CHAPTER 472

Madeline had explained to James' mother that she didn't love him, and therefore, she would never get together with him. However, James' mother scolded her for putting on a show and playing hard to get.

To James' mother, it was her fault that James loved her. She was in the wrong regardless of what she did.

Certainly, Madeline wouldn't want to come into contact with such an unreasonable woman again. She swore to herself that whenever she saw that woman's son, she would stay as far away from him as possible. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

James could detect Madeline's reluctance to talk to him, so he felt melancholic. "Are you still blaming me, Maddie?"

"Not really," Madeline replied impassively. "I just think that given our relationship, it's safer for us to pretend that we don't know each other when we meet."

"Please don't do this to me, Maddie…" As James looked at Madeline, who had become even more beautiful, he felt an inexplicable desire rising within him. "Maddie, I know that my mother was in the wrong back then. Let me apologize on her behalf. At any rate, we are childhood friends who have a strong bond. We even bumped into each other today, so it shows that we've been brought together by fate!"

"Stop reading too much into it!" His words gave Madeline goosebumps as she stepped backward. "It's not fate; it's just a coincidence. My mother happened to come across her friend earlier. It's the busiest place in Wendel City, so it's not surprising if we run into people we know."

"Your mother? Cameron?" James gave her a doubtful look. "Didn't you stop coming into contact with her a long time ago? Why did you…"

Madeline was startled by his words, for James thought that she was talking about Cameron when she mentioned her mother.

James and her cousin, Sam, were childhood friends, but Sam didn't tell him that she had found her biological parents.

Is he unwilling to mention anything about me because he finds it embarrassing? Or is it because he knows that James pursued me before, so he intentionally hid this fact from him?

The thought only flashed through her mind for a moment, and she soon discarded it.

Whatever the reason was, it no longer mattered. Most importantly, she had to bid James farewell and disappear from his sight as soon as possible.

"I'm sorry, but I'm in a rush now. Can we talk next time?" She stepped aside in an attempt to circumvent him so that she could meet up with her mother and leave this place.

James was saddened by her dispassionate attitude. He extended his leg and blocked her way. With a dejected look, he said, "Are you still blaming me, Maddie? I know I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have listened to my mother. I shouldn't have dumped you and married someone else."

Madeline frowned. "Can you stop saying things like these? Nothing happened between us. I've made it clear to you that I don't love you, and I have no feelings for you. Since you're married, you should

behave yourself as a husband and stop saying things that would cause another woman to misunderstand. You're treating your wife unfairly by doing this."

"I'm not that kind of person, Maddie. The reason I'm saying these things to you is that I'm getting a divorce," James said anxiously. "I've made up my mind. I'll look for you right after I finalize the divorce. It never crossed my mind that I'd bump into you here today. I have a feeling that fate has brought us together."

"What does it have anything to do with me that you're getting divorced?" A disgusted Madeline scowled. "Should I get together with you just because you're divorcing your wife? Don't you think it's just your wishful thinking?"

"Please forgive me, Maddie. I listened to my mother and didn't persevere. I won't make the same mistake this time." He gaped at her with determination written all over his face. "Regardless of what my mother says, I'll steadfastly stand with you, and you're the only one I'll marry. As long as I insist, my mother will agree to let us get together."

"You've been talking about what you want all this while, but why aren't you willing to find out what's on my mind?" Madeline furrowed her brows. "I don't love you, and I won't marry you. Moreover, I'm getting married soon. As a matter of fact, the wedding will be in two days."

She lifted her left hand and showed him the ring. "This is my engagement ring, and it will be replaced with a wedding ring two days later. I'll have a husband soon, so please keep a distance from me and stop saying things like you love me and such. I don't want to cause any misunderstandings."

"You're getting married?" James was stunned. "No way. Sam never told me about it before."

"Why would Sam tell you anything about me?" Madeline lowered her hand. "Can you step aside now?"

"Wait a minute, Maddie. Can we go somewhere else and talk?" James pleaded. "There are some misunderstandings between us. I can explain. You're the only person I love, and I've never stopped loving you."

Although Madeline didn't come from a prestigious family, she was gentle, beautiful, independent, and ingenious. He had known Madeline for many years, and she was the brightest woman he had ever met.

When someone was used to seeing diamonds, they would find glass to be inferior. He just loved how beautiful and intelligent Madeline was, so he found other women boring.

He loved Madeline, and he wanted her to be his wife. However, his mother wouldn't allow it.

Madeline came from a humble background, and her mother was an illegitimate daughter. As such, her identity was somewhat awkward in the Taylor Family. Even though she was said to be a young miss of the Taylor Family, she was more like a maidservant.

James' mother felt that Madeline was a lowly person, so the latter didn't deserve to be part of the Dugrays. Therefore, she warned him against getting serious with Madeline. He could have fun with Madeline, but he could never marry her.

Certainly, he wouldn't want to mess with Madeline. He loved her, so he wasn't willing to hurt her feelings. Furthermore, he was best friends with Sam, so how could he dally with his best friend's cousin?

Eventually, his mother forced him to get together with another woman. He couldn't resist the pressure,

so he could only sever ties with Madeline and marry the woman that his mother was fond of.

However, he wasn't happy at all after getting married.

His wife was someone from a well-to-do family, and she was better than Madeline in a lot of aspects. However, she wasn't as alluring and intelligent as Madeline.

Whenever he looked at his wife, he couldn't help but compare her with Madeline. The more he did that, the more he felt that his wife wasn't comparable to Madeline, and the harder it was for him to forget her.

Although James' mother had forced him to marry his wife, he had to be a responsible husband after tying the knot. He couldn't love another woman or do anything to betray her. Therefore, he stashed his love for Madeline away and decided to treat his wife well.

Nevertheless, life was full of uncertainties.

One year after he got married, his wife was found to be infertile. His mother then ordered him to divorce his wife.

Surely, his wife wouldn't agree to it, but her family members had given it the green light and were now persuading her to divorce James. It wouldn't be long before he would become single again.

The turn of events surprised him. The moment he learned that he could divorce his wife, his love for Madeline flooded his mind once again.

This time, he was determined to make his dream come true by marrying Madeline.