Chapter 33: Chapter 33

As the days passed quickly, the day of the acceleration test drew near. In a few months, Madison would have to take the exam to be fully admitted into the university she was attending. However, because the institution was still awaiting the results of Madison's acceleration test, her official admission was now on hold.

Every day, Dylan assisted Madison in reviewing her studies and patiently explained the concepts she had trouble understanding. He also practiced with her, which helped her comprehend the Italian language more effectively. Like today, Dylan was at her side as she went over her readings in the garden. He had to study multiple contracts, and it was difficult for him to grasp the ins and outs of their business. Still, Dylan was incredibly patient with Madison as he explained things to her.

Dylan had kept his promise and never seen Scarlett again since Madison got angry at him. And every time Dylan received a call from Scarlett, he would cancel it and even shut off his phone.

"Darling," Dylan gently called and smiled at her when he met her eyes. Madison lowered the book she was reading and looked at its page before closing it and focusing her attention on him.

"Why, Mr. Carter?" Madison asked, curious.

"Let's go see Aunt Ruth and your sisters on Friday," Dylan suddenly suggested. Madison didn't expect him to yell this, so she was shocked and gaped at him for a moment.

"W-what?" Madison asked in a trembling voice when she came back to her senses. She wanted to confirm whether she had just misheard what Dylan had said.

"I said let's go to your hometown and see Aunt Ruth and your sisters on Friday. Then, we'll go back on Sunday night. That is, if you agree, darling," Dylan playfully said. Madison was so thrilled by what she heard that she abruptly stood up and hugged him.

"Mr. Carter? We'll go to my hometown and visit Mom and my sisters?" Madison asked, looked at him with her expectant eyes, and let him go. However, Dylan just held her waist and smiled at Madison as if her excitement infected him.

Dylan answered with a smile, making Madison delighted and touched by his thoughtfulness, "Yes, darling, so you can see them before your test next month since you'll be so busy reviewing all your lessons, so it's best if we go now while you're not so busy."

"You already said that, Mr. Carter. You can't take it back," Madison said happily. She then excitedly hugged Dylan, who was still sitting. She didn't realize she sat on his lap.

"Of course, darling. How can I possibly do that to you?" Dylan asked back while smiling helplessly before he pinched her cheek with one of his hands while the other was still around her waist.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Carter. I miss them so much. I haven't visited them in a long time, so thank you very much, Mr. Carter," Madison gratefully said to show how much this meant to her.

"All right, get back to your seat and continue your review. Otherwise, I won't be able to control myself and do something to you..." Dylan warned her in his low voice, made Madison stand up, and gently pushed her to her former seat. Suddenly, as if Madison had remembered something, she resisted his hands and stood still.

Madison pretended to sulk as she asked him, "Don't you want me to sit on your lap, Mr. Carter? When Miss Scarlett did that to you, you're pretty much enjoying it," She teased him. Dylan ruffled his hair with an embarrassed look on his face.

"What? It's been a long time, darling, and you knew I didn't enjoy it," Dylan quickly denied, which Madison burst out laughing.

"I was just kidding, Mr. Carter," Madison chuckled before walking to her seat.

"Right," Dylan muttered. He suddenly stood up and approached Madison. When Dylan got close to her, he raised his hands and started tickling him so hard that Madison fell off her seat. Fortunately, he was attentive, so he caught her before falling to the ground.

"E-no-ugh, M-mr. Carter. I-I gi-ve up ... My stomach hurts from laughing," Madison said in between her laughter as even after Dylan caught her, the laughter didn't stop tickling her.

Madison quickly slipped his clutches when the opportunity was right and sprinted across the garden since it was spacious. She was sure it would be difficult for Dylan to find her here. Back in Norville Town, she was considered the best player when it came to playing her favorite game, "catching the flag," as Madison was good at running. She remembered that her day wouldn't be complete if she and her sisters wouldn't play that game.

As if Dylan didn't hear her protests, he still chased her, so Madison had no choice but to run as fast as she could so that he would miss her. However, she stopped when she was exhausted and couldn't run anymore. Dylan laughed at her and raised his hands to grab her.

"Waaahhh! Mr. Carter! Time out, time out. I'm so tired," Madison shouted as she panted and raised her hands to signal him to stop before holding on to her knees.

"No time out, darling. It would help if you ran very fast as I'm coming for you," Dylan playfully warned her and pretended that he would still chase her.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Carter. Just give me ten seconds, okay?" Madison asked, trying to convince him. Perhaps he took he couldn't say no to her; Dylan nodded. So when ten seconds was up, and her breathing was back to normal, Madison shouted, "Game!" then ran again as Dylan chased her from behind.

As she was tired, Madison noticed how she slowed down as the seconds passed. She was no longer surprised when she felt a warm body pressed against her and arms caging her.

"Gotcha!" a baritone and playful voice shouted before lifting Madison.

Madison burst out laughing and exclaimed, "Put me down, Mr. Carter. I'm so heavy." and motioned for Dylan to put her down.

Though he did so, Dylan still didn't let her go. He just turned Madison around to face him and pressed their foreheads together while staring at each other. Embarrassed, Madison's cheeks turned red, and she initially wanted to withdraw. However, since she didn't want to ruin their moment, she stood still while her body was shivering a little.

"When will I be able to hear you call me 'darling' too?" Dylan whispered, his warm breath caressing her cheek. Madison smiled helplessly. Even though she wanted to call him that, she was still scared. She knew he already had a place in her heart, but Madison still preferred to follow her mother's advice.

Madison kept quiet thinking of this and didn't answer his question. She just smiled at him and caressed his face ever so gently.

"I love you so much, darling. I hope you will love me as much as I love you," Dylan muttered in his deep voice. Madison felt weak. She inwardly thought, 'Even if I love him, I cannot ignore the harsh reality that we are not meant to be, and we belong in a different world. I'm sure he would find someone better than me. Someone who will match him perfectly. Sadly, it's not me.'

"There are many more women out there who are better suited to you, Mr. Carter," Madison said, frowning and wondering why Dylan would like someone like her.

"I don't care about them, darling. You are all I want and the most important to me. And I know you're the only woman who will suit me, darling," Dylan stated solemnly. Although Madison felt she was the luckiest woman in the world after hearing this, she felt sad because she knew it wouldn't matter how much Dylan loved her. After all, there was a massive gap between them. And while Dylan had everything, she had nothing he could be proud of. For now, Madison just let him love her because she knew that the day would come when he would find a woman who was more suitable for him, unlike her.

While lost in her melancholy, Madison's eyes widened as she suddenly felt his lips on hers.

It was just a fleeting touch, but it felt like Madison was electrocuted by a high voltage as her whole body couldn't help but tremble.

Madison immediately pushed him away, touched her lips that he had just kissed, and stared at him in surprise.

"I'm sorry, darling. Please don't be mad at me. I didn't mean to, but I was tempted to kiss you because your lips seem inviting me to do so," Dylan apologized quickly, making her forehead furrow even more.

"My lips don't speak, nor it certainly didn't invite you. How can that happen?" Madison innocently asked, and Dylan laughed. She raised an eyebrow at him and wondered why he suddenly laughed.

"And what's so funny about what I said, Mr. Carter? Is anything funny?" She asked, confused. Dylan nodded at her while suppressing a smile.

"It's nothing, darling," He shook his head and caressed her face.

"Nothing? But clearly, you are laughing there. Hmmph!" Madison grumbled before she accusingly stared at him and covered her lips with her hands, afraid that Dylan would suddenly kiss her again.

"Why are you covering your mouth, darling?" Dylan amusedly asked. Madison kept an eye on him as she slowly removed her hand from her lips.

"You just kissed me all of a sudden. Maybe you'll repeat it, so I cover my lips to make sure," Madison explained. She stiffened when he suddenly brought his face closer to hers again and quickly kissed her on the lips again. After he kissed her, Dylan abruptly left and ran inside the mansion without saying goodbye to Madison, who touched her lips again. She couldn't say anything and could only stare blankly at him as he ran.

As she was the only one in the garden, Madison helplessly shook her head as there was a faint smile hanging on her lips. She stared at her books, smiled broadly, and mused, 'So this was how it felt to be kissed? It's addicting, as they say.'

"I don't think I'll get pregnant because of that kiss. Besides, it's only twice," Madison muttered to herself. Smiling, she picked up the book she was reading a while ago and flipped through it.

How else could she review if all she had in mind now was Dylan's soft lips pressing against hers?

"What am I thinking?" she asked while flipping to the page where she stopped reading. Then she scolded herself, 'Why do you still wonder why? Isn't it because you liked the kiss that Mr. Carter gave you?'

Madison was in a great mood. Tomorrow, she would see Ruth and her sisters. She missed them so much, so she was grateful to Mr. Carter because it was because of him that she would see her family again with him.