Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash 23
Chapter 23
She sent a restaurant address, and Madeleine’s jaw dropped when she saw it.
The place was fancy, and a single dinner there could easily run into tens of thousands.
Madeleine thought about checking on Kevin’s therapy session but decided against interrupting.
Standing outside his room, she could only make out the soft, soothing voice of a woman through the door’s thick insulation.
“Guess I’ll deal with it later,” she muttered, turning away.
***
She was about to call a cab. But when Kirsten spotted her
heading out, she said, “Mrs. Livingston, let me get the driver for
you.”
“Driver? Didn’t he take Roderick to the office?” Madeleine asked,
confused.
Kirsten hesitated, her voice timid. “Mr. Livingston assigned you
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a driver. Mathew’s back–he was discharged yesterday.”
“Really?” Madeleine’s eyes lit up, a grin tugging at her lips. “Well,
props to Ricki for thinking of me.”
Her memory was still stuck at eighteen, when she had just
gotten her license and had barely driven at all.
“Wait. Discharged?” She caught Kirsten’s earlier words, turning
back. “Was he sick?”
Kirsten and Meagan, who’d been passing by, exchanged a
glance.
Their eyes held a strange mix of confusion, wariness, and
something like fear.
When neither spoke, Madeleine played up a wince, pressing her fingers to her temple.
“You know, I bumped my head a few days ago. Everything before that’s a bit… fuzzy.”
Kirsten and Meagan visibly relaxed, their tension melting.
No wonder she’d been acting so strange–she’d forgotten everything.
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“Mathew was in the hospital because…” Kirsten started, but Meagan grabbed her arm, cutting her off with a forced smile.
“Mathew’s getting up there in age,” Meagan said smoothly.
“Health issues come with the territory. Nothing to worry about,
Mrs. Livingston.”
Madeleine could tell they were holding back, but she didn’t
push. She changed into fresh clothes and headed out.
As soon as she left, Kirsten turned to Meagan, baffled.
“Why’d you stop me?”
Meagan scoffed. “What, you really buy that she ‘forgot‘
everything? Don’t be so naive. She’s probably fishing for dirt. Even if she’s blank now, what happens when her memory
comes back? If she gets mad, we’re done for.”
Her eyes narrowed, her voice dropping. “You haven’t forgotten how Mathew ended up in the hospital, have you?”
Kirsten shuddered, clapping a hand to her chest.
“Oh, you are right… Thank God you stopped me.”
In the car, Madeleine leaned forward, noticing the bandage on
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driver Mathew Bryant’s forehead.
“Mathew?” she said softly.
Mathew Bryant stiffened at her voice.
“Yes, Mrs. Livingston?”
“What happened to your head?”
Mathew’s eyes widened with panic, his hands trembling on the
steering wheel, his fear palpable.
Madeleine sighed inwardly. Whatever happened, she was
clearly at the center of it.
She reached out, giving his shoulder a gentle pat. “Never mind,
don’t worry about it. Let’s just go.”
She gave him the address and turned to the window, pretending
to be absorbed in the passing scenery.
Mathew’s heart was still racing. For a moment, he’d thought she
was displeased and was about to silence him for good.
On the way, Madeleine texted Roderick and finally pieced
together what happened to Mathew.
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Two weeks ago, Roderick had asked Mathew to keep tabs on
her. Desperate to meet Edward, she’d stepped in front of
Mathew’s car to stop him.
Panicked, Mathew swerved to avoid hitting her, crashing into a
tree.
The multimillion–dollar car was nearly totaled, and Mathew
thought his career–and maybe his life–was over.
Roderick, to his credit, handled it fairly. He knew it was
Madeleine’s fault and covered Mathew’s medical bills, urging
him to focus on recovery.
Grateful for Roderick’s kindness, Mathew returned to work the
moment he was discharged.
When Madeleine asked about his injury, he’d braced for a
repeat of that nightmare.
Slumped in the back seat, Madeleine let out a heavy sigh.
The past few years, she’d really made a mess of things.
Mathew drove smoothly, delivering her to the restaurant in no
time.
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Mary had arrived first and texted that she’d secured a table.
“Maddie! Over here!”
Mary’s voice rang out as Madeleine stepped inside, her hand
waving enthusiastically from a window table.*
True to form, Mary was decked out in designer gear, her hair
perfectly styled, every detail polished to perfection.
Madeleine studied her, a quiet astonishment blooming in her
chest.
Mary looked… different from high school.
She’d seen Mary’s Instagram and chalked it up to filters or
editing apps.
But now, seeing her in person, she realized the change was real.
“Your eyes–are they bigger? And your nose, it’s so… refined,”
Madeleine said, squinting. “Mary, I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Madeleine!”
Mary’s eyes widened in panic, darting around before she tugged
Madeleine into a seat.
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“I told you, don’t call me that–it’s so tacky. It’s Leticia Sampson
now.”
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.