"Are you going to take me with you on your next long trip?"
"I promise to be a very well behaved sister!"
Madison clung to Wiona's arm and shook it back and forth until Wiona felt like she might fall apart.
She did not know whether to laugh or cry and quickly agreed. "Okay, okay."
"Next time we will go somewhere fun together."
"But wait, have you been dealing with something upsetting?"
"Madison, is your family bullying you again?"
Wiona thought of Kyle's sudden engagement to Sophie and suspected that it might have caused some conflict between them.
Madison curled her lip.
"I would not call it bullying."
"But I just feel... that house, every time I go back, it makes my skin crawl."
"How so?" Wiona asked.
"Every time my mom asks me to come home for dinner, the atmosphere is incredibly strange."
"Mom has definitely grown a backbone, but Dad has turned into a bitter man. He picks fights over nothing, slamming doors and throwing things."
"Mom either pretends not to hear him, or she just slaps him right across the face!"
Wiona's eyes widened in shock, her mouth dropping open.
Jasmine?
Slapping Cole?
Was that for real?
Could someone with such a fragile, tearful personality actually slap someone?
Even though Wiona had sensed Jasmine wanting to stand up for herself before, this was an earth shattering transformation.
"Has she been possessed by an alien?"
But how could Cole still pressure Madison into a marriage?
Wiona suggested, "How about I introduce you to an absolutely gorgeous, top tier guy for a fake engagement? That will make him stop bothering you once and for all!"
Madison nearly knocked over her mug.
"Are you... are you serious?"
Wiona found it amusing. "Of course. Why would I joke about that."
"Rather than letting someone else control your marriage, it is better to take the initiative and keep it in your own hands."
"I have four older male cousins and one younger male cousin."
"My oldest cousin Mateo is already married, and Tyler is engaged."
"Madison, I still have three older cousins left... Wait, no, Tatum is your friend. You probably have no interest in him since it is awkward to date him."
"There is still Ryan and my younger cousin. Why do you not just pick one of them for a contract engagement?"
"Once you are completely free or find your true love, you guys can call off the engagement at any time. How does that sound?"

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