Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was it good?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine didn\u2019t think so.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She sniffled, her mind racing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, you won\u2019t let me see Mrs. Miller. Is it because she\u00a0<\/p>\n
supports me and Edward being together?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick frowned. \u201cI was never around when you two met\u00a0<\/p>\n
before, but whenever you talked, your feelings for Edward\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
seemed to get deeper.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine nodded. It was just as she had guessed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This whole thing was too strange. She had inexplicably fallen in\u00a0<\/p>\n
love with Edward and done so much for him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And Mrs. Miller, it was as if she was on a mission, insisting on\u00a0<\/p>\n
setting the two of them up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t think about that stuff.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick went from wiping her tears to caressing Madeleine\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
face. His large palm rested on her cheek, and the warmth\u00a0<\/p>\n
inexplicably made Madeleine feel very secure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKev will worry if he comes over and sees this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing about her son, Madeleine finally snapped out of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is he?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the yard, learning Go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine quickly wiped away her snot and tears. \u201cThen I\u2019ll go\u00a0<\/p>\n
see him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had just taken a step when Roderick pulled her back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWha-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick pulled her into a hug, pressing Madeleine forcefully\u00a0<\/p>\n
against his chest, stopping her from making another sound.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMaddie.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s voice came through his chest, sounding muffled and\u00a0<\/p>\n
unreal to Madeleine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He called her Maddie?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
Didn\u2019t he always call her by her full name before?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was a bit dazed by his sudden hug. She placed her\u00a0<\/p>\n
hand on Roderick\u2019s chest and poked his pectoral muscle with\u00a0<\/p>\n
her index finger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t move.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s voice held a hint of restraint and surprise. He\u00a0<\/p>\n
stopped Madeleine\u2019s attempt to struggle, just holding her\u00a0<\/p>\n
tightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a long moment, Roderick released her and returned to his\u00a0<\/p>\n
usual cold demeanor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nothing. Go find Kev.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s hand remained in its previous position, only\u00a0<\/p>\n
dropping after a while.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was it her imagination?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ricki had looked so vulnerable just now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned and walked towards the yard. After just two steps,\u00a0<\/p>\n
she couldn\u2019t help but look back again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick was still standing there, his posture upright, his\u00a0<\/p>\n
features stern, his gaze following her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there something else?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNope, nothing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine shook her head and trotted out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick stared for a long time, and finally, the corners of his mouth lifted into a very faint smile, but it quickly disappeared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When he was hugging Madeleine just now, he really wanted to\u00a0<\/p>\n
say something.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A confession?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sweet nothings?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Anything, as long as it could bring them closer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But when he remembered this was the eighteen\u2013year\u2013old\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine, Roderick held back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tsk, she\u2019s still just a kid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t want to scare her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
Besides, what if the little girl falls for me again?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hmm, it\u2019s not impossible. I could induce\u2026 no, guide her a little,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and maybe I\u2019ll get to the day Madeleine confesses her feelings\u00a0<\/p>\n
to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At that thought, Roderick\u2019s smile grew wider.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine had also learned Go as a child. She wasn\u2019t very good,\u00a0<\/p>\n
just skilled enough to play with a kid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Owen and Roderick were talking in the room. Madeleine was\u00a0<\/p>\n
curious about what they were saying, and being distracted, she\u00a0<\/p>\n
lost several games.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Okay, it wasn\u2019t because she was distracted. It was because\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin was too smart, far beyond Madeleine\u2019s rookie level.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, are you tired?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin was sharp as a tack, worried that Mommy would be\u00a0<\/p>\n
unhappy about losing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not play anymore. I want some fruit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, Mommy will go get some for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine grinned, thinking it was the perfect chance to go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
inside and eavesdrop on what the father and son were talking\u00a0<\/p>\n
about.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To Madeleine\u2019s disappointment, the father and son weren\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
having a personal chat. They were talking about company\u00a0<\/p>\n
business, which she didn\u2019t understand. She grabbed the fruit\u00a0<\/p>\n
platter and was about to head out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as she reached the door, Madeleine saw a woman walk in\u00a0<\/p>\n
from outside, wearing a brown leather jacket, slim\u2013fit pants, and\u00a0<\/p>\n
combat boots, looking incredibly cool.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So cool!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as Madeleine was wondering who this cool woman was,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin waved at her and called out, \u201cAuntie Rebecca~\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s smile froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Auntie Rebecca?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Rebecca from Roderick\u2019s phone!\u00a0<\/p>\n
?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine turned her head, her murderous gaze landing on\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 78\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick, and said darkly, \u201cYou came so obediently.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick: ?\u00a0<\/p>\n
What \u201cobediently\u201c?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca had already noticed Madeleine when she came in. She\u00a0<\/p>\n
glanced over and walked over to pick up Kevin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That kid Roderick said Madeleine was different now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Different?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oh, before she was all dolled up, today she\u2019s just lightly made\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCome here, Maddie, let me hold you. Have you put on some\u00a0<\/p>\n
weight lately?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca smiled as she picked up Kevin, leaned close to his ear,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and asked, \u201cHas your mom hit you recently?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin answered very seriously, \u201cNo, no.\u201d\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 78 Chapter 78\u00a0 Was it good?\u00a0 Madeleine didn\u2019t think so.\u00a0 She sniffled, […]<\/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-29360","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\/29360","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=29360"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29360\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}