According to Mills, Madeline usually keeps her emotions to herself but she has a soft spot for certain people. Michael Logan described Madeline as "yet another ritzy firestarter" when compared to Abby. Upon her return in October 2014, Mills explained that "She's going to have more than one side." The actress continued, "I think she's got a really bad side." Madeline is "kind of blind" to her misdeeds. It's not really a huge deal to her. When comparing her two characters, Mills noted that the biggest difference is that Abby was a good mother and "with Madeline, not so much." On March 10, 2014, ABC Daytime released a short promotional package for the character. On March 14, 2014, Mills made her debut as the mother of estranged mother-in-law of Dr. Silas Clay (Michael Easton), on a "mission to get Silas to give up that inheritance." Madeline has always believed Silas married her now comatose daughter Nina for money. As far as Madeline is concerned, "he wanted a scholarship fund." But now that he's found success as a doctor, Madeline figures he doesn't need the money. Madeline is also revealed to be the mother of Nathan West (Ryan Paevey). According to Mills, Madeline is "kind of paranoid" because her husband died leaving her (and Nathan) with nothing—everything belonged to the comatose Nina. Though she is proud of her son for trying to avenge Nina and pin prove Silas poisoned Nina, she looks down on him becoming a cop to do so. "Madeline considers police work a very lowly, undignified profession" Mills explained. "It's so beneath her stature!" Madeline only shows her vulnerability with Nathan. "There's a real soft spot in her heart for him" Mills explained. During a podcast interview with "On-Air On-Soaps" shortly after her debut, Mills hinted at several other major twists in the story. As previously rumored, it is revealed that Madeline was responsible for her daughter's coma. She administered the drugs to kill Nina's unborn child to keep said child (and Silas) from inheriting the family's money. Madeline then kills the pharmacist to cover her tracks only to be caught and arrested by Nathan himself. On the April 9 episode, Madeline is revealed to be the long lost sister of the treacherous Dr. Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati).