\u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant, Mom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine didn\u2019t know whether to laugh or cry. \u201cI just think it\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
strange. Could the Madeleine from the past have been a\u00a0<\/p>\n
different person?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t know how to explain words like \u201csoul possession\u201d or\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201csoul transmigration\u201d to her mother, so she could only explain it\u00a0<\/p>\n
vaguely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Who knew that Clarissa understood even more than she did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTch, you\u2019re just trying to say your body was taken over, like in\u00a0<\/p>\n
one of those Time Travel genre stories, aren\u2019t you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mom, you even know about this stuff.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course. In the past few years, your mom here has watched\u00a0<\/p>\n
plenty of the novels and TV shows that young people like.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine put her hand to her forehead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 73\u00a0<\/p>\n
It seems the country\u2019s cultural industry has really flourished these past few years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clarissa sighed and said, \u201cI know what you\u2019re thinking, but\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maddie, a mother can still tell if you\u2019re her daughter or not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s eyelid twitched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So what Mom meant was, for the past eight years, I was still\u00a0<\/p>\n
me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Mom, didn\u2019t you say I\u2019ve changed in a lot of ways, like my\u00a0<\/p>\n
tastes and my style\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did change, but\u2026 hmm, how do I say this\u2026 it doesn\u2019t feel\u00a0<\/p>\n
like you changed because you wanted to. It\u2019s hard to explain\u00a0<\/p>\n
over the phone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She heard her dad on the other end, urging her mom to go for a\u00a0<\/p>\n
walk, so her mom quickly told Madeleine not to overthink it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s okay, honey. In a few days, bring Roderick and Kev over for\u00a0<\/p>\n
dinner, and Mom will have a proper chat with you then.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Click. The call ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine clutched her phone, a million questions running\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 73\u00a0<\/p>\n
through her head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What were her parents in such a rush for?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wait, that\u2019s not right. The main reason I called was to ask what\u00a0<\/p>\n
gift to bring for Owen. I didn\u2019t get a single important thing done.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The thought of how that other version of her could be so cruel\u00a0<\/p>\n
to her own parents made Madeleine nervous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maybe I should just try to get out of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll just say I\u2019m not feeling well and have Roderick take the kid by\u00a0<\/p>\n
himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But that really wasn\u2019t Madeleine\u2019s style!\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was desperate to know what exactly had happened over\u00a0<\/p>\n
the past few years, and who that person who existed for eight\u00a0<\/p>\n
years really was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the same time, she also wanted to know who she had hurt\u00a0<\/p>\n
during those years. She had to make it up to them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeleine, oh Madeleine, from now on you\u2019re not a softie,\u00a0<\/p>\n
you\u2019re a piece of peanut brittle!\u00a0<\/p>\n
The kind that can\u2019t be stomped on or crushed!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 73\u00a0<\/p>\n
After changing her clothes and going downstairs, Madeleine\u00a0<\/p>\n
saw Kirsten and Roy carrying some gift boxes out of the house.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine took a look and saw they were all gift sets, with\u00a0<\/p>\n
things like royal jelly, Whiskey, and luxury wellness hampers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ricki was pretty thoughtful, actually remembering to prepare\u00a0<\/p>\n
gifts for his elders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as she was about to go over and say she wanted to\u00a0<\/p>\n
contribute something too, Madeleine heard Kirsten scolding:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, honestly, why didn\u2019t you tell us sooner about such huge\u00a0<\/p>\n
news, that your wife is pregnant?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That way I could have prepared more traditional health\u00a0<\/p>\n
supplements.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine tripped over her own feet and nearly fell flat on her\u00a0<\/p>\n
face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Who!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Who\u2019s pregnant!\u00a0<\/p>\n
?\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick heard the noise and walked over, taking a couple of\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 73\u00a0<\/p>\n
steps to steady Madeleine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAre the shoes uncomfortable?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen it must be the carpet. Kirsten, let\u2019s replace the carpet\u00a0<\/p>\n
tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kirsten agreed and continued tidying up the gift boxes on the\u00a0<\/p>\n
table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine quickly grabbed Roderick. \u201cWho\u2019s pregnant?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s eyes darkened slightly. Before he could speak, the\u00a0<\/p>\n
little guy poked his head over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, Grandma\u2019s pregnant. I\u2019m going to have a little brother\u00a0<\/p>\n
or a little sister.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got the titles wrong.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick tapped Kevin\u2019s head lightly with two fingers. \u201cYou\u00a0<\/p>\n
should call him your uncle or aunt.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s jaw dropped. She raised a hand to support it, afraid\u00a0<\/p>\n
it might dislocate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 73\u00a0<\/p>\n
Holy cow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s mom is pregnant!\u00a0<\/p>\n
?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Is Owen that potent?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wait, that\u2019s not right. Didn\u2019t they get divorced a long time ago?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing the confused and surprised look on Madeleine\u2019s face,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick pulled her aside and said, \u201cMy dad remarried. The new\u00a0<\/p>\n
one is named Diane Miller. Just call her Mrs. Miller.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine finally understood and nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No wonder. So he remarried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis Mrs. Miller\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou stay away from her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s tone was anxious and tense. His eyes flickered, but\u00a0<\/p>\n
he didn\u2019t elaborate..\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was completely baffled for a moment. Isn\u2019t this Mrs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Miller Roderick\u2019s stepmother?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 73\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why would he tell me to stay away from her?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Did they have some kind of history?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine wanted to ask more, but she noticed Roderick\u2019s gaze\u00a0<\/p>\n
was a bit evasive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 74\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 74\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 73 \u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant, Mom.\u201d\u00a0 Madeleine didn\u2019t know whether to […]<\/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-29337","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\/29337","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=29337"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29337\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}