Roderick glanced at her and suddenly spoke, his eyes landing\u00a0<\/p>\n
on her red lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He might have kissed her a little too hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLipstick? I\u2019ll go check.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u104b\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, Madeleine turned and went into the restroom in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
lounge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As soon as she went in, Roderick\u2019s phone rang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Madeleine looked in the mirror and saw her lips, her ears\u00a0<\/p>\n
flushed red, and she instantly understood what Gerry had\u00a0<\/p>\n
meant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRicki!\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m going to kill you!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cursing viciously, Madeleine ground her teeth at her reflection.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No, next time, he\u2019s the one who\u2019s going to have swollen lips!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 144\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, she couldn\u2019t put on lipstick when they were this\u00a0<\/p>\n
swollen; it would only make it more obvious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a fridge in the lounge with cold drinks; she grabbed a\u00a0<\/p>\n
bottle, pressed it to her lips, and took a few sips until the\u00a0<\/p>\n
swelling finally went down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She came out, ready to settle things with Roderick, but found\u00a0<\/p>\n
him on the phone with a very serious expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine assumed it was a work call, and since it was time for\u00a0<\/p>\n
the afternoon shift, she gestured that she was heading back to\u00a0<\/p>\n
her desk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Roderick waved her over, telling her to stay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, I know. Thanks for your trouble.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After he hung up, Roderick looked at her, his expression\u00a0<\/p>\n
serious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was Mariah on the phone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s eyes lit up. \u201cIs Nanette\u2019s verdict in!\u00a0<\/p>\n
?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick was silent for two seconds, his voice a little low.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 144\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe verdict probably won\u2019t come down that quickly, because\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nanette submitted proof of schizophrenia.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine shot to her feet, her eyes wide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNanette has schizophrenia!\u00a0<\/p>\n
?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMariah said that as soon as she was in, she contacted a\u00a0<\/p>\n
psychiatric hospital for a second evaluation. If it\u2019s confirmed\u00a0<\/p>\n
she has schizophrenia, the trial will be suspended, and she\u2019ll be\u00a0<\/p>\n
forcibly sent to a medical facility for treatment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine still hadn\u2019t processed what he just said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She stood there stunned, recalling her few meetings with\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nanette.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A well\u2013dressed, poised psychologist actually had a serious\u00a0<\/p>\n
mental illness herself..\u00a0<\/p>\n
A person like her, with schizophrenia, was actually Kevin\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
psychologist for two years\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 144\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, all Madeleine could feel was the irony.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick stood up, walked around the desk, and came to her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know what you\u2019re thinking.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick took her hand. Feeling that Madeleine\u2019s palm was a\u00a0<\/p>\n
little cold, he held it with both of his, as if trying to warm her up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my fault. I was careless in who I hired. It has nothing to do\u00a0<\/p>\n
with you, so don\u2019t blame yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine shook her head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not your fault either.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She sighed. \u201cActually, I\u2019ve been reading a lot of psychology\u00a0<\/p>\n
books and materials lately. The more I read, the more I\u00a0<\/p>\n
understand a certain saying.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat saying?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGenius on the left, madman on the right.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her calm tone, Roderick also breathed a sigh of relief\u00a0<\/p>\n
and listened as she continued.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe profession of a psychologist is like standing on the edge\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 144\u00a0<\/p>\n
of a cliff. Every day, you listen to other people\u2019s pain, repression,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and despair, but you have to stay calm and rational. All those\u00a0<\/p>\n
negative emotions rush in like a tide with no way out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine gave a bitter smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOver time, you either become numb, or you get swallowed up\u00a0<\/p>\n
yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick listened quietly, gently stroking the back of her hand\u00a0<\/p>\n
with his thumb.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ironic thing is, the walls of Nanette\u2019s office are covered\u00a0<\/p>\n
with testimonial plaques from her patients. Thinking about it\u00a0<\/p>\n
now, I wonder if those so\u2013called cures actually helped people, or\u00a0<\/p>\n
if they harmed them\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick gave Madeleine\u2019s hand a firm squeeze, pulling her\u00a0<\/p>\n
back from her daze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeleine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice was steady. \u201cA madman isn\u2019t scary. A lucid madman\u00a0<\/p>\n
or a pathological one when she was counseling people?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stroked Madeleine\u2019s pale little face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 144\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA person like that doesn\u2019t deserve any sympathy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine nodded, her eyes showing a bit more resolve.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI will never sympathize with someone who deliberately hurt my\u00a0<\/p>\n
son. I\u2019m just worried, Roderick, will she escape punishment\u00a0<\/p>\n
because of her mental issues?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s furrowed brow relaxed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOn that point, we have to trust Mariah.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine let out a soft breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Right. After all, Mariah had promised them she would make\u00a0<\/p>\n
sure Nanette rotted in prison.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This time, it\u2019s not just prison she\u2019ll be rotting in, but a psychiatric\u00a0<\/p>\n
hospital too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeleine\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick seemed to have more to say. He looked down and\u00a0<\/p>\n
squeezed her hand again, as if hesitating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 144\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat were you doing at the psychiatric hospital on the 12th.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s fingers trembled, her fingertips curling\u00a0<\/p>\n
unconsciously in Roderick\u2019s palm, her breath catching for a\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 145\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 145\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 144 Roderick glanced at her and suddenly spoke, his eyes landing\u00a0 on […]<\/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-29441","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\/29441","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=29441"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29441\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}