Rise Like The Sun

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

MADISON

She's fuming as she storms away.

How dare Nick think he can talk to her like that? And to speak so brazenly of her father, too?

As though he knew better, the arrogant ass.

Madison is so angry she doesn't know what to do.

She'd expected to laugh the night away with Nick, but the ass went and ruined that. Bastien is talking gleefully to a few guests and when she turns her head, she sees Nick speaking to his mother. Mrs Hawthorne looks flushed with pride, her eyes sparkling, and the sight of her hurts Madison's heart.

She makes up her decision in a split second.

Madison cuts through the crowd to seek out her mother. She's quick as she passes civilities and words of thanks towards the people offering her congratulations, but her gaze rakes incessantly over the crowd. She cannot see her mother and her irritation grows with every step she takes, her dress falling lightly over her knees.

"Have you seen my mother?" is the only question that falls from her lips, her brows beginning to furrow together.

When she's covered the entire room, Madison lingers briefly in the doorway, before she moves out. She makes straight for the sweeping staircase, her heels tapping against the ground, her fingers trailing against the bannister.

"Mother?" Madison calls out, her voice quiet and low.

There are the sounds of fumbling from a door.

Madison makes towards it, though strangely, her heart is beginning to pound. Her phone is ringing incessantly, but Madison doesn't once touch it, tracing her steps towards the door. It is slightly open, swinging a little, and Madison reaches out, before she can stop herself.

Blood rushes in her ears, ringing incessantly, but Madison pushes the door open.

Her mother is there, kissing the businessman from Morocco.

They realise she is there, jumping apart quickly, but Madison cannot say anything, her breaths fraught. She stares at her frazzled-looking mother. She faintly realises she has never seen her usually immaculate mother so vulnerable.

"Madison –," her mother begins.

"You're not divorced yet," Madison can only say, her voice sounding faint to her ears, as she stares at her mother. "Father hasn't signed the –,"

"Madison, I was going to tell you," Mother says. She attempts to pull herself together as she runs her fingers through her hair, her cheeks flushed hot. "You haven't met, yet, but – this is Mr Bassir, Ben –,"

"Mr Bassir, with the Moroccan shares," Madison realises. She stares at her mother, her voice still faint. "How can you do this to Father? After what he did to you –,"

Her mother frowns a little. "What?"

"You're doing the same thing he did. You're –,"

Then she breaks herself off. Madison stares at her guilty-looking mother, her heart in her throat, her breaths coming out fraught.

How could she have been so stupid?

Her mother tries again, "Madison, sweetheart –,"

"Father didn't cheat on you, did he?" she says. "That's why he looked weird when I threw that cheating line at him, that's why he left – that –,"

"What are you talking about?" Mother frowns, her voice growing strict and stern. "Have you seen your father, in the time that I've been gone? I told you not to, Madison –,"