"You're charging me for taxi fares too? What about the utilities? Water, electricity, internet? You're hitting me up for those as well?"Yeneth laid out every memory in detail, and with each revelation, the crowd's sneers at York intensified.York's face turned a shade darker with each accusation. "Isn't this how it's supposed to be? We lived together, so we split everything down the middle. It's only fair!"Yeneth let out a cold snicker. "Oh, it's fair, all right. If you hadn't shown me this receipt book, I'd never have guessed that every single 'gift' you gave me was just another tube of lipstick. York, you're pretty smart, huh?"The guys in the crowd were clueless about her sarcasm, but the girls caught on immediately.Why lipsticks, of all things? What was a couple hundred bucks for a lipstick compared to the thousands they could drop on skincare or designer bags?"Ugh. No wonder you've only spent a measly hundred and fifty grand over four years. Such a tightwad!""One hundr
The security team was at a loss, their eyes fixed on Yeneth.One of the older guards tried to reason with her, "Look, the money's not going to break your bank. Just pay her and end this drama. If the company gets involved, you'll be in trouble. Trust me, it's not worth it."Carmen's grip tightened at those words.The guards were just trying to smooth things over. They could not escape the blame for letting the chaos drag on.Yeneth was torn, her heart a mix of hurt and anger. Why did she ever fall for York's charms?Alone, with no one to turn to, Yeneth resigned herself to the unfairness of the situation.She was about to reluctantly transfer the money when Madeline's voice cut through the tension."Hold on."Madeline had fought her way through the onlookers. Seeing Yeneth trapped in Carmen's hold, her expression turned stormy.She gave Yeneth a reassuring nod, signaling her to stay calm. Then, she confronted York.York, sheepish and avoiding eye contact, was about to speak w
York tried to soften the tension, looking at Madeline earnestly. "I'm here on personal business, it's got nothing to do with work."Madeline let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, so you know it's personal? Then, why did you storm into the Gibson Group during office hours? Let me guess, you're trying to pressure Yeneth into coughing up some cash? What's the matter? Can't I play the same games you do?"York's mouth opened and snapped shut without a word.He struggled for a moment before coming up with an apology."Look, Madeline, we go way back to our school days. There's no need to make a scene and embarrass each other."I was out of line today, showing up during business hours. I'm sorry for that, but you can't just cancel my deal. I earned that fair and square."Madeline's response was frosty. "Well, earn it back the same way."Madeline was in no mood to be pushed around. Did they really think they could just toy with Yeneth like she was some naive kid?Madeline gave the receipts a c
It was for a family recognition party Tracy was throwing for Jazzy, asking Madeline to join them for a meal in three days.Yahir turned to Trevon. "She says you're invited too."Trevon nodded, which counted as a yes.Then, Yahir sidled up to Yeneth. "Hey, could you do me a favor? In return, I'll help you sort out York. Deal?"Yeneth felt a stir of interest.She was pretty ticked off at York. She did not want to ruin his life, but she was not against him getting a taste of his own medicine."Sure, let's chat on the phone."Madeline's brow furrowed in concern. "What exactly do you want from Yeneth?"Yahir gave a reassuring nod as he accepted Yeneth's friend request with a casual swipe. "Chill. She's your buddy, so I won't give her a hard time."Madeline's gaze flickered to Trevon, searching for reassurance.Trevon's voice was steady and calm. "Relax, he's got it under control."With that, Madeline let the matter go.That day was a mess, and Yeneth was not exactly up for headi
With just one sentence, all eyes in the room turned in anticipation.Stephen quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? Mrs. Gibson, do you know any masters of art restoration?"Madeline, having spoken, immediately regretted her words and chuckled awkwardly. "There are plenty of geniuses out there. I'm sure Mr. Ferguson will find someone capable of fixing the painting.""Here's hoping," Stephen replied with a hint of earnestness. "If the painting can be restored, I'd be happy to give it to her outright."Madeline felt a twitch in her forehead, a silent reminder to herself not to get too eager.Trevon cut in. "Let's check out the items first, shall we?"Stephen let out a quiet sigh of disappointment and gestured for them to take a seat off to the side."I've acquired some pretty interesting pieces just yesterday, and that's why I've called you here to have a look."As he spoke, he had someone bring in the items.Madeline's attention was instantly captured by a painting that had just been brought
Trevon's frown deepened. The mega-deal they had been hashing out since Stephen's return was worth billions. Stephen had always been dissatisfied with the profit-sharing ratio, demanding an additional five percentage points., and now he was suddenly willing to give up three?Why would he bend over backward just for a painting?His eyes narrowed, studying Stephen's casual demeanor.Stephen, aware of the scrutiny, offered a light smile and turned to Madeline, "So, Mrs. Gibson, what do you say? Will you take a shot at it?"Madeline's gaze drifted to Trevon, seeking an unspoken counsel.Trevon cleared his throat and said, "You decide."Stephen was as sly as they come.The deal between the two families had been dragging on forever, but it was bound to be sealed sooner or later.Now Stephen was dangling this in front of Madeline to get her to bite, and Trevon was not in a position to comment.Madeline was at a loss for words. How was she supposed to decide? Did she even have a clue h
Trevon narrowed his eyes. "Why do I get the feeling you're a little too interested in my wife?"Stephen’s lips curled into a sly smile. “You know what they say—behind every great man is an even greater woman. Your wife’s got both brains and beauty. I have to say, I’m impressed.”No guy could just brush off that kind of jab.Trevon's hand clenched on his knee, but he managed to keep his cool."Your parents would never be cool with you marrying someone who's been down the aisle before."Stephen burst out laughing. "Mr. Gibson, you've got us Fergusons all wrong. With your wife's status, it wouldn't matter if she was in her second marriage or even if she brought a kid into the picture. She'd be welcomed into the Ferguson family with open arms."Trevon's expression turned to ice. "So that's why you've been testing her, to see what she's capable of? What's it to you if you know more about her? She's married to me. She's my wife for life."He said it like he was trying to convince Step
That was the pact Yeneth and Yahir had struck up the day before.Madeline was at a loss for words. She knew Yahir very well. The guy was a certified heartthrob, always with a crowd of girls around him. Yeneth's pact might be tougher to keep than she thought.Yeneth laughed off the concern. "Don't worry. There's nothing I can't handle."Fair enough. Madeline could not argue with that confidence."I'm still over at Oralia at the Fergusons' place. Swing by and get me?" She had not intended to head to Silver Leaf Studio at all, but Yeneth's request changed her plans. She had to be there for her.When Madeline finally caught up with Yeneth, she found out that her friend had already started her workday bright and early."Any nasty rumors floating around the office?" Yeneth brushed off the question with a wave of her hand. "Sure, there's been some chatter. But it's all trash talk about York. I even scored some sympathy points." Turns out, nobody expected her and Madeline to still be