Madelyn and Mya were having dinner in the hospital room. Madelyn had a bowl of oatmeal, while Mya dug into chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, and soup. "This food's amazing, Madelyn," Mya said."If you want seconds, let me know," Madelyn replied.Margaret entered the room. "Should we set aside some food for Mr. Jardin?"Madelyn, not lifting her gaze, replied, "No. He'll manage."Margaret nodded and returned to the kitchenette.Mya, patting her belly contentedly, asked, "Can I come visit you again tomorrow?"Madelyn smiled. "Of course. But for now, you should head home. It's getting late, and you wouldn't want your father to worry."Mya looked at the clock and realized it was almost nine o'clock. She went to Madelyn and gave her a tight hug, then kissed her cheek. "I'm so glad you're okay, Madelyn." With that, she left the room, walking with her usual cheerful bounce.With a deep breath, Madelyn wheeled herself into the neighboring room, where the injured Dalton lay. Seeing
Madelyn's eyes revealed her deep anguish. However, she could not go through with whatever she had in mind. Setting the knife down, she turned away from Zach, a trace of regret in her expression. Zach then moved closer, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. They adjusted to find a more comfortable position, staying silent until Zach finally spoke."Can't sleep?" he asked."No, I'm good. You sleep," she replied.She soon drifted into a peaceful sleep. Later on, a soft sound woke her. Zach, who had been holding her, gently let go of his embrace. He rubbed his arm to alleviate some stiffness before heading to the bathroom. After a while, he left the room.At eight-thirty in the morning, the doctor arrived for his regular check-up with Madelyn."You're recovering well," the doctor noted. "Trying to get up too quickly after waking up was tough on you, but you're showing improvement. Keep this up, and you'll be home within weeks. Don't forget to schedule follow-up visits, so we can keep
At the dinner table, Madelyn was feeding Dalton some chicken puree. When Dalton tried to grab the spoon, Zach reacted faster, holding Dalton's hand back. "Stop squirming and eat."Dalton let out a protesting whimper at Zach and suddenly dunked his hand into the bowl. Madelyn steadied the bowl immediately."Acting up, are we?" Zach's tone was stern.Madelyn wiped Dalton's hands with some napkins. "He's just a kid. Why're you being so hard on him? He doesn't understand.""Maybe the maid should feed him."Madelyn had wished Zach could be more understanding toward Dalton. Watching Dalton, with his bottom lip quivering and tears forming in his closed eyes, was heart-wrenching for her. The emotion she felt was all too familiar; she could not bear to see Dalton cry. Without finishing her meal, Madelyn took Dalton into her arms and moved to the couch. As she did, Margaret approached with a bottle of baby formula, saying, "Ms. Jent, giving Dal this might soothe him.""Thanks for all your
Madelyn bent down and gave Dalton a soft kiss on the forehead. Her eyes were warm and loving.Madelyn was still sharing the master bedroom with Zach at the Jent residence, becoming the main lady there. But she and Zach were not really husband and wife; they just lived together like a married couple. The maids at the Jent residence changed often. Most of them thought she was Zach's real wife and would call her Mrs. Jardin when they saw her, except for Margaret, who always called her Ms. Jent. Madelyn did not mind. They could call her whatever they wanted.The villa had added more guards for security, so Madelyn still could not leave. The only change from her previous life was that now, she had Dalton, who tied her down. Madelyn had been recovering in the villa, and she looked much healthier than before. However, she was still weak after battling a serious illness. Sometimes, she would feel tired just climbing the stairs.Madelyn carried Dalton downstairs. He had picked up things quic
Cecilia slammed her hands down on the table, leaning in toward him, "The incident at Supreme World was my doing, but what you did with Fred..." Her voice trailed off, then continued, "Let's settle this matter. My aim is to become Mrs. Jardin."Zach tapped off the ash from his cigarette, "Isn't being the Deputy CEO of Jardin Corporation enough for you? Do you think you're fit to be Mrs. Jardin?"Cecilia burst into laughter as if she had heard a joke that was too good to be true, "Zach, you really shouldn't be the one saying that. Remember how you treated Madelyn in her previous life? Need a reminder? You were upset that she couldn't have kids, had an affair with me for eight years, and then brought my child into your family." She looked at him with a mocking smile, "You only got rid of Yvonne because she found out your secret. You're just scared. You're afraid that Madelyn will discover the awful truth about her own brother and that you want to marry her. Now—ah!"With that, she scre
At midnight, thunder boomed, jolting everyone awake. It echoed through Southern Haven Villas, making Dalton cry. Madelyn soothed him until he was calm, changed the wet sheets, and tossed them into the laundry hamper.The thunder outside continued. Madelyn decided to take Dalton to Zach's study. Dalton had recently put on some weight, so her arms began to ache after holding him. She sat on the couch and entertained Dalton with small toys. They were okay in the study, but Dalton started to cry again once they stepped outside.Madelyn gently tapped Dalton's nose, "Are you that scared of thunder?""Ma-Mama."Madelyn did not respond."Mama.""Ah, Ma-Mama."Madelyn looked at him, and he yawned. She tenderly picked him up, ready to head back to the room. Just then, she heard the sound of a car pulling up outside, and its headlights flashed past. Unfazed, Madelyn turned off the lights in the study and headed back to her room.Kai looked up at the upper floor, helping a drunken Zach out
Madelyn lay still, feeling overwhelmed, as morning began to break.After an intimate night, Zach, who was drenched in sweat, woke up. He gently lifted a drained Madelyn, taking a moment to freshen up in the bathroom. He then returned her to the bedroom to rest. In the dim light, he gazed at her, tracing her face, and whispered, "One day, I'll make sure you willingly stay by my side. Don't even think about running away again. This time, it's just the two of us. No Cecilia. Even if we never have kids."The dim room was filled with the echo of Zach's voice. Madelyn, too tired to fully grasp what he was saying, struggled to keep her eyes open. Eventually, she succumbed to sleep. When she awoke, the clock pointed to noon, and she noticed Dalton was no longer there. She sat up sore and tired, with the marks on her skin hinting at the intensity of the night before.She was interrupted by a knock, "Ms. Jent, are you awake?" It was Margaret.Madelyn replied, "Come on in."Margaret entered
The snowfall reminded her of Ethan's visit to Paris. Ethan, dressed in a black coat, sat on her favorite long wooden bench with snowflakes settling on his shoulders. After brushing them off, he waited for her for a long time."Ms. Jent, why are you crying?" Margaret entered and saw Madelyn sitting on the floor with tears streaming down her face. Concerned, Margaret quickly approached and asked, "What happened?" She tried to comfort Madelyn, wiping away her tears.Madelyn said, "It's okay. I'm fine."Margaret noticed the person in the photo album Madelyn was holding, "Who's this? She's so beautiful!" Eager to get a closer look, she picked up the photo, saying, "She looks like something out of a fairy tale."Madelyn replied, "That's my mom."Margaret grinned, "That makes sense. You have that same fairy tale look."Only the Jent family's old servants knew about Alicia, the previous lady of the house.Madelyn began softly, "My mom was always such a gentle soul. She loved painting an