Chapter 1

A gunshot rang out at the cliff's edge, making the thunderstorm pale in comparison. A tall man collapsed before Madelyn Garcia's eyes.

"Andrew!" she screamed. She ran to Andrew Miller and cupped her hands over his wound, hoping against hope that she'd be able to stop the bleeding. However, despite her efforts, the eyes she'd once feared slid shut. Andrew's body gradually turned cold.

"Why did you…" She and Andrew were already divorced. Why did he still come to this place upon hearing that she had been abducted?

Madelyn turned her bloodshot eyes to a man standing nearby with a black umbrella over his head. He was Easton Miller, the man who had once gone against the Miller family to protect her. His once-tender eyes were now cold and ruthless.

Tears streamed down Madelyn's face, and she trembled violently. "Is this why you approached me in the first place?"

Had his goal been to make her hate Andrew so that he could destroy Andrew and claim the Miller family's fortune as his own?

Easton didn't answer her. He smoked a cigarette coldly as a woman in a form-fitting dress walked out from behind him.

Was that… Elena Garcia? Didn't she love Andrew? What was she doing with Easton?

Madelyn felt like she had been struck by lightning. She put two and two together and gritted her teeth angrily. "You two…"

Elena kicked her in the shoulder, where she already had an injury. "I told you long ago that the Garcia family didn't belong to you. Why did you refuse to listen to me?"

Madelyn instantly understood what she meant. Elena and Easton had long since conspired in secret—one wanted the Garcia family while the other wanted the Miller family.

The realization dawned on her, making anger and hatred surge in her. "Aren't you afraid of retribution for the things you've done to get what you want?"

"Retribution?" Easton finally looked at her, not bothering to conceal his contempt for her. "You can go to hell and ask the devil for help with that!"

He aimed his gun at her, making Madelyn's pupils constrict as hatred and despair washed over her. He smiled creepily, which made her face turn ashen. "No!"

Easton turned the gun to Andrew, and Madelyn's eyes widened in horror. The bullets rained on Andrew as Madelyn screamed. Blood spurted from the wounds, soaking the already wet earth beneath him.

Madelyn hysterically threw herself at him. A bullet got her, and she lost her balance. She slipped on the wet earth, dragging Andrew's body down with her as she fell over the edge of the cliff. As they toppled downward, she pulled his cold body close to hers.

She shut her eyes and pressed her lips to his cold forehead. Tears streamed down her face as she cried, "I'm sorry!"

She had made a huge mistake. She had placed her faith in the wrong people and even caused his death.

"I swear I'll listen to everything you say if I can turn back the time, Andrew…"

Blood gushed out from her throat as soon as she spoke. A smothering sense of asphyxiation washed over her as she and Andrew descended into endless darkness.

…

"No!" Madelyn shouted, her voice quaking with terror. When the lightning lit up the room, she met Andrew's beast-like gaze, and her mind buzzed.

She stiffened as she stared at him. He was very much alive. Then, she noticed that the tip of the blade she held had already pierced his chest. Her mind went blank from the fear. "No, I wasn't—"

Before she could release the blade, Andrew grabbed it and flung it away. The smell of blood mingled with his unique scent as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. Then, he growled out the words, "Are you going to escape again?"

"No, Andrew! I'm not going anywhere anymore!" With a sniffle, Madelyn wrapped her arms around his burning neck.

She took some time to process the fact that she had been reborn. Then, she lost consciousness.

…

It was already the next morning when Madelyn woke up again. She moved slightly to find that she was in an uncomfortably tight embrace.

She opened her eyes blearily to see a horrific wound before her. She yelped and shrunk back fearfully. However, as soon as she moved, a pair of strong arms pulled her back.

Madelyn looked up to meet Andrew's dark gaze. She couldn't help trembling—it was an instinctive response. It instantly got on Andrew's nerves. "Do you still have the energy to run?"

Sensing the danger in his tone, she shook her head. "No, I'm not going anywhere."

Her denial didn't make him return to his senses. He moved to hover over her, making the wound split open again. Blood trickled down his washboard abs. This immediately made Madelyn lucid. "No, don't!"

His wound was bleeding again. Did he have a death wish? She struggled, wanting to stop his actions.

Andrew took her tears and struggles to mean rejection and a desire to flee. His rationality snapped. The atmosphere became filled with danger and deadliness as he growled, "Do you hate my touch that much?"

Madelyn watched as blood trickled from his wound, and the despair she had felt at the cliff's edge washed over her again. She pressed her hands to his wound helplessly, but that didn't stop the bleeding. She cried desperately, "You're bleeding, Andrew!"

The fear and terror in her tone made him calm down a little. He looked down at the hands pressed to his wound, then looked up to meet her tearful and anguished gaze. His breathing grew heavy.

Madelyn clutched his strong arms, pleading with him, "Can we please stop the bleeding first?"

Her tone was filled with fear. Andrew's gaze darkened at that, and he scoffed. "What, have you changed tactics and decided to suck up to me before finding an opportunity to flee again?"

She tensed. "I'm not going anywhere! Let me go for now!"

How could she possibly run away again? In her past life, after she and Andrew divorced, the monsters in her life showed their true colors and took everything away from her. They even forced her into a dead end on that cliff's edge!

Now that she had seen the light, how could she possibly flee from Andrew, who had lost his life because of her?

She was only worried about him! She remembered she had seriously injured him in her past life, and it had taken him an entire month to recover because his anger had exacerbated the wound.

"I'll go get a first aid kit." Madelyn cautiously pushed Andrew away, afraid her actions would anger him again. However, he didn't budge. He stared into her eyes, his doubt and wariness evident. It made her tear up again.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, but he eventually rolled away from her and sat up. Only then did Madelyn see how deep the wound was. She didn't expect him to be so heavily injured despite her stopping herself before things could get any further.

Andrew thought she would bolt out the door as soon as she was free, like every other time before. To his surprise, all she did was retrieve the first aid kit from the drawer.

As soon as she sat down, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, making her yelp. He grunted from the impact. She sat up straight, feeling anxious. "Stop moving, will you?"

The wound looked even worse than before. Madelyn hurriedly grabbed the disinfectant and carefully tended to the wound. Her warm fingertips brushed against the wound, making him stiffen.

Before she realized what was happening, Andrew gripped her jaw and tilted her head up. Then, he kissed her hard. The pain from it made her finally accept that this wasn't a dream.

She and Andrew were alive again!

"Forget about whatever schemes you're cooking up, Maddie. You can't get away from me!" he said in a raspy voice. The danger in his tone had dissipated somewhat, but his desire to possess her intensified.

Chapter 2

Once a man had his first taste of a woman, he'd be insatiable! Madelyn was so exhausted by Andrew's ministrations that she lay in bed, feeling like she had turned to jelly. She only really woke up around noon. By that time, Andrew was already gone.

Her heart softened at the soreness of her body and the bloodstain on the sheets… She knew everything that had happened was real. She had been reborn, and Andrew's bed was where she had appeared.

Her face burned. The sheets were in such disarray that it was clear how out of control Andrew had been in his haze of lust and anger. The mere thought of what had happened made her legs go weak.

She picked up her phone to call him. He had probably already gone to work. She just wanted to ask how his wound was. More importantly… she seemed to miss him a little. They had only been apart for a few hours, but she already missed him! Why was she so sappy in this lifetime?

A faint smile curved her lips. Just then, someone knocked on the door. A maid said, "Ms. Elena is here, Mrs. Miller."

Madelyn's smile froze at that. She didn't expect Elena, the little bitch, to show up so soon. This was good—she didn't have to worry about seeking Elena out! Her eyes glinted coldly, and she said, "I'll be right there."

She got out of bed and stomped to the wardrobe. She was reminded of Elena's feelings for Andrew when she saw the hickeys and bruises on her neck. And so, she deliberately put on a maxi dress with a plunging neckline.

Madelyn had just arrived at the top of the staircase when she heard Elena imperiously speaking to the butler, George Smith. It was almost as if she were the lady of the household. "Add another vegetable dish for Maddie. She likes that."

"Understood, Ms. Elena. You're so thoughtful," George said.

"I've also put Andrew's favorite pork chops in the fridge. Remember to heat them when it's time for him to eat." Anyone would like Elena when they saw how elegant and poised she was.

Madelyn recalled how the Miller family had once lamented that Elena wasn't the one who was betrothed to Andrew. They felt it was such a waste that he had to marry Madelyn instead. But they didn't know that Elena was the cause of all the tantrums Madelyn had thrown.

Madelyn couldn't help feeling like she wanted to throw up now that she was seeing Elena's disgusting face again. What was wrong with her in her past life? How could she have believed Elena was the only person in the Garcia family to treat her well?

"Mrs. Miller?" George saw Madelyn, and his smile froze. His attitude became distant and aloof.

Elena turned around. Her gaze darkened when she saw the dress Madelyn wore. If her memory served her right, it was a piece Andrew had designed for Madelyn. The V-neck made Madelyn look taller and more slender. It also showed off the hickeys on her neck.

Elena clenched her fists but kept a smile on her face. "I need to speak to Maddie in private, George."

"Understood, Ms. Elena." George's smile became respectful again. He turned to lead the maids away, so obedient and compliant that it was as if Elena was the one calling the shots here.

As soon as he and the maids had their backs turned, Madelyn said, "Hold it."

They faltered and turned around, looking reluctant. She snorted as she swept a gaze over them and slowly descended the stairs.

As she walked past Elena, Elena tried to hold her hand. Madelyn dodged, not bothering to hide the contempt in her gaze.

This took Elena aback. "I hurried over as soon as I heard about what happened last night. How are you? Are you hurt?"

Her gentle tone made everyone automatically think Madelyn was making a fuss out of nothing. Madelyn snorted and sat on the couch with her legs crossed. She was going to show them who the lady of the household was. "George!"

"Yes, Mrs. Miller?" George lowered his head respectfully, but his tone was anything but. It was a stark contrast to how he had been with Elena earlier.

Madelyn sneered, "You're fired."

Everyone was stunned. George gaped at her. "Mrs. Miller, you—"

"Oh, so you still remember who the lady of the household is?" Madelyn gave him a mocking look. Her scathing words were like a slap to Elena's face.

Elena's expression turned ugly, but she soon regained her composure. She kept her smile in place as she hurried forward to hold Madelyn's hand gently. "What happened, Maddie? George is from the Miller residence. You can't treat him like this."

"How do you know where he's from? Are you two on such good terms?" Madelyn looked at her with dislike. How had she missed all of these plotholes in her past life? Had she been blind?

Perhaps it was because she hadn't cared at the time, but she wouldn't allow Elena to manipulate her as she wished in this life.

"Maddie, you…" Elena was a little shocked when she met Madelyn's daunting gaze, but she still quickly composed herself. "Be good, Maddie. Stop throwing a tantrum. George has worked for the Miller family for over a decade. You shouldn't take this too far."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, everyone looked at Madelyn funny. This only hardened Madelyn's heart. In her past life, Elena had constantly made herself out to be a saint while egging Madelyn on and turning Madelyn into the bad guy.

This was one of the best weapons in Elena's arsenal, but things were different now. This would've worked in Madelyn's past life, but now… Elena might enjoy putting on shows, but Madelyn didn't have the patience to play along. "You said I'm taking this too far? You haven't seen the worst of it!"

She slapped Elena's hand away. Elena looked at Madelyn in confusion, not understanding what had changed. Just yesterday, Madelyn had still been hanging on her every word. What had gone wrong?

Before Elena could figure this out, Madelyn gave her a hard slap. The atmosphere instantly froze over. Everyone stared at Madelyn in disbelief, and Elena's gentleness disappeared. The burning sensation on her face made her mask crack. "Maddie, you—"

She was still acting, huh? Madelyn rubbed her palm, which was numb from the slap. "Get the fuck out of here, you fake bitch!"

Her tone was ice-cold, and her attitude was hostile.

Elena tried her best to suppress her anger. She was about to lose it and rip Madelyn a new one when footsteps rang out at the entrance. Soon, Andrew showed up.

"Andrew…" Elena hurried forward with a hand on her cheek and tears in her eyes. She looked pitiful.

Meanwhile, Madelyn met Andrew's cold gaze and instinctively trembled. He noticed this, and the atmosphere turned even icier.

He frowned at Elena's swollen cheek and swept a cold gaze over everyone. "What's happened here?"

George stepped forward, wanting to speak. However, Madelyn beat him to it and ran to Andrew, clinging to his arm.

"You're finally home, darling." She sounded aggrieved too. There was no sign of the earlier dominance she had displayed. Elena wasn't the only one who could act coquettishly and pretend to be pitiful!

Elena and the others gaped at her. Ignoring them, Madelyn looked at Andrew's chest. Her heart ached when she vaguely caught some traces of blood on the bandages around his wound.

He held her hand when she was about to say she wanted to tend to it. She looked up at him, and he shook his head. She understood that he was protecting her. There were people from the Miller residence everywhere around them. Her anger dissipated.

"George." Andrew looked away from Madelyn, the tenderness in his gaze disappearing.

George hurried forward tearfully. "I'm sorry about this, Mr. Miller, but I won't be able to serve you from now on."

"Why not?"

"Because I've fired him!" Madelyn tightened her hold on Andrew's arm when she sensed the iciness he exuded. He raised an eyebrow at her, and she continued huffily, "He's not the only one. I'm firing all the maids!"

The room became dangerously silent at her words. A trace of smugness flashed past Elena's eyes at this. Everyone would think Madelyn was being too obnoxious for words now. She even had the guts to fire George, who had been sent over from the Miller residence.

Andrew wouldn't let her off the hook this time!

Madelyn thought this too. When she saw his gaze become increasingly dangerous, she released him and sniffled. "If they're staying, then I'm leaving."

Andrew's frown deepened, his displeasure evident. Madelyn's eyes turned red at his silence. What did he mean by this? Did he really want her to leave?

Chapter 3

The atmosphere was getting more dangerous by the second. Elena grew even more smug when she saw that Andrew didn't bother saying anything to make Madelyn stay.

The others might be unaware of what had happened last night, but she knew the trouble Madelyn had caused. How could Andrew still stand her when Madelyn had already resorted to stabbing him?

What was wrong with Madelyn, though? Had she not always wanted to get away from Andrew?

Elena kept her glee under wraps and stepped forward. "Let me talk to Maddie, Andrew. She always listens to what I say."

She acted like she was a caring older sister. Madelyn was already angry, so seeing Elena's act set her off. She turned and stomped in Elena's direction to slap her again.

Andrew stopped her after she had only taken a couple of steps. He pulled her back into his arms and asked dangerously, "What are you doing?"

Before she could answer, Elena said, "Maddie, stop kicking up such a fuss. Be good!"

Why wouldn't this bitch just fuck off?

Madelyn wanted to tear Elena's mouth off. She snapped at Andrew, "Let me go!"

His temples throbbed from the commotion. "That's enough!"

Madelyn instantly stopped struggling. She looked up at him with grievance, resembling a wounded animal. Was he protecting Elena?

Everyone was secretly pleased to see this. They thought this meant Andrew had run out of patience for Madelyn's antics.

Madelyn pouted, her eyes red as she tried to push him away. He merely tightened his grip on her and said, "Rowan!"

"I'm here, Mr. Miller," Rowan Lopez said.

"Get rid of these people per Maddie's orders!" Andrew lifted Madelyn into his arms and headed upstairs without another word.

Everyone froze in shock, only returning to their senses once Andrew and Madelyn were gone. They exchanged lost looks. Even Elena was dumbfounded.

Rowan stepped forward and said coldly, "Pack your things and leave, everyone. Your salary will be transferred to your accounts soon."

"Mr. Lopez, this is…" George hurried forward. He thought he had misheard.

Rowan raised an eyebrow. "What? Hasn't Mr. Miller made himself clear?"

"He has, but… what just happened?"

"You should be asking yourself what you did to Mrs. Miller." Rowan knew the household staff had never given Madelyn the respect she deserved. She hadn't cared in the past, though. What was wrong with her today?

Elena finally returned to her senses and felt humiliated. Her blood boiled, and she wanted nothing more than to rip Madelyn to shreds.

…

Andrew pinned Madelyn to the bed after carrying her upstairs. She couldn't help feeling a little smug as she thought about him chasing the household staff away as she wished.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and said tenderly, "You were protecting me, weren't you, darling?"

His breathing grew heavier, and his gaze darkened at her touch. She felt a little diffident as he stared into her eyes. Then, she panicked when she sensed a wetness around her chest.

"Has your wound torn open again?" Earlier, she had vaguely caught traces of blood on the bandages.

She pushed him away lightly, but he did not budge. His warm breath fanned over her ear, tickling her and making her feel things. "Get up so that I can see your wound."

"Tell me what you're up to," Andrew said coldly, ignoring her request. Why did she fire the household staff and slap Elena, whom she trusted unconditionally?

Was this another trick to make him put his guard down since she had failed to take his life? She had boundless energy for these things.

Madelyn knew he would not believe her just yet. After all, before this morning, she had done everything possible to get away from him. Now, however…

"The only thing I'm up to now is to make sure you get better as soon as possible." She didn't know how to explain herself, so she could only shamelessly avoid the subject.

Andrew propped himself on his elbows to look down at her. The doubt in his eyes made it clear that he didn't believe her.

Madelyn looked at his shirt—the blood was already starting to seep through it. She immediately cast aside her thoughts about him not believing her as heartache colored her gaze. "Look, it's bleeding again!"

He had even carried her upstairs just now! Did he have a death wish? She looked at him reproachfully and said, "Can't you stop making things harder for yourself?"

Then, she reached for him, wanting to unbutton his shirt so that she could see how bad the wound was. He stopped her, making her cry out, "What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Maddie…"

Madelyn wrested her hands out of his grip and unbuttoned his shirt. Her expression turned ugly when she saw that the bandages were the ones she had put on.

"Didn't you go to the hospital?" She thought he had gone to the hospital after making her pass out. It looked like she was wrong.

Andrew stared at her, evidently suspicious of her actions. He asked, "Will you go with me?"

"Of course. Come on, I'll take you there." She nodded vigorously, making his gaze soften a little.

Once set free, she grabbed the first aid kit and tended to the wound again. Then, she helped him change into something clean. Her actions were smooth and fluid. It was as if she was used to doing these things and caring for her husband.

Andrew had not taken his eyes off her since they came upstairs. He couldn't help thinking that she was putting on quite a good act. He wouldn't expose her just yet. In fact, he would applaud her if she could keep this act up for the rest of their lives!

"That's more like it. Let's go." Madelyn held his hand naturally, and he looked down at it.

He looked back up at her. She looked into his eyes, her gaze guileless and bright. If all of this was just an act… Andrew didn't dare imagine what he would do to destroy her.

…

When they headed downstairs, they saw the household staff filing out of the house, looking dismayed. Surprisingly, Elena was still around, consoling George.

"Don't worry, George. You can come back once Andrew's not mad anymore, and I'll give Maddie a proper talk about this."

Madelyn wondered if the bitch couldn't understand simple words. Didn't she tell Elena to fuck off? This set her off again. If not for the fact that she had to take Andrew to the hospital, she would've charged over to Elena to give her the beating of a lifetime.

Rowan stepped forward respectfully when he saw Andrew and Madelyn come downstairs. "Mr. Miller."

Andrew nodded and gazed coldly at George and Elena. Before he could say anything, Madelyn dragged him to the entrance. "Let's go to the hospital first!"

As for Elena… Since she insisted on being shameless, Madelyn would teach her a lesson once they returned from the hospital.

Andrew's gaze softened when he saw how worried she was for him. He smiled almost imperceptibly.

Elena tried to suppress her jealousy and rage when she saw Madelyn and Andrew together. She told George, "You should leave first, George."

Then, she approached Madelyn and Andrew. Her jealousy almost burned her to a crisp when she saw their clasped hands. "Are you and Maddie going out, Andrew? I'm about to head home, so could you guys drop me off? I can take the chance to speak to Maddie."

Even though Madelyn had humiliated her in front of so many people, she still wanted to take Madelyn somewhere private to understand what had changed. At the same time, she wanted to have some time alone with Andrew. To her dismay, Andrew didn't even spare her a glance.

Madelyn told Andrew to get in first when the car doors were unlocked. She turned to see Elena shamelessly following them and grabbed her by the collar, snarling, "You'd better already be gone when I come back."

"Maddie—"

"Fuck off!"

Once again, Elena was frightened by the ruthlessness in Madelyn's eyes. What had gone wrong? Why was Madelyn, the fool, treating her like this? Had she noticed something?

Chapter 4

Madelyn paid close attention to Andrew's wound once they were in the car. She didn't allow him to move, afraid that he would make things worse. He watched her intently, and she looked up at him. "What are you looking at?"

Her voice was still soft and coquettish. It made Rowan's bones go weak for a second, and he couldn't help thinking she was a woman with a purpose. He prayed Andrew could withstand her sorcery.

Andrew frowned. "We're alone now. You don't have to keep acting like this."

Madelyn fell silent. Wasn't it obvious that she was repenting? Why was he suspecting her instead of being moved?

However, she only faltered for a second. Then, she clung to him and nuzzled him, saying, "Just pretend I'm getting used to being lovey-dovey."

She remembered that in her past life, Andrew had finally given up and agreed to set her free after she stabbed him. He only requested to wait until after his grandmother, Athena Wood's, 80th birthday celebration. She had to make one last public appearance with him before the divorce.

Seeing that he wasn't saying anything, she added, "Grandma's 80th birthday is just around the corner."

This made the atmosphere become tense again. Andrew gripped Madelyn's jaw and forced her to look at him. She was frightened when she saw the dark look in his eyes. Why was he mad again? Why were men so hard to appease?

"I'll send the Garcia family to hell with you if you dare cause trouble during Grandma's birthday celebration, Madelyn." His ruthless tone made her tremble. How could she have forgotten that he was a monster?

Even in her past life, she had known how much Athena meant to him. That was why she never dared to cross the line, no matter how much trouble she caused. Now that she was on her second life, how could she be dumb enough to do anything like that?

Still, she felt wronged by his ferocity. Holding his wrist, she said, "I won't cause trouble at all, darling. Please let me go. It hurts!"

The warmth of her palm seemed to burn its way right to his heart. He couldn't help his anger from subsiding somewhat. Ultimately, he couldn't bring himself to be harsh to her. He knew she was only acting, but he still let her go when he saw her tears.

…

They soon arrived at the hospital. Madelyn accompanied Andrew as the doctor tended to his wound. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

"Why are you crying?" Andrew caressed her head. To think she had been so fierce at home earlier. What was she trying to achieve with this act?

She sniffled. "Does it hurt?"

Even the slightest cut was enough to make her hiss and wince from the pain, yet he could fuck her hard enough to make her pass out.

Andrew's expression darkened. "What, do you think you didn't stab me hard enough?"

The doctor's and nurses' eyes flew to Madelyn. What was up with this? Did she have some unique preferences in bed?

Madelyn glared at Andrew while enduring the odd looks the medical personnel gave her. Once the doctor was done tending to Andrew's wound, she listened attentively as he listed the things they needed to pay attention to.

Andrew watched her closely. Then, he said, "Rowan."

"Sir?"

"Keep a closer watch on her for now." He wanted to see what Madelyn was up to this time. Still, no matter what she had in mind, she wouldn't be able to escape him.

Andrew took in Madelyn's side profile, his gaze softening at his thoughts. His eyes were filled with tenderness, but there was something scary about it. It was almost like he would close his first around her neck if it meant it could prevent her from leaving.

Madelyn came back after listening to everything the doctor had to say. She linked arms with Andrew and said, "The doctor said you don't need to be admitted, darling. We can head home now."

She had asked to have Andrew hospitalized and observed for a night because she was worried about his wound, but the doctor said it wasn't too deep. All they needed to do was keep it from getting infected.

Andrew saw her holding a bag filled with the medication the doctor had prescribed. He took it from her and held her with his other hand. She looked down at their clasped hands, feeling a sweetness in her heart.

…

They returned to Serenity Villa, but Andrew showed no sign of getting out of the car. Madelyn held his hand tightly, refusing to let go. He raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"I can turn a blind eye to you not being hospitalized, but there's no way I'll let you go to work. Not like this." Madelyn's voice was soft yet firm.

He looked at her silently, his gaze cool. She knew he didn't like people disturbing him when he worked, but she wouldn't back down on this. The weather was hot. What would they do if his wound became infected?

Rowan's breathing hitched when he heard this. Then, he said a little harshly, "Mr. Miller has an important meeting to attend, Mrs. Miller. We have to leave now."

He said nothing about Madelyn being a witch for trying to take Andrew from his work, but the insinuation was clear. Besides, whose fault was it that Andrew had ended up in this situation?

Madelyn's eyes turned red again. Andrew massaged his throbbing temples and said, "Set up a video conference."

Rowan fell silent, and Madelyn's anxiety melted away. She looked like a sycophantic bootlicker as she helped Andrew out of the car.

Rowan was efficient. The trip to the hospital hadn't taken long, but he had already changed all the household staff at Serenity Villa. There wasn't a familiar face in sight.

Madelyn followed Andrew as he made his way to the study. "What do you want to have for lunch? I can cook it for you."

Anyone who wasn't in the know would think she was a caring wife. Andrew gave her a meaningful look, and she rubbed her nose awkwardly. At that moment, Rowan came up with Andrew's documents.

"I'll leave you to it, then." Seeing that they were busy, she decided to leave them alone.

She headed downstairs and saw the new butler assigning the household staff their tasks. When they saw Madelyn, they all lowered their heads respectfully. "Mrs. Miller."

She had long since gotten over the tantrum she had thrown that morning, so she nodded and said, "You guys can go ahead and do what you need to."

"Yes, ma'am." The maids hurried to attend to their chores.

The butler remained standing by the foot of the staircase. He waited for Madelyn's instructions.

She thought about it and said, "Mr. Butler."

"My name is David Johnson, Mrs. Miller."

"Oh. David, then."

"Yes, ma'am."

"From now on, I don't want to see Elena Garcia or any bitches in Serenity Villa. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am." David was slightly taken aback by Madelyn's harsh words but still nodded.

Madelyn was still thinking whether she had anything else to tell David when her phone vibrated. She held it up to glance at it, and her breathing hitched.

She clenched a fist around her phone, her knuckles turning white from the force. She took several deep breaths, but they did nothing to quell her anger and desire to kill.

Ultimately, she answered the phone before the call cut off. "Hello?"

"I'll arrive at the airport in two and a half hours, Maddie." The deep voice on the other end of the line was gentle and doting.

It made Madelyn's hackles rise. The voice belonged to Easton. As she recalled the cruel, ruthless look she had seen on his face in the final moments of her past life, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Easton didn't notice anything amiss. He asked gently, "Can you come pick me up?"

"Go to hell, you asshole!" Madelyn roared. She hung up right after that.

David and the maids were frightened when they saw this. The rumors were true—Madelyn had a bad temper!

Chapter 5

Madelyn sat on the couch for a long while with her phone in her hand, but her anger didn't subside. She had wanted to cook lunch for Andrew but wasn't in the mood anymore.

Andrew's meeting went on until 12:30 pm. Suddenly, Rowan hurried downstairs and barked, "Get Dr. Patel here!"

Madelyn stared at him. A doctor? Was something wrong with Andrew's wound? Her mind went blank, but her body reacted instantly. She shot to her feet and ran upstairs.

Rowan frowned as he watched her run off. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Was that alarm he had seen in her eyes? How could that be? Madelyn wanted nothing more than to kill Andrew.

Madelyn barged into the study to see Andrew in his seat, looking pale. She ran to him and crouched before him. "Is the wound bleeding again?"

She reached to unbutton his shirt. He gave her an unfathomable look and grabbed her hands. She looked up to meet his icy gaze. Ignoring it, she tried to pull away. "Let me see what's wrong, darling."

Andrew only tightened his grip. He showed no intention of letting her go, which only made her anxiety grow. Fortunately, Rowan soon arrived with a doctor. It was Ivan Patel, whom Andrew trusted with his life.

Ivan hurried forward to check on Andrew when he saw how pale he was. Madelyn was inadvertently pushed away, but she wasn't bothered. She stood up and moved aside while watching nervously.

Ivan checked Andrew's wound. "It's been infected."

Madelyn and Rowan asked in unison, "But how?"

Ivan looked grim. He didn't bother answering them and instead started tending to Andrew's wound. Madelyn's heart ached when she saw the sweat beading Andrew's forehead.

The wound was so severely infected that he needed an IV drip. Ivan didn't leave immediately after wrapping everything up. He stayed to check on the discarded dressing and pus. Then, he gave Madelyn a deathly glare.

She was confused and had an ominous feeling. Rowan stepped forward and subconsciously glanced at her. "What exactly happened?"

Seeing them like that, Andrew looked at Madelyn as well. She frowned, not understanding what this meant. Ivan turned to Andrew, saying, "Someone's tampered with this medication. It's good that we discovered this in time. Otherwise, your life would've been in danger."

So, the mastermind wanted to kill Andrew?

Madelyn sucked in a breath, instantly understanding what the men's looks meant. Rowan gritted his teeth as he glared at her.

"It wasn't me!" She turned to Andrew and blurted without thinking. Then, she stiffened.

She recalled how Andrew had spent a month in the hospital in her previous life. It wasn't solely because of the severity of his injuries; it was also because someone had tampered with his medication.

Madelyn was the one who had done it then. She switched out the medication after listening to Elena, who told her the maids would immediately search for a first aid kit upon learning that Andrew was injured. It happened so long ago that Madelyn had forgotten about it.

"Darling, I…" Her mind was blank as she stared at Andrew. She wanted nothing more than to slap herself.

"Please leave, Mrs. Miller." Rowan couldn't suppress his rage anymore. He rudely asked Madelyn to leave the room.

Her gaze was still fixed on Andrew. When she saw his eyes turning colder, she blabbered anxiously, "How about I take you back to the room so that you can rest?"

This was all her fault. She deserved to die! Still, she knew better than anyone that she was truly doomed if she couldn't explain this.

Seeing that Madelyn refused to leave, Rowan stepped forward to physically eject her from the room.

"Rowan, step out," Andrew commanded coldly.

Rowan turned around, trying hard to suppress his anger. He growled, "She tried to kill you, Mr. Miller!"

"Get out. Ivan, you can return for now."

Ivan glanced at Madelyn and gave her a deadly look with Andrew watching. Then, he and Rowan left, leaving Madelyn and Andrew alone.

Madelyn approached Andrew as tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean for this to happen. I swear!"

She slapped herself as she spoke. If she had remembered that he had spent a month in the hospital in her past life, she wouldn't have forgotten the cause!

Andrew's iciness melted a little when he saw how agitated she was. However, his tone remained cold as he said, "First, you stabbed me. Then, you tampered with my medication. Do you hate me that much?"

Was she trying to take his life since she couldn't leave him? Didn't she care about the years they had spent together? Was she really going to give all of this up for Easton's sake?

Madelyn fell to her knees before him when she heard his words. She wrapped her arms around his legs and burst into tears. "No, it's not like that! Forget about this, darling. I know I've made a mistake!"

She was relieved Ivan had noticed this. Otherwise, Andrew would've died. Terror filled her eyes as she thought of this.

Andrew exuded murderous intent. "Are you that desperate to leave me?"

"No, no, no! I'm not going anywhere! I won't leave you!" Madelyn held him tighter, afraid he would kick her aside.

Silence descended upon the room, leaving only the sound of their breathing and Madelyn's sobs. Andrew's gaze remained sharp and dark—it was as if he wanted his gaze to pierce her.

The silence in the room ensued for so long that it was smothering. After ages, Andrew said dangerously, "This is your only chance, Madelyn."

She was just acting, wasn't she? Suddenly, he felt like he didn't want to play along anymore. He wanted to force her to rip off her mask.

To his surprise, she cried, "No, I don't want any chances! I just want to stay by your side!"

Andrew fell silent. Was she refusing to leave despite him giving her such a good chance? So, she wasn't acting?

Madelyn held his legs tightly. She had been desperate to hear him say those words in her past life. Now, however, she didn't want any of that. She would remain by his side, even if she had to go through hell with him.

Andrew gripped her jaw, making her look into his eyes. When she saw the ice in his gaze, she knew this meant he had temporarily forgiven her even if he didn't believe her.

He kissed her hard. "You're the one who gave up your chance, Madelyn. If you even think about leaving in the future, I'll break your legs."

His tone was gentle, but his words were harsh and fierce. They made Madelyn tremble.

Andrew's breathing hitched at that. In the next second, she wrapped her arms around his neck. The action burned through his rationality. He was about to pin her underneath him when she carefully pressed his head to her chest. "I'm still sore, darling."

His mind buzzed, and he single-handedly carried her onto his desk. Seeing that he was about to lose control again, she hurriedly jumped off the desk and backed away. She trembled as she met his beast-like gaze. "I'll go see what's cooking in the kitchen."

After that, she fled. Her life would be in danger if she were to remain in the room!

Once she left the study, her expression turned ugly. She called Elena, who soon answered. Elena sounded a little angry as she asked, "What do you want?"

"I want to see you." Madelyn couldn't suppress her anger anymore.

Elena fell silent. She felt Madelyn was a fool. Even though she didn't know why Madelyn had suddenly changed, she knew Madelyn needed her ideas if she wanted to leave Andrew. That was why she was sure Madelyn would call her.

"I'm not free now." Elena wanted to leave Madelyn hanging after the humiliation she had suffered today. That would teach Madelyn not to defy her in the future!

"Andrew wants to see you." If not because Madelyn was worried about Andrew's wound, she would've charged over to the Garcia residence right then and there.

Elena threw her pride and arrogance aside as soon as she heard that. She said, "I'll be right there."