"I'm not satisfied with just the pain he is going through in the hospital. I want to destroy him for hurting you," Augustine insisted.
"Buddy, Maddie is fine. She just needs to rest right now," Margaux said, hoping to calm him down.
She could see he was merely holding back his fury and volatile nature for her sake, not wanting her to feel scared or uncomfortable around him.
"Don't stress about it. I'm completely fine." Madelyn added.
"Why shouldn't I stress about it? He almost killed you…" Augustine's lips pursed, wavering to finish his sentence, which was too painful for him to say out loud.
He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. It hurt him that he had to restrain himself for her revenge, so as not to ruin her plans.
"Things will continue to go wrong if you get closer to him again. He could have killed you," he added.
"Killing Rafael outright is not an option for me. No one touches him because he's my prey now," Madelyn declared, walking away and leaving no room for argument.
Madelyn was grateful to have Augustine on her side who genuinely cared about her, supporting her to reach her current position. However, she didn't want him to handle this fight entirely on his own.
This was her battle, and she had already devised ways to deal with everyone who had hurt, humiliated, and rejected her.
The room fell silent as Augustine watched her ascend the staircase.
"Let Madelyn handle this herself. Her goal is to ruin him, destroy his empire, and leave him with no chance to rise again. As for the Slyvain family, she'll do the same to them. She won't allow him to have any chance of returning to her life," Margaux reminded Augustine of their plans.
Margaux looked away from Augustine's piercing gaze.
"Good to sleep, Maggie, before I say something I'll regret," Augustine snapped, his voice sharp with fury but trembling with restraint.
He glared at Margaux, who spoke about dealing with those dangerous people as if it were easy.
"You always blames me for nothing when it's not my fault." Margaux retorted, looking confused. She wondered if she had misinterpreted Madelyn's plan, which seemed to infuriate him as if she had suggested her sister undergo such a dangerous course of action.
"You were supposed to protect Madelyn from any harm and keep Rafael away from her during the ceremony. How could you be reckless enough to let this happen?" Augustine questioned.
"I watched over her and made sure she stayed out of his sight. I didn't expect that jerk would still find a way to meet her," Margaux defended herself.
"Don't give me a excuse for your recklessness. You failed to protect Madelyn that's the fact here." Augustine snapped.
Margaux scoffed, frowning deeply at Augustine for laying the blame on her.
"What are you saying? I was watching over her."
"Yeah, you were. How could I be so stupid as to let you go with her?" Augustine shot her a deadly stare.
"You know what? You're just a weakling scared of meeting Rafael in person. If you weren't, you could've been there too to protect her," Margaux retorted, making Augustine's jaw drop in disbelief.
"Weakling? I'm a weakling?" he muttered.
"Yes, you are. Even your stupid bodyguards couldn't do their jobs properly!" Margaux whined, glaring at him as she stormed away.
Augustine quickly turned to watch her leave. "I'm not a weakling. I had no idea that Madelyn chose to return to New York today, and I was already on a mission," he said.
Margaux had already ascended the staircase, heading to her room next to her sister's, and spoke without looking at Augustine.
"Spare me that bullshit!" she mimicked him, causing Augustine to beam without realizing it.
He looked away from Margaux, glancing at the closed entrance with a burning urge to confront Rafael, but he had to respect Madelyn's decision. He allowed his clenched fist to loosen, promising himself he wouldn't let what happened repeat itself. He would protect both sisters, who were his childhood friends, with his life.
Meanwhile, Madelyn, who was inside her room, lovingly brushed her fingers through the hair of the little boy tucked into the blanket on her bed. Her heart was filled with love as she watched him sleep.
It had been difficult to ignore Margaux and Augustine's usual banter, but fortunately, they hadn't woken her baby.
Her little boy. Her big blessing.
She knew he had been waiting for her return and had chosen to fall asleep soundly in her room instead.
"I won't let any harm come to you, my baby," Madelyn vowed, recalling her ugly encounter with Rafael earlier. The thought of what he might do to her child made her heart race with fear creeping in.
"Not even to your aunt, nor your uncle, nor me. I will protect us from them, even if I have to go far," she added, her eyes blazing with determination.
As Madelyn tucked her son snugly into the blanket to keep out the chilly night air, she leaned closer and kissed him on the forehead. Afterwards, she moved from the bed to the restroom to freshen up.
Entering her bedroom, she tied her hair into a loose ponytail while standing in front of the wall mirror. As she prepared, she noticed Rafael's fingerprint impression on her neck.
She hadn't expected him to choke her upon seeing her for the first time in five years. Did he despise her so much that he would harm anyone who looked like her?
What expectations should she have had from a killer?
She caressed the bruise on her neck, feeling the pain beneath her touch. Shifting her gaze from the mirror, she moved to the bathtub filled with fresh rose petals, already prepared by the servants.
Stepping into the warm water, she felt her sore body and muscles gradually relax. She immersed herself in the warmth, keeping her head above water.
The pleasant scent of the rose petals teased her senses, providing a calming effect on her mind.
As she closed her eyes and scrubbed her body, thoughts swirled in her mind about making him pay for strangling her. The Madelyn who tolerated abuse from those she considered family was long gone—five years ago.
She wouldn't let her enemies go unpunished, not even if they touched a strand of her hair. She would make them crawl on their knees, begging desperately for her mercy, which she would never give.