Chapter 51\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine wanted to pinch the bridge of her own nose.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now she finally understood why her father\u2019s company had\u00a0<\/p>\n
collapsed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With a love\u2013struck daughter like her, how could it not?\u00a0<\/p>\n
If that was the case, the way the four girls treated her all made\u00a0<\/p>\n
sense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After all, according to Gerry\u2019s words earlier, the four handled the\u00a0<\/p>\n
company\u2019s most critical files.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI see.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine nodded, her face dimming, her voice muffled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGo on with your work. I won\u2019t bother you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned back to her own desk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The secretaries exchanged looks, not daring to make a sound.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine stared in the direction of Roderick\u2019s office, a strange\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 51\u00a0<\/p>\n
feeling stirring in her heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick clearly knew about her disgraceful actions in the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So why had he still allowed her to come work here?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was it trust, or was he setting a trap, waiting for her to take the\u00a0<\/p>\n
bait?\u00a0<\/p>\n
She passed the afternoon in questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Gerry came by and gave her some filing tasks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t difficult, and with Madeleine\u2019s quick\u2013witted nature, she\u00a0<\/p>\n
got the hang of it in no time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Livingston Group strictly followed a nine\u2013to\u2013six working\u00a0<\/p>\n
schedule. Employees got off work at six, but those who stayed\u00a0<\/p>\n
until eight received overtime pay, dinner reimbursement, and\u00a0<\/p>\n
cab fare.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Madeleine left, more than half the staff were still\u00a0<\/p>\n
working. The moment she stepped out, the tense secretaries\u00a0<\/p>\n
finally relaxed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUgh, life\u2019s unfair. I wish I could treat work like Mrs. Livingston,\u00a0<\/p>\n
as just a pastime.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 51\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cForget it, we\u2019re just wage slaves.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut don\u2019t you think Mrs. Livingston isn\u2019t as unreasonable as\u00a0<\/p>\n
people say? She seems pretty easygoing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah\u2026 I\u2019m even starting to doubt those rumors that she\u00a0<\/p>\n
stormed in last time and fought with Mr. Livingston.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The four whispered among themselves, unaware of the figure\u00a0<\/p>\n
approaching from behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, a stern female voice rang out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re staying late to gossip?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
All four jumped, scrambling to their feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood evening, Ms. Whitman.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman before them wore a Chanel couture suit. It was low-\u00a0<\/p>\n
key luxury, matched with elegant jewelry, exuding sophistication\u00a0<\/p>\n
from head to toe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was the daughter of a major shareholder and the company\u2019s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing overall\u00a0<\/p>\n
operations and business management. Aside from Roderick, she was the only one with authority over the group\u2019s finances.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 51\u00a0<\/p>\n
But hadn\u2019t Ms. Whitman been away on a business trip? Why\u00a0<\/p>\n
was she suddenly back?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca Whitman\u2019s face was stern, her gaze landing on the\u00a0<\/p>\n
empty desk where Madeleine had been.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Catching on, Teresa quickly said, \u201cMrs. Livingston has already\u00a0<\/p>\n
left for the day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca gave a sharp, cold snort.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo she really did come here just to idle away her time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes narrowed, her voice dropping icily. \u201cYou\u2019re holding the\u00a0<\/p>\n
company\u2019s most important files. Keep your eyes wide open. If I\u00a0<\/p>\n
find out anything leaks from your hands, none of you will keep\u00a0<\/p>\n
your jobs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The warning made all four secretaries flinch. They hurried to\u00a0<\/p>\n
nod frantically.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, Rebecca turned and strode toward Roderick\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had told Roderick that she would come to report to him\u00a0<\/p>\n
right after her trip. When she saw Roderick still waiting for her,\u00a0<\/p>\n
she arched a satisfied brow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 51\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you\u2019d have gone home early with your wife.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her words were sharp and mean, carrying a sense of hostility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick closed the file in front of him, pretending not to notice\u00a0<\/p>\n
the sarcasm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said you had a report. Go on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo rush. I\u2019ve made a written version and sent it to your email.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca pulled out the chair opposite him, narrowed her eyes, and leaned forward suddenly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father knows an astrologer. I think he\u2019s good. Want me to\u00a0<\/p>\n
introduce him to you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou act like you\u2019re possessed. You know perfectly well your\u00a0<\/p>\n
wife betrays you, yet you let her come into the company. I\u00a0<\/p>\n
swear something\u2019s taken over you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s face darkened, his eyes narrowing at her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFine. Then maybe I should sit down with your father and chat\u00a0<\/p>\n
about all of your little secrets.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 51\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s face froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had almost forgotten that Roderick knew every single one\u00a0<\/p>\n
of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She leaned back in her chair, lips curled in a mocking smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, that\u2019s not fair. All these years, while your wife\u00a0<\/p>\n
ignored you, wasn\u2019t I the one blocking all those women outside\u00a0<\/p>\n
for you? Even covering for you with your parents?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s lips curved faintly, but she didn\u2019t continue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rumors had long swirled outside about a rift in the Livingston\u00a0<\/p>\n
marriage. That included not only whispers of Mrs. Livingston\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
infidelity, but also of Mr. Livingston\u2019s questionable relationship\u00a0<\/p>\n
with a board member\u2019s daughter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even within the company, many gossiped that Roderick had a\u00a0<\/p>\n
special connection with Rebecca.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t entirely surprising. Rebecca was capable and sharp,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s deputy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash 51 Chapter 51\u00a0 Madeleine wanted to pinch the bridge of her own […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-heart-surgeons-last-patient-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29314\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}