Kai sighed and covered for her. He placed the medicine onto Zach's hands and advised him, "Your wife wouldn't take her medication and doesn't want to get well. Talk to her. I won't meddle in this anymore."Then, he whispered to Zach, "Everything can be discussed with. She's still young, so treat her like a child."It was true that Zach was already more than thirty years old while Madelyn was still in her twenties. He could have been her uncle at that age. The age gap caused them to not have many common topics to talk about. Hence, Zach had no choice but to compromise.After Kai left, Madelyn and Zach were left alone in the room. Compared to the lively atmosphere outside with fireworks and firecrackers, the room was filled with a heavy atmosphere. Madelyn poured a cup of water from a jug nearby. It was already cold, but she still drank from it. Zach furrowed his brows and stopped her. He said, "Lie down and rest. I'll go boil some water."Before Zach had achieved his current status,
"You can do the discharge procedures later," the nurse said.Zach put on his coat and ordered Kevin, "Pack everything and prepare to handle the discharging procedure."Kevin obliged, "Yes, Mr. Jardin."Zach was looking for Madelyn's clothes and wanted to help her change. However, Madelyn refused, "You should go out. I can change myself.""You haven't fully recovered, so there is no need to be so headstrong," Zach interrupted her. Madelyn did not resist. After he had his fun, he carried her out of the hospital.Before they left, Kai gave Madelyn a box of medicines. He said, "You mentioned that you couldn't sleep well. This medication can ease your symptoms while the other raises your immunity."Madelyn did not accept it, so Kai took one pill and ate it himself. After being assured of its safety, he put the box of medicines in her hands and said, "When you get home, take care of yourself, eat your meals, and take your medication."Kai tapped her forehead lightly and said, "You can
Madelyn thought to herself, 'Me? Delicate? In the previous lifetime, you never saw me like that. You always put me down back then.'Madelyn embraced Zach, resting against him. She only did so because fighting back seemed useless. She wished things with Zach had never happened, but she had already given up on him.Zach, worried Madelyn might be bored, chatted with her. Maybe Kai's advice helped him. Even though there was a big gap between him and Madelyn, Zach believed he could bridge it.Zach said, "No one has ever worn those wedding dresses. I made each one myself."Madelyn was surprised, thinking, 'He made them himself?' Her heart raced, faster than the calm heartbeat she felt against Zach's chest.Zach continued, "I made them when you left three years ago. If I really cared about Cecilia, I wouldn't have divorced Yvonne. You're upset about what I did to the Arnold family, so I'm trying to fix it. Ethan's death has nothing to do with me. The Arnold residence and corporation are
Madelyn knew that Zach was different in this lifetime. He no longer pushed her to the brink of despair. She acknowledged his past actions and had even been moved by him at times. However, whenever she thought of Dalton, she told herself that it was all just his trickery, a way to manipulate her into compliance.She had nearly forgotten that Zach's greatest talent was manipulating emotions. Despite everything, she could not forgive him.Back in her room, Madelyn took out a pill, thinking, 'Zach, you're not the only one with schemes! This is my last chance to leave. I've had enough of your game, pretending to comply.'The next morning was typical for the holiday season, unremarkable compared to those moments at the Jent residence.While brushing Madelyn's hair, Zach said, "The visiting ladies are from our partner companies. If they bother you, we can send them away."Madelyn, watching him in the mirror, replied, "They brought many gifts and I've stored them in the warehouse. Perhaps
'Since he wants me to be an obedient Mrs. Jardin, I'll just play the role,' Madelyn thought to herself.When Zach left the room, Madelyn's phone vibrated with a message from Kennedy about work. She took her phone to the dressing room.Zach had replaced her old phone with a custom model he made for her, discarding the old one as outdated. Madelyn suspected he had installed monitoring software on this new phone to track her movements and intercept messages.She would not have known about Zach's intrusive tactics if Kennedy had not mentioned them, reminiscent of his behavior from five years ago.Madelyn retrieved her secret phone, filled with information Kennedy sent her.Kennedy's message read, [I found what you were looking for. Andrew never left the country, but the Stewart family seems to have hidden his whereabouts. The servants said he stayed home after treatment and never left again. His medical records indicate organ failure, an incurable disease. I fear he may be dead.]'He
After leaving the room, Madelyn wiped her hand, the one she had used to touch Zach's face, and her smile faded instantly.In the room, Zach took out his phone and opened his monitoring program. It showed that about fifteen minutes earlier, Madelyn had contacted Kennedy for work-related matters.Zach encrypted access to Madelyn's frequently used email address. The trash folder was empty, but his monitoring program had a recovery function. As he was about to use it, he paused, his deep and gloomy eyes betraying no emotion.As night approached, the company's delayed annual banquet was about to begin.Kai had wanted to have dinner with Zach during the holiday, but Zach had coldly refused.Zach personally picked out a suitable, warm dress for Madelyn. It was a slim, velvet long gown that covered her completely. She also wore Zach's suit jacket over it. Despite the thickness of the dress, Madelyn looked slender and graceful.Madelyn chose not to wear earrings, finding them too heavy. S
Madelyn felt that there was more to the bracelet's story than Zach had revealed. In her previous life, she had never seen such a jade bracelet on Cecilia, Jadie, or any other woman.The bracelet appeared old, with noticeable imperfections. Coupled with Zach's decision to keep it for so many years, this suggested it had special significance to him.Madelyn began to question her understanding of Zach. She remembered him as a businessman focused on profit, not one to dwell on the past. She just realized there were still secrets about him that she had yet to uncover.Upon arriving at the banquet venue, Zach's usual suit and air of superiority were evident. His charm had always captivated women, a trait that had not changed since his youth.Zach turned to Madelyn and said, "You'll be fine, Mrs. Jardin."Each time Zach called her "Mrs. Jardin", Madelyn felt a strange emotion. She met his gaze briefly before looking away.As they entered the bustling banquet hall, it suddenly quieted. M
Madelyn, holding the plate of peeled grapes, stood up and approached the woman who had earlier commented. The crowd watched in surprise as Madelyn, unperturbed, placed the plate on the table. She said gracefully, "I'm on a diet and can't finish these alone. Please, consider this a gift from him, and I hope you enjoy them."The woman, who had been joking, was taken aback and stammered, "N-n-no... Mrs. Jardin, I was just joking."Kevin frowned as he observed from a distance, curious about Madelyn's intentions.Madelyn reassured the woman softly, "It's okay, please share them. I'm going to wash my hands in the restroom."When another woman offered to accompany her, Madelyn declined with a polite smile, "No need, I can manage. Enjoy yourselves."At that moment, Cecilia interjected sharply, "Ms. Jent, if you're trying to humiliate someone, pick a more appropriate occasion. This is a company event, not a playground."The atmosphere tensed as Cecilia confronted Madelyn. It was common kn