Madelynn's mother, Ellie Douglas, had been hospitalized for nearly three weeks this time.

By the time Madelynn pushed open the door that night, it was already close to ten. Ellie was still awake, leaning comfortably against the headboard, eyes glued to some dating show. A pile of pistachio shells littered the blanket around her.

"Why are you here this late?" Ellie glanced at the clock before turning to Madelynn. "Don't you have work in the morning?"

Madelynn didn't answer right away. She set a thermos down on the table and began cleaning up the mess on the bed. "You shouldn't be eating so many of these," she said. "They're not good for your throat."

Ellie shrugged, unconcerned. "Then bring me some lemon honey water tomorrow. That'll fix it."

Her eyes remained on Madelynn, her gaze sharpening as she took in her daughter's tired face. "You look worn out. Rough day at work?"

"No."

Ellie tilted her head. "Trouble with someone at the office?"

Madelynn replied, "Nothing like that."

A knowing look crept into Ellie's eyes. "Then you must have crossed paths with someone you didn't want to."

Madelynn's hands stilled at that.

Ellie lowered the TV volume with a quiet sigh. "Four years has passed," she murmured. "And every time you make that face, I know exactly why."

She knew the whole story of what had happened between Madelynn and Caiden four years ago.

"Mom, don't read into things," Madelynn said, though her tone lacked conviction.

Ellie arched an eyebrow. "Read into things? Just look at yourself. Your expression has given you away."

She paused for a second. Then, her voice softened. "Maybe I've been burdening you all these years."

Madelynn tossed the last of the shells into the bin, her tone turning flat. "If you keep saying things like that, I won't come tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll stop," Ellie said quickly, patting the space beside her. "Come sit for a while."

After a brief hesitation, Madelynn sat down. Ellie reached out and took her hands.

Ellie's fingers were thin and slightly misshapen from age, yet the warmth in her palms hadn't faded.

After a moment, she spoke again, more carefully this time. "How is he now?"

Madelynn's gaze dropped. "He's doing well," she said. Then, after a pause, added quietly, "Wealthier than before."

Ellie studied her in silence, her expression unreadable. She said after a long while, "Yet you are still wearing the same coat from years ago."

Madelynn had no answer.

"It hurts to see you like this," Ellie continued gently. "When you were with him, at least you didn't have to worry about money. But after the two of you separated... you've been living like this ever since."

"I'm really fine," Madelynn replied.

"Fine?" Ellie's tone sharpened slightly. "I saw your medical report. Stomach ulcer, low blood pressure, anemia... Joyce told me everything. She even said you're the one who should be in a hospital bed."

Madelynn fell silent.

Ellie squeezed her hands lightly, as if steadying herself before speaking again. "Actually... back then, someone from the Dawson family came to see me."

Madelynn's head lifted abruptly, her eyes widening in surprise.

"It happened during your third year at university," Ellie began slowly. "Your grandmother was in critical condition. You stayed at the hospital for a full week; your phone was turned off the entire time. During that period, a woman came to see me. She introduced herself as Caiden's mother. She said she would cover all the medical expenses on one condition. That you leave him."

Madelynn felt her chest tighten, her voice barely steady. "Why didn't you tell me back then?"

Ellie gave a bitter smile. "And what would that have changed? So you could confront the Dawson family? At the time, your grandmother needed surgery immediately, and we had no way to afford it. Your father was gone, and I... I couldn't carry everything on my own."

Her eyes turned red with tears. "If there's anyone I've wronged the most in this life, it's you."

Madelynn tightened her hold on Ellie's hands.

Memories surfaced unbidden—Caiden's expression from that year. The coldness, resentment, and disappointment on his face.

She hadn't tried to explain.

She couldn't.

What was she supposed to say? That his family had paid her off to walk away from him?

The sum had gone straight into the hospital, buying her grandmother two more years to live.

Even now, she couldn't decide whether that decision had been right.

All she knew was that she never wanted to see that look in Caiden's eyes again.

The next morning, Madelynn went to work. She stepped into the elevator and found Abby already inside.

Abby stood there in towering heels, dressed to impress, her presence announced by the overpowering scent of perfume. A brand-new designer tote hung from her arm, one Madelynn had noticed in a boutique before. It cost more than half a year's rent for someone like Madelynn.

Without even looking at Madelynn, Abby spoke while checking her reflection in the mirrored doors. "I heard you got rejected by the Dawson Group on the spot yesterday. That must've been embarrassing."

Madelynn remained silent.

Abby smirked faintly. "Honestly, I'm not surprised. People like you rely on appearances to get ahead. Once that doesn't work, there's nothing left but humiliation."

The elevator doors slid open.

Madelynn stepped out, her tone calm but cutting. "Instead of worrying about me, maybe focus on your own work. Your team has ranked last for three months straight, hasn't it?"

Abby's expression stiffened instantly, her face turning dark.

Later that morning, Madelynn was called into Danny's office.

The moment the door closed behind her, Danny sighed heavily. "Madelynn, how long have you been working under me now?"

"Four years," Madelynn replied.

"Four years," Danny repeated, shaking his head. "You've always been reliable—capable, steady, and good with clients. I've considered promoting you more than once. But what happened yesterday—"

"Mr. Willis, I'll take full responsibility for that," Madelynn interjected before he could continue.

Danny waved a hand, dismissing the idea. "No need for that. I know exactly what kind of person Louis is."

He paused, then added more seriously, "The real issue is that the Dawson Group still expects an explanation."

Madelynn didn't respond.

Danny opened a drawer, took out an envelope, and slid it across the desk toward her.

"Why are you giving me this envelope?" Madelynn asked, her brows tightening slightly.

Danny tapped the envelope in front of him. "The Dawson Group is holding the quarterly meeting tomorrow. I need you to deliver a written apology to them. You won't have to meet anyone; just leave it at reception."

He paused for a moment. "It's nothing more than procedure. Once that's done, the matter should settle itself."

Madelynn looked at the envelope but made no move to pick it up.

"I understand this feels unfair," Danny said, his tone gentler now. "But that's the nature of this industry. When the client asks for something, we comply. Just consider it helping the company."

After a brief pause, Madelynn reached out and took the envelope.

However, instead of heading back to her desk, she went straight downstairs.

It was a little past eleven when her taxi pulled up outside the Dawson Group building.

Inside, the receptionist, a young woman, straightened the moment Madelynn mentioned Caiden's name. Her expression immediately turned cautious. "Do you have an appointment?"

"No," Madelynn replied. "Just please give this to him."

She had just placed the envelope on the counter when someone called out behind her.

"Miss Douglas?"

She turned around.

Standing near the elevator was Jed Rogers, his expression stiff with recognition and something close to reluctance.

As Caiden's assistant, he had interacted with her often in the past.

"I'm only here to drop something off," Madelynn said, indicating the envelope. "Since that's done, I'll be leaving now."

"Hold on." Jed stepped closer, his gaze dropping briefly to the envelope. Noticing it hadn't been sealed, he raised a brow. "An apology letter?"

Madelynn didn't deny it, saying nothing.

Jed fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Mr. Dawson is currently in a meeting. You can wait upstairs."

"That won't be necessary."

"It is," Jed said, his tone gaining a firmer edge. "You know how Louis behaves. If this isn't resolved today, he'll keep making an issue of it. That would complicate things for Mr. Dawson."

Madelynn looked at him quietly.

Jed avoided her eyes, saying, "Come with me."

The twenty-eighth floor hadn't changed. Everything looked exactly as it had years ago.

Madelynn found herself standing in the hallway outside the break room, with nowhere to sit and not even a glass of water offered.

Jed had told her, "Please wait here for a moment," but never returned.

She remained by the wall as time dragged on—ten minutes, then twenty, thirty...

A familiar, gnawing pain began to coil in her stomach.

She hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. And the night before, she had barely managed a few spoonfuls of soup.

It was a habit her body had never forgotten—something left over from those years when she juggled multiple jobs and ate only when she could.

Things had improved once, briefly. Back when she was with Caiden, he had been almost obsessive about her meals, making sure she ate on time, even arranging for food to be delivered to her at school.

During that time, the pain had nearly disappeared.

But after they parted ways, it came back as if it had been waiting.

Madelynn pressed her back against the wall and closed her eyes, steadying herself. Just ten more minutes, she decided. If Caiden didn't come out by then, she would leave.

The minutes slipped by.

She opened her eyes.

At the far end of the corridor, the conference room doors swung open. A group of executives stepped out, their polished appearances and composed expressions marking the end of the meeting.

Caiden emerged last, walking alongside someone as he listened, his posture relaxed yet distant.

Then, almost as if something had drawn his attention, he looked up.

From across the wide hallway, his eyes found Madelynn. For a fleeting second, he paused.

And then, just as quickly, he looked away. His conversation resumed, his steps continuing toward his office as though nothing had happened.

Madelynn didn't move.

She watched him getting closer and closer until he passed by her completely, without a glance, without a pause, as if she were no more significant than the décor lining the walls.

Her fingers tightened around the envelope.

"Mr. Dawson," she called out.

Though Caiden stopped, he didn't turn.

"What is it?" His voice was calm and detached.

"I came here to apologize."

"For?"

"For yesterday. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

Silence lingered between them for a few seconds.

Then, Caiden finally turned.

His gaze settled on Madelynn, scanning her face before drifting downward, pausing at the box of stomach medication peeking out from her coat pocket.

He then looked back up.

Her pale complexion said enough.

"So this is your way of apologizing?" he asked.

Unaware of what Caiden had noticed, Madelynn met his tone with equal indifference. "If there's a specific way you prefer, I can follow it."

That answer caught Caiden off guard.

For a moment, it seemed as if he might respond, something flickering in his expression, but it disappeared soon.

In the end, he simply extended his hand. "The letter."

Madelynn placed the envelope into his palm.

He didn't open it. Just held it there.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"No."

With that, Madelynn turned immediately, heading toward the elevator.

She had only taken a few steps when his voice came again. "Madelynn."

She stopped but didn't look back.

"I've accepted your apology letter." There was a short pause before he added coldly, "Don't appear in front of me again."

For a second, Madelynn was stunned.

Then, without turning around, she replied quietly, "Understood."

Right then, the elevator doors slid open, and she stepped inside.

Even as the doors closed, she kept her eyes forward, not looking back.

As expected, Caiden never caused trouble for Madelynn again.

At Infinity Entertainment, the earlier incident involving Louis was also quietly brushed aside, as if nothing had ever happened.

On the surface, everything returned to its usual rhythm. The partnership between Infinity Entertainment and the Dawson Group continued without interruption. Since Abby had taken over the project, Madelynn had to accept one of Abby's projects.

The moment Madelynn opened the project files, however, she understood immediately—Abby had deliberately set her up.

The client was Randy Wallace, in his forties, divorced three times, and infamous in the industry for his inappropriate behavior toward female producers. Abby clearly didn't want to deal with him herself, so she pushed the responsibility onto her instead.

Yet refusing was not an option.

After the previous project fallout, Madelynn knew Danny would not tolerate her rejecting another assignment.

So, despite everything, she agreed to meet Randy over a meal.

Randy chose the time himself, seven in the evening.

The place was an upscale restaurant with elegantly named private rooms. The one they were assigned was called "Pattering Rain."

Within ten minutes of sitting down, Madelynn already knew—Randy wasn't here to discuss business.

Randy leaned back comfortably as he poured her a drink, his gaze lingering on her longer than appropriate.

"Miss Douglas, you really are impressive for your age," he said smoothly. "No wonder Infinity Entertainment is doing so well with someone like you around."

"Thank you," Madelynn replied evenly, gently sliding the glass aside. "But I can't drink much. Let me just have something nonalcoholic."

Randy's smile thinned slightly. "Not drinking is the same as refusing my respect."

"Then I'll pour some drink for you instead," she said calmly, "as my way of showing you my respect."

For a brief moment, Randy's expression hardened before he put a smile back onto his face. "Alright. You've got quite the personality. I like that."

For the next forty minutes, Madelynn maintained a polished, professional smile as well as she could.

Whenever Randy attempted to shift the conversation into something more personal, she smoothly redirected it back to the project.

In the end, the contract stayed unsigned, with Randy saying he still needed time to "think it over."

By the time Madelynn stepped out of the restaurant, it was already twenty past ten.

She could still catch the last subway if she hurried.

Randy quickly followed her out. "Miss Douglas," he said, "let me give you a ride."

"No need for that," Madelynn replied. "I'll take a taxi back."

"At this hour?" Randy chuckled. "You'll have a hard time getting a taxi. I'm heading in your direction anyway."

Before she could refuse again, he had already opened the passenger door of his car. "Or is it that you think my car isn't good enough for you?" he asked teasingly.

Madelynn's eyes briefly landed on the black Mercedes.

For a moment, an image surfaced in her mind—that night, the black luxury car, and the man who had once felt close yet now so distant.

Madelynn exhaled softly and eventually got inside the car.

"Thank you, Mr. Wallace."

Ten minutes into the drive, something felt wrong. The route was unfamiliar.

"This isn't the way to Infinity Entertainment," Madelynn said.

"I'm taking you somewhere nice," Randy replied with an easy laugh. "Relax."

Madelynn's grip tightened on her phone. "I have an early meeting tomorrow. I need to get back soon."

"Meetings can wait," Randy said, turning the car toward a narrow side street. The road ahead grew darker and quieter, far from the main traffic. "You're still young," he continued casually. "There's no need to bury yourself in work all the time. Life has far more enjoyable things to offer."

Soon after, the vehicle came to a stop in front of an abandoned industrial building. Randy killed the engine, and the silence that followed felt heavy.

Madelynn immediately reached for the door handle. But it didn't move. It was locked.

"What are you doing, Mr. Wallace?" Her voice turned sharp.

Randy didn't respond right away. Instead, he unbuckled his seatbelt and slowly turned toward her.

The dim interior light washed over his face, stripping away the polished image he had maintained and exposing something far less civilized underneath.

"When Danny handed this project to you, you should've understood what kind of arrangement this is," he said flatly, leaning closer. "In this industry, nothing comes free. If you want opportunities, you have to be willing to pay for them."

Madelynn moved back slightly, her back pressed against the car door, keeping some distance between them.

"You've misunderstood me. I'm not that kind of person."

Randy let out a cold laugh. "Please. I've worked with enough people like you to know better. Stop putting on an act. Or are you trying to negotiate for something more from me?"

Before she could reply, his hand landed on her knee.

For a split second, Madelynn's mind went completely blank.

She then shoved him away and reached for the door lock.

The sudden force knocked Randy off balance, and his expression twisted in anger. He grabbed her hair and yanked her back violently.

"You're asking for trouble!" he spat.

His hand then swung toward her face, trying to hit her.

Madelynn dodged at the last second, but his nails still scraped across her cheek.

Cursing under his breath, Randy grabbed her collar and slammed her head against the window.

Pain exploded through her head.

Her hand instinctively reached for the door switch.

With a click, it unlocked, and she fell out of the car, hitting the ground hard. Her elbow scraped painfully against the rough surface.

Randy stepped out after her. She fumbled on the ground, found a brick, and raised her arm.

But then, before she could act, her wrist was caught mid-air. The grip was firm yet steady, the hand warm and unmistakably familiar.

"It's me," a voice said quietly.

Madelynn's breath caught instantly. Tears blurred her vision, making everything indistinct.

She couldn't see the person's face clearly in the dark, only a shadow standing between her and danger.

But she knew that voice.

Caiden pulled her to her feet, took the brick from her hand without a word, and tossed it aside.

He didn't look at her. His attention stayed fixed entirely on Randy.

Randy's face went pale the instant he recognized Caiden.

"Mr... Mr. Dawson..."

Caiden didn't respond.

He remained where he was, one hand still steadying Madelynn by the arm. In the dim light, his expression was hard to read, but his silence alone was enough to suffocate any courage Randy had left.

"You've got three seconds," he said coldly. "Get lost."

Randy didn't hesitate. He scrambled back into his car in panic. The engine started violently, and the black vehicle soon sped off down the alley. Its taillights disappeared completely into the night.

The space fell into heavy silence.

Only then did Caiden let go of Madelynn's wrist.

Madelynn leaned against the wall, head lowered, trying to steady her breathing. Pain throbbed through her elbow, where blood had already begun to run down her skin and drip onto the ground.

Caiden looked at her quietly.

He didn't ask anything.

Instead, he took out a dark gray handkerchief from his pocket, one she immediately recognized.

Even the scent brought back a memory she hadn't expected to surface.

It felt like nothing had changed.

Caiden pressed the cloth gently over the wound on her elbow.

Madelynn instinctively recoiled.

"Stay still," he said, his eyes lowered. His movements were controlled and careful.

The fabric darkened almost immediately as it soaked up blood. For a brief moment, his brows tightened.

Madelynn suddenly felt tears gathering in her eyes again.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Caiden replied, "I was just passing through."

"This route doesn't lead to downtown."

Caiden's hand paused slightly at that.

"I followed you here," he admitted after a beat. "I saw you leave the restaurant."

Madelynn went quiet.

After a few minutes of steady pressure, the bleeding slowed.

Caiden's gaze shifted to the bruise near her temple. His expression darkened slightly.

"Anywhere else hurt?" he asked.

"No."

Caiden didn't believe her.

His eyes lingered on her face for a few seconds longer before drifting to the edge of her coat, where a box of stomach medicine was partially visible.

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes."

"When?"

Madelynn didn't answer.

Caiden didn't push further. He lowered his eyes, refolded the handkerchief, now stained dark, and put it away.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

"Yeah."

With that, Madelynn tried to take a step, but her legs gave out beneath her.

Caiden caught her before she could hit the ground.

For a brief moment, he didn't move, as if weighing something unspoken. Then, he bent slightly, slid one arm behind her shoulders and the other beneath her knees, and lifted her cleanly off the ground.

"Caiden—"

"Don't move," he interjected.

He carried her toward the exit of the alley.

Madelynn stopped resisting.

She rested against him instead, the tension slowly leaving her body.

That familiar scent of his reached her again—pine, cool and crisp, like snow settling on a quiet winter morning.

Her eyes closed, and just for a moment, she let herself rest.