Chapter 59

Ethan wanted to see Madelyn at school. Regardless of whether his upcoming surgery would be successful or not, he wouldn’t be discouraged because the girl sitting not far ahead was the reason he found the strength to stand up.

His eyes remained fixed on Madelyn as he observed the gentle sway of her long hair, tousled, by the wind, and found himself captivated by her alluring silhouette.

Ethan turned to George and spoke, “Wait here for me…”

“Yes, sir,” George replied.

Madelyn sat comfortably on a bench, her attention drawn to the picturesque view of the lake. She relished the delectable treats packed in her lunchbox, never tiring of Rosario’s exquisite culinary creations.

Suddenly, a figure caught Madelyn’s eye. She turned her gaze and recognized the handsome teenager she had encountered at the hospital the other day ‘But… his legs…’ Her eyes followed the subtle lines of a mysterious blue tattoo peeking out from beneath the fabric of his long sleeves. A hint of another tattoo beneath the collar of his shirt on his neck caught her attention as well.

The teenager’s wheelchair came to a halt beside her, as the breeze by the lakeside playfully tousled his unruly strands of hair. Turning toward her, a gentle smile graced his lips. “What a coincidence running into you again,” he remarked.

Madelyn was taken aback, her mouth slightly agape as she stared at the person before her. She hastily swallowed the food in her mouth and exclaimed, “It’s you! Oh, by the way, I washed your clothes and hung them up at home! Are you a student at Ventrocloud High too? How come I’ve never seen you before?”

Ethan chuckled as he looked at her, his lips tinged with a rosy hue. “You’re bombarding me with questions. Which one should I answer first?” After a brief moment of contemplation, he continued, “Let’s start with your first question. You don’t have to rush to return my clothes. You can personally hand them over to me the next time we meet…”

He paused, then added, “Secondly, I used to be a student at Ventrocloud High, but not anymore. And third… we haven’t met before because I graduated two years ahead of you. I came back today just to…” He wanted to say, ‘just to see you… that’s all!’

Madelyn nodded thoughtfully, “So, you’re my senior. I had assumed we were in the same grade.” She wasn’t accustomed to engaging with strangers, so his presence made her a tad nervous, unsure of how to carry on the conversation.

Sensing her unease, Ethan kept his focus on the serene surface of the lake, attempting to find a topic that would alleviate her apprehension. “This place is stunning, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely,” Madelyn agreed. “Whenever I sit here, it’s like all my worries vanish, and I find a sense of peace.”

Ethan asked, “Have you ever wondered about the story behind the one-armed angel statue in the middle of the lake?”

Perplexed, Madelyn couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the story behind it?”

Ethan’s reply caught her off guard, “I actually broke off the arm of that statue.”

Madelyn’s mind was grappling with the revelation. ‘Is he serious or just teasing?”

Noticing her skepticism, Ethan pressed on, “I remember it vividly, and I even left a message on the statue.”

Intrigued, Madelyn couldn’t resist inquiring, “What did you write?”

A playful smile played on Ethan’s lips as he teased, “Ah, that’s a secret.”