Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 532

532 /671

Listening to Irene's repeated apologies, the resentment and pain in Madelyn's heart gradually lessened by a fraction.

With a bitter chuckle, she said, "It's not your fault. Why are you apologizing?" Yet despite her attempt at a smile, Madelyn's expression remained grim, her face a mask of cold indifference filled with suppressed fury.

Only after Irene had apologized for a while did Madelyn slowly straighten up. She fixed her gaze on Irene and declared, "Madelyn, don't worry. I'll definitely find out who did this! I'll make them pay!"

Madelyn replied flatly, "No need to investigate."

Irene was taken aback, her delicate and beautiful features frozen in astonishment. She asked softly, "Why not?"

A dark shadow crossed Madelyn's eyes as she said, "I already know who it is."

At that moment, Madelyn failed to notice how Irene's breath hitched when she uttered those words. The anomaly lasted only two seconds before Irene quickly composed herself. Feigning confusion, she asked, "Who is it?"

Madelyn lifted her gaze, a cold smirk playing on her lips. "Ariana."

A flicker passed through Irene's eyes. She frowned slightly before pressing her lips together and saying, "Ariana? Why would you suspect her? She wasn't even there the whole time. Madelyn, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Madelyn shook her head with unwavering certainty. "It's definitely her!" She stared intently at Irene and explained, "Think about it, Irene. Ariana was the one who asked to meet you yesterday. If I hadn't gone with you, you'd be the one in this mess right now. Clearly, she was targeting you, planning to have some random man do those horrible things to you. But she never expected I'd be there, or that you'd leave early. I would have been violated by some despicable man she arranged, but then I ran into Arnold."

At this point, Madelyn let out a bitter laugh. "I guess it was fate. At least the man I lost my virginity to was my fiancé, not some random stranger. That makes it slightly easier to bear."

Irene stood frozen in shock after hearing Madelyn's explanation. She stared blankly for a long moment before her eyes reddened with tears. "Madelyn... It's my fault. I'm the one who got you into this."

Madelyn froze for a split second before comprehension dawned on her face. Shaking her head lightly, she murmured, "What does this have to do with you? When people are determined to harm us, there's no stopping them. At least nothing catastrophic came of it. Ariana miscalculated this time!" A frigid glint of hatred flashed in her eyes as she spoke—it was clear she'd truly come to loathe Ariana.

Irene remained distressed. "But what about you? You've always said you don't like Arnold. Madelyn, I don't want you to marry someone you don't love. After all these years as sisters, I know you. You deserve someone who cherishes you, someone you actually care for. Not... not this."

A bitter smile touched Madelyn's lips, tinged with quiet desolation. "What choice do I have? I've already slept with him."

Irene bit her lip.

With a sharp toss of her head, Madelyn shoved her emotions aside. She met Irene's gaze squarely. "I'll make them pay for this. For you, Irene, and for myself. My family had already arranged my engagement to Arnold—we're set to marry next year anyway. So what if we slept together? Consider it an early wedding night."

"But—" Irene protested weakly.

Madelyn cut her off. "No 'buts.'" Her eyes locked onto Irene's, each word dripping with venom. "If Ariana wants to play games, I'll give her exactly what she's asking for. I'll marry Arnold—and whatever comes after? That's on her." Her expression was eerily blank as she spoke, devoid of any warmth. Only an icy, fathomless darkness remained.