When Love Comes Late

Madison was so scared that tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at the cold-blooded man next to her and said word by word, "William, I have a heart condition ... and I'm afraid of heights."

William seemed not to hear her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, his voice low and dangerous as he spoke into her ear, "How come you didn't mention she had a heart condition when you tricked Madison into skydiving? McKenzie, do I look that easy to fool?"

Madison's heart pounded wildly, fear gripping her so tightly she could barely breathe. She struggled to compose herself, her eyes rimmed with red. "I didn't. If I told you I was the real Madison, would you believe me?"

William's expression turned glacial, a hint of cruel amusement in his eyes. "So afraid of death, but don't worry. I'm an expert in this field. With me, even if you want to die, you won't be able to."

Madison shut her eyes, her face pale. She had already dialed for an ambulance in advance. The moment she plummeted, darkness swallowed her vision and her heart felt like it had stopped beating. The last thing she heard was William's panicked, fearful voice.

Just before losing consciousness, she thought he must have misheard something. William hated her more than anything. Why would he care about her?

When she woke up, William stood over her with his arms crossed, looking down at her with a smirk. "Oh, you're finally awake. Why didn't you die and save us all the trouble?"

Madison wearily closed her eyes again, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Didn't work out that way. Guess I've disappointed you."

Her feeble yet calm words instantly ignited William's fury. "Still putting on an act, huh?" He sneered, gritting his teeth. "Madison also had a heart condition. How terrified do you think she was when you made her skydive?"

Madison slowly opened her eyes to meet his gaze. "Is that what she told you?" she asked softly.

William's eyes blazed with rage, his voice dripping with venom. "McKenzie, don't start getting scared too early. This is just the beginning. It won't end just because you're pretending to be weak."

So, when she was over the worst of her illness, he took Madison to a street race. In the car, Madison's face was ashen, her hands shaking uncontrollably. William watched her with a cruel glint in his eyes.

The racetrack was deliberately set up on the edge of a cliff, with walls strategically placed to block the view, creating an atmosphere of sheer terror. Yet, the other racers seemed excited, exhilarated by the danger.

Madison was forced into the car. As she tried to get out, William locked the doors, preventing her escape. "You're always saying I want you dead, aren't you? Well, get a good look. This is what death looks like!"

William reveled in the thrill of brushing past the edge of death, but she didn't. Pain gripped her heart and his so-called 'friends' deliberately set traps for her, causing the car to veer off the cliff multiple times. When she finally stumbled out of the car, her legs were like jelly. She collapsed onto the ground, grateful that she'd brought her emergency heart medication with her. Without it, she might have died in the car.

However, William was in high spirits. He extended a hand toward her, smirking with a mocking tone. "Didn't you always want to be a part of my world? Well, this is it. How does it feel?"

Madison didn't take his hand. Instead, she forced herself to stand and walk away on her own. William's face darkened, sensing that she was deliberately snubbing him.

He drove ahead lazily, glancing at her through the window. Seeing how slow she was, he swerved the car dangerously close to her, taunting her with laughter. "Pathetic! Even a turtle is faster than you!"

In the end, it was Ariana Lane who came to pick her up. The moment Madison got into the car, her mother said coldly, "Don't be angry with him. Young people like to have fun. Besides, it's your fault for deceiving her in the first place."

Madison looked at Ariana's icy face, a bitter smile twisting her lips. "Mom, was it really me who lied?"

Ariana's face instantly contorted with rage and she slapped Madison hard across the face. "Shut up! You've really grown some nerve to talk to me like that."

Madison's cheek flushed crimson, the pain stinging her skin. She was stunned, raising her hand to cover the burning sensation. "Mom," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "am I really your daughter?"

The question had haunted her since childhood. Why was her mother so loving and gentle towards her elder sister yet so cold and indifferent towards her?

Her mother's only response was a chilling laugh. "Otherwise, do you think I would have raised a useless thing like you all these years? Don't think that just because you're William's wife, you can start acting arrogant. That position was something your sister gave up for you."

She continued coldly, "Now, that your sister is back, you better start packing your things and move out in the next few days. It'd be embarrassing if you had to be thrown out."

When Madison returned home, she found an unexpected guest – McKenzie. And next to her, William's eyes were filled with her figure.