In the car, Karl's gaze lingered on her figure through the windshield. His hand hovered over the ignition, reluctant to leave.

From the back seat, Caylee said, "Karl, quit staring. Look, if your competition were anyone else, I might tell you to give it a shot. But we're talking about a Robles. The power, the wealth, it's out of your league. Besides, she clearly loves Sanford. You don't have a chance."

Karl exhaled slowly. Her words stung, but they weren't wrong.

Still, was it selfish to wish for just one more glimpse of her?

Reluctantly, he turned the wheel, preparing to drive away, when the estate gates creaked open.

Karl's grip on the wheel froze as he recognized the woman stepping out.

It was. Sanford's mother, Janiya.

His jaw tightened. It had been Janiya who once orchestrated Maggie's abrupt departure from Sanford's life, forcing her to flee abroad overnight.

Janiya was not a woman to be underestimated. Had she finally accepted Maggie now?

At the gate, Janiya stood with a servant by her side, her sharp gaze fixed on Maggie. Her face was cold and unwelcoming, a silent barrier of disdain.

Maggie offered a polite greeting, her tone steady. "Hello, Mrs. Robles."

Janiya's voice sliced through the air. "What are you doing here? You're not welcome. Don't come back," she snapped bluntly.

Maggie had braced herself for this. Janiya's hostility was no surprise, and she met it with calm resolve, unshaken by the rejection.

In a gentle tone, she replied, "Mrs. Robles, I know you don't like me. But Sanford is unwell, and I've been looking after him for over a month. He's grown used to my care. I'm asking you to put aside your grievances, just for now, and allow me to continue helping him. Once he's recovered, we can discuss the future."

Janiya's lips curled into a bitter Laugh. "Oh, how noble of you. You think I don't see your little game? Acting humble, pretending to care. You're hoping to worm your way into my son's life and use his injury to look selfless and sincere. You want him to believe you love him for who he is, not his money. And when he does, he'll resent me, turn against me, and hang on your every word."

Her voice grew sharper. "Well, hear me loud and clear, so long as I'm breathing, you'll never take my son away from me!"

The sting of her son's betrayal, the way he'd defied her and embarrassed her in front of her peers because of Maggie still burned like a fresh wound.

Janiya's fury flared anew, her resolve unshakable.

"I'm not trying to take Sanford from you. I don't want to drive a wedge between you two. My love for him is real. I love him for the person he is.

What can I do to prove it to you?" Maggie's tone was helpless. Janiya's prejudice against her seemed insurmountable.

Janiya scoffed. "Spare me the theatrics. I've seen enough. You're not welcome here, and I'll say it again, leave. Now."

Maggie's jaw tightened, but she didn't budge. "I won't Leave until I've seen Sanford," she said firmly, her voice unwavering.

Maggie stood at the gates of the Robles estate, her posture steady despite the tension in the air. Her determined expression only seemed to fuel Janiya's irritation, and her eyes burned with barely contained anger.

"Maggie," Janiya began, her voice icy, “are you truly so desperate to set foot in my house?"