Before Madeline could even pack up to leave Oralia, her phone buzzed with a call from Edith."Madeline, Felicia whipped up some chicken soup. How about coming over and having dinner with me?"Her voice was soft, no hint of blame for Lydia's unfortunate miscarriage.Madeline knew Edith to be a reasonable soul and quickly accepted the invitation. After all, it was high time she paid Edith a visit.Edith's first look at Madeline was filled with concern. "You've gotten so thin."The early stages of pregnancy had been rough on Madeline's appetite, but that was not something she wanted to delve into with Edith."The seasons are changing, and my appetite's been off," she said. Edith gave her a knowing look. "You girls and your dieting, you think I'm clueless? Take it from me, those slim waists and stick-thin legs aren't what make a girl healthy. A little meat on the bones, that's what counts."Madeline chuckled. "Grandma, I'm impressed you know about modern beauty standards.""Well,
Somehow, Bella found a strength that made her unstoppable, even for three or four nurses.Madeline hurried over and grabbed her. "Mom! Mom, it's nighttime, we can search for him tomorrow. Let's go home now, okay?""Nighttime?" Bella froze, but instead of calming down, she grew more frantic."It's nighttime, and Kayden hates the dark! I have to find him!"Kayden was her brother's name.In desperation, Madeline tried to pull her back. "Mom, please, let's stay calm. We'll find Kayden at dawn."Bella was not listening, whispering to herself, "He'll be gone by daylight!""Out of my way! Out of my way!" she cried, shoving people aside.Madeline, right by her side, was pushed out of the way and slammed against the wall with a loud "thud," her head striking it hard.In the midst of the chaos, she went unnoticed as everyone was focused on restraining Bella. Caleb rushed in, signaling for additional nurses to assist. Together, they managed to get Bella onto the bed and gave her a sedati
Madeline was all business, checking over Bella.The Sanders household was a different story—total disarray.Lydia had not seen that mess coming. She had come out empty-handed, which was bad enough, but Madeline? She walked away unscathed and even snagged a piece of the Sanders Corporation pie.Back home, Lydia clung to Skylar, sobbing her heart out."There, there, no more tears," Skylar soothed, wrapping her in a comforting embrace.Cilix's voice cut through the air, icy and sharp, "Crying won't fix anything. Better start figuring out your next move!"She had botched a winning hand and still had the gall to weep over it!Lydia, scolded, dissolved into even louder sobs. Skylar's head throbbed with the onset of a migraine, and she rushed to calm Lydia down. It took an eternity, but once Lydia's tears had dried up, Skylar escorted her upstairs to rest.Stepping out, Skylar caught Yale zipping up his pants as he emerged from his room, where other noises hinted at recent activity.
Cilix's heart twisted as he saw the look in her eyes, and a wave of feeling washed over him.Once upon a time, he might have convinced Madeline to hold onto her shares. But the Madeline of today? That seemed like a lost cause.Skylar watched him, panic rising, and tears spilled over. "You promised everything would go to Yale," she sobbed."Now what? First, you're handing over all that money to Madeline, and now shares too. What's going to be left for Yale? Might as well sign over the whole Sanders fortune to her!"Cilix rubbed his temples, her complaints drilling into his skull. "I never intended to give her the money."Those shares? He had not planned on giving those away either. The real headache was the twenty percent stake Madam Gibson had mentioned. Cornered like that, it looked like he had no choice but to give in.Upstairs, Lydia lay exhausted from crying, her bed offering no comfort, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, unblinking. How had her life turned into that mess? She wo
That was Edith's personal wealth, so Tristan, her private financial planner, was the one lending a hand. There was something about him that reminded Madeline of Daniel. Tristan had a softer touch than Danie. "Daniel's my nephew," he revealed.He was the one who had brought Daniel into the fold of the Gibson Group. Everything clicked for Madeline."Mr. Harris, grandma intends to pass the shares on to me, but they're her personal assets. It doesn't feel right for me to accept them. I'm thinking they should go to Trevon. Is that something we can do?"Tristan gave her a surprised look, then his face broke into a smile. "You and Mr. Gibson are married. It doesn't matter if the shares go to you or to Mr. Gibson—it's all shared between spouses, no difference at all."Madeline paused for a second, then shook her head. "No, that won't do. Can you put Trevon's name on it?"Tristan gave her a once-over. "If that's what you want, we'll need Mr. Gibson's signature. Trouble is, he's out of th
"No way!" Cilix dismissed the idea instantly. After the listing, 200 million would be worth at least 5 percent of the shares if converted. That would give Madeline nearly a quarter of the company, edging her right up to the top as the second major shareholder. Well, she was already pretty much there. Madeline's smile widened. "Just don't forget, you're still on the hook for that money." Cilix scowled, his eyes boring into her. "It comes with strings attached." With Lydia out of the picture for the Gibson family, Madeline could kiss that money goodbye. Madeline just laughed it off. Contract done, she passed the share transfer papers to Tristan and hailed a cab to Oralia. Pausing, she glanced back at the Sanders Group skyscraper. The electronic billboard cycled through the latest collection. Totally uninspired. Nothing like the spark it had when Bella was around. Shaking her head, she slid into the cab and rode away.She spent the entire day in Oralia, lost in her art, eit
Andrew's hand came down hard on the table again. "You're not about to tell me that the woman Trevon got involved with is your aunt's daughter, are you?"Stephen shot a surprised glance at Andrew.The old man's mind was sharp, having built the Ferguson family empire from the ground up. His guess was a little off though.Stephen let out a sigh. "Aunt was raised by you and grandma. How could she ever allow her daughter to wreck someone else's family?"He had planned to confirm everything before breaking the news to his grandparents, to spare them another disappointment.Today, with Trevon's arrival stirring up his emotions, Stephen had not kept his cool, and Andrew had put two and two together.Andrew's expression turned even darker."So Lydia is Madeline's half-sister on their father's side..." Stephen tried to clarify."Her last name is Sanders?" Andrew pressed.Stephen paused, caught off guard. "Yes."Andrew gripped his cane tightly and rose swiftly. "Follow me."They headed
Stephen, too scared to continue, rushed to Andrew's side, about to call for the butler and a doctor."I'm okay," Andrew rasped, the metallic taste of blood on his tongue. "Keep it down, don't alarm Grandma."Sophia had just calmed down with her meds and gone to bed, shaken by Stephen's earlier words.Another shock could do some real harm."But you've got to look after yourself." Stephen said."It's nothing," Andrew insisted, his anger having forced a clot of blood from his chest, which oddly made him feel a bit better. The thought of Cilix brought the fury rushing back."I always said that Cilix was no good, but your aunt would not listen and married him anyway!"I figured he was just a pushover, not cut out for much. But to think he was already married with a kid! And then he has the nerve to come asking for her hand in marriage! He's a fraud!"Damn him! Damn him all to hell!" He spat out the curses as another coughing fit took him.Stephen was right there, helping him brea
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