Chapter 423

Madelyn quickly ended the call and spotted a familiar group of people approaching her. Among them were several individuals she recognized as Fred’s henchmen.

Without wasting any time, Madelyn swiftly pulled down the storefront shutter, recalling that there was a back door. She knew she had to get out of there.

As she made her way to the back exit, she desperately dialed the Arnold family driver’s number. But her phone abruptly shut down due to a depleted battery.

Madelyn’s mind raced with questions. ‘Why is Zach here?’ she wondered. ‘If he’s after me, is he planning to silence me?’

Madelyn had barely taken a step toward the back door when two chilling figures suddenly appeared before her. In the moonlight, Fred’s menacing scar across his eye seemed even more ominous. He spoke sternly, “Ms. Jent, Mr. Jardin is deeply concerned for your safety out here alone, so he has sent us to ensure your protection. Please, come with us.”

Madelyn’s mind raced as she considered her options. She thought, ‘Going with them might be the riskiest choice.’ Acting swiftly, she tried to close the door, but Fred’s foot blocked it from shutting completely. Moments later, he forcefully kicked the door open, his expression growing more menacing.

“If you won’t accept the offer, you’ll face the consequences. Don’t blame us!”

Madelyn, trembling with fear, cautiously retreated, her voice shaking as she asked, “Wh-What do you want? I’ll tell my father if you harm me!”

Fred’s eerie laughter continued to send shivers down her spine. “I highly doubt Mr. Jent will ever hear those words from you.” Madelyn found herself in front of a shabby apartment door. ‘Isn’t this the place Rosario used to rent?’ Memories flooded back; it was where she had sought refuge when she ran away from home.

Fred opened the door, gesturing for her to enter. “Ms. Jent, please go inside.”

The apartment was dimly lit, casting eerie shadows that obscured her vision. Yet, an overwhelming sense of dread filled the air, more menacing than any wild beast.

Madelyn turned to flee, but Fred, seemingly anticipating her actions, grabbed the back of her collar roughly, pushing her inside and forcefully closing the door behind her.

She fell to the floor, her eyes instantly fixating on a pair of ominous black leather shoes. The owner of those shoes bent down slightly, offering a hand toward her. Instinctively, she scrambled backward, her back finding the support of the wall. “Don’t come any closer,” she cautioned.

Zach withdrew his hand casually, his gaze never leaving her. “Am I that scary?”

Madelyn got up, keeping a safe distance between them. Her eyes darted to the bed, where she noticed several sets of nearly translucent lingerie. Her heart tightened with anxiety. “Zach Jardin… What is it that you want?”

Zach advanced step by step. “What do I want? Don’t you already know?”

Outside, his men were everywhere, and Madelyn felt powerless. She knew there was no escaping this predicament tonight. “Why can’t you just say what you want? You used Forrest’s disappearance to lure me here. What’s your plan? Do you intend to kill me?”

Zach’s deep voice emitted a sinister, armused chuckle. He captured Madelyn, drawing her close, his grip firm around her delicate waist. His other hand gently traced her exquisite cheek. “Do you truly believe I’d kill you now? Didn’t you still want to further your study?”

Madelyn averted her gaze and, in doing so, caught sight of their reflections in the screen of an aging television set resting on a nearby cabinet. In the dim, flickering light of the room, she could see Zach’s eyes locked onto her with an aggressive, possessive intensity, as if he harbored a desire to consume her, piece by piece. It was a look she had never witnessed in Zach before, except perhaps in the throes of their most intimate moments, where he would obsessively explore every inch of her body with the same possessive fervor.