Rocky did not skip a beat, pressing on with his story."Who would've thought? With a crowd of nearly five hundred, including a host of esteemed masters, not one stepped up to the plate to save this masterpiece. Hahaha!"That laugh was a cocktail of contempt, fully savored by those around him.They shot him looking sharp as knives."Okay, okay. The painting was in bad shape, and the masters were too chicken to touch it, afraid they'd botch it up even worse. I get it."I was about to throw in the towel. If Mandoria's finest couldn't handle it, what was I, just a visiting businessman, supposed to do? However, out of the blue, someone rose to the challenge."Rocky's narrative shifted as the camera settled on Madeline's face.A portrait of serenity and detachment filled the screen."There's a saying in Mandoria, 'A newborn calf isn't scared of tigers.' Mrs. Gibson, green and unseasoned, stepped right up."He went on and on, basically suggesting that the clueless Madeline was playin
"Ridiculous!"In Galloway Villa, Riley snatched the tablet from Yanely, her eyes immediately locking onto Madeline on the screen.There she was, poised with a delicate brush, meticulously removing the stubborn stains from the silk painting.Yanely remarked, "They say that painting's a treasure worth over seventy-five million dollars. Madeline put her word on the line, vowing to pay back every penny if she can't restore it."Madeline could not possibly cover such a sum. It would inevitably fall to the Gibsons to foot the bill."How dare she?!"Riley's face, fresh from a beauty treatment, contorted with anger.Trevon had cut off her own spending money to funnel it into Madeline's hands, but surely it was not for Madeline to just throw it away, was it?That could not stand.Riley was at her wit's end, so she grabbed Yanely and made for the door."Come on. We're going to see your grandmother."However, Cooper suddenly walked in, a jar of freshly mixed massage cream in hand. "No
Riley could not fathom why Edith seemed almost proud of what should have been a disgrace."That's the Gibson family's name being dragged through the mud!"Edith just gave a knowing smile as she thought, 'That's the kind of woman she was.'Edith beckoned Ryan closer. "I heard from Trevon about the smart chip deal with the government. They haven't given the green light yet?"Ryan nodded. "That's the situation.""Give them a call, get someone to polish up the proposal, and have a real sit-down with the government folks."Ryan got the message.Edith was not just unfazed by Madeline blowing through cash. She was seizing it as an opportunity, already buzzing with plans to wheel and deal.Riley was furious as she folded her arms and declared, "Mom. I don't care how you see it. I can't let Trevon marry a woman like that. The minute Trevon gets back, I'm pushing for a divorce."With that, she stormed out.Felicia watched Riley leave with a mix of frustration and resignation in her eye
"Trevon," Lydia whispered, her voice a mix of hope and fear as she rushed to his side.Trevon was groggy, his mind struggling to catch up with reality. After a moment, his memories clicked into place.Lydia clung to his hand, tears streaming down her face. "Trevon, you're awake. Oh, you scared me half to death. Promise me, no more scares."Her sobs filled the room.Trevon's eyes met hers, and a wave of relief washed over him. As he saw she was safe, he turned to Daniel, acknowledging his presence with a tired nod.Lydia's eyes widened in shock as she gazed at him, struggling to believe what she was seeing.Daniel quickly moved closer. "Mr. Gibson, what do you need?"Trevon's voice was strained, each word laced with pain. "If I... The receipts in my wallet, once you've got the item, make sure you give it to Madeline yourself."Daniel paused, the image of the pink diamond necklace Trevon had ordered flashing in his mind.Was Trevon preparing for the worst, putting his final wish
Lydia was not the only one watching the live stream. Stephen and Andrew caught it on TV too.Andrew had stumbled upon a photo of Madeline in Stephen's files just yesterday and recognized her instantly.As the broadcast spewed insults, Andrew's face turned to stone. "Stephen, find out what's happening now!"Stephen was concerned. Without needing to be told twice, he was already on the phone, seeking answers from back home.The report from home only stoked the flames of his anger—furious at Rocky's calculated moves against Yash, at Sadie's antics during the conference, and even more at Sadie for keeping him in the dark, leaving him no chance to intervene.The broadcast had been running for nearly ten hours, and there was no easy way to cut it short.Andrew's rage boiled over. "Rocky's crossed the line!"Stephen nodded, his resolve hardening. He dialed another number."Take those two fakes we've got and get them to Rocky's auction. Once it's done, let the world know they're nothin
Caleb quickly composed himself. He did not want to sidetrack Madeline."It looks like there's been a bit of a setback with her illness. Her recovery might not be keeping pace with the medication, causing these complications."Madeline's brow furrowed, her appetite gone. "What do we do now?"Caleb reassured her, "Don't worry. We've put a hold on your mom's meds for now. She didn't wake up today, but all her vital signs are stable."Madeline's heart, which had been fluttering like a trapped bird, finally began to calm."Caleb, I'm counting on you to take care of Mom for a bit."She had a whirlwind of tasks for the next two days.Caleb's smile was warm as he nodded. "I know you've got that live stream. Yeneth's heading over to keep an eye on your mom after work. You just focus on what you need to do."Madeline was at a loss for words to express her gratitude to her friends.Before he left, Caleb handed her a thermal flask. "No coffee for you, so I've got wheatgrass juice in here.
However, the cut never came.In the pitch-black room, the intruder's hand was gently stopped. Before he knew it, his scissors were wrested from his grip, and he was kicked to the side and restrained.Then, the lights flickered on.Madeline, Yash, and a few others filed in.Chandler gripped the knife with the blade facing backward and stepped up to the intruder for a closer look. "Talk. Who are you, and why are you trying to wreck this painting?"Madeline had already spotted the intruder when the lights came on. "He's one of Rocky's bodyguards. I caught a glimpse of him in the crowd on the first day."The man shot Madeline with a look of astonishment. He had only made a brief appearance that day, and yet Madeline had taken note of him.Yash snorted. "Just as I thought, it's connected to that punk. Take him away for now. We'll settle the score with Rocky later."Chandler nodded and signaled for the man to be escorted out.Yash turned to Madeline. "You've had a long day, and ther
Rocky's hand twitched at Madeline's words.The painting, once damaged, was not worth the sky-high price he had touted, but it was still worth 30 million dollars. He had been counting on clawing that sum back from Madeline, but she had actually fixed the thing.He was about to kiss goodbye to that 30 million dollars. Once Madeline got the painting, who knew what would happen? Its value could double after the repair.He could not stand the thought.Rocky managed to keep his smile from turning sour. "Naturally. You've done the job, so I'll stick to the deal.""However," he added, a new edge to his voice, "I have one condition."Madeline's smile faltered just a bit. "Mr. James, you never said anything about conditions before."The tension in the room was palpable as eyes narrowed with suspicion.Rocky quickly interjected, "Mrs. Gibson, there's been a misunderstanding. Here's the thing. The painting is yours now, but I was wondering if you're considering selling it once it's been r