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to the dressing room.Zach had replaced her old phone with a custom model he made for her, discarding the old one as outdated.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
After Madelyn left the banquet hall with Zach, she withdrew her hand from his arm. They unexpectedly came across someone in the elevator."Agustin?" Madelyn expressed surprise."Madelyn?" Agustin recognized her and then noticed Zach. "And who is this?"Zach remained silent, his expression unreadable, waiting for Madelyn's response.Madelyn did not introduce Zach but instead redirected the conversation. "Agustin, what are you doing here? Weren't you in Marisburg?""I've been dealing with some heart issues, so I came for a checkup. I'm just heading back to my hotel to rest. How about you? Are you feeling better?" Agustin inquired.Madelyn nodded, offering a smile. "Much better, thank you.""That's good to hear," Agustin replied, then presented a gift card to her. "Happy holidays. Here's a small gesture from me."Madelyn politely declined, "Agustin, I'm not a child anymore. You don't have to do this.""In my eyes, you'll always be a child. Please accept it, or I'll be offended,"
Cecilia approached Zach with evident frustration and confronted him. "Why did you humiliate me like that in front of everyone? You've never treated me like that before, Zach."Cecilia was agitated. Madelyn suggested, "I'll wait for you in the car."But Zach held Madelyn's hand firmly, indicating his decision. "For work matters, speak to Kevin. As for personal issues, there's nothing to discuss."Cecilia, however, was not deterred. Holding a contract, she thrust it at Zach. "Look at this before you decide whether to follow me or not!"Zach released Madelyn's hand to examine the document. He instructed her, "Go wait in the car."Madelyn sat in the car and she could not hear Zach and Cecilia's conversation. When she glanced back, they had already moved away.Madelyn twirled the bracelet on her wrist, contemplating. 'Cecilia always manages to surprise Zach with things I can't match. Last time it was a huge contract. This time, who knows? For businessmen, profit often outweighs person