part 4
PART 4
The birthday morning began with roses.
Everett brought them to the bedroom with a smile that looked almost real.
“Happy birthday, Maddie.”
Madeline sat up slowly.
For a moment, she let herself remember the man she thought she married.
The hospital coffee.
The funeral hand.
The voice saying she was not alone.
Then she saw the envelope in his other hand.
Her stomach tightened.
“What is that?”
“Just something we need to handle today.”
“Today?”
“It will take five minutes.”
Downstairs, Celeste was already in the living room.
She wore cream silk and sat beside Everett’s father, Richard, who stared into his coffee like cowardice had made him tired.
A notary sat near the window.
That was when Madeline understood.
They had not arranged a birthday.
They had arranged a signing.
The cake had not even been cut.
Everett placed the papers on the table.
“Transfer agreement.”
Madeline did not sit.
“No.”
Celeste sighed.
“Do not embarrass yourself.”
Madeline turned to her.
“I said no.”
Everett’s smile hardened.
“You haven’t even read it.”
“I don’t need to.”
“It puts Bellwick into a family holding company.”
“Your family’s company.”
“Our family.”
Madeline looked at Richard.
He said nothing.
She looked at Celeste.
Celeste smiled.
She looked at Everett.
He tapped the pen.
“Sign.”
“No.”
Celeste’s voice sharpened.
“After everything Everett has done for you?”
Madeline almost laughed.
“What did he do?”
Celeste stood.
“He married a grieving woman no one knew how to handle.”
The room went still.
Even Everett looked uncomfortable.
Madeline felt something inside her turn cold.
“My grief was not a defect your son tolerated.”
Everett grabbed the papers.
“Enough.”
He shoved them toward her.
“Sign it, or you’ll regret coming home.”
Madeline pushed the folder back.
“This house was never yours.”
The slap came before the last word fully left her mouth.
Sharp.
Public.
Final.
The notary gasped.
Richard stood halfway, then sat again.
Celeste did not move.
Everett leaned over Madeline.
“You think that name on paper makes you powerful?”
The door opened.
Nathan stepped inside with a birthday gift box.
He saw everything.
The red cheek.
The papers.
The family sitting like judges.
May you like
And his sister standing alone in her own house.
Read the full story 👉 Everett turned Madeline’s birthday into a forced signing, and the slap revealed the marriage had become a takeover attempt.
