Lydia's handling of Lily Mora's situation was less than honorable.Trevon was aware of her ambition to rise to fame quickly on the home front, but she had miscalculated the severity of the situation.The advancement of the internet left many dark secrets nowhere to hide.Honesty was always the best policy."Lily Mora's got some serious talent with a brush. Xystos Tech could really use someone like her."Bernard caught on quickly. "You want her to take a crack at the spokesperson's portrait?"Trevon had no objections. With that settled, Bernard went back to his training routine.Yahir looked puzzled. "That's it? No other conditions?"He thought they should at least negotiate a better deal for the endorsement and make some extra cash for the team.…By the time Camden and Lydia showed up, Trevon had nearly wrapped up the deal.Lydia looked like a sad puppy caught in the rain. "Trevon, if we go through with this, how will I ever make a name for myself in the art world?"Trevon
Despite Trevon's efforts to keep the Luxuria Supper House debacle under wraps, Edith got wind of it. Ryan kept tabs on Trevon and Madeline. Edith was livid when she learned that Trevon had shoved Madeline and had planned to meet at the County Clerk's Office at four in the afternoon.She cursed and slapped her thigh in frustration. "That useless idiot! Is Madeline okay?"Ryan replied, "Mrs. Gibson's friend rushed her to the hospital. The doctor said she took quite a hit, so she's still in the hospital bed." Caleb had managed to keep the pregnancy a secret, preventing any rumors. Edith swore again. "Make sure Madeline gets the rest she needs to recover. Find Trevon quickly and tell him I've passed out. He needs to come back immediately."Trevon's mind was set on divorce, and it was crucial to stop him before he could go through with it.As luck would have it, Edith was not ready to deal with that yet because the Skylandia debacle had just blown up.Edith took one look at the
His arrival was noticeable, and the pair glanced his way.Trevon quickly gathered his rage as he approached.He stopped in front of Madeline, his eyes shifting between the two, a mocking smile forming as he noticed the coat on Madeline's shoulders."Ignoring calls, and now you're home late with another guy. Still claiming you haven't moved on?"Trevon's words were harsh.Caleb instinctively moved Madeline behind him. "Trevon, don't make this any harder than it has to be! Madeline nearly ended up being admitted to the hospital because of how you shoved her. If you don't believe me, the hospital records are there to prove it."Trevon's frown was barely noticeable as he responded calmly. "I know better than anyone whether she's hurt. Why would someone like you, Mr. Caleb Jabs, need to lie for a woman?"Caleb's brow furrowed in concern. "Trevon, what's that supposed to mean? You realize Madeline was nearly—""Hey."Madeline's frail, raspy voice cut through the tension as she stepp
Trevon, fighting off a wave of nausea, dialed a number."I need Madeline's medical records from the hospital today."Once he had given the order, he knew it was not the time to seek out Madeline, so he retreated to his room to rest.The nausea was relentless.He had just missed Madeline and Yeneth's chat about Lily Mora."The company wants to offer you the role of a featured artist. What's your take, Madeline?"Madeline's brow creased in thought.Ever since the incident, she grew wary of the Skylandia project, and especially Lydia.Madeline assumed her minor contracting role kept her well away from Lydia's reach. However, Lydia's latest move was unexpectedly underhanded.Becoming a featured artist would mean falling under Lydia's command—the art director she wanted to avoid.Madeline was not naive. She had never been part of the corporate world, but she was not clueless.Lydia had to despise her after what happened, and would surely make her life difficult.That kind of str
Trevon's voice was surprisingly gentle.Before Madeline could respond, a wave of nausea hit her hard, and she bolted for the bathroom to throw up.Trevon turned pale and clenched his fists tightly, barely managing to stop himself from vomiting.Why did he have to feel her nausea as if it were his own? He would rather deal with physical pain than that invisible, gut-wrenching sensation.After what felt like an eternity, Madeline's stomach finally settled. She wiped her mouth with a tissue that had mysteriously appeared before her. Looking up, she offered a weak but heartfelt "Thank you" to Trevon, who had braved the unpleasantness to bring her the tissue.Discomfort crossed Trevon's face as he replied coldly, "Just don't make me watch."Madeline was left speechless.She had to admit, the man had a sharp tongue. His handsome face and long legs must have blinded her in the past.Madeline had just finished sprucing up the bathroom when she returned and dropped the bombshell."We g
A collective sigh of relief swept through the project team.It was not long before the Skylandia project team made a flourishing announcement.[Thrilled to have Lily Mora join the 'Skylandia' team.]Lily Mora's response was equally gracious.[Happy to clear up the misunderstanding. Excited to collaborate!]There was Bernard, quietly hitting 'like' on her post, as if his silent endorsement meant everything.Yahir was at it again, stirring up chaos before he dialed Trevon's number."You're in my debt now, buddy. How do you plan to make it up to me?"Trevon was already distracted. His productivity tanked due to the emotional turmoil Madeline put him in.He tossed the paperwork aside and asked over the phone, "What's it gonna take?"With a sly laugh, Yahir replied, "Come on. We're the champs. What are we doing holed up in this backwater town? Rent me a floor in the Redenbaugh City office building downtown. It'll give me a reason to come back and hang out with you."Trevon mulled
Annoyance flickered in Lydia's eyes.Wren was such an idiot! Did she not realize the cameras recording their every move, ready to broadcast their secrets to the world?Lydia plastered on a reassuring smile. "Calm down. You know Mr. Gibson is my boyfriend, and he can easily hook you up with a new job. However, if you start job hunting right after the 'Skylandia' fiasco, won't people suspect you screwed up and had to quit? Just hang tight for a bit. Let the rumors die down, and I'll find you a great gig."Wren, desperate, pressed, "How long are we talking?""Give it three months, tops. People forget quickly, especially online."Tears welled up in Wren's eyes. "I can't wait that long. I've got rent to pay and food to buy. I won't survive a month without a paycheck."Lydia raised an eyebrow. "You don't have any savings?""Not a dime."Wren was the epitome of living paycheck to paycheck, always leaning on credit cards to get by. A month without cash would spell disaster for her cred
The message came with a photo attached.When Madeline opened it, she saw a young man with striking features, his brows knitted and lips sealed in a standoffish pose.However, to Madeline, he seemed kind of familiar, and she warmed to him instantly.The message was from Aaron Hunters, Skylandia's business guy.Aaron had added a note.[Meet Bernard, the leader of the Raimundo Team. He personally requested for you to complete this drawing gig.]It took a moment, but then, it clicked. Bernard was the guy from the press conference. His support had sparked a flurry of likes online.It turns out he had really given Madeline a leg up."Okay, but I recall 'Skylandia' has a bunch of roles to choose from. Which one is Bernard thinking of using?" Aaron paused, then added, 'Bernard wants to discuss it with you directly. Would it be okay if I gave him your number?]Madeline, who kept a separate phone number for work, quickly agreed. Soon after, Bernard sent her a message.[Hey there, Lil