The Kiss that Sparked it All

Regina stormed off to her father’s study without a backward glance, leaving Madeline sprawled on the floor, seething as she watched her sister’s retreating figure.

“Regina, you’re going to pay for what you said today, I swear it!” Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

A maid downstairs saw Madeline on the ground and hurried over to help her up.

“Miss, how did you manage to take such a tumble? Are you hurt?”

But Madeline wasn’t having any of it. To the maid’s shock, Madeline slapped her across the face without a word. “I know you’re all in cahoots with her. You just came to laugh at me, didn’t you? Get out! Get out now!”

“I didn’t-” the maid whimpered, covering her cheek as she scurried away, leaving Madeline alone, silently raging.

She knew stirring up more trouble would only attract the attention of Francis, and that would mean trouble for all of them; especially now that Regina had Nolan backing her up, making her practically untouchable even to Francis. But Madeline had to rely on Francis for everything.

“It’s okay,” Madeline told herself, trying to calm down. “Once Domingo takes care of Regina, the Tanner household will be my mom’s and mine. No one will dare to cross us again. All of this will be ours.”

Quickly, Madeline went back to her room to change her clothes. As she was about to leave, she bumped into Imogen.

“Where are you off to now, changing outfits again? What’s going on with you lately? Is there no room in this house big enough for your ego?” Imogen seemed displeased. “I’ve barely been here for three

months, and it’s been nothing but instability. Can’t you stay home for once and keep me company? That little wench is back today, do you really want me to deal with her alone?”

The more Regina dug, the harder it was for Imogen to cope. Plus, being pregnant made her feel even more off-kilter.

Sometimes, she inadvertently fell into Regina’s traps, and the last thing she wanted was to bring up Domingo in front of Francis again.

After all, Domingo was her ex, and Francis was her current husband. No matter how open-minded, no husband could be expected to tolerate discussions about an ex.

Madeline forced a smile. She needed to double check the plan with Domingo. She was determined to ensure Regina would never trouble them again. “Mom, you’re carrying my little brother. Who would dare disrespect you? You just need to sit back, relax on the couch, and focus on your health. I’m doing this for our future. I’m going out so much these days only to secure a peaceful life for us. I’ll tell you once everything is settled.”

Imogen looked at her skeptically. “What exactly can you do for our future? All I want is that you would just stay home and hit the books for once. Your dad might not say it, but he does care about your grades.”