The Day I Stopped Waiting Was the Day He Started Begging novel Chapter 42

Top-tier specialists demanded exorbitant fees, and Evie would need a lot of money in the future.

So, Madeline changed her clothes and applied heavy makeup—a rare occurrence for her—to mask her sheer exhaustion before heading out to the appointment.

The Yates Manor.

Seraphina arrived at the Manor again, only to find Madeline absent. York's wound wasn't hurting quite as much, allowing him to walk downstairs on his own.

Seraphina set the food containers she had brought on the table, shooting her son a sideways glare.

"York, did Madeline not come home last night?"

"You two are married. Isn't it a bit much for her to be so cold and completely indifferent?"

"She's busy with work, and I'm not exactly bedridden."

"Besides, we've been in a cold war for two years. You can't expect the tension to vanish overnight."

York knew that Seraphina was harboring some resentment deep down because of Felicity.

He pulled out a chair and gently pressed his mother down into it.

"Stop needlessly worrying about our marriage."

"Me, needlessly worrying? York, this isn't how a marriage works. You're not kids anymore, especially with your status. Don't act like a reckless teenager and make yourselves a laughingstock."

Seraphina hadn't wanted to harp on their relationship.

But Felicity had been falling ill every other day, and York had been injured because of Madeline. Now, she couldn't even get a glimpse of Madeline, which left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"You're right. But your chicken soup is even better," York said, deliberately changing the subject.

Seraphina looked at him with a tight, unamused smile.

"Are you just trying to brush me off?"

"Not at all. We've always interacted like this. She told me about her work the past two days, and I agreed to it."

"I'll call her right now, and later we'll go visit you together."

York pulled out his phone and dialed Madeline's number.

Seraphina was soft-hearted and not entirely unreasonable. If they came home more often, some of these issues would naturally resolve themselves.

However, Madeline didn't answer the call.

Seraphina didn't miss this detail. She stared quietly at her son.

He used to be a light smoker, knowing it ruined the lungs, and mostly because Madeline hated the smell.

But during his two years in San Francisco, he had smoked recklessly, and his addiction had worsened.

The harsh, stimulating scent of tobacco burned down his throat and into his lungs, making him terribly uncomfortable. York coughed a few times and crushed the cigarette out with his bare hands.

Some people and things were purely addictive. Even knowing he shouldn't sink any deeper, and fully aware of the danger, his rational mind and his emotions simply couldn't align.

It felt like pure self-sabotage.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Susan opened the door and called out, "Boss, we have an uninvited guest."

"Why don't you talk to her at the door? Madeline doesn't like strangers in the house."

York stood up and took a few steps. It was Felicity.

Not hearing back from the person he actually wanted to see put him in a foul mood.

"What are you doing here?"