Madelyn acted swiftly and yanked the power cord from Zach's laptop. Without its battery attached, the laptop instantly blanketed the screen in darkness.
Zach just slightly raised an eyebrow, not uttering a word about the call's abrupt end. He shed his black suit jacket and draped it over the chair Madelyn had just been sitting on. He said, "Your old number didn't have an area code; most numbers now require a reset and transfer process. | found it too troublesome and canceled your old number. You'll use this new number from now on, okay?" Zach spoke as if the matter was light and breezy. His tone suggested that this was a done deal, a decision made for Madelyn without consent.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAngered by Zach's audacity, Madelyn grabbed a pillow from the bed and hurled it at him. She said, "My phone number is mine to decide on. Who gave you the right to just cancel it, Zach? Are you out of your mind?" The pillow bounced harmlessly off his chest, leaving him unfazed. Calmly picking it up, Zach returned it to the bed and shared, "I figured you might not remember my number, so | changed mine as well. It's now just one digit off from yours." Madelyn was uncertain whether Zach was joking. She dug out an old cell phone from her bag and tried dialing her usual number.
She found out that the number she dialed was no longer in service.
Madelyn struggled to contain her fury. She inhaled deeply, attempting to cool her temper. She said, "Do you realize how many important accounts and information | had linked to my phone? You had no right to take charge of my belongings.” But Zach seemed pleased with Madelyn's escalating anger. He said, "All the contents linked to your old number, including browsing history and logins, have been transferred to this new number. You can continue using the sites and email as usual.
Nothing is lost." Left speechless by Zach's preemptive measures, Madelyn's anger did not subside. That number held special meaning for her because it contained the birthdates of both her and her mother. Clutching her phone tightly, she looked away, voice tinted with restraint, "Don't take liberties with my belongings again.” With that, Madelyn exited the room and headed to the living room.
"Where are you off to at this hour?" Zach called out from behind Madelyn.
"It's none of your concern," Madelyn replied, her tone icy.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmZach's gaze lingered on the bedside table where a diamond ring worth billions sat unguarded.
Madelyn was craving for a breath of fresh air. She approached the window and looked down to see a couple nestled together on a bench under the streetlight. Kai tenderly adjusted Lana's hair and scarf as they gazed at the night sky unusually aglow with stars.
Madelyn knew Lana was Andrew's high school sweetheart-turned-wife, who became physically disabled after a tragic fire during their honeymoon. Madelyn was not privy to the full story behind Lana's situation but suspected that Kai's influence had played a part. She found it hard to believe that Lana's newfound feelings for Kai could so readily replace her decade-long love for Andrew.
Madelyn first heard Andrew's name during her junior high days and even met him once at a social event. His reputation as a Ventropolis University legend and widespread gentleman was also well-known.
'If Lana's amnesia dissipated and she starts to remember Andrew..." Madelyn shuddered at the thought of Lana's potential heartbreak upon remembering her past with Andrew. It is even worse that Lana, unbeknownst to her, was carrying Kai's child.