Chapter 3: The Ascent
Life in the Thorne estate was a whirlwind of discipline and transformation. Madeline didn't spend her time wallowing. She studied under Elias’s tutelage, learning the intricacies of corporate law, the vulnerabilities of the luxury real estate market, and the brutal reality of the world she had been excluded from. She was no longer a housewife; she was a predator in training.
The triplets grew with the resilience of their mother. By the time they were three, they were sharp, observant, and possessed a quiet intensity. Madeline watched them from her office desk, seeing the way they mimicked the confidence of the people surrounding them. She had used the time to secretly accumulate assets through shell companies Elias helped her establish, reinvesting every cent into the very industries Ryan ignored.
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News of the Montgomerys reached them through the grapevine. Ryan was marrying his mistress, a socialite named Isabella, in a wedding that was being touted as the "Event of the Century." It was to be held at the grandest hotel in the city, an estate that had been in the Montgomery family for decades. The invitations were already being sent out. When Madeline saw the glossy, gold-embossed card that had been leaked to the press, a slow, dangerous smile spread across her face.
"Elias," she said, tapping the invitation. "I believe it’s time to RSVP."
