Chapter 2 This Ends Now

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Colten's face flushed deep red with fury. "Haven't you humiliated yourself enough already?"

He was convinced Madison was guilty without investigation.

Madison's heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

He didn't save her, nor did he believe her.

In that moment, a painful realization dawned on her: the man she had loved so deeply, with every fiber of her being, harbored such profoundly distorted values.

"I didn't hurt her!" Madison protested, her voice tight, her lips a thin line of defiance.

But Colten dismissed her with a mere glance, his eyes icy and dismissive as he turned to address the director. "This ends now."

His gaze then softened as he looked towards Lana. "How's your wrist? Still in pain? Let me take you to the hospital."

Blushing, Lana nestled into his embrace. With all eyes on them, they walked out together, leaving whispers in their wake.

Left behind, Madison felt her legs weaken, a chill of isolation piercing her soul.

The man she had grown up with, her fiance, had left her once again in her hour of need.

The hostility around her grew palpable. If looks could wound, Madison would have been scarred for life.

The director wasted no time in expelling Madison from the school drama club, claiming she was lucky since Colten chose not to push the issue further.

From a rising star, Madison plummeted to the brunt of cruel jokes and ridicule.

What had been a lively, buzzing space emptied, silence settling in its place.

Madison struggled against her leaden legs, each step a laborious battle as she hobbled towards the exit.

Her left leg bore the marks of the accident-blood congealed over wounds peppered with splinters, each movement sending sharp pain coursing through her.

Outside, the shadowy stone steps were suddenly bathed in the harsh glare of car headlights, turning night into day.

The back door of the sleek car swung open, and a figure emerged from the brightness. As he stepped forward, his features, sharp and imposing, came into focus under the light.

The moment her eyes landed on him, Madison came to an abrupt halt, rooted to the spot.

"Mr. Pearson?"

Chris Pearson was Colten's uncle. Since she was Colten's fiancee, she knew every member of the Pearson family.

"Madison." His voice, deep and resonant, wrapped around her like a warm, velvety cloak, momentarily distracting her from the pain. His gaze lingered on her injuries, a frown creasing his brow.

"Want me to carry you to the car?" His tone lifted slightly at the end, a polite offer, yet it seemed to carry an undercurrent of something else-something Madison couldn't quite place.

Her cheeks warmed with a sudden flush of embarrassment, and she gestured with her hands, more animated than intended. "No... No, thanks!"

Chris, though her fiance's uncle, was only a decade her senior and had the kind of distinguished aura that came from meticulous self-care.

In both stature and demeanor, he eclipsed Colten, casting a long shadow as the most powerful figure in the city.

His aura of control and icy detachment made it clear-very few, if any, ever piqued his interest.

With the rest of the Pearson elders, Madison could act as freely as she pleased, but he was the one exception.

His gaze lingered above her before he gracefully raised an arm, the exquisite cufflink glinting against the flawless surface of his hand.

"Here, let me give you a hand," he offered casually.

Madison was about to object when her eyes caught a glimpse of a fresh cut near the base of his thumb, the blood still not fully dried.

Intrigued, she impulsively flipped his hand, revealing more cuts lacing his palm like delicate, dangerous lacework.

She had checked the wooden planks that had trapped her-they had been snapped by her rescuer.

Emotion welled up within her, a tingling sensation spreading through her nose as she clutched his wrist, her fingers whitening with the intensity of her grip.

"How long are you going to stare?" His voice cut through the thick air, cool and detached.

Jolted back to the harsh reality, Madison realized her overstep and quickly released his hand, her cheeks blooming with a fiery red.

"Sorry... I'll clean it for you," she muttered, her voice a mix of embarrassment and concern.

Chris, always meticulous about cleanliness, especially regarding physical contact, preferred an untouched existence.

From a young age, even his father couldn't breach his personal space, and any servant who dared touch him often found him scrubbing away the contact for hours afterwards.

It was a well-known taboo among the Pearson family.

Madison's search for disinfectant wipes was frantic, but a sinking realization hit her-she had forgotten to bring any.

"I'll go get some water," she said, her voice laced with a hint of panic.

Chris, however, turned his palm down, concealing the injuries that marred it.

"No need. Let's get you to the car; those wounds need attention," he insisted, his tone gentle yet firm.

Madison didn't dare lay a hand on him again, quickly retreating to the car with cautious steps.

Once she nestled into the back seat, a sudden thought struck her-she could have just visited the school clinic instead, sparing him the trouble.

But before the words could escape her lips, Chris had already slid into the car.

The spacious back seat now seemed confining with his long legs stretched out.

A subtle scent of cologne drifted from him, an intriguing blend of cold sharpness and warm undertones, surprisingly comforting.

Trying to maintain some distance, Madison shuffled to the far corner of the seat, nervously tugging at the hem of her skirt.

"Thank you for saving me," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes lingered on the void between them. After a tense, prolonged silence, he responded with a noncommittal, "Hmm."

As the car resumed its journey and the partition rose, the atmosphere thickened with awkwardness.

Beads of sweat dotted Madison's pale forehead and glistened on her nose.

"Are you intimidated by me?" Chris suddenly broke the silence, his voice rising slightly but still enveloped in his characteristic coolness.

"No!" Madison's response was immediate and sharp. She bolted upright, momentarily forgetting the confines of the vehicle, and her head met the roof with a resounding thud.

Wincing, she fumbled with her hair, her movements awkward as she tried to regain her composure. After a brief pause, she added, "It's just you showing up was the last thing I expected."