Home / Too Late，Guardian: I’m His Now / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Too Late，Guardian: I’m His Now: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

17 Chapters

Chapter 1

The moment I walk into the engagement party, every eye is on me. They all know what to expect.I know what they're thinking: She's here to burn the place down.After all, everyone in New York knows the girl the Volkov Don adopted is head over heels for him.Even Hudson steps in front of Bianca, his voice a low warning. "Liriel. Don't make a scene."But I'm about to disappoint them all.I just flash my brightest smile, my voice dripping honey."I'm just here to wish Uncle Hudson a happy wedding.""I was young and foolish. To make up for it, I even brought you two an engagement gift."Hudson's brow furrowed.Ever since I came of age, I’d been so blatant about my feelings that I’d stopped calling him Uncle Hudson, using only his first name.It had been a long time since he’d heard me call him that.I turn and snap my fingers.My bodyguards immediately bring forward several velvet trays."A little something for Bianca," I say, pulling back the red cloth.Piles of flawless diamonds and gems

Chapter 2

My unprecedented obedience cracked his cold facade.He didn't take the handkerchief.A flicker of panic he couldn't hide crossed his eyes."Liriel," he said, his voice softening unconsciously, "your wounds haven't healed. Go back to your room and rest."I looked at him and curved my lips into a small, empty smile."Of course, Uncle Hudson."I turned, my back ramrod straight, and walked out of the hall under everyone's gaze.It wasn't until I was in the empty garden, the night wind on my face, that I realized I was shaking from head to toe.I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, and the tears I'd been holding back finally broke free."Liriel!" My best friend, Anna, came running after me in her heels.She pulled me into a hug, her voice laced with pain. "Why didn't you fight for him? This isn't you! You know if you make a scene, Hudson will always give in!"I buried my face in her shoulder and closed my eyes, a bitter taste in my mouth.Fight?Last time, egged on by those comments, I crash

Chapter 3

My heart hammered against my ribs. I dug my nails into my palm to keep my composure.Politely, I took a step back, putting distance between us."Nothing," I said, forcing a perfect smile. "Just planning a wedding surprise for you and Bianca."The hand holding the cigar stilled.He was silent for a beat, then said, "Liriel, it's good that you're thinking clearly. I'm ten years older than you. I'm your guardian. Stop this nonsense about being in love with me. You should be meeting people your own age, not wasting your time on me."The comments appeared again.【He's so full of shit! He's only saying that because you're pulling away and it's killing him!】【He just thinks you're too young right now! He's not with you because he's trying to protect you from the gossip!】【That's right! He just paid a fortune to have New York's best jeweler repair that broken ring! He can't let you go!】I lowered my eyes, hiding the sarcasm in them.Repair it? What's broken is broken."Don't worry, Uncle Hudso

Chapter 4

The cellar was cold and damp.I was still recovering, and the wound in my back was bleeding.After only three hours, I lost consciousness and fell into a feverish delirium.In the haze, I was fifteen again.My parents were dead, and my relatives were circling like vultures, trying to carve up my inheritance.Then Hudson, twenty-three at the time, appeared like a god.He stood in front of me, his voice steady and strong. "Don't be afraid. I'll always protect you."Burning with fever, I mumbled in my sleep, "Liar... you lied. You don't protect me anymore..."A cool hand gently wiped the tears from my eyes.Hearing my words, the hand froze.A heavy, suppressed sigh echoed in the darkness, and then the sound of footsteps faded away.Two days later, I woke up in my own bed.The blood-stained dress was gone, replaced with something clean and comfortable.The wound on my back had been stitched up again, with no sign it had ever been torn open.【Don't be sad, Liriel! Hudson cares about you! He

Chapter 5

Those words shattered my heart.Nothing to do with the Family...The comments frantically tried to explain it away.【Don't be sad, Liriel, this is all part of Hudson's plan!】【He's doing this so he can marry you later without any baggage! Once he severs the adoption ties, no one can use your relationship against you! He's protecting you!】Protecting me?My heart was a cold, desolate wasteland.They didn't understand. In the New York mafia, losing the protection of the Volkov Family meant one thing.It meant I went from being a princess to a piece of meat for the wolves.The trouble came fast.The next day, I went to the cemetery to visit my parents' graves.As I was leaving, several black SUVs surrounded me.It was the other mafia daughters, the ones who were always jealous, the ones I'd clashed with before. They dragged me into a car and took me to a villa in the suburbs."Well, well, Liriel. Look how the mighty have fallen."They sneered, grabbing my hair and shoving my head into the

Chapter 6

Half an hour later, the taxi pulled up to a luxury penthouse apartment building by Central Park.It was a gift from my parents for my twelfth birthday. My mother had once gently stroked my hair and told me that no matter how stormy the world got, this place would always be my safe harbor, a place no one could take from me.The moment I opened the door, the familiar scent of sandalwood washed over me.The apartment still held traces of my parents' lives; every piece of furniture gave me a long-lost sense of security.I threw myself onto the sofa, exhausted and hurt, and fell into a deep sleep.For the next few days, I stayed in the apartment, nursing my wounds. I didn't think about Hudson once. Even the annoying comments had gone silent.One day, my friend Anna, seeing I was down, insisted on taking me shopping.She was stunned when she saw me at the coffee shop.I had chopped off the long, waist-length hair I'd kept for years, replacing it with a chic, shoulder-length bob.I'd shed the

Chapter 7

The next morning, I was jolted awake by Anna's frantic phone call."Liriel! Turn on the news! Something huge happened!" Anna's voice was panicked.I shot up in bed and opened the news alert on my phone.The headline was stark: [SHOCKING! Restaurant Owned by Volkov Don's Fiancée's Adoptive Father Under Investigation for Severe Food Poisoning!]But when I clicked on the article, my blood ran cold.Where a photo of Bianca's adoptive father should have been, there was a crystal-clear picture of my dead parents.I immediately called the media outlet and demanded they change the photo.The editor hemmed and hawed, refusing, until I threatened to call the police. Only then did he spill the truth:"The Volkov Don provided the photos himself!"My mind went blank. Without even changing, I stumbled out of the apartment and hailed a cab straight to Hudson's corporate headquarters.I had to ask him to his face. Why would he do this?When I reached the door to the CEO's office, it was slightly ajar.

Chapter 8

A sarcastic smile touched my lips, but my heart was a desolate wasteland.That invoice was easy enough to find. If Hudson had even a shred of trust in me, the truth would have come out long ago.The airport announcer called for boarding.I lowered my eyes, turned off my phone, snapped the SIM card in half, and tossed it in the trash.From now on, none of this was my problem....(Hudson's POV)An hour earlier.Volkov Group, top-floor office."...But I still don't think Miss Liriel would pull a stunt like this."Hudson's second-in-command, Dimitri, said with a frown."Do you remember when she was sixteen, transferred schools, and got ostracized?"Hudson, leaning back on the sofa, narrowed his deep-set eyes at the question."What's your point?"His voice was low, but a flicker of unease he didn't recognize stirred within him."When she transferred, all the kids at the new school shut her out. But she didn't throw the Don's name around to get respect, and she didn't wallow in self-pity. S

Chapter 9

Dimitri's voice grew more urgent."Godfather, we all know Bianca is the capo's long-lost daughter. His dying wish was for her to come home safely, which is why you're marrying her, to give her your backing. But you can't ignore Liriel because of that. She's an orphan too, a poor kid who lost both her parents!""If we've been wrong about her this whole time..."His friend's words hit Hudson like a sledgehammer.He suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, a wave of irritation. He instinctively reached for the cigar box, pulled one out, and lit it.The moment he brought it to his lips, he remembered how much Liriel hated it. Whenever she saw him smoke, she would buzz around his ear, nagging."Cigars stink! No smoking! You're already ten years older than me, an old man. You need to quit and take care of yourself. If you die before me after we're married, I'll have to take your inheritance and go find a young, hot boy toy..."Back then, Hudson knew she was talking nonsense, but it had hit a

Chapter 10

Boom.Hudson felt like he'd been struck by lightning. His voice was so dry it was almost a whisper."...What did you say?!""Miss Bianca just messaged me. She said to have you call her after you hang up, that she has her adoptive parents under control."Dimitri's voice was rushed. He paused, then sighed."It seems you really did wrong Miss Liriel. She must be heartbroken."Hudson's throat worked, but no sound came out. After a long silence, he finally managed a hoarse command."You go to the police station. I'm going to the airport to find Liriel."He hung up, his handsome face ashen.His heart felt like a gaping hole. All the details he had deliberately ignored were now flooding his mind.If he was wrong about Liriel this time...What about all the other times?Her leaving without a second thought this time... was it because she had completely given up on him?He couldn't bear to think about it.A wave of exhaustion washed over him.His frayed nerves snapped. He gritted his teeth, clo

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