When Love Comes Late

By the time Madison arrived at the banquet, she had taken some cold medicine. She was running a fever, her head pounding, yet she forced a smile to deal with the Loughlins.

Bella seemed to notice something was off and looked at her with concern. Madison offered her a reassuring smile, silently indicating that she was okay.

As expected, the conversation at the table inevitably turned to children. Edward, his expression stern and authoritative, glanced at William and Madison. "You two should hurry up. At your age, most couples already have children four or five years old."

William glanced at her sarcastically. "That would require her actually to be able to have one. Anyone who didn't know better would think I married a barren woman."

Madison said nothing about this. She once had a child, who was conceived when William was drunk, but later she miscarried. To this day, her heart still aches.

Bella protectively held Madison's arm, glaring at Edward. "You're old enough, yet you're still learning to pressure them about having kids. Have you no shame?"

Her words silenced Edward. Bella then turned her ire to William. "And you. It's fine if you don't want to talk about it, but must you humiliate McKenzie like this? If it weren't for her good temper, she would have left you ages ago."

Hearing the name "McKenzie," Madison felt a moment of disorientation. After all, that was the name of her twin sister and the name was recorded on the marriage certificate.

When they were children, their mother had mixed up their information since they were twins. To outsiders, McKenzie was the younger sister and Madison was the elder. Later, they didn't change it back. When she married William, they went along with it.

Madison was her real name, but no one outside her family knew her actual name.

William took a drag from his cigarette, his expression indifferent. He found it laughable. "In this world, it's always me rejecting others. Who would dare reject me?"

Bella shook her head. "One day, you'll regret it when she finally leaves you."

William's brows were full of disdain. With McKenzie's eagerness to marry him, would she willingly leave him? Only his mother was pitifully foolish, knowing nothing. He knew it clearly but didn't say much. He just said impatiently, "Alright, Mom, I don't want to hear it."

That night, Madison stayed at the Loughlins' manor. She barely slept and got up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. On her way, she overheard voices coming from the balcony.

Edward was frowning. "It's been over two years since the last miscarriage. Be honest with me, William. Is McKenzie unable to conceive?"

William chuckled lazily while leaning against the railing. "Who knows?"

Edward clenched his teeth in anger when he heard this and smacked William hard on the back. "This is all your fault! If you hadn't deliberately given her that drug back then, she wouldn't have miscarried."

Madison had been about to step forward, but those words made her blood run cold and she stood there frozen as if struck by lightning.

Six years ago, she had carried William's child. It happened when he was drunk and mistook her for someone else. It was just an accident, but she was full of thoughts about being a mother. In those days, William was so good to her that she even thought she could be happy.

Unfortunately, she miscarried. She had always thought it was because her body was unfit. Still, she never expected that it was William who didn't want her to have his child and deliberately caused the miscarriage.

Madison's heart suffocated. She recalled that after the miscarriage, she was full of guilt for the child and William. She kept apologizing to the Loughlins, but now it felt like a slap in the face. Had William been laughing at her behind her back even then, just like he was now?

Oblivious to her presence, William smirked with contempt. "As if she's worthy of carrying my child. She doesn't deserve it."

Madison felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart. Tears streamed down her face, but inside, everything had gone quiet.

"Not worthy…" So that was it. That was why he had intentionally caused her miscarriage. So, her years of careful companionship were only worth these two words?

At that moment, Madison realized something terrifying. Her heart felt nothing anymore and she would never love him again.

William suddenly sensed a gaze on him. His sharp eyes scanned the area, but there was no one there.