Jasmine continued, "Don't you suspect that Madelyn has known all along? Zach, you're always cautious. You don't want Madelyn to find out about us. Or is it that you can't bring yourself to confront her? Do you want me to help you?"She propped her chin, offering a seductive gaze and a smile. "Darling, you know I never go easy on my rivals. If she ties knot with Ethan Arnold... Dealing with the Jent family alone is already challenging for you. With the addition of the Arnold family, do you think you can handle it?"Zach put down his silverware, grabbed a piece of tissue, and wiped his mouth. "My affairs don't require your meddling... Put on your shoes."Jasmine laughed as she moved her foot away from his calf.Zach stood up, turned around, and left. Soon, his Audi drove out of the garage at the Jent residence.That night, Madelyn retired to bed before ten o'clock.Ethan had not responded to her text, but she didn't dwell on it. She interpreted it as an indication that the teenager
Madelyn couldn't help but notice that Jadie had a group of guys by her side—Adrian, Timothy, and Forrest. She stood next to her family car, watching them approach from across the street. It caught her off guard, and she thought to herself, 'When did Jadie start hanging out with Forrest? They seem really close.''Hmm... Jadie and Forrest?' Madelyn couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of relationship they had. 'Wasn't Jadie interested in Zach? Does Zach know about Jadie and Forrest being together?' But then she realized that Jadie's love life was none of her business. She wanted no part in anything involving Jadie or Zach.As Madelyn shifted her gaze away, she noticed a blue tattoo on Forrest's arm. It felt strangely familiar. She had a fleeting sense of having seen it on someone in a past life. 'It looks familiar,' she thought, but the memory slipped away for a moment. She couldn't recall when or where she had seen it before.Meanwhile, Timothy glanced at the black sedan across t
Madelyn finally recognized the tattoo on Forrest's hand. 'That's the tattoo from the man who jumped because of Zach! That man was Forrest!'Before, people said Forrest drove off a cliff in his car when he was in charge of Arnold Corporation. They never found him, so everyone thought he was gone. Then, a lady took his place in the company. But soon after, the Arnold family's house blew up and all of them died. Someone else then took over the company, but no one knew who it was.Madelyn tried to think harder. There was a man with face burns that Zach talked about. This man always wore a mask. But what she remembered the most was the same blue tattoo on his hand. It looked just like Forrest's. This man would get really mad, especially at ladies, and it was scary.'If Forrest didn't die from the car crash, how did he get so much money to take over the company?' she wondered.As she delved deeper into her memories, another doubt emerged. 'The Arnolds were super rich in Ventropolis. How
After her dance class, Madelyn got home at nine o'clock. She was so tired that her legs felt wobbly. As soon as she stepped out of the car, Rosario hurried over."What happened to you?" Rosario's eyes were filled with concern. "Come on, let's get you inside."With Rosario and the driver, Jordan, supporting her, Madelyn eased onto the couch. They placed her backpack beside her."I think you hurt your leg," said Rosario. "Stay put. I've got something that might help."Quickly, Rosario fetched a cream from the medicine cabinet. "Didn’t your instructor notice? Why didn’t you say anything?"She gently examined Madelyn's leg. "Point to where it hurts."Madelyn sighed, feeling a bit relieved now that she was sitting. "It wasn’t the teacher's fault," she admitted. "I pushed myself too hard and took a bad step."Rosario lightly tapped Madelyn's forehead. "Clumsy girl, you've got to watch out for yourself, okay? Promise me."As Madelyn slipped off her socks, Rosario warmed the cream in h
After uttering those words, Madelyn dashed up the stairs in a hurry.However, within just half a minute, a scream erupted from upstairs, "Ah!"Zach glanced upward, instantly surmising that Madelyn had likely taken quite a nasty fall, given the intensity of the scream.Dressed in his black striped pajamas, Zach looked even more intimidating than before. Suddenly, he grabbed Jasmine by the hair. "You're so desperate for male attention, huh? Well, next time, I won't mind bringing a few more men to keep you entertained."Jasmine winced in pain, feeling the tingling sensation in her scalp. Her eyes were clear and alert. "Zach Jardin, are you serious? Let go of me! It hurts!" She gripped Zach's hand, looking at his angry face.Zach whispered n her ear, "Jasmine Manning, if you try anything like that again, I'll let you experience the taste of getting fucked by multiple guys again."Jasmine's eyes widened with fear but then she laughed bitterly. "Fine... But give me one night with you,
Ten seconds later, Madelyn blinked her eyes open. The bright lights flooded her vision, instantly rousing her from her drowsiness. "Zach Jar... uh, Brother? Why are you in my room?" She pulled herself upright, her heart racing. 'Why did I just blurt out his full name?' She gripped the blanket, her eyes widening in alarm.Zach watched as Madelyn hastily wrapped herself up."How long have you been here?" Madelyn's voice quivered.Wiping off remnants of the muscle rub from his hand, Zach said, "Bring your foot over here. Let me check that ankle of yours."His intense gaze locked onto Madelyn, making her feel uneasy all over. She shook her head and replied, "You don't have to do that. Rosario already massaged it earlier. It should be better by morning."Zach's brow creased, his voice firm. "Madelyn, just do as I say. I don't want to repeat myself."Madelyn's mind raced, processing Zach's words. What if she said no again? She knew he might take an unpredictable.It had always been th
When Madelyn slipped her feet into her slippers and hopped out of bed, she discovered her ankle had fully healed. She realized she'd missed Zach's departure the previous night, having slept deeply. Morning had already dawned by the time she rose.She couldn't shake the image of Jasmine, disheveled and seemingly intoxicated, emerging from Zach's room. Grabbing her backpack, she deliberately took her time descending the stairs.The living room was empty, eerily silent for the time of day. She grabbed a few slices of toast from the table, planning a quick exit. As she did, Rosario came out of the kitchen, chiding, "You act as if you're sneaking in someone else's home. Sit. Eat. I’ll get Mr. Jardin."Without hesitation, Madelyn replied, "I'll just grab something quick. I left a practice test unfinished at school and need to finish it. I'll eat this and be off, Rosario.""That's hardly a meal," Rosario admonished.Madelyn didn't reply.Knowing Madelyn's stubbornness, Rosario added, "A
"Madelyn," a tall girl with a pretty face said, stepping closer, "wasn't there a dead mouse in this bag before? How can you still use it? Aren't you worried about getting sick?" She looked at Madelyn's lunchbox with a look of distaste.Another girl added, "You're the only one at Ventrocloud High who packs lunch. Are you short on money? If you need help, just say so! We can lend you some."A third girl smirked, trying to provoke. "Serena, Madelyn doesn't care about you. Don't hang out with her, or you'll get dirty too."Madelyn quickly zipped her backpack and stood up, slamming her hand on the table. "Who did you just call dirty? Say that again. I dare you." While she rarely showed her anger, that didn't mean she couldn't stand up for herself.She looked straight at the three girls. "Why so quiet now? What do you mean by 'dirty'? Michelle, isn't your family in construction? Lorrie, Jenny... your families work with them, right? Two years ago, didn't your companies build Blossom Haven