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
Colt blinked, a bit thrown off by her question, and shot a look at Stephen for some backup.He was the new legal eagle the Ferguson Group had brought on board to handle all their stateside legal drama.His plate was pretty full lately, but Stephen had roped him into focusing on Madeline's case for the time being.He was on the Ferguson Group's payroll, and he treated Madeline's situation like any other day at the office. Charging her never even crossed his mind.However, Madeline was dead serious, genuinely wondering what she owed him. He was momentarily at a loss, not quite sure what was going on.Stephen cracked a knowing smile. "Madeline, Colt's one of our own in the Ferguson Group's legal department. You're pretty much part of the crew now, too. This is all in-house legal help—no need to worry about a bill."Madeline was not buying it. She had never heard of a company's legal team stepping in to handle personal legal battles for the staff, especially since she was not officia
"Achoo!"In the Angelic Garden Residence, Trevon let out a massive sneeze. The IV bag he clutched swung wildly.Felicia rushed to his side, steadying the bag and pressing her hand against his forehead to check for a fever.Trevon dodged her touch, turning his head away.Felicia sighed. "Mr. Gibson, the doctor already told you that you shouldn't have left the hospital. You need to be under observation. Look at you, with your wound getting infected. If you catch a cold too, it's just going to be one thing after another. Don't you want to recover and then go see Mrs. Gibson?"Trevon stayed silent.Felicia was about to continue when the sound of the door opening interrupted them.They both looked up to see Madeline at the entrance, flanked by Stephen and Chandler.They had heard Madeline needed to move some stuff and insisted on helping.Five pairs of eyes locked.Trevon's expression turned stormy in an instant. "You were out all this time just to bring back two guys?"His words
Madeline's heart skipped a beat. When it did not concern Lydia, Trevon was frighteningly sharp.She really did not want Caleb dragged into that mess, but Trevon was relentless, and she was at a loss for words.Her dodging only made Trevon more certain."Madeline, just tell me the truth. Is the baby mine?"Trevon was desperate for an answer, not caring that they were not alone. His voice softened, filled with a raw, earnest yearning.Madeline was taken aback by his sudden gentleness.She almost wished he had kept yelling instead. His softness made it look like she was the one causing a scene.Right when Madeline was at a loss for what to do, a hand shot out, stepping in between her and the other guy.Stephen glared at Trevon and said, "Mr. Gibson, if you're so set on getting a divorce, why do you even care who the kid's dad is? If you really cared about Madeline or the baby she's carrying, you'd stop harassing her and let her get some rest."Trevon's voice dripped with jealousy
Madeline had a sneaking suspicion that Stephen was trying to intimidate her, but she could not prove it.Stephen caught her frozen look and chuckled, reaching out to pat her head without thinking.Madeline jumped back, her eyes wide with alarm as she stared at Stephen."Mr. Ferguson, let me be clear. I'm not in the market for a new dad for my kid. If you're itching to play daddy, maybe look elsewhere?"Stephen's lips twitched, and he could not resist ruffling her hair again, a bit more forcefully that time, leaving her sleek black hair in disarray."What are you filling your head with? I just respect what you can do, and you remind me of my sister, that's all. Don't read too much into it."Madeline was not buying it, her face still etched with suspicion even after she tidied her hair.Chandler let out a laugh and added, "Ms. Sanders, Mr. Ferguson's telling the truth. He totally has a sister complex."Madeline could not help but notice how protective Stephen was of Sadie. It was
At the Crystal River Clubhouse, Lydia held a flute of bubbly and eased onto the couch, a picture of bliss painted across her face.Her best friend, Xenia Garside, caught the look and chuckled. "Madeline's mom just died, and you're smiling?"Lydia chuckled. "Hey, don't get it twisted. Madeline's my stepsister, and I'm bummed about her mom too."Xenia did not buy the act but let it slide. "Madeline's probably a wreck right now, not even thinking about Trevon. Why aren't you making your move instead of hanging out here?"Lydia gave her champagne a swirl. "It's the international students' reunion. We don't all come back home and catch up every day. I'd hate to miss it. Also, since when did I become all about chasing Trevon?"Xenia blinked, surprised. "You're over Mr. Gibson?"All Lydia ever spoke about was Trevon, and Xenia had front-row seats to the drama. She figured Lydia would be all over that chance, but it sounded like she was ready to throw in the towel.Lydia's smile was eni
Hector blinked again, taken aback.Lydia let out a playful laugh. "I'm just messing with you. I honestly didn't expect to run into you today. Weren't you busy with an art show in Ameristan? What brought you back all of a sudden?"Realizing she was only joking, Hector could not hide a twinge of disappointment."You might've heard about the mess a few days back, my great-uncle being pressured into fixing up a painting during his talk. He's not young anymore, and the stress made him sick. I had to come back to see how he was doing."Lydia's eyes briefly sparkled. "Everyone's heard about it. It was my sister who stepped in to help him that day."Hector's brow furrowed, "The same sister you said always picks on you?"That was why the name had rung a bell.Lydia hesitated, biting her lip. "Um… She doesn't always pick on me. Madeline... She's just trying to catch Dad's eye, so she ends up competing with me a lot."This time was just like all the others. Madeline had to make a scene,