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
Trevon rushed back and, as expected, found Madeline's door open with the sound of shuffling inside.For some reason, he tiptoed closer.Madeline was there, surrounded by two large boxes, transferring items into them.Unable to resist, Trevon called out for her."Madeline."She stopped for a second but did not look up. She replied, "I'm just grabbing my stuff and then I'm gone."Trevon's brow creased with concern. "Where will you go?"Instead of answering, Madeline pulled out her phone and flashed the bank application at him. "Mr. Gibson, I'm stuck until you unfreeze my card."Trevon's hands balled into fists.He did not want to lift the freeze. That money was his excuse to keep her in his life.He cleared his throat and extended a new card toward her. "I've got someone handling the freeze, but these things take time. If you're in a hurry, use this card of mine for now."Madeline refused to take the card, simply giving him a look. "Deduct it from the nine hundred thousand dol
A flicker of panic flashed in Madeline's eyes.Why would Trevon suddenly ask such a question out of nowhere? Could it be that he remembered what happened that night?No! Even if he did remember, so what? Only she knew who the child's father was!Madeline instantly snapped back to reality and swiftly kicked him."Madeline!"She did not aim, but her foot landed right at Trevon's groin.Trevon doubled over, the pain twisting his face as he dropped to his knees. His grip went slack, and Madeline wriggled free.She did not even bother with the stuff she was still packing. Half mad, half annoyed, she bolted out the door."In your dreams!"At the door, Madeline let out a disgusted spit and stormed off, leaving Trevon alone, curled up in pain.It took forever, but the sharp pain finally faded.Trevon wiped off the sweat that the pain had wrung out of him, leaned back on the bed, and let out a loopy laugh.Madeline was clutching her belly as she ran.That slight tightness, the fain
Tanner's expression turned grim. He got what Madeline was implying.However, he was there to clear his name, not play bargaining games."Ms. Sanders, we'll help you find the jerk who's after you and your mom, but we're not to blame. It was an accident, plain and simple!"Madeline turned her attention to Chandler.A lawyer, Colt Sawyer, who stood by Chandler's side piped up."Hello, I'm Mr. Sawyer. Ms. Sanders has asked me to sort out this mess. You might not be all that familiar with the law, so let me break it down for you."Legally speaking, you all crossed the line when you tried to stop Ms. Sanders from getting her mother the medical help she needed abroad. You're looking at charges like disturbing the peace, extortion, and assault."These are serious offenses, folks. Evenif Ms. Sanders is willing to let bygones be bygones, the law's got its own score to settle with you."Look, if you can smooth things over with Ms. Sanders and since it's your first strike, the court might
As Tanner told his story, everyone else nodded like it was all making sense."Right, I got that call too. They even gave me the exact time to show up and stop you. They said that was the only way to catch you and get some cash out of it."Tanner added, "The girl on the phone sounded pretty young, maybe in her twenties."Madeline's frown deepened as she played a voice message from Lydia. "Does she sound familiar?"Tanner listened and without hesitation, he confirmed, "That's the one. Yeah, that's her voice. No doubt about it."Tanner cleared his throat. "Ms. Sanders, here's the lowdown. It's about three million bucks that got this kid too greedy. I'm here to say sorry for what he did. Let's not forget all the times we've worked together, okay? How about we let this one slide?"Madeline kept silent.Colt chimed in, "Listen up, folks. Just help us out with the investigation, and the judge will do right by the law. However, for now, nobody gets out of town, got it? We'll need you al
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