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Chapter 533
After the exam, Madelyn waited at the school entrance, her umbrella shielding her from the rain that had dampened her long stockings. Ethan usually picked her up and was rarely late. When ten minutes passed without seeing him, she tried calling him. Her phone indicated that his number was out of service. With a shiver, she sent him a text but received no reply. 'We had our engagement photo shoot today. There must be a good reason for him being late.' She considered contacting Ethan's assistant, Leyton, but then remembered she did not have his number.As the rain intensified, Madelyn took shelter in a convenience store and pulled out her homework from her backpack. After a while, an employee approached. "Excuse me, it's almost eight. We're closing.""Sorry, I lost track of time. I'll head out."Madelyn quickly packed her things, amazed at how much time had passed. Outside, it was already dark. Apart from a few Ventropolis High School students leaving their evening classes, the street
Chapter 534
Madelyn wrapped up her dinner swiftly and made her way upstairs.She couldn't afford any distractions now. With exams just around the corner in less than ten days, she needed to be on top of her game, even if she had already secured her spot at Ventropolis College of Art.A slip-up on this test wasn't an option.By 11:30 PM, having committed a series of Etlinish phrases to memory, she set her book aside. She was about to switch off the lights and sink into sleep when her cat leaped onto the bed, making itself comfortable by her pillow, its paws kneading rhythmically.Leaving a soft glow from the bedside lamp, Madelyn stroked its fur. "Even all grown up, you still bake cookies. Goodnight, Ginger."As she settled in with her eyes shut and hands tucked under her chin, sleep took her swiftly.It was half-past two when Ethan got back.Upon noticing the small wound on Ethan's lip, the servant knitted her eyebrow. "Mr. Arnold," she began, recognizing the type of wound and drawing from
Chapter 535
Madelyn paused to take a sip from her glass. The weight of Ethan's words dispelled her sleepy haze, and her mind began to race.The soft ticking of the living room clock filled the brief silence. After a moment's reflection, she met Ethan's eyes, her lips pursed thoughtfully. "Alright then, should I move out?" she asked.There was an eerie calm to her demeanor, no trace of irritation discernible in her voice.She had observed, of late, that the warmth once evident in Ethan's eyes when he looked at her had dwindled. It was as though he now regarded her as a stranger, his gaze searching, almost as if he sought to peer into her very soul. This shift in his attitude hadn't come out of nowhere. His frequent late-night returns and prolonged absences were clues she couldn't ignore.Madelyn wasn't naive, nor was she oblivious on the matter. She had experienced what it was like to love someone deeply and unconditionally. She figured that he would not easily forget Donna, whom he had loved s
Chapter 536
Ethan set aside his newspaper and got up from the couch. "We're only pushing the date of the engagement party. We can easily adjust the invitations," he remarked, directing a scrutinizing look toward Madelyn, as if trying to gauge her feelings.Evelyn sharply retorted, "Hold on, Ethan. I didn't ask for your input. Remember, you were the one adamant about this marriage. The entire Ventropolis is aware of it now. If you pull the plug on the engagement party at this stage, have you considered the talk that will follow? Or how Madelyn might be feeling?"It was rare for Evelyn to use such a stern tone with Ethan.Madelyn, feeling a lump in her throat, kept her eyes lowered. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke up, "...maybe Ethan's just not sure yet. His decision might be due to reasons we aren't privy to."She continued, "I get it; this is a big decision. For now, I'm cool with pushing it back. I'll talk to my father about it; he'll be fine.With a sigh, she said, "And with exam
Chapter 537
Ethan's temper blazed. He sped to school, jamming the gas pedal down with every ounce of his vexation.Madelyn was baffled by the sudden shift in his demeanor. The air in the car was thick with tension."Out. Now."Madelyn unbuckled her seatbelt and silently got out of the car.As she walked further away, Ethan's eyes followed, seething with anger and jealousy. 'How could she betray me like this? Should I even consider forgiving her? How am I expected to just overlook this and go on? Despite everything, my love for her is undeniable, yet she's deceived me more times than I care to count,' he pondered.In a fit of frustration, Ethan's hand crashed against the car window. The impact was so forceful that the skin at the base of his fingers split open, letting a few drops of blood escape.For what felt like an eternity, Ethan's car stood idle at the school's entrance. Inside, he grappled with his tumultuous emotions, trying to calm the internal tempest. Clasped in his hand was a ring
Chapter 538
However, as Leyton delved deeper, the complexity of the situation began to unfold, and the disparity between the Madelyn in the past and the girl he was investigating was jarring. 'Despite everything, she betrayed Mr. Arnold by having affair with Zach Jardin, and all seemingly to profit Azure Corporation,' he ruminated.But the more he thought about it, the more Leyton found the timing suspicious. 'Right before the engagement? All these revelations? It's too convenient, isn't it?'From his research, Leyton had in his possession solid proof of Madelyn's communications and liaison with Zach. Each piece was solid enough to have Madelyn condemned, yet Leyton couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, even though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.The very idea that Zach, heir to Hayson and trained by such a cunning man, would leave incriminating photos so easily accessible was puzzling. 'It's too easy. Why were these image files unprotected? What's even stranger is that the
Chapter 539
Ethan forcefully pushed Madelyn away, causing her to stagger backward and fall, her hand landing on scattered glass shards. Pain surged through her as her palm began bleeding, the crimson hue staining her clothes and widening rapidly.A fleeting glimmer of regret appeared in Ethan's eyes, prompting him to move slightly toward her. But just as quickly as it came, the emotion receded, and he froze.Purposefully turning his back to her, he grappled with his internal conflict. Gazing out the French windows, he closed his eyes, and his voice, filled with restrained emotion, whispered, "You should go."He didn't want to cause her any more harm, but the sting of her betrayal was too fresh, too raw. In his mind, thoughts swirled. 'I loved her with everything I had, ready to lay the world at her feet. But she made a fool out of me, deceiving me at every turn. Did she laugh at my expense while with Zach, sneering at my naivety?'Madelyn endured the pain as she carefully extracted the glass p
Chapter 540
In the Jent residence's study, Hayson hung up the phone and stared deeply at Zach. "How did you find out about Ethan Arnold wanting to postpone the engagement?"As Hayson delegated more and more responsibilities to Zach, he had come to realize that Zach's mind was especially shrewd. Zach was no longer the easily manipulated child he once was."The success of Madelyn marrying into the Arnold family also affects our company's interests. For Father's sake, I naturally have to pay close attention to Madelyn's affairs," Zach replied.Hayson was pleased with this response and had nothing more to say. "I'm glad you're thinking about the company. It shows that over the years, you've come to accept me as your father."A hint of something inscrutable flashed in Zach's eyes, gone almost as soon as it appeared, too quick for Hayson to notice.Hayson looked at him. "Have you planted someone on the Arnold family's side?"Zach nodded. "I placed someone there shortly after Ethan took over the co