LOGINNolan chose a high-end restaurant nearby and brought Ellena there.The restaurant was located in a relatively quiet area, away from the busiest streets. From the moment they entered, the difference between this place and the noisy outside world was obvious.The atmosphere inside the restaurant was quiet and elegant. Soft music flowed gently in the air, blending with the low murmur of conversations from the other guests. Warm lights illuminated the hall, casting a soft glow over the polished floors and beautifully arranged tables. Everything appeared carefully designed, from the delicate decorations to the refined furnishings.The entire place gave people a feeling of comfort and luxury.However, the atmosphere at their table was completely different from the peaceful surroundings.Although they were surrounded by elegance and tranquility, none of them truly felt relaxed.After entering the private room, everyone sat down one after another.
After Nolan made the call, he felt slightly relieved when he saw that the call had connected successfully.At least Ellena had not directly rejected his call.That small detail was enough to give him a momentary sense of relief. He had been sitting inside the car for quite some time, repeatedly thinking about how he should approach Ellena and what he should say when they finally met. He knew very well that this matter would not be easy to resolve. Even so, as long as Ellena was willing to answer the phone, he felt that there was still a possibility of talking things through.However, the moment he heard the voice on the other end, the faint joy in his eyes instantly disappeared.Because the person who answered was not Ellena.Nolan's expression became a little unpleasant, but he still maintained politeness in his tone. He did not immediately reveal his disappointment. Instead, he took a breath and asked calmly, "Then when will Ellena's meeting end?"His voice sounded calm and patient.
Nolan was already extremely annoyed.Hearing Madeline continue shouting hysterically beside him only made the irritation in his heart grow stronger.He suddenly stepped on the brakes slightly and turned his head to look at Madeline coldly."Shut up!"His voice was low and full of warning.Madeline's entire body stiffened instantly.The anger and unwillingness on her face disappeared in an instant, replaced by obvious fear.She lowered her head subconsciously and finally did not dare to continue shouting.The car instantly became quiet.Only the faint sound of the engine could be heard inside the narrow space.Madeline sat nervously in the passenger seat, not even daring to breathe loudly anymore.Nolan glanced at her coldly before withdrawing his gaze.Madeline was clearly the one who had caused this incident, yet she still did not realize her mistake even now. She even looked as if she would never repent no matter what others said.Seeing her like this made Nolan feel even more disgu
Madelinelooked at Nolanand said with an ugly expression, "Nolan, you..."Her lips trembled slightly from anger. She had never expected Nolanto speak to her in such a mocking and merciless tone. Although Nolanhad never been particularly respectful toward her and usually ignored her existence in the Smithfamily, she was still an elder after all. No matter what mistakes she had made, being ridiculed like this in front of everyone still made her unable to endure it.Her face alternated between red and pale. She wanted to refute him, but the words seemed to stick in her throat. Never before had Nolanhumiliated her so openly.Madeline's chest rose and fell violently. She turned her head to look at Ralphinstinctively, hoping that he would help her say a few words.For so many years, whenever disagreements arose within the family, Ralphhad usually stood on her side, especially after Jaydenand Naomi's deaths. S
Madeline's heart skipped a beat.The moment Nolanquestioned her so directly, panic surged through her chest. It was so sudden that even her breathing became uneven for an instant.When Nolanquestioned her so directly, guilt rose in her chest at once.She had thought no one knew about her meeting with Ellena. She had never expected Nolanto ask about it the moment he returned.She instinctively reached out and tucked the hair by her ear, trying to appear calm. But the smile on her face was stiff and unnatural.The small movement, which usually looked graceful, now only made her nervousness more obvious."I didn't do anything," she said quickly. "I just went out shopping."Her reply came almost too fast, as though she had already prepared the excuse beforehand."Nolan, what's wrong with you today?" Ralphfrowned and spoke sternly. "Instead of staying at the company to deal with business, you come back only t
Madelineheard Ralph's words and slowly nodded. Her expression was lowered, and there was something faintly frightening in the way she spoke.Her eyes remained lowered, hiding the emotions within them. Her voice was soft and gentle, yet for some reason, it carried an indescribable chill."Please take the medicine first."She picked up the medicine from the table and handed it to Ralphas though nothing unusual had happened.Ralphwas still full of anger, but he did not continue arguing. He took the medicine she handed him and sat back down. The room gradually became quiet.The only sounds left were the faint clinking of the glass and Ralphswallowing the medicine with water. The tense atmosphere settled into an uneasy silence.Not long after, Nolanreturned.The front door opened, and hurried footsteps echoed through the living room.The moment he entered the room, his eyes went directly to Madeline.
It was obvious that Ellena was mocking the reporter for her shameless act of asking people their sex life in public. The reporters who asked the question understood it too. Almost every reporter present was bribed by Ralph. They were invited to use today's press conference as a way
Ellena turned her head to the side, avoiding his gaze and said coldly, “None of your business.”No matter how evasive she seemed, he still didn't back down–using this time to stare at the blemishes on her face. It was as if he was seeing them in a new light.“T
Ellena ran to the bathroom and looked at her ugly face in the mirror. The yellow foundation she had placed all over her cheeks still hadn't faded, and the spots around her nose were still there. From an outsider's eye, she looked very ugly. She might even look disgusting to some people. But why d
Seeing that everyone had fallen into an agreement, Madeline stood up and addressed them. “I’ll ask the servants to prepare the dinner.”Naomi didn't even bother to look at her. Since the video was already out, there wasn't any reason to pretend that they had good relations







