"You have an appointment with Miss Young today at noon. Then, a charity event at six in the evening. Also, don't forget the important banquet in Paris in five days. Your invitation is already in the CEO's office."Kevin, Cecilia, and Zach left the elevator after reaching the ninety-ninth floor. Kevin headed to the assistant's office as Cecilia and Zach moved to the CEO's office. Over the years, Cecilia's support had been crucial in Zach's ascent to power. Now, with the Arnold family out of the picture, he commanded Ventropolis. Cecilia made a cup of coffee and placed it in front of him. She pressed a button, and the office doors closed. Then, she sat on his lap without hesitation."I've been there for every win. It's time for you to hold up your end, don't you think?" Cecilia's hand moved with purpose across his chest, her touch light but insistent.Zach met her gaze, his face a blank slate. "You seem to have too much time on your hands." His eyes held a chill, a subtle irritation f
Zach's gaze remained on Madelyn's face as he watched the blurry video. After a moment, he looked away, handing the tablet back, "Tell Mr. Frederick Tesla I'll be on time for the Paris banquet."Kevin gave a slight nod, "Yes, Mr. Jardin."After Kevin left, Zach turned to Cecilia, who stood beside him, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy I'm bringing her back?""You still can't let her go after all," Cecilia said, her arms folded and her expression sulky. "Did you forget what I told you? In our previous lives, it was Madelyn who tore us apart. We even had a son. If not for her, we wouldn't have separated."Zach stared at Cecilia. She seemed honest, but her talk about past life confused him. It was hard to believe in rebirth and old memories. Most people would call it crazy. Yet, Cecilia's actions made Zach want to believe her. He narrowed his eyes, thinking hard. After a bit, he asked, "If you were reborn, how did I die last time?"When Zach asked this, Cecilia hid her surprise. She loo
Now, Zach had his answer. But Cecilia's words did not match what Madelyn had said when she was sick four years ago. He started to look into it only because Madelyn had said Cecilia's name.'Did Madelyn know Cecilia before?' Zach thought about his and Madelyn's child. He did not know many details. Everything felt as confusing as trying to see through a fog. But he wanted to hear what Madelyn had to say more than he wanted to hear Cecilia's hard-to-believe words.Jardin Corporation had grown a lot. It spread in the past few years, reaching different areas like stocks, finance, property, entertainment, and health care.At noon, just like they planned, Zach went to pick up Yvonne for lunch. He chose a simple Audi, a car he used to drive a lot four years ago. A silver-chain watch hung on the car's rearview mirror. Behind its ornate facade, it concealed a picture of Madelyn wearing a black school outfit from her high school days. The photo looked aged and preserved for many years. Stoppin
Preparing for tomorrow's art exhibition, Madelyn tidied up the venue before heading back to her modest two-bedroom apartment. With her tight budget, she had to share the apartment. Her roommate Lila, busy preparing for tomorrow's banquet at the shop, would be home late. After a quick noon meal, Madelyn devoted her time to cleaning the apartment, working nonstop until six o'clock. This habit kept her busy nerves calm and her mind from wandering into anxiety. She left the small living room organized and neat.Around six, Madelyn headed to the supermarket to buy groceries for dinner. She cooked extra, putting the leftovers in the fridge for Lila's late-night snack. As she busied herself, the day swiftly passed, giving way to darkness. After a quick wash, she drank a glass of water and took two prescribed sleeping pills, soon drifting into sleep.Meanwhile, on a private plane, Kevin relayed fresh information to Zach, "We're in touch with a detective agency in France. They've found the pe
'Zach has everything, so why is he so determined to find her? He's moved on from the Jent family. Plus, is Madelyn even important now? If she vanished, life would go on. But her return could bring Zach a world of trouble,' Kevin mused.After their eight-hour flight, they arrived in the city and went directly to the luxurious Hotel BelleSophie. The exceptional welcome they received was no surprise; after all, Zach was one of the hotel's largest shareholders. The butler handed over a ticket once they were settled into their rooms."Here's the art exhibition ticket Mr. Jardin requested. The show starts at noon, which is in about three hours. We've prepared breakfast for you, Mr. Jardin. Please, enjoy."Kevin updated Zach, "After the banquet, we'll be here for about two weeks. Some major international tech firms are interested in partnering with us. There's also a charity auction dinner. We've set our meetings for the day after tomorrow."Zach took a sip from his glass, "Let's stay for
Leonardo and Lucien Dupont, the gallery director, stepped out of the meeting room. Lucien, dressed in a black suit with a fedora and carrying a black cane, was introduced to Madelyn by Leonardo. Taking Madelyn's hand, Lucien gently kissed the back of it. "Dear Ms. Jent," he said with a bit of an accent, "Prof. Monet always praises your artistic skills. Here's my card. Let me know if you ever want to open a studio and need funding."Madelyn glanced at Prof. Monet. When she saw him nod, she accepted the card and smiled. "You're too kind, Mr. Dupont. I don't think I'm that talented. I just work harder than most."Lucien chuckled, "You're being modest. I've seen your artwork. It's really great."Madelyn replied, "Thank you."After Prof. Monet handed the event's responsibility to Madelyn, Leonardo left for another interview. Once they were gone, Madelyn took a moment to sigh with relief. Noticing the gallery was not too crowded, she explored the second floor of the art exhibition, showc
Dorian quickly got up from his seat when he spotted Madelyn in the hallway and approached her. Taking her coffee, he gave a cheerful grin, but his eyes showed a hint of guilt. "Madelyn," he said. "What are you doing here? Didn't Prof. Monet ask you to be downstairs with the guests? Why'd you come up?"Madelyn smiled slightly, "Prof. Monet had to leave for an interview with the international journalists. Could one of you help cover for me downstairs at the event? You might get a chance to mingle with some of the celebrities attending. I have plans later, so I'll need your help here."Dorian asked, "You're not looking for another job, right? I thought with all those awards, you'd have enough money. Why do this kind of work?"Madelyn replied, "I could've lived comfortably in France for years with that money." Then, seeing the surprise on Dorian's face, she added, "But I gave it all away."Their eyes widened in shock. Dorian blurted out, "Have you lost your mind?"Madelyn gave a small
"Let me show you around," Jane said as she approached Zach. She pointed to a painting. "This one's Vitality by Prof. Monet. It captures what we saw deep in a tropical rainforest. Despite its calm appearance, that place was anything but peaceful."Everyone waited, eyes fixed on Jane, anticipating a tale of a magical adventure."We ran into bullet ants. They're among the world's ten most venomous insects. You might mistake them for bees from afar, but they sport powerful mandibles and a venomous sting." Jane delved deeper into their time in the rainforest, touching on narrow escapes and thrilling experiences.Hearing this, Kevin realized, 'That explains Madelyn's absence. She's been adventuring with Prof. Monet's team.'Jane recounted the adventures they had had. From her stories, Zach pieced together Madelyn's activities during her four-year absence. It amazed him that Madelyn, once not even trusted with a knife, had tackled such risks and returned unharmed. Although a skeptical smi