Chapter: 800

At Silver Boulder Private Hospital, they bumped into Madeline and the Carters.

Derek and Kathy were assisting the frail Madeline out of her room when they encountered Madeline's parents.

Holding her head, Madeline looked at Coen with a puzzled expression, her voice soft.

"Dad, what are you doing here? Are you sick?"

Derek helped her sit next to Coen.

Rhoda watched her youngest daughter intently. Seeing that she Looked alright, she let out a relieved sigh and shared the recent events.

"Norah is a bitch. Your father and I did nothing to provoke her, but she convinced Sean to get the Morris family to cut ties with us, which made your dad pass out from the stress. Madeline, Norah mentioned you fainted as well. What happened?"

Coen's face turned red with anger, and he clenched his teeth. “She's using her rich boyfriend's influence to do whatever she pleases. When he dumps her, I'll ensure she regrets ever crossing me."

Madeline bit her lip, unsure of how to bring up what occurred at the competition. It was too embarrassing.

Derek's patience had been worn thin by the unfolding drama, and in a tone that brooked no argument, he delivered the revelation, "She stole Norah's work, Norah called her out on it at the competition, and in a rage, she fainted." His blunt words cut through the tension like a blade, leaving Madeline's embarrassed smile frozen in place, her gaze filled with disbelief.

Wasn't Derek supposed to be her ally, her husband-to-be?

Madeline's heart ached at his callous words, the sharpness of his revelation cutting deep into her very soul.

In less than a second, tears began to prickle at her eyes as she fought to comprehend the motivation behind Derek's harsh indictment.

Was he trying to humiliate her? Had his loyalty shifted to Norah, or had he simply lost all compassion for her?

“Now, now, Derek, my darling daughter is sometimes a bit muddled, but she is such a sweet girl. She's pregnant, too, and we must be mindful of her emotions. She's a good girl, and we must bear with her a bit more," Rhoda said, her voice oozing with pride.

In her imaginary world, Madeline was infallible. Norah's resistance to plagiarism was the true crime, and the fault lay with those who failed to comply with Madeline's whims.

Clutching at any excuse that might redeem her daughter, Rhoda stood staunchly by Madeline's side, her fingers stroking her daughter's hair with tenderness and pride. “Madeline is competitive, always striving for the best. It's not her fault," she declared, her voice a mix of motherly concern and fierce loyalty. In Rhoda's eyes, her daughter was perfect, beyond reproach.

Coen's response, however, was not one of misguided protection, but a simmering anger directed at his daughter's carelessness. How could she have been so sloppy in her duplicity?

This could tarnish their own reputations as parents. As Coen pondered the lost opportunity for business collaboration, a fire raged in his chest.

In an attempt to placate Rhoda while also distancing himself from his wife's defense of Madeline's actions, Derek responded, "Mrs. Powell, I understand your perspective. I love Madeline. If I had known about this, I would have protected her from any harm." His tone attempted to exude concern and reason. To him, it was just a draft. If Madeline liked it, why couldn't she use it? What was the harm?

Derek's mind raced with a litany of perceived slights at Norah's hands.

He recalled how she had once refused to give handmade sachets to his mother and sister, despite his request. What was the harm in sharing such a small gift, especially when it was not about the money?

This self-centeredness of Norah's appeared to have resurfaced today, and Derek struggled to reconcile this stinginess with the girl he once knew. The sense of loyalty within him flared with indignation, his mind circling around the idea that she had waited for the moment to inflict the most damage.

He held Madeline's hand tighter, a clear sign of his allegiance. "Mr. and Mrs. Powell, please don't worry about Madeline," he declared, his voice tinged with both conviction and pride. "I will protect her."