Madeline was too slow to stop him.She was not serious about following the streamer. It was all for a laugh, to lighten Yeneth's mood.However, Trevon had overreacted."Hand it over," Madeline demanded.Trevon gave her a look. "So you can spend my money on tips? Do I look like a sucker?"Madeline was taken aback. "Your money? That's mine," she shot back.Trevon scoffed and turned to Yeneth. "You waste time on this at work?"He called out to Daniel. "Daniel, tell Camden to crack down on discipline at Skylandia. No more phones on the clock. About that overtime schedule he mentioned? I'm on board."Yeneth and Madeline were speechless as they exchanged looks. Yeneth looked desperately at Madeline, silently pleading for her to intervene.However, before Madeline could say a word, Trevon cut in. "Thinking of joining the Skylandia project?"Madeline bit her lip and stayed quiet.All the way to the Luxuria Supper House, Yeneth begged Trevon to reconsider his decision. However, Trevo
"Trevon, try a shrimp."Lydia, noticing Trevon's gaze fixed on Madeline, interrupted with a hint of annoyance to snap him out of his reverie.Trevon gave the shrimp a cursory glance, his frown barely noticeable.It hit him that Lydia really did not get him.They had been together for over two years, and even though they were not always side by side, they had shared plenty of meals. However, Lydia still had not picked up on the fact that he was not into shrimp.It was not that he did not like them—he just could not be bothered to peel them.However, Madeline always knew to peel the shrimp and pass them to him, ready to eat. She had an uncanny knack for nailing his likes and dislikes, never missing a beat.How had he never picked up on that before?Lydia's shoulders drooped in a silent show of defeat. Sadly for her, no one around the table seemed to notice.Riley, the only one who would have cared, was too busy doting on Sadie."Dad and Mom are still globetrotting, and they'll
Trevon's frown deepened as he declined. "Art isn't my thing. You Fergusons are the experts here."Was that not the truth?Even Stephen thought it was pointless to drag Trevon into that.However, Riley would not drop it, constantly nudging the topic back to Trevon.The room was a mix of reactions.Trevon looked like he was about to lose his cool, but he kept his composure for the sake of manners.Lydia's face was a storm of emotions. She had hoped that her pregnancy would soften Riley's view of her, and it did, but only for a day.With Sadie around, did Riley even remember Lydia was carrying her grandchild?Madeline, seemingly detached, helped herself to another serving of rice.Trevon was speechless as he thought, 'Since when was she such a hearty eater?'Lydia's complexion shifted out of nowhere, and despite her best efforts to hold back, she let out a sharp yelp."Ah!"Trevon frowned."What's the matter?"Lydia shot him a look, her eyes brimming with unspoken torment. "It
Sadie clung to Stephen's hand and pleaded, "Stephen, you've got it all wrong. I wasn't... It's just that Mrs. Yagle, well, there's something about her. Come on, Trevon's taken. Why would I want to marry him?"She gritted her teeth in denial, her voice a mix of defiance and charm. "I'm not crazy enough to sell myself short."Stephen's stern look softened, and he playfully flicked her forehead. "For a second there, I thought you'd lost your head over Trevon.""As if! You're way hotter than Trevon!"Stephen was not swayed by her sweet talk. He warned her again, "Keep your distance from Trevon. Grandpa and the others have plans for your future, and you're not to mess things up, got it?"Sadie made a face but nodded in agreement.Seeing Stephen relax a bit, she ventured a quieter question. "So, why are you so chummy with Madeline, huh?"Stephen's face took on a thoughtful cast. He remembered asking Caleb after the auction if he had really stopped bidding on that painting just to let
Yeneth's face brightened at the suggestion.The house was not close to the office, but with the subway nearby, it was a breeze to commute. She had been swamped and did not have time to house-hunt, so it was a lucky break."I'll cover the rent," Yeneth insisted.Madeline dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. "Don't worry about it. I might need to bunk there myself someday. Did you get all your stuff out, though?"Yeneth grimaced. "Not exactly."She had dashed out with just the bare essentials.Madeline's expression turned thoughtful. She wondered if Yeneth had left things behind because she was too busy or if she was holding out hope of patching things up with York.However, best friends were supposed to push her to move on, right?"Perfect timing. Our friend here can help us move your stuff tonight!"Yeneth blinked in surprise. "Tonight?""You're not seriously considering getting back together, are you?" Madeline asked, skeptical."Of course not! I just didn't want to
As soon as Carmen heard the call to the police, she leaped forward."What are you playing at, you little troublemaker? You know filing a false report can land you in jail, right?"Madeline smirked, eyebrow cocked. "Well, look at you, not as clueless as I thought. Do you have any idea how long they lock you up for stealing a coat?""Stealing? Please! This is my son's place. You're the real thieves here!"Madeline waved her phone. "It doesn't matter if you don't recognize it. The police will sort it out when they get here. This outfit cost three thousand six hundred dollars. That's considered grand theft, which is enough to land you in jail for three years!"Carmen was so shocked by the mention of 3,600 dollars that she lunged at Yeneth with a furious howl."You waste space! Is this your idea of spending money? I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!" Carmen yelled.Caleb quickly stepped in front of her. "Lady, please behave yourself!"With a venomous spit, Carmen collapsed ont
"You're going to regret this!" York exclaimed through clenched teeth.Yeneth could not help but laugh.York was still so full of himself. What made him think she would regret leaving him? With a sarcastic laugh, she brushed past him and headed to her room with Madeline in tow. The room was in complete disarray.Her clothes were heaped on the bed in a tangled mess. The vanity was just as chaotic, with items tossed aside carelessly, many without their lids.A look of anguish crossed Yeneth's face."My black headband! My face cream! My La Mer serum! My ex-boyfriend's gift!"Each item she picked up brought her closer to the edge.Those were her treasures, used only for the most special occasions. They lay discarded like garbage, nearly half of them used up.She had only been gone for a week!Yeneth's glare swept over everyone in the room, finally resting on York. "I could forgive the clothes, but these, you know how much they mean to me! How could you let them be ruined like t
Caleb was not about to let that stick smack him. With a quick yank, he pulled York in front of him as a human shield.The stick landed with a heavy thud.York yelped in pain, setting Carmen off. She charged forward, but Yeneth was quick to block her.Everything erupted into chaos.Madeline's heart raced, and she was about to jump into the fight when a booming voice cut through the night."What's the ruckus about now?!"The cops they had called had shown up.Madeline let out a silent 'thank you'. They arrived just in time.The officers managed to break up the scuffle, and Carmen collapsed to the ground, wailing, "Why's my life so hard? I slave away for an old man by day, deal with a houseful at night, and the minute I sit down, my cheating daughter-in-law causes a scene with her lover. I just can't take it anymore."Yeneth, with Madeline's help, wiped away the blood on her face and nearly jumped back into the fight.Madeline held her steady. "Take a breath."She checked on Ca