Chapter 3 We Lost Her Again

Margaret was fuming. She said with a sneer, "We live in a luxury villa. We can't just let any junk car in. Who knows if it's hauling rotten fish full of bacteria? There's absolutely no way it's coming in here to embarrass us." "Yes, Mrs. Jillard," the butler responded before leaving. Madeline hated making people wait. She slipped her phone back into her pocket and glared at the Jillards blocking her way. "Either we go to the police station or you move." Margaret jabbed a finger at her, ready to start cursing again, but Jonathan held her back. "Let her go." If things got brought to the police, the Jillards would be the ones disgraced, no matter the outcome. Madeline pulled her suitcase along. Her gaze cut toward Julian like a blade. "Keep your fiancee in check. If she crosses me again, I'll drag both the Jillards and the Larsens through the dirt. None of you will walk away clean." With that, she strode out of the villa. At the gates, a middle-aged man was anxiously explaining something to the security guard, but the guard waved him off impatiently. Madeline approached them with her suitcase in tow. "Are you here to pick me up?" The man turned. The moment he saw her, he froze. Her delicate face and graceful features looked exactly like those of his employer in her youth. It was as if she were carved from the same mold. The only difference was her cold, distant eyes, which held an air far beyond her years. He immediately lowered his head. "Forgive me, Ms. Madeline. I'm Richard Lexington, the Harrington family's driver. "A pack of motorbikes cut me off on the way here. I couldn't dodge them in time and hit the guardrail. I was afraid of being late, so I didn't switch cars. Don't worry. I made sure the engine is perfectly fine." "That's just a junk car. They're poor, yet they hired someone to put on airs. She should stop acting like a rich lady once the silver spoon's no longer hers," one of the guards said with a snort. Gossip about the Jillards had already spread throughout the neighborhood. A few guards peeked out of the booth to watch the show. Madeline remained calm and lifted her gaze toward the car. It was indeed a sorry sight. A large patch of paint on the left side had been scraped off. The front of the car was badly caved in, and even the emblem was gone. Both rear windows were shattered halfway. Yet she still recognized the car at a glance. It was a custom Maybach. The markings engraved on the rims were unmistakable. It was worth millions of dollars. Wasn't she born to a fisherman from Riverside Village in Clearwater County? How could they afford a car like this? Richard eagerly took her suitcase and went to open the trunk. After pressing the button several times, the trunk lid suddenly came loose with a crack and fell off. The guards burst into laughter. "You can tell at a glance it's some assembled junk car meant to show off. That's so embarrassing. No wonder the Jillards refused to let it in." Sweat broke across Richard's forehead. "Ms. Jillard, please get in the car and rest. I'll handle this." He quickly tugged at the rear door. It creaked loudly, then fell off as well. Laughter erupted again from the guard booth. Madeline calmly rolled up her shirt sleeves. She took the door from the flustered Richard, smacked the dented parts flat in a few swift motions, and reattached it. The laughter cut off abruptly. She fixed the trunk lid as well, then calmly placed her suitcase inside. "Let's go, Mr. Lexington." Richard snapped out of his shock. He quickly held a hand over the door frame to shield her as she got in. "Ms. Madeline, Mr. and Mrs. Harrington asked me to bring some thank-you gifts for the Jillards. Should we leave them at the gate and have someone come out to collect them?" Madeline had already seen the gift boxes in the trunk when she put her suitcase away. She didn't know what was inside, but even if it was just a carton of milk, the Jillards didn't deserve it. "No. They've already cut ties with me." Richard sensed something was off and didn't push further. He started the car immediately. Madeline leaned back into the rear seat. Through the shattered window, she felt a burning gaze fixed on her. She looked up. A black Rolls-Royce had appeared at the villa entrance. Its windows were tinted, so she couldn't see inside. As the two cars passed each other, that gaze vanished just as strangely. She chalked it up to her imagination and didn't think much of it. In the back of the Rolls‑Royce, Samuel Jameson tapped his fingers idly against his thigh. His lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. The image of a woman's eyes lingered in his mind. They were beautiful, like a pair of amber gems sealed in ice. Just then, his assistant, Uriah Quade, let out a gasp. "Mr. Jameson, Dr. Lena's location has changed. She's no longer in the villa. Do we still go in?" The lazy smile in Samuel's eyes froze instantly. "We lost her again!" he exclaimed, his voice as sharp as a blade. The oppressive force in his tone made Uriah break into a sweat. "I'll have someone track her right away!" Since the windows were broken, Richard drove slowly. A cool breeze flowed into the car, lifting loose strands of hair by Madeline's ear and brushing lightly against her cheek. It made her itch a little. "Mr. Lexington, the road to Riverside Village must be rough, right?" Richard smiled. "Not at all. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington donated money to pave the main road and even built several factories so the villagers could make a living. If you'd like to see the scenery there, you can visit some spots with them once you've met them." Madeline sensed something was off. "So… the Harringtons don't live in Riverside Village?" Richard nodded. "They moved out ten years ago. They're now in Kingsbourne."