More importantly, Madeleine found her a bit familiar, feeling as\u00a0<\/p>\n
if she had seen her somewhere before.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBradley\u2026\u201d the girl called out again as she got closer, her voice\u00a0<\/p>\n
trembling on the verge of tears. \u201cCan we talk, please?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley\u2019s expression instantly froze, turning cold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve told you before, don\u2019t call me that again!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The girl seemed to be breaking down. She touched her own lips\u00a0<\/p>\n
and said urgently, \u201cDidn\u2019t you say my lips didn\u2019t look like hers? I had surgery done. Look, I look like her now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley frowned and took half a step back, his eyes icy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No matter how similar, it still wasn\u2019t her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing Bradley step back, the girl became even more agitated,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and tears streamed from her eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She saw Madeleine next to Bradley, and her hand shot up,\u00a0<\/p>\n
!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 165\u00a0<\/p>\n
trembling as she pointed at her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it because of her?\u00a0<\/p>\n
You\u2019re leaving me because of her, right? But she doesn\u2019t look\u00a0<\/p>\n
like her at all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was only after hearing this that something clicked for\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley\u2019s \u201csister\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He remembered Roderick had shown him a picture of his sister,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and this girl looked a lot like her\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s eyes widened instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What the hell, is that guy Bradley looking for a substitute?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Someone\u2019s been reading too much of the substitute lover trope!\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you, we were already over.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley\u2019s gaze turned completely cold, a total contrast to his\u00a0<\/p>\n
usual playful self.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 165\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tears streamed down the girl\u2019s face as she shook her head,\u00a0<\/p>\n
stubbornly trying to move closer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s not over. You said you wanted me by your side, you let\u00a0<\/p>\n
me call you Bradley\u2026 Don\u2019t you like me even a tiny bit?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley was blunt, his tone calm to the point of being cruel. \u201cI\u00a0<\/p>\n
said this arrangement could end at any time. From the very\u00a0<\/p>\n
beginning, you knew I was just looking for a substitute, and I\u2019ve\u00a0<\/p>\n
already paid you the compensation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want it!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The girl shrieked, tears bursting from her eyes, \u201cYou were so\u00a0<\/p>\n
good to me, how could you not like me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A cruel smile touched Bradley\u2019s lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I liked you, would I have kept my hands off you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The color drained from the girl\u2019s face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI paid, you played a role. We each got what we wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t force you, and I didn\u2019t deceive you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 165\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley said, his tone softening slightly, \u201cYou are your own\u00a0<\/p>\n
person. You shouldn\u2019t get plastic surgery or hurt yourself for\u00a0<\/p>\n
someone else. Just take the money and live your own life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBradley\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The girl looked as if she\u2019d been slapped hard across the face,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and she staggered back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow could you be so cruel?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley frowned slightly, looked at her for a moment, and said\u00a0<\/p>\n
in a deep voice, \u201cI\u2019ll give you more money. Just leave.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I don\u2019t want money. I just want to be with you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She cried out, hysterical.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the one who can be with you forever, Bradley. I don\u2019t mind\u00a0<\/p>\n
being a substitute. I can be a substitute for my whole life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s enough.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley turned his head away, not looking at her, his tone low.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t make such a scene.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As they spoke, Roderick had already driven the car over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 165\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had noticed the scene from a distance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Looking at the girl\u2019s appearance and demeanor, he had already\u00a0<\/p>\n
guessed most of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The car came to a stop, and Roderick got out and walked to\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His powerful and cold presence was impossible for the girl to\u00a0<\/p>\n
ignore, and her crying couldn\u2019t help but stop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick just gave her an indifferent glance and said nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGet in the car.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He reached out and patted Bradley\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watching the three of them get into the car, the girl broke down\u00a0<\/p>\n
even more, her legs gave out, and she knelt on the ground,\u00a0<\/p>\n
covering her face and sobbing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside the car, the atmosphere was heavy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine sat in the passenger seat, turning her head one\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment, then looking at the rearview mirror the next, trying to\u00a0<\/p>\n
check on Bradley\u2019s condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 165\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick kept his eyes on the road and reached out a hand to\u00a0<\/p>\n
turn Madeleine\u2019s head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWatch the road.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine looked confused. \u201cYou\u2019re the one driving. What road\u00a0<\/p>\n
am I supposed to be watching?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick didn\u2019t say anything, giving her a \u201cjust mind your own\u00a0<\/p>\n
business\u201d look.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley closed his eyes to rest in the back seat for a while and\u00a0<\/p>\n
quickly composed himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned forward, resting his hand on the back of the driver\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
seat, and asked, \u201cCan we not eat at that place? I ate there last\u00a0<\/p>\n
time, and it was pretty average. It\u2019s not that I\u2019m being cheap.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick: \u201cMy wife wants to eat there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley rolled his eyes and sat back again.\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 165 More importantly, Madeleine found her a bit familiar, feeling as\u00a0 if […]<\/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-29462","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\/29462","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=29462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29462\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}