Madelyn was definitely hungry. Ever since he appeared, she had not eaten many meals. Her stomach was convulsing in hunger. Madelyn was forced to eat a whole bowl of oatmeal by Zach. Her stomach was currently churning, and she wanted to vomit. Zach peeled an apple and sent it to her mouth. Suddenly, blood trickled from her nose and dripped onto the blanket."Don't move," Zach said. Just as Madelyn was about to wipe it, Zach grabbed her hand.He held Madelyn's head up and used a tissue to wipe her chest area. His clothes were also soaked in blood. He chastised her, "What did you eat? Why are you bleeding?"Madelyn did not answer him. Zach was fumbling around. He rang the bell and had the nurse change the sheets. He then held the drip bottle while holding her with one hand. Every time Madelyn had a nosebleed, she would lose her strength and be left unable to move.'Is he still the Zach I know? Zach from the past would never do these things for me,' Madelyn thought.Despite him trying
"Ms. Samford, Mr. Jardin ordered us to make sure that no one besides the doctor enters here," said the bodyguard.Cecilia was being blocked by the bodyguards at the door of the sick ward. She chuckled and said, "Being responsible is good, but don't blindly follow orders. I'm one of his people, and my orders are the same. I would enter this sick ward even if Zach himself was here to stop me."The two bodyguards by the door looked at each other. They said hesitantly, "We apologize, but Mr. Jardin specifically ordered to not let anyone come close. It's just our job, and we hope Ms. Samford won't make it difficult for us.""What a loyal dog," Cecilia ridiculed.Cecilia crossed her arms and raised her chin arrogantly before saying, "Then go in and tell her! Tell her Cecilia Samford wants to see her!"The bodyguard nodded his head and complied, "Yes, madam."The bodyguard walked into the sick ward as Madelyn was taking her medication. When she heard footsteps, she quickly took her medi
"Ma'am, are you feeling unwell?"Madelyn dug her fingernails into her palm. "Get out!" she said."Your face...""I said, get out!"After the meeting, Zach did not go straight to the hotel. Instead, he went for dinner at a restaurant with Cecilia.Based on the calendar, Valentine's Day was every fourteenth of the month.An attendant brought over a stalk of red rose and placed it in front of the two.Zach took a sip of wine and said, "You went to see her at the hospital today?"Cecilia sliced into her steak, tasting a piece. Glancing at Zach, she said, "Are you worried about what I might've done to her?" She smirked. "You know me. I only react when provoked. She crossed a line, so I set her straight. She'll be okay. Just soothe her for a bit."Zach's gaze turned icy. "You hit her?""Mhm," Cecilia did not deny it. She continued, "Part of it's personal. In another life, she tore us apart. What I did? That's going easy on her."Zach signaled the violinist to stop playing. He tipp
Madelyn replied in amusement, "I should be the one asking you that. What in the world do you and Cecilia want?""Do you feel satisfied and the sense of revenge by keeping me here and playing with me like a prostitute?" she asked again.Zach stared at her in silence.Madelyn coldly turned away."Cecilia is one of your people, so I can't do anything to her. I just hope you'll keep an eye on her in the future and not let her go around attacking people like a mad dog."Zach said, "I'll get her to apologize to you. I'll agree to any compensation requests you have."He reached out to have a good look at her face. However, Madelyn slapped his hand away."Don't touch me. You're disgusting." She continued, "Will you agree if I want you to let me leave? If it's a no, there's nothing to talk about. Please leave. I want to sleep."Madelyn got under the covers and pulled it over her head. Then, she closed her eyes. She did not want to look at him any longer.She felt dirty at the thought o
"I heard from Jane that you haven't been going to the studio?"Madelyn pursed her lips. She felt some come up behind her and wrap their arms around her waist. She pinched Zach's hand to signal him to stop moving."Sorry, Prof. Monet. I've been feeling unwell, so I was at the hospital. I forgot to inform Jane about it.""What are you down with?""Just a mild fever. I'll be discharged tomorrow," she replied."It's been raining a lot recently. Stay warm and take care of your health.""I will, sir."Madelyn waited for Leonardo to hang up before she put her phone away. She wanted to push Zach away, but her struggle was to no avail. In the end, she gave up. "How much longer will you hold me? There are other people in the room.""They won't look," he replied.Madelyn retorted, "You're making me uncomfortable. Let go."Zach scrutinized her face. The swelling had almost gone away. Other than the unknown marks on her face, she had almost recovered.'She's gone through so much and been
Zach picked up the photo that had fallen out of Madelyn's book. He looked at the photo and narrowed his eyes."Why'd you come to the hospital without asking me first?" he asked Cecilia in a cold tone.Zach stood up and looked at her.His presence was intimidating, but Cecilia wasn't scared. She smirked, "Why? Scared I'd hurt her? I'm here for you, not her.""Don't forget what you promised me! I'm going to be your wife. You'd be lost without me," she added."Just stay out of my business," Zach replied."Listen, Zach! If you go to her, I can take away my shares in the company. Don't forget who helped you get where you are," Cecilia shouted as he walked away.But Zach just kept going.Cecilia felt stressed. 'Things are so different now. Jadie's still alive, Madelyn isn't with Zach, and I hate making threats, but I had no choice. Zach was never someone who feared threats. In fact... He'd get rid of those who threatened him,' she thought.She began to doubt if this was the same Zac
Madelyn forcefully wiped away the traces he had left on her. She did not know if he did it on purpose.Before work, she stopped at the restroom and saw a small cut on her lip in the mirror.She touched it lightly and thought, 'Is he a dog?'She had hidden a mark on her neck with makeup before getting to work.The sound of someone flushing echoed in the washroom. The door opened, and Jane emerged from within the stall. She glanced indifferently at Madelyn and walked to the sink next to hers. Then, she washed her hands and walked away without even greeting.Madelyn had always noticed the unexplainable hostility Jane had toward her. While the two of them were from the same studio, they hardly talked. Madelyn only spoke to Jane when she had to.Madelyn quickly freshened up and returned to the studio.She opened the door and saw Clement holding a stack of documents."Madelyn? Aren't you sick and on leave? Why'd you come back so quickly?"Madelyn smiled and said, "Mhm. I was dischar
After finishing the line drawing, Madelyn photographed it and sent it to the client for confirmation. Taking advantage of the break, she massaged her shoulders and went to the water cooler for a drink.She checked her phone. It was almost seven in the evening. She saw many messages from Zach. She wondered how he got her number. She turned her phone off.Soon, the client emailed her back. They liked her drawing. Madelyn was about to color it when someone bumped into her. She looked up. Jane said, "Watch where you're going."Madelyn said, "Sorry."By eight-thirty, the studio was empty except for her. At ten-thirty, she dozed off. Suddenly, she felt someone picking her up. Waking up, she saw Zach. She was startled. "What are you doing? Put me down!""Planning to sleep here if I hadn't shown up?" Zach glanced at her."I'm not done with my work," Madelyn replied."You can finish it tomorrow. Let's head back for the night.""Just let me get my stuff."Zach put her down. Madelyn went