Chapter 500

Chapter 500:

“Madisyn?” The name slipped from the waitress’s lips. Jada’s eyes widened in surprise. “You…”

The waitress paused, her silence stretching for two tense seconds. “Jada, I advise you against pursuing this path.” The person before her not only knew her name but also her intent regarding Madisyn. A flicker of fear darted through Jada’s heart. “You’re not a waitress. Who are you, really?”

“I am a waitress. I won’t tell anyone about this, but you would do well to abandon such thoughts.” With that, the waitress turned on her heel and departed, leaving a cold shiver trailing down Jada’s spine.

Who on earth was she?

“Jada!” The sound of her name being called snapped Jada from her thoughts. Turning around, she saw Wesley jogging toward her, breathless. “I’ve been searching for you everywhere! What are you doing here? Let’s go play.”

“Sure,” Jada forced a smile, masking her turmoil.

Wesley, ever boisterous, chattered away as they walked. “We’re joining Madisyn and the others. We’ll make them lose everything!”

“We don’t know their skills yet,” Jada cautioned.

“But you’re incredible at cards, Jada. You’re bound to win,” Wesley said with a grin.

Bolstered by his confidence, Jada felt a surge of her own assurance. Her observational prowess was sharp; she never lost at cards. Winning a few rounds against Madisyn might just elevate her spirits.

They entered the card room bustling with activity. Tables and chairs were set up, with groups already engrossed in games.

“Shall we?” Jada asked, taking a seat directly across from Madisyn, with Andrew and Wesley flanking her.

Wesley chuckled lightly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Jada is remarkable at cards. Don’t feel too down if you lose!”

“Don’t worry. I won’t,” Madisyn replied.

Wesley sneered inwardly, plotting Madisyn’s impending defeat. As they prepared to start the game, someone leaned in to whisper urgently to Madisyn.

“I need to step out for a bit,” she announced, pushing back from the table.

“Go ahead. You seem busy today,” Jada remarked.

Outside, Madisyn was approached by someone who handed her a gift box. “This is for you.”

Madisyn opened the box to reveal a delicate maple leaf crafted from gold.

“Who sent it?”

“The sender left right after dropping it off,” the person replied.

Madisyn furrowed her brows slightly. “Such a beautiful maple leaf!”

Susan walked over and complimented the gift. Madisyn nodded, appreciating the thought.

“Whoever gave you this must know your love for maple leaves. Who could it be?”

“They left without a word,” Madisyn responded.

Susan sighed, a nostalgic glimmer in her eyes. She thought it might be Giana. Years ago, the three of them had worked part-time together, and after their shifts, they’d walk on a street blanketed with fallen maple leaves. Madisyn had always loved the atmosphere those walks created.

“Let’s go to Magla someday!” she had once suggested, enchanted by the idea of seeing the famed maple leaves of Magla. Both Susan and Giana agreed, making it their first shared promise—a symbol of future aspirations and adventures they believed they would have together. Now, though their lives had indeed improved, the distance between them had grown just as much.

Susan’s gaze caught something beneath the gold leaf. “Madisyn, take a look. There’s something underneath.”

Lifting the gold leaf, Madisyn discovered a layer of real maple leaves, each one perfectly preserved.

As she picked one up, a wave of realization washed over her. These were not just any leaves; these were maple leaves from Magla!

Susan, witnessing Madisyn’s reaction, ventured a hopeful guess. “Could this really be from Giana?”

“I don’t know.”

Giana hadn’t been invited, so how did she manage to get in?

“It’s strange. We originally had thirty waiters, but one suddenly went missing,” one of the waiters mentioned.

Realization dawned on Susan and Madisyn. Giana had infiltrated the event, cleverly disguised as a waitress.

To think that she, who was always so proud, had stooped to this level just to deliver a gift—it was almost inconceivable.

“It really is Giana,” Susan concluded, a note of certainty in her voice. She tugged at Madisyn’s sleeve, her eyes wide with concern. “But we’re in the middle of the sea. Where could she go?”

“She hasn’t left. She just doesn’t want to be seen,” Madisyn replied softly.

So, Giana must be hiding somewhere aboard.

Susan stared at the maple leaves scattered beneath the gold one, a wave of bitterness swelling within her. Once, they had been the most important people in each other’s lives. But now, things had come to this.

Giana… Susan wondered whether Giana regretted what she had done back then. But not everything could be mended; rifts were too deep to heal.

Madisyn slowly closed the gift box, her movements deliberate. She handed it to a nearby waitress, asking her to put it away. Her feelings echoed Susan’s.

“She’s living her life well. At least she hasn’t let us down,” Madisyn said slowly.

Susan felt a pang of sadness but regained her composure at Madisyn’s words. Yes, even if they were apart, knowing they were all doing well was comforting enough.

“Yeah, let’s head back,” Susan suggested, her voice steady. She reached out and grabbed Madisyn’s hand. She would support Madisyn better in the future; she didn’t want to experience the same drift that had separated them from Giana.

Madisyn offered her a reassuring smile, and they returned inside.

Madisyn started playing cards with Andrew and Wesley.

Within just half an hour, Jada had won millions.

Wesley tried out in mock despair, “Jada, you’re so ruthless, not even giving me a chance!”

“I was holding back!” Jada said.

Their card game attracted an audience, and murmurs of admiration filled the room. “Jada is so good at playing cards. She could make a fortune from this. Why even bother running a company?”

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