Cilix noticed Skylar stalling and scowled. "What now?"Skylar flashed an awkward grin. "Go ahead, Cilix. I just need to use the restroom."Cilix glanced at the nearby restroom and his frown softened. "Make it quick."He took a couple of steps and spun around. "Don't you dare stir up trouble with Madeline again."Skylar nodded like her life depended on it. "Sure thing. I'm on it. You get the car running. I'll be out quickly."After Cilix had vanished into the distance, Skylar sauntered up to the Zwick family, her chin tilted up ever so slightly."You're the family of the lady who got tossed out of her car in that crash, right?" Susie glanced up to find a lady who looked like she had stepped out of a fashion magazine standing there. Her hair was perfect, not a strand out of place, unlike Susie's own wild, untamed tresses. The lady's outfit, the designer bag she clutched, and the shoes she wore screamed money. Susie could not help but feel envious.Susie sniffled and replied, "
Tanner's voice stopped David."Hold up, David!"David was clearly upset. "Tanner, are you seriously going to pass up a pile of cash when it's right under your nose?""Zip it," Tanner shot back, his gaze sharp with disappointment.Did David really think they were about to get a lucky break out of nowhere?That lady they had just met was surely up to no good. She was just trying to drag them into someone else's mess.Were they supposed to just dive headfirst into trouble?"So, we're just going to say no to the money?"Tanner gave him a look. "Take it? Of course, we're taking it. Why on earth wouldn't we? Mom's death can't be for nothing. We owe it to her to get some justice."In the heat of the moment, they all seemed to forget what they had said earlier about Yasmin already being dead by the time she was loaded into the ambulance.They huddled up and made a plan. Tanner and Susie would head upstairs first to scope things out.Finding Bella's hospital room was a breeze.They
They turned to see Chandler standing in the doorway. He had been tied up with Andrew's issues until he caught wind of Bella's crisis, which had him racing over.Chandler stepped nto the room and said, "Mrs. Gibson, the Fergusons have some pull in Ameristan. We can try to track down Professor Larson for you."Madeline's eyes sparkled the moment she saw him. Of course it was the Fergusons. They would know how to fix that.Madeline pleaded desperately, "Chandler, please, you've got to help me out here."If that did not work, she would have no choice but to crawl back to the Gibsons and beg Edith for help.However, she was already in deep with Edith and had no idea how to even begin that conversation.The Fergusons... Madeline would find a way to make it up to them somehow.Chandler gave her a reassuring smile. "Mrs. Gibson, after all the help you've given the Fergusons, we haven't forgotten. Don't worry, we'll sort this out in no time."With that, he grabbed his phone and stepped
Trevon hung up and swung his legs off the bed, ripping out his IV with a swift motion.A nurse passing by gasped and exclaimed, "What are you doing?! You're not well enough to be up and about!"Trevon shot her a frosty look and kept moving.Daniel, catching wind of the ruckus, rushed in and did a double-take at Trevon's bold move."Get me on the next flight out. I'm heading home," Trevon commanded.He was already rushing to the exit.Daniel scrambled to keep up. "Mr. Gibson, you're not cleared to leave. The doctor says you need more time to heal."Trevon paused and turned to face him. "Are you in the dark about what's going on?"Daniel's brow creased with worry. "What's going on?"Trevon's eyes were icy. "Madeline's mom's been in a crash, she's in critical condition. Two days and you've heard nothing?"Daniel's face twisted in distress. "I'll get a plane sorted immediately, Mr. Gibson."He had to get back and figure out where things had gone wrong.…Yanely had popped over
"Check this out. It's Madeline's first trip to the hospital. I bumped into her later in the maternity ward, but when I tried to dig up her records again, they were gone. Someone's been covering tracks."The paper clearly showed Madeline's initial pregnancy test, dated two months back.Madeline was already three months along.Riley had been sitting stone-faced, but at the sight of the papers, she leaped to her feet."No way!"Riley pushed them to try for a baby countless times, even suggesting IVF, but Trevon always shot her down.With Trevon's fastidious ways and his germaphobia, how could he ever sleep with Madeline?They always acted like they had not even come close to sleeping together, but they were trying to tell her Madeline was pregnant.She could not buy it.Lydia chuckled, "Mrs. Yagle, nothing's impossible, but I think you might be a bit off track here. I never said the baby in Madeline's stomach was Trevon's."Wham!Riley's hand came crashing down on the table. "W
Lydia and Skylar walked out of Riley's fancy villa. Lydia's composed facade vanished the second they were out of sight. Riley had totally dissed her. However, Lydia could not help smirking at the thought of Riley going after Madeline. That would be a show worth watching. Skylar piped up, "I swear I've seen that guy before."Lydia, cheered up by the image of Madeline's epic fail, teased her mom. "Really, Mom? Guys like him are your type?"Skylar blinked, her face going through a quick change of emotions, then shot Lydia a look. "What are you on about? I just think he looks familiar, especially those eyes!"Who was he, anyway?Lydia watched her mom puzzle it out, nearly tripping down the steps in her distraction, and got a bit annoyed."Does it matter who he is? Just keep your distance from them from now on.""Why?" Skylar asked, puzzled."Because they are..."Lydia leaned in and whispered something to Skylar.Skylar blushed. "No way! You mean Riley is... She's looking for
Chandler wasted no time in bringing Stephen up to speed on Bella's situation.Stephen's coffee cup wobbled in his shock.Staring at the mess of coffee on the floor, his voice was frigid. "What's going on?"Chandler replied softly, "I talked to the hospital doctor. Dr. Caleb got back from overseas, met Mrs. Gibson, and started arranging for her to get some cutting-edge medicine from abroad. Bella was getting better at first, but things went south, and the doctor had to stop her medication."Who knew that just two nights ago, Bella would wake up, bolt out, and end up in a car crash. The blood tests came back with traces of some nasty stuff in her system. I think someone might have been messing with her meds."Stephen felt a chill in his heart. "What was in her blood?""The situation is still vague. Dr. Caleb and his team are on the case, but they haven't cracked it yet. Ms. Sanders is still in the dark. "Stephen mulled it over for a second before saying, "Send me the blood work,
"My mom only had a stroke, and now she's gone because of the accident. How do you plan to make it up to my family for our loss?"David's eyes bore into Madeline, his fists clenched in fury. The muscles on his shoulders bulged, a testament to his anger.Before Madeline could respond, the crowd behind David erupted."What about me? I was driving just fine until someone darted out in front of me! If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have crashed into the ambulance."Now my car's been impounded, I've lost my job, and I'm facing a lawsuit. What did I do to deserve this? I need compensation!""I've been wronged too! I was driving along when suddenly, this dark object fell from the sky and completely shattered my windshield. Who am I supposed to complain to?""And me!""Me too!"The voices rose in unison, all from people affected by the accident."We want compensation! You owe us!"The two young nurses pushing Bella's bed had never witnessed such an uproar and nervously swallowed.At
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