"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
Madelyn met Zach's intense gaze. It was as if he was taking pleasure in her pain, finding some sick joy in it.Zach was waiting for her to beg for mercy, but despite the torment she was going through, she refused to give him the satisfaction.Her unyielding demeanor irritated Zach. "So, you've forgotten how to beg now?" he taunted.Madelyn knew Zach too well. She understood that if he truly meant harm, he wouldn't be foolish enough to act right here and now.Maybe the events of that night had ignited something in him, a desire to see her break and plead. But Madelyn was determined not to let that happen.Tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks and making her look pitiful. Anyone who saw her like this would surely feel sympathy.With a push, Madelyn managed to create some space between them. "I'll never beg you, Zach Jardin, even if it means giving up my life. You'll face the consequences for your actions, even if it's in hell." She couldn't help but silently curse,
Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow in Madelyn's room. Her long hair was all messy as she stood there. Her gaze seemed hollow.On the bed, her phone kept flashing with bright light, accompanied by a ringing tone that echoed through the room. The caller ID showed: Ethan.Madelyn watched as the call was rejected by itself, time and time again, only to start ringing once more. She didn't pick it up. After a while, she eventually walked over, switched it off, and tossed it aside. Resting in one corner of the room was the crystal crescent pendant necklace.The following morning, Madelyn descended the stairs to find Hayson, Jasmine, Zach, and Jadie already having breakfast.At the dining table, Hayson seemed oblivious to anything unusual. He was engrossed in discussing company matters with Zach, just like any other day.Listening to their talk, Madelyn realized that Hayson had gradually delegated most of the significant responsibilities of his company to Zach. Man
Jadie unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. Just before stepping out, she couldn't hold back her words, "Zach, don't you have anything to say to me?"Zach didn't look at her. He stared out the car window and said, "You have exams soon. Don't worry about this stuff."Tears welled up in Jadie's eyes. Biting her lip, she wanted to say more, but the words stayed inside. She had been prepared to hear Zach's explanation, even if it was just one sentence, but he didn't offer any.Feeling let down, Jadie left the car, wondering, 'What do I really mean to him?'Meanwhile, instead of heading to Class Six, Madelyn went straight to the office to meet her new homeroom teacher.After she completed the process to change classes, it was almost time for class.Madelyn went back to Class Six to gather her textbooks and practice books from her desk. As soon as the students saw her come in, the classroom suddenly became noisy."Wait, is Madelyn seriously leaving our class?""Look, the Cl
The students in Class One were always busy studying. They spent their days learning lessons and didn't have much time for anything else. Even though they came from important families and had great talents, they worked really hard. Madelyn really liked this kind of learning environment.Suddenly, Madelyn's table moved a bit as a girl sat on it. She had a long ponytail, curly brown hair, and a slim body. She was almost as tall as Madelyn. The girl peeked at Madelyn's chest and asked, "Why is your cup size so big? Do you eat a lot?" Then she remembered and said, "You're the new kid in our class, right? Your name is... Madelyn, isn't it?"Madelyn was surprised. She hadn't expected anyone in Class One to remember her name because no one really paid attention when she introduced herself. They were all busy with their own things."I'm Yvonne Young. Let's be friends! We can eat lunch together. What food do you like? It's on me."'Yvonne Young?' Madelyn thought, 'It sounds so familiar...' T
Madelyn didn't have many friends, in fact, she didn't have any close friends. She preferred being by herself and didn't spend much time socializing. Whenever she felt bored, she found joy in activities like reading books or watching shows. Yvonne's interest in being her friend puzzled her a bit, but she thought she might uncover the reason soon.Right now, they were sitting in the school cafeteria together.Madelyn's beauty would instantly catch everyone's attention. She took after her mother, who was once known as the most beautiful lady in Ventropolis. Yvonne was pretty in a different way – the more you looked at her, the prettier she got. She had nice eyes with double eyelids. Madelyn could even see a small mole on one of her upper eyelids when Yvonne closed her eyes.Yvonne asked, "Do you want to try my spicy braised chicken? It's my favorite." But Madelyn didn't like spicy food, so she ordered risotto instead.When Yvonne added more chili flakes to her chicken, Madelyn shook h
Propping her head up with her hand, Yvonne listened attentively to what Madelyn was saying."I know that girl, Jadie, right? She transferred to our school from Ventropolis High School after a fight," Yvonne said.Madelyn took a few bites of her risotto, which had vegetables and meat on the side. The dining area was nice, and the veggies were fresh. The meat, though, didn't taste very good; it wasn't seasoned well."Zach moved out and now lives with Jadie. If you want to know more about him, Jadie's the one to ask," Madelyn said carefully, watching Yvonne closely.Yvonne twirled her hair and made a face, "Don't you think she's kinda fake. You don't like Zach in that way too, right?"Without hesitation, Madelyn denied it, "No, he's my brother. I can't like him that way."Yvonne looked relieved and patted her chest, saying, "Oh, good! You scared me. I thought you were like Jadie. Now you're my best friend! Maybe we'll be family in the future."Madelyn smiled but stayed quiet. She t