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[MADISON ROSE]

It has been a month since my husband abandoned me immediately after our first night together, leaving without a word after taking my virginity. His absence remains unexplained and he has yet to return.

I found myself gazing at the tea cup resting on the table, my sighs filled with a heavy weight of disappointment and grief.

Presently, I reside in my father's house. Initially, I attempted to stay in our shared home with Marco for the initial three days, but the lack of company aside from guards and household staff compelled me to return to my father's place.

The memory of my father's intense fury upon learning about the events of our first night still remains vivid. He expressed his belief that I was not deserving of being a wife, resulting in Marco leaving me. I chose to accept his hurtful words, as I had grown accustomed to receiving such harsh treatment from my father throughout my childhood.

"Maddie, is there anything you need? Perhaps you're feeling hungry," our housekeeper, Maria, asked as she appeared.

I returned her presence with a smile and shook my head. "No, thank you. I'm perfectly fine and not hungry."

With those simple words, Josie left, leaving me once again in solitude.

My father, Walter, is currently absent as he is at the company. Ever since the news of my marriage to Marco Moretti spread, our company's reputation has soared. Our stocks have surged, and a growing number of investors are now showing interest in our business.

Originally, marrying Marco wasn't my intended path. The plan was for me to marry Carson Jenkins, the son of Walter's friend. However, circumstances took an unexpected turn when Walter realized that marrying Carson wouldn't benefit our business, but rather hinder it. That's when the marriage offer from the Moretti family came along, and Walter swiftly embraced it. Initially, he had hoped Violet, my sister, would be the one to marry into the Moretti family. However, they specifically wanted the eldest child, which turned out to be me. Despite contradicting Walter's desires, he reluctantly agreed to their proposition.

"Maddie..."

Lost in my thoughts, I was suddenly brought back to reality by Violet's voice, my younger half-sister. Violet is the child of Walter's second marriage, after my mother sadly passed away when I was too young to recall the details surrounding her illness.

"What's up, Violet?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued.

Gently smiling, Violet's eyes revealed a tinge of sadness. "Would you like to come along with me? My friends and I are planning a trip to the mall. Perhaps spending time there could brighten your mood, especially since Walter has been giving you a hard time lately," Violet proposed.

Shaking my head, I assured her, "No, I'm alright. Go ahead and enjoy your time with your friends. Don't worry about me."

Despite being half-sisters on our father's side, our bond was strong. Mildred, my stepmother, treated me kindly as well, so I considered myself fortunate despite Walter's occasional harshness.

Violet nodded, though it was evident that leaving me alone didn't sit well with her.

After some time, I made the decision to retreat to my room. Observing my sister's departure through the window, I took the opportunity to lie down on my bed and find solace in rest. A persistent sense of weariness persisted within me, despite my lack of exertion.

"MADISON!"

In response to my father's enraged voice, my eyes squeezed shut with intensity. I had anticipated his absence due to work, but it appeared he had diverted from his usual routine to come home and reprimand me once more. I braced myself for the impact of his verbal onslaught, knowing that I was far from his favored child. In his eyes, I was perceived as foolish, while Violet embodied perfection.

"Walter, leave Maddie be!" Mildred implored, attempting to restrain him.

As the door to my room forcefully swung open, instinctively I knew who had entered. It was undoubtedly Walter. I rose from my seat to confront him, but before I could utter a word, Walter forcefully placed a stack of photos on my bed, instantly seizing my attention. And there, captured within the frames, was Marco.

"Take a look at these pictures! We received them earlier. It's possible that the media hasn't caught wind of it yet, as Marco's family might be attempting to keep it under wraps. Your husband is allegedly involved with another woman," Walter revealed, his words heavy with concern and disappointment.

With exhaustion weighing on me, I examined the pictures and couldn't help but release a weary sigh. The images featured Marco alongside an unfamiliar woman, captured in the midst of an extravagant gathering in a foreign land.

"I'm not sure, Dad. I haven't received any updates from him—"

"If only you had fulfilled your role as a devoted wife, he wouldn't have abandoned you here and taken that woman abroad! You're not even a helpful daughter, let alone a decent wife!" Walter shot back.

I could still hear Mildred's attempts to calm Walter, but he seemed determined to remain agitated.

"Why am I being blamed for his infidelity, Dad? I'm not the one who cheated, am I? I'm not the one who abandoned us on the first night. Why am I the one you hold responsible? Shouldn't it be Marco—"

My words were cut short as Walter's hand nearly struck me, only to be intercepted midway by Mildred.

"And you have the audacity to talk back like a child! You haven't contributed anything to this family except being a burden! You can't even fulfill your responsibilities as a wife!"

"That's enough!" Mildred exclaimed, her voice filled with frustration. "Let Maddie rest. She's exhausted from enduring everything you've been saying to her, Walter. Show some compassion for your daughter."

As Walter continued his tirade, Mildred made a desperate attempt to intervene, but still his anger had shifted back to me. "If that man comes back and divorces you, Maddie, it'll be a real problem for me!" Walter's hurtful words lingered in the air as he stormed out of the room.

This had become a familiar scene in our household ever since I temporarily moved in after my husband's departure. My father's disapproval always found its way to me, but Mildred, my stepmother, and Violet were always there to defend me.

"Please understand and forgive your father," Mildred approached me with a gentle touch on my arm, expressing sympathy. "The stress from the company is weighing heavily on him. There are speculations about your husband possibly leaving you, and some investors are considering pulling their support. Due to this pressure, Walter is directing his stress towards you."

I was aware of how much Walter valued both Marco and the investments they brought. They were instrumental in our company's recovery from the verge of collapse. Now, with rumors circulating about my husband's involvement with another woman or the possibility of a divorce, those who had invested in our company because of the Moretti influence might choose to withdraw their shares.

As someone who had grown accustomed to Walter's outbursts and hurtful words, I had learned to let them slide. His berating no longer had a significant effect on me.

The following day, I received unsettling news that Marco was rumored to be coming back to the country. I found myself grappling with ambiguous emotions. Walter persistently lectured me, cautioning that Marco might come back to pursue a divorce. I remained reticent, unsure of what to say.

After abruptly leaving me a month prior, he now decided to make an appearance? If his true intention was to divorce me, then I suppose I could accept that. However, what I feared most was the severe retribution from my own father.

I felt a deep urge to flee, longing for an escape. However, my attempts were met with failure. Each time I tried to elude Walter's watchful eye, he would catch me and confine me in the attic for weeks. He ensured my basic needs were met, but the experience remained utterly terrifying. It's possible that this repeated ordeal contributed to my fear of dark places as I grew older.

The statement from Walter carried a cruel weight: "When Marco Moretti divorces you, I don't know what I'll do to you! Your mother should have taken you with her when she died!" The words struck like a blow, causing me to clench my teeth in frustration. If my appetite had diminished before, it had now vanished altogether.

Undoubtedly, one of the most heart-wrenching aspects was witnessing my own father praying for my absence from his life. The pain of hearing such a plea was simply unbearable.