---- When Nicholas watched Madison running toward them, my image suddenly flashed through his mind. For a moment, the corners of his mouth drooped slightly. He didn't know why, but he felt constantly restless, like something was escaping his grasp. Nicholas hadn't wanted to pay attention to these feelings until Madison fell right in front of him again, crying about how clumsy she was. That was when it hit him. This time, he didn't instinctively help Madison up. He suddenly remembered how I loved skateboarding and was really good at it when we went out together- even if I accidentally got hurt, I would immediately get back up and grin widely, saying, "It's nothing!" Meanwhile, Madison was different. She would always be crying over something. When she reached out, expecting him to pick her up, Nicholas frowned with visible annoyance. He muttered, "Get up yourself." Even he was startled by his own words. Madison froze ---- too. He looked away, avoiding her eyes, and awkwardly added, "You can't rely on me every time something happens..." Madison forced a smile, looking hurt but not daring to makea scene. "Yeah... you're right." Then, she braced herself with both hands and slowly got up. Over the next few days, Madison became noticeably more careful. She barely dared to ask Nicholas for anything and acted with exaggerated caution. Even Brandon started to notice something was off. The trip, originally planned to last a full month, was suddenly cut short after just a week. When Nicholas announced they were heading home, Madison's eyes brimmed with tears. She asked, "But you said we had plenty of time... Why are we leaving so soon?" Brandon looked up sharply and caught the urgency in Nicholas' eyes. He, too, felt a surge of unease. "The company called. We need to get back. Be good, alright? ---- They didn't say anything else after that. With quiet understanding, the two of them packed their suitcases, and by nightfall, they were back in Stratminster. The moment they landed, Nicholas' gaze drifted toward the darkened house, noticing no lights were on. His unease immediately deepened. The moment he pushed open the door, he couldn't help but shout, "Adeline!" However, no one responded to him.