Chapter 393: All He Wanted Was Her Love

On the other end of the call, Madelyn’s laughter resonated warmly. “All right, all right. You just keep a tab on all the favors you think I owe you. Next time we have a chance, I promise I’ll square them all away in one go.”

“No problem,” Septimus responded, his voice booming with laughter before the line went dead.

At that moment, Madelyn was basking in high spirits, reveling in the knowledge that she had masterminded the entire scheme. It surely wouldn’t be long before the news reached Janessa. Assuming nothing unexpected happened, that woman was about to be utterly unhinged. Hmph, let’s just sit back and watch the drama unfold.

Indulging in her triumph, Madelyn chuckled to herself as she gathered her things and headed home. When she arrived, she found Sebastian already there.

Upon her entrance, Sebastian looked up, his expression softening at the sight of her. It was evident that recent events had taken their toll; she appeared noticeably thinner, a clear sign of the stress she had been under.

“Sebastian, I’m back,” Madelyn greeted him warmly as she approached and settled beside him on the couch.

Sebastian, moved by her weary appearance, turned to the housekeeper. “Lydia, could you please prepare some nutritious broth for Madelyn?”

“Of course,” Lydia responded with a nod, promptly setting about her task.

This simple act of care filled Madelyn with a gentle warmth. She leaned against Sebastian, her voice tinged with exhaustion. “Sebastian, I’ve been really tired lately.”

“You know, I was genuinely terrified that the company would crumble—it’s my father’s legacy. If it fell apart, it would devastate him,” she confessed.

Sebastian responded by gently stroking her hair, offering a soft assurance. “It won’t come to that.”

As long as he was around, he would never let Thornton Corporation falter, not if it meant seeing her distressed. The thought of Madelyn being upset was unbearable.

Given her exhaustion, she instinctively embraced him, whispering, “Sebastian, to be honest, I truly dislike this life filled with constant plotting and scheming.”

He felt a stir within as she spoke.

“I’ve always loathed the cunning and deceit prevalent in the business world. Sometimes, I long to run away, to be with you, and live a life that’s solely ours. Imagine a simple wedding, a small family, a serene life—just like any other ordinary couple,” she mused wistfully.

“Sadly, all I can do is dream of such things,” Madelyn continued, her voice reflecting a touch of sorrow. “My dad is aging. The company can’t afford to lose me, so I have to step up and shoulder this burden for him.”

Seeing her in such a state tugged at Sebastian’s heartstrings. He pulled her into his arms and gently consoled her. “If it were possible, I too would choose that life for us. But rest assured, I will ensure your happiness matches or surpasses that of any other woman.”

In his lifetime, Sebastian had few desires. The opportunity to love such a cherished woman was everything. If circumstances allowed, he wouldn’t hesitate to forsake the entire Lockhart Group for a simple life with Madelyn. However, providing her with an extravagant lifestyle would be beyond his means.

What Sebastian truly longed for was to see Madelyn lead a content and fulfilled life—that was all. If she wished for the stars, he was prepared to launch a satellite. If she desired the moon reflected in the water, he would buy the entire ocean if necessary. In this world, anything Madelyn desired, Sebastian would provide.

Yet, all he wanted was her love, and that alone was sufficient.

The next morning at Ingram Manor unfolded with tension in the air. Janessa awoke intending to have breakfast, but her plans changed as soon as she saw Rachel at the dining table, her face etched with severe sternness.

“Aunt Rachel, what’s wrong?” Janessa inquired, her curiosity piqued by the unusual grimness on her aunt’s face.

What could have happened so early in the day to cause such a dark expression?

As she reached for her fork, Rachel slammed a newspaper onto the table in front of her. The startling thud caused Janessa’s fork to clatter to the floor.

Discarding the newspaper with a flick of her wrist, Rachel bellowed, “You better take a good look at this yourself!”

“W-What is it?” Janessa stammered, her voice barely a whisper as she picked up the trembling newspaper.

As her eyes scanned the printed words, they widened in shock. “W-What’s going on?!” she exclaimed.

The newspapers detailed unexpected raids on several clubs. These establishments, caught in drug trafficking or unprovoked altercations, faced legal complications.

Rachel, who had discovered the news earlier, was overwhelmed with frustration. “You’re asking me what’s going on? I haven’t even asked you yet, Janessa. I entrusted you with those important clubs. Is this how you take responsibility?”

“I remember when I first handed over the clubs, I explicitly told you they must be strictly managed. What didn’t you listen to?” Rachel continued, her voice laced with disappointment.

In reality, these clubs were in prime city center locations, attracting affluent clientele, and the nightly net income easily reached tens of millions. Rachel had entrusted these lucrative clubs to Janessa, never anticipating such a dire incident and significant financial losses.

For a moment, Rachel was visibly shaken, her anger nearly choking her. Her complexion turned ghastly.

“Aunt Rachel, I’m really sorry. I just missed one day at the club; how was I to know this would happen? Moreover, the manager didn’t even report to me, I…” Janessa stammered, her apology spilling out in a rush of words, reflecting her fear and confusion.

“The manager was already taken into custody. How do you expect him to report to you!” Rachel retorted, her anger escalating.

Attempting to defuse the tension, Janessa pleaded, “Aunt Rachel, please calm down. Don’t let your anger affect your health.”

After hearing Janessa’s plea, Rachel took a deep breath, calming slightly. With regained composure, but still stern, she inquired, “I recall that these illegal drugs were always traded secretly in the past. Why were they discovered yesterday and even caught red-handed?”

“I–I don’t know either…”

“You…” Rachel’s face contorted with anger.

Janessa bit her lip, feeling helplessness and regret. She had been exhausted the previous day and had skipped going to the club, never imagining her absence would lead to such a catastrophic incident.

In the end, Janessa could only look at Rachel with a pleading expression, admitting her fault. “Aunt Rachel, I was wrong.”