Chapter 12

One evening, a soft breeze came in through the open window and woke up Madelyn. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and noticed that it was already dark outside. Then, she heard quick footsteps and Jadie saying sorry over and over again in the hallway. Madelyn became fully awake and realized something had happened. Getting out of bed, she felt the cold floor beneath her bare feet as she walked to the door to see what was going on. She squinted in the dim light and was surprised to see Zach standing there. "Brother, you finished your work for the day?" Madelyn asked. Zach had come back home an hour before she fell asleep, and he had taken Jadie to the mall. But when he returned, he noticed that something was missing from his room – Madelyn's gift to him, a teddy bear. Jadie stood there, her eyes teary. "Madelyn..." Zach stood in front of Jadie with a serious look in his eyes, but there was also a touch of coldness. "Madelyn, I'm sorry. I accidentally broke the teddy bear you gave me. Jadie didn't know it was special and threw it away." Rosario also stepped forward. "It's partly my fault. I didn't tell Miss White about it." Everyone expected Madelyn to get angry and make a big scene. But instead, she just raised an eyebrow and smiled casually. "Oh, really? That's too bad. The bear was limited edition." Even though it wasn't Madelyn's fault, if Jadie cried and Madelyn didn't forgive her, people might think Madelyn was being mean. In her previous life, Madelyn didn't like how Jadie won Zach's heart and always cried about things. In this life, although Madelyn still felt the same way about Jadie, she just didn't care as much anymore. Zach stared at Madelyn. He was about to say something when Madelyn cut him off. "If you liked it so much, I'll get you another one for your birthday this year. That way, I won't have to fret over choosing a gift," she said. Jadie stepped up. "Madelyn, I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean to." Madelyn blinked, sweeping her gaze over Jadie's face. "It's just a small thing, and it wasn't mine anyway. Even if it's lost, there's no need to apologize to me." To divert the topic from the bear, she asked, "Rosario, is dinner ready? I'm quite hungry." "It's been ready for a while. I was about to call you," Rosario replied. "I'll just get dressed and come down for dinner," Madelyn said, returning to her room. When she came back downstairs, she saw that their usual seats were empty. "Rosario, where are Zach and Jadie?" she asked. Rosario, bringing the last bowl of soup, said, "Mr. Jardin and Miss White left. They said they already ate, so they didn't stay. Oh, and Mr. Jardin left some dessert for you. He asked me to remind you. He cares for you, you know." Rosario tried to comfort Madelyn, and she could tell. Rosario served the strawberry mousse cake Zach had bought. At first, Madelyn thought it was just a trick to make her feel better. Seeing that Zach and Jadie had left and looking at the cake, Madelyn felt strangely calm. She realized she had finally moved on from her past. She tasted the mousse cake, finding it sweet but not too much – just like the one from her favorite place. "Rosario, stop fussing around. Sit and eat with me," she said. Rosario declined. "I already ate earlier, and besides, I'm just a servant." Madelyn pulled Rosario to sit next to her, putting on a pitiful face. "It's just us in this house. Please, have dinner with me. After all, there's no one else left aside from you." 'Zach and Jadie might never return to this house,' she thought. Rosario had no choice but to do what she was asked. She felt sorry for Madelyn, who didn't have any real friends and had to do everything by herself. She thought about how even Zach, who Madelyn had relied on, only seemed interested in Jadie. Madelyn had been resting at home to recover from her injuries for the past few days. Her wrist was healing well after the stitches were removed. She just had to make sure it stayed dry. Zach hadn't returned home yet, and Hayson, who was out of town, got delayed by a storm, so it would take some time for him to come back. After thinking about her life, Madelyn knew she had to make a change. In her previous life, she had focused only on Zach, and it caused her to do poorly in exams and go to a not-so-great university. But now, in her senior year, she decided to focus on her studies, aiming to go to a good university and create a better future for herself. Madelyn went to Ventrocloud High School, a private school known for its excellent teachers and facilities. The tuition fees were high. The students there were either from wealthy families or really bright students who earned scholarships for their academic achievements. The school rewarded these high achievers with full scholarships and generous stipends. The chauffeur dropped Madelyn off at the school gate and reminded her, "Miss. Jent, please call me after classes are over." Madelyn nodded. "Alright."