Chapter 435 My Heart Is Melting

Upon hearing her serious tone, Madelen found it amusing. She stopped teasing Cheryl and immediately agreed, saying, “All right. I’ll take you up on that. See you tonight?”

“See you tonight.”

Once the conversation ended, they hung up.

In the evening, at a five-star restaurant in the city center, Madelyn, Jillian, and Cheryl sat at a table near the window. As they dined, the trio engaged in lively conversation, punctuated by bursts of laughter. Their spirits were high and cheerful.

“Seeing Janessa ousted from the company is truly satisfying!” Madelyn exclaimed, lifting her wine glass and gesturing to the others. “Come, let’s toast to this joyous moment!”

“Cheers!”

The three women lifted their glasses of red wine and drained them.

Then, Cheryl said vividly, “Do you know? After Janessa took over, I almost thought Sherritt Group was finished. Who would have thought I could actually bring her down? I’m so ecstatic, I feel like I’m about to burst!”

The more Cheryl spoke, the more impassioned she became, brimming with excitement. The other two women laughed.

After calming down, Cheryl said, “However, I must express my gratitude to Madelyn. Had you not been strategizing for me, who knows what state the company would be in under Janessa?”

Madelyn answered flippantly, “We’re friends. Helping each other is natural. Stop thanking me. Besides, if you really want to thank me, why not hand over your company?”

They all burst into laughter.

After Madelyn finished laughing, she continued, “However, to be honest, I didn’t help much. Janessa’s downfall was her own fault. Who can she blame for her undeniable foolishness? Manipulating the stock market like that wouldn't happen in any other company. Moreover, I refuse to believe she wasn't aware of our actions. Yet, she still did it. She was digging her own grave, so we might as well help her along, right?”

It was nothing more than the result of her own actions. Even if they hadn’t noticed her covert manipulations, someone else certainly would have. Her blatant meddling in the stock market was impossible to overlook.

“That’s right?”

Upon hearing this, Cheryl’s smile widened.

The group joyfully clinked glasses, drinking several rounds of wine. It was a lively and cheerful scene.

Halfway through her drink, Jillian noticed Madelyn continuously drinking. This puzzled her.

“Madelyn, perhaps you should drink a little less? Your husband might get upset.”

Cheryl agreed. “Yeah, Madelyn, you should probably drink less. If Mr. Lockhart sees you drunk, he might blame me.”

They both looked at Madelyn, hoping she would stop.

Madelyn shook her head, dismissing their concern. “No worries. He’s away on a business trip, so there’s no one to bother me tonight. Let’s just have a good time.”

“I see.”

Cheryl and Jillian nodded and dropped the subject.

The trio continued to eat, drink, and chat, covering everything from fashion to celebrities and even their marital affairs. They got along so harmoniously, it was as if they had been friends for decades.

In the end, it was unclear how much wine they consumed. All three were somewhat tipsy, so they decided to go home.

By the time Madelyn arrived home, it was nearly ten o’clock. Entering the house, she didn’t see Sebastian. She remembered he was on a business trip.

Inside, she felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness. Living day and night with Sebastian had made her dependent on him. She was accustomed to waking up next to him, sharing meals, and seeing his things around the house—his shoes in the second compartment on the right of the shoe cabinet, his subtle scent of cologne, his calm demeanor, his gentle embrace…

On nights without him, Madelyn couldn’t sleep peacefully.

At one in the morning, Madelyn was still tossing and turning. Finally, she couldn’t bear the longing and called Sebastian.

She hadn’t expected him to answer, but he did.

“Hello? Why haven’t you gone to sleep yet?”

A calm voice echoed through the line. Sebastian was working overtime. Seeing Madelyn’s call, he inexplicably felt a warmth in his heart.

Hearing his voice, Madelyn felt a ticklish sensation in her nose and felt as though her heart was melting.

She cooed sweetly, “Darling, I miss you so much. When will you be able to return?”

That soft voice sounded like a mewing kitten. Sebastian could picture Madelyn pouting, trying to look pitiful yet adorable.

Listening to her, Sebastian’s heart softened. He offered comfort, “Honey, be good. I’ll be back in a couple of days. Take good care of yourself.”

“What? Still a couple of days?”

Madelyn was displeased at having to wait two more days.

“What project is so busy that it’s monopolizing all the time you’re supposed to spend with me? Hmph, I’m going to give that project manager a piece of my mind.”

Madelyn spoke assertively, but her tone was incredibly endearing. Sebastian found it amusing, yet he longed to see her, to ruffle her hair and embrace her.

It was a fleeting thought. Sebastian said softly, “Honey, go to sleep. I’ll be right back as soon as I finish up my work.”

“All right then.”

Although Madelyn was reluctant, she understood his work and stopped complaining. Even so, she pleaded, “Could you stop working tonight and keep me company instead? Please?”