Chapter 15

Droplets of water slid across Natalie's shoulders as she tilted her face upward, allowing her entire body to bask under the shower. Her mind kept circling back to the things Hudson had said to her, leaving her feeling increasingly irritated the more she thought about them. She gently traced over her body using her hand while thinking about Hudson. This made her even more uncomfortable. The harder she tried to push him from her mind, the more vividly he lingered. Frustrated and flushed, she hurriedly finished washing and stepped out of the shower. The spacious and luxurious room was far beyond what a regular college student like her could afford. The actual owner of the room was lying on the bed in a bathrobe. The man looked about 25 years old, handsome, and well-built, but… "Quinton." Natalie slowly untied her bathrobe and climbed onto the bed, inching closer to him. Quinton smiled awkwardly and gently pushed her away. "Didn't we already do it once before you showered? Let me rest a bit, okay?" What? Barely two minutes, and he dared to talk about needing rest. What a waste of a tall, strong body. "By the way, Nat." Quinton seemed eager to change the subject. He lightly brushed aside Natalie's still-damp hair and said teasingly, "Is your boyfriend still pestering you?" Natalie froze for a moment. Disgust filled her eyes as she said, "I can tell he still loves me." "Who wouldn't love a beauty like you? Any guy would be smitten." Quinton's fingers playfully tipped Natalie's chin. The gesture reignited her desire. "Quinton, don't you want me to... make you feel even better?" Quinton immediately looked troubled. "Let me rest for another hour…" ... An hour later, Natalie and Quinton were walking down a bustling pedestrian street. Quinton had ultimately failed to fulfill his promise, so he decided to buy her anything she wanted to make it up to her. Natalie didn't mind. If he couldn't satisfy her needs, he could always make it up to her with money. As she stood by the curb waiting for Quinton to bring the car around, a figure in the crowd caught her eye. Was that… Hudson? Natalie's irritation flared as she recognized his back. But then, her feelings turned to embarrassment and frustration as she recalled her thoughts in the bathroom earlier. Clicking her high heels against the pavement, she walked toward him in a rush but stopped midway. She didn't want to seem flustered. Taking a deep breath, she slowed her pace and walked casually until she stood behind him. "Hudson," Natalie called out coldly. Hudson paused, then turned to look at her. "It's you. What's up?" Natalie's brow twitched. What kind of tone was that? Shouldn't he be groveling, apologizing for his mistakes that day, begging for her forgiveness? She had intended to tell Hudson to leave school and stop interfering with her relationship with Quinton. However, standing before him now, she felt more shocked than angry. The Hudson she saw wasn't the one she remembered. Not only did he seem taller, but his once timid face was now sharp and undeniably handsome. And those eyes shone like a hawk's, cold and piercing. Was this really the Hudson she knew? "Is there anything you need?" Hudson repeated in an indifferent tone. "I... I just..." Natalie found herself stammering. The older man standing beside Hudson spoke up in a playful tone. "Hey, who's this beauty?" Only then did Natalie realize Hudson wasn't alone. Next to him stood a scruffy middle-aged man in a worn-out outfit topped with a cowboy hat. "Do you know her?" Owen asked Hudson while grinning. "Not really," Hudson replied coolly. "She's probably just here to cause trouble." "Whoa, whoa! You got a gorgeous lady like her mad at you? Miss, tell me. What did this young man do?" Natalie shot the man a glare before taking a deep breath. Just as she was about to tell Hudson she wanted to speak with him alone, the screeching of brakes interrupted her. A limited-edition luxury car pulled up by the curb. The door opened, and Quinton stepped out, casually adjusting his expensive jacket as he approached. "Nat, why weren't you waiting by the exit?" He put his arm around Natalie's waist as he spoke. Natalie's first reaction was to pull away slightly. For some reason, seeing Hudson again made her reluctant to show any affection toward Quinton in front of him. But Quinton didn't notice. With a firm grip, he pulled her close and looked at the two men in front of him with a smug expression. "You must be Hudson," Quinton said, completely ignoring the older man. Why bother acknowledging someone who looked like a washed-up nobody? "Nat has been more than kind to you, but you just won't let go and keep harassing her. Do you think I'm someone you can mess with?" Quinton smirked at Hudson, his tone dripping with contempt. Hudson raised an eyebrow and met Quinton's gaze without a hint of fear. "If you're sick, go see a doctor. Don't bark in the streets." Natalie was taken aback. What was going on? Wasn't Hudson supposed to be at least a head shorter than Quinton? And wasn't the old Hudson the type to tremble and cower in situations like this? This comeback, paired with that icy gaze, clearly irritated Quinton. "This young man isn't as pathetic as you said he was, huh, Nat?" Quinton sneered. He pulled a card from his pocket, flicking it against Hudson's chest. The card fell to the ground. "There's half a million there. Take the money, get lost, and don't let me see you near Nat again." Before Hudson could say a word, Owen beside him lit up with glee. He quickly bent down to snatch up the card. "Well, well! Thank you, kind sir! Much appreciated!" Hudson, Quinton, and Natalie froze in confusion. Who was this guy? "Hudson! Thank the gentleman properly!" Owen scolded. "Mr. Jennings, I can't take it." "Can't take it? My ass! If someone's dumb enough to throw money at you, you take it! What kind of idiot refuses free cash?" Hudson couldn't help but laugh. Meanwhile, Quinton's face had turned white with anger. "Old man, are you looking to die?" Natalie quickly grabbed Quinton's arm. "Honey, people are watching." Quinton glanced at the gathering crowd, snorted coldly, and pointed a finger at Hudson. "You're dead, Hudson. Just wait." With that, he turned and walked away, dragging Natalie with him. "Brat—Oh, I mean sir—please take care." Owen waved enthusiastically at the departing car before pointing a middle finger at it.