Chapter 48
Chapter 48 He Feels Like Puking
That was because Cameron was the Taylor Family’s illegitimate daughter, while Madeline was the daughter of an illegitimate daughter. This meant that Madeline had no rights in the family. Madeline had met Michael a few times, but they hadn’t properly talked to each other in the past. The only time Madeline ever spoke to Michael and Crystal was when Madeline had paid a visit to the Taylor Residence.
Madeline was walking directly toward Michael and Crystal back then, and she couldn’t avoid them in time, so she had no choice but to bow to them before greeting them as Mr. and Mrs. Wendel. Crystal didn’t even glance in Madeline’s direction and simply walked past her with the aura of a haughty queen. Michael, on the other hand, only gave her a nod.
His movements were elegant, and his expression was gentle—he was an extremely handsome and mesmerizing man. Time was on his side as he didn’t seem to have aged much over the years. Although he was the father of four sons, he looked like he was only in his thirties. He was used to wearing a pair of round, gold-framed glasses, and he was always dressed in a well-ironed suit with a spotless white shirt under it. He was tall, charismatic, and elegant at the same time.
However, Madeline heard rumors saying that this was just the way he appeared to be. Beneath the gentle and elegant front that he put up, Michael was actually a heartless and vicious man when he was doing business. Both Michael and Nigel were the same age, and they used to be classmates in university.
They had both taken over the Wendel and Taylor Corporations at the same time. That year, when they both inherited their respective companies, both companies had been rather similar in terms of reputation and financial power. However, Taylor Corporation was currently only in the top 100 most influential companies in the world, while Wendel Corporation had made its way up to the top 50. Michael’s skills and talent were evident through his achievements.
Madeline was immersed in her thoughts when Michael’s voice rang in her ear and disrupted her train of thought. “Madeline…” Michael uttered. “I believe you already know about your birth history, and… I’d like to meet you. Would that be okay?” His manner of questioning was too polite for her to reject him.
“Sure…” She told him the address to Rabbit’s Den and the room number she was in. It sounded like Michael was talking to someone beside him for a while, but he got back to her soon enough. “I can reach the place in 30 minutes. Would it be okay for you to wait for me there?” he asked.
“That’s fine. Drive safe,” she replied. After ending the call, she looked at Sebastian with exasperation. “Mr. Wendel wants to meet me now… Why don’t you bring the presents home first? I’m afraid Joel might start crying if we keep the boys waiting for too long.”
Sebastian believed that the two boys were probably having the time of their lives with his father. They probably don’t have the time to miss Madeline, and I don’t think they would cry over her. However, being the caring gentleman that he was, he decided not to say such hurtful words in front of Madeline.
Since Sebastian wasn’t too interested in meeting Michael, he figured that it’d be more meaningful for him to spend his time with the two adorable kids at home. He could feel himself itching to squish Joel’s cheeks whenever he thought of the young boy. I just want to hug him! “Sure!” Sebastian took the gifts they had bought for the kids. “I’ll leave Weylam and Gregor with you. Once you’re done, I’ll get them to send you home.”
“It’s fine,” Madeline said hastily. “I can be on my own. You don’t need to leave anyone with me.” She knew that Quinton, Weylam, Gregor, and Desmond were Sebastian’s assistants, bodyguards, and drivers. Since the first time she met Sebastian, these four individuals had always been circling around him. For him to hand two of his men over to her… She felt like she wasn’t important enough for that.
“It’s decided.” Sebastian brought the gifts out and turned around right before he stepped out of the door. “Madeline, you should remember that you’re no longer the old you! You’re now my legitimate wife and the mother to my sons. You’re the woman of the Hart Family!
You have to remember that you’re no longer the poor girl who used to stay in other people’s houses. Now, you have the same right as everyone else to voice your opinions. As long as you’re following the law and as long as you’re doing things with logic and purpose, you don’t need to give in to anyone, no matter who you encounter. You don’t have to be afraid!”
He curled his lips into a smile, and his sharp and gorgeous features made him look like a male god under the warm glow of the chandelier. “Remember these six words, Madeline… Don’t be afraid, just do it!”
She stared at him speechlessly. For someone like him, who has such mesmerizing and elegant looks, to say stereotypical things like ‘don’t be afraid, just do it!’… These words don’t fit his image at all! She nodded at him speechlessly, and he beamed before turning around and walking off at a leisurely pace.
Madeline returned to the couch and took a glass of juice for herself as her mind began to wander. I wonder how Uncle Nigel and Dan are doing now.
Meanwhile, the two men she was thinking about had successfully met Phoebe once more. Phoebe ran to them frantically. “How are things, Nigel and Dan? Did Madeline agree to let me go? Can I leave now?”
“You want to leave?” Dan glared at her hatefully. “Stop dreaming, Phoebe! You’ll never be able to leave for your whole life!”
Phoebe was stunned. “W-What happened, Dan? I’m your stepmother! Why are you talking to me like that? Have you been possessed?”
“Why am I talking to you like that?” Dan held up the files that had been in his hands the whole time before throwing them in Phoebe’s face. “Take a look at this, and you’ll know why I’m talking to you like that!”
Phoebe picked up the papers in a daze. As she flipped through a few pages, her face began to turn pale. Fear surfaced in her eyes as her body began to shake with fear. “No… This can’t be real! This isn’t real! You guys must be lying!” She threw the papers on the ground and stepped on them before pointing at Nigel.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
“You’re lying to me! You ungrateful, heartless man! You must have found a woman outside! You want to get rid of me, but you don’t want people to think that you’re ungrateful, so you came up with a lie like this! You can’t be this evil, Nigel. My dad sacrificed his life to save Dan, so your family owes my dad his life. You can’t do this to me!”
The Taylor Family owes Bryan his life! I’ve heard this sentence a thousand times, and I feel like my ears are about to rot, Nigel thought. In the past, whenever he heard Phoebe say this, he would feel a lot of guilt toward her, and he would always agree to anything she asked. But did he really owe Bryan his life? No! He didn’t. Bryan was the one who scammed him.
Nigel had stepped into the intricate trap that Bryan laid out, and he had ended up marrying an ugly and rough woman. He had tolerated the disgust he felt for the woman and stayed in a relationship with her for more than 20 years.
When he thought about it now, Phoebe wasn’t the daughter of his son’s savior at all. Instead, she was the daughter of his enemy, who had heartlessly plotted against him. Just the thought of it made him feel like puking!