Chapter 63

Madelyn had just finished her final set of chemistry practice papers, but her mind couldn’t find any peace. She furrowed her brow, unable to comprehend Forrest’s behavior. ‘What on earth is Forrest’s problem? Is he completely out of his mind, or did I unknowingly do something to make him believe I have feelings for him? Could it be because I helped him pick up his belongings the other day, and someone snapped a photo of us, making him think I’m pursuing him?”

Feeling a sense of urgency, Madelyn snatched her phone and quickly accessed the school’s online forum where the photo secretly taken had been shared. She hadn’t yet thoroughly read the comments on that particular thread, but she was eager to see what people were saying. As she opened the forum and located the thread, her heart sank when she realized it had been subjected to hacking. Clicking on the link only led her to a frustrating 404 error page, rendering the content completely inaccessible.

Just then, a text message appeared, and it was from Serena.

Serena: [Madelyn, you were so brave. That punch you just threw left Forrest pale and in pain. After you left, he was taken to the infirmary. But you need to be careful because Forrest is the type who seeks revenge… Actually, I think you hit him pretty hard. I just saw him bleeding.]

Madelyn: (Well, he shouldn’t have been spouting nonsense. If word gets out and my father finds out, I’ll be in big trouble!]

Serena: [Do you really not like Forrest?]

Madelyn: [Why does everyone think I like him? What misled everyone to believe that?]

Serena: [News spread throughout the entire school that you visited Forrest at the hospital and even bought him flowers. Didn’t you know?]

Madelyn: [What does that have to do with whether I like him or not?]

Serena: [Regarding what happened to you last time, Forrest wasn’t the one responsible, but it’s somewhat connected to him. We all thought you and Forrest would never interact again, and some even bet that you would drop out or transfer schools… But you surprised us by sending flowers to Forrest. Your willingness to overlook the assault and visit him at the hospital made us think that you must have developed feelings for him.]

Soon, Serena sent another message: [Do you really not have feelings for Forrest?]

Madelyn stared at the phone screen, took a deep breath, and finally understood how the misunderstanding had come about. She quickly began typing: [I sent him the flowers because I thought my father…]

But halfway through her message, she hesitated and decided to delete it.

After all, Madelyn didn’t fully trust Serena. She chose not to share her true thoughts or provide further explanation. She couldn’t bring herself to disclose her initial suspicions about her father’s potential involvement in Forrest’s assault. If her father had indeed been responsible, it would not only be dishonorable but also a criminal act. Believing it was prudent to keep certain secrets concealed, Madelyn opted to withhold such information.

Madelyn closed her phone screen and picked up her pen, ready to divert her attention back to studying chemistry formulas. However, Forrest’s words continued to echo in her mind.

‘Do you have feelings for me?’

Forrest, much like Zach, had a distinct tobacco scent about him, mingled with the fragrance of camellia perfume and other brands.

Earlier on, when Forrest was blocking Madelyn’s way, she had instinctively reacted without much thought. She was adamant about protecting her personal space and felt increasingly anxious as Forrest invaded it. In response, she exerted force to push him away, muttering,” You’re insane,” before leaving. Little did she expect Forrest had to go to the infirmary because his wound had reopened.

However, this time, to avoid gossip, Madelyn had chosen not to check on him. Instead, she sought solace in the solitude of the library, remaining alone until the end of the school day.

Meanwhile, at Ventropolis High School, Jadie found her desk filled with love letters from admirers, a regular occurrence for her. The love letters kept piling up on her desk. Her drawer overflowed with treats, far surpassing her capacity to consume them all on her own.

Jadie enjoyed a close bond with her desk mate and dorm mate, Claire.