Chapter 46 If You Want to Apologize, Then Do It

Grayson carried her out of the room. People passing by within the hospital were casting glances at them. Madison felt uncomfortable with all the attention.

"I can walk on my own."

Grayson looked down at her. "Are you sure you can manage?"

"Yes, I can."

Grayson glanced at her but made no move to set her down. As the elevator doors slid open and they were about to step in, Grayson halted mid-stride. Madison turned to see Nora and Nicholas inside the elevator.

Surprisingly, Nora's arm was also wrapped in a bandage. Grayson frowned instantly.

"What happened?" he inquired.

Nora shifted her gaze away. "It's nothing."

Nicholas chuckled. "Grayson, why didn't you answer Nora's calls last night? She got hurt, and it was our group that took her to the hospital."

Grayson's eyes lingered on the bandage around her arm. "How did you get hurt?"

Nora's eyes began to redden. "Do you care?"

Grayson let out a soft laugh. "If you don't want to tell, I won't ask."

"Why are you like this?!"

The two bantered back and forth, with Madison caught in the middle, feeling awkward and out of place. She could distinctly feel the tenderness in Grayson's gaze.

She also sensed the fleeting look of pain that crossed his eyes when they fell on Nora's bandaged arm. Yet, the person he was holding was her.

But at this moment, his eyes were filled with concern for another woman.

Her heart felt as if it were being torn apart. This was the difference between love and indifference.

"Grayson," Madison casually suggested, "put me down, I can walk."

She would rather exert the effort to stand on her own than be disregarded and sandwiched between them.

Grayson looked down at her, likely not wanting Nora to see him holding another woman, and eventually, he let her down. Standing on her own in the elevator, Madison said nothing more.

Grayson turned to Nicholas. "What exactly happened?"

Nicholas grinned, his eyes sparkling as they fixed on Madison. "What else could it be? Nora felt guilty that her fan injured Madison. With Madison refusing to accept her apology, she thought this gesture might cool things down."

After saying this, he laughed. "Madison, Nora got hurt just like you. Are you satisfied now?"

Madison turned pale. She never expected Nora to resort to such a tactic.

"It wasn't me who hurt Ms. Nora, and I have nothing to do with that incident."

Nicholas snorted lightly. "Is that so? Are you denying that the idea of Nora suggesting her fans harm you didn't come from you?"

Madison's expression was somber. "If Ms. Nora really has no suspicion against her, she should simply cooperate with the investigation. Why go to such lengths to prove her innocence?"

"You make it sound so simple. Have you ever considered the power of social media? Some words, once spoken, can be lethal."

Madison let out a mocking laugh. "Right, some words can be deadly. So, who exactly started the rumor about me being 'the other woman'?"

Nicholas chuckled dryly. "It seems like you are convinced Nora is behind it?"

"I didn't say that."

Nicholas' stare grew colder. "Regardless, the fact that Nora was hurt because of you can't be denied, right?"

Upon hearing the reason for Nora's injury, Grayson's face darkened, too.

Madison scoffed. "So what? Are you suggesting that if Ms. Nora hurt herself, it's up to me to bear the consequences?"

"What else do you think?" retorted Nicholas, clearly being unreasonable.

Nora stood to the side, her eyes brimming with tears. "Nicholas, stop it. I did what I did to appease Madison's wrath, never meaning to make anyone else take the fall."

Nicholas furrowed his brow instantly. "You're just too kind-hearted."

Nora, tears in her eyes, turned to Grayson. "As long as Madison isn't mad anymore, I'll do whatever it takes."

Grayson's gaze was stern, his expression more severe than ever as he looked at Madison. However, Madison showed little intention of backing down.

"If Ms. Nora really wants to apologize to me, then let her."

Her words left Nora frozen in surprise. Not only Nora but even Nicholas was caught off-guard.

"What do you mean?"

Madison met his gaze squarely. "Didn't you just insist that Ms. Nora wants to apologize, and I wouldn't accept it? Go ahead, apologize, and I'll accept. And one more thing..." She turned her head toward Nora. "Didn't Ms. Nora say she'd do anything as long as I'm not angry? Then, apologize. Once you do, I won't be upset."

"You..." Madison's countermove took Nora aback. "Do you really want me to apologize?"

"What else? It would spare you any further guilt for hurting yourself and make things easier. Apologizing is in your best interest, too."

"Madison, how much more do you want from me? I'm already hurt." Nora bit her lip, tears dropping down like rain. She looked at the picture of misery.

To anyone looking on, Madison might as well have been the embodiment of evil, but Madison showed no signs of backing down.

Nicholas, who could hardly stand by and watch, spoke up. "Grayson, are you really going to let Madison push Nora around like this?"

Grayson's deep gaze settled on Nora's face, and after a moment, he sighed. "Go get your dressing changed, and don't hurt yourself like this again."

With that, he stepped into the elevator.

Nicholas reached out and grabbed Grayson's arm. "Aren't you staying with Nora?"

Grayson glanced at him. "Aren't you already with her?"

Nicholas chuckled. "Am I the same as you? Nora's hurting, and you don't care? Besides, Madison said to herself she can walk." He then looked toward Madison. "By the looks of it, Madison's fine. Sharp tongue and all."

The sarcasm in Nicholas's voice was not lost on Madison.

Perhaps Grayson's not intervening with Nora was something she had cunningly orchestrated. Madison didn't feel like justifying herself to Nicholas, nor did she want to engage in conversation with him. She smiled and looked at Grayson.

"Mr. Grayson, you can accompany Ms. Nora to get her dressing changed. I'll head back on my own."

Grayson's eyes darkened, icy and distant as he shifted his gaze from Madison's pale face to Nora. "Go change the dressing."

That was all he said, with no intention of speaking further. Nora's eyes reddened, and she stepped out of the elevator.

As the elevator doors closed, Madison was left in a daze. For the first time, she seemed to have come out on top in her standoff with Nora.

However, there was no sense of triumph.

She could feel Grayson's mood was foul. Perhaps he was upset because Nora got hurt, or maybe it was her unyielding attitude that had irked him.

At this moment, she had no desire to cater to his feelings. She had always put him first, but he had never done the same.

Grayson's complexion was indeed looking rough. From the moment the elevator doors closed, his expression had turned stern.

It wasn't until the elevator doors opened again that he dropped his gaze to the woman leaning against the elevator wall. "Feeling better, Madison?"