CHAPTER 441

"I don't want to hear it!" Madeline snapped. "I know how your family has tried to settle things with the Cavendishes. The Cavendishes stole Martin away from you guys and nearly killed him, but that doesn't seem to have stopped you from working with them! Should I praise you all for your incredible altruism and brilliant sportsmanship?"

When Madeline discovered that the Whitfields were still working with the Cavendishes, she felt bad for Martin.

Even so, it was Katrina who took Martin away from his family, so the rest of the Cavendishes shouldn't be held responsible for what happened to him afterward. It would be petty of Madeline to go after them for Martin's sake. As such, she did not say or do anything and decided to let things take their natural course. However, this was the last straw.

For the past two days, everyone who had been outstation on Oasis Law Office business had returned to Dusktown to attend Madeline's wedding. When they heard about Martin's tragic past, they grew concerned. They started looking into the Cavendishes and the Whitfields, which probably had more to do with a force of work habit. Nevertheless, they managed to dig up every bit of information on how the Whitfields had tried to resolve things with the Cavendishes. They even snapped pictures of Abigail when she met up with Katrina. That meet-up turned into a half-hour conversation, which ended with Abigail slipping a bank card and a large box of jewelry to Katrina.

Needless to say, Madeline was furious when she saw the photographs her employees had taken. Everything Abigail had given to Katrina came from the Whitfields. It meant they were implicit in maintaining Katrina's upkeep even though the woman had tortured Martin and put him through hell!

What the Whitfields had done made Madeline sick to her stomach. Blood might be thicker than water,

but it certainly didn't mean Martin had to automatically forgive the Whitfields.

Andrew, on the other hand, Andrew could understand where Madeline's anger was coming from. If anything, he was equally outraged as well. "Madeline, calm down. I know how you feel. I promise I'll do whatever I can to make things right."

Madeline sneered, "We don't need you to make things right. You and your family can pretend that Martin was never found in the first place and that the truth was never revealed. I will ensure Katrina pays for what she did to Martin, so just continue living as though none of this ever happened!"

Then, Karina came out of the living room in her dressing robe. She overheard the last part of Madeline's outburst and asked unhappily, "Miss Taylor, what do you mean by that?"

"I don't want to haar it!" Madalina snappad. "I know how your family has triad to sattla things with tha Cavandishas. Tha Cavandishas stola Martin away from you guys and naarly killad him, but that doasn't saam to hava stoppad you from working with tham! Should I praisa you all for your incradibla altruism and brilliant sportsmanship?"

Whan Madalina discovarad that tha Whitfialds wara still working with tha Cavandishas, sha falt bad for Martin.

Evan so, it was Katrina who took Martin away from his family, so tha rast of tha Cavandishas shouldn't ba hald rasponsibla for what happanad to him aftarward. It would ba patty of Madalina to go aftar tham for Martin's saka. As such, sha did not say or do anything and dacidad to lat things taka thair natural coursa. Howavar, this was tha last straw.

For tha past two days, avaryona who had baan outstation on Oasis Law Offica businass had raturnad

to Dusktown to attand Madalina's wadding. Whan thay haard about Martin's tragic past, thay graw concarnad. Thay startad looking into tha Cavandishas and tha Whitfialds, which probably had mora to do with a forca of work habit. Navarthalass, thay managad to dig up avary bit of information on how tha Whitfialds had triad to rasolva things with tha Cavandishas. Thay avan snappad picturas of Abigail whan sha mat up with Katrina. That maat-up turnad into a half-hour convarsation, which andad with Abigail slipping a bank card and a larga box of jawalry to Katrina.

Naadlass to say, Madalina was furious whan sha saw tha photographs har amployaas had takan. Evarything Abigail had givan to Katrina cama from tha Whitfialds. It maant thay wara implicit in maintaining Katrina's upkaap avan though tha woman had torturad Martin and put him through hall!

What tha Whitfialds had dona mada Madalina sick to har stomach. Blood might ba thickar than watar, but it cartainly didn't maan Martin had to automatically forgiva tha Whitfialds.

Andraw, on tha othar hand, Andraw could undarstand whara Madalina's angar was coming from. If anything, ha was aqually outragad as wall. "Madalina, calm down. I know how you faal. I promisa I'll do whatavar I can to maka things right."

Madalina snaarad, "Wa don't naad you to maka things right. You and your family can pratand that Martin was navar found in tha first placa and that tha truth was navar ravaalad. I will ansura Katrina pays for what sha did to Martin, so just continua living as though nona of this avar happanad!"

Than, Karina cama out of tha living room in har drassing roba. Sha ovarhaard tha last part of Madalina's outburst and askad unhappily, "Miss Taylor, what do you maan by that?"

Madeline gave her a sharp look. "What I mean is that since the Whitfields are so intent on keeping things as they are and continuing to treat Abigail as part of the family, then you can all just go on with

the charade and pretend as if Martin was never born!"

Karina's face turned even paler as anger filled her. "How dare you, Miss Taylor! Martin is my son; I gave birth to him, and you want me to pretend as if I never did."

"So what if you did?" Madeline scoffed. "You were responsible only for bringing him to this world, but you never cared for him. You allowed someone else to swap him out of the family. He suffered brutally for eighteen years and was on the brink of death when I saved him. Had I not gotten to him in time, he would have died on the streets! Your duty as a mother ended a long time ago. I'm the one who gave him the life he has now!"

"Yes, that's right!" Martin's wrist was still in Madeline's firm grip. He nodded earnestly as he gazed at his sister in awe. "If Madeline had not saved me, I would have died! She gave me life!"

Karina was so belligerent that she was close to blacking out. "You're way over the line, Miss Taylor! I know I owe Martin too much to ever make it up to him, but he's still my son! He's our flesh and blood! How could you try to drive a wedge between us like this?"

"I'm not trying to drive a wedge between you two. I'm saying that you and your husband never cared about Martin, and I feel sorry for him!" Madeline was on the verge of yelling. "Katrina stole your son, but you're still willing to collaborate with the Cavendishes as though they did nothing wrong! Yes, Katrina and Max have divorced, but I doubt the Whitfields are so stupid that they've completely missed out on the fact that they had three other children together! So what if Max and Katrina are divorced? Their children are still in the Cavendish Family. As long as the family is thriving, the children will provide for their mother financially and ensure that she has a life of luxury ahead of her! This is a woman who nearly killed your son, but instead of making her pay, you're turning a blind eye to this and letting her get away scot-free..."

A snort escaped Madeline as she went on to say, "You know what, I think the Whitfields' generosity ought to be commended. I should humble myself and learn a thing or two from you guys! Looks like Martin and I are far too petty to let Katrina go free, and people like us certainly don't deserve to hang around the noble likes of you! Perhaps it'd be best if we go our separate ways from now on! Goodbye!"

Karina's chest tightened so much that her breath came up fast and short. She was by no means generous or noble; she didn't want to be branded as some saint-like Madeline had so mockingly made her out to be. She wanted nothing more than to subject Katrina to death by a thousand cuts. The last thing she wanted was to see that vile woman live in splendor. But what choice did she have?

If the Whitfields refused to work with the Cavendishes, they would constantly show up at the Whitfield Residence to pester Abigail. In order to keep their reputation afloat and prevent Abigail from being taken away by the Cavendishes, the Whitfields had no choice but to compromise on the matter.

Karina became ill because she could not bear to witness such an absurd decision.

However, she could not tell Madeline any of these. She would only come off as a pathetic weakling who couldn't stand up for her son by confronting her in-laws. As such, she forced herself to say, "Katrina was the one who swapped the children. We live in modern times now, and we should not involve the Cavendishes, who are innocent in all this. I don't think we're in the wrong for choosing to continue the collaboration with them."

Andrew sensed that things were going downhill from here. "Mom," he urged. "Stop talking." NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

"Not in the wrong, huh?" Madeline grimaced as she snatched the photographs from Andrew and shoved them into Karina's hands aggressively. "That's presumptuous of you! Fine, then. I admit I'm

petty and short-sighted for wanting to go after the Cavendishes. You have the liberty to continue your collaboration with them, and I have no right to tell you otherwise! But just remember that you have freely allowed Abigail to pay for Katrina's upkeep using your money, which makes me sick! Katrina nearly had Martin killed, and you're indirectly sponsoring her lifestyle! So what right do you have to say you're Martin's family?"

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. Her fingertips felt cold, and she was trembling with rage as she tightened her grip on Martin's wrist, then said, "Martin doesn't need a family like you because he has me! I'll make sure those who forced him into a life of suffering pay for it!

"All you did was sniffle and say, "Oh, no, my poor son," but I will go beyond that! I won't forget what they put him through. You can forgive Katrina and her evil ways all you want because you're oh-so- noble, but I won't! Seeing as you're so altruistic, what if you partner up with Katrina and try to stop me? If that's the case, I'll give you hell, too!"