Twin Cupids at Work Daddy Come Home novel Chapter 637

Shelly gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white.

Keep looking. Don’t tell me Madeline slipped through my fingers already.

She glanced at the new report. The tea she’d drunk this morning had finally finished its screening. The Ballard family’s personal pharmacist handed over the results, face grave.

“Ma’am,” he began quietly, “there’s a slow-acting poison in the tea. It’s tough to spot unless you check closely, but if someone keeps drinking it, they’ll become confused, their mind will slip… eventually, they’ll die and no one will know why.”

Shelly’s eyes narrowed.

So, she really wants me dead… and she wants to do it quietly.

Shelly looked at the paper again, her mouth set in a hard line. She could not afford to underestimate Claire. It was only the first day of her return, and already her enemy was showing this level of ruthlessness.

From the hall came a soft reminder. “Ma’am, dinner is ready.”

Shelly glanced at the doorway. “Has Miss Claire come home yet?”

“She just got in. She’s downstairs.”

Shelly’s gaze shifted back to the pharmacist. “If she wants to play with poison, I’ll play along. Go get something to knock her out for a while. I need to know who she’s been talking to.”

The pharmacist nodded. “I’ll handle it right away.”

Downstairs, Claire spotted Shelly and walked over, pasting on a saccharine smile. She didn’t see the icy anger lurking behind Shelly’s steady expression.

“Mom, I just went upstairs to see you, but they said you were resting… I didn’t want to bother you.”

“I’m not getting any younger. Didn’t feel quite right this afternoon. Even had a bit of a headache. I’m not sure why.” Shelly lifted a hand and massaged her temples, looking tired.

Claire smiled, almost satisfied. “Maybe you caught a chill. I’ll have the family doctor check you out later.”

“Let’s eat first,” Shelly replied, voice flat.

“Okay.”

“Oh, and Mom, the welcome dinner for you is just about ready. I followed the old guest list, if that’s all right with you?”

A servant delivered a steaming tureen of soup. Without a word, Shelly ladled a bowl for Claire and slid it across the table. “Forget all that for now. You’ve been busy all day. Eat some soup.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Claire said sweetly.

But Shelly didn’t smile. Her gaze was merciless, cold as glass.

Claire took a few sips. Nothing seemed off—until suddenly she felt dizzy. Her eyelids got heavier with every blink. Before she realized what was happening, her head dropped to the table and her world went dark.

Shelly watched in silence, unfazed. She finished the last spoonful from her own bowl. Claire’s phone started buzzing right on cue.

Shelly flicked her eyes toward a servant, who brought the phone. The screen just showed a number—no name. Shelly paused, then picked up.

The voice on the line was gruff and tense. “Miss?”

Shelly didn’t flinch. She spoke one word, low and steady. “Say.”

Cody felt the chill shoot right through him from his boss’s glare. “Whoa, let’s not joke about that.”

“If you know it’s a bad idea, then move.”

“Yes, boss! I’m on it!” Cody punched the gas and the car sped away.

Casey stared silently out the window. He checked the time. It had been a full day and night since Madeline vanished. His jaw tightened, dark eyes even darker.

Madeline, please… hang in there.

Shelly, meanwhile, wasn’t wasting a second. After sending the location pin, she called Ray. The more people searching, the faster someone would reach Madeline.

With every passing minute, anxiety prickled hotter through her chest. She ordered more of the Ballard family men to join the search.

...

Madeline had been burning up on and off all day. Her whole body ached.

The stabbing pain in her eyes had faded a bit, but there was still an ache that never quite left, and every so often, a sharp spike would cut through, making her flinch. Not seeing anything around her only made the fear worse. She felt her heart squeeze tight with helplessness.

“Maddie, Claire’s people are back,” Luke whispered, crouched close. He hadn’t just sat still. He’d gone out, scouted, and caught sight of their shadows through the trees.

Madeline’s brow knit in worry. She knew it—Claire’s people would guess they hadn’t gotten far and that they had to be somewhere nearby. If the first sweep didn’t turn them up, of course they’d circle back.

“We can’t stay here.” Madeline took a breath, steadying herself. “We need to move now.”