The Outcast's Rejection

She ditched the scumbag, took back her power, and crushed those who wronged her, restoring her fallen family's glory. Panicked, he begged for forgiveness--only to see her in the arms of his powerful uncle. "From now on, she's mine."

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"Something's terribly wrong! The scaffolding has collapsed! Hurry, we need to save them!"

The makeshift scaffolding gave way suddenly, smashing two lead actresses and a group of dancers to the floor, throwing the venue into chaos.

Madison Dixon found herself trapped, her left leg wedged painfully between splintered wooden planks.

Amid the tumult, a frantic voice pierced the commotion. "Watch out! The chandelier's coming loose!"

Her eyes shot upwards, terror seizing her as the crystal chandelier danced ominously overhead.

The potential disaster loomed large; a direct hit could be devastating.

Her complexion drained to a ghostly white, fear etched across her features as she struggled against the merciless wood.

Each tug sent sharp stabs of pain up her leg, with bl**d beginning to seep out, staining the wooden shards.

The thought of ripping her skin in a desperate attempt to escape chilled her to the bone.

In her most vulnerable moment, she scanned the horrified crowd, her gaze catching a familiar, rushing silhouette--Colten Pearson, her fiance.

Hope flickered as she reached out to him, but her heart sank when he unexpectedly darted past her. His focus was elsewhere; he swept Lana Elliott into his arms, her co-star who lay crumpled nearby.

"Don't worry, I've got you," he assured Lana, cradling her securely.

"Colten!" Crying, Lana clung to Colten, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

Colten offered a silent comfort to her, effortlessly lifting her from the stage without so much as a fleeting look towards Madison, even though she was closer to him and was going to marry him.

As fate would have it, the wire of a light fixture suddenly gave way, plunging the stage into an enveloping darkness.

Just before the shadows enveloped everything, Madison's eyes searched for Colten, but he never turned back.

Overwhelmed by a primal urge to survive, she clenched her teeth tightly, wrestling her leg free with desperate strength. The eerie sound of wooden planks being forcibly torn away filled her ears.

Her left leg was suddenly released, and in the next breath, a firm grip hauled her from her perilous position.

With a thunderous crash, the crystal chandelier plummeted to the floor, scattering shards of glass in every direction.

As instinct took over, Madison raised her arms to guard herself, but a strong presence was already standing between her and danger.

With the lights returning, the stage was laid bare, a scene of utter devastation and ruin.

Yet, the mysterious savior who had intervened was already gone.

In a panic, Madison scanned the chaos, her gaze finally fixing on Colten.

At the critical moment the chandelier had fallen, he had thrown himself protectively over Lana.

With Lana still clutching his waist, he made no move to pull away, a silent statement of what mattered most to him.

A wry smile ghosted across Madison's lips, laced with quiet sorrow.

She had almost convinced herself that Colten had returned to save her.

The director's voice boomed across the set, his tone sharp and accusing. "What the hell happened here? If that chandelier had fallen on someone, it would have been a disaster."

His fury was palpable, a storm brewing in his eyes as he confronted the props manager, who scrambled for words, desperately trying to shift the blame.

Amid the escalating uproar, Colten finally turned his piercing gaze towards Madison.

His eyebrows knitted together as he noticed her bl**ding left leg. From a distance, Madison couldn't see his expression clearly.

Cradled in his arms, Lana gasped, her voice slicing through the commotion. "Madison, did you try to kill me?"

Her accusation echoed, abruptly silencing the room.

Colten's features hardened, the air around him turning frigid. "What exactly happened here?"

Tears welled up in Lana's eyes, spilling over as she recounted her story.

"I saw Madison by the light fixture earlier, fiddling with the wire. I didn't think it was anything serious at the time. She confronted me just before we went on stage, claiming I didn't deserve to compete for the spot in the state troupe. I've poured my heart into this, and I just wanted a chance..."

Her eyes brimming with tears, she gazed at Colten and went on, "I only wanted to chase my dreams, but I never imagined she'd stoop to this."

"Shattered Wings," the school drama club's latest sensation, starred two promising lead actresses. It was recognized as a gateway for aspiring performers hoping to enter the prestigious state troupe.

Yet, the competition was fierce; there was only one opening, and the choice would inevitably come down to either Madison or Lana.

From the group of dancers, a voice rose, breaking the tense silence. "Had the stage not given way, that chandelier would have crashed right onto Lana's head."

"Oh my God! Imagine if it had struck her while she was performing. Could she have even survived such an assault? To commit such a heinous act over a mere spot?"

"It's deeper than just the spot. Colten harbors feelings for Lana, yet Madison, the fiancee his family chose, has been tormenting Lana behind the scenes. I believe that, regardless of the role, she had every intention of getting rid of Lana."

A fleeting spark of triumph flickered in Lana's eyes, though she quickly masked it with practiced ease.

Grasping Colten's sleeve, she looked up at him with tearful eyes. "Colten, thank goodness you came for me. Let's just put this behind us, shall we?"

Her feigned benevolence only fueled the whispers further, some voices now vehemently calling for legal action against Madison, branding her a would-be m*rderer.

Facing the growing hostility, Madison's expression hardened; her fists balled at her sides, her face ashen yet resolute. "Then go ahead, call the police. But I will not confess to a crime I didn't commit!"

Chapter 2 This Ends Now

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Colten's face flushed deep red with fury. "Haven't you humiliated yourself enough already?"

He was convinced Madison was guilty without investigation.

Madison's heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

He didn't save her, nor did he believe her.

In that moment, a painful realization dawned on her: the man she had loved so deeply, with every fiber of her being, harbored such profoundly distorted values.

"I didn't hurt her!" Madison protested, her voice tight, her lips a thin line of defiance.

But Colten dismissed her with a mere glance, his eyes icy and dismissive as he turned to address the director. "This ends now."

His gaze then softened as he looked towards Lana. "How's your wrist? Still in pain? Let me take you to the hospital."

Blushing, Lana nestled into his embrace. With all eyes on them, they walked out together, leaving whispers in their wake.

Left behind, Madison felt her legs weaken, a chill of isolation piercing her soul.

The man she had grown up with, her fiance, had left her once again in her hour of need.

The hostility around her grew palpable. If looks could wound, Madison would have been scarred for life.

The director wasted no time in expelling Madison from the school drama club, claiming she was lucky since Colten chose not to push the issue further.

From a rising star, Madison plummeted to the brunt of cruel jokes and ridicule.

What had been a lively, buzzing space emptied, silence settling in its place.

Madison struggled against her leaden legs, each step a laborious battle as she hobbled towards the exit.

Her left leg bore the marks of the accident--bl**d congealed over wounds peppered with splinters, each movement sending sharp pain coursing through her.

Outside, the shadowy stone steps were suddenly bathed in the harsh glare of car headlights, turning night into day.

The back door of the sleek car swung open, and a figure emerged from the brightness. As he stepped forward, his features, sharp and imposing, came into focus under the light.

The moment her eyes landed on him, Madison came to an abrupt halt, rooted to the spot.

"Mr. Pearson?"

Chris Pearson was Colten's uncle. Since she was Colten's fiancee, she knew every member of the Pearson family.

"Madison." His voice, deep and resonant, wrapped around her like a warm, velvety cloak, momentarily distracting her from the pain. His gaze lingered on her injuries, a frown creasing his brow.

"Want me to carry you to the car?" His tone lifted slightly at the end, a polite offer, yet it seemed to carry an undercurrent of something else--something Madison couldn't quite place.

Her cheeks warmed with a sudden flush of embarrassment, and she gestured with her hands, more animated than intended. "No... No, thanks!"

Chris, though her fiance's uncle, was only a decade her senior and had the kind of distinguished aura that came from meticulous self-care.

In both stature and demeanor, he eclipsed Colten, casting a long shadow as the most powerful figure in the city.

His aura of control and icy detachment made it clear--very few, if any, ever piqued his interest.

With the rest of the Pearson elders, Madison could act as freely as she pleased, but he was the one exception.

His gaze lingered above her before he gracefully raised an arm, the exquisite cufflink glinting against the flawless surface of his hand.

"Here, let me give you a hand," he offered casually.

Madison was about to object when her eyes caught a glimpse of a fresh cut near the base of his thumb, the blood still not fully dried.

Intrigued, she impulsively flipped his hand, revealing more cuts lacing his palm like delicate, dangerous lacework.

She had checked the wooden planks that had trapped her--they had been snapped by her rescuer.

Emotion welled up within her, a tingling sensation spreading through her nose as she clutched his wrist, her fingers whitening with the intensity of her grip.

"How long are you going to stare?" His voice cut through the thick air, cool and detached.

Jolted back to the harsh reality, Madison realized her overstep and quickly released his hand, her cheeks blooming with a fiery red.

"Sorry... I'll clean it for you," she muttered, her voice a mix of embarrassment and concern.

Chris, always meticulous about cleanliness, especially regarding physical contact, preferred an untouched existence.

From a young age, even his father couldn't breach his personal space, and any servant who dared touch him often found him scrubbing away the contact for hours afterwards.

It was a well-known taboo among the Pearson family.

Madison's search for disinfectant wipes was frantic, but a sinking realization hit her--she had forgotten to bring any.

"I'll go get some water," she said, her voice laced with a hint of panic.

Chris, however, turned his palm down, concealing the injuries that marred it.

"No need. Let's get you to the car; those wounds need attention," he insisted, his tone gentle yet firm.

Madison didn't dare lay a hand on him again, quickly retreating to the car with cautious steps.

Once she nestled into the back seat, a sudden thought struck her--she could have just visited the school clinic instead, sparing him the trouble.

But before the words could escape her lips, Chris had already slid into the car.

The spacious back seat now seemed confining with his long legs stretched out.

A subtle scent of cologne drifted from him, an intriguing blend of cold sharpness and warm undertones, surprisingly comforting.

Trying to maintain some distance, Madison shuffled to the far corner of the seat, nervously tugging at the hem of her skirt.

"Thank you for saving me," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes lingered on the void between them. After a tense, prolonged silence, he responded with a noncommittal, "Hmm."

As the car resumed its journey and the partition rose, the atmosphere thickened with awkwardness.

Beads of sweat dotted Madison's pale forehead and glistened on her nose.

"Are you intimidated by me?" Chris suddenly broke the silence, his voice rising slightly but still enveloped in his characteristic coolness.

"No!" Madison's response was immediate and sharp. She bolted upright, momentarily forgetting the confines of the vehicle, and her head met the roof with a resounding thud.

Wincing, she fumbled with her hair, her movements awkward as she tried to regain her composure. After a brief pause, she added, "It's just you showing up was the last thing I expected."

Chapter 3 Mr. Pearson, Save Me

With the Pearson family overseeing countless businesses, its head, Alfred Pearson, valued his youngest son, Chris, the most.

Chris, however, harbored deep-seated reluctance to step into the leadership role of Pearson Group.

His hesitation stemmed from witnessing the undercurrents of deceit and rivalry that plagued his family from his earliest memories, experiences that left their own scars.

On his own merit, he had built an impressive array of assets that spanned both domestic and international landscapes, demonstrating his prowess outside the family's shadow.

As Madison turned eighteen, she got engaged to Colten.

Despite that, she had hardly ever crossed paths with Chris. Alfred's only updates on him revolved around how endlessly busy he was.

Chris' attendance at trivial events like school plays seemed next to impossible, even if the school board extended a personal invitation.

"Is this important?" Chris asked, his intense gaze piercing Madison as he sought a genuine answer.

Madison had said that merely to dispel the awkwardness brought by her foolish behavior. She had no power to interfere with Chris' schedule.

Taken aback by his question, Madison faltered, the weight of his scrutiny pushing her into retreat. "It's not important," she murmured.

A shadow of emotion flickered behind Chris' thick lashes as he turned away, his response curt and final.

The car rolled to a stop at the gates of a discreet private hospital.

Despite the minor nature of her injuries, Chris summoned the chief surgeon and a top orthopedic specialist.

After a thorough examination, they reassured him that the scratches were superficial and would not impede her dancing ambitions.

Flushing with the unfamiliar attention of being treated like a VIP, Madison's cheeks turned a vibrant shade of crimson.

When the doctors had finally exited, she requested iodine, cotton swabs, and gauze from a nurse.

Slipping on a pair of disposable gloves, she turned to Chris, her tone both gentle and reassuring. "Just extend your hand. I promise I'll be careful not to touch you."

Just a while ago, he had stubbornly turned down the nurse's help.

Given that he had sustained his injuries while saving her, Madison felt it impossible to ignore his plight.

She had braced herself for a challenging persuasion but was taken aback when he complied almost immediately, extending his hand with a resigned air.

With meticulous care, she treated his wounds, skillfully wrapping the gauze to avoid any direct contact.

Perfect!

Madison looked up, her gaze meeting his as she exhaled a deep breath, her eyes sparkling with gratitude and free of the earlier despair that had clouded her in the auditorium.

"Let's go!" Chris averted his eyes and strode out of the consulting room first.

Standing at the roadside, Madison didn't intend to trouble Chris further and called out, "Goodbye, Mr. Pearson."

Chris halted mid-step and glanced back, a slight crease forming on his brow. "You're not heading back to school?"

Just as Madison opened her mouth to reply, her phone interrupted with a sharp ring from an unknown number.

Without hesitation, she declined the call.

Chris' eyes flickered with curiosity to her phone. "Where are you headed? Let me give you a ride."

Once more, the phone rang--this time, a message popped up instead.

Madison cast a fleeting glance at the message, frowning. She lifted her gaze, her voice carrying a note of finality. "I have something to attend to. Thank you for today."

As she spoke, a taxi pulled up to the curb of the hospital.

With a brisk nod and a cheerful wave, she slipped into the back seat, sealing herself away from Chris with a soft thud of the closing door.

Unseen by her, Chris' hand tightened into a fist at his side, knuckles whitening as the gauze wrapped around his palm darkened with fresh, seeping bl**d.

The moment the taxi left the hospital grounds, Madison leaned forward and gave the driver an address.

Someone from the props team had texted her, claiming to have seen Lana tampering with the stage light and bribing workers to dismantle some support plates.

The informant had insisted on a face-to-face meeting to exchange damning video evidence for c*sh.

Colten's betrayal had left a cold void in Madison's chest, and she was determined not to be scapegoated.

Bathed in the flickering light of a dimly lit b*r, six rugged men lounged, one of them unmistakably a member of the props team.

Cutting straight to business, Madison asked, "Where's the video? You'll have thirty grand in your account the moment I see it."

The Dixon family, while not as opulent as the Pearson family, certainly weren't strapped for cash.

Madison was well-prepared for this deal.

"Lana went way too far--even I couldn't turn a blind eye to it." The man slid a tablet across the table towards her.

"Let's make this clear: whether or not you take Lana down, our lips are sealed after tonight. You can't expose me."

With a solemn nod, Madison accepted his offered drink, their glasses clinking a somber toast. She downed hers in one swift gulp, then turned her attention to the tablet.

The screen revealed a folder containing a large video file which she promptly opened, her fingers poised over her phone, ready to capture the crucial evidence.

Abruptly, grotesque images flashed across the screen, shocking Madison so deeply she let the tablet clatter to the floor.

The room erupted with raucous laughter from the men watching.

In the corner, the tablet blared relentlessly, echoing the crude b**ter of a man intertwined with the provocative m**ans of a woman, each sound slicing through the air and grating on Madison's nerves.

As Madison spun on her heel to escape, a rough hand clutched her hair.

"You're not going anywhere tonight... Ah!"

With a sharp, effortless motion, Madison sent the man flying over her shoulder, his body twisting midair before impact.

Seizing the moment of stunned silence, Madison dashed for the door, but a crushing wave of heat rolled over her, draining her strength and buckling her knees.

The man she had tossed gr**ned, clutching his head as he tried to steady himself.

"Not bad, but what a shame--you're already screwed. That dr*g? It's three times the normal hit. It won't even take ten minutes before you're panting, desperate, and begging us."

Madison made several desperate attempts to stand, her body wavering weakly as mocking laughter spun around her, heightening her dread. The ominous sound of a belt unbuckling echoed chillingly close.

A wave of despair and regret washed over her, rendering her momentarily powerless. With a thunderous kick, the door flew open, and a man stepped inside, his silhouette cutting through the light as he effortlessly swept her into his arms.

His face, stern and imposing, held the stoic grace of a fallen angel, his aura chilling.

"Mr. Pearson, save me!" Madison called out, her voice breaking.

Chapter 4 Call My Name

Chris cradled Madison in his arms, his eyes scanning the room with a protective intensity.

"Who the f**k do you think you are, touching her like that?" he bellowed, his voice resonating with authority.

A th*g sneered back, "Who the h*ll are you..."

His taunt was abruptly cut off as Chris seized and twisted his finger to a grotesque angle, leaving the man's wrist contorted painfully.

Amidst the man's agonized screams, Chris regarded him with sheer contempt.

"Break them so thoroughly that they'll never dare cross Madison again!"

The bodyguards shuddered at his command, exchanging wary glances that silently conveyed their sympathy to the th*gs.

Later, in the plush interior of a custom Rolls-Royce, Madison perched disoriented on Chris' lap.

Her cheeks were tinged pink as she leaned up to plant messy k*sses along his neck, struggling to quell the burning sensation that overwhelmed her.

Chris' hand clamped down on her waist, pressing her down with an unyielding grip.

"Hmm," Madison g**ped, she wriggled, seeking solace in his touch.

"Don't move!" Chris' voice came out low and menacing as he gripped her tighter, keeping her completely still.

Tears pooled in her eyes, now glowing red, as she gripped his tie, her voice shaky with emotion. "I feel terrible..."

"Madison... No!" The words forced themselves through Chris' tightly clenched teeth, his forehead veins bulging with the effort to maintain control.

"Mr. Pearson!" she called out, her voice carrying a tender, pleading tone.

Her lips, pink and s*ft, brushed against his chiseled jaw, gently sliding towards his l*ps.

Her fragrance, fresh and intoxicating, melded seamlessly with his senses.

In that moment, the final remnants of Chris' restraint crumbled.

With a forceful grip, his large hand cradled Madison's head, pulling her into a k*ss that was both fierce and dominant.

"Who am I?" he demanded, his voice low and filled with urgency.

"Mr. Pearson!" she replied, her voice trembling with unspoken need.

He responded by caressing her smooth th**h with his rough, calloused hand, drawing her closer. Madison clung to his neck, her body trembling on the brink of release.

"Wrong!" he growled, his voice now hoarse with d**ire. "Call my name."

"Chris... Chris... Ah!"

The car swayed constantly...

...

As the morning sun pierced through the window, its rays warmed Madison's face, causing her to stir and slowly open her eyes.

Her hand lay on Chris' firm waist, a testament to the night's escapades.

Flashes of the night before overwhelmed her, she had crossed a line with Chris, her fiance's uncle, soon to be the head of the Pearson family--a man held in high esteem as a titan of industry with a pristine reputation.

What the hell was she thinking?

Overcome with embarrassment, Madison nervously straightened her attire, her legs shaking uncontrollably.

She sneakily opened the car door, but was unexpectedly pulled into the arms of the man who woke up...

......

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