Zach said, "I'll have the hotel staff bring you breakfast later."He was aware that Madelyn was already awake. He left the room after covering her with the blanket.At the door, Zach stopped walking and instructed his bodyguard, "Keep an eye on her."The bodyguard responded, "Okay."Zach left, but the bodyguard continued monitoring her.At eight in the morning, a hotel staff knocked on the door with a breakfast cart beside her. She said, "Miss, Mr. Jardin ordered breakfast for you. It's here. I'll bring it in for you."Then, a loud sound could be heard. It seemed like something had hit the door.After that, Madelyn's voice was heard from inside the room, "Don't come in. Get lost!"The hotel staff was in a dilemma. She responded, "But Mr. Jardin asked me to watch you while you finish your breakfast."Madelyn's eyes were slightly red. She sat on the bed, covering her ears. She did not want to listen to the voice outside. Then, she ran into the cloakroom and closed the door to bl

The doctor had said, "We found a tumor in your head, which is benign for now. We recommend taking medication to see if it gets smaller. Please return in three months for a check-up. If it grows, surgery might be the next step. Just know that getting treated early often means better results."Today marked the three months since the doctor's warning, and Madelyn was due for her check-up. Yet, shortly before Zach found her, she had gotten the tough news: her brain tumor was getting worse than initially believed.'I thought I had a new beginning. But with Zach always looming, it feels like I'm stuck in the past. What's the point if things are like this?'Feeling the start of a nosebleed, Madelyn quickly took a few pills. She leaned on the wall for balance and went to the bathroom. When Zach showed up, she was already wiping away the blood."Madelyn, open the door! I'll only count to three!"It was unusual for Zach to get this mad. Given who he is, shouting at her was just not his styl

"Ethan, no... Don't go, please." Tears streamed down Madelyn's face as she murmured, clutching the hand she feared she would lose. Engulfed in a nightmare, she saw a frail Ethan lying alone in a hospital bed. She dashed into the room, searching for a doctor, but everything was eerily quiet. Ethan's voice echoed, revealing he was on the brink of death and saying his final goodbye. The pain she felt was piercing. Despite her frantic efforts, she could not get to him. As he faded away and the surroundings dimmed, total darkness overcame her.Zach's cold and intense gaze never left her, his face as tense as a storm building on the horizon.A sharp pang in her chest woke Madelyn. As she sat up quickly, she accidentally tore a page from the book she had been holding. She noticed Zach beside her, his gaze dark and intense. The intensity in his eyes unsettled her, but it faded almost as quickly as she noticed it, leaving her questioning what she saw. Zach reached out, gently tucking stray st

'My father chose Zach as his successor since I wasn't born a boy. Now that Zach's here, I'm just like an afterthought. Thanks to Cecilia, Zach's back in charge of Jardin Corporation. It seems like everyone's path is changing except mine. Going home would mean facing loneliness; I have no family waiting for me there.' Madelyn was swamped with feelings of heartbreak, suffocation, and loss. 'I wish things were easier. No matter how long they're away, most people always have a family to return to.'Zach tried to figure out what she was thinking about so intently. He had always been patient with the Jent family. He could have taken action against Hayson years ago if he had wanted to. But after waiting so long, what was one more day? Distractedly, he played with her hair."You don't need to hurry and grow up. Just rely on me," he said.Madelyn's eyelashes fluttered, but she did not speak. A sharp feeling of pain gripped her heart. Zach had effortlessly defined her destiny, making her feel

Their relationship wasn't clear, but it seemed destiny always intended for Madelyn to be by his side. For the next few weeks, Madelyn did not see Cecilia. It seemed she had left France.Madelyn missed the anniversary of her mother's passing. She had been hiding her illness the entire time she was with Zach. After spending an evening with him, she woke up to find that dusk had set in.Marie Durand, hired by Zach to look after Madelyn, truly cared for her. She could tell that even though Madelyn was beautiful, she was unhappy. Handing Madelyn a shawl, Marie said, "There's a fountain show at the hotel today. It'd be good for you to see. You shouldn't stay in your room forever."Madelyn replied, staring into the darkness, "I've been sick for a while now, Marie. You can go. You don't have to stay here with me.""But Mr. Jardin asked me to be with you.""He'll understand. I just need to be alone for a bit.""Alright. Call me if you need anything. I won't be far."After Marie left, Mad