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
Trevon's brow creased ever so slightly. "He hurt someone, so the cops have him now."She was silent for a moment before pressing on. "I want to see him."Trevon finally met her icy stare, realizing she did not seem to have any insider knowledge."I'll take care of what happened yesterday. You're not in the best shape, and that chill's really gotten to you. The doctor says you need a couple more days in the hospital. Don't worry about anything else."Madeline glared at Trevon. "So, is it that I shouldn't worry or that I'm not allowed to?"Trevon's hand twitched, his voice turning frosty. "Do you not realize you'd be dead from the cold if I were just a few minutes late yesterday? This isn't your concern. Just focus on getting better.""How can it not be my concern when I was nearly killed?"Madeline's voice dripped with disdain. The whole thing was laughable.Yanely might be the Gibson family's cherished daughter, but she avoided involvement in the family business. Who was desper
Caleb rushed in at the sound, taking in the mess. "Madeline, stay put. Don't move."He could not find her assigned nurse and had to grab someone from a different ward to tidy up.He lifted Madeline back onto the bed, his voice laced with concern. "You're still weak. You should be resting. Anything you need, just buzz for the nurse."Madeline offered a sheepish smile. "I just wanted some water.""That's what nurses are for. Where's yours, by the way?"The private ward nurses were supposed to be on call one-to-one. He had made a point of it just yesterday. Where had she gone?The nurse rushed in, breathless with apologies. "I'm so sorry. Mr. Gibson said they didn't need me, so I left."The nurse was almost in tears. The job was a godsend, and losing it would be a disaster.Madeline's face was pale.Caleb frowned as he said, "Enough. It's no big deal. Go grab a pitcher of water, will you?"The nurse hurried off with the pitcher in hand.A brief silence settled in the room befor
Trevon bit his lip, forcing himself to recover from the shock of the memory.As he looked down at Lydia, who was crying so pitifully, his heart felt heavy.Feeling his stare, Lydia's sobs grew louder. "Trevon, please, for the sake of our childhood, help me. I can't face prison."The bond of their childhood, was it?Trevon's mind wandered back to his childhood days.His dad had just died, and they were back in his hometown for the funeral. He bolted from the somber service and ended up taking a hard spill, his hands and knees bloody.However, he did not want to go back, so he walked around aimlessly.A little girl in a pink princess dress froze when she saw him, her eyes wide with concern. "Hey! You're hurt!"She was not scared off by his messy state. Instead, she hurried over and asked, "Does it hurt, mister?"Trevon pulled his hand away.The girl plopped down on the ground.She did not cry, though. She just got up and said, "That must hurt. I know when I take a fall, it hur
Trevon pursed his lips as he said, "I'll be right back.""I'm coming too!"He turned to Lydia, eyebrows raised in surprise.Lydia smiled sheepishly. "I mean, I'm her sister. She's in the hospital, and the Sanders family should show their faces, right?"However, Trevon was not having it.He remembered Madeline's words from the morning, laced with doubt, and decided it was best if Lydia did not show up just yet.Without another word, Trevon grabbed Simon and strode out, not once glancing back.Lydia gripped the doorframe, seething with frustration and anger.…Instead of heading straight to the hospital, Trevon made a detour to the Angelic Garden Residence.He might have been in a hurry, but he could not forget how Madeline had once cared for him. Bringing her some clothes was the least he could do.The sound of shuffling came from Madeline's bedroom. She could not have checked herself out, could she? That would be madness.With a frown, Trevon swung the door open, ready to c
In her slumber, Madeline's features softened. Her usual fierceness was gone and replaced by a delicate tranquility.If she were still her old self, their interactions would have been quite enjoyable, even more so than with Lydia.However, perhaps due to the weight of Trevon's stare, Madeline's long lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes.Trevon looked away, setting the clothes he had brought on the nearby nurse's station.Recognizing him, Madeline propped herself up and leaned back against the pillows."Mr. Gibson, what brings you here?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.Trevon gritted his teeth. Was she that distant with Caleb too?Swallowing his frustration, he gestured with his chin toward the bag at the bed's head. "Grandma sent me with some fresh clothes for you."Madeline's expression changed, and a wave of red swept over her cheeks. The thought of him picking out her clothes must have felt like an invasion of her privacy.Had he seen all her soft, blush-col
After Lydia finished her shift, she made a point of going upstairs to find Trevon."Mr. Gibson was at the hospital this morning," Simon informed her."He hasn't returned?!"Simon shook his head as Lydia walked away, her spirit clearly shaken.Lydia sat in her red sedan, shrouded in darkness, and the interior lights were turned off by choice.Her face contorted with rage as she hissed, "Curse you, Madeline! Trevon is mine, and you'll never steal him away!"With that, she sped out of the garage.All seemed well until she took a corner too fast and slammed into the guardrail.The force threw Lydia forward, only to be snapped back by her seatbelt. A burst of sharp pain followed.Dazed, it took her a moment to register the concerned shouts from outside."Hey, you okay in there? Can you hear me?"A weak smile crossed Lydia's lips, tears streaming down as she dialed Trevon's number.Trevon was mid-meal when his phone rang. He stood up abruptly and asked, "You're not hurt, are you?