Chapter 5 They are not worthy of being my family

Nate said angrily, "Madelyn, are you seriously considering cutting ties with your family?"

"People who use me like a pawn and blame me without shame have no right to call themselves my family, " Madelyn replied, her words slow and deliberate.

Her words hit Nate like a slap in the face, leaving him visibly shaken. "How dare you criticize us? We gave you everything high society could offer-what more do you want?" Nate demanded.

Madelyn responded with a calm indifference, "Do you honestly think I care about any of that? All those so-called privileges of high society mean nothing to me..."

She let out a soft laugh, leaving the rest unsaid, but her disdain was unmistakable.

Fury surged through Nate, and he raised his hand, intending to slap her. But, mindful of the public setting, he restrained himself and instead shoved her hard on the shoulder. In such a public setting, the shove was especially humiliating.

"We've treated you so well, and this is how you repay us? You want to sever ties with us? Fine! I'll have Dad freeze your credit cards. Let's see how smug you'll be then!"

With that, Nate stormed off without sparing her another glance. To him, this sister was nothing but a useless burden. If she didn't know gratitude, then she'd have to face the consequences of life without the Clark family.

Caught off guard by the shove, Madelyn stumbled and nearly hit the edge of a table. Daniel stepped forward just in time, steadying her with a firm grip.

"Thank you, " Madelyn said with a smile, straightening herself.

Neither of them noticed the mysterious camera across the street, its lens trained on them, snapping away furiously.

"Are you alright?" Daniel asked, his face full of concern. Then, with a hint of pride, he added, "Once you're back in the fold, no one will dare mess with you again!"

Madelyn's smile widened, a rare warmth spreading through her as she felt the comfort of genuine care. "I'm fine. They won't be able to do anything to me."

"When we heard you'd gone back to the Clark family, we all thought you'd finally get the life of comfort and respect you deserved. Who could've imagined they'd treat you like this?"

Daniel said, his indignation still evident.

"Don't worry, " he continued, eager to reassure her. "Geoffrey set aside a budget just for security. We can hire a personal bodyguard for you, so you won't have to worry about your safety!"

He seemed determined to ease any concerns she might have. "If there's anything troubling you, just let me know. As long as you're willing to come back, I'll make sure it's taken care of! We've hit so many roadblocks at work lately, and we're all waiting for you..."

"Alright, " Madelyn replied with a smile, opening her iPad to review the projects displayed on the screen. "The only thing I need to do right now is finalize my divorce. That's it."

The next morning, Madelyn arrived early at the courthouse.

She thought she'd beaten everyone there, but as soon as she stepped out of her car, she spotted Jason's Maybach already parked.

She couldn't help but smirk at the irony. Showing up this early? Clearly, he couldn't wait to end their marriage.

As she approached, the car door swung open, and Jason stepped out, his long legs carrying him swiftly to her. His expression was tense, barely concealing his anger. "You'd better explain this, " he said, tossing a stack of photos at her feet.

The pictures scattered across the ground, but Madelyn quickly caught one before it fell. A single glance was enough to recognize the scene-it was from the café yesterday.

The moment Nate had shoved her, Daniel had stepped in to steady her, preventing her from falling.

The photos captured that precise moment, with Daniel's hand on her shoulder and Madelyn looking up at him with a grateful smile. The angle made the interaction appear far more intimate than it was.

"So that's why you want a divorce-already got yourself a new boyfriend, huh?"

Jason sneered.

His tone was biting, sharper than Madelyn had ever heard before. She was momentarily surprised but chose not to let it bother her.