It was Trevon's prestigious black card from the bank.Madeline had seen and sorted through Trevon's things more times than she could count.Madeline looked away, her voice tinged with disdain. "You know, you're right. Handing out such measly gifts is pretty tacky."Lydia was caught off guard, struggling to keep up.Madeline gave Lydia a knowing smile, snatched the black card from the counter, and headed to the neighboring jewelry store with Yeneth in tow."It's a baby shower, after all. We should at least get a gold lock."Madeline did not wait for Lydia to catch her breath. Instead, she instructed the clerk to bring out every gold lock they had."You're not going to fuss about the gold lock I pick being too pricey, are you?"Lydia mustered a smile, realizing that Madeline was about to play her at her own game. "Of course not. It's just a gold lock."Madeline gave her a piercing look and told the clerk, "Pack them all up. I'm taking everything."The display was crammed with g
Madeline held his stare. The fury in his eyes was unmistakable, but what did it matter?Trevon's affection for Lydia and his allegiance to the Sanders family had already placed him on the opposite side of the battlefield.A sales clerk whispered nearby, "Miss, are you going to purchase the gold lock?"Madeline snapped out of her daze and eyed the array of locks before her, finally settling on one that was small and charming."Let's go with this one."She handed her card to the clerk again. The clerk took a quick look and completed the sale without further comment.Despite the missed chance at a bigger sale, the clerk felt a pang of sympathy for Madeline. She was obviously more attractive and poised than that other woman.Her husband must be out of his mind!When Madeline glanced back, Trevon was nowhere to be seen.Yeneth's voice trembled with concern. "I caught a glimpse of Trevon. After the mess today, he won't give you a hard time, is he?"Madeline tucked the lock away and
Madeline had braced herself for that response, holding her phone at arm's length. Once Riley finished her tirade, Madeline replied with a hint of hurt."Mom, you know I'm broke. I can't afford anything fancy."Riley snapped, "So typical of the Sanders' to not care. Treating a married-off daughter like she's water under the bridge, not even a decent dowry. Pathetic."Madeline bit her tongue.Riley pressed on. "If you've got no money, that's fine, but you can't just skip out on a birthday gift for Yanely."Madeline was confused, symbolized by an imaginary question mark."Didn't your mom leave behind a bunch of paintings before she fell ill? Just pick one and give it to her."Madeline grew furious, but it was tangled with bewilderment.Riley and Yanely's disdain for Madeline was no secret, largely because they were ashamed of Bella's mental illness.However, why would they want anything to do with Bella's art?That request came out of nowhere. Who had been stirring the pot?How
The Crystal River Clubhouse sat by the riverbank, boasting a picturesque scene.By the time Madeline arrived with the cake, the club's music was already booming.The sun had not even set, and the young crowd was already in full swing.The relentless beats grated on Madeline, who wanted nothing more than to drop off the cake and escape the chaos.Suddenly, her phone buzzed. It was Trevon."Where are you?"Madeline stepped back and let the noisy backdrop speak for itself.After a brief silence, Trevon instructed, "Stay put."Madeline was speechless. She was not about to wait around, so she left the cake with the kitchen crew and headed out.At the door, she nearly collided with Caleb as he stepped out of his car.Dressed to the nines in a crisp white suit with a red pocket square crisply folded into a triangle, he looked like a dashing prince from a fairy tale.Caleb strode over quickly. "You're not feeling well. What brings you here?"Madeline offered him a weak smile. "It's
Madeline's emotions went from shock to rage before she finally regained her composure.Yanely's statement was exactly what Madeline expected. Only the Sanders family knew she still had Bella's paintings in her possession.Lydia was crafty, already cozying up to her future sister-in-law before officially joining the family.Madeline scoffed, "Do you actually believe Lydia?"Her voice softened with a tinge of sadness. "You know my mom's really sick, right? The medical bills are through the roof. I'm broke, and all I've got to sell are her paintings. If I had any extra cash, do you think I would be living like this?"Yanely had to admit she believed it. She could not help but scorn Madeline, who was genuinely destitute.Madeline did not have a single item of clothing, jewelry, or designer bag to her name. She was nothing like the rest of their elite circle.Being stuck with such a poor sister-in-law had made Yanely the subject of many jokes.Yanely frowned, puzzled, "Why would Lyd
Madeline stopped short, then let out a soft laugh.She thought the excitement was over, but it was just getting started. It was not so much excitement as it was a farce."Sure. Lead the way."She was curious to see just how much Trevon would play favorites.The waiter headed toward the back of the house, and Madeline asked in confusion, "Why are we going to the kitchen?"The waiter grinned. "Mr. Gibson said the cake's looking a bit rough around the edges and wanted you to give it a touch-up."Madeline hesitated for a moment but then followed.She had it all wrong. She thought Trevon would pressure her about the painting, but it was just about the cake.He had not completely disappointed her, after all.The waiter opened the door to the freezer room and explained, "The cake's too big for the fridge, so we've put it in here for now. Mr. Gibson complained that the flowers on the cake were all askew and needed fixing. I'll fetch the cream for that. "Madeline, glancing at the thr
Trevon immediately tried calling Madeline."The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later."He had told Madeline to wait for him. Where could she have gone?"Head to the security office."Trevon was met by the Crystal River Club's manager, Gary Long, a man in his thirties who was visibly sweating bullets."Mrs. Gibson left the club ten minutes ago. After that, the security footage... It's just vanished."The Crystal River Club was no stranger to trouble. Their security was breached previously during a scandal involving a high-profile heiress from Redenbaugh City.That did not bode well.Trevon's fingers twitched with unease as he instructed Simon, "Get in touch with the Transportation Department. Find out if Madeline left the area. What was she driving?"Simon, caught off guard, nodded and fumbled with his phone, unsure of his next move. With no better option, he dialed Daniel, who was all the way in Ameristan, with a heavy heart.The commotion
Madeline's eyes fluttered open to the harsh glare of a hospital room. It took her a moment to adjust to the brightness and regain her bearings.The thought of her unborn child sent her into a panic, and she sat up too quickly, sending the medical tubes into a noisy chaos."My baby!"Yeneth, jolted from her nap at the bedside, quickly asked, "Madeline, you're awake! Are you in pain anywhere?"Madeline's grip tightened on her hand. "Yeneth, the baby? Is my baby still..."Her voice wavered from worry to doubt, and then fear."The baby's fine. Just relax," Yeneth reassured her.Madeline let out a relieved sigh and eased back onto the pillow.Before she could say more, Trevon entered the room with Edith in tow."Madeline, sweetheart, you're awake."Edith's eyes were puffy and red, a testament to her tears. She gently pressed Madeline back down and held her hand tightly, as if she could transfer her strength through their touch."You really took the bullet for Yanely this time. Wh