A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust novel Chapter 510

Hudson eventually caved to Lance’s insistence. He had no choice but to let the guy crash in his room for the night.

But honestly, Hudson barely got any sleep. By the time the sun was up, Lance was as chipper as ever, while Hudson felt like he’d just survived a zombie apocalypse.

Calliope strolled out of her room, stretching, only to freeze when she caught sight of Hudson’s sorry state.

“Hudson, what on earth happened to you? Are you okay? Did Lance do something to you last night?”

She wagged her eyebrows. “Geez, you two don’t see each other for a few days and you just couldn’t help yourselves, huh?”

She and Hudson weren’t exactly close friends—they’d hung out a couple times and got along well enough, so she just called him Hudson. He didn’t seem to mind.

Hudson shook his head, looking more dead than alive. “You’ve got it all wrong. Nothing happened between us.”

“Really?” Calliope eyed him skeptically. “Because you seriously look like you were up all night getting wild…”

She stared a little longer, then something seemed to click. Lance was nowhere to be seen yet.

Calliope plopped herself down at the kitchen table with Hudson and pulled out a stethoscope, gesturing for him to come closer.

“Okay, let me check you out,” she said. “Lance is really worried. He thinks something’s seriously wrong with you.”

“You do look pretty rough,” she added, popping a mini blueberry muffin into her mouth. “Have you eaten something dodgy? Or been stressed out lately?”

Hudson forced a smile. “It’s nothing. Just didn’t sleep well, and you know I’ve always had those old issues. No need to check me out—just write me a prescription like you used to. Your stuff always works. I’ll be good as new.”

He reached for his coffee, still avoiding her eyes, still refusing her help.

Calliope just sat there, stethoscope in hand, her unease growing. If Hudson wouldn’t even let her take a look at him, he must be hiding something serious. And if he was hiding it from her, he was definitely hiding it from Lance, too. No wonder Lance was freaking out.

Calliope’s expression darkened.

“Is it really that bad?” she murmured, her voice heavy with worry.

If it wasn’t, Hudson wouldn’t be acting like this. Whatever was going on, it had to be serious.