Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Madeline Snow walked out of city hall, staring dazedly at her marriage certificate. It turned out that getting a marriage registered only took ten minutes. She couldn't believe she was actually married, and not to Isaac Chance, her fiancé. Her newlywed husband was a stranger she'd only known for less than a week. "I'm sorry, Dr. Snow. I have an urgent mission, so we can only have our wedding in a month. Is that okay?" A deep, apologetic voice rang out beside her. She turned to look at the man. The setting sun's rays shone down on him, accentuating his chiseled features and making his skin seem even more tanned than it was. He stood with his back straight, and his expression was calm and composed. However, his actions were sharp and decisive. He was the perfect embodiment of a soldier. He was her newlywed husband, Elijah Quilton. "That's okay." Madeline nodded. "Your mission is more important." Elijah smiled faintly before stepping forward to give her a quick hug. "We'll act as planned, then. I'll see you in Halston City in a month for the wedding. I'll pick you up after my mission, so wait for me." The hug was over before Madeline could process it. Elijah turned and left. Madeline stood there for a while longer to process the fact that she was married. Then, she tucked her marriage certificate into her bag and took a cab home. The apartment was empty, as always, but she ignored that. She headed straight to the master bedroom to pack her things. She and Isaac had been promised to marry since childhood, so it had been fine for her to live at his place before. But not anymore. Now that she was already married, it would be best to leave as soon as possible. She'd just retrieved her suitcase when a voice rang out from the door. "Where are you going?" Madeline looked up to see Isaac standing there after not returning for two weeks. His suit jacket was thrown over his arm, and he rubbed his forehead, looking exhausted. "I've been swamped lately, Maddie. Please don't try something ridiculous like running away from home. I don't have the time to play games with you," he said irritably. He was doing it again. He was always impatient when speaking to her—it was as if he'd had to squeeze out time from his schedule to entertain her. She was genuinely about to leave, yet he only thought she was kicking up a fuss. She didn't want to waste her breath explaining anything, so she lowered her gaze and started to fold her clothes. "The hospital is sending me to Icewind City soon, so I'm preparing for that." Isaac faltered when he realized he had misunderstood her. His expression softened, and he said, "It's colder there than it is here, so remember to take warmer clothes.""Okay." He watched her rummage through the closet for more clothes. After some hesitation, he said, "I still want Rachel and Queenie to move in here, Maddie. I also need to have Queenie registered as my child. You know they don't have anyone to rely on in Summeria, and I owe them my—" Madeline didn't wait for him to finish. She turned and interjected, "I'm okay with that. Bring them over." She was about to leave anyway. It wasn't her business who moved into this apartment; she didn't want to have anything to do with the matter, either. Rachel Livingston and her daughter, Queenie Livingston, had saved Isaac's life. They could even be considered Chance Corporation's saviors. Half a year ago, Isaac had gone to Marvonia on a business trip. He'd encountered a terrorist attack there and had gone missing. He'd only reappeared a month ago at his grandmother, Marie Brown's 70th birthday celebration. He'd brought Rachel and Queenie with him. It was a day when all of Shorestone City's upper crust had gathered, yet Isaac had appeared with his arm around another woman. He'd even introduced her and her daughter to everyone. That day, he'd turned Madeline into the laughingstock of Shorestone City. After the celebration, Isaac had explained to Madeline that he was only grateful to Rachel for saving him with her wits and courage. She'd also helped him keep the company's top-secret documents safe. Madeline knew what she saw, though. His gaze wasn't just of gratitude when he looked at Rachel—there was no faking the love in his eyes. In the past, she would've done everything possible to stop Rachel from invading her territory. Now, she wouldn't do that anymore. Isaac didn't expect Madeline to agree so readily, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. He was pleased by her compromise, so his attitude softened further. "Don't worry, Maddie. Rachel will move out of here once she familiarizes herself with things here and gets a job." Madeline didn't care about that. She switched the subject and said, "About our engagement—" Isaac didn't want to broach the subject. He cut her off and said, "Work has been busy lately. We can talk about marriage later!""I'm not—" Isaac's phone rang. He ignored Madeline and answered it, his gaze immediately turning tender. "What's wrong, Rachel? Does Queenie miss me? I'll be right there!" He turned and hurried to the door. As he got there, he seemed to remember that Madeline had been speaking to him. He turned back and said, "Prepare the guest bedroom for Rachel and Queenie by tomorrow, okay? That's when they move in." He left, shutting the door behind him. Madeline was left alone in the apartment with an empty heart. She looked at her outstretched hand and forced a smile, her gaze dull. She'd wanted to tell Isaac that their engagement was off, not that she wanted to get married. When had he lost the patience to listen to her? Nowadays, his gaze was always impatient and annoyed whenever he looked at her. It was as if he hated communicating with her. He hadn't been like that in the past, though.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

The Snow and Chance families went back a long way. Madeline and Isaac had grown up together, and their bond was strengthened by their promise to marry. At one point, they'd been the model couple of Shorestone City. While growing up, they had never expressed their feelings for each other. However, Isaac had always been there for her whenever she'd turned to look for him. He'd protected and supported her like a guardian angel. It seemed natural that they would get married once they were of age. Things had changed when Madeline had turned 16. Her parents had died in an accident, and her shameless uncle and aunt had seized the Snow family's fortune. They'd barged into her parents' villa and treated her like a maid, even going as far as abusing her. Isaac had protected her when her life had been at its darkest. He'd taken her back to the Chance residence and cared for her, which was how she'd completed her education and even become a doctor. After graduating college, Madeline had thought it was time for her and Isaac to marry. She'd wanted to have an actual family that she could call hers. Yet Isaac had become busier after taking over his family business. He kept telling her to wait, but six years had passed since then. Isaac had gone from his initial patience to frowning whenever the engagement was mentioned. Madeline had thought it was because he was exhausted from work and told herself to be more accommodating. She shouldn't pressure him too much. It wouldn't be an issue for her to wait as long as he loved her, right? That was what her mindset had been like before Rachel had come into the picture and destroyed all her fantasies. It turned out Isaac could make arrangements for another person's life without losing his patience or finding it troublesome. It also turned out that he was capable of asking about every detail of someone's daily life because he was afraid of her getting bullied. These were things he'd never done for Madeline. Madeline's phone suddenly rang, interrupting her trip down memory lane. As the bitterness spread through her, she looked up at the lights to prevent her tears from following. Then, she answered the call. It was from a nurse on duty. "Dr. Snow, the emergency room has just received a patient with a liver hemangioma rupture. All the other experienced surgeons are occupied. Could you take over if you have the time?" Madeline immediately got to her feet. "Prep for surgery. I'll be right there." It was 9:00 pm when she arrived at the hospital. Due to the severity of the patient's condition, she had to perform a partial liver removal surgery. When she emerged from the operating theater, it was past 2:00 am. Madeline was physically and mentally exhausted after focusing all her attention on the surgery for such a long time. She returned to her office and immediately fell asleep on the cot there. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep but was awakened when she vaguely sensed something being placed over her. She opened her eyes to see Heather Walden, the hospital dean, standing before her. "Did I wake you up, Maddie? I thought of covering you with something when I saw you curled up like that. I didn't expect to wake you up. Honestly…" Heather looked upset with herself. Madeline wasn't bothered. "It's okay, Ms. Walden. I've had enough sleep—I'll just take a nap when I get home after making my rounds." Heather was Madeline's superior and also her mother's friend. She'd seen how hard Madeline had worked over the years. She was proud yet also sympathetic. "Alright, then. Hurry up and make your rounds so you can go home." After that, she turned to leave. Madeline hesitated before stopping her. "Ms. Walden, I… I want to tender my resignation." Heather immediately turned back, her surprise evident. "Why? And so suddenly, too.""I've gotten married." The realization dawned on Heather when she heard that. She smiled and said, "Ah, yes. Your husband is the young man from the Chance family, right? Congratulations, Maddie. I'm glad to see your relationship with him has come to fruition after so many years." Madeline forced a smile at Heather's misunderstanding but didn't explain. Heather didn't notice this and continued excitedly, "Your grandmother's always wanted to see you get married, right? She'll have one less thing to worry about now." Madeline's gaze softened at the mention of her grandmother, Shirley Green. This time, her smile was genuine. "All I want is for her to be happier." It was Shirley's final wish for her to marry a nice man and start a family. If not for that, she wouldn't have been so hasty in marrying Elijah. His family had also been on his back about getting married. She hoped Shirley would be pleased when she visited the latter and showed her the marriage certificate. Madeline and Heather chatted some more before the former headed to the administrative department to tender her resignation. Then, she made her rounds before heading home. She'd been up late last night and hadn't gotten much rest in her office, so her head spun with fatigue as she took a cab home. All she wanted to do was hit the sack and catch up on her sleep. However, when she got home and entered the master bedroom, the scene that greeted her made her blood boil. Her anger burned away all her fatigue.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

"What the hell are you doing, Queenie?" Madeline snatched the painting from Queenie. The oil painting had originally been an exquisite masterpiece, but black scrawls now ruined it. Madeline's blood boiled, and her hands trembled with rage. This was the only thing her mother had left for her! She'd taken solace in it for countless days and nights, yet it had now been destroyed! She glared at Queenie. Before she could say anything, the latter burst into tears. "You're so fierce, Ms. Snow! Hurry up and save me, Mommy! Ms. Snow wants to hit me! I'm scared!" Rachel immediately ran over and pulled Queenie into her arms. "What's wrong, my darling?" She soothed Queenie before turning to Madeline, seemingly having just noticed her standing there. Then, she said almost sarcastically, "Queenie is just a child, Dr. Snow. I'll take responsibility and compensate you if she's done something wrong or broken something. You shouldn't harbor a grudge against a child." She'd been born and raised in Marvonia, so she dressed and acted like the locals. Her blond hair fell past her shoulders in curls, and she dressed sexily. The provocation in her eyes was clear—she had no intention of apologizing. Madeline's temples throbbed. She held up the painting and snarled, "Who allowed you to come into my room and destroy my things? You said you'll compensate me for this? How are you going to do that?" Queenie hid behind Rachel and yapped away like a dog that knew its owner would stand up for it. "It's just a dumb painting, isn't it? I'll ask Isaac to pay you back for it, you petty woman! You're nasty!" Madeline saw red and reached out to teach her a lesson. When Rachel saw this, she got an idea and ruthlessly shoved Queenie away, making her knock her head on the bedside table. "Ouch! Mommy, it hurts! I'm bleeding!" Queenie screamed. She sat on the floor and wailed at the top of her lungs. Blood trickled from the wound on her forehead, and the situation looked dire. Rachel immediately helped her up and pulled her into her arms. Her gaze was filled with heartache as she cried, "How could you have done something like that to a child, Dr. Snow? No matter how mad you are at her, you shouldn't have taken things so far! I'll apologize to you if that's what you want!" Madeline had seen everything Rachel had done, so she frowned at her words. She didn't understand what the latter was up to. She got her answer in the next second, though. "Queenie!" Isaac ran into the room and crouched before Queenie to check on her. Then, he turned to glare at Madeline. "Queenie is just a child, Madeline. How could you bear to hurt her?" Madeline's heart froze over when she heard him conclude that she was at fault without even understanding the situation. She stood there while clutching the painting, feeling like her energy had been zapped out of her. Her mouth felt dry, and her explanation was lodged in her throat. Rachel tearfully spoke up on her behalf. "Dr. Snow isn't to blame for this, Isaac. Queenie and I got the wrong room—we thought Dr. Snow's bedroom was the guest room. "We've always lived in the basement in Marvonia, so we couldn't help picking this room when we saw how well-lit it is. Also, Dr. Snow is only angry because Queenie touched her painting without her permission." She sounded so pitiful that Isaac's heart immediately went out to her. He turned to Madeline again, even angrier than before. "It's just a dumb painting! Did you have to get physical over it? You've truly got a hell of a temper, Madeline! Apologize to Rachel and Queenie right now!" A dumb painting? It was the only thing her mother had left for her! Rachel wasn't aware of that, but could Isaac claim the same? Madeline looked him in the eye and clutched the painting tightly. "I won't apologize. I didn't touch a hair on Queenie's head." This pissed Isaac off even more. He snarled, "Even now, you refuse to admit your mistakes!" Rachel tugged on his sleeve and put on an understanding act. "Forget it, Isaac. It's okay if Dr. Snow doesn't apologize. Queenie and I are the ones who have disrupted her life. It's only natural for her to be angry." The more she said, the more Isaac found Madeline's expressionless face to be annoying. He growled, "She doesn't deserve to get angry over every small thing! This is my apartment, and it's not up to an outsider to call the shots here! You and Queenie will stay in the master bedroom from now on, Rachel. She can take the guest bedroom!"

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Isaac's words stabbed Madeline's heart like knives. She swayed on her feet. An outsider? Was that all he considered her after all these years? It was laughable! Rachel was delighted to hear this but feigned concern and said, "We can talk about the sleeping arrangements later. Queenie's injury is too serious. Can you accompany me to the hospital so we can get it tended to, Isaac?" He immediately lifted Queenie into his arms and turned to leave. Rachel followed him. Madeline stopped him and said plainly, "Let's call off the engagement, Isaac." He didn't believe she was being serious and thought this was another one of her tricks. He didn't even turn back as he said, "I've had it up to here with your dumb tricks. Stay here and reflect on your mistakes!" With that, he hurried off with Rachel and Queenie. As soon as the door was shut, Madeline felt her strength leave her. She slowly crouched on the floor with the painting in her arms. It was almost as if she were holding her whole world. Tears filled her eyes as bitterness washed over her. Her nose prickled, and she found it hard to breathe. Her vision seemed to go black. She didn't know how long she stayed there crouched up like that; she only moved when her phone vibrated. A notification indicated that Rachel had requested to follow her on Instagram. She approved the request, but Rachel didn't follow up with anything else. Just then, she received a text from a colleague. "I just shared an Instagram story for a giveaway, and I need people to like it. Could you help me, Dr. Snow? Please!" Madeline scrolled through the available stories to look for the colleague's story when Rachel's stories caught her attention. They were mainly photos of Isaac sitting by Queenie's bedside and peeling an apple for her. Rachel had captioned, "Thank the heavens for bringing you to me." The last story was a video that hadn't been muted. Rachel and Isaac's conversation was recorded. Rachel asked worriedly, "Are you sure things will be okay with Dr. Snow, Isaac? She looked like she was packing her things earlier. What if she's so angry that she moves out?" Isaac sounded like he couldn't care less. His tone even carried a hint of mockery. "She's just an orphan. Where can she go? At most, she'll go out of town to perform a surgery or two. I've seen her pull this trick one too many times." Madeline locked her phone and shut her eyes as she laughed bitterly. She felt pathetic. Her memories of Isaac standing before her and shielding her from harm now felt like knives stabbing into her. They reached her bones and hurt her to the core. … Madeline didn't return home for a week after that. She stayed at the hospital and worked longer hours than before. She was genuinely busy—she needed to clear the surgeries she'd already scheduled, and it didn't help that there had been a huge fire in the city. There was an increase in the number of patients requiring surgery, and all the surgeons were so busy that they could barely catch their breath. "Thanks for your hard work, Dr. Snow!" a colleague said. Madeline took off her surgical mask and nodded in acknowledgment. She changed out of her scrubs and headed to her office. Before she could even drink water, Rachel came over with Queenie in tow. "Please don't chase Queenie and me away, Dr. Snow!" she cried. She fell to her knees before Madeline's desk and pulled Queenie down with her. She didn't have makeup on that day and looked a lot more haggard than usual. It was almost as if she were a fragile flower, and she looked pitiful as she cried. The nurse who had accompanied Madeline to her office had yet to leave. She was stunned when she saw this but didn't dare linger. She hurried out of the room and shut the door. Madeline didn't even move from her seat. She frowned and asked coldly, "What's with the act when Isaac isn't here?" Rachel continued weeping. She sounded aggrieved as she said, "I know you hate me, Dr. Snow, but know that I have no intention of taking Isaac from you! "Queenie and I don't know anyone in Summeria—we're only temporarily living with Isaac so we can have a roof over our heads. We'll move out in the future! How do you expect us to survive if you kick us out of Isaac's place now?" Madeline retorted, "When did I ever—" Before she could finish, her phone rang. It was a call from Marie.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

"Hi, Maddie. Are you busy?" Marie's voice was kind and affectionate. Madeline couldn't help softening when she heard it. "No, I'm not. I just finished a surgery." Marie had watched Madeline grow up and loved her like she was her own granddaughter. Madeline relied on Marie, too. To her, Marie and Shirley were the two people who loved her most. Marie sensed the fatigue in Madeline's tone and reminded her not to push herself too hard. Then, she got to business. "I heard about what happened between you and Isaac, Maddie. Don't worry about Rachel Livingston—I've already dealt with her on your behalf. "I sent a group of bodyguards over to throw her things out of Isaac's apartment and chase her out. You are the only woman I'll ever consider my granddaughter-in-law!" Madeline was taken aback when she heard this. She looked at Rachel, who was still on her knees. It turned out Marie was the one who'd chased her out. She was moved yet also filled with bitterness. She held her phone without saying anything for a long time. Marie sighed, her tone a little pleading as she said, "I know Isaac has taken things too far lately, but I still want you to give him another chance. He's just enchanted by that woman—he'll go back to normal once you two are married. Is it okay if I set your wedding date for next month?" Madeline's nose prickled. Instead of answering Marie, she made an excuse to hang up. As soon as her phone screen went dark, her office door opened again. Isaac stormed in. He hurried forward to help Rachel and Queenie up when he saw them kneeling. His gaze was frosty as he looked at Madeline. "How old are you, Madeline? I can't believe you still like to tattle at this age. Are you happy now that you can marry me? Your manipulative side disgusts me!" He turned away without another look at her and left with Rachel and Queenie in tow. The door slammed shut behind him. Madeline smiled mockingly. She leaned back and shut her eyes. She would just leave things be—it wouldn't be long before she left, anyway. … Madeline thought she wouldn't see Isaac and Rachel again before leaving. Unexpectedly, they brought Queenie to the emergency room that very night. She was covered in blood. The three of them had gotten into an accident, and Queenie had suffered the brunt of it. Rachel was panicking and grabbed Madeline's hand tightly when she saw her. "You have to save Queenie, Dr. Snow!" Madeline was the doctor on duty and had no reason to reject, so she headed to the operating theater. The surgery was minor and didn't pose much of a challenge for her. It was soon over. Oddly enough, Queenie showed no signs of waking up despite it being past the observation period. Madeline headed to her hospital ward to check on her when she heard the news the following morning. Isaac wasn't inside—it seemed he'd stepped out. Rachel was alone with Queenie. When Rachel saw Madeline, her eyes reddened, and she cried, "Why hasn't Queenie woken up yet, Dr. Snow? Did you do something to her? I know you hate me, but you can't hurt my daughter!" Madeline didn't know what the problem was and wanted to step closer to check on Queenie. However, Rachel was agitated by this and stood in her way, stopping her from getting any closer. "I've had enough of this. Don't you dare touch Queenie anymore! "You deliberately made a mistake in the operation because you wanted to hurt her! I want a different doctor! Someone get me another doctor!" Madeline only wanted to figure out what was wrong with Queenie, so she didn't bother arguing. She pressed the call button for the nurse's station. Then, she looked Rachel in the eye. "It's fine if you want another doctor, but we have to find out why Queenie is still unconscious! I'm not taking the blame for making a mistake during the operation!" When the nurse on duty arrived, Madeline instructed, "Take the patient's blood for a proper examination. Find out whether there's any possibility of the patient taking medication or other sedatives before surgery—" That was as far as she got. Rachel cut her off and screamed, "I won't let you do that! My daughter didn't take anything before the operation, nor is she sick! You made a mistake during the operation, and that's that! What right do you have to take Queenie's blood?" She started crying after saying that. Madeline watched her exaggerated performance and suddenly pinpointed what about it felt off to her.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Madeline looked Rachel in the eye and asked coldly, "Did you keep part of Queenie's medical history from us?" Rachel's eyes flickered. Then, she cried, "What are you talking about? I'm her mother! Why would I hurt her?" Madeline thought about how Rachel had shoved Queenie aside a few days ago. The latter had knocked her head against the bedside table and even bled. It only made her believe that her guess was likely to be right. Anyway, there was no point arguing with Rachel. Everything would be clear once the results of the blood test were out. She turned to the nurse and said, "Take her blood sample." Rachel gnashed her teeth and tried to stop them. "You can't! I'm Queenie's guardian, and I won't let you touch her!" Madeline kept Rachel from stopping the nurse, so the latter was soon done taking Queenie's blood. The, she ran off to have it submitted for analysis. Once the nurse was gone, Madeline wanted to release Rachel. However, the latter suddenly backed away and fell to the floor. In the next second, Madeline was shoved aside roughly. "Rachel!" Isaac ran to her and helped her up. "Are you okay?" He turned to glare at Madeline. "This is the hospital, and you're a doctor! What the hell were you doing to a patient's family member? Where is your professionalism?" Before Madeline could say anything, Rachel grabbed Isaac's sleeve while weeping. She cried, "Hurry up and save Queenie, Isaac! She… she's still not awake after the observation period. It has to be because of a mistake during the surgery! Will she be unconscious forever? "Dr. Snow even had someone draw Queenie's blood for a test. She said she won't take the blame for this. Does this mean Queenie will be in a coma forever?" Madeline almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of her words. She retorted, "Once the report is out, we can be sure—" "That's enough!" Isaac snarled. His eyes were filled with disappointment as he looked at her. "I didn't think you would pull something like this, Maddie. When did you become evil enough to hurt a child? Allowing you to continue performing surgeries will only be putting others in harm. You don't deserve to practice anymore!" She looked at him in disbelief. "What are you going to do?" He pulled Rachel closer to him and called, "Sean!" His assistant, Sean Camden, hurried in. Isaac said, "Escort her to Greenwater Hill Villas and lock her up so she can reflect on her mistakes. Since we're going to marry soon, ask the hospital to give her some time off. Handle this properly." What was there to reflect on? Why did he always believe Rachel over her? Why was she always the one at fault? Madeline couldn't take it anymore when she saw Sean coming over to drag her away. She roared, "Don't touch me! I'm not going anywhere! I'm going to stay here and wait for the results of the blood test. I won't push the blame onto anyone else if it's my—" A sudden pain coursed through her, starting from her neck. She abruptly stopped talking and blacked out. … Isaac ultimately had Madeline locked up. Greenwater Hill Villas was far from the city center, and bodyguards surrounded the villa. The place had even been equipped with a signal blocker, so she couldn't ask for help if needed. She spent a week there without contact with anyone. One night, the electricity suddenly went out. Before she could understand what was happening, she heard her phone ring in the darkness. She immediately answered it. The voice on the other end of the line said anxiously, "You've finally answered the phone, Ms. Snow. Hurry up and come to the nursing home—your grandmother isn't doing too well! If you come now, you might be able to see her for the last time!" Madeline's ears rang, and she felt like she'd been struck in the chest by something heavy. Her hand trembled violently, and she almost dropped her phone. After hanging up, she threw on a coat and ran out of the room. She had to see Shirley one last time! She hurried downstairs and to the door, but the bodyguards stopped her. "Mr. Chance has made it clear that you're not to leave, Ms. Snow!" Madeline frantically pushed their hands away and shouted, "My grandmother is in critical condition! Hurry up and let me out!" They exchanged a look before shaking their heads. "Please don't make things hard for us, Ms. Snow. Mr. Chance told us that you're not to leave the house under any circumstances. Maybe you can give him a call—we won't stop you from leaving if he gives the green light." She pulled out her phone and called Isaac. She was so panicked that she almost dialed the wrong number. The first and second calls went unanswered. On her third attempt, the phone rang twice before she was told that the line was occupied. Isaac had seen her call and rejected it.

Chapter 7 Chapter 7

Madeline's heart sank, and tears filled her eyes. She collapsed on the floor while clutching her phone. What was she going to do? She couldn't let Shirley leave without seeing her once more! Shirley was the only family she had left! She staggered to her feet and tried to run out, but the bodyguards stopped her. "You can't leave, Ms. Snow!""Let me go! I want to see my grandmother! Take your hands off me!" A car pulled up amid the chaos. Through her tears, Madeline saw Marie get out of the car. She burst into tears and cried, "Take me to see Grandma, Grandma Marie! She's going to die!" … The car sped along the road at top speed, but it still took them 40 minutes to arrive at Windmere Nursing Home. Madeline ran straight to Shirley's room, only to see a nurse pulling a white sheet over Shirley's face. She skidded to a stop and let out an incredulous laugh. "What are you doing? You can't cover Grandma's face. She won't be able to breathe." She slowly approached the bed and tugged the sheet down, revealing Shirley's face. The latter looked as kind and loving as always, but her usually warm hands were now cold. Her body was also stiff. As a doctor, Madeline was beyond familiar with the human body's signs of life. She knew without a doubt that Shirley was dead but didn't want to believe it. She couldn't believe it. She picked up Shirley's hand and pressed it to her cheek, almost as if this would be enough to warm Shirley's body. Then, she said softly, "I'm here, Grandma. Why aren't you opening your eyes to look at me?" Silence was all that answered her. Shirley's affectionate voice would never ring out again. The nurse felt bad when she saw this. She said, "Your grandmother passed away 30 minutes ago. I know you tried your best to get here before that, but perhaps things were just meant to turn out like this. Your grandmother wanted me to pass a message to you before she left—she wants you to always be happy." After that, the nurse stepped out to allow Madeline to be alone with Shirley. A moment later, she heard Madeline's heartbroken sobs ring out. … Marie helped Madeline handle Shirley's funeral and cremation. Everything had already been taken care of by the time Isaac heard the news and hurried over. When he arrived at the scene, he saw Madeline dressed in black from head to toe. Her face was bare, and she looked beautiful as she stood there. However, she exuded a sense of fragility. She looked like she would shatter at any second. For some reason, Isaac felt anxious. He hurried over to her and asked, "Are you okay, Maddie? I didn't ignore your calls on purpose—I had no idea what was happening. Queenie had regained consciousness at the time, and Rachel and I were—" She cut him off blandly. "It's okay. It's all over." Her words only made his anxiety spike. He held her hand and forced a smile as he said, "It's my fault this time. You've always wanted to go to Lemuria to ride a hot air balloon, right? It's your birthday in a few days, so how about we head there for some fun? Let's head home now." He dragged her into the car without waiting for her to respond. Even after getting home, he couldn't stop feeling anxious. He secretly stationed bodyguards around the apartment to prevent Madeline from leaving. However, she acted as she normally would. She agreed to head to Lemuria with him and focused on packing her things. Three days later, they got ready to head to the airport. Isaac was surprised when he saw the two large suitcases before him. "Why have you brought so many things?" Madeline said indifferently, "I want to stay a little longer and enjoy the place to the fullest." He didn't suspect anything. Instead, he smiled and said, "Alright, then. You can do whatever you want as long as you're happy." On the way to the airport, his phone kept ringing. He didn't answer any of the calls, though. Madeline noticed this but didn't say anything. Isaac checked his phone one last time when it was almost time to board. Then, his expression changed drastically. "Something seems to have gone wrong with Queenie, Maddie. You can fly to Lemuria first—I'll join you once I take care of this!" He turned and ran off without another look at her. She watched him go against the crowd and disappear from sight. Then, she reached into her bag and pulled out her ticket to Halston City. She said softly, "Farewell, Isaac. I hope we won't see each other again." Right before boarding the plane, she received a message from Rachel. "You must be angry. He's ultimately chosen me over you." Angry? Madeline curled her lip. She wasn't mad, to be honest. Everyone would fall for a jerk at some point in their lives, right? She blocked and deleted Rachel's number before turning off her phone. Then, she boarded the plane and waited for it to take off.