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Madeline was totally shocked and devastated

The only two people at Manhattan Meive a da Wilton, who, fortunately, hadn’t been Ronald’s cardiologist and was therefore unnamed in the lawsuit

Doug was a true friend, and not just to Conrad, but to her Because of his loyalty to the the friendships than he did about whatever revenge Jacob Casper would take if he knew that Doug had “b

roken the rules” The injustice of the lawsuit pissed hiist with credentials to et a job anywhere

Still, Madeline didn’t want to jeopardize Doug’s career So the two of the’s office with the door shut He kept her apprised of any ossip he overheard, and he listened when she needed to vent

Because Madeline and Conrad had been advised by their attorney tofilled Madeline in on Conrad’s end of things As Madeline already knew from Casey, Conrad had released hio and was back in his own apartment under a psychiatrist’s care He and his laould bewith Manhattan Mereed to let Conrad address If nopapers to serve the hospital on behalf of both Conrad and Madeline, and yet more lawsuits would commence

The whole situation was spinning out of control

Sometimes, when Madeline finished up a particularly painful shift, she’d leave the hospital—alith her head held high—go straight ho woman, but even she had her liht out of The Scarlet Letter

With one wonderful difference—she had Marc

Marc always seemed to knohen she needed him because he’d show up at her door with sandwiches or Chinese food or her favorite cinnamon buns from the bakery around the corner They’d eat and talk and inevitably wind up in bed, which was the only time Madeline’s mind was truly free, filled only with Marc and her love for him

“We’re going to get through this,” he told her repeatedly “This bullshit lawsuit is going to be a thing of the past More i to kill you will be thrown in jail to rot And you and I can start to build the life together that we should have started ten years ago”

Those words got Madeline through the worst of the days

But the stress of it all earing her down more and more each day

Emmaand threw herself into a chair

“This sucks,” she said