"Are you leaving?" Madelyn's voice rang out.Ethan's eyes met hers, momentarily devoid of emotion. But as they trailed to her bandaged hand, a shadow of concern passed over his face. "...Our engagement will continue," he said slowly, choosing his words. "I was the one who proposed. To abruptly call it off now would tarnish my family's reputation. But," he hesitated, "I can't promise it will last indefinitely. From now on, your world is limited to school and home."Madelyn remained silent, her eyes fixed on him. Without a word, she moved to the table and gently placed the envelope she held onto its surface.In a calm tone, she said, "Your car broke down. It's in need of repairs. Your servant retrieved this envelope from inside." She paused. "Maybe consider drinking less. I'm heading to my room."She began to walk away when Ethan's voice stopped her. "Wait."Madelyn turned around. "Did you need something else?""Don't you want to know what's in there?" Ethan asked."It's your pers
Ethan's voice, tinged with regret echoed from behind, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have gone behind your back, nor should I have kept you in the dark. My fears got the better of me.""I was afraid that once I found out those things, you'd leave without hesitation, and I'd be powerless to stop you," he confessed, "I've never wanted to hurt you, not even with a harsh word... Madelyn... I love you! The more I love you, the harder it is for me to accept the truth I uncovered. I never intended for you to leave. Those words about canceling the engagement, they were just said out of anger."His voice broke slightly, "I... I only have you! Please don't go, regardless of whether it's true or not. I don't care anymore. I just want you to stay by my side. I don't want to lose you."Ethan had lost so many people in his life; he didn't want to lose the one person he cared about the most.Ethan enveloped her in a tight embrace, his voice trembling with desperation. "Tell me it's not true, please? E
Madelyn was transported back to a day of memory in her past life. A day when the name Cecilia Samford held profound significance. Their first meeting had been under Cecilia's orchestration at a café just below the grand Jardin Corporation building.During that time, Ventropolis had become a bustling hub of economic activity. Immense skyscrapers ruled the skyline, most of which echoed with the undertone of Jardin Corporation's dominance.The air was thick with heat, just as it was now. There was a slight, pungent smell wafting from the hot asphalt roads under the midday sun.Cecilia, at the time, had possessed wavy, vibrant hair that cascaded to her shoulders, secured in a simple ponytail. Every ounce of her screamed dominance and power.Facing someone like Cecilia, Madelyn couldn't help but feel insecure. Cecilia, after all, was the primary aide to her husband. A woman who seamlessly blended grace, assertiveness, and allure. Madelyn found herself wondering if any man could truly re
"Okay." With that, Jadie stepped out of the car.Kevin drove away. "The Arnolds have no intention of calling off the engagement with Ms. Jent. They'll proceed with the engagement as planned in three days."Mr. Jardin, I don't understand why you want to ruin their engagement. Ms. Jent marrying into the Arnold family should be of no harm to you. And even if you want to ruin it, why not just tell the Arnold family about Ms. Jolie's secrets directly? That way, we wouldn't have to go through all of this."Zach seemed indifferent. He rested his hand on the car window, tapped his temple with his index finger, and shared his thoughts with Kevin. "Those photos were just a test for Ethan, to see how much he can forgive when it comes to Madelyn."So far, it seemed like Ethan was truly moved by Madelyn. Most people can't easily forgive betrayal. Ethan's willingness to forgive Madelyn appeared to be within Zach's expectations.Zach continued, "And Madelyn just wants to escape from me, from the
When Madelyn approached, Ethan hung up his phone.The weather outside was warm, and many students had already finished their exams and were being picked up by their parents. Madelyn clutched her pencil case against her forehead and quickly opened the front passenger door, hopping into the car.Inside the car, it was pleasantly cool. Ethan handed her a bottle of cold water. "Just finished your exam. How do you feel?"Madelyn took a sip, and the heat that clung to her body quickly faded away. "Not too bad, not as hard as I imagined."Ethan picked her up and drove to the pre-booked photography studio.Madelyn rarely had her picture taken throughout her life, and this was one of the very few times. By the time the session was over, she was exhausted, and her makeup was still on as she cuddled with a pillow in the car, dozing off.As Ethan drove, he noticed her body tilting toward him. He reached out to support her face. When they hit a red light, he pulled over to the side of the roa
At the Young residence, after learning about Ethan's engagement, Frida dialed Evelyn's number with a mixture of frustration and concern. "Evelyn, why didn't you tell me about Ethan's engagement? I'm his mother, don't I have the right to know about something this significant?"Evelyn replied coldly, "This is Ethan's decision, and I have no authority to interfere. He has finally managed to emerge from the shadows, and if you truly care for his well-being as a mother, you should refrain from disturbing him.Evelyn added, "You and our family have no connection anymore. I'm only answering your call out of respect for the fact that you used to be his mother.She continued, "When Ethan was just five or six years old, you tormented him, locked him in the basement, nearly taking his life. Your remorse now is too little, too late. Don't call again in the future, hmph!"The call ended abruptly.Frida slumped on the couch, utterly defeated, covering her face with her hands.Yvonne walked ove
The number of attendees from the Arnold family was not extensive. Ethan's father, Owen, was notably absent, and the reason behind his absence remained a mystery to those outside the Arnold family. However, nobody dared to ask or gossip about the most prominent family in Ventropolis. In high society circles, everyone knew about the dramatic divorce between Frida Young and Owen Arnold.Owen had two brothers and a sister, all of whom were at the event today. They usually managed different parts of the Arnold Corporation and rarely appeared in public. Madelyn didn't often cross paths with them in her daily life.Madelyn greeted each of them one by one and received quite a few gifts. She passed these gifts on to the accompanying servers. The total value of these gifts could easily cover the down payment on a luxury apartment in Ventropolis.Materially, Ethan spared no expense when it came to Madelyn. She even knew the combination to the safe in his room, which contained nothing but gold
"I..." Madelyn hesitated, feeling torn. Anything involving the Young family was a sensitive topic Ethan couldn't handle easily."Madelyn, don't you want my mother and Ethan to make up? Considering our relationship, you should start calling her Mom too. Aren't we all family? So... right now, the only person who can talk to Ethan about this is you. You have to help us. Both my mother and I won't forget your kindness," Yvonne urged.Madelyn stayed quiet for a while before slowly responding, "Yvonne, this isn't as simple as it sounds. I'll talk to Ethan later, but I can't promise he'll agree.""Madelyn Jent! Do you have to be like this? Do you even know how much my mother wishes to fix things with Ethan? Don't you want to help us at all?" Yvonne tried to contain her frustration.Madelyn furrowed her beautiful brows. "Yvonne, you have no idea what happened between them in the past. If she wants to bless us, we'll appreciate her goodwill.""What's going on? Whose phone call is it?" Etha