Now that the main culprit was gone, and with his parents\u00a0<\/p>\n
getting along well, his symptoms would naturally get better.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, can it be just the two of us tonight?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine didn\u2019t get it at first, looking up at Kevin with an\u00a0<\/p>\n
amused expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKev, who taught you about \u2018a world for two\u2018?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI read it in a book.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin was dead serious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA man and a woman, alone together, and it\u2019s really sweet. That\u00a0<\/p>\n
means they\u2019re in a world for two. Isn\u2019t that us?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was stunned by the little guy\u2019s logic, and it took her a\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment before she burst out laughing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Kev, you\u2026 hahahaha, you\u2019re just too cute.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin blinked in confusion. Was he wrong? But that\u2019s what the\u00a0<\/p>\n
book said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 224\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had even double\u2013checked it himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the past two days, he had been alone with his mom. She would take him shopping and out to play, and they were very\u00a0<\/p>\n
sweet together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If this wasn\u2019t a world for two, then what was?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, was I wrong?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, right, whatever my Maddie says is right.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She ruffled the little guy\u2019s hair, glanced at the time, and said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to pick up Aunt Minerva soon, so no world for two\u00a0<\/p>\n
today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAww\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin looked a little disappointed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKev, you can\u2019t be like that. Aunt Minerva is a guest, and we\u00a0<\/p>\n
have to fulfill our host\u2019s duties, understand?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin nodded obediently, but after thinking for a moment, he\u00a0<\/p>\n
couldn\u2019t help but look up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, what are host\u2019s duties?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 224\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine: \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Uh, Kev was too young, so it was normal for him not to\u00a0<\/p>\n
understand some phrases.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After patiently explaining, Madeleine told Kevin that Aunt\u00a0<\/p>\n
Minerva would be staying here for the next two days.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked even more disappointed, but remembering what his\u00a0<\/p>\n
mom said about fulfilling their host\u2019s duties, he forced a smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The reason Minerva was staying at Madeleine\u2019s house for a few\u00a0<\/p>\n
days was simple.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had a competition next week and needed to train\u00a0<\/p>\n
intensively for a few days. The dance studio at her school had\u00a0<\/p>\n
to be rented by the hour and wasn\u2019t as big as the one at\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s house, so she came over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With her competition coming up, Madeleine was nervous too,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and she practiced with her whenever she had free time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so nervous, Madeleine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Minerva collapsed on the floor, exhausted, her forehead\u00a0<\/p>\n
covered in sweat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 224\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine lay down with her, and the two of them stared at the\u00a0<\/p>\n
ceiling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s there to be nervous about? I\u2019ve been in so many\u00a0<\/p>\n
competitions, and I never got nervous.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Minerva turned her head, a look of surprise on her face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine chuckled. \u201cOf course I\u2019m kidding. How could I not be\u00a0<\/p>\n
nervous? But being nervous doesn\u2019t help. Once you\u2019re on stage,\u00a0<\/p>\n
you can only dance your best when you\u2019re natural and relaxed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Minerva thought about it and nodded, feeling that Madeleine had a point.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a moment, she asked again, \u201cMadeleine, you\u2019ve been in so\u00a0<\/p>\n
many competitions, which one left the deepest impression on\u00a0<\/p>\n
you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe deepest impression\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine closed her eyes and thought for a moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was probably a competition during my sophomore year of\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 224\u00a0<\/p>\n
high school.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy was it so memorable? Did you not perform well?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine shook her head. \u201cNo, I practiced day and night for a\u00a0<\/p>\n
long time, won first place, and successfully represented the city\u00a0<\/p>\n
in the national competition.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing this, Minerva\u2019s eyes lit up. She rolled over, propping\u00a0<\/p>\n
herself up on her elbows to look at Madeleine with admiration.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, Madeleine, you\u2019re amazing! The dance you did that day\u00a0<\/p>\n
must have been incredible for you to remember it for so long!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine smiled but didn\u2019t say anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about the national competition later?\u00a0<\/p>\n
How did you do in the nationals?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was silent, not saying a word.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t want to tell Minerva about it, how she was framed for\u00a0<\/p>\n
her family bribing their way to first place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The whole thing hit her pretty hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 224\u00a0<\/p>\n
putting on its shoes. She was so stressed she got a fever and didn\u2019t even compete in the nationals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Especially\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
when she saw Roderick comforting her rival, Leona Harmon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That incident is still a sore spot for her, and sometimes\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine wants to ask Roderick about it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then she\u2019d reconsider. Maybe Roderick didn\u2019t know the\u00a0<\/p>\n
situation back then: He probably thought Leona was the victim,\u00a0<\/p>\n
so it was understandable for him to comfort her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After all, their relationship wasn\u2019t that strong back then\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSigh\u2026 let\u2019s not talk about this anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine sat up and patted Minerva\u2019s arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go again. The competition is the day after tomorrow. You have to use every single second to practice these next few\u00a0<\/p>\n
days. I\u2019ll be here with you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 225\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 ` 224 Now that the main culprit was gone, and with his […]<\/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-29521","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\/29521","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=29521"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29521\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}