Nicholas Hawkins spoke with a cold, detached calm, his words dripping with manipulation. "She offered," he said with a shrug. "Grandmother was won over by her. I made the bet to pressure Jacqueline too—to force Grandmother to see Madeleine for what she really is."

Hearing this, Madeleine Riley felt a chill run straight through her. Her nails bit into her palms as the ugly truth settled over her like a shroud. The sacrifice she thought she'd made had been nothing more than a bet. A month of hell, endured for nothing but a cruel joke.

In prison, she'd been beaten and bullied, but she never cried. Not once. But this—this harsh reality—shattered something inside her. It had all been a lie.

She remembered the day Nicholas held her close, whispering sweet reassurances while coaxing her to take the fall for him, insisting he couldn't risk his reputation as the Hawkins heir. He promised that once she was free, he'd tell everyone the truth, and they'd get married. They'd have a home of their own. But it was all a lie. Just a move in some twisted game with Jacqueline.

Tears streamed unchecked down her face as she turned to leave, unable to listen for another second. As she walked away, she heard laughter and a voice say, "Don't forget you owe Jacqueline a hundred bucks from that bet."

A hundred dollars. That's what she was worth to them.

Madeleine ran to a quiet spot by the road, finally letting her grief and humiliation swallow her whole as she let out a heart-wrenching sob. Her emotions, her suffering, the years of her life—all of it reduced to some childish wager.

When the tears finally stopped, she wiped her eyes and dialed a number. "Brother, I've made my decision. I'm ready to come back to London in a week."

"We support your decision, Madeleine," came a deep, steady voice on the other end. "No matter what, the Silva family is your home—married or not. We've always wanted you back."

Silent tears slipped down her cheeks again. After she went missing as a child, the Silvas in London had taken her in for years, until her biological parents found her. They treated her like their own daughter. When she left, Mrs. Silva nearly fainted from crying, and her elder brother had to fight back his own tears.

They had always urged her to come back, promising help whenever she needed it. But being close to such a prominent family always felt like taking advantage. Madeleine didn't want to seem opportunistic or ruin that relationship, so she kept her distance while staying in touch.

When the Rileys adopted another daughter, Mrs. Silva, worried about Madeleine, begged her to return. Madeleine refused—she didn't want to feel like a burden. Before her arrest, her brother mentioned an arranged marriage with another influential family in London. She turned it down, believing that only Nicholas could give her the home she wanted.

Now she saw how wrong she'd been.

Her voice cracked with emotion. "I understand. Thank you, brother."

"They've missed you, Madeleine. We're just relieved you want to come home," he said warmly.

She forced a smile, though it looked more like a grimace. Still, an unexpected sense of relief washed over her. The home she'd been searching for had been waiting for her all along—in London.

As for Nicholas… she wanted nothing to do with him.

Madeleine lowered her eyes, wiped the tears away, and booked a flight back to London for the following week. Then she took a cab to the Riley estate.

The house was buzzing when she walked into the foyer, decorated with balloons and twinkling lights. A massive bouquet of roses caught her eye in the living room. At the dining table, a cake with flickering candles set a warm, cozy scene.

From where she stood, she overheard Mrs. Riley exclaiming with pure joy as she and Jacqueline settled at the table. "Jacqueline, your father and I prepared this surprise for you. Today is your twenty-fourth birthday, and it also marks twenty years since you joined our family."

Madeleine's lips twisted into a bitter smile. She had gotten lost at four—the same year they adopted Jacqueline, as if they'd simply forgotten her.

They even gave Jacqueline her childhood nickname: "Pearl."

In the dining area, Jacqueline, wearing a charming Victorian-style dress, took her seat with a delighted smile. Nearby, John Riley and her brother watched fondly as she blew out the candles.

Watching this tight-knit family scene, Madeleine felt a wave of irony wash over her. Compared to them, she was the outsider.

Jacqueline spotted her and gasped softly. "Sister, when did you get out? You should have called us! We could've picked you up. You're just in time for my birthday celebration. Have you eaten?"

Only then did the rest of the family notice her.

John Riley gave her a brief glance and said flatly, "Might as well celebrate Madeleine's release too. Join us."

Jacqueline giggled. "Yes, join us, sister. Dad and Mom planned so many surprises today—and Nicholas even got me this bracelet."

Madeleine's gaze dropped to the bracelet on Jacqueline's wrist. It was the same one Nicholas had promised her before she went to prison. Now it rested on Jacqueline's arm.

Today was Madeleine's release day, but no one had come to meet her. Her own parents were celebrating Jacqueline instead. But today… was also her birthday.

Since being acknowledged by the Rileys, she and Jacqueline had shared the same birthday—yet only Jacqueline ever received gifts. Madeleine got nothing.

She had been patient, obedient, hoping for a scrap of their approval. But now, she was done holding back.

Just as John and Sarah Riley handed over the keys to a freshly staged house—along with a sleek black credit card—to Jacqueline Riley, Madeleine Riley settled into her seat and spoke up.

"Dad, Mom—when I came back to the Riley family, you promised to make up for the ten years I missed. You also said you'd give me the estate on the west side of town. Today's my birthday, and since you just handed Jacqueline a house, why not transfer the west-side property to me?" She looked around with a slight smile. "It's just a piece of land—surely that's not too much to ask?"

The Rileys blinked, caught flat-footed. It was the first time Madeleine had ever openly stood her ground. How petty, they thought. All these years, she'd never once seemed to measure up to Jacqueline.

John recovered quickly, frowning. "That property was always meant for Jacqueline. If something better comes along, I'll consider it for you."

Madeleine didn't flinch at his vague promise. "That land was originally a gift from Grandfather—meant for the Riley children. Jacqueline isn't blood, after all, while I'm your real daughter. If you don't pass it to me, Uncle might have something to say." She drew a slow breath, keeping her composure. "Surely you don't want people thinking you neglect your own daughter?"

Jacqueline blanched at the words "not blood." But what truly rattled her was the land itself—it was the most significant gift she'd ever receive from the Rileys. She'd already bragged about it, and half the wealthy young women in her circle were eating their hearts out with envy. If word got out that she'd overstated it, the humiliation would be brutal.

"Dad…" Jacqueline pleaded.

But Madeleine knew John valued his reputation too much to hand Uncle any ammunition, so she stayed calm. Sure enough, before Jacqueline could finish, John—reluctantly forcing a smile—cut her off. He turned to Madeleine. "Of course I love you. If you want it, I'll have the secretary transfer the land to you later."

"Alright," Madeleine replied lightly, lowering her gaze, though a hint of irony lingered in her eyes. She set down her fork, noticing their sudden lack of appetite. "I'm done. Take your time."

She was about to leave when her father called her back. John's expression darkened as he frowned. "I've decided to let Jacqueline stand in for you in the engagement to the Hawkins family. Jacqueline is also a daughter of the Riley family—you're the same. If we hadn't brought you back, this engagement would have been hers. You took it from her, and now it's time to return it."

Madeleine wasn't surprised at all. She'd seen this coming. Of course the Rileys would use her tarnished reputation as the perfect excuse to push Jacqueline into the marriage.

"But sister—haven't you always liked Nicholas?" Jacqueline feigned surprise, covering her mouth. "Besides, Nicholas and I are like siblings. How could I possibly marry him?"

Madeleine scoffed inwardly. Over the years, Jacqueline had called every man she met "sibling." From childhood, her free-spirited, boundary-less charm had a way of drawing in accomplished men—Nicholas being the most prominent of them all. The only reason Jacqueline was turning down this marriage now was because Nicholas's grandmother disapproved. If Nicholas ever won the old lady over, securing a proper engagement, Jacqueline wouldn't hesitate.

Madeleine pulled her hand back, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Who says siblings can't get close—or get married?"

Seeing Jacqueline's face pale slightly, she glanced at her father. "Regarding the engagement, as long as the Hawkins family agrees, I have no objection to switching."

With that, she was done dealing with both of them. She left without another word.

Back in her room, Madeleine opened her laptop. She'd been offline for a month, and the moment she logged in, messages flooded the screen one after another:

[Dear wife, I've missed you ever since you left on your business trip…]

[Fifth day, I miss you…]

[Once you're back, let's get married.]

…

There were 99 messages in total.

All of them from Nicholas Hawkins.

While she'd been in solitary reflection, he was playing the role of a devoted lover online. Had she not stumbled onto the truth by accident, she might've been swept away by all the emotion.

Madeleine coolly replied with a single message: "I'm back."

The next instant, Nicholas's video call came through. The moment she answered, his voice poured out: "I missed you so much, Madeleine."

She stayed silent. Even now, she couldn't tell whether Nicholas's affection was genuine, or if he'd unknowingly convinced himself he had feelings for her.

Publicly aloof, privately tender.

In private, he went to great lengths to win her over. Every time he'd sneak up behind her, calling her "wife" in that soft voice, it melted the cold shell around her heart, drawing her in.

"Madeleine, did you miss me?"

Nicholas Hawkins caught Madeleine Riley's silence and hesitated before finally saying, "You've lost a lot of weight." His hair fell in those charming curls over his eyes, his sharp features doing their usual trick. The coldness that normally lived in his gaze seemed softer now, almost tender. If he were a dog, you'd swear he was wagging his tail.

But all of it was just an act—a ploy to mess with Jacqueline. And while Nicholas was still fully invested in his little performance, Madeleine was over it. She gave him a flat look and asked out of nowhere, "Are you still planning to marry me?"

Nicholas was caught off guard, a faint helpless smile tugging at his lips. "You've been through so much for me, sweetheart. How could I ever leave you now?"

The image of the bracelet wrapped around Jacqueline's wrist flashed through Madeleine's mind, and any warmth in her eyes went ice-cold. Nicholas never had any intention of marrying her. Everything he did was just to get under Jacqueline's skin.

Such a devoted act—and yet here he was, still playing his part. Madeleine was done with the charade.

"But I don't want this anymore. Nicholas, let's break up."

She didn't wait for his stunned reaction. She hung up and immediately blocked him on every platform.

Before he could even think of reaching out again, she texted her brother, Ethan Silva: "Can you dig into what Nicholas and Jacqueline were up to last month?"

Once the message was sent, Madeleine turned to stare out the window, feeling strangely detached. She wasn't the type to forgive easily; she believed in payback. Nearly having her whole life ruined over some stupid bet? That wasn't something she'd just let slide.

Meanwhile, inside the villa, Nicholas sat there with a cold expression, lips pressed tight, unable to wrap his head around the fact that Madeleine had blocked him everywhere.

The people around him exchanged confused looks.

"Isn't Madeleine just getting past a rough patch? What's she stirring up now? Because you forgot her birthday gift?" someone asked.

Nicholas frowned slightly. Madeleine had always been easy to sway. No matter what he did, a few sweet words were always enough to calm her down. He'd expected the messages he left while she was gone to soften her up—but instead, she asked for a breakup.

Could this really be about the birthday gift for Jacqueline?

Someone voiced what many were thinking: "Don't sweat it. Madeleine's been chasing after you for so long. Just leave her alone for a few days, and she'll come running back."

"Besides, who else would want someone with her reputation?" another added.

Nicholas had actually been leaning toward going after her, but his resolve started to crack as his friends' words hit too close to home. Yeah, how many guys would really want a woman with a reputation like that? He'd spoiled her too much. That's why she was acting out and blocking him.

Nicholas decided he'd let Madeleine learn her lesson—completely unaware of just how much mess he'd stirred up.

Already worn out from life's recent punches, Madeleine somehow managed to get a rare deep sleep after washing up.

In her dream, she was back to the time she first got adopted. The panic and unease she felt at the Silva household was so overwhelming that even her favorite toys couldn't comfort her.

She cried her eyes out, clutching a teenager's clothes, holding on for dear life. The boy's face was blurry in her memory, but she kept calling him "Brother Vic."

When she woke up, the morning sun was bright. Madeleine broke into a light sweat, rubbing her temples. That dream again. Every time she was troubled, she dreamt of "Brother Vic." But no matter how much she asked around, there was no "Brother Vic" in the Silva family.

Who exactly was this "Brother Vic"?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a notification. Madeleine saw that her property transfer was complete. She quickly listed it for sale online. Once the money came through, she'd have enough to start fresh in London.

With that handled, she got a call from the HR department at Riley Corporation. "We heard you're back from your break. Could you come in for a project handover meeting?" they asked.

Madeleine agreed.

Ever since graduation, she'd worked at Riley Corporation. During her leave, her family had said she was on a break to cover up the whole scandal.

When she got to the company, she was called straight to the chairman's office, where her father, John Riley, sat behind his desk. Across from him was Jacqueline Riley, radiating her usual fake charm.

John handed Madeleine a stack of documents, motioning for her to open them. "Your performance review," he said.

When she unfolded the folder, the words "Not Qualified" screamed back at her.

A flicker of bitter amusement passed through Madeleine's heart as her voice went cold. "What does this mean?"

John cleared his throat, his tone flat. "This is your evaluation for the managerial promotion. You didn't pass. The company has decided not to promote you. Instead, Jacqueline will take your position and lead future projects."

Madeleine leafed through the documents, noticing that every single criterion was marked satisfactory—yet the conclusion said otherwise.

"Sister, don't be upset with Dad," Jacqueline said sweetly, taking the report from Madeleine's hands. "How could Riley Corporation let someone with a tarnished record become a manager? Think about Dad's intentions. I'll be stepping in, but I'll definitely need your guidance. We're family after all. It shouldn't matter who's sitting in the manager's seat, right, sister?"

Hearing that, Madeleine's lips curled into a mocking smile. Her situation had been the perfect setup for Jacqueline all along.

Jacqueline, always the schemer, had probably orchestrated the whole bet with Nicholas just to secure that manager position. And now she'd gotten exactly what she wanted.

But Madeleine had no intention of letting her enjoy that victory for long.