The final day's breakfast was bound to be anything but enjoyable.Madeline stepped back, arms folded, her voice icy. "So you take Lydia's word for everything? Trevon, I never took you for a fool. However, to think you would be so blinded by love. Around Lydia, it's like your brain checks out. Lydia having a tough time overseas? Why don't you check in with Cilix and see just how 'tough' it's been for Lydia these past three years? More like living the high life, if you ask me. And even if she's had it rough, what's that got to do with me? Did I make her life difficult? Why should I be the one to wise up?"Trevon's brow creased with concern. "Why are you thinking this way? I thought you getting your papers meant you'd done some soul-searching?"Soul-searching about her past tantrums and irrational behavior. Madeline could not hold back and scoffed. "Me, soul-search? What on earth is it? Trevon, let me tell you why I really went for those documents. I'm sick of you two jerks, flitting a
Madeline's hand, which had been reaching out, froze in place. Chilled by the rain, she slowly pulled back. She had noticed the troubling online chatter and wanted to ask Trevon about his plans—did he need her help? The thought was almost comical. When trouble struck, her instinct was to offer assistance. However, what could she possibly do for him?Despite that, Madeline turned and headed for the elevator. Her path was blocked by an onlooker. "That was Mr. Gibson who just left, wasn't it? Do you know him?""You look so familiar. Are you acquainted with Mr. Gibson, are you his wife?""That's her, that's her. I've seen them return together many times."While talking, someone whipped out a camera and started snapping photos. The flash was blinding. Madeline raised her hand to shield her eyes. "You're mistaken. Please, let me through."The woman who recognized Madeline chuckled. "No mistake here. It's definitely you. Don't be upset, it's not like you're the only one with a cheating hu
The Sanders family, too, found themselves caught in the storm. Scandalous headlines about the elder Sanders sister's betrayal of her younger sibling hit the newsstands. Reporters, not content with just circling The Gibson Group, had laid siege to The Sanders Group's building as well, a testament to the scandal's grip on the public's attention.Cilix was slow to react and ended up stuck at his own front door, unable to leave for work.Inside, Skylar was pacing the room, wringing her hands. "I can't reach Lydia at all. What on earth could be happening?"Lydia lived a solitary life in Trevon's Galloway Villa, a secret known to only a handful. Her phone had been ringing off the hook, and she was too scared to even power it up.Skylar was in the dark about Lydia's plight, fretting over what to do.Cilix's face was a mask of ice as he ordered in a low growl, "Sit down."Skylar's pacing was driving him mad. Feeling a mix of fear and frustration, Skylar reluctantly took a seat beside Cil
Skylar blurted out with fury, "I just knew she was trouble. She's always been jealous of Lydia. Cilix, you've got to get a handle on your daughter."Cilix ignored her outburst and turned to Lydia. "What's the word from Mr. Gibson?"Lydia replied, "The Gibson Group's taken a big hit. Trevon told me to stay put for now, didn't really go into details."Cilix's brow creased with worry, but Lydia seemed oddly pleased as she went on, "Madeline never thought her scheming would drag the Gibson Group into this mess. Just you wait, Trevon won't let her get away with it!"Listening to Lydia's almost giddy laugh, Cilix felt a heavy weight in his chest. One lost in a life of vice, the other too carefree to bother with strategy—how could he possibly leave the Sanders Group in their hands? It was a disaster.Pushing aside his inner turmoil, Cilix asked, "And what about you? What's your plan?"Lydia looked confused. Plan? What plan? Cilix did not really expect her to grasp the situation and said
"About all that buzz with me and Mr. Gibson online, I've got a piece of my mind to share. Trevon and I went way back, bumped into each other again freshman year of high school. We're pretty much childhood sweethearts, and made it official in college. We were the real deal, and our college buddies can back that up. Madeline (yep, the current Mrs. Gibson), she's my sis. However, let's just say we weren't exactly sharing clothes, so Trevon never got the intro. Then Trevon's accident happened, leaving him out cold. Out of love, I was ready to walk down the aisle with him, stand by his side. However, Madeline played her cards, sneaked her way into the Gibson family. When the deal was done and my heart was in pieces, I packed up for a fresh start overseas. Three years overseas, and Trevon still haunts my thoughts. Once back home, I reached out to him, needing to know he was okay. Our bond was undeniable, yet we kept things strictly platonic, nothing more than friends and colleagues. Madeline
Tiptoeing to the security monitor by the door, Madeline switched it on to find a sea of journalists crammed into her doorway.One of them caught sight of the camera and bellowed, "Mrs. Gibson? Miss Sanders? We need you to come out and talk!"The shout made Madeline jump, and she stumbled back a step. Her footsteps were soft but unmistakably echoed to the outside. Immediately, the pounding on the door grew fiercer."Mrs. Gibson's hiding inside, too scared to face us. Guilty conscience, maybe? Is Ms. Sanders telling the truth?"Yeneth, on the other end of the phone, picked up on the tension. "Madeline, what in the world is happening?" Madeline rubbed her chilled arms, trying to sound composed. "Nothing much, just a mob of reporters at my doorstep.""What! Madeline, don't you dare step outside. Those vultures will twist any story to make headlines.""Yeah, I'm aware. I'll call the building's management to handle it."Yeneth paused, then offered, "Should I come over and stay with
Trevon's eyes narrowed just a fraction, a silent challenge to the room. Most of the attendees today were small-time shareholders, and even with Qasim's stake, they barely scraped together a fifth of the Gibson Group's shares. Enough to call for a vote, but not enough to kick him out of the game. Their real play was to pin charges on him before the big meeting, to take him down a notch.Trevon smirked as he eyed Daniel trailing the group. "Get the hotel surveillance out there. And file a police report, claiming someone's trying to smear Mr. Gibson. Let's see who's eager to sling mud."Qasim's expression flickered before smoothing over. The online video was paparazzi gold, no way it could be flawed. He could not fathom the hotel footage showing anything else. But, to his astonishment, it did.The surveillance showed Lydia helping Trevon to his room, then leaving promptly. The following morning, she woke him, and they headed downstairs together.Qasim's face turned thunderous. Trevon
Edith, leaning on Ryan, stepped out of the prayer hall. They glanced back. The hall was shrouded in darkness, Trevon's silhouette barely visible, head bowed.They both sighed."Madam Gibson, are you being too harsh? The young master seemed to handle today's issue well enough, without much fallout for the Gibson Group," Ryan remarked.Edith shook her head. "Small issues can lead to big mistakes.""He knows that, yet he forgot."Ryan let out a soft sigh. "The young master has had his own tough times.""Who hasn't? However, you know what happens when you drop your guard. Remember the car crash three years ago? It was a close call..."Edith's voice trembled as she recounted the past. "To this day, we still don't know who was behind it all. We're just a family of women, and there are plenty of wolves out there, just waiting to tear us apart. Trevon's been careful, not slipping up once in three years, and that's the only reason he's managed to hold on to the CEO seat. However, it's li