Milton left as quickly as he had appeared, not leaving Madeline any room to reject the gift.Aria was fuming in the car. "I went through so much trouble to get that makeup from France. It's a one-of-a-kind, limited edition! How could you just give it to Madeline?"It was not the makeup itself that was a big deal. It was the packaging. Crafted into a unique angel shape with pink crystals, it was the only set of its kind in the world.Aria had not even had the chance to brag about it to her friends.Milton's expression turned stern. If that set could curry favor with the Gibson Group, he would give away ten, a hundred sets without a second thought."Come on. No tears now. Remember that diamond ring you liked? We'll go pick it up soon."There it was, a dazzling 3-carat pear-shaped ring. It was a beauty, and a rare one at that.Aria had been eyeing it forever, but Milton had always played it cool, never giving in. When he finally caved, Aria's tears of frustration turned into tears
As Trevon's words hung in the air, Daniel felt his heart skip a beat as he drove the couple.He had gotten to know Madeline's ways recently.She was a kind soul if left alone.If she was crossed, she would not make a fuss. At most, she would throw a sharp word or two, mainly if it was about Trevon.One thing was for sure. Nobody could ever bring up the Sanders family, especially Lydia. That was a surefire way to see her turn frosty in a heartbeat.Sure enough, Madeline's expression chilled in an instant. "Of course we have much in common. How else could she have any excuse to swipe my stuff?"Trevon could sense a deep misunderstanding brewing between Madeline and Lydia."Lydia isn't like that."The Lydia he knew was always generous. Even when she butted heads with someone, she was the first to step back.How could she ever snatch something from Madeline?Madeline snickered coldly. "Looks like you don't really get Lydia."She waved the item in her hand. "Think Lydia's into pi
The next morning, Madeline was jolted awake by a phone call, still half-lost in her dreams."Hello, Mrs. Gibson. Your order has arrived."Madeline blinked in surprise. She had not ordered anything lately.Who delivered packages at the crack of dawn?With a frown, Madeline opened the door and was greeted by a small mountain of boxes, each one had a label that read 'For Madeline'.Trevon sauntered up, leaning against the doorframe with a casual air. "Check them out," he said coolly.Madeline eyed him, puzzled. "You got these for me?"Trevon just gave a noncommittal shrug, as if to say 'maybe'.Still confused, Madeline grabbed a pair of scissors and went to work on the boxes.The first one revealed a pink laptop, complete with a matching mouse.The second held a pink long dress, adorned with delicate flowers, reminiscent of the trendy styles from Tracy's boutique.One by one, Madeline tore through the boxes.Everything was pink.Skincare, clothes, household items—it was like
Trevon spent a long time that day just standing by the window, lost in thought.Madeline's rejection was both a shock and not. Deep down, he saw it coming.Trevon had hoped she would at least think it over, but she had turned him down flat, without hesitation. He pursed his lips together, a silent admission that winning her over would not be easy.When Madeline stepped out and saw him still rooted to that spot, she did not have much to say. She just mentioned she had to take care of something and would not be going to work."What's up?" Trevon asked, almost reflexively."Just a trip to the countryside," Madeline replied calmly.Madeline's brother had been kidnapped while they were visiting relatives with Cilix, and most of the clues were back at the village police station.She was determined to check things out and retrieve some documents.With a single nod, she brushed past him, leaving his words hanging in the air.Trevon's hands balled into fists.Daniel's knock on the doo
The 'files' turned out to be pretty scant. It was just an old photo of her brother and some investigation reports from the area, bus, and train stations on the day he disappeared.Asher sighed heavily. "I've kept an eye out for any similar missing persons cases around here over the years, but no luck."For years, there was nothing but silence. Either the kid was gone for good, or he was whisked off to who knew where.Back in the day, the police did not have the technology or the know-how, so anything could have happened.Deep down, Asher had a hunch the kid was still out there.A three-year-old boy who was easy to raise and with no past to remember was just the kind of kid that buyers would line up for.The problem was that finding him was like looking for a needle in a haystack.However, Madeline was determined to search for him no matter what."Asher, I need a copy of these files."Asher looked like he wanted to say something, maybe talk her out of it. "Madeline, it's been e
East Jasperia was a sprawling chain of mountains with tiny villages tucked away in its folds, elusive and tricky to find.The moment Madeline heard that, she was up on her feet, determination in her eyes. "Let's go!"She quickly looked up the village's location and decided to rent a car to get there as fast as possible.Asher, worried about her heading out alone, took time-off from the police station to join her on the journey.The mountains rose and fell in a majestic rhythm.Madeline watched as they passed peak after peak, fighting to stay cool and collected.Ever since Bella was hospitalized, the responsibility of searching for her brother rested heavily on her shoulders.She had been through that kind of search for family before. It was not really a search, more like catching a glimpse from a distance.Whether she could spot him or not, she felt compelled to go.A clap of thunder rumbled in the distance. The further they ventured into the mountains, the more ominous the sk
Madeline and Asher's journey came to an abrupt halt.A massive tree sprawled across the road, blocking their path.If Asher had not been so alert, they would have crashed right into it.Asher stepped out to check. "It's no use. The tree's too big to move."Madeline's frown deepened as she checked her phone and saw no signal whatsoever.She bit her lip and declared, "We're walking down!"Turning back was not an option. The road was blocked by a mountain of boulders.They were lucky to have just passed before getting trapped.The storm's fury was relentless.Guilt gnawed at Madeline. Her stubbornness had led to both of them being stranded on the mountain.Staying put was a death sentence.Without a moment's hesitation, Asher agreed.They donned their raincoats and began the descent.Halfway down, they came across two more fallen trees and a stopped car. Clearly, they were not the only ones opting to trek down the mountain.Madeline and Asher shared a look and pressed on.T
Trevon's car reached the base of the mountain only to be stopped. No one was allowed to ascend."There's been a landslide. The mountain has been closed off."Daniel tried to negotiate, but it was futile.The officials even tried to reassure them. "People are trapped up there, but we're organizing a rescue. Please stay calm."Knowing the gravity of the situation, Daniel did not dare interfere with the rescue operations and reluctantly rejoined Trevon.Trevon, staring at his phone's lifeless signal, commanded, "Get a helicopter, and tell Liam to bring a team.""Mr. Gibson, it's too risky to send a helicopter in these conditions."Trevon's intense gaze bore into him.Madeline's last known location was on that mountain, and she was surely stranded.Learning of the landslide and the closure, Trevon was frantic.If Madeline had slipped up, they had to beat the clock to save her.He knew he should not get in the way of the rescue teams, but he just could not stand by and do nothing
That batch of red wine did not look too strong, but it packed a punch.As the trio kept drinking, they slowly started to feel the buzz.Yeneth, glass in hand, her cheeks a rosy red, ranted, "Don't employees' lives count for anything? Overtime, day in and day out! It's enough to wear out a horse!"That darn Camden, always harping on about performance, about profits! Is game development just about the bottom line? What happened to the heart? Rubbish!"For a moment, she thought she saw Camden's face, and in a fit of anger, Yeneth tried to slap it away, nearly tumbling into her wine glass instead.Madeline, startled, rushed to steady her.Yeneth, still wobbly, stood up on her own, fixing Trevon with a steely gaze and said icily, "You're just another greedy capitalist."Trevon sat there, calm and collected, but his delayed movements and the occasional glint of bewilderment in his eyes betrayed his inebriation to Madeline.When Yeneth spoke up, he turned his head slowly, locking eyes
Madeline, caught up in the conversation with Caleb and Yeneth, turned around in shock at Trevon's question.He had just declared he would not touch a drop, and he was suddenly reaching for the wine?However, she let it go without a question.The red wine was smooth and inviting. If he felt like drinking, why not?Trevon grunted a greeting into his phone. "Mr. Caleb Jabs."Caleb snapped out of his reverie, returning the greeting with a subdued nod, his gaze deepening.Yeneth, caught between awkwardness and concern, glanced at Caleb. She was about to speak when a glamorous doctor in a white coat appeared beside him on the screen.The doctor, Camila Jervis, peered at the screen, her smile teasing. "Mr. Caleb Jabs, are you chatting with your girlfriend?"Two women were on the screen, leaving it unclear whom she meant.Caleb shook his head, offering no explanation, and instead asked, "Dr. Jervis, what's up?"Camila arched an eyebrow, not prying further. "The professor's ready to s
Yahir sipped his cola, feeling utterly dejected.He had bolted from the Lewis family feast, even at the risk of getting caught, just to pocket two bottles of Lafite.They were not the prized '1982' edition, but they were still pretty decent.His mom's constant marriage talk was a drag, but her taste in wine was impeccable. He was all set for a night of no-holds-barred drinking with Trevon.However, Trevon dragged him over to Madeline's, and under the pretext of her pregnancy, confiscated all the wine.Then, it sat tauntingly in the wine cabinet.Yahir gazed at it, each bottle seeming to whisper seductively."Come on, come have a taste."It was pure torture!He took another swig of cola."Whoa!"Yeneth's shout came out of nowhere.Yahir choked mid-sip.The cola fizz popped like fireworks in his throat, sending him into a coughing frenzy, his face flushing a deep crimson as the soda splashed across the floor.Madeline jumped at his coughing spectacle, hastily grabbing a tis
Madeline swung open the kitchen door to find Yahir wrapping his arms around Yeneth from behind, as if he could not bear to let her go.Her mind, already a whirlwind of thoughts, was completely thrown."What in the world..."Madeline was puzzled as she returned from the kitchen. She had only stepped away to make a call, and then Yeneth and Yahir were locked in an embrace.Yeneth tried to explain, "Madeline, this isn't what it looks like. I was just—"However, Yahir clamped a hand over her mouth, grinning at Madeline. "We're just playing around, Madeline. Hey, do you have any wine glasses? We need four. Let's celebrate!"Trevon stepped out from behind Madeline, his composed facade unbroken. "Lost your head? She's pregnant. Think she can drink?"Yahir smacked his forehead. "Oh, man. I totally spaced on that."Once Yeneth wriggled free, she took a deep breath and delivered a sharp kick to Yahir's leg. "Get off me!"She kicked with all her might, hitting Yahir's shin and sending a
At that moment, Trevon seemed to freeze, then he straightened his posture. "Madeline, Liam's role is to be your close protection, to ensure your safety."Madeline had faced too many close calls, and he could not shake his concern for her.However, she was fiercely independent. If it were up to him, he would keep her tethered to his side.Madeline let out a derisive snort. She knew Xoan well enough to know he could dig up information on Yoana, but not with such speed and precision.Xoan claimed Liam was the one who had lent a hand.Madeline knew Liam. That had Trevon's fingerprints all over it."Do you really think I've become so dim-witted from pregnancy that I can't think straight?"Trevon looked at her, a mix of frustration and affection in his eyes.She had once been so sweet and compliant. Then, she became so sharp and quick-witted, a match even for him.However, he preferred her that way."Madeline, I'm just looking out for you."Trevon had an insatiable need to know ev
"Madeline, I've got the scoop on Yoana," Xoan said.Madeline was taken aback. "So soon?"Xoan let out a sly chuckle. "It wouldn't have been this quick, but Liam lent us a hand."Madeline stole a quick look at Trevon, then cast her gaze downward.Fifteen years back, Yoana was forced out of the Sanders Group—a victim of Cilix's cunning plot.It was not just a simple resignation as Bella had naively believed. Yoana was secretly saddled with a mountain of debt.Cilix did not stop there. He tarnished Yoana's name throughout the industry.She could not land a respectable job to save her life.Her personal life was total chaos.Her husband, Jim Livingston, who was once a low-level office worker, had dived into business on the back of Yoana's earnings and made a pretty penny.However, when the bill came due, Yoana hit a wall. Jim had sent all his cash back to his folks, leaving peanuts behind.Yoana was floored. A decade of hard work, and not a dime to show for it.When she begged
Madeline swung the door open to find Trevon on her doorstep, her eyebrows knitting together in a frown.Before she could get a word out, Yahir popped up from behind him with a grin. "Happy New Year, Madeline!"He waved a container of homemade goodies.Those two had nearly fought that morning, and then they were as chummy as can be—though Trevon looked like he would rather be anywhere else. However, he bit his tongue and kept quiet.With the Gibsons and the Lewises all cozied up for a New Year's feast, what on earth were those two doing there?Yahir's face fell. "Madeline, you've got no idea. My mom's a force of nature. Can you believe she's still dragging me to blind dates on New Year's Eve? I just had to bail."Madeline could not help but think about Liliana's earlier enthusiasm for rallying the troops and was at a loss for words."What about you, Trevon? What brings you here?" Madeline asked.Trevon pursed his lips. He was looking a little quiet too.Edith had been on his ca
Madeline walked into her house and immediately sensed something was up. She nudged the door wider and there was Yeneth, sparking an involuntary grin on her face."I thought you were going to be hibernating today?"Yeneth had been swamped with the Skylandia project, barely getting any sleep. She had texted Madeline about sleeping in on her day off.With a shrug and a smirk, Yeneth said, "Guess I'm just wired to work. Woke up at the crack of dawn, hung around in bed not to wake you, and by the time I showed up, you were already out and about."Madeline shut the door behind her, musing aloud."I've been turning it over in my mind. All this press and pest hunting is kid's play for the Sanders Group. To really take them on, we've got to… Yank the carpet out from under them?" Yeneth's smile was the answer Madeline needed as she shared her strategy."How's that sound?"Yeneth's thumbs-up was quick, but her frown came just as fast. "Fashion's a shark tank, and jumping in now? That's r
Madeline's request left Yoana taken aback.A wry smile crossed her face. "What can I possibly help you with at my age?"Madeline grasped her hand with conviction. "No, Mrs. Reed, you're the only one who can do this favor for me."Yoana looked down, her expression unreadable, and whispered, "You're giving me too much credit. Besides, with my background, there's no way I can go back to working with the Sanders Group. I have a couple of pairs of baby shoes here. Take them as a baby shower gift for your little ones."Madeline realized Yoana had gotten the wrong idea, thinking she was there about the Sanders Group or Cilix, and felt a twinge of disappointment."Mrs. Reed, please don't reject my request just yet. I'm planning to start my own fashion label. Everything Is underway, but I'm still missing one crucial piece—a designer."Madeline shared her vision.Yoana's eyebrows shot up in surprise when she heard Madeline's vision for her new company."That sounds just like the Sanders