From His Ex-Wife to the World's Most Sought-After Restorer (Jade and Hudson) novel Chapter 203

He tried to ignore them, but his thumb moved on its own, swiping the screen to enlarge the images.

The first was a cluttered, dim room in a run-down building.

In the center was a circular wooden table—vintage, well-scrubbed, but unmistakably ancient and cheap.

To the side, Cortney was crouching on the floor, staring into a small bowl with a single goldfish.

Buzz— The phone vibrated again.

A new message from Amara.

"Hudson, this is the new place I found. It's small, but it's enough for Cortney and me. I found a job at a florist's arranging bouquets. I can support us now. Thank you for everything, but I won't be a burden to you anymore."

"Thank you, Hudson. I hope you and Jade have a long and happy life together."

Hudson stared at the messages, a deep frown etching into his face.

His relationship with Jade was strained because of Amara, but Amara hadn't meant for any of this to happen. She was just an innocent caught in the crossfire.

In a city this big, who else did she have but him?

How could he be so cold to a woman and a child with nowhere else to turn?

Hudson tossed his phone facedown, sat in silence for ten long seconds, and then grabbed his keys. He drove straight to the florist's shop.

The neighborhood was exactly like the photo: crumbling, chaotic, and dangerous.

When he arrived, he saw a couple of thugs catcalling Amara.

Amara, looking like she was desperately trying to keep her only source of income, didn't fight back. She just forced a pained smile and tried to sell them flowers.

In his memory, Amara was always the proud little princess. Seeing a low-life thug look down on her made his blood boil.

Hudson's face turned stone-cold. He strode forward and sent the lead thug flying with a single kick, then ground the man's face into the pavement with his boot.

"Get out! If I see you near her again, I'll break every bone in your body!"

The thugs realized they were outmatched and scrambled away like rats.

"Hudson? What are you doing here?" Amara's eyes lit up as she ran to his side. "You didn't have to do that. I could have handled it."

"Men like that only understand one thing," Hudson said, his voice dropping an octave.

Amara's face went pale, her lips trembling for a long moment before she spoke.

"But I have to live here. I can't afford to make enemies."

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