âAnd then thereâs Mr. Harris, really, tagging along with her to stir things up at my place. Can you believe it? The CEO of Harris Group himself, doesnât he have better things to do?â Seeing how Domingo disliked Regina and Nolan, Madeline nodded in satisfaction.
âHas this woman been bullying you and your mother? Last time your mom called, she wanted me to finish Regina, but I couldnât because Nolan was around.â
Madeline looked at Domingo with a mix of frustration and disappointment, âYou let her into your turf, and how could you let her slip away? I just donât get it, Domingo. Havenât you been in the game long enough? You should have plenty of folks willing to back you up.â
Domingo scratched his head, âSure, she was on my turf, but I had to consider Nolan, you know. You have no idea how powerful Mr. Harris is these days. Heâs got our economic lifeline in his hands. One wrong move, and all my folks could be ruined. Theyâve been with me for years; I have to look out for them, right?
But now, getting rid of Regina would be much easier. Iâve been itching to see her gone for a while. Are you sure you want her out of the picture?â
Madeline still wasnât pleased, her nod barely perceptible, âThis time, failure is not an option. Iâve never asked much from you, my own father, but this one thing. Once itâs done, Iâll still acknowledge you as my dad and look after you in your old age. But if you fail, well-â
Madelineâs cold snort sent shivers down Domingoâs spine. In his life, it seemed he was always under the thumb of these two women, âDonât worry, dealing with one troublesome woman is nothing. I promise you that sheâll be taken care of.â
Madelineâs smile was one of sheer triumph. Was she worried Nolan wouldnât accept her? No, of course.
Once Regina was out of the picture, the spot by his side would naturally be hers.
Domingo, eager to please, tried to get Madeline to stay for dinner, but just looking at his rough demeanor was enough to annoy her.
How could her biological father be like this? Not the least bit imposing.
In every aspect, Madeline and Regina were worlds apart, especially when comparing their biological fathers. Francis was the epitome of grace and elegance. Over the years, he had never raised his voice at her, except for those few times she had brought it upon herself. To his stepdaughter, he was nothing short of perfect.
Madeline sighed inwardly. But all of this would change once Regina was completely out of the picture.
She would become the true Regina.
Most importantly, from then on, she would stand side by side with Nolan and no longer be overshadowed by Regina.
Madeline couldnât help but smirk, a sight that even made her father tremble.
âRegina, oh Regina! Youâre going to fall right into my hands. All your pride and arrogance will come to an end!â
Thinking back to the words Nolan had shared at the dining table last time, Madelineâs resentment grew even stronger.
When Nolan first met the Tanner family, he had such a good impression of them. Why did getting closer to Regina change his view of Madeline? Was it all because that woman had secretly spilled their family secrets to Nolan?
Regina thought she wasnât aware of those tactics! That woman was as deceitful as ever. Acting clueless in front of men, but secretly playing dirty tricks behind their backs.