A tender zephyr stirred the placid surface of the lake, casting a dance of ripples across the water.

Phoebe, her eyes misting over, struggled to maintain her composure. Her resolve was crumbling under the weight of his relentless pursuit. A sorrowful realization dawned upon her; she was incapable of denying him. The man cradled her slender waist tenderly, his touch causing her petite frame to tremble subtly. Each of his movements sent his blood surging, a tempest of passion boiling within his veins. Suddenly, a series of intrusive coughs echoed from behind them.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Theodore instinctively pivoted, his body forming a protective shield around Phoebe. His hand, previously hidden beneath the hem of her robe, was swiftly withdrawn. “What’s the matter?” he inquired.

Madison glanced around sheepishly, a blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to intrude, but Mom asked me to inform you that dinner is ready.”

“Understood; you may proceed,” Theodore responded.

Madison pouted in reluctance. “Why must I be the one to leave first? Are you two planning some clandestine activities behind my back?”

She felt compelled to remain, to keep a vigilant eye on her brother for Vanessa’s sake, ensuring he wasn’t ensnared by the seductive Phoebe.

Theodore’s expression soured, a chilling glance cast towards his sister. He was on the verge of reprimanding her when Phoebe, having regained her composure, slipped past him.

“Let’s go,” she suggested, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Without sparing a glance at the siblings, Phoebe lowered her gaze and began walking towards the cottage. Even in the freedom of today’s modern society, being caught in such a compromising position by her sister-in-law was both mortifying and embarrassing for Phoebe.

She had almost been put in a defenseless and vulnerable situation…

Madison quickly closed the distance between them, her arm slithering around Phoebe in a seemingly warm gesture. “Phoebe, let’s walk together,” she suggested.

Feeling uncomfortable with Madison’s arm linked with hers, Phoebe was about to withdraw when Madison whispered venomously, “Phoebe, you’re so cheap!” The words struck her like a bolt of lightning.

“I always knew you were no saint, but to seduce my brother in out in the open? You’re truly despicable!” Madison hissed.

Phoebe’s face drained of color. Insulted by the harsh words, she swiftly retracted her hand and shot Madison with defiant stare. “Say that again!” she challenged. Phoebe, typically one to endure Madison’s provocations silently, had unexpectedly confronted her. Madison was momentarily taken aback by her ferocity. Theodore, noticing Phoebe’s distress, stepped forward. His brows furrowed in concern. “Madison, what did you just say?”

Madison was quick to feign innocence. “I didn’t say anything. Isn’t that right, Phoebe?”

She couldn’t afford to let her brother hear her previous words; he would undoubtedly have been furious.

Phoebe scoffed. “Madison, brave enough to utter the words but too cowardly to own up to them. It’s no wonder you lack the Reynolds family’s strong genes.” The words struck a nerve.

Throughout her life, Madison had often been told she bore no resemblance to the Reynolds. As a child, she was plain and unassuming, failing to look the part even when dressed as a princess. Children in the neighborhood would mock her, claiming her brothers were more beautiful at birth than she ever was; she was merely the black sheep of the family.

As she grew older, her brothers consistently excelled academically, always at the top of their class, while she barely managed to pass.

On more than one occasion, she overheard whispers suggesting she must have been adopted by the Reynolds family because she bore no relation to them whatsoever.

“Phoebe, stop your ridiculous prattle. Mark my words, or I’ll rip your mouth apart!” Madison, now fuming with rage, lunged at Phoebe.

Phoebe stood her ground, her resolve unyielding

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