Chapter 94: Deeply Indebted

Seeing the thugs flee in a panic, Fiona and Jillian finally breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Madelyn, thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have known what to do,” Fiona said, tears of gratitude in her eyes.

Madelyn shook her head nonchalantly. “As long as you’re both okay. That’s all that matters.”

At that moment, Jillian turned to her mother. “Mom, hurry and get the first-aid kit. Madelyn got hurt just now. I need to treat her wound.”

Fiona nodded and quickly went to fetch the first-aid kit.

Seeing Madelyn’s arm already swollen and red, Jillian felt guilty.

“I’m so sorry, Madelyn. You shouldn’t have gotten involved, and now you’re hurt because of us.”

Madelyn shook her head and smiled. “Jillian, don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

Fiona returned with the first-aid kit, and Jillian took out some ointment.

“Madelyn, this might sting a bit when I apply it. Please bear with it,” she said.

Madelyn nodded and let her apply the ointment.

Meanwhile, she took the opportunity to look around Jillian’s home.

It was easy to see why Jillian worked so hard for scholarships every year.

The house had only a few cabinets and a dining table with chairs—nothing else.

The conditions were so sparse that it was barely a home.

Madelyn couldn’t help but ask, “How often do those thugs come around?”

Jillian sighed, a hint of helplessness in her voice. “At first, they came once a month. Now they show up twice a week.”

“This can’t go on.” Madelyn frowned deeply.

Jillian forced a bitter smile. “Every now and then, they come demanding payment, and when we can’t pay, they smash things and take whatever they want. My mom and I are used to it..."

Hearing this, Madelyn became enraged.

“This is outrageous! These animals, how can they call themselves men when they bully two defenseless women?”

She suddenly remembered that the thugs were after Jillian’s brother’s debt.

Without thinking much, she asked, “What exactly is going on with your brother? How did he end up owing..."

“That rascal! If I could, I wouldn’t even acknowledge him as my brother!”

She explained, “Ever since Dad went to prison, our family has been struggling. But instead of helping, he fell in with a bad crowd, picking up smoking, drinking, and gambling. He squandered the little money Mom saved. Now he skips school to mess around. Mom and I are nearly driven to our wits' end by him!”

As Jillian spoke, she became more agitated, clearly angry with her brother.

Fiona listened with tears streaming down her face, deeply hurt by her son’s actions.

Madelyn felt their pain but wasn’t sure what to say.

After a moment of thought, she suggested, “You should move somewhere else. This place isn’t safe. Those thugs will come back again.”

Hearing that, Jillian looked embarrassed.

“Madelyn, we know this place isn’t safe, but we can’t afford to move. We don’t have the money.”

Fiona nodded helplessly.

“If we could leave, we would have done so long ago. But we simply can’t afford it. Even if we found another place, we couldn’t pay the rent.”

Both mother and daughter sighed.

Who wouldn’t yearn to escape this gloomy old city district, to break free from this life that resembled a ruin?

However, they were weighed down by the harsh reality of their situation.

Madelyn understood their difficulties.

After a moment’s hesitation, she offered, “Let me help you find a place.”

Jillian and her mother exchanged glances and shook their heads.

“You’ve already helped us so much. We can’t ask for more,” Jillian declined.

Fiona sighed. “Sweet child, we appreciate your kindness, but we don’t want to trouble you further.”

Madelyn shook her head firmly. “It’s no trouble at all. Mrs. Lynch, Jillian is my best friend at school. Her troubles are my troubles. Besides, I’m only helping you find a place. You’d still pay the rent. But I can assure you it’ll be safe, and those thugs won’t find you there.”

Still, they hesitated.

They had lived there for so long, and leaving was not easy.

Madelyn pressed on. “Mrs. Lynch, think about Jillian. If those thugs come back, they’ll take her away to repay the debt. Think about it. If Jillian goes with them, who knows what they might do to her? Mrs. Lynch, can you really bear to see her ruined?”

Finally, she agreed. “Madelyn, thank you. We’ll accept your help.”

Hearing her answer, Madelyn was relieved.

She then comforted Jillian, “Jillian, you can return to school in a few days. Everything will be fine.”

“Really?” Jillian asked in disbelief.

Madelyn nodded.

She then continued. “But for your safety, you should pack up and move tonight.”

Fiona and Jillian nodded in agreement.

That evening, under Madelyn’s guidance, Jillian and her mother moved into a luxurious residential area.

Madelyn had arranged for them to stay in a studio apartment.

The apartment was fully furnished, complete with a kitchen and bathroom. It had everything they needed.

Fiona looked around, feeling uneasy.

“Madelyn, the rent here must be expensive. We can’t afford it.”

Jillian nodded, thinking the rent must be at least three thousand a month.

Madelyn anticipated their concern and kindly lied, “Don’t worry. This apartment belongs to a friend of mine who’s currently abroad. It’s vacant now. I’ve already given her a heads-up, and since she doesn’t live here, she agreed to rent it out to you.”

She paused before adding, “As for the rent, she’s giving a discount—just five hundred a month."