Chapter 22: Not Going Back for Dinner

In the past, when Grayson was free from business dinners, Madison would often cook for him at home. Grayson was fussy about his meals and extremely selective about ingredients. If he weren't obligated to dine out, he'd prefer to eat at home.

In the beginning, she had worked tirelessly to please his palate. His rare "not bad" had once made her happy for days.

It seemed all her naive years, attempts, and efforts were given to him. Her youthful exuberance, her heart-fluttering excitement, that feeling of happiness to make a meal he would enjoy, now felt so distant.

"What's wrong?" Amelia asked as Madison hung up, her expression clouded.

"I have to go back."

Madison was short on cash. She had to admit she still needed Grayson's financial support. Her mother's medical bills were a bottomless pit. Not having wanted the child before was one thing, but now wanting to keep the baby meant she needed a substantial financial cushion.

After parting with Amelia, Madison headed straight to the farmer's market. Grayson always demanded the freshest ingredients, and their refrigerator never housed produce overnight.

Returning from the market as evening set in, she spent two full hours in the kitchen and prepared four dishes and a soup.

Grayson's standards for meals were high, and Madison spared no effort in cooking, determined not to cut any corners.

After two long hours battling the fumes from cooking, Madison was overwhelmed. She had to take anti-nausea medication before she could bring herself to call Grayson.

However, no matter how many times she tried, Grayson's phone went unanswered.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already eight in the evening. She couldn't figure out what he could be doing. He shouldn't be in a meeting or working late.

She began to wonder if he was deliberately ignoring her calls.

Madison was determined for an answer. She dialed his number once more, but this time, it was declined.

A wave of frustration washed over her as she stared at the rejected call. Sighing, she sent him a text. "When will you be home? Dinner's ready."

A short moment later, a message pinged back. "Won't be home for dinner."

Staring at the cold reply, Madison sent a simple acknowledgment. "Okay."

After sending that message, she found herself fixated on the screen, unable to describe the bitter taste in her mouth. It was an ache—yes, it was definitely an ache.

When a man's heart wasn't in it, all the efforts in the world wouldn't make him care about what one had done for him.

Suddenly, nausea crept up again. She hurried to the bathroom. After throwing up, she leaned against the sink, looking at her messy, pale reflection; it took a moment for her to collect herself.

Her nose felt sore, but tears were the last thing she wanted to shed. Grayson had already cost her too much. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. It wouldn't be the last. She refused to let him have her tears, too.

She washed her face, regaining composure. Then, she sat down at the dining table and began to eat. Ironically, she was quite the chef, and over the years, she had mastered many dishes for Grayson. The table was full of his favorites.

Madison ate plenty, but then, she had to vomit again. When she was done, she gathered up the uneaten meal into a bag and headed downstairs.

The neighborhood strays—cats and dogs—gathered around her as she arrived. Madison set down small bowls and distributed the food among them, sorting it out carefully.

After feeding them, she didn't leave. Instead, she crouched there in the garden, watching them eat.

Tears fell before she realized. She didn't even know why she was crying. There was no reason to. Yet, she couldn't quite hold them back. Perhaps, it was the uncontrollable emotion of being pregnant.

Time passed until a pair of leather shoes came to a stop in front of her.

Madison didn't look up. The last thing she wanted was for Grayson to see her in such a mess.

Grayson stood in silence before her, simply watching as she fed the cat and then the dog. Once the pets had eaten their fill and scattered away, he finally spoke up.

"Get up." His voice was deep, his tone somewhat harsh. It even sounded as if he was a bit angry.

Madison wondered if he had been in a fight with Nora for him to be so riled up.

Madison had regained her composure and looked up at Grayson. "You're back?"

Grayson squinted at her. "You've been crying?"

Madison just chuckled. "Nope, I just walked into a gnat."

He didn't seem too concerned; he was probably asking out of politeness. Accepting her gnat excuse, he just nodded his head. "Are you done feeding them? Go back in."

"I was thinking of staying outside for a bit longer."

Grayson shot her a glance. "Are you throwing a tantrum?"

She smiled faintly. "No, I'm self-aware enough, Grayson, don't worry about that."

"I'm just making sure you know, Madison. Don't go picking up any silly habits."

Madison chose not to respond.

Grayson lingered for a while and then asked again, "Are you not coming in yet?"

"In a bit."

"As you wish." With those words, he turned and walked away.

Madison crouched on the ground for a moment before standing up. By the time she got home, Grayson had already taken a shower and was in his study.

After taking a bath and some medication, she went straight to sleep. She had yet to learn when Grayson returned to the bedroom or when he left. All she knew was that the next morning, the sheets beside her were cold. Perhaps he never slept there at all.

Madison didn't dwell on it and managed to get ready without further thought. She didn't go to the office but headed straight to the studio instead. She had an appointment with Nora for a photoshoot.

Their new product was about to launch, and the promotional campaign should have started earlier, but it was delayed due to staffing changes and the issues between Madison and Nora.

Starting the shoot today meant they were already under a tight schedule with lots to do. However, after being there for half a day, Nora was still a no-show.

She frowned at the staff member, who was getting visibly impatient. "Let me make a call to check in."

Madison needed Nora's number, so she called her agent. However, the agent was either busy or didn't hear the phone, as there was no answer.

Left with no other option, she called Grayson. He answered, and his voice carried an edge of unrest.

"What's up?"

Madison paused for a beat. "I need you to pass me Ms. Nora's contact info, Grayson. We had scheduled a shoot with her today, and she's nowhere to be seen."

Grayson held silence for a brief moment. "I forgot to mention Nora's under the weather today. Let's cancel the shoot," he replied, almost indifferent.

Madison worked to steady her voice. "Grayson, coordinating with the shooting crew isn't exactly a walk in the park, and we're on a tight schedule for the product launch. We haven't even started the shoot."

His voice remained unsettlingly calm. "So what? Isn't that on you, Madison? Why didn't you confirm Nora's status ahead of time today?"

Taking a deep breath, Madison countered. "I had everything set up with Ms. Nora's agent, time and all. It was on her for not showing up without giving me a heads-up!"

There was a pause on Grayson's end. "Oh, Nora did mention last night she wanted me to inform you, but you kept avoiding her, so it totally slipped my mind. Sorry about that."

With that, Grayson hung up.