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

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

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

Madelyn caught her breath. Zach helped her into a fresh skirt before carrying her downstairs to eat. Dalton, his face showing signs of healing, played with his spoon as he sat in a kiddie chair. The maids smiled, watching the couple come down the stairs. After Madelyn took her seat beside Zach, a maid swiftly brought over a bowl of chicken soup. Seeing it, Madelyn's face showed a hint of displeasure."You don't like the soup?" Zach asked."It just tastes different from what I'm used to."Understanding her, Zach said, "You don't need to eat it." He signaled to the maid, "Take it away."The maid nodded, replying, "Yes, Mr. Jardin," and promptly removed the bowl.Zach then asked, "Ready to dig in?"Madelyn always took her time eating. Even as a kid, finishing just one plate of food could take her up to half an hour. Her father, Hayson, had a saying: "Stay quiet at the dinner table and bedtime." Because of that, she usually did not chat during meals unless someone spoke to her first.

"Do you remember him?"Madelyn asked, "Did I know him before? Or were we supposed to?"Zach replied, "You don't need to know him. If you see him, just keep your distance; you don't want to be on his radar."Madelyn tried to recall anything about Fred. After Zach carried her to her room, he told Margaret to keep an eye on her and ensure she did not wander around.As Zach came downstairs, a black car pulled up outside the Jardin residence. A man stepped out, his scar over one of his eyes giving him an intimidating look. Snowflakes clung to the badge on his shoulder and his tall boots. The maids were hesitant to approach."Sir, who are you looking for?""I'm looking for the master of the house," a man who appeared to be a prison officer replied.Fred gestured for his deputy to step back, "Where's Zach? I'm a friend of his.""Mr. Jardin is—"Before the maid could finish, Zach interrupted, "Got a lot of free time lately?"Fred's cold eyes met Zach's as he approached, and the maid