From His Ex-Wife to the World's Most Sought-After Restorer (Jade and Hudson) novel Chapter 186

Hudson wiped the blood from his lip, coughing twice more. Ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest, he strode toward the door.

"Get the private jet ready. We're going to Riverdale. Now."

Kevin hesitated, watching his boss's retreating back before scurrying after him.

"I'll arrange it immediately, sir."

The jet sliced through the air, soaring above a dense layer of clouds.

The grey expanse felt like it was pressing down on Hudson's heart, suffocating him with a weight he couldn't shift.

Panic, raw and unfiltered, surged through him, clawing at his insides with nowhere to escape.

He felt a sickening sense of weightlessness, as if the ground were vanishing beneath him.

Something vital was slipping through his fingers, and no matter how hard he reached out, it was like trying to catch the wind.

The pain in his chest flared again. Hudson's face turned ghostly pale as another fit of coughing took him.

"Cough... cough—"

Kevin stood up from his seat, his eyes wide with concern.

"Sir, let me call a specialist the second we land."

Hudson raised a hand, cutting him off.

"No. How much longer until we hit Riverdale?"

Kevin checked his watch.

"About thirty minutes, sir."

After answering, his gaze lingered on Hudson's bloodshot eyes.

"Sir, you should try to close your eyes for a moment."

Hudson looked like a man terrified of missing a final signal. He shook his head.

"No."

Kevin retreated to the corner, a single thought echoing in his mind.

If only he'd cared this much when it actually mattered.

—

Riverdale General Hospital.

Jade was standing at the threshold of the procedure room. Jewell gripped her hand, her eyes rimmed with red.

"Jade, don't be scared. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Jade managed a faint, weary smile to reassure her friend.

"It's just a minor procedure, Jewell. I'm not afraid."

Compared to the constant threats and blackmail from Hudson, this was nothing.

To her, this wasn't an end; it was a liberation.

Jewell wiped her tears and squeezed Jade's hand one last time, her heart breaking for her friend.

Before letting go, she pulled Jade into a tight embrace.

"Go on."

Jade patted Jewell's shoulder. The hallway was empty; Julian had stayed downstairs to give her space.

She turned and walked into the room.

Her steps were steady, her gaze fixed. She didn't look back.

The heavy doors slowly clicked shut behind her.

Jewell couldn't hold it back anymore. She covered her mouth and sobbed.

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