Chapter 243\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded to herself. \u201cBased on my experience from all the TV\u00a0<\/p>\n
shows and novels I\u2019ve watched, yep, it must be like that!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca scoffed and shook her head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was confused. \u201cWhy?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have zero romantic chemistry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca said bluntly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She narrowed her eyes, like a sly cat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t believe me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow about we make a bet?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine glanced over again, confused. Isabella was cute, and the eye contact she just had with Bradley was pretty sweet to\u00a0<\/p>\n
watch. It felt\u2026 like it should be just as she thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 243\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBet on what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s bet on whether they\u2019re a couple or not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI say they\u2019re not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you lose\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She leaned closer to Madeleine, a cunning smile on her face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNext month, for the new collection fashion shows from the big\u00a0<\/p>\n
brands, you\u2019ll pay for whatever I want.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine raised an eyebrow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if you lose?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cName your price.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca shrugged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDeal!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine held out her hand, and they high\u2013fived to seal the\u00a0<\/p>\n
deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Right after the high\u2013five, Madeleine realized something was off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What did Roderick say last night? He said if they were going to\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 243\u00a0<\/p>\n
watch the drama unfold, they should go for the big story, so he\u00a0<\/p>\n
also invited Bradley\u2019s sister over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Crap!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine shot up from the swing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fuck!\u00a0<\/p>\n
How could she have almost forgotten, Bradley has a sister\u00a0<\/p>\n
complex!\u00a0<\/p>\n
After sitting for a while, the butler asked about their plans for\u00a0<\/p>\n
the afternoon. Madeleine wanted to try having a barbecue, so\u00a0<\/p>\n
the butler immediately arranged for a grill and ingredients.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember our high school organized a barbecue trip once, do\u00a0<\/p>\n
you guys remember?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine brushed oil on the BBQ skewers and asked Roderick\u00a0<\/p>\n
and Bradley excitedly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They both nodded, but Roderick didn\u2019t look too happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember. You kicked me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 243\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s hands stopped, her eyes widening. \u201cWhen did I\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can vouch for it, you definitely kicked him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley was holding back a laugh on the side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was there too, I saw it with my own eyes. After you kicked\u00a0<\/p>\n
him, Roderick took a big fall, and by the time he got up, you had\u00a0<\/p>\n
already run off.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine blinked a couple of times as the memory came back,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and she couldn\u2019t help but burst out laughing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember now!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes sparkled with a bit of mischief. \u201cIt was a special\u00a0<\/p>\n
situation!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She explained while flipping the BBQ skewers, trying hard to\u00a0<\/p>\n
hold back her laughter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were split into groups to find firewood that day, right? You\u00a0<\/p>\n
two weren\u2019t far from me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI happened to see a snake, coiled in the grass right behind you, flicking its tongue out, really close to your leg!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine made a gesture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 243\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was scared stiff. I wanted to shout, but I was afraid of\u00a0<\/p>\n
startling the snake. What if it bit you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She glanced at Roderick and puffed out her chest, looking\u00a0<\/p>\n
completely justified.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPushing you with my hands would\u2019ve been too slow!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the heat of the moment, I just\u2026 I just sent you flying with a\u00a0<\/p>\n
kick!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSee? It worked great!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The more she spoke, the more she felt she was right. \u201cThe\u00a0<\/p>\n
snake got scared off, and you were safe!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley was bent over laughing beside them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s right!\u00a0<\/p>\n
It worked great!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick was on the ground, stunned for a while. He thought you\u2019d suddenly gone crazy and were trying to murder him!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick picked up a skewer of grilled mushrooms, his face\u00a0<\/p>\n
expressionless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 243\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m supposed to thank you for that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine sidled up to him with a grin, holding a freshly grilled,\u00a0<\/p>\n
sizzling chicken wing to his lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, come on, that\u2019s ancient history!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Try this. It\u2019s my apology!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were mortal enemies back then. How could I just warn\u00a0<\/p>\n
you? That would\u2019ve been so embarrassing!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick looked at her ingratiating smile, then at the chicken\u00a0<\/p>\n
wing offered to his lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the end, he lowered his head and took a bite.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not bad.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
he commented lightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine immediately beamed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley started teasing from the side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoa, is that all it takes to win you over?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick, you have no principles!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 243\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick shot him a look.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStill better than some people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their eyes met, and Bradley instantly realized he was talking about him and Charlotte. He was immediately choked up and\u00a0<\/p>\n
couldn\u2019t say a word.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tsk\u2026 This guy really knows how to hit where it hurts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine\u2019s enthusiasm came and went quickly. After grilling a few skewers to fill herself up, she said she couldn\u2019t stand the\u00a0<\/p>\n
greasy smoke anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca, want to go for a walk outside?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca went to wash her hands and asked Isabella if she\u00a0<\/p>\n
wanted to join.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was getting a buzz from a card game with Kevin and politely declined.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 244\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 ` 243 Chapter 243\u00a0 She nodded to herself. \u201cBased on my experience […]<\/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-29540","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\/29540","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=29540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29540\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}