Chapter 336\u00a0<\/p>\n
His hand was large with well\u2013defined knuckles. It was usually\u00a0<\/p>\n
warm and strong, but now it felt a little cold. .\u00a0<\/p>\n
She pressed his hand against her cheek, trying to warm it with\u00a0<\/p>\n
her own body heat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRoderick.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She called his name in a low voice, as soft as a whisper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBradley said you\u2019re just too tired and a good sleep will fix it. So\u00a0<\/p>\n
sleep well. I\u2019ll be right here with you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She rambled on for a bit, about how Kevin was being good, how\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mrs. Miller\u2019s condition was stable, and how he didn\u2019t need to\u00a0<\/p>\n
worry about the company with Gerry looking after it\u2026 Her voice\u00a0<\/p>\n
gradually faded as she went on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The constant mental stress and emotional roller coaster had\u00a0<\/p>\n
left Madeleine utterly exhausted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had only planned to rest by his bedside for a bit, but an\u00a0<\/p>\n
overwhelming sleepiness washed over her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She gently rested her head on her folded arms, her cheek\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 336\u00a0<\/p>\n
against the back of Roderick\u2019s hand, feeling the faint beat of his\u00a0<\/p>\n
pulse, a rhythm that seemed to have a reassuring magic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and finally, she fell into a\u00a0<\/p>\n
deep sleep.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In her drowsy sleep, she felt as if she had fallen into a sun-\u00a0<\/p>\n
drenched afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The noisy chirping of cicadas filled her ears, and the air was\u00a0<\/p>\n
thick with the sweet scent of gardenias and\u2026 a faint, familiar\u00a0<\/p>\n
smell of disinfectant?\u00a0<\/p>\n
No, that smell was quickly overpowered by the scent of fresh\u00a0<\/p>\n
grass on campus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked down and saw she was actually wearing that ugly\u00a0<\/p>\n
standardized school uniform, clutching a slightly wrinkled SAT\u00a0<\/p>\n
admission ticket, damp with sweat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Around her were classmates cheering, jumping for joy, and\u00a0<\/p>\n
throwing their textbooks at each other to celebrate their\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cliberation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wait, this scene\u2026 is this the day the SATS ended?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The setting sun was warm, and a gentle breeze carried the\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 336\u00a0<\/p>\n
smell of the rubber track and youthful sweat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was hunched over the freezer at the school tuck\u00a0<\/p>\n
shop, torn between an Old\u2013Fashioned Popsicle and a Mung\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bean Popsicle. Her family didn\u2019t let her eat these things, so she\u00a0<\/p>\n
always finished them at school before going home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Someone gave the back of her collar a light tug.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTsk, taking this long to choose? Can\u2019t make a choice to save\u00a0<\/p>\n
your life?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t need to turn around. From that punchable tone alone,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine knew it was Roderick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She irritably slapped his hand away. \u201cNone of your business! Go\u00a0<\/p>\n
eat your own thing!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick was holding a cold, sweating bottle of soda. He hadn\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
drunk any, just leaned against the adjacent freezer, his eyes\u00a0<\/p>\n
fixed on the back of her head while his mouth kept running:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at you. Trying to figure out the secrets of the universe\u00a0<\/p>\n
from a popsicle?\u00a0<\/p>\n
You\u2019re so slow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 336\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine finally chose the Mung Bean Popsicle, paid, tore\u00a0<\/p>\n
open the wrapper, and took a huge bite. The cold made her\u00a0<\/p>\n
teeth ache, and only then did she glare at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRicki, if you\u2019ve got nothing better to do, go help sweep the\u00a0<\/p>\n
streets. Why come over here and personally attack me out of\u00a0<\/p>\n
boredom?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick didn\u2019t answer. His gaze swept over the corner of her mouth, which had a smudge of green mung bean, before\u00a0<\/p>\n
quickly looking away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The tips of his ears turned an almost imperceptible shade of\u00a0<\/p>\n
red.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He twisted open the soda cap, held it out to her, his tone still\u00a0<\/p>\n
stiff. \u201cHere. It\u2019s for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine stared at the soda offered to her, stunned for a\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Did the sun rise in the west?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her arch\u2013nemesis was offering her a drink?\u00a0<\/p>\n
She watched him warily. \u201cWhat\u2019s this for?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 336\u00a0<\/p>\n
Is it poisoned?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick almost crushed the soda bottle, gritting his teeth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeleine, what the hell goes on in that head of yours?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Take it or leave it!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what he said, but he didn\u2019t pull his hand back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine took it dubiously and had a small sip. It was cold,\u00a0<\/p>\n
sweet, and refreshing\u2013definitely thirst\u2013quenching.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She licked her lips and decided to let his attitude slide for now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The two of them walked side\u2013by\u2013side down the tree\u2013lined path,\u00a0<\/p>\n
silent for a moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a subtle awkwardness in the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Usually by this time, they would have been arguing nonstop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick cleared his throat, staring straight ahead, and spoke\u00a0<\/p>\n
as if it were a casual thought. \u201cHey, Madeleine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine mumbled in reply, still nibbling on her popsicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 336\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2026 are you applying for college?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He asked a bit stiffly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHmm?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I haven\u2019t really decided yet. Probably Harvard University or\u00a0<\/p>\n
Massachusetts Institute of Technology here in the city. My\u00a0<\/p>\n
scores should be high enough for either.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine said honestly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick replied, then fell silent for a few seconds before\u00a0<\/p>\n
suddenly blurting out, \u201cThe cafeteria at Massachusetts Institute\u00a0<\/p>\n
of Technology\u2026 I heard it\u2019s pretty bad.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 337\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 337\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 ` 336 Chapter 336\u00a0 His hand was large with well\u2013defined knuckles. It […]<\/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-29633","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\/29633","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=29633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29633\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}