Chapter 1 Banished to the Countryside

"Julian, have you really never liked Madeline?" The man's ragged breathing sounded like that of a beast drowning in desire. "How could I ever want someone as dull and lifeless as her? You're the only one who drives me insane." The sound of bodies colliding pierced the air. Down the hall, Madeline Jillard followed the noise to a door. The door was left slightly ajar. Through the gap, she saw two naked figures tangled together. While she had never loved Julian Larsen with blind devotion, they had grown up together. The Jillard family and the Larsen family had arranged their marriage long ago. He was her fiance. Her fury boiled over. She kicked the door wide open, stormed to the bed, and hurled the scalding water she carried straight at them. Julian was caught mid-thrust and screamed as the boiling splash blistered his back. "Madeline, are you out of your mind?" Quinn Jillard curled up against him like a frightened rabbit. Tears streamed down her face. "Please, don't hurt Julian. Just listen to us." Madeline clenched her fists. "The Jillards took you in, and you repay them by sleeping with my fiance in broad daylight? Do you have no shame at all?" Julian grimaced through the pain. His face darkened. "Let me spell it out for you, Madeline. You're the one the Jillards took in. Quinn is their real daughter. That makes her my true fiancee. Us being together is perfectly justified." Madeline's mind went blank. Jonathan Jillard and Margaret Young rushed upstairs at the commotion. Their faces darkened at the sight. When Margaret's gaze fell onto Quinn's red, tear-swollen eyes, she slapped Madeline across the face in a fit of rage. "You trash! You stole 23 years of Quinn's life and lived a life of luxury that was never yours. If Quinn hadn't been kind enough to wait until your biological parents were found, you wouldn't be here." "Madeline, I learned the truth when I got into that car accident six months ago, and you donated blood to me. I've been searching for your family ever since. Your father just called. He's coming to take you home. The Jillards won't be keeping you any longer," Jonathan said with a sigh. Margaret snapped, "Send her packing now! Every time I see her, I'm reminded of the suffering Quinn endured out there. It makes me want to tear her apart!" Madeline shook. She had never imagined that her childhood fiance would betray her in a single night or that her parents would turn their backs on her without hesitation. The worst part was realizing that they had known the truth for half a year and had chosen to keep it from her. She thought back to the day Jonathan brought Quinn home and how everything had changed since. She felt like a fool. Her fingers curled tightly as her eyes burned with pain from being betrayed by everyone she had ever trusted. By now, Quinn had already put on a nightgown. She sobbed softly. "I'm relieved that you've found your parents. Otherwise, I'd always feel like my appearance stole everything from you. That would break my heart." Her tears made Jonathan, Margaret, and Julian visibly anxious. They rushed to comfort her. When Quinn's eyes met Madeline's, Madeline saw the contempt hidden behind the act. It was all deliberate. Madeline scowled. She quietly turned and went back to her room to pack. When she emerged from her room with a suitcase in hand, the family was already gathered in the living room, cheerfully discussing Quinn and Julian's upcoming engagement. Quinn approached her, wearing a pleated skirt and beaming innocently. "I didn't think your family would be so eager to take you back to Clearwater County. I guess they needed another pair of hands for the fishing. That said, I feel bad for you, Madeline. There's no public transportation there, and no one really makes any money. It's the poorest county in Jonesville." She suddenly pulled a bracelet off her wrist. "We've only known each other for a few months, but I'm really grateful that you kept my parents company all these years. This is for you. It's only worth a few thousand dollars, but it's a small token of appreciation. If you run into trouble in the future, you can sell it for some cash." Margaret immediately stepped in to stop her. "You're too kind, Quinn. She's already lived off the Jillards' wealth for years. That's more than enough fortune for someone like her. She doesn't deserve a bracelet like this." Madeline laughed bitterly at Margaret's statement. Without her, the Jillards would have fallen from Jonesville's elite long ago. In truth, Jonathan had always been bad at management. After he took over the company, the Jillards declined year after year. They had been on the brink of collapse long ago. She couldn't bear seeing Jonathan and Margaret sighing in worry and quietly funneled resources to support the Jillards over the years. Not only did she pull them back from near bankruptcy, but she even pushed them all the way to the top as Jonesville's richest family. Recently, the Jillards had set their sights on expanding overseas and scrambled for investment. She had already made arrangements to fulfill all their needs. She had spent less time with Jonathan and Margaret precisely because of that. When she noticed their growing favoritism toward Quinn, she felt hurt but accepted it. Madeline had been intellectually gifted since childhood and was never good at social interactions. As she grew older, she rarely stayed by her parents' side. It was only natural that they projected their emotions onto Quinn. Thinking back on everything, a dull ache throbbed in her chest. It was no wonder that they had never really liked her. No matter how hard she tried to get close to them, there was always a wall between them. It turned out she wasn't really their daughter. "It's fine," Madeline said, refusing to accept the bracelet, and turned to leave. Quinn, however, was unusually stubborn and anxiously tried to force the bracelet into her hand. During the struggle, Quinn stumbled and accidentally bumped into Madeline's suitcase. The side zipper snagged open, and a ring tumbled onto the floor. The diamond set in it glittered under the light. Quinn gasped, covering her mouth as she quickly picked it up. "Madeline, why's Julian's engagement ring for me in your bag?"