Chapter 1139

Jeremy’s sudden seriousness had Madeline feeling a little nervous.

“What’s wrong, Jeremy?”

“Ryan must’ve told you about me joining the IBCI, right, Linnie?” he asked.

Madeline nodded, her eyes swirling in heartache for him. “He told me how you went undercover to put Lana behind bars.”

“Then did he tell you what my conditions for working with the IBCI were?” Jeremy’s gentle gaze fell on Madeline’s small face.

That was something Madeline did not know.

She replied frankly, “He didn’t tell me.”

“Of course not.” A smudge of self-deprecating scoff appeared on Jeremy’s chiseled features.

“Jeremy?”

“I had just found out the situation I was in when they first found me. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to protect you or take care of you again, so I demanded that the IBCI provide full protection over you and the kids. Especially considering how Lana Johnson has no baselines.

“That was my condition for joining the IBCI.”

Madeline’s eyes immediately reddened as she heard him explain.

He had indeed done all of that for her.

All while she hated him for being with Lana.

She knew he had his reasons, but this was not the truth she expected.

Seeing Madeline’s self-blame and distress, Jeremy reached out to caress her cheek lovingly.

“I don’t regret the choice I made, but I never expected their protection to come in the form of you marrying Ryan.”

He chuckled ironically.

“I had to watch the woman I love the most put on a wedding dress for another man while pretending that none of it mattered to me.”

He stared at her with tears in his eyes. “Do you know what it feels like to have your heart split open and riddled with holes, Linnie? Because I think what I felt at that moment might just have been it.”

Madeline could no longer hold her emotions back.

Holding onto him, she hid her head in the crook of his neck and wept. “I’m so sorry, Jeremy.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. As long as you’re safe, it’s all worth it.”

He patted the back of her head in gentle comfort.

“I thought that death was imminent and Ryan just so happened to appear then. I did a background check on him and found out he was clean. I hoped that he would be able to give you the happiness that I couldn’t anymore.”

Madeline felt her heart breaking. “No one else can give me happiness on your behalf, Jeremy. You’re unique, one of a kind.”

Jeremy’s smile warmed at her words.

“It was when I decided to leave Glendale that I found out how Ryan was also from the IBCI and of high position as well. He sure hid it well…” Jeremy’s gaze shifted as he spoke.

He could not delve deep into details with Madeline, and at that moment, his only goal was to get rid of the marriage status between Madeline and Ryan.

She was his wife.

Only his wife.

With her emotions calmed, Madeline’s heart still throbbed faintly in her chest at the knowledge of how much Jeremy had done for her without her knowing.

She did not want to worry the man anymore, nor did she want to drag on the matter of the divorce. As such, she went to look for Ryan.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones were out, and Madeline made her way to Ryan’s study.

The man was sitting on the balcony, reading his book. His leg had yet to fully recover.