Why was Madeline treating him like he was contagious or something?!Trevon did not even register the sting on his cheek. He was annoyed at her scooting away like that.He closed the distance again, pinning her beneath him. "You're the one who got close. Why are you trying to escape?"Madeline's eyes went wide again. "No way!"How could she have been the one to make a move?However, thinking back to the dream she had before waking up, she was not so sure.She had seen his face in her dream, the kind of face that could totally mesmerize anyone.She might not dare to do it in real life, but in a dream? Who knew what she would do?Oh, no! Did she actually make the first move?Madeline bit back her frustration. "I was half asleep, so it doesn't count. Now, get off!"With that, she tried to shove him away with her legs.However, Trevon caught her movements and pulled himself even closer.Their position was awkward and suggestive.Madeline's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red:
When Madeline woke up the next day, the sky was still a gloomy gray.She lingered in bed for a moment, feeling the chill in the air as she threw off her blanket. Autumn rains always brought a fresh cold air.Redenbaugh City was deep into fall, with winter nipping at its heels.She put on an extra layer and stepped out of her room.In the living room, Trevon was engrossed in some paperwork.Madeline did not immediately catch what he was reading until he lifted the papers."Is this what you were busy with yesterday?"She snapped to attention and quickly went to grab the documents from him. "Who said you could go through my stuff?"Trevon did not stop her. He had already seen what he needed to."Is this about your brother?" he asked, looking at the contents.Madeline's face was tinged with sadness as she gave a small nod.Trevon's heart sank a little. "You never told me you had a brother."Madeline's eyes dropped. What was the point in bringing it up?She made trips to Jasper
Trevon squinted. Something about the style seemed oddly familiar.Madeline caught his look and quickly snapped the laptop shut."Let's head out."Trevon raised an eyebrow but did not press for details, simply following her out the door.When they got to the office, Trevon pulled Danielaside and got straight to the point about the photo. "I don't care how they do it, but they need to reconstruct that face, and fast."Daniel nodded. "Got it."He was about to reach out to Asher himself when he caught Aurora and her crew huddled up, buzzing with excitement over something."Hey, isn't it work time? What's with the huddle?"The group jumped, guiltily stashing their phones away.Aurora flashed a sheepish grin at Daniel. "Oops! Sorry, Mr. Harris. We're on it. Back to work!"They tried to scatter, but Daniel wasn't having it. "Hold up. Let's see those phones."With reluctant glances, they handed over their phones.Daniel's eyes landed on the image they were ogling at. It was the che
Madeline might have been fuming on the inside, but she knew that the Skylandia team had to go with what was best for the project.Sure, it felt a bit like a betrayal, but technically, the contract did not say her work was best suited for the video production.[So, who's the artist behind this scene? I'm dying to see it.]Aaron could not show her the artwork, but he did not hide who was behind it.[It's Lydia.]Madeline had a hunch it was her.Lydia's speed was unreal. She had only been back a few days and had already whipped up a scene sketch that was top-notch.The girl had talent, no doubt.She thought Lydia was supposed to be slowed down by her early pregnancy.Aaron clarified, [It's just a draft, but the team took one look and thought it was pretty awesome.][Got it. I'll catch up later.]Madeline's scene sketch needed more work, but with a few more hours, her draft would be done.Aaron saw her cool response and let out a silent sigh of relief.[Thank you, Miss Mora.]
Daniel continued, "I've got the team working on the models and crunching numbers already. Plus, I've reached out to a forensic anthropologist from overseas. She's really into studying how bones grow and change, and I bet she'll be a huge help."Trevon and Madeline had not seen that coming.That was the magic touch of an ace assistant.Madeline silently cheered him on. "Thanks a bunch."Trevon shot her a look, rapped on the desk, and told Daniel, "That old photo's in rough shape. Get Rhys to work his magic on it, will you?"Trevon turned to Madeline and added, "Once it's fixed up, it'll be way clearer for the modeling work."Madeline just nodded.She understood. No explanation needed.Trevon, a bit on edge, nudged Daniel to get moving. "Get on it, then."Daniel thought to himself, 'Is Mr. Gibson over me? Why the sudden cold shoulder?'He quietly left the room, leaving behind just Madeline and Trevon.Remembering how Trevon had just helped her out big time, Madeline did not wa
Trevon was behind the wheel this time, following Madeline's directions to the bustling food district of Redenbaugh University.As soon as Madeline signaled to park, Trevon's expression soured.Madeline raised an eyebrow, "Mr. Gibson, I thought you were watching me. Get out of the car, come on."Trevon stayed put, his voice low and firm, "What kind of diet food would they even have here? Trust me, let's head to the Luxuria Supper House. The chef there will whip up something special just for you."Madeline just laughed and stepped out of the car without waiting for a response.She stood by the car, grinning at Trevon.With a frustrated smack on the steering wheel, Trevon finally got out, his face a mask of annoyance.Seeing the eatery Madeline had picked, Trevon's mouth twitched in irritation. "You think you can lose weight eating this?"Madeline placed her order, the subtle aroma in the air making her stomach growl.She shrugged it off. "Got to fuel up if I'm going to shed any
Lydia turned in her scene sketches, and sure enough, they were met with a wave of admiration. Camden even suggested that they should consider making it the main backdrop for the video.All those late nights sketching were worth it."Lydia, you're amazing! Could you show me how to draw this bit?"No sooner had Lydia dealt with a stream of people seeking her expert opinion—reminded that she was a sought-after artist fresh from abroad—than she headed up to Trevon's top-floor office, gift in hand. As she reached the door, she hit an unexpected roadblock. "Mr. Gibson's out, Miss Sanders. If you need to talk, you could try giving him a call."Whether Trevon would even pick up was anybody's guess, a thought that Lydia could not help but echo silently to herself. "He's not here?"Lydia frowned in confusion. It was barely three in the afternoon. Trevon had no business being anywhere but his office. She had double-checked his schedule, and he was not due for any outings today."So, whe
Madeline watched Trevon end the call with Lydia and dial Daniel, her eyes drifting away, lost in thought.What was he even trying to prove? Drawing a line with Lydia? What was the point?Madeline rubbed her belly, which was starting to show, and winced. She wanted Trevon to cut ties with Lydia, but back then, he was rushing to the altar with her.When Madeline was ready to walk away, Trevon was suddenly all about setting boundaries, acting like he was ready to settle down for real.That did not sound like Trevon. Was he for real?It did not make sense. He was head over heels in love with Lydia. How could he flip-flop just like that?Thinking about it made Madeline's head spin. She shook it off, not wanting to waste another second on it.She had made up her mind to divorce him. What they thought, what they did—it was none of her business anymore.They pulled up to the hospital, and Trevon tried to follow her in, but she blocked him."My mom's fine, Mr. Gibson. You've got more i