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
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