Chapter 854

Madelyn lay still, feeling overwhelmed, as morning began to break.

After an intimate night, Zach, who was drenched in sweat, woke up. He gently lifted a drained Madelyn, taking a moment to freshen up in the bathroom. He then returned her to the bedroom to rest. In the dim light, he gazed at her, tracing her face, and whispered, “One day, I’ll make sure you willingly stay by my side. Don’t even think about running away again. This time, it’s just the two of us. No Cecilia. Even if we never have kids.”

The dim room was filled with the echo of Zach’s voice. Madelyn, too tired to fully grasp what he was saying, struggled to keep her eyes open. Eventually, she succumbed to sleep. When she awoke, the clock pointed to noon, and she noticed Dalton was no longer there. She sat up sore and tired, with the marks on her skin hinting at the intensity of the night before.

She was interrupted by a knock, “Ms. Jent, are you awake?” It was Margaret.

Madelyn replied, “Come on in.”

Margaret entered the room, quickly shutting the door against the cold. Seeing Madelyn’s state on the bed, she thought, ‘What happened with Zach for her to end up like this? She was recovering just fine.’

Margaret fetched a warm shawl from the closet and draped it over Madelyn, “He went too far. If you’re feeling off, let me know. We can call a doctor.”

Madelyn shook her head, “No need. Some rest will do. Where’s Dal?”

“Mr. Jardin left early today,” Margaret said. “Dal’s in the nursery. He also mentioned making some chicken soup for you.”

Madelyn was not in the mood to eat, “You can go now; I need more rest.”

Margaret replied with a worried look, “Just tell me if you’re not feeling well. Don’t push yourself.”

Madelyn’s voice was faint, “Okay.”

After Margaret left, Madelyn sat up a bit longer before changing into a long dress with warm leggings.

Then, she headed to Hayson’s study to find photographs of her mother. Dust covered the long-

neglected photos. Sitting on the floor, she cleaned them gently, lost in thought. Just then, a maid burst into the room.

“Mrs. Jardin,” the maid said, “Mr. Jardin mentioned he’ll return for lunch.”

Madelyn gave a brief nod, her attention still on the album. When she glanced up, she saw the steady fall of snow outside, with snowflakes vanishing as soon as they landed.

‘Mom, you endured so much for me here. Now, I get a sense of those heavy days you faced. Yet, my situation is different; I don’t have children, and I’m not bound to stay.’