Betrayed by the Father Reborn in His Rival's Arms novel Chapter 417

Madeline slowly reached out, her fingers gently tracing the hard lines of his pale face.

Her thumb softly brushed against the unnatural, feverish flush lingering on his cheekbones.

Usually, the more Madeline resisted Quentin, the more dominant and forceful he became.

But the moment she initiated any kind of tenderness, he transformed entirely, turning into a touch-starved puppy.

Seeing her willingly reach for him...

Quentin's cold, ruthless exterior melted away. He narrowed his eyes, leaning heavily into her palm like he was trying to absorb her warmth.

He murmured softly, "Maddy, stop overthinking.

I didn't call you immediately because I didn't want you to panic about me being drugged.

And now I've dragged you to the hospital in the middle of the night to watch me get my stomach pumped."

As he spoke, he continuously nuzzled his face against her palm.

When his lips brushed against her fingertips, he tilted his head up and gently nipped at her hand.

Whether it was the lingering effects of the drug or the sheer vulnerability of the hospital bed...

Quentin clung to her with desperate need, completely refusing to let go.

Madeline's heart softened slightly, and she asked tentatively, "Quentin... I saw Penelope's clothes were ripped to shreds. What exactly happened?"

The moment he heard Penelope's name.

A look of absolute disgust and revulsion twisted his features.

Truthfully, he had despised that spoiled, arrogant princess from the very beginning.

He had always loved Madeline's temperament—quiet, elegant, gentle, and flawlessly endearing.

She always made him want to shield her from the world and care for her.

But when it came to bratty, volatile girls who threw tantrums to get their way, Quentin felt nothing but pure contempt.

Penelope was exactly that type of child, and she had grown into an insufferable, overgrown toddler who expected everyone to cater to her delusions, destroying everything in her path without a shred of empathy.