Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash ` 261
Chapter 261
“Next time, we shouldn’t let them drink so much. Mr. Adler and
Bradley drank quite a bit last night, didn’t they?”
Simon gave a dry laugh from the side. “Yeah, I completely
blacked out.”
“I remember Bradley being a lightweight too. I’m surprised he
managed to make it back to his room.”
“Dr. Kline can hold his liquor a little better than I can.”
“Is that so?”
Madeleine smiled, glancing at Charlotte’s expression.
It was obvious that when she mentioned Bradley, Charlotte’s
eyes darted away for a moment.
“I won’t keep you any longer. Text me when you get there.”
“Okay. You should get back inside, it’s windy out.”
Charlotte waved to Madeleine and got into the car with Simon.
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As the car drove away, Madeleine stood there, stroking her chin.
She felt that beneath Charlotte’s calm expression, there was a
hint of some indescribable… annoyance?
Yes, that was it. The subtle irritation of not wanting to talk
about something but having to remain polite.
Between her and Bradley…
It seemed like another doomed relationship.
After Charlotte left, Bradley finally cheered up. He started
playing a board game with Kevin, and he seemed to be doing
okay.
Madeleine went over and hugged Kevin.
“Kev, are you winning?”
“No.”
Kevin kept a straight face, staring intently at the board.
Bradley grinned, tossing a game piece in his hand and catching it. “Your uncle here is an unbeatable board game master. You’ll have to practice more if you want to beat me.”
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Madeleine was speechless.
Was beating a four–year–old really something to be proud of?
Unconvinced, she held Kevin and played a couple of rounds
against Bradley.
She didn’t know how to play Go, but how could she not know
how to play this board game?
Two games later, Madeleine was utterly defeated.
Alright, she had to admit that Bradley was indeed an expert.
“Geez, you’re no good at this either. Why don’t you call the kid’s
dad over? The three of you can take me on.”
Madeleine pursed her lips, whispered something in Kevin’s ear,
and the little guy nodded and left.
Madeleine rolled up her sleeves.
“One more game.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll let you lose one more time.”
This time, Madeleine played more seriously. She painstakingly
set a trap, waiting for Bradley to fall into it.
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Before he could notice, Madeleine suddenly spoke up:
“Charlotte doesn’t want you anymore.”
Bradley’s hand faltered, and the game piece he was holding
clattered onto the board.
“Madeleine!”
Realizing Madeleine was deliberately trying to mess with his head, Bradley shot her an annoyed glare.
Madeleine giggled, her face full of cunning satisfaction.
“Playing it here, are you?”
She watched the piece that had fallen from Bradley’s hand
bounce twice and land in a nearby spot.
She immediately placed her piece.
“I win.”
Bradley’s face was dark, and he looked furious.
“Oh, come on, why so upset over losing one game?”
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
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“Yep, yep.”
Madeleine nodded, not hiding her thoughts at all.
She pouted and said irritably, “If it weren’t for you, do you think I
would have lost that bet to Rebecca?”
“What bet?”
“About you and Isabella, of course. We bet on whether you two
were a real couple.”
Bradley opened his mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and
down.
“We don’t look like a real couple?”
“Heh.”
Madeleine’s lips twitched into a smirk.
“She seems more interested in my son than in you.”
Bradley: …
He leaned back in his chair, troubled, and didn’t say a word.
From the very beginning, when he asked Isabella to come and
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act the part, Bradley had considered the day he would meet
Charlotte.
He hadn’t thought that much about it at the time.
His mind was filled with the thought that if Charlotte really
found a boyfriend, then he would find one too, just to show her
how well he was doing.
But last night, Charlotte really did show up, and with Simon.
Watching them stand together, that childish thought of revenge
in Bradley’s heart shattered completely, leaving only
embarrassment and frustration.
The alcohol he’d chugged burned his stomach, and even more,
it made his heart pound with panic.
Charlotte didn’t even spare him more than a few glances. That
complete disregard was more painful to him than any mockery.
He knew from that moment that he had lost.
He couldn’t keep up the act. His heart and his eyes were filled with nothing but Charlotte.
“So what?”
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Bradley’s voice was a little hoarse. He stared at the reset
chessboard but didn’t make a move.
“Are you here to laugh at me now?”
The sly smile on Madeleine’s face faded.
She looked at Bradley. His usual playful, devil–may–care attitude
was gone.
Replaced by a rare exhaustion and… disappointment.
C
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.