apter27 TheakickedopentheofficedoortofindMadelyncuddlinguptoJake,lookingflushedand radiantasifshewasbaskingin sweetbliss . MadelynseyesflickeredwithpanicwhenshesawTheastormin,butJakesreactionwasmomentbeforeheregainedhiscool,hisfacesettlingintoanexpressionofcoldsarcasm. ferent.Hisgazewaveredforjusta Irememberyouwalkingoutsoproudlyearlier,insistingweweredoneandhadnothingtodowitheachotheranymore. Jakesaidmockingly.Sowhatareyoudoingherenow?Whatsthepoint? Theafoughttokeepherfuryincheck.Tokeepyourselffrombeingoutmatchedbyme,youwenttospreadrumorsaboutmetothebuyer.Isthathowyougetyourkicks? Shesneered,hervoicedrippingwithcontempt ,Tusedtothinkyouwerejustuseless,alwaysneedingmetohandleeverything.Now Isee.Yourenotjustuseless;yourepatheticanddisgusting. HerharshwordswipedthesmirkoffJakesface,hisexpressiondarkeningasheclenchedhisfists,hisknucklesaudiblycracking. Thea,whatswrongwithyou?hesnapped.Notsealingthatdealisyourownfailure.Itoldyoufromthestartyoudneverpullitoff,butyouwouldntlisten. Theaseyesnarrowed.Justwait.Oneday,youllpayforeverythingyoutookfromme. Jakeschestheavedwithbarelyrestrainedanger.Madelyngentlypattedhisback,hervoicesoothing.Dontbeupset,Jake.MissRowlandisjustfrustratedabout thedealfallingthrough.Imsureshedidnt meanit. Jakegrittedhisteeth,histonecold.Ifshehad evenafractionofyoursweetness,Iwouldvemarriedherlongago.IhesitatedbecauseIwaitedforhertochange. UncleNicolasonlykeptheraroundbecauseofme.ButnowshethinksshesalreadytherealMrs.Hendrixanddarestochallengeme. Madelynsexpressionbrieflyshifted,astrangeflickerofsomethinginhereyes.SheclunggentlytoJakesarm.Jake,MissRowlandsalwaysbeenlikethis.Ifyoumarryher,Im afraidtherewontbeanyplaceforme.Imscared. Dontworry,Jakesaid,strokinghercheekwithaffection.TvealreadyworkedoutalongtermpartnershipbetweentheRowlandfamilyandours.Onceshemarriesme,ifshesstillactinglikethis,Illsendherofftoasanitariumabroad.Madelynsmiledsweetly.Jake,youresogoodtoher.Youremakingmejealous. Bythenextday,rumorshadspreadthroughoutthecompanythatTheahadnotonlyfailedtoclosethedealbuthadalsooffendedtheclients.Everywhereshewent,sheheardwhispers. Imsick ofher,someonemuttered.Whatdoessheevendo?Itsalljustbecauseofherfamilyconnections,right? Exactly.Iusedtofeelsorryforherafterwhathappenedwith Madelyn,butnowIseeMr.Hendrixwasrightallalong.Howcouldsomeonelikeherhandle suchahighposition?anotherpersonchimedin.. Letsstopcomplaining,guys.Nowthatthedealfellthrough,wellhavetostartcontactingbuyersfromscratch .Whatahassle,someoneelsegroaped. Justthen,Madelynappearedwith asweet,gentlesmile .Letsnobetoohardon Ms.Rowland.Shejusthasabitofatemper.Imsureshedidntmeantoupsetanyone .Shesprobablydisappointedaboutthedealas well L3 69 11.38Fri, Chapter27 Atfirst,peoplewerereluctanttopay attentiontoMadelyn.ButwithJakestandingbyherside,theyquicklychangedtheirtune,eagertobackherup. Youretookind,Madelyn.Aftereverythingshedidtoyou,yourestillconcernedabouther,one employeesaid. Right!Justthinkingaboutalltheovertimewehavetodobecauseofheris exhausting,anotheradded. Madelynssmiletookonaproudedge .Actually,youdontneedtoworry.Thebuyerwasreallyupsetatfirst,butaftersometalks,theyvecalmeddown.Theyagreedtohavedinnertonight,sowestillhave achance. Jake smiledandadded.Madelynsquickthinkingandimmediateapologiesmadeallthedifference.Shesavedthesituationandgotusasecondchance Thenewsstirredexcitementamongthegroup. Weresaved!Atleastwewonthavetopullallnightersnowsomeoneexclaimed. reallyisoursavior.Whatwouldwedowithouther ?anothersaid. Madelynreallyis Honestly,theprojectshouldvegonetoherfromthestart.Somepeoplejustcreatemoreproblemsthantheysolve,someoneelseadded Madelynscheeksflushed,thoughhereyesglintedwithpride.Well,thisisactually myfirsttimehandlingsomethinglikethis.IguesstheychosemebecauseImeasiertoworkwith.IlldoeverythingIcantoclosethedealquicklysowecanallheadhomeearly Awesome!Everyonewasexcited. Butthecelebrationwascutshortbyasharpvoiceslicingthroughthebuzz.Madelyn,IcantbelieveyouretakingcreditforMrNicolasHendrixswork .Dontyouthinkyouregettingabittoofullofyourself? Theastrodeintotheroom,herposturestraightandcommandinginasleeksuitdressandhighheels. Madelynsexpressionshifted,herlipsturningdownintoasoftpoutasifshedbeenwronged.Ms.Rowland,Iunderstandyoureupsetaboutlosingthedeal,butImjusttryingtohelpthecompany.Itsnotmyfaulttheclientchosetowork withme instead. Hervoicetrembledasshespoke,andtearsbegantowellupinhereyes,onthevergeofspillingover. JakegrabbedMadelynswrist,pullingherslightlybehindhim,hisexpressionfilledwithdispleasureashestaredatThea. Hesaid.Younearlycostthecompany amajorclientthistime.ThehigherupsdidntcomedownhardonyouonlybecauseMadelynpersuadedmetogo and begformercyforyou.Thatsalreadymore thangenerous.What?Doyouwantmetofire you? Theacouldseetheseriousnessinhis eyes.Shesneered,Withall thesepeoplewatching,Iwontspillhowyoumanagedtogetthis dinnermeeting.Letsmake abetinstead.IfMadelynclosesthisdeal,Illleavethecompanyimmediately.Butifshefails,bothofyouareout. Jakeseyesnarrowed.Thea,haveyoulostyourmind? Madelynhesitatedforabriefmomentbeforeraising herclunwithadeterminedexpression.DontinvolveMr.Hendrix.Illtakeonthischallengemyself,Ms.Rowland,Imaybeweak,butwontletyoubullyme Theasaniledknowingly.Alrightthen.LetsseehowitgoesShewasntworried.Afterall,thedinnermeetinghadonlyconteaboutbecauseofNicolassinfluence,notMadelynscapabilities Whenthetimeforthedinnerarrived,JakeandMadelynshowedupattherestaurant early. 11:38Fr, Chapter27 회복69% Theaarrivedsoonafter,dressedinalightbluelongdresswithacreamcoloredcoatdrapedelegantlyoverhershoulders.Herhairwassweptup,andthetwopearlsdanglingfromherears,pairedwithlightmakeup,madeherlookeffortlesslyrefinedandsophisticated. Madelyn,despiteherbesteffortstolookherbest,stillcouldntavoidaslightlytackyappearance.StandingnexttoThea,shewas onceagainovershadowed. Aflashofjealousyandresentmentpassed throughMadelynseyes.AsshewalkedpastThea,shesaidloudly,makingsureotherscouldhear,Ms.Rowland,whydontyoujoinusintheprivateroom?Itmustbecoldwaitingouthere. Hervoicewaslacedwithcondescension,andsheliftedherchin slightly,tryingtoassertsomesuperiority.