Chapter 111 Fallen for Madeline’s Charms
“That’s because Angie is the third idiot,” Sebastian answered. “Like most idiots, she won’t have the patience to wait things out; she’d grab the first opportunity that comes her way, and she thinks this dinner is the best chance she’s got. This will be the first time she’s seeing Nicholas after the incident, and I’m sure they’ll have plenty of things to tell each other. Angie can always spin him some lie about being upset and needing someone to drink with her, and the rest… well, you know how it goes.”
Madeline blinked at him in surprise. Indeed, she did know—this was exactly what she imagined Angie would be capable of planning.
She was young, but having to work to fend for herself and her kids made her world-weary. She had seen her fair share of the different kinds of people in this world, and women like Angie made up a huge part of them.
Now that Angie could no longer rely on the main Wendel household, she was going to have to come up with a contingency plan to carry on her life of luxury if she didn’t want to join the workforce. Simple-minded as she was, she naturally thought about marrying rich, but her less-than-favorable lineage and background were deterring factors. As things were, Nicholas was the best, if not the only choice she had at the moment.
As such, she would try to plot against him and lure the man into getting her pregnant. Then, she would force him to marry her.
Madeline had known Angie since they were children, and she understood Angie well enough to know that the girl had little common sense and no strategic mind. She probably panicked herself silly and decided that becoming Mrs. Wendel was the only way she could remain in high society.
She was worried that once her true identity was revealed, those who knew her would start to shun her and make fun of her. If she could become Mrs. Wendel in the next month or so, she could still retain her dignity even if the truth of her background came out.
With all these reasons in play, Madeline was sure that Angie would strike soon, but she was certain of these things only because she had known Angie for many years and had become familiar with her ways.
For Sebastian to be able to make such accurate and similar guesses was, to some extent, surprising.
After all, he had only met Angie less than a handful of times.
Presently, when Sebastian caught sight of the astonished look on Madeline’s face as she assessed him openly, he flashed a grin and asked, “What’s the matter? Did my intelligence shock you?”
She sighed and resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him in exasperation. Can’t be good for one to praise oneself too much, she wanted to say.
“There’s no need to be so surprised,” he added with a smirk. “In time, you’ll come to realize that geniuses do exist in this world. We aren’t just mythical creatures, you know.”
This made her even more speechless. She didn’t know if he was a genius or not, but one thing was for sure—his shame knew no bounds.
Since she didn’t want to waste her breath on him, she put on a change of clothes and headed downstairs.
It was getting late. They greeted Philip and the kids when they arrived downstairs and left for Wendel Residence.
Quincy and Joel escorted their parents to the car and watched them get into the vehicle. Joel, in particular, stared at them with watery eyes, but after Madeline told him that they had an important family matter to attend to and that he and Quincy couldn’t tag along, he did not pester her.
When the car drew away from the house, Madeline glimpsed out the window and saw that her kids were staring after the vehicle. Just then, Philip crouched down behind them and clapped a hand on their little shoulders before telling the boys something with an affable smile on his wizened face.
Whatever it was that he had said apparently cheered them up, for the disappointment on their faces was swiftly replaced by bright smiles.
At the sight of this, Madeline’s lips curled up in relief, but she couldn’t help feeling the same disappointment that her children had felt moments ago.
She had been concerned that her children were far too attached to her and wouldn’t leave her alone, but now that they had someone else to rely on, namely their ever-indulgent grandfather, she was starting to feel a little hollow inside.
However, she knew that this was a good thing. In fact, it was healthy for the children.
The more attached they were to her, the more insecure they would become, and they might eventually evolve into mommy’s boys. That’s a terrifying idea, she thought with a shudder. She would much prefer them to spread their little wings and learn to take charge of the sky above them. They would weather through somehow, and that was all part and parcel of growth.
It wasn’t until the children had gone out of sight that Madeline finally withdrew her gaze from the window.
The Harts’ pied-à-terre wasn’t too far away from the Wendel Residence, and it only took them about ten or so minutes to get there.
Upon their arrival, Sebastian and Madeline were greeted courteously by the Wendels’ butler, who led them into the living room.
Michael and his four sons were there, and perhaps familiarity had finally sunk in after the past few meetings, for the atmosphere in the room was no longer as heavy as the first. In fact, Madeline found her conversation with the Wendel men to be more pleasant this time.
It wasn’t long before dinner was ready and everyone took their seats at the dining table. As they helped themselves to the food and chattered idly among one another, it was clear to see that the ambiance was a lighthearted one.
The more she spoke to them, the more Madeline realized that her father and brothers were all decent people. They had grace, intelligence, and charm, all of which were traits that put her at ease during a conversation. Each of them had something substantial to share about a certain topic, and she could tell that they were speaking from experience and true knowledge. Their every gesture was elegant, and it was hard not to like them.
It was no wonder that Angie had so desperately wanted to cling to them. Anyone would wish to have a father and brothers as accomplished and well-mannered as the Wendel men, Madeline included.
On the one hand, she was related to these men by blood; on the other, Michael and his sons were affable and charming in their own ways which made her ponder what it would be like to have them as a family. If she had to be honest, the idea was growing on her.
Meanwhile, the feeling was mutual on Michael and his sons’ end.
Frankly speaking, they had known Madeline for a long time now, but her past mistaken identity as Cameron’s daughter had given them a foul impression of her. As a result, none of them bothered to associate with her, much less get to know her.
Given how vile the other woman was, they didn’t think Madeline could have turned out well under Cameron’s care. It didn’t help that Isabel and Angie hated Madeline with a passion, and whenever they talked about her, it was always with contempt. The hatred they had for her would show itself in their expressions and their very detailed and often disdainful description of her.
As such, the Wendel men concluded that Madeline was a terrible person.
Now that they were sitting together and conversing with each other, these men realized that they had been wrong; the Madeline they thought they knew about were lies.
On the contrary, Madeline was more knowledgeable and perceptive than most girls her age. She could carry herself well in a conversation with easy grace and intellect, and every statement she put forth was sensible, backed up with facts, and convincing.
She boasted beauty, elegance, intelligence, and decorum. She was articulate and erudite, not to mention centered. It was as if nothing could faze her like she was sure in and of herself. Even Michael was starting to think that she possessed a certain strength that mirrored Jonathan’s, though his other sons were far from showing the same fortitude.
Michael was growing fonder of her each time they met, and he was proud to call her his daughter.
Humans were creatures of sentiments; the more they stuck together, the stronger their affections for one another blossomed.
As Michael’s fondness for Madeline grew, he was unknowingly becoming more inclined to treat her with fatherly love. Such was human nature, for nearly everyone tended to deviate toward the bright and the beautiful. They despised what was ugly and searched instead for that which was kind and alluring.
Madeline was as pretty as she was delicate, not to mention she wielded such impeccable manners and grace that it was hard not to admire her. There was a magnetic field around her that drew others in, and the more they got to know her, the more Jonathan, Joseph, and Connor liked her.
On the other hand, Cedric appeared to need more convincing. However, little did anyone know that he was already starting to fall for Madeline’s charms.
She was his actual sister, one whose blood was the same as his, and she was an intellectual, enigmatic beauty as well. He had no reason to dislike her at all!
He thought about how he should tell Madeline that he liked her without coming off as stiff and unnatural. He wanted to let her know that he was willing to bury the hatchet between them and that he would be nothing but kind to her from now on—just as a brother should be.
He was still deep in thought when his phone suddenly rang with a call from Angie.
He answered the call and pressed the phone to his ear. Immediately, the other line was filled with Angie’s sobbing. “C-Cedric… What should I do?”
