Chapter 88
Not far away, Madeline suddenly turned around and shouted, “Caleb, deal with it as you see fit, but just avoid any extreme measures.
Madeline didn’t want Benjamin to meet his end that way.
Sometimes, being ruthless wasn’t necessary, and letting him live might be the ultimate form of revenge.
Now, Benjamin’s heart had plummeted to its lowest point, “Madeline, you’re truly ruthless…
any errors?
While he had certainly made his share of mistakes in the past, who could live in this world without making any
He had resolved to change his ways, but it seemed that Madeline was unrelenting in giving him even the smallest chance.
Caleb snorted, then gave the men in the shadows a meaningful glance before turning and walking away.
Benjamin believed he had managed to evade the situation. Yet, as he stood up, a group of burly men began approaching him.
Benjamin’s voice quivered as he spoke. “Don’t come any closer! I’m-”
Those muscular men sneered. “Your identity doesn’t matter to us. Crossing our boss means that even if you were the president, you’ll be stripped to the bone today!”
The doctor was already present when Madeline returned to the living room.
Carrying a small medical kit, he stood respectfully to the side, awaiting her arrival. “Please take a seat, Ms. Larson.”
Hazel brought a small blanket for Madeline and gently covered her legs. “Doctor, could you please check Ms. Larson’s body temperature? Her forehead feels extremely hot.”
While speaking, Hazel sighed softly. She had already changed the blanket in Madeline’s room to a thicker one, but the weather in Acocester was so unpredictable.
The doctor promptly measured Madeline’s temperature and examined the thermometer. It confirmed a reading of 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
He then prescribed medication for treating the cold and fever. Take this medicine three times a day. Make sure to stay warm, and drink plenty of hot fluids.”
Hazel collected the prescribed medicine and Ped to fetch hot water from the kitchen.
Caleb had been observing from a distance and approached only after the others had departed
Gazing at the ailing Madeline, his heart aching, Caleb didn’t say anything for a moment. Then, he softly inquired, “Do you want to take a day off on Monday?”
“No need. It’s just a cold. It’s only Saturday, so who knows, I might recover by tomorrow, Madeline replied softly. She pressed her hand against her forehead, leaned back against the couch, and didn’t seem overly concerned.
“Besides, the new semester has just started. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to take a leave, right?” Madeline added.
“University is different from high school; as long as you accumulate enough credits, it’s fine. Caleb chuckled softly, reaching out to touch her feverish forehead.
His thumb softly grazed her brow bone, eliciting a ticklish sensation.
Madeline wrinkled her nose i
nose in response. That won’t do. You have no idea how much effort it took for me to get into university,” Caleb interpreted Madeline’s words as a reference to the substitution incident, and a shadow of gloom crossed his eyes “It won’t happen again,” he assured her before vowing to himself, “No one w
will ever have th
the chance to mistreat Maddie in the future.
At that moment, Hazel entered with the water and medicine. “Ms. Larson, the water is quite hot. Let it cool down a bit before you drink it with the medicine.
Caleb settled on the edge of the couch.
Sensing his cold demeanor, Madeline teasingly leaned in, resting her head on his lap.
11:31 AM
Chapter 8H
Locking eyes with him, she offered a radiant smile. Til take a little nap. Let me know when the water has cooled down.”
The housekeepers tacitly stepped back and left the room.
Caleb leaned against the couch in silence, his gaze fixed on the steaming glass of water. His hand tenderly caressed her long hair, the touch alternating between moments of contact and release.
“The color of the medicine doesn’t look appealing at all. It must be very bitter,” he mused.
He lowered his gaze, taking in the sight of Madeline’s dark hair cascading behind her like ribbons. There was a chance that it would brush against her face and the nape of her neck.
Her skin appeared supple and had a healthy pink hue. Beneath her jet–black hair, her neck boasted a slender and shapely contour. One could even make out the subtle outline of her aorta beneath the delicate skin.
His thumb rested on her warm neck, and beneath his fingers, he felt the rhythmic throbbing of her heartbeat conveyed through the pulsating veins.
It was a vigorous heartbeat. The depths of Caleb’s profound, icy, and dark eyes shimmered with a glint.
He couldn’t help but entertain the thought… of forever having her as his own.
As drowsiness overcame her, Madeline’s head began to feel heavy. The scent of sandalwood from the rosary beads on Caleb’s wrist wafted toward her, and she slipped into slumber without even realizing it.
Within her dream, she experienced a sensation of something bitter being fed to her.
She let out a faint, uneasy whimper.
Amidst the dream, she caught faint echoes of the person’s comforting words, a tender murmur aimed to soothe her unease. Just a little more. After you finish the medicine, you’ll feel better. You’re doing great, Maddie. You’ll recover soon.”
Madeline fell into a deep slumber. She was feeling feverish all over, and her mind was foggy
Upon waking up, however, she felt much better as the uncomfortable sensation had decreased significantly.
Looking out the window, she noticed that the sky had darkened, and the room was immersed in pitch–black darkness, an eerie stillness enveloping the surroundings.
She didn’t like waking up in the middle of the night, as it often brought about a sense of loneliness.
In her previous life, Madeline often worked overtime on filming. She would often wake up to pitch–black darkness after her naps. The habit of encountering such moments and the resulting emptiness in her heart had become ingrained in her
After a while, she came to the realization that she had fallen asleep on the couch.
She tugged at the blanket covering her and mused, “I suppose Caleb must have carried me back to the room.”
Drenched in sweat, Madeline decided to take a shower and emerged from the bathroom in a bathrobe.
Upon opening the wardrobe, she discovered it was brimming with clothes, an assortment of autumn outfits filling the space.
Madeline blinked before selecting a comfortable long–sleeved dress from the collection. She layered it with a delicate–colored cardigan that accentuated her youthful beauty.
Upon descending the stairs, Hazel noticed Madeline and greeted her promptly, “Ms. Larson, you’re awake. How are you feeling now!” “Much better. Thankfully, the headache is gone, Madeline responded as she held onto the handrail.
“That’s reassuring. The kitchen has prepared some meals for you, but given your recovery, they’ve kept them light and simple, Hazel explained before heading off to fetch the dishes.
Soon, a scrumptious spread was placed on the dining table.
Though simple, it still looked quite appetizing.
Madeline took her seat at the dining table, and Hazel promptly served her a bowl of chicken soup.
“Where are my brothers? Madeline asked.
Chapter 88
“They’re in the study. Mr. Newton intended to find you, but Mr. Simmons advised against disturbing your rest. Nevertheless, Mr. Fisher entered briefly to check on you and wiped your forehead before leaving, Hazel explained.
Hazel chuckled and scratched her head. “Seems like all three of them are quite worried about you. You should eat your meal first and then take your medicine, she advised.
Madeline observed Hazel tending to the flowers and plants as she lowered her head to blow on the spoon before taking a sip of the
soup.
In reality, Madeline’s appetite wasn’t great, but understanding the importance of nourishment for her recovery, she decided to eat.
Just then, footsteps approached from behind, and a hand gently landed on her shoulder, accompanied by a subtle whiff of medicine. “Nolan, would you like to join me?” Without needing to turn around, Madeline recognized Nolan’s presence.
“I’ve already eaten, Nolan replied, pulling out a chair and settling down beside her. His gaze held a deep intensity as he looked at
Madeline
“Do you like the clothes I bought for you?” he asked.
“I do like them. You’re the one who chose these? No wonder they felt more feminine, unlike Gavvy’s usual taste. Madeline smiled. However, her lips seemed a bit pale, giving her smile a fragile appearance due to her illness.
“Caleb and Gavin are occupied with some matters today, Nolan informed her.
“Is… it related to being invited for a ‘chat?” Madeline’s eyes flickered with surprise, realizing that Benjamin’s words had turned out to be
accurate
“A chat? I guess you could say that. The three of us met up at Acocester and caused a bit of a stir, Nolan explained. His slender and masculine fingers held a fork as he plucked a piece of food, offering it to Madeline.
His tone was relaxed, conveying an air of nonchalance. “But they can safeguard their interests all they want. We’re not crossing paths.”
A subtle smile touched the corners of Nolan’s almond eyes, a glint of amusement dancing within them. He maintained his calm demeanor as he spoke. I’ve heard your university life is progressing smoothly. Would you care to fill your brother in?”
