Chapter 221
During the last class, Madelyn left and went to the visitation room of the police station at 4:30 in the afternoon. Danny, who had his head shaved, was dressed in prison uniform and sat in the detention room. There was only a thin layer of glass between them. His eyes were lifeless. and sunken.
Madelyn had come alone secretly without Zach’s knowledge. No one knew about it. She picked up the microphone hanging on the wall and pressed it against her ear. Danny did the same, but his gaze never met hers.
After the police left, Madelyn said, “Don’t worry. No one knows I’m here.”
Danny had gone through a calamity. Now, listening to her voice, his eyes turned fierce gradually, as if he wanted to devour her whole. He sneered, “Are you here to mock me? Are you satisfied now that you’ve see me like this? Madelyn, you’re just relying on your family’s wealth and power, but in reality, you’re nothing!
“You ruined me! It’s all because of you! I wouldn’t have done all this if it weren’t for you! I just wanted to get money to treat my mother. It’s all your fault! My mother is dead! My entire life. is ruined! I regret not killing you!”
Madelyn stared at him with clear eyes, “Danny, I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. You say I ruined you, but what gives you the right to think that way? I know you’ve realized that even with money, your mother wouldn’t have survived that surgery. You’re just unwilling to accept or admit that you lost to me.”
Madelyn noticed his dilated pupils and a fleeting hint of shock in his
‘Maybe I’ve exposed the doubt in his heart.”
eyes.
She continued, “Because I used to be the last in the class with the worst performance, and I only chose Class One to escape bullying. The rumor in Class Six was that I only managed to switch classes by cheating. Even when I joined the Math Olympiad team, you thought it was because of my relationship with Yvonne. That’s why you felt it was unfair, making you resentful and jealous.
“I once doubted myself, wondering if all was my fault. I even thought about whether I shouldn’t have transferred. Now, I’ve come to realize that I wasn’t wrong; I was simply making the most of everything I’ve experienced in the past. When making these changes, I’ve never hurt anyone. It’s not me who’s wrong, it’s you! You blame everyone and everything. You’re just looking for an excuse to vent your dissatisfaction.
“Over these three years at Ventrocloud High School, you didn’t have it easy. The high tuition fees and loans overwhelmed you. You owed two years of tuition fees and had no choice but to turn to high-interest loans. The day you laid your hands on me was the deadline set by the loan sharks. If you couldn’t repay them, they would come to the school, and everyone would
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know you couldn’t even afford your tuition. Eventually, your actions would negatively impact the school’s reputation and force you to drop out.”
That day was what had finally pushed Danny over the edge.
Madelyn noticed his trembling body and pale lips, and continued, “Ventropolis High School was a better option for you, but you wanted to enroll in Ventrocloud High School because of your vanity. You knew very well that you couldn’t afford the steep tuition fees here, yet you still insisted on enrolling. You had many opportunities to change your life, but you stubbornly kept choosing the wrong path.
your
“To the point where your mother worked four or five jobs a day just to earn enough for tuition, and it wore her health out completely. She could have saved that money for her treatment, but she sacrificed everything for you. She didn’t spend a single penny on herself, leading to her health deteriorating. You were born into an ordinary family, yet you never accepted your mediocrity. You took a wrong step, leading to a series of wrong choices.”
Even though Danny had known it was wrong, he had still forged ahead.
‘Just like me in my past life. I knew Zach had ulterior motives for me and the Jent family, but I still stubbornly insisted on marrying him, and only at the moment of death did I finally realize my mistake. In a way, Danny’s no different from me. It’s just that our desires were different.’
Danny’s eyes reddened, and his breath caught in his throat. He asked with a voice choked by soreness and pain, “How do you know all this?”
Chapter 222
When Madelyn left, Danny received a nearly perfect test paper. He looked at the score and felt like he had fallen into a frozen waste, trembling uncontrollably.
‘I was wrong! I should’ve done just like what Madelyn said. I shouldn’t have let my vanity lead me to desperately try to get into Ventrocloud High School and borrow from loan sharks. My stubborn actions caused my mother to die, and I’ve ruined everything now…”
Danny clutched the test paper tightly, crying and wailing in the detention room. No matter what Danny did, he had to pay the price for his mistake. That was a fact.
As Madelyn left the police station, the setting sun cast a lingering glow at the end of an old alley. At this moment, the snowflakes were beginning to fall from the sky.
From the corner of her eye, Madelyn noticed Forrest leaning against the wall. He wore a black school uniform like hers, with one pant leg rolled up, revealing a section of his fair skin. He was carrying a bag on one shoulder and gazing at the falling snowflakes. His handsome profile resembled a sculpted artwork. A white snowflake landed on the tip of his nose, melting away quickly. His usual arrogance and defiance seemed slightly more restrained,
‘He looks handsome when he doesn’t talk,’ she thought.
Madelyn took the initiative to ask, “Why are you here?”
Forrest straightened up and walked towards her. He tilted his head and asked, “Aren’t you going to treat me to dinner?”
“So you’ve been waiting here all this time?”
“How is that any of your business?”
“That’s how he is. He turns aggressive after just a few words and never has a good attitude toward me,’ Madelyn thought.
She turned around and walked away without acknowledging him.
Forrest strode with his long legs, keeping a steady pace behind her. They walked silently for a while until Forrest broke it, “Does what you said last time still count?”
Madelyn knew what he was referring to. “It’s exceeded the time limit, so it doesn’t count anymore.”
“How heartless of you!” said Forrest.
Madelyn was actually walking slowly, and he appeared to match his pace to hers intentionally.
“This is your last chance!” said Madelyn, and Forrest was at a loss for words.
She continued, “Forrest, this is your last chance. If you don’t come tomorrow, I won’t wait for
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you anymore.”
Forrest touched the back of his neck, “Okay.”
‘She’s got me in the palm of her hand!’
The gathering took place at The Deli in the evening. The decoration here was elegant with a traditional architectural style, creating a peaceful vibe. The wooden carved sliding doors lead to private rooms that seated around a dozen people.
Madelyn arrived early and ordered a full table of dishes ranging from mild to spicy.
Beforehand, she had asked Alex and his friends about their preferences. Most of them enjoyed spicy food, with only a few exceptions. Forrest had initially accompanied her to the entrance but had somehow disappeared. She messaged him, but there was no reply.
Not everyone showed up as expected. The green-haired guy said, “Alex, there are so many dishes we haven’t tried before. We have to eat our fill tonight.”
Alex rolled his eyes at him and scolded in a low voice, “Don’t act so inexperienced. Stop making a fool of yourself.”
Ethan was seated next to Madelyn. He said, “No worries, this is my first time here too. I haven’t tried their dishes, but they look appetizing.”
Madelyn had thought Ethan would look down on them due to their differing social statuses, but it seemed she was wrong.
guy stood up
No one had started eating as some of them had not arrived yet. The red-haired and poured some lemonade for his friends. “By the way, where’s Forry? Why hasn’t he come? He agreed to come and spend some quality time together.”
Alex said, “Who knows where he’s messing around now? Just let him stay outside and deal with it himself. We don’t need to bother about him.
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When Forrest was mentioned, Madelyn cautiously glanced at Ethan and saw that his expression was cold. It seems like he did not want to hear Forrest’s name being mentioned.
The mood was immediately silenced. Madelyn noticed that something was amiss. She had not expected to be placed in the middle of such a difficult situation.
Madelyn got up and poured a glass of water for Ethan as she said, “The flower tea is quite delicious. You should try it.”
“Alright,” Ethan replied. His lips curled into a light smile. However, his displeasure was not
noticeable.
Madelyn did not know whether he was used to drinking flower teas. The flower teas here are brewed with the most common jasmine flower and might not be comparable to the teas he usually drinks. Hayson also liked to drink tea daily, and the tea leaves he used would be of the best quality. Their price range would be in the thousands to ten thousands.
Then, the phone in her pocket vibrated. Madelyn took out her phone and saw that it was Forrest’s reply. It was just a few words: [I have some business, I won’t be going!]
Madelyn held onto her phone and stood up before saying, “I need to go make a call.”
Ethan’s tattooed hand rubbed the sides of the teacup as he replied, “Go ahead.”
He might have figured It out, but he did not say anything. Madelyn walked to a quiet corner of the corridor and gave Forrest a call.
At the Azure Bar, deafening music was playing noisily. Forrest was hanging out in this smoke- filled establishment. Sitting on both sides of Forrest were babes with curvy figures. Some of them were singing while others were busy playing cards. A pack of cigarettes, a lighter that was weighing down some banknotes, and a pile of change sat before Forrest’s table. He then
threw a card out.
Suddenly, his phone rang. Forrest and his friends gestured towards his pocket. The art school belle understood and took his phone out of his pocket. The art school belle pressed the button. to receive the call and placed it by Forrest’s ear. Forrest asked, “Who’s this?”
Madelyn could hear the deafening music from the sound system and knew where he was. She had expected him to be absent. Afraid that he could not hear her speak clearly, Madelyn opted to hang up the call and send him a message: [Are you busy? I owe you a meal, but I’ll make it up to you next time.]
With a cigarette in his mouth, Forrest glanced at the message that popped up, then flipped the phone over and proceeded to continue playing cards.
Zach and Jadie were the last to arrive, and by then it was almost half past seven. Based on
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Zach’s timing, it was considered earlier than usual. However, the supposed two-person group had an extra person mixed in. It was… Yvonne Young!
She openly held hands with Zach when she walked in while Jadie followed them from behind like a servant. The moment they entered, Madelyn noticed Jadie’s jealous and indignant expression. Jadie seemed to be faced with an actual adversary, someone would always get between her and Zach.
Surprisingly, the meal was eaten quite harmoniously. They ordered some liquor. The alcohol proof was not high, so they would not get drunk. Madelyn was unsure whether it was because the food was not to Ethan’s tastes, but he kept putting food into Madelyn’s bowl while not eating much himself. Yvonne was quite clingy toward Zach, as if they were an actual couple, and they completely left Jadie out of the loop.
Madelyn could not bear to eat anymore and escaped from the scene by excusing herself to go the toilet. She entered the washroom and then came out to wash her hands. She then lifted her head to look at herself in the mirror. The scene of Zach and Yvonne together came to her mind, but she was oddly calm.
‘Does this mean I’ve moved on from the past relationship between Zach and I?
Chapter 224
Just as Madelyn was about to leave the washroom, someone appeared before her and called out, “Ms. Jent!”
“George?” If he was looking for her, he probably had something to tell her.
“Could I borrow a bit of your time to have a word with you?” George asked.
‘So predictable!’ Madelyn thought. Inside the emergency exit corridors, the sound-activated lights lit
- The floor below them was pitch black.
Madelyn asked, “What’s the matter, George?”
“I hope you’ll take a look at this,” George took out a piece of paper. Madelyn flipped it open, and it was a psychology report evaluation report, and “Major Depressive Disorder” was written on top. The evaluation report was from a week before. Madelyn looked at the line that wrote the name quite a few times and confirmed that it was Ethan Arnold.
Madelyn’s heart skipped a beat, “This… this is?”
‘I can’t believe it. He seemed so normal when we were in the booth and at school. He looked like he was totally fine,’ Madelyn thought.
“As you can see, Mr. Arnold has not fully recovered from his illness. Despite this, Mr. Arnold still refuses to take his medication, even when we advise him to. He keeps using the excuse of being busy with work to avoid it. Mr. Arnold also doesn’t have a good temper. At a board meeting a few days ago, he even attacked one of the shareholders for criticizing him due to a project issue. If this continues, the other shareholders might suggest removing Mr. Arnold from his post,” George explained.
Madelyn replied, “So…. what do you want me to do, George?”
George answered, “Please, for Mr. Arnold’s sake, who has helped you out so many times, convince him to accept treatment. Besides you, no one else can persuade him.”
Madelyn’s eyebrows furrowed as she said hesitantly, “George, you’ve been by his side for so many years, and even you still couldn’t convince him. I’ve merely met him a few times…”
George said, “You’re a smart woman, Ms. Jent. It’s impossible for you to not know of Mr. Arnold’s intentions after he’s done so much for you. Mr. Arnold originally had an appointment for his surgery a while back. Once he knew you were in trouble, he immediately got off the operating table and came to the school…”
“Ms. Jent, Mr. Arnold had explicitly forbade anyone from telling you this. However, at such. times, I have no choice but to say something,” George continued.
‘Turns out, he did so many things for me! Besides this, what else has Ethan done for me?’ Madelyn thought.
After a while, Madelyn returned to the booth and sat firmly beside him. She looked up and met with his gaze.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” Ethan’s voice was gentle as he held her hand. His hand
Was warm.
“Why are your hands so cold?” he asked.
Zach saw the intimate interaction, and anger flashed within his eyes.
“I just washed my hands.” Madelyn replied, getting up and putting the bowl before Ethan. She helped him pour some minestrone. It was originally ordered for him, but he had not eaten since entering. All eyes turned to look at the two of them Yvonne looked on as if seeing a movie scene unfold before her. She then said playfully, “Madelyn, why are you treating my brother so nice? You even poured some soup for him. Why don’t you give me some? Aren’t you being too biased?”
Madelyn lowered her head and fell the blazing gazes on her. She pretended to not see them and said, “If you want it, I can pour some for you.”
Yvonne glanced at Ethan, chuckling, “Never mind, I wouldn’t dare compete with my older brother for attention. Ethan, you’ll have to eat more today.”
“Yvonne, stop running your mouth,” Ethan warned her.
“I know,” Yvonne replied.
Madelyn sat down and then put the bowl before him. She said softly, “You can try and see if it’s gotten cold. If it is, I’ll have the kitchen make another bowl.”
Ethan smiled, “Alright.”
Yvonne felt sick from them being lovey dovey. She then turned away to look at the person beside her, “Mr. Jardin, let me help you get some food. You should eat more beet and kale salad; it helps with beauty and skin rejuvenation. It would definitely hide the fact that you’re already thirty years old.”
“Pfft,” Alex, who was still eating, let out a snicker.
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Yvonne yelled at him, “What are you laughing about!?”
Alex immediately denied it, “No, I wasn’t laughing. I just choked a little.”
Yvonne ignored her, placed the beet and kale salad before Zach, and said, “You should try and see if it’s cold… If it is… I’ll have the kitchen make another one.” She was copying what Madelyn said.
Madelyn lowered her head, ears red with embarrassment. She was acting like this to try and get him to eat more because of what George had said…
Ethan’s condition was worsening, and he stopped using his antidepressants. He was also eating much less every day. Ethan had helped her a lot, and Madelyn was grateful to him. Hence, Madelyn could not refuse such a small request, even if it was in front of Zach.
Everyone has their own unique personality, after all. Madelyn could not stay like a puppet under his control, listening to his every command. At half past nine, Jadie told Zach, “Zach, I’m a little tired. Can we go home now?”
Zach raised his wrist to look at the time, “It’s getting quite late. Let’s go back!” His tone was slightly colder than usual.
Jadie only ate a little because she was lost in thought, thinking about something unknown. Ethan then said to Madelyn, “We should definitely go home. You still have class tomorrow, SO
I’ll send you home.”
Yvonne quickly interjected, “Ethan, you should fetch Madelyn home! I came in Mr. Jardin’s car, so I’ll have him send me home now!”
She quickly held onto Zach’s arm. Ethan stared at Madelyn as if waiting for her answer. She retracted her gaze and said hesitantly, “T-That should be fine!”
Yvonne concluded, “Then, it’s settled then.”
Madelyn said, “Alex, I’ve already helped you call for a chauffeur to send all of you home. Be careful on the way back.”
Alex had overeaten while a few of them were lying on the chairs to rest. Alex replied, ‘We know. You’re nagging too much.”
After that, Madelyn left with Ethan as they walked to the exit. It was going to take a while for Leyton to drive the car out from the underground garage.
The wind blowing around was a little cold, but a coat swiftly appeared over Madelyn’s
shoulders,
Madelyn turned around and saw Ethan’s smoke-gray suit. She said, “You’ve already left a lot
of clothes at my place. I’m not that cold, anyway. You should put it on for now!”
The corner of Ethan’s lips pulled into a light smile which warmed her a little, “I’m fine. You can return the clothes in the future.”
Madelyn left it at that. Suddenly, she felt something in the coat pocket, so she reached into it.
“What is this?”
She took out a pack of cigarettes and a metal lighter. The lighter seemed to be the same brand as the one Zach used, but the color was different.
“You still haven’t fully recovered yet. Don’t smoke so much from now on! I’ll keep this for you for now. I’ll return it to you when you get better.”
“Whatever you say,” Ethan replied.
He noticed that even though he had heard these words so many times before, having Madelyn say it made him want to jump for joy. Madelyn would always have a special place in his heart.
‘She finally looked at me and she’s not trying to avoid me anymore! Madelyn… how nice it would be if you stayed like this. All this affection only for me!’ Ethan thought.
“Are you still taking your medication? Why didn’t you bring it with you?” Madelyn asked him.
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“I forgot to bring it. I’ll definitely bring it next time,” Ethan said.
“Mhm,” Madelyn replied. After that, Madelyn got in Ethan’s car. The air conditioning in the car was on, but it was not very cold. However, Ethan’s coat was still draped on her shoulders. By the time they were on their way home, it was already quite late, so Madelyn had already fallen asleep while leaning against the car seats.
Leyton could see this from his rearview mirror, so he dimmed the lights in the car. The inside of the vehicle was so silent that you could hear Madelyn’s breathing clearly. Ethan took out a blanket he had prepared and covered her gently. Madelyn shifted her position comfortably. She felt some movement and opened her eyes slightly. She was still groggy and could not see clearly, until she saw a familiar face.
“Sorry for startling you,” Ethan said in a gentle voice.
Madelyn lowered her head and saw the blanket on her body. She shook her head drowsily and mumbled, “It’s fine. Have we arrived?”
“There’s still a while more. You can continue to sleep. I’ll call for you when we reach,” Ethan said.
“Mmm-mmm,” Madelyn was prepared to go back to sleep when suddenly, a warm hand wrapped around her and had her lean onto Ethan’s body with her head resting on his shoulder. Madelyn’s heart skipped a beat, and she was immediately awake and alert.
The position was intimate, and to an outsider, they looked like a couple who was in love. However, Madelyn had no way to push him away. She could only let him hug her, although she did not like it. She was not sure why.
‘Was it because we were moving too slow? It might be!’ Madelyn thought. Zach had arrived earlier than them and had probably gone up already. Since Madelyn and Ethan reached the Grand Court very late, the car could only move slowly to avoid being noisy and disturbing others.
As they reached the stairs leading up to the apartment, Madelyn said, “I’m fine going upstairs myself. It’s already very late, you should go home soon! Remember to call me when you get home!”
Ethan replied with a light smile, “Okay.”
Madelyn was shrewd and had figured out his intentions from his actions earlier. Ethan did not act overly clingy, leaving after they had said their goodbyes and Madelyn had gone upstairs.
Madelyn sat in the elevator. When she got home and opened the door, Rosario was cleaning the kitchen. When she heard the noise, she stopped what she was doing.
“Why are you back so late?”
Madelyn exhaustingly changed into a pair of cotton slippers in the foyer. She replied, “I fell asleep and sat downstairs for a while.”
Rosario brought a cup of warm milk and a heating pad, “I bought this today. You can stick it on your body to make it warmer. Your period hasn’t ended yet, so remember to wear extra clothes and not let yourself get cold.”
“I know,” Madelyn took the milk up and took a sip.
Rosario continued to ask, “Why didn’t Jadie and Mr. Jardin come home together with you?”
Madelyn answered her, “They have something to do, so they weren’t with me. Rosario… there’s no need to wait for them. You should go and rest soon!”
“Alright, you remember to rest early too,” Rosario said.
Madelyn nodded her head. She then removed the coat and placed it on the side. Madelyn finished her milk and went back to her room. She took some change of clothes and went to shower. After half an hour, she left the bathroom and took a dry towel to dry her hair. The phone on her nightstand suddenly rang. It was a call from Ethan.
Madelyn paused what she was doing and silently watched the phone hang up automatically. She looked away and sat by her nightstand. Her heart felt heavy, and she felt suffocated.
She actually had many chances to refuse Ethan’s feelings. She had been planning to clear things up with him tonight, but she had not expected George to tell her about his illness. If they carried on like this, she was afraid she would just cause him more harm…
Madelyn thought for a moment and still sent him a message: [Sorry, I was showering just now. I didn’t hear the call.]
He replied: [Can I hear your voice? Just tell me good night.]
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After half a minute, Ethan accepted that call in his unlit room. The clear voice of a girl sounded, “You’ve reached home?”
“Mhm,” Ethan replied.
The phone call went silent for a moment. He also did not know what to say. Then Madelyn said, “I… asked George, and he said you’ve been taking your medication on time recently. Do you feel better nowadays?”
“I feel slightly better,” he said.
“If you don’t feel well in any way, remember to go to the hospital,” Madelyn reminded him.
“Alright,” Ethan said.
George was retrieving his medication and a cup of water. When he heard the phone call from within the room, he stopped at the door, not wanting to disturb the call. He waited until around four or five minutes until the call ended before turning on the dim lamp by the bed and walking over.
“Was that Ms. Jent?” George asked.
Ethan turned around and said gently, “Yes. Did you tell her everything about me?”
George denied it and said, “It was Ms. Jent who asked me about it. I just told Ms. Jent about it but avoided mentioning certain things. Actually, Ms. Jent still cares about you, you know. She isn’t doing so well at home. You should take care of your health, Mr. Arnold, not just for your own sake but hers as well. You need to convince the shareholders and reaffirm your position. Only then can you save Ms. Jent from her suffering.”
“You’re right…” Ethan turned around to look at the distant streets that were lighting up. His gaze deepened, “Only after I have complete control over the Arnold Corporation will I have the power to bring her to my side.”
The incident during the shareholders’ meeting had caused dissatisfaction among most shareholders, and it was threatening to affect his position as CEO. If he did not settle of this issue properly, how could he expect those shareholders to be comply to his leadership?
“Mr. Arnold, why don’t you listen to Ms. Jent’s advice and take your medication on time so you can recover from your illness?” George advised.
Ethan took the medicine and fell asleep quickly. He also managed to hear her bid him goodnight.
Madelyn woke up at midnight feeling thirsty. She went to the kitchen to pour some water, but it was already cold. Madelyn could only boil the water again and mix the cold and hot water together. As she took her cup of water and prepared to return to her room, she suddenly heard
the door being opened.
Jadie walked in first, her eyes red and wet with tears, as if she had just bawled her eyes out.
“Jadie, if there’s anything that you want to say, please do it tomorrow, okay?” Zach pleaded.
Regardless of how much Jadie threw her tantrums, Zach would always have endless patience to coax her. Once Zach got in the room, he shut the door tight. Madelyn quickly hid behind the fridge.
“Zach… are you really going to be together with Yvonne? You said before that you’d never leave me. If I have to see you together with someone else, then you shouldn’t have fetched me back in the first place.”
“Jadie, you know I don’t like you being like this.”
“…Zach! This isn’t like you! You were never like this in the past!” Jadie wailed.
It was as if Zach’s single word of “dislike” left Jadie completely heartbroken.
Tears are a woman’s best weapon, so when she heard Jadie cry, Madelyn already knew what
Zach was about to do next.
From the reflection of the black tiles, Madelyn could see that Zach had moved forward to hug Jadie, as expected.
At the same time, his sharp gaze was locked on a different spot in the corner.
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“Jadie, this is the last straw. You’re not a kid anymore, stop being so childish!” Zach warned Jadie, his voice shaking.
Jadie nuzzled her face into Zach’s chest, his clothes soaking wet from her tears.
“We’ve been joined at the hip since we first met. You promised that you’d never leave me. Zach…can you promise me that you’ll never fall in love with someone else? If you do, I’ll be alone…”
Zach and Jadie had been friends since they met at the orphanage. Only the two of them could understand the hurdles they had gone through together.
However, Zach was a greedy man, and nothing could ever be enough to quench his thirst for power and status.
‘If only I’d thought of having the Jent family in the first place, then I would have Yvonne by now…This power battle between the Young and Jent families is way too tempting, how could I say no?
‘Perhaps there might be others who aren’t swayed by the temptation of money, but one thing’s for sure, no one would ever refuse power. Once I have that power, I’ll be able to control Ventropolis once more and the Arnold family will be in the palm of my hand.’
“Jadie, how could I ever break the promise we made? I’ll never leave you.” Zach coaxed Jadie as he wiped away her tears.
Jadie returned to her room.
Madelyn heard the sound of doors closing and waited for Zach to leave. Just as she stepped out of her room, a figure suddenly appeared before her.
Madelyn looked up and was met with Zach’s cold gaze, and her heart immediately skipped a beat.
“Eavesdropping?”
Suddenly, she felt a huge force bear down upon her. Madelyn clenched her mug tightly, lowered her eyes and faintly explained herself, “I just came out to get some water. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Your private affairs have nothing to do with me. I swear I won’t say a word to anyone! I promise!”
Madelyn tried to escape but was forcefully grabbed by Zach once more as he slammed her hard against the wall. The water in her mug spilled all over her hands.
He snapped, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Madelyn shot him a defiant look.
Chapter)
‘Rosario and Jadie are both at home; I doubt he’ll dare to actually hurt me.’
Zach snatched the mug from Madelyn’s hands and thumped it forcefully on the table beside. her. He noticed her gaze was cold,”…So you like being a tease, huh?!”
“What the hell are you talking about? Fuck off! I’m going to bed.” Madelyn shot back.
Suddenly, Zach grabbed Madelyn’s wrist forcefully and dragged her out the door. Madelyn struggled to break free from his grasp, and managed to do so as they reached the end of the hallway.
‘What the fuck is wrong with him?”
It was almost midnight and Madelyn was dressed in a thin pair of pajamas and the temperature outside was below zero.
‘I’ve never been kicked out of the house in the middle of the night like this. Not even Hayson would do such a thing!
“It’s so fucking late, what the fuck are you doing?!” Madelyn crossed her arms trying to shield herself from the cold wind that was blowing.
Zach forcefully pinched her cheek hard with one hand, the other pinning her down against the wall, “I’ve been too nice to you recently, haven’t I?”
“Nice? Zach, do you even know what ‘nice’ means?”
“I didn’t think you’d show up during dinner today. You brought this upon yourself. If you really cared about Jadie, then you shouldn’t have gotten so close with Yvonne! It’s obvious. that you only care about of yourself!”
Madelyn hissed in pain, “This dick!”
Zach’s face turned grim as he tightened his grasp on her.
“You’re that desperate to get a private meeting with her, aren’t you?”
Madelyn winced in pain as she stuttered, “I… I don’t know why she showed up.”
“If
you feel like I’ve ruined your day today, then I sincerely apologize for it, and you don’t have to worry about me. We can go back to how we were before, and you can completely ignore me. Just don’t take your anger out on me just because you can’t handle your personal affairs properly.”
‘He’s so cruel, how dare he say I’m greedy? It’s just a damn meal. How stupid can he be!’
She continued, “I’m living under your roof right now and I don’t have anywhere else to go. If you really think I’m such a headache, then I’ll move out right now! I can survive on my own, even without the Jent family.”
She thought, ‘I’m not the same person I was before. If he hadn’t driven me to my breaking
point, I wouldn’t have known how far I can go. From living in fancy mansions to sleeping on the streets, I’ve experienced it all.’
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It is human nature for people to change.
Zach’s expression hardened as he thought, ‘Madelyn has definitely changed. She’s changed from an arrogant snob into a daring and outspoken woman.’
Zach quickly let go of Madelyn, “Confidence is a good thing… but don’t you forget Madelyn. You’re a Jent! Do you even know what your family did behind my back and how many lives they are held accountable for?’
“Trafficked people and sold them off to be prostitutes and to have their organs traded and sold.’ Zach’s expression hardened.
‘Let’s see how long she can keep up the act.’
“Did you think you were invincible just because Ethan Arnold is around? Don’t you know? You’re just another one of his toys. Did you really think you were going to be his wife? Don’t be such a fool!
“Come back inside once you’ve come to your senses.”
Madelyn was taken aback; she would never think to have any connection with Ethan. The hallway’s light switched off as Zach left, Madelyn stood there in the darkness alone.
‘Does he even know what he’s doing? He must be out of his mind! He’s going to drive me crazy!’
Zach could not stand Madelyn getting close to another man.
‘I hate the idea of having to share her with anyone. I’ll never let it happen, not a chance! Even if she isn’t mine, she has no right to like others either! Or else… I’ll destroy her!’
It was half past midnight and Madelyn was outside sitting alone in the cold. Her mind was
blank. No matter how she tried to piece things together, none of it made sense.
“Yo, did you get kicked out?” A rough voice suddenly rumbled from above her.
Madelyn recognized immediately who it was without raising her head.
‘Forrest Arnold.’
Forrest noticed that Madelyn was sitting out in the cold dressed in thin clothing, and her hands were frostbitten. He took the cigarette from his mouth on to the ground and stamped it
out with his foot.
Forrest took off his coat and threw it over Madelyn’s head.
“Hey! What are you doing here?” Madelyn asked.
“That’s my line. I was walking on the road and thought I ran into a ghost. If you hadn’t promised to tutor me, do you think I would care?”
Madelyn took the coat off and put it aside, “Don’t worry about me, just go on your way.”
“If you end up dead, I would be the main suspect!” Forrest took a seat next to her and crossed his legs.
The reeking smell of alcohol and tobacco engulfed Madelyn’s senses, ‘He must’ve gone out partying. I don’t know if choosing to tutor him was a good decision.’
“You’re a Jent! How can you let yourself be bullied by an outsider? Madelyn, you’ve changed. How could you let yourself be trodden on like this?’ Heh. If you beg me, I might just take you in for a night.”
“Forrest, this is my business. It’s got nothing to do with you. I can sit for however long I like, so don’t worry about me,” said Madelyn monotonously.
‘I can do whatever I like, who is he to tell me what to do? I have my own rights. I don’t have to answer to whatever they tell me to do!”
Chapter 230
Forrest silently sat beside Madelyn as he puffed away on his cigarettes. It was not long before Madelyn could not stand the smell, so she got up and left.
By the time she reached home, it was almost one in the morning. The living room was dark.
As soon as she walked into their room, Jadie tossed and turned. Madelyn wondered whether she was still awake, or whether she had woken Jadie up.
Madelyn quickly climbed on to her bed and switched off her bedside lamp. She closed her eyes and pondered, ‘Perhaps what Zach said was right…’
Madelyn tossed and turned the entire night, kept awake by her thoughts.
At half past six the next morning, Jadie was already awake. She walked into the living room and stared at the person sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper. She stood dumbstruck for a moment before making a beeline to the dining table.
As a habit, Jadie would always greet everyone with a “good morning”. However, today felt a bit different.
At this time, Rosario came out of the kitchen with a pot of carrot ginger soup.
“Jadie, where’s Madelyn? Is she still getting ready?” Rosario asked.
“I didn’t see her when I woke up.” Jadie replied.
Rosario furrowed her eyebrows, “Where could she be? Did she not come home the entire night? Mr. Jardin…have you seen Madelyn?”
“Don’t bother.” Zach spoke without looking up from the newspaper even though he did not understand a word of what he was reading.
A while later, Rosario went to tidy up Madelyn’s room as usual.
“This kid always stays up late reading and makes a mess on her desk.’
It was a daily routine for Rosario to clean up Madelyn’s desk.
Rosario’s eyes widened as she entered Madelyn’s room and saw that her desk was empty. She quickly rushed and checked the closet; it was empty too. Madelyn had shared a closet with
Jadie, and all of Madelyn’s things were gone.
Rosario rushed out of the room in a hurry, her face filled with worry, “Mr. Jardin, Madelyn’s things are all gone! She hasn’t…left us forever, has she?”
Zach frowned; his facial expression hardened. He turned to look at Jadle.
“I slept soundly last night and didn’t hear anything. I did hear her walding up really late last
night, but I didn’t pay much attention to it,” said Jadie.
‘I doubt she would have been able to pack her things in the room and get out so quickly.’ Jadie thought.
“All her things are gone except for the bear plushy!”
“Zach, did Madelyn go
back?”
Zach stood up, dragging the wooden chair to the balcony. A deafening screeching sound echoed around the room. He stopped at the balcony, whipping out his phone and began to dial
a familiar set of numbers. It was then he saw he had an unread message and clicked on it.
[Zach. I can’t deny what you’ve said, but so what if my surname is Jent!?
Does everyone named Jent deserve to die?
What
you said might happen, but when that day comes… I might not have the courage to bring myself to continue living. I’ve already died once and I’m not afraid of doing it again. I know you want revenge, and I won’t stop you.
But one thing’s for sure. You have no right to interfere with my life or how I choose to live my life!
I’m only eighteen and I still have a long way ahead of me. I don’t want to rely on anyone, not even you or Ethan!
I want to do it myself and make things happen all by myself! I do have to thank you for this; without your insightful words, I guess I would really be nothing without my family, huh.
How my future turns out is my own business. It has nothing to do with any of you. I’m not Jadie White, nor am I Yvonne Young…
They can make their own decisions and do their own thing, but me? I’m not allowed to do anything!
Zach Jardin, I don’t care whether it’s you or Ethan Arnold. I only see you guys as friends, nothing more.]
Chapter 231
[I pose no threat to you. After much reflection, it’s evident that since we can’t get along, it’s best for me to leave. Please let Rosario know she needn’t worry; I’ll take care of myself.
Regards,
Madelyn]
Zach’s expression soured as he quietly muttered to himself, ‘That fool.’
–
He had made a call earlier, but it was cut off after just a few rings a clear sign that Madelyn had blocked his number. Inside, his frustration boiled over, ‘Madelyn Jent, how dare you!’
Jadie, looking worried, came up to Zach on the balcony. “Zach, did you find anything?”
Zach slipped his phone into his pocket without saying anything. He turned around and walked away, saying, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to school.”
“But it’s still early,” Jadie said.
She wanted to finish her breakfast. But with Zach’s visible anger, she chose silence. She grabbed her backpack and followed him out of the apartment.
The traffic flowed smoothly, and in just fifteen brisk minutes, they arrived at the school.
Zach’s mood was far from good. He hardly spoke during the ride, and Jadie had never seen him. this angry before. She wondered to herself, ‘Could it be because Madelyn left?’
Jadie hesitated, then gathered her courage to ask, “Zach, did you have a fight with Madelyn last night?”
To be honest, Jadie felt a little jealous. She didn’t like how much attention Zach gave to Madelyn instead of her.
But deep down, she knew the truth: Madelyn had truly given up on Zach.
She reasoned with herself, ‘Madelyn is the only daughter of the Jent family, not like us – Zach and me – we’re just common folks that Hayson adopted. She had enjoyed a luxurious life that most people could only dream of. Yet, she left without a word. Zach must be worried something bad might happen, and Hayson won’t be happy if he finds out about this.’
“Zach, don’t worry, I’ll try to talk to Madelyn and ask her to come back,” she said, “If she doesn’t want to share a room with me, I can move to the study or find somewhere else to stay.
Zach’s eyes got even colder. “I’ll deal with it. You focus on your school stuff and don’t worry about the rest.’
Jadie bit her lip. “Okay, Zach.” She thought to herself, ‘He’s just saying I should mind my own
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