Chapter 5

Madison lowered her eyes.

Strangely enough, she didn’t feel sad.

What came to mind instead was a memory from childhood. When Megan had falsely accused her, and her mother had slapped her across the face.

Jake had rushed out, shielding her with open arms and shouting, “Madison would never hit anyone! She’s a good girl!”

Back then, he had believed in her without hesitation.

But now, he didn’t even trust her that much anymore.

Jake felt a strange flicker of panic in his chest. He quickly pushed the feeling aside and stared her down. “Apologize.”

Madison didn’t bother struggling. There was no point.

She turned to Megan and said quietly, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hit you.”

Megan turned her back to Jake and smiled at Madison with open contempt, though she kept her tone composed as she said, “Let me hit you a few times, and we’ll be even.”

Both she and Jake clearly assumed Madison would never agree.

But to their surprise, Madison lowered her head and replied calmly, “Alright.”

Jake’s sense of unease deepened. He hated this feeling. It felt like things were slipping out of his control. He turned to Xena and hurriedly said, “It’s freezing out here. Let’s go inside.”

Hand in hand, he and Xena walked toward the villa.

The moment their backs were turned, Megan stepped up and drove five hard punches straight into Madison’s stomach.

Madison gasped, her face going pale. “Is that enough?” she asked in a soft voice.

Megan burst out laughing. “That’s enough. I’m feeling generous today. But just wait—Xena’s already moved in. It’s only a matter of time before you get thrown out. Honestly, what did you expect? A lapdog is still just a dog. Once he’s done with you, he’ll kick you out without a second thought. You’re nothing.”

Still laughing, she walked away.

The pain triggered a flare-up of Madison’s chronic stomach condition. It was so intense she could barely breathe.

She took her medicine, washed up quickly, and went to bed.

But in the middle of the night, the pain woke her again. She sat up abruptly and vomited a mouthful of blood.

Clenching her jaw, she forced herself to call the doctor and prepared to head to the hospital.

As she stepped out of the guest room, she noticed the master bedroom door was slightly ajar. Light spilled into the hallway, and from inside, she could hear unmistakably intimate sounds.

She had told herself she was ready for this—ready for Xena to move in.

But in that moment, she couldn’t tell what hurt more: her body or her heart.

To get downstairs, she had to pass the master bedroom.

She bit her lip until she tasted blood and forced herself to keep walking.

Inside, she heard Xena’s husky voice, “I think that’s Madison outside the door…”

Jake’s voice followed, thick with desire. “She’s insane. Ignore her. Xena, I want you…”

The pain was so overwhelming, it almost became numbness.

Madison hurried past the door, went downstairs, and climbed into the hospital car.

She had a serious gastric hemorrhage and was admitted immediately.

The doctor urged her to contact someone to stay with her, but when she picked up her phone, she realized that there was no one to call.

When she had agreed to marry Jake, her mother had assumed she was trying to challenge the Henderson family and had demanded she call it off. When Madison refused, her mother had cut ties, acting like she no longer existed.

As for Jake, there was a time when one phone call would have brought him to her side without hesitation.

But now, everything was different.

In the end, Madison called her personal assistant and offered five times her regular pay to come stay with her at the hospital.

Once the medication took effect, she finally managed to fall asleep.

But it didn’t last long.

The constant buzzing of her phone pulled her out of sleep.

Jake’s name lit up the screen.

Madison hesitated, then picked up the call.

She first heard Xena’s voice, faint and unclear. “Jake, please don’t be upset. Madison only did this because she loves you too much.”

Then came Jake’s voice. It was familiar, but it no longer felt like his.

“Madison, have you completely lost your mind? Getting up in the middle of the night to eavesdrop wasn’t enough? Now you’re staging something with fake blood? What is this—pig’s blood? Who exactly are you trying to scare? If you ever pull something like this again, pack your things and get out.”