After giving her a gentle pat on her back, he comforted her with reassuring words. “I’m here now, so don’t worry. As long as I’m around, no one can bully you or Mdm. Xander anymore!”
His deep and soothing voice prompted Madilyn to release her pent-up emotions. Years of accumulated grievance and sorrow burst out of Madilyn like a flood breaking through a dam. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged Jonathan tightly and cried uncontrollably.
“It’s okay. Everything’s going to be fine. Since I’m here, I’ll take care of everything. Even if it means confronting Norton, I won’t back down. I’m not afraid of him! No one can bully you because you’re the love of my life!” Jonathan continued to console her. His reassuring words instantly warmed her heart.
After a while, she stopped crying and gradually regained her composure. It’s great to have him by my side! Suddenly, a surge of courage filled her heart.
“He’ll call again. I’m sure he took my mom away because he wanted me to do something for him.” With a clear mind, Madilyn was able to think more rationally now. Jonathan nodded. “So let’s not worry. We’ll just wait for his call.”
At about eight in the evening, just when Madilyn began to feel restless, Lorraine’s phone finally rang. After picking up the phone and noticing it was an unknown number, she answered the call.
Over the other end of the phone, a familiar voice sounded. “Madilyn? This is your dad speaking. I took your mom back to Xandenia because there are some things I need her to attend to.”
“What did you do to my mother, Norton Sheffield? You basically abducted her. Do you want me to report you to the cops?” Madilyn roared. She exploded in rage when she heard how casual and indifferent Norton was.
“You better not mess with my mom. And tell Mildred not to bully her. If anything happens to my mom, I won’t let her get away with it.” Madilyn tried keeping her emotions in check but failed.
She only managed to steady her emotions when Jonathan reached out to grip her left hand. “So what do you want from me?” she asked.
While Madilyn vented her anger, Norton remained silent. When she finished speaking, he responded calmly, “When you’re free, come back, okay?”
“Stop beating around the bush. Tell me what you want. You took Mom away because you wanted me to do something for you, right?” Madilyn’s agitation dissipated as Jonathan’s gentle gaze assuaged her anxiety. She then calmly waited for Norton’s response.
“All right, I’ll give it to you straight. For the sake of your happiness, I’ve arranged for you to marry Wilmer from the Cheever family in Xandenia. He’s an excellent man and the future heir to his family. If you marry him, you won’t have to work your fingers to the bone anymore! Your mother can live with you too. The two of you will be able to live a comfortable life!” Norton uttered. His remarks rendered Madilyn speechless.
Her fury was so intense that she could not help laughing out loud. “Norton Sheffield, I can’t express how disgusted I am with you. I can’t believe you’re my father. My mom is great at everything, but she’s a lousy judge of character!”
She uttered those words in a calm tone. Over on the other end of the phone, Norton finally began to lose his cool. He lowered his tone and said lividly, “What did you say? Are you questioning your own father?”
“That’s right. I’m questioning you. Do you really think you’re a capable man? You’re just a good- for-nothing who relies on political marriage and networking to build your business! I heard you’ve arranged a marriage for your eldest daughter, Stella, and now you want to do the same thing to me?” Madilyn exclaimed.
Suddenly, a series of beeps rang out. The phone had disconnected. As Madilyn hung up the phone, a corner of her lips quirked up. She could imagine the extent to which her words had insulted that man’s dignity. He must be seething with anger!
“What? Norton wanted to marry you off to someone for the sake of his own personal interests?” Jonathan’s expression darkened as he grasped the situation.
Madilyn confirmed his suspicion with a nod before throwing herself into his arms and embracing him tightly. “I won’t let him control my life! He’s using my mom to manipulate me with his ideas. But I trust my mom. She won’t be deceived by him again!”
She was confident that Lorraine would not consent to his scheme. After all, the footage from the surveillance camera clearly indicated that it was Norton who ordered his bodyguards to forcibly take Lorraine away against her will.
“All right. I understand.” A plan began to form in Jonathan’s mind as he held her in his embrace. Looks like we have to make a trip to Xandenia to bring Mdm. Xander back. As for Norton’s scheme, we don’t even have to bother entertaining it!
“Maddy, request to take a few days off from Roxanne. I’ll go with you to Xandenia. We must bring Mdm. Xander back.”
Jonathan made up his mind, quickly picked up the phone, and asked his assistant to book the plane tickets. Madilyn nodded and immediately took action. by calling her best friend..
Roxanne received Madilyn’s call and agreed without hesitation when she heard that her friend wanted to take a few days of leave to return to Xandenia to handle some matters.
However, Roxanne was still concerned, so she probed further, “Madilyn, what are you going back for? Could it be that Jonathan wants to discuss the wedding with your father? I don’t think dealing with that man is at all necessary. He has been disregarding you for a long time anyway. You can just pretend you don’t have a father like that. There’s no need to stir up unwanted trouble.”
Feeling desperate, Madilyn racked her brain to come up with an excuse to convince Roxanne. After all, Roxanne was pregnant now, and there was no need to distress her further.
Hence, she finally made up an excuse to reassure Roxanne and stammered a response, “That’s not the case. How could I care about that man’s opinion? We’re just going to pay respects to our ancestors and have some fun for a few days. Don’t worry. I want nothing to do with that kind of father.”
“That’s good. Don’t get in touch with them when you go back. If anything happens, remember to let me know,” Roxanne advised. After hanging up the phone, Madilyn felt warmth surging in her heart.
She was no longer alone and without anyone to support her now. At present, she had a man she loved and the best friend anyone could ask for in the world, so she didn’t need to fear anything.
To ensure a smooth trip, Jonathan arranged for a dozen bodyguards to accompany them to Xandenia. Norton was very influential there, so if they weren’t extra careful, some unexpected accident might happen.
In the early hours of the morning, their plane took off from Horington Airport, heading directly for the largest city in Xandenia.
After nearly three hours of flight, they arrived at the airport. Bodyguards lined up to protect Jonathan and Madilyn as they exited the airport. Soon, business personnel from Farwell Group in the city came to receive them.
“Greetings, Mr. Queen. The hotel has been reserved, and if you have any further instructions, please feel free to issue them.”
Jonathan nodded, took off his coat, and draped it over Madilyn. The weather in Xandenia was already freezing cold. A convoy of cars reached the city’s best five- star hotel at breakneck speed amidst the night.
That hotel was also part of Farwell Group’s business, and the entire hotel was on high alert for Jonathan’s arrival, thinking it was a surprise inspection from the headquarters.
By then, Madilyn was already feeling sleepy, so Jonathan let her bathe right away. He then picked up his laptop and began researching the extent of the Cheever family’s business in Xandenia, as mentioned by Norton.
After browsing through some information, he found that the Cheever family’s business was mainly in traditional industries related to natural resources. It seemed that they had monopolized those businesses through networking.
Jonathan had no interest in dealing with such businessmen. To put it bluntly, their fortune came from their ancestors’ hard work, and it had nothing to do with their personal abilities.
He contemplated how he should approach Norton upon making contact. Will we invoke an intense retaliation from Norton if we take Mdm. Xander away by force?
Madilyn took a relaxing hot bath and soaked in the bathtub for a long time until her skin turned rosy and radiant.
She felt inexplicably at ease during that trip. That feeling of happiness enveloped by a strong sense of security prompted her to smile gently.
Suddenly, an astonishing thought popped into her mind, and her cheeks that were already flushed from the steam turned even redder. She felt her body temperature rapidly rising.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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