Madeline was in distress, her hand instinctively clutching her stomach. She knew she should not have come to Yates' home.Sherah, whether out of shock or a sense of betrayal, leaned silently against the wall.Madeline's voice was icy. "Radd, Zander, if you dare to kill Shenah today, you won't get away with it. Will you even be alive to spend that money you're talking about?"Radd took a gulp of his drink. "Once you're all dead, I'll spend the cash any way I please."Zander looked away silently.Madeline sneered, turning to Sherah. "This is the son you've been fiercely defending!"Sherah's face went pale, her silence unbroken, as tears streamed down her cheeks.Radd bellowed, "Enough talk! Don't get in the way of my payday!"With that, he lunged forward, knife in hand.Suddenly, a loud 'bang' echoed as the window shattered, and a fireball hurtled through the gap.More fireballs followed, strategically hitting the sofa and curtains, which burst into flames.Madeline, catching
The smoke was suffocating. Tears blurred Madeline's vision, and a cough escaped her, accidentally dialing Trevon's number. She held her breath, not hanging up. The phone rang insistently, a grim soundtrack to the chaos.Then, silence. No answer. A wry smile flickered across Madeline's face.Madeline was in a tough spot, staring down the barrel of disaster but still clinging to a sliver of hope. It was almost laughable.A stone's throw away, the Yates family was in the middle of a heated argument, but the thick smoke quickly overcame them, silencing their quarrels.Madeline tried to tell them, "Conserve your energy and duck down," but the words would not come out. If she dared to remove the damp cloth from her face, the smoke would send her into a coughing fit....It was pitch black outside, and only when the Yates family's house erupted in flames did the villagers notice the fire.By the time the crowd arrived, the blaze was raging."Get water, quick! Put it out!"Everyon
Caleb was about to follow Trevon's lead and charge into the blaze when Daniel grabbed his arm. "You're a doctor. We'll need you when they're out, so don't be reckless. Mr. Gibson will get Mrs. Gibson out safely."Caleb bit his lip, realizing Daniel was making sense, and reluctantly stood down.Flames roared all around inside.The Yates family was sprawled near the doorway, overcome by the smoke.Trevon scanned the area, but Madeline was nowhere to be seen."Madeline! Madeline!" he shouted.Where could she be?Knowing Madeline, she would not just wander off. She would find the safest spot to hide.Trevon tried the bathroom door, but it would not budge."Madeline, are you in there?" he called out, but got no reply.With a grimace of determination, he kicked the door down and finally spotted Madeline in a corner.The smoke was thinner there, but she had collapsed.A soaked towel lay discarded on the floor.Trevon rushed to her side. "Madeline! Madeline!"She was motionless,
"Ugh…"Madeline's eyes fluttered open to the stark white of the hospital walls. Her mind slowly pieced together the memories of the fire.She had not perished in the flames, she had been saved."My baby!"Madeline's heart raced as she suddenly thought of the baby growing inside her. She reached down, her fingers brushing against the gentle swell of her belly, and only then did she let out a sigh of relief.Trevon's voice, deep and resonant, broke the silence. "You shouldn't have taken such a risk if you're worried about your baby!"Madeline turned to see him sitting at the edge of her bed. The hospital was so cramped that there was barely enough space for a tiny chair beside her bed.Trevon was perched on it, knees awkwardly bent, looking like he might crush the flimsy thing at any second."Did you rescue me?"She noticed the burns on Trevon's hands and face, which seemed even more alarming with the ointment applied.He simply nodded.Madeline's gaze dropped as she whispered
Deep into the night, Trevon's fever spiked as expected.Daniel glanced at the thermometer, which read 102.7 degrees Fahrenheit, and his expression soured. "Mr. Gibson, maybe we should go back to Redenbaugh City. You can't keep pushing yourself like this."It was going to be a problem sooner or later.Trevon's fever-reddened face was a shade of concern. "What's the hurry? We're already in a hospital. Go grab some anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing meds."Daniel was at a loss for words. He was about to argue with Trevon, but his icy stare silenced him, and he reluctantly went to fetch a doctor.The doctor arrived with a nurse and immediately looked more serious. "This fever is too high. You need to take some fever medicine and get on an IV."Trevon's face spelled out his displeasure. "Just write the prescription."The doctor replied, "An IV will help you recover quicker than pills."Trevon remained silent, his stance unyielding.The doctor grew frustrated. "Why won't you liste
The room was cramped to begin with, and with an extra bed, it felt like the walls were closing in. The nurse pushed the beds together, and Trevon climbed onto his with a scowl, bracing himself for the IV needle."You're all wound up," the nurse said, a note of exasperation in her voice as she patted his hand."Relax."Trevon's glare could have frozen the sun, and the nurse shuddered. "Relaxing helps, you know."Madeline could not watch that any longer. "Stop scaring her. If you make her cry, you're going to get jabbed by a shaky hand. That'll hurt worse."Trevon did not say a word. He took a deep breath and let his arm go limp.Once the needle was in, they all exhaled in unison.Madeline, feeling the weight of the day, lay down and turned away from Trevon, curling into a small cocoon under the covers.He hesitated, his mouth opening and closing, unsure of how to break the silence.The air hung heavy between them once more.After a brief pause, Trevon, realizing Madeline was n
Trevon's injury had not flared up again.Once Madeline was sure of it, she left him be and did not say another word to them for the rest of the trip.Trevon, looking down, did not seem to mind.Daniel fidgeted, touching his nose and pushing up his glasses more than he usually did.When they arrived at the Redenbaugh City Hospital, Madeline would not let Trevon come with her. She went alone to see how the Yates family was doing.Trevon tried to protest, but Daniel held him back. "Mr. Gibson, you're familiar with Mrs. Gibson's fiery temper. If you tag along, she might just blow a fuse. I think she still cares about you, so let's not ruffle her feathers again, okay?"Trevon reluctantly backed down.Inside the hospital, Caleb looked pretty grim. "Zander's awake, Mrs. Jeppesen and her husband are still out cold. The doctors aren't sure if they'll come around."He handed Madeline a phone. "Zander handed this over, saying it belongs to Mrs. Jeppesen."It was filled with messages and
Lydia was escorted away by the police.Skylar felt completely lost and quickly called Cilix."The police have Lydia. You have to help her."Cilix was swamped with work.The Sanders Group was on the brink of going public, which meant rolling out a fresh line of fashion designs for the launch. On top of that, they were ramping up their scale and production capacity.His plate was more than full.His brow creased at the call. "What's she done this time?"The moment Skylar heard the accusation, she bristled with irritation."What do you mean Lydia's in trouble again? It's that snake Madeline stirring up drama, trying to pin Bella's death on Lydia.lWhat's Lydia done to deserve this? Just because she and Trevon have history, Madeline's got to spin these wild lies to take Lydia down?"Cilix listened, his expression turning stormy. "Madeline called the cops?"Skylar began to cry. "Who else would it be? Bella's gone, and now we're her punching bags."Cilix had no patience for tears
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