Chapter 5 The Lion's Den

Madelyn kept her feelings to herself, her gaze settling briefly on Bryson's hand clasping Janice's before she replied in a flat voice, "Alright."

Not long after, Janice's parents arrived at Verdancy Lane, the news having reached them almost instantly.

A glossy black Rolls-Royce glided to a stop at the curb, drawing curious neighbors out onto the street.

A small crowd gathered as the Suttons hurried over, their eyes darting anxiously.

The moment they recognized the woman from the video, they whisked her away to the hospital for a DNA test.

When the results confirmed that the holdout's wife was truly the Sutton family's missing second daughter, relief and joy rippled through the family.

Plans for a long-awaited reunion sprang into motion.

With hope shimmering in her eyes, Janice dashed to Bryson's side. "Bryson, can we keep Verdancy Lane? My brother-in-law's ancestors are all buried here, and the elders really can't bring themselves to leave."

A flicker of anticipation crossed Madelyn's face as she turned toward Bryson, searching for any hint of his stance.

Bryson's reply came without hesitation, his tone calm and unwavering. "Tell the construction crew to stop all work immediately."

A tight ache twisted in Madelyn's chest, her breath catching as if something heavy had pressed against her ribs. She blinked, eyelashes lowered, swallowing hard against the scratch in her throat. "The project's scope is massive. Explaining this to Ms. Brennan won't be easy."

Bryson shot her a sidelong look, impatience flickering in his eyes. "Make sure you choose your words carefully."

Within the hour, word of the site's abrupt shutdown had already rippled through the company, setting off a flurry of speculation.

The moment Madelyn entered the building, a summons yanked her straight to the chairwoman's office.

Julissa lounged behind her desk, her gaze icy and unblinking. "Care to explain the mess at Verdancy Lane?"

Madelyn answered without flinching, "The holdout's wife is actually Miss Janice Sutton's missing sister. That's why..."

"I'm not interested in excuses," Julissa cut her off, her voice slicing through the air. She hurled a million-dollar pen onto the mahogany desk, the sound echoing sharply. "We've sunk tens of millions into this project, and now everything's on hold. Who's supposed to answer for these losses? You?"

Madelyn forced herself to catch her breath. In her mind, keeping Verdancy Lane intact-no matter whose fault it was-still counted as a victory. At least the orphanage would survive.

Madelyn latched onto the moment, replying with unflinching resolve, "I'll take charge of a new project myself. I'll recover the loss, whatever it takes."

"Recover it? You make it sound effortless! What exactly do you plan to use to make up that gap?" Julissa's frown deepened, irritation flaring in her eyes. "This isn't some ordinary Brennan Group development-we're partnered with the government on this. Don't tell me I kept you glued to Bryson's side just so you could flutter around looking like a pretty social butterfly."

Madelyn was no stranger to Julissa's biting words, but every barb still left a mark.

Part of her longed to fire back, to lay bare the truth that everything Julissa and Bryson had-this entire stronghold-was built on her so-called "pretty social butterfly" skills.

But she couldn't risk it, not yet.

Not until Simon's whereabouts were finally in her grasp.

"The Aurora Mall project can stand toe-to-toe with Verdancy Lane," Madelyn answered, her voice confident. "Let me handle it-I'll negotiate the deal myself."

Everyone in Zrerton recognized the enormous potential of the Aurora Mall project; it was the kind of opportunity that drew every power player in the city like sharks to blood.

As Madelyn predicted, Julissa's mood visibly lightened at the mention of Aurora Mall.

After a tense pause, she drew in a steadying breath and leaned in, her voice lowering to a pointed murmur. "With all your years at this company, how have you failed to grasp basic protocol? When Bryson acts on reckless impulse, it's your duty to rein him in-not enable the chaos."

Madelyn held her tongue. She'd never had any sway over Bryson's decisions-Janice did, but trying to explain that to Julissa was a lost cause.

The moment she left Julissa's office, Madelyn wasted no time. She quickly tracked down Brett Singh's number-the key contact for Aurora Mall-and reached out to lock in a meeting.

At exactly eight that night, Madelyn arrived at Hues Club, stepping inside with her usual unshakable poise.

Downstairs, a row of limited-edition luxury cars gleamed under the streetlights-among them, a custom gold SUV stood out, the only one of its kind in the world.

As Madelyn drew near the private room, raucous laughter spilled into the hallway, sharp and mocking.

"Mr. Yates, you'll finally catch Madelyn in your grasp tonight. Be sure to teach her a lesson."

"With Bryson out of the picture, she's all alone-helpless. Mr. Yates, take this chance to let off some steam however you like."

Christopher Yates lounged at the center of it all. Youngest son of Emilio Yates-the highest-ranking legal official in Zrerton-Christopher was infamous for his unchecked, reckless impulses.

The family's deep-rooted power meant he could get away with nearly anything as long as he didn't step too far over the line. Rumor had it, plenty of women had fallen victim to his predatory games.

The Aurora Mall project, a premium government-backed venture, was helmed by Christopher's older brother, Timothy Yates. Yet, no matter how hard Christopher tried to make a name for himself, he could never outshine Bryson. That simmering resentment extended to anyone associated with Bryson, Madelyn most of all.

She hadn't planned on crossing paths with Christopher today.

Their last encounter-an ill-fated cocktail party where she'd unwittingly insulted him-had earned her nothing but trouble ever since.

The man was notorious for making things difficult, and she could already feel a fresh storm gathering on the other side of that door.

Every instinct screamed at her to turn and leave, but the thought of Simon, and the promise she'd made, pinned her firmly in place. For his sake, she'd walk straight into the lion's den.

She took a calming breath, pushed open the door, and instantly, a dozen eyes swung toward her.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Dixon." Christopher's friend, Jerred Reed, lounged beside Christopher and grinned with open mockery. "You sure know how to make an entrance. Keeping Mr. Yates waiting-does the Brennan Group always show this much 'sincerity'?"

Madelyn smiled coolly, not missing a beat. "I apologize for being late, Mr. Yates. Allow me to make it up to you-three shots of vodka, on the spot, to show I mean it."