Chapter 197\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca felt defeated. She could only look away and admit,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I have other motives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou approached me for that motive at first, but what about\u00a0<\/p>\n
now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, aside from that motive, you contact me every day, see\u00a0<\/p>\n
me every few days\u2026 is there a personal reason for it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The air in the underground garage seemed to freeze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest,\u00a0<\/p>\n
her fingertips unconsciously digging into her palms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So\u2026 he knew all along?\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knew who she was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knew why she had approached him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But he knew everything, so why did he still let her get close?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 197\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian, what are you really thinking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In just a few seconds, the smile on Adrian\u2019s face slowly faded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He smiled bitterly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca, is the question really that hard to answer?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026..\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca avoided his gaze, her voice a little tight, \u201cI\u2019m very\u00a0<\/p>\n
sorry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The last trace of his bitter smile finally disappeared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI get it. Just pretend I didn\u2019t say anything. You\u2019re still Eleanor.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBe careful on your way home. Text me when you get home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s figure disappeared into the elevator.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca stared blankly. She didn\u2019t know how much time had\u00a0<\/p>\n
passed, but her feet were starting to go numb.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Taking a deep breath, Rebecca pulled open the car door and\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 197\u00a0<\/p>\n
got in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t start the car, just sat there in the quiet cabin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The air seemed to still hold Adrian\u2019s scent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While she was lost in thought, Rebecca\u2019s phone rang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a call from Madeleine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, Rebecca~ Did you get Professor Shaw home? Did\u00a0<\/p>\n
anything happen?\u201c.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s bright voice finally brought Rebecca back to her\u00a0<\/p>\n
senses a little.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t know what to say, so she just mumbled a reply.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Somehow, Madeleine on the other end could tell something\u00a0<\/p>\n
was wrong and anxiously asked Rebecca what had happened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She pressed her fingers to her temples.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeleine, I think I screwed things up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 197\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine had just gotten out of the shower, her hair not even\u00a0<\/p>\n
dry yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick, who had been reading in bed, heard her talking in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
bathroom. Guessing her hair was still wet, he got up and walked\u00a0<\/p>\n
over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He grabbed a dry towel from nearby and gently started dabbing\u00a0<\/p>\n
the water from her hair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine pointed a finger at her phone, mouthed \u2018It\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca,\u2019 and then put it on speaker.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s heavy voice came from the other end.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems Adrian has known who I am all along, and why I was\u00a0<\/p>\n
getting close to him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s eyes widened in surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked up at Roderick, but he didn\u2019t seem too surprised.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cH\u2013how could that be? Did he call you out on it?\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t do anything to you, did he?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s heart tightened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 197\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even though Rebecca can fight, she\u2019s still a girl. What if\u00a0<\/p>\n
someone took advantage of her?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca was still feeling down, but she couldn\u2019t help but laugh\u00a0<\/p>\n
when she heard Madeleine\u2019s words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat could he do to me? Adrian isn\u2019t a bad person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After saying that, she sighed again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI just feel like I\u2019ve wasted so much time. It was all for nothing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t say that\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019m fine. I\u2019m heading back now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After hanging up, Madeleine was even more worried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned and looked up at Roderick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca\u2019s tone sounded a little off to me. Is she really okay?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick didn\u2019t stop drying her hair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s not the type to let herself be taken advantage of. She\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
probably just a bit shaken that her plan failed. And\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He paused, a mysterious look on his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 197\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAdrian definitely said something else to her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Knowing Rebecca, Roderick figured her tone wouldn\u2019t normally\u00a0<\/p>\n
be like this. She\u2019d just be complaining about wasting time she\u00a0<\/p>\n
could have been using to make money.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was already worried, and Roderick\u2019s analysis made\u00a0<\/p>\n
her even more restless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I have to go find Rebecca.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous. What are you going to do this late at night?\u00a0<\/p>\n
If she was really in trouble, she would have said so.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As he spoke, Roderick tapped Madeleine\u2019s forehead with his\u00a0<\/p>\n
index finger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBesides, didn\u2019t we say you were going to spend time with Kevin\u00a0<\/p>\n
tonight?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, right. Did he come over after his shower?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick went to get the hair dryer and replied, \u201cHe\u2019s already\u00a0<\/p>\n
showered. He\u2019s outside the door now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 197\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOutside the door?\u00a0<\/p>\n
What\u2019s he doing out there?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick said coolly, \u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe he likes playing in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
hallway.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The truth is, Kevin had arrived a few minutes ago while\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was still in the shower.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But before he could even get in the door, Roderick sent him\u00a0<\/p>\n
back out, ordering him to wait fifteen minutes before coming in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fifteen minutes\u2026\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 `197 Chapter 197\u00a0 Rebecca felt defeated. She could only look away and […]<\/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-29494","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\/29494","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=29494"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29494\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}