"You're busy now, so | won't disturb you," Madelyn said.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtEthan turned his attention to her. "You're not curious about what I'm up to?" he asked.
Madelyn was taken aback for a moment. It did not seem necessary for him to tell her what he was dealing with. Besides, she was not one to pry into other people's private matters. Madelyn did not answer his question, she just casually said, "You better get busy. Don't miss your flight.” "Alright. When | get back, I'll bring you a gift." His voice was calm.
Madelyn quickly replied, "No need. You've already given me so much. | can't ask for more." "Madelyn... Do we really have to be this formal with each other?" His voice held a hint of deeper emotion.
Despite everything, Madelyn always seemed to find a way to turn him down. He had hoped that the events of the previous night would bring them closer, but a single phone call had shifted Ethan's once-positive mood into one of frustration and disappointment.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmMadelyn held onto her dress hem. "I'm sorry. | just feel like you've already done so much for me... | can't ask for more." One simple apology brought relief to Ethan; he realized he had been too harsh. This was the usual pattern; he struggled to control his temper. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he felt weary. "I haven't been consistent with my medication, so my tone was too forceful. I'm sorry, Madelyn. | didn't mean it." With genuine concern, Madelyn expressed, "No matter how busy you are, you need to take your medication. If it's not something extremely important, then don't push yourself. Your well-being comes first." What he truly longed for was a straightforward show of concern. The voice on the opposite end of the line went quiet for a moment. Madelyn, too, was anxious about the conversation potentially becoming awkward and was uncertain about how to proceed.
Ethan, looking at the photos on his office desk, said, "I'll return shortly. In about three days." "Got it, make sure to take care of yourself," Madelyn replied.
"There's something else | need to attend to, so I'll end the call now." "Okay." After hanging up, Madelyn felt way more chill. She glanced back at her locked door. No one was coming in now. Before heading upstairs, she had told everyone to leave her alone unless it was super important.
Madelyn grabbed a book, stepped out onto the balcony, and laid down on a chair, wrapping herself in a light blanket. She soaked up the sun while diving into her book. Just after she got comfortable, someone knocked on the door. Madelyn decided to ignore it. She peeked at the door, then slid the glass door shut to block out the noise. The recent makeover of her place was not just for looks; it made everything soundproof too. As the knocking got quieter and quieter, Madelyn did not bother about it.
Zach was outside the room, knocking for a bit, but no one answered.
"Do you think Madelyn might be asleep?" Jadie asked Zach, her disappointment evident. "Maybe we shouldn't disturb her." Zach gave her a serious look. "Think carefully, did you leave the workbook at school?"