Percy breathed out a swirl of cigarette smoke and looked at the pitiful Madison. He did not feel any pity for her, though.

The woman who could make his heart race and break his heart was not the woman in front of him.

Madison listened to his heartless words and said broken-heartedly, “I know you don't like me. You've always been in love with Ms. Nina, right?"

Percy did not answer her.

Madison then said, "If you really want her so badly, why did you agree to our marriage back then? You gave me hope and now you're taking it away. Percy, do you think it's right of you to do that?"

"There's no such thing as to whether it's right of me or not. It was someone else in the Mallory family who agreed to this marriage. It wasn't me." Percy passed the buck and got away squeaky clean.

"So it has always been someone else who made the decisions for you. You've been reluctant the entire time, right?" Madison was in despair. She could barely see hope when she listened to such irresponsible words coming out from this man.

She thought she could convince him to promise that he would help the Johnston family to overcome the crisis by playing the role of a delicate woman. Even if Old Master Mallory refused to help them, Percy was the one in charge of the Mallory Corporation now. As long as he was willing to help, all the difficulties would be resolved.

If he could lend a hand, that would indicate that her father and elder brother had made the wrong guess. It was not Percy who deliberately set them up and let them fall into the trap.

However, now...

Madison felt even more hopeless.

"Yes, indeed," Percy said generously. He had long ago planned to mess up the marriage. Now, he had only yet to make it public. He had no problem admitting it.

When Madison heard him admitting it himself, her tears streamed down. "So that's how it is. It seems like you've been trying hard to cut off our ties, and you even risked putting the Johnston family into hell!"

Percy remained expressionless even when his plan was exposed. He refused to make any explanation and just said, "If the Johnston family had managed their business well, I wouldn't have succeeded no matter what I did. Your brother fell for it only because he can't manage the business well. He was desperate to hand over a perfect business report. Is that my fault?"

Madison wiped her tears. She knew her elder brother messed up the family business when he took over it. It was an undeniable fact.

However, if Percy had not set him up, their family business would not have faced such a crisis.

“You know he's bad at running the business, and you set him up. We were still engaged then. How am I supposed to face the Johnston family after what you've done?" Madison asked hysterically. She could not be bothered with her image anymore.

The cold wind made her feel dizzy, and Percy's confession made her fall into despair. She was defeated.

"That's your business. There's no such thing as family ties in the business world. Not to mention that we don't even have feelings for each other. If it weren't for your elder brother's greed or his foolishness for not doing his research, he wouldn't have lost so much money. You only have yourself to blame for

insisting to be together with me. I had warned you before. Did you forget about it?" Percy reminded her coldly.

When Percy knew the Johnston family was willing to unite with the Mallory family through a marriage of convenience, Pierre already had a fiancee at that time. Hence, he knew it would be him.

He found Madison after he knew about it. He told her that he was already in love with someone else and he would never marry Madison.

However, Madison insisted on being together with him. She claimed that Nina was not good enough for him.

Percy persisted in rejecting her, but she was arrogant and domineering. She used her status as the daughter of the Johnston family to force him. He had no choice but to agree to the marriage.

He had already warned her then. If she refused to listen to him and ignored his refusal, then she would have to bear the consequences.

Madison took two steps backward and recalled the warning he gave her back then. How long had it been? Before she became his wife, she already had a taste of the consequences.

She was unconvinced.

Madison took a step forward. Once Percy pinched out his cigarette, she took the advantage to stand on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.

Percy did not expect she would suddenly do such a thing. Madison was decent and gentle all this while. She would never do such unrestrained moves.

Hence, she caught him off guard.

Percy pushed her away forcefully.

Madison smiled bitterly. "Am I that disgusting to you? You still don't want me even if I freely gave myself to you?"

"I'm in love with someone else, and it has always been her. It has never changed." Percy gave her a cold stare. Madison's scent was on the corner of his lips. He could not wait to rinse his mouth now.

"But she's just an ordinary woman. She's not pretty, and she has an elder brother who's a gangster. Also, she has a sick mother. You won't get any benefits if you're together with her. What's the point of insisting on being together with her?!" Madison yelled and questioned him.

The Johnston family and she had put in so much effort to make Nina avoid Percy as much as she could. However, it did not change his mind at all.

It made her feel defeated and frustrated.

"You were useful to me back then, but did I fall in love with you?" Percy questioned her. "I love her. It's pure love without any relationship of mutual benefits between us. So, it doesn't matter who she is, I'll still like her. Ms. Johnston, I'll ask the company's PR to issue another press release. Prepare yourself."

This time, the Mallory family had gained huge profits and benefits from the Johnston family's matter. Hence, if he issued a press release to tell the public about his relationship with Madison and their engagement, the Mallory family would not stop him either.

The longstanding problems in the Johnston family had also played a part in the matter of them making such bad investments. It would take more than just money to solve it. Thus, the Mallory family refused to have the Johnston family be a drag on the Mallory family.

Percy got into the car after that. Madison was left shaking in the cold wind after failing to make Percy take pity on her.

Madison watched Percy leave heartlessly. She clenched her fists.

This was what it felt like to fall for a heartless man. She recalled the reminder her university senior gave her before.

If she was really getting married to Percy, she must leave herself a way out. Otherwise, when she regretted it in the future, she would realize that she had no way out.

Taking a step back did not work, and it was more unlikely to take a step forward.

The miserable look in Madison's eyes slowly turned into hatred. Percy.... Nina...

She would either have it or destroy it.

“Percy Mallory, you'll regret everything you've done today!” Madison said. She turned around and looked beyond the horizon.

The next day.

After Nina got out of bed, she turned on her phone habitually. She glanced at the news notification that popped out that day. She smiled bitterly when she saw one of the news articles.

[Percy and Madison kissing on the street. The couple is still deeply in love with each other without being affected by the crisis the Johnston family is facing now.]

Nina looked at the photo on the news report. They were kissing each other on the lips with the cold wind blowing on Madison's hair. The reporter who took the photo even added some effects on the photo, making it look amorous just like how it was in the movies.

What Madam Mallory said to her was ringing in her ears. Text content © .

Nina grasped her phone tightly. It seemed like Percy was serious about Madison this time. Otherwise, why would he choose to kiss her on the street at this time?