Reborn to My Engagement Night. Chapter 209 She Has Been Disfigured

By the third day, Madelyn’s return to school was marked by the conspicuous presence of a bandage on her face–a stark contrast to her usual flawless appearance, which had always drawn admiring glances.

Now, with a visible injury marring her beauty, the reactions from her peers varied widely. Some couldn’t help but snicker at her misfortune, while others offered looks of sympathy.

“Hey, have you heard? Madelyn, the faculty belle of the Department of Finance, had her looks ruined.”

“Really? No wonder I noticed she had a band-aid on her face all day.”

“She’s just using her looks to lure men, isn’t she? Well, I’d like to see what she has to offer once that face of hers is gone.”

The moment Jillian entered the school, she was immediately engulfed by a sea of whispers and rumors about Madelyn’s supposed disfigurement. Concern flooded her, propelling her forward at a near sprint.

Upon entering the classroom and catching sight of Madelyn, Jillian practically threw herself at her friend. “Madelyn, what happened to your face? Are you okay? You couldn’t have…” her voice trailed off, laden with worry.

“Couldn’t have what?” Madelyn responded, her eyes twinkling with amusement at Jillian’s frantic concern.

Jillian paused, her eyes fixating on the bandage, silently questioning if Madelyn’s renowned beauty had been permanently damaged. Could it really be as bad as they say?

Shifting gears, Jillian quickly moved to reassure her friend. “Madelyn, don’t be scared. I’ve seen numerous skin repair methods online before; perhaps you could give them a try. Oh, and I’ve heard that there’s a renowned cosmetic surgery hospital in Kepraria, you might consider a skin graft or something…”

Hearing this, Madelyn struggled to contain her laughter. With a playful grin, she reached out and pinched Jillian’s cheek. “Jilly, how can you be so adorable?”

“Even in a situation like this, you’re still able to laugh. You sure have a big heart!” Jillian, however, was visibly upset by the whole scenario.

She couldn’t fathom how Madelyn remained so cheerful despite the gossip about her disfigurement. She must be the first of her kind in the world.

“All right, enough fussing,” Madelyn interjected, wanting to dispel her concerns. “I’m actually fine. The doctor said it’s just a minor wound, and it won’t leave a scar once it’s healed.”

“Really?” Jillian asked, still somewhat skeptical.

Madelyn nodded affirmatively. “Of course. And think about it, a woman always wants to look her best, right? If I’ve been disfigured, do you think I could still come to school and be the subject of ridicule? Right? So, you can rest assured.”

“Mmm… That’s good then.” Jillian finally let out a sigh of relief, her anxiety easing.

Just then, Josiah walked into the classroom.

“What are you doing, Josiah? You’re hurting me!” Madelyn protested, rubbing her wrist.

Josiah, however, was not in the mood for pleasantries, his face set in a stern expression. “What exactly is going on? Who were those people last night? Why were they after you? What exactly happened?”

Seeing his evident concern for her, Madelyn felt an inexplicable warmth bloom in her heart. Unable to hold back her amusement, she quipped, “From last night? It was an enemy of mine.”

Josiah couldn’t help but roll his eyes skyward in frustration, almost fuming with exasperation. “How do you manage to make enemies everywhere you go? And those guys from last night, they were clearly not your average folks. How on earth did you manage to provoke them?”

Madelyn’s smile only deepened. “You really believed me? I was just pulling your leg.”

“What? You!” Josiah nearly choked in his frustration, mentally exclaiming. This woman is really… unbelievable.

Madelyn knew Josiah was genuinely concerned about her, so she added, still laughing, “Oh, I was only joking earlier. Those people from last night, they weren’t really my enemies, just a minor complication. But, it’s all sorted out now, so you don’t have to worry.”

Despite everything, Josiah still harbored some doubts. “Really?”

“Seriously,” Madelyn assured him with a playful grin, then she added thoughtfully, “But I really do owe you one; you even went out of your way to send someone to rescue me last night.”

Josiah rarely heard her speak so politely, which instantly made him feel uneasy. Moreover, to be precise, he hadn’t been of any help last night. He had been locked in the house and couldn’t get out at all.

He only found out today that the old man had actually gone there personally the night before. This old guy is really quite dependable.

However, out of spite, Josiah retorted, “After all, you were taken from my car. Isn’t it only natural that I worry about getting implicated if something were to happen to you?”

What a proud fellow.

Madelyn clicked her tongue, feigning indifference, “Fine, fine, just keep being stubborn.”

Josiah let out a cold huff. Then, the two of them returned to their seats side by side, seemingly reverting back to how they were before.

“Madelyn,” someone suddenly called out.

Madelyn was taken aback as she saw Janessa approaching. “Madelyn, what happened to your face? Are you okay?” Janessa asked, feigning concern.

Madelyn scoffed inwardly, thinking to herself how insincere it all was. If my face had truly been marred, she’d probably be the first one jumping for joy.

So, she casually said, “I’m fine; no need to worry.”

However, she quickly feigned a smile and said, “By the way, Madelyn, my father’s birthday party is tomorrow evening. You and Sebastian must absolutely come and show your support.”

Madelyn responded with a noncommittal smile, “Got it.”

At that moment, Janessa turned her gaze toward Josiah. “Mr. Josiah, if you’re free tomorrow evening, you’re welcome to join us.”

He scoffed disdainfully at the invitation, his voice dripping with disinterest, “I’m free, but I’m not interested in attending.”

With a brisk turn, Josiah left, leaving Janessa visibly flustered and mortified by the blatant snub.

That night, after a long day filled with lectures, Madelyn returned to the sanctuary of her home.

She had hoped that a warm bath would wash away the day’s stress and prepare her for a peaceful night’s sleep. However, sleep proved elusive. It was nearing ten o’clock, and Sebastian had yet to return home.

Lying in bed, Madelyn’s eyes were wide open, gazing at the ceiling above, which was intricately designed with patterns that seemed to swirl endlessly.

A deep melancholy settled over her as she contemplated the recent events that had once again strained their relationship. The trust that they had so painstakingly built seemed to have eroded once more, sending them spiraling back to a state of uncertainty.

It felt as though all the years of effort had simply reset their progress back to square one.

No way! This can’t continue. If we don’t address our issues, this could very well be the end of everything.

When issues arose between two people, if they didn’t communicate promptly, there was a high chance that the conflict would deepen to an irreconcilable point.

Propelled by this urgent realization, Madelyn rose from her bed, quickly dressed, and decided to confront the situation head-on by seeking out Sebastian.

However, when she reached Lockhart Group, the building was mostly deserted, save for a few employees working late. Her heart sank when they informed her that Sebastian had left hours ago.

With his phone off and no response to any of my messages, where could he possibly be at this late hour? Could it really be over between us, just like that?

With a heavy sigh, Madelyn resigned herself to the uncertainty of the night and left the building, her spirit weighed down by a profound sense of defeat.

The next day, without the obligation of classes, Madelyn had no reason to rush the morning, and she decided instead to linger in bed.