you’ve got some serious double standards or you genuinely think it’s acceptable for men to betray their mates.If that’s the case, I sincerely hope your next boyfriend turns out exactly like your scumbag brother."
"You—!" Willow’s face flushed with fury. She huffed. "Whatever. I’m not wasting another second arguing with you."
"Oh, so now you’re backing out?"I challenged."Didn’t you just declare you’d moonwalk backwards down Fifth Avenue if I actually married Hudson? Now that you know the certificate’s legitimate...I’m still waiting,sweetheart.Moonwalk or coward,your choice."
Willow went suddenly silent, pretending my words had evaporated into thin air.
After an awkward pause, she mumbled something about being late for a Pilates class and sprinted from the room.
Minutes later, Louisa came downstairs with a small ring box. Her hands shook.
She handed it to me reluctantly. "Even though things didn’t work out with Niall, I’ll always consider you my daughter. Don’t become a stranger, alright?"
I nodded, my throat tight. "I know, Aunt Louisa."
And I meant it. She was the only decent Granger in that dysfunctional family.
I hugged her, promised to stay in touch, then left.
The moment I stepped outside, I could breathe again. Like breaking the surface after being underwater too long.
Hudson was waiting by his car. "Everything settled?"
"All taken care of," I confirmed, sliding into the passenger seat.
His eyes found the ring box in my hand, then flicked back to my face.
I gave the box a little shake."The engagement gift," I explained. "And now I’m officially Niall-free."
Hudson suddenly leaned across the console toward me, close enough that I could feel his warm breath caress my ear.
My heart hammered against my ribs like it was trying to escape.
I stared at him, unable to control my widening eyes or quickening breath.
"What are you doing?" I whispered.
He pulled something from behind his back like a stage magician, eyes never leaving mine. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
It wasn’t flowers or chocolates or any ordinary gift.
It was a rich velvet jewelry box.
When he opened it, I nearly gasped aloud.
Inside was a necklace that made everything else look like costume jewelry. Simple. Elegant. The kind of quiet luxury that screamed old money.
The center stone was pale violet, flashing icy blue and silver in the light.
Grandidierite.
One of the rarest stones on earth.
I shivered.
This wasn’t some impulse buy. He’d chosen this. For me.
For a moment,I forgot this was just business.Forgot our marriage was just a convenient solution to mutual problems.
Because when Hudson looked at me like that,like he could see straight through me.
It felt dangerous.
Something real.
Or maybe that was just the oxygen deprivation from holding my breath.
