Madeline was oblivious to the fact that her painting had already caught the greedy eyes of many.The restoration situation was a real headache.Deans and museum directors, along with their esteemed artists, were in a heated debate, their faces flushed with fervor. Yash, Dallas, and others were prodding them to just get on with the auction.The noise was unbearable.Madeline, rubbing her temples, finally grabbed Dallas's arm. "Enough, enough. Let's all just take a breath. I need to say something."At her voice, the room fell silent, all eyes on her.Madeline gestured to the painting resting to the side. "The artistic value of this piece is clear to everyone here. I'm lucky to have restored it, and there's no way I could ever keep it for myself."Rocky's eyes sparkled with anticipation.Madeline shot him a look and announced, "I've decided to donate the painting to the nation with no strings attached."Rocky's grin shattered like glass with a single sentence, leaving everyone el
Madeline finally settled into the car Chandler arranged for her and made her way to the Gibson family estate.Halfway there, her phone rang. It was Caleb."Madeline, everything okay?"He had planned to pick her up but got tied up. When he arrived at Redenbaugh University, he had learned Madeline was in some kind of trouble but did not have the details.Her face softened into a smile at the sound of his voice. "Caleb, I'm fine. I'm heading to the Gibson estate now. Grandma wants me home for dinner."Caleb's worry eased, replaced by a faint sadness. "Glad to hear it."Madeline hummed softly in response. "Thanks for checking in. Don't fret, I'll swing by the hospital after I eat.""Okay."They hung up.Madeline checked her phone for messages or calls—nothing from Trevon. He had been away on business for three days, radio silent. The memory of his distant expression before leaving lingered.Madeline could not quite pin down her feelings—just a profound weariness. She rested a
"The painting was really just handed over to you?"Confronted with a painting valued in the tens of millions, Riley lost all pretense of her usual poise, grabbing the soup bowl from Madeline's hands, her eagerness palpable.Edith's face darkened at once.Madeline seemed to be holding up fine, casually sipping her lemon water before nodding slightly. "Yeah. Mr. James came through and handed over the painting."Riley's face lit up with excitement.It was no surprise she was antsy. The stakes were high with 75 million dollars on the line.With Trevon recently tightening the purse strings, Riley had been feeling the pinch."I've got a buddy, a real art buff, who's snagged a bunch of masterpieces. He caught wind of the deal and just rang me up, said he's keen on buying. If you're out of leads, how about I introduce you to this guy? Don't sweat it. His pockets are as deep as the Gibsons', he'll pay top dollar."Edith had heard enough and cut in, "Who's this friend? If they're serious
"Madeline! Madeline!"Suddenly, Skylar's voice, tinged with urgency, pierced the quiet from the entrance.With the sound of footsteps, Skylar and Cilix made their way inside.Edith's stern look softened, replaced by her usual calm demeanor.Riley took a gulp of water, trying to wash away the sting of Edith's rebuke, and shot a mocking glance at the newcomers.For three years, whenever the Sanders family showed up, they were after something.Madeline's gaze dropped, a flicker of irritation passing through her. Skylar was clueless to her mood, rushing over to her. "Why would you give away the painting without a peep?"Skylar looked as though she was the one who had lost something precious.Madeline recoiled from her touch, her frown deepening as she moved closer to Edith, not even bothering to give Skylar a second glance."What's it to you?" Madeline asked sharply.Skylar sputtered, her face a mix of awkwardness and shame."Kid, why can't you ever think things through? This
It was Hugo and Baxter, along with a whole entourage.Madeline rose quickly. "Hugo, what's all this?"Why had that whole crowd shown up at once?Hugo chuckled, greeted Edith, and then explained, "I got a bit ahead of myself. Sorry to disturb your dinner."Edith beamed. "A disturbance? Not at all! Your visit is a true honor for the Gibson family."Her words rang with truth.Scholars and artists were always held in high esteem, no matter the time or place. Once the initial greetings were out of the way, they moved on to the heart of the matter.Hugo's voice took on a grave tone. "I'm here today to bestow upon Madeline a distinguished honor."Madeline's eyes widened, puzzled by his mention of an honor.However, before she could give it much thought, Hugo and the others took on a solemn air, standing tall and proud.Someone stepped up beside Hugo with a red tray in hand.With a commanding voice, Hugo proclaimed, "Miss Madeline, in light of your exceptional contributions to the M
Madeline was feeling down.Skylar might brush it off, but Riley? She was all about keeping up appearances.However, they were all hung up on those tens of millions.Blame it on the allure of wealth.They just did not get art.Madeline could not make plans with those who were walking a different path.Madeline shook her head to herself and quickly reassured Hugo, "Really, I just did what anyone would do. Getting named an honorary academician? I'm thrilled. Thanks for this honor."Hugo had his doubts, but Madeline's gratitude brought a relieved smile to his face."You've earned it. You've got the talent, and we'll be counting on you more in the future."Madeline's eyes sparkled at that.She could not help but feel a rush of excitement. She wondered, what would Bella think when she heard the news?However, Bella could never bring herself to scold her.She was, after all, the mother who loved her more than anyone else in the world.…The air was tense in the Gibson household,
After Hugo and the rest had left, Edith excused herself, claiming exhaustion, and took Riley with her.Riley knew the game was up. Snagging that painting was a lost cause then, so she just walked away. Still, she could not quite hide the glee twinkling in her eyes. She had no clue that Edith was seething, ready to unleash a torrent of scolding upon her. However, Madeline's face had turned to ice. "Cilix, if you have even a shred of dignity, keep that fool Skylar under wraps. Don't let her make a spectacle of us!" Skylar exclaimed, "Madeline, who are you calling a fool? That's no way to talk to someone older than you!" Cilix's expression soured. "Madeline, she's still your elder." With a fierce snap, Madeline hurled her cup to the floor. The shards sliced through Skylar's outfit, drawing blood. Skylar gasped in shock, staring at Madeline in disbelief. Madeline icily yelled, "What kind of elder are you? A wicked stepmother, a home-wrecker? Don't play dumb about your little r
The chill of late autumn was biting.Bella stepped out of the hospital in her flimsy gown, looking more vulnerable than ever, but she seemed oblivious to the cold.She just kept moving forward, whispering over and over."Kayden... Kayden..."Cars whizzed by, some nearly clipping her, but she did not even flinch, ignoring the angry honks and shouts....Madeline made it to the hospital to find Caleb waiting outside."I saw the footage. She left the hospital and headed east."Madeline's brow creased with worry. "How could she just walk out on her own? Didn't the nurses see her?"Caleb could only offer a wry smile.They had not seen a thing.The nurse had stepped away with a stomach ache, and that was when Bella slipped out.Madeline was not interested in pointing fingers. She was just frantic with concern.Caleb ushered her into the car. "I've called the cops and got a search team out there. Don't worry, everything will be okay."However, Madeline was far from reassured.B