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
Madelyn packed her things and left through the staff exit, oblivious to nearby dangers. As she stepped out from a corner, a Maybach was pulling away from the art exhibition hall in the opposite direction. They crossed paths without noticing one another.After he landed, Zach grabbed a quick bite and headed to the gallery. Despite his efforts, he arrived a bit late. Leaning back in the car seat, he shut his eyes. "Any idea where she is?"Kevin paused before answering, "Our guy's outside her apartment. He'll update us when Ms. Jent gets back."Zach just nodded, taking a deep breath.He had waited four years, but these last minutes felt endless. He needed to see her now. Breaking the silence, Zach said, "Let's go to the apartment.""But we have another appointment.""Forget it.""Alright," Kevin replied.Thirty minutes later, Zach pulled up to Madelyn's apartment complex. The building looked run-down. Judging by its condition, it was likely forty or fifty years old. It didn't seem
As dusk settled, outside was pitch-black. Kevin took three calls during his absence. When he returned, he hesitated before saying, "Mr. Jardin, the banquet started half an hour ago. We should head over."Flipping to the last page of Madelyn's journal, Zach realized the time when he looked up and thought, 'Four years' worth in this notebook.' Standing up, he tore out a page, then held it by the tip. "Mail this to the Arnold family in Ventropolis."Kevin nodded, "Understood."On the cruise ship, a grand banquet was underway. The dance floor shimmered with people in glamorous dresses. Among the guests were famous celebrities and top models. Everyone mingled, their laughter mixing with the clink of glasses and the distant sound of ocean waves.In the kitchen, Madelyn demonstrated her exceptional skills, particularly with desserts. At the beginning of her job, she could not speak any French. But her culinary talent earned her the position. It was a lifeline; she could have been left str
Madelyn rinsed and shook her hands, "I might need to rest; I'm feeling seasick.""Okay." Hugue noticed Madelyn hesitating, so he decided to leave with the waiter.With her chin in one hand, Alice waved a fork toward Zach, "Try this. It's Venturian food. You've had it before, right?"Zach gave no reaction but turned his attention to a tall, burly man in a white chef's uniform.The waiter announced, "The chef is here, Miss Girard."Alice raised her eyebrows, "I was expecting someone from Venturia."Hugue said, "A lady from Venturia taught me the walnut cake. She's sick and says she's sorry she couldn't come."Spotting Zach starting to move away, Alice asked, "Where are you headed, Zach?"At the beginning of the cruise, Madelyn felt perfectly fine. But as the ship started to rock more heavily, she became sick and rushed to the restroom. When she emerged, looking drained, she walked down a dimly lit hallway. There, she noticed a woman in a fancy dress and a fallen hat nearby. As Ma
"I need to head back."As Lila grabbed her arm, she said, "Hugue got a tip from a guest. This part's for you."Madelyn was not listening to anything else being said; her only thought was 'escape.' She nodded, "Thanks. And please let him know I'm grateful."Lila frowned, "We've got a problem. A heavy storm hit, causing the ship to lose control. It won't be repaired until tomorrow, so everyone's staying on board tonight."Madelyn's eyes widened, "Seriously?"Lila nodded seriously, "That's why the banquet ended early. Everyone, guests and crew alike, have to bunk here."Madelyn struggled to grasp her emotions, baffled as to why Zach would be on this ship. Together with Lila, she made her way to the crew area. The two were assigned a small, tight crew cabin. Looking out, she saw waves crashing against the ship, punctuated by deafening thunder and bright lightning flashes. Their beds? Nothing more than hard wooden planks in a room that felt damp. While the day's exhaustion took its to
The atmosphere in the room grew sensual and even the sea breeze that blew in added to the passionate scene.Madelyn lost track of time before it finally ended. Her senses were numb as she drifted in and out of consciousness.Everything only ended after the sunlight appeared outside the window. Madelyn was so drained that she did not even have the energy to move a finger. She fell into a deep and heavy sleep.Zach came out of the bathroom with Madelyn, who he had just showered with, in his arms. His body exuded a misty warmth, and his snow-white skin seemed to have bruises everywhere.Zach gently laid her on the bed, opened the bedside drawer, and took out a bottle of ointment. He squeezed some out and applied it evenly between Madelyn's legs, where there was some redness and even slight bleeding... However, the tearing was not too bad. Madelyn, whose eyes were still closed, hummed softly and frowned as if she was in pain, so Zach became even more gentle with his movement.After an