?Chapter 535:
The promises made in bed needed only a hint of belief. She murmured softly, “Yes, we will.” In that moment, their souls harmonised and their love felt palpable, not fragile like a bubble about to burst.
The future remained uncertain, underlining the importance of treasuring the present.
Rxing, she nestled into hisforting embrace and gradually drifted off to sleep.
Her soft breathing in his arms soothed him; he lowered his gaze, gently brushing the hair from her ear, and quietly watched her slumber.
After a while, he adjusted her position and cradled her before falling asleep himself.
Dawn broke, and sunlight broke through the clouds. Madeline endured a fitful sleep, tormented by the echoes of the taunts of thepetition.
“She doesn’t deserve it!”
“Get off the stage!”
Each word, like a poison-tipped dagger, stabbed viciously into her heart. She had thought herself immune to such verbal assaults, but clearly she was wrong.
Derek’spany had secured an investment which kept him busy and required early mornings. Worried and unable to sleep, Madeline reached for her phone and scrolled through the messages.
“The Grace Cup final is over. Who emerged victorious? Tap to reveal the champion.”
“New updates in the mour Club case. Who is the real culprit? Tap for more information.
The designmunity
Madeline immediately clicked on the top news article.
“Renowned designer Noelle has just made a morous return to the public eye, her presence as striking as her creations. The Grace Cup had a strong panel of judges. Let’s uncover the events that unfolded. One < major controversy involved a designer called Madeline Powell, who Noelle caught using giarised designs. All the evidence is now avable on the officialpetition website… "
As Madeline absorbed these words, her thoughts stopped. The scandal from the previous day''spetition was now public, and her reputation in the design world was in tatters.
Commentators not only criticised her professional missteps, but also harshly scrutinised her personal life, highlighting in particr her past as a mistress. Each harsh word felt like a direct blow, excruciatingly painful. Madeline cursed these critics online. In her view, they were jumping to conclusions without all the facts, just a bunch of bitter people venting online to feel relevant.
Frustrated, Madeline threw her phone across the bed and took a deep breath to calm her tumultuous emotions. It wasn''t supposed to be like this. She was about to be Derek''s wife, to be officially weed into his family. "Madeline," Kathy murmured, knocking lightly on the door before entering. "Are you feeling well? Is your stomach bothering you?"
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