Madeline was unfazed. "Agreed."With Bella gone, Madeline felt no need to hold onto money when under financial strain. She would simply pay Trevon back.Trevon's grip tightened. He straightened up a bit and said icily, "I'll see you at the County Clerk's Office."Yahir, fuming over Caleb's acknowledgment, did not bother to intervene.Daniel quickly interjected, "Mr. Gibson, please think this through."Trevon ignored him and commanded, "Let's go!"He slammed the car door with a resounding bang.Madeline barely reacted but grew even paler. "Come on. Let's head back to the County Clerk's Office."Yeneth, holding Madeline's arm, noticed her ghostly pallor and suggested, "Maybe we should do this tomorrow. You on't look so good."Madeline shook her head. "I'm fine, just a bit queasy. The sooner we get this done, the better."With that, Madeline gave her a reassuring smile despite the worry in her eyes."Relax. It's just a bit of morning sickness. No big deal. Plus, I've got all my
Two security guards entered, looking just as bewildered as everyone else.The staff member motioned for them to stand behind Trevon and addressed Madeline."If you're under any kind of pressure, now's the time to tell us. We'll make sure you're safe, no matter what."Madeline and Trevon were speechless.Madeline could not help but let out a wry chuckle at the staff member's concern."No one's forcing me," she assured him."I didn't bring a dowry when I got married. His family provided everything. I haven't worked or earned anything in these three years. There's really nothing for me to claim."The staff member's frown deepened. "That doesn't seem fair to you. Maybe you should think it over a bit more before deciding.""There's nothing to think over," Madeline replied with unwavering resolve.It finally dawned on the staff member that Madeline was the one seeking the divorce and the one choosing to walk away empty-handed. He was taken aback but handed over the divorce papers.
Trevon would have bet his life on never knowing what morning sickness felt like. However, what did he get?The random bouts of queasiness Madeline suffered from was all because she was pregnant!He had had his doubts when she brushed it off as a cold.'Seriously, a cold that lasts for months?'The realization drove Trevon up the wall. Him, a big guy, empathizing with pregnancy symptoms.Even Trevon had to ask himself whether it was some cosmic prank.Madeline shot him a look that could kill. "Why are you still in my way?"They were divorced.Done. No more ties.Trevon had a ton of questions, but all he managed to get out was, "Where's my nine hundred thousand dollars?"Madeline was speechless.She whipped out her phone, the screen with the frozen bank account practically smashing into his face. "Thaw it out!"Trevon winced, lips tight. "I'll take care of it. You'll have your money in twenty-four hours. If not, I'll freeze your account again."Madeline was a hair's breadth
"Caleb, maybe we should swing by the pharmacy and pick up some ointment," she suggested.She felt a pang of guilt. After all, she felt like she was the one who should have taken the hit for him.Caleb shook his head. "No worries, I've iced it. We've got better stuff for it at home."Madeline had to let it go. "Sorry for dragging you into this mess."Caleb shook his head again. "It's okay. I'm just glad I could help. You've been through a lot lately. You holding up okay?"Madeline shook her head lightly. "The little one's been an angel, hasn't fussed at all."Caleb still looked concerned. "You should still get an ultrasound, just to check everything's alright."Madeline nodded, making a mental note. They both fell quiet for a bit.Madeline was not clueless. She knew Caleb felt differently about her than about Yeneth, but he had not said anything. She wanted to talk about it, but she was scared of ruining their long-standing friendship.Her heart had been shattered by Trevon, an
Suddenlt, Edith's voice cut through the silence. "Don't bother. I'm already in the loop."They looked up to see Edith entering, leaning on Felicia for support.The two felt a chill run down their spines and quickly helped the old lady sit down. They stood by, quiet as mice.Edith eyed them, clearly annoyed. "Aren't you two usually on the ball? What's with the coward act now?"They both managed a nervous chuckle.Yahir braved a question. "Madam Gibson, what are you doing here?"No sooner had the words left his lips than Edith shot him a withering look. "Had I not shown up, you guys would probably be in over your heads, wouldn't you?"Yahir winced and clammed up.Edith's gaze shifted to her grandson, who lay on the bed out like a light. Worry etched deep in her eyes, she demanded, "Out with it. What in the world happened?"Yahir nudged Daniel, giving him a look that screamed 'Spill it, now'.Daniel got the message. With things as bad as they were, the truth could not stay burie
The two were dismissed by Edith.Then, only the steady ticking of the machines filled the sickroom.Felicia, noticing the weariness on Edith's face, gently suggested, "Why don't you take a break? I'll stay here."Edith had been under the weather since winter set in.Her youthful overexertion had left her with a slew of lingering health issues, and the cold always made her ache.Once Trevon was capable enough, she had taken a step back from the limelight.Her body just was not holding up like it used to. That was how Riley managed to keep her in the dark so easily.If Walter had not called the family home, worried about Trevon's serious condition, they would have remained clueless about everything that had happened.Edith dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand."I'm alright. He came to me last time, asking for help to get rid of Lydia and to make sure Madeline was safe. I thought he was finally getting wise, learning to distinguish good from bad. However, I never expecte
Trevon was silent for what felt like an eternity. Honestly, he was clueless about what to do next, his mind was a total mess.Edith's temper flared again at his silence. "Aren't you the guy with all the big ideas? What, got nothing to say now? You're not still thinking of getting Lydia back, are you? Drop that thought right now! Otherwise, forget I ever called you my grandson."Trevon furiously blurted, "Grandma, Lydia's the one who set up the car crash, and she's the one who told Mom about the pregnancy. Her and me? No chance of that happening."Edith blinked in surprise.The bombshell of Madeline's pregnancy had been so shocking that it had cut Daniel off before he could explain everything.It was Lydia pulling the strings all along, and Riley, the poor sap, got played.Edith's expression darkened. "That's just evil. What kind of grudge does she have against Madeline to go this far? You shouldn't confront your mom about this. I'll take care of it. She's been getting too comfort
Madeline blinked, her mind foggy from sleep.Had she imagined the phone ringing?No, that could not be right. Edith was not the type to pester someone with calls after being hung up on.After a brief pause, Madeline replied, "Grandma, what's up?"Trevon's breath hitched when he heard her voice.She was not out of it, and she knew someone was on the line, yet she had hung up the second she heard him. Had she forgotten about the whopping 900 thousand dollars she still owed?Edith shot Trevon a look that could freeze lava, mouthing a silent 'shush' before speaking into the phone with a heavy heart."Madeline, you're asking me what's up? You've got a major crisis on your hands, and you didn't even give me a heads-up."Madeline felt a lump in her throat but pushed it down. "Grandma, I'm okay. It's all sorted out."Edith's voice turned tender. "Sweetie, did you forget what I've always told you? No matter what, I'm your grandma, and I'm always here for you. I've already taken care of