Hayson's voice turned icy as he said, "You either stick around Ventropolis or forget about going to school more. What's the point of college anyway? Sooner or later, you'll just end up getting married. We have a banquet in a few days, and I want you to come with us. Some of my friends are eager to meet you."Madelyn kinda saw that coming. Back when she was around before, Hayson never really respected women. He thought they were just for making babies, and once they were married, they were only good for staying home and looking after their husbands and kids."Father, things are different now," she told him. "I've got some friends, and they all are going overseas for school. You know Serena Smith?"Hayson raised an eyebrow. "Chadwick Smith's daughter?""Yes, Serena mentioned that she's preparing for a foreign language test. She wants to study abroad and settle there permanently, even change her nationality," Madelyn continued. "But Father... compared to that, I just want to go to Lo

Madelyn looked up and smiled, saying, "Not at all. I don't feel the slightest bit disheartened." But deep down, she inwardly mocked him, thinking, 'You totally want my room, so you can make out with Jasmine.'Zach replied, "If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to reach out to me.""Okay," Madelyn acknowledged.Once Zach departed, Madelyn fetched the electric kettle from downstairs and placed it in her room. This way, she wouldn't have to make frequent trips downstairs for a drink of water. It also minimized the chance of encountering Zach and Jasmine.Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and Jasmine had already been staying at the Jent residence for several days. Once Zach recovered and left with Jadie, he hadn't returned. Due to their infrequent visits, Madelyn rarely crossed paths with Jasmine and Hayson within the household. Thus, most of the time, she found herself alone.Madelyn took about a week to recuperate at home before returning to school. As she had anticipated

Another glass went flying out of the room, accompanied by an enraged voice. "Madelyn Jent, shut the fuck up already!"Right before the glass almost hit her, someone pulled Madelyn away. It was Zach, standing next to her. She blurted, "Zach, what are you doing at the hospital?"Zach scanned her up and down. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt?""I'm fine." Madelyn barely got in the room before being kicked out. With Forrest's injuries, he posed no threat to her well-being."Are you feeling unwell?""Not really, just some stomach discomfort, so I decided to come here and have it checked out."Zach furrowed his brow. "Are you here to see Forrest?"Madelyn hesitated briefly before replying, "Bro-Brother... Did you have someone beat up Forrest like that?"Zach's expression darkened. "So, Madelyn thinks I'm that kind of person?"Madelyn thought to herself, 'If it's not Zach, then who could it be? But if it was Zach, he would never hide it. And if it's not him, he certainly won't adm

Madelyn thought to herself, 'He's not so scary. He looks really cute when he smiles.'Ethan reassured her, "You don't need to be afraid anymore. Where are you headed? I can give you a ride."Madelyn wiped away the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "No, thank you. My driver will be here soon."A faint smile graced his lips. "No trouble at all. I'll wait with you. Are you a student at Ventrocloud High School?"Madelyn nodded. "Yes.""Ms. Je— I mean Miss, here's your purse." His butler took the purse from the thug's pocket and handed it over to Madelyn with both hands.Just moments ago, fear had gripped Madelyn so intensely that she had lost track of where the bodyguards had taken those three thugs.Ethan spoke, his voice filled with concern, "Please check your purse to ensure nothing is missing."Madelyn opened her purse and quickly glanced inside. Her ID card and student card remained safely in place. "Everything is here, nothing is missing." She then inquired, "Whe

"Of course not. How could I ever find you annoying when you care about me?" Madelyn tried to reassure Zach.Zach looked at Madelyn's loose clothes. They didn't seem to fit right and were kind of baggy. He hadn't seen her wearing those before, and they even looked like clothes guys would wear. So he asked, "You not wearing your school uniform today?"Madelyn glanced down at her attire, realizing her oversight. "I-I did wear it... But the buttons were broken. I borrowed this outfit from someone else, and I have to return it later.""So, it's a men's outfit?"Madelyn nodded, choosing not to hide the truth. "Yes."Zach chuckled lightly, but there was no trace of emotion in his eyes, even a hint of coldness. "Looks like Madelyn is in love."Madelyn protested, "No... He's just a friend of my classmate."Zach continued, "It's not a problem if you're in a relationship now. It's normal for young people to develop feelings for others during their youth... If you ever encounter any problem