Madelyn walked ahead, with George close behind. He spoke earnestly, "Miss Jent, being a Jent means standing strong. Otherwise, people might try to take advantage of you."George was perceptive. Madelyn agreed with a smile, "You're right.""We just wanna make sure you're safe," he added.George's words struck her. She wondered, 'What did he mean? Do they know everything?'Jadie saw Madelyn get into a fancy Cayenne—a car not everyone in Ventropolis could afford—through the rearview mirror. She asked, "Madelyn ain't comin' back with us?""She has got some stuff to take care of. I'll drop you off at home first," Kevin said, buckling his seatbelt."Thank you, Kevin.""You're welcome." Kevin's mind wandered, 'If Madelyn had Jadie's maturity and didn't cause so many problems, Mr. Jardin wouldn't need to worry as much.'The Cayenne had been driving for almost twenty minutes. It was getting close to six-thirty, and the sky had grown dark. Streetlights were casting a soft glow on the roa
Madelyn's attention was drawn to an open-air restaurant, where a familiar face caught her eye. Bathed in the soft glow of the lights, the person sat gracefully before a piano, coaxing forth a soothing, rhythmic melody.She could see the tattoos on his hands and the ones that were underneath his collar. His features were gentle, and his posture exuded poised elegance. Every motion he made embodied a noble elegance that distinguished him from everyone around.A waiter approached Madelyn and said, "You must be Mr. Arnold's guest. We have a table reserved for you. Please follow me."Madelyn held the bundle of roses. Her eyes were drawn to a small, glass-enclosed space set aside for private dining. The transparent walls allowed diners to enjoy the scenery outside. It would be a perfect spot to watch the snow falling, if it ever did."Please wait a moment. Mr. Arnold will be with you shortly.""Madelyn." A clear and deep voice sounded from behind her. Madelyn turned around slowly to fin
After dinner, Ethan and Madelyn went for a walk. They watched lovey-dovey couples stroll by, but between Madelyn and Ethan, there was an unusual silence, a strange atmosphere.Finally, she couldn't hold back and blurted out, "What happened to your legs?"Ethan lowered his gaze as his expression slightly changed. "It was a car accident," he replied, brief and to the point.Madelyn nodded and said, "Well, be careful when driving in the future." Her words filled with genuine concern."Alright."Madelyn's maternal instincts kicked in again. "You've walked with me for so long. Aren't your legs tired? How about we find a place to sit? If you're uncomfortable, you must tell me."Ethan smiled. "Alright."Madelyn bit her lip as she thought to herself, 'You basically say "alright" to everything!'She dared not meet his gaze anymore, so she turned and pointed to a spot, her expression stiff, "I want to have that."With Christmas approaching, the glace fruit seller dressed up as Santa Cla
"But..." Madelyn hesitated, her eyes fixed on Ethan who was pulling out a small black velvet box from his pocket. With a careful touch, he unveiled a pendant in the shape of a crescent moon – its translucent whiteness seemed to emit an otherworldly glow. The silver chain it hung from sparkled like distant stars.Drawing closer, Ethan's hopeful expression met resistance as Madelyn gently pushed him away. "It's too precious," she murmured.Ethan looked disappointed as he said, "I designed this necklace for you. Today marks not only your birthday but also our first official meeting. Could you not turn a friend down?"The necklace was undeniably flawlessly crafted, so intricate that no one could resist its charm.Ethan's gaze was intense. Despite her reservations, Madelyn found herself unable to refuse. Finally, she relented, her voice softening, "I just... I don't have anything to give you in return.""Having you here today is gift enough for me."Tightening her grip on her dress, M
Madelyn mused, 'Zach's willingness to go to any lengths to achieve his goals is almost frightening.'However, a glimmer of optimism surfaced as she considered, "Yet, with Ethan's support... Maybe I can study overseas after high school. It seems like a better plan. I won't have to wait for Ventropolis' annual foreign exchange program.""Ethan..." Madelyn's uncertainty grew as she grappled with how to broach this topic. Her rapport with Ethan was still developing, and she wasn't sure if she could rely on him for help.Ethan raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"Madelyn's words stumbled out hesitantly, "I... um..."Just as Madelyn was about to voice her thoughts, a blinding light suddenly engulfed them."Look out, Mr. Arnold!" Leyton swiftly turned the steering wheel, and George held tight to the handle above the passenger seat.Madelyn saw it too – a huge truck, heavy as anything, barreling straight at them.Right before the crash, Madelyn prepared for the worst, squeezing her eyes shut, un
As Zach's car pulled closer, Jadie's eyes widened as she saw Madelyn, with a man she seemed to have met from somewhere."Zach, let's pull over. That's Madelyn," Jadie said.When Madelyn saw an Audi with a familiar license plate, her face turned pale in an instant.Just now, smoke had started billowing from the Cayenne. Madelyn quickly got out, but her legs gave way as soon as she touched the ground.Leyton quickly used a fire extinguisher to put out the smoke, while Ethan went to check on Madelyn."Are you hurt? Can you get up?"Madelyn was fine, thanks to Ethan shielding her during the incident. She didn't want to admit that it was fear that had caused her legs to give way. She couldn't shake thoughts of the person behind the accident.George wiped a speck of blood from his forehead as he said, "Looks like she got really scared."Ethan's eyes flickered with a chilling determination, but he spoke gently to Madelyn. "Don't worry, I'll handle this. Let me help you up."Madelyn a
"Leyton, did you manage to see that truck?" Mr. Arnold asked.Leyton looked down, saying, "I'm sorry. I couldn't get a good look at it."Ethan's tone turned icy in a flash. "I want the one responsible caught in three days."Leyton nodded. "Yes, sir."Jadie came over and held Madelyn's hand, showing concern. "Madelyn, are you okay? Zach and I were planning a birthday party for you at home. If it weren't for Rosario, neither of us would have known. I missed your last birthday, but not this one. I even got you a gift. But you weren't around. Maybe we can celebrate the next one together."Madelyn's expression turned distant, and she pulled her hand away. "You don't need to go through all this trouble. You and Zach should head back. We'll manage things here on our own."She sensed Zach's unwavering gaze on her, but she avoided meeting his eyes completely.Zach chimed in, his voice firm. "Let's not involve Mr. Arnold in our family issues. Remember what your dad said? You're supposed t
"Jadie, head upstairs and rest," said Zach.Jadie glanced from Zach to Madelyn, then replied, "Alright. Madelyn just went through a car crash, so let's give her a break, okay?"Jadie wasn't comfortable leaving Zach alone with Madelyn.Every now and then, Jadie found herself wondering if Zach genuinely loved her. If he didn't, she couldn't help but question why he was so nice to her. But he had never actually said he loved her, which made her feel insecure about their relationship.Jadie went upstairs.Margaret noticed the tense atmosphere and stammered, "Sh-Should I leave too?"Zach shot her a cold glare, and she hurriedly fled the scene.Now, it was just him and Madelyn in the living room.An oppressive feeling hung in the air, making it a bit hard for Madelyn to catch her breath."Am I just talking to myself here?" Zach approached her, his demeanor cold. Even without looking at him, Madelyn could sense his anger.This was a stark difference from the Zach who seemed genuinel