Madeline watched Lydia's departure with a flicker of surprise.Frankly, she had not seen that coming—Trevon's harsh treatment of Lydia.No strangers were in the room, so there was no need for pretense.Was that a show for Felicia? Hardly.Felicia was like a mother to Trevon, sure to shield him from Edith's scrutiny.Was he putting on that act for her?Madeline chuckled to herself. It was totally unnecessary.The contract she had drafted in a moment of anger then seemed pointless. If Trevon wanted to be all lovey-dovey with Lydia, Madeline could not stop him.Why stress over it and invite more headaches?She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and met Trevon's searching look with a blank expression, gesturing to the mess on the floor."You still want this?"Trevon's insides twisted with discomfort, and he muttered, "Let's get it cleaned up."Felicia seemed to want to say something but was at a loss for words. After tidying up, she made a swift exit.Trevon pulled out his
The internet was ablaze with chatter, and somehow, a single dress had become the talk of the town, casting a dark cloud over the Sanders Group. Negative buzz was the last thing they needed.In just a few hours, their website and stores were hit with a wave of returns. Customers had worn the dress once, only to bring it back with the price tag still attached.That was not just embarrassing—it was a direct hit to the month's sales figures. With the company on the brink of going public, the stakes were high. Cilix was feeling the heat.However, calling Madeline? That was unexpected.Madeline let the phone ring, her focus unbroken until the final stroke of her sketch was complete. Only then did she casually return the call after passing her work to the Skylandia team.Cilix was fuming, his mood as stormy as his expression.He had already tried damage control, instructing Lydia to buy the problematic dress. However, getting through to the Silver Leaf Studio was like talking to a brick
Madeline replied with an icy voice. "Hello. What's going on?"Cilix was bewildered.When he was younger, he had held Madeline close just as much as he had Bella. Madeline's fondness for him was every bit as strong.However, at some point, things changed, and Madeline started to pull away.Her once playful and affectionate tone turned distant and aloof. He could not help but wonder if he had been too lenient with Bella, letting her lead Madeline astray.Bella had snuck off to give Madeline lessons, and when he had asked what she had been teaching, Bella, who had always been so compliant, had suddenly gone silent.To that day, he still did not know what Bella had taught Madeline in secret. Maybe Bella had been plotting all along to sabotage his relationship with his daughter. It was clear then that Bella had drifted away from him long before, and everything he did afterward was just to protect himself.Bella's downfall was not his fault, it was just destiny.Shaking off those t
Madeline chuckled and replied, "That thirty million, wasn't that my divorce payout? I thought that was my consolation prize for splitting up with Trevon."Cilix's voice was sincere."You're my daughter, and there's always been a piece of the Sanders pie with your name on it. Your mother and I started from scratch together. Even when I was broke, I wanted to make it right by her."Divorced or not, that thirty million dollars is yours. The moment Sanders Group hits the stock market, you'll get every penny that's coming to you," he promised."If you doubt me, I'm willing to put it in my will."Madeline could not shake the feeling that the old fox was up to his usual tricks. To casually promise 30 million dollars just for a chat with the Lewis family? That was not Cilix's usual play.However, if all it took to pocket 30 million was delivering a message to Tracy, Madeline was not about to complain.The divorce was a gamble, and she had been plotting how to reclaim her money for a whi
Madeline ended her call with Cilix and rang up Tracy.Tracy let out a scoff. "The nerve of her! Begging you for help?"She saw Lydia grab Madeline's dress and figured that Madeline was not exactly the Sanders family's favorite. Badmouthing the Sanders family in front of Madeline did not weigh on her conscience one bit.Madeline just chuckled. "What's your move, Tracy?"Tracy's voice faded a touch. "She wore the dress, so it's off the market. However, if they're itching to have it, they better be ready to pay through their noses."She hesitated for a moment before adding, "You know, women like Lydia are just clowns. They deserve a scolding and nothing more. It's pointless to dwell on them."She was subtly advising Madeline.Madeline appreciated the guidance. "I get it, Tracy. Thanks."However, with her ties to the Sanders family, she could not help but feel harassed by them.How she wished the Sanders family would just disappear.The thought surfaced, causing a pang in Madelin
Caught up in her conversation with Jazzy, Madeline had completely forgotten about Bernard's request for her to draw.It was not until Bernard's voice broke through her thoughts that she snapped back to reality.There was no way she could draw at that moment.Her purpose in coming there was to take Jazzy out for a meal, to offer a little light in the girl's life.Madeline knew all too well the taste of hardship and the weight of despair, and it pained her to see Jazzy, so young, wrestling with life's cruel consequences.She longed to wrap Jazzy in a little more warmth, to shield her from the world's harshness.They had barely stepped outside when a sleek car pulled up to the orphanage's entrance. Madeline's heart skipped a beat, thinking the Quiggs had actually shown up, and she instinctively shielded Jazzy.However, it was not the Quiggs who emerged from the car, instead, a young man with delicate features stepped out.He caught sight of them and arched an eyebrow, "Bernard, Ja
Madeline aimed the question at Bernard. There seemed to be some bad blood between him and Cooper.Bernard frowned in concern.He knew Cooper had a certain charm that many girls found appealing. Did Madeline fall for that charm too?He turned to her and replied seriously, "He's bad news, Maddie. Keep your distance."Madeline could not help but chuckle. "I haven't even been near the guy."However, the thought of him with Yanely, and the way Yanely was acting, left her with an uneasy feeling.Bernard's gaze turned icy as he watched Madeline relax around Cooper. "He's nothing but a smooth-talking con artist. You don't need to bother with him."Madeline raised her eyebrows. Her curiosity piqued, but Bernard clammed up, leaving her questions hanging.She shrugged it off. Trevon was the one who should be sweating bullets anyway.…Mid-bite into her dinner, Madeline's phone buzzed with a call from Tracy."Just sold that dress for 4.5 million to the Sanders family. Send me your card
Madeline did not reveal everything about Jazzy to Tracy, only that there were some family issues making it tough for her to stay at home, so she was on the hunt for a temporary place to live.Jazzy had a knack for painting and fashion design, which led her to Tracy's doorstep.Tracy did not pry and quickly made the arrangements.Madeline let out a sigh of relief. If Tracy had dug deeper, she was not sure what she would have said.The whole situation with Tracy and Quigg family was a bit of a mystery to Madeline. She did not think Tracy harbored any old flames for Alden, but in matters like those, she never really knew.The decision she had made was a bit of a leap.However, it was not without its perks. The Quigg folks would not dare come looking for trouble on Tracy's territory.Before Madeline left, she gave Jazzy a serious look and reminded her to avoid talking about the orphanage to avoid stirring up any unwanted drama.Jazzy nodded with determination. "Got it, Maddie."He