Chapter 61

Chapter 61:

“You’re welcome, Mr. Johns,” Andrew said with a gentle smile, his tone disarmingly casual. “After all, Madisyn is practically like a sister to me.”

Dane’s expression darkened, the pleasant façade slipping.

Andrew, noticing the shift, tilted his head slightly, his innocent smile never wavering. “Why the serious face, Mr. Johns? Don’t tell me you don’t like me?” His playful look seemed to mock the tension, but before things could escalate, Madisyn stepped in.

“Dane, let’s go inside.”

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Her words cut through the tension, defusing the moment. Dane, though still angry, forced a smile as he glanced at Andrew. “Why wouldn’t I like you? After all, a friend of Waylon’s is a friend of mine. Goodbye, Mr. Klein.”

With that, Dane turned and walked away with Madisyn, leaving Andrew standing alone.

Andrew sighed, rubbing his forehead with a helpless smile. Pursuing Madisyn was going to be tougher than he thought.

Most people had just one father-in-law, but Andrew felt like he was dealing with four—one real one and three younger “fathers-in-law.” Wait, Waylon wasn’t included. He was too naïve to ever catch on to the situation.

As Madisyn and Dane walked side by side along the darkened path, the cool breeze wrapped around them. The silence between them was thick, weighted by the unspoken tension that Dane seemed to carry. Madisyn could sense it, so she stayed quiet.

Finally, Dane broke the silence. “Am I being too hard on you?”

“No,” Madisyn replied softly.

“I’m not trying to keep you from making friends,” Dane said, his jaw tightening. “I’m just worried about you.”

“I know,” Madisyn said, her voice warm with understanding. She could feel the protective concern of her family, and it comforted her.

Dane reached out, gently patting her head. “You’re doing great at Natural Beauty. Today’s sales were impressive.”

Madisyn smiled at the compliment. “Natural Beauty has a strong foundation. It wasn’t all me.”

Dane looked at her, his expression softening. But as thoughts of Andrew crept back into his mind, unease settled in. He realized he couldn’t keep voicing his concerns so openly—it would only burden her with his worries.

Next time, Dane would make sure to have a private word with Andrew.

Meanwhile, Andrew was driving when, out of nowhere, he sneezed. He shook his head, puzzled. Someone had to be speaking ill of him!

The night passed quietly, giving way to the golden rays of morning. As the sun bathed the earth, Madisyn stirred awake, feeling the warmth on her face. She stretched, then made her way downstairs.

Elaine was smiling as she waited for Madisyn to join her for breakfast. Dane was there too.

Elaine handed her a warm cup of milk while Dane, ever the caring brother, offered her a freshly peeled egg.

“Madisyn, why don’t you take a break today?” Dane asked, his concern evident. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately.”

Madisyn shook her head, a gentle smile on her lips. “I’m fine. Really, I’m not tired.”

In truth, this was nothing compared to what she used to handle. Back then, she had to keep the Chapman family’s business afloat almost single-handedly. Jeffry was incapable and liked to cause trouble. He would have driven the company into the ground multiple times if not for her intervention.

Elaine, with a playful glint in her eye, took Madisyn’s hand and said, “Let’s go shopping today! Please?”

Madisyn couldn’t help but notice the odd undertone in Elaine’s voice, and how both Elaine and Dane seemed unusually eager for her to stay away from the office. Something was definitely up.

“Okay,” Madisyn agreed, but her mind was already spinning.

As she took out her phone, messages from Jared flooded her screen. She tapped on his name, curious to see what he had to say.

It didn’t take long for Madisyn to piece together that something was going on with Natural Beauty.

“Boss, I didn’t realize you’d taken over as president of Natural Beauty. I found out when I was enjoying a show.”

“But how dare the Chapman family target you? Do you want me to ruin the Chapman family?”

“That star who had an allergic reaction before—turns out she’s from their entertainment division.”

Madisyn’s mind quickly connected the dots. The troublesome star, who had once claimed to have an allergic reaction after using Natural Beauty’s product, was stirring up trouble again, and the Chapman family was behind this. As the pieces fell into place, a cold glint flickered in her eyes.

Elaine, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing within Madisyn, was convinced she’d done the right thing by keeping her away from any bad news about the company.

Meanwhile, Kristine watched them closely, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Mom, I want to go shopping with you as well. It’s been ages since we did that together. Can I join you?”

Elaine, not suspecting anything, nodded cheerfully. “Of course, you can come if you want to!”

After breakfast, Elaine eagerly ushered everyone into the car, and Dane drove them to the shopping mall. They had all the time in the world to indulge in a little retail therapy. Elaine spared no expense, showering Madisyn with dresses that only enhanced her beauty. Dress after dress, each more luxurious than the last, found its way into their shopping bags.

Elaine even bought a dress for Kristine, but when Kristine noticed the price difference—her dress cost just over ten thousand, while Madisyn’s dresses were well over a hundred thousand—her smile faded, replaced by a slight purse of her lips.

Though Kristine said nothing, the disparity weighed heavily on her, and she silently followed Elaine and Madisyn.

Just then, a familiar voice cut through the air. “Oh, isn’t that Mrs. Johns?”

When Elaine saw Carly Reed, she greeted her warmly. “Hello, Mrs. Reed! What a pleasant surprise! Are you out shopping as well?”

“Yes, indeed! I didn’t expect to run into you here. How are you? There’s a new café just around the corner. Why don’t we catch up over some coffee?”

Carly, dressed in an elegant dark green gown that exuded luxury, yet somehow accentuated the sharpness of her features, smiled—a smile that always seemed to carry an undercurrent of malice.

Given the long-standing friendship between their families, and the bond between Josie and Kristine, Elaine couldn’t decline Carly’s invitation. “That sounds lovely,” she agreed, and they all made their way to the café.

Once they were seated, the conversation flowed easily. Carly’s gaze drifted to Madisyn, and she offered a seemingly genuine compliment. “Madisyn is stunning, Mrs. Johns. She truly embodies the best of both of you and your husband. I’d say she’s one of the most beautiful women in all of Gemond.”

Elaine couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride at Carly’s words, though she maintained a modest façade. “You’re too kind. Madisyn indeed resembles me when I was younger.”

Carly’s smile remained fixed as she continued, “She’s not just beautiful but driven, too. I hear she’s working at a company now. How has she been performing?”

At this, Elaine’s expression tightened ever so slightly.

While others might have sensed the shift and backed off, Carly either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it. She pulled out her phone with a nonchalant air. “My daughter mentioned something about Madisyn working at Natural Beauty… Oh, that name rings a bell. Is this your company?”

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