Chapter 21 Bonnie Hated Madelyn

Madelyn's heart raced as she faced Bonnie and Alicia's doubtful gazes. Without hesitation, she extended her injured hand and blurted out, "Listen up, you guys. A few days ago, some thug smashed my hand with a hammer, and I ended up with a fractured mess. I was feeling so down and out that I even tried to off myself."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow, saying, "What a coincidence, huh?"

Madelyn's eyes welled up as she explained further, "And get this, Alicia and I were attacked the same way——left hand, broken fingers. The cops think somebody was out for revenge."

Each word and phrase dripped with implication that Alicia was the culprit, and Bonnie couldn't help but sneer, "So why would they only go after you, huh?"

Holding back her tears, Madelyn responded, "Maybe it's 'cause I was too close to Louis, and that made Alicia lose her mind."

Alicia remained stone-faced, but her eyes betrayed a hint of disdain. Madelyn had gotten pretty slick at dodging responsibility.

Bonnie ignored Madelyn and turned to Louis, "Do me a favor and find who's behind that person. Ask her if somebody put her up to this, or if she was offered something juicy. I have a feeling there's more to this mess than meets the eye."

"Got it." Louis nodded, quickly reaching for his phone.

Bonnie shot a cold glare at Madelyn, asking, "Anything else you need to say?"

Madelyn obediently shook her head, and replied, "No, just came to see if how you're doing."

Bonnie's face twisted with disdain, "Then leave when you're done."

Madelyn's face paled as she pleaded, "Grandma Bonnie, you've watched me grow up. Can't you cut me some slack? You used to adore me."

Bonnie pursed her lips, choosing to stay silent.

Tears streaming down her face, Madelyn continued, "Three years ago, when Louis got hurt, I wanted to be there for him. But my mom had some goon drag me overseas and had me watched like a hawk 24/7. And then I heard he got married, and I bawled my eyes out for three whole days. I thought I'd never recover."

She looked like a wounded animal, and Bonnie's face softened a bit. "I understand, kid. Three years ago, when the doctor said Louis would never walk again, it was tough. Most people couldn't handle it. Whether you left on your own or were forced to leave, it was over between you two. Louis moved on and got married. If you're trying to break him and Alicia up, that's on you, you know?"

Madelyn wiped her tears and shook her head, "I'm not trying to break them up. I just wanted to see him again. I swear I'm not trying to cause any trouble."

Alicia spoke up, her tone casual and cold, "Cuddling and hugging with my husband isn't causing any trouble, huh? If that's not breaking us up, then what is, Miss Monroe?"

Madelyn bit her lip and retorted, "Louis and I have been in love for over a decade. I can't just turn off my feelings like that. But I promise, I'll be more careful in the future."

The words, "been in love for more than a decade," sounded like a light breeze, but they carried a devastating impact. Alicia felt a heavy weight pressing down on her chest. Compared to their decade-long romance, her three-year marriage to Louis felt insignificant.

As Louis entered the room with a click, Alicia paused for a moment before standing up and taking his arm with a smile. "Sweetie, we're not getting a divorce, okay?"

Louis's expression froze slightly as he looked down at her, a hint of confusion in his eyes. Alicia held onto his waist, stood on tiptoe, and whispered in his ear, "Just promise me."

Although she was speaking to Louis, Alicia's gaze flickered in Madelyn's direction. The usually calm and non-confrontational Alicia was backed into a corner and had to show her fighting spirit. It no longer mattered whether or not she was loved at this moment——she simply had to win against Madelyn. Alicia wanted to remind Madelyn that their decade-long love was irrelevant now because she was Louis's wife.

Louis glanced over at Madelyn, who had tears in her eyes, and responded nonchalantly, "Hmm... OK"

Alicia's heart, which had been beating fast, suddenly plummeted. She held onto his hand tightly, afraid that he might change his mind. After a moment, Louis tried to pull his hand away, but Alicia held on tightly, refusing to let go. Madelyn stared at their clasped hands, tears streaming down her face as she covered her mouth and bolted from the room, her back turned to them.

Louis said to Alicia, "I'll take her back to the ward. She's severely depressed, and it's easy for her to get into trouble when she runs out like this."

"I'll come with you," Alicia said.

Louis frowned and asked, "What's gotten into you today, Alicia?"

"You're my husband," Alicia replied, trailing off.

"I never said I wasn't," Louis retorted.

As the two of them began to argue, Bonnie quickly interjected, "Why don't you both go together?"

They walked out of the room and saw Madelyn standing at the elevator, silently crying with her hand over her mouth. Her shoulders shook with sobs, and she looked pitiful. Curious onlookers watched as Louis walked over and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to her. He spoke gently, "Wipe your tears."

Alicia stood off to the side, watching her husband be so kind and caring towards his ex-girlfriend. Her heart ached with jealousy. Madelyn took the handkerchief and looked up at Louis, choking up as she said, "You should go back with Alicia. Otherwise, she'll get mad at you again."

Madelyn looked down at her injured hand and continued, "I'm afraid she'll blame me again, and my right hand will be just as useless as my left."

Despite not being close, there weren't many people in the VIP ward, and Alicia heard Madelyn's words clearly. It was the first time she had encountered someone so adept at shifting the blame onto others for their own faults.

Alicia's mind was spinning as she watched Louis defend her from Lilith's accusations. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed——Madelyn's scheming was on full display.

But Louis had her back, and that gave Alicia some solace. She couldn't bear to stay in that room any longer, so she slipped out and got back to her own ward.

Her thoughts raced, and she couldn't shake the image of Louis from her mind. "What would they be doing now?"

Suddenly, Bonnie appeared, taking her hand and saying, "Honey, you need to have a baby. It's the glue that holds a marriage together."

Alicia's mind went into overdrive. "How can I have a child when my marriage is falling apart?" They couldn't even have sex for the first two years because of Louis's poor health. And even after that, they used protection.

But Bonnie was insistent. "You and Louis are meant to be together. You've got good genes, honey. You'll make a beautiful baby."

Alicia couldn't help but smile at Bonnie's enthusiasm. "I'll try," she said.

And then Bonnie dropped a bombshell. "You know, when I was looking for a bride for Louis, I scoured the place for the perfect girl. And when I saw your picture, I knew you were the one. You look just like Madelyn."

Alicia's heart sank. "Was that all Louis saw in me? A resemblance to his first love?" She couldn't bear to think about it.

But Bonnie wasn't done. "You're so much more than that, honey. You're smart, you're beautiful, and you're perfect for Louis."

Alicia couldn't help but feel a little flattered by Bonnie's praise. Maybe there was more to her than just Madelyn's lookalike.

"But could a baby really save their marriage?" Alicia wasn't so sure and asked herself in her mind. If they ended up getting divorced, it would only hurt the child.

Still, Bonnie's words gave her a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could make it work.