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
Madeline's heart skipped a beat as she rushed to intervene.However, David, with his imposing build and strength, was not easily stopped. He bulldozed his way through.His fists were up, ready for anything.The two young nurses shrieked and backed off, shaking and scurrying to the side.Madeline was speechless.By the time they tried to intervene, it was too late. Bella was already in David's grasp.Madeline fought to keep her voice steady, despite the turmoil inside. "My mom's sick, critically sick. The doctors have warned us multiple times. If you touch her and something happens, you'll be facing criminal charges."Her words had an effect. Some in the crowd exchanged wary looks and stepped back, giving Bella some space.David was like a wall, unyielding and with a voice as deep as a drum. "Don't think you can intimidate me! My mom paid with her life because of her. It's as simple as an eye for an eye. That's the rule, no matter who shows up."Madeline coldly asked, "What do
Riley, flanked by her entourage, looked at Caleb and Madeline with pure loathing. Madeline tried to explain. "Mrs. Yagle, this is their compensation." Riley laughed coldly and mocked, "Compensation? You're too kind. Good thing I was smart enough to freeze your account. You would've blown through Trevon's fortune, wouldn't you?"Caleb and Chandler both looked puzzled. Madeline's bank card was locked down?That explained the worried look on her face earlier.Madeline stayed silent as she reached out her hand, signaling for Riley to hand back the check.She was not being generous. She was backed into a corner.Besides, even if she did hand over the cash, those guys would not be able to just walk away with it.It was clear that David and his crew were trying to shake them down.Riley held onto the check, her eyes darting between Caleb and Madeline. "Wow, Madeline, you're full of surprises. So, spill it. How long have you two been an item?"Chandler was totally lost.Madeline a
Madeline's eyes were seething with fury as she bolted forward, heedless of everything else."Madeline!" Caleb yelled, dashing to her side to shield her.Yeneth and Chandler came to their senses and rushed to lend a hand. However, no matter how quick they were, Bella's fall was just a blink away.By the time Madeline got to her, she was already sprawled on the ground.In that moment, Madeline felt as if her own heart had plummeted to the floor with a thud.A dull roar seemed to burst right next to her ear, silencing the world around her. She shoved through the crowd in a frenzy, screaming for the nurses.The nurses turned as white as ghosts, and it took them a moment to snap out of it before they dashed over.The moment they began their journey, Madeline's eyes caught a glimpse of a smiling face in the distance behind them—it was Lydia. As Lydia's gaze locked with Madeline's, her smile shone brightly. She twirled the pink necklace at her throat with her left hand and gave Madel
Yeneth stood by Madeline's side, eyes brimming with tears, voice quivering as she whispered her name."Madeline."Caleb and the rest stayed silent, their eyes filled with worry as they watched Madeline.However, she did not collapse this time. Instead, she gave Yeneth's hand a reassuring pat and said, "I'm going to go in and talk to her."Without waiting for anyone's response, she headed inside alone.Bella's condition had not changed since two days ago. Madeline had found the way to save Bella, so why was she still on the brink of death?Madeline's sobs broke through as she clutched her mouth, unable to hold back her tears.She knelt by Bella's bedside, her cries and whispers blending into a heart-wrenching call. "Mom..."Outside, Yeneth, witnessing Madeline's breakdown, could not contain her own tears, covering her mouth as she sobbed breathlessly.…At the airport exit, Yahir paced restlessly, glancing at his watch every few seconds.The flight was supposed to land before
The nurse draped a white sheet over Bella and wheeled her away.Madeline stood still before leaving the room.Trevon watched her, noticing how much more worn she looked, and said softly, "I'm sorry I'm late."Madeline gave him a brief look, shook her head slightly, her face unreadable.Trevon's brow creased, wanting to say more, but Madeline was already looking away, turning to Yeneth. "I need to pick out a gravesite for my mom. Yeneth, will you come with me?"Yeneth nodded.Trevon, caught off guard, frowned and said, "Let Daniel handle these small things."He bit back the rest of his thoughts. 'Madeline, you need to rest.'Madeline's voice was icy. "Mr. Gibson, if you're not too busy, maybe you could sort out my bank card being frozen. I've got funeral costs to cover, and I can't exactly go asking for loans, can I?"Trevon's frown deepened. "What do you mean?"Without another word, Madeline took Yeneth by the arm and they left.Bella's trip overseas was off the table, so al
As Trevon absorbed the story, he realized Madeline had actually been pretty decent to him.Given her recent streak of being all claws and fangs, it was nothing short of a miracle she had not attacked him.He shut his eyes tightly, a new weight of helplessness settling in his chest.The tension between them was already thick enough to cut with a knife. Then, it seemed like the chances of patching things up had gone from slim to none.He patted the box in his pocket and stood up abruptly."Mr. Gibson?"Trevon bit his lip. "I need to clear the air with her."Daniel let out a sigh. It was about time Trevon had a heart-to-heart with Madeline.However, just as Trevon made it to the door, he collapsed."Mr. Gibson!"Daniel rushed to his side and felt the heat radiating off him. Trevon's chest wound must have gotten infected.Without wasting a second, Daniel called for a ride and whisked Trevon off to the hospital.In the chaos, he completely spaced on helping Madeline, even forget
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