Chapter 5

After dinner, Madelyn headed to bed early, as she often did. Before drifting off, she had her usual cup of hot milk. Outside the mansion, a distant headlight cast a faint glow in the dark. Zach's Audi A6, a new car gifted by his company, was parked nearby. Stepping out of the car, Zach entered the living room and placed his keys on a nearby table. He looked around with keen eyes but couldn't find Madelyn. She used to sit on the sofa, engrossed in soap operas. Now, the space was empty, and the coffee table had no snacks as usual. His eyes dimmed a little. Rosario came from the kitchen and asked, "Mr. Jardin, have you had dinner?" Zach asked, "Where's Madelyn?" "She's not feeling well, so she went to bed early." "I'll go check on her," Zach said, putting his hand in pocket as he walked upstairs. A trace of weariness etched onto his face. He climbed three steps before halting, and said, "Jadie will return tomorrow afternoon. Prepare a few dishes she enjoys." "Sure, Mr. Jardin," Rosario responded. Zach made his way to the third floor and reached for the doorknob of Madelyn's room. But to his surprise, it was locked from the inside. Both Zach and Madelyn had rooms on the third floor, while Hayson's resided on the second floor, which was usually off-limits to everyone. The fourth floor was exclusively occupied by Jadie White. Previously, Zach could freely enter Madelyn's room as she never bothered to lock it. This sudden change caught him off guard, making him wonder if Madelyn had given up pursuing him. He knocked on the door and called out, "Madelyn, are you asleep?" Inside her room, Madelyn heard the knocking but deliberately ignored it. She had been awake since Zach's car pulled up outside. Zach had an apartment nearby with two bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen. He rarely returned to the Jent residence as long as Madelyn was there because he disliked being around her. However, he had come back now because Jadie White, who had been undergoing treatment overseas for asthma, was due to return tomorrow. Zach had sent Jadie abroad for better medical care as the facilities in Venturia were only average. He had also returned to caution Madelyn against any ill intentions toward Jadie. Jadie and Zach shared a special bond as childhood friends, having grown up together in an orphanage. They had faced numerous hardships, enduring nights on the streets and fighting stray dogs for scraps of food. Their survival depended on each other. During Zach's second year at the Jent residence, he brought Jadie with him. Hayson didn't object much to the idea, considering the family's financial status and simply seeing it as another person to care for. Jadie and Madelyn were of similar age, but Jadie's natural beauty and innocence made her the center of attraction for boys during their teenage years. With her preference for white dresses, long straight black hair flowing down to her waist, and captivating eyes, it was hard for anyone to resist her charm. Even Madelyn couldn't deny Jadie's allure and accepted that men would be drawn to her. However, Madelyn's jealousy had consumed her, and she started bullying Jadie behind Zach's back. Madelyn had used thin needles to prick Jadie's waist, arms, thighs, and other vulnerable areas relentlessly. Jadie couldn't find the courage to speak out because Madelyn knew her dark secret. Tragically, Jadie took her own life by cutting her wrist... Madelyn couldn't forget the day Zach stormed into her room, hands covered in blood, his eyes full of rage. He grabbed her throat and asked why she didn't leave Jadie alone. It was pouring rain outside, and lightning flashes illuminated the scene. In that terrifying moment, Madelyn had thought Zach wanted to kill her. Jadie's death haunted Madelyn, and she felt responsible for it. Sleep offered no comfort in the years that followed. Feeling remorse for her past actions, Madelyn made a resolute decision to make amends to Jadie.