Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie) novel Chapter 1041

I gathered my hair, put on a coat, and walked outside with a cup of coffee and a glass of milk.

I also brought a dessert for the little girl and set everything down in front of the woman.

The woman glanced at the tray before shifting her gaze to my face. I wasn't sure if she was surprised by my bare face or something else, but her brows furrowed slightly.

"I'm Madeline Crown. And you are?" I introduced myself directly.

"You don't know me." Her eyes remained fixed on my face.

Even though I had been eating well during my postpartum recovery, I hadn't gained much weight. Brandon had been making me balanced, low-fat meals, and I had been exercising as well.

So, I didn't change much in appearance.

If anything had changed, it was my skin—it had become fairer and smoother. Even Brandon had said my face was as soft and delicate as our daughter's.

"May I ask what these mean?" I placed her order slip on the table. A breeze swept past, carrying a fallen leaf that landed right on top of the paper.

"You're very happy now, aren't you?" The woman didn't respond to my question but instead made a sarcastic remark.

"Yes, I am," I answered honestly.

The sneer on her lips deepened. "Your happiness is built on the sacrifices of others. Do you really feel at peace with that?"

Her words were sharp—clearly, she didn't come with good intentions.

I had lived long enough to know exactly where my past grudges lay—it was none other than with the Gildon family.

Ever since Chris was gone, the Gildon family name had faded into history. I never expected someone to dig it up again.

But I had never seen this woman before in the Gildon family.

"And what does that have to do with you?" I neither denied nor argued—I simply asked directly.

But I wasn't about to let her dictate my thoughts. After all, we were complete strangers—I wasn't going to be thrown off by a few words from her.

"Whether or not the child is from the Gildon family, that can't be determined by your words alone. And what is your relationship with her?" I turned the questioning back on her.

The woman waved toward the little girl. "Sylvia."

Hearing her name, the girl ran over to the woman's side, her big, dark eyes studying me.

The woman gently smoothed out the girl's hair, which had been tousled from playing on the swing.

I took a closer look at them both. That was when I realized—their features were strikingly similar. I suddenly understood who this woman was.

"Mommy, can I eat this?" the little girl asked, pointing at the dessert I had brought.

Those words confirmed my suspicion.