Madeline Crawford and Jeremy Whitman

'Madeline, you disgust me.'

His words of disgust felt like a million arrows to her heart. They had all been aimed at her already heavily damaged heart.

He believed Meredith's words so much that he would not even give her the chance to explain herself.

The icy water rushed into her mouth and nose. She was beginning to drown. However, she suddenly did not want to struggle anymore.

Wouldn't it be nice if she just died like this?

Nevertheless, just when Madeline closed her eyes in despair, Jeremy pulled her up and threw her to the floor.

Madeline was like a broken rag doll. Soaking wet, she curled up on the floor lifelessly.

The tumor in her body was extremely painful. It was so painful that even breathing made her suffer. Nonetheless, she lifted her head unbendingly.

"I don't know that man. Jeremy, why won't you believe what I say..."

"Why should I believe a sinister and cruel woman like you?"

Jeremy grabbed Madeline's collar angrily. The mole on her left breast was showing through her tattered clothes. When Jeremy recalled what Tanner said, his deep eyes became filled with iciness and deviousness.

He ripped Madeline's clothes into pieces in his rage.

He was like a tyrant who had lost his mind and was violently punishing her.

Aside from pain, Madeline would not feel anything else.

She saw how Jeremy was looking at her, and his brutal aura made her tremble in fear.

Madeline took in a sharp breath. She felt as if her bones were going to be crushed as well. "Jeremy, no..."

"Madeline, why are you still pretending? Don't you like this kind of thing? I'll fulfill your wishes." Jeremy's deep and alluring voice was taunting her.

When it ended, he threw a wad of hundred dollar bills at Madeline's face. He was treating her like a woman who had sold her body.

The blood in Madeline's body froze instantly. Nevertheless, she got up unbendingly. "Jeremy, I am your wife!"

The man slowly put on his clothes and looked at her in contempt. "How could I have a shameless wife who climbs into the bed of every man?"

Hiss.

Each and every one of his words hammered on her heart.

"If it weren't for Mer, you'd be lying in the hospital."

"Pfft." Madeline burst out laughing. "Right, it's all thanks to that two-faced b*tch. She was the one who made me this way."

Jeremy stopped turning around. His cold hands grabbed the back of Madeline's neck, and he pulled her toward him.

"If you dare slander Meredith again, I'll make sure that old man in the psychiatric hospital will never receive treatment regardless of the hospital or even if you have money!"

Madeline's heart sank. Jeremy felt pleased when he saw her expression change. "Scared, huh? Madeline, let me tell you, this is just the start! I'll make you suffer if you dare plot against me and bully Meredith!" After he warned her, he kicked her away mercilessly.

With a loud thud, Madeline fell from the bed with her body covered in wounds.

She did not have the energy to get up. She could only allow the intense pain in her body continue to torture her.

Nevertheless, she knew she could not give up so easily. She still had her child and a grandfather who needed her.

...

The next day, Madeline woke up on the floor. She got a call from the manager of the nightclub in her drowsy state. The manager was firm. He insisted Madeline compensate for the wine that she had wasted. Madeline did not have that much money. Plus, she needed money for Len's surgery. Without any other option, Madeline signed a certificate of indebtedness.

In one night, not only did she have to bear a debt of five hundred thousand dollars, but she had to fork out three hundred thousand dollars for the surgery. Madeline felt as if the sky was falling.

However, her current situation would not allow her to back down. She finished the ring designs she had drafted and sent them to the client in hopes that they would pay her soon. On the other hand, she accepted a few more orders with much lower prices.

Furthermore, someone from the upper management of a jewelry company seemed to be very fond of Madeline's designs. So, they invited her to their office to have a talk.

Before their meeting, Madeline took a painkiller. She was worried that her tumor would hurt when the time came.

After she met the executive in the meeting room, Madeline was slightly shocked.