Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash 144
Roderick glanced at her and suddenly spoke, his eyes landing
on her red lips.
He might have kissed her a little too hard.
“Lipstick? I’ll go check.”
။
With that, Madeleine turned and went into the restroom in the
lounge.
As soon as she went in, Roderick’s phone rang.
When Madeleine looked in the mirror and saw her lips, her ears
flushed red, and she instantly understood what Gerry had
meant.
“Ricki!
I’m going to kill you!”
Cursing viciously, Madeleine ground her teeth at her reflection.
No, next time, he’s the one who’s going to have swollen lips!
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Of course, she couldn’t put on lipstick when they were this
swollen; it would only make it more obvious.
There was a fridge in the lounge with cold drinks; she grabbed a
bottle, pressed it to her lips, and took a few sips until the
swelling finally went down.
She came out, ready to settle things with Roderick, but found
him on the phone with a very serious expression.
Madeleine assumed it was a work call, and since it was time for
the afternoon shift, she gestured that she was heading back to
her desk.
But Roderick waved her over, telling her to stay.
“Okay, I know. Thanks for your trouble.”
After he hung up, Roderick looked at her, his expression
serious.
“That was Mariah on the phone.”
Madeleine’s eyes lit up. “Is Nanette’s verdict in!
?”
Roderick was silent for two seconds, his voice a little low.
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“The verdict probably won’t come down that quickly, because…
Nanette submitted proof of schizophrenia.”
“What!”
Madeleine shot to her feet, her eyes wide.
“Nanette has schizophrenia!
?”
Roderick nodded.
“Mariah said that as soon as she was in, she contacted a
psychiatric hospital for a second evaluation. If it’s confirmed
she has schizophrenia, the trial will be suspended, and she’ll be
forcibly sent to a medical facility for treatment.”
Madeleine still hadn’t processed what he just said.
She stood there stunned, recalling her few meetings with
Nanette.
A well–dressed, poised psychologist actually had a serious
mental illness herself..
A person like her, with schizophrenia, was actually Kevin’s
psychologist for two years…
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For a moment, all Madeleine could feel was the irony.
Roderick stood up, walked around the desk, and came to her.
“I know what you’re thinking.”
Roderick took her hand. Feeling that Madeleine’s palm was a
little cold, he held it with both of his, as if trying to warm her up.
“It’s my fault. I was careless in who I hired. It has nothing to do
with you, so don’t blame yourself.”
Madeleine shook her head.
“It’s not your fault either.”
She sighed. “Actually, I’ve been reading a lot of psychology
books and materials lately. The more I read, the more I
understand a certain saying.”
“What saying?”
“Genius on the left, madman on the right.”
Seeing her calm tone, Roderick also breathed a sigh of relief
and listened as she continued.
“The profession of a psychologist is like standing on the edge
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of a cliff. Every day, you listen to other people’s pain, repression,
and despair, but you have to stay calm and rational. All those
negative emotions rush in like a tide with no way out.”
Madeleine gave a bitter smile.
“Over time, you either become numb, or you get swallowed up
yourself.”
Roderick listened quietly, gently stroking the back of her hand
with his thumb.
“The ironic thing is, the walls of Nanette’s office are covered
with testimonial plaques from her patients. Thinking about it
now, I wonder if those so–called cures actually helped people, or
if they harmed them…”
Roderick gave Madeleine’s hand a firm squeeze, pulling her
back from her daze.
“Madeleine.”
His voice was steady. “A madman isn’t scary. A lucid madman
or a pathological one when she was counseling people?”
He stroked Madeleine’s pale little face.
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“A person like that doesn’t deserve any sympathy.”
“Of course.”
Madeleine nodded, her eyes showing a bit more resolve.
“I will never sympathize with someone who deliberately hurt my
son. I’m just worried, Roderick, will she escape punishment
because of her mental issues?”
Roderick’s furrowed brow relaxed.
“On that point, we have to trust Mariah.”
Madeleine let out a soft breath.
Right. After all, Mariah had promised them she would make
sure Nanette rotted in prison.
This time, it’s not just prison she’ll be rotting in, but a psychiatric
hospital too.
“Madeleine…”
Roderick seemed to have more to say. He looked down and
squeezed her hand again, as if hesitating.
“What is it?”
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“What were you doing at the psychiatric hospital on the 12th.”
Madeleine’s fingers trembled, her fingertips curling
unconsciously in Roderick’s palm, her breath catching for a
moment.
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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.