Chapter 16: Was It Really That Despicable?

Upon hearing these words, Madelyn instantly understood that Sebastian was referring to her encounter with Christopher at the restaurant. Suddenly, a burning sensation welled up in her nose.

How did Sebastian come to know about this? Did he have someone tailing her? However, Madelyn didn’t care in the slightest, nor did she want to know. In that moment, she felt incredibly aggrieved because there was absolutely nothing going on between her and Christopher. If it weren’t for the sheer amount of dishes she had ordered, she wouldn’t have spent such a long time downstairs with him.

After racking her brains to turn down Christopher’s invitation, she immediately turned hostile when he touched her hand. She dashed off to the washroom, obsessively washing her hands over and over again. While she was washing, she felt nauseous and exerted a lot of force, nearly scrubbing her hands raw. But in Sebastian’s perspective, it unexpectedly turned into a rendezvous with a lover.

Could it be that, in Sebastian’s heart, she was such a despicable person? She admitted that, in the past, she was indeed a handful, causing all sorts of headaches. Couldn’t Sebastian see the changes she had made for their relationship now?

In that instant, rage surged in Madelyn’s heart, her eyes flaming red as she yelled at Sebastian, “Sebastian, you’re nothing but a jerk! Do you have any idea how heavy these things are? Do you know how much effort I’ve put in? You know nothing; all you do is blame me. I despise you, I despise you more than anything! I never want to see you again!”

After she finished speaking, Madelyn’s eyes welled up with tears as she bolted out of the room without hesitation. Sebastian was taken aback when he saw her tears. Why was she crying when he should be the one to be angry?

The surroundings fell into silence, and Sebastian’s rationality slowly started to gather itself. Catching sight of the mess strewn all over the floor, Sebastian suddenly realized that she must have been scalded earlier. A sudden tension gripped his heart. He was about to chase after her, but his feet halted.

Forget it… Madelyn’s tears might not have been shed for him. In her heart, there was only room for Christopher. Even if he were to pursue her, it would likely serve to irritate her.

At that moment, Malcolm happened to walk in. He was dumbstruck at the sight of food scattered all over the floor. “Oh my goodness, what happened here? The food is all over the place and is still piping hot. They must have been served just moments ago, right?”

After glancing at Malcolm, Sebastian returned to his seat, his tone reverting to its usual coldness. “What is it?”

This was the first time Malcolm had seen Madelyn cry. In truth, despite her usually brash demeanor, seeing her shed tears was enough to tug at anyone’s heartstrings. Sebastian paused slightly, recalling the image of her eyes brimming with tears. His heart softened a bit, yet his tone remained indifferent. “Don’t worry about her. Go get something to clean up the floor. I still have work to do.”

Though Malcolm didn’t know what had happened, he didn’t dare to slack off. He immediately went to gather the mop, swiftly tidying up the things on the ground. In the end, he even spritzed a bit of perfume around, aiming to mask the rich aroma of the food.

“Sebastian, you jerk! You’re just too much. I won’t speak to you ever again!”

While cursing inwardly, Madelyn, with a troubled expression, dashed out of Lockhart. This scene was observed by Janessa, who was sitting in the café across the street. Upon seeing Madelyn’s puffed-up appearance, Janessa couldn’t help but smile. Just as she had predicted, the two of them had indeed had a falling out. With a smug satisfaction, Janessa was proud of her tactics.

“Madelyn, do you really think a fool woman like you can actually get along with Sebastian? No, the woman truly suited to be with Sebastian must be both intelligent and shrewd; only then can she be worthy of the outstanding Sebastian.” Naturally, Janessa assumed without a doubt that she was the only suitable choice for this role.

Deep down, Janessa was convinced that Sebastian was meant for her alone. She wouldn’t let anyone take him away without a fight. Since Madelyn had the audacity to try, she was determined to teach the former a lesson.

After leaving the company, Madelyn immediately hailed a taxi and headed home to Lockhart Villa. As soon as she walked through the door, Lydia greeted her warmly, “Mrs. Lockhart, have you eaten yet?”

“Have I eaten? I’m so fed up that I’ve lost my appetite. What’s the point of eating anymore?” Madelyn, fuming in her mind, didn’t even bother to acknowledge Lydia. She simply turned around and headed straight upstairs.

After ascending the stairs, she entered the room and promptly dove under the covers, shrouding her head tightly with the blanket. Although Madelyn had been reincarnated, her deep-rooted temper was still somewhat evident. And the more critical the situation, the more stubborn she became. She simply couldn’t control her emotions. Exasperation bubbled up within her, growing stronger the more she thought about it.

How could Sebastian, that insensitive brute, jump to conclusions without giving her a chance to explain? He should have at least asked about what happened! How could he simply assume that she was having a rendezvous with a lover?

Could it be that, in Sebastian’s heart, she didn’t even have the slightest bit of credibility? Not even a tiny shred?

Madelyn didn’t want to think about this matter, but whenever it crossed her mind, it was unbearably upsetting. Feeling wronged, she felt her heart filled with overwhelming sorrow; she even lost the will to live.

However, with a shift in thought, Madelyn suddenly regained her composure and began to contemplate. How could it be such a coincidence? She merely went downstairs to grab a meal, and yet, she ran into Christopher unexpectedly. Moreover, at that time, Christopher was clearly looking around as though he was waiting for someone. At that time, Sebastian was clearly in a meeting and Malcolm had accompanied him. So, how did he come to know about this matter? Did someone backstab her by telling him behind her back? Right, that’s exactly what happened!

When the idea of backstabbing struck her, Madelyn could guess who it was. A name was on the tip of her tongue. Obviously, only Janessa is capable of such a backstabbing act. That despicable woman! Janessa is truly crafty and cunning, exploiting every loophole to be unbelievably despicable.

However, after some thought, Madelyn blamed herself for her carelessness. In retrospect, she should have realized something was amiss when she saw Christopher looking around restlessly. Unexpectedly, Madelyn found herself inadvertently falling into Janessa’s trap again. She vowed she wouldn’t let Janessa’s underhanded tactics go unchallenged this time.

After sorting out her thoughts, Madelyn felt a sense of relief wash over her. Only then, belatedly, did she become aware of a burning pain. Looking back, she realized it was the area that was scalded earlier. Her forearm and the back of her hand were now entirely flushed red. In fact, there were a few spots where blisters had formed, causing intense pain even at the slightest touch.

Despite the pain, Madelyn stared at her own arm. Feeling a sense of frustration welling up within her, she decided not to treat it. Since Sebastian chose not to trust her, why should she care about her arm at all? She might as well break his heart completely.

Then, Madelyn once again buried her head under the blanket. As she hid there, she gradually drifted off into deep sleep. After falling into a deep slumber, she didn’t wake up until dusk. When Lydia came to inform her that dinner was ready, she received no response and thus, decided to leave Madelyn be.

Sebastian had worked overtime for a while. By the time he returned to Lockhart Villa, it was almost seven o’clock. Standing at the entrance of the mansion, Sebastian watched the bright lights shining from within, feeling somewhat hesitant. He was unsure whether he should go in or not. Madelyn was so upset today that she cried. She probably won’t be coming back, right? Since she didn’t come home, there is no need for him to go in. In a room devoid of her presence, there would remain a sense of disappointment and emptiness.

At that moment, a housekeeper happened to come out to dispose of the trash. Spotting Sebastian standing at the door, she respectfully approached and greeted him. “Welcome home, Mr. Lockhart.” Sebastian gave a slight nod, then suddenly stopped the housekeeper. “Did you see Mrs. Lockhart today?”

The servant paused for a moment before replying, “She has been upstairs since she came home at noon. She hasn’t come down at all.” Sebastian couldn’t help but furrow his brows, his tone laced with worry. “She’s hurt. Hasn’t anyone taken care of her injuries?”

The housekeepers shook their heads, indicating their lack of knowledge before heading off to dispose of the trash. Sebastian stood there, wondering if she could possibly be so foolish as to ignore her own injuries. However, upon reflection, it didn’t seem implausible. Madelyn was the sort of person who was capable of anything. In the past, she had even gone to extreme lengths, stirring up drama and threatening suicide just to avoid marrying him.

What a foolish woman! After some consideration, Sebastian couldn’t stop himself from ascending the stairs.