Page 37 of Smuggler's Cove
However, Madison’s name was rarely mentioned in the publicity, nor did she share in the profits. When push came to shove, she got shoved out the door.
Madison refused to be squashed. Maybe designing clothes was not in the cards, but reviewing them became her platform. It kept her in the fashion world and afforded her the opportunity for a little revenge.
She started a website called Where Are You Going in That?, aimed at fashion faux pas. She took her cues from Joan Rivers, who was gaining additional fame critiquing the stars on the red carpet prior to award shows. Some of it was tongue-in-cheek, and some of it was downright scathing. Similarly, Madison used humor, but she would always offer constructive criticism.Take it or leave it. But if you leave it, you should leave those clothes at home, too.
Her professional network grew, and she was offered a job atLa Femme, a highly regarded, major fashion magazine, but it meant moving back to New York.
Her relationship with Eric went sideways when he discovered she was related to the scoundrel Jackson Taylor. It wasn’t about who her father was, but that she’d kept that important fact from him. He could not forgive her for what he considered lying, and they parted ways. Thankfully, they had not moved in together or made any lifelong commitment. Now, the new job and move were exactly what she needed. The best part was that Olivia was moving to New York, too. She had gotten a job in a women’s shelter and would be doing what she always dreamed of.
* * *
When Madison was living in Boston, her brother visited frequently and developed a deeper relationship with Olivia. It was a long-hidden truth that Lincoln carried a torch for his sister’s best friend, and he was thrilled that two of the three most important women in his life were moving back to New York City. Lincoln was beginning his master’s program at Baruch. A new chapter was unfolding for all three of them.
* * *
From 2002 through 2008, Lincoln continued his studies working toward a Ph.D. in wealth management. He did not want others to become victims of people like his father and his cronies. He and Olivia got married in 2004 and had their first child in 2006. The women’s shelter where Olivia worked had a day-care center, and she was able to bring Giada with her.
By 2008, Lincoln earned his degree and secured a job at Fordham University. Real estate was still within reach at the time, and they purchased a brownstone in Inwood, on the northern tip of the borough of Manhattan, near the George Washington Bridge.
* * *
Madison’s life was just as fruitful. With her new name and new attitude, she threw herself into her work and created a new persona. She worked her way up from fashion reviewer to assistant editor, then on to executive editor. By the time she was forty-four, she was editor-in-chief.
Madison was known for her unmistakable all-white wardrobe, the opposite of most career women in New York. Her short, platinum blond hair was chin-length, and she kept one side tucked behind her ear. Madison Wainwright became a force to be reckoned with.
Chapter Eight
Moving Ahead
When Madison began to make over six figures, she decided she could afford to exchange her small Hell’s Kitchen studio for something more spacious. She had no desire to move back to something like Sutton Place. Too pricey, too snotty, too bougie. But when she heard Tyler was moving out of his loft in Tribeca, she thought it would be perfect.
Fifteen hundred square feet of space, where she and her cats would have their own bathrooms; she could stretch her arms without hitting a wall. Situated in a desirable part of the city, it was a quick subway ride to her office, or she could take a nice, slow thirty-five-minute walk to work, weather permitting.
Her loft was also an easy forty-minute subway ride to her brother’s. At this point in her life, she appreciated how to spend her hard-earned money. Limos or town cars were no longer an option unless it was a gala. Except for the occasional taxi, buses were more her style now.
The next few years were quiet. Routine. Gwen visited during the holidays, and Madison and Olivia took turns hosting their dinners. Life was steady. Peaceful.
Madison had a few boyfriends over the years, but none of them were able to hold her interest. She had an excellent job, an active social life, and a cool apartment. She also managed to dodge any references to her past.
Now in her late-forties, Madison had meticulously reinvented herself. She had to admit, keeping up a front was often exhausting. Her only confidantes were her brother and Olivia, and of course, her mother.
Around the same time, Olivia was in burnout mode from the strife and horrors of the abuse she observed at the shelter. Giada was in college, and Olivia needed a change. Madison’s assistant was promoted, leaving an opening in Madison’s office, and she offered Olivia the job. “I know I can be riding my broom a lot, but you know me better than anyone. Please say yes.”
Madison’s reputation was that of a tough but fair boss. She expected people to do their job, but she was not without compassion, and she would keep things highly confidential if anyone were in a bad situation. It was an easy decision for Olivia. She and her best friend/sister-in-law would be a team.
Madison was overjoyed to have Olivia working with her. She knew she was a hard worker, but more than that, she knew she could trust her with her life. Madison was fiercely loyal, and she expected people to treat her the same way. If you wanted to see hellfire and brimstone, just cross Madison with betrayal. If there was one thing she would not, could not tolerate, it was disloyalty.
That was how her last breakup occurred. She had been dating a younger man named Seth. He was eight years her junior and exceptionally good-looking. He was polished and articulate and he knew how to make her laugh. They had been seeing each other for almost three months when he met her in her office after work one evening. They planned to go out for drinks. Seth was sitting across from her when she excused herself to freshen up.
As Madison walked down the hall, she realized she had left her keycard on her desk. She turned around, and as she approached her office, she caught Seth looking through her computer and writing something into a small notepad. She stopped short. “What are you doing?” she demanded.
He was red-faced. “Uh, trying to get on the internet.”
Madison quickly crossed the office and got a glimpse at what he was looking at. She flung her arm toward the door and shrieked. “Get out!”
Olivia heard the commotion and dashed into Madison’s suite as Seth jostled past her in the doorway. The notebook launched from his hand, and Olivia quickly snatched it up.
“What’s this?” She saw the name of a company embossed on the cover. A competing magazine. She held the pad high above her head as Madison tackled Seth to the floor. Not about to let go of the evidence, Olivia bolted to her desk and called security.
