Chapter 12
The plane landed hours later in the bustling city of New York. As Maddie retrieved her suitcase, she spotted a
familiar figure waiting with a bouquet of flowers.
“Maddie!” a voice called out, filled with
excitement.
It was Emma, her older sister. Emma rushed toward her, wrapping Maddie in a warm, tight hug.
“It’s so good to have you back, Maddie,” Emma said, her voice thick with emotion.
Hearing her sister’s words, Maddie felt her own tears threatening to spill. Her throat tightened with regret. Why hadn’t she agreed to come home when her parents had found her during her senior year of high school? Why had she chosen to stay with Rico, ignoring the family that had never stopped loving her?
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“I’m so sorry,” Maddie whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’m sorry it took me so long to come back.”
Emma pulled back, holding Maddie’s face in her hands. “Hey, none of that. What matters is that you‘ re here now.”
Emma’s tone lightened as she handed the flowers to Maddie. “And don’t forget, you‘ re a princess in the Evans Family. From now on, no one in New York City is going to mess with you.”
Maddie laughed softly, wiping her eyes.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Emma grinned and took the suitcase from Maddie’s hand. “Come on, there‘ s someone I want you to meet.”
As they stepped outside into the crisp autumn air, Emma led Maddie to a young man waiting by a sleek black car.
“Maddie, do you remember him?” Emma Evans said with a grin, gesturing to the tall man standing beside her. “This is Andrew
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Cooper, my hairdresser. His family’s villa was right next to ours when we were kids. He’s two years older than you and used to come over every day to play. When he heard you were back, he insisted on coming to meet you.
Maddie smiled politely at the man. “Hi andrew. It’s nice to meet you–again, I suppose. But I’m sorry…I don’t really remember much from before I was three. years old.”
Emma groaned dramatically, slapping her thigh. “That’s such a shame! You don’t know how devastated this guy was when you went missing. His mom said he used to cry himself to sleep, calling your name in his dreams and saying, ‘My fiancée is gone!*
Maddie blinked, her confusion evident.
“Fiancée?”
Andrew’s face turned a shade of crimson that rivaled the evening sky. He lunged forward to clamp a hand over Emma‘ s
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mouth. “Emma! Enough!” he hissed, his voice panicked.
Emma broke free, laughing so hard she nearly doubled over. “Oh, come on, Andrew. Let her in on the secret! You two had a verbal doll marriage set up by our moms. This guy went around telling everyone you were his fiancée for years!”
Maddie’s brows shot up in disbelief as she stared at Andrew, whose face was now redder than a ripe tomato. He avoided her gaze, muttering under his breath.
“Emma,” he growled, glaring at her. “If you don’t stop, I’ll tell Maddie all about that time you fell into a manure pit on the farm.”
Emma waved him off, still giggling. “Fine, fine! I’ll stop. But Andrew, don’t say I didn’t warn you–if you‘ re still interested in my sister, you’d better act fast. Once her identity goes public, suitors will be lining up from here to Paris.”
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on as Andrew walked away, Emma‘ s
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is guy went a
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s brows shotu
Andrew, whose
I need this,” Emma said firmly.
an a ripe tomodded. “I was planning to get a tering under as soon as I arrived anyway.” She
er old phone out of her bag and the SIM card. “This was Rico‘ s
“he growled
stop, I‘ He
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re dropping it into the trash.
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Chapter 12
and I’ll handle them myself.”
Maddie placed a gentle hand on her sister’s arm. “Emma, it’s not worth it. You‘ re not part of the entertainment world. There’s no need to drag yourself into this mess.”
Emma smirked, crossing her arms. “Not part of the entertainment world? Maddie, don‘ t tell me you still don’t know what industries our family owns.”
Maddie blinked in confusion. “I honestly have no idea.”
Emma rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Ever heard of an entertainment company called Evergreen Media?”
“Of course. Isn’t that Jane‘ s agency?”
Emma nodded, a sly smile playing on her lips. “Starting tomorrow, that agency belongs to you.”
“What?” Maddie’s voice came out in a startled whisper.
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“You heard me,” Emma said, laughing. “Evergreen Media is part of the Evans empire and as of tomorrow, it’s officially under your name.”
Maddie shook her head, trying to process the news. “Wait. Evergreen is ours? You‘ re serious?”
Emma laughed even harder at Maddie‘ s expression. “Yes, princess, it’s ours! And now it’s yours. So, you see, Rico and Jane won’t be pulling any stunts anytime soon.”
kkk
Just then andrew pulled up in a sleek black SUV. Emma gestured dramatically. “Come on, Miss CEO. Your ride awaits.”
Maddie climbed into the car, still reeling from what she had just heard. “Emma,” she said, turning to her sister. “Are you sure about this? Evergreen Media, as in the company Jane works for, is actually part of our family business?”
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mmasama grinned mischievously.
part Absolutely. Why do you think I’ve been orrow, calm about the whole situation? We‘ ve en playing the long game. Now, it’s ir turn to take the reins.”
ead, tryind
ergreen the car glided smoothly through the
stling streets, Maddie leaned back in her t, her mind racing. Life was moving
hardernde
ter than she had ever expected, but for rincess first time in a long while, she felt like
ing
was gaining control.
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maybe, just maybe, she was ready for
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