Chapter 0126
The voice was so piercing it seemed to emanate from the abyss, its screams shaking Madison to her core, causing a throbbing pain in her eardrums.
Leaning against the wall, she slid to the floor, letting the shower wash over her as she gripped her hair tightly, pulling so hard that her scalp began to throb.
Her vision flickered between light and dark, the world spinning around her.
In that whirl, Madison thought she saw her parents.
As exemplary pilots in the prime of their lives, their untimely deaths. were witnessed entirely by a young Madison.
“Madison, you were too young; it’s normal you couldn’t help them. Don’t blame yourself,” voices echoed in her recollection.
“Madison, you’ve always been the pride of your grandparents.”
“Keep striving to live up to our hopes for you.”
Soaking wet and with her eyes bloodshot from emotion, she stumbled out of the bathroom, her mind in disarray but clinging to a
shred of reason, telling her not to be a burden to anyone.
Getting the bed wet would mean more work for Ethan.
So when Ethan came looking for her he found the bathroom door ajar, the shower still running, but no sign of Madison.
“Madison?”
“Madison!”
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Ethan searched the whole second floor.
At that moment, he truly resented the vastness of Wood Lake
Grandeur.
After searching high and low, he finally found her on the second-floor balcony, huddled in a corner. She held her arms to her chest, her face pressed against the cold floor, shivering and sound asleep.
Before lying down, Madison had thought to herself: If I’m on the balcony, I won’t get Ethan’s place wet.
Ethan didn’t know how to describe the sour feeling in his heart.
He swiftly picked her up, unmindful of her drenched clothes, and carried her directly to his bedroom.
After laying her down, he closed the door and proceeded to strip her wet clothes off with efficient movements. He then dried her with a
towel and slipped on a new nightgown he had bought for her.
Madison didn’t open her eyes throughout the ordeal; it was unclear if
she was even conscious.
With her hair still damp, Ethan gently woke her, “Madison? Little Madison, wake up.”
Hearing a voice calling her like her grandfather used to, Madison slowly opened her eyes.
She hadn’t been asleep, but she seemed trapped and unable to emerge from her daze.
Yet Ethan’s voice, as fierce as it was gentle, managed to pull her back into reality.
“Your hair is still wet, how about we dry it before you sleep?” Ethan asked tentatively.
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The phone in the living room kept ringing, urgent as a death knell, but Ethan had no intention of answering any calls.
Not when company matters had to wait behind Madison’s well-being.
She obediently nodded.
Relieved, Ethan fetched a hair dryer from her bathroom and sat her in
front of him on the bed.
While drying her hair, he whispered close to her ear, “Tell me, why did you lie down on the balcony?”
Madison’s gaze was still vacant, as if she were disoriented from waking from a deep sleep.
After a long pause, she answered slowly, “I was wet and had no strength to dry off. I went to the balcony so I wouldn’t dirty your place.
Ethan’s movement halted, swallowing hard.
Only when her hair was half-dry, he gently said, “Don’t think like that in the future. Sheets and covers can be changed, they’re not expensive. But what if you catch a cold or get a fever? It’s getting colder outside, and if you get sick, I’ll have to take care of you, which could delay important matters. Do you think that would be worth it?”
She turned her wet eyes towards him, “It wouldn’t be.”
“Exactly,” he said, his laugh warm as he touched his cheek to hers. Don’t be afraid of causing me trouble. Anything concerning you is never a bother, you know?”
“I understand.”
“You’ll remember?”
Madison nodded, “I will.”
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“Your hair is dry, get some sleep. Michael will bring supper later, I’ll wake you, and we’ll eat a bit,” Ethan tucked her in.
Curled up in bed, she seemed perpetually on the defense.
Ethan closed the door silently and went downstairs to return the calls.
Late at night.
Michael arrived with supper, but when Ethan reached to wake her, he sighed deeply.
“Michael.”
“Michael!”
“Here!” Michael popped his head out from the dining room.
downstairs, “What’s up?”
“Call Dr. Jiang over; Madison’s got a fever.”
Michael paused, set aside his utensils, and quickly called Dr. Jiang.
In less than twenty minutes, Dr. Jiang arrived with her medical kit.
After taking Madison’s temperature and preparing medication, she started an IV for the sleeping woman.
“Her fever is quite high. I’ll stay here tonight. If her temperature is still this high after midnight, we’ll have to go to the hospital,” Dr. Jiang said. “I can’t manage this alone.”
The man standing by added, “Then get some people to help you.”
Dr. Jiang looked up, considered for a moment, and went to summon
assistance.
At that moment, William couldn’t hold back any longer, “President
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Grant, the media has leaked that Captain Madison was once divorced.
That was what he had urgently wanted to tell Ethan on the phone.
Somehow, someone had posted that Madison was an adulteress during her marriage, using her ex-husband as a stepping stone to climb to the top of Mukino International.
The post claimed Madison was just a façade of ability and courage, all a sham by the boss of Mukino International to boost her profile, suggesting an actual sugar daddy relationship!
Once the post went live, it quickly caught the public’s attention.
With Madison being the hottest topic in the country for the past few days, numerous people were digging into her past.
Within a few hours, Mukino International’s stock, after a sharp rise, began to fall.
Hearing this, Ethan remained composed, his entire focus on Madison.
Michael knew his state of mind, withdrawing with William.
As Ethan’s private lawyer, it was his duty to address this slanderous
matter.
Michael coordinated with Mukino International’s PR department to
devise a response.
After deliberating until dawn, they unanimously decided: no
explanation, no response.
Mukino International, now the leader in civil aviation, with their pilot freshly crowned champion of the international competition, refused to be bogged down by baseless accusations.
Michael, too, was at his limit.
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Ignoring them was the best way to show contempt.
Especially since he suspected the smear campaign stemmed from jealous competitors, intent on tarnishing Mukino International’s reputation.
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