"No shame in being outyed," Maddie dered, her voice an exuberant echo across the park. Dressed in crisp white sportswear, she bounded toward us with the unrestrained joy of a puppy. "Putnam! Weren''t you tied up with work today?" she called out, her sneakers kicking up a cloud of dust as she neared.


    Sebastian replied coolly, "He''s not that busy... He just didn''t want to see you, that''s all."


    At his words, Maddie''s sunny demeanor faltered, her eyes dimming as she muttered a subdued "Oh."


    Gillian, trailing behind, noticed the sudden shift. "What''s got you down all of a sudden, Maddie?" she asked, her brow wrinkled in confusion.


    Maddie forced a thin smile. "Nothing, Gillian. Let''s just go find Steph."


    But Putnam wasn''t having any of it. "Come back here!" hemanded with a deep breath, his voice carrying an authority that often went unchallenged.


    Maddie''s eyes sparkled with a thread of hope as she turned back to him. "Are you going to join me, Putnam?"


    "I just got here. Let''s take a break... Stephanie and Cyrus are in the middle of a heated game. Why interrupt them?"


    Sebastian, quick with his wit, jabbed, "Someone sounds jealous."


    Putnam shot him a re filled with a mix of indignation and frustration.


    "Jealousy is a game for the cunning," I thought, smirking at the unfolding drama.


    "Since you left my cest time... you two haven''t seen each other, have you?" Sebastian''s voice cut through the tension.


    Maddie nodded honestly. "Yeah... Putnam''s been really busy."


    "The truth is, he''s not busy. He just doesn''t like you," Sebastian said bluntly.


    Maddie''s gaze dropped to the ground, her voice barely above a whisper, "I know... he''s just trying to be responsible. He doesn''t really like me."


    Putnam took a deep breath, trying to contain his irritation. "Who said I don''t like you? Why listen to this kid''s nonsense?"


    Maddie''s face lit up, "So you do like me?"


    Putnam felt cornered, as if every word he spoke just dug him deeper. "Let''s just say I don''t dislike you."


    "Not dislike and not like," Sebastian chimed in, twisting the knife further.


    Maddie''s spirits deted, "Oh..."


    "Can''t you see? Cyrus and Stephanie


    are


    is their game, and this guy


    for trouble because he''s


    jealous. Are you blind to y into his hands?" Sebastian prodded.


    Realization dawned on Maddie and Gillian''s faces.


    "Am I wrong?" Sebastian pressed on.


    "The fact that Stephanie and Cyrus are having a st is true, isn''t it?"


    "The fact that you, Putnam, don''t like Maddie and are only marrying her out of obligation is also true!"


    Was this kid really picking a fight with him today?


    Putnam was seething with anger.


    Maddie, the subject of such blunt speech, was on the brink of tears in public.


    Trying to soothe the situation, Putnam said, "Easy there, don''t listen to him. Even if I don''t like you yet, I don''t like anyone else either... That''s the most I can say right now


    en


    Sniffling, Maddie asked, "Is there a chance you might like me in the future?"


    "Maybe?" Putnam thought cynically to himself.


    How could he answer her when he didn''t even know himself?


    Maddie nodded, "Then there''s still hope..."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "But you''d have to meet more often for that hope to grow," Gillian interjected.


    "Yeah, right," Sebastian added.


    Maddie contemted this, then said quietly, "But he doesn''t have the time."


    Gillianughed, "Then howe President Ingram here has the time to hang out and y ball with Steph?"


    Sebastian added, "Being a CEO isn''t


    that bus


    Look over there, Mr. Wilson is also ying ball with his


    brother."  int


    Putnam shot back, "Will you die if you shut up for once?"


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!