Chapter 55 Paying to Keep a Prostitute?
Nicole's POV
The moment I finished speaking, Hodgson's playful expression suddenly turned cold.
The previous ambiguous atmosphere vanished instantly, and when he spoke again, his tone was tinged with suspicion.
"What do you need five million for? To treat your foster mother in Astoria?"
My heart skipped a beat.
Damn it! How did Hodgson know my foster mother was also in Astoria?
He really did investigate me!
This realization sent chills down my spine.
How deep did he go? If he even investigated my foster mother, how much did he know about my feud with the Percy family?
In an instant, countless terrifying thoughts flashed through my mind.
Hodgson was still observing my reaction.
My mind was in turmoil, but I couldn't let him see it.
I turned around, forcing myself to meet his gaze, deliberately using a provocative tone to provoke him.
“Why are you asking so many questions? Don’t you have five million?”
Hodgson chuckled, then suddenly pinched my buttocks.
I shuddered, goosebumps instantly rising on my skin.
“Nicole, five million is just the price of a suit to me. If it were for you, I could give you a hundred million, let alone five million, but…”
He paused, then gripped my chin, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
“You must tell me what you’re going to do with this money. If you’re using my money to support a man, you know the consequences.”
His words sent chills down my spine.
Carlos’s tragic fate flashed through my mind again.
If he believed I had betrayed him, he really would do something terrible.
I immediately shook my head vigorously, denying it vehemently.
"Of course not! Hodgson, you're my only man!"
To convince him, I leaned in and kissed his lips.
This gesture clearly pleased him.
The gloom on his face softened somewhat, but his suspicion wasn't completely gone.
"And Shier?"
"Shier?"
A hint of disdain in my eyes. "He's nothing."
Seeing Hodgson's expression completely improve, even showing a smug smile, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Hodgson had an overwhelming desire to control me.
The more I resisted, the more he wanted to hold me tightly; conversely, if I showed submission and dependence, he would lower his guard.
So I had to lie.
I lowered my head, feigning some difficulty, and mumbled.
"Okay, I'll tell you."
"Actually, it's because of Julie. She owes gambling debts and is being chased by creditors. She needs money to pay them off."
This reason was something I'd thought of on the way here.
Although it was a bit far-fetched, at least it wouldn't let Hodgson find any loopholes for the time being.
Hodgson laughed after hearing this.
"So you're going to use my money to support a prostitute."
I glared at him. "Hodgson! Don't forget, Julie saved my life!"
To prevent him from further probing the truth of this excuse, I didn't give him a chance to ask and immediately changed the subject.
"Anyway, you're not short of money, and besides, didn't you just make a windfall recently?"
Hodgson raised an eyebrow slightly.
“You framed Shier, didn’t you? You brought him down with just a watch. The money Wendy took from Shier to repair that watch ended up in your pocket through various means.”
I deliberately brought this up in front of him, greatly satisfying his vanity.
In his eyes, he had casually manipulated things to make Shier lose badly.
Of course, he wanted me to know this, so I would understand the vast difference between him and Shier.
Hodgson’s attention was completely diverted after hearing my words.
He chuckled softly, his chest heaving.
“Looks like you know quite a lot.”
He released my chin, his fingers sliding down my neck, finally stopping at my collarbone, gently caressing it.
“Send your account information to Eric, I’ll have him transfer the money to you.”
“Consider this money a gift from me,” he added.
Not a loan, but a gift.
I was about to say, “I’ll pay you back,” when his lips pressed against mine again.
This kiss was more intense than before, tinged with a powerful possessiveness.
He lifted me up and pressed me against the cold kitchen counter, one hand cupping the back of my head, the other beginning to reach into my clothes, seemingly wanting to continue what we hadn’t finished on the sofa.
I was breathless from his kisses, my mind blank.
He unzipped my skirt, the cold air against my skin made me shiver.
Then, his hand, burning hot, pressed against my skin.
His large hand slid down my waist, slipping inside my underwear.
“Hodgson, wait…”
I struggled to push him away.
His fingers had found my most sensitive spot and began to tease it gently.
My body reacted instantly, a surge of heat uncontrollably welled up, wetting his fingers.
I felt a wave of frustration.
Why am I always so susceptible to Hodgson's teasing?
Why does my body like him so much?
"See, you want it too, don't you?" Hodgson chuckled.
With that, he pulled aside my underwear and slowly inserted his fingers into my vagina.
I could no longer hold back and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Ah..."
I was weak all over from his ministrations, my desire rising.
He roughly ripped off his belt and pressed his hard penis against my vaginal opening.
Just as he was about to take the next step, my phone suddenly rang.
The crisp ringtone sounded jarring in the quiet villa, instantly shattering the sensual atmosphere.
Hodgson stopped.
He glanced at my phone with extreme impatience, then frowned.
“Who the hell is this?!”
The screen displayed an unknown number.
My heart skipped a beat.
Damn it! It's Mark!
He's contacting me again!
I frantically broke free from his grasp and reached for my phone.
He stared at the number, his eyes darkening.
Just then, the phone stopped ringing.
I seized the opportunity to snatch the phone and clutch it tightly in my hand, quickly fabricating a lie.
“It's Julie calling. She must urgently need money.”
Hodgson's desire wasn't fully satisfied, and his face turned extremely bad.
He stared at me silently, the oppressive force in his eyes making it almost impossible for me to breathe.
I sighed inwardly, then stepped forward and kissed his chin, coaxing him softly,
"Don't be angry, I'll make you happy another day, okay?"