Ch. 2011..2020
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2011-At about eight in the evening, just when Madilyn began to feel restless, Lorraine's phone finally rang.
After picking up the phone and noticing it was an unknown number, she answered the call.
Over the other end of the phone, a familiar voice sounded. "Madilyn? This is your dad speaking. I took your mom back to Xandenia because there are some things I need her to attend to.”
“What did you do to my mother, Norton Sheffield? You basically abducted her. Do you want me to report you to the cops?” Madilyn roared.
She exploded in rage when she heard how casual and indifferent Norton was.
“You better not mess with my mom. And tell Mildred not to bully her. If anything happens to my mom, I won't let her get away with it.” Madilyn tried keeping her emotions in check but failed.
She only managed to steady her emotions when Jonathan reached out to grip her left hand.
“So what do you want from me?” she asked.
While Madilyn vented her anger, Norton remained silent. When she finished speaking, he responded calmly, “When you're free, come back,okay?”
"Stop beating around the bush. Tell me what you want. You took Mom away because you wanted me to do something for you, right?” Madilyn's agitation dissipated as Jonathan's gentle gaze assuaged her anxiety.
She then calmly waited for Norton's response.
“All right, I'll give it to you straight. For the sake of your happiness, I've arranged for you to marry Wilmer from the Cheever family in Xandenia. He's an excellent man and the future heir to his family. If you marry him, you won't have to work your fingers to the bone anymore! Your mother can live with you too. The two of you will be able to live a comfortable life!” Norton uttered.
His remarks rendered Madilyn speechless.
Her fury was so intense that she could not help laughing out loud. “Norton Sheffield, I can't express how disgusted I am with you. I can't believe you're my father. My mom is great at everything, but she's a lousy judge of character!”
She uttered those words in a calm tone.
Over on the other end of the phone, Norton finally began to lose his cool. He lowered his tone and said lividly, “What did you say? Are you questioning your own father?”
"That's right. I'm questioning you. Do you really think you're a capable man? You're just a good-for-nothing who relies on political marriage and networking to build your business! I heard you've arranged a marriage for your eldest daughter, Stella, and now you want to do the same thing to me?” Madilyn exclaimed.
Suddenly, a series of beeps rang out. The phone had disconnected.
As Madilyn hung up the phone, a corner of her lips quirked up. She could imagine the extent to which her words had insulted that man's dignity. Ho must be seething with anger!
"What? Norton wanted to marry you off to someone for the sake of his own personal interests?” Jonathan's expression darkened as he grasped the situation.
Madilyn confirmed his suspicion with a nod before throwing herself into his arms and embracing him tightly. “I won't let him control my life! He's using my mom to manipulate me with his ideas. But I trust my mom. She won't be deceived by him again!”
She was confident that Lorraine would not consent to his scheme. After all, the footage from the surveillance camera clearly indicated that it was Norton who ordered his bodyguards to forcibly take Lorraine away against her will.
“All right. I understand.” A plan began to form in Jonathan's mind as he held her in his embrace. Looks like we have to make a trip to Xandenia to bring Mdm. Xander back. As for Norton's scheme, we don't even have to bother entertaining it!
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2012-“Maddy, request to take a few days off from Roxanne. I'll go with you to Xandenia. We must bring Mdm. Xander back.”
Jonathan made up his mind, quickly picked up the phone, and asked his assistant to book the plane tickets.
Madilyn nodded and immediately took action by calling her best friend.
Roxanne received Madilyn's call and agreed without hesitation when she heard that her friend wanted to take a few days of leave to return to Xandenia to handle some matters.
However, Roxanne was still concerned, so she probed further, “Madilyn, what are you going back for? Could it be that Jonathan wants to discuss the wedding with your father? I don't think dealing with that man is at all necessary. He has been disregarding you for a long time anyway. You can just pretend you don't have a father like that. There's no need to stir up unwanted trouble.”
Feeling desperate, Madilyn racked her brain to come up with an excuse to convince Roxanne.
After all, Roxanne was pregnant now, and there was no need to distress her further.
Hence, she finally made up an excuse to reassure Roxanne and stammered a response, “That's not the case. How could I care about that man's opinion? We're just going to pay respects to our ancestors and have some fun for a few days. Don't worry. I want nothing to do with that kind of father.”
“That's good. Don't get in touch with them when you go back. If anything happens, remember to let me know,” Roxanne advised.
After hanging up the phone, Madilyn felt warmth surging in her heart.
She was no longer alone and without anyone to support her now. At present, she had a man she loved and the best friend anyone could ask for in the world, so she didn't need to fear anything.
To ensure a smooth trip, Jonathan arranged for a dozen bodyguards to accompany them to Xandenia.
Norton was very influential there, so if they weren't extra careful, some unexpected accident might happen.
In the early hours of the morning, their plane took off from Horington Airport, heading directly for the largest city in Xandenia.
After nearly three hours of flight, they arrived at the airport. Bodyguards lined up to protect Jonathan and Madilyn as they exited the airport. Soon, business personnel from Farwell Group in the city came to receive them.
“Greetings, Mr. Queen. The hotel has been reserved, and if you have any further instructions, please feel free to issue them.”
Jonathan nodded, took off his coat, and draped it over Madilyn.
The weather in Xandenia was already freezing cold.
A convoy of cars reached the city's best five-star hotel at breakneck speed amidst the night.
That hotel was also part of Farwell Group's business, and the entire hotel was on high alert for Jonathan's arrival, thinking it was a surprise inspection from the headquarters.
By then, Madilyn was already feeling sleepy, so Jonathan let her bathe right away. He then picked up his laptop and began researching the extent of the Cheever family's business in Xandenia, as mentioned by Norton.
After browsing through some information, he found that the Cheever family's business was mainly in traditional industries related to natural resources. It seemed that they had monopolized those businesses through networking.
Jonathan had no interest in dealing with such businessmen. To put it bluntly, their fortune came from their ancestors' hard work, and it had nothing to do with their personal abilities.
He contemplated how he should approach Norton upon making contact. Will we invoke an intense retaliation from Norton if we take Mdm. Xander away by force?
Madilyn took a relaxing hot bath and soaked in the bathtub for a long time until her skin turned rosy and radiant.
She felt inexplicably at ease during that trip. That feeling of happiness enveloped by a strong sense of security prompted her to smile gently.
Suddenly, an astonishing thought popped into her mind, and her cheeks that were already flushed from the steam turned even redder. She felt her body temperature rapidly rising.
“Norton, I will never follow your arrangements! I am destined to be Jonathan's woman!”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2013-The next morning, a row of luxury cars lined up in the Sheffield family mansion's courtyard.
Norton was in the living room, receiving the Cheever family's father and son duo.
Jensen Cheever had a bright smile on his face, chatting and laughing with Norton. His son, Wilmer Cheever, sat quietly beside them. He was a good-looking young man exuding an elegant aura.
“Mr. Cheever, Madilyn should be back in a day or two. We'll arrange for her to meet with Mr. Wilmer then, so the youngsters can get to know each other better,” Norton chirped.
Jensen nodded and echoed, “I heard Ms. Madilyn is already a hospital director. It is remarkable that she has achieved so much at such a young age. I feel that my son may be inadequate to be a match for her. Hahaha.”
“Hahaha! Mr. Cheever, you must be joking. That's not true at all! He's definitely good enough for my daughter! Mr. Wilmer is truly a talented young man, helping Cheever Group secure two major projects at such a young age. With such achievements, he stands out among his peers even across the nation!”
After exchanging words of flattery, Norton stood up to see the guests off.
When the living room quieted down, he turned and went upstairs, pushing open the guest room door.
At that moment, Mildred was still trying her best to persuade Lorraine. “All the grudges and grievances are in the past. We're also of advanced age now. I know that you've harbored hatred all your life. But now that you're getting old, you should think more about your daughter's future.”
Noticing Norton entering the room, Mildred shot an angry look at him.
Lorraine remained indifferent regardless of how they tried to persuade her. Now, she even stubbornly refused to talk and was reluctant to nod in agreement.
However, in order to finalize that marriage of convenience, Lorraine had to attend the ceremony. Jensen and Wilmer had stated they would respect Madilyn and her mother's opinion.
Norton waved his hand at Mildred, signaling her to leave the room and let him converse with Lorraine.
The expression in Mildred's eyes darkened, and she gave Lorraine's back a fierce glare before leaving.
“Norton, there's no need to waste your breath. You cannot arrange Madilyn's marriage as you please. Besides, you never treated her like your biological daughter. Over the years, you've neglected her, not even providing her with basic child support. Don't you have any shame?” Lorraine shifted her gaze from the windowsill and stared angrily at Norton.
“Lorraine, I understand that I've wronged you in this lifetime. That's why—”
Norton began to defend himself but was immediately interrupted by Lorraine, “That's enough. Are you sure that's how you feel? You've been perfectly content all this while. I've come to understand everything after all that I've been through. I admit I've been foolish for falling for your deceit in the past. There's no such thing as love in your eyes. You only care about your personal gains.”
Norton was stumped.
His expression stiffened, and he furrowed his brows in fury.
“Lorraine, let's not talk about feelings and discuss benefits. As long as you can get Madilyn to agree to marry the Cheever family's scion, I promise to compensate you and your daughter with several properties and a company. This way, you can also secure a foothold in Xandenia in the future. This should be sufficient to prove my sincerity, right? No matter how hard Madilyn works in Horington, she'll always just be working for others!”
Lorraine was dumbfounded. Indeed, this man is forever only concerned about interests, assuming everyone in the world can be bribed.
A bitter smile spread across her face as she regarded him with an expression as if she no longer recognized him. Any previously lingering fantasies in her mind and feelings in her heart were shattered at that instant.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2014-Norton tried threatening and tempting her, but Lorraine remained unmoved.
Finally, she said placidly, “Norton, stop wasting your energy. Get out now. I really don't wish to see you!”
Suddenly, the veins on Norton's forehead popped as he said with a chilling gaze in his eyes, “Lorraine, if you refuse to agree, you can look forward to spending the rest of your life here.”
Upon hearing that, Lorraine let out an unfathomable laugh.
“Don't worry. That is not going to happen. My daughter will be here to save me very soon.”
“Ha! Do you really think your daughter is capable enough to take you away under my nose?” Suddenly, Mildred pushed the door open and strode into the room furiously.
As she was worried that her husband would catch feelings for his former lover again, she had been eavesdropping outside all this time.
“Mildred, I know it's hard for you to believe it, but try to have a little patience. You will receive your karma for everything you have done to harm my daughter and me!” Lorraine glared at Mildred fearlessly, her eyes filled with resentment.
Enraged, Mildred dashed past Norton and stopped in front of Lorraine before raising her hand and slapping the woman across her face.
A loud slap rang out and reverberated in the air.
“Who do you think you are? Who gave you the right to curse me?” Mildred bellowed through gritted teeth, almost choking on her rage.
The next moment, Norton pulled her back and said, "Mildred, what are you doing? Why bother arguing with someone like her!”
Almost instantly, a red palm print surfaced on Lorraine's left cheek.
Lorraine had already lost count of the number of times she had been slapped by Mildred.
As she used to be weak and cowardly, she had never dared to defend herself or retaliate. Every time it happened, all she did was cower in fear.
However, things were no longer the same. After returning from the brink of death, and in addition to her daughter's constant encouragement and support, Lorraine was no longer willing to be someone else's punching bag. She leaped to her feet at once and returned a forceful slap to Mildred.
Smack!
Mildred froze and widened her eyes in disbelief.
Norton was stunned as well and looked at Lorraine with a shocked expression.
He was under the impression that Lorraine was a soft and weak woman who would never be able to stand up for herself.
“Mildred, do you think being the daughter of a prominent family gives you the right to treat others inhumanely? What makes you think you can scold or hit others whenever you like?” Lorraine was not intending to stop at just one slap.
As she raised her hand, preparing to give Mildred a second slap, Norton reached out and grabbed her hand.
“Lorraine, that's enough!" Norton chided coldly before pushing her away.
Lorraine staggered a few steps backward and fell to the ground.
After returning to her senses, fury surged through Mildred. From the distorted expression on her face, it was obvious that she was dying to strangle Lorraine there and then.
Cursing loudly, Mildred was just about to attack Lorraine when Norton stopped her.
“Stop it! Why are the two of you fighting? We are supposed to be having a discussion. Mildred, calm down!”
In the end, Norton had to drag his wife out of the guest room.
After the two of them left, a satisfied smile appeared on Lorraine's face. She was not feeling the least bit aggrieved.
To her, Norton was no different from a stranger. She would no longer do foolish things because of him.
Naturally, nothing he did would affect her.
Currently, Lorraine's priority was to find a way to contact her daughter. She was concerned that Madilyn would be worried if she did not see her when she returned home. Lorraine could only hope that, with Jonathan around, the girl would be less anxious.
Lorraine was certain that Norton would threaten Madilyn to return to Xandenia.
Jonathan would be accompanying her, right?He's definitely the best match for her.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2015-Mildred was a ball of pure anger and continued cursing even after leaving the guest room.
In the living room, she glared at her husband furiously and said, “It seems like you're siding with that woman. Why did you stop me from hitting her? She must be sick of living. How dare she slap me!"
With a grim expression on his face, Norton replied, “Mildred, have you forgotten our objective? If we fail to become in-laws with the Cheever family, it's just a matter of time that Southern Star Group will crumble due to our debts. Everything will be over for us if that happens!”
Mildred gradually fell silent after hearing that.
She would hardly be interested in who that illegitimate child married if Southern Star Group had not fallen into crisis. After all, it was none of her business.
“But you've seen for yourself how uncooperative Lorraine was! Are there any other methods you're intending to use?”
Norton fell into deep thought. A moment later, the housekeeper walked over and reported, "Mr. Sheffield, food is ready."
“Bring it to our guest in the guest room and make sure she eats. If she refuses to eat, you will be fired!” Norton waved a hand.
Startled, the housekeeper nodded continuously before taking the food upstairs.
After knocking on the door, she entered the guest room with the food.
Lorraine glanced at the dishes and was rather impressed by the spread. Without waiting for the housekeeper to speak, she picked up her utensils and started eating at once.
The housekeeper was slightly stunned as she had expected to have a hard time persuading the guest to eat.
Lorraine was no longer the same silly woman she used to be. She knew that not only would starving herself not help her, but it would also cause her to feel weak and lethargic.
She had decided to eat well and make sure she remained in good health. That way, it would give her an advantage if she ever had to fight Mildred again.
Besides, she did not want Madilyn to worry when they saw each other again.
After all, she had lived long enough to understand what was good for her.
It was already one in the afternoon when Madilyn woke up at the hotel.
She and Jonathan had arrived in the city the previous night. Madilyn had taken a shower when they reached the hotel and she was looking forward to having some fun with Jonathan.
However, when she walked out of the bathroom dressed in a bathrobe, she saw that the man had already fallen asleep on the couch probably due to exhaustion.
As such, after covering him with a blanket, she returned to her room to rest, feeling disappointed.
“Maddy, are you up yet?” Jonathan called out to the woman outside the door.
Although the two of them were already officially in a relationship, Jonathan still made sure that he adhered to certain boundaries. He would not open the door without Madilyn's permission.
“Just come in!” Madilyn got out of bed and put on her bathrobe before heading to the bathroom to wash up.
Only then did Jonathan open the door and entered the room. “Lunch is ready. I didn't wake you up earlier as I wanted you to rest more.”
He took a glimpse at Madilyn and could clearly see the perfect curves of her body, even under the baggy robe.
He could not help but take another glance at her slender legs, which were fully exposed.
The corners of Madilyn's lips curled up when she noticed the man's gaze.
After washing up, she walked toward Jonathan casually before throwing herself into his arms.
Even though Jonathan was slightly flustered by the woman's sudden action, he wrapped an arm around her waist instinctively.
However, he loosened his grip a moment later when his hand came into contact with her bare skin.
Madilyn was rather amused, seeing how uptight the man was. Standing on her tiptoes, she planted a kiss on his cheek.
Taken aback, Jonathan froze for a few seconds before regaining his composure. “Let's head to the Sheffield residence immediately after lunch to pick up Mdm. Xander. I don't think Norton Sheffield would do anything to her before seeing you,” he quickly said.
Madilyn nodded and replied, “All right. Give me a moment. I'll go get changed!”
Then, she opened her luggage and rummaged through her clothes.
When Jonathan heard that the woman was intending to change, he left the room at once.
Madilyn let out an exasperated sigh before mumbling to herself, “I didn't expect him to be so conservative. Or... could it be because he's still inexperienced in this area?”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2016-“Norton, I'm back! If you have any conscience left, send my mother to the Kaiser Hotel. I don't want to have anything to do with the Sheffield family!”
After having lunch with Jonathan, the two prepared to head to the Sheffield residence.
Before leaving, Madilyn called Norton to give him a final warning.
However, Norton calmly refused her request, “Madilyn, everything is negotiable as long as you're willing to return home. I have my problems too. I hope you can understand.”
Hearing him refer to himself as her father, Madilyn instantly lost her temper. “Norton Sheffield, you need to be clear on something. Someone like you is unworthy of being my father, so don't try to pretend that you're close to me.”
“Madilyn, my decision isn't meant to harm you.”
“Fine. Since you're unwilling to comply and send my mother back, I'll meet you at the Sheffield residence. I don't believe you can do anything to me in broad daylight!”
Madilyn stopped wasting her breaths with him. She nodded at Jonathan, and the two immediately got into a Rolls-Royce, heading straight to the Sheffield residence.
The car was arranged for Jonathan by the hotel.
Trailing behind the Rolls-Royce were four to five Mercedes-Benz vehicles, which were occupied by the bodyguards.
At the same time, at the Sheffield residence, Norton immediately dialed Jensen's number.
“Mr. Cheever, my daughter has returned. If Mr. Wilmer is free, he can come over now. It's a good opportunity for the youngsters to meet and get to know each other better.”
“Okay. Ms. Madilyn came back so soon. It seems you're very earnest about this marriage and genuinely hope it will work out, Mr.
Sheffield.”
Jensen agreed and immediately instructed his son, Wilmer, to drive over to the Sheffield residence.
“See, I told you it was right to bring Lorraine back by force. This way, Madilyn would naturally follow her. Even though she's strongly refusing the marriage now, she might change her mind when she sees how handsome Mr. Wilmer is.” Mildred proudly claimed the credit in front of Norton.
“It would be perfect if that's the case.” Norton also nodded, admitting that there was indeed such a possibility.
After all, his eldest daughter, Stella, initially resisted her parents' arrangement as well. However, after she met with the man she was arranged to marry, they quickly developed feelings for one another and ultimately got married.
Norton's lifelong belief was that feelings weren't actually significant as two people were the most suited to be with one another only if their relationship could benefit both parties.
“I should still go upstairs and have a good talk with Lorraine to let her try to understand our problems. No matter what, we can still cooperate for now, even if we don't reach a mutual consensus. As long as the collaboration with the Cheever family is finalized, it won't matter if Madilyn and Wilmer don't hit it off.”
Although Norton was confident, he still felt that he was not well prepared.
“Fine. I can't be bothered to look at that b*tch Lorraine's face, so you go and talk to her. I can only hope the conversation doesn't rekindle your relationship with her.” Mildred rolled her eyes.
Ignoring her, he hastened upstairs and knocked on the door. “Lorraine, may I come in? Madilyn will be here soon.”
Inside the room, Lorraine couldn't help but feel a little worried after she heard Madilyn had returned to Xandenia.
She walked over, opened the door, and regarded Norton with a grimace. She warned him, “Norton, it doesn't matter how you treat me, but you should remember that Madilyn is still your daughter, no matter what. You'd better not use any tactics against her!”
“I got it, Lorraine. I think we need to talk. I hope you'll help me after listening to what I have to say.”
Norton was still inclined to adopt a gentle approach as that method had always been highly effective against Lorraine in the past.
Unfortunately, Lorraine was unfazed this time, and she even revealed an impatient look on her face.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2017-Just before arriving at the Sheffield family's mansion, Jonathan asked all the Mercedes-Benz behind to stop and instructed over a dozen bodyguards to wait for his command, or if they couldn't reach him on his phone after an hour, they should break into the mansion.
The bodyguards received the order, and the cars dispersed around two to three hundred meters around the mansion.
Subsequently, Jonathan returned to the car. Noticing Madilyn was a little nervous, he reached out to wrap his hands around hers.
“Don't worry. I'll definitely take Mdm. Xander away today.” Jonathan's eyes shone with determination, prompting the anxiousness in Madilyn's chest to dissipate gradually.
The mansion's gate was wide open, seemingly to welcome Madilyn home.
The Rolls-Royce quickly drove in.
Meanwhile, inside the living room, Mildred caught sight of the Rolls-Royce and murmured, “Mr. Wilmer arrives so soon. It appears he's quite eager to meet Madilyn too. Oh? He drives a new car, and it's a Rolls-Royce, no less. The Cheever family is indeed loaded.”
Norton nodded as well. He got to his feet and walked out to receive Wilmer while wearing a smile.
Unexpectedly, after the car door was opened, the person who got out of the vehicle was Madilyn.
The grin on Norton and Mildred's faces froze.
They could hardly recognize Madilyn.
The Madilyn standing before them was no longer the girl they had disregarded more than a decade ago.
Her outfit, her clean and flawless complexion, and the faint otherworldly aura she exuded made it impossible for anyone to associate her with the old Madilyn.
Mildred was especially astounded. Envy blazed within her eyes after she regained her senses. How could Lorraine's daughter undergo such a drastic transformation? She's like an ugly duckling turned into a swan.
As for Norton, he had initially worried that Madilyn's temperament wouldn't match Wilmer's and was planning to find a makeup artist to give her a makeover when she returned.
Upon laying his eyes on her now, he realized that was absolutely unnecessary.
“Madilyn?” Norton called out gently.
Madilyn sized up Norton.
That man was no different from a complete stranger to her. She had only met him briefly twice more than a decade ago.
At that time, all she witnessed was that man saying cruel things to her mother.
At that moment, seeing he had also aged with a head of white hair, Madilyn felt no sadness. Instead, an odd sense of satisfaction surged within her.
So, he grows old too! Growing old meant losing the looks of his youth that had caused my love-struck mother to be infatuated with him.
Fury flashed across her eyes as she regarded Norton with an icy gaze.
Then, she shifted her attention to Mildred.
Instantly, her anger reached its peak. Madilyn widened her eyes to glower at Mildred. This woman and her two daughters had bullied me terribly in the past. My books, clothes, and snacks were all ruined by them.
"Mildred, it was your idea, wasn't it? To forcibly take my mother away to pressure me into returning here for the blind date?” Madilyn gritted her teeth while striding up to Mildred.
Startled, Mildred hurriedly turned to Norton. “Norton, look at your daughter. She's acting like she wants to kill me the moment she sees me.”
"Madilyn, what are you doing?” Norton bellowed, stepping in front of Mildred to stop Madilyn from approaching.
Madilyn stopped in her tracks and sneered.
"Rest assured. I don't have time to take revenge on you. My purpose here today is to take my mother away. It will be best for us to have nothing to do with your family from now on.”
No matter what, Madilyn wanted to see her mother first and make sure the latter hadn't been mistreated.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2018-Rented A Boyfriend
“Let's talk inside, MadilynNorton suggested. “I'm so glad you're back.”
As it turned out, he too, knew how Mildred used to bully Lorraine and Madilyn.
However, his business had just taken off then, and he barely had time to tend to his family affairs. He knew he couldn't talk sense into Mildred either, so all he could do was check in with Lorraine.
He'd offer to compensate the latter for her trouble whenever they met, but she always turned it down. Instead, she'd criticize him for his betrayal in their relationship and his lack of care toward Madilyn.
Norton did feel remorseful about his actions at the start, but alas, that ball of guilt gradually disappeared as time passed.
He couldn't lose the business empire he had so painstakingly built from scratch, nor could he lose his reputation and social status. Relationships, on the other hand, weren't necessary to him.
“Quit putting on an act, Norton Sheffield. I won't agree to your terms. There's also no way I'll ever abide by your arrangements. All I want is to take my mother away. Please bring her out now, or else...” Madilyn said coldly as she stared daggers at Norton.
If looks could kill, she'd have slain the man on the spot.
/ can‘t believe shameless men like him exist! It's bad enough that he dumped Mom and me and ignored us for over a decade, but it's even worse that he now wants to marry me off for his own benefit! Argh! It's an utter embarrassment to be related to him!
“Or else what?” Mildred interrupted, no longer able to hold her anger in. “Let's get one thing clear, Madilyn... This is Xandenia, not Horington.”
As much as Mildred hated to admit it, Madilyn's actions did scare her earlier.
However, she remembered how she used to bully the mother and daughter, so why should she fear them now?
So what if Madilyn's driving a Rolls-Royce? No matter how rich she gets, she can't change what she's inherently born with! Wait a minute... Could the car be a rental? Someone might have given her the idea to put up this bluff! Now that I think of it, this car looks familiar. Ah! Doesn 't it belong to Kaiser Hotel's general manager?
After checking the car's registration plate to confirm her suspicions, Mildred curled her lips into an arrogant smirk. “Haha! Shame on you, Madilyn Xander! You rented this car from the hotel, didn't you? I'm impressed you even hired a driver for it. How much is the daily rate? My, my... To think you'd go to such extremes to put up a front.”
Madilyn, on the other hand, was speechless.
Huh? I can't believe Mildred's focus is on the car. Then again, that's hardly surprising. After all, she's the kind who always judges people by their appearances and material possessions. In other words, she's a snob.
Norton's gaze darkened as he turned to Madilyn. “What's the deal with this car? Is it really a rental?”
“Birds of a feather sure do flock together!” Madilyn exclaimed as she shook her head and chuckled. "Norton, Mildred, does this mean you'll only think highly of me if this Rolls-Royce is mine? And if not, you'll see me as a pushover?”
A sneer instantly crept across Mildred's face. “Of course! If you have the cheek to fake being rich, don't blame me for calling you out!”
Just then, a slow clap rang out from the Rolls-Royce.
Clap! Clop! Clap!
The next second, Jonathan stepped out of the car with an amused grin plastered across his face.
“By the way, Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield, Madilyn didn't just rent the Rolls-Royce. She rented a boyfriend, too!”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2019-Do Not Need Your Approval
Neither Norton nor Mildred had realized there was someone other than the driver in the car, but as soon as Jonathan appeared, they began looking him up and down.
Sharp-eyed as always, Norton immediately noticed that Jonathan was dressed head to toe in low-key luxury items.
Even the latter's watch was a Patek Philippe that boasted an eyewatering price tag.
More importantly, Norton could tell that the young man carried himself with the utmost class and elegance.
Jonathan glanced at the couple before walking up to Madilyn and gently pulling her into an embrace, his gaze soft and loving.
For some reason, Madilyn's frustration instantly melted away when she felt the man's tender touch and stared into his eyes.
Mildred, on the other hand, remained skeptical as she turned to her husband. “Norton, I don't think we know this young man, do we?”
Norton nodded. Deep down, however, he was somewhat uncomfortable to see his daughter behaving so intimately with another man. “Are you from Horington?”
Jonathan couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Ah... Norton sure is one sly, old fox. I can't believe he figured that out so quickly.
“Yes. I'm indeed from Horington. I'm also Madilyn's boyfriend. I heard her father summoned her home for a blind date, so I tagged along to see if the guy's any better than me.”
Even though Jonathan's voice was steady and calm, Norton and Mildred knew he was sending them a warning shot.
“Listen here, mister. I don't care if you really are Madilyn's boyfriend or not. She has come home today to discuss family matters with us. Don't you think it's rude of you to show up uninvited?” Mildred snapped.
Norton too, had narrowed his eyes in fury.
This is the Sheffield residence, for goodness' sake! No matter how powerful this young man from Horington is, he has no right to disrespect me in my territory!
“Family matters? Rude?" Madilyn scoffed. “Have you made a mistake, Mildred Hinton? I've never regarded you as family. Besides, you guys were the ones who dragged my mother from Horington to Xandenia. Not only is that rude, but it's also a crime!”
Needless to say, Mildred was shocked by how sharp-tongued Madilyn had become.
Just as she was about to retort, Norton suddenly stopped her.
“Tell me which family you're from, young man! You claim to be my daughter's boyfriend, but I haven't approved of you yet!” Norton bellowed as he slowly walked toward Jonathan, a menacing aura about him.
The latter, however, showed no fear and boldly approached the older man.
“Mr. Sheffield, I don't need your approval to be Madilyn's boyfriend, do I? Besides, Madilyn hasn't acknowledged you as her father, either.”
Norton suddenly froze in his spot as his eyes narrowed into a seething glare.
Despite that, Jonathan remained unperturbed. “What's the matter, Mr. Sheffield? Do you intend to use your usual tactics in Xandenia to deal with me?”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 2020-Could Not Afford To Offend
“How dare you!”
Right then, Norton was on the brink of losing all reason.
However, he had always been a cunning person, so he ultimately suppressed his wrath upon seeing that Jonathan was not the least bit intimidated. Instead, the man remained calm and unruffled.
Not in the mood to yak with him, Jonathan asserted bluntly, “Listen here, Mr. Sheffield. I'm Jonathan Queen from the Queen family in Horington, and I'm Madilyn's current boyfriend! Other than me, Madilyn is never going to marry anyone else.”
In a flash, Madilyn snapped her head over and gaped at the man.
He was exceedingly shy when I was changing at noon, but right now, it's as though he has turned into a different person altogether, with a strong sense of superiority emanating from him!
Jonathan held her gaze, his eyes promptly brimming with tenderness and indulgence.
“The Queen family?” Mildred was startled for a moment. In the next instant, she swung her gaze at her husband.
Norton's brows were knitted deeply together. Nonetheless, his initially dark expression had eased significantly.
It went without saying that he knew of the Queen family in Horington.
That's the Farwell family's core ally, possessing hundreds of billions in assets and having a hand in various industries! I never thought that Madilyn would have such a boyfriend! His power and background are more than ten times greater than the Cheever family. No wonder he acted all high and mighty earlier!
If it were in the past, he would have immediately put on a different expression and changed his attitude toward the heir of the Queen family.
At that moment, however, he simply could not get over his pride.
“Perhaps all this was merely a misunderstanding, Mr. Queen.”
At the end of the day, his voice became gentle and took on a milder tone.
Great turmoil brewed within Mildred when she glimpsed the helplessness in her husband's eyes and heard his sudden change of tone.
So, the Queen family in Horington is far greater than the Cheever family? How could this b ’tch born of Lorraine have such good luck?
Unadulterated envy and resentment blazed within her, but she dared not utter a single word further.
“Regardless of whether it was a misunderstanding, Mr. Sheffield, my purpose in coming here today is very simple—to pick Mdm. Xander up. As for your subsequent arrangements, we'll talk about them at a later time!” Jonathan's aura could seemingly be repressed, for he also calmed down slowly.
However, his words were finally taken seriously by Norton and Mildred.
After they had exchanged a glance, they had no choice but to accept the fact that the Queen family in Horington was not an existence they could afford to offend.
Despite the vast distance between the two places, the influence of the Queen family could still reach them, not to mention that of the Farwell family, who was even more powerful than the Queen family.
“Don't worry, Madilyn. Your mother is perfectly fine. I'll go and call her down to meet you right away!” In the end, Norton could only relent with a nod.
He whirled around and went into the mansion, leaving Mildred there at a loss.
Ignoring her completely, Jonathan flashed Madilyn a reassuring smile.
“Thank you, Jonathan!”
In truth, it had never crossed Madilyn's mind that her boyfriend would be able to help her find her mother so easily, and with such a show of authority at that.
No wonder he had a backup plan in place, not only driving a Rolls- Royce but also bringing a dozen bodyguards. He was planning to try negotiating first before employing force!
Shortly after, Lorraine was brought out. The instant she spotted her daughter and Jonathan, she hurried over to them.
“Jonathan, Maddy, did they do anything to you?” Having said that, she jerked her head around and shot daggers at Norton and Mildred.
Both Norton and Mildred wore grim expressions on their faces as they were forced to stand idly by and watch everything unfold.
Allowing Lorraine to go that day signified that their hope to be linked with the Cheever family through marriage would be completely shattered.
In response, Jonathan shook his head. He asked in return, “Did they do anything to you, Mdm. Xander?”
Madilyn hugged her mother and checked her over. It was not until she had ascertained that there were no injuries on Lorraine that she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Mom, get into the car, quick! We'll talk further on the way back.” Taking her hand, Madilyn climbed into the Rolls-Royce.
Meanwhile, Jonathan unhurriedly turned back and said to Norton, “Thank you, Mr. Sheffield. If you were to go to Horington next time, do come to the Queen residence for a visit. I'll definitely welcome you warmly!”