Chapter 433 An Expression Never Before Seen

His head was spinning.

Just as Vassal lost himself in his own paranoid thoughts, a familiar voice almost scared the life out of him.

“What are you doing here?”

He snapped to attention, spine straight, saluting Jude like a soldier.

“Boss, I… I wasn’t doing anything… just standing here, sir. Sorry, I didn’t notice you’d already come down.”

Vassal braced himself for punishment. As Jude’s right-hand man, disappearing without notice and making the boss come looking for him was a serious screw-up.

If it had been the old Jude, he’d already be banished to some research station in the Arctic—and wouldn’t be back for three months! He would be cut off from supplies and go through three months of frozen hell.

But instead—

“Get in. We’re going home.”

“…What?”

Cold sweat broke out down his back. He wanted to shut his eyes and pray to God that his fate wouldn’t suddenly take a tragic turn. Yet Jude really just let him off? Or maybe the punishment would come later, back at the house…

When Jude noticed Vassal still frozen like an idiot, his brow twitched ever so slightly. “How many times do I have to say it?”

“Yes, sir!”

Vassal scrambled into the driver’s seat, started the Maybach, and risked a glance in the rearview mirror. “Boss… you seem… kind of happy?”

“Mm. Which is why you got lucky this time. Don’t push your luck again.”

He could still taste it—the food, the warmth of someone hustling in his kitchen just for him, the softness in his arms, that kiss he couldn’t stop replaying.

Jude shut his eyes. He pursed his lips, savoring the lingering taste and feel of that kiss.

Sitting in the spacious, dark backseat of the Maybach, dressed sharp in a suit, his long fingers intertwined—he looked every bit the Shadow Lord. Who would ever believe this man was thinking about… kissing?

Vassal finally exhaled in relief.

Mama mia, Thank you, Ms. Tilda—no, future Mrs. Boss. You’re my holy savior, the North Star itself. You’ve rescued me from a lifetime of torment! Thank you! Amen!

Tilda was taking a bath. Her body was submerged in the warmth of the water. She replayed everything that had just happened. Her pale skin was tinged with a soft flush.

It could have been the heat. It could have been her heart.

Tilda let out a deep breath. Her fingertip skimmed across the surface, sending ripples through the pool. She watched a droplet form at her fingertip, then fall, and her lips curved into a smile.

“So… I can still feel like a normal human being. How lucky to have met you.”

Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Jude.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah… I’m better now, Jude.”

The moment Jude saw her call him that, his finger nearly cracked the screen.

“Good. That’s all that matters, Tilda.” He ended the sentence with a smiley face.

There it was again—the mysterious little smiley face.

“You’ve been calling me Tilda all this time, so close and sweet. I think that means our relationship has already stepped closer.”

“So, if I call you Jude, you won’t be mad, right?”

“I won’t be mad at all.”

Jude clearly didn’t realize she was using a trending meme. He even added thoughtfully, “I like it.” He sent an emoji that looked like someone was sweating nervously.

Hahaha!

Tilda burst out laughing. In his own way, her clueless, slow-to-react CEO was just too much fun.

She kept chatting with Jude, cheerful and teasing, completely unaware…

That Vassal behind the wheel was suffering absolute torture. He nearly lost his grip on the steering wheel.

Because in the rearview mirror, he saw Jude’s face—

An expression he had never once seen before.

That smile. That happiness. It was like seeing pigs fly.

Vassal was happy for him, sure. Jude was human, not a god. Everyone had emotions, and finding a woman he liked was a good thing.

But after seeing Jude Bell as a ruthless, cold-blooded killer for so long, seeing him like this was honestly even scarier.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

“Hmph, lucky you asked in time, Mr. Woodward. Tomorrow, Tilda and I are heading to Jeselton. One day later, and I’d have marked you down for being insincere!”

As soon as she got out of the car and saw Alfie, Una pulled a face at him.

The resort staff who came to greet them were stunned. Talking to Mr. Woodward like that—this girl must have a death wish.

But Alfie only looked at the girl in her pink puffer jacket, barefaced, her whole body glowing with innocent charm. He smiled slightly. “Well then… guess the timing couldn’t be better.”