"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,
It was over half an hour before Lydia made it back to where Xenia was waiting.Xenia was getting antsy, and the moment she saw Lydia, she closed in. "Is that the real reason you let Trevon go? Pretty bold move."Most of the crowd was buzzing about Mr. Hector Ferguson, raving that the Fergusons had the Gibsons beat, hands down, and maybe even had a richer legacy. "Xenia's eyes sparkled with respect as she gazed at Lydia.Lydia let out a derisive snort.The Ferguson fortune was all in Stephen's grip. Hector was just a fashion designer with a bit of clout, but he was no match for Trevon.Still, the Fergusons were no small fry."I'm getting out of here," Lydia announced, grabbing her stuff.Xenia's eyes widened in panic. "You're bailing just like that? We haven't even really mingled yet. Weren't you all about preparing for your trip abroad and wanting to mix it up with the international crowd?"Lydia arched an eyebrow. "Done with that."Xenia blinked, puzzled.Done already? She
Sherah left the Sunshine Medical Center and went back to her home that same night.Her family was not big.The in-laws were long gone, and her older daughter had tied the knot, leaving just her husband, Radd Yates and her son, Zander Yates.She came home from the market to find Zander unexpectedly at the house."Zander?"He was sitting on the front steps with a cell phone, and when he heard her, he looked up excitedly. "Mom, you're back!"He dove into Sherah's bag, searching for something good. However, his face fell when he handed the bag back."No snacks? No treats?"Just potatoes and onions. Not a single slice of meat.Sherah flashed a smile. "I had no idea you'd be back, so I didn't pick up anything. There's no fresh meat left at the market now. Let's wait for tomorrow, I promise to prepare a feast for you then."They stepped inside the house.While putting things away, Sherah quizzed him, "So, Zander, what brings you home so early? I thought you still had a while before
Sherah did not answer him. Instead, she cried out, "Ouch! Let me go! Zander, help me!"Radd was strong, and she felt like her scalp might rip off.Radd hit her again. "Quiet down, you! Are you going to spill it or not?"He then shoved Sherah to the floor and kicked her as she fell. Zander watched silently, his expression dark as he looked at Sherah.After what felt like an eternity, Sherah could not take it anymore and blurted out, "I'll talk. I'll talk."Radd finally paused, eased himself into a chair by the dining table, and took a long swig of wine, his head thrown back.Sherah, trying to steady herself, stole a look at her son, her pride and joy, only to find him staring blankly, seemingly oblivious to the chaos around him.Radd's voice was a low growl. "Out with it already!"Shivering, Sherah rushed to explain, "I'll talk, I'll talk."She wiped away her tears and continued, "The patient I was caring for woke up suddenly, ran off, and had an accident. She died, and the hos