Chapter 402 Forever A Loser
Upon seeing the clothing, a sense of unease washed over Sebastian; his face took on an inexplicable hue, and even his ears turned red. However, all he could do was reach out and take it. However, as he was about to leave with the lacy lingerie, a sudden shriek echoed from the bathroom.
Just as Madelyn was about to step out of the bathtub, her foot slipped, causing her to tumble back into the water. Her elbow harshly collided with the edge of the tub. Sebastian’s heart tightened, and he rushed in, greeted by a vivid scene.
“Ah!” With a soft gasp, Madelyn quickly covered her chest. Even though she had been seen like this before, such an unguarded gaze still made her feel shy. Sebastian felt awkward, so he turned away and offered her the lingerie.
“Here you go.”
“T-Thank you,” Madelyn said, her face flushing as she quickly took it. However, just as she was about to put it on, a sudden wave of pain shot through her injured arm. With a sharp intake of breath, she winced.
Sebastian, initially at the door, turned around to see her face twisted in pain as she struggled. A pang of pain struck his heart. Finally unable to bear it, he briskly walked to her side, swiftly taking the lingerie. In a low voice, Sebastian said, “I’ll do it.”
“But… All right… Okay, then…” Madelyn initially wanted to resist, but after a stern glance from Sebastian, she reluctantly complied. Following that, she blushed deeply as he helped her into her lingerie. Throughout the process, Madelyn wished she could disappear.
Madelyn paused and shook her head. “I’m fine… I just bumped into something. I’ll be okay after a bit of rest.” Upon hearing this, Sebastian nodded and promptly crawled into bed. The scent of his body wash wafted over, and Madelyn felt the warmth of him beside her, a soft smile playing on her lips. Then, while Sebastian was unaware, she brazenly made her move, her weight bearing down on him.
“So warm…” Madelyn sighed sweetly. Sebastian was initially frowning, but as he turned his head, he saw the young girl closing her eyes with a satisfied expression. Even though it felt uncomfortable, Sebastian endured it. They had a good night’s sleep.
The following morning, at Hayden’s home, after a solid half-month break, Hayden finally saw some improvement in his arm. Though he could no longer lift heavy objects, he had regained some sensation. Hence, he was preparing to return to the military. Even though his position as major had been taken away, Hayden wasn’t going to give up easily. After all, once winter break was over, Josiah was set to officially join the military. If Josiah performed poorly, that was okay. However, if he excelled, coupled with the Blume family's backing, rising through the ranks would be easy. By then, Josiah could potentially make something of himself. Hayden’s return was actually a precaution against unforeseen circumstances. He certainly didn’t want to return to the military only to find himself under Josiah’s command. In Hayden’s mind, Josiah had always been, and would always be, a good-for-nothing.
At that time, Hayden’s parents, along with Janessa and Kieran, were at the door, seeing him off.
“Hayden, we’re so sad to see you go back to the military so soon. I honestly hate to see you go.”
Kieran also couldn’t bear to see him go. “Buddy, safe travels.”
Hayden gave a nod, lightly patting Kieran’s shoulder. “Don’t worry.” He then turned his gaze to Janessa, his tone solemn. “Janessa, wait for me to return.” Upon hearing this, Janessa gave a faint smile and nodded.
At that moment, Hayden’s parents stepped forward. “Hayden, once you return to the military, you must strive to excel. Things are different now, and you are no longer a lieutenant. You must work hard to bring back the golden days, understand? In a short while, that rascal, Josiah, will be joining the military too. You better make us proud. Don’t let that rascal outshine you, okay?”
Upon hearing these words, Josiah nodded firmly. “Dad, Mom, don’t worry! Even if it costs me my life, I’m determined not to be outdone by that rascal!”
“Okay. It’s good that you have this determination.” Hayden’s parents were reassured to see his unwavering determination. At this moment, his fair-weather friends were also offering their blessings with hearty laughter.
“Hayden, once you return to the military, strive hard. Once you’ve achieved success and fame, come back and show us some of your prestige, all right?”
Upon hearing that, Hayden burst into hearty laughter. “Haha! Absolutely! Just wait for my good news.”
At that moment, a soldier stepped out from the military vehicle. “Hayden, it’s time to go.” Hayden gave a slight nod. He waved at everyone. “Thanks for all your help. Take care of yourselves.”
“Take care.”
Following that, everyone watched as Hayden got into the car, which then drove off. Suddenly, Janessa let out a sigh of melancholy. She hoped Hayden would make something of himself so she could utilize his success.
At some point, Kieran had stealthily moved behind Janessa, a playful smirk on his face. “What’s the matter? Can’t bear to part? You know what? When Hayden comes back, you two should just get together, don’t you think?”
Janessa’s eyes widened. “Impossible!”
Upon hearing this response, Kieran shrugged indifferently. “All right, then. Whatever you say.” Following that, the two of them returned to their own homes.
Meanwhile, Madelyn was still overwhelmingly busy. The final exams were approaching, and she had to juggle studying and her company commitments. Aside from mealtimes, she had hardly any free time. The places she frequented daily were the library or the company. In addition, Madelyn had to prepare highly concentrated coffee every day to stay alert. Otherwise, she could easily doze off. Thankfully, amidst the hustle and bustle, she managed to maintain a cool head, not succumbing to weariness.