\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Miss Bell. My husband\u2019s been waiting a long time for\u00a0<\/p>\n
me, I have to go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeleine\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to get involved in anything related to Edward\u00a0<\/p>\n
anymore. The only person who can save you is you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, she gave a slight nod and turned to leave.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t that she was being heartless. It was just as she\u2019d said:\u00a0<\/p>\n
if Fiona was also being controlled, she could only wake up on\u00a0<\/p>\n
her own.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Walking straight over to Roderick, Madeleine asked him why he\u00a0<\/p>\n
hadn\u2019t gone inside to wait.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was worried you wouldn\u2019t find me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick chuckled. Without asking what they\u2019d talked about, he\u00a0<\/p>\n
naturally put his arm around Madeleine\u2019s waist and they walked inside together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fiona watched their backs as they walked away together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 193\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s hand remained protectively on the small of\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s back. That instinctual, protective gesture felt like\u00a0<\/p>\n
another heavy blow to her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what love is.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ever since Rebecca followed Adrian into the restaurant, she\u2019d\u00a0<\/p>\n
been on edge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Especially since Roderick and Madeleine hadn\u2019t arrived yet, she\u00a0<\/p>\n
felt even more anxious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room was full of people, some of whom she had seen at\u00a0<\/p>\n
other events.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wondered if she would be recognized\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
If she was, wouldn\u2019t all her previous efforts be for nothing?\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, when Adrian turned his head to see if Rebecca was\u00a0<\/p>\n
following, he found she had quietly put on a mask.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian had a gentle smile on his face, and he leaned down\u00a0<\/p>\n
slightly, close to Rebecca\u2019s ear as he spoke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca instinctively shrank back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 193\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thankfully, with the mask and sunglasses, her slight discomfort\u00a0<\/p>\n
wasn\u2019t noticeable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nothing. Someone was just smoking, and I don\u2019t like the\u00a0<\/p>\n
smell.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI see\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian nodded, holding back a laugh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She should at least come up with a better lie; there was a huge\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo Indoor Smoking\u201d sign outside the private dining room door\u00a0<\/p>\n
when they came in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The organizers, not daring to offend anyone, were arranging the\u00a0<\/p>\n
seats according to the status of the important guests.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca felt a little nervous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although it was a medical seminar, in the end, this was a world\u00a0<\/p>\n
run by money.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What if they gave Adrian the cold shoulder?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as Rebecca was secretly wondering if she should call her\u00a0<\/p>\n
assistant to arrange some \u201cspecial treatment,\u201d she saw the head organizer respectfully leading Adrian toward the main\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 193\u00a0<\/p>\n
table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cProfessor Shaw, your seat is right here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca glanced at the table; they were all industry leaders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded slightly in thanks, then said a few more words to the\u00a0<\/p>\n
organizer, the gist of which was to switch the seats so Rebecca\u00a0<\/p>\n
could sit with Mr. Livingston\u2019s wife.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Behind her mask, Rebecca\u2019s mouth couldn\u2019t help but fall slightly\u00a0<\/p>\n
open.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wait\u2026 had she underestimated Adrian?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before long, Madeleine and Roderick arrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While Adrian was talking to someone, Rebecca told Madeleine\u00a0<\/p>\n
about her recent discovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you Adrian is a real gem! I have to poach him. Whether\u00a0<\/p>\n
the Whitman group can break into the top tier of\u00a0<\/p>\n
pharmaceutical companies depends on him!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine stifled a laugh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca was so silly, still thinking he was just an ordinary\u00a0<\/p>\n
professor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 193\u00a0<\/p>\n
Halfway through the business banquet, after a few rounds of\u00a0<\/p>\n
drinks, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few of the bosses were flushed from drinking, their eyes\u00a0<\/p>\n
losing focus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the balding bosses, emboldened by the alcohol, scanned\u00a0<\/p>\n
the table before his gaze finally landed on Rebecca.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis young lady must be Professor Shaw\u2019s student, right?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr. Reid chuckled, picked up a glass and the liquor decanter,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and swayed over to Rebecca\u2019s side. \u201cCome on, have a drink with\u00a0<\/p>\n
your uncle here, liven things up a bit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca froze for a second and glanced down at her outfit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It really did look like something a student would wear\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
She frowned, wondering how to handle it, as Madeleine beside\u00a0<\/p>\n
her also frowned, preparing to turn him down for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr. Reid\u2019s eyes had initially been on Madeleine, but wary of her\u00a0<\/p>\n
being Roderick\u2019s wife, he had quickly looked away and decided\u00a0<\/p>\n
to target Rebecca instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a common flaw in men like him, always looking for a\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 193\u00a0<\/p>\n
young girl to entertain them when they drank.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before Madeleine could speak, Adrian suddenly stood up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, Mr. Reid. My girlfriend is allergic to alcohol. I\u2019ll drink this\u00a0<\/p>\n
one for her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, he threw his head back and downed the Vodka, his\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adam\u2019s apple bobbing as he swallowed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr. Reid finally realized he\u2019d been out of line and quickly forced\u00a0<\/p>\n
a smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, so you\u2019re Professor Shaw\u2019s girlfriend. My mistake, my\u00a0<\/p>\n
mistake.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone at the table looked over, surprised by what Adrian had\u00a0<\/p>\n
just said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian didn\u2019t say anything, he just refilled his glass.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Reid, this one\u2019s for you.\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 `193 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Miss Bell. My husband\u2019s been waiting a long time […]<\/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-29490","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\/29490","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=29490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29490\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}