Chapter 6

The apartment was empty and quiet, with not a trace of anyone around.

Leana Frost pushed the door open, and her heart sank. She had expected that Hudson Riley would, as before, throw himself at her, pestering her and demanding to know why she had been so harsh with him. But what she saw instead left her heart heavy.

The living room was empty. There was no sign of Hudson Riley in the kitchen, bathroom, or study. He hurried into his bedroom. The room was spotless. On the nightstand, the amethyst bracelet lay there, shining brightly.

She’s gone?

Leana Frost’s heart panicked instantly. She frantically pulled out her phone and dialed Hudson Riley’s number. But all that came from the receiver was a robotic voice repeating, “The number you’ve called is turned off.”

He couldn’t think any further. He rushed outside, but just as he reached the door to the guest room, he heard faint noises coming from inside. Leana Frost took a deep breath, gently pushed the door open, and saw Hudson Riley sitting alone on the bed, wrapped in a thin blanket. His face was covered in un dried tears.

My anxious heart has finally settled down.

He stepped forward, wanting to offer comfort. But Hudson Riley’s words instantly put an end to his thoughts: “I’ve already booked my flight tickets. All the tickets for today are sold out. I’ll have to leave tomorrow. I’m sorry to bother you again tonight. If it’s inconvenient, I can stay in a hotel.”

Leana Frost watched her distant expression, feeling both sad and bitter inside. She sighed to herself—that’s probably the end of him in this life, at the hands of this little girl.

“What on earth are you thinking with that little head of yours?” He sat down next to her, reaching out to hold her in his arms. “Don’t you have any idea why I’m angry?”

Hudson Riley pursed his lips, turned his head away, and remained silent. However, the hurt in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Leana Frost had no choice but to pull her into her arms, holding her tightly so she couldn’t struggle. With deep emotion in her voice, she said, “Hudson, I’ve really missed you over the past year. Several times, I almost couldn’t resist buying a plane ticket to come back. After each video call with you, that desire grew stronger. But I know I can’t go back. What you need is a man who can support you and protect you, not a naive boy who’s not yet grown up. I want to become stronger so I can give you a better life. You deserve the best.”

“You big liar!” Hudson Riley finally couldn’t hold back anymore. Sobbing, he said, “You clearly changed your heart. You’re just saying all these sweet things to deceive me! I tried to forget you, but I couldn’t. I kept hoping that you’d come back to me. Do you even know how I’ve gotten through this year?”

Watching her cry bitterly, Lianna Frost knew that no words could express her feelings properly. He held her in his arms and walked toward the study. Hudson Riley was confused, but he didn’t ask any questions.

Entering the study, Leana Frost set her down and pulled open the two lowest drawers of the desk. They were filled to the brim with envelopes, neatly stacked together. There were no stamps or mailing addresses on any of them.

A slight blush appeared on his face. He coughed awkwardly and said, “These are all letters written for you. From the first day I arrived here until the day before yesterday, there were 386 letters in total. Not a single one was missing. Please take your time to read them.”

After saying that, as if wolves were chasing him, he took two steps back and quickly fled the study, forgetting even to close the door.

Hudson Riley was stunned. Her gaze fell on those envelopes, and her heart started pounding wildly. She carefully picked up the top envelope, opened it, and familiar handwriting came into view:

“Hudson, I’ve gotten used to the environment here. But I miss you more and more. I miss the way you smile, the way you act affectionately, and even the taste of the meals you cook. The sky here is so blue. I’ve been looking at houses—just the kind you’d like: with a balcony, where we can grow sunflowers together. I imagine spending time here with you, basking in the sun and stargazing…”

Letter after letter, every word expressed his longing and concern for her. There wasn’t a single perfunctory remark or hint of indifference. Tears fell “tap, tap” onto the paper, leaving stains that blurred the ink.

It turns out, he wasn’t unloving at all. He was just too awkward and wanted to give her a better future. That’s why he chose to endure everything in silence and work hard on his own.

Hudson Riley looked at the drawer full of letters, her heart filled to the brim with happiness. She couldn’t hold back any longer. She let out a scream, rushed out of the study, and in a flash, threw herself onto Leana Frost. She wrapped her arms around her neck, her legs around her waist, and pressed her face tightly against hers.

Leana Frost was startled by her. She stood there foolishly, allowing her to rub against her as she pleased.

“So Liana is actually a tsundere type, huh? I was totally scared!” Hudson Riley muttered, his voice filled with both annoyance and amusement.

Leana Frost shook her head helplessly. Reluctantly, she tore it off her body. She tried to act serious, but the blush on her face revealed her nervousness. “But you still have to leave tomorrow.”

Hudson Riley’s face fell instantly. He tugged at her arm and coquettishly said, “Why?”

“I’ve condensed two years’ worth of coursework into one year. Now I need to focus on writing academic papers. I don’t have time to spend with you.” Leana Frost coughed twice, avoiding her gaze. “But this afternoon, I can set aside some time for you.”

Hudson Riley’s eyes lit up. He gave him a passionate kiss on the face, then happily ran off to the bathroom. “I’m going to brush my teeth!”

Leana Frost touched the saliva stains on her face. Her lips curled into a slight smile. The gloom in her eyes was finally replaced by tenderness.

A few days later, Hudson Riley returned to the apartment she shared with Brody Payne, looking dejected. The bruises on her face hadn’t yet faded. She didn’t dare go home, afraid that her parents would make unnecessary assumptions if they saw them.

Brody Payne had a sharp eye. He searched through her luggage thoroughly, but couldn’t find that sexy nightgown. He leaned in, with a lecherous look on his face, and asked, “Where’s your ‘ultimate weapon’? Why didn’t you bring it back?”

Hudson Riley’s face turned red instantly. He whispered, “It was torn to shreds.”

Brody Payne’s eyes widened in surprise. He immediately imagined countless scenarios and chuckled, “Not bad, Hudson. I didn’t expect Leana Frost to be so eager—she didn’t even give you time to take off your clothes?”

“No!” Hudson Riley stamped his foot in frustration. “It was him who got angry and accidentally tore it apart!”

Brody Payne glanced at her sideways, his eyes fixed on the bruises on her face. Hudson sighed. “Can anger really tear clothes apart? And leave such obvious ‘evidence’ of the crime? Hudson Riley, stop pretending. I understand everything.”

Hudson Riley turned red with anger. He reached out to push Brody Payne away. But Brody Payne clung tightly to the doorframe. Suddenly, he shouted loudly, “Hudson Riley~ Your underwear’s fallen off~”

That voice was so lingering and seductive that Hudson Riley froze on the spot, his face twisting in disgust.