ã€ŠLoving Madelineã€‹


 Chapter 1 - I Am Shocked

    Madeline''s POV

    I am running to my aunt''s residence since my best friend called me and informed me she saw ck cars park outside our home, and she thinks my aunt is in trouble. I am excused from my part-time job as a cashier in one of the twenty-four-hour convenience stores not so far from our ce, and I fear what is going on.

    My steps faltered when I realized Gina was right. Gentlemen are wearing ck suits outside our house, I can''t stop my heart from hammering, and I doubt my aunt''s deal with them. I realize we had so many debts when my mom got sick; I perceive my aunt loves me, but I can''t me her that her life became hard when we came to her doorstep one night since we don''t have a ce to stay. From then on, I am forever grateful to her, and if there is only one thing I can do to save her from all the debts she has right now, I will do it in a heartbeat.

    "Are you Madeline Brownwood?" Asked one man, and I nodded. And it feels like they have cut my tongue off because of my nervousness.

    "We have been waiting for you, and please let us get inside and discuss this matter with you." He said, and I followed him as he got inside our cute living room. I saw my aunt sitting on the sofa, and my eyes widened when I realized my suitcases are on the floor. And before I can ask her what is going on, she stands up and moves closer to me.

    "I''m sorry, Maddie, Mr. Divenson already paid all of our debts, and you know my debts filed up when I epted you and your mother in this house. You shoulde with them so that we will be all happy, and you will have a better life." My aunt spoke, and I can see the tears that welled up in her eyes, and I became so confused why she is saying sorry to me.

    "Ms. Brownwood, your presence is highly needed at the Divenson Mansion since you are going to marry Mr. Hunter Divenson." He spoke calmly, and I stiffened upon hearing what he had said.

    "What? I don''t even have a boyfriend, and who says I am marrying someone I don''t even know." I replied, and my shock made my entire body shake. The family name Divenson rings a bell on my head, and I became so astounded when I realized he was talking about the Divenson who owned one of thergest miningpanies in our country.

    "You may not know him personally, Ms. Brownwood, but I am telling you if you will see him in person, I can guarantee you will love all about him. I can''t believe you don''t know him, he has been linked with celebrities before, but none of those issues were true. He is such a private man, but because of his stature and physical appearance, many are fascinated by him, including daughters of the Elite Society." He responded.

    "And you are?" I asked him, and he smiled at me warmly.

    "Oh, I am sorry, my dear, for I forgot my manners. I should have introduced myself first. I am Calixto Morgan, Hunter''s right hand." He said, and he offered me his palm, and I shake hands with him. This thing is too much to process, and I don''t know if I have a choice.

    "Can I say no to this?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "I am afraid you can''t, Maddie. Your dad, Frank Brownwood, had an agreement with Mr. Divenson." He dered, and I am frozen on the ground as I heard him mentioned my father''s name, and there is no way he has something to do about this since he left us since I was three years old.

    "I don''t know my father," I said.

    "Yes, but he knew about you, and you can ask your aunt who helped her with your mother''s medications, you may not know him, but he has done a lot for you, but sad to say he has another family that is why he left you and your mother." He dered, and I can''t believe this person knows almost everything about my life.

    "Shall we go now? Mr. Divenson is a busy man, he wants you to be at the house before dinner, so you can meet your future inws earlier before he arrives for supper." He said, and his men took my suitcases, and I don''t know what to say. I felt betrayed by my aunt, but I can''t me her since she has done a lot for us. I am still grateful for all the helped I got from my mother''s sister. She hugged me, and I embraced her back, but my tears don''t fall, and I wonder why. I used to be a crybaby, but after my mother died, I promise myself I won''t cry.

    I felt defeated since he already paid off all my aunt''s debt, but I will beg Mr. Divenson, I will ask him to allow me to work as a maid in their mansion, and he doesn''t need to marry me. I settled myself at the back of the ck SUV while Mr. Morgan, seated in the front seat. I get my aunt''s phone from my pocket and said goodbye to Gina, but I told her I would meet her one of these days. And I realized I wasn''t able to return my aunt''s phone. As we drive away from my aunt''s ce, I fixed my back on the car''s backrest, and I am trying my best toe up with a solution to stay aside from this mess.

    I couldn''t believe my estranged father will do this to me. He had so many shorings to me being my dad, and now, he made my life so miserable. How can he arrange a marriage for me? I am not confident if Mr. Calixto Morgan is telling the truth. I have never been in love, and Gina said it was a wonderful feeling that you couldn''t express them in words. She mentioned once I will fall in love with someone, I will recognize it. I am too busy helping my aunt to pay the bills and make ends meet to have a love life. I perceive I am not ugly. There are boys from high school, and even now that I am in college, they asked me toe on a date with them, but I always say no.

    "Maddie, you don''t need to worry about everything. Even if you are going to marry Hunter, he wants you to continue your studies." Calixto dered, and I felt d at least I still have my options. Maybe I can run from him the moment I am at the university. I work part-time just to pursue my education, so many times my aunt reprimanded me since she wishes me to stop studying, but I beg her that this is what I want with my life.

    The minute we arrived at the Divenson mansion, my eyes widened since I haven''t realized I am staring at a manor for the first time. I have seen mansions and estates from TV shows, but it felt so different looking at it up close. The massive pirs of the house are telling me this house costs a fortune. It feels like I see a castle. The mansion is enormous and so beautiful. The white color paint of the entire home makes it more elegant. At the point we get inside, Calixto brings me first to my assigned bedroom.

    "Maddie, you need toe down to the pavilion after twenty minutes. I will wait for you in the living room. Hunter asked me to introduce you to his family." He said in a fatherly voice, and I can''t stop myself from asking him.

    "Do you know my father?" I inquired.

    "Of course, he has been too closed to me and with Hunter because he was his driver." He dered as he opened the door of my chamber, and I can''t believe what I saw. It was bigger than I can imagine, and I suddenly felt like a princess in a movie.

    "This is your room for the time being since you will join with Mr. Divenson after the wedding in the master''s bedroom. There are dresses in the closet, and please suit yourself. You need to wear a dress from now on." He dered, and I can feel goosebumps in my entire body since I didn''t imagine myself being married at neen.

    Calixto closes the door gently, and I can''t stop myself from admiring my room, from the king-sized four-poster bed to the enormous, beautiful bathroom, and the view on the balcony is breathtaking. They cover the sofa in my room with a white sofa cover, and the lc bed covers make me want to take a nap. I followed Calixto''s advice, and as I open the closet, I can''t believe the beautiful dresses and shoes that I found, and I wonder who ordered these clothes.

    I chose the most straightforward costume, but after I took a shower and get the dress, it fits perfectly on my body, and I felt so lovely looking at my reflection in the vanity mirror. Even the mirror and dresser in this room are expensive. I was terrified at first, but now that I see the Divenson mansion, I fall in love with its splendor.. I don''t know if I can get away from here, but I am strong, and I won''t let Hunter Divenson ruin my life.

 Chapter 2 - Meeting My Future In-Laws

    Madeline''s POV

    I descended the grand staircase, and Calixto was right. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me, and the moment he noticed my presence, he looks up, and a wide grin appears on his face.

    "You look so lovely, Ms. Brownwood, and I think your future inws will be thrilled to have you in their residence." He said, and I can''t stop myself from beaming at him. I felt nervous, but I set aside my fear. It is not my choice to be here, so if they will evict me, the better. I love the beauty of their home, but I have my life, and I don''t want some stupid billionaire to ruin my life.

    I followed him going outside, and my heart swells when I saw the extensive gardens of the Divenson mansion. The fountain at the center of the park mesmerized me, and as we got near the pavilion, I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart. Calixto abruptly stopped that I collided with him since I was still staring at the beautiful garden.

    "I am sorry," I said as I kneaded my forehead.

    "Be Always careful, Ms. Brownwood." He answered, and I can see Hunter''s family sitting on the patio chairs looking like a royal family. I already saw their portrait in the living room. Only Hunter Divenson is not around. His mother''s face darkened when she looked at me while his father continues reading his newspaper, and his brother stared at me with lust. I can feel he is watching me with desires, and I nced away from his gaze immediately, but when I nce at his pretty sister, she also looks at me with contempt.

    The time my eyes meet with a beautiful young girl who is looking at me with a broad smile on her face, I can''t stop myself from beaming at her. Her lovely smiles calmed my restless heart, and I love her already.

    "Mr. rk Divenson, Mrs. Leticia Divenson, Ms. Charlotte, Mr. Parker, and Ms. Lily, I want you to meet Ms. Madeline Brownwood, the fianc¨¦e of Mr. Hunter." Calixto introduces me to his family, and they all look at me with diverse emotions, but I am sure it is more about anger blended with shocked.

    "Wow, this is so unexpected. I think I have to reprimand my son. What is he thinking? He wants to introduce his fianc¨¦e through his right hand. I don''t find this funny, Calixto, we are not his business partners, and this girl is not a product." His mother spoke in a demanding tone that caused my body to feel so weak.

    "Hello! Ms. Madeline, wee to Divenson, mansion. I can''t wait to spend my time with you." Lily said happily, and her brother snickered. She is the only one who made me feel wee.

    "Hi, Lily, I am excited to devote some time with you." I smiled at her, and his little sister giggles.

    "Hello, everyone, good afternoon. If it stuns you that I am here standing in front of you, I understand, and I get it, but I just want you all to know I am more surprised than you do." I spoke, and I can feel my heart was racing while Calixto looked at me with horror in his eyes.

    "If you will excuse us for a while." He spoke and dragged me away from Hunter''s entire family.

    "What do you think you are doing? You can''t say something like that in front of his parents. You should act you are his girlfriend, and you are in love with each other." He hissed in anger.

    "You didn''t tell me about that part, Mr. Morgan. I didn''t know I have to pretend as his actual girlfriend." I said, feeling so defeated.

    "I am sorry, it must slip from my mind, this is the most important part, you should, you remember you are Hunter''s sweetheart for almost one year now, you meet at your University." He spoke, and I am shocked by his words.

    "Do I need to do that?" I asked.

    "Yes, if you want to survive in this ce, can you see the look on their faces? They will dig your biography sooner than you can reach your bedroom door." He said, and he looked at me with concern all over his face.

    "I won''t be here to guide you on what you are going to do, Maddie. I will introduce you to Cer she will be your assistant until your wedding day. We will wait for Hunter''s decision after the wedding." He answered, and Calixto seems so confident that the marriage will take ce. He doesn''t know I have ns.

    "Do I need to go back in there?" I asked, and I felt so relieved when he shook his head.

    "No, they are taking their afternoon tea, they are enjoying the summer together, your prospective husband is good with what he does, he tripled the ie of thepany the moment Hunter assumed the position of his dad, don''t mention that to your future father-inw, or else he will forever loathe you." He dered, and I am being impressed with this Hunter guy.

    I hate the idea that he used his money and power to bring me to his ce, but I already made a promise to myself if there is one thing I want to do for my aunt to stop the bank from taking her house, I will do it, and it seems Hunter saved my aunt''s family and I should be grateful to him.

    "Take this, Maddie, this is your mobile phone from now on, and you will use this to send me messages or call me if you need anything. I already save my number there and Hunter''s number. The time I found out you don''t indeed own a phone, I was shocked. Who doesn''t own a cell phone nowadays? You are exceptional, Ms. Brownwood." Calixto dered, and I was astonished to find the newest iPhone edition on my hand.

    "Why should I need a phone? I don''t even have friends, and I only have one best friend, and I shared with my aunt''s phone for job purposes. She let me borrows her phone every time I go to work. My life differs from all the girls my age, Calixto. I don''t have the luxury to enjoy life because I am an orphan. I can''t even think of buying a new dress, as you can see. My belongings mostly consist of my books collection. I mostly spend my time reading since I don''t require spending cash on reading. I usually bought them on sale, and most of the time, I buy at the thrift stores." I said, and I became sad to remember how hard it is to find money just to survive.

    "I need to go to work even if I got sick because I can''t be absent when my aunt needs the cash for the amortization of her debts. And now that she has no debts left, it feels like it has lifted a thorn from my chest. When my mom got sick, I felt so helpless because we don''t have enough cash to send her to the hospital, and she resisted treatment. I begged her and informed her I would find different part-time jobs and quit studying. But she ordered me to drop the issue because she won''t let me suffer because of her. I saw my mother died before my eyes, and I can tell because of poverty, I lost my mom. It hurts to ept that if you don''t have the money, you will not survive." I said, and I tried to contain my tears.

    "I perceive." He answered, and my eyes widened.

    "Why? Did you know all my life stories? Were you spying on me?" I asked.

    "I am sorry for invading your privacy, Maddie, but since you were my boss subject, I don''t have a choice but to identify you. Don''t tell Hunter about all this, but I can feel your pains. For two months, I always spend my time at your aunt''s house minus the bodyguards. I talked to her since I desire to learn what kind of person you are." He said.

    "You are going to marry one of the most eligible bachelors of the country, so we require to be sure you don''t have a boyfriend, you are not involved with any types of vices, and addiction that can ruin his reputation, and most of all you have an excellent schstic record, and most of all have a perfect physical appearance." He added, and I can''t stand myself from raising my eyebrows.

    "Why does he want me to join a beauty pageant, like the Ms. Universe? Why do I need to have those traits to be his wife? Is he that handsome and glorious in person?" I asked, and I can''t stop myself from being irritated.

    "I don''t intend to hurt your feelings, Maddie. I am just telling you the truth." He responded, and I felt guilty.

    "I am sorry, Calixto, I am not angry with you; I just hate where I am right now; I love this ce, but being married to a stranger is not what I dream of," I said.

    "Be careful with your words, youngdy; you may eat all the words you have uttered at this very moment, the time you meet Hunter Divenson." He dered.

    "Why are you so confident that I will fall in love with your boss?" I inquired.

    "I just have the hunch; besides it, all happen to all the women he meets." He said, and I shook my head.

    "Well, don''t count me in, Calixto, I don''t have any ns on falling in love with him, and I desire to have a word with him if possible. Do you think you can set me up for a meeting with him? I just demand to discuss with him this stupid marriage arrangement. I want to know why my father dragged me into this situation." I said, and I looked at him in the face.

    "Well, I will try, but I can''t promise you this week since his calendar has been so full already." He spoke, and I felt disappointed, but I can wait for my schedule.

    "By the way, from this day onwards, you have an allowance, Maddie, and it will be debited to your ount monthly." He added, and I am shocked.

    "Yes, Hunter wants you to have some money that you can spend if you want to buy something for yourself, and I already set you for a driving lesson since I also found out you don''t know how to drive yet." Calixto dered, and I can''t stop myself from being surprised with these current changes in my life.

 Chapter 3 - Meeting Hunter

    Madeline''s POV

    Calixto introduced me to Cer, and I felt so happy when I realized she has the same age as me, but she is shy, or she is just keeping a distance from me, and she immediately left my room after she prepared my dress for dinner.

    "Seriously? I just wore this dress a while ago. Why do I need to change again? " Iined at Calixto while he looked at me with confusion on his face.

    "Maddie, you should look gorgeous and presentable the time you meet your future husband. You can also apply some perfume since you have so many expensive perfumes in your dresser that you can spend. It was all chose by Hunter." He exined, and I don''t want to argue with him. I just nodded.

    "They will serve dinner at seven o''clock, Hunter rarelyes home for supper, but because of you, he must get home earlier than usual." He said, and I looked at him.

    "If you are his right hand, does it mean you are like his assistant?" I asked him curiously.

    "Sort of, but I am more than an assistant to him, Ms. Brownwood since I mostly attend to his matters, not only that I may look old to you, but I am still strong, asionally I also act as his escort, don''t get me wrong Hunter is good with martial arts of all types, but he nevertheless needs me, sometimes." He said, and I wonder if Hunter always causes trouble.

    "Is he a troublemaker?" I asked.

    "Of course not." He smirked and look so amused with my questions.

    "Why does he need an escort anyway?" I mumbled, and I didn''t expect him to hear me.

    "Your future husband is an influential man, Ms. Brownwood; that is why." He replied.

    "I will leave now, please don''t bete. Cer will apany you to the dining hallter but be ready before the clock strikes at seven o''clock; Hunter hates tardiness." He said, and I nodded.

    "Do you have some manuals with you?" I asked, and he raised his eyebrow, and I can tell he was confused with what I mean.

    "Manual for what?" He inquired.

    "A guide being his future wife. It feels like he has many constraints, and I don''t want to be punished, Mr. Morgan. Or manual being a resident of the big house. I said, and heughs.

    "There is no manual, Ms. Brownwood. There aren''t any restrictions besides, I know you hate beingte too, so I assume you still have the same attitude while you are staying here at the Divenson mansion." He said.

    "I should go now. I don''t want to bete, or else my wife will not let mee in inside our house." He added, and I send him to the door, and before I can close my bedroom door, Lily appears on my threshold.

    "Hello, Maddie! Can I get into your room?? She asked, and I nodded, beaming at her as I widely open the door for her.

    "Can I sit on your couch, Maddie?" She asked.

    "Of course, have a seat, please, Lily," I replied, and I can''t believe her politeness towards me, or she is just different from her siblings. I sat beside her, and he turned her head to face me.

    "I am a little hurt, you know." She spoke as she looks at her hands.

    "May I know why? I asked.

    "Because Hunter didn''t tell me he is getting married, and I hate it, he doesn''t let me meet you first before he proposed to you." She said, and I can look at the tears in her eyes, and I am not sure how I willfort her.

    "I thought he loved me." She dered, and she looks so cute, and she is more beautifulpared to Charlotte.

    "Hey, we are sorry, Lily, but as you can understand, your brother is a very busy man, but he loves you so much, that is why he doesn''t have enough time to introduce me to you," I said.

    "Really?" She said, and this girl looks so adorable.

    "Yes!" I eximed, and I hate myself for lying to this innocent girl, but I only did it to make her feel better. It was just a white lie.

    "Do you love my brother, Maddie?" She inquired, and I swallowed my saliva. How can I answer her question when I don''t even meet her brother yet?

    "Of course I do," I replied, and another lie.

    "So much?" She asked me again, and I smile. How can she ask me about love when I didn''t even know how it feels to fall in love.

    "Yes, so much," I answered, and she hugged me.

    "Please, Maddie, don''t leave my brother, okay?" She begged me with puppy eyes, and I smiled and nodded my head at her.

    "Can I sleep here in your room?"

    "Of course," I responded enthusiastically. I love Lily to apany me.

    "How I wish I can, but I am sure my mom won''t allow me to slumber here in your room. Please don''t mind them, Maddie. I heard it they don''t appreciate you, but my brother loves you, and I like you, so it is more than enough reason that you should stay here at the Divenson Mansion." She dered, and her honesty shocked me.

    "I should leave now, or my mom will go crazy if she can''t find me in my room. See youter at dinner, Maddie." She said, and I take her to my door.

    "See youter, Lily," I replied, and she walks out of my room gracefully after she waves her hand at me. I leaned my back at my door after I locked it. I am terrified of Parker''s look, I just hope I am mistaken, but I can''t stop feeling so nervous. It is now official his entire family except Lily hated me.

    When the clock strikes at six-thirty in the evening, I am already getting on my dress, and I put light makeup on my face. I don''t really like cosmetics, but my job requires a pleasing personality, and having makeup on my face is one of the primary house rules since we are dealing with customers. I love my wardrobe''s cerulean color, and I felt like a princess wearing this type of dress. I sprayed some perfume, and it smells so sweet, and I can tell by my dress''s brand, it is so expensive. I am still staring at my reflection in the mirror when I heard some knocking on my doors, and when I opened it, I found Cer standing in my doorway.

    "It seems you are now ready to move to the feasting hall, Ms. Maddie. Please follow me." She said, and I walk behind her. When I arrive in the dining room, they are allplete, and my world stands still when Ie face to face with Hunter Divenson. I tried to keep myself footed on the ground as his beautiful hazel-green eyes hypnotize me. He looks so handsome, and his body built is so perfect. When he rises, I realized he is so tall, and I guess he stands six feet and one inch or more. Calixto was right, and his boss is very handsome. Hunter is the type of person who can make the entire crowd go crazy over him.

    The minute he smiles at me, I almost fainted, and I can''t stop myself from beaming at him. His perfect white teeth are shining like diamonds, and even his smiles are excellent. He stands and moves closer to me, and I realized he is more handsome up close. And I got my entire body shivers not because I am so afraid of him but because of the foreign feeling that I went through. I can feel butterflies in my stomach the moment he puts his hands on my waist.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, if I wasn''t here when you arrived, I promise I will make it up to you." He said, and before I can reply, he ims my mouth, and I think I will die. And this is my first time to experience a kiss, but the way he brushed me is so spectacr that I kiss him back hungrily. It felt so wonderful, and all the bad things I want to throw at him were all gone the minute I enjoyed his sweet lips. We both kissed hungrily, and by the time he stopped kissing me, I hold his arm, and I felt so d that he is still holding my waist.

    "So, eager to kiss me, Ms. Brownwood?" He whispered in my ear, and I felt he nibbled my ear before he finally let me go. And I got goosebumps covered my entire skin, and I can''t stop myself from blushing. He pulls a dining chair and assisted me to sit down, and then he pulled his chair and seated beside me, and by the time I looked at the other members of the family, I find them smiling at us. Are they for real? They all seem so nice to me. Gone are the hard stares and contempt.

    "Shall we start our dinner, now?" He asked, and his mom smiled.

    "Of course, dear." His mom said sweetly at him. The food is all mouthwatering, but it erased my hunger after Hunter kissed me. He makes my knees feel so weak.

    "You should eat, my love. I don''t want you to look skinny on our wedding day, and I admire your gorgeous body, so you should maintain that for me?" He spoke and looked at me with his smile, and I nodded, and I felt like I lose my ability to speak and think. Hunter upied my mind, and his presence made me feel so nervous nicely. Our nearness makes me go through so drawn to him, and I despise myself for feeling this way.

    I want to despise him, but how can I neglect him when he is this handsome and irresistible? I know he looked attractive in his portrait in the living room, but I can''t believe until now that his genuine beauty was perfect. He looks like a Greek god and some model in a magazine. He looks so young, and I wonder how old he is.. And I realized at this very moment my heart is in big trouble.

 Chapter 4 - The Engagement Ring

    Madeline''s POV

    The dessert was superb, and I felt so full. I wonder why Hunter''s entire family looks so happy to see me now that Hunter is present. Are they trying to pretend they like me because he is sitting beside me? I can''t believe these people, they are so good at hiding their authentic emotions, and their facade is perfect. Hunter and his father talked about business, while Lily keeps asking me trivial questions about how I meet her brother.

    "Where did you meet?" She asked.

    "At my University," I replied.

    "So sweet." She giggled.

    "Can you tell me where did he bring you on your first date?" Lily asked again, and my throat went dry since I don''t have any idea where we should have our supposed first date.

    "I invited her to dinner to my favorite restaurant, which I will not tell you, youngdy, where is that restaurant, and I will not let Maddie tell you either," Hunter answered for me. My future inwsugh while Lily is pouting her lips, but Hunter put his hand on her head, and he stroked the girls'' hair, and she is now smiling again. I can see Lily adores her brother.

    "So, when will be the wedding, son?" His father asked him.

    "After one month, that is why I asked Madeline to live here in Divenson Mansion, to get acquainted with the ce, and so that she will meet you guys; I hope you will help my future wife to enjoy her stay, I n to move out, and reside to our new residence after the wedding." He spoke, and I saw his father''s face darkened.

    "You can''t do that Hunter, you are the Heir, and this estate belongs to you. For generations, they have passed it down to the eldest son. You should build your family here. We can move to another estate if you want this home to be your permanent residence." rk Divenson said.

    "Father, you can''t leave this mansion," Hunter replied.

    "You are not allowed to leave from this house, Hunter." His dad responded with authority, and I saw Hunter clenched his fists at his side.

    We all stand from the dining table and said, good night, Lily hugged me, and she whispered she woulde with me to my room, and I nodded. She holds my hand while we walk, going to the stairs, and I can feel Hunter is walking behind us, and we are about to get inside my room before her brother speaks.

    "Lily, I know you wish to spend some moment with Madeline, but as you can see, I miss her today, and I need to talk with her about some important matter." He dered to his little sister.

    "Of course, I understand, Hunter. Good night Maddie, see you tomorrow." She responded and hugged me one more time and do the same to her brother before she walks away from us. Lily has been gone for a long while, but he keeps silent, so I open my bedroom door, and I am confused if I am going to invite him in, but when I am about to turn around, I collided with his muscr frame, and I didn''t know he walked closer to me. He put his hands on my waist to steady me, and I can feel the sparks that travel my entire body. All the things Gina said about the feelings you are going to experience once you find the man you love is happening to me in one night after meeting Hunter Divenson, my future husband.

    He smells so desirable, and to be honest, I want to feel his lips on my mouth again, and before I can move away from him, he lifts my chin, and he took my hungry mouth once again, we shared another passionate kiss that brings me to cloud nine. His crimson lips taste so good, and the way he imed my mouth feels so wonderful, then I felt disappointed when he stopped kissing me.

    "Don''t think we are kissing because I have feelings for you, Maddie. We are doing this to be familiar with me, and I don''t wish my family thinks we are not an actual couple. I will sleep here tonight in your room but don''t worry, I assure you, nothing will happen tonight unless we are married. I want them to believe that we are in love and we are already doing it. Now give me your left hand." He ordered, and his words hurt me, I know I am only here because he wants a wife, but I wonder why he chose me when I have nothing to offer him.

    He could have hired a bride and have a divorceter, and maybe that is his n for me. He can file a divorce anytime since I don''t belong to their society. I am nothing, and it will not be a scandal. He will not be the talk of his social circles. Why am I feeling this way? Before I meet him, I want to beg him to work at his mansion as a maid, and he doesn''t need to marry me. Why I suddenly felt lonely just thinking about what will happen after our marriage?

    "Didn''t you hear me? Give me your left hand, Madeline." He repeated, and I can tell the irritation in his voice. When I offer him my left palm, he fished out something from his pocket, and my eyes got so big when I realized he inserted the engagement ring on my ring finger. And I wonder why it fits perfectly on me.

    "Don''t dare to pull it out, Maddie. That ring is a sign that we are in love with each other, and I don''t wish them to think this is just an act." He said, and I nodded. I want to ask him so many questions, but I don''t understand why my mouth is zip.

    "May I know what should I call you?" I asked innocently.

    "Just call me Hunter." He replied in a haughty tone, and I wonder why he suddenly sounds like this when we were in the dining hall, he shows so happy and alive, and now he looks like we are attending a wake.

    "I will be backter, and don''t forget to lock the door." He said as he moves to the exit and gets out without a second nce. Howe he bes so warm and cold at the same time? His family is weird too. They are both the same. When Hunter is around, they seem pleased to see me, same with Hunter, but when I am with his family without him, they looked at me with total hatred, same with him. He is treating me with coldness the moment we are alone. I wonder why Hunter instructed me to close the door. Did he notice the way his brother was looking at me?

    I undress my dress, and I pick up some towel from the closet, and I turn inside the bathroom, and I take a warm shower. I feel so fresh when I finished taking a bath. I put on my nightgown andb my light-brown hair, and I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and my hazel brown eyes are looking back at me. And I can''t stop myself from smiling. My handsome future husband has kissed me.

    I realized I experienced love at first sight with Hunter Divenson, and I felt d it was him. I felt this way because I am going to marry him. I am not only marrying for money, at least for me, I felt love, and I don''t know what his real deal is. I can say the reason I am here is that he paid off my aunt''s debt, and she is now happy that the foreclosure of her house can''t be pushed through by the bank.

    I can''t deny my attraction towards him. I am neen years old, but I never experienced loving someone, and I am uncertain if what I felt right now is love. I am touching my lips and reliving the sweet kiss that we have shared. It was glorious. And I can''t wait to meet Gina and tell her all about my episode with Hunter.

    I am about to go to bed when I heard someone is trying to open my door, and I felt so nervous, and it suddenly opens, and I got so relieved to see him getting inside my room, and I understood he is using a master key. I thought my stomach somersault when I recognized he just finished taking a shower. He looks so young and hot now that he is only wearing sweatpants and a white sleeveless tank top, and I can look at his muscles rippled as he walks towards the bed. He looks so glorious, and I tried my best to remain calm even though I can hear the thundering of my heart.

    I need to control myself, or he will know how I feel about him. He looked at me, and I can tell his eyes linger on my legs and body, and I felt so hot all over my torso.

    "It is gettingte already. I have to work early tomorrow. Please go to bed now, Madeline." He said, and that is the time I move to the bed. I went through so nervous and excited to be on the same bed with him. He was just a stranger to me a while ago, and why now I crave to sleep closer to him. I know I am stupid and irrational. I envy him since the moment his body hits the bed. He fell asleep immediately while I find it so hard to slumber, especially now that Hunter Divenson is sleeping beside me.

    He looks so handsome even if he is falling asleep, and I wish to trace the contours of his face, his perfect nose, the ideal shape of his eyebrows, his enticing perfect lips.

    "Maddie, go to sleep and stop checking me out." He said, and I felt embarrassed. How does he know I am peering at him when his eyes are closed? Maybe he can''t handle it. I am staring at him the entire time. I am hoping I can get closer to him by the time I fall asleep. I close my eyes with a wide grin on my face thinking it felt so nice to be lying on the bed beside Hunter.. I should get scared because he is still a stranger to me, but why it feels like I have known him for a long time ago.

 Chapter 5 - My Driverâ€™s Dying Wish

    Hunter''s POV

    I was busy the entire day with all the paper works that I needed to sign and review. My neck and back ached. Calixto barged in without knocking on my door, which caused me to raise my eyebrow, and I am about to scold him when I looked at his face full of horror, and I could tell something is going on. And I can look at his entire body is shaking.

    "Calixto, why are you shivering? What is wrong with you?" I demanded in a controlled manner.

    "I am sorry, Sir, that I forgot my manners. I get inside your office without knocking. Your car has been hit by a drunk truck driver, sir." He said, and he is trembling, and I froze on my seat, and I cannot speak for a while.

    "What? How''s Frank?" I asked, and by the horrified look on his face, I can tell something terrible happened to my chauffeur. I forgot about my headache and asked him all the details, and we go to the hospital together using his car. Of course, it was technically my car, and I provide care for my staff. Calixto has been my assistant from the time I assume my father''spany. And Frank has been our family driver since I can remember.

    In short, Calixto and Frank are so close to me, but I never told them that, and I will never will because I am a private type of person, and they thought I am haughty. I just don''t like to show them I care that it is not me if that happens. My father trained me to be like this, always to look tough. By the time we arrived at the hospital, Frank is on his way to the operating room, but the doctor asked for me, and I wonder why.

    "Frank wants to have a word with you, I advise him not a good idea, and he told me he rather dies right now than not talk to you. It must be imperative, Hunter. I guess your driver has something to confess to you." Dr. Silva said he is a family friend, and he knows Frank.

    "I will give you a few minutes because we need to operate him now." He spoke, and I get near Frank''s fragile frame, and his face looks so pale.

    "Frank, this is Hunter, the doctors desire to bring you to the operating room now, and I think it is not a good idea tomunicate right now," I said, and he squinted his eyes, and I can say he is aching all over his frame, but he wants to talk to me, I can tell it. He motioned for me toe closer.

    "Hunter, I know the operation can''t save my life, I know my body, Hunter, I am dying, and no doctor can spare me. Please, there is only one wish I would like to ask from you. I have an estranged daughter, and her name is Madeline Brownwood, help her, Hunter. I perceive you don''t wish to marry anyone, but I need you to wed her and take care of her." He said, and I almostugh. How could he ask me such a request?

    "Please promise me, Hunter, I want to die with a radiant face. Make me a lucky man." He added, and I can see the pain on his entire face, and I don''t want him to suffer anymore since he needs to go to the operating room, and I am sure Frank will get through. He is a strong man.

    "Okay, I promise." I dered, and I grinned at him, and I saw him smiled widely at me. They brought him to the operating suite with a joyous smile on his face, and I couldn''t believe he didn''t live. Frank died that night, and he drove me wide awake the entire night, thinking about the stupid promise I created.

    How can I marry someone I didn''t even know? I avoided women since after her, the only woman I adore and love. I don''t want to be involved with another woman. No matter how my parents pressure me to get a girlfriend and get married. I don''t have any n yet because I am still mourning. It happened a long time ago, but it is still fresh in my memory. I was young back then and so naive, I was just Hunter that day, and I never thought that I would lose the only girl I love and my capacity to love anyone.

    I partied and met girls and tried having another rtionship, but I realize I can never be a wonderful boyfriend because her memories still haunt me.

    "Madeline Brownwood? Who is she, and what am I going to do with her after I met her?" Calixto asked for the third time.

    "Calixto, I don''t wish you to show yourself to her, just spy on her, we need her actual identity, and I need to know about this woman," I said.

    "But why?" He inquired again, and I lost it.

    "Just do what I asked, Cal, I don''t need you to ask me any more questions, and don''t tell me about her if your information iscking, research all about her, and when you are ready, that is the time we will have a serious talk about this young woman," I said to him, and he nodded. And Calixto never asks me again about Madeline, and I know he started his investigation since there are times he is not around two months after Frank''s death.

    "Are you free this afternoon, Mr. Divenson?" Calixto asked one afternoon.

    "Asked yourself that question, Cal, you are my assistant, and you are the one who scheduled all my meetings and conferences," I spoke, and he smiled.

    "Of course, yourst appointment for today is the coffee time at your favorite caf¨¦." He answered, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "With whom?" I inquired, confused.

    "With Calixto Morgan, Sir." He said, and I can''t stop myself fromughing.

    "Wow! I didn''t realize you still learn how tough, Mr. Divenson." He spoke.

    "Who can''tugh at what you have done? You scheduled yourself to have a meeting with me. You are funny, Mr. Morgan." I replied.

    "Of course, I have too, since you are a very busy man. I am now ready to talk about Madeline Brownwood." He dered, and the smile on my face faltered since I haven''t thought about her for almost one month, and now he made me feel of the promise I carried out to her dead father.

    "Well, what time is our schedule? I don''t need to prolong my agony." I muttered, and I know I made him confuse with my words.

    "At four in the afternoon, Sir." He replied and left my office while I am still bothered about Frank''s dying wish. Am I willing to do this? I felt so confused. By the time I arrived at the coffee shop, Cal had handed me my espresso. At first, he didn''t speak, and he only gave me an envelope, and when I fished out its contents, I saw a young woman''s candid photos. She looks so beautiful that it stopped me midway in drinking my coffee. I put down the cup on the table as I continue scanning her pictures.

    Madeline Brownwood is gorgeous. I have only seen her pictures, but it feels like her eyes are talking to me; I can''t stop my fingers from trailing the contours of her perfect face from her eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth. Her enticing lips made me ache for her. She looks like this in the pictures; how much more in person.

    "She is neen years old and living with her aunt. And now I know she is Frank''s daughter. He left her when she was little with her mom. Maddie''s mom got sick when she was thirteen and left her no choice but to beg her aunt to take them." Calixto said, and I looked at him, and I can see the tears that welled up in his eyes; I couldn''t believe he was about to cry.

    "Doctors diagnosed her mom with lung cancer. She wanted to save her mother at a young age, she needs to look for different part-time jobs to provide medicine for her dying parent. She has no one to turn to, only her aunt. She helped Madeline until she realized they were already full of debts, and her aunt''s house is now under foreclosure. Maddie wants to preserve her aunt''s house by helping her with all the means she can get. She works and studies, but her ie will never be enough to pay off her aunt''s arrears. She felt guilty that this happened to her mother''s sister." Calixto continues talking, and I realized I felt interested to know her.

    Her determination in pursuing her studies amidst the crisis was exemry. I admire her courage.

    "Madeline Brownwood has no kissing experience, so I assume she is still a virgin. No boyfriend since birth, and no time for dating. Currently, she is working three part-time jobs, from the grocery store, restaurant, and convenience store." Calixto said.

    "The most shocking news, she has no cell phone, and she is already neen years old. Can you believe that? Who doesn''t own a phone nowadays? Her aunt lets her borrow her cell phone every time she goes to work." Calixto added.

    "I want you tomunicate with her aunt,pute the amount they need to pay off all the debts they have, I need you to settle off everything, and give her aunt extra cash, buy Madeline a phone, and bring her to Divenson Mansion this Thursday," I ordered him, and he looks surprised.

    "Why do we need her at your residence? You know your family; they don''t like strangers unless you are going to make her your maid." He responded.

    "No, you are wrong, Calixto; I am going to make Madeline Brownwood my wife; that is why I need you to bring her to the mansion to get acquainted with my family.." I dered, and this is the first moment I made Calixto speechless for a long moment, and I can''t help but smile.

 Chapter 6 - My Wife To Be-Part 1

    Hunter''s POV

    "What? Are you kidding, Mr. Divenson?" Calixto asked me with wide eyes.

    "Do I look like joking to you?"

    "No, Sir." He replied.

    "Then, I am not joking. Besides that, I wish you to process all the papers needed for the wedding. I want the Mayor to do the ceremony at our estate near the Lake. I prefer a garden wedding, and it is a private event. I don''t want anyone from the media to know about anything about my marriage. I demand you to prepare the invitations, but I suggest my wife to be to choose her gown, the cake, and her shoes." I mentioned, and He is looking at me like I grew some horns.

    "Ask her also if she has a friend she wants to invite to the wedding." I continued.

    "So, I guess our meeting is over now, Cal," I added.

    "What if she won''t cooperate?" He appealed.

    "What you mean?" I inquired.

    "I mean, what if Ms. Madeline will reject the offer to be your wife?" He inquired, and it is my turn to look shocked.

    "You think she can resist my charm, Calixto?" I asked him.

    "I realize she can''t, but I am the one who will do the convincing unless you are the one who will take her in person. I am certain she will not refuse. She doesn''t recognize you, Sir." He said.

    "I am confident she will, judging her personality, Maddie will do all she can to help her aunt pay all the bills. Once you have paid everything, I am sure she wille to you without hesitation." I dered.

    "Tell also my future wife. I will allow her to continue her studies. It is a waste if she won''t pursue her dreams, she is a brilliant woman, and I don''t want her to stop pursuing her dream. I can dere she is smart." I said.

    "And gorgeous," Calixto added, and I want to say something, but I hold my mouth shut.

    I keep walking around in my office, and I can''t wait for the progress of Calixto''s job. He will meet Madeline today, and I hope she wille without being forced. I got nervous, thinking she might refuse the offer. I felt d that I had paid all her aunt''s debts off, and she doesn''t need to work part-time anymore. Her life will be better. Once she stays in the mansion, she will have her maid, and I will see to it; Madeline will have anything that she needs. It was alreadyte in the afternoon when Cal called me.

    "Mr. Divenson, everything is well, your future wife is here, and I already introduced her to your family. And I think you are going to fall in love with your wife, Sir." He said, and his words made me, furrowed my forehead.

    "Stop talking nonsense, Cal. Of all the people you know I am not marrying for love, please tell Cer to look after my bride for me. Tell Madeline she can choose any dress from the closet, and I bought it all for her." I answered.

    "I already did, Mr. Divenson, so are you leaving from the office now?" He asked.

    "In a while, please inform my family. They should wait for me." I spoke and ended the call. Since Frank died, I didn''t hire a personal driver anymore. I drive my car. I don''t want to be in the same scenario again, and I am afraid to lose another person close to me. I can''t take it anymore. I put my things at the back of my white SUV, and I can''t help myself thinking about my uing meeting with my wife to be.

    As my car climbs the hills in traveling to Divenson Mansion, I can''t stop myself from getting enthusiastic, and I detest myself from going through this way. I am surrounded by different women every time I attend social gatherings, but I never felt excited. I haven''t met this woman, but her face haunted me from seeing her pictures. I can feel the sweat on my palms, and I loathe myself feeling this way. I must be crazy for having this anxiety of meeting her.

    She is just an ordinary girl, and I don''t require to be in love with her. I should marry her on paper, and I only demand an heir, and my parents will stop bothering me. They keep on asking when I am getting married since they want to have a grandchild. I never expect Frank will give me this kind of opportunity. I never think about this possibility before, and his dying wish made my parents'' dreamse true. I always hate it when they ask me who I am dating or when I will bring my girlfriend home, and now I know it shocked them that Cal introduces my bride-to-be.

    Madeline is the perfect candidate since she has no family, only her aunt, who wants nothing from her but money. And now she has her new family, and I just hope she will enjoy her stay at the Divenson Estate. I felt my dad wouldn''t allow me to move out, but I need to exin to him I want to live in a contemporary home with my new wife. I can''t stop my excitement, and I showed up with thirty minutes to spare before dinner. I immediately go to the feasting hall to meet her, but to my dismay, she hasn''t appeared yet in the dining room.

    My parents and siblings are already seated in the dining room, and they all greeted me. The moment I get inside. My little sister Lily told me about Madeline.

    "Hunter, your bride-to-be is lovely and beautiful. I am d that Madeline is going to be your wife." She said and smiled at me, and every time she smiles, my heart felt so warm among all my siblings. She is the closest to me because she is still a child and no interest in the firm. At the same time, my brother and sister can always feel their jealousy towards me, but what can I do? I am the eldest child, and it has been a tradition in our family that the eldest boy will inherit the business, and the siblings will receive shares.

    If I could only follow what I wish, I yearn to build my empire and work from scratch, but I need to help my dad to rebuild our business since it fell apart. The firm was lost when I took over. I tried my best to gain investors, and in three years, I could get it back to its original state. I was afraid that what my forefathers worked for will go to waste. I know it was not an easy tasked, but ourpany survives, and it is now earning triple. I felt so proud of my achievement. That is why I never give myself a chance to be with women. I don''t like distractions. I want fame and sess.

    I heard approaching footsteps, and the moment I turn around, I found Cer followed by the most splendid woman I have ever seen. How could Frank''s daughter be this beautiful? I couldn''t help myself but smile at her, and the minute she smiles back at me, my heart skips a beat. Her pure white teeth are shining, and even her smile reached the inner core of my body. I could tell she stands five feet and seven inches more or less. Her height is suitable for my six-feet two inches, and I realized she is more beautiful up close, and I got electricity to travel my spine. Who is this woman, and what is she trying to do with my heart?

    I never went through this kind of attraction before, but I should remind myself of her sole purpose why she is here. I don''t need to love at the moment, but I can''t stop myself from taking my time to take this opportunity to enjoy my future bride. And I can''t stop the pull that I went through. It was too strong that I stand up and meet her with a broad smile on my face. And for the first time, I seemed like I am smiling like an idiot.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, if I wasn''t here when you arrived, I promise I will make it up to you," I said, and before she can reply, I im her perfect mouth. The moment I savor her lips, I can taste its sweetness, and I can tell Madeline, who has no experience in kissing, could kiss like a pro. I want to kiss her more, but I am aware we are in front of my entire family; I only need to greet her to let them know we are an actual couple, but why I am nning to kiss her more. It tasted so wonderful, and I can say she enjoyed our quick kissed. We both kissed hungrily, and by the time I stopped brushing her, she holds my arm for support, and I felt so d that I am still holding her slender waist.

    "So, eager to kiss me, Ms. Brownwood?" I whispered in her ear, and I nibbled her ear before I let her go. And I can perceive she got goosebumps all over her skin, and I can''t stop myself from grinning. I draw a dining chair and assisted her in sitting down, and then I take out a chair and sit beside her. The time I raised my head, I can look at my family members are smiling at us. And I felt d they love Madeline.

    "Shall we start our dinner, now?" I asked, and my mom smiled.

    "Of course, dear." My mother replied sweetly to me. The food is all mouthwatering, but the kiss I shared with Madeline erased my hunger, and it feels like I already ate my dessert, and I can''t wait to kiss her againter; I need those enticing lips, I wish to kiss her until her lips be swollen.

    "You should eat, my love; I don''t wish you to look skinny on our wedding day; I admire your gorgeous body, so maintain that for me?" I spoke when I noticed she is not eating her food, and it feels like I am not the only one who became full after the kiss.

    She nodded, and I can tell my nearness makes her feel excited I realized Maddie is falling in love with me; well, it is okay since she should love me, and I don''t need to cherish her in return.. It would be enough for I will make her the happiest bride after our marriage, and she will satisfy my needs by giving me a child.

 Chapter 7 - My Wife To Be-Part 2

    Hunter''s POV

    We all stand from the dining table and said good night, Lily hugged Maddie, and she whispered something in her ear, and I can tell she captures even my sweet little sister. She holds her hand while they walk, going to the stairs. I am walking behind them, and I can tell Lily wants to devote more time with her, and I can''t stop myself from being alone with Madeline, and before they can get inside their room, I speak.

    "Lily, I know you wish to spend some moment with Madeline, but as you can see, I miss her today, and I need to talk with her about some important matter." I dered to my little sister, and I can tell I disappoint her, but she still smiled at me.

    "Of course, I understand, Hunter; good night Maddie, see you tomorrow." She responded and hugged her one more time and do the same to me before she walks away from us. Lily has been gone for a long while. Still, I keep silent; Madeline opened her bedroom door, and I know she was confused about what to do with me, so I continue to walk behind her, and the moment she turned around, her sweet, delicate body collided with my muscr frame.

    Iy my hands on her waist to steady her, and I can go through the sparks that travel my entire body. I realize I should not let myself trick with my physical reactions towards her. Maybe what I felt for her right now is just because she will be my wife, and after our wedding day, I need to im her so that she will carry my child.

    She smells so sweet, and to be honest, I want to feel her lips on my mouth again, and before she can move away from me, I lift her chin, and I captured her hungry mouth once again, we shared another passionate kiss that made her release a soft moan. Her perfect lips taste so delicious, and the way she responded to my kiss tells me she wants me and then can see the disappointment written all over her face when I stopped brushing her.

    "Don''t expect we are kissing because I have feelings for you, Maddie. We are doing this to be familiar with me, and I don''t wish my family to consider we are not an actual couple. I will sleep here tonight in your room but don''t worry, I assure you, nothing will happen tonight unless we are married. I want them to believe that we are in love and we are already doing it. Now show me your left hand." I ordered her, and I can tell my words hurt her, but I don''t have a choice but to remind her, I will not cherish her.

    "Didn''t you hear me? Give me your left hand, Madeline." I repeated, and I can''t contain my irritation. She offered me her delicate hand, and I fished out from my pocket the diamond engagement ring I bought for her, and her eyes got so big when she realized I inserted the engagement ring on her ring finger. And I felt so d that Calixto did his job since the engagement ring fit on her smooth finger.

    "Don''t dare to pull it out, Maddie. That ring is a sign that we love each other. I don''t wish them to think this is just an act." I said, and she nodded. I can read she has so many questions my future wife wants to ask me, but she got scared, and I can dere she is hurting. I don''t wish to lead her on.

    "I don''t want to remind you every day, Maddie, that our uing marriage has one purpose only. I will not tell you about it yet since we are not yet married." I said, and I can say she was shocked, but she still nodded her head as an acknowledgment that she understands what I mean.

    "May I know what should I call you?" She asked.

    "Just call me Hunter," I replied in a haughty tone, and I can say she wonders why I suddenly sound like this when we were in the dining hall. I act happy and alive, but I don''t want her to learn I am affected by her presence, especially her beauty.

    "I will be backter, and don''t forget to lock the door," I said as I move to the door and go out without a second nce. I can tell my brother is looking at Madeline with lust, and I hate him for not showing some respect to me, and I should have warned him to stay away from my wife-to-be.

    I undress my suit, and I get inside my bathroom, and I take a warm shower, and I felt so fresh when I finished taking a bath. I put on my sweatpants and white sleeveless tank top, and I can''t stop thinking about Maddie. I never thought Frank has an estranged daughter. How could he leave them? I wish he is still alive so that he can answer some of my questions for him. I pick up my phone and the spare key of the room and walk back to Maddie''s bedroom.

    I opened the door of her room, and I went through like I am an inexperienced boy again that I felt so nervous looking at her with her nightgown. At least her nightdress is presentable, I know Madeline has all the curves, but we are not yet married. I don''t want to experience temptation, I am just a man, and the trick is always there. But I realize I am only fooling myself, and I can''t deny Maddie is lovely; I can imagine her body under her nightgown. And I can''t stay myself from thinking she is so fresh, and she just finished taking a shower. She looks so young and hot.

    And I can say she is controlling herself, and I can tell Maddie wants to explore since she tasted my lips. I want to ask her to wait once we get married. I looked at her, and I can''t stand my eyes staring at her long legs and her beautiful face.

    "It is gettingte already, and I have to work early tomorrow. Please go to bed now, Madeline." I said, and that is the time she moves to the bed. I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous and excited to be in the same bed with her, I realize we are both strangers to each other, but it feels like I recognize her for a long time now. I want to hold her body while I sleep, but I can''t let her have false hopes. I am not yet ready, and I hope Madeline will be the one to wake up my heart from its current state. I know my heart is buried within my core, that it is so hard for her to reach it, and I hope one day she can dig my heart out.I tried my best to fall asleep, but I can sense she is still staring at me.

    "Maddie, go to sleep and stop checking me out," I said, and I can feel her turned around from me, and I know she got embarrassed. I can''t contain the wide grin on my face thinking it seemed so lovely to be lying on the bed beside her, and I find it so cute that I fascinate her.

    I wake up when I sensed something on my rib cage, and the time I open my eyes, I find Madeline snuggled into my chest, and she is peacefully sleeping. Oh! No, I am in big trouble. Madeline Brownwood would be the death of me. I want to remove her legs which curled up with my body, but I don''t have the heart to do it since she looks so peaceful sleeping like this. I don''t have a choice but to put my arms around her body, and I realized it felt so good. I will only do this tonight, starting tomorrow. I should avoid falling asleep in her room.

    We are sleeping, embracing each other, and I can''t stop myself from stealing kisses from her mouth while asleep. I don''t want to wake up, but I need to go to the site this morning. I slowly got up from her bed and tiptoed in, going to the door since I am so afraid to wake her up. I am d it is summer. She has all the time to rx and get to know my family, and I hope she will avoid Parker at all costs.

    "Good morning, Mr. Divenson. How was your first time meeting with your future wife?" He asked.

    "How I wished you were there, Cal, to witness our first kiss," I replied.

    "Oh, that is fast." He said.

    "Yeah, so she has been kissed now, by me," I answered proudly.

    "One more thing, we slept beside each otherst night." I dered, and I can''t stand myself fromughing, watching Calixto''s facial expression.

    "Wow, I wonder Maddie allowed you to sleep beside her." He responded.

    "She can''t even stop herself from touching me," I spoke, and I am still chuckling.

    "I know what you are guessing, Cal, nothing happened between us. I perceive you have advance thinking. What do you think of me? I will never take advantage of her innocence, Cal. I will wait for her to beg me." I added, and he shook his head.

    We get outside from the office and proceed to the rooftop to ride the chopper, and I always visit the site from time to time. I cherish being a mining engineer, and I love my profession. I felt being a miner runs in our blood. I am proud to be a Divenson. While riding the helicopter, I can''t stop thinking about her, and I wish she will stay. I realized I hurt herst night, and I hope it will not scare her away.. I want to know her more, and I hope someday we will be an actual couple, and I desire she won''t give up on me.

 Chapter 8 - Serving My In-Laws

    Madeline''s POV

    I felt d I fall asleep, but when I wake up and open my eyes, I find myself snuggled into Hunter''s chest, and he is sleeping peacefully, and I can''t help myself but smile. I want to remove my legs that I curl around his waist, but I don''t have the heart to do it since I love how I feel my body is pressing against him, and he looks so peaceful sleeping like this. And I love the feeling of his arms around my body, and I realized it felt so good to be in Hunter''s Divenson''s arms. I hope he will always sleep beside me every night.

    We are sleeping, embracing each other, and I can feel Hunter stealing kisses from my mouth while pretending to sleep. I felt disappointed when he wakes up and gets up from the bed because I still want to be in his arms. But know Hunter needs to go to work. He slowly tiptoed in going to the door since I can tell he was afraid to wake me up. I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy. I know he said he doesn''t want to love me, but I will do everything I can to make him love me. I can tell there is warmth under his coldness. And I can''t wait to discover what he is hiding from me.

    Could Hunter Divenson has a dark past love experienced? That is why he doesn''t want to fall in love again? I am still lying in my bed even though I am wide awake. I enjoy his kisses, and if he doesn''t like me, why he needs to steal kisses on my mouth when he thinks I was sleeping? If he wants me to familiarize his lips and mouth, he should kiss me when he thinks I am awake. I cannot sleep, so I get up and shower, and I felt so excited choosing a dress from my closet. I couldn''t believe Hunter bought all these for me.

    When I got dressed, I get out of my room, and I n to roam around the garden when I find Cer standing in front of my room.

    "Good morning, Cer! How long have you been standing here?" I asked.

    "Not long, Ms. Madeline." She replied.

    "Please call me Maddie or Madeline no need for Ms.," I said and smiled at her, and I saw her smile shyly at me.

    "I can''t do that, Ms. Maddie, maybe when we are alone, but if Mr. Hunter''s family is around, I should call you Ms.," She replied.

    "Okay, that is fine with me." I said, smiling at her.

    "Your husband to be, told me not to wake you up, so I waited for you to wake up; breakfast is ready. Please,e with me to the dining area." She said, and I nodded and followed her. Hunter''s family is already seated at the table, and they all raised their heads when they sensed my presence. And Lily smiled at me.

    "What are you doing, Madeline? Go to the kitchen now and help get the food and serve us." His mother requested, and I nodded, and I can tell Cer is following behind me, and I can still hear his mother''s remarks.

    "How could she think she is family already? She is not married to Hunter yet, so technically, she is still an outsider, and what outsider means?" She asked.

    "Maid!" Her children chorused except Lily.

    "Besides, she has many part-time jobs, she can do house works, so she should be working here in our estate." Charlotte said.

    "How could he choose Frank''s estranged daughter to be his wife? So disgusting." His father added, and I can feel my tears are starting to fall, but I keep them from falling, and I go to the kitchen with a wide smile.

    "Ms. Madeline, you don''t need to do the chores. You are Mr. Hunter''s future wife." Cer is walking fast beside me.

    "Don''t worry, Cer, it is better this way. I will have a chance to know all the staff of the Divenson mansion, and I hope you will introduce them to me, okay?" I said, smiling at her, and she nodded.

    "Hello, everyone, this is Ms. Madeline, Mr. Hunter''s future bride, and she wants to help." Cer said, and she introduced all the staff to me, but since there are so many of them, I can''t familiarize myself with their names yet. They all looked surprised, and they don''t want me to help, but I exined that I need to do it to please Hunter''s family, and I can feel the pity and sympathies on their faces.

    "It is okay, I don''t belong to a wealthy family that is why they expect me to help, and you don''t need to worry; I am used to household chores, so I hope you will let me help you, and I would like to know all of you." I said, and they give me their sweet smiles. I bring the menus to their table, and I can see the sinister smile on Charlotte''s face.

    "You can eatter after we eat, Madeline." Leticia Divenson dered, and I nodded my head, saying nothing.

    "I will wait for you, Madeline." Lily said, and she is smiling at me.

    "You need to eat now, Lily." Her mother said.

    "No, I want to eat with Maddie, and if you don''t let me it with her, I will tell Hunter you didn''t let her join us to eat breakfast." I am shocked by Lily''s words, and I can hear his brother hissed.

    "Let her eat with her." rk Divenson said, and Lily stood up from her chair and followed me in going to the kitchen. The entire staff was shocked to find the girl with me.

    "Hi, everyone, I am Lily, and I am Madeline''s assistant." She said as she tried to bring the green sd tter, but I beg her not to.

    "Lily, if you want to eat with me, you should not help, just watch me, okay?" I said, and I felt d she listened to me. Hunter''s mother only wants me to serve all the food; she doesn''t want to see anyone.

    "Madeline, serve me water, please!" Charlotte shouted.

    "Madeline, give me some milk.!" Parker yelled.

    I give them all they want, and by the time they are finish eating breakfast, I felt so tired to walk. Hunter''s family members are now all gone from the dining hall except Lily.

    "Sorry, Maddie, they all treat you like a maid, and I hate my family for doing this to you." The child said.

    "It is okay, Lily. I am only a stranger here." I replied.

    "You are not a stranger, Madeline, you are going to marry my brother, and Hunter loves you." She said.

    "Don''t worry. I will tell Hunter all about this." She said, and my eyes widened.

    "Lily, please don''t. I am happy to serve your entire family, so you don''t need to tell your brother about all this. I don''t want your brother to hate your parents and siblings, okay?" I asked her, and she nodded.

    "But if this will happen again during lunch, I will not tolerate it, Maddie." She dered, and I am shocked by her words. She is young, but she talks mature than her age.

    "Yes, ma''am," I replied, and sheughs.

    Lily asked me toe to her room, and I like the wall design of her room, it is so Lily, and I smiled when I saw a picture frame on her nightstand. I can''t help but pick it up. Hunter looks so adorable riding a horse with Lily. I think the picture is still new. I want to ask her where the photo was capture, but I felt shy. I don''t know why I felt this way when she is only a child.

    "How old are you, Lily?" I asked.

    "I will be turning twelve this month." She replied happily.

    "Wow! So, what do you like for your birthday?" I asked, and I looked at her lovely face.

    "You have to surprise me, Maddie." She replied, beaming at me.

    "Ohh, okay," I replied, and she is an exciting kid. I spend my whole morning inside her room, watching her draw.

    "Wow! You have a talent, Lily. You can draw." I said.

    "Yeah, I guess I inherited my skills from my brother, Hunter." She dered, and it surprised me.

    "Really? That is amazing." I said.

    "Is it true? Are you Frank''s daughter?" She asked, and her question took me by surprise.

    "I guess, but I don''t know my father, Lily; my mom said he left us when I was three years old, so I don''t have any idea about his face." I replied.

    "Oh, I am sorry, Madeline. I know Frank, and I like him too." She dered, and I guess my father is a good man because I can tell that even Lily is still a child, she can judge a person''s character.

    "It''s okay, and it was a long time ago." I replied, and we are both startled when we heard loud knocking on the door, and when I open the door, it was Parker.

    "Sweet Madeline, it is time for lunch, and our mother is looking for you and Lily; pleasee at once at the dining hall." He said, and I can tell his eyes linger only on my breasts even though I am fully covered, and I wonder, what is his deal. He turned around after he looked at me and licked his lips. I felt suddenly nervous. I take Lily''s hand and go to the dining room together, and the same thing happens during the morning. I serve his entire family.

    "Madeline, I want you to help theundry staff today." Leticia said, and I nodded. I can work, they give me a roof over my head, so it is only natural that I will help with the household chores. Lily still join me with lunch, and I told her I couldn''t spend my afternoon time with her since I need to help washing theundry, and I felt d the child didn''t argue with me this time.

    Hunter''s mother wants to hand wash everything to keep the clothes preserve, even the linens and curtains. That is why there is a lot ofundry staff at the Divenson Mansion. I felt sore all over my body after I finish helping with theundry staff, they said theyck one employee today, and they felt guilty that I work with them, but I assure them I can do it. And I felt happy that I could help them.. I can feel the pain in my fingers, and I felt too tired, and when I arrive at my room, and the moment my body hit on my bed, I fall asleep.

 Chapter 9 - I Want To Forget The Past

    Hunter''s POV

    By the time I get back to the office, I spend my time checking reports and signing documents, and from time to time, I stop what I am doing and stared at nothingness. And I can''t stop myself thinking about Madeline''s sweet lips. What is wrong with me? I have kissed so many lips before, and why am I so affected by this young woman''s soft red lips? Madeline''s innocence captured my interest, and her natural beauty amazed me. I know I need to take good care and protect her as my future bride. It appears I should also need to save her from myself.

    Before I get my things and sign thest contract on my table, I can''t stop feeling angry, and my eyes widened when I received Lily''s text. My little sister seldom texts me when she knows I am at work.

    "Hunter, I think Madeline got sick. She didn''t join us during dinner, no matter how many times I knock on her door. Cer has been waiting at her door for so long now, but she didn''te out." She said in her text.

    "Why? What did she do today?" I asked her.

    "Well, our parents and siblings ordered her to served them during breakfast and lunch; they don''t want the maid to fill the table. And mom asked her to wash theundry together with theundry staff. For sure, she got tired by working today." She replied, and I can feel my anger boils on my blood.

    I n on spending my time at the bar tonight to have some drinks with my college friends, but my desire to check on Madeline is so strong that I texted my friends that I couldn''t make it tonight. I drive my car fast, and by the time I arrived home, I find Lily sitting on the staircase. And her knees are bent, and her eyes are closed.

    "Hey, what are you doing here at the bottom of the stairs, Lily?" I asked, and her eyes opened, and I can tell her face lights up the moment she saw meing.

    "I was waiting for you. I am so worried about Maddie. She should eat dinner, Hunter." She dered, and I give her my reassuring smile.

    "Don''t worry, and this night will not end without Madeline eating her dinner," I responded.

    "You should sit on the couch and not on the stairs, Lily, don''t worry, I will check Madeline''s condition," I said to her, and she nodded.

    "Can you at least tell me if she was alright?" My sister begged, and I nodded, and she smiled. She said goodnight to me, and then she turned her heels in going to the living room. I go to my room, and take a quick hot shower, and get dressed immediately. I take out the spare key of Maddie''s room in my drawer. And I walk fast on going to her chamber.

    My heart melts when I saw her delicate frame on the bed; her full legs are on disy since her dress is raising above her knees, and she is sleeping peacefully. I walk to her bed quietly and sit on the edge of the bed beside her, and I can hear her steady soft breathing. She looks so tired and drained, and I felt d my sister told me about what happened to her today. I need to talk to my parents about Madeline.

    They need to treat her as my wife already, not an outsider. Then I saw that her knuckles are red, and I can tell she feels the soreness on her fingers from washing. She must have washed many clothes. I can''t stop myself from sighing. She could have said no to my mom; she is my future wife and not my maid. I know my family always treated an outsider as a maid. My mother is so active with her social status and events. She still loves to have a social ball in our house while I usually hide in my room. But by the time I take over ourpany, I don''t have a choice but to socialize for our business''s sess.

    I took her hand and caressed it, and I can''t help myself but kiss her soft fingers. And I felt guilty for being so unfair to her, but I can''t give her false hope. I go to her drawer and get a lotion, and I applied enough to massage her sore hands. I want to wake her up, so she can eat dinner, but I can tell she was exhausted. I want her to have some rest and eatter. I froze when she stretched her body, and I felt d that she didn''t wake up. I don''t want Maddie to find me massaging her hands. She shouldn''t know I am starting to care about her.

    I get out of Maddie''s room and go back to my bedroom. Then after a few minutes, I felt so uneasy, and I realized I need to talk with my family. I go to the living room, and I find my parents talking with my siblings, and I felt d that they are all present.

    "Good evening, Dad and Mom!" I greeted my parents, and they both turn their attention to me, including my siblings. Lily beamed and got up from the couch, and she runs to me and hugs me. I ruffle her beautiful dark brown hair and put my hand on her shoulder.

    "Good evening, son. I didn''t know you wille home earlier today." My mother said.

    "Well, I am excited to see my future wife, but it seems she got so tired, and I wonder why she is sleeping at this hour. And I can tell she was doingundry. I find her fingers are swollen and turned so red. Maybe she has some allergic reaction to theundry detergent. Mom, I asked you to looked out for Madeline. How could you let her work? We have theundry personnel who are in charge of doing such a thing. I don''t want Madeline to work too much. She can do something she wants and likes as long as she wants to do it. Besides, please let them use the washing machine." I said as I try to hide my anger.

    "She insisted on helping, Hunter. No one told Maddie to do some housework. And I can tell your future wife is hardworking. You should be proud of her, but it seems you look so upset." My mom responded, and I am too tired to argue with her.

    "Of course, I know she is hardworking. That is why I want to pamper her. I like to treat Madeline, my Queen," I said, and I can tell the horror that registered on my sister''s face. I know Charlotte has always hated me since she wants to work at ourpany, but my father stopped her and told her to finish her studies first. She always contradicts my opinions in the house.

    "Hunter, why of all people you chose her to be your wife? You could have at least chose someone who belongs to our society; I have so many friends who can be suitable to be your wife, but why her?" She said in a disgusted manner.

    "Watch your mouth, Charlotte; I only want Maddie to be my wife, so you have to ept her because no one can stop me from marrying Madeline Brownwood," I said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so annoyed by my sister''s words. I know I only want Maddie to be my wife to have an heir, but why it seems I want to protect her from my sister''s insult and any possible threat that could hurt her. I know I need to stop all this nonsense, but I promise to take good care of her because I know what she had been through growing up. Madeline is an orphan now, and I pity her, and I don''t want her to have a hard life.

    "Mom, I hope this incident will not happen again," I said, and I look at my mom seriously.

    "Son, I know you are already of legal age, and we want you to settle down and have children, but we didn''t expect you to settle with someone who doesn''t belong in our society." My father said and looked at me in the eyes.

    "I am sorry, dad, but this time I won''t allow you and mom to decide who I want to marry. I allowed you to dictate my life growing up from my clothes, cars, schools, and friends." I said, and I try to look calm; I never tell my parents how I felt about what they did to me, but now that they questioned Madeline''s presence in our estate, I suddenly felt like her protector, and I am shocked that I expressed what I genuinely think.

    "The time I fell in love with Reba, you did your best to separate us because we came from two different worlds, and you never epted her as my girlfriend. I was young and so naive back then, and I listen to you. You didn''t even allow me to mourn. This time I want something I can call my own. You even chose my career for me; you both know I want to travel the world after graduating. I love my profession, dad, and I perceive that one day I will be like you because I want to follow in your footsteps, but I want to experience life away from you for a while to enjoy my life and to forget all the pain I endure of losing her." I said while I am still standing, and I put my hands on my pockets.

    "You begged me to stay and take over thepany right away, and you never give me the chance to say no," I said, and Reba''s memories shed back on my mind.

    "I lose her because I was so afraid of your stupid rules. I tried myself to be a good son to you. And in the end, I ended losing the only girl that I love. You even lose your grandchild." I said, and I can see the horror in their faces.

    "I don''t like to talk about the past, and I don''t want a repeat of what happened to Reba," I said and turned away from them, feeling so lost and hurt again. I am so tired of thinking about her every waking moment of my life.. And I want to forget, but I just can''t, and I hope I can change for Madeline.

 Chapter 10 - Charlotte And Her Friends

    Madeline''s POV

    I felt good when I wake up, and I can''t stop myself from smiling since I dreamt about Hunter. He took away my fingers'' soreness, and I can''t stop touching my delicate fingers. And I realized it felt so soft, and it seems my dream is absolute. I opened my eyes, and I heard my stomach growled. I don''t want to get up, but I can''t take the hunger that I felt. I stand up, still wearing the best smile of my life, and I jumped up on the floor when I heard his masculine voice.

    "Why are you smiling, Madeline?" He asked in a faint tone, and my eyes searched for the source of his voice since my entire room is dim. I could see his muscr body sitting up on the couch, and the dim light just gives me enough gleam to see his handsome face. I suddenly felt warm thinking about how I nuzzled my face on his chest this morning, and I wish he didn''t know I was awake that time. I saw him stand up and slowly approach me, but he didn''t stop in front of me, but he goes directly to the wall and flicks the switch of my led light. I am still mesmerized by his handsome face that I couldn''t even open my mouth. It is so hard to read Hunter''s facial expression because he looks so severe, and I couldn''t even see even a slight smirk from his mouth.

    He looked so sexy wearing casual jeans and a button-up shirt that hugged his body perfectly. I hate myself that I felt like a High School girl feeling so thrilled to see him watching me even though I can tell he looks unhappy with me. Just the idea that Hunter Divenson is staring at my face is enough for me to have butterflies on my stomach. Never in my wildest dream could I marry a man like him. Aplete package of every girl''s dream, handsome, has overloaded sex appeal, and filthy rich.

    I never dream of having a super attractive and filthy rich boyfriend or a husband. I know I wasn''t thinking of getting married yet; even though I don''t have time to date, I still have my moments when I daydream about falling in love. And I realized Hunter makes me feel this way for the first time, I can''t tell if this is love, but I am sure I want to fall in love with him. I love the feeling of being in his arms and kissing those perfect enticing lips. Days ago, I didn''t know how it felt to kiss and to be kissed by someone, but after meeting him, even though I was so busy washing theundry, I can''t stop reliving the kiss that we shared the entire day.

    "Madeline stops checking me out. Why did you skip your dinner?" He asked, and I can tell he is disappointed with me. And I can feel the warm sensation on my face, and I can tell I blushed because he noticed I was ogling him. Well, it wasn''t my fault that I can''t stop myself from gawking at his handsome face. I tried my best to look away from him and pretended I didn''t hear hisment about why I was checking him out.

    "I am sorry if I fell asleep. Don''t worry; this will not happen again. I didn''t ck off today." I said.

    "I don''t care if you stay here in your room the entire day, Maddie. All I want from you is to take care of yourself. I don''t want you to miss a meal, Madeline, and I don''t want you to work here like you are one of the mansion''s staff. Please remember you will be my wife in less than a month, and I want you to act like ady of this house as I expect you to be. I want the staff to acknowledge you as the future madam of this estate." He said, and I want to tell him that it will never happen because his entire family considers me as an outcast; only Lily epted me truly. But I couldn''t tell him that. I just nodded my head, and I didn''t try to look at him again.

    I am shocked when he took my hand and pulled me going to my door, and we walk through the hallways to the grand staircase of the mansion. I can tell it is a bitte since the entire estate is now so quiet. I know I still need to acquaint this house because without, Cer, I still can''t navigate myself in finding the dining hall and the kitchen. Why do rich people live in this kind of dwelling ce? The Divenson mansion looks like a castle because of its grandeur and size. I can feel the electricity travels down from my fingers to every part of my entire body.

    He leads me to the dining hall. He pulls a chair and lets me sit while he walks to the kitchen, and when he gets back, he brings a tray with a bowl of chicken soup with grilled cheese and an apple sandwich. I couldn''t believe that the CEO of Divenson Mining Corporation is serving me dinner.

    "You eat now, Madeline." He said and sat across from me. I smiled at him and ate my dinner cheerfully. All the tiredness I felt was gone as I watch Hunter staring at me without flickering his eyes and my stomach somersault. He leaned his back, and I felt conscious yet so excited. He was watching me the whole time, yet he never talks again. How I wish I know what is running on his head right now and how I want Hunter Divenson to like me the way I like him. I can''t believe I felt this way towards him when I just meet himst night.

    "Thank you for preparing dinner for me, Hunter." I said, and I smile sweetly at him.

    "You are wee, Maddie. Next time I don''t want you to sleep without eating anything." He said, looking at me seriously.

    "Don''t worry, and I won''t do it again." I replied.

    "Get inside to your room now, Madeline." He said, and I nodded my head. I opened my bedroom door, and when I turned around, I could no longer see Hunter. I could not even hear a trace of his footsteps, and I felt disappointed since he walks away without kissing me. I hate myself why I was expecting him to be sweet to me.

    I go to bed with a heavy heart since I can''t stop thinking about him. I know I can''t force him to love me, but I wish he will develop some feelings for me after our marriage, and I can''t wait to be his wife. I hope I can change his cold heart and make him smile sometimes.

    I didn''t know I fall asleep after thinking about Hunter the entire night, and I was startled when I heard knocking on my door. And I am shocked to find Charlotte standing outside my door, looking so disgruntled.

    "I have been knocking on your door for a while now since I need your help, Maddie. My friends areing, and I want you to go with me." She said, and l felt uneasy because I know she doesn''t like me to be Hunter''s wife.

    "Just tell me where I am going to meet you, Charlotte, and I will just change a presentable dress." I said.

    "Okay, but you need to hurry. After you change, just go directly near the swimming pool." She said and turned away from me, saying nothing.

    I get dress quickly, and I want to eat breakfast, but she asked me to proceed immediately to the swimming pool, and as I go near them, I saw Charlotte and her friends lying on the outdoor lounger chairs. I can tell they all came from wealthy families. I hate myself for waking up sote since I also sleep sote because I was thinking about Hunter all night long, and I am just d at the end I fell asleep. I could have eaten breakfast; I just hope Hunter will not know that I skip breakfast this morning.

    "Really? Is Hunter getting married? I can''t believe all this, Charlotte; why did your brother choose someone like her?"Said the girl wearing a ck one-piece swimsuit with blonde hair; my steps faltered when I realized they were all talking about me.

    "Yeah, my parents were disappointed; they don''t like her, no one like her in our entire family. Lily is fond of her, but she doesn''t count because she is just a child. I don''t even understand my brother''s choice. There are a lot of desirable women in our society why he has to pick Madeline. I can tell she has some beauty, but not that beautiful, though. I don''t understand what Hunter had seen in her." Charlotte replied.

    "Maybe, Hunter pities her since she was an orphan, and she was the daughter of his driver." Her other friend, who is wearing a yellow bikini, spoke.

    "Maybe, but I think Madeline brainwashed my brother, and I can tell she is a gold digger. My brother got angry when I asked him why her." Charlotte replied as she adjusted her body on the chair, and I can feel the pain in my heart. How can she call me a gold digger? I don''t like to be here, to begin with, it was not my choice to be around in this mansion. But I couldn''t tell her about my rtionship with Hunter because her entire family thought I was his girlfriend. Hunter paid my aunt''s debts, and he allows me to pursue my college education.

    I keep my tears at bay, and I have to endure all the pain until I be his wife. I can withstand Charlotte''s insult as long as she will not hurt me physically, but it still hurts. She doesn''t know the real me, yet she talks like she knows me. No one has the right to call me a gold digger, but what can I do? I became Hunter''s property the moment he paid off my aunt''s debt. And I think I can''t run away from him, knowing how wealthy he is and he has so many connections.

    "I think you still have a chance to seduce my brother, Kaye, and I know you like Hunter since we were younger. You are more beautiful than his wife to be. Besides, you are close with my brother, and you used to be close friends. I think Hunter just needs a little reminder that you both look good together, and I am sure my parents will be so happy to have you as their future daughter-inw." She spoke, and I see Kaye smiled widely at her.

    "Of course, I will always be in love with your brother, and I hate him for not telling me about her. If you could help me to have a chance with Hunter, why not. My father adores him. He is not only handsome and hot, but he is excellent with his business, and my father admires his achievements at a young age." Kaye responded, and she now looks at Charlotte with a wide grin on her face.

    "Of course, I will help you; besides, I need your help to make Madeline leave this house. I don''t like her to be around in our estate, and she doesn''t belong here. How I wish she knows her ce, and she should feel ashamed to live in this mansion." Charlotte dered.

    I became more hurt, knowing she wants to use her friend to seduce her brother just to get rid of me. I couldn''t believe Hunter''s sister hated me this much. Even though I only have a pretend rtionship with her brother, she could have epted me, but because I have nothing, she wants me to stay away from Hunter''s life.. And just thinking of being away from him breaks my heart.

 Chapter 11 - Stay Or Walk Away?

    Madeline''s POV

    I froze on the ground, and their hurtful words pierced my heart. I know I came from a low-ie family, and right now, I don''t even have a family I can call since my aunt already sold me to Hunter Divenson before I know about the entire scenario I am going to face. Growing up without my parents was tough; all I did was work so that I can help my aunt to pay off all our debts. These women who gossip about me don''t know what I have been through and have no right to insult and question my personality. I am strong, and I won''t let these brats make me feel weak. I fought to survive, and I won''t let wealthy girls like them ruin myself. I move closer to them and wear a sweet smile.

    "Hi, what do you want me to do now, Charlotte?" I asked her with a broad smile on my face.

    "Oh, how long have you been there?" She asked, and the smile on her face tells me she was more pleased if I have listened to their conversation.

    "Not so long." I replied.

    "Well, you can start by putting the sunblock lotion on my back, and please apply some massage since I want to rx. And after you massage my back you need to do the same to my three friends, by the way sitting next to me is Kaye, she was Hunter''s love interest, and she just got back from Paris, and she is back for good, so don''t be too confident to marry my brother because you don''t belong here, Madeline." Charlotte said, and her friendsugh. I tried my best to look calm and still smile even though deep inside me I am hurting.

    "Kaye got back because she heard the news about my brother getting married to a nobody." Charlotte added.

    "Maybe your brother was looking for a maid and not a wife." Kaye responded, and I want to drag her and push her into the swimming pool, and they allugh again. They enjoy mocking me.

    Is Kaye the reason why Hunter became like what he is now? Did Kaye left, and he was broken-hearted? I can''t deny that Kaye is beautiful, and she has a gorgeous body. I suddenly felt hurt that Hunter was in love with this girl, and I think the moment he will meet her again, he will cancel our wedding. Why I felt so sad? He just bought me to be his bride, and he doesn''t love me. I don''t understand why he chose me to be his wife. I can tell Kaye is older than us, maybe five years, and I think the reason they were friends because she was Hunter''s girlfriend.

    "Are you a stone, Maddie? Don''t just stand there and act like you are a statue; if you are shocked to hear the truth, you better leave this house since no one will look for you now that Kaye had returned, Hunter''s affection for her wille back, and my brother''s love for you will fade away." Charlotte dered, and I can''t stop myself from feeling hurt, not only because of the words she said but because I realized I wasn''t Hunter''s love interest, yet I experienced love at first sight with him.

    He treated me coldly, so why am I even here in this estate? Charlotte was right; I don''t belong here. I need to find a way to leave this house without being detected. I need to n everything. But if Hunter will cancel the wedding, then I guess I don''t need to leave secretly. But how am I going to pay my debts? I am willing to be his maid, but I know I can''t bear it to see him with Kaye. If they will get married and I am a maid of this estate, I will go crazy.

    I move to Charlotte''s side, and she turns face down so I can apply the sunblock on her smooth skin. I massage her back, and I can tell she is satisfied with my services since I know how to massage. I attended some training because I need extra ie most of the time. That is why I learned massage techniques. I realized they don''t want to go swimming. They just want to sunbathe and to have a tan.

    "You know, Charlotte, I know you don''t like me to be your brother''s wife, but we are in love with each other, so there is nothing you can do to stop us from getting married." I said after I gather all my strength. I know Hunter has no feelings for me, but I don''t want these bitches to continue degrading me. I may be poor, but I am a fighter. She turned around and faced me, and she put her sunsses over her head and looked at me in the eyes with anger.

    "I don''t care if you were in love with each other, and if he marries you after he meets Kaye again, then my brother must be really in love with you, but I want you to know I will make your life a living hell."She said and sprawled back on the lounger, and my body stiffened after hearing her words. Once I marry Hunter, I need to deal with my inws, I want them to ept me, but it seems they will do anything to make Hunter leave me. It would be hard to handle his family, but I want to face them with my head high and do my best to make them like me. It would be tough facing them every day, but I take it as a challenge. I only have Lily on my side even though she is just a child, but for me, Lily''s friendship with me is enough for me to have a reason to stay at this mansion.

    "I think that is enough, Maddie, and I need you to apply some cream on Kaye''s back." She demanded, and I get up and move to Kaye''s side. She is giving me hard stares, but I didn''t let her intimidate me.

    "So, Kaye, are you going to work now in your father''spany?" Charlotte asked.

    "I don''t have a choice, Charlotte, being the only daughter of a business tycoon, I have to assume the business besides my father believes in my capacity, and he knows I am now ready to take over thepany." Kaye responded.

    "I want to graduate already so I can work at our firm. You know I am also excited to work with Hunter." Charlotte responded, and I felt d they stop talking about me. I do the same to her two other friends, and by the time I finish putting sunblock on their backs, Charlotte asked me to prepare their snack. I go to the kitchen, and I cross paths with Parker.

    "Hey, sister-inw to be? Where are you going?" He moves closer to me and whispers in my ear, and I can almost feel his breath on me. Then I felt him touch my waist, and I quickly move away from him.

    "I am going to the kitchen, Parker." I said and pretended to look calm even though I felt scared of him.

    "Are you afraid of me, Madeline?" He asked and looked at me intensely; I just shake my head because I am too scared to speak. After all, he is towering over me, and Parker is as tall as Hunter, and they have the same build, but Hunter is more handsome than him.

    "It seems to me you are afraid of me, Maddie. I just want you to know I am warmer than my brother, and my cold brother doesn''t need love, Madeline. I like you, and you just don''t know how I want you." He said in almost a whisper.

    "Parker, you should stop what you are doing because I am in love with your brother. He may be cold on the outside, but Hunter makes me warm every time we are near each other. Please have some decency because I am going to be your sister-inw soon, and you have to ept that fact, and I want you to have some respect for your older brother." I said, and I see his eyes are zing with anger, and his sinister smile made me more frightened of him.

    "A feisty young woman, I like that, he is only older than me by four years, and he may be the CEO of the Divenson Mining Corporation. Still, I want you to know I am also a Divenson, and it was apparent, Maddie, you only want money from my brother. I can make you happy, and I can provide you with so much money. I will build you a house, Maddie, be my woman, and if you choose me, I will make you the happiest woman in bed." He said, and I re-up. What is wrong with this family? I couldn''t believe I am trap in this mansion.

    I move away from him, rushing since I don''t want to be near him. He knows I am his brother''s fiancee, yet he still offers me that kind of proposal. I heard Parker''sughter echoes the living room as I walk going to the kitchen. I don''t know what I have done why I have this kind of life.

    I almostugh at Cer''s pleas. She wants to make the snack for them, but I told her Charlotte would get angry, and I felt relieved when Hunter''s sister asked me to get back to my room after I served their snacks, and I felt so happy when Cer brings me food into my room.

    "Thank you, Cer." I said as I received the tray from her hand.

    "This is the least I can do to you, Ms. Madeline, Mr. Divenson asked me to look out for you, and it seems I failed my duty as your assistant." Cer said.

    "It is okay, Cer. I like to serve my inws." I said.

    "You don''t need to serve them, Ms. Madeline, since there is much staff in this mansion, and I guess they are all doing this, so you will walk away. I know Mr. Hunter Divenson looks so strict, but I can tell he is a good boss, and he always looks out for his employees." She said and smiled shyly at me.

    "Thank you for your concern for me, Cer, and for making my stay here more enjoyable." I said and smiled at her, and then after I finished eating my meal, she took the tray and left, while I go to the balcony of my room and watch the beautifulke before my eyes, and think about my life.. I wonder if I will survive living in this mansion, and I pondered if I have another option. Do I want to stay here and marry Hunter Divenson, or I will walk away and hide from him forever?

 Chapter 12 - Falling In Love With Hunter

    Madeline''s POV

    As I sat and watched the swan on theke, I can''t stop myself from smiling, and I realized I love this ce, and I only dislike the people living in this mansion. The beautifulke before my eyes is breathtaking, and I felt delighted that I have this incredible view before me. I know Charlotte and her friends hurt me, and they also underestimated my personality, and what pained me the most is how they mocked me. I felt so hurt, and now that I am alone, I let my tears fall. I never imagine I am going to have this kind of life. I am free of debts, but my future inws are tormenting me, and I felt d I have the little girl on my side. Lily makes my dayplete and happy. I loved Hunter''s sister, and I realized Lily got his brother''s physical appearance since she is so beautiful.

    I want someone to talk to, and I need to return my aunt''s cell phone. I felt excited when I call Calixto.

    "Hello, dear Madeline, what can I do with you today?" He asked on the other line.

    "I want to meet a friend, Calixto. Would it be possible if I will leave the mansion now? Besides, I also want to return my aunt''s phone." I said, feeling nervous.

    "Hmm, I will ask Mr. Divenson about that matter, Ms. Madeline." He said, and I felt disappointed, and I hate being trap in this ce, and why do I need to ask permission if I need to go out?

    "I think we can cover that without Hunter''s knowledge because I will be there to teach you how to drive. After your driving lesson, you can meet your friend." He said.

    "Really? I thought someone from the driving school would teach me to drive and not you." I dered.

    "Yeah, it was the initial n before your future husband meets you; Mr. Divenson doesn''t like the idea that some instructor from a driving school will teach you," Calixto said, and I can''t stop myself from being thrilled. After all, my fiance cares about me.

    "He was afraid you would bribe the driver and asked him to take you away from here, and you will go into hiding. You have to meet the end of the bargain, Madeline." He said, and I felt so disappointed, I thought Hunter would be jealous.

    "I will be there in less than an hour, Maddie, so you should prepare yourself, and we can have two hours driving lesson then text or call your friend to meet her after your practice." He dered and hung up the phone. I felt so happy to see my best friend again, and I can''t wait to tell her about Hunter Divenson. I chose the most simple dress I can find since Calixto told me I should always wear a formal outfit when I arrived at the Divenson Estate. I always love mini and long dresses, but I don''t have enough money to buy fancy clothes. My ie is not even sufficient to buy what I need.

    "Hello! Maddie! Where are you going?" Lily asked me when I get outside my room, and I didn''t know she was standing outside my bedroom door.

    "Hi! Lily, I am going to have a driving lesson with Calixto." And her eyes widened, and I can tell she is excited for me.

    "How long have you been standing here? Why didn''t you knock on my door?" I asked her, and she smiled at me, and I can see her face lights up, and I can''t stop myself from taking her into my arms. I always love to have siblings, especially younger ones.

    "I thought you were sleeping, and I don''t want to wake you up." She said, looking up at me.

    "I wasn''t sleeping, and I was sitting on the balcony watching the beautifulke and the swans," I said, and I am still smiling at her.

    "We can go fishing sometime, and I will ask Hunter toe with us." She said, and I smiled at her, and I can''t stop feeling thrilled thinking about Hunter being with us.

    "That would be lovely, Lily. I couldn''t wait to go fishing with your brother, but you know Hunter is a busy man, and he doesn''t have time to have some fun." I dered.

    "I know, Maddie, that is why I am so happy that you came, my brother loves you, and he will do everything to make you happy." She said, smiling at me, and I felt guilty because I wish what she had said was true, but his brother doesn''t love me, and it was the opposite. I want to know the truth why he chose me to be his wife, and the only person who knows all about this thing is Calixto.

    Lily came down with me to the grand staircase, and we meet Charlotte and her friends. Kaye scanned my body from head to toe, and I saw her frowned when she realized I am wearing an expensive dress. I know I look good with my dress, and I don''t look like I came from a low-ss family now that I wore this expensive clothing match with a luxurious bag and shoes. Lily holds my hand, and she smiled at her sister''s friends, and they all beamed at her, and they just ignore me, especially Charlotte.

    "No matter how fancy the dress she wore, she will never belong to our society, and we all know Madeline is just trying to climb the socialdder, and her kind will never have a chance to associate with us, she better leaves this house." Charlotte said in a loud voice after they get past us, and I know she really meant to raise her voice so I could hear it. Her friends chorused in agreement, and I felt Lily''s soft hand squeezes my palm.

    "Don''t mind them, Maddie; I know Charlotte is my sister, but I don''t like the way she treated the maids. She always gets angry with me because I love spending my time with the mansion''s staff. I mean, why it has to be that way, Madeline? I think there is nothing wrong with it." She said, and I felt touched by Lily''s point of view.

    "I agree with you, Lily; it is alright if you will talk to them, there is nothing wrong with it, but next time makes sure no other member of your family will see you. I don''t know their reasons, Lily, but I just want you to know I am proud of you, and I am thankful that you made friends with me." I said, and I smiled broadly at her.

    "Of course, I like you from the first time I saw your lovely face, Madeline, and I am so thankful that Hunter is not marrying Kaye. I was terrified when I hear my mom and Charlotte talking about Kaye being our future sister-inw. I know she came from a wealthy family. Still, I don''t care about her status. All I want is my brother to find love, don''t worry, I know my sister is trying her best to set up Charlotte and Hunter to be together, but I know it will never happen because Hunter likes you." She said, and I wish it were true.

    I said goodbye to Lily the moment Calixto arrives, and he climbed out of the car immediately and opened the passenger''s door for me. I am d he didn''t let me drive yet. I didn''t tell him I have a basic idea about driving since my best friend Gina taught me, and she allowed me to drive her car sometimes, it was only an ordinary car, but it helped us a lot during the graveyard shift. Calixto was surprised that I could drive well, and I didn''t tell him anything.

    "Wow! Hunter will be amazed by your wit and skills, Maddie. I know you are an intelligent woman, but I never thought you are this good. But I won''t let Hunter know about this. You don''t need to tell me what is happening at the Divenson mansion Madeline, but I know you are having a hard time. So, I will just tell him we need to practice every day so you can leave that house, and you can meet your friend. I will let you talk with your best friend and see you after two hours." He said, and I can''t thank him enough.

    "Thank you so much, Calixto, for doing all this," I said.

    "You don''t need to thank me, Maddie. You are like a daughter to me. I know what you have been through, and it was hard to be picked up by strangers in your house one afternoon and told you, you are marrying someone you don''t know. I know it wouldn''t be easy to be part of the Divenson family, but believe me when I say Hunter needs someone like you, Madeline." He dered, and I be more confused.

    "Calixto, can I ask you something?" I asked him, and he looked at me sideways. We are in front of the cafe where I will meet Gina.

    "What it is, Madeline?" He asked in return.

    "Why Hunter Divenson chose me to be his future bride? I am in this situation right now, but I am so blind, and I want to know the truth before marrying him. Please, Calixto, just tell me about why he wants to marry me when there are a lot of women out there chasing him as what you im." I said as I leaned my back on the backrest.

    "Well, it is not my story to tell, but I know Hunter is unfair to you, even though I know you are falling for

    him." He said, and I raised my eyebrows.

    "You don''t need to hide it from me, Maddie. I told you on the first day that we meet, you will fall for Hunter. And I am certain of it. Well, there is nothing wrong with falling in love with your husband. It should be the number one reason why a person will get married, right? I know you have so many questions, and since you fall in love with Hunter. I will tell you the main reason he wanted to marry you." Calixto said as he nced at me intently.

    I felt so nervous to know the truth, and I hope it will not make me hate my future husband. Still, I am sure whatever Calixto will say, my feelings for Hunter will stay since this is the first time I feel this way, the need to be with someone.. I can''t stop thinking about him every waking moment of my life from the first moment I have seen him, and I realized my n of walking away from his life is now gone because I am helplessly falling in love with Hunter Divenson.

 Chapter 13 - Meeting With My Best Friend

    Madeline''s POV

    "On the night before your father took hisst breath, he asked Hunter to look out for you and to save you. I know you are upset about your father, Maddie because he left you when you were just a toddler, and I know you have a great heart, so no matter how hard your life is, growing up, you never felt anger towards him." Calixto said he focused his eyes on the cafe in front of us; it seems he is trying to check every corner of the ce.

    "Frank asked Mr. Divenson to marry you because your dad knew Hunter''s parents are bugging him to get married for years now. It was your father''s dying wished because he knew you have a tough life. We are all aware Hunter is the most eligible bachelor in the country, yet he doesn''t have time to find love. And I understand Hunter grabbed this chance, so his parents will stop urging him to get married. His father wanted to see an heir before he will die." He dered, and I understand now why he wanted to have me as his bride.

    The realization shocked and hurt me. Hunter only wants to marry me to have an heir, and I am the most suitable candidate because he can discard me anytime he wants since I don''t have a family who will fight for me. If he chooses the wealthy young elitedies in our society, he will have aplicated life. I am the most qualified for the job. It was so foolish of me to fall for him. I should have take care of my heart, and I guess it is toote now to keep my heart safe from being hurt.

    "Don''t look so sad, Madeline, Hunter, is a good man, and he will take care of all your needs. I know you want to finish your education, and you will." He said and looked at me in the eyes.

    "I know you are worried about your feelings towards him, but don''t worry, Maddie, I am not sure about him, but I hope he will learn to love again. Just be his wife and love him with all your heart because there is no harm in loving someone, Madeline. " He added.

    "Do you think Hunter knows how I felt about him?" I asked.

    "I doubt about that, but you don''t need to feel embarrassed about it, and he is your future husband. It is nice to see the love in your eyes every time you mention his name." He dered, and I can''t stop myself from blushing.

    "I don''t want him to know how I feel about him, Calixto, but it seems I am that obvious." I said.

    "Men are so good at hiding their genuine emotions while women find it so hard to keep what they feel." He responded, and I nodded.

    "It looks like I need to go now, Madeline; your friend is here." He said, and I am shocked that he knows Gina''s sedan. She had just arrived, and she was parked next to Cali''s car.

    "I understand that look Maddie, yes I know your best friend, actually I have seen her many times with you. I am sorry for invading your privacy during those times. I was only doing my job since I also wanted to know and protect you. Your father always talks about you, and he had regrets, Maddie." He said, and I want to know more about him, maybe some other time I can ask him about my dad''s life.

    "Goodbye, Maddie, and see you in two hours." He said, and I said goodbye to him as I climbed out of his car. And my best friend screams the moment she saw me standing beside her in going inside the cafe.

    "Wow! Madeline! You look so gorgeous in your outfit." She said as her eyes scanned my body from my head to toe.

    "I think you need to tell me everything about what is going on with your life. I am happy seeing you now wearing fancy clothes, yet I can''t stop myself from thinking are you doing illegal, aren''t you, Maddie?" She whispered, and I can''t stop myself fromughing.

    "Of all people, you are asking me that kind of question?" I asked her, and she smiled and shook her head.

    "I am just kidding, Madeline, I know you are aw-abiding citizen, and you always follow the rules, so now, you said you only have two hours to talk with me, and your time starts now." She said.

    "Is this a contest, why are you setting your stop watch?" I asked, beaming at her, and I felt so happy to see my best friend; she is the only person close to me now. I handed her my aunt''s phone and asked her to give it to her. I want to see my aunt but not now. I am still upset with her for dealing with Hunter Divenson without my knowledge. Though I am so happy that I met Hunter, the idea that my aunt nned to barter me as payments to all our debts was still humiliating.

    We sit at the far corner of the cafe since I want to have some privacy with my Gina. I order a mochatte and butter croissants, while Gina opted to have a strawberry milkshake with French toast.

    "I am getting married, and I want you to be my Maid of Honor Gina." I said, and her eyes widened, and sheughs hysterically. That made the other customer of the cafe look in our direction with a disgusted look.

    "Madeline, what happened to you? You are now wearing a luxurious dress with an expensive bag and shoes, and now you know how to joke, and I am dying to know who is responsible for this transformation of yours? I think you need to tell me everything from the very beginning, so I will understand if you are having hallucinations right now." She said, and I know it is a lot to process; I am still in the state of shock of what is happening with my life, and it is only natural for my friend to react this way.

    "You don''t even have a boyfriend, for heaven''s sake." She dered, and I nodded.

    "Yeah, I understand it would be hard to believe, and you are right. I don''t even have a boyfriend and have never kissed a boy until I met him." I said, and I told her everything about Hunter Divenson and my aunt''s agreement, including my father''s dying wish.

    "Wow! If you are not only my best friend, I will never believe in you. I can''t me your aunt, though, and I can tell it was hard on your part, and I am sorry, Madeline, I don''t have any cash to help you out. Being your best friend, I felt guilty that I have done nothing to save you from this mess. But you are the luckiest young woman in the entire world right now, and I wonder howe you haven''t known him." Gina said, and I can see her eyes are glowing.

    "Because you are so busy helping your aunt, there are lots of school activities that you haven''t attended, and one of those when Hunter Divenson came into our school and made a speech. He was one of the primary phnthropists who donated cold cash." She said, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "I told you about him, but you weren''t interested. Many of our ssmates are crazy about him, he is still young, and I guess he was only twenty-five years old at that time. He is so handsome and hot. How does it feel when he kissed you?" She asked, and I can''t stop myself from blushing.

    "I felt like I was in heaven," I replied.

    "Oh, Madeline, I can''t even imagine being kissed by Hunter Divenson, a lot of actresses were associated with him, but I think he is so busy about his career that he has no time for love. I searched his profile on the inte, and my jaw dropped when I see his worth, and I couldn''t imagine my best friend will be his wife." She said.

    "Temporary wife," I replied.

    "Did he tell you, you will be just his temporary wife?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "No, but the way I see it after, I will give him an heir, he will discard me, so I think I am just his interim spouse," I replied.

    "Are you crazy? You have your chance, Madeline, and I think all you have to do is seduce him all you can so he will fall for you." She said, and I can''t stop myself fromughing.

    "It wouldn''t be that easy, Gina; dealing with his family members alone was challenging enough for me. I told you everything, and do you think I can survive in that mansion?" I said.

    "You have to survive, Maddie, I am your best friend, and I know all about you, and I can see it in your eyes that you love him. Don''t surrender, Maddie; who knows you will make him fall in love with you." She dered.

    "You are talking about an impossible thing, Gina, he is different, so distant and cold, and I wonder why he does look so sweet every time we are with his family." I said.

    "Well, we do not know what the future will bring, but I am sure you will have a colorful love life, Madeline. It turns out your aunt''s betrayal of you made you met the love of your life. Just be strong, Madeline, at least you are debt-free, and you are living in a fabulous mansion. And since his assistant asked you to drive, it means a fancy car will follow. Aren''t you excited to taste your future husband?" Gina asked, and I can''t stop my face from feeling so hot.

    "Hey! Maddie, you will be his wife soon, sooner orter, he will im you, and you don''t need to worry about that since you love Hunter; I am sure you will love all about lovemaking. I know you are a virgin, and Hunter is so lucky to have you as his bride, and it is a beautiful feeling that is so hard to express." My best friend dered, and now that she talks about it, I can''t stop thinking about him and his glorious body, and I felt so excited when I realized Hunter Divenson would be my first, and I realized I want him to have my body, heart, and my soul.

    "Oh, my!" Gina''s eyed got so big, and it is like she had seen a ghost, and when I looked around to see why she suddenly got so stunned, I saw Hunter gets inside the cafe looking so dashing that it made the other female customers look at him with wide eyes, and I felt my entire frame felt so weak, and I wonder what is he doing inside the cafe, and I suddenly realized I got caught talking with my best friend, and not with Calixto, and I suddenly felt nervous of what he is going to do to me.. And I can feel my stomach somersault when I found his beautiful eyes staring at me with so much intensity.

 Chapter 14 - Euphoric Kiss

    Madeline''s POV

    "Bestie, I believe in you now, sorry but a while ago, I thought you were making up a story to test me if I am going to believe in you because I am your best friend, but I can tell by the way he is gazing at you, Hunter Divenson has some feelings for you." Gina whispered in my ear as my husband to be strides towards us. I was suddenly confused about what I should do now that he catch me spending time with my friend. Hunter stood in front of our table, and then he turned his gaze to Gina, and he smiled at my friend with his sweet signature smile that made her flush. I know Hunter is handsome, but I never thought even my best friend would be drooling over him.

    "Aren''t you going to introduce me to your friend, Madeline?" He asked and smiled at me.

    "Hunter, this is Gina, my best friend. Gina meets Hunter Divenson." I said awkwardly, then he extended his hand to Gina, and he pulled out a chair, and he sits across from me. And I can''t control my stupid heart to be so affected by his presence, and I hate myself for looking at his sexy red lips. I long to feel the softness of his lips on my mouth. What is wrong with me? Why am I thinking of kissing Hunter in front of my friend? I avoided his intense gaze, and I turn my head to look at Gina. And I am stunned that my best friend is still gaping at him without fluttering her yes. I nudge my friend, and that is the only time she flicks her eyes and smiled at Hunter.

    "Hello, I am Gina. I am sorry if I turned into a stone, I can''t believe you know my best friend, and of course, I am mesmerized by your handsomeness." Gina dered, and I know my friend she will always speak what is in her mind, and that is one of the things I love her the most, but I wouldn''t say I like it if she will be like this in front of him because I am so afraid if she is going to tell him what I truly felt. Then the most unusual thing happened, Hunter Divensonughs. I am surprised to hear hisughter, and it sounds so wonderful to my ear. Then I can''t stop my heart from racing when he took my hand and stroked it.

    "I am his fiance, and since you are Madeline''s best friend, I assume you are the Maid of Honor on our wedding day, am I right, Maddie?" He asked while he is still stroking my hand, and I am trying my best to speak because it seems I lost my ability to speak because of the sensations that I felt from his touch. I can feel butterflies on my stomach, and his touch alone ignites the electricity in my entire body.

    "Yes, that is why I am meeting her today," I replied.

    "Yeah, I just found out when I keep calling your phone, and you didn''t even bother to answer, and when I called Calixto, he said you are not with him. I thought you had a driving lesson with him. My sweet Madeline, you can text and call me so that I will know where you are. I am just a little disappointed that you trusted my right hand and not your fiance." He dered, and his acting seems so natural. I get it all now. If we are in front of anyone, he will act sweet and warm towards me, but every time we are alone, he will go back to his original cold self.

    Well, if this is the only time we can be sweet to each other, I will better make the most of it. Gina is correct; the only way to win his heart is by seducing him, but I am not even sure if he feels something for me, and I hope my best friend was right about her assumptions that Hunter is into me.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I know you are a busy man, and I don''t want to disturb you," I answered, and he looks at me in the eyes. I am confused with the unreadable expressions I can see on his face, and I admire his ability to hide his genuine emotions.

    "Next time, I want you to tell me where do you want to go, Maddie, so I can drive or asked the driver at the Divension Mansion to drive you, but you don''t need to worry that your car will arrive tomorrow. Why didn''t you tell me you have a driver''s license, and you know how to drive?" He asked, and I find it hard to answer him.

    "I don''t think having a driver''s license is necessary or one of the prerequisites of marrying you," I answered, and I know I sound sarcastic because I can''t stop myself from remembering Calixto''s words. He only wants me so he can have an heir. And I hate myself more because why I am hoping Hunter will marry me for another reason.

    "Madeline, I need to know because I want to provide you anything that you need because I am going to be your husband soon." He said and smiled sweetly at me, and I know he is upset because I answered him sarcastically.

    "I would like to take this opportunity to ask you, Gina, toe to Divenson mansion tomorrow if you have extra time because the couturier wille tomorrow for your measurements, and Madeline can discuss with her the design of the gown she wants. Our wedding is simple, yet I was hoping you could choose your gown, Maddie, and I guess Gina can help you decide what design and fabric you want. I only want Maid of Honor and Best Man." He dered.

    "I already invited your aunt and cousin. They are your only family, Maddie, and I know you are still upset about her, but do you even hate your aunt, now that you see and meet me?" He asked, and the way he looked at me prates my inner core. I want to tell him I love what I see right now, and I even want to taste his lips and feel his touch, but I can''t even utter a single word.

    "Well, I presume your silence means you don''t hate your aunt that you meet me. It is nice to see you, Gina. I still have a meeting to attend to, and Calixto will drive you home, Maddie. I am sorry, I want to drive you home, but I need to go back to the office." He said and stood up, and Gina and I raised from our chairs, and before I can say goodbye, Hunter moves closer to me, and hey his hand on my waist and pulled me closer to him, and I can''t stop myself from looking up and find his mesmerizing eyes looking at my lips. My stomach flipped, and I felt like jelly. I think I lose my strength to stand up because his touch and stares made me feel so weak.

    "See youter at the mansion, Maddie." He spoke in more than a whisper, and before I can answer him, he captured my mouth and savored my lips, just like the way I want it. We kissed like we are the only ones standing inside the cafe, and by the time he let me go, I am out of breath. I can feel my entire face turned so red.

    "Bye, my sweet Madeline, goodbye, Gina. He said and turned his heels away from us while I am left standing on the ground biting my lower lip, and I felt Gina tugged the hem of my dress, which is when I get back on my chair.

    "Wow! He is way too hot and more handsome up close, and when did you get so lucky, Madeline? I am ecstatic for you, and by the way, I see it; he likes you, Madeline." She said, still looking at the ss door even if we can no longer see him.

    "I don''t know, Gina, and I am not even sure if I am lucky or unfortunate." I replied.

    "Stop saying that. Do you realize being kissed by Hunter Divenson is more than enough to be lucky, and if you want, I can ex-change ces with you in a heartbeat? Just tell me, and I will do it." My best friend said, and she released a heavy sigh, and Iugh.

    "Do you think I will let you kiss him, Gina? Over my dead body." I answered her.

    "Just what I thought." She replied, and we bothugh.

    "Kidding aside, Madeline, I am so envious of you; how can your life turned out this way, but I am d for you, and I can''t wait to see the Divenson mansion and meet his family." She said and smiled at me.

    "Gina, loving Hunter is not that easy. And you better brace yourself if you want to meet his family, but I am excited to introduce you to Lily. She is the youngest in the family, and she is the only one who loves me. Lily is adorable, and I am sure you will like her too." I replied.

    "Well, never mind them, Madeline. As long as Hunter is in love with you, there is nothing to be worried about." She said, and I shook my head.

    "I need a miracle to make it happen, Gina." I replied.

    "If you won''t believe me, that he likes you, it is all up to you, Maddie, but I am so happy for you, my friend." She said, beaming at me.

    "Thank you so much for inviting me to your wedding, and I can''t wait to see you walk down the aisle. Who could have thought that my best friend who has no dating experience will be married ahead of me? And not only that, you are marrying the most handsome and CEO of the Divenson Mining Corporation. This news is the most epic information I have ever heard, Maddie, and being your best friend, I felt like I am the one who is getting married because I can''t contain my excitement. I couldn''t be happier." She dered, and I can see the happiness on her face, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Thank you, Gina." I said, and we both get up from our chairs, and then we go out of the cafe; she sends me to Calixto''s car, and I said goodbye to my friend.. I hugged her before I get inside Cal''s car, and I feel so much better after I talked with my best friend, and I can still feel the euphoria that I felt after I shared a hot kiss with Hunter, and I can''t wait to meet himter tonight at the mansion.

 Chapter 15 - I Canâ€™t Give Her Love

    Hunter''s POV

    Calixto informed me that he scheduled Madeline to have a driving ss with a driving instructor from a well-known driving school in the city, and I can''t stop myself from feeling possessive of her. And I wonder why I be like this when I know Madeline''s presence in my life is only because of Frank''s dying wish and the pressure my parents are giving me to get married.

    "Cal, why didn''t you tell me you enroll Madeline in a driving school? I don''t like that idea Calixto, what if she will run away?" I asked, and I know it wasn''t about running away that I am afraid of, but because I have learned that the said driving school instructors are with pleasing personalities. That is why they have be number one ever since.

    "So, what do you think I should do about it, Mr. Divenson," Calixto asked.

    "Use yourmon sense, Cal," I replied, and he smiled.

    "Of course, I will be honored to teach Ms. Brownwood how to drive, Mr. Divenson." He said.

    "Good," I said, and he got out of my room, rushing while I continue checking the monthly reports from the Finance Department.

    I called Madelin because I want to talk to her regarding the couturier, but she didn''t pick up her phone. And I almost lost my patience, and I remember that she is with Calixto.

    "Cal, can you tell Ms.Brownwood to answer her phone. I have been calling her, but she won''t pick up. Is she driving now?" I asked.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, but Ms. Brownwood is not with me. I left her in the cafe since she is meeting her best friend. I am on my way to the caterer, Sir." He said.

    "Cal, next time you have to tell me if she is going to meet someone, what if she is meeting a guy friend, she is getting married with me, and I don''t want Madeline to associate with anyone," I said, and I hate myself for feeling this way.

    "She is meeting Gina, Mr. Divenson. I guess Madeline is nning to ask her to be the Maid of Honor on your wedding day." He replied.

    "Send me the name and address of the Cafe, because I want to discuss something urgent with her, Calixto," I demanded.

    "Sure, Sir." He said, and I ended the call. I don''t know what had gotten into me that I want to see her right away. I get my coat and leave my office at once. I drive fast, and I can''t control myself. By the time I get inside the ce, I scanned the entire area immediately. And there she is, sitting at the far end talking with her friend, and it seems she looks so happy, and how I wish to always look at her this way. She is animated talking with her best friend. And I felt d even though she has a hard life; she found a real friend that she can talk to and share her secrets with her best buddy.

    I know that I have a strong effect on women, and I can tell by the way all

    the women inside the cafe are checking me out, even Madeline''s friend. I love the feeling of being ogled with, but sometimes I find it irritating, especially if I attended a social gathering with my business partners.

    Maddie introduced me to her friend awkwardly, and I can tell she feels nervous that I caught her spending time with her best friend and not with Calixto. I extended my hand to Gina, and then I pulled out a chair, and I sat across from my wife to be. She avoided my intense gaze while I can''t stop myself from admiring her beautiful face. And I can''t control the hammering of my heart under my chest. I felt like I am a college boy once again.

    Madeline looks so hot wearing the inest dress she can find in her closet. I handpicked all the items of clothing, bags, and shoes on her wardrobe cab. I can''t stop staring at her natural cherry red lips that look so enticing. I want to kiss her right away, but I know I need to talk to her first regarding the fashion designer who wille to our mansion tomorrow. When I turn my head to look at her friend, I found Gina gaping at me with wide eyes, and Madeline nudged her friend, and that is the only time she flicks her eyes and smiled at me.

    Gina''s straightforwardness amuses me, and I can''t help butugh at her words. I can tell it surprised Maddie since she hasn''t heard meugh, and even I am amazed by my sudden outburst, and I can''t stop myself from taking Maddie''s hand and stroked it.

    I introduce myself to Gina as Maddie''s fiance while I am still stroking Maddie''s hand, and I can''t help but smirked when I noticed her hand is shaking, and I am d she is affected by my touch.

    "Madeline, where is your phone?" I asked her, and she blushed.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I didn''t expect that you will call me since you didn''t tell me you will call me." She answered, and I can tell she is panicking.

    "Next time, you have to look at your phone from time to time because I will be calling you, especially now that our wedding day is fast approaching." I said, and she nodded, and I felt proud of her since she is so different from any other girl. I know most of the girls her age are so busy checking their social media ounts every minute, but it seems Madeline''s social media ounts had been updated months ago. And I understand she hasn''t had time to post on her ounts since she is so busy making money to pay off her aunt''s debts.

    Madeline answered me sarcastically when I asked about her driver''s license and her ability to drive, and I wonder why her mood suddenly changes. It seems she is upset with something.

    " It was my idea that Maddie should get a driver''s license because I know an opportunity something like this will happen to her, and thank you foring into Madeline''s life, Hunter." Gina spoke, and I am d she always help Maddie, and I can tell Madeline felt shy because of Gina''s words.

    "Of course, I am so delighted that I met her." I replied, and I looked at her beautiful eyes, and I felt d this time she didn''t look away. We are staring at each other for a long time until we heard Gina clearing her throat.

    "I hope you have free time tomorrow, Gina, and you cane to the Divenson mansion, don''t worry. I will assign a chauffeur who will pick you up. I want you to help Maddie choose the design of her bridal gown since I know she trusts your judgment since you are her best friend." I said and focused my attention on Gina.

    "Yes, Mr. Divenson, I am very avable tomorrow. Besides, I want to see what a mansion looks like." She said, and I like her honesty while I can tell Madeline feels so uneasy.

    "It is nice to see you, Gina. I still have a meeting to attend, and Calixto will drive you home, Madeline,I am sorry, I want to drive you home, but I need to go back to the office." I said and stood up, and they both raised from their chairs, and before Madeline can say goodbye, I move closer to her and put my hand around her waist, and tugged her closer to me, and I love the way she is looking at me. She smells so heavenly, and I can''t stop the desire to kiss her, and I want all thedies in the cafe to know that I belong to Madeline so they will stop checking me out.

    "See youter at the mansion, Maddie." I spoke in more than a whisper, and before she can answer me, I im her mouth with urgency, and I savored the sweet taste of her lips, and I can tell Madeline is enjoying our kiss by the way she responded to my hungry mouth. We kissed like we are the only ones standing inside the cafe, and by the time I let her go, we are both panting. I can see her entire face blushed.

    "Goodbye, my sweet Madeline, goodbye, Gina." I said and turned away from them without taking a second nce, feeling so hot after my kissing scene with my bride-to-be, and I felt d to see the car of Calixto parking beside my ck SUV. He climbed out of his vehicle quickly by the time I open my car door.

    "Hello, Mr. Divenson." He greeted me with a wide grin on his face, but I didn''t return his smile.

    "I don''t like what happened today, Cal, and next time, I don''t want you to leave Madeline unless we are already married. You have to think about the possibility that she will run away." I said in a cold manner that made her smile disappeared from his face.

    "I don''t think she will run away from you, Mr. Divenson." He dered that it made me feel intrigued.

    "Why do you sound so sure about Ms. Brownwood''s feelings, Calixto?" I asked, and he looked at me in the eyes.

    "Because I can tell, your wife to be is beginning to fall in love with, you Mr. Divenson." He said, and my eyes turned so big, and my face darkened.

    "I guess you have to advise her not to fall in love with me, Calixto, and you know the fact that I can never give Ms. Brownwood my love and devotion, especially my heart. All I can give her after our marriage is my body. And I can assure her I can make her nights colorful and exciting, but she should not expect me to love her. Don''t discuss to me how she feels towards me, Cal." I said, and I close the door while I left Calixto dumbfounded with my words.. I drive fast, and I am disappointed that Cal mentioned Madeline''s real feelings for me, and I am afraid of the realization that my future wife is falling in love with me.

 Chapter 16 - I Loathe Him

    Madeline''s POV

    I am still in a daze because of the hot kissed I have shared with Hunter. I can''t deny it anymore that my feelings with Hunter be more intense, especially if he kisses me. I know I should protect my heart not to fall for him, but I think there is nothing I can do to stop my foolish heart from going crazy with him. He is the epitome of an ideal man any woman can dream of, and even though he looks so cold, I can''t stop my body from feeling so hot every time I am near him. Hunter Divenson excites me, and there is something about him that I can''t put into words.

    And I couldn''t believe my best friend agree to Hunter''s request quickly because I know she is not free tomorrow, Gina has two-part time jobs she needs to attend to, but it seems she is so excited to see the beauty and mour of the Divenson mansion. I hope she will not meet Charlotte.

    "Hello, Ms. Brownwood. I want to ask for an apology for what happened earlier, I didn''t expect Mr. Divenson will look for you, and since you didn''t answer his call, he called me instead because he thought we were together." Calixto said after I settled myself in the passenger''s seat of his car.

    "I think I should be the one who needs to apologize to you, Cal, and it was me who didn''t answer his call." I replied, feeling so guilty that I drag Calixto''s name because of my desire to meet Gina today.

    "I am sorry if I wasn''t there when he met you earlier. Did he scare you?" He asked, smiling at me, and I nodded.

    "No, it was the opposite, and I wonder why he is like that towards me, he seems so distant and cold when we are alone, yet he appears so sweet every time we have an audience." I said as I turn my attention to the road.

    "I can''t answer you about that, Madeline, but I hope you will make him fall in love with you." He replied, and I turn my gaze towards him, and I halfugh.

    "That is so funny, Cal, and I think your boss has a cold heart; maybe he is a vampire after all, and he is just pretending to be human." I replied, and it was Calixto''s turn tough.

    "Ha! I couldn''t imagine what would be his reactions if I am going to tell him about what you have said." He spoke as he adjusted his necktie.

    "I am sure he doesn''t have the heart to love since he was looking for an uplicated wife to be the mother of his child." I said, and just thinking about the process of how I am going to be pregnant makes me feel so excited and worried at the same time. I can''t imagine being in bed with him, and I am afraid if he will be frustrated since I don''t have any experience with lovemaking since I am still a virgin.

    I don''t have time to date. Besides, I want to experience my first with the one I love. What I felt for Hunter is not a question, but I hope he will develop some feelings towards me so our lovemaking would be more meaningful. What is wrong with me? Why do I think about such a thing? I should feel embarrassed about it, but I can''t help myself to think about him after he kissed me and made me want for more.

    "I doubt about that, Ms. Madeline. I know he seems so frigid, but I still believe Hunter is capable of loving." He dered.

    "I hope so, Cal." I replied and tilted my head on the ss window of his car, and remain silent for the rest of the ride going to the Divenson mansion.

    Calixto opens my door, and he assisted me climb out of his car, and he gets back to the driver''s seat in haste. Then he waves his hand before driving away from the mansion. I can tell Charlotte''s friends are still around because I can still see cars park outside that don''t belong to the Divensons. I am still in a good mood as I get inside, and I am shocked to find Cer in front of my doorstep.

    "Good evening, Ms. Madeline. I should prepare your dress for dinner tonight." She said, and I stopped in front of her and looked at her on her face.

    "Cer, you don''t need to do such a thing since I can take care of myself, and Hunter does not need to know. You can get inside my room, and we can talk as friends while I will prepare my dress." I said to her, and her eyes widened.

    "I can''t do that, Ms. Madeline, because I need to assist you with everything that you need, and please let me do my job." She is pleading with me, and I can tell I can never convince Cer to stop giving me her assistance. Besides, I don''t want her to lose her job. I opened my bedroom door widely and asked her toe inside. I still need time to make herfortable with me. Shey my dress on top of my bed, and I can''t stop admiring the beautiful long gown in front of me.

    "Dinner will start at seven o''clock. Ms. Maddie and I think Mr. Hunter wille home early because Charlotte asked him to join the family dinner because of her friends." She said, and I raised my head to look at her, and I just nodded my head. I can''t stop the butterflies on my stomach, and I hate myself for feeling so excited to meet him.

    Lily came to my room before dinner, and she looks so beautiful with herce tulle pink dress.

    "Hi! Madeline, how was your driving lesson today?" She asked while smiling at me, and I couldn''t help but return her infectious smile with a broad grin. Lily will always be my guiding light in this house.

    "It was fantastic!" I replied enthusiastically

    "That is great then, and I can''t wait to go to the city center with you, so we can stroll and have fun." She said, and I beam at her.

    "I don''t think your mom and dad will allow you toe with me to the city, Lily." I said.

    "Once you will be Hunter''s wife, Madeline, you will no longer be a stranger to us, and you will be part of our family. You will be a Divenson, and I can''t wait to be your sister officially." She muttered.

    "I am thrilled to be your big sister too, Lily." I replied.

    "I know, Maddie. I can tell the way you look at me, and you are not fake. Unlike those women, my mom wants to be Hunter''s wife." She said, and I raised my eyebrow at her.

    "Maddie, there are a lot of women who came here in Divenson mansion because my mother loves holding social gatherings, and I can tell she is always doing that to find my brother a bride, and I am so happy because none of them captured Hunter''s interest." Lily added.

    "You are lovely, Madeline, and I know you are special because you are the only girl who caught my brother''s interest." She said, and I can''t believe I am talking to a twelve-year-old girl because she acts and talks like she has the same age as me.

    "Thank you, Lily, and I think I am now ready to go." I said to her.

    "Okay, let us go then." She said, and she offers her hand to me, and I happily take her soft palm.

    I felt nervous, but Lily keeps my nerve rx a little. I know facing Hunter''s family will always be a challenge for me because they show it to my face they don''t like me, and I am also scared of what they want me to do for them. I am not terrified to serve them, but I am aware they want to find fault so they can drive me away from this ce. How I wish I have enough money so I can pay off Hunter, but it was just wishful thinking because I know I will grow old, and I still can''t pay off my aunt''s debt. I know our obligations filed up because of the interest.

    The dining hall looks so alive the moment we get inside because of Charlotte''s friends. I greeted his parents, Charlotte and Parker, but they all ignore me, except his brother, who looks at me with lustful desires on his face, and I want to go back to my room, but I felt Lily''s hand, and she is giving me an encouraging smile. Hunter is not yet around, and I felt like I am invisible to them as they continue talking. I know they are all waiting for Hunter since her mother asked the kitchen staff to serve the food once his eldest son arrives.

    I wonder how I will stay at this house if they continue to treat me this way. I can''t imagine dealing with this type of people, and I can''t even visualize what will happen to me once I get pregnant and fulfill my duty as Hunter''s wife.

    "Kaye, I suggest you stay for the night so you can catch up with Hunter, and I am sure he will love to spend his time with you tonight." Leticia said, and I know how she emphasized her every word, and I can tell she is doing her best to make me jealous and hurt.

    "That is what I told her, mom. I know Hunter will be delighted to spend his time with Kaye. Maybe, we can go to the bar and have drinks." Charlotte seconded.

    "You don''t need to go to the bar to have a drink. What is the use of having a great house bar in this mansion? You ask one of the kitchen staff to prepare cocktails that you like, and you can drink your heart out." rk Divenson added, and Charlotte grinned at her father.

    "Thank you, Dad, that is a beautiful idea." She said.

    "You need to convince my son to change his mind, Charlotte, you know what I mean. I want him to stop his craziness." rk said and eyed me meaningfully, and I don''t need to be a genius to understand what his father is talking about, and I can''t stop feeling so hurt, but I didn''t let them see how broken I felt inside.

    They all stop talking and focus their attention on something, and I can tell there is no doubt, Hunter arrived, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so uneasy. My anticipation is killing me, but I felt like someone jabbed my heart when he moves closer to Faye, and he sat beside her without even ncing in my direction. The kitchen staff started serving dinner, and I felt like an idiot being in this house, and maybe he will really change his mind and dispose of me now that Kaye is in the picture, and I hate myself for feeling this way.

    Before I came here, I nned to beg him not to marry me, but why I felt like dying now that I see him being so sweet with Kaye. I am already hurt when I learned he only wants me because he needs an heir, and now watching him talked with Kaye like he is a schoolboy makes me want to run away from this ce for good.. He is hurting me, and I loathe him now.

 Chapter 17 - I Need To Run Away

    Madeline''s POV

    I wanted to leave the dining hall, but I know it is inappropriate, and I realize his family will be against it. I tried my best to look unaffected by his gestures towards Kaye. I felt Lily''s hand squeezed my palm under the table, and I can''t help myself from smiling that this little angel is helping me beyond what she can imagine. I hope the dinner will be over soon, so I can go to my room and cry my heart out.

    I don''t know if Hunter is doing this to punish me for what I have done this afternoon. He has no right to do this because I only met my friend, and I have done nothing wrong. I only asked Gina to be my maid of honor, and I think there is nothing wrong with it.

    "Hunter, we n to have a drink after dinner. I hope you can join us." Kaye said as she looked at him while fluttering her eyes.

    "Of course, I''d love to, because it has been a long time since thest time we see each other. I miss you, Kaye. I hope you know that." Hunter said, and I am now officially in pain, and after tonight, I will talk with him and asked him to set me free. There is no reason I need to stay in this ce. I need to speak with Lily privately, and I hope she can help me with my n. I can''t deny I am falling for Hunter because I can feel the pain pierced my heart. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw Charlotte is looking at me with a sinister smile on her face, and I can tell she is having a good time, knowing her n is working.

    I may be poor, but I will never let this family humiliate me even more. They already insulted me, and now Hunter is doing his best to remind me that I am nothing to him. I am just a young woman that he bought from my aunt. I wish I have another option. Why did my father put me into this mess? I hate him even more for making my life so miserable. When I was living with my aunt, I am always tired every day since I wake up early to work ande homete for work. I can feel all the joints of my body are hurting, but it was okay. I am living my life with dignity.

    My life here in this mansion sucks, especially now that Hunter is so cozy with Kaye. I don''t know what his rtionship with Kaye is, and I don''t want to learn about it. And I think the best thing to do right now is to escape while I am still free. Besides, I now believe that this woman is here because she will stop Hunter''s craziness of marrying a woman he doesn''t even know. And his entire family is very supportive of Kaye, so why should I be here? He doesn''t need me anymore, and the more I will stay here, the further I will be in love with him, and right now, I want to stop my foolishness.

    "Can I go to your room after dinner, Lily?" I asked her.

    "Yes, of course, Madeline, I want you to go to my room. I like to watch the stars on my balcony, and I think we can have stargazing tonight." She said excitedly, and even though my heart is aching, I find myself smiling at her.

    I felt d that the maid serves the desserts, and I eat the tiramisu, but it doesn''t feel enjoyable in my mouth, and I wonder why even my taste is affected by my broken heart. When we all stand up as a signal that dinner was over, I felt so relieved, and I felt so pleased that Lily pulled my hand in going to her room. I didn''t make another mistake of looking at Hunter because I know it will only hurt me to find him staring at Kaye''s beautiful face.

    By the time I get inside Lily''s room, I sat on her couch, and I tried to stop myself from crying, but I can''t control my tears from falling on my cheeks, and the little girl sat beside me kneading my back, and I cry harder, that at least on my misery I uncoveredfort in this little girl''s hand.

    "I am sorry, Lily, I know I don''t have any right to feel this way, but it hurts me that your brother ignored me the entire dinner, and I know you don''t understand what I am talking about right now, but when you are old enough you will discern all this." I said as I try to stop myself from crying, and Lily handed me a white handkerchief.

    "I may be a twelve-year-old girl, but I understand what Hunter did this evening, I don''t know if he is pretending to be nice to Kaye in front of our parents to stop them from telling him to enjoy Kaye''spany, or is he enjoying her presence, but one way or another I know he injured your heart. And I am sorry, Madeline, you are his fiancee, so, naturally, you will feel that way, and I couldn''t understand why he is doing all this to you." She said and looked at me with tenderness.

    "Wow! You are a brilliant girl, and I am so proud to meet you. Now, there is one thing I want to tell you, Lily, and I hope you can keep this secret." I said.

    "Of course, Madeline, I am your best friend now." She replied, and I smiled at her.

    "I am in love with your brother." I said.

    "That is not a secret, Madeline. I can see it the way you look at Hunter." She dered, and Iugh.

    "Am I that obvious?" I replied.

    "Of course, but there is nothing wrong with that because you are his bride-to-be." She responded, and I nodded.

    "Yeah, but I am not his girlfriend, and your brother is not in love with me. I know I should not be telling you all about this, but I know you are smart, and your intelligence doesn''t belong to a twelve-year-old." I said.

    "I don''t know if I need to be happy with yourpliment, Madeline." She replied, and I can''t stop myself from hugging her.

    "You need to know he is only marrying me because he wants to have an heir. I am in this situation now because your brother paid off my aunt''s debts. I never knew about your brother until Calixto came and informed me that I needed toe here to meet his family because I will be his bride without even meeting him. But sad to say, I fell in love with Hunter on the first night I met him. I know it was crazy to fall for him knowing he doesn''t have feelings for me." I said, and her eyes widened, and she hugged me.

    "Oh, Madeline." She said, and I cried again.

    "I came from a low-ie family, and I haven''t met my dad. He left me when I was three years old, and now that I saw your brother being so close with Kaye, I felt so hurt. And I can''t stop myself from being jealous, and I know you are the only one in this entire mansion who likes me, and I will be forever grateful for your friendship, Lily." I dered.

    "As much as I want to spend time with you, I need to leave this house, and I can''t take the insults of your parents, and Charlotte''s hatred towards me is very apparent, especially now that she invited Kaye to be in this house to humiliate me." I added.

    "You are the only one who can help me, and I don''t want to feel this way anymore. I need to stay away and forget your brother, but don''t worry; I will continue tomunicate with you." I said.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, I will help you, now that I know what my brother did to you; I hate him for doing all this to you, and how could he y with your heart like that?" She said, and I almostugh; where did she learn all these things about love?

    "Thank you so much, Lily." I said.

    "Your wee, but please promise me, you won''t forget me." She said.

    "Of course, there is no way I am going to forget you, Lily, and you will always be here in my heart." I said.

    "I want you to be my sister, Madeline, but I know you are miserable here, and I won''t hold you back. I wish for your happiness, Maddie." She said.

    "Can I sleep here in your room tonight?" I asked.

    "I''d love to, Maddie; please sleep here tonight." She said, and I can see the excitement on her face.

    Lily came with me to my room. She is patiently waiting for me while I take a hot shower, and since I am sleeping in her room, I want to wear decent sleeping attire, so I opted to wear my pajamas. And after I blow dry my hair, I get my phone, and we go back to her room. We spend almost two hours on her balcony watching the stars and waiting for some falling stars. Then, she yawned several times, and that is when I call it a night, and she agreed with me. She must be so sleepy since after hitting her soft bed, she immediately falls asleep.

    I got up from bed and texted Gina not toe to the Divenson mansion tomorrow. She replied immediately, and I can tell by Gina''s text messages she was disappointed that she can''t see the Divenson mansion, but I can tell she feels guilty after I texted her what happened tonight.

    "Oh, you better leave that mansion immediately, Madeline." She replied with angry emojis, and I can''t help but smile.

    "Yeah, that is my n, Gina, and thank you so much. I don''t know what to do without you." I replied.

    "That is what friends are for, to be there for each other, especially in times of troubles. Good night, Madeline." She texted.

    "Good night, Gina." I replied, and I get back to Lily''s bed; she is sleeping like an angel, and how I wish she is my real sister. I find it so hard to sleep because I keep thinking if I am making the right decision, but I don''t think I have other option; besides, I am willing to endure the pain as long as Hunter is with me, but judging by how he flirts with Kaye, I don''t want to be in so much pain anymore. While it is still early, it is better to leave this ce while I still can.. My decision is final, and I need to run away and forget Hunter Divenson.

 Chapter 18 - Leaving The Divenson Mansion

    Madeline''s POV

    "Madeline, wake up." I heard Lily called my name softly while she taps my shoulder, and when I open my eyes, I saw her standing at the edge of her bed, and when I looked at the time on the clock on her nightstand, I realize it is still four o''clock in the morning, and I wonder why she is up this early.

    "Why are you awake at this hour, sweetheart? You should go back to sleep, Lily." I said as I closed my eyes again.

    "I thought you want to leave this house, Maddie." She replied, and I got up quickly.

    "Of course, I want to, and why at this hour?" I asked, confused.

    "If you want to leave without being detected, then this is your chance. I will ask Tony to take you to the City. I know he will help you, he is one of the Divenson mansion drivers, and Tony is a friend of your father, and I am certain he will help you. He usually runs an errand for my father early morning." Lily said, and she walked to her door and summoned me to follow her. I walk behind her feeling disoriented since I still feel sleepy. We go to my room tiptoeing, and she opened my door, and I get inside and change my pajama into my faded jeans and T-shirt. Then I quickly put on my sneakers, and I get my backpack to put my important documents.

    I put my phone on top of the dresser table because I want Hunter to find it. I don''t need a cellr phone to live. I only need some cash, maybe Gina will let me borrow some money from her, and after I look for a decent job, I will pay her off. I don''t n to stay with my aunt since I am sure Hunter will find me there. I am unsure where I will stay from now on, but my desire to leave this house set aside my worries about where I should stay. I looked around the room, feeling sad that I am leaving this beautiful ce behind, but the people living here are heartless, and only Lily has a good heart.

    "Take this with you, Madeline, and please don''t open it here; open that Man envelope when you arrived at your destination." She dered, and I wonder what is inside of this thick envelope.

    "What is inside of this envelope?" I asked.

    "Nothing, just a letter and some of my drawings that I want you to have. I like you, Maddie, and I hate to let you go, but I don''t want to see you in pain. When I be an adult, I will look for you because you are my best friend and sister. You appreciate me, and you like mypany. I know my big brother loves me, but I hate him for turning into a big jerk. You are beautiful and kind, yet he only hurt your feelings. Though you came here to our home because he used his money, I hate to say I am d he bought you from your aunt because we meet. I wish I meet you on a different circumstance, Madeline." She said, and I can''t stop my tears from falling, and I take her into my arms, and I feel her arms curled around my waist.

    "Thank you, Lily, you make my stay here bearable, and I will never forget you. I hope I will be sessful someday so that you will be proud of me." I said as I tuck some strand of her hair on the back of her ear.

    "Whatever you will be, Madeline, I will always be your friend." She responded, and I smiled widely at her. We got out of my room and walk through the corridors quietly. I am holding my breath because I feel so worried that someone might see us, and I almost jump on my feet when we met Cer on the stairs; and I can tell she is surprised to see Lily and me early this morning.

    "Ms. Lily and Ms. Brownwood, where are you going at this hour?" She asked.

    "I asked Madeline to join me with my early walk, Cer," Lily replied.

    "At this hour?" Cer asked in confusion, and I am shocked that she is talking with Lily in this manner. She usually avoided a conversation with me. I can tell Lily is a charmer because all the mansion staff adores her. I know Cer doesn''t believe Lily''s reason because she is eyeing me from head to toe, and she can tell I am wearing an inappropriate dress. And I felt d when she nodded and turned her heels away from us.

    "Don''t worry, Cer is my friend, and she won''t tell a single soul." She whispered after we walk past the elegant living room, and I can tell Lily is taking a secret passage. Since I have never been to this ce, she used her phone to light our way, and I felt so thrilled because it feels like we are thieves or fugitives. She opened a massive wooden door, and I am shocked when we stepped outside; I realized we are already at the back of the house.

    She continues walking, stepping on the stone footpaths beside the back garden, and I can smell the flower''s fragrance, and I can feel the morning dews on the leaves of some shrubs that touch my arm. From a distance, I can see cottages before us, and I realized these are the dwelling ce of the mansion''s staff. The lined houses look so beautiful, with sto walls and porches that surround each cottage. It has the same white color and design. There are hanging nts all over the house, and the trees surrounding the area make the entire spot fresh. It would be enough for me to have this kind of ce.

    Lily quickly went to the farthest house and then knocked softly, and a man of his early forties opened the door, and he looked so shocked upon seeing her at this hour.

    "Oh, my goodness, Young Miss Divenson, what are you doing at this early morning? " He said while he tried tob his hair through his fingers.

    "Can wee in?" Lily asked, and he nodded his head and opened his door widely and gestured to us to go inside. I am impressed by the cottage''s interior design, and I can see it is a two-bedroom house with a spacious living room, and the L-shaped sofa with a grey cover looksfy.

    "Hello, Tony, I am sorry for disturbing you this early; I want you to meet Madeline. And she is supposed to be my elder''s brother fiancee, but it seems he has another n now that Kaye arrived. Maddie meets Tony." Lily introduced us, and Tony extended his hand to me, and he offered me a friendly smile. I rxed a little after I shook hands with him.

    "Wow! You look so beautiful, and I couldn''t believe you are the daughter of Frank. Maybe you inherited your mother''s physical appearance." He dered, and I smiled shyly at him.

    "Thanks, " I muttered.

    "So, what can I do for you, Young Lady?" He asked and looked at Lily, and now I can say she acts and thinks maturely than her age; the way she looked at Tony with authority is telling me this girl will turn into a powerful woman someday.

    "I want you to take Madeline with you in going to the City Center today. She is miserable here, Tony, my parents want her to be gone, and my sister Charlotte is trying her best to get rid of Maddie by bringing her friend Kaye. And I know you understand what I mean." She dered.

    "And it also means, Mr. Hunter Divenson doesn''t know anything about this n of yours?" He asked her, and I answered for her.

    "Tony, Hunter doesn''t need to know all about this, Lily is only helping me to get out from here, and I have to be honest with you, I am in love with Hunter, but he is hurting me, so I guess you understand that I am in pain. I can''t marry someone who only wants something from me, and I want to marry for love." I said, and I can see his face softened.

    "Do you realize I will be in big trouble if Hunter finds out? I help her?" He said and looked at Lily in the eyes.

    "I know, but I will take responsibility, and no one saw us, so I think it is safe to bring Madeline with you." Lily answered.

    "Oh, my dear Lily, why can''t I say no to you." He spoke and ruffled her hair, and I feel so delighted that Tony will be helping me.

    "Because I know you can''t resist my charm, Tony, besides you love me as your daughter." She said, and Tonyughs.

    "Okay, I will help you, Madeline, I will change into something decent clothes, and I think we should leave before my fellow employees wake up. Please take a seat and wait for me." He said, and he turned to his bedroom.

    "So, I guess I will say goodbye now, Madeline, and I wrote my contact details on one of my drawings, so if you have a new contact number, please text or call me, Maddie." Lily said, and I scooted closer to her.

    "Of course, you are the first person I am going to text and call, Lily. Thank you for everything." I said.

    "You are wee, Madeline; I wish you to have a happy and sessful life." She responded, and I bring her closer to me. I felt so lucky that amid the chaos that I face, I meet an angel like Lily. Tony gets back wearing his driver''s uniform, and I can''t stop the pounding of my heart. I am now on my way to flee this ce, and I will be away from his parents'' and siblings'' mockery, and I will be out from Hunter''s life for good.. I know it will take time to forget him because I can tell I fall for him hard and deep, but I should focus on living my life with dignity and happiness.

 Chapter 19 - Where Is Madeline?

    Hunter''s POV

    I arrived in my office, and I am still affected by what Cal told me. At first, I thought it was okay that Madeline will fall for me, but right now, it made me realized it wouldn''t do good for both of us. I don''t want to fall in love with anyone because it was never my n, and I promised on Reba''s grave I will never love anyone after her because I can''t forgive myself for what happened to my Reba. I need to do something about her feelings towards me. My sister Charlotte called me that Kaye has arrived, and I realized Kaye was the best person to stop Madeline from falling for me.

    I had a fling with Kaye after Reba, but it was because I was devastated at that time. It was never serious. I know she is game with flings and some sexual escapade if I want to with no strings attach, and I know how much Kaye wanted me, but I can''t marry her because it would be so hard on my part tame someone like her. After all, she is hard-headed and came from a wealthy family. If I marry her, I need to do my role as a husband to her. Unlike Madeline, she knows why she needs to be my wife, because of her aunt''s debt, and it should be enough reason for her to hate me and not the other way around, and I hate to think why she fell for me?

    My mood became sour that I asked my other assistant to cancel my remaining appointment. I am leaning on my swivel chair, thinking about what should I do with Madeline after I marry her? She can''t do anything if I will file a divorce because I have all the right to do so. After she gives me a child, that is the time I will set her free, and I am very sure she will enjoy having her freedom back.

    I am excited to meet Kaye since it was a long time ago that I saw her, and I am sure she still looks sexy and beautiful, but I can''t stop myself from thinking about Madeline''s beautiful innocent face. Her angelic face always makes me feel weak on my knees. That is why I need to control myself because since I tasted her lips, there are a lot of things I want to do to her beautiful figure underneath her clothes. I know Madeline has a luscious body that she tries to hide under her clothes.

    There is something about Madeline that I haven''t seen from anyone. And I can''t exin it, like what happened at the cafe a while ago, I don''t want to kiss her, but I can''t stop myself from iming her enticing lips. I want to kiss her more, but I need to wait until our wedding day before iming her. I know she will freely offer her body to me because I can feel it every time we kiss that she wants more. But I want to make our wedding night special. Just thinking about Maddie makes me realize I ache for her.

    I drive home feeling pissed at myself for thinking about Madeline because I felt so guilty about Reba. By the time I arrive at the mansion, I quickly get inside the dining hall, and my entire family, including Charlotte''s friends and Madeline, are already seated in front of the long and wide dining table. I didn''t nce at Maddie''s face because I know I will lose myself to her. So, I opted to sit beside Kaye for the entire dinner, and I felt d that I started to enjoy my conversations with her, and we were friends growing up. That is why we always have chemistry. I broke her heart when I chose Reba over her, but when I lost Reba, she forgot everything that I did to her. She started seducing me again, but I became a different person, and I stayed away from Kaye until she decided to go overseas.

    In the end, I can''t stop myself from peeking at Madeline, and I don''t like what I saw since I can see the pain all over her face while my parents and siblings, except Lily, are so happy to have Kaye in our house. Kaye asked me to join them in the bar to have some drinks, and I agreed to join them since I want to have some drinks. I don''t know how much liquor did I drunkst night that I feel so wasted, and when I woke up, I am shocked to find Kaye sleeping soundly beside me. I felt so horrified at what I have done, and I don''t remember asking her to join me on my bed, and I am sure I forgot to lock my damn bedroom door. And I know this is all my sister''s idea, Charlotte wants to stop me from marrying Madeline, but my decision is already final. No one can stop me from marrying Madeline Brownwood.

    I can feel my hangover as I can feel my head is aching tremendously, and when I am about to stand up, Kaye put her arm around my waist.

    "Hunter, you are so wasted to make love with mest night, and now that you are sober, I guess you can now perform as usual." She said.

    "Kaye, I am sorry, that will never happen again; you know I am about to get married, and why are you sleeping beside me? That is inappropriate, Kaye. I am engaged to Madeline." I said as I get up from bed, and as I am standing on the floor, I heard some knocking on my door, and when I open it, I saw Cer standing outside my bedroom door. And I know she was shocked to see Kaye inside my bedroom, and I know I don''t need to ask her to keep her mouth shut since I know she is loyal to the Divenson family, especially to me and my sister Lily.

    "Good morning, Mr. Divenson, breakfast is now ready, and your entire family is waiting for you." She said, and I can tell she wants to tell me something, but she chooses to shut her mouth.

    "Okay, Cer, thank you, I wille down in a few minutes." I said as I go to my closet and find decent clothes. I walked to the dining hall feeling guilty about what I did to Madelinest night, especially when I woke up sleeping beside Kaye. Charlotte already tells my parents about it in front of Madeline, but no matter how she feels about it, she can do nothing because I will still marry her.

    Kaye holds my hand, but I take away my hand from her and pretend tob my hair using my fingers. I already hurt Madelinest night, and I am not heartless about making her suffer today. I n to sway her today, and I hope what I didst night will open up her eyes that she should not fall for me. I expect she will safeguard her heart. The time we get inside the dining room, they all greeted us warmly. I can tell my parents are d that I walked inside together with Kaye, their number one bet to be my wife, I suddenly feel uneasy when I couldn''t find Madeline, and instead of sitting next to Kaye, I seated beside my little sister, who didn''t even bother to greet me. I know she is angry with me because of what I did with Maddiest night.

    "Where is Madeline?" I whisper to Lily, but she pretended not to hear me, and I can''t eat breakfast without her, she needs to eat breakfast, and before my mom can ask me where I am going, I stand up and sprint towards the grand staircase, and I take two steps at a time. I am panting when I reach in front of her bedroom door, and I knock several times, but she didn''t answer. I am walking back and forth in front of her bedroom when Cer arrived.

    "Did you wake up, Madeline? I already asked Calixto to inform you that you will be her assistant from the time she arrived at this house." I dered.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson, I am aware that Ms. Madeline is my responsibility, and yes I tried to wake her up, but it seems Ms.Brownwood already left the mansion." She said, and I felt my entire body turned cold.

    "What you mean she is not in the mansion?" I asked.

    "I think she runs away." Cer said, and I didn''t bother to answer her since I don''t know what I am feeling. I opened her bedroom, and Cer was right. It is not locked at all, I get inside, and her bed is so in the order it seems like no one sleeps on therest night, and I suddenly feel empty. I searched the entire room, but I couldn''t find her, and when I looked at her closet, I couldn''t find her backpack. And I find her phone on top of her dresser, and when I try to open it I saw her picture on the screen, and I don''t understand what I feel, it seems my heart is missing something, and I couldn''t believe that I will feel this way. I meet her recently, and we just shared some intimate kisses, but why I felt like I have known Madeline my entire life. I felt so lost, and I hate myself for being such a jerkst night; why I did such a thing when she is not my wife yet.

    Madeline can just run away because she is still free from me. I am not her husband yet; she doesn''t belong to me yet. I was such a fool. I sit on her bed, and I am speechless, and I felt my headaches worsen. How did she get away? I go to the security room to check the CCTV footage, but I think someone deleted some files starting four in the morning until six in the morning. Who could have helped her? Well, Charlotte could have helped her because she wants her gone, but I don''t think Maddie will trust my sister.

    I hate that this all happening right now, but there is only one thing in my head right now; I need to find Madeline Brownwood and make her my wife the soonest possible time, and for whatever reasons I have, one thing is I am confident I want her back since I need to kiss her again, and to feel her warm body against mine, I know I am selfish right now.. And my realization scared me that I am losing myself to Madeline.

 Chapter 20 - My New Lifeâ€™s Journey

    Madeline''s POV

    "Where am I going to take you, Madeline?" Tony asked me, and I told him the address of my best friend, Gina, but I know I can''t stay long in her ce because I am sure Hunter and Calixto will find me quickly. I will borrow some money from her, but I need to withdraw the remaining amount from my savings ount because I am not sure if my best friend has extra cash. I know her parents both have permanent jobs. They can afford to send my friend to college, but Gina''s allowance is only enough for her gasoline and personal needs because she still has younger siblings. That is why she also needs to have a part-time job.

    "So, what is your n, Madeline? I don''t want to be involved with your personal life because I love my job, and I don''t want to be jobless because, to be honest, the Divenson family provides me well; the sry is more than I can ask for, and I can never say no to Lily because she always reminds me of my eldest daughter; besides, I owe a lot to your father. He was the one who brought and introduced me to Mr. Divenson, Hunter''s father. And Frank taught me how to drive." He said and nced at me sideways.

    "But right now, I am already involved. Do you have a ce to stay?" He asked, and I shook my head.

    "Well, you are running away, and you don''t have a ce to stay?" He asked.

    "My aunt sold me to Hunter Divenson, and she is the only family I know, and after what she did, I am still upset with her, and besides, I don''t want to go there because I am sure Calixto will find me right away. The address I told you about is my best friend''s home address near my aunt''s house, but I am also sure Cal will find me there. Now that it is still summer, I want to go as far away from Archois City because if I stay here, I am sure Hunter will find me." I dered.

    "I only need to talk and say goodbye to my friend, and after that, I need to flee," I added.

    "Well, I have a sister living in Magnolia Vige, I don''t know if you are familiar with the name of that ce, but it would be far away from the city, and you have to go through three towns before you reach the ce, maybe it would be enough for the time being. And I will not be at peace knowing you have nowhere to go." Tony said, and I am so delighted and touched by his concerns about me. I am only a stranger to him because we only met this morning, but I can feel his sincerity, and I couldn''t be happier knowing there are people like him who care for others that they didn''t even know.

    "Thank you so much, Tony. You have already done enough for me. Helping me from running away from the Diveson mansion was too much already, and you could be in trouble, yet you still help me." I replied.

    "It was nothing, Madeline,pared to what your father has done for me." He dered, and I wonder what type of person my father is? How could he be so good with other people but never with me and my mom? And I suddenly felt sad that I am in this situation because of him.

    "I will call my sister once we arrived at your friend''s house, and then I will drive you to the train station." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "Thank you, Tony, and I don''t know how to repay your kindness," I said.

    "Don''t mention it, Maddie, besides I want you to have a happy life ahead of you. I wish you good luck, and you may find what you are looking for, and I hope my boss will never find you, but I am afraid sooner thanter Hunter can track you down. You don''t realize how powerful and influential your fiance is." He dered. And I hate myself that I am still affected even hearing Hunter''s name. I can still remember his handsome face, ripped body, his masculine scent, and his sensual lips that I can''t stop myself from reliving our hot kiss.

    I need to stop my foolishness with him and focus on my new life, and I wish he will never find me at all. I am excited that at least I have direction now, and I am sure Tony''s sister is as good as he is, and I can''t stop myself feeling so excited to take refuge in his sister''s house. I have never been there in Magnolia Vige, but I have heard the ce, and I am so excited to be there because of its well-known Magnolia trees and flowers.

    "My sister has a diner, and I think she needs an assistant now that it is summer. It became busier during summer because of the tourists." He said, and I became more excited.

    "Don''t worry, the moment I arrive, I will ask your sister to help me to find a ce where I can rent. A small room will do." I said.

    "Don''t be silly, Madeline, my sister, has a big house. It was our ancestral home. My other siblings live in the city, so she was left in our old yet still livable house. She only has two children, and my nephew is maybe older than you by three years, and I think my niece has the same age as you." He said, and I be more excited. I didn''t know that Tony''s help now realizes my n of running away.

    "We are here," I said the moment we arrived in front of Gina''s house.

    "Okay, I will wait for you, Madeline." He said.

    I knock on the main door, and Gina''s mom is shocked when she sees me after opening their door.

    "My gracious! What are you doing this early, Madeline? What happened to your uing wedding?" She asked.

    "That is why I am here, Mrs. Springwood," I said politely.

    "I think your best friend is still sleeping. Just go to her room, Madeline." Gina''s mom said, and I quickly stride to her bedroom. I am so familiar with their house since I have been here countless times. We have so many sleepovers here in her ce because her room is spaciouspared with mine, but even though my bedroom at my aunt''s house is tiny, my best friend still spent several times sleeping over at my aunt''s house.

    "Gina, wake up," I said as I sat on the edge of her bed, and I am just d she didn''t lock her room, and I know. She seldomtches her door, only during my sleepovers. She moaned, and I know she is still sleepy, and I feel guilty because I know she came homete because of her part-time job. I shake her shoulder again, and when she opened her eyes, she sat on her bed immediately.

    "I drop by to say goodbye. I am sorry for waking you up early; besides, I can''t go without seeing you because I need to say goodbye to you, Gina." I dered, and she hugs me, and she cries.

    "It is okay. I am so happy that you came, and I want you to stay here with us, but I know Hunter will find you immediately if you live here in our house, Maddie. I hate to see you go because you know I will miss you so much." She said as she tightened her arms around me, and I hugged her back.

    "I will miss you too, Gina, but this is only temporary, and don''t worry, we will meet again," I said.

    "Can you at least tell me where you are going? I don''t want to worry about you, Madeline. Your safety is my top priority. I won''t let you walk away from this house without telling me where you are taking off." Gina said, and I can see the worries in her eyes, and I told her everything about Tony and his sister, and I can see my best friend''s face rxed by the time I finish telling her everything.

    "Wow, at least someone cares about you, Maddie, and I can''t wait to visit you there." My best friend said enthusiastically, and then she got up from her bed and go to her drawer, and she pulled an envelope and handed it to me.

    "I know you need some cash, Madeline, take this, I know that is not an enormous amount of money, but at least it will help you survive for days, but knowing that you have a ce to stay made me feel less guilty. Good luck, Maddie. I am so proud of you that you could run away from that mansion even though I am a little disappointed that I lose my chance to see the well-known Divenson mansion; the ce is so known for its splendor because of the social balls hosted by his mother." Gina added.

    "I know this is your savings, Gina, don''t worry; I will pay you immediately by the time I receive my sry," I said.

    "Don''t think about it, Madeline; besides, I want you to have it because I don''t want you to get hungry. You better leave now before Hunter can find you." She said, and I quickly got up, and she sends me to the main door.

    "Are you now ready to leave, Maddie?" Tony had asked me by the time I settled myself on the front seat of the car.

    "Yes," I replied, and he offered me his friendly, fatherly smile. By the time he dropped me near the train station, I climb out of the car immediately after I said my thanks and goodbye. After I sat on the train, I can stop myself from feeling thrilled and nervous at the same time.. I don''t know what my future would be, but knowing that I have a ce to stay is enough to have new hope and courage to face my life''s new journey.

 Chapter 21 - Magnolia Village

    Madeline''s POV

    I reread the note on my hands, and I smiled as I scan the handwriting of Tony. He gave me the letter after I met Gina and I can''t stop myself from smiling that he wrote theplete name and address of his sister''s house on his note, including the name of the diner, the name of his sister''s son named Jack, and the name of her daughter Lianne. I felt excited since I always want to work serving customers because the tip is always a bonus. I hope they will ept me and will allow me to work immediately. And what made me more shocked is when I saw on thest page of his note telling me his sister, Lydia Morigan, will pick me up at the train station.

    I happily admired the beautiful scenery that the train passed by, and I have never travel far away from the city since my mom can''t afford to have a vacation. When I was in my aunt''s house, it became more challenging for me to have leisure because it was the time my mother got sick. It was always my dream to have a beach resort vacation, enjoying the sun''s heat running barefoot on the sand. Gina always invites me toe with her every time they have summer vacation on the beach, but I always decline since I can''t afford to waste one day without work.

    Now that I am alone and enjoying my freedom, maybe I can enjoy my stay in Magnolia; it feels like I have my first vacation. I don''t want to think about Hunter anymore, but it is hard not to think about him because he is the only man I feel this way. I never know what loves means until the night I firstid my eyes on him. And I hate myself thinking about the kisses we shared. How I wish we meet in a different situation wherein he can be mine. I know I am dreaming too much. He is famous among the most sessful businessmen in the entire country while I am just a nobody. And the worse part I am just simply a debt repayment.

    The train passed thest town before my stop, and I can''t stop feeling nervous and thrilled. The moment the train stops at the station of Magnolia, I carry my backpack and disembark the train with new hope that everything will be alright. Many tourists got off the train, and I felt like I am also a tourist, but I can''t stop feeling sad thinking I am not a tourist. I am at this ce because I run away from the man I love, and I need to start a new life.

    "Excuse me, are you Madeline?" Asked, a woman is standing before me, and there is no doubt she is Tony''s sister because of her undeniable resemnce to his brother.

    "Lydia?" I asked, smiling at her.

    "Yes, and I am d to meet you, Madeline." She said while she extended her hand to me, and I can''t stop feeling so happy that I am not mistaken; Tony''s sister is like him, has a good heart, we only meet today, but I can feel it in my core that I will like her. It feels like I have known her for a long time ago, and I can tell she is only younger than Tony by two years.

    "Nice to meet you too, Lydia." I replied.

    "It is my pleasure to meet you, Madeline, and knowing that my brother personally asked me to hire you, I am excited to work with you. It was unexpected that I would lose some of my employees during this season, but you know, things like that could happen. I didn''t expect Tony can find a recement in an instant, knowing I just texted himst night." She said.

    "Well, I need this job." I said.

    "He told me you are Frank''s daughter, but no offense, I couldn''t believe Frank would have a daughter as beautiful as you." She said, and I remember Tony''s same statement, and it made me curious why they both say they couldn''t believe I am my father''s daughter.

    "Thank you." I uttered.

    "I think we need to go now, I can tell you are now hungry, and I am just d it is summer, my son and daughter are helping me in the diner, and they will be happy to meet you." She dered, and I smile while I walk behind her in going to the parking lot.

    "Get it, Madeline." She motioned me to get inside her pickup truck, and I quickly open the passenger''s door and sat on the front seat.

    Magnolia Vige is beautiful, and I fell in love with the ce. There are trees on the road''s side, while I can see beautiful summer flowers nted on the flower beds at the center of the road. I saw a beautiful park with a beautifulndscaped, and I want to go there one of these days during my day off, and I will read my favorite book under the shade of the tree.

    "I am d you like our ce. I don''t need to ask you since I can tell it by your facial expressions that you love Magnolia." She dered.

    "Yes, your ce is lovely, and I like it here, it is less traffic and lesser pollution, and it seems the people are friendlier." I stated.

    "Yes, that is why I never leave this ce even though my siblings are already enjoying their life in the city. For me, this is the ce where I belong, and I want to stay here until the day I die." She said as she nced my way before she returned her attention on the road.

    "Well, I know Archois City is lovely, Maddie. Still, it is very chaotic for me, and it seems like I can''t keep up with its development. That is why I stayed here, and the diner is my father''s legacy to us. None of my siblings are interested in running the ce except me. So, the ancestral home was left for me by my parents, and by the time I got married, father passed down the diner to me before he died." She said, and I am happy that she told me the diner''s history where I will work from now on.

    "It seems we are here; wee to "The Magnolia''s Friendly Diner.", Madeline." She said.

    "Thank you, Lydia, for epting me here in your diner." I said, and I can''t stop admiring the native style of the restaurant, and if I am one of the customers, I will love the ce because of its beautiful ambiance. The trees are lined up at both sides of the diner while blossoms are in the garden with a beautifully trimmed Bermuda ss in front of the restaurant.

    "You are wee, Maddie." She replies before she climbed out of the car. Lydia motioned me to follow her using the back door of the restaurant. The moment I get inside, I hear my stomach grumbles, and she turns around and smiles at me.

    "I know you are starving, Madeline; sit over there, and I will ask Jack to serve you a meal. If you will excuse me, Maddie, it seems tourists areing in and out, and I hate to ask you that after you eat your meal, you need to start working because I need a hand, but your sry will also start today." She said and winked at me.

    "Of course, that is why I am here, Lydia." I replied, and she turned her heels and got inside the kitchen.

    I know I need to familiarize myself with the menu yet, but I can wash the tes or help in the kitchen. Lydia left me, and I settle myself on a chair facing the four-seater table, and I am sure the restaurant staff uses this to eat their meal.

    Minutes passed, and when I am about to stand up, I am shocked to find a handsome young man carrying a te striding towards me.

    "Hey, I am the chef. Call me Jack, and wee to the Magnolia''s Diner, Madeline." He said, and if Gina is here with me, I am sure she will be drooling over this guy. He looks so hot even if he is wearing a white chef coat with an apron, and I can tell behind those clothes is a toned body. And he smiles with his eyes, a kind of smile that will make it so hard for you not to return his smile.

    "And this is your meal, Ms. Maddie, and it would be so lovely to work with you." He said, and I smiled at him, and I am not sure how to answer him since his presence made me nervous, maybe because of how his eyes are scanning my entire frame, not in a scary way.

    "Thank you, Jack." I replied, and he gives me another killer smile that made me blush, and I wonder why I feel this way. I know I never have time to meet friends because I constantly busy finding time to work; maybe I think I feel this way because I am not so used to being friends with the opposite sex

    "Enjoy your meal, Madeline." He said and turned his heels away from me, and my mouth water as I looked at the steak on my te, and as I devour my meal, it tastes heavenly, and I think if I am not only in love with Hunter, I will be crushing Jack Morigan because he is not only handsome but an excellent cook. Lydia gets back to me, and she gave me a uniform.

    "I think it fits you since I believe you have the same size and height as my daughter, Lianne." She dered.

    "Change your clothes at the change room and get back to me, okay?" She instructed, and I feel so happy that at least I have now a job, and I will also gain a new family, and after I receive my first paycheck, I will buy a phone to call Lily, Tony, and Gina to thank them and inform my friends I am now okay, and in my way to start my new life in Magnolia Vige.

 Chapter 22 - Searching For Madeline

    Hunter''s POV

    I admit that I was affected by Maddie''s disappearance, and I wonder where she is right now. I didn''t return to the dining hall, but I asked Cer to help me search the entire mansion. I have check all parts of our house, but she is nowhere to find, and I hate that I couldn''t find her at all. I return to the second floor of our home, and I immediately go to Lily''s room, for I am sure she finished eating breakfast by now.

    "Where is Madeline, Lily?" I asked my sister the moment she opens her door.

    "I should be the one to ask you that question, Hunter." She replied, and I felt disappointed that she is not helping me at all.

    "Madeline is your fiancee, Hunter, but you hurt her feelingsst night, and I guess that is the reason why she ran away. You didn''t even bother to say hi to her because you were so busy talking with Kaye. How could you ignore your fiancee in front of your entire family? I understand how it made her feel. She was hurt and embarrassed." My sister replied, and her words took me off guard.

    "I know what I have done, Lily, but please tell me where she is." I begged her.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I don''t have any idea where to find her, I was close to her, but she also knew I am close to you, so I am sure it was the main reason why she left without saying goodbye because she was afraid if I will tell you where she will go." Lily replied, and she is looking at me seriously.

    "Well, it means I need to search the entire Archois City to see her again." I dered.

    "Please find her, Hunter, and I miss her already." She replied.

    "Don''t worry, Lily; I will do anything I can to find her. Madeline is my fiancee, and she is going to marry me whatever happens, and I will bring her back here to our estate and make her my wife." I said.

    "You better leave now, Hunter, if you will look for her. Please don''t waste your time, but I am sure you will only ask Calixto to search for Maddie because you will never do it on your own." Lily dered.

    "You know how busy I am every day, Lily, and you know Calixto is very reliable, and you don''t need to worry because I am confident Cal will bring her back." I said, and I stroke her hair, and she looked at me and smiled. And I am d my sister is no longer upset with me.

    I left the mansion with a heavy heart because I couldn''t believe that Madeline left the estate. I called Calixto, but he didn''t pick up his phone. I drive going to the city because I need to see Calixto. He looked so surprised when he saw me at his front door.

    "Hunter? I mean, Mr. Divenson, what are you doing here in my house?" He asked in disbelief.

    "Madeline is gone." I said, and his eyes widened.

    "What? What have you done?" He asked me with confusion on his face.

    "Don''t you know that your question is implying I have done something to her? And why do you think that way?" I asked, and I can''t hold my irritation.

    "Well, I know your parents and siblings don''t like her except your sister, Lily. I can tell she loves and adores Madeline." Cal said.

    "I think she left because of Kaye, and I need you to find her, Cal." I pleaded with him.

    "I am sure Madeline is not at her aunt''s house because we both know she is clever, and I wonder what happen why she suddenly left you. I know you are not telling me the entire truth." Calixto said, and I give him a hard stare.

    "Okay, I ignore herst night during dinner because I was so busy talking with Kaye, and I didn''t expect Maddie will run away. It was because you told me she likes me. That is why I try to avoid her because I don''t want her to fall for me, Cal."

    "Hunter, your fiancee, is falling for you, and now you are afraid? Why is that? Are you nning to discard her after she gives you an heir?" He asked.

    "That is the n, Cal, and you can''t do anything about it because I have to do it. That is why I don''t want her to get attached to me." I replied.

    "Do you know that you are asking her to do an impossible thing, Hunter? It is difficult for her to stop herself from falling for you because you know your allure, women will find it hard to resist your charm, so if you don''t want her to be in love with you, maybe you can just let her go. Perhaps you can consider the debts of her aunt as one of your charitable works." Calixto dered, and I suddenly red up.

    "I can''t do that, Cal, I only want Madeline Brownwood to be the mother of my child, so I want you to look for her, and that is an order, Calixto." I said in, and he nodded his head.

    "Okay, you don''t need to get angry with me, Hunter. Don''t worry, and I will look for her." He said.

    "Thank you, Cal. I am sorry, I know it is your day off, but I am shocked that she suddenly disappeared, and I want you to find Maddie at the soonest possible time because I need to make her my wife." I said, and I can tell Cal is doubtful about my intentions of marrying Madeline.

    I became frustrated because Calixto failed to find Madeline for two days, and I don''t have a choice but to intervene with his search. I waited for Gina to finish her shift part-time server at the restaurant. I made a reservation so I can have an excuse to talk with her. I specifically requested her to serve my meal, and I can look at the surprised look on her face when she found me sitting on the dining chair. But she quickly recovered from her shock, and she served my food with confidence and a smile on her face.

    "Good evening, Mr. Divenson. Please enjoy your meal." Gina said.

    "Gina, I know your shift will end in two hours. I hope you can give me a little of your time since I need to have a word with you." I said, smiling at her, and I can tell that I made her blush, and Calixto was right. I have the same effect on women. Sometimes I like it, but most of the time, I wish women will stop ogling me from time to time.

    "Sure, but I think you don''t need to wait for me for two hours, and I know the reason why you are here. If you are looking for Madeline, I am sorry because I don''t know where she is right now. I have to be honest with you. She came to me on the day she ran away from the Divenson mansion, but we only met briefly, and she has no definite destination. That is why I am so worried about her." Gina said, and I can tell she is telling me the truth.

    "I don''t want my best friend to leave because we both know she has nowhere to go. Her only remaining rtives are her aunt and the children of her aunt. She is desperate to leave Archois City, and I asked her to stay with me, but she was so afraid if you will find her. She is so determined to flee because she doesn''t want to see you anymore. I know I don''t exactly know what is going on with you and with my best friend, but it seems Madeline is hurt. That is why she left." Gina said, and I hate myself for making Madeline run away.

    "I was happy when she told me she is getting married to you, Mr. Divenson because it made me realized you would change her life. She had a hard life growing up, and when her mother was diagnosed with cancer, her life became more challenging. I want to help her in any way I can, but my ie will never be enough to help her pay her bills and her mother''s.medication, and by the time her mother died, her aunt is too deep in debt." Gina added.

    "I know that you are the only person who could help her, but when I saw her after she ran away from your home, I realized she was in deep pain. I don''t know what happens with her, but I am sure about Madeline wants to leave her life behind, and she is excited to face her new life alone. She doesn''t have direction, but she is excited to take a new path and willing to embrace what the future may bring." Gina dered.

    "Thank you, Gina," I said, and I feel more worried about Madeline. Gina was right, she has no phone number, and I don''t know where to begin my search for Madeline. Cal has a point I could have Madeline Brownwood go, but I can never do that because she is the only woman who made me feel this way after Reba. I never meet a woman who keeps me wide awake at night, but after meeting and kissing her for the first time, I realized it had been a long time that I feel that way, excited and happy, that I want to spend more time with her.

    But because of my past, I tried my very best to stop my attraction towards her. And when I found out that Madeline disappeared, I felt so empty, and I am desperate to see her lovely face again. And now I couldn''t believe even her best friend doesn''t know her whereabouts.. I know I need to use my influence and money to discover the exact location of Madeline.

 Chapter 23 - My New Home

    Madeline''s POV

    I quickly change my clothes into the above-the-knee ck pleated skirt and the in white blouse with three-fourth sleeves, and then I wear the ck half apron toplete my attire. As I walk to the main restaurant, I meet a beautiful young woman wearing the same clothing as me. She smiled at me from ear to ear.

    "Hello, Madeline, my name is Lianne. Wee to our diner." She said and hugged me, and I am surprised by her gestures, but it seems the Morigans are friendly.

    "Thank you, Lianne. Nice to meet you." I replied.

    "I am sorry, you arrived a while ago, but my mom asked you to work right away." She said, and I smiled.

    "I need a job, and that is the reason why I am here," I stated.

    "That is good then, and now since you are new I want you to deliver the ordered menu fresh from the kitchen, don''t worry in due time you will be able to familiarize the menu, by the next day you can start taking orders from the customers. We are busier during summer because of the tourists." She said, and I can see waiters busy taking orders and cleaning the tables.

    The restaurant is busy, and I am enjoying my new job since it makes me forget why I am at Magnolia Vige. I felt exhausted by the time the diner served thest customers. I know it was because I woke up so early in the morning and traveled all the way here in Magnolia.

    By the time Jack joined us in the staff room, he had looked hotter now that he is wearing jeans and a ck T-shirt, and I can see how tall he is. The rest of the crew already left the diner, and I felt so nervous because I haven''t asked Lydia yet if her brother told her that I would be staying at her house in the meantime. I n to find my ce at the soonest possible time.

    "So, Madeline, Tony told me you would be staying in our house, and I love that you will be with us since it was only the three of us who live in that house now. My husband died three years ago." Lydia said, and I felt relieved that I wouldn''t be sleeping on the street tonight. And I feel sad to know that she is a widow.

    "I am sorry for your loss," I said as I looked into her eyes.

    "Thank you, Maddie, it is okay now. Even though I miss him every day, I am happy that he joined our creator than suffer here on earth." She said, and I don''t want to ask what happened to her husband because I feel the same way towards my mom. When she died, I was hurt and devastated since I don''t want her to leave me. Butter on, it made me realized my mother was suffering, and it was for the best, so she will stop hurting.

    We all got in the car, and I seated with Lianne at the back while Lydia settled herself at the front passenger''s seat while Jack is taking the driver''s seat. It wasn''t a long drive to go to their beautiful home. It only took us ten minutes to arrive at their ancestral house. It was a brick two-story house, and it has a beautifullyndscapedwn. Even it was a night, I can tell the surrounding of the entire house is encircled by nts. It was Lianne who showed me to my room. When I saw my room, I was amazed at its beauty.

    "Wee to our home, Maddie, I am excited to know you more, and I know you need to buy some things, don''t worry, we will go tomorrow afternoon to the arcade so you can buy the things that you need." She said.

    "Thank you, Lianne, yes, and I need to withdraw some cash," I replied. And I only have a small amount left in my savings ount, and I saved it for the rainy days. But I am just d I have a house to stay in for now. I need to inquire about my savings ount since I didn''t have time to check myst paycheck on my previous work because they said they would deposit it in my ount since I go with Calixto on that day to Divenson mansion.

    I am so happy that my room has its bathroom, and when I finish taking a bath I change into my nightdress, I only have one since I travel light and I didn''t bring my suitcase with me. What is inside my luggage mainly were books, and I don''t care if the Divensons will throw away my belongings. I like Magnolia and the new family I am living with because I can tell they are good people. The light pink printed bed covers made me feel so sleepy, and I was on my way to the bed when I remember Lily''s letter and drawings for me. I get my backpack and get the envelope.

    My eyes widened the moment I fished out its contents. Along with Lily''s drawings are cash bills, and I can''t believe the little girl gave me a decent amount of money, and I can tell it was from her allowance, and I couldn''t help myself from crying. And I realized I miss her so much. I need to buy a phone so that I can call her. I am not going to spend Lily''s money now that I have a job. I borrow money from Gina, and it is enough to buy personal needs like toiletries and some clothes.

    I wake up early the following day since Lianne told me we would take the early shift to go to the shopping center in the afternoon. The restaurant is pack with customers during lunch, and I became so busy serving food and cleaning tables. I love watching families with kids, and I remember how I wish to have a vacation with my mom.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, that my mom told me everything about you. I don''t want to pry, but I couldn''t believe you run away from Hunter Divenson." She said while driving her car going to the grand arcade

    "Do you know him?" I asked innocently.

    "Don''t be silly, Madeline, no women in our ce doesn''t know about Hunter Divenson. He was my forever crush, don''t get angry with me, okay?" Lianne said, and I smiled at her.

    "The first time I saw him was when I was a Senior in High school. Uncle Tony brought him to the restaurant, and it was also summer at that time, and he introduced him to us. How can you run away from him, Madeline? Hunter Divenson is the epitome of the perfect boyfriend. He is so handsome, filthy rich, and has overloaded sex appeal." Lianne dered, and I suddenly feel sad remembering my husband to be.

    "It wasplicated, Lianne. I am so in love with him. That is why I run away." I said, and I didn''t borate on howplicated my rtionship with Hunter is.

    "It is okay, and you don''t need to tell me everything. I couldn''t believe that I will meet the girl who can break the heart of the most eligible bachelor in the entire country." She said as she focused her attention on the road.

    "Well, he broke my heart, Lianne. That is what I am sure about, and I am not certain if he even cares that I left." I dered.

    "As per uncle Tony''stest update, your fiance was frantic when you left the mansion, he is searching for you, and my mom is afraid that in due time he will find you, Madeline." She dered, and I suddenly felt thrilled and nervous at the same time. I am excited that he is looking for me, but my realization makes me sad. It would be possible he was looking for me because of my aunt''s debts, not because he still wants to marry me.

    "What will you do if he will find you, Madeline?" Lianne asked.

    "I don''t know, Lianne, but I will cross the bridge when I get there," I said, and she nced at me and smiled. I like Lianne''spany because she makes me feel at ease even though we talked about personal matters, and it feels like we have known each other for a long time.

    Minutester, we arrived at the shopping center. We climbed out of her car, and she takes me to the nearest Automated Teller Machine (ATM). I almost screamed when I read the amount bnce in my inquiry receipt. I now have a total of Five Thousand Five Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dors. I am so shocked, and I remember when Calixto told me I have a monthly allowance. My hands are still trembling when I meet Lianne.

    "Are you okay, Madeline? It seems you suddenly looked pale." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "Yes, I am fine, Lianne," I replied while I am still thinking about the money Hunter put on my savings ount.

    Lianne helped me choose what phone to buy, and we spend so much time choosing my clothes, and I suddenly miss my best friend, Gina, she usually asks me to go shopping with her. I don''t have the luxury to shop from time to time because I am always out of money. I felt drained by the time we finish buying all the necessary things that I need. We eat pizza before we drive back to Morigan''s residence.

    Lydia and Jack are still in the restaurant, and I feel a little guilty since I want to extend more time to help this family, but Lydia keeps reminding her daughter to bring me to the nearest arcade. I get inside my room, and I immediately took my phone from my bag, and I can''t stop smiling at thevender floral design casing Lianne chose for me.. I can''t wait to talk with Lily, Gina, and Tony, and tell them I am fine and informed them all I like my new home.

 Chapter 24 - Conversation With Lily

    Madeline''s POV

    I don''t know why I felt nervous as I dialed Lily''s number, and I know because she is Hunter''s sister after all, and even if I run away from the Divenson mansion, it doesn''t mean my feelings for Hunter are gone, and just thinking about him makes me feel so weak. I know it would take me a long time before I can get over him. I can now say Hunter Divenson is my first love, and I hate that I fell in love with the person who bought me. I should feel disgusted towards him, but instead, he made me long to be in his arms. And I despise myself for thinking about his handsome face every time I wake up and before I go to sleep.

    "Hello!" I heard Lily''s sweet voice on the other line.

    "Hi, Lily, it is me, Madeline." I said, and the little girl screamed, and I hope she is inside of her room at the moment.

    "Maddie! Oh, thank goodness you are fine. I am so worried if something happened to you." She said, and I can hear she is sobbing on the other line.

    "Hey, Lily, please, don''t cry. I am a big girl, so nothing will ever happen to me." I replied.

    "Even big girls could get hurt, Maddie. I am so happy you are fine. How are you? And thank you that you remember me." She dered.

    "How could I forget an angel like you? I am always thinking of you, Lily, you are the younger sister that I couldn''t have, and you made me realize that age is not the basis to find a true friend." I said, and I can still hear her sniffing on the other line.

    "Lily, I will give you back the money. How could you give me such arge amount of money? It was from your allowance, and you can be in big trouble because of me." I said.

    "It was just a tiny amount, Madeline. It was a gift from my granny and Hunter, they always shower me with gifts, and I don''t need cash. I have everything that I need. Besides, you need more money than me. Don''t worry about anything. I always received gifts during my birthday and special asions. I am a Divenson Madeline, and please, don''t return it to me. I will be upset with you if you will do that. It was a gift from me, and you should ept it with a smile." She said, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Thank you, Lily. And I am so grateful for your kindness." I said.

    "You are wee, Maddie. As much as I want to see you again, I know I have to be patient. I hope one of these days Tony will take me there in Magnolia Vige. I am d he offered you a job at his sister''s family restaurant." Lily said.

    "Yeah, and Tony''s sister and her children are nice to me. It was Lianne Tony''s niece who helped me to buy a phone. I enjoy my stay here, Lily, even though I am missing you." I replied.

    " I miss you too, Maddie. I am happy that you have a job now, Madeline, and you are enjoying your stay at Magnolia Vige. I know that Tony''s family are great people. He always helps me here, you know I may be a Divenson by blood, but I''m not particrly eager to spend my time with my family except for my elder brother, Hunter. I don''t usually get angry with my brother, and this is the first time I am upset with him." Lily dered.

    "I am so delighted that my brother was devastated until now that he couldn''t find you. I want to help him, but I am still angry with him, and I am d that Hunter is affected by your disappearance, and I want my parents and siblings to realize how important you are in Hunter''s life." She said, and I don''t know how I feel now that Hunter is worried about me. There is a part of me that feels so delighted that Hunter was looking for me.

    I said goodbye to Lily and promised her that I would be in touch with her every day. And I am still fascinated by her wisdom, and it always feels like I am talking to a woman my age, not a twelve-year-old girl.

    I called Tony and told him I am fine, and I thanked him for what he had done to me. He sounds so happy that I love Magnolia Vige. I don''t know where I am today if not for Tony. Then I contacted my best friend, Gina, and she was so thrilled and ecstatic about my new life, and I told her about the Morigans, their beautiful home, and the diner. And most of all I told him about the hot chef, Jack Morigan.

    "Really? Wow, is he that hot? I couldn''t wait and see this chef you are talking about." She replied after I told her about Jack, and I can tell her excitement over the phone.

    "Yes, he is hot and handsome." I said

    "I think I am already falling for this chef guy." She said, and Iugh.

    "Wow, I believe you now, Madeline. It has been a long time I heard youugh genuinely. I am happy for you, and I hope Hunter Divenson won''t find you." Gina dered.

    "Me too. I hope I will stay here forever." I replied, but I am not even convinced with my own words because there is a part of me that I couldn''t deny I want to see Hunter again. I miss his kisses, and if there is only a way to be with him withoutplications, I wille to him in a heartbeat. I say goodbye to Gina, and she told me she would visit me soon, and I can''t wait to introduce him to Jack.

    Lianne told mest night I can still take the early shift, and I can have overtime if I want. So, I opted to wake up early and go to work early because it is still summer. I need to work hard to have enough savings for the uing opening of sses. Because I will not spend Hunter''s money, and in the future, if I have a better job, I will pay him my aunt''s debts. I already finished taking a bath and change into a simple dress I bought on sale yesterday. By the time I open my door, I am shocked to find Jack leaning on the wall beside my door.

    "Good morning, Madeline, my sister told me you want to take the early shift, so if you are ready, we can now go." He said, and when I looked at him, Jack is blushing, and I suddenly felt conscious.

    "Sure, I am ready; I will get my sling bag and doll shoes, and I am good to go." I said and walked back inside my door, and I hurriedly get my things.

    "So, how are you? I mean, are you enjoying your stay here in the Magnolia Vige?" Jack asked as he nced at me sideways after we left the house. I suddenly became conscious because of his intense stare.

    "Very much. I love your ce, and especially the people. Thank you for epting me not only being one of the employees of your restaurant but for letting me stay at your house." I said.

    "We are all happy to have you in our home, Madeline, especially me. I want to know you more." Jack said meaningfully that made me speechless for a while.

    "Do you love cooking?" I asked as I tried to change our conversation topic since I find it so awkward because I can tell Jack is hitting me, I can''t deny Jack is handsome and hot, but I have aplicated love life. I don''t want to make my life moreplex than it is, and I don''t want to use anyone to get over with my first love. Maybe when I am finally over with Hunter, that is the time I will entertain the idea of having a boyfriend.

    "Yeah, growing up, food always fascinates me, the aroma of every menu caught my interest, and I love watching my grandfather do his work in the kitchen. That is why I took up Bachelor''s Degree in Culinary Arts because I realized I wanted to be like him, and here I am I have been the sous chef in our restaurant while my mom is the executive chef, but I already asked my mom to support me with my dream. I want to have my restaurant in Archois City someday and be a well-known chef." He said, and I smiled at Jack.

    "Well, I know you will make your dreame true, Jack. I wish I were like you, and I am sure you can realize your dream because you have a very supportive family." I replied.

    "Madeline, I can tell you are determined, and your aspiration to achieve your dream will be your guide to attain what you want in life. I can say you are strong and diligent. I know my mom told me you don''t have immediate family, but don''t be discourage, Maddie. I know, and I believe you can achieve your goal in life. I admire your personality because some people will lose hope when things got tough." Jack said as he stopped the car at the restaurant entrance.

    "I will make you a healthy breakfast, Madeline." He said as I climbed out of his car, and then he proceeds to the parking lot.

    Jack was true to his word. He let me wait at the staff dining area, and minutester, he brought me an Asparagus with Poached Egg and Prosciutto menu with fresh watermelon juice. It was fantastic, and he is grinning at me while I was eating my meal.

    "Thank you, Jack, for an excellent breakfast." I said, and I smiled at him.

    "You are wee, Maddie. I don''t want you to start working with an empty stomach." He said and smiled at me before he went back to the kitchen.. I find Jack''s gesture sweet, and I go to the restaurant''s main dining area to take orders from customers with a broad smile on my face, and I realized I am so lucky to be in Magnolia Vige and meet the Morigan family.

 Chapter 25 - I Miss Madeline

    Hunter''s POV

    "Calixto, it is almost one week since Madeline was gone. I am not going to postpone the wedding. The date of the wedding is fast approaching, and what do you think I am going to tell the Mayor if you can''t find Madeline?" I asked my assistant.

    "Just tell him you have a runaway fiancee." He said, and I give him a hard stare.

    "I am just kidding, Mr. Divenson, don''t worry. I now have a lead. Someone saw Madeline at the train station, and I think we will start searching from town to town." He answered.

    "You better make it quick, and I want you to ask her best friend to choose the wedding gown for Madeline. We don''t have time. We have her body measurements. After Gina will choose the gown for her best friend, instruct the dressmaker to make the dress." I said.

    "Noted, Mr. Divenson," Calixto replied. It had been a hell of a week after Madeline''s disappearance. I know my parents are worried about me, but they know I still hate them after what happened to Reba. I could never forgive myself and my parents for treating Reba that way. And I loathe myself that I let them humiliate and give her mental torture. It was my dark past that I don''t want to look back, but having Madeline in my life right now is like having Reba around, but I made a promise on her grave, and I will stick with it.

    "Calixto, you have been working at thispany for so long now, you were my father''s right hand, and when I assume my dad''s position, you were always there to support me. I hope this time you will not disappoint me, and I don''t want to fire you, Cal, but if you can''t find her within this week, I don''t have a choice but to fire you." I said, and Calixto''s eyes widened in shock.

    "Mr. Divenson, don''t you think it is unfair?" He asked me.

    "It will never be unfair, Cal, because I am your boss," I said.

    "I know, but Ms. Brownwood left because of you. I think you should me yourself and not me." He replied, and among all my employees, only Calixto can answer me with what is on his mind. The truth is I always consider him as my friend and confidante. He knows my deepest secret, and I know I can trust him. But I got so disappointed that this is the first time he failed his mission.

    "Do you want me to fire you, now, Cal?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "Of course not, Mr. Divenson." He replied.

    "You better begin your search now, Cal," I said, and he nodded and left my room. Of course, I will not fire Calixto if he can''t find Madeline. I want him to double his effort in finding Madeline. I have a hunch that my little sister knew where Madeline is, and Lily won''t tell me because she hated me for what I did to Madeline.

    "Hello, Gina." I said the moment I meet her at the restaurant''s parking, and I know her shift schedule ended at precisely ten o''clock in the evening. Her steps faltered by the time she saw me, and she is blushing again and this time, I know she knows Maddie''s whereabouts, but I know she will never tell me, but I still want to try my luck. I got out of the officete because I had finished reviewing some essential documents. I asked Calixto to ask Gina to choose Madeline''s gown, but I want to ask her again about Maddie even if I am sure she will deny what she knows.

    "Hi, Mr. Divenson." She replied, and I can sense her uneasiness.

    "Can I take you to the nearest cafe?" I asked.

    "Sure." She replied, and I motioned her to follow me to my car.

    "I am sorry, Gina if I disturbed you once again, but I want to ask you a favor?" I asked.

    "Sure, Mr. Divenson, as long as it doesn''t involve money, because if you are going to borrow money from me, I can''t give you anything, " She replied, and I couldn''t help butugh.

    "Wow, no wonder my best friend fell in love with you. Even yourughter is very sexy." Gina said, and I ceasedughing and looked at her thoughtfully. I know that Maddie was in love with me, but confirming it from her friend has a different effect on me. It warmed my heart and made me feel scared at the same time. I need to marry Madeline, but I should also find ways to stop her from falling for me. I like Gina''s honesty, and I wonder what Maddie had told her.

    "I want you to choose Madeline''s gown Gina; I would like the dressmaker to make it the soonest possible time." I said, and her eyes turned so big.

    "Have you find her?" She asked, and I can see the panic on her face.

    "Not yet, but I want everything to be ready before we can locate her, and I am confident you know what she likes in a dress since you are her best friend," I said, and she looked rxed now that she learned I hadn''t found Maddie yet.

    "Of course, I know what she likes, but are you sure you are going to marry my best friend?" She asked, and I can now tell Gina is the woman version of Calixto. She is not intimidated by me, and she is direct and speaks her mind.

    "Yes, and I have never been so sure in my entire life," I said, and she smiled.

    "Now, can you tell me where Madeline is?" I asked.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, I don''t want to lie to you, I know where she is, but I hope you understand the code of ethics between best friends. I don''t care what you will do with me, but I know you are not that type of person. You are not going to force me to tell you where she is, but instead, you are going to use your money and influence to find her." She said.

    "Wow! It seems I can never change your mind even if I am going to buy you a brand new car." I said.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, but I love Madeline more than any material thing in this world." She said, and I admire Gina, and I am happy that even though Maddie experienced hardships in life. She found one true friend.

    "I am d Maddie has a true friend she can rely on, and don''t worry, Gina, I will notpel you to tell me where she is, and all I ask from you is to choose a wedding dress for her because I am confident I am going to find Madeline soon before our expected wedding date."

    "I will do that, Mr. Divenson. And I wish you will make Madeline happy after you marry her." She said, and her words took me off guard, and I don''t know how to answer her because I can not guarantee if I can make Madeline happy, but one thing is I am sure I can satisfy her in bed.

    "All I can ensure you, Madeline, will never experience hardships again. I will allow her to pursue her dream, and she can take up any course she wants. I will provide her everything that she needs, from money, shoes, bags, and all the material things this world can offer." I said proudly, but Gina''s face turned sad.

    "I don''t think material things can make her happy, Mr. Divenson. I think what she needs from you is your love, devotion, and your time." She said, and it made me swallowed my saliva.

    I send Gina back to the restaurant so she can get her car. And I drive home feeling more confused than ever. Gina''s words prated my heart, and I know I am a jerk for fighting my feelings for Madeline, but this is the only thing I can do, for now, make her my wife.

    I slowly enter the mansion, and the entire ce is so quiet; and I am surprised to see my mom in the living room, and she stands up immediately by the time she saw me.

    "Hunter!" She eximed.

    "Hello, mom, what are you doing here in the living room alone?" I asked, and it is unusual for my mom to be alone because she is always with my dad.

    "I was waiting for you, son. I want to talk with you." She dered as she sat back on the couch.

    "About what, mom?" I asked, and I sat down beside her.

    "About Madeline Brownwood." She said, and I turned my head to look at her face.

    "What about Maddie, Mom?" I asked again.

    "I found out that you sent people to look for her. Do you think it is a sign? I mean, why do you need to marry someone like her, Hunter? Why not marry Kaye instead." My mom spoke, and I suddenly feel my face felt warm, and I can tell my face turned red.

    "Mom, I have my reasons for marrying Madeline, and I don''t need to borate things. You wrecked me years ago, mom, and I hope this time you are not going to do something stupid again to make my bride be disappeared again. I hate that I was helpless back then, and this time you cannot manipte my life, and I won''t allow you to ruin my rtionship with Ms. Brownwood; I am aware that you made her stay here hard and unbearable. If you want me to remain as the CEO of our miningpany, Mom, don''t intervene with my personal affair." I said, and I can tell I hurt my mom, but I know how she broke Madeline by her insults, and she did the same to Reba years ago.

    "Hunter, I am still your mother. You should respect me." She said.

    "I respect you, Mom, and because of my high regards to you, I lost the only woman I love. And if you are my mom, you must know how much pain you had caused me when I lost Reba. You should feel empathy towards me, but you never make me think you are my mother. What matters to you is how I can give this family fame and sess. I am your son, and I need a motherly love, but it seems until now you are still concerned with what society will think about our family. You never worry about how I feel." I said, and I get up from the couch, and my mother remained speechless.

    "I am tired, mom, and I want to rest. Good night." I said, and then I climbed the grand staircase in going to my room, and I am now more eager to find Maddie. After all, I can''t wait to see her again because I can''t deny I miss Madeline Brownwood.

 Chapter 26 - I Am Surprised

    Madeline''s POV

    A week passed quickly, and I became more in love with Magnolia Vige as the days passed me by, and I couldn''t believe I will find peace atst. This paradise makes me feel so alive for the first time in my life, and I am happy every day. I am d I found this ce. Lydia, Jack, and Lianne made my stay more enjoyable. I am proud of myself now that I learned the restaurant''s menus since Jack gave me the menu list, and he helped me every night by exining the ingredients of each cuisine. Every time we discuss the food, I couldn''t help my mouth from watering.

    The menus from appetizers, soups, main courses, and desserts make me hungry most of the time. Lydia''s cooking was terrific too, and I can tell it is in their blood because Lianne was also an excellent cook, but she loves pastries and desserts. And I admire Lianne''s hard work because after she baked, she will also serve customers'' orders. She also taught me how to make dessert, and I am not only enjoying my work, but I am also learning so many things.

    The patrons are friendly, but I realized some people are so hard to please. No matter how tasty the food and how cozy the ambiance is, they remained unsatisfied, but most customers love the Morigans diner.

    I bring my notepad and walk closer to table number eight to take her order, and I can tell the customer is dining alone, and I wonder how she enjoyed her vacation in a solitary way. The woman has a scarf on her head, but I can''t see her face yet since her back was on me. And as I get closer to her, I suddenly felt nervous, and I stand beside her.

    "Good day, and wee to the Magnolia Friendly Diner. Can I take your order, ma''am?" I asked, and she took off her shades, and she removed her scarf, then she looks at me, and I almost yelled when I realized my best friend Gina came to Magnolia Vige to see me, and I can''t stop feeling so happy that she is here in front of me smiling from ear to ear.

    "Gina! I couldn''t believe you came, and I thought you were kidding." I said, and I smiled as she stood up from her chair and hugged me.

    "Of course I came, you know how much you mean to me, Madeline. I want to surprise you, and I am starving, and please serve me the most popr menu of this restaurant." Gina said.

    "Yeah, you nailed it. You surprised me. Okay, I will serve you a mouth-watering food, but it is on me, and you will not regret you came all the way here," I said, and I excused myself and ordered her food.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I can''t entertain you right now since lunchtime is the busiest time of this restaurant," I said after I served her the food.

    "I understand, Maddie; besides, I will be going home tomorrow. I hope your boss will allow me to sleep in your room tonight." She said, and I smiled widely at her.

    "Of course, I am sure Lydia will allow you to stay for the night," I replied, feeling so positive that I will spend more time with my best friend. I know Lydia is already like a mother to me, and I can tell she will like Gina. I left Gina on her table, and I go back to the kitchen to get the food of table number ten. I go near the cashier''s area to get the bill for table number five, and I talked with Lydia.

    "Lydia, I know I am only new here, and asking you for something would be too much," I said, and she looked up at me.

    "What can I do for you, Madeline?" She asked.

    "Umm, my best friend came to visit me, and she wants to stay for the night, " I said, and I didn''t finish what I have to say because of my nervousness, and I felt shy.

    "She is wee to stay in our house, Maddie, and I am sure your friend is as good as you." She said, smiling at me.

    "Thank you so much, Lydia; you have given me too much," I said.

    "It was nothing, Madeline, besides your presence in our restaurant, make some of the customers came back because they like you, especially the boys. Can''t you see they keeping back?" She said, and I felt my face flush. I know what Lydia means. Some tourists keep asking for me to serve them, and I am happy to attend to them because of the excellent tip. Besides, I love serving the customers.

    "Kindly put her bill on my tab, Lydia. She is eating her lunch over there." I said as I pointed Gina''s direction.

    "Don''t worry, and it is on the house," Lydia said, which made me even more embarrassed because her generosity is too much already.

    "Lydia, please don''t. I want to treat my friend." I said sheepishly.

    "Think of it as a bonusing from the Morigan family, Maddie." She said, and I smile.

    "Thank you again," I said, and I return to Gina''s table, and I tell her the good news. And she is excited to meet the Morigans.

    Gina opted to wait for me inside the restaurant''s staff room, and I introduced her to my new family, and I could tell how much she admires Jack for my best friend is drooling over him, and for the first time, my best friend became speechless.

    "Nice to meet you, Gina, and wee to Magnolia," Lydia said, and that is when she averted her gaze from Jack, and I couldn''t believe my best friend is blushing.

    "Thank you, Lydia, Magnolia is a beautiful ce, and I think I would love to spend my vacation here. Do you think I can work in your restaurant for the entire summer? I am willing to quit from my current work if you have me." Gina dered, and I became shocked by her straightforwardness.

    "Well, if you are serious, why not? We are still under staff. I always asked some of my regr employees to extend their shift. If you want, I can hire you immediately." Lydia said, and Gina''s face lights up, and a sweet smile shed on her lips.

    "Okay, I will go home tomorrow to get some of my things, and I can start immediately." She said.

    "Well, that is great, and you can stay at our house too. We have a lot of rooms." Lydia offered.

    "Wow, thank you, Lydia, and now that Gina is staying with us, can you deduct rent from our sries?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "I will be happy to have you both in our house, and it has been a long time that only the three of us live in that big house. You know I came from a big family, I have many siblings, and when they all chose to settle in Archois, the whole ce became lonely. So, please, Madeline, don''t ask me to ask a rent from you. I want you and Gina to stay in our ce for free. Am I understood?" Lydia asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Yes, ma''am, and thank you once again," I replied.

    "Wee, Gina, and it is nice to meet you," Lianne said.

    "Yes, and I hope you will enjoy your stay with us like Maddie," Jack said, and my best friend blushed again.

    "Thank you, guys, and I am so excited to work with you." She dered, and the Morigans smiled at her, and they all go back to work while they left me to talk with Gina for a while.

    "Why didn''t you tell me that Jack Morigan is too hot to handle?" She asked, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "I already told you, Jack is hot and handsome, and why do you look so shocked?" I asked her back.

    "Well, I didn''t expect he could be that handsome, but it''s a pity because you''re the only one he sees," She said, and I am shocked by her words.

    "What you mean by that, Gina?" I asked her, and she smiled at me.

    "You are still naive and very innocent, Madeline. It means you smite jack, and I pity him because I know your heart only belongs to Hunter Divenson." She dered, and I can''t help myself but feel sad as I heard his name because I am still thinking about him every night and day.

    "Hey, I am sorry, I didn''t mention his name to upset you, Madeline, but judging by the expressions on your face, I can tell you are really in love with him." She said.

    "Yes, I did, and that is why I am here to forget him," I replied.

    "Well, I think Jack is a good catch. Maybe you can give him a chance." She said.

    "Gina, I don''t want to y Jack''s feelings as long as I am still in love with Hunter; I will never get involved with someone else because it is terrible, and the Morigan family is so good to me." I dered.

    "I know, I am just talking about the possibility, who knows you will develop some feelings for him, he is really into you, Madeline, the way he looked at you is enough to tell me, Jack Morigan is crazy about you.

    "Stop that, Gina. They are all sweet, so you better stop your wild imagination." I replied.

    "It is all up to you if you would not believe me, but I am telling you the truth, and I am sure one of these days, Jack will confess his feelings for you." She said, and I shook my head.

    "Whatever, Gina, by the way, you can stay here, or if you want, you can roam around the ce while we are still working," I stated.

    "I want to help. You know I can serve the guest well. That is one of my talents." She responded, and I tugged her going to the main restaurant; I am proud of my best friend because she is natural, and in minutes, she is enjoying herself dishing out the tables.

    I am still smiling when I walk to a new customer seated on the far end table, and when Ie in front of him, my entire body stiffened when I realize I am face to face with Calixto, Hunter Divenson''s right hand.

 Chapter 27 - One Choice

    Madeline''s POV

    "Madeline, please don''t run away from me. Ie in peace." Calixto said, and his voice is begging me.

    "Take my order first. Then we will talk after, and I will also speak with Lydia before I eat." He said, and I hate that I like Calixto. He is like a father to me. I nodded as I handed him the  carte menu. And as I write down his order, I can''t control my hands from trembling, and I am so afraid now that he found me, and there is one thing I am terrified of, Tony''s job will be at risk, and he could get fired because of me.

    "Hey, Madeline, stop shaking. You know I am not going to bite you, besides you know me. I will not do anything to hurt you, so there is nothing you should be worried about, and I hope you take down my order correctly." Cal said, and his words make me rx a little. And he was right, and he will do me no harm. Cal smiled at me, and it would be so hard not to smile back at him.

    "Okay, that is what I want you to do, Maddie. Smile." Cal said as he studied my face.

    "I know you are scared because I came to get you, Hunter is my boss, but I also care about you, Madeline. I am not saying I will not convince you to go with me to the Divenson mansion, but it can wait. For now, I want you to serve me my food, Madeline." Cal dered, and as I am about to go to the kitchen, I saw him stood up and walked to the cashier. Lydia is the executive chef, but this time that Jack works full time. She is the cashier most of the time, and I can see how her face saddened when she saw Calixtoing to her.

    I want to listen to what they will talk about. He moves and stays beside the counter while Lydia stands up and goes to him quickly. I will do everything I can to protect this family, and I don''t have a choice but to give up my dream for the meantime, and the next time I will run away from the Divenson mansion, I will make sure no one will get involved. I don''t want anyone''s job to be affected because of me. Besides, I need to listen to Cal''s words, and maybe Hunter decided to let me go. But, I know it would be so impossible. I can only pay off my aunt''s debts by the time I will give him an heir. Can I give up my child if ever I will get pregnant with Hunter''s baby? It is the number one question I need to consider before having this baby.

    I deliver Cal''s food, and he acted as if he is an ordinary customer of the restaurant. I get back to my post and let him eat his meal. Lydia has told me about the history of the diner. It used to be a diner when her great grandfather started the business, and they developed the ce to be more enhance like restaurants in the city, yet they never change the name. It remains The Magnolia Friendly Diner.

    Lianne asked me toe to the staff room, and I am shocked to find Lydia sitting on the chair.

    "Lydia, I am so sorry," I said.

    "Madeline, there is nothing you should ask sorry for, and I should apologize that I failed to protect you. Tony asked me to take care of you. I should have asked you to stay in the kitchen, not on the front line. I am sorry, Maddie, I should have thought about it seriously." Lydia said.

    "Lydia, it is not your fault. Besides, I want to learn so many things, and being a waitress here in your restaurant makes me so happy, and I love serving the customers." I replied.

    "I know, Cal is a good person. He asked me to excuse you for the rest of the afternoon. He wants to take you somewhere where you can talk. I think you should go with him, Madeline." Lydia dered.

    "Yes, of course, I will talk with him, Lydia, and I will beg if necessary. I don''t want to leave Magnolia vige, I felt so at peace in this ce, and I like all of you." I responded.

    "Same here, Madeline." She responded, and I go back to serving the customers.

    "Hey, Madeline, I have a car; we can leave now while Cal is still eating," Gina whispered in my ear, and I can hear the worries in her voice.

    "And where are we going, Gina? Do you think there is a ce where I can stay like here in Magnolia? And do you realize Hunter Divenson will still find me, and I can''t leave the Morigan now? They need me to protect them because Lydia''s brother will be in trouble because of me. I need to talk with Calixto, Gina." I said, and she looked at me sideways.

    "Well, you are right. What if something will happen to Lydia''s brother? You will forever have guilt in your heart. I just gave you an option because if you want to leave and hide, I will drive you." She dered, and I can''t stop myself from smiling. I know I don''t have my parents and I don''t have siblings, and having Gina in my life is a blessing. She was always there for me even though I have nothing to offer her.

    "Thank you, Gina, for being always there for me," I said.

    "Of course, for me, you will always be my sister from another parent." She said and offered me her sweet smile that always keeps me happy and content.

    "I think Cal is looking for you now, " Gina stated, and when I turn my head towards Calixto''s table, he is looking in our direction. He signaled me for his restaurant check, and I moved closer to him and handed him his bill, and he gave me a one hundred dor bill.

    "Take the change, Madeline. I will wait for you in my car." He said and walked away from me, and he continued walking to the exit door without a second nce. I immediately give the payment to Lydia and put the change on the tip box.

    "Lydia, I need to go with Cal now," I said.

    "Good luck, Madeline." She responded.

    "Please take care of Gina for me," I asked.

    "Of course, you don''t need to worry, and your friend is no longer a kid, Maddie; she is a grown-up woman." She said while shaking her head, and I get away from her, feeling uneasy. I know I think this way because I am so worried about my talk with Cal.

    The moment I get out of the restaurant, I can tell Cal is escorted by Hunter''s bodyguards. He opened the passenger''s door immediately, and I can''t stop myself from feeling nervous. Cal keeps silent the entire ride, and I was afraid if he would take me back to the Divenson Mansion right away, but I felt relieved when we take a different route.

    He stopped in front of a vi facing the beach, and I am speechless of the beauty I see before me. It has its swimming pool, and thendscape in front of the house is breathtaking. I am mesmerized by the beach longshore line, and this is my long-time dream to be on a beach resort. I can tell the entire area is private because I have seen no guests or people around the ce. Cal gets out of his car, and I climbed out after him. He opened the vi''s entrance, and I closed my eyes when I felt the breeze touched my skin. And I hope I will stay in this ce forever together with Gina and the Morigan family. I always think of them as my family now.

    "Follow me inside, Madeline." Cal said.

    "Wow! This ce is fantastic." I said, and I don''t want to say it loud, but Cal heard me.

    "I know, I don''t have to ruin the surprise, but since I know you love this ce, this is Hunter''s gift for you." He said.

    "What?" I asked, confused.

    "When he learned you love spending time on the beach but never got the chance, he acquired this for you as a gift on your wedding day. Hunter cares about you, Maddie. And I can tell if you will give him a chance, he will fall in love with you too. But, since Mr. Divenson is fighting himself right now, you bettere home with me, Maddie. I know you still love Hunter, but at the same time, you also hate him. I understand why, but I am asking you to please stay by his side because he needs you." Cal dered, and I am shocked about what he said.

    "Wow, if Hunter wants me to go back to the Divenson Mansion, why he sent you instead of him?" I asked, and I can''t hide my frustration anymore. Cal opened the living room''s curtain, and I can see the beautiful scenery outside by the ss window.

    "I don''t need this ce, Cal. All I need is my freedom." I added.

    "Madeline, my job is on the line, and I understand if you don''t want to go back. I am going to lose my career if I can''t convince you toe back with me to the Divenson mansion, and Hunter will have no choice but to ask your aunt to work at the Divenson mansion under the supervision of Leticia Divenson." He said, and my entire body felt so numb. I can''t let my aunt work for Leticia Divenson because I know how cruel she is. If she realizes she is my aunt, she will make her suffer every day, and I don''t want Cal to lose his job.

    "But that is unfair, Cal." I said.

    "Maddie, nothing is unfair for the Divenson family. They are influential and among the wealthiest family in the entire country. So, what do you expect? But don''t worry, Maddie, I will not force you; if he is going to fire me, then I am sure I can look for another job. Besides, I have enough savings to support my family. The Divensonpensates me well.

    Calixto''s words touched my heart, and I can''t let him make a sacrifice for me, and I have never felt so confused in my entire life. I love Hunter, but I wouldn''t say I like how he treated me, and I know I can''t allow my aunt to suffer under Hunter''s mom. I know I am the only one who can face my future inws because even though they try to evict me, I never back down from them because I know I am strong, and there is no way I will allow them to hurt my aunt.. I need to decide to save my aunt and Cal''s job, and I realize I only have one choice.

 Chapter 28 - The Barbeque Party

    Madeline''s POV

    "Cal, you can''t do that, and I won''t allow Hunter to fire you without valid reasons. He was the reason I run away in the first ce, and he has no right to make your family suffer because of me. You have mouths to feed Cal, and this is my battle. I need to face Hunter because I can''t let him do something unfair to the rest of you. Besides, I think I can''t run away from him no matter what I do." I dered.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but it is true. His men found you, but he asked me to approach you because he doesn''t want you to hate him even more. I can''t exin to you, but he needs you, Madeline." He said.

    "If you want me to understand your boss, could you at least tell me what is going on with his life?" I asked.

    "I am sorry, Maddie. It is not my story to tell." He said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling disappointed that I don''t have any clue why Hunter still wants me to be his bride.

    "Can I ask a favor to you, Cal?" I asked.

    "It depends, Madeline." He said honestly.

    "Can I stay even for a while, I love the Morigans, and they epted me without questions. I promise you I will go back to the Divenson Mansion, but please assure me that Tony will get away from this. He only helped me to find a ce to stay, but he has nothing to do all about this. I begged him to take me to the city, besides he doesn''t know me. So, he doesn''t have any idea I was Hunter''s bride to be." I dered.

    "Well, knowing that he helped you find a job and a home, I guess Hunter will spare Tony''s career, and I am sure he won''t do something stupid. Tony is his father''s favorite, and I don''t think Hunter will fire him immediately.

    "So, can I stay here for more days?" I asked.

    "Well, I am not sure about that; Hunter specifically asked me to bring you back immediately because he doesn''t want to postpone the wedding." Calixto replied, and I couldn''t help but be sad.

    "Please! Cal, let me have time to say goodbye to my new family." I said, and he nodded, and I am so happy that I hugged him.

    "I will talk to your husband to be, and I am sure he will understand the situation." He said, and he smiled at me.

    "Thank you so much, Calixto. Staying in Magnolia for more days means a lot to me." I said.

    We get out of the vi, and I can''t stop thinking that Hunter bought this vacation house as a gift for me, and I became confused about how he could have a dual personality. He seems so cold, yet he was thinking about my long-time dream, maybe it was Gina who told him about it. I can''t stop myself from smiling, thinking that perhaps deep in his heart, he feels something for me too, but I don''t want to have hope and get frustrated in the end. Hunter Divenson is forever a mystery man for me, but I want to make him fall in love with me too, and I hope Gina told him also about my dream of having a husband who will love me too.

    As I get inside Calixto''s car, I am now more at ease because I know I still have three days to enjoy my stay in this beautiful ce. I thought I would leave Magnolia Vige today. He sent me to the diner, and by the time I get out of his car, he opened the car window and waved his hand at me, and then he drove away, followed by Hunter''s escorts. I was standing at the diner''s entrance when I felt someone behind me, and when I looked around, I saw Lianne, and I can tell she is so worried about me.

    "Is everything alright?" I nodded and shook my head, and I can tell she became confused about my gestures.

    "Well, I am alright because I am still here, but I am not okay with the idea that I will be leaving Magnolia Vige in three days." I replied, and her eyes widened.

    "No! Way!" She eximed.

    "Yes, Lianne, Hunter wants me to go back to the Divension mansion." I said, and his face lights up.

    "Wow! At first, I want to stop you from leaving, but now that you mentioned Hunter''s name, I am excited for you, Madeline, so what we need to do with your remaining days is to enjoy Magnolia Vige. And our fun should start tonight, and we are going to attend a beach party. Are you in?" Lianne asked me.

    "Sure, I''d love to," I replied, and I am so excited because I have never experienced this kind of thing.

    "Lianne, I forgot that I don''t have a swimsuit with me and my best friend is here, and she is nning to stay over for the night," I said, and I suddenly felt worried because I want to go swimming with them.

    "Don''t worry, Maddie. I already asked Gina, and she was so excited about it. I will give you and Gina since I bought two new swimsuits on salest month," Lianne said while smiling at me.

    "Thank you, Lianne," I muttered.

    "You are wee, Madeline." She replied.

    We get inside the restaurant, and I can''t stop thinking about Calixto''s visit and Hunter''s n to continue with the wedding. And I am also thinking about the beach party that Lianne was talking about, I hadn''t attended a beach party before, even though some of my ssmates during the senior year were talking about parties on the beach, and I didn''t also have time to attend parties hosted by my wealthy ssmates on their luxury houses.

    We are on our way to the beach, riding the pickup truck, and Jack is the one driving, but I can tell he was so excited to attend this party. I am wearing a dress, and underneath is my swimsuit, while Lianne let Gina borrowed some shorts and a crop top, and like me, she was also wearing her swimsuit underneath her clothes.

    "You better take off your clothes now; I mean, if you want to enjoy the beach, you should do it with proper attire." Lianne said as she discarded her dress after Jack parked the pickup. Gina did the same while I was having a second thought. I had swimming lessons before, but I did it because it waspulsory, but I never got the chance to swim for fun, wearing a swimsuit in front of a crowd is a no to me.

    "I will wait for you outside of the truck so you can decide if you will walk with your swimsuit or cover it with your clothes." Jack dered as he took off his shirt, and I can tell my best friend salivate just watching Jack removed his shirt, and I want to stop her from drooling over Jack.

    "Wow! Your brother is hot, Lianne." Gina said without feeling shy about it.

    "Thanks, there are many of my friends who were fascinated by my brother''s look, and they want to date him, but it seems my brother is so picky, and only recently I noticed that he likes a girl." Lianne said, and she looked at me, and I suddenly felt shy.

    "Yeah, I can tell Jack likes Madeline." Gina responded.

    "Exactly, but I pity my brother because the woman he is interested in is about to marry to the most eligible bachelor of the country, and not only that, Hunter Divenson is the epitome of perfection, and how I wish I can be like Madeline." Lianne replied.

    "Be careful of what you ask for, Lianne. Marrying Hunter is the mostplicated thing that will ever happen to me." I responded.

    "It doesn''t matter, Maddie, stop worrying about those things. What is important you will be his wife, and I wonder how it feels to make love with Hunter Divenson." Gina said, and they both giggled while I suddenly felt so hot, and I can''t stop thinking about his handsome face.

    "If it happens to me, I think I will faint before he can kiss me," Lianne added, and they are still both giggling.

    We all climbed out of the truck, but I am the only one still wearing a dress. I can tell it is a big barbeque party because of therge crowd, and I can see women in bathing suits and men in board shorts were dancing barefoot on the sand as the loud music sting in the background. Many of them waved and nodded at Jack and Lianne, and they introduced us to some of their friends. I felt so alive, and I like the feeling of being on the beach.

    Gina and Lianne went to the dance floor immediately and joined the teenagers dancing on the sand while I am just standing on the sideline, fascinated with their dance moves. I decided to walk on the shore. I signaled Gina, and she attempted toe with me, but I assure her I can manage. As I walk away from the party, I took off my slippers, and I carried them in my hand. I enjoyed watching the big waves hitting on the shores.

    When I realized I was far from where the party was, I sat on the sand as I looked at the great waves. I stretch my limbs, and I looked at the moon shining above the sky, and I am so engrossed watching the moon that I haven''t noticed someone sat beside me, and I am startled to find Jack sitting beside me.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, if I stun you. I was looking for you on the dance floor, and I suddenly felt nervous when I haven''t seen you there." Jack dered.

    "It is okay, Jack. Thank you for your concern." I replied.

    "I know Magnolia is a safe ce, but we better be careful at all times." He answered as he watched the waves hitting the shore.

    "Are you leaving?" He asked, and I slowly nodded my head while he looked at my face, and I wouldn''t say I like the sadness that I found on his handsome face.

    "Yes, I need to." I replied.

    "Can I tell you something?" He asked.

    "Sure!" I answered and smiled at him, but Jack''s face suddenly turned serious.

    "I know you are leaving, but I don''t want you to go without knowing how I feel for you, Maddie. I like you a lot, and I know I can''t have you because you just run away from him, and I am doing all this now to let you know that someone is waiting for you if ever your rtionship with him will fail." He said, and I am shocked by his confessions, but I admired his courage, and I am so touched with his words.

    "Thank you, Jack, for your honesty, and you should not wait for me. You deserve someone better than me." I replied.

    "I only feel this way towards you, Maddie. I have never felt this way to anyone, and this is the first time I experienced this kind of intense attraction towards the opposite sex. I hope our friendship will continue even if you wille home to the Divenson Mansion." Jack stated.

    "Of course, Jack, and I will never forget your kindness towards me, and I will be forever grateful to your family." I said.

    "It is our pleasure to know you, Maddie." He said, smiling at me, and I can''t help myself from grinning at him.. And I felt so happy that I gain additional friends in Magnolia Vige, and I realized it would be harder for me to leave this ce.

 Chapter 29 - I Canâ€™t Stop Thinking About Her

    Hunter''s POV

    "What?" I asked in an angry tone because I couldn''t believe what I heard from Calixto''s mouth.

    "You heard me, Mr. Divenson, Ms. Brownwood begged me to stay three more days in Magnolia Vige, and I think it is only understandable because she likes her new family in that vige." He answered.

    "Cal, I told you I am going to fire you if you can''t bring Madeline to me. Are you challenging me?" I asked, and I am still irritated that I can''t see her. For the past days, I became so preupied with scanning Madeline''s pictures, and I asked Calixto to put all her candid photos on a photo album. I locked my office door every time I watch her beautiful photographs, and I don''t understand why I need to feel this way towards Madeline.

    "Well, I will bring her to you after three days, Mr. Divenson. I didn''t say I couldn''t bring her. There is a big difference, so you can''t fire me, but if you insist, I am willing to lose my job, but it was all worth watching the happiness on Madeline''s face. Besides, Madeline said, you can''t fire me because you were the reason she ran away from your mansion, and not me." Cal said.

    "So, it seems your loyalty now is transferred to my wife to be, well, you have a point I can''t fire you, but I need to deal with the people who helped her, especially my smart little sister, Lily, she is the only one close with Tony, and there is no way Charlotte will help Madeline finds a job." I dered.

    "Please, Mr. Divenson be fair in dealing with Tony, he helped Ms. Madeline to be safe, and I think you should be thankful to him that nothing wrong happened to your fiancee." Cal said.

    "Don''t tell me what to do, Cal. I am your boss, remember?" I responded.

    "Of course, my apologies, Sir." He replied.

    "You may go now, Cal. I will not acknowledge what you have aplished today since you didn''t bring Maddie home. I am very disappointed with your performance, Calixto. You can do better than that." I said.

    "But you should appreciate my effort, Mr. Divenson. At least I was able to convince Madeline toe home and marry you. And I am sorry to say this; I granted her request because I can see she is happy in Magnolia Vigepared to living in your enormous mansion, maybe because your entire family except Lily treated her indifferently. Your treatment towards her is the worst." Cal answered, and I can feel my face turned so hot.

    "Cal, I know you care about me, but talking something like that about my family and me is something I can''t tolerate. I don''t want to hear something like that in the future. And before I lose my temper towards you, I want you to leave my study right now, it is gettingte, and I am sure your wife is waiting for you." I said.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, I just stated a fact, and I know you will get angry with me, but if you want to keep Maddie, you should protect her from the awful treatment of your family towards her. Goodbye now, Sir. Please forgive me if I offended you." Cal said, and I am speechless, and I don''t know how to respond to him, so I re at him. Then, he went to the door and left my office in a hurry. I realized Cal was telling me the truth about my family and my treatment of Madeline.

    I know Calixto is a family man. That is why every time I mention his family after office hours, he will always go rushing. I left my office early because I am so excited to meet Madeline, but it turned out, Calixto didn''t do his job well; he was probably carried away by Maddie''s pleading, and I am impressed by how nicely she convinced Cal, or it was Cal who advised her to stay there for more days since I can tell he pitied Madeline. I released a heavy sigh before I get out of my study room.

    "Hunter? What can I do for you?" Lily asked the moment she saw me outside her door.

    "Can I talk with you, Lily?" I asked.

    "Sure!" She replied as she opened her door widely, and I get inside of her tidy room. I know Lily can be more reliable than Charlotte because I am sure she can survive without the maids'' help. For how many times I caught her helping the maids on the household chores. But I let her joined with them, and I didn''t reprimand her, but every time my mother finds her doing such a thing, she will not allow my sister toe out from her room for days as punishment. I am proud of my sister for being so down to earth, and I am sure she will survive in the outside world.

    "So, what do you want to talk about, brother?" She asked.

    "Do you know that you can never outsmart me, Lily, andI will be able to find out your involvement in Maddie''s disappearance?" I asked, and I can tell she is not afraid that I found out about it, and she even stared at me with wide eyes.

    "Of course, I know, big brother. I am aware you are an influential person, and I know you can pay people to find Maddie. But I am still triumphant that it took you so long to figure it out, so I still outsmarted you, Hunter." She said as she sat beside me at the edge of her four-poster bed. Her words shocked me.

    "Why did you do that to me, Lily? I thought you love me. How could you betray your brother and helped her instead of doing the opposite? I trusted you to keep Madeline here in our mansion." I said to her.

    "Yeah, because I love you, that is why I did it. I don''t want you to turn into a monster, big brother. I know you are apassionate person. That is why among our siblings, you are my favorite. You turned into a jerk by flirting with Kaye, and I wouldn''t say I like it that you did it to Madeline. When she begged me to help her, I didn''t hesitate because I pity her. She is in love with you." She said, and I felt a sting on my heart.

    "You have no one to me but yourself. Please don''t me the people who help her because we only want her to be happy. You made her so miserable, and I guess if you want her back, can you at least be brave enough to show her some respect, and if you don''t love her, why are you marrying her?" She asked and looked at me with sadness on her face, and I couldn''t believe that Lily is talking to me like she was my best friend. When did she grow up like this?

    "Lily, there are things that are so hard to exin, and no matter how I want you to make you understand about it, you just can''t." I said.

    "Really? It is a simple logic, Hunter, a man should only marry someone because he loves her." She responded, and I want to hug her for her wits and sense of reasoning.

    "When you grow up, Lily, you will understand all about this, but since you are still young, it would be so hard to understand. But you are right people should marry because of love, but as you grow older, there are a lot of things you will realize you should consider in marrying someone." I responded.

    "Whatever, Hunter, but I think you only make thingsplicated, I may be young, but I understand how she feels about you. If you will take her back, please, all I ask from you is be gentle to Maddie." My sister pleaded, and I can''t help but smile widely at her.

    "I will." I replied, even though deep inside my heart I don''t want to make any promises to my sister, but it is so hard to hurt her feelings right now that she looks so adorable. If she only knows how much I care about Maddie. I bought the beautiful Vi in Magnolia and her new car because I want to make her happy. I am scared to love again because the agony I felt losing the one I love is still haunting me.

    "That is good, and I can''t wait to see Maddie again. I felt so happy right now. I have her number if you want. I know I am betraying Madeline by giving you her number, but I guess she will be happy to see you again." Lily said, and a broad smile came out from my mouth. I handed her my phone immediately, and I can''t believe she even memorized her number as she key in Madeline''s mobile number on my phone book.

    "Thank you, Lily." I said to my sister as I stand up from the couch.

    "As long as you will make her happy, I will help you win her back." She replied, and I can''t stop myself from grinning because she is only a twelve-year-old girl, but it feels like I am talking to some guidance counselor.

    "Yes, ma''am." I said, and I ruffle her hair, and I kissed her head before I walk out to her door.

    I undressed my clothes and went to my bathroom, and I take a cold shower. And I can''t stop thinking about Madeline, and it made me realized how much I yearn to kiss and touch her again. And I realized Madeline is the only woman who makes me feel this way. I let the cold water takes away my frustrations. Three days is long enough to wait for her, but knowing that I can see her again makes me feel so excited, and I hate that just thinking about her makes me so hard that I want to go to Magnolia Vige and let her know how much I wanted to take her and make her mine.. And I can''t wait to make her my wife.

 Chapter 30 - Mysterious Customer

    Madeline''s POV

    "I think we should head back to the main party now," Jack said, and I nodded my head. He stands up and offers his hand to me, and I take it happily, then he pulled me up, but Jack didn''t let go of my hand after I stand up. I want to take it away from him, but I don''t want to embarrass him, and by the time we meet Lianne and Lisa, my best friend''s eyes widened, and I just shrugged my shoulders.

    Jack gets some pork barbeque and soda, and the four of us squat on the sand. I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy that I experienced something like this, and when their friends got tired from dancing, we all form a big circle in front of a bonfire, and since this is my first time, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled, and I am watching them with awe. We yed some games, and I had fun. Then we went swimming, and it amazed me when I dip into the water. It feels so warm. I swim like a child, and I enjoy myself together with my friends.

    When it was time to go, I couldn''t help but feel a little sad because I don''t know when I can swim on the beach again, but if Cal was telling the truth, would it be possible if I can stay at the Vi and will have the ce as my official residence? I hope I can ask Hunter to let me stay at the Vi to visit the Morigans, and they can also show up anytime, but I know it would be wishful thinking. We arrived in the house past midnight, and we found Lydia in the living room watching a show on the television; she turned it off when she noticed we arrived.

    "Did you have fun, Madeline?" She asked with a broad smile on her face.

    "Yes, very much, and to be honest, I don''t want toe home yet." I replied as I grinned at her and nodded my head, and I heard my friendsugh when they listened to my reply.

    "You are always wee here, Maddie, so if you have time, don''t hesitate to visit us. We will be so happy to have you in our home, and you can stay with us anytime you want." Lydia dered, and I am overwhelmed with happiness.

    "I wish to stay here forever, " I replied, and I can see Jack looks so sad, and I hate that I have to hurt his feelings, and I hope he will develop some feelings for my best friend because Gina is still nning to stay at the Magnolia Vige even without me. And how I wish I can be like Gina. She always has the freedom to do what she wants, and her parents always support her.

    "You should go to your rooms now so you can have a rest." Lydia said to us, and we all say our good night to her before we get inside our room, and I let Gina borrow my pajamas while I am wearing my nightdress.

    "So, can you exin to me why you were holding hands with Jack on the beach?" Gina asked me as wey in bed.

    "Jack confessed that he likes me, and he said he will wait for me if ever my marriage with Hunter will fail, but I told him not to wait for me. We are just friends, Gina, but he held my hand and never let it go, and I don''t want to offend him, so I just let him hold my hand.

    "Okay, I wish you will stay here in this vige and give Jack a chance." She replied.

    "You know I could never do that." I answered her, and she looked at me in the eyes.

    "Of course, your heart only belongs to Hunter, and I know you will be more in love with him once you find out he went to the restaurant where I was working a part-time job." Gina said, and my eyes widened in disbelief.

    "He did?" I asked in more than a whisper, and she nodded her head.

    "Yes, he ordered food, and he patiently waited for me and begged me to tell him where were you, I didn''t tell him anything, and he understands that my loyalty will always be with you even if he offered me a brand new car." my best friend dered, and I couldn''t believe what I hear.

    "Did he offer you something like that?" I asked again.

    "Yes, it seems your fiance was so desperate to find you, but I told him no material thing could equal your value, Madeline." She said, and I cried when I realized how lucky I am to have a best friend like her.

    "Thank you, Gina, for always being there and for being my best friend through the good times and bad times, but I think I need to apologize more because it seemed I always had more bad times than the good ones." I dered.

    "Don''t worry, Maddie, I think Hunter will be the answer to all your prayers." She said.

    "I don''t know, Gina, but I think my life at the Divenson mansion is worsepared to living in my aunt''s house." I said.

    "You only said that because Hunter hurt you, I know you can endure the hardships your future inws were throwing at you because you are stronger than you can imagine, Maddie." She responded and realized Gina has a point, and I don''t want to disagree with her. We talk, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy that Hunter came to Gina, and he asked my whereabouts. I am still talking when I notice my best friend is asleep already.

    We both wake up early because I am taking an early shift. After all, in the afternoon, Lianne has another n. Together with Lianne, we send Gina to her car, and she promised she woulde back tomorrow, and it seems she will take my ce because Calixto wille back tomorrow to take me back to the Divenson mansion.

    I couldn''t believe we will be so busy the entire morning, and we became busier during lunchtime that we don''t have time to talk with each other. After our shift, Lianne asked me toe with her, and I wonder where she will take me. And I couldn''t believe she brings me to the parlor.

    "You are going to meet your future husband tomorrow, so I think you should prepare yourself. We will have some manicure, pedicure with foot spa, and you need to have a hair spa." Lianne said,

    "I will only agree to your request if you allow me to pay for our bill," I said, and it took her a long time to respond.

    "It should be on me because I was the one who brought you here." She responded.

    "Please, Lianne, let me do this because you don''t have to worry about it because I will deduct it from the allowance Hunter deposited into my ount," I said, and her face lit up.

    "Are you sure?" She asked, and I can tell she still feels doubtful.

    "Yes, I am sure," I replied, smiling at her.

    "Well, bring it on." She said, and we enjoy the rest of the afternoon pampering ourselves with beauty products and treatments. Lianne told me that we would have dinner at the mall, and I am shocked to meet Jack and Lydia in the restaurant inside the mall. Our dinner was superb, and I insisted on paying our bills. Still, the three of them disagree with me, and I felt so happy that I pay our bill by pretending to go to the restroom, but I managed to ask a server to bring the payment to the cashier, and I gave her a generous tip.

    By the time they ask our bill, the server said someone paid for our meal, and they all looked at me, and I just shrugged my shoulders. And I didn''t tell them I was the one who paid for our dinner. Then, after our supper, we watch aedy movie, and we were allughing from the beginning until the end of the show. And I can tell I had a good night with them. I am still smiling as we get out of the theater.

    I fall asleep immediately by the time my body hits my bed. When I wake up the following morning, I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart because I know anytime today, Calixto wille to take me back to the Divenson mansion.

    As usual, I take the early shift together with Lianne, and my morning passed in a blur because the diner has many customers during breakfast. I am shocked when suddenly a man in a blue suit got inside the restaurant and asked Lydia to close the entire restaurant during lunch because his boss wants to eat together with his fiancee. And he wants to have his lunch alone without any patrons; Lydia was shocked.

    "I am sorry, Mr., but I can''t do that to my customers." Lydia said.

    "Name your price, Lydia, and my boss is willing to pay you the total amount you earn in one day during peak season; he only needs less than two hours." He said, and then he whispers something to Lydia. Suddenly her facial expression changes. She instructed two of my fellow waitress to stand by at the restaurant entrance and inform the iing customers that we are temporarily close and we will open after two hours. Everyone in the restaurant got so curious who could be this mysterious customer that will pay arge amount of money to have a lunch date with his fiancee.

    The man gets out of the restaurant, and a momentter, his boss came inside, and my fellow servers were in awe. At the same time, my entire body trembled with excitement mixed with fears as Hunter strides towards the restaurant''s main dining, looking like a Greek god. If his assistant was wearing a business suit, he was only wearing faded jeans and a shirt, and I can''t stop my heart from racing. I have butterflies on my stomach, and his intense gaze is making me felt like jelly. By the time he stood in front of me, he gets closer to me and put his arms around my waist, and without warning, Hunter Divenson imed my mouth hungrily that made me feel so weak that if he was not only holding my frame, I think I fainted on the ground. He kissed me passionately, and I realized how I miss kissing him. I kissed him back as I feel electricity travel in my entire frame.. He continued kissing me with his tongue swirling inside my mouth, and I released a soft moan when he bit my lower lip sensually, and I realized I don''t want him to stop kissing me.

 Chapter 31 - She Makes Me Feel Complete

    Hunter''s POV

    "Calixto, you are going to stay here in my office and review all the reports submitted within today, and you have to report if you find something suspicious," I said, and I can see how his eyes turned so big.

    "But, Mr. Divenson, I am going to pick up Madeline today; I just came here to tell you that I will be going now." He answered.

    "No buts, Cal, and you are not going anywhere," I said in a cold tone, and I can see the worries that registered on his face, and I can see he tried to open his mouth, but no words came, and it took him a while before he speaks again.

    "Are you telling me you are setting Madeline Brownwood free?" He asked, and I can look at the relief that registered on his face, and I couldn''t believe that for the first time, Calixto doesn''t have his sympathy with me, and I can tell she wants Maddie to be free from me. And couldn''t help myself to halfugh, and it made him confused.

    "I am disappointed with you, Calixto. It seems Madeline hypnotized you that you stop being my undying supporter." I said.

    "That is not true, Mr. Divenson. It just happens that I worry about Madeline." He responded.

    "So, you are worried about her? Why do you looked so happy when I told you, you are not going anywhere? Do you think I can''t make Maddie happy?" I asked, and he looked at me in the face, and I realized Cal is no longer afraid of me. And this only happens after Madeline came into my life, and if only Calixto is younger, I would have thought he was attracted to Madeline. But I can tell he treated her as his daughter.

    "Yes, and I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, if you only know her, I think you will have a change of heart." He answered.

    "Don''t tell me about it, Cal. I know enough about Madeline; that is why I want her to be my wife. And You are not going anywhere because I will meet Ms. Brownwood myself." I dered, and his eyes got so big.

    "Are you sure about that, Mr. Divenson?" He asked, and I can tell he couldn''t believe what I said.

    "Yes, and the main reason I am going to Magnolia Vige because I know if Madeline begs you again, you will be so lenient with her, so to make this fast, I will go there myself, and please follow up the cake and the caterer. I want everything to be ready, Cal, and we only have less than two weeks to prepare for the wedding." I said, and he nodded.

    "Please, be gentle with Madeline, Mr. Divenson." He said.

    "You don''t need to tell me what to do, Cal. Please ask Roman and some of my bodyguards to get ready. I want Roman to drive me." I said.

    "Yes, Sir," Cal answered, and he walks to the door and gets out of my office quickly.

    I check some emails before I stand up and get my coat, and get out from my office and proceed to the parking lot. As we drive away to Magnolia Vige, I can''t stop thinking about Maddie, for how many days I haven''t seen her, and I think I will lose myself if I can''t see her today. I ask Roman to estimate the time since I want to eat my lunch with Madeline in Lydia''s diner. It has been a long time since I visited the ce when Tony introduced me to his sister, and I couldn''t believe they hide my sweet Madeline from me. I want to impose some punishment on Tony, but I know it was my sister''s idea, and Cal was right. Tony helped Madeline to find a ce where she can be safe and happy.

    I am busy today, but I can''t wait to see Madeline. And I hate myself that I feel like a teenage boy because I can feel the thrill and nervousness on my chest. I instructed Roman to ask the diner''s owner to make the entire restaurant exclusive for me as I eat my lunch with Madeline. I am willing to pay any amount to have the ce just for the two of us. Roman got out of the car, and I can''t stop myself from feeling uneasy. What if Madeline is no longer staying with the Morigan family? She knew I could find her wherever she will go. Maddie should remain where she is. I can''t stop my anxiousness by the time I saw Romaning back to the car.

    "It is positive, Mr. Divenson, Madeline is on duty today, and I already asked the owner to keep the restaurant exclusive just for you for less than two hours. You can now get inside the restaurant." Roman dered.

    "Thank you, Roman. You can now go back to the mansion. Just have a ride with my bodyguards." I said.

    "Are you sure, Mr. Divenson?" He asked.

    "Yes, I am sure, Roman, I want to spend some time with Madeline. And I don''t want her to see that my bodyguards are following us because I don''t want her to be scared. Just do me a favor before you get back to the mansion." I said, and I handed him a piece of paper. Roman goes to the car of my bodyguards while I get inside the restaurant.

    As I get inside and walk to the restaurant''s main dining area, I can hear the loud thumping of my heart on my chest. The moment I saw Madeline''s beautiful face, I wanted to run towards her, but I don''t want to look like an idiot in the eyes of her fellow employees, who are looking at me full of awe. And I can tell they are all checking me out. Madeline is looking at me with mixed emotions. Maddie can''t deny the excitement''s on her face, but I can also see the fears on her face, and I want to tell her I came to get her and ask her to go home with me, but it seems like for the first time in my life I lost my ability to speak as I continue watching her beautiful face.

    I can say she likes my casual attire, and I can''t stop my heart from racing as I see her ogling me. By the time I stood in front of her, I can smell hervender shampoo, and I want to get drunk with her sweet smell. I can''t stop myself from getting closer to her, and I ced my arms around her slender waist, and without warning, I captured Madeline''s sweet mouth hungrily. I kissed her passionately, and I realized how I miss kissing her.

    And I felt triumphant when she kissed me back with longing as I can feel the sparks travel in my entire body. I continued kissing her, and I slithered my tongue inside her mouth, and it feels like we are alone in our world, and I heard her let out a soft moan when I nibbled her lower lip sensually, and I realized I don''t want to stop kissing her, but we have audiences, and I want her to feel good when we were just the two of us. And I realized we could do more kissingter when we are alone. And I can feel her disappointment when I stop kissing her.

    I looked at her lovely face, and her face is still red, and her enticing luscious lips swells, and I felt proud that I made her lips that way, and as much as I want to continue kissing her, we need to eat our lunch together. I put some strand of her hair that covers her beautiful face at the back of her ear.

    "Sweet Madeline, I hate that you ran away from me, but judging the way you kissed me back is telling me you miss me, and you want to be with me. I don''t want to force you, Maddie. But I want to make sure if you still want to be my wife?" I whispered in her ear, and she looked up at me and nodded. And I felt so happy that she no longer hate me, and I hugged her tightly. Then I take her hand, and I bring her to the table. I pulled out a chair and let Maddie sit down across from me because I can''t stop staring at her angelic face.

    "Now, if you will excuse me for a while, Maddie." I said and turned away from her as I stride towards Lydia.

    "Hello, Lydia!" I greeted her.

    "Mr. Divenson, wee back to our diner, and it is a surprise to see you again." Lydia replied as she gets out of the cashier''s station, and she faced me.

    "I guess you know why I am here, Lydia, I know I should feel disappointed that you hide my girl, but I am still grateful that you took her in, you give her roof on her head, and I want to say thank you for keeping her safe for me." I dered.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, but I can''t say no to someone who is in need." Lydia replied.

    "Of course, I understand that is why I felt thankful that you saved her." I replied.

    "And I am now starving, Lydia, and I know all your menus are delicious, so I want anything ready to eat." I said, and I smiled at her.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson, go back to your table, and I will ask the chef to get the food ready for you and Maddie." She said, and I nodded as she sprinted going to the kitchen.. I return to my seat, and I stare at my girl with a broad smile on my face, and I hate to admit that Madeline Brownwood makes me feelplete and happy.

 Chapter 32 - Hunterâ€™s Jealousy

    Madeline''s POV

    The way Hunter kissed me was telling me he misses me so much, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so excited and happy that he came for me. I can still feel my limbs are trembling after I sat down on the dining chair. He excused himself and talked with Lydia, and I can''t stop myself from touching my lips because I can still feel his lingering kiss. It feels so lovely, and I felt so embarrassed that I kissed him in front of my fellow employees without care.

    I don''t know what they''re talking about, but I have a hunch that they are talking about me because Lydia steals nces at me from time to time, and I got so conscious. When I turned my head to my right, I saw Lianne smiling broadly at me, and I can tell she is happy for me now, and I am so d that she brought me to the parlor yesterday. I thought it was Cal who will pick me up, and I didn''t expect Hunter wille all the way here to Magnolia Vige to fetch me. I waved back to my friend, and she went back to the kitchen.

    I can''t stop my heart from thumping so hard, and I want to control my nervousness, and I can feel butterflies on my stomach as I saw Hunter getting closer to me. He looked at me without blinking his eyes, and I like how he looked wearing casual clothes. I know Hunter seems hot every time he is wearing his business suit. Still, I like it more if my future husband is wearing this type of clothing because it made me think we look good together, and my stupid heart is telling me I am fit to be his wife.

    "Are you hungry, Maddie?" He asked in a calm tone.

    "No, I am not starving, Hunter." I replied.

    "Wow! I miss your voice calling my name, and I forgot how it made me feel so hot every time you mention my name." He replied, and I blushed.

    "Madeline, why you felt embarrassed in front of me? You are going to be my wife soon, and I want you to feelfortable with me." He said, and I swallowed my saliva because I felt like I would melt any time soon because of his intense stare. Why does he look so hot?

    "Maybe because we don''t spend more time together." I replied timidly.

    "Don''t worry because I will try my best to spend more time with you." He dered, and I am shocked by his answer.

    "I know you are so busy with your work, and you don''t need to do that." I said.

    "We are getting married soon, and it is my duty as your husband to fulfill some of your needs, Madeline." He said in a husky voice, and I can feel goosebumps all over my body because my fiance is looking at me like he wants to devour my lips once again, and I hate myself for thinking what other things can Hunter do to me. I never experience being with a man before, and if ever I be his wife, he will be my first of everything, and I am so excited to give him my whole self, including my virginity.

    I can feel my entire face blushed, and I wonder why I am thinking about things like that. Why I suddenly feel so hot inside my body, and there is a new sensation that I feel creeping my entire torso, and I felt so ashamed that I realized I wanted Hunter Divenson to touch my whole frame. And we are staring into each other''s eyes until our food came, and I felt my body turned cold when I saw Jack is the one serving our food.

    "Hello, Mr.Divenson, wee to our diner." He greeted him, and I don''t want to look at Jack''s face because I can see the sadness on his face.

    "Hello, Chef. Thank you for always serving my meal every time I came here, and I hope toe here very often." Hunter smiled at Jack broadly.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson, it is our pleasure to have you here." Jack replied with a smile on his face, and then he turned his attention to me.

    "Enjoy your food, Madeline, and I hope you will visit some other time." Jack said, and I can tell he is staring at me more than necessary that I heard Hunter cleared his throat.

    "Don''t worry, Chef, for I will bring her again here soon after our wedding day." Hunter dered, and I can tell it makes Jack stiffened, but he could hide his disappointment quickly, and he looked at Hunter again.

    "That would be lovely, Mr. Divenson, and please enjoy your meal." He said and turned his heels away from us.

    "Is Lydia''s son hitting on you, Madeline?" Hunter said, and I can hear the coldness on his voice, and I can see his face darkened. I want tough because I couldn''t believe he became jealous of Jack, but I tried to hide my amusement because I don''t want him to know I find it so funny.

    "What you mean?" I asked, and I pretended to act innocent and unaware of Jack''s stares.

    "It is obvious Madeline, the Chef likes you, by the way, he looked at you with tenderness on his face. I can tell he has feelings for you." He dered.

    "So, what?" I asked, and I couldn''t believe I said those two words.

    "For heaven''s sake, Maddie, you are getting married to me, and you were flirting with Lydia''s son?" He asked in a stern voice, and I can see the anger on his face, and I suddenly became conscious if someone might hear him, and I felt so relieved that no one is around, and I guess they give us some privacy to talk.

    "Why do you sound so angry? Are you jealous, Hunter?" I asked, and I don''t know where I got the courage to talk to him like this, and I realized maybe it was when he hurt my feelings when he flirted with Kaye. My question took him off guard, and his face softened.

    "No, I am not jealous, but I am angry because you are my fiancee." He said, and I know he was trying to hide his genuine emotions.

    "You don''t have any right to feel jealous in the first ce because I never flirted with Jack. We are just friends, and I will be honest with you, he confessed his feelings for me, but I turn him down because you are the only person who upies my heart and mind. It was you who flirted Kaye, and I hope this time you will realize how it feels." I growled.

    "Madeline, please eat your meal now." He said, and I lose my appetite to eat because I remember the time hepletely ignored me. After all, he was flirting with Kaye, and knowing they were just friends made me so jealous that I ran away from their mansion. I don''t want to eat, but the aroma of the food in front of me is so tempting, and I know Jack''s food is excellent. As I take my first bite of the menu, Jack served us I can''t contain myself from closing my eyes as I taste its savory vor. I forgot that I am upset with Hunter, I devour my food without watching his face, and by the time I raised my head, I found him looking at me with fascination in his eyes.

    "What?" I asked him, and he smiled while he shook his head.

    "You are different, Maddie. You fascinate me beyond what I can imagine." He said, and his statement made me curious.

    "Why?" I asked again.

    "I know I made you upset, and you were angry with me, but you still have the appetite to eat, and for that, you make me so happy." Hunter dered, and then he looked at my face sincerely.

    "Look, Madeline, I am sorry if I got angry about Jack. I don''t know what you call it, but I don''t want any man to go near you and look at you like you belong to them because you are mine." He said, and I almost choke the food that I eat, and I don''t know if I feel happy or scared about Hunter''s deration, but the way he looked at me now tells me he wants me. I couldn''t believe he will apologize, and it was enough for me to smile at him, and he took my hands over the table, and he squeezed them, and as I can feel the warmth of his palms, I can''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled, and I can''t stop feeling hot all over my body.

    "Damn, you don''t realize how I ache for you, Madeline." He said in more than a whisper, and I can tell my entire face blushed.

    "I think we should get out from her now and take you somewhere where I can kiss every part of you." He said, and I can feel goosebumps all over my entire frame, and I am a liar if I will say his words do not arouse me. I felt shy because I never experience this kind of feeling before, but right now, as I looked at Hunter, how I wished, I am alone with him. Gina told me making love is something special, and it is hard to express in words.. For the first time, I want to know how it feels to lose my virginity to the man I love, Hunter Divenson, my future husband, and I can''t stop myself from feeling excited as he looked at me with lust and passion.

 Chapter 33 - Wedding Gift

    Madeline''s POV

    It feels like I wanted to finish my food in one chew because of how Hunter is looking at me. And by the time we finished eating our meal, Hunter helped me stand up from my chair, and he holds my hand and never let it go. We both go to Lydia.

    "Lydia, I need to take Maddie with me now. Thank you once again for taking good care of my girl." He said, and I think he did it on purpose because he wants me to blush all the time, and I hate to admit that I love the way he called me his girl. It feels like I am on the clouds right now.

    "Lydia, thank you so much for everything. I will never forget your generosity and all the things you have done for me." I said, and Hunter released my hand so I can hug Lydia.

    "You are wee, Maddie. I will miss you, and please, if you have time,e and visit us sometimes." She dered and released me from her embrace.

    "Good luck, and congrattions in advance on your wedding day!" She said happily, and I can''t hold my tears. They are good people, and I love them already. And it feels like I found a family at the Morigan''s residence, and I will be forever grateful for them.

    As I looked around, I found Lianne and Jack standing near us; and Lianne moves quickly to me, and she takes me into her arms. And she is like a sister to me now, and I am so d I meet her.

    "I will miss you, Madeline." She said, and I looked at her.

    "Me, too, Lianne, and thank you so much for everything," I replied.

    "Good luck, and I can tell your fiance is so crazy about you. You have to believe me, Maddie." She whispered in my ear, and I can''t stop myself from smiling from ear to ear.

    "Good luck, Madeline, and best wishes on your uing wedding." She added.

    "Thank you, Lianne," I said, and I find Jack holding my bags since I already brought my things this morning because I was expecting Cal to pick me up anytime within today, and I don''t want to go back to their residence. When Jack handed me my things, Hunter beat me to receive them from him, and I can''t believe he is acting like a jealous freak. I want to hug Jack and say thank you, but I don''t want to make my future husband more jealous, so instead, I face him before I speak.

    "Jack, thank you for everything." I said, and I felt the arm of Hunter curled around my shoulders in an instant.

    "You are wee, Madeline. You can visit anytime." He said, and I can tell Jack is avoiding my gaze because Hunter never leaves my side. I offer my right hand to Jack, and he takes it but released it quickly like he was burning, and I can tell it was because of the man standing so near me. I don''t know how I feel about his possessive personality right now, but I can''t deny I am enjoying every moment of it.

    We said our goodbyes, and as I am about to get inside Hunter''s car, I saw Gina''s car arrived, and I waited for her toe out and meet her before we leave.

    "Maddie!" He runs to me after she climbs out of her car, and I can see the surprised look on her face as she looked at Hunter, who is still holding my hand.

    "Mr. Divenson, good afternoon!" She eximed.

    "You can call me Hunter, Gina." He said, and Gina''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "I don''t think it is appropriate," She said, and I can see she is still shocked.

    "You are Maddie''s best friend, and you are calling me Mr. Divenson. It sounds so formal. Please call me, Hunter, from now on." He dered, and Gina''s face lit up with happiness.

    "Of course, Hunter, wow! It feels like we are friends now." She said, and Hunterughs, and it amazed me to hear himugh.

    "I am sorry, Gina, but I am taking your best friend now with me." Hunter said.

    "It is okay, Hunter, I came here not for your fiancee, but for Jack, I mean for the Morigan." She said, and I can see that she is blushing, and I can look at the smile on Hunter''s face broadened.

    "So, you are crushing with the chef? I think you should get inside now, Gina, and get his full attention. It seems he is broken-hearted that Madeline ising with me." He dered.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter, Madeline has eyes only for you, and now that you permit me to be your friend by calling you by your first name, you also allow me to provide you with some advice. Please, be gentle with Madeline." She dered, and I can see Hunter is shaking his head.

    "What is wrong with you people? Why do you tell me the same thing? Do you think I am harsh to Madeline? Why all of you advise me to be gentle with her?" He said, and I can feel his frustrations through his voice, and I wonder who these people are who asked him the same thing?

    "Don''t worry, Gina, I know how to take care of my woman." He said in a calm tone now.

    "Well, it is nice to know, and thank you for being brave enough to pick up Madeline, and I think you should take care of your woman and don''t rely on your assistant. Don''t get me wrong, Calixto is a good person, but it is still different if you take care of her." She responded, and I give her hard stares to stop giving Hunter advice, but it seems my best friend is enjoying herself.

    "Thank you for your concern, Gina. I appreciate that you care about Maddie like a sister. As much as we want to stay, we need to go, and please don''t forget that you are Maddie''s Maid of Honor." Hunter said.

    "Of course, goodbye, and please take care of Madeline." She replied, and Gina kissed me on the cheeks, and she got inside the restaurant in a hurry. Hunter opens the passenger''s door for me, and he assisted me in settling myself on the car seat. When Hunter buckles my seatbelt, I can''t stop myself inhaling his masculine scent, and I can tell Hunter always smells so good. And I hate myself for craving his soft lips once again, and he didn''t disappoint me by kissing my hungry lips before he closes my door and run to the driver''s side and gets inside the car quickly while I am still in a daze that he kissed me again.

    "Are you ready?" Hunter asked as he looked me sideways after he fastened his seatbelt.

    "Never been ready." I said, and I can''t stop myself from biting my lips unintentionally.

    "Please don''t do that while I am driving, Madeline." He said in a seductive voice, and I can''t stop myself from giggling.

    "And why is that?" I asked innocently.

    "Because it made me want to kiss you more, wait forter, Maddie. I will make sure your lips will swell as I kiss you until you are out of breath. Don''t seduce me while I am driving, Madeline, because I don''t want to pull over the car and make out with you on the side of the road. I want to be intimate with you when we are in a private ce because I can''t wait to teach you some lesson." He said, and I can''t help to feel so excited about what kind of lesson he will enlighten me.

    "Why, what kind of lesson will you teach that you need to take me into a private ce?" I asked, and I can''t stop myself from teasing him.

    "It is a kind of lesson that will make you moan, Madeline, and it needs actual performance because the theory is far from reality." He said while he focused his attention on the road.

    "So, I am just curious, when are you nning to teach me this kind of lesson, Hunter?" I asked, and I don''t know where did I be so flirty, but he is my husband to be, and I guess I need to be more vocal if I want Hunter to fall for me, even if I am a virgin, I am willing to do everything I can to please him, besides I can''t wait to be with him. Just thinking about how hot he is wearing his clothes, I can''t imagine Hunter being naked in front of me. I don''t have any idea how to handle that kind of scenario, but I will be his wife soon, and it means I am going to give myself entirely to him after our marriage, and I can''t wait for the day of our union, and I wonder why I feel this way now.

    "Soon, sweet Madeline, because I can''t wait to taste you." He said, and I can feel my entire face blushed again.

    "But don''t worry, Maddie, I will only take you after our wedding day. I want to give you some heads up how it feels to be my wife." He said, and our conversations are making me so hot all over my frame, and I stop asking questions. I feel I am losing this battle because I don''t want to look pathetic in front of him. After all, I don''t know what I will do, I may sound flirty, but in reality, I haven''t seen man anatomy before.

    I focused my attention on the road, and I am stunned that Hunter is taking a different route, and I am shocked when he stopped in front of the Vi.

    "Maddie, I bought this ce as my wedding gift for you." Hunter said, and I can tell now that Calixto wasn''t lying at all, and even though Cal has informed me about the Vi, still, it feels different hearing it from Hunter.

    "Wow! This ce is beautiful." I eximed.

    "We will stay here for the night, Madeline, because our lesson 101 will starts tonight.." He winked at me, and then he gets out of the car while I am left shocked and speechless, but I couldn''t deny the excitement that I feel.

 Chapter 34 - Desire

    Hunter''s POV

    I couldn''t believe that I will be a jealous freak. The moment Jack served our food, I realized that he has feelings for Maddie, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so possessive of her. I find the chef as my rival. What is happening to me? I have Maddie in my life because I need a wife to stop my family from pressuring me to get married, but right now, as I have my lunch with her, I came to realized I am beginning to feel attached to Maddie. And I think there is no turning back.

    I watched her eat her food heartily, and I can''t stop admiring her beautiful face. I couldn''t believe Frank''s dying wish would be why I will meet someone like her; I can tell Madeline is a sweet girl, and her innocence is making me more excited to take her as my wife. I can''t stop myself thinking about the things I should do to her. I will make Madeline long and yearn for me, and I will make sure she will never think of another man except me. I know I am selfish that I don''t want her to get close to Jack.

    I know I may look funny that Iy my arm around her shoulders when she faced Jack and said goodbye to him. I don''t know what has gotten into me. Still, I want to mark her and im her as mine, and I want everyone in this ce to know she is going to be my wife soon, and she will be mine alone. I am scared of realizing that Madeline is making me a different man, and not seeing her for a long time makes me hate myself. I should never flirt with Kaye. I could have one week to see her, and I wasted so many days not to be able to kiss her. I find it so hard to stay away from her. I want to touch Madeline''s entire body. And I can''t wait to bring her to the Vi.

    I couldn''t believe I will see Gina in Magnolia Vige, and it made me realized their friendship is extraordinary. I lose my best friend during the time I abandoned Reba. I don''t want to think about her and him, or else I will be a different person again. I just got Madeline back, and I don''t want to hurt her again.

    I can''t stop my erection in between my legs as my sweet little bride-to-be flirting with me. Maddie is a virgin, but the way she behaved herself right now makes me feel she has some experience, and I can''t wait until we reach the vacation home I bought for her. I can''t deny I am so aroused right now that I wanted to im her. But since my girl is a virgin, I need to teach her lessons to be ready before our marriage in less than two weeks. And I am sure I can make Madeline begging for me to have her.

    I noticed she became silent, and when we reach the Vi, I can see the admiration on her face, but I can see she is blushing, and I know I made her wet. I climbed out of the driver''s seat and ran to Madeline''s side, and she remained sitting like a statue; and I know she is not shocked about the beautiful Vi, but her mind is preupied with our lesson 101.

    "Hey! You need toe out now, Madeline." I said as I unbuckled her seatbelt, and Iy my strong hands around her tiny waist and hauled her from her seat, and when I ced her on the ground, I can''t stop myself. I move closer to her; I push her until her back hits the car door, and I kissed Madeline hungrily, and as she let out a soft moan, my kiss bes more demanding. And I change the course of my action by giving her a passionate kiss, and I can''t stop myself from kissing her smooth neck down to her cor bone. I am so scared that I will lose control; besides, I n to teach her our lesson 101 in our bedroom, not here in broad daylight, I know this ce is private, but the shoreline is open for the residence around this ce. And I don''t want them to witness how I make my womane. I can tell Maddie is disappointed that I stop kissing her.

    "We have a lot of timeter, Maddie. For now, I want you to have a rest and let us enjoy the beach while we are still here." I whisper in her ear and tuck some strand of her loose hair on her ear, and I know I make her speechless, and I can''t help but smile that I make her cheeks flushed. And I love watching her swollen lips.

    I get her things and my overnight bag, and I can tell that she is shocked that I told her we would be spending the night here in the beach house. I take Madeline''s hand, and we walk together in going inside the main house. We passed the living room, and I bring her to the master''s bedroom; and the moment we get inside, I want to start kissing her again, but I am still in control. I told her to change into her swimsuits, and her eyes widened.

    "We will go swimming, Maddie." I whisper in her ear, and I love doing this because I can see the goosebumps all over her skin.

    "You can choose your swimsuits on the drawers on the right side of the closet, and you can select whatever dress you want to wear after swimming because like the cab in your room at the Divenson mansion I also bought clothing for you so every time we visit here, we don''t need to bring so many things. Don''t worry. Someone will clean the entire Vi once we are not around, and for now, we are alone, Maddie. I ask the caretaker to go home to have privacy, and you can moan and scream my name freely. I said and left her stunned.

    I get some board shorts and a sleeve top tank, but I opted to go to the beach half-naked because I miss the sun, and I love to feel the heat of the sun on my skin. I undress my shirt, and when I pulled down my jeans, I heard Maddie gasp. When I turned around, I can see her big eyes zeroed on my sensitive part between my legs, and I am thankful that I am still wearing my boxer briefs, or else Madeline could have fainted, but my erection is evident since she is making me so hard for her.

    "Madeline, you need to be used by now watching me naked from time to time, you will be my wife soon, and sooner you will love this part of my anatomy, and you have to trust me." I said as I pointed at my bulge, and I turn around to hide the amusement on my face, and there is no denying my girl is a virgin; I put on my board shorts, and when I turn around again, I see her standing still like a statue near the bed while her hands are still on her mouth.

    "Maddie,e here. I am not going to bite you. Besides, I am not going to do something you will not like. You have to change now while the sun is still up." I said, and she walks to the closet while I can tell she is still blushing.

    "If I make you ufortable, I will leave so you can change into your swimsuits." I dered, and she raised her head and looked at me in the eyes, and my heart is racing as I can see not fear on her lovely face, but I can see desires.

    "No, you should stay, " She said in more than a whisper.

    "You are right, we are going to get married soon, so I should be used to being naked in front of you." She said, and it is my turn to feel stunned when my sweet Madeline undressed her clothes in front of me. I can feel my erection tripled when she discarded her bra in front of me while she is still staring at me, and it took a lot of my willpower not to go to her and pin her to the wall and give her a lesson for teasing me. Madeline is a total package. Her figure makes me want to im her right away, and I release a growl like I am a wolf ready to attack my prey when she slowly takes off her ckce panty in front of me, and it was pure torture that this innocent virgin girl stripped her clothing piece by piece before my naked eyes. She has no idea that she is igniting the fire within my entire body.

    My future bride is killing me softly, and I want to enclose my arms around her delicate frame and run my tongue all over her body and y her sensitive parts. Still, it can wait, and I know it will be worth it, and before I can''t lose to this battle, I turned my heels and walked out the door, and I go to the kitchen and open the refrigerator to get some cold water to stop the hotness that I feel. Damn, Madeline''s body is calling for me, and knowing that no man had ever touched her makes me feel more aroused.. I realized it would be hard for me to stop my erection right now, especially now that I can''t stop thinking about her perfect curves, her supple breasts, and I don''t know if I can wait until our wedding day before I will im her.

 Chapter 35 - Swimming With Hunter

    Madeline''s POV

    Hunter climbed out of the car and ran to my side, and I hate that I became speechless, and I became like a stone. I want to tell Hunter that I love this ce, but I don''t need a luxurious house like this as a gift because this is too much. Still, something else upies my mind, Hunter''s husky voice lingers on my head as he mentioned lesson 101, and I don''t know how to tell him that I don''t know how to please him.

    He opened my door and told me I need toe out of the car, and before I can make a move, he unbuckled my seatbelt. He ced his muscr hands around my waist and heaved me from my seat. When my feet touched the ground, I can feel the excitement that enveloped my entire body as Hunter moves closer to me. He pushed me until my back ms the car door, and he captured my mouth hungrily. And I felt like I am floating in the air, and I can''t stop myself from letting out a soft moan, and I felt his kisses bes more demanding. And I hate to admit I felt a little frustrated that he suddenly stopped kissing me.

    We get inside the vacation home, and I find him so hot carrying my things and his overnight bag while his other hand is holding my hand tightly. And my mind is still processing that I will be staying here tonight with him, and I felt excited to know if we will be sharing the same room, and I can feel the butterflies on my stomach when he brought me to the master''s bedroom. He put down our things, and I wait for him to leave, but it seems my wish wille true I can sleep beside him tonight, and I hate myself that I imagine him kissing me again. I can''t deny I am craving for his touch and kisses.

    Hunter asked me to change into my swimsuit, and I can''t hide my surprise when he told me we are going for a swim. Swimming on the beach on summer days is one of my dreams. I have been dying to do this all my life but never got the chance because of poverty and debts. I couldn''t believe that the closet is also full of clothes. Well, Hunter is filthy rich, and he doesn''t know how to feel having nothing at all. I can''t stop myself from blushing every time he will tell me something about being intimate with each other. Even though I am a virgin, there are also times I was thinking of giving my virginity to the man I love, and I know I am going to lose my innocence to him soon.

    When he moved closer to the cab, he fished out some board shorts and a sleeve top tank, and I felt shocked when Hunter undressed his shirt, and when he pulled down his jeans, I can''t help myself but gasp, and I cover my mouth with my hands. And when he turned around to face me, my eyes got so big, and I hate that I was staring at the bulge between his legs, and I can tell he has a massive tool. And I am thankful that he is still wearing his boxer briefs, or else I don''t know what would have happened to me. I can tell a blush crept on my entire face as I can''t stop myself from looking at his evident erection, and I hate to admit that I felt the need to go closer to him and touch him. Is it instinct?

    Hunter told me that I need to feel at ease by watching him naked from time to time because I will be his wife soon. Sooner I will love that part of his anatomy, I have to swallow my saliva when he pointed his finger to his manhood, and I felt so d that he turned around from me. After he put on his board shorts, he turns to face me, but I remained motionless beside the bed, and I can tell the amusement on his face.

    But I don''t want him to think I am a coward, and I want Hunter to know I am willing to please him too, so when he told me he would go outside so I can change into my bathing suit, I ask him to say and tell him the same thing that he told me. And I can''t disagree with him, and we are getting married in less than two weeks, so I should feelfortable being naked in front of my future husband.

    I slowly undressed in front of him without hesitation, and one by one, I took off every piece of my clothing, and I felt triumphant that I make him flushed. I can see how his handsome face turned red, and I see the bulge between his legs became bigger. Hunter''s erection made me feel so aroused, and I want toe closer to him, and I almostugh when He couldn''t take anymore.

    "Damn, Madeline, stop teasing me like that, and tonight you will see how I am going to punish you with my tongue." He said, and gets out of the bedroom rushing, and I can''t stop myself from giggling as I open the drawer and choose the azure one-piece bathing suit while I can''t stop thinking, how is Hunter going to punish me by using his tongue? And the things that popped up on my head are making me so wet, and I hate that I feel this way. Hunter Divenson is responsible for making me feel so horny right now, and I need to control my hormones because I don''t want him tough at my expense because of mycking experience.

    I get some fresh towel, and I get out of the room, and I find him waiting for me in the living room, and I am still not used to how handsome he looks. His intense gaze wants me to pull him and put my arms around his neck, and when he gave me his beautiful smile, I almost tripped to the ground. He seldom smiles, but right now, I saw a different man. He looks so young and carefree. He offers his hand to me, and I took it immediately. I don''t want him to change his mind, and I hate myself for being so eager, but what can I do? I am with the most attractive man in the universe.

    He took my towel and put it on the chaise lounge under the big white umbre in front of the Vi on the beachfront, and he guided me to sit down. And I am shocked when he picks up something from his shorts pocket, and I realized it was a sunblock lotion. He applied sunblock on my arms legs, and when she touched my abdomen, I can''t stop myself from feeling so hot, and I can feel the electricity that travels my entire body from my fingertips to my toes. I couldn''t believe he could be this sweet, and I am enjoying how he pampers me, and I wish this day would never end, for I felt so happy.

    "We will wait for one hour before we will stroll since I apply the sunblock on your smooth skin, my Madeline." He whispered in my ear as he sat beside me, and Hunter is caressing my bareback, and when I looked up, I find him staring at me with intensity, and when I bit my lower lip, he growls.

    "I told you to stop teasing me." He said and cupped my chin, and he imed my mouth with a burning passion. We kissed long and sweet that I am shocked that I am already on hisp; I haven''t notice that he lifted me, or is it me who climbs on hisp? I don''t know, for I am so lost in space kissing Hunter.

    We walk barefoot on the sand, and we walk on the shoreline while holding hands. It feels surreal being with Hunter, and it feels like we are the only people living in this neighborhood since I haven''t seen anyone strolling on the beach. I felt the water wet my toes as we get closer to the water. I can feel the summer breeze that tickles my skin, and I love the feeling of the sun''s heat while I also felt hot because of the sensation I felt because of Hunter''s touch.

    After strolling for almost thirty minutes, Hunter takes me to the water, and I felt so happy to feel and taste the saltwater. Its clear water makes me feel so d that atst, I experienced something like this, and I couldn''t believe I will be swimming with Hunter, the man that I fell in love with on the first night that I met him. I felt so happy swimming under the sun and with the man I want to be with for the rest of my life.

    "Are you having fun, Maddie?" He asked as he looked at my face, and I can''t stop myself from smiling at him.

    "Yes, I am delighted. Thank you for this." I said, and he swims closer to me, and his proximity makes me feel so thrilled again, and it seems being with Hunter makes me feel so alive.

    "Your wee, Madeline. I hope you will forgive me now." He said, and I nodded my head.

    "Of course, I forgave you, I know Kaye is your friend, and I should have deal with her, and I am sorry for running away from you." I blurted out.

    "It is okay, I know I am at fault too, and tonight I want to make it up to you, and I will take you somewhere, Madeline." He said in more than a whisper, and his intense gaze makes me feel so weak.

    "Where?" I asked innocently, and he took my waist and pulled me closer to him, and I can feel his erection on my abdomen.

    "To the ce where you can see the stars.." He said, and he imed my mouth again, and I couldn''t believe I am so excited about tonight, and I know I can trust Hunter, and I felt thrilled what he is going to teach and show me tonight.

 Chapter 36 - A Thousand Stars In The Sky

    Madeline''s POV

    I felt pain in my legs and arm muscles because of swimming and for how many times Hunter asked me to get back to the Vi, but I kept swimming around until he told me that he is going back to the house first when he looked at several people swimming in front of their vacation home.

    "I need to go back now, Madeline, since I need to call Calixto." Hunter said, and I smiled at him and showed him my puppy eyes.

    "Can I stay for a while? I still want to continue swimming." I asked, and he nodded.

    "Be careful, okay? As much as I want to apany you, I need to make important calls." He replied.

    "Don''t mind me; I will be okay; besides, other people are swimming now." I said.

    "Okay, enjoy, Madeline." He said.

    "Thank you, Hunter." I said, and he moves closer to me, and he kissed my forehead before he gets back to the house. And I return to my swimming spree. I am enjoying myself that I haven''t noticed someone is behind me.

    "Hi!" Said a woman in herte twenties, and I am startled to find her standing near me.

    "Hello!" I replied.

    "I am sorry that I startled you; I am just curious, are you Hunter Divenson''s girlfriend or a fling? I am sorry about my directness since I haven''t seen him dated anyone; I am Vivian, and I owned the house next to his ce, and I am a journalist. Our caretaker told me that he is the new owner of that vacation home, and I confirmed it now that I saw him with you." She said, and I can feel my face blush, and this is what I am afraid of when people will ask about my rtionship with Hunter because I am no one.

    "It is okay, I am Maddie, and yes, I am his girlfriend; well, Hunter is a very private man." I said and smiled at her.

    "Oh, I see. Finally, someone captured the CEO of the Divenson Mining Company; where did you meet? If you don''t mind?" She asked.

    "My father is Hunter''s driver before he passed away." I said I don''t know how to answer her, it is the safest answer I can give her.

    "I am sorry for your loss." She said, and I can tell she is disappointed to know that Hunter has a girlfriend already, and I can''t imagine what would be her reaction if she will find out I am Hunter''s fiancee.

    " I wanted to introduce myself to him since I want to interview Mr. Divenson because, among the wealthy individuals and handsome eligible bachelors in the country, he is the most allergic to media. This scope could help boom my career. Do you think you can help me?" She asked.

    "I am not sure, Vivian, but don''t worry, I will try to talk to him." I said, and I put my hands on my face to wipe my face, and her eyes widened.

    "Oh, no, is that an engagement ring?" She asked, and I don''t know what to say, but it was already toote to deny it; I don''t know what would be Hunter''s reaction that someone outside of his family knows about us.

    "Yes!" I said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so shy that I can''t face her.

    "Why you look like that, it feels like you are not so happy to be his wife, girl you are so lucky to get the attention of Hunter Divenson, you should be shouting with happiness and show the entire world you are his future bride if you don''t mind when will be the big day?" She asked, and I raised my head to looked at her eyes, and I am not shy anymore; Hunter will be married to me, and he should be proud of it too.

    "In less than two weeks." I said, and I give her my signature smile.

    "Wow, that is fast, and this information is a lot to process, and I couldn''t believe he is going to marry anytime soon; and I have seen him during social gatherings hosted by his mother but never got the chance to know him. I thought he is going to marry someone from the elite families, no offense, Maddie." She said, and I know her words are painful but true, but I have heard worst from my inws, so her words didn''t get me.

    "To be honest, I also still can''t believe that I''m going to marry him." I said.

    "Well, congrattions, and I hope you will help me. I will be staying here for three days." She dered.

    "Thank you, I will tell himter." I replied.

    "Bye, Madeline, and thank you." She said and swam away from me.

    When I turn around, I can see the sunset on the horizon, and it looks so beautiful that I wanted to take a picture of it and show it to Gina. My talk with Vivian made me feel a little down since she reminds me I am out of Hunter''s league. And I think she wants to tell me I am not perfect for him. But I am tired of feeling so little of myself, and Hunter wanted to marry me for whatever reasons he had on his mind. Well, if she will know the real reason why I am in this situation, I don''t know what she will feel. Is she still going to feel envious of me, or will she feel sorry for me?

    After looking at the setting sun and the colorful sky for a long time, I came out of the water, and I get my towel, and walk inside the house. As I enter the living room, I can smell the aroma of food spiciesing from the kitchen, and I think Hunter asked the caretaker to cook for us. I sprinted to the master''s bedroom, and I am surprised that Hunter is not in the room. Where could he be? I take a bath immediately because I want to help the caretaker in cooking our dinner. I chose to wear a knee-length halter rosy dress. And I get some sandals from the shoe rack, and I walk to the kitchen.

    My steps wavered when I saw Hunter in the kitchen, and he looked so hot wearing an apron. He didn''t notice me as I stopped on my tracks and watched him slicing some vegetables on the countertop, and he is humming, and I can tell he is so happy and at peace, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled that my husband to be could cook. I can see a casserole pot and pan on top of the kitchen range. And I am sure he is preparing an appetizer, vegetable sd, soup, and a steak as a main dish. The aroma that wafted the entire ce makes my mouth water. He turned his head in my direction, and his beautiful smile makes me feel the butterflies on my stomach.

    "How long have you been there, Maddie?" He asked, and I can see he is looking at me from head to toe, and I suddenly felt conscious.

    "Just now, I am impressed that the hot CEO of the Divenson miningpany knows how to cook. what can I do to help?" I asked.

    "There are still many things you don''t know about me, Madeline, and from now on, I will let you know the real me." He said, and he looked at my face again.

    "I don''t want you to do anything, and I want you to go back to our room and have a rest. I know you are feeling so tired from swimming on the beach. I will call you when dinner is ready." He said.

    "Are you sure?" I asked, and I couldn''t believe this man is cooking dinner for me. No one has ever done something like this to me. I get back to our bed, and I go out on the balcony of our bedroom where I can see the long white shoreline of the beach, and I could hear the sound of the waves striking on the shore. It is now dark, but the entire coast hasmp posts on the sides near the houses. I sat on the patio chair and leaned my back on the ss wall.

    How I wish my mom is here with me; maybe if I meet Hunter before she died, I could perhaps save her, but how can I convince Hunter if I am still a skinny little girl, unlike now, I know as I was growing up, I developed some assets that women are dreaming to have. Still, I don''t mind what I have because I always think about getting cash to give to my aunt. My best friend is always crazy about my height, boobs, and even my curves, and I try to hide my curves by wearing baggy clothes because I don''t like men to look at me. After all, I don''t want to date.

    I got up, and moves to the balcony railings, and looked up at the sky when I felt strong arms hugged my waist, and I realize he nestled his chin on the nook of my shoulder.

    "Dinner is ready, my sweet Madeline." He whispered in my ear, and I can''t stop having goosebumps all over my body. He took my hand and dragged me back to the bedroom, and we get out; and I am shocked that he take me to the stairs going to the roof deck instead of to the dining hall. Hunter Divenson is full of surprises. He set up a table suitable for two, and he covers the table with white linen with a red table runner, and I can see our food disyed on the table on a Fine Dining setup.

    "Look at the stars, Madeline, " He said in a sweet voice, and when I looked up, I can see a thousand stars twinkling in the sky, and suddenly felt ashamed of myself when I realized he was talking about the real stars in the sky above us. He pulled out the chair, and he assisted me to sit down, and I am speechless.. And I realized I am falling in love more with Hunter Divenson.

 Chapter 37 - My Salvation

    Hunter''s POV

    I can''t deny I am having fun with Madeline, and I find her so cute swimming on the water like there is no tomorrow. I can tell she loves swimming on the beach, and I don''t have regrets that I bought this Vi for her. And after our wedding, I will give her the title, so she will know this ce is under her name.

    "Hello, Mr. Divenson, I wonder what time are you going back here in the office?" Calixto asked on the other line.

    "That is why I am calling, Cal. I won''t go home tonight, and I will stay here in the Vi together with Madeline." I dered.

    "Whaaattt?" He asked, and I almostugh at his reaction.

    "Why do you sound so shocked, Cal?" I asked him.

    "I am not shocked, Mr. Divenson. I am just worried about Madeline." He answered honestly.

    "Listen, Cal, I know you care about Maddie, but I want to remind you I am his fiance, and we are getting married soon. Besides, what do you think of me, a monster?" I asked, and I can''t hide my frustrations with Cal. Why does he sound so worried that I am spending the night with Madeline?

    "You are too handsome to be a monster, Mr. Divenson, and I am sorry, I know Ms. Brownwood is safe with you." He said.

    "Okay, enough talking about Maddie. I want to discuss the reports, please tell me in detail, and I will be listening." I order, and he summarizes the reports he received for the day.

    "Please cancel my site visit tomorrow because I don''t think I can make it," I dered and said goodbye to Cal, and I ended the call. I go to the balcony of our room to watch Madeline''s figure talking to a woman, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried, and I don''t know why. They speak for a while, and I get inside the room and proceed to the kitchen. And I pulled out the menu I needed for our dinner. I miss cooking. Even though I grow up with housemaids around the house, I spent my summer vacation in the kitchen learning different cuisines from our chef, and I can tell Lily has the same passion as me.

    I am so busy slicing the vegetables that I didn''t notice her standing near the counter, and I can''t stop myself from scanning her entire body since she looks so hot wearing her knee-length halter rosy dress. I have to swallow my saliva, and I hate myself for feeling this way. I felt like I am a hot college boy. I can''t stop myself from admiring her beautiful face, and I will be lying if I say I am not attracted to Madeline. And I smiled when she told me she is impressed that I could cook, and I felt proud of myself. I asked Madeline to go back to our room and to take some rest since I want to surprise her; when I told her I would bring her to a ce where she can see a lot of stars, I was talking about the roof deck, and I know she has different idea ying on her sweet little head because of the blushed that crept on her lovely ce, and it amused me.

    I know she had a hard life growing up, and I want to make her feel special, and I will make sure she will never experience the same hardships again. I am not sure if I can give her the love she was looking and hoping for, but right now, I am trying my best to be the best fiance, and after we get married, I will make sure I can be a good husband to her, and I wish Maddie will be the reason that I could move on with my past heartaches and pains. Losing Reba and my child was the hardest thing that ever happens to me, and I want to forget about it. And by marrying Madeline, I hope my nightmares will be gone.

    I already set up a table and chairs on the roof deck, so after cooking, I bring the food and go to our bedroom to fetch Maddie and I stop on my tracts as I watched her looking up the sky, and I couldn''t stop myself from hugging her slender waist, and her sweet scent is making me crazy. I nestled my chin on the nook of her smooth shoulder, and I want to stay like this for a long time, but I am already starving from our swimming, and we didn''t take an afternoon snacks, and I can tell she is also hungry since she was swimming longer than me. I am d she liked the set up of our dinner, and I impressed her again.

    In a sweet voice, I asked my wife to be to

    lookup to see the sky full of stars, and I can tell she realized this is what I mean because she is blushing again, and I find it so adorable every time she blushes. I pulled out a chair and assisted her in sitting down, and she was speechless. And she raised her head and looked at me, and I know I should be worried again of what I see on her face, but this time I didn''t freak out, and I felt so honored that she adores and loves me.

    I served her the soup, and then I put the steak on her te. And she smiled shyly at me; Madeline looks so cute. She is alluring, and she isn''t aware of how beautiful she is.

    "Thank you." She said after I served her the food.

    "Wow! You are indeed an excellent cook!" She eximed, and her shyness was gone after she tasted the food that I prepared for her.

    "Thank you, Maddie, and I am delighted that you like my cooking." I said as I dig in my food.

    "Of course, this is so tasty, I know I don''t eat this kind of meal at my aunt''s house, but I know this is mouthwatering." She said, and I can feel the sadness in her voice.

    "Hunter, " She calls my name, and the sweetness of her voice makes me feel so happy.

    "Yes?" I answered.

    "Hmm, after you left, a woman came, and she introduced herself to me, and her name is Bernadette, and she was your neighbor." She said.

    "Our neighbor, Maddie." I said.

    "Okay, she is a journalist, and I am sorry that I told her we are getting married in less than two weeks." Madeline dered, and I can tell the worries in her voice.

    "And then?" I asked.

    "Aren''t you angry?" She asked.

    "Madeline, I am going to marry you, even though I don''t like the press toe to our wedding day because I want to keep it private; I am not going to keep it a secret that I will be married to you. You are not my secret wife, Madeline; you can tell anyone that you are my future wife and I don''t care. Why do you even think that I will get angry with you?" I asked.

    "Because I am not your girlfriend." She answered coldly.

    "Maddie, if I will ask you which do you prefer, I will take you to be my girlfriend and leave you afterward or ask you to marry me? I don''t believe in courtship, Madeline; besides, it is only a waste of time. That is why I bring you to the Divenson mansion to be my fiancee and wife, not just a girlfriend. And I hope you will realize the big difference." I said, and I can tell I hurt her, but what should I tell her? That I don''t believe in love anymore? I don''t want her to run away again.

    I n to tell her everything, but now that I see how vulnerable she is, and now that I started to feel so different towards her, I lost my guts to tell her my entire n because I don''t want to hurt her feelings. Damn, this is so hard for me.

    "I am sorry, Madeline; I don''t intend to hurt you." I said.

    "It is okay, I am not hurt, and I understand, I know I don''t have any right to ask you anything, but it feels like you have a dark past that you are trying to protect." She said, and I stiffened, and it took a lot of my willpower not to change my facial expression.

    Her words make me speechless, and I want to tell her I don''t have a past, but it feels like my tongue has been cut out. I remain speechless the entire dinner, and as much as I want to talk with Maddie. I can''t stop myself from thinking about Reba, and I hate myself for ruining the beautiful evening with Madeline. She eats her food, and I can tell she is avoiding my eyes.

    She helped me put away the tes, and she cleaned the table. When we went to the kitchen, she washed the dishes and the utensils, and she is still avoiding my gaze. We didn''t drink the wine. She goes back to our room without talking to me while I stay at the bar and drink some scotch. After I took several shots, I call it a night, and I go to our bedroom and I find her sleeping already, and I know because she was so tired from swimming.

    Her nightgown is raised on her waist, and I can see herce panty and her long smooth legs, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so hot all over my body, I cover her with the nket, and I go back to the living room, and I know I need to sleep away from her or else I can''t control myself. I need to wait for our wedding day because I want it to be extra special for her and, of course, for both of us. I am stupid for hurting Madeline''s feelings, and I know I should control myself.. And I need to forget my past from tormenting me, and I don''t know what to do anymore, and I hope Madeline Brownwood would be my salvation.

 Chapter 38 - He Will Love Me

    Madeline''s POV

    When I wake up, I look at the clock on the nightstand, and I realized it is still two o''clock in the morning, but I haven''t seen Hunter beside me in the bed. I felt sad because everything seems so alright, and then suddenly his mood changed, and I don''t even know why. I can tell something is going on with him, and I am positive it is about his past. I don''t want to dig into his history, but it made me so curious why he became like this. I wouldn''t say I like that he suddenly turned cold, but I want to help him. I am worried about him, so I got up from the bed and looked for him.

    I find Hunter sleeping on the couch, and I get back to the room and get a nket and cover his body. And when I am on my way to get back to the master''s bedroom to go back to sleep, I heard him growl and moaned, and it sounds like he is in pain, and I realized he was having a nightmare. I want to wake him up when he called someone''s name, and I am shocked, and it was as if I had be a stone that I couldn''t move my body.

    "Reba!! Please don''t leave me, Reba!" He said, and I can tell he is dreaming about her, and he is begging her not to go, and now I realized he has someone in his past, and her name is Reba, and I wonder now if she is stillmunicating with him, or have they lostmunication? And it shocked me when I saw tears poured down on his cheeks.

    I am standing in the living room watching him as he calls the love of his life, and I know I don''t have to feel this way, but if he has someone he holds dear in his heart, who am I into his life? What could be my role in his life? A substitute wife? I should have asked Cal if Hunter have been married before. I walked back to the bedroom with a heavy heart. Hunter Divenson made my innocent heart experienced different kinds of raw emotions. He made me feel loved, yet he suddenly became cold. He excites me, and he ignites something in me, but now I don''t understand him at all.

    No matter how I wanted to go back to sleep, I can no longer doze off because he upies my heart and mind. I know I am now marrying him for love and the debts of my aunt. And I don''t know until when I can survive at the Divenson mansion. The soft tapping on my shoulder awakens me, and I felt d I was able to go back to sleep. And when I open my eyes, I saw Hunter standing beside my bed, and he is already dressed up with his jeans and shirt again.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, I hate to wake you up, but we need to go back to the estate." He said, and I remember what happened to him at two o''clock in the morning, and when I look at the clock, it is still six o''clock in the morning. I am not in the mood to say hi to him since I am still hurt about the sudden change of his attitude and, most of all, his mystery girl.

    I stood up and avoided his gaze, and I change my nightdress quickly, and I choose to wear an ankle-length dress since we are going back to the mansion; I understand I need to dress up with the proper dress code. I put my things on my backpack, and he tried to get it away from me, but I hold it firmly.

    "I can take this." I said in a cold tone, and if he wants to show me this kind of attitude, I will show the same to him. It doesn''t mean he owns me yet. I still have my freedom to react towards him, and I am just d he walks away from me, and I followed behind him. I didn''t let him open the car door for me the moment we reach the car. I got inside and fastened my seatbelt. Before we leave the vi, a middle-aged woman arrived, and Hunter got out of the car and talks to her for a while; and I can see him smiling genuinely at her, and I realized he could smile at other people and not at me.

    He gets back to the car and drove away from the house without a word. We arrived at the Divenson mansion, and I hate to admit that I am starving, and as I get out of his car, I saw Lily running towards me. I can''t hold my tears, I cried because I saw her, and I realized how I missed her, but the truth is I am crying because her brother hurt my feelings.

    "Oh, Madeline!" She said while she hugged my waist tightly.

    "Lily!" I said as my tears fall on my cheeks.

    "I missed you so much!" I added, and I can tell the little girl is crying too.

    "I miss you too!" She replied, and she takes my hand, and we get inside the mansion. I am just d I haven''t seen anyone in the living room. We climbed the grand staircase, and I can feel Hunter is following behind us.

    We get inside my room, and before I can lock it, Hunter gets inside, and I hate to admit that his intense gaze is melting my resolve.

    "Lily, I need to talk with Maddie for a while. You will have all the time togetherter because I need to go to the site today." Hunter said to his little sister, and she nodded, and she said goodbye to me. And I am shocked that he locked the door, and I suddenly felt nervous.

    "Madeline, I am sorry what happenedst night." He said, and he searched my eyes, but I look down on my feet.

    "It is okay, I understand." I said, and I want to ask him who Reba is, but I am afraid his mood will change again.

    "Look at me, Maddie, " He said in more than a whisper, and I slowly raised my head. And he moves closer to me until we are an inch away from each other, and before I know it, Hunter is kissing me hungrily. I hate myself for kissing him back eagerly, and I know why I am doing this because I want Hunter to forget Reba, and I want him only to think about me. I mirror his every action, and I let out a soft moan as he trails kisses on my chin down to my throat and my cor bone until I didn''t notice he pulled down my dress, and it is now on my waist, and I felt him unsped my bra, and I felt it fell to the ground.

    I realized I am now standing in front of him half-naked, and when he caressed my breasts with his strong hands, I can feel the electricity travels my entire torso, and I can feel a different sensation, and when he cupped my breasts, I can''t stop myself to tilt my head and give him full ess.

    I find myself undressing his T-shirt, and I can''t stop admiring his toned chest and abdomen. He pulled me closer to him, and he captured my mouth hungrily until I didn''t realize we fell to the bed. He kissed me softly on my lips, and he swirled his tongue inside my mouth, and when Hunter sucked my tongue, I can''t stop myself from moaning.

    "Allow me to make you feel good, my sweet Madeline." Hunter deres as he continues to suck and yed my tongue with his tongue. And then he nibbled my lower lip, and he trails kisses to my chin and my earlobe, and I can feel I have goosebumps all over my body. It feels so good, and I wonder how it feels to make love.

    When he continues to kiss me back on my throat again down to my supple breast, I tightened my grip on the sheets. When he sucked my erect nipple, I close my eyes and arched my chest to him so he can haveplete ess. And I felt him kissed and sucked my other nipple, and my eyes rolled back in my head, and I let out a soft moan. I raked my fingers on his short hair as he continues to please me with his tongue, and I can feel the rapid beating of my heart, and he really makes me feel so good that I don''t want him to stop, and suddenly I can feel his phone vibrated on his pocket.

    "Damn, Calixto, and he''s good with timing." He said as he stood up from the bed and fished out the phone from his pocket.

    "Hello!" He answered his phone with irritation in his voice.

    "Okay, I will be there in less than thirty minutes." He said and ended the call.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, there is some problem at the site." He said, and he offers his hands for me, and when I take them. He pulled me up, and he kissed me on the lips again before he looked at me one more.

    "I have to go now, Maddie, and see you tonight. I know I have been a jerk, but please don''t run away again, or I will be crazy." He said, and I get my bra from the floor, and I put it back, and I pull up my dress again as he searched for his T-shirt, and he put it back on his glorious, perfect body.

    "Enjoy your time with Lily, " He said, and I nodded because I am still embarrassed that I let him see me half-naked, and not only that, he kissed my breasts, but I enjoyed all of it, and the truth is I want more of him. I know I should not feel ashamed if I liked it because Hunter will be my husband soon. Whatever his problem is, I will help him whatever it takes, and I hope Hunter will let me help him or heal him. And I wish I will know everything about her so I know where I should ce myself.

    I know he should reconcile with his past, or else we will never have a happy married life. Still, I promise myself once I will be his wife, I will never leave Hunter, not because I am his wife, but because I am in love with him, and I care about him, and I hope he will open up to me, and he will learn to love me the way he had loved Reba.. I am just a recement bride or wife for now, but I will make sure Hunter Divenson will fall in love with me.

 Chapter 39 - To Have Her Back

    Hunter''s POV

    As I drive my car going to my office, I can''t stop thinking about Madeline. Her innocence and her sweet kisses make me crazy, and I want to go back and kiss her again, but I need to go to the site because of some emergencies, and as I get out of my car, Roman, the head of my bodyguard, got out from his car and followed me inside the office.

    "Mr. Divenson, it is nice to have you back." Calixto greeted me

    "You haven''t only seen me for almost twenty-four hours, Cal." I said.

    "Of course, but I am used to seeing you almost every morning until dusk. The chopper is ready, Mr. Divenson." He said, and we all get out of the office and proceed to the elevator. The moment we arrived at the helipad, the chopper is ready, so we all climbed up and settled ourselves, and as the helicopter takes off, I remember Madeline''s face, and I realized I want to take her on a date soon. I am so engrossed with thinking about her that I haven''t noticed we arrived at the site.

    Our underground mining is now deep, but I always remind them of safety precautions. I am just d the gold deposit of this area is vast. That is why ourpany is still leading, but to be on the top. I work hard every day to maintain what we have. I got investments, and so far, I am d that I don''t have bad investments, and my newly acquired asset is for Madeline. I want her to finish her studies, and after she graduated from college, that is time she will run her ownpany.

    I want her to be vital to experience what is the real meaning of business, and I know she is smart, so in due time my family will acknowledge her. I know they don''t like Madeline because she is poor and an orphan, and most of all, she is a misfit in our society, but I will change that. I want her to be known because I know she had a terrible life growing up, and now that I am in her life, I will make sure she will have a better life, and I will offer her everything she wants.

    As we go deep down the site, I can see the mining types of equipment such as trucks, loaders, diggers, and many more. I can see my men nodding at me as I scan them if they are wearing the proper gears, and I am d they always follow protocols. And I always remind them to think about their safety first because, for me, life is essential. When I check and assist with the damage, I am d it isn''t that bad. I had a brief meeting with some personnel. Every time I conduct a meeting, I always include the safety protocols because creating a safer workce means good business.

    "Cal, please, I need to have a word with you." I said to him after we arrived at the Divenson Tower.

    "Yes, Sir." He replied.

    "What do you want to tell me, Mr. Divenson?" Calixto asked the moment we get inside my office, and I sat on my swivel chair and put my hand on my chin as I leaned my back on the back of my chair.

    "Have a seat, Cal," I ordered him.

    "Please, invite the Morigan family. I want them to witness my union with Madeline, especially the chef. I want him to realize Madeline is mine." I said, and I couldn''t believe Calixto willugh at my face.

    "May I know why you areughing, Calixto?" I asked, confused.

    "I couldn''t believe you, Mr. Divenson; you are jealous of Lydia''s son." He said, and I can feel my face turned red because of my anger with Cal.

    "Cal, I am not jealous, okay? I want him to know Maddie is mine." I responded.

    "Okay, whatever you say, Mr. Divenson." He replied, and I can tell he doesn''t believe me.

    "Did you finalize the caterer? How about the cake? The florists?" I asked him, and he smiled at me.

    "Everything is okay, Mr. Divenson, including Madeline''s bridal gown. Your suit, and the gowns of your mother and sisters. The couturier already went to your mansionst week, and it will be ready this week." Calixto dered.

    "Good job, Cal, you may go now," I said.

    "Aren''t you going to go home now to Madeline?" He asked, and I stared at him.

    "I am sorry, I will go now, Sir." He said and left my office without a second nce, I don''t tell Cal, but I am so happy that he is working with me. Calixto is a very reliable man, but ever since Madeline came into my life, he became more concerned about my love life. I release a sigh, and I check some emails before I get out of my office, and I drop by a flower shop and buy a bouquet for Maddie.

    By the time I arrived at our mansion, the maid had informed me that my family is in the pavilion having a family tea, and I felt disappointed that they didn''t invite Madeline.

    "Hunter, please join us, son." My mom said enthusiastically.

    "Thanks, mom, but I need to see my fiancee," I said as I put my hand in my pockets as I go back to my car. I get my things and the flowers. I took a bath and dressed in my cargo shorts and T-shirt, and I go to Madeline''s room, and when I open her room, I find her sleeping on her side. I can tell she was still tired from her swimming escapade yesterday.

    She moves her body and stretches her limbs, and I can''t stop myself from looking at her perfect lips. I want toy beside her and im her mouth since our sweet moments together were stopped because of Calixto''s call, but I can set aside my desire and let her have a nice rest. Iy the flower on her nightstand and walk out of her room quietly. The moment I get outside her room, I came across my little sister, Lily.

    "She is sleeping, Lily, and I think we should let her rest." I said.

    "Um, okay, Hunter, do you have some free time thising weekend?" My little sister asked.

    "Why?" I asked her in return.

    "Can you take Maddie and me to theke so we can go fishing?" She asked, and I can''t help but smile at her.

    "Sure, I can never say no to you, sweetheart." I replied, and her face lit up, and she moves closer to me, and she hugged my waist.

    "Thank you, Hunter, I promised Maddie that we would go fishing someday, and I felt so d that you agreed." She dered.

    "You did? Well, thank you for keeping Madelinepany, Lily. I appreciate it." I spoke.

    "You don''t need to ask me what to do, Hunter, I love Madeline, and I always enjoy being with her." She said, and I couldn''t be happier at least one member of my family likes Madeline.

    "Thank you, big brother, for taking her back. I miss her." She said.

    "I miss her too, Lily, don''t worry, Madeline will stay here with us starting today; I will make sure she will never leave." I said.

    "You better be because I will never get tired of helping her." She said, and Iugh. I take Lily to her room, and I walk back to my bedroom, and I try to take some sleep, but no matter what I do, I can''t stop thinking about her. When I look at the clock, it is almost time for dinner, so I got up from my bed and walk to Maddie''s room, I knock, and I am still surprised to see how beautiful she is when she opened the door for me. She blushed, and I can tell she was thinking about the hot moment we shared, and I can''t help myself from beaming. She opened the door wide, and I get inside.

    "Thank you for the flowers, Hunter. They are beautiful." She said, and she sat down on her bed, and I walked to her couch and settled myself as I looked at her face. I asked her toe and sit beside me, and as she walks towards me, I can''t stop myself from swallowing my saliva as I watched her lovely face, and I want to tell Cal to change our wedding day tomorrow because I can no longer wait to have and to taste her. Because I can''t stop the aching that I feel, and I can no longer think of anything.

    "You are wee, Madeline, and I am d you like them." I replied.

    "Of course, this is the first time I received a bouquet, and I love it." She answered, and when she sat beside me, I can smell her shampoo and body wash. I pull her closer to me, and I can''t stop myself from iming her soft lips; I can tell how responsive she is, and I am shocked when Madeline kissed me back with hunger, and she slithered her tongue inside my mouth. I take her into myp, and she curled her legs around my waist. And I love the way she put her hand at the back of my head while she continues kissing me.

    Her sweet moans have ignited the fire that I felt, and as we are kissing, I put my hand on her thigh, and I caressed her smooth skin. This time I kissed her back expertly, and I can feel my erection between my legs, and I could say Madeline is turning me on beyond she could imagine. We were still kissing when we heard a loud knock on her door, and I know dinner is ready. We both looked at each other with a wide grin on our faces, and I am so d she is no longer upset with me. I help her fixed herself, and together we walk out from her room, and we find Cer outside her door.

    "Mr. Divenson and Ms. Brownwood, dinner is ready." Cer dered.

    "Thank you, Cer." We both said, and we made our way through the hallways, and when we reach the grand staircase, I find my sister waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs.. And she was smiling at us, and she focused her eyes on our entangled fingers, and I felt so happy to have Madeline back in the Divenson mansion.

 Chapter 40 - Whatever It Takes

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hunter! Maddie! I was waiting for you." Lily said after we met her at the bottom of the stairs.

    "Thank you for waiting for us, Lily!" Hunter answered with a wide grin on his face while I smiled at her; and she holds my left hand, and we walk like one family. We are almost in the dining hall when Hunter''s phone rings. We all stopped from walking, and he released my hand as he fished out his phone from his pocket.

    "Madeline, please go ahead with Lily since I need to take this important call." He said, and he answered his phone as he walked back to the living room. Lily pulled me going to the dining room, and as we near the banquet hall, I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous. It had been a while that I haven''t met the rest of his family. The moment we arrived, they all raised their heads and looked at us. I said my greetings, but as usual, they still treat me the same. They ignored me. As I sat down, his mother looked at me in the face and raised her eyebrow.

    "Why did youe back, Madeline? I don''t like you to be Hunter''s wife since you have nothing to offer my son. You will only ruin his reputation." Hunter''s mother said.

    "Yeah! Don''t you realize you are not wee here?" Charlotte said before I can even answer Leticia, and I tried to keep the smile on my face, and Iposed myself before I answer them.

    "Mrs. Divenson, your son, picked me up and begged me toe back here, and I think if you have a problem with my presence here, then I think you should ask your son regarding that matter," I said. I try my best to act normal because deep inside, I felt like running away again. I almost forgot they are this kind of people since how many days I was with the kind-hearted family I have ever meet, and I suddenly meet the Morigans.

    "Charlotte, I know you don''t like me being here because you want your friend, Kaye, to be Hunter''s wife, but I regret to tell you that your brother is still marrying me," I said, and I heard Parker chuckles.

    "Wow! She became feisty!" Parker eximed.

    "Enough, Maddie, where are your manners? Don''t talk to my wife and my daughter that way ever again." rk Divenson shouted at me, and I can feel my face turned so red. How can he defend his wife and daughter when they were the ones who insulted me first. So, instead of answering him, I lower my head on the table. I tried to keep strong, but Hunter''s family is too much. But I will never cry in front of them.

    "I am sorry, I amte. I answered some important calls." I hear Hunter''s voice as he gets inside the dining hall, and suddenly the facial expressions of his entire family except Lily change like they were so happy to see me. I couldn''t believe them, especially his mother.

    "Son, can you tell me the details of your wedding?" His mother asked him sweetly in the middle of our dinner.

    "Thank you for asking, mom, but I''ve got everything covered. Your gown will arrive within this week, and please, if there is some problem, you call Cal immediately so he can contact the couturier." Hunter said to them, and her mother looked at me with a beautiful smile on her face.

    "How about you, Madeline? Is your bridal gown ready?" Mrs. Divenson asked me, and I know she was faking a smile, and I smiled back at her, and the truth is I don''t have an answer for her question because on the day the couturier was scheduled to get my measurements was the day I left the Divenson mansion.

    "Madeline''s gown is also ready, mom, so you don''t need to be stressed about anything." Hunter answered for me, and I felt his hand squeezed me tight under the table, and I suddenly feel the thrill of his touch. And I am so d he answer her mother for me. We continue to eat in silence while Charlotte gives me hard stares every time she can get, especially if Hunter is not looking at her.

    After dinner, we go to the family room to drink tea, and Hunter was talking with his father about mining and gold deposits. Charlotte was so busy scanning on her phone, and I am just d Lily never left my side, and she was holding my hand the entire time. Hunter asked me to go ahead with Lily since he has something important to discuss with his dad.

    "I am so happy that you are now back, Madeline, and I am sorry that I prayed and wish to meet you again, and look at you, you are back in our mansion." The little girl said as we climbed the stairs going to our rooms., but I want to take her to her room first, and said good night to her. I want to spend more time with Lily, but because of my swimming escapade at Magnolia Vige, I can still feel the pains in my arms and leg muscles.

    "And why are you asking, sorry? You have done nothing wrong, Lily. Besides, I want to be here with you and to be with Hunter." I replied honestly.

    "You just returned and looked at what my mom and sister did to you." She dered.

    "Don''t worry, Lily, I can handle their insults, and besides, your mother has a point, there is nothing I can offer to your brother, Lily; it is the truth." I replied as I let out a sigh.

    "You are wrong, Maddie; you have so much to offer for my brother." She said.

    "Like what?" I asked.

    "Your love and your loyalty for him. That is what my brother needs. You don''t need to be wealthy and sessful, Madeline, because my brother is rich; he has everything if you will ask material things, and the only thingcking is love." She said, and my mouth suddenly felt dry.

    "I don''t understand about it, but I heard it from my nanny, Cer''s mother, she was talking with someone from the kitchen staff. I was worried about it when I learned my brother lost his ability to love." She dered, and I wish to ask Lily about Reba, but I realized that I don''t want to learn the truth because I am scared of what I will find out about her.

    "And when I first saw you, I felt so happy that my brother finally found love; Hunter likes you, Madeline. I can feel it." She said, and I smiled and ruffled her hair.

    "You always fascinates me, Lily." I said, and she opened her bedroom door.

    "Do you want toe in, Maddie?" She asked.

    "I''d love to, Lily, but I am having muscle pains because I enjoyed myself swimming with your big brother." I said, and she smiled widely at me.

    "Really? Wow, maybe next time, I will ask Hunter to go swimming just the three of us." She said, and I beamed at her

    "I love that, Lily. That would be fun." I said.

    "I am excited, Maddie, but we will do it one at a time; because this weekend we will have fishing, and I can''t wait for you to get married because once you will be my sister-inw, we have so many things to do together, and I am sure Hunter can''t say no to us." She said, and I can see the excitement on her face.

    "Wow! I am excited about it, Lily." I replied.

    "Good night, Maddie." She said and hugged my waist.

    "Good night, Lily, " I replied, and I kissed her head, and I turn my head with a broad smile on my face; Hunter''s sister always makes me feel better.

    I wonder why my bedroom door is ajar, and I can''t stop myself from thinking maybe Hunter is already inside my room, so I get inside immediately. My excitement is gone when I found Charlotte standing at the center of my room, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

    "Madeline, I am asking you to leave Hunter, and I will find you a ce where you can hide, and my brother will never find you." She said, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "Why?" I asked, looking at her beautiful face.

    "Because Kaye is better than you, besides they had history, I am warning you, Madeline, if you will not leave, I will make sure your wedding will not push through; I will do everything to ruin your rtionship with Hunter." She growled.

    "Why are you doing this, Charlotte? Why can''t you just let your brother be happy." I said.

    "Do you think you can make my brother happy?" She asked andughed, and her reactions make me so confused.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, but you are living in illusion; no one can make my brother happy except my friend, Hunter was hurt because Kaye left, and he is doing all this to get back at Kaye; besides, he only loves one woman in his entire life, and it will never happen to you. My brother will always be in love with Reba." She said.

    "You will never understand him, and only Kaye can tame Hunter, so you better leave, Maddie. Kaye will marry Hunter for business purposes and pleasure only. But you, my dear, are looking for love. That is why I am helping you, Madeline. You still have enough time to think, but if I were you, you better follow my advice." She added, and I became so speechless.

    "If you love my brother, and if you want to help him, you better leave without a trace, Madeline; besides, I will make it sure you will never be a Divenson." She said, and turned her heels away from me and get out of my door. Charlotte has been long gone, but I remain standing on my bedroom floor, and I became more curious about Reba, and Charlotte was right; Hunter is so in love with her that is why he had been calling her even on his dreams.. I don''t know what Charlotte''s hidden agenda is, but I will never leave her brother again; I love Hunter, and if his heart only belongs to Reba, and he is living from his past, I will do all I can to make him love me whatever it takes.

 Chapter 41 - Cruelty

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you alright, Madeline?" Hunter asked me as he found me standing on the floor, looking at the door after Charlotte left me, and I couldn''t believe I remain motionless for a long time.

    "Yeah, Charlotte dropped by." I said as I walked and went near my bed, and I sat down on the soft mattress and put my hands on myp, and I avoided his gaze.

    "Hey, I can tell you are upset, Maddie. Please tell me." He said in a soft voice, and as much as I don''t want him to hate his sister, I hate how Charlotte treated me.

    "She told me to leave you without a trace because it is only Kaye who deserves you." I said, and I lowered my eyes on the floor.

    "Madeline, please listen to me." He said, and he moves closer to me, and he sat down beside me. Then he cupped my chin and put some loose strands of my hair at the back of my ear.

    "I know, my sister, Charlotte, likes Kaye, but don''t listen to her, Maddie. I want you to be my wife, and no one can change that." He said, and he kissed my forehead.

    "And I want to tell you, Kaye is just a friend. But I will tell you honestly, we had a fling before, but it wasn''t serious, and it was from my past." He said, and I want to ask him about Reba, but my nervousness and fears stopped me, and I don''t want him to feel upset about me; maybe I should ask him about her some other time.

    "Hey, look at me, please." He begged, and I raised my head and looked at him in the eyes, and his hypnotic eyes made me stared at him without blinking my eyes.

    "Maddie, please stay with me." He said in more than a whisper, and before I can reply, Hunter captured my mouth with urgency, and I am lost for words as he takes over my hungry mouth. The euphoric feeling I feel is too much as he caressed me by the neck with his hands down to my shoulders, and when I felt his hand over my breast, I moan, and I felt Hunter''s strong hand trails his fingers on my legs going up to my thigh, and the anticipation that I feel is making me feel so hot.

    He caressed my thigh, and I felt Hunter lifted my dress to my waist as he continued to savor and kissed me on the lips hard and demanding and there is something in me that I want that I can''t pinpoint out; I can feel the desire to have him, and when I feel him touch me above my panties, I know I don''t want him to stop. He put his hand under my ckce panties, and when he stroked my sensitive part between my legs, I let out a soft moan. I felt the pleasure of his every caress, and the way Hunter yed with my bud is making me so wet that I know he makes me feel so good.

    "Maddie, you are so wet for me." He said in a husky voice, and he trails his tongue going down to my breast; and because of the euphoria that I felt, I didn''t notice Hunter pulled down my dress, and I can now tell I am almost naked in front of him after he discards my ckce bra.

    "Damn, you are so hot and beautiful, Madeline. You are making me crazy, and I feel so hard for you."Hunter said and groaned.

    "Then go crazy with me, Hunter." I said, and I didn''t know where did I learn to be a flirt, but I know it is because of how wonderful he makes me feel that is why I became like this. My desire is fueled by how he makes me feel horny. When he trailed his tongue around my breast and sucked my nipple, I hold into his neck as I pulled him closer to me as I arched my back for him to have the perfect angle as he ims my erect nipple. I know my words drive Hunter wild as he continues to y with my clit, and I know I am drenched, and I want to feel Hunter. And I can feel his erection as he carried me on hisp. He is getting bigger, and I am feeling so hot all over my body.

    "Hunter, " I softly moaned.

    "This feels so good." I added between my moan.

    "Come for me, Maddie." He whispered and nibbled my ear, and it made me go wild. I love the way he touched and kissed me, and when he put me gently into the bed, I felt frustrated when I don''t feel his touch and kisses; then Hunter trails kisses from my toes, going higher to my thighs. When Hunter kissed me on my sensitive part between my legs, my eyes roll at the back of my head as I can feel my orgasms building up on me. He knows how to make me feel good, and as he continues to kiss me, he never stops fondling my breasts.

    "Please, Hunter, take me." I begged, and I regretted that I said those words because Hunter stopped what he was doing.

    "Believe me, Maddie, I want to take you right now, and I am controlling myself not to have you because we need to get married first. I am dying to take you, Madeline, and I want to make love with you until morning." He said, and I felt disappointed and embarrassed simultaneously, and I hate myself for feeling so good. I got up from the bed and fixed myself.

    "Hey, please, Maddie." He said as he caressed my face, and then he takes me into his arms.

    "Madeline, if you will only know how much I ache for you, but you will understandter why I am doing all this." He said.

    "Hunter, it is okay; I am more frustrated with myself. I am sorry, I don''t know what has gotten into me." I replied.

    "Believe me; I am a virgin, Hunter." I said, and I hear Hunterughs.

    "Why are youughing?" I asked with confusion in my voice.

    "Because you look so adorable, sweetheart, I know you are a virgin, Maddie, you don''t need to say it to my face, and your reactions to my touches and kisses are only typical. You don''t need to feel embarrassed about it. It is not something to be ashamed of, and I want to make you feel good." He said, and I can''t stop myself from blushing.

    "Now, I want you to have a rest and forget about my sister; Charlotte is always like that; she wants attention, don''t mind her, Madeline." He said.

    "Good night, my sweet Madeline!" He said.

    "Good night, Hunter." I replied, and then he kissed me on the lips before he left me. I am touching my lips for a long time, and I smiled; Charlotte''s words prated within my core, but the way Hunter made me feel good was enough to make me feel better, and I sleep with new hope that everything will be alright.

    I wake up early because I n to go to Tony''s quarter. He helped me a lot, and I want him to know I am so grateful for his help. I took a bath and dressed in the mostfortable dress I can find if I could only choose my clothes. I want to wear jeans, shorts, or skirts with T-shirts, but I don''t know why Leticia always wants us to wear a dress. I love it, but I am used to my old set of clothes, and it is so hard to forget old habits.

    I struggled to remember how Lily and I had taken thest time we went to Tony''s ce. I want to bring Lily, but I don''t want her to wake up so early, so instead, I walk and search for the secret passage. Until now, I am still mesmerized by how big this mansion is; as I made my way to the farther side of the estate, I smiled because I find the secret door, I open it and walk leading to the back door, and I felt a little uneasy because the ce is a bit gloomy.

    I am startled when someone grabbed me from behind and pinned me to the wall, and he covers my mouth with his hand. I felt so scared, but I didn''t let my fear ovee my senses. I can tell he is strong, and I don''t have knowledge about martial arts, and anything but my determination to live is more vital than my fear. I try to move away from him, but he is fast in one swift motion. He was able to tie my wrists with a cloth.

    "I got you, Madeline, don''t move if you want to live." He said, and I can feel my entire body turned cold.

    "Parker, what do you want from me?" I asked angrily.

    "Do I need to state the obvious, Maddie? I love your body Madeline, and it is only a waste if you give it to my brother because he will never love you back. I can tell you are a virgin, Maddie, because my brother only likes virgin girls. And I want you to offer yourself to me because Hunter doesn''t deserve your virginity." He said in a growl, and I realized howe Lily and Hunter have this kind of sibling. Parker is worst than Charlotte. I wanted to scream, but I felt the tip of the knife on my side. And I felt so helpless. It is alreadyte when I thought I would have just asked for the right direction from Cer without using this secret passage.

    I felt Parker pulled up the hem of my dress, and no matter how I want to get away from him, he is so strong, and I felt him touch my private part between my legs, and I try to get away from his hold, but I felt the tip of the knife touch my skin. He dragged my panty down using his other hand. Why do I need to experience the cruelty of Hunter''s siblings? And I want to ask him how he can do this to his brother and me, and when I was about to lose my hope, I suddenly hear a loud banged.

 Chapter 42 - I Am Grateful

    Madeline''s POV

    "Damn you, Parker." I heard the booming voice of Hunter, and I never felt so d in my entire life to hear his voice. I am still trembling, and I felt delighted that I could no longer feel Parker''s hands on me, and when I looked around, Hunter already pinned his brother down to the ground. I am leaning on the wall for support, and I want to run and ask for help because I can tell Hunter is having a hard time because his brother fought with ease. I saw him punched Parker on his jaw one more time, and this time he stopped fighting with Hunter as his big brother unarmed him with his knife by twisting his wrist, and I hear Parkerughs.

    "Why can''t you let me have a taste of her, big brother? You can''t love her, so you should share Madeline with me." He said, and his words made me more scared of him, and I saw Hunter kicked his brother as hard as he could, and I can tell he is holding back his anger as I can see his fists curled on his side.

    "Don''t every a finger on Maddie again, or I am going to kill you, Parker." Hunter growled, and I can hear Parker groaning in pain, but it never stops him from talking.

    "Really? Will you kill your brother because of this woman? Come on, big brother, I know you can never love anyone except her. You will never get over Reba, Hunter. I love Maddie, so you better give her to me." He said, and even the room is partly dim. I can see the sudden change in Hunter''s expressions, and I don''t know if it was because Parker said he loves me or because he mentioned the name of Reba.

    "I am warning you, Parker, don''t ever go near with Madeline again. You are going to pay for this." Hunter said, and he moves closer to me, and he removed the tie from my wrists and touched my face softly.

    "Are you okay, Maddie?" He whispered in my ear, and I nodded. He took me out from the secret passage, and he calls someone on his phone.

    "Madeline, I am so sorry for what happened; I couldn''t believe my brother will do something like this to you. Did he hurt you?" Hunter asked after he let me sits on my bed, and I shook my head, but I couldn''t stop my tears from falling because I was terrified out there that Parker will take my virginity. I know I want Hunter to be my first, and I couldn''t imagine if his brother was sessful with his evil n, and I don''t know what would be the effect of Parker''s cruelty to my marriage with Hunter. And I am just d he came on time.

    "Thank you for saving me, Hunter." I said, and I felt he wiped my tears away.

    "I don''t know what I will do to him if I camete. If you want to file an assault case, I will not stop you, Madeline. He should learn his lesson the hard way. He carried a knife, and he could have killed you. I will support you, Maddie, tell me, and I will call mywyer." Hunter said.

    "I hate what Parker did to me, but I don''t want your parents to hate me even more." I replied.

    "Maddie, my brother, hurt you, and they should not tolerate his evil-doing." He said, and hebed his hair with his fingers, and he put his hands on his face, and I can tell he is still furious with Parker.

    "It is okay, and he didn''t cut me with the knife." I said.

    "Yeah, but he could have taken your virgin by force; I already asked my father that after our wedding I will bring you to my new house; I build it for us even before I met you, and I will take you there, even if my dad is against it, now that this happened, I will not tolerate Parker''s game. He is too much." He said, and I can tell he is still angry because his face is still red.

    "Don''t worry from now on; I will assign someone to look out for you." He said.

    "Hey, you don''t need to do that Hunter, I can take care of myself. Besides, I will be careful from now on. I am sorry, it was the fastest way to go to the back door. Lily took me there once when she helped me run away." I said and lowered my head because I was ashamed of what I did thest time; I know it was childish, but what can I do? I was hurt, and only Lily cares for me in this house.

    "It is only temporary, Maddie. Until we get married, I will let Roman lookout for you, but don''t worry, you will not notice he is even there, that is his job, and he is one of the best among my bodyguards. I don''t want you to feel scared every time you get out of this room." Hunter dered.

    "Most of my essential things are already in that new house, the construction was finished a long time ago, but I couldn''t move because of my parents. I didn''t tell my parents about it because I know they will freak out. After all, our family tradition was that the eldest son would inherit this house, but I want a new one to build our family together." Hunter added.

    "Now, I need to go to work, and I am alreadyte. I will instruct Cer to bring you whatever you need, and I understand if you don''t want to eat at the dining hall. You can stay here, and I will call Lily and asked her to apany you." He said, and when he looked at my face, I can see the worries on his handsome face.

    "Okay, " I said weakly, and he cupped my chin, and Hunter kissed me on the lips. It was quick but enough for me to feel butterflies on my stomach, and when he stopped kissing me, I dare to taste his lips again, and I am d Hunter didn''t disappoint me. He kissed me rough and demanding, and I want him to continue to kiss me and make me feel good again, but I understand that he needs to go to his office.

    "Madeline, if I don''t have an important meeting with my clients in an hour, I want to spend more time with you and kiss you until you are gasping for air, but I need to go. I promise you, and I will be sleeping beside you tonight." He said, and I blushed. I know I made a move with Hunter, but I feel so desperate to kiss him. Hunter left, and he locked my door, and Iy on my bed thinking about the things his siblings have done to me.

    I know I need to be ready for the worst. I don''t know what Charlotte mean when she said she would make sure I will never be a Divenson. I couldn''t believe they can do something like this, maybe Charlotte nned all this, and she asked her brother to make me scared and leave this house. But I will not surrender; Hunter''s spoiled siblings must learn their lessons. Someday I can get back to them; I am not an evil person, and I don''t want to get revenge, but they make me feel so little, and now they try to hurt me physically. I am still thinking of stopping his siblings from harassing me when I hear a soft knocking on my door. I get up from my bed, and I am surprised to see Lily with Cer standing on my door.

    "My big brother told me you are not feeling well, Madeline, so I asked Cer to bring you breakfast." Lily said, and I looked at her adorable face, and I couldn''t believe she has evil siblings.

    "Thank you, Lily." I said, and I open the door widely, and Cer put down the food on the adjustable folding table.

    "Thank you, Cer." I said.

    "You are wee, Ms. Madeline; Mr. Divenson told me to stay here with you so when you need anything, I can get it for you, and he reminds me it was my primary job, which is why he hired me." She said.

    "No, you don''t need to do that Cer, I can take care of myself, but Hunter doesn''t need to know all about this. Don''t worry, and I won''t tell him you didn''t stay with me; you can now go back to the kitchen or your quarter." I said, and she smiled shyly at me.

    "I am sorry, Ms. Madeline, I guess Mr. Hunter is terrified if you will run away again, so this time someone is watching your door, and I think he is going to report me if I do not follow his instructions carefully." Cer dered, and it made my eyes widened.

    "Really?" I asked in bewilderment, and I am confident he is not afraid if I will run away again, but he is more fearful of his brother wille near me. I eat my breakfast while Lily is talking with me animated. I told her about my adventure in Magnolia, and I can tell she was fascinated by my story. I told her about the beautiful beach in Magnolia Vige and how wonderful the Morigan family are, and I suddenly miss them, and I call Lianne. She was ecstatic to hear my voice, and she let me talked with Lydia and Jack.

    They all tell me they miss me, and they want me toe and visit them sometimes, and I told them maybe after the wedding I can see them again. I asked Lianne to give me the phone, Gina, but she said my best friend left because of an emergency, and I suddenly felt nervous. I said goodbye to the Morigan''s and I tried to call Gina''s phone, but she won''t pick up my call, it only keeps on ringing. I hope everything was alright.

    Lily stayed in my room the whole day; she also asked Cer to bring her food in my room. Cer excused herself, and I spend my time with Lily. She taught me painting, and I realized it was hard if you weren''t born with it, she wasughing at my artwork, and I felt so d I have Lily on my side.

    Then Cer is knocking on my door again, and I am shocked to find Gina standing outside my door beside her.

    "Gina!" I eximed, and I ran and hugged her.

    "Why are you here? I thought you would be staying at the Morigan for the entire summer." I said, and I still couldn''t believe she is here in the Divenson mansion.

    "Ms. Maddie, I will bring Ms. Gina to her room first, then you can talkter." Cer said, and I nodded.

    "It was your fiance who asked me toe here." Gina said with a wide grin on her face, and I felt so touched by Hunter''s gesture, and I couldn''t wait to see him tonight and tell him I am so grateful for what he had done to make my day better after the terrible incident this morning that I experienced with his brother.. And I couldn''t help but smile, thinking he was thinking about my welfare.

 Chapter 43 - Never Been So Sure

    Hunter''s POV

    I don''t want to leave Maddie in her room alone, not only because I want to sleep beside her, but because I am scared if she will run away again. I wouldn''t say I like it that I have to order the security guard to check all the cars every time the mansion employees will go out. They should make sure Madeline is not going out in the mansion without my permission, and I hope she will not learn about this that I won''t allow her to get out from the Divenson mansion while we are not yet married. I am sure she will hate me if she realizes I tightened security so she couldn''t get out. I am not making her a prisoner, but I don''t want her to leave me again.

    I hate myself because of my stupidity. I lost my chance of sleeping beside her at the Vi. I know I have her in my life out of necessity. I need her to produce an heir, but every time she is around, I can''t deny she awaken something deep inside my core, and I am trying to fight it. I want to go to her room and spend the night with her, but I know she was still tired from her swimming yesterday.

    It took me a long time before I finally go to sleep, and when I wake up the following morning, I suddenly felt nervous, and I want to see Maddie. When I go to her room, she was not around, and Madeline made her bed, and I think I am getting paranoid since thest time she ran away. It is still very early in the morning, I go to the ground floor quickly and search the whole floor, but I could not find her. I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous, and when I am about to go back to the second floor to check if she could be in Lily''s room, I caught the door of the secret passage going to the staff houses is slightly open.

    I slowly walk to the door, and I red up when I saw my brother harassing Madeline. Parker is trying to take advantage of her, I know my brother has the same built like me, but I know I am more robust than him because I always do my daily exercise routine early morning. I used all my strength when I hit my brother on his jaw then I pinned him down on the ground. I have a hard time steadying him because he fought with me with ease. I punched his jaw one more time, and this time he stopped fighting me as I unarmed him with his knife by twisting his wrist, and I was stunned when I heard my brother''sughter.

    I can feel my anger level up when Parker asked me to allow him to taste Madeline since he said I could never love her, so he told me to share Maddie with him. I kicked my brother as hard as possible, and I want to beat him until he can no longer walk, but I don''t want to put thew in my hands. I want to give my brother a lesson.

    I told him not toy a finger on Maddie again, or I will kill him, and I can hear Parker groaning in pain, but it never stops him from talking. And he told me in my face that I could never love anyone except Reba. As much as I don''t want Maddie to know regarding my past, my beloved brother mentioned Reba''s name, and I can no longer ask him to shut his mouth. I can''t stop feeling anxious because I am worried about making Madeline walk out of my life again. It made me angrier when he begged me to give Maddie to her.

    "Madeline is not a toy, Parker, she will be my wife soon, and you should respect her and me as your elder brother, but it seems you are testing my patience. I have seen how you looked at her, but I ignore it because I couldn''t believe you can do something like this. I am warning you, Parker, don''t ever go near with Madeline again, and I am telling you, you are going to pay for this." I said, and I moved closer to Maddie and removed the tie on her wrists, and I caressed her face softly.

    I whispered in her ear if she was okay, and she nodded. I can feel she is still trembling with fear, but she tried her best not to show it to me. I take her out from the secret passage, and I get my phone and call Roman. And I told him to handle my brother, and I know Parker can''t get up on his own. I take Maddie to her room. I apologized to Maddie for what my brother did to her, and I asked her if he hurt her. I felt d when she shook her head, but I know if I didn''te on time, I can''t forgive myself because I know my brother could have harm Madeline, and when she cried, I can feel her pain, and I softly wiped her tears away.

    "Madeline, I am sorry, but I promise you, I will never allow anything like this to happen again. I will protect you, Maddie." I said and kissed her forehead.

    She thanked me for saving her life, and I told her to file an assault case against Parker because I want him to learn his lesson the hard way. He carried a knife, and he could have killed Maddie. I will support her, but even though my family mistreated her and Parker almost harm her, she still thinks about my parents. She doesn''t want them to hate her even more.

    I don''t want to leave Madeline after what happened earlier, but I have an important meeting with clients. And as I looked at her beautiful innocent face, I can''t stop myself from iming her cherry red lips. It was only a quick kiss but enough for me to feel the electricity that travels my entire frame, and when I stopped kissing her, I am surprised when she captured my lips again, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled. I kissed Maddie rough and demanding, and I want to continue to kiss her and make her feel good again, but I need to go. I kissed her on the cheeks, and I get out of her room in haste.

    As I drive my car to my office, I called Lily to instruct Cer to prepare a breakfast meal and bring it to Maddie''s room. I asked her to apany Madeline the whole day, and my sister felt so excited that she would be spending the entire day with Madeline.

    "Hello, Mr. Divenson?" Gina answered on the other line.

    "Gina, I told youst time, call me by my first name." I said.

    "I am sorry, Hunter. What can I do for you? Is Madeline alright?" She asked, and I can hear the worries in her voice.

    "Do not worry, Maddie is fine. I call you because I want to know how much do you earn in your job at the restaurant of Lydia?" I asked.

    "And why do you ask? Just the minimum rate, but the tips are fantastic." She answered.

    "I will triple your sry plus allowances. Do you want to work with me?" I asked.

    "Wow, and what kind of job is that?"

    "Your only job is to apany Madeline in the Divenson mansion while she is staying there, and don''t worry, I will pay you the remaining days of your summer vacation even if you are no longer working with me," I said. I thought she hung up on me because it took her a long time to answer me.

    "You want me to work with you? But my only job is to apany my best friend to your mansion? Do I hear you right?" She asked, and I can tell she is still doubtful about my offer.

    "Yes, Gina, look, I don''t want your best friend to run away again, so I was thinking maybe if you are in the mansion, you can make her stay there, and she will no longer think of staying away from me. All you need to do is make her stay at the mansion."I said, and I hear Madeline''s best friendughs.

    "Is there anything funny, Gina?" I asked, confused.

    "You are funny, Hunter. I couldn''t believe that the most handsome eligible bachelor in the city was afraid of something like that, you can have any woman you like, but I will hate you if you do that to my best friend. I am just stating a fact." She dered.

    "Don''t worry, Gina, I only want Maddie to be my wife. That is why I am asking you to work with me, so do you want to work with me?" I asked again.

    "Of course, I''d love to; your job offer is beyond I can imagine, Hunter, and this is the most fantastic job I will ever have in my entire life. Spending time with my best friend the whole day is terrific." She responded.

    "But I require you to stay in the mansion, Gina. You have to be with Madeline all the time if I am not around, and I want you to start today and kindly tell Lydia I am begging you toe. Please, Gina, I need your help." I dered.

    "You don''t need to beg me, Hunter; it is okay with me if you will only give me an allowance; you don''t need to pay me the basic because I will be doing this for Madeline." She replied, and I felt so relieved because, with Gina in the house, I know Madeline will no longer think of leaving the mansion.. I know I am not only doing this for Maddie but myself because now I have never been so sure in my entire life that I want Madeline to be my wife.

 Chapter 44 - Hoping For The Best

    Madeline''s POV

    "Maddie, why didn''t you tell me the Divension mansion is so big and beautiful? You are living like a Princess. Even your room is spacious, I couldn''t believe I am finally here with you, and I felt so happy that I could finally sleep in a mansion too. You are so lucky, Madeline." Gina dered, and she sat beside me on the couch inside my room. She is wearing her favorite jumper with a white blouse. And I can''t stop myself from smiling at what she had said. But my facial expression suddenly changes when I realized Hunter''s family, especially Charlotte and Parker.

    "Gina, you are right, this house is so big, but I would rather live in a small house and spend my days with poor but humane peoplepared to living in such a big house, but mypanions are notpassionate. You should know I am not lucky, and if I am going to think about it, I realized it was as if destiny had deprived me of having a good life." I replied.

    "Hey, don''t say that Madeline, I know your life has been challenging, but you are still fortunate that you were able to meet someone like Hunter Divenson." She responded.

    "I don''t know, Gina, but I can''t tell you yet if my life with Hunter after I married him would be better. I am so happy that I experienced my first love with him, but I know I am going to face another battle after we get married." I dered, and she stared at me for a long time before she finally speaks.

    "How can you say that? Do I need to know about something?" Gina asked, and I can tell she looked so curious.

    "I think Hunter can''t love me in return, and I guess what we have is one-sided love, I know I should never fall for him because he only wants to marry me so he can have a child, and if not because of my father''s dying wish I wouldn''t be here right now." I said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so hurt."I don''t think so, Madeline. Hunter likes you." She replied.

    "Because he wants something from me, Gina, you have to understand I am his best choice because I am poor, an orphan, and most of all I need money to help my aunt, besides I know now if he marries someone from the Elite family, it will onlyplicate Hunter''s life. I am the most eligible candidate, Gina, because he can discard me quickly." I replied.

    "Maddie, I think you are only overthinking; if you only knew how much he begged me toe here and apany you, you will realize how much he cares for you, and I think he is falling in love with you," Gina said, and I can''t stop myself fromughing.

    "And why are youughing, Maddie? Are you okay?" She asked, and I know she looks so confused why I amughing too much even though my heart is aching and how I wish what Gina said was true.

    "Gina, don''t be fooled by Hunter''s sweet gesture because I know the reason why he can''t love me because he has someone from his past that he can never get over with, and her name is Reba," I said, and her eyes widened.

    "And how did you know about this Reba girl?" She asked.

    "Hunter''s sister, Charlotte, warned me that his brother only loves one woman in his entire life while his brother, Parker, told me the same thing, and the worst part I heard Hunter called her name in his sleep, and he was crying begging her not to leave him," I said, and I saw that Gina could not believe what she heard. She was stunned and unable to speak.

    "So, you understand now what I mean, Gina?" I asked, and she shook her head."No, I still believe he is beginning to fall for you, Madeline, and let us assume he loved someone before, but right now that you are here in this mansion, I am sure he will turn his affection towards you." Gina dered.

    "I know sometimes you are hardheaded," I said."Yeah, and I also know almost all the time you won''t listen to me; believe me, Maddie, Hunter, will fall for you." She responded.

    "I don''t want to listen to your reasoning, Gina, because I don''t rely on impossible things." I countered.

    "But to tell you honestly, I hope what you said will happen in reality, but I don''t want to hope, Gina, and get hurt in the end, but this time I realize I need to believe in miracle because I love Hunter, and I want him to realize that I also deserve to be loved, and I wish that the time wille when he will be able to love me too." I dered, and I can see her face lights up.

    "That''s the spirit, Madeline. At least Hunter Divenson changes some of your outlooks in life. I felt d that you learn now how to hope and wish. Don''t worry, Maddie, everything will be alright." She responded and takes my hand and squeezed them.

    "Well, let us see what would be your reaction after you meet the rest of the members of his family," I said, and she raised her eyebrow.

    "Well, I am here to protect you from them, Maddie." She said seriously, and I shook my head and smiled widely at her."I don''t need protection, Gina, because I can take care of myself; my only problem right now is how to protect you from them." I said, and I let out a heavy sigh.

    "Lily is likable and Hunter, and if you are not only my best friend, I won''t believe you that the rest of his family is making you miserable." She said, and I nodded.

    "Well, tell me what would be your opinion of themter during dinner. By the way, why are you here, Gina? How about your work?" I asked as I realized her new job at Lydia''s restaurant.

    "Aren''t you happy that I am here? I told you already, your fiance asked me to be here with you, and please don''t get angry, he asked me to work for him, and my only job is to apany you so that you won''t get bored here." Gina responded, and I felt so touched by Hunter''s way of showing me his concern. I know he was terrified of his brother''s evil n, and I can''t tell Gina about it because I don''t want her to get angry with Parker.

    "Of course, I am so happy, Gina, but I don''t want to drag you into this mess." I said."Don''t worry, Maddie, I am not afraid to face Hunter''s family." She said and gave me a reassuring smile. By the time Lily gets back to my room, she brings some board games, and we spend the rest of the afternoon ying games and talking, and I couldn''t be happier. I wish to get Lily to go to the Magnolia Vige and have some fun with the Morigan family.

    "Gina, please choose some dress from my closet." I said to my best friend, and she raised her eyebrow."We should wear formal clothing every time we join them in the dining hall or the family room, so you better move now before Cer wille and get us."Why do I need to wear a dress?" She asked, and like me, she is not fond of wearing dresses because she also prefers jeans and shirts.

    "I am sorry, Gina, but as per my mom, the female should wear appropriate clothes, so, you don''t have a choice but wear a dress if you want to have dinner with us, but if you want, I can ask a maid to send food in your room," Lily said to Gina, and her eyes get so big.

    "Wow, this feels like we are living in a pce, no wonder Hunter told me that I should wear the clothes I will find in my cab inside my room, and I think I should head back and change into a dress." She said, and I am no longer shock that Hunter bought dresses for Gina; maybe he already nned on asking Gina toe here and be with me, and he was only waiting for a perfect opportunity, and what happened this morning triggered his interest in asking my best friend toe here and live in the Divenson mansion for the meantime that our wedding is still past approaching.

    It is time for dinner, and I am so excited to meet Hunter. And when Cer fetched us into my room, I can''t stop myself from feeling anxious because I don''t know how I will face Parker after what he had done to me, and I am also thinking about Gina''s presence in the mansion. I know Gina is fearless, but the rudeness of Hunter''s siblings can lower her self-esteem.

    We get out of my room and proceed to the dining hall. I can tell Lily likes Gina, too, and she looked so happy while she was holding my hand as we walk. And I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart as we get inside the dining room, and I can see Hunter''s parents sitting on their usual spot and Charlotte, and I felt so relieved that I haven''t seen Parker. I greeted them good evening and introduced Gina, but they didn''t bother to say hi to my friend. But instead, Hunter''s mother looked at me with too much hatred in her eyes.

    "If you n to flirt with my two sons, you must y it perfectly. How could you use Parker? You already fooled my eldest child, and now you include my second son. What kind of woman are you, Madeline Brownwood?" Leticia Divenson said, ring at me, and her words made my mouth hangs open. How could she use me of something like that?

    "I don''t understand what you mean, Mrs. Divenson. I only love Hunter, and what happened this morning was Parker''s fault, and I couldn''t believe until now that he almost harm me. I didn''t use him, and Hunter caught your son pointing a knife on my side." I replied, and her face darkened, and I can feel my entire body is trembling as I remember how her son almost takes advantage of me.

    "You nned everything, Maddie." She snarled.

    "Yeah, and we know you are lying, Madeline," Charlotte added."That is enough, mom, and Charlotte! I know what Parker did this morning since I have seen it with my two eyes, and stop treating Maddie that way, she is innocent, and you should be the one who should ask an apology on behalf of your son''s malicious act." Hunter said, and I can feel his anger in his voice, and her mother''s face softened, and Charlotte red at me.

    "And you should be thankful that Madeline didn''t file a case against Parker because I am willing to support her, and she was thinking about you, mom. She doesn''t want you to hate her even more, even though Madeline has done nothing to you. I never thought you are hurting Madeline every time I am not around. I can''t believe you will do this to me, mom. I am so disappointed with you." Hunter added, and I felt shocked when he takes my hand.

    "Come on, Maddie, let us have some dinner somewhere else, Gina, pleasee with us. You can alsoe with us, Lily, if you want." He dered while his mom stands up abruptly, and I can see Lily smiled while she stands up from her chair.

    "Son, please don''t do this." His mother said, and Hunter stopped on his tracts and looked at his mom."Mom, I only asked all of you as my family to ept Madeline as my future wife, and I hope your treatment towards her will change," Hunter said, and he turned away and dragged me with him in going out from the dining hall. I don''t know what will happen now that he knows only Lily treated me warmly.. I like how he defended me to his family, and I am hoping for the best oue of tonight''s incident, and I wish they will finally ept me as Hunter''s wife to be.

 Chapter 45 - He Will Be There

    Madeline''s POV

    Hunter didn''t let go of my hand until we reached his car. He opened the passenger''s door for me, and he also helps me fastened my seatbelt. I can feel that my fiance is not in the mood; well, Hunter always looks intimidating and seldom smiles. I am afraid to talk, and then before he starts the car, I couldn''t believe he looked at me and smiled.

    "Where do you want to eat, Madeline?" He asked, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so excited, and I turned my head and looked at his sister.

    "Where do you want to eat, Lily?" I asked, and I almostugh when I see how much her eyes turned so big.

    "Thank you, Madeline; would it be alright if we will eat some burgers and fries?" She asked with sparkling eyes, and I know how much she craves this kind of food because they always eat based on their mother''s taste. And I looked at her brother, and I can see the wide grin on Hunter''s face.

    "Of course, sweetheart, tonight we will eat your favorite food," Hunter said as he looked at Lily''s reflection in his rearview mirror. And I can''t help myself from smiling, and I can tell Lily is very excited to tour the city.

    "Can we watch a movie, Hunter?" Lily asked, and when I looked at him, Hunter is nodding his head.

    "Sure, we will do whatever you want tonight, Lily." He said, and I felt so happy that I would spend time with the people I care about, and Lily was ecstatic as we ate our dinner, and I felt so conscious every time I caught Hunter staring at me. I know he will be my husband soon, but I am not still used to his intense stare, and it makes me feel so hot all over my body. And I can''t stop thinking about the sweet moments I shared with him, and I am excited to be alone with him again.

    We hit the cinema after we eat our dinner, and I feel so happy when Lily holds my hand as we wait for Hunter as he lined up to buy tickets for the animation that we are going to watch, and of course, it was Lily''s choice.

    "Madeline, I am so happy tonight, and I felt guilty because my mom hurt you again," Lily said as he looked up at me.

    "Don''t worry about it, Lily. Your brother defended me, so I felt okay now. But you know what, Lily? I don''t want your mom and Hunter to have a gap because of me, and I am still hoping that your mom will like me someday." I replied.

    I felt so happy that Hunter decided to take us out, and I know he was disappointed with his mom, and I hate that they have some misunderstanding because of me. But Leticia''s words pierced into my heart, and I still wish that a time wille that Hunter''s family will ept me to be part of their family.

    By the time we get inside the theater, Hunter holds my hand, and I can feel the sparks that ignite my entire frame, and I can''t stop myself from grinning from ear to ear, and I am just d he can''t see my face because of the darkness inside the cinema. I am seated in between Lily and Hunter while Lisa settled herself next to Lily.

    "Are you having fun, Maddie?" Hunter whispered in my ear, and it made me feel goosebumps all over my body. I noticed he was looking at my face most of the time while we were watching the show. I felt shy when I can''t control myself andughed with all my heart content together with Lily and Gina, the movie was so funny, and even though Hunter was sitting beside me, I can''t stop myself fromughing out loud. And I think only Hunter didn''t enjoy the show because I haven''t heard himugh even once.

    Is he for real? Or maybe it was because he was looking at my face the entire time, and I can''t control myself from blushing every time our eyes meet. It has been a long time that I watched a movie together with Gina. There are a lot of good movies that I missed because I am so busy working my different part-time jobs.

    "Yes, Hunter, and I am sorry if Iughed loudly, this is the first time I have fun after a long time, and I want to say thank you," I said and turn my head to him. I suddenly felt I am out of breath when I realized his face is so near me, and I thought he would kiss me, and my anticipation was killing me, and I felt a little frustrated when he moves away from me, then he looked at me in the eyes.

    "I love it that you are having fun with my sister, I felt guilty because for how many times I promised to watch a movie with her, but due to my busy schedule, I always had no time to apany my sister." He said, and I can feel how he cares for Lily.

    "And now hearing my sisterughed with you and Gina warmed my heart." He added.

    "Why aren''t youughing with us?" I asked, and he smiled at me, and it was the kind of smile that will make my heart beating so fast like I was running.

    "Well, I always miss the fun part because I can''t stop staring at your beautiful face, Madeline, and I can''t wait to be alone with you." He said, and I think I am going to melt. I didn''t expect Hunter to act this way, but I am enjoying every moment of it, and I love the way he teases me right now that I am seated beside his sister. I don''t know how to react, and I want to flirt back with him, but I felt uneasy because Lily is sitting beside me even though I know she wants to see Hunter and me being so in love with each other. I only smile sweetly at him because I don''t know what to say to him, and I return my gaze on the screen. I can no longer concentrate on the movie because Hunter held and squeezed my hand, and I am so excited to be alone with him.

    Lily was talking to us the entire ride in going back to the Divension mansion. And I can tell Hunter was fascinated by his sister, and I felt so d that the house is so quiet by the time we arrived. Even though I am so worried about Hunter''s parents and his two other siblings, I feel better because now that Hunter knew that they mistreated me, I hope there would be some changes in their treatment. Gina said her goodbyes to us, and I know she has so many things to ask me, but she can''t talk to me yet because of Lily and Hunter''s presence.

    "Goodnight, Hunter, and thank you so much for tonight; I had fun." Lily said, and she hugs her brother, and he kissed his sister on her forehead.

    "You are wee, Lily." He replied.

    "Good night, Maddie, and see you tomorrow." Lily said to me, and she embraced my waist tightly, and I encircled my arms on her back.

    "Good night, Lily." I said, and I kissed her cheek, and then she walks away from us. Hunter was silent, but he put his arm around my shoulders as we walk to my bedroom, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so uneasy.

    "I will go backter, Madeline. I need to go to my room first." He said, and my heart shouted with joy.

    "Okay, " I replied in more than a whisper because I can hear the loud beating of my heart.

    "See youter, my sweet, Madeline." He dered, and he left me in front of my door, and I get inside my room with trembling knees because I felt so exhrated to be sleeping beside Hunter again. I quickly take a bath, and I hate myself that I try to look for the sexiest nightgown I can find in my closet. I know I should not feel embarrassed because I am his fiancee, but I can''t control the emotion I felt towards Hunter.

    Hunter didn''t knock on my door, but instead, he went straight into my room, and I swallowed my saliva when I raised my head and looked at his toned body. He was wearing a sleeveless top and sleep shorts. I was already lying on my bed, and hey beside me immediately. And when Hunter pulled me closer to his muscr body, I closed my eyes because I want to savor this moment. Having him so close to me makes me feel so at peace.

    "Madeline, I don''t know how to apologize to you. I am sorry for my parents and siblings, and now that I know the truth about their treatment towards you, rest assured nothing like that will happen ever again. I will be your husband in less than two weeks, and I should be your protector, Maddie. Don''t worry, and I will make sure no one can hurt and harm you ever again." He said, and I can feel his steady heartbeat as she put my head on his chest.

    "But I am so proud of you because you are a strong woman, I hate myself that I didn''t tell them never to hurt you, but they are my family. I expect them to treat you nicely, and I know they want Kaye to be my wife, but I only want you, and I hope they will respect my decision as well." He added, and I am speechless because I felt so overwhelmed with too much happiness.

    "Be patient, Madeline; after our wedding, I will take you out of here. I don''t care if my father will get angry unless they treat you fairly, whether I am present or I am not in the house. I should have known they were only acting nice towards you every time I am around.." He said, and he pressed his hard muscles on my body, and I can feel the electricity that travels my entire frame, and this time I can say I am no longer afraid to face his whole family again, knowing he will be there to protect me.

 Chapter 46 - Hunterâ€™s Mom

    Madeline''s POV

    When I wake up the following morning, I am disappointed when I couldn''t find Hunter beside me, and I miss him already, and when I stand up from my bed and pick up my phone on my nightstand, I can''t stop myself from smiling when I see he has a message for me.

    "Good morning beautiful, I am sorry if I didn''t wake you up because you were sleeping like a baby. I need to leave early because of some problem at the site, don''t worry, I will make it up with youter this evening. I want to take you out to dinner, just the two of us." He said, and I giggle as I reread his messages, and I felt excited about having another date with him. I am shocked to receive a text from Gina asking me if I am already awake, and I replied to her immediately, and secondster, I heard her knocking softly at my door.

    "Why did you text when you are already standing on my door?" I asked, but I am shocked to find Leticia Divenson in front of my door instead of my best friend, and when I looked around, I can see Gina on the hallway leading to her room, and I realized she was also on her way to my room to talk with me, but Hunter''s mom came first. I suddenly felt so nervous because I didn''t expect Leticia will visit me in my room. I didn''t show her that I am affected by her presence, but I brace myself from possible snarky remarks from Hunter''s mother, and I was stunned when I find her smiling at me.

    "Can we talk, Madeline?" She asked, and I only nod because no words came out of my mouth. She gets inside my room with poise, and I can tell her eyes are examining my room with herser eyes; and I am just d my room is spotless, and I already made my bed. She turned around and looked at me in the eyes, and I am mesmerized to see her face this close; Hunter''s mother is beautiful beyond words, and no wonder where Hunter got his handsome look. Her perfect face is incredibly worthy of praise, and I felt so tiny standing in front of her.

    "Madeline, I know I have been harsh to you from the first moment you arrived in our mansion. I know I judged you before I was even able to know you. But it was all an act. This morning I came to apologize for everything that I have done. I know it wouldn''t be easy on your part living in this house with no one to turn to except my younger daughter, Lily." She said, and I am shocked to hear Hunter''s mother apologizing to me.

    "It is all up to you, Madeline, if you will believe me or not, but after what happened with you because of Parker, I realize you are a wife material for my son. And I need to do something to keep you here in this house. As a mother, I love all my children, but I have done something terrible to Hunter. I can''t tell you about it yet, but someday I will share it with you." She said, and I can feel her sincerity.

    "Of course, I believe you, Mrs. Divenson, please have a seat." I replied and motioned for her to sit down, and I am so happy that I found my voice again.

    "Thank you, Madeline, and I am sorry if my husband and children judged you based on your status. Being an illegitimate child was not suitable for my son, and rk wants him to find the best woman to be our son''s wife, buttely, I realized he doesn''t need someone wealthy and from the aristocracy social ss." She added as she settled herself on my sofa.

    "This is the first time I saw my son interested in someone after, of course, his first love." She said, and I want to ask her if she was talking about Reba, but I am still in my state of shock because Leticia Divenson humbled herself and apologized to me.

    "It is okay, Mrs. Divenson, I understand you only want to protect your son, and I know I am not the right one for Hunter." I said, and when she stared at my face, I can see her sympathy.

    "Look, Madeline, I know I haven''t been a good mother to him when he needed me the most, but you must understand I was so afraid of his father. rk is very strict, and I don''t need to borate on his personality because I don''t want you to hate my husband even more." She said, and I realized their family is not perfect as it seems.

    "I tried my best to help Hunter, but his father threatened me. I know I came from a wealthy family, but the moment I married rk, I belong to him; I was so much in love with rk that no matter how hard my life is from the moment I married him, I stick around because of our children." She said and let out a soft sigh, and I realized Leticia Divenson was a battered wife.

    "Mrs. Divenson, I don''t know the whole story, but if you needed someone to talk with, I am just here willing to listen, and you don''t need to worry about me because I understand, and I already forgave you. I felt so happy that you came and talked with me." I responded, and she took my hands.

    "Thank you, Madeline." She said, and I saw tears that welled up in her eyes.

    "Hunter needs you, and I am sorry that my other son fell in love with you too. Now that I am this close to you, Maddie, I realized how beautiful you are that no matter how I tried my best to stop my son from marrying you, he still wants you, and not only that. I also understood now that you are a kind woman, you didn''t file a case against my other son, I know he almost takes you by force, and he could have killed you, Madeline. I understand that the rivalry of my sons will never end." She said and never released my hands.

    "To tell you honestly, when people see us in magazines, they thought we are a perfect family, but it was far from the truth, Madeline. This house is full of mysteries and lies. But I am asking you don''t leave my son ever again, for he needs you in his life. I know Charlotte will be your constant enemy because she will only listen to her father, but I am hoping that someday she will realize how cruel her father is, and I want her to be friendly to you." She said, and I pity Leticia now.

    "You can call me mom, but if we are in front of my husband and children, just call me, Mrs. Divenson, for the time being, but after your marriage with Hunter, you can call me mom even in front of other people. I wee you to our family, Madeline. I don''t want my children to hate their father. That is why no one knew about rk''s brutality towards me." She said.

    "You should learn to fight him, Mrs. Divenson, your children, are now all grown-ups, and Lily is not a child anymore." I said.

    "I hope it would be that easy, Maddie." She said, and I can see the sadness in her eyes.

    "I should go now, and I hope you understand me now, Maddie, as a mother, I want my son to be happy, and I hope you will stay by his side whatever happens." She said meaningfully, and I am now thinking that something is going on in this household that I need to uncover, and I think this has something to do about Reba.

    "You don''t need to worry about it, Mrs. Divenson, I love Hunter, and I will fight for my love for him." I replied.

    "Thank you, Madeline. When you left, I was terrified if Hunter will lose himself, and I felt so happy when he found you. I better get going now before rk wakes up." She said and stood up, and I send her to my bedroom door. And I am shocked when she hugs me, and I felt so happy that Hunter''s mom finds a way to talk with me, and now I realized her words are only for a show, she didn''t mean every word she said on the first day that we met.

    "Does it mean you don''t hate me?" I asked, and she nodded her head and smiled brightly at me.

    "No, I don''t hate you, Maddie, and it was the opposite. Do you know I cried when I am alone because I felt so guilty that I have hurt you? You are innocent, Maddie, and I want you to stay away from this house, but I realized you are a strong woman and a fighter, and you are the only one good for Hunter. And I can see how much you love him, so I am hoping you will never run away from him again, and I am excited about your uing wedding, Madeline." She said.

    "Thank you, Mrs. Divenson." I responded, and she hugged me one more time before she left my room. Hunter''s mother had long gone, but I remain standing in front of my door, still unable to believe what happened, and it made me realized Hunter''s mom has a difficult life. She was hiding everything from her children because of her undying love for her husband.

    I can feel that rk Divenson is hiding something, and I will never stop myself from discovering the truth. And I want to help Hunter''s mom even though two of her children are doing bad things to me.. But at least now I have Lily and Leticia on my side, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so excited to be Hunter''s wife and help him heal his broken heart even though I don''t have any idea what happened to Reba, his first and only love.

 Chapter 47 - Dinner With Hunterâ€™s Mom

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you okay, Madeline?" Gina asked when I open my door, and I dragged her to get inside my room because I don''t want Charlotte to find her outside my room. I wonder what happens to Parker after the incident because Hunter didn''t tell me anything while I forgot to ask Leticia about him.

    "Yes, I am fine." I replied and motioned her to sit down.

    "Wow, I am dying to talk with you after we arrivedst night. Still, I know your prince charming wanted to be alone with you, so I decided to wait until this morning. And when I was on my way, I saw your dragon mother-inw be standing outside your door, and before she can see me, I turn around because I don''t want to be the center of her attention. She could blow her fire on me. I couldn''t believe you are living in this house with mean people like them." She said, and I am looking at her worried face.

    "Well, Lily is adorable, and of course, Hunter. I know his father is the worst. I didn''t hear him talk, but I can feel it, then I couldn''t believe Hunter''s mom, who looked like an angel, but she has a mouth of a devil, and Hunter''s sister is the worst. And now I realize what you mean when you told me I could tell you what would be my reaction after meeting the rest of his family, and you were right, Maddie. I should never told you that you are the luckiest woman in the entire world because it was the opposite." Gina added, and I let my best friend continue talking because I can tell she was very shocked about what she witnessedst night.

    "Hunter begged me to be here with you and try my best to convince you to stay, but I am having a second thought. I don''t want you to have this kind of life, Maddie. You are happy even if you were trying your best to make ends meet, but at least I know there are times you were happy, especially every time we spend time together." She dered and looked at me in the eyes.

    "I know, Gina, it was hard living in this mansion, but I love Hunter, and Leticia Divenson came this morning to apologize." I said, and she raised her eyebrow, and I know I can trust Gina, so I told her everything.

    "Wow! I wonder what kind of secret Hunter''s father has. Are you going to tell Hunter about it?" Gina asked me, but I shook my head.

    "No, not yet. Besides, I don''t want to tell Hunter anything without evidence." I replied.

    "Okay, so at least Hunter''s mom is on your side now. What would be your n, Maddie?" Gina asked, and I sighed.

    "I don''t know, Gina, but I need to do something to help Hunter and his family." I dered.

    "Madeline, I know you care about Hunter, and you even love him, but I don''t want you to be hurt, so you better be careful all the time, and as much as I want to run away from this ce, I want to stick here with you because I can''t leave you alone in this mysterious ce." She replied.

    "You don''t need to do that, Gina. You can leave me here, and you don''t need to apany me. I can take care of myself." I responded.

    "I know you are strong and brave, Madeline. Still, it is a pity because Hunter is paying me a reasonable amount of money plus the allowances, so I better take this opportunity so I can concentrate on my studies since I want to focus on my course, and if ever I can save a lot of money while working here in the Divenson mansion I will not have a part-time job on the first semester. Unlike you, your husband-to-be is loaded., so you don''t need to work anymore." She dered.

    "Well, I am nning to ask him if I could have a part-time job since I don''t want to stay here the entire day doing nothing because I don''t like the maids serving me; I have not been used to this kind of life, Gina." I responded.

    "Well, you should get used to it because you are going to be a Mrs. Divenson soon, and you have to ept you are going to be a billionaire''s wife, and you will be living like a princess, Maddie, you need to embrace your destiny." She said, and I looked at her with worries in my eyes.

    "I don''t know, Gina; I want to help Hunter, but I am so afraid if I will learn about Reba, and I am not sure if I can take it." I said.

    "Madeline, she was from his past, and you are the present, and always remember we all live in the present day, not in the past." She said, and I looked at her with a smile on my face.

    "Thank you, Gina, for your words of wisdom." I replied.

    "So, are you ready to give up your virginity to Hunter? Are you excited?" She asked, and I blushed because I can''t stop myself from recollecting the sweet moments I shared with Hunter.

    "You blushed. Does it mean you already did it?" She asked, and I can tell she is excited to know the details.

    "No, but Hunter did something to warm me up, and I felt ashamed because I asked him to take me." I said, and I can feel my entire face felt so warm.

    "Oh, I see, so you already saw him naked?" She asked, and I can''t stop myself from giggling as I nodded my head.

    "That is good, and I can''t wait when you experience the real thing; believe me, Madeline, it is a wonderful feeling to experience." She dered.

    "I know, Gina, it must be so wonderful because I only have a taste of it, and I can''t stop thinking about his touches and kisses." I said, and she smiled.

    "Wow! You want to do it, and I can tell it by the way your face flushed just thinking about it." She stated.

    "Yeah, but Hunter told me to wait because he wants it to be special for me, and he wants me to be ready, and he will take me after our wedding day," I replied.

    "Oh, Madeline, Hunter is so romantic. No wonder you are head over heels with him." Gina responded, and I smiled.

    Lily arrived in my room, and she brought her board games again. My conversations with Gina about Hunter and me stopped, and we yed the entire afternoonughing. And Leticia asked the kitchen staff to prepare tasty snacks as per Cer. During dinner, I received a text from Hunter that he couldn''t join us to eat supper, and he asked me to eat without him. We go to the dining hall together, and this time, I am no longer afraid to face his family, knowing his mother is on my side. I am shocked to find Leticia sitting alone in the dining hall.

    "Lily, Madeline, and what is your name again, dear?" She asked Gina, and I am d I already informed my best friend about Leticia Divenson''s life, and she is no longer surprised to see her different side.

    "It is Gina, Mrs. Divenson." My best friend replied politely.

    "Wee to our home, Gina, and I believed you are Maddie''s best friend, thank you for spending your time with my future daughter-inw. Have a seat, please, and Lily,e here sit beside me." She said, and I can tell Lily is thrilled that her mom showed me her hospitality.

    "Charlotte will sleepover at Kaye''s ce while my husband is having a meeting with his friends, and Parker is on vacation, and he will be back on your wedding day, Madeline," Leticia said and looked at me meaningfully, and now I understand her.

    "So, please help yourself, Maddie, and Gina. After this, I want to have tea with you girls." She dered, and I can''t stop myself from beaming at her and how I wish Hunter is dining with us right now.

    "Hunter will not be joining us for dinner because he needs to go to the site," I said to his mother, and she nodded.

    "After your wedding, Maddie, try to ask Hunter toe home after office hours and begged him to spend more time with you. It would be nice to spend more time together after being married. Don''t worry, I will also ask my son to spend more time with you. I know Hunter is hardworking, and he is so afraid if thepany will copse again, he spent time making it back to its former state. I know because of bad investments that my husband got involved with, our miningpany suffer, and I am just d Hunter did his best to save it from bankruptcy." Leticia added, and I am so proud of Hunter, and I can''t wait to see him tonight.

    We continue eating our meal, and for the first time, I felt so happy inside the Divension mansion because I felt so at ease right now, and I can feel Leticia''s motherly love, and I realized she is a good mother. We stayed in the family room drinking tea while Lily asked for a milkshake. The little girl is beaming the entire time.

    "Mom, do you like Madeline now to be Hunter''s wife?" She asked, and I almost spit the tea that I was drinking.

    "Of course, Lily, I like Maddie the way you like her, and I can tell she loves your brother. That is why I want her to be Hunter''s wife, and I can say your brother likes her too." Leticia replied softly, and Lily''s face lights up with happiness.

    "This is great, mom, thank you.." She said and hugged her mother, and I felt so touched by Lily''s concern for me, and I realized I love her like my own sister, and I couldn''t be happier.

 Chapter 48 - Fishing Day

    Hunter''s POV

    "Are you okay, Mr.Divenson?" I can hear Calixto''s voice behind me as I stared at the scenery below; my office was on the top floor of the Divenson building that is why the view of my office always fascinates me, especially at night, the glittering of lights made me feel rx even though how tired I am during the day. It is the same with our mansion. The Divenson mansion is on top of a hill and so far away from the busy metropolis, and during night time we can see the beautiful city lights.

    "Why do you ask me that kind of question,Calixto?" I asked as I turn around to look at him.

    "I noticed you are not in the mood today, you were so grumpy this morning, and even until now, I can tell there is something that bothering you," Cal said, and I realized he really knows me.

    "Yeah, you are right, Cal, I am angry, and I want to punch someone," I replied, and I can see the stunned expression on his face, and I wanted tough because I can tell he was afraid of me, and it seems he thought I am going to hit him.

    "Who made you so furious, Sir?" He asked softly, and I know I need to tell someone or else I will lose my mind, and I know I can trust Calixto because he knew almost all my secrets, and I am confident that I can trust him.

    "Rx, Calixto, even though so many times you disappoint me but never in my life that I want to punch you." I said, and I can see that he rxed himself.

    "My brother, Parker, almost hurt Maddie, and I am so angry with him that he disrespected me; I couldn''t believe my brother will do this to me, Cal." I said and let out a heavy sighed, and I can see how his facial expression changed, and he looked so worried now, and sometimes I thought Calixto is Madeline''s father and not Frank.

    "Really? How''s Maddie? Is she hurt?" He asked me.

    "No, she is fine, Cal, I was very thankful that I arrived on time to save her, and if not, I couldn''t forgive myself." I said, and he smiled widely at me.

    "I am d you are now showing your true feelings for Madeline." He said, and I can''t stop myself from scowling, and this time I can''t tell Cal how I feel for Maddie because even me is not sure of myself. I know I am trying my best to stay away from her as possible, but I can never stop my heart from feeling this way towards Madeline. I can''t deny she makes me feel so much alive, and I want to take a chance on her.

    "Cal, I told you to stop believing that I will fall for Madeline because it will never happen. I can tell you like Maddie for me, but you know the drill because you are the only person who knew about the actual reason why Ms. Brownwood is staying in our mansion." I dered.

    "If that is the case, why did you picked her up yourself in Magnolia Vige when you can order me to fetch Madeline, and if you don''t care about her, how could you exin to me why do you need to stay overnight in the Vi that you bought in Magnolia Vige?" He responded, and I gave him a hard stare.

    "Do you want me to fire you, Calixto?" I asked.

    "On what grounds? Because you realized what I have said were all true?" He asked, and I know he feels so confident that I won''t fire him.

    "I don''t need any grounds to fire you because I am your boss, and I can pay you a good amount of money." I dered, and he cocked his head.

    "For how many times you told me you would fire me, but it never happens because you need me, Mr. Divenson, but you don''t need to worry because all your secrets are safe with me." He answered, and I can''t stop myself from shaking my head.

    "You better get back to your table now, Cal." I said, and he excused himself and got outside my office. Calixto was right after what happened. I felt so worried about Madeline''s safety, and I am d Roman informed me that Gina is in Divenson mansion already, or I will never feel at ease. I cancel myst appointment of the day. After all, I want to arrive at the estate before dinner because I want to see Madeline. I told my dad that I want Parker to stay in one of our properties in the city, and he can onlye back on our wedding day. I threatened Parker if he will not follow my request, I will not hesitate to file a case against him.

    I did not expect that when I arrived at the mansion, I can witness that my dear mother said mean words to Madeline and also my sister Charlotte. I felt so disappointed that it was not only Parker who made Maddie''s stay in our mansion miserable, almost all of them, and now I can tell only my little sister weed Maddie genuinely in our home. And I realized I was not the only reason why Madeline ran away. They never treated her nicely, and I can tell my father was also doing the same because I can see the hatred in his eyes as he stared at Maddie''s beautiful face.I didn''t listen to my mom''s plea as we leave in the mansion, and I felt so d that I decided to eat our dinner in the city because I make Lily so delighted.

    "Lily, tonight is your night because you wee Madeline into our home warmly, and I felt so happy about it. That is why your wish is mymand." I said to my sister as we eat our dinner, and her face lit up, and she asked me immediately if we could watch a movie, and I can''t say no to her.

    Days passed, and I felt relieved that Charlotte stayed in Kaye''s house and my father is busy with his new business ventures. I know he still wants to run the miningpany, but after what happened, he realized he would not touch our mining business, and he asked me to finance his new business, and I can''t say no. He told me we should give my brother a chance to run the newpany, which I wanted for a long time. It is about time for Parker to show his abilities, and I know my brother has potential, but right now, I am still furious with him, and I know it will take a long time before I can finally forgive him. Even though I evicted him from the house, he still reports to his office every day.

    It is Saturday, and I already informed Gina she can have her day off during weekends, and I can tell she left the mansion early because I didn''t see her car in the garage during my early jog this morning. I changed my fitness attire into casual shorts and a t-shirt, and before I can get outside my room, I heard a loud knock, and I am surprised to see my sister standing in front of my door with her hands on her hips, and she looks so mad at me.

    "Good morning to you, Lily!" I greeted her, and I can tell she is upset with me by looking at her face.

    "Do you know what day is today is?" She asked.

    "Yes, it is Saturday, and why do you ask, my dear?" I replied, and I can''t stop my curiosity.

    "Hunter, how could you forget?" She asked.

    "About what?" I asked in return, and she stomped her feet, and she looked so adorable right now.

    "We will go fishing with Madeline!" She eximed.

    "Oh, I am sorry, Lily, you know I am a busy person, and I forgot to tell my secretary to put it on my calendar so she could remind me.

    "Hunter, I am your sister, and Madeline is your fiancee, and you don''t need to put us in your calendar because we are a family member, not one of your clients, and don''t make a promise if you can''t keep it because it will make you a bad person." She said and turned her heels away from me, and I am controlling myughter because I don''t what her to hear meughing at her because of the way she talks. Lily is remarkable.

    "Hey, Lily, wait up, please!" I yelled, and I am d she stopped walking, but she didn''t turn her head to look at me, and I can tell my sister hates

    me right now. I move closer to her, and I put my hands on her shoulders, and I slowly turn her around so she will be face to face with me.

    "I only said, I forgot about the fishing thing because of my busy schedule, but I didn''t say we could not go, and it is still very early, Lily, kindly go to Madeline''s room and tell her we will go fishing." I said, and she smiled widely at me, and turned around, and ran in the hallways in going to Maddie''s room. I prepare the fishing equipments that we need including our food.

    "Hey!" I said the moment I picked them at Maddie''s room, and I can''t stop myself from staring at Madeline''s beautiful face.

    "Hi, good morning, Hunter." Maddie replied, and even her voice sounds beautiful to my ears, andI can tell she feels conscious as I continue to give her my intense stares.

    "It is indeed a beautiful morning, Madeline." I said in more than a whisper because I can''t control the racing of my heart when Madeline is looking at me the same way I am staring at her.

    "Hunter, stop gazing at Madeline''s face, we need to go now before the sun will go up." Lily said, and that is the time I stop looking at Maddie, and I can tell I blushed. But it didn''t stop me from holding Madeline''s hand, and I can feel the electricity that travels from my fingertips to my toes.. And I felt so excited to spend my entire day with Madeline and Lily, and I will try my best to make this fishing day extra special, and I realized I want to spend time alone with Madeline when I caught her stealing nces at me, and I can tell she feels the same way too.

 Chapter 49 - Mysterious Wedding Gift

    Madeline''s POV

    I hate myself because of how many times Hunter caught me staring at him, and I am just d every time our eyes meet, he was looking at me with the same intensity. I want Gina toe with us, but I can tell she missed her parents. That is why she agreed when Hunter advised her to go home if she wants.

    "Madeline, this is your chance to get closer with your fiance, and I know you are excited to go out with him together with Lily," Gina replied to my text before I sleptst night.Hunter looks so hot driving the mansion''s golf car, and I realized they have a mini-golf course at the back of their estate. I appreciate the beautiful greenndscape that surrounds the entire mansion, and as we drive away, I am fascinated by how big is their estate is. I realized the Divensons are so lucky to live their life in luxury.

    They live in a big house while I grow up with no permanent address because of my mom''s nature of work; until such time, she was diagnosed with cancer, and we could no longer afford to rent an apartment. And it was the time she begged my aunt to move into her house, and my aunt sank into debt because of us. Every day was a battle for me, especially when my mom''s body started to deteriorate, and how I wish I already meet Hunter Divenson at that time. Maybe I could have saved my mom.

    By the time we reach our destination Hunter prepared the fishing rods, together with the bucket and the baits, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so excited because this is my first-time experience fishing. I can tell Lily has been doing this with her brother because she gets her flexible fishing rod, and she put the bait quickly on the hook, and she easily flicked the fishing rod from behind her towards the water. Hunter instructs me on how to use and put the lure on the tip of the hook, and when he stands behind me and guides my hands, I think my entire body ignites with fire. His proximity makes me feel so hot all over my frame.

    He didn''t leave me, and I think I can''t catch a single fish because the fishes will know I am feeling so nervous the entire time he was standing near me, and I can feel the hair on my neck stands as he whispered into my ear.

    "Try to steady your hand, Maddie. Are you okay?" He asked, and when I turned to look at him, my mouth brushed his cheek because I didn''t expect that he moves his face closer to me, and before I can move away, Hunter captured my mouth, and it was only a quick kiss. Still, I can feel fireworks release from my body, and as he holds my waist and scooted closer to me, I think I am going to fall on the water because my knees felt so weak.

    "You need to rx, Maddie." He whispered, and I can''t stop myself from having goosebumps all over my skin, and I smiled, even though I felt my whole frame is trembling. And it feels so lovely to be this close with Hunter Divenson; I can''t get enough of his closeness, and his masculine scent is making me crazy, and I know I am still blushing, and when he moved away from me, I can''t stop myself from feeling so disappointed. He got his fishing rod and threw the tip on the water. Then, I am startled when Lily screamed as she tried to pull her rod out of the water, and her brotheres to Lily''s rescue, and she squealed when she realized she caught arge fish.

    "Madeline! Can you see how big the fish that I caught? You are my lucky star, I have been fishing with Hunter, but this is the first time I get arge fish that I couldn''t even lift my fishing rod." She said with excitement on her face, and I am smiling at her. She looks so beautiful right now.

    "Wow, I felt honored, Lily. I wish I can also get some fish. I don''t care if it is not big as long as I will experience it too, " I didn''t finish my sentence because I feel my rod moves, and I think I already got one, and when I haul my rod, I got a medium-sized fish, and I felt so happy.

    "Lily, look! I got my first fish!" I yelled with excitement, and Hunter moved to my side quickly and helped me removed the fish from the hook and put it on the bucket. And I can''t stop myself from grinning from ear to ear.

    "Have you never experienced fishing, Madeline?" Lily asked me, and I shook my head.

    "This is my first time; you know I don''t have time to enjoy this kind of activity, Lily, and thank you for inviting me to go fishing with you and Hunter," I replied, and she smiled at me.

    "Well, you will be Hunter''s wife soon, and this will be our pastime, and you know we don''t need Hunter toe with us next time. We can ask one of the drivers to bring us here anytime." He dered, and I looked at her and smiled.

    "That would be lovely, Lily, and I can''t wait to spend more time with you," I replied, and we both looked at Hunter when he cleared his throat and looked at us like he was hurt.

    "That is not cool, Lily. I shoulde with you every time youe here, even though thiske is on our property, we do not know if there are bad people around here. So, it would help if you informed me every time you n to go fishing, my dear sister." Hunter dered.

    "Okay, besides, I want you toe with us anyway." She said happily.

    I couldn''t believe we caught so many fish, and we go to the nearby tree. And Hunter gets the pic nket, and Lily ced it on the ground while I get the basket with food. And he returned to the car to get the cooler. Then he started making fire, and I am impressed that he knew how to do things like this even though he grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. I can tell Lily is so happy as she arranged the food at the center of the nket, and this is my first time having a pic.

    Hunter started grilling the fish, and it smells so good that I heard my stomach growled when I saw him served the newly cooked fish. We started eating our lunch, and I realized the freshly caught fish is tastier than the fish you can buy in the market.

    "Wow, this is so tasty, Hunter!" The little girl said.

    "Yes, this is so yummy," I added as I eat my share. We also have mixed vegetables and fresh fruits, sd, sandwiches and bread, and junk food for our snacks. After eating lunch, we put away the food into the basket, and Lily presented her board games, and we started ying until she gets bored. And shey on the nket while she put her head on myp, and Hunter leaned his body on the tree trunk while my back is on his muscr body, and it feels so peaceful, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so sleepy because of the gentle breeze that touches my skin.

    Lily fell asleep soundly, and I can''t stop myself from caressing her head while she sleeps. And I felt Hunter''s arms around my waist, and I don''t want to go back to the mansion yet because I want to enjoy my pic experience for the first time. I only believe this scenario happens only on television, but right now that this is happening to me, it feels surreal.

    I fell asleep, and when I open my eyes, I saw Hunter staring at me, and my head was on hisp; and I wonder how I changed my position, but I felt so conscious because of Hunter''s intense gaze. The sun was setting on the horizon when we made our way back to the mansion, and I felt so happy as I said goodbye to Lily the moment we arrived at the house, and she told me she would go to herroom to have some rest. Hunter sends me to my room, and he kissed my forehead before he left going to his room.

    When I get inside my room, I saw arge gift beautifully wrapped in a silver wrapper, and I wonder who left this gift for me. And when I get closer, there is a note on top of the present, and it says"

    "Congrattions, and please wear this on the night of your wedding day, and don''t say thank you because it is our tradition." I find the note so odd, but I ignore it because I felt so overjoyed with happiness.

    I can''t stop my curiosity, so I open the package, and I am shocked to see a beautiful light blue Cindere inspired gown and ss shoes, and I smiled as I think of Hunter''s thoughtfulness. Then I noticed a jewelry box, and when I open it, it was a beautiful ne with a heart-shaped pendant.

    The days passed in a blur, and my wedding gown is ready. And I couldn''t believe tomorrow I will be marrying Hunter, and I realized his brother is now back in the house, but I didn''t let Parker''s presence ruin the happiness that I feel. I am excited for tonight because it is a tradition of the Divenson family to have a ball before the wedding day of the eldest son. Hunter asked me to choose any dress from my closet, but I remember the dress I received from him, and I realized tonight I would thank him for his gift even though it says I should never say thank you.

    The guests started to arrive, and Gina helped me with my hair and make-up. I haven''t seen Hunter the entire day. Still, he texted me sweet nothings, and I felt so excited to see him tonight because the ball is for us, it is a social event even though the number of guests on our wedding day is limited, but the visitors of the pre-wedding ball are so numerous.

    The ball started, and when I hear the emcee called Hunter''s name, I can''t stop my heart from beating so fast. When she calls my name, and I descended the grand staircase with a beautiful smile on my face, and I am stunned to see the horrified looked of Hunter''s family, especially his mom, while I saw Charlotte''s sinister smiles on her face, and I realized something is off.. When I looked at Hunter at the bottom of the staircase, he was staring at me with so much anger on his face, and before I can reach him, he walked out of the party in a hurry, and I am left so hurt and confused.

 Chapter 50 - He Is A Mystery

    Madeline''s POV

    "My sweet, Madeline, see you tonight; I can''t wait to dance with you and put my arms around your tiny waist, I wish to dance with you until the pre-wedding ball is over, and maybe we can have some prenuptial sweet moments because I can''t stop thinking about you the entire day. I miss you so much, Maddie." That was Hunter''sst message, and watching him run away from me like I am a ghost was too much to handle. I can see that our guests'' eyes are on me, and I am standing at the bottom of the staircase feeling so lost, and I don''t know what to do. I can tell they are murmuring into each other, and I am sure they are talking about me.

    I felt betrayed and humiliated, why he has to run away from me, and what I can''tprehend he was looking at me with so much anger and hatred on his face. Lily saved me from further embarrassment. She ran towards me, and she took my hand and dragged me going upstairs, and I am so thankful she made a move, or else I will be standing in front of all the guests like a stone. As I walked with Lily, I can hear Kaye and Charlotte''sughter.

    I didn''t let my tears fall because I know if I will cry, I will lose my tears, and I don''t want to lose more. My heart is in too much pain, and Hunter''s sudden walked-out episode makes me so confused. How can he be so sweet a while ago and turned out like that in front of everyone? Most of the guests are his parents'' friends and associates. The only guest I have is Gina, and I can hear footsteps following behind us, and when I looked around, I can see my best friend running after us. I didn''t see her in the crowd a while ago, and I wonder where she went.

    "Madeline, wait, what happened?" She asked.

    "My brother has done a tremendous job of hurting Madeline by running away the moment Maddie arrives at the bottom of the stairs after the host introduced her as his fiancee. Where did you go?" Lily responded, and asked Gina, and I can see the tears on my best friend''s face that welled up in her eyes.

    "Why? How could Hunter do this to you?" She asked while I only shook my head because I don''t want to talk. And I know she cries easily every time I am hurting she will cry for me.

    "Your sister Charlotte asked me to get some wine from the bar." Gina said to Lily, and I know it was part of Charlotte''s n to make me feel alone. How could Charlotte break my heart this way? I have done nothing to her, and I know it was because of her friend, Kaye. And I hope I know what is wrong with Hunter.

    "Madeline, don''t worry, everything will be alright. I will try to look for Hunter." Lily said the moment we reach my room.

    "Thank you so much, Lily. I don''t know what to do without you." I replied.

    "I don''t know what happened because before the program started, Hunter talked with me, and I can tell he was so excited to see you, but I wonder why he looked at you that way. You looked so beautiful with your Cindere inspired dress, and your makeup is only light. I still can see your real beauty." Lily said, and I smile at her even though I don''t feel like smiling at all, but this little girl always brings out the best of me.

    "I should go now, Maddie." She said, and then she faced Gina.

    "Gina, please stay with Madeline." She dered and turned her heels away from us, and I realized she looked like a teenager with her gown; Lily is beautiful like her mom and tall for her age. I slowly open the door of my room, and Gina is silently following behind me.

    "Do you want me to leave?" She asked, and I nodded my head, and she turned around and walked back outside my room. I know Gina knows me because she is my best friend all through these years.

    "Madeline, I know you want to be alone, but I want you to know I am just one text and one call away." She said before she closes my door. I didn''t take off my dress. I go to my bed immediately, and I curled myself into a ball, and I could no longer hold my tears. I am crying because I felt so frustrated that Hunter walked away from me just like that. And I can''t imagine his anger towards me, and he could have at least tell me what is going on.

    I get up from my bed and get facial tissue from my dresser, and I go back to bed in the same position. I was crying because I miss my mom, and I wouldn''t say I like that I am in this kind of situation right now. I hate Hunter for walking out on me, and I am so worried that he will cancel our wedding tomorrow. I don''t know how many hours had passed, and I am still lying on my bed thinking about what happened when I heard a soft knocking on my door, and I am too tired to get up.

    "Lily, I am sorry. I think you shoulde back tomorrow." I said as I can hear her walking towards me.

    "Madeline, I am sorry what happened out there." I am surprised to hear Leticia Divenson''s soft voice, and when I turned around, I saw her sat on the edge of my bed, and she smiled weakly at me. I got up from my bed and sat beside her.

    "You don''t need to say sorry to me, Mrs. Divenson. It was your son who walked away from me and not you." I replied.

    "I am not saying sorry on behalf of my son, and I am asking an apology on behalf of my daughter, Charlotte. No one in this household knew about Reba except us, Hunter''s immediate family." She dered, and I suddenly felt curious, could it be Reba attended the pre-wedding ball, and Hunter got so angry because I am standing there instead of the love of her life.

    "Can you at least tell me what is going on, Mrs. Divenson? As you can see, I am so affected by what happened because I am in love with your son." I dered, and I am no longer ashamed to tell her how I felt towards Hunter, and I can see how her face softened.

    "Oh, Madeline, I thought my son is already over her, but by the way he looked at you a while ago, I can say my son is still hurting, and I hope you can help him." She said.

    "I don''t know what is going on, and I am not sure if he still wants to marry me." I said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so sad.

    "He walked out, but it doesn''t mean the wedding is off. You are still marrying my son tomorrow, Maddie." She replied.

    "Are you sure he won''t run away from me again?" I replied, and she smiled at me.

    "Yes, I do. Hunter needs you, Maddie." She answered.

    "What I have done to him? Why did he walk out? He embarrassed me in front of everyone." I dered.

    "How did you get this dress, that shoes, and that ne?" She asked, and my eyes widened.

    "I thought it was him who put the package on my bed, he even instructed me to wear it on the night before our wedding day, and I never knew there would be a social ball." I replied, and she shook her head while she holds my hands.

    "Well, Charlotte must go over to her brother''s stuff. That dress, shoes, and that ne belonged to Reba." Mrs. Divenson said, and I felt my body stiffened, and I remember what Charlotte said to me. She warned me to do everything she can to stop his brother from marrying me.

    "What happened to Reba?" I asked.

    "I know it is not my story to tell, but I don''t want you to remain blind in this situation; I know now the reason why my son wants to marry you, to satisfy his father''s wishes, but he contradicts him by choosing you instead of Kaye or another woman that came from a wealthy family. rk wants my son to marry someone from the elite ss to sustain the business because he was so afraid that ourpany will copse again. He wants assurance, but I know Hunter harbors resentment towards his father." Leticia said.

    "Reba was Hunter''s first love, but Reba was only the daughter of our cleaningdy. Hunter''s first love was beautiful like you. I can see how their love story blossom. She alwayses here to help her mom while I can see my son how he became so in love with Reba." Leticia added, and I can''t stop feeling jealous of Reba because I can tell how much Hunter loves her.

    " I know they be a couple, and they were so in love with each other that was what I think, but when my husband finds out about it, he became so mad. rk is not like that; he always wants what is best for his children, but he tried everything to separate them. Reba wore that dress on the night before their wedding day, during their pre-wedding ball, but it seems history repeats itself tonight." She continued, and before she can tell me more, we heard knocking on my door, and when I opened it, I found Cer standing outside my door.

    "Mrs. Divenson, your husband is looking for you, Ma''am." Cer said, and Leticia got up immediately.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, I need to go now, and I wille back to tell you more." She said.

    "Thank you." I replied, and she smiled, and she softly touch my face.

    "Madeline, I want you to strengthen your faith, and please don''t give up on my son.." She said, and it seems her request is soplex to do because Hunter Divenson is a mystery that I need to solve with a brave heart and mind.

 Chapter 51 - Rebeccaâ€™s Stuff

    Hunter''s POV

    I can''t stop thinking about Madeline after our fishing date, and I am so happy that Lily told me that my mom likes Maddie now. I know I should say to her about the Pre-Wedding Ball tonight, but I don''t want her to freak out. That is why I only told her this afternoon, besides. My mom prepared everything because before she gets married to my dad, she also attended the same social event; it is always part of our family tradition.

    I got busytely. After all, I will not be around after our wedding day because I have to spend days with my bride, and I can''t stop myself from feeling excited. Thinking about Madeline right now makes me want to go home and spend the entire afternoon making love with her. I am eager to im my bride-to-be and hear her moaning with my every kiss and touch. I know Madeline is waiting for this moment because I know she became more in love with me, and I hope everything will be alright.

    "Maddie, please get ready with the Pre-Wedding Ball tonight, my mother prepared everything to make this event sessful, and I can''t wait to see you. Just choose any gown you want from your closet." I texted her.

    "Pre-Wedding Ball? What does it mean?" She texts back.

    "It is one of our family traditions, and it is for us, so I want you to get ready. It would involve eating, drinking wines, and dancing." I replied.

    "Oh, I see, but I don''t know how to dance." She responded to my text quickly.

    "Don''t worry because I will be dancing with you." I replied.

    "I can''t wait." She said in her reply with heart emoji, and I smiled, and I felt so excited.

    "Mr. Divenson, I am d you are texting Madeline." Calixto said after he looked at me, smiling on my phone.

    "And how did you know I was texting, Madeline, Cal?" I asked.

    "Because you are smiling, you seldom smile with your clients and employees, Mr. Divenson, and you were looking at your screen with Madeline''s photo on it." He said, and I couldn''t deny it with Calixto.

    "Don''t forget to attend the ball tonight at our house. I will be expecting you, and Madeline will be happy to see you." I said.

    "Of course, I will not miss it because I want to see her, and I haven''t seen Maddie in a long time." He replied, and I looked at him.

    "Tell me honestly, Cal, is Madeline, your daughter?" I asked, and my question took him off guard.

    "What you mean? I don''t understand you at all." He dered, and I halfugh.

    "Nothing, never mind my question, Cal, don''t bete, okay?" I dered, and he nodded.

    "Of course." He replied, and he took the papers on my tray and got out of my office quickly.

    By the time I arrived at the mansion, I can see the cars had lined up outside our main gate, and I can tell the parking lot is already full, and my mom won''t allow having the car parked on her Bermuda grass, so the guests who wouldete need to walk reasonable distance going to the mansion. I couldn''t believe my parents invited so many guests. I used the back door to get inside my room without passing the main living room where the party is held.

    I thought my mom wouldn''t do this, and I was shocked when she informed me about itst week. I choose another formal suit from my closet and put it on my bed before I get inside my bathroom; my excitement of seeing Madeline is killing me. After taking a warm bath, I put on my clothes and walked towards the reception, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous.

    "Hunter!" Kaye said the moment I find her wearing a sleeveless backless dress with a long slit from her thigh down to her ankle. And a lot of men are looking at her with lust.

    "Hello, Kaye, thank you foring." I dered, and I can see her enthusiasms, and I am shocked to find Kaye so excited for tonight when she hated the idea that I am marrying someone. Maybe she already epted the fact that I am not marrying anyone except Madeline. The host opened the program by talking about some of the wedding traditions, and I guess my mom already told him about our family beliefs.

    "Without further ado, I would like to wee the groom to be, no other than, Mr. Hunter Divenson, the CEO of the Divenson Mining Corporation. A big round of apuse, please." The emcee called my name, and I walked in front of the guests at the bottom of the stairs waiting for my fiancee.

    "And now, let us all wee the future bride of Mr. Hunter Divenson, Ms. Madeline Brownwood." She added, and the crowd pped their hands as I can see Madeline descended the stairs. She looked so beautiful, but when I looked at her dress, it feels like I have seen a ghost. I am no longer seeing Maddie but Reba. She was wearing the ne I gave her on her eighteenth birthday, and she was wearing the same dress she wore on the night before our wedding.

    I felt my entire body turned so hot with anger. How could Madeline get over Reba''s things? I keep it in her secret room. How dare she touched her belongings, and before I can say bad words to Madeline in front of all the guests, I walked away from her, from my family and all the guests.

    When I am outside, I run to my car, and before I can drive away from the mansion, the passenger''s seat on the front seat suddenly opened, and I see Cal got inside and fastened his seatbelt.

    "Calixto, get out of the car now!" I yelled at him, but Cal didn''t budge.

    "Do you want me to drag you out?" I growled.

    "If you want me to leave, then try to yank me out because I am not leaving you, and I am going with you, Hunter. I am calling you now by your first name not only because we are not in the office but I am here as a friend. Come on, Hunter, you need someone to talk to." He replied, and I couldn''t disagree with him. I felt so lost and betrayed, and most of all, I hate feeling this way, and I was thinking when I am going to stop loving Reba.

    I drive my car without looking at Cal, but deep inside, I felt so d he came, and when we reach the highway, I drive fast without caring if I am hitting more than the speed limit.

    "Oh, I am sorry, and if you only told me when we were in your mansion''s parking lot that you n on killing yourself, I should have climbed out from this car." He said, and I change my gear and run at maximum speed.

    "When you are angry with yourself and with someone, always remember to calm yourself first before driving your car. You only have one life, Hunter, and in our life, there is no repeat, only y. I don''t know what happened out there to make Madeline aughing stock of the elite society. I know I don''t have any right to judge you, but I hate you for leaving Madeline like a fool. You embarrassed her, and most of all, you hurt her." Cal said, but I keep my eyes on the road, and I didn''t talk back, and his words get make me feel guilty, but I can''t stop the anger that I feel.

    It was a one-hour drive without heavy traffic before we arrived at my new house. Everything is ready, and we can move at any time. The house is enormous, and I know it is also a mansion. After all, I like living in a big house because I grew up on an estate, and this ce is another gift for my wife.

    "Wow!" Cal said as he looked at the house before him with his mouth hangs open.

    "I never expect it would be like this after the construction; this ce is lovely, Hunter." Cal said after he recovers from his shock, and he followed me as I get inside the house. We passed in the living room, and I asked him to get hard drinks from the bar as I go to my room and change my clothes. Before I met Maddie, I spent more of my time here than in the Divenson mansion, but I want her to know my family. That is why I asked Calixto to bring her to my parents'' house. I change into shorts and a sleeveless tank top, and I get back into the living room.

    "Is scotch alright with you?" He asked, and I nodded.

    "So, you want me to take Maddie back to her aunt? But I suggest I should bring her back to the Magnolia Vige because I can tell she will be happy over there, and I think Lydia''s son would be delighted to have her back." Cal said, and I think he is testing my patience.

    "Who told you to do that?" I asked, and I can''t hide my irritation. I know I am selfish right now.

    "Well, your actions tonight are an indication that you want to cancel the wedding." He responded, and my face hardened.

    "The wedding will happen tomorrow, Cal. I am still marrying Madeline Brownwood." I said firmly.

    "But do you know you hurt her?" He asked.

    "Which do you prefer Cal, should I stay with her tonight at the ball and will not show up tomorrow?" I asked him.

    "I don''t know how to answer your question. Do you think Madeline will marry you after what you have done? You can''t force her to marry you, Hunter. You embarrassed her in front of many people." Cal said, and I felt cold all over my body.

    "Cal, please call the head of my bodyguard to secure the ce, and watch Madeline''s room. She can''t leave the house, Cal. I know I am an idiot, but watching her with that dress, I lost it." I said, and I can see the confusion on his face.

    "He was wearing Reba''s stuff, and she has no right to touch her things." I said.

    "Howe she knew Reba''s stuff? I don''t think Madeline has ess to her room, Hunter." Cal responded, and I realized he could have been right, but I have to ask her about it. I am so angry with Maddie right now.. And I can''t stop myself from remembering Reba and our memories together.

 Chapter 52 - Rebecca-Part 1

    Hunter''s POV

    It was summer when I first meet Reba, and I was eighteen years old at that time. She looks so beautiful watering the nts in our beautiful garden. She was wearing a simple floral dress, and I couldn''t stop myself from looking at her.

    "Hey, Hunter, are you interested in Carmen''s daughter?" Frank asked, and I blushed.

    "No, I am just looking at her because she is new, and I didn''t realize she was Carmen''s daughter." I answered immediately and avoided Frank''s eyes as I get inside the passenger''s seat, and he turns around to go to the driver''s seat. He has been our driver for a long time now. And Frank was among the persons I like, including Calixto, my father''s assistant. I was on my way to go fishing, I can drive the car, but my father insisted that Franke with me.

    "Her name is Reba, just in case you want to be friends with her, I can tell you like her, and you are just ashamed to talk to me about her,e on, Hunter, you can tell me anything." Frank said, and I smiled that I know her name, but I didn''t reply to Frank.

    I was thinking about Reba the entire time, and in the end, only Frank caught fish because I can''t concentrate. And I am frustrated when I didn''t find her again when we came back to the Divenson mansion.

    I woke up early the following day, hoping I will find her again, but I didn''t see her for the entire week, and I thought I lost my chance to meet her. It was the weekend, and I just got up from bed, and I was on my way to the dining hall when I found her in the living room wiping the life-sized painting, and I can''t stop my heart from beating so fast. I know many girls came to me in school ever since I was in my first year of high school, and some girls will ask me to have a date with me, and I love girls and their attention given to me, but I only love flings, and I never got serious to any girls. That is why some call me a yboy, until I meet her.

    I am not a yboy because I never ask anyone to be my girlfriend. They just threw themselves at me, and sometimes I can''t resist because I am just a horny teenager, and sexy girls will parade themselves at me. But this girl is different. She made me sleepless at night, and I find it hard to talk to her and introduce myself.

    "Are you a thief?" I asked, and I hate myself for asking her a corny question.

    "What? Can''t you see I am busy cleaning this stuff?" She replied, and when she turned her head and looked at me, I am amused with her reactions. Her whole face turned so red, and she smiled shyly at me.

    "I don''t mean about that stuff; I am talking about you stealing my heart." I said, and my words made her even redder. She went down from the movabledder and faced me.

    "Wow! It seems what they say about you were all true." She responded, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "Who?" I asked, confused.

    "The girls in school." She said.

    "Are we studying at the same school?" I asked, and she nodded.

    "Yeah, I am also in senior year in your school, and you don''t know me, but I know you because you are the most popr guy in school." She replied, and I smiled; I am not proud about being popr in our school, but I felt excited about it because I want to know her.

    "So, what those girls told you about me?" I asked.

    "You are a yboy." She replied, and Iughed.

    "Well, those girls don''t know me, and you have to know me first before you can judge me." I dered and moved closer to her, and I can tell she was nervous and excited at the same time.

    "I am Hunter Divenson." I said as I offered my hand to her, and I can see how she blushed, and I can see the uncertainties on her face, and it took her a long time to shake my hand.

    "Reba Anderky, " She answered, and when I sped my hand against her, I can feel the sparks that traveled my entire frame, and I know from that moment she will be mine. Reba is beautiful and innocent. I court her, and we dated until we became the hot couple in our school, and she became famous among the student body, and if before she always walks around campus alone, many girls want to know her because of me. But I am always around her, and I became obsessed with Reba because I always want to see her.

    Every weekend and school break, she spent her time in our mansion to help her mom, and I didn''t care if she was only the daughter of our cleaningdy because I fell in love with her. And we meet secretly in my room and made love every chance we can get. She is not my first, but she is my first love, and I am her first boyfriend, and she gave up her virginity to me, and I was so happy. We keep our rtionship secret. After all, she begged me because she was afraid my parents would be against her, but I want my family to know her. And one day, my mom came to my room and talked with me about my secret girlfriend.

    "Hunter, I heard rumors from the maids that they found Rebaing out from your room." My mom asked me, and I found my chance to tell her about Reba.

    "Mom, Reba is my girlfriend." I said, and my mom''s eyes widened, and I saw a smile on her face, but the worries that registere on her face are evident.

    "Oh, son, I am so happy that finally, you told me you have a girlfriend. Still, Hunter, you know your dad will be against it because he always wants you to marry someone from the elite society for business stability, and as you can see, our business is sinking. I don''t want to tell you about this, but I am afraid five years from now, our miningpany will dere bankruptcy if we can''t find investors or suitable business partners, and you are the only one who can help your father, Hunter." My mother said, and my face darkened with anger towards my father.

    "Mom, I will talk with dad; I will help him after I became a mining engineer; tell him to wait until I can work for him, and my love life has nothing to do with ourpany; this is personal matter, mom." I said.

    "It is not that easy Hunter, marrying Kaye would be the best option." She dered.

    "Mom, we are just friends. I don''t love Kaye, and I love Reba, mom. Please, you need to help me tell dad about her." I begged my mom, and her face softened.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter, I will try my best to convince your father." She replied, and I was so happy at that time, but my mom''s effort was futile.

    "Hunter, there is no way you can have a rtionship with the daughter of one of our maids. How could you do this to me, son? Stay away from Reba." My father snarled. He summoned me to his study after my mom asked him to allow me to date my girlfriend.

    "I love her, dad." I said.

    "Son, love will not give youfort. You should know that. I didn''t love your mom at first, but because she is the daughter of the wealthiest man in the country, I needed to marry her, so I don''t need to worry about the future, and now you should do the same. Love is only for those who are weak.

    "I want you to marry, Kaye." He said with authority, and I gave him hard stares.

    "You don''t have the right to look at me that way, Hunter." He said.

    "Father, I am begging you, please don''t interfere with my love life, I promise to help you with ourpany, just wait for me until I will graduate from college, and I will show it to you that I don''t need to marry a wealthy woman just to keep thepany afloat." I said.

    "It will never happen, Hunter, my order is final you should break up with Reba." He said and he got out from his chair and left me feeling so lost and hurt.

    "Are you okay, Mr. Divenson?" Cal said, and I almost forgot he is sitting in front of me because I thought about Reba.

    "No, Calixto, I am far from okay." I replied, and he looked at me with so much concern on his face.

    "You can talk to me, anything that you want." He said.

    "Do you think I should not marry, Madeline?" I asked, and he looked at me in the eyes.

    "I know your purpose of marrying her because of your father''s desire to have an heir. And you don''t want to marry anyone from the elite society because only Maddie is safe to be your wife. And she is in love with you, but if you think there is no chance in your heart that you can love her, then I guess you should not marry her; you better let her go." He said, and I don''t understand why it feels so hard to let Maddie go.

    "I don''t know, Cal, I don''t want to hurt Madeline, but there are moments I can''t help myself from hurting her feelings, just what happened tonight. I thought I saw Reba when she descended on the stairs." I replied.

    "You have to ept the fact that she is gone, Hunter. You need to give yourself a chance to love someone, and I witnessed how you looked at Madeline; you like her, Hunter. I can see it in your eyes." He said, and I can''t disagree with Cal because I know the attraction that I have for Maddie, but I don''t want to keep breaking her heart.

    "But how can I make her happy when I am imprisoned with my past love, guilt, and resentment? How can I forgive myself for killing Reba." I replied.

    "Hunter, you didn''t kill Reba. It was an ident."

    "I was there, Cal, and I could have saved her.." I said, and I couldn''t control myself from crying as I remember that dreadful night.

 Chapter 53 - Rebecca-Part 2

    Hunter''s POV

    I never listen to my father, I continue to date Reba, and our lovemaking became wilder and hotter. I love how she reacts to my every caress and every kiss, and she knows how to please me with her body. She also became crazy with me until she informed me she was pregnant, we were both young, and I know my father will get angry with me, but I don''t want to run away from my responsibility.

    "What should we do, Hunter? My parents rejected me, and they are so angry with me, and they threw all my clothes outside our apartment." Reba said while her tears are falling on her cheeks.

    "Don''t worry, I love you, Reba, and I will never leave you. I will marry you, whatever it takes. Please stop crying now, my love." I said while I wiped her tears away.

    "I love you too, Hunter, and thank you." She replied, and I kissed her lips to take her pain away.

    "I know my parents will get angry too, but don''t worry, they will understand. I will ask my mother to help us. I know we are both young, but we can do this. Just don''t give up on us, okay?" I said.

    "Of course, I will never give up on you, Hunter, I don''t care if your parents will drive me away and ask me to stay away from you, but I will never leave you."She said, and I smiled at her.

    "I know, my love," I said.

    I asked my mom that I will bring Reba into our house, and I will marry her.

    "Hunter, are you sure about all this? You are still very young, and marriage is veryplex, Hunter. It is not always happy, and you have to undergo trials and heartaches." My mom said.

    "I know, I am still young, mom, but I am very sure about my feelings towards Reba. I can''t live without her. Please, mom, help me."

    "Hunter, you know I am willing to do anything for you because I don''t want you to suffer, son, don''t worry; I will ask your father, and I will beg him if necessary." She responded.

    "Thank you, mom," I replied happily.

    And she talked with my father and convinced him to allow me to marry the girl that I love, and my father said yes, and I was the happiest young man at that time. Atst, my father gives me his blessings to marry Reba. Together we n our wedding with the help of my mom. My father promised Reba to send her to school after she gives birth to our child. I became more in love with her as time goes by. Watching her stomach grows made me feel so happy that I will be a father soon.

    My mother then informed me to buy a ball dress for Reba because we will have the Pre-Wedding Ball family tradition. And Reba was so excited about it, and together we choose her dress for the ball and her bridal gown. Her gowns were lovely, and even though her stomach is growing, she still looked so hot and sexy and fabulous.

    My sister, Charlotte, didn''t like Reba because she always wanted her best friend to be my bride. Still, I wouldn''t say I like Kaye, I only want her as a friend, and Parker''s treatment with Reba was different, andter I found out he liked Reba too. We fought each other, which is why my father hated Reba because he hated the idea that his sons were fighting because of one girl. Then, one night my brother came to me and apologized, and as a brother, I epted his apology, and he stayed away from her just like he promised, and I felt so d that Parker shows his respect to me.

    On the day before our wedding, I received a text from Reba telling me to meet her in the garden before the ball. And I am so excited to meet her, but I am shocked to find her kissing our gardener. I went back to the house feeling so angry with her betrayal, but I love Reba, and I am willing to forgive her, but when I saw her descended on the stairs during the Pre-Wedding Ball, I realized the child she was carrying was not mine.

    She was smiling at me, and I hate to admit she looked so beautiful, and I thought I could forgive her, but I can''t stop the image of her kissing Luke in the garden. She has been cheating on me, and I don''t know what to do anymore. I am so angry with Reba that before she reached the bottom of the stairs and instead of waiting for her and bring her to the dance floor, I ran away from her, from all the guests, and my family. I can hear Reba''s plea, and she ran after me, but because she was pregnant, her movement was limited, and I left the mansion together with Frank.

    "Hunter, I don''t know what happened out there, but you embarrassed Reba in front of all the guests," Frank said as he drove the car.

    "I don''t care anymore, Frank. She cheated on me." I replied as I leaned my back on the car seat and closed my eyes. I am too hurt to care.

    "What? I don''t think Reba can do that to you; she is a good girl, Hunter." He said, and I halfugh.

    "I don''t think so, Frank, I saw her kissing Luke in the garden before the ball, she fooled me, I never listen to my father because I love her so much, and looked at me now? I should have listened to my dad." I replied, and I hear Frank sighed heavily.

    "You should have given her the benefit of the doubt, Hunter; there is always the other side of the story, no matter how painful it is," Frank responded, and I opened my eyes and looked at him.

    "What could be the other side of the story when I saw her kissing Luke on the lips? I know what I saw, Frank." I was yelling at him, and I know I should not release my anger towards him, but I am trembling with anger, and I can''t stop myself from crying.

    "How could she betray me with Luke, Frank? I know that the gardener is handsome and has a toned body, but I thought she was in love with me." I dered, and I asked Frank to take me to one of our properties in the city.

    "I don''t know how to answer you, son, but one thing is I am sure Reba is in love with you; if she cheated on you, there must be a valid reason why she did it." He responded.

    "Like what? She is a slut. That would be the the only reason, Frank." I said.

    "Hey, don''t say that, Hunter. You are only hurting. That is why you are talking this way." Frank muttered.

    "Tomorrow is your wedding day, don''t tell me you are going to cancel the wedding." He added.

    "There is no way I can marry her, Frank; she cheated on me even though I did my best to protect her from my family. I begged my mom to help us, and now this is what she will repay me for, betrayal and heartaches? I loathe her, Frank, and I don''t want to see her anymore." I said, and I fell silent the entire ride, and I felt d Frank gave me enough privacy.

    "Hey, Mr. Divenson, I think you already drunk too much, and if you want to get married to Madeline tomorrow, I guess you should take a rest now." I heard Cal talking at me, but I want to drink more because I can''t stop thinking about Reba, and her memories are alling back to me all at once.

    "Cal, you came with me as a friend, now, I want you to drink with me, and stop talking because I can''t stop thinking about Reba, I should have given her a chance, and I think I will never live my life this way," I said.

    "I hate myself, Cal. I know Madeline hates me now. Did you call Roman?" I asked him; even though I already drunk a lot, I can still remember my instructions to Cal, and I am so d that he didn''t drink, he just listened to me like a father, and I felt thankful that Cal apanies me tonight.

    "Yes, I called Roman, Mr. Divenson." He replied.

    "What did he say," I asked, and I try to look at him, even though my eyes felt so heavy.

    "Is Madeline still safe at Divenson mansion? She is not allowed to get outside the mansion. Tell Roman to watch her door until tomorrow, and she can''t get out from that house until she will be Mrs. Madeline Divenson, and that is my order Cal, do you hear me?" I asked him.

    "Yes, Mr. Divenson, I already told him about that. So far, Madeline didn''t get out of her room after the incident. She hides in her room crying." He said, and I felt guilty. Why do I screw up every time I think this way towards a girl? And I know my feelings for Madeline are there, but I am trying to ignore all the signs because I know deep inside me I am still under Reba''s spell. I want to stop my heart from hurting, and I want to love again; why do I need to feel this way.

    "Cal, what should I do with Maddie?" I asked.

    "Madeline knew the reason why you are marrying her, so I guess you should not give her mixed signals because it will onlyplicate things, so if you think you can''t love Madeline, then stop hitting on her, Hunter," Cal said. I think he is angry with me now, but because I am drunk, I can''t listen to him clearly, and I can''t disagree with him; Calixto was right.. My only mistake this time is I was giving her mixed signals.

 Chapter 54 - Rebecca-Part 3

    Hunter''s POV

    The moment we arrived at our house in the city, in one of the high-end subdivisions, I asked Frank to get drinks from my father''s bar. AndI drink as many as I can because I want to forget Reba, but no matter how drunk I am, I can''t stop thinking about her beautiful face, her mesmerizing eyes, and most of all, her captivating smile that always takes my breath away. Reba''s dimples make me crazy, and I love her so much, but her betrayal made me so furious, and I promised myself I would never let any girl fool me again. I am not going to love anyone, not in this lifetime.

    My phone kept on ringing, and when I get tired, I answered it, and I call her a slut for how many times, and I never listen to her exnation. After all, I turned so deaf because I am mad at her.

    "Reba, I can never forgive you for what you have done to me. Do you betray me with a gardener? You slut, I hate you, and I don''t want to see you anymore, and you better leave right now in our house." I said.

    "Hunter, please, don''t do this to me. I am begging you, listen to me, Hunter. I don''t have any rtionship with Luke, and we were just friends." Reba said on the other line, but I yelled at her.

    "Aren''t you ashamed of yourself? Do you think I will believe you? I will never listen to your lies, Reba. Please, disappear without a trace because I hate you, and when I get back tomorrow. Could you get out of our mansion? I never thought I fell in love with a user." I dered.

    "You could have at least find someone else, not the gardener," I said.

    "Hunter, you have to listen to me, I, " I ended the call, and I didn''t let Reba finish her sentence because the more I listen to her, the more I remembered her deception on me. I turned off my phone that night, and I focused my attention on my drinks, and I used the alcohol to make myself forget the pain that I felt.

    "I know I am not in the position to tell you what to do, Hunter, but I think it would be better if you give Reba a chance to exin her side so that you will have no regrets in the future." Frank dered.

    "Frank, I know what I am doing, and I will never have any regrets. Besides, if I will give her a chance to talk with me about it, I am sure she will assume I am giving her another opportunity to cheat on me." I said to him.

    "Hunter, don''t rush things; it could be Reba is innocent." Frank replied, but I am too angry to listen with logic.

    Frank didn''t leave me that night, and I can''t stand up because of my drunkness, and he brought me to my room and settled myself on my bed, and I know I want to forget Reba. Still, it is impossible to forget all about her because she is my first love. I know I was turning on my bed that night, calling Reba''s name while sobbing. I was young back then, but I know I love her with all my heart, but I can''t stop myself from hating her because I cannot forget the image of Reba kissing another man.

    "Hunter! Hunter!" I heard Frank''s voice waking me up, but I have the worst hangover in my entire life, and I realized I had drunk too much the other night. But Frank kept waking me up, and I didn''t have a choice but to open my eyes and looked at him.

    "What do you want, Frank?" I asked.

    "Mrs. Leticia Divenson wants to talk with you on the phone." He replied.

    "Did you turn on my phone?" I asked angrily.

    "No, I didn''t," He answered while he handed me his phone.

    "It is not Reba, I promised you." He said, and I sighed and grabbed the phone from his hand.

    "Hunter, son, you have to listen to me." I heard my mother''s soft voice on the other line.

    "Mom, I am still sleeping. It is still very early." I dered.

    "It is almost noon, Hunter. I understand now what happenedst night, but you need to find Reba. She left the mansion." My mother said, and I can feel the worries in her voice.

    "Mom, Reba cheated on me, and I asked her to leave," I said in a growl.

    "Hunter, there was a misunderstanding, Luke talked to me this morning, and he apologized and exined he doesn''t have any rtionship with Reba. Someone ordered him to kiss Reba on the night before the wedding day and make it looked like they were in a real rtionship in the garden in exchange for a big amount of money that he needed for his mother''s operation. Luke told me he was sorry. He felt guilty that he ruined Reba''s rtionship with you. He showed me the text messages from an unknown number." My mother said, and I suddenly felt cold all over my body. I know I felt so happy that Reba didn''t cheat on me, but the realization that I didn''t trust her and I didn''t give her a chance to defend herself made me shivered. I know I was such a fool and a jerk, and I am ashamed of what I have done, and there is only one thing that I wanted to do at that time, I need to find Reba.

    "Luke left at dawn because he was afraid for his life because he told me all about it; he begged me not to tell a single soul about this scheme. I don''t know who was behind all this. He told me he met the man secretly in the city where he signed some papers and gave him his bank details. And right now, he doesn''t know where to go because he was afraid this man would hunt him down. After all, he already used the money." My mom added, and I wonder who will pay such arge amount to make me hate Reba, and I acknowledged he nailed it. He ruined my beautiful rtionship with her. I am such a fool for judging the love of my life, and I let my anger overshadowed my love for her.

    "Oh, mom, I made a big mistake. Did she tell you where is she going?" I asked.

    "I never reached her in her room, and I think she left early, and I think one of the drivers helped her. I can tell some of her important documents were gone, and I can tell she only brought few clothes with her because she is pregnant." My mom responded.

    "I need to find her, mom, she is carrying my child, and I love her so much, but I pushed her away, and I told her bad things, and I judged her. What should I do?" I asked my mom.

    "Don''t me yourself, Hunter. Your reactions were only normal. You were hurt because of what you have witnessed; no one in his right mind will ept that kind of scene easily. I know your anger blinded you because you saw them kissing. And I also understand that Reba is in pain right now, you''re the only one she can lean on, and you drove her away. Try to look around the city and think of the possible ce she wants to go. Don''t worry, son, you will find her." My mom said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling lost, and I felt my entire body was shaking.

    "Thank you, mom, but I don''t think she will forgive me for what I had done to her." I said.

    "Of course, she will give you another chance because she loves you, Hunter." My mom responded, and I felt so lucky that my mother gave me enough encouragement when I felt so hopeless and my mind is in disarray. I can''t think straight, and my guilt is eating me up.

    "You better start looking for her now, Hunter." My mom said.

    "Thank you, mom." I said, and I ended the call, and I looked at Frank feeling so lost, and I don''t know where to start looking for her.

    "We need to go, Frank," I dered in a stern tone.

    "I thought you had a headache, and you still want to sleep." He responded.

    "No, I don''t want to sleep until I take Reba back home into the Divenson mansion, and there is no way I am going to get back to sleep when I know Reba is out there hurting. You were right, Frank; Reba was innocent. I should have listened to her and gave her a chance to exin." I dered, and I feel so defeated. I was afraid if I can''t see her anymore. It seems my drowsiness and hangover were gone when my mom told me about what happenedst night, and I don''t understand what the motive of the man behind all my sufferings was. I don''t have any enemy I can think of, and Reba was innocent, and there is no one I can think of that will hurt her this way.

    I don''t think Kaye will lower her standard and do something as stupid as it was because she will always be proud of herself. Even my sister, like Kaye, I know Charlotte will never do something like this because she cares about our family reputation. And my father already epted Reba, and he will do everything in his power to protect our family from any scandal. Who will do this to us? Do I trust my family this much? Maybe someone out there wastrying to destroy our family prominence.

    "I need to find, Reba, Frank, whatever it takes, and I can''t forgive myself if something happens to her." I dered as we rode my car without direction, he turned his gaze to me, and I can see worries in his eyes. I like Frank because I can feel that he cared about me like I am his son.. His presence on that day helped me remain calm even though I know I am panicking, and I am losing my mind because I realized Reba is my life, and my son in her womb is important to me, and I love them both.

 Chapter 55 - Rebeccaâ€™s Death

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, I think we need to stop and have something to eat." Frank said after hours of searching the entire city. We went to her ce, and Carmen told us that Reba didn''te home, and I became more frustrated. I keep calling her phone, but it was off, and I think her phone was out of battery. I know I am hungry, but I don''t want to eat unless I can see Reba, but I need to consider''s Frank health.

    "Okay, you can find any restaurant near us, but we need to eat faster because I can''t waste even a minute, Frank." I said, and he just nodded his head. We stopped at a Chinese restaurant, and we got out of the car immediately. I can still feel my light headache, but I am d Frank gave me a pain reliever before we left the house and I felt better now, but I realized I am so hungry when I saw the food in front of us. I ordered chicken noodles for my headache and some dumplings, while Frank ordered pork steamed rice and vegetable egg roll.

    After eating, we hit the road again, and I already asked for some help from my friends at school; and I am d they are eager to help me, but they didn''t even see Reba''s shadow, and I think she left the city. And I became sadder, thinking I lost my chance with her, and there is no way I will let her stay away from me.

    "Dad, please help me find Reba." I begged my father, and I can hear his heavy sighed on the other line.

    "I told you she was trouble, Hunter, but you didn''t listen to me." He dered, and I want to oppose my father''s words and defend Reba, but I need my dad''s help to find her, so I keep myself in control and listened to his words. I know he was very upset about what happenedst night because I put the Divenson name on the line. I embarrassed our entire family in front of honorable guests.

    "You put the Divenson name in shame, Hunter. How could you humiliate me in front of our guests? You could have controlled your emotions and leave that girl after the event, but what you did was disgusting. You didn''t consider your mother''s effort in making everything in order." He said.

    "Dad, I am very sorry; I know I humiliated our family in front of your friends and associates, and I know you have to punish me, father, but right now, I need to find Reba, Dad. Please, no one can help me but you." I said, and he let out another sighed before he answered me again.

    "Okay, I deploy some of my men, including Calixto." He replied, and I felt so happy.

    "Thank you, dad." I said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so emotional.

    "This would be thest time I will help you with your problems with a girl, Hunter; if you only choose Kaye, then everything must be in ce." He said, and before I can reply, he already ended the call, and I felt d even if my father was angry, he still helped me find Reba.

    We continue searching her to the bus station, train terminal, and the possible ces she could be, but I don''t find her, and it was almost five o''clock in the afternoon when I received a call from Calixto.

    "Hello, Cal?" I answered his call with trembling hands.

    "You shoulde to the park near the port. I saw her right now on the bench, and I think she needs you, now, Hunter."He said, and I felt so relieved that Calixto found her.

    "Okay, I will be right there." I said and instructed my driver, Frank, to go to the park near the pier. I felt nervous and delighted simultaneously, but I can''t stop myself from feeling scared that she will push me away. I know she didn''te to her parents'' apartment because she was afraid they would drive her away. Carmen had quit her job as a cleaningdy in the Divenson mansion when she knew Reba got pregnant because she found out my father was against our rtionship.

    "Can you drive faster, Frank?" I asked my driver.

    "I am already driving fast, Hunter. If you want us to reach Reba on time, just let me take you there and be patient. If I will move this car over the speed limit, that is another problem. We could be in an ident, and I value my life because there is still something I want to do with my life." He responded in a calm tone, and I wonder why he sounded so serious, and it seemed he was going through with something too. By the time we arrive at the park, I get out of my car immediately, and Cal met me.

    "Hunter, I am sorry, I was busy answering your father''s call that I haven''t notice Reba left, but I know she hasn''t gone far yet, so let us split up and search the entire ce." Cal said, and I felt so frustrated the I haven''t found Reba right away. I ran and started looking for any trace of Reba, but she is no longer in the park. I asked some of the people in the park if they have met her as I described her physical appearance to them, and I am just d a woman with a toddler told me she must have gone to the highway because she came to her and asked the way in going to the next town.

    I didn''t waste time as I jogged to the other side of the park, and after I have passed so many blocks, I reach the main road, and I am catching my breath until I saw a familiar figure. And she was walking on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road.

    "Reba! Reba!" I shouted at her, and I felt so d that she heard me, and when she turned her head in my direction, her face lit up. But suddenly her face darkened, and I can see hatred in her eyes mixed with sadness, and she walked faster, far away from me, and I know I hurt her, I realized I was drunk when she called me on my phone, but I can still remember everything that I have said to her. And for how many times I called her a slut, and I want to go to her immediately and say sorry, but I was looking for a pedestrianne. But my desire to be near her made me no longer cared about the rushing vehicle, and I don''t care if I get caught crossing the road.

    But when she realized I was chasing her, Reba suddenly crossed the highway, and my entire world turned upside down when I saw with my two eyes how she was run over by a speeding car. I can never forget the image of Reba on how her body flew and hit the surface of the highway. And I can see blood all over the ground near her unmoving body, and I can see the dripping of blood from her head to her beautiful face. I screamed louder than the ambnce''s siren, and I almost fainted from where I was standing; and I hate myself that because of my shock, I couldn''t move my legs.

    I was just d Frank and Cal arrived, they call emergency hotlines, and it was Frank who facilitated everything; Reba was dered by the doctors dead on arrival at the emergency room. My parents arrived immediately, and they talked with the doctors, and my dad insisted that I should not see Reba''s dead body. My father helped and gave Reba''s family arge amount of money. I didn''t attend her funeral because I was confined in the hospital after the ident. After I was discharged from the hospital, I visited Reba''s grave, and I wept from morning until dusk. I didn''t leave her tomb telling her how much I love her, and I vowed I would never love anyone except her.

    "Mr. Divenson, if you want to marry Madeline tomorrow, I think you should have some sleep. It is already three o''clock in the morning." I heard Calixto''s voice, and I am back to the present as I was wiping my tears.

    I suddenly remembered Madeline''s beautiful face. She was the first woman I met after Reba that made me smile genuinely, and she made my heart skipped a beat on the first night that I saw her, and I realized I made the same mistake again, I left Madeline on the stairs on the night of our Pre-Wedding Ball. I know I should find the courage to face Maddie wearing Reba''s stuff, but my anger blinded me. And I realized Cal was right; I should marry Madeline tomorrow. After Reba''s death, I swear I will never love another woman, but I didn''t vow never to marry because I need someone like Madeline to be my wife to provide me with an heir.

    "Don''t worry, Cal, I will make Madeline Brownwood as my wife tomorrow, and I will try my best to be a dutiful husband to her because I can''t love her, Cal, not in this lifetime." I dered.

    "Well, I am d that youe to your senses, but good luck with that, Mr. Divenson; Madeline is beautiful, and her innocence will make you crazy about her, and in no time, you will fall in love with Madeline." He replied.

    "Cal, I have been in love with Reba, and when she died in front of me, I know on that dreadful day I lost my capacity to love. Because of my anger, I lost her, and as punishment for my sins to Reba, I will not fall in love again even if I have to go against my will because I will forever bear the guilt of Reba''s death and our child.

    "Hunter, son, I was there with Frank on the sidewalk watching you like a lunatic crossed the freeway and you were just lucky you weren''t hit by a car, and I think it was her time, Reba didn''t wait for you, but instead she traversed the highway without thinking there were so many cars out there. How many times do I need to tell you it wasn''t your fault that she died. It was an ident, but more or less she chose to die than to be with you, Hunter." He dered, and I looked at him angrily.

    "I am sorry, I don''t mean it to make you angry with me. I just said those words to check if you are not drunk." Cal added, and I got up, but I can feel the entire house is spinning, and I didn''t realize I have drunk a lot of alcohol; and Cal was on my side immediately, and he helped me settle myself on my bed.

    "You should bring me back to the Divenson mansion, Cal; I need to marry Madeline." I dered and hit the mattress of my bed with a loud thud, and as I close my eyes, I remembered Madeline''s face as I walked out from the mansion. The sadness on her face made me want toe home, and I hate that I became like this.. And I hope Maddie will forgive me and stay by my side whatever happens.

 Chapter 56 - I Will Not Leave Him

    Madeline''s POV

    It is still early in the morning, and I was awake, and whatever I do, I couldn''t get back to sleep. I only have a little sleep because I was thinking about Hunter. And I believe no woman can sleep soundly after her fiance ran away on the day before her wedding day. I hope Hunter''s mother could have continued the story of Hunter''s romance with Reba. I am so eager to know what happened between them that it seems Hunter could never get over her, but he wants to marry me, and it made no sense to me, and it drove me more confused.

    I received a message from Gina, and she was asking me if I am already awake, and I know I should talk to her because she was worried about mest night. After all, Gina is my best friend, and she will always be the one that I can turn to, not even my aunt. I replied to her text that I am ready to talk with her, and after three minutes, she arrived in my room, and I can see the worries in her eyes.

    "Are you alright, Madeline?" She asked me, and I shook my head.

    "No, I am not okay, Gina, but I will not cry." I said.

    "Maddie, tears are not a sign of weakness. It would be best if you release the pain that you are feeling inside. I know you are hurting, don''t hide it, Madeline." Gina said, and my tears fell on my cheeks as I remember the horrified looked on Hunter''s face and then the hard stares he had given me before he walked away.

    "Gina, all my life, I felt the pain. Growing up without my father was hard enough, and watching my mother dying in front of me was too much for me to handle, but I don''t have a choice but to face all of it, and now I couldn''t believe I will feel this way. I am in love with the person who is not capable of loving me because he was in love with his ex-girlfriend." I said, and I could no longer restrain myself from crying, and my shoulders shook as I cried harder. She takes me into her arms, and she caressed my back as I cried my heart out.

    "Do you want to leave now? I think we can find a way." Gina said.

    "Hunter will still find me, Gina. He is rich, powerful, and influential. While he still wants me in this house, I can''t run away from him, besides I can''t let my aunt suffer the consequences of my actions even though I know I am in this predicament because of her." I said as I try to calm myself.

    "Hunter humiliated me in front of all the guests by walking away from me, and I understand why. His mother told me everything. I didn''t know the gown, the shoes, and the ne that I wore belonged to Reba. I thought Hunter was the one who gave me the box. And now I understand someone in this house was trying to ruin my rtionship with him. That is why I am not running away. I need to find out who was behind it, and I want to show this person I can''t easily be threatened. And I will do my best to win Hunter''s heart even if it means I need to endure all the pains." I added, and Gina''s face softened.

    "Wow, so you are trying to be a detective now, Madeline?" She asked, and I know Gina was trying her best to make me feel better, and her presence is enough to give me the courage, and I felt stronger, and I felt so d I am not alone.

    "Kidding aside, I am so curious about this Reba girl, maybe she was here, and she was the one who gave you the dress. But we don''t know what happened to Hunter''s ex-girlfriend. All we can do now is find out who was the mastermind of ruining the supposed to be an unforgettable night with your fiance. And you are right, Hunter needs you, Maddie, but I think you should be careful because someone wants to hurt you." She said.

    "Of course, I know, Charlotte and Parker are on my list, and Kaye, I heard theirughterst night after Hunter walked away, and I am sure Charlotte has something to do about the gift." I said.

    "Yeah, if you ask me, I can tell my primary suspect would be Charlotte too since she wants her friend, Kaye, to be Hunter''s wife, and the best thing you can do is show her you are not afraid of her," Gina said, and I smiled at her.

    "Yes, that is my n, Gina. I know Hunter is still hurting, but I know he is sweet, Gina. I can feel that he has a soft spot for me." I said, and she smiled.

    "Of course, I know. I have seen it with my two eyes. I can tell Hunter feels something for you." She dered.

    "How I wish you were right, Gina, but I am sure his ex-girlfriend was the reason behind his inexplicable treatment towards me because I can feel his coldness, but I can feel his warmth through his kisses and caresses.

    Gina and I looked at each other when we heard a soft knocking on my door and I walked to my door and open it gently, and I am shocked to find Leticia Divenson in front of my room.

    "Good morning, Maddie. I am so d you are awake already. I am sorry for I didn''te backst night even if I wanted to. rk asked me to stay by his side. Can Ie in?" She asked, and I open the door for her.

    "Good morning, Mrs. Divenson. Pleasee in, and it is okay if you didn''te backst night since I know it was a bitte," I replied.

    "Oh, Gina, I am d you apany Madeline here in her room because I know she needs you this time." Leticia said, and she sat down on my bed while Gina was staring at her beautiful face, and I can tell my best friend was mesmerized by her natural beauty.

    "Now, I came early to tell you everything about Reba before you will get married to my son. I know it was not my story to tell, but you need to learn the truth, so you can decide if you still want to marry, Hunter, and if not, I will help you run away from this ce because I need someone who can love Hunter for what he is." Leticia dered, and I can''t stop myself from feeling nervous about learning the truth.

    "I already told you they became so in love with each other until Reba got pregnant. Hunter brought Reba into this house because he wants to marry her, and my son begged me to ask his father to give them his blessings. Then I implored rk to help Hunter, and I felt so happy when my husband gave them his blessings. Reba stayed with us, and since it is our family tradition to have a Pre-Wedding Ball, I prepared everything for the party." She dered.

    "But on the night of the ball, someone bribed the gardener to kiss Reba on the lips in the garden, and my son caught them kissing and hugging intimately. And it made Hunter so angry that he walked out of the party in haste, and it was the same as what happenedst night."She added and looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

    "Then, on the following day, the gardener confessed to me that someone paid him to ruin Hunter and Reba''s rtionship. But it was already toote, my son''s anger towards Reba made him drove away from the Divenson mansion, and he told her hurtful words, and she left at dawn.

    "I called Hunter and told him everything, and he was so frustrated with himself, and they searched the entire city, but they couldn''t find Reba, and Hunter called his father and begged him to help him find his fiancee." Leticia said, and she took my hands.

    "Madeline, Calixto find Reba, and he called Hunter immediately, but when Reba saw my son, she ran away from him because I know she was so hurt and angry with him, for Hunter didn''t give her a chance to exin herself. And then she crossed the highway without thinking there were many vehicles, and she was hit by a car in front of Hunter, and she didn''t make it to the hospital. She was dered Dead On Arrival (DOA) in the hospital." She said, and I can feel goosebumps covered my entire frame, and I couldn''t believe I was jealous of a dead girl.

    "That is the reason why he can''t get over Reba, even her stuff. He med himself for what happened to her. That is why I am asking you to stay, Maddie, and make my son live again. His past has imprisoned him, and I know you are the only woman he likes because this is the first time he brought a girl into this mansion, and I can see it in his eyes that Hunter has some feelings for you, but he was trying to fight it, Madeline." Mrs. Divenson dered, and I am still shocked by what I heard, and I can see how Gina''s eyes turned so big in disbelief.

    "And now that you know the truth, I hope you will stay by his side, Maddie." She said,

    "Mrs. Divenson, don''t worry, I will never leave your son." I said as I squeezed her hands.

    "Thank you, Madeline, this means a lot to me, and I am so happy that you are in love with Hunter." She added, and I blushed.

    "Now, let us go to the dining hall to eat out breakfast so you can prepare yourself for your wedding after we eat." She dered, and I am still stunned by what I have learned that Hunter''s first love was dead, and now I realized why Hunter has some nightmares.. He was calling her name in his sleep because of that dreadful experience, and I became so eager to help him ease the pain, and I will help him forget the bitterness of yesterday.

 Chapter 57 - Thankful

    Hunter''s POV

    "Mr. Divenson, if you want to marry Madeline today, I guess you need to get up so we can get to the mansion early, and you can prepare yourself so you will look good." I can hear Cal''s voice, and I groaned because I can feel my hangover.

    "You have to make sure that everything is ready, Cal; I don''t want to embarrass my family today, and you know I will still look good even if I will be wearing a rag on my wedding day. I did a good showst night, and it was the second time I walked away from the Pre-Wedding Ball, so I want you to make everything perfect for this afternoon, and I will make Madeline happy tonight." I dered while I am still lying on my bed, and my eyes are closed.

    "If you can still have Maddie, you do not know if she runs away again." He said, and I can tell he is irritated by me.

    "What is wrong, Cal? I know the sound of your voice. Are you upset with me?" I asked.

    "Yes, because my wife was so angry with me that I didn''te homest night, and I couldn''t go home until tonight because I need to facilitate your wedding and get everything ready while I also babysit you, Mr. Divenson." He replied, and I can''t stop smiling because I like it when he sounds this irritated.

    "Why you always find it amusing every time I am upset with you, Mr. Divenson?" He asked.

    "You should feel happy that I am not angry with you, Cal, and I am your boss, remember? And you don''t need to show it to me that you feel irritated with me. Don''t worry, I will pay you triple yesterday and today, make sure you will make my wedding day perfect, and I will give you a bonus." I said to him, and he looked at me seriously before he replied.

    "Mr. Divenson, I think you should give that bonus to yourself because you are the only one capable of ruining your wedding day, and don''t get angry about what I said because that is reality. Before you meet Madeler, I hope you will make sure you will not walk away again or hide away from her; you should also consider her feelings for you. We both know Maddie is in love with you; she doesn''t need to tell us how she feels about you because it was so evident by the way she looks at you every time you are around." He said, and I can''t help but smile, and I know I will marry her whatever it takes.

    "I should be hurt by your answer and have you terminated because you are my employee, and I am your employer. And you should be thankful that I am in a good mood this morning even if I have a terrible headache, and I understand that you are only concern about Madeline. And don''t worry, Cal, I will make a good show tonight, and I will be sweet to Madeline because I don''t want her to run away again, but don''t put your hope up because I could never love her, Cal, I realized thatst night, because Reba''s memories haunted me. It seems she was reminding me of the promise I made in front of her grave." I dered, and he shook his head.

    "Hunter, I don''t care if you will terminate me, but please, don''t get mad with me. You have to ept that Reba was gone. There is nothing you can do to bring her back, and I know your ex understood that you were hurt, and you didn''t mean every word you said because you were drunk and in pain that time. And you can''t stop yourself from falling in love with Maddie, don''t hesitate to love again because you are still young. You are only in yourte twenties." He said.

    "You don''t understand, Cal," I said as I let out a sigh.

    "Whatever, Mr. Divenson, but I can tell you will fall for Madeline sooner thanter." He responded, and I get up from my bed and walk to my bathroom because I don''t want to listen to Calixto''s words anymore.

    The moment I finish taking a bath, he handed me medicine and a ss of water. I know Cal cares about me like his son, and he also reprimands me like I am his child and not his boss, but I know I will be lost without Cal''s help especially handling Maddie. I suddenly remember Frank. They are both reliable employees, but sad to say, Frank was gone, and I hate to think that his death was tragic.

    "Thank you, Cal," I said.

    "You are wee, Mr. Divenson." He replied.

    The moment we arrived at the mansion, I can see the staff are busy readying the entire estate, and the looks they gave me are telling me that they are worried if I am going to walk away again and made their efforts useless. They are wellpensated, so I don''t care if they think I am a jerk for running away from my bride-to-be, and I show up the following day to marry her. I can see the caterer''s van is already parked in the parking lot.

    "Hunter! How could you run awayst night? You broke Maddie''s heart again." Lily said as she gets inside my room without knocking.

    "Lily, there are things you can''t understand because you are still a child," I said, and she raised her eyebrows.

    "Hunter, I am no longer a child, and you know that I am already twelve years old, and a few months from now, I will be thirteen. I understand what you did, Hunter; you embarrassed Madeline in front of all the guests. No matter how you looked at it, it was terrible, and I want to tell Madeline to leave you once again, but I understand that she is in love with you, so I have to support her, but if you are going to make the same mistake again, I will loathe you forever." She dered, and my mouth agape with what she had dered openly.

    "I am sorry, sweetheart, I know I made a big mistake because I humiliated Maddie, and don''t worry, I will go to her room right now, and I will apologize," I said, and her face lit up.

    "Thank you, Hunter." She said and takes my hand, and she dragged me out from my room; and I know I am not yet ready to face Madeline, but my sister yanked me going to Maddie''s room. She knocks on her bedroom door softly, and my heart flutters when I see Madeline''s beautiful face and I can tell Maddie was shocked to see me, but she recovers immediately and turns her gaze to my sister, and the moment she smiles at my younger sister my heart skips a beat.

    "Hunter wants to talk to you, and please forgive him, Madeline." She said, and Madeline nodded.

    "Of course, Lily." She answered, and I felt so guilty for hurting herst night.

    "I should leave now, you are both adults, and you are going to marry each other this afternoon, so you better fix things right now before the ceremony will start because I want to enjoy today." My sister said, and Madelineughs, and herughter warms my heart. Lily left us and got back to her room, walking backward, and I can''t help shaking my head because I know she wants to make sure I will never leave Madeline until I apologize to her, so I get inside Maddie''s room, and I can see the bridal gownid on the surface of her bed. I can see the sadness on Maddie''s face, and I hate myself for making her feel this way. I know I hurt her terribly.

    "Madeline, I don''t know how to justify my actions, and even our youngest sibling hates me for what I did, and I am sorry for what I have done to you," I said, and she looked up at me and put her finger on my lips, and her action made me feel so thrilled, and I feel so hot all over my body.

    "You don''t need to say sorry, Hunter, I understand. I know there must be a reason why you walked away without telling me what is wrong, and whatever your motive for walking away from mest night, I hope someday you will trust me enough to share with me why you left with a horrified look in your eyes. I don''t understand why you suddenly became so angry with me. You texted me sweetly, yet your actions confused me, and I would be lying if I tell you I am okay because I am not, and I am trying my best to understand you. After all, you own me." She said, and I know the underlying meaning of her words. And she lowered her head, but I can''t stop caressing her face, and I lift his chin, and I leaned forward and took her slightly opened mouth.

    The taste of her sweet lips drove me nuts that I pulled her closer to me, and I slowly savor her lips with my tongue. I trailed a sweet kiss on her chin down to her smooth neck to her corbone. And I pulled her off-shoulder dress down, and I let out a groan when I realized she wasn''t wearing a bra, and her supple breasts look so tempting that I couldn''t help myself to have a taste. She arched her back when I kissed her breast, and I can see how her nipples hardened as I showered her sweet kisses around her breast and I take one breast at a time while I ce my hand around her tiny waist, and my other hand is caressing her thigh, and I can feel the goosebumps on her skin.

    Madeline let out a soft moan when I sucked her erect nipple, and I can feel her writhing with pleasure as I continue caressing her. And I pulled down her dress, and I am shocked to find she was bare and she wasn''t wearing any underwear at all. And it made me feel so hot all over my body. She let out a soft moan when I touched her delicate part between her legs and when I caress her with my fingers, I can feel how wet Madeline is, and I know I need to stop before I can forget that we still have a wedding to attend to, and should wait until she bes Mrs. Madeline Divenson. I felt so thankful that she didn''t run away from me again, and I realized how lucky I am to have her in my life.. And I can''t wait to take her as my wife and make her mine.

 Chapter 58 - Marrying Hunter-Part 1

    Madeline''s POV

    The moment I opened my door, I can''t stop my heart from pounding in my chest. And I know I felt like I am crazy for giving Hunter another chance to hurt me, but I think this is what love is all about you are willing to take the risk. Besides, I know I can''t run away from him, and I am just thankful that I fall in love with him before our wedding day, but I am not like other girls who will do everything to win over the one they love. It is my dream to get married to the one who loves me and I love at the same time. But I have learned it the hard way that in my life, I don''t have the privilege to do the things I want. I don''t have the freedom to choose what I desire because of my way of life since I was born.

    I want to ask Hunter why he ran away, but his mother already told me everything. And now that I have learned he lost the love of his life, I promise myself to help him forget about Reba. And right now, I can see his other personality, and I am trying to understand all his actions because, at this moment, he wants me to stay and marry him. That is why he was trying his best to make me feel so good. After all, he needs me to have an heir. I already epted that I am only in the Divenson mansion because of one purpose alone, to give Hunter a child.

    And I couldn''t deny that I love how he makes me feel, and by the time he stopped kissing me, I felt frustrated. But what Hunter did make me so wet, and I can feel the foreign sensation I experienced thest time he made me feel this good. Hunter left my room, and I can''t stop thinking about what will happen tonight after the wedding. I will think about the consequences of marrying Hunter after getting married because I felt so happy that he came back. Anyway, I don''t have the right to say no to him because he can easily make my aunt suffer, and I know it was now an alibi for me because the truth is I want to be his wife. I know a one-sided love affair will never be easy, but Lily and Leticia both said Hunter needs me. And my only constion now is I am doing all this because I am in love with Hunter Divenson.

    The makeup artist and hairdresser came, and when I put on my wedding dress, I am amazed at how perfect the dress is, and my spaghetti strap V-neckline simple wedding gown looked so elegant, and it feelsfortable as it hugged all my curves in the right ces. And I should thank my best friend for choosing this gown.

    "You look so beautiful, Madeline!" Lily said the moment she entered my room, and she looked so beautiful with her gown. She is my little bride, and I can''t stop admiring her face. It hurt me when I learned Charlotte didn''t agree to be my bridesmaid, and no wonder Hunter told me he only wants a simple wedding, no bridesmaids and groomsmen, only best man and maid of honor, and little bride. And Lily will also serve as my flower and butterflydy.

    "Yes, Madeline, you looked so beautiful, and I want to cry right now seeing you on your wedding dress, but I don''t want to smear my makeup and look like a clown at the reception, and I realized I would save my tears forter."Gina added, and Iugh.

    "Thank you, girls." I said to them, and we get outside my room after I slid my shoes on my feet.

    I can''t stop feeling so thrilled as I go down the stairs with Gina and Lily on both sides. My best friend looked stunning, and her makeup was excellent. Well, I know Leticia is known for her social balls, and she always hires well-known makeup artists and hairstylists all over the country.

    It was a backyard wedding near theke, and I was in awe as I watched the transformation of the whole ce. The romantic flowers backdrop of the stage took my breath away, and the chairs spread on even numbers both from right side to left side on thendscaped ground with white seat covers with royal blue satin chair sashes turned the whole ce looked elegant. Pure white roses are on the flower stand on the side of the red carpet aisle.

    The moment I walk down the aisle, I can see Lily released hundreds of butterflies, and they looked so beautiful flying in the air. I felt so happy seeing the Morigan family together with my aunt, and I want to go to them and hug all of them, but as I can see Hunter near the altar, I can''t stop myself from feeling excited, and I realized I am going to be his wife. He was looking at me with intensity, and this is one of the moments I got confused with his real feelings for me, and he was smiling from ear to ear. And I wonder if he was thinking about Reba right now, but I will show to this cold-hearted CEO that I will never back down from any challenge, and on this day, I promise to win his heart and make her forget about his past.

    It hurts thinking my rival was dead, and even on her grave, she was still the only one he can think of, and I will y with Hunter''s game until he has no choice but to love me. I may be his temporary wife, but I will show this billionaire that it is still wonderful to love someone whose heart is still beating and whose body is still warm, and most of all, I want to show him he can never resist my charm.

    The wedding ceremony was over before I know it, and I became Mrs. Madeline Divenson.

    "Hunter, you may now kiss your bride." The City Mayor dered, and Hunter cupped my face, and he leaned down and imed my mouth passionately as I listened as the guests pped their hands. The receptions followed at the garden, and the entire ce turned into fabulous reception. The traditional wedding rituals followed, and I can see Kaye beside Charlotte looking daggers at me; and I looked away from her, and I am just d my hand was on Hunter''s muscr arm.

    I can see Parker looking at me differently, and I couldn''t be happier that, at least after thest incident, he is not looking at me with lust, but I can see regrets. As I danced with each Hunter, I can''t stop feeling the butterflies in my stomach. I felt so happy even if I know this wedding was just for a show, and maybe for Hunter, it was just for formality, and I wonder why he needs to marry me to have a child when he can only do it without tying the knot with me.

    "I can''t wait to bring you to my room, Madeline." He said in a husky voice, and I can feel the chill on my skin, and I can tell my face blush. Hunter''s father asked him to have a dance with me, and I suddenly feel nervous the moment Hunter turned me over to his father while he dances with his mom.

    "Madeline, I know I have warned you through my actions, and until now, I don''t understand why my son choose you, and I am telling you now, your life will never be easy now that you are married to my son. I am not a bad person, Maddie. I was only trying to help you because I know my son is not capable of loving you." He said, and I can feel my anger boiling inside me, as I can feel my entire body was trembling.

    "Mr. Divenson, I know you will never allow me to call you father or dad. I know you only want Kaye to be Hunter''s wife, but I am sorry I can''t run away from Hunter because I love him." I replied, and I can see the anger in his eyes as he looked at my face.

    "Yes, and I am impressed that you are quick-witted, but I know also that you are familiar with the word divorce, Madeline." He said, and my body felt so weak.

    "I am his father, and I was able to discard Reba from his life before. It doesn''t mean I can''t do the same to you. I tried my best to make you run away fromthis ce, but I am impressed by my son''s improvement by protecting you all this time. When I deliver Reba''s stuff in your room, I thought he would not marry you today, but I was so wrong, but remember this game is far from over, Madeline." He said, and he released me from his hold, and I am just d Calixto offered his hands to me because I felt like copsing on the ground, and I never felt so happy to see him.

    "Madeline, don''t allow Mr. rk Divenson to affect your happiness today. It is your wedding day today, but the looked on your face is telling me you felt like crying. He was a good man when he hired your father and me, but when his business copsed, he thought the only way to recover is to make his son marry someone from a wealthy family so nothing can harm their business." Cal said as I raised my head and looked at his face. We are dancing slowly, and I felt like I am dancing with my father right now.

    "Everything will be alright since Hunter saves thepany, but rk can''t get over the pressure and anxieties he underwent during that dark moment in his life. He was used in living like a king, and he was so afraid to be poor, Maddie." Cal added, and I realized marrying Hunter Divenson became moreplicated than I thought, and it made me feel so afraid of what he could do to me. I was wrong; it wasn''t Charlotte who gave me the box. It was him.. And I wonder if he was involved with Reba''s death, did the ident was nned by rk Divenson? I didn''t expect that I will be feeling terrified on my wedding day.

 Chapter 59 - Marrying Hunter-Part 2

    Madeline''s POV

    "Thank you, Calixto. I know you are worried about me, and for that, I am so grateful to you; you told me Hunter needs me. Does he still needs me badly?" I asked while I turn around to see Hunter dancing with his sister Lily.

    "Yes, he needs you, Madeline; I know he may seem warm and cold depending on his mood, but believe me, there is something about Hunter that you have to understand." He said.

    "I already knew about Reba; he was calling her name in his sleep when we were in the Vi in Magnolia Vige," I said, and the stunned looked on his face almost made meugh.

    "Don''t be shocked, Cal. I know Hunter''s secrets. That is why he can''t love me, and it is so funny and insulting that my rival to his attention and love was already dead." I added.

    "Maddie, you have to understand he loves Reba so much that is why I am counting on you to change his heart, make him fall for you." He said.

    "I cannot do that because Hunter needs to let go of the past and allow himself to heal and love again. I will try everything I can to make him love me, Cal, but I don''t know until when I can endure being hurt. It will never be easy to fall in love with someone like him, Cal. Your boss is one of a kind." I responded, and he halfugh.

    "Of course, I understand what you mean, Ms. Madeline, and there are a lot of things I want to tell you, but it seems there are still many men who want to dance with the bride." He said, and he let go of me, and I can''t help but smile when I found Jack Morigan extending his hand for me. He looked so dashing as ever, and he still makes me feel conscious because of how he was looking at my face, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see Hunter giving Jack a hard stare while he was dancing with Kaye. Wow, this is getting better and better.

    "Hi, Madeline, congrattions, and even though I don''t want to attend your wedding because I know I will get hurt, but my eagerness to see you weighed more than the pain that I feel. I know I have to ept that I met youte. Hunter Divenson met you first, and how can Ipete with the famous eligible bachelor in the country?" Jack asked, and I can tell I am blushing.

    "I don''t know what to say, Jack, except I can''t deny I am so happy to see you," I replied.

    "Don''t say anything, Maddie, just allow me to see your beautiful face, and dancing with you right now is worth all the pain, and how I wish I am the groom." He said, and his words made me feel so happy knowing Jack likes me, but I know my feelings for him were nothingpared to the kind of excitement every time I am in Hunter''s arms. I know he always sets my body on fire, and I don''t know how to control my desires every time I am with him.

    "Thank you, Jack, foring. It means a lot to me." I said as I try to change the subject.

    "You are wee, Madeline. We were excited to see you, and of course, to see the mansion of the Divenson up close." He replied, and I smile.

    "You look so beautiful, Maddie." He dered, and he never takes his eyes away from my face until I notice Hunter walked towards us.

    "Chef, may I have now the honor to dance with my wife again?" He asked, wearing a beautiful smile on his face, and I can tell he did it on purpose.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson." He replied, and Jack released me from his hold.

    Huntery his hands around my waist, and I can feel that his other hand is now on my butt, and I can feel the sparks as he pulled me closer to him.

    "It seems Jack Morigan is enjoying his time dancing with my wife." Hunter dered.

    "Yes, just like the way Kaye was enjoying herself while she was in your arms," I replied, and he looked amused with my statement.

    "Wow, you can talk to me now in that manner?" He asked.

    "Why? Is there something wrong with my answer, Mr. Divenson?" I asked, and he shook his head andugh.

    "Nothing, Mrs. Divenson." He replied, and I felt my entire body shivers as he pulled me closer to him, and this time I can feel his hardness pressed against my stomach.

    "Look, what you are doing to me, Madeline? Can you feel it? I can''t wait to take you tonight, my sweet Madeline, I will make you scream with happiness, and I am excited to consummate our marriage. And iming you are the only thing I want right now, and I can''t stop my mind from thinking about your beautiful round breasts with perky nipples. I don''t want to be rude to our guests. That is why I am still dancing with you right now." Hunter whispered in my ear, and it made me feel so hot all over my body, and I can''t stop having goosebumps on my skin.

    The celebration continues, and I am so happy to get the chance to talk with my mother''s sister; and I can see that she looked so happy and healthy, and I am d that she is no longer looked haggard, and she seemed so young wearing her gown. And I can see the guilt in her eyes when she stared at me.

    "Madeline, I don''t know what to say, I felt so guilty that I drove you away from my house, and I am very sorry." She dered.

    "Aunt, you don''t need to say sorry. I am fine. I understand why you have to do it because we need to pay our debts. And there is no other way we can pay it in full. I am always grateful for everything you have done for me, the sacrifices you made." I replied.

    "She was my sister, Maddie, and I love her, and you are my niece, and if I only have enough money, I will never offer you to Mr. Divenson." She responded.

    "I am a big girl now, you don''t need to worry about me, and I think you can tell I am in love with Hunter Divenson, and who could have thought that I would fall in love with the man who bought me. Aunt, please stop worrying about me, I love my life now, and if mom is alive, I know she will be happy for me." I dered, and she takes me into her arms. I know I am in love with Hunter, but I am not sure if I can find happiness being his wife, but I can''t tell my aunt about this thing, or she will be more guilty.

    "Oh, Maddie, my sweet girl, I can see you are in love by the way you looked at him, but why I can also see the sadness behind your smiles?" She asked while she was crying on my shoulder. And I wonder how my aunt could see the unhappiness that I am trying to conceal.

    "I am happy, but I miss mom so much, and how I wish she is here with us." I said, and my aunt hugged me tighter. I know part of me is sad that my mom is not with us to celebrate this special event of my life, and the other part is I am worried about what will happen after I married Hunter. I know I should be happy because this is my wedding day, but how can I feel total satisfaction when I can''t stop myself from thinking that in this marriage, I am the only one who is in love. Still, I can tell Hunter is putting on a good show, and it looks like he is so happy today.

    Lydia and Lianne hugged me tightly by the time I met them. And I can tell I am so happy to see them.

    "Madeline, I miss you, dear," Lydia said, and Tony is smiling on his chair while Jack is still looking at me with longings in his eyes. How I wish we meet in different circumstances.

    "I miss you too, guys, don''t worry, I will find a time to visit you one of these days." I dered.

    "Hunter invited us toe to the Vi this weekend. I believed you would have your honeymoon in Magnolia Vige." Lydia said, and I am stunned and excited at the same time since my husband didn''t inform me about it, and I guess he wants to surprise me.

    "You are so beautiful, Madeline." Lianne said, and I smiled.

    "Thank you, Lianne, and thank you so much foring. I didn''t expect you will attend to our wedding. You make me feel so delighted to see you again." I said as I wipe my tears of happiness.

    "Calixto went to the diner, and he gave us an invitation." Lydia said, and it seemed Hunter nned to invite them because he knew I like the Morigans and I will be d to see them. He may be cold and distant, but his actions are making me confused, and I can''t stop thinking that perhaps I am beginning to reach his cold heart, but his reactions from the previous night made me realized he is still in love with his ex. And all I can do right now is y my role as his wife and continue to show my husband that I love him without reservations.. And I am hoping that someday Hunter will forget aboutReba, and he will learn to love me.

 Chapter 60 - She Became My Wife

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, do you know you make Madeline so happy today?" Lily asked as I danced with her while Maddie was dancing with Calixto, and I can''t stop myself from smiling as I looked at my little sister.

    "I did?" I asked, and I was pretending that I didn''t notice.

    "Yup, and you also make me so happy. Finally, Madeline became my sister-inw, and she is now my big sister. I love her, Hunter, and I hope you will never hurt Madeline again. If you didn''t show up today, I would hate you, and I will not talk to you." She dered, and I can''t stop myself fromughing. I couldn''t believe my sister will say something like that.

    "Excuse me, Lily, can I dance with your brother?" Kaye said, and she was smiling broadly at my sister, and I can see Lily''s face turned sour. Still, she quickly gave Kaye her sweet smile, and I let go of Lily''s hand, and she gets back to her chair, and I can tell my youngest sister is now upset that I am dancing with Kaye because I know she will never like her.

    "I hate you, Hunter. You killed my heart twice." Kaye dered the moment she put her hands around my neck by the time I danced with her after I danced with Lily. I can''t stop myself from staring at Madeline dancing with Jack Morigan. I hate to admit that this man made me feel so irritated because I know he likes Maddie by lookingthe way he looked at her the entire time during our wedding ceremony to the reception.

    Still, I control myself because I don''t want Jack to know his presence threatens me. Maddie is now my wife, and she is now finally mine. And I wouldn''t say I like how she smiled at him, and this foreign emotion that I felt is so raw, making me so nervous and worried. As Cal had said, I should never give Madeline a mixed-signal, but how can I stop my desire to have Maddie.

    "Kaye, you know we can''t get married. I want someone who wants all of me, not only because of my money and good looks." I replied.

    "You don''t realize how much I love you, Hunter Divenson. I know I pretended to like you because of your financial status, but in reality, I am in love with you, Hunter. When you almost got married to Reba, I almost had a heart attack, but when she died, you died with her. Right now, when I thought you have already moved on with your ex-fiancee, you introduced Madeline to your family. Even if I was out of the country, I chose to get back to win you over, but it seems I will never be enough for you." She said, and my entire body stiffened since I don''t want to hear about Reba on my wedding day.

    "Kaye, please, I am asking you to stop talking about Reba. Today I got married to Madeline, and I hope you will ept the fact that we can never be more than friends." I dered, and I can see the hurt that registered on her face as she brings her body closer to mine.

    "Hunter, while I am still alive, I will never surrender, and I will do everything I can to make you mine." She said, and she let go of her hands from me, and I felt so relieved that she walked away from me even though her words confused me. How could she utter those words at my wedding? I am shaking my head, and I suddenly felt jealous looking at Jack still dancing with my wife, and I can''t take it anymore. I walked towards them and told Jack that I want to dance with my wife again.

    By the time Madeline curled her arms around my nape, I can''t help but bring her closer to me, and as I can feel her amazing breasts pressed against me made me feel the hard rod between my legs, and just thinking about tonight makes me so excited and I am having a hard-on while she was on my arms, and I let her feel my erection underneath my suit pants. And I like the way her face blushed as I whispered sweet words in her ear. By the time I sensed Maddie is getting more tired from dancing, I bring her to our table to rest, and I let her talk with her aunt and Lydia and Lianne.

    Lydia''s family will stay at Tony''s house even though I asked them to settle in one of the guest rooms of the Divenson mansion. At the same time, I ordered one of the drivers to send Madeline''s aunt into her residence after the wedding celebration.

    Cal''s words echoed in my mind. I know he was right; I can never bring back Reba. She is dead, and it has been years since she had been gone, but until now, I still have nightmares, even though those nightmares started to lessen on the first day I slept beside Madeline. I should go to my doctor''s appointment next week since I have been canceling my arrangements with my psychiatrist for the past months. I know I couldn''t help myself from remembering that dreadful night even in my sleep. That is why I became dependent on sleeping pills after Reba''s death. And I tried my best to recover on my own.

    And as of this moment, I want to forget about her, but it seems her face during the ident was engraved in my memory. And my remorse is killing me softly. I want to tell Madeline about her, but not tonight or in theing days. I want her to enjoy this day because she deserves to be happy on her wedding day, and looking at her now makes me hate myself because Madeline is lovely, innocent, and most of all, she is not hard to like. And how I wish we meet at a different time, and I am not Hunter Divenson, who is imprisoned in the past.

    I hope Maddie will stay with me, no matter how I am going to hurt her. I can''t sleep with her the entire night because I don''t want her to hear me screaming Reba''s name during my sleep. That is why I asked Cer to get ready one of the guest''s rooms because after Maddie sleeps, I can transfer to the guest room. I don''t want to hurt Madeline''s feelings even though I married her for different reasons. I must admit I am beginning to like her. And it would be more painful if she will hear me calling another woman''s name during my sleep. And I have to tell Maddie the primary purpose why I married her.

    I want to go to Magnolia Vige and sleep at the Vi, but I can see the exhaustion of my wife. So, I decided to drive early tomorrow morning. Finally, the celebration of our wedding day was over, and I can''t wait to be alone with Madeline. I already instructed Cer to transfer all Madeline''s things to the master''s bedroom because I want her to sleep in my bed tonight, and I want toy beside her until morning. Still, I realized I couldn''t control myself during my sleep, so it is better to be careful.

    "Hunter, I think I should change my wedding dress." Madeline said, but I shook my head.

    "Not yet, my sweet Madeline. I want to undress youter. Please be patient." I whispered in her ear, and I can''t stop myself from smiling when I saw her lovely face turned so red as I put my arm around her tiny waist as we go inside the house to spend some time with my family and our remaining friends together with the Morigan family at the terrace of the mansion. I am d the estate staff put some long tables with chairs, and they also decorated the ce with fresh flowers.

    I looked around looking for my father, but I couldn''t find him.

    "Where is dad, mom?" I asked my mother.

    "He said he needs to make an urgent call." My mom replied, and I nod my head. I know my father is still upset that I married Madeline because I know he wants me to have Kaye as my wife. Then, I suddenly felt worried when I saw Parker talked with Madeline, and I want to get closer to them. Still, as I watched Madeline''s facial expression, I can tell they were having a beautiful conversation since my wife is giving him her sweet smile, and I know she is now at ease speaking with my brother. And I am just d he reached out to Maddie, and I feltfortable that he would not hurt Maddie again. Besides, I will never allow anyone to hurt my wife. And I felt guilty as I realized I would be the one will hurt her if I can''t get over Reba''s memories.

    "I am so proud of you, Mr. Diveson. You didn''t disappoint me today." Cal said the moment he sat in front of me, and I cocked my head and raised my eyebrow.

    "And why is that Cal?"I asked.

    "You should be d that you didn''t ruin your wedding, and you made Madeline your wife. You are so lucky that you meet her, and I think you should bring her to her father''s grave one of these days and tell her who Frank is. She has the right to know about his dad, Mr. Divenson." Cal said, and I hate that he was right again. I need to go to Frank''s grave and thank him that he gave me a chance to meet his daughter.

    "Cal, you are right, and even though I hate your guts most of the times, I realized what can I do without you, don''t worry I will not give Madeline false hope unless I am ready to face a new beginning and to be honest, I want to get over with my nightmares, Cal, so I can give myself a chance to love again." I replied, and he smiled broadly at me.

    "Wow, when you speak in that way, it makes me believe you are falling with Madeline Brownwood." He dered, and Iugh.

    "I will tell you the moment it will happen, Cal, but for now, I need to keep her safe. I don''t want my wife to hope that I will fall for her. As of this moment, I want to face my battle first, and I am hoping she will stay by my side patiently waiting until I am ready to fall in love again.." I said, and he smiled, and I can tell Calixto is now satisfied with my answer, and I am happy that he cares for Maddie, and I hope I can make Madeline happy in my arms now that she became my wife.

 Chapter 61 - Our Wedding Night

    Madeline''s POV

    Hunter and I send the Morigans to Tony''s house, and my aunt left with one of the drivers of the Divenson family, and I couldn''t believe I am now a Divenson. My best friend has already retired to her room, and I can tell she was happy because she talked with Jack the entire time we are on the terrace. As we get back inside the mansion, I am stunned to find Kaye together with Charlotte in the living room, and they are drinking vodka.

    "You can visit me in my roomter, Hunter, I will be ready for you, and I will wear your favorite, and I am telling you I will not wear any underwear." Kaye said boldly in front of me, and I realized she is still sober because they just started drinking alcohol. Where are her manners? Is she that desperate to insult me and to win Hunter even if he is already married to me? I didn''t let her know I am affected by her words. To pay back to herments, I faced Hunter, and I kissed him on the lips, and I felt so triumphant when Hunter kissed me back hungrily while he curled his arms around my waist, and he made me think I am the only woman in the universe. I felt happy that Hunter ignored Kaye''s words.

    "Get a room!" Charlotte yelled, and Hunter chuckles, and he released me from his hold, and he takes my hand and faces them.

    "That is the n, my dear sister." He said, and I am shocked when he suddenly takes my whole body into his arms, and I felt thrilled as Hunter carried me in going to the stairs towards his room. He didn''t put me down even if it was hard for him to open the door of his room, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous and excited at the same time. He closed the door using his feet from behind, and I can''t stop myself from having goosebumps.

    "You are such a tease, Mrs. Divenson; I didn''t expect you to kiss me in front of my sister and my used-to-be best friend. And did you realize what you did to me? I had been controlling my erection the entire time during our wedding ceremony, and I was only thinking about tonight during the reception. I want to taste all of you, Madeline." He said in a husky voice, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so hot all over my body; I don''t know what he means by all part of my anatomy, and if my imagination was precise, the anticipation of what my husband will do to me is making me so thrilled. I admit I felt so horny, and I can feel the aching between my legs.

    Hunter put me down slowly on his bed, and I want to protest because I still want to change my gown, but my mind suddenly became aware of what his hands are doing. He kissed me slowly on my mouth, and I can feel how his tongue slipped into my mouth, and I felt so turned on that I encourage him to deepen our kiss when I can''t stop myself from moaning. Hunter was only kissing me on the lips, yet I felt like my entire body is on fire until my husband let me stand up beside the bed. He slowly unzipped the zipper of my gown on the side without blinking his eyes, and he let it slide down into my waist until it reaches down my feet, and I step aside to be free from my dress ultimately. I see him swallowed his saliva as he worshipped my body in front of him.

    "Damn, Madeline, you are so beautiful. Your body is killing me, " He said as he roamed his eyes from my head to my straplessce ck bra down to my belly, and I can see the lust on his face as he looked at my ckce panties, and I shiver when I can see the intensity of his eyes. Hunter unsped my bra, and it fell to the floor, and my supple breasts sprung out, and he didn''t waste time. He takes me closer to him as he stroked my tits.

    I can feel the butterflies on my stomach when he imed my mouth, and he fondled my breasts at the same time with his warm hands, and the sensation that I feel is too much for me to handle. And he started kissing me from my lips, chin and down to my throat, to my shoulders, and when he kissed my erect nipple, I can''t stop myself from moaning, and I couldn''t believe it came from my mouth. And then he did the same to my other breast and nipple that I arched my back to give him full ess to my breasts.

    Then I can feel his hand caressed my thighs and going up to my sensitive parts between my legs, and I can feel my wetness underneath myce panties. When I feel his fingers get inside my panties, I hold my breath as I felt him touched my mound, and I can feel the wetness of my slit. And he takes me back to the bed, and he never stops kissing me. He was iming my mouth hungrily. I love the way he makes me feel, and as his fingers yed with my clit I became wilder, and in one swift moment, he pulled down my panties, and I felt ashamed that I am now fully naked in front of him.

    "Hey, don''t be ashamed, my sweet Madeline, you have a gorgeous body. If you want,start undressing me so you will not be ashamed anymore that you are naked in front of your husband. Making love is what husband and wife do, Madeline, and I promise you will love every moment of our lovemaking." He said, and I know my face blushed, but I be excited when he started unbuttoning his long-sleeved shirt. I can''t stop myself from gawking at him.

    My husband''s naked upper body makes me drool, and even though I have touched his six-pack, I still couldn''t believe that Hunter has a glorious body. I never take my eyes from him as he continues undressing, and by the time he unzipped his pants, I am holding my breath. I can see the stiffness of his manhood underneath his boxer briefs, and there is something in me that drove me crazy that I want to touch him, and he smiled when he caught me that I am gaping at his erection, and it is alreadyte to look away.

    Hunter takes my hand, and he guides it to his hardness, and he let me stroke him on top of his boxer briefs. I became more turn on when I hear him let out a soft moan, and he put my hand underneath his boxer briefs, and I felt how hard he is for me. I don''t know what had gotten into me, I used my two hands to take off his boxer briefs immediately, and I am face to face with his massive erection, and I suddenly feel the dampness on my sensitive parts between my legs.

    "You are so big, " I said, and I don''t intend to say it aloud, and I can see his face lit up.

    "Yes, and you make me this way, Maddie, and I am d you like what you see, don''t worry, I will be gentle." He said as he pulled me slowly into the bed, and Hunter pinned my wrists above my head while started kissing me again and touching me all over my body; I love the way Hunte massaged and licked my breasts and nipples while he spreads my legs and his fingers flicked and stroked mybia, and when Hunter gets down on me I felt like I am in cloud nine.

    And the initial licked of his tongue on my flesh made me moaned; he tasted me with hunger and desire, and when he found my clit and gently licked it, my eyes rolled at the back of my head as I can feel his tongue on the wetness of my fold. And I hate that I like the way he drives me crazy, and I appreciate everything he did to me. He savors my bud with expertise that I can''t control myself to arched my back as I can feel my orgasms building up inside me. He kissed and licked me for a long time, and I am getting drenched, and I don''t want him to stop. Every lick of his tongue sends me different sensations, and I want him to take me. I can feel my entire body shudder as I experience my first orgasm. And I don''t know how many times he made mee just kissing me on my bud. Then he kissed me back on my mouth, and I can taste my juice on his lips as he imed my mouth greedily. Our excitement red up as he heaved my body on top of him, as he kissed me passionately, and the sensations that I feel are making me wilder.

    The friction between my wet mound and his stiff rod is making me wet with desire, and I know this kind of feelings are so new to me because I have never been intimate with any man, and I felt d that it was Hunter who became my first of everything. I felt ashamed, but I can''t stop myself from rubbing myself into his erection, and I heard Hunter moan.

    "Keep doing that, Maddie, and I know I will lose my willpower to control myself; I still want to make you feel good, but you are driving me crazy; I can tell you are a virgin, but your instinct is making you do the right thing, and I like how you make me feel good, you taste so sweet, Madeline." He said in more than a whisper, and I can tell Hunter wants to take me now.

    He kissed me on my mouth while his muscr hands grabbed me by the waist and rolled me over on my back, where our lips are still kissing hungrily, and he is now on top of me, and I can feel his hardness pressed against my body that made me nuts. He let go of my lips, and he nibbles my ear, and it made my skin all over my body, having goosebumps.

    "Hunter, please, " I begged.

    "Tell me what you want, Madeline? Say it, and I will do it for you." He said.

    "Take me, and I want you to take my virginity. I am all yours, and I am begging you to get inside me." I replied.

    "Of course, you are only mine, Madeline." He groaned as I feel him positioned himself, and I can feel him teasing me with the head of his erection in my entrance, and it is killing me with desire, and I can''t stop myself rocked my hips beneath him, and I can tell I am so ready for him, and he is making me crazy. I put my hand around his hard rod, and I heard him moaned as I stroked him.

    "I want you to taste me too, Maddie, but I want to take you now." He groaned, and I can feel him guide his manhood at my entrance.

    "Are you ready, Maddie?" He asked, and I answered Hunter by wrapping my legs around his waist, and I am persuading him to take me. He slowly takes me while he was kissing me passionately on the lips, and I know I felt worried if I can''t amodate him, but my fears vanished when Hunter pushed deeper, and I groaned when I could feel that he breaks my wall and I realized I am no longer a virgin. And I can feel him stretching me up, and he put away the pain by slowly pushing while he was kissing my lips to my neck to my round breasts, and the pain was soon reced with so much pleasure as I took him by every inch.

    I like the wave of pleasure he was was giving me, and I don''t want Hunter to stop as we made love together as husband and wife, and I can''t stop from screaming in pleasure while he let mee first, and then I felt another tide of euphoria when Hunter rubbed against my G-spot. He increased his speed, and with his every thrust, I can feel the wave of ecstasy, and my scream filled the room as we came together. Hunter pulled me closer to him as I can feel the aftershock of our lovemaking.. I can''t stop myself from smiling that I ultimately became his wife on our wedding night, and I can''t stop myself reliving the sweet things we did a while ago, and I fall asleep with a wide grin on my face with a new hope that Hunter will start to fall in love with me.

 Chapter 62 - Feeling Excited

    Hunter''s POV

    Madeline looks so beautiful with her wedding dress that I can''t stop myself from staring at her beautiful face, and her hour-ss figure. Even if she talked with her friends, I could feel she was looking at me from time to time. I didn''t realize I will get married. I know deep inside me I felt something for her from the moment I firstid my eyes on her, it may be because of Frank''s wish, but I will never have her in my life if I don''t want her even physically. My attraction is powerful, yet I can''t control myself from thinking about the past, maybe because of my guilt. And I don''t know how I am going to stop Reba from visiting me in my dreams.

    My nightmare will always start with her beautiful face. The first time I saw her, and it will always end with the tragic event that happened before my eyes. I can see her motionless body on the ground while her face was filled with blood; that is why no matter how I want to be closed with Madeline, I can''t because I know I will only hurt her; I want to ask Reba to stop haunting me. And I am trying to forget my feelings for her because when I meet Madeline, I can''t deny she made my troubled life more chaotic. After all, there is a part of me that wants to protect Maddie, and the selfish part of me wants to liberate myself to make her feel I like her.

    I know Madeline married me because she has no choice and didn''t realize she will fall in love with me because Cal told me Maddie was hesitant toe with him on the first time that she met Calixto, and if not because of her aunt debts, she will never stay here with us in the Divenson mansion. But my assistant and confidante were confident that Madeline would love me, and Calixto was right. I can tell my wife is now so in love with me, and I hate that the memory of the past still binds me.

    "Ha, you told me you would never like her;e on, Mr. Divenson, look at yourself right now; you are drooling over with your wife." Cal said with a wide grin on his face, and I furrowed my forehead.

    "Did you drink too much alcohol, Cal?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "No, I need to get sober because I don''t want to fuel the anger of my wife. And now that your wedding is finally over, can I take a leave tomorrow?" He asked, and I shook my head, and I can see the disappointment on Cal''s face.

    "Cal, you know, you are the only one that I can trust around my office, my other secretaries are new, so if I am not around, you have to be there for me that is why I don''t have a choice but to say no unless you want me to postpone my honeymoon with Madeline." I said.

    "I hate that you know that I have a soft spot in my heart for Madeline, and I am sure you are going to use this knowledge to ckmail me every time you want to ask some favors from me." He replied, and Iughed.

    "You know, Cal, you always make me feel I am not your boss but your friend. And I think from now on you should remind yourself you are talking to your CEO, and that is an order, Calixto, whether I am going on my honeymoon with my wife or not." I dered, and he nodded and shook his head.

    "Can you tell why you are nodding and shaking your head?" I asked.

    "I nod because I don''t have a choice but to work tomorrow, and I shook my head because I don''t want you to postpone your honeymoon. You need to spend time with your wife, so you have time to rx." He said, and I smiled because I know I will not rx why I am alone with Madeline.

    I am d Maddie took the initiative to kiss me in front of my sister and Kaye because I don''t know how to answer Kaye without hurting her feelings, but I am now married to Maddie, and my friend should understand I have to protect my wife from now on. Besides, what I feel for Madeline was different from anyone. With her, I can''t control myself, and when I taste her sweet lips on my mouth, I can''t stop myself from kissing her greedily.

    When I undressed her wedding dress, I was mesmerized by how beautiful she was, and when I touch her sensitive parts and hear her moan, I know there is no turning back for me. I need to im her on our wedding night. I want to take her the way I want, but I understand this is her first time. She tastes like honey, and I don''t want to stop eating her and tasting her sweet nectar, but I can feel that she wants me, and she begged. Her round breasts with perky pink nipples and t abdomen make me wild, and her perfect mound drives me crazy with desire.

    I can feel my erection getting bigger from the time she kissed me in the living room. That is why I carried her in going to my room, which will be our room now. And I felt d I buy a new bed, she looked so beautiful naked on top of my bed, and I can see her perfect body before me, and I can''t stop myself from tasting her, and I love the way she moaned with my every kiss and touch.

    Watching Madeline sleep on my arms while I can feel her naked body underneath the sheets made me feel turn on again, and I smile that she makes me so hungry for more. I still want to make love with Madeline, but I know she was exhausted because she wakes up early morning to prepare for our wedding. I know I am also tired because I didn''t have enough sleepst night, but Maddie made me energetic. I watch her sleeping soundly while keep stroking her hair, and I couldn''t believe she wakes up after two hours. And I can''t stop my erection the moment I heard her let out a soft moan when she felt my member pressed against her.

    She raised her head, and she looked so beautiful wearing an innocent smile.

    "You want more?" I asked, and she looked so adorable when she nodded her head, and I imed her slightly opened mouth, and I kissed her greedily. It feels like I haven''t kissed her for a long time, and I can feel her nipples hardened under my touch, and I want to have another forey, but I can''t stop myself from iming her immediately because I am so horny and I can''t stop myself from taking her. I have been controlling myself after she falls asleep, but her sweet moaning turned me on like I didn''t have her a while ago. Our lovemaking be more intense as I imed her I sucked her tongue, and I kissed her down to her throat to her beautiful breasts, and she received my every thrust with total surrender, and I love the way she writhed under me as I can feel she bucked her hips so she can take all of me.

    "Hun..ter," She moaned, and I can''t stop myself from groaning, and she put her hands on my head while her legs are wrapped around my waist and before I know it, I came grunting Madeline''s name, and I felt d that I felt her came with me as I can feel her entire body shuddered.

    "Why are you smiling?" I asked after I slide my still erect manhood from her sweet mound." I still want her to feel me, but I don''t want to exhaust her more.

    "I didn''t realize it would feel this good." She said, and her face blushed.

    "Madeline, it will be better the more we make love, and don''t worry, I promise you I will always keep the fire burning. Look at this; it is still hard for you, Madeline." I whisper in her ear as I guide her soft hand and let her touched my erection, and Maddie''s face turned so red. And I admit after making love with Madeline, I felt so at peace, and I hate to think that I need to leave and transfer to the other room because I am so afraid if she finds out about Reba, I want to tell her when I am ready.

    And now that I can tell my mom likes Maddie, my n of leaving this house is temporarily on hold. Since I was a child, my father will always remind me this estate belongs to me as the eldest among his children. Still, after what happened to Reba, I lost interest because, in this house, I can remember our sweet memories together,and all I want to do is leave this house. That is why I build a new home so I can transfer together with my wife.

    I can''t stop myself from smiling when I realized my wife is sleeping again soundly, and I made a decision, I don''t care if I will have my nightmare tonight. All I want is to sleep beside my wife on our wedding night because I want to cuddle her. And this time I can feel the heaviness of my eyes, and no matter how I tried to open them to watch Madeline''s face, I can no longer stop myself from falling asleep.

    I wake up on first light, and I felt so d that my exhaustion didn''t allow my nightmare to visit me in my sleep the other night. It felt so wonderful having her in my arms, and I want to do this every night.

    "Good morning, " She said as she opened her eyes.

    "Good morning, and I am sorry to wake you up, but we need to get ready, Maddie." I said, smiling at her.

    "Why? Where are we going, Hunter?" She asked.

    "On our honeymoon." I said, and her entire face blushed.

    "So,st night is not yet a honeymoon?" She asked innocently, and I can''t stop myself from iming her mouth. It was only a quick kiss but enough to make me feel hot all over my body.

    "Yes, Maddie, you don''t need to worry about your things because we are going to stay at the Vi for one week, and I am sorry if I can''t make it one month, the nature of my job is so hard for me to have a one month vacation for I am sure Calixto will protest." I dered, and she smiled at me, and my heart skips a beat, and I allow myself to get carried away with my emotions hoping Reba will never disturb me in my sleep ever again now that I have a wife.. And I am excited to spend my one week alone with Madeline on the beach house.

 Chapter 63 - His Good Side

    Madeline''s POV

    When Hunter told me about the honeymoon, I can''t stop myself from feeling excited. I know it is for the newlyweds, but I didn''t expect he will take a leave from his work to be with me for one week, and I don''t want to hope that he is beginning to like me because I know I will only get hurt in the end because Hunter''s real emotion is hard to read. I like when he is warm towards me, and what I love the most when he allows himself to smile because he looked so young and free, and I can feel that he loves spending time with me.

    And what made me more excited is spending time with him on the beach, and even though I am still ashamed about it, I can''t deny I am anticipating our lovemaking. I am now married to him, and I should not be ashamed to think about sex and the fun of doing it. And I want to explore more, and I know I can''t help myself thinking about how he made me feel. He was right. He can make me so happy in bed, and I wish Hunter were delighted with my performance because it was my first time. I don''t even know what to do, but Hunter''s kisses made me feel warm and excited all the time, and the hardness of his muscr body is making me want to be closer to him every chance that I can get.

    "Madeline!"I was startled when I heard Lily''s voice behind me. When I turned around, she was already near me. She was wearing a beautiful cerulean ankle-length dress, and she looked like a real princess, and then Lily hugged me.

    "I have been calling you, but it seems you were in deep thought." The little girl said, and I felt my face turned crimson because I felt so guilty why I didn''t hear her, and I can''t tell her because I was thinking about my sweet moments with her brother.

    "I am sorry, Lily, I was thinking about something," I said and looked down at her beautiful face.

    "Did Hunter hurt you?" She asked, and I felt my face blush because his brother didn''t hurt me at all. It was the opposite, and Hunter interjected with our conversation.

    "And why do you think I hurt my wife, Lily?" Hunter said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy when I heard the word "wife."

    "Because that is your forte, Hunter, hurting Maddie is your favorite pastime." She said, and I stifle augh as I listen to her.

    "Ouch,e on, Lily, I know there were times I hurt Maddie, and I made her cry, but it was all unintentional. I don''t like to see Madeline weeps. Besides, when you grow up, you will understand everything, and you can ask Madeline if I hurt herst night." Hunter responded to his sister, and I looked at her in the eyes.

    "I will ask you again, Maddie, did he hurt you?" She asked.

    "No, Lily, your brother made me so happyst night." I replied, and she smiled, and I can see Hunter''s smile broaden, and he winked at me.

    "Well, I can tell you are not lying because I can see it in your eyes that you are delighted, Maddie, and I am happy too because you are now officially my sister-inw." She said, and her words made me grinned at her, and I shuffled her hair.

    "Me too, Lily. I am so d you are now my sister." I replied.

    "Why did you wake up so early?" I asked her.

    "I want toe with you, but mom said I am not allowed to go with you because you are going to have your honeymoon in the Vi in Magnolia Vige, and one week is long enough for me not to see you and Hunter." She replied.

    "Yes, Lily, we will have our honeymoon, but don''t worry, I will ask Calixto to bring you there on the weekend." Hunter replied, and her face lights up.

    "Really? Are you sure you want me to visit you there?" She asked, and she goes to her brother and hugs him.

    "Of course, I know you want to have some swimming on the beach together with us." Hunter dered, and she looked up to her brother and smiled at him.

    "Of course, I do, and thank you, Hunter. I Will ask mom to apany me to go to the department store today because I want to buy new swimsuits and some dresses." Lily said excitedly, and my husband beamed at her.

    "Enjoy your honeymoon, guys. I need to go now and tell mom the good news." She said and ran towards the door.

    "Hey, don''t run, Lily." Hunter shouted, but she already got out of our room hastily, and Hunter steps closer to me. And I can''t stop myself from feeling excited to be near him, and I can feel his ripped, chiseled abs and muscr shoulders underneath his white shirt, and I swallow my saliva when he softly caressed my shoulder, and he leaned down and make my mouth captive with his hungry mouth. Hunter takes possession of my mouth, and I can feel his tongue slithered inside my mouth that made me let out a soft moan. And I am a little frustrated when he moved away from me.

    "We better go now, Madeline, while it is still early." He dered, and I nodded because my limbs still feel weak due to his lingering kiss.

    Leticia and Lily send us to his car, and we said goodbye to them, and I can see the satisfied looked on his mother''s face. We said goodbye to them, and Hunter, who is only wearing his jeans and t-shirt, looked so hot driving his car, and I couldn''t believe this handsome man driving the car beside me is now my husband.

    "Are you excited?" He asked, smiling at me, and I wonder what happened to the old Hunter I know. I am just d he switch off his other self, the strict and serious one, and I felt overwhelmed with dness that I have my vacation with this man, the happy and carefree self of Hunter Divenson.

    "Yes, I am very excited, Hunter." I replied.

    "Can I ask you a question?" I asked because I can''t stop my curiosity.

    "It depends." He answered, and I don''t care if he will get angry because I am no longer afraid of him. The humiliation that I feel when he left me in front of all the guests during the ball was too much to bear, and if he is going to answer me sarcastically right now, it would be alright because there are just the two of us.

    "Do you have a split personality?" I asked.

    "What kind of question is that, Madeline?" He asked me back.

    "Please don''t get angry with me. I only asked you because I am just wondering why most of the time you are so cold and distant, and then you will be suddenly warm and approachable." I said, and I was shocked when Hunterughed.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, I don''t have a split personality, and I admit my character is hard to read, but I am trying my best now to make you understand who I am." He replied, and I felt like I am in the clouds right now, and I couldn''t believe he will give me an honest answer because I expected he would snap at me.

    "And I am asking you to be patient with me, Maddie." He added, and he took my hand and squeezed it, and I can''t find my voice because I am in so much joy.

    I felt so cheerful when I saw the signage "Wee to the Magnolia Vige" on the highway, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so pleased. And I wonder why Hunter stops in the parking lot of the shopping center.

    "I need to buy something." He dered and climbed out of the car, and before I can open my door, he already did it for me. He was smiling as he offered his hand to me and we walked holding hands in going inside the circr building.

    I am surprised when he takes me to the boutique that sells swimming attire. And he asked me to choose anything I want.

    "Hunter, you don''t need to do this, I still have swimsuits in the Vi, so I am good." I said, and he holds my shoulders softly, and he turned my body to face him because I am looking at the beautiful bathing suits in front of me.

    "Maddie, allow me to do this, okay?" He asked, and I don''t have a choice but nod my head.

    "Girls, please provide my wife the most suitable swimsuit for her." Hunter said, and the salesdies looked at us, and I can see how their irritated faces turned so sweet when they all looked at my husband. And they scrambled on their feet and search for the best swimsuits they can find for me, and in the end, Hunter bought me seven pieces of swimsuits, and he gave thedies ample amount of tip, and I can see how they admired the hotness of my husband. We roam around the shopping center, and he bought me new dresses, skirts, and tank tops, and I am surprised when he said we are done shopping.

    "Hunter, you said you are going to buy something for yourself, but why it turned out you didn''t buy anything for yourself?" I asked.

    "Because I only want to buy things for you, Maddie." He answered, and my face blushed.

    "I don''t need all of these, Hunter, and I already have so many clothes in my closet in the Divenson mansion and the Vi." I replied.

    "It is our mansion now, Madeline, because you are now my wife. I want to buy you things, and even if you don''t need all these, I want you to have them." He said and tugged me to go outside the shopping center.. And I can''t stop wishing that this day would never end because I realized Hunter Divenson, my husband, is showing me his good side today, and I can''t wait to spend my days alone with him, and I hope during our honeymoon Hunter will show me the real him.

 Chapter 64 - Wait For Me

    Hunter''s POV

    "Are you sure I can wear these things?" Madeline asked me the moment I told her to change her beautiful dress because I know she will be morefortable wearing jeans, shorts, and anything except all types of formal dresses; I can see the happiness that registered on her beautiful face when I handed her the paper bags that contain skirts, pants, shorts, and blouses.

    "Yes, I know you are notfortable wearing formal dresses, and you are now my wife, and as long as you are at ease with your clothes, it doesn''t matter to me what you want to wear, Maddie," I replied and she smiled. And I left our room to get myptop from my study and the moment I got back, Maddie has already changed her clothes.

    I can''t stop myself from looking at Madeline''s hourss figure, and I knew she would choose the jeans, and it emphasizes her every curve. I swallowed my saliva when I realized she was wearing the deep V-neck blouse, and I can see her cleavage is on full disy as I move closer to her. And I want to taste my wife again, but I know we need to leave right away to reach the Vi before lunchtime. And I can''t control myself from thinking about our steamy lovemaking, and it is making me all hot already early in the morning.

    I felt energetic driving my car with Madeline beside me, and it dawned on me I am now a married man. I can''t stop myself from stealing nces at Madeline, and I can''t exin the feelings I have in my heart. But one thing is I am sure I like spending my time with Maddie. And I want to go to the city and go shopping with her. However, I realized the malls and department stores are still closed. Only the grocery stores are open at this hour, so I decided to continue driving going to Magnolia Vige, and I will buy her things at one of the shopping centers in Magnolia.

    I hope I will not hurt Madeline because I like what we are having right now. I can''t stop myself from getting attached to Maddie, and I know there is a big chance I am going to make her feel bad by the time she will find out I will transfer to another room after she falls asleep, I can''t risk if she will find out about Reba because it would be more painful to her. I know she became my wife because of one purpose, but right now, I don''t want to hurt her. I know I am trying my best to fight what I felt for my wife, but the more I look at Madeline and spend time with her, I became more drawn to her, and it should be a good sign, but I don''t know how am going to control myself once the memories of Reba resurfaces.

    Calixto was right. It wasn''t my fault that she was hit by that car. I am now willing to go to Reba''s grave and ask her forgiveness about my feelings towards Madeline because no matter how I am going to deny it to myself, I can''t fight it anymore. When I made love with Madeline for the first time, I realized I would fall in love with her. And I know I was crazy for making a vow in front of Reba''s grave, and right now, I felt so guilty about it that I can''t keep the promise I made to my ex-fiance.

    I know I can never forget about Reba because she was my first love, and she will forever be part of my life. I understand why my life became suddenlyplicated, and this is all Calixto''s fault because he always reminds me I need to live in the present, and I couldn''t argue with him because he was right. I need to let go of the past, and I am excited to move on with my previous heartaches and guilt, and the best thing to do is tell Madeline about Reba. But I think it would be best to tell her about it, maybe after our honeymoon since I don''t want to ruin her mood because I can tell my wife is very excited about this trip. And it made me realized she was more excited about the beach than about our honeymoon.

    Our honeymoon is all about us, spending time alone and knowing each other, and right now, I keep on ncing at my wife because she looked so hot, leaning her head on the ss window, and I know our honeymoon was not part of the n when I made a deal with her aunt. Still, after I spend my time with Madeline in the Vi, I can''t stop myself from feeling excited thinking about our uing honeymoon, and I know I was in big trouble the moment I started iming her sweet mouth and touched the smoothness of her skin. And I am now willing to face reality, and I will try my best to make our one-week stay in the Vi be filled with beautiful memories.

    "Thank you, Hunter." She said, and I beamed at her.

    "You are wee, Madeline." I said, and I can''t wait to be at the Vi. I want to eat lunch at the restaurant of Lydia, but I want to go straight to our home because I want to give Madeline another surprise and I hope she will like it.

    "Hunter, you can''t give me something like this." Madeline said as she watched the sports car in front of her with wide eyes, and when I handed her the keys, she was shaking her head.

    "Yes, I can, because you are my wife, and I can shower you with all the beautiful things this world can offer." I said.

    "Is it because you can''t love me that is why you are showering me with material things?" She asked, and her question shocked me that it made me speechless, Madeline became my wife, and in less than twenty-four hours, she had been asking me shocking questions when she asked me if I have a split personality I was stunned, and I almost tell her why I am like this, but I controlled myself.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I know I don''t have any right to ask you about anything, especially your feelings towards me because I know where I stand in your life, but now that I be your wife, I think it is about time that you should know something important. I am in love with you, and please don''t hate me for feeling this way towards you." She said, and I can see that her face blushed.

    My heart was overwhelmed with too much happiness. I already know that my wife is in love with me because I can feel it by the way she looked at me and in the manner she responded to my every touch and kiss, but hearing those wordsing from her sweet mouth was overwhelming. I want to tell her about the real feelings I started to feel for her. Still, I can''t because I need to make sure that I am over with Reba before telling Madeline my real feelings for her, and right now, I can say to her that I care about her through my actions, and I hope Maddie can read between the lines.

    I moved closer to Maddie because I can''t take the painful look on her beautiful face. And I don''t want her to be upset during our entire honeymoon. I lift her chin, and I am mesmerized by how beautiful her eyes are.

    "Madeline, I don''t know how to answer your deration of love for me, and I am so happy to learn that you love me, but I hope you will not give up on me. It made me so thrilled to know that my wife loves me. I want you to be by my side and be my wife. I can''t promise you that I can reciprocate your love for me as of the moment, but I hope you will be patient enough to wait for me. There are things I want to tell you about me, but I couldn''t tell you yet, and I am asking you to be understanding, don''t worry when the right timees. I will tell you everything."I dered because I can''t tell her anything yet.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but with regards to the gifts that I gave you, I want to rify things. I give you this car and this beach house because you are my wife. And I hope you will ept them." I said, and I am stunned when Madeline closed the space between us, and she embraced me tightly. And I felt d she is not angry with me.

    "Of course, thank you, Hunter, it means a lot to me, and I want to tell you I can wait forever for you when you are ready to love me." I said, and I can''t stop myself from iming her luscious lips, and I can''t hold myself from pulling her closer to me as I continue kissing her hungrily. I know what I felt for her deep inside me is something more substantial that I have never felt to anyone except for Reba.. And right now, at this moment, I felt so happy that atst, I found someone who can make me feel this way, and she is my wife, and I know in due time I will be falling in love with Madeline.

 Chapter 65 - Honeymoon-Part 1

    Madeline''s POV

    My eyes got so big when my husband told me the luxurious white sports car in front of me is mine, and I couldn''t believe it when he handed me the key. I know that I am used to riding buses and trains all my life until I met Hunter Divenson. And now that he is telling me this beautiful creation belongs to me, I can''t ept it because I don''t need a fancy car. I felt worried when I couldn''t control my mouth and told him he only gave me material things because he couldn''t love me, and I want to add I know it was all because of Reba.

    I thought Hunter would get angry with me and return to his old haughty self, but instead, he told me to be patient with him, and he was asking me to wait for him. I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy that he is now beginning to trust me. I know Hunter only chose me to be his wife so he can have an heir. Still, when my husband told me when the right timees, he will tell me everything, it made me realized Hunter wants me to know about his secrets, and I can tell he is looking for the right time. I am excited to hear everything from him, even though I know I am jealous of his feelings towards his ex-fiancee.

    "Are you ready to try this new baby?" Hunter said, and I felt my entire body ignites with fire when I felt his warm breath on my skin because I didn''t notice he was standing closely behind my back, and he coiled his arms around my waist. And I could no longer understand the mixed emotions I am feeling right now, and I can''t deny even though I don''t want to ept his gift for me, I don''t have a choice but to said yes to Hunter. And it makes me feel excited to drive this new car, and who could have thought I could drive an expensive car like this? And if Gina can see this car right now, I am sure she will scream since she has been dying to ride something like this.

    I know there are sports car lined up in the parking lot of the Divenson mansion, but I haven''t seen Hunter drives any of those expensive cars. But I can tell the vehicle in front of me is brand new.

    "So, what do you think, Maddie? Do you want to have dinner at The Magnolia''s Friendly Diner?" He asked, and I can''t stop the wide smile that conveyed on my face upon hearing it because I miss the food of the Morigan''s restaurant.

    "Sure, but I am not a good driver yet." I replied.

    "Leave it to your husband, Maddie; I will be your driving instructor, and I am sure before our vacation is over, you will be driving like a pro."He said, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled, and how can I take it having Hunter as my trainer? How can I stop myself from admiring his toned body? And I don''t know if I can concentrate knowing he will be beside me, and I can''t wait to drive to the dinerter.

    We get inside the house, and Hunter brings all our things inside to the master''s bedroom, and it feels so natural now, having him beside me as my husband, and I can''t stop myself from feeling excited for theing days toe.

    "We still have time. Do you want to go swimming?"He asked me after he put on our things in the closet.

    "Are you going to swim with me?" I asked as I sit on the bed, and I can tell someone cleaned the entire house since it is spotless, and the bed cover and pillowcases have been changed into the new design, and the curtains on the expansive window fronting the beach.

    "Of course, if you want, tell me. I will be all yours, and I already informed Calixto I don''t want to be disturbed during our entire honeymoon unless it is a very urgent matter. I want our honeymoon to be extra special, Maddie. It is not only about sex, but it is also more about knowing each other because I want to court you forever, Madeline." He dered.

    And I felt like I am in seventh heaven. Hunter Divenson wants to court me. I have heard before that it would be better if your boyfriend will marry you and court you forever because it would be the best key to have a longsting rtionship. I think Hunter is having a high fever right now because it seems he has been telling me impossible things after we got married.

    "Are you sure you want to do that?" I asked, and he nodded, and he gets the sunscreen for my face and the bottle of sunblock lotion for my body on top of the dresser table, and he walks towards me with a beautiful smile on his face and sits beside me on the bed while my heart is racing due to his nearness. His masculine scent drives me crazy, and I can feel my stomach somersault when he started applying the sunscreen on my face, and it made me shiver with anticipation.

    Then, he continued applying the sunblock lotion on my shoulders and the front of my chest near my cleavage. I hold my breath as he lifted the hem of my blouse, and he massages my belly. I let out a soft moan when he yed with my belly button, and I know he is teasing me. Then he takes off my blouse and ced it on the surface of the bed, and I still feel ashamed even though I already offer my virginity to Hunter on our wedding night, and he is now my husband. I tried to cover my bare breasts with my hands, but he takes them off as he proceeded to apply the sunblock lotion on my frame.

    "You are beautiful, Maddie, and you should not be shy being naked in front of me, I am now your husband, and I want to be as intimate with you as possible, and I want you to befortable with me, Madeline." Hunter dered as he opened the button and unzipped my shorts. And he pulled me upward, and then he takes down my shorts, and when he applies the lotion on my thigh, I can''t stop myself from biting my lower lip as I remember how wonderful it was to feel Hunter''s mouth when he tasted mest night.

    I tried my best to hide my emotion because I don''t want my husband to know I am craving the pleasure he had given mest night.

    "Later, sweet Madeline." He dered, and I can feel my face blushed because Hunter knew I was thinking about making love with him. I hate myself for loving every moment of it because I know my husband gave me pleasure and satisfaction beyond my imagination.

    "Your beautiful long smooth legs are driving me nuts, Madeline, and right now, I want to take you in our bed because I badly need you, but I don''t want to exhaust you because I know how much you love swimming under the sun. Our lovemaking could wait because we have all the time for one week, Maddie, so you have to brace yourself because I want you to explore the real beauty of lovemaking." He said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling hot all over my body, and when he finished applying the sunblock, he got up and go to the closet drawer and pulled out a two-piece red bathing suit.

    "I want you to wear this, Maddie, " He said as he handed me the swimsuit, and a smile spreads across my face. And when Hunter removed his clothing, my mouth hangs open because I still can''t believe my husband has a perfect muscr body. His abs are just perfect for my eyes to see, and he smirked and winked at me the moment he found me staring at his glorious body, and I hate myself that he caught me admiring his six-pack. But it didn''t stop me from dragging my eyes down, and I blush when I looked at the hardness underneath his boxer briefs. And I giggled when I realized I made him so hard for me.

    I slowly put on my swimsuit, and when I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I realized it looks good on me.

    "Are you ready?" He asked behind me, and I look at his reflection in the mirror, and I can''t stop admiring his handsome face, and now that he is not wearing a business suit, he looked so young and boyish. I turned around and faced him.

    "Yes, I am, and I am excited to swim." I said.

    "I know, sweet Madeline, I can see it in your face." He said, and he takes my hand, and we get outside the house holding hands. I can tell the Vi is well maintained as I can see the manicuredwn. And the surrounding is free from dried leaves.

    "I think we shouldy on the chaise lounge before we hit the water so the sunblock that I applied in your skin will not be wasted. Besides, it is nice to take a nap hearing the sound of the waves as they m on the shores." He added, and I nodded.

    It takes my breath away to see the beach, and I am mesmerized by its white sand extended shoreline, and I can''t see anyone swimming on the beach, and it feels like the entire beach is ours this afternoon, and how I wish our honeymoon willst forever.. The beautiful scenery before me and seeing the beautiful smile on my husband''s face make me feelplete.

 Chapter 66 - Honeymoon-Part 2

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you ready to go swimming now, Maddie?" Hunter asked me, and I nodded my head, and I almost screamed when he suddenly picked me up from the beach lounge, and he carried me into the water. It feels so wonderful to be in his arms, and I felt like a movie star with my leading man having fun at the beach, and I couldn''t believe he will be like this. Hunter wasughing hard when we reach the saltwater. But he never let me go, and He slowly put me down on the water while still holding my waist.

    "Maddie, you are so beautiful and sexy that it is so hard for me to look at you without thinking of iming you, and it felt so wonderful to be this close to you." He said in a husky voice that made me shiver under the heat of the sun, my husband was staring at my face without fluttering his eyes, and I swallowed my saliva as I watch his glorious body and handsome face before my eyes. The toned muscles on his forearms, biceps, and on his chest made me want to explore my fingers on his bare upper part, and I couldn''t believe he is my husband.

    "And you are so hot and handsome, " I replied, and he chuckled, and before I can move away from him, he captured my lips with his hungry mouth. Hunter kissed me passionately, and he holds my waist as he hoisted me up, and I curled my legs around his waist without breaking our kiss. Then his lips moved on to my ears, neck, down to my shoulders, while I let out a soft moan as I feel his hand on my waist while his other hand touched and massaged my breasts softly, and I can feel my nipples hardened under his touch.

    "Damn, Maddie, it seems like I couldn''t get enough of you." He said and let me down on my feet, and I giggled.

    "I don''t want to be filmed making love with my wife. I am tempted to take you here on the water, Madeline, but I am afraid those residential houses have binocrs, and I don''t want any of them to see you naked. You are only mine, Maddie." He said.

    "Of course, I am only yours, Hunter," I replied, and he beamed at me, and he caressed my face.

    "You better start swimming now while I can still control myself, Maddie," Hunter said, and I smirked.

    I swim until my muscles get hurt and my entire body aches, and my husband is swimming beside me the whole time, and he neverined. He looked amused watching me swim for hours until the sun sets on the horizon, and I know I need to stop swimming so we can get ourselves ready to have our dinner in Lydia''s restaurant.

    "What is that?" I asked Hunter.

    "That is a virgin ind and still part of Magnolia." He replied.

    "Ah, I see, is that far?" I asked.

    "Not so far. Do you still want to swim, my sweet Madeline?" He asked, and his endearment to me always makes mesmile.

    "No, I am good. Did you have fun?" I inquired, and he takes my hand, and we get out from the water.

    "I did, I spend my entire time watching you swim, and I had fun watching your beautiful figure in and out of the water, and you make me so hard the entire time, and I think we can''t go to Magnolia unless I have a taste of you." He said, and I felt my entire body red up with his words, and by the time we reach the main door, we started kissing each other, and I know my whole body is tired from swimming, but by the way Hunter is kissing and touching me all over my body is making me so hot and wet.

    He takes off my tank top in one swift movement using his hand, and he takes down my bikini using his other hand. And he lifted me from the floor so I can discard my bikini, and he brings me to the shower room. He turned on the knob of the shower, and I felt d he didn''t use the heater. I like the feeling of the cold water flowing on my entire torso. And nothing canpare to the sensation that I have as I can feel Hunter take off his swimming trunks, and he joined me in the shower. He is standing on my back while he hugged me on my waist while I can feel the throbbing of his manhood pressed against me, and I can''t deny I am dying to have him inside me.

    I find it so sweet when Hunter put shampoo on my hair, and it feels so good when he gently massaged my head as he applied the shampoo on my hair. Then he poured body wash on the washcloth, and he started to scrub me from my arms, on my back, down to my legs. When my husband turned me around to face him, I can see the hunger in his eyes as Hunter continues to rub the washcloth on my body. And I can''t stop the incredible sensation that I feel, and I can feel his fingers flicked the sensitive parts between my legs as he scrubbed my inner thighs, which made me moan.

    He never takes his eyes from me as we continue to shower, and it feels so incredible when he imed my mouth under the pouring water. We kissed hungrily. We are exploring each other''s body with every touch, and I hear myself moaned when he fondled and took my breasts into his mouth one at a time. I felt Hunter''s lips slithered into my breasts, and when he sucked and licked my erect nipple, I arched my back, and I don''t want him to stop. I can feel his other hand caressing my inner thighs, and the mixed sensations that I felt is too much for me to take in, and when he gently rubbed my bud on between my legs, I shuddered, and I leaned closer to him.

    Hunter stopped with what he was doing, and he turned off the shower, and he dried my body with the towel, and he carried me to the bed. We are both naked, and I drool as I watch his manhood in between his legs, and his massive erection is driving me wild.

    "I want to make youe for me, Madeline, without taking you, yet I can''t take any moment without iming you, you made me ached for you from the time we arrived here, and now I want to have you, my sweet Madeline." He said, and I want him too.

    "We can explore each other some other time, but right now, I want you to im me, Hunter." And I can tell my words drove him nuts that he pinned my wrists above my head, and he spreads my legs wide, and he positioned himself in my entrance. I hate that he teases me with the head of his manhood, and after teasing me, he slides himself in my entrance with one firm thrust. I felt a little pain, but when Hunter started to move inside me, I can feel the pleasure building up in my core as he lifted my legs and put them over his shoulders, and I can now feel him more, and the raw sensation that I felt make mee.

    "You are so tight, My sweet Madeline." He grunted under his breath.

    "And you are so big, Hunter," I replied in between my moans. I can feel him thrust slowly at first, and then he quickened his thrusts that I can''t stop myself from moaning with ecstasy, my cry of pleasure made him more excited, and I bucked my hips to encourage him to push deeper so I can feel all of him.

    "Ohhh! Ahh, this feels so good, Hunter, " I said in between my groans, and I like the way he continues to thrusts while his fingers rubbed my clit. My eyes rolled at the back of my head when Hunter devoured my breast with his mouth, and I felt so horny as he continues to ram me with his throbbing manhood, and I know my orgasms are building up inside me.

    "Maddie, I am going toe, and I want you toe with me." He said, and I know I am near, and with one strong deep thrust, I can feel my husband sprayed his seed on me. I can''t stop myself from smiling as he removed his still stiff rod from me, and hey beside me on the bed while he was holding my hand, and then he pulled me closer to him, and I can hear the rapid beating of Hunter''s heart.

    We rest for thirty minutes, and then we get ourselves ready to have our dinner date at the Magnolia Friendly Diner.

    "I don''t think I can drive when it is dark; I mean, I want to test drive this car during the day; can you drive instead?" I asked Hunter, and he shook his head.

    "I am sorry, Mrs. Divenson, your husband, can''t drive as of the moment because you drain his energy." He said, and I can''t stop myself from blushing because I remembered our hot lovemaking a while ago.

    "Now, you should start the car, Maddie." He said as he instructed me on what to do. I want to drive an ordinary car, and I still couldn''t believe I would drive thetest Ford Mustang model. And Hunter scooted closer to me as he introduced me to the parts of the car and its functions. I can tell this car costs a lot of money because of its upscale features. Hunter is the best instructor and better than Cal, not only because I love him, but I can easily understand him.

    I drive the car, and I found myself enjoying the entire ride because it is veryfortable, and I like the way Hunter holds my hand from time to time. The Morigans are so ecstatic to see Hunter and me except Jack. I can tell he is not fond of my husband. They admired my new car, and I didn''t expect Hunter will inform them it was my car.

    I enjoy the food, and I realized I was starving because I lost so much energy from my swimming, and of course, making love with my husband drained my energy. I am so excited about thising weekend because Lydia''s family will visit us at the Vi, and of course, our little sister, Lily, and I can''t wait to see her. We get back to the Vi around nine o''clock in the evening, and after changing our clothes, we hit the bed, and I realized my husband dozed off to sleep immediately.. I smiled, thinking I made him tired, and I can''t stop myself from yawning, and I felt so happy that I would be sleeping beside my husband, and it made me so thrilled to find his arm around my waist while I snuggled myself on his chest, and drifted to sleep with a broad smile on my face.

 Chapter 67 - Honeymoon-Part 3

    Madeline''s POV

    When I wake up, I can feel that Hunter is no longer lying beside me, and I suddenly felt worried. And I didn''t open my eyes, hoping he only went to the bathroom, but minutester, he didn''t return to our bed. I slowly opened my eyes, and I looked at the time on the clock on top of the side table, and I realized it still six o''clock in the morning. Did my husband had an early jog? I asked myself before I got up from the bed, and I feel the soreness of my muscles all over my body, and I know it was because of my swimming session yesterday.

    I walk to the side near the wide ss window and open the curtain, and I smiled to myself when I saw the long and brilliantly white beach before my eyes. I can stay like this forever, watching the coast agape, and I will never get tired of its beauty. It looked so serene and inviting, and I can''t wait to swim again, even though I still can feel the pain on my entire frame. I stretched my limbs for a minute, and then I go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face, and then Ib and tie my hair into a ponytail since I want to look presentable in front of my husband.

    I wear high-waisted casual shorts with a white crop top, and I don''t feel conscious about what to wear anymore since my husband told me I could wear whatever I want as long as I feelfortable. Besides, we are on the beach, and I want to take this opportunity to liberate myself not only from having a good time on the beach but also with the clothing that I want to try. I am d that I found something like this in the closet, and I realized Hunter wants me to look daring on our honeymoon.

    I get out of our room after I made the bed, and I want to surprise my husband by cooking breakfast while he is doing his daily routine exercises. I know he will always go to the gym in the mansion early morning. That is why he maintained his toned body that I love, and I can''t deny I like touching the ripped abs of my husband. But I was the one surprised by Hunter when the tantalizing aroma of coffee wafted on my nose. And when I reach the dining area, breakfast is ready.

    "Good morning, my sweet Madeline!" He greeted me with a beautiful smile on his face, and I love the way his eyes scanned my body, and Hunter''s gaze lingered on my legs.

    "Good morning, Hunter, wow! You already cooked breakfast? I am the wife, and it should be my duty to serve my husband." I said with a happy smile on my face.

    "Yeah, I already prepared breakfast because I want to surprise my wife since I know you were exhausted from swimming yesterday, and I can tell right now you are having muscle pain all over your body."He replied, and he walked closer to me.

    "Yeah, I felt so tired, and my muscles hurt." I replied.

    "Even if you are having muscle pain, you still look so hot. Are you seducing me, Mrs. Divenson.?" He asked me with a sexy smile.

    "Yes, Mr. Hunter Divenson, and I felt so d that you noticed." I said while I can''t take my eyes off my husband.

    "It is still early in the morning, and you are showing me your sexy legs." He said as he imprisoned me with his strong arms, and he smells so good.

    "I want to take you in our room right now and put your luscious body on the bed, but we have to eat breakfast now, my sweet, because I am taking you somewhere, you will love." He said, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "Where?" I asked, feeling so curious.

    "You will find outter. For now, you need to eat breakfast with me." He said, and he kissed me on the lips sensually long enough to make me breathless, and after he released my mouth, I can''t stop biting my lower lip, which made him grunt under his breath.

    "Damn, Maddie, I told you to stop doing something like that in front of me because I can''t control myself from getting aroused." He said, and I giggled. Then, he slowly released my body from his embrace and pulled out a chair for me before he returned to his seat while I can''t stop myself from touching my lips with my fingers.

    "I want to stay in bed with you all day and night, Madeline, but I know you love the beach so much, so I will not drain your energy, and I will make sure you will enjoy our honeymoon." Hunter dered, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so excited about where he will take me.

    Hunter put toasted bread, egg, and bacon on my te, and I devour my food in silence while Hunter is sipping his coffee; and I can feel him stealing nces at me, and I can''t stop myself from blushing, and I heard him chuckled, and I turn my head to him.

    "What is funny, Hunter?" I asked.

    "Nothing, I find you so cute and adorable when you blush." He replied, and his statement turned my face even redder. After eating breakfast, my husband asked me to change my outfit into afortable dress, but he reminds me to bring my swimsuit and towels.

    "Are you ready?" He asked, and I nodded, and I can''t stop myself from smiling when he put on my head arge brim hollow wide straw hat, and he also handed me a branded sunsses, and he looked so handsome when he put on his shades.

    I am shocked to find a speedboat in front of the house when we reach the shore, and I can man and a woman. The middle-aged woman was carrying a basket in her hands, and I remember her thest time I was here in the Vi; she was the caretaker of this vacation house.

    "Good morning, Mr. Divenson. Your speedboat is ready, and you don''t need to worry about anything because this is well-maintained." The man said.

    "Thank you, Eddie." Hunter replied.

    "By the way, I want you to meet my wife, Madeline, Maddie; please meet Eddie, and his wife, Lucinda." Hunter introduced me to them, and I smiled broadly at them because I know the people in Magnolia Vige are friendly and amodating.

    "Wee to the Magnolia Vige, Madeline, and it is our pleasure to meet the wife of Mr. Divenson." Lucinda said as she handed me the basket.

    "Thank you, Lucinda, and nice to meet you too." I replied.

    "That is for your lunch, and while you are away, I will clean the Vi and cook some food for dinner." She dered.

    "Thank you, Lucinda, Eddie, and maybe we can talk some other time; we need to leave now while it is still early, by the way, don''t bother to cook dinner, Lucinda, because I want to spend the night on the ind with my wife since she loves the beach so much." Hunter said, beaming at them, and Lucinda smiled at me. And I realized since we got married, I haven''t seen my husband in a bad mood, and I hope his attitude will still be the same after our honeymoon. I love the way he smiles, and I love his personality right now, and I don''t want him to change at all. And I couldn''t believe we will be staying at the ind tonight, and I can feel the thrill and the fun.

    "Okay, I know the ind is safe from dangerous animals, but you still need to be careful, Mr. Divenson. Just stay near the shoreline, don''t go at the center of the jungle during the night." Eddie said.

    "Thank you, Eddie, I know. Do you think the ind is less crowded at this time?" Hunter asked.

    "Yes, and if you are lucky, you''ve got the ind for yourselves because most of the citizens of Magnolia love the beach here. They said it has the same shoreline, and they don''t want to waste gas and their time, or they just got tired of going in there, but for newlyweds like you, it would be best to visit the ind and spend the night." Eddie replied, and he is grinning at us.

    We put on our life jackets, and we said goodbye to Lucinda''s family as my husband started the speedboat engine; and I know this is my first time riding a speedboat, and it made me feel so excited. The deck boat setup encourages rxation because it is wide and spacious. I can hear the motor roars to life, and I can feel the strong winds hit my face as my husband maneuvered the boat at full speed. I love watching the water wake behind the boat as we go faster. And my husband looked so hot holding the boat''s helm as we changed course, and I can now tell he is bringing me straight to the virgin ind of Magnolia.

    As we near the ind, Hunter takes my hands and puts them on the wheel as he stands behind me. He taught me the basics of how to run the speed boat, and I find it so amazing while I can feel the excitement all over my frame as I can feel my husband''s nearness that causes my entire body felt so alive and excited. I am agape as I watched the distant and peaceful shore of the ind.

    "Wow! It is so beautiful!" I eximed.

    "Yes, wonderful, just like you, my sweet Madeline." He whispered in my ear, and I looked at him, and he wasted no time. My husband kissed me on the lips, and I can''t stop myself from having butterflies in my stomach as my husband continues driving the boat while I am standing in front of him, and I can feel his stiff muscles pressed against my body.

    I can now feel the heat of the rising sun, and I can''t wait to experience sleeping on the ind, away from civilization.. I know it would be one of the best experiences in my life since I am with Hunter, and I realized our honeymoon is getting more intense and better.

 Chapter 68 - The Virgin Island-Part 1

    Madeline''s POV

    As we near the ind, Hunter slowed down the boat, and I am taking in the beauty before my eyes, and the moment we reach the ind''s shore, I fell in love with its loveliness. The shoreline that surrounds the entire ind takes my breath away. He anchored the speedboat, and we climbed out while bringing our things. Hunter searched for a perfect spot near the trees to set up our tent to put our stuff inside the tent before exploring the virgin ind.

    "Oh, Hunter, thank you so much for bringing me here. This ce is perfect and beyond beautiful, how I wish Gina can see this ce." I said, and I gaze on the beach with my eyes wide open and my mouth agape.

    "My pleasure, Maddie, don''t worry the next time we will visit here, we will bring Lisa and Lily." He replied as I helped him assembled our tent. And I smile broadly at him. It was a big tent, and I can''t stop myself from smiling, thinking this is my first time sleeping in a tent with a man, and he is not an ordinary man, but my husband. Hunter was good with almost everything, and after he assembled our tent, he gets the cooler from the boat while I arrange our things inside the tent. I put on the camp beds and pillows, and it looksfortable now toy down inside our spacious tent, and I think it could amodate ten people, and I smiled when I realized we have a lot of room to turn around and y inside the tent.

    I can''t believe I am having this kind of fun right now, and I realized Hunter was trying his best to make our honeymoon unforgettable. I have wanted to have this kind of adventure for so long now.

    "Maddie, please get your sunblock lotion now so I can apply some into your skin," Hunter said from the outside of the tent, and when I walked outside with sunblock lotion in my hand, I was surprised when I saw two portable sun lounger spread in front of our tent.

    "Wow! I couldn''t believe you are always ready with everything, Hunter." I said, admiring my husband''s works.

    "Yes, of course, and I am now also ready for you, my sweet Madeline." He said with a seductive smile formed on his mouth, and he winked at me, and it made me giggled. He moves closer to me, and then he took me by the waist, and he dragged me down slowly to sit on the lounger, and he started applying the sunblock on my skin. He asked me toy down on the lounger as he continued massaging the lotion into my arms down to my feet. When he finished applying the sunblock, hey down on the lounger beside me, and we both enjoy sunbathing for a while while we listened to his favorite ylist on his iPhone. And I can''t stop myself from stealing nces at my husband.I didn''t realize I dozed off, and when I open my eyes, I saw Hunter staring at me.

    "Do I have something on my face?" I asked, and he shook his head and smiled at me that made my knees go weak.

    "No, I love watching your beautiful face, especially when you are sleeping." He said, and I can''t stop myself from blushing.

    "Especially if you are blushing." He added, and I can feel my face became redder.

    "Are you ready to have some fun?" He asked, and I felt d he changed the subject; Hunter''spliments made me happy, but they can also make me shy.

    "Of course, I am in, whatever kind of fun as long as it is safe," I replied.

    "Of course, I will never put your life in danger, Maddie, I am a mining engineer, and the safety of all my employees is on top of my priority, especially those people who are working on the mine. And you are my wife, and I promise to protect you, Madeline." He said, and I can tell Hunter''s sweetness will make me melt. He takes my hand, and we get back inside the tent. And he gets his bag and pulled out the snorkel gear that includes snorkel vests, masks, snorkels, boots, wetsuits, and I became more excited.

    "I love to watch you, swimming on the water wearing your swimsuit, but since we will go snorkeling, I want you to wear the wetsuit since it will inste you while swimming, it will retain your body heat, and it is always the best when you go snorkeling." Hunter dered, and I nodded.

    "I have never done this before, Hunter," I said honestly, since I don''t have any idea what to do, and I felt excited and afraid at the same time. I love swimming and everything rted to swimming. Still, I never get the chance to experience snorkeling and scuba diving before since I don''t have time to enjoy and I am always out of budget, but I have been dreaming of experiencing these things. I am so happy right now to share this with Hunter.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline. Snorkeling is easy and fun. I will be by your side all the time, and I promise you, you will love the corals on this ind. The virgin ind is one of the best snorkeling and scuba diving spot in the entire country, but I think they don''t discover it yet. And I hope this ind will remain as it is, and I am just d the ind is all ours since we haven''t seen anyone. Let us enjoy this paradise, Madeline." Hunter said.

    "Tell me, the truth, did you rent the entire ind just for our honeymoon?" I asked, and my husbandughed.

    "Well, if this ind is only for sale or rent, I will buy this for you, and I will build a rest house in this paradise so you can enjoy the beauty of nature, but I am sorry, Maddie, this Ind is property of the municipality of Magnolia, and it is open for the public, and I appreciate that the Magnolia citizens never abused this paradise, but instead they take good care of this ind by maintaining it''s cleanliness," I replied.

    "Oh, I see, this ce is breathtaking and perfect, and I hope I can stay here forever," I replied.

    "Me too, Madeline, how I wish we can stay here forever, and we will spend most of our time swimming, making love, and eating," Hunter said, and I can''t stop myself from blushing again.

    When we are ready to go, we wade through the water, and Hunter put the mask on my face. When he was satisfied it fits on my face, he instructed me to put the snorkel''s mouthpiece into my mouth and breathe through it while swimming on the water and watching the beautiful view underwater. I notice Hunter has an underwater camera hung around his neck, and I can''t stop myself from scanning my husband''s muscr body. And I hate to admit that he always makes me want to go near him and be in his arms.

    "Are you ready?" He asked, and he took a candid photo of me while I was walking on water.

    "Yes, I am!" I replied, and he smiled before he takes my hand, and we go down into the water together and start swimming and making another adventure of our lives as husband and wife.

    As I move down my head into the water, I can see the beautiful colorful corals on the surface. In contrast, I can see different varieties of fishes, and I am mesmerized to see the other colorful fishes swimming underwater. I already know the abundant corals are the home of the fishes, and I know that Magnolia is known for each excellent seafood quality.

    And I almost screamed when I saw two giant sea turtles swimming near us, and the perfect view takes my breath away. And I love to see them swimming freely, and I realized sea turtles surround us, and they are just floating around us. Hunter was busy clicking his camera, and I can tell he loves every angle he took, and I wish we will have some pictures together.

    I never realized how long we had been in the water until I feel hungry, and I notice my husband is starving too when he signaled to me that we should head back to the shore.

    "We can go backter, Madeline." He said as he takes off his fins while I did the same. And we both walk barefoot on the sand going back to our tent. Hunter spreads the pic nket on the sand outside our tent, and I get the food from the basket, and my mouth water, and my stomach grumbles when I smell the aroma of food in the basket. My eyes got so big when I realized Lucinda prepared so much food just for the two of us.

    We have pork steak, spicy buffalo wings, cheesy breadsticks, meatballs, shrimp tempura, and some others. And I also love the fresh tomato, cucumber, and carrots mixed with vinegar, pepper, a little salt, and sugar. We eat in silence, and I realized we are both starving. And I wish this day would never end, and I want to do this again some other time. I know the nature of Hunter''s work upies almost all his time since he is always busy, and I hope he will still find time to spend with me.. I never thought Hunter Divenson would fulfill all my dreams in life, including having a handsome and hot husband.

 Chapter 69 - The Virgin Island-Part 2

    Madeline''s POV

    I know I am now tired because of my yesterday''s swimming session with my husband, but staying on this beautiful ind made the soreness of my body disappeared, and having a pic alone with my husband in this romantic paradise made me feel euphoric. And after eating our lunch, we stayed for a while on the lounger under the tree, and we both fell asleep; when we wake up, it is alreadyte in the afternoon.

    "Are you ready to hit back on the water?" My husband asked me as he looked at me sideways.

    "Yes, never been so ready," I replied, and he took my hand and pulled me up from the chair, and he helped me put on my snorkel gear. We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon snorkeling, and I felt so d that Hunter enjoyed his entire time with me. The crystal clear water allows us to see the beautiful creatures swimming underwater, and I never get tired of the fantastic corals. The sun was setting on the horizon when we started strolling on the shore, and I choose to take off my snorkel boots and walk barefoot on the sand; it feels so good walking on the sand with my Hunter.

    "I think we better head back to our tent now, Madeline. I need to prepare our dinner; we can have a strollter tonight because it is a full moon." He said, and I am getting more excited about this escapade, and I guess our honeymoon is extraordinary.

    "What do we have for dinner?" I asked.

    "We are going to have a pork barbeque and grilled chicken. Lucinda already marinated the meat. All we need to do is grilled them." He said boyishly, and I smiled at him while he takes my hand, and we walk back to our tent holding hands. Hunter goes to the speedboat and gets gallons of freshwater, and I can''t stop myself admiring his muscles rippled as he carried the water container. We used them to take a bath, and we both conserve the water because we will be staying here until tomorrow, and I don''t know what time we are going to leave. I change into a floral mini dress, and my breathing sped up when I caught my husband looking at me.

    "You are so sexy, my sweet Madeline. If I am not only starving as of the moment, I prefer to get inside the tent right now and make love with you until morning." He dered, and my husband''s words made me feel so hot, and I can tell my entire face turned so red, and he looked so hot himself wearing cargo shorts and white sleeveless shirt, and if I have my ways, I prepare to get inside the tent and devour his tempting lips.

    Hunter prepared the portable griller while I sliced watermelon, and I am surprised that he brought a foldable camping table and chairs. I set the table, and then I get the steel camping tes. And I am impressed that Lucinda got everything covered, and I smiled when I saw the wine inside the cooler.

    It seems like I am having another dinner date with my husband, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so excited. We have emergency lights, and I couldn''t believe that Hunter had candles; I perceived we are having a candlelight dinner, and my husband surprised me when he handed me a bouquet, and I wonder how he managed to hide the flowers from me.

    "Wow! Thank you for the flowers, Hunter; I couldn''t believe you can be this romantic." I said, and his intense gaze made me feel butterflies in my stomach.

    "You are wee, Maddie; you didn''t realize you bring out the best in me, Madeline." He replied in more than a whisper while he was looking at me intensely.

    "Let us now eat." He added, and I nodded.

    We devour our food, sip some wine, and I couldn''t believe that I will be experiencing this kind of rxation here on this beautiful ind. We talk andugh, and I can''t stop myself from grinning when he yed slow music on his phone, and he offered me his hand.

    "Can I have this dancewith you, my lovely wife?" He asked, and I take his hand. The moment Hunter put his arms around my waist, I can feel the electricity travels my entire frame, I ced my arms around his neck, and we started dancing together. I couldn''t believe Hunter Divenson can be this romantic. The music had stopped, but we remain slow dancing barefoot on the sand. I put my head on his chest, and I can hear the steady beating of Hunter''s heart and how I wish he will always be sweet like this.

    He caressed my hair and back, and then when I raised my head, he looked at mein the eyes, and I can see the desire on my husband''s face, and he slowly bent down and captured my slightly opened mouth. I can feel the wine in his mouth as he started to devour my hungry lips. He slithered his tongue inside my mouth, and I couldn''t stop myself from moaning as I can feel Hunter''s hand slipped under my dress and stroked my inner thighs. I love the way he caressed me, and I let out a soft moan when I felt his fingers trace my mound over my panties.

    I am getting drench, and the way he touched my every curve makes my body trembled with desire. I can''t stop feeling his erection as I slipped my hand under his shorts to his boxer briefs. I smiled when I heard him grunt the moment I touched him and caress his stiff rod, and I can feel him getting stronger under my touch. I can feel the precum on the head of his hard manhood on my fingers, and I moan when I felt him tugged my dress down to my waist and my bare breasts exposed before his eyes since I didn''t wear a bra.

    "Oh, Maddie, you are killing me softly." He grunted as he trailed kisses on my earlobe down to my throat, going down to my shoulders, and I can''t stop myself from moaning when he kissed and kneaded my breasts while I can feel his other hand ying and caressing my flesh in between my legs. I never realized making love can be this wonderful.

    I giggled and pressed my body against my husband when he started sucking my hardened nipples one at a time. When I saw the hungry expressions on his face under the moonlight, I can''t stop myself from smiling. Then my husband picked me up and carried me inside our tent. He let me stand on the ground, and he pulled up my dress while I raised my arms to let go of my dresspletely, and then he didn''t waste his time; he also yanked down my red bikini in one swift movement, and I stand before my husband, naked and so wet for him.

    "You are so beautiful, Madeline." He said, and he gently ced my naked body on top of the sleeping bag. He gets down on me, and when I feel his mouth devour my sensitive parts between my legs, I bit my lower lip to hold myself from screaming with pleasure. The sensation he gives me made me bucked my hips so he can continue kissing my flesh. I love the way Hunter slurps my juices, and I moaned as he flicked my clit with his tongue, and he stayed there longer than I can imagine. I love the way Hunter pleased my body, and as he continues to suck my clit I let out a scream, and I think it reverberated through the entire ind, but the way Hunter makes me feel is too much that I can''t control myself from moaning.

    He caressed my breasts while he continues kissing me, and I want to please my husband too; I jerked him, and I love the way he reacted to my touched because I can feel him getting bigger, and I realized my husband has a massive erection, and I smiled that I am doing this to him. I rolled over and got on my knees because I want to taste him.

    "Not tonight, my sweet wife. Tonight is all about you." He said, and he brings me back on the sleeping bag, and he pinned my wrists above my head.

    "You are so wet; tell me, what do you want me to do, Maddie?" He asked in a husky voice.

    "I want to have you now, Hunter. Please take me now." I begged, and I can feel him get on his knees as he positioned himself in front of my entrance, and I can''t stop myself feeling so excited to have him again. He teased me with the head of his strong rod by pushing it halfway, but he will take it out again, and I know my husband wants to drive me crazy.

    I am dying to have him that I touch his manhood and guide him to my entrance and when he made one strong thrust, I moaned, and my husband goes deeper. My eyes rolled at the back of my head when Hunter thrust quickened, and I take all of him, and I can feel the orgasms building inside me, and Hunter continues to ram me with his manhood, he is so hard and big, and I love the way my body writhed under him. I bucked my hips and arched my back to meet his every thrust, and I can tell he is on his way to no return.

    "Madeline, I aming, and I want you toe with me, my sweet wife." He grunted.

    "Yes, Hunter, and I want you to thrust harder because I love how big you are," I said, and I don''t know why I sound so slutty. Still, Hunter is my husband, and I should tell him what I want, and he didn''t disappoint me. He pushed deeper and faster that made me scream, and I can feel the euphoria as we came together. Hunter pushed and released his seed on me, and I felt so happy that he embraced me tightly after our hot and steamy lovemaking.

    We get out of our tent after resting for almost two hours. Still, even though we were lying in our tent, we can''t hold ourselves from touching each other. We made two more rounds before we decide to watch the full moon on the shore, and as we sat on the sand, Hunter put his arm around my shoulders.. He was giving me butterfly kisses on my face and shoulder, and I can''t stop myself from smiling from ear to ear, thinking Hunter Divenson, my husband, is now starting to fall in love with me.

 Chapter 70 - Best Day Of My Life

    Madeline''s POV

    The time I spent with my husband on the virgin Ind was priceless, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy because we don''t have reception, so no one can send him messages or call him on his phone, and Hunter devotes his entire time to me. It was an incredible feeling gazing on the giant moon together with Hunter, and we couldn''t stop ourselves from lying on the sand as we continue to enjoy ourselves watching the full moon above us.

    Hunter sat on the ground while I remained to lie on the white sand, and my head was on hisp. He was stroking my hair, the sound of the waves crashing on the coast is like a melody in my ears, and it made me feel so sleepy, and as I continued to listen to every pounding of the waves on the shore, my eyes shut, and I drifted into a beautiful sleep. And the following morning, when I woke up, I realized my husband carried me to our tentst night because no matter how I tried to recall what happened after watching the moonlight, I couldn''t look back on anything.

    We roam around the ind, and I can see the fantastic blue sea from the top view of the ind''s hill; coconut trees surround the ind that made the entire ce shady, and the trees provide shelter from the direct sunlight. I can see wildflowers all around, and I want to stay for another day, but we need to go back to the vi since our food is only suitable for overnight stay. I love spending time with my husband. We run barefoot along the coastline, and we kissed from time to time, and I realized I became more in love with Hunter, and I love the feeling I am having right now.

    I don''t care if I will get pregnant right away. However, my husband asked me to visit a doctor to take birth control because Hunter still wants me to graduate from college before having his babies. I felt excited about it because I couldn''t believe he was thinking about my future. I know Hunter will be my past, present, and future because he is now my husband. Still, he knew it was my dream to finish my education because I promised my mother in front of her grave that I would graduate whatever it takes, and right now that my husband is giving me an option, I am honored.

    As we are leaving the beautiful ind, and I can feel the heaviness in my heart because I want to stay here in this lovely ce forever. I want to ask Hunter to go back here once in a while because I fell in love with this paradise. We go back to the Vi, and I am shocked that Lucinda already cleaned the house and cooked lunch for us. I felt so tired. And I know it was because I enjoyed my swimming with Hunter the entire day yesterday, and it was because of our hot lovemaking session during the night.

    We eat lunch and sleep the entire afternoon in our room, and it feels so good to snuggle on his chest while we are in bed.

    The days passed quickly, and it is already Saturday; I am so excited to meet our visitors. Lily and Calixto arrived early morning, and our little sister hugged me tightly, and she asked me to swim right away, and how could I say no to her when I am always craving to swim? We applied sunblock, and I wouldn''t say I like that Cal made my husband upied because I can tell he brings lots of paperwork for my husband to read and sign. Lucinda is in the Vi to prepare our food, and her lovely daughter and I want to help in the kitchen, but she drove me away.

    "Maddie, you are Mr. Divenson''s wife now, so let us do our work and have fun with his little sister." She said.

    "Are you sure you don''t need my help?" I asked, and sheughed.

    "Mrs. Divenson, your husband, warned me not to allow you to do something inside the house, from cleaning to cooking; if we want to keep our job, don''t get me wrong, Ms. Maddie, but please allow us to do our job because Hunter''s sry is fantastic. Your husband is a good man and very thoughtful, and you are so lucky to have him as your husband." Lucinda dered, and I can''t stop myself from smiling, and I left the kitchen with a happy heart.

    Lily was swimming in the swimming pool, and she looked so happy by the time I joined with her, and I realized I hadn''t swum here in our swimming pool together with my husband.The Morigans came, and I felt so happy to see them. And I was surprised when I saw Gina climbed out from Jack''s pick-up, and she was grinning at me.

    "How could you not tell me you wereing, Gina?" I asked the moment I meet her.

    "I don''t want to disturb you on your honeymoon, Maddie. Besides, I want to surprise you." She said, and I smiled at her.

    Lucinda''s husband set up the for the beach volleyball, and I felt so excited to y with them. We all go to the beach except Cal and Hunter, and I want to disturb them in his study, but he already spent his time and undivided attention with me, and I know he is the CEO of their miningpany, so my husband''s job is not so easy. Being a leader takes courage and determination, and I know he has many business partners around the globe. That is why Cal told me Hunter doesn''t have time to look for a wife because of his busy schedule, and I am just d he took a one-week leave to spend time with me and make our honeymoon unforgettable.

    We yed on the sand, we divide ourselves into two groups, and we are all having fun. Lianne looked so beautiful in her white one-piece swimsuit, and I can tell my best friend, Gina, bought a new pair of swimsuits to catch Jack''s attention. Still, I noticed Jack was stealing nces at me from time to time, and it made me feel so excited to know that Jack is fascinated by my beauty, and I hope he will notice Gina because we can never be together. After all, I like Jack Morigan as a friend, and he will always be a close friend to me.

    Lydia, Lianne, and Jack are teammates, while Gina, Lily, and I are in one team. I know we will not win because the Morigans are all strong, and I can tell they love ying beach volleyball, and I don''t want them to know that this is my first time ying beach volleyball. Lily is tall for her age, and I couldn''t believe Hunter''s little sister was a fantastic beach volleyball yer. She was excellent on the court because she can run fast and get the ball with ease and grace, while I know I was the reason why our team is losing because I always make the ball out of the court, and most of the time, I missed hitting the ball when it wasing in my direction.As expected, we lose the game.

    And I was surprised when Hunter, together with Cal, joined us on the shore, he challenged the Morigans to have a game with him and Cal, and the Morigan family readily epted Hunter''s challenged to have fun. My eyes got so big when I saw my husband ying on the white sand ground; he looked so hot even he was sweating, and I can tell I was drooling over my husband''s physique, and I blushed when Hunter winked at me when he caught me staring at him.

    "Oh, Madeline, you are gaping on your husband without blinking your eyes. You continue to do that, and Hunter will melt. Aren''t you tired that you spend how many days alone with him, and I couldn''t believe you are still drooling on your husband''s hotness?" And I couldn''t think Gina will say it aloud, and I am sure the Morigans heard her loud and clear, and I kicked her on her legs so she will stop teasing me, and she justughed, and Lily was giggling with her.

    "Says the one who is gaping at Jack''s face the entire time!" I shouted, and I did it on purpose so Jack will hear me, and I felt triumphant that Jack''s face blushed, and it made me realized he listened to our conversation even if he was so busy with the ball. Gina tried to poke me on my side, but I quickly move away from her, and she started chasing me. And I run towards the court that I forgot they are still ying with the ball. And it was toote for me to realize they have an excellent game, and because of us chasing inside the court, their game was distracted.

    I didn''t realize the ball wasing in my direction, and as I raised my head, I was walloped by the ball on the face that I plummeted to the ground, and I can feel too much pain on my face, and I immediately felt Hunter''s hands on my body, while Lily was screaming my name. Even though I am in too much pain, I can''t stop myself fromughing so loud.. I couldn''t believe I was such an idiot for facing the ball instead of avoiding it, and I can hear Gina''sughter as I am having the best time of my life with my husband and close friends, and I don''t want this day to end.

 Chapter 71 - I Am Now Hunterâ€™s Wife

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you alright, Madeline?" I heard Hunter''s voice full of concern as he put his strong hands on my waist, and he slowly pulled me up from the ground, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling the butterflies on my stomach as I can feel the electricity creeping up on my entire frame.

    "Yes, and guys, I am so sorry for ruining your game," I said, and I heard Calixto''sughter.

    "It is okay, Madeline, it was fun, and I can tell how you be so close with your husband. I know you did that on purpose because the Morigans are winning the game; thanks for helping us anyway." He said, and I looked around and found him standing behind Gina''s back.

    "I didn''t do it on purpose, Calixto. I just carried away, that is all. I hope you will continue the game, and this is nothing." I said as I feel the pang on my face and left eye.

    "You are not fine, Maddie. We need to go inside and put an icebag on your face to stop the swelling of your face." Hunter dered.

    "Don''t worry, I am fine. I will go with Gina, and please continue ying. I felt bad already that we disrupted your game." I said.

    "Are you sure?" He asked.

    "Yes," I replied and smiled sweetly at him, and I felt warm when he caresses my face before he let me go.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter; I will take care of your wife," Gina said, and she took my hand and dragged me away from the beach volley court, and Lily stayed behind to tally the score of both teams.

    "Wow, I salute you now, my friend. It seems Hunter is now starting to fall for you; please, Maddie, tell me about your first night with Hunter; did you enjoy it?" She asked, and when I looked at her face, I can tell she was so excited to hear about it because we promised each other we would share our first time; losing my virginity was something special for me. For my friend, it was only out of her curiosity, but I know she was happy and ready that time because she did it with her first boyfriend, and I am just d she didn''t do it with random boys.

    "Very much, and I love it, Gina, it may sound crazy, but when we were on the ind, I couldn''t count how many times I came; Hunter is not only handsome, but he is also good in bed, and I couldn''t believe he is my husband now." I dered, and she giggled.

    "Wow, I am d that you enjoyed your first time." She said.

    "I know at first I thought my life sucks because at a young age I experience hardships. I grew up without a father, and I lost my mother because of cancer. And the main reason I lost her was that I couldn''t afford to bring her to the hospital and have proper treatment, and I am living in guilt because I couldn''t save my mom." I dered, and my best friend''s face softened.

    "And I hate my father that he died and didn''t reach out to me, but instead he asked a stranger to marry me, it was funny because right now, I want to visit his grave and tell him I am d he begged Hunter to marry me, and I am so happy right now, Gina." I added.

    "I understand what you mean, Madeline, but you have to stop ming yourself. Your mother died because of her illness, and she avoided treatment because she knew it would take only a waste of money. After all, her sickness is impossible to cure. The infection spreads and hits her vital organs, and she told me everything, Madeline. She doesn''t want to worry you, that is the reason why before she died, she asked me to look out for you, and I promised your mom that I would be your friend forever, through the bad times and the good times." She responded, and this is the first time she told me about this.

    "So, you only stick. with me because you promised my mom?" I asked.

    "Don''t be silly, Maddie, you know how much I want to be your friend from the first time we met. And right now, I am so proud that I stay by your side, and I kept my promised to her never to leave you until you are in good hands, but I won''t go because best friends should be there for each other, to give love and support. And I am jealous because you are now married to Hunter Divenson while I am still looking for a boyfriend, and I hope Jack will give me even a little of his time."

    "Don''t make meugh, Gina as if your parents will allow you to get married without graduating from college." I said, and sheughed.

    "Yeah, but I am sure if they will know I will marry someone like Hunter, they will be the ones to force me to marry, I understand parents want their child to have a bright future, and right now, I can tell you have the most promising future among of all the young woman all over the country because you are Hunter Divenson''s wife." She dered, and Iugh while I am still caressing my swollen face, and I can''t stop myself from beaming when I saw Gina''s eyes got so big as I bring her to my new sports car, and she was speechless.

    "His wedding gift for me, " I said.

    "Wow, this is brilliant. When can I have a ride with this baby?" She asked as he trailed her fingers on the body of the car.

    "Soon, maybe we can have a rideter." I responded.

    "Can I drive?" She asked, and I nodded, and she jumped on her feet and hugged me tightly. That made me hard to breathe, and when she released me from her tight embrace, she leaned her back on the car.

    "Wow! He is in love with you, Madeline." She said.

    "I hope so, Gina." I replied, and I motioned her to follow me inside the vi, and her eyes widened as she looked at the interior of the beach house, the high ceiling to the expansive ss windows that made the entire ce fresh; she was staring at the expensive chandeliers and the long white sofa that made the whole ce homely and so cozy.

    Lucinda and her daughter greeted us as we get inside the kitchen. And they were preparing the food for dinner, and she immediately got the ice bag and put some ice cubes into it, and she handed it to me.

    "Thank you, Lucinda." I said.

    "You are wee, Madeline." She replied and told me Hunter asked to have our dinner on the roof deck, and I remember thest dinner I had dinner with him on the rooftop. I know I was hurt that time, but it doesn''t matter at all because Hunter is now my husband. I pressed the bag on my face and to the side of my left eye. I couldn''t believe my clumsiness will make me embarrassed in front of my husband and our guests, but it was all worth it, and I decided to help Lucinda prepared the table and set up the utensils, and I am d that Gina is with me.

    "Wow, this ce is fantastic!" She eximed as we go on the rooftop of the house and set up the table.

    "Yes, it was so beautiful up here, especially during nighttime." I replied.

    "The view is perfect, the expansive shoreline and the sparkling clear water are captivating, and I can''t wait to swim." She dered.

    "We can have night swimmingter, and we can also swim tomorrow morning." I said, and she became excited. We return to the shore with a basket of bottled water, and I couldn''t believe they are still ying and I can tell my husband is having a good time as well as Cal and the Morigans. I called for a time out and distributed the bottled water, and they all mumbled their thanks while my husband stands beside me.

    My heart skipped a beat when he removed his tank top, and he handed it to me. And it took me seconds to understand that he was asking me to wipe his sweats. I can feel my entire face blushed as I wiped his sweat all over his back. When he faces me, I have to swallow my saliva as I continue to rub his shirt on his muscr chest, and I am still in awe every time I watch and touch his glorious body, and I felt warmth all over my face as I feel his hot breath near my ear.

    "Thank you, my sweet wife." He said in more than a whisper as he gets the shirt from my hand, and I can hear Gina giggles, and it feels so intimate to do something like this to my husband in front of my friends. They continue to y, and this time Lily asked her brother to join them, and now that they have Lily with them, the game became intense, and I can''t decide which team I have to cheer on because I also like the Morigans; they are like a family to me.

    It was almost twilight when they call it a day; on thest game, Hunter''s team won, and Lily was so happy about it, and we all get back inside the house to prepare ourselves for dinner. As we get inside, we heard an approaching vehicle on the driveway, and my husband''s forehead furrowed; and I wonder who arrived at this hour when we are not expecting anyone.

    Hunter and Cal went to the garage to meet the unexpected visitors while we all get inside. I am in the living room waiting for Hunter when he gets inside the house. I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so nervous when I saw Charlotte gets inside the house, followed by her friend, Kaye. I stand up from the sofa and say hi, they just looked at me, and as usual, I received the same treatment from his sister and her close friend, and it was Cal who smiled at me, and he asked me toe with him to the porch because he wants to show me something.

    "Thank you, Cal. I know you don''t have anything to show me, and you save me from being embarrassed." I dered the moment we sat on the patio chair facing the swimming pool.

    "You are wee, Madeline. I know Charlotte likes Kaye to be Hunter''s wife, but they can do nothing about it now because you are now Mrs. Divenson. Yet, I want you to be careful always, Maddie. Kaye will never stop until she achieves ruining your rtionship with Hunter. Always be on your guard." He said, and I felt so thankful for his concern about me.

    "Don''t worry, Cal, I won''t give them the satisfaction of ruining my rtionship with Hunter, I am his wife now, and I have all the right to be with my husband, and I am telling you, I am not afraid of them, but there is someone I am so scared of, and I need to tell you something, Cal." I said, and I can tell Calixto wonders who made me so frightened, and when I told him everything about Hunter''s father, his face pale. And I felt that he knew what is going on with Hunter''s dad because he was once his right hand before Hunter took over thepany.

    "I need your help, Cal." I said.

    "Madeline, I want you to be careful from now on, I know Hunter''s father was a good man, but after what happened to their business and Reba, I can tell he became a different person, so stay away from him as possible. He said and excused himself, and I hate to admit that Charlotte and Kaye ruined my day, and I know I have to make myself ready for their evil ns.. Still, I am now Hunter''s wife, and I am ready what kind of scheme they were nning to give me, and I hope this time it will not include Reba''s stuff because as possible, I want Reba to rest in peace, and I don''t want Hunter to hate me again.

 Chapter 72 - I Need To Be Strong

    Madeline''s POV

    We eat dinner on the roof deck, and the view now is breathtaking. The sky is full of stars, and they are twinkling above us, and I can tell everyone is having fun except Charlotte and Kaye, who are so busy talking with each other, and I felt so d that I sat between Lily and Hunter and Cal is seated beside Hunter. I know Charlotte made sure that she will be sitting in front of us together with her best friend.

    I know Kaye was wearing a dangling blouse, so her cleavage will be in full disy. That is why she was seated in front of my husband, I don''t know their purpose foring here, and maybe they are here to ruin my perfect honeymoon with Hunter, and I want to tell them they are alreadyte. I already enjoyed my nights with my husband making love during the day and night. And it was fun, and I love every intimate moment I shared with my husband, and I can''t stop myself from smiling. And I found Kaye looking daggers at me, and I made my smile wider for her.

    I love the feeling of being so close with Hunter because after eating, we are still having good conversations, and I know Cal is good with his stories, and mostly it involved Hunter, and my husband chuckled every time Cal narrates a tale of their trips abroad. Cal is funny, and I love how he made us allugh, but Kaye and Charlotte didn''t enjoy it with us. They decided to leave the table and tell Hunter that they will go to the nearest bar in the Vige capital to have fun, and they ask Hunter toe with us, and I felt triumphant when he declined.

    Then Charlotte''s eyes lingered on Jack''s face, and she didn''t waste her time; she moves closer to him and whispers something in his ear, and Jack''s face lit, and he asked permission from his mom toe with them, and the three of them left while I can see the sadness on Gina''s face. And I don''t understand why they asked Jack toe with them, and I hate that I couldn''t warn him that they are trouble, and I can''t stop worrying about Jack while we are having a night swim on the beach. Lily is having so much fun, and I know Charlotte ruined Gina''s mood.

    "Hey, are you okay?" I asked, and she let out a sigh andy on the sand beside me.

    "How can be okay? Your sister-inw stole my date." She said, and I can''t stop myself fromughing.

    "Really? But it seems to me, and Jack doesn''t know you were his date for tonight." I replied, and her face fell.

    "Ouch, Charlotte already wrecked my night. Please don''t add my frustrations, Maddie." She said.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I am just worried about Jack. You know Charlotte is bad news." I replied.

    "Well, maybe Jack loves wealthy girls. Good luck to him if he is going to get involved with Hunter''s sister." I said as we looked at the stars in the sky.

    "Yeah, but I am broken-hearted." She said, and I roll over to her side and hug her sideways.

    "I am sorry, do you like Jack that much?" I asked, and she nodded her head.

    "Yeah, I never felt this way to anyone, and I know Jack likes you, but I don''t care about it because I am sure you only like one man in your entire life, and he is now your husband. You are so lucky, Maddie. You married to your first love." She said.

    "I know, but I am afraid about his father''s warning, he told me about divorce, and Cal told me to be careful, and I should avoid Hunter''s dad at all cost. I have a suspicion that rk Divenson was involved in Reba''s death." I softly said because I don''t want anyone to hear our conversation, but they are all having fun in the water. Lily is having fun as she rides on her brother''s shoulders before she jumps into the water.

    "It was an ident." She responded.

    "Yes, but Calixto was there on the sideline. Maybe Hunter didn''t have time to process what was going on because Reba''s thoughts upied his mind, and his guilt was eating him up." I replied, and we fell silent as we continue to gaze at the stars on the skies. I close my eyes as I feel the tide hit the shore and wet our bodies, and I am shocked when I felt strong hands picked me up from the sand, and I can smell him. My husband is carrying me to the water as I hear Lily''sughter in the background. When I open my eyes, he was staring at my face, and I smiled at him.

    We swim our heartsughing and chasing in the warm water until midnight. I took a shower, and I realized my husband prepared my nightgown, and hey it on top of our matrimonial bed. I fell asleep after my body hit the soft mattress of our bed. I felt so thirsty that I woke up, and I realized my husband is not sleeping beside me, and I wonder where he could be. When I looked at the big clock on the wall, it is still three o''clock in the morning. I get outside the room and go to the kitchen to drink some water. And as I get near the cupboard to get some ss, I was startled to find Jack leaning on the counter.

    "Jack! You scared me!" I eximed.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I couldn''t go to sleep because I keep on thinking about you. I know I should not tell you about what I saw, but I realized you have all the right to know. I have been standing here for an hour because I want to go to your room and wake you up." He said, and my drowsiness suddenly disappeared, and I can''t control the rapid pounding of my heart.

    "What do you want to tell me, Jack?" I asked as I try to control my voice because something is going on.

    "I wonder why your husband didn''t go to your room after he had a drink with Cal, and he proceeds to one of the guest rooms next to the master''s bedroom, which I assume your room. I know I have no right to interfere in your rtionship with your husband, but you know I care about you, Madeline, not only because you are my friend but because I like you. And I know he was your fiance already before I meet, and I respect your rtionship with him, but if he is hurting you, I am willing to take you with me, Maddie." He dered, and I am hurt that Hunter goes to the other room instead of staying with me.

    "Jack, thank you for your concern, and I am ttered that you like me, but I am on my honeymoon with my husband, and I am in love with him. We are good." I replied.

    "Really? And why did I saw Kaye get inside his room a while ago." He dered, and my entire body trembled, and I felt so cold.

    "Are you sure?" I asked in more than a whisper, and I try to hold on to the edge of the ind counter as I felt my entire body weakened.

    "Yes, that is why I want to wake you up, so you check on your husband." He said.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, if I have to be the bearer of this unpleasant news, I went out with Charlotte and Kaye because your sister-inw guessed that I am in love with you, so they made a deal, but I can''t do it to you, Maddie. They asked me to do something to you, something like kissing you and make Hunter catch us so that Kaye can have Hunter. I disagreed because you are my friend, but right now, I don''t understand why Hunter is not sleeping with you." He said and released a heavy sigh.

    I want to cry because I know Charlotte will do anything to ruin my rtionship with my husband, but I didn''t expect she will use my friend because I thought she likes Jack, and I am just d Jack cares for me, or else I could be like Reba. My mind is in disarray, thinking about why Hunter didn''t sleep beside me tonight in our bed. I said goodbye to my husband before I go to sleep, and he told me he would have some drinks with Cal, and I don''t want to judge him yet because I know he is beginning to fall in love with me.

    "Thank you, Jack, for telling me all this, and I think I should go and check my husband right now," I said, and I turned my heels away from him, walking in haste going to the stairs and my knees trembled as I near the room where my husband is sleeping, and I saw that the door is left ajar because I can see a light reflectioning from the room. I am so worried about what I am going to see, but I know I need to be strong and face reality, and I will fight my husband whatever it takes even if it hurts because I know this is all Charlotte and Kaye''s n even if deep in my heart I realized no one could force Hunter to sleep in another room.

 Chapter 73 - I Am Proud Of My Wife

    Hunter''s POV

    I wasn''t expecting Charlotte and Kaye toe to the Vi since I only invited my little sister to join us. I know I should watch out because they could harm my wife. I know Kaye''s ability. She is willing to take a risk to have me again, and this is why I didn''t choose her to be the mother of my future children because I know I can''t tame her. She will always show her bad attitude, and I don''t want her to be my wife because I only see her as a friend. Unlike Maddie, I can''t exin the feelings I have for her from the first moment Iid my eyes on her.

    I hate to think our honeymoon is almost over, but from now on, I will take time to be with Madeline when we still can because by the time sses will resume, she will be busy, and I don''t want to disturb her with her studies. I will say goodbye to my parents the moment we get back to the Divenson mansion, and it is about time I need to move out of the house. My father has nothing to do about it, and I want to make Madelinefortable because I know I am now beginning to fall for her.

    I am relieved when Charlotte and Kaye left to go to the nearest bar they can find, and I wondered why they brought Jack Morigan with them. And it made me feel better because Jack can''t stop staring at my wife, and I understand he likes Madeline. Still, I want to tell him to stop gazing at my wife because Madeline is mine, but I can''t tell him that into his face, and I know I must contain my jealousy so I will not look like an idiot in front of our guests.

    I enjoy swimming at the beach, and when we get back to the Vi, Cal asked me to have a drink. I want to sleep beside my wife because she smells so good after she took a shower, but I know I should stop myself from making love with her at the moment because my wife is exhausted from our swimming and her face got swollen because she was hit on the face by the beach volleyball. After drinking with Calixto, I get inside our room, and I can see my wife was wearing a very sexy nightgown; it was made of thin material, and I can see her ample breasts beneath her nightdress, and it is so tempting to kiss her slightly opened mouth. I want to caress her long smooth legs because she didn''t cover herself with the nket.

    I want to take my wife and have it rough because I also want her to experience wild sex, but I know we have to do it some other time. For now, I want to be passionate with her, but when she is ready, we can bring our lovemaking to another level. I love intense and wild sex, and I am sure Maddie will like it too since I will make sure she will love every moment we are in bed.

    Iy in my bed beside Madeline, and I can feel her steady breathing, and I smiled, and I feel so content sleeping beside her, and when I dozed off to sleep, I started dreaming about Reba; she was in the garden again, and I was chasing her. Reba''s long ck hair is flying in the air, and when I caught her by the waist, she disappeared from my sight. Then, the scenario changes; we suddenly on the highway, and I can see the fast-moving vehicles before my eyes, and she was running from me again, and this time she was wearing a white dress.

    "Reba! Reba!" I shouted her name, and I suddenly woke up panting, and it seems so real again, and I felt so d that my wife is still sleeping soundly beside me; I slowly got up from the bed and tiptoed, going outside our room, and this never happened for the past few days, and I wonder why it has to happen now that we have visitors in the house. I am just d this vacation house has many rooms. And I didn''t let anyone use the extra space I prepared for myself just in case my nightmares with Reba will return.

    I transferred to the other room, hoping my wife will not wake up in the middle of her sleep. Iy on the bed, and I realized it feels so empty without Madeline by my side, and I wonder why Reba suddenly appeared in my dreams again. She called my name and begged me to get her; it feels like shemunicated with me.

    I fell asleep immediately because I felt so tired from our game, but I woke up when I suddenly felt the bed moved, and I can feel someone snuggled on my chest, and I am sure it was not my wife because I am so familiar with Madeline''s scent. And when I open my eyes, I saw Kaye half-naked and her full breasts are pressed against my chest.

    "What are you doing, Kaye?" I asked and tried to control my anger towards her because we have visitors in the house, and most of all, I am afraid my wife will see us in this position. I try to get up from the bed, but she pulled me down and started kissing me on my lips.

    "I know you don''t love Madeline because if you do, you will not be sleeping in a separate room, and you won''t be here without your wife; you are not happy with your Maddie because she was a virgin and didn''t know how to perform well in bed." She said, and she made her voice so sexy.

    "For heaven''s sake, Kaye, what do you think you are doing? I don''t need to tell everyone that I enjoyed making love with my virgin wife, and I have never been sexually satisfied my entire life until I met Maddie. I don''t need to exin to you why I was sleeping here tonight, please, Kaye. I am begging you to get out from here before I will drag you out." I said, and she looked at me with anger on her face.

    "You used to admire my body, Hunter, and you enjoyed what we did together." She said, and I can tell she doesn''t have any n of getting up from the bed.

    "It was a one-time mistake, Kaye, and you know I was not in myself that time. Please, you should leave now, Kaye. I am currently a married man, and please respect my privacy." I begged her.

    "I hate you, Hunter, first it was Reba who ruined our rtionship, and now Madeline, you have to pay for all this, and I will make sure you will regret everything that you have done to me." She dered.

    "Kaye, why are you like that? We don''t have any rtionship; I have been honest with you through these years, I told you we could never be more than friends, and now that I am married, I hope you will understand I have a wife, and I don''t want to hurt, Maddie, so please leave." I dered, and I got so frustrated that Kaye is super stubborn.

    "I will not leave unless you will give me what I want, just for old times sake Hunter, please, I am begging you to have me." She said.

    "I think you should leave my husband alone, Kaye, before I drag you out from this room. You heard him loud and clear. You are beautiful and very wealthy, but I couldn''t believe you will lower your standard to ask someone''s husband to have sex with you for old time''s sake. Aren''t you out of your mind? You are so pathetic." Madeline said it waste for me to react; she caught me in the act with Kaye on the bed, and I couldn''t believe what I have heard, and I want to p my hands at her for turning into a badass wife. And I have never been so turned on my entire life watching my wife''s hands on her hips and her tiger eyes are staring at Kaye likeser beams.

    "You have no right to insult me this way, Madeline; even if you marry Hunter Divenson, you will always be poor in my eyes, and you will never belong to our society," Kaye said as she got up from bed and she put on her blouse.

    "Well, I will never be envious of the society that you belong with, Kaye, because I don''t want to be like you, no manners, disrespectful, proud, and arrogant. I better choose to remain poor and retain my good manners and proper conduct. It is a shame that you belong to the elite society, yet you are seducing my husband in my house. This Vi is Hunter''s gift for me, so I have all the right to drive you out of my own home." Maddie said, and I couldn''t believe she will have the guts to insult Kaye. And it made me so proud of my wife, and I admired her courage to face someone like Kaye.

    "You don''t know who you are dealing with, Madeline. I will make sure to ruin your life." Kaye said, and she stormed out from the room, and she mmed the door shut.

    I am speechless, and I know my face is so red because of my guilt, even though nothing happened between Kaye and me, but being with a half-naked woman in a room is something I can''t be proud of, and I am afraid to hurt my Madeline. The moment my wife removed her robe, I can see her beautiful figure underneath her seethrough nightdress, and I was about to say sorry, yet my words remained unspoken when my wife kissed me on the lips with urgency. I couldn''t believe she was not angry with me for leaving her in our room, and she found out I was lying on the bed with a half-naked woman.. I want to exin my side, but the way she slid her tongue inside my mouth, I became lost for words, and I felt so happy that I didn''t upset her, and I love the way my wife kisses me passionately.

 Chapter 74 - His Fatherâ€™s Plan

    Madeline''s POV

    I felt my hands trembled as I hold the doorknob on my hand, and when I pushed the door, I saw my husband sleeping on the bed with Kaye sprawled on the bed with him, and I can see before my eyes how she snuggled her head on my husband''s muscr chest. I know I should run away and never return to this ce. But I want to understand why Hunter didn''t sleep beside me on our bed. I almostugh when I saw my husband''s reactions when he found out someone was sleeping beside him, and I hate Kaye for kissing my husband on the lips, and I felt so d that I stayed because I learned nothing was going on between my husband and his friend.

    Hunter tried to get away from Kaye, and I could no longer restrain myself from getting inside and asked Kaye to leave my husband alone. She tried her best to seduce Hunter, but I felt d that my husband resisted her charm. Kaye was furious with me and threatened to ruin my life. And I didn''t know where I got the courage to face her, but I am no longer afraid of her now that I have be Hunter''s wife.

    "I am d you came, and you didn''t leave when you caught me with Kaye." He dered after we shared a hot kiss, and he pulled me closer to him, and he was giving me butterfly kissed on my neck, and he was making me hot all over again, but as much as I want to make love with my husband, this time I want to know everything. And now that I became his wife, I expect my husband to tell me about his ex-girlfriend, Reba, the only girl he loved.

    "I am now your wife, Hunter, and I can''t just walk away from you, even if I know deep in your heart I am just simply your wife, I understand that you can''t love me, and I hope you will tell me the reason why you didn''t sleep beside me tonight." I dered, and I can feel the racing of his heart, and he let out a heavy sighed, and he stopped kissing me, and he looked at me in the eyes.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I slept beside you, but I had a nightmare again, and I don''t want to disturb you since you were sleeping soundly. That is why I transferred here in the guest room." Hunter replied.

    "Can you tell me about your nightmare?" I asked, and he was surprised by my question.

    "I don''t want to talk about it, maybe some other time. Let us get back to our room, Maddie." He said, and he gets up from the bed, and he pulled me up by the waist. I tried my best to hide my frustration because I realized my husband is not yet ready to tell me about Reba. It only means one thing, he is not yet prepared to let go of her ex; he will always be in love with her, no matter how I will make him forget about her. My heart is heavy, and when wey on our bed, I pretended to fall asleep immediately because I am upset that my husband is still in love with the dead.

    Our visitors left, and we spend the remaining days of our honeymoon making love, swimming on the beach, and sunbathing on the roof deck; we also spend time swimming in the pool. Lucinda cleaned the Vi and cooked us food for the remaining days, and when it was our time to go, I felt so sad to leave the beach house because I know this is the only time I can have Hunter''s undivided attention. Once we return to the Divenson mansion, he will spend most of his time in the office, and if he is at home, he will also devote his time to his study room.

    Leticia weed us with a sweet smile on her face, and I realized I didn''t miss this house, and maybe because I don''t have beautiful memories in this mansion except for my first kiss with Hunter. By the time we get home, Hunter excused himself and proceeded to his study immediately, and I am just d Lily asked me to joined her in her room. We talked and yed some board games, and when dinner time came, I fetch my husband on his study.

    When I open the door, I am surprised that my husband is no longer there anymore. So, I go to the library since he also loves to spend his time in the mansion''s library, and as I get inside the enormous library, I can hear my husband''s voice, and I realized he was talking with his father. And I am just d that they were busy talking and they didn''t notice my presence. I wanted to get out, but my curiosity made me footed on the library''s floor.

    I slowly move closer to them while I hid behind the bookshelves. I peeked, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous about being caught listening to my husband''s meeting with his dad. I don''t know why I suddenly want to know what rk Divenson wants from Hunter.

    "What do you want from me, dad?" Hunter asked.

    "This is about one of our business partners from Paris; I am sorry, Hunter, I want to help you, son, but I didn''t realize he wants his daughter toe and work with you. I know he wants to make sure that his money is in good hands." rk said.

    "What you mean by that, dad?" Hunter asked, and I can tell he was shocked.

    "He said he wants his daughter to work with you in running thepany." His father responded.

    "Is she a mining engineer?" My husband asked.

    "Nope, but he mentioned she graduated with an MBA degree, and she wille to Archois city, and she will be staying in your penthouse." rk said.

    "Why did you tell me about this now?" Hunter asked.

    "Because you were so busy preparing for your wedding and chasing your wife, I didn''t oppose your marriage with Madeline even though I don''t like her, but we both know you only marry her so you will have a child, but why do you need to act like a real husband to her, Hunter? You disappoint me, son; why do you need to pretend you were her real husband?" His father asked, and I felt my entire body turned so cold.

    "Cut the crap, Hunter, we both know you only needed her for one purpose alone, and you are going to discard her after she gives birth to your baby. You don''t need to send her to school, for heaven''s sake; after she leaves this house, she will be a millionaire, and Madeline doesn''t need a college degree because she has a bright future, and I hope you will not give her false hope." rk Divenson said.

    "Don''t worry, father, I know what I am doing." Hunter replied, and I know from the moment Calixto informed me about the reason why Hunter Divenson wants to marry me. But hearing them discussed made me feel hurt, and I am back to reality.

    "Don''t tell me you are falling in love with Madeline, son?" His father asked him, and my heart is beating so fast because I am so excited to hear Hunter''s answer.

    "Don''t worry, dad, it will never happen, and I know it from the very start where Maddie stands in my life." Hunter replied, and my tears fall from my cheek, and I want to run away from the library, but I am afraid if they will find me, so instead of running away from them, I sat on the floor and leaned my body on the wall while I keep myself from crying.

    "Her name is Eve, and she will arrive next week, and I hope you will entertain her. Who knows she will make you fall in love with her? You can always file a divorce against Madeline.." rke Divenson dered, and I hate him right now, how could he asked his son to divorce his wife. Well, I am just only Hunter''s wife on the paper, and I hate to admit rk was right. How could I be so confident that Hunter is beginning to love me? I am such a fool. I remain seated on the floor while I wait for them to leave the library.

    I released a sigh of relief when they left and close the library door, I slowly get up, and I was groping in the dark since they switch off the light, and I left my cellphone in our room. It is so dark all around, and I try to locate the switch to turn on the lights, and I became frustrated that I couldn''t find the switch. I let my tears flow because I was so naive for thinking I can tame my husband''s heart, but I was so wrong. I know Hunter is very confident he won''t fall in love with me, and what will happen when the daughter of rk Divenson business partner arrives here in Archois City?

    I can tell this is rk''s Divenson''s n, and I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry and I will do everything I can to make his son fall in love with me, and I am not afraid no matter how many women rk is going to use to make his son fall in love again.. I love his son, and I already promised myself that I would do everything I can to make him love back, and I realized I need Calixto''s help if I want to win Hunter''s heart.

 Chapter 75 - I Will Never Judge You

    Madeline''s POV

    I got out of the library, and I don''t want to join them to eat dinner, but Cer finds me in the hallways, and she told me that my husband was looking for me. I am still shocked by what his father had told him, so his dad knew all along that I wasn''t Hunter''s girlfriend, and I guess it wasmon knowledge among his family member, and I hate that he pretended to be sweet with me when all of them knew he was in love with someone else. I see this situation must bother me, but knowing that I ampeting with a dead woman sounds ridiculous.

    I proceed to the dining hall, and they are already seated around the dining table. They areplete except me, and even though I feel a little guilty that I heard my husband''s conversations with his father, I couldn''t stop thinking about his father''s words. So, it is now clear to me that once I gave Hunter a child, he will file a divorce, and just thinking about it made me feel so sad that I almost hit my body on the table.

    Hunter pulled out a chair for me, and I can tell he was searching for my face, but I avoided his gaze. Hunter''s mom smiled genuinely at me, and I return it with a sweet smile, but I remain speechless the entire dinner, and I can see rk Divenson is giving me a stern look. I can tell Lily sensed that I was not in the mood since, after dinner, she told me to meet her tomorrow on the gazebo in the morning because she will paint me.

    "Are you alright, my sweet Madeline?" Hunter said the moment we get back in our room, and I want to ask him about what I heard in the library, but I don''t want my husband to know that I have been eavesdropping on his conversation with his father. And my questions remained to myself as I feel my husband moves closer to me, and I hate that I am anticipating this. I know this new craving that I felt is insatiable, and only my husband can fill me with his body and gorgeous manhood. I felt ashamed of myself for thinking this way, but as my husband guides my hand to touch him over his pants, I can see and feel the bulge of his member, and I can''t deny I want to have a touch and taste of him.

    I slowly open the button and unzipped his pants, and pulled it down, and slid my hand inside his boxer shorts. And I love hearing the soft moan that came out from my husband''s mouth as I can feel his stiff rod getting bigger on my hand. He cupped my chin and captured my mouth hungrily, and I kissed him back hungrily. I let my husband''s kiss make me forget all the words that I heard in the library, I love how he toyed with my tongue as I continue to stroke his throbbing manhood, and I felt him sucked my tongue that made me moan in pleasure.

    And then he caressed my thigh as he lifted the hem of my dress, and I raised my hands so Hunter can pull it over my head, and I felt so hot when he pulled out his white shirt from his glorious torso. We face each other admiring each other''s body, and I love the lust and desires that I can see in my husband''s eyes. I am standing in front of him with only my sexy strapless red bra and thong, and I can see how my husband''s face lingered on my breast and my mound between my legs.

    Hunter kissed me long and hard on the lips, and when he nibbled my lower lip, I pressed my body against him because I want to feel his massive erection. He unsped my bra and showered me with kisses on my neck down to my corbone and shoulders, while I can feel his other hand busy cupping my breast, and his other hand is gently stroking my ass and he pulled me closer to him. And when Hunter travels his hand on my thigh going up to my mound between my legs, I let out a wild moan when my husband slid down my thong, and Hunter cupped my mound. It feels heavenly, and I can feel the desires that build up in my core as he let his fingers stroked my wet flesh, and I like the way his fingers explore my womanhood.

    "Oh, my sweet wife, you are so wet for me. I know you are upset with me, and I want to make you feel good." He said in a husky voice, and he lowered me on the bed, and I felt him part my legs wide, and when I feel the first touched of his mouth on my mound, I bit my lower lip to contain my moaning. Hunter started kissing the lips on my mound, and he used his tongue to licked me while I can feel his fingers rubbing my clit. I can tell I am drenched, and it feels so hot looking at my husband kissing me in between my legs, and I am pushing his head to continue what he was doing since it feels so good.

    He eat me wildly, and I loved every lick of his tongue on mybia, and when Hunter sucked my clitoris, I can''t hold on anymore, I can feel my entire body erupted in pleasure, and he sucked me good that I don''t want him to stop, and I bucked my hips to meet his every sucked. Then, he trailed kisses going up to my stomach while gently stroking my breasts, and I can feel my nipples hardened under his touch. I let out a soft moan when my husband trailed kisses around my breasts, and when he gently sucked my nipple, I arched my back to encourage my husband to continue sucking my hard bud, and I felt euphoric as he continued to give the same treatment to my other breast.

    I get up from the bed, and I pulled down his boxers, and when I saw his throbbing manhood, I can''t stop myself from getting into my knees and have a taste of my husband. I can feel the precum as I slowly licked his mushroom head, and when I started to take him inch by inch, I became more aroused when I heard my husband groaned with pleasure. I licked and sucked my husband''s rigid member like I was eating a lollipop, and I can taste his precum in my mouth.

    "Ohh, Maddie, that feels so good." He said, and I continue to take my husband into my mouth, and I am afraid if I can''t amodate all of him, I gag, but I continued sucking my husband, and I can feel him became bigger in my mouth.

    "I need to take you, now, Maddie." He grunted, and he pulled me up, and he let me straddle him, and as I can feel the friction of his manhood on my flesh, I can''t stop myself from getting wild, and I want to feel my husband inside me. Since I am on top, I positioned myself, and I hold his massive rod in my hand, and I slowly take him, and I didn''t expect my husband to make one strong thrust that I can feel him splitting me into two, but the pleasure that I get is overwhelming as he let me ride him.

    I love the feeling on top of my husband. I ride my Hunter while I arched my back as I push up and down. He put his hands on my hips so he can help me increase the speed. I can feel all of him while he was sucking my nipple and fondling my breasts, and the sensation that I think is too much that I can''t hold myself as my orgasms erupted in the pit of my stomach and the moan of my pleasures brings me to the other dimension. I shuddered, and my husband rolled me over on my back as he rams me with his stiff manhood. I meet Hunter''s every thrust with wild abandon, and I take each push with a loud moan.

    Hunter quickened his pace, and I arched my back, and I encourage him to go faster as I rubbed my clit, and when he rubbed my G-spot, my scream reverberated inside our room, and I can feel him let out an intense groan as he shuddered as he came and drizzled me with his seed. I felt so overwhelmed with happiness that we came together. I let my worriese back tomorrow. What matter''s now is being in my husband''s arms, and he brings me closer to him, and I can feel his breath on my skin. I can''t stop myself from smiling as I realized our lovemaking bes more intense, and I love every moment I spend intimately with my husband, and I will try my best to let Hunter change his mind, and I will do everything I can to make him stand up to his father.

    "Maddie?" He called my name.

    "Yes, Hunter?" I asked.

    "Are you happy?" He asked me, and I can''t stop the beautiful smile that appeared on my face.

    "Very happy, and why do you ask?" I inquired.

    "I don''t want you to be upset, and if there is something you want to ask me, you can ask me about anything." He dered, and I want to ask him about Reba.

    "Are you ready to answer me about anything?" I asked.

    "I am sorry, but you can''t ask me about my nightmare yet, maybe some other time, and I want to tell you about it, but I am asking you to be patient. And give me enough time to get ready to tell you everything, and I am hoping for your understanding, Madeline." He dered.

    I turned my body to face him since he was hugging me on my back, and I give him my sweetest smile before I speak.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter. I will be patiently waiting for you when you are ready, and I hope you will be ready soon because I want to know you more. I know your nightmare has something to do with why you can''t love me, but I hope when the right timees, you will learn to love me and will acknowledge me toe into your life. For now, allow me to be your wife and be here for you, Hunter. And I want you to know whatever your nightmare wasall about, I will never judge you, and I will ept you for what you are and whoever you will be, and I hope you will allow me to continue loving you.." I dered, and he was beaming at me, and I fall asleep with a beautiful smile on my face hoping Hunter will finally let me in into his life.

 Chapter 76 - The Painful Truth

    Madeline''s POV

    As expected, Hunter became busy the entire week after our honeymoon, and we hardly have time for each other because he always came homete, and I miss my husband, but I understand his nature of work. After we eat dinner with his family, he will proceed to his study, and I will serve him coffee, and I will fall asleep waiting for him. When I wake up, my husband is no longer there, and I can feel that something has changed. He became the old Hunter that I know, and he barely texts or calls me during the day, and I am just d Lily makes me upied during the day.

    Ronan got my sports car from the Vi, and my husband told me I can now use it if I want to go to the city. And I felt so d when the start of sses came, and it was when I became busy.

    Then, one night he came homete, and I can smell the alcohol on his mouth the moment he started kissing me, and we had wild sex that night. I can''t deny I love it, but I couldn''t help myself but cry when he told the things that I have been dreading to hear since we got married, the reason why he married me, and I know I have to ept the painful truth.

    "We are only married on paper since I don''t have time for love, business sess is the only thing that makes me happy, and I can''t love someone like you, Madeline. Don''t expect if something happens to us in bed, and I will love you. I only need an heir of my empire." Hunter said, and my entire body shook. I never expected he will tell me all about it now; I thought we were okay.

    "One more thing, I don''t want you to demand my time because you married me even you already know I am always busy, and thising weekend we will move out from this house." He added, and my mouth remained close as I wiped my tears away, and he walked out to the door.

    I became more lonely when we moved out from the Divenson mansion, and I am just d Leticia and Lily visit me during weekends. Sometimes Gina will sleepover, especially if Hunter has a business trip abroad together with Calixto. There are a lot of times I wonder what went wrong, but I realized from the moment I arrived at the Divenson estate, I know what my life would be like, and I hate that I was hoping he would love me back, and worst I became more in love with Hunter every single day.

    I studied Bachelor of Science in Business Administration since Hunter asked me to study business to help him. It made me wonder every night before I go to sleep if I want to work with him, now that our rtionship is as cold as ice, and after I graduate, if possible, I want to open my own business and stay away from him as possible.

    I have nothing to do since it was the weekend and Hunter was out of town. We have maids in the house because even if he treats me so cold, he specifically told the maids I am not allowed to do the household chores, but for me, I''d rather do all the tasks at home being a housewife than live like a princess and treated by my husband as a stranger. It was tough on my part to live like this, and I could say I now have enough money in my savings ount, enough to support me even if I am jobless for how many years. I never experience this kind of life, to have sufficient money that I don''t even know what to buy anymore since he provides me with everything I need except his love.

    The maids are on their quarter at the back of the house because Hunter wants us to have privacy, maybe because he doesn''t want the maids to know his treatment towards me. Every morning we dine together, but I mostly eat alone during lunch and dinner. We are civil to each other, but he never kissed me as he used to. He usually kissed me on my head now. He said we would make love again until I am ready to conceive his child. I want to tell him I am ready, but I understand he wants me to finish my education first. I am in my room reading my book while the Television was on. I don''t watch, and I want to open it to make some noise because I can''t take the loneliness I felt because of the deafening silence of the entire house. And I felt my phone vibrated in my pocket. I smiled when I saw Gina''s name on the screen.

    "Hello! Madeline, please open your main door." She said, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Are you here?" I asked.

    "Of course, I would not ask you to open your main door if I wasn''t standing in front of your mansion, and if you were only living in a small house, I guess you can hear my car." She said, and I can feel the irritation in her voice.

    "I am sorry, I was watching the news on TV, just wait for a while, Madam Gina," I said and ended the call. I got out of my room running to the grand staircase, and went through the exquisite living room before reaching the massive wooden door.

    "Gina!" I eximed when I saw my best friend with grocery bags in her hands, and I wonder what she had bought in the grocery store. I helped her carry the bags, and we proceed to the kitchen, and I realized she bought fruits, drinks, and junk foods.

    "Why did you bother to buy?" I asked her, and she just shrugged her shoulders.

    "Old habits are hard to die." She replied, and I understand what she means because she always does this. Ever since I can remember, every time she visits me in my aunt''s house, she will bring something for me, and Gina knew I love fruits.

    "Thank you foring, Gina," I said as I washed the fruits on the kitchen sink, and I sliced the papaya, then I cut the watermelon into half, and I also slice half of it and covered the other half with cling wrap, and I put it on the chiller. I bring the te of fruits to the dining table, and I pulled out the heavy wooden dining chair and satfortably, and I started eating the fruits while Gina looked at me with concern.

    "Why are you looking at me that way, Gina?" I asked, and she sat across from me.

    "Are you okay, Madeline?" She asked softly, and I put my fork down and looked at my best friend.

    "I don''t want to lie to you, Gina, but what can I do? When my husband paid my aunt''s debts, I know I will have a different life from anyone who got married because it is unusual that someone will marry as debt repayment. In my case, that was what happened, and I hate myself for loving him more every day, even if he treated me coldly. But don''t worry, I will get used to it, and all I need is time to adjust." I said as I let out a heavy sigh.

    "Madeline, I think you can still get out from this mess and live your life away from Hunter." She replied as she picks up some papaya from the te, and she slowly put it in her mouth.

    "I have done something like that before, but it didn''t work out; I don''t have the freedom to walk away from his life, Gina, because I still need to fulfill my duty first; I need to give him a child," I responded.

    "And after that, he will discard you? And do you think you can leave your baby?" Gina asked.

    "I don''t know, Gina, for now, I want to focus on my studies, and I am trying to get myself busy because I want to forget even for a while that I have a husband who doesn''t love me," I replied.

    "I know, I just wondered how it all happened, and it transpired so fast, and I couldn''t believe he will treat you this way, during your honeymoon, I can tell Hunter was happy, and I am sure he wasn''t faking that time because I can see it the way he looked at you," Gina responded.

    "Maybe Hunter tried his best to forget Reba, but he couldn''t do it, and he was afraid I couldn''t ept him once he will tell me that his memories and trauma about Reba were imprisoning him." I dered.

    "I don''t think so, Maddie. I believe there is something more profound, maybe his father has something to do about all of this, and the reason I came here is that I want to help you solve this mystery." She said, and I can see the eagerness on her face.

    "And how are you going to help me?" I asked.

    "Well, you mentioned, there is a particr room in this house that he told you not to open, and even the maids are not allowed to open it, and I think we should start by opening that room." She said, and my eyes got so big.

    "Gina, I don''t think we can do that. Hunter will get angry with me." I responded, but my curiosity is driving me crazy.

    "Ha! Don''t make meugh, Madeline, for goodness sake, how can you think how he will feel when he didn''t even bother to consider your feelings after your honeymoon? He became cold without reason, and he is hurting you every day by treating you like a stranger, and you have all the right to open all the rooms in this house because you are his wife." Gina snarled, and I realized she has a point, and I got up from the chair.

    "You were right, Gina; I think it is about time to see what he was hiding in that room," I said, and she smiled broadly at me.

    "That is my girl, and it is time for you to have some backbone, Maddie. We can do this together." She dered.

    "Thanks, Gina. I know I could never do this without you." I replied.

    "But we need to look for the key of the secret room first, and where do you think it could be?" I asked her.

    "Leave it to me. Just bring me to Hunter''s room." She said, and my face fell, and her face softened.

    "Hey, I am your best friend, Maddie, don''t get embarrassed about it. I know he was not sleeping beside you. Just bring me to his room." She demanded, and I nodded as I led the way in going to one of the guest''s rooms where Hunter is staying every time he came home. He didn''t stay in the master''s bedroom with me, and I know it hurts like hell, but I endured all the pain because I love him.. I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous as we walk going to his room, and I know I have to be strong whatever we find out in that secret room.

 Chapter 77 - The Secret Room

    Madeline''s POV

    As expected, my husband''s room is spotless, and I can see the massive closet full of his clothes; and as I watch his king-size bed, I suddenly feel the pain in my heart as I remember how I miss him beside me. And I can''t stop the smile that formed on my mouth when I found a picture frame on top of his night table beside his bed, it has a picture of us, and Lily took it on our wedding day. It was a candid picture during the reception when we were dancing together on the dance floor, we were both looked so happy, and the smile on my face was genuine.

    I didn''t know Hunter has a copy of it, and Lily was so excited to show me the pictures she took on her DSLR when she came to visit us in the Vi during our honeymoon. How I wish I have magic so we can stay in the beach house forever.

    "Wow! Your husband''s room is impressive, and I know you have maids in the house, but his things are all in perfect arrangement. And this room is wless." Gina dered as her eyes scanned the entire space of my husband.

    "So, what are we going to do now?" I asked, and I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart.

    "You need to rx, Madeline," Gina stated, and I know she always loves solving mysteries, and if given a chance, she wants to be a detective someday.

    "We are here to look for the key to his secret room." She dered as she started to open drawer after drawer, and I remind her to be careful because I don''t want my husband to realize that I came to his room. As possible, we need to keep his room tidy as it is. Gina rummaged to the cupboards, and I can''t stop myself from being nervous.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, Hunter will never know that we came to his room, and don''t go near his bed as possible because we don''t know if a strand of your hair will fall on the sheet, and you are the only one who had long curly hair, and if he finds a single hair in the bed, you will get caught,"Gina added.

    "But in reality, he should not be angry because you can stay here anytime you want, and you have all the right to explore the entire house because you are his wife." She said, and I know my best friend has a point, but I am not the typical wife. I was married to my husband because of my father''s dying wish and my aunt''s debts, and on his part, he only wants an heir from me. We were not married out of love as the usual couples do, and I should not think about it because it will only make me sad. Gina continued to search the entire room, and I can see the happiness on her entire face when she found a set of keys in the lower cab drawer.

    "Are you ready, Madeline?" Gina asked, and I nodded because I am afraid to speak. We get out of Hunter''s room after Gina arranged everything ording to its original setup. I can hear the pounding of my heart as we walk to the farthest side of the house where the secret room was located.

    My best friend started inserting the key into the doorknob, but no key fit to the secret room, Gina was frustrated after trying all the keys, and I can see the defeated look on Gina''s face when thest key she inserted did not work as well.

    "He must keep the key of this room separate from themon keys, away from anyone. Let''s go back to his bedroom and find the perfect key for this room." Gina dered, and we go back to his bedroom immediately, and I am impressed with Gina''s ability, she found another set of keys, and I couldn''t stop myself from getting anxious. One by one, she tried again, and when the doorknob click indicating it has been opened, I felt so excited and scared at the same time.

    I can see the triumphant smile on my best friend''s face as she looked at me, and then she pushed the door and opened it widely.

    "Holy shit!" She eximed, and I became more curious about what she had seen as I stayed behind her, and when I move beside Gina, I became speechless when I saw the entire room is full of woman''s stuff. And it made me realized this is the ce where Hunter kept the things of Reba. On the wall, there was a big life-size frame of Reba, and she wore the gown I wore during the ball. The photographer took Reba''s picture before the pre-wedding ball event started because Reba looked so happy in the picture, and it made me realized no wonder Hunter couldn''t forget about her. She was beautiful beyondpare.

    Then, on the other side of the wall, I can see a life-size portrait of my husband and his ex. They looked perfect together, and I realized he transferred all her things here before we moved out from the Divenson mansion.

    "I think we should throw all her things, Madeline, because these are the reason why your husband can''t get over with his ex." My best friend said, and I was shocked by her words.

    "That is absurd, Gina, I can''t do that, and I will get into trouble, and I am sure I will be the primary suspect," I replied as I sighed heavily, and my eyes surveyed all the things before my eyes.

    There are so many picture frames with Hunter and Reba''s photographs, and as I watch Reba''s memorabilia around us, I notice my tears fall on my cheeks. I was crying because I realized I could never take her ce. I was happy when I saw the picture frame on Hunter''s night table having our picture into it, but as I looked at their pictures now, our picture together was nothingpared to the beautiful memories they have.

    "I think it is about time to stop my illusion, Gina," I stated, and she turned around to face me.

    "Why do you say that, Madeline?" She asked.

    "Can you see all these things? These are the things that will remind him about Reba every day; no wonder he will always stay at this cepared to our room. Can you see the dresses in the closet? Most of them are still brand new, Hunter still bought her gowns, Gina, and it feels like he was still waiting for her toe home, even if she was dead already." I said as I get down on my knees since I felt so weak. I can see her books, bags,b, hairpins, ribbons, and even her journals. I want to read her entry in her diary, but I know I don''t have any right to touch her things.

    "It was so painful for me to see all this, Gina, but thank you for helping. At least now, my mind was enlightened why Hunter was still calling her name during his sleep. He was still in love with his ex-fiancee.

    "Maybe, rk Divenson has something to do about all this, Madeline. He doesn''t like you to be his daughter-inw; maybe he wants to find a way to break your excellent rtionship with your husband, and I can tell your father-inw will do everything he can to ruin you. And I think you need be careful, Madeline." Gina dered.

    "I don''t know what to do anymore, Gina, but I am sure of one thing, it would never be easy to make Hunter forget about Reba, especially now that his treatment towards me changed," I said to my best friend. I can see the look of sympathy on her face as she moves closer to the dresser, and I can tell this ce was well maintained, and I wonder who clean this entire room when he kept this a secret from anyone. And I realized my husband is the one who kept this ce tidy.

    I know it hurts me to think that my rival is already dead, but how I wish Hunter will be fair to me. It is okay if he won''t love me as long as he will find time to talk to me, and it would be enough on my part if Hunter will treat me as one of his friends, and right now, he was avoiding me all the time like I have a contagious disease that can harm his health.

    My instinct was telling me to lose hope, but my heart is dictating me never to stop loving him because I am the only one who understands him. Loving Hunter hurts, and if I am going to stay away from him because of a dead woman, what kind of wife am I? If his nightmares kept him wide awake for the rest of the night, all he needs to do is tell me, and I will be there to help him every step of the way. I want to offer him help, and I also want to encourage him to tell me everything because I will listen, and most of all, I will understand without questions and doubts because that is how much I love him.

    "Maddie, it is alright to love Hunter, but I guess you need to protect your own heart too. It is about time you have to understand that it takes two to tango." Gina dered.

    "Don''t worry, Gina, I will find time and courage to talk with Hunter regarding our situation. I will not allow him to continue to treat me this way because I am afraid if my heart will get tired of loving him." I said, and my best friend smiles widely at me.

    "That is the spirit, Maddie.." She said, and she holds my wrist and dragged me to get outside from the secret room.

 Chapter 78 - I Need To Keep Her Safe

    Hunter''s POV

    "Mr. Divenson, your father is waiting for you in the conference room." Cal said, and I was stunned to learn that my father was waiting for me, and I stopped signing the documents on my tableas I raised my head to look up at Calixto.

    "What does he want, Cal?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "I don''t have any idea, Mr. Divenson, and he said it was urgent." He replied.

    I get up from my swivel chair and get my coat and walk to the door while I can hear Cal''s footsteps behind me, and I don''t understand why my father wants to talk to me at this hour; he already lectured me about my rtionship with Maddie in our mansion''s library.

    "Dad, what can I do for you?" I asked.

    "Your mom told me that you would move out from the mansion without my knowledge, Hunter?" He asked, and I can feel the anger in his voice.

    "I already told you I would move out the moment I got married." I replied.

    "I didn''t stop you from marrying Madeline Brownwood, but I can tell she influenced you a lot. You informed me about your n to leave the Divenson estate, but I didn''t permit you to go. I appoint you to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Divenson Mining Corporation, but I am still the Chairman of the Board of Directors. I let you preside over the day-by-day operations of ourpany because I know that you arepetent and well-driven. But since you encountered that woman, you started to enjoy your life instead of focusing on the business." He said, and I was shocked by my father''s words.

    "Dad, why it was a big deal to you if I will stay in my own house, you asked me to have a child, and now you want me to stay in the Divenson house, how can I build a family of my own if I will forever remain at the Divenson mansion?" I asked.

    "That mansion belongs to you, Hunter, because you are my eldest son, don''t change our family tradition because of that stupid woman." He said, and I felt a pang on my chest.

    "Dad, Madeline is part of my life now, and I hope you will respect her as my wife." I said in a calm tone.

    "Why should I respect her? I don''t like her to be your wife, and I didn''t ask you to marry Frank''s daughter; I thought you were going to marry Kaye. I should have intervened with your wedding, and it would never have reached this point." He said.

    "Is there any problem, Dad?" I asked, and I can''t stop the irritation in my voice.

    "I don''t want you to move out from the house, and the reason I came here because the daughter of our business partner can''t make it next week, maybe in two years she will be here and help you run thepany, and I think in one year you are ready to divorce your wife." He said, and my eyes widened.

    "Dad, why do I need to divorce my wife?" I asked.

    "Because our new investor wants you to be his son-inw." He said in a firm voice.

    "What? How could you decide for my life, dad?" I asked, and my father raised from his chair.

    "Because I am your father, and do you think I didn''t know why you meet Maddie? She was not your girlfriend, and you think you can fool me, son? You married her so you can have a child, if you only marriedKaye, then I will not interfere with your marriage anymore, but since you marry the wrong woman, I just can''t let all this to continue. How could you pay her aunt''s debt? And in exchange, you marry her for convenience? She probably is the luckiest woman on the face of the earth for having you as her husband." My father said, and I didn''t know who told him about my real deal with Madeline.

    "Since your rtionship with Madeline was purely business, you need to file a divorce, and my business partner said he wants you to marry his daughter." He dered.

    "Dad, I can''t do that." I replied.

    "And why not, you don''t love Madeline because all your life you only love Reba; I want you to think about it, Hunter, even though you made thepany afloat, as of this moment, we still need investors, and this person is willing to invest more than you can imagine, but that is one of his condition. Still, you don''t need to worry, and you have to meet his daughter first when she was ready. He told me his daughter is still busy touring around the globe as of the moment." He dered as if he was only talking about today''s weather.

    "And what if I will not file a divorce with Madeline?" I asked in a stern tone.

    "I still can fire you, Hunter, because I am still the chairman, and I can appoint your brother to take your ce. Don''t let a woman ruin your career, son, and you know how much time and effort you invested in ourpany. We venture into another type of business, but I know deep in your heart you love our miningpany." He said and walk to the door while I remained seated, unable to believe what just happened.

    "You better think about what I said, son." He stopped on his tracts and turned his head to me before he finally got out of the conference room. I couldn''t believe he will find out about my fake rtionship with Madeline; I want to tell him, I am beginning to feel something about my wife, but I know I can never forget about Reba, and I love my job, and being the CEO of our firm made me so busy that I was able to stop thinking about Reba sometimes.

    I know after meeting Maddie, I am starting to divide my time by thinking about Reba and Madeline day and night. But I know I couldn''t offer Madeline love, so I guess I should stop giving her false hope and starts treating her that she was only my temporary wife in that way when it was time for me to file a divorce, it will be easy for her to let me go, and I think it will be good for both of us.

    But I will never allow my father to make me marry the daughter of our new investor because, for me, it was a ridiculous idea. And I don''t want my wife to know about it because even though I only marry Maddie for the baby, I don''t want to hurt her feelings. I know deep in my heart I felt something for her, but I felt frustrated because I can never let go of Reba''s memories no matter how I try.I asked Cal toe with me to the bar, and I drink until I turned a little drunk, and I requested Calixto to drive me in going to the Divenson mansion because I want to get drunk and forget what is going on with my life, even for a while.

    "Are you fighting with your wife, Mr. Divenson?" Cal asked me as we drink our scotch on the rocks.

    "And who are you to ask me about my personal life, especially about my rtionship with my wife?" I asked, and I know my snarky remarks didn''t bother Cal at all as he continues to look at me with amusement on his face.

    "Well, you brought me here instead of going home to your beautiful wife, who is waiting for you in your mansion." Calixto dered, and I grinned at him.

    "Cal, my rtionship with Maddie is still fine, except my father wants to ruin what we have." I said, and I let out a sigh.

    "Then don''t follow rk Divenson''s words." He responded.

    "I hope everything is that easy Cal, you know my dad since you work for him for so many years before I started running thepany." I said, and Cal nodded in agreement.

    I made love to my wife the moment I came home, and my fantasy turned into reality as I made love to my wife roughly, we had wild sex, and I know in some ways I hurt her. Still, I can feel Madeline loved every moment of our rough and hard sex, but because of my father''s warning to me, I can no longer control myself. I spoke hurtful words to Madeline after iming her because I told her the main reason I married her, and for the first time, I made Madeline speechless, and I can see the pain that registered on her lovely face.

    I hate myself for doing all this to her, but I don''t have a choice since I don''t wish Madeline to get hurt in the end. I want to prepare her for the worst yet toe because I know my father can break Madeline''s heart. As possible, I want to protect Maddie from my father, and I was thinking I am going insane with my situation; I thought Madeline Brownwood would be my salvation. Still, it turns out my life became chaotic when I met her because I can''t deny there is something about her that keeps me wide awake at night.

    I can tell I am both hunted by Reba and Madeline in my sleep, and right now, I became so confused. My wife makes me warm and excited, and I love the way I feel every time I have her in my arms. I started to believe that our marriage will have a good impact on my life, but now that my father wants to ruin what we have, I am afraid it will wreck Madeline. That is why I need to protect her, even if it means I need to break her heart.. But deep in my heart, I wished that I can keep Madeline in my life, and I know to do that, I have to stand up to my father and deny him what he wants, and I need to create a n on how to keep Madeline safe.

 Chapter 79 - Clark Divensonâ€™s Warning

    Madeline''s POV

    I got out of my ssroom in haste because I want to go home immediately when I felt my smartphone vibrated on my bag, and I fished it out before I get inside my car and I smile when I saw Jack''s name on the screen.

    "Hello, Jack!" I answered excitedly.

    "Where are you?" He asked, and I can tell by his voice that he was smiling on the other line.

    "I am still on the campus." I replied.

    "Good, can you drop by at my restaurant?" He inquired.

    "In Magnolia? It was too far away, Jack, and it is almost nighttime." I replied.

    "Nope, I have a new ce here in Archois City, and I am sorry if I didn''t inform you ahead of time; today is my opening, and I should have called you in advance." He said, and I am surprised that he build his restaurant here in the city; and I know it was his dream to have a restaurant of his own, and I felt so happy for him.

    "It is okay, Jack, and I won''t miss it; I wille to your restaurant even if I amte," I replied, and I said my goodbye to Jack after I asked him the address of his ce. I called a flower shop to deliver some flowers, and I am just d I found one who can prepare the flowers with free delivery in less than an hour. I n toe home early, but I know my husband wille homete, and sometimes he will be out of the country without informing me in advance, and usually, it would be Cal who would tell me where they are.

    I drive to Jack''s restaurant with a smile on my face, and I am excited for his entire family. And I called Gina, and I can tell by the sound of her voice that she was a little hurt that Jack didn''t invite her.

    "Come on, Gina, Jack invited me less than an hour ago; where are you?" I asked her, and she told me she was on duty to one of her part-time jobs.

    "Are you almost done? I will pick you up." I said to her, and I heard her let out a soft sigh.

    "I want toe with you, Madeline, but I can''t get out from here because I don''t have a reliever. Tell Jack congrattions, and I am so happy for him that he made his dreame true, and I am sure he will be a well-known chef in the city of Archois." She dered, and I agree with her because I know Jack is an excellent chef.

    "Okay, I will; we can visit his restaurant when you are free. Just tell me when." I said and ended the call.

    When I arrived at the restaurant, it was full, and I was trying my best to find a table where I can sit and order food when I saw a familiar face smiling at me.

    "Madeline! Thank you so much foring." Lianne weed me with a wide grin on her face, and she brought me to the far side of the restaurant, and I realized they reserved a seat for me. The restaurant is cozy, and it has a simr concept to the Friendly diner but more upgraded.

    "Do you work for your brother?" I asked when I noticed the notepad and ballpen on her hands.

    "No, but I need to help because we did not expect to be overwhelmed by many customers, and I don''t have a choice but to help; even mom is in the kitchen helping my brother to catch up with the orders." She said, and I stand up, and I want toe with Lianne to take orders and deliver the food.

    "I am ready to help." I said.

    "Please get back to your seat, Maddie; you are my brother''s special guest, so don''t bother, okay?" She dered as she pulled me back to sit down on the wooden chair with an elegant decorative chair slipcover.

    "I didn''t order any menu, but I am shocked when Jack brings me a steamed seafood tter, and I realized I am starving the moment I saw the lobster.

    "Hi, Jack, congrattions!" I stand up, and I gave him aforting hug, and I felt shocked when he pulled me closer to him, and he tightened his arms around my waist, and I suddenly felt warm because I am conscious if someone might see us, and I felt relieved when he released me from his embrace.

    "Thank you, Maddie; I am still busy in the kitchen, and I will go back to youter, and I hope you will stay longer, enjoy your meal, Madeline." He said, and he gave me his signature sweet smile that can melt any woman''s heart, and how I wish I meet Jack before I encounter Hunter Divenson. My husband imprisoned my heart, and every time I think about the secret room, I can''t stop myself from feeling hurt. I tried to calm my emotions and focus my attention on the mouthwatering food in front of me.

    I felt so happy when I devour the food, and I can taste the tenderness of the lobster meat. I wish Gina was with me because it would be nice to eat with apanion, and I realized it had been a long while now that I have been eating alone at our long table at home because my husband is always not around, and I think he did it on purpose, so we will not see each other. He wants to avoid me at all costs, and I wonder why he has to do this to me.

    I finished my meal with a happy stomach, and when I looked around, I can tell the customers are starting to leave the restaurant, and I am so excited for Jack because his opening was a sess.

    When thest customers walked out of the door, the Morigans came to me, and I am so happy to see all of them; Lydia hugged me and kissed my cheeks. We talked, and they informed me that Jack bought a condo unit in the city, so they will not go home to Magnolia Vige at this hour, and I promise to visit again if I have time. We talked, and I amughing, and I realized I haven''tughed since we moved out from the Divenson mansion, and I realized how I wish to be with them and forget that I married the man who has the coldest heart of all time.

    I said goodbye to the Morigans, and I insisted on going to my car alone since I know they still need to clean the area, and my steps faltered when I found rk Divenson on the parking lot, and he was leaning on my car.

    "Madeline, you are a married woman, and you came to this restaurant without your husband? What kind of wife are you?" He asked, and I am lost for words because of my shock, and I couldn''t believe I will meet him here at Jack''s restaurant.

    "What is your rtionship with the owner of this restaurant, Madeline?" He asked in an angry voice.

    "Jack Morigan is my close friend, and he even attended during our wedding ceremony." I replied, and I tried my best to hide my nervousness and fears.

    "Really? I have seen you two getfortable with each other, and I am sure you were like Reba too." He said, and his statement made me confused.

    "Don''t look so stunned, Madeline because Iknow your type, and you are no different from Reba. She tried to use Hunter to climb the socialdder of society, but I am just d I found out the truth before they can get married, but I hate that her memories almost wreck my son, and I know until now her recollections still haunt Hunter." He continued.

    "Now, tell me what you want, Madeline, or shall I rephrase my words? How much do you want so you will stay away from my son?" He asked, and I am astounded by his question, and I suddenly felt angry.

    "Mr. Divenson, I married your son because I love him and not because of his money." I said as I tried my best to keep myself calm while I can feel the shaking of my entire frame.

    "Really? Do you think you can fool me, Madeline? I knew that my son paid all your aunt''s debt. Now, if you didn''t marry my son for his money, how can you exin that circumstance to me?" He asked, and I became speechless, and how can I tell him that I was innocent when I know he will never believe in everything that I will say.

    "See, Madeline? I want your husband to marry Kaye, but because of you, it didn''t happen, and now you were the reason Hunter moved out from the Divenson mansion." He said, and I can see the anger in his eyes.

    "I am warning you, Madeline, you should leave my son before something awful will happen to you. I will give you enough time to leave Hunter, and if you continue to be stubborn, then I don''t have a choice, but I will do it my way. And don''t me me that I didn''t warn you. Think about it, Madeline.." He said and turned his heels away from me, and I leaned against my car because I felt so weak, and I needed some air to breathe because Hunter''s father made me breathless with fear, and it made me realized that there is no doubt rk Divenson has something to do about Reba''s death.

 Chapter 80 - My Husbands Spell

    Madeline''s POV

    I got inside my vehicle and leaned my body on the backrest of my car while my hands are on the steering wheel. I still couldn''t believe that rk will talk to me again, and this time I know, he became more serious with his warning. I can still feel the shaking of my entire body, I want to drive my car, but I am worried if I will break down in the middle of the road. It became harder on my part because I know I am having a hard time facing my husband every day, and now I have another problem, his father''s threats. I get my phone from my bag, and I realized my battery is empty, I charge my smartphone using the USB port of my car, and I know no one will text or call me at this hour.

    I don''t know what to do anymore, and I wish Hunter will show that he still cares about me, or else I don''t have a choice but to burn all Reba''s things, but I realized I could never do that to Hunter because I know how his ex-fiancee stuff means to him. And even though every single day he hurts me, yet I am still in love with him, and I respect him as my husband.

    After feeling better, I start my car and drive away from Jack''s restaurant. It is almost midnight, but I can see the city is still full of life, and I want to have some fun, but I know how can I be happy knowing I will go home to an empty house. I was driving fast when I heard the ringing of my phone, and I felt nervous when I see Calixto''s name on the screen. I slow down as I answered his call, and I can tell even Cal is avoiding me nowadays. It took him longer to answer my messages, and I know his loyalty will always be with my husband.

    "Hello, Cal!" I eximed.

    "Where are you, Madeline?" I can hear the worried tone in Cal''s voice, and I can''t stop myself from smiling, thinking that at least there is still someone out there who is still concerned about me.

    "I am on my way home, Calixto, and why are you looking for me? It is a miracle that you call me at this hour, and I know you have been avoiding me recently, Cal, and it hurts me because you are one of the few closest friends that I have." I dered, and I can''t stop myself from feeling sad.

    "Madeline, I am sorry if I got so busy with my worktely that I seldom text you." He said.

    "Hunter asked me to call you, but I can''t contact your number. I have been calling you how many times and your husband got paranoid, and he was angry why you are not in the house at this hour. Please, you must go home now, Madeline." He said, and he released a heavy sigh, and I don''t know if I feel happy that Hunter was looking for me. I hate to think why my phone died when Hunter tried to contact me, but my happiness cut short when I understood it was Calixto who made the effort of calling me, and I realized I am just a piece of work for Hunter because he let Cal look out for me. I am his wife, for heaven''s sake. I was frustrated about his father, and maybe it is about time to give rk Divenson what he wants. But a big part of me wants to stay and help Hunter and make him realize that his ex was gone. Reba is dead, while I am still alive, his wife, who is always waiting for him toe home to me.

    "Don''t worry, Cal, I already told you. I am going home, and I am near the house." I replied.

    "Okay, Madeline, drive safely." He dered and said his goodbye before he ended the call.

    Maybe if nothing changed about my husband''s treatment of me, it would be best to stop my craziness about him. I should love myself first, and I need to let him go, but for now, I want to show him that I am willing to do everything for him, and I want to help him get over Reba.

    He is giving me cold shoulders, and I guess the best thing to do is do the same to him. I will show to his face I am not affected by his actions towards me, and I don''t care if Hunter will not show any concern towards me anymore because I should be thankful that I am living in a fancy house, driving an expensive car, and studying at the most prestigious university all over the country. And how I wish I am a materialistic type of girl because it would be easy for me to ignore him and spend my entire free time shopping and spend his money on material things, but I am different. I value and treasure rtionships. And all the things he provides for me were meaningless without him by my side.

    I almost drive on a red light signal, and I am just d I was not going so fast because my mind is upied with rk Divenson''s words, and just thinking about his threat brings shivers to my spine all the way to my entire frame. I don''t want to ignore rk Divenson''s warning, but my love for my husband overshadowed the fear that I felt.

    The moment I got inside the driveway of our house, I am surprised to see the brightness of our entire home; I can even see the lights on the roof deck, and I suddenly felt nervous, and it made me realized he was home, and Cal was not joking when he informed me that my husband was looking for me. I parked and climbed out of my car, and my steps wobbled when I saw Hunter sitting on the patio chair looking at me intensely, which made me feel knots on my belly.

    I know I should not feel excited anymore because I will only be frustrated; I miss him so much, especially our intimate moments together. He made me long for his every caress and kiss, and I hate him for ignoring me for a while now. And I am so d that I am wearing a sexy fitted mini dress that hugged my body perfectly, and I felt happy that I took off my zer after I talked with rk Divenson to make me feel rx. I was also wearing a pair of stilettos that made me feel more confident and sexy.

    My husband was undressing me with his eyes, yet I can see the anger behind his lustful gaze. I hate that I felt so weak right now as he stands up from the chair and he remains footed on the porch floor while his eyes scanned my entire body, and they lingered on my long legs, and it stopped on my chest, and he slowly raised his head and captured my gaze. He looked so hot wearing only casual clothes, I can see the ripped muscles beneath his white t-shirt, and his haircut made him looked so boyish, and it feels like forever that we haven''t seen each other. And I heavily breathed as I walked my way to the main entrance of our house while I can''t take my eyes away from his handsome face. I take the front steps with graceful strides, and I wonder why he was waiting for me at this hour because he seldom visits me in our room. We sleep separately, so I''m not used to seeing him every night.

    "Where have you been, Madeline?" He asked in a cold voice as hees closer to me, and his eyes are looking at my lips; and I want to kiss him, feel his soft lips on my hungry mouth and feel his muscr arms around my body. And I can''t stop the pounding of my heart on my chest when I feel his presence. I want to walk past him and ignores his question because I am still upset about his treatment towards me, but his hypnotizing gaze made me halt in front of him, and we are an inch away from each other that I can smell his heavenly scent. His natural intoxicating scent is driving me nuts.

    I want to slide my hands under his white t-shirt and trace my fingers on his hard six-pack abs that I am so familiar with, and I can''t stop myself from hoping that things will go back to the days we spent in Magnolia Vige. Even if my mind tells me to walk away from my husband, my heart is doing the opposite.

    "Madeline, I was asking you a question, and you need to answer me." He asked in a growl, but he never takes his eyes off me, and when he moves forward, I step back. His strong arms caught me before I will fall on the steps behind me, and I can feel the electricity that pulsated from his touch to my inner core. I can feel the butterflies on my chest as he steadied me, but he never let go of my waist, and his proximity is making me dizzy.

    "I...atten..ded, the opening of Jack''s restaurant downtown." I stuttered, and I can see how his face darkened, and I move my head slowly to the side to avert his gaze, but he cupped and lifted my chin so I will be facing his handsome face.

    "You don''t realize how much I worry about you; it is almost midnight, for heaven''s sake, Madeline! " He said in a stern tone, and I couldn''t believe that he will get angry with me. He has no right to be furious with me because he had been avoiding me, and all this time, I had been waiting for him to sleep beside me on our matrimonial bed. I try to get away from his hold, but he pulled me closer to him, and I felt so mad that I pushed him hard, but he was so strong that I couldn''t make him budge.

    And the words that I am about to say were left unsaid when my husband''s hungry mouth imed my lips with urgency. He slithered his tongue inside my mouth, and I can''t stop myself from moaning as I can feel his hands all over my body. It made me feel goosebumps on my skin, and my stomach flutters with excitement, and no matter how I want to stop him, I realized I am still under my husband''s spell.

 Chapter 81 - She Is Mine

    Hunter''s POV

    "Is it almost nine o''clock in the evening, Mr. Divenson." I heard Cal''s voice after he got inside my office, and I deliberately raised my head and scowled at him.

    "So, what do I need to do with the time, Calixto?" I asked in a sarcastic manner, and he looked at me in the eyes, and I know what he is going to say.

    "Hmm, you are young and a married man; you have a gorgeous wife waiting for you in your beautiful mansion. If I were in your shoes, I would be going home the moment the clock strikes at five o''clock in the afternoon." He dered, and I let out a heavy breath and leaned my back on the backrest of my chair while I put my hands on the armrests.

    "You know I can''t do that if you only knew how much I want to go home early every day to see my lovely wife and spend my time with her in our room, but you know the reason why I am doing all this. My nightmares are getting intense every night, and I spend my time in Reba''s room all the time because I can hear her calling me on my sleep, and I am trying my best to stop, and I am so tired of going to the doctor." I said, and his face softened, and he walked near my table and sat on the side chair before he speaks.

    "I think it is better that you will tell her everything, and I am sure Madeline will understand." He said.

    "Do you think she will still ept me after she will learn I killed Reba?" I asked him, and his eyes widened.

    "For heaven''s sake, Hunter, for howmany times do I need to tell you that Reba was hit by the car, and you have nothing to do about it, and I think you should stop thinking that way so you can move on with your ex and love your wife before she leaves you for good." He replied, and I can feel the disappointment in Cal''s voice.

    "She ran away from the mansion because of me, I asked her to leave, and I didn''t listen to her pleas, and I am stupid to let my anger overshadowed my love for Reba." I responded, and I felt like I can''t breathe as I remember everything that happened on that day.

    "It was from the past, and any man who will find his fiancee kissing another guy on the night before his wedding day should feel the same way, and it was only understandable that you hated her the moment you found her on the situation. You are not a bad person Hunter, but you are starting to be a horrible husband to your wife. Madeline has nothing to do with what happened between you and your ex. And even though you marry her for a different reason other than love. She didn''t ask you to love her back, and all she needs from you is your presence." Cal said.

    "And you can''t deny you also feel something for her because you will not marry her if you don''t feel anything, I know you, Hunter, I can tell it the way you look at your wife, but the memories of Reba are the reasons that you are holding back your real feelings for Madeline. It is about time you should give yourself a chance to be happy. Please, you need to let go of the past so you can live happily in the present. Reba is dead, and you have to bear that in your mind. She is noting back; your guilt will kill you someday if you do not fight it. You should never forget you didn''t kill Reba, and she chose to leave you." He said, and he got up from the chair and walk to the door.

    "I think you should start caring about Madeline, or you will lose her to another man; she is young, and she needs attention, she is orphaned, Hunter, your wife only has her aunt who sold her, and she is always alone in that big house, and you spend your night on the separate room." He said while he stopped on his tracts in front of the door while his hands are in his pockets, and I wonder how did he know I was sleeping in another room.

    "Don''t look so surprised, Hunter; I know you were sleeping separately." He said while his back is still on me, and I shook my head, Cal is unbelievable, and his concern about Madeline swells my heart, and I know Calixto was right.

    "I should go home now before my wife throws my things outside my house." He said and closed the door of my office gently. Cal has been long gone, but I remained in the same position after he left me, and I sighed and picked up my phone from the table, and I turn my gaze on the big frame on the wall; it was our wedding portrait. Madeline looked so beautiful and happy, and I realized Cal was right; I am making her life miserable, and how I wish she will hold on, but I don''t want her to hold on to anything because I know I am a lost cause because deep in my heart I realized I am no longer capable of loving.

    Calixto has a point since I felt something for Madeline, and it was only a strong attraction, and I know it can''t go deeper. I love her body and the way she moaned and enjoyed our lovemaking. I love to have her every night, but I fight the urge to have sex with my wife because I know I am making it harder for her to forget me the moment I file the divorce after she gives birth to our child. Calixto''s words made me feel so guilty that I dialed Madeline''s number.

    I can''t deny the excitement that I have when I pressed call, but I suddenly felt rmed when I couldn''t contact her, and I think her phone is turned off. I dialed for how many times, but she can''t be reached. I dialed ourndline number, and it keeps on ringing, and it is impossible if she will not hear it because it has an extension line to the master''s bedroom. And I don''t know why I feel so scared. I seldom text and call her, and I never call her on ourndline number. Maybe that is why her phone was off, but thendline number was ringing. It only means one thing, my wife is not yet home. Where could she be at this hour?

    I got up quickly from my chair and picked up my coat from the backrest of my chair, and I get out of my office. And I felt d to meet Cal in the parking lot, and he smiled when he realized I am on my way home. And I instructed him to call my wife before I get inside my ck SUV car and drive fast in going to our new house.

    I felt frustrated, and I can''t stop the racing of my heart when I don''t find Madeline at home; the entire house is dark except the lights on the wall around the house and on the front porch, which I believed the maid switch on before they left the main house going to the back house. I tried calling her smartphone again, but her phone is still off, I ran to the stairs and opened the master''s bedroom, and I let out a sigh of relief when I realized she didn''t run away since her important documents are still there in the drawer of her closet.

    My eyebrows furrowed when I received a file from my father and when I opened it, I want to throw my phone on the floor. It was a picture of my wife hugging Jack Morigan, and of all people why it has to be Jack, and I felt my entire body weakened when I read my father''s message.

    "It is now time to divorce your wife, Hunter." My Dad said in his text, and I never felt so angry my entire life that I punched the wall of our bedroom, and I can feel the sting on my fist, but I don''t care about the pain on my hand because of what I have felt in my heart is more than the injury on my hand. I continued calling Madeline, but her phone is still off, I know I was a jerk, and I ignore her, but I couldn''t believe she will cheat on me, and Calixto''s words echoed on my mind, and I felt so afraid if Madeline already found love in Jack''s Arms.

    How could my father find out all about this? And I realized maybe he hired a private investigator to know what my wife was doing because my father was bugging me to divorce my wife. Right now, I can tell he finds enough reason to force me to get rid of my wife even though I was to me why she findsfort from another man, but I will never make the same mistake again, I am no longer a teenager that will be driven by hate and anger.

    I got out from our room with heavy steps, and I turn on all the lights of the entire house, including the lights on the roof deck and the swimming pool, and then I get out of the main house, and I waited for my wife toe home on the porch. I don''t recognize the new feeling that I felt inside my chest, and I hate feeling this way when I know Maddie is just my temporary wife, and I want to believe I am feeling this way because I own Madeline Brownwood.. After all, she is my wife on the paper, and she is not allowed to have a rtionship with another man because she is mine.

 Chapter 82 - Feeling Contented

    Hunter''s POV

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, I have been calling Maddie''s number, but her smartphone is still off, and maybe she is having fun right now. You alwayse homete, and perhaps your wife learns to enjoy herself without you." Calixto said on the other line because I can''t stop myself from calling him since I felt so impatient waiting for Madeline. And I wouldn''t say I like Cal for saying those words because I can''t stop thinking about Jack and Madeline being happy together. And it made me realize Jack came all the way from Magnolia Vige to Archois City to see my wife. And I know Madeline is in love with me, And I hate to think that she is now enjoying thepany of another man.

    "Cal, Madeline has no right to enjoy herself without asking permission from me, especially with another man," I said, and I can''t help myself to feel so irritated right now. I couldn''t believe that I would feel this way, and I became more disgruntled when I can hear theughter of Calixto on the other line, and I couldn''t believe he will make fun of me.

    "What is funny, Cal?" I asked in a stern tone.

    "I couldn''t believe you to be jealous of Madeline right now; how could you be like that when you treated your wife like a strangertely." He dered, and I know he has some point.

    "It doesn''t matter how I treat her; Madeline should never associate herself with another man, Cal, because she belongs with me," I replied.

    "Your wife is in love with you, Mr. Divenson, so I think you should be happy about that." He responded, and I forwarded to him the picture that I received from my father.

    "I sent a picture to you. Check it first and tell me what you can say about that image." I said, and he didn''t respond, and I can tell he was looking at the picture at the moment.

    "Wow! Jack and Madeline always look good together, but we both know, Mr. Divenson, your wife only fancy Jack Morigan as a friend, so you don''t need to worry."Cal said, and I growled.

    "You are not helping me, Cal; try calling her again," I said.

    "Hunter, I am already at home, but since I like Madeline, I will call her again." He said, and I ended the Call. It is already past ten o''clock in the evening, and she still did note home. I sat on the front porch as I waited for my wife since I couldn''t wait to see her, and I wonder why Madeline turned off her phone.

    After waiting for Maddie for hours, I saw her car get inside the driveway of our house. Madeline parked her sports car and climbed off the vehicle gracefully. I can tell that she looked so surprised to see the brightness of the entire house, and her steps faltered midway when she saw me sitting on the patio chair looking at her intensely. Just looking at my wife with her gorgeous figure, I can feel the hardness between my legs, and this is the reason why I don''t want to see her every night because I can''t stop my body from achingfor Madeline, and I want my tongue to taste all of her.

    I know I should not feel this way, but I can''t deny I miss her so much, especially our intimate moments together. I long to kiss every contour of her body, especially her perky nipples. And I can see the hatred in her eyes, and I can''t stop myself from feeling mad as I remember the arms of Jack Morigan around her body, hugging her tightly, and I know she hated me for ignoring her for a while now. And I can''t take my eyes away from her, and this is the first time I saw my wife wearing a sexy fitted mini dress that hugged her every curve perfectly, and I can see her cleavage on full disy, and she was also wearing a pair of stilettos that made her looked so sexy.

    And I can''t stop myself from undressing Madeline with my eyes, yet I can''t stop giving her angry stares, and lustful desires are making me nuts. I don''t care about my sense of reasoning at all because what I want right now is to make love with my wife, and I can''t wait to im her passionately. I remain standing on the porch floor while my eyes scanned her entire body, and they lingered on her long legs, and it stopped on her supple breast, and I slowly raised my head and captured her gaze. I know Madeline always loves to see me in my casual clothes, and I can tell I turned her on with my hot stares.

    I can tell Madeline took a heavy breath as she walked her way to the main entrance of our house while she can''t take her tantalizing eyes away from my face. My heart is racing, and I can feel the need to im her hungry lips when she bit her bottom lip. Maddie took the front steps with graceful strides.

    "Where have you been, Madeline?" I asked in a cold voice as she came closer to me, and I can''t stop my eyes from gazing at her slightly opened lips, and I want to kiss her, feel her soft lips on my hungry mouth and feel her smooth skin on her arms and thighs, and I want to enclose my muscr arms around her body. And I can tell she feels nervous as I moved closer to her, and I can say she was ignoring my question because I can see the anger in her beautiful eyes. I felt d when she stopped her steps in front of me until we are an inch away from each other that I can smell her heavenly scent. I want to trace my tongue and lick her smooth neck down to her corbone while touching her thighs going up to her sweet mound, and I want to hear her scream my name as I rub her clit, and traced herbia with my fingers.

    "Madeline, I was asking you a question, and you need to answer me," I asked in a growl, but I never take my eyes off her. When I moved forward, she stepped back, and my strong arms caught her slim waist before she falls on the steps behind her; and I can feel the electricity that pulsated from my fingertips to my inner core, and I can feel the butterflies on my stomach. I steadied her body on the floor, but I never let go of her tiny waist, and her proximity is making me alive.

    "I...atten..ded, the opening of Jack''s restaurant downtown." She stuttered, and I can''t stop myself from feeling furious that made my face darkened, and she moved her head slowly to the side to avert my gaze. Still, I cupped and lifted her chin so I can see her beautiful face, and I want her to look at me in the eyes while I told her how worried I was that she came home sote, and I can''t stop myself from being captivated by her mesmerizing eyes.

    Madeline tried to get away from my hold, but I pulled her closer to me, and I let her feel my erection as I rub my front on her stomach. I know he can feel the massive erection of my manhood beneath my cargo shorts, and I can tell she was trying to resist me when she pushed me hard, but I was so strong that she couldn''t make me budge.

    And the words that she was about to say were left unsaid when I imed her lips with my hungry mouth with urgency. I slithered my tongue inside her mouth, and I smiled when I heard my wife moaned, and it made me more arduous, and I can''t stop my hands from touching Maddie all over her body. And I can feel the goosebumps on her skin as she continues to moan in pleasure, and I can feel her kissed me back with wild abandon, and my stomach flutters with excitement, and I felt d even though I can feel her waves of anger towards me she allowed me to take her into my arms. And I realized my wife is for me, and I carried her from the ground, and she curled her legs around my waist, and I bring my wife inside the house, and I use my feet in closing the main door, and I locked it with my hand.

    Madeline is still kissing me on my neck as I take the stairs one at a time in going to our bedroom. And I can tell how much she misses me by the way she kissed me passionately, and then it turned into a wild make-out. I put her feet down on the floor when I reach our bedroom door, and we continue kissing each other. And I pushed Madeline to the wall, and I am getting horny, as I feel Madeline pulled over my t-shirt, and I help her by raising my arms, and she unzipped my shorts quickly while I have almost torn her dress. We didn''t stop kissing as we continue to undress each other, and I let out a groan when I saw and touch her naked frame.

    Her wless skin and her beautiful tits made me lose my sanity, and I can see her wetness in between her thighs, and when Madeline stroked me, I growl. When she gets down on her knees and slowly take my stiff rod on her sweet mouth, I released a loud groan. And felt the pleasure that building up inside me as she continued to suck me with her mouth, and when she licked my mushroom head, I fished her hair in my hand on a ponytail, careful not to hurt her. Madeline is driving me wild, and I couldn''t believe my sweet wife will make me feel this way. I take her shoulders, and I pulled her up because I want to please her with my mouth and tongue.

    I hauled her and ced her delicate body on top of the bed, and I dive to her sweet mound. I can smell her flesh through her wetness, and when Ipped her with my tongue Madeline let out a scream, and I rub her clit with my fingers. At the same time, I eat herbia, and I traced and licked her, and when I sucked her clit she pushed my head down, and she bucked her hips, and I can feel her grip tightened on the bed cover as she moaned in pleasure.

    "Hunter! Ahh! Please." She said in between her moans.

    "Tell me what do you want, Madeline." I groan.

    "I want you inside me. Please take me now, Hunter. I want your hard manhood on my wet cunt." Madeline said, and it drove me wild, and I positioned myself, and I find it so sexy when Maddie takes my big stiff rod and guides me to her entrance, and in one firm thrust, I take my wife, and we both moaned together in pleasure. I ram her with my strong shaft while I licked and suck her nipples, and I can see her eyes rolled at the back of her head as I continue to push deeper and I elerated my pace when I feel my wife near to have her orgasms, and groan of pleasures filled the entire room.

    I felt Maddie shuddered underneath me as I continue to thrust faster and she rubs her clit with her fingers, and she arched her back to meet my every thrust. I want to stay inside her longer, but I am close to my own climax, and after I push deeper into her tight cunt I came. She curled her arms around my body, and I can feel the bead of sweat on my forehead as we shared another passionate kiss before I slid away from her and copsed on the bed beside my wife. I pulled her closer to me, and I felt contented when she snuggled on my chest, and I can''t stop a broad smile that spreads on my face as we fall asleep together on our bed.

 Chapter 83 - I Am Ready

    Hunter''s POV

    I wake up early morning and find my wife sleeping beside me while her legs are in my thighs, and her head is still on my chest, and I can''t stop the smile that spread across my face, and I wake up as a different person, and I realized what a fool I have been for neglecting her for the past months. I know I care about my wife. I slowly got up and go to the kitchen, and I asked the maids to take a rest day since I don''t want to report to work because I want to spend the rest of my day with Maddie.

    "Mr. Divenson, good morning. Did you arrived in the office already?" Cal answered on the other line.

    "Good morning, Cal!" I responded.

    "Wow! It seems to me you had a fantastic night with your wife because you don''t sound cranky this morning." He said, and I chuckled.

    "Now, I could say you are in big trouble." He dered, and Iughed.

    "Come on, Calixto, why do you find it unusual for me tough and to have a happy voice," I replied.

    "Well, it scared me if you are like this because I am so used to see you grumpy almost every single day of your life, especially if you are so busy. To tell you honestly, it warms my heart to hear youugh, Hunter. And it would help if you do that once in a while, or every day because I also want you to have an extraordinary everyday life. You are still young, Mr. Divenson, and in my opinion, you should enjoy your time with your wife, and don''t let time pass you by." Cal dered.

    I always love talking with Cal because I can tell him everything, and he always speaks what his opinion about me is, and for me, Cal became my best friend after I lost Reba, and now that I married Madeline, I still confide with him. Most of the time, he was the one who will remind me of my duty as Maddie''s husband, but I always ignore his words because I always listen to my mind and believe in my logic even though I know many times I was wrong.

    "Why do you love giving me words of wisdom, Cal?" I asked since I am in the mood, and if this is just a typical day, I will never allow Cal to give me advice.

    "Because I care about you, Hunter, not only because you are my boss, and you provide me a good sry, but because you are like a son to me." He said, and I felt touched by his words, and I became speechless.

    "And I also feel the same way towards Madeline. I care about your wife like she was my daughter too. That is why I wouldn''t say I like the way you treat her. And all I want from you is to give yourself a chance to love again, Hunter. Stop wasting your time, I understand how much you love Reba, but you have to ept the truth that she was gone a long time ago." Calixto dered, and I sighed, and I felt d that I don''t hate him right now, and I am listening to him.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, but I was there, I saw everything, and I know your nightmares are making you afraid to tell your wife, but Maddie loves you, and I think she will understand everything," Cal added. A realization hit me, Cal has a point, and I think it is about time to tell my wife about everything.

    "Thank you, Cal, and you don''t need to worry because I will tell Maddie about it, and I know my wife needs to learn the truth because I want to sleep beside her every night," I responded, and I can tell it pleased Cal.

    "Wow, that is wonderful, Mr. Divenson. I think it is about time to tell her the truth, and I know you will make Madeline happy." He said.

    "I know, Calixto, and that is why I am calling you, because I will not report to work today, and please cancel all my appointments for today and reschedule them," I said to him.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson, please enjoy your time with your wife." He said, and I mumbled my thanks before I ended the call, and I was smiling the entire time I started cooking breakfast for us. I realized I need to bring Madeline into a fancy restaurantter tonight and told her about Reba, and I am excited to tell her everything. I realized I am now ready to take our rtionship to the next level. I know our rtionship was different from the other couple.

    I felt d she didn''t ask me anything about my past, and she was true to her words when she told me she would wait for me patiently. Now I am ready to tell her everything, and I realized my jealousy towards Jack made me understood I need Madeline in my life. I can''t imagine the pain that I will feel if she will be in the arms of another man, especially Jack Morigan, and it is about time to let go of my past to save my rtionship with my wife.

    I realized Madeline has a ss today, and I n to drive her to the university and wait for her until her sses ended. And I want to visit the University and talk with the President since he is a family friend, and I am also one of the donors of the university schrs. I will discuss the donations that I am nning to give to them this year.

    I was cooking breakfast while I was thinking of a ce where I can bring my wifeter tonight to have a fancy dinner with her, and I smiled when I realized I should get her to the restaurant of Jack so the chef will stop his foolishness towards my wife. I was standing in front of the smart stove when I felt Madeline''s arms around my waist, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Good morning!" She greeted me, and her sweet voice made me turned around and captured her mouth, and we shared an excellent kiss. And it was not a long kiss, but it made us both breathless, and it felt so wonderful to hear my wife moaned early morning, and I hate that I need to stop kissing her to finish cooking the egg fillet and bacon.

    "It is indeed a beautiful morning!" I responded with a wide grin on my face, and Madeline put her arms on top of the kitchen ind''s counter, and I felt conscious that my wife is watching me cook, and I can feel my face blushed.

    "Do you need some help?" She asked, and I quickly shook my head.

    "Of course not. I n to bring you breakfast on bed, but I didn''t realize you will wake up so early," I responded and return my focus to the nonstick frying pan.

    "Don''t you have work today?" She asked, and I turn my head towards her, and I look at her mesmerizing eyes.

    "Yes, I take a vacation leave," I answered.

    "Why? Do you need to do something? " She asked, and I moved closer to her.

    "Yes, I want to spend my entire day with you today and bring you into a fancy restaurant during dinner," I said, and a beautiful smile spreads on her lovely face.

    "I have ss today." She dered.

    "It would be alright since I need to talk with the university president since he is a family friend, and I want to discuss some important matters with him," I responded.

    "Ah, okay, but I can skip my afternoon ss because we had an examst meeting, so I guess it would be alright if I will have to do cutting sses," Madeline replied, and I smiled at her.

    "That would be lovely then, and I am d I can spend more time with you," I responded.

    Madeline helped me prepare the table, and we eat our breakfast while stealing some sweet kisses; I hate myself why I didn''t allow myself to be happy with my wife. After eating breakfast, I cleaned the table while Madeline washed the utensils.

    I can''t stop myself from iming my wife''s sweet lips as we walk to the living room. I nibbled her lower lip with my tongue before I slithered my tongue inside her sweet mouth. I hear Maddie groan in pleasure, I sucked and toyed her tongue, and I felt so aroused. I couldn''t help myself but carried my wife going to our bedroom, and I undress her quickly, and she did the same to me, and I trailed my tongue all over her body, and we made love passionately. We took a bath together, and it feels so wonderful, and I realized I was such a fool to have missed something incredible like this.

    I drive Madeline to the University, and I felt so happy, and I can''t stop myself from stealing nces at her. She was also doing the same, and every time our eyes meet, I can feel the electricity that travels my entire body, and I kissed her during the red signals. I felt so happy that Madeline didn''t give up on me, and it made me realized it is really about time to tell her the truth.. And I am now ready to let Madeline knows everything about me, and I hope she will not judge me and she will stay by my side.

 Chapter 84 - He Is Ready To Love Me

    Madeline''s POV

    When I wake up, I couldn''t find my husband beside me in our bed, andI thought I only had sweet dreams about Hunter because our lovemaking felt so real. Still, when I feel the soreness between my legs, I am sure it wasn''t a dream, and when I smell Hunter''s scent on the bed cover, I can''t stop myself from smiling because it feels so wonderful sleeping on his chest while my legs are on his muscr thighs. I got up from bed feeling worried if everything will be the same again; he made me happy one night and made me feel miserable for how many months.

    But my heart swells, and I am overjoyed with happiness when I find him cooking in our kitchen. And he looked so hot wearing sweat pants and a sleeveless tank top, and I can''t control myself. I moved closer to him and curled my arms around his waist. And he smelled so good, and I greeted him good morning. Hunter turned around, and my heart somersault when I looked at his face; my husband looked so sexy and yummy, and I couldn''t help myself from feeling wet under my panties again, and when he captured my mouth and kissed me passionately, I moaned. I was panting when he stopped kissing me and continue cooking.

    I blushed when he told me he wants to bring me breakfast in bed, and my husband''s sweetness confused me. I want to ask him if we are okay again, but ever since I marry Hunter, I didn''t ask him about anything, and if I am only dreaming right now, I don''t want to wake up from this incredible dream. I helped him prepare the table, and as we eat our breakfast, he can''t stop himself from stealing kisses from me, and I am overjoyed with happiness.

    I couldn''t believe it when he told me he is taking a vacation leave because I know he is always busy with his work. And I want to thank Jack for inviting me to his restaurant opening because I came homete, and my husband realize I am also important in his life. He wants to drive me to the University, and I couldn''t be happier.

    I can''t concentrate during my ss because I can''t stop thinking about my husband, and he is on campus the entire morning waiting for me to finish my sses, and I don''t want to join myst ss because I want to go to Hunter and spend more time with him.

    I walked to my ss with heavy steps, and I suddenly felt uninterested in our topic for today because all I can see is my husband''s face. And I just felt d when the professor called my name, I am still able to answer his question, and the moment he dismissed our ss, I am excited to get out of our ssroom for the first time. I wonder why my female ssmates lingered near the door, and they are giggling, and it was hard for me to get through.

    "He is so handsome." My other ssmate said.

    "Of course, and I wonder what Hunter Divenson is doing here in our building." The other replied, and I felt my entire body weakened, and I couldn''t believe he was waiting for me on the hallway when I told him to wait for me in the car.

    "Maybe he wants to check if his donations were spent wisely." One of my ssmates interjected with their conversations.

    "Anyone have seen my wife?" I heard his voice from the outside, and I can listen to the giggling of my fellow female students and my ssmates are looking at each other, and I felt my face blush as I push through the crowd and excuse myself, and when I got out from our ssroom, he was smiling at me.

    "There you are!" He said, and he takes my hand while I can see the confused looks on the face of my ssmates. As we walked through the hallways, I can see students are looking at us, and I realized what Gina had said, Hunter is known because of his phnthropic deeds, and I felt so proud of him right now, and I can''t deny deep in my heart I felt a little jealous.

    "Wow! You have so many fans." I said after we get inside his car, and he shook his head and beamed at me.

    "Yeah, I don''t know why those youngdies are fascinated with my charm." He replied, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Where do you want to eat lunch?" He asked as he looked at the road, and I am speechless because I don''t want to upset him if I tell him I want to eat at Jack''s restaurant.

    "Maybe you can bring me to your friend''s restaurant, and I am sure Jack Morigan will be happy to see you." He said, and I don''t want to assume that Hunter is jealous of Jack.

    "Okay, you can''t deny it; Jack is a fantastic chef, and I am sure you will like his menus," I said, and I can see his face darken, but he recovered immediately.

    "Of course, I know, Madeline, Jack''s cooking skill is exceptional, but I hate him for liking you. He should stop flirting with you because you are now a married woman. and you are mine." He answered, and I can feel the knots on my stomach, and I couldn''t believe my husband to be jealous of Jack, and I find it so sexy.

    "Seriously! Are you jealous about Jack, Hunter?" I asked, and he looked at me sideways, and he only nodded his head, and he didn''t say it aloud, but it still makes me feel so thrilled.

    We order food, and my husband can''t stophimself from scanning the entire restaurant. And I can tell he was impressed by its design. We devour our food, and I am just d Jack didn''te out from the kitchen until we finish eating our meal. We left, and I wonder where my husband is taking me, and my eyes got so big when he takes me to a familiar road.

    "Are we going to the Vi?" I asked in disbelief, and he turns his head towards me before he nodded, and I am getting more excited.

    "But why?" I asked because this is so sudden.

    "Actually, I nned to take you to Jack''s restaurantter tonight, but I realized we better spend the night in our Vi since you love that ce, and we haven''t visited our vacation home for a while now. There is something I want to tell youter, Madeline." My husband said, and I suddenly felt nervous. Is he nning to divorce me? I felt uneasy, and the entire ride going to the Vi became agonizing on my part, and I wish he didn''t tell me he wants to have a serious talk.

    I pretended to fall asleep until I doze off, and I heard Hunter''s soft voice waking me up from my deep sleep. When I open my eyes, I realized how much I miss the ce, and I couldn''t wait to take a swim on the beach. My husband opened the car door for me, and grabbed me by the waist, and pulled me up from the car seat, and he imed my mouth with urgency. I felt my entire body turned like jelly, and I felt my legs weaken, and I realized it was not the kind of kiss I was expecting from someone who wants to file a divorce, and maybe Hunter wants to tell me something, and I wonder what kind of news he wants to discuss with me.

    I am so happy to see Lucinda, and I realized my husband asked her to prepare our meal during our stay. Hunter invited me for a swim, and I can''t stop myself from smiling as I put on my swimming attire and Hunter''s eyes lingered on my chests since my ample cleavage is on disy. The shoreline is clear, and no one is swimming on the beach, and this is what I love here in our beach house because it feels like we own the entire ce. After all, we always swim with no other guests.

    We got into the water and started swimming side by side, and when Hunter takes me to his arms, I felt so excited. As he started kissing me, I let my worries be gone for the time being. I will worry about itter because I can''t stop the sweet sensation I feel as my husband brushed his soft lips against my eager mouth. As he slithered his tongue inside my mouth, I couldn''t stop myself from moaning as I can feel his hands all over my body since I am wearing a two-piece, and my husband trails his fingers on my entire torso.

    We continue to make out under the hot sun, and I can''t stop myself from getting drenched on the sensitive parts between my legs. And when I felt my husband slid his hand under my bikini and touched my mound, I shuddered in pleasure. He continues to touch me, and I love the way my husband caressed my flesh, and when I feel him rub my clit, the emotions that I experience are too much for me to handle. And his massive erection that pressed against my stomach is driving me nuts, and it fuels my desire to have my husband inside me.

    "Please, Hunter, I need you to take me. Please bring me back to our room." I asked, pleading.

    "Your wish is mymand, sweet Madeline." He said and picked me up like I weighed nothing at all, and I can''t stop myself from giggling as my husband carried me inside our vacation home.. And I am no longer worried about what will happenter because I have a hunch that Hunter is now ready to tell me about Reba, and it only means one thing, he is now willing to love me as his wife, and I am d that I never gave up on him.

 Chapter 85 - Hunterâ€™s Confession

    Madeline''s POV

    We are still lying on the bed after our steamy lovemaking, and I can''t stop myself from smiling when I realized my husband doze off to sleep. He must be tired. I still want to snuggle on his chest, but I want to see the beauty of the beach at this hour. So, I got up and go to the closet and chose a ssy mini dress. And I rummaged through the shoe rack, and I find a pair of white step-in sandals perfect for my outfit. I walked out of our room and go to the kitchen, and I found Lucinda busy preparing for our dinner.

    "Hello, Mrs.Divenson." She greeted me politely.

    "You can call me Madeline or Maddie, Lucinda." I said.

    "No, I can''t; even my family has been serving the Divenson n for a long time now; rk Divenson won''t allow that because he wants us to great his family member properly." She dered, and I am shocked to learn this thing, and it made me realized why Cer addressed Lily in front of his family with a Miss.

    "I want to help you." I said, and she shook her head, and I wonder if Lucinda knew about Reba.

    "Just go back to your room, Mrs. Divenson." She said.

    "Have you been in the Divenson mansion?" I asked, and she looked at me, and I suddenly felt nervous because I can feel something as she stared into my eyes.

    "Yes, for a long time, and only recently, your husband asked my husband and me to look after his properties here in Magnolia." She responded, and I want to ask her more, but I can feel Lucinda doesn''t want me to be near her.

    "I am sorry for disturbing you, Lucinda," I said, and I can''t stop my voice from feeling disappointed.

    "Look, I don''t want to be fired by your husband''s father because even though we are serving Hunter Divenson, we are still under rk Divenson''s order." She said in a firm voice, making me feel more curious why she doesn''t want me to talk with her. I already have doubts about Reba''s death, but I don''t have any basis, and I think Lucinda knows something about rk Divenson''s secret.

    "Lucinda, I know you are a wife. You have been in love with your husband, and I get that. In my case, my husband bought me from my aunt, Cal told me to go to Divenson and marry the man I don''t even know, but when I met my husband, I can''t stop my innocent heart from loving him. I fell in love with him before we even get married even though I know deep in his heart he has no feelings for me." I stated, and her face softened.

    "And little did I know he was in love with someone else, I was in pain, and it hurts me to find my husband calling another woman''s name on his sleep. It was too much for me, and I want to leave him, but I can''t because I know he will still find me because he is wealthy and powerful while I am only an orphan and no family I can lean on, I only have a best friend for life who keeps me going all these years." I said, and she looked at me with new light.

    "Oh, I am sorry, dear, I didn''t know you have a tough life." She said.

    "It is okay, and I don''t have a choice but to fight. I love Hunter Lucinda, and he told me we were just married on paper. He can never love me, he only made me his wife because Hunter wants me to have his child after I graduate, and I assume you know, Frank, he was one of the drivers of the Divenson family. He was the father I never knew." I said after I let out a soft sigh.

    "Why are you telling me all this, Mrs. Divenson?" She asked, and I can tell she has a soft heart underneath her hostile behavior.

    "Because I want to know what happened to Reba, because she was the woman my husband can''t let go, and almost every night he was dreaming about her, and I want my husband to forget about Reba, but I don''t know how." I dered, and I can see how her face pale.

    "I know nothing about her, Mrs. Divenson. I only see her in the Divenson mansion, but we never interact with each other." She said, but I can tell Lucinda was lying.

    "That is impossible, Lucinda because her mother worked as a maid in the Divenson mansion." I said, and she averted my gaze and returned her focus on the stove.

    "I am sorry, I can''t tell you anything." She said.

    "Okay, I don''t know until when I will allow myself to cherish my husband who doesn''t love me." I said and turned my heels away from her.

    "He loves you, Mrs. Divenson, and you can tell it by the way he looked at you." She said, and I stopped on my tracts.

    "And you are right. Mr. Divenson can''t give you his undying devotion because he feels guilty about what happened to Reba. I want to help you, Maddie." She said, and I smiled when she called me by my first name, which means she allows me to be her friend.

    "You can give me your number, Madeline, and I will call you one of these days." She said and pulled out her phone from her pocket, and she handed it to me, and I smiled as I key in my number.

    "Now, you must leave me while I prepare your dinner." She said, and I walked away from the kitchen in haste, and I couldn''t wait to meet her again.

    I was on the porch fronting the beach when I felt my husband''s muscr arms hugged me by the waist, and I closed my eyes and leaned my head on his chiseled chest.

    "Why did you leave me on our bed?" He whispered and nibbled my ear that sent electricity in my core.

    "I wanted to help Lucinda in the kitchen, but she drove me away, and I don''t want to disturb you since you were sleeping peacefully." I replied, and he turned my body to face him, and the moment I see his eyes, I am lost and out of words.

    "You don''t know how I wanted to have you lying beside me, Maddie." He said and leaned down and captured my lips. And I was gasping when he stopped kissing me.

    "Dinner is ready, and we need to eat now because I am starving, and you know why?" He asked, sounding so sexy, and I shook my head.

    "Because of you, my sweet wife, have used up all my strength." He said, and I can''t stop myself from giggling, and I felt so ecstatic, and I hope this will continue for the rest of our lives.

    "Wow! The food is superb." I said after I tasted everything, and my husband smiled at me.

    "Yeah, Lucinda is among the best cooks in the Divenson mansion. That is why I asked my dad to pull her out and his husband to take care of my properties, and I always like her and his husband because I know I can trust them because my father trusted his husband almost everything in the Divenson mansion." Hunter said, and we continue to eat our dinner on the roof deck where we can see the shoreline, and we can hear the pounding of the waves as they hit the shore.

    Hunter asked me to walk with him on the beach, and we strolled on the coast barefoot. And I still feel d that we have the beach for ourselves because I can''t see anyone, and I can tell only the caretakers will switch on the lights on their verandas. He stopped at the center of the shore and sat on the sand, and he pulled me down and let me sat on hisp, and I found it so sweet that I can''t stop the goosebumps that crept all over my skin

    "Madeline, I know I need to apologize for the things that I have done to you; I am sorry for hurting you; I promise I will try my best to be a good husband to you from now on. But before that, I need to confess everything, the reason I tried to suppress the feelings I have for you." Hunter said, and I can''t stop the pounding of my heart. And he started telling me about Reba, the same things Leticia Divenson had told me, and I felt guilty that I already knew about his secret, but I felt so happy that he told me all about her.

    "Maddie, I won''t me you if you will hate me." He said after he told me the whole story, I could feel his tears that soaked my back. And I moved my body and sat across from him, and I took his hands and squeezed them.

    "How can I hate you when you were only honest with me? I understand how much you love her, and I want you to know I admire your loyalty towards Reba that even she has been dead for so many years, you are still in love with her." I said, and I looked at him in his eyes.

    "Hunter, it was an ident, and stop ming yourself, and don''t worry, I will be here for you loving you every day." I added.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for being so understanding." He said.

    "What can I do? You owe me my freedom and everything. I don''t have any choice but to stick with you." I said, and his face was saddened.

    "Hey, don''t say that, okay? I will never marry you if I don''t feel anything towards you, I could have married Kaye, but I chose you because you intrigued me. On the first night that we met, I don''t need to kiss you, but I did because I can''t deny the intense attraction I felt for you, and right now, Madeline Brownwood Divenson, my wife, I can''t stop myself anymore, and I want you to know I am falling in love with you.." Hunter said, and he kissed me softly on my lips.

 Chapter 86 - Lucindaâ€™s Call

    Madeline''s POV

    I couldn''t believe Hunter will confess his feelings for me, I felt guilty because a while ago, I thought he would ask for a divorce from me, but I was on the seventh heaven when I heard the words from my husband''s lips that he is now falling in love me. And I can feel my entire body was on fire, and I pinched my skin to make sure I wasn''t dreaming at all. I want to shout with joy, and when my husband deepened our kiss, I can''t stop myself from moaning, and I realized this is the happiest day of my life, and I can''t ask for more.

    "I love you too, Hunter," I said the moment he let go of my lips. He smiled and caressed my face with his fingers, and his feather-light touch ignites my body on fire, and I can feel the butterflies on my chest as he pulled me closer to him.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for teaching me how to love again. I know I can''t let go of Reba''s memories that easily, but I hope you will be there every step of the way as I will try my best to forget her. But I hope you will understand that Reba is part of my life, and she was my first love, and I thought I will never be in love with anyone ever again, and I am so grateful that you came into my life. I was trying my best to push you away, but when you came homete, and when I saw the picture of Jack Morigan hugging you tightly, it made me realized I don''t want you to be in the arms of another man because you belong with me, Madeline." He said as he caressed my long brown hair.

    And I am stunned that somebody sent a picture of me while Jack was embracing me during the opening of his restaurant, and it made me realized it was Hunter''s father who delivered him the information because it was the same night rk Divenson talked with me at the parking lot of Jack''s restaurant. And I am just d it made Hunter realized he loves me, and not the other way around because I can''t afford to be pushed and hurt by my husband again.

    "Hunter, I like Jack Morigan as a friend, and you don''t need to feel jealous about him because I only love one man in my entire life, and I am d it was you that my heart chose to fall in love with," I said, and he cupped and lifted my chin to see his beautiful eyes that made my knees go weak.

    "I know, Madeline, and I am sorry that I can''t control myself to be jealous of Jack every time he is near you." Hunter dered, and a smile spreads across my face. We stay on the sand for a long time listening to the waves hit the shore. And I didn''t realize I dozed off, and when Hunter wakes me up with a soft voice, I realized I was lying on the sand, and my head is on hisp. When I opened my eyes, I smiled when I realized the moonlight illuminated the coastline.

    Hunter put his arms around my waist and heaved me from the ground, and we walk holding hands going inside our vacation home. And I want to stay on the sand longer, but I felt so sleepy. We showered together, and after I put on my nightdress, I quickly walked into the bed, and when my body hit the mattress, I fall asleep immediately.

    The following months were a series of shopping and eating dinner together at fancy restaurants in Archois City, and I felt so happy that my husband keeps his promise that he will try to start over, and he promised to spend more time with me.And I realized my husband is sweet in his way.

    Gina is in our house, and I asked her to spend the night with me because Hunter is out of the country. He always calls and texts me now, unlike before that I seldom hear from him, and mostly he will ask Cal tomunicate with me.

    We are in the kitchen, and I am busy slicing the carrots, cucumber, radish for our Ensda dish. And she was leaning on the ind counter of the kitchen, and she keeps on eating the pieces that I cut.

    "Hey, stop eating that, or else we don''t have anything for dinner," I said, and she justughed, and I get the te and put it away from her, and theughter of my best friend reverberated in the kitchen.

    "You better get the lettuce from the fridge, Gina," I said, and she walked to the refrigerator and pulled out the lettuce.

    "So, you are happy now?" Gina asked.

    "Of course, I almost screamed when I heard Hunter said he was falling in love with me," I said, and my best friend giggled.

    "Wow! I am so happy for you, Madeline. And I hope Hunter will stay like that until you grow old together." Gina dered, and I beamed at her.

    "Thank you, Gina, and I was hoping the same thing," I replied.

    "Well, now that your husband is finally in love with you, you only have one problem left; it is Hunter''s father, rk Diveson." Gina dered, and I suddenly felt worried.

    "Sometimes, I was afraid if he wille here and threatened me again," I reply

    "Well, you better tell Hunter about it, Madeline, before it is toote," Gina said, and I could tell she has a point.

    "I want to, Gina, but I don''t want him to hate his father, and as possible, I want him to have a good rtionship with his Dad. Growing up without a father was hard, and even though I am doubtful about rk Divenson, I still want them to get along. Besides, I need to have proof before telling Hunter about his father''s involvement in Reba''s death. I want to unravel that mystery first before I can say he needs to answer to his son." I said.

    "Do you think you can find a way to discover rk Divenson''s secret?" Gina asked.

    "Do you remember Lucinda? I am positive she knew something, and she promised to help me, and I am still waiting for her call, and I hope when she is ready to tell me everything you cane with me to the Magnolia Vige, and I need you to go with me, Gina." I said.

    "Of course, I will always be here to give you my full support, Madeline, and all I ask from you is be careful. There is a big possibility he will do the same to you, Maddie, and I am afraid if you will get hurt." Gina responded, and I smiled at her.

    "I know Gina, he already told me once that he wants me out from Hunter''s life, and if I remain firm in my decision to stick with my husband, he will do something to me too, and at first, I thought Hunter''s father was not capable of doing something like that. But when he talked to me during the grand opening of Jack''s restaurant, I realized he wasn''t a good father at all." I dered.

    We finished preparing our menus and put everything on the table, and I realized I am starving. We eat in silence, and I suddenly hear my phone is ringing. And when I pick it up, I can see an unknown number shed on my screen, and I wondered who could be calling me using another number. I felt apprehensive as I answer the call.

    "Hello!"

    "Is this Mrs. Madeline Brownwood?" Asked a woman from the other line, and I can tell I hear a familiar voice that I can''t pinpoint who she was.

    "Maddie, this is Lucinda." She said, and I felt my entire body turned cold, and I can feel my whole body shook, and I don''t know why I am feeling this way. Maybe because of my excitement to know about Reba''s death. All I want is to help my husband to forget her totally, but I can''t be at peace knowing his father has some secrets.

    "Lucinda, it is nice to hear from you. How are you?" I asked with a trembling voice.

    "I am fine, Madeline. If you have time, meet me at your Vi thising Saturday, and please don''t tell your husband about it, and I want to talk with you first." She said, and I felt so happy.

    "Of course, don''t worry, Lucinda, I wille, and I hope you will not mind if I will bring my best friend with me," I said.

    "It is okay, as long as she is the only one and no one must know about this, even the sister of Hunter." She said, and I can tell she was referring to Lily, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so excited, and I hope this meeting will have a good result.

    "Of course, Lucinda," I replied.

    "Bye, for now, Maddie, see you on Saturday." She said and ended the call. And it took me a long time to move because I still couldn''t believe Lucinda will help me.. After all, I believed she was loyal to Hunter''s father.

 Chapter 87 - To Unravel The Mystery

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you sure about all this, Madeline?" Gina asked me after we settle in the living room, and I mute the sound of the television to hear her words.

    "I don''t know, Gina, but I believe in my instinct, and I all I know is I want to do this," I replied.

    "I don''t want you to have regretster on, Maddie, and I don''t want you to give rk Divenson a reason to hunt you down. I think Hunter''s father is capable of hurting you." She said.

    "Don''t worry, Gina, we will be careful, and I don''t want you to suffer because you wille with me, and I am sure if he found out about you, you could be in danger too." I dered, and I can see how much her eyes widened.

    "Wow! It feels like we are private detectives now." Gina said, and sheughed.

    "Yes, we are." I smiled at her.

    "Can we go to bed now, Madeline? I felt so sleepy already." She asked, and I nodded, and I turned off the TV, and we climbed the stairs and took the steps one at a time. After I finish taking a bath, I get dressed in my nightdress and hit the bed. My best friend is already sleeping while I am still wide awake, thinking what could be the revtions of Lucinda. And I know deep in my heart I have some fears, and I am so eager to know what happened to Hunter''s ex.

    "I don''t want to dig the past, but when Hunter''s father threatened me at Jack''s restaurant, I am determined to fight him back. I don''t want to make my husband know anything about it yet, because I still need to gather some information before telling Hunter that his father is responsible for Reba''s death.

    Gina left early morning because of her early duty on her part-time job. I go to ss, and I felt lonely that my husband is not home. He called me, but it wasn''t enough for me. Ever since Hunter confessed his real feelings for me, we became more close and intimate with each other. Our love-making bes more intense, and my husband always makes me feel good every time he is around. And if before I want him to have a business trip so we won''t be seeing each other because of his cold treatment towards me, Nowadays I want him toe home early since our time together is sweet and fun.

    It has been three days that I am sleeping alone in our bed, and I am still lying on the mattress when I felt someone get inside the room, and when I smell his scent, I realized my husband is back. I smiled, but I didn''t open my eyes, and he graduallyy beside me on our bed, and he scooted closer to me. When he imed my mouth, I want to pretend that I am still sleeping, but I couldn''t stop myself from not kissing him back when he gave me an incredible kiss that made me feel the butterflies on my stomach and made me softly moan.

    "I can tell that you miss me so much, Mrs. Divenson," Hunter whispers in my ear, and he nibbled my ear, and when I realized he was already naked, it made me feel electrified and so turned on. And he made me touch his throbbing manhood, and it gets bigger as I continue to jerk him. I wouldn''t say I like that every time Hunter is kissing me. I can''t stop myself from feeling so aroused. That is why we always ended up making love with each other every time we make out. Sometimes he takes me into our sofa, and there are moments we did it in the kitchen. And we also love making love in our bathtub, and I always like it because the feeling of having him in the tub filled with water made the act more interesting. My husband taught me how to please myself and him.

    "Of course, I do," I replied and slowly opened my eyes, and I found my husband looking at me full of lust and affection, and I can feel the excitement within my entire core. He leaned down and traced the contour of my lips down to my chin. I felt so hot all over my body, and we can''t stop ourselves from kissing and touching each other. He almost tore my nightie as he discards it quickly from my body, and my supple breasts pressed against his hard chest, it brings sensations all over my entire body, and it made my panties soaked while he pulled it down and took it out from my legs.

    I like the way how much my husband sucks my nipples one at a time, and the way he licked my sensitive parts made me feel euphoric, and when Hunter caressed my breasts with his hands, I arched my body, and the way he trails kisses in my entire body made me rolled my eyes at the back of my head. I miss my husband''s scent, kisses, and most of all, our steamy lovemaking. I know he was tired from his flight, but he wants me to feel so good.

    I can feel my entire body shivered after he gave me multiple orgasms by only using his tongue. I love the way hepped my sensitive parts between my legs. When he kneeled on the bed and positioned himself, and put his mushroom head on my entrance, I was holding my breath as he yed my clit by rubbing the head of his member, and without warning, he imed me with one strong thrust, I can hear my scream of pleasures echoed inside our room. He pushed, and I take him inch by inch as he sucked my nipple, and I curled my legs around his waist, and I buck my hips to meet his every thrust, and I arched my body so he can go on with sucking my nipple while he continues to push deeper.

    And when he rolled down, and hey on his back, Hunter heaved my naked body on top of his muscr frame, and I can''t help touching his toned six-pack abs. And I can tell I am drooling over my husband''s gorgeous body. He let me ride him, and I straddle him, and it feels so good when I feel the friction of my wet cunt onto his massive erection. I feel hornier, and I can''t stop myself from moaning as I realized I am so wet.

    He put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer to him, and his dick feels so good on my wet cunt. And as he gets deeper, I can feel my climax is getting near as I ride my husband''s enormous long shaft. And he continues to ram me with his manhood. But I waited for him because I always love the feeling ofing together. I felt my husband quickened his thrusts, and I know he ising, and he imed my mouth, and we are kissing hard as he sprayed me with his seed, and my entire body shuddered on top of my husband''s frame as I came with a broad smile on my face.

    We eat breakfast together, and I asked permission from Hunter to go out with Gina on Saturday.

    "That is great, my sweet Madeline because I need to visit the site with Cal thising Saturday. Where are you going?" He asked, smiling at me.

    "Gina asked me toe with her to visit an orphanage and have some charity works." I lied, but I n on visiting some charitable institutions after I meet with Lucinda.

    "Wow! That is amazing, don''t worry, one of these days we will visit the home for the aged together." He dered.

    "Really?" I asked excitedly.

    "Yes, and I am happy that you like some charitable works." He replied.

    "I always do, but you know I was working almost all my teenage life. That is why I don''t have the chance to visit and do charitable works." I said, and he nodded. Hunter drives me to the University every morning, and he will also pick me up in the afternoon or asks Ronan to pick me up and bring me to his office every time he has an emergency meeting. But during his out-of-the-country business trips, I have to drive on my own.

    The week passed in a blur, and it is already Saturday. I am driving my car and on my way to pick up Gina at her house. I miss the neighborhood since I always spend my spare time here with Gina.

    We listened to my car stereo and sang along with the artist, and we areughing because mainly, to be honest, I am not good with lyrics. That is why Gina alwaysughs at me every time I sing. Gina was driving my car because she likes maneuvering my sports car, especially when we are on the freeway. Gina is running the vehicle at the maximum speed limit, and I can hear the roaring sound of my sports car. And we arrived at the Vi earlier. After I got out of the car, I suddenly felt so nervous as I walk my way to the main entrance of the house, and before I can use my key, the door opened, and I saw Lucinda giving me a worried smile.

    "Good day, Maddie and Gina." She greeted us both as she motioned us to follow her into the living room, and I can''t stop myself from feeling uneasy now that I am facing Lucinda. I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous.. Still, my determination to unravel the mystery behind rk Divenson''s involvement in Reba''s death makes me strong, and I am also excited to know the truth.

 Chapter 88 - Our Investagation

    Madeline''s POV

    "Have you eaten your breakfast already, Maddie, Gina?" Lucinda asked us, and we both shook our heads. And she brings us to the kitchen, and I can tell Lucinda prepared food especially for us. I am just d I left from Divenson mansion early, and we didn''t eat breakfast at the Morigan''s diner at Magnolia''s capital.

    "Thank you, Lucinda, for preparing this food for us." I said.

    "You are wee, Madeline; besides, you should know I must take good care of your needs because you are Hunter''s wife now, and it makes you the Madam of this house." She said, and I felt my face blushed because I will never get used to having maids around the house. And I always want to do the household chores. If not for Hunter, I would never experience any luxury in my entire life. My husband provided me everything that I needed. From the fancy car, dresses, designer bags, shoes, jewelry, and thetest I received from him is the most valuable thing I''ve got, Hunter''s love for me which I can never trade for anything.

    "Can you follow me to the living room?" Lucinda asked us after we eat our breakfast, and we stood up and walked behind her; and I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart as I watch Lucinda sat down on the couch, and I settled myself across from her, she search for my eyes, and when I looked at her she gave me a vague smile.

    "Madeline, I know how much you love your husband, and the thing that we are going to do is dangerous. I have wanted to do something about it, but I am afraid and scared to do it alone. I know I can''t fight rk Divenson alone, and my husband forbids me to get involved, but the thing is, my guilt is eating me up, and when I learned Hunter finally found a wife, I felt happy, but I became worried when I found out, you are also like Reba." She said.

    "What you mean?" I asked.

    "What I am trying to say is you also came from a poor family," She replied and sighed heavily.

    "rk Divenson always wants Hunter to marry someone who camefrom a wealthy family like Ms. Kaye, Hunter''s friend. But when rk appointed Hunter to be the CEO of the Divenson miningpany, he can no longer manipte his mind because Hunter became powerful. Because after what happened to Reba, his n failed." She said.

    "rk wanted to get rid of Reba, but he didn''t realize his n backfired on him when Hunter almost lost himself." Lucinda continued.

    "I am sorry if I lied to you, Madeline. I am friends with Reba''s mother, and Reba is my goddaughter. And I know how much your husband loves her even until now." Lucinda said, and I can see the sympathy on her face.

    "Don''t worry, Lucinda, I know where I stand in his life even before I became his wife," I replied.

    "Yes, but Hunter loves you, Maddie. I thought he would never get married, and I was shocked when I learned he was getting married to someone like you. No offense, Maddie, but your husband was expected to marry a billionaire''s daughter. And I realized he married you to get revenge on his father, he can''t physically harm his old man, but I know hunter held a grudge against his father because he knew for how many times rk threatened Reba so she will leave him." Lucinda continued.

    "And I don''t know if Hunter found out it was his father who paid Luke to sabotage his marriage with Reba, but rk didn''t realize there are things beyond his control." She said, and I have a hunched from the very start it was his father who paid the gardener that is why I am no longer shock about it, and I am patiently waiting for her following words.

    "Maddie, the ssified information you are going to uncover could harm us, and we all need to be careful." She said, and I wonder what kind of information she is going to tell us.

    I already contacted someone from the MM Mental Care Homes, so the two of you can get inside without questions. She said and handed us some fake identification cards. And I realized this is the reason why she asked me to send her some pictures. And there are so many questions running in my head, but I let her continue talking.

    "Once you reach your destination, all you need to do is look for this person, and she will assist you from there." She said as she handed me a piece of paper.

    "Why do we need to go into this ce?" I asked.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I want you to find the answers that you were looking for on your own, and I am warning you, your way of life will change after you will learn the truth, and you can''t decide base on your impulse. You have to think it over. I will not tell you anything so you can decide for yourself. The answer will be in your hands, and it is all up to you to choose the best option. And I hope you will brace yourself and make the right decision. Remember, you need to face rk Divenson. And the life of your husband is on the line." She said, and I have never been so confused in my entire life, but the excitement that I feel drives me nuts.

    "Goodbye, Maddie and Gina, and you better get going now, so you have a lot of time to talk with Mindy." She said, and I understood she spoke of the name I saw on the piece of paper she had given to me.

    "Thank you, Lucinda." I said.

    "Of course, and I am slightly relieved now that you are going to know the truth." She said, and I don''t know if she is helpful because my mind is in chaos, but I will decideter. We get out of the vacation home and get inside my car. As usual, my best friend takes the passenger''s seat, and she drives my car smoothly going to the licensed care home we are going to visit. And I suddenly feel nervous yet happy when my phone rings, and I found my husband''s name on the screen.

    "Hello!" I answered.

    "Where are you now, my sweet Madeline?" Hunter asked me on the other line.

    "We are still on our way. Why?" I asked.

    "I want to have lunch with you, Cal, and Gina." He said, and I feel a little disappointed that I can''t have lunch with him, and it would be more fun because Cal would be there.

    "I am sorry, but I think we can''t make it at lunch." I replied.

    "Okay, let us have dinner then." He dered, and a broad smile formed on my mouth.

    "Alright, it would be a date then." I responded.

    "Of course, my sweet, drive safely. I love you, Madeline." Hunter said, and I can feel my entire face turned so red, and I felt so happy.

    "I love you too." I replied, and he ended the call after he said his goodbye, and I screamed, and it made Gina swerved the car, and I am just d that the highway is clear from other vehicles.

    "Oh, no, Madeline! I felt terrified. Next time don''t ever do that again, okay?" She said, and Iughed.

    "How can you scream like that?" She asked and looked at me sideways while she gives me a stern look.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I am just carried away." I said, and I can''t stop myself from giggling.

    "It seems you are now in cloud nine that your husband keeps calling you and will ask you where you are. I am so happy for you, Madeline, and I hope nothing will change." She said.

    "Me too. I wish Hunter will never stop loving me, Gina." I replied, and I looked outside the car window and got I''m fascinated by the view as I can see the beach. We need to pass one town before we can arrive at our destination, and Gina chose disco music, and then she amplified the sound of the car stereo and drove fast while she lowered the car roof. And I felt so free as I felt the strong blow of the wind on my face. We are both singing loudly that I can feel my throat ached, and I suddenly felt thirsty. Fifteen minutester, we arrived at the front gate of the mental home, and Gina turned off the music as we wait for the gate to open, and I can see the high walls around the property.

    The gate opened, and we showed our identification card, and the guard looked at us, and I suddenly felt worried. He was looking at my car with a skeptical look.

    "What a fantastic ride!" He blurted out, and smiled at us, and motioned us to get inside the property.

    "This is not mine, and it''s hers." Gina replied, and she raised the roof as she moved the car and looked for a parking space. I can see that there is a big building at the center of the property painted with white color surrounded by a manicuredndscaped, and I can see a garden with a park inside with benches, while on the sides are the residential units. My best friend parked the car, and we climbed out, and a middle-aged woman came and greeted us.

    "Hi! You must be Madeline and Gina?" She said, and I nodded.

    "Yes, and you must be Mindy?" I asked back, and she gave me a nod and offered her hand to me, and I take her hand, and she has a firm grip, and then she let go of my palm and offers her hand to Gina, and they handshake quickly.

    "Please, follow me inside.." She said, and we walked behind her, and I realized we are going inside the main building, and this is it, there is no turning back, and I have to brace myself whatever the oue of our investigation today.

 Chapter 89 - Why?

    Madeline''s POV

    We followed Mindy into the hallways until she stops in front of a room, and she opened the doorknob while she ushered us to get inside ahead of her. And I can see that the room is also painted in white color,and I saw many steel cabs lined up in the room, and she asked us to sit down in front of her table. She walked to the farthest side of the room and opened another door, and when she came back, she handed us two sets of a scrub suit, one for me and one for Gina,

    "You may change your clothes now." She said and showed us to the changing room. I pulled my dress over my head and folded it, and put it on top of the chair, and I put on the royal blue scrub suit, and I felt sofortable. When I turn around, I found my best friend already adjusting her scrub suit, and I smiled at her, and we return to Mindy''s table.

    She pulled out the patient''s record and put it on the clipboard. And I am dying to ask her why Lucinda sent us here, and I can''t stop myself from feeling restless.

    "I am the psychiatric social worker responsible for the patient, and when Lucinda told me about her case and asked me to help the subject, I feel guilty that I have done nothing to help the victim. I am willing to help, but it would be only limited. And since Lucinda informed me that we could trust you, Maddie, we decided to implore your help." Mindy said.

    "So, you have to remember you are the newly hired nurse." She said, and we both nodded.

    "Shall we?" She asked, and I can no longer control my curiosity.

    "May I know where we are going?" I asked, and she looked at me in the eyes.

    "The patient is staying at the far end house. Still, you don''t need to worry because she is harmless, and even though she attacked a nurse before, but it was five years ago, after that, she became tamable. I suddenly feel scared because this is the first time I visited a mentally ill individual, and I wonder who this patient is and what her rtionship is to Hunter''s father. Is she Reba''s mom or another victim of rk Divenson?

    "What is her name?" Gina asked, and I can tell she is also eager to know who are we visiting.

    "Everybody calls her Ms. Anderky, but you must refer her as patient number 1088." She said as we got out from the main building and walked towards the footpaths on the ground. And the name rings a bell, but I don''t remember where did I hear it. And I want to take a picture of the mini-park, and I like the Bermuda grass that makes the entire ce green. I can feel the rapid beating of my heart as we passed the extensive garden, and as we near thest unit, I can''t stop my hands from trembling. I don''t understand why I am feeling this way, and maybe because I felt so excited that atst, I will found out the hidden secret of rk Divenson.

    She used the master key to open the door, and I am impressed that the room is neat and spotless, and there is a wide window with window grills fronting the garden where the patient can see the flowers.And on the center, I find the bed, and a woman is sleeping while she covers her entire body, including her face, with a nket.

    "Hello, Ms. Anderky. Are you awake?" Mindy said softly as she walked near her bed.

    "Did you bring my baby?" The woman answered, and she has a beautiful voice, and I wonder what rk did to her or her family that she ended up in mental health care house.

    "No, I didn''t since he can''t be here."She responded, and the woman removed the nket covering her face, but I can''t see her face yet, because she was facing the wall.

    "You better leave now, nurse. You can''t bring me my husband, and now you are telling me you can''t get my son." She said.

    "I want you to meet your new nurses," Mindy said, and Ms. Anderky didn''t reply, and the social worker didn''t talk either, and I can tell she was thinking.

    "I don''t need another nurse. I only want you and the others whoe to visit me every day. I don''t like to meet strangers." She replied, and I wonder what happened to her.

    "Ms. Anderky, why are you like that? They came all the way from Archois City to see you, and now you are not going to say hi, to them?" Mindy continues to talk with her, and the patient suddenly sat up from her bed. And it seems she came from Archois, and her jet ck hair covered her face. The patient used her fingers to take her hair to the side. And when she looked at us, my entire body trembled, and my heart is beating so fast. She looked so thin. Her face has scars on her forehead and a linear scar on her right cheek, but she is still beautiful, and when she looked at me, I stepped back and covered my mouth with my hands, and I felt my entire body turned so frigid and I hear Gina gasped.

    "Are you afraid of me?" She asked, and I tried my best topose myself.

    "No, I am not," I said, and I can''t stop myself from walking towards her.

    "What is your name?" I softly asked her, and I am so afraid of my feelings right now.

    "My name is Reba." She said, and the moment she confirmed her name, my world turned upside down. Reba is alive, and Hunter''s first love is here in the mental care home. I still remember the portrait of Reba in the secret room in our house.

    "What is your name?" She asked me.

    "I, I am Madeline." I stuttered, and it feels like I have something on my throat.

    "Do you think I am crazy, Madeline? Why do you look so afraid of me?" She asked, and I shook my head because the truth is I am not scared of her because she seemed so fragile, and what makes me nervous is the realization that she is alive and the possible effect of this reality in my marriage with my husband.

    "I like you, Madeline, and I want you to be my new nurse. I am sleepy maybe you bettere back tomorrow because I felt tired thinking about my son and husband. I have been waiting for them toe." She said.

    "You have a husband?" I asked.

    "Yes, but his father made me a prisoner in this stupid ce. And he keeps on telling these medical people that I am insane, and he told me I don''t deserve Hunter." She said, and it feels like my lungs stopped functioning as I struggled to breathe when she mentioned my husband''s name. I still couldn''t believe that this is happening right now, and I felt d that she is alive. Still, I also realized things would never be the same again as I realized rk Divenson hid this ssified information from his son, and he made them believed that Reba is crazy.

    "Okay, we will leave for now, and next time Madeline will talk to you, and she will take care of you," Mindy said, and Reba smiled and nodded. And I remember her perfect smile on the portraits around the wall of the secret room. All her stuff is still there, and I wonder what I am going to do about this situation, and I realized this is too much to process.

    "Bye, Madeline and Gina." She said, and I realized she is not mentally ill at all.

    "Goodbye, Reba." We both said, and I turned my heels and run towards the door, and I sat on the bench while I waited for Gina and Mindy.

    "Lucinda told me you are the wife of Hunter Divenson, Madeline," Mindy said as she settled beside me on the bench on my right side while Gina stands in front of me, and I can tell she wants to make sure I am okay, but how can I be okay when the world is ying tricks with me? Why? Why it has to be me.

    I nodded my head since I couldn''t find my voice.

    "I understand that you are shocked, Madeline. Lucinda knew everything. rk Divenson donated a lot of money to this mental house care. In return, the institution should take care of Reba. After the ident, Lucinda took good care of her in Magnolia Vige in one of the Divenson properties. She felt so guilty that she can''t tell Hunter about it because rk Divenson threatened their lives, but now Lucinda can''t take it anymore. For Lucinda, she doesn''t care anymore if Cark will hurt her. Reba has been her for how many years, always waiting for Hunter toe."Mindy said, and I am still speechless.

    "Is her son alive?" I asked.

    "No, the child died on that day, she was dered DOA, but she came back to life, and rk told her if she will try to escape from this ce, he will kill her child. rk nned everything and even the funeral of Reba.

    "My husband loves her so much," I said, and I can''t stop myself from crying, and I hate rk Divenson for ying Hunter''s heart.. How could he do this to his son? He is Hunter''s father, yet because of his love for money, he sabotaged the life of his eldest son.

 Chapter 90 - I Miss My Wife

    Hunter''s POV

    "Excuse me, Mr. Divenson, what are we going to do with the food that you order?" Cal asked after eating our lunch; I already made a reservation and ordered our food ahead of time since I didn''t expect that my wife and Gina will not be joining us for lunch.

    "Just instruct the waiter that you are going to take out the untouched food," I answered.

    "Why did you even bother to order so many foods when you know your wife and her best friend couldn''t make it." He replied, and I remained silent, but I give him a hard stare.

    "I need your help, Cal!" I dered, and he gave me a quizzical look.

    "What do you want me to do this time, Mr. Divenson?" He asked.

    "I want you to help me clear Reba''s stuff from her room," I said.

    "Which room?" He inquired.

    "The room where I put all my ex''s things," I said, and his eyes widened.

    "But why?" He asked.

    "Because I said so, and I want to clean it when my wife is not around in the house since I don''t want her to find out that I keep Reba''s things, it has been ten years, and I think it is now time to let go. She is dead, and there is no reason why I should harbor her things. She will nevere back, and I have now a wife." I said, and his smile widened.

    "Wow! I thought you couldn''t forget about her." He replied.

    "I am now beginning to fall in love with my wife, and I know you have been waiting for this to happen because you are her greatest fan. I want to make my wife happy, and the only way to do that is by letting go of Reba''s memory." I said, and I felt so confident that I can finally let her go.

    "I think we need to celebrate about this, Mr. Monleon, " Cal responded.

    "Of course, I will invite you toe over to our house one of these days.

    "Where are you going to put her stuff?" Calixto asked.

    "There is only one way to do it that I could no longer see her things. We need to burn all of them." I said, and he nodded, and we got up from our chair after I paid the restaurant bill. We both get back in the office, even though I n to spend my entire afternoon with my wife.

    I keep myself busy, but I can''t concentrate, and I keep on watching my clock, and when it is almost six o''clock in the afternoon, I suddenly feel worried that Madeline didn''t text or call me. I tried calling her phone so many times, but it is unattended, and maybe her phone was out of battery. And I tried calling Gina, and I felt d she answered her phone on three rings.

    "Hello, Gina, where are you now?"I asked, feeling so curious.

    "We are on our way back to the city, Mr. Divenson." She replied.

    "Can I talk with my wife?" I asked.

    "Sure, wait for a while, Mr. Divenson. I am sorry, Hunter." She said, and I stifle augh because I know she remembered to call me Hunter every time we talk face to face.

    "Hello, Hunter?" She said on the other line, and I can tell her exhaustions through her voice, and I wonder why she sounds so stressed and sad, and maybe she was carried away by their activities the entire day.

    "Hi, Madeline, are you okay?" I asked, and I can hear my own worries in my voice.

    "Yes, but would it be alright if I stayed at Gina''s ce tonight? And can we have our dinner some other time? " She asked, and I suddenly felt something is going on with her.

    "But why?'' I asked.

    "I miss Gina''s family, and I am also exhausted today." She replied, and I can tell Maddie is lying, and I don''t know what is wrong with my wife.

    "Are you sure?You are fine, Maddie?" I asked, and she fell silent.

    "What is wrong, Madeline?" I asked again.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I can''t hear you; I have a bad connection." She said, and the call ended, and I am holding the phone in my hand, still unable to believe I can''t be with her tonight.

    "So, our dinner is canceled?" Cal asked, and I nodded.

    "Yes, you may go home now, Calixto. And have fun with your wife." I said, and I can see the wide grin on Cal''s face, and he turned around and got out of my office hastily while I am shaking my head. I am disappointed that I couldn''t see her tonight, and I realized how much I want to see Madeline.

    I get up from my swivel chair and get out of my office in a hurry. And I drive my car fast, and when I arrived at our house, I can feel the silence of the entire house, and I realized how much I miss my wife.

    I open the fridge, and I take out some grapes and strawberries. I eat the fruits on the dining table, and after eating and cleaning, I walked with heavy steps in going to the living room. I opened the wide television to watch the news, but I can''t deny I am still thinking about my wife. I watched the news, but my mind is somewhere else, and I decided to switch off the TV. And I stood up and strode toward the grand staircase.

    I took a fresh shower, and as I was drying my hair with a towel, I realized I need to call Madeline again. I dialed her phone number, but still, I can''t contact her. I put on my sweatpants and sleeveless tank top andy on my bed, but as I turned around, I smell my wife''s scent on the sheet, and I lost it; I got up and got my car keys and left the house in a hurry.

    I know I may look crazy with what I am doing, but since I acknowledge my real feelings towards Maddie, I always want to be near her, especially during the night because I want to cuddle my wife.

    I arrived at the parking lot of Gina''s ce, and I felt shy to call Gina again, but I don''t have a choice. I was holding my phone in my right hand and looked at my recent call log, and I redial her number.

    "Hello, Hunter, what can I do for you,

    "Can you ask my wife toe outside?" I asked, and she fell silent for a while that I almost think she hung up on me.

    "Hey, Gina, Are you still there?" I asked.

    "Are you there outside?" She asked me in return.

    "Do you think I will y some frank with you, Gina?" I asked.

    "Of course not, Hunter. Madeline is on her way to meet you." She responded.

    "Thank you, Gina," I said before I ended the call.

    I was leaning on my car when I saw my wifees out from the main door, and I can feel the rapid beating of my heart as I watched her strides towards me, and she was wearing a beautiful nightdress which I am very confident she borrowed from her best friend. My wife is beautiful and hot, and I can''t wait for her toe to me, so I stepped forward and met her halfway.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I tried sleeping on our bed alone, but no matter what I do, I can''t stop thinking about you because you sound so sad over the phone, and I can''t contact your number," I said, and I can''t stop myself from iming her mouth, and I kissed her passionately. Her lips taste so sweet, and I want to devour her mouth one more time, but I can''t make a show in this parking lot.

    "Maddie, please,e home with me," I begged my wife, and I want to ask her what is wrong, but she shook her head.

    "Don''t you want toe home with me?" I asked, and she nodded.

    "I still want to stay here with Gina. Can I sleep here?" She begged, and I think she needs a friend right now, and I wonder what the problem of Madeline is, and as much as I want to take her home with me, I can''t because I can see the determination in her eyes. I tried to understand that she wants to be with Gina.

    "Okay, pleasee home tomorrow." I implored her, and her beautiful smile appears.

    "Of course, I miss you." She said, and my face blushed.

    "I miss you too, Madeline," I said and devoured her mouth again before I turned around to get inside my car and I drive away from the parking lot. I can feel the loneliness as I moved away, watching Madeline''s figure getting smaller in my rearview mirror.

    I know, and I can feel it in my core that something is going on with Madeline, and I want to know what is bothering her, and as possible I want my wife to share it with me, because we are now married, and I need her to open up with me. I can''t wait to see my wife tomorrow, and I need to n a surprise and make her happy.. And instead of feeling lonely, I utilized my time by thinking of a way to please my wife.

 Chapter 91 - My Heart Is Broken

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you okay?" Gina asked me after my tears subsided, and I am watching the garden while my mind is totally in chaos. Mindy already left us, but she told me toe to her office when I am ready to talk with her.

    "No, I am not okay, Gina; how can I tell Hunter about her? He even keeps her things in the house, he fell in love with me thinking Reba was dead, and now that she is here alive waiting for him to get her,it means I should stay away from my husband. I love him, Gina, but I can''t live my life being with him living with him every day knowing the love of his life is here suffering under rk''s Divenson''s cruelty." I replied.

    "If I were in your shoes, I would be in the same dilemma, I know you have a pure heart and soul, Madeline, but this thing that happens is beyond your control. The decision is in your hands, you can pretend you don''t know anything and let your guilt eat you up, or you will do the most humane thing, and it means you have to break your own heart." Gina said, and I know I don''t have a choice but to help Reba. She is held prisoner in this ce.

    "Yeah, and I know I have to face this life, first thing firsts. I need to tell Hunter everything even if I know he will file a divorce, and I think it is better this way that we don''t have a child yet because it would make thingsplicated, and I know I need to do the right thing, Gina." I replied.

    "Can you do it?" She asked.

    "Do you think I have a choice? I need to stay away from Hunter, Gina. I need to forget him." I responded.

    "We don''t know yet, and she had been out from his life for ten years. Do you think the feelings are still there? Maybe her memories haunted him because he med himself for her death, and now that she is alive, he will be free from his nightmares." Gina dered.

    "Gina, you have seen the secret room, and it was full of Reba''s stuff; I already had a hard time making him love me when he thought she was dead, how much more when she is very much alive. I don''t have any hatred towards Reba, and I could never imagine how much she suffered under the heartlessness of Mr. rk Divenson." I said, and Gina heavily sighed as if she was the one carrying the big problem.

    "I think we should go back to Mindy''s office," I said, and Gina nodded at me, and we walked to the main building without talking to each other.

    "How are you, Mrs. Divenson?" Mindy asked me, and I can see the concern on her face.

    "I am not going to force you to help us, Madeline, you are Hunter''s wife, and as per Lucinda, you were so worried about Hunter''s nightmares because he med himself for the fake death of Reba; do you think you can help Reba? You can only help her through your husband." She dered, and I nodded at her.

    "When I asked Lucinda for help, I never thought I would discover something this deep, and I will find a secret that will not only ruin my rtionship with my husband but his rtionship with his father. I only want to discover rk Divenson''s involvement with Reba''s death, but I never expected he faked her death." I said.

    "Madeline, money can do wonders and miracles, and the impossible will make possible," Mindy replied, and I agree with her.

    "So, do you think you can help her?" Mindy asked.

    "What is her mental status?" I asked.

    "Well, Reba developed some anxiety disorders and depression because of the ident. And I think your husband is the only one who can help Reba to return to her usual self, and she can have a normal life again; that is why she needs talk therapy. She is harmless. There are times she feels so nervous and scared and has shortness of breath." Mindy continued to exin, but my mind is somewhere else.

    "So, when can youe back?" Mindy said.

    "Maybe after two days, I need to finish some reports, but don''t worry, I will help her," I replied.

    "You know, she told me about their love story, and I pity her, rk is abusive, and I want him to be put behind bars, but he has the power and money, and all we need is his son, and we all know only Hunter can fight his father. I am sorry, Maddie. I don''t want to ruin your beautiful rtionship with your husband." Mindy said.

    "Me too. I felt sorry, but what can I do? I camete in his life, and we have to face life''s challenges, and I hate that I have to undergo this kind of situation where I need to choose between my happiness and saving someone''s life. I guess I''d rather take the pain because Reba has suffered enough. I want her to be happy, too, since she was Hunter''s first love, and whatever I do, I could neverpete with her. I know how much Hunter loved her." I said, and I can see the tears that welled up in Mindy''s eyes, and I saw them trickled down her face.

    "Don''t cry for me, Mindy, and this situation is no longer new to me. All my life, I was battling for my happiness, but it seems my life has been designed to be like this, but I still believe there will always be light after darkness." I said.

    "Oh, Madeline, you are the most courageous woman that I have ever met, you are still so young, but your disposition in life is extraordinary. I am pleased to meet someone like you because no one is ready to give up their husband in the name of love."

    "Hunter has never been mine, the one who owned his heart was Reba, and I was happy that I met him in my lifetime, and he made me a different woman after I met him, and I will forever be grateful for all the things he had done for me," I said.

    "Madeline, don''t give up that easily, you don''t know what would be Hunter''s reactions, and I think you will only concede when it is time, but for now, you can still win this battle. I know I can''t change your mind about helping Reba because I know deep in my heart it would be unfair to her, she was only a victim, and like you, her only mistake she fell in love with the handsome CEO of the Divenson empire." Gina said, and deep in my heart, I was thinking about the same thing, but I don''t want to hope and be frustrated in the end because I saw it in my own eyes when my husband dreamt about her, he was begging her to stay, and it would be more painful if I have to witness it in person.

    "Thank you, Mindy. I hope to see you again soon." I said as I got up because I want to get out of this ce.

    "I should be the one thanking you, Maddie." She said, and she offered me her hand, and I shook and squeezed her palm.

    I am just d Gina is driving my car, and my best friend is with me at this point in my life. Everything was perfect for Hunter and me, we were both happy, and I never thought this would happen to us. I can tell my husband is beginning to love me, and it made me cry again because deep in my heart, I don''t want to lose Hunter.

    It broke my heart when I canceled our dinner, I was excited to have dinner with my husband and Gina and Cal, but knowing that Reba is alive, I don''t know how to face my husband without looking so guilty and sad. Guilty that I couldn''t tell him right away that I found his first love and inform him that Reba is having a hard time. And I am sad in the sense that deep inside my heart, I know things will never be the same again between my husband and me.

    "Do you think I am a terrible person, Gina?" I asked her, and she looked at me sideways, and she returned her focus on the road before she speaks.

    "Of course not, and why do you ask?" She asked me.

    "Because I should tell Hunter tonight what we have discovered, but I am selfish because I still want to spend more time with him, and I hate myself, but I can''t tell him yet, not for now at least." I said.

    "Madeline, you have all the right because you are his wife, and Reba was only his ex." She responded.

    "Yeah, but we all know if she is still alive, he will never marry me, and I will never get the chance to know him." I said.

    "Yeah, and you''re virginity is still intact." She added.

    "Hey, I never regretted giving him my virginity, Gina." I said.

    "I know. I want you tough. I know it was the best thing you will never forget about your husband. Stop being lonely, Maddie, and I think you have to fight for his love." She responded, and I felt my face blushed as I remember ourtest sexual escapade. I know how we love to be with each other and to explore each other''s bodies, and I felt so sad that I am going to miss him so much, the way he calls my name, cook breakfast for me, and all about Hunter.. But there is a part of me that wants to fight and hoping my husband will never give up on me.

 Chapter 92 - The Playroom

    Madeline''s POV

    "What?" I asked Gina, and I am already lying on her bed wearing a silk nightdress that I borrowed from her. I like it since it fits me and looked decent.

    "You heard me; your husband is outside. He is waiting for you at the parking lot." Gina responded.

    "But why is he here?" I asked.

    "I don''t know, Maddie, but I think because he has all the right to look for you because you are his wife, for God''s sake, Maddie, go there and don''t let Hunter wait for you. I know you feel like jumping right now that your husband came." Gina dered, and if it is only another day, I would be ecstatic. I still feel excited to meet Hunter, but I can''t stop thinking about Reba. I stood up and walked outside from Gina''s room, and I didn''t bother to put on a robe since I know my nightdress is presentable.

    My heart is thumping hard on my chest whileI can''t stop myself from feeling the butterflies in my stomach when Ie out from the main door of Gina''s house, and I find my husband leaning on his car. My pulse is racing as I realized why does he need to look so hot and handsome. He was only wearing a white shirt and ck cargo pants, and his hands are in his pockets, and he looked so boyish, and you can never tell he is the CEO of the Divenson Mining Corporation.

    I walked towards him while I can feel my entire body is trembling. Even until now, I am still starstruck by his handsomeness and hotness. He was staring at me intently, which made me have goosebumps in my entire body. And Hunter stepped closer to meet me halfway. And he stopped his steps the moment we are an inch away from each other that I can smell his masculine scent that will always drive me nuts, and it will make me more drawn to him.

    I felt so guilty when my husband told me he couldn''t sleep because he was alone in our bed, and Hunter was thinking about me and how I wish he will be like this forever. I wanted him to continue to miss me if I am not beside him on the bed.

    The moment Hunter captured my lips and kissed me tenderly, I temporarily forgot I have a big problem that can ruin my rtionship with my husband. I can''t stop myself from kissing my husband back with intensity. How I miss his eager lips, the warmth of his breath, and the sensation I feel every time we are kissing and touching each other. I can feel the electricity that consumed my entire body, and I want to say yes when Hunter asked me toe home with him, but I can''t sleep with my husband tonight, or else he will find out that something is bothering me.

    "I still want to stay here with Gina. Can I sleep here?" I begged my husband, and I felt so relieved when I saw him nodded his head. Hunter gave me his permission to sleep over at Gina''s ce. And I can stop myself from giving him a sweet smile, and it warms my heart when he looked at me full of longings and affections, and I can see his love for me in his eyes.

    "Hey! I thought you would get back and get your things because I saw how much you kissed Hunter." Gina dered the moment I get back to her room, and I felt my face blushed.

    "You were spying on me?" I asked, and she shrugged her shoulders.

    "I wished toe home with my husband, and I am just d I was able to control my face; I don''t know how I am going to live my life again, Gina; why do I need to find out the truth." I said.

    "You have been looking for answers, Madeline, and you only want to discoverrk Divenson''s secret without realizing it will have a significant impact on your rtionship with his son. I am sorry it happens to you. If there is only another way to stop all this from happening, I already did it for you, but you need to face reality, Madeline, no matter how painful it is, and don''t worry, I will always be here for you, Maddie." Gina dered, and I hugged her tightly.

    "I know, and thank you, Gina, you are my constant rock. I don''t know what will happen to me without you. It seems everyone close to me is destined to be separated from me." I said.

    "Hey, it is still too early to feel so miserable. It would help if you were strong, Madeline. I know you are not afraid of anything; you can face the world with your head high even though you feel like the world is against you." Gina said, and I smiled at her andy on the bed. She switched off the lights and turned on hermpshade.

    The following morning I got up early, and I go to the nearest twenty-four hours cafe, and I felt so d that my mother-inw is already waiting for me at the far-end corner of the coffee shop.

    "Good morning, mom!" I greeted her and kissed her on the cheeks, and as usual, Hunter''s mom looked stunning as ever.

    "Hi, Madeline, I feel so happy that you texted me to meet you, but I am just curious why you want to meet me here and not in your house. What is wrong, Madeline?" She asked, and I can see the concern on her face. And I need another soul to release my worries, and I know she can help me deal with this situation.

    "Hunter is now in love with me," I said, and her face lights up, but it fell when she realized the expressions on my face.

    "My son finally fell in love with you, yet you looked like you are inside a funeral parlor right now. I think you would be happy if Hunter will fall in love with you. I didn''t expect you will be this miserable." She dered, and we stop talking when our order came.

    "I am happy about Hunter''s feelings for me, but I learn that Reba is alive," I said, and Leticia''s face paled.

    "Who told you? How did you know about it, Madeline?" She asked.

    "It was only idental my friend brings me to the Mental Care Homes to do some charity works, and I meet her." I lied because I don''t want Lucinda to be dragged into this situation.

    "Oh, I see; I am sorry, Madeline if I lied to you; I am afraid to tell you anything because if rk finds out, I don''t know what he is going to do with me." Hunter''s mom said.

    "I love Hunter this much, and even though he fell in love with me, I know if he will learn his first love is still alive, he will choose her over me, and I pity Reba, but before I will make a decision, I want to confide with you, because this thing will make you torn between your husband and son," I said.

    "Madeline, I have been carrying this guilt for ten years, I don''t have the heart to tell my son about it, and right now, I don''t care if Hunter will loathe me forever, at least before I die, I will finally let go of this remorse. I don''t think Hunter will put his father behind bars, but I am sure he will despise his father. But my husband needs to answer for his sins. It is about time." She said, and I smile.

    "Thank you, mom," I said.

    "How about you, Madeline? Are you sure to do this? I mean, are you willing to face the consequences?" Leticia asked, and I slowly nod my head.

    "I don''t have a choice, Mom, this is the only way I can help my husband to get over his guilt, and I want him to be free from his nightmares," I said.

    "Oh, Maddie, I feel you are in pain, and I am so sorry if you need to undergo this kind of situation because of us, I know it was rk''s idea, but I am essory of the crime because I didn''t dare to tell my son the truth. He needs to learn all about it because he was living his life in guilt." She said, and I nodded. We talked about my n, and I don''t have a choice but go home and face my husband.

    The moment I arrived I couldn''t find anyone, not even my husband. I slowly go to our room, but he wasn''t there either. I know he is home because it is Sunday, and he told me he would be at home waiting for me. I put my bag in the drawer, take a shower and change into a simple dress. I walked around the house until I find the secret room door is ajar, and my curiosity is killing me, that I can''t stop myself from getting closer, and my heart is racing because I don''t want to find my husband sleeping in Reba''s room calling her name. Even though I know where I stand in his life, it would still be painful for me.

    I touched the doorknob and pushed the door, and my eyes widened when I found my husband standing at the center of an empty room; all of Reba''s stuff was gone, and my husband is holding a paintbrush in his hand, and I saw painting materials on top of the newspapers scattered around the room. I realized my husband is not alone, and it waste for me to go back to our room because he turned around and find me standing at the door. His face lit up when he saw me, and a beautiful smile spreads across his handsome face.

    "Hello, my sweet wife!" He greeted me, and it is impossible not to return his beautiful smile.

    "Hey!" I said as I stepped closer to him.

    "I know it is still early, but I want to make this room ready. I want to make this room a yroom for our babies." He said, and my face fell, but I tried to mask the pain with a broad smile.

    "Wow, this is perfect," I replied, and he takes me into his arms.

    "I can''t wait to have children with you, Madeline. I love you, and I am excited to raise our future children together.." He said, and he hugged me tightly, and I can no longer hold the tears to stream down on my cheeks.

 Chapter 93 - Grateful

    Hunter''s POV

    The moment I got back into our house, I asked the maids, drivers, and the rest of the staff in the house who are living in the residences I provided for them inside my property to help me clean the secret room. I even call Calixto, and I stifled augh when he arrived.

    "I don''t know if I will be happy that you consider me as one of your favorite employees, Mr. Divenson. That is why you are abusing my right?" He asked the moment he came and helped me with the box that I am carrying.

    "And why did youe?" I asked, and he looked so surprised by my question.

    "Because you call me, and you also asked me if I consider you as a friend, I shoulde, and you told me you needed a pal at this hour, and I never expect we will be cleaning this roomte at night. Don''t you have a watch, Mr. Divenson? It is veryte, and we are packing all this, and you asked your staff to burn everything." He answered.

    "And I wonder why you want to clean this room, right at this moment." He continued toin as he proceeded to lift the cartons, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "I am doing all this for Madeline. Aren''t you happy that finally, after ten years, I was able to move on, and you should be d because this is what you ever wanted?" I said, and his face softened.

    "Of course, it was my long wish that someday you would find the courage to face the truth and embrace the reality that Reba is no longer here, and you have to enjoy yourself and stop being miserable." Calixto dered.

    "And I knew from the very start, from the first time youid your eyes at Madeline''s pictures, I know from that moment that she will be your salvation," Calixto said, and I can''t stop myself from beaming at him.

    "Yeah, you are right, Cal, and thank you so much for finding Maddie. She is indeed my salvation, and I couldn''t imagine my life living without her, and I am now very excited to have our family together. Still, I understand. I need to wait until she graduates from college." I said.

    "In my opinion, you can have a family now, and I think this is the best time to have one." He said.

    "I know, but I want Madeline to finish her education first, I already want her to get pregnant, but I understand. It was her dream, Cal." I replied, and we continue cleaning the entire room.

    I am so d that after two hours, the room is clean, and I instructed my men to have it repainted tomorrow morning. And I asked Calixto to have a drink with me at the bar.

    "You know this is the only time I have to spend with my wife because I am always with you every day, and right now, you are tempting me to have a drink with you." Cal dered.

    "I know, Cal, but I told you already, I want to have some drinks with you to celebrate, but don''t worry, we will only have three to four shots, and we are good. I will let you go home to your wife, and I want to be like you, Cal, you have been married to your wife for how many years, but I can tell you are still in love with each other." I said.

    "Of course, I married my wife out of love, no offense, Mr. Divenson, and when I married her, I promised to myself no matter how hard life can be, or when our rtionship is tested by problems, especially temptation, and money issues, I will never forget I love her. I will do everything I can to save our marriage no matter how tough the situation would be, and we promise topromise and be each other''s strength." Cal said.

    "Wow, so that is your secret for being married for a long time. You are now my idol, Cal. I want to follow in your footsteps, and I will never leave Madeline whatever happens." I replied as I poured whisky on his ss, and I am shocked when he drunk it in one gulp, and he asked me for a refill.

    "I thought you don''t want to drink, but how could you gulp it down, and you are asking for a refill right away," I said,ughing.

    "Well, I also miss drinking." He replied, and I shook my head.

    "Your parents have been married for a long time now, Hunter." He stated, and I shook my head.

    "I can tell my mother is so in love with my Dad, and I can feel it, yet my father told me he only married my mombecause of her wealth. He doesn''t believe in love, Cal, but I am different frommy father, and after Reba''s death, I have wished I could be like him so I could marry Kaye, but I am a hopeless romantic. I always believe in love, and when she died, I thought I would never feel this way again, but when I met Madeline, everything change, I felt something for the first time and realized I am still capable of loving." I dered.

    "As if Maddie brought me from the dead, she made me feel different after a long time being miserable I was able tough and enjoy my life, and I wish this will never change, I hate to be hurt again, Cal, and I don''t want anything to happen to her," I added.

    "Nothing will happen to Madeline, Mr. Divenson, and always remember she is a fighter," Cal replied.

    "Yeah, but I am so worried today because I can feel she is unhappy, and I am so worried about what is bothering her, and I don''t want her to be sad," I said, and I drink my liquor.

    "Ha! Ha'' Ha!" Calixtoughed at my face.

    "What is so funny?" I asked.

    "I can tell you are now in love, Hunter, and I am so happy for you, son." He dered, and I grinned.

    "I know, Calixto, I am madly in love with my wife," I said, and we have two more shots before we call it a night. And I find it so hard to fall asleep thinking about Maddie. I want to call her that I ended throwing my phone on the floor, and this is the first time I felt this way. I realized my feeling for Madeline is more profound than what I felt for Reba, and it made me realized I cling to my ex, and I tried my best to relive her memories because of the guilt that I felt that I didn''t give her the chance to exin. I judged her and made a stupid decision, and I am d that after ten years, I was able to let Reba rest in peace finally. I will visit her grave one of these days to say goodbye.

    My eyes are heavy because of theck of sleep, and when I opened up my eyes and looked at the space beside me, I felt so empty that my wife is not sleeping beside me. I got up from the bed with emptiness in my heart. And I want to finish my project for today, hoping to make my wife happy. I get outside from the house and go to the staff''s ce, and asked my men to bring the materials needed for the repainting. I can tell some of them still want to sleep because today is Sunday, but I promised to double their sry for today. That is why they all looked so excited to work.

    I supervised them and never left the room, and I was standing in the middle of the entire area when I sensed Madeline''s presence. When I turn around, I saw my wife standing near the door, and I can''t stop myself from smiling at her, and I felt so happy that she is finally home. She was only gone for a night, but it feels like years have passed that I haven''t seen her, and I can''t stop myself from telling her about my n of making the ce a yroom for our future children, and I am delighted that I can see the excitement on her beautiful face.

    "Are you hungry?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "I don''t care if you are not hungry, Maddie. I will still bring you to the kitchen. If I need to feed you, I will do it so you will eat." I said, and she giggled.

    I took my wife''s right hand and brought her to the kitchen. I already cooked her favorite breakfast, lots of bacon and eggs. I can''t concentrate eating my food because I can''t stop staring at my wife''s face, and I can''t express in words how happy she made me. I am so grateful that she came into my life, and she took away all the bad memories. She reced them with unforgettable pleasant memories, especially the time we spent during our honeymoon.

    "We are going out today." I dered.

    "Really? Where?" She asked, and I can tell she is excited about it, and I can''t wait to tell her.

    "We will go to the Divenson mansion and pick up my little sister, Lily, and bring her to the mall. I promised to take her to the mall because her birthday is near." I said, and I can see the happiness on Madeline''s face, and this is one thing I love about her, she cares about my sister so much.

    "Wow, I want to buy her a gift too. Maybe you can help me find one." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "Sure, I know what my sister''s favorites are, and it includes painting materials." I replied, and she grinned.

    After eating breakfast, we take a bath together, and I can''t stop myself from making love with my wife on the tub passionately.. And I felt so happy that the sadness I saw on her face yesterday was gone, and I can tell she is excited to see my sister and spend time with me.

 Chapter 94 - I Love You

    Madeline''s POV

    I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy even though deep in my heart, I know what I have with my husband is borrowed time. I love him so much. That is why I am willing to make the sacrifice, and I know he needs to learn the truth, his father already yed with his heart, and I want to make him happy. I can tell Hunter is happy right now, but I am sure his happiness will beplete once he reunites with Reba. I want to take this chance to be with him, holding his hands, kissing him, cuddling, and making love from time to time.

    I temporarily set aside all my worries, and I want to take this opportunity to enjoy myst moments with my husband because I want to remember all the good memories that we have. We are on our way to the Divenson mansion, and it has been a while since Ist visited the estate. The moment we arrived, I couldn''t believe Lily is already waiting for us in the parking lot, and she became taller, and she is no longer a child. I can see the changes in her body, and she became a beautiful teenage girl.

    "Maddie!" She screamed the moment I got out of the car, and she ran to me and hugged me tightly. And I can''t stop smiling when Hunter hugged us both.

    "Mom wants to see you, Madeline before we left for the mall," Lily said.

    "Of course, I want to see mom too," I said, and Hunter takes my hand, and we get inside the main house together, holding hands while Lily is walking ahead of us.

    "Hunter! Madeline, it is nice to see you both." She said, and she kissed both of us on the cheek. We sat on the sofa of the living room and talk for a while, and I felt so d that I haven''t seen Charlotte or Parker, and most of all, Mr. rk Divenson.

    "Mom, I want to have a sleepover at their house; please allow me to stay even for one night, mom, and ask Tony to pick me up tomorrow early morning because I know Hunter will go to work while Madeline has a ss," Lily begged Leticia.

    "Okay, but this one time only, okay?" Mom said, and Lily jumped on her feet and hugged and kissed her mother. We said goodbye to their mother, and I am so happy that Lily would be sleeping in our house.

    The moment we arrived at the mall, she immediately moves from one boutique to another, searching for dresses and shoes, and when she already found the perfect fit, she asked her brother how many dresses she can have.

    "Sky is the limit, Princess." He said to his sister, and Lily smiled broadly at Hunter.

    "Madeline, I want you to fit some dresses too." He dered, and I shook my head.

    "How can I wear all the dresses you bought for me? I still have a lot of dresses in my closet, and I haven''t tried all of them." I replied.

    "But I want to buy more for you." He said, and I smiled and squeezed his hand.

    "I am good, Hunter, we are here today for Lily, and I enjoy watching your sister, and she is fascinating to be with, and it made me realized how much I miss her," I said, and my husband put his arm around my shoulders. I can tell the salesdy was looking at my husband from the moment we get inside the boutique, and I noticed her staring at him, and when she realized I caught her staring at my husband, she pretended to arranged the dresses on the rack. Does she know my husband?

    After Lily bought dresses and shoes, we get out of the mall, and Hunter brought us to Archois famous restaurant to eat our lunch, and after we eat, we go to the city''s amusement park, and I had fun since we tried all the rides they can offer. And it was so overwhelming that Hunter holds my hand the entire time, and he keeps on whispering sweet nothings on my ear that made me have goosebumps all over my skin. On the way home, Lily fell asleep in the car.

    "Wow, she must be exhausted, and I am so d that she had fun." Hunter dered as he looked at his sister the moment we arrived at our house. I slowly shake her body to wake her up.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I can''t stop myself from sleeping, "Lily said.

    "It is okay, Lily, and it is better that you fell asleep because I know you get tired from the rides," I answered, and I offered her my hand to assist her in climbing out of the car. We eat our dinner, and we yed Lily''s favorite card game, Uno. It was so fun because whoever losses the game will carry a pillow on its head while we continue ying the game, and if ever the pillow will fall out from the loser''s head, automatically the loser will have lipstick on his/her cheek.

    In the end, Lily and I areughing when Hunter lost five consecutive times, and we almost covered his entire face with lipstick. In return, he gets the lipstick, and he tried to put lipstick on our cheeks too, and we run away from him, and he chased us around the house. Ourughter filled the entire space, and then suddenly Lily disappeared, and I realized she was hiding that I didn''t even know where she is, and my husband caught me on the waist, and he turned me around to face him, but instead of putting lipstick on my face, he captured my mouth.

    And the moment I felt his soft lips brushed mine, I felt my knees turned like jelly. We are kissing each other near the kitchen''s counter, and I felt the electricity that travels my entire frame, and I can feel the knots on my stomach when I felt my husband slithered his tongue inside my mouth, and when he finds my tongue, he sucked it that made me let out a soft moan. And we are both out of breath after our passionate kiss, and before I can move my body, Hunter kissed me again, and this time we savor each other''s lips, and he only stops kissing me when Lilyes out from her hiding ce.

    "Oh, wow, sweet!" Lily giggled when she found us making out in the kitchen.

    "Are you having fun, Lily?" Her brother asked her, and she beamed at him.

    "Yes, I do, Hunter; please find time to bring me here to your ce once in a while. I am always alone in my room most of the time painting in the Divenson mansion because I have no one to talk to, unlike here I have the two of you. Do you think you can adopt me, Hunter?" Lily asked him, and I smiled with his sister''s words, and Hunterughed.

    "What are you talking about, Lily? Do you want our father to hate me more? You know he doesn''t want his kids to leave the Divenson mansion." Hunter said, and Lily pouted.

    "Just promise me you are going to visit me in our house from time to time." She dered.

    "I promise to visit you every weekend as possible." My husband said, and his sister''s face lights up, and she hugged Hunter and then me.

    I stayed in the guestroom where Lily will be sleeping since she asked me not to leave her until she falls asleep. She looked so peaceful and beautiful, and I got up from the bed after making sure she was already sleeping. I tiptoed as I walked outside her room, and how I wished I am still a child so I am free from worries and anxieties.

    "Is she sleeping?" Hunter asked the moment I get back to our bedroom.

    "Yes, she looks like an angel sleeping," I said, and I can''t stop myself from grinning.

    "I thought she would beg you to sleep beside her the entire night," Hunter said.

    "I can''t soundly sleep if I am not sleeping beside you," I said, and a beautiful smile spreads across his face, my husband is sitting on the edge of our bed while I am standing in front of him, and I can''t stop my eyes from staring at his muscr chest since he is half-naked. I want to run my fingers on his chiseled chest.

    "The same with me, Madeline. I find it so funny at first, but when you sleep over at Gina''s house, I realized it would be so hard to sleep without you by my side. I miss your scent, your face, and I miss all about you, Maddie." Hunter dered, and I felt my face blushed, and my entire body ignites with fire when Hunter holds my hand, and he takes me into hisp. He turns me around to face him while I am still sitting on hisp. His intense gaze is making me hot all over my body.

    "Madeline, thank you so much for making me feel this way and for saving me. I never thought I could feel this way again, and thank you for making me fall for you. I love you, Mrs. Madeline Divenson." He dered, and I felt like I am in seventh heaven, and I can''t stop myself from feeling the butterflies in my chest and from feeling so happy, and we shared another passionate kiss and how I wished time will stand still and we will remain like this forever.

    "I love you more, Hunter," I replied, and he looked at me with tenderness, and I forget everything.. All I think is how he makes me feel right now.

 Chapter 95 - Making Decision

    Madeline''s POV

    As the days go by, I realized my husband became more in love with me, I can feel it by how much Hunter wants to spend time with me; ever since he told me he is falling in love with me. My husband seldomes homete, and he always gets out of his office ahead of time. He picked me up from the university, and I rarely take my cartely, and Mindy keeps texting me asking for the progress of our mission; and I find it so hard tomit, but I don''t have a choice but to make a decision soon.

    "Are you sure you want to go, Madeline? No one force you to do it, Maddie." Gina said after she settled on the passenger''s seat of my sports car, and I want to drive this time so I can stop the nervousness that I feel as I move away from Archois to the town where the MM Mental Care Homes located.

    "Do I have a choice, Gina? And if you are in my shoes, what would be your decision?" I asked my best friend without looking at her face, but I am so familiar with her mannerism, and I can tell right now she opened her mouth, but no words came out, and it took her a long while before she answers my questions.

    "If I were in your shoes, and I am honest, I will choose to stay with Hunter, and I will pretend that I haven''t meet Reba because I am a selfish type of person, Maddie. And he is your husband, and you have all the right to fight for your love, and Hunter Divenson is the kind of man I will never let go, and he is too handsome and too hot for me to give up, Maddie." She replied, and I know she is going to give me an honest answer.

    "Thank you, Gina, for making it more challenging for me to decide." I said as I focus my attention on the road, and I know Gina was right. I am Hunter''s wife. Still, I am more afraid if he will discover about Reba on his own, and I know he will hate me when he learns I know about it, but I never tell him anything about it, and most of all, I can''t stop thinking about Reba. She needs to get out of the mental home to recover quickly from her illness, and I can''t take her out alone. I need Hunter''s helped because I can''t do it without his assistance, and I am so worried about rk Divenson.

    I am sure Hunter''s father will hunt me down once he learns I help Reba escape from the mental care homes.

    "Madeline, I know you are having the most difficult situation in your entire life, but I don''t think Hunter will give you up quickly, and you must also remember that your husband is now in love with you. And I don''t think he will let you go that easily." Gina said.

    "Gina, we both know how crazy he is with Reba, don''t give me false hope because it would be devastating for me. It would be better to brace myself for the possible result after I tell him about Reba, and I know the impact of this information on Hunter would be too much, and I pity him, Gina. His father yed with his emotions because of money. And all I can do is save him, and I love him so much that even though he already get rid of Reba''s stuff, he still mes himself for her death." I dered.

    "He feels so guilty about what happened to her, and I don''t want him to spend the rest of his life ming himself, even if my husband looked so strict. I know he has a good heart, Gina." I added.

    "Of course, I know your husband is a phnthropist, Madeline, and he will not spend millions if he doesn''t have a soft heart." Gina responded, and we both fell silent for the rest of our ride. And as we got near the mental care homes, I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous about meeting Reba again. The same guard opened the gate, and he smiled at us, and he didn''t ask for our identification again. After I parked the car we quickly got out, and we proceed to the office of Mindy. She looked so ecstatic to see us and asked us to take a seat.

    "Thank you foring again, Madeline and Gina. It is my pleasure to talk with you today, Maddie, and I guess you already made the final decision." Mindy dered, and I need to swallow my saliva before I speak with her.

    "It was so hard on my part to give up my right as Hunter''s wife, but I want to help Reba." I answered.

    "Thank you, Madeline. Hunter will y a significant role in treating Reba''s illness, and I am sure she can recover immediately the moment she will meet Hunter because she only speaks about him and her child." Mindy said.

    "When are you going to tell your husband about her, Maddie?" She asked and I became speechless; it feels like something had stuck in my throat, and it took me a long while before I got the courage to talk with her.

    "Can I speak with Reba? Can I spend time with her?" I asked.

    "Of course, as what I have told you thest time you were here, Reba is harmless, but if she does not drink her medication, she will be violent, and she will be shouting Hunter''s name, and then the will break down and cry looking for Hunter." Mindy replied.

    "Before I will ask my husband toe here, I want to talk with her first; I want to know her a little, at least I have an idea what kind of woman my husband fell in love with, that it made him ten years after his fake death to love again. It was so hard on my part to let my husband go because he is now in love with me." I dered.

    "Well, Madeline, the decision will always be in your hands because I will never urge you to do it if it is against your will. You have to do it wholeheartedly, and I don''t want you to feel obligated to do it. All we want is for Reba to get well soon. Still, it seems the process would be soplex because we do not know what would be Hunter''s decision after he finds out that his ex-fiancee is still alive. One more thing, Reba thought he was married to your husband, and if ever Hunter will finally visit her, he should pretend he was her husband." Mindy dered, and I am shocked to find out about this information.

    "But you don''t need to worry. It would be Hunter''s decision if he will let Reba continue to stay here, and he will only visit her three times a week, depending on his avability. Still, we suggest that for her fast recovery, she must remain with Hunter, and he must find a ce where he can settle Reba." She said.

    "Does it mean I can''t tell her I am Hunter''s wife?" I asked, and she nodded.

    "You can''t because if she learns about that information, she willpletely lose her mind; it would be alright to tell herter after Reba spends more time with your husband, and she regains her sanity." Mindy replied.

    "Wow, this is moreplicated than I thought." I replied.

    "Yes, it is, but it is all up to you, Madeline." She replied.

    "I think I am going to lose my mind before I can even make a decision." I said as I let out a heavy sigh.

    "That is why I am going to take you now to her room." Mindy said, and she got up from her chair.

    "Gina, I am sorry if you can''te inside Reba''s room; only Madeline can enter." Mindy said.

    "It is okay, Mindy. I will wait for Maddie outside in the garden near Reba''s room." Gina replied, and he looked at me with concern all over her face, and I walked closer to her.

    "Hey, don''t worry, Gina, I need to do this, so I can formte a n on how to help Reba and Hunter. You don''t need to worry about me, Gina. Besides, I am not going to decide without thinking about my love for Hunter, and I need to do this to weigh my options." I dered, and she smiled weakly at me.

    "I want you to remember I will always be here for you, Madeline." She replied.

    "I know, Gina, you don''t need to tell me because I know you will always be there giving me support." I replied, and Gina stopped walking and stayed at the bench inside the garden, and I proceeded to Reba''s unit together with Mindy. I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous even though I have seen her already. My hands are shaking, and I tried to control myself and do my best to look calm. This time I can''t stop myself from feeling so worried about this visit because I can tell this will y an important role in making my final decision.. I hope the oue of my judgment will not ruin me as a person, but instead, it will help me grow into a better woman even though I will experience pain, and I need to make some sacrifices.

 Chapter 96 - Her Illness

    Madeline''s POV

    "I will leave you with Reba, Madeline, so you can talk with her, and you don''t need to worry because she is harmless and please, don''t be scared if she suddenly raises her voice and will be hysterical." Mindy said the moment we arrived at Reba''s room.

    "Reba, are you awake?" Mindy asked after we get inside her room, but she didn''t answer.

    "Reba, please answer me." Mindy called out again.

    "You have a visitor, you know, and if you are not going toe out here in the living room, we are going to go near your bed." Mindy added as we looked at her bed, and I can tell she is sleeping.

    "I think she is still sleeping, Mindy, but don''t worry I can stay here and wait for Reba to get up from her bed." I dered.

    "No, it is better that I will apany you, Madeline, and I realized maybe in your next visit you can be alone with her, but not today." Mindy replied, and I nodded, and as I wait for Reba to wake up, andI can''t stop myself from feeling so anxious.

    "I don''t want to see anyone today except Hunter." Reba unexpectedly talked, and I suddenly feel the fang on my chest as I hear my husband''s name.

    "Well, Madeline wanted to see you." Mindy replied, and Reba got up from the bed quickly, and shebed her hair using her fingers, and she folded her nket neatly and put it on top of her bed, and she wears her slippers, then, she walked towards us, and then her face lit up the moment she saw me.

    "You came back?" She asked, and I can tell she has a normal mind. Maybe because of rk''s Divenson, her sanity was affected because he imprisoned Reba in this medical care home instead of allowing her to get out from this ce, and I realized he couldn''t enable Reba to roam around the city because of the big possibility that my husband would see her.

    "You remember me?" I asked, and I try to control myself since I can feel my hands are trembling once again, and she smiled sweetly at me. I realized she looked so adorable and beautiful, and there is no doubt why my husband fell in love with her, but she looked so thin. Maybe she doesn''t eat her food on time, and that is why Reba looked so skinny, and I realized she only needs to eat more so she will regain her old self like the Reba I saw in the pictures.

    "Of course, you camest week, and I wished for you toe back, and I was waiting for you the entire week." She dered while she looked at me intently, and I was shocked that she remembered me.

    "I am sorry, I got so busytely with my studies, and that is why I just came back today." I replied to her, and Reba smiled at me, and she sat beside me.

    "Oh, are you studying what?" She asked.

    "Madeline is nning to pursue her dreams of bing a doctor someday; that is why she studied Doctor of Medicine." Mindy answered for me, and I almost forgot that I need to pretend I am a nurse in front of Reba.

    "Wow! Can you be my doctor, Madeline?" She asked, and I hate that I need to lie with her.

    "I am still studying, Reba. Maybe someday I can, but I still need to specialize if I want to be a psychiatrist." I replied.

    "Are you not police, Maddie?" She asked, and I became confused with her question, but I know I should have answered her politely, and avoid offending her.

    "No, I am not, Reba." I replied.

    "Why do you ask?" I asked Reba, and her face was saddened.

    "Well, I want to report a case, rk Divenson held me prisoner in this ce, and he was talking that I am out of my mind, maybe I forgot some details about my life, and I don''t remember how many years I have been here. Still, I know that he took my son away from me, and he also poisoned Hunter''s mind." She said.

    "Because Hunter stopped seeing me, but I am not sure if it was because I became ugly, because I now have scars on my face and even on my legs." She dered as she showed me her scars, and her tears are starting to fall on her lovely face, and I never think about her physical defects when I looked at her beautiful face.

    "You are not ugly, Reba. You looked like an angel, and you are so beautiful." I replied.

    "You think. Madeline?" She asked me, and I nodded.

    "Who is Hunter, again?" I pretended to ask her.

    "He is my husband, Maddie, and he is tall, handsome, and smells so good, and it is funny that I can''t remember our wedding day. And the doctors said maybe there is some part of my memories that were gone after the ident that happened to me." She said, and I don''t know what I feel at the moment.

    "But you know, Madeline, I remember my beautiful gown during our wedding; it was a light blue Cindere-inspired dress." She dered, and I can''t stop myself from having goosebumps all over my skin because the dress that she was talking about was the gown she wore on the night before her supposed wedding day. Still, it didn''t happen because of the ident, the same dress I wore during the Pre-Wedding Ball organized by Leticia.

    "Wow! Why you didn''t wear a white dress during your wedding, Reba?" I asked.

    "I don''t know, and that is what makes me so confused, and I can''t remember myself walking down the aisle, and all I can think is Hunter''s face." She said.

    "Madeline, I miss Hunter so much, and I hope he wille and get me soon." She said, and I felt so guilty that no one told her about what happened to her child.

    "Please! Madeline, bring me back, my husband!! Please, have mercy on me!" She shouted,and she became hysterical at this time, and Reba continues to cry, then, she walked near the bed, and I thought at first, she will sit on her bed, but instead, she went to the far end corner of her room, and she sat down and put her head on her knees as she continued to sob.Mindy walked towards her, and before she came to her, Reba shouted and she asked Mindy to leave her alone.

    "You need to get out, Mindy, you didn''t bring Hunter to me, and you promised me so many times, all of you are liars, no one is telling the truth, and I know even you, Madeline, you are my new nurse but I know you will not also help me find my husband and child. And I am sure rk Divenson pay you a good amount of money that is why you imprison me here. You won''t allow me to get out from this stupid ce where all I want is see Hunter, and my son." Reba said.

    "Please, leave!!! All of you, get out, and don''t evere back unless you bring Hunter Divenson to me, he is the man I love and adore, and I know he loves me too, but he was afraid of his father." She continued. She stood up from the floor, and faced the bed.

    "Son, shihhhh!! Mindy, please keep quiet my son is sleeping." She said, and my heart sank when I realized she is far from okay. I thought she has an excellent health, and I realized all the bad things she experienced at the Divenson mansion made her mad. Reba became crazy because of what rk had done to her. And I wonder why Hunter''s father didn''t tell her about what happened to her child.

    He could have tell Reba everything so she will not be like this.

    "Mindy, you must leave now, you bettere back next time. My boy is sleeping, and I don''t want anyone to disturb him on his sleep. And Hunter wille at any moment." She said softly.

    "Mindy, please go out quietly, okay?" She said and smiled at us. And Mindy motioned me to follow her outside.

    "I think Reba didn''t take her medicine again, she started to feel better, I should have known. I will tell the nurse to monitor her medicines, she is so wise she will drink the medicine with water, but she will spit it out on thefort room." Mindy said.

    "So, Reba is mentally ill? Am I correct?" I asked and she nodded.

    "Can you tell me honestly, Mindy, did she arrive here in that condition?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "Worst, we secure her legs and hands because she was violent, and years of medications she started to live normal, and I am afraid she will go back to her old self where she doesn''t even know who she was. Her recollections returned when rk Divenson started visiting her, how much more if your husband will visit her, I guess her illness will be gone right away. Even though I can tell her memories with rk Divenson were not good, still, he was able to help her recover. And I think your husband can help her cope up with her mental illness sooner, and there is a big chance she will fully recover.." Mindy said, and I realized, Reba will recover from her illness if I will tell Hunter all about her, and I am going to prepare for my own heartaches and anguish, and I hope I will be strong enough to keep my sanity intact, because everything is uncertain, I don''t know what would be Hunter''s decision once he finds out about her.

 Chapter 97 - One More Night

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hey! Are you alright?" Gina asked me after we left the mental care homes, and I shook my head.

    "Do you want to talk about it?" My best friend asked me, and I turn my head to look at her, and then I return my attention on the road.

    "Yes, we need to talk about it, Gina, before I lose my mind," I replied.

    "How did it go? I mean, how was Reba?" She asked, and I let out a heavy sigh before I answered my best friend.

    "She has a mental illness, Gina, and she is not okay, and I am not fine either. And I can tell she was suffering from her trauma and for not seeing Hunter, and I think she didn''t remember what happened during the pre-wedding ball, and she thought it was her wedding day." I said, and I can see the worried look on Gina''s face as I looked at her sideways.

    "I heard Reba calling her child, and she suddenly raised her voice at us, and she shouted at Mindy to get out from her room. Then she asked us to be silent because her child is sleeping." I said.

    "Oh, no, I thought she was not suffering from anything like that. And I believed she was only staying at the mental homes because of rk Divenson, and I never realized she was in bad shape." Gina dered, and I nodded my head at her.

    "Me too. When we first saw Reba, she seems fine, and Mindy told me, maybe she didn''t take her meds. And I pity her, Gina." I dered.

    "I want to help her even if it means I am giving up, Hunter, on the process," I said, and I told her about what Mindy has said to me regarding rk Divenson''s presence helped Reba regain some of her recollections.

    "I don''t think Hunter will do that to you, Madeline, you are his wife now, and I think you should stay by his side, and you don''t need to leave your house." She dered.

    "I don''t want to make it moreplicated for Hunter, and I love him so much that I don''t want him to have a hard time. It would not be easy on his part, Gina. I know that my husband is not a bad person, and he has a good heart deep inside him, he will not ask me to leave him because he doesn''t want to hurt me as possible, but no matter how we look at it, I will still get hurt the moment I will see my husband with her, even though she needed him most." I said.

    "I understand what you mean, Maddie, and I don''t know why this needs to happen to you when everything is in ce. You looked so in love and happy together, and I didn''t expect something like this will happen to your rtionship with your husband." She replied.

    "I know, Gina, and I thought today I could talk with Reba, but I didn''t have the chance because her mood changed quickly, and I hope she will take her medicines so that she can recover soon and she will not make it harder for my husband to ept what happened to her. I know Hunter has been suffering from his guilt, and it is about time that he will finally make his heart free from remorse." I dered.

    "Do you think you can take it?" My best friend asked, and I slowly nodded my head.

    "Yes, I have to be strong, Gina. Losing Hunter was never an option before when he was still in love with her knowing she was dead, and now that he is in love with me, I need to stay away because Reba is alive and having a hard time. I am not sure how I am going to cope up after I will lose Hunter, Gina and help me pray I can withstand the pain, but the best thing to do this is to inform Hunter of everything. and get over with the suspense." I said.

    "I will ask Hunter to allow me to stay at the Vi while I am still looking for a ce to stay," I said.

    "Oh, Madeline, hearing you say that makes my heart bleed, and you have to believe me; Hunter will never allow you to leave because he is now so in love with you. It would help if you stayed with him in your house." Gina stated.

    "I can''t do that to myself, Gina. I am not a martyr, and I am just human. Even though Hunter will ask me to stay, Mindy told me I should not tell Reba that I am Hunter''s wife, or it will worsen her condition. On Reba''s mind and understanding, she was married to Hunter." I said, and I heavily sighed.

    "Oh, this is moreplicated than I thought. I want you and Hunter to be together, Maddie." My best friend said.

    "Me too, Gina, I don''t have any wish but to be with my husband, and I want to sleep beside him every night, and I need to make the most of my remaining time with my husband, and I want to spend one more night with him," I said.

    "Because I felt so guilty while lying beside Hunter every night, and being in his arms give mefort and warmth, but I can''t stop myself from feeling so wicked that somewhere out there, someone is suffering because of my selfishness," I said.

    "You are not selfish, Madeline, you are just in love, and most of all, Hunter is your husband, and you have all the right to do what you want with him because you are already married, and I wish I can help you right now," Gina said, and I looked at her sideways, and I smiled at her.

    "What you have done is enough, Gina, you helped me a lot, your presence is more than enough, and I don''t know how I am going to survive this test of my life without you by my side, but I wish I will be fine," I said.

    Hunter called me, and he asked me to drop by at his building. And he is still in the office, and this is the first time I will go to his office alone during working hours. He brought me how many times to his office but when there is no one around except for Calixto. And I felt so nervous because I don''t want to see Hunter after I talked with Reba, and what happened today at the mental homes made me feel so sad. I dropped Gina at her house before I proceed to my husband''s office.

    I can feel that my entire body is shaking as I get inside the Divenson building, and I try my very best to calm myself by doing some breathing exercises. And when I can feel that my breathing came back to normal, I slowly walk towards the elevator, and as I pressed the elevator button, I can feel that my hands are shaking, and when I reached his floor, I walked so fast in going to his office, but one of the staff blocked me.

    "Where are you going, Miss? And what is your name?" She asked me as she scanned my body with her eyes, and I can tell the employee is sexy and have an alluring face. And I wonder why she blocked me, and I can see her colleagues are looking at us.

    "I am Madeline," I replied.

    "And where do you think you are going, Ms. Madeline?" She asked.

    "I am going to meet my husband at his office," I said, and sheughed at me.

    "You''ve got it wrong, Miss Madeline, and I think you''ve got the wrong floor; judging by where you are going, you are leading to the office of our CEO, and no one can enter his office except his assistant, Calixto, and I think your husband works at the lower floor." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "Don''t worry, and I know this is my husband''s office," I replied.

    "Oh? I know you have the looks, and you are beautiful, but I don''t think your act will make me believe you. Many women came here iming to be his wife just to see him. I am sorry, but my boss is a very private person, and if you are one of those girls, then you should leave." She said, and I don''t want to sound rude, but she is making my day harder than it is. When I was about to tell her to back off, I saw my husband came out from his office, and his face lights up when he saw me, and he smiled sweetly at me, and my uncertainties and worries were gone, just one beautiful smile from my husband made me forget I had a bad day.

    He strides towards me without fluttering his eyes, and his intense gaze made me feel the butterflies on my chest. And as he gets closer, I felt my knees weaken, and I am just so thankful that he immediately secured my waist with his arms, and he pulled me closer to him.

    "My lovely wife, how I miss you today!" He said enough for his secretaries to hear him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the woman who blocked me covered her mouth with her hands the moment she listened to my husband called me his lovely wife. I don''t mind her anymore when Hunter captured my lips and kissed me tenderly that I can feel the knots on my stomach, and felt his love for me the way he kissed me in front of his employees, and even though I felt shy, I want them to know he is mine that is why I kissed him back hungrily.

    "I should conduct myself properly in front of my employees, but I can''t stop myself from iming your mouth, my sweet, Madeline." He whispers in my ear after he kissed me passionately on the lips, and I can''t stop myself from grinning.

    "Attention! Everyone, this is my lovely wife, Madeline Divenson, and I was hoping you could wee her warmly every time she wille here to my office." He said, and I saw the woman who blocked me blushed, and she walked closer to us and looked at me. She apologized to me, and I smiled at her sweetly.

    "It is okay, don''t worry about it, you were just doing your job, and it is my fault I should have called my husband so he can meet me here immediately.." I dered, and she shyly smiled at me, and I felt d when my husband holds my hand, and he took me to his office, and I felt so happy that he is so proud to call me his wife, and I will remember this day forever in my heart.

 Chapter 98 - She Is Special

    Hunter''s POV

    "Mr. Divenson, why do you keep looking at your watch?" Calixto asked me inside my office since I can''t concentrate reading the contracts on my table as I think about my wife. She came out with Gina today to the mental care homes where they volunteer and do some charity works. I can''t stop thinking about what happenedst time they went to that ce, she looked so unhappy, and I can see the worries on her face when I went to Gina''s house to see her that night she asked permission from me to have a sleepover at Gina''s ce.

    "I am just wondering if Madeline is on her way here in the city," I replied.

    "And why do you look so worried?" He asked, and I put down the papers and rest my back at the backrest of my chair, and I looked at Cal.

    "Mr. Calixto Morgan, I realized you love to pry with my personal life," I said.

    "Of course, because you have to acknowledge, Mr. Divenson, you need my opinion about what you are going through because I am your only close friend because I also understand you don''t trust anyone. That is why you are so picky about choosing friends, and I think until now you haven''t found anyone." He responded, and I chuckled.

    "I may be choosy, Cal, but I also have friends, buttely, I became so busy that I don''t have a choice but to talk with my old assistant," I said, and he looked offended, and I can''t stop myself fromughing.

    "I may be old, but I am more energetic than you are, Mr. Divenson, and you have to admit, when ites to drinking, Ist longer than you. You quickly got drunk." He said, and I smiled at his reasoning, but Cal was right. He has a high tolerance for alcohol, while I, on the other hand, always try my best to drink at my maximum limit.

    "So, can you tell me now what is bothering you?" He asked again, and there is no way he is going to stop unless I will share it with him. Cal always makes me feel better no matter how gloomy my day is, and every time I am in confusion, it was always him who gives mefort, and even though I have a circle of friends, I still trust Calixto more than anyone. And most of the time, I can''t stop myself from smiling, thinking he became my best friend over the years being together. He witnessed how I sumb to sadness and misery after Reba''s death, and he was my constantpanion. And I am so grateful for Calixto for being with me through the years.

    "I am just concern about Madeline''s reaction after she visits the mental care homes because thest time she went there, she slept over at Gina''s house, and I am worried for today. I am so afraid that the same thing will happen to her." I said, and Cal smiled softly at me, and I can tell he is so fond of my wife.

    "What do you think, Cal?" I asked again because he remained silent.

    "Maybe Maddie was touched with the mentally ill individuals. She felt their sufferings, you know how soft she is, and I think she always wants to help. She cares about other people''s feelings." Cal said.

    "I hope you are right, Cal, but I can tell there is something more," I replied, and he raised his eyebrow.

    "So, what is your n for today? Aren''t you going to pick her up?" Cal asked.

    "No, I can''t because I am so busy today, and I don''t think I cane home early even if I want to be with her. I need to finish reviewing this contract, but I want to see her, Cal." I said, and he smiled at me.

    "Well, you better call your wife and asked her toe to your office, and I think it is about time to show your executive secretaries you have a beautiful wife. They don''t believe you are a married man. Most of them want toe early morning so they will see you, and they also want toe homete so they can look at you after youe out from your office before you go home, and those girls are willing to offer themselves at you, and they should stop flirting with you." Calixto said.

    "How did you know those girls want me, Cal, that I don''t even notice about that thing," I replied and shook my head.

    "Because you were so busy thinking about Reba andtely about your wife, Madeline." He said, and I can''t stop myself from beaming at him.

    "Yeah, you are right, and as of this moment, I am thinking about my wife," I replied.

    "Then, what are you waiting for, Mr. Divenson? Call your wife, and ask Madeline toe over here inside your office; you always bring her here when no one is around, and I think this time is the best time you should introduce her to everyone." Cal said, and I didn''t waste my time, and as I call my wife, I can''t stop myself from feeling excited, and I felt nervous and scared if she will decline my invitation.

    "Hello, Hunter?" She answered from the other line.

    "Hi, my sweet Madeline, where are you now?" I asked.

    "We are on our way to Archois City, and I will drop Gina at their house, then I will go home to our house? And why?" She asked.

    "I can''te home early tonight, and I don''t want you to wait for me for a long time, so I am asking you to go over here to my office so we can have dinner together," I said.

    "Sure, I will be there after I drive Gina home," Madeline answered, and I can''t stop myself from grinning.

    "Okay, see you soon,my sweet Madeline," I said.

    "See youter, Hunter." She said, and we said goodbye to each other, and then I ended the call with a happy face.

    "I think I should take my leave now, Mr. Divenson," Cal said, and he walked to the door.

    "Thank you, Cal," I said when he was about to open my door, and he stopped on his tracts and turned his head to look at me.

    "You are wee, Mr. Divenson," Cal said, and he opened the massive wooden door and closed it gently while I am so inspired to read the documents on my table. I started signing the papers without interruptions because it feels terrific knowing Madeline ising to see me. I continue to look at my watch from time to time, then I can''t wait, and I stood up from my chair and got out of my office, and my steps wavered when I saw my beautiful wife talking with one of my secretaries, and I can tell my wife felt shy since I can see her cheeks are blushing.

    I stride towards her without fluttering my eyes, and I can''t stop myself from looking at my wife with intensity, and I can feel the butterflies on my stomach. And as I get closer, I realized I want to devour her lips, and I know Madeline has the same feeling as me, and I love the way I feel towards her, it feels so raw, and I quickly put my arms around her tiny waist, and I pulled her closer me. I captured her eager lips, and I kissed Maddie tenderly, and I like the way he kissed me back hungrily.

    I know I should not be kissing my wife in front of my employees, but I can''t stop looking at her luscious lips. And her sweet lips make me so addicted to her, and I realized I became so in love with Madeline as the days go by, and I am so excited for tonight. I bring her inside my office, and as I continue doing my works, she makes herself busy reading magazines on the couch. I can''t stop myself from stealing nces at her, Madeline''sbeautiful face makes me want to stop what I am doing, and if this is not only needed for tomorrow, I already leave the office with Maddie, bring her home and make love with her.

    "Are you okay, Maddie? I am sorry if I need to finish this one." I said to her, and she stopped reading the magazine, and she raised her head and looked at me.

    "Take your time, Hunter. I am fine, don''t mind me." She replied, giving me her sweet, beautiful smile before she returned her attention to the magazine on her hands.

    I continue to review the reports, and I felt so relieved that I am finally done, and I can now have time to spend with my wife. I stood up and put on my coat, and I walked towards Maddie; and I took her hand and pulled her up, and I never let go of her hand, but instead, Iced my fingers with hers, and we continue to walk holding hands, and I hadn''t found anyone when we got out from my office.

    "Where do you want to eat?" I asked her after I finished fastening her seatbelt, and I can see how her face blushed. And she looked so adorable and felt so happy when I realized Madeline is very affected by my touch and especially with my kiss.

    "Anywhere as long as I am with you." She answered, and it made me feel ecstatic, and I think of the best ce to have dinner with my wife.. I want to make her feel special tonight because I am helplessly falling for her, and she made me forget about my horrible memories, and she reced my nightmares with total bliss.

 Chapter 99 - Have Faith

    Madeline''s POV

    I had dinner with my husband, and we eat andughed. I have a good time that I don''t want to ruin the mood of the evening, we went home and made love until dawn, and I don''t know how I will tell him about her. He reports to the office the following day, and I am shocked to find he came home before lunchtime.

    "Hey! are you finished with your work?" I asked.

    "No, I am not yet done, but I asked Cal to continue where I left off, and he is the best assistant ever, and I can trust him." He replied.

    "Why do youehome so early? Are you not feeling well?" I asked, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so worried, and heughed.

    "Rx, Madeline, I am fine. I know all my life I dedicated my time to my work, and now that you came into my life, I realized I should find time to be with you. I want to spend more time with you, Madeline." He said, and I can''t stop the butterflies on my stomach as he moves closer to me, and he put his arms around my waist.

    "You need to get dress, and I am going to take you somewhere." He said, and before I can reply, he takes my mouth, and my lips melted with his perfect lips. He kissed me hard and deeply, and it was a long kiss. And I felt Hunter pressed his toned body against mine, and I heard him grunted under his breath as he broke away from me and stopped the hot kissed that we shared, and I was gasping for air.

    "Damn, you should change your clothes now, Madeline, or else we can''t go to our destination because you are making me so horny just watching your slightly opened mouth, and it looked so inviting. I want to im you now, right here, and right now, but Calixto made a reservation for our lunch, and I don''t want Cal''s effort to be wasted. I had been bugging him to make a reservation, and this is the only time he gets through, or maybe he always forget to do it, and he was afraid if I will get angry with him that is why he always tells me the restaurant is fully booked.

    My husband takes me to the Divenson building, and I wonder if we are going to eat inside his office as he takes me to the elevator. And I was shocked when he brought me to the roof deck and found a helicopter waiting for us. My husband takes my hand, and he brings me into the aircraft.

    "Next time, I will tour you around, just the two of us." He said, and then the chopper took off, and I can''t exin the feelings I had as we left Archois City, and I can see the beautiful view of the busy metropolis. My husband was holding my hand the entire ride, and I felt so happy. And how I wish to feel this way forever, but deep in my heart, I know what we have right now is borrowed time. I want to make the time stand still so I can be with Hunter forever. And I wonder when I can find the perfect timing to tell him about Reba being alive.

    My mouth hangs open as I saw the beautiful ind below us, the long white shoreline took my breath away, and the blue-green water warms my heart. I want to go swimming, and I almostugh when I realized I was wearing a cocktail dress with high heels while my husband is still on his coat and tie wardrobe. He didn''t inform me we are going to the Pure White Ind. I had seen this in pictures, but this is my first time to be in this paradise. The pilotnds the helicopter at the resort helipad, and I felt so happy to feel the ocean breeze on my skin.

    My husband brought me to the expensive underwater restaurant located at the most high-end hotel in Pure White Ind. And the restaurant is eighteen feet below sea level. I have heard and read articles about the ce, but never in my life, I imagine myself eating here. The staff entertained us and brought us to our reserved seat, and the view was fantastic, that I can''t stop myself mesmerized by the one hundred eighty degrees dramatic scenery around us. I can see the variety of fishes, and of course, the restaurant''s highlights are the sea turtles, sharks, stingrays swimming around the ss.

    The Ind is far from Archois, and I am sure Gina will be ecstatic once she found out I was eating here. I can''t stop myself from gawking at the panorama above us that made my neck ache as I crane my neck from left to right to get a better view.

    The breathtaking sight made me forget the nightmare that I am going to face. And I realizedI have to tell my husband soon since I don''t have the heart to ruin our perfect date today. Hunter looked so happy being with me, and I want to believe that what we have was real. I didn''t wish Reba to be dead, but I want to meet Hunter in a different circumstance where I can love him freely.

    "Hey! Why do you look sad? Aren''t you happy to be here?" I heard him asked me, and I give him my sweetest smile.

    "I am so happy, Hunter. I can''t believe this ce, and I am taking everything in. I couldn''t believe I am here; this is one of the ces I want to visit with Gina." I replied.

    "Don''t worry, and we will take Gina with us the moment wee back here." He replied, and I can''t stop myself from feeling excited, but my happiness was cut short when I realized it would never happen once he learns the truth. Our date turned out so perfect, the seafood was superb, the lobster was amazing, and I wish to stay on the ind forever, but I can''t stop myself from feeling so lonely the moment we return home.

    We showered, and I changed into my nightdress, and I felt so warm by the time I found my husband gawking at me, and I can see the love and lust on his eyes, and when he takes me into his arms, I melt with his touch, and when he captured my mouth, I kissed him back like there is no tomorrow. We kiss for a long time, and I surrender to my husband once again, giving him all my love and affection. I give my all to our intense lovemaking. I want to remember everything, the way he kissed and touched me and the way he imed me. I was screaming his name when we came together, and I can''t stop myself from crying after we made love.

    "Did I hurt you, Madeline?" Hunter asked me, and I shook my head.

    "And why are you crying?" He asked, and his voice is full of concern, and I can''t take it anymore. I have to tell him the truth right now before I will chicken out or before I will be selfish. Am I willing to let go of my husband? Can I live happily with him if I ever pretend I didn''t know about Reba''s existence?

    "Hunter, I love you so much." I said, and heughed while he wiped my tears away.

    "I didn''t realize you are this sentimental, Maddie, I love you too, and you don''t need to cry, my sweet." He said, and he brings me closer to him, and he nibbles my ear, and it gives me goosebumps, and I cry harder. And I tried to turn away from him, but Hunter takes me by the waist, and he turned me around so I will be facing him, and he cupped my chin, and when I meet his beautiful eyes, I am lost to his world.

    "Madeline, I know something is off, and it was scaring me, I am your husband now, and you can tell me everything. I was hoping you could open up with me. Whatever it is, we have to face it together. I know at first you thought we only get married because of your Aunt''s debt and because I want to stop my father from forcing me to marry Kaye, but to tell you the truth, even before we get married, I know deep inside me, I already fall in love with you, Maddie. You have nothing to fear now because I will never hurt you again. I know I have been a jerk, but I regretted everything I have done to you, Madeline, and I am so thankful that you didn''t leave me. You stay by my side even though I walkout during the pre-wedding ball." Hunter said, and this is the first time we talk like this, and how can I ruin this beautiful moment.

    "Madeline, I want you to be honest with me." He said, and I sat up from the bed, and he mimicked my action, but he scooted closer to me, and he leaned his back on the headboard while he takes me into his arm.

    "Okay, I need to tell you something, Hunter, and I wish nothing will change between us, but I know this is just wishful thinking because once you learn about this, I know everything will never be the same again." I said.

    "Then, you have to try me, Madeline, tell me about it, and you will never know if it will change everything, but I promise to be understanding, and I am willing to listen because you mean so much to me, have faith on our love for each other Madeline.." He said, and I can''t stop myself from crying as I get myself ready to tell Hunter everything, and deep in my heart, I wished my fate will favor me this time.

 Chapter 100 - The Truth

    Madeline''s POV

    "So, what it is you want to tell me, Madeline, that you are crying like this? And you are scaring me. I hurt you so many times, yet I haven''t seen you cry this hard." Hunter dered, and I am trying my best to control myself and stop crying to talk with him clearly, but I couldn''t contain the tears from falling on my cheeks.

    "Hunter, before I am going to tell you everything, I want you to know I am doing all this because of my great love for you," I said, and the way my husband is looking at me wants me to stop talking and pretend everything is perfect for us. He keeps silent while he was caressing my hair, and he tucked some strand of my hair at the back of my ear, and it made me feel electrified. I know I am going to miss all of him.

    "I want to tell you that I don''t want to be selfish and live my life with guilt," I said.

    "Madeline, what is going on? Are you cheating on me?" He asked, and I can see the jealousy on his face, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "No, of course not. I will never be unfaithful to you, Hunter, because I love you so much." I said.

    "And why it seems you are going to tell me something serious." He said.

    "I don''t know where to start," I replied.

    "Then, you have to rx first, and when you are ready, you can start telling me, I am giving you all the time, Maddie, and tell me about it when you are prepared," Hunter said.

    "Is there something going on between you and your dad?" I asked, and I can feel his body tensed, but he didn''t let go of me. He is still cuddling me.

    "Why do you ask about my rtionship with my dad?" He asked, and I became speechless, and he stared at me for a long time before he speaks.

    "The answer to your question is yes, ever since my dad opposed my rtionship with Reba, we started having a gap. I respected my father, Maddie, but when I found out he was the man behind Reba''s sufferings, I loathe him, but I can''t use force over my dad because he is still my father. Did my father threatened you, too?" He asked, and this time, I nodded my head.

    "He talked to me during the opening of Jack''s restaurant, and he asked me how much money I want so I will stay away from you, and he told me I am also like Reba, that I am only using you to climb thedder of society. Then he told me, if I remain stubborn, I will end up like Reba." I dered, and I can see how Hunter''s face darkened.

    "Why you didn''t tell me about this on that night, Madeline? It was the night you came home sote that I was so worried about you, right?" He asked, and I nodded, and I can tell he is controlling his anger.

    "I don''t want you to have a grudge against your father, Hunter, but after what happened that night, I was curious about your father''s involvement in Reba''s death because I want to help you to have a beautiful sleep every night and I want your nightmares to stop," I answered.

    "Oh, my Madeline, you don''t need to worry about me, ever since you came into my life, my nightmares gradually stop, and I wonder what kind of healing power you possess that after a long time, you made me have a peaceful sleep every night. And I am so grateful that you came into my life, and you became my wife." He said, and I felt so touched, and when he imed my mouth passionately, I almost lost my will to continue telling him the truth. Hunter released my mouth, and it was a quick kiss, yet it was enough to make me feel breathless.

    "I found out something, Hunter," I said, and I swallowed my saliva as I prepare myself to face the truth. And I can feel my palms sweat, and my entire body trembled.

    "What is wrong with you, Madeline? Are you not feeling well?"He asked the moment he felt my body shivered.

    "No, I am fine," I said, and I sat up straight, and I move away from him, but I am still holding his hands, and I looked at his beautiful eyes, and he was looking at me with love and admiration, and I was hoping he will still look at me, the same way after he learns the truth.

    "What it is, Madeline?" He asked.

    "I found out something, Hunter, and your father is behind all this, and I want you to know that Reba is still alive," I said, and I saw how his facial expression changed, and I couldn''t tell how he feels right now.

    "What?" He asked again, and this time, he is looking at me differently.

    "Why are you doing this to me, Madeline? Reba''s death wasn''t a joke, I saw it with my two eyes how the car hit her body, and she was dead on arrival, and I visited her grave a thousand times." He said as his face darkened.

    "I am not joking, Hunter; it was a miracle that she came back to life, but your father hide the truth from you, and he brought her to the Mental Care Homes, and for ten years, your father hid Reba for how many years she was there living her life like a prisoner, and I hate him for doing it with her," I said. I can see the anger in his face and then the gratification.

    "I saw Reba, and Gina saw her too when we visited the ce. I was confused at first if I will tell you or not, because I love you so much, but I realized she was your first love, and I will never have the chance to know you if she is still in your life. And I know she will always be your one great love, and even though this is so hard for me, I don''t have a choice because you save my life, you taught me how to be in love, you made me experience my first love, and for that, I will forever be grateful that once in my life I meet you." I dered, and he brings me closer to him as I saw his tears streaming down his cheeks.

    I don''t want to know why he was crying because it would be painful for me to learn the truth behind his tears. It would be wishful thinking if he were sobbing for our rtionship. But deep inside me, I know how he feels right now, and I am sure he was crying because of the happiness that he feels that Reba is still alive. Hunter remained silent, but I can tell he feels so angry because I can feel how his body stiffened and breathing heavily. And right now, he was punching the mattress of our bed. And I want tofort him. I hugged him, and he cried on my shoulders. I know how much he despises his father now, and I don''t know how long we remained in that position.

    "Is she alright?" He softly asked me, and I shook my head.

    "No, she has a mental illness, and the in-charge informed me you are the only one who can help her recover fast. I know you are confused and angry with your father right now, but I am asking you, Hunter, please don''t put thew in your hands. He is still your father." I said.

    "Can we go to the mental care homes right now?" He asked.

    "They don''t entertain visitors at this hour, so I think we have to wait until tomorrow morning, don''t worry, I wille with you," I said, and he stood up from our bed, and then he looked at me with tenderness.

    "Thank you, Madeline, but I hope you will understand, and please forgive me, I am so confused right now, and I need some time alone." He said, and I nodded my head, and I offered him my sweetest smile even though I felt like dying inside. I make myself ready for this, and I thought I would be fine, but my heart is pierced as I watched my husband walked away from me. He walked out to the door and left me as my tears fall on their own. Iy on the bed and curled my body into a ball as I continue weeping. I have to cry all my tears tonight because tomorrow I have to face the most painful reality, and I am trying to understand how does my husband feels at this moment.

    I know he felt betrayed by his father, he should be the person who will give support to his son, but instead, he made Hunter''s life miserable and chaotic. And I want to help my husband, and I am only an ordinary human being whose heart is fragile too. I am hurting so much, and I want to shout so the pain will disappear, but I know right now all I can feel is the pain. I was thinking about Hunter. I was crying hard until I fall asleep, and when I woke up, it is almost three o''clock in the morning. I suddenly felt worried about my husband.

    I got up and tiptoed as I get outside of our room and I searched for him around the house, and I found him on the bar.. His head is down on the counter while I saw broken sses and bottles on the floor, and I realized my husband is suffering right now, and he is in too much anguish too, and I realized we are feeling the same pain, and I wonder how we are going to ovee this test in our married life.

 Chapter 101 - Killing Me Softly

    Hunter''s POV

    It feels like my entire world is falling down. I felt so angry with my dad. How could he toy with my feelings? I am his son; I couldn''t believe why he has to do all this to me? I have been a dutiful son to him growing up, and I always follow his wishes, except when I fall in love with Reba and meet Madeline. No wonder Maddie looked so sadtely, and it was because she knew Reba is alive. How can I live my life now? I have never been so perplexed in my entire life. I want to stay with Maddie in our bed and take her into my arms, but I couldn''t do it because my mind is in disarray. I can''t stop thinking about Reba.

    Reba was my first love, the only girl I love since high school, and I never felt anything towards anyone until Maddie came into the picture. I was so lost when I thought Reba died. My world crumbled down, and I am pleased to know that she is still alive so I can finally ask forgiveness to her for hurting her feelings, and most of all for doubting her love for me. I have always been in love with Reba until my jerk of a father ruined everything. He paid Luke to wreck the beautiful love story we had, and what am I going to do with my life right now? In my confusion, I called the only person who always makes me feel better and at peace, but I know there is nothing he can do to make me feel alright, but I need someone to talk to because this information is driving me mad.

    "Mr. Divenson, do you know what time it is?" He asked, and I can tell I woke him up from his sleep because he sounds groggy; I didn''t talk right away as I tried to control my tears.

    "What is wrong, Hunter?" He asked, and I was smiling through my tears because I can imagine Calixto''s face right now, and even though he sounds irritated, I know deep inside him, he cares about me.

    "Is it a crime if I am going to beat my father right now until he can no longer walk?" I asked, and I can hear his heavy sigh over the phone.

    "Is Madeline alright? Did your father hurt her too?" He asked in a worried tone.

    "No, Madeline is physically fine, but I am sure she is broken emotionally." I said, and I put the phone on speaker while getting a bottle of whiskey from the bar. I poured some liquor on my ss while waiting for Cal to answer me.

    "What is going on, Hunter?" He asked, and even though I felt like I am dying inside, he makes me smile a little because he seldom calls me on the first name basis, and I can tell Calixto is now on a friendly mode, not my employee, and I can tell he is getting impatient.

    "Reba is alive, Calixto." I dered.

    "What????" He asked, and I know he is shocked as me.

    "Hunter, are you alright? Did your nightmaree back again? You told me recently that your bad dreams had disappeared, and why are you talking about something like this? I should call your doctor tomorrow, and you need to seek help from a medical professional because I am not a doctor, and you are scaring me. You call me thiste only to tell me your ex-fiancee is alive. We both witnessed how the car hit her fragile body on that awful day." He added, and he sounds so fearful that I lost my sanity.

    "Cal, Reba is still alive, and rk Divenson hid that information from me for ten fucking years." I said, and I smashed the bottle on the granite countertop because of the pain, anger, and devastation that I felt, and I can tell Cal is in shock because he is no longer talking on the other line.

    "How did you know about all this information, Hunter?" He asked after a long while, and I drink my liquor on my ss in one gulp, and I got up from the stool to get another bottle from the back bar. I avoided the broken bottle pieces, and I know I am not a violent type of person, but right now, I want to go to the Divenson mansion and meet my father. I want to make him realize what he had done to me. I don''t even know if my dad has a heart. What he had done to me is beyond crazy.

    "Madeline found out about it during one of her visits to the Mental Care Homes. Can you imagine what I am going through right now, Cal? I am losing my fucking mind. How could my destiny y tricks on me? How am I going to deal with this situation? You realize how much I love Reba, and you also know how much I became so in love with Madeline. I don''t want to hurt my wife, but I can never abandon Reba knowing she is having a hard time because of my father." I said, feeling so lost and defeated.

    "How can I save Reba without breaking Madeline? Would I be so selfish to have them both in my life?" I asked, and I know I don''t have any answers to my questions.

    "Oh, Hunter, I don''t know what to say, I want tofort you right now, but it seems I can''t find the right words to make you feel better, and if I were in your shoes, I would go crazy too, but at least you are no longer guilty about Reba''s death, and for how many years you suffered because you keep on ming yourself for what happened to her. Finally, you are free from your past, Hunter." Calixto replied.

    "How can I take care of Reba, Cal? And how am I going to y the role as Madeline''s husband at the same time without hurting them both? Cal, how did this happen to me? Why do I need to suffer this way? Am I a bad person?" I asked him.

    "No, I admit you are strict, but you care about your employees in your ways, Hunter. If you are a terrible boss, I would have retired a long time ago; you arepassionate in your owns ways, Mr. Divenson." He said, and I continue to drink my alcohol, and we both fell silent for a while.

    "What is your n, now?" Cal asked me after a long moment of silence.

    "I need to see Reba, Calixto; I want to see her with my own eyes." I replied.

    "And Madeline?" He inquired, and I know Calixto''s loyalty will always be with Maddie because I know he cares about my wife.

    "That is the problem, Cal, she wants toe with me tomorrow, but I don''t want to hurt her because I am not sure what would be Reba''s reactions the moment she will see me and my responses towards her." I replied.

    "Oh, Hunter, whether you like it or not, in one way or another, Madeline will get hurt along the process." He responded.

    "Of course, I know. And you know what, Cal? I became more in love with Maddie knowing she didn''t hide everything from me even though she knows how much I care about Reba, and I can see it in Maddie''s eyes that she wants to save Reba too, and even though my wife already know she will get hurt in the end." I dered.

    "Madeline is selfless, Calixto, and I hate why this is all happening right now when I became so in love with Madeline. Please, Cal, I am begging you to be there for Madeline. I know for theing days, I have to stay away from her because I can''t help Reba if I will be dealing with Madeline too." I added.

    "Don''t worry, I will do everything I can to help her, Hunter, and I am sure Madeline is having a hard time right now. Your wife is crazy in love with you, yet because of her great love for you, she gives way. I know deep inside her she wants you to stay with her, but she also understands that Reba is your first love, and was the only girl you love." Cal responded.

    "Yeah, that is true, until she came along." I said, and I threw the ss on the floor.

    "Hey, Hunter, what are you doing? I can hear the breaking of ss over there, and please calm down." Cal said.

    "I am so angry right now, Cal. I want to beat my dad. How can he be selfish? He messed up with my life." I said, and I can''t stop my tears from falling again. I had been under therapy for so many years. He made me believed that Reba was dead, he didn''t even consider how I suffer, and I almost lost my sanity when I thought she was gone. Now that she came back, I can''t say I can celebrate because, at the back of my head, I know there is someone I want to be with, but I can''t run from Reba because deep inside me, I still care about her, and I need to know everything that happened with her.

    "Hunter, son, you have to listen to me, I know you are in a state of shock, and you hate your father so much, and most of all, you are hurting, but you have to be strong. Whatever your decision will be, you have to think it over, and you have to follow what your heart desires. The decision is in your hands, and I hope whatever judgment you are going to make, you will not regret it, and I always wish for your happiness, Hunter. Don''t worry, I wille over there early morning. You need to have some rest, Hunter." He said.

    "Thank you, Calixto. Good night, and I will be waiting for you tomorrow." I replied, and I ended the call.. I have never felt this kind of pain before, and my father''s betrayal was too much for me to deal with, and my longing to see Reba is making me miserable, and thinking about the sadness beneath Madeline''s smile is killing me softly.

 Chapter 102 - My Heart Bleeds

    Hunter''s POV

    I can hear my wife walking towards me since it is now so quiet inside our home. I am still sitting on the stool while my head is resting on my arms over the bar counter, And I know she was trying her best to carefully tread on the floor so she will not make any noise. I want to take her into my arms and tell her she doesn''t need to worry about anything because we can ovee this trial together, but who I am to tell her that everything will be okay between us when I know things will never be the same again. I couldn''t promise Madeline that I can''t hurt her along the way while I am trying my best to find a solution to this mess. I don''t want to decide for us yet because I need to see Reba first, and I know my feelings for my ex-fiancee are still there, but how can I inform Reba that I am already married?

    "Hunter! Please go back to bed." I hear Madeline''s voice as she gets closer to me, and when I felt her soft fingers rubbedmy shoulder, I want to pull her closer to me, but I pretended that I fall asleep because there is no way I am going to show Madeline I am having a hard time. She knows I am tough, I should not have cried in front of her a while ago, but when she told me about Reba being alive, I couldn''t stop myself from crying because I felt so happy that she didn''t die, but I cried harder when I realized I am going to hurt Madeline more.

    I felt my wife stroked my back, and then she stop calling my name when she thought I was sleeping. I heard her walk around the bar, and I can tell she cleaned up my mess. And I hope she is careful with her feet because there are so many broken pieces of ss on the floor. After all, I didn''t only shatter one bottle of whisky but three after I talked with Calixto. And it feels like every bottle that I broke, the sadness that I felt lessen until I also pulled out two bottles of cognac because I want to drink more to forget everything, even for a while, but I ended crushing them too. I don''t want my wife to tidy up my mess because I can clean up the ceter, but she is already doing it, and I felt guilty.

    It feels like forever before I notice that she already left, and when I raised my head, I can no longer find Madeline, and the whole ce looked spotless. I sighed and stood up from the stool, and I walked to the living room. Iy down on the couch, and as I closed my eyes, I can''t stop thinking about theing morning, and I can''t contain the uneasiness that I felt.

    I am startled when I opened up my eyes that I found Calixto standing beside the couch. He was watching me like I am a piece disyed at an auction.

    "You almost give me a heart attack, Calixto. How did you get in?" I asked.

    "Madeline opened the main door for me." He said, and I can''t stop the hammering on my chest as I heard my wife''s name, and I felt d she is not around.

    "I guess your wife didn''t sleepst night because I can see her eyebags, and she looked haggard too, just like you, and I think you should take a bath now because you smelled alcohol. And if you want to impress your first love, you should look good in front of Reba today." He said, and it waste for him to realize Madeline got inside the living room wearing a midnight blue mini dress that hugged her body perfectly. Even without sleep, she still looked stunning, but I can see the hurt that registered on her face after she heard Cal''s voice, but she masked her expression by smiling at me, and my heart skipped a beat. She looks like an angel, and I felt so bad that I am making her so unhappy right now.

    "I already prepared breakfast, and you have to take a shower now if you want us to leave early, Hunter." She said, sounding so calm, and it is making me crazy. I nodded my head at her without saying anything, and I left Cal with her. And I can see the horrified looked on his face as he realized what he had done. I know he is fond of Maddie, and he doesn''t intend to hurt her.

    I climb the stairs with heavy steps, and I take a shower quickly and choose to wear a t-shirt and jeans, Maddie''s favorite. For how many times sheplimented me, I looked hotter and younger wearing simple clothes. I want to make my wife feel better, and I hope Calixto isforting her right now. I get my wallet and get out of our room. I can feel the heaviness of my heart as I walk to the dining hall. And my steps faltered when I heard Madeline''s voice, and she was talking with Cal, and I don''t want to eavesdrop, but I can''t stop myself from getting closer to hear what my wife is about to say.

    "It is okay, Calixto; I want toe with you today." She said.

    "Madeline, I know how much you love your husband, and you are like a daughter to me, and same with Hunter, he is also like a son to me, and it hurts me now that you are both in pain. When I first meet you at your aunt''s house, I was hoping Hunter will fall for you, and when it finally happened, I was the first one who felt like jumping on my feet because I want him to forget his past. And what is happening right now is unbelievable, but I am not saying I want Reba gone forever. It was just the timing was not right, and why it has to be you?" Calixto dered.

    "I wish it all happened before Hunter meets you. I hope someone finds out the truth before you came into his life. So, you would not have experienced this kind of pain, and your peaceful world would never have been so chaotic. And I hate to think that destiny is messing up with your life." Calixto said.

    "Cal, thank you so much for your concern about me. I wouldn''t lie to you. I am hurting right now, but what I have been through is nothingpared to Reba. She suffered a lot, and my heart was aching for her. I never regretted that I met my husband. Hunter is the best thing that ever happened in my life, and even though what I had with him was borrowed time, I love Hunter, but I don''t want to be greedy, and I know I can''t live my life happily knowing Reba was out there who needed my husband''s help and care. I know I am Hunter''s wife, and I want to fight for my right, but deep inside my heart, I know how much he loves her, Cal." Madeline said, and I curled my fists on my side because I want to release my frustrations, and I want tofort her, but what she had said was all true.

    "I knew Hunter was in love with Reba. That is why he can never let go of her things, and I learned he kept her stuff for so many years. It wasn''t my intention to find that ce full of Reba''s memorabilia, it pierced my heart, but I understand that I came second to his life. Reba was his first love, and deep in my heart, I know I can never take her ce. Besides, I love him so much, and I want to help him stop ming himself for Reba''s fake death. I want to help him, Calixto, in any way I can." She added.

    I don''t know what to do anymore. I don''t have the heart to face Madeline because I hate that I am making her miserable, but they are both waiting for me, and when they both fell silent, I took my chance to get inside the dining room, trying to hide my real feelings. I masked my confusion and pain by wearing the old face of Hunter Divenson. I am good with hiding my genuine emotions, I can look cold and distant to anyone, and it is better to be this way than give Madeline false hope.

    I can feel Madeline tensed up when I get inside the room, and the moment she looked at my face, I hate myself that I am doing this to her, and even Cal stopped talking the entire duration of our meal.

    "Madeline, I don''t want you toe with us, but I know I need you to introduce me to the in-charge of the facility." I said, and she raised her head, and the moment our eyes meet, I can see her pain and anguish, and I can feel my own heart bleeds as I watched my wife in pain. But I tried to hide my affection towards her because I can''t guarantee if I can protect her from this mess. I know deep inside she will get hurt, and I better start to distance myself from her so she can be ready. Both of us need to brace ourselves for the oue of today''s episode. I love Madeline, and I wish she will hold on to our love for each other, and I am only doing this to protect her.

    "Of course, I understand." She replied softly, and I can see her hands are shaking as she tried to mask her pain. We get out of the house, and I can tell Cal wants to reprimand me, but he can''t do it in Madeline''s presence. We were silent as I drive the car, and I can''t stop myself from stealing nces at Maddie in the rearview mirror of the vehicle, but she keeps her head down, and I want to see her lovely face, but the situation I am in made me feel like a total jerk. Calixto keeps ncing at my face, and I felt d he settled himself on the front seat because it would be hard on my part to drive my car while Madeline is sitting beside me. I know I can''t stop myself from inhaling her sweet scent, and I am sure she will drive me nuts.

    The moment we arrived at the gate of the mental care homes, I can''t stop the racing of my heart, and I was hoping things will be better for the three of us even though I know I am going to hurt both of them.. Most of all, I know whatever decision I will make today, I will get hurt in the end, and I can''t stop thinking about my father for making my life so fucked up and miserable.

 Chapter 103 - Because I Love Him

    Madeline''s POV

    I can''t stop myself from crying when I saw Hunter sleeping on the bar counter. I can''t imagine the pain he is going through. I tried to wake him up, but I didn''t force him to get up when Hunter didn''t answer me, and I let him sleep. And I wonder if he was drunk, I haven''t seen an empty bottle on the bar counter. And all I can see are the shattered bottles and sses on the floor. I don''t peg my husband as a violent type of person because I can tell he is the most well-behaved person I have ever known, but judging by the pieces of broken sses in front of me, I can say he was hurt and in too much pain.

    I get a dustpan and broom, and then after getting the pieces of the broken sses and bottles, I mop the floor; when I can no longer find any mess, I decided to return the mop and went back to our room. I know I can''t go back to sleep after what I witnessed in the bar this dawn, and I want to call Gina, but I am sure she is still sleeping at this hour. Iy in my bed thinking about what will happen to my rtionship with my husband now that he learned the truth. I don''t feel guilty anymore, knowing I already told him about Reba.

    I felt d that even in my confusion and desperation, I was able to sleep for one hour more or less, but still, I can feel the heaviness of my head and eyes, and I can still feel the hollowness in my stomach, and the pain in my heart, and my back is aching terribly. I stretched my limbs, and when I looked at the empty space beside me, I can''t stop my tears from falling again. We used to cuddle each other at this hour, and I miss the time when this room is filled with my outcry of pleasure as we made love early morning, but I tried to keep my feelings at bay. I got up, and I get my robe, and I put it over my nightdress.

    I went to the bar, and I felt d Hunter is no longer there, and I release a sigh of relief when I found him in the living room lying on the sofa. I want toe near him and hugged him, to feel him, but I can tell he is having a hard time, and he is baffled at this moment. I stride towards the kitchen, and I prepare breakfast because he wants to leave early to meet Reba.

    I wonder if I made the right choice, but at the back of my head I know, it was the most suitable decision since Reba needed help. If our situation has been reversed, I am unsure if she will do the same thing, but I can tell it would be unfair if I did not tell my husband about her. I am doing all this because I love him, and no one is to be med for all this except rk Divenson. He was greedy for wealth, that he even formted this stupid scheme and made his son suffered.

    I can''t stop myself from crying as I chopped the onions and tomato, and I want the pain to disappear because I can''t show my husband how I felt. After all, it will make him more miserable. I need to pretend I am okay, I made this decision, and I should deal with it, but I know it would never be easy to mask my real emotions right now because we became closer and more in love with each other before these things happen to us.

    After cooking, I returned to our room and took a bath, and I get dressed quickly. I returned to the kitchen and prepared the food at the dining table when I heard loud thumpings on the main door. I wonder who it could be, it is still very early, besides Felix has his key, he is the chief manservant of our house, and he also lives in one of the residences inside the estate. I am just d that the entire ce is quiet, and I could listen to the knocking on the door. I pull out my apron over my head after I untie the knots from my back, and Iy it on the kitchen counter before I go to the main door.

    " Calixto! I eximed.

    "Hello, Madeline, good morning." He greeted me, and I widely open the door for him, and I motioned him to get inside.

    "What are you doing here?" I asked, and I can''t stop myself from worrying.

    "Mr. Divenson asked me toe here early morning, and I believe he wants me to apany him in going somewhere today." He responded, and I realized Hunter asked Cal to escort him in going to the Mental Care Homes. It pained me so much, but I will stille with him even if he asks me to stay because we need to talk with Mindy together, and deep in my heart, I want to know what his reactions would be once he meets his ex.But I know even though theirst encounters were terrible, it didn''t change the fact that they are still in love with each other. I can see it in my husband''s eyes.

    "My husband is sleeping on the couch in the living room, Cal, and I think you have to wake him up now since he wanted to leave early." I dered, and he smiled at me.

    "Thank you, Madeline." He responded, and I can tell Cal wants to talk with me, but he feels hesitant to do it, and he strides towards the living room while I return to the dining hall. After setting the table, I walk to the living room, and I didn''t expect my husband is still on the couch talking with Cal. When I heard Calixto tell my husband he needs to impress Reba, I can''t stop myself from feeling so hurt, and it became more painful for me, but l covered up the pain with my fake sweet smile, and I return to the dining area as fast as I can after Hunter left us. And I can hear Cal''s footsteps behind me as he follows me into the dining hall.

    "Look, Maddie, I am so sorry. I don''t mean to hurt you." He said, and I stopped in my tracks, and I turned around to face him.

    "It is okay, Cal. You don''t need to apologize." I replied.

    "Madeline, you can never hide the pain that you are feeling right now, and I want you to know I like you more than Reba, but I can''t dictate Mr. Divenson. And I am hoping he will choose in the end." He dered, and I can see Calixto''s sincerity.

    "Cal, don''t worry about me, I already know where I stand in Hunter''s life, and even though I am hurting, I am strong Cal, I have suffered worse," I said, but I know I was lying. I will never be okay knowing I am about to lose my husband.

    "I think you should note with us today, Madeline. You will get hurt more." He replied.

    "It is okay, Calixto. I will never tell my husband about Reba if I wasn''t ready to face the consequences of my actions." I dered, and I continue to talk with him, and I poured out everything that I felt as of the moment, and I know he pitied me, and he wants tofort me, and I always like talking with him because I know I can confide on him.

    We ate our breakfast in silence, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so worried when I saw Hunter''s face. And I realized he was back to being cold and distant, and I know I have to understand him because of what is going on with his life right now. I am his wife, and I need to be there for him even if it will wreck me too, as long as I can take it, and I hope I will have enough strength to face everything, and I don''t want to add to his problems as of the moment.

    By the time we left home, I can''t stop myself from feeling nervous that I can''t stop myself from fidgeting. I know Hunter''s escorts are riding on the other car following behind our vehicle. I kept my head down the entire ride because I don''t want to look at my husband and cry. We are all silent for the rest of our trip. And even though I made this choice, I can''t stop feeling so worried about our marriage. Deep inside me, I am still hoping that my husband will choose me over Reba, and I don''t care if I have to undergo pain as long as our love will survive. But I don''t want to hope and get devastated in the end; besides, I want my husband to be happy even if it means I am no longer part of it because I know how much he suffered after Reba was gone for so many years.

    I raised my head when we arrived at the gate, I waved to the guard on duty, and he smiles when he saw me, and he opened the gate for us. It is still early, but I already texted Mindy, but when we reach the parking lot, my entire world stood still when I saw rk Divenson climbing out from his car. Hunter could no longer park the car properly. He stopped the car in the middle of the driveway and got out immediately, and he ran towards his father.

    I quickly got out of the car, and the next thing I saw, Hunter is already punching his father so hard on the face from left to right, and he didn''t give his dad a chance to speak as he continues to beat him. His father''s bodyguards are all in shocked as they watched him hit rk. I don''t want him to be violent. Still, I understand why Hunter is doing this to his dad, and even though I know his father deserves the worst, but I don''t want my husband to be put behind bars if he couldn''t stop himself; I ran towards them, and I hugged Hunter from behind, and I begged him to stop, and I felt so d that he listened to me. And I saw his father stumbled on the ground, and rk''s bodyguards helped him to get up.. And I can feel the entire body of Hunter was shaking, and I couldn''t believe we will be facing rk Divenson today.

 Chapter 104 - I Hate My Father

    Hunter''s POV

    I can''t deny the things that are happening around us are making me so crazy. I have never been so devastated and troubled like this, and I can feel my anger in my entire body, and I know I have to release it, or else I will go mad. As I wait for the guard to open the gate, my hands tightly gripped on the steering wheel as I needed support. Why it has to be this way? I couldn''t imagine myself meeting Reba while my wife is with me, but I owe Madeline a lot. The love and respect that she gave me were among the things I am so grateful for, and hurting her is thest thing I want to do.

    But I don''t have a choice but do the most sensible thing at the moment. Atst, Madeline raised her head, and she sweetly smiled and waved her hand at the guard on duty, and damn, her smile constantly gives me butterflies on my stomach. She looked like an angel, and God knows how I want to take her into my arms and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. How I wish we are living in a parallel world where we can love each other withoutplications.

    I drive going to the parking lot of the mental care facilities, and I can''t stop my heart from racing as I looked at the long driveway and the beautifulndscaped around the ce. When we reach the parking space, it feels like my entire world turned so ck the moment I saw my father get out from his luxury SUV car that I immediately stopped the vehicle, And my whole body ignites with anger, and I can feel the wrath boiling inside my core.

    I open the window of the car and I can see how my father''s face fell and the horrified looked on his face the moment our eyes meet. I stopped the car in the middle of the drive way, and I got out quickly from the car.

    "Hunter, what.." I didn''t allow him to finish his sentence. I punched him with great force, and I almost forgot he is my father as I continue to beat him. I want to kick him too, and I can tell he wants to fight back, but I didn''t give him a chance, and I only stopped beating him when I felt my wife''s arms curled around my body, and it feels like cold water has been poured down on my entire frame as I realized what I have done. But the bruises he gets from me will never be enough topensate for the damage he had done to me.

    "Hunter, please, you need to stop." I hear my wife''s soft voice, and I felt so d she intervened because I don''t know what else I could possibly do with my father. Since my anger is blinding me, I slowly removed Maddie''s arms around me, and l intertwined our fingers, and I walked closer to my father, and I saw Cale near us, while my father is now up on his feet and he was wiping the blood on his mouth.

    "How could you do this to me, Dad? You are my father." I said as I hold Maddie''s hand firmly, and I know I need her to keep me sane, and I needed her moral support.

    "You have no right to punch me, Hunter, because I am still your father, and I have my reasons why I tried to hide Reba from you." He shouted at me.

    "Aren''t you ashamed of what you are saying? How could you say you are my father? When you treat me like I am not your son, I don''t understand why you are doing all this to me. You are so hungry for power, wealth, and fame that you forgot the real meaning of the word father." I said, and I can feel I am shivering because of the anger that I feel.

    "You lied to me, and you almost killed me. You know how much I lost myself when I taught Reba died. I was lost, and I underwent therapy because I med myself on what happened with her. You knew how much I suffer and how much I love Reba, yet you continue to hide her away from me when I felt so alone dealing with my heartbreak and misery." I added as I released Madeline''s hand because I can''t hold her while I am talking about how much I care about Reba from the past, and as much as I want to protect her, there is no way I can, especially now that I am facing my father.

    "You can go to the police and file a case against me if you want, but I will never have regrets that I hit you because it wasn''t enough. You made my life a living hell." I said.

    "You made your own choice, Hunter. You never listened to me. If you only marry Kaye, none of this would happen. You are a hopeless romantic, and you believe in love and look what you have gained in loving? You only became broken-hearted in the end. If you want to know everything why I did this to your ex, you muste to the Divenson mansion, and I will tell you everything." My father said, and I became angrier with him.

    "You can never fool me again, Mr. rk Divenson. How I wish mom didn''t fall in love with you, you are heartless, and I hope one day you will realize there is more to life than wealth, power, and fame." I said.

    "And what could it be, son? You are such a fool, Hunter. All you need in this world is money so that you will gain everything. I allow you to beat me today, but I will never tolerate you again. I already told you to discard this little wife of yours, but you still keep her, you must understand,that these women in your life made your life a living hell and not me." He said, and his words made me want to punch him once again, but Calixto and Ronan stopped me by holding my arms.

    "Calixto, I trusted you, my son, but what happened to him? You let him marry a nobody and a poor woman, I will let this incident slide, for now, Hunter, but I am telling you, you will thank meter why I did this, and if you have a n on helping Reba, don''t do it, son." He said.

    "Stop calling me your son, for heaven''s sake, because what you have done to me is unforgivable, and I hate you right now. I couldn''t believe you can do something like this to me, and you ruined my life." I said.

    "Me? I provided you good things, Hunter, everything that you need in your life, from the fancy car, clothes, houses, and anything that you need." He dered, and I can''t stop myself from ring at him.

    "I don''t need those things in my life. All I want is your affection as my father, it is okay with me if I don''t belong in the elite society as long as I have a loving father, who will be there to protect me from physical and emotional pain, but instead of giving me your love and affection, you showed me selfishness. I will never be proud to call you my dad because what is only important to you is your wealth. You were so afraid to be poor." I dered, and I felt so defeated, and how I wish my mom will have the courage to leave him.

    I couldn''t believe I will have a confrontation with my father in front of his men and my escorts. And I realized why I should worry about our family''s reputation when I don''t think I need to protect my father''s name anymore. I felt devastated that after what happened, he never ask an apology from me for all the bad things that he had done to me.

    "Stop being so emotional, Hunter. If you want to talk with me, visit me in our mansion." He said, and he turned his heels away from us and got inside his car. And if I think about what he said, it was as if he still wanted me to thank him for hiding Reba from me. He said he did this for me, and even though I feel a little confused, I know he is doing all this to make me more troubled. I hate myself for believing in him, and I felt so happy when he gave me his blessings on marrying Reba without doubting his real intentions. He nned everything, and he hid Reba from me, hoping I will still marry Kaye.

    But my father''s nned never work out because after what happened to Reba, I still rejected Kaye, and no wonder he asked me to file a divorce with Madeline. I felt so d I didn''t do it but right now, thinking about our situation, I am not even sure if I can still perform my duty as Maddie''s husband.

    I watched my father''s vehicle leave the premises, and when I looked around, I found my wife standing far away from me. I know I hurt her when I reminded my father how much I care about Reba, but there is nothing I can do about it, and when Madeline raised her head, our eyes meet, and she gave me a sweet smile. And I know she wants toe near me andfort me, but she is having some doubts about what would be my reaction. If she only knows how much I want to take her into my arms right now, I am sure her sadness will be gone. But we are here on a mission, and I don''t want to hurt her more by showing her my sweet side. And I walk towards Madeline, wearing a nk expression on my face.

    "Are you okay?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Are you now ready to meet, Mindy?" She added, and I can tell my wife is trying her best to stay calm, even though deep inside her she feels like dying too.

    "Yes, I am okay, Madeline, and I am now ready to meet Mindy." I dered even though deep inside me, I want to tell my wife I am far from okay after the encounter I had with my Dad.. I think my hatred towards my father is consuming me, and most of all, I am so afraid of what will happen to our love story after I meet Reba today.

 Chapter 105 - I Am Not Okay

    Madeline''s POV

    "I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Divenson; atst, I finally have the chance to see you in person, and no wonder why the patient can''t forget you. You are indeed so handsome." Mindy said after I introduced my husband to her, and I still can feel Hunter''s anger towards his dad, but he couldn''t control the blush that crept on his face after Mindyplimented him, and indeed he looked so hot right now wearing his jeans and a white t-shirt. I always want to look at him wearing ordinary clothes. And seeing him so gorgeous and adorable makes me feel so sad because I know I will miss him terribly.

    "Hmm, I know Madeline is your wife, and since she told you about Reba, I can tell you are the luckiest man in the entire universe for having her as your wife because not all dare to do such a thing," Mindy said while she looked at my husband, and then she turned her attention towards me.

    "I salute you, Madeline. You are indeed selfless and courageous." Mindy said, and she looked at me with tenderness in her eyes, while I can see the concern beneath her beautiful smile.

    "I care about Reba since she had been here for how many years, and I can tell she has a big chance of recovering, especially if she will constantly see you, Hunter. Ever since she was epted here, she always asks about you, when are you going to visit her. It broke my heart that I can''t bring you to her because, as you can see, your father brought her here, and he donated arge amount of money, and at first I thought Reba was only obsessed with you, because rk told me, she ruined your life." Mindy said, and I can see how Hunter controlled his anger by curling his fists on his side.

    "I didn''t know you were Reba''s fiance, and thanks to Madeline, she told me all about it, and I know you have to make a decision, Mr. Divenson," Mindy said, but I know Lucinda told her everything, but we can''t drag her name into this, or their lives could be in danger.

    "I want to meet her first before I can make any decision, but I want to know if I can get her out of here." My husband dered as he looked at Mindy intently.

    "Of course, we only need to process some papers since Reba stopped being violent years ago; she acts so typical most of the time, but every time she remembers you, she will cry, and sometimes she can''t contain her tantrum. If she only takes her medications on time, I am sure in no time, she will get better, and I am confident her fast recovery will be possible now that you are here, Hunter. And I think it would be appropriate if you will tell herter on that your child died since she thought your son is still alive." Mindy said, and I can tell how it hurts Hunter remembering his son.

    "You have to understand that if you help Reba to recover, you need to make some sacrifices, including your rtionship with your wife," Mindy said.

    "Reba also thought that she was married to you, and if possible, you need to pretend you are her husband first since you can''t tell her yet that you are married to Madeline because it will worsen her condition,"Mindy exined. I feel the pain in my heart, and even though Mindy already told me about the scenario, it still hurt me hearing it now with Hunter, and I avoid watching Hunter''s face because I am afraid of what I am going to see.

    "So, it means if you n on taking Reba home, you should know the consequences of all this, we all want to help her, but I don''t want Madeline to suffer," Mindy said, and I looked at her and gave her my fake sweetest smile.

    "Mindy, I already brought my husband here, so I am willing to do whatever it takes because I want to help her too, and I know she was important in Hunter''s life before I came into his life.And I think it would be ridiculous if I say no, now that we are here. We are on this together, and I am willing to take it no matter how painful it is for me."I dered, and I felt my husband took my hand, and I turn my head to look at him. God, it feels like my heart is cut into half as I looked at his sad face.

    "Madeline, are you sure about this? I can''t promise you that I will not be hurting you along the process of helping Reba, and right now that I know everything, I just can''t run away and forget about her because she needed my help, and I owe her a lot. And I have to ask forgiveness to her that I doubted her love for me. And I can''t just abandon Reba, knowing my father did this all to her, she deserved to be free and to have a normal life, but my father ruined her life. She could have lived happily if he was not only a monster. He was so greedy for money, and I hope one day he will realize what he had done to me, to all of us who suffered because of his selfishness." Hunter said as he caressed my face.

    "But one thing I want to ask you, I hope you will stay with me. I know it would be too much to ask you. I don''t know what to do, Madeline, but the truth is, I don''t want to hurt you because that is thest thing I want to do with you, I love you, and you know that, but I don''t want you to hate me, Maddie." Hunter said, and I can feel his anguish through his voice.

    "Hunter, I made this choice because I love you, and whatever decision you are going to make, I want you to know I will never make you responsible for my heartache and pain. And if ever I will stay away from you, it doesn''t mean I will stop loving you, but while I can still endure it, I will stay with you whatever it takes," I answered, and he pulled me closer to him, and he hugged me tightly.

    "Thank you, Madeline." He said, and when he released me from his arms, I can see Mindy wiping her tears, and I can''t stop my tears from falling on my cheeks, and I quickly wiped them away because I don''t want my husband to see me in tears. After all, I am sure it will make him feel worse.

    "Are you ready now, Mr. Divenson?" Mindy asked, and I saw my husband stiffened.

    "Yes, I think we should see Reba right now." He answered, and he stood up from his chair. And I realized why fate has to y tricks with us and why I need to suffer this way. I grew up fatherless, and at an early age, I witnessed how my mom sumbs to her death because of the terminal illness that she suffered, and since then, I worked hard to help my aunt pay off our debts, but it wasn''t enough. Calixto forced me toe with him, and he brought me to the Divenson mansion to marry his boss because my aunt made me a token to Hunter Divenson as debt repayment.

    Then, the most beautiful thing happens when I fall in love with Hunter. It feels wonderful to be in love with him even though I know I could never win his love. By the time he married me, I was the happiest woman alive. And when my husband fell for me, I realized I am so lucky to have him in my life. But right now, it feels like I am walking in and mine. Whatever would be Hunter''s decision today, I know I will suffer the consequences, but I walked beside him in going to Reba''s room even though my heart is screaming I should not go with him.

    Cal meets us outside Mindy''s office, and he came with us in going to Reba''s room. I can tell Hunter is so nervous right now, and I am sure he wants to get over this, but I know deep in my heart he is also excited to meet Reba. The beautiful garden and the flowers didn''t make my sadness gone, and as I take my heavy steps, I am taking my courage, and I need to be strong in front of Hunter and Mindy. I told them I made this choice, but deep inside, I am hurting like hell. I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cal staring at me. I stifled augh when he staggers on the ground.

    "Cal, you should watch where you are going." I didn''t know Hunter is still watchful that he noticed Cal almost stumble on the ground.

    "Sorry, Mr. Divenson, " Cal responded, and if only it had been a different circumstance, maybe I would haveughed out loud with Cal''s clumsiness, but my heart is aching right now that I couldn''t evenugh or smile. We stopped in front of Reba''s room and wait for Mindy''s signal if it is okay to get inside.

    "Reba! Reba, can wee in?" Mindy softly asked.

    "Is Maddie with you?" Reba answered, and I couldn''t contain the guilt that I felt. She wants to be friends with me without knowing I married the man she loves.

    "Yes, and there are more who wants to see you." Mindy replied.

    "I only like Maddie toe inside because we are friends, and there are a lot of things I want to share with her. I don''t like to see anyone, Mindy, except you are bringing my husband." She dered. And I can''t contain the shaking of my entire frame, and I can also tell Hunter''s hands are trembling.

    "I think we should get inside now." Mindy said as she looked at us, and she walked ahead of us while I was following behind Hunter, and Cal wasing after me. Reba is wearing a blue dress, and her head is down. And when she noticed our presence, she slowly raised her head, and the happiness I saw in her face the moment she looked at my husband was priceless.

    "Hunter! You came!" She eximed, and her tears are pouring down on her beautiful face, and even though the scar on her face is long, it makes her look more attractive, and she ran towards Hunter, and he remained footed on the floor, and I can tell he is still unable to believe that Reba is alive. He opened his arms wide for her, and when she kissed Hunter on the lips, I almost fainted on the ground when I saw my husband kissed her with longing and affection, and I realized I would never be okay. I thought I made the right decision, but I was so wrong. It feels like my heart leaped out from my chest when I saw my husband kissed her back.

    I couldn''t take it anymore. I ran outside from Reba''s room while Cal calls my name, but I never looked back, and I ran as fast as I can. And when I passed the guardhouse, I can see the looked of surprise on the guard''s face, and I stopped and asked him to open the gate for me. I felt so relieved that a bus came after I reached the bus stop, and I realized I didn''t bring any card with me, and I felt so thankful when one of the staff from the mental care homes paid the fare for me.

    I texted Calixto that I am sorry that I need to go back to the city since I need to go to the University to submit some report. I lied, but I need to walk away, or I don''t know what will happen to me if I remain standing there watching the reunion of my husband and his first love.I couldn''t stop myself from crying as the bus driver moves away from the ce, and I know I should never leave Hunter, but the excruciating pain that I feel was too much for me to handle.. I know it wasn''t Hunter''s fault, but still, I want to flee and hide from them forever.

 Chapter 106 - Meeting Rebecca

    Hunter''s POV

    We are following Mindy, and I was walking beside Madeline, and I want toce my fingers with her to tell her through my actions that everything will be alright. Still, Reba''s illness stops me from doing it because I don''t want to worsen her condition. After all, I know Madeline is doing this. And she wants to help my ex-fiancee, and I will be forever thankful for her selflessness.

    I can''t contain the pounding of my heart as we near Reba''s room, and I felt various emotions, including excitement, fear, and I wonder why it is possible to be happy and sad at the same time. Mindy is ahead of me, and I noticed my wife moved behind me, and I know why, even though she seemed so strong and determined to do this, deep in her heart, she is hurting, and Madeline is not the only one suffering at this moment. I want to shout to release all the emotions building up inside me, and I want to ask why? Why it has to be us who will suffer this kind of fate.

    The moment I hear Reba''s sweet voice, I want to get inside immediately because I couldn''t believe she is still alive, and I realized how much I miss her. For how many years, I cried at night every time I wake up from my nightmares. I never have thought I would have another chance to be with her and to see her again. By the time we get inside her spacious room, I saw her sat at the edge of her bed, and I can feel the trembling of my legs and arms. And the moment she raised her head, my heart is pierced when I saw the long scar at the side of her face. It was a reminder of the awful day, the reason for my nightmares.

    She looked so thin, but she is still beautiful, and the moment our eyes met, I can see the absolute happiness on her face. She seemed so delighted to see me, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled that Reba is alive. She ran towards me, and I couldn''t even move my feet, and I remained footed on the floor, but I opened my arms for her. The moment Reba hugged me, it feels like I am eighteen years old again; the memories I had with her shed back on my mind. When she kissed me, I kissed her back full of longings and affection, but I suddenly stopped kissing her when I realized my wife is with us; how could I be so insensitive?

    I didn''t turn around to see Madeline''s expression because I am so afraid to see her face full of sadness. I need to be careful not to hurt my wife, but how can I ignore the old feelings that started to resurface at once? And I am so afraid to look back and forget that we are here to help Reba. The pain that I feel is too much because I am aching for my wife, and this woman standing in front of me who looked so malnourished makes my heart bleeds. Reba used to be so sexy, but right now, I can see her bone structures underneath her skin. How could this happen to her?

    "Reba, " I said, and I don''t know what to say to her. She is still crying and looking at me like I am just a dream.

    "Am I dreaming?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "I am d this is not a dream. I have wished to see you again. I miss you so much, Hunter." She dered, and I can''t stop myself from wiping her tears away, and I pulled her closer to me one more time.

    "Shh, stop crying now, Reba." I said, and I take her to the sofa by holding her hand.

    "Are you going to take me home, now?" Reba asked, and I felt my entire body shook, and this is it. I need to make a decision to help her. She became like this because of her love for me, and my father is the reason why she is suffering right now. She looked so normal in my eyes, only the scars, and her body is different, and I know after she will get out from this ce, I will ask Lucinda to watch over Reba so she will get back to her old healthy self. She needs to eat her food regrly. And I will take her to a doctor to remove her scars because I don''t want to see the remembrance of that horrible day because I will be forever haunted by it, even now that I learned she is still alive.

    "Reba, I will take you home, but not now, I need to prepare everything, and I should make the house ready." I dered, and her face fell, and she started crying again, and she became hysterical that I need to calm her down by hugging her and stroking her back.

    "You are not going back, and I will wait years before you will get me." She said in between her sobs.

    "Listen, Reba, I wille back, and you can ask Mindy to call me if you want to talk with me. I am busy because I am now the CEO of our miningpany." I said, and her face lights up, and she smiled at me. Her smile warms my heart.

    "Wow! Congrattions, I am so proud of you, Hunter. Okay, I will wait for you, but you have to bring our son the next time you will visit me, Hunter." She said, and I froze. How can I tell her that our son died that day?

    "Reba, don''t worry, the moment I wille back, I will bring you something that you want. Can you tell me what do you have in mind?" I asked as I try to change the topic of our conversation.

    "Really? I was hoping you could bring me a cell phone so I can call you anytime I want. And I want to talk with you through video call. What if you are seeing someone else, it will break my heart, Hunter." She said, and I want to hide from her right now. How can be my life be so messed up like this? How can I tell her I am already married and in love with someone else.

    "Sure, I will buy you a phone, and I will get you out from here soon," I said, and I could no longer take it. I try to turn my head and search for Maddie, but I couldn''t find my wife, and I want to ask Calixto where is my wife, but I don''t want Reba to know that something is going on. I can''t stop my heart from feeling so worried. What if she left, but I understand she is outside waiting for us. And I know why she was trying to avoid and witness my talk with Reba, and I know it will never be easy on her part when I kissed Reba back, and I should ask for my apologyter. Mindy excused herself, and I wish she will talk with Madeline.

    "Thank you, Hunter. I want you to visit me every day." She dered.

    "I want to do that, Reba, but my office is far from here, but don''t worry, I will try my best to visit you as often as I can, but you have to promise me something, you have to eat your food starting today from breakfast to dinner. It would help if you didn''t skip your meal, Reba. If you''re going to get out from here, you need to follow the staff''s instructions especially taking your medicines on time." I said, and she looked so adorable when she pouted her lips.

    "Okay, just for you, I hate eating my food and taking my medicines because they are all liars. They keep on promising me that they will bring you here once I will eat my food and drink my medications, and this is the first time they got you here." She said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling sorry for her; if my father didn''t hide Reba, she would not suffer like this. We stayed in her room until it is time for her lunch, and I watch her devour her food, and I give her medicines, and she smiled after she eats her food.

    "Hunter, you should stop talking. Can you hear him?" She said, and I shook my head and suddenly felt rmed.

    "Our baby boy is crying, so you need to stop talking." She said, and I lost it; I thought she was fine now that she met me, and I wonder how I will help her recover fast.

    "Don''t worry about him, and I will take care of him." I answered Reba, and she smiled at me.

    "Of course, I know you will take care of our son." She responded.

    "Reba, the visiting time is over; as you can see, I allow Hunter to be with you for hours, and he can''te back if he disobeys our visiting policy." Mindy said the moment she gets back to Reba''s unit.

    "Okay, did I tell you Hunter is my husband, Mindy?" She asked.

    "Yes, thousand times, Reba." Mindy replied, and my ex giggled, and she focused her attention on me.

    "I felt so exhausted, Hunter. I keep awake sometimes watching over our boy, you know your father threatened me that he would kill our child if I continue looking for you, but you are my husband. I should be with you always." She dered, and I want to punch my dad again.

    "Goodbye, for now, Hunter, but you must keep your promise to me. I want to leave this ce, they kept me here for a long time, and I felt like I am a prisoner here because your father told me that I would never leave this ce until the day I die." She added, and I have to keep my anger at bay. It was hard saying goodbye to Reba after meeting her again and knowing she has a serious mental illness, and I want her to be mentally healthy again. She deserved to live a better life, and I will do everything to help her regain herself.

    "Mr. Divenson, you have seen Reba. I can give you the lists of the best psychiatrists in the city of Archois, and I am sure she will get better fast once she is staying in your house, and follow-up check-ups would be necessary for her." She said, and I nodded my head.

    "I will contact you from time to time, Hunter. Thank you so much foring today." She announced.

    "Thank you, Mindy, this means a lot to me, and by the way, Calixto will process everything on my behalf, Mindy." I replied, and she nodded her head, and we said goodbye to her.

    "Where is Madeline, Calixto?" I asked my assistant the moment we arrived at the parking lot, and I couldn''t see her, and his face pale.

    "Maddie texted me that she needs to go ahead of us since she needs to pass some reports at the University." He said, and I punched the roof of my car hard before I get inside, and I can feel the numbness on my knuckle.

    "You should ask her to stay, Cal. You know she was lying." I said in more than a whisper as I tightly clenched the steering wheel.

    "I tried running after her, but she was fast, Mr. Divenson." He responded.

    "Please call her, Cal. She didn''t bring her car, I know I hurt my wife, and right now, I have never been so confused in my entire existence." I said, and I start the car and left the Mental Care Homes with a heavy heart that I am living Reba in that ce where she lives like a prisoner and she looked like a ghost, she looked so pale and skin and bone.. And I realized my life would never be the same again, and I am so worried about Madeline, and I want to see her right now.

 Chapter 107 - Releasing My Pain

    Madeline''s POV

    As I watch the scenery outside the bus window, I can''t contain my tears from pouring down my cheeks. I just felt d that only ten passengers are riding the bus, and I settled myself in thest row, so no one will see me cry. I couldn''t believe that I will be crying this much. I have been ready for this, I thought so, but I was very wrong. I fished out my phone from my bag, and I called Gina''s number. I can tell she is still at the restaurant where she works her part-time job, I don''t want to disturb my friend, but she''s the only one I can turn to, especially in times like this.

    "Hello! Madeline, Where are you right now?" My best friend asked me, but I find it hard to answer her because I am still crying, and I am trying to control myself, but no matter how I try to stop, I couldn''t do it, and with trembling hands, I ended the call. And I know I make her worry, secondster my phone is ringing, and I will feel guilty if I am not going to answer her call, and I don''t have a choice but to receive her call.

    "Hello," I softly answered her call.

    "Hey, what is wrong, Madeline? I know something is off. Why are you crying,Maddie, please, tell me what is going on, you know I am in the middle of my duty, but I will be there for you if you need me." She said, but I continue sobbing.

    "Madeline, please tell me where you are, and I am going to get you there. I can ask my boss to get out early. Are you okay?" She asked again.

    "No, I am not fine, and I am sorry, I know I should not disturb you at this hour, but I feel so sad, and I don''t have anyone to talk to, and I am riding a bus I came from the mental care homes, and I am having a hard time right now. I know I''m selfish, but I need to see you, Gina. I will wait for you at the bus station at Archois city." I dered.

    "Okay, wait for me there. I will meet you at the bus station, and please, don''t do something stupid, wait for me." She responded.

    "Alright, thank you so much, and I am sorry for disturbing you at this hour," I said.

    "Hey, I always have time for you, you are my only best friend, and you know that you can call me any time. I am just one call away. Update me about your location from time to time, so I can estimate when I am going to pick you up." She responded.

    "I am low on battery, but I am now in Hyacinth town, one more town, and I will reach Archois," I said.

    "Okay, and whatever happens, You have to wait for me, and please stop crying, Madeline. I don''t know what is going on right now, but I want you to know I will be here for you, that is certain. So, please hold on and stay strong. I know you are tough, and you can do this. I need to go now Maddie, see youter." She said.

    "Goodbye, Gina," I replied, and I ended the call. And even though I only talk with my best friend for a while, I can feel that I feel a little better, and I stop myself from crying, and I know I am going to cry again once I meet her in person. But I need to contain myself and show my best friend that I am still strong. I never thought that my decision would make me so unhappy. I also realized if I lie, I will be more miserable than what I am feeling today. At least, I felt proud of myself that I did something remarkable, and I showedpassion towards Reba and my husband.

    I get off the bus, and I look around the area, but I couldn''t find my best friend''s car yet, so I go to the nearest bench and sit. I feel so empty and in deep pain. And I can feel the heaviness of my swollen eyes while my nose is red. I picked up my shades from my shoulder bag, and I put them on to hide my eyes from anyone. I hope Gina wille now because I want to ask her to bring me to my favorite ce where I can shout. I realize next time I should wear jeans and a shirt, So if ever I need to run away again, I can go wherever I want. Besides, wearing a dress can be so ufortable sometimes.

    When I saw Gina''s car, I quickly got up from my seat and walked fast, going to her vehicle.

    "Madeline, next time if you are going somewhere far, please, don''t forget to bring a power bank so that you can charge your phone. You don''t know how worried I am if you run away again without telling me where you are going." Gina said the moment I get inside her car. She looked so gorgeous wearing a mini skirt and sleeveless white blouse.

    "Yes, ma''am, and I''m sorry that I make you worry," I answered.

    "Where do you want to go, Maddie? Just tell me, and I will bring you there." She dered.

    "Can you bring me to the Archois top hills?" I asked, and she looked at me intently, and she nodded her head, and she knows why I want to go there.

    "Are you hungry? We can eat here in any restaurant you want; I still have my savings when I worked at the Divenson mansion." Gina said, but I shook my head.

    "I don''t feel like eating, Gina. Please bring me somewhere where I can release all the bad feelings that I have inside." I said.

    "Okay, I will bring you out there, but you have to promise me after we talk, we should eat. I know what is going on with your life now, Madeline, but you need to remember you have to eat to survive, and If you don''t want to end up like Reba, you better take good care of yourself because you have to love yourself first, Madeline." She dered, and I nodded.

    We are silent the entire trip going to Archois hills. Gina parked her car, and the breathtaking view usually makes me feel so good, but right now, all I can feel is the pain. Every time I felt frustrated, Gina always takes me here because she knows I want to release everything I felt. And she motioned me to get out of the car. My best friend leaned her back on her vehicle while I moved closer to the cliff, and I can see the ravine, and I felt the knots on my stomach. I was here after my mom wasid to rest.

    "I hate this life!!!!!!" I shouted over and over again.

    "Why! Why! Why! Why it has to be me????" I added, and I can hear the echoes of my voice. I continue shouting until I can feel the soreness of my throat. Until I could no longer take it, I started crying, and I kneel to the ground, and I felt Gina''s arms around me.

    "Shhh, Madeline, it is okay, I am here, and I am willing to listen. You can tell me anything, Maddie." She said in more than a whisper.

    "Why the world needs to be so cruel to me, Gina? What have I done wrong that I need to suffer this way? I am in too much pain, and I don''t know how to stop the anguish I feel. I try to understand everything, but why it feels like I don''t deserve to be happy at all? Because every time I experience a little happiness, I need to undergo endless misery." I said as I try to control my tears.

    "Madeline, can you tell me what happened?" Gina asked me.

    "I came with Hunter and Calixto at the mental care homes, I thought I would be fine, but the moment Hunter was reunited with Reba and watched them kissed, my world turned upside down. I even told you before that I am ready, and I am willing to take whatever Hunter''s decision would be, but I realized I would never be okay, Gina. God knows how I wanted him to help Reba, but it almost kills me watching them hugging each other. How am I going to live my life right now, Gina? Can you tell me?" I asked her, and I saw my friend''s tears welled up in her eyes before she hugged me and stroked my back.

    "Oh, Madeline, I am so sorry that you have to undergo this kind of sorrow, and there is nothing I can do to help you to take away the pain as of the moment. But I can promise you that I will be here for you, Maddie. I can feel your pain, your anguish, and most of all, your determination to face it all, cry your heart out, all you need to do is release all the pain that you are feeling right now." Gina said, and I cry harder.

    "I know there are no words that can soothe you right now, but you have to fight for your right. You are now Hunter''s wife, Madeline." She said.

    "I know, Gina, but the painful truth is Reba was his first love before I be his wife, and I think the best way to do right now is to leave Hunter because I know he can''t help her wholly if I am there in our house. We can''t tell Reba that I am his wife because our mission to save her will be useless." I said.

    "Oh, no, why it has to be soplicated. I couldn''t believe something like this will happen in real life, and I thought it would only take ce in movies." Gina responded.

    "Me too, " I replied, and I felt d that I felt better after I shouted on the cliff. This ce is secluded, and I want to stay here for a long time.

    "Maddie, think it over. I am not telling you to go or stay because you are the only one who will suffer and who can decide for yourself, but I want to help you in any way I can. I can stay with you in your house for the time being the moment Hunter will bring her into your home. Besides, Hunter needs you, Madeline. He loves you now, and it is impossible that he will fall out of love with you easily; he even remembers his first love, and how much more about his love for you? Just give him time to help her, and it is yet early to tell, and when it is time for you to leave from that house, I will be the one who will drag you out from there." Gina said, and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "I am happy to see you smile, Madeline. And we need to leave now so we can eat." She added, and I nodded my head, and she helped me get up on my feet.

    "Thank you, Gina. I don''t know what to do without you in my life." I said.

    "You are wee. You know I will always be here for you, Madeline." She said and opened the door car for me.. And we leave the hills, and I can say I feel better, and I am so thankful for my best friend for making me feel important and loved.

 Chapter 108 - More In Love With My Wife

    Hunter''s POV

    "Mr. Divenson, I think we should leave now, I have been searching almost the entire campus of the University, but I haven''t seen Madeline," Cal said.

    "Where could she be, Cal?" I asked.

    "I think in a moment like this, she is with her best friend. You know she is hurting, and I am certain she is with Gina right now." Calixto said.

    "I think you need to go home, Hunter. You don''t need to worry because I am sure she wille home to your house. Madeline loves you, and there is no way she will leave you." Cal added.

    "I know that she loves me, Cal, but I hurt her terribly today. I don''t know what to do anymore, but I am sure about what I feel. I love my wife, and I will never leave her. The only thing I can do for her right now is to show her that she means a lot to me. I will not bring Reba into our house." I dered, and his eyes widened, and a broad smile spreads across his face.

    "So, what are you going to do with her?" Calixto asked.

    "I want you to prepare the penthouse, and I will bring her there. And then, I will ask Lucinda to look for her, and I will hire maybe two nurses, and they will be in a shifting schedule to monitor her medications. And I will look for the best psychiatrist in the whole country. And as possible, I will spend more time with her so that she can recover quickly. I don''t have the heart to hurt Madeline more. Maybe in this way, she will realize how much I care for her." I said.

    "Well, that is a brilliant n. I thought you would never look for another alternative. I want to ask you the same thing, but I know I am not in the position to tell you what to do. But I was hoping that you will find another way so you can lessen the pain of Madeline." Cal replied.

    "Even in the middle of my confusion, I know how much I feel for Madeline. But I am aware as of this moment that I need to stay with Reba most of the time. It pained me watching her in her current state, and she used to be so healthy and happy. I couldn''t believe my father will do this to her. She lost her sanity because she was always thinking about our son and me, and of course, that tragic ident drove her mad. And my father lied to her. How could he be so selfish, Cal? I mean, why does he need to do this?" I asked, and I notice almost all the car in the parking lot is gone. And I realized Cal was right. My wife only texted him that she needed to submit a report as an alibi because she couldn''t take the pain.

    "Your father is always hungry for wealth, power, and fame. And it is no longer a question of why this happened to you and to the women you love. I understand that you are the most affected by this, but I am sure you can ovee this predicament. Today, I realized that being handsome is not that easy. Imagine you are torn between two beautiful women, and I know you love them both, but you need to decide whom you want to be with because it would be so unfair for both of them." Cal said as I drive away from the campus.

    "I never thought you would experience this kind of dilemma in your life, Hunter; you are rich, handsome, and popr with girls, but I am aware that once you fall in love, you are loyal, but how can you show your loyalty to both Reba, and Maddie?" He asked, and he released a heavy sigh, and it feels like Cal is the one suffering right now, not me.

    "You may say, I am popr with women, but you knew how much I avoided them after Reba''s fake death. I spent so much time thinking about what could have happened if I will be given a second chance to be with Reba again before Maddie came into my life, and why do I need to see her now? I am living my life happily with my wife." I said as I continue driving my car, and I wish to see Madeline because I want to make sure she is okay. After all, we couldn''t contact her number.

    "Hunter, there is always a reason why it happens. Everything happens for a reason." He replied, and I halfughed.

    "That is bullshit, Cal. What could be the reason for this? I don''t think this is fair, and this is too much for me to take. I couldn''t find enough reason why this is happening to me right now. The only mistake I made was I doubted Reba''s love for me that day." I said.

    I parked my car in front of Gina''s house, and I quickly climb out of my car, and Calixto did the same. I walked towards the main door when I saw her mother came out of the house, and my face fell when she said Gina is not yet around since she is still working at the restaurant. We left the ce, and I became more frustrated when Gina''s colleagues informed me that she left early from the restaurant today, and I felt so disappointed that Gina does not answer my call. And I realized maybe Maddie begged her not to answer me. Out of my frustrations, I hit the steering wheel for how many times.

    "Hey, Hunter, we need to eat dinner," Cal said.

    "How can I eat dinner when I am feeling like this?" I asked him, and I can see the concern written all over his face. And I felt so grateful that Cal is with me at this very moment because I know without him, I don''t know how I will survive this ordeal, and right now, I am losing my fucking mind.

    "Even if you don''t want to eat, you have to. How are you going to survive if you will lose your health? It would help if you are strong so you can face your problem heads on. You can do this, Hunter, you are strong, and all you need to do is believe that everything will be well. You can''t solve this crisis overnight." He said, and I agree with Cal.

    Then, I find the perfect ce for us to eat.

    "Are you sure you want to be here? I mean, if you''re going to look for Madeline, I can go inside and inquire; you don''t need to bring me here to eat." He dered, and I can''t stop myself from smirking.

    "Do you think I am a jealous freak? Come on, Cal, you have to ept Jack Morigan''s cooking is superb, and there is no ce I want to eat right now, but here. I know how much Jack likes Madeline, but I am confident my wife loves me, so you don''t need to worry about anything." I said, and I turned off the engine, and then I walked inside to Jack''s ce, but Cal was walking beside me. I was hoping to find my wife in this ce.

    "Mr. Divenson, Cal, it is nice to see you here in my brother''s restaurant. Is Madeline with you?" Lianne asked, and I need to swallow my saliva before I can answer her. And I felt so down that Madeline is not here. I am just d Calixto answered her on my behalf.

    "Just the two of us, Ms. Morigan, your friend was busy making reports, and we came out from office a littlete, and we are both starving," Cal exined, and Jack''s sister smiled at us, and she handed us the menu, and she turned around and left us after she took our order.

    "After dinner, you need to go home, Mr. Divenson. You don''t need to drive me home, and I can take a taxi." Cal dered.

    "I am going to send you whether you like it or not, Cal," I said.

    "Hunter, you don''t need to do that." He replied.

    "I insist since I asked you toe with us today in visiting Reba, and that is the least that I can do. And there is no way I am going to allow you to take a taxi. Don''t worry, and I will ask one of the drivers to send your car to your house right now. You don''t need toe to my estate to get your car." I dered.

    "Thank you, Mr. Divenson." He responded, and I am d he stop arguing with me. Our order came, and I didn''t realize how hungry I was until I smelled the aroma of the soup and the main dishes. I eat since I don''t want my assistant to reprimand me. It is so funny to think that every time we are outside the office, our situation will be reversed. Cal will act like my boss because he keeps on nagging me and reminding me of what I should do with my life. But I can''t deny I love it; he conducted himself like he was my father.

    We eat in silence, and I enjoyed my meal because the food was tasty. And I heartily devour my food as I scan the area, hoping I will find Madeline, and I can tell Calixto looked so happy that I eat my meal.

    There are so many things ying in my mind at the moment, and I want to go to the Divenson mansion since I am not done with my father yet, and I want to confront my mother regarding this matter, and I couldn''t believe they hide this vital information from me.. And I hope Madeline will stay with me and help me face this battle because I perceive I need to help Reba, but deep in my heart, I know I want my wife because I realized I am more in love with her than my ex.

 Chapter 109 - I Will Never Give Up

    Madeline''s POV

    "Where do you want to eat, Madeline?" Gina asked me when we entered the city center, I quickly turned my head to her, and I shrugged my shoulders.

    "I don''t have the appetite to eat. All I want to do isy in my bed. But I don''t want to go home because I don''t want to see Hunter. I don''t know what to do right now, Gina. And I think it is a good idea if I will note home, and I better stay away from themso they can have peace." I said, and I released a heavy sigh.

    "And what will happen to you? You will be living your life in misery and spend the rest of your life asking what could have happened if you stay? You are my best friend, Maddie, but this time I will contradict your decision. You have to go home to your husband, and I know it will never be easy on your part. But, you have to remember you decided to inform Hunter about his ex-girlfriend being alive. You also know that Hunter is having a hard time right now, so the best thing you can do is be there for him, don''t leave him, Madeline; he needs you this time." My best friend dered as she looked at me sideways before she returned her focus on the road.

    "I know, and I don''t think the decision that I made was the right decision at all, but deep inside me, I know it is the most sensible thing to do. You know me, Gina, even though I live my lifecking parental love because I became an orphan at an early age when mom left me, and I didn''t get the chance to know my father. I know I am poor financially and poor in terms of a family because I only have my aunt, and you, and the Morigans. But I want to live a dignified and carefree life, and I don''t want to hurt anyone." I dered.

    "I know, and I understand what you mean, Madeline, but you are not hurting Reba intentionally because you are Hunter''s legal wife. If you are going to think about it, you have all the right to be with Hunter because you are now married to each other, and right now, leaving Hunter is not an option." She replied.

    "And I know theing days will be hard for both of you, but you need to be strong, Maddie, for the sake of your love for your husband. Please don''t throw it away, Madeline. What do you have is wonderful. He loves you, and that is what matters the most. You might have seen him kiss her, but I don''t think it means he loves you less. You don''t know. Maybe it was just because he thought she died, and you can''t deny that he missed her." Gina added, and I can''t disagree with her opinion on this matter.

    "Can we eat at Jack''s restaurant?" She asked.

    "No, please don''t bring me to Jack''s ce because I am sure Hunter will go there. He knows how much I love spending time at the restaurant of Jack. Please bring me somewhere else." I answered quickly, and she pouted her lips, and I know I disappoint her because she wants to see the handsome chef.

    "Gina, don''t worry, one of these days I will bring you to his restaurant, not now. I don''t want Jack''s family to know that something is wrong with my rtionship with my husband." I said, and she smiled.

    "Why are you smiling? I thought you hate me that I don''t want to go to Jack''s ce." I dered.

    "I am happy that you still care about your rtionship with Hunter, and it means you still want to fight because you don''t want others to know that your rtionship is shaky right now. But don''t worry, Maddie, everything will be all right. I know when this is all over, you will find the happiness that you have been looking for, and I am sure absolute joy awaits you because you deserve to be happy after what you have been through all your life. You have a good heart and soul, so I don''t think you are going to spend the rest of your life in pain and agony." Gina said, and I looked at her face, and I can''t stop myself from smiling at her even though I felt like crying again.

    "You are strong, and I don''t think there is no test that you cannot surpass. I am asking sorry that after we eat, I am going to drive you home whether you like it or not. I care about you, Maddie, and right now that your mind is in chaos, I need to intervene, and I know even though you feel like you are dying inside, once you see Hunter, you will feel better even though deep inside you are worried about what will happen with you two now that Reba came into the picture." She added, and I lean my body at the backrest of the car seat as I watch the busy metropolis around us.

    "Yeah, you are right, Gina; I need toe home, but I am more afraid to face Hunter now because I hate seeing him in pain, and I know my presence in his life will make him more confused. Can we go somewhere else after we eat? I want to clear my head maybe we can listen to a band, or we can do something to clear my head, you know me I don''t have a chance to chill at night, or to have a nightlife since I have been busy working all my life. Then I married Hunter Divenson, and I don''t have any regrets marrying him, but right now, I wish he never finds me when I run away from him before we get married." I said as I look back on the day I left the Divenson mansion, and I suddenly miss Lily, and I realized I have to see her because I know she can make me feel better.

    "Sure, I have been waiting for this day toe that you will be the one asking me that we will have nightlife. I have been bugging you all these years to enjoy your life once in a while, but I don''t remember you listening to me. And I understand because you wanted to help your aunt pay off your debts, and I am sure if Hunter didn''te into your life, you are still living your life like you are a machine. You keep on working during holidays and school breaks, and it pained me. I am so thankful that you meet him." Gina said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so sad as I remember Hunter''s handsome face.

    "And I feel your pain Madeline, and I also hate the world right now that you are experiencing this kind of suffering, but I guess you need to undergo this kind of dilemma to test your strength and faith and to make you stronger. And don''t worry, everything will pass." She added, and I can see her favorite Mexican restaurant near us.

    "Yeah, you could be right, Gina, but I hate that this is too much trial for me," I responded, and we fell silent as Gina parked the car. We get out and get inside the restaurant, and she ordered Pork Chile Verde, Easy Stuffed Ponos, Chicken Soft Tacos. And for our dessert, she ordered Creamy Caramel n. Even though I don''t have the appetite to eat, the moment I see the food in front of me, I suddenly feel hungry, and I realized I am starving. We eat in silence, and after having dinner, she brings me to the nearest karaoke bar.

    "Seriously?" I asked her after we get inside our room, and she cocked her head at me, and then she chose her music on the screen.

    "You want to listen to some music, then I will sing just for you, Madeline. We don''t need to go somewhere else to have some fun. You can listen to me sing my favorite songs, and your favorites tell me your songs, and I will key in the numbers, or you can sit there and fall asleep because I don''t care." She said, and I shook my head and sat down on the leather sofa. And I can''t stop myself from smiling the moment she started singing.

    I admit Gina has a lovely voice, and I always want to listen to her every time she will sing a song for me. The moment she gave me the microphone, I hesitated at first, but after her three songs, I stood up, and I sing my heart out. It feels so good to pour out all my emotions through the songs that I sing, and I felt so d she brought me here. And after one hour, I asked her to extend one more hour until our one hour turned to three hours. And we had fun singing together, and we pped and cheered for each other, and I know I don''t have a good voice like my best friend, but I can tell I know how to sing.

    "Thank you, Gina. I don''t know what to do without you in my life." I said the moment we get inside her car, and she looked at me with a broad smile on her face before she starts her car.

    "Madeline, I want to see you happy, and it is my pleasure to be with you today. Seeing you smile warms my heart, and makes me feel happy as well, knowing that you feel better. And most of all, we are best friends, and that what best friends do for each other." She replied and drove away from the karaoke bar going to our home.

    "Good luck, Maddie. Please don''t give up." She said after I climbed out of her car, and I looked at my best friend over the opened window, and I give her my sweetest smile.

    "Don''t worry, I will hold on, and even though this adversity that I am facing right now will shatter my heart into million pieces, I will never give up," I said, feeling so confident that everything will be alright. I can see the happiness on my best friend''s face as she drives away from me. And I take my steps to go inside our house, and I stopped in my tracks when I found Hunter striding towards me.. I can feel the racing of my heart, and I can''t stop myself looking at his handsome face, and his intense gaze made my knees felt so weak, andI wish he will kiss me tonight to erase all the uncertainties that I felt.

 Chapter 110 - The Only Woman I Want

    Hunter''s POV

    "Good night, Mr. Divenson; thank you so much for sending me home, and I am hoping you will be fine. Don''t worry, and I am sure Madeline wille home to your house. So stop looking like that, and I am not so used to see you like you are carrying the world on your shoulders." Calixto said, and I looked at him before I speak.

    "Cal, I want to say thank you foring with me today, and even though I am having a hard time right now, I am still grateful that I still have you supporting me all the way you can. And it''s funny that I wish you were my father, and it hurts me to know that my birth father was ying with my emotions. How could he do this to me? Until now, I am still in denial that my dad could do something like this to us, and I want him to answer me with everything that he had done to the woman I loved and to me." I dered.

    "Well, I understand what you want, Hunter, but no matter what you are going to do, he is still your father. Thank you so much that you confided with me. It is my pleasure to help you, and I also feel you are like my son, and I want you to know that I will always be here for you every time you need help, except for money, because you were the one who has a lot of money. Kidding aside, rk told you that you could visit him in your estate if you want to know what happened why he did it to Reba. And I know you hate your father right now, but maybe he has his reasons." Cal said.

    "And I think you can ask your father, and you can have a serious talk with him, but I am asking you to stop using force and avoid hitting your dad. rk is old. Even though he looked stronger and tough, he can never win against you because you are stronger than him. And it would be best if you remember that it is not a good idea to let your anger and hatred ovee your senses. You have to be reasonable, and you have to think always that violence will never solve any problem, and it will make things moreplicated." He added.

    "Thank you, Cal, for the advice, and don''t worry, I will never hit him again even if I am tempted to do it. You know how much I respected my father, but what he did to Reba was unforgivable. She became insane because of what he had told her. And how I wish my father told Reba everything after she was discharged from the hospital after the ident." I replied, and he smiled before he opened the door and got out of my car.

    "Goodbye, Hunter." He said.

    "Goodbye, Cal," I replied, and I drove away from Calixto.

    The moment I get home, I can''t stop myself from feeling so worried about Madeline, and I wonder where she could be at this hour because she is not yet home. I undressed my clothes, and I took a warm bath because I want to take away the tiredness of my entire body. I get dressed in sweatpants and a white sleeveless tank top. I get out of our room, and I waited for her toe home.

    I was restless as I sat in our spacious living room, and I keep on watching the clock on the wall because it is gettingte and Madeline is not yet around, and I wondered if she will sleep again at her best friend''s ce. But deep inside me, I was hoping she wille home to me tonight because I miss her so much, and I want to apologize to her for hurting her today. I don''t want two see her in pain, and I want to take everything that she feels by telling her how much I care about her. And I couldn''t take it anymore. I get outside the house, and I waited for my wife toe.

    I can feel the evening breeze tickled on my skin, and I miss my wife more. And I hope she''s not crying anymore. I sat on the porch chair while I patiently waited for her. And my heart skipped a beat the moment I saw the headlights of Gina''s car in our driveway, and I can feel the rapid beating of my heart as I watched Maddie climbed out from the vehicle, and I feel so thankful for Gina that she sent my wife home. When I look at my wristwatch, I realize it is past midnight. I want to wait for her at the front porch, but I couldn''t contain myself from meeting her.

    I walk towards Madeline, and I can tell the surprised look on her face. And I realized she wasn''t expecting me to be home and waiting for her. She stopped walking and gazed at me, and then I can''t stop myself from looking at her with intensity. And as I watched her standing on our driveway looking so hot and lovely, I can''t stop the throbbing of my member. I miss my wife, and I can''t wait to make love with her and make her forget the anguish that she felt, and I want her to realize that I will never leave her.

    "Madeline, where have you been? Why did you leave me there? I felt so worried about why you left without saying goodbye to me, and I am sorry if I hurt you this morning. Please, forgive me, Maddie. I don''t want to hurt you." I softly said while never taking my eyes away from her lovely face, and I close the distance between us, and I can now smell the sweet scent of my wife, and it drove me nuts.

    "Hunter, I know I should never leave you, but I couldn''t take it when I saw you kissing her. It feels like my heart is pierced, and I know I am not in the position toin and get hurt because I am aware of how much you loved your ex. I know where I stand in your life. I am just your wife, you only marry me because you wanted a child, and now that she is back, I realize you no longer need me." Madeline said, and she doesn''t know how much her words hurt me.

    I pulled her closer to me, and I tightly hugged her for a long time without saying a word. I felt so afraid that she will leave me because I know I can''t take it. And instead of saying anything, I captured her lips, and I kiss her passionately. And I felt so d when she kisses me back hungrily. We were kissing each other hungrily, and we kiss for a long time. And I can''t stop myself from touching my wife all over her body. I deepened our kiss until I heard my wife moaned.

    I carried her in getting inside the house without breaking our kiss that we almost stumbled at the front steps, but it never stops us from kissing each other. I pushed the main door by using my left hand while we are still kissing each other hungrily; I couldn''t bring her upstairs in our bedroom anymore because I want to take Maddie, the fear of losing my wife makes me feel the urge to im her right away, but I always think about her. I want to let her enjoy the beauty of our lovemaking every time we did it, and in one swift movement, I was able to undress her.

    She looked so beautiful now, wearing only her red bra, and I have to swallow my saliva when I saw she was only wearing a thong, and I can feel my erection getting bigger as I watch my wife in her glorious seductive body. And I can''t stop touching her sensitive part between her legs that made her moan, and I kissed her lips deeply since I couldn''t contain the excitement and the fear of losing her.

    "Maddie, you are not just my wife, you are my legal wife, and you are mine. You belong to me, and I am yours, and I need you more than you will ever know. Please, allow me to ease the pain that you feel. I don''t want to hurt you, my love, my sweet Madeline." I whispered as I nibbled her ear, and she slightly arched her body towards mine. I pressed my erection towards her to make her feel I am so hard and ready for her and make her realize how much I love to have her. I felt so hot, and when Madeline touched and stroked my manhood, I can feel the pleasure surging from deep within my core, and the throbbing of my manhood made me ache for her more. I almost tear her thong as I pulled it down through her long smooth legs. And I hold and caressed her perfect ass as I grabbed her closer to me.

    She discarded her bra at once, and I can''t stop myself from taking her perfect supple breast on my mouth, and I take my time to taste her and feel her. I hear her let out a soft moan when I nibbled and sucked her perky pink nipple. And I love the way she reacted to my touched and kissed, and when she arched her body, I put my arm around her waist because I want to take her closer to me. After all, I want to feel her heartbeat synched with mine.

    And I realized Madeline is the only woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I love her so much, and I will do anything to make her feel secure, and I kissed her like it was the first time that I kissed my wife.. I take my time tasting her, and I wished to make her the happiest woman in this entire universe even though fate is trying to break us apart.

 Chapter 111 - Hunter Chose Me

    Madeline''s POV

    My husband did not only kiss me; but he takes me into his loving arms, and Hunter hugged me tightly like he was so afraid of losing me, and the moment I felt his body pressed against mine, I felt I am home, and all the worries and uncertainties that I felt were gone. And when he captured my mouth, I can feel the sparks, and the way he trailed kisses on my lips down to my throat made me forget that we are in the middle of a crisis. It feels like we are on our honeymoon once again.

    I can feel the love of my husband through his kisses and the way he touches me. Hunter kissed me wild and so hot that it drives my body crazy, and he made me trembled with anticipation, and the way he nibbled my ear after he whispered the things I was longing to hear makes me feel burning inside, and I can feel that my entire body is on fire.

    He gently pushed me on the couch, and I sat on the cushion while my legs are dangling, and I watched him go down on his knees, and I moaned when he touched me on my mound and when he rubbed and caressed the sensitive parts between my legs. And I arched my body towards him so he can touch me more, and the moment he kissed me down there, I grunted, and I held his hair and pulled him closer to me.

    He tasted me tenderly, and the way he dragged his tongue up and down and made a number eight pattern on my mound, I bit my lower lip to keep myself from screaming as I can feel the euphoria, and my eyes rolled at the back of my head. I can''t stop my heart from hammering on my chest; when he gently flicked my bud, and by the time hepped mybia and sucked my clit I started to whimper as I can feel my orgasms building up inside me, and it was a total bliss that my husband makes me feel this way.

    "Come for me, my sweet wife; I want you toe." Hunter said, and I couldn''t hold it anymore, and I came to his mouth, and he continues to suck and licked me as I gripped my hands on the sofa. I felt overwhelmed with happiness, and I became wetter when I saw him stroking his throbbing rod. It is so big that I felt the need to have him inside me. Still, my husband teased me with the head of his member as he stroked it gently on my entrance, and I couldn''t help myself from rubbing him. I smiled when I hear him moan as he can feel me jerking him off, and I can feel him getting bigger as I continue to stroke his stiff rod, and when I take him in my mouth, I can feel my husband shuddered.

    I teased his mushroom head with the tip of my tongue, and then I take him into my mouth, and I gagged as I try to deep throat him, but I couldn''t take him all because he is so long and stiff but didn''t stop me from making him feel so good.

    "Oh, Maddie! You are making me crazy, and I need to take you now. I want to bury myselfinside you, my sweet wife, you are soaking wet, and I can tell you are so ready for me." He said, and he put his muscr hands on my waist, and he lifted me andid my entire body on the couch. When he positioned himself to take me, I felt the urge to have him immediately, but Hunter takes his time teasing me. He is only pushing the head on my wet entrance without pushing deeper.

    "Hunter, please, take me now. I want you to have me now, don''t tease me anymore." I begged him, and I can see the beautiful smile on his handsome face, and I can''t stop myself from drooling over his rocked, hard abs. And I realized I am so in love with my husband, and the way he makes me feel right now is worth all the pain that I felt, and when he told me, we belong to each other, and I am his legal wife, I tried to forget what tomorrow might brings, what is important is we are on this together. And I can feel it through his kisses that my husband is in love with me too.

    "You don''t need to beg me, my Madeline, because I have been holding myself to take you the moment you got out from Gina''s car; you don''t know how much I ache for you and how hard you make me just watching you walk like a model. You are so beautiful, Madeline." He said as he pushed inside me, and I moaned as I feel my husband go deeper inside me, and the pleasure he gives me makes me moaned loud, and my outcry of joy reverberated in our living room. I take all of him with total surrender, and when he started to thrust himself harder while sucking my nipple, I can feel the me enveloped my entire body.

    I receive my husband in total bliss, and I can feel him inside me, he was pumping so hard now, and when he quickened his face, I bucked my hips to feel him more. And I can feel him throbbing inside my tight walls, and I love how he makes me feel. Then he kissed me on the lips hungrily and sucked my tongue while he continues to push harder and pound me like we haven''t done this for a long time. Then he carried me from the sofa, and he sat while he let me ride him. And I can feel his strong arms on my hips as I straddled him, and I can feel his member hardened as I rock my hips up and down.

    My husband groaned as I continue to meet his every stroke, and with mighty strokes, he takes me to the edge, and I screamed as my body started to whimper and shake as Hunter pounded me with his throbbing manhood, and I can feel my tight slit gripped his stiff rod, and I love the way my husband made love to me. We moaned together as I feel the intensity and the sweetness of our lovemaking. And we came together as I screamed my husband''s name, and he released his cum inside me as I can feel his climax, and I shuddered and moaned as I feel my own orgasm as he dumped his load on my slit. And I copsed on top of my husband while I can still feel his thick erection inside me.

    "I love you, Madeline." He whispered in my ear as he secured my body with his arms, and my head is on his shoulder while I am still on top of him; and I slowly move to his side, and he was watching me with too much affection that made all my worries disappeared.

    "I love you too, Hunter." I replied, and without warning, my husband picked me up like I weighed nothing at all, and he walked to the stairs going to our room. He put my naked body on top of our bed, and hey beside me. He pulled me closer to him while I am trying to control the pounding of my heart as I can feel his breath on my skin. I know he will always make me feel ready for him, and I hate to think that I want him to take me over and over again, but I know he was so exhausted today, not only physically but emotionally. I put my head on his chest while he was stroking my hair.

    "Madeline, " He softly mumbles my name, and I raised my head to look at him.

    "Yes?" I asked.

    "I am sorry again about what happened earlier in the mental care homes. I don''t intend to hurt you, Madeline. And I beg you to stay with me, even though I know I have to help Reba." He said, and I can see the pain on his face.

    "All I am asking you is to be patient with me while I will do my best to support my ex with her illness. I can''t turn my back on her, knowing my father was the reason why she lost her sanity." My husband said, and I caressed his face, and instead of answering him, I kissed him passionately on the lips.

    "I know, Hunter, and don''t worry, I will stay by your side. I am sorry if I felt jealous and hurt when I saw you kissed Reba, and I think no wife will feel happy if they find their husband kissing another woman. In our case, I know how much you care about her, and I know how special she is in your life. Don''t worry, I understand, but I hope you will also try to realize that this is not so easy for me." I replied.

    "Yeah, I know, Maddie." He said as he put some strands of my hair at the back of my ear.

    "And that is why I will not bring her in this house, and this is our home." He said, and I couldn''t believe what I heard, and he smiled at me when he looked at the expression on my face.

    "Yes, Maddie, I will bring Reba to the penthouse, and I will hire nurses to take care of her, including Lucinda, and I will take her to the best psychiatrist in the country." He added, and I felt so relieved that he will take her to the penthouse and not here in our own house.

    "Thank you, Hunter." I said, and he smiled at me.

    "You are my wife, Maddie, and I respect you above all, and I hope you will never leave me whatever happens because I need you in my life, and I couldn''t imagine my life living without you." He said, and he brings me closer to him, and I felt so happy that my fate is with me right now, and the efforts of my husband made me realized he wants us to work, and I am d Hunter chose me.. I fall asleep with a broad smile on my face.

 Chapter 112 - The Last Thing I Wish To Do

    Madeline''s POV

    I felt my husband stood up from our bed as I can feel the mattress moved, but I feel so tired that I couldn''t even open my eyes, maybe because of what happened yesterday, and I am just so d that he made me feel secure and so happyst night. Later, I can hear the dripping of the water from the shower, and I know that he is taking a bath. I can listen to Hunter''s footsteps around our room, and when I try to open my eyes, I saw him dressing up with his business suit, and he looked so formal now and intimidatingpared to yesterday. I want to stand up and help him to put on his necktie, but I want to watch him do his things without my help, and I love watching him secretly. And I quickly close my eyes again when I feel him move closer to the bed.

    My husband caressed my face with his fingers, and I want to hug him, but I controlled myself because I don''t want him to think that I am so clingy, and then when Hunter kiss me on my lips, I want to kiss him back, but I can tell that he thought I was asleep. He touched my eyebrows down to my nose, and when he traces my lips with his fingers, I want to pull him closer to me and captured his mouth.

    "Goodbye, my sweet Madeline, I know you are pretending that you are asleep, and I am aware you were checking me out." He whispered in my ear before he stood up, and I can''t stop myself from smiling when I realized he knew I was watching him. And when I open my eyes, I saw my husband looking at me with tenderness, and when Hunter smiled at me, my heart is racing fast under my chest.

    "Good morning. I thought you would continue to pretend that you are sleeping until I will get out from our room." He said, and I slowly got up and covered my naked body with a nket, and he quickly grabbed me and put his arms around my waist, and he pulled me closer to him that I can feel the sparks traveled from my fingertips down to my toes the moment his hard body pressed against mine. And I can''t stop feeling so hot all over my body. And I can''t contain myself from smiling, and when he leaned down and captured my mouth, I put my hands around his neck as we kiss hurriedly, and I can tell I am turning him on.

    "Shit, I want to make love to you right now, Maddie, but I need to go now because Cal is waiting for me. We have an early meeting with a client today." He dered, and I can feel my face blushed, and I felt frustrated when he released me from his arms. But I try to hide it by giving him my sweetest smile.

    "Later, my love, please take care and enjoy your day." He said, and I nodded my head.

    "Goodbye, and take care, Hunter," I said. He kissed me one more time before he turned around and walked to the door. And I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I touched my lips, and I can still feel my husband''s kiss in my mouth. And I jumped and turned around like I am a teenager. I felt so happy that I could see in Hunter''s eyes how much he cares for me, and I can''t stop myself from dancing without music as I continue to relive the way he kissed me this morning. And I froze when the door suddenly opened, and it was toote he already found me dancing on the floor.

    "Wow! You looked so hot dancing, Madeline." He said as he darted his eyes on my naked body, and I can feel my entire face turned so red when I realized the nket that I covered myself fell to the ground as I danced myself without care, and I didn''t expect him toe back.

    "You don''t need to feel embarrassed, Madeline, you are my wife, and you have a gorgeous body, and I am so d that you are mine." He said as he gets closer to me.

    "Do you know how you make me feel right now? I am so hard for you, Maddie, but I need to stop myself from iming you since I am now veryte." He said, and he kissed me on the lips one more time while he cupped and caressed my breasts with his hand. I felt my breasts puckering under his touch, and my nipples hardened, and I can see the beautiful smile on his face. Even though he is veryte with his appointment, he takes time to taste my hard rock nipples one after the other, which made me arched my body, and when he spreads my thigh and touches the sensitive parts between my legs, I felt the butterflies on my stomach. I felt thrilled as I realized I am so naked while my husband is fully clothed. I can feel the me burning inside me.

    "Damn, I need to go now, Madeline." He grunted, and I can''t stop myself from giggling as I watched my husband picked up hisptop, and walked away from me with his throbbing manhood, and I wonder what he is going to do to stop the hard-on on his pants, and I felt so happy that I made him feel that way.

    I returned to the bed with a beautiful smile on my face, and I can''t contain myself from dragging my feet up and down on the bed as I can feel the warmth inside me. And I didn''t realize that I dozed off, and when I wake up, I jumped from my bed to take a bath since I will bete with my meetings with my fellow students for our joint project.

    I can stop myself from singing while taking a shower, and I feel so happy that my husband loves me. I get dressed in a simplevender mini dress, and I get out of my room with a beautiful smile on my face, as I slung my shoulder bag on my shoulder, but my entire body trembled the moment I reach the living room. I couldn''t believe I will find my father-inw sitting on the couch.

    "Aren''t you going to greet your father-inw, Madeline? And this is one of the reasons why I don''t want my son to be associated with someone like you because you don''t have manners." He dered as he stood up from the sofa, and Hunter''s father was looking at me with contempt, and before I can answer him, he started barking at me, which made me shivered.

    "I already told you to stay away from my son, and now I believe that you are going to leave him that Reba is alive. Why are you still here, Madeline? Reba is my son''s first love, and you know how much my son loves her. It is now time for you to go, Maddie. If you think that Hunter is still in love with you, you are wrong. He will forget you as time passes by, and he will neglect his feelings for you once he spends his time with his ex." He said, and his words hurt me, but I know that my husband still loves me. I know rk Divenson is here to ruin the beautiful rtionship I have with my husband.

    "Why do you even care if I will get hurt, Mr. Divenson? I will never leave your son alone because I love him, and I don''t care if I am going to get hurt in the end as long as I will stay by his side. I made a vow during our wedding day that I will stick with him whatever types of adversity we are going to face because I am his wife." I responded, and I tried to hide my fear. I don''t want rk to think that I am afraid of him, and I want to show him that he can never make me leave his son.

    I need to stand firm with my decision because I want to help Hunter. His father is selfish, and I know he is nning a strategy to make my husband''s life miserable again. And I wonder what kind of father he is that he can take it to watch his son suffered.

    "Ha! You are telling me that you are going to be a martyr? Come on, Madeline, the vowed that you made during your wedding day was void because my son married you because he wants to have an heir with you, and he doesn''t love you from the beginning, and you are foolish enough to believe him that he fell in love with you, Hunter is forever in love with his first love." He said, and I know he is only doing this so that I will leave this house, and I hate to think that at the back of my head, I am listening to his words.

    "I am his father, so I know what my son is capable of, and the feelings that he has for you were nothingpared to the love that he had for Reba. And now that she is back, I am sure in no time my son will leave you. So it would help if you go now while it is still early, and I think it is now the best time to file for a divorce. I will help you, Madeline." He dered, and I felt so cold as I hear the word divorce, and that is thest thing that I want to do because I will never leave my husband whatever it takes.

    "Look, Mr. Divenson, I know that you don''t want me to be your daughter-inw, and you will never like me whatever I am going to do because I came from a poor family. And thank you so much for your concern about Hunter''s feelings for me, but I regret to inform you that leaving your son is thest thing that I wish to do because I love Hunter so much, and I can''t leave him." I said, and I can see his face turned so red and his eyes are ring at me.

    "If you are not going to listen to me, Maddie, don''t tell me in the end that I didn''t warn you. You will regret this decision of yours, and I am telling you, you will be crying, and you will lose your chance to be with my son. I will never allow your kind to bear an heir, and the reason why you are still here alive because you are not pregnant yet, so you should watch out, Maddie, do everything you can, so you will no get pregnant, or else you will know what will happen to you." He said.

    "But it would be better if you will leave this house at once; the sooner, the better.." He said, and before I can react, he left me in the living room with trembling knees, and I couldn''t believe rk Divenson will ruin my beautiful day.

 Chapter 113 - New Found Friends

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you alright, Mrs. Divenson?" I heard a familiar voice asked me, and when I looked up, I am surprised to see Cer standing not so far away with the vacuum cleaner in her hand, andI can''t stop the smile that formed in my mouth. I am pleased to see her here in our mansion.

    "Cer? How and when did you get here? I am so happy to see you here." I said, and she shyly smiled at me.

    "Your husband called your mother-inw yesterday and asked her to send me this morning. Tony drove me here, and Lily begged her mom toe with me, but Madam Leticia told her toe over this weekend since she still has a ss. Your husband told me this morning even there are already maids in your estate, and he wants me to assist you personally." She shyly said.

    "He told me all I need to do is to cater all the things that you need, but I don''t want to stay here and do nothing since I know you, Mrs. Divenson, you always take care of your things, and you don''t want any help from me, that is why I want to help cleaning the house." She added, and I felt so touched that my husband cared for me. I am sure he asked Cer to served me because heknew I like her at the Divenson mansion. Maybe Hunter anticipated that there would be nights he won''t be home since he needs to be with Reba, and I can''t stop myself from feeling hurt just thinking he will be spending his time with Reba for theing days.

    I understand my husband, and I am d that he changed his n, and instead of bringing his ex here to our house, he will take Reba to the penthouse, and I will thank himter for sending Cer for me.

    "Thank you, I am so happy that you are here, and I want to ask you something, Cer, please stop calling me Mrs. Divenson. We are no longer in the house of rk Divenson, and you can call me Madeline or Maddie from now on. I want us to be friends. And don''t worry about my husband. He is so different from his father, and I am sure he will not mind if you call me by my first name. And I want you to call me on a first-name basis." I said, and I smiled at her.

    "Okay, Madeline, and thank you. When you asked me to call you by your first name when we were at the Divenson mansion, I''d love to, but I was afraid of Mr. rk if he will hear me calling you by your first name, and you know him, I am sure he will reprimand me.

    "Of course, I understand, Cer. I know how strict he is. I will get Lily Friday night so we can spend time together." I said.

    "That is great, and I am sure she will be so happy and excited to know that you will get her, and I think you should call or text her now so she will not be bugging her mother." She answered.

    "Okay, I will, " I said,and I fished out my phone from my shoulder bag, and I texted Lily, and she responded right away with so many heart emojis, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy, and I realized how I missed her, and I am so excited to see her.

    "Do you want to eat now, Mrs. Divenson? I am sorry, Maddie?" She asked, and I smiled that she still calls me Mrs. Divenson. It sounds too formal to me. I shook my head because after what happened early this morning, I lost my appetite to eat.

    "I will only drink milk and eat some fruits," I replied.

    "All right then, I will prepare your fruits and milk." She quickly said.

    "Never mind, I can do it myself, Cer." I dered and sweetly smiled at her, and I got up from the sofa and stride towards the kitchen while Cer goes back to her chores. And even though I feel so happy that Cer is with me right now, I can''t stop thinking about rk.

    I left the kitchen in a hurry since I only have little time to spare. I run to the parking lot and get inside my car. Still, I can''t stop my hands from trembling as I gripped the steering wheel as I remember rk Divenson words, and I am afraid if he will do something to me like what he did to Reba, and I am scared if he is already thinking a sinister n to discard me. And I am aware that he can do something terrible to me, but his threats will not make me leave my husband.

    I will face the wrath of Hunter''s father, and even though I feel so afraid right now, I am sure I am going to meet him with courage because I don''t want him to continue hurting his son. My husband''s life became a mess because of him. And how I wish he will stop what he is doing right now. I am sure he will not stop unless I will leave his son. But Hunter is my life now, and I don''t want to tell him what happened today because I already know there is so much in his head right now. Having Reba back was a shock to all of us, and maybe if he found her before I came into his life, I think he will be pleased, but his life became soplicated because he got married and fell in love with me.

    I understand my husband''s dilemma, and I can feel his pain, and the best thing to do right now is to be there for him whatever it takes; I drove away from our house with a heavy heart, and I wish that everything will be all right. And I hope Reba will get better soon. I was driving my car fast, and the moment I arrived at our meeting ce, I tried my best to look calm, and Iposed myself before I meet my ssmates.

    There are five of us in our group, two males and there are three of us girls. They greeted me warmly, and even though we see each other at the university campus, I don''t have enough time to mingle with them. I felt I am an outcast because they are talkingfortably with each other like they know each other closely, and I wish to know them too because I also wanted to have additional friends. After all, I only have Gina and the Morigans. I always love to be with my best friend, but of course, I understand that there are times she also needs to be with her family, and she has to spend time with her other circle of friends.

    I opened myptop as we started discussing our topic, but I couldn''t stop thinking about rk, even though for how many times I tried my best to stop thinking about him.

    "Are you okay, Madeline?" Patrick asked me, and I smiled at him. He is tall and handsome, and I like him right away because he looks friendly and amodating.

    "Yeah, are you alright, Maddie?" Rose seconded, and I blushed when I realized all sets of eyes are on me.

    "I am sorry, did you ask me about something? I was thinking some family matters, but don''t worry, and I will try my best to focus." I responded.

    "Hey, it is okay, Madeline. You don''t need to feel embarrassed about it, every one of us has family issues, and we are facing family problems too, and don''t worry, that is so normal." Mia said.

    "Yeah, that is true. If you only know mytest problem, Maddie, you will realize your problem is nothingpared with what I Am going through right now. My dad left my mom and mest week, and he ran away with his secretary." She said, and I couldn''t believe Carol will tell me her problem right now, and I felt so d that they wee me to their circle warmly.

    "I am sorry, Carol, that must be hard on your part," I replied.

    "It is okay, Maddie, we will survive even though my heart is aching for my mom. I need to be strong for her." She said, and I smiled at her, and then all of them shared their problems, and I am grateful that they trusted me enough to share their family problem with me.

    "It is okay if you will not share your problems with us as of the moment we understand, it has been a long while now that we want to make friends with you, but after we saw Hunter Divenson kissed you in the hallway of our ssroom, we realized to stay away from you, but now that we belong to one group we realized you are approachable. And we are happy to know you, Madeline." Carol added.

    "Thank you, guys," I said, and they all said wee.

    "If you are ready to share with us your troubles, we are willing to listen, but we understand if you will keep it a secret from us, that is your choice whether you will share your problem with us or not, but we want to tell you, you can always count on us." Mia dered, and I noticed only Cody remained silent, and I realized maybe he is a quiet type of guy.

    "Thank you so much. I appreciate your concern for me, and for that, I am d that I belong to your group." I said, smiling at them, I felt so grateful that I know them, but I can''t tell them that my problem is about rk Divenson, my father-inw, who wants to wreck my rtionship with my husband. And I couldn''t also tell them that my husband''s ex is alive after being known as dead for ten years.. But I am so thankful for them that I feel better after my encounter with Hunter''s father, and I will look forward to spending more time with my newfound friends as we do our project together.

 Chapter 114 - The Center Of My Universe

    Hunter''s POV

    I was driving my car in high spirits, and I couldn''t stop myself from thinking about my wife. Madeline looked so cute when she pretended that she was still sleeping this morning. When I found her checking me out with her half-closed eyes, it makes me feel so hot, and I don''t want to leave my wife, but I have an early meeting with clients, and my phone had been ringing since I got up from bed, and sometimes I hate Cal. But I have to admit I like hispetence.

    I can''t stop thinking about Madeline''s beautiful face and the way she smiles at me. I felt so happy and blessed to have her in my life, and I am confident that Madeline is the only woman for me. I couldn''t stop thinking about the episode this morning that until now, I couldn''t stop myself from smiling like an idiot.

    The moment I got inside my car and sat at the driver''s seat, I realized I left myptop, and I cursed under my breath because I am alreadyte. I hastily get out of my car, and I became sote when I saw one of the car services from the Divenson mansion, and I smiled the moment Tony and Cer climbed out from the car.

    "Good morning, Mr. Divenson, " They both greeted me, and I smiled at them and walked closer to them.

    "Good morning, Tony and Cer," I replied.

    "Tony, thank you so much for taking Cer here early this morning," I said.

    "You are wee, Mr. Divenson, that is my job, and I should take my leave now, Sir,since I need to run an errand for your dad." He said, and he quickly gets back to the car, and waved his hand to us, and drove away from our house, and I turn to face Cer.

    I am so d my mom sent her. I begged herst night to send Cer here because I got so worried about my wife. I know Madeline likes Cer, and because I am aware that for theing days, I will be going homete or worse, I can''te home because Reba will need me, but I already ask Cal''s help. At least if he is with me, he can help me look out for Reba.

    "Cer, I want to thank you foring even though it is short notice," I said, and I smiled at her, and I can tell that she is shy. I told her that I want her to apany my wife because even though we have many housemaids in the house, I can tell Maddie is notfortable with any of them.

    "You are wee, Mr. Divenson, and it is my pleasure to serve your wife." She responded. And I bring her inside the house, and I showed her to her room.

    "Mr. Divenson, I think there is a mistake. I can''t sleep here in this guest room; I will stay at the servant''s quarter." She said sheepishly, and I can say that she is shy and shocked that I took her to one of the guestrooms, but I shook my head.

    "Cer, there is no mistake. You will be staying in this room because I want you to be closed to the master''s bedroom at all times, so every time Madeline needs you, you can attend to her needs immediately. You don''t need to do the household chores, Cer, because I already assigned a person to do that. All I want from you is to apany my wife." I dered, and I can tell it shocked her because Cer is used to doing household chores in the Divenson mansion.

    "Thank you, Mr. Divenson." She replied, and I am so d now that Madeline will not be alone anymore, and I will not feel so guilty if I wille homete, but I will try my best to go home and sleep beside my wife every night.

    I don''t want my wife to spend her nights alone in this big house, and that is why I asked Cer toe and live with us. We don''t have housemaids who will sleep in the house because they alle home to their own houses that I provided for them inside our property because I want to have privacy with Madeline, but I can call them 24/7, and it is part of their contract, but it seldom happens. Once wee home, we never called any of them after we eat dinner, and they will clean the dining table and the kitchen and leave the house, and my butler is the one who manages all the affairs in our home.

    I want to make sure that my wife is living like a princess because I know how much she suffered growing up, and having three different part-time jobs in one day is too much for her, but she endured everything so she can help her aunt pay off their debts. And I am just d I found her, or else I am still now suffering from the past heartaches, and I will never learn to love again. And, of course, I will never find out that Reba is still alive if not for my wife.

    I hurried back inside our room after I showed Cer to her room, but the moment I opened the door of the master''s bedroom, I couldn''t believe I will find my wife dancing on the dance floor naked, and damn! She looked so hot, and the way she swayed her hips while her beautiful perfect breasts were wobbling made me felt so aroused, and I can feel my manhood throbbed under my pants.

    She turned me on beyond she can imagine, and when I looked at Madeline, her face turned bright red, and I want to im my wife right then and there. Still, I am veryte, but it never stops me from taking her into my arms, and it feels so sensual to look at the gorgeous naked body of my wife while I am still fully clothed. But I can''t ignore my phone that kept vibrating in the pocket of my pants. And it took a lot of my willpower to leave our room because of my desire to im my wife.

    And I realized that Madeline is now the center of my universe, and even though I know I have hurt Reba in the past, it made me realize that the thing that happened between us belonged to the past. And I understand that what I am feeling for Reba right now is abination of pity and guilt. And I am the only one who can help her.

    I need to help my ex recover, and I know it wouldn''t be easy for me to tell her the truth, but I don''t have a choice but to let her know that what we had was over because I am now married to Madeline. I don''t know how I will tell her about it, but I couldn''t risk hurting my wife again because I know I don''t know what will happen to me if I lose her. Because deep inside my heart, I know what I feel for Maddie is more profound than what I felt for my ex.

    I am aware that I am so lucky that I married Madeline, and I am so proud to call her my wife. There is no woman like her, and I became more in love with Maddie when she told me all about Reba. And it made me realize that she is selfless, and she loves me so much that she is willing to risk losing me, and I am so thankful that she stayed and didn''t walk away from me. I understand I have to talk with my father about what happened to Reba even though I am still angry with him, but my wife and Calixto begged me not to hurt him anymore.

    "Mr. Divenson, why are youte?" I heard the booming voice of Calixto as I entered my office, and I am still smiling even though he yelled at me.

    "I know, Cal. What can I do? I have a beautiful wife at home." I said, and I saw Cal''s mouth hangs open, and he was speechless.

    "Wow! Never in my life, I expected you to say something like that, and I want to jump right now if we don''t have clients waiting for us in the boardroom." He said while hebed his hair through his fingers, and I almostugh when I found him staring at me like he was seeing me for the first time.

    "What? You need to tell me what do you want me to do now, Cal?" I asked as I looked at him, and I can tell he is still shocked by my reaction, and I am even surprised that I am still looking so calm and happy even though someone is waiting for me. I used to be so punctual because I don''t like tardiness, and I always want to impress everyone, but right now, I am taking my time.

    "You need to move your ass now, or you will lose your clients, Mr. Divenson." He said, and I justughed at him, and I signaled him to walk ahead of me. When he started walking, I can''t stop myself from smiling when he keeps on looking back at me, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing when I saw Calixto hit his frame into the door of the boardroom, and I felt guilty when I realized he was writhing in pain, and I quickly moved closer to him.

    "Are you alright, Calixto? I can ask the clients to postpone our meeting." I seriously said, and his eyes widened.

    "Are you really going to do that?" He asked in disbelief.

    "Yes, Cal, you are important to me, and I don''t want to push through this meeting without you," I said.

    "Wow! I think you hit your head somewhere, Mr. Divenson. That is why you are acting so weird today." He said, and then he opened the massive wooden door and got inside the boardroom without saying anything. And I am left astounded by his words, and I followed him inside while shaking my head.

    And I realized why my assistant told me those words because he couldn''t believe I will cancel a meeting for him. After all, it never happens before because I hate dys, and I realized my wife made me this way. I can''t stop myself from thinking Madeline in the middle of my meeting, and I know I have to stop thinking about her or else this meeting will not have a positive oue.. And I can''t wait for this meeting to be over so I can go through with my work for the day so I can go home early because I am so excited to spend more time with my sweet wife.

 Chapter 115 - My Husbandâ€™s Love

    Madeline''s POV

    "What??? Did you inform your husband about it? I couldn''t believe that after what he had done to Reba, he will also threaten you. Hunter''s father is too much, and I think you should be rmed about it, Madeline." Gina said.

    "No, I haven''t told Hunter about it yet, I don''t want to add to his problem, and I think I can handle rk. I want him to have a good rtionship with his father because I know my husband is very angry with his father right now after he learned what his dad had done to his ex. I couldn''t me him for hating rk because I know his dad doesn''t deserve to be respected as a father. I know I grew up without a father, but I still believe that a real father should show his love to his son by showing how much he cares for him by doing something good, and not by hurting his child." I responded.

    "I know what you mean, Madeline, but you have witnessed how rk Divenson ruined the rtionship of Hunter and Reba, he even hired someone to act as Reba''s boyfriend in front of Hunter, and no father will do something like that tohis child." Gina replied.

    "Yes, rk is hungry for money even though I can tell their miningpany is number one in the country, and they are already filthy rich, but he still wants to gain more wealth. He wants Hunter to marry Kaye because, for him, only Kaye is the most suitable candidate to be Hunter''s wife because she came from a very wealthy family. And I wonder why he still wants so many properties in the world when they are already living in luxury." I said as I can feel the heaviness of my heart.

    I call my best friend because there is no one I can talk to, and I know she''s the only one who can make me feel better at the moment. I meet her in our favorite cafe, and I told her I met friends in school, and she feels so ecstatic about it because for how many times, she asked me to meet new friends, but because of my busy schedule, I don''t have enough time meetings new friends. But as of the moment, I realized it feels good to have someone I can share my problems with, and talking with my group members made me feel like I belong to them.

    I was happily sipping my coffee, and I couldn''t stop thinking about my husband, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling like an idiot. And I realize I miss him already, and it feels like I haven''t seen him this morning, and the episode this morning with my husband when he saw me dancing naked in our room made me blushed right now in front of my best friend as I realize how much I made my husband hard for me.

    "I wonder if how you feel right now. After all, I can''t tell if you are worried because I can see you are smiling like an idiot. What is going on, Madeline?" My best friend asked, confused, and I only shook my head because there is no way I will tell her what I did this morning in front of my husband. I couldn''t tell her what is going on with my mind because I don''t want my best friend to think that I became a flirt after I married Hunter, even though I know there is nothing wrong about what I thought because we are already husband and wife.

    "Do you have any ns?" She asked me, and I shook my head.

    "To tell you the truth, Gina, I am baffled on what to do with Hunter''s father, and I can''t deny I am having fears because I know what rk is capable of, and I am sure he is nning to do something to me, to make me leave his son." I replied.

    "Well, if you don''t want Hunter to know about it, then you should be careful at all times. I don''t want you to be in danger, Maddie, and most of all, I want you to be happy. Now that you tell me that Hunter will take Reba to the penthouse and not to your home, it means he loves you, Madeline." My best friend dered, and I smiled at her.

    "I know, and no matter how much I want to tell him about his father, as of the moment, I want Hunter to concentrate and devote his entire time helping Reba because she needs his help as of the moment. And you don''t need to worry about me, Gina, because I can take care of myself. I will never allow rk Divenson to hurt me. And thank you so much for your time listening to my problems over and over again." I dere.

    "Hey, I am your best friend, and you don''t need to thank me because we promise to be there for each other no matter what happens, and if you are happy, I am also excited Madeline, and if you are in pain, I am also feeling your suffering. That is why I am asking you two to take care of yourself because I don''t know what will happen to me if something happens to you. You mean so much to me, Maddie. You are not only my best friend but my sister too." Gina said, and I smiled at her.

    "Thank you, Gina, I know how much you care for me, and for that, I am so thankful to know you, and having you as my best friend is a gift from above." I said, and she took my hand and squeezed them.

    "That is why as your best friend, I worry about your safety, so I am telling you to tell it to Hunter so he can give you some protection. I understand that Hunter is having a hard time right now, but I also know that you don''t want your husband to worry about you. But rk is a bad person, and I can tell anytime soon he will do something terrible to you. Madeline, please, even though you will say to me that you can take care of yourself, but you have to remember that rk Divenson can harm you at any moment." Gina said, and I let out a soft sigh.

    "Don''t worry, Gina, I will tell Hunter about it, and thank you once again. I know you are so busy with your work, yet you still find time to be with me and listen to my unending problems." I said, and I tried my best to smile at her.

    Talking with my best friend help me feel better, and after eating our cake and drinking our coffee, we get out of the cafe. We said goodbye to each other and go to our cars separately. I drive away from the caf¨¦ with a broad smile on my face. And as I navigate my sports car on the freeway, I can''t stop thinking about what Gina had said, and I can feel the fear that enveloped my heart, and I can''t stop thinking about what would be rk''s n.

    I feel so relieved when I found Cer waiting for me in the house, and the moment I get inside the living room, she asked me what I want for dinner, and I informed Cer I would wait for Hunter toe. And I was hoping I would be dining with my husband tonight, even though he didn''t notify me if hees home early.

    I was in our room typing reports on myptop when Hunter arrived, and I quickly got up from the bed and met him halfway. And I felt so happy when my husband took me into his muscr arms, and his masculine scent made me so drawn to him. Then, Hunter kissed me on the lips tenderly, and I felt so thrilled, and all my worries were gone.

    "I am so happy that you came early, Hunter." I said after he stopped iming my mouth, but his hands are still holding my waist, and I can tell he has no n of releasing me from his embrace. His intense gaze is making me feel so hot, and I can feel the butterflies on my chest as he continued to gaze at my face without blinking his eyes, and I can feel my knees felt so weak. He pulled me closer to him, and he nibbles my ear, and then the next words he said set my entire body on fire.

    "Of course, if I didn''t have an early meeting with clients this morning, I nned to take one day off and spend my entire day with you, Maddie, because you made me so hard this morning that I find it so hard to control my erection as I leave our house. I can''t stop myself from thinking how hot you looked dancing naked in front of me. You looked so adorable, and I want to make love with you before I left this morning, but I need to attend that meeting, and right now, nothing can stop me from iming you, my sweet Madeline, and you don''t realize how much I ache for you." He dered.

    I can feel the goosebumps covered my skin as my husband leaned down and captured my hungry lips, and the next thing happens in a blur as I can hear my outcry of pleasures as my husband made love to me, hot and wild, and I realized how much I missed Hunter. And I love how he makes me feel so special, and I am no longer worried about Reba because I can feel my husband''s love for me as we made love in our bed.. The way he kissed and touched me is enough reminder that we are now husband and wife, and we are so in love with each other, and no one can tear us apart, not even his father.

 Chapter 116 - Because Of My Wife

    Hunter''s POV

    I love the way how my wife''s mouth melts with mine, and her soft moans sound like a melody into my ear. I can now say I am a happily married man. I felt different, and it feels like my existence has a purpose now, and I felt more excited to go home every night knowing that I have Madeline. My old cold world turned warm and had colors now, and I love the way she is peacefully sleeping beside me. I never realize only a neen-year-old young woman will make me feel this way. Her birthday is fast approaching, and I want this day to be special for her. And I n to have a surprise party for my wife.

    I want to drive her to her university, but I don''t want to wake her up. She looks so beautiful sleeping in my arm, and I don''t want to get up from our bed because I want to stare at her lovely face. I avoid talking about Reba because I know even though Madeline already knew I chose her, I know she could not avoid getting hurt once she will think I will be spending more time with Reba once she will be in the penthouse.

    I get up from my bed, and I smiled when I found hervender dress,ck thong, and strapless bra on the floor together with my business suit and boxer briefs, and I felt warm thinking about our hot lovemakingst night that we didn''t feel able to have dinner. I stride towards the shower and take a warm bath. And I can''t stop myself from smiling. I can''t exin how happy I am.

    "Good morning, Mr. Divenson!" Cer greeted me with a shy smile when I meet her in the hallway, and I beamed at her that made her blushed, and I know I have this kind of effect on women that always made Calixto fascinated.

    "Good morning, Cer. Would you please prepare a healthy breakfast for my wife and tell me when it is ready because I want her to eat before I leave to work." I said, and she nodded her head and walked toward the kitchen.

    "Hey! I am sorry to wake you up, but I felt guilty that I made you so exhaustedst night that after our hot sex, you fall asleep." I said, and it made me smile when I saw her face turned bright red as she gets up from the bed and tries to cover her naked body with the nket, but I already get her robe, and I put it on her glorious body.

    "Thank you, Hunter. You don''t need to bring me breakfast in bed." She softly said, and I can''t stop myself from pulling her closer to me. And I take her red lips and give her one long kiss that made us both breathless. And a beautiful smile spreads across her face when I stop kissing her.

    "I need to go now, Maddie, and I want to inform you I will be going to the mental care homes today. I need to sign some documents, and then after a few days, I think I can bring Reba to the penthouse, and I am telling you all this because you are my wife. You don''t need to worry about anything because I will be asking Cal to apany me." I said, and her face softened, and a beautiful smile appeared on her face. And I know even though she was smiling at me, I can tell she feels hurt because no matter how I am going to tell her about my n of saving Reba, it will still have the same effect.

    Reba is part of my past that I couldn''t leave behind as of the moment because of her illness, and deep inside me, I don''t want to hurt her, but my wife weighed more than my ex, and my heart right now belongs to Madeline. It is the truth, and I know when the right timees, I need to tell Reba everything even though it will break her heart, and I hope she will be strong enough to face the reality that I am no longer hers.

    "You have all the right to know what is going on with Reba because I owe you a lot, and I also know that you want to help her, and because of you, I have learned that she is still alive. I know I already told you that I am so thankful that you didn''t hide the truth from me. But I will never get tired of telling you I am so grateful for your good heart, Maddie. And due to your selflessness, I became more in love with you. I want you to know that I felt so grateful that I have you in my life, and because of you, I learn to love again." I said, and she is looking at me with tenderness.

    "I love you too, Hunter. Thank you for saving me, and for giving me everything that I need, and for the luxury that you bestowed upon me. My greatest dreamis only to pursue my college education, find a good-paying job in the future, and buy a simple house because, in my entire life, I have never experience that I have something I can call my own except my clothes and shoes." She replied, and my heart is pierced as I think how much she suffered at an early age.

    "Before I meet you, I don''t even own a phone, and I only dream of buying a second-hand car in the future, but you provided me sports car, and I used to live in a small house, and now I am living in this mansion. I am so grateful that I met you." Madeline said.

    "And I want you to know that I didn''t fall in love with you because of the material things that you provided for me. I fell in love with you because you are you. I know behind your cold facade, you are caring and a loving person, and I can say you are good at heart." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself from capturing her sweet lips.

    I left our home, and I was thinking about my wife the entire morning, and during the afternoon, I left the office and got out of the Divenson building together with Calixto to visit Reba. We are silent during the entire ride, and I know I am still nervous about facing her, and this time I know it is because I feel so guilty that I feel in love with another girl. For how many times in front of Reba''s grave I cried and promised that I''m not going to fall in love again. I never thought I would meet a girl that will make me feel so happy andplete.

    "Mr. Divenson, thank you so much foring. Everything is set, and all you have to do is sign these documents, and I felt so d that your father coordinated with us, and he appointed you as the new guardian of Reba." Mindy said, and Cal and I looked at each other, and I am sure that Cal is also shocked to hear that my father did it voluntarily. I wonder why he didn''t oppose my request, I only call my mom and begged her to convince my dad, and maybe when I punched my father on his face during ourst encounter, he realized what kind of monster he was for ying with Reba and me.

    After signing the papers, I ask Mindy to bring me to Reba''s room. I was the only one who gets inside her room, and I can''t stop myself from feeling excited and uneasy since Cal told me he would be waiting for me at the parking lot. And I can tell he doesn''t want to see Reba because his loyalty is with Madeline, and I think he feels like he betrayed my wife if he wille with me and meet my ex.

    "Hunter!" Reba eximed the moment she saw me, and I can see that she is blushing, and I can tell that she looked different today. My ex is wearing a beautiful above-the-knee dress, and her hair is shorter, and I can tell she put on some lipstick.

    "Hello, Reba." I greeted her, and I moved closer to her, and she met me halfway, and she tightly clung to me, and I put my arms around her waist.

    "I thought Mindy was lying when she said that you woulde back for me. I am so happy, Hunter. After you left during your first visit, I find it so hard to sleep because I am so afraid that I am not going to see you again. For how many years I have been waiting for you toe, and now that you arefinally here, I still couldn''t believe it, and I thought you would not like me anymore after you see the long scar on my face." She dered, and I hate what I am feeling right now because I want Reba to stop being in pain.

    "Reba, I promised youst time that I wille back for you, that is why I am here right now, don''t worry, the moment I wille back, I will take you with me. And one more thing, you will always be beautiful, Reba, even if you have that scar, but don''t worry, I will look for the best surgeon in the country who can make remove your scar." I said, and her face lights up, and she released me from her embrace, and she jumped on her feet, and she pped her hands.

    "Yehey! Hunter is taking me home!" She yelled as she jumped on her feet while she was pping her hands. And I can see the happiness on her entire face.

    "Hunter, you have to promise me that the next time you wille back, you are going to take me home with you." She said, and I nodded my head.

    "I promise, but you have to promise me also that you will take your medicines, Reba, so that you will get well soon." I said, and she nodded.

    "Okay, I will, even though I am not sick. Your father is the only one who insisted that I am insane, and I hate that everyone in this facility believed him. That is why I am begging you to take me away from this prison, Hunter, I am so tired, and I want to see the outside world again. You and our son are the only reason why I am still fighting to live. I endured so many years being trapped in this ce because I know one day you wille for me." Reba dered, and I was hoping she is no longer mentally ill, but I am aware of her condition since Mindy exined everything to Cal and me, that there are times Reba would act so typical, and there would be times that she is not herself.

    The following week I revisited Reba with Calixto, and I can see a big difference. She is no longer looked so thin, and I felt so happy with her progress. We bring her to the penthouse, and I felt so d that Cal did everything ording to my instructions, and I can tell Lucinda''s presence at the penthouse would make Reba recover faster, and I am hoping for her fast recovery so I can tell her everything.

    Still, as of the moment, I don''t dare to break her heart because I know that Reba is innocent, and she had done nothing to me, and her only mistake was she fell in love with me, and I know the biggest challenge I am going to face is how can I tell her the truth without making her suffer. And as I sat beside her in the penthouse living room, I can''t stop thinking about Madeline, and this time I know my wife is thinking about me too.

    I know I can''t leave Reba yet, and I have to devote more time with her to help her recover faster, and I have to bring her to her doctor''s appointments. Reba was sleeping peacefully while her head is in myp. She was already in her pajamas. And I was thinking about Maddie the entire time, and I wish there is an easy way out of my situation because I can''t stop worrying about my wife. I can also feel Reba''s sufferings, especially the anguish that she feels when she was in the mental care homes.

    I know I can never run from my responsibility towards my ex because I was the reason she had an ident. But I know Madeline and I will survive this test in our lives because I am sure our love for each other will keep us stronger, and because of my wife, I am doing all this since I know we will never have a happy married life once I abandon Reba. I stayed at the penthouse because Reba is always looking for me, and after my work is over for the day, I go home to the penthouse.. Being away from Madeline is breaking my heart, but I know we will be together soon, and all our sacrifices will be rewarded.

 Chapter 117 - I Am Surprised

    Madeline''s POV

    I felt so touched and happy when my husband brought me breakfast in bed. I didn''t expect him to wake me up, and when I open my eyes, I saw him with a tray in his hands with my favorite food for breakfast. And the way he looked at me made me realize that he loves me. It was sweet of Hunter to do something like that because we have maids around the house, and he can ask anyone to bring me my meal. And the moment he handed me the food in our room, I can''t stop myself from feeling the butterflies in my stomach. And I admit that every time my husband is near, I can''t stop myself from feeling excited. I know Hunter is not only handsome, but he is also sweet. That is why I became so in love with him.

    But the moment he told me that he would be going to the mental care homes, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling sad. Even though Hunter already said to me that he needed me in his life, and he wants us to work, yet I can''t stop myself from feeling so worried because I know he will be spending more time with Reba to help her recover fast. I know I already made a decision to help his ex, so I should not feel jealous towards her, but no matter how I try my best to pretend that I am okay, deep inside me, I can tell that I am still hurting.

    I know he doesn''t have any ns of leaving me because I can feel that he loves me. And right now, that he is honest with me, I felt blessed to have him as my husband. And all I need to do right now is to believe in him, and most of all, I have to trust Hunter. I know no wife would be so happy knowing that her husband is spending time with his ex, but we have a unique love story.

    I was waiting for my husband toe home in our living room. I keep watching my wristwatch, and I started to feel uneasy. And the moment he texted me and informed me that he could note home, I feel so sad. Still, I never ask him why because I know he is in the penthouse, and I realized it is Reba''s first night staying at his ce, and I try to understand that my husband needs to apany her so she will recover from her mental illness.

    I know it will never be easy on my husband''s part to tell her about us. She was his first love, and my husband was her first love too, and the worst part was Reba thought they were married. And I wonder how he is going to tell her everything. Just thinking about it also breaks my heart because I know Reba was innocent too. And I pity her because it will never be easy on her part to ept the fact that Hunter is no longer hers.

    I tried my best to do something that can make my mind upied, so I will stop thinking about my husband and his ex spending the night together. I stood up from the sofa and climbed the grand staircase of our mansion with a heavy heart. It feels like I am walking like a zombie. And all I can think of is my husband. I don''t know if I can sleep tonight without him by my side, but I know I have to because we already talked about this, and he already informed me that once Reba is transferred to the penthouse, he will be spending more time with her. And I understand that I need to hold on and wait for my husband toe home in our big house, which looked so empty now that he is not around.

    On the first night that Hunter is not beside me in our bed, I couldn''t sleep at all, and I am so tempted to call him, but I don''t want to disturb my husband at the moment. I tried to think of all the happy moments that we shared, especially during our stay in our vi. But still, it didn''t stop me from missing him, and our bed feels so empty without him by my side. I miss my husband''s touch, his kisses, and his scent. I haven''t seen him for how many hours, yet it feels like years that I haven''t seen him, and I wonder how I am going to survive this situation without begging him toe home.

    "Madeline, this is Cal." I heard Cal''s voice on the other line, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so excited because I know Cal is my husband''s assistant and friend. Still, I also can''t stop myself from feeling nervous because I can tell there is a possibility that my husband will note home tonight, and this would be the second night that he will be sleeping at the penthouse.

    "Hello, Cal," I answered my phone that keeps on ringing, and I tried my best to sound so enthusiastic, and even though deep in my heart, I felt so worried that I wouldn''t be seeing my husband tonight. And I don''t want to call to tell Hunter that I am having a hard time right now. No matter how I want to see my spouse, I controlled myself because I want to show him that I am strong and can do this. I like Hunter to be proud of me, and I am sure that one of these days, he wille home to our house and spend his time with me.

    "Maddie, I am sorry to inform you that Mr. Divenson won''t being home tonight. Reba has an early appointment with her new doctor tomorrow." Cal said, and even though I already expecting his line, but hearing it from him makes me feel so sad that I will be spending my night alone in our room again.

    "I understand, Calixto, and please kindly tell Hunter if he has the time; I want him to call me." I said.

    "Of course, your husband wants to talk to you, but he got so busy the entire day, and during night time, he spends most of his time talking with Reba. You know how much she needs Hunter''s help, but you don''t need to worry about anything, Madeline, Mr. Divenson is in love with you, and I think the only reason why he is not calling you is that the moment he hears your voice, he wille home running to you." He said, and I smiled, and I am hoping what he said was all true.

    "Madeline, please go to your room now, and you need to have some sleep. I think this is the third time I find you sleeping on the couch." I heard Cer''s sweet voice, and I realized I doze off on the sofa again, and this is the fifth night that I know my husband will note home because it is almost midnight, and I didn''t dare to ask him if he will go home. I know he was also avoiding calling me because I can tell he misses me too, and I understand that if my husband hears my voice, he will be tempted toe home.

    The following weekend I felt so happy when I found Lily standing in our living room when I climb down the stairs.

    "Madeline!!" She screamed when she saw me and ran towards me, and when she put her arms around my waist and embrace me tightly, I couldn''t stop myself from crying because I realize how much I miss this girl. And I can tell I am also crying because I miss her brother so much. One week is long enough for me not to see Hunter. And there was a time I saw a missed call on my phone, and when I look at the time, it was three o''clock in the morning.

    And even though we didn''t talk, I realize he misses me too. Because he will not be calling me at that hour if he didn''t think of me, it gives me happiness, and I am so tempted to call him back, but I don''t want to disturb them. And most of all, I don''t want Reba to feel exhausted and to feel hurt once she will find out that someone is calling and texting Hunter since she thought he is her husband.

    "Lily!" I eximed, and I hugged her back, and I stroked her back.

    "Aren''t you happy to see me? Madeline?" She asked.

    "Of course, I miss you so much, Lily." I replied, and she raised her head and looked at me in the eyes.

    "And if you are happy to see me, then why are you crying?" My little sister asked me.

    "These are tears of happiness, Lily. I am sorry if I didn''t visit you in the Divenson mansion. I got so busy with my studiestely, and I hope you will forgive me because for how many times I promise you that I am going to pick you up, but I ended up doing reports and spending time with your brother." I replied, and she smiled at me, and right now, Lilly''s presence makes me feel so delighted, and my heart is overjoyed with happiness.

    "It is okay, Madeline; I understand, and I know how busy you are right now." She replied, and I beamed at her.

    I take Lily to the mall, and I can tell she makes me feel better even though I can''t stop thinking about Hunter. I am just d his little sister is spending her time with me, or else I will go crazy waiting for him toe home. Lily and I watched cartoons at the Cinema, and we ice-skated on the ice skating rink the entire afternoon, even though I don''t know how to skate, and it was Lily who taught me to ice skate. I had fun with her the whole day, and I smiled when Lily fell asleep immediately the moment she hit her body on the bed, and I realized she drained her energy.

    I drive Lily home to the Divenson mansion the following day, and she told me she woulde again next weekend, and I can''t wait to see her again.

    I got out of our ssroom hurriedly even though Mia and Carol asked me to join them to have lunch, I decline their invitation, and it is already more than a week that my husband didn''te home, and for how many times I am so tempted to call him, but I don''t want to disturb him. I am just patiently waiting for him.

    My steps faltered, and my heart is beating so fast, and I am surprised to see my husband leaning on his SUV car, which was parked beside my sports car on the parking lot of my university. And he looked so boyish wearing only faded jeans and a white t-shirt. And I couldn''t believe he wille and visit me here on my campus. The moment he raised his head and his eyes found mine, I almost fainted to the ground because I felt so happy to see him today, and when he smiled at me, he took my breath away, and I can feel the racing of my heart as he walked towards me.. And I felt like I am on cloud nine as I saw him gaze at me with intensity, and I felt so delighted that my husband came to see me.

 Chapter 118 - The Favor She Asked

    Hunter''s POV

    "Aren''t you going to call your wife?" Cal asked me one afternoon after he found me looking at my phone, and when he moved closer at my side, he was staring at the screen of my mobile phone, and I put down my iPhone on the table after I released a heavy sigh. I have been trying to call Madeline, but I tried my best to stop myself because I know it will never do us any good. I need to finish what I have started, so after all this, I can be with Madeline. All I need right now is to endure the longings that I felt to be with my wife. And focus my time helping Reba.

    "Do you know the word privacy?" I asked him, and he smirked at me.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson, but I am your assistant, and I have to look after you, and right now, I can tell you look like hell. And I know it is because you are missing your wife like crazy. Why are you doing this to yourself and your wife? You can go home and meet Madeline. Why you are so stubborn. I don''t think there is something wrong about visiting your wife." He said.

    "Yes, I am aware of that, Calixto, but as you can see, I am helping Reba. And I am sure once I will go home to our mansion, I could no longer control myself. Because the moment I will see Madeline, I know I want to stay with her, and I don''t want to leave her. I don''t want to stop helping Reba as of the moment because you can see that she is not the old Reba that we know." I dered, and I can see his face softened.

    "I am sorry, I don''t want to pressure you. And you are right; you need to help your ex because she needs you. And your father is the reason Reba is suffering right now. It also breaks my heart to see your ex that way, she used to be so full of life, very energetic, and I was shocked when I saw her. And I know you are the only one who can help her, and I hope that everything will be okay between you and Madeline." He said.

    "What are you talking about, Cal? My wife and I are fine, and even though we don''t see each other, it doesn''t mean we stop loving each other because deep in my heart, I only want her, and I love my wife, and I am so confident that she feels the same way too." I answered, and he looks at me for a long time before he speaks.

    "If you love your wife, then you have to see her, and I think you should call Madeline because she is there alone in your big house. Do you think she is okay with that kind of setup? She is eating and sleeping alone in your house, and even though you asked Cer to be there for her, it will never be the same. You are Maddie''shusband, and you should be sleeping together in your bed every night if you are not on a business trip." Cal said, and I shook my head as I looked at him.

    "What do you mean by that? We already talk about it, and I am sure she understands because she was the one who informed me about Reba in the first ce, and I know without my wife''s help, I couldn''t help my ex." I answered him.

    "Yes, but you also have to understand that she is having a hard time right now." Calixto dered.

    "Look, if you only knew how much I want to see and be with Madeline, you will realize how much I care for my wife. I didn''t give her a call or send any messages because I can''t stop myself from meeting her once I will see her. And you know for the past few days that we have been so busy. We met her doctors, and we still have appointments for her. And as of the moment, I need to be there for Reba." I replied.

    "I understand your point, but you have to know that I am very sure your wife is not fine. It would be best if you found time to see her, so she will know that you were also thinking about her even though you didn''t see each other often. You should be thinking about her situation because it would never be easy for a wife to allow her husband to be with his ex, and only a martyr woman will do that. You should be grateful that Madeline is different from all the women you meet." Calixto dered, and I realize I miss Madeline more, and Cal''s words make me feel so guilty.

    "Don''t worry, because I am going to meet her soon. And you have to know that I want to be with Maddie at all times, but because of what my father did to Reba, I need to clear the mess he created. And I am not even sure if I can fully help Reba. That is why I asked you to look for the best doctor in the entire country, or even abroad, so she can have her sanity back. That is what I want for her, Cal because I want my ex to fully recover from her illness so she can have a normal life again." I said.

    "Yeah, but her life will never be the same again without you." Cal said, and I sighed, and we both fell silent. Cal excused himself and left my office while I continue to watch my wife''s face on my phone''s screen. And I felt like I am going to explode as I continue to touch her face with my fingers on my screen, and Just thankful that my assistant is no longer in my office, or else he willugh at me knowing that I am touching the picture of my wife on my cell phone.

    "Hey! You are back," Reba said the moment I get back in the penthouse, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so empty. She looked so happy the moment she saw me, and I smiled at her, and Reba ran to me, and she tightly hugged me, and I take her into my arms. And I realized she is getting better by the day, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy to find some improvements in her health.

    "Dinner is ready, Mr. Divenson, Ms. Reba." Lucinda said, and I nodded my head to her; and Reba released me from her tight embrace, and she dragged me in going to the dining hall. My steps felt so heavy, and the moment we get inside the dining hall Reba pulled out a chair for me, and she put food on my te, and she is acting like my wife.

    "You have to eat, Hunter. I know you are working so hard for our family, and I am so grateful that you are doing all this for me. And I want to say sorry that I have been away from you for so many years. But you should know that all the time I was in the mental care homes, I have been dreaming to see you again, and to have this kind of moment with you feels like I am in seventh heaven." Reba said that almost make me gag..

    "Every day I spent in the mental care homes, I was thinking all about you, and I was hoping that one day you wille and get me. And right now, I felt so happy to be with you, and I am so thankful for this opportunity. And I hope no one can break us apart. I love you so much, and my love for you was the only thing that kept me sane during my entire stay in that prison facility where your father held me prisoner." Reba said, and I can feel that my heart is pierced. How can I stop her from hurting? I don''t dare to break her heart right now, and I am so lost for words because, as of the moment, I don''t know how to tell her everything.

    "Hunter, can I ask a favor from you?" She asked, and I am shocked that she sounds so typical. And I am now convinced that the mental facility worsens her condition, and maybe what Mindy said was true, I am the only one who can help Reba regain her sanity.

    "What do you want, Reba? Just tell me, and I will give it to you. Just say the words." I dered, and she sweetly smiled at me, and she looked so beautiful right now, but I know deep in my heart no one can take Madeline''s ce.

    "Mmmh, Do you remember when you visited me thest time? I have a friend, and I want to see her again. Actually, she was a nurse in the facility. Can you ask Mindy for her?" She asked, and I smiled at her, and she touched my face with her fingers.

    "Her name is Madeline, and maybe you could ask Mindy for her number. I want to meet her again and be friends with Maddie for good because I felt something for her, a connection that I couldn''t exin." She said, and I felt my body stiffened, and I felt so cold, and why of all people she was asking for my wife.

    "I believe you met her when you visited me, I have been asking Mindy for Madeline, but she stopped going to the mental care homes." She added.

    "Well, I will try to ask Mindy about her." I said, and she beamed at me and started eating her food again. And I felt so guilty, and I hate what is going on with my life, and I don''t know how can I tell her about Madeline, and the situation I am in is getting worse; Reba wants to be friends with Madeline without knowing the person she wants to be friends with is my wife, the only woman I fell in love with after her.

    I lose my appetite, and I miss my wife more, and I can no longer stop myself from seeing Madeline, and I wonder what Reba had seen in her that she wanted to meet her again.

    "Wow! Why are you looking like that?" Cal asked me when I arrived in the office, and I can tell the shock on his face when he saw me wearing jeans and a shirt, and even my executive secretaries were looking at me like they see me for the first time.

    "I am on leave today, Cal; I need to go to the University." I said, and he smiled at me, and I know he already knew why.

    "That is good, Hunter." He said, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "You are on leave, so you are my friend as of now and not my boss." He said, and Iughed while I was shaking my head, and when I get out of the office, I heard my employees giggled, and I can tell they are all checking me out because this is the first time they saw me came into the office without wearing my business suit.

    As I drive my car, I can''t stop thinking about Madeline, and I want to see her right away, but I know she still has a ss, and I have to wait for her in the parking lot.. And I felt so d when I saw the parking slot next to her sports car is empty, and I waited for my wife toe while I can''t stop myself thinking about the first thing I will do the moment I see her.

 Chapter 119 - He Came Home To Me

    Madeline''s POV

    I had to blink my eyes so many times to make sure that my husband is real, and I felt so happy when I realize I do not imagine things. The handsome man striding towards me is no other than the hot CEO of Divenson Mining Corporation and my husband. I could no longer take another step. And I think I will fall to the ground because I felt my knees go so weak. Hunter didn''t waste his time, and he quickly put his arms around my waist, and he pulled me closer to him, and when I raised my head, he captured my lips hungrily.

    I couldn''t imagine that I will be making out with my husband at the parking lot, and I can tell some of my fellow students are looking at us as we continue to devour each other''s mouths. But I no longer care about the world around us anymore as my lips melted against him, and I feel so lost in my husband''s arms, and I don''t care if we have an audience because all I can think is the happiness I felt in his arms. And I realized I miss my husband so much, and the way he kissed me made me realized that he missed me too.

    "I should get you out of this ce right now." Hunter said after he kissed me, and my husbandced his fingers with mine as he took me to the passenger''s seat of my car. He asked me for the remote key, and I realized he would be driving my car, and I can''t stop having butterflies in my stomach as I watch my husband navigating my sports car. And when I looked over the window, I can see my fellow students gawking at us, and I smiled, thinking it was one of the best kisses that we shared because the idea that many students are looking at us adds the fun and excitement that I feel.

    My husband is popr in our school because of the financial support he donated to all the schr students. If he didn''t be my husband for sure, he would be my sponsor too. We were silent as we get out of the campus, and I don''t want to talk either because I am so afraid if I will tell him how I feel deep inside my heart. I can''t deny I want him toe home with me.

    I can see that we are leaving the city since he took the road going to the neighboring towns. I realize my husband didn''t go to work today.

    " You came, " I said in more than a whisper when I couldn''t keep my curiosity anymore, and I am wondering what would be Hunter''s intention why he looks for me today. He usually asked Calixto to do things on his behalf, and I felt so d that he came, and he didn''t ask his assistant to meet me. He looked at me sideways and smile at me before he speaks.

    "Of course, I came to see you because I am missing you like crazy. And I want to apologize for what I have done. I am sorry, Maddie. I know I hurt you because I didn''t call you for a week, and I didn''t even text you. But I hope you knew why. It was because if I''m going to hear your voice or read your messages, I cannot help Reba at all." He said he released a heavy sigh, and I can tell he is having a hard time right now.

    "Hey, don''t worry, you don''t need to say sorry because I understand, and you should not feel guilty about it, okay? You have to remember that we are on this together, and I think everything will be fine the moment Reba will be healthy again. She needs you now, and I am aware that you are the only one who can help her." I responded, and he turned to look at me, and I can see the tenderness in his eyes.

    "And yes, I will be lying if I will tell you I didn''t miss you because I miss you so much and I don''t want to tell you this, but you are my husband, and I want you to know that our bed feels so empty without you." I said.

    "I know, Madeline, and I am sorry that I let you sleep alone in our bed. My intention of helping Reba made me forget that I havemitments towards you because you are my wife." He responded, and when I looked around, I realized we are on our way to the Magnolia Vige, and he is taking me to our Vi. I suddenly felt so excited, even though I still have ss in the afternoon, but spending time with my husband alone in our vacation home makes me feel thrilled.

    "Even though I want to spend more time with you, it doesn''t mean I am asking you toe home with me because you have to take care of Reba." I replied, and he took my hand and brought it to his mouth, and he gently kissed my knuckle.

    "The nurses can take care of her, and don''t worry, starting today, I wille home to you, Madeline. I will not be spending the entire week with her. Maybe staying with her two nights per week would be enough. I should have thought it through, and I am just thankful you didn''t leave me." He said, and I can hear the sadness in his voice, and I caressed his face. And the moment he stopped the car because it is red light, I kissed my husband fiercely on his mouth, and I yed his tongue with mine. I hear him grunted when he needs to stop our kiss because it is already a green signal, and I can listen to someone blowing his horn behind us, and heughed and shook his head while I giggled in my seat.

    "I didn''t expect you to be naughty, Madeline, but I like the way you kissed me, and I couldn''t wait until we are at the Vi. I can''t wait to take you, and you don''t have any idea how much you make me want to make love with you right now, and the throbbing between my legs is the evidence that I am dying to have you." Hunter said, and I chuckled, and when I looked at him, I can see the bulge on his pants that made me felt so warm, and I want to tell him I couldn''t wait either.

    We stop talking to each other, and I can''t stop looking at my husband''s face as he drives faster now. I can see he is moving at the maximum speed limit, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I realized I am making him so aroused and I couldn''t stop looking at his hardness, and I can feel I am getting wet as I realized how much I needed my husband to be inside me.

    "Stop checking me out, Maddie or I will pull over this car, and I am going to take you right now." He said, and I turned my head away from him, but I couldn''t control the wide grin on my face as I watched the view that passed us in a blur. As I think about Hunter''s arousal, I can''t stop myself from feeling so horny.

    When we arrived in the Vi, we were already kissing by the moment we climbed out of the car, and I can feel the heat roaring inside my body. I can feel that my entire torso is on fire as my husband continues to kiss me, and I can feel the throbbing of his manhood on my stomach. I stifled a scream when he carried me inside our vacation home, and we passed the living room, and I felt so happy that he is taking me into our bedroom.

    He put me down, and I felt so weak as I stood up in front of him. I gasped and let out a soft moan when he takes my mouth once again. We kissed passionately, and I was moaning into his mouth while my arms are clutching around him as if I felt so worried if he was only a dream. He will slip away from me, but when I felt his muscr arms pulled me closer to him, and I can feel his erection on my stomach, I smiled as I realized I am not dreaming at all.

    I pulled her shirt off, and I can feel his warm body as I caressed his toned chest and shoulders, and I can''t stop myself from admiring his perfect physique. And I saw him discarded his jeans and boxer briefs at once, and I swallowed when I saw his massive erection, and even though he had imed me so many times, I still couldn''t believe that I can amodate all of him. Hunter is getting bigger as I slowly stroked his manhood, and I heard him grunted, and I suddenly feel the need to have him. I felt Hunter pulled the hem of my dress and took it over my head, and he unsped my bra without blinking his eyes as he eyed my aching breasts hungrily.

    I arched my back to Hunter as he closes his lips around my breast, and I let out a soft moan as he took my breasts one at a time. And I am gasping when I felt his tongue licked my breast, and my eyes rolled over at the back of my head when my husband sucked my nipple, and it makes me feel so hot to have his mouth on my aching flesh.

    My husband pushed me slowly to the bed until my back hit the soft mattress. And I moaned and gasped when his firm hands pulled my panties down over my ass down to my thigh and down to my legs. And I saw him get on his knees, and I bit my lower lip to stop myself from screaming when I felt Hunter''s lips slide wetly on my aching pussy. I deeply moaned when he started licking me, and hepped my folds hungrily, and I was gripping the sheets when he continuedpping mybia. And when he sucked my clit I can feel my entire body trembled in pleasure, and I am groaning as I felt his fingers yed over my clit.

    Then I felt him adjusted himself, and I am in too much pleasure when I felt his throbbing stiff rod near my entrance, and he teases me with his mushroom head by brushing it against my lips in between my legs.

    "You are so beautiful, Madeline." He said in more than a whisper.

    We both groaning as he enters my tight entrance, and with one strong thrust, I can feel him inside me so raw, and I can feel the emotions that are building up inside me as I have my orgasm. Hunter pounded me with his massive, glorious cock, and I take him all inch by inch, and I can feel my husband is fucking me wild and fast, and I can feel every part of my body is on fire. His hands are sping my waist to put me in ce while he continues to in and out of me, I can feel like he was nailing me in bed, and I like every second of our raw sex escapade. I can feel my entire body shuddering as I can feel the climax of our hot lovemaking.

    I bucked my hips to meet my husband''s thrusts, and I can feel he is so deep inside me. We are both moaning as he continues to push his manhood on me; he sucked my nipple while he continued to drill me with his thick rod.

    "Hunter, I aming!" I speak in between my moans.

    "Come for me, my sweet wife." He said, and I let go, and I screamed as I came, and I felt my entire body shuddering. I can feel Hunter throbbing inside me as he sprayed his seed on me, and my husband shivered as he let go of his orgasms, and he kissed me on the lips before his body copsed in the bed next to me.. And he pulled me closer to him and kissed me again long enough to make me feel so breathless again before he falls asleep, and I couldn''t stop the smile that formed in my mouth as I realized my husband came home to me.

 Chapter 120 - So Lost And Alone

    Madeline''s POV

    I can hear my husband''s steady heartbeat as I adjusted my head on his chest, and I realized he fell asleep, and I can tell he doesn''t have enough sleep. I understand why because he became so affected by what is happening around us, and I wonder if Reba was sleeping like this when he was with her, and I tried my best to keep those thoughts away from my head because I will only get hurt. I caressed his chiseled chest, and I froze when I felt him kissing my forehead. I thought he was still asleep.

    "Hey, I am sorry, I should not fall asleep after that incredible lovemaking we had; I don''t have enough sleep for thest few days because I can''t stop thinking about you, Madeline." He said, and I raised my head and looked at him, and his beautiful eyes were looking at me with pure affection, and I felt so happy to hear those wordsing from his sweet mouth. And he brings me closer to him while my limbs are still entangled with him.

    "Thank you, Hunter, foring home to me and for taking me here to our vacation home."I replied, and I can''t stop my heart from racing as he continued to shower me with butterfly kisses. And I love the feeling of lying in bed beside him, and my face blushed when I realized we are still both naked. I can feel that we became closer to each other, and the way he is stroking my hair wants me to fall asleep, but I could never sleep knowing he is beside me after days of not seeing him.

    "Of course, I always felt at home with you, Maddie." He said as he softly caressed my face.

    "I think we need to eat something; you stay here while I cook something for us." He added, and this is what I love about Hunter; he always takes good care of me, especially regarding food.

    "I don''t want to eat something fancy I want to eat some noodles, and I want toe with you to the kitchen." I replied, and heughs.

    "I love noodles too, and I think the fridge has some lettuce. I asked Lucinda''s daughter always to restock the refrigerator." Hunter said as he got up, and he pulled me up with him, and he tightly hugged me before he gets my robe and put it on my naked body. At the same time, he walked to the drawer and got some boxer shorts and sleeveless tank top, and after putting them on, he smiled at me and moves closer to me, and then he gave me a pecked on my lips before he holds my hand, and we get out of our room holding hands while I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    Hunter looked so hot as he prepared our noodles, and he sliced some fruits, and when I tried to help him, he stopped me.

    "Let me do this, princess. You have to staywhere you are and allow me to take care of you." He said, and he will always make me feel thrilled every time he calls me princess. And I find it so sweet watching him do things like that, and I know Hunter grew up with maids all around the Divenson mansion, and I felt so special right now that he prepared everything. I helped him set the table, and he looked so fascinated as he watched me eat my food.

    I felt so happy and rx when Hunter asked me to have a swim at the beach. And I couldn''t be happier when he told me that we would be spending the night at our vacation house, and for the first time this week, I was able to sleep peacefully beside my husband. Hunter woke me up, and I am surprised when he already prepared breakfast early morning.

    "How is Reba?" I asked my husband as we eat our breakfast, and I want to avoid asking him about her ex, but since she is part of his past, and as of now he is helping her all he can I want to know how is she doing because it will also determine about our rtionship. After all, if Reba is showing some progress, that means he will be spending less time with her. And I can feel that my husband tensed up, and I understand that he wants to avoid the subject because he is so afraid if I will get hurt again. But I want my husband to know that I am fine, and I am also interested to know about Reba''s development.

    "Well, I think Mindy was right. I can help Reba recover faster because for this week I can see some progress, and I don''t want to tell you about this, but she was looking for you, and I don''t know if it would be a good idea to let Reba spend time with you even though she doesn''t know about who you are. And I am afraid it will cause her to be more in pain once she finds out the truth about our rtionship." Hunter said, and he looked at me with concern in his eyes.

    "Once she gets better, I need to tell her the truth because she needs to learn everything about us because I don''t want to lead her on, and she has suffered enough. And my father alreadymitted a big mistake towards Reba, and I don''t want to add another sin. I know marrying you was never a mistake, Madeline, but I felt so worried about what would be her reaction once she found out I am happily married to you. And I wonder how she is going to take the information." Hunter added, and I can''t stop myself from grinning, knowing he is so happy being married to me.

    "I have to admit I still care about her because she had been my girlfriend before, and I want to be honest with you Madeline, I have loved her, and she became the center of my world once. That is why I can never abandon her. But I want you to know that for me, what we had was over, and I am now more in love with you. And I am helping her all I can because of what my father did to her. She was innocent, and I couldn''t understand until now why my dad had to do something like that to Reba." He continued, and I can feel his frustrations on his voice, and I understand my husband, and I became more in love with him too.

    "He was ruthless and selfish, and even though deep inside my heart I want him to answer for his sins, I can never do something to him because I still respected him as my father. I always remember your words when you begged me not to put thews in my hands. And I want to thank you, Maddie, because you taught me how to be forgiving." He said, and he smiled at me, and it would be so hard not to smile back at him even though deep inside me, I want to tell him about mytest encounter with rk Divenson, but I don''t want to add up to his worries, and I still feel confident that his father will never hurt me. And to be honest, I want to be friends with Reba, but I don''t want to make it harder for Hunter.

    We left the Vi, and I felt so happy that he came home with me at our mansion. And Hunter stays the entire day with me, and I became delighted when he didn''t leave the house. And he became true to his words, Hunter stayed with Reba every Monday and Wednesday, and he is with me most days of the week. And I know our situation is different from other married couples, but I understand that we need to help Reba.

    Three years passed in a blur, and I am now in my fourth year of college. I already applied for graduation since our examination was over, and I am going to graduate soon. And I am now only waiting for our graduation ceremony. And I felt so excited about it, and how I wish my mom is still alive so she will see me on stage as I get my diploma, but I know she will be happy for me wherever she is right now.

    I am now twenty-two years old, and I can tell I am now more mature. Our situation is still the same, and I neverin to my husband since I understand him and Reba, even though there are times I want to ask when he is going to tell her about us. And I am just d that he also keeps me updated about Reba''s health development, and I felt so happy that she no longer have anxiety attacks. And as per Hunter, Reba is almost there, it was a long process, but I should say it was all worth it, and Hunter enrolled her in online sses since he also wanted Reba to finish her education.

    On the night before my graduation, we are already sleeping on our bed when I heard his phone is buzzing, and I ignore it at first. Still, it continues to ring, and I wonder who could be calling my husband at this hour, and when I looked at on the screen, I can see Lucinda''s name is shing on the screen, and I can tell something is going on at the penthouse.

    I suddenly felt nervous because I can''t stop thinking about what could have happened with Reba. I don''t have a choice but to wake up my husband, and he was disoriented at first. Then, I can see the worries that registered on his face the moment he saw Lucinda''s name. He quickly answered the call, and based on their conversations, I can tell something is wrong with Reba, and my husband promptly got up from our bed, saying nothing to me at all.. And I want to ask him what is wrong, but he left me disoriented, and I felt so lost and alone.

 Chapter 121 - My Graduation Day

    Madeline''s POV

    I wake up with a heavy heart and eyes. I didn''t have enough amount of sleep because I was waiting for my husband to call or text me, and deep inside me, I was also hoping that he wille back to our house. Hunter knew today is my long-awaited moment, and we already talked about it, and he was more excited for me. But the morning came, and he still didn''t return home. I don''t know if Hunter will meet me after the graduation ceremony. I hate to think that he will be one of our honored guests for today''s big event because he is one of the benefactors of our school, and after what happenedst night, I don''t want to see my husband because I felt so hurt that he didn''t even inform me what is going on.

    I can feel the emptiness deep inside my heart as I got up from bed and stride towards the shower, and I take a bathzily. I can''t stop myself from thinking what could have gone wrong that he left in a hurry without telling me what is wrong. And because I love Hunter, I didn''tin about our situation; for four years, I tried to understand him, and I didn''t whine why I needed to share my husband with another woman.

    I focused on my studies because I want to make my dreame true, and right now, I should feel happy because I will graduate as a cumude. I felt proud of my achievement, but instead of feeling delighted, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling sad, and of course, I can''t contain myself from worrying about my husband and our rtionship. I am just d that for the past three years, rk Divenson didn''t bother me anymore.

    I get dress, and I sat down in front of my vanity table to apply some makeup on my face, and I can see the pale reflection of a woman staring back at me, and I realized I should look beautiful and presentable today. And I need to feel happy and in high spirits because it is my graduation day, yet the sadness I felt is consuming me.

    Cer smiled at me the moment I get inside the dining hall. She already prepared my breakfast, and I can tell she was looking for my husband, yet she was shy to ask me. She knew about our circumstance, and she will never talk about it unless I speak about it with her. And that is what I love about her.

    "I will be eating alone this morning; Cer, my husband, leftst night due to some emergency on the site." I lied because I don''t want her to know that something is happening between my husband and me. I noticed for a while now even if Hunter is still sweet with me, there are moments I found him staring into space, and for how many times I want to ask him what is wrong, but I am trying my best to be a good wife. And I was waiting for him to open up to me.

    "Congrattions, Madeline." Cer shyly said, and I smiled at her, and I was surprised when she handed me a small box covered with gold wrapper with white ribbons, and even though I felt so down, I can''t stop myself from feeling touched by her gift.

    "Thank you, Cer, you make me so happy today." I said, and I stood up from the dining chair and hugged her. She became like a sister to me from the moment she stayed in our house because Cer is my constantpanion, and she made my days less lonely every time Hunter spends time with Reba.

    We yed board games or watched movies together, and I am so grateful for herpanionship. That is why I asked my husband to send Cer to school to finish her education. And she is now in her first year of college because she continued her High School education when she became my assistant.I eat my breakfast in a hurry because I don''t want to think about my husband anymore.

    "You can always talk to me, Madeline. If you need someone to talk to, I am just here." She said and tapped my shoulder.

    "Of course, we can talk about itter, Cer; I will ask Gina toe over because I can tell I will be spending my time alone tonight, and I want to celebrate my graduation day with you and my best friend." I answered her in a soft voice, and I can see the look of concern on her face as she nodded her head.

    I left our house with a smile on my face as I think about Cer''s gift. It was a simple thing, but it touched my heart and soul. And she made me feel a little better, and at least my friend lessened the emptiness I felt in my heart.

    I felt so d that I found Carol and Mia immediately after I park my car in the campus parking lot, and they are very excited about Hunter''s speech. And I tried to pretend that I am fine as I check my cellphone, but I still got nothing from him. And we proceed to the university ground where our graduation ceremony will be held. As we fall in line for the processional, I can''t stop myself from feeling so uneasy, and I was hoping to see him even if he hurt mest night because of his sudden walkout episode.

    But I wasn''t able to see Hunter on the stage as the program started. I know my husband so well, he will never bete because he is always on time and very time conscious, and I realized something happened in the penthouse, and I think I should go there because I can''t rest without knowing what is going on. I also care about Reba, and I want to be there for my husband even if he doesn''t need my help. He said we are on this together, and I think it is about time to meet Reba finally, and I hope nothing terrible happened to her.

    I can see the happy face of my fellow graduates as the program continues. And when it is time for us to go on the stage to receive our diploma, I couldn''t stop the pounding of my heart, and I felt so excited that atst, I am finally a graduate of Business Administration. I am now ready to face a new chapter of my life. My husband asked me to work with Charlotte in the marketing department of the Divenson Mining Corporation after my graduation. But I told him I want to start from scratch, and I felt so happy when he agreed with my request. I want to earn my spot in thepany by starting at the bottom without informing my fellow employees that I am Hunter''s wife since I don''t want them to treat me differently or give me special treatment.

    When I get on the stage, I can''t stop myself from smiling when I saw Gina together with Calixto among the crowd, and I felt disappointed when I couldn''t find my husband with them. After the recessional, I joined Calixto and my best friend, and they both offered me their congrattions, and Gina asked Cal to take some photos. I almost forgot to have some pictures because I was thinking about Hunter the entire time.

    "Congrattions, Madeline." Cal said as he offered his hand to me, and I can''t stop myself from smiling as I shook hands with him.

    "Thank you, Cal, and I felt so happy that you came and witnessed my graduation ceremony." I said, and he beamed at me.

    "Did Hunter asked you toe here?" I asked when I could no longer stop myself from asking him, and he shook his head.

    "No, Mr. Divenson has no idea that I came here. I hear from him that today is your graduation day. And I want to be with you on this memorable day." He said, and I want to ask him what is going on with my husband, but I don''t want to ruin this moment, even though Hunter already made my day iplete.

    Cal insisted on taking us to lunch, and he brought us to Jack''s restaurant. As usual, the food was superb, but I am not in the mood to eat, and I only eat a little. Jack joined us at our table, and he also congratted me when Gina told him that it is my graduation day. We talked for a while before we said goodbye to Jack after we eat our lunch, and we also bid farewell to Cal in the parking lot after I told him my thanks.

    "Where is your husband, Madeline? I know this day is significant to you, and how could he not be here with you?" Gina asked the moment we are alone, and I could no longer stop myself from crying. I have been controlling my tears ever since this morning, but now that I am with my best friend, I couldn''t stop them from falling on my cheeks, and it feels so good to release all the frustrations that I felt as of the moment, and I can see the guilty looked on Gina''s face as I looked at her. And her face fell after I told her about what happenedst night in our bedroom.

    "Well, you are right we need to drink tonight. We have to celebrate your graduation and stop thinking about your husband. I know that you love him, Madeline, but it has been for years, and I think it is long enough, and I wonder why he can never let her go. I am just saying, and I don''t want you to feel bad about it, we have to enjoy ourselvester tonight. But I still need to run an errand for my mom; I promise toe to your house tonight, Maddie." She said, and I understand what she means.

    We said goodbye to each other, and I drive away from Jack''s ce, and my body froze when I arrived home and found rk Divenson sitting on our front porch. And I am so shocked to find him after three years of not seeing him. And I couldn''t stop myself from worrying as I found him looking at me with unreadable expressions on his face.

    "So, it is true that you finally graduated from college, Madeline, and you should be thankful to me that I allow you to graduate, and today, I came here to give you a present." He said as he handed me a gift, and I couldn''t believe that Hunter''s father will provide me with something.. I suddenly felt cold the moment I received the big box from his hands, and I am wondering what he wants from me this time because I know rk Divenson is bad news, and I need to brace myself for possible danger now that I am face to face with my father-inw.

 Chapter 122 - Celebrating With My Friends

    Madeline''s POV

    Hunter''s father is eyeing me like I am a suspect of some crime, and how I wish Gina came with me, I looked at him in the eyes, and I didn''t blink because I don''t want him to think that I am of afraid of him even though my stomach is in knots as I can feel the fear that crept within my body. I haven''t seen him for a long time, and I wonder why he is here right now in our house after I graduated from college. As usual, he is wearing a business suit. And I can feel that something is going to happen to me, and whatever it is, I need to be strong to survive, especially now that I am having a hard time because of what my husband has done.

    Hunter left without saying anything, and I expected him to call me and apologize for what he had done the other night. And I am also hoping that he will say congrattions to me, and I am so eager to hear from him that he is so proud of me, but nothing happened. He never texts and calls even after my graduation ceremony, and it makes me feel so bad, and I feel so angry right now. For the past years, I neverin about our rtionship, and I think it is about time to exercise my right as his wife.

    rk was staring at me, and it took me a long while to talk to him because I am so afraid of what he will tell me this time that could wreck my heart and soul.

    "Thank you, Mr. Divenson, foring and for giving me this gift," I said to him as I clutch the gift on my chest. I can feel that it is a little heavy, and I wonder what kind of gift Hunter''s father would give me.

    "You are wee, Madeline. I gave you that gift because I want to remind you that what I had said years ago was right. I ask you to leave my son, but you stick with him through the years, and I allow you to finish your studies because Hunter''s mother asked me to, and she reminded me that Frank was a good employee to us. He served us until the day he died, and as a sign of our gratitude towards yourte father, I let you finish your education so the moment you will file a divorce, you can have a happy life." He said, and I can feel my entire body is shaking, and I thought he was done, but hearing the word divorce makes me feel so sad like three years ago.

    "Madeline, you have to face the reality that you can never be my son''s wife. And I hate to think that you are going to leave my son with a broken heart. You never listen to my advice before, and this time you will leave him for good, I am sure of it, and I want to remind you that I always win. I can tell that you thought I stop with my ns, If I didn''t listen to my wife, you wouldn''t be here standing right now in front of me, and you should have left this ce along time ago. You owe me your education, Madeline, and I am only asking you to leave my son now while you still can." He said, and I couldn''t stop feeling angry with him.

    "Mr. Diveson, with all due respect, I am Hunter''s wife, and I will never leave him." l said, and heughs at me sarcastically.

    "I still remember that line, Madeline, from three years ago, but this time I am sure you are going to leave my son. And take this because you will need my help soon, and I want to remind you that you can call me anytime." He responded as he handed me his business card.

    "I will never ask help from you whatever happens in my life. I couldn''t believe that you can do this to your son. Why can''t you allow him to be with me for the rest of his life, and why do you still want me to leave him. Haven''t you done enough to Reba? What you have done with her was too much, and you ruined her life. And you almost wreck your son''s life, and now you also want to destroy my love for Hunter. Why are you so heartless, Mr. Divenson?"I asked, and heughed at me again.

    "My dear, You have no right to judge me because you do not know what happened to Reba. What she had done that made me so angry with her. I am a busy man Madeline, and I''m going now, and I am sure you will be leaving this house sooner thanter." He said as he turned away from me and walked towards the parking lot without taking a second look, while I am left with trembling legs, and I felt my heart is hammering against my chest. I am just d that Cer is just on time, and she helped me walked inside the house.

    "I am sorry, Madeline. I want to help you, but I am just a maid, and I know that rk Divenson is someone I should not deal with." She said as she looked at me, and I can see the concern on her face, and I shook my head before I speak.

    "You are my friend, Cer, I don''t consider you as my maid, and you were right, it is better that you stay away from him because he even treated me like trash even if I am his son''s wife, and he came here to tell me to leave his son. I don''t understand him at all, and I am wondering why he wants Hunter to marry Kaye and why he needs more wealth when their family is considered one of the richest ns in the entire country." I said, and I let out a sigh.

    Cer took the present of Hunter''s father from my hand, and she brings it to my room while I stay seated in our living room waiting for Gina. Today is my graduation day, and I thought this would be one of the happiest days of my life, but because Hunter is not around, I felt so down and sad. And it seems that I will never have a normal life. And maybe rk was right. I need to leave Hunter because I realize he could never give up Reba. Even if he told me that he loves me, he still cares about her.

    He chose me, yet he still spends time with her, and now that I became more mature, I realized I have to stand on my own, for how many times I was thinking of leaving him, but my love for my husband is what keeps me going. And I don''t want to leave Hunter because I know deep inside my heart it would be so hard on my part to live without him. For the past years, he became my life, and even though he helped Reba, he never made me feel that I am alone, onlyst night, and he made it worse today because it is my graduation day.

    My best friend came with a box of wine in her hands, and this is the first time I badly need to drink alcohol. And I couldn''t stop myself from telling her about rk, and her face saddened.

    "I am just d that you are not crying, Madeline. I know your father-inw will always make you feel afraid, and he can make your day turn so bad. And I wonder what could be the reason why you are going to leave Hunter, and it feels like he is very confident that you are going to do it this time, but don''t mind him, Maddie, today is a special day, so we will celebrate your graduation day without thinking about rk Divenson." She said as she put the wines on the bar counter.

    "I don''t know Gina, rk Divenson surprised me today, and what surprised me more is his gift, and I am wondering why he gave me a gift," I said, and she smiled at me.

    "Maybe to make himself less guilty of making you feel nervous and afraid, and I think you should be careful, Maddie, and I think this time he will make sure you will leave his son. He will never stop bothering you but be thankful that he allowed you to graduate, and I think you should talk with Leticia Divenson. Maybe she can help you." Gina said as we walk to the dining hall.

    "Thank you, Gina, I didn''t think about it, and you gave me an idea. I will call moter, and for now, I want to forget that Hunter is not here with me, and I want to celebrate my graduation with you and Cer." I dered, and she smiled at me while Cer set the table so we can eat our dinner. She cooked my favorite food, and I realized I am starving this time. And now that I am with my two close friends, I devour my food heartily. And felt so d I have them right now, and they make me feel better. They talk about trivial things while I couldn''t stop myself thinking about my husband.

    We moved into the living room, and I was looking at the main door for a long time, hoping Hunter woulde home, but I haven''t seen even his shadow. I became more frustrated when I looked at the Grandfather clock near our life-size portrait, which the photographer took during our wedding. We are both smiling, and I still remember the happiness that I felt during that time. I was leaning on his muscr body while his arms are around my waist. My heart is breaking as I realized it is gettingte, and there is still no news about my husband. I was holding my phone for a long time and watching the contact number of my husband on my screen.

    "What are you looking for, Madeline? Just dial his number. You are his wife. For heaven''s sake, you have all the right to look for him and demand for his time. And it is about time that you should speak up for your right. You already graduated from college, and I think you are no more confident to face your husband. I know that he loves you, but what is going on with him and Reba should end soon because you cannot live your life like this, Madeline. Are you willing to share Hunter with another woman for the rest of your life?" Gina asked me, and it took me a long while to answer her.

    "I don''t have any regrets about my decision three years ago when I told my husband that his fiancee was still alive, and wepromised. I tried to understand him because I know he was having a hard time too, and I am just thankful that he asked me to stay because I was the third party of their rtionship, Gina." I replied as I tried calling Hunter''s number, but his number is unattended.

    "Madeline, for how many times I told you you are not the third party, you are his legal wife. You have all the right to demand Hunter his time." Gina responded.

    "One more thing, I think we should open the gift that rk Divenson has given you. I think it has all the answers to why Hunter is no show during your graduation day." Gina said, and I suddenly remember the gift, and I nodded my head. As I got up from the couch, they both mimicked my action, and my friends followed me going to the master''s bedroom.

    And as I opened my bedroom door, I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart as I looked at the gift on top of the bed. I hate myself why I didn''t think about it when Hunter''s father handed me the present, and I thought he was nice for once.. As I get closer into my bed, I feel my entire frame is shaking as I think what could be inside it, and I am scared to learn what kind of answer I might find inside the gift box, and I am just hoping that there is nothing inside that box that will make me leave my Husband, and I wish that my best friend was wrong.

 Chapter 123 - Clark Divensonâ€™s Gift

    Madeline''s POV

    Gina and Cer are watching me as I pick up the fancy package from my bed, and I slowly sit at the edge of my bed while I can feel my entire body is shaking. And I was unwrapping the gift slowly when I suddenly stopped and looked at them.

    "I think it is better if I will keep this gift unopened. I don''t want rk Divenson to manipte my life like the way he did to his son and his entire family, even his wife." I said as I release a heavy sigh.

    "It is all up to you, Madeline, but if you want to have answers why your husband suddenly left without telling you what is going on, then I think it is time to be brave and face reality. He didn''t even care how you might feel until now because he couldn''t even call and text you." Gina said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so hurt again.

    "Maddie, I know I am not in the position to tell you what you need to do with your life, but I agree with Gina. Whatever is inside in that beautiful box, you have to dealwith it, and it is better that you should know the truth." Cer added, and I weakly smiled at them.

    "Well, I know you will never leave me, so I guess it is time to face all this, but before I will do it, allow me to say thank you to both of you for being with me tonight. I know this gift could ruin me, but being broken doesn''t mean I will lose my hope." I replied.

    "That is the spirit, Madeline. I know you are strong, and you can endure anything fate will throw at you. If it is a bad thing, always remember we are here to give you all the support that you needed." Gina said, and she moved closer to me, and she sat on my right side.

    "Yes, we are here for you, Madeline," Cer said as she also settled herself on my left side. They give me the courage to continue to open the box on myp.

    When Ipletely unwrapped the gift, I found a brown envelope tied with a red ribbon, and when I fished out its contents, I am shocked to see medical records of Reba, and at first, I thought it was her files from the mental care homes, but I was wrong. The documents that I have in my hands areposed of pregnancy test results with the ultrasound, and at the back part, I saw pictures of Reba and Hunter, and mostly snapshots as they came out from the ob gyne clinic. My husband was draping his arm all over her shoulders, and in the following picture, he was touching the big belly of Reba. There are so many pictures that I didn''t bother to look at as I realized Hunter impregnated his ex-fiancee.

    I throw all the pictures on the floor. And I get down on my knees while I am touching my chest as I feel the excruciating pain in my heart, and it is shattered into a million pieces, and I sat down on the floor while my tears are pouring on my face. I don''t know that there is this kind of pain, and I can feel the piercing of my heart as I looked at the happy face of Reba. She looked so beautiful now that the long scar on her face was gone. And I couldn''t exin the pain that I feel as my tears continued to flow like waterfalls. I have been Hunter''s wife for almost five years, and he made sure I took birth control because he wants me to finish my college education, and in the end, he makes her pregnant. I am in too much pain, and I screamed as I felt my friends'' arms are all over me.

    "How could he do this to me, Gina? What have I done to him? All through these years, I am a dutiful wife to him. I neverin about our situation, and he didn''t even bother to tell me that something happened between them." I said, and no matter how I tried to keep my tears from falling, I couldn''t control them from trickling down on my face.

    "Maybe he was afraid to tell you because he doesn''t want to lose you." She said.

    "That is bullshit, Gina. How could he do this to me?" I asked again, and she was shaking her head.

    "Madeline, I am sorry I should have stopped you from opening that package." She said, and I can hear the worries through her voice.

    "It is okay, and I think I should thank rk for giving me this kind of information," I replied.

    "Or maybe he was behind all this, Madeline. After all, he wants you to leave Hunter from the beginning, and I am sure he has something to do about what is happening right now." Gina said.

    "Yes, I agree with you, Gina, rk Divenson could have done something, and we don''t know if Hunter is also a victim here," Cer added, but I don''t agree with them. I felt so hurt, and no words can alleviate me right now, and no matter how I think about it, I couldn''t ept that he betrayed my trust. I had been a good wife to him.

    "No one can force him to have sex with Reba, and thank you for your concern about me, but I will not allow Hunter to ruin my night," I said as I get up from the bed and I got out of our room without a second nce. I went to the bar, and instead of drinking wine, I get one of my husband''s most potent vodka, and I didn''t use any ss. I take a shot from the bottle as I sat on the bar chair. I didn''t realize my tears are still pouring on my cheeks, and I used the back of my hand to wipe them away, but it seems I couldn''t stop crying.

    There is only one thing ying in my mind that I couldn''t stop thinking about, and I know my mind will never be at peace after I have learned the truth. Now that Reba is pregnant, I am sure Hunter Divenson doesn''t need me anymore since his only reason for marrying me is to have an heir, and I think it is better to stay away from him before he asks me to leave this house.

    "Hey, Madeline, I think you should stop drinking now. You almost empty that bottle, and for heaven''s sake, that is a very strong kind of vodka." I heard Gina said, and I felt my entire world is spinning, and when I tried to stand up, I immediately lose my bnce, and I am just d Cer was standing behind me, and she was able to catch my waist before falling to the ground. And she assisted me in sitting back on the barstool.

    "Who says thisss vod-ka is strong?" I stuttered as I asked my best friend, and Iughed while I was weeping again.

    "Gina, let me have this mo-ment, for once I want to for-get that my hot husband chose to get his ex pregnant, and not me, am I that ugly, Gina?" I asked as I continue to cry my heart out.

    "Of course not, and I can''t express in words how beautiful you are, Madeline. Don''t you realize why men are gaping at you every time we are together, whether we are strolling in the mall or you are on the campus? You are beautiful, Maddie, and that is why Hunter Divenson is crazy about you." She said, which made me cry harder.

    "If he was crazy about me, how could he betray me?" I asked her, andI stood up again because I want to get another bottle of vodka, and the entire house is spinning, and I was gripping at the bar counter since I am desperate to drink more even though I am wasted with alcohol. I always drink moderately, but tonight, I want to get drunk and forget even for a while that Hunter lied to me, and I don''t want to remember what is happening around me. I want to let go of the pain that I am feeling inside me, and I want to shout my heart out that I hate him so much.

    I heard my friends were calling my name before I passed out on the floor.

    "Madeline, please wake up." I heard Gina''s soft voice as she tried to wake me up, but I didn''t open my eyes. I pretended that I am still sleeping. For how many times she called my name, but I am too hurt to answer her, I have a severe headache, and I realize for the first time I experienced how it feels to have a hangover. Gina left my room, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so hurt and alone. When I open my eyes and looked at the ss window of our room, I realized it is almost noon, and I smiled when I realized Gina must open the curtain so I can see that the sun is up. I am not in the mood to get up from our bed because I realize my husband didn''te home at all.

    No matter how drunk I wasst night, the excruciating pain I feel is still the same. Nothing has changed, and I don''t know how I will live my life after all this, and I have no idea how I can face my husband knowing he was hiding something from me. Gina get back into my room together with Cer, and they pulled me up from the bed; and I tried my best to resist them, but theirbined strength made me get up on my bed.

    "Madeline, you have to eat, you drunk too much alcoholst night, and it could harm your system if you do not eat something. Please, Maddie, I am begging you, don''t do this to yourself. You are strong, and you can do this. You have experienced worse." She said, and I looked at her while my tears are about to fall, but I try to stop them because I had cried too muchst night until I lost consciousness, and I don''t want them to see me being weak. I nodded at my best friend, and I felt guilty that she is still here with me. I know Gina needs to go home because she can''t be absent from her work, she already took a leave when she attended my graduation day yesterday.

    I go to the bathroom, and I took a shower with my dress is still on, and I realized I am still wearing my clothing from the previous day. I slowly undress my dress as I feel the water continues to shower in my body. I felt rxed as I allow the cold water to drip into my skin, but the pain that I feel is still there, and I know my heart is pierced, and no amount of alcohol can stop my heart from hurting.

    And I know there is nothing left for me in this big house; Hunter made his choice, and in the end, he chose Reba to be the mother of his child. I am aching, and I remember everything rk Divenson had told me, and he was right I would leave this ce sooner thanter. I don''t need to see my husband anymore; he didn''t call or text me, which means I don''t matter to him at all, now that he will be a father. I was such a fool to believe that after I graduate, we can have a child. I am now ready to be a mother to his children, but he didn''t wait for me, and his father was the one who informed me about everything. I don''t want to fight for my right anymore, even if I want to, because I know it will be useless, and I don''t want to be humiliated once more.

    Gina and Cer are still inside the master''s bedroom, and they are waiting for me, and I can see the worries on their faces asI put on my skinny jeans and sleeveless tank top, and they looked so stunned when I get my suitcase, and I put my clothes and essential documents. I don''t need to bring all my clothes. After all, I don''t want to remember him because everything I own belongs to Hunter Divenson. And if I want to start a new life, I should leave everything behind, but how can I go on with my life when I know even my heart will be left here in this empty house, but I don''t have a choice but to move on with my life.

    "Madeline, are you sure about all this?" Gina asked, and I nodded my head, and I get out of the room where I shared beautiful moments with my husband.. And I need to be strong, and I have to face the reality that I was just Hunter''s temporary wife.

 Chapter 124 - She Is Hurting

    Hunter''s POV

    I heard Madeline''s sweet voice as she woke me up from my sleep, and I wonder what is going on when she suddenly handed me my phone, and when I look at the name of Lucinda on my screen, I quickly answered the call, and I got up from bed in haste. And I can tell something is wrong with Reba because I know Lucinda will never call me in the middle of the night if nothing is going on in the penthouse. I was still talking with her on the phone when I left our room, and I didn''t even have the time to say goodbye to my wife because I am still talking with Lucinda over the phone when I got out of the master''s bedroom.

    "Mr. Divenson, Reba is bleeding after she slips on the bathroom floor, and I can tell this is not a normal situation because she is heavily bleeding." She said, and I ran through the hallways down to the grand staircase as I took two steps at a time. Even if I want to inform Madeline that I will be gone for a while, I didn''t have time because I worry about Reba''s situation. I want to go back and tell my wife that I need to go to the penthouse, but after I heard the panic in Lucinda''s voice, I want to be there with them, and I felt relieved after I dialed 911.

    I know what happened between Reba and me was unnned, I love my wife, and I don''t want to hurt her feelings. I want to run away from my responsibilities towards Reba and be with Madeline years ago, but what happened back then made me feel like a coward.

    As I was driving my car going to the penthouse, I can''t stop myself from thinking about what happened back then when Reba found out the truth about Madeline and me. It was Friday night, and I came home to the penthouse after a tiring day from the office when I found Reba in the living room. She was back to her old self, and I felt d that she became mentally stable after one year of treatment.

    I spent a lot of money on the reconstructive scar surgery on her face, and the oue was terrific. And she felt so delighted about it, and my guilt lessen. She became busy with her online sses since she asked me she wanted to pursue her education.

    "Hunter, when are you going to tell me the truth?" My ex-fiancee asked me the moment I sat beside her on the couch, and I look at her with a confused expression on my face.

    "Don''t give me that look. I know the truth, but I have been waiting for you to tell me about it. How could you lie to me? I know I became mentally ill, but you don''t have the right to treat me this way." Reba continued.

    "What do you mean?" I ask her.

    "Come on, Hunter, after we reunited with each other, you never had sex with me. I know that something is going on because you never kiss me the way you do when we were still young and so in love with each other. When you took me from the mental care homes, I know that something is bothering you, but I ignored everything because I love you so much, and I don''t want to lose you. I know ten years is more than enough for you to have a wife and a family." She responded, and I felt uneasy.

    "I never ask you about it because I am so afraid to know the truth, but three years is long enough for you to tell me that you are already a married man, and only today I found out that your wife is Madeline Brownwood. How could you hide that kind of information from me? I have waited for you for ten lonely years only to find out you are already in love with someone else." She added, and her tears are falling on her beautiful face while I am still in shock. I couldn''t even utter a single word, and it took me a long while before I answered her.

    "Why didn''t you tell me that we are not married?" She asked, and I looked at her eyes with pleading.

    "I am sorry, Reba, I want to tell you everything, but I am so afraid that it will cause you to be more disoriented." I said.

    "Huh! Disoriented or to be more insane? You were afraid if I will get hurt, and you didn''t even bother to think of what I am going to feel once I find out the truth. Hunter, I already lost my sanity once, but I am so thankful because of you, I regain my old self. But I never forget how I feel for you. You could have told me everything, and I will understand. And right now, how am I going to live my life without you? Please, I am begging you. I still need you in my life even if you have a wife." She said.

    "I belong to you, Hunter; please don''t leave me; I am willing to be your mistress. Just let me stay in your life." She begged, and I shook my head.

    "No, I will never do that to you, Reba, because I have loved you from the past. I didn''t tell you that I am already married to Madeline because I don''t want you to get hurt. And I felt responsible for what my father did to you, for how many years you suffered because of my dad. And I am so sorry for hurting your feelings, Reba because you were right. I am now in love with someone else." I said, and she scooted closer to me, and she put her arms around my waist as she continues to sob.

    "Hunter, hearing those wordsing from you makes my heart bleeds, and you don''t realize how painful it was for me to know that you don''t love me anymore. I couldn''t believe the angel that I met in the mental care homes was your wife. I never realized that she owns your heart now." She said, and I want to take away the pain that I caused her.

    "Please, Hunter, don''t leave me. I am begging you." She pleaded.

    " I am sorry, Reba. I promise my wife that I am going to tell you everything. She was very understanding about our situation, and I couldn''t hurt her anymore. It would be best if you will not stick with me because I am no longer free. And it would help if you will not suffer any more; what we had was over, but I want to help you. That is why I ask you to stay here in the penthouse." I dered, and she tightened her arms around my waist as I stroked her hair.

    "I understand what you mean, but will you please give me time to adjust. Even if I am crazy in your eyes, I am still capable of loving Hunter. I lost everything that I have because I chose to fall in love with you, my parents abandoned me when I decided to be with you, and thest thing I heard about them they received arge sum of money from your father, so they will never look for me anymore." She said as she continues to sob.

    "That is why when you told me that our child died, it was too painful for me to ept the reality that I lost our son, but because you were with me, the pain was manageable, and I was hoping you will choose me in the end." She dered, and it feels like my heart stopped beating for a while as I can see the anguish on her lovely face.

    "I know, Reba, and I am very sorry." I replied, and I can''t find the right words tofort her. And she released me from her tight embrace, and she looked at me in the eyes.

    "I know you are just a victim of your father''s cruelty, and I want to help you, Hunter. I love you so much, and I can tell you will never have the heart to leave me, and I felt so guilty for doing this to your wife. She is your legal wife now, but you keep spending the night with me even if you are no longer free, and for that, I am so grateful to you, and it will never be easy for you to do something like this, and thank you for helping me, Hunter." She said, and I felt so d that she is no longer crying.

    "All I am asking from you is give me time, don''t leave me yet, and I will tell you when I am ready to walk away from your life. I am hurting, and I don''t know how I will live my life without you, but I can''t imagine the pain your wife is also feeling right now, knowing that you are spending your time with me. And you are so lucky to have her in your life, and no wonder you married her. And I was right when I say she was an angel." She said, and I smiled as I remember my wife''s face, and she is indeed an angel.

    "Madeline was the reason why I found you in the mental care homes, Reba, and yes, I know she is hurting, but I can''t just leave you alone. I felt guilty for what happened to you, and I understand how hard your life was in the mental care homes." I said, and she smiled and cupped my face.

    "It wasn''t your fault, Hunter, your father, yed tricks with you, and I couldn''t believe he faked my death. Don''t worry because I will do everything to forget you. I can''t just do it yet, and I hope you will give me more time, and I hope your wife will further extend her understanding, and I want to thank her for helping me.." She said, and I felt relieved that she is not angry with me, and she understands that I chose Madeline over her.

 Chapter 125 - Perfect Scheme

    Hunter''s POV

    As I near the hospital where they brought Reba, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried for her and the baby. And I hate myself for keeping secrets from my wife, I made one mistake of trusting my sister, Charlotte, and I felt so afraid of losing Madeline that is why I haven''t told her about it, and I don''t know how can I tell her that I impregnated my ex.

    Ever since Charlotte has been working in the sales department for how many years now in the Divenson Mining Corporation, she tried to get close to me, and it was toote for me to realize that my father and my sister are currently working together to ruin my marriage with Madeline. I thought she was sincere when she told me she wanted to help me with Reba''s situation so my ex can finally get over with me.

    They started hanging out together without my knowledge until one incident that I found her chatting with Reba in the living room of our penthouse. And I can tell they are getting closer without knowing Charlotte was nning something sinister. Since that day, I always find my sister in the penthouse having great conversations with Reba. She always asks permission from me to take Reba with her during weekends. And I felt d since I devote my time with Madeline during weekends. I take her to the mall, and most of the time, I bring my wife to her favorite ce, our Vi, where I always cook her favorite dish.

    We go camping on the ind and spend our early nights swimming at the beach, and we made lovete at night until dawn. And I can tell we are getting closer every day. And everything is perfect for us, especially when the time Reba had a heart-to-heart talk with me.

    "Hunter, I know what we had was over, and I ept that. All I am asking from you is to be with me as my friend since I lost everything that I have." Reba said to me one day, and I felt so guilty and felt so relieved at the same time. I still apany her every Monday and Wednesday in the penthouse, but we don''t share the same room anymore since the day she found out I am married to Madeline. We dined together and watched movies during my stay, and sometimes I stayed in my study, but she didn''tin.

    And I know that is the least that I can do for Reba since I know she has no family that she can turn to every time she feels so down and lonely. No friends she can share her thoughts with because she stayed at the mental care homes for ten years, and that is why I felt so guilty every time I think of leaving her." And I know she was trying to be strong, and when Charlotte came into her life, I can see that she was starting to have a normal life.

    As time goes by, we became good friends, and I know my romantic feelings for Reba were gone, but I care about her since I felt responsible for everything that happened in her life. I should have never looked at her beautiful face on the day that we first met so that my father could not hurt her, and she could have live her life happily with someone else.

    "Hunter, I n on moving out from here, and I hope you can find me a decent ce. I will start a new life, and I need to find a job to support myself." She said one night while we were having dinner, and I was shocked at first, but I couldn''t deny the happiness that she finally moved on from me.

    "Reba, you don''t need to worry about anything. I will buy you a new house where you can start a new life." I said, and she shook her head.

    "You have done enough for me, Hunter. The sacrifices you made for me were too many, and I am so grateful that you are not like rk Divenson. And even though he ruined your rtionship with me and he was trying to destroy your marriage, you still acknowledge him as your father, and that is why I find it so hard to forget you. I still love you, Hunter, but I know your love for me was gone, and I don''t want to wreck your rtionship with Madeline because I love you so much." She said, and I can feel the pain in her voice.

    "I am sorry, Reba," I replied.

    "Hey, you don''t need to say sorry, I understand, and it is enough for me that you mourn my fake death for almost ten years, and I felt so happy to know that after me, you only love one woman, which means you had loved me. You are Hunter Divenson, handsome and hot. And I can tell you have broken so many hearts during that period when you didn''t date anyone because of me." She said, and my mouth hung open as I looked at her.

    "You don''t need to hide it from me, Hunter. Lucinda told me everything that happened in your life after I was dered dead. And what you did was exemry, and I want to say sorry that I made your ten years miserable. When she told me the changes in your life when you meet your wife, I felt so happy that you finally moved on with me, and I couldn''t imagine the burden that I have caused you both when you found out I am still alive and I hate to think that you felt miserable because I am still breathing." She said, and if it is only possible to have two wives, I could have taken her back. How could be the two women in my life so selfless? And they both love me enough to make me feel so miserable.

    "Reba, don''t say that. I was so happy when I learned that you are still alive, and I am so grateful that you didn''t die. And I am sorry that I can never love you back again. Madeline came into my life unexpectedly, and to tell you the truth, I tried to stay away from her because I promised in front of your grave that I would never love anyone again after what happened to you." I said as I looked at her face, and she was staring back at me as she listened to my confession about how I felt for Madeline.

    "I tried to stop the attraction that I felt for Madeline until I couldn''t stop myself anymore. She was the only girl who made me realized I am still capable of loving. I went to your fake grave, and I asked forgiveness from you, the moment I realized I fell in love with Maddie, and I was hoping that you will forgive me, and you will listen to me wherever you are." I said, and she smiled at me.

    "Oh, Hunter, I couldn''t believe that you value me so much because I am just nothing, and I don''t have anything to offer you, yet the things that you have done made me realize how much you loved me. And it would be enough for me knowing you have loved me once." She said and gave me her sweetest smile before she continues eating her food, andI was grateful for Charlotte that she made friends with Reba. At that time, I can tell my ex is beginning to understand the situation we are in, and my sister helped her realized that she needs to move on with her life without me.

    Then one day, I came home, and they were drinking at the bar when they both asked me to join them. I give in since I want to have a good rtionship with my sister, she reached out to me, and I felt so happy that after a long time, we became close to each other. I know I was my father''s favorite growing up. That is why my siblings have always been jealous of me, and they kept their distance from me until I get involved with Reba. We talked andughed because I felt so happy that finally, I get along with my sister, and I can now see that Reba was having a good time.

    I knew I didn''t drink too much that night because I still need to report to work and meet Calixto since we need to visit the site. I still remember that I went to the restroom to pee. When I got back with them, my sister was smiling at me as she offered me the ss of whisky, and I suddenly felt drowsy. Thest thing I remember, my sister whispered the word good luck in my ear, and I heard herughter reverberated the entire living room before my vision turned so ck.

    When I woke up and opened my eyes, I couldn''t remember what happened the previous night. I almost jumped on my feet when I found myself naked in bed together with Reba, and she was also naked beside me, and she was peacefully sleeping while I can''t stop the racing of my heart, and I never felt so horrified in my entire life.

    "Good morning, Hunter," Reba said, and she slowly got up from bed and started picking up her dress.

    "Don''t worry about what happened, Hunter. I will never tell your wife that something happened between us. I am sorry if I asked your sister to help me. I want to know how it feels to have you before I left this house. I enjoy the hot sex that we had shared even though you hurt my feelings when you were shouting Madeline''s name the moment you came, but I enjoyed it so much, so I forgave you." She said and left me in my room without a backward nce, and I couldn''t stop myself from punching the bed. And when I stood up, I hit the wall of my bedroom that made the portrait on the wall shook, and my knuckles bleed.

    How could my sister trick me with her angelic smiles? I should have never let Charlotte fool me, and I can tell her scheme was perfect. It made me wonder if Reba was telling the truth because I couldn''t believe she can do something like that because I know she has a good heart, that is why I chose her to be my fiancee ten years ago. And I have to asked Charlotte about what she had done to us, but I know she will never answer me. And I can tell she had nned it all along. I slowly walked to the bathroom to take a shower, and I can feel the heaviness of my heart as I remember my wife''s lovely face.. I felt so guilty about what happened, and I wished to tell her everything, but I love Madeline so much, and the idea of losing my wife scared me to death.

 Chapter 126 - My Parentsâ€™ Secrets And Lies

    Hunter''s POV

    I parked my car at the hospital''s parking area, and I get out of my vehicle hastily and run to the hospital''s main entrance. I found Lucinda waiting for me in the lobby, and I can see the worried expression on her face. And when she raised her head and saw meing in her direction, she weakly smiled at me.

    "Hunter! I am so sorry, I didn''t put something in the bathroom, but I can hear Reba is telling everyone I did something terrible to her." Lucinda said as I moved closer to her.

    "Rx, Lucinda, and tell me what happened?" I asked her.

    "I was on my way to deliver her food for dinner when I heard her loud screamed that echoed in the entire penthouse, and I felt horrified when I saw her on the floor, and I can see blood all over the floor, and she was bleeding heavily, and she was in pain. And she was ming me, and you have to believe me that I didn''t put anything on her bathroom floor." Lucinda said, and I know she was telling the truth because my instinct was telling me she was honest than Reba.

    On the day I found myself naked in my room with Reba, everything changed between us. I hated her for coborating with Charlotte, but she begged me to forgive her, and she told me she only did it because she is still in love with me.

    "Reba, what you have done was unbelievable; how could you lower yourself like that? Did you ask for my sister''s help? Tell me honestly, what did you do to mest night?" I asked in a booming voice when I found her in the dining room and Lucinda was there since she was serving our food, but I was too angry to care. I saw Reba''s face pale because I never even once raised my voice on her, but I felt so frustrated and mad that I sinned against my wife without even knowing what exactly happened.

    "Hunter, I am sorry, I told you for how many times that I am okay, and I understand that you are already married to Madeline, but I wish you also understand how it kills me to think you are no longer mine. The truth is I am still in love with you, and I will never be fine." She said, and she was sobbing as she looked at me in the eyes with pleading.

    "It wasn''t my choice to be put on that stupid mental care home by your father. I only told your sister that I am still in love with you and she told me she could help me with my problem. And I think there is nothing wrong with what happened between us because you have loved me once, and don''t worry, it was only between us." She said, and I became more frustrated as I put my hands on my face, and it took me a long while to speak with her again as I try to calm myself.

    "Reba, I don''t wanna hurt you, but for how many times I have told you that I love Madeline, I love my wife, and you fucking need to understand that. I know what my father did to you was unforgivable, but it wasn''t me, Reba. It was my father''s fault, not mine. I was only trying to fix what my dad had broken even though I know it would be impossible to do such a thing because I am now in love with someone else. I helped you recover from your illness so you can have a normal life again." I said, and she shook her head as her tears continued to fall on her beautiful face.

    "No, I can never have a normal life after your father ruined me, and you have to deal with it too because this is all happened to me because you asked me to be your girlfriend. I was working peacefully in your house, but you didn''t stop bothering me until you made me fell in love with you, and you made me pregnant." She said, and I can see the burning anger on her face.

    "Reba, we were both young adults back then and both in love with each other." I said, and her face softened.

    "Of course, I know you didn''t force me to make love with you that time because I can still remember how you make me feel, but I hate you now that you didn''t even kiss me." She said as she leaned her back on the backrest of the dining chair, but she didn''t take her eyes off me.

    "You know the reason, Reba, and because I respected you, I could have sex with you if I want to, but I love my wife, and I couldn''t do it to her. But what you didst night was beyond crazy, and I want to think that it wasn''t your idea because I know you are better than Charlotte. Please, Reba, I am begging you, what did you do to mest night? I hate to think that you im something happened between us that I didn''t even remember even a single detail about it, and I think I have all the right to know what happenedst night." I dered, and I was begging her.

    " I didn''t do anything to you, Hunter, I swear. I only saw Charlotte put something in your drink, and thenter, after that, she told me to start kissing you, and I was surprised when you kissed me back." She said, and I felt like dying. I didn''t let her finish the story because I was too angry with my sister. I left the dining hall without a second nce and got down to the parking area, and I got inside my car and drove my car fast. And I was panting when I reach the Divenson mansion, and I felt d when I found my entire family in the living room, and my sister Lily ran towards me, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw the anger on my face.

    "Charlotte! How could you do something stupid like that?" I asked her, and she smiled at me meaningfully.

    "Why, big brother? Didn''t you enjoy the wild escapade you had with Rebast night?" She asked, and out of the corner of my eye, I can saw my sister Lily stepped back, and she moved as far away from me as she can. And I know she was hurt because she loves Madeline more than me.

    "Lily, I need you to go to your room right now." I said in a loud voice, and she stared at me with hatred in her eyes before she turned her heels away from us. And I know I need to speak with her before she hates me forever.

    "I know you didn''t remember anything, but I will show you the video if you want to relive the moments you had with my very close friend, Reba, and I felt so triumphant right now because I can manipte her with my fingers, and she made all my ns worked." She said, and I felt so angry, and I clenched my fists on my sides as I looked at my sister.

    "But why do you have to do all this to me, Charlotte? I am your brother, for heaven''s sake." I said, and she looked at me with anger in her eyes, and I can now tell all the women in my life are now angry with me except my mom, who is looking at me with tenderness.

    "Yes, you are my brother, and that is why I hated you so much because our father only wanted you to run our businesses, and he doesn''t trust my abilities. For him, you are the only one who can make the business grow, and I am impressed that you are excellent, but I hate you so much big brother, and I want our dad to be proud of me even for once." She said, and my shoulders sagged, and I couldn''t believe that she is sicker than Reba.

    "I am a mining engineer, Charlotte, and I am more knowledgeable than you are in terms of the mining industry, but you could have told me, and I will let you run the business." I said, and I halfughed because I was going crazy with what is going on with my life, and I know there is only one person who can make me feel better, and it is Madeline, but I felt so guilty that Imitted a big sin towards her, she doesn''t deserve all this. I should be the one who will protect her, but my family is doing everything they can to wreck the beautiful rtionship I have with her, and I suddenly want to go home with Maddie.

    "Son, if you only marry Kaye, none of this could have happened. I have already told you that you don''t need to work so hard once you marry her. She is an only daughter of his parents, and she will inherit everything." He said, and I looked at my father with disgust.

    "Why do you need so much wealth in your life, dad? We have more than enough." I said in a defeated tone.

    "You don''t know how hard it is to live without anything, Hunter, because you grew up in a mansion, and all your life, you live in luxury. That is why I don''t want any of you to experience the hardship in life." He said, and Iughed.

    "Yeah, and you made me experienced worse. How could you ruin an innocent life because of your selfishness?" I asked.

    "Are you calling me selfish? You don''t know what you are talking about, son. The woman you take good care of as of this moment was only using you. When you dated her ten years ago, and she was fooling you around. As a father, I want to protect you, and I didn''t want you to get hurt. I found her kissing Luke so many times and heard their conversations. She was using you because she wants to get money from you after you get married. Luke was addicted to gambling. That is why he asked Reba to work here to seduce you, and he was hoping his girlfriend will catch your attention and bingo! You fell for her hard, but you never listened to me when I told you she was not the right woman for you." My father said, and I don''t know if I have to listen to him about Reba''s betrayal to me.

    "I asked you toe here at the Divenson mansion after you hit me when we met at the mental care homes, but you never came. I allowed you to hit me that time because I felt guilty for faking Reba''s death. Still, I only did it to protect you because your love for her blinded you, but I never regretted hiding her from you because she fooled you, Hunter, you believed she was really in love with you, maybe Reba did fell for you, but at first, she was only using you." He said, and I felt like my entire world is in disarray, and I left the mansion''s living room in a hurry.

    "Hunter! Hunter, wait!" I heard my mom''s voice calling me, and I want to drive away, but I need my mom right now, and I stopped while I was holding the door handle of my car, and I felt my mom embraced me from behind.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I didn''t know about it, and I believed Luke''s lies; he seemed sincere when he told me that someone paid him to kiss Reba. Still, I found out,ter on, they had a rtionship. Your father showed me the sweet pictures of Reba and Luke before she started working here in our mansion." Mom said as I tried my best to stop myself from crying.

    "My only mistake I didn''t tell you all about it because I don''t want to hurt you more because you were devasted and mourning about her fake death. I am sorry, son, and I know your father did something terrible, but he was only trying to protect you, and I hope you have the heart to forgive us.." My mom said, and I don''t know how to answer her that time because I felt so hurt by all the lies and secrets they hide from me, and I don''t know what to believe anymore.

 Chapter 127 - I Am In Too Much Pain

    Hunter''s POV

    "She is in thebor room right now, Mr. Divenson, Reba suffered a stillbirth, and she needs to deliver the dead baby. I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, that this happens, but my conscience is clear. I haven''t done anything to Reba." Lucinda said, and my heart is pierced.

    "I believed you, Lucinda." I said.

    "Thank you, Mr. Divenson. Your sister drops by at the penthouse early tonight before the ident happened, and Reba was so happy to see her after you banned your sister from visiting the penthouse. And it was Reba who opened the door for her, and I am sorry if I couldn''t ask her to leave because she is your sister." Lucinda said, and I hate to think that Charlotte must be the one who put something into the bathroom. That is why Reba slid down on the bathroom floor.

    I can''t hide the pain that I felt for the baby, and I can feel my tears trickled down on my face. When I learned Reba got pregnant, my entire world turned upside down. I was so angry at that time, and I still remember how I acted after she told me about her pregnancy.

    "What have you done, Reba?" I asked her while I was trying to control my anger towards her.

    "I am so sorry, Hunter. I promise you after I deliver the baby, I will leave immediately and take the baby with me. Madeline doesn''t need to learn the truth, or if you want, I will abort this baby." She said, and I couldn''t believe what she was saying.

    "Do you know what you are saying, Reba? How could you say something like that? I wonder if you still have a heart. That baby is innocent, and do you think I will allow you to take that baby with you? I wonder if you will be a good mother to that child. You need to deliver that baby, and I would deal with the consequences. I couldn''t imagine adding another mistake if you will get rid of that baby." I said to her angrily.

    "And yes, you need to leave this house the moment you give birth. I will raise that baby, and I can assure you I will give my child a luxurious life. Since you want to abort that baby, it means you don''t want to raise that child." I dered.

    "I want to, Hunter, but knowing that you are married, I don''t want you to be in trouble." She said, and I can see the tears pouring into her eyes.

    "You should have thought about it before you used me, Reba. You could have stopped me from drinking that alcohol when you know Charlotte put some drugs into it, and none of this could have happened." I coldly responded to her.

    "And how are you going to tell your wife about all this?" She asked, and I swallowed my saliva because I don''t have any fucking idea how to tell Madeline all about this, she has been a good wife to me, very understanding, and she is so perfect for me while I am the opposite.

    "That is not your problem anymore, and I am warning you, don''t drag Madeline into this mess, or you will never see me again." I dered, and she nodded her head.

    Months passed, and I apanied Reba going to the doctor for her prenatal. And I am getting excited knowing I will be a father soon, but every day I felt like I am walking in a thin line. After all, I am so afraid if Madeline will find out about it because I couldn''t imagine my life if she will leave me. I don''t know what will happen to me.

    I told Calixto everything since he was the only one I can trust. Cal was devasted when he finds out about what happened between Reba and me, and I can tell he was frustrated with me, and when I told him what my sister did, he felt sorry for me. And most of all, I can tell that he was affected because he cares about Madeline so much, and there are times I asked him to drive Reba going to her doctor''s appointment. I know he doesn''t want to do it because he hated Reba for conniving with Charlotte.

    "Mr. Divenson, I think it would be best if you will tell your wife all about it while it is still early, and I am sure she will forgive you because I know Madeline is empathetic, and I am sure she will still ept you." Cal said one day when he found me staring at the documents in my hand for a long time, and I forgot that he was standing near my table for a long while, and I am sure he knew why I was lost in space, and when I looked at him, I was shaking my head.

    "Next week is Madeline''s graduation, Calixto. Do you think I can tell her all about it as a graduation gift? I love her so much that is why until now I couldn''t tell her all about it, and I hate myself that trusting my sister will lead me into this kind of predicament." I said, and his face softened.

    "And Cal, I know Maddie likes you, and she would be happy to see you during her graduation ceremony, and I want to surprise her. So, I would like you to attend and witnessed her graduation rites." I dered, and his face lit up.

    "That would be amazing, and it would be an honor for me, Mr. Divenson. I want to be there for Maddie just in case she needs a proxy father." He said with a wide grin on his face, and Iugh even if my heart is hurting for Madeline. My wife doesn''t need to be broken, and I will do everything I can to keep her heart safe even if I have to deal with the consequencester, but for now, I want her to be happy and enjoy her graduation day. She was so excited, but I am more excited than her since it was her greatest dream to graduate from college to make herte mother proud of her.

    I didn''t expect that something will happen to Reba the day before Madeline''s graduation. I wanted to be there for my wife, but Reba needed me even if I hated her for ruining my trust. And now that I know that the baby is dead, I can feel the pain of losing an innocent child. But there is a part of me that telling me it would be okay since I don''t need to tell my wife about him, but I sinned to Madeline, and I am carrying the guilt every single day since I found out the truth.

    Most of all, I want to know what happened to the baby because I am not happy that my child is dead because I want to raise him, and I wanted to be a father to my son, and this is the second time I lose a child, and it feels like my heart is in deep pain as of now. I was no show at Madeline''s graduation because I was busy dealing with Reba''s situation, and I have to give my child a proper burial.

    "Cal, I want you to be present at Maddie''s graduation ceremony for me, I am in the hospital right now because Reba slid down on the bathroom floor, and she lost the baby, and this time I lost another child." I said in a soft voice, and I can hear his shock on the other line.

    "Oh, this must be terrible news to you, I know you want to raise the child, and you will tell Madeline everything after her graduation party, and I never expected this to happen now. I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Divenson." He said.

    "Thank you, Cal. Please bring Madeline to a fancy restaurant so you can have lunch after her graduation together with Gina. And if possible go to Jack''s restaurant so she will feel better. I know she will be devastated that I couldn''t be there for her tomorrow. But you know how much I want to be there for her, but I can''t. Thank you, Calixto." I replied and said my goodbye before I ended the call.

    "How was her graduation, Cal?" I asked Calixto the moment he met me in the hospital. I asked him to apany me to the cemetery where I will hurry my dead child.

    "She was gorgeous, but I can tell she was unhappy even though it was her graduation day, and I know because of you, and she kept on looking at the crowd hoping you will be there, and I can see the sadness behind her beautiful smile. Madeline is far from okay, Hunter. Gina told me that you didn''t even call Maddie or inform her where you are going. She was expecting you to attend her graduation," Cal said, and I heavily sighed.

    "I know, Cal, but I need to do it for Maddie''s sake." I replied.

    "Whatever, Mr. Divenson, I just hope you will not regret any of this." He said as we go out from the hospital''s exit.

    Reba''s condition now is stable, and after weid my child''s body into the cemetery, I can finallye home to my wife and face her. I don''t know what kind of lies I am going to tell her again as long as I will not be telling her about Reba, but I can''t stop my heart from mourning, and I couldn''t stop my tears from falling on my cheeks as I drive my car on the way home as I remember my son''s body on my hand. He looked so fragile, and I felt my heart died with him.

    He was innocent, and I will make sure Charlotte will pay for what she had done to him. I am sure she put something in the bathroom so Reba will lose her bnce, and she did it perfectly, my child died, and I am sure my dad is part of this scheme again. I tried to be a good son to my father, even though for how many times I hated him, and the same goes with Charlotte. I tried to be a good brother to her, but because of her jealousy towards me, she did everything to get rid of my innocent child, so I will not have an heir. Everything has limitations, and I am done being a good son to my father and a good brother, and this time I will fight back, and I won''t allow them to hurt my wife because I am very sure they are going to target Madeline next.

    "Where is my wife?" I asked Cer the moment I found her inside the house.

    "He left, Mr. Divenson." She softly answered, and I felt my knees go weak. After all, I can feel it deep inside methat she was talking about Madeline leaving for good because I was such a fool for not calling her. I ran and took the stairs two steps at a time as I can hear my heart thumping against my chest, and I opened our bedroom quickly. I get inside our room panting, and when I moved closer to the bed, I felt my entire world turned so dark when I found several pictures of Reba and me, and it was so evident that she was pregnant.

    Madeline knew the truth about what happened to Reba, and the reality hit me in the gut. My wife left me!

    "Nooooooo!" I shouted as I get down on my knees with my tears falling on my cheeks, and I never felt so lost and alone in my entire life. And the pain that I feel is too much that I felt like my chest is about to burst.. I love my wife, and Madeline is the only one I need in my life.

 Chapter 128 - My First Of Everything

    Madeline''s POV

    "I will ask you one more time, Madeline. Are you sure you are going to do this?" Gina asked me more than five times. We are already in the parking lot, and I am putting my suitcase on her car trunk, and I closed it harder than necessary, and I felt sorry for my best friend that I turn my anger to her car, but when I looked at her, it seems she doesn''t care at all because she knew I was hurting too much.

    "Gina, I have never been so sure my entire life, and I know when to fight when to hold on and when to ept defeat. I don''t need an exnation because everything I have seen in the pictures tells me enough of what I should know. I don''t want my husband to have a hard time with what to do about me. I have seen it with my two eyes how happy he is with her, and they are going to have a child, Gina. And why should I stay in this house?" I asked my best friend, and I can see the sadness on her face. And I understand Gina is also hurting me, and even Cer felt the same way too.

    "He told me once that we were only married on paper since he doesn''t have time for love, business sess is the only thing that makes him happy, and he can''t love someone like me. I should not expect if something happens to us in bed; he will love me because he only needed an heir of his empire. He told me that with a cold voice that made my entire body shivered, and I hated myself for falling in love with my husband every day until yesterday I realized I couldn''t take it anymore." I dered, and the three of us are now crying.

    "But he fell in love with you, Madeline." Gina said as she wiped her tears away, and Iughed like a lunatic because I wasughing while my tears dripped down on my face.

    "Yes, but he made Reba pregnant; how can you tell me now that he loved me, Gina? She was his first loved, and he only married me to have an heir, and now that his first love is pregnant again, do you think he still needs me? Come on, Gina, you are more sensible than I am; besides, I am tired of being a martyr for how many years he stayed with her every Monday and Wednesday. I am sharing my husband with his first love. That is why it is better I should leave this house so they can live together throughout the entire week from Monday to Sunday." I said as I try to control my tears from falling because I felt too exhausted to cry. I turned around to face Cer.

    "Cer, thank you so much for everything that you have done for me. From the first time I arrived at the Divenson mansion, all the years that we have been together, you showed me your kindness, and I hate to say goodbye to you, but it seems good things will alwayse to an end. But I will forever share your friendship inside my heart, and I will never forget you. I want you to go with me, but I understand that the Divenson family will be looking for you." I said, and Cer moves closer to me, and she hugged me.

    "I should be the one thanking you, Madeline. You were the one who showed me genuine kindness, and when I worked for you, you never treated me as your helper but as a friend. You insisted to Mr. Divenson to send me to school, and you encourage me to dream higher, and I couldn''t believe that in two years, it would be my time to graduate." She said.

    "You are smart, Cer, and I know you can do better, and I want you to have a better future. I know Hunterpensated you well, but it is different that you will be working in apany and you will be having your own home, and you can enjoy your life having a nightlife, and some vacation perhaps after you have a job." I said, and she smiled at me while she was still holding my hands.

    "I need to go now, but you have to promise me that we will see each other again. I am going to miss you, Cer." I said, and I can see her tears that fell on her cheeks, and I can no longer stop my tears from falling again as I stared at her and then I looked at the house, the ce where I shared beautiful moments with my husband where I dreamt of having children with him.

    "Of course, you have my number, and you can call me anytime, Madeline." She said, and I nodded my head, and I quickly run to the passenger''s seat, and I waved my hands at Cer as Gina drove the car far away from Hunter''s enormous house. I can''t stop my tears from falling as we move along the driveway. I can tell I am in too much pain as I watch the beautifulndscape fading away, and I am saying goodbye to the house and all the memories that I have in that gigantic house, both the good and the bad.

    "Can you tell me where you want to go?" Gina asked me after we passed the house''s main gate, and I turn my head to look at the mansion for thest time before I looked at my friend sideways.

    "I want you to take me to any hotel you can find at the outskirts of the city of Archois. I want to stay away as possible from Hunter. I know he can see me anytime if he wants to. But I understand that it would be impossible for him because he didn''t even attend my graduation. And it hurts me so much that he didn''t even call me, Gina." I said as I watched the road ahead.

    "And I know I have all the right to fight for my love for him. Still, I love him so much that I don''t want him to suffer knowing it would be hard on his part to say goodbye to me because I know my husband is kindhearted, Gina, that is the reason why he didn''t inform me about Reba''s pregnancy, he was afraid to hurt my feelings, and for that, I am still grateful. Still, he didn''t realize it hurts me more." I added.

    "Are you nning to stay in a hotel for how many days?" My best friend asked me.

    "Maybe three days until I can find a rental house or a condo unit. And I am just d that I am now a graduate student, and I need to find a job now. I am hurting so much, and I don''t know what to do, and I don''t even know how I will survive without Hunter in my life, but I know I need to be strong. I have to do this, and I hope you will never leave me, Gina, because I don''t know if I can take it if something happens with our friendship." I said.

    "Hey, Madeline, you may lose your husband, but you are not going to lose me because I will always be here for you; I am always willing to listen and give you advice, and I don''t care if you are going to listen to any of my advice as long as I give you my points of view. After all, you have to decide what do you think is good for you. I care about you, Madeline, and I can promise you that I will never leave you, and I will always be your best friend, whatever happens." She said, and I cried harder, and I close my eyes as I tried to stop myself from crying.

    I couldn''t believe that there is this kind of pain. I know that I have been through a lot, and I used to be so brave, but I think Hunter took away my ability to be strong in times like this. I used to believe that I am strong and can fight whatever hardship I need to face, but I couldn''t erase the image of my husband in my head. I couldn''t believe we shared hot sex, and our lovemaking is getting intense every time we are together, and I can tell he was in love with me, and how could he lie to me like that?

    I realized my best friend fell silent, and I felt d that she chose to give me some space, and I felt so grateful that she is here with me. I know it would be so hard on my part to get over this pace of my life. Still, I don''t have a choice but to ept the fact that Hunter Divenson could never be mine, and I think the best thing to do is to stay away from him, topletely gone from his life, and in doing that, I need to find a ce where he can''t see me. And to do that, I need some help. And I don''t know if Gina will allow me to cross country, but I don''t have a choice. I need to leave Archois, and Magnolia vige is not a good ce for me either.

    "Get out now, Maddie." I am startled why Gina asked me to get out, and when I opened my eyes, I realized she brought me to the Archois top hills, the ce where I can shout all the pain that I felt inside, and even though I was hurting, I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at my best friend. And I hope the pain that I am feeling right now will go away overnight, but I know it will never be that easy because I am hurting deep inside my heart, knowing I need to forget my first of everything in terms of love.. He was my first kiss, my first love, my only love, and my husband, Hunter Divenson.

 Chapter 129 - Crying My Heart Out

    Madeline''s POV

    I got out of Gina''s car, and I moved closer to the cliff where I can''t almost see what is in the bottom because of the depth of the ravine. And I couldn''t help myself, and I get down on my knees, and I started to cry, and I let out the loudest scream that I have ever had.

    "Hunter Divenson! I hate you!" I shouted.

    "I despise you! And I hate myself for loving you this much!!!!" I added, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw my best friend not so far away watching me. I know I am so tired of hurting, and deep inside me I don''t want to drag Gina into this, I hate that all my life she had witnessed all my pain, and I felt guilty because I want to show my friend that I am strong, but the feelings that I have inside is too much for me to bear.

    I feel so grateful that she brought me here because I release all the frustrations and the pains that I felt inside. I know the pain will never go away, but at least I can tell that I feel better after I shouted so many times. Being married to Hunter is the most beautiful thing that ever happened in my life. I can''t deny that he provided me everything that I need and all the things that I don''t even need. He has been a good husband to me, but he can never let go of Reba, his first love.

    And I hate to think that we are dealing with the same ordeal because it was also hard for me to let him go. After all, he is my first love and my only love. I know this time I need to let him go if I love him because I always believe that if you love someone, you have to set him free no matter how it will wreck you because you can never have a happy life being with someone who already fallen out of love with you. And I don''t think I will still be pleased with him knowing that his heart only belongs to her. That would be so unfair to my husband and me.

    Gina didn''t stop me from crying until I couldn''t cry anymore, my heart aches, my eyes swell, and my voice rasped, and I don''t know how long I stayed kneeling on the ground until I can feel the pebbleshurt my knees, and I slowly got up and walked back to her car. Gina remained silent until we reached the city center again, and if before I was mesmerized by the busy metropolis today, I felt like I haven''t seen this ce before. It feels like my heart will never stop from suffering, and I want to forget even for once so that I can have a peaceful sleep, and I hope tonight, being so exhausted from the pain, I can have a rest.

    "Are you sure, Maddie? I don''t want to leave you alone here." Gina said after I checked in, and I felt d when she listened to me, and we are at the border between the City of Archois and the next town on the north side, and I think Hunter can''t find me, besides I am confident he won''t be looking for me at the moment. I am sure he was nning on how to discard me from his life, but since he was such a gentleman, he will continue to sleep beside me, make love with me even though Hunter was thinking all about her, and it pained me so much knowing he was suffering because of me.

    "Gina, you don''t need to worry about me. You have done enough for today and since yesterday. I know you have been absent from your work and I am sure your parents are looking for you. And please check your bank ountter because I will transfer some amount that you can use." I said.

    "Hey, Madeline, you are my best friend, and do you think I will be happy if you will bepensating me? I spend time with you because you are my best friend and I love you. You don''t need to pay me being with you, and what kind of friend I am to you if I ept the money, please, Maddie, don''t do that. I am begging you." She said, and I shook my head.

    "Who told you I am going topensate you with your time with me? Don''t be silly, Gina. I know you need money to buy medicine for your mom. So, I want to help your mom because it pains me knowing that she is suffering right now. Do you know how much I suffered when my mom was on the brink of her death, and I can do nothing about it? I was dying inside, Gina." I said.

    "We don''t have any money to support her needs, and we were poor enough to bring her to the hospital. And now that I have money from Hunter, at least I can make use of it, and I can do something better out of his money. And you don''t have to worry about anything because ever since I became his wife, I have a monthly allowance from the time I arrive at the Divenson mansion." I said.

    "And I don''t need to tell you how much I have in my bank ount because I don''t want you to faint right now. I have married a big shot, so you don''t have to worry about money. And I don''t care if I''m going to lose Hunter''s money because I want to forget my husband totally, including the things that he had given me. I want to start fresh and have a new life." I added.

    "So, I am begging you, Gina, to take the money and help your mom. And if you need to bring her to the hospital, let me know, and I will be there to pay for the expenses. And just for your information, I didn''t only put the money in the bank, I am also wise, and you know that. I put up some investments, and I felt so happy that I earned every month, and I think it would be enough for now to sustain all the things that I needed." I said to her, and it was her turn to cry.

    "Oh, Madeline, thank you so much. I don''t know what to do anymore. I have spent all my savings, and even if I am working almost most of my time to help my dad support my mom''s medication, it wouldn''t be enough. And you know how much I want to finish my education, but since what happened to my mom, I didn''t graduate together with you." She replied.

    "You are wee, Gina. I am nning to ask you to go back to school. I will be the one to pay for your tuition fee, and you don''t need to worry. You don''t have to pay me back, but I am sure you will not agree. So, I have a proposition for you, I will pay for your college education, and then after you graduate, you have to pay me back every payday, and I don''t care how much it''s all up to you because if I have it my way I will not ask you to pay me back." I said, and she cries harder.

    "You don''t need to do that, Madeline. I am not your responsibility. Don''t worry. I will do everything I can so that I can finish my studies." She responded, and I hold her shoulders and looked at her in the eyes.

    "Gina, you are the only family that I have, and for me, you are my sister and my best friend. And I will do anything for you. You have always been there for me all through these years since I was younger. So, please don''t turn down my offer because it will make me so happy to help your family. Do you think I can take it to watch you suffered and let your dream vanished? I am aware of how much it cost to finish a college education here in our country, Gina." I said.

    "And if you still consider me as your best friend, then you have to ept my help, Gina, lower your pride for once, besides, if our situation has been reversed, I am sure you will do the same for me." I said, and she smiled.

    "Of course." She responded.

    "So, that it means, yes?" I asked her, and she slowly nodded her head, and my smile broadens as I tightly hugged her.

    Gina left me in my room, and I get out and buy some facial tissue from the convenience store. And when I got back, I started crying again, and I know Gina was right. I will spend my night crying in bed with facial tissue all over the floor of my hotel room.. How can I make the pain go away? And if there is only a pain reliever for a broken heart, I could have taken a triple dose to make the pain go away, and I was crying my heart out until I fall asleep.

 Chapter 130 - Winning Back Madelines Heart

    Hunter''s POV

    I had never felt in too much pain before, not even when I thought, Reba was dead. I can feel the excruciating pain in my heart, and even though I felt exhausted because I didn''t have enough sleep after what happened to Reba and our child. I am hurting because I lost another innocent child, and the pain of knowing that my wife left me is killing me inside, I tried to drink alcohol, but I stop because I know when I wake up, I can still feel the pain of losing Madeline. I didn''t eat anything, and I didn''t go to work either. And the betrayal of my entire family wrecked me, and I couldn''t believe that my mom knew about it, but she didn''t even tell me anything from the start so that I could have prepared myself.

    I have been calling Maddie''s phone even though I know it was toote for me, and it keeps on ringing, but she didn''t pick up. I was thinking about my wife the entire time I was lying on my bed thinking about all the good things we had. I was thinking about her beautiful face, her sweet voice. The way she melts with me every time I kiss her and the way she calls my name. And I am such a fool for hurting her, and I felt so embarrassed that I was not able to stand with my promise never to hurt her again.

    And even though I try to avoid drinking alcohol in the end, there is nothing I can do but to find sce in the mansion''s bar because there is no one that I can turn to at the moment. I am too ashamed to call Calixto because I know he will hate me if he finds out Madeline is gone. And I hate to think that there is no one that I can trust as of the moment, no friends I can share my problem with it, and no family that I can pour out the pain I feel inside me.

    I pulled out the bottle of Whisky from the bar counter, and I didn''t know how many I have drunk until I became too drunk to stand up until I passed out on the floor near the bar, and thest thing I remember, I was calling Madeline''s name all over again, and I was begging her toe home.

    The following day that I wake up, I find myself lying on the couch, and I have a terrible headache, and I wonder how I managed to bring myself to the living room. And when I raise my head, I found Calixto sitting on the couch across me. And I have never been so happy to see him in my entire life. And when I looked at his attire, I realize he was wearing a business suit, and I can say he came from the office, and my assistant was here because I didn''t report to the office and when I looked at the clock on the wall it is already one o''clock in the afternoon.

    "When did she left?" He asked me after a long while, and he sounded like an angry father talking to his son, and how I wish at this moment that Calixto is my birth father and not rk Divenson.

    "How did you know that my wife left me?" I ask in more than a whisper, thinking that Maddie is no longer inside the house. I felt the pang in my chest, and the pain I feel inside my heart is still there.

    "Well, you don''t need to tell me about it because judging by what is going on with you right now, I can tell that your wife left you. You have never beente at work without telling me what is going on. You don''t know how worried I was, and for how many times I tried calling your cell phone, but you didn''t answer me, and I thought something happened to you. I was also calling Madeline, but she didn''t pick up either." He dered, and I close my eyes again. I felt so happy that Calixto is here with me.

    "You have to go back to the office, Cal, because you are the one I can trust, and knowing that my sister isthere, I can tell she is nownning a plot on howto evict me from my position," I said.

    "She can never do that to you because she knew you are the only one who can run thepany smoothly. Charlotte doesn''t have your abilities, Hunter. Even your father knew that, and that is the reason why you are his favorite child, but what I don''t understand is he wants to manipte your love life and insisted that you should marry Kaye. He was so obsessed with the idea that you should marry the heiress." He replied.

    "He can never force me to marry anyone, and that is the thing that I am sure I can do. And I will do everything to win my wife back." I replied, and I can see the smile on his face, and even though I am not feeling well because of the hangover that I feel I am still thinking about Madeline.

    "Cal, I want you to send someone to look for Madeline, but don''t do anything yet. I want to know if she is fine and livingfortably, and I want to give my wife space and let her anger subside. After all, I don''t want to go to her right now because I know she will never talk to me, or worse, she will push me away. I don''t want to hear anythinging from her sweet mouth that will cause me pain because I am too afraid if she doesn''t want to be with me anymore because I can never take it, and I want my wife toe home to me because I will be waiting for her. Our bed will be forever empty without her, and for heaven''s sake, she knew how much I love her, Cal." I dered.

    "Yeah, but you lied to her, and I don''t need to remind you for how many times I told you that you should tell her so that none of this will happen." He responded, and I couldn''t disagree with him.

    "You know the reason because I love her so much, and I don''t want my wife to leave me, but yeah, you''re right. And I hate to think that in terms of my love life, you know what is best for me. And this is the first time that I will ept that you were fucking right, Calixto. I deserve all the pain that I am feeling right now because of lying to her." I dered.

    "And I want you to make sure that Reba will leave the penthouse after she is discharged from the hospital. Make sure she will settle at the house that I provide for her, and I think it would be enough because I don''t want to get involved with her anymore. I couldn''t believe that Reba tricked me after what I have done to her. My wife has been very understanding, and she was thinking about her welfare but what Reba did was unforgivable. And I couldn''t believe she was fooling me since I was eighteen years old, and I hate my father for not telling me anything." I said, and I saw his face saddened.

    "I am going to stay at thepany for Lily''s sake. Of course, for the future of our kids because I am going to have children with Madeline whatever it takes because even if I have to ask forgiveness to her every day, I will do that to be with her. I love my wife so much, Cal, and I couldn''t imagine my life without her beside me. And I wish she will forgive me." I said.

    "Of course, I believe your wife is a forgiving person, but I don''t know if she will take you back as her husband," Calixto responded, and my eyes widened, and I never felt so scared of losing something in my life, not even losing thepany.

    "Don''t say that Calixto, You knew how much I am hurting right now, and then you are telling me that, and you are here to give me your moral support, and I was expecting you to boost my confidence not to discourage me, and make me feel worse," I said, and heughed.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, I was stating a fact, and I am trying to make you strong. Speaking of strong, you need to get up now and take a bath, and you have to eat something. I already asked Cer to prepare porridge for you and chicken soup for your hangover. You could have at least call me, so I drink with you. I am going to go back to the office, but I am expecting you to be there tomorrow. You have to fight for your right, Hunter, and I know you are strong, and you can do this, and don''t worry, you are going to win her back." Calixto said, sounding like my boss again, and this is what I love about him. He was really like my father and my boss at the same time.

    "Don''t worry because I will do everything I can to help you because I know how much you love her. And the only mistake that you made is you lied to her, and you hide something significant from Madeline, and it is only natural for her to act that way. Still, it doesn''t mean she doesn''t love you anymore, and that is the only thing that I am sure of because I have witnessed how much she loves you, Hunter. And I know Madeline is loyal. You need to get back on your feet so that you can have your wife back." Cal added.

    I suddenly feel a little better even though I am still hurting inside, and I nodded at him. And I get up and take a bath, and I quickly get dressed and eat my food. He didn''t leave the house until I finish eating everything Cer prepared for me.. I felt so grateful that at least there is still someone I can depend on who gives me support and his understanding, and I felt so thankful to have Calixto in my life, and he was right I need to be strong so that I can have my wife back, and that is my aim now winning back Madeline''s heart.

 Chapter 131 - New House And New Beginning

    Madeline''s POV

    After crying for so long, I fell asleep, and when I wake up, my eyes are swollen, and my heart is still hurting. I got up from bed and took a shower. Then after getting dress in my favorite skinny jeans and BB T-shirt, I slip in my doll shoes. I get my purse and my phone, and I get out of my room to eat my breakfast in the hotel''s restaurant. And when I looked on the screen of my mobile phone, I realized I have so many missed calls from my husband. I felt so happy and sad at the same time. But I am just d that I didn''t answer his calls because I am afraid of what I will say to him. And I think I still need space before I can face Hunter again.

    I need to be vital to face Hunter with my head high, and I should make sure that I will not be crying in front of him because I don''t want my husband to pity me. I used to be strong because of what I have been through in my life, but falling in love with my husband makes me so vulnerable, and I hate myself that I became this weak. I seldom cry over my problems before because I thought I would be more pitiful if I make myself cry. After all, for me, tears are a sign of weakness, and I don''t need anyone''s pity.

    But I allow Hunter to be in my life, and I became dependent on him after our marriage. And this time, I need to be the Madeline I used to be, and I should never cry again, no matter how much I am hurting inside. Enough for the tears because I need to look for a house and find a job.

    I felt d that only a few guests are dining early in the morning, and I can tell some of them have an early flight. I don''t have an appetite to eat, but I know I need to eat to have some energy to keep going today. I believe when you are broken-hearted, you should think about your health because the one who hurt you might have a sumptuous meal and enjoying his life while you were sulking and feeling so down because you felt like you are carrying the world on your shoulders.

    But I don''t think my husband is enjoying himself right now because I know Hunter''s personality. Even if he seemed cold and distant from everyone and the kind of person you think owns the world. Still, beyond his facade, I know he has a good heart, and I can tell because he is a good son. Even if his father is cruel and selfish, he only hit his father once when he learned what his father had done towards Reba, but after that, he still looked up to him as his father. He is the most kind-hearted and forgiving person I know, yet he still hurt me, and I don''t want Hunter to suffer because what he had done to me was enough to make me feel grateful.

    He helped my aunt and me. And he made me experienced how wonderful it is to be loved by him. And if ever I am going to be given a chance to be born again, I will choose the same life because I never regretted having Hunter Divenson as my husband. If I can only have it on my way, I would like to be with him forever and to sleep every night beside him and be wrapped in his loving arms. However, I know it would be impossible because he is still in love with Reba, and I can''t me him because Reba came ahead of me.

    "How would you like your egg, mom?" The chef at the egg station asked me, and it was the only time I focus on the empty te I have in my hand because I felt like I am so lost circling the buffet station without picking anything. And I smiled at him and told him I want an egg fillet for my egg. And I stopped myself from thinking about my husband even for a while even though I know I can''t stop thinking about him, but I need to if I want to move on with my life.

    I concentrated on picking food for my breakfast as I get some bacon, ham, and bread, and I get some butter and jam. I sat at my table, and the waiter asked me what do I want for my drink. I asked him to served me coffee since I want to start my day alive and kicking. I get up, and I get some slices of papaya and pineapple. I noticed the restaurant is beginning to be crowded, and I can see men are looking in my direction, and some of them are smiling at me. Still, I ignored them and continue eating my food while I search on the inte on my smartphone for a house for rent or a condominium unit for sale.

    I felt relieved that there are so many options that I can choose, but I need to see it first in actuality before I will decide what I want because I know there are a lot of things that are only good to look at in pictures, but you will not be satisfied once you will see them in person. I contacted the numbers, and I was able to talk to five agents. And they are all avable this morning, and I couldn''t stop myself from being so excited. And living near the outskirts of the city of Archois would be my first choice because I am sure I am away from Hunter and his family, and starting a fresh start is the best thing for me.

    I spend my entire day and the next two days house hunting, and on the third day, I felt so delighted that I was able to find a ce that suits my preference; it is a lovely two-bedroom house, and I felt so excited to move in right away, but I need to understand that we need to process the deed of sale and other documents. After three more days, everything was set, and I moved in immediately. The next thing I bought was a car.

    I know having Hunter''s money gives me the convenience to purchase anything I need, and right now, I have to start a new life, and I also need to buy new things I need living in a house alone. I felt so lonely, and I can still feel the pain every day, but I tried my best never to cry again over my husband. Knowing that he is happy is enough for me because I love him so much that I am willing to give him his freedom.

    I went shopping with Gina, and we bought furniture and fixtures needed in my cute bungalow. We celebrate my new beginning with wine and food after I got everything settled, and it made me feel satisfied. The white leather couch made my living room looked elegant and cozy.

    "Wow! I am so happy for you, Madeline, and I wish I could have something like this in the future." Gina said as she looked around my new ce, and she is beaming the entire time.

    "Of course you can. After you graduate from college and you can find a job, you can buy more extensive than this house." I replied.

    "I don''t need a big house. I want something like this, and this is not also a tiny house. You have a two-bedroom house, Maddie, and this is something we should celebrate." She said as she poured some wine on the wine ss.

    "Yeah, and I could never buy something like this if not because of my husband. It feels like he still owns this ce." I replied.

    "Madeline, that is your money since he gave that amount to you, and you didn''t spend it on other material things like cosmetics and others. You never go to a fancy bar; you were always in your house since you married him, you y your role as the best housewife you can be. And you don''t need to feel guilty about anything. And I don''t want to judge Hunter since he has been a good husband to you, and I can tell he is in love with you, Madeline, and I saw it with my own eyes how much he cares for you." Gina dered.

    "I don''t understand why something like this happened now when you are ready to conceive his child. Maybe something transpired that we don''t know, and I think you should talk with your husband, Maddie. I understand he hurt you so much, and I am angry with him too, but I don''t think Hunter will walk out of your life without telling you anything. We don''t know if he is also suffering right now that you were gone. Cer called and informed me your husband got so drunk when he found out you left your house." Gina added.

    "I know the reason why Hunter got drunk, Gina. He felt guilty about what he had done to me, and maybe he already found out that I already know that truth. But don''t worry, he didn''t look after me, and it only means one thing, he already epted the fact that I am out of his life. Don''t worry because I am going to call Calixto right now." I said, and her face saddened.

    "Don''t say that Madeline, I am sure he was worried where you are right now." She responded.

    "Gina, I should live in reality and face the fact that Hunter can never be mine, and I know I need to meet my husband the soonest possible time." I said, and I can tell Gina is a little surprised why do I need to show myself to my husband when I tried to hide away from him, but I know I have to talk with him and tell him how he made me feel, and I will tell him what I want to ask from him. I fished out my phone from my pocket, and I can feel my hands are trembling as I dialed Calixto''s number, and I felt restless as I waited for him to answer my call.

 Chapter 132 - My Neighbor

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hello, Madeline!" Calixto eximed the moment he answered my call, and I smiled as I think about him, but I can also feel the tears that welled up in my eyes because Cal is always like a father to us, especially to Hunter. He will always be there for us, and there is no asion or family gathering that Cal will not be around because he is part of our family. And Calixto will always remind my husband and me about our wedding anniversary. Even if Cal knew I will never forget that date because our wedding anniversary will always be special for me even if we are not together anymore. After all, I know deep in my heart I can''t forget Hunter because my love for him willst for a lifetime no matter how much he hurt me.

    "Cal, " I softly called his name because I became speechless.

    "Madeline, are you okay?" He asked me, and my smile broadens as I can feel his concern in his voice, and I don''t know what my reaction would be if I am going to talk with Hunter.

    "Yes, I am, don''t worry about me, Calixto. I am calling you because I want to ask a favor from you." I dered.

    "You can ask me anything, Maddie. What can I do for you?" He asked, and I swallowed my saliva before I answer him.

    "I know Hunter is always busy with his work, and do you think you can insert me with his schedule? Because I want to have an appointment with him tomorrow." I dered as I can feel my voice trembled, and I wish we are talking personally right now because I can''t deny how much I miss Cal.

    "Madeline, you are Hunter''s wife, and you can talk to him anytime. I know I don''t have any right to meddle with your affair, but I am so concerned about your marriage, and I hope you can work it out, and you can give your husband a second chance." Cal replied, and I halfugh, I want to tell him what I feel as of the moment, and the image of Reba being pregnant with Hunter''s child popped up on my mind, and I hope it would be that easy.

    "Cal, I hope we can talk, but for now, it is veryplicated, and I wish it would be that simple. Hunter hurt me, and it would be so hard for me to ept what happened. I want to talk with him, and if you can tell me what time I cane to his office, I would appreciate it, and I hope he will be around tomorrow."

    "Of course, he will be avable tomorrow any time you want, and he is avable for you for twenty-four hours, for heaven''s sake, Maddie, you are his wife, and you have all the right toe and meet your husband. And I am asking you to go home to your house. Mr. Divenson needs you this time, Madeline." He said, and I became angrier because I couldn''t believe he didn''t even bother to look for me if he was affected by our situation, and I think he is waiting for me toe to him and beg him to take me back.

    "Really? He didn''t even bother toe and get me." I said as I tried to lower my voice.

    "Believe me, Madeline, he was eager to see you; I am not in the position to talk on his behalf because this I a personal matter between you and him, as husband and wife, but I am very sure that he wants you toe home, Madeline." He dered.

    "I need to go now, Cal. I will be there tomorrow." I said, and I said goodbye to him. After all, I don''t want to talk more because I can feel my tears are about to fall. And I need to see my husband first and talk with him about my decision before telling Calixto about it since I am aware that they are very close with each other, and I am aware Cal knew all of Hunter''s secrets than me.

    I heavily sighed after I ended the call, and to be honest, I still want to talk with Cal because I miss talking with him, but I don''t want to cry again because I am too tired of crying almost every night and day.

    "I thought you don''t want your husband to see you, and why do you suddenly want to see him now after days of hiding from him?" Gina asked me, and I looked at her for a long time before I answer her.

    "Because I don''t want to prolong my agony, Gina, and I admit even if I don''t want Hunter to see me, I am still hoping that he will look for me and tell me that he was sorry, but he didn''te, and I can now tell he chose her over me." I said, and Gina shook her head.

    "Madeline, I don''t think so. I still believe that your husband cares for you, and he will never let you go. I am sure of that because I know how much he loves you." My best friend responded, and I shook my head as I sip my wine.

    "We better stop talking about my husband, Gina, because I am going to face him tomorrow whatever it takes because I want to make a decision soon so that I can continue living my life even if I know it will wreck me because you know how much I love my husband." I replied.

    "Exactly, that is why you should think about it carefully. It would be best if you didn''t have regrets, Maddie. I know what you have been through in your life, and I don''t want to see you in pain again. And I just can''t let you suffer because I am your best friend, and every time you are hurt, I am also hurting." She said, and I moved closer to her, and she hugged me.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I never ask for this life, and if I have it my way, I want to be happy always, but it seems this is my life. And I think it is part of my destiny that I should suffer from my life, and I believe it is part of who I am. And all I need to do is to ept everything that is happening with me withoutining about it because if I am going to question everything, no one can answer me why I am suffering right now, Gina." I said, and I finish drinking my wine in one gulp, and I didn''t let Gina answered me as I quickly got up from the dining chair, and I get a bottle of vodka from the cab because I want to drink more to forget my husband again.

    "Hey, you should drink moderately, Madeline, if you don''t want to have another hangover episode. This time I am alone, Cer can''t help me take good care of you, besides I need toe home tonight. And if you wantto look beautiful in your husband''s eyes, you better drink the wine, and we can consume that vodka after you meet your husband." Gina said, and I hate that her words get me, and I don''t want to admit that I still want my husband to love me. Instead of drinking the vodka, I keep it unopened, and I continued drinking the wine. And I can see Gina is smiling at me, and we continue drinking our wine and eating cheese in silence.

    Gina waved her hand at me as she drives away from my driveway, and I only get back inside my home when I could no longer see her car. Now that I am alone, I suddenly feel the emptiness. I take a shower and put on my nightdress, and this is the part that I hated the most, trying to get some sleep without thinking about Hunter. Still, no matter what I do, I couldn''t stop myself from thinking about my husband and the pain that he had caused me. And it took me a long while before I finally fall asleep.

    I wake up early, and I prepare my breakfast, and I know I need to eat nutritious food since I don''t have enough sleep for how many nightsnow after I left home, after I found out Hunter''s secret. I sliced fruits and some vegetables and made a smoothie. I know Hunter is alwaysing to his office early because he hates beingte, and I want to see him in the morning because I can''t stop myself from feeling so anxious. And after getting dress into a knee-length sleeveless dress, I get out of my house hastily.

    "Maddie! Madeline?" I was about to get inside my car when I hear a familiar voice calling my name, and when I looked around, I am surprised to see Jack Morigan in his running clothes.

    "Jack? What are you doing here?" I asked, and I couldn''t believe all the people I will see Jack in my new ce.

    "I live in this neighborhood a few blocks from here." He said, and I realized he was living on the other side where the houses are more prominent, and the houses are bigger, from two-story to three-story homes.

    "And what are you doing here, Madeline?" He asked, and his intense gaze made me blushed.

    "I live here now." I replied, and his face lit up, but I can see the confusion on his handsome face.

    "Really? So, we are neighbors now, but howe?" He asked, and I can''t tell him yet what happened since I am in a hurry, and I don''t want Jack to pity me.

    "It is a long story." I replied.

    "I always have time for you, Madeline, and I am a good listener." He said, and he gave me his sweetest smile that I know can melt anyone''s heart, and if I wasn''t only in love with Hunter, I am sure it wouldn''t be so hard to fall in love with the handsome chef.

    "Thank you, but I need to go now." I said, and he nodded his head.

    "I am so happy to see you, Madeline." He said.

    "Me too, Jack." I replied.

    "I hope I can visit your ce one of these days to wee you properly, and I promise to bring you your favorite food." He said, and I can''t contain my happiness.

    "That would be great, maybe next time since I need to go now." I said, and I know I can trust Jack because we are friends even though I know he felt something for me. That is why I always make sure I didn''t give him the wrong signal.

    "Of course, I will be looking forward to it, Madeline." He said and waved his hand to me before he continued his early run. I was smiling as I drive away from my house because I realized it is nice to meet a friend when you felt so down.

    As I near the Divenson building, I couldn''t stop the rapid beating of my heart. I parked my car on the parking slot intended for me, and I smiled when I saw the card that has the te number of my sports car. Still, I am driving my new car today, and I know it is less expensive and not a luxury car, but I love it since I bought it, I parked beside my husband''s car, and I couldn''t stop the rapid beating of my heart as I realized my husband is already on his office. I got out of my car, and get inside the main door, and walked to the lobby going to the elevator while I was controlling the pounding of my heart against my chest as I take my every step.. And I didn''t inform Cal that I am already on my way because I want toe unannounced.

 Chapter 133 - I Want To Impress My Wife

    Hunter''s POV

    I wake up early from my sleep, and I couldn''t help but looked at the empty space beside me as I feel the longings that I have to see my wife. And I know I need to talk with Madeline soon because I can''t let her stay away from me this long, and I think at this time, her anger towards me already subsided. I know what I have done to her was unforgivable, but I wish her love for me will prevail. I know how much my wife loves me, but I am also aware that I caused her too much anguish, and I wish that she will hold on to our rtionship.

    I got up from our bed with a heavy heart, and I go to the bathroom and take a shower. The emptiness that I feel inside my heart is killing me, and I will not wait another day without seeing Madeline. But I am afraid to face her because of what I have done to her, but knowing that she is doing great makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. I couldn''t believe that Madeline will go on with her life without me.

    "You don''t need to worry about anything, Mr. Divenson, because your wife is fine, and she is moving on with her life without you," Calixto said on the day after he found my wife, and I couldn''t stop myself from being hurt of what he had said to me.

    "Don''t say it like that, Cal. It seems you want to emphasize that my wife is now happy without me." I replied, and he looked at me with concern on his face asI leaned my back on the backrest of my swiveled chair as I adjusted my necktie.

    "Well, knowing that she bought a house and a new car near the outskirts of the city is enough to tell us that she wants to stay away from you. And I can tell she doesn''t want to associate with you anymore. And you cannot me your wife, Hunter, because what you did to her was too much, and no wife can forgive you for what you have done. Even though I know you are innocent but the fact that you hide everything from her is enough to make her flee even if deep in her heart she wants to stay and hold on." He said, and his words made my heart bleed that day.

    "And you didn''t get the courage to chase after her, and right now, I know she thought that you no longer care about her," Cal added, and I want to throw the papers on my desk at Cal for being so honest with me, and I can tell right now he is pissed at me for doing nothing.

    "Calixto, you know how much I want to face Madeline, but Iwant her anger to subside. You don''t need to tell it on my face how much I hurt her because I fucking know about it, and I am dealing with it every fucking second of my life right now. And I have never been so confused my entire life. I love Maddie, Cal, but I am also mourning because I lost another innocent child, and I know I am a horrible person. Still, I also need space to think everything over, and I want to decide what I am going to do with my family and the business." I said, and his eyes widened.

    "Don''t tell me you are nning to resign." He said, and I didn''t answer him.

    "Look, Hunter, I know that you are very confused right now, but don''t ever resign as the CEO of thispany because I am telling you, this is your life, and don''t throwaway the hard work that you did for this organization, and most of all, there are so many employees who depend on you, and once you will resign I am sure the operation will flunk again, we need you as our boss." He said, and I can see the worries on his face.

    "I know you have a point, Cal. Still, if my father continues to threaten my life with his unexpected schemes, I don''t want to deal with him because I don''t know what I am going to do with him once he will do something terrible again, and of course, I am afraid for Madeline''s safety. And I can never forgive him if he will do something to my wife." I said.

    "Yes, I understand about that, but you have to remember that your mother has thergest share of stocks, so your father has nothing to do about if your mom will transfer her shares to you." Cal said, and he is right about it, and I know I have to continue working in thepany for my mom, Lily, and Maddie.

    The moment I finished taking a bath, I walk to the closet, and instead of getting the dress of my usual business attire, I opted to wear Madeline''s favorite. Wearing casual jeans and a t-shirt will always fascinate her, and I smile as I remember how often I caught my wife staring at me with intensity every time I wear this type of clothing. And I love the way she scanned my entire frame like an x-ray, and God knows how much I miss my wife.

    "Good morning, Mr. Divenson." Cer greeted me, and I smiled at her. I asked her to stay at my house. After all, I want her to be there once my wife gets back because I know how much Maddie likes Cer.

    "Good morning, Cer." I greeted her back, and I know I surprised her when I give her a beautiful smile because since my wife left, I became so grumpy and I can''t control my mood, even at the office I can feel the tension of all my staff every time I call for a meeting.

    I Cer and my wife are good friends, and that is why I want Cer to stick around. And since it is summer, she spends her time helping in the household chores, especially tending the garden, even if I hired a gardener. I know how much my wife loves flowers that is why I want to keep our garden the way she left it, so the moment she will get back into our home, I want her to know I keep everything like the way she wants it, and for the first time after she left I feel so energetic. After all, I am going to meet her sooner thanter because I am done mourning over my lost child. I want to ask forgiveness from my wife, and I will beg her toe home.

    "Hello, Cal. What do you want from me this early?" I answered Calixto''s call over the speaker of my car as I drive away from our house, and I can''t stop feeling so irritated on why he is calling me when I am on my way to the office.

    "We''ve got a problem, Mr. Divenson, and I regret to inform you that I had to cancel all your appointments for today." He dered on the other line, and my forehead furrowed because I couldn''t believe what he was saying.

    "And why do you need to do that?" I asked as I try to contain my nervousness about why he needs to cancel my appointments with some prospective clients.

    "Because someone wants to see you and schedule a meeting with you, but this client didn''t tell me what time she will being over." He said.

    "What? I couldn''t believe you allow someone to have a meeting with me at no specific time, and I think it is time for me to rece you, Cal. You have been excellent with your job, and this is the first time you did something ridiculous. How could you give someone special treatment? You know how we deal with our clients, Cal. We need to treat them fairly." I said to him, and he fell silent on the other line that I thought he lost his connection again.

    "Hello! Cal, are you there? Don''t entertain that client, and don''t dare to cancel all my appointments for today just because of her." I said as I let out a heavy sigh, and I couldn''t believe Cal will make a poor decision like this.

    "Okay, I will just tell Madeline Brownwood Divenson to visit some other time." He said that I almost hit the brake of my car abruptly that made my car swerved on the side of the road, and I felt so d I was able to take control of my vehicle.

    "What?" I asked in disbelief as I pulled over my SUV car on the side of the road to keep my heart ratee back to normal because I can feel my heart is beating so fast.

    "Yes, your wife called me to have an appointment with you." He said, and I couldn''t believe Madeline will take the first step, and I felt devastated why she has to go through Cal and not call me directly, but knowing that she ising to my office to see me is enough to make me feel like a teenager again. And I felt so d that I am wearing casual clothes since I know how much she loves me wearing this get-up.

    "For goodness sake, Cal, why didn''t you tell me right away that my wife wants to see me so you can cancel all my appointments and meetings for today. And I don''t want anyone to disturb me the moment she gets inside the office and tell my secretaries to clean my office right now, and please ask someone to deliver a bouquet to my office, Cal. You could have told me ahead of time so that I can shave." I said, and heughed on the other line.

    I don''t intend to voice out loud thest sentence, but I became so excited to see my wife that I don''t know what to say anymore. I never felt this kind of emotion before. The excitement that I felt is making me feel like I am a teenager all over again, having the first meeting with my long-time crush. Still, this time it feels different because it is no longer infatuation. After all, it is more profound because it is called love.I don''t need to impress someone, but I need to make this perfect.. I want to impress my wife, and I couldn''t wait to see Madeline Divenson.

 Chapter 134 - I Was Dying Inside

    Hunter''s POV

    I couldn''t stop my heart from feeling so happy the moment I have learned that my wife ising to the office. It took me a long while topose myself and start driving my car again, and I drove fast because I want to get to the office right away and prepare everything. I want to make Madeline aware that I am crazy about her, and I will do everything for my wife. And I don''t know what she wants from me, but I am hoping that she will give me another chance to be with her because I don''t know what will happen if she will ask me to let her go because I can never give that to her even if I be selfish.

    "Good morning, Mr. Divenson." My staff greeted me when I passed their working ce going to my office, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at them. I know I surprised my subordinates with my happy mood today because for how many days now I get inside the office without looking at them even if they greeted me, I ignored all of them and continue walking to my office as if I didn''t hear anything. I know it was my bad because I am the boss, but I couldn''t help feeling so down that my wife left me, and now that she''sing to the office, I am so excited to see her.

    "Good morning, guys. Would you please keep up the excellent work? And I appreciate that you always came early to the office, and I can assure you that I will give you the incentives you deserve. Because I believe being early means you are productive. And I want to ask a favor from you all. The moment my wife gets inside here in this office, can you at least give her the proper greeting that she deserves." I said and got inside my office smiling like an idiot, and I smiled when I found Calixto wiping my table.

    "Good morning, Cal, I am so happy to see you this morning, but I don''t like the idea that you didn''t informme in advance that my wife called youst night. And I wish you told me about itso that I can make myself ready." I dered.

    "Mr. Divenson, I hope you look at your missed calls because I was calling youst night for how many times, but you ignored all my calls. Now you are telling me that you are not happy that I didn''t call you, but you can see my dialed numberson my call logs on my phone to make you believe that I called youst night." Cal responded, and I can tell he is frustrated with me.

    "I am sorry, Cal, to be honest, I haven''t checked my phone because every time I arrive home since my wife left me, I spend most of my time at the bar, but you don''t need to worry because I only drink moderately. I drink so that I can go to sleep. Thank you, Cal, for convincing my wife toe and see me." I Dered as I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at him.

    "No, I haven''t encouraged Madeline to go back with you, Hunter, because I know how much you hurt her, and I want Madeline to decide for herself about what she wants to do with her life because I know I can''t dictate your wife on what to do since Madeline is an independent woman. Before she met you, she was already working and trying her best to make ends meet for her aunt." He responded.

    "And I can tell that Madeline is deliberating on what to do with you. I am sorry, but when I talked with herst night, I can tell that she is still angry with you, and all you need to do is apologize to her, and I hope she will listen to you. And kindly allow your wife to release all her anger and frustrations towards you so she can get over it, and she can have peace of mind. I told you before that you should meet her first, but you didn''t listen to me, and don''t me me if the result of your meeting today will not fall ording to your expectations." He added.

    "Cal, why are you saying that? Don''t you realize that I am having a hard time right now? I tried to be optimistic about this, but you make me feel so discouraged. I thought you were my best friend." I said to him, and his face softened.

    "Hunter, I am happy that you treat me as your best friend, but I want to remind you best friend will always listen to his best buddy''s advice, but you never listened to me when I told you to go after Madeline." He said, and I feel so defeated, and suddenly my mood turns sour.

    "Okay, I know I was wrong, but I hope you understand that I was in deep pain also, and Madeline is not the only one suffering. You should be sympathetic towards me too, my family tricked me, and my ex made friends with my wicked sister. I was trying to be a good son and to be a good brother to my sister, but what they did to me in return? They made my life hell, and I lost another child, Calixto." I dered.

    "And as of the moment, I felt so scared thinking I might lose my wife because of what they had done to me. Right now, I am not even sure if what will happen today between my wife and me, but I want you to know, Cal, that I will do anything I can to bring back my wife''s affection, and I hope you will be there to back me up." I said, and he smiled.

    "Of course, you are like a son to me, Hunter, and right now, my heart is hurting for you, but I want you to be positive and have good vibes." He said, and we smiled at each other, and I felt relieved that Cal is not angry with me anymore.

    "Where is the bouquet, Cal?" I asked him.

    "It is on the way, don''t worry, it will arrive before Madeline can get here in your office." He replied, and I smiled.

    "That is good, and thank you, Cal. Do I look presentable to you?" I asked.

    "I think you should shave, but I guess since you are wearing jeans and a white t-shirt, your wife will be thrilled once she saw your ruggedly handsome look." He said, and Iughed, and yes, this would be the first time my wife will look at me this way, but Cal has a point most girls love this look that I have right now.

    Cal gets out of my office, and since I know that my wife ising, I became so restless as I waited for her toe. Every time my door will open, I almost jumped from my seat, thinking it could be my wife, and I told Cal to stoping into my office because I felt like I have a heart attack every time he barges into my office. Then, suddenly my office door opened, and my eyes widened in shock.

    "What are you doing here, Reba?" I asked in disbelief why she needs to be in my office at this very moment when Madeline is on his way, and I panic.

    "Look, Hunter, I know you are still angry with me, but I came to apologize, and there is something I want to tell you that you must know." She answered, and I am controlling myself not to drag her out from my office.

    "Yes, you are right. I am still angry with you for conniving with Charlotte, and as you can see, I am so busy, Reba, and I want you to leave right now. And next time if you are going to talk with me, you should ask my assistant to have an appointment with me, but I am asking you right now, please leave." I am begging her because I don''t want my wife to see her right now; this is the first time I will meet my wife after she left me, and having Reba in my office is making it worse. And I wonder where Calixto is as of the moment, and I wonderwhy he didn''t stop Reba from getting inside my office.

    "Hunter, I have something to tell you, and I will not go until you listen to me, and this is important, and I came to warn you because I know Charlotte is nning something sinister to hurt you, and I don''t want you to get hurt." She said.

    "Reba, please, I don''t want to listen to you anymore because my sister already made my life a living hell the moment both of you sabotage my marriage, and I don''t think she can hurt me more because I am already suffering. I provided you with everything that you need, and all I ask from you is to leave my office right now if you don''t want me to drag you out." I said, and I realized that I hurt her because I can see the pain on her face, but she needs to leave right now, but she remained footed on the floor. And I stood up from my chair, and I was about to walk closer to Reba when my office door suddenly opened, and there she is looking so beautiful as ever. My wife enters the room with poise, and I can''t stop myself from looking at her lovely face, but all I can see on Madeline''s face right now is her hatred towards me.. And I felt like I was dying inside.

 Chapter 135 - One Thing I Want

    Madeline''s POV

    I couldn''t stop the pounding of my heart against my chest as I ride the elevator towards the executive floor. The moment I get out of the elevator, I can still feel the rapid beating of my heart, and I know deep inside I am also excited to see my husband after how many days of not seeing him. Still, I should remember to do the right thing because I can''t stop my heart from hurting, and I don''t want to prolong my agony anymore. My decision is final, but I know deep inside me if I will only find something I can hold on to, to save our marriage, I will do it in a heartbeat, and I will fight my love for my husband, but I don''t want to hope anymore to get frustrated in the end.

    The moment I passed the office of his executive secretaries, they all greeted me, but I can see that something is off because of the facial expressions on their faces, and I suddenly feel nervous. I looked around, hoping to find Cal, but I couldn''t find him on his table. He is nowhere to be found, so instead of waiting for him, I walk straight to Hunter''s office. I couldn''t believe what I saw. Reba was standing in his office looking beautiful as ever, wearing a mini dress that hugged her body perfectly. She was wearing high heels, and I feel d that I am also wearing a dress so that I will not look so pitiful in front of my husband.

    The hope that I feel inside my heart vanished. How can I ept all this? Everything is too much for me to handle, and my innocent heart can''t take it anymore. I felt like my heart has been taken out from my chest as I can feel the hollowness inside me.

    I can feel the anger that boils inside me, and I am controlling my best not to make a scene. I have been silent for a long while now, and for how many years I allowed them to be together, and this is too much for me to deal with, and I can feel the pain the enveloped my heart, and I find it hard to breathe as I can feel the outrage I felt towards them. Everything that happened shed back in my mind, and the image of Reba being pregnant feels like torture to me that pierced my heart. And I tried my best to stay calm since I want to act as professionally as I can be.

    And I hate to see my husband''s facial expression as if he was so happy to see me, or maybe the happiness that registered on his face was intended for Reba. I don''t know what to believe anymore, but I don''t want to be a martyr anymore. I need to stand up and speak up my mind. All I want to do is leave and run away and never get back into this ce ever again, but I remember I came here to see Hunter. And it took a lot of my willpower to have the courage to speak for the first time, but I keep my voice cold so that they will know I am not happy to see them both in Hunter''s office.

    "Reba, I want you to get out of this office right now. You already messed up our marriage, and I hope you can give me some privacy to speak with my husband. And don''t make me repeat myself, or else I don''t have a choice but to drag you out from here. I have given you enough time to be together, and this is the first time that I am here in this office after a long while, and I couldn''t believe that even in this ce, you will be here." I said, and I can feel my voice trembled with anger, and I can see the horror on her beautiful face, and she looked at my husband, who seemed so stunned.

    "Madeline, I am so sorry. I didn''t mean to wreck your marriage, and if you only give me a chance to exin my side, I am willing to tell you everything." Reba said, and I can see the sadness on her face, and I don''t know what is going on between them, but I am so angry to listen to her reasons.

    "I am not willing to listen to any of your lies, and I want to speak with Hunter." I coldly said, and I can see that my words hurt her, but they already killed my heart how many times. This time I will never allow them to hurt me once more. Reba turned around, and suddenly the door opened, and when I turned around, I saw Calixto get inside the office with a bouquet in his hands. I can see the horrified expressions on his face as he looked at Reba and then to me, and then to my husband as if he wants to know what is going on, and I can tell based on his facial expressions he doesn''t know that Reba was here.

    "Allow me to escort you in going outside, Ms. Reba." Cal said, and then he looked at me and smiled, and it is hard not to smile at him, and I give him a weak smile, and I nod my head, and I waited for them to get out and close the don''t before I turned around and looked at my husband who is still frozen on his chair.

    "Madeline!" He said atst, and I hate that he still calls me the same way as if so full of affection.

    "I know you are so busy, Hunter, but I hope you can give me enough time to talk with you." I dered, and he looked at me, and I hate that his gaze prated my heart, but I need to be strong in front of him so that I can have my dignity back.

    "You have all my time, Madeline, and I am willing to talk to you any time of the day since I am all yours." He said, and how I wish I can have all of him.

    "I will no longer ask you why? Why do you have to lie to me because I know the reasons why and I don''t want to borate on all of them because it will only cost me so much pain to recall everything, but I want you to know that you wrecked my heart, I love you so much. Still, you didn''t even have the decency to tell me what is going on between you and your ex." I said as I try my best not to cry, I have done crying, and this time I will not allow Hunter to see my cry.

    "I couldn''t exin how much you hurt me, but I know that you''re hurting too. We both know that none of us expected that Reba woulde back, and now that she''s here, I know you can never say goodbye to her. I couldn''t believe that you didn''t even tell me a single word about what is going on, on the night before my graduation day. I waited for you toe. I tried to call your cell phone, but I haven''t received a single text or call from you. I am your wife, for heaven''s sake, and I have all the right to fucking know what is going on with your life." I said, and many times Hunter wants to speak, but I didn''t give home the chance to talk because I want to tell him everything I feel.

    "Madeline." He said.

    "Please, don''t talk since you didn''t even find a way where to contact me if I am still alive after my graduation day. But, I clearly remember what you had said once, and I get it when you told me we are only married on paper since you don''t have time for love, business sess is the only thing that makes you happy, and you can''t love someone like me. And I should not expect if something happens to us in bed; you will love me since you only need an heir of your empire." I said, and I can see the pain on his face, and I don''t want to look at his face anymore.

    "Do you know what happened after that? Even if you uttered those painful words in front of my face, I still fall in love with you, and my love for you was getting stronger by the day, and I am such a fool to believe that you fall for me too." I added.

    "And you know what hurts me more? I hate that I have learned the truth that you impregnated your ex from another person. How could you hurt me this way, Hunter? And I couldn''t believe that I fell in love with someone like you. I allow you to see her for many years even if we are married so that she can recover quickly, but what have you done after she gets back to her old self? After she recovered? You continue spending time with her because she was the first love that you can never let go of." I continued.

    "And now that you have another child with her, I don''t think I still have a purpose in your life, and I know you provided me with everything that I need, but you don''t have the right to hurt me any chance you can get, because I am only human."

    "Madeline, that is not true. I know I made a big mistake, and I regretted all the stupid mistakes I have made, and I need you in my life, and I don''t love Reba anymore. I only love you, Maddie, and please, Madeline, I want you to listen to the other side of the story because I don''t know what to do without you in my life. You are my everything because you are my wife, and I love you so much." He said, and I really want to believe him, but I am too hurt to listen to him.

    "I don''t think that you love me, Hunter, because if you do, you will never do something like this to me. I don''t want any of us to get hurt anymore, and I was hoping you could stop hurting because you find it so hard to choose between the two of us, and now I am making the right choice for you. And there is only one thing I want to ask from you right now, and I hope you will give it to me as soon as possible since I know you have all the power to make it possible because you have the money."I said, and his face lights up.

    "Of course, you know I am willing to buy you anything you want, Madeline, and tell me, and I will buy it for you." He answered.

    "I am asking you to give me back my freedom, and what I want from you right now is divorce.." I dered, and I can see the horrified looked on his face, and his mouth hangs open as no words came out from his mouth as I turned around and left his office without a second nce.

 Chapter 136 - My Worst Nightmare

    Hunter''s POV

    My worst nightmare happened when I was widely awake, facing my angry wife, and for the first time, I have seen Madeline full of hatred and pain on her face. It breaks my heart to see her anguish, and I hated myself that I caused her too many sufferings. God knows how much I love her, but I don''t even know how I''m going to fix all this as I listened to her poured out all her resentment towards me.

    And when Maddie asked me that she wanted something, I told her that I could give her anything she ever wanted because I want to see her smile at me again, but I never expected that she would be asking for a divorce in a stern voice, and my world turned upside down. And I never expected that I was so excited to see her this morning only to hear that one word that made me feel lose everything that I have.

    Madeline doesn''t know that I draw my strength from her, and she became my guiding light in this world when I thought there is nothing worth fighting for, and I want to take her into my arms and tell her I love her so much, and I want her to stay, but no words came out from my mouth. I am so terrified if I will make it worse because I still want us to work, and there is no ce I want to be but be by her side and love my wife as we grow old together.

    I felt mortified by the things that I have done to her, and the idea of losing my wife scared me to death. I was shocked, and my heart pierced, and I want to tell her that I can make everything perfect just for her, but I know she will never believe me because instead of being alone in my office, she finds me with Reba. I know I deserve the excruciating pain that I felt that prated deep inside my core, and seeing the angelic face of Madeline in pain tripled the grief that I feel as of the moment, and if there is only one thing I can do to erase everything so she can be happy again I will do it in a heartbeat.

    But she didn''t even listen when I apologized, and I told her that I know I made a big mistake. And I regretted all the stupid mistakes I have made, and I need her in my life, and I don''t love Reba anymore since I only love her. I begged Madeline to listen to the other side of the story because I don''t know what to do without her in my life since she is my everything. After all, Madeline is my wife, and I love her so much. And I want her to listen and believe in me, but I know she is too hurt to listen to any of my pleadings, and it made me realized I have to do anything to win her back.

    "Mr. Divenson, what are you doing? Go after your wife." Calixto said the moment he got inside my office, and I couldn''t control myself anymore as my tears poured down on my cheeks.

    "She asked me for a divorce, Cal, my wife, hated me so much, and I know I can''t me her," I said as I no longer care if I was sobbing like a child.

    "Oh, Hunter, I know Madeline is hurt, but I am sure she still loves you. You can''t me me, Hunter, for how many times I told you something like this would happen soon if you do not tell her everything. But since you believed that your wife loves you so much and she will stay by your side forever, but we both know Maddie is hurting, Hunter. She is only a young woman who was so in love with you, but what do you expect? Do you want her to be with you and get hurt every day?" Cal said.

    "Cal, you know how much I love my wife, and I am willing to do everything for her, and even giving up being the CEO of thispany to be with her, I know I was such a fool for hurting Madeline," I said in a defeated voice.

    "I know, Hunter, but you should manifest your love for her through your actions full of affections and not the things that could hurt her more. You have to be honest with her, and I am aware of how much you love Madeline because I have witnessed everything you have done to her, but you have to ept that at this point, you made a terrible mistake, and you hurt your wife beyond you can imagine." Cal responded.

    "And right now, go after your wife, Hunter, don''t just sulk and cry here in your office. I am sure Madeline is still walking on the emergency exit stairs because I made something to the elevator so she can''t get out fast because I know you will make another mistake today that can worsen your rtionship, she is wearing high heels, so I am sure she is walking slow." He said, and I couldn''t help myself but smile at Calixto as I murmured my thanks and hastily get out of my office, and I can tell all my staff is shocked to see me running the moment I got out, and I made my way to the emergency exit panting.

    "Madeline! Madeline! Please wait for me!" I shouted as I descended the stairs three steps at a time. I felt so d that, atst, I can see her perfect figureing down the stairs as she holds the railings. Cal was right because she was wearing her sexy heels. They made her slow down her pace. Still, I felt more hurt when she made her steps faster when she realized I was chasing after her, and I doubled my effort until I reached her on the bottom of the stairs; and I am out of breath, and I am just d I am wearing jeans and t-shirt because I feltfortable.

    I hold her wrist and spun her around, and I hate to see the anger behind her cold gaze. And I pulled her closer to me, and I tightly hugged her. And I felt her fight against me as she yelled at me, but I am stronger than Madeline. I wrapped her with my arms, and when I smell her sweet scent, I grunted as I realized what a jerk I am for hurting her all through these years.

    "Hunter, please, let me go." She shouted at my face.

    "Not a chance, Madeline, not until you will listen to me what I have to say. And I will never let you go unless you will tell me, you can spare me a little of your time to hear me out." I said to her.

    "You had your fucking chances, Hunter, but you let them passed before your eyes, and don''t me me that this is all happening right now." She said in a cold tone, but I am so d that she stop fighting, and I can''t stop myself from stroking her back. And it feels so wonderful to be this close to her, and I am aching for my wife, and I want to tell her everything will be all right between us, but I don''t have any fucking idea where to start.

    "Madeline, I am so sorry, I know I hurt you big time, and as of this moment to tell you the truth, I am so terrified of losing you, and I don''t know what to do anymore to convince you that I only love you. But one thing is I am sure about, and there is no fucking way I will allow you to stay away from me because I will do everything in my power to make you love me again. And you have to believe me that all the years that I was with Reba, I never have been unfaithful to you." I said, and sheughed.

    "Oh, yeah! And how can you exin to me that you impregnated your ex, Hunter? How can you tell me you didn''t have sex with her when in fact, I saw it with my eyes that she was pregnant with your child." She snarled, and this time, her anger made her suddenly strong that she was able to push my chest hard, and she got away from my embrace, and turned around, and walked fast, leaving me stunned.

    "They drugged me, Maddie," I said loud enough to make her stopped in her tracks, and she turned around and looked at me with an unreadable expression on her face.

    "They? Really? I don''t think so, Hunter, you always spent time with her, and it is only possible that you made love with her, and what she was doing in your office early this morning if nothing is going on between the two of you? I don''t want to hear any of your lies anymore, Hunter." She said in an angry tone.

    "Madeline, there is only one thing I want to ask from you, you have to believe in everything that I said. After all, I know I omitted some truth because I don''t want to hurt you, but I never lied to you, and I will never will because I am so fucking in love with you, Maddie." I said, and she was shaking her head.

    "Just let me go, Hunter." She said.

    "Okay, I will let you go, for now, Madeline, but it doesn''t mean I am giving up on you because I will make the world know how much I love you, Mrs. Madeline Brownwood Divenson.And I will do everything I can to win you back." I said, and I kissed her lips before she can react, and damn! Madeline''s lips taste the same, so sweet and so enticing, and I felt like I was in heaven and I am no longer shocked when I felt a loud pped on my face, but it was all worth it, and I smiled even if I can feel the sting on my face.

    "You have no right to kiss me that way, Hunter." She said in an angry voice after I imed her sweet mouth, and I realized her face turned so red, and it made me wonder if it was because of her anger or because of the sweet kiss that I gave her.

 Chapter 137 - My Motherâ€™s Comfort

    Hunter''s POV

    "I still have the right to kiss you that way because you are still my wife, Madeline. And I am still in love with you, and I know deep inside my heart I will always be in love with you. And I am aware I deserve that p, but it is all worth it. To taste your sweet lips is like a drug to me; it gives me a satisfying feeling and euphoria that I couldn''t exin. I know you are angry with me, my sweet Madeline, but I hope you will give me another chance to prove to you how much I care about our marriage and how much I love you." I said in a pleading voice, and I can see the me of anger on her beautiful eyes that used to look at me with undeniable yearning and love.

    "You don''t know what you are saying, Hunter. I don''t think you know the real meaning of love, and I don''t even know if you knew what you feel right now because if you love me, you will never hurt me the way you did. And I am begging you to please let me go." She said, and my heart died as I watched my wife turned around and walked to the ss door going to the main entrance of the Divenson building.

    As my wife walked away, she didn''t realize she took my dying heart with her. I am doing my best not to run after her because I know she wants to be alone, but deep inside me, I know Madeline is still in love with me, and I let my wife go, but as I told her, it doesn''t mean I will let her go away forever because I will do everything I can to win her back. I know it will never be easy on her part because I can see it in her eyes that she hated me, and the anger on her face is making me crazy. Because Madeline is an angel, and I made her this way. She had a hard life growing up, and when I married her, I promised to give her everything and make her happy, but as I looked at her fading figure, I realized I did the opposite; I made my wife''s life miserable.

    However, I can still see behind her anger there is still the love that she has for me, but all she can think of right now is how much I hurt her and make her suffer. I am aware that no words can alleviate and make Madeline feel better right now. I badly hurt her, and I know how much I crushed her heart, but it wasn''t intentional. After all, I only did it because I love her. I don''t want Madeline to know what is going on with Reba and me because I don''t even have fucking idea how did she get pregnant.

    I only woke up that day and found her naked beside me, but I don''t remember anything. I never kissed Reba, only on the first time I saw her on the Mental Care Homes after knowing she was alive after ten years of feeling guilty about her death, because I know it was so wrong and unfair to my wife knowing I am so in love with her. Still, since I felt responsible about it, I never run away from it because I have always been a man with word of honor, but today I realized I had failed my wife. She is the most important person in my life, and I hate to think I am the reason for her misery instead of her happiness. I am hoping she will never file a divorce because I will never do it, and I have to use my money to have a chance to prove to her I was sorry and I was wrong.

    "Where is your wife, Hunter?" Cal asked the moment I get back to my office.

    "Please cancel all my appointments, Cal," I replied, and I sat down on my chair, and I closed my eyes, and I know Cal is frozen watching me with his hawk-like eyes.

    "What are you doing, Calixto? I told you to cancel all my appointments for today and tomorrow, and please don''t make me repeat myself, Cal." I said again.

    "Okay, Mr. Divenson." He replied and got out of my office immediately, and I couldn''t believe what happened. I never expected Madeline to ask for a divorce. And my outfit doesn''t help me at all, she never looked at methe way she used to, and I can''t believe this is all happening to me right now, and I wanted to go to my father and tell him he became sessful with his n, my wife left me. But still, I will never file a divorce against my wife unless I feel that Maddie doesn''t love me anymore. I don''t care if she is angry with me as long as I can still see and feel her affection towards me.

    I know she doesn''t want to talk to me, and she doesn''t want to see me right now, but I can''tstop myself from picking up my phone and dialed her number. But I became more frustrated because I realized my wife must have changed her number because I couldn''t contact her anymore.

    And there is no way that I am going to lose contact with her because whatever happened, I will still make her mine, and if ever she will file a divorce, I will do anything to make her mine again even if I look stupid in front of everyone.

    "Cal, please get back to my office right now," I said to Cal over the trunk line number, and he got back to my office immediately, and I know he felt worried about Madeline.

    "I already cancel your appointments for today and tomorrow, Mr. Divenson." He said the moment he stood in front of my table, and I raised my head and looked at him for a long time before I speak.

    "Cal, please asked Roman to look after my wife and tell him to have someone to look over her ce twenty-four seven because I can feel that my father will make something bad to her, I just want to make her safe, and I want you to contact a flower shop who will deliver a fresh bouquet to her house every day," I said. I can see the looked of surprise on his face.

    "I know I made the stupidest mistake in my entire life, Cal, and that is hurting Madeline, and the price that I must pay is too high that I think it will cost my sanity." I dered, and I can see his concern on his face.

    "Mr. Divenson, I think you should go home to your house so you can have a rest," Cal said, and I shook my head.

    "You want me to go home to that empty house? And spend my entire time missing my wife like crazy; I''d rather stay here in the office and go home during nighttime and spend my time drinking at the bar so I can forget what happened today." I said.

    "Of course, Hunter, it is better that you are here in your office, and at least you can sign some important documents, and you can talk to me. Besides, it is too early to get drunk, don''t you think?" He asked, and I looked at him, and I don''t know how to stop the aching of my heart.

    "I need your help, and I need to have my wife back, Cal." I said, and he nodded his head.

    "Of course, I know that, Hunter, but you have to brace yourself because I am sure it will take a lot of effort and convincing to make your wifee back to you. Don''t force her. Give her a chance to heal herself and forgive you in the process, don''t rush everything, or you will lose her forever." Cal said, and I felt more frustrated because I want to be with Madeline.

    "And how I am going to do that, Cal?" I asked him in my confusion, and I want to get over the dilemma that I am feeling now.

    "You have to make your wife love you again, and in order to do that, you have to trust me and follow everything I am going to tell you from now on." He said, and for the first time since Madeline left the office, I smiled at Calixto because I know I can always depend on him, and I am hoping this time he can work his magic and help me win back my wife''s affection for me.

    I was so shocked when I found my mom''s SUV car in the parking lot when I arrived home, and I felt so d she is here because I never felt so alone in my entire life. And I got confused when I get inside the house. I found suitcases on the living room floor, and I found her with my younger sister, Lily, on the sofa. My mom is crying, and my little sister isforting her.

    "Mom! What is wrong?" I asked with a trembling voice because I can''t take another pain because I am already suffering right now, and looking at my mom, sobbing pierced my heart and added up the anguish that I felt.

    "Hunter!" My mother eximed the moment she heard my voice, and she got up from her seat and runs towards me, and she tightly hugged me.

    "I am so sorry, son, for being an irresponsible mother to you, and it took me a long time to realize to leave your father. He became so wicked, and I felt so d I knew everything they have done to you. I want to file a divorce, and for now, allow us to stay here until we can find a new ce, Hunter." My mom said, and I was shocked that my mom, who is so in love with my dad, finally decided to leave him.

    "Of course, mom, you are always wee here, and you don''t need to find a new ce." I replied as I stroked her back.

    "Hunter, you are not the father of Reba''s baby, it was your brother, Parker, and that is the reason why I left home." My mom said, and I felt like my entire world is spinning. I am just thankful that my mom is hugging me, or I might stumble on the floor as I try to clear my head. I can feel my anger boiling inside me, and I felt Lilys'' hands on me as she was crying and hugging me on my back, and thefort that my mother and little sister are giving me is enough to make me feel sane.

 Chapter 138 - Loving Myself

    Madeline''s POV

    I got out of my husband''s office with trembling limbs, and I was trying my best to control all the emotions that I feel. And it took a lot of my willpower and courage to tell him what I want because looking at Hunter wearing jeans and a t-shirt and his ruggedly handsome look made me want to stay and be wrapped with his muscr arms. And I am fighting the urge to go to him and kiss him wild and hot because I know I can''t deny that deep inside my heart, I am still longing for his touch and his kisses. Still, I concentrated on the things that he did wrong to me to forget all my desire for him, and I tried my best to remember all the pain and sleepless nights he had caused me.

    I walked towards the elevator with my head high, and I never look back, but I got so frustrated when I press the button it didn''t open, and I waited for a long time, but nothing happened. And I am just d that Hunter didn''t run after me, or else my mind will be in shambles again. And when the elevator didn''t open no matter how many times I pressed the buttons I realized to take the emergency stairs, and I hate the idea that I was wearing high heels and it would be so hard for me to walk and I don''t want to go barefoot so I descended the stairs with limited movement.

    And as I go downstairs I couldn''t stop myself from crying as I remember all the things that we have done together as husband and wife. All the memories that we have came rushing back to me, and it made me feel sick. If I have it my way I will not give up my husband, but knowing that he is having a hard time because of me I will give him the freedom that he ever wanted. It made me angrier to find his ex in his office, and I couldn''t believe that she already gave birth to their child, and I guess they are talking about the baptism of their son.

    I stopped myself from crying, and I smiled, thinking that atst, I made it, and I feel so triumphant even if there is a part of me that has been telling me I made the wrong decision, and I am going to regret it for the rest of my life.

    "Madeline! Madeline! Please wait for me.!" I heard my husband''s voice calling me above the stairs, and It made me feel so worried that he will catch up with me. Hence, I doubled my steps, but no matter how I try to move fast, I can''t because of my high heels, and when I realized he could catch up with me, I get rid of my heels from my feet and carried them with my right hand, and I smiled when I realized it feels better to be barefoot.

    And I couldn''t believe he will be running after me, and I can hear his footsteps approaching, my chest heaved as I struggled to go down faster. Still, I got so frustrated in the end because when I reached the bottom of the stairs and when I was about to open the ss door, Hunter took hold of my wrist and spun me around to see him. I hate to be face to face with my ever handsome husband, and the pull that I felt towards him makes it hard for me to run away from him.

    "Please, Hunter! Let me go! Why are you even doing this when you already have your first love in your bed." I said as I tried to fight him, but I know my husband was stronger than me. His height alone is towering over me, and I hate to think that it feels so wonderful to be enclosed with his arms, but no matter how amazing it feels I can''t stop myself from ring at him, and I continue to jabbed his chest, but to no avail he never let me go.

    "That is not true Madeline. You are the only woman I want to be in my bed, and you are the only want I want to make love with, and there is no woman out there who can make me feel this way. Every time you are in my arms, I felt like everything will be okay as long as you are with me. You are my guiding light, and you made me a better man." He said.

    "And if I am your light, why did you allow me to get busted, and if I made you a better man, howe you make me feel like I am unwanted and worse, you make me feel so angry with you. Ever since we get married, all I did was show you how much I love you. I even give you the freedom to care for your ex because I trusted you that you would never break me. I counted on you that you will never cheat on me." I said in a cold tone, and I can feel his entire body tense.

    And when I confronted him how he get Reba pregnant, I felt his hold loosened, and I took my chance to use all my strength to push him hard, and I felt so d that I was able to free myself from his embrace, and I turned around from him. And when Hunter told me they drugged him, it made me stopped in my tracks, and I wondered who they are? And I swear I want to believe that he was telling me the truth, but I am too hurt to listen to any of his lies, and I want to stop the anger and pain that enveloped my heart.

    I turned around and looked at him and told him it is impossible he didn''t make love with Reba, and when he told me and begged me to believe him I shook my head because I am tired of listening to him. And I hate myself that I didn''t move when he came closer to me, and when he kissed me on the lips I can see the stars and it feels so wonderful to taste his lips after a long time. He imed my mouth with urgency and he kissed me like he was kissing me for the first time. And I have to admit that I kissed him back with the same manner, but when I realized why we are standing at the bottom of the emergency exit I realized all the misery he had caused me and his kiss will never be enough topensate the anguish and the misery that I felt.

    I pped him hard on the face, and it made him stop kissing me, and I told him he has no right to kiss me that way, even if I know my face is blushing because of the hot kissed that we shared mixed with my anger. I am angry with myself because he almost got me swayed, and I am just d I came to my senses before I give in to my husband again. And I hate that he told me that he still has the right to kiss me because I am still his wife, and he is still in love with me. And how I wished he told me about these things before I find out he impregnated Reba. Because right now I am too deaf and blinded by my anger towards him to listen to his sweet words

    I walked away from my husband with the determination to stand firm with my decision. I know I will always love my husband and I don''t even know until when I can stop myself from lovinghim, but I realize I need to love myself first before I can love him again because I know I need to have some self-respect so that no one can hurt me this way ever again. I am aware that I have been a good wife to him, and maybe I am part to be med because I let him be with Reba. And I have given my husband permission to help her so that she can be well again because I feel too guilty to watch her suffer at the mental care homes but I never realize I will be suffering to, and I suffered long enough.

    All those nights I was sleeping alone I was thinking I was doing it for themon good and I thought I was helping Reba to get over with her illness, but I never realize it will give them the freedom to be together and to make love every chance they can get until she got pregnant because my husband knew I am aware he was with her. I felt so stupid for being a good wife, and this time I need to be strong, and no one can dictate me on what to do with my life, because from this day forward I will be a different woman because I am no longer the naive neen year old who came to the Divenson mansion years ago who were so young and vulnerable and was confused on what to do because of my aunt''s debts.

    All I need right now is to be tough and love myself above all, and I will show the world that even if I have been hurt and humiliated I can still face the world with dignity and without fear.

 Chapter 139 - Making The Right Decision

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, I know it is too painful to know that your brother and sister tricked you, and of course, I am aware your father is part of this scheme in order to wreck your marriage with Madeline, and until now, I couldn''t understand why? You helped your father run our business, and yet he is not satisfied with your performance even if you did a great job." My mother said, and I can feel the excruciating pain in my heart as I listened to my mother narrate everything that happened in our ancestral home.

    We are currently in the dining hall eating our dinner, and as I looked at the dishes in front of me, personally cooked by my mother, I couldn''t stop my mouth from watering since I know my mom''s menus are the best. I couldn''t stop myself from devouring my food heartily, and I realized I am starving. I didn''t eat anything during lunch no matter how many times Cal asked me to eat something, and he brought me some food, but I didn''t touch anything

    "I know Madeline is the victim here, and of course, I know you are hurting because of what happened between you and Maddie. Your brother got so angry with Charlotte today when he found out Reba had ate miscarriage, and it was all because of your sister. Charlotte put something on the bathroom floor that caused Reba to slide and made her bleed heavily, and the impact made her lose her baby. I learned Parker has been seeing Reba for a while now. Your sister Charlotte asked Reba and Parker to help her do something stupid to make it look like you are the father of Reba''s child, andthat is why they drugged you and let Reba slept beside you naked and made you believed something happened. Between you and your ex." My mother said, and I don''t know how to face my brother and sister without breaking their bones. And I tried my best to calm myself, and I felt so thankful when I felt Lily''s hand holds my palm.

    I never knew that their greed to take over the family business would make them do evil things. And I couldn''t understand why they need to do all this when all I did to them is provide them everything they need. I curled my fists over the table as I can feel my tears fall on my cheek.

    "I think being the CEO of ourpany is the reason why they be like this, mom. I am willing to step down and look for another job and have a simple life with Madeline." I replied.

    "Hunter, you can''t do that, I have the majority shares in thepany, and I will transfer seventy-five percent of my shares to you so that you will be the majority shareholder, and we can fire your father. I never talked back even once to rk, but after what happened, I had never been so angry my entire life. I allow him to manipte my life, and I realized he has never been in love with me. Your father only marries me because of his desire to be rich. And I never think about anything like that the moment I fell in love with him." My mother said.

    "You have always been different from Charlotte and Parker, and even if you always looked like cold and distant, I know you have a kind heart, and that is why after you found out that Reba is alive, you tried to help her get back on her feet even if you have to make a sacrifice. I know how much you love Madeline, and hurting her was thest thing in your mind, but your wicked siblings sabotage your marriage, and it hurt me because they are my children, and as a mother, it pained me to watch my children trying to break one another because of jealousy." My mom added.

    "My wife came to my office this morning, mom, and she was asking for a divorce." I said in more than a whisper, and I can see the sadness on my mother''s face and her tears cascade on her beautiful face.

    "Oh, Hunter, I am so sorry son, because of the wickedness of your siblings and father, you are now suffering."

    "What? And what did you tell her, Hunter? Please don''t do it, don''t divorce your wife; I know how much Maddie loves you; she doesn''t mean it, " Lily said, and for the first time, my now fifteen-year-old younger sister speaks, and I know she got carried away since she was only listening in the background.

    "Lily, I hurt my wife, and I made a big mistake. I thought I could protect her, but in the end, she found out everything. I didn''t tell her about Reba''s pregnancy because I was so afraid to lose her, but my fear became a reality, Madeline left home, and now she wants nothing from me." I replied.

    "And just like that? You will give up your wife that easily?" She asked, and I can see the hatred on my sister''s face.

    "Of course not, Lily; God knows how much I want to have Madeline back, and don''t worry, I will do everything I can to win back her love. Even if it took years, I would never give up on her." I replied, and her face softened.

    "Okay, don''t worry, I will help you. I know youmitted a big mistake, but I think Madeline knows what love means. It never keeps any record of wrong, and I know Madeline is a forgiving person, and I don''t think she will throw away her love for you that easily. Still, maybe she will not take you back right away, and you have to understand that you hurt her, Hunter, she needs to heal too, and you need to show Madeline that she means the world to you." My sister said, and I smiled at Lily, and I know ever since I can count on her.

    "Don''t worry, I am on it, little sis." I said, and she pouted her lips.

    "Hunter, I want to remind you I am not a little girl anymore." Lily said as she watched me intently, and I couldn''t help myself grinning from ear to ear, and even if I felt like I am carrying the world on my shoulders, having my sister and my mother right now makes me feel better.

    I helped my mom and Lily carried their suitcases, and I showed them to their respective rooms. After saying good night to them, I retire to my room, and no matter how much I tried to sleep, I couldn''t stop thinking about Madeline. I felt so happy to know that nothing happened between Reba and me, and I couldn''t believe Charlotte became this ruthless.

    "What? You have no right to fire me, Hunter, thispany belongs to our parents, and I can work here anytime I want." Charlotte said after I summoned her to my office to tell her she is fired, and it took a lot of my willpower not to pped her after what she had done to me. Her eyes are ring at me with anger as she stood in front of me with her hands on her hips.

    "I have all the right to fire you, Charlotte, because I am the Chief Executive Officer of thispany, and your performance is unsatisfactory." I said, and her face turned red, and she became angrier, and she is now shouting at me.

    "How dare you tell me that you are unsatisfied with my job, I know you are doing all this because your wife left you, and you are doing this to get back at me." She yelled at me, and I am sure my executive staff can hear her loud voice outside my office, but I don''t care anymore.

    "To get back at you? You don''t know how much I wanted to have my revenge on you, Charlotte, but I realized I am not like you. I fired you because you are an ipetent employee, not because I want to have my vengeance towards you. Your poor performance is the reason why I need to fire you, Charlotte, and please take your leave now." I coldly said to my sister, and I can see the resentment on her face.

    "You are going to pay for all this, Hunter. I am going to tell dad, and let us see what will happen to you, you are only a CEO, and I am sure father will fire you." She said in a stern voice.

    "Go ahead, Charlotte. I am no longer afraid of rk Divenson. And please be sure to leave immediately, or else I will ask the security to drag you out." I said to her.

    "You will regret this, Hunter, and this time I will make sure you can no longer see your wife." She said and turned her heels and walked to the door and my entire office shook after she closed my door with a loud bang, and I sat down on my chair and released a heavy sigh. I receive reports that Charlotte is always out of her office, and she will only report to her work anytime she wants. I tried to ignore everything for a long time now, knowing she is my sister, but after what she had done, there is no way I will tolerate her behavior anymore. And the pain that I saw on her face a while ago will never be enough topensate for the heartaches and troubles she had caused me.

    "Congrattions, Mr. Divensom, finally you made the right decision for firing your sister, and you should brace yourself because she promised to get back to you." Calixto said the moment he got inside my office with a wide grin on his face, and I can tell my decision to fire my sister made him so happy because I am aware he hated Charlotte for ruining my rtionship with my wife.

    "I know, Cal, that is why I called Roman and tell him to tighten up the security around Madeline''s new home, and they need to watch over her every time she goes out of her ce because I know my sister will target Madeline. After all, she knew how much I love Maddie." I said, and I feel so delighted that I made the right decision, and finally, I fired Charlotte, and I need to get ready for my next move and show my father that I will never allow him to ruin my marriage, and I can''t wait to tell him I am no longer afraid of him.

 Chapter 140 - Job Interview

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hey, are you alright, Madeline?" Gina asked me while I am looking at my te for a long time, and I am just d that she came to my house to have dinner with me because deep inside me, I know I will never be okay after I saw Reba in Hunter''soffice.

    "I am fine, Gina, you know what? I am such a fool for wishing that we will be okay, and I couldn''t believe I will find his ex in his office this morning. I know I already decided to ask him to let me go, but I never expected to find her there. They hurt me more this morning, and I am just d I didn''t break down, and I was able to leave his office with dignity." I dered, and I don''t have an appetite to eat, and I want to have something in my stomach because I want to drink something tonight to sleep.

    "I think you should give Hunter a chance to exin his side, Maddie. He is not just a boyfriend, but he is your husband. You both have a swornmitment to each other during your wedding day, and I don''t think Hunter will betray you, Maddie." Gina said.

    "I am sorry, but I need to remind you, you were the one who informed Hunter about Reba''s whereabouts; you could have kept silent since you are his legal wife, and you can have him for yourself." My best friend said, and I couldn''t believe she will talk to me like that. My eyes widened, but no words came out of my mouth.

    "You are partly to me that these things happened in your life, Madeline, you have to ept that Reba was Hunter''s first love, and the doctors dered Reba dead on that day. Hunter mourned her death for ten years, but because you are selfless, you brought your husband to the Mental Care Homes to let him see her. I admire you, Madeline, for your courage in doing such a thing, you were so courageous during that time over there, but I hope you will also be brave enough to face the trials in your married life. I am saying all this because I love you, and I care for you, Maddie, and I know deep inside you, you are still in love with your husband, " Gina added.

    "You are not only my best friend, Madeline, but you are like a sister to me. I don''t want the time wille that you will have regrets and asked yourself, what if you give yourself a chance to listen to him even once." Gina continued, and I stop eating my food as I watched her with wide eyes.

    "But I will not force you, Maddie, in the end; yourdecision matters, and I will support you with whatever conclusion you will have. Just make sure the moment you file a divorce, you are ready to let go of your husband. But if you will ask me, you should fight for your love, Madeline." Gina said.

    "Gina, I understand what you are talking about, but I don''t want to experience the same pain again. I need to let go so I can have peace of mind." I said, and my best friend''s face fell.

    The following morning I woke up when I heard a series of doorbells. I wonder who could it be, Gina went homest night after we eat dinner since she needs toe to work early, and I am just d I was able to fall asleep after crying again, and I wonder when I am going to stop hurting since I don''t want to cry anymore.

    "Jack!" I eximedwhen I found him standing at my doorstep.

    "I am sorry if I woke you up, Maddie, but I came across with Ginast night, and she asked me to check on you from time to time. Are you okay, Maddie?" He asked, and I can''t stop myself from hating my best friend right now.

    "I apologize, Jack. I am fine, and my best friend is overreacting." I said, and he gave me his beautiful smile.

    "Ah, okay, but you can tell me anything Madeline, I am willing to listen." Jack said, and I gave him a weak smile.

    "I know, Jack, but you have to believe me. I am fine." I replied, and he nodded his head.

    "Okay, then, take this." He said as he handed me a kraft paper bag.

    "I made your favorite sandwich, " Jack said, and I can''t stop myself from grinning.

    "Thanks, chef, stop doing something like this, or I will get used to it." I said.

    "I don''t mind, and I am willing to prepare breakfast for you, Madeline." He said, and I felt awkward.

    "Jack, you don''t need to do something like this to me." I replied.

    "It makes me happy, Madeline. We are friends, and I want to take care of you." He said, and I felt touched by his words.

    "Thank you, Jack." I said.

    "You are wee, Maddie. Next time I want to invite you to have a jog with me if you want." He dered.

    "Maybe, when I am not busy, Jack." I said, and he said his goodbye, and he started running again. Jack is attractive and kind, but I will never use him to get over Hunter because he is a good man, and I will never use anyone to forget the pain that I feel.

    I keep myself busy the entire day applying for a job online, and I am shocked when I find an email for an interview schedule from apany looking for an executive secretary, and I felt so happy. I want a job in the marketing or finance department, but being an executive secretary of the CEO of bigpanies is challenging work for me. I felt so excited to have my first job interview for an office job, not a part-time job.

    My interview is tomorrow afternoon, and I am so excited that I have already prepared my clothes and shoes because I want to look presentable. I went out to buy groceries, and I suddenly felt uneasy because I felt like someone was watching me; I looked around my ce, but it is so quiet, and I haven''t seen a single soul in my neighborhood. I drive away from my house feeling so hopeful. And I felt so happy that someone gives me feedback right away. Because I badly needed a job to support myself.

    My eyes widened when I looked at the bnce on my bank ount when I withdraw some cash, and when I logged in to my online banking application, I am surprised that my husband still deposited money on my ount. And I realized I need to talk with Hunter about this matter because I no longer need his help.

    "Wow! Fancy meeting you here, Madeline! I heard what happened to you and Hunter; I thought you would fight for your husband because thest time we meet, you were so confident that he was your husband? What happened to your love for him, Madeline? Charlotte said, you left home because of Reba. Well, I told you before I will make you pay for humiliating me, and I am d to know you are that weak. You are so pathetic, Maddie. Hunter will not settle for Reba. Didn''t you ever realize why everything happened? It was all because of me, and I know I will always win." Kaye said, and I couldn''t believe I will find her here, of all ces, and I realized maybe they have a residence in the suburb.

    I was surprised, and I hate that I wasn''t able to reply to her words, and I can feel my limbs are shaking because I hate her, and there is no way my husband will choose to settle with her, and I am very sure about it, and as I put the groceries on my trunk, I couldn''t stop thinking Kaye''s words. There is no way I will divorce my husband so he can marry her. We will break up, but I won''t give him his freedom to marry someone like Kaye.

    OMG! What I am even thinking, I hate myself, that I felt jealous towards her, and I became so frustrated with myself. I sat in my car for a long time before I got the courage to drive back to my new house. I know I need to be firm with my decision, but I am thinking about what Gina had said, and she was right. Hunter is my husband, and now that I made a decision, it was only fair to hear his side, but not now. I don''t want to meet my husband when I know I am in this state because I am afraid of my reaction, and I don''t want to make a decision that will make me suffer in the end.

    I tried to get myself ready for my job interview, and I felt so d I could sleep after meeting Kaye at the grocery store. I wonder what she was doing over there since I know she has staff in their household who can buy things for her because I know she is the only daughter of the wealthiest man in the entire country.

    After checking my appearance in the mirror for how many times, I went out of my room and proceeded to the parking lot. I felt so excited that I arrived one hour before my interview. Well, I am time conscious, and I alwayse to my part-time job ahead of time. That is why my boss always gives me a chance to choose my shift schedule.

    The secretary brings me to his boss''s office, and I can feel the racing of my heart, but I tried my best to control myself; I inhale and exhale to make my breathinge back to normal.

    "Good luck, you may nowe in, Ms. Madeline." The secretary said, and when I get inside the office, my eyes got so big, and I couldn''t believe I will be facing Calixto Morgan.

 Chapter 141 - The Truth

    Madeline''s POV

    "Calixto? What are you doing here? Howe?" I asked him while I can''t hide my confusion. I couldn''t believe I will see Calixto Morgan, and he is beaming at me.

    "Did you resign as Hunter''s right hand?" I asked again.

    "Hello, Madeline, I am the one who will interview you and not the other way around. Please, have a seat first, Maddie." He said, and I sat on the office chair in front of him while I looked at him with confusion on my face.

    "I know you have so many questions, Maddie, but you came here for a job interview. I want to inform you that thispany is affiliated with the Divenson Mining Corporation. When you apply, the head of the human resources department called me immediately, and you don''t need to worry; your husband doesn''t know anything. I didn''t inform him, but I came here because I want to see you, and I want to tell you about the truth behind Reba''s pregnancy." He said, and he was looking at me tenderly while I can feel the pang on my chest because I don''t want to undergo the same pain again. I am trying my best to move on.

    "Madeline, I am saddened that you fled home, and you left Hunter. And I do understand that you have been hurt. I told Hunter so many times to tell you the truth, but he was so afraid that you will leave him, but in the end, his greatest nightmare happened, you still left home." Cal said.

    "I think I should go now, Calixto, because I am no longer interested in applying for the position, and I don''t want to hear anything about Reba''s pregnancy, and what I had seen in his office when Ist visited him was enough to tell me everything that I need to know." I replied, and his face fell.

    "Maddie, I am begging you to listen to me. You need toe home to your house, go back to your husband." He said.

    "I am sorry, Cal, what Hunter did to me was unforgivable." I replied.

    "Don''t you love Hunter anymore, Maddie?" He asked me, and I was speechless, and my throat suddenly felt so dry.

    "Maddie, before you go, allow me to tell you everything. And after hearing the truth from me, you will decide for yourself." Cal said, and I really want to go, but I respect Calixto, and I can''t just forget all the things he had done for me.

    "Reba got pregnant by Parker and not by Hunter. When Charlotte learned Reba is pregnant with Parker''s child, Hunter''s wicked sister drugged your husband one night and asked Reba toy in bed beside Hunter naked to make him believed he was the father of Reba''s child when he woke up disoriented and found his ex on his bed lying naked beside him. Hunter was horrified when he realized hemitted a big sin against you. He loves you so much, Maddie, and he doesn''t want to hurt you by telling you he impregnated Reba without knowing he has been tricked." Cal said, and my tears fall on my cheeks.

    "On the night before your graduation day, Hunter received a call from Lucinda because Reba was heavily bleeding when she slipped on the bathroom floor, and the baby died that night. Parker and Reba had a rtionship, and it was all because of Charlotte. She made friends with Reba and made her fall for Parker, but her n didn''t work out the way she nned it because Parker fell in love with Reba, and Parker got so angry when he found out Charlotte was the reason why Reba had ate miscarriage." Cal continued while my heart is aching for Hunter.

    "Charlotte manipted everything together with her father because rk wants Hunter to marry Kaye, while her daughter''s greed for running thepany fueled Charlotte''s jealousy in making a scheme. She wants to ruin Hunter''s marriage with you, so when he bes an ipetent CEO, she can take his ce. But even if your husband is hurting, he never abandoned his responsibilities." Cal dered.

    "And Hunter''s only mistake was he never tells you the truth. He omitted them because he was afraid you would hate him. Leticia Divenson found out the truth about Reba and Charlotte, the most devastating truth of all. Reba was feigning sickness; that is why Hunter couldn''t leave her because every time he came to the penthouse, she looked so sickly on her bed, moaning in pain. Still, during the day, she will spend her time with Charlotte. They will go to the bars at night, and Parker will go to the penthouse four times a week." Cal continued while I am sniffing since I couldn''t stop myself from crying.

    "Charlotte threatened Lucinda not to tell Hunter about it, and when Hunteres home to the penthouse to check Reba''s condition, his ex will beg him to stay even if he was staying in the other room. Charlotte paid someone to give Reba a fake diagnosis and prescriptions for how many years they fooled Hunter. He was worried about her situation because Hunter made a promise to you that he will help Reba until she recovers from her illness." Cal said.

    "Leticia and Lily are now living in your house because Hunter''s mom found out the truth when Parker and Charlotte had a big fight because of Reba. Lucinda said, Reba wanted to confess to Hunter, but Charlotte also threatened her life." Cal added, and he handed me a box of facial tissue.

    "That is why I am telling you all this, not because I want you to forgive Hunter, it is all up to you, Maddie, and I know the pain that he caused you was too much. And I am just telling you that he needs you to face the world again. He wants to fight his father and siblings with you by his side." Cal said, and my mind is now in shambles. How I wished I gave my husband a chance to exin, but I left home because I was in pain.

    "How could he not tell me anything? I am his wife, Calixto." I said in more than a whisper, and I hate to think that my job interview turns out this way.

    "I know, Maddie, and now that you learn the truth, I hope you will not pursue filing a divorce. And my advice for you, if it will make you happy to leave Hunter and you want to be free, then do it, Madeline. But if you still love him, then I guess you should give him a second chance. He is waiting for you, the truth is he wanted toe and see you, but I beg him not yet because I know you are still angry with him. I told him to face you when you are ready." Cal said.

    "Can I at least take you to lunch?" He asked, and I nodded my head.

    "I know I am still hurting, Cal, because of what he did. I experienced my first hangover because of him, for how many nights I found sce in drinking alcohol to forget the image of Reba having a swelling belly. And now that I know the truth, I want to ease his pain, but I need to show Hunter that I also have my pride. He needs to suffer because he lied to me, and I know you care about him so much because he is like a son to you, don''t worry, I am not closing my door, Cal. I want Hunter to realize what he did was wrong. He could have told me everything, and his mistake is he didn''t trust me enough." I dered.

    "Of course, Madeline, let him show you how much you mean to him. Let him court you again to realize he should tell you everything, no more secrets because, after your marriage, you be one body and soul, and you should confide with each other. I know your love for each other will see you through, and I am sure Hunter will find ways to win you back; and I hope Hunter can heal your wounds, Maddie, because I want you to save your marriage.

    I smiled at him because I was hoping the same thing too. I felt d I stop from crying, and we get out of the building together.

    "If you want to find a job, you should work at your Husband''spany, Madeline; Charlotte''s position is vacant." Cal said, and I looked at him sideways, and I couldn''t stop myself from raising my eyebrow.

    "Yes, Hunter fired Charlotte, not because of what happened to your family, but because of her poor performance, and I don''t know about his next move, but I think Leticia will call for a board meeting soon." Cal said, and I wonder what will happen next, and I felt happy for Leticia Divenson that atst, she found the courage to leave her husband, and it hurts me to realize that it took my marriage to her son to fall apart before she decided to leave rk.

    We go to the parking lot, and Cal asked to ride in my car. And I felt d he stop talking about Hunter and his family, and we spoke trivial things. Then I felt delighted when he told me he wanted to eat at Jack''s ce, and for the first time after I left home, I felt like the thorns on my chest had been pulled out, now that I know the truth.

 Chapter 142 - He Is My Husband

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hi! Mom, how are you? I hope you are happy wherever you are. I came to tell you that I am so happy today. Thest time I came here, I was crying the moment I sat on the ground until I left. Thank you for your guidance. I know it was my fault in the first ce that my husband met his ex again because I was the one who brought him to the mental care homes, but my intention that time was only to help Reba. And I never expected these things would happen to all of us. My husband hurt me, and I know Reba was also a victim because I know Charlotte used her to get back to Hunter." I said as I squatted in front of my mom''s grave after my lunch with Calixto.

    Thest time I visited her grave, I was so alone and in too much pain. And every time I felt so lonely and when I think the world is against me, I wille to the cemetery and talk with my mom.

    And it is so funny because even if I know my mom can''t reply to me, it feels like every time I talk with her, the pains and the heartaches will lessen; that is why every time I felt so disheartened, I will bring her fresh flowers, and I will ask for her guidance, and her help because I know my mom''s possible advice. And how I wish she is is still alive so I can share with her everything that I felt, but even if she is no longer with me physically, I still believe she will always be there watching over me. I thought when my mom died, she became my guardian angel, and even until now, I still believe she is out there guiding me.

    "Thest time I came here, I told you I would file a divorce, but I am so grateful for today, mom because Calixto told me everything. I felt so happy to know that my husband is still in love with me, but he hurts me, mom, by not telling me the truth, and I know you told me once that if Dad wille to you and asks forgiveness for abandoning us, you will still forgive him because you told me you will always be in love with dad. And the reason you left him was that you were in love with him." I said as I looked at my mother''s epitaph.

    "I was young back then; that is why your words confused me. How could you love someone who hurt and abandon you? But now that I became mature and I experience love, I was able to understand your words, mom. At first, I decided to leave Hunter because of the same reason you told me. I am in love with my husband. That is why I walked away from his life, thinking he wanted me to go without knowing the entire truth. I thought he was still in love with his ex." I said as I cried.

    "But I was wrong, mom, I left home without telling him where I am going, I gave him up easily, and I should have given him a chance to talk, but my anger blinded me,I know he was consumed by his guilt, and he felt ashamed, and he was afraid to face me. And I can still feel the pain, but I know I want to be with him mom, but I hope he will understand that I need to heal myself first, and I am hoping he will not give up on me too, and he will wait for me when I am ready." I said as I try topose myself when I noticed people walking in my direction.

    I wiped my tears, and I stood up, and then I said goodbye to my mom. I sat on my car seat for a while before I start my car and drove away from the cemetery, and I can tell I felt better after I talked with Cal, and after I spoke with my mom, I felt like I am now ready to face the world.

    "Oh my goodness! Madeline! I knew from the very start that his siblings and father had fooled your husband. Can you believe that?" Gina asked me after I told her everything.

    "Yeah, it is unbelievable, Gina," I said, and after her shock, she sweetly smiled at me, and she gave me puppy eyes.

    "Does it mean you will give him another chance?" She asked, and I smiled at my best friend.

    "Of course, but I want to ask him to give me some space because I was hurt too, Gina. And Hunter is still guilty of hiding the truth from me, and I understand on the night before my graduation day, he left without saying anything because he was afraid if I learn the truth that night, I will leave him. His own family tricked him, and I left him, Gina. I am his wife, and I should have been there to give himfort." I replied.

    "Yeah, but you were hurting, and he can''t me you, and so many things happened, Madeline, but I hope your love for each will remain strong. I am just happy that you know the truth now; at least you will not spend your time crying every night." She said, and I grimaced at her.

    "Don''t give me that look, Madeline, and you can''t fool me. I know you, we have been best friends since I can remember. And I know you miss your husband because you are still in love with him." Gina said, and I smiled.

    "Yes, of course, and why should I feel ashamed about it, he is still my husband, and I am proud to say I am still madly in love with Hunter, but this time I want to take it slow. I am d Cal told me he advised Hunter not toe near me after finding out I left him. And I am d he listened to Cal, because I am sure I will be shouting at him and I will speak hurtful words, and I am aware we can never take back what we have said, I know we can say sorry, but no matter how sorry we are we can never erase the hurtful words that we uttered." I said.

    "Yes, Madeline. You are right, and I am so happy that atst, I can see a genuine smile on your face, and I can now sleep peacefully." My best friend said, and I felt guilty.

    "I am sorry, Gina, for always making you feel worried about me. Don''t worry this time; I am sure nothing cane between us. I promised to fight, and I will not be a coward anymore." I said.

    "Hey, it is nothing; all I want for you is to be happy, and I will always be here for you, Madeline, and don''t ever hesitate to call me anytime you needed my help because I know you will do the same for me." She responded, and I smiled and nodded at her.

    "Don''t make her wait long, Madeline. You know Kaye is always in the background, willing to snatch your husband anytime." Gina said.

    "Over my dead body, Gina, not a chance; I will make sure Kaye will know her ce." I said.

    "That is my girl." My best friend replied, and her smile broadens but deep inside my heart, she gets me, and I suddenly felt worried about Kaye, and I recalled her words thest time I meet her at the grocery store.

    "Hey, are you okay?" Gina asked me when she noticed I was lost in space.

    "Yes, I am fine, " I replied, and I tried my best to smile at her.

    "I think your break is over. You better go back to your work now, and thank you for your time, Gina." I said to her.

    "Okay, you are always wee. I will have a sleepover thising Saturday at your house. Be sure to stock your refrigerator with my favorite food, Madeline." She said.

    "Of course, I already bought your favorite ice cream, and you should decide now what movie we are going to watch because I hate it when we spend hours deciding on what movie we are going to watch." I said, and sheughed.

    "Okay, but I think this weekend we agreed to watch aedy, but we can change it to romance since I am sure your heart is okay now." She said, and I shook my head.

    "Whatever, Gina, we can also have horror or thriller movie." I said as I stood up because I don''t want her to get fired from her work because of me. I said goodbye to my best friend, and I left Gina''s workce with a happy face, and she was right. My heart is a little okay now that I learned the whole truth.

    The moment I arrived at my home, I suddenly felt nervous when I found my sports car in front of my driveway, and my limbs are trembling as I climbed out of my car. The moment the passenger''s door of my sports convertible opened, I saw the most handsome man I everid my eyes on, and I realized how much I missed him. My heart is pierced when I saw the sadness on his beautiful face, and I can tell he doesn''t have enough sleep because I can see his eyebags. Still, his intense gaze made me feel like fainting on the ground as I can feel the butterflies on my stomach, and my heart is racing as I watched my husband walked closer to me with a bouquet in his hands.

 Chapter 143 - You Are My Life

    Hunter''s POV

    "Where are you, Cal?" I asked Calixto the moment he answered his phone.

    "I run some errand, Mr. Divenson." He replied on the other line, and my eyebrows furrowed.

    "What? As far as I can remember, I am still your boss, Cal, and I should be the one who will ask you to do something for me, and right now I don''t know where you are, and I don''t remember that I requested you to do something for me outside from my office. I have been calling you, for heaven''s sake, Calixto." I said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so irritated with my assistant.

    "Did I ask you to do something for me?" I asked him, and it took him a long time to answer me, and I am wondering what type of errand he is doing right now.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, I should have asked permission from you, but it is an emergency. My wife called me, but don''t worry, and I will be back after lunch." He said, and since it was for his wife, I calmed down a little.

    "Okay, is everything alright?" I asked since I suddenly felt guilty for raising my voice on him.

    "Thank you, Mr. Divenson, but you don''t need to worry about me because everything is fine now." He replied, and I released a sigh of relief.

    "Alright, but just make sure you will be back before two o''clock in the afternoon because I don''t want to meet Mr. Sterling without you," I said.

    "Of course, I am aware of your meeting with Mr. Sterling. I will be there right after lunch. I am sorry, Sir." He said.

    "It is okay, Cal; I hope next time you will inform me if you will go out of the office so that I will not go crazy looking for you, bye Calixto," I said, and I ended the call after he said goodbye.

    I put my phone on top of the office table, and I stared at the picture frame in front of me, and I couldn''t stop myself from picking up the picture of my beautiful wife. It was a candid photo of her which I took when we had our honeymoon on the virgin ind. Maddie looked so happy and carefree in the picture, and I couldn''t stop myself from caressing her face.

    "I missed you so much, Maddie," I whispered, and I realized how much I miss my wife. I missed the way she looks at me, and I miss her voice, lips, and everything about her. And I couldn''t take it anymore, and I realized I need to see Madeline before losing my sanity. And I will not go home tonight without seeing her. And just thinking about seeing my wifemakes me feel so nervous and excited at the same time.

    I am aware that no words can express how lonely I am right now, and I am trying my best to do my work even if I find it so hard to concentrate because my mind is upied with Madeline''s thoughts. And I am so worried if she will finally give up on me, and I am terrified if my wife will forget about our vows for each other, and she will file a divorce. But I am wishing and hoping she will hold on, and she will give me another chance to prove to her how much I love her.

    "Hello, Hunter!" I am so shocked to hear my mom''s voice after I listened to the opening and closing of my office door, and when I raised my head, I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I found her standing inside my office with my sister Lily, and they are both grinning at me.

    "What are you doing here, guys?" I asked them both.

    "We want to have lunch with you, Hunter, and we hope you will not decline our invitation, son." My mom answered, and my smile broadens.

    "Of course, I am free for lunch, and I think it is time for lunch already," I replied as I looked at my watch.

    I opened the door for them, and my sister smiled at me. And I realized I haven''t notice Lily is now so tall, and she became a young woman, she is no longer look like a kid to me, and it made me think about how she used to love spending time with Madeline, and I know my sister is upset with me that my wife left home.

    "Do you think I didn''t know you skip eating your lunch, Hunter?" My mom asked after the food we ordered is served, and I felt guilty that I didn''t answermy mom.

    "And you should eat now, son." My mom added, and I looked at her in the eyes.

    "Thank you, Mom," I said.

    "You are wee, Hunter. I know you are very affected by what is happening with your marriage right now, but you should take good care of yourself. How can you win back Madeline if you will be weak and sickly?" My mom asked me, and I heavily sighed.

    "I know, mom, and I am sorry, I don''t intend to skip my lunch, but it feels like since my wife left, I lose my appetite to eat even my favorite food, and it feels like I don''t feel hungry," I replied.

    "Hunter, Maddie loves you, so when are you going to get her back?" My sister asked me,and I looked at her with sadness in my eyes.

    "I don''t think if she still feels the same way, Lily," I replied in more than a whisper.

    "How could you doubt her love for you? Of course, she does. I know she is only waiting for you to get her. I never tell you this because I know you were hurting, but I hate that you broke Madeline''s heart again. I told you before I will never help you if you hurt her again. And you promise me that you will take good care of Madeline." My sister said, and I can see the tears that welled up in her eyes.

    "I know I messed up, Lily, but you also know I don''t intend to hurt my wife because I love her so much," I replied.

    "I know, Hunter, our father, and siblings, did this to you. That is why I amasking you to bring her back because I miss her so much." She said, and I touched her hand over the table.

    "Don''t worry, Lily, I am going to see her tonight even if she will push me away because I miss her a lot too," I said, and she smiled at me while she was wiping her tears with the table napkin.

    "Promise?" She asked, and I nodded.

    "Thank you, Hunter. I know Madeline is waiting for you." She said, and I grinned at her, and I was hoping my sister was right. We continue to eat our lunch in silence while I feel a little better. My mom and sister said goodbye to me after eating our lunch, and I returned to my office driving Madeline''s car. Ever since she leftme, I started using her sports car to alleviate my longing for her.

    The afternoon passed in a blur, and I am getting anxious as I listened to the clock''s ticking on my wall. And when it is time to leave, I leave my office in a hurry, and I can tell the shock on Cal''s face.

    "Are you now leaving? Mr. Divenson?" Calixto asked me, and I nodded my head and I will not tell him that I am going to see my wife because he told me to wait for the right time until Madeline is ready to face me again, but I don''t want to be a coward anymore, and this time I need to make my move to make it right. And the best thing to do is to face my wife the soonest possible time because the more I prolong it, the more it will be more challenging for us to meet each other, and the agony that I felt is killing me softly.

    When I arrived at Madeline''s driveway, I could tell she is not around since the house is still dark and I can''t see her car. I have been here before, and it was early in the morning, and I want toe and go to her, but I found Madeline talking with Jack, and my heart died with jealousy that day, while I couldn''t stop myself from crying that morning.

    I know there is no one to me for why I am suffering but myself. While I watched Jack and her talked it made me realized I need to win back Maddie because I can''t allow it that she will be in the arms of another man because she is my wife and only mine.

    My heart rate increases as I looked at the side mirror as my beautiful wife got out of her car, and I can see the looked of surprise on her face as she stared at her sports car. And I realized this is it, I get the bouquet from the passenger''s seat, and I climbed out of her sports car hastily, and when our eyes meet, it seems the world stood still. I am aching for my wife, and I want to take her into my arms and tightly hug her, and I want to capture her mouth immediately.

    Madeline is stunned to see me, but I felt delighted she didn''t run away from me, and as I move closer to her, I can feel the thumping of my heart against my chest. And I looked at my wife without blinking my eyes, and I realized how much I miss staring at her angelic face. I didn''t stop until I am almost an inch from her, and I felt her tense up due to our nearness.

    "Maddie, I am begging you to listen to me. I know you don''t want to see me or talk to me right now, but all I am asking you is a little of your time." I said, and I felt d she didn''t move away from me, and her fragrance is making me crazy.

    "I know I have been a selfish jerk, ruthless, heartless, insensitive, and stupid husband for hurting you, and I don''t know how to tell you how sorry I am for everything that I have done to you. I know I made you cry, and I made the stupidest mistake in my entire life, but I want you to know I am so lost without you, Maddie, and I need you in my life because I love you so much." I said as I looked at her without fluttering my eyes. And I saw my wife''s tears that welled up in her eyes.

    "And I understand if you can''t forgive me right away, but I am begging you to give me another chance to exin everything to you and to show you how much you mean to me as my wife, and I want you to know that you are my life, Madeline. And I want you back." I added, and I felt so happy that I could no longer see the hatred on my wife''s face, and all I can see is her grief, and I want to take her sorrow away because I want her to be happy.

    "Hunter," Her sweet voice calls my name, and when Madeline raised her hand and caressed my face, my own tears of happiness fall on my cheeks.

 Chapter 144 - The Rain

    Madeline''s POV

    My husband''s nearness makes me feel lightheaded, his intoxicating scent made me have goosebumps all over my skin, and his intense gaze made me feel the pounding sensation on my chest. I hate myself that I couldn''t even stop my hand from touching his handsome face. His ruggedly handsome looked made me lost my sanity for a while, and we were looking at each other for a long time. I can feel his pain through his words, and I understand that he was sorry for what he had done to me. I am one breath away from throwing myself at my husband because I miss him.

    I want to feel the warmth of his touch and the sweetness of his kisses, but at the back of my head, I know it is not yet the right time. I need to heal first because Hunter deeply wounded my heart, but at least now that he came into my house looking so lost, I can''t stop being happy. I am so lost for words because before I learned the truth, there are many things I want to shout at him. I want to ask him why he needs to hurt me terribly, but now I know that my husband is hurting, and he needs me in his life.

    We remained standing so close with each other; I can almost hear his heartbeat while I am still caressing his face when the heavy rain poured on us that made us both wet even if I run towards the front porch of my new house; I was drenched. When I turn around, my husband didn''t move an inch; he stayed where he was, and Hunter was soaking, and I ran back to him and pulled his wrist so he will follow me going to my house; my hands were trembling as I opened the main door of my bungalow, and I hate that I am shivering from the cold, and because of Hunter''s presence.

    I know it was about to rain because I saw earlier as I was driving that the sky was overcast before it got dark. But the moment I saw my husband, I forgot that I hurried home to put away the clothes I hung up before leaving the house.

    I really hate that it took me a long while to open the door until I felt my husband''s hands touched my hands, and I can feel the electricitying from his touch, and I realized he still affects me the same way. Hunter took the key from me without saying anything, and then in one attempt, he opened my door. I can feel the blush that crept into my face, even if I was shuddering from the cold. I jumped on my feet when lightning struck, followed by the thunder, and Hunter put his hands on my waist to steady my frame. And I hate that I want to move closer to him, and I got disappointed when he quickly removed his hands from me, and he backed away from me.

    "I am sorry if I came in without being invited." He said, and he looked so boyish, and I can''t stop myself from smiling at him.

    "Don''t be silly, Hunter. The heavy rain is pouring out there, and do you think I will allow you to leave knowing you were drench. Would you please wait while I will get some towels?" I said, and the moment my husband smiled at me, I felt like my knees go weak, and I get inside my room quickly as I feel the pounding of my heart. He is my husband, and we have been married for years, yet the thrill that I have makes me have knots on my stomach.

    I get a towel, and I rummaged in my closet to look for something he can wear, and I smiled when I saw his t-shirt. Even though I felt embarrassed about it, he needs to wear it now. I don''t care if Hunter will know that I took some of his things, I know it was ridiculous, but I can''t deny it. Before I left our house I brought one of his white t-shirt and jeans, actually my favorite outfit for him, what can I do? I am hopelessly in love with my husband, and even if I tried my best to forget him, there are nights that I cried sleeping with his stuff.

    I know it was embarrassing, but I can tell he was also shivering with the cold. I got out of my room and handed him the towel and his clothes.

    "I think you can take a bath using my body wash, and there is shampoo in the shower room." I said as I guided him to the bathroom. And I flushed when he looked at his t-shirt and jeans, and I saw his face lit up, and I walked out quickly before he can say a word, and I get inside my room to take a bath. I never thought my husband would find out I took some of his clothing as a souvenir, and I don''t know how I am going to face him again after he found out my craziness.

    I know I need to talk with Hunter, but right now, I don''t know how I am going to talk with my husband when I felt so anxious, excited. Most of all, I can''t stop myself from staring at his lips. I can''t deny it, I am dying to be with him, but I need to get back my self-respect, and even though he is hurting and suffering right now, I need to give him a lesson that he should never leave me hanging, and because I am his wife he should be honest with me even though it will hurt me.

    I need to tell him how I feel and to do it, and I need to look strong in front of him. I should control my foolishness because I know every time I face my husband, it feels like there is nothing I want to do but to cling to him and taste his perfect kissable lips. I am just d the master bedroom of my house has its toilet and bath, and I took a hot shower since I can no longer take the shuddering of my frame. And I can feel the trembling of my lips and my legs. And I can''t stop myself from smiling when I realized my husband is also taking his shower right now, and I realized how much I miss him.

    I dried my body with the towel, and then I wrap the wet strands of my hair with the towel to speed up the drying method and to get my hair away from my face as I take my time finding the right outfit to wear because I can''t stop myself from feeling excited to wear something good to make me look beautiful in front of Hunter. I can''t stop myself from beaming when I find the perfect dress for me. I bought it with Gina thest time we hit the mall. It was a casual floral mini dress with a short sleeve. I wouldn''t say I liked it at first since it has a dangling neckline, but when I fit the dress, it suits me perfectly that I didn''t let it go.

    And I smiled when I found myself looking at the reflection on the mirror, and I am shocked to see my face is glowing, and I hate to admit Hunter made me look this way. As Ib my hair, I heard the rumbling of my stomach, and I realized I am starving. I quickly got out of my room, and I hold my breath when I saw my husband looking so fresh, and he was staring at my portrait on the wall. He looked so hot right now while he was gazing at my face on the picture while he was drying his hair with the towel. And I felt so thankful for the rain because I know it allows us to be with each other.

    Hunter''s t-shirt hugged his chiseled frame, and I have to look away to stop myself from drooling over my husband. And I walk fast in going to the kitchen as I look on the fridge what should I cook for dinner. I usually eat light at night, but right now, I want to have some soup. But I know it will take a long while to prepare the food, and I am already starving.

    "It would be alright with you if we will only eat some instant noodles?" I asked Hunter as I felt him followed me to the kitchen, and I have to control the rapid beating of my heart as I saw him staring at my face with great intensity.

    "Damn, Madeline, this is killing me; you looked so hot and beautiful wearing that dress." He said, and my face reddened, and I hate that I couldn''t stop myself from blushing every time he looked at me this way.

    "Thank you, but I am asking you about the instant noodles and not the way I look, Hunter." I said, and I turned away from him, pretending to be annoyed with his words because I don''t want my husband to know I like the way he gazed at me. When he told me I am hot and beautiful, my heart leaped with happiness, he doesn''t know I chose to wear this dress to make him see me as a beautiful woman, and I felt so delighted that it works, and I will definitely give Gina a gift for insisting me on buying this dress.

    "Of course, I don''t care what kind of food we are going to eat, Madeline, as long as I am eating it with you. And I want to say thank you, Maddie, for letting me inside your house, and it means a lot to me." He said,

    "God knows how much I missed you, Madeline!" Hunter added, and I felt him moved closer to me, and I have to swallow my saliva as I turned on the stove dial, and I can''t stop my heart from beating so fast as I realized how I am going to survive the night without hugging and kissing my husband.

 Chapter 145 - Asking For Another Chance

    Hunter''s POV

    For the first time in my life, I felt so happy that it rained. I never appreciated raining this much in my entire life, but tonight I want to jump on my feet and shout. Because of the heavy rain, I was able to get inside Madeline''s house, and I can tell it was cozy, and I know my wife is good at choosing furniture and fixtures. That is why her house is perfect for her, and it hurts me to think that she is happy living here alone. When Madeline asked me to take a shower, I felt so delighted that she didn''t ask me to go away and leave her house at once.

    And I want to tell her when she left home, I used her body wash in our bathroom so I can still smell her, and when my wife handed me the towel, I want to kiss her right away, but I need to control myself make it right. I know we still need to talk, but I can tell she is no longer angry with me. When I looked at the clothes she handed me, I can''t stop myself from grinning as I realized I am holding my clothes. I find it so sweet that even she left me, she took something that will remind her of me, and I want to hug her right away, but I need to remind myself to be patient.

    I don''t want to ruin my chance with my wife ever again. And I want to make it right, this time I want to make it perfect for us even though I know there is no ideal marriage, but we can make our rtionship better, I know I messed up, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to win her back.

    I was watching her beautiful portrait in the living room while I was drying my hair with the towel, and I can''t stop myself from staring at my wife''s beautiful face. And the moment she got outside from her room after she took a shower, my world stands still as I looked at her with her mini dress. I take a deep breath as I watch her walked to the kitchen, and I realized what a jerk I have been for hurting my wife.

    She looked so sexy, and when she asked me if it would be okay if we eat instant noodles, I want to tell her I am already full just watching her. Her long legs made me want toe closer to her and take her in my arms and kiss her until the morning came. I can hear the thunder, and the heavy rain continued to fall, and I smiled when I looked at my wife prepares our dinner, and I realized I was starving when I heard my stomach grumbled.Madeline tensed up when I moved closer to her as she turned on the stove burner.

    "Madeline, this is for you." I said, and she turned around, and she looked so adorable right now as I watched her face turned red, and I handed her the bouquet.

    "Thank you, Hunter." Maddie said, and she closed her eyes while she breathed in the fragrance of the flowers. And I always miss this moment when she inhaled the scent of every bouquet I sent her, and I want to have her in my arms once more.

    "Thank you, for this Maddie." I said as I took thest noodles, and I slurp down the soup, and Madeline smiled at me. She poured me some fresh watermelon juice on my ss that she made from her juice squeezer, and I felt so full after I drank my juice, and for the first time, I felt so happy after eating my dinner, and I know because I am sitting across from my wife and watching her beautiful face made me so happy.

    I helped her clean the table while she washed the dishes. We walked together in the living room and sat beside each other on the sofa, and I know this is the right time to have a serious talk with Madeline.

    "Maddie, can we talk now?" I asked, and I felt so happy when she slowly nodded at me.

    "First, I want to say sorry again for not telling you anything, and I regretted everything I have done wrong to you, Madeline." I said, and I took her hand, and I felt so happy when she didn''t pull it away, and I told her everything that happened, and I saw my wife''s tears poured down on her lovely face, and I dried her tears with my hand.

    "I hope you will give me another chance, Madeline, to make you believe I am still crazy in love with you, and let me show you how much I love you." I said, and she smiled.

    "I am sorry too, Hunter, if I left our home when you needed me the most. But you hurt me, and you left on the night of my graduation day. You didn''t even tell me where you were going, and what hurt me the most, you didn''t even call me. I waited for you toe home on my graduation day, but you didn''t even call me or text me. I was so worried about you, Hunter, and during that time, I made a promise to myself that I will never go back to you ever again because I thought you chose your ex over me." She said, and I couldn''t take it anymore.

    I pulled her closer to me, and I cupped her face, and I captured my wife''s sweet lips. I want her to forget all the pain and heartaches I gave her, and I want to make her happy. I felt like I am flying with happiness as I kissed my wife passionately, and I felt so scared if she will push me away, but when I felt she kissed me back, I could no longer hold myself, I imed Madeline''s mouth with urgency, and I smiled when I heard her let out a soft moan.

    I kissed my wife while I ran my fingers through her shiny hair, and I can''t stop myself from capturing his tongue with my mouth. I felt her hands curled on my neck as she pulled closer to me, and I carried my wife, and I let her sat on myp as we continued exploring each other''s mouth, and I can tell I couldn''t get enough of Maddie, but she suddenly stopped and moved away from me, and she was touching her lips.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, please don''t get mad at me. I couldn''t stop myself from kissing you." I said, and I panic because I don''t want her to push me again.

    "Don''t be silly. How can I get mad at you when it feels heavenly." She said, and I smiled as I looked at my wife with tenderness on my face.

    "Does it mean you will give me another chance?" I asked, and my wife stared at me for a long while, and I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart as I wait for Madeline to answer my question.

    "The truth is I hate myself right now that I didn''t push you away the moment you captured my mouth, but instead, I do the opposite. I let you take over my sanity again. I am still angry with you for making me so miserable for how many days you didn''t even look for me." She said, and I scooted closer to her.

    "I know, my sweet, please,e back to me, Maddie." I said, but she shook her head, and it made me feel so terrified, and I couldn''t believe this is happening right now because I thought she still wants me.

    "I am not yet ready toe back to our house but to make you feel at ease, and I want to inform you I am not closing my door for you, Hunter, because to tell you honestly, I am still crazy in love with you too. Just give me time to heal myself, and don''t worry, my heart still beats for you, and I know I can''t love anyone else but you. You are the only man I want to spend the rest of my life with." She said, and my tears fall. I felt so happy that my wife is still in love with me, and I take her into my arms while we are both crying, and I cupped her face and looked at her.

    "I am sorry for making you feel so miserable, Madeline, but I promise you this time, I will never hurt you again, and I vow to love you more, and allow me to show you how much I love you." I said.

    "Thank you for giving me another chance to love you." I said, and I hugged my wife for a long time, and I let hery on the sofa while her head is on myp. I stroked her hair until she falls asleep, and I felt so happy, and once again, I feltplete. I know she is the only woman who can make me feel this way, and I am willing to wait for her. And knowing she is still in love with me is enough to make me more confident to face the world again.

    And I know this time I need Lily''s help to make Madelinee home earlier than her original n. I want to sleep at night beside my wife and wake up in the morning with Madeline wrapped in my arms, and even though she told me she woulde back to our house, I can''t wait to be with her again, but for now, I need to double my effort to win back my wife''s affection. And I am willing to stay here with her until she is ready toe home to our mansion because I can''t sleep another night alone without her by my side.

 Chapter 146 - Always Been In Love

    Madeline''s POV

    I woke up in my room covered with my nket, and I can tell the heavy rain is still pouring outside, and I suddenly sat up as I remember my husband was here in my house. And I realized Hunter must carry me in my room since I couldn''t remember. I got up from the sofa and said good night to him, and thest memory I have is he was stroking my hair until I fall asleep, and I smiled as I remember how wonderful it was to be closed to him. I can still smell his masculine scent that always drives me nuts.

    I got up from my bed, and I get out of my room faster; and I smiled when I found Hunter sleeping on my couch. I got back to my room and pulled out a nket from my closet, and I hurried back to the living room, and I spread the nket over my husband''s frame. I felt so tempted to wake him up and ask him to transfer into my bed, but I know it is not yet the right time.

    I couldn''t stop myself from staring at him for a long while and touched his handsome face and how I missed doing this. He looked so adorable peacefully sleeping, and I froze when I heard him calling my name. And I stopped caressing his handsome face, and I smiled when I realized he was dreaming about me. And I wonder what we weredoing in his dream. I watched his angelic face one more time before I decided to go back to my room.

    As Iy down on my bed, I can''t stop my fingers from touching my lips as I remember the sweet kissed I shared with my husband earlier tonight. And when Hunter kissed my lips, I felt my mouth melt with his, and I have dreamed about it since I left home. It feels like we were kissing for the first time. And I can feel how much I missed all of him, the way his mouth danced with mine is giving me happiness I couldn''t exin, and I love the way my husband caressed my body, but I know I need to let him know he is not yet totally forgiven, and he needs to show me that he wants me back in his life for good.

    And I almostughed when he apologized after kissing me. How could he say sorry when it was the most beautiful thing I can ever have after being away from him for how many days. Every time my husband kisses me, it feels like he can take away all the pain that I have been through, and the way he makes me feel was priceless.

    When Hunter asked me if I can give him another chance, and he begged me toe back to him, I felt so happy that finally, we could be together soon. I know I need to go back to our own house to let him know I am willing to give him another chance to love me and give our marriage another opportunity to grow with love and happiness. I understand we need to face his father and wicked siblings together and show them they can never tear us apart. And I want to show them no matter how much they want to separate us, we are going to have a happy family, and I felt so excited that I find it hard to go back to sleep.

    The sun is already up when I get up, and I shower, and it took me a long while to choose what outfit to wear because I can''t deny it. I want to impress my husband. And when I found the perfect dress, I matched it with my ne with a heart-shaped pendant given to me by Hunter on our first wedding anniversary.

    I felt so excited to face my husband again, and I hate myself for looking at my reflection in the mirror several times before I got satisfied with my looks; I only put a lip gloss to make me feel more beautiful, but I got frustrated when I couldn''t find him in the living room anymore. I found the nket neatly folded on top of the sofa, and I thought he was only in the bathroom, but I had already searched the entire ce. Still, I couldn''t find him anywhere, and it made me realized I missed him already, and I hate that he didn''t even wake me up before he leaves.

    When I go back to the living room and I sat on the sofa, I can still smell him, and it made me miss him more. And a piece of paper caught my attention, and my heart is racing again as I opened the folded paper, and I realized it was Hunter''s note for me. I couldn''t help but shook my head and smiled as I think how could be his handwriting be so beautiful like him, and my heart is filled with happiness as I read his love note for me.

    My sweet Madeline,

    Good morning! I don''t want to leave without saying goodbye, and I don''t want to go without kissing your sweet lips, but I have an early meeting today, but I don''t want to disturb your peaceful sleep. I am sorry that I came inside your room and gazed at your beautiful face before I left.

    I can''t wait to have you sleeping in my arms again. I miss you every waking moment, Madeline. Please forgive me quickly. I hope you wille home soon; I will be waiting for you patiently, loving you more each day. I love you, my beautiful wife.

    Forever yours,

    Hunter

    I couldn''t stop the tears of happiness that fell on my face, and I slowly bring Hunter''s love note to my chest as I closed my eyes as I think of his handsome face. I keep on smiling the entire day while I continued applying for a job, and I am no longer surprised when I received another bouquet from my husband.

    I felt so happy when I got emails from the firms I submitted my job applications and my curriculum vitae. I felt delighted to have at least five scheduled job interviews within the week, and I am getting excited about it. And I hope this time, Calixto Morgan will be out of the picture.

    And I am surprised that I saw an unknownndline number calling my phone. And I am enthusiastic to answer the call thinking it was one of thepanies I am applying for, and I suddenly felt so thrilled. And I almostugh when I heard Calixto''s voice on the other line, and I couldn''t believe he will be calling me at this hour the moment I think about him, and I smiled as I remember how he begged me to have my number when we had our lunch together yesterday.

    "Hello, Madeline!" He said.

    "Good afternoon, Mr. Morgan, is there anything I can help you with?" I asked, and I am grinning from ear to ear.

    "Someone wants to talk with you." He said on the other line, and before I can answer him, I already heard Hunter''s beautiful voice on the other line that made me have knots on my stomach.

    "Hi, I miss you, Maddie, and please give me your phone number because Calixto won''t give it to me without asking permission from you even if I begged him that it was between life and death." My husband said, and Iughed because I remember I told Cal not to give my number to Hunter.

    "You have to gain it, Hunter," I said as I grinned.

    "Okay, tell me what to do, Madeline." He dered.

    "It is only simple; you have toe to my house right now," I said because I know he can''t leave his office. After all, I am aware of how busy he was.

    "That is unfair, Madeline; you know I have an important meeting with our Japanese clients today." He replied, and I can hear the frustrations in his voice.

    "Well, then I am sorry, I won''t give you my number unless you are here thirty minutes from now," I said, and I hang up the phone before he can even say another word, and I turn off my phone while I was grinning because I am sure there is no way he cane to my ce within thirty minutes.

    "It is payback time, my dear husband," I mumbled as I continue reading my emails, and I am shocked after thirty minutes to find my husband standing on my doorstep. And I couldn''t fathom how did he get so fast when his office is so far away, and with heavy traffic, he couldn''t make it in two hours.

    "How?" I asked in disbelief, and his intense gaze made me felt like jelly, and my entire body weakened, and my husband suddenly pinned me to the wall. And he started kissing me, and no matter how I want to stop him, I couldn''t make it because I am too excited to feel his lips on me, and the way my husband devour my mouth is enough to tell me that he missed me so much. And I couldn''t stop myself from moaning as he sneaked his tongue inside my mouth while he pulled me closer to him.

    My husband trailed kisses on my neck down to my corbone and up again to my throat, and I love the way he showered me with butterfly kisses that made my entire body felt so alive, and when he nibbled my ear, I can''t stop myself from moaning again. My husband''s touch ignited the burning sensation within me, and we had a long passionate kiss before he finally let me go, and we were both gasping for air after our mind-blowing kiss.

    "You make me so crazy, Madeline, and from now on, I will find any means to be with you because I will show you how much I want to save our marriage and how serious I am in winning your love back. I love you, Madeline, and I will do everything I can to make you fall in love with me again." He said in a raspy voice, and he kissed me one more time before he touched my face and tucked in some strand of my hair that covered my face at the back of my ear. And my heart swells with happiness, and I want to tell Hunter there is no need to make me fall for him because I had always been in love with my husband.

 Chapter 147 - Protecting Her

    Hunter''s POV

    Madeline looked so beautiful sleeping on the couch, and I want her to be sleeping in myp forever, but I know she needs to have a proper rest because I am aware she doesn''t have enough sleep since she left our home, and I felt so guilty, and I promise to make it up to her. And I want to take away all the pain she feels inside. I carried my wife into her bedroom, and I am tempted toy beside her after I covered her body with the soft nket, but I don''t want to lose my chance to be with her because I need to win back her love and trust first, and I don''t like Madeline to hate me again. I know she is beginning to have faith in me, and I felt so happy that my wife didn''t push me away or shout at me when she found me on her driveway. Still, instead, she caressed my face, and I am the luckiest man in the world for having a beautiful and kind-hearted wife like Madeline.

    I got out of her bedroom, and I tiptoed in going back to the living area, and I want to go home, but the heavy rain is still pouring outside. Iy my body on the couch and tried to get some sleep, and it was four o''clock in the morning when I woke up, and I am surprised, but I smiled when I found my torso covered with a nket, and I am so happy that she still cares about me. I stood up, and I don''t want to leave without saying goodbye to her, but she looked so peaceful sleeping on her bed, so I sat at the edge of her bed and watched her sleep for a long while. And I don''t want to go home, but I have important clients that I need to meet today.

    I left Maddie''s room with a heavy heart, but I made a love note for her since I don''t want her to think I go without saying goodbye to her. After reading the message several times, I put it on her center table in the living room. I drive away from Madeline''s driveway fast since it is still early in the morning, but I made sure I am not beyond the speed limit. I don''t want to stress Calixto if he finds out I am charged with overspeeding.

    "Hunter, how was it?" My mom asked the moment I get inside the house, and I am stunned to find her early in the morning in our living room.

    "Mom, why are you up this early?" I asked, and she smiled.

    "I was worried about you even if you texted me that you are at Madeline''s ce. I hope you are okay now." She replied, and Iwalked closer to my mom with a wide grin on my face, and I put my hand on my mom''s shoulders before I hugged her.

    "Mom, thank you for staying with me, and I am so happy that Madeline epted me in her house, and I think she will being home soon, and to do that, I need my sister''s help because I know only Lily can persuade her toe home. I understand that I don''t need to force Maddie toe home right away because she asked me to be patient, but I can''t be patient with my wife, my need to be with her is so strong that I think I am losing my mind." I dered.

    "Son, if Madeline asked you to wait, then you need to wait for her, don''t rush things, for it will cause some problems. Let here home to you on her own because you know how much you hurt her, Hunter, and be thankful that Maddie gave you another chance. Continue to court her, but I know she is close with Lily, so you can bring your sister with you to make her happier, and maybe she will considering home one of these days." My mom responded, and my smile broadens.

    I took a bath happily, and I was singing while I am in the shower, and I can''t stop myself from smiling, and if someone sees me now, I am sure he might think I am losing my mind, but who will not be smiling like me? If you have a wife as beautiful as Maddie, and most of all a loving wife.

    I get my briefcase and walked out of my room, and I am still in high spirits, but when I reach the top of the stairs, I heard loud voicesing from the kitchen, and my heartbeat quickened when I listened to my father''s voice. And I ran and took the steps three steps at a time, for I felt so afraid of what is he doing with my mother. I am horrified to find my father pinning my mom on the wall, and he was strangling mom by the neck, and I can tell my mother was suffocating, and I didn''t waste my time. I came to my father and removed his hands from my mom, and I want to punch him again, but I tried my best to control all my anger towards him.

    "What are you doing? Do you want to kill, mom?" I said in a loud voice, and I couldn''t stop pushing him hard that he almost stumble on the floor, and out of the corner of my I, I saw Cer on the corner, and I can tell she was trembling with fear.

    "I am sorry, Leticia, I am losing my mind. Pleasee home." He said, and I halfugh.

    "You want mom toe home? Are you kidding me? Do you want me to call the police right now and file a case against you for your maltreatment towards mom? I want you to get out of my house right now." I said, and he looked at me with anger.

    "Do you think I am afraid of you, Hunter? I am still your father, and I can fire you." He said.

    "It is toote, rk. I already transferred all my shares to Hunter. And I hope you will realize what you have done. I regretted that I fell in love with you. I should have listened to my parents, but my obsession with you blinded me that I married you even if you showed it to my face that you only want our wealth and our businesses. You could have at least show me that there is a point in our marriage life that you love me. I am aware that you have young mistresses. You have an affair with your secretary, but I chose to y blind because I love you, and now my greatest regret in my life was falling in love with you." My mom said, and I am stunned to hear all of it because I thought growing up he was only busy running thepany, and I never realized how many times he cheated on my mom. My father''s shoulders sagged, but he still looked at me with anger on his face.

    "We are not yet done, Hunter, and I am going to bring you home, Leticia, whatever it takes." My father said before he walked out from the dining hall.

    .

    "Are you alright, mom?" I asked as I take her into the dining chair.

    "Don''t worry about me, son; I am done crying over with your father a long time ago. And I felt so happy now that I finally got the courage to fight him. I know I should have done it when you were younger. Maybe Charlotte and Parker weren''t brainwashed by your dad, but I was worried you will grow up without your dad, and of course, I was crazy over him." Mom said, and I understand her.

    I made sure that my mother was fine before I left the house, and I informed my security team never to allow my dad or any of my siblings to get inside the house or the estate premises. And I drive going to the office thinking about Madeline''s safety, and I realized I need to take her to my house so my dad can''t harm her.

    "Wow! I couldn''t believe that you will be here at this hour. You are early for the first time after your wife left you." Calixto said, but even if I felt down and sad after what happened in my house early morning, the moment I remember my wife, my mood changed. I am too happy to give a damn about Cal''sments, and I continue to smile as I open myptop and started reading my emails.

    "You can never ruin my mood, Cal. I am too happy today to bark at you." I replied, and heughed.

    "By looking at you right now, I can tell that you are so joyful, and I am sure Madeline has something to do about it," Calixto said, and I raised my head and looked at him as I nod my head, and then I adjusted my necktie.

    "Yes, and I can''t wait to see my wife again tonight, and I am very excited to meet her in her cute home. Do you have any idea how to convince my wife to return to our mansion soon?" I asked Cal, and he moved closer to me as he put some folders and documents on top of my table.

    "You can always ask help from your sister, and I am sure now that Lily is living in your house Madeline will never say no to her, your wife is so fond of Lily, and your sister loves your wife dearly," Calixto answered me. I nod at him because I know from the moment Madeline came to the Divenson mansion, they be inseparable, and I know they have a deeper connection, and it always makes me smile knowing they are very close with each other.

    "Yeah, we have the same idea, Cal. I am also thinking the same way, and I want her toe home because I want to see Maddie every day and spend more time with her during my free time, and I think I will have two days off, Cal. I want to be with Madeline during Saturdays and Sundays,and I can''t wait to be with her," I said, and Cal was beaming at me. I know for the past few days, my assistant was avoiding me because he was angry that my wife left. After all, I have badly hurt her, and I could tell Calixto cares about Madeline like she is his daughter, and it also makes me delighted knowing some people love my wife aside from me because she is an orphan, and my wife needs affection from her friends too.

    "Cal, please call Roman and tell her to tighten the security around Maddie''s house," I said.

    "Okay, I will call him now, Mr. Divenson." He said and left my room.I want to shower my wifewith my love, and by doing that, I need to protect her from my father and siblings. AndI will never allow any of them to hurt my wife again, either physically or mentally, and I will make sure that they can never get closer to Madeline.

 Chapter 148 - She Is More Important

    Hunter''s POV

    In the afternoon, as I was waiting for my two appointments, I became so restless that I couldn''t take it anymore. I need to talk with Madeline, but I got so frustrated when I realized I don''t have her number anymore. And I know I should have asked for her new number.

    "Are you alright, Mr. Divenson?" Cal asked when he found me looking at my phone for a long time, and I raised my head and looked at him.

    "No, I am not okay, Cal, because I want to talk with my wife, but I couldn''t contact her because I don''t even have her number. And I find it so ridiculous because Maddie is my wife, but I couldn''t even talk with her when I want to hear her voice." I dered, and he smiled at me, and he fished out his phone from his pocket, and then he scrolled down on his contacts, and I wonder what is he doing.

    "How desperate are you to call your wife?" He asked, and my forehead furrowed.

    "Why? Do you think you can help me, Cal?" I asked, and he grinned.

    "Of course, I can, Mr. Divenson. I have her number saved in my contacts." He said, and I felt a pang on my chest as I realized my wife gave Calixto her number, but she didn''t even give it to me, and I have to admit she hated me for hurting her, and it was only understandable that she didn''t give it to me.

    "What is her number, Cal?" I asked.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, Madeline begged me not to give you her number, so I will not give it to you, because she will only get angry with me, but if you want, I can call her using thendline number, and you can talk with her." He replied, and I couldn''t believe my assistant will speak to me in this manner, but I don''t want him to show it to my face that I made Maddie''s life miserable, so I deserve all this.

    "Okay, please, Cal, do the honor of calling my wife," I said, feeling so defeated since I am so frantic to talk with Madeline. I want to hear her sweet voice, and I am excited to know what she is doing right now.

    "Cal asked the pilot to prepare the chopper and moved my appointment to two hours. I need to leave in five minutes. I need to sign these documents. After that, I will go see my wife." I said after I talked with Madeline. She asked me to be there in thirty minutes, and my wife sounds so confident that I couldn''t make it, but she miscalcted everything, and I think she had forgotten that I owned choppers and private nes.

    "What? Hunter, I can''t do that; these clients are essential to us." Cal said.

    "But right now, my wife is more important to me, Calixto, and I don''t care if we are going to lose them; I can still look for more clients, use your charm, and I know you can make it, and I think you can provide entertainment for them. I will try to be back sooner, but I am telling you it depends on my wife''s mood. I only asked you to move my meeting to two hours from now. And please, call Tony to drive Lily here in my office and tell my sister to wait for me." I said.

    "As you wish, Mr. Divenson, and I understand saving your marriage is important. I am d youe to your senses." He said before he got out of my office while I was smiling from ear to ear because I got so excited to see Madeline. Spending time with herst night wasn''t enough.

    I knock on her main door as I try to fix myself because I want to look presentable in front of my wife, and I felt so d that I shaved this morning. I am aware Madeline wants to see me in my ruggedly handsome look, but I could tell she wants to see me wearing my business suit too. And the shock that I saw on her face was enough to say I made the right decision. I know she couldn''t believe that after thirty minutes, I will be standing on her doorstep with a wide grin on my face. I know her house is very far from my office, and this time I felt so d I am the CEO of thergest miningpany in the country.

    She asked in disbelief how did I manage toe right away. Still, I couldn''t answer her because I can''t stop my intense gaze as I searched for her beautiful eyes, and I can''t control myself because the moment I looked at her, she slightly opened her mouth. Her enticing lips made me pushed her body on the wall and imed her mouth instantly. And I am so d that I felt her entire body melted with me. And I can sense she wanted to push me away, but her own body betrayed her by kissing me back hungrily, and no matter how she wanted me to stop, Madeline couldn''t make it because I can feel her excitement the moment I devour her mouth with urgency.

    And I want Maddie to know through my kisses and touches that I missed her so much, and she is killing me. And I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I made her moaned in pleasure as I slithered my tongue inside her sweet mouth while I pulled her closer to me.

    I kissed her neck, down to her corbone, and I take my time in taking her in. And I can feel my entire body is now on fire, and I couldn''t stop my desire of iming my wife because I missed her so much, but I know I have to wait for her. I love the way she reacted the moment I showered Maddie''s face,her neck with butterfly kisses, and I grunted under my breath when I heard my wife moaned, and I can feel her body is shivering under my touch.

    I can tell she is dying to have me too, but both of us are controlling ourselves because we both know my wife needs to forgive me totally before she lets me have her again. We have been kissing and tasting each other''s mouth before I finally let her go because I know I have to stop, or else I can''t control my growing manhood, and it is throbbing under my pants. We were both gasping for air after our long sweet kiss.

    I told Madeline how much I miss her in every waking moment of my life, and I promise her that I will do everything I can to save our marriage and have her back in my life. And most of all, I want her to fall in love with me again.

    "Where are we going? I am only wearing shorts and a blouse with spaghetti straps ." She dered when I asked her to get the keys to her house, and I sweetly smiled at her.

    "Rx, Madeline, you looked hot to me right now, and you don''t need to change your clothes because you look so beautiful in my eyes." I said, and my wife blushed again, and I still want to kiss her more, but we don''t have enough time. I need to deal with my clients so I can spend my time with Maddieter.

    "But you are wearing a business suit, Hunter." She said, and I just squeezed her hand as we get out of her house.

    "Seriously?" She asked in disbelief the moment we reached on top of the building near the grocery store. I just bought it recently because of my need to see my wife, and my only purpose is the helipad.

    "How foolish I am to dare you; I couldn''t believe myself that I have forgotten you''ve got different types of rides." She said with disappointment in her voice, and I moved closer to her, and I cupped her chin, and I looked at her eyes before I speak.

    "Aren''t you happy to see me, Madeline?" I asked, and she blushed.

    "Tell me, aren''t you?" I asked again.

    "I don''t need to answer you, Hunter. I guess my actions are enough to tell you how I feel right now." She said, and she looked so adorable that her face turned so red, and she tried to avert my gaze, but I firmly hold her face, and I kissed her again long enough to make me want to bring her back to her house and make love to her until morning.

    I assisted my wife in climbing in the helicopter, and I felt so happy she didn''t ask me to take her back to her house. We took off, and I didn''t let go of her hand, and I smiled as I watch her beautiful face filled with happiness as she looked out the view below us, and the moment we arrived at the office, I can tell my secretaries are excited to know thetest gossip, so I draped my arm around Madeline''s shoulders to let them all know I got my wife back, and I smiled at them before we get inside my office

    "Why did you bring me here?" She asked, and I can tell she is confused, and I led her to sit on the couch.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but I miss you so much, and I don''t want this day to end without seeing you. Besides, I am afraid of your safety because I am unsure what my father can do to you. So, I hope you are not angry that I force you toe with me." I said as I looked at her from my table.

    "Don''t be silly; I came here with you with my own free will, and to answer your question a while ago, yes, I felt so happy to see you, Hunter." Madeline responded, and my heart intes with happiness. And I almostugh when I saw the expression on Cal''s face the moment he saw Madeline sitting on the couch, and I realized how wonderful it is to be working with Madeline by my side.

 Chapter 149 - Canâ€™t Say No

    Madeline''s POV

    I feel like an idiot when my husband took me to the building near the grocery store, not so far from my house. My eyes widened when I see the helicopter before my eyes, and I realized I was such a fool for challenging my husband, but I can''t deny I feel so happy inside since he came from his office to kiss me. And the moment we took off, I can''t stop admiring the view from the top, and my heart is filled with happiness as I can feel my husband''s hand squeezed my palm, and he never let it go until we reach the helipad of the Divenson building.

    Hunter removed his business coat from his frame, and he put it over my shoulders; and he takes my hand as we walk going to the elevator, and I can''t stop myself from remembering thest time I was in his office. I was so angry and asking for a divorce, and I felt so d Hunter didn''t agree with me, or else I don''t know how I am going to face my life without my husband. I can feel the electricitying from my husband''s touch, and I smiled at his secretaries as they greeted us, and I can tell they are now talking about us, but I don''t care since I am Hunter''s wife and I have all the right to be here.

    The moment we get inside Hunter''s office, he brought me to the couch, and I sat down and I read some newspapers. I can see my husband stealing nces at me, and I felt so thrilled to be in his office doing nothing while he was busy with hisptop. And I realized it would be nice to work in his office, and the idea that popped into my head made me feel excited since it would be so sweet to get inside his office every time I miss him during the day. I know it was a stupid idea, but it was also tempting. Working for Hunter would be a challenge, and I smiled as I browse my phone.

    "Madeline!" Calixto eximed, and Iughed when I saw the expression on his face.

    "Hello, Cal. How are you?" I asked, and it took him a while before he can get back to his senses

    "Aren''t you happy to see me, Cal?" I asked, and I heard my husband chuckled at my question, and I smiled when I remember Hunter asked me the same question when we were in my house a while ago.

    "Of course, I felt so delighted to see you here, Madeline, and I think it would be best if you will always be around so your husband can work properly. It seems he was so lost when you left home, Maddie." He dered, and I suddenly felt guilty.

    "Calixto, you are inside my office, and you should only discuss a work-rted concern, and not my personal life," Hunter said. Still, I know he doesn''t mean it since I am aware Calixto knew all about his secrets because he considered him as his best friend. It feels so funny that they are best friends when you try to look at their age gap, but it doesn''t bother them, and I felt so d my husband has Cal in his life because he needed someone like him, especially rk Divenson has never been a good father to Hunter.

    "I am so sorry to disturb you now, Mr. Divenson, but our client is waiting for you at the board room," Calixto said. Hunter got up quickly from his swivel chair, and he walked closer to me. And I hate that I still have this kind of reaction every time he is near me, I can feel the knots that twisted in my stomach the moment I felt his muscr hands on my waist, and he yanked me closer to him.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but I need to have this meeting right now. I promise to keep it as short and fast as possible because I don''t want to leave you here." He softly said while he was staring into my eyes.

    "Of course, don''t worry, I won''t walk away this time," I said, and his face lit up. I can feel the sparks that travel at my spine the moment he captured my lips, and I can''t stop myself from moaning as I put my hands around my husband''s neck, and I kissed him back eagerly, and we are kissing passionately, and we only stopped when we heard Calixto cleared his throat.

    "I need to go now, Maddie," Hunter said, and he let go of my body, and I can feel my face is so red, and I didn''t look at Cal because I felt embarrassed that I forgot he was standing inside my husband''s office, and I thought I was moaning when I kissed my husband. I sat back on the couch and pretended to read the newspaper, and I heard Cal said his goodbyes, and I murmured bye without looking at him.

    I release a deep sighed of relief after I heard the closing of the door, and I wasughing when I realized I have the newspaper upside down, and I just felt so d they didn''t see me, or else they will know I was only pretending to read. I stood up from my chair, and I walked closer to the window, and I opened the blinds, and I gasped when I look at the view below, and I realized Archois City is so busy at this hour as I watched the heavy traffic even if the cars looked so tiny from where I am standing.

    I was lost in space, and I almost leaped when I heard the opening of the door. I thought Hunter made his meeting so brief, but when I looked around, I can''t stop myself from smiling when I saw Lily walking inside Hunter''s office, and her face lights up the moment she saw me standing near the window, and she quickly ran towards me.

    "Oh, Madeline! I thought you were in your house; I didn''t know you will be here, I miss you so much, and I felt so happy that I see you now." She said, and Lily hugged me, and she never let me go,and I realized how much I miss her. I stroked her hair, and I realized she is so tall now, and I can tell three years from now she will be taller than me since I can tell she is tall for her age. Well, Hunter is so tall and it is expected she would be taller than other girls her age.

    "I missed you too, Lily." I said, and I took her hand and pulled her to the couch, and we sat beside each other, and then she looked at me for a long time before she speaks again.

    "Are you going home to your house now? Do you know that we moved out from the Divenson mansion, and we are staying at your house as of the moment while we are still looking for a ce to stay?" She asked me, and I nodded my head.

    "Yeah, Cal told me everything. You don''t need to look for a house, Lily; that house is so big and has so many guest rooms." I said.

    "Well, tell that to Leticia Divenson. If you ask me, I want to stay with you and Hunter, but I don''t want mom to be alone. She renovated her ancestral home on her maternal side. I know the Divenson mansion belongs to mom''s father from generation, but since she married dad, it became the Divenson mansion after they got married. It was a beautiful house, Maddie, and I am sure you will love it after the renovation, and I can say it is more beautiful than the Divenson house." Lily said enthusiastically, and I can''t stop myself from grinning.

    "I am excited to see it, Lily." I said.

    "Of course, you should be there on the day we move in, and I will ask you and Hunter to stay with us for a couple of days." She said, and I felt excited, and I don''t know every time I am with Lily, I feel so happy.

    "Maddie, " She softly called me.

    "Yes, Lily?" I asked.

    "Are you still in love with my brother?" She asked, and her question took me off guard, but I smiled at her while I nodded my head.

    "Of course, I am still crazy in love with your brother, Lily. I left home, but it doesn''t mean I stop loving him. I was hurt, and I thought he doesn''t love me anymore." I replied, and she grinned.

    "Hunter loves you so much, and he needs you." She said.

    "I know, Lily." I replied.

    "Pleasee home with us, Maddie. I miss ying board games with you." She said, and Iughed, and I remember when I first arrived in the Divenson mansion, and I felt so grateful for this girl because I know without her, I will not survive that time. We spent time ying chess and other board games, and then what amazed me is when Lily taught me how to draw and paint. She was young back then, but her works were terrific.

    "Maddie, I need your answer right now." She said again, and I can''t say no to Lily.

    "Okay, but not tonight, I need toe home to my little house, but I promise I will go home to our house soon because I miss your brother so much." I replied, and her tears fall on her cheeks.

    "Hey, don''t cry, Lily." I added.

    "I am just so happy, Madeline, you became my sister on the day you married my brother, and I don''t want you to leave Hunter, and tonight we will be sleeping at your house." She dered.

    "I will never leave Hunter, Lily, and of course, you are always wee at my house, and my husband too." I said, and she smiled while she wiped her tears away, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled knowing Hunter will be sleeping at my ce tonight.

 Chapter 150 - Canâ€™t Wait To Come Home

    Hunter''s POV

    I couldn''t stop myself from thinking about my wife waiting in my office as I listened to my clients discuss our contract and what we can offer them. I want my meeting to be over to be with Maddie, and I hate myself for feeling this way. It feels like I became like a high school boy over again, and I realized I became so obsessed with my wife, and I need to control myself, so my wife will not find out I became like this.

    "Thank you so much, Mr. Divenson, for giving us this opportunity to be working with you. I know your reputation at a young age, and I am sure this would be a sessful undertaking for ourpany." Mr. Makisama said, and I smiled at him as I offered my hand to him for a handshake.

    "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Makisama; I am so delighted that you chose to invest in ourpany," I replied with a wide grin.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson, we trust you." He replied, and he asked me to have dinner with them. And I can''t turn down their invitation, so I said yes, and I offer to take them to the best restaurant in the city. They left with broad smiles on their faces, and I asked my driver to take them to their hotel while I felt triumphant that I close the deal, but I am disappointed that I couldn''t have dinner with my wife and my sister tonight.

    "Wow! As usual, your charm never fails. Mr. Divenson, our client, will always say yes to you." He said.

    "Of course, and I am more inspired now even if I felt so distracted because I can''t stop thinking about my wife waiting for me in my office. You need to join me tonight, Cal. I can''t entertain them without you." I said.

    "I would love to since you made an excellent move today, you showed me that you care about Madeline, and I am so happy for my daughter." He said, and Iughed.

    "Does Madeline knew you im her to be your daughter? She looked so beautiful to be called your child, Cal; I know you are handsome, but not enough to say you can be her dad." I said, and I am stillughing.

    "Hunter, I am more handsome than Frank, so I am still proud to call her my daughter." He said, and I genuinely smiled at him.

    "Thank you, Calixto, for loving my wife this way; kidding aside, I know Maddie needs someone like you in her life. And I can''t thank you enough for being always there for her, and to be honest, I became jealous since your sympathy now is with her, but I like it." I said with a broad grin on my face.

    "Don''t mention it, son." He said, and I chuckled, and it is true I felt like Calixto is my father. He has always been there for me through the bad times and the good times. And I am so grateful for having him in my life.

    We get out of the board room with triumphant smiles on our faces, and I am so excited to go back to my office since I know my beautiful wife is waiting for me. And my smile broadens when I saw Lily sitting beside Madeline on the couch, and they wereughing, and it warms my heart to hear my wifeughs with Lily. It has been a long time that I listen to her genuinelyughed since I can tell she was faking herughter, but right now, I can tell she is happy, and I felt so d I asked Lily toe and be with us.

    "Hi, guys!" I greeted them, and they both turned around to look at me; and Lily got up from the sofa and ran towards me.

    "Hello, Hunter!" My sister eximed as she hugged me, and I stroked her hair while I kissed her forehead. I know she is no longer a little girl, but every time we see each other, she will always greet me with a warm hug, and I always kiss her head. It feels so wonderful to show my brotherly love to her. And my heart is racing as I watch Maddie looked at us, and after Lily goes back to the sofa, I walked towards Madeline, and I sat beside her, and she scooted a little towards Lily''s side to give me enough space.

    I put my arms around her waist while I put my chin on the nook of her shoulder. I closed my eyes as I inhaled Madeline''s scent that made me feel overjoyed, and when I opened my eyes, I found my sister looking at us with a beautiful smile on her face while she raised her phone, and she took a picture of Madeline and me.

    "Just perfect for my Instagram, and I am going to caption this with "my favorite couple." She said and giggled.

    "I thought I wouldn''t see you like this again, and I am happy that you make up already; you don''t realize how you made me sad when I learned Madeline left again," Lily said, and I took Maddie''s hand and held it while looking at my sister''s face.

    "It was all my fault, Lily, and I regretted everything, and I wish I were honest with Maddie. And I hope Madeline will finally forgive me, and I was hoping she will being home soon." I dered, and Madeline looked at me with a beautiful smile on her face.

    "Soon." She replied, and I bring her closer to me once again, and I tightly embraced her before I finally let go of her body as I stood up in front of them.

    "I want to have dinner with you, guys, but our new investors invited Cal and me to have dinner with them, and I am so sorry that I can''t be with you," I said, and I saw how my sister''s face fell, but Madeline took her hand, and she smiled at Lily before she speaks.

    "Don''t worry, Lily, because we will have fun. I will cook your favorite." Madeline said.

    "Are you sure about that, Maddie?" Lily asked Madeline, and she beamed at her. And I couldn''t stop myself from grinning, and I felt so excited for them to have their bonding moment, and I wish Maddie will invite me to sleep beside her tonight.

    I call the pilot and instructed him to take them to Madeline''s ce. And I went home feeling so happy and contented, and I take a shower and choose to wear navy blue cks with a white button-up shirt and hard leather bottom shoes. I want to wear jeans and a t-shirt, but I know I need to look impressive in front of our new investors.

    "Wow! You look so different tonight son, are you going on a date with Maddie?" My mom asked.

    "I wish I could, mom, but I need to have dinner with our clients from Southeast Asia tonight with Calixto. And I am just d Lily is with my wife, andI am sure she will convince Maddie toe home soon into our own house." I said.

    "And mom, please, kindly ask someone to clean our bedroom tomorrow, and tell her to change the beddings of our bed." I added, and she nodded her head.

    "Of course, and I think you should go back sleeping in your room, Hunter, I know you avoided sleeping in the master''s bedroom because you can''t stop thinking about your wife, but I guess everything is okay now because I will not see you this happy if you didn''t make peace with Madeline." Mom said.

    "Yeah, you are right, mom; I am so happy today because my wife was in my office this afternoon. The truth is I picked up Maddie at her ce, and I brought her into my office because I can''t stop myself from thinking about her even though I was so busy with my work." I replied while I can''t stop myself from grinning, and this time I remember this feeling, and I recognize it as the feeling of being in love.

    "Oh, that is so sweet of you, Hunter. I have been married to your father for a long time, but I never experienced that he came home just to see me." My mom said, and I can see the sadness on her beautiful face, and I know she is still hurting over her broke up with my dad, and I know it wasn''t easy on her part to file a divorce, but that is what she wants even though I know she was hurting inside.

    I am aware of how much she loves our dad. But my father deserves that since he never values his wife''s great love for him, and he was the luckiest man for having my mother as his wife. And I hope this time he will realize how foolish he was for being so selfish for hurting our mom and us, his children.

    Our dinner was perfect, and I want to go home after we eat our meal, but Mr. Makisama asked Cal and me to go with them to have some drinks at the nearby bar, and as we drink, I can''t stop myself from looking at my watch.

    "Hunter, stop looking at your watch." Cal whispered when our clients are busy talking with each other.

    "I can''t wait toe home, Cal, and spend time with Madeline and my sister." I said, and he smirked.

    "Are you sure? I know you are nning to be alone with your wife, Hunter." He replied andughed at me while I felt my face blushed.

    "You really know me, Calixto." I said while I was grinning at him, and I bring my ss into my mouth, and I drink the scotch on the rocks in one gulp while I felt so excited toe home at my wife''s ce and wishing she will be sleeping in my arms tonight.

 Chapter 151 - What I Want

    Madeline''s POV

    The moment Hunter returned to his office from his meeting, I felt so enthusiastic to see him again, and it feels like I go back on the very first day that I saw him at the Divenson mansion. I can''t stop my heart from hammering so fast, and I felt so restless. But when he sat beside me, and he put his strong arm around my waist, I felt I am finally home. It was a wonderful feeling to be back in his arms again, even if I was trying to take it slow; I think I can''t do it since every time my husband is around, it feels so good.??

    I was disappointed when Hunter told us he couldn''t have dinner with us since he needs to be with his new clients, and I understand my husband''s nature of work. That is why the Divenson miningpany became number one because of his hard work and dedication, and most of all, his flexibility with dealing with different clients. Since he couldn''t join us, he asked his pilot to send us home, and Hunter sends us to the helipad.

    "Bye, Madeline. See youter, and I love you." Hunter dered, and I felt my heart leaped with happiness. He took me into his arms and gave me a long passionate kiss before he helped me climbed into the chopper. I can still feel the trembling of my knees as I settled myself inside the helicopter because of the kiss that we shared. He moved away when we took off, but he didn''t leave the helipad until I couldn''t see him anymore. I was smiling when I found Lily staring at my face.

    "What?" I asked her while I am still grinning.

    "Nothing, I am just happy that you are still looking at my brother the same way you used to look at him. So full of love and affection. I know Hunter hurt you, but it didn''t stop you from loving him. Thank you, Madeline." She said, and I could no longer see the little girl who used to snuggle in myp, and what I see now is a beautiful young woman smiling at me. Lily will turn sixteen soon, and I realized time passes too quickly.

    "Of course, my love for your brother was never gone. And even if I was hurt, I couldn''t stop myself from loving your brother, especially when I learned the truth. I know he has his shorings being my husband, but as his wife, I should be there and give him full support." I said.

    "Yeah, I know, but my brother can''t me you. You were in pain because of him, and I hope this time he will never keep secrets from you." Lily said, and I smiled as I nodded my head.

    "Me too," I replied.

    "But there is one thing I am sure, Madeline, and Hunterneeds you because he loves you. I have seen how he struggled to face his everyday life without you by his side. He is in love with you, Maddie. So, I think you shoulde home since we all miss you." Lily said.

    "Even Cer misses you." She added, and I smiled at her.

    "I know, Lily. I need to talk with your brother first." I said.

    "There is no need to talk about it, Madeline, you are both in love with each other, and I think being in love with your partner is the most important thing in your marriage life." She said, and I felt guilty since, at first, for Hunter, our rtionship was only for a show, and it was only because of my aunt''s debts. And I never expected to fall in love with him on the first night that we met. And most of all, I never thought he would love me back in the end, and it made me feel so happy even if what I had been through was hard, especially the time I found out Reba was alive.

    "Yeah, but there are also things that we need to consider, Lily," I replied, and sheughed.

    "I remember the same thing that Hunter told me when you first left the Divenson mansion when you ran away into Magnolia Vige. Well, I guess you will find your way back to each other, I can''t wait to be an aunt, and mom is excited to have her first grandchild." Lily added, and I can''t stop myself from blushing.

    We arrived at my ce, and Lily was in awe, and I can''t stop myself from smiling looking at her exploring my house.

    "Wow! I love your house, Maddie, and it is so lovely." She said.

    "Thank you, Lily. I am d that you like my ce knowing you grew up in a mansion." I said.

    "Are you kidding me? I love this, and I wish I can have my ce now, but I know Hunter and mom will never allow it, but I hope when I will turn eighteen, I can have my own home. I also want to be independent as you, Maddie." She said, and I want to tell her I don''t have a choice since I don''t have a family except for my aunt, who felt so guilty that she made a deal with Hunter without my knowledge. Still, I am so grateful that my mom''s sister did it without me knowing, or else I will run away from her home before I have the chance to meet Hunter, and I know that incident was a blessing in disguise. And right now, I don''t have regrets that I met Hunter in my life.

    I cooked Lily''s favorite food, I know she loves eating fried chicken with French fries, and I also grilled patties for our homemade burgers. We eat our dinner while talking about trivial things, and I realized how much I miss talking with Lily. We yed chess, and I couldn''t believe she turned out to be so good that I couldn''t beat her no matter how many games we had. And I can tell I am disturbed because I can''t stop myself from thinking about my husband. I am excited to have him again in my house.

    After ying chess, we decided to shower, and then we watched aedy movie in our pajamas. We wereughing almost the entire duration of the film.

    "I miss this, Maddie." She said after we watched the movie as I turned off the television.

    "Me too, Lily, and I am sorry if I ran off again," I replied.

    "It is okay, and I know you avoided calling me after you left your home because you will remember my brother every time you will talk with me." She said, and I felt so guilty because she was right.

    "I am sorry, again, little sister, don''t worry, I will make it up to you," I said.

    "Are you sure? So, you will go shopping with me?" She asked, and I nodded my head as I smiled at her.

    "Yehey, we will go shopping tomorrow, and I will ask Hunter toe with us." She said, and I hate myself for feeling so excited about it the moment I heard Hunter''s name, he is already my husband, and I wonder why I still felt like a teenager every time I imagine being close with him.

    "I think I should go to my room now, Madeline, I felt sleepy, and I know you will be waiting for my brother toe home, but I think you should sleep and let him knock on your door. And don''t open it immediately as punishment for getting sote." She said, and Iughed.

    "Good night, Lily," I said.

    "Good night, Maddie, and sweet dreams." She said as she got up from the sofa, and she goes to the guest''s room. I waited for Hunter toe, but I felt so sleepy that I didn''t realize I dozed off, and I got up to my feet disoriented when I heard a series of knocks on my door and when I look at the clock on the wall, I realized it is already one o''clock in the morning.

    "Madeline!" I heard Hunter''s voice, and I can''t stop myself from smiling. And I walked to the door immediately, and I am shocked when I found him carrying an overnight bag in his hand.

    "Hey, good morning, Madeline, and I am sorry if I came home sote; I can''t leave our clients since they asked Cal and me to go with them and have some drinks since they will be going back tomorrow, but don''t worry, my sweet, I am still sober." He said as he walked closer to me, and his masculine scent and the smell of alcohol made me feel so thrilled. And I couldn''t even speak and move my legs as I looked at his intense gaze.

    "I know you are shocked that I bring an overnight suitcase, but I want you to know I am not staying away from you, Maddie. I want to be with you even if you will push me away. I will never make the same mistake again. I want to beg you toe home with me to our house, but I understand you still have your doubts, and that is why I am doing this to make you know I want you back in my life, as my wife, my lover, and as my friend. I know my dad threatened you, but I promise you, Madeline, I will never allow my father to hurt you." He said while he put his luggage on the floor, Hunter put his hands around my waist, and he dragged me closer to him.

    "I love you, Mrs. Madeline Divenson, and I hope you will tell me the same thing soon, but I know I deserve all this since I hurt you so much, and allow me to take away your pain and heartaches." He added, and I closed my eyes as I felt my husband''s mouth brushing my lips with urgency, and I realized I want to touch him this close to me. And there is no ce I want to be but at my husband''s side, and I let him guide me into the sofa without breaking our kiss. And I realized only Hunter could make me feel this kind of happiness and satisfaction asI kissed him back with total abandon to let him know I love him too, and it made me realized this is what I want.

 Chapter 152 - I Have Her Back

    Hunter''s POV

    "Mr. Divenson, I still want to live and see my wi--fe, and I want to spend more time with my grand---children." I heard Cal''s voice as he stuttered, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing.??

    "You need to rx, Cal. I am not drunk, and I am not driving beyond the speed limit, so we are okay." I replied after we dropped off our guests at their hotel.

    "I know, but you---- you ----are driving so fast, and I understand that you can''t wait to be with your wife. But if you want to conti-nue driving this way, I am sure you are ---- are not going to see your wife again, and she will marry someone handsome and hotter than you." He said, and I can tell he is drunk because he drank a lot of whiskies since Calixto knew I would drive him home. I couldn''t stop myself from thinking about what he said. I realized if Madeline bes a widow, I am sure she will marry again because my wife is beautiful and so young. I can''t stop thinking about Jack Morigan since he is the most eligible candidate, and I hate that Calixto mentioned something like that to me while I am driving.

    I tried my best to drink in moderation because even if it is already early morning, I still want to have some quality time with Madeline, and I hope she is waiting for me, and I can''t stop myself feeling so excited as I think of my wife.

    "You should spend time with Made-Made- line, Hunter, because you are still young, and you need- need to enjoy your life," Cal said before he fell asleep on the passenger''s seat, and I am just d he put his seatbelt on even if he is drunk.

    "Thank you, Mr. Divenson, for taking my husband home." Calixto''s wife said after I assisted him in going inside to his house.

    "You are wee, Mrs. Morgan. Your husband is one of my reliable employees, and I always admire his hard work and dedication to thepany. And I am sorry if I brought him with me since we need to make those clients have a good time while they are in our country. And thank you so much for your understanding." I said as I smiled at her.

    "Mr. Divenson, what you have done to our family was too much, and we can''t thank you enough for your generosity." She said.

    "Calixto earned it, Mrs. Morgan. I need to leave now since my wife is waiting for me." I said, and her smile widened.

    "Of course, take care and drive safely, Mr. Divenson, and I want to remind you about my surprise birthday for my husband, and I hope you and your wife can attend." She said.

    "Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Morgan. Of course, I would like to bring my wife with me, and I am sure she will love it, and I can''t wait to surprise Cal." I said, and after I bid my farewell to her, I turned my heels and walked back to my car in a hurry since I can''t wait to see Madeline. I listened to my ylist as I drive away from Calixto''s house, and I wish something good will happen to us tonight.

    The moment I park on her driveway, I felt so happy that, atst, I would be spending another time with my Madeline. I know my men are within the area watching Madeline''s house twenty-four-seven since I want to keep her safe at all times. I know my father is now furious at me since I took mom and Lily into our house, and I helped mom filed a divorce. And there are many cases I want to file against my father, but I know he is still my dad. I am aware my mom is still in love with him, and I don''t want mom to get stress about it; as long as my father will never hurt Madeline, I will leave it that way, but I know I need to give him a warning, and I should be vignt at all times since I can tell my father''s mind right now is in chaos.

    I climbed out of my car and got my suitcase at the back of my car, and I know this is too much, but I need to be with Madeline, and bringing clothes would be the best thing I can do since my wife''s clothes will never fit me, and I wonder if she still has another pair of my clothing.

    I grinned when I saw the surprised look in her eyes when she saw my suitcase, but she came closer to me. I locked my eyes with hers. And I put down my luggage, and I took her into my arms and kissed her. I missed her so much, and taking her lips, will never be enough, and I felt so d that she kissed me back with longings. As we were kissing, I carried my wife, and I brought her to the sofa without breaking our kiss. I felt so thankful that I listened to my instinct never to drink too much or else I wouldn''t have this chance brushing my wife''s lips, and the living room filled with her moans, and I want to make love with Madeline.

    I miss my wife so much that I felt my erection right away, I was sitting on the couch while I have her in my thighs facing me, and I felt her hands caressed the back of my head, and I slithered my tongue inside her mouth, and I felt her shivered as I imed her sweet tongue and yed it with the mine. And when I sucked her tongue, I felt her moved closer to me, and I can feel my manhood pressed against her, and I am trying to keep my sanity because I know she wants us to take it slow.

    We were kissing, and I know my wife is aware that I have a hard-on, and she tortures me by grinding her hips as she pressed her body against mine, and I want to beg Madeline that I want to take her right here on the sofa, but I am aware Lily was in the house.

    "Can I take you to your room?" I asked her in more than a whisper when I nibbled her ear, and all my senses felt so alive when I saw her nipples hardening underneath her pajamas.

    "Yes, please." She said in between her moans when I kneaded her supple breasts, and I carried her towards her room, and this time I stride hastily. I opened her bedroom door with my hand and closed it with the back of my foot, and I never let her go. The moment I put her feet on the floor, I felt thrilled when Madeline stared into my eyes with too much intensity. I can see thebination of love and lust in her beautiful eyes as she slowly stripped her clothes off.

    The bulge under my pants is getting bigger as I saw her beautiful breasts dangling in front of me, and I took off my button-up shirt without breaking eye contact with my lovely wife. I smiled when I saw her swallowed her saliva the moment she saw my erection after I discarded my pants and boxer briefs.

    "You are so beautiful, Madeline." I said as I get closer to her, and I kissed her passionately while our bodies are pressed against each other. And I can feel my stiff rod rubbed against her stomach, and she moaned as I kiss her lips.

    "You don''t know how I miss you, Madeline, and I am aching to have you. And I want to make love with you until morning, Maddie." I said, and I trailed my tongue on her throat down to her smooth shoulder, and I cupped and kneaded her breasts, and she let out a loud moan when I captured her nipple one at a time, and I love the way she arched her back when I continued kissing her breasts and suckled her nipple one after the other. And my fingers found her sweetness between her legs, and I rubbed her slowly in a circr motion, and I can feel the wetness on her sex. And I touched and fondled her clit, and I felt her shivered under my touch.

    I pulled Madeline''s frame, and I carry her into the bed. And I know it is smaller than our bed, so I take her to the center, and I can''t stop admiring my wife''s beauty as she looked at me with desires that made my manhood be harder for her, and my longing to buried my erection towards her is driving me nuts.

    But I want to satisfy my wife, so I kneeled in front of her, and I slowly spread her legs, and I almost lost my self-control when I saw her sensitive parts glistened with her juices, and I realized my wife is so wet and ready for me. The moment my mouth and tongue devour her sweetness, I can feel my wife shuddered, and I continuepping herbia and clitoris in a figure-eight pattern. I felt my wife released her first orgasm, and I felt her came into my mouth, and I continue to kiss her. When I sucked her clit I heard Madeline begged me to take her as she pulled my hair and pulled my face closer to her, and I felt so happy that I made here, and she became so ready for me, but it doesn''t make me stop right away because I want her to feel good.

    I rubbed the upper part of her slit while I continued to lick her lips, and I sucked her clit over and over again that I felt her bucked her hips.

    "Hunter, please!" I can hear my wife''s pleading.

    "Tell me, my sweet Madeline, what do you want?" I asked.

    "Please take me now, and I want you to make love with me and feel that big rod of yours because I am longing to have you. Please, Hunter, fuck me now." She said, and her threest words melted my final resolve and make my shaft became harder for her, and it feels so raw for me that my wife begged me to have her.

    I positioned my stiff member at her entrance, and I felt her soft fingers guide my manhood, and I rub her clit while I drive and thrust deeper towards Madeline. I remember how tight my wife is, and I could no longer take it. I pushed harder until I can feel every inch of me is buried inside her. I gave my wife time to adjust, and when I saw her bucked her hips, I quickened my pace, and I thrust harder. I can feel my wife has a great time when I see her eyes rolled at the back of her head as I continue to drill her with my hard cock. Her moans filled the room, and I heard her bed squeaked as I continued to ram her with my stiff rod, and I felt so happy that my wife is calling my name as we continued to make love and feel and taste each other.

    Madeline received every thrust I gave her with total surrender, and I can feel her shuddered, and I know she ising.

    "Let it go, Madeline,e for me." I said as I captured her lips, and I continue to drill her with my big member, and I felt my wife shuddered under me, she came. I sucked her nipple while I continue thrusting hard and fast, but she continued to buck her hips to received me as I continue pumping into her body. I pulled my hard member almost all the way out, and pushed back in, and I I felt her legs curled around my waist, and she touched my ass and pulled me closer to her, and I shoved faster and deeper into her. I can feel my own climax ising. And I quickened my pace until I couldn''t hold it anymore, and I felt my wife came with me for her third orgasm as I sprayed my seed on her womb, and I copsed on top of her, and I felt so happy when I heard her speaks.

    "I love you, Hunter." She said, and my tears fall because I thought it would take her a long time before she will utter those words again, and I felt so happy that finally, my wife forgives me.

    "I love you so much, Madeline." I replied as I slid my body andy beside her, taking her naked body Into my arms. And I captured her mouth and kissed her passionately, and I realized I felt so blessed to have my wife back into my life.

 Chapter 153 - Overwhelming Happiness

    Madeline''s POV

    The moment Hunter asked me if he could bring me into my room, I know from that moment that there is no turning back. I can''t deny Hunter and myself the desires and longings that we feel towards each other. I can feel my husband''s love for me as we continued kissing each other, and I smiled when I felt his erection pressed against my stomach. I felt so proud that I make him this hard. The moment Hunter carried me into my room, we didn''t stop kissing each other, I couldn''t stop myself from taking off my pajamas in front of him, and I love the way my husband stared at my naked body with fire in his eyes that sends shiver into my skin. I never felt this kind of lust as he worshipped my body with his eyes.??

    And I swallowed hard when he stripped his clothes, and I couldn''t take away my eyes the moment I saw his growing member, and I remember how big my husband is that I can feel the aching between my legs, and it drove me crazy as I realized Hunter made me so horny. He captured my mouth with urgency, and we are taking in each other like we are doing this for the first time.

    My fingers gripped the sheets of the bed when Hunter started kissing me down there, and my moans echoed the entire room, and I wished my husband will never stop pleasuring me this way. The way he kissed my slit made my eyes rolled at the back of my head as I feel him kissed and sucked me; that made me nuts. I can feel my wetness as my husband swirling his tongue around my sweetness. And when I can''t take it anymore, I begged Hunter to take me, and I love the way he pushed deep inside as I received his every thrust.

    I know I am moaning louder than ever as he continued to drill me with his long and hard stiff rod, and I realized how much I miss my husband. Making love with Hunter felt so incredible that it made me feel every fiber of my beinges to life.

    I received him with total surrender, and I can''t deny there is a craving that I felt inside me that only my husband could satisfy. I don''t remember how many times I came, and I shuddered as I came with him, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy as he slid from me, and he took me into His loving arms. Saying I love you to my husband felt so lovely, and I felt touched when I saw his tears in his eyes after I told him those words, and I realized I made my husband so happy.

    "Are you still using birth control, my sweet Madeline?" He asked me, and I shook my head.

    "That is good because I want you to get pregnant with our child since I couldn''t wait to be a father of our children." He dered, and his words make me feel so happy as he lifted my chin and captured my mouth once again, and this time he kissed me so slowly that I became frantic to have some more, and my husband didn''t disappoint me when he deepened our kiss, and we make love again until we both felt so drained.

    I can hear my husband uttering sweet nothings as Iy my head on his chiseled chest, and I can listen to the pounding of his heart. And I realized it was because of our intense lovemaking that his heart is still thumping hard, and I felt so exhausted, but I can''t stop myself from smiling. It felt so wonderful to be in his arms again, and I know both of us fell asleep cuddling each other with smiles on our faces.

    I felt sore between my legs when I woke up, and I smiled as I remembered having sweet moments with my husband, and I felt disappointed when I opened my eyes because I couldn''t find my husband anymore, and I suddenly felt worried that he left me again without saying goodbye. I got up from the bed, and I found my pajamas neatly folded on top of my bed. A beautiful smile appeared on my lips as I remember how organized Hunter is, and I felt the rays of the sun prated inside my bedroom through the curtains, and I can tell it is a little bitte.

    I get a simple dress from my closet, and I ponytail my hair, and I walked out of my bedroom with a wide grin on my face as I smelled the aroma of bacon and pancakes wafted in the air. I walked towards the kitchen, and I stopped in my tracks when I heard Lily''s voice and her brother, and I don''t want to eavesdrop. Still, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so curious because I can tell they are talking about me, and deep inside my core, I want to know my husband''s reactions towards me.

    "Lily, I asked you toe here so you can convince my wife to go home to our house." I heard Hunter''s voice, and I felt so delighted upon hearing his words.

    "So, it seems to me you lost your self-confidence, Hunter. I can feel Madeline wille home with us anytime now. You need to trust your charm, my dear brother." Lily said, and my husbandughed, and I love hisughter even more, and I can tell he was the one cooking.

    "Yeah, you are right. When ites to my wife, I felt so lost, and I am so afraid to lose her, Lily. I love her so much, and if I only have the power to take away all the pain that she feels right now, I will do it in a heartbeat." My husband replied, and he released a heavy sigh, and I felt guilty that I made him feel this way.

    "Don''t worry, I know your wife is healing. It took a lot of time to mend a broken heart, my dear brother, but if you continue to find time and make up the lost times, and show to her she means the world to you, I am sure Madeline will forget the past, and she will look forward toher future with you, and youring children," Lily said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling ecstatic the moment I heard her mentioned the word children because I am so excited to be the mother of Hunter''s kids.

    "Lily, I always love your wits ever since you were young, and sometimes I thought you were older than me," Hunter said, and Lily giggled.

    "Good morning!" I said as I walked inside the kitchen, and I grinned when I saw Lily making some fresh juice, while my husband looked so sexy wearing an apron, and Lily smiled and greeted me good morning. Hunter was holding a turner, and he walked closer to me and kissed me on the lips long enough to make his sister cleared her throat.

    "Good morning my beautiful, wife." He said with a wide grin after he released my mouth, and I can feel the knots on my stomach.

    "Good morning, Handsome." I replied.

    "Guys, I want to remind you, your sister is here, and you better stop kissing your wife hunter before your pancake gets burned." Lily said, and Iughed when Hunter ran back to the stove and flipped the pancake. I suddenly felt hungry.

    "What can I do to help?" I asked them, and they both shook their heads.

    "You are our princess, Madeline." Lily said.

    "For you, but for me, she is my queen, Lily, and you are my princess." Hunter said as he darted his eyes on me with too much intensity that I can feel my heart beating so fast.

    "Okay, your highness!" Lily said as she curtsied in front of her brother, and I couldn''t contain myughter as Hunterughed with me.

    I set the table, and when my husband served our breakfast, I can''t stop myself from watering since I always love bacon and pancake. And I realized my husband also prepared an egg omelet, and I became so in love with Hunter that I can feel my heart filled with happiness.

    "Aren''t you going to your office today?" Lily asked, and I felt thrilled to hear his response.

    "Nope, I want to spend time with my wife and my little sister." He dered as he beamed at his sister, and the smile that I saw on Lily''s face was priceless. And I became happier.

    "Thank you, Hunter, you make Madeline and me so happy!" She eximed.

    "Are you happy, Maddie?" Hunter asked me, and his prating gaze made my heart swelled, and I swallowed my saliva because words are not enough to describe how happy I am right now.

    "Yes, very happy, and I am so excited about spending time with you and Lily today." I replied, and he took my hand over the table, and he squeezed it, and I can feel the sparks that traveled on my entire frame.

    "Tell me where you want to go, Madeline, and I will take you there." Hunter said, and I shook my head.

    "Today is all about our sister, so, where do you want to go, Lily?" I asked, and she broadly smiled at me.

    "Yay! You have to brace yourself, Hunter, because today we are going to the mall because I want to go shopping." She said, and I can see the happiness through her smile. When I looked at my husband, I stifled augh when I see the defeated looked on his face because I know he realized what it''s like to go shopping with his sister. However, I can still see a beautiful smile that spreads across his lips when he looked at his sister full of love. I felt so happy that I gave myself another opportunity to be with my husband because I will never experience this kind of happiness again if I didn''t give our marriage another chance.

 Chapter 154 - Second Chance

    Hunter''s POV

    I woke up with a wide grin on my face as I remember the sweet moments I had with Madeline. And I can hear her steady heartbeat as shey her head on my chest. Having my wife sleep in my arms made me smiled, and it feels surreal that I have her back. I am so grateful for the chance she gave me, and I promise myself that I will never hurt her again. And starting this moment, I will be honest with my wife even if it means breaking her heart, and I realized through openmunication, we can build a stronger rtionship. I was worried that time that I would hurt my wife''s feelings without knowing that the effect of hiding the truth from her shattered her heart, and I almost lost Madeline.??

    It was a lesson for me to ponder because when she left me, I almost lost myself. And I couldn''t wait to take her home, and I want to ask her again toe with us, but I understand her, and I will wait for her until she bes ready. I pulled Maddie closer to me, and I know I drained her energy, but I can see the happiness on her face before she fell asleep, and feeling her naked body next to mine made me realized how much I ache and miss her. And I will do my best never to mess up my chance again with Maddie.

    I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn''t because I can''t stop myself from hugging my wife, and I love the feeling of having her this close to me, but I want to cook breakfast for her and Lily. I slowly removed her legs from my body, and I got up from her bed and covered her frame with the nket. I caressed her beautiful face before I finally got out of her bedroom, tiptoeing going to the kitchen, and Ie across Lily in the living room stretching her body; and I can tell she looked sleepy, but she forced herself to get up from her bed.

    "Good morning, sweetheart. Why do you wake up so early?" I asked her, and she smiled at me before she speaks.

    "I n to prepare breakfast for you and Madeline, but knowing that you are awake, I am sure you will prepare breakfast for your wife and beautiful sister." She said, and I grin at her. I am d that Lily is different from our sister, Charlotte, since our youngest knows the household chores while Charlotte always relied on the maids. Lily was unique since, at an early age, she wants to stay at the maid''s quarters, especially if our parents were not around.

    Lily helped the maids to do their daily chores, and my parents always reprimanded her for spending her free time with the household helpers. I found it fascinating, but my parents always remind her to stay away from them since they are maids and my sister is one of thedies of the mansion. Still, it didn''t stop her from making friends with the maids; that is why she learned almost everything about household duties.

    "Of course, I love to make breakfast for my beautiful wife and my adorable sister." I said.

    "Am I not beautiful, Hunter?" She asked, and Iughed as I looked at her reactions.

    "Of course you are, but I have to be honest that my wife is more beautiful than you, little sis." I said, and she smiled.

    "You don''t need to remind me of that because I know how beautiful Madeline is, and I wish when I will be an adult, I will be like her." She said, and I chuckled and ruffled her hair

    "Yes, of course, Lily, you have your charm." I replied as I continued to walk going to the kitchen, and I felt my sister following behind me. I opened Maddie''s fridge and got the necessary ingredients for our breakfast. And I smiled when I see her stocks of ice cream in the freezer, and I can tell it was Gina''s request because I know Maddie''s best friend loves ice cream. And I felt so thankful that she had Gina since I couldn''t imagine how she managed her broken heart when she left home thinking I betrayed her by making Reba pregnant.

    "So, what time did youe homest night?" Lily asked while she was slicing some tomatoes for our egg fillet.

    "I am sorry if I wasn''t able to join your movie time. I came homete." I replied as I stir the pancake mix on the bowl.

    "You looked so happy this morning. Does it mean Madeline allowed you to sleep beside her?" My sister asked again, and I stopped what I was doing and looked at her and give her a thumbs up.

    "Wow, I am so happy for you, Hunter, and I can''t wait to spend more time with Madeline in your home; and I am excited tending your beautiful garden with her, and I am sure she missed your home, and of course, I can see it on her eyes how much she missed you," Lily added. We continue to prepare breakfast in silence as she squeezed fresh fruits. And I couldn''t be happier when my wife joins us, and I can''t stop myself from staring at her, and I have to take a deep breath when I looked at her angelic face, and I felt so fortunate to have her in my life.

    We eat our breakfast happily, and my sister felt triumphant when Madeline asked her where she wants to go. I want to say no when Lily said she wants us to go shopping with her because I know how much she loves shopping like our mom, but as long as Maddie is with us, I don''t care wherever Lily wants to go.

    "Hunter, how can Madeline finish with washing the dishes if you will continue to hug her like that." Lilymented when she saw me hugging my wife from behind while Maddie was washing the tes, and Iughed as I released my wife from my arms.

    "Sorry, little sister, I couldn''t stop myself." I grinned while I can hear my wife is giggling, and my forehead furrowed when I felt my phone vibrated in my pocket.

    "Cal, I already texted you that I would not report to work today. And I informed you not to call me unless it is very important." I said.

    "Of course, I know what it means, Mr. Divenson, but we have a problem in the site, and I don''t think the operations manager can handle it alone." He said from the other line, and I suddenly felt nervous.

    "What is going on, Cal?" I asked in a controlled tone since I don''t want my wife to know that I suddenly felt so nervous.

    "We got a report that we have abor strike on the site." He said.

    "What? And why? We give them a good sry and bonuses. And we provide them insurance." I replied.

    "I know, Mr. Divenson, and among all the miningpanies, you offered a much higher sry; that is why many wanted to apply in your firm, but I can''t answer your question why they are having abor strike." Calixto replied, and I released a heavy sigh.

    "I know I should not disturb you at this hour since you have a great time with your wife, but I think this is something urgent that you need to take action. You are the best in handling something like this, and I think your presence is highly required on the site right now, Mr. Divenson." My assistant added.

    "Okay, but I need you toe with me, and you should ride the helicopter now and ask the pilot to pick me up, and I will wait for you at the helipad of HM building." I said, and my mind is in chaos; why it has to happen now when I am having a good time with my wife? And when I turned around, I can see the disappointment on my sister''s face while I can see the concern on Madeline''s face.

    "Lily, I am sorry." I said since I don''t know how to tell her I can''t go shopping with them.

    "It is okay, Hunter. Your work is significant to you than spending time with your wife and sister." She said, and before I can react, she turned her heels and walked out from the kitchen while I gripped my hands on the kitchen counter while I lowered down my head because I don''t want to hurt my wife as well.

    "Hey, is everything alright?" I hear Madeline''s sweet voice, and I felt her moved closer to me, and my wife pulled my head up so I can look at her beautiful face. I shook my head, and she took me into her arms, saying nothing, and it feels like the heaviness of my heart was gone the moment I felt her magic touch as she caressed my back. And I know Madeline needs to know everything from now on, not only about my personal life but also about my work since it will also affect my entire being.

    "Some employees are having abor protest at the site." I said, and she looked at my face.

    "Oh, I am sorry about that. Do you want me toe with you?" She said, and I smiled, and I kissed her passionately before I speak again.

    "It is okay, I want you toe with me, but you know my little sister hates me now." I said, and she touched my face and gave me her sweet smile.

    "Don''t worry, I will talk with Lily, and I will make sure she will have funter. I understand she was a little upset that you couldn''te with us, but you know your sister is an intelligent young woman, and I know she will understand what is going on. Please, be careful, Hunter." She said.

    "Yes, for you, Maddie, I will always be careful because I can''t wait to sleep beside you againter tonight." I whispered in her ear, and I felt thrilled that I made her skin covered with goosebumps, and I can''t help but smile when I saw her face blushed, and looking at her like this, I don''t want to leave anymore, but she insisted that I should go to the site with Cal and they will be okay.

    "Me too, and I want you to know that I am now ready toe home to our house, Hunter, because I love you, and I can''t imagine living my life without you by my side, and most of all, I want to give our marriage a second chance." Madeline said, and I can''t express the happiness I felt as I pulled her closer to me and wrapped her in my arms as we shared a long passionate kiss.

 Chapter 155 - She Can Calm My Troubled Heart

    Hunter''s POV

    I kissed my wife on the lips before I get inside my car, and I left Madeleine''s ce with a heavy heart. I didn''t want to leave, but I know I have to go to the site and resolve the issue that made my General Manager frantic that he asked for my immediate presence on the site. I can feel the yearnings of my heart as I saw my wife getting smaller in my rearview mirror as she continued waving her hands at me. I want to stop the car and run back to my wife, and beg her toe with me so I will feel at ease, but her good news to me gives mefort and knowing she will being home, atst, it was enough for me to be more excited, and it makes me feel so energetic.??

    "Hi, mom, good morning!" I greeted my mother the moment she answered my call. I am already at the helipad, waiting for the helicopter to arrive. I am usually impatient about time issues because I don''t want to bete wherever I will go, but looking at my watch, Calixto is already thirty minuteste. Still, since I am in a happy mode, I didn''t mind, and instead of feeling angry with my assistant for beingte, I called my mother to tell her the good news, and I want to ask her a favor.

    "Hello, son, how was it? Did you make up with your wife already?" She asked, and I can feel the excitement in her voice.

    "Yes, mom, that is why I am calling you," I replied, and I was grinning, and I can feel the satisfaction in my heart as I watched the busy metropolis down below.

    "Oh, that is good, Hunter. I am so happy for you, son." Mom said as I can feel her happiness, and I imagine her beautiful face smiling right now, and how I wish I can talk to her about it in person, I want toe home and personally asked everyone to get ready and prepare the house.

    "Thank you, mom, please, tell the staff to clean the entire house and fill the whole living room with fresh flowers, and not only the living room. I want the whole ce to be filled with fresh roses with all types of colors, especially red roses. And kindly instruct them to put the most fragrant of all the flowers they can find in the garden, or maybe you can order some imported flowers for me, mom, that we can put inside our room. I want Madeline to know she is very special to me, and I love her dearly." I said, and I heard my mother giggled on the other line.

    "Oh, Hunter, you are such a sweet husband. Don''t worry; I will take care of everything. I am just happy that even if we have some problem at the site, your rtionship with your wife is now okay. I know you are so excited right now, as I can feel it through your voice. Don''t worry, leave everything to me, and all will be perfect." She said, and I smiled.

    "Thank you so much, mom, I know I can always rely on you, and I am d that we are back together. And I hope everything will be okay at the site, and I am just wondering why this is happening right now when everything seems so fine thest time I visited them." I replied, and I heard my mother released a heavy sigh.

    "Me too, Hunter, I wonder what happened out there, and I don''t want to worry you, but I have a feeling your father has something to do about this, and I know Charlotte has been bugging your father to do something that can harm the image of ourpany after you fired her, and not only that I heard they have a business venture with Kaye''s family. And they are nning to take you down, so I want you to be careful, son." My mom said, and I don''t want to hate my father, but it seems he was doing everything he can to ruin our rtionship as father and son, and I can''t believe he will do something g like this. And I am sure he had some contact on the site, and he made an offer they can''t refuse.

    "I am sorry, mom; I know you are hurting because you love dad so much," I said in a defeated voice.

    "It is okay, Hunter, I have been hurting ever since, but I tried to ignore all the pain because of my love for him, but I realized loving thyself is very important to, and your father is selfish, and I didn''t expect him that his love for money and power will turn him into a monster. To be honest, I was hoping after I left him, he will change and wille to his senses, but he got worse. And I could no longer feel my love for him." My mom dered, and I ache for my mom.

    "I love you, mom, and always remember I will always be here for you," I said as I feel the longing of seeing my mother.

    "I love you too, son. Take care always." Mom replied, and I say goodbye to her. After five minutes, I heard the roaring of an approaching helicopter.

    "What took you so long, Cal?" I asked as I buckled my seatbelt.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, my stomach got upset." He replied, and I almostugh, but I don''t want him to know I am having fun with what happened to him.

    "Are you okay now?" I asked, concerned because I can''t deny Cal is my favorite of all my employees.

    "Yes, I already took medicine." He replied, and we fell silent as we moved away from the helipad of the HM building.

    "Do you have any idea that you are smiling like an idiot?" Calixto asked me after a while. And if I weren''t only in a happy mood, I would snap at him. Still, since my wife told me before I left her house that she will being home, I can''t stop myself from feeling so happy, and I felt so excited about it that I want to settle what is going on on the site right away so I cane home and personally get the entire house ready.

    "I know, and it is all worth it to be called an idiot, and I don''t mind if you will call me mad, crazy, as long as Madeline ising home, Calixto," I said as I looked at him sideways, and the smile that spreads on his face is enough to tell me that he is so happy for us.

    "Wow! That is good news, Hunter." He widely beamed at me.

    "Yeah, and that is why I want to make this quick," I replied, and his face fell.

    "What?" I asked him.

    "Mr. Divenson, I don''t think we can settle this issue right away, and can you see I bring you some extra clothes and food supplies?" He asked me and my eyes got so big.

    "What? Are you kidding me, Cal?" I asked him, and I felt uneasy when he shook his head.

    "No, I am not, and I know you want toe home right away, and you are not alone, Mr. Divenson, you know I am a family man, and I want toe home to my wife as early as possible,but when Mr. Parker told me the situation out there I could tell we need to stay a little longer unlike the times we visit one day is enough, but I think you can''t resolve this issue right away, Mr. Divenson." He said, and I leaned back in my seat as I realized something is really going on out there, and I suddenly became nervous, but I tried to calm myself by thinking about Madeline''s beautiful face, and I regret that I was not with them right now.

    "Are you hiding something from me, Calixto?" I asked him, and I looked at him in the eyes when he turned his head to face me. And I suddenly felt hot wearing a business suit, and how I wish I opted to wear jeans and t-shirts.

    "Nothing, and why should I hide something from you, Mr. Divenson? You are the firm''s CEO, and I don''t think hiding some important information from you could do us any good. Unless Mr. Parker hides crucial information from us." He replied.

    "By the way, thank you for bringing me homest night, and my wife was thrilled to see you. And she was happy that you are an excellent boss. And not only that, for how often she told me you are so handsome, and I hate to think she never told me I am handsome for so many years now. And I told her your wife is very beautiful." He said, and I chuckled.

    "Don''t get angry with your wife, and she was only stating a fact, Calixto," I said, and he frowned at me as I continue tough hard. And since I got Madeline back, it feels like I became a different person since I canugh effortlessly, and I don''t get mad quickly. It feels like Madeline is the most effective drug for me since she can calm my troubled heart. She can take away my worries with one touch of her smooth hand, and right now, even if I felt worried about what is going on at the site, knowing that my sweet, lovely wife will be waiting home for me made me realized that everything would be alright.

 Chapter 156 - No Longer Scared

    Madeline''s POV

    The moment Hunter answered his phone, I know right away that it was his right hand, Calixto, and the worried expression on his face made me realized that something was wrong. And I hate that we are having this kind of trouble right now that it feels so good to have him back in my life. Having Hunter in my ce made me understood that I need him, and I want us to be together. And I don''t want to prolong our agony because we both know we can''t live without each other.??

    I was nning to tell him about my answer after we have our shopping with his sister, but I don''t want him to leave without telling him that I am now willing to go back to our house and spend the rest of my life with him because that is what I want and that is what will make me happy. Hunter is my life, my happiness, and my everything. He hurt me many times, but I realized it was all unintentional on his part since I know how much he cares for me, and the suffering that I had been through was reced by too much gratification now that we are back together.

    "I don''t want to leave you right now, Madeline, especially that you told me that you areing home to our house because I want to take you there with me, but since we have some problems at the mining site, I don''t have a choice, but to be there. Enjoy your time with Lily, and I was hoping you could wait for me at our house. You don''t need to bring anything because you have all the dresses in our house, and I still bought you some clothes even if you left because I know one day you wille home to me." Hunter said as we walked, holding hands going to my garage.

    "And you don''t need to worry about your house, I will send someone to clean it from time to time, and we cane here and make love." He said that made me have butterflies in my stomach.

    "Don''t talk like that, Hunter. If you want to go with Calixto to the site, do you know how do your words turn me on?" I teased him, and Iugh when I saw the agony on his face.

    "And do you know how much you made me so hard for you, right now?" He asked, and I blushed.

    "Damn, don''t make this hard for me to leave, Madeline. I want to spend more time with you." My husband said as he took me into his arm, and he was holding my hips while we are staring at each other.

    "I don''t want to make it hard for you, and I just want to kiss you before you go," I said, and he grinned as he leaned down and he kissed me slow with the passion that I melt in my husband''s arms. It feels so wonderful to kiss Hunter, now that I allowed him to be back in my life, and I miss this feeling of belongingness. He made me moaned when he bit my lower lip tenderly before he finally let me go.

    "I need to go now, my sweet Madeline, before Calixto calls me. Could you wait for me at our house? I promise I will take you to our Vi next weekend so we can have our second honeymoon." He said, and my smile broadens since I miss being alone with my husband swimming on the beach without care, and I am more excited about the honeymoon part that made me have goosebumps all over my body.

    "Mom will be waiting for you in our house, and don''t worry, and I will try to resolve the issue at the site the most effective way I can, so we can have dinner together; how does it sound?" He asked.

    "That is perfect for me, don''t worry, I wille home to our house after we had shopping, I miss our garden, and of course I miss our room," I replied, and he grinned.

    "I know, and one more thing, I already repainted the nursery room because I can''t wait to get you pregnant, Maddie, and I think we need to double time." He said that made me feel like jelly, and he kissed me on the lips, and then he gets inside his car without having a second look since I know he doesn''t want to leave me, especially we are talking about making babies. I watched my husband drove away from me while I was smiling from ear to ear.

    "I love you so much, Hunter Divenson," I mumbled while I can''t stop myself from touching my lips as I can still taste my husband''s mouth on me, and when I could no longer see his car, I realized I miss him already. I get inside my house, still feeling euphoric with the hot kisses that we shared.

    "Hey, are you okay?" I asked Lily when I found her sitting on the sofa, and she raised her head and smiled weakly at me.

    "Yeah, I am sorry if I acted like a child, Madeline. I am just so excited to spend time with my brother because I know he is always busy with his work." She said.

    "It is okay, Lily, your brother, understands why you walked out a while ago, and he feels guilty that he can''t be with us. I felt sad about it, too, since I want to be with Hunter because I also miss him so much. But I understand he will never be at peace, and he will never enjoy with us if he has something on his mind. I understand he is working hard for us, and I think it is not a simple problem, Lily. But do not worry about anything because I believeyour brother will solve it right away so he can be with us at home." I dered, and it made her widened her eyes, and she became speechless.

    "Yes, I aming home, my dear," I added, and she jumped on her feet, and she moves close to me, and she hugged me.

    "Thank you so much, Madeline, I am so excited, and I guess I need to text Hunter and apologize." She said, and I beamed at her.

    "Yes, he would love that Lily, and show your support to him. He needs our full support at this time." I said, and she released me from her arms, and she fished out her phone from her pocket, and she typed a message for her brother.

    We both take a bath and get dressed, and I was blow drying my hair when Lily gets inside my room. And she asked me to braid my hair, and I nodded at her, and I love the way Lily crown braided my hair, and she did the same to her hair.

    "Now that we have the same hairstyle, it feels like I am your sister now." She dered.

    "Of course, you will always be my little sister, Lily, even if you are now ady," I said.

    "I wish I can be beautiful as you." She replied, and it made me shocked.

    "Are you kidding me? You are beautiful, Lily; you are the girl version of Hunter." I dered with a broad smile on my face, and she giggled.

    "I have heard that before. I know my brother is good-looking, but I never expect we have a simrity with our face." She responded.

    "Believe me, you have," I said as I linked my arm with her as we go out of the room.

    The moment we arrived at the mall, Lily became so excited, and she enjoyed fitting all types of dresses while I wait for her toe out from the fitting room, and I can''t stop myself fromughing when she tried wearing weird dresses and shoes. We are on our way to having a snack, and we have so many paper bags on our hands when suddenly we bumped into someone I don''t want to see.

    "Well, well, well, look who is here, my brat of a sister and my slut sister-inw," Charlotte said as she looked at me from head to toe, and can feel the pain in my heart, and I realized she was with her best friend, Kaye. I hold Lily''s arm because I saw her angry face, and I can tell she wants to give her sister a lesson, but they are not worth it, and even though I can feel my anger deep inside my core, I tried to control my emotions. And I want Hunter''s sister to answer for all the things she had done to us, especially for trying to wreck my marriage with Hunter. I couldn''t believe Charlottedrugged her brother to initiate her evil n, but I am still thankful that the scheme she formted failed.

    "Apologize to Madeline, Charlotte, because you were the bitch for ruining my brother''s reputation. Don''t force Hunter to marry your friend because it will never happen even if Madeline didn''te into his life. And you know why? You were both wicked and selfish ." Lily said, and I can see the anger on Charlotte''s face, and she moves closer to us, and she raised her hand to p her sister, but I stop her by holding her wrist mid-air.

    "I couldn''t believe you will hurt your sister, Charlotte," I said.

    "And who are you to stop me what I want to do?" She asked, and I can tell we are making a scene now because she raised her voice than necessary. She yanked her arm from me, and she used her other hand to p me hard. And I can feel the sting right away, and it made me angry, and I lost control.

    The paper bag fell from my hands, and I pped her back with all my strength from left to right. I am tired of being the receiving end of their wickedness, and she was shocked that I fight back that she stepped back from me, and Kaye came to her rescue as she holds her on the shoulders, while Charlotte massages her face, and I know it was a hard p. I want tough that I finally got back at her for hurting me so many times, and it will never be enough. Charlotte almost p a minor if I didn''t stop her, and she hit me first; that is why she deserved that double p she received from me.

    "We are not yet done, Madeline. I will make you pay for pping me twice." She growled.

    "Bring it on, and I am no longer afraid of you, Charlotte," I said, and she was looking daggers at me before she turned her heels and walked away from us with her best friend, and when I looked at Lily, we both erupted intoughter. I felt so happy that, atst, I am no longer scared of Charlotte and Kaye, and I realized I will never allow them to destroy my marriage with Hunter ever again.

 Chapter 157 - I Am Home

    Madeline''s POV

    Lily and I wereughing hard, even if I can feel my face swelled because of the hard p I received from Charlotte, but it was all worth it.??

    "You are terrific, Maddie. I didn''t realize that you can be that badass sister, Madeline, and I''m so proud of you right now, and I am sorry that because of me, you got pped." Lily said the moment we recovered ourselves fromughing, and she helped me picked up the paper bags that were scattered on the floor. And I felt d we are both wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

    "Lily, you don''t need to apologize to me, and it wasn''t your fault because I know that your sister is wicked, and she will do everything to hurt you and me, and I just couldn''t believe that she is willing to p you, you are just fifteen years old, and you will be turning sixteen soon, but you are still young, Lily, and I wonder why I couldn''t see love on her face the way she looked at you, and what is there is hatred," I said, and she nodded her head. I can see the sadness behind her smile.

    "Yes, you are right, Madeline, my sister, never looks at me with love, and I haven''t seen her gaze at me the way Hunter and you look at me. Maybe because she hated me because I was different from her and Parker, and I am like Hunter in so many ways." She replied.

    " I love my sister, Madeline, but I don''t like the way she treated you when you were at the Divenson mansion, and after I knew everything she had done to you and Hunter, I became angry with her. Hunter is our elder brother, and she should respect him, but instead, she keeps on formting a scheme to ruin my brother''s personal and social life. And that is why I don''t like her anymore. And I don''t want to have a grudge against her, but I know she will continue to ruin your rtionship with my brother; I want to ask you to be strong for Hunter, Madeline." She dered, and I smiled at her.

    "Of course, I will, and you don''t need to worry because I will never leave your brother ever again, and I will stay by his side whatever happens and prove to Charlotte and everyone that our love for each other will survive no matter how they want to ruin it," I replied, and she smiled at me.

    "That is good, and don''t worry, mom and I will always be here for both of you." She replied, and whenI have everything in my hand, I motioned her to follow me to the coffee shop, and as we rounded a corner, I saw Roman.

    "Hey, Roman, wait!" I yelled at him, and I can tell he was shocked that I saw him, and I know he was there the whole time, watching us from a distance. I want to ask my husband about them watching over me from the day I left our house, but I don''t want him to get upset with me that I knew about the bodyguards. And I understandhe wanted me to be safe, and I knew he was afraid if something will happen to me like what his father did to Reba.

    I am also aware that rk Divenson is willing to hurt me, especially if I get pregnant because he told me once, the reason I am still alive because I didn''t get pregnant with Hunter''s child, and he was aware I was using birth control when I was still studying, and I know this time I need to be careful because anytime I can get pregnant. And Hunter''s father is desperate to ruin his son''s life for his interest.

    "Hello, Mrs. Divenson, Miss Lily, fancy meeting you here." He said, and I know he felt so worried that I had seen him.

    "Hi, Roman, rx. I will not tell my husband that I saw you, and I know about his protocol, but he wasn''t aware I have learned that he asked you to look after me after he found out the truth about his ex. You don''t need to hide from me anymore. Thank you for watching over me." I dered, and he smiled at us while he was scratching his head.

    "Your wee, Mrs. Divenson." He said.

    "Please, call me, Madeline," I said, and he quickly shook his head.

    "I love my job, Mrs. Divenson, and I don''t want to get fired for not following protocol. I am sorry, but I need to stay away from you right now; my colleague might report to your husband, and I don''t want to get suspended. I was worried when Miss Charlotte pped you; that is why I came near you, but I realized you don''t need my help since you handle it well." He said, and I can''t stop myself from grinning, and even if I want to invite him to have a snack with us, I can tell he is now eager to leave us.

    "Okay, you may now go back to your post, Roman, and thank you so much for your concern," I said, and he said goodbye and turned around, and walked away from us.

    "Wow! I haven''t realized my brother hired Bodyguards for you, and I am impressed, and it seems you are like a princess now. So far, this is the best thing that he has ever done to you, and I am d because I know my sister and Kaye are nning something to hurt you, but now that I learned you have bodyguards, I am no longer afraid of them to attack you any moment. At least I am at peace if ever you will leave the house." Lily said, and I blushed because I am a nobody. I want to tell my husband that I am fine without bodyguards because I am not afraid of his sister and her best friend, but I can''t stop feeling fearful of his father because rk Divenson can be devious.

    "What do you want, Lily," I asked her the moment we find a table.

    "One cappino with a chocte croissant." She said, and I go to the counter to order.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for today, and so far, this is the best shopping moment for me at your expense. Sorry, I can''t stop thinking about the pping episode you had with my sister." She said, and she wasughing again.

    "You are wee, and I am so happy that you enjoyed our shopping together, and I am hoping that we can have another bonding moment next time, and I want to make sure that my husband is with us," I replied, and she grinned while she sipped her coffee.

    We visited the jewelry shop as ourst stop, and she was enjoying herself looking at the dangling earnings. I smiled just watching her as I realized she is very fortunate to have this kind of life, and I am d she is born rich, for she will not experience the hardship of being unprivileged like me. I never go to a shopping mall with my mom, and I never ask her because I know we don''t have enough to buy toys or dresses at the mall.

    When I was younger, I enjoyed selecting dresses at the second-hand shop. Life was hard for us, but I survived, and I couldn''t imagine I will experience a luxurious life the moment I meet my husband. He changed everything, and he provided me everything that I need, and the most valuable thing I received from him is his love for me. The first time Hunter told me he loves me, I felt so happy that no material things can level it up.

    "Are you ready?" I asked Lily the moment we got out from the jewelry store.

    "Yes, I am now ready to go home since I can feel my feet hurt, so I think it is best that we should go home now and I am excited that you areing home with me, and I am sure my mother is ecstatic the moment she knew that you would be with us. It has been her dream that you will get back with my brother. I know mom doesn''t want your marriage to be broken; that is why she was praying that you will forgive Hunter, and I am sure she will be the first one to celebrate your reunion with Hunter." She said, and I smiled as we walked to the parking lot.

    The moment we arrived at our house, I realized how much I miss the ce, and all the staff is waiting for us at the front porch, including Cer, and of course, MomLeticia. They all greeted and weed me with happiness on their faces, and the moment momhugged me, I could no longer control my tears from crying.

    "Wee home, Madeline." She said, and I realized it feels so nice to have a family, and she took me inside, and I cried harder when I saw my favorite flowers all over the living room.

    "Hunter asked me to have these flowers for you." Mom Leticia said while Lily was walking beside me, and Cer with other household staff carried the paper bags, and they put them in Lily''s room.

    "Thank you, mom," I said.

    "I should be the one thanking you, Madeline. I love my son so much, and I know how much he loves you, and now that you are back, I know he will be happy again, and of course, I felt so delighted to see you again, Maddie. You are my daughter too." She said and hugged me.

    The moment I got inside our bedroom, I cried as I realized I am finally home, and my husband did a great job by putting a bouquet on our bed, and I smiled when I read the note on the card.

    "<em>To My Lovely Wife,</em>

    <em>Wee home, my sweet Madeline. I love you! And I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you. I can''t wait to see you tonight!</em>

    <em>Love,</em>

    <em>Hunter</em>

    I reread the note on the card as I let my tears of happiness trickled down on my face as I hugged the bouquet on my chest as I whispered.

    "<em>I love you too, Hunter!"</em>

 Chapter 158 - It Feels Nice To Be Home

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hey, I miss you, Cer," I said the moment she gets inside my room, and she was smiling at me.??

    "Me too. I missed you so much, and there were times I want to go to your house and visit you. But I don''t want to leave your husband here since I was afraid of what he would do with himself because he was so lost without you. if you only knew how much he cried on the night when he found out you left him." Cer dered.

    "And I hate to tell you that I cried with him that night because I pity him even if I hated him for hurting you, but I have seen it in his eyes that he loves you, Madeline. And from that moment on, I know that Hunter was innocent. Because I know Mr. Divenson will never act that way if he cheated on you. And I want to call you and tell you about those things, but I don''t want to meddle with your personal life." She added.

    "You must know he drank too much alcohol that night, and I understood he wants to forget the pain that he was feeling that time. He never stops drinking and calling your name, saying sorry until he passed out on the floor. I asked help from the butler to help me carry your husband on the sofa." Cer said as I touched my husband''s face on the frame in our nightstand. We looked so happy in the picture, and we asked Lily to take that picture one of our stay at the vi. I realized I miss him already, even if we have seen each other this morning. I suddenly want to kiss my husband and told him that I will always love him. And after Cer told me what happened with my husband after I left, I realize how much he loves me. And I can''t wait to be reunited with him, and I will do everything I can to show him I always love him.

    "Thank you, Cer, for taking good care of Hunter''s needs when I left," I said as I let out a soft sigh.

    "You are wee, Maddie, all I want is for you to get back together, and now that you are back, I am so happy for both of you, and atst, Mr. Divenson will be happy and will return to his old self again," Cer replied, and I beamed at my friend.

    "How''s school?" I asked her, and she smiled at me.

    "It''s great, and thank you, Maddie, for everything." She said.

    "Don''t mention it. Besides, it was my husband''s money, not mine." I replied.

    "I know, but you were the one who asked your husband to send me to school, and because of you, everything happened, and I am so happy that I was able to get back to school. And thank you for being my friend because it is unusual for thedy of the house to be friends with the maid." Cer said, and I shook my head.

    "Don''t be silly, Cer, we are friends, and the moment you graduate, I want you to work at thepany of Hunter so you can buy your ce, and you can drive your car, speaking of driving a car, it is about time I will teach you on how to drive." I dered, and her face lit up.

    "Are you sure?" She asked in disbelief, and I smiled and nodded my head at her.

    "Very sure!" I replied, and she beamed at me.

    "By the way, I came to inform you that dinner is ready; your mother-inw told me that your husband would bete, and he doesn''t know what time he will be back. So, he asked your mom to take good care of you, and I think it is so sweet of him, Madeline." She said, and I received the exact text. Hunter informed me he was sorry that he can''t make it to dinner. I felt worried, but I trust my husband enough to handle what is going on at the site, and I can''t wait to see him when hees home.

    "Hi, mom, Lily!" I greeted them when we got inside the dining room, and I insisted Cer to join us because Hunter hired her as my assistant.

    "Hello, my dear! It is so lovely to have you back. I wish Hunter can join us tonight." Mom said, and I agree with her it feels so good to be home. We eat our dinner happily, and I love all the food Hunter''s mom prepared for us. I know she was the one who cooked her specialty. We eat dessert while talking, and it felt so nice to have a conversation with Hunter''s mom. I had learned before she got married, she helped his father run thepany, and Leticia only stopped working when she got pregnant. But even if she has children, she is still active with thepany undertaking as she gave her undying support to his husband. She attended social gatherings with him, and she hosted so many parties for his business partners.

    "I still know how to run apany, Madeline, and now that you graduated, you don''t need to apply to another firm. You should work for your husband, and I would love to guide you, and Hunter would be so thrilled if you will be working with him, but still, it would be your decision, my dear." She said before she sipped her wine with grace, and I can tell whatever Leticia will do, my mother-inw will still look sophisticated even if she tends the garden.

    "Yeah, of course, mom. I would love to work with Hunter, and it would be my honor to have you as my mentor." I replied, and she sweetly smiled at me. After eating dinner, we all went to the family room, and we watch an evening game show, and my phone suddenly rings, and I smiled when I saw Gina''s name shing on my screen.

    "Hello, Gina!" I happily answered my best friend while I got out of the family room to hear her. And I put my phone away from my ear when I heard her yelling at me, and I felt guilty because of my excitement toe home to our house. I haven''t informed her I will being home.

    "Where the hell are you, Madeline? I Have been banging your front door." Gina shouted, and I know she is angry with me because I promised her that we would spend the night watching movies while eating her favorite ice cream.

    "I am sorry, Gina, something came up," I said.

    "What happened? Are you alright?" She asked, and the tone of her voice softened.

    "Yes, I am okay. I came home with Lily." I said.

    "Wow, it is about time. I am happy for you, Madeline. I am sure you made your husband so happy." She said.

    "Yeah, I know, and I realized how I miss him since we are still waiting for him because of something that happened at the mining site earlier today," I replied.

    "Can Ie over?" Gina asked, and I smiled.

    "Of course, you are always wee wherever I live, and do you want to stay there at my house?" I asked.

    "You know I am still broke, and I can''t afford to rent this house." She replied.

    "Who told you I would ask you for rent? You can stay there for free as long as you will keep it clean." I said.

    "Really? Wow! Of course, I want to stay here, you know. I have eyes for your hot chef neighbor." She said, and I heard her giggled while I can''t help myself from smiling as I remember Jack Morigan.

    "Wow! Good luck with that, and you better hurry because it iste already." I said.

    "Are you sure it would be alright? You just got back with your husband." She said.

    "Why? Do you n to share a room with us? Come on, Gina, this house has a lot of guest rooms. You can choose which room you want to sleep." I said, and sheughed.

    "Okay, see youter, and I think I can reach there in less than two hours since there is no heavy traffic this time." She said.

    "Yeah, you are right, be careful okay, see you in a while, Gin," I said and hung up the phone.

    Lily wasughing hard as she watched the show, and I realized mom already retired to bed.

    "Aren''t you sleepy yet?" I asked.

    "Nope, besides, I can''t wait to see Hunter. I will join you as you wait for your beloved husband. Because I need to say sorry to him in person, I already texted him, and he replied, but asking sorry in person is more appropriate and more personal." She dered, and I smiled at her as I realized she is adorable.We were still watching television when Gina arrived, and I was wondering what is wrong with her because I can see that her face is pale, and her limbs are shaking.

    "Are you alright?" I asked, confused, and I can see that her body is still shivering.

    "Madeline, there is a sh report right now on the Television; please, Lily, kindly change the channel and look for any breaking news. I heard it from the radio while I was on the way here." She said, and I suddenly have goosebumps in my entire body.

    "What kind of breaking news are we looking for, Gina?" Lily asked, and Gina nced at me, and by the way she looked at me, I can tell something is off.

    "Madeline, there is an explosion on the mining site earlier this evening." She said, and my entire body turned so cold, and I felt so weak that I need to hold on to her arm for support.

 Chapter 159 - He Will Come Back

    Madeline''s POV

    "Don''t worry, Maddie, we don''t know the details yet. That is why we need to see the news right now." Gina said while she helped me sit on the sofa, Lily came closer to me, and she handed the remote to Gina.??

    "I can''t do it." She said, and I can tell we shared the same feelings, and when Gina scrolled the remote, my body trembled as I hugged Lily, and I know I am trying to calm myself, but I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried about my husband. Gina skipped so many channels until she found what she was looking for, and it feels like I am having a nightmare right now. And how I wish everything is just a nightmare.

    "Earlier this evening, an explosion happened inside one of the mining sites of the Divenson Mining Corporation. ording to the Operations manager, some of their employees were having a protest inside the mining site, and our field Reporter, Ms. Mitch Lee, was first on the scene. Mitch, can you tell us how did this happen?" The anchor said, and I felt my entire body froze as I waited for the reporter to speak.

    "Good evening, Ted. During our interview with the operations manager, Mr. JM Parker, he told us those employees would only negotiate with the CEO, Mr. Hunter, Divenson." The reporter said.

    "So, Is Mr. Divenson among the individuals who are trapped inside the tunnel during the explosion?" The anchor asked, and I was saying no on my head because I wished they didn''t get inside the mine.

    "Yes, he was inside the mine negotiatIngduring the explosion, and right now, it is harder for the rescuer to dig since it is heavily raining." The reporter said, and my tears fall on my cheek as I realized my husband was among the victims; and I felt like I am going to faint, but I fight it as I continue to listen to the news report.

    "Do we have casualties recorded?" The anchor asked, and I wish no one dies during the explosion, and I hope the rescuer can start their rescue operation soon.

    "We cannot say as of now because as per the operations manager, at least there are thirty-eight individuals are trapped or buried 609.6 meters (2000 feet) underground, including the CEO and his assistant Mr. Calixto Morgan." The reporter said.

    "No, Madeline, Hunter is not dead. I still need to apologize to my brother, and he still needs to take me to the mall to have shopping, because he promised me in his text. I can''t forgive myself if something happened to Hunter." Lily said, and she is now hysterical, and my tears are falling as I bring her closer to me.

    "Of course, he is still alive, Lily," Isaid. I hugged her, and then I caressed her back to calm her even if I felt like I am dying inside. When I turned my head, I am horrified to watch Hunter''s mom standing at the bottom of the stairs holding at the balustrade while her other hand is on her chest, and I thought she had a heart attack at the moment.

    "Mom! Help!" I shouted as I released Lily from my arms, and I got up from the sofa, and I ran to the stairs, and I was able to catch her on time before she hit the floor. They help me carried mom''s body to the sofa, and I listened to her pulse and heartbeat, and I can tell right away she is fine, and she just fainted after hearing the news. We keep her head elevated while I massage her hands and arms while Lily massage her legs, while Cer goes to the kitchen to get some water.

    "I am sorry, if I worry you all, I should be the one who should act tough, but I can''t help myself, it happened before, there were idental explosions and no survivors, that is why I felt so afraid of what happened to my son," Leticia said. As long as there is no development, I will not say anything.

    "Madeline, you need to be strong. Lily and I need you." She said, and she started sobbing again, and Lily joined her.

    "Mom, please stop crying. My husband is still alive, I can feel it, and I know he wille back to me." I said, trying to sound so confident and strong because I should look vital for my inws.

    "Do you know why, mom? Because Hunter promised to bring me to Magnolia Vige this weekend to have our second honeymoon, and that is why he can''t be dead because I will hate him forever if he makes me a widow at a young age." I said, and momughed while she was still crying, and I can no longer contain my tears, but I cried quietly.

    We waited for another update, but the hard rain continues to fall at the mine site, and I told mom and Lily to have a rest, and I felt so d they both listen to me. I go with them to their room, and I left when I felt convinced they are now both okay. I told them that nothing would happen to my husband.

    I walked to my room, and I can feel my every step is getting heavier; and when I get inside, I get down on the floor after I closed the door, and I could no longer control myself as I watched Hunter''s things inside our room, and when I looked at his face on the frame, I can feel the piercing of my heart. I never thought I would be sleeping on our bed alone tonight, without my husband''s arms around me.

    <em>"How could you do this to me, Hunter? You promise me that you will be sleeping beside me tonight. You are so unfair. You asked me toe home, but you didn''te home to me. I said I woulde home because I am missing you so much, and I miss us. And tell me now how I''m going to sleep tonight without you by my side?"</em>I said while I crawl going to our bed, it feels like I am too weak to stand up, and Iy on the floor while I curled my body into a ball as I continue to cry. And I felt the door of my room open, and I no longer care who gets inside.

    "Oh, no, Madeline, here we goagain. The next time I will meet Hunter, I will punch him hard for doing this to you every time you are away from each other." I heard Gina''s voice, and I felt her sat down beside me.

    "Gina, why can''t I be happy for a long time? Why every time I experienced too much happiness, I will end up crying like this? I no longer believe this is my fate; I think someone cursed me." I said, and my best friendughed.

    "Madeline, you need to stand up and go to your bed, and I know it; I can''t sleep thinking about you, and I was right. You are dealing with your pain alone again." Gina said.

    "I know Hunter is a fighter; besides, even if he was trapped down there, I know he was wearing Personal Protective Equipment, so I am sure he was safe." My best friend said, even if we both know if he were covered with the copsed ground due to the explosion, my husband would be dead. I was praying so hard that my husband is safe, and I hope we have some news tomorrow. I couldn''t believe something will happen to us like this, and we need to be away from each other again.

    "Until when do I need to suffer, Gina?" I asked my best friend as she handed me the facial tissue, and I never moved away frommy spot ever since she came into my room.

    "The trials and pains you go through were given to you by our creator because you are a strong woman, Madeline," Gina said.

    "Then, I don''t want to be strong anymore, Gina. I want to be weak, so my trials are light." I answered, and sheughed, and I couldn''t believe she can afford tough while I am suffering rightnow.

    "It is not the way it works, Maddie. If something happens with Hunter, you need to be strong for Leticia and Lily because they need you." She said.

    "No! No! No! No! Nothing will happen to him, Gina, please don''t say that. How could you say something like that to me when you know I am feeling miserable right now? I and am your best friend." I said, and I know Gina was talking about reality, but I couldn''t ept it if something happens to my husband.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I know." She replied, and I felt my best friendy beside me.

    The moment I wake up, I felt suddenly cold, and I felt guilty when I found Gina sleeping on the floor next to me.

    "Gina, please transfer to the bed," I said, she woke up, and I can tell she was disoriented at first why she was on the floor. Then Gina stood up and went to bed, and she was able to sleep back right away. At the same time, I tried my best to go back to sleep, but I just can''t, and I felt d I am no longer crying.

    I got up and walked outside until my feet brought me

    to the nursery room, and I smiled when I saw the beautiful renovation my husband made, and I know he was the one who painted this room with unisex color. I can''t stop myself from smiling even if I am hurting because I draw my strength from this room, thinking my husband wille back alive to me since we still need to make babies and build our family together. And I still reckon if you strongly believe in something good will happen in your life, it wille true.

 Chapter 160 - The Explosion

    Hunter''s POV

    I was smiling the entire ride to the mining site as I think about my wife waiting for me at my houseter tonight. I felt so excited having dinner with Madeline and my mom, and Lily. And I felt so delighted that my little sister is now okay, and she is no longer upset with me since she texted me saying sorry about her walked-out episode a while ago. I know she hated me after she learned that I couldn''te with them to the mall. She doesn''t have any idea how much I wanted to spend time with Maddie and her.??

    "Calixto, " I called my assistant, and I stifled augh when I saw him jerked from his seat; and I can tell he fell asleep, and he opened his eyesquickly and turned his gaze at me.

    "What can I do for you, Mr. Divenson?" He asked, and I can tell that he is still sleepy.

    "I would like to ask you to have dinner with us in our house tonight because I know you are our number one fan, and it isonly logical that I invite you," I said, and heughed.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, but I am having a date with my wifeter tonight, and thank you so much for the invitation. I love to see Madeline and ask her never to leave you again. But I think, whatever happens, your wife will stick with you, and I am so happy for you, son. And I hope that everything will be all right between you and your wife. Because I know you are both in love with each other and it is a waste if you will continue to break each other''s heart. You are a lovely couple, Hunter. I hope this time you will never make the same mistake again." Cal dered, and I can tell we are now in a friendly mode.

    "Thank you, Cal." I said.

    And I realized being the CEO of ourpany, and I can''t just ignore something this big. I know the name of our firm is at stake here, and I couldn''t afford to lose even a single man from the site because I value and treat my employees equally, and I wonder what is wrong with them why they need to have a strike.

    The moment wend, Mr. Parker greeted us, and he told me about the situation. There are at least thirty-six men who are waiting for me underground. At the same time, he can''t give me the exact number of men waiting for me at the entrance.

    "Mr. Divenson, thank you so much for your time, Sir. I know you are a busy man, and I am sorry that I couldn''t contain the situation. They put a barricade so no one can enter the mining site anymore, and they threaten to kill anyone who will pass the blockade they created. I asked them what they want, but they said they would never negotiate with anyone except you. They will only talk with You, Mr. Divenson. The first group is at the entrance while the second group is waiting for you at the tunnel." The Operation manager said, and I let out a heavy sighed as I assessed the situation. And it was moreplicated than I thought.

    "And our first problem now is the miners who are guarding the main entrance of the mine." He added as we walked towards his office. We talked about the possible reasons why they are having a protest. Then, Mr. Parker handed me the list of employees involved with the ongoing protest underground and their background. I don''t want to involve the authority yet, since the miners were asking for my presence, and I need to deal with it immediately because I promised my wife to meet her in our house. And today should be special because Madeline ising home to our house, and we will be spending the night together, which makes me feel so excited. So, I decided to talk to them right away.

    I never expected my negotiations with my men wouldst longer than I expected. We almost didn''t eat lunch since they have so many demands that I can''t easily give since I need to considerate thepany policies. And I wonder who is behind this sudden protest. And suddenly, it dawned to me, and it could be rk Divenson. The way they reason out told me they had been briefed. I tried my very best to talk with them in a friendly manner. I let them understand the situation, and I told them I always value them being the employees of ourpany.

    And there is a part of me that felt relieved that this happened since I felt d I was able to hear their grievances about thepany policies. I tried my best to let them understand the management side so that we can attain the best solution to their objections. I felt so d that atst, they talked with each other, and their leader walked closer to me, and he told me he now understands everything. He asked me if I am true to my word when I say during the beginning of the negotiation that I will never fire them after this incident, and I gave him my word.

    I know it was risky on the part of thepany since there is a possibility they will do the same thing again. Still, I was sure my father was behind all this, and all I need to do is convince them that we are the only miningpany that offered the fairest sry and benefits for all the employees.And now that the entrance is clear, I became so eager to go underground and talk to the remaining miners who barricaded the tunnel to hamper the twenty-four hours operation of the gold mine.

    "Mr. Divenson, I don''t think this is a good idea. You don''t know what they are capable of, and there is a big possibility you could get hurt." Cal said, and I stopped on my tracts, and I looked at him in the eyes.

    "That is why I don''t want you to go with me, Calixto; at least if something happened to me, you could tell my wife I love her so much, and I need to get over this with soon because I want toe home and be with Madeline, during dinner," I replied.

    "Do you think I will allow you to go down there 2000 feet below the ground with those people we don''t even know what they are capable of?"Cal said, and I smiled at him.

    "Cal, you need to listen to me, stay here, and wait for me. And that is an order." I said, and he shook his head.

    "I will never allow you to go down there alone, Hunter, not only because I am your assistant but because I am your only best friend." He replied, and even if I felt so frustrated about what is going on in mypany right now, I am still d I have Cal, and even if he is hard-headed as of the moment, I couldn''t stop myself from smiling. And I know Calixto will never take no for an answer. I let out a heavy sighed as I put on the PPE given to us by Mr. Parker.

    I asked the operations manager to stay at his post while we got inside the tunnel using the elevator. And after the peace negotiations, I had with the first batch, I am confident I can also convince the miners who are there waiting for me toe to listen to my reasoning, and I think this time I need to be morepassionate to them. Even if I don''t want Cal to go with me, but deep inside me, I want him to be there to give me his moral support.We were already on the elevator when I noticed he brought the backpack I saw earlier in the helicopter.

    "And why are you bringing a backpack, Cal?" I asked, confused.

    "This is for emergency purposes only, Mr. Divenson; just in case we can''t go out immediately, at least I bring something we can use, like medical supplies, ready-to-eat food like walnuts, peanuts, chocte bars, and many more." He said, and I wasughing hard as I shook my head.

    "Don''t everugh at me, Mr. Divenson, because anything can go wrong; it is better to be ready always." He replied, and I stop myself fromughing because when I peeked at him, he looked so serious. We fell silent until we reach our destination, and the moment we get out of the elevator,I saw the protesters. I couldn''t believe they are just like the first batch of miners, they have cards, and the protesters got so wild when they see me, and they almost talk at the same time that I couldn''t understand anything until their leader silenced them. And the negotiations started, and I only repeat what I have said to the first batch, but I realized this group of individuals would make it harder for me to do my job.

    We continue to talk until their leader asked Cal and me to move away from them since they want to discuss their decision first, and I felt relieved at least I can feel they are considering the options I gave them.

    Then suddenly, we heard a loud explosion that made the entire tunnel shook. It happened so fast that I felt Cal dragged me when arge rock fell to the bottom. I heard shouts and screams as the ground and rocks continued to cover the tunnel until the whole ce turned so quiet. I heard Calixto''s voice is calling me before I felt something hit my head, and thest thing I remember is the beautiful face of my wife, and I was calling Madeline''s name before my world turned so ck, and I fell to the hard ground, and I passed out.

 Chapter 161 - Hope

    Hunter''s POV

    I was groaning in pain as I was waking up from a long dream, and then I couldn''t stop myself from falling back to sleep again. I was dreaming about my wife, and I was chasing her on the shore during our honeymoon on the beautiful beach of Magnolia, and she wasughing as she ran barefoot. I hate that no matter how much I want to have her in my arms, I can''t catch her, and I wonder if we are now on our second honeymoon since I promise Madeline that I am going to take her to her favorite ce once I got home.??

    I became disoriented if where am I, and suddenly got worried when I remembered I am still at the mining site.I quickly opened my eyes, but all I can see is total darkness. And I can feel the excruciating pain in my entire body, and there is throbbing in my head. And then, I felt horrified when I remember there was a loud explosion, and I suddenly remember the screams of my men, and then the whole ce turned so quiet. I tried to move my body, and I grunted in pain as I realized there is something on top of me and I am groping my hand, and I could hardly move because something is blocking my way. I remembered my phone in my pocket, and I moaned in pain as I try to pull out my phone from my pocket.

    I felt so happy to hold my iPhone, and I bring it closer to my face, and I know I don''t have any signal in this ce, especially now that the earth covers me, and it feels like someone tried to bury my body alive. I dragged my feet as I slowly sat up on the hard ground, and I can feel something dripping on my face, and I realized I have some cut on my head because I can taste the iron taste of my blood on my mouth. I opened the passcode of my iPhone, andI smiled when I saw the beautiful face of my wife when I unlocked my phone.I felt so relieved that atst, I can now see my surroundings, and I realized Calixto was right, and I suddenly remembered my assistant, and I can''t stop the rapid beating of my heart as I think the worst thing that could happen to him.

    I felt horrified when I looked around, and I can see a big rock not so far from me, and it made me realized I am still lucky that it didn''t fall into my body, or else Madeline is now a widow. And I was hoping that there would be no more explosions since I don''t know how I will leave this ce, and I remember I promised my wife to have dinner with her in our house with my mom and Lily. And I missed having family dinner. And I can tell Maddie is now in our mansion waiting for me, and I hate to think that I will make her worry again. I need to get out of this ce because I have toe home for my sweet, beautiful wife.

    "Calixto! Cal! Hello! Anyone out there?" I shouted, but no one answered me, and I felt terrified if they all die during the explosion, especially Cal." And no matter how I tried to be calm, I couldn''t stop myself from worrying about them, and most of all, I know the weather before getting inside. It was raining hard outside. I can tell no one will rescue us with that kind of weather because it could be dangerous for the rescuer as well.

    I felt so devastated when I heard the beeping sound of my phone because watching my wife''s picture is the only thing that keeps me going after hours of sitting in the same position without knowing if I cane out alive from this tunnel, and I am hoping everyone is alive. I need to off my phone, so I can save some battery when I needed it. At least I still have twenty percent of my battery, and the moment I turned off my cellphone, ckness enveloped me once again. I tried to move away from where I am, but my right leg is pressed between two gigantic chunks of rocks. And I need someone''s help before I can move them away, and I can tell my right foot is not damage since I don''t feel too much pain. I can''t take it away, and it made me hard to move.

    Due to my frustration, I didn''t realize I drifted to sleep, and when I woke up, I no longer open my eyes since I still can''t see anything. And suddenly, I want to find Cal since he was bringing his backpack with him, and now I realized he was right when he told me it is better to be ready at all times, and I felt such a fool forughing at him. I just felt d I am wearingplete PPE gear, or else I could have damaged my head worse if I didn''t wear any helmet. And I know I fainted when a rock hit my head, and I am just hoping I didn''t have any blood clots. And I wish the throbbing that I felt on my head is only because of somecerations or cuts but nothing serious.

    I wake up, and I know it was already twenty-four hours after the incident, more or less. I am starving and felt so thirsty, and I can tell I am going to die since I don''t have water. I need to eat my shirt since I felt so hungry, but eating it without water would be hard. I wished I could hear any sound that will tell me someone is alive. I am losing hope, but every time I felt like giving up, I can see the image of my wife on my head calling my name, and I am just happy that at least before I die, I was able to make up with Madeline. And We were given thest chance to be together, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I remember ourst night together.

    I am aware I only have forty-eight hours to live if I can''t drink water, I will die. And given my situation, I know I will no longer survive since I don''t have anything except my phone, which is now so low in battery because I can''t stop myself from missing my wife, and I can''t contain my urge to watch and touch her beautiful face on the screen.

    <em>"I</em><em>hate that I am going to leave you, Madeline. I am sorry if I left you without saying goodbye, and without telling you how much I miss you. I wish I can see you onest time before I take myst breath so that you will know how much I long to grow old with you and watch our children grow, and I hope there is a way I can tell you how much I love and I don''t want to leave you, my sweet</em> wife." I talked to her again while watching her face on my cellphone, and now my battery is almost empty.I wished I called herbefore I get inside the mine.And right now, all I have are regrets since I didn''t call her, and I was such an idiot.

    I want to take aside all my worries as I tried my best to think of all the beautiful things I did with Madeline, butI only ended up crying and sobbing. And I realized why it has to transpire now that we are back together, for once I want to give my wifeplete happiness, and I couldn''t imagine what would be her reaction the moment she will learn I am among the people who are trapped inside the mining ground.

    I did everything I can to pull out my right leg, and Iugh like a lunatic when I suddenly remember to remove my shoe on my right foot. I felt so relieved that atst, I tugged my right leg closer to me, and it felt so numb, but at least I can now make another position in sitting and lying on the hard ground, for the first time after so many hours of being trapped I was able to stand up on my feet. Still, I hold on to the wall of the tunnel because I felt my entire world is spinning, maybe because I haven''t eaten and drink anything.

    I sat back on the ground, and I can feelmy body is shivering, and I know I need to fight to survive for my wife. Still, no matter how wealthy I am, I know this time my money can''t do anything because it would never be easy for the rescuer to locate our location unless I can find a way tomunicate to the outer world to let them know I am still alive that is why I need to get out from here and look for anything I can use to give them signal that I am waiting for them to rescue me, but since I don''t have anything to light my way I can''t see anything.

    "Hunter!!!!" My tears fall on my cheeks the moment I heard Cal''s voice echoed the entire ce as he called my name, and I was afraid I was only hallucinating.

    "Hunter!!!! Hellooooo, anyone?" I heard his voice again.

    "Cal! I am here." I shouted back, and I felt so happy that at least Calixto found me, and he is here to give me hope. And I realized I still have the chance to see Madeline again. My heart is overwhelmed with too much happiness when I realized my assistant, best friend, father, and sometimes my boss, Calixto Morgan, is still alive.

 Chapter 162 - I Am Not Alone

    Madeline''s POV

    It feels like my life had suddenly lost its meaning when after one week, the rescuers said they didn''t hear anything that might give them the idea that my husband and Cal are still alive. I have been trying my best for the past few days to look strong for Hunter''s mom and Lily, but after one week, the reality hit me like a bomb. I couldn''t hear his voice any more or see his handsome face. I miss my husband''s intense gaze that made me have butterflies in my stomach and lit my entire body on fire. I miss Hunter''s hugs and kisses.??

    It made us wonder why the other miners were able to get outter that night. And only Hunter and Cal remained underground. They said another explosion happened before those miners got out. They got out on their own while my husband and Cal got trapped underground. The rescuers said it would be hard to rescue them because of the thickness of the ground that covered the tunnel. If they are still alive, they can''t survive without water after three days if they aren''t injured, but if Hunter and Cal have some injuries, then there is a big chance that they are now both dead.

    I spent my night cuddling Hunter''s clothes in my chest and reading the note he left me when he was at my house after the first night he slept in there since I left this mansion. And the letter is now crumpled since my tears soaked it every time I touch his beautiful handwriting on my fingers. I can''t stop myself from crying. Every word made me cry.

    My sweet Madeline,

    Good morning! I don''t want to leave without saying goodbye, and I don''t want to go without kissing your sweet lips, but I have an early meeting today, but I don''t want to disturb your peaceful sleep. I am sorry that I came inside your room and gazed at your beautiful face before I left.

    I can''t wait to have you sleeping in my arms again. I miss you every waking moment, Madeline. Please forgive me quickly. I hope you wille home soon; I will be waiting for you patiently, loving you more each day. I love you, my beautiful wife.

    Forever yours,

    Hunter

    I can''t remember how many times I read his love note today. Many reporters tried to contact us through Hunter''s office, but I don''t want to say anything because, for me, he is still alive unless I can see his body; that is the time I will ept that he already left me. I know my husband will fight, and he will find ways to survive, and even if I know his survival rate is slim because they didn''t bring food or water, I still believe in miracles.

    "I already forgive you, Hunter. You said you would be waiting for me, but why it was me who is now waiting for you for so long. You are so unfair. How could you leave me this time without saying goodbye, and without telling me you will be gone for so long? I miss you so much. Why do you need to break my heart over and over again? How could I love you this much, and all you did is make me cry once again. Pleasee back to me, Hunter." I said to him as I was touching his face on the picture frame.

    And I smiled as I remember how much he made me so happy after Lily took our picture. He kissed me passionately that Lily need to drag him far away from me so we can leave the vi at once because it was gettingte, and he promised to take her to the Arcade of Magnolia and have dinner at the Morigans after her shopping. It was a beautiful and happy day for us.

    I skipped breakfast today, and I only eat a little during lunch.I heard someone opened my door, but I didn''t turn around as I continue to hug my husband''s love note since it gives me hope that we will see each other again. I was holding on to his promise that he will love me more each day.

    "Madeline," I heard Leticia''s soft voice, and I know mom is also having a hard time, but I could no longer pretend that I am okay. I am hurting and dying inside, and my regrets are killing me. I should have never left him in the first ce, and now my guilt is eating me up.

    "Maddie, I know how you are feeling right now, and I am also in pain, but we need to do something. We have to ept the reality no matter how painful it is, but I am not losing my hope. I know my son is still alive. But we need to fight because thepany is in peril. I need to work and take over Hunter''s position as of now because the Board of Directors are now asking for me to answer to them, and not only that I need someone to investigate this matter because I know those miners who got out have something to do with what happened to my son." Mom said, and I don''t have a choice but to sat up on my bed and face her while I wiped my tears.

    "Oh, Madeline,e her." She said and took me into her arms, and she allowed me to weep until there were no tears left.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, I know how much Hunter loves you, and I know he doesn''t want you to look like this, don''t worry, many privatepanies called me, and they promised to help financially to expedite the rescue operation. Hunter''s friends and business partners worldwide pledged to help and do everything they can to provide equipment for the rescue mission. And all the schrs who benefited from his program asked the people to help pray for Hunter and Cal''s safety. I know my son Maddie, and as a mother, I can tell I have a deep connection towards him, and I can feel it in my heart that he will fight for you, and he is still alive." Mom continued.

    Mom''s words gave mefort that I smiled weakly at her as she caressed my face. And I know from now on I have to be strong, but I couldn''t stop myself from hurting, and I don''t know how to live my life thinking he was out there without knowing if he was still alive. And I was not only aching for my husband. I was also hurting fo Calixto and his wife and children. He was like a father to us.

    "Now, I want you to fix yourself because tomorrow, we need to go to Hunter''s office together." Mom said as she looked at me with tenderness, and when I looked at her eyes, I can''t stop myself from crying harder because I can see my husband''s eyes are staring back at me. And I almost forgot that Hunter got his physical appearance mostly from his mom.

    "I am sorry, mom, I can''t stop myself. Don''t worry, I will only cry today, but tomorrow when we will go to the office, I promise I won''t cry anymore." I said.

    "Hey, Madeline, I haven''t seen you cried this way after what happened to your husband, and I can tell this is the only time you allowed yourself to cry. There is nothing wrong with crying, Maddie. It is better that you will release all the pains that you feel inside. And always remember Lily and I are always here for you, Madeline." Mom Leticia said, and this time I smiled widely at her.

    "Thank you, mom," I replied.

    "Your wee, Maddie. And I want you to have dinner with us tonight. And prepare yourself because starting tomorrow you will be working in thepany. We can''t let these things paralyze the operation of the other mining sites of the Divenson Mining Corporation, so we need to take charge before my husband takes Hunter''s ce." She said, and I nodded my head.

    "I want you to learn everything you need to know, Madeline, because I want you to be ready when my son returns, and I am sure he will be thrilled to know that his beautiful wife will be working for him. It would be nice if you will work together, but always ask him to give time for yourselves, find time to date." Mom said, and it feels so wonderful and pleasant to hear those words. I hope that we could have another chance to be with each other, and I know I need to be positive, but at the back of my head, there is a nightmare that I don''t want to face, and that is the reality that my husband could be dead, and it terrified me beyond I can imagine.

    "Hi!" Lily greeted me the moment she sat beside me in front of the long dining table, and I smiled at her. And I realized she doesn''t have enough sleep as well as I can see the eye bags.

    "Hello, Lily." I replied.

    "It is nice that you could join us, Maddie. I miss eating with you." My sister-inw said, and I felt guilty.

    "Me too, Lily, don''t worry, starting today, I will be joining with you." I said, and she beamed at me, and I know I need to talk with her soon so that we can draw strength from each other. When I raised my head, I found mom staring at us with a beautiful smile on her face. Still, I can see on her beautiful face the sadness beneath her smiles, and I know I am not the only one hurting. I felt so d this time I am not alone, and knowing that I have them as I face another battle of my life, I felt more positive and confident that everything will be alright, and I thought that one of these days I would be in Hunter''s arms once again.

 Chapter 163 - She Is Waiting For Me

    Hunter''s POV

    My voice is rasped as I continue shouting Cal''s name, and the light of his shlight made meclose my eyes.??

    "Hunter?" He said, but before I can answer him, I passed out since I became too weak after I used my strength when I called him so he can hear me.

    I woke up when I felt something is poking me, and I can tell there is light all over the ce. And I groaned in pain again, and no matter how I want to open my eyes, I felt too weak to open them. And I realized Cal was using a stick when he poked my body since he can''te near me because I am trapped between solid soils and rocks.

    "Hunter, you need to wake up so you can drink some water and eat some food." I heard Cal''s voice, and I only grunt since I can''t move, and I felt like I am going to die, and I can feel the pain all over my body, and it made me harder to move my limbs.

    "If you still want to see your wife, you need to fight, Hunter. It would be best if you crawled to me since I can''te to you because of this rock that blocks me froming to you. At least there is a hole where I can hand you some bottled water and food. Hunter! It would be best if you listened to me. You can''t die yet unless you don''t want to see your wife anymore. And if you want your father and your evil siblings to hurt Madeline, Leticia, and Lily, then don''t move and let your hunger and thirst kill you." He said, and hisst words made my entire body feel active even if I know I don''t have the strength to move.

    And Cal was right; I need to get strong to give out from this ce to see Madeline again. I need to go home to her because I need to fulfill my promise, and I can''t just leave her without saying goodbye. And I can''t allow my father to hurt my mom and sister, especially my wife. Most of all, I can''t let Parker and Charlotte take advantage of the situation right now, and thinking those things made me more determined to fight even if my body is too weak to do anything, and I know only my mind is active as of the moment.

    I tried my best to open my eyes, and then I used the strength of my upper body to drag my lower body because I felt the numbness all over my legs, maybe because of my position that I am sandwich between the mining wall and the big rocks that almost hit my frame. I couldn''t open my eyes because the light from his shlight is blinding me, and I know I still need to adjust since it feels like a long time ago that I used my cellphone to light my surroundings.

    And I am aware I only have a little space now, enough toy down, but I need to curl my legs since I can feel the ground keeps moving. Thest time I can remember, I could still stretch my limbs, and Cal was right. There is a hole where he can pass me the water and food. And I need to talk with him, so I can ask him to help me get out of this enclosure.

    "Hunter! Son! Are you even listening to me? I don''t have a choice now but to throw the water bottle at you, but I would be grateful if you could use your hand to get it and drink the water, and I know why you are not answering me, you are now dehydrated that is why you need to have water. Then you need to eat, but for now, you need to drink this water first. You don''t need to worry because I found additional drinking water when I was looking for you. We are so lucky because we have proper venttion in this area; maybe by some miracle, the airflow splitters are still functioning. Well."He said, and suddenly I felt the bottle hit my stomach, and I hold it in my hands, and I can feel my tears poured down on my cheeks as I realized I still have the chance to meet Madeline again.

    I try to sit up, and with trembling hands, I opened the cap, and I slowly take the water into my mouth, and I realized I felt so weak that I find it so hard to bring the water into my mouth. When I have it in my mouth, I slowly drink the water, and I can feel a sting on my stomach as I continue drinking the water.

    "Take it slow, son, there you go. I know we are in a precarious situation right now. We need to find a way tomunicate with the outside world. That is why you need to get stronger, and you don''t need to worry. I am aware we can find something we can use to send an SOS message to the rescuers, and I can''t do it alone without you." Cal dered, and I wanted to speak, but I know if I am going to talk, I will drain my energy more, I will talkter when I got some energy, and I know I need to leave this ce before I die from being sandwich of these rocks and the wall of the mine since I can feel that movement underground.

    After eating something and drink additional more water, I drifted back to sleep, and when I woke up, I felt a little better. And I can hear the thumping on the wall, and I realized Cal is digging a hole from the other side, and I smiled. And it made me realized even if I was trapped underground, I still need Calixto''s expertise. I am afraid to die because of my family, especially Madeline.

    "Calixto! Cal!" I called Calixto when he stopped digging, and I felt so d that I finally found my voice again, and I saw the lighting from a distance, and I am just happy the rock is shielding my eyes from the blinding light.

    "Hunter,are you awake?" He asked, and I can hear the concern in his voice, and Iughed for the first time after being trapped in this ce since it still feels like we are back in the office as I heard Calixto''s worried voice.

    "Yes! I am still alive, Cal." I replied, and I heard him chuckled, and as I adjusted the light, I can now see his face on the hole, and it feels so lovely to see him for a long time.

    "Thank goodness that you survive. I thought I lost you. And I couldn''t believe after almost three days without water and food, and you are still alive." He said, and I couldn''t believe it has been three days already.

    "Are you sure we are still alive, Calixto, maybe we both died, and we are now in limbo?" I said, and hisughter echoed the entire area.

    "I can''t die yet, Hunter. I need toe home to my wife and whisper in her ear that I am so in love with her, and I still need to celebrate my fifty-eight birthday." He said, and I smiled because we have the same reason, we can''t die yet because we both need to see our wives. And I remember his wife asked Madeline and me to attend his surprise birthday, and I wonder how his wife deal with this situation that no one out there knows that we are still alive. I can feel the pang on my chest when I realized Madeline also has the same dilemma right now. And Cal''s birthday is two months away, and I hope we can attend his surprise birthday.

    "I know Cal, and I want to do the same to Maddie," I said.

    "Of course, I am even thinking of going back to my wife even if we are old already. How much more about you, your wife is still so young, and I am sure Madeline can find a young man right away." He said, and his words made me sat up straight.

    "Stop that, Cal, I am not going to die, and there is no way I am going to die young. I can''t make Madeline be a widow because I promise to be there with her until our hair turns gray, and I won''t let another man touch my wife because she is mine, Cal." I said.

    "Oh, I see, that is good to know, Mr. Divenson; if you want to go home to your wife, you need to move your ass now so you can get out from there." He said, and I can tell he only did it to pressure me to stand on my feet.

    "How are you going to help me to get out from here, Cal?"I asked, and he used his shlight to answer my question by pointing it on the ground on the soil on my left side, and I realized he was already digging on this part.

    "Did you find something we can use to dig out?" I asked.

    "Yes, fortunately, I found a pickaxe, and this is best for digging hard soil and rocks." He said, and I smiled how he became so lucky tonight, or maybe he brought this tool without telling me as part of his always ready scheme. Still, I must admit without Cal''s boy scout attitude, I could have died without him, and this time I will forever be grateful to him for saving my life.

    AndI know the big challenge we need to do right now is how I can get out from where I am since Iam facing these rocks and solid soil, and I know this soil is hard as a rock, and I am still weak, but we are out of time since the ground is moving and I can get pressed between them and die right away.

    "Give it to me, Cal," I said, and he handed me the pick, and I start excavating right away while he lights me up as I was digging. And I know we need more water if we exert more effort since we will have sweat all over our bodies. I removed my coat and my inner shirt so I can move freely.

    "Don''t worry, the moment you got tired, I will dig on the other side so you can rest, don''t lose your hope, Hunter, I know even if you are too weak at this moment, you are trying your best to do that since there is only one thing ying on your headright now, I know how much do you want toe home to be reunited with Madeline," Cal said, and I can''t talk back with him while digging since I know I will lose more energy.

    Cal was right. I am doing all this to be with my wife because I miss kissing her sensual lips and wrap my arms around her waist while her head is on my chest as we sleep together in our bed. I am willing to dig how thick the soil can be or how hard the rock is, and I am ready to endure everything as long as I can be with Madeline again because I am missing her like crazy, and I can''t wait to be with her. My wife is giving me the strength that I need. And I know Madeline will never give me up easily, and she is waiting for me toe home.

 Chapter 164 - I Am Horrified

    Madeline''s POV

    I promised myself that I would never cry again, but it is hard to keep my promise. After dinner, Lily asked me to join her to watch some movies, but I ended up crying even if we were watching aedy movie because in the story, there is a husband and wife, and I couldn''t stop thinking about him. I miss Hunter terribly that I can''t contain myself from crying, and it made Lily felt so guilty that she ended up crying with me.??

    Trying to have some sleep is the hardest thing to do after what happened to my husband. I find it so hard to sleep every night, and tonight is not an exemption. No matter how I tried to close my eyes, I remained awake. I don''t have a choice but to get up from bed and go downstairs, and I hit the bar. And I was shocked to find mom drinking some liquor, and I couldn''t tell what she was drinking, but I am sure she is not drinking wine.

    "Hello, mom," I said, and she was surprised to see me.

    "Oh, Madeline, I know you can''t sleep as well, and in times like this, no more excellentpany than alcohol. I know we need to go early to Hunter''s office tomorrow, but I can''t sleep. I may look strong, but as Hunter''s mom, it is killing me that we don''t know what is happening to him right now, but I won''t give up hope, and I still believe my son is fine." Mom said, and I sat on a barstool next to her after I get the wine ss and some bottle of red wine.

    I be a mess, and I felt like I am living my life with no direction at all. I hate that I couldn''t stop ming my ego because I should have forgiven my husband sooner, so I spent more time with him before he was gone missing. There is no update for today, and it means the rescuers continue digging without any sign of life beneath the grounds. I don''t want to watch, listen to the news, or read updates about the rescue operation on social media, but I couldn''t stop myself because I am hoping there is some development.

    And I felt happy many prayed for my husband''s safety on their posts while others are telling me to ept the reality that he has died during the explosion. Some said it would be impossible to be alive without food and water. And it hurts me so much, I can''t ept he is gone, and they don''t have any right to tell me my husband is dead because they don''t have any idea how much I am hurting right now.

    "Do you how happy I was when I found out I was pregnant with Hunter?" Mom said, and I can see a beautiful smile on her face as she looked back on the past while shaking my head.

    "You will know what I mean the moment you will get pregnant with your first child, Madeline, and I can''t wait to hear that news, and that is something that we should celebrate." She said, and I felt a pang on my chest as I realized how can I conceive if Hunter is no longer around, but I smiled at Hunter''s mom, and she took her drink in one gulp, and I can tell Leticia Divenson looked so regal even she is having a hard time. It was painful on my part that something like this happened to Hunter, and I couldn''t imagine the pain she is having right now because I know how much she cares about her eldest son since I know among her children Hunter is closer to her.

    "I will go to my bed now, Madeline, I already have enough, and I still need to work tomorrow. Good night, my dear." She said.

    "Goodnight, mom," I replied, and she left me alone at the bar counter, feeling so lost and alone. I was drinking wine while I can feelmy tears are pouring down on my cheeks, and I hope the next time I will be drinking wine is because we are celebrating his return. After a couple of shots, I started to feel light-headed, and I decided to stop drinking because I need to work tomorrow, and I don''t want to disappoint mom. When I looked at the wine, I smiled when I realized I almost consumed half of its contents, but I am still d I am sober.

    When I stood up, I lost my bnce, and I felt someone grabbed me from behind. And when I turn around, I was horrified to find Parker inside our house.

    "What are you doing here?" I asked, and I tried to push him away, and I felt d he let me go. I hold on to the bar counter for support. And I was wondering how did he manage to get inside our house? And I want to run away from him, but I know he is stronger and can move faster than me. I can hear the loud thumping of my heart as I looked at him in horror.

    "Rx, Madeline, Ie in peace. And I am sorry if I hold your waist; I don''t intend to touch you; you almost stumble on the ground. That is why I held you."He dered, and I can''t tell if he was telling the truth or not because I know he was Charlotte''s pet.

    "And how can I believe you when you tried to hurt me before," I said, and I can see something on his face that I want to listen to him even if at the back of my head I want to tell him to get out of our house.

    "I know, Madeline, I have been a fool for listening to my sister''s words, and it was toote for me to realize they were only using me. I don''t want to hurt you that time, Maddie, I swear. I came because I want you to know I felt bad for what happened to Hunter." He said.

    "And why do youe at this hour of the night, Parker?" I asked.

    "Because I don''t want mom to see me. I know I hurt her, Madeline. I came to tell you to be careful. I already informed Roman. I think father and Charlotte wanted to take over thepany now that Hunter is gone. I am telling you this because they have been nning to kill you, Maddie. Roman is there watching my every move, and I beg him to talk with you after I told him everything." He said, and I can feel my limbs are trembling; what have I done to them that they need to kill me.

    "You are Hunter''s wife, and father is aware you are Hunter''s beneficiary, and he doesn''t want you or mom to take over thepany, especially after mom filed the divorce." He said.

    "And why are you telling me this? How can I believe you?" I asked in disbelief, and I don''t know how I am going to sleep this time, knowing they wanted to kill me.

    "Because I am in love with Reba, I hate what father did to her, and I know Hunter helped her everything he can, and I am grateful to him for what he had done to her, Madeline, and I need Hunter''s help, I want to run away from them because I am afraid if they are going to hurt her again.." Parker said, and I can hear the sincerity in his voice.

    "I hated Charlotte after what she has done to Reba, she was the reason we lost our child, and I never thought she would use Reba''s pregnancy to ckmail your husband. I know how much my brother loves you, Madeline. Hunter loves you more than he loves Reba. You have to believe me because I was there. The only reason he kept her memories when he thought Reba died, because of his guilt. He thought he was the reason Reba got into an ident." He added.

    "What do you know about their ns?" I asked, and I am trying to look brave.

    "I don''t know thetest, Madeline, because they are now suspicious of me. After what happened to Reba, I can''t hide my hatred towards my sister, but I am sure they have something to do with what happened at the mining site. That explosion was nned, and it was not an ident, though I don''t have proof. I can tell because I heard dad talking with someone over the phone, but he will stop when he noticed my presence." Hunter dered.

    "All I want to ask from you is to be careful, Madeline." He said.

    "Thank you for your concern, Parker, I appreciate what you have done, and I hope you will leave the Divenson mansion as well. And in the meantime, you can bring Reba to one of our properties in Magnolia. Leave while you still can." I said.

    "Thank you, Madeline. No wonder my brother is so in love with you. You have a pure heart even if Reba and I hurt you." Parker responded.

    "Don''t mention it, and I hope your father doesn''t know you came here. Just contact Roman when you already left the mansion. I am afraid for your safety, Parker." I said.

    "He knew I am here because he ordered me to kill you, Madeline." He replied, and I froze, and I became speechless, and I felt my entire body shook.

    "But don''t worry, I will never do that to you. I am sorry that this is happening to you, Madeline. I know you have done nothing wrong. You are innocent, and after what Hunter sacrificed for Reba. I am forever indebted to my brother, and in return, I want to protect you as well." He said, and he smiled at me, and I felt better.

    "That is why I am warning you because I can tell father will order someone to do the job if I can''t do it, and for now, I have reasons why I wasn''t able to do my mission, but I am afraid dad will never believe me next time. I Don''t want to kill anyone, Maddie, but he threatened me that he would do something to Reba." He said, and I can feel the sadness and worries in his voice.

    "Parker, you should leave that mansion the soonest possible time. If you worry about money, you don''t need to worry. I will provide for you." I said because I know his father will freeze his ount the moment he will leave home.

    "Thank you, Madeline, I will do that because I want to have a peaceful life with Reba, and I don''t care if we will have an ordinary life as long as I am not doing bad things because I want to have a normal life away from my father''s scrutiny." He said, and I smiled at Parker, and for the first time, I looked at his face without fear but with understanding and pity, and I realized he is a handsome man like his brother. And I realized love could really do wonders even for a hard-hearted man.

 Chapter 165 - Patiently Waiting

    Madeline''s POV

    I saw Cer standing in the living room as I walked with Parker at the front door, and I saw Roman guarding the front porch. Parker waved his hand at me, and I watched him get inside his car. And he starts his engine and blows his horn before he drives away from our house.

    "I am so sorry, Mrs. Divenson. I called Cer to open the main door for me. Parker looked so desperate to talk with you, but I check him before I let him get inside the house, and he didn''t bring any weapon that could harm you, and I was watching the entire time he talked with you. Mr. Divenson instructed me to protect you with my life. Rest assured, I will never let anything happen to you." Roman dered, and I looked at him in the eyes before I speak.

    "It was okay,Roman, but I was just horrified when I found him standing inside the house. Of all people, I didn''t expect that Parker will visit me tonight. And I believed him, and I think what he was talking about was true. I can see it in his eyes, and I hope I am right with my instinct to listen to him. I want to help Hunter''s brother, Roman, and I hope we can help him because we all know that rk Divenson is a wicked man." I said.

    "I understand what you mean, Mrs. Divenson, and before Parker came, we already tightened the security since your husband instructed us to be extra cautious the moment something happened to him. Because he knew they would target you. But, like you, Mrs. Divenson, I am still waiting for the day that your husband wille home. I don''t believe what they say. I can tell he is still alive." Roman said, and I smiled at him. I know he is one of Hunter''s loyal men. And having Roman and his men around the house gives mefort that I am safe together with mom and Lily. I know right now I could tell Roman is only trying to make me feel better and be more positive.

    "Thank you, Roman. You may now go back to your post." I said, and he nodded his head and turned his heels away from me.

    "Madeline, I am so sorry, it wasn''t my intention to let Parker in without your knowledge, but when Roman called me and informed me of the situation, I opened the door immediately," Cer said. Even if the lighting in the living room is dim, I can tell she was blushing, and I realized the head bodyguard smites Cer. And I can''t stop myself from smiling, and I am going to talk with Cer about this matter next time since I want my friend to open up with me.

    "Don''t worry about it, Cer. Nothing happened to me, and I am still safe; besides, I know I can trust Roman." I dered, and she smiled shyly at me.

    "Good night, Cer," I said.

    "Good night, Maddie," She responded, and we went on separate ways as I walked to the stairs while she walked leading to the servant''s quarters. For how many times I told her to stay in one of the guests'' rooms on the second floor of the house, but she insisted on staying at the maid''s quarter at the back part of our mansion. I noticed that there are maids staying at the maid''s quarters together with Cer. Before, they all stayed at the residential houses provided by my husband within our estate.

    I climbed the stairs as I think about Parker, and I felt d Reba found love again in the arms of my husband''s brother. And I wish their love for each other will never waver, and I hope rk Divenson and Charlotte won''t tear them apart, like what they were trying to do with my rtionship with my husband. And I am just d we found each other again, even if for how many times they tried to break us apart. And now we are facing another ordeal. But I will never show them I am losing hope, and I still believe Hunter will never let go, and he will fight for our love.

    I woke up the following morning ahead of my rm with a heavy heart and heavy eyes because before I fell asleepst night, I had another crying episode. It made me realized I would never stop crying at night, not unless I will hear some news from the mining site. The moment my rm clock buzzed, I got up immediately and hit the shower, and I take a warm bath. I smiled when I get out of the bathroom, and I found Lily sitting on the sofa.

    "Good morning. Why are you up so early?" I asked her, and I realized she is wearing something formal, and she is smiling at me.

    "Mom said I coulde to Hunter''s office as long as I will not bother you. And I promised her I would not do something that would irritate her and make her mad." She said, and I smiled as I looked for something that I can wear, and I felt my sister-inw walked closer to me, and she was looking at my dress in the closet. And she asked me to try wearing the high waist pencil skirt with slit on the side and a white blouse and a zer.

    "You should tuck in your blouse, Madeline, so that you will have a more corporate look, and you should pair that with high heels," Lily said, and I smiled as I followed her instructions, and I felt so satisfied with my outfit. And I look at my reflection in the mirror. I looked more elegant and sophisticated.

    "See, you looked so beautiful, and I am sure Hunter would love to see you in your corporate attire." She said, and I suddenly felt sad, but I tried to cover it with a fake smile because I know Lily''s personality. When she finds me crying, she will also weep with me, so I better give her my sweetest smile so she won''t weep.

    "I know, Lily, and I am very excited to see him again," I said, and she was beaming at me.

    "Me too, Maddie, and I couldn''t wait to see him again because I need to say sorry after what I have said to him." She said, and I moved closer to her, and I put my hands on her shoulders.

    "Lily, you should stop ming yourself, okay? I already told you, Hunter is not angry with you because he loves you, and you are his favorite sister." I said, and Lily grinned at me, and after I blow dry my hair, I put on some lipstick, and then we get out of my room.

    "Wow! You look great, Madeline!" Mom said the moment we meet her at the dining room, she is already drinking brewed coffee. I eat toasted bread with bacon and egg. And I felt so excited to be working at Hunter''s office today, and I want my husband to be proud of me the moment hees back.

    Roman drove us in going to the office while the rest of the bodyguards are following behind us. And the moment we get inside the building, everyone greeted us, and I can feel my heart is beating so fast as we waited for the elevator toe down.

    Mom called an emergency meeting right away at the boardroom. She requested the presence of all the managers of every department. Mom discussed the important details about Hunter''s current situation, and I can tell right away that mom is perfect at dealing with the employees. I felt ashamed when she informed them I would be the new VP for finance as a recement for Charlotte. It was Charlotte''sst position in thepany, and I still need to learn many things, but I am confident Leticia Divenson will teach me what I should know.

    The moment we get back to my husband''s office, I wanted to cry when I saw his things, especially the giant portrait on the wall of his office. It was a portrait of us taken on our wedding day. But I can''t cry in front of his mother, so I stopped staring at our photograph as I focused my attention on her as I listened to Leticia Divension discussed the basic things I should learn about thepany. It is about time to know its background.

    We became so busy right away becausethere are so many pending documents on Hunter''s table that needed my husband''s approval. Mom approved and signed those documents while she exined everything to me before she signed the papers. I know my job experience during my On Job Training will never measure this since Hunter''s mom gave me a higher position, and I don''t know if I can make it. Still, being Hunter''s wife, I need to prove to everyone that I know about running thepany.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, I will make sure you will learn everything you need to know. For now, we need to do it one at a time. Hunter told me once he will be the one to train you, but it seems we don''t have enough time now. The morning passed too quickly, and we eat our lunch at a nearby restaurant. Lily spent her entire morning reading her book. And the afternoon also passed on a blur.

    We get home and eat dinner at hour house, and I decided to go to our room and retire to bed early since I felt exhausted because ofck of sleep and my new work. And working at the office felt different from my previous part-time jobs since my new jobs require more concentration and analysis.

    I walked close to our matrimonial bed after I took a shower, and I talk to my husband, and I told him what transpired at his office today.

    "You need toe home soon, Hunter, because I need you here beside me at our house, and I also need you in the office, and I know you will be proud of me. I want to make one request from you, and I will not ept no for an answer. Please be alive." I said to him, and I could no longer keep my tears from falling.

    There is still no sign of life underground, and the rescuers are losing their hope that my husband and Cal are still alive. I was praying hard that they will find something underground they can use tomunicate with the rescuers and to let everyone know they are still alive. And I am still waiting patiently for my husband toe home to me even if the rest of the world is telling me to ept his death slowly, but being Hunter''s wife made me find anything I can to hold on to. His promise that he wille home to me is my beacon of hope that Hunter is still alive.

 Chapter 166 - My Hero

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, you need to stop. You are still weak, don''t worry, we still have tomorrow." I heard Cal yelled at me as I continue to dig the hard soil. I am only wearing my boxer shorts to lessen the heat, and I can tell Cal is doing the same. We can''t see each other because we only use the hole tomunicate, but I can hear him still digging on the other side.

    "What if the ground moves again tonight? I will be dead by tomorrow, Cal," I replied, and I heard himughed. I know I owe Calixto my life.

    "You will not die, Hunter, believe me, I think after one week it will happen, don''t worry, I will work double time tomorrow. We need to rest now, and I think we should find time to talk. I miss you, you know, for almost three days I haven''t heard your voice. I thought I am going to die alone in this ce. I felt so d that you are alive, Hunter. I couldn''t imagine myself facing Madeline and tell her the bad news. How can I tell your wife that you are dead? I think I will pretend I became mute after this ident rather than tell Madeline you died. That is why I am asking you to fight and don''t die." He said, and I can''t stopughing at what Cal had said and crying at the same time as I remember my wife''s face.

    "Son, if you want to see another sunshine, and if you want to see Madeline again, you better listen to me and stop digging right now." He said, and I knelt into the ground, and I felt so frustrated that after hours of digging, I still couldn''t see the other side. And I know Cal was excavating on the other side as well. I wish I am a superhero so I could quickly remove the rocks so I can get out. I felt so devastated that I got trapped in this ce where I can feel my days are numbered. If Calixto didn''t find me, I am sure I am dead by now. I wiped my sweat with the face towel given to me by Cal, and I am impressed by what he had brought with him, and I couldn''t believe his bag is a magic bag. He got so many food supplies, and I smiled when he told me we can still survive for more than one month if we are not rescued by then, provided I can get out from my cell.

    "Atst, you stopped. You better find time to rx, Hunter. It would be best if you recover from your dehydration before you exhaust yourself. I can''t see your frame, but I can tell you are now thin. You better drink more water and eat this now. You know when I packed these goods, it feels like an angel told me to bring multivitamins, as I felt so d I did listen to that voice, and I can tell we will remain physically fit, and mind you I also bring Vitamin D, so I am sure we will survive." Cal said, and I shook my head, and I want toe out from my enclosure and hug Cal.

    "You know what, Cal, I want to hang a medal around your neck right now. You are my hero." I said, and heughed.

    "Tell me that when we get out from here safely. I have never been so terrified in my life, not even when I saw Reba got hit in the car. The moment I heard the explosion and the ground shook, I know it could be our end. When I saw the debris of solid soil and rocks fell on us before the whole ce got so dark, I never expected to be still alive today. I thought when I woke up, I am in hell since it was so dark, and my entire body is aching, and my limbs are numb." Cal said.

    "Did you passed out too?" I asked.

    "Yeah, thest thing I heard is shouts from your men, and I am just hoping they are still alive out there. That is why we need to dig." He said.

    "I can''t imagine if they died, Cal. I am sure thepany will face multiplewsuits, and I am sure this mine will be closed for good." I said, and I can''t stop feeling so worried.

    "You''ve got nothing to worry about, we followed all thews and regtions under the mining standards, and I know someone sabotaged the explosion, and I am sorry to tell you this, those miners nned this to happen, and I think your father has something to do about what happened." He said, and I hate to think my father is willing to kill me to get what he wants.

    "He was angry when your mother filed a divorce, and Charlotte promised to make Madeline''s life miserable." He added, and I suddenly felt more worried about Maddie.

    "I know I can trust Roman, and I am sure he will never leave at Madeline''s side whatever happens, and I hope nothing happened to my wife, Cal, and we need to get out from here because my wife needs me," I said, as I eat the crackers.

    "If I could only get out from here, Cal, I already did it, and I never felt so helpless my entire life. I never imagine that something like this will happen to me. I used to have anything I want in just one call or one request, but right now, it feels like the world abandoned me when I badly need to be with my Madeline, and why something like this never happened before I met her at least it would be easy for me to ept my death. What if they can''t still find us after one month, Cal? Our food supplies will be empty, and I am sure they will cease the rescue operation if we can''tmunicate with the outside world." I said.

    "The rescue operation would cost us a lot, so I am sure my mother will choose to stop the rescue operations if we can''tmunicate with them. We need to get out from here and dig until we can find something we can use, and if ever we can''t get out, then I will die full of regrets." I said as I released a loud sigh. I can feel my entire body ache, and Iughed when Cal handed me almost everything I needed. I know my ce started to smell now, and I am just d the soil I dig covered the ce where I pee, and I find it so hard to explore more since I only have enough space and I can''t let the hole be covered by the soil or else I would die if Cal can''t hand me the supplies I needed.

    I just felt d I found a hole on the other side, and I tried to push the soil, and Iughed when they got out, and I wonder where could be my exact location right now. I suddenly felt worried when I realized there could be a big hole on the other side, that is why I can''t hear the soilnded on the ground, it must be so deep.

    "Hunter, your mother loves you, and she will find a way to save you. She has connections, don''t lose your hope. You are still young, don''t you miss Madeline?" He asked, and I halfughed.

    "Are you kidding me, Cal? If there is only another way to describe how much I miss my wife right now, I already define it. I miss her like crazy, Calixto. I miss Madeline so much that my heart is bleeding right now, I can''t imagine the agony and grief I had caused her this time, and I hate myself that all I give her is pains and tears." I said.

    "Hey, don''t say that Hunter, you know how much happiness you give to Madeline. She is happy in your arms, and I know there is no ce she wants to be but to be with you." Cal said, and I smiled.

    "Did my wife share her innermost thoughts of me with you?" I asked.

    "I am not only close to you, Hunter, but there are also moments I talked with your wife, and since she doesn''t have a father, she feltfortable talking with me, and I know how much your wife loves you, and I can tell it the way she looked at you. Madeline doesn''t need to tell you how much you mean to her because you can tell it by the way she gazed at your pretty face." Calixto dered, and he made me feel better when I felt everything is so wrong and when I felt like giving up.

    "I don''t know how to take you out there, but don''t worry, Hunter, I will do everything I can to help you. I know it is part of my job to take care of you as my boss, and I am sorry if I failed you." He said, and I felt so touched by his words.

    "Cal, we are not on duty right now, we are buried underground, and I am not your responsibility," I said.

    "I know, but I am still responsible for you. You don''t need to worry because we wille out from here alive, Hunter. I know I am already old, but I still want toe home and see my wife and children. I still want to celebrate my birthday with my family and friends, and there is no way I will celebrate my birthday in this ce where we can''t see the sun." He said.

    "I am not sure if we can get out from here, so I guess you will be happy if you will know that your wife invited Madeline and me to attend your surprise birthday party, andI am hoping we will still be alive tomorrow so we can attend your party, Cal." I said, and I can tell Cal is crying on the other side.

    "I guess I need to dig more. Now that you told me about that birthday party, there is no way I am going to miss it, Hunter. That is why we need to get out from this ce where all we can see is darkness." Cal said, and Iam praying we will be given another chance to live our lives and to be with our family and be able to see the sun again.

 Chapter 167 - Reason To Hold On

    Madeline''s POV

    It was one month after the explosion incident, thirty days my husband is missing, and a month that I don''t have enough sleep, eat, and I forget how tough. And I started to feel my body is giving up. I am dizzy most of the time, maybe because of myck of sleep. It was hard to face the world again without my husband on my side. I have to work with mom every day pretending everything is fine, even if deep inside I am hurting and yearning to touch, kiss, and hug my husband.

    But never in a day, I surrender that he is gone. Iy wide awake every night, talking with Hunter facing his photograph. I missed the days when we spent time in the Vi. I am still hoping one of these days, and my husband will bring me there. It was Saturday, and mom asked me to rest since she noticed I am not feeling well.

    "Hey! I think you should stand up now, Madeline. The sun is up, and Cer told me you didn''t eat your breakfast." Gina said, and I am no longer shocked that she is already in our house.

    "I don''t like to eat, Gina," I replied.

    "I think we need to go to the hospital now, Madeline. I know that you are in pain, and you are hurting. But as your best friend, I can''t allow you to die ahead of Hunter. You need to get up now if you don''t want me to drag you out of bed." Gina said.

    "I am fine, Gina," I said.

    "Look, Maddie, I always agree with you because I know you, but this time I need to intervene. I care about you, Madeline, and I don''t think Hunter would be so happy when he got back, and you look so malnourished. Come, on Maddie." She begged.

    "What if he is already gone, Gina? I can''t ept it, and he needs toe home to me." I said.

    "Madeline, it has been one month, and there is no sign of life underground; if the rescue operation will stop, it only means one thing, and I don''t want to say it to your face, but you need to deal with it, Madeline," Gina said, and I could no longer hold my tears. For weeks I didn''t cry, but today, I allowed myself to cry again, hugging my husband''s picture and the love note. It was funny that Gina took the love note from my room one day, and I was devastated when I couldn''t find it, and then I was shocked when I found it on the following day on my bed, and she made itminated, and she apologized because she doesn''t want the note to get torn.

    "Hey, please, stop crying now, Maddie. I hate when I see you like this, and I can''t stop myself from crying with you. You know that I can always feel your pain because you are my best friend." Gina said as shey beside me on the bed, and she put her arms around me.

    "Gina, I don''t know what to do anymore. I want to see Hunter. I miss him so much, and I want to hear his voice even in my dreams. Why do I need to suffer all my life? Could I be happy?" I asked her.

    "I can''t answer you, Madeline, but I can only assure you with one thing, I will be here with you," Gina answered me.

    "I know words are not enough to take away the pain that you feel, and if I am in your shoes, I don''t know how ta face the pain either because you are stronger than me. Don''t worry, and I know he is still alive." She said, but I know she was trying to give me hope, but I know what I have right now is my faith that he is still alive.

    "I think you are right, Gina. I need to deal with it, no matter how painful it could be. He is my life, and I don''t want to give up. Can youe with me to the site? I want to beg the rescuers never to stop digging because I can tell my husband is still alive." I said.

    "I wille with you if that is what you want, but we need to go to the hospital first. And you need to eat, take a bath, and you need to do it quick. You have been dizzytely, and it could be something. At least the doctor can give you vitamins and supplements that can help you sleep." She said, and I nodded my head, and she widely smiled at me.

    "Thank you, Gina," I said as I got up, and I gripped onto the headboard because I felt the room is spinning again. I took a shower fast, and I choose to wear afortable dress. And I hate to look at the closet because every time I see Hunter''s stuff, I can''t stop myself from missing him more, and I can feel the pang on my chest.

    "Wow, you still look adorable even if you looked like you are attending a funeral. Maddie, you need to smile even once in a while to exercise the muscles of your face." Gina dered the moment I walked inside the dining hall, and Cer already prepared my breakfast. And I can''t stop myself from smiling at my best friend.

    "See, it is not that hard, right?" She asked, and I shook my head as I get down on my chair.

    "I don''t want to fake what I feel, Gina, because it only makes me more miserable, and how can I smile when I know he was out there, and I don''t even know if he is still alive or not. I can feel the fear inside me every day, and I am afraid that one of these days, I will hear that he is already gone." I said as I looked at Gina.

    "I am sorry, I just miss your smiles, Maddie." My best friend replied, and I smiled at her before I started eating my breakfast.

    "Thank you, Cer. Please join us." I said to her the moment she poured fresh orange juice on my ss.

    "I already ate with Madam Leticia and Lily early this morning, Maddie, and please enjoy your meal, and please excuse me because I need to finish some reports," Cer said, and I nodded my head to her.

    "I know you need to see a doctor, Madeline. I am aware you are having trouble sleeping at night, you don''t need to be ashamed about it, and it is about time you have to ask some help from a medical expert." My friend said, and I agree with Gina.

    "When was the first day of yourst menstrual period, Madeline?" Dr. Brown asked me, and I am surprised with her question, and ever since my husband is missing, I didn''t notice that I missed my period. I am already one week dyed, and this is the only time I think about it, and she smiled at me.

    "This could be good news, my dear. But I want a blood test to make it sure, and I think you need to see an ob gyne, Mrs. Divenson." Our family doctor said, and I felt so thrilled, and Gina is smiling at me. I felt nervous as I waited for the pregnancy test.

    "Congrattions, Madeline, you are pregnant." The moment I heard the doctor said I am pregnant, I felt my tears of happiness trickled down on my face, and I cried harder when I realized my husband is not there to hear the good news. I know that he told me we need to double time because he wants to be a dad, and how I wish Hunter is with me at this moment.

    "I know what happened to Hunter, Maddie, but you need to be strong for the baby. It is not good for the baby''s health if you always felt sad and crying most of the time, and it is wonderful news, and I am sure your husband will be so happy the moment he will learn you are carrying his child. I am

    happy for you, Madeline, and of course, for Hunter, and I am sure Leticia will be thrilled about this, and I know she has been waiting to be a grandma. Don''t worry too much, Madeline, and I know he wille back for you." She said, and I know Dr. Brown is a close friend of Hunter''s mom.

    "Thank you, Dr. Brown," I replied, and I genuinely smiled at her. We said goodbye to her, and I can''t stop myself from smiling as we walked out of the clinic.

    When we arrived at the parking lot, Gina screamed and jumped while pping her hands, and I can''t stopughing at her. And then Gina came closer to me, and she tightly hugged me.

    "Madeline, I am so happy for you. I know you are excited to be a mom, and this is indeed good news for all of us. I can''t wait to be an aunt." Gina said excitedly, and I smiled at her. And this is the first time I smiled genuinely after what happened to my husband and Cal.

    "And I think everything happened for a reason, Madeline, and don''t worry, and he wille home before you deliver your child." She said, and I smiled with tears of happiness in my eyes. And I can''t exin the gratification that I feel as I get inside the car, and I am so excited to tell the good news to Lily and Hunter''s mom.

    I know for how many days I felt like I am losing my will to fight and live because I am so terrified of losing Hunter. But after the doctor told me I am pregnant and I am going to be a mom, I suddenly felt alive. I know even if it is so hard living my life without my husband, I need to be strong for our baby, and I felt so happy that there is a life growing inside my tummy, and Hunter is going to be a dad. This time I face the world with a smile on my face as I realized this baby gives me enough reason to fight and hold on.

 Chapter 168 - New Hope

    Hunter''s POV

    I shouted and got down on my knees the moment I got out from my encloser, and I kiss the surface when the solid soil fell after myst hit. I almost lost my hope because it took us two weeks to till the ground separating us until I was able to get out, and I felt my tears fall on my face. I saw Cal standing with his boxers shorts, and I am wearing the same thing because it is getting hotter, especially that we kept working from morning to dusk, even if Cal asked me to stop once in a while, but I want to get out from this hell and meet my wife and family again.

    "Oh! Hunter, I am not a hugger type of person, but this time, let me hug you. Atst, we met again, and I can see and touch your face, and this is the longest time I haven''t seen your pretty face since you started working in thepany as my boss." He said after he helped me got up on my feet, and he embraced me, and I hugged him back as I cried my tears.

    "Cal! I have never been so happy to see you again." I said after he released me from his arms and he helped me get my clothes, and I followed me to his favorite ce, and atst, I felt so relieved that I could finally stand up straight. I stretch my arms and legs, and then I put on my inner shirt, and I throw my suit jacket, long sleeve, and trousers on top of Cal''s bag. And I am surprised when he handed me a clean shirt.

    "Cal, please, allow me to apologize forughing at you when we were on the elevator. I never thought something like this would happen to us. I am aware we don''t know what the future may bring to us, but so far, this is the worst that ever happens to me, but I still feel lucky because I have you." I said, and he smiled at me, and I felt so delighted to see Cal.

    "And I want to let you know that I am so grateful toyou, Calixto. You have been my guardian angel ever since, and you were always there during the worst moments of my life. When I saw Reba got hit by the car, I thought that was the worst thing that would ever happen to me, but when Madeline left me, I realized that was the most horrible thing I ever experienced. And I don''t know how to call this incident that happened to us. I don''t know what I have done why I need to suffer this way. All I ever wanted is toe home and have dinner with my wife, but why is destiny so cruel to us, Cal?" I asked him, and he was looking at me with sympathy.

    "I know why you felt that way, son. You miss your wife terribly, and because you just got back together after she left you, you want to be there for her. You want to enjoy sharing your love for each other, but it seems like time is testing both of you on how strong your love for each other is,but believe me, Hunter, you will be together again. Why do you look so devastated now when we finally have the chance to get out from here?" He asked, and I looked at Cal as I let out a heavy sigh.

    "It is okay if I will suffer alone, Cal, but not Madeline. I can''t imagine what she is feeling now that we didn''tmunicate to the outside world. They all think that we are already dead, Cal, and I only got out from being trapped with the rock out there, but the reality is we are still trap, and we don''t know where to start to dig again, base on our location I don''t exactly remember where we could be." I replied.

    "Yeah, I understand, but other people will think we are dead, but not the people who love us, Hunter. Do you think Madeline, Leticia, and Lily will ept that you are dead? I don''t think so, and you know how much they care about you, Hunter." He said, and I know Cal has a point.

    "You just got out of from your space, and I was expecting you will be excited to see me, but it feels like you became more down the moment we see each other again," Cal said, and I can tell he is a slight disappointment with me.

    "I am sorry, Cal. I am just devastated about our situation, but I am so happy that you helped me, and I know I should encourage you, but instead, I sounded like a desperate person," I said, and he smiled.

    "It is okay, Hunter. I understand. On the first night after the explosion, I cried because I thought I was the only one who is left, and I know I am going to die alone and it would be so lonely, but on the third day when I heard your voice, I felt so happy that at least I will not die alone, and I realized we would die together." Cal said, and I cocked my head at him, but I know Cal''s words are true, it would be a big possibility that we can''t get out alive from this ce, and our body will rot on this underground. But knowing we will die together, it could be less lonely.

    "But I trust you, Hunter, and I have faith in you that you will save me from this ce. You will take me out from here because I know that you will always find a way." Cal said, and I felt so happy that he trusted me that much, and I don''t want to dishearten Calixto, and I don''t have the heart to tell him we can''t get out from here. And knowing that he draws his strength from me, I should be more positive from now on, and I need to get my wallet and look at my wife''s face. And I can''t stop smiling.

    I felt so d his shlight is still working all else, we will be groping in the dark. I got up and pulled out my wallet from the pocket of my trousers, and I looked at our wedding picture, and I couldn''t stop myself from tracing my wife''s beautiful face with my fingers as I started at her. It feels like Madeline is asking me toe home, and just like that, my confidence is back, and I realized every time I felt so down, I only need to remember I have a wife waiting for me.

    "Cal, thank you for trusting me, but don''t worry I will do everything I can to find a way to let them know we are still alive and don''t worry from now on, I will never think of giving up again because I don''t want my wife to be miserable forever," I said, and Cal smiled at me.

    "That is my boy, and now that we are reunited with each other, it means we need to have a little celebration, we will not eat crackers for tonight, but we will have some beef jerky and canned juice, I brought two cans for special asion only. And as a bonus, we can also have some dried fruits tonight." He said, and I shook my head, and I couldn''t believe Cal will think such away, but I felt so d he did.

    "Wow! You really should be appointed as the father of the boys'' scouts, Calixto, and you made me so proud of you for always being ready." I said in disbelief.

    "We are just lucky that I found a cooler filled with bottled water, and I think it belongs to the miners, and I can tell once we leave this ce, we can find more goods, but base on my inventory, we can still leave for another month." He said.

    "You already told me that, on the first day, you found me. Are you sure with your calction?" I asked.

    "Yeah, I reduced our solid food since we got water supply. What is important is we are hydrated to survive. We can eat a little during nighttime except for tonight." He said, and I nodded my head, and I felt so d his camping bag is full of gran bars, crackers, nuts, dried fruits, and I never expected he also brought multivitamins aside from the first aid kit.

    The following day we woke up early, and we started walking through the tunnel. Still, we couldn''t find anything we can use tomunicate with the rescuers because we found another debris made by the explosion, and it only means we need to do another digging, and I am not sure how wide the blockage is.

    "Wow, we need to dig out this thick soil, Cal, so that we can pass through, but the problem is we do not know how thick this could be," I said as I assessed the condition of the earth in front of us.

    "Well, we don''t need a choice, Hunter; there is no other way," Cal replied.

    "Of course, if we want to be rescued, we need to do this again. And let us start digging now." I replied. And we spend the following days digging again, we only rest for one hour during lunch break, and we agreed to have over time until eight or nine in the evening. The soil is soft since it only covered the surface during the explosion, but it took us a long time to remove the dirt mixed with rocks since we only have one shovel. If I used my hands, Cal would use the shovel, and then if I used it, he would use his hands.

    We helped each other in everything that we do, and we both prayed there would be no more explosion, or else I don''t know we will be lucky enough to survive another st.We almost lost hope when we realized we are still trapped, but on the third week when we heard the sound of drilling everything changed for us.

    "Did you hear that sound, Cal?" I asked, and when I looked at Cal, I found him kneeling on the ground, and I saw the tears pouring down his cheeks.

    "I told you, Hunter, they will never abandon us." He said as he wiped his tears away, and I could no longer stop myself from crying too as I realized the rescuers didn''t stop looking for us, and I can feel that our recovery is near, and I smiled as I think of my wife, and I can''t describe it in words how much I miss Madeline.

    "I want you to wait for me, my sweet Madeline, and I wille home to you soon; hold on to my promise that I will be there with you until our hair turns gray." I whispered in the air, hoping that my wife is thinking about me as of the moment, and I am smiling as I helped Cal stood up from the ground, and we walked back to our campground with new hope in our hearts.

 Chapter 169 - He Is Coming Home

    Madeline''s POV

    I took Lily into the nursery room, and she guessed right away that I am pregnant before I can tell her about my pregnancy and the happiness I saw on her face is enough to make me cry as I remember Hunter. I know how much he loves his younger sister, that looking at Lily right now is breaking my heart, and I remember the time I ran away from the Divenson mansion. She was only twelve years old at that time, but I couldn''t believe that she would give me all her savings so that I have pocket money wherever I may go, and I know from that moment she will always have a special spot on my heart.

    "I am going to be an aunt?" Lily asked again, and I nodded my head with a broad smile on my face, and I saw her cry before she hugged me.

    "I am so happy, Madeline, I know there is a possibility that my brother is no longer alive, but I am not losing my hope, but this child is a blessing for us, and this is the best news ever. My brother is going to be a dad, and he doesn''t know about it yet, and I couldn''t imagine what his reaction would be the moment he will learn about it, and I am excited, and I can''t wait to buy baby clothes." She said, and I could no longer stop myself fromughing as I remember Lily and her love of shopping. And I am sure she is going to shower my baby with lots of toys, and I can''t stop smiling as I watch the crib in front of me.

    "I am sure mom will be excited to know about this, Madeline, and she will be thrilled. She has been dreaming for Hunter to have a child. It would be best if you were more careful now, Maddie. You have to take good care of yourself, and even if you are so worried about my brother, it would be better that you start thinking he will being home soon than thinking the opposite for the baby''s sake. And I don''t want to say this, but it has been one month now, Madeline." Lily said, and I can tell what she wants to say to me, and I have to make myself ready.

    "I know Lily if they have nothing to eat or drink, I know Cal and Hunter would be dead by now, but I can tell they will find ways to survive because your brother promised me that we are going to have dinner together the moment I return home, and now I am still waiting for him, Lily. I will never give up on believing that he is still alive, especially now that he is going to be a father, don''t worry if ever the worst wille. I will fight for the baby, Lily. And I know you will always be there for me to give mefort." I replied.

    "Of course, I will always be here for you, Madeline." She replied.

    We waited for mom Leticia toe home so we can eat dinner together, and the moment she arrived, Lily couldn''t wait.

    "Mom, Madeline is pregnant!" She eximed, and I almostugh when mom''s bag fell into the floor as she looked at me with a surprised look on her face, and then I saw her tears fall on her cheeks as she walked closer to me, and then she hugged me for a long time without saying a word.

    "Madeline, you make me so happy. Your husband will be delighted the moment he will learn about this, " Mom said after she released me from her embrace, and then together, we all walked to the dining hall. I asked Cer to join us, and I felt d she listened to me this time, maybe because she was also excited about my pregnancy.

    "I think you better stop working at the office, Madeline. You can work from home, and I don''t want you to be stressed." Mom said as we started eating our dinner.

    "Mom, I am okay. Besides, I am only one month pregnant." I replied.

    "Even if you are only one month pregnant, I don''t want anything to happen to you and the baby, especially now that Hunter is not yet around, and most of all,I am afraid if rk finds out about it, we can''t risk it, Madeline." Mom said, and I suddenly felt cold when I remembered rk Divenson''s words. He told me I am still alive because I am not yet pregnant with Hunter''s child. And now that I am pregnant, mom has a point, and I can''t allow him to hurt my baby.

    "I think working from home would be alright for me, mom, if it would be okay with you," I said as I tried to smile at mom. Parker already warned me, and this time I have to be careful.

    "Of course, my dear, and I will ask someone to help you if Cer has a ss." She said.

    "Mom, I can manage," I said.

    "Madeline, we are talking about my grandchild here, so I don''t care if I have to pay nurses or additional helpers to make sure your pregnancy will go smoothly. I have been waiting for this moment, Madeline, and atst, my prayers had been answered." She said, and the happiness that I can see on Hunter''s mom is contagious.

    "I will go with you to see your ob gyne, and we should go tomorrow so you can start taking your vitamins for your pregnancy." Mom said, and I can''t stop myself from smiling, and I know I can''t say no to Leticia Divenson, especially now that she looked so happy and excited.

    We went to the ob gyne the next day, and I am happy that mom came with me. The days that followed made me so busy with my work from home, and I always spend my time in the nursery during my breaks and before I go to sleep. Everything I found inside the nursery was chosen by my husband, from the crib, the mobile with cute angels design, changing table, storage basket, and many more. There are nights I woke up on the rocking chair, and tonight is one of those nights, and I smiled as I remember the day he told me about the nursery. It was years ago, but he had it repainted and bought new things. I can''t wait to have my baby. And I was hoping there would be news about Hunter and Calixto.

    "Oh, Lily, what are these?" I asked as she handed me the paper bags, and I couldn''t believe she asked Gina to drive her to the mall.

    "The room next to the nursery is vacant, Madeline, and I put in there the things I bought after I learned you were pregnant." She said, and I can tell she felt guilty about it, and she hugged me right away.

    "Please don''t get mad at me, Madeline, I just can''t help myself from being excited, and that is the only way to make me happy. Before I learned about your pregnancy, I always cried before I go to sleep thinking about my brother, and when I learned you are pregnant, that child in your tummy helped me feel better." She said, and my heart is pierced as I realized Lily was hurting too after my husband was buried alive underground.

    "Hey, it is okay Lily, I am not mad, thank you, but don''t you think it is a little early for shopping?" I asked her, and she shrugged her shoulders.

    "Don''t worry, next time, and I will only buy one or two items at a time, I promised." She said as she raised her right hand, and I can''t stop myself fromughing.

    It was Sunday afternoon when Gina arrived, and she was so excited that I got nervous when she asked me to watch the breaking news, and I got up because I don''t want to watch any news since the explosion in the mining site happened.

    "Gina, I already told you I hate watching the news. If you have something to tell me, tell me directly and don''t let me watch it because I am tired." I said as I switch off the television, and I saw my friend''s face fell, but she smiled at me again as she took my hands, and she brought me back to the sofa, and I can tell Lily is excited to hear the news.

    "Hunter and Cal are alive, Madeline! It is in the news, only this morning the rescuersmunicated with them, just on time before they cease the rescue operation." Gina said, and I became speechless, and when Lily came closer to me, and I heard her crying, I could no longer stop myself from crying with her.

    "I told you, Gina, my husband is still alive," I said in between my sobs, and I can''t express the happiness that I felt.

    "I know, Madeline,I believed in you when you told me he woulde home to have dinner with you." She replied, and I smiled at Gina as I felt Lily''s arms around my waist, and Gina joined us to have a grouped hug. When mom Leticia heard the news, she almost fainted on the floor, and we all watched the news. I could no longer listen to what the anchorwoman is saying after she said on the note my husband said he needs to be rescued. After all, his wife is waiting for him toe home because he promised to have dinner with his wife. Hunter asked the rescuers to tell me he ising home. It was all I needed to feel the overwhelming happiness, and I am so excited to see my husband once again. And I felt so thankful that my prayers had been answered.

 Chapter 170 - Breakthrough

    Hunter''s POV

    "Cal, you should eat, and drink some water so you will get better." I said to Cal, and I hate to think that now that I am be stronger and I feel better Calixto suddenly be sickly for thest few days and I am beginning to worry because until now we don''t hear anything from the outside world. We are starting to lose our hope, and even if how much I try to think that everything will be alright, I can''t stop myself from thinking the possibility that we will die at this ce, and our family will not recover our dead bodies, and I felt frustrated that our efforts will now be wasted.

    "Hunter, I could tell, at this point, we are going to die, and since I am older, I better make the sacrifice. We have been her for one month now, and we are running out of food. I will not eat anymore so you have the chance to survive, you can eat my shareter, in that way you will have a chance to meet Medeline again after the preacher will find you. I know my boy, and I can tell, I al going there." Calixto said, and I am shaking my head.

    "No one is going to die, I won''t let you die, and if you think I will follow your request, you are wrong Calixto, give me some credit Cal." I said feeling so frustrated why his fever didn''t go down, and I can tell his body is giving up.

    "We still have a lot of medicines in your medical kit, and I can tell you will get better after drinking another tablet." " I said as I opened the medicine kit box to get another tablet, but I saw Cal shook his head.

    "Hunter, I want you to save everything for you, don''t let me eat or drink water and take medicine because I am going to die anyway besides I am now at the right age to retire." Cal said as he closed his eyes.

    "Cal, do you think I will allow you to die? I don''t care if I need to use force you to eat or drink. We are going to die together. And for now, I am begging to eat something so you can take this medicine. Don''t lose your hope, I can feel it, the rescuers are getting nearer to us." I said as I walked towards him.I pulled him up until he was sitting on the ground.

    "It has been so many days since we heard the drilling, Hunter, and I think, someone are digging for other purposes and no to rescue us." He said, and I can tell he is only losing hope because of what he feels right now. Cal is having a high fever, it was on and off, and I let him sleep for days now since he started having fever, and I didn''t show him I am getting worried about his situation.

    During nighttime I will put a wet face towel on his forehead to cool down his fever, but I noticed it did''t help at all, and I wonder what is wrong with Calixto, and most of the night he was having nightmares and he was calling his wife while he was shivering, and as of now I can feel the burning heat all over his body.

    I felt delighted that atst I convince Cal.to open his mouth and eat some canned goods and he drank the medicince for dinner, and this time I helped himy his body on the ground, and I wiped his entire frame with a wet cloth, and I wish his fever will be gone. After wiping his whole body, I put the clothe on top of his forehead. And I smiled when I heard Cal''s steady breathing, and I realized he already drifted to sleep.

    I couldn''t sleep through the night thinking about Cal''s situation, and I forced him to drink another fever medicine after four hours. And I realized it is already early morning. I tried to have some sleep, so Iy my body on the hard ground thinking about Cal''s words I couldn''t believe he was thinking of sacrificing himself so I have the chance to live, and I understand he started to lose his hope when there was a time the drilling had stopped, but it didn''t stop me from hoping they will never cease from looking for us until we are saved.

    I got terrified when I heard Calixto is moaning, and I saw his whole body is trembling again, and I got up and Iy next beside him and I hugged Calixto because we don''t have nket that can cover his body, and I know even if he is having a fever right now he feels so cold. After I embraced him, the trembling of his entire body had ceased, and I felt so delighted that atst his body rxed. I stayed beside Cal the entire night, and I didn''t realized I dozed.

    "Hunter, wake up!" I heard Cal''s voice, and when I opened my eyes I saw him on his feet.

    "Idon''t want to wake you up since I know you don''t have enough sleep because you watch over me the entire night. But you need to eat something, it is already lunch time." He added while I remain staring at him as I can''t stop myself from smiling at him.

    "Thank you, Dr. Hunter, for taking good care of me."I heard Cal said, and I beamed at him while I got up from the ground, and I strechd my limbs.

    "Thank goodness, you are now back to your old self, you reaaly scared mest night, Cal." I said.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I know I was being irrationalst night, but it was the best solution that I can find, and I think it is better to eat now and we still have four hours to clear the remaining debris." Calixto said.

    "Cal, you shoud stay here and take a rest, and tomorrow you can join me again."I insisted, and I saw Calixto nodded his head.

    "Youbscared mest night, Cal." I dered.

    "I am sorry, Hunter if I worry you, I am just d my fever has gone now, and thank yoi to your magic touch." He responded and i chuckled, and we eat our lunch together, and for how many days now we lessen our ration of food since it is now one month after the explosion, and Cal was right we are running out of supply, and if the rescuers will not find us soon, we will strave to death, and I just wish they will reach us sooner.

    We got busy the following days, but we agreed not to have overtime to reserve our strength, but if we can''t clear the debris on the tunnel there is a possiblity they can''t reach our location on tims, and I can feel they are digging on the other side that is why we need to remove the blockage so we canmunicate with them.

    Then the breaktrhough happened when finally the rescuers reach on top of the shaft of the mine, when I heard they are reaching the shaft,I couldn''t stop my eyes from watering. We tapped the pipe to

    let them know we are waiting for them, and when I heard them replied by knocking backI know right then and there they knew we are still alive, and that is the time they made a hole and sent down a cable so we canmunicate with them.

    We didn''t able to sleep that night as we both realized our salvation is near, and atst I am going to see my wife. I felt so excited that I couldn''t stop

    myself from crying as I remember the darkest days of our lives under this tunnel. It was a hell of experience, and I know my life will never be the same again.

    We are giving another chance to live and enjoy the gift of life, and this time I will try my best to do things right, and most of all I will show Madeline how much I love her, and I can''t wait to see my beautiful wife. And as we waited for the rescuers to save as I can''t stop myself thinking about my second honeymoon with Madeline, and I can''t stop thinking about it, and I hope nothing will happened and the rescue team will take us out alive.

    We didn''t able to sleep that night as we both realized our salvation is near, and atst I am going to see my wife. I felt so excited that I couldn''t stop

    myself from crying as I remember the darkest days of our lives under this tunnel. It was a hell of experience, and I know my life will never be the same again.

    We didn''t able to sleep that night as we both realized our salvation is near, and atst I am going to see my wife. I felt so excited that I couldn''t stop

    myself from crying as I remember the darkest days of our lives under this tunnel. It was a hell of experience, and I know my life will never be the same again.

 Chapter 171 - Everything Will Be Alright

    Madeline''s POV

    l know it is still so early to talk with my baby but the moment I return to my room after I hear the good news I happily speak with our child.

    "Your daddy ising homing to us, my baby, I am sorry if mommy got so emotionaltely. I don''t want you to be affected with my loneliness because I am missing your father so much, but now that he ising home to us I can feel the overwhelming happiness and I wanted to shout, and let everyone knows that I am very happy right now. I love your dad so much and I miss him, and right now I know I couldn''t sleep thinking that we will be together once again." I said to the baby as I touched my belly.

    "Don''t worry, from now on I will be more happy and I will eat well for you. You need to be healthy because mommy loves you and I am sure your father will be so happy to know that he is going to be a dad, and I am sorry if I am crying right now because of happiness, and don''t be sad for mom because this are tears of happiness." I said, as I smiled to myself as I felt so d I am going to be a mom.

    I was already lying on my bed when I heard thumping on my door, and I slowly walked to the door, and I found Lily standing on my doorstep.

    "Hey, Lily, is everything alright?" I asked her and she was already on her pajamas, and she was bringing her favorite pillow with her.

    "Yes! Everything felt so wonderful and beautiful after I heard the good news, Maddie, which is why I am here. Can I sleep beside you tonight?" She asked, and I smiled at her as I stroked her hair.

    "Of course, Lily, I missed sleeping beside.you." I said and she ran to my bed and jumped like a child before shey on the bed while I wasughing, and it feels so wonderful to have Lily in my room.

    "I am so happy, Madeline, that atst my brother ising home, and finally I can say sorry to him. For the fast days I am so scared that he is no longer alive, but tonight it feels like my heart is about to burst with too much happiness." She said as she looked at me sideways.

    "Me too, Lily, and I think I am the happiest person in the entire world tonight." I replied.

    "I think there are two of us, Maddie." She said and Iughed.

    "But we need to pray that the rescue operation will be sessful because even if the rescuersmunicated with Cal and Hunter, there is still a possibility that the ground will copse again, and that is what I am afraid of, " I dered.

    "Of course, but don''t worry, Madeline, I know he wille home to us." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "Good night, Lily, you need to sleep now because you still have an early ss tomorrow." I said and she nodded.

    "Good night, Madeline, and to my future niece." She said and I grinned at her.

    "Niece?" I asked her and she beamed at me.

    "I want it to be a girl because I am sure it will be a little Madeline, but if it is a baby boy I will still love him the same." She said, and I can''t stop myself from smiling from ear to ear, and for the first time after the explosion incident I sleep with a broad smile on my face.

    The days that followed the entire staff of the house got so busy because we all want to make everything perfect for my husband, and I suddenly feel the whole house bes so lively, even the staff looked happier, and they are now smiling to each other unlike the past few days that I can feel they are also worried about my husband''s safety.

    I know the rescuers can''t pull them out yet and it still takes time before they can finally rescue my husband, but at least they were able to send Hunter and Cal enough supply of food and medicine through a pipe. And it makes me feel so relieved that they are now eating healthy food, and I wonder what kind of food they eat on the underground for more than a month that they survive.

    And I felt so d whatever means they can have they bravely took it. And since mom advice me to rest from work even through online, I have a lot of time making DIY baby clothes, and ever since I becamepregnant, Gina always came to the house, and during her visit she will also bring good and clothes, and I already begged Lily and her to stop spoiling my many with presents even before my the child is born.

    I was on the terrace when I saw ck cars parked outside the gate of our house, and I call Roman immediately, and he informed me it was my father inw, and rk wants to get inside the house, but Hunter''s bodyguards didn''t allow them to get inside, and it made feel relieved he didn''t get inside since mom and Lily are not yet on the house.

    Then my phone rings, and I ignored it since I know it was rk Divenson, and he will only threaten me, so it is better not to talk with him anymore, and I can tell he was using a new number to contact me, and I am now more scared of him because I am now pregnant with Hunter''s child, and I will never give him a chance to hurt my son, and I felt so terrified if his men will fight against Hunter''s men, and I felt so thankful that atst they left the premesis.

    And when I saw Parker''s name on my screen I suddenly felt nervous about it because I am worried about his safety too, if his father found out he didn''t try to kill me, but he only warned me to take be careful at all times. My phone continued to ring until I answer it with trembling hand.

    "Hello!" I answered and I try to control my nervousness.

    "Madeline, are you okay?" Parker asked me, and I smiled when I hear the concern on his voice.

    "Yes, I am fine, Parker. Thank you for asking me, where are you now? Did youe with your father? He was here a while ago, but he wasn''t able to get inside the gate." I replied.

    "Thank goodness, Maddie, please tell Roman to have his men circled the entire house for your safety Madeline, my father found out you are pregnant." Parker said, and my entire body is covered with goosebumps.

    "He got so disappointed that the teacher operation is almost over, and he can''t stop Hunter froming home, I don''t to call you because I don''t want you to worry because it will harm the baby if you will always feel terrified, so I want you to rx Madeline, and ask Cer to prepare your food, don''t let anyone give you food, we don''t know if my father has a spy there, you know him. He could hire someone who is working for you." Parker dered and no matter how I want to control myself from worrying I can''t stop myself from thinking about the danger.

    "Thank you, for your advice and concern, Parker. Where are you now?" I asked him.

    "I am now in Magnolia, I left home today, Madeline, after he nned on kidnapping you." Parker said and my entire frame turned so cold.

    "Madeline, I want you to take care of yourself especially the baby." He added.

    "Okay, don''t worry I will do everything I can to protect my child until my husband returns." I said.

    "That is good, Madeline." He said.

    "Parker, are you okay out there?" I asked him and I can''t stop from worrying about Parker too.

    "Yeah? It is so nice here, Madeline, thank you for allowing us to use one of your vacation homes." He replied.

    "Of course,you can use that as long as you want, Parker. You take care too, don''t worry I will send you money and things that you need. I will asked Tony to do it, " I said.

    "Thank you, Madeline, I hate my father for taking everything from me the moment I fell in love with Reba." Parker said, and I can feel his pain. We talked some more until we said goodbye. During dinner I told mom about the incident, and I can tell she looked so angry with her husband, and we talked with Roman, and he already told us he add more men after Parker told him about rk Divenson''s n.

    "Madeline, I know you are so worried for your safety. But don''t worry I won''t let anything happen to you, I am going to protect you and the baby." Mom Leticia said and it warms my heart, and my fear suddenly lessened.

    "I am sorry that my husband is losing his mind, and I can tell he was so affected when I left him and when I filed the divorce, he couldn''t believe I will actually did it, and I am sorry that you are dragged into this, Madeline, but just hold on, since Hunter ising and I know everything will be alright, and Hunter will protect you, the baby, and he will also protect Lily and me, and I am sure your husband is willing to protect Parker as well because I know my son very well. He has a good heart Madeline." Mom said.

    We be more excited when we watch the news and the rescuers said, they are almost there, and in due time they can finally save.my husband and Calixto.I can''t wait to meet my husband again, and even if I felt worried about rk Divenson, my excitement of seeing Hunter overweighed everything, because right now only my husband matters, and I couldn''t wait to see him, and I know the moment she wille home everything will be alright.

 Chapter 172 - Rescued

    Hunter''s POV

    We received all the things we needed while we waited for the day they could finally bring us out, from food to personal needs, and we got a lot of water supply, and for the first time, I realized I missed tooth brushing my teeth. We spent our day talking, and they also sent us ying cards to have some fun.

    "I promise to give those people a bonus for helping us. I couldn''t imagine dying in this ce, Cal, where my loved ones couldn''t take thest glimpse of my pretty face." I said, and Calughed.

    "Of course, me too. I don''t want to die here, but when I felt sick, I thought I would die that time, and if you weren''t with me, I think I am already dead by now. Thank you for taking good care of me." Cal replied.

    "What I did was nothingpared to what to have done for me, Cal. If you didn''t bring those goods, I am sure we are not talking right now. We both died in thirst and hunger. Thank you so much, Cal. I owe you my second life." I said.

    "Thank meter, Hunter, when we are already in the outside world." He responded, and I chuckled as I shuffled the deck cards before I dealt the cards again.

    I hope they will expedite the rescue operation, but as a mining engineer, I know how tricky it could be, especially if it is raining. I miss the office, and everything about living, my mom, Lily, especially my wife, Madeline. I can''t stop thinking about her, and it was funny when before we got a contact from the outside world, Cal and I decided to write ast letter to our loved ones. I wrote three letters, one for my mom, for my sister, and of course for Madeline.

    I know it was impossible if Calixto didn''t bring a pen and his journal, so when I asked him if he had some pen and paper, he handed them to me quickly. Even if we were about to die, Iughed hard, and I felt so happy that I had him with me, or else I would die in misery. We are now lying on the ground, ready to sleep, and even without asking Cal what time is it, I can tell it is nighttime already since we could no longer hear the drilling, and I can tell it is weekend since they don''t do overtime during weekends, and I understand.

    For now, we will wait, and I hope there will be nondslide on the outside, and there will be no rain for the time being, or their operation wille to waste.We are facing each other, and I felt d his shlight survived, or else we areliving inside this tunnel with total darkness.

    "What are you going to tell Madeline the moment you first see her?" Cal asked me.

    "I don''t know, Cal, because as of this moment, there are a lot of things I want to tell her, but I am sure I am going to kiss her for a long time before I will speak to her, and I know there are so many words you can say through a kiss," I said, and he smiled.

    "I never thought you could be that poetic, Mr. Divenson." He replied.

    "Of course, when the first time you showed me her pictures, there were a lot of words I wanted to describe her, and I think she made me became a poet. Thank you for finding her Calixto, if you didn''t bring Madeline into the Divenson mansion, I would never be free from my guilt about Reba, and we would not find out that she is still alive. My wife brings not only joy in my life, but satisfaction, and shepletes me." I said.

    "I know from the first time I saw you look at Madeline that she will be your salvation, Hunter. I thought you would be forever trapped with your past, but I felt so happy when you started to fall in love with her because I saw you smile and be happy." Cal said.

    "Yeah, she brings out the best in me, and she taught me how to be selfless when she confessed to me that Reba was still alive, even if Maddie was hurting inside because I know how much she loves me. That is why there is no fucking way I will stay in this ce, Cal, and I can''t wait to be with Madeline again." I said.

    "Yeah, but I think you should stop calling her name in your dreams. Hunter, I can''t sleep." He said, and my eyes widened.

    "What do you mean?" I asked Cal.

    "Well, now that we are talking about Madeline, I think I should tell you now, almost every night, you are calling your wife''s name in your sleep." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "I am sorry, Cal, it only means one thing, I miss her like crazy," I said.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter, you will be reunited with Madeline." He replied.

    "Aren''t you excited to see your wife?" I asked him.

    "How could you say that? Of course, I miss my wife too. Still, if ever only one of us will be rescued, I will stay behind because my wife and I have been so in love throughout our marriage. We have been married for a long time, and I have a lot of memories stored in my heart that I will never have regrets even if I die, while you still have unfinished business with Madeline, you still need to get her pregnant, and you are still both young." Cal said, and I smiled at him.

    "Why it seems you are willing to sacrifice your life for me, Cal? If ever that happened, I will never leave you behind, Calixto. I will never do that to you." I said.

    "Hunter, we don''t know what will happen to us here while we are still waiting to be rescued, but you have to promise me when things get worse, and you need to save your life. Please don''t hesitate to leave me behind." He responded.

    "I will only promise you if you do the same if I have be trap again, and you need to save your life. Don''te back for me, save your life, and don''t think about me." I dere, and he looks at me for a long while before he speaks again.

    "Fair enough with me; good night Hunter." He said, and he switched off the shlight after I said good night to him.

    We waited for many more days until they could finally bring us to the outside world using a capsule. Calixto got out first even if he insisted I go out first, but I realized I owed him a lot, and he deserves to be rescued first. I put a white cloth to blindfold his eyes. After all, we need to be blindfolded becausewe have been trapped in the tunnel for so long, and we need to adjust to the light first before we can open our eyes to the sunlight. When it was my time to go, I could feel the excitement. I cried when I heard the cheers of the people who helped us got out of the tunnel, and I shouted thank you to the rescuers even if I couldn''t see them all because of the blindfold, and I could tell there were media around the vicinity. Finally, I am back to the outside world.

    I can tell right away that the Operation Manager was the one who assisted us, and he led us to the ambnce. And I wanted to go home right away, but I understood Cal, and I needed someboratory tests to assess our physical and mental condition.

    "Mom!" I eximed the moment I opened my eyes, and I realized I was in a hospital bed, and it felt so lovely to sleep on a soft bed.

    "Hunter! You scared me so much." She said while she was crying, and she was caressing my face.

    "Where is Madeline?" I asked, feeling so nervous if something happened to my wife, and I was confused why only mom was here.

    "I want to surprise her, Hunter, and don''t worry because she didn''t know anything because she stopped watching the news because it only does us no good, and I also briefed her best friend, Gina. Besides, I want you to look handsome and back to yourself before Madeline will see you." She said.

    "Mom, cut the crap, I know you are hiding something from me, and you are making me so nervous. I want to know if Madeline is fine, and please, mom, tell me the truth." I demanded because I could feel it. My mom is hiding something from me.

    "Okay, I didn''t allow Madeline to leave the house since your father has been harassing ustely, and without you, he became so frantic, and your brother, Parker, left the Divenson mansion, and he warned Madeline that your father is nning to kill her." My mom said, and it made me got up from bed, and I felt so angry with my father that I pulled out the needle of my IV, and it shocked my mom.

    "Hunter, what are you doing?" Mom asked.

    "We need to leave now, mom. I need to see my wife.

    I said as I picked up my phone from the side table, and I felt d someone let me borrow a charger before I sleptst night.

    "Hunter, you need to have a clearance from your doctor to get out from here. You are still weak, but I am sure you can be discharged tomorrow since yourboratory tests were all good. It would help if you had some timeto rest. Please listen to me, son. Roman is there with his men, and they are guarding the entire house twenty-four-seven until you will return. Madeline is safe." My mom said while she took my hand, and she pulled me closer to the bed.

    "I need to go to the office now, Hunter. I don''t have a choice but to take your ce, or else your father will take over thepany but don''t worry, I handled everything, and when you go back to your office, everything is in ce." My mom added.

    "Thank you, mom," I replied.

    "Your wee, son, wee back." She said and smiled at me.

    "I love you, mom," I said to my mom, and I know I took her off guard, and I saw her tears fall, and I realized it had been a long time I told my mom I love her, and after what happened to me I realized life is too short not to tell our loved ones how we feel.

    "I love you, too, Hunter, and I missed you so much, son, and as your mom, I was scared if we were going to lose you, and I was overjoyed with happiness when I learned they finally got in touch with you. I wanted to go there at the mining site, and Madeline begged me to go there too, but I was scared for her safety, and I asked her to stay at the house the entire time. She wanted to go there and ask the rescuers never to stop the rescue operation." My mother said while she was still crying, and I hugged my mom, and I caressed her back.

    "Mom, I am here now, and I am still alive, so please stop crying now," I said, and she looked at me as I released her from my embrace.

    Mom already left, and when my doctor made his rounds, I begged him to release me right away, but he exined everything,and he promised me that I could go out tomorrow. I felt so excited after I talked with my doctor, and I wanted to pull the time so I could finally see my wife, and I wanted to call her. Still, my mom was right, I wanted to surprise my wife too, so instead of feeling so anxious, I opted to watch her pictures on my cellphone, and I was smiling the entire time as I watched my wife''s beautiful face. I felt so excited that tomorrow we could be together again, and I could finally kiss Madeline''s sweet lips.

 Chapter 173 - His Promise

    Madeline''s POV

    It was early morning when I heard knocking on my door, and I walked to the door. And I was surprised when I found my mom, and I wondered what she wanted early this morning, and I couldn''t stop smiling at her.

    "Good morning, Madeline!" She greeted me with a beautiful smile on her face, and I can tell after we learned that my husband is alive, I can now see mom''s genuine smile. I know she was faking her smile for my sake as well.

    "Morning, mom!" I greeted her back.

    "Madeline, there is something I need to discuss with you." Mom Leticia said, and I suddenly felt worried if something happened during the rescue mission because we both all understood even if theymunicated with my husband and Cal, it would take longer to pull them out.

    "May I know what it is, Mom?" I asked as I tried to control the shaking of my voice.

    "Roman and I talked, and we agreed that you should stay in your room for the timing being until Hunter will return, and you don''t need to worry; everything is fine. I am just worried about you and the baby. I already hired additional guards, and rest assured you are safe, Madeline. I want you to be safe at all times, especially now that you are carrying my grandchild. Besides, I am sure my son wille home soon. You will only go downstairs during dinner because I want to have dinner with you and Lily." She responded, and I felt d it wasn''t about the rescue mission.

    "Okay, mom, " I replied.

    "You can call anyone if you need anything, and I bring you magazines and romance books you can read." She said, and I smiled at Hunter''s mom.

    "Thank you, mom," I replied, and she caressed my face.

    "You are wee, honey, and don''t worry, they said in due time they can pull them up from the tunnel, and you are going to see my son again. And I want you to get ready and prepare yourself anytime." She said, and I nodded my head, and I got so excited about it, and I know Roman asked me to stay in my room at all times, and I feel d the master''s bedroom is very spacious, and I can walk around every time I felt bored.

    I wanted to visit the nursery to put additional decorations, and I can''t wait to bring Hunter there. And I know Lily keeps buying stuff for the baby. I don''t want them to worry, so I n to revisit the nursery when my husbandreturns. If I am not only pregnant, I can walk around, and I know I can protect myself, but now that I have a little angel in my tummy, I couldn''t risk it, and I am not also allowed to sit outside the balcony of my room, and I understand it was for my safety.

    I was reading the magazine mom brought me, and I cried when I looked at the cover of the next magazine, it was an old one before I got married to Hunter. He was the cover of the magazine, and I traced my fingers on his face. He looked so handsome with his business suit.And I realized this was the only time I got separated from my husband for a long time. Ever since we got married, every time he was away on a business trip, we always talked via Facetime, and he would go home immediately after he met his clients and attended a conference.I read the column, and I can''t stop myself crying that I didn''t notice I gotpany.

    "Madeline, why are you crying? Hunter is now safe, and I am telling you, you will see him sooner thanter, so please stop crying now because it can harm the baby." Gina said the moment she sat beside me on the sofa inside our room.

    "I couldn''t help it, Gina. I missed my husband so much, and right now, as I see his image in the magazine, I suddenly miss him, and I want to go to the site and wait there until he gets out from the underground." I said.

    "If you are not only pregnant, Maddie, I will drive you to the mining site even if it took almost five hours before we can reach the mining site." She responded while she dried my tears with her fingers.

    "I know it is not good if you are alone in this room because you will spend your time crying. Come with me, Maddie." She said, and my eyes widened.

    "Where are you going to take me? Mom asked me to stay in my room the entire day, Gina." I said, and I suddenly felt nervous, and I know I always love suspense but right now that rk Divenson is nning to kidnap me, I don''t like tension anymore.

    "Rx, I will only bring you to the yroom since Lily told me she already put all the toys in the yroom to keep the nursery clean. You know I am amazed that your child has two rooms, the nursery, and the yroom, and both rooms are more spacious than my room. It is different if you marry a billionaire." My best friend said as she smiled at me.

    "And marrying a billionaire is not that easy, Gina," I replied.

    "Of course, I know about it, Madeline." She replied, and we got outside of our room, and we tiptoed going to the nursery room first, and I felt better when I looked at the crib, and I couldn''t stop touching my tummy even if I didn''t have a bump yet, and then we walked to the yroom, and my mouth hangs open. I couldn''t believe Lily.

    "Oh, no!" Gina eximed while she covered her mouth, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so shocked, and I became speechless.

    "I couldn''t imagine what will happen after you deliver your baby, Madeline. I think all the vacant rooms of this house will be filled with toys. I couldn''t believe your little sister will buy all this for hering nephew or niece, and I can tell she is very excited about your baby. That is why you need to take care of yourself and stop crying, okay?" She asked.

    "Noted, Doc," I replied, and Gina''sughter reverberated the entire room, and Iughed with her.We returned to my room, and she was the one who brought me lunch, and we ate together. And I felt so happy when she told me she would be spending the night, but Gina asked me if she could sleep in her usual reserve room every time she slept over when Hunter was around.

    "Why don''t you want to sleep beside me tonight, Gina?" I asked because every time I am alone, she will sleep beside me on my bed.

    "Not this time, Madeline. I want to feel I am one of the Divenson." She said, and I shook my head, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing.

    "Suit yourself, and you can choose which room you like to have, and why do you want to feel like you are a Divenson?" I asked.

    "Well, I want to imagine that I am also a daughter of a billionaire, so you better stop asking questions, Maddie. Driving your sports car every day made me feel like one, and tonight I will be sleeping in a big room with an extra king-sized bed with luxurious bed covers and duvet willplete my fantasy." She said, and she looked so serious right now

    "Whatever, Gina," I said as I shook my head.

    Lily joined us after her ss, and I wondered why she dressed up like Gina, and I wondered what was wrong with them. Today, I felt something was off, and I became more confused when Lily spoke to me.

    "Madeline, can you also dress something nice? Mom wants us to have dinner together, and since we know that my brother is now safe, it is about time that we should look so happy, I know we are not in the Divenson mansion, but I miss dressing up pleas?" Lily said with her puppy eyes that I couldn''t say no to her, and she chose thest dress Hunter bought for me, and I love it when I put it on, and when I looked at the mirror, the crimson mini dress with spaghetti straps looked so good on me.

    "You look so beautiful, Maddie, and I think you should wear that dress the moment my brotheres home," Lily said, and I ruffled her hair.

    "Okay, Lily, just remind me because I love this dress too," I said, and she beamed at me.

    "I think we need to go downstairs now; Mom texted me she is already in the parking lot," Lily said, and we both got up from our seats, and we walked through the hallways down to the grand staircase. I was on the bottom of the stairs when the door opened, and I felt the entire world standstill when I found my husband looking at me with tears in his eyes, and I ran towards him, and it felt like I was running in slow motion that I couldn''t reach him right away.

    I saw my husband running towards me, and the moment we faced each other, Hunter carried me, and he spun me around, and I curled my legs around his waist. He captured my lips right away, and I kissed him back with yearnings, and I could taste my tears and his tears as we continued to kiss each other. We kissed for a long time that background around us faded away, and I could no longer hear anything, only my heartbeat and the beating of Hunter''s heart. We are both crying, and I stand on the floor while we continue kissing until we both hear clearing of throats, and we bothugh.

    "Can I hugged you too, big brother?" Lily asked, and Hunter offered his arm to Lily while his other hand never let me go. We hugged for a long time without saying a single word, and I could tell our happy heartsmunicated with each other, and I felt so overwhelmed with happiness that finally, he came home to us.

    "Can I have dinner with you, Madeline?" He asked, and I nodded my head while I was still crying.

    "I love you, Madeline." He said loud enough that everyone around us heard his words.

    "I love you too, Hunter," I replied while he wiped my tears away, and he took my hand as we walked towards the dining hall and I couldn''t stop my heart from feeling so happy that Hunter fulfilled the promise he made toe home and have dinner with me.

 Chapter 174 - Feeling Grateful

    Hunter''s POV

    "Are you ready to go home, son?" My mom asked me on the following day, and I broadly smiled before I answered her. I felt d mom came early to the hospital because I am getting crazy being confined in this ce. Still, I felt delighted that everything was fine with myboratory test results, and I owe it all to Calixto.

    "Of course, mom, I have been dying to go home to see my wife and my sister. I was controlling myself not to walk out from this hospital yesterday because I want to see my Madeline." I replied, and my mom smiled at me.

    "I know, son, but it is all worth the wait; you need to take a bath first, make yourself more handsome, to impress your wife. I can''t imagine the happiness Madeline will feel the moment she sees you tonight. I left the office early because I also want to spend more time with you. I miss you so much, son." My mother dered as she sat down next to me on the bed.

    "I know the moment we will get home, you will spend your entire time with Maddie, and that is why I came earlier than necessary." She added, and I touched my mom''s face.

    "I thought I would never see you again, mom. It was the darkest moment of my life, and I am so thankful for Calixto because if he wasn''t there. I know I will nevere out alive from the underground." I said, and I narrated everything that happened to Cal and me to my mom, and I could see the pain on my mother''s beautiful face.

    "That was a terrible experience, Hunter, and I will forever be thankful to Cal for saving you. I know ever since that he was loyal to you, and I can tell it the way he looked at you that he cares for you more than just his boss and more than friends, and I am aware he cares for you like a son." Mom said.

    "I know, mom," I said, and we spent the entire afternoon talking andughing, and I realized how much I miss my mother.We got out of my room, but before we went to the parking lot, I visited Calixto, and it was good to see Cal after more than twenty-four hours of not seeing him.

    "I miss you, Hunter!" He eximed the moment he saw me, and Cal greeted my mom, and he was shocked when my mother came to the side immediately and hugged him. My assistant was shocked that Leticia Divenson would hug him, and I could tell the panic on his face while grinning at him.

    "Calixto, I know, no words can express how happy you make me; thank you so much for bringing out my son alive from that tunnel. You save Hunter, and I will be forever grateful to you. And I want to buy you a house and lot, and I know it will never be enough, but I want to give you something because you make me feel so happy." She said after she released Cal from her embrace, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I realized Cal blushed. I know my mom is so beautiful, and it makes him ufortable.

    "Mrs. Divenson, you don''t need to do that because I care about your son, and I am also aware if Hunter wasn''t there, I couldn''t get out from that tunnel alive. I was sick, and he also took good care of me. And I know I will never survive without Hunter by my side. He helped me more than he realized." Cal said, and my mother gave him a beautiful smile.

    "Okay, then, that is nice to hear that my son also helped you, but I am still going to give you that house and lot, and a brand new car for your son, don''t say no to me, Calixto. To refuse an offer is an insult, so you don''t have a choice, Mr. Morgan." Mom replied, and I stifled augh when I looked at Calixto''s face.

    "Think of it as a birthday gift, and thank you gifting from me. I know you will celebrate your birthday one week from now, so I guess you don''t have any reason to say no to me. Goodbye Calixto, and take care. Please send my best regards to your wife and children." Mom said, and she looked so sophisticated as she stood next to Cal''s bed.

    "Thank you, Mrs. Divenson, for making my uing birthdayplete." He said, and my mom smiled at him, and she waved her hand at him before she turned around and walked to the door.

    "See you soon, Cal. I need to go now to see my wife." I said as I smiled at him.

    "Goodbye, Hunter, and good luck with your reunion with your wife, and please say hi to Madeline for me." He said, and he was beaming at me.

    "Sure, Cal, and I am sure she wille to your house one of these days to give you a warm hug," I said, and he chuckled.

    "Madeline will be so happy to see you, and I can tell you are now back to your old self in just one day of resting, andyou looked like a model from a magazine and not a survivor who was buried alive 2000 feet below the ground." He said, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing at hisment.

    "Thank you, Cal. I know I would not beughing now if not for you, our experience taught me how to be strong, patient, faithful, and it made me appreciate the beauty of being alive. And I realized we don''t know what the future holds, and I want you to know, I am so thankful to have you in my life." I dered.

    "Me too, even if I am old, I feel the same way. Goodbye, son, see you soon." He said, and I tapped his shoulder before I said goodbye to Cal.

    I drove my mom''s car, and I felt so happy. When I looked at the rearview mirror, I could see the vehicle of her bodyguards, and I was delighted she was also thinking about her safety. I know I should deal with rk Divenson after all this, for how many times I give my father and sister a chance, but I am sure Kaye''s family is backing them up. And the moment momtold me all the miners got out safely after the second st. I could tell my father had something to do with the explosionson the site.

    I was driving the car on the maximum speed limit because I couldn''t wait to see Madeline, and for how many times I almost got beyond the speed limit, and I am just d mom was beside me who reminds me to control myself.

    I can feel the rapid beating of my heart as we near our mansion, and it feels like I haven''t seen my wife for years because I missed her so much. And I felt so happy when we arrived at the main gate of our home, and after I assisted my mother in climbing out of the car, I walked ahead of her because I could no longer wait, and I almost stumble on the ground as I ran going to the main entrance of our home.

    I could feel my hand was trembling as I held the door handle, and when I opened the door, I realized how much I missed our home. And when I walked going to the grand staircase, I could feel the racing of my heart, and I couldn''t stop my tears from falling on my cheeks when I found my wife standing at the bottom of the stairs looking like an angel. And she was wearing thest dress I bought for her before the incident happened. I could see the surprise and the happiness on her face as she ran towards me, and I met her halfway, and the moment we came near to each other, I lifted my wife''s frame from the ground, and I turned her around, and then I kissed her on the lips passionately.

    I missed the softness of her lips and her natural scent that always drives me crazy. Madeline smelled so heavenly, and I felt d mom brought me presentable clothes, and I took a long shower before I met my wife. I kissed her long enough to make us both breathless, but it never stopped me from iming her mouth again. We were both gasping for air when I stopped kissing my wife when I heard the clearing of throats, and we bothughed. I can''t get enough of my wife, but I know we have all the timeter, and I can''t wait to be alone with Madeline.

    I pulled out a chair for my wife without releasing her hand, and I was still holding her hand while we were staring at each other. And I want to kiss her again, but I know we need to eat dinner, and I felt so happy to be with her again, to see her lovely face, and of course, to be with my mom and sister too.

    "Wee home, Hunter, and thank you foring home to me." She whispered in my ear, and I squeezed her hand before I spoke.

    "Of course, I promised to grow old with you, Madeline, and I came back because we still need to have babies, and I can''t wait to be alone with you tonight." I whispered back, and I loved how my wife blushed, andI felt so grateful that I was given a second chance to live my life and to be reunited with Madeline again. And I realized we should be thankful for all the blessings that we have, especially the people we love, and most of all, the gift of life.

 Chapter 175 - The Best Thing

    Madeline''s POV

    I couldn''t stop looking at my husband while eating our dinner, and I felt afraid if this was just a dream. I want to be alone with him, and I can''t wait to tell him the good news.

    "Please tell me, I am not dreaming," I whispered.

    "Of course, you are not dreaming, Madeline, and I don''t want this to be a dream either." My husband said, and I blushed because it was not my intention to say it aloud. I felt so thrilled when he wiped the smeared sauce on the side of my mouth with his fingers, and I couldn''t stop having butterflies on my stomach; and I remember the feeling of excitement that I had felt on the first night that I met Hunter. And tonight, I can''t stop my heart from racing.

    It was customary of the Divenson family to have bonding time in the family room after eating dinner, and I was sitting beside my husband. At the same time, he put his arms around my waist, and he ced his chin on my shoulder while he was giving me butterfly kisses on my neck and face.

    "Hunter!" Lily called her brother, and Hunter straightened up, and he faced Lily with a broad smile on his face, and I saw his sister stood up, and she sat beside Hunter on the other side.

    "Yes, sweetheart?" Hunter asked Lily.

    "I would like to say sorry, because before you left to the site that time, I was upset with you because you chose to go to the site than go shopping with Maddie and me, and I want to tell you I wasn''t upset with you anymore, and I am sorry if I was a bad sister." She said, and Hunter took her closer to him, and he caressed Lily''s hair.

    "Lily, you don''t need to apologize, I should be the one who should ask for an apology; sorry because I made a promise to you, don''t worry on the second weekend from now I will go shopping with you with my wife and with mom, and I want to ask also Gina and Cer toe with us." My husband said, and Lily beamed at her brother.

    "And why do I need to wait another weekend, Hunter? Why can''t we do it this weekend instead?" Lily asked my husband, and I felt Hunter held my hand.

    "I am sorry, my little sister, but I already have a prior engagement thising weekend," Hunter said, and I felt sad that he just got back, and he needed to travel out of the country again. I saw Lily pouted her lips.

    "Hey, don''t be like that Lily, I need to spend my weekend with my wife at the Vi, and I hope you understand," Hunter said, and my heart skipped a beat as I remembered he promised me before the explosion that we are going to have our second honeymoon at our vacation house. I saw Lily''s face lit up.

    "Can we join you?" She excitedly asked.

    "You can join us on Sunday morning because I want us to leave Friday afternoon and spend the entire Saturday alone in our vacation home." My husband dered, and I felt so excited.

    "Yehey!" Lily eximed, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling.

    Hunter narrated everything that happened to him and Calixto at the mining site after the explosion, and while my husband was telling us the whole story, I couldn''t stop myself from crying, and he took me closer to him.

    "Hey, I am now home, my sweet, please, don''t cry." He said while he kissed my forehead.

    "I want to go to Calixto now and thank him for saving you," I said.

    "I already did, Madeline." Mom said, and I smiled at her.

    Thank you, mom, and he is indeed Hunter''s hero," I said.

    "Yes, he is, and I know he will do everything for Hunter." Mom replied.

    Hunter excused himself to go to the kitchen. I want toe with him because I am afraid if something will happen to him again that we need to stay away from each other, and as possible, I don''t want my husband to travel out of the country after what happened not unless I already gave birth to our child.

    "So, you all knew that Hunter ising home tonight?" I asked, and they all nodded their heads.

    "And that is the reason why you askedme to stay in my room the entire day? Why didn''t you tell me about it so that I could prepare myself and look presentable in front of my husband." I said, and they all looked at me, and before anyone could answer, I heard my husband''s voice behind me.

    "You will always be beautiful in my eyes, Madeline, and no matter how you wear your hair and what clothes you wear, I will still look at you the same way." My husband said, and I smiled before I turned around to face him.

    "I think we should call it a night since I can tell Hunter still needs to have a rest, and he is now excited to be alone with Maddie." Mom said while she winked at us, and I felt my face blushed. They all went upstairs ahead of us after we said goodnight to each other, while my husband hugged me for a long time without saying anything.

    "I missed you so much, Maddie, and I felt so happy to have you in my arms again. I thought I would never see you again, and right now, I want to shout how much I love you." My husband said as he slowly released me from his embrace, and he faced me again, and this time, he leaned down and kissed me passionately on the lips. And I can feel the sparks that travel in my entire frame as we continue to kiss and touch each other.

    "Me too, Hunter, and I was praying hard every day that you woulde back to me, and now that you are here, it feels like I am floating on the sky with happiness in my heart. Thank you for making me this happy, Hunter, and I love you so much." I replied, and I almost screamed when Hunter carried me going to our room. We took a bath together, and we couldn''t stop ourselves from making love in the bathtub because I knew we couldn''t make it to the bed. After all, we can''t stop touching each other.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I just missed you so much that I couldn''t stop myself from taking you. But don''t worry, we have all night, my love." He said after we made love on the tub, and he was still cuddling my naked body on top of him while he was caressing my back.

    "I think we should go to our bed now, Madeline." He whispered in my ears, and I could feel the goosebumps that covered my entire frame.

    "Why do you need to say sorry when you made me feel so good. You make me feel so alive and happy, Hunter." I said, and my husband smiled at me, and he captured my lips once more, and we got out of the bathroom after we finished our warm bath. I was already wearing my nightgown when I remembered I needed to tell him about my pregnancy.

    "I need to show you something," I said, and he looked at me, confused why I got up from the bed, and I was heading to the door.

    "Where are you going, Maddie? Aren''t you excited to sleep beside me?" He asked while he walked closer to me, and he held my hand, and we walked out from our room holding hands, and I brought him to the nursery room.

    "Do you want us to sleep in here?" He asked when I stopped in front of the door, I didn''t answer my husband, and when I opened the door I heard him gasped when he saw all the baby clothes Lily and Gina bought for our baby, and then he turned to face me, and he was crying already as he pulled me closer to him.

    "You are now pregnant, Madeline?" He asked, and I couldn''t stop my tears from falling as I nodded my head, and my husband kneeled in front of me as he continued to cry, and he was hugging my lower body while he was kissing my tummy, and it made meughed even if I was crying with happiness too. And then he got up, and he hugged me again.

    "Oh, Madeline, this is the greatest gift I ever received, and thank you so much for making me so happy. I can''t describe the happiness that I feel as of now, and I can''t wait to tell Calixto, and all my friends, and the entire world that I am going to be a dad." He said, and the happiness that I saw on my husband''s face was priceless.

    "We are going to be parents, Maddie, and I promised you I will take care of both of you, and I am so excited to be a dad." He said.

    "Me too, Hunter, and I can''t wait to be a mom, and I know you are going to be an amazing dad because you are the best husband I could ever ask. You provided me everything that I needed, and the most beautiful gift you offered to me was your love and now our baby. And this child in my tummy was the reason I didn''t stop believing that you woulde back to me." I said.

    "I love you, Madeline, and I know you are going to be a great mom." He said, and I could feel the overwhelming happiness as we got out of the nursery room holding hands with beautiful smiles on our faces while I was caressing my stomach. It feels so wonderful to think that there is a life inside my tummy now, and I feel so safe and secure now that my husband is back, and my pregnancy was the best thing that ever happened to Hunter and me.

 Chapter 176 - Overwhelming Happiness

    Hunter''s POV

    My wife looks so adorable as she keeps on stealing nces at me while we are eating our dinner, and I could tell she is so excited to be alone with me. And I can''t wait to be with her either. If I can only kiss her while we are eating, I already did it. And this is the best dinner I ever have in my entire life.

    I carried Madeline in going to our room, and the moment we got inside, I couldn''t stop kissing my wife, and when she told me she wanted to take a bath first, I brought her to the bathroom without breaking our kiss. I miss Maddie''s sweet scent, and I know making love with her was among the things I remember while I was underground.

    For how many days I yearned to kiss Madeline again, and now that she is in my arms, I felt so happy, and I undressed her slowly, and I swallowed my saliva when I saw her naked body in front of me. My wife looked so beautiful, and her gorgeous body made me feel so alive, andI can''t deny the bulging under my pants was killing me. I felt so aroused right now that my wife was undressing me with her eyes.

    "You are so beautiful, Madeline," I whispered in her ear as I brought her closer to me, and I nibbled her ear, and I heard my wife moaned when I caressed her supple breast while I captured her mouth. I kissed her smooth throat, and I let my mouth go lower to her cor bone, and I couldn''t take it anymore. I kneaded her breasts tenderly, and then I used my mouth to taste her, and I felt her nipple hardened on my mouth, and I loved the way Madeline moaned as I sucked her nipple.

    "I miss you so much, Madeline." I groaned as I continued to taste her sweet nipples one at a time, and I felt her arched her back so I could kiss her more.

    I felt her hands on the hem of my shirt, and I helped my wife undressed my shirt and pants. I could see her eyes widened when she looked down on my stiff member, and when I felt my wife touched my stiff rock shaft, I grunted. She started to caress me just the way I wanted it, and I realized that I missed her so much, and when I touched her between her legs, I smiled when I realized my wife was so wet and ready for me. I touched and caressed her sensitive parts, and I felt my wife writhed with pleasure as I continued to stroke her sensitive clit.

    "I know we both missed each other so much, and I want to make you so happy tonight, Madeline, but I can''t take it anymore. I want to take you now, Maddie." I whispered.

    "Me too, Hunter. I want to feel you inside me." She whispered back, and I lost it. I carried her near to the bathtub, and I put her feet back on the floor while Iy my back on the tub, and I positioned myself, so my wife could ride me, it was one of her favorites, and I wanted this night to be about her. I could feel her body shiver as I offered my hand to her, and when she positioned herself so she could amodate me, I almost came just watching my wife, but I controlled myself because I wanted Maddie toe first before me. I want my wife to enjoy this moment.

    She straddled me, and I rubbed my hardness on her slit, and I could feel that she wanted to have me inside her, and I stroked her clit with my fingers, and I felt my wife lowered herself, and I filled her with my stiff rod. I heard Madeline moaned as she took me inch by inch. I closed my eyes when I felt my wife ground her hips, and I could no longer take it, I thrust forward, and Madeline arched her body to received my every push. And I could feel her wetness as I continued to make love with my wife. She looked so beautiful.

    I smiled when she hit her first orgasm, and her moans echoed the entire bathroom. I carried her as I sat down at the edge of the tub, and I held her hips so she could continue to move up and down on my rigid member, and I kissed her lips as we continued to share the beauty of our lovemaking. And then I sucked her nipple, and I could tell I was getting bigger as I felt her sweetness.

    "You are so tight, Madeline," I grunted as I continued to thrust my hips while my mouth devoured her breast.

    "And you are so big, but it feels so wonderful to have you, Hunter." She replied, and I smiled.

    "I love you," I said.

    "I love you, too," Madeline replied, and I can feel that she is near, and it feels so amazing that I came together with my wife, and I carried her body slowly to the bathtub, and we kissed each other passionately that we were both gasping for air after our hot kiss.

    "Happy?" I asked, and she answered with tears.

    "Hey, Did I hurt you?" I asked as I cupped her face.

    "No, of course not. You did the exact opposite. You made me so happy, Hunter." She said, and I beamed at her, and I started to bathe her. I put shampoo on her hair, and she started crying again.

    "This feels so good, and I am afraid if I sleep tonight, you will be gone in the morning when I wake up." She said, and I chuckled.

    "Hey, how can I be gone? I will promise you, Maddie, from now on, I will never leave you again." I answered her as I put conditioner on her hair.

    "You better keep your promise Hunter, or else you will never see me again."She said, and she looked so adorable when she pouted her lips, and I couldn''t stop myself from iming her sweet lips, and I smiled when Madeline pulled me closer to her, and she deepened our kiss.

    "Don''t ever disappear from me, Madeline. My life would lose its meaning if you were going to leave me; you are my life, Maddie," I said, and I couldn''t stop myself from being sad, and then she kissed me again.

    "I was only joking, Hunter. I will never leave you again. That was the promise I made the moment I got back here in our house." She said, and I grinned at Madeline.

    It took us so long to finish our bath because we kept kissing each other, and I missed caressing my wife''s smooth skin, and I know I will never get enough of Madeline. I dried her body with a towel, and then I blew dry her hair, and it feels so lovely to do this to Madeline. She was wearing her nightgown, and I could feel my urge to have my wife again, but I wanted her to have some rest, maybe tomorrow early morning, because I asked mom another vacation leave since I want to spend more time with Madeline before I will go back to work.

    I felt d mom told me I could have two days off and have another vacation next week because I want to spend more days in Magnolia vige.I was delighted mom took over thepany the moment I was trapped underground. I know I need to set aside my problems with my father at the moment because I don''t want to ruin my beautiful moments with Madeline.

    I suddenly felt worried when Madeline told me that she wanted to show me something. I couldn''t stop feeling so excited when she brought me to the nursery room, and I could tell my wife was so enthusiastic about something. I wondered what did my wife do to the room, maybe Madeline put additional essories, and I felt so happy that Maddie was so excited to have our baby. Still, the moment Madeline opened the door, my heart leaped on my chest when I saw many baby clothes inside and when I looked at Madeline, she seemed so happy, and I realized my wife was pregnant.

    I can''t exin the happiness that I felt that I could no longer hold the tears that poured down on my cheeks as I pulled her closer to me. When I asked Madeline if she was pregnant, I wanted to shout when she nodded her head, and I felt so overwhelmed with too much happiness that I kneeled in front of my wife, and I couldn''t stop kissing her belly. I know she doesn''t have a bump yet, but the reality that our baby is growing inside her is enough to make me feel soplete.

    And I felt so thankful for this moment we have. The reality that I will be a dad hit me like I won more than a lottery, and I want to celebrate right away. I want to let everyone know I will be a dad, and I know I will do everything I can to protect my wife and my child. We get out from the nursery holding hands, and Iugh when my wife tells me Lily and Gina bought all the stuff I found in the nursery, and I know our child will be loved and adored by many.

    No words can express the overwhelming happiness I felt as I looked at my wife sleeping in my arms, and I couldn''t stop myself from touching her belly.

    "Hey, kiddo, I can''t wait to see you. Thank you foring into our lives. You make me and your mom so happy. I love you." I whispered, and I knew it was too early to talk with our baby, but I couldn''t help to feel so excited about weing our child.

 Chapter 177 - In My Husbandâ€™s Arms

    Madeline''s POV

    Waking up in the morning in my husband''s arms feels surreal for me at the moment, and I couldn''t take away my eyes from watching his handsome face as he sleeps. And I can''t stop myself from touching his cheek, and I know I should not be doing this because I don''t want him to wake up since I know my husband needs rest. But he needs to report to his office, and I know his personality. He loves his work so much, and his dedication to his job made hispany so sessful.

    I know my husband has been on the underground for more than one month, and I can tell he lost so much energy, and if not for Calixto, he could be dead.I know we owe Calixto a lot, and I want to see him right away and tell him how happy I am that he saved my husband. As I watched Hunter sleeping in our bed, I realized I loved everything about him. Even if he was asleep, he looked so hot that I wanted to kiss him and let him know I loved him. His arms are on my waist while my legs are on his thighs, and it feels so wonderful to hear the steady beating of his heart.

    I slowly got up from our bed, but I felt Hunter tightened his grip on my waist, and I smiled when I heard him mumbled something.

    "Don''t get up yet, Madeline." He said while his eyes were still close, and he brought my body closer to him, and I felt so happy. I don''t want to wake up my husband, but I know he needs to shower and have breakfast, so he will not bete for his work. I know my husband doesn''t like tardiness, even with his employees. That is why he set as a role model to them, and I can tell his employees will be so happy to see him.

    "Hey, if you are not going to get up now, you will bete for your work, Hunter." I dered, and I saw him smile before he opened his beautiful eyes and stared at me, and I felt so conscious, and I don''t know why I still feel this way towards my husband. We have been married for so many years now. And it felt so amazing that I still feel the same way towards Hunter, and my love for him never wavered even a little bit, and I am proud to feel this way. He still makes me feel weak whenever he is near me, especially if he kisses me. I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled every time we were so close with each other.

    I thought I would never experience being in his arms again after what happened at the mining site. And I am so grateful that we are given another opportunity to be together. And this time, I hope we will make the most of it, and I am praying that nothing wille between us ever again. Because living in fear is not easy, and I couldn''t imagine my life being away from my husband, especially now that I am pregnant with our baby.

    "I don''t care if I will bete, Madeline, because I want to feel you in my arms, and I want toy beside you like this forever because when I was underground, I couldn''t stop thinking about you, and you don''t know how happy I am right now to be beside you. Thank you so much for being with me, Maddie, foring into my life, and for loving me." Hunter said, and his words melted my heart.

    "I think I should be the one saying that. I am so grateful that you became my husband. When my mom died, I thought there would be no future for me, but when you married me, even if you were still in love with your ex-fiancee, you made me feel so happy." I responded to him as I felt him kissed my forehead.

    "You changed my life in many ways I couldn''t think possible in this world. You made me experienced how to fall in love, how to be broken-hearted. I get hurt so many times, you made me feel so devastated and lonely, you made me feel sadness beyond I can imagine, but at the end of the day, I will forever be grateful that I fell in love with you because I realized you became my life, and my happiness." I added, and he caressed my face before he kissed me, and I could feel my entire body ignited with fire as I felt my husband''s erection on my stomach. I blushed when I realized I felt so horny, and as if my husband read my thoughts, he put his hand inside my panty and started caressing the sensitive parts between my legs that made me moan.

    "You don''t know how I missed your voice, yourughter, especially your moans every time we make love Madeline. And I missed us, all the things we did together, the nights we spent at the vi lying on the sand watching the starry night." He said before he nibbled my ear, and I felt so hot all over my body, and I felt so excited when Hunter undressed me with my nightgown, and then I shivered with anticipation when he pulled down my panty.

    "I was thinking the nights of our honeymoon where wey in bed naked, and I relive everything because I thought I would never kiss and touch your gorgeous body again," Hunter said as he drank in my naked body, and he grunted as he watched me full of lust and love.

    "And I miss doing this to you while I looked at your face." He said as I felt his fingers continued to fondled me, and he spreads my legs wide and could feel the knots on my stomach. I couldn''t stop the moan that escaped from my mouth when he started rubbing mybia, and I felt his other hand caressed my breast while his mouth captured my hungry lips, and I never felt so turned on with my entire life. I know I also missed how he caressed me, and I was also thinking the same way every night.

    "I was always thinking about you too, Hunter, every night and day," I replied, even if I was so lost for words because of the sensation that he made me feels. Hunter knows which button to push to make my entire body red up with desires, and when he got up and kneeled in front of me, I couldn''t stop the anticipation that I felt as I saw his head down there, and when I felt the first brushed of his mouth on my sensitive parts, I arched my body.

    "Hey, Hunter, I love what you are doing to me right now, but I don''t want you to bete," I said in between my moans as I felt my husband tastes me, and the way he licked my sensitive parts made me rolled my eyes at the back of my head.

    "Don''t worry, and I will never stop until you have as many orgasms as you want, my sweet Madeline. We have all day because I am still on leave today and tomorrow; we need to make up all the days and nights that we were apart." Hunter said, and I can''t contain the smile that formed on my lips as I caressed his head, and I couldn''t help myself from pulling him closer to me as he continued to eat me down there, and when I felt my husband flicked his tongue on my clit, I curled my toes, and I gripped the sheets the moment he sucked my clitoris. It feels so wonderful to be under his spell. He continued top me with his incredible tongue, and I could feel the orgasms building up inside me, and I came hard on my husband''s mouth.

    I could feel myhusband continued to pleasure my body, and I was so lost in lust, passion, and love as I saw Hunter raised his head. And he hungrily kissed me on the lips, and I could taste my juice on him as he kissed me passionately, and I wanted to pleasure Hunter too, but he pinned my wrists above my head, and it felt so erotic to watch my husband as he positioned himself to im me. And watching his rigid member growing as he stroked and yed with my clit drives me nuts. It felt so wonderful to watch my husband slowly got inside me, and I take all of him with total abandon, and the pleasure I saw on my husband''s face made me smile that I made him feel this way.

    .

    Together we moaned in pleasure asI could feel him go deeper. Then when he bottoms up, he slowly takes his stiff shaft out and makes me feels so empty, and I cried in pleasure as I felt him with one stroke gets inside me again, feeling me so full, and he does this a couple of times enough to bring me to the edge of another climax. I could feel Hunter''s every thrust, and I arched my body and bucked my hips to receive all of him. He grunted under his breath as he continued to drill me with his enormous member.

    And I love all of him, and I felt my husband locked his lips with mine, and he slithered his tongue inside my mouth. I moaned when he erotically sucked and yed with my tongue as he continued to push his hips harder, and I felt my husband quickened his pace. I could feel his swelling member inside me, and I knew he wasing, and I came with my husband as I heard my outcry of pleasure echoed inside our room. I realized I had my third orgasm, and I felt my husband slid from me, and he copsed beside me on the bed, and we were both panting as he pulled me closer to him, and I smiled when I could hear the loud thumping of his heart. And when I looked at him, his intense gaze made my face blushed as I could still feel the aftershock of our lovemaking.

    "Wow! That was wonderful, Madeline!" He said as he kissed me on my forehead.

    "Thank you, Hunter," I said, and he looked at me in the eyes before he spoke.

    "Fo what?" Hunter asked.

    "For everything, for making me a happy wife and giving me immeasurable pleasures." I said, and I felt my face blushed.

    "You bring out the best of me, Madeline." He replied, and I smiled.

    "I want you to have a little rest because I want to take you somewhere." My husband said, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Where are you going to take me, Hunter?" I asked, but he only shook his head.

    "Don''t ruin the surprise, my sweet wife." He said as he took me into his chest, and I couldn''t wait to hear his surprise for me; I still wanted to talk with my husband, but I felt so sleepy that I doze off into a beautiful sleep while cocooned on my husband''s muscr arms.

 Chapter 178 - Making Her Happy

    Hunter''s POV

    "Why didn''t you wake me up, Hunter?" My wife asked the moment she woke up, and I just smiled at her before I spoke.

    "I wanted to wake you up, but I couldn''t stop myself from watching your beautiful face, and I want to look at you while you were sleeping because I miss this kind of moment, Madeline. For how many nights I wasn''t able to sleep beside you, and I want to take this opportunity to be with you." I replied, and she beamed at me.

    "We are going to spend more time together now that you are back." She said.

    "I know about that, but it will never be enough because I will be at the office most of the time, and I know that I will be missing you every day." I responded.

    "I don''t think so because I will be with you at the office." She responded, and her words made my eyes got bigger.

    "What do you mean by that, Madeline?" I asked her, and I felt so thrilled.

    "Before I learned that I was pregnant, I came to the office with mom, and I helped her as her assistant. And I hate to admit that I love working in the office. I started to work as the head for the VP for Finance since the position got vacant after you fired your sister." She said.

    "Wow! That would be amazing. Are you sure about your decision, Maddie? I thought you still want to explore your horizon." I said, and she sweetly smiled at me.

    "At first, I want to work with another firm to have enough experience, before I start working in yourpany. But when you were trapped down there, I understood I wanted to explore the world with you, either for business or my personal development. I realized why I should work for other people when I know you needed someone you can trust in thepany; besides, I want to learn everything from you, and most of all, I always wanted to be near you, Hunter." She said, and I felt overwhelmed with dness, and I kissed my wife gently on the lips, and we shared a passionate kiss before I let her go.

    "You make me so happy, Madeline. Of course, please work in ourpany, not on mypany, Maddie. I want to give you the freedom to choose what you want to do with your life, especially your career. I don''t want you to feel that I am giving you a hard time because I don''t want you to be suffocated with me." I replied.

    "One more thing, I want to remind you, from the moment I marry you, everything that I am and everything that I have is all yours, Maddie. So, from now on, I don''t want you to refer to thepany as mypany alone. It belongs to our family." I continued.

    "You don''t need to go to work, but I know you. It was your dream to work in an office. And I don''t want to deny you anything that you wanted to do with yourself because I want to make you the happiest wife in the whole universe, Maddie. After all, you deserve all the best things this world can offer." I added, and she giggled.

    "You already made me the happiest, wife, Hunter." My wife responded, and I looked at her tenderly.

    "Did I?" I asked.

    "Yes, and for that, I am so happy," She said, and I could feel the happiness in her voice.

    "Me too, Madeline, you make me the happiest man, and youplete me," I replied as I got up from the bed, and I offered my hands to my wife, and I helped her got up from our bed so that we could have a shower together.

    "I am sorry if I made you tired," I whispered in her ear when she stood in front of me, and I dragged her in going to the bathroom.

    "I wasn''t tired, and I just feel so sleepy." She replied, and I could see the blush on her face, and I could tell my wife remembered our hot lovemaking, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as we walked to the bathroom.

    "Maddie, I am excited that you will be working in ourpany, but I will only allow you to work during this time until your second trimester, but on your third trimester, I want you to stop working so you can have proper rest. I know by that time you will always be tired, and I don''t want you to be stressed with work. Aside from that, I want our baby to be healthy." I dered as I gently turned her body around so she could face me by holding her shoulders.

    "Of course, your wish is mymand, Hunter, and I hope during my leave of absence you will stop having over time." She replied, and I grinned at her.

    "You don''t need to worry about anything, Madeline, because the moment I will go back to work, I will always go home early unless there will be some emergencies. I n to spend more time with you, and I want to watch our child grow in your tummy, and I don''t want to miss a thing about your pregnancy," I replied, and I could see the excitement all over her face.

    We took a bath together, and then we dressed after I helped my wife find a perfect dress for today. And I can''t stop staring at her with her knee-length dress, and after I helped her, I blew dry her hair, and she tied it into a ponytail. And I can''t stop admiring my wife''s beautiful legs on full disy. And I miss watching my wife this way, as I realized she looks like a model, and her angelic face is making me crazy.

    "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Divenson!" The housemaids greeted us, and I smiled at them as I realized Cer already left to attend her ss. We eat our breakfast together in high spirits, and I can see the satisfaction and enthusiasm on my wife''s face.

    Iy my hands on Maddie''s waist, and I heaved her body from the ground so she could get settled at the front seat of the car. And I saw her skin was covered with goosebumps, and it made me smiled. I was driving my car, and I was surprised when I found my wife sleeping on her seat, and I realized it was confirmed my wife was pregnant, and I couldn''t stop myself from beaming as I looked at on the road, while I kept stealing nces at Maddie''s face fromtime to time until we reach our destination.

    The moment she opened her eyes, I could tell my wife was disoriented at first why she was inside the car, and when my wife found me staring at her, Madeline smiled, and when Maddie looked around, her facial expression changed as she realized where we are.

    "Oh, Hunter, I couldn''t believe you would bring me here," Madeline said the moment we stopped in front of her mother''s grave. I put the flowers on the ground, and she looked at me for a long time.

    "Thank you so much, Hunter. You make me so happy today." Madeline said, and then she looked at her mother''s tombstone for a long time.

    "I know you are excited to tell your mom that we are going to have a baby," I said as I put my arm around her shoulders, and I saw her tears fall on her cheeks, and I wiped them away using my fingers.

    "Yes, I am very excited to tell her, and I was nning toe here with you." She said as she looked at me sideways.

    "Mom, meet my handsome and hot husband, Hunter Divenson. I know when I was a little girl, you kept on telling me when I grew up, I would meet a handsome and loving prince. And you told me I am going to marry him. And of course, I believed you because you are my mom. But then, as I grew older, I realized I could only find prince charming in children''s books." Madeline said, and I felt so amused as I listened to her talk with her mom as she looked at her epitaph, and I took her hand.

    "And now that I got married to Hunter, I realized someone doesn''t need to have a crown and throne to be called a prince because I indeed got married to my prince charming. My husband showered me all the things I need, and things that I didn''t even need. And the overflowing love and care that he gave me wereenough to make me feel like I am a real princess." She added while she squeezed my hand, and my heart swelled with happiness as l sped her hand.

    "And I am so happy right now, mom. And I am sorry if thest time I was here, I was crying. And now I can''t wait to tell you the excellent news that you are going to be a grandmother!" Madeline said excitedly.

    "I know you are happy for Hunter and me, and please continue to look over for us, mom. I love you so much, and you don''t need to worry about me now. I have my prince who will protect me." Madeline continued.

    "Yes, you don''t need to worry, mom. I will take good care of Madeline. And I promised you that I would love Maddie and ouring children with all my heart. And I vowed to protect them with my life." I added, and Madeline put her arms around me, and I embraced her tightly, and we stayed like that for a long time.

    Together we said goodbye to her mom, and we went back to the car, and I could tell that my wife looked happier now.

    "Thank you for doing this, Hunter. You make me feel so happy, and I felt so touched, and it means a lot to me." Madeline said after she sat on her seat, and I looked at her with a smile on my face.

    "You are wee, Madeline." I replied as I drove away from the cemetery, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so delighted that I made my pregnant wife happy.

 Chapter 179 - [Bonus ]Calixto Morgan

    Madeline''s POV

    I don''t want to fall asleep because I still want to cuddle with my husband and talk. But I know because of my pregnancy, I always felt sleepy, and I could tell I fought back my drowsiness when he was still trapped underground because I couldn''t stop thinking about Hunter. And now that he is back, I always felt so sleepy that I drifted back to sleep after our hot and sweet lovemaking, and I am sure I fell asleep with a broad smile on my face. It feels so nice to be sleeping beside him again.

    I didn''t expect that Hunter would extend his vacation leave and spend more time with me, and I was so surprised when he brought me to the cemetery so that I could talk with my mom. I know I have missed my momtely, and I haven''t spoken to her about my pregnancy yet, but my husband already made a n for me, and I was so thankful for him. And I am pleased to inform my mom that we are going to be parents and she is going to be a grandmother, and I know if she is still alive, my mom will be so happy for me.

    It was her wish for me that I could finish my education and have an excellent job so that I could have afortable life. And of course, she wanted me to marry someone who loves me. Now that I am married to Hunter, it feels like everything my mom wished for me hade true, and it was more than she could dream of; and I know she was watching over me because I believe the moment she died, she became my guardian angel.

    It feels so nice talking with my mom with Hunter beside me, and I can tell that I am being loved, and I couldn''t imagine being away with Hunter again. The agony was terrible, and I was so tired of crying, and as I talked to my mother, I asked her to looked over at us. I am aware that my husband is back, but it doesn''t mean that everything is over yet because we have to deal with his father. And I don''t know where to start. I know my husband and mom already talked about dealing with rk and Charlotte, and I was hoping everything would be alright for our family.

    We left the cemetery, and my husband kept on stealing nces at me as he drove his car. I know he still needed a haircut, but looking at him now with long hair made me smile because his ruggedly handsome look made me have knots on my stomach. He was only wearing a V-neck white t-shirt and jeans, and I couldn''t stop myself from drooling over my husband. And I know why he was wearing this outfit. He knew it was my favorite. I couldn''t stop feeling so thrilled and excited, and it felt like we just got married because I couldn''t stop feeling the butterflies on my chest. He was holding my hand while he was driving with one hand, and I felt so overwhelmed with happiness.

    The moment he took a familiar route, I couldn''t stop myself from grinning, and I realized my husband knew how to make me so happy. And I was wondering if he could read my mind because I have been thinking about this one and I wanted to ask him to bring me to Calixto''s house. And I am excited about Cal''s birthday next week, but I know why he takes me here now.

    I couldn''t believe that Calixto was already waiting for us on the front porch of theirhouse, and I almost jumped from the car when I saw him, and I could no longer stop my tears from falling. Hunter pulled over on their driveway, and he quickly got out of his car to open my door; he helped me get out of the car, and I ran towards Cal, and he was smiling at me. And it feels like I am meeting my father.

    "Madeline!" He eximed as he offered his arms to me, and I was sentimental now.

    "Cal, thank you so much for bringing Hunter back to me," I said the moment he released me from his embrace.

    "I don''t know how to thank you,and I am aware that no words can express how much I appreciate what you have done to my husband. I know without you, I will be a widow, and I am going to raise my child alone, but thank you for bringing back my husband alive, and you make me so happy. It means a lot to me because I don''t know what will happen to me if you didn''t save him." I said, and I watched his eyes widened, and then I could see the happiness written all over his face when he realized I was pregnant.

    "Hunter is going to be a father?" Calixto asked me, and I nodded my head, and I felt my husband''s arm around my shoulders. And then I felt so touched when I saw Cal''s tears trickled down on his face. I knew he was crying with happiness because he was so happy for Hunter and me.

    "Yes! Cal, I am going to be a dad!" Hunter said.

    "Wow! I am so happy for this good news that worth a bottle of vodka, Hunter." He said, and I heard Hunter''sughter, and when I raisedmy head, I could see the happiness on my husband''s face.

    "Yes! Indeed, Cal." Hunter replied.

    "I am so happy for both of you," Cal said.

    "I thought you were sad, Cal, because you were crying," Hunter said, and I know he was only joking.

    "Don''t be silly, Mr. Divenson. These are tears of happiness." He said, and then heughed, and Iughed with Cal.

    "Please, let us get inside. I don''t want our neighbors to wonder why we were crying." He said as he motioned us to follow him inside, and I felt Hunter intertwined his fingers with mine as we got inside Calixto''s house. And I noticed the entire ce is so quiet, and I wonder where could be his wife and children.

    "Please have a seat." He said, and we sat on the couch.

    "I am alone, my wife and children went shopping, after what happened to us at the mining site I think I developed some phobia, and for now I want to stay inside the house, I am so afraid if I get out something bad will happen to me again," Cal said, and I felt sad for him.

    "Hey, Cal, I know what happened to you and Hunter out there was terrible, but I hope you will stop feeling scared because it will not do you any good," I said, and he weakly smiled at me.

    "I know, Madeline, but I can''t stop myself from feeling this way. I tried to fight it, but I just couldn''t, especially during nighttime, maybe because of the darkness we experienced in the tunnel. But don''t worry, Madeline, I n to make an appointment with a specialist tomorrow. I can''t deny I needed help." He said, and I felt d he would seek some help from a professional.

    "So, how many months you want to have a vacation, Cal?" Hunter asked.

    "Maybe one month is enough, Mr. Divenson." He replied.

    "Okay, but if you need more time, just tell me, and don''t worry, thepany will shoulder all the expenses of your medication, Cal." My husband added.

    "Thank you so much, Mr. Divenson. Do you think you can manage one month without me?" He asked, and my husband grinned at him.

    "Well, I will have a new assistant for the time being, and I hate to inform you, you can have your early retirement if you want." My husband said, and I could see Cal''s face saddened.

    "Mr. Divenson, I hope you will not rece me yet. You know how much I love working for you." He replied, and my husbandughed.

    "I was only kidding, Cal. You know I will never let you go, even if my new assistant is young, very beautiful, intelligent, and so in love with me." Hunter said, and Cal''s eyes widened.

    "How could you talk something like that in front of your wife, Hunter," Cal said right away, and I could tell he was disgusted with what he heard, and my husbandughed hysterically.

    "And I couldn''t believe you wouldugh at me." He said.

    "Cal, rxed, my husband is talking about me. We discussed that for the time being, you file a leave of absence, I will be his assistant. It was also my opportunity to learn more things about thepany because I don''t want to be the VP for finance right away when I don''t even know thepany''s financial status. Since I am new in thepany, I need my husband to guide me through." I said, and Cal''s face lit up.

    "Wow! I couldn''t believe that you would give me so much information in one meeting, and you almost gave me a heart attack, Hunter. You know I care so much about Madeline." He said, and I felt so happy to hear him say that while my husband chuckled.

    "I am so happy for you, Madeline, and I don''t know what changed your mind to work for your husband, but it would be so wonderful that you will be together, and I can tell Hunter''s heart finally will stop feeling so restless if you will be working in the Divenson Mining Company." He said with a wide grin on his face, and I smiled back at him.

    We said goodbye to Cal, and we left his house with beautiful smiles on our faces, and I know my husband looked up at Calixto as his father. And I felt the same way too, and I can feel it in my heart that Cal loves us both like his own children, and it feels so wonderful to have him in our lives, and even if we are not rted by blood, but he caresfor us more than our family member can. And I wished there would be more people like Calixto Morgan.

 Chapter 180 - CEOâ€™s Assistant

    Madeline''s POV

    We stayed in our house the following day, and we mostly stayed in our room cuddling and kissing each other. And on Wednesday, I got so excited to go into the office with Hunter and, of course, with his mother. And I am just d my morning sickness is not severe, I usually vomit during the morning, and I am fine the entire day except for my food cravings.

    The moment we got inside the executive floor, my husband was surprised when his staff greeted him with poppers and streamer with a message, "Wee Back, Mr. Divenson, We Missed You," and I know it made him a little bit emotional, I know my husband only showed his vulnerable side with me, to Calixto, and his mom, but never in his subordinates, because he always looks stern, strict, cold, and distant, that is why they didn''t know Hunter is sweet and kind-hearted. And I understand why he was like that, because his father trained him to be like that, and now, I can tell his staff was shocked that he was in tears.

    One by one, his staff weed him, and they also greeted me with warm smiles on their faces. And I can tell they are all excited to see my husband again after a long time of not seeing him. Mom was smiling, and I could tell she looked so happy to have her son back. Hunter faced his employees with a broad grin on his face while he held my hand.

    "Thank you so much for all this, and you made me feel so happy, and I want you all to know, I am so delighted that you continued to do your best to work here even if I was on an extended vacation, and you helped my mom with the best of your abilities, and for that, I am so thankful. And now I can say it is nice to be back. And I am excited to be working with you again." My husband said as he gave them his sweet signature smile, and I could tell the girls giggled as they stared at my husband, and they got so thrilled, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling.

    "And of course, I want to ask you all to wee my beloved wife, and I know we are one family here, and I used to be so private with my personal life, but after I was trapped underground together with Calixto Morgan, I realized life is too short, and it made me realized you were all part of my life," Hunter said as he looked at his executive assistants one by one.

    "And now I would like to share the good news with you, and I have been dying to do this. Please allow me to shout that I am going to be a dad, and I can''t wait to be a father!" My husband shouted hisst words that made his staff cheered, and I heard a series of congrattions, and it made me feel so happy that Hunter was so proud that he was going to be a dad.

    Who could have thought the man I fell in love with on the first night I met him, who seemed arrogant and forbidding, would be shouting in front of his employees as he announced that he was going to be a Dad. I want to take a video of my husband and document this moment so I can show everyone how

    much my husband loves our baby.

    Hunter never let go of my hand as we walked to his office, and I couldn''t stop myself from grinning.

    "Hey, are you ready to be my assistant, Madeline?" My husband asked me as he put his arms around my waist? And I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Yes, Sir!" I answered in a seductive tone, and he kissed me on the lips. And I couldn''t believe that I would be making out with my husband early morning inside his office, and we both forgotten that Leticia Divenson was with us, and we only stopped kissing when we heard his mother''s voice behind us.

    "It was so nice to see you both so sweet with each other early morning, but I hate to stop you right now, love birds because you have so many documents waiting for you, son. And we have a meeting with the Board of Directors in two hours, so you need to get started, and I need to give you the updates regarding the mining operationsfrom the south and north and the financial reports of the previous month." My mother-inw said, and she looked so elegant with her corporate attire, and I want to be like her in the future.

    I felt so d that mom asked me to sit down with them while I take down notes since it feels so lovely to listen to them discussed things even if I only have a slight idea about thepany, yet I am excited to learn more. I could tell my husband is good with what he does, and I am impressed with his intelligence, and I am mesmerized the way he talked with confidence, and I know hismunication skill is excellent. And this is the first time I saw and heard my husband talked this way, and I know I was watching Hunter without fluttering my eyes, and I know my mouth hung open as I listened to him speak.

    I answered Hunter''s telephone calls most of the time as they continued talking, and it felt so exhrating to be my husband''s assistant while Calixto was still having a vacation. Still, I can''t deny I felt so worried about him. And I was hoping for his fast recovery. I know Cal had anxiety attacks after the rescuers rescued them, and dealing with that kind of condition isplex. And I can''t me him that he felt so afraid to get out of his house, and I know Cal needed our help and support.

    One of Hunter''s secretaries, Terry, got inside Hunter''s office, andshe handed me Calixto''s nner. She was the one who took over Cal''s position, and she was mom''s assistant during the entire period mom worked as Hunter''s recement after the explosions at the mining site.

    I scanned my husband''s schedule, and I realized he would be busy for the rest of the week, including next week. And I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I realized I was really doing this, and I am now my husband''s personal assistant, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so thrilled.

    "Hey, are you okay?" Hunter asked me after one hour, and mom asked him to take a break for a while.

    "Are you sure about this, Madeline? Do you want to be my assistant for the time being?" He asked me, and I nodded my head as I smiled at my husband.

    "Of course, I can do this, and I can''t wait to remind you of your schedule for the day," I replied as I looked at his handsome face.

    "Good, don''t worry, even if we are busy, I will find time so we can have a date," Hunter said, and I couldn''t stop myself from having butterflies in my stomach.

    "Can you cancel myst appointment thising Friday? Not only that, but I also want you to cancel all my appointments on Monday and Tuesday. We will be going to our vacation home thising Friday night, and I don''t want toe home into our mansion immediately because I still want to spend more time with you." Hunter dered, and I smiled at him, and I could feel my knees felt like jelly.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson," I said, and he caressed my face before I got out of his office because I know they are not yet done talking about today''s agenda of the BOD''s meeting, and I don''t want to disturb Hunter and mom. So, I settled myself on Calixto''s table, and I felt so d Hunter''ssecretaries helped me with all that I needed.

    I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I looked at the photographs on Cal''s table. There is a frame with a photo taken during his wedding day, and I smiled when I realized Cal looked so attractive during his younger days, and I could tell he was so in love with his wife by the way he looked at her in the picture. Then, I saw afamily picture, and what made me smile more was Calixto''s picture with my husband. I can tell the photo was taken a long time ago because Hunter looked so young in the picture, and I can feel my heart skipped a beat when I looked at my husband''s face, he looked so boyish, yet I could tell he was hiding his ripped body beneath his business suit.

    I felt d that I was able to call and cancel Hunter''sst appointment on Friday afternoon, and I am done canceling his meetings on Monday as well, and I felt triumphant with my minor achievement. I was about to dial again to start canceling his appointments on Tuesday when I heard my husband''s voice in my ear that made me have goosebumps all over my body.

    "You are so busy, Mrs. Divenson, but I want you toe with mom and me. I was hoping you could attend the BOD meeting, Madeline. It is about time that they should know you." He whispered, and I felt so shocked and excited at the same time.

    "But, I don''t know what to say to them. I need to learn about the business before I can interact with the Board of Directors," I said.

    "I am taking you there as my wife, Madeline, and not as my assistant. Don''t worry, and you will be fine. I am here, Maddie." He said, and he put his hands on my waist, and he helped me get up on my feet, and I felt so beautiful as he looked at me on my face full of admiration and love. And I can''t wait to know more about the Divenson Mining Company because I want Hunter to be proud of me someday.

    The three of us walked to the boardroom, and Hunter was holding my hand the entire time until we got inside; he greeted the Board of Director''s who came early, and he introduced me to them. And I recognized some of them during our pre-wedding ball. But suddenly, my world stood still when rk Divenson got inside the office while Charlotte was following behind him, and I could feel the trembling of my body, and I felt so worried for my safety. Still, I felt my husband squeezed my hand, and I knew he was trying to calm my nerves; and I when I looked at his face, I could tell that Hunter was telling me not to worry because everything would be alright. After all, he was here to protect me.

 Chapter 181 - Everything Will Be Alright

    Hunter''s POV

    I know I wanted to make my wife happy and contented. And I can tell that she looks so happy now that I am here with her. But I know there are things that she wanted to do, but she couldn''t make it because I was missing for more than one month. And my mom told me that my wife suffered enough, and I want to take away all the bad feelings that she felt that made her miserable.

    It made me so worried that she was unhappy for the past few days, knowing she is now pregnant with my child. My wife''s sadness could affect the baby''s health, so I need to make her always happy to make up the days that she wasn''t feeling well, and I am aware that she was crying most of the time when I was buried alive at the mining site. That is why I was thinking of ways to make Madeline happy. And I smiled when I realized I wanted my wife to talk with her mom since I was aware Madeline loves talking with her mother every time she visited her grave.

    I could see the happiness on Madeline''s face as she talked with her mom in front of her grave, and I was so amused listening to her while she spoke with her mother. Even if I saw tears in her eyes, I could tell my wife was very happy, and she was so excited to tell her mother about her pregnancy, and I couldn''t stop myself from grinning. We left her mom''s grave with smiles on our faces, and I was holding my wife''s hand as we walked back into the car. AndI felt so excited to bring my wife to our next destination.

    Ever since I got back from the mining site, my wife wanted to see Calixto rightaway, especially after learning that Cal saved my life. I know that Madeline loves Calixto, and she looked up at him as her father, and by the time she metCal, she ran and hugged him right away. Maddie looked like a child who missed her father so much, and I felt so lucky to have Calixto in our lives. And the moment we left his house, I could tell she became worried about Calixto''s condition, but I assured Madeline that Cal would be alright.

    "Don''t worry about Calixto, Maddie, he only needed rest and therapy, and after that, he will be back to his old self, don''t worry. The doctor who will help him is an excellent doctor." I said, and she looked at me and smiled.

    I took my wife to a fancy restaurant, but she asked me if we could go to Jack''s ce, and I know every time she mentions Jack, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so jealous.

    "Hey, I am craving for Jack''s food, Hunter." My wife said, and she looked so cute when she pouted her lips, and I want to devour my wife''s sweet lips if I wasn''t only distracted with Jack''s name. And I can''t deny Jack''s restaurant is among the best restaurants in the city. And I am impressed by Jack''s cooking skills and his ability to run the restaurant. He became one of the famous chefs in the city, and I know my wife is always proud of him.

    "Are you jealous of Jack again?" She asked, and there is no way I will tell my wife I am jealous, I have my ego, and I know my wife is in love with me, and I hate the idea that Jack is open about his feelings towards my wife. And I like Jack''s attitude, and I couldn''t believe the time he talked to me before I married Madeline. He was never intimidated by me, and Jack told me on my face that I was going to lose Madeline if I did not take care of her. And I know he loves my wife, and Maddie knew about it, but she only like Jack as a friend.

    When my wife left our home after discovering Reba''s pregnancy, I was so worried when I learned they were neighbors. It was one of the reasons I asked Roman to watch my wife 24/7 because I wasn''t only afraid about her safety, I was also worried if she would file a divorce, and I can''t deny Jack Morigan is attractive. He has a strong sex appeal, and since he is a hot chef, he attracted many women, and I was afraid if he continued tomunicate, my wife would fall in love with him.

    "Of course not, Madeline. I will never get jealous of Jack Morigan," I replied, and she giggled.

    "Are you sure, about that my husband?" She asked, and I held her hand.

    "Okay, I am sorry if I can''t control myself from feelingthis way. I know he cares about you, and I wouldn''t say I like it, and I know it was wrong. I know he is your friend, Maddie, but I couldn''t stop myself from being jealous of him." I said, and my wifeughed before she caressed my face.

    "I am sorry, if I insisted on going to his ce, don''t worry, I will never ask you to take me there." She replied.

    "Hey, it is okay, Madeline, I know you are craving Jack''s food, so I need to do this for our baby," I responded, but she shook her head.

    "I love you, Hunter, and I respect you as my husband, and since you are honest with me, I felt so happy. I will only go with you to the ce you will feelfortable and don''t worry because I will talk to our baby that we need to look for another ce since Daddy doesn''t want to go there." Madeline said, and I felt guilty and so happy at the same time, and the moment Madeline mentioned the word daddy, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so satisfied, and I couldn''t wait to be a dad.

    "Thank you, Madeline, "I said as I took my wife''s hand on my mouth, and I kissed her knuckles.

    Madeline''s eyes widened, and she was looking at me with confusion on her face.

    "Why?" She asked.

    "I love you too, and I know how much you love me, and I should never doubt your feelings for me, and I realized it is about time I have to be friends with him since he is your friend," I replied after I parked my car in front of Jack''s restaurant, and the smile that I saw on my wife''s face touched and warmed my heart.

    "Thank you, " She replied.

    "Besides, I need to do this because I don''t want our baby to hate me," I said, and my wifeughed, and she kissed me on the lips, and our supposed quick kiss turned into a hot make-out, and I realized there is no reason why we will not eat at Jack''s ce. His food was fantastic, and I realized I should be grateful for my wife''s unconditional love for me. And I already promised myself to find ways to make her happy, and I know she wanted to see Lydia and Lianne, and this is one way of making Madeline happy, dining at her friend''s famous restaurant.

    We had an incredible night, and our dinner was perfect, my wife met her friends, and I was happy to meet them again. I was in high spirits while driving my car, and I smiled when I found my wife sleeping in her seat. And I adjusted her head so that she would lean on my shoulder, and I slowed down my car because I didn''t want her to wake up, she needed rest, and I wanted her to have all the rest that she needed. I don''t want her to work, but I know she wanted to do it, and I can''t say no to my wife.

    The days passed too quickly, and it was time for me to go back to work again, and this time I felt so excited because I would be working with Madeline, and of course, with my mom since she wanted to help me, and I felt d mom is with us. I didn''t expect the surprise my staff prepared for me, and I couldn''t believe for the first time I showed my vulnerable side with my team while my wife was standing beside me.

    I let them know that I valued their hard works and dedication to thepany,and I reminded them that in this life, we only live once. We should make out the best of it, and we should be thankful for the gift of life that we have since we only have one life. And we don''t have any idea what will happen to us in the future, and we need to be grateful for the opportunities we have to spend time with our loved ones and enjoy the beauty of living.

    I am impressed by my mom''s performance. Of course, I knew my mom learned from my grandfather. I couldn''t stop my heart from beating so fast the moment we got inside the board room, and I held Madeline''s hand, and I introduced my wife to the board of directors, but the entire board room fell silent the moment my father and Charlotte got inside the room. And I know my father was here to ruin me. I am aware he has allies among the BOD''s, but I am confident my mom will protect me. I couldn''t stop my anger when my father looked at my wife wickedly, and I squeezed Madeline''s hand. I am telling her through my touch that everything will be alright because I will never allow rk Divenson to ruin my marriage and hurt my wife, especially our baby. I already have a lead about what happened at the mining site, and I will use it against my father so he will stop harassing my wife and me.

 Chapter 182 - The BOD Meeting

    Hunter''s POV

    I can see the anger on my father''s face when he darted his gaze at Madeline. And I am sure by now he already knew that I would be a dad, and Madeline was carrying our baby. And until now, I couldn''t understand why my father didn''t want me to have a child. I have already lost two babies because of his selfish desires that I find hard toprehend.

    "I heard that you n to hire your wife to be the VP for Finance, andter you are going to promote her as the Chief Finance Officer; this is ridiculous. Did you hit your head during the explosion, Hunter? How could you hire an ipetent individual? She has no experience about anything yet, and because she is your wife, you can hire her?" My father asked me, and I can see my wife''s face turned so pale, and I know my father is doing this in front everyone because he wanted to humiliate Madeline.

    "rk, even if Madeline has no experience, I trust her intelligence. Besides, she will undergo training, and you have to leave everything to me because I will be the one to train Maddie." My mom said, and I felt so d that she interjected, or I would lose my self-control. I know my father is doing this because he was so angry with me when I fired Charlotte.

    "Leticia, I know you are good, but I don''t trust Hunter''s wife, and he fired Charlotte so that he can hire his Madeline, and this is not how we y this game, my beloved wife. I think it is about time we need to fire Hunter. He cannot run thispany any more, and what happened at the mining site was crazy, that explosions happened because of his negligence." My father said, and I felt my entire body shook, and I curled my fists on my side, and I felt my wife touched my hand under the table, and she squeezed it, and Madeline calmed me even if I knew she was hurting foo.

    "I want to ask all of you now to cooperate, and the board must vote to fire the CEO. I want to request foran emergency votation because Hunter is no longer fit to remain the CEO of thispany." My father dered, and I could hear murmurs around us, and I felt so cold and angry at the same time. I couldn''t believe he would be doing this now after I got out from the mining site, and I felt so hurt that he didn''t even call me to ask if how I was after the incident, I was his firstborn child, and I couldn''t believe he is doing all this to me.

    "If that is what you want, rk, then we can cast a vote, yes or no. Yes, if we still want Hunter to be the CEO, and No, for those who wanted him to step down." My mom replied, and I know I can still make money even if I do not be the CEO of thispany. I can sell my shares of stocks, and have another business, but I want to help my mother. My grandfather built thispany for my mom, and I will never allow my father to take thispany, and I will do everything to protect my mom.

    "I want to remind everyone that my son is the most eligible CEO, he was excellent with his job, and I can prove that by looking at the profit of thepany every year. What happened out there at the mining site was beyond Hunter''s power. I almost lost my son, for heaven''s sake, and now you are telling me he was to be med? Are you even human, rk?" My mom asked my father, and I could see that my father''s face fell.

    "We should talk about all this after this meeting, if you want, rk." My mom dered. And she continued talking about everything I have done for thepany to be sessful, while I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried about my wife.

    The secretary called for the votation, and she distributed a piece of paper to all the BOD''s I don''t know whom I can trust anymore. I felt frustrated that every time I felt so happy with my wife, something like this would happen, and I wondered when this problem would stop. How I wish I didn''t bring Madeline with me. My father humiliated her, and I felt d she didn''t cry at all. And she looked so tough as of the moment, but I could tell she was trying to mask all her emotions.

    I could feel the loud thumping of my heart against my chest when the secretary tallied the voting results, and I could feel the trembling of my knees, but when I felt my wife''s soft touch on my thigh, I suddenly felt so rx. I almost jumped on my feet when the secretary said, I am still the CEO, and I smiled when I realized only 30% of the BOD favored my father, and I felt so happy that they still trusted me to run thepany.

    I proceeded to the agenda, and I discussed thepany''s future goals, especially after the explosions. I wanted to tell them that I already have a lead, but it wasn''t part of today''s meeting. I felt so d that the Board of directors is still with me, and I know rk Divenson became angrier.

    The BOD meeting was over, and I could see the anger on my father''s face as he looked at my mom. I couldn''t believe that he tried to fire me right away, and I was worried about Maddie''s condition because I could tell my wife was trembling the whole time. The rest of the Board of Directors already left the boardroom, and my father asked us to stay behind.

    "You are so lucky, Hunter, that your mom manipted this meeting, but I can tell sooner you will be fired because I will do everything in my power to take you down." He said, and I could see the hatred in my mom''s voice.

    "How could you do this to your son, rk?" My mother asked angrily.

    "You know why, Leticia." He answered coldly, and I could see the pain on my mom''s face.

    "This is not over, and you should pay what you had done to your sister, Hunter, and I know you have something to do with Parker''s disappearance." He said.

    "Why are you doing all this to us, rk, to mom, me, and Parker?" I asked, and I knew I should have called him dad, but I felt so angry after what he had done earlier to Madeline and me.

    "I have my reasons, Hunter, and I hate your guts." He replied.

    "I am your son," I said in more than a whisper, and his face became darker, and I couldn''t believe he was my father.

    "Stop, rk, please." My mother begged him, but he only looked at us with hatred on his face.

    "Leticia, I am going to wreck this family you tried to build for years until you came back tome." He said as he stood up from his seat.

    "I am telling you, Hunter, you better hide your wife from now on." My father added.

    "You are the most pathetic person I have ever known, Mr. rk Divenson. You have a lovely wife, beautiful children, but you never appreciated all the things that you have in your life. You are a monster for hurting your wife and children. Why should I hide from you?" Madeline dered, and we were all stunned with her words, and I almostughed when I saw the expressions on my dad''s face. And he was about to hit my wife when I held him, and I draggedhim outside the board room.

    "Don''t every a finger on my wife ever again, or I will forget you are my father," I retorted, and heughed like he was losing his fucking mind.

    "I would love that, Hunter. You better forget I am your father." He shouted, and I felt d Roman came to us immediately, and I asked him to escort my father to his car while I went back to my mom and Madeline.

    "Are you okay?" I asked my wife the moment we were alone.

    "Of course, I am fine, Hunter. I am more worried about you." My wife said, and I smiled.

    "You looked so sweet right now that I want to take you home and make love with you," I said, and I could see her face blushed, and it was true, but the main reason I said those words was to take away all her worries, and the pain my father did to her. My father''s words were harsh, and I know that is why mom left the office ahead of us. I also wanted to go home, but I felt d my wife looked so interested in learning.

    "Hunter, I know your father has a point regarding about me, but I am certain he was wrong about you. He was right; I still need to learn, so I thought I should start from the bottom." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "I believe you can do it, Madeline, but if that is what you want, I respect your decision," I replied, and she smiled broadly at me, and I felt so d she was with me because I don''t want her to think about my father''s words.

    "But you need to convince mom to listen to your reasoning before you can start at thebottom, my dear sweet wife," I said, and she giggled.

    "Don''t worry, I know mom will understand." She responded, and I became more in love with my wife. Instead of bing angry with my father, she epted my dad''s insulting words he threw at her, and she is willing to start from the bottomeven if she is my wife and her virtue is extraordinary, and I felt so proud that she is my wife.

 Chapter 183 - Wicked Father

    Madeline''s POV

    I don''t want toe with Hunter and mom to the boardroom, but I know I need to give them my moral support even if I feel so worried I will embarrass them since my knowledge about thepany is still very limited. But I can tell that Hunter was very excited to introduce me to the rest of the Directors. I can feel that my husband felt nervous since he has been gone for more than one month, and I am aware he was worried about rk Divenson more rather than the other Board of Directors.

    Even if Hunter felt uneasy, he was so excited to walk beside me going to the boardroom, and I felt so happy to attend the BOD meeting for the first time. And I was delighted when they greeted me warmly, and I can tell all of them are pleased to see my husband back in the office, and I my smile turned into a scowl when rk Divenson entered the room, and the whole ce turned so quiet, and I could feel the tension. Charlotte was with him, and as usual, she was looking daggers at me, and if only looks could kill, I could have died right away the moment rk Divenson and his daughtef looked at me.

    Until now, I still can''t believe why they couldn''t ept me as Hunter''s wife, even if we have been married for so long now. I know they both want Kaye to be Hunter''s wife even if my husband showed them that he would never have Kaye in his life, but they still insisted. I could see and feel the hatred on rk Divenson''s face as he looked at me, and then he turned his gaze to Hunter. He was Hunter''s father, but he never showed his son that he supported him as a father.

    I felt sad for my husband, but I realized rk Divenson was a wicked father, and I know my husband tried his best to reach out to his dad even if for how many years he showed it to Hunter''s face, his achievement will never be enough unless he will marry the heiress, Kaye. She was the only daughter of the number one wealthy man of the entire country that is why rk wanted her to be his daughter-inw even if for how many times Hunter declined his order. Before we got married, Hunter''s dad has been bugging him to marry Kaye, that is why when my father died he took the opportunity to marry me.I was a stranger to him but he chose me than to be manipted by his father.

    I know at first, Hunter only married me for convenience, but Inever thought that hewould fall in love with me, and I felt so grateful that it happened because I knewfrom the first moment Iid my eyes on him, I fell in love with Hunter right away.

    The meeting started, and I couldn''t believe rk Divenson would insult me in front of the BOD. He hurt my ego, and he humiliated me, but I can''t deny his words were true since I know nothing about the business yet, but since Hunter''s mom promised to train me, I felt confident I could work for Hunter, but now that rk shamed me, I realized he was right. Even if it hurts me, I couldn''t disagree with Hunter''s father. I know there are moments in our life we need to face the truth, even if it hurts.

    But after the meeting, I could no longer control myself when he told Hunter I should hide, and I know he already knew that I was pregnant with Hunter''schild. It made him angrier, and even if I felt worried, I needed to be more vital to face him and Charlotte for the sake of our baby. rk almost pped me on my face, but Hunter stopped him. I felt the knots on my stomach when my husband stopped his fatherfrom hurting me, and I felt so proud of my husband that this time he stood up against his father.

    "Are you tired?" My husband asked me after I recited his schedule for tomorrow, and he was looking at me tenderly, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at him as I realized it feels so good to be with my husband all the time. He got closer to me, and he caressed my back, and the soothing sensation of his gentle touch made me close my eyes. I want to erase the image of rk Divenson on my mind. As possible, I''m not particrly eager to discuss what happened at the BOd meeting today since I wanted to focus on my new work and my pregnancy.

    "A little, but as long as I am near you, I felt alive and energetic," I replied, and he grinned at me that made my heart flip with happiness. Hunter cupped my face, and he kissed me tenderly on the lips before he talked with me again.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I should have never asked you to join the BOD meeting today, I felt so excited to introduce you to the Board of Directors of the Divenson Mining Company, and I have forgotten that my father is still one of the BOD''s," Hunter said, and I smiled at him.

    "It was okay, Hunter, besides, your father has done nothing to me but hurt me ever since I came to the Divenson mansion, and I could say I am used to it, but still, I can''t stop myself from getting hurt every time he will insult and humiliate me. I know you are hurting too, Hunter, because I can tell even if for how many times rk hurt you, you were still hoping one day he woulde and apologize for all the things he had done to you." I replied, and my husband pulled me up from my chair, and he put his arms around my waist while he looked at my face, and I couldn''t stop myself from blushing as I stared at hispelling eyes.

    "Yeah, you were right, and until now, I can''t understand why my father was doing all this to me, but don''t worry too much, Madeline. I will never let anyone hurt you. Always remember, I will always be here to protect you." My husband responded, and I caressed his face.

    "Thank you, Hunter. I know that is why I don''t worry about anything because I know you will be there to protect me." I said, and he smiled at me as he tucked in some strands of my hair at the back of my ear.

    We agreed to eat dinner at our house since we both knew Hunter''smom, and Lily was waiting for us. I noticed mom was silent the entire dinner, and I could tell she was still upset about this morning''s meeting.

    "Hunter, Maddie, I want to talk with you in the library after dinner." Mom dered, and I can feel that she felt so uneasy, and the trembling of her voice was telling me something was going on, and I felt my husband tense up, and I am sure he was feeling the same way too.

    Mom asked Cer to bring us green tea in the library, and we all sat on the couch at the center of the mansion''s library.

    "Mom, what is going on? Is everything alright?" Hunter asked right away the moment Cer left us, and Leticia Divenson looked at her son for a long while before she spoke.

    "I will never be fine until I will tell you the truth, Hunter. I asked Madeline to be here with you since I know she can calm you anytime." Leticia said, and I felt so worried for my husband, and I can''t stop feeling nervous as well.

    "So what kind of secret will you reveal this time, mom? I can tell this is something big because you are not going to look like this. If this is only about work, I can tell this is something about who I am." My husband dered, and I could see his mother''s face turned so pale.

    "I never thought that a time woulde that I am going to tell you this secret because I nned to bring this secret with me on my grave, but it seems rk willnever stop bothering you and Madeline," Leticia said, and I can tell she was trying her best to control her voice from trembling.

    "rk was one of the best employees of thepany, and my father loved him because of his dedication andmitment to his work, and he was diligent. I also worked in thepany, but I had a boyfriend at that time, and I got pregnant with you. Still, my boyfriend had an ident and died before I could tell him I was pregnant. As a daughter of one of the richest men in the country, my father has a reputation to uphold, and when he learned I was pregnant, he had no choice but to find the most suitable man avable." Mom said, and I could feel my entire body turned so cold, and when I looked at my husband, I couldn''t read the expression on his face, and then he looked at mom, and I could see the pain on Hunter''s face.

    "So, rk Divenson is not my biological father?" He asked in more than a whisper, and I held his hand, and I felt d he tightly gripped my palm as if he was holding me for support.

    "Yes, he signed a non-disclosure agreement before we got married, but I fell in love with him before I gave birth to you. He was your father in the paper only. Because of his greed for money and power, he agreed to my father''s condition withoutint, but I never expected he would turn into a monster now; I know he was faking everything with regards to you since he knew your grandfather wanted you to be the heir of hispany. I am sorry, son, and I hope you will forgive me. I have made terrible mistakes because of rk." His mom said, and I saw her tears fell on her cheek.

    "It is fine, mom, at least now I know the reason why I never felt he loved me, and I am so fucking d he is not my real father because, to be honest, I don''t want to call him my father. Only Calixto Morgan showed me a fatherly love, and now I have all the answers to why rk treated me as an outcast, and he can''t just get rid of me because I am the eldest son, and he can''t tell me about it because of the NDA. I know you were trying to protect me, but how I wish you told me sooner, so I didn''t waste my time wishing for him to love me as his son." Hunter dered.

    "Please excuse me." My husband added, and he let go of my hand and left us in the library. I wanted to go after my husband, but Leticia Divenson was crying now after Hunter left without a second nce, and I didn''t have a choice. I moved closer to her, and I hugged her to give herfort. At the same time, I want to be with Hunter because I know my husband is having a hard time as of now. I know this new information was too much to process, and there are so many questions I wanted to ask Leticia, but I can tell she was also having a tough time as she continued to cry on my shoulder.

 Chapter 184 - Life Is Beautiful

    Madeline''s POV

    "Tell me, Madeline, am I a bad mother to my son? For keeping that secret from him for so long? I don''t want Hunter to know about it. I know for how many years rk tried his best to be his father, even if he was faking it. I know Hunter can feel it that even if my husband tried to show him, he was his favorite amongst his children, it was all an act since rk only married me for the money, and I know he hated Hunter because he was his eldest son, and he will always be the heir." Leticia Divenson dered, and I don''t know how tofort her.

    "No, of course not, mom. You are not a bad mother. Hunter knew how much you love her, and I believe those things happened for a reason, and your father only wanted to protect your family''s reputation at that time, and he also wished Hunter to have a dad." I responded.

    "Maddie, I know everyone in our society thought I was the luckiest because I was the Heiress of my father''spany, they didn''t know how hard my life was when I fell in love with rk, and for so many years, I waited for him to fall in love with me, but it didn''t happen until the day I filed the divorce." She said in between her sobs.

    "Our marriage was only for the show, and I hate that I allowed him to use me. I should have stood up against my parents and raised Hunter alone, but I don''t have regrets that I gave birth to all my children. Even if Charlotte chose to side with her father, I still love her because she is my daughter." Leticia continued, and I pity her. I had a hard life growing up, but I never expected that she had that kind of life because she is a daughter of a business tycoon, and I thought she never experienced any hardships, and now that I learned the truth, I am hurting for her.

    "And because of my love for my husband and as a sign of respect to him, I allowed him to change the name of thepany since I know he will be the father of my future children, and he also became the father of my unborn child." She continued, and I let her talk because I could tell Hunter''s mom was hurting, and she was just so good at hiding her genuine emotions, and she needed someone to talk to, especially at this moment.

    "At first, I was so lost. Hunter''s biological father died, and I love him so much. He also doesn''t belong to our society. He wasn''t rich, but I never mind, and I never expected that he would die before I could tell him I was pregnant. My father was disappointed with me when he found out my driver was the father of Hunter, and then that was the time he proposed to rk since he knew my husband was crazy for money and power, and he didn''t want me to give birth to my child without a father." She said, and I wonder what happened to Hunter''s biological father why he died.

    "He looked like Hunter, tall and very handsome, and I never expected I would fall in love with rk after we got married. I thought I would never fall in love again. Well, love is a mystery, and now I hated myself that I married rk, and the worst part was I fell for him, but I felt so d that finally, I was able to move on. And now I am so worried about your safety, Maddie." Mom said.

    "You don''t need to worry about me, man, and I know Hunter will protect me from harm; besides, I am not afraid of your husband," I replied, and he gave me a weak smile.

    "Mom, now that I know what you have been through, I can feel your pain, and I wish you will finally be happy." I dered.

    "My happiness now is my children, especially mying grandchild in your tummy, Madeline. But I can''t stop myself from worrying about Charlotte, and I am hoping one day she wille back without hurting you." Mom said, and I smiled at her.

    "Don''t worry, mom, I will take care of this little one, and I will do everything I can to protect our baby, and I hope they won''t do anything to my baby and me," I replied.

    "Of course, I know, Maddie, you will do everything for your child." She responded, and I felt so d that mom is smiling at me now as she stood up from her seat.

    "Madeline, thank you for listening to me, don''t worry, I know Hunter tightened the security of this house, and every time you get out, I know he always sends his men to protect you." She added, and I came closer to mom, and I hugged her.

    "You can talk to me always, mom," I responded.

    "Thank you again. I want to ask you a favor, and please go to your husband now, Madeline. I know Hunter needed you this time." Mom said.

    "Of course, don''t worry mom, I will go to my husband, and I know he was still shocked, but I am sure he understood you, mom responded, and together we walked out of the library, and I climbed the stairs, and I was panting when I reach on the top of the stairs, I slowly walked towards our bedroom. And I felt worried when I couldn''t find my husband inside, and I didn''t have a choice but to get out and look for Hunter all over the house.

    I searched him in the nursery and the yroom, but I couldn''t find him anywhere, and I realized maybe he was downstairs. And I felt so relieved when I saw him at the bar.

    .

    "Hey! Are you alright?" I asked after I came to him, and when he raised his head, he looked at me with full of tenderness and love on his face. Hewas still sitting at the barstool while I was standing beside him.

    "Yes, I am now fine that you came to me. I am sorry, Maddie if I left you at the library." He said as he pulled me closer to him, and he hugged me right away.

    "It is okay, Hunter. Mom was worried about you." I said, and he looked at me, and he touched my face.

    "I know, I don''t want to walk out just like that, but it was too much for me to process since I couldn''t believe mom kept it from me for how many years," Hunter said, and I can feel his pain through his voice, and it was time for me to look at my husband with love and too much affection. And he drank his scotch in one gulp without taking his eyes from me, and then he stood up from the stool.

    My husband took my hand as we walked out from the bar, and then we climbed the stairs together, and I knew we still needed to go to the office tomorrow. We take a warm shower together, and I can tell my husband is not okay since I found him staring into space after putting on our dress.

    He was sitting at the edge of our bed. I want him to forget for a while because I understand how he feels right now after knowing the father he used to know for how many years was not his biological father, and I want to help Hunter in any way I can, andI want my husband to feel good.

    I walked closer to Hunter after I dried my hair, and I straddled him, and I kissed him on the lips, and I know I caught my husband off-guard. Still, I felt my husband deepened our kiss immediately, and I smiled when his hands got rid of my nightgown immediately. He showered me with hot kisses that made ms so hot right away, and I can feel the aching of my womanhood when I felt my husband''s erection rubbed on my sensitive parts, and it feels so good, and I felt like my husband''s scent hypnotized me because he smelledso good.

    He put my naked body into the bed, and we were kissing and touching each other like we were doing it for the first time. I could feel my entire body was on fire, and I was screaming my husband''s name when he took me gently. It was pure bliss and torture, and it was one of the best intimate moments I shared with Hunter.

    "Thank you, Madeline, I know you were only trying to distract me with what I am thinking, and I just want to inform you, you nailed it, my sweet wife." He said, and I smiled sweetly at him.

    "I didn''t do it to distract you, I miss you, and I couldn''t get enough of you." I said, and I could tell he was looking at me with wonder, and the amusement on his face made me feel so happy.

    "Don''t you know that you look so hot right now? I like the way you tease me, Maddie, and I am open for a wonderful distractionevery night." Hunter said, and I could feel my face blushed.

    "Okay, I will do it every night if that is what you want my, dear husband," I responded, and he chuckled as he pulled my naked body closer to him, and I know we are still both panting after our beautiful lovemaking.

    "Thank you, Madeline. I know you will always be a reminder that life is so beautiful, and I have to fight because I need to protect and provide for you and our baby. I love you, Madeline." He said and kissed me once again on my lips, and I felt so happy to hear my husband''s words.

 Chapter 185 - Sweet Moments

    Hunter''s POV

    I didn''t want to leave my wife and mother in the library, but I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so hurt and confused after I had learned the truth. It was too much for me to handle that I walked out immediately after my mom told me that I was not my father''s son. And I want to ask my mom shy she has to keep it a secret from me, when all my life I tried to follow everything my father asked me to do, except marrying Kaye. And I think it was the reason he started to get angry with me because he was closed with Kaye, and I believe they have a deal which I don''t know what, and I am not interested to learn because I am sure it involved me.

    After I closed the door of the library, my feet brought me to the bar. I don''t have any n of drinking liquor because I still want to spend my time with my wife. But the confusion, anger, and everything that I feel are driving me crazy. I took a ss, and I poured some scotch, and when Cer found me at the bar, she gave me some ice cubes. I know I was such a coward because I didn''t listen to what my mother was about to say about my biological father. She made me believe I am rk Divenson''s son.

    I wonder how rk could act as he cared for me because growing up, I thought I was his favorite son; no wonder there are moments I could feel that my father loved my siblings more than me, every time rk would ask me to do something for him. I wonder why he never asked Parker, and that time I thought my father loved me more, and now I realized it was the opposite. He constantly reminded me, I was the future heir of thepany without knowing he was nning to overthrow me.

    I don''t want to hate my mom because I know she was a victim too, but I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so disappointed that she never told me about it, and now I am having a hard time epting that I don''t know my birth father. And how wish I have known him, and now I remember Frank, Madeline''s father. He died thinking about Madeline and how I wish my wife got the chance to know him. I know she already forgave Frank, but I know she still has regrets, and there were moments in her life that she wished upon a star that someday she would meet herfather again.

    When Madeline found me at the bar, I felt rxed, and I knew she could calm me even if I felt so disheartened and confused. Madeline became my guiding light, and I felt so happy that I fell in love with her, and I didn''t doubt marrying her. She knows how to soothe my aching heart. I don''t know how I am going to meet rk Divenson again. I know even if he wasn''t my biological father, in all legal documents, rk Divenson will always be my father because he was the one on my birth certificate.

    The moment we went to our room, I didn''t expect my wife to make me feel so happy, and she made me forget how devastated I was. She took the initiative to kiss and touch me, and I know every time we kiss and make love, it feels like the world around us vanished as we created our world. Themoment she climbed on my thighs, I knew I would forget what was bothering my mind, and all I could feel was the softness of her skin as I continued to trail kisses on her chin down to her neck and her smooth shoulders.

    I love the way she straddled me, and I can feel right away my rock-rigid member came to attention. And my erection made me want to take her right away, but I made my wife take control, and we made love passionately. I love how our bodies synced the moment we became one. Madeline is a beautiful reminder that life is worth fighting for, especially now that we will be parents. And I am no longer worried about my father''s warning as I heard my wife''s moans echo the entire room. My wife took away my worries, and she made me feel so happy andplete.

    "Hey, you should sleep now, Hunter. We need to have some sleep because we need to go to the office tomorrow," Madeline said after she found me staringat her lovely face.

    "I know, but I couldn''t stop myself from staring at your beautiful face, Maddie," I said as I pulled her closer to me, and her warm body next to mine felt so wonderful. I know I fell asleep with a beautiful smile on my face while I was hugging my wife.

    "I know you are upset about what you have learned about yourself, Hunter. But your mother didn''t do it on purpose, and you know how much she loves you. I know mom was still guilty and worried about you because she didn''t join us to have breakfast, and she didn''te with us to go to the office. So, I think you should talk to momter." My wife said after she buckled her seatbelt. I looked at her as I released a heavy sigh.

    "Yes, I know. Don''t worry, Maddie. I will talk to mom. I am not angry with her anymore, and you were right. I am still upset with my mom for hiding such a secret, and I don''t know how to talk to her as of the moment." I said, and she smiled at me, and I know I made my wife happy since Maddie wanted me to have a sense of peace of mine.

    I felt so happy that after my mom''s revtion, nothing serious happened in the office, and on the following day, mom returned to the office with us after I had a heart-to-heart talk with my mother. The days passed quickly, and finally, the weekend came.

    "Are you excited?" I asked my wife after I sat on the passenger''s seat next to hear.

    "Yes, I felt so thrilled, happy, and excited, and I couldn''t wait to see the beach and spend the entire time with you." My wife said, and I sweetly smiled at her. And I felt guilty that for how many times I pulled over on the side of the door because she felt like vomiting. I couldn''t be happier thinking my wife is now experiencing how to be pregnant. I am so proud that I am the father of the child she was carrying, and I know it was yet too early, but I can''t wait. I am very excited to learn the gender of our baby. As we were traveling the winding road going to Magnolia Vige, we were talking about possible baby names that we want to name our child, and I realized it felt so satisfying to be a father.

    When I looked at my wife, she was already sleeping in her seat,I couldn''t stop myself from smiling, and my wife looked so beautiful. At the same time, she was asleep that I was tempted to capture this beautiful moment, and the moment the traffic light turned red, I positioned my camera. I took pictures of my sleeping wife, and I felt relieved her dizziness had stopped, and she was no longer vomiting.

    "Hey, I am so sorry if I dozed off again. Your child always makes me feel so sleepy." She said, and I beamed at her, and thinking about our baby always made me feel so thrilled.

    "It is okay, Madeline. It is normal to feel that way because you are pregnant. How are you feeling now?" I asked.

    "I felt fine now, don''t worry about me, " She said, and her eyes widened as I drove inside our property. The Vi looked so magnificent. And I know my wife loves this ce so much. That is why I hired a new caretaker that will clean our vacation home every day.

    "Wow! I will never get tired of this ce. Thank you so much for taking me here, Hunter. You make me feel so happy." Madeline said, and I caressed her face.

    "You are wee, Madeline. I want to remind you, my dear sweet wife, that I will do anything for you to make you happy." I dered, and she moved her head, and I knew my wife was going to kiss me, and I couldn''t wait to capture her sweet lips, and we shared a passionate kiss before we got out from the car, and I took Madeline''s hand as we get inside the Vi. And it feels so beautiful to be back after so many months.

    As I watched my wife swimming on the beach, I could feel satisfaction and total happiness. I couldn''t keep myself from capturing her lips from time to time every time I chased her around, and as I continued to watch Madeline enjoying herself in the crystal water, I realized I was so lucky to be given a second chance to live and to be with my wife.

 Chapter 186 - An Angel

    Madeline''s POV

    I know my husband tried to hide the pain that he felt. Even if Hunter told me that he was fine, I could tell that he was only trying to cover up his emotions with his adorable smiles. Others may say he is in high spirits because they seldom see my husband wear a beautiful smile on his face. Hunter will always look cold and strict to others, but they didn''t realize my husband has a kind heart. He can be sweet to his loved ones, especially to me.

    I am worried about my husband about what happened, but I can tell he will talk to his mom sooner because I know he is close to her. Even if he said he felt alright, I know he can''t go on with his life without talking to his mom.

    "Madeline, thank you." Mom said after my husband left and went to our room to check his emails. Hunter''s mom didn''te to the office today, and I begged my husband to talk with her mom this morning, and I reminded him again this afternoon the moment we reached the driveway of our house.

    "For what, mom?" I asked her, and I was confused why Leticia Divenson was saying thank you to me.

    "I know you were the one who asked your husband to talk with me. I know Hunter''s personality. It will take him a long time before he will talk with me again because I can tell that he was so upset about what happenedst night. I know he wasn''t only upset with me, but he was also angry, and I am sure if you weren''t there with him, he would leave this house and stay at the penthouse." Mom dered, and Lily was only listening to our conversation, and I know she already learned the truth that Hunter was only her half-brother, but it doesn''t matter because she will always be Hunter''s sweet little sister.

    "I know I should not tell him about it, but I couldn''t keep it in my heart forever, Madeline. Keeping that kind of secret was unforgivable, and I understand if my son will hate me forever, but I am so thankful that you became his wife because my son changed. I know Hunter is a good person, but I also knew he willsulk in his room if ever he has problems, and he will avoid me at all cost." Mom added.

    "Mom, I did nothing. It was obvious my husband loves you so much, and even if he was upset, he understands you, and I could tell what you have been through that time was too much. And I am so thankful you take good care of Hunter, and you gave birth to him, or else I will never meet him." I responded, and she smiled at me.

    "Of course, Madeline, even if it was so painful for me when my father asked me to marry rk so that I would not disgrace our family, I wanted to protest, but my old man told me I should think about my child. He will suffer the consequences that happened in my life." She said.

    "But it wasn''t your fault, mom, he died, and it was an ident. And I am sure if Hunter''s dad were alive, he would never abandon you and Hunter, and he will take responsibility." I said.

    "And that would be sad, Madeline, because I can''t have Hunter as my brother," Lily replied, and I looked at her with tenderness.

    "I don''t think so, Lily, because I am sureyou will still be his little sister," I responded, and she smiled at me.

    "I am d that you are now fine, mom. I was worried about you the whole day. I know you texted me you were fine, but I know deepinside you were hurting." I said, and she stared at my face.

    "Yes, you were right, Maddie. I was worried if he wouldn''t forgive me this time. As Hunter''s mom, I have so many shorings to him and the worst part, the secrets I tried to hide from him, including Reba''s death." She replied.

    "It was all in the past mom, Hunter already let go of the pain of yesterday, and I know he was trying to ept the truth, and it is painful to say he was relieved to know that rk wasn''t his father because Hunter understood that is the reason rk wanted him to marry Kaye, even if he didn''t love her. He couldn''t understand why his father won''t understand that Hunter was in love with me, and now that he knew rk wasn''t his father, he understood everything." I responded, and I felt mom take my hand, and then she squeezed it as she looked at me in the eyes.

    "If for rk you were a nuisance in this family, for me, you are an angel sent from above. You saved my son from being miserable for the rest of his life, and you let him forget the pain of his past, and for that, I will forever be grateful to you, Maddie, and thank you so much for loving Hunter." Mom said, and I felt so touched by her words.

    "It is ttering, mom. Thank you also for being a good mom to me." I responded.

    "I felt guilty, Maddie, because at first, I mistreated you." She said.

    "It is okay, mom. I understand it wasn''t your intention at all." I replied.

    "Thank you for being a loving sister to me, Madeline," Lily said, and I looked at her.

    "Lily, you are the sweetest girl I have ever met, it was my pleasure, and I felt so grateful that I met you because you are the sister that I couldn''t have. You don''t know how much you make

    me so happy for all the things you did to me. Even at an early age, you showed kindness to me. I felt so lucky to have you in my life, youngdy." I said, and she giggled. And I realized time passed too quickly because Lily became so tall, and she looked like a college student now, even if she will only turn sixteen this year.

    "Go to your room now, Madeline. I am sure your husband is waiting for you." Mom said, and I got up from the sofa, and I said good night to them before I walked out from the living room.

    "Hey! Are you done talking with your client?" I asked Hunter the moment I got inside our room, and I found him reading his emails, but when I sat closer to him, he closed his emails, and he shut down theptop, and then he brought me closer to him.

    "You don''t need to do that, Hunter. It is okay, I will take a shower, and I will sleep ahead of you." I said as I got up from the bed.

    "And miss my chance to have a shower with my beautiful wife? I don''t think so, my sweet Madeline. I already promised myself that you and our baby will be my top priority." Hunter responded as he followed me to the bathroom, and I wasughing hard when I found him already naked when he joined me in the bathroom. And when he came closer to me, myughter died down when my husband captured my mouth hungrily while he pinned me to the wall.I love the way he kissed me, and I couldn''t stop myself from kissing him back hungrily.

    I felt so happy that Hunter reconciled with his mom, and we went to the office together the following morning. Hunter got so busy with his schedule for the rest of the week, but I felt so d they kept turns with my training. But every time it was my husband''s turn to train me, mostly we ended up making out, and for how many times mom caught us kissing each other, and she told us we could kisster at home, but what can I do? My husband almost died, and we lost more than one month to be with each other, and it was both challenging for usbecause we just got back to being together before the incident happened. That is why we are still making up for the lost days we have.

    I felt so d that finally, we were on our way to our vacation home, and I felt guilty because of how many times I ask my husband to pull over because I wanted to vomit, and then I ended up sleeping instead of talking with my Hunter for the rest of the ride.

    "Are you okay, Maddie?" My husband asked me the moment we got inside our vacation home, and it felt so lovely to be back, and I was in awe when I realized everything was in order, and the entire house is spotless, and I know my husband spent money to have someone maintained the vi.

    "I am fine, Hunter, and I am sorry if I fell asleep in the car during the ride; I should have fought my drowsiness," I said the moment he took me into his arms.

    "It is okay; besides, it was the baby who always keeps you sleepy." He said as he caressed my tummy, and it felt so lovely to have this wonderful moment with my husband.

    He took me to the beach, and I felt so happy that he brought me to my favorite ce. My husband looked so hot, and I couldn''t stop looking at his gorgeous body as I continued to swim in the water; and no one was swimming on the beach at this hour except us, and that is what I love this ce. We always have the privacy that we need. He let me swim until I got so tired, and I know my husband allowed me to swim because it is one of the safest forms of exercise for me since I am pregnant.

    My husband helped me during my bath even if I still looked the same, except I felt my breasts getting heavier. And I felt so happy when he asked me to watch him prepare our dinner, and Hunter didn''t allow me to move around or help him. He prepared everything, and it felt so wonderful to get pampered by the hot CEO.

    "I hope this moment will never end," I said in more than a whisper.

    "'' Me too, my sweet wife," Hunter responded, and I didn''t expect him to hear what I have said, and I felt so happy watching my husband cooking dinner for me. It felt so lovely to watch him moved around wearing an apron, looking so handsome as ever, and I felt so lucky to have Hunter as my husband.

 Chapter 187 - Quality Time With My Wife

    Hunter''s POV

    "Why are you staring at me like that, Hunter?" My wife asked me because I looked amused, staring at her beautiful face as she ate her meal. I know how much my wife likes the view on the roof deck at night, especially if the sky is filled with stars, but right now, as we were eating our dinner, she didn''t watch the sky first, but she focused on her food right away.

    "Because you looked so beautiful, Madeline, and I love the feeling of watching you eat your food, and it reminds me you are pregnant, and I haven''t seen you eat this way, and it amused me," I replied, and she weakly smiled at me, and I can tell she looked so shy.

    "Hey, that is why I cook for you, I want you to be healthy and our baby, you will always look sexy and hot in my eyes, Madeline, even if you will gain weight, besides it is part of being pregnant and always remember this, I will always love the way you are, Maddie," I said, and she beamed at me.

    "Are you sure about that, Hunter?" She asked.

    "Yes, I do. Do you still doubt about my feelings for you, my sweet?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "No, I don''t have doubts about your feelings for me, and I am aware you are crazy about me, Mr. Divenson," She responded, and I couldn''t stopughing because she sounded so confident as she said those words but I admit she was right.

    "Of course, I am, and I am proud to say I am crazy in love with you, Mrs. Divenson. Now allow me to feed you more." I said, and she grinned at me.

    I didn''t allow my wife to help me take out the dishes; instead, I asked Maddie to sit on the loveseat. And then, after I was done washing the dishes, I went back to the roof, and I smiled when I found my wife sleeping, and I realized that she got so tired from her swimming exercises. I know she loves swimming, that is why I bought this vacation house for her after Calixto informed me Madeline loves swimming on the beach, but she doesn''t have time because of her part-time job. That is why I made sure she would have afortable life because I know my wife had a hard life when she was younger, yet I know it made her stronger.

    "Hey, how long did I fall asleep?" Madeline asked me the moment she woke up, and she felt like going to the restroom since she wanted to have a pee, and I apanied her to get inside the house.

    "Not so long," I replied, and I put my arms around her waist so I could help her to stand up from her seat.

    "You don''t need toe with me, Hunter, I am fine, and I can manage," I said to him.

    "Allow me to do this, Madeline since I promised to do this after the incident at the mining site. It was a terrifying incident in my entire life, and I was so afraid if I would lose this kind of chance to be with you." I said as I held her hand.

    "That is why every time we are together I want to cherish every moment I have with you, because I have realized the importance of time, and most of all, we only have one life that is why we need to enjoy every moment, and I want to spend most of my time with you, Madeline," I said and she smiled.

    We stayed at the roof deck looking at the starry night while she was lying on the loveseat, and her head was on myp, and I was caressing her head.

    "Did you think about me all the time while you were trapped underground?" She asked, and I looked down at her lovely face.

    "Of course, Madeline, never in a day did I not think of you, and you were the reason why I never lost my hope because I know you were there waiting for me," I responded, and my wife was smiling.

    "Thank you foring home to me," Madeline said.

    "Of course, there is no ce I want to be but be with you, Madeline," I replied.

    "I felt so happy right now that I have you back." She responded.

    "Me too, Maddie," I replied, and I leaned down, and I captured her tempting lips, and I heard my wife let out a soft moan, and it made me deepen our kiss. And it feels so beautiful making out with my lovely wife.

    We stopped kissing because I could tell her lips were now swollen. And wecontinued to gaze at the beautiful stars shining brightly above us. And we could hear the pounding of the waves against theshore, and the evening breeze caressed our skin that made her feel so sleepy again. I was looking at the stars, and I couldn''t stop admiring the beauty of the night, and when I looked at my wife, she was sleeping again. And I couldn''t stop myself from staring at my wife''s lovely face.

    I carried Madeline to our room, and I gently ced her sleeping figure in our bed, and Iy next to her. I scooted closer to Maddie while I put her head on my shoulder, and as I listened to my wife''s steady breathing, I could no longer stop my eyes from closing as I drifted to a long and beautiful sleep.

    The moment I woke up, I could no longer see my wife beside me, and I smiled, thinking she was in the bathroom, but when I got up and checked the entire bedroom, I couldn''t find her. I put on my tank top and boardshorts, and I hastily get out of our room. And as I near the living room, I could smell the aroma of fooding from the kitchen, and I smiled when I found her looking so hot facing on the stove, and I could tell she woke up early in the morning. Iwalked closer to my wife, andI put my arms around her waist from behind.

    "Good morning, gorgeous!" I said, and I heard my wife giggle.

    "Good morning, handsome!" Madeline responded, and she turned around to give me a quick peck on my lips.

    "So, you beat me to it, and you cook breakfast, Maddie?" I asked my wife.

    "Yes, I want to serve you, too, my dearest husband," Madeline responded, and I took thedle from her hand, and I pulled her to sit down on the nearest chair, and I ran back to the stove since I don''t want to serve and eat burnt food.

    "Hunter, I just want to cook you some breakfast; I can do it, you know."Madeline protested.

    "Madeline, I told you, you are my princess, so what should a princess do?" I asked, and I heard my wife''sughter, and it felt so wonderful to have this moment with her.

    After finishing preparing the food on the table, I shared another blissful moment with my wife, and I know we both need to enjoy this time that we have.

    "I don''t want you to get stressed, Maddie. You are pregnant, and I asked the caretaker toe here tomorrow to cook for us. At the same time, she can clean the entire vacation house. I hired maids so you can have afortable life, Maddie." I said.

    "Thank you, Hunter, but I can do the basics, and I love to do something because I don''t want to feel useless." She responded, and I cupped her chin.

    "You are not useless, Maddie. You are my wife. Always remember that. I appreciate your desire to work, but I am sorry, I can''t allow you to do that, especially now that you are pregnant, and please, that is all I asked from you." I dered, and I grinned when I looked at her,and she pouted her lips at me. And I was smiling the entire time we ate our breakfast.

    We stayed in the living room after we ate,and we yed some board games. And this is what I want to have with Maddie. Spending quality time with my wife made me feel so happy, and I want to take herter and have dinner at the Magnolia diner. And I am sure she will be thrilled to know about my n. We are both having a good time, and we areughing and teasing each other. And then we both looked at each other when we heard a knocking on the door, and I wondered who was outside our home.

    "Did you invite someone?" My wife asked, and I shook my head.

    "No, I didn''t invite anyone except Lily and Gina. I told them toe and join us tomorrow." I replied.

    "I will get it," I added, and I stood up from my seat.

    "Okay, just make sure you will be back soon, or else you will lose your turn." She responded, and I smiled at her before I got up, and Iwalked to the door wondering who would be here at this hour when I was having a good time with my wife.

 Chapter 188 - A Surprise Visit

    Madeline''s POV

    I know the feeling when I almost lost my husband, and it was the terrifying stage of my life. The moment I learned he was buried alive underground, I was shocked, and the first thing that popped up in my mind was, how am I going to live without Hunter? Especially the moment I learned about my pregnancy, I felt so happy and sad at the same time because I knew raising a child alone would be hard. My mother was a single parent, and I saw how much she struggled to raise me.

    And now, being with Hunter again, I can''t contain the happiness that I felt. Watching his handsome face as he stared at me made me feel like I was a teenager all over again. Every time he touches me, I can feel the knots in my stomach, and I love the feeling of being in love with my husband every day. And I was praying and hoping that I would never experience the same agony ever again.

    It was a feeling of pure bliss as I watched him move around the kitchen when he took charge of cooking. He let me sit and watch him on the sideline, and I don''t particrly appreciate that most of the time. I doze off because I can''t stop feeling so sleepy now and then.

    We were happy having board games in the living room when we heard the knocking on our door, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried and scared at the same time. I know Hunter''s bodyguards are on standby, and even if I don''t see them around, I know they are all around watching and protecting us. But I couldn''t stop feeling worried as I remembered his father''s threat. I am now carrying Hunter''s baby, and I am so afraid if rk will do something to us, and now as I realize he only has Charlotte on his side, he will try to eliminate Hunter, Parker, and my child so that Charlotte will remain the only heir.

    I set aside my worries and waited for my husband toe back, and I was surprised to see Reba and Parker striding towards me, and I don''t know how to react even if I know they are now together. I slowly got up from the sofa while my husband came to my side immediately.

    "Hello, Madeline!" Parker greeted me, and I heard Reba mumbled the same thing. And I looked at them, and I realized they looked good together, and Reba was looking at me in my eyes. And I couldn''t stop looking back at her, and it took me a long moment to respond until I felt my husband''s arm around my shoulders.

    "Hi, Parker and Reba, it is a surprise, and I am happy to see you both. Please have a seat." I said to them, and Parker smiled at me, and I know he almost hurt me before I got married to his brother. Still, after what happened to himtely, I couldn''t stop myself from worrying about him and his girlfriend, and even though it felt so awkward to see Reba after everything that happened, I felt d she came with Parker. And I felt guilty that I ruined her rtionship with Hunter. Even if I knew I had done nothing wrong about it, I couldn''t stop myself from thinking if Hunter didn''t have me in his life, maybe they could be together right now, but I couldn''t give up my husband.

    I love Hunter, and I know their past will always be part of who they are, and I am just d we can have this moment. Maybe it is about time I can talk with Reba. I sat on the sofa, and my husband settled next to me, and he put his arms around my waist while we were facing his brother and ex. And I know it is awkward to both of us, but I can''t just ask them to leave since I can tell it wasn''t easy for them toe and see us.

    "Yeah, sorry if we came unannounced, Lily said you would be here, and I came to see you so I can personally say thank you to you, Madeline," Parker said.

    "You helped us to settle in Magnolia, and for that, I felt so grateful. I should have asked for help from mom, but I know mother is angry with me for almost hurting you and my brother and for listening to dad." He said.

    "It was nothing, Parker, you are Hunter''s brother, and we are family," I responded, and he smiled at me while he was holding Reba''s hand.

    "I think mom would love to see you, Parker. She is having a hard time now after what happened to our family. If you want, you caneback tomorrow since I will invite mom toe over." Hunter added, and even if I want to spend more time alone with him, it still makes me happy to have his family with us since I grew up only with my mom and then with my aunt.

    I love having Lily and mom, and I will invite Cer toe with them too. Of course, my best friend Lily, I want to ask Hunter to invite the Morigans as well, but I don''t want him to think I want to see Jack since I know he will always be jealous of him, and I find it funny because I can''t believe he will feel threatened with Jack Morigan''s presence.

    "That would be nice. I want to see mom and apologize to her as well." Parker said, and I know my husband feels so happy about it. I see every time Reba looks at Hunter, she can''t deny she still long to be with him, and I pity her in a way, but there is nothing I can do about it because the moment I found her, I was already married to Hunter. My husbandand Parker excused themselves, and Hunter said they would buy food for lunch, and I was left alone with Reba, and we were both silent for a long while until I got the courage and asked her to walk with me on the shore.

    "Madeline, I know this is so awkward for you to have us here in your vacation home. When Parker said he wanted toe here and see you, I didn''t want toe, but I realized I want to have this opportunity to talk with you." Reba said as we walked barefoot on the sand.

    "Yeah, I know, Reba, it was ufortable, but we can''t stay away from each other because Parker is Hunter''s brother and I have to deal with it, and I think we both need to deal with it, and I guess we need to talk," I responded.

    "I am sorry if I took Hunter away from you," I added, and she shook her head while she looked at me sideways and sweetly smiled at me.

    "Madeline, you don''t need to apologize to me because Hunter is lucky to have you. Your husband is crazy in love with you, and I haven''t seen him look at me the way he gazed at you, Maddie. Even if Ie back, I can''t take him away from you because you are both in love with each other; besides, I fooled him once, and my guilt was killing me." She said.

    "On the night before we got married, I met with the gardener, and it was true, he was my boyfriend, and it was his n that we should use Hunter so we could get some money from Hunter''s family. But on the night Hunter found us, I realized I became more in love with him, and I felt so guilty that I tricked him." Reba said, and I could see the tears that welled up in her eyes.

    "Hunter is kind and loving, and he made me feel I am special, and rk Divenson was right. I was a gold digger bitch who ruined his son''s life but believed me, Madeline, and I paid the price of what I had done to your husband. For ten years, I suffered under the cruelty of his father, and all I want right now is for Hunter to forgive me." She added, and I couldn''t believe she would tell me all this now.

    "And I am aware you are the only one who can help me, Hunter loves you so much, and I am sure he will listen to you. I can''t deny I still feel the same way towards him, Maddie, and I am sorry if I still feel this way. There is nothing I can do with my heart. But I am now beginning to fall for Parker because he saved me from losing myself again, and I realized they have many simrities. I am d Parker loves me unconditionally." She said.

    "Wow, I don''t know what to say, but thank you that you told me all about it, Reba," I replied, and she moved closer to me, and she held my hands.

    "On the day I first saw you, I felt different towards you, maybe because you are a good person inside out. I want you to be my friend right away. I wasn''t in my right mind at that time since I always skipped taking my medicines, but my instinct was right." Reba dered as she continued to hold my hands.

    "I think you were an angel, Madeline." She said, and her words warmed my heart.

    "I am not an angel, Reba," I said softly.

    "For me and for those around you, you are an angel. And thank you for allowing me to spend time with Hunter, for giving me another chance to live my life and regain my sanity. You let me borrow Hunter two days per week without questions, and even if Hunter said he was busy with his work, I could tell he has someone in his life that he cherished the most, and I felt d it was you, Madeline." Reba responded.

    "Hunter helped me to be well again, and it was all because of you. Thank you for being so selfless, Madeline. I can tell no one on her right mind to allow her husband to spend time with his ex-fiancee, but you took the pain for me, and I am so grateful for what you had done to me. I was in pain, but I know you suffered the most, and when I heard about what happened to Hunter, I prayed hard that he woulde back to you unscratched because I know you are one of those people who deserves fo have the best in life." She added.

    "Thank you, Reba. I know how much you suffered as well. That is why I can''t stop myself from feeling so guilty." I responded.

    "You don''t need to be guilty about anything Madeline because you made life easier for us. Besides, we are going to be sisters-inw soon," She said as she showed me her engagement ring that I hadn''t noticed at all, and we smiled at each other. I can''t deny talking with Reba made me feel better and happy, and I am so d they came here to the vi. Maybe we could start to build more healthy rtionships since we can''t ignore each other, especially now that she is engaged to marry Hunter''s brother, and I felt so happy for them.

 Chapter 189 - Leave The Past Behind

    Hunter''s POV

    I walked to open the main door, and I couldn''t stop feeling apprehensive about who would be there outside the door. I didn''t expect anyone, and I know if our unexpected visitors were enemies, my bodyguards would have already taken them down. And I can see the worries on my wife''s face as I left here on the sofa, and as possible, I don''t want to make Madeline worried about anything because I am thinking about our child.

    The moment I opened the door, I was stunned when I saw Reba and my brother standing before me. And I wonder what they are doing here right now when I am having a good time with my pregnant wife.

    "Reba, Parker!" I eximed, and I don''t know if it would be alright for Madeline to invitethem inside, but I know her, she could be very understanding, besides I am aware of how she helped my younger brother and my ex-fiancee. I know this feels awkward, but I couldn''t ask them to leave; Parker is my brother. Even if I am still angry with him that he coborated with Charlotte and Reba to make me like a fool believing I was the father of Reba''schild, I still care about him.

    "What are you doing here?" I asked as I controlled to lower my voice.

    "We came to see your wife, and we are not here to give you trouble. I want to say thank you to Madeline, Hunter, and of course, I wanted to see you after what happened. I was worried about you, and I am so thankful you survived the explosions." Parker said.

    "Thank you, Parker. Please,e inside." I said as I widely opened the door for them.

    I can see the looked of surprise on my wife''s face when she saw Reba, and of course, I understand my wife''s reaction, but Madeline is good at hiding her emotions, she smiled at them like they were old friends, and I sat beside her right away, since I want to make my wife feel secure with my love. I could tell the changes in my brother''s personality.

    I could tell Reba changed him, and I felt so d they found each other. Parker talked with Madeline, and I could tell how much he respected Madeline. I felt so proud of my wife that even if my brother almost hurt her before, she forgave him for his mistakes, and I felt delighted since Parker is my younger brother, and I could tell my mom would be so happy to see him tomorrow.

    I don''t know if it would be a good idea to leave my wife and Reba alone together in our vacation house, but I need to talk with Parker regarding our father, and I don''t want my wife to know about anything about it, so I told them that we need to buy food for our lunch. We just drove around the Magnolia vige.

    "You should be careful, Hunter, I know dad is nning something big, and after what happened to Reba and me, I could tell our father is so obsessed with money, and he has been coborating with Kaye''s father," Parker said.

    "I am no longer afraid of rk Divenson, Parker." I dered, and I looked at my brother sideways before I returned my attention on the road.

    "I know, but I am worried about Madeline. I am aware he will target your wife. I am sure he was the one behind the explosions at the mining that almost killed you and Calixto." My brother replied, and I released a heavy sigh.

    "I know. Thank you, Parker, for your concern about my wife." I replied.

    "Madeline has a good heart, Hunter, and you are so lucky to have her as your wife. And I don''t want her to get hurt." He said, and I smiled at my brother.

    "Knowing dad is targeting her, and I can''t stay quiet. I know how much you love her. That is why I want to help you, Hunter." He said.

    "Thank you, Parker, but I think you should look after Reba, now that you pissed him off, I could tell dad wasalso nning on hurting her, so it is better to be vignt at all times," I responded.

    "Yeah, I know, and I hope he will just stop so our family will have peace." My brother said.

    "Yeah, me too, I am not happy that this is happening to all of us, especially now that I am married to Madeline, and I am going to be a dad," I replied.

    "Speaking of getting married, that is one of the reasons why I came, I already asked Reba to marry me, and she said yes. And I want to share the good news with you. Congrattions, Hunter, and I am excited to be an uncle."My brother said.

    "Wow! That would be perfect, Parker. I am so happy for you, brother, and thank you, and I am so excited to be a dad, too," I replied.

    "Don''t worry about your wedding since I will be the one to shoulder all the expenses of your uing wedding," I added.

    "No, Hunter, it is my wedding, and I need to make Reba proud of me." He replied.

    "Of course, I understand, but I am aware our father froze your ount, so I think you needed my help." I insisted.

    "And if you want, you can work at thepany, Parker, thatpany is ours, and it belonged to our grandparents, and I am sure mom will be happy if you will get on board," I continued, and his face lit up.

    "Are you sure about that?" He asked.

    "Yes, I am; besides, I know you have your specialty, or if you want to start your ownpany, I will support you financially, and we can be partners," I said.

    "I love to start my ownpany, brother." He said, and I smiled.

    "Okay,e to my office during office hours so we can discuss it. I am excited for you. I know you have the ability to do it, and I am aware that our father was the only one who didn''t trust your ability, but now that you are nning to get married to Reba, I think it is about time you should start building your dreams." I said to him.

    "Are you willing to finance me?" He asked, and I tapped his shoulder.

    "Of course, I know I can trust you; besides, whatever happens, we are still brothers, Parker. I am your elder brother, and I felt responsible for you." I said.

    "Thank you." He said.

    "If you want to get married to Reba right away, just tell me, and I will call my friend," I said.

    "Of course, your Mayor friend." He replied, and I nodded my head.

    "I will take care of everything, including the reception; just tell me the date so I can prepare everything," I said.

    "If you insist." My brother said, and heughed, and it feels so good to have this conversation with my little brother, I missed the old times where we used to y around our estate, and we were chasing each other.

    We returned to the vi with Chinese food take-out, which I know is one of my wife''s favorite. And I felt so happy when I found Madeline and Reba talking in the kitchen, and I can see the looked of excitement on my wife''s face when she saw the take-out food, and I know she has been craving Chinese foodtely and I couldn''t deny my wife what she wanted.

    I walked closer to her after I put the food on the table, and I gave her a quick pecked on her lips, and I could tell she was more excited to eat her food than to kiss me, but I still felt so happy because she is feeling this way because of our growing baby inside her tummy.

    My brother and Reba left after we ate lunch, and they said they would be back tomorrow, and I can tell I needed to speak with Reba for once. I know I was so angry with her thest time she came to my office, but she can''t me me because what she had done to me was unforgivable. I know Charlotte made her do such a scheme, but I wished she was honest with me too because I made a lot of sacrifices for her. I even hurt the woman I love.

    "Hey, why it took you so long toe back? Do I need to know something?" She asked me the moment we went inside the living room after we sent my brother and Reba to their car. We are standing and facing each other, and I am staring at my wife''s beautiful face.

    "Nothing is going on, Maddie. Everything is fine. My brother wanted to have a serious talk with me about Reba and him, and I am d they are getting married." I said as I held her hand.

    "Yeah, Reba told me the same thing, and I am so happy for them, Hunter." She said, and I could tell my wife was joyous for them, and I felt guilty that I was lying to her, but I couldn''t tell my wife about what my brother had told me. I don''t want Madeline to worry, especially now that she is pregnant. Besides, I will do everything to protect her from my father, even if I will lose my life for her.

    "I am d you got along with Reba," I said as I looked at my wife, and she put her hands around my neck while she looked up at me, and I put my arms around her waist and pulled her closer to me, and I love the way Madeline gazes at me.

    "I know Reba will always be part of who you are, but I am confident I am the only one in your heart right now; besides, it is time to forget about the heartaches of yesterday, and let us leave the past behind so that we can face the future with peace and happiness in our hearts." She dered, and I imed her sweet mouth to let her know I agreed with her words.

 Chapter 190 - Second Honeymoon

    Madeline''s POV

    I could tell my husband, and Parker talked about something because the moment Hunter got back at the Vi after his brother and Reba left, I found him staring into space, and I could tell he was in deep thought. I don''t want him to think of anything else since we are having our second honeymoon. Still, I know, after what happened in the mining site, I could tell my husband became a different person, but he was trying his best to control it, and he was hiding it from me because he didn''t want me to worry.

    "I want you to change your clothes into something fancy," Hunter said, and I stared at him as if I didn''t hear his words.

    "You want me to change?" I asked, and he touched my face, and he nodded his head.

    "Yeah, I want to take my wife somewhere. I want to have a date with you." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "I like that!" I eximed, and I stood up from the sofa and walked towards our room. And I smiled when I felt him walking behind me, and it was not long before I felt his hand on my palm, and he intertwined his fingers with mine.

    "You don''t need toe with me, Hunter," I said as I tried to hide my grin.

    "I know, but one thing I learned after more than one month of being away from you, I will never miss my chances to be with you, my dear sweet wife, because it feels like hell when I was there and not able to see you, and touch your face and kiss your lips." He said, and I squeezed his hand.

    "It is okay, Hunter. We are together now." I replied.

    "Yes, but I couldn''t stop myself from worrying about you, Madeline, and our unborn child." He said, and I stopped walking, and I faced Hunter, and I was still fascinated by the fact my husband was towering over me.

    "Hey, nothing will happen to our baby and me, my love," I said as I looked up at him, and I caressed his face.

    "Madeline, I am so scared of losing you." He said, and he pulled me closer to him.

    "Hunter, I will always be with you. I promised I would grow old with you." I said, and he released me from his embrace, and he looked at my face.

    "You have to promise me, Maddie." Hunter softly said, and I felt so worried why he suddenly became like this.

    "I am your wife, and you can tell me anything, Hunter." I dered as I opened our bedroom door.

    "If something is bothering you, you should share it with me, and you are now in love with me. I am no longer the old Madeline that you bought for marriage. We are now in love with each other, Hunter. I guess it gives me the right to know what is bothering you." I dered as I continued to move to the closet, and I started looking at the beautiful dresses in the cab, and until now, I still couldn''t believe my husband bought all thesethings for me.

    "I am sorry, I should not make you feel worried because we are here for our second honeymoon." He said, and I turned my head to look at my husband only to find out he was already standing so close to me, and he started caressing my thighs. And he leaned down, and he was kissing my neck, and I know Hunter is doing this to forget what is bothering him, and he doesn''t want me to know about it, and I don''t want to deny my husband what he wants. And I admit I want to feel my husband''s hands all over my body.

    Hunter lifted my dress, and he brought it over my head, and he released a deep breathe when I was standing in front of him wearing only my underwear.

    "You are so beautiful, Madeline." He murmurs as he leans closer to me, and his lips brush my ear, and when he nibbles my ear, I let out a soft moan. The moment he discards my bra and flicks my nipples, I suddenly felt my entire body was on fire as I watched the lust with abination of love on my husband''s face.

    I undressed my husband fast, and he chuckled when we almost stumbled on the floor, and I couldn''t believe that I felt so aroused that I wanted my husband to take me right away.

    "You need to take it easy, my sweet Madeline. I am not running away from you," I heard Hunter''s sexy voice as he carried me to our bed, and I could feel my entire body was on fire when he imed my mouth and touched my mound at the same time. He was rubbing my clit with his fingers, and I arched my back since I wanted more. But my husband has another n, and he takes it slow, and I am dying to feel him inside me.

    I felt so wet between my legs, and I was aching when I saw my husband''s erection, his enormous manhood made me want to beg Hunter to take me, but he was doing it at his pace. My husband touched and kneaded the sensitive parts between my legs, and I felt my toes curled when he started teasing me with his tongue. And when my husband tasted and sucked my clit, I saw the stars, and I felt my entire body shivered with desires that I can''t exin. I could feel my eyes roll at the back of my head when he continued to tease me with his tongue, and I moaned and shivered as I gripped the sheets as I felt the torture of pure pleasure.

    I felt so horny, and I could feel my husband ignited my entire body with fire by the way hepped my wet slit, and he continued to suck my clit. And when he dragged his tongue up and down on mybia, I arched my back to let my husband know I loved the way he made me feel. Then, I can''t hold it anymore. I screamed as I came into his mouth, and I could see the smile on my husband''s face when he moved his body, and he came closer to me, and he passionately kissed my mouth, and I could taste my sweet juices on his mouth as we shared a searing kiss.

    "I want you to enjoy our second honeymoon, Madeline." He said, and he grunted when I stroked his stiff shaft, and I smiled when I realized I was making my husband this big.

    "I am enjoying every moment of it, Hunter, and I love the way you made me feel, " I responded in between my moan, and I wanted to taste my husband too and make him feel so good, but he pinned me to the bed as he positioned himself to take me. And together, we moaned when he inched himself and pushed inside me, and I can feel my husband filled me with his beautiful enormous member. And I could feel him slowly move as he adjusted his weight.

    Hunter kissed my breasts one after the other as he continued to thrust himself towards me, and I bucked my hips to receive my husband''s every thrust. And I love the way he teased my hardening nipples, and when he sucked my nipples one after the other, I moaned. And I love the way Hunter made love to me, and I can feel his love for me the way he said my name as he continued to ram me with his stiff rod.

    He pushed harder and deeper, and I took my husband''s thrust with total abandonment, and it feels so beautiful that we came together calling each other''s name. And my husband copsed beside me on the bed after he pulled out his still rigid rock member. We were both panting, and he pulled me closer to him, and we shared another hot kiss before he took my head into his chest while my legs were on his thighs.

    "Are you tired?" He asked, and I shook my head, and my husbandughed as he started caressing my sensitive parts, and he set my entire body on fire once again. And I can tell he is still as hard as before, and I smiled. We made love for another round, and it felt the same, beautiful, and my husband satisfied me beyond words.We stayed in bed for almost two hours before we showered together, and he chose my dress this time, and my husband helped me with my dress.

    "Hey, I am not yet preggy looking, and I can still manage," I said to him after he put on my sexy halter mini dress that hugged on my body perfectly.

    "Let me do this, Madeline. I am still missing you even if we are together; maybe this is the aftereffect of my experience under the tunnel." He said, and I caressed his handsome face.

    "Okay, if you want," I replied, and he helped me with my hair, and I can''t believe my husband will pamper me this way.

    "I am afraid if I will get used to this, Hunter." I dered, and he looked at me with intensity.

    "Why are you afraid, Madeline? I will always be here for you and our child." He said as he put on my sandals, I wanted to wear heels, but Hunter begged me not to since he was afraid if I would stumble on the surface. And then I watched my husband get dressed, and I couldn''t stop myself from drooling over as I watched my husband''s toned body, and his chiseled abs and shoulders made me have knots on my stomach.

    We got out from our vacation house holding hands, and I felt so happy that Hunter was true to his words, we are having our second honeymoon, and I love every moment I spend with my husband. And he drove away from our vacation house, and I felt relieved when I saw the car of his bodyguards trailing behind us. And I almost cried with happiness when I saw the Magnolia diner from a distance.

    "Thank you, Hunter." I softly mumbled as I tried to contain the happiness in my heart.

    "You are wee, Madeline; I want you to enjoy tonight." He said as he sped his hand on mine, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling ear to ear as we got closer to the Morigans restaurant.

    .

    .

 Chapter 191 - Unknown Number

    Madeline''s POV

    "Madeline, Mr. Divenson, it is a surprise to see you here!" Lydia eximed the moment she saw us walked inside the restaurant.

    "Hello, Lydia, I want to surprise Madeline because she is craving for your menus, and I can''t deny her since she is pregnant." My husband proudly said, and I can see the happiness on Lydia''s face.

    "Wow! Congrattions, that is good news! I feel so happy for you, Mr. and Mrs. Divenson." Lydia said and can''t stop myself from feeling smiling, and I felt so excited to have dinner with my husband. I can''t deny I love their restaurant, not only because of its ambiance, but because of their family who have good heart, and I will never forget the kindness the Morigans bestowed upon me.

    I order my favorite food usually seafoods, while my husband let me order for him as well, and I know I am having a good appetite because I am pregnant, and I can tell I eat more than Hunter could eat.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for taking me here." I said to my husband and she smiled at me while heced his fingers with mine, and I felt so happy as content at the moment.

    "You know what, I still love the way you check me out, Madeline, even if you are now my wife, it still makes me feel ecstatic." My husband said when he caught me staring at him as we waited for our order, and I can feel my face blushed right away.

    "Hey, don''t feel shy about it, I love it, Madeline." He added as he squeezed my hand.

    "I just can''t help it, I can''t stop looking at your handsome face." I said and my husbandughed.

    "You make me happy, my sweet Madeline, you just don''t realized how much you mean to me." Hunter said as he looked at my eyes with great intensity and I felt my entire body melt with his gaze, and we were starting into each other when Kydia delivered our food personally.

    "I know, Hunter, and I can''t measure it, and for that I am so happy to have you as my husband." I replied, and before he can answer me our food arrived. We said thanks to the waitress, and my husband helped me put food on my te, and we eat our dinner happily, andI was so full the moment I finished eating my food, we talked more, and Lydia joined us on our table,and when Hunter excused himself to go to the restroom Lydia was smiling at me, and I suddenly miss my mom as I looked at her.

    "Madeline, I am so delighted for you, and I know you are now happy with your husband because I can see it on your eyes. And now that you are pregnant you look more beautiful, and you are glowing with happiness, Maddie." She dered.

    "Yeah, I am so happy, Lydia." I replied, and she beamed at me.

    "I know I should not tell you about this, but I think you have all the right to know. Jack was crazy about you, Madeline, and I pity my son. But because of you he chased his dreams, and he became so sessful with his restaurant at the Astikoz city. He wanted to show you that he can be somebody, and now he had been offered to have a morning show on one of the popr televisionworks in the country." Lydia said, and I am shocked, and I ddidn''t know I was the reason why Jack opened his own restaurant in the city, and leave his mother in running their family business.

    "Wow, I am ttered, and I am so happy for Jack that he will have his own cooking show, and I bet there would be a lot of women who will watch his show. Jack is handsome and very attractive, and I think he can have a celebrity girlfriend soon." I said, but Lydia shook her head.

    "I doubt about that, Madeline, he can''t stop thinking about you, and I know he need to fight himself, but I can''t me him, Madeline. You are the beautiful and sweet no wonder he was smitten by your beauty. " Lydia said, and I blushed and I coudn''t stop myself from feeling guilty.

    "I felt guilty, Jack confessed his feelings to me before I return to the Divenson mansion, and marry Hunter." I said and I can''t stop myself from feeling so sad.

    "Hey, don''t look be sad for him, Madeline, it was his choice to love you even if you are already a married woman." Lydia said, and our conversation ceased when my husband return to his seat.

    We said goodbye to Lydia, and the moment we arrived at the vi, my husband asked me to have a walk on the shore, and I felt so excited as I stroll barefoot again. It was a starry night and we wander on the coast holding hands. And the moment we get back on the house I felt hungry again.

    "I want to eat an ice cream!" I blurted out and Hunter brings me to the kitchen and I can see the worries on his face after he opened the fridge, and he hadn''t found an ice cream.

    "My sweet, I am sorry, there is no more ice cream, I will drive to Magnolia center to buy ice cream." He said and I walked closer to him.

    "Nah, it is okay, hot milk will do." I dered and I walk towards the kitchen cab to prepare my hot milk, but my husband beat me to it, while he asked me to sit down.

    "I am only pregnant, Hunter, but I can still do the things I used to do." I said as i watched him prepare my milk.

    "Just let me do this, Madeline, allow me to take care of you and our baby." He said as he handed me my ss of milk.

    "Okay, if that is what makes you happy, Mr. Divenson." I said, and I can''t stop myself from giggling.

    "Yes, my sweet wife, I want to rece the awful memories you had for the past months, with happy ones, and I want you to rmember the beautiful moments we did together." He said, and I caressed his handsome face as I look at him on his eyes.

    "Thank you." I murmured, and then I leaned down and kissed him on the lips, and it feels so nice when he kissed me back with intensity that I felt the electricity that travels on my frame.

    I can''t really stop myself from dozing off that while waiting for my husband as he washed the ss I fell asleep on the table, and I almost jumped when he touched my shoulder.

    "I don''t mean to scare you, Madeline. I am sorry, I should have carried you to the bed." He said.

    "You don''t need to do that I still need to change my dress." I said, and he smiled as he put his hands on my waist, and he hoisted me from my chair. And we walked to our room in silence. My husband get my nightgown and he helped me undressed my dress, and the moment my body hit the bed, I felt Hunter pulled me closer to him, and I fall asleep immediately on his arms, and I had a long beautiful sleep.

    "I got so excited the following morning when I wake up, and I smiled when I found my husband is still asleep. And I tiptoed in going to the kitchen because I want to cook breakfast for him, but when I reached the kitchen someone is already cooking, and when she turned around she smiled at me.

    "Hi, good morning, I am Jen, you must be Mrs. Divenson, I am the new caretaker of your vactaion home, and your husband asked me to cook for you today since you will be having guests." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "Yes, I am Madeline, Hunter''s wife. Thank you foring today, and it is nice to meet you, Jen." I said.

    "Nice to meet you too, Maddie." She said before she turned to face the stove as I can smell the aroma of food, and I felt hungry right away.Hunter is still sleeping when Gina arrived and I felt so happy to see her after one week of not seeing her.

    "Thank you, Gina. I am so d you came." I said.

    "Madeline, I will always be there for you, unless I will go somewhere else." She said, and I can tell she is unhappy.

    "Hey, are you alright?" I asked, and she smiled at me and I can tell she was trying to mask her emotion with her fake smile. She looked so cute wearing

    shorts and crop top blouse.

    "Of course, I am fine. I love you vacation home, Madeline, that is why I will never miss any invitations especially ifing from yiur hot husband." She dered and I can''t stop myself from smiling.

    My husband joined us in the dining hall as we eat our breakfast, and I wonder why Lily is not yet around. Hunter told me mom can''t make it since something came up. And Tony was the one driving Lily. After we finished eating breakfast Gina asked me to go near the beach since she wanted to see the morning view of the ocean. Wey side by side on the beach chaise lounge chairs. We were happily talking when I felt my phone vibrated on my side, and when I looked at it, I have a text message from unknown number, and I suddenly felt uneasy.

    "Hello, Madeline, if you want to see Lily,e and meet me within today, don''t tell anyone if you want to see her alive." My eyes widened when I read the text message, and I can feel the pounding of my heart against my chest, and I felt my entire body is trembling with fear.

 Chapter 192 - Confirmed Suspicion

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hey, are you alright? Why do you look so pale? Do you visit your doctor regrly, Madeline?" Gina asked as I watched the ocean before us, and it feels like I did not see the view in front of me as I felt the trembling of my knees, and I could feel the rapid beating of my heart.

    "Of course, Hunter apanied me because he is very excited, and I feel the same way too," I said as I looked at her, and I know Gina can tell right away if I am in trouble.

    "Are you having a marital problem?" She asked as she moved closer to me.

    "We have been best friends for so many years, Madeline, that is why you can never hide your true emotions from me, I will know right away if something is bothering you, and base on your expression that you were trying to hid by your fake smile, you are having a massive problem right now." She dered, and I can never hide anything from her.

    I slowly opened my phone, and I opened the message, and I handed my phone to Gina, and her eyes widened after she read the news. And my best friend put her hand on her mouth to cover her reaction, and I looked around us because I was so afraid my husband would join us at any moment.

    "Madeline, you can''t be a hero this time, you are pregnant, and I think it is best if you will tell your husband about it, " She said.

    "No, you are not even allowed to see the message, Gina. No one should know about it. I love Lily, she is more than a sister to me, and you know that." I said as I tried to calm my nerves.

    "Of course, I know, Madeline, because I feel the same way too." She replied.

    "And what on earth are you nning to do now that Hunter''s bodyguard surrounds you." She dered, and I was thinking the same thing.

    "You are the only one I can trust, Gina, and I know you will help me find a way to save Lily," I said, and her face fell.

    "Madeline, I am not a policewoman; besides, we don''t know who we are dealing with, and I am sure Hunter will know that something is off because he was waiting for her sister toe," Gina said and I can tell she has a point.

    "But the time is running, Gina." I replied.

    "We still have a lot of time, Madeline, that person must be ying tricks with you; besides, he said, I assume he was a man; you need toe and see him within today," Gina replied, and even before I can answer her, my phone vibrated again, and this time I let Gina read the message for me.

    "It seems he was reading your mind right now, and he said you only have until midnight. It means we still have time to think about it, don''t worry too much, Lily will be fine. You are pregnant, Madeline; you can''t risk your pregnancy, and we can figure this out." She said, and I couldn''t believe how calm she was right now, and I knew I should do the same, or else my husband would know what was going on.

    "I think we should get back to the house now, Maddie," Gina said as she pulled me up with her, and I didn''t have a choice but to walk with her. The moment we get inside the house, Parker and Reba are already talking with Hunter in the living room, and I can see the frown on Gina''s face as she looks at Reba with contempt. I said hi to them while I dragged my best friend to the guest room she currently upied.

    "What is she doing here, Madeline?" She asked me, and I could see the anger on her face.

    "Rx, Gina, they came here yesterday to makepeace with us, and Parker is Hunter''s brother, and Reba is now his fiancee, and whether we like it or not, she will be part of the family soon." I said.

    "Just like that? After what have they done to you? Please wake up, Madeline; they already tricked you. How can you trust them? That is why they will take advantage of you because you are too good and kind to them." She said.

    "I understand your concern, Gina, and thank you for always taking good care of me, but I still believe everyone deserves a second chance in life; besides, we can''t move on with our lives if we continue to hold grudges and animosity towards the person who caused us sufferings and forgiveness is the key to having a happy life," I said to her, and her face softened.

    "I am sorry, I know, Madeline, but I just can''t believe you forgive them that easily when I know how much you suffer because of them." She responded.

    "I know, but I understood them; they were also victims of cruelty and greediness, Gina. Parker almost hurt me because of his father while Reba did it because of Charlotte, and we are not in the position to judge them, right?" I asked, and she nodded her head.

    "We need to go back in there and join them. We have a big problem that we need to solve, and I don''t think hating Reba and Parker would help, and I think maybe Parker could help us." I dered.

    "You said no one should know about it. Are you sure about that?" My best friend dered, and I realized the warning of the text message.

    "Yeah, you are right; I can''t tell him either," I said, and we walked back to the living room, and we heard my husband''sughter reverberated the entire room, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I realized Hunter was having a good conversation with his brother.

    "Wow! So, the cold CEO knows how tough after all, " Gina said, and I nudged her.

    "Hey, that is my husband, he may look cold, but he always makes me feel warm, Gina," I said, and my best friend giggled.

    "Well, I don''t care if my future husband will look colder than Hunter as long as he is handsome and loaded like him." He dered, and it was my turn tough, and I shook my head.

    The moment my husband saw using, he gazed at me, and he gave me his signature smile that will always make me feel so weak. And then he motioned me to sit beside him while Gina took the loveseat, and she is looking at us with a smile on her face as my husband draped his arm around my shoulder.

    "Lily called, " He said, and I suddenly felt rmed, and I tried my best to look calm since I didn''t want him to know about the text messages that I received.

    "And where is she?" I asked, pretending to be excited.

    "Lily said she couldn''te because she had forgotten to make a report due on Monday, and you know our little sister, she wants everything to be perfect. Well, I can''t me her. She is an honor student, and I am a proud brother." He said, and my suspicion worsens, and I could tell Lily was really in trouble; there is no way she will note here to the Vi because she can make her report while she is here.

    "Hey, are you okay, my sweet?" Hunter whispered in my ear when I stared into space. I couldn''t believe that this was happening to Lily. I wanted Hunter to know about it, but I worried they would do something to Lily.

    "Nothing, I am fine. I couldn''t believe I would feel sleepy at this hour." I lied, and he smiled and caressed my face.

    "You must take a rest, and I will wake you up when Lunch is ready, " He said, and I beamed at my husband, and then I looked at Parker and Reba, and I smiled at them as well.

    "You are staying for the night, right?" I asked them, and they both nodded.

    "Okay, that is lovely. I am sorry if I suddenly feel like this. I know the baby is making me so dizzy, and I want to take a nap. I will leave you with Hunter." I said, and they both smiled at me.

    "I will take you to our room, " My husband offered, and I smiled sweetly at him.

    "No need, my dear husband, my best friend is here, and she will take good care of me," I said as I smiled at Gina. I am feining my dizziness because I want to be alone with my best friend.

    "Sure!" She responded, and she got up from her seat immediately.

    "Okay then, have a nice sleep, Maddie, " He said, and he kissed me on the lips before he put his hands on my waist, and he hauled me from my seat, and Gina walked with me to our room, and after I close the door, I slowly walked to our bed, and Iy my body.

    "You are not faking? Are you not feeling well, Madeline?" She asked, and Iughed.

    "I am fine, and I don''t want my husband to suspect that something is going on. At least if ever he will get inside, I will be lying here in our bed, and I can pretend I am sleeping while you go there on the sofa and read some magazines." I said to Gina, and she walked to the sofa and picked up a magazine, and I smiled when she started flipping the pages.

    "I know you are brave, and you are not also afraid to do anything, Gina, but I don''t want something to happen to you. But I need your help on this one." I said, and she stopped reading the magazine, and she looked at me.

    "I know, and do you think I will let you go alone?" She asked, and I smiled. I know I can trust Gina, but I will not put her life in danger because of me. I will make sure we can take Lily safely, and I know they only want me. I don''t know how I will help Lily, but I am the only one who can help her because they only wish for me. I can''t say if rk is behind all this because I know even if he is wicked, he still cares about her little girl, and Charlotte can''t hurt Lily because she is her sister, the only person who can do this is Kaye.. And I felt so cold as I remembered her words when we met at the grocery store.

 Chapter 193 - The Call

    Madeline''s POV

    "I know you will never allow me to do it alone, but all I am asking you is to bring Lily with you. If Kaye is behind all this, I am sure she only wants me and no one else." I said to Gina as I watched her pretending to scan the magazine on herp.

    "Come on, Madeline, I need to bring you to safety; besides, I will never let you go with anyone. If they take you, I will beg them to take me too." She said, and I couldn''t believe her right now.

    "Please, Gina, don''t make this hard for me. All I am asking you is to bring my little sister to safety. Because I can take care of myself, and besides, I don''t think Kaye could hurt me." I responded.

    "I can tell she is evil, Madeline. Kaye will hurt you, and I am sure about it and don''t forget shetold you before, you have to pay for hurting her feelings even if you have done nothing wrong to her. She hated that Hunter fell in love with you, and why does she think she could win Hunter by harming you? You have to believe me, Maddie, don''t ever listen to her. If she will threaten you that she will hurt Lily, then it is time we will call the police." My best friend said.

    "What if she will hurt her? I can''t let anything happen to Lily, Gina; that is why I don''t want the authority to get involved." I replied.

    "I understand you, Madeline, but you can''t sacrifice yourself. You are pregnant, for heaven''s sake,besides I am sure she is not alone. She hired goons to make you obey all hermands. And I can tell she is desperate like rk Divenson and Charlotte, the father and daughter wanted to ruin Hunter''s life, while Kaye wanted to destroy you." Gina dered, and I suddenly felt scared, but I tried my best to keep calm.

    "I don''t understand why I need to suffer like this; every time everything is in ce, something bad will happen again, and I hope this will end soon because I don''t want my child to suffer as well." I dered.

    "Me too, your life is a hell of a roller coaster ride, and I know, trials are part of our lives, but in your case, I think you won the jackpot in terms of problems andplications in life, but the good thing is you''ve got Hunter Divenson. Your saviorand protector." She said, and I smiled as I heard my husband''s name.

    But I suddenly felt guilty that this time I had to lie to him, and worst I needed to do something so we could get out of our vacation house, and until now I still don''t know what to do, and as I looked at the clock on the wall it is almost noon. We are running out of time, and Lily''s life could be in danger.

    We looked at each other when we heard my phone ringing, and Gina abruptly got up from her seat, and she walked closer to me, and my hands trembled when I saw the number of the unknown person who texted me a while ago.

    "You have to answer it, Maddie, to make sure Lily is really with them, put it on speaker," Gina said right away. I handed her the phone because I couldn''t stop my hands from shaking, and she swiped the call button to the right, and all we could hear at first was silence, and then I almost jumped on the bed when I listened to the man''s voice on the other line.

    "Mrs. Divenson, don''t make me lose my patience, it is already noontime, and yet you never answer my messages, and I haven''t received any reply from you, even a simple hello." He said, and his voice sounded solid and authoritative, and I could envision him as a big man with a beard.

    "Who are you, and what do you want from me?" I asked the moment I got the courage to speak to him, and I motioned Gina to lock the door since I was afraid my husband woulde inside our room, and I didn''t want Hunter to know what was going on.

    "I don''t need anything from you, but you offended my employer so many times." He replied.

    "Who is your employer? Why does she need someone to do the job for her?" I asked with an angry voice.

    "Now I could say you are a feisty woman, and I like that; sorry, I can''t tell it to you over the phone, my dear, but be sure toe here. I already texted you the location where we should meet. Remember no police, and only you, and if you inform your husband, your little sister will suffer the consequences." He said, and instead of feeling worried and scared, I could feel the anger boiling inside me.

    "Why should I believe you that she is with you?" I firmly asked, and heughed.

    "I covered her mouth because she is so noisy, and I don''t like noise, and you have to wait because I gagged her mouth. If you want to hear her high-pitched voice, I will take away the piece of cloth from her mouth so that you will realize I am not ying games with you, Madeline." He said, and he stopped talking for a while, and I could hear the rapid beating of my heart as I waited for him to speak again. The other line went silent for a long time until I heard Lily''s voice, and she was screaming for my name, and I could tell she was doing it to piss her captor, and I froze because I couldn''t believe that Lily was with him.

    "Madeline! Don''te for me!" She shouted the exact words all over again until I couldn''t hear her anymore, and I assumed he gagged her again.

    "Please don''t hurt my sister, Lily is innocent, and she has done nothing to you," I begged him as I tried to control my anger towards him.

    "It is only simple logic, Mrs. Divenson. If youe, we will release Lily right away and don''t worry, and she will be alright. I only gagged her, but I nevery a finger on her." He said, and I felt relieved.

    "Don''t tell anyone, especially your husband, Madeline, or else you will be in bigtrouble. Remember, you only have until midnight." He said, and before I could answer him, he had already ended the call.

    "Wow, I couldn''t believe they have her," Gina said as she slowly sat down on the bed, while I was still stunned, and before I could talk with her, we heard knocking on the door, and I pretended I was asleep while my best friend strides to open the door. I listened to my husband''s voice right away, and when I felt him sitting on the bed, I felt so nervous he would learn something was wrong, and when he caressed my face, I opened my eyes and found him staring at my face.

    "Hey, are you alright?" He asked, and I slowly nodded my head while he helped me get up from the bed; I could see my best friend out of the corner of my eye walking towards the door, and she slowly closed it after she got out.

    "Yes, I am fine, Hunter," I replied, and I smiled at him.

    "Your body is shaking, Maddie." He said.

    "I was only excited because you are near me," I replied, and my husbandughed, and he brought me closer to him, and I giggled when he carried me into hisp.

    "Don''t hide anything from me, Madeline. If you are not feeling well, you can always tell me about it. I am your husband, and it is my responsibility to take good care of you and make you happy, especially now that you are carrying our child." He said, and I felt so guilty.

    "Of course, you are the best husband in the world, Hunter. You don''t have any idea how you make me feel so happy every time you touch me, and I can feel your love and devotion to me." I replied, and he kissed me on the lips before he stood up, and my husband helped me get down on my feet, and he assisted me in fixing my hair.

    "I don''t want to disturb you from sleeping, but I don''t want you to skip your lunch; besides, I want you to join us; they are now waiting for us, and I think Gina gave us privacy because she got out. Ahead of us." He said, smiling at me, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling back at my husband even if I felt so worried about his younger sister.

    "Thank you, Hunter," I said, and his intense gaze made me feel so weak, and if Lily is only with us, I am sure I will be so happy now. We got out of our room holding hands while I was still thinking of a way to trick my husband and his bodyguards, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I got a n formted on my head. The only problem is, my best friend, I am not sure if she will like what is on my mind at the moment.

    I hope Gina will agree with my n since we don''t have a choice but to delude my husband and his men. And I know Hunter will get angry with me. Still, I can tell he will understand the moment he learns. I only did it because I needed to save Lily. I know how much he loved his younger sister.. Of course, I can never forget what Lily had done to me, her kindness made me realize I still matter, and life is so beautiful to be wasted with regrets and tears.

 Chapter 194 - My Plan

    Madeline''s POV

    I know the food on the table looked delicious and mouth-watering, but I lost my appetite after talking with the man who took Lily. And I don''t know how I will leave the house without Hunter knowing about it, and I am so afraid to let him know about what was happening to Lily because of the threat that I have received from the unknown man.

    "Madeline, please eat your food now," Hunter said when he looked at me, and his eyes widened when he realized I didn''t touch my food.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, but I am not hungry," I said, and I know I have to lieter to my husband to get out of our house undetected. I have already formted a n, and all I need to do is initiate it, and I can feel the shaking of my legs.

    "Please, Maddie, you need to eat something. Remember, our baby needs nutrients." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "Okay, don''t worry, I will eat my food," I responded, and he smiled at me, and he focused his attention on eating the food on his te while he kept looking at me from time to time, while I started devouring my food unhurriedly. Reba was talking to Gina, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I heard my best friend answering her politely. I know my best friend was upset with Reba because of conniving with Charlotte, but as I listened to her talk with Hunter''s ex, I could tell they got along just fine.

    "You can go to the virgin ind, Parker. The speed boat is ready if you want to have an afternoon swim over there. I will ask Jen to prepare food so you can have a pic." My husband said, and when I raised my head, I could see the excitement on Reba''s face.

    "Do you want to explore the ind, Babe?"Parker asked Reba.

    "Yeah, I would love that." She replied right away, and I felt so excited for them because they could be alone on the ind since most of the time, nobody is on the ind except during summer.

    "Okay, it is settled then," Hunter said.

    "How about you, Gina? Do you want toe with them?" My husband asked my best friend, and I suddenly wondered if Gina would go with Parker and Reba since we still needed to talk.

    "I want to go to the Ind, but I don''t want to be a third wheel." She responded.

    "It would be okay,Gina. It would be more fun if you woulde with us." Reba said to her.

    "Thank you, Reba, but I will just stay here because I promise Madeline I will have swimming with herter on in the swimming pool." She responded, and I felt so d Gina declined their offer.I tried to finish eating my food, but I couldn''t take another bite, and I felt so pleased when my husband ate my leftover.

    We sent Reba and Parker on the shore, and as I watched them on board the speed boat, I realized they looked so good together, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling jealous of Reba, knowing she was Hunter''s ex-fiancee. And I know I should stop myself from feeling this way, but I couldn''t help it as I looked at her looking so sexy and confident wearing her red two-piece bikini under her white seethrough coverall. And her beautiful hair made her more seductive and attractive.

    "Madeline, would it be alright if I will be on my study for a while? All I need is only one or two hours? I need to check some emails and make few phone calls. Would that be alright?" My husband asked me after we sat down on the sofa in the living room.

    "Of course, take your time, Hunter. Gina will apany me in our room." I responded, and I tried my best to hide my emotion that I love to have some time alone with Gina.

    "What? Are you crazy? How can I flirt with Roman? Besides, I don''t even know where his men are hiding at the moment. Your husband''s bodyguards are well trained, and you can''t see them unless they want to show themselves to you." Gina said after I told her my ns.

    "I am impressed with your idea on how to trick your husband, and I am sure it will work, but about Hunter''s bodyguards, I am sorry, Madeline, I can''t do it. Before I can even y my part, I am sure Roman will capture in an instant because he will know right away I am into something." She said as she looked at me, and I almostughed when I saw the horrified look on her face.

    "Okay, then we don''t have a choice but to use my car, and thank you for using it for me for thest few months. All you need to do is distract the bodyguards and make sure they can never trail us behind. Do you think you can do that?" I asked her, and Gina''s face lit up because adventure is herfavorite. She loves fun, and of course, I know she can drive like a professional car racer, and I am hoping her talent will save us tonight from being caught so we can save Lily.

    "Hell, yes!" She responded, and I giggled.

    "Driving your sports car is more exciting and fun than flirting with Roman. I couldn''t believe you would think such a way, and next time, can you tell me to flirt with Jack Morigan instead?" She asked, and I couldn''t control myughter.

    "Why not?" I responded, and I could see my best friend''s face blushed as she tried to avoid my gaze.

    "I was only kidding, Madeline. No matter how I flirt with Jack Morigan, he will only have eyes for you, Maddie. The hottest chef in Astikoz is in love with my best friend." She responded, And it is my turn to blush.

    "Hey, don''t say that; Hunter is so allergic to Jack''s name," I said, and Ginaughed.

    "Are you kidding me? You are already pregnant with his child, and it is so obvious that you are so in love with him, and he is still jealous of Jack?" She asked. I and I slowly nodded my head.

    "I couldn''t believe this, and I never thought your handsome and wealthy husband would be jealous of the simple guy, like Jack." She dered.

    "You can''t deny it, Gina, Jack is attractive, and I am sure he will be more popr the moment his cooking show starts to air," I said, and her eyes got so big.

    "Yes, my dear, He will have a cooking show, and it will be aired soon," I said, and I could see the excitement on her face.

    "Wow,that would be awesome, but I can also tell my chance to be her girlfriend will go back to zero. Because we both know the moment he will appear on the television lots of girls wille to him, and he will be an instant celebrity, and for sure he will meet beautiful models and actresses." Gina said, and I could see the sadness on her face.

    "Hey, don''t worry about it, maybe he will meet new friends, but you are his friend, Gina, and I am sure Jack will trust you," I said.

    "Let us talk about our nter, Maddie because I don''t want to talk about Jack anymore." She said, and I didn''t push the issue because I knew we would end up arguing with each other.

    "I think it is now the best time to speak with your husband, Maddie, now that Parker and Reba are still on the ind," Gina said, and I nodded my head.I walked to Hunter''s study while I tried to control myself, and I needed to do my best to act normal, and I hate that I have to do this to Hunter.

    I can''t stop feeling so anxious as I knock on the door, and when I hear his voice telling me toe inside, I open the door hastily since I was afraid to chicken out and put Lily''s life in danger.

    "Hi!" I said the moment I got near his table, and he raised his head quickly when he heard my voice, and his beautiful smile made me feel so guilty.

    "Hello, did you miss me already?" Hunter asked as he stood up from his chair, and he walked closer to me, and he brought me into his arms right away, and the moment I inhaled my husband''s scent, I clung to him, and I didn''t want to proceed with my n, but I can''t stop thinking about Lily''s safety.

    "Yes, I miss you, " I said as I leaned my head on his muscr chest, and I heard my husband chuckle.

    "I wanted to eat something, and I hope you will not get angry with me," I said, trying to sound desperate to have the food I crave.

    "Madeline, why do you think I would get angry with you." He said.

    "I wanted to eat something, but I want you to buy it for me. You can''t send someone, and you just don''t by yourself." I said, and the amusement on his face made me feel so better.

    "What do you crave this time, my lovely wife?" He asked, and I felt so thrilled.

    "Can you buy me Caesar''s sd at Lydia''s restaurant for my dinner, please, Hunter," I said in a sweet tone as I tightened my arms around his muscr frame, and he was grinning at me while he was stroking my hair.

    "How can I say no if you are this sweet to me, Madeline." My husband said, and I felt so triumphant, and even if I felt so wicked at the moment for fooling my husband, I know I am saving Lily''s life, and that is the most important thing at this time, and I will ask his forgivenesster.

    "I love you.." I said, and my husband smiled, and he kissed me tenderly on the lips after he murmured I love you too, and I know I need to stay firm with my decision so that I can rescue Lily.

 Chapter 195 - My Wifes Craving

    Hunter''s POV

    I felt so happy when Gina arrived because I know my wife is not feeling welltely, and she looked so delighted when her best friend came. I needed to entertain my brother, and I felt a little frustrated that mom and Lily couldn''te. I wanted to invite Calixto and his wife, but I know he still needs to rest so he can go back to work.

    I don''t want to leave my wife at the Vi because I don''t want to be separated from her even for a while, but she was craving a Ceasar''s sd from Lydia''s restaurant. I can make her one, but she wanted to eat something made by Lydia, and I want to make Madeline happy all the time. And the way she begged me made me want to take her into our room and make love to her. And I realized I liked the way my wife flirted with me.

    "Parker and Reba are still on the ind. We are going to have a steak for our dinner tonight. I will buy you a sd from Lydia. Do you want anything else, Madeline?" I asked her while I was hugging her waist.

    "That is all I wanted as of the moment, and I am sorry that you have to go to Lydia''s ce at this hour, my love." She sweetly said, and my heart swelled.

    "Of course, I will swim the ocean for you, Madeline," I responded, and my wife giggled.

    "I think I should go now so you can eat your sd on time," I said, and I got up from the sofa, and my wife sent me to the car, and I don''t understand why I don''t want to go, it feels like my heart doesn''t want to leave her.

    "Maddie, I don''t know why it feels like I don''t want to go, and it doesn''t feel like I want to leave you right now. All I want to do is to be with you in our room." I said as I brought my wife closer to me, and she cupped my face.

    "We can be alone in our roomter tonight, Hunter. I will be right here waiting for you." Madeline responded, and I could feel my entire body ignited with fire. I kissed her on the lips before I got inside my car, and she didn''t get back inside the house as I drove away from our vacation home, and I watched her figure in the rearview mirror until I couldn''t see her anymore.

    I was driving my car fast because I wanted to be back as quickly as possible, but I made sure I would not go beyond the speed limit because I didn''t want to be in trouble. I smiled when I received a text message from my wife telling me to be careful, and she would be waiting for me to go back to our vacation house, and I was smiling like an idiot.

    Lydia came to me immediately when I got to inside the restaurant, and I felt so happy to see her. I told her my order right away, and she asked me to sit down, but I opted to move closer to the counter when my phone rang, and I smiled when I saw Calixto''s number on my screen.

    "Cal! How are you?" I asked, and I realized how much I miss Cal.

    "Hi, Hunter, I missed you, son," Calixto said, and I smiled, and I could feel the sincerity in his voice and how I wish my father would call me and tell me the same thing. Even if he is not my biological father, rk Divenson was the only father I know, and he was my legal father on papers.

    "I hate to say this, but I miss you too, Cal, especially in the office," I replied, and heughed, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing with him.

    "It is okay to be sweet sometimes, Hunter; it will never make you less a man if you tell your loved ones and friends that you miss them if that is what you feel." He responded, and I smiled.

    "Okay, I miss you so much, Calixto, your arrogance, and the way you treat me as your boss and sometimes the way you deal with me like I am your employee and as your son." I dered.

    "Ha, I didn''t know I was arrogant, Hunter; you never tell me that, at least now I know what you think of me." He said, and I smiled.

    "You know I am just kidding, Cal. You are the most reliable employee I could ever ask for, and you are good with everything, even in my personal life. I wouldn''t miss you if you weren''t a good person, Calixto," I responded.

    "Thank you, Hunter; where are you?" He asked.

    "I am here at Lydia''s restaurant as of the moment, and I came from our vacation house because I am having a second honeymoon with my wife, and she was craving a vegetable sd," I replied with a wide grin on my mouth.

    "Wow, a second honeymoon, you deserve that after what happened to us. It wasn''t easy being trapped in that tunnel for how many days without the sunlight and without seeing your wife. The worst experience I had with you." Cal said, and I agree with him.

    "Yeah, you were right; the most terrible thing that ever happened to us together," I replied.

    "Yes, indeed, but we are still lucky, we survived, and we are given another chance in life to be with our family and friends. The day the rescuers rescued us was the best day of our lives as well." My assistant said, and I agree with him.

    "That is why we should live our life at the moment; youugh more often and love without reservation," He said, and I smiled even if I didn''t see his face.

    "Yeah, I had learned that lesson when I was trapped with you, Cal," I replied.

    "By the way, I will nolonger disturb you since you will be driving back to your vi. I will call you again soon; enjoy your vacation, son." Calixto said.

    "Thank you for your call, Cal. I will be waiting for you toe back to the office soon."I replied, and Cal said goodbye to me and ended the call. Just on time, Lydia was already walking towards me with my order in her hands.

    "Please, don''t pay me, Mr. Divenson. I want you to give this to Madeline and send my regards to your pregnant wife." She said, smiling at me.

    "Lydia, please, just ept my payment," I said, and she shook her head.

    "That is my gift for her." She said.

    "Okay, thank you so much for this, and I need to go now, Lydia, since my wife is craving this sd of yours, and I don''t want her to get hungry," I said as I smiled at her.

    "Of course, I understand, Mr. Divenson, you should not keep your wife waiting. Goodbye, and drive safely." Lydia responded as she walked me to the door.

    "Thank you, and goodbye, Lydia," I said.

    I was driving my car fast again, and I was so excited to get back into our vi and give my wife her food. Calixto doesn''t need to remind me to take care of Madelinebecause I promised to take care of her. And I will give my wife anything that she needs, and I will make sure she will be happy with me. I have hurt her countless times, and this time I will try my best to be the perfect husband for hereven if I know there will be many more challenges that wille our way, but I am confident our love and trust for each other will make our rtionship stronger.

    I am driving in high spirits, and my car stereo is sting with my favorite music when suddenly my phone rings, and when I look at the caller on the screen of my car, I see it was Parker. I smiled as I realized they had already got back to the vi after their pic at the Virgin Ind, and I wondered what my brother wanted.

    "Hello, Parker!" I said the moment I answered his call.

    "Hunter, there seems to be a problem here." He said, and I suddenly got nervous since I knew right away it concerned my wife because she didn''t call or text me.

    "What happened to Madeline, Parker?" I asked right away, and I couldn''t stop feeling so nervous as I waited for my brother to answer my call while I was tightly gripping the steering wheel of my car.

    "Did theye and meet you?" He asked, and I became confused.

    "No, Madeline is there in the vi because she was waiting for me, I bought her sd at the Magnolia diners, and now I am on my way there," I replied.

    "Your wife is not here, and Roman was furious because it waste when he found out your wife was gone with Gina when he noticed Gina was driving the car fast." He said, and I felt my entire body weakened, and I didn''t understand why my wife would run off with her best friend. She could have told me if she didn''t want Reba to be in our vacation house. Madeline can confide in me about everything because I will listen to her. I said goodbye to Parker right away and told him I am

    on my way, as I drive my car faster without caring if I will be overspeeding.

    I dialed Madeline''s number, but it was off, and when I called Gina''s number, I couldn''t contact her either. I felt so worried about what was going on becauseI knew my wife would never leave without a valid reason because I knew how much she loved me, and I don''t think she was faking the way she talked with Reba and Parker.

    I realized maybe that is why she acted the entire day differently because she was nning to do something with Gina.I know Madeline will never leave the house without me because she is pregnant with our child.. And I could tell something was going on, and I hated why I left the house.

 Chapter 196 - On Our Way To Lily

    Madeline''s POV

    The moment we got out of the vacation house and walked to my car, I could feel the nervousness and excitement. I know Roman and his men will follow us when he realizes we are leaving the house. I borrowed clothes from Jen, and I am thankful she brought extra clothes, and then I put a straw hat on my head. My heart is thumping so loud, and my best friend and I bothughed when we got out from the parking area, but five minutester, I can see on the rearview mirror the ck cars of Hunter''s bodyguards are trailing us, and we need to lose them right away.

    I know they have to watch me from a distance. The bodyguards will nevermunicate with me. They will only make sure I am safe, and there is no possible danger, but this time we need to get away from them, and of course, Gina is good withdriving, and in no time, we lose them.

    "Wow! You are amazing, Gina!" I eximed, and she beamed at me as she looked at me sideways.

    "I thought I couldn''t lose them, and we should say thank you to the truck driver because we were able to use the chance to drive away from them," Gina replied happily.

    The mystery caller alreadyinformed me we needed to change a car, and he also provided a new phone we could find at the passenger''s seat of the vehicle. He instructed me to turn off my phone after hisst call so that Hunter couldn''t locate us if he would contact the authority, and the moment we arrived at the house address he had given us, we were both stunned.

    "Are you sure this is the correct address?" Gina asked me, and I handed her the paper where I wrote down the address.

    "Well, it seems we are on the right spot. Can you open the gate?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    I got out of the car and pushedthe metal gate, and I felt relieved that they didn''t lock it; and I saw an old two-story house that looked like it had been abandoned for years. I found the car, and Gina parked our vehicle, and we transferred to another sports car, and we left my car in the abandoned house parking lot. The mystery caller was correct, and I found the phone in the passenger''s seat.

    "I wonder who owned the old house," I said.

    "Maybe you were right; Kaye was behind all this. Look at this baby. I am driving right now, and they prepared another sports car. It only means this person who wanted to get hold of you is also loaded." Gina said as she drove fast since we needed to get going.

    "Well, I am only thinking rk Divenson and Kaye," I responded.

    "Me too." My best friend responded, and ten minutester, after we left the abandoned ce, I heard the phone ringing, and I couldn''t stop feeling nervous.

    "Madeline, I told you, no one should know about all this, but it seems you break the first rule." He said, and I can feel the goosebumps that covered my entire frame, and I can feel the shivering of my limbs.

    "I can''t get out from the vacation house if she didn''te with me, don''t worry, she is my best friend, and we have best friends code; she will never tell a single soul. And I hope you will understand that she helped me, and there is no one else who can help me." I replied, and he was silent for a while.

    "It is me that you want, right?" I asked.

    "Of course, " He replied.

    "How can I be sure that Lily is safe?" I asked him.

    "She is here, and she is sleeping, Madeline." He answered me.

    "You promise to keep Lily safe after I surrender to you," I said.

    "Of course, the promise is a promise." He said, and he ended the call without saying goodbye.

    We are taking the national highway, and we passed the boundary of the next town after Magnolia Vige and the town of Magenta. And the address given to me by my unknown caller where they keep Lily is far away. Maybe it will take us three hours since we need to pass the city of Archois and two more towns after the city capital of our ce.

    "Hey, why are you crying, Madeline? We are already on our way to save Lily, and you should beughing that we were able to lose Roman and his men. You should also appreciate my driving skills." Gina said

    "I hated myself for tricking and fooling my husband, Gina," I said as I tried to control my tears.

    "Well, we can still go back, and you can turn on your mobile phone if you want so that you can call Hunter," Gina said as she nced at me before she returned her eyes on the road. I shook my head because I knew I needed to follow themand of Lily''s abductor if I wanted to save her.

    "You know I can''t do that, Gina, you are aware we need to save my sister-inw,and this is the only way to save her. I hate to think that Hunter will be so worried about me. I know before he went to the Magnolia diner, Hunter told me that he didn''t want to go, and he wanted to stay with me in our room, and right now I couldn''t control myself from crying because I already miss my husband." I dered, and I heard Gina sigh.

    "Hey, if you want me to continue driving, Madeline, you better stop crying now, or else I don''t have a choice but to drive back to your vacation home," Gina responded, and I tried to control my tears, and I know because I am pregnant I became a cry baby.

    "I already told you the possible options, and I asked you how many times if you want to do this before we left your beach house, and it seems you have doubts now since you can''t stop yourself from crying," Gina said, and I wiped my tears with facial tissue.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I can''t stop being emotional, and I hate that I felt so guilty for leavingmy husband, and we outsmarted his bodyguards. Andnow I am sure he had been calling my phone and yours." I replied, and as I looked at my best friend, she didn''t turn her head on me because she looked at the wide road ahead of us.

    "You better fix your mind, Maddie. I will only give you ten minutes to stop yourself from crying and get yourself together. No more tears and you should be strong. I am not kidding, Maddie; we can''t rescue Lily if you continue to sob and feel bad for yourself." Gina said, and I agree with her.

    "Okay, I know I need to fix myself, but please don''t get angry with me, Gina," I said.

    "I am not angry with you, Madeline. But I wouldn''t say I like the idea that you will be saving Lily alone. I want to help you, but you don''t want anyone to know all about this." Gina responded.

    "You heard him, Gina, and I don''t think he was kidding. Someone''s life is at stake here, and if I make a wrong decision, it could jeopardize Lily''s life, and I don''t want anything to happen to Lily, Gina, and I know that whatever happened to her I will still me myself because I am the only want they want. They weren''t asking for money or anything. All they want is me, in exchange for Lily''s life." I said.

    "So, you don''t value your life now? How about me, Hunter, and the baby? Don''t you ever think about what will happen to us if something happens? To you?" Gina asked me, and I became speechless.

    "And do you think I will not feel guilty if they will kill you? Do you think I can still go on with my life knowing something bad happened to you, and I was the one driving you to that ce where you could get killed or tortured? Aren''t you afraid to lose your child?" She asked, and I could tell my best friend was crying now.

    "Gina, nothing will ever happen to me. I can take care of myself." I replied.

    "You are not a superhero, Maddie, so don''t be so sure that nothing will happen to you because I can tell whoever took Lily, they don''t have the heart to feel sympathetic towards you. They are evil, Madeline." Gina said, and I suddenly felt worried.

    "I know, Gina, but this is the only way I can save Lily, and there is no other way. Can''t you see he has spies? He knew I hadpany. I don''t know. Maybe his men are trailing us." I said, and she suddenly pulled over the car, and she put her finger on her lips to tell me to keep quiet. She signaled me to get out of the car, and then she searched for something on top and under the seats. She continued to look around the car, and then at the front near my seat, she found a small teddy bear stuffed toy, and she pulled out the left eye, then the right eye, and bingo she found what she had been looking for, it was a spy camera. And Gina tossedit on the road.

    "Well, at least we never talk about something. It seems the mystery man didn''t trust you, Madeline. But I am sure he knew you didn''t inform the authority or your husband about all this." Gina said as we got back on the road, and after seeing that button camera, I realized I could be in danger. And I am so thankful that Gina came with me. I know I will spend my entire time crying, thinking about my husband, and I don''t know if I can reach my destination on time.. I hope I can save Lily, and I can also escape from them, but it seems my enemies are more wicked than I thought.

 Chapter 197 - She Will Sacrifice

    Hunter''s POV

    "Roman! Could you slow down because I couldn''t understand what you are talking about?" I said, and I am controlling myself not to freak out about what is going on. I called Roman right away after Parker informed me what had happened.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, I tried to trail them, but I didn''t expect her best friend could drive like a professional car racer. I lost them before the intersection going to the capital because of the ten-wheeler truck that blocked my way when the driver suddenly made a wrong turn." Roman dered, and I don''t know what to say. I couldn''t be angry with Roman because my wife and Gina had already nned everything, and I wondered what was going on.

    "Meet me at the vi," I said in a firm voice because I could no longer control my anger. I ended the call without saying goodbye to Roman. I am pissed, and I am not in the mood to be talking softly. I paid them to protect my wife, and I was only gone for more than one hour, and my wife disappeared.

    As I drove my car, I couldn''t stop contemting what would be the possible reason why Madeline and Gina left the house without telling me about it. I don''t think they left the house to have some fun because Maddie knew she needed to be extra careful because she was carrying our baby. I felt devastated and worried that I couldn''t think of anyone I could call at this moment except for one person. I dialed Calixto''s number even if we had already talked when I was at Lydia''s restaurant.

    "Hello, Hunter! Cal said the moment he answered my call.

    " Calixto," I replied softly, and I don''t know where to start.

    "I couldn''t believe you would miss me after talking with you within less than one hour." He responded, and I want tough at his words, but I cannot afford to smile knowing that Madeline is out there without protection. I am aware of my father''s threat to my wife, but I hope my father is not as evil as I think he is. I know he can''t kill Madeline, but he could hurt her and make Maddie leave me.

    "Hey, are you still there, Hunter?" Cal asked me when I didn''t speak for a long while.

    "Yeah, I am still here, butI don''t miss you, Cal," I responded, and heughed.

    "What can I do for you then? I know you are busy, and you won''t be calling me if you don''t have an important matter to discuss with me." He dered, and I sighed before I spoke to him again.

    "Madeline is gone together with Gina, and I don''t know what to do anymore," I said.

    "What you mean gone?" Calixto asked, and I could hear the worries in his voice as I narrated to him what happened at the vi as Parker had told me.

    "Well, it only means your wife is in trouble, Hunter," Callisto replied right away.

    "I was thinking the same thing. That is why I called you because I know you arethe only one that can talk right now. And of course, I know you can help me, Cal. I am now losing my mind because until now, and I couldn''tbelieve that Madeline would walk away from our house without calling or telling me what was going on." I said.

    "Rx, Hunter, and you can never solve anything if you will get angry and anxious with what is going on with Maddie. It would be best if you control your emotions," Calixto said, and I let him talk while I focus my attention on the road.

    "What do you want me to do, Hunter?" He asked, and I smiled because I knew I could always rely on Cal.

    "Can you call her aunt if she is okay and her family?" I asked.

    "Of course, don''t worry. I know Madeline will not run away like that without reason. You have a good wife, Hunter." He said.

    "I know, Cal. What makes me so worried is where could she be?" I asked him.

    "Is your mom and Lily on the beach resort? How about the Morigans?" He asked.

    "My mother and Lily didn''teto the vi today. I invited them both, but they have something important to do. And I am sure my wife is not at the diner because I was there a while ago, and I have seen and talked with Lydia, so the Morigans are fine, and I think I should call my sister now." I dered.

    "Okay, you better call your sister because she is close to Madeline. I will inform you about Madeline''s aunt''s situation after I call her." Cal replied.

    "Thank you, Calixto. I know I will be so lost without you." I responded.

    "Don''t say thank you yet. Thank meter when we already know Madeline''s whereabouts." He responded, and I said goodbye to him and ended the call.

    The moment I arrived at the vi, I parked the car, and I got out hastily. I couldn''t wait to talk with Roman.

    "Hunter!" Parker greeted me the moment I got inside the house.

    "Where is Roman?" I asked my brother, and I could tell I looked like a man possessed because I could tell the reactions on Reba''s face.

    "Roman and his men are waiting for you on the veranda at the poolside," Parker answered me, and I nodded my head before I turned away, but I could feel my brother following behind me.

    "Mr. Divenson!" Roman and his men greeted me, and I looked at them all with frustrations on my face.

    "How did this happen, Roman? I only asked you a simple thing, and that is to watch my wife and make sure she is safe. I need your help now because she is pregnant. I feel disappointed with you guys. I hired you because I know you are the best among your group." I said, and they all looked at me with full attention.

    "It was only an effortless task. And yet, you failed to do your job. I already informed you that my father would do something bad to Madeline, and he was nning to eliminate my wife. And now that she was out there, and we don''t even know her exact location, and worst we don''t have fucking idea what is going on." I said.

    "I apologize, Mr. Divenson, but don''t worry, we will do everything we can to locate your wife," Roman responded.

    "Of course, you should bring back my wife unscratched, Roman, because I will never forgive you if something happens to Madeline," I said, and he nodded his head at me while we continued to talk.

    "Wait for my further instructions, Roman. I need to make some calls." I said, and I got back inside the house, and I walked to our room, and it suddenly felt so empty and lonely without Madeline in the ce, and I could tell my life would be so dull and meaningless without my wife.

    I dialed the number of my little sister, but I got so frustrated that I couldn''t get through, and I think she also turned off her cell phone, and I wondered what was wrong with the people now. I didn''t have a choice but to call my mom''s number, and I felt so happy that it rang,and after several rings, I had my mother''s voice on the other line.

    "Hello, my dear, how are you, son?" My mom asked me right away the moment she received my call.

    "Mom, are you home?" I asked.

    "Yes, and why?" My mother asked.

    "Can you give the phone to Lily because she won''t answer my call?" I said.

    "What do you mean? Lily is not here, and she was there with you at your vacation house. Did shee home, Hunter?" My mom said, and my entire body felt so weak.

    "What? Lily said she won''t being here because she needed to make some report due on Monday, and she is not here in the vi." I said.

    "What? Are you kidding me? Your sister left early morning, and since then, I have talked with her. It is already nighttime Hunter, don''t make me feel so worried, son." My mom said, and I could feel her nervousness and worries.

    "No, I am not kidding, mom; Lily is not here with us, she didn''t arrive, and only Parker and Reba and my bodyguards are with me as of the moment." I dered.

    "What is going, Hunter? Where are Madeline and her best friend?" Mom asked.

    "I don''t want you to panic, Mom, but I think Lily is in trouble, and that is why my wife left without saying anything to me," I responded, and then I narrated to her what happened in the vi.

    "Oh, Hunter, I think your father has something to do about this. I am so worried about your sister, and of course your wife too. I hope they are both okay." She said,and I could tell she was crying.

    "Mom, please, don''t cry. I will do everything I can to save them; besides, I am sure if Dad is behind all this, he can never hurt Lily." I said.

    "Of course, I know he loves Lily. Maybe he was doing all this to ask me toe back to him." My mom replied, and I felt d she was no longer crying. I said goodbye to my mother before I hung up the phone, and I felt so down, and I shook my head as I thought about my wife. And I felt so horrified when it dawned on me that whoever did this is only using Lily because they only want one thing, they want to take my wife in exchange for Lily. That is why Madeline left without informing me because she wanted to save my sister.. And I realized my wife would sacrifice herself to keep Lily safe.

 Chapter 198 - Finding YLily

    Madeline''s POV

    "Aren''t you afraid, Madeline? I mean, we don''t know if these people will not hurt you." Gina said as she continued driving, we had already passed the center of Archois city, and we were on our way exiting to the south side of the town.

    "Of course, I am afraid. I don''t know what our enemies will do to me, but I am more worried about Lily; she is innocent, and she has nothing to do with all this. I couldn''t believe Kaye would do this to her." I replied as I looked at the road.

    It was now dark, and I could tell if it was a weekday, the traffic would be heavier at this hour because it is peak hour, and many will travel in going home from offices and schools. And I am just d it is Sunday, the road going to towns is smooth and has no heavy traffic at all, but I can see the heavy traffic on the otherne since there are a lot of vehicles going to the city, and I am sure most of them came from vacation.

    "Gina, I don''t want you toe with me, drop me off near the ce. I want you to drive back home, and don''t stop after I get out of the car." I dered.

    "Madeline, you know I could never do that. Besides, we are in this together, and I will never leave you. Besides, you are pregnant, and anything could happen to you." Gina responded, and I could tell by the tone of her voice that she would never listen to me, no matter how I would convince her.

    "Gina, for once, I want you to listen to me. You need toe back to Hunter and tell him everything. I am sure they will not release Lily unless I do everything they will ask me to do, and if ever you wille with me, we don''t have a fucking chance to survive because no one will know where we are." I replied, and she kept silent, and I could tell she was contemting what to do, but at least she was listening to me.

    "If you wille home, you can tell my husband what happened. And please don''t forget to tell Hunter I love him so much, and I need to run away from Roman because I want to save his little sister." I said, and she looked at me, and I heard her sigh, but she never spoke again, and I knew she agreed with my terms.

    "Thank you, Gina, for being here with me through thick and thin. You are always there for me, and if ever something will happen to me, don''t forget I love you, and I will treasure our friendship in my heart forever." I said, and she suddenly pulled over the car on the side of the road.

    "Madeline, I think we should go back to the Magnolia vige and inform the police," Gina said, and I shook my head.

    "Gina, please, we are almost there. I will never do this if not because of Lily. What if they will hurt her." I said.

    "They only want me, so I think the moment I arrive, they will release our sister," I added.

    "I don''t think so, Madeline, and we do not know who we are dealing with, so I think it is better to be safe than sorry," Gina replied.

    "Gina, if you will not drive me, then I need you to get out of this car and take the bus," I said in a firm voice since I didn''t have a choice but to be strong in this time of trouble.

    "I told you all about this because you are my best friend, and I know that you are the only one that I can trust." I dered.

    "Yeah, I know, thank you for trusting me, but I am your fucking best friend, Maddie, and I also have to look after you. Do you think I can continue living my life if something happens to you?" She asked me, and Gina was crying now, and I couldn''t stop my tears from falling.

    "Gina, I know you care about me as much as I care for you, but I hope you will understand that I needed to do this for Lily''s sake," I replied.

    "You don''t need to tell me about it over and over again, Madeline." She responded, and we are now shouting at each other, and this never happened to us before.

    "Just go out!" I shouted at her, but I could see her hands tightening her grip on the steering wheel.

    "I will never leave you, Madeline!" Gina shouted back at me, we were both crying, and I couldn''t argue with her anymore because it hurt me so much that we were about to say goodbye to each other, and we were fighting.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I love you, and I don''t want you to get hurt, and to be away from you is not easy for me, but I hope that you will believe in me when I say that everything will be alright. Nothing will happen to me, okay?" I softly said.

    "I am sorry, Madeline. I love you too. I hope you also understand I was trying to do that because I care about you so much." I said, and before I could reply to her, the phone rang, and I answered the call immediately, and I put it on speaker.

    "Madeline, such a clever woman, no wonder Hunter Divenson married you. You found the hidden camera, I see. And since the promise is a promise, I want to talk to your friend." He said, and I suddenly felt so nervous.

    "Okay, I will give you to her," I said, and Gina and I shared a fearful look, and I wondered what he wanted from my best friend.

    "Hello, Gina, right?" He said.

    "Yes," Gina replied, and I could see that her arms were also trembling.

    "Gina, I will pay you a good amount of money; deliver Lily Divenson to her home. I know I can trust you that you will never tell a single soul because the moment I learn you tell anyone where you havest seen Madeline, I will not hesitate to kill your friend. So, here is the deal, after you arrive at our meeting ce, Madeline wille to me, and then in exchange, I will set Lily free and be sure to bring the little Divenson to safety. Got it?" He asked.

    "Of course, just please don''t hurt Madeline," Gina begged.

    "If you will be a good girl, of course, I won''ty a finger on her. And I will tell you a secret." He replied, and long silence had followed, and I could hear the rapid beating of my heart.

    "I will not hurt your friend. I will only bring her to a faraway ce so that she will never set foot at Archois city for the rest of her life. My bosses only wanted Madelo disappear in Archois, they are not that evil, but I am sure they made an immense deal amount of money." He said, and he ended the call abruptly.

    "Oh no, they, meaning your father-inw is involved with the kidnapping of his daughter to get rid of you. I don''t think rk Divenson could hurt his child, Madeline. So, let us go back now." Gina said.

    "We don''t know about it yet, Gina," I responded.

    "Well, since I can tell that there is nothing I can do to change your mind, so you better speak now. What do you want to tell Hunter? I think all I can do right now is to be strong because it''s making me crazy, Madeline." Gina dered.

    "And if I will bring you back to the city, I know you will hate me forever. At least if you die, I can assure you I will ask our government to dere you as a hero." Gina said, and I hate to think that we are back to arguing again, but this time I opted to keep quiet because if this is thest time I could see my best friend, I don''t want us to hate each other.

    I know why she is acting this way, and I understand her very well. I try to concentrate and think of ways to save Lily and myself, but if there are so many of them, my chance to escape would be so slim.

    "Can you tell Hunter to forgive me? I told him we would grow old together, but tonight I can tell I am bailing on him. I don''t know what will happen to me, but don''t listen to the mystery man. I want you to tell Hunter where you havest seen me. I want you to tell him everything, Gina." I said, and I realized we were now in thest town, where we would meet the unknown caller. And twentyminutester, we arrived at our destination.

    "A port? Oh no, they are taking you somewhere, Madeline. He wasn''t kidding at all." Gina dered.

    "Hey, don''t panic, okay," I said as I dialed his number.

    "You called me, Madeline, it means you arrived at your destination, now, make sure you don''t bringanything, no money, cellphone, and clothes. Just yourself, got it?" He asked.

    "Yes," I said, and I couldn''t stop my lips from quivering.

    "Got out from the car now, and Gina, you need to meet Lily, and Madeline, don''t show yourself to Lily." He said.

    "Okay," I responded.

    "Can you see the boat "The Wildflower"?" He asked.

    "Yes! Lily wille down now. And Madeline, I trust you to do your part." He said and hung up the phone, and my heart was beating so fast as I waited for Lily toedown, and it felt like an eternity, then I saw her walking gracefully out of the boat, and I felt so d that she was safe.

    "Madeline, I am doing all this for you, promise me you will save yourself, and we will see each other again soon," Gina said.

    "Yes, Gina, we will see each other soon. Please bring Lily to Hunter, and tell him I will be okay," I said, and Gina and I got out of the car, and she ran towards my sister-inw while I walked to the other side. Lily''s face lit up when she saw my best friend, and together they walked to the car.. When they got inside the car, I tried to run, but before I could get away from the port, strong hands caught my wrists.

 Chapter 199 - Lily Is Safe

    Madeline''s POV

    "Not a chance Ms. Brownwood. I thought you would do what my client had said, but he was also right when he told me there would be a chance you would try to escape. You almost run away from me, but I want to remind you his men surround us, Ms. Brownwood." The man said as I froze on the ground.

    "I don''t want to make a scene, so I would be grateful if you would walk towards the boat, and I will release you from my hold. I am not going to hurt you if you will only follow mymand." He added, and it felt like he was a different person, and since he secured my wrists on my back, I couldn''t see his face, and I stopped struggling, and I tried to calm myself since I knew I could never run away from him knowing he wasn''t alone I realized I couldn''t escape at the moment.

    "That''s it, and perfect, Ms. Brownwood." He continued, and I was wondering why he was calling me Brownwood instead of Divenson.

    "I am aware you are pregnant, so you can''t run fast, Madeline; besides, if you attempt to run again, I will not hesitate to use force on you. Be a good girl to avoidplications." He said, and with trembling knees, I walked straight to the boat. I wanted to see his face, but he was always behind me, and as I continued walking to the ship, I realized there was no way out. I tried to turn my head, but he was wearing a baseball cap, and I couldn''t clearly see his face.

    "Very good, that''s it. You continue to walk until I tell you to stop." He said, and I could feel the pounding of my heart because I still wanted to make a run, but it was now toote. I had already stepped on the gangboard, and I walked towards the main entrance of the boat. And the moment we got inside, I turned around one more time to nce at the dock, and when I saw the stevedores removed the gangboard, I felt so frustrated when I realized there was no way out.

    Icontinued to follow his instructions until he told me to stop in front of a semi-open cabin. As we got inside, I saw a woman waiting for us, and she smiled when she saw me, and I couldn''t stopmyself from smiling back since she looked so friendly and not intimidating.

    "Check her first, Karen, and if she is clear, give her a dress." He said, and it is funny that I still don''t see his face.

    "Okay, Cap." She responded, and I realized he was the captain of this boat, and when I turned around to look at him, he was already gone.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but you have to undress your clothes now in front of me. To make sure you didn''t bring anything with you." Karen said, and I nodded my head. I don''t want to be in trouble, so I will follow their instruction as long as they will not hurt me. As I slowly undressed my dress, I was smiling as I thought about Lily and Gina, and I released a sigh of relief that I was able to save Lily, and I felt d Gina listened to me.

    "Okay, thank you for following the rules, and this would be your room until we reach our destination. I am sorry if I can''t tell you where we are going to take you. We will only transport you, but rest assured that nothing will happen to you on our watch. Our captain is a good person, and we are just doing our job." She said.

    "Are you guys pirates?" I asked, and sheughed, but she didn''t deny nor confirm it, and then she handed me a beautiful dress.

    "If you don''t like that, you can choose another from your luggage." She said, and I raised my eyebrow.

    "Yeah, our client said these would be your things, and we will call you Madeline Brownwood since that is what is written on your passport." She said, and I suddenly felt so rmed, I have a passport? It only means we are traveling to another country. I haven''t traveled before, and I realized the mystery man wasn''t kidding when he told me his clients only wanted me to disappear from Archois away from my husband, and as I think about Hunter, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so hurt. I miss him already, but at least Lily is now safe, and I hope Hunter will forgive me.

    "This is okay," I said as I put on the dress, and it fits perfectly well, and I could tell their clients know me personally.

    "Do you want to join us for dinner, or do you want me to bring your food here?" Karen asked me, and since I felt so tired, I told her to bring the food to my cabin.

    "Okay, I will bring your milk before you go to sleep. We know you are pregnant, and you need nutrients for your baby, and your vitamins are on the drawer on the right side table." She added, and I was impressed that they prepared everything for me, and instead of feeling scared, I suddenly felt secure, and I was just wondering where they would take me.

    Karen left, and I walked closer to the bed, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling because the bed was so soft. It felt like I was going on a vacation, and I suddenly felt sad when I realized it would be thest time I would see my husband, my best friend, and all of them, all the people who cared for me. I know loving my husband could beplicated, but I never realized it would turn out this way.

    I love my Hunter, and saving Lily was necessary since I know how much my husband cares for his sister. The best thing I can do right now is to remain calm and think of ways to return home to Hunter and be with him together with his mom and Lily, and of course, to be with my best friend. I felt guilty that I shouted at Gina. And I am just d I apologized to her before we parted ways. And Iam so happy that I saved our little sister. Lily will always be the sweet little girl who loves and cares about me, and I know she will do the same for me.

    I was startled when I heard knocking on my door, and I realized I had dozed off. And I felt disoriented when I got up from my bed, and I realized I was not in the vi anymore. I am sleeping in one of the cabins on the boat. I slowly walked to the door, and I met a handsome young man. And he is towering over me, and he looked so attractive that I remember my husband right away, and if only Gina had seen him, I know she would melt.

    "Did I wake you up?" He asked as I opened the door wide for him when I saw the tray on his hands, and I suddenly felt so hungry when I saw the mouthwatering food, and I couldn''t stop my stomach from growling.

    "Yes, and who are you?" I asked him even if his voice was familiar.

    "I am the captain of this boat." He replied, and I was right. He was the one who captured me when I was about to run, and I couldn''t believe he was the captain of this ship since he still looked so young.

    "Are you alright, Madeline? It seems you have seen a ghost." He asked.

    .

    "I am just wondering if you were the mystery man?" I asked, and he furrowed his forehead.

    .

    "I mean, are you the one who called me and gave me all the instructions," I asked him, and he shook his head.

    "No, but he was my contact, and he was also the one who made the deposit. I have only seen your pictures, and he asked me to wait for you at the port, and he instructed me to take you inside this boat whatever happens, and his menwill only intervene if something goes wrong, but since you behave well, he didn''t instruct his men toe near us." He responded.

    "Are you disappointed that he wasn''t here on the boat?" He asked, and I shook my head.

    "Of course not. The mystery man''s voice was scary. That is why I asked you because you seemed friendlier than him." I said, and he smiled at me, and I hoped he could help me.

    "Is Karen your wife?" I asked, and heughed.

    "No, she is my sister." He replied, and I realized no wonder they have simrities.

    "Oh, I see," I said.

    "Please, enjoy your meal, Ms. Madeline." He said before he got out of my cabin, and I quickly locked the door. My instinct was telling me, Karen and the captain were my only salvation. For now, I will act as if everything is normal, and I don''t think they know the real story of why I am here. I will make myself ready, and tomorrow, I will start to talk with them, and I will ask why they took me. And I wonder how much they paid him to take me to my unknown destination.

    Until now, I don''t know who was behind Lily''s abduction, but there is no doubt, rk and Kaye are behind all this. And I couldn''t believe he used his daughter to trap me. Well, he was such an evil person.As I walked towards the table, my mouth watered when I saw the grilled fish andsauteed shrimp on the tray.

    When I took my first bite, I couldn''tstop myself from closing my eyes to savor its taste. Whoever cooked this food is an excellent chef. I heartily ate because I was starving. I wasn''t able to eat properly during lunch since I was thinking about Lily the whole time, and now all I need to do is to save myself.I was so full, and I didn''t know where to bring the tray, but I had already washed the te, spoon, and fork on the bathroom sink, and fifteen minutester, someone came to dish out the food tray.

    "You don''t need to wash the dishes, Ma''am, since it is my job." The young man said as he smiled at me.

    "It is okay," I replied, and then I closed the door after he got out of my room, and I walked towards the small window of my cabin. And when I drew the curtain, I realized we were already far away from the harbor since I could only see the glitters of light far away, and I couldn''t stop myself from touching my belly as I realized I would be missing my husband.

    "Hunter, I am sorry that I made a selfish decision, and making your sister safe was very important for me, but don''t worry, my love, I will find a way toe home to you, and I promise I will take care of our baby," I mumbled to myself as I wiped my tears away. I know I should not cry because I made this choice, but realizing I wouldn''t be sleeping beside my husband tonight makes me feel so lonely, and I miss him so much.. And even if I don''t have any idea how to save myself, I am confident that I can do this, and I know my husband wille for me.

 Chapter 200 - Selfish Decision

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, Madeline''s Aunt, including her entire family, is fine, so I think what is going on with Madeline has nothing to do with her Aunt," Cal said on the other line. I know he is still on his vacation, but I couldn''t stop myself from calling him because I know Calixto can help me calm my nerves every time I am feeling like this.

    "Thank you for that information, Cal, I just found out someone took Lily, and this person must have contacted Madeline. I need your help. I know you still need to rest, but I cannot do this without you, and I am so lost right now. I don''t know what to do anymore, and I am so worried about my wife." I responded as I was following Roman''s car, and we had been driving for hours, but we couldn''t find my wife''s car.

    "What do you want me to do, Hunter?" He asked.

    "Can I pick you up? Could youe with me and look for Maddie?" I said as I tried to calm myself.

    "Okay, pick me up here in our house. You have to rx, Hunter. Madeline will be fine. At least now, we have a lead of what happened." He replied.

    "Yeah, and it became worst. You know how much I love Lily, Cal, and she has been more than a sister to me since she was a little girl. She was very close to me. And I couldn''t imagine what happened to my sister right now, and I couldn''t believe my wife woulde after Lily without telling me." I responded.

    "You know your wife, Hunter. I could tell Madeline would do anything to any of us. She is willing to sacrifice herself for themon good of everybody." Cal replied.

    "Yeah, and I hope she thinks about it carefully because she is pregnant, Cal. I am so worried for Madeline and our baby. What if something will happen to her." I said as I released a heavy sighed, and I was gripping the steering wheel hard, and it felt like my entire life depended on it, and as I looked around, it seemed like everything around me felt so bleak.

    "You have to think positive in a moment like this. I could say another ordeal you have to face with your married life, and now you have to face it with courage, don''t worry, everything will be alright." He responded, and this time no matter how many times Cal will tell me everything will be alright, I can''t help feel so worried.

    "Everything will only be okay if she is safe with me, Calixto. And you know what? I wouldn''t say I like that Madeline is an independent woman, because Can you see what she had done? Madeline decided something without telling me anything about it, and I am her husband, Cal. I felt hurt that my wife didn''t confide with me, and I could tell she is still hesitant to trust me, maybe because I have hurt her too much." I dered.

    "No, I don''t think so, Hunter. Whoever took Lily called Madeline, and of course, it is understandable that this person warned your wife not to tell anyone, or else something will happen to your sister. Girls tend to follow the rules, and you know their nature. You can do nothing about it now, all we need to do is trust Roman to locate your wife, or you can coordinate with the local authorities." Cal responded.

    "Yes, of course, but for the time being, I want to find her as soon as possible. See you in a while, Cal." I said, and I ended the call, and I called Roman immediately, and I told him I needed to pick up Calixto at his house. And themoment we arrived at Cal''s driveway, he was already standing outside his home with an overnight bag in his hand, and I couldn''t help but smile as I realized Cal was now ready toe with me, and I felt better.

    "Thank you, Cal," I said after he settled himself on the front seat.

    "You are always wee, Hunter. I couldn''t be at peace in our house knowing something was going on with Madeline and Lily, and they are like my daughters too." He responded as I started the car and drove away from his house.

    "I am was angry with Roman, why he didn''t call me right away, I was only gone for a while, and then when I got back in the vi, my wife was no longer there, and I felt so frustrated Cal," I said, and he tapped me on my shoulder.

    "I understand how you feel, Hunter. Let us hope for the best, and I think your father, or maybe Kaye has something to do with this. I couldn''t believe your father would be this desperate to use your sister to have Madeline." He said.

    "Yeah, and I think after this, I have to go to the Divenson mansion and speak with my father," I said.

    "Of course, if we can''t find them, we need to go there. Maybe rk took them at the mansion." Cal said, and I suddenly felt nervous about going back to our previous route when I saw Roman change direction, and Ididn''t ask him why. I just followed his car. After an hour, we stopped at a residential house, and my bodyguards got out of their vehicles, and we did the same, and Roman led the way. When he opened the old gate, I could see an abandoned house, and my eyes widened when I saw my wife''s car inside the garage, and I was about to run when Cal held my wrist.

    "Hunter, don''t." He said.

    "But I need to see my wife, Cal," I responded, feeling irritated why Cal stopped me.

    "I know, but you have to control yourself for your safety, Hunter. Let Roman and his men search the entire area. We don''t know who took Lily, and they can be random bad guys who wanted to have fun and y some stupid games." Cal said, and I didn''t move an inch from where I am.

    We waited for Roman and the rest of my bodyguards to search the entire ce, and the anticipation was killing me. I was hoping my wife and sister were fine, but when they got back, I knew right away, they were no longer there.

    "Mr. Divenson, I am sorry, but we haven''t found anyone." Roman dered, and I nodded my head.

    "Ask one of your men to drive my wife''s car," I ordered him.

    "We need to go to the Divenson mansion," I added.

    "Copy, sir," Roman responded, and Iopened my car, and I got inside feeling lost again. We drove away from the abandoned house, and this time, I remained silent as I tried to analyze where they took my wife. There is a possibility they changed their car and continued to drive to their next destination, and I wonder how Roman found out my wife had been there.

    Well, I could tell working from the investigation bureau for a long time before I recruited him to be my bodyguard made him excellent with his job. I couldn''t believe my wife and her best friend were able to escape under Roman''s watch, and I wondered what Gina and Madeline did to them.

    We were on our way to the Divenson mansion when I heard my phone ringing, and I couldn''t stop my heart from pounding when I saw Gina''s name on my screen. I quickly answered her call, and I put her on speaker.

    "Gina, where the hell are you?" I asked, and I could no longer hold my anger and frustrations.

    "We are on our way to your house." She said with a trembling voice, and I felt relieved they were safe.

    "Okay, I except to meet you there," I said and ended the call before she could say another word because I felt so excited. I asked Calixto to call Roman to change course because we needed to go home to our house, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling because I can now see my wife, and I will make sure to punish her tonight in bed, I will make my wife scream my name, and I will shower her entire body with kisses. I suddenly felt so hot, and I couldn''t wait to take Madeline into my arms. It makes me drive faster, and I almostugh when I see Cal out of the corner of my eye tightly gripping his seat.

    "Hey, you need to slow down a bit, Hunter. If you want to see your wife again, I guess you don''t want to end up in the hospital or the morgue." I heard Cal say, and Iughed.

    "I am sorry, Calixto. I can''t stop myself from feeling so excited, you know, after a stressful day, Madeline is the only one who can make me feel so happy and energetic like this; my wife is like a multivitamin that keeps me going." I responded, and it was his turn tough.

    "I am so happy that Madeline made you this way, Hunter, and I could tell she was sent from above to make you happy like this, and for how many years I was praying you will find someone who will make you whole again. And Madeline Brownwood was that woman." Cal dered, and I looked at him sideways, and I beamed at Cal.

    As I drove along our driveway, I could hear my heartbeat. And I could feel the sweat on my palms, and I realized I was so excited to see my wife.

    "Hunter!" Lily came running to me, and she was crying, and I took her into my arms. And I never felt so relieved in my entire life to see my little sister, and I hugged her tightly. At the same time, my eyes searched the whole area because I couldn''t see my wife, and when I looked at Gina, I could tell right away that something was wrong, and my heart was screaming no, as I realized my wife had made a selfish decision.

 Chapter 201 - Missing Her Like Crazy

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, I am so sorry, I haven''t seen Madeline; if I only knew she was there at the port, I would never ride the car without her." My sister was crying in my arms, and I was stroking her back, and there was no way I would show my sister that something was going on with Madeline.

    "Hey, sweetheart, don''t worry, I will go after my wife. She is fine, and nothing will ever happen to her." I said to her, and she released herself from my hold.

    "I was hoping you wouldn''t treat me like a child anymore, Hunter. I know what is going on, don''t hide anything from me. When you were trapped on the mining site, Madeline informed me everything. Maddie treated me like an adult, so you better tell me what is going on, don''t ask me to go and hide in my room if you want to talk with Gina because you are not the only one who loves and cares for Madeline." Lily said, and her words made me speechless.

    "Don''t forget I was the one who liked and loved her first, and I have all the right to know what is going on to my sister and friend," Lilysaid as she crossed her arms over her chest, and I wanted tough because I couldn''t believe Lily had grown up so fast.

    My sister was right among all my family members. She was the one who epted Madeline on the first night that she came to the Divenson mansion. I couldn''t me my wife for sacrificing her own life for Lily because when Maddie felt so alone and lost, and there was no one she couldturn to, she foundfort and sce at the arms of a twelve-year-old girl, and I know they havethat kind of bond.

    "I am sorry, Lily, I will never treat you like a child. I know you are a grown young woman now, so because you are a young woman, I want you to stop crying, Lily." I said.

    "No, I can''t stop knowing Madeline was out there because of me; big girls cry too, Hunter. If they are hurt and in trouble, they will cry." Lily said, and even if I felt so worried about my wife, my little sister made me feel better. I couldn''t imagine what would happen to me now if Gina didn''t bring Lily with her, and before I could speak, my mother was running into us, and she was crying as she got Lily into her arms. And just great, I couldn''t stand looking at them because I could tell I would be crying too. After all, I am so damn worried about Madeline, and when I looked at Gina, she was in tears as well, and I couldn''t believe that even Calixto was crying.

    "It will never make you less a man if you cry, Hunter, " Cal mumbled, but I remained frozen on the floor as I waited for my mother and sister to stop from crying.

    "Who took you, Lily?" I asked after her tears subsided.

    "I don''t know who they are, Hunter, first; when I was on the way to your vi, one of my ssmates called me, and I asked Tony to dropped me off at the entrance of the school, and I told him I will call him if I need him to pick me up, and the next thing I know someone asked me to help her friend inside a van, and when I get inside the driver drove away from the school fast, and it took me a minute to understand what is going on." She said.

    "I know I was such an idiot, but you know me, it is always in my nature to help those who are in need, and I am sorry, I thought they needed my help." She said as she lowered her head.

    "Hey, it wasn''t your fault, Lily. Don''t worry about it, and we can take Madeline back." I said, and she was looking at me, and I could tell my sister was begging me to bring back my wife, and if there is only a way to do it right now, I will do it in a heartbeat because I can''t sleep without Madeline.

    "The people inside the van, can you still remember their faces?" I asked my sister, but she was shaking her head.

    "No, because they were wearing hooded sweatshirts, and they covered their faces with masks." My sister said and felt disappointed, and when I looked at Roman and Cal, I could tell they were feeling the same way.

    I turned my head to Gina, and I could tell she was trembling, and I know how much she cares for Maddie, and I couldn''t imagine the guilt she was feeling right now. When she looked at me, her sadness mirrored with mine and Lily, and I didn''t know where to start.

    "Gina, I am not happy that you helped my wife escape, I know you only wanted to help your best friend, but can''t you see what happened now?" I asked her, and I couldn''t even look at her because it was too painful to stare at her knowing she helped my wife run away, and I am still angry with her, but she brought back my sister, and I should give her credit.

    "I am aware that you are so angry with me right now, Hunter. And I am also angry with myself because I couldn''t stop her from doing it, but saving Lily was only on her mind. She was so worried about your sister. I tried my best to stop her, but she insisted on going alone without me, and we fought actually, and in the end, I came with her to save Lily. I am so happy that Lily is safe, and I know she tried to run away from them, but I saw on the rearview mirror someone grabbed her, and she wasn''t able to escape. I know what she was thinking. She thought she could escape." Gina said as she released a heavy sigh.

    "Can you tell me the address of where you drop her?" I asked calmly.

    "We made it to the south until we reached the Port of Zambo town, and the name of the boat is The Wildflower#18," Gina said.

    "Lily, did you see the crew member of the boat?" I asked my sister.

    "Yes, but I don''t think they are your enemy Hunter, the captain talked to me, and I could tell he knew nothing about what was going on. He thought I was going somewhere on a trip with my family because that was what he thought, and when the guy who contacted the captain askedhim to assist me in getting out of the boat, the man helped me out, but he didn''t tie me or anything. The captain said he chartered goods, and if there is a family who will hire him to take them somewhere, he will offer a good price." Lily said.

    "Did you happen to know the name of the captain?" Iasked, but my sister only shook her head.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, but I don''t know his name, but T

    the boat has a female crew member, and her name was Karen, and she was friendly." She said, and I opened my phone and searched The WildFlower#18 boat. I couldn''t find anything with The Wildflower#18, and I sighed.

    "I think we should get going now, and maybe they haven''t left at Zambo port yet," I said to Roman and Cal, and they both nodded their heads.

    "Hunter, here is Maddie''s phone since the mystery man didn''t allow her to bring anything," Gina said, and I could tell she had something to say.

    "Gina, I know there is something you want to tell me. What is it?" I asked her, and she looked at me in the eyes before she spoke.

    "Madeline said, she loves you so much, and don''t worry, she is going to take care of your child. And she was hoping you could forgive her." She added, and I am holding my tears because right now I felt so exhausted, and I am so desperate to find my wife.

    "Gina, I love my wife, and I will never get angry with her, especially that she saved Lily, but I was just hoping next time you can convince her that I am willing to die for her, she doesn''t need to do it alone," I said, and I can see the pain on Gina''s face.

    "Yeah, I know how much you love her, and she knew that. And before you go, I want to tell you that the one who took Lily warned me if I will tell you everything, they are going to kill Madeline." She said, and I red up with anger, and I moved closer to Lily.

    "Have youchanged your clothes?" I asked

    my sister and she shook her head.

    "Can you check if you find anything in your pocket or anywhere in your clothes?" I said.

    "I found it, Hunter and I threw it when we were on our way, I know what they are up to, and there is no way I will let them know what we are talking about, and before I speak with Gina, I throw the device on the road, you don''t need to worry about anything." She answered me, and I felt so relieved; and I had already asked Roman to check the te number of the car they used, but I am sure it had a fake te number.

    "That is good, Lily. I know I can count on you." I said, and I took her into my arms.

    "Am I forgiven?" She asked me, and I smiled and ruffled her hair.

    "You have done nothing wrong, Lily, they want Madeline, and they used you because they know you are close to her," I said.

    "Is dad behind all this?" She asked, and I don''t want my sister to hate her father.

    "We don''t know who is behind this, Lily," I said.

    "I hope dad has nothing to do with this because I can''t forgive him." She said sternly.

    "Please, be careful, Hunter. I don''t know what will happen to us if something happens to you again." My sister dered.

    "Yes, son, be careful, and I hope you can rescue Madeline," Mom added.

    "Don''t worry, mom, Lily. I will take care of myself. I will do everything I can to save my wife." I said, and we got out of the house after saying goodbye to them, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried about Madeline, and I am missing her like crazy.

    .

 Chapter 202 - The Waves

    Madeline''s POV

    I wanted to speak with Karen before I went to sleep, but since I felt so tired because of our trip from Magnolia vige to the town of Zambo. I didn''t realize I had fallen asleep, and when I woke up, I realized it was already seven o''clock in the morning when I looked at the clock on the wall. And I felt nauseated, I could feel the involuntary reflexes on my stomach, and my mouth was filling with saliva. I could feel the boat was rocking so hard, and when I looked on the floor, my doll shoes and the suitcase they prepared for me were already on the door, and they continued to move as the boat continued to stride violently, and I suddenly felt so scared.

    I know I can swim, and I am aware I can swim only at the beach and in the swimming pool, but not in the ocean. My eyes scanned the room, and I was looking for a life vest, and I felt relieved when I saw one on the other end, and I was holding at the bed for support because the waves continued crushing the boat, and I was afraid if I am going to fall on the floor hard. I need to protect my child whatever happens, and there is no way I willow the situation to kill my baby.

    I couldn''t stop myself from crying because I felt so terrified that I would die without saying goodbye to my husband and giving birth to my child. I don''t want to pass this way because I still want to spend more time with my husband. And I suddenly miss Hunter so much.I don''t want to get up, but I don''t want to vomit on my bed, and I don''t want to vomit on the floor either, so I don''t have a choice, with trembling hands, I hold on to the bedpost, and I slowly stand up, and I groped into the wall, and I felt d the shaking temporarily stopped.

    The moment I reached the bathroom, I found it hard to sit on the toilet bowl since the waves were pounding the ship again, and I felt dizzier, and I was sobbing hard. After I urinated, I held on to the bathroom sink, and I could no longer hold myself fromvomiting; I wouldn''t say I like it, but I need to let it out to end my misery. And I wonder if I am experiencing this now because of seasickness or my morning sickness. I was puking hard, and I felt so tired, and I was drained after I vomited, and I returned to my bed in the same way I got up.

    I don''t want to look at the water outside because I know it will be terrifying. Even if I was only feeling the waves, I could tell that we were facing big waves at this moment. I couldn''t stop myself from crying as I continued to hold onto the bed. I suddenly heard thumping on my door, and I didn''t want to get up, but I needed someone to talk to at this moment, or else I''d be going crazy. I need to know if we can survive this situation.

    "Hold on!" I shouted as I tried to get up again, and this time, I could feel the water suddenly be calm, but I knew the waves would hit the boat again. I took the opportunity to open my cabin door, and I couldn''t believe Karen would be smiling at me as if nothing was going on.

    "OMG! What happened to you?" She asked as she looked at my face.

    "The boat is rocking so hard, am I the only one who felt it? You are standing there as if nothing is going on." I said, and the boat started to sway hard again, and I returned to the bed, and I was gripping hard on the ship again.

    "Can you tell me what is going on, Karen? Are we going to die?" I asked, and sheughed, and I gave her a stern look.

    "We are not going to die, Madeline. I want to inform you this is only mild." She replied.

    "Are you kidding me? I can feel my stomach is turned upside down because I felt so dizzy, and I could hardly move around because of the pounding of the waves, and you are telling me this is only mild?" I said as I wiped my tears away.

    "Hey, don''t cry please, I promise tonight it will be back to normal; the ocean will be friendly again." She said, and my mouth hung open.

    "Do you mean itwill be like this the entire day?" I asked in disbelief, and she nodded her head with a weak smile on her face.

    "Everything is new to you; that is why you feel like the world is ending, and you felt like you are going to die but believe me, I feel the same way too on the first day my brother took me on board, I was only fifteen years old back then. I was a minor,but I didn''t have a choice. I need to survive, andmy brother needed my help, and this is the only way we can earn more money." She said, and my worries suddenly subsided as I looked at her, and I could tell we were the same age, and I wondered what kind of life story she had.

    "Life is like the ocean, Madeline, sometimes it can be rough, and sometimes it would be smooth sailing. Lucky are those who grew up with a silver spoon on their mouth because they will never experience the rough part of the ocean because they will never ride the boat, and they will travel by private ne." She said, and I could tell Karen must experience the hard way of living just like me.

    "Where are your parents?" I asked, and she smiled at me.

    "Some other time, Madeline." She replied, and I could tell she was not yet ready to share her story with me. I smiled back at her as she got inside my cabin.

    "Do I need to wear a life vest?" I asked, and sheughed hard.

    "Rx, Madeline, we are not going to sink; you have to trust me; we have taken this route so many times, and sorry if we took the shortest way because we also need to save fuel. If the captain took the longest way, it would take us one month more or else." She replied.

    "Can I pay for the fuel? And we will take the other way." I dered, and she continuedughing, and I could see the amusement on her face.

    "It waste for that, my dear, so you are one of the rich kids, I guess?" She asked, and I quickly shook my head.

    "And who are you, Madeline Brownwood?" She asked, and it was my turn to smile at her.

    "Maybe some other time, Karen," I replied.

    "Fair enough." She responded, and I can tell since Karen talked with me, I can no longer feel the fear even if I can still hear the smashing of the waves on the boat.

    "I just came to check on you, and I knew you were having a breakdown; you need to rx, Madeline, and everything will be alright." She said, and I nodded my head.

    "I will bring your food thirty minutes from now." She said.

    "Do you have a chef on the boat?" I asked, and she nodded at me.

    "Of course, the best chef for us. And he is our cousin, and you will meet all the crew members once the weather is good; you need to eat even if the boat is rocking tremendously for your baby." She dered, and I smiled at her, and thenshe walked out of the door after saying goodbye to me.

    The moment Karen left my cabin, I couldn''t stop myself from worrying again. I wished the waves would stop shoving the boat, but the more I wanted it to stop, the more it nudged the ship violently, and I didn''t have a choice but to remain calm, but I was holding on to my bed because there is a big chance I will fall to the floor if I do not grip on the bed. My n to escape vanish because there is no way I can get out of this boat alive unless I am a supernatural being.

    "Here is your food, Madeline; no matter how hard it is for you to eat, you need something in your stomach," Karen said the moment she returned to my room.

    "Thank you, Karen," I said as she helped me stand on the floor, and she held my hand so I could sit on the chair. I could smell the aroma of bacon and pancake, and my mouth watered even if I felt dizzy.

    "Don''t worry because I won''t leave you unless you are finished eating your breakfast." She said, and I started eating my food heartily. I felt so d Karen made my stay at this boat bearable.

    "Thank you, Karen," I said.

    "You are wee, Madeline," Karen responded, and she took the dishes, and sheonly left my room when I finished drinking my vitamins.

    As I continued to listento the wild squashing of the waves, I couldn''t stop the tears that trickled down on my face as I realized I had nothing with me, no cellphone,no money, and I felt like an idiot; how can I ask Karen if I could pay for the fuel when I don''t even have a coin with me, andI can''t stop the piercing of my heart as I think of my husband''s face, and I missed him so much. I don''t even have my wallet with me where I can see our wedding photo.. I continued to cry as I realized I had never felt so alone and helplessin my entire life.

 Chapter 203 - I Failed

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hey, you better slow down, Hunter, I know you wanted to see your wife, but you have to remember, you can''t see her if you will die in a car ident before we can even reach our destination," Cal said, and I slowed down a bit. And I could say that my assistant was right. I want to see my wife right away.

    "I am sorry, Calixto, I just couldn''t control myself because I am so afraid right now of what they do to my wife, and it made me wonder whoever took Lily only wanted to have Madeline because they released my sister; without question," I replied.

    "Yeah, and I could say your father is behind all this, and he wouldn''t stop until you have Kaye, or it could be Kaye, and your father had nothing to do all this. She didn''t hurt Lily because your sister was innocent. Madeline is the only hindrance for her to have you. I couldn''t believe the heiress would be so crazy about you." Cal responded, and he has a point, Kaye could be the mastermind of Lily''s abduction.

    "Well, I haven''t told anyone about this, and for so many times I wanted to change my number, she always sends me messages every day before we got buried underground, telling me we will be together soon. She said I will be her husband no matter what happened." I said as I sighed heavily.

    "What?" Cal''s eyes got so big as he asked me.

    "Yeah, but I ignored all her messages, and I never texted her back. I ignored her calls either. And I thought she would stop bothering me after they rescued us, but the moment she learned I came back alive, she started sending me messages. Kaye said she felt so happy that I am alive." I dered.

    "Andtely, she told me, if I don''t answer her call, she will jump from her penthouse, and I don''t have a chose, but to call her because I can''t forget she has been my friend." I continued while Cal was looking at me sideways as I nced at him from

    time to time because it is already dark, and I am not used to navigating this route because I mostly traveled on the other side.

    "And I think Kaye''s obsession with me is getting worse, especially my father fueled her mind with wrong information." I dered.

    "And what did she tell you that time?" Calixto said.

    "Kaye said, she can''t wait to be with me, and she told me it is almost time that we will be together once again, and I begged her to stop, but the more I pleaded with her to leave Madeline and me alone, she became angrier, and she told me if I will not leave my wife I will suffer," I replied.

    "I thought it was only one of her tantrums, you know Kaye, she mostly bark, but she will never bite, that is why I never take her warning seriously besides I was confident I can protect my wife because we are always together and Roman and his men are always on standby, and they can watch over her all the time," I added as I tightly held the steering wheel, and I felt so frustrated.

    "I didn''t expect the one mistake I made would make me suffer this way. I only left for a while to buy her food, and I didn''t realize that time my wife and her best friend were nning something bigger, and they were able to escape under Roman''s watch." I continued.

    "I wanted to suspend Roman and his men, but I still need them to help me find my wife. I don''t want to involve the authority yet because it might be moreplicated. After all, we are not sure if Kaye is really behind all this, and I wish they will never hurt Madeline and our baby." I added.

    "Me too. I have the same wish because I can''t imagine if something will happen to Madeline. I know your wife only wanted to save Lily, and there is nothing we can do right now but to hope that we can save her." Cal said as he looked at me sideways while I focused my eyes on the highway.

    "Yeah, I know. It hurts me so much that my wife didn''t trust me enough." I responded.

    "Her worries about Lily ovee all her senses that time, Hunter, so you should give your wife credit for saving your sister," Cal mumbled.

    "Of course, Calixto," I replied. I was no longer surprised when I saw Roman sped his car.

    "Roman is now moving faster, and I have to catch up with them, Cal," I said, and this time, I made a side nce at Calixto.

    "Of course, just be careful, I know you always drive safely, Hunter, but you can''t me me if I felt worried about you because I am aware you are troubled about Madeline." He answered me as he leaned his body on his seat.

    "Don''t worry, Calixto, I know I need to focus because I still need to save Maddie, and the fears that I have are killing me at this moment, and thank you foring with me because you made things more bearable," I responded as I continued to maneuver the car fast.

    "You are wee, Hunter, Madeline is like a daughter to me, and that is why I want toe with you." He said, and we stopped talking until we reached Zambo town.

    I could feel the trembling of my legs, and I tried to control them because I needed to be strong.I wear a hooded jacket and baseball hat, and I smiled when Cal changed his shirt; and he also put a baseball hat on his headbefore we got out from my car the moment we reached the port. I ran towards the harbor, and I knew Cal was following behind me.

    I looked around and read every name of the boat docked on the port, but as I walked around, I couldn''t find the ship with the word "The Wildflower #18," and I started fo feel anxious as I walked towards the stevedores mooring the newly arrived boat. I can tell the port is so busy at the moment.I waited for them to finish before I moved forward and talked to one of the crew.

    "Can you tell me where to find the " The Wildflower#18?" I asked, and the guy looked at me

    in the eyes before he spoke.

    "I am sorry, Sir, but the boat left almost more than three hours ago." He said, and I felt my entire body turn so cold.

    "Do you know where it is going?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "I haven''t talked with Captain Noah; usually, he will be gone for fifteen days, sometimes one month. It depends on the charterer." He said.

    "If you want to charter his boat, you better talk to him personally when hees back, Sir, but I can guarantee you, Captain Noah is one of the best captains around here, he is not only good looking, but he is also known for his kindness, and I can assure you, you will never worry about your goods." The man said, and I smiled at him.

    "Do you happen to have his number?" I asked, and he shook his head, and I became more frustrated.

    "Thank you for the information, and I will surelye back next time," I said, and I turned around, and this time Cal walked beside me.

    "Aren''t you going to charter another boat so we can catch up with the Wildflower?" Cal asked, and I stopped on my track, and I smiled at his brilliant idea, and we walked back to the port to ask for any avable boat, but there is none, and one week is too long to wait, and I realized it is about time I will buy aboat.

    "I wanted to swim the ocean to look for

    my wife, Cal, but I know I am not the son of Poseidon, and right now, I don''t have any fucking idea how to locate Madeline, and I am

    afraid to contact the authority because I am sure our enemy already contacted them to make sure I will never see my wife again. But I will never rest until I find her, Calixto." I dered after we got back inside my car.

    "What do we do next?" Cal asked me, and I could see the worries on his face.

    "I don''t know, Calixto. I couldn''t believe they would charter a boat to take my wife away from me, and where are they going to take my wife, Cal? Where? I need to talk with the captain, Calixto." I said, and he looked at me in the eyes.

    "Of course, we will find a way, Hunter, and don''t worry, Madeline is safe. You heard what the man said. The captain of the boat is kindhearted, and I am sure he will take good care of your wife." Calixto said.

    "I think I should drive, I know you are fine, but I could tell you are exhausted, and it is a long drive from Zambo to your house. You need a reliever, Hunter." He said, and this time I didn''t argue with him. I know I felt so weak after learning my wife had gone on a boat without knowing where they would take her. My mind was in shambles, and I felt so disappointed as I realized that no matter how wealthy I was, I couldn''t use my money because there was no avable boat we could charter to chase the Wildflower right at this moment. I got up from my seat, and I ex-change ces with Calixto as I allowed him to drive my car back to Archois city.. And as we went away from the port, I couldn''t stop my tears from falling as I realized I had failed the promise I made to protect my wife.

 Chapter 204 - A Fabricated Story

    Madeline''sPOV

    After eating my breakfast, I tried to look at the ocean from my window, and my dizziness became worst when I saw the water and the roaring waves of the sea. And all the food I ate during breakfast has gone to waste when I vomit again, and I don''t n to eat my lunch because I know the same thing will happen. I still find it hard to navigate going to the bathroom or to walk inside my cabin.

    And I didn''t have a choice but to get back on my bed after taking the life vest, and I also picked up the lifebuoy that hung on the wall. I slowly go back andy to my bed, and I know it may seem ridiculous for the crew member of this ship once they find out I was lying on my bed with the life vest and lifebuoy beside me, but what can I do? I am only a passenger on this boat, and I am pregnant.

    I will do everything to protect my baby because I asked Gina to tell my husband that I will take good care of our child, and I don''t want Hunter to think I am a careless mother. So, at least whatever happened, I am ready, but I was praying hard to survive with my baby on this journey. I haven''t asked Karen yet how many days before we can reach our destination.

    I don''t have any idea where they are going to take me. Still, one thing is for sure, I have my child in my womb that keeps mepany, and I can''t deny that right now; only my childis giving me the courage to hold on. Even if I felt so lonely and helpless, I can still feel the happiness that I am going to be a mom, and I don''t want my child to be affected by what is going on with my life.. Falling in love with Hunter was the easiest thing that ever happened to me since I fell in love with him on the first night that I met him without knowing loving him would cause me so much pain, but I could tell it was all worth the pain. And now, because of him, I undergo another ordeal.

    As Iy on my bed, I can hear and feel the bad weather making the waves ram the boat harder. I tried my best to look back at all the good memories with my husband and my best friend since I wanted to stop worrying about my current situation. Still, even if I experienced the worst here on the ship, I don''t have any regrets because I saved Lily. And thinking about Hunter''s sister now made me smileeven if I still felt worried about what would happen to my baby and meto our destination, and I suddenly felt lonely when I realized I would give birth to our child without Hunter. And I was hoping my husband would find us soon.

    I didn''t realize that I fell asleep even if the waves continued to rock the boat.

    "Madeline! What are you doing?" Karen asked when she looked at me lying on the bed with the lifebuoy and the life vest on my other side.

    "I just want to be ready at all times because I can tell anything might be possible, and these things made me feel at peace," I responded as I tightened my hold on my most valuable treasures as of the moment, and her face softened.

    "Hey, nothing will happen to you while you are with us, Madeline. I promise that to you." Karen replied, and she let out a soft sigh.

    "You look so beautiful and adorable." She added, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at her.

    "Thank you, and you are beautiful, too, and I wonder why you chose this kind of career where it could be so dangerous," I responded as I looked at her.

    "It is a long story, Madeline, but I want you to know I enjoyed my life as a seafarer, and I love my job. Besides, I don''t want to be away from my brother, he needs me, and we need each other." She said, and I could tell they were going through with something too.

    "I need to go back to my post now," Karen said, and she left without taking a second look while I continued toy on my bed, and I couldn''t stop myself from wondering about Karen and her brother''s life.

    Karen checked on me from time to time, and every time she got inside my cabin, she wouldugh at me, and I could see the amusement on her face. And if I don''t only feel dizzy, and if we don''t have bad weather today, I could say I will adorewatching the ocean as we sail the water.

    It was already lunchtime, but I was still lying on the bed while my hands were still gripping on the bedpost because now and then, the big waves woulde back and hit the ship as if the ocean got so angry with us. It was terrifying, and even if it had been hours, I still felt scared that we were going to sink.And I can tell no matter how many days I will stay in this boat, and I will never get used to this kind of situation since this is too much for me to handle.

    The captain was the one who brought my food for lunch, and like his sister, he was also amused looking at me.

    "Is there anything you found funny, captain?" I asked, and he looked at me in the eyes, and I could tell right away he was a good-looking man, just like his sister.

    "I thought my sister was kidding me, Ms. Brownwood, but I could tell she wasn''t lying at all. Are you that scared?" He asked me, and I could see the concern on his face as I nodded at him.

    "I am sorry, but don''t worry, Maddie, a few hours from now, the water will be friendly again, and I hope I can tour you around the boatter." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "Now, it is time for you to eat your lunch." He said, and I shook my head.

    "I don''t think that is a good idea captain, I am pregnant, and I think I have seasickness; that is why the food I ate this morning has gone to waste right away. I will eat moreter during dinner because I don''t want to get up yet." I dered.

    "And right now, I felt so dizzy, and it feels like the entire ship is spinning," I added.

    "Okay, I understand, but you need to eat for your baby, Madeline." He answered.

    "I know, but I can t afford to eat and vomit again. I felt so weak and sick right now." I said.

    "Okay." He said and nodded his head, and got out of the room.

    Karen was right; the ocean calmed down that I couldn''t hear the loud roaring of the waves anymore, and finally, all I could listen to was the noise of the engine. When I looked at the clock, it was already six o''clock in the evening, and I was starving. I wanted to get out of my cabin for the first time because I wished to look for Karen, and before I could get out of my room, someone knocked, and when I opened the door, I found tha captain again, and he was smiling at me.

    "Feeling better?" He asked.

    "Yes, and I am starving," I answered, and heughed.

    "I am d you said that. I came to pick you up because I know you got so tired from lying on your bed the entire day. Please follow me to the mess hall, Madeline." He said, and he turned his heels away from my cabin while I followed behind him, and for the first time, I looked around the boat, and I didn''t want them to know this was the first time I boarded a ship.

    Karen was already in the dining room, and she was beaming at me. And the moment I sat down on the seat in front of her, the Messman served my food immediately, and I said my thanks to him. And I could hear the grumbling of my stomach as I looked at the grilled salmon and vegetable frittata in front of me. And I can tell Karen looked so fascinated as I devoured my meal because I felt so hungry. Andshe was smiling at me until I finished eating my food, and I think I will gain weight if I stay on this ship longer because of the food they feed me.

    "Did you enjoy your meal?" Karen asked me, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at her.

    "Of course, the food is superb," I replied.

    "I am d you are finally able to eat properly." She responded as she looked at me intently.

    "Are you going to your uncle''s house?" She asked me, and I was stunned, and I didn''t know how to react since I didn''t know where I was going.

    "I don''t know," I replied, and I gave her an honest answer.

    "So, it was true you had amnesia?" She asked.

    "What?" I asked her, and she smiled at me tenderly.

    "It is okay, Madeline. I know what you have been through is not easy, you are still trying to recollect your past, yetyou still can''t remember anything; that is why your family is sending you abroad to your estranged uncle, hoping a new environment will help you remember who you are." She said, and I became speechless as I realized whoever the mastermind of all this had fabricated a story, and I could tell whatever I was going to say to them they would never believe me because they thought I had a sickness. And this is horrible, but I will do everything I can to let Karen and the Captain know who I am, and before we can reach the port of our destination, I will make sure I can convince themthat I am Madeline Brownwood Divenson.

 Chapter 205 - Big Brother

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, are you sure you want to do this?" Cal asked me as I drove uphill towards the Divenson mansion. I could tell my father was at home since the entire estate was lit up like some party was going on, and when we reached the massive electronic gate, I couldn''t believe he banned me from getting inside our house. My father changed the passcode of our gate, and when I talked to the guards, they still didn''t open the gate for me. I was standing in front of the entrance feeling lost and tired. I know it was alreadyte, but I was desperate to talk with him.

    "rk! You better get here outside and face me like a real man. What is wrong with you?? Why are you trying to mess up with my fucking life every chance you can get? Why do you need to take away my wife? Why can''t you fight me man to man? Huh! You are such a coward and the most selfish person I ever know." I shouted in front of the CCTV camera, hoping he was watching me, and I punched and kicked the gate several times as I could feel the pain in my knuckles until they were bleeding, and I couldn''t believe he would do this kind of trick to me.I kept on shouting and kicking the gate until I felt too tired to move my legs, and I sat on the ground while I didn''t stop shouting.

    "Son, I think it is useless; we better return to your house now, and I am sure your mother and sister are waiting for you," Cal said, and I didn''t realize he got out of the car.

    "We are not leaving here, Calixto, until I will get some answers.. I need to know where they ship my wife. She is not a fucking package, Cal, she is a human being, and she is my lovely wife, and I love her so much. I want to know if my wife is doing fine. She is pregnant, Cal. They should give her a chance toe home to me. She had done nothing wrong to anyone because my wife is selfless." I said as I looked at Cal''s face, and I tried to hold my tears at bay. I don''t want my father to see me cry, and I will never allow him to look at my vulnerable side.

    "I don''t think your father is ready to see you, Hunter, and we need to go now. No matter how many hours you will wait here outside, he will nevere to you." Cal said, and when I was about to get back on the car, the gate opened, and I was surprised that it opened wide, and I saw my sister standing on the other side, and she was looking daggers at me. Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest, and I could see my father''s bodyguards surrounding the area.

    "What do you want from dad, at this hour, Hunter?" My sister asked in a stern tone.

    "Where is your father?" I hissed.

    "He is not here, Hunter." She replied coldly.

    "I don''t believe you, Charlotte," I responded.

    "Then, don''t, I don''t want to talk to you anyway." She replied sarcastically.

    "Where are you taking my wife?" I asked her.

    "We don''t know about what you are talking about, big brother. We almost lost everything because of you, Hunter. You took everything." She barked.

    "I didn''t do anything about father''s shares, Charlotte, and I don''t know why he sold the 50% of his shares. And you still have a share. And you were both given what is due for you. I am not that selfish, my dear sister. I care about you and dad. But I wonder why you want to mess up with my life. What have I done wrong?" I asked her, and she smirked at me.

    "Don''t make meugh, Hunter. I think you already know the answer. Father promised Kaye''s father, and in return, Kaye''s family financed our dad with one of the businesses he ventured into years ago. Still, instead of marrying her, you marry some random girl who is unknown to our society. And now you asked what you have done wrong. And do you know that dad is now in the hospital because of you?" She asked, and I furrowed my eyebrow.

    "He had a heart attack the other night, and I already informed mom about it, and I am not sure if she visited him. I can tell mom was hesitant to visit dad because she was afraid if you would be upset." She said, and I could see the pain in my sister''s face.

    "Why?" I asked in more than a whisper, and I suddenly felt so weak as I realized my dad was in the hospital, and if he was there, who took my wife?

    "Dad and Kaye''s father argued because thetter asked father, when are you going to divorce your wife." She said, and my eyes widened.

    "I don''t know their deal, but I guess Kaye is now asking his father to expedite the process of your divorce, and I heard dad ask for an apology from Kaye''s dad. He said he made a mistake, and he was willing to pay the amount due to Kaye''s dad. Father said he already lost his wife and children, and because of that damn agreement, dad broke his family." My sister said, and I couldn''t believe that our father came to his senses atst.

    "But Kaye''s father got so angry and said dad has no Word of honor, and he will do everything he can to ruin all of us if our father does not give him the only thing his only daughter wants her entire life, and that is you, Hunter," Charlotte said. I couldn''t believe what I heard, and it felt like I wanted to scream because this was too much for me to deal with, and for the first time after I learned rk, Divenson is not my birth father, I realized I missed the man I used to call Dad.

    "How is he?" I asked in more than a whisper.

    "Bad, and I don''t think he will survive another day, but I think he will be waiting for you, mom, Lily, and Parker." She said, and for the first time, I saw my sister cry. She used to be so tough, and I know how close she was with our dad, and even if growing up, I could tell I was my dad''s favorite, and I doubt if he faked it, and Charlotte will always follow dad around the Divension mansion.

    "I am sorry, big brother," Charlotte said, and she ran to me, and she cried in my arms.

    "I know I haven''t been a good sister to you because I only wanted to be special in dad''s eyes, but he was always proud of you because I was a girl, and you were the heir of ourpany. I envy you, and instead, I should give you the full support. I backstabbed you, and I tricked you." Charlotte dered, and I was too stunned to speak.

    Everything happened so fast that it was so hard for me to process what was going on with my life right now. I can feel the piercing in my heart as I think of my missing wife, my father, in the hospital. But I can''t deny I felt so happy that Charlotte called me big brother. It has been a long time I heard her call me big brother, and I realized how much I miss my sister. I brought her closer to me, and I tightly hugged her.

    "I hope we can start over. I hate to admit it, but right now, I felt so scared, Hunter. I don''t want dad to die, and I am so afraid of what Kaye''s family will do to all of us." She said, and I looked at her.

    "She is your best friend, Charlotte." I dered, and she shook her head.

    "She was only good to me because she wants you, Hunter. I know her true colors now, and I know it would be toote if I say I don''t want her either to be your wife because you are already married to Madeline, and I know even if the world will perish, you will never leave your wife because I know how much you love her." She responded, and I smiled as I realized Charlotte knew how much I cared about Maddie.

    "I admit I like Maddie too, but I want Kaye to be happy and proud of me because I thought she was sincere that is why I listened to everything that she said to me, but now that his dad did that to our father, I don''t want to associate with their family ever again. I hope you will have the heart to forgive me, Hunter." She said, and I stroked her hair.

    "I know I have done wrong not only to Madeline but also to Reba, and I did it all because of Kaye. I am sorry, Hunter. I know words are not enough to tell you how sorry I am right now." Charlotte said as she looked at me, and I nodded my head, and I kissed her forehead.

    "Pack your things, Charlotte, just the important things that you will need. You have toe to me at our house. I am sure mom and Lily will be happy to see you." I said.

    "But mom hated me, especially our little sister, Lily." She said, and I could see the worries on her face.

    "Mom loves you, Charlotte, and you know that mother''s love will never waver, and Lily adores you, but you were the one who shunned her away." I said as I smiled at her and my sisterpulled metoe with her inside our house. Even if I felt so worried about what was going on with our lives, I am d that my sister has finallye to her senses, and I realized how much I missed my sister, and I could tell Charlotte could help me find Madeline.

 Chapter 206 - I Am Not Crazy

    Madeline''s POV

    "Karen, I think there is a misunderstanding. I don''t have amnesia, and I remember who I am because I am not sick." I replied.

    "Madeline, your illness is not amnesia. I know I am not in the position to discuss these things with you since your family wanted to cover up your illness; they said you have amnesia because they don''t want people to know that you are mentally ill. They said you always say things you are not supposed to say." She said, and my eyes widened in shock.

    "What do you mean by that? That is absurd, Karen." I said.

    "Well, I could say you look great, and the way you talk to me is in a good manner, but your medical records say you are mentally ill." She said, and Iughed..

    "Of course, I am normal, and I don''t have a sickness, Karen; you have to believe me," I said.

    "Who are you then?" She asked.

    "I am Madeline Brownwood-Divenson," I said, and she smiled at me, and I could tell she didn''t believe in me.

    "I want to help you, Maddie. I want to, but you don''t even know who is the father of your child, and that is so pathetic." She said.

    "What? Hunter Divenson is my husband, Karen, and he is the father of my unborn child." I replied, and she shook her head.

    "The wife of Hunter Divenson came here together with your family. And since your family wanted to help you very badly, they cooperated with Mrs. Divenson''s after they found out about your condition because you are a threat to their family. They said you fell in love with Hunter Divenson while working at hispany as his secretary, and you became obsessed with him, and the moment he got married to his fiancee, that was the time you lose your sanity." Karen dered, and I became so shocked with what she said, and I couldn''t even open my mouth to say something to her.

    "And the next thing they know, you were pregnant, and you were telling people Hunter was the father. And that was thest straw, your family, together with the help of Mrs. Divenson, decided to help you by sending you off to a peaceful and beautiful ce, and they were hoping the moment you return, you will not bother the Divenson family anymore. I am not supposed to talk with you, and I know my brother will get angry with me since we don''t make friends with our client''s subject." Karen said, and my mouth hung open.

    "The lovely couple helped your family, and they pay a big amount of money to charter this boat and bring you to Choraz, where your uncle lives." He said, and I couldn''t believe they would bring me to Choraz. I only heard about the ce, and I know it is far away, and I realized that is why I heard about passport since we will sail to another country. Choraz is a small vige of Neospoli Country, wherethe civilization of this ce was frozen in time, and I heard they preserved the site for the next generation to see life from the past.

    "That is ridiculous, Karen. You have to believe me that I am mentally fit, I am pregnant, but I don''t have any ailments." I said, and Karen looked at me for a long time.

    "Do you have any evidence that can prove your im that you are the wife of Hunter Divenson? Do you have an identification card?" She asked.

    "Yes, I have. You can check my driver''s license if you want to see for your eyes that I am a Divenson." I dered.

    "Okay, are you done eating?" She asked while she looked at the empty te in front of me.

    "Yes, I am done eating," I replied.

    "Good, because I want you to be in good health always, especially your baby." She dered.

    "Me too; thank you for taking good care of me," I responded.

    "You are wee, Maddie; this is the least that I can do for you because I can feel that you needed some help, and I just want you to know I am not afraid of you, Madeline." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing.

    "Karen, you don''t need to be afraid of me because I am not crazy, and I am begging you to listen to me." I dered.

    "I need to go now, and please allow me to take you to your room, Madeline." She dered, and I felt defeated since I could tell Karen was not willing to hear me out.

    "Where is it?" Karen asked me the moment I closed my cabin door, and she was standing near my bed.

    "What do you want to see, Karen?" I asked back.

    "The proof that you are married to Mr. Divenson." She dered, and my face fell when I realized I didn''t bring anything when I boarded this ship.

    "Maddie, I want to help you in any way I can; maybe I can help you regain your strength and help you with your condition; I am not afraid of you as long as you take your medications." She said, and I looked at her with pleading in my eyes, hoping she would give me the chance to listen to my side of the story.

    "Karen, I am sorry, the one who sent me here ordered me not to bring anything because if I do, someone will throw my belongings in the water, but you have to believe me. I am telling you the truth." I said, and she looked at me with worries in her eyes, and I could tell she doubted my story since she had already seen my fake medical records.

    "I will let you see your medical records and the pictures of Mr. Divenson and his wife, Madeline. I wille back as soon as my brother gets back on his cabin because what I am doing right now is against our protocol." Karen said.

    "I want to believe you, Madeline, and I know I should follow what my heart wanted to believe, but the documents my brother has in his cabin were enough evidence to tell us what happened in your life. And I wish I could help you, Madeline." She added as she tapped my shoulder before she went out from my cabin.

    Karen had been long gone, but I was still standing on the floor, and I couldn''t believe my enemies for making me a madwoman. How could they create such a story? And I can tell Charlotte and Kaye nned all this with the supervision of my father-inw, and I felt so helpless as of the moment as I thought about my husband. AndI wonder what he is doing right now. I was hoping my husband had already forgiven me for running away from him again, and I didn''t inform him anything about what happened to Lily. And I saved his sister with Gina.

    I walked towards the window of my cabin, and even in the dark, I could tell the water seemed so calm now, and it felt like nothing had happened the entire day. The night is still early, and I don''t have anything to do. I decided to take a bath since I couldn''t take a bath this morning because of the bad weather. I looked at the suitcase beside my bed, and this time I took my time to examine its contents, and my eyes got so big when I realized all the clothes were new, and I realized the persons behind all this knew me because I could tell all the dresses will fit my frame. And felt so d I got everything I needed, including toiletries.

    After I took a bath, I put on my pajamas, and when I looked at the clock on the wall, I realized it was still early, and I wondered what I should do. I don''t want to sleep yet because I had spent my entire day lying on my bed. When I darted a nce on the table, I found a magazine and a novel, and I smiled as I realized Karen had brought me something to read while I was in the bathroom. I should give her my thankster.

    I must admit when Gina was driving the car before we reached the port of Zambo, I was thinking that I would meet goons and evil men with firearms who would be wearing masks. I expected they would secure my body with ropes and cover my mouth with a cloth or duct tape. Still, everything that happened to me so far was far from my imagination, and I felt d and relieved that none of those urred because I am afraid for the safety of my baby. And I could say my enemies have a different n for me and could tellI am still scared of what will happen to me once I arrive at my destination, and I couldn''t wait for Karen toe back to my room so I could talk with her, and persuade her to believe in me.

    I know Karen was expecting I could give her proof that I am Hunter''s wife since I could tell Karen wanted to help me, and it dawned on me that is the reason why my enemies didn''t allow me to bring anything. No identification card, so I could only use the identification they provided for me, and it made me feel so sad as I realized they would bring me to a faraway country. I wonder how I am going to save myself if they leave me in Choraz.

    As I waited for Karen toe back, I couldn''t help myself from feeling nervous and uneasy because I couldn''t wait to see the documents Karen had told me. I was excited to know who the wife of Hunter Divenson is, the one Karen mentioned during our talk. And when I heard a soft knocking on my door, I got up from the bed with a broad smile on my face as I realized Karen hade back to talk with me, and I would do whatever it takes to make Karen and the captain help me go back to my husband''s loving arms.

 Chapter 207 - Dilemmas

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, it is alreadyte; visiting hour is over. You can visit your father tomorrow morning." Cal said as we drove away from the Divenson mansion.

    "I can''t visit dad, tomorrow, Cal, becauseI already asked help from one of my friends from the coast guard. We will ride in their chopper tomorrow morning since I couldn''t wait to see Madeline." I replied.

    "Of course, I know, son, you are eager to meet your wife." He responded, and I looked at the rearview mirror, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I realized my sister was with us. Charlotte was sitting at the back of my car, and she remained silent, and I can''t deny that I felt so happy that, atst, my sister finally came to her senses. I never expected Charlotte to apologize to me, and it was the first time I saw my sister cried, and look so vulnerable.

    "Are you sure about that, Hunter? What I mean is,Gina already told you the persons who took your wife will hurt her the moment they will know you will be looking for your wife, especially if you will ask help from the authorities.." Calixto said, and I darted a side nce at him before I returned my focus on the road.

    "What do you want me to do, Cal? We can''t search the ship even if we use my private helicopter because it would be against thew. And how can we save my wife? We need the help of the coast guard if we want to save my wife. Iam so much afraid of what will happen to her, Calixto, and I don''t have a choice; saving her now is my only goal, and we needed help from the authority." I replied, and he looked at me and nodded his head.

    "We will ride the chopper going to Zambo town tomorrow morning, Cal; from there, we will transfer to another helicopter," I added.

    "Another adventure for us, the moment we arrived at your house, we need to have some sleep, because we can''t rescue your wife if we don''t have enough strength," Cal said, and I couldn''t argue with him since we just got back from Zambo we became so tired. It is almost two o''clock in the morning, and we only have a little time to sleep and rx, but I know that I can''t sleep knowing my wife is out there suffering.

    By the time we arrived at our house, I had helped my sister with her things, and I had taken her hand as we got inside through the main door.I was shocked to find my mom, Lily, Gina, and Cer in the living room, waiting for us toe home, and I felt so guilty that I failed to save my wife.Charlotte stopped walking, and Lily stood up right away when she saw her eldest sister.

    "What are you doing here, Charlotte?" Our little sister asked in a stern voice, and I could see the hatred on her face, and I was stunned when Charlotte didn''t answer our little sister.

    "Lily, I was the one who brought Charlotte. I asked her toe with me." I responded on Charlotte''s behalf.

    "Why?" She asked.

    "And where is your wife, Hunter?" She added another question before I could answer the first one.

    "I am sorry, Lily, we were already toote; the moment we arrived at the port in Zambo, the ship had already departed. But don''t worry, we will continue our search tomorrow." I responded, and I didn''t mention that I asked for help from the authority because I knew my best friend would get angry with me since she was afraid of what would happen to Madeline once we informed the authority, but it left me no choice. There is no other way to save Madeline.

    "Are you and dad behind Madeline''s disappearance, Charlotte?"

    "No, Lily, we don''t have anything to do with Madeline''s disappearance. I don''t even know that she was missing if Hunter didn''t tell me about it, and I am sad about what happened to Maddie, Lily." Charlotte responded as she looked at our younger sister.

    "I don''t believe you, and I know how much you hated Madeline, Charlotte," Lily said.

    "I can''t me you if you are not going to believe me, Lily. I understand because I know I have never been a good sister to you, and I am sorry little sister. I want you to know that I miss you so much. And it hurts me to see you like this, looking at me full of hatred in your eyes." Charlotte said, and I can tell Lily was stunned when she heard her elder sister apologize to her because we both know Charlotte will never say sorry to any of us.

    "Save your drama, Charlotte. How are we going to believe you that what you have said was true, for how many times I saw you hurt Madeline in purpose." Lily responded, but I could tell her voice softened a little bit, and this time mom was standing beside little sister.

    "You have to believe me, Lily, because I am still your sister. Dad had a heart attacked, and he is in the ICU as of the moment at Archois Hospital. Do you think I will have time to kidnap Madeline?" Charlotte responded, and Lily''s eyes widened.

    "Oh, no, what happened to dad? Is he alright?" Lily asked, and I know even if she hated our father for what he did to my wife, she still loves him, and she was crying now while mom took Lily into her arms.

    "Hey, Lily, your father will be alright. Tomorrow morning we will visit your dad together with your sister. Your dad is a strong man, Lily, and you have nothing to worry about." Our mother said, and I know she was only trying her best to soothe my sister. And when I looked around, I saw Gina looking daggers at Charlotte.

    I know how much Gina hated my sister because of what Charlotte had done to her best friend. And I know that my wife confided everything to Gina, including the heartaches and pains, and I am aware during the stay of Madeline at the Divenson mansion, Charlotte did everything she could to make my wife''s life miserable.

    Mom released Lily from her hold, and I felt d my little sister was no longer crying, and Charlotte moved closer to mom and Lily.

    "Mom, I am sorry." Charlotte blurted out, and I saw her tears poured down on her cheeks, and mom gave her a reassuring smile before she took my sister into her arms, and then, I couldn''t help myself from smiling when I saw Lily came closer to them, and she hugged them both.

    "Oh, Charlotte. I am so happy to see you, honey, and I can''t wait to talk with you more, but since it is veryte, we need to retire to bed since we need to visit your father at the hospital tomorrow." Mom dered while I asked Cer to bring Charlotte to her assigned room, and I brought Cal to his designated room as well.

    "Hunter, I know you are restless, and you want to rescue your wife right away, but you have to remember you need to take care of yourself too. You can''t save Maddie if you are weak, so please have some sleep." Cal said, and I smiled as I nodded my head at him.

    "Don''t worry, Cal, everything that happened today drained my energy, so I guess I can sleep well," I responded, and I left his room in a hurry.

    I took a warm bath quickly, and I felt fresh, and when Iy on the bed, I realized I couldn''t sleep no matter how I tried, and I couldn''t stop feeling so lonely and empty when I looked at the empty space beside me. I suddenly felt the pang on my chest, and I couldn''t stop my tears from streaming down my cheeks as I looked at the picture of my wife on the picture frame. I picked up the frame and touched my wife''s face, and I brought the photo frame to my chest.

    "Don''t worry, my sweet wife. I will do everything I can to save you, and I am sorry if I came sote. You hurt my feelings, Madeline, and I couldn''t believe you would fool me, my sweet wife. I love you, Madeline, and I will do everything I can to bring you back." I whispered to myself as I continued to stare at my wife''s lovely face on the frame, and I was shocked when I heard continued pounding at my door.I wondered who it could be, and I slowly got up from the bed and stood up to open the door.

    "Cal? What is going on? Are you alright?" I asked him.

    "I know you can''t sleep, Hunter. I want to apany you; let me sleep on the couch." He said as he got inside my room before I could invite him, and I smiled because he was right. I need Cal''s presence to lighten the burden that I felt.

    "My wife is missing, and my dad is in the ICU. I don''t think I can sleep, Cal; there are a lot of things happening in my life right now, and thank you for always being there for me, Calixto, every time I am facing dilemmas in my life." I replied.

    "I will always be here for you, Hunter. I am your best friend, remember?" He responded, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling even if deep inside I felt like dying.

 Chapter 208 - Evidence

    Madeline''s POV

    "Thank you foring, Karen. I appreciate your goodness towards me." I said, and she smiled at me as she sat at the stool while I sat at the edge of my bed and faced her. And I felt so d that the ocean was now at peace, and the rocking of the boat came back to normal, and I could speak freely without feeling nauseated.

    "Of course, I can''t wait to hear what you have to say,Madeline. I am sorry if I was not able toe back right away, I discussed something important with my brother, and I waited for him to go back to his cabin, and I had to rummage his files to get some important documents." Karen replied, and I could tell she was eyeing me.

    "It is okay. I couldn''t sleep anyway, maybe because I spent most of my time the entire day on this bed, and I felt so d the bad weather had gone." I said.

    "You have to brace yourself, Maddie, because from time to time, the weather will turn bad again because for us sailors, it was only normal in this route.." She dered.

    "I came here in your cabin even if I need to work four hours from now, and I need to have some sleep, but because I want to know you more, Maddie, I sacrifice a little bit. And I want to listen to my instinct for once since it feels like I need to know more about you. And I want to learn more things about you, and not from the records we have gathered." Karen dered, and I smiled at her.

    "And one more thing, I can''t guarantee if I can help you, Madeline, because you know I am only one of my brother''s employees, and I can''t disobey hismand." She said, and my heart sank, but I don''t want her to think I am weak, and I need to show Karen I am strong and a normal person. They already thought I was a crazy woman, and I could tell every crew member thought I was mentally ill, and I pity myself that I undergo this kind of hardship again. I know I am a strong person, but not all

    the time I can take it all; sometimes I get tired too, but I know this time I need to fight because I have my baby in my womb that needs my attention. I need to be careful always, and I can''t make any stupid decisions that jeopardize my child''s safety.

    "Of course, I am not lying, Karen, don''tugh at me because everything I am going to tell you is true." I dered, and she looked at me in the eyes.

    "Start your story now, Madeline; you need to tell me everything you remember," Karen responded, and I weakly smiled at her.

    "Of course, I am Madeline Brownwood, I will be turning 24 years old this year, and I married Hunter Divenson at the age of neen. I don''t have any family except my aunt. And I wonder why you told me my family came here and talked with your brother. I have been an orphan since my mom died when I was young; while I don''t know who my father was since he left my mom and me at the age of three, and I just found out my father was dead after Hunter Divenson chose me to be his wife." I said, and I had a feeling I could never convince her that I am Hunter''s wife, or she won''t believe in anything that I had told her since she was silent for a long time, and I was afraid if I wouldmake the situation worst.

    She handed me a brown envelope, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so nervous when I fished out its contents. My eyes widened when I saw pictures of Hunter and Kaye together and most of the photos they were cuddling with each other, and I could tell that most of the images were taken a long ago, from their teenage years until they became a couple. And I know they have so many pictures together growing up since their family is close.

    "She is the wife of Mr. Hunter Divenson, Madeline," Karen said, and I hate myself that no words came

    out frommy mouth when I saw thest picture of Kaye and Hunter. It was more recent because it was taken after I met Hunter''s family, and I could tell it was the night Hunter first hurt me, and the following morning I ran away to the Magnolia vige with the help of Lily and Tony. They looked so sweet together in the picture, and even if it was taken years ago, I could still feel the pain of my first heartache because it was at that moment I realized I had fallen in love with my cold, handsome fiance.

    I could tell the photograph I held in my hands was taken in Hunter''s room, and I know Kaye slept in his room that night. She took a selfie while Hunter was sleeping, and the picture mademe feel so jealous, and I tried to control myself not to cry because, in the picture, Kaye was only wearing a sexy nightgown, and her cleavage was on full disy, and her head was on Hunter''s chest. And if she imed she was Hunter''s wife, anyone would believe her since the picture itself could tell a thousand stories.

    I can''t hold back my tears anymore as I remember that painful night, and right now, I felt so helpless as I realized Kaye fabricated everything as I continued to look at the documents in my hands. I can seeboratory results and doctors'' prognoses about my illness. I couldn''t believe what I had in my hands, and I almost screamed when I saw a picture of me serving drinks to Charlotte and Kaye in the swimming pool. I couldn''t believe she took a picture of me that time, and there was also a picture of me with the maids doingundry with my bare hands at the Divenson mansion.

    "Mrs. Divenson said you were the maid of the Divenson household, and her husband was kind enough to allow you to continue your college education, and the moment you graduated, Hunter Divenson made you one of his secretaries, and his wife was frustrated that after everything they had done to you, you still im to be his husband''s wife," Karen said while I was shaking my head.

    "That is not true, Karen," I said in more than a whisper. After all, I felt so defeated because even if I were in Karen''s shoes, I would never believe my side of the story. After all, as of now, Kaye has already provided them the fake information. And the pictures are real, and Karen will only think I am insane if I continue to tell her I am Hunter''s wife.

    "They helped you with your medications, but she became more worried about your condition when you got pregnant. And Mrs. Divenson knew right away that you would im Hunter was the father. She only wanted to protect her family, Madeline, and whoever the father of your child should know you are carrying his baby." Karen dered.

    "Aren''t you going to look at your parents?" She asked, and my forehead furrowed, and she took the envelope from me. She was looking at the pictures,one after the other, and when she found out what she was looking for, she handed me the image, and my eyes widened when I saw my photo together with Tony and Lydia.

    "Just in case you have amnesia, Maddie, these two are your parents." She said, and I couldn''t believe Kaye had a picture of me with Lydia and Tony, it was taken during my 22nd birthday, and it was held at our Vi, and I invited them that time.

    "Karen, they are not my parents; they are siblings, she is Lydia, and he is her brother, Tony, and he was one of the drivers of the Divenson family." I blurted out, and Karen smiled at me.

    "Yes, my dear,I heard your father told Noah that he was one of the family drivers of the Divenson family when he came together with Hunter''s wife, and he told us you were his daughter, and that is the reason why you got the chance to met the Divensons. Hunter Divenson was your father''s employer, and when you started working at their mansion, his family became your employer too." Karen added. And I got so confused about howe Tony came with Kaye? Did he betray Hunter and Lily? I know he was loyal to the Divenson family, and I realized maybe rk Divenson was the one who ordered Tony toe with Kaye.

    I am no longer surprised that Kaye was behind all this because even from the start, there is no one I can think about who will do all this except Kaye and Hunter''s dad. And I know they coborated with each other, including Charlotte, since she had my pictures when Charlotte asked me to serve them that time. And I am just thankful Kaye didn''t order them to kill me, and I wonder how they will deal with meter. And I suddenly felt scared if Kaye would order them to kill me while we were still on the open water.

    And I realized I couldn''t trust them, and there is no one I can trust right now on this ship. And I know asking Karen to help me will be futile because right now, as she was gazing at me, I could tell she thought that I had lost my hand since all the evidence she had on her hands at the moment is enough to make Kaye''s im genuine. Everything I say to her will be ridiculous and unbelievable because I don''t have enough proof that I am Hunter''s legal wife.

 Chapter 209 - Captain Noahâ€™s Warning

    Madeline''s POV

    "Is there anything you want to tell me, Madeline?" Karen asked when she noticed I stopped talking, and I was staring at Hunter and Kaye''s picture. And I hate to think they used to be so close with each other, and I wonder why Kaye couldn''t ept the fact that I am now Hunter''s wife, and she knew how much my husband loves me. And I wonder if Kaye wants to marry Hunter for business purposes or because she was really in love with my husband?

    I realized Kaye''s obsession with Hunter made her eviler. And I could tell by now, and she is willing to do everything she can to have Hunter in his life. And I wonder why she wanted to keep me alive where she could have killed me. And I suddenly felt worried when it dawned on me, She wanted me to deliver my child, and I am sure she was nning something more sinister, and I became concerned for my child''s safety.

    "Nothing, I just couldn''t believe she can make up a storylike this, and one more thing you can search on the inte, and you will know the wife of Hunter.." I dered, and she smiled at me.

    "We already did that, Madeline," Karen responded, and she fished out her phone from her pocket. She opened her files, and then when she found what she was looking for, Karen showed me news clips about Hunter''s marriage to Kaye. I wonder how Kaye managed to do all this, and I could tell her money and influence can do wonders, and she can do anything she can to make them believe I am a crazy woman.

    "Madeline, my advice for you is don''t ever miss yourmedications and meals, and I heard some stories that mental illness would trigger if the patient will stop taking the medications and will skip meals." She said, and I wanted to scream in her face that I was not crazy.

    "You have to believe me, Karen, I am not insane, and if I have an illness, you would know it through my actions and interactions towards you," I said.

    "And I could have attacked you," I added, and she smiled at me before she stood up.

    "We know your mental condition before you boarded this ship, Madeline, and we know you are harmless type; that is why I wanted to help you, but it seems there is nothing I can do to help you. I allowed you to have your side of the story because when I first met you, I doubted if what the wife of Mr. Divenson imed about you was true; what if you were a different person. Still, the moment you saw the picture, Mr. Divenson and his wife, I could tell right away, you needed some help, Maddie." She dered, and I wanted to protest, but I knew everything I would say to her would be useless.

    "Goodbye, Madeline." She said as she grabbed the envelope from the table, and I wanted to ask for one picture of Hunter and Kaye because I miss my husband so much. I will tear Kaye''s face if I can have a picture so only Hunter''s face will remain, and I will post it on my wall to remind me every day that my husband is waiting home for me. And I know Hunter will never stop looking for me, and I wonder what he is doing right now. I am sure he felt devastated and sad, and I wish Calixto would be there for my husband so he would feel better.

    "Goodbye, Karen," Ireplied in more than a whisper, and she got out of my cabin without a second nce. I am aware my chance of running away right now is 0 percent because we are in the middle of an ocean, and all I can see at the moment is endless water. Karen had been long gone, but I remained seated on my bed, and I was lost in space, and I wondered how I would survive at a new ce where I didn''t know anyone, and I know it would be easier if I am not pregnant.

    I thought if I wanted to survive and escape fromthem, I should n everything carefully, and I would do it the moment we reached our destination. I stood up from the bed, and get inside the bathroom, and took a bath, and when I was done, I put on my pajamas andy on the bed feeling so lost and alone.

    I was turning on my bed, thinking about my husband. I know Hunter will always be the constant reminder I need to hold on and fight, especially now that we will be parents. I was stroking my stomach, and I talked to my child inside, and I couldn''t wait to feel my child in my tummy.

    And I felt d I was still in my first trimester because the size of my tummy still looked normal, or it would be harder for me to move around if I had a big stomach, and it would be easy for them to eliminate me. And if there is only something I can do about my situation as of the moment, I will do it right away.I don''t want to go to bed yet, but there is nothing I can do, and I don''t want to read the book and magazine anymore since I couldn''t stop thinking about what would happen to me soon, and the anticipation is killing me. And It took me a long time before I fell asleep,

    In the morning, I didn''t get up immediately since I lost interest in talking to any of them because it was still useless. Since the crew of this ship already believes I am crazy, for me, there is no point talking with Karen and the captain anymore because they will never help me. If Karen didn''t believe my story, I could tell it would be harder to convince Captain Noah to listen to me.Andat precisely seven o''clock, someone knocked on my cabin''s door, and I slowly got up and opened the door.

    "Good morning, Madeline!" The captain greeted me with a smile on his face, and I couldn''t stop myself from returning his smile, and I realized I should never give up, and maybe I could convince him to listen to me and help me. I opened the door wide, and he got inside my cabin and put the tray on the table.

    "Thank you for bringing me my breakfast, Captain Noah," I said, and he looked at me for a long while before he spoke, and he looked so attractive wearing his all-white uniform, and I wonder where is his family as of the moment.

    "You are wee, Madeline. You didn''t get out from your cabin and go to the dining area, and I assume you are not feeling well." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "Can I have a moment with you?" I asked as I realized I needed to talk with him, now or never.

    "Sure, besides, I have something to ask you." He said, and I raised my eyebrows.

    "Well, we are going to pass a critical area, Madeline." He said, and the words I wanted to tell him disappeared when I heard the word critical area. And I don''t know what it means, but I could tell it is something terrible.

    "It means there is a ce where you can hide if possible danger will arise; you know our greatest enemy in the water are pirates." He said, and I could feel the rapid beating of my heart, and I felt so terrified.

    "I am telling you all this not to scare you but to make you ready, and your safety is my top priority being on board on my ship. Whenever we sense the pirates'' presence, I will do my best to evade them by running the boat full ahead. It means the fastest she could run." He said as I looked at him, horrified.

    "Hey, Madeline, you need to rx. I won''t let anything happen to you; besides, it will not happen all the time, and to keep you safe, I will put you in a safe ce." He said, and I sighed heavily.

    "What do you mean by that?" I asked, and I could tell my voice was trembling.

    "I have a secret ce where I can hide you because I don''t want something to happen to you; you are so beautiful, Madeline, and I don''t want to give them a reason to take you; besides, I needed to take you to your destination, or else I couldn''t take the full payment." He said, and now I realized he would never help me, but after I heard the word pirates, I became more worried than saving myself from Kaye''s cruelness, and it seems it became moreplicated. I thought I would only experience bad weather on this voyage, and I never expected there would be possibility pirates would attack us.

    "Maddie, I don''t have any intention of telling you about it, but I don''t want to put you on the spot, so I decided to tell you now because we are near the area where they usually attacked. All I need from you is your full cooperation." He said.

    "What should I do?" I asked.

    "If I will tell you it is time, it means you need to leave your cabin at once and hide to the secret ce. No one will find you there, Madeline. All you need to do is to believe in me, and everything will be okay." He said, and I nodded my head while I couldn''t stop myself from fidgeting, and I wanted to tell the captain my life would only be okay if he let mee back to Archois city and be in my husband''s arms.

 Chapter 210 - Releasing The Pain

    Hunter''s POV

    The moment my rm on my phone buzzed, I got up hastily, and I could feel my eyes were heavy, and my back ached. I know it was because I didn''t have enough sleep, and I didn''t even know if I fell asleep since it felt like I had been wide awake thinking about Madeline the entire time I was lying on our bed, and I hate to think she is not sleeping beside me. I smiled when I heard the loud snoring of Calixto, and I realized he must be so tired to be soundly sleeping.

    I felt so happy that Cal came, and he stayed in my room to keep mepany. I know he always cares about me, and he is ready to be with me withoutint. I got up from my bed and walked to the bathroom, and I took a hot shower, so the tiredness and heaviness of my body would be gone. I made sure to take a quick shower since we needed to leave early.

    I woke up Calixto after I took a bath, and he got inside the bathroom without saying anything, and I was shocked when he got out after a minute, and hey on the couch once again.

    "It would be alright if you would note with me, Cal. I will go with Roman and few men from my security team. You can transfer to my bed if you want, and I want you to look out for Charlotte.. I know I have to give my sister another chance since she apologized, but I can''t trust her yet." I said, and Cal moaned and got up from the couch once more.

    "I only needed five minutes more, Hunter; I just need five more minutes." He dered while his eyes were still closed, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing as he dove into the couch.

    "I will leave without you, Cal; you knew I needed to meet my friend first at Zambo, and then we will ride with them going to the ocean," I said.

    He quickly stood up without saying anything, and hegot inside the bathroom; and I heard the dripping of the water from the showerhead, and when he finished taking a bath, I couldn''t stop myself from shaking my head when I realized he had taken a shower quicker than me. And I was surprised when I looked at him again. He was already wearing his three-piece gray business suit. And I am impressed since I am still wearing my white button-down shirt and am on my way to putting on my navy blue suit jacket.

    We left my room in a hurry, and when we arrived at the helipad, I felt d Roman was already there. I climbed in the helicopter while the rest of my team followed. As the chopper took off, I couldn''t stop looking back at the house, and I realized how empty I felt every time my wife was not in our home with me. I need to find Madeline, even if it means I need to search the entire ocean, but I can''t stop myself from feeling so nervous. And I was hoping they didn''t do something to my wife and my child.

    I haven''t talked with my mom about my father yet, but I understood if she would visit my dad, and I know my mom will always be in love with my father, and I am just hoping that everything that Charlotte had said about my father was true.

    I am not happy that my father is in the ICU at the moment. Still, knowing that rk Divenson had nothing to do aboutmy wife''s disappearance, I can''t deny I felt relieved because even if he wasn''t my biological dad, he was the only father I knew. I don''t want him to be involved in another crime. I want to give him a chance to repent and renew himself, even if I know it would be impossible for rk Divenson to ept his faults and schemes.

    I didn''t file a case against him during the explosion at the mining site, even if I had a lot of evidence. Because I love my mother so much, and I don''t want her to suffer, Calixto and I are still alive, so I give my father another chance to redeem himself. Now that he is in the hospital fighting for his life, I hope he will survive because I know mom will be so affected if something happens to him.

    The moment wended at Zambo, we took a car going to meet Phil, my college friend, and I felt so d my contact had everything ready from our transportation and even food on the go. I only drink coffee since I don''t feel like eating anything, but Calixto insisted on giving me some doughnuts, and in the end, I eat the doughnut before I finish drinking my coffee.

    When we arrived at the ce, we agreed to meet my friend. I realized his team was ready, and he had already approved that I would bring Cal and Roman with me. We boarded another chopper, and this time, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so nervous and uneasy. I know I have to file aint so that they can search the boat.

    The moment we took off from the ground, I could see the busy port, and I realized my wife was at the pierst night, but we were toote. I hope we can catch up with the Wildflower boat without dy because I couldn''t wait to see my wife. I don''t have enough sleep, and I don''t want to eat, and I am just d Cal was with me since he kept me sane most of the time. I could tell without Calixto by my side, I would be lost, and maybe I would go crazy without Madeline by my side.

    The water below looked peaceful, and I felt so d because I didn''t want Madeline to experience bad weather since she already had morning sickness. I couldn''t imagine if they met bad weather along the way, she would vomit the entire day for sure. I just hope they will give my wife nutritiousfood since she needs nutrition for our baby.

    "We have confirmed the location of the Wildflower, Hunter, and approximately one hour from now, we can catch up with the boat." My friend said, and I rxed a little, and I couldn''t imagine if there would be a shoot-out, but I don''t think they knew that the person they boarded on their ship was dered missing.

    "Thank you for everything, Phil," I said to my friend, and he looked at me sideways.

    "You are wee, Hunter; thank you for calling me, and I am happy to be at your service. I wanted to help during the time I heard the news about the mining incident, but we were so busy that time, and I contacted some of our friends that time to offer their help as well." Phil said.

    "And now you are in another predicament, and it seems your life became quite interesting." He added.

    "Yeah, I am even more surprised with what is happening with my life," I responded, and heughed, and then he looked at me in the eyes.

    "Kidding aside, I want to see your wife, Hunter, because she made me feel so intrigued that finally, someone captured your heart after a long time, and I believe she became the center of envy of your women fans club after she married you, maybe this incident happened to her because of one of your exes." He dered, and I shook my head.

    "I don''t have any idea who took her, Phil. All I want to do is find her. I want her toe home with me because she is pregnant." I said, and his face fell, and I could see the worries and concerns on his face.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter, we will find your wife soon, and you will be reunited with her. I am sure we are approaching the area ." He responded, and I beamed at him, and I couldn''t help myself from smiling as I realized I was going to meet Madeline soon, and I could feel the racing in my heart because I felt so sure I would be with her within today, and I can bring my wife home.

    We continue to fly above the water, and I no longer take my eyes from looking below; I felt so horrified when I saw a ship from a distance covered in smoke, and then I can see the burning me that engulfed the boat.

    "Shit!" Phil cursed under his breath when he realized the boat was on fire, and when he looked at me, I realized something, and my entire world turned upside down when I understood the Wildflower boat was on fire, and I wanted to scream, but no words came out from my mouth, and I felt so helpless. I unbuckled my seatbelt, and I stood up from my seat, but Phil asked me to get back on my seat.

    "Hunter, you need to sit down and fasten your seatbelt because we are going down, and we will do rescue operation; the pilot already asked for backup," Phil said while I was in denial. I couldn''t believe this was happening. I am toote again.

    "I want to help, Phil. I need to rescue my wife." I said in more than a whisper, and I could no longer keep my tears from falling because I was in too much pain, and I didn''t know how I felt anymore. My entire body was shaking, and I felt like the whole world had copsed on my shoulders as I realized Madeline was in there and we were only a few minuteste, and how could she save herself? And when I looked at Cal, I could see the horrified look on his face, and for the first time, he was speechless, and then I saw his tears poured down on his cheeks.

    And as we came nearer, I realized the burning mes followed by explosions swallowed the entire ship, and I could no longer keep myself from releasing the pain I felt.

    "No! Madeline! No!! My Sweet Madeline! No!" I screamed and wailed, and I wanted to jump on the water, but Cal and Roman got me, and I was struggling so hard until I felt Roman knocked me down.

 Chapter 211 - The Fire

    Madeline''s POV

    After talking with Captain Noah, I sat on my bed thinking about everything he had said to me. I have heard stories about pirates, and I also read about them, but never in my life have I thought I had to deal with them as well. Dealing with Hunter''s father, his wicked sister, and my husband''s ex made my life moreplicated. And now Kaye made this stupid scheme, and I could tell she spent a considerable amount of money to get rid of me, and this is the ridiculous thing she had ever done in the name of love. How can she be so selfish?

    My knees are still trembling because I am scared about the pirate thing, and just thinking about them boarding the Wildflower ship made me have knots on my stomach. I don''t know how to defend myself since I don''t have any martial arts training, and I know I can''t use force or weapons against anyone because I love peace, and I hate violence. And I could tell there was nowhere I could run because pirates live in their ships, and the ocean is their yground. If I escape, I know they can capture me right away because they can navigate the water even in bad weather.

    But I know my husband''s love for me will never waver, and I know he won''t stop looking for me whatever it takes, and I will never doubt Hunter''s love for me ever again. And I know I made a big mistake, and I hope he had already forgiven me. I can''t deny I long to be with him every minute of every day. I miss his handsome face, the smug grin on his face every time we went on a date.. The way he looked at me with desire. I miss the time we spent the starry nights on the roof deck whispering sweet nothings with each other and chasing on the shore every time we visited our vacation home.

    I could tell I hurt my husband by saving Lily in my own way, but he couldn''t me me if I wanted to protect his sister. Lily is too important in my life too, just like him. I was afraid if something happened to his sister because of me. I can''t deny I am still worried if the mystery caller didn''t do the end of our bargain. I couldn''t stop thinking about Gina and Lily, and they could have been hurt. And I hated myself for being so trusting. Next time I should be careful, and I have to be honest with my husband whatever happens.

    I opted to take a bath first before eating my breakfast, so Igot up from my bed, and get my towel, and walked to the bathroom; and as I startedthering myself with soap, I couldn''t stop thinking about Hunter, and as I feel the water from the showerhead cascaded on my body, I couldn''t stop thinking about the sweet moments I shared with my husband on our bathroom.

    I closed my eyes as I remembered how he touched and caressed my body, and I felt my tears start to pour down my cheeks as I realized how much I missed Hunter. His lingering kisses and the hotness of his breath on my neck, and I missed the way he teases and makes love with me. I can''t wait to see my husband and be in his arms once more. And I know at the back of my head, I hated myself for being so careless.

    The moment I finished taking a bath, I opened my suitcase, and I chose to wear pajamas. I feltfortable wearing them since I had nowhere to go, and I would only stay in my cabin the entire day. After I got dressed, I sat in front of the foldable wooden table. And I eat my breakfast, still thinking about the things that happened in my life, and I realize loving Hunter Divenson isplicated than I thought. For how many times, I almost got hurt, and now I don''t know if I will survive the moment the pirates attack our ship. I couldn''t stop feeling worried if they hurt all the crew of the Wildflower. It only would mean I would be their prisoner forever, or worse, they would eliminate me too.

    I don''t have the appetite to eat, but I need to take something for my baby for I don''t want our child to be malnourished, and I don''t even know if I could have another sumptuous meal because the pirates night attack at any moment.I was halfway eating my food when I heard a loud knocking on my door, and I suddenly felt so nervous that I couldn''t even control the shaking of my limbs.

    "Madeline, open the damn door right now!" I heard Karen''s voice on the other side, and I hastily got up and strode to the door.

    "I believe my brother told you about the pirates, and we are under attack right now, but I could tell they are not pirates at all, they don''t want anything from us, but they were looking for you. I am now beginning to believe you were telling the truth." Karen said, and even if I felt so terrified, I still felt delighted that she was now starting to believe in me.

    "I know it is not time to discuss who you are since we don''t have time." She said, and I got confused.

    "Are you going to take me to the secret room?" I asked, but Karen shook her head, and I became more rmed.

    "We are going to abandon the ship; Noah said he smelled something." She replied, and I was left dumbfounded that made my feet freeze on the floor that she had to drag me out from my room, and then before we could get away from my cabin, I could smell and inhale the smokeing everywhere. And I can hear voices shouting the boat is on fire.

    "Shit! My brother was right, and we need to get going now, Madeline." Karen said, and before we could move away, the smoke became thicker, and it became harder for me to breathe.

    "Madeline, you need to get down and crawl on the floor; at least we can have fresh air, and we have a chance to make our escape route. I heard Karen say as she went down in front of me, and with trembling legs, I got down on the floor and followed her. I don''t know if we can flee, but having Karen with me makes me less worried. I draw my strength from her. And I am so thankful that she came for me. I don''t know how we will survive now, but I know I have to trust her.I could see and smell the smoke above us, and I was coughing hard, and I felt the boat start to rock violently.

    "Oh, no, not again," I murmured as I continued to drag my body forward, and I became so terrified. I couldn''t believe this was happening to us, but no matter how I chanted and prayed that the waves would stop hitting the ship, they became wilder and hit the boat violently that we needed to use all our strength to grab anything could hold for support. And there were moments the shaking of the ship dragged our bodies from left to right, and then we moved forward and downward from time to time.

    I was trying my best not to hurt my stomach, and I wasn''t crawling with my full frame on the floor. I needed to use my hands and knees to support my belly from hitting the hard floor while I kept my face lowered on the ground. And even if we were in a very delicate situation, I couldn''t stop myself from worrying about the ship. I know how much Captain Noah loved the Wildflower, and I could tell it wouldn''t be easy on his part to abandon his boat.

    I suddenly felt weak because I felt nauseated again, I could feel the bile on my stomach, and I knew I needed to control myself, I wanted to cry, but I knew crying would only do me no good. I need to keep going if I want to leave and see my husband again. I can''t die because I need to live for my baby.

    "Karen, I need to puke, and I don''t think I can continue to crawl. My back is aching, and I felt so dizzy, the entire ship was spinning like crazy." I said in more than a whisper, and I didn''t expect Karen to hear me.

    "Madeline, you need to fight it, don''t give up; we are almost there." I heard Karen encourage me to continue while I could now feel the heat around us.

    "Leave me alone, Karen. You need to save yourself. I couldn''t make it. I felt so tired, and the shaking of the boat is killing me." I replied, and she stopped and turned her head to look at me.

    "Madeline, you need to listen to me. You need to fight, and I didn''te to your cabin for nothing." She responded, and I suddenly remembered about the full payment of Kaye. She won''t give them the remaining fifty percent or the full payment amount if they can''t deliver me to Choraz.

    "I am sorry, Karen, but I can no longer move." I weakly said as I tried to fight the dizziness I felt, and no matter how I fought back, I could no longer move forward since I found it so hard to breathe.

    "Maddie, if you want to see your husband again, you need to fight." I heard her yelling at me, and it felt like she was so far away from me, and I tried to follow her advice. Still, I knew my body could no longer withstand what was happening around us, and I tried to remember Hunter''s handsome face, and then the whole ce turned so ck, and I heard Karen''s voice shouting at me before I lost consciousness.

 Chapter 212 - Assurance

    Madeline''s POV

    "You need to listen to me, Karen. You can''t get close with Madeline. I understand you wanted to have a friend. But she is not the kind of person you want to be friends with." I heard Captain Noah''s voice, and I knew right away that they were arguing with each other. My eyes are still closed, and I wanted to open them and ask them how we survived? But my curiosity gets in the way.

    I could tell we were no longer in the Wildflower because I couldn''t smell the smoke anymore, and the boat was now rocking smoothly, and it seemed the weather had be normal again. I felt so thankful that I was safe, and Karen and her brother were safe too, and I wondered what happened to the rest of the crew.

    "We don''t have a choice but to deliver her to the ce we agreed to send her, and I signed a contract, Karen, and we don''t have a choice right now." Captain Noah added, and I could tell he was having a hard time right now, and I wondered why I was sleeping on a soft bed.

    "We can escape from this ce, Noah.. I know Madeline is not crazy." Karen said.

    "Karen, don''t be so naive, you have seen her medical records, you can only say she is in good mental condition because she was taking her medication, and now that the fire swallowed her medicines, I think she will return to her mad self, that is why we need to secure her wrists and feet," Noah said. I felt so terrified, and I could feel the trembling of my limbs.

    "Please, Noah, don''t do that to Madeline; you need to believe me; she is normal and mentally fit. And Iknow she was telling the truth." Karen insisted, and I heard her brother release a heavy sigh.

    "Karen, we are doing all this for her safety; we are in the middle of nowhere where all you can see is water; what if Madelinewill jump on the water? The full payment was waiting for us on the other side. Karen, how many times have I told you not to intervene with our business. Leave everything to me."Noah dered.

    "The Wildflower is now gone, and I have to process everything before we can im the insurance, and right now, we need the full payment. Ms. Kaye''s men will meet us on the port, and they will transport Maddie to her destination." He added, and I could tell Karen was speechless as her brother continued to talk.

    "And right now, we have to deal with the captain of this ship, and you are aware they are pirates, and I never expected they will help us, and you know what they want, Karen, money. I promised to give them the total amount they asked me for after we received the full payment. That is why your pleas will be useless because I will never listen to you, and we need to deliver Madeline." He added, and I felt my tears trickle down my face as I realized there was no way to run away from them, and it became moreplicated. We escape death from the fire, but right now, we are here in the hands of another enemy.

    "Don''t show weakness, Karen, since you need to be tough. We lose some of our men, and I wonder who attacked us, those men set the boat on fire, and why they were looking for Madeline?" Captain Noah asked, and I am sure Kaye sent those men; she doubled cross captain Noah and his crew. If those unidentified men sessfully got me, Noah would never get his full payment, and I wonder if he can get his total amount after what happened. I am just thankful those men didn''t get me since I could tell I am safer to be in Captain Noah''s hands because of Karen.

    I wanted to talk with Karen right now and tell her that I am so thankful that she saved me. Her efforts of convincing her brother to take me back to my husband are enough for me to feel so happy that atst, she believed in me that I am not mentally ill, but her brother is firm with his decision about me. If Karen can''t help me now, she can still help me after all this. I don''t have a choice at the moment, but follow Kaye''s initial n. I will not try to escape because I don''t want to put my child''s life in danger.

    I hope Kaye won''t kill Karen and her brother. I could tell she would do everything she could to eliminate everyone who had close contact with me. And I could tell Kaye was afraid if Noah would double-cross her as well.

    "Don''t leave Madeline; stay by her side all the time, Karen. I need to talk to the Captain of the ship." Captain Noah said, and I felt so d because I could now talk with Karen. I heard the captain''s footsteps walking away from us,and then I listened to the opening and closing of the door. I didn''t open my eyes yet since I didn''t want Karen to know I was eavesdropping on her conversation with her brother. I waited several minutes before I stretched my legs, and when I opened my eyes, I saw Karen looking at my face, and she smiled at me.

    "Karen, where are we?" I asked her as I pretended to be frightened and worried.

    "Don''t worry, you are now safe with me; you scared me to death Madeline, the moment you passed out, I panicked, and all the firefighting training and seminars I attended came to waste the moment I lost control of myself because I thought something had happened to you. I am just d Noah came on time. He carried you, and we escaped riding the lifeboat." Karen dered.

    "Thank you, Karen; if you didn''te into my cabin, I am sure I could never get out of the boat alive, and now I realized I owe you and Noah my second life," I said as I got up from the bed. When I looked around, I realized I was inside a cabinrger than the room I had upied previously in Noah''s boat.

    "We can''t abandon you, Madeline, I am sorry to say this, but we need to take you out from that ship alive because my brother couldn''t get the full payment if he can''t take you to his client. You almost died because of us. If my brother disagreed with his client, I am sure you are not here with us. And we could have saved my brother''s ship." She dered.

    "Hey, don''t me yourself, Karen, I know who hired you, and she is not Hunter''s wife. I could tell Kaye was behind all this. And please tell your bother to be careful, Karen. I could tell Kaye will do something again the moment we reach our destination; beware of his men." I dered.

    "Thank you for your warning, Maddie. I begged my brother to take you back to Zambo. And I told him we take you back to your husband, but he signed a contract, Madeline. I am sorry." She said, and I could see the sadness on her face.

    "It is okay, I understand, but you can still help me, Karen," I replied.

    "But how?" She asked, and I could tell she felt excited and worried at the same time.

    "For now, follow what your brother wants. Could you not ask for help from him ever again? So that he will think you are not nning to help me anymore. While I, on the other hand, will go with your brother''s client since they want me badly, and I could tell there is something she wants from me because she didn''t order you guys to kill me." I responded, and she was shaking her head.

    "Madeline, we are only seafarers. We are not hired, killers. Our job is to deliver goods, and we don''t need to be involved with someone like this type of client. Even though her offer was good, we didn''t expect our unexpected enemieswould put our lives in danger as well." Karen said.

    "I am sure my brother knew that you are not mentally ill, Maddie, but he needs to pretend he believed the medical records they submitted to him. So that he will not feel guilty because it feels like we are involved with kidnapping this time, and you have to believe me, we are not bad people, Madeline." She added, and I could feel the sincerity in her voice.

    "I know, and that is why I am asking you to do me a favor," I replied.

    "What do you want me to do, Megan? Tell me, and I will find a way to do it, but if you ask me to take you out from here, I regret to inform you that I can''t." Karen responded.

    "All you need to do is meet my husbandthe moment you return to Zambo; please drive to Archois City and tell him I asked you to look for him. You can go to his office or our residence, and tell him everything. I don''t know where they are going to take me, but at least my husband has a lead where to search for me, and I know he will find me." I said, and Karen smiled as she looked at me with amusement on her face.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, the moment we return to Zambo, I will look for your husband right away, and I could tell he will find you wherever they will take you because I can see how much you trust your husband." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so happy that Karen would help me.

    "Thank you, Karen, this means a lot to me." I replied.

    "I will do everything I can do to help you, Madeline because my gut is telling me you are a good person, and I felt guilty that you are now in this predicament because of us." Karen said.

    "I need to go back to my husband, Karen, because my baby and I need him." I replied.

    "Maddie, I will do everything I can to help you." She said, and I felt so delighted that Karen was willing to help me, and her assurance to help me was enough to give me the courage to hold on, and I smiled at her while I caressed my tummy as I whispered to my child that we would go home soon.

 Chapter 213 - Hopeful

    Hunter''s POV

    "I am sorry, buddy, but I need you to stay here in the helicopter because it is our job to rescue the crew of the Wildflower, including your wife," Phil said as he looked at me.

    I couldn''t believe Roman and Cal would help each other to make me stay on my seat and handcuff me. I felt so frustrated that even my good friend, Phil, coborated with my two trusted employees since he gave them a rope to tie my body on my seat. I was cursing under my breath as I looked at them. At the same time, I can see the rescuer team getting ready with their equipment such as rescue baskets, harnesses, slings, winch stretchers. I wanted to go with them and find my wife, but in my current situation, I could even hardly move.

    "You will pay for this, Cal," I yelled at him over the roaring sound of the helicopter. At the same time, I could see the thick smoke in the air, and I know they put me on the seat where I could not directly see the ship below after I passed out when Roman knocked me out using the rear-naked choke on me, which made me unconscious. I know he used that technique on me, and I am just d he was well trained, or else I could have died.

    "I am willing to take whatever punishment you will throw at me as long as I can see you are still breathing, and you are still alive, Hunter. You need to ept that you don''t have enough training even though I can tell you are stronger, and you can beat up Roman if you have to fight each other, but your bodyguard is skilled enough, and he was also trying to protect you.." Cal replied, and I hate him more.

    "You are not a superhero, Hunter. You can''t do anything out there, and the worst thing could happen, you will be the one needed to be rescued. The fire is too big and strong to contain, and if you go out there, you could be dead." He added, and I leaned my back on the seat while I tried to control the rapid beating of my heart because of the anxiousness that I felt. I hate to think that my wife was out ther fighting for her life to survive, and I don''t want to consider the worst as I feel my tears streaming down my face.

    God knows how much I wanted to save my wife, and even if I hate to admit it, my assistant was right, I couldn''t go down in there and save Madeline on my own because I don''t have rescue training, especially at sea where the waves are pounding on the ship violently. I have basic first aid and rescue training, but not this type of rescue mission. I could feel the shaking of my limbs, and I wanted to stop thinking about the situation of Madeline at the moment.

    And I am not yet ready to hear anything about the rescue operation. I just felt d Phil allowed Roman toe with them since Roman told him his qualifications, and with his skills and experience, I could tell Roman would be an excellent help to them. I could feel my tears wet my inner shirt, and I couldn''t believe I would be crying hard like this. I can''t imagine what would happen to me if something happened to Madeline and our baby.

    "I will fire you, Cal. This time I am not kidding." I said after I had kept myself from crying.

    "Are you sure about that, Mr. Divenson?" Cal scoffed.

    "I have never been so sure of anything, Cal," I replied.

    "Well, that is better. I n to hand in my resignation anyway, the only thing that held me back was the idea that you still needed me, and now that you said those words, I couldn''t be happier. You don''t need to worry the moment we get back on Archois City, and I will hand you my irrevocable resignation letter right away." He responded, and I fell silent. I know deep inside my heart I don''t want Cal to leave me, not a chance, but right now that I felt so devastated and defeated, and there is no one I can throw my frustrations at, but only with Calixto.

    It felt like an eternity as we waited for them toe back with the survivors, and I was praying hard that my wife could escape before the explosion happened. I can feel the chopper circle the ship looking for survivors, and I wanted to ask Cal if the fire subsided, but I am still not in the mood to talk with him. I tried my best to calm myself and remember the good memories with my wife, especially all the sweet things we did together. But I couldn''t stop myself from fearing that something might happen to hear as I tried to close my eyes again.

    I could hear themotions, and I quickly opened my eyes, and I was hyperventting when I realized they had found a survivor; I could feel the excitement as I saw them haul the body and put the rescue basket in front of me, and my face fell when I realized the one they rescued was a young man, I am not saying I wasn''t d he was saved, I am was hoping it was my wife. I could tell he was conscious, and he was in good shape.

    I wanted to ask him right away if he had seen my wife, but I could tell he was still catching his breath. One of the rescuers gave him dry clothes, and after he changed his clothes, he settled himself next to me. And I could see out of the corner of my eye that the first survivor was eyeing me, and when I turned my head on him, he was looking at me from head to toe, and I could tell he thought I was a criminal when his eyes lingered on my handcuffs, and the rope wrapped around my body.When our eyes met, he averted my gaze right away.

    "Hey, " I said to him, and I could tell he hesitated, and then he turned his head to look at me.

    "Hi, " He replied.

    "Can I ask you something?" asked him, and he nodded his head.

    "Have you seen my wife?" I asked him, and he looked at me with confusion on his face, and I could tell he was hesitant to talk with me because of the handcuffs.

    "Calixto, you better remove my handcuffs now. I won''t jump on the water, I promise." I said.

    "Not a chance, Mr. Divenson. I don''t care about my employment anymore; besides, you told me you are going to fire me anyway." He replied, and I grunted.

    "I will fire you," I yelled at him, and my assistant onlyughed at me.

    "You can never find an assistant like me, Mr. Divenson, and I am the most caring assistant you can ever find." He replied, and I felt so defeated.

    "I have seen a beautiful young woman onboard our ship, but I am not sure if she was the one you were looking for because I didn''t know her name, "He said, and my head whipped around to look at him, and I can feel my heart is pounding hard against my face.

    "You did?" I asked in more than a whisper, and I felt so happy to know that he had some information for me.

    "Yes, I was the mess boy of the Wildflower ship, and I brought her food once." He said, and I saw Cal show his phone to the young man, and I saw him nod his head.

    "Yes, it was her." He said, and I realized Cal showed him the photo of Madeline, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so happy.

    "Have you seen her during the fire?" I asked, and my face fell when he shook his head. And I could feel dread in my heart, but I tried to be optimistic as I continued to listen to his story.

    "I am sorry, Sir, it happened so fast, there were men who suddenly showed up, and it was toote for us to know they set the boat on fire, and when I heard captain Noah shout at us to abandon the ship, the only thing I can think of is to put on the life vest, and to leave the boat right away because I know an explosion will follow." He said, and he looked at me in the eyes.

    "And when I got my chance, I jumped on the water without thinking what would happen to me after because the smoke made me breathless. And because of my panic, I was not able to get the firefighting gears. I could have worn the self-contained breathing apparatus." He continued talking while I went on listening with him.

    "I didn''t dare to look back as I jumped in the water, and I was hoping some miracle would happen because the current was too strong because of the big waves, and I thought I will never get out of the water alive, and I realized miracle can still happen if you believe." He added, and I nodded at him, and I couldn''t imagine what would happen to him if we didn''te.

    "But don''t look so sad, Sir; I know Captain Noah and Karen will take good care of your wife, and I could tell they were able to save your wife because before I leap on the water, I heard the captain yelling at his sister to take the woman out from the cabin,and I heard the captain mention her name, but I couldn''t remember it maybe because of the trauma that I have. I have been in the water long enough, but I couldn''t swim away further because of the strong current of the waves." He continued, and I looked at him before I spoke my wife''s name.

    "Her name is Madeline, " I uttered in more than a whisper, and as I mentioned my wife''s name, I realized how much I missed her, and the young man smiled for the first time.

    "Yes, that is her name." He said, and I felt so d he had seen my wife. At least I confirmedmy wife boarded the Wildflower ship.

    "I saw the captain fought those armed men, and he was able to knock them out while I hid. I can feel that the captain will save her because I saw how much he feared for her safety, and Karen also worried about her, and maybe they took one of the lifeboats and abandoned the ship before the explosion happened." He dered.

    "Don''t worry too much, Sir. I know Captain Noah, he is the best, and I could tell he saved your wife." He added, and it made me feel more encouraged, and I felt hopeful that Madeline was safe and I could see and hug my wife soon.

 Chapter 214 - Invitation

    Madeline''s POV

    "You need to eat, Madeline. I know you felt worried about what would happen once we arrived at our destination, but don''t worry, l promised I would help you. I can''t help you now because I need to help my brother. His life might be in danger if he will not do his end of the bargain." Karen said while she looked at me. We are sitting in front of our food on top of the two-seater wooden table.

    "Thank you, Karen, I felt hopeful that you promised to help me, but I want you to be careful as well because we don''t know how Kaye''s mind works. I don''t want something to happen to your while you were trying to help me to get back to my husband." I said as I took a look at the food on my te, and I knew Karen was right; I needed to eat for my baby''s nutrition. I started eating my meal, and Karen followed suit.

    "Of course, don''t worry about me, Madeline. I will be careful.. I want to help you, and after what happened on our ship, I could tell the one who hired my brother is someone who hated you so much because I could tell they wanted to eliminate you or make you suffer. " Karen replied.

    "I am sorry if I didn''t believe in you right away, Madeline. Our client didn''t hire us to take good care of you for good because we don''t do illegal business, Madeline. That is why she hired people to get you, so it would look like we lost you during transit. Noah will be in great trouble, he can''t receive the money without you, and I couldn''t believe she tried to double-cross my brother." She added.

    "You don''t need to apologize to me, Karen. I can''t me you; they fabricated everything, especially the medical records. I could say I am physically and mentally healthy because that was one of my husband''s requirements before he married me." I responded, and her eyes got so big.

    "What? That is ridiculous, and this is the first time I have heard something like that, and I wonder if it will be like that in the future. It would be funny to ask someone who asked you to go on a date if he doesn''t have any illness." She replied, and I agreed with her.

    I don''t have a choice but to tell Karen everything about Hunter and me. Karen was curious why someone would require such a thing before getting married, but my love story differs from most women''s tales. I got married out of convenience, and I just felt d I fell for my husband on the first night that we met while he fell in love with me along the way.

    I need Karen''s trust so that she will help me, and I can tell she was captivated by our love story. I saw her tears welled up in her eyes when I reached the point Hunter met Reba for the first time after believing for so many years she was dead, and they were kissing each other in front of me. That was one of the most painful experiences I have ever had in my life.

    "Wow! That was unbelievable. I couldn''t believe Hunter Divenson had that kind of life story." Karen said after I told her everything.

    "I know, and that is why I became more in love with him," I replied.

    "What you have been through together was too much, and I want to help you both." She replied, and I beamed at her.

    "But I hope you will understand that I can''t bring you with me. We need to take you to the person they said, your uncle. I felt worried about you, Madeline. I hope they won''t do something to you." She added.

    "Me too, Karen, I hope they will not hurt me, but I think the reason she sent those men so that she can''t pay your brother the agreed amount, and if ever my husband will look for me; your brother will be held liable for my disappearance, and don''t worry, I understand that your brother signed a contract." I dered.

    "Yes, you are correct, Madeline." She responded, and I felt d I shared a room with Karen because I felt less lonely.

    I still felt lucky I passed out during our escape from the burning ship, or I would be in deep trauma. Watching the vessel engulfed by the enormous fire plus the big waves would be enough to make me faint. I know it was a horrible experience for all of us, but I could tell they are used to this kind of life, and I hope the weather will continue to be friendly like this because I don''t want to experience that kind of plight again. I couldn''t imagine lying on my bed the entire day feeling nauseated most of the time.

    Nighttime came, and I started to get worried when I felt the rocking of the boat begin to get rough, and when Karen told me it would not continue, I felt so relieved. The days passed so quickly, and I felt so thankful that the pirates didn''t ask formy presence even once. I stayed in my room, while there were moments Captain Noah woulde and will ask Karen''s presence, and I could tell they were talking about the pirates or me. But the day I dreaded came when the captain of the pirates asked for my presence.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, I will be with you. Noah said it was the captain''s birthday, and he wanted everyone toe and celebrate with him, and he invited you to join his birthday celebration." Karen said, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried.

    "Can''t we just stay here in our cabin?" I asked because I felt uneasy about seeing the captain and the rest of the crew, knowing they were pirates

    made my entire body trembled.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but you can''t say no to the master of this ship, and it would be better if you will put this on," Karen replied and handed me some clothing.

    "Where did you get this dress?" I asked Karen the moment she handed me a beautiful dress.

    "One of the crew gave it to me." She responded.

    "Are there any women on this ship?" I asked, and she nodded her head.

    "Yes, some of them are wives of the pirates, while most are crew members." She responded, and I wonder what would be the life of them inside of this ship.

    "Is this a pirate ship?" I asked.

    "Yes, it is." She replied.

    "Howe we have our cabin?" I couldn''t stop myself from asking because all I could think about the pirate ships was different from this.

    "Well, the captain of this ship made some renovations, and this cabin belongs to one of his crew." She said, and I could tell based on the design of our cabin, this is more modern than the pirate ship I could think of, and I know it is not the best time for me to worry about the cabin''s design.

    "You better get changed now,Maddie." She said, and I started to undress my clothes while she did the same. And I could tell Karen has a beautiful figure. I already have a small bump on my tummy, but the A-line design of the dress is suitable for pregnant women, and it looked so good on me, I could tell that my breasts started to swell, and I could no longer hide my cleavage because it waste for me to realize the dress has a plunging neckline.

    "Wow, it feels like we are going to attend a real party." Karen said when she looked at me, and I was trying to adjust the neckline of my dress to hidemy cleavage.

    "You have a wonderful asset, Madeline, and the design of the dress emphasized the beautiful size of your breasts, so I guess you have to deal with it for now, and even if you are married, I could tell a lot of guys will still yearn for your attention, and if I didn''t know your husband is the handsome CEO of the Divenson Mining Corporation, I would have to ask you to marry my brother." She said while she helped me with my hair, and I was stunned by her words.

    "Rx, Maddie, I was only kidding. My brother''s wife passed away three years ago." She added, and I suddenly felt sad for Captain Noah. I remember how I felt when the explosion on the mining site happened. I thought I would lose him that day, and I couldn''t imagine the pain he underwent by the time his wife died.

    "Life could be tough sometimes, and there are times we wonder why we need to suffer while others are having a good time. It feels unfair, but that is life after all. Sometimes we need to undergo hardships to appreciate the real beauty of life." I replied, and she looked at me.

    "Yeah, I couldn''t imagine your life, Maddie, and I am sorry if we made it harder for you. It seems like we belong to the people who made your life harder, and I hope when the right timees, I could make It up to you." Karen responded.

    "It is okay, Karen; your presence alone is a big help because if you weren''t here, I don''t know how I would feel," I said, and she smiled at me.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for your understanding," She said, and I smiled at her.

    Karen offered her hand to me, and I took it, and we walked out from our cabin, and we proceeded to the reception area. I heard singing, and I could tell right away, the pirates were singing their hearts out, and I hoped they were now drunk enough to ignore me, so I will no longer be in trouble.

 Chapter 215 - She Is Gone

    Hunter''s POV

    "No! No! No!" I am begging you, Phil, to please try to search the ship and the water again. She could be there somewhere." I asked and couldn''t believe he would be telling me we were going back on the shore without my wife.

    "Hunter, I am sorry, the fire firefighters'' tugboats contained the fire, and the firefighters already searched the remaining part of the vessel, and we have been circling the area, but we couldn''t find her." He said, and I wonder where my wife could be.

    "I am sorry to tell you this, and she could be among the burned casualties. And the charred bodies are unrecognizable that needed forensic pathologists examination to identify the victims, and I am sorry to tell you that in extreme cases, the authority could no longer identify the corpses even their gender." He said, and I wanted to hit Phil, but Roman and Cal made me prisoner because until now, they didn''t release me from my handcuffs and still tied my body with the ropes. I was shaking my head while I could no longer control my tears.

    "She can''t be dead, Phil. She was carrying my child, for heaven''s sake.." I softly said as I could feel the pain envelop my heart with sadness, and my entire body felt so weak. I wanted to shout, but I couldn''t even open my mouth because of the sadness that I felt. How am I going to live without Madeline in my life? How can I give her a proper burial if they can''t even recognize her body?

    There are so many things I wanted to tell her, and I wanted to do with her. I want to kiss Maddie and tell her she will always be my wife. The innocent young woman who taught me the real meaning of love. I will never ept that Madeline is dead. She will forever remain alive in my memories and my heart. I couldn''t take it yet, not in a million years. I felt the chopper move away from the site, and I didn''t have a choice but to return to the port and deal with my agony. I didn''t realize this kind of pain, and I wondered how I would live my day without Madeline by my side.

    When we arrived at the maind, Roman removed my handcuffs, and Cal untied the rope from my body. I wanted to punch Roman and Cal right away, but I didn''t have energy left. The moment Phil told me they couldn''t find Madeline, it felt like I had lost my lotor ability; it took me a long time before I got up from the chair and climbed out from the helicopter. Our ride arrived right away, and I could tell Roman called the remaining bodyguards that we were on our way.

    I got inside the car like I was another person, and I sat at the back, and Calixto settled himself on the driver''s seat, and I felt so d he didn''t dare talk with me because I didn''t know how I was going to react after what they have done to me. I tried to understand that they held me like a prisoner because they were both afraid for my safety, but they didn''t have the right to detain me. I could have saved Madeline, or I could have died with her, and just thinking about it made me feel sick that I asked Cal to pull over. I got out of the car, and I puked.

    I felt so terrible, and I could feel my temperature rising until I could feel my entire body was on fire, and I felt so cold that I asked Cal to off the aircon of the car, and I instructed him to open the window on his side. I tried to close my eyes, but I knew I was burning up, and I wanted to see Madeline.

    I didn''t realize I fell to the seat, and I curled my body into a ball as I could feel my entire body was shivering because I felt so cold, yet I knew my fever was getting higher. I dozed off to sleep, dreaming about my wife, and I could hear my voice shouting her name as I woke up, but I never opened my eyes as I could feel my tears falling on my face.

    Cal opened the door, and I heard him call my name several times, and I ignored him, and I felt so happy he finally fell silent, and momentster, I felt someone touch my forehead.

    "Madeline, pleasee back to me," I murmured.

    "Oh, no, what was wrong with my son, Cal? He is burning up. Let us bring him to the hospital," My mother dered, and I took her hand, and I begged her not to bring me to the nearest hospital.

    "Mom, please, I don''t want to go to the hospital, and this is nothingpared to the emotional sufferings I felt right now," I said.

    "Okay, if you don''t want me to take you to the hospital, then show me you can get up on your feet and convince me that you are okay." My mother said. And I gather all my strength to stand up and get out of the car. She assisted me in going inside the house as I put my arm around her shoulder, and the moment I got inside the house, I went to the living room, and Iy on the sofa right away.

    How can I face Lily and Gina? I failed my promise to protect Madeline. I could have been there for my wife as she struggled to save herself. And I felt so guilty that I stopped talking with Cal because I knew he was also in pain. After all, I know how much he cares for Madeline. But I am still upset with them for betraying me today. I could have to save Maddie. I asked my mom to instruct one of the maids to get thergest guest room ready. And I told her to transfer some of my clothes from the master''s bedroom because I couldn''t get inside our room yet, not today nor theing days, and maybe when I am ready to ept the truth.

    I fell asleep on the couch, and I heard my mom''s soft voice asking me to get up and eat to drink my medicine for my fever; I know I am physically okay, but my emotional stress made me feel so sick. I got up and walked to the kitchen, and I felt so relieved that I couldn''t find my sister yet because I knew she would ask me about Maddie. I ate my food in silence, and I didn''t want to eat anything, but my mom was sitting in front of me the moment I took my seat and watched me eat my food.

    "Cal didn''t tell me anything, and I hope everything is fine because I could tell something is off. I hope tomorrow, after you take a good rest tonight, you will be ready to tell me what happened, and where is Madeline why she is not with you?" She asked, and I just told her to

    "The doctors stabilized your father''s condition, and he is no longer in the ICU, and rk was transferred to the private room." She added, and I couldn''t even tell mom that was great news because I felt guilty if I would smile knowing my wife was nowhere to be found, and I know I am in a state of denial that there is a big possibility she could be among the corpses who got burned and died during the fire. After eating dinner, I felt d my Mom stopped talking with me, and I didn''t need to speak with her; I excused myself, and I found Cer in the guest room, and she greeted me and told me everything was ready.

    "Thank you, Cer," I said, and I closed the door after she got out of the room.

    I took a warm bath, hoping I would feel better, but when I put on my sweat pants and moved closer to the bed, I broke down as I realized I missed her so much, and I could feel my heart pierced. I don''t know how long I cried until I fell asleep.

    I woke up when I heard thumping on my door, and I could listen to my sister''s voice on the other side, and I got up and opened the door for her.

    "Hunter, why are you sleeping here in the guest room?" Lily asked as I put on my sleeveless tank top.

    "Where is Madeline? Mom said she wasn''t with you?" She asked another question, and I moved closer to Lily and looked her in the eyes.

    "Lily, please tell mom I needed to talk with her, you, and kindly inform Gina as well," I said to Lily, and I could tell her facial expression changed. And I know Gina is in our house because she promised to stay until Madelinees back home.

    "Okay, you are making me nervous, Hunter." She said before she got out of the guest room.

    The moment I walked to the living room, they were all waiting for me, and I couldn''t control the pain that I felt. And I am tired of masking my genuine emotions, and even if I am not yet ready to tell them because I still wish she was alive, but they already searched the area, and Roman came with the coast guards, so I am sure that they haven''t found her body. And now, as I faced the individuals who also love my wife, I couldn''t stop myself from crying without a sound, and I let my tears fall, and Lily was shaking her head already, and then she screamed

    "No!!!" And my sister ran to me crying, and I cried with her. Lily understood right away when she saw me crying, even before I could tell them that my wife was gone. It was the most painful word to say that I don''t ever want to utter.

 Chapter 216 - The Pirate Captain

    Madeline''s POV

    As we got out of the cabin, I could feel the shivering of my limbs; just thinking about the pirate''s word made me have knots on my stomach, even if there was a part of me that wanted to see a real pirate. I held Karen''s arm because I was afraid that the waves would go crazy again and I would stumble into the floor since I knew I couldn''t risk my pregnancy. After all, I had to protect my child because, as of now, the baby in my womb is the one who gave me the strength and courage to fight and to hold on, and most of all, my child was the reason my sanity is still intact.

    I never thought I would experience this kind of life, I underwent fire, and now I have to face the sailors feared the most, the pirates. I have heard about different tales about them, and now I will experience it first hand, and I wish the pirates would spare my life. Maybe they can help me toe home to my husband. I could see the dark ocean on my side, which gave me knots on my stomach; while I was gripping the railing tightly, that I could feel my hand hurts.

    The moment we get inside the mess hall, I can see men and women drinking ale, and they are allughing, and some are singing while the others are dancing. And all set of eyes are on us, I can see captain Noah was among them, and he stood up the moment he saw us.

    "Here they are!" Noah said, and I was shocked when he came to my side immediately, and he took me into his arms, and he captured my lips. He kissed me tenderly on the lips in front of the pirates, and I tried to push him right away from me, but he was holding my waist tightly that he didn''t even budge, and I felt his mouth move to my ear..

    "You need to act as my wife Madeline, or the captain will take you." He said, and I was shocked, and I felt d I didn''t p Captain Noah right away, or his n would no longer work. He only kissed me to make the pirates believe I was his wife, and I gave him a beautiful smile. He held my hand and brought me to the middle-aged man looking at me with desires while holding his wooden mug filled with ale.

    "Captain Wyatt, this my wife, Madeline, Maddie. I want you to meet the good man who asked his men to help us." Noah introduced me to the captain, who didn''t even give damn respect to Noah as he traveled his eyes from my head tomy face with admiration and lust down to my breasts. I felt horrified when I saw him lick his lower lip as he continued to gaze on my cleavage, and I felt captain Noah''s arm tighten around my waist. I could tell the pirate captain is handsome even if he has an evil demeanor.

    "Now, I realized why you didn''t introduce your wife to me, Captain Noah, and you let her stay on the cabin all this time. You have a young and beautiful wife. Are you afraid I will take advantage of your wife? Such a clever boy, and now I want to give you an offer, give me your wife, and I will never ask any amount of money from you, Noah. I can even provide you with arge amount of money in exchange for your wife." He said, and my eyes widened in disbelief. How could he even say that? And I wonder what would happen to me if Noah didn''t im me as his wife.

    "Captain Wyatt, I am sorry, and I am begging you, don''t take my wife. She is pregnant with our first child. I promise to give you the money that you needed." Noah pleaded with the pirate captain, and Wyatt''sughter reverberated the entire hall.

    "Oh, my bad, I don''t like to have a child on my ship, but I can''t stop myself from the need to have your wife, Captain Noah." He said, and I felt Noah release me from his hold that caused me to panic, and I was surprised when I saw Noah kneeling before Wyatt.

    "Please, captain, I promise to double the amount as long as you will spare my wife; you have beautiful women on board on your ship." He said while his head was down, and I never felt so touched in my entire life, and I couldn''t thank captain Noah enough for doing this heroic act for me.

    "If you want, you can take me instead of Madeline, captain Wyatt." I was stunned when I heard Karen''s voice behind me, and I couldn''t believe these two siblings I hardly knew would make sacrifices for me. And I saw the face of the evil man lit up as he looked at Karen with desires and his smile broadened when Karen stood in front of him and raised the hem of her dress higher so that the captain of this ship would have the perfect view of her smooth thighs.

    "Oh, what a lovely offer, my dearest, and who are you?" Captain Wyatt asked.

    "I am captain Noah''s sister," Karen answered confidently, and I felt my legs weaken, and I could see the amusement on Captain''s Wyatt face as he looked at Captain Noah, and then he looked at me.

    "Wow, I couldn''t believe you care for your sister-inw so much." Wyatt dered.

    "Family matters to us, Captain Wyatt; I can give you what you want, but you have to promise me you will allow us to leave this ship safely, and you will never hurt my sister-inw and her child," Karen demanded, and the captain was nodding his head.

    "Of course,ter tonight, you shoulde to my cabin." He said, and Karen nodded at him.

    "Of course, you are going to have the best night of your life." She said with confidence while I felt so sick as I looked at the wicked captain.

    "You may stand up now, Captain Noah, and take your wife with you to have your dinner.He said to Noah, but his eyes were gaping at Karen''s face.

    "While you, my dear, have a lot to talk about." Captain Wyatt added.I could tell he was now under Karen''s spell, and I wanted to tell Karen never to do it, but the way she handled the situation made me feel so proud of her. And I couldn''t thank them enough for saving me. I am nothing to them, I am only someone they need to transport to the other side of the globe, but they are willing to protect me.

    "Have your meal now, Captain Noah." Captain Wyatt said while I could see Noah stood up, and he took my hand. I could tell he was keeping his anger at bay because the pirates surrounded us. There is nothing he can do as of the moment but watch his sister getting intimate with the captain, and before he took me to the table to eat our dinner, I saw Captain Wyatt im Karen''s mouth as he pulled her to sit on hisp. I wanted to do something for Karen, but I am pregnant, and there is nothing I can do to make things right.

    I wanted to cry for Karen because I felt so guilty that she had to undergo this predicament because of me. I don''t want other people to suffer on my behalf. Karen doesn''t need to be with him, and I felt so angry with Captain Wyatt.

    "Hey, don''t worry about my sister, Madeline." I heard Captain Noah whisper in my ear, and when I looked at him, I could see the sadness in his eyes, and I could tell he felt so helpless at this moment. His handsome face was in deep sorrow, and I couldn''t take away my eyes from him.

    "I am sorry, and I can''t thank you enough, Captain Noah." I mumbled, and he shook his head.

    "It is nothing, Madeline. I need to take you to Choraz, and I have to do something to stop him from hurting you. I know you are pregnant, and I felt responsible for you." He said in more than a whisper as he put food on my te.

    "You need to eat first, and then I can take you back to your cabin because the men are giving you a stern look, and I am afraid if they will do something terrible to you." He said, and I nodded my head. We moved to the corner and took a seat, and we both ate in silence. I saw one of the women bring a te full of food towards Karen, and I could tell Karen was trying her best to pretend she was having a good time with the captain pirate as I could hear herughter all over the room as the party continued.

    I don''t have the appetite to eat, but I need to have something for my baby. This craziness is making me feel so terrible, and I hope we can reach the shore soon. The evil captain helped us on board his ship by asking Noah for a certain amount of money, and now he wanted to take Karen into his bed, and I wondered if Karen had some ns or just wanted to getid. But I know I should never think about thetter since I know Karen is doing all this for my sake, and I could tell she was a good actress by pretending she was enjoying her precious time with the pirate captain.

    I felt so lucky that I am still alive because of Captain Noah and Karen. I will forever be grateful that I met them, and because of them, I have another chance to be with the love of my love, Hunter, and as I ate my meal, I couldn''t stop myself from thinking about my hot and handsome husband and my eyes watered as I realized how much I miss him.

 Chapter 217 - Escaping The Pirate Ship

    Madeline''s POV

    "Is Karen all right?" I asked Captain Noah the moment we got inside our cabin.

    "I think so, Captain Wyatt will be too drunk toy his hands on Karen tonight, so I think my sister will be safe for now. I dreaded for theing days toe when the captain is strong enough to force my sister into his bed." Captain Noah said, and He heavily sighed as he sat on the stool, and he looked at me with tenderness on his eyes, and as I stared back at him, I saw a man suffering from grief. And I realized he must be lonely after his wife''s death.

    "I am sorry, Madeline if I kissed you out there. I should have told you earlier. It wasn''t my n to kiss you at all, but I need to convince everyone that you are my wife, especially Captain Wyatt." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "You don''t need to apologize, captain Noah, I understand," I replied, and I wanted to add he is a good kisser, and I hate myself to find his kiss sweet because I know how much I love my husband but it was a fact. Captain Noah could kiss and make someone long for it, and I couldn''t stop myself from blushing as I remembered the kiss we shared.. And I know Captain Noah''s kiss saved my life.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for your understanding, you are too beautiful, and I know I don''t have any right to kiss you, but saving you was very important for me. I will never allow those pirates to hurt you, but they have guns, and I am afraid if they will do something terrible to you and Karen." He responded.

    "We need to leave this ce tonight." He dered, and my eyes widened.

    "Don''t worry, Maddie, I grew up in the ocean, and I spent my entire life in the water. I already nned everything, and this is the only chance we have to escape since everyone is having a good time. We need to leave before Wyatt can hurt you and my sister." He said, and I don''t know if it would be possible for us to leave the ship in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere, but I know I need to trust Captain Noah because he is the only one who can save me.

    "Okay, but after what happened to your boat, I can''t stop myself from feeling so scared," I said, and he stood up and walked closer to me, and he put his hands on my shoulders.

    "Madeline, I will save you no matter what happens. I will not allow something to happen to you. All I need from you is your trust. Believe me, and we can do this. And I am sorry if I couldn''t take you back to Zambo." He dered, and I nodded my head at him.

    "You should take a nap, Maddie. Karen will get you here when it is time for us to leave." He said and turned his heels away from me, and he gently closedthe door after he got out of my cabin while I took a deep breath. I need to take another leap of faith, and I wish we would all be safe. I know I couldn''t sleep knowing we are going to escape tonight, there is a big chance we can''t make it, or we could die in the water, and I hope everything will be alright.

    Iy on the bed thinking about my life, and of course, about my husband. I smiled as I tried toremember his handsome face, his masculine voice that will always make me feel euphoric, all the sweet moments we shared, and I couldn''t stop my tears from falling as I thought about him more. I missed the way he touched and kissed me. I closed my eyes as I felt the rocking of the boat, and I let my tears fall on my cheeks. I hate crying, but this time I allow myself to cry because I know I need to release the pain that I felt inside. I closed my eyes while I put my right palm on my chest.

    "Maddie, are you alright? Why are you crying?" I heard Karen''s voice, and I didn''t notice she got inside our cabin, and I sat up on the bed and looked at her beautiful face.

    "I am fine. How about you? Are you okay?" I asked, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried about her, and my guilt was eating me up.

    "You were the one who was crying, Maddie. Are you still upset that my brother kissed you?" She asked, and I shook my head right away, and I smiled at her.

    "Of course not. I cried because I felt guilty for what is happening to us right now, especially to you. The kiss I shared with your brother was nothing, Karen. Besides, Noah only kissed me to make the Pirate captain believes that I am Noah''s wife." I responded, and she chuckled.

    "Yeah, you are right. It was only for the show, but I could tell if you weren''t married, I am sure my brother would go crazy over you." She replied, and her words made me blush.

    "I want you to stop worrying about me, Madeline. I can take care of myself, and I know how to y my game. I can y Captain Wyatt with my fingers. Besides, we will leave this boatter tonight when everyone passes out." She added.

    "How did you get away from Captain Wyatt?" I askedafter I realized she came back to our cabin unharmed. And I couldn''t be happier that the wicked captain let her go.

    "I have my ways, Maddie, and I am not afraid of him and his men." She dered.

    "And I know my brother ns to flee tonight. I came here to see how you are doing, I can''t forget the horror that registered on your face when Captain Wyatt asked my brother to give you to him, and I felt d my brother was clever enough to im you as his wife. How I wish we met in a different circumstance, Madeline. I want to be your friend." Karen said.

    "You know we can be friends, Karen. I want us to be friends." I replied, feeling so happy that she wanted to be friends with me.

    "I hope it could be that simple, Madeline; I can''t afford to have friends knowing I will be here in the ocean night and day." She said, and I could see the sadness on her lovely face.

    "Don''t you want to have a normal life, Karen? I mean, you can look for a job in the maind." I replied, and she smiled at me.

    "I don''t know how to live on the maind anymore, Madeline. I am used to the simple living in the ship, but now that, The Wildflower has gone, we don''t have a choice but stay on thend for the time being." She said.

    "Do you have a ce to stay?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "We will only rent an apartment every time we need to stay in the maind." She replied.

    "Oh, I see. When you meet my husband, you can tell him we are friends. We have so many properties where you and Captain Noah could stay." I said, and she beamed at me.

    "Thanks, Madeline; maybe we can visit your home once you can go home." She replied.

    "Me too, " I replied, and I felt sad for Karen as I realized Noah is the only one she has.

    "Don''t worry, Maddie, my brother, won''t let anything happen to you. And I am sorry, If we can only have our way, we want to take you back to Zambo and deliver you to Archois City, but you know who we are dealing with, I don''t want us to be in trouble." Karen said, and I could see the sincerity on her face.

    "I understand; what you had done to me was more than enough. I won''t survive the fire without you, and I could have died." I said, and I gave her my sweetest smile.

    "I need to go back to the party, Madeline; I don''t want Captain Wyatt to look for me and wonder what I am up to; I hope you will not cry again. And be ready; we are leaving tonight whatever happens; I have some mission to do." She said as she winked at me.

    "Be careful, Karen," I responded.

    "Thank you." She replied and got out of our cabin quickly.

    The remaining hours were like torture, and I couldn''t stop the rapid beating of my heart as I waited for the right time for us to leave the ship. I don''t know how they will do it, but deep in my heart, I can''t deny I am having doubts. The pirates have guns, and they can shoot at us at any time. I hope we can escape withoutplications.

    "Madeline, it is time to leave; this is our chance; we are just thankful the ship is drifting as of the moment." I heard Karen say after she tapped my shoulders. I didn''t realize I doze off as I waited for her toe back to me. I got up hastily from the bed.

    "Hey, it is okay; take your time, Maddie; you are pregnant; you don''t need to rush; my brother is already waiting for us in the lifeboat. The coast is clear for at least one hour." She said, and I don''t understand what she meant, but I can tell she had done something to the pirates.

    We got out of our cabin, and Karen was right. I hadn''t seen anyone, and I wondered if all of them had got drunk. I felt so thrilled as I walked behindKaren, but I couldn''t stop feeling so nervous as I followed her to the gangway, and the moment we got inside the lifeboat and Captain Noah started the engine, I released a sigh of relief.I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I saw Karen grinning, and I could tell she felt so triumphant at the moment that she outsmarted the pirates, especially the wicked captain. And I felt so relieved and happy that we got away safely as we moved away from the pirate ship,

 Chapter 218 - My Everything

    Hunter''s POV

    I hugged my sister, and I caressed her back as she continued to sob while I saw Gina holding on to the railing of the staircase as; she got down on her knees while she put her hand on her chest and her tears fell on her cheeks continuously.

    "Hunter, how could this happen? Who did all this to Madeline?" My sister asked me as she looked up in my face.

    "There was a fire, and the entire ship was engulfed with fire, and there were only a few survivors, others burned alive, and their charred bodies are unrecognizable," I said, and my sister''s arms tightened around me as she continued to cry.

    "Did you find her body?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "I am still waiting for the result of the DNA, and I don''t know if they will be able to determine her body," I replied as I felt my tears pour down on my cheeks.

    "She can''t be dead and her baby; this is all a nightmare, Hunter. Tomorrow when we wake up, Madeline will already be here with us." My sister said as she let go of my hold, and how I wish Lily were right, but I was there. I saw how big the fire was, and Roman helped the rescuer find my wife, but he came back to us empty-handed.. They haven''t recovered her body, but at least six charred bodies that the authority couldn''t even identify their genders.

    Lily walked towards Gina, and my sister pulled her up while Gina was crying hard on the stairs, and she was almost crawling on the steps. And I can feel Gina''s pain as I look at her.

    "This is all my fault, and I should have never left Madeline out there. I should have stuck with my best friend till the end. And I wish I hadn''t listened to herno matter what happens, and I should never care if she will get angry with me. I could take her anger." I heard Maddie''s best friend say.

    "No, it was my fault; if I have been careful, Madeline should be here with us. Because of me, she was gone with her baby. I can''t forgive myself." Lily responded, and I couldn''t believe that they med themselves for what happened to my wife.

    "Gina, Lily, it was no one''s fault why it happened to Madeline. It was my wife''s decision, and you know how selfless she was. She always puts the safety of others first before herself. That is what she is, " I said, andI could no longer stop my tears from falling while my mom moved closer to me, and she took me into her arms. I cried my heart out, and we were all crying for Madeline. I don''t know how long we stayed like that, crying and consoling each other.

    We all stayed in the living room, and no one dared to leave; it felt like we were drawing strength from each other. When dinner came, Cer joined us, and I could tell by her swollen eyes that she was also crying. I am aware of how much my wife cares about her. Madeline was the one who asked me to help Cer so she could continue her college education, and I know how deep is their connection with each other. I know my wife has only a few friends because of her busy life growing up. Having different part-time jobs made her lose her chance to mingle and have fun with girls her age, and I am just d she has a best friend who cares for her more than a sister.

    We all stood up to eat our dinner, and for the first time, I realized how empty the house was, and without Madeline''s presence, I don''t know how I could live my life now without her. I know I felt hurt when I thought I had lost Reba, but nothing canpare to the anguish that I feel at the moment, knowing that the person I love the most was gone.

    We all ate our supper in silence, and after saying good night to them, I went upstairs, and I avoided looking at our room. I couldn''t stop myself from getting inside the nursery room, and I cried again as I looked at the stuff my wife had prepared for our baby. And it felt too painful for me to lose Maddie and our child, and I slowly got down to my knees, and this time I allowed myself to cry harder. If I controlled the sound of my crying episode in front of my family when we were in the living room, now as I watch the baby''s crib, I wail as I call my wife''s name.

    I cried until there were no more tears left for me to cry, and Iy on the floor. The excruciating pain I felt was too much, and I know I will never be the same again. I was thinking about her beautiful smile, her sweet voice, and herughter. I miss my wife so much that I wanted to shout and release all the pain that I am suffering at the moment.

    It was past midnight when I woke up, I didn''t realize I had fallen asleep on the floor, and I could feel the aching of my neck because of my sleeping position. I got up and went to the guest room where I temporarily stayed. I took a hot shower, and then I put on my sweat pants and a loose white shirt. Iy on the bed, but no matter what I did, I could no longer go back to sleep because I couldn''t stop thinking about my wife. I am in deep pain, and I wonder if this pain will ever go away.

    I know there is one ce I want to be to forget what is happening in my life temporarily. I walked out of the guest room and strode through the hallways of our mansion. And as I descended onto the stairs, I realized the entire house was so quiet, until I was startled when I heard the breaking of sses, and I realized someone beat me to the bar. And my heart pierced when I saw Gina sitting on the barstool while her head was on the counter, and I could see the broken pieces of the vodka bottle on the floor. I have never seen Gina this way.

    "Gina, " I called her, but she didn''t respond as she continued weeping.

    "Gina!" I called her again while I touched her shoulder, and she jerked and raised her head and looked at me."

    "Hunter, I am so sorry, I, I will clean my mess, and I will pay you the vod-ka bottle. It slipped from my hands." She uttered, and I could tell Gina was drunk.

    "It is okay, Gina. I will clean it for you; you need to stay on your seat because of the broken pieces of the ss that could harm your feet." I said, and she smiled at me before she returned her head on the bar counter. And I could tell my wife''s best friend was already drunk.

    I leave the bar in haste, and I get a broom and dustpan, and I felt so d Gina remained seated on the stool, and I could tell she was still sobbing.

    "I want to drink more, Hunter, and I couldn''t sleep after knowing Madeline was gone. I can''t just ept it; for me, my best friend is still alive. We have to see each other again. I will hate her forever if she doesn''t show herself to me." She said in between her sobs while I was speechless because I didn''t know how tofort Gina.

    "This is too much, and this is so unfair. How could Maddie be gone without saying goodbye to me, Hunter? She promised to go back to us, and there is no way I will ept her death that easily. Can you take me there?" Gina dered, and even if she was drunk, I could see the pain on her face.

    "Gina, you need to go back to your room now. You are already drunk." I softly said.

    "No, I still want to drink; I am waiting for Madeline toe. I know she is not dead yet; unless I saw her dead body, that would be the time I will ept her death." Gina said, and I know my tears had dried up, but now as I listened to Gina, I couldn''t stop myself from crying again, and I felt the same

    way too, I am in denial, and I don''t want to believe that she is gone.

    "What are you waiting for, Hunter?. I want to drink all I can until Madelinees back to us. Do you know that I was so happy when she told me she was in love with you? You were the luckiest man on earth for having Madeline in your life." Gina said, and I nodded my head.

    "Of course, I know that, Gina," I replied.

    "Yeah, you knew, yet you kept hurting her innocent heart. Madeline endured all the pain she had been through because of how much she loved you. You don''t know how much my best friend suffered because of her great love for you, and now you quickly epted just like that, that Maddie has gone. I hate you, Hunter Divenson." Gina said, and I was stunned that Gina was telling me all this now, and I realized how much she hated me for hurting Madeline somany times. And I know she poured out all her emotions right now because she was drunk, and I doubt if she will remember this conversation we have tomorrow.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I already asked for forgiveness from Madeline, and I know I deserve all the pain that I feel right now, but I want you to know I don''t ept it yet, that Madeline was dead. I will hire a privatepany to help me find my wife." I said, and she looked at me, and I could see the happiness on her face.

    "Are you sure about that, Hunter?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Yes, Gina, like you, I still believe that my wife is alive, and I don''t care if I will spend millions to find her. Madeline is my everything." I dered, and I wanted to add God knows how much I love my wife. And just like Maddie''s best friend, unless there is no proof that Madeline is dead, I will stay hopeful that one day she wille back home to me, even if it was the impossible thing to happen.

 Chapter 219 - Everything Will Be Alright

    Madeline''s POV

    I know it was a hell of an adventure to be with Captain Noah and Karen, and I am beginning to get attached to them. As we sailed on the water, we ate only a little food and drank little water, and I know we only had a limited supply, and I could tell they were afraid we would starve, but I felt so guilty that they ate less because of me. They both wanted me to have more portions of food and water because, as per Karen, I needed more food for the baby.

    "Guys, you don''t need to do this; you can share the food equally," I said to them, and they both smiled at me that warmed my heart.

    "Maddie, we are used to this kind of situation, and we don''t want your baby to be malnourished." Captain Noah said after he finished eating his meal while I felt hesitant to open my mouth and take another food into my mouth. And I wonder how Karen managed to get food supplies.

    After forty-eight hours, a fishing boat rescued us, and I felt so happy when we had a sumptuous meal after a while. This time I eat my food heartily because I don''t need to feel guilty because there are so many fishes the fishermen caught, and it feels so wonderful to eat the fish fresh from the water, and we have grilled tuna fish tonight that made my mouth water. We didn''t have enough sleep for twenty-four hours. Now the captain of the fishing, the boat was kind-hearted enough to let Karen and me use his cabin so we could sleepfortably, and I can tell I sleep like a baby, and when I woke up, I felt so happy when Karen told me we are near the port of Choraz.We walked together to the bridge, and the captain smiled at us right away.

    "It seems your wife has a wonderful sleep now since she no longer looked pale." The captain said as he looked at me, and I couldn''t stop myself from blushing as I internalized what he had said. I realized Captain Noah still used the same story, and I could tell this was his way of protecting me, and I smiled and looked at him the moment he came closer to me and held my hand while his other hand touched and caressed my face.

    "Did you have a good night''s sleep, honey?" He asked, and I nodded my head, and I was trying to contain myughter because he sounded so adorable when he called me honey.

    "Thank you, Captain, for allowing Karen and me to sleep in your cabin. I had a wonderful sleep, and it feels so good to have a beautiful rest after a long while." I replied.

    "You are wee, Maddie. It must be hard on your part since you were pregnant." He replied.

    "Yes, but my husband always sees to it thatI amfortable even if we are in a very delicate situation, and I felt so d we could escape from the pirate ship; it was a terrifying thing I ever experienced. Still, I can''t deny it was fun." I replied, and the captain beamed at me, and then we fell silent as we watched the peaceful water.

    We said thanks and bid farewell to the captain and his crew the moment we docked at the port, and I could tell right away the fantastic way of living of the citizens of Choraz.

    They said Choraz maintained its old way of living. And it was known only the wealthy family living in this ce has the privilege to use and enjoy technology like electricity and other means of living. But I realized it was all a lie because what I see before me is a ce where technology is present. Maybe I forgot to read more about Choraz. Perhaps they happen to have a leader who weed technology in a different light. That is why as I looked at the port, it has no difference in Archois.

    I was fidgeting while we waited for Captain Noah''s client, and he found it hard to reach his contact because he didn''t have a phone or money to buy one, which cost a fortune.

    I felt so thankful when the fishing boat captain came down from his boat and joined us. Captain Noah asked him if he had a mobile phone he could use, and I released a sigh of relief when he handed him an analog cellphone. We don''t need to search the inte since Noah only needs to call his client.

    Once again, we say thank you to the fishing boat captain, and we walked out from the port to meet the person who will bring Captain Noah the full payment and the one who will take me to the ce of my supposed uncle.

    "Madeline, I am sorry, I want to take you with us, but I can''t risk it. I know I will put myself and Karen''s life in danger the moment I help you. Besides, this is our way of living, I will only transport the goods, but I don''t have any right to interfere." Captain Noah said as I waited for the person who would fetch me.

    "Hey, it is okay, I understand. At least you both helped me and protected me from all harm. I will never forget both of you. And I want to thank you for everything you have done for me. It was an exciting journey, and I never thought I would reach this ce in one piece. I owe you my life, and I know we will meet again someday, and I hope I can escape from this ce soon, but for now, I have to enjoy the moment." I said, and I knew I should keep my nervousness at bay. Karen smiled at me, and I knew she told me not to worry because she would find a way to help me. And I know Karen is my only hope to flee from this ce.

    "I hope you will have afortable life here in Choraz," Karen said, and I smiled at her.

    "Me too," I answered back, and I saw a carriageing into our way, and I was shocked when it stopped in front of us. The coachman climbed down and opened the carriage, and a gentleman wearing a ck suit came out from the carriage, and he looked so regal, yet I could feel beneath his formal clothing was a man who was hiding a dark secret.

    "Captain Noah, I am the Butler of her uncle; thank you for delivering Ms. Brownwood to us." He said and looked at me for a long time, and I could tell he was sizing me up.

    "May I know your name?" He asked, and the man shook his head.

    "No need for that, Captain. It is enough that I know your name." He said, and I could tell Captain Noah was looking at him intently.

    "You are not Mr. Rogers, aren''t you?" Captain Noah asked, and before the captain could answer him, ck cars came and stopped in front of us. Gentlemen wearing ck suits who had the same emblem on their coat pockets to the man who was talking to us came to his side immediately, and I could tell they were his bodyguards, and I wondered why he was riding a carriage where he could ride on a car.

    "You can count the money inside the carriage, Captain Noah." The butler said as he handed Captain Noah an attached case, and without saying a word, he epted the briefcase and got inside the carriage while the butler was looking at me from head to toe. I suddenly felt ufortable, but I could tell he was harmless even if bodyguards surrounded him.

    "Thank you, Butler, you didn''t tell me your name, but I think the most suitable name for you is Mr. Butler." Captain Noah said.

    "We heard what happened to your boat, Captain Noah, and my employer was generous enough to buy you a new ship as a way of thanking you for delivering his niece. Just stay at Choraz Hotel for the time being, and I will meet you again after two days to take you to your new boat." The Butler said, and I wondered who his employer was willing to spend a tremendous amount of money for my sake. I don''t think Kaye''s family will do this to get rid of me. She could have killed me right away than spent millions.The Butler helped me get inside the carriage after I said goodbye to my new friends.

    "Wee to Choraz, Lady Madeline." He said, and I looked at him.

    "Who are you? If you n to kill meter, you better kill me now." I coldly said while I was looking outside over the carriage window, and I heard him chuckle, and I turned my head to look at him, and I could see the amusement on his face.

    "Do you think we are going to kill you after everything we have done to intervene and save you from your abductor?" He said, and I raised my eyes at him.

    "Don''t be so surprised, Madeline. I said your uncle was waiting for you, but I was lying. Mr. Grant was waiting for you at his castle." He said, and my entire body turned so cold as I realized who this person could be, and I am getting more confused as of the moment.

    "Yes, my dear, your grandfather is excited to see you now, knowing he is going to be a great-grandfather." He dered, and my eyes widened.

    "For how many times I told him to reach out to Frank, but he was adamant about his decision. Your father ran away from home when he was a teenager and changed his family name, which made Mr. Grant so furious with your dad.You are a Grant by birth, Madeline. I will tell you everythingter and don''t worry, and you are going to talk with your husband soon." He said, and everything he said has lost its meaning, and only hisst words matter because I can''t wait to hear Hunter''s voice.. I couldn''t stop my tears from falling as I realized I was safe, and even if this grandfather he was talking about was fake or not, as long as I can speak with my husband and inform him where I am, everything will be alright.

 Chapter 220 - My Fatherâ€™s Secret

    Madeline''s POV

    It was a long ride from the port to our destination, but the sound of the horses'' hooves made me feel so thrilled, and it feels like I am in a different era. I haven''t seen a carriage in Archois, and now in Choraz, it seems natural because as I watched outside my window, I realized we were not the only one riding a carriage.

    "Who are you?" I asked the moment we stopped in front of a high wooden gate, and then the carriage traversed along in a wide driveway where I could see beautiful flowers on both sides. And what made me more stunned was to behold a beautiful mansion ahead of us, and I could tell it was gigantic than the Divenson mansion, and I wondered who these people were.

    "I already informed you, I am the Butler of your grandfather''s mansion." He replied.

    "Don''t you have a name?" I asked again, and this time he smiled at me.

    "Of course, I am Leonardo Steve. You can call me Leo if you want, and I am very pleased to meet you, Ms. Brownwood." He said, and I weakly smiled at him.

    "It is nice to meet you, too." I replied.

    "I know you have so many questions right now, but I am willing to answer anything you want to know, my dear." He said, and now that we were sitting across from each other, I realized he was older; maybe he was in his early sixties more or less.

    "Yeah, I am so confused about everything. I thought it was Kaye who wanted to eradicate me, and it doesn''t make any sense; the pictures and the documents Karen showed me were enough for me to think. It was Kaye who wanted me out from Archois city." I said.

    "Yes, you are correct, my dear." He answered, and my eyes widened.

    "And why am I here with you?" I asked

    "I hired men to look for you even if your grandfather refuses to see you. Kaye''s men should take you to your doom, but I gave them an offer they can''t refuse to keep you safe. It was a little bitte when I knew your life was in danger because Kaye sold you to one of the wicked men in Neospoli Country, and I am just d I have connections." He said, and I couldn''t believe what he said, and I felt my goosebumps creeping my entire body. Kaye was evil.

    "Are you telling me, you save me from being sold to some wicked person, yet you will also bring me to the mansion where the owner doesn''t want to see me? Could you at least bring me back to my husband?" I asked, and I could see his face saddened.

    "Rx, Madeline, I know Mr. Grantwants to see you; he is just hard-headed. I have been your grandpa''s butler for so many years. I know everything about why your father left. And I can tell you all the details, Madeline, but not at this time." He dered.

    "For now, I will tell you the highlights, your grandpa''s ego was hurt when your father left, and he promised to disown your dad, and I think that is the reason why your father didn''t use the Grant family name. He was the heir of Grant''s businesses and all yourgrandfather''s assets, but your dad chose to live a simple life, away from the pressure of the aristocrat family." He added.

    "So, you are telling me my grandfather is rich?" I asked, and he beamed at me.

    "The answer is yes, Madeline, your grandfather is the richest man in Neospoli country, and your great-grandparents built that enormous house for his family; your family has many properties all over Neospoli, but Mr. Grant chose to take his residence here in Choraz." He answered me.

    "Your great-grandmother wanted to live in a castle; that is why his husband built that mansion which resembled a castle for his beloved wife." He added, and it feels like I am in my dream at the moment, and I couldn''t believe my father had an unbelievablesecret.

    "How could he allow my father to be the driver of the Divenson family while he was living like a king?" I asked in disbelief, and I wondered why my grandfather didn''t reach out to my dad.

    "Frank was engaged to the woman your grandfather chose for him, but I know that was not the only reason he left." He answered me, and I still couldn''t believe that my father came from an aristocratic family in Neospoli.

    "My father grew up here?" I inquired.

    "Of course, your father has beautiful childhood memories in this ce." He said.

    "Frank was the eldest, and since his sister married to another wealthy individual in another county, your grandfather is the only one who lives here, including the chateau''s staff. No family member." He said, and I couldn''t believe my father was so wealthy.

    "I am not dreaming, right?" I asked, and heughed.

    "Of course not." He replied while I could see the amusement on his face.

    "Why are we riding a carriage? And your bodyguards were riding luxurious cars.?" I asked him, and he grinned at me.

    "I did it on purpose so that you will appreciate the beauty of Choraz." He said, and I couldn''t stop my heart from pounding hard against my chest as we neared my grandfather''s house.

    "Did you n the abduction of Lily?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "Of course not, for how many times I want to show my face to you, but your grandpa warned me, but when we learned you were pregnant, everything changed, and I could tell he was so excited to see you even if he doesn''t show it, and your aunt would be so thrilled once she will learn you arrived safely here at Choraz He said.

    "How about the children of my father from his legal wife?" I asked, and his face fell.

    "I tried to look for them because it was your aunt''s idea to look for your father''s children because the Grant estate needed an heir. Unfortunately, you only have one sibling, and your sister died because of some illness after your father''s death, and Frank''s wife followed after her daughter because of too much depression." He said, and I couldn''t stop feeling so sad knowing that I had a sister and didn''t have a chance tomeet and know her. I wish my grandpa had looked for them before something like that happened. It was such painful information.

    "It only means one thing, Madeline, and you are the only heir of your grandfather because your aunt and her husband have no children." He said, and even if I am still hesitant to believe all this, I can''t deny I am so excited to know my father''s family. God gave me a chance to know my father''s ancestry and allowed me to know my grandfather and my father''s sister.

    I can''t deny there is a part of me that wanted to know my father''s life. He may be a stranger to me, but he made sure I would marry the best man in the entire universe, and even if at first I loathed him for making a deal with Hunter Divenson, but now as I looked back, I realized my dad made sure I would have a better future even if I experienced hardships and pains loving my husband. I could say Hunter was all worth it.

    "Can you at least allow me to talk with my husband now?" I asked, and he smiled.

    "Madeline, you need to rx. I promised that you could talk with Hunter, but before that, you need to promise me that you will find time to get to know your grandfather. I am aware of how much you wanted to go home to your husband''s estate. Still, I hope you will stay more days here in Choraz so that you have the chance to get to know Mr. Grant, he is a strict man, and I think that is one of the reasons your dad left, but I could tell beneath his authoritative demeanor, he has a soft heart." Mr. Steve dered.

    "Of course, you save my life today, and I think giving you what you want is only fair," I replied, and his face fell.

    "Are you not excited to meet your grandfather?" He asked, and I let out a soft sigh.

    "I am sorry, Leo, but I suffered so much because of poverty, my dad abandoned my mom and me, and I don''t know how to answer you right now because I find it so unfair knowing he is the richest man in this country, yet I was striving to work hard growing up to help my mom, and I lost my mother because I don''t have the money to send her to the hospital. I know I can''t me my grandpa, but I wished he had helped my father when he needed financial support. I couldn''t imagine he continued to live in luxury while his son and grandchildren were suffering." I said as I stared at his face.

    "I am sorry to say this, but I am doing all this for you. As my way of saying thank you to you for saving my life, but don''t worry, Leo, I am sure my husband willpensate you." I said, and he looked at me in the eyes intently.

    "Maddie, I don''t need money; your grandpa is a generous man, that is why most of the staff stay here in his estate even if he was authoritative. We love and respect him." He responded, and the horses halted, and I realized we had arrivedat the mansion''s entrance.

    He helped me climb out of the carriage, and my eyes got so big as I looked at the splendor of my grandfather''s house up close. It was magnificent, and I wondered why my father chose to leave this ce and live like an ordinary man. But what I saw in front of me didn''t help me lessen my longing to see Hunter, and I realized I missed him more. I felt so empty without my husband.

    "When can I talk with my husband, Leonardo?" I asked again, and this time I couldn''t hide my irritation anymore.

    "Later after dinner, Madeline." He replied, and I can tell he is doing all this so that I willcooperate with him, and I felt guilty because I know I should be thankful to him because this is better than suffering under Kaye''s men. I know dinner is long enough to wait, but I should remain patient. I waited for how many days when I was on the ship, and now I only needed to wait for hours, and then I could talk with my husband.. And I know it would be the longesthours of my entire life.

 Chapter 221 - The Heiress

    Madeline''s POV

    I was shocked to find the chateau staff standing at the entrance of the main house. Leo introduced me to the estate manager, the housekeeper in charge of the female servants, the female and male servants, chefs, drivers, gardeners, and I couldn''t believe my grandfather, who lives in this enormous house, has many servants.

    "Are you ready, Miss Brownwood?" Leo asked me as I continued to stare at the massive pirs of the house as we got inside.

    "I guess I am, " I responded, and I can''t exin how I feel as of the moment, excited to know that atst, I will know my father''s family, and I am excited to see my aunt because even before I can see her, I could tell I will love her.

    The high ceiling living room looked elegant with a long sofa that made me want toy down. I realized my grandfather is more affluent than the Divenson family when I realized I was standing on the Pietra Firma Luxtouch tiles, and I could no longer move my legs as I continued to stare.

    "Yes, my dear, you are standing on the most expensive tiles in the world. And I hope you will believe me now that your grandfather is the richest man in this country." He said and winked at me.

    "It is funny that your grandfather owned the diamond mine here in Neospoli, and your husband also owned a gold miningpany, and even though I am not happy how Hunter''s father treated you, I felt d your husband fought for you." He said, and I couldn''t believe my father walked away from this household when his father was the richest man, but I am sure he has a valid reason. I wish I could talk with him and ask him about his life, and I smiled when I touched my belly, and I realized my child has a bright future and will never grow up like me.

    We climbed in the grand double staircase, and I am just d I have lived in a mansion for years now, or else I will be stunned to watch the splendor of this mansion. The extensive and unending hallways made me think I would get lost in this house. Finally, we stopped in front of arge massive wooden door, and I could tell the doorknob alone would cost a fortune.

    "This is your room, Madeline, and you don''t need to worry about clothes, your aunt already prepared everything for you, when the first time she looked at your picture she cried the entire night and wanted to go to Archois and meet you, but your grandfather was adamant and want some proof, so we don''t have a choice, but to wait for the DNA test result, and of course, there is no doubt you are Frank''s daughter." He dered, and my eyes got so big.

    "I know I should apologize, Madeline, for invading your privacy, but we don''t have any ns on harming you because you are part of this family; we only want to make sure if you were the heir." He said.

    "How did you manage to have my DNA tested?" I asked in disbelief.

    "Money can do wonders, Madeline. I hopeyou know that by now." He said and opened the door for me, and I gaped at therge bedroom before me, from the four-poster bed to the expansive window where I could see the trees, and I could hear the birds chirping.

    "You can see the garden below, and I am sure you are tired from your long journey. Please have a rest, Madeline." Leo said, and I smiled at him.

    "Thank you, Leo, for everything. I don''t know what will happen to me if Kaye''s men bring me to the wicked man who bought me, and I am hoping I am now safe." I said, and he looked at me and smiled.

    "Of course, there is nothing to fear, Ms. Kaye and her family has been taken care of, but one day I would want to watch the reaction on her face once she found out that you are the only heir of your grandfather''s wealth, and I hope Hunter''s father will recover from his illness so he will watch in horror as he realizes the woman he looked down at was the richest woman in Neospoli." He said, and I was stunned.

    "What happened to rk?" I asked.

    "He is in the ICU in Astikoz Doctor''s Hospital as of the moment," Leo replied, and I got so shocked.

    "So, he is not involved with what happened with me; he didn''t coborate with Kaye?" I inquired, and he nodded his head.

    "He is fighting for his life now, Madeline, and I am not sure if he will survive," Leo said, and I suddenly felt a pang on my chest. Even if he doesn''t treat me fairly, I don''t want him to die since he was the father of Lily. I am sure Lily will be devastated that rk will die. Even if he has been a wicked father to Hunter, I know my husband still cares about him because rk was the only father Hunter knew. I hope he will be given another chance to live, so he will learn I am my grandpa''s heir, so rk Divenson will finally ept me as his son''s wife.

    "Your grandfather is wealthier than those people who mistreated you." He said, and until now, I am still in disbelief,and I don''t know when I will ept that what is happening around me now is all real.

    "And I am sorry that you have to undergo hardships in life growing up, but I hope you will let go of the past and forgive your grandfather." He said, and I didn''t know how to answer him.

    "I should take my leave now, Madeline. Take a nap, and I will send someone to fetch you when dinner is ready." He said and walked out of my room after I mumbled my thanks.

    I walked near the window, and the breathtaking view made me smile. It made me feel rxed, and even if I found it so hard to process, I could tell I was having the best time of my life; knowing I am now safe from danger and knowing I am an heiress made me halfughed. Never in my wildest dream did I think I was an heiress, and now it doesn''t matter to me. Still, for my child, I need to embrace who I am so that society will treat and ept my child with respect, but I will make sure my child will value the most important things in life, especially love and rtionship.

    I fell asleep the moment my body hit the plush mattress of the king-sized bed. And I dreamed about my husband, and I woke up when I heard a soft voice calling my name, waking me up from my slumber, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a beautiful middle-aged woman smiling at me.

    "I''m sorry, my dear. I know you''re sleeping soundly, but it is time for dinner, and I couldn''t wait to see you. I am Francine, your aunt." She said, and even if I felt disoriented because I just woke up, I could tell I was starting at the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

    "Hello, aunt Francine, Iam sorry if you see me like this," I replied as I got up from the bed and fixed myself.

    "You don''t need to apologize, my dear, because you still look like an angel even if you just got up from your sleep, and I realize now that your picture does not do you justice because you look more beautiful in person, my dear niece." She said, and her words made me blush, and she continued to stare at my face that made me feel so shy, and I was right; I knew I would like her right away. My instinct was telling me that I could trust her.

    "Are you now ready? Dinner is ready, Madeline." She said, and I nodded my head.

    "I am sorry if it took us so long to take you here in this house. I have been dying to meet you, Madeline. But father still hated your dad for running away from us, but it wasn''t your fault. So, I want to warn you to brace yourself, the father may look so strict, but beneath his authoritarian attitude, I am sure he has a soft heart." My aunt said as she came closer to me.

    Herbeautiful knee-length dress that hugged her body in the right ces made her look younger. I remember when I first arrived in the Divenson mansion when Cal asked me to choose the dress from the closet in my room, and it felt like I was back on that day as I gazed at the expensive dresses in front of me.

    "I hope you will like the dresses that I chose for you, Madeline. I am sorry if I didn''t wait for you, and ask what your preference are in terms of clothes. But I got carried away the moment I learned that Father wanted to see you atst after a long time." My aunt said.

    "Yes, of course, these dresses are adorable and expensive, and I don''t know what to choose." I dered as I got so confused, and I wished Gina was here with me, and I couldn''t wait to talk with her as well.

    "May I do the honor of choosing your dress, Madeline?" She asked, and I smiled at my aunt.

    "It would be great; thank you, aunt Francine," I said, and she looked at me in the eyes.

    "Would it be so hard for you if you would call me, mom, Madeline? I know I am not blessed with a child, and seeing you now made me realize how life could be so cruel to us sometimes. Your father abandoned you while I was trying all my best to conceive." Aunt Francine said, and I could feel the sadness in her voice.

    "I am happy with my rtionship with my husband because he never made me feel I am useless, and for that, I am so grateful, and all I want is to have someone call me, mom. And I want it to be you, Madeline, because you are my niece, and we share the same blood in our veins." She added, and I felt so touched by my aunt''s words that I came closer to her, and I embraced her.. She may be a stranger to me, but I can feel it in my heart that she is my aunt, and I want to take this opportunity to experience how to feel to be a daughter once again.

 Chapter 222 - A Challenge

    Madeline''s POV

    "You need to rx, Madeline. Father will not bite you." I heard my aunt Francine say. I darted a nce at her beautiful face, and I turned my focus on the painting of my aunt on the wall, she was young back then with a young man, and they were wearing their horseback riding attire, and she was holding the reins of the white horse, while the boy was with a ck horse.

    "That was Frank and me." My aunt said while she stopped in her tracks, and I stood beside her while together we gazed at the portrait before us. I realized my father looked so different from my aunt, and thenthe family portrait caught my eyes, my dad was standing next to a woman who looked like him, and I knew right away, she must be my grandmother.My aunt was standing beside a very handsome man, which I supposed was my grandfather. I am not particr about looks because, for me, a person''s character is more important than physical appearance.

    My grandma has a simple beauty, and I can say she was a in-looking womanpared to my grandpa, who has a striking appearance, and he reminds me of Hunter. Ismiled as I realized my grandfather must be like me. I can tell my grandparents don''t match each other if you look at them based on their physical appearance, but I could tell my grandma must be kind-hearted andpassionate. And I can say true love does exist.

    In terms of my grandpa''s looks and physique during his younger years, I could say he was the kind of man that could capture any woman''s heart just by his appearance alone, and knowing he came from a wealthy family, it was a bonus.

    "I know what you are thinking, Madeline, I heard rumors and gossips that our parents were the most mismatched couple in the entire Neospoli country, but I disagree with them. They only looked and judged them bytheir physical appearance alone, but they didn''t realize mom and dad was the most suitable couple in the universe." Aunt Francine dered.

    "It would be so hard to believe that mom is the first and only love of dad, and their love story was the envy of everyone, and it was epic." She said, and I was shocked myself in a good way.

    "Well, I don''t think physical appearance is more important than character; besides, nowadays, there are medical procedures that can enhance the physical appearance of any individual as long as he/she has the money to spend," I replied, and my aunt was nodding her head.

    "Exactly, but you, my dear, looked so beautiful, and I could say you inherited your mother''s physical appearance, or you could have inherited your looks from my father." Aunt Francine dered as she smiled at me, and I blushed.

    "Oh, you are not used topliments, Maddie." She said with a wide smile on her face, and she looked at me with tenderness as she held my hand, and together we walked going to the dining hall, and I was happy to see Leo, and he was already sitting on the long wooden table, and he got up on his feet when he saw using. He greeted my aunt and me with a beautiful smile on his face. And I wonder where my grandfather could be.

    "I regret to inform you, Lady Francine, and Ms. Brownwood that Mr. Grant would not be joining us for dinner." He dered, and I felt d, but I couldn''t deny there was a part of me that felt so disappointed that I couldn''t see my grandpa.

    "Oh, not again, Leo, his granddaughter is here. How could he not join us?" My aunt asked, and I could feel the disappointment in her voice.

    "I am sorry, but he wanted to eat in his room, and I already asked the servants to bring his food." He responded, and my aunt remained silent during the entire dinner while I ate my food heartily because I felt so hungry, and I could tell because of my growing baby inside my tummy.

    "Madeline, I am so sorry. I know this could happen. I thought he was so excited to see you because I could feel it, but it seems he was thinking about your father again." He said, and I smiled at my aunt.

    "It is okay, mom," I said, and she beamed at me, and I felt so delighted that I made my aunt happy just by calling her mom, and I can''t deny I love the sound of it, and it feels so natural to call her mom.

    "Wow, it sounded so wonderful in my ear, Maddie, thank you for making me feel this way, and I couldn''t wait to introduce you to my husband, and I am sure he would love it if you would call him dad as well. I am sorry about what happened to your mom, Madeline. And I know I couldn''t rece her in your heart, but I want to be your mom, and it would be our pleasure if you would treat us as your parents, Madeline." Aunt Francine dered.

    "I know I haven''t given my husband a child, and he didn''tin, but I could tell he would be so excited to have you as our daughter if you will let us. And I know you wanted toe home and be reunited with your husband, but you could ask him toe over, and maybe it would be possible for him to stay with us for a while." She said, and I smiled at her, and I can''t deny I am so excited to tell Hunter everything.

    My aunt sent me to my room after we had our tea, and I was thinking about my grandfather, and I felt a little hurt that he didn''t even wee me into his house. And even if Leo had already told me about my Grandfather''s personality, I still couldn''t stop the pain that I felt in my heart, and he endured not helping my father even if he had all the money in the world. And I could tell he would make my stay in this house harder than I thought.

    I could tell my grandfather was the one who instructed Leo to find me, and it would be impossible for a butler to do things without the consent or order from his employer. And my grandpa doesn''t want to ept the reality that he wanted to see me, and he doesn''t want me to know that he longed to see his granddaughter, and I find it a challenge to win his heart. I know my father hurt my grandpa''s ego, and I want him to forgive my dad for running away from this house, and I know I wanted him to love and ept me before I leave this house.

    I know it would never be easy on my part, but I am sure aunt Francine will be there to help me to be closer with grandpa because I didn''t get the chance to know my birth father, and I hope grandpa will allow me to feel his love and mend his broken heart that my dad has shattered.I am still waiting for Leo toe into my room since he was waiting for my phone to arrive, and I can''t wait to talk with my husband.

    "Ms. Brownwood, are you awake?" I was startled when I heard Leo''s voice on the door, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling excited as I ran towards the door of my room and opened it wider than necessary.

    "Hello, Leo, I thought you would nevere," I said as I felt the rapid beating of my heart.

    "Promise is a promise, Madeline, and I am a man with honor." He said as he beamed at me, and I could feel my hands trembling as he handed me the paper bag.

    "I am sorry, Ms. Brownwood, for it wasn''t delivered on time, but don''t worry, I already reprimanded the in-charge of the delivery.

    "Please,e inside, Leo," I said, and he shook his head.

    "Thank you, Ms. Brownwood, but your grandpa was looking for me, and I need to attend to his needs; besides, I want you to have privacy talking with your husband. I am aware of how much you miss him, and it is better to call your husband now because I am sure they already mourned over your death." He said, and I was shocked.

    "Death? What are you talking about?" I asked.

    "Well, your husband and his family already learned that The Wildflower ship has caught fire, and there were unrecognizable charred bodies, and they thought since they couldn''t find your body that you were among the casualties during the fire." He said, and I felt my entire body turn so cold.

    "No, I am still alive," I said in more than a whisper, and my knees were trembling, and even my hands were shaking as I leaned my back on the wall for support, and I couldn''t imagine the pain I had caused them.

    "Are you alright, Madeline?" Leo asked me, and I could see the concern written all over his face as I shook my head. He moved closer to me, and he took the paper bag from my hand, and he led me back towards the bed, and he let me settle at the edge of the bed while I was trying to control my breathing.

    "Can I ask a favor from you, Leo?" I asked as I looked at his face.

    "Of course, Ms. Brownwood, starting today, you became my employer too; you are the heiress of this estate, and you can ask help from me and to any of the staff of this house, Madeline." He dered, and I weakly smiled at him.

    "Can you dial my husband''s number for me? And tell him I amalive, after knowing that he knew about the fire, I suddenly felt scared to speak with him, knowing I hurt him, and I made their lives miserable." I dered, and he smiled at me.

    "Even if everyone believed that you are dead, I am

    sure your husband and the people who care and love you are still hoping that you are alive, Madeline, but it would be my pleasure to tell him

    you are alive." He responded.

    "Thank you, Leo," I replied.

    "Do you want to speak with your husband tonight, Maddie," He asked?

    "Of course, Leo, I have been dying to hear my husband''s voice, and I can''t wait to speak with him," I said.. He smiled as he picked up the iPhone from the bag,and he askedme to dial my husband''s number, and I couldn''t stop my hands from trembling due to my excitement and the overwhelming happiness that I felt knowing I was about to speak with my loving, and hot husband.

 Chapter 223 - My Sisterâ€™s Comfort

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter! Hunter! You need to wake up!" I heard my sister Lily calling my name, but my head was aching badly, it had been days since the fire, and my world copsed on my shoulders, I stayed in the guest room most of the time, and I didn''t go back to the bar after the night I found Gina drinking her heart out. I asked Cer to bring the bottles of vodka, rum, whisky, and all the type of alcohol she could find on the bar.

    I was drinking alcohol the moment I woke up in the morning, and I skipped my meals. I am aware that my mom was the one who will take care of our business since I could say that I am losing my mind because I still can''t ept that my wife is gone, and there is no way I am going to acknowledge her death unless someone shows me my wife''s dead body.

    At first, I thought I was fine, but on the next day that I woke up, and I couldn''t find my wife, I couldn''t stop myself from crying again until my tears dried up, and every time I think about her, my heart is aching like I am being stabbed with a knife.

    "Go away, Lily," I shouted at my sister, and I didn''t even open my eyes.

    "I gave you enough time, Hunter, and I allow you to cry your heart out, but I will never let you die. I already lost Madeline, and now if you are not going to eat anything, and you will continue drinking alcohol, I am sure you will die ahead of your wife." My little sister dered, and I could tell she was holding her anger at bay, and she was also hoping that my wife was still alive.

    "If you still believe that your wife is alive, then I think you should fight, Hunter. You should find a way to locate her wherever she may be because I am also considering the same thing, and I could never ept that she is gone." She said, and I felt my tears trickle down on my face.

    "Lily, Please leave; I am not ready to talk about my wife, I want to be alone, and it hurts so bad," I said, and I sobbed like a child, and I know I reeked because I didn''t take a bath, and I was drinking on my bed, and I am aware that I spilled a lot of alcohol on my bed covers.

    "Get a grip, Hunter, please, don''t do this; you are hurting me, and not only me, but you are also hurting yourself and mom," Lilyresponded, and I grunted, and I know my sister can be hardheaded sometimes. Whatever I do, she will never listen to me unless I follow her order.

    "I am begging you, Lily, please, for now, leave me alone. I want to remember my wife and our child." I said.

    "Hunter, are you going to give up on finding Madeline? I didn''t expect that you would be this weak. You should be strong and find the courage to face this predicament because we need you, mom is not getting any younger, and I am too young to run our miningpany, and I don''t have any idea about mining, and you know what I want with my life, Hunter." My sister dered as she sat down on the bed beside me, and I felt Lily caress my back, and my shoulders shook because I couldn''t stop myself from weeping again.

    "I only wanted to be a fashion designer, and I want to be famous all over the world. Do you think I can manage the firm when my passion is different from yours? You are good with what you do, big brother. I will let you drink again, but please, Hunter, you need to eat." She begged as she continued to massage my back.

    "I don''thave the appetite to eat, Lily, I don''t know how I am going to face the world again without Madeline by my side, and I want to be alone even for a while," I said in more than a whisper, but my sister didn''t even move.

    "Hunter, I am aware that no words can alleviate the pain that you feel right now, and I want you to know that I am feeling the same way. I am hurting, and I wanted to cry and shout, and I wished to ask why it had to happen to Madeline. She is very young and kind-hearted, and she doesn''t need to experience that kind of tragedy in her life because she had a tough life growing up."My sister said, and I couldn''t disagree with her.

    "One more thing, Hunter, do you think Madeline will be so happy the moment she learns that you are acting this way?Madeline knew you were strong, and your love for her willst forever. And Ithink the best thing you can do is remember all the sweet memories you spent with her. Bring her memories alive, Hunter, and always remember she will always be in your heart, and I am sure Maddie will not be happy wherever she is right now because you are a total mess, Hunter." My sister added, and I suddenly felt guilty, and I turned around, and I opened my eyes to look at my sister.

    "I am so sorry, Lily if I became like this. I know what you said was true. Madeline will not be happy if she sees me this way. I know youare younger than me, yet you act and talk like an adult, and thank you so much forforting me at this moment in my life." I dered, and this time my sister caressed my face.

    "Of course, I will always be here for you, Hunter, and I hope you will get up now and take a shower because, honestly, you stink." My sister dered, and I couldn''t stop myself from chuckling as I slowly got up from my bed and I could feel the excruciating pain on my head, and I realized I needed to take a bath.

    When I finished taking a bath, I towel dried myself, and I wrapped the bath towel around my waist; when I walked back into the room, I was shocked that my sister had gotten rid of the bed cover,forter, including the nket and pillows. Ididn''t realize I was at the bathroom longer than necessary because she had already changed my beddings with new clean ones.

    "Wow! You are amazing, Lily. Thank you so much for making my room clean again." I said after I put on my sweat pants and a in white t-shirt.

    "I got some help; you know I couldn''t do it so fast without any help. By the way, I charge your iPhone because the battery was dead, Hunter." She responded, and I smiled at her.

    "Thank you, Lily," I said.

    "Your wee, big brother. Can we go to the dining room, now?" She asked, and I nodded my head, and we got out of my room and walked towards the dining hall, and I realized it was almost 2:00 p.m. when I looked at the clock on the wall, and it was time for ate lunch, and I know I was starving. I ate in silence while my sister was looking at me the entire time.

    "Are younot going to eat anything?" I asked, and she shook her head while she was smiling at me.

    "It is a bitte now for lunch, Hunter." She said, andI beamed at her.

    And after I ate my remaining food, she handed me a pain reliever and water.

    "Thank you, Lily," I said.

    We sat on the sofa for a while, and I realized I needed to call mom to apologize and talk with her about some of the documents on top of my office table.

    "Lily, I need to make some calls. I need to get my phone." I said.

    "Of course, my mission is done, all I want is for you to eat something, but I didn''t expect I could convince you to take a bath as well." She said, and Iughed.

    "The moment I get inside the guest room, I heard my phone was ringing, and when I looked at my screen, I could tell right away, it was an international call, and I wondered who could that be, and I was trying to analyze the country code, so I will know from what country the calleres from, but my mind is nk, maybe it was because of too much alcohol I consumed for the past few days.

    And when I was about to answer, the call ended, and I sighed as I realized I got so many missed calls. And my phone rang again, and I saw the same number appear on my screen as I realized the same personwas calling me again, and it could be some of my business partners abroad. I cleared my throat before I answered the call.

    "Hello," I answered.

    "Hello, is this Mr. Hunter Divenson?" He asked, and I wondered why he asked me because Cal will only give my calling cards to clients and business partners abroad.

    "Yes, and may I know who is this, please?" I asked in return.

    "I am Leonardo Steve, the butler of the house of Mr. Hector Grant in Neospoli." He said, and my mouth hung open, and I suddenly felt nervous why the butler of the richest man in Neospoli was calling me. I realized maybe he wanted to buy out the Divenson Mining Corporation because Mr. Grant owns the diamond mine in Neospoli, and it was rumored most of his properties are with gold deposits.

    "Mr. Steve, what can I do for you?" I asked.

    "This is with regards to your wife, Madeline Brownwood.." He said, and the moment he mentioned my wife''s name, I suddenly felt so weak. I could feel my heart pounding so hard against my chest since I couldn''t believe he would speak about my wife at this very crucial time of our lives, and why suddenly the richest man in Neospoli wanted to know about my wife?

 Chapter 224 - Tears Of Joy

    Hunter''s POV

    I could feel the pain and sadness in my heart all at once the moment I heard Mr. Steve on the other line was talking about Madeline. I don''t want to be rude now, but there is no way that they will talk about my wife this time, but my curiosity was killing me.

    "With due respect, Mr. Steve, but you are calling me at an unreasonable hour, and I am just wondering why you are talking about my wife? And I am a private person. Howe you have my mobile number?" I asked as I tried to sound calm because I could tell I was not really in the mood to entertain anyone, and the reason I didn''t end the call was that I was curious why he was talking about my wife.

    "Because your wife gave me your number." He said, and my entire body tried so cold, and I realized maybe Madeline met him before she was onboard The Wildflower boat.

    "When? Do you know what happened to my wife?" I asked, and I could feel the trembling of my hands.

    "Yes, I know every single detail that happened to your lovely wife, Mr. Divenson." He dered, and I couldn''t believe what I was hearing.

    "Are you behind all this?" I asked In a stern voice.

    "Of course not, Hunter, you need to rx; Madeline gave me your number thirty minutes ago, but you didn''t pick up your phone." He said, and it felt like my entire world stopped from spinning, and I find it hard to breathe, yet I can feel all the nerves on my bodye alive as I heard him say the words thirty minutes ago.

    "Are you ying games with me, Mr. Steve?" I growled because I couldn''t stop the shaking of my entire body, and I wanted to scream.

    "No, Mr. Divenson, we save your wife, and Madeline is alive, and she is here at the mansion of Mr. Hector Grant. We saved her from harm." He said, and I was speechless, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying as I got down on my knees, and I was crying like a child.

    "Are you pranking me, Mr. Steve?" I asked in more than a whisper while my tears continued to fall.

    "No, and why should I do that to someone like you? You are a good man, Mr. Divenson, and I know what you have been through, Madeline is here with me right now, and she was dying to speak with you, Hunter." He said, and my mouth hung open as I waited to hear her voice.

    "Hello, Hunter?" The moment I heard my wife''s voice, I wanted to be there with her right away, and I don''t know if I am dreaming right now, but everything seemed real to me.

    "Madeline? Please tell me you are real, and I am not dreaming about you again." I said, and it felt like my life suddenly had meaning.

    "No, you are not dreaming, my love, " She said, and I could tell she was crying on the other line, and my heart swelled with overwhelming happiness. Then the call ended, and I felt so frustrated that I tried to call her back immediately, but her line was busy. Then I smiled when I saw she was calling now via FaceTime, and I felt so excited to see her lovely face. When I epted the call, I was just d my sister was bugging me to take a bath, or else I would look like a mess right now. I wanted to impress my wife, and I wanted to look handsome in her eyes.

    When I saw Madeline''s beautiful face, I couldn''t stop myself from crying hard again, and she was crying too.

    "Hunter, I am so sorry, I know I should, " I didn''t allow her to finish her sentence because it was all nothing. What is essential right now is she is alive.

    "Madeline, I love you so much, and I miss you like crazy. I couldn''t wait to see you in person, and I am going there right now." I said, and I could hear Maddie''s sweetughter even if she were weeping.

    "Hey, I love you too, but you need to calm down, Hunter. I miss you so much, and there is nothing I want to do right now but to be with you, there are many things that I wanted to tell you, but I know you can''t be here with me right away. I am in a good ce, Hunter, and I am safe." She said, and I let out a sigh of relief as I stared at her lovely face, and I couldn''t stop myself from looking at her lips, and God knows how much I miss her, and I wanted to hug and kiss Madeline right now.

    "I want you to turn over everything to mom, Hunter, and be here with me right away. I want you to stay here with me for a month." She dered, and I was shocked why she wanted me to stay at Neospoli for a month.

    "What? But why, my sweet?" I asked.

    "Because I just found out I am the only grandchild of Hector Grant," Madeline said, and I sat down on the floor as I tried to process what she had said, and I fell silent for a long time.

    "Hunter, my love, are you okay, dear?" She asked, and I cleared my throat before I spoke again.

    "Yeah, I am just stunned by what I heard, Maddie; how could that be?" I asked.

    "I know it is a lot to process. Until now, I still couldn''t believe that my father is his only son." She said, and when she turned the camera, I knew she wanted me to see her room, and I smiled as I realized my wife was now living like a princess, but I knew what my wife had been through, and I couldn''t wait to hear everything that happened after she rescued my sister.

    I don''t think my wife was pranking me because Madeline will never do something like that, and I cried again as I realized my wife was wealthier than me, and I felt so ashamed of what I had done to her, I made her life miserable, and I bought her from her aunt. And if I only knew from the very start she was the granddaughter of the wealthiest man in Neospoli, Maddie would never have a hard life, and my father would not make her stay in our mansion hard and miserable. Our society will ept her without questions.

    "Wow, it feels like I am no longer worthy of you, Madeline." I suddenly said, and I am so afraid if her grandfather will take Maddieaway from me.

    "Hey, don''t ever say that Hunter, you epted me

    knowing I am nothing, and you gave me everything that I needed to survive, and I felt so grateful that you love me unconditionally, and you know that you are the only man I love and adore, and I am waiting for you; toe, my love." She said, and my overwhelming happiness enveloped my heart, and I couldn''t believe that Frank was Hector Grant''s son. How could he choose to be our family driver when his father is one of the wealthiest men in the entire world.

    "I wille to you the soonest possible time, my sweet Madeline, and you don''t know how happy I am right now. I thought you were among the casualties during the fire, but I didn''t give in to that thought because deep inside my heart, I still believe that you are still alive." I said while I stood up because I couldn''t wait for my entire family to know that my wife was still alive, and my tears fell on my cheeks once again as I walked through the hallways.

    "I am going to let them know you are alive, Maddie because right now they are talking about giving you a proper burial. I know even if they don''t talk to me about it because they are so worried about me." I said, and sheughed, but I could tell she was sad at the same time.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I didn''t want you all to worry about me, I wanted toe to you, but I failed." She said as I continued to walk towards the stairs while I was still watching her face, and for how many times I almost stumbled. After all, I was not looking where I was going because I was so afraid if I stopped watching her, she would be gone.

    "Thank you so much for saving, Lily, Madeline," I said as I tried to contain my tears of joy.

    "I told them unless I will see your dead body, that is the only time I will ept your death, even if it takes forever, I will be waiting here for you toe home to me," I added, and I heard her softughter that warms my heart.

    "Of course, I can''t be dead, Hunter, I need to deliver and watch our child grow, and I promised to grow old with you, remember?" She asked, and I am smiling like an idiot now. I turned the camera towards the living room, and I could tell they were talking about me and stopped when they sense my presence, and they were all silent, and I hid my phone on my back, and I am d Madeline stopped talking, and I know she was listening and excited to see them all.

    "Are you okay, Hunter? It feels like you are not fine. You looked so pale." Lily said as she got up from the sofa.

    "I am fine, Lily. In fact, I became the happiest person in the universe, " I said, and her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hands when I brought the phone closer to her face, and she was crying hard.

    "Madeline! You are alive!" She eximed, and the rest of them came closer to us, and Gina became hysterical, and I know my wife needs to control her emotions too because it is not suitable for her if she cried too much, it would not be ideal for our baby. And I smiled as I realized she still looked sexy even if some changes were noticeable.

    "Hey, please, stop crying. I don''t want my wife to keep on crying."I asked them, and I felt so d they tried to control their emotions, and when I looked on the corner, I saw Charlotte sitting there quietly, and she was looking into space, and I know she can''t show her real emotions as of the moment. She needed to face my wife in person and apologize to Madeline. Besides, I don''t want my wife to feel worried that my once wicked sister was here. I want to tell Madeline everything in person, and I wonder what their reactions would be once they find out my wife is filthy rich, more affluent than our family.

    And I couldn''t be happier as I watched them talk with Madeline one by one, and I know my mom was trying her best not to cry, but Gina couldn''t control herself, and I know my wife was crying again the moment she talked with her best friend, but I know it was all tears of joy.. And I am so excited to be there with my wife and kiss her until her enticing lips get swollen.

 Chapter 225 - Best Medicine

    Megan''s POV

    The moment I heard my husband''s voice, I felt my tears trickle down on my face, and it felt like a dream, and I wanted to be with him right away as I imagined thefort of his arms. And I can''t wait to see Hunter, and that is why I ended the call, and I tried calling him back via FaceTime.

    And when I saw his face, I knew right away that he didn''t have enough sleep, and even if he looked haggard because of his dishevelled hair and the eye bags on his eyes, my husband still looked handsome, and his hotness was still there that I could feel the butterflies on my stomach right away, and I realized how much I missed him.

    My husband was crying, and I could feel that he was so happy right now that he learned I was still alive. And when he told me he loved me, I felt like I was on cloud nine, and it feels terrific that until now we still feel the same way towards each other, and I want to be in his arms once again, and I can''t help myself but gape at my husband''s face.

    I can tell that Hunter was not in our room, and I think he was staying in one of the guest rooms. I felt guilty as I realized he couldn''t sleep in our bed because he missed me so much, and he thought I had died. And I remember the time when I was the one who was in deep pain because of what happened to him during the explosion at the mining site, and I wonder why we both need to experience such kind of pain.

    I know we had to experience deep sorrow sometimes to make us strong, but what happened to my husband and me was unbearable. I could feel Hunter''s excitement when he told me that he was going to tell everyone that I was alive. I could tell that my husband got out from the room he currently upied and walked through the hallways, and I imagined I was there with my only love and I was walking with him.

    I saw the grand staircase, and I couldn''t hold my tears once more when I saw his mom, Lily, Gina, and Cer. They looked so happy as they all looked at me on the screen, and I could see that they were all in tears, and I realized there were a lot of people who cared about me, and I wondered why Calixto was not with them, I can''t wait to talk with him as well.

    "Madeline, I am so sorry. You suffered because of me." Lily said after my husband gave her his phone so I could speak with her, and I wanted to talk to all of them.

    "Hey, stop ming yourself. I am now fine, and you don''t have to worry about me because if you know where I am right now, you will realize I am the lucky one. I can''t deny that I had suffered enough, but it was all worth it. And I am sorry that I let you worry about me. What is important for me is to know you are safe. Please always be safe, Lily, becauseI don''t know how to deal with it if something happens to you, now that we are miles apart." I said, and I tried to wipe my tears away. I am just d that Leo gave me a facial tissue box before he left me in my room.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for saving me, for being my friend and my sister at the same time. I couldn''t believe that you would offer yourself in exchange for my safety." She said, and I smiled at Lily, and I am so d she is safe.

    "Don''t worry, Maddie, after what happened, I became more careful, and I realized I couldn''t trust anyone. I should never believe right away, and I felt sad that people wanted to harm other people for their own gain. And I am so thankful that my brother has a wife as selfless as you. You are an angel, Madeline." She said, and her words made me cry harder.

    "Please, don''t let my wife cry, no crying, please, it could harm our baby." I heard Hunter''s voice in the background, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing, and when Lily gave the phone to Gina, I saw Charlotte. I couldn''t help myself from feeling curious, but it was not the time right to ask about it, and I am not sure if it was her; maybe I was only hallucinating, and I couldn''t stop my heart from feeling so worried because she has nothing good to offer. She hasn''t done any good towards her family, but I could tell she was deep in her thoughts, and I realized if it was Hunter''s wicked sister, maybe she was so affected by what happened to her father.

    I already knew everything that happened to rk, and I felt d he was now safe. Even if he mistreated me, I was still hoping he would be given another chance to repent his sins and show his love to Hunter.Gina was hysterical when she saw me, and I can feel the anguish that my best friend felt; becauseshe is more than my best friend, and she is the one I can call my only family because she has always been there for me. Like Lily, my best friend apologized that she allowed me to go to The Wildflower ship alone. She med herself that I was suffering.

    "Gina, there is nothing to apologize for, it was my choice to save Lily, and I did it on my own ord, and I am now fine, so please stop ming yourself. If you continue to me yourself, and you will not stop crying. I will note back, and I will stay here forever." I said, and I stifled augh when I saw Gina was trying to contain her tears but failed miserably, and Lily was hugging Gina now, and I couldn''t be happier that I touched their faces on the screen.

    "Don''t ever do that, Madeline; even if I don''t have enough money, I will go there in Neospoli. I don''t care if nothing is left with my savings." Gina replied, and I smiled at my best friend. How could she do that? She saved that money all her life, but I know she spent almost all her savings on her mom; that is why I offered her my help.

    "Don''t worry, after my husbandes here, I will ask him to bring you all here," I replied, and her eyes widened.

    "What is that supposed to mean? Don''t you want to go back here?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "But why?" She asked, and I could see the sadness written all over Gina''s face; even Lily''s face fell.

    "How could you do that to us, Madeline?" Gina asked again, and I sweetly smiled at her.

    "Hunter will exin everything to you. I will call you tomorrow, but for now, please give the phone back to my husband, Gina, and I hope you understand how much I miss Hunter." I dered, and I heard my husband chuckle, and they allughed, and I felt so d that they cared about me.

    "Of course, Madeline, I just want you to know, I felt so happy knowing that you are still alive, and I can''t wait to see you. I love you, Bestie." She said.

    "I love you, too, Gina," I replied, and she gave back the phone to my husband, and I could tell he was moving away from them.

    "So, my wife missed me, huh?" He asked, and now I could see his entire face smiling at me, and his mesmerizing eyes made my knees feel so weak. I nodded as I realized how my husband affects my well-being even if he is so far away from me, and I know his voice alone can make me have goosebumps all over my skin.

    "Yes, I do." I said, and I giggled.

    Hunter wanted to speak with me more, and this time I saw our bedroom, and I smiled. I didn''t ask him why he was there in the guestroom because I didn''t want my husband to feel guilty. It was so funny because every time we said goodbye to each other, we ended up talking with each other more until Hunter realized our time difference.

    "I love you, Madeline. I don''t want to say goodbye to you even for a while because I can''t stop myself from worrying about you." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "I love you more, Hunter. Please be careful always for me, and don''t forget to take good care of yourself, don''t worry about me and our baby. We are both fine. Aunt Francine told me she would call a doctor to check on me tomorrow, so you don''t need to worry about anything. I am waiting for you here." I said.

    "Don''t worry, Maddie, I will be there." He said, and myhusband ended the call after we said goodbye to each other and promised he would call me again tomorrow morning, and he didn''t care what time it was over there in Archois city.

    I couldn''t stop myself from smiling even if the call had ended, and I went to my bed. This time I knew I would have a nice sleep because I can''t deny my husband is my best medicine. I didn''t tell Hunter that I hadn''t met my grandfather yet because I didn''t want him to worry about me besides my aunt was here. I knew she would protect me, and even if I had an idea that my grandpa was strict and authoritarian, I could tell his heart would melt the moment I gave birth to my child, and I am not afraid to face him because I am rted to him by blood.

    I wanted to know my grandfather no matter what kind of personality he had because I thought I would never have the chance to know my rtives on my father''s side.. I felt so grateful that I met my loving aunt Francine, and I am sure tomorrow I have to face my grandfather; and I can''t wait to meet him, but of course, I am more excited to see and be reunited with my husband.

 Chapter 226 - Undying Devotion

    Hunter''s POV

    I don''t want to put down the phone, but I know my wife needs to sleep because it is alreadyte in the evening in Neospoli. If Madeline is not pregnant, I will talk with her until morning, and I don''t care if I don''t have a sleep because I miss her so much. And I know that I miss everything about my wife, especially the way she smiles,ughs, walks, talks, and most of all, I miss the way she kisses and hugs me.

    I felt so happy and excited to join my family and friends in the living room again after talking with my wife for more than two hours. I felt like I was flying in the clouds, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling from ear to ear, and I was humming as I walked through the hallways, and when I reached the stairs, I did a hrious thing, and I could see the shocked on their faces.

    They are all looking at me with stunned expressions because this is the first time I have done something like this. I am always serious with everything, and they couldn''t believe I would be singing a song while I slid on the railings of the stairs, and I wasughing so hard when I reached the bottom of the stairs, and they alsoughed at me, and my mom wasughing so hard while I can see her wiping her tears at the same time.It feels so exhrating, and now that I know my wife is alive, I could see the beauty of our house once again, and it feels like everything is shining, and I couldn''t exin the excitement and overwhelming happiness that I felt.

    "Who wants to have ice cream?" I asked them, and they all raised their hands. And I could tell they are all looking at me with wonder, and I can say they are all wearing the same expressions on their faces that I can describe with just one word, and that is happiness.I asked them toe with me to the dining room, and I helped Cer prepare the ice cream. And I could tell they were all watching my every move that I became conscious, but nothing could stop me from doing this because I felt so happy that Madeline was safe, and I asked them to join me in the kitchen to tell them the good news while eating ice cream.

    I can''t wait to tell them my wife''s real identity that until now I am still unable to believe. And I know they will be so thrilled to know that Madeline is the heiress of the Grant family.

    "Hunter, son, I am so delighted to see you this happy, and I couldn''t be happier knowing Madeline is alive, and I could say we should celebrate, and I couldn''t wait to see her." My mother said, and I could see how happy she was.

    "Yeah, I couldn''t wait to see Maddie again. Can we go to your vi once Madeline gets back?" Lily asked, and she was looking at me with her puppy eyes.

    "I am afraid we can''t," I replied, and she quickly pouted her lips, and I couldn''t stop myself froughing because even if Lily is now a youngdy, she still looked so adorable every time she frowned.

    "But why not?" Lily asked again, and I know my sister''s personality even if she looked so mature with her age growing up. I couldn''t deny she is so sweet; that is why I can''t say no to her every time she asks something from me.

    "Because after I will go to Neospoli, I will go back here, and then we will return to the mansion where Madeline is staying in Choraz," I said, and they all looked at me with curiosity.

    "Are you telling me that Madeline doesn''t want to go back here in Archois? Are Madeline and the baby, okay, Hunter?" My mom asked, and I could see the concern on her face, and I smiled at my mom.

    "Don''t worry, mom, they are both fine," I said, and I looked at all of them, and I realized Charlotte was not with us. I suddenly felt worried about my sister, and I could tell she felt so guilty about what happened with Madeline. I was only hoping that my sister has nothing to do about what happened to my wifebecause even if I have already forgiven her for what Charlotte had done before, I think this time if Charlotte is one of the people behind the kidnapping incident of Lily and ckmailing Madeline so that she will rescue my sister. I couldn''t forgive Charlotte even if she were my sister. Because she almost harmed our little sister, too, she could have killed my wife and child during the fire in the boat.

    And I am just d that someone or there are people who helped my wife escape during the fire, and I couldn''t wait to know the full details on how my wife''s journey at sea. I know she had a tough time, and I hope everything will be fine tomorrow since she will have her pre-natal.

    "And why does Madeline wants to stay in Choraz? Why can''t shee home with you?" My mom asked, and I smiled at her.

    "Well, because of the good news that I am going to share with you," I said, and they focused their eyes on me once again.

    "What kind of good news, son? What is there to know? Could you tell us right away because the suspense is killing me?" My mom asked, and they all seconded.

    "Madeline is the granddaughter of Hector Grant, the richest man in the Neospoli country, who owns the diamond miningpany in Neospoli, and he has many morepanies," I said. Like what I had imagined, they became speechless at once, and when they all recovered from their shock, they talked with each other at the same time.

    "And it means Maddie is the heiress of Hector''s Grant''s empire, and that is the reason why she can''te home yet since her family on her father''s side wanted to know her more," I said, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Wow! That is amazing, Hunter, I am so happy for Madeline, and I couldn''t believe she is an heiress after all. Who could have thought that Frank came from an affluent family." My mom said,and I nodded my head.

    "Yeah, I feel the same way, mom. I am so happy and excited to see her. Can I leave tomorrow, mom? I can''t wait to be with her." I said, and my mother smiled as she nodded her head, and I wanted to jump on my feet.

    "No need to worry, son. I will ask Calixto to go back to work as soon as possible so that I can have him as my assistant." My mom said, and I couldn''t be happier, and my smile broadened when I saw Gina was crying with happiness. And how I wish, as of this very moment, my wife is with us so she can see how happy we are to know that she is alive, and we became more pleased when we knew she got the chance to know about her family on her father side.

    We continued to talk, and I asked them to help me surprise my wife since I couldn''t think of anything that would make her dayplete. My mom advised me to order a bouquet online so my wife could receive the flowers as early as tomorrow morning. And I couldn''t help myself from smiling when Lily suggested I should write a love letter for my wife, and I realized my little sister

    was correct since there isnothing that can beat the old fashion way of expressing one''s love.

    After eating dinner, I excused myself since I couldn''t wait to write my love letter to my wife, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when my little sister gave me a scented stationery paper. And feltso excited because tomorrow I could be with Madeline again, which is why I wanted to surprise my wife, but my anxiousness was killing me. As I write every word, I can feel my undying devotion for Madeline and how I wish my wife would realize how much I love her through my words and actions.

    After I had done writing my love letter I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so excited about my trip tomorrow, and as I prepared my things I called Calixto, and when his phone rang I pressed the loudspeaker so I could still talk with him even if I were packing my things.

    "Hello, Mr. Divenson!" Cal answered on the other line, and I could tell he felt so nervous

    "Cal, I am sorry," I said.

    "No, Hunter, I should be the one who will apologize to you. I know I was only trying to protect you that time from hurting yourself, but knowing you be so miserable, I wish I did the opposite since I can''t stop myself fromhaving what ifs." Cal said, and I smiled.

    "You don''t need to feel guilty, Cal, because everything is fine now, my wife is alive, and I hope you have already forgiven me, and I just want to say thank you for always being there for me, and I know I was being immature, and I hope you will still work for me," I said. He became speechless on the other line for a long while after he learned my wife is still alive, and I narrated everything to Cal.

    "Wow, it was expected. You don''t need to worry about me, Hunter. I understand why you acted that way. I know how much you love your wife, and I can''t me you for having that kind of reaction, and right now, I felt so happy that Madeline is safe." He responded.

    "Me too, Cal." I started.

    "I have always known that Madeline is special." Cal dered, and I smiled at him.

    "Yes, indeed," I replied, and we talked some more before I ended the call. I felt so d that things between Cal and me our now okay. Cal is my best friend, and he is like a father to me, and there is no way I will leave the country without telling him everything.. I was smiling from ear to ear as Iy on my bed, and God knows how much I wanted to pull the time so I could be with her, and I couldn''t wait to be with Madeline.

 Chapter 227 - The Beast

    Madeline''s POV

    I woke up early because I had a beautiful sleep after I talked with my husband. And I know that talking with Hunter makes me feel alive, happy, and inspired. And of course, I don''t feel worried about meeting my grandfather, and I don''t know his deal, but I could tell he is a father who lost his son when my father ran away from his home. And I could tell that he will be more upset if he sees me because he will be reminded of my father and, of course, his shorings.

    I had already finished taking a bath, and I was wearing a beautiful dress from the closet, and I could tell that my aunt Francine had a taste. Of course, she is the daughter of the wealthiest man in this country, and I could tell she is used to having signature clothes, bags, shoes, and many more. I was standing near the window watching the birds flying in the air, and when I looked below, I could see the extensive garden and the greenwns that sprawled all around the estate, and I can''t deny I fell in love with Grant''s castle.

    And I smiled as I realized my great-grandfather was a helpless romantic because he built this house for his wife, and I could tell my great-grandma is such a lucky woman for being his wife, and I wonder what kind of love story they had. I looked at my phone, and I felt disappointed that I didn''t have a message from my husband, but I could tell it was still early in the morning in Archois City, and I knew they were all sleeping at this hour.

    I was surprised to hear a soft knocking on my door, and I was smiling as I opened the door, and I couldn''t be happier when I found my aunt with a bouquet in her hands, and when she handed me the flowers, I was lost for words.

    "Thank you, aunt Francine. I mean, mom, how did you know I like flowers?" I asked, and she beamed at me, and I almost forgot she wanted me to call her mom."

    I am sorry, my dear, I don''t know yet that you love flowers, and I think you should read the card first, Madeline." She said as she walked with me going inside my room, and I realized she looked so beautiful whichever angle I looked at her. And my eyes watered when I read the card, and I realized it came from my loving husband.

    "Oh, I couldn''t believe Hunter will send me flowers even if we are miles away from each other," Imented, and I felt so happy and touched that Hunter sent his love for me through this bouquet, and I was smiling from ear to ear whilemy aunt was giggling.

    "You have a loving and handsome husband, Madeline, and I couldn''t wait to see him in person." She said with a beautiful smile on her face, and I couldn''t stop myself from blushing, and I realized how much I miss Hunter.

    "I saw him multiple times on television, and don''t tell father about this, that he sent some of his men to help when your husband got trapped inside the mining site." She dered, and I was stunned.

    "He did?" I asked in disbelief.

    "Yeah, even if they said that he is cold-hearted, they didn''t know he could be as sweet as honey. Maybe he looked so strict, but I know my father has a soft spot. And I hope he will be joining us with breakfast." My aunt replied.

    "Wow, I felt so d grandpa was among the people who helped my husband; that was the most horrifying incident that ever happened to us; I thought I am going to lose my husband that day, and I thank God for giving us another opportunity to be together because the time he was trapped in the mining site was the moment I have learned about my pregnancy, and I felt so worried about losing him." I dered.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, I wasn''t there to help you and give youfort, and don''t worry, starting today, I will be here for you, and you can ask me anything you want, and if you need my help, don''t hesitate to ask me, Madeline. Because I have been dying to do this ever since I have learned about you, and I am so happy that I met you, Maddie." My aunt responded as she walked closer to me.

    Aunt Francine hugged me, and I could smell her expensive perfume, and I smiled as I realized I needed to be used to having her in my life because I wanted to be her daughter. And I felt so thrilled to tell Hunter everything, and I couldn''t stop myself from imagining that I was in Hunter''s arms.

    "Do you want to have a tour in the cityter, Maddie?" My aunt asked.

    "Of course, mom, I can''t wait to see the beauty of Choraz. I replied as I nodded at my aunt, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so excited about it, and when she looked at me in the eyes, I suddenly felt worried.

    "I know it would be impossible to ask you, Madeline, but I am hoping you will reconsider my request; father is already old, but don''t tell that on his face because he will never ept that. And since you are the only heir, I want to ask you if you can be here with us. Maybe you can convince your husband to work here; besides, he has siblings, right?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "He has three siblings," I responded.

    "I see, that would be great, and since everything he worked for will be for your children in the future, so I think he will agree to you, Maddie." She said, and I couldn''t stop smiling. After all, I wanted to be here because I felt safe here in Neospoli. And I wish Hunter would think about it because I also want to be with my aunt and grandpa, and I will ask Gina to stay with us, and maybe she will meet someone here and fall in love.

    "Well, based on the expressions on your face, I could tell you''re excited about what I have said. And I felt so happy that you wanted to be with us, Madeline, I have been waiting for this moment to be with you, and now that you are here with us, I will do everything I can to convince you to stay with us." She said.

    "Yes, I want to stay here and to be with you. I grew up thinking I was an orphan and had no family that I could call my own. The only family is my aunt, who sold me to Hunter, but she only did what was best for me at that time. I felt d she did it because if she didn''t ept Hunter''s offer, I would never get the chance to know Hunter Divenson, and I would never know what love is. And I care about her so much, and I am d she had now afortable life." I said as I remembered my mom''s sister, and even if she sold me, I would always be grateful to her. I visited her every chance I could get,and I felt at ease knowing she was doing great.

    "Are you ready to eat your breakfast with your grandfather?" She asked, and I nodded my head. After all, I don''t want my aunt to know I am feeling nervous because I could tell Hector Grant is not an ordinary man.

    My aunt offered her hand to me, and I took it. And we walk hand-in-hand going to the grand stairs. And I could feel the pounding of my heart against my chest as we got closer to the dining hall. I could tell this house was so big since it took us a while before we reached the dining room, and when we got inside, I could see Leo was talking with my grandfather, and I realized grandpa was handsome, and he looked younger than his age.

    "Good morning, father!" My aunt greeted him, and she walked closer to him and kissed his cheek.

    "Good morning, Francine." He said, and when I heard his voice, I couldn''t control my legs from trembling and hated myself; why do I need to feel this way towards my grandpa.

    "Dad, I want you to meet your lovely granddaughter, Madeline, Maddie; this is your handsome grandpa, Hector Grant." She said, and since I didn''t know what to do, I bowed down my head, and I bent my knees as I said good morning to him.

    "I am not a king, so don''t greet me in that manner, Ms. Brownwood. You should greet me properly, and I want to remind you that even if you are staying in my house, it doesn''t mean I ept you already to be my granddaughter even if you pass the DNA test, you still need to earn my trust, and prove your worth." He said, and I looked at him horrified.

    "Really? Are you telling me that now? Well, Mr. Grant, I thank you for saving my life from the wicked men who wanted to hurt me and for giving me shelter. Still, I don''t need your recognition to be your granddaughter if you will only treat me this way because I have lived my life as an orphan for a long time that I forgot how to feel to have a family." I said with a trembling voice.

    "In short, I don''t care if you will recognize me as your granddaughter or not because the moment my husband wille to see me, I will go home with him. And I will consider meeting you was just a dream and no wonder why my father left this ce. And please excuse me, I don''t feel hungry." I said, and I could see the hurt on his face, but he deserved that, and I turned my heels away from them while I kept my tears at bay. I am tired of being hurt by the people around me, so I couldn''t believe my own family would do the same.

    I mmed the door after I got inside my room, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying, I have been longing to meet my grandfather even if I know he was a strict man, but I never expected him to be that harsh.. All my life, I wanted to know my father''s family, and when I met aunt Francine I realized I wanted to stay here, but after meeting my grandfather, there was nothing I wanted to do but get out of this castle, and I realized Hector Grant is a beast.

 Chapter 228 - Missing My Husband

    Madeline''s POV

    The incident with my grandfather wanted me to run away from his castle. Before I wonder why my father left this gigantic house, knowing someday, he will be Hector Grant''s sessor. And now, I could tell maybe it was because of my grandfather''s domineering attitude andck of fatherly love.

    I walked out towards my room in a hurry, and I never slowed down until I reached my room because I could still feel the shaking of my limbs. I got inside my room, and I couldn''t stop myself from mming the door. I am now on the balcony thinking about my family in Archois, especially my husband. As I thought about Hunter and his love for me, I calmed down a bit, and I couldn''t stop myself from dialing his number even if I knew he was still sleeping over there.

    "Hello, Madeline, are you okay?" I heard his groggy voice enough to make me cry hard because I realized how much I missed him.

    "Hey, my love, why are you crying? Are you okay?" He asked again, and I tried tough in between my sobs.

    "Yes, I am sorry if I was calling you at this hour. I can''t stop myself from missing you." I said, and he released a sigh of relief.

    "You scared me, Madeline, and I am so d you are fine. I miss you too, my love. If I could only be there with you right now, I already did it in a heartbeat." He replied.

    "I know I am calling you in the middle of your sleep. I want to know if you are going toe here and get me," I said as I touched my stomach; and I could now feel a bump, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Of course, Madeline, to tell you the truth, I couldn''t sleep at all because I was thinking about you the entire night and all the things I am going to do with you. I want to be there to touch, kiss, hug,ugh, and talk with you, then I will whisper sweet nothings in your ear and make love with you." He said, and I felt so thrilled, and I could feel the knots on my stomach.

    "I will be there the soonest possible time, actually I wanted to be with you right away, but there is something I wanted to tell you, Madeline." He added, and I suddenly felt nervous because I could tell my husband''s voice suddenly changed.

    "What is it, Hunter? You are scaring me," I said.

    "There is nothing to be nervous about, Maddie. It is about my dad. He is in the hospital right now, and after what happened to you, I haven''t visited him in the hospital, and I felt guilty. I know I med him for what happened to you, and I felt guilty when I realized it wasn''t him. I thought he was the one behind your kidnapping incident. I found out he wasn''t involved when I learned he had a heart attack on the day you went to Zambo; he was already in the ICU." Hunter dered.

    "I wanted to visit him first and assist his situation, and I needed to speak with his doctors. I know mom is hiding her true emotions, and I couldn''t even believe that she is still able to work on my behalf after everything that happened, and I know she was only trying to cover up her worries about my dad''s condition." Hunter added.

    "Hunter, I understand. And you don''t have to worry about me. I am fine. Help your mom first, and maybe Cal can help her in running thepany; for the time being, I know you have trained him." I said.

    "No, my love, it was the opposite. Cal was the one who trained and taught me a lot of things, not only with work-rted concerns but even my personal life, especially my love life." Hunter said, and I couldn''t stop myself from blushing because I knew what he meant, and I couldn''t deny Cal was one of the reasons why we are still together. He helped us in so many ways, such as how to be patient with each other. He kept on reminding us that our love for each other will withstand the test of time, and it will make us stronger.

    I can tell my husband was sorry and sad about what happened with his dad. I have known that Hunter still had respect for his father, even if for how many times rk Divenson tried to hurt me and for how many times he shattered Hunter''s heart.

    "Stay with your Dad, Hunter. I know you care about him so much, even if he tried to hurt us so many times. I will be here waiting for you." I said, and even if I wanted to tell him about my grandfather, I didn''t want him to worry about me.

    "Your father has nothing to do with what happened to Lily and me, I thought he was the mastermind, but when I was onboard in The Wildflower, I knew it wasn''t him at all. It was Kaye who tried to hurt me, and my grandfather''s butler confirmed it with me that it wasn''t your father, but it was Kaye." I dered, and there was a pause on the other line, and I could tell right away my husband was punching our bed.

    "I am going to kill her, Maddie, I swear!" He said, and Iughed.

    "I know you can''t do that, Hunter. You are too good and too handsome to do that." I said, and heughed.

    "Let us not go down to her level, my love," I added.

    "Of course, I know. I only said those words because of my anger towards Kaye. I almost lost you because of her greedy intention. How can Kaye be so selfish?" Hunter asked, and he released a heavy sigh.

    "You are such an angel, Madeline, and I wish Kaye would realize the reason I can''t fall in love with her. She thought she had everything life could offer, but she was wrong. Sheckspassion and doesn''t know the real meaning of love, and she is incapable of loving. And I felt so lucky to have you in my life, my sweet Madeline." He added, and I smiled as I imagined my husband''s handsome face.

    "Thank you for your love, Madeline." He continued, and I smiled.

    "Loving you is my favorite, in all the things that I wanted to do in this world, Hunter," I said.

    "Your words alone could make me so alive, Madeline, and I just want you to know, you are my life and my everything." My husband said.

    "I know, my love," I said, and we said goodbye to each other, and I could say I felt better after talking with my husband.

    I was looking at the garden where I could see the gardeners busy tending with the flowers, and I couldn''t help but smile as I appreciated the view before me. I wonder if my grandfather would admire the colorful blooming flowers all over the garden, I could see roses and daisies and many more, and I know it was such a waste to have such a lovely garden, and you don''t have time to appreciate them.

    I was so engrossed gazing at the garden without knowing I''d gotpany. And I felt guilty as I watched my aunt with a sad and worried expression on her lovely face. I left the dining room without having a second look.

    "I am sorry, mom; I know what I did was horrible. I know I made a big mistake." I dered, and I saw she shook her head.

    "Don''t be silly, Maddie. We all know it wasn''t your fault. I should apologize for my father''s behavior, and thanks to your walkout episode, he was shocked at first, and then he did the most unexpected thing, he wasughing hysterically. He couldn''t believe you were a feisty one. And he cried afterughing so hard because you remind him so much about mom." Aunt Francine said, and I am so curious to know about my grandma.

    "Dad said, even if you don''t look like mom because for dad you''ve inherited his looks, and you got your attitude from mom. You are a strong independent woman, Madeline. And I hope you will give your grandpa a chance to know you." She added as she looked at me in the eyes, and I became speechless for a long while.

    "I know how much you miss your husband, and I could tell you will leave this ce the moment Hunter will take you home after what dad did to you. But I am asking you to give him another chance, Madeline. You have to believe me that my father is not what he seemed. He was a loving father behind his cocky attitude." My aunt added.

    "I amsorry, mom, I know I should hold my anger, but I never expected him to greet me in that way. I am his long-lost granddaughter, he must be happy to see me, but the way he weed me was the opposite. I was so excited to meet him, but I was disappointed by the way he treated me." I replied

    "I grew up without my dad and didn''t have the chance to know or even see him before he died, and I was hoping I could find fatherly love in grandpa, but I was wrong. He hated me before he got the chance to know me." I added, and I could see the anxiousness on my aunt''s face.

    "Madeline, I know it would be too much to ask, but I know you are an understanding and kind-hearted woman, and I am sure you will give father another chance." She dered.

    "Please, have your breakfast now, Maddie. I brought your food here; I know you don''t have the appetite to eat, but you need to eat for the sake of your child." She added, and I was shocked that she had brought me my food.

    "Thank you, mom. You don''t have to do this, and besides, I can manage." I said, and she looked at my face and smiled.

    "Let me do this to you, mydear; for once I wanted how to feel to be a mother, you are the daughter that I couldn''t have." She said, and my heart swelled with happiness.

    "I would love that, my mom died when I was barely a teenager, and I also forgot how to have a mom, and I felt so grateful for this opportunity that I was able to know you, aunt Francine, and I love the feeling of calling you mom," I said. She smiled at me as she held my hand, and together we walked back inside my room, and I couldn''t stop my mouth from drooling the moment I saw the food on the tray.

    I can''t deny I like the way my aunt gave me her full attention, and I love the feeling of having her as a mom, even for a while.. I can''t deny I still wanted to know my grandfather even after what happened in the dining room this morning since I still believe everyone deserves to have a second chance.

 Chapter 229 - No Place I Want To Be

    Hunter''s POV

    After talking with my wife, I knew I could soundly sleepsince I knew Madeline''s voice was like my sleeping pill. I couldn''t stop myself from smiling like an idiot, and I couldn''t deny, I am so happy, and ever since the moment, I have learned my wife is alive. I couldn''t stop my heart from pounding so hard, and I knew it would never stop until I met her again in person, and my excitement was killing me.

    "Calixto, what are you doing here, and what is that luggage?" I asked the moment I came downstairs.

    "I heard my boss is going out of the country and I think he needed an assistant. And I know I am the best candidate for the job." He said, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing. How could he be here?

    "I regret to inform you, but this time I will be traveling alone because I want to be with my wife, and I don''t want you to tag along, but since you are here for today, I would like to tell you what to do, and of course, as your boss, I am so happy to wee you back with your work, Cal." I dered as I smiled at him, but I could tell the frown on his face that he was hurt that I would not bring him with me to Neospoli.

    "What is with that look, Cal?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "I am just excited to go to Neospoli and meet Madeline, that is all." He said, and he sat on the sofa looking so sad, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling.

    "Don''t worry, Cal, I wille back, and the rest of you wille with me. Just allow me to be with my wife first," I said as I sat beside him, and I put my arm around his shoulders.

    "Let me have time alone with my wife, I want her undivided attention, you know, besides, mom needed you in running thepany, and I want you to designate someone who will do your work on your behalf, and I think it is about time to look for someone new," I said. Cal looked at me with confusion on his face.

    "Don''t worry Cal, I will never rece you, but I think it is about time to give someone a chance to learn your work, and please find someone reliable enough to take your ce if ever we will be having a vacation in Neospoli and I will need your aid," I said, and he grinned at me.

    "And I think it is about time, and I want to give Parker a chance to work with us and prove his worth because I know Parker has some talents he can share. Would you please make a call and tell him to report to the office? He will be working with my mom while I am away, I don''t know howlong I will be there in Neospoli, but I am sure I will be having another honeymoon with my wife." I said, and Cal chuckled.

    "I think that is the best thing you can do, Hunter, it seems like you needed to be with your wife all the time, and I wonder what you should do so that you will be together from now on. I can feel your desire to be with Maddie since it wasn''t easy to be on your part, thinking you have lost her. I hope everything will be fine between you two." He said, and I asked him to have breakfast with us.

    "There is a favor I want to ask you, Cal," I said as we walked towards the dining room.

    "What is it, son?" Cal asked as he stopped in his tracks, and he stared at me, and I was surprised that my mom was not yet in the dining hall.

    "I want you toe with me to the hospital. I wanted to visit my dad." I said, and I took a heavy breath when he nodded his head, and I knew I needed him to go with me because I didn''t know if I could make it without Calixto. I pulled out a chair for him to sit down, and I stifled augh when he started barking at me.

    "Thanks, I am not that old, Hunter, and you don''t need to pull out a chair for me because I can do it on my own." Heined, and I just shrugged my shoulders.

    "Good morning!" My mom greeted us when she got inside the dining hall, and I was still in awe every time I looked at my mom; she still looked so beautiful and very young-looking. I stood up and kissed her on the cheeks before I pulled out a chair for her.

    "Good morning, mom; you look stunning. And it is indeed a beautiful morning." I said with a smile on my face, and I felt so happy when my mom grinned at me, and I could tell she was ready to go to the office.

    "Thank you, son, for being such a gentleman, no wonder girls would line up to have your attention everywhere you go, and I pity them though because the heir of Grant''s empire already takes your heart." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I went back to my chair and sipped my coffee.

    "Hunter, son, there is something I want to discuss with you." She said, and I could tell her face turned solemn yet so calm.

    "What is it, mom?" I asked and looked at her in the eyes.

    "Since you will be visiting, Neospoli, and there is a possibility that the grandfather of Madeline will ask you to stay there for good with Maddie, I think it is about time to let your siblings run thepany." She said, and I was shocked. Of course, I wanted them to work in ourpany, but the idea of giving up the Divensonpany and migrating to another country never crossed my mind.

    "Mom, I already asked Cal to call Parker so he can start working on our firm," I replied, and mom grinned at me.

    "I work hard to run ourpany, mom, and I don''t think I will go to another country to work for someone," I said, and my mother looked at me for a long time before she spoke.

    "Hunter, as you know, Madeline is the only heir of her grandpa, and what do you think is the reason why he didn''t send Madeline immediately. He could take Madeline via private ne. You know how wealthy her grandfather is; of all people, you have more knowledge about Hector Grant." My mother said, and I suddenly felt uneasy; what if my mom was right? How can I convince my wife toe home with me here in Astikoz, and what if her grandfather knew my father mistreated Madeline.

    "Mom, Hector, is still hard as steel, and I know that he will never allow a stranger to run his business, mom," I said.

    "Son, your child, is his great-grandchild, and I don''t think you will be a stranger the moment you will meet and spend more time with him." My mother said, and I was speechless, but I couldn''t deny it bothered me.

    "Are you okay, Hunter?" Cal asked as I was driving going to the hospital. I asked Roman to drive for my mom to the office, and I couldn''t forget the happiness that registered on mother''s face when I informed her I would be visiting dad, and I told her I would talk to dad doctors. I know my father is out from the ICU, yet he is still in aa, and I wonder if he will ever wake up again. I am just d Lucinda was there in the hospital, and I could tell her loyalty to my father is undeniable.

    "Yeah, I am," I replied, and I knew Calixto would never believe me that I was okay.

    "I know you are bothered, son; what are you going to do if your wife will tell you she wanted to live in Neospoli for good, Hunter? Are youwilling to give up your life here in Astikoz to be with Maddie?" Cal asked, and his questions didn''t faze me because I was thinking the same thing.

    "See, I know what is ying in your head right now, Hunter, your mother could be right, but I know your answer would be." He said, and I looked at him sideways, and I shook my head when he smiled at me.

    "I know it would be hard for you to give up your career here; I witnessed how you brought back thepany to its original state when your father almost filed bankruptcy; you work hard until you surpass the expectations of everyone. Divenson Mining Company is now the number one in the country because of your intelligence and hard work, and your brilliant ideas brought us to the top." He said.

    "I am so proud of you, son." He added, and I smiled and how I wish I would hear those wordsing from my father, and it has been a long time since I heard him say something like that to me, and I couldn''t deny how much I wanted to listen to my father''s appreciation of my achievements.

    "Hunter, I know you will choose Madeline because wherever she is, you will feel at home. Madeline is your life now, and I hope when that timees, you will never hesitate to choose the path I know your heart will choose for you. You are going to be a father, and I know how it feels to be a dad for the first time.." Calixto said, and I realized Cal was right; when ites to Madeline, I know I can''t say no, and Cal was correct; there is no ce I want to be but to be with my sweet Madeline.

 Chapter 230 - Heartbeat

    Madeline''s POV

    After eating my breakfast, my aunt Francine stayed with me in my room, and we talked about trivial things. And I felt so happy when she shared some of her childhood memories with me, and she also told me about some of my father''s adventures. I could tell they were so close. We were still talking when I heard a soft knocking on my door, and my aunt quickly got up from her seat and opened the door.

    "Good morning, Lady Francine; the car is ready." I heard Leo''s voice.

    "Thank you, Leonardo, and we will be there right away." My aunt replied, and she walked back inside the room, and she strode towards me.

    "Would it be alright with you if we will go to the doctor''s clinic today, Madeline? I told the doctor we will drop by at her clinic since we will go out today." My aunt asked me.

    "I''d love to, mom," I replied and nodded my head as I beamed at her.

    "Shall we?" She asked and linked her arm with mine, and we got out of my room, and the moment we got outside the main door, I beheld the beauty of Grant''s estate that made me hang my mouth, and no words can describe the beautiful scenery before us. It is the kind of scene you will see in a movie where the main lead is super-rich. From the gigantic house to the extensive greenwn sprawled around the beautiful garden, and I couldn''t deny my grandfather is filthy rich.

    And I was no longer shocked to find a limousine in front of us, and I swallowed my saliva before I got inside the car. And I wondered how Gina was going to react if I told her I roam around the Choraz riding a limo. I tried to hide my excitement because I didn''t want my aunt to think I loved everything in this ce; well, I couldn''t say I hate Neospoli, but I can''t deny that I hate my grandpa, and I know it is not suitable for my baby and me. I am not usually like this, maybe because of what had happened to me in the past, and I expected too much from him to embrace me as his granddaughter.

    "Hey, are you alright?" I hear my aunt''s sweet voice, and I turn my head to look at her and nod my head.

    "Yes, I have never been better. I can''t stop myself from missing my husband." I replied, and she smiled at me.

    "Oh, dear, you must be very in love with Hunter Divenson." She said, and I could feel the warm sensation on my face, and I could tell I was blushing.

    "Yeah, I am," I replied.

    "Me too, I am so in love with my husband, and I can feel that he feels the same way, and it broke my heart that I couldn''t give him a child. It feels like I am useless. We tried everything, even the most expensive way to have a child, but we only ended broken-hearted in the end." She said, and I could feel my aunt''s pain.

    "I am sorry, mom," I replied.

    "It is okay, Madeline. It made me realize how much my husband loved me when he didn''t break up with me. When I learned, I couldn''t conceive. I told him I would file a divorce even if the idea of losing my husband were killing me, but I could take the pain because I wanted my husband to be happy and have children. I know how much he loves to have a child, Madeline; that is why I came hometo the castle and hid from him." She dered.

    "I stayed in my old room for days crying, and he came, and never get tired of telling me outside my bedroom doorhow much he loves me. He brought me food every day, and my husband told me he married me for who I am, and he doesn''t care if we will have children or not as long as I stay by his side. And he promised that he will be the one to take good care of me, loving me every day for the rest of our lives." My aunt continued, and she was wiping her tears now, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying with her.

    "Wow, that is true love, mom." I dered.

    "Yes, I know, my dear, and I can tell I am the luckiest woman in the universe for having Paul as my husband, even if there are days I am longing to have children. But when I learned about you, I couldn''t be happier, and now that you are sitting here beside me, it is a dreame true. Wee to our family, Madeline. I want you to know how happy I am to have you and to have this conversation with you." She said as she caressed my hand, and I was so touched by my aunt''s words that I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so emotional.

    "Thank you for making me feel this way too, mom. You make me feel how wonderful it is to have a mother that I can talk with, and I am so grateful that you reach out to me even if I am an illegitimate child." I replied.

    "Hey, don''t say that, Madeline, you are the only niece that I have, and you are Grant by blood, and you can never deny you are the only heir of my father''s empire." She said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling sad as I remember myst encounter with my grandfather, and I could tell what I did was wrong, and since he is my grandfather, I know I should apologize to him.

    "He hates me," I said, and my auntughed.

    "Who hates you, Maddie? Are you talking about my father?" She asked, and I nodded my head, and I saw her shaking her head.

    "Beleive me, Madeline, it was the opposite; your grandfather adores and loves you. Do you know he was looking at your photos for hours after Leo got information about you?" She said, and it caught me off guard.

    "Yes, he did, and it was the first time I saw him genuinely smile after my elder brother ran away from home." My aunt dered.

    "Dad was devastated when he learned your dad ran away; he loves him so much not only because Frank was his firstborn, but because Frank was a good son, and my father med himself because of his overbearing attitude Frank left without saying goodbye to us. He is smart and so full of life, and I think the pressure of being the next Hector Grant scared him away. Plus, dad wanted him to marry someone who came from a wealthy family." My aunt added.

    "Dad''s ego was hurt, and he promised he will never take your dad back if Frankes home, but I know father only said those words because of his anger, but what made him more hurt is the fact your father didn''t evene home once orattempted to contact us especially the times when my brother was having a hard time, not even when he took hisst breath." Aunt Francine continued. And I could feel my grandfather''s pain as I realized he waited for my father toe home.

    "That is why for the second time, I am asking you, to please stay with us, Madeline, and endure his snarky remarks if you can, and please understand he had been longing to see you, and his pride is the only thing that kept him away from you. Maybe if you can bend some of your rules in life for him." She said.

    "Don''t worry, mom, and I will stay. And I promise you I will melt grandpa''s cold heart in no time." I said, and sheughed while I could see her wiping her tears away.

    "Thank you, my dear. It means a lot to me." She said, and I can''t stop myself from feeling so excited about winning my grandfather''s heart, and I know I was the one who lost in our first round because I walked away, maybe because I was expecting a typical reaction from a grandparent who will see his grandchild for the first time. I had forgotten Hector Grant is not an ordinary man; even if he is the most wealthy man in Neospoli country, he was also suffering from a broken heart, and it was funny because I thought his life had been perfect.

    We both fell silent until we reached the clinic, and I realized the doctor was my aunt''s friend, and I learned they were close. I felt so happy, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying when I heard my child''s heartbeat from the fetal doppler. And I tried calling Hunter since I wanted him to listen to our baby''s heartbeat for the first time, but he was not answering his phone, and I realized maybe he was still in the hospital at the moment. I smiled when I saw and heard my aunt''s cry as she listened to the sound of my baby''s heartbeat.

    "I am sorry, I am just being emotional as of the moment; this is indeed one of the best days of my life. I am going to be a grandma." She said, and I could no longer stop the tears of happiness that flowed on my cheeks as I watched my aunt smiling at me with tears on her beautiful face as well, and

    I felt so delighted that our baby was safe.

    The doctor prescribed me vitamins, and we left her clinic with happy faces. I couldn''t wait to tell my husband about my prenatal check-up, and I realized my baby is the luckiest child in the whole world, being the son of Hunter Divenson and great-grandchild of Hector Grant.. And I am so excited to be the most incredible mom in the entire universe.

 Chapter 231 - My Grandfather

    Madeline''s POV

    "I am so d that your baby is OK, Madeline, even after what you have been through in the ship. I know it was a very critical situation, and you could have died during the fire, but I am just d you made it out alive. And thank you to the captain and his sister; you were safe. I couldn''t believe you had to deal with a pirate. The word pirate alone made me have goosebumps." My aunt Francine said, and I smiled at her.

    "Me too, I am so delighted that nothing is wrong with my baby, and this child is the reason why I didn''t give up when I thought I was going to die on the sea. I was terrified and petrified but thinking that I had my baby in my womb, I needed to survive. And now I know the reason why I still need to live in this world, and that is to know you and grandpa, and I realized what I had been through was all worth it because I was able to know who I am." I dered, and I can see my aunt''s eyes water."

    "You made my heart feel so happy, my dear; just knowing that you are so d to know about us is enough for me to feel this way. Thank you so much for giving your grandfather a second chance to know you, Madeline." My aunt Francine dered.

    "And tonight, I hope, whatever happens, you will never walk out, and you have to face your grandfather, and I could tell dad is also excited to have a second chance with you. I know he feels guilty about what he has done, but I want to tell you in advance that my father will never apologize for what he had done to you. So, don''t expect him to say sorry to you after what happened this morning at the dining room." She added, and I nodded my head.

    "Of course, I understand, and I think I should be the one to apologize. I am grandfather''s granddaughter, and I should show respect for him no matter how hurtful the words he said during breakfast. I know I am not like this, and I am respectful to everyone, especially to the elders, and I hated myself for talking back at him." I dered, and my aunt held my hands as the driver continued to navigate the limo on the highway, and I wondered where we were going now as I watched outside through the limo''s ss window.

    "Where are we going, mom?" I asked because I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so curious.

    "You have to wait and see, my dear. I wanted to surprise you because I want to buy you something, to make you remember me when you get back to Astikoz city, and I hope it will make you realize you also belong in this country. I hope you will always remember from now on that you are Madeline Grant Divenson." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so happy that right now, I could say I have a real identity. I always wanted to know my ancestry.

    I was surprised when my aunt brought me to a jewelry store. I knew right away that she was a VIP customer because the shop manager immediately came to us and entertained us, and then my aunt introduced me to him. I could tell that she was so proud to say to him that I was her niece, and the manager was looking at my face for a long time that made me feel conscious.

    "Is your niece a celebrity, Lady Francine?" The manager asked after a while, and my auntughed, and I could say even the way my auntughed was with elegance, and I realized I could never be like her, and I know that my face blushed because of what the manager had said.

    "Of course not, but as you can see, it runs on our blood. We looked like celebrities." She said.

    "Indeed, my Lady, and please wee to our shop, Lady Madeline, and I will show you ourtest arrival." He said, and he brought us to a room where my mouth hung open, and my eyes widened when I saw diamonds all over the ce. I could see they all glittered with the dor sign, and I didn''t choose anything because wherever I looked, from the rings, bracelets, nes, the price is all in seven figures. Even if my husband earned billions, I don''t feel I have the right to shop for this kind of extravagance.

    "Okay, I will choose for you, Madeline." My aunt said, and I couldn''t stop my heart from pounding so hard in my chest, maybe because I grew up buying things in thrift stores, that is why I felt so unwell right now.

    "You have to rx, Madeline. I know you are married to a billionaire. Still, I also know how down to earth you are even if you married Hunter Divenson, but consider this as a gift from me, my dear, and you have to think you are my niece and don''t feel guilty if they will call you a walking dor sign because that is what you are now, Madeline. You have to embrace the truth that you are Hector Grant''s granddaughter, and you deserve all the glitters the world can offer." She said, and I had to swallow my saliva as I realized I couldn''t say no to my aunt.

    We got out of the shop, and I realized I became wealthier after she bought me one jewelry setposed of a diamond ring, ne, bracelet, and anklet. I felt like I was hyperventting. I know my husband showered me with jewelry, but it was mostly his gifts, so I don''t have any idea it costs like this, and I felt so guilty that I didn''t give them too much attention and value.

    I grew up with nothing, and now I realize I have be the luckiest woman in the universe. I can feel my eyes water when I remember how much I wanted to bring my mom to the hospital, but we don''t have enough money, and I will forever feel guilty that she died because we didn''t have money, and I wish she lived long enough to enjoy the beauty of life.

    "Are you hungry, Madeline?" My aunt asked me.

    "I am not hungry, but I am sure my baby is now hungry again," I said, and my auntughed. She took me to the finest restaurant in Choraz, and I could tell right away, she was one of their valued customers.

    "Don''t sweat about the pieces of jewelry I bought you, Madeline, and it is one of our jewelry shops in the country." She said, and I was stunned.

    "Madeline, your grandfather owns thergest diamond and gold mine in Neospoli. It is only understandable we owned jewelry shops as well." She said.

    "Don''t worry, one of these days, I will discuss with you the businesses we have, but for now, we have to enjoy our date." She said, and I am still in shock. As expected, the food served was superb, and I felt so full when I took thest bite of my dessert.

    We continued to roam around the city, and I could say I had fun with my aunt Francine, and I realized this must be the feeling of having a mom around. When we reached the mansion, it was almost twilight, and she sent me to my room and told me dinner was at 6:30 p.m., and she wanted me to join them.

    I took a rest, but I made sure I set my rm at 6:00 pm. because I didn''t want to bete since I didn''t have another incident with my grandpa. Even if I felt so ready to face him, I couldn''t stop myself from hurting if ever he would give me his snarky remarks, which I understood because he has been alone for a long time.

    The moment my rm clock buzzed, I got up quickly, changing into afortable dress, and I smiled when I looked in the mirror. I can see the little bump on my stomach, and I know before I know it I will be walking around soon with my big tummy; for now, I should enjoy my time because I know there are things I will find hard to do when I am on the third trimester of my pregnancy.

    I walked through the dining hall with nervousness, realizing I should stop myself from feeling this way. I survived facing Hunter''s family on the first day I met them, and why should I get worried facing my grandpa? But I can''t deny I have knots on my stomach again, and I know I have to stay calm and think he is not Hector Grant but my grandfather.

    I was surprised when I realized my grandfather was already sitting on the long table on his spot as the head of the family. To my horror, he was sitting alone, and I was frozen in my tracks as I realized my aunt Francine bailed on me.

    "Are you going to stand there all evening? You have to sit down so we can eat." He said, and that is the only time I walked again towards the table,and one of the staff pulled the chair for me, and I seated next to my grandpa on his right side, and the staff quickly left after I mumbled my thanks.

    "You should say, Grace." My grandfather ordered, and I bowed down my head and prayed, and when I raised my head, I found my grandpa staring at my face, and I hated myself that I became mute in front of him. I couldn''t find the right words to talk with him until I heard him clear his throat.

    "You should eat now, Madeline, while the food is still warm." He said, and his voice was as gentle as my aunt Francine''s, and I looked at my grandpa, and for the first time, I saw an older man.. I realized he was looking at me with a tenderness that made my eyes water with happiness, and he didn''t need to talk more because his gaze alone speaks a thousand words which include his joy to be eating at the same table with his granddaughter.

 Chapter 232 - Helpless Man

    Hunter''s POV

    "Are you nervous, son?" I heard Cal ask me as I drove my car to the hospital to visit my dad for the first time after he was hospitalized.

    "I don''t know, Cal. I am so afraid of my own emotion right now because I''m not sure what I am feeling, and I don''t have the slightest idea how to face my dad after all the things he had done to me." I responded, and I could feel him turn his head and watch me.

    "Well, I guess it is time to forgive your father, I know you loathed him for hurting you so many times, and I am aware he almost harmed Maddie countless times as well, but he is lying in a hospital bed right now, and I am sure he is beginning to look back all the hideous things he did in his life. Even if you are not his biological son, I think growing up, you have felt that he tried to be a good father to you." Cal responded, and I couldn''t disagree with him.

    "Of course, that is why I can''t hate him because he was there, and I couldn''t understand why he wanted me to marry Kaye when I don''t need to. And he knew I am not that greedy to take all our assets and money because I know I am not above my siblings. I care about all of them because they are all my mom''s children, and for me, we have equal rights to all the properties we owned." I said.

    "Maybe, all he ever wanted is for you to have a wealthy wife, so whatever happens to yourpany, he is certain you are in good hands." He replied, and I shook my head.

    "No, it was because of his greed. He didn''t even know that Madeline was more wealthy than we were. And I felt so ashamed to face my wife. I think I am

    no longer worthy of her love. She suffered a lot because of me. And I hope her grandfather doesn''t know about what happened to her within our marriage." I dered.

    "Hey, no one is more deserving of having Madeline than you. I know how much you love your wife, Hunter, and don''t ever say that because Madeline loves you more than anything in this world. I have witnessed how you both love each other. And I am so happy to be part of your love story. I know I am already old, but I consider you do as my close friend, and you are my best friend, Hunter, and it makes Maddie my best friend too." He said, and I smiled from ear to ear.

    "Thank you, Cal, for always being there for us. I don''t know what will happen to me without your guidance, and I better have an old buddy than to have someone my age who doesn''t have the wisdom you do. I don''t regret choosing you to be my best friend." I said, and he grinned at me.

    As we were neared the hospital parking lot, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so anxious. I know I should not feel this way, maybe because it has been a while that I haven''t seen my father, and I felt guilty that he is now on aatose stage, and I am afraid if he couldn''t make it.

    The walk going inside the hospital feels like an eternity, and when I arrived in front of my father''s executive room, I let out a sigh before I opened the door and moved inside. The room was spacious, and I could see many flowersing from his friends, and when I looked at my father on his hospital bed, I suddenly felt cold. The brave man I used to know was lying immobile on his bed with the medical apparatus attached to his body. And as I moved towards him, I realized gone was the domineering father I had known for years, and now all I see is a helpless man.

    I realized no matter how wealthy a person can be, and his money could never save him from being sick and unhealthy. And right now, as I looked at my father''s pale face and chapped lips, I couldn''t stop my tears from falling on my cheeks, and I didn''t try to wipe them away.

    "Dad, I am sorry for hating you this much. I know I should never feel this way, but you hurt me in so many ways, and you tried to hurt the love of my love. I hope you give Madeline a chance to prove herself. I found a loving and selfless wife, and yet you tried everything you can to make her leave me, and you even tried to kill me when you asked someone to sabotage the operation of our gold mine." I said in between my tears as I sat on the stool beside my father''s medical bed.

    "I know that time you don''t intend to hurt me, and you didn''t expect something like that will happen; maybe you only wanted to scare my wife so that she would leave, but I am proud of her because Madeline stayed by my side even if she knew the danger she was in, and my wife showed me how much she loves me." I proudly said.

    "All I asked from you is to ept her wholeheartedly, and now I wanted to tell you, you don''t need to hate her dad because Madeline is the granddaughter of Hector Grant, and I am sure you know him because he is one of your idol in the business world, you told me once you wanted me to be like him, the way he dominated the mining world made you so envious of him," I added even if I know he couldn''t hear me. I just wanted to tell my father everything I felt towards him. And I wanted to release all the pain I felt inside because I wanted to face my wife as a renewed person.

    "Don''t worry, Dad, I know Madeline will forgive you for everything you have done to her, and I want you to know I have already forgiven you. I know I can''t be a good father to my child if I will not release all the pains and hatred I bottled up inside my heart. I want to start a new life with my wife and child, and I was hoping you could get better so we can start over. You are going to be a granddad soon, so you better get better." I said as I squeezed his palm, and I saw tears trickling down on my father''s face, and I realized he must hear my words, and I smiled as I wiped my tears.

    "I love you, Dad, and thank you for being my father and for not telling me about it all through these years; even if you can''t stop yourself from hating me when I disobeyed your order to marry someone I didn''t love." I dered.

    I leave my dad''s room feeling optimistic that he will wake up from hisa, and I feel better after telling him everything I wanted to say to him.

    "What is your n now, Hunter?" Cal asked.

    "I need to leave today; I can''t wait another day not seeing her, Cal. I didn''t tell my wife when I woulde because I wanted to surprise her, I had already packed my things, and I hope you will be working with mom until I return from Neospoli with my wife." I said happily.

    "Give my regards to Maddie." He responded, and I beamed at him.

    "Of course, she will be happy to hear from you," I replied.

    "Are you okay now, Calixto?" I asked, and a beautiful smile spread across his face as I looked at him sideways.

    "Never been better, I know no matter how hard life can be, life must go on, and we should get courage and strength from the people who love us." He responded, and I agreed with him, and we fell silent for the rest of our ride until we reached the house.

    "Hunter! Please, take me with you. I wanted to see Madeline, can''t you see? I feel so guilty that she suffered a lot because of me, and she almost died too." Lily said while hugging me, and I wanted to bring her. Still, I want to meet Madeline''s family first before I n on taking them to Neospoli, and for selfish reasons, I know I wanted to be alone with my wife after not seeing her for a long time. I even miss her every time I travel abroad to attend important business meetings, and how much more now that I haven''t seen her after we all thought she died.

    "Lily, I am sorry, but I can''t take you with me, but don''t worry, next time we will go to Choraz together," I said, and she released me from her tight embrace, and she stomped her feet and pouted her lips, and she looked so adorable that I have to stifle augh. I need to look serious because I don''t want to give in to my sister''s request.

    "You have to promise me that you will take me with you next time." She dered, and I nodded my head as I tucked some loose strands of her hair at the back of her ear.

    "Okay, have a safe flight, Hunter, and please tell Madeline I miss her so much." She said.

    "Of course, I will, but I bet she already knew how much you miss your elder sister/best friend," I responded, and my little sister giggled, and it warms my heart to know how much she adores my wife.

    I said goodbye to the rest of my family, and even Gina was there, and she handed me an envelope for Maddie, and I called my mom before I boarded the helicopter.. And the moment we took off, I couldn''t stop myself from smiling, feeling so happy and excited to meet my lovely hot pregnant wife.

 Chapter 233 - Best Night

    Madeline''s POV

    I find it so hard to chew my food as I continue to eat because of my nervousness as I dined with my grandfather in the dining room, and I wonder where my aunt is, and I haven''t even seen the butler.

    "I know your aunt Francine bail on you because that daughter of mine wanted to give us time alone. Such a clever woman." My grandfather said, and I saw him shaking his head as I raised my head to look at him. And I hate myself that I couldn''t even formte a single phrase to answer him.

    And I know the reason why my mouth is sealed because I am so afraid to ruin this moment with my grandpa since I am hesitant to talk back. After all, I am afraid he wouldn''t like the words that wille out of my mouth.

    "Can we talk after dinner, Madeline?" He asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Okay, please, continue to eat your dinner, and we can talkter on my study." He said, and I slowly nodded my head again, and it felt like someone cut my tongue since no words came out from my mouth.

    After eating dinner, my grandfather led me to his study, and I could feel the pounding of my heart against my chest, and no matter how much I tried to stay calm, I could still feel the shaking of my limbs.

    "Have a seat, Maddie. And please stop feeling so nervous because I am not going to bite you, and you are my granddaughter after all." He said, and I rxed a little as I sat on the chair across from him.

    "You can talk now, Madeline. I know I offended you at our first meeting, and I should apologize. It was my bad, you are new to this household, and I should have greeted or weed you properly." He added as he gazed at my face, and I was shocked since my aunt was so sure that my grandpa would never apologize to me, but his words gave me the courage to speak for the first time after it seemed like forever.

    "No, I should be the one who needs to apologize to you. It was not me at all. I respect everyone, especially the elders, and I am sorry for snapping at you. I don''t mean those words, and I..." I trailed off, and he looked at me with a solemn expression on his face.

    "What, Madeline?"He asked, and I could feel my face turn bright red, and I could no longer stop myself from talking as I realized it was now or never.

    "I said I don''t care if you don''t recognize me as your granddaughter, but the truth is I wanted to know you, and it was true that I had been an orphan for a long time, and I hate the loneliness I felt every time I miss my mom and every waking moment I long to be with my dad. I never got the chance to know him. To hear his voice and hisughter." I dered.

    "I would be a liar if I say I never dreamed of having a dad, I do. And even if they told me he died during the car crash, I still wish to meet him even if I know it was an impossible dream. I tried my best to look so strong and mask my real emotions, but deep inside me, I will always be an orphan girl who needed love and affection." I added, and I could no longer stop myself from crying.

    "When I learned I have an aunt and grandfather, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling excited, and I felt so happy as I realized finally, I have a family I can call my own. And I was so excited to meet you, but when I met you, your nasty words hurt me like hell. I was expecting to meet a grandfather who is excited to see his grandchild for the first time, but instead of feeling weed, I felt rejected." I said as I looked at him, and I could see the pain in his eyes as he continued to look at me.

    "I am so sorry, Madeline. I know I hurt you and thank you for being honest with me. I admired your personality for being straightforward and being transparent with your emotions. I may hurt you with my words, but I was afraid the same thing would happen." He said, and he let out a heavy sigh.

    "When your father left, it felt like I failed my role being a father. I was hurt why he fled, and I couldn''t understand why he needed to do it when I gave him everything he ever wanted. He was a good son, and I was so proud of him, and he knew he was my heir. But he chose to have a hard life than to stay here with his sister and me." My grandpa dered.

    "When your father decided to leave his life in Neospolibehind, I vowed never to look for him, but never in a day that I didn''t think about Frank. I felt so worried if he wasn''t eating on time and if he doesn''t have a roof on his head." He added.

    "I didn''t help him even if I know he was having a hard time, hoping Frank would realize what a fool he had been for running away from his home where he lives like a prince. And what hurts me most is, he never came back to me no matter how he struggled to provide for his family and his second family." He continued.

    "It hurts me every day that he chose his life in Astikoz over us, and because of my resentment to my son for disobeying me, and for changing his family name, I made sure that I will cut tie with him, and because of my anger towards Frank, I promised never to help him and his children," Grandpa said as he looked at me.

    "But when I learned you were pregnant, I realized it is about time to correct the mistake that I have done to Frank. I hated him for defying my orders, but I failed to understand and dig the details of why he left. And the realization hit me as I realized I was a maniptive jerk of a father. I didn''t think about Frank''s feelings when he begged me he can''t marry someone he didn''t love." He added.

    "I should have listened to him. I am authoritative, and I never paid attention to my children''s pleas. My house, my rules, and I have forgotten they are my children and not my employees." He said as I saw his tears flowing on his cheeks, and my impression of my grandfather has changed at this very moment. Hector Grant apologized to me, and now I saw the most influential man in Neospoli cry.

    "I don''t want to make the same mistake again, Madeline. I hope you will give me a second chance. I want to know you and to spend more time with you. You are my granddaughter, and it has been a long-time that I wished to have my grandchildren here in my mansion, but your aunt Francine and uncle Paul hadn''t been blessed with children. And you are the only descendant of the Grant bloodline, and the child in your womb, and your future children." He said, and this time I saw my grandfather genuinely smile at me, and it felt so wonderful to be the receiving end of his beautiful smile.

    "I hope we can start over, Maddie." He said.

    "Of course, me too, grandpa," I said as I gave him my sweet smile.

    "I am sorry, again, Madeline. The truth is I wanted to take you into my arms this morning, but my pride took over my senses." He said, and I beamed at him.

    "It is not yette, grandpa. You can embrace me now." I said as I got up from my chair, and he stood up and moved closer to me, and then my grandfather took me into his arms, and I felt like I was finally home in his arms.

    My grandfather sent me to my room after our talk, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so happy as I took My shower. After putting it on with my nightgown, I chose a book from the bookshelves in my room, and I didn''t know how many hours had passed since I was so engrossed reading the novel on my hands. And I realized my hair was already dry, and I couldn''t stop myself from yawning, and when I looked at the clock on my wall, it was almost 10:00 p.m. I smiled as I realized I needed to call Hunter, but I felt so frustrated when I couldn''t contact his number, and I suddenly felt sad that I hadn''t received a single text from him for the entire day, and it feels like he doesn''t miss me at all.

    I was already lying on my bed, but I was still holding my phone, hoping my husband would respond to my text messages, but there was none. I tried calling him again several times, but he is still out of the coverage area, and I wonder where he went why he doesn''t have any connection. I put my phone on top of the nightstand, and I got up to switch off the light when I heard a soft knocking on my door; and I smiled as I realized my aunt hade to apologize for bailing on me.

    The moment I opened the door, my eyes widened in surprise, and my tears poured down my cheeks as I found my hot and handsome husband standing on my doorstep with fresh flowers in his hands.

    "Hunter!" I eximed, and with one swift movement, my husband took me into his arms, and he carried me as I weighed nothing, and I curledmy legs around his waist. I felt the flowers fall from his hands as he captured my eager lips hungrily, and he kissed me long and sweet, and I couldn''t exin the happiness that I had as I felt my husband continued to kiss me passionately, and I could feel through his kiss how much Hunter missed me.. And I realized tonight was one of the best nights of my entire existence.

 Chapter 234 - Sweet Reunion

    Hunter''s POV

    I know I felt like a teenage boy once again as I fidgeted during the helicopter ride. I felt so excited, and it feels like my heart was going to explode with excitement and there were a lot of things I wanted to do with my wife, and I knew I was going to kiss her without talking with her, I would let my actionsmunicate with my sweet Madeline.

    I am also nervous about meeting her grandfather, but nothing can stop the excitement I feel, thinking I would be seeing my wife after a long time. When I learned that she died during the fire, I couldn''t sleep, and I found it hard to eat because I felt like I had died that day.

    I am so proud to say that Madeline is my life. Shepletes me. And I am pleased to be with her, and I always foundfort in her arms. Madeline is the woman of my dreams and the only girl who made me feel alive. Just hearing her name makes all the nerves in my bodye to life, and every time I hear her sweet voice, it feels like I am listening to a love song. Madeline is my life, and now that we will be parents, I couldn''t wait to y with our baby in the crib and watch him sleep in my wife''s arm.

    I smiled as I watched the bouquet beside me, and I knew we would arrive at Neospoli probablyte at night, and I hoped that Madine was still awake that time because I couldn''t wait to take her into my arms. And I don''t want to disturb my wife if she is already sleeping because I know she needs to rest so our baby will have proper nutrients.

    I couldn''t concentrate the entire ride, and I could say I felt so restless. I already talked with Leonardo, Mr. Grant''s butler, and he told me we couldnd at the extensive field of Grant''s estate. I told him not to tell my wife that I wasing because I wanted to surprise Madeline. I know after not seeing her for a long time made me feel so anxious to kiss her lips, touch her glorious body, and hear her voice. I grunted as I closed my eyes, trying to have some sleep, even if I knew there was no way I could sleep at this rate.

    The moment we hovered above the Grant estate, my eyes widened as I saw the magnificent house, and Grant''s castle looked so beautiful from above. It shines because of its lighting effects, and I could tell even if Maddie''s great-grandfather built the house years ago, Hector made sure to keep it look new even until now, and I could tell he spent a fortune on the maintenance of this castle.

    "Mr. Divenson, wee at the Grant estate," Leo said the moment he met me at the main entrance of the house, and I wanted to run and see my wife right away, but I needed to look calm and do formalities.

    "Good evening, Leo, and thank you so much for waiting for me at this hour, but I can''t wait another day without seeing my wife," I said, and he beamed at me.

    "Of course, I understand. Pleasee inside, and I will send you to your wife''s room immediately. I believe you booked a hotel room in the Neospoli city for you and your entourage, your bodyguards and crew could stay here, we have a lot of empty bedrooms as you can see this house is too big for Mr. Grant alone, and I think it is about time this the house will be alive again." He said, and I beamed at him.

    "Thank you for your generosity, Leo, but I don''t want Maddie''s grandfather to think I am abusing his hospitality; my men will go ahead in our hotel rooms while I will follow them after talking with my wife, and thank you for facilitating everything from the hotel amodation and for providing us vehicles we can use," I responded.

    "I could have bought property here in Neospoli if I had known my wife would be staying here," I added, and he shook his head.

    "I don''t think you need to do that, Mr. Divenson; your crew can leave, but I think it would be appropriate if you stay here in Grant Castle, your wife is the granddaughter of my employer, and it would be understandable that you should stay here with Madeline. And I don''t think your wife will allow you to leave her. She missed you so much, and I am aware she can''t wait to see you." The butler said, and I smiled at him as he took the suitcase from my hand.

    We get inside the main living room, and I can tell right away Maddie''s grandfather is indeed one of the richest men in the whole world. I followed Leo as he climbed the stairs, and I couldn''t stop thinking about Frank. He was the most humble person I have ever met. How could he run away from this richness and choose to have an ordinary life as a driver in Archois? How could he give up his life as an heir and experience the cruelty of life?

    I still remember how he carried himself with confidence, and he never fazes everything he saw in our house. He looked so calm about everything he saw inside the Divenson mansion because Frank was a rich kid, but he neverined even once. My father asked him for errands, and he dly took all of them. And I wonder what the reason why he left this castle and opted to have a simple life in Archois is. It is a great mystery for me.

    "Here we are, and I think I should leave now, Mr. Divenson. You don''t need to worry about your men, and I will take good care of them." He said, and I shook his hand as I mumbled my thanks to him, and after he left me, that was the time I got the courage to knock on my wife''s room. I felt so worried if she was sleeping, but when I heard her sweet voice telling me to wait, I couldn''t stop myself from smiling, and my excitement was killing me.

    The moment she opened the door, her eyes widened in surprise to see me, and her tears poured down on her beautiful face. She looked so lovely, like how I remember her, and I couldn''t stop my tears from falling as I could feel the happiness in my heart. I felt my entire body felt so weak as I looked at my wife''s tempting lips, andwith one swift movement, I took Madeline into my arms. I captured her lips hungrily, and I carried her with me without breaking our kiss, and I felt my wife curl her legs around my waist as we continued to kiss.

    The flowers fell from my hands as I captured her lips, and I couldn''t get enough of my wife, and I kissed her long and sweet, wild and slow, and I couldn''t exin the happiness that I had as I felt my wife kiss me back with urgency. I let her knowthrough my kisses how much I missed her.

    "I missed you so much, my sweet Madeline," I said the moment we stopped kissing to have some air, and I couldn''t contain the joy I felt as I watched her beautiful face.

    "I missed you more, Hunter; you make me feel so happy tonight. I couldn''t sleep because I was thinking about you, and I have been calling your phone." She responded as I slowly put her feet on the floor, and she opened her door wide and motioned me to get inside, and I picked up the bouquet from the floor.

    "My sweet wife, these flowers are for you, and I am sorry if I didn''t tell you I aming. I can''t wait to see you; instead ofing here tomorrow morning, I decided to fly right away after I visited my dad." I said, and I could see the sadness on her face right away.

    "Thank you for this beautiful bouquet; how''s your father, Hunter?" She asked as we got inside her spacious, beautiful room, and I could tell my wife was living like a princess in this house.

    "He is still in aa, Maddie, and I wish he will wake up soon, so he will know that you are Hector Grant''s granddaughter because even after all the things he had done to us, I still want him to know that I married the best woman in the entire universe," I said. My wife blushed, and after closing the door, I took her into my arms once again, and I couldn''t believe I had her in my arms right now. It felt like a dream, yet I could tell my wife was real as I felt the pounding of her heart.

    "It is okay if he will never acknowledge me as your wife, Hunter. All I want from your dad is to be well again." She replied, and I kissed her head, and I couldn''t stop myself from kissing my wife once again, and I could feel my entire body was on fire.

    I took a shower and towel-dried my body fast because I couldn''t wait to join my wife on her bed. I put on my sweat pants and sleeveless tank top, and my heart swelled with total happiness when I saw Madeline sleeping on the bed peacefully, and I slowly walked closer to her while I couldn''t stop myself from gazing at her lovely face.

    I covered her body with the nket, and I graduallyy beside her, and I kissed her forehead as I put my arm under her head. In contrast, I put my other hand around her waist, and I was staring at my wife''s angelic face as I felt my tears streaming on my cheeks as I realized how much I missed her. And I felt so thankful to have her in my arms once again.

    "I love you, Madeline," I said in more than a whisper.

    "I love you more," She responded, and I couldn''t stop myself from chuckling when I heard her sweet voice, and I realized my wife pretended to be asleep. Still, I could tell she couldn''t wait for me to make love with her as I felt her hands touch my chiseled chest. I brought my wife on top of me, and it felt like music on my ears when I heard her giggle before I imed her mouth.. I kissed her passionately on the lips, and we were kissing until we became breathless, and we couldn''t stop ourselves from touching each other, and I realized it would be a long night for us to celebrate our sweet reunion.

 Chapter 235 - Happiness

    Madeline''s POV

    It felt like I was floating in the clouds with happiness when my husband took me in his arms and carried me. When Hunter kissed me, I could feel my entire body ignited with fire, and the excitement took over my whole body, and all the worries that I had vanished in an instant when I felt my husband''s hands around me. It was total bliss. It feels like I am dreaming again, but I can see my husband''s eyes are looking at me with great intensity, and the moment he put my feet back on the ground, he never takes his eyes off me,and I can tell how much he missed me.

    "You be more so beautiful, Madeline, and I could tell your pregnancy suited you well." He said after we got inside my room, and Ifelt terrible that his father was still in an unconscious state, and I was hoping rk would recover soon.

    "I don''t want to take a shower since I am afraid if you disappear again, I will never let you out of my sight ever again, Madeline." He said, and I knew I needed to apologize to him.

    "It is okay, my love, don''t worry, I will never leave you again without saying goodbye. I am so sorry if I left without telling you anything about Lily. I was so afraid if they would hurt her, you know how much I care about her." I said, and then he put his fingers on my lips to stop me from talking.

    "You don''t need to apologize, my sweet Madeline. What is important is you are safe, and our baby is doing fine. I know you only wanted to save my sister, but I hope it will never happen again. You need to trust me with everything, Maddie. I am your husband, and I have to take good care of you, and I vowed to be your protector for the rest of our lives, and I felt like I died that day when the rescuers couldn''t find you; in the ship or the water." Hunter said.

    "I was there, together with the coast guard, but Calixto and Roman did a good job; they tied my body on my seat because I almost jumped from the helicopter when I saw the Wildflower was zing with fire." My husband said, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying, thinking he could get hurt because of me, and I felt so loved that Hunter came to Zambo to rescue me, and I caressed his face with my fingers.

    "I am sorry, Hunter. You could have hurt yourself." I said in more than a whisper.

    "I am willing to do everything for you, Madeline. I love you with every beat of my heart." He said.

    "Thank you for being alive." He added, and I kissed him softly on his lips before he got inside the bathroom.

    And I can''t wait to sleep beside my husband tonight. I felt the butterflies on my chest when I heard the watering from the shower as my hot husband took a bath. I couldn''t stop thinking about my husband''s physique. His chiseled chest down to his t abdomen, gorgeously tempting butt, and firm thighs, and legs, and I can''t deny the aching that I felt as I think about my husband''s naked body inside the bathroom. And I smiled as I remembered how blessed he is for having a body that any woman would die for, and that is one of the reasons girls would becrazy about my husband. I couldn''t deny that sometimes I got jealous when I saw women looking at him with interest, even if I am confident he is only mine.

    And I missed the intimate moments I had with him, and one of those was having a bath together in our bathtub, and we always ended up making love. And now that my husband is here, I couldn''t wait to share my nights with Hunter, and just thinking about it makes me have knots on my stomach. I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so giddy, and when I heard the water stop dripping, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. I waited for my husband toe out from the bathroom, and when I heard his approaching stepsing to the bed, I couldn''t stop my excitement, and I wanted to smile when I felt he covered my body with the nket and he slowlyy beside me.

    When Hunter kissed my forehead, he slowly put my head on his muscr arm while his otherhand was on my waist, and I could tell he was staring at my face, and I felt so grateful to be in my husband''s arms once again. When Hunter whispered the words "I love you" to me, I forgot that I was pretending to sleep because it felt so wonderful to hear those wordsing from my husband''s mouth.

    "I love you more," I replied, and I heard my husband chuckle when he realized I was still awake. And I hated myself that I couldn''t control myself from touching his six-pack abs with my soft fingers, and I trailed down to his abdomen. And with one swift motion, he brought me on top of him, and I could feel right away how hard Hunter was when I felt his bulge in between his legs. And I could feel my husband''s growing erection when I continued to straddle him, and I felt his strong hands on my curvy hips as he pulled me closer to him, and I felt my entire body was on fire, and I needed my husband to put off my fire.

    I let out a soft moan when Hunter captured my mouth with urgency, and he kissed me passionately on the lips, and we kissed each other until we became both breathless. And we couldn''t stop ourselves from touching each other, and the next thing I knew, we were undressing each other fast. I am drooling over my husband''s body when I see him all naked before me, and he is pinning me on the bed. At the same time, he secured my wrists above my head, and the way he looked at me with lust and love made me feel more aroused and horny, and I couldn''t wait to feel my husband inside me, but he had other ns, and I couldn''t believe he would torture me in a good way by kissing every inch of my body.

    "You are so beautiful, Maddie, and I could kiss you tell morning," He said in between his kisses while I was gripping on the sheets as I felt him trailed kisses from my mouth down to my cor bone, and when he started circling his tongue on my supple breast, I whimper. I was pulling his head towards me when I felt his mouth suckled my breast one after the other, and when he sucked my hard nipple, I couldn''tstop myself from moaning loud. And I bucked my hips when I felt his hand massage my clit in round motion, and I could feel my eyes rolled at the back of my head as I thought his finger inside me while he continued to y with my breast one after the other.

    My husband made me feel so good, and I was moaning as he continued to give me pleasure with his fingers and his mouth, and my soft fingers gripped his stiff manhood, and I was stroking him up and down. I smiled when I heard my husband grunt under his breath when I continued to jerk him off with my fingers. Then I felt my husband trail kisses from my mouth down to my semi bump, and he was getting lower, and I could tell the anticipation was killing me, and when I felt my husband''s mouth on my sensitive parts between my legs, I bucked my hips and spread my legs to give him more ess. I was moaning hard when I felt his tongue snake past my folds, and he was sucking my juices before he licked my clit.

    He spread my pussy lips apart and slithered his tongue on my slit in a figure-eight pattern, and I curled my toes as I could feel the orgasms building up inside me. My husband knows which button to push, and I am now at his mercy, and I can feel my husband''s cupped my breasts. At the same time, he continued to toy my cherry with his lips sucking and licking me in the right ces, and I could feel my orgasms is building up inside me, and I felt my husband continue to suck and lick my clit. I shivered, and I came hard on his face.

    "Hunter!" I was moaning and calling my husband''s name.

    "What do you want my sweet, wife?" He asked, and I could tell he was teasing me.

    "I want you inside me, please, take me now," I begged and felt my husband position himself while putting his hands on the mattress for support. I felt him tease my clit by rubbing his mushroom head up and down, and I bucked my hips to receive him, but instead, he continued to tease me by brushing his stiff shaft on my slit, and I could feel the knots on my stomach, and I could tell my second orgasm ising up.

    "Please, Hunter, fuck me now!" I pleaded, and I could tell my vulgar word make my husband growl, and he slipped inside me with one deep thrust, and I can feel him stretching me, and it felt so lovely as I felt him getting bigger inside me and his throbbing manhood is driving in and out of me. And I felt delirious as I fist my husband''s hair. We moaned together as he continued to ram me with his stiff shaft.

    I felt Hunter''s hands on my hips as he continued to ram me with his thick rod. And I bucked my hips and arched my back as he moved in and out, and I could feel my husband is going deeper with each push, and it felt so lovely to have this moment with him. I took my husband''s every thrust with total surrender, and I shivered, and together we came while I was shouting my husband''s name, and I smiled as I felt my husband sprayed his seeds on me. Hunter was panting as he copsed beside me while I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as he pulled me closer to him, and he leaned over to kiss me on my forehead.

    "I love you, my wife, and thank you for making me this happy; when you came into my life, I could say you turned my world around." He said.

    "You did the same to me, Hunter; I love you so much.I promised I would never keep anything from you; it scared me when I thought I would never see you again." I said, and he scooted closer to me as he caressed my face.

    "Me too, Maddie, it terrified me.. And I can''t exin the happiness I felt right now that you are here lying beside me," Hunter said, and we shared another searing kiss before we both fell asleep cuddling each other.

 Chapter 236 - Meeting Hector Grant

    Hunter''s POV

    It felt wonderful to have Madeline in my arms again, and I didn''t want to fall asleep because I wanted to watch her sleep. But because of the long flight and our lovemaking, I could no longer keep my eyes open, and I fell asleep hugging my sweet Madeline. And I felt so happy that I woke up ahead of her, and I knew it was still early morning, and I couldn''t stop myself from kissing her, and I didn''t intend to wake up Maddie, but when she kissed me back, I was shocked, but it makes me so happy and guilty at the same time.

    "Good morning, Hunter!" She greeted me even if her eyes were still closed.

    "Good morning, Maddie, and I am sorry for waking you up, and I think it is better if you go back to sleep," I said.

    "I will only go back to sleep if you will promise me that you will still be here when I wake up." She said, and Iughed.

    "Of course, I won''t leave you, Madeline. Why do you think something like that?" I asked as I pulled her closer to me, and her beautiful eyes opened, and she was watching me with tenderness and full of love.

    "Nothing, I am just afraid if we need to be far away from each other again, and I am tired of it, and I was hoping everything will be alright between us. What I mean is, I hope there will be no big issue that we are going to face because I want to be with you every day. It hurts me to think that I have to stay away from you, especially now that we are going to be parents." My wife responded, and I cupped her beautiful face.

    "Madeline, I feel the same way too, and starting today, there would be no more out-of-the-country and out-of-town trips for me unless you wille with me," I said, and she smiled.

    "Are you sure about that?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Yes, I promised," I replied, and she beamed at me.

    "Okay, this is the most wonderful news I have ever hearding from you." She said, and I grinned at her.

    "Would you please fo back to sleep now, my lovely wife?" I asked, and I could hear she is giggling.

    "Is there anything funny, Madeline?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "Nope, I don''t want to go back to sleep yet, unless.." She trailed off, and I could tell she felt embarrassed about what she was thinking right now.

    "What is it, Maddie? You know, you can always tell me anything." I said, and she blushed.

    "Hey, aren''t you going to tell me what is in your mind right now?" I asked, and she looked at mein the eyes, and I felt thrilled when I realized what she wanted, but I wished my wife to tell it on my face.

    "I miss you so much, Hunter, and I want you to make love to me again, and I know I should not be asking you this, but.." I didn''t let my wife finish her sentence as I devoured her mouth immediately, and I kissed her long enough to make her gasp for air, and when I stopped kissing her, I looked at her eyes, and I cupped her face, and tell her what I wanted to say.

    "I want to make love with you too, Maddie. I don''t want to exhaust you, knowing you are pregnant with our child." I said, and I imed her mouth once again, and our sweet kisses turned into a hot make-out, and we made love once again. I felt so happy when I found her sleeping again on my chest after we shared another intimate moment, and it felt so lovely to hear those wordsing from her sweet mouth. And I love it that my wife is so vocal about how her body feels towards me because I can tell how much she wanted me, and iming my wife is always a beautiful experience for me.

    I love my wife so much, and all I want is to make her happy. I don''t want to make her feel tired. That is why no matter how I tried to have a second roundst night, I let her sleep to make her recover her energy. I am d she asked me to make love to her this morning, or I will be making love with her tonight. And even after we made love, the aching I felt for my wife is still there, and I know I will never get enough of Madeline, and I know she feels the same way too.

    I didn''t expect that I would fall asleep again, and it was my wife who woke me up, and we took a bath together. I could say it was one of the best baths I ever had since I love watching my wife''s little bump. Maddie still looks sexy and hot, and I can''t wait to see her growing stomach, and this time I will never let her get away from my sight ever again. I wanted to witness my wife''s pregnancy until she delivered our child, and I couldn''t wait to be a father. I can''t wait to make my wife get pregnant again, but I will give her enough time to rest. But I am nning to have at least three to four children since I know my wife wanted a big family since she is an only child.

    "Why are you looking at me like that, Hunter?" My wife asked me when she noticed I was staring at her face the entire time she put on her dress, and I smiled at her, and there is no way I will tell her I am nning to get her pregnant for our second child after she will give birth to our firstborn.

    "Nothing, my sweet, I can''t stop looking at your body; it seems you be sexier now that you''re pregnant," I said, and Madeline blushed as I helped her tie the cloth belt of her dress.

    "You only say that because I still have a little bump, but I know when my tummy bes bigger, you will not love this body anymore." She said as she pouted her lips, and I moved closer to her, and Iy my hands on her waist, and I pulled my wife closer to me.

    "You will always be beautiful in my eyes, Madeline, and always remember I will love you even more even if you will have the biggest tummy of all the pregnantwomen in this world because nothing canpare to the happiness that I felt knowing the life inside your womb is my baby too, and it makes me feel so proud that I make you pregnant with my child," I said, and she smiled. Then she took my hand, and we walked out from her room holding hands.

    "Leo? What are you doing here?" Madeline asked him when we found him on her doorstep, and I could tell he was about to knock on the door.

    "Your aunt Francine is waiting for you in the dining hall, while Mr. Hector Grant wanted to have a word with your husband." He responded, and I could see the worried expression on my wife''s face.

    "But why does he need to speak with my husband? Can Ie with Hunter?" Maddie asked, and I could tell my wife felt uneasy, but Leo shook his head, and I squeezed her hand to let her know everything would be alright. I didn''t want my wife to see that. I felt a little nervous. It has been my dream to talk with Hector Grant face to face since it would be a great pleasure and opportunity for me, but I never expected he would be my grandfather-inw, and I am wondering what he wants from me.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, your grandfather, instructed that he will talk to Hunter alone. But I don''t think you need to worry about that because I could tell he only wanted to meet your husband first before joining you in the dining hall." Leonardo responded, and I faced my wife.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, I am not afraid of your grandfather," I said to my wife.

    "I know, Hunter, but I am just worried because my first meeting with my grandfather was not a nice one, and I am afraid if he will do the same thing with you. I don''t want you to leave me here alone." My wife said, and I smiled since she looked so adorable, and I like it that she is like this because my wife used to be so independent, and I felt delighted that she let me know what she feels right now.

    "Madeline, I will never leave you again, and right now, I am hesitant to meet your grandpa since I was afraid if you would leave me here." My wifeughed.

    "I am sorry for making you feel this way, my love, but don''t worry, I will not go anywhere; I will be here at the Grant estate, and I will not eat my breakfast without you," Madeline said, and she walked towards the dining room while I followed Leo to Mr. Grant''s study.

    "Good morning, Mr. Grant." I greeted him the moment I got inside his study, and he looked at me, and he stood up, and I realized Madeline got most of her physical traits from her grandfather. Mr. Grant is an attractive man; even if he is in his seventies, I saw a strong man, and he still looks so young, and I could say he is still in his fifties.

    "You may leave us now, Leo." He said as he turned his attention to his butler, and Leo walked out on the door in haste after saying goodbye to us.

    "Have a seat, Mr. Divenson; finally, I met the man who bought my granddaughter so she can be his ve.." He said, and I could feel my entire face turn bright red with anger, but I tried to control myself for the sake of my wife, and I realized my wife was right after all, and I could say my first meeting with Hector Grant will not be a pleasant one either.

 Chapter 237 - Couldnâ€™t Say No

    Hunter''s POV

    I couldn''t believe what I had heard from Hector Grant''s mouth, and I stood up from my seat immediately and faced him as I tried to keep my anger at bay.

    "I didn''t make your granddaughter, my ve, Mr. Grant. I think there is a misunderstanding. God knows how much I love Madeline, I treated her as my wife, and I love her with all my heart." I said as I kept my fists on my side. How could he use me of something like that?

    "Mr. Divenson, I know how much you make my granddaughter suffer. You stayed with your mistress while your wife was waiting for you in your home. And your family treated her like trash." He said.

    "How could you say that when you didn''t even intervene or help your granddaughter when you knew she had a hard life growing up? Your son, Frank, trusted me to take good care of her daughter." I said as I looked at him in the eyes.

    "I have my reasons, Hunter, while you don''t have any right to hurt Madeline." He said in a stern voice, and I wondered why he was angry with me, and I couldn''t believe he would say something like that.

    "Why do you think when Frank was dying, I was the one he summoned and not you? Don''t you realize why? It is because of what kind of father you are to him.I took good care of Madeline the best way I could. If ever I hurt my wife, it was purely unintentional, Madeline knows how much I love her, and I don''t need to exin the details to you because you will never understand. After all, you don''t know what the real meaning of love is." I said, and I didn''t want to hurt Maddie''s grandfather, but I couldn''t control my emotions. How could he talk like that when he has too many shorings to his son and granddaughter.

    "How dare you talk to me like that? You don''t know me, Hunter!" He said, and I could see the fury on his face.

    "If you don''t want me to tell you what you are, then stop talking like you know me as well because you don''t have any idea how much I love my wife. I am willing to give my life for Maddie in an instance even I lost all my inheritance to be with her. She is my life, Mr. Grant, and I don''t want to hurt her by disrespecting you, but I hope you will filter your words as well because you don''t know anything about me. I understand you hired a private detective to know all about me, but nobody knows the real me except your granddaughter." I said, and he fell silent while looking at me, and I could see thehurt on his face.

    "I am sorry if I speak ill towards you, but you can''t me me since you used me of something I didn''t do, now if you will excuse me, I need to go to my wife, and for the record, I came here to get my wife, and even if Madeline asked me to be good to you, I don''t think it is a good idea for my wife to know you if you will only hurt Madeline," I said as I can see his face turned bright red, I don''t know if it is because of his anger or embarrassment.

    "Maddie had been through a lot since childhood, and I don''t want you to add her suffering; what she needs are love and protection, and if you think you can''t do that to my wife, then you better forget that you have a granddaughter. She deserves all the happiness in this world, and it hurts me to know that the grandfather she was so excited to know could be so cruel." I added.

    "Please, if you will excuse me, I want to go to my wife and take her back with me to Archois City, there are many people who are waiting for her in our home, and I am sure they will shower Madeline the love that she deserves," I said. I get out of his study without taking a second nce, and I am too pissed to care about how he feels. He is old, and he already lost a son, and if he continues to be like this, he will lose his chance to be with his granddaughter because I will never leave my wife here in this house, and I don''t care if he is the wealthiest man in Neospoli, I will take my wife with me.

    I didn''t expect my wife will be waiting for me in the living room together with a beautiful woman who looked so friendly and weing, and even if I felt so angry with Hector Grant, I couldn''t stop

    myself from smiling at her. They both stood up the moment I approached them, and Madeline walked closer to me, and she took my hand, and sheced her fingers with mine.

    "Aunt Francine, I want you to meet my husband, Hunter Divenson, and my love, I want to introduce to you my lovely aunt, Francine," Madeline said as she introduced me to her aunt. I took her extended hand, and she took a grip of my still shaking hand, and I tried my best to look calm even if I was still boiling with anger inside. I didn''t expect Maddie''s grandfather will ruin my beautiful morning, and I am just d that my wife is holding my hand right now because she always has this calming effect on me. Madeline will always make me feel everything will be alright. No matter how gloomy my day is, one smile from her can light up my entire day.

    "It is my pleasure to meet you, Ma''am," I said to Maddie''s aunt, and sheughed.

    "Oh, my dear, please drop the formality. I want you to call me mom too, you are my niece''s husband, and you should call me the same way your wife addressed me." She responded, and I grinned at her.

    "It would be my pleasure to call you, Mom, and thank you so much for taking good care of my wife," I said to her, and she shook her head.

    "No need to thank me, Hunter. Your wife is like a daughter to me, and you are like a son, too. I am so happy that you are here with us, and I could say my niece is very lucky to have you as her husband. You cameall the way here to Choraz to be with Maddie even if you are very busy running your business." Her aunt said, and I smiled at her.

    "Of course, there is no ce I wanted to be right now but to be beside my wife. And I regret to inform you that we are going back to Archois today. I will call my men, and they will be here within an hour." I said, and I saw Maddie''s eyes widen while aunt Francine''s face saddened.

    "Oh, my dear, why it is so sudden? I thought you would be staying with us here for at least one month." Her aunt said, and I suddenly felt guilty, but I couldn''t deny I wanted my wife to stay longer, so she could have a lot of time to spend with her aunt and grandpa, but Hector Grant pissed me off.

    "I know, but something is going on in Archois that we needed to head back right away." I lied.

    "Is everything alright, Hunter?" My wife asked, and I could see the worries in her eyes.

    "Don''t worry, Maddie, everything is alright," I replied.

    "It makes me feel sad that you are leaving, but I will surely visit you there, my dear Maddie." Aunt Francine said, and the way she looked at my wife with tenderness, I could tell she cares about Madeline and how I wish her father would treat us in the same manner.

    "And since you are leaving, I want to have breakfast with you, if you don''t mind, Hunter." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself from beaming at her.

    "That would be lovely, and it would be an honor for me to have a meal with you, mom," I replied, and I could see the happiness written all over her face, and we all proceeded to the dining hall. And Icould say Maddie''s aunt has the same personality as Frank, and how I wished my wife got the chance to know her father, and his granddad should be the one to give fatherly love to my wife, but it seems he owns the world, and he is selfish.

    "What happened, Hunter?" Madeline asked me the moment we were alone in her room, and I know during breakfast, she can''t wait to talk with me, and I am sure she doesn''t want to leave this house yet.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but I couldn''t take your grandpa''s attitude, and there is no way I will leave you here," I replied, and she moved closer to me and put her arms around my waist.

    "Hey, I know grandpa must hurt you, but believe me, he doesn''t mean it, Hunter. I could tell he was afraid if you would take me home immediately. And I am sure he was jealous because he knew how much I love you." My wife said.

    "My love, no matter how much grandpa insulted you, please ignore him. He is a lonely old man who is seeking attention and care, my dad left him, and he couldn''t ept until now that his only son will choose the simple he had in Archois than to be here. My grandpa already paid the prize of his shorings towards my dad." She added, and I could see the concern in her eyes as I let out a sigh.

    "What are you trying to say, Madeline?" I asked as I tried to speak calmly.

    "I wanted to stay here for a while with my grandpa because I wished to know him more, Hunter, and I hope you will allow me to have this chance to be with my father''s family, and you have to trust me; my grandfather is not that bad.." My wife said, and she looked so adorable as she begged me, and even if Hector Grant drives me crazy, I couldn''t say no to my lovely wife.

 Chapter 238 - He Needed Love And Care

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hey, rx Madeline, I am sure father will not bite your husband." My aunt said as we waited for Hunter. I already went to the dining hall, but I walked back to the living room because I didn''t feel at ease knowing my husband was still inside my grandpa''s study. I know my grandfather''s domineering attitude will get into my husband''s nerves, and I am sure they will sh.

    "I just can''t stop feeling so worried, and I know grandpa would say something to my husband that will drive him mad," I replied.

    "Yes, I agree with you, Madeline. But you see after he talked with you in that manner, dad apologized, I understand that father is like that, and that is why Frank left us. He could be domineering and maniptive, but I know he was only doing that because he wanted us to have a bright future without realizing he suffocated his children." Aunt Francine replied.

    "I tried to stop Frank from leaving, but he couldn''t take it anymore. Anyways, it is from the past, my brother failed to appreciate dad''s love for him, and I couldn''t me him, though, because dad was more strict when he was younger. I tried to run away once, but I was worried about him; if I left, who would look after him. He is my father, Maddie, and he is your grandfather. I hope you will broaden your understanding, and whatever happens between Hunter and dad will not affect your promise that you will stay for one month with us." She dered

    And now that my husband is here, I doubt, and I felt guilty towards my aunt Francine because I know if Hunter will leave Neospoli, I will go with him because I can''t stay here without him.

    "Mom, I wanted to stay here with you, but you know I wille with my husband if he leaves this ce. I don''t want to be separated from him." I said honestly, and she smiled weakly at me.

    "Of course, my dear, I will understand, and right now, I am hoping for the best. I hope dad won''t ruin his chance to be with you." My beautiful aunt dered, and I smiled at her, and then it felt like forever before I saw my husband walking towards us. I can tell right away by the look on his face that he wasn''t happy with his talk with my grandfather, but when he looked at us, he smiled, and I realized Hunter Divenson is a good actor. He masked his anger by giving my aunt one of his perfect smiles.

    "Oh, my dear, I could tell you are meant for each other, and you looked good together, and I wonder what would be your children would look like, your husband''s physique is perfect for his name and reputation. He looked like a celebrity, and no wonder you are so in love with him." My aunt said, and her words made me blush, and yes, even until now, every time I looked at my husband, I could still feel the knots on my stomach and butterflies on my chest, and I know I am so lucky to have him in my life.

    My aunt asked us to have breakfast with her, and I wanted to ask my husband what happened with his talk with my grandpa. Still, I could tell he was trying to control himself, and he tried to pretend everything was fine even if I knew he felt disappointed and angry, and I knew he didn''t want my aunt to know his opinion about my grandpa. And I realized it would be lovely if grandpa were eating with us, and I wonder when he will ept that he needed us in his life, and I know Hector Grant needs someone to remind him he is not alone.

    The moment we returned to my room, and we were alone, I asked Hunter right away what was wrong, and his answer made me feel so sad. Even if I expected it to happen, I was still hoping my grandfather would show him some favor. But he was Hector Grant again, maybe being the wealthiest man in the country made him think he could boss everyone.

    I begged my husband to give my grandpa a chance sinceI wanted to stay here in Neospoli with my grandfather because I wished to know him more. I was hoping Hunter would allow me to have this chance to be with my father''s family, and I asked my husband to listen and trust me as I told him that my grandfather is not that bad. I tried to look convincing because I knew I would feel sad, and he would say we were going home, and as I waited for his answer, I couldn''t stop the racing of my heart. I wanted Hunter and grandpa to get along because I wanted to have a family I could call my own. I know the moment I married Hunter, he became my family, yet growing up, I couldn''t deny I wanted to know my father.

    "Okay, if that is what you want, Madeline, but I think I should leave and stay in a hotel nearby. I can''t be here, my sweet." He said, and I was shaking my head.

    "No, I want you to stay with me," I said, and he came closer to me, and he brought me into his arms.

    "I am not leaving you, Maddie, I want your grandpa to know that I love you so much, and I am willing to do everything for you, and even if I wanted to be with you, I would give you a chance to be with him. I trust your instinct, Madeline, and I am willing to make a sacrifice, and I am sorry if I said hurtful words to your grandfather. He is a mean old man." He said, and then we both erupted intoughter. I kissed my husband on the lips, and he kissed me back passionately.

    "Thank you for being so understanding, my love," I said, and Hunter smiled at me while he cupped my face.

    "You are always wee, Madeline. Call me anytime, and I wille right away." He said, and we kissed one more time before he brought me to the balcony, and we spent our entire morning together talking and making out.

    When my husband said goodbye to me, it felt like I couldn''t do it, and I wanted toe with him, but I understood my husband needed some space to think it over, and I didn''t want him to feel guilty. My room felt so empty when Hunter left, and when it was time for lunch, Leo came to fetch me, and the moment I got inside the dining room, I didn''t expect my grandpa will join us, and my aunt was smiling at me as I sat across from her.

    "Where is your husband, Madeline?" My grandfather asked right away before I could even sit on the dining chair.

    "He left. He will be staying in a nearby hotel." I replied, and I could see that my grandpa''s face turned so red.

    "How could he do that?" He asked.

    "Dad, we should be asking you why Hunter left? I think you were the reason why Madeline''s husband chose to stay in a hotel rather than staying here in your gigantic house. Dad, it is about time you have to ept you needed us in your life." Aunt Francine dered, and I couldn''t believe we were thinking the same thing, and I saw how my grandpa''s face fell as he put down his spoon and fork on the table, and then he looked at me, and then he turned his gaze on my aunt.

    "And then after I wee you all, you will all leave me, and so you think it will make me happy? I have all the money in the world, but my only son left, and he made me feel I was the most ipetent father in the world. He never called even once, I was waiting for him to say sorry ande home, but I only wasted so much time." He said, and I could hear the bitterness in his voice.

    "Grandpa, if you love my father, you should have done your part as a father. You could have reached out and done things for him to remind him he has a loving father. It will never make you less a man if you only lower your pride, and youe after him. You know why my father left, and I hope you will not make the same mistake again. I want to spend more time with you and know you because I wanted to experience how it feels to have a grandfather." I said, and he was looking at me now with tenderness.

    "But I can''t stay here in your castle if Hunter will not be staying with me. I want you to know that he left because he felt like you didn''t like him, and he never took me with him knowing I want to know you, grandpa." I said, and I saw my grandpa''s tears fall from his eyes.

    "Say it again, Madeline," He said in more than a whisper, and I felt confused about what does he want me to speak about again.

    "I am sorry, but I don''t understand what you mean," I replied while my aunt was also wiping her tears as she looked at her father.

    "Call me grandpa, once again, Madeline." He asked, and I realized the reason why he cried, he loved it that I called him grandpa, and I realized this was the first time I called him grandpa.

    "Yes, grandpa," I said, and he smiled at me.

    "Oh, that is so lovely," He said, and then he looked at me in the eyes.

    "I am sorry again, Madeline. I don''t think I can control myself. I admit I was afraid that Hunter would take you away from me, I just got the chance to know you, and when I learned he came, I couldn''t stop thinking he would bring you back immediately, and your aunt will stop revisiting me." He said.

    "Oh, dad, I am sorry, don''t worry from now on, I will always find time to be with you." My aunt said, and I knew it, my grandpa is very lonely, and he was only hiding what he felt.

    "Grandpa, my husband loves me, and he will always respect my decision. Even if we go back to Astikoz, we know we can alwayse home here, and you cane and visit us anytime." I said, and he smiled at me.

    "Okay, after we finish eating lunch, we will go and get Hunter; how could he leave you alone here.." He said, and I couldn''t stop the tears of happiness that trickled down on my face, and I realized my grandpa was only jealous of my husband, and I know we should widen our understanding for him, after all, he is already old who needed attention, love, and care.

 Chapter 239 - Making Him Happy

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hey, how are you, son?" Cal asked on the other line, and even if I felt so frustrated with my grandfather-inw, I smiled when I heard his voice. And I realized I missed Calixto.

    "Not so good, Cal," I said as I sighed heavily.

    I walked towards the window and looked at the view of Choraz capital, and I had a lot of things I wanted to do with my wife. I nned to tour the ce with her. And I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so lonely. And I realized the time crawled slowly now that my wife was not with me. I texted her that I was

    already in my suite room, and I wondered why she didn''t text me back. Maybe she was talking with her aunt or her grandpa.

    "Why, is Madeline alright?" Cal asked, and I was shaking my head.

    "I am a little hurt, Calixto, and I told you I am not good, yet you were worrying about my wife and not me," I said, and he chuckled.

    "I am sorry, Hunter. I am more concerned about Madeline since she is the one who is pregnant and not you." He said, and I smiled like an idiot. The idea that I will be a father soon always makes me feel so excited and happy.

    "Fair enough, and I think this time you''ve got a good alibi. I know you will always favor Madeline over me, and it is okay with me, Cal. I love my wife so much, and it makes me feel so happy that someone like you cares about Madeline. I will always be grateful to you." I said.

    "Of course, I care about you too, Hunter. What is bothering you?" He asked, and I took him about what happened between Maddie''s grandpa and me, and I couldn''t believe he would beughing at me.

    "Come on, Cal, how could you afford tough. Do you know I am having a hard time right now? I wanted to be with my wife, which is why I came all the way here to Choraz to be with her. But I didn''t expect that my long-time idol in the mining industry would be this cruel to me." I said, and I took a deep breath.

    "Hunter, can''t you read between the lines?" He asked, and I scowled even if he couldn''t see me.

    "There is nothing to read, Cal, everything is clear to me, Hector Grant is domineering andtoo proud of his achievement in life, and of course, he thinks he owned this ce because he is the richest man all over Neospoli country." I dered, and I felt a little better when I told him how I thought.

    "Hunter, can''t you see that the old man is lonely? His son left him and never came back. As a future father, what will happen to you, or how can you take your son to leave you? It was devastating and humiliating. You have all the richest in the world, but you can''t make your son stay in your household. Do you think he is happy with his life? I am sure Hector Grant is living his life full of regrets and loneliness." Callisto said, and I was speechless as I realized he could be right.

    "And that is why he was threatened when he saw you in his house, and Hector Grant was afraid if he would lose his granddaughter. And the best thing you can do is assure him that everything will be all right, and Madeline will be a part of his life, and there is no way you will take away Madeline from him because when you married Madeline, you became one, and her family will be yours." Cal said, and it dawned on me; Hector was afraid that Maddie would leave him and would never look back like what Frank did. And his castle will be lonely again the moment I take my wife with me to Astikoz, and I realized how miserable his life could be even if he were so rich.

    "Calixto, thank you so much for your wisdom. I have always known that every time we talk, I will feel better, and this time you didn''t only make me feel fantastic, but you also made me realize one important thing. Hector needs his granddaughter, and I know how much I wanted to be with Madeline every day, but now I understood she wanted to know her grandfather. And even if it breaks my heart to leave this ce without my wife, but I think I will give Madeline a chance to be with her newfound family." I replied.

    "Yes, that is the best thing you can do, and you better go back to his estate and apologize even if you think you have done nothing to him. Sometimes saying sorry to someone who did us wrong will make the person realize what a fool he had been." Cal said.

    "I need to go to your mother''s office now. Talk to you soon, Hunter." He added.

    "Bye, Cal," I said, and I turned around to get my things as I realized Cal was right; besides, I can''t be away from Madeline. I miss her already, and I wonder if she feels the same way too. I was on my way out of my room after I called Roman about my n when I heard some knocking on my door, and I wondered who it could be. I had already told my head bodyguard to wait for me in the lobby.

    "Good afternoon, Hunter!" Hector grant greeted me after I half opened the door, and I was poking my head, and I couldn''t believe he woulde to my hotel room.

    "Mr. Grant," I said, and I was speechless, and I didn''t know what to say to him.

    "Aren''t you going to invite me?" He asked, and I opened the door wide so he could get inside.

    "I am impressed with your choice and thank you for choosing my hotel. You left my estate, and you decided to stay on one of my hotel properties." He said, and I am no longer shocked to know that Madeline''s grandpa owned the five-star hotel where I am currently staying. Of course, he almost held everything here in Choraz, not only in this ce but all over Neospoli.

    "What can I do for you, Mr. Grant?" I asked, trying to sound calm, and if I haven''t talked with Cal, I know I will still feel angry towards him, but right now, I can see him for the first time as an older man who needed love and attention. Not the arrogant, wealthy man of Neospoli.

    "I want to be direct to you, Hunter, I came here to apologize, and I want you toe with me to my house. You are my granddaughter''s husband, and I understand Maddie will leave me if you do not stay in my ce, so I am begging you toe with me, and not only that, I want you to call me grandpa, like the way your wife addressed me." He said, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at him.

    "There is no need to apologize, and I should be the one who should ask an apology. I am sorry if I left your house without saying goodbye to you, and it was rude of me to leave in that manner." I said, and he grinned at me.

    "Even so, I still want you to know that I felt guilty for thinking you would take her away from me, and I felt bad for using you of something you didn''t do. I know how much you love my granddaughter, Hunter, and for that, I want you to know I am so thankful you came into her life." Hector Grant dered as he looked at me intently.

    "You saved Madeline, Hunter, you gave her everything she could ever ask for, and I know how much you love her. I only said those words because I was envious of you, and I felt so guilty that I haven''t done anything for my granddaughter." He said, and I could see the guilt all over his face.

    "It is not yet toote, grandpa; you can still

    make up for the lost chance you have missed with Maddie, and I know you are going to be a wonderful great-grandfather to our child," I responded, and ai saw how his face lit up with happiness.

    "Of course, I will, and I promised to be a good grandpa to Madeline and you. Thank you, son. You are a good man, Hunter Divenson, and even if at first your intention of marrying Maddie was because of Frank''s dying wish, you ended up loving Madeline, and you make her the happiest woman in the world." He said, and I blushed.

    "You don''t need to feel shy about it, Hunter, my granddaughter, felt so happy, and she is so proud of you. And she couldn''t stop talking about you in the way here." He said, and my eyes widened.

    "My wife is here?" I asked, and he broadly smiled at me.

    "Yes, and I think we should leave now before Maddiees up here. She is in the hotel''s restaurant with her aunt waiting for us, and we will have dinner together with Paul, Francine''s husband." He said.

    "And I want you to know, this is one of the best days of my life, dining with my family is my long time wish, son. I have been lonely for a long time, and I was too afraid to ept it to myself because I felt proud since I knew how powerful I was. Yet, I also knew I was the loneliest man in the entire Neospoli, and Madeline made me so happy, and I hope you will allow me to spend more time with her, Hunter." He said, and I looked at him in the eyes.

    "Grandpa, you also made Madeline happy, and her happiness matters to me. Of course, you can spend more time with her, and I hope it would be okay with you if I will tag along." I said, and heughed, and I realized he couldugh too.

    "That would be lovely, Hunter. It feels like I''ve got my son back. Thank you so much for making this old man happy." He said, and together we walked out from my hotel room, and I had never felt so excited my entire life, and he didn''t realize I had also gained a grandfather, and it made my heart swelled with happiness.

    I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so happy when I saw my beautiful sweetwife running towards me the moment she saw us walking inside the restaurant.. Madeline kissed me without a care in front of every guest dining in the restaurant, and I felt so happy to kiss her back, and we only stopped kissing each other when we heard her grandpa clear his throat, and she looked so adorable when her face turned crimson while we held hands going to our table.

 Chapter 240 - Hunterâ€™s Promise

    Madeline''s POV

    I couldn''t stop feeling so anxious as I waited for my grandpa toe back with my husband. I was wearing a beautiful knee-length purple dress paired with white t sandals; ever since I got pregnant, I was afraid of wearing heels because I didn''t want to trip and harm my baby inside my womb. My aunt Francine and I were waiting for them at the restaurant.

    "Madeline, this is one of thepanies your grandfather owned in Neospoli, and as possible, I want you to know about the family businesses; after your father died, I know I was next in line, but I felt so d we found you. I can''t serve two masters at the same time. I am married to Paul, and he is also the only heir of his parents'' empire. We can''t deny we are no longer getting any younger. You are our only hope Maddie and your offspring." My aunt dered that I needed to swallow my saliva since it took a lot to process.

    "I regret to inform you that I know nothing about running a business, mom. I just got started training in Hunter''spany before something happened to his sister; besides, I am now married to Hunter, I want to know you and grandpa, but I don''t think I can stay here that long." I replied.

    .

    "I understand, Madeline, but I hope you can convince your husband to stay here in Neospoli and take over grandpa''spany because Hunter has three siblings while you are the only heir of your grandpa''s empire. And your children should enjoy the fruit ofbors of your great-grandparents." Aunt Francine said, and I don''t want to make her upset, but I have to be honest with her that I can''t decide something like that, and I hate to think that I wanted to stay here in Neospoli while my heart is longing to be in Astikoz with my family and friends.

    "And I am hoping, my dear, that you will reconsider about it, and maybe you can ask your husband, and I am sure Hunter will not say no to you. I can tell how much your husband adores and loves you, Madeline." She added, and I smiled at my aunt, and I knew right away that I was blushing.

    "Oh, dear, your love for your husband is extraordinary, I only mentioned his name, and you are already blushing. Young love is sweet, and I am envious of how you care for each other. I like the way Hunter showed his love for you, Maddie. And you are such a lucky girl, and I am so thankful that you have him as your husband." My aunt dered, and I smiled at her, unable to control myself from blushing.

    Then I saw a handsome man approaching us, and I could tell right away he was my aunt''s husband by the way he looked at my aunt Francine with great intensity. And I knew how much he loved my aunt because I could see how he looked at my aunt in the same way my husband was looking at me every time we were together.

    "Hello, gorgeous!" He greeted my aunt and kissed her on the lips, and then he looked at me with a beautiful smile stered on his face.

    "You must be Madeline, and your aunt was right; you looked so stunning, my dear, just like my lovely wife; you both inherited Hector Grant''s looks." He said, and he extended his hand to me, and I realized he is the kind of man I amfortable with because of his warm personality. I almostughed when I realized Hunter and my grandpa had the same personality.

    "It is my pleasure to meet you; finally, Madeline, I am Paul, your aunt''s handsome husband, and since you are calling your aunt mom, I want you to call me dad," He said while he was still grinning at me, and I heard my aunt giggle.

    "The pleasure is all mine," I replied as I felt his warm hand tightly grip my palm as I shook his hand, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at him since he has a contagious smile. We talked, and no wonder my aunt Francine was so crazy about him.

    Uncle Paul has a great sense of humor, and I could say I will not get bored talking with him. And my uneasiness was gone, and it felt like I was their real daughter, and I didn''t want the day to end as I thought how wonderful it is to have a family. And I know I miss how it feels since it has been a long time that my mom died, and I didn''t get the chance to meet my dad again after he left us when I was still a baby.

    I wasughing so hard at uncle Paul''s joke when I saw Hunter and grandpa, and I couldn''t stop myself from standing on my feet, and I couldn''t control myself from running to them, and I almost forgot I was a pregnant woman. I couldn''t exin the happiness that I felt when I saw my husband and grandpa get inside the restaurant. I ran towards them, and my husband was smiling at me, and I threw myself at his weing arms, and I was standing with my toes as I kissed my husband on the lips, and it felt so good to feel his arms around me as he kissed me back with the same urgency.

    And I couldn''t believe I would make out with Hunter in front of the guests who were eating in the restaurant, but I didn''t care anymore as I realized how much I missed him even if I had seen him this morning. My face flushed when I heard my grandpa clear his throat. And that is the only time my husband released me from his embrace.

    "I miss you," I said in more than a whisper, and I felt my husband hold my hand.

    "I miss you so much too, Madeline," Hunter whispered in my ear, and then we walked after grandpa towards our table, and I introduced Hunter to uncle Paul. I was smiling like an idiot as I watched my husband talk with uncle Paul. When I looked at my grandpa, he looked at them full of admiration, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so emotional. It feels like I am still a single woman, and this is the first time I have introduced my hot boyfriend to my family. And I realized it felt so nice to have them in my life, and I am thankful for this opportunity to be with them.

    We had a wonderful dinner, and my husband was holding my hand under the table, and I couldn''t stop myself from giggling while eating my dinner.

    "Are you happy?" My husband asked me the moment we got back at my grandpa''s castle, and he was holding my waist with his hands while we were facing each other.

    "Of course, I can''t imagine myself sleeping alone on that big bed without you by my side, and I know I can''t stop myself from thinking that you came all the way here, yet we couldn''t be together," I replied as he pulled me closer to him. I could feel the knots in my stomach as I gazed at his handsome face.

    "Me too. It would be hard on my part to sleep without you by my side, knowing I am at Neospoli, and I can''t see and kiss you." He said before he leaned down and captured my eager lips. We shared a passionate kiss before he picked me up and carried me into the bathroom while I couldn''t stop myself from giggling.

    I had an excellent sleep in Hunter''s arms, and the following day we had breakfast with my grandpa, aunt Francine, and uncle Paul. And then I was shocked when grandpa asked us toe with him to his office, and I didn''t expect he was nning to have a press conference, and he introduced me to the public with my husband. He was so proud to tell the media I am his long-lost granddaughter and the heiress of his empire.

    When I was a child, I only had a simple wish during my birthdays, and that was to see my father, and I never dreamed of being wealthy. A simple meal with my mom and dad would be enough for my young heart, and as I grew older when my mom got sick, I wished I had all the money in the world to save her so she could live longer, and she could see her grandchildren. And I hate to think that I was so useless when I witnessed how much she suffered.

    .

    I never expected to marry a big shot, and now I find it hard to believe I am the only heir of the wealthiest man in this country, yet I couldn''t save my mom. She raised me alone and did everything she could so I could live in this world.

    "Hey, are you okay?" I heard my husband ask me the moment he stood behind me in front of the wide window of my grandfather''s office. He embraced me from behind, and I closed my eyes as I smelled his masculine scent that will always make me feel giddy and excited.

    "Yes, I am. I can''t stop myself from missing my mom," I said as I leaned my head on his chiseled chest.

    "I know how much you miss her, my sweet, but one thing I am sure, she is now happy knowing you have a handsome, hot, and rich husband." He said, and Iughed.

    "Kidding aside, I know your mother is happy beyond words. I promise in front of her grave that I will take good care of you as long as I live. And I also vowed to protect you and our children from all the harm in this world and to love you for the rest of my life, and not even death can stop me from loving you, my sweet Madeline.." Hunter said, and all my sadness was gone as I turned around and looked at my husband, and I felt so happy to see his eyes looking at me with full love and affection.

 Chapter 241 - His Plan

    Madeline''s POV

    In the days that followed, we became busier as my grandpa your us to his properties all over Neospoli country, and I couldn''t believe how wealthy my grandfather was. If I grew up with nothing, right now I could tell, I havemore than anything I can ask for, including my handsome husband. And one month is not enough to be familiar with everything, and I got worried when Hunter told me we needed to return to Astikoz.

    "Hunter, can you leave Madeline in here?" My grandpa asked as we were having dinner, and I could tell he caught my husband off guard. It was already our n toe home together because I miss my family in Astikoz, and not only that, Hunter is needed in thepany. I could tell mom is having a hard time because of what happened to rk Divenson, but we received good news fifteen days ago that he is out of hisa. And Hunter said his father is now fully recovered, and he is living in our house since mom wanted to take good care of her husband even if she had filed divorce.

    "Grandpa, I know it would be hard on my part to say no, but it is all up to my wife to decide. But since she is pregnant, I don''t want her to be far from me, and I wanted Madeline to give birth in Astikoz." Hunter said, and I find it hard to decide because I can''t deny, I fell in love with my grandpa''s castle.

    "Grandpa, I wanted to stay, but I can''t be here without Hunter," I said, and I couldn''t stop feeling so sad when I saw my grandpa''s face fell.

    "You don''t need to worry, grandpa. We will return immediately." I said, and he smiled at us, but I could tell he was hiding his genuine emotions because he didn''t want me to be upset. He already promised me that he would try his best not to make me worry about anything for my baby''s sake.

    "Hey, thank you, Madeline. I wanted to say no right away because that is the truth. After what happened in Zambo town, I don''t want you to be out of my sight." Hunter said as wey on our bed, and I looked at his handsome face while his hand was on my waist, and we were facing each other.

    "I don''t want to upset grandpa, and I was d you didn''t give him false hope." My husband added.

    "Me too, Hunter, I know, I made a big mistake when I lied to you, and I wanted to give penance to my mistakes, and regarding grandpa, he needs to understand that I am happily married to you. And I needed to be with you." I said, and my husband chuckled.

    "You don''t need to do that, Madeline. What is important is you are safe. You have done no wrong, and yes, you are right; this situation will upset grandpa. Maybe we can decideter." My husband said, and I raised my head to kiss His enticing lips.

    On the day of our departure, I felt worried about why grandpa didn''t join us for breakfast, and I became more uneasy when Leo told us grandpa would be having his meal in his room since he was not feeling well.

    "What is going on with him?" I asked my husband, and I heard him release a heavy sigh.

    "I think your grandfather is not yet ready that you will go home to Astikoz, Madeline." My husband said, and I felt sad.

    "What should we do, my love? I can''t leave him here." I said, and my husband took my hands over the table.

    "I think I should give way, and I will be right back in a week." He said, and I smiled at my husband.

    "Are you sure?" I asked.

    "Of course, I can''t take another month of not seeing you. I will be back in a week, and you have to promise me you will take care of yourself, my sweet." He said, and I smiled sweetly at him.

    "Of course, I will, and you need to fo the same," I said, and he nodded his head at me.

    "Yes, Maddie, I will always take good care of myself because I am going to be a father soon." He replied, and I smiled, and we continued eating our breakfast in silence.

    I can''t stop crying when I say goodbye to my husband. I know my child feels so sad to see his dad go. I don''t usually show my vulnerable side because I don''t want tobe called weak, but ever since I got pregnant, I could cry easily.

    "Hey, Madeline, please don''t cry. It would be harder for me to leave you if I saw you in tears." Hunter said as he wiped my tears away.

    "I am sorry, but I can''t control myself, my love," I said, and he hugged me, and then he leaned down and captured my lips.

    "I needed to go now, my love," Hunter said, and I nodded my head, and I got inside the main door without looking back because I knew there was a chance I would go with my husband. I walked straight to my grandpa''s room, so I could stop myself from feeling so lonely.

    "Madeline, what are you doing here?" My grandfather asked me when I found him in the library since he wasn''t inside his room, I looked around to his study and the family room, and I almost searched the entire house when I remember checking the library. I could see the smile on his face as he stared at me.

    "Hunter asked me to stay, grandpa. He didn''t want me toe with him knowing you are not feeling well, and he will be back next weekend anyway." I said, and he put down the book he was reading.

    "I am sorry, Madeline. I am perfectly fine, and only my heart is not okay. I tried to understand that I need to let you go, but I am not yet ready. I didn''t join you during breakfast because I can''t deny it would be hard on my part to say goodbye to you after knowing you." He said, and I smiled, and I felt so happy to hear those wordsing from my grandpa.

    "We know, grandpa, that is why I chose to stay, I want to be with you too, and I want to take good care of you," I said, and heughed.

    "I am still strong, Madeline, and tell Hunter he should arrive early on Saturday, or if he cane on Friday night, the better. I will hold a ball in your honor. The press conference was not enough. I should wee you with a ball, and I am sure your aunt will be so delighted. Your grandma loved having balls here in this castle." He dered, and I felt excited since I would be having a ballhere in the ancestral house of my dad.

    "You got your physical appearance from me, Madeline, and not from your mom. I know your mother is a beautiful woman. That is why people would say you looked like her, especially your neighbors in your aunt''s neighborhood. But if they will see me and your aunt, Francine, they can tell Grant''s blood in your veins is dominant." My grandpa said.

    "But you should know, you inherited your grandmother''s traits. You are kind, selfless, and a strong woman, and that is why I fell in love with her." My grandpa added, and he continued talking about my grandma''s life, and I felt happy that at least he made me feel better after Hunter left the castle. And I felt d my grandpa shared my grandma''s life with me, and how he fell in love with her even if my grandma is opposite all the girls he dated.

    They have a beautiful love story that anyone would be envious of since mygrandfather was the hottest bachelor in town, and my grandma is the most simple girl in Choraz. And she didn''te from an affluent family, but she became the madam of this house and my grandpa''s Queen.

    My grandpa was right. Aunt Francine became so excited about the uing ball, then she hired an event nner, including a host, and I couldn''t believe she would choose one of the talk show hosts in the country to be the emcee of theuing ball. It was short notice, but they could book her even if she had a busy schedule. And I felt excited but worried at the same time, and I hoped my husband woulde because I didn''t want anyone to be my escort except him.

    It is Friday night, and I felt so happy that the days passed too quickly, and I wished my husband would arrive tonight. It was only wishful thinking since he didn''t tell me he woulde tonight when I talked with him this morning when he was on his wayto his office.

    "Madeline, did you fit your gown?" My aunt asked.

    "Yes, mom, I did, and it was perfect. Thank you so much for the beautiful gown, grandpa." I said, and my grandpa beamed at me.

    "Of course, you must be the most beautiful tomorrow because the ball is in your honor." He said, and this is the first time I feel this way, and I know because my grandpa wanted to have a ball in my honor.

    We were in the living room when I heard amotion. I turned my head only to find Hunter and the rest of my family in Astikoz, and when I turned to look at my grandpa, he was grinning at me, and I could tell he had nned all this, and I couldn''t believe he invited them to attend the ball.

    I couldn''t stop myselffrom running to them, and I hugged Lily and Hunter''s mom, and then I also embraced Gina and Cer, and then I found Calixto, together with Parker and Reba. And I was shocked to see Hunter''s father, rk Divenson, and his sister, Charlotte, and I know I am so grateful for my grandpa for doing all this. Still, I don''t understand why my grandfather invited the people who made my life miserable in Astikoz.

 Chapter 242 - [Bonus ]Forgiveness

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter!" Lily''s voice reverberated inside our mansion the moment I got inside the house, and she saw me walking towards the staircase, and she was on top of the stairs. And I stopped in my tracks as I watched my sister run from the stairs taking two steps at a time, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing when she threw herself at me the moment she reached the bottom of the stairs. Lily was hugging me tightly that we almost stumbled on the floor.

    "Hey, easy there, kiddo, it seems to me you miss your big brother so much." I dered as I caressed her hair, and I realized she had gotten taller even if I hadn''t only seen her for one month. And even if she is now a teenager, I still remember the little girl who helped Madeline run away from the Divenson mansion when she was only twelve years old.

    And every time I looked back, I realized my wife found an incredible friendship with my sister, and that is why I can''t me Maddie for saving my little sister right away when Lily was kidnapped. I know she could have hurt herself, but she chose to save Lily, and I will not be hugging my sister now if not for my wife''s heroic act.

    "Of course, I do. And I miss Madeline too. Why she isn''t with you, Hunter?" She asked, and I smiled weakly at her.

    "You said you are going to break her back." She added as she pouted her lips while she was still hugging my waist.

    "Unfortunately, Hector Grant begged me to let Maddie stay at the Grant estate," I responded, and I saw her face fell.

    "But you don''t need to worry about anything because you areing with me this weekend to Neospoli!" I added, and her face lit up, and I could see the beautiful smile on her face.

    "You are not kidding, right?" She asked in disbelief.

    "Yes, I am not joking at all. Madeline''s grandfather asked me to bring my entire family and Madeline''s close friends to attend the uing ball to be held at his castle in honor of Madeline." I said, and she smiled at me.

    "Wow! I can''t wait to be there and be with Madeline. And I know she is busy and we seldom talk with each other. I am so d that the worst thing that happened to your wife was over, and now we found out she was an heiress." She said as she let go of my frame.

    "Me too, Lily. I am d it is over, and Maddie is now safe and sound living like a princess at his grandpa''s ce." I replied as I beamed at her. She walked with me through my room, and then she came with me to see my father and I felt so d he was now fine and back to his old self, yet his domineering demeanor was gone, and he looked like an ordinary person to me.

    "Hello, dad," I said, and he looked at me in the eyes.

    "Why are you like this, Hunter?" He asked, and I got confused.

    "You are too good to be my son. I tried to do everything to ruin you and Madeline, and I am aware you knew everything that I have done to you. Yet, you never treated me as a sinner, and you keep reminding me of what a horrible person I am to you by not doing anything. You visited me in the hospital and came closer to my hospital bed telling me things I don''t deserve to hear." He said, and I was shocked that my once proud father epted the sins he hadmitted towards Madeline and me.

    "When I was in the hospital bed fighting for my life, I never expected that I would hear your voice, and it was the most wonderful thing that I have ever heard when you call me Dad. And you remind me that you are my son, and I realized I turned into a monster father because of my greediness. I watched you grow into a young man, and then you turned into a responsible adult. I used to be so proud of you, but I hated you for disobeying my orders. It was a simple request, yet you didn''t follow me." He said, and I felt Lily hold my hand.

    "I felt so ashamed of myself because I thought you would only benefit everything, and I failed to realize you are not like me. You are kind to your siblings and a good son to your mom and me. And I hope I will live long enough to show you how sorry I am, and I want to make up everything that I have done." Dad added.

    "And do you know what I regretted the most, Hunter, because of my greediness? Losing your mom, and that is the time I realize what I have done, but instead ofing to her and apologizing, I continue to be a wicked person, and I realized now you''ve got your mother''s heart. She is too kind to forgive me after all the things I have done. I never thought she woulde and be with me in the hospital." My father dered.

    "I would like to take this opportunity to ask for your forgiveness, Hunter. It may be toote, but I hope you are not closing your door for me. I am willing to wait until you learn to forgive me." He said.

    "Dad, you are the only father I know. I am sorry if I disobeyed your order, but my love for my wife is something I can''t ignore and forget. She is my salvation, and she helped me to be a better person. I can''t imagine my life without her. I admit at first, I was only using Madeline to provoke you for insisting that I should marry Kaye, but I can''t deny I fell in love with Maddie on the night I first saw her. And I know there is no turning back, and she will be a part of my life forever." I replied.

    "I have already forgiven you, and I was hoping you could hear me when you were on youratose stage. I will be a father soon, and I know I couldn''t be a good father to my son if I will not let go of the past, and I hope you will ept that Madeline is my wife and the mother of my child." I said, and he smiled.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for giving me a chance to redeem myself. And I hope your wife will also give me a chance to be a better father-inw to her and grandfather to your son." My dad said.

    "Of course, you don''t need to worry anything dad, Madeline is forgiving, and she is a good person," I said, and he smiled while Lily came to his side and hugged our dad.

    "I am sorry, too, Lily, I was not a good father to you." He said, and my sister looked up to him as she tried to dry her tears.

    "It is okay, dad. I understand, and you will always be my daddy." She said.

    "Thank you, sweetheart," Dad said as she looked at my sister with tenderness; and it has been a long time I wished to see him like this, and I never realized being hospitalized and his near-death experience made him a different person.

    "And now that you are back Hunter, can you bring me to Madeline? I want to ask forgiveness from her. But no one is telling me where she is, and I was too ashamed to ask any of them about Maddie''s whereabouts." My dad said, and I shared a look with my sister, and I realized my father doesn''t know about Madeline yet.

    "You never ask about Maddie, Dad, and we are afraid to tell you because we know you don''t like her," Lily said.

    "I know, Lily, and I am not proud of hating Madeline without reason. I hope she will have the heart forgive me." Dad replied as he looked at Lily and then at me.

    "I am happy that she became your wife, Hunter, because I know she brings out the best in you, and you be a better man." Dad dered.

    "Yes, dad, and I want to bring you to her and our entire family to Neospoli because she is there with Frank''s father," I said.

    "Oh, Frank told me he was an orphan, and I wonder why he lied." My dad said.

    "Yeah, and I am excited to bring you to her since her grandfather asked Maddie to stay with him to make up the years they haven''t seen each other," I responded.

    "Okay, don''t worry, I will ask your wife toe home with us; maybe she doesn''t want toe here in Astikoz knowing I am staying here in your house." My father replied.

    "No, dad, Maddie wanted to spend more time with her aunt and grandfather," I replied.

    "Did you give Madeline''s family a house? Frank is one of my favorite employees, and I would be d to help his family as a sign of our gratitude for Frank''s services." My father dered, and I don''t want to tell him about Maddie''s family yet because I love to know if my father is willing to ept Madeline even if she only came from a low-ie family.

    "No need to give them a house, dad," I responded.

    "I insist! The moment we reach Neospoli, I will look for a nice ce for them." He said, and I couldn''t stop feeling so happy, and I heard my sister giggle. How I wish he were like this when I first brought Madeline to the Divenson mansion, and Maddie would not experience pain, but it was now all in the past.. And I can''t wait to go back to Neospoli together with my family and Maddie''s family, and it would be the most beautiful event that will happen to Madeline and me after we get married.

 Chapter 243 - Feel Good

    Madeline''s POV

    I tried to look at Hunter''s father even if I could still feel the fear I used to have every time he threatened me.But this time, I saw a different man. Gone is his authoritative look, and I never heard him say a word as he looked around my grandpa''s house. I know the Grant Castle is bigger than the Divension mansion, and everything in this house cost a fortune and he was looking on the tiles for a long time, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling, knowing atst rk Divenson have met someone wealthier and powerful than him.

    I am d my grandfather faced Hunter''s father right away because I am not yet ready to face rk Divenson since I don''t know what I should tell him. I know I have forgiven him, but knowing my husband almost got killed during the explosion at the mine still makes me have goosebumps on my skin. I know he was the mastermind behind the explosion, and I am just d Hunter let it slide. And because of that, I became more in love with my husband.

    My grandpa asked rk to join him in his study, and I am sure Hector Grant will give him a serious talk, or shall I say my grandfather will talk to him like he did to Hunter and me. But knowing he was once a wicked person, I don''t think my father will scare rk away. I am just hoping their talk will turn out well, and I can''t stop myself from smiling, and I know I should not feel excited about Hunter''s reaction after his talk with my grandpa. I am sure rk will walk out of this house, or he will fight back with Hector.

    I felt so excited to talk with everyone, and when my husband came closer to me atst, my heart melted with happiness that he came back together with his entire family, and this time it felt like he was here for our wedding. He took me into his arms, and then he kissed me long and sweet that makingmy entire frame shiver with excitement. One week was long enough not to see him, and video calls can neverpensate for the longings that I felt for him.

    "I miss you so much!" He said after our searing kiss, and we were both smiling at each other because we both heard Lily and Calixto say we need to get a room.

    "I am sorry, guys, but I couldn''t stop myself from kissing my wife because I miss her so much," Hunter said as he looked at them, and even Reba was smiling at us, and it felt so lovely to see her healthy and happy, and I should say Parker made her that way.

    Hunter took me into my room, and after closing the door, he kissed me again, wild and raw, and this time I realized how much he missed me that he was able to discard my dress in an instant, and before I knew it, he already brings me on top of the spacious bed. And I can see the excitement on his face and his lustful desires as he scans my body. And his intense gaze made me have knots on my stomach.

    "You are so beautiful, my sweet wife." He said, and his husky lustful voice was making me so hot all over my body, and he was turning me on, and I felt all the nerves on my body ignited with fire. And when he cupped my breasts, I let out a soft moan as I can feel my husband''s warm hands, and I can''t deny that I miss his touch, and everything about my husband, and his hands travel down to my bump, and when he caressed my tummy, I can see the love on his eyes.

    Hunter leaned down and kissed my abdomen while his hands caressed my sensitive buds, and my nipples turned hard with his touch, and I liked the way he stroked me. He kissed my tummy and my belly button while I felt his hands travel down to my thighs that made me let out a soft moan. And I can feel the aching on the sensitive parts between my legs.

    "I can''t wait to see you, my child," He whispered, and I couldn''t stop the tears of happiness that poured down on my cheeks, and the way he talked to our unborn child made me realize he was excited to be a parent, and I know Hunter would be a good father to our child because he is a good son. The way he gave his respect to his father, even if rk is an evil person, made me more drawn to my husband, and I felt so proud this handsome and got man kissing and touching me right now is my husband.

    He continued giving my tummy butterfly kisses, and when he dragged his mouth going upward, the anticipation was killing me. When he kissed and suckled my nipple, I arched my back because I didn''t want him to stop kissing and touching me. I fisted on his hair when he touched my mound between my legs, and my husband spread my legs so he could make me feel so good by rubbing my aching clit, and then he continued to give me pleasure by sucking my nipples one at a time, and I was moaning, and I could feel my entire body is on fire.

    I unbuttoned my husband''s long-sleeved shirt, and he was grinning when he helped me remove his clothes and when Hunter pulled down his pants together with his boxer briefs, I couldn''t stop myself from staring at his engorged manhood as I realized how beautiful and big Hunter is. When he stroked himself while looking at me with too much intensity, I could feel the aching between my legs. I realized I was so wet for my husband, and as I watched his stiff muscles, I became more turned on, and I wanted to feel Hunter''s stiff rod inside me right away.

    He was smiling at me, while he was teasing me with the head of his beautiful shaft, he positioned himself at my entrance and dragged the mushroom head up and down. At the same time, his fingers fondled my clit, and the sensation fueled the fire I felt inside, and it was killing me, and I came hard even before my husband could prate his manhood on my aching slit.

    "Please, Hunter! Take me now." I pleaded as I curled my toes.

    "Yes, I will take you now, my sweet, and I am dying to make love to you. I want you to take me every inch, my love. I am all yours." He said.

    My husband didn''t disappoint me with one fluid stroke Hunter imed me, and together we moaned, and we shared the same pleasure as he slowly took me, and I felt every inch of him as I took him with total abandon. And when he was balls deep, he started pushing with gentleness, and I knew my husband was trying not to hurt my baby, and I curled my legs around his waist as he continued to ram me with his hard manhood, and I could feel my husband stretched me in a good way, as I can feel his every thrust. He was holding my hips as he continued to go deeper, and my eyes rolled at the back of my head when I could feel my orgasm was about to explode.

    When I felt my husband''s mouth im my lips and suckled my tongue as he continued to thrust harder, it was the final straw. I bucked my hips, and I arched my back to feel him deeper, and I came hard, calling my husband''s name while I was pulling his hair. I can still feel the shockwave of my orgasms when my husband joined me with one final hard thrust; he grunted and sprayed his seed into me, and we shared a long hot kiss before he slid out from me, and he copsed on the bed next to me while I was wearing a beautiful smile on my face.

    "I love you," I said as he brought my head into his muscr chest while his hand was around my waist. And we are still both panting after our hot lovemaking.

    "I love you more, Madeline." He said, and when I looked up, he kissed me tenderly on the lips once again, and I couldn''t stop myself from moaning when he bit my bottom lip.

    "I am sorry if I didn''t inform you that Dad and Charlotte areing with us. I know I should have talked to you about them. I was nning to surprise you, Madeline, but I think my father and sister''s presence made you feel anxious." He said, and I gave him a sweet smile.

    "So, that is why you made me feel good first?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "Of course not. I miss making love with you, Madeline, one week is long enough not to have you, and I was longing to be with you every night, to hear your sweet voice, and feel the warmth of yourbodynext to me." My husband replied, and I caressed his handsome face.

    "I feel the same way too, Hunter. I missed everything about you, especially the way you made love to me. I was only kidding, my love. I know rk is still your father, and you can''t resign being Charlotte''s big brother. She will always be your sister. I am d you brought them. I want to see them, too, even if they have hurt me in the past. I have already forgiven them." I dered, and he gave me a beautiful smile.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for being so understanding and for loving me all through these years." He responded.

    "There is nothing I want to do in this lifetime Hunter, but to be your wife and mother of our children and to love you every day until the day I die," I said.. He pulled me closer to him, and I felt my husband was kissing my forehead until I fell asleep with a beautiful smile on my face hoping that everything would be alright between our families.

 Chapter 244 - A Wish Come True

    Hunter''s POV

    I was smiling as I looked at my wife''s sleeping figure, and I couldn''t stop feeling so happy that I was now lying beside her. And I was hoping that everything would be all right now that my family was here with us. I slowly got up from bed, but I couldn''t stop myself from staring at her beautiful face, and it made me feel so at peace just watching her having a good sleep. I realized I still needed to go downstairs and talk with my family. I know I made my wife feel so exhausted, and I couldn''t stop smiling as I remembered our sweet lovemaking.

    I kissed her forehead before I tiptoed, going outside her room since I didn''t want to wake her up yet; I reached the living room, Leo told me my family was already in each assigned bedroom, and I let out a sigh of relief. I felt guilty that I had left them right away, but I am sure they understood I missed Madeline so much. I was shocked when the butler told me my dad is still talking with Hector Grant, and I don''t know how I feel since I am not sure if I have to get worried or happy since they have been talking for a while now.

    I stayed in the living room since I couldn''t stop myself from wondering what was happening with my dad and Maddie''s grandfather. Atst, after it felt like an eternity, I saw theming in my direction, and it was hard to read my father''s expression since they are remained silent as they walked towards me. When my father found my eyes, I could tell right away that something was going on.

    "Hunter, can I talk with you?" My dad asked me, and I nodded my head, and I brought him into the library.

    "Why didn''t you tell me that Madeline is the granddaughter of Hector Grant? Did you do it on purpose to make me feel so embarrassed? Do you know what his grandfather told me?" He asked in a stern tone.

    "Dad, I am sorry, but I am sure whatever words that came out from Mr. Grant''s mouth, it was nothing. He only felt guilty that he abandoned his son and his granddaughter; even if Frank had left his home, Hector could have asked his son toe back herein Neospoli and live his life as the heir of the Grant family. Still, because of his pride, Hector Grant lost his chance to be with his son, and now, he is living his life full of regrets." I dered, and my father looked at me for a long time before saying another word.

    "I was hurt and humiliated by Madeline''s grandpa, Hunter. I know I have done a lot to your wife, but I never expected that she was an heiress and the only sessor of his grandpa''s empire." He responded.

    "I know I tried my best to make her stay away from you, but she loves you so much that no matter how many times I tried to frighten her, she remained loyal to you, and Madeline stood on her ground and reminded me how much she loved you." My dad said, and I could see the worries on his face.

    "And right now, I don''t have the face to meetMadeline again after learning everything. I was such a fool for telling you to buy Maddie''s family a house, and it was so funny since I didn''t know she was living in a castle. And now, I couldn''t believe I would be in this kind of situation. I wanted to ask Madeline''s forgiveness, but I don''t want her to think I will be doing it after I learned everything that she was an heiress." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "You don''t need to worry about it, dad; Madeline will never think that way. And I already told her everything." I responded.

    "I couldn''t believe your grandpa-inw told me I was a wicked person for making her granddaughter''s life miserable. And I didn''t deny anything, but I told him he could have done something about it if he cared about his granddaughter because I only did what I thought was best for my son without realizing I was making a big mistake." My father dered.

    "And it made Hector Grant realize I was right, after all, because he fell silent, and his demeanor changed from being so angry to being calm." My father added, and I felt d everything went well between them because I don''t want my wife to worry about them if they will not get along, and it would be another problem.

    "Hector said he will be having a social ball in honor of Madeline, and to tell you the truth, son, I felt so ashamed knowing I wasn''t a good father to you and a father-inw to Madeline. I wasn''t proud of what I had done to you and your wife. And it was a big p on my face because the woman I looked down andughed at was the only heir of the wealthiest man of this country and all over the world."My dad continued.

    "Do you think Madeline will forgive me? I understand if she will not give me her forgiveness because what I did was unforgivable. I know that she was a wife material, but because of my greed, I judged her right away." He dered.

    "Of course, Dad, I am sure Maddie has already forgiven you before you can even say sorry to her, and what is important right now is you still have time to redeem yourself," I responded.

    "I wanted to talk with Maddie, Hunter. And pleasee with me because I can''t face her alone." He said, and I smiled at my dad, and I felt so happy with the turn of events. I brought my dad here to Choraz, Neospoli, so that he could ask forgiveness from my wife, and I wanted him to ept her finally, and having this kind of conversation with my father brought back old memories of when I was still young. The time when I was still my father''s favorite.

    I brought my father to our bedroom, and I felt d Madeline was already awake, and I could tell she was getting ready for dinner; I smiled when I saw her little bump, and I couldn''t wait to watch her with her big tummy soon. And when I told her my dad was waiting for her outside our bedroom, I could see the troubled expression on her face. But I told her to rx since my father came in peace and wanted to apologize. And whenMadeline met my father, I could feel the awkwardness, but my dad made the first move by asking my wife''s forgiveness right away.

    "Mr. Divenson, you don''t need to apologize. I understand everything. You only did what you thought was best for Hunter. I think you should ask forgiveness to your son, and not to me since he was the most affected by the situation," My wife said, and my father looked at me, and I could tell he wanted to say something, but I beat him to it by telling her what dad has done.

    "There is no need, Madeline; Dad already asked for an apology from me," I said, and she smiled.

    "I hope, from now on, you will start calling me dad or father; it would be my pleasure. I am sorry if I was a hypocrite. I wanted to wee you into our family, Madeline, even if it is toote." My dad dered.

    "And one more thing, I am not doing this because you are Hector''s Grant granddaughter, believe me, Madeline, I didn''t know anything about you until I arrived here, and before we left Archois, I already told Hunter I wanted to apologize to you." My father exined, and my wife beamed at him.

    "You don''t need to exin anything, dad. Hunter already told me about it, and I want to tell you it will never be toote to say sorry." She dered, and I saw my father''s tears that welled up in his eyes.

    "You make me so happy, Madeline; thank you for giving me another chance to know you, and I am excited to be a granddad for the first time. And this time, I will make it right." He replied.

    "We are also excited to be parents, and I guess this time, I will be more at peace because, atst, you epted me as Hunter''s wife." My sweet wife said while I put my hand over her smooth shoulders.

    "I know you will be great parents to your unborn child, and I am proud of you. Hunter, you are the epitome of a good son and husband. Even if you had some shorings towards your marriage, and you Madeline was one kind of a woman, yourpassion was extraordinary." My father muttered.

    "I know how much you love your wife, Hunter, and you did everything you can to build a beautiful family, and you remain a dutiful son to your mother and me. Thank you for making me so proud, son." He added with a broad smile on his face.

    I have been waiting for this moment that he will say it again that he is proud of me for being his son. I know this time I could no longer keep my tears of joy from falling on my face. As I realized my wish hade true, my dad finally embraced my sweet Madeline to be part of the Divenson family.. Now that it is happening, I couldn''t be happier, and I felt so excited for theing days knowing everything is in ce.

 Chapter 245 - No Worries

    Madeline''s POV

    "Gina, I am sorry," I said to my best friend the moment she came into my room. When I woke up, I couldn''t find my husband, and I was on my way out to look after him when I found Gina standing outside my door. I asked her to get inside, and this was the first time we had the chance to talk alone.

    "It is okay, Madeline; what is important is you are safe and your baby. But I want you to know what I felt when I thought you died. I don''t even want to remember that day. Everyone was crying, and Lily was hysterical the entire night that I needed to sleep beside her and tell her it wasn''t her fault." Gina said, and I can feel the anguish they felt that day when they learned about the fire.

    "If you died that day, I will never forgive you, Maddie. You promise me no secrets between us, and we will be there for each other, but when we went to Zambo, you didn''t include me with your damn n." Gina added, and I could feel her frustrations towards me.

    "I know, Gina, and I am sorry if I was selfish that day; if you weren''t there that day, I am sure something will happen to Lily. You save her, Gina." I responded.

    "You were the one who saved her, and I will forever bear the guilt that I couldn''t even save my own best friend. I couldn''t imagine what had would happen to us all if you didn''t survive the fire. I know I was in pain that time, but I couldn''t describe the anguish of your husband, and I could tell he also died that day. I was hurt, but I could tell he was hurting more; he thought he lost you and your baby." Gina dered, and I nodded my head.

    "I know, Gina; I hope you have forgiven me," I responded, and she took my hands and squeezed them.

    "It wasn''t your fault, Madeline, and I couldn''t believe Kaye would do something like that, and now I think your grandpa was the reason all their bank ounts were being frozen as requested by the government." She said, and my eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Really?" I asked.

    "Yeah, I heard your father-inw and your mom were talking about it. I guess your grandpa hired someone to dig up their family businesses, and they found out illegal activities, or they have some unpaid taxes." My best friend dered, and I don''t know how I feel now, but I am sure I felt relieved. And I realized Kaye could no longer hurt me.

    "And I don''t know how rk Divenson feels about it, and he almost hurt you physically because he wanted so badly to make Hunter marry Kaye. And it seems like the whole world has turned upside down." She said as she was grinning at me.

    "And the girl they looked down and mocked was the heir of Hector Grant, the wealthiest man on this country, and one of the most influential persons in the entire world." She added, and now I can tell she looked so happy for me.

    "And couldn''t believe she is my best friend, and I am looking at her right now." She continued, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing.

    "Do you know what I felt when I learned that you are that wealthy?" Gina asked me, and I shook my head.

    "I felt like I am no longer worthy of bing your friend because I am nothing, and you live in a castle right now while I am just an ordinary girl who lives in an ordinary house. I don''t have possessions, only debts." She said, and I felt hurt.

    "Gina, you will always be my best friend, and ifter I learn my mom came from Mars, and my Martian family will get me, I will still ask them to take you because I only have one best friend in this lifetime. And that is you." I said, and she wasughing.

    "Really? Can you find another race? I am not yet ready to ept that you are now among the most popr heiress in the entire world, and if you are an alien, it would be too much for me to take, Madeline." She responded, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing as well, and when I recovered from cracking up so hard, I looked at my best friend

    in the eyes.

    "Kidding aside, Gina, please don''t ever say something like that again. I don''t own anything, Gina. I am just lucky to be the granddaughter of my grandpa. I didn''t dream any of this, from marrying a big-time and now being the only daughter of Hector Grant. So, don''t ever say you are not worthy because you are the only best friend I have, and if given a chance to find another best friend, I will still choose you, Gina." I dered, and I saw her tears fall on her lovely face.

    "Thank you, Madeline, for staying the same. I thought you would turn into a different person, and now I realize you are still the Maddie I used to know, the selfless woman who is willing to offer her life for the sake of others. I am so proud and happy that I met you, and you became my best friend, Maddie." She responded.

    .

    "Me too, Gina; without your undying support, I know I will not be here right now," I said, and we were both smiling at each other, and I realized how much I miss my best friend.

    "I hope everything will be okay between you and Hunter and your inws, and I heard you are having a tough decision since you already belong to Hunter Divenson since you married him, and now after knowing you are the heir of your grandpa, you learned your grandpa needed you here as well." She said, and I released a sigh of relief.

    "Yes, to tell you honestly, I don''t know how to convince my husband to settle here, my aunt told me, Hunter should give up the Divenson Mining Corporation since he has other siblings, and I am sure Parker and Charlotte would be willing to run thepany," I said.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline. I am sure Hunter will listen to you because he can''t live without you." Gina responded, and I giggled.

    And together, we walked out of my room. My heart was racing when I found my husband on his way to fetch me. Since dinner was ready, Gina pulled her hand away from my arm immediately. I smiled at Hunter when he offered me his hand, and we walked holding hands while Gina was walking behind us, and knowing that they all came all the way here, I felt so happy.

    I couldn''t contain my happiness when I looked at my family and Hunter''s family on the long table. I still wanted to talk with Calixto, Cer, and Lily since I miss them all, especially Hunter''s mom. I felt d my aunt and uncle came to have dinner with us, and I smiled when I saw my grandfather sitting at the head of the table, and I realized he reserved the two vacant dining seats on his sides for my husband and me.

    The dinner was superb, and I could tell everyone was having fun, and I couldn''t believe this would happen. It feels surreal to have the Divenson entire family sitting with us on one table talking happily, and even Charlotte was now talking with my friends. I guess she realized that being friends with someone not rich is not bad. I smiled as I watched Charlotte talking with my best friend and Cer.

    After dinner, everyone got up, and my grandpa invited us to join him in the family room; as I walked beside my husband, he was looking at me, and I could tell he wanted to tell me something.

    "What is it?" I asked in more than a whisper, and he was hesitating.

    "Come on, my love, I know you wanted to tell me something," I added.

    "Charlotte asked me to tell you thatshe wanted to have a word with you if it would be alright with you? I am sorry, Maddie, if I didn''t inform you about her and dad, that they areing. But I want you to know, like my dad, my sister also told me she wanted to apologize to you before she knew you are Hector''s granddaughter."My husband dered, and I smiled at him.

    "I would like to talk with your sister, Hunter, and you don''t need to worry about anything because I need to make peace with everyone even if I have done nothing wrong to anyone, especially with your sister,"I replied.

    "Of course, my love, thank you so much for your understanding." He responded.

    After my grandpa properly introduced my aunt and uncle to Hunter''s family, Calixto introduced Hunter''s family members and my friends to my grandpa. AndI know my grandpa knew all about Cal since I already told him I only had a few friends since I didn''t have time to socialize growing up because I was busy with my part-time jobs. Everybody said goodnight to one another, and they all left the family room except Charlotte and me. She stood up and moved closer to me without breaking eye contact.

    "Madeline, I don''t know where to start since I know I have never been a good person to you. I admit I was horrible fromthe first time I saw you." Charlotte said right away, and I didn''t respond because I wanted her to continue talking.

    "I know it was already toote to ask for your forgiveness, but it is betterte than never. Madeline, I am very sorry for hurting you in so many ways. And for being a wicked sister-inw to you. I hope you will give me a chance to redeem myself and show you I can be a great sister to you." She said, and I took her hands and looked at her in her eyes.

    "It is okay, Charlotte, I have already forgiven you, it is enough to me that you say sorry, I am so happy right now that you talk to me, that is one of my wishes for so long now, and finally you look at my face without hatred in your eyes." I dered as I squeezed her hands, and Charlotte smiled at me, and for the first time, I realized she had a beautiful smile.

    "Thank you, Madeline." She replied and beamed at me.

    "Thank you, too, Charlotte, and I hope we can be good friends," I responded. She nodded her head at me, and we left the family room with smiles on our faces, and together we walked and climbed the staircase. We both beamed at Hunter when we saw him standing on top of the stairs.. I couldn''t stop myself from giggling as I realized my husband was waiting for me with a beautiful smile stered on his handsome face, and I could tell today was one of the best days of my life, and how I wish it would always be like this, no worries, only happiness.

 Chapter 246 - One Family

    Madeline''s POV

    The knocking on the door awakened Hunter and me, and I suddenly felt worried if something was going on. And the moment my husband opened the door, I heard my aunt''s sweet voice, and I smiled even if my eyes were closed.

    "My sweet, Aunt Francine said you would have a shopping spree early morning with the girls, and she will treat you all, and she asked an apology that she wasn''t able to inform you. I regret to tell you that everyone is ready except you, my dear." He said as he pulled me up from the bed, and I was giggling as he carried me to the bathroom. I was shocked when my husband bathed me, and when I teased him by kissing his ear down to his cor bone, he grunted.

    "Damn, Madeline, don''t tease me like this because I know they are all waiting for you; beware, when youe backter, I will make you cry out my name." He said in a sexy husky voice that made me giggle, and when my husband started to strip his pajamas, it was my turn to moan as I stared at my Husband''s gorgeous torso.

    Hunter leaned down andkissed me, and I melted with my husband''s mouth; and I wanted to stay with him the entire morning, but I couldn''t say no to my aunt. And I am excited to be with the girls.

    "You look so gorgeous, my dear." My aunt said the moment I joined them in the living room, and I was wearing one of the dresses she bought for me, it was a maternity yellow knee-length dress, and even if my bump is not yet so big, I wanted to wear it since it is sofy.

    "Thanks, mom," I replied, and I felt so happy to see Hunter''s mom, Lily, Gina, Cer, Reba, and Charlotte, and they were ready. And I wondered why they all woke up so early, and then my aunt Francine told me she invited everyone and forgot to inform me.

    "I am sorry, my dear, I thought I had informed you already, and I was shocked when I started to headcount, and I realized there is onecking as per Leo''s list, and it dawned to me, it was you. Your aunt is already old, Madeline; we needed someone young here in the Grant estate." She dered, and I wanted to tell her I wanted to stay here with my grandpa and take care of him, but I knew I needed to have a heart-to-heart talk first with my husband.

    The moment we got out of the main door of Grant''s castle, Cer and Gina gasped when they saw the limousine waiting for us, and I know my aunt wanted this to be perfect for all of us. And I wonder if there is a department store or mall open at this hour.

    Aunt Francine took us to the best ce in Choraz, who offered a tasty and healthy breakfast. After taking our breakfast, we proceeded to the Grant Intercontinental Mall, and this is the first time that I have visited this ce, one of my grandpa''s firms, and I found it hard to believe that my grandpa owned this ce.

    "I requested the store manager to open the store earlier than necessary so that we can have an early shopping spree, and no other customers will be shopping with us at the department store." My aunt proudly said, and Gina pulled my hand, and we were walking beside each other as we got inside the mall.

    "Madeline, I couldn''t believe your luck. I mean the turn of events with your life, and I couldn''t be happier for you. It was my first time riding a limo. I wanted to call mom via Facetime so she could see me riding on a limousine, but I felt shy because your aunt is there, and not only that, I don''t want Charlotte tough at me." She said, and I looked at her.

    "Hey, I thought you were having a good conversation with my sister-inw?" I asked, and she weakly smiled at me.

    "Well, even if there is a big difference in Charlotte''s characteristicspared to before, I still doubt her intentions even if I know she can no longer touch you," Gina said in more than a whisper, and I am just d we are walking behind all of them.

    "But I was hoping she is sincere, Madeline. I couldn''t forget the things she did to you from the past, and it still makes me feel worried." She added, and I linked my arm with her.

    "Gina, you have to let it go; I know nothing will happen to me as long as I know I have done nothing wrong to anyone. Kaye''s men almost harm me, but they didn''t be sessful because good deeds will always prevail, Gina." I said to my best friend, and she shook her head.

    "That is why for how many times you almost got hurt because of your too much kindness, Madeline. But I am proud you are like that, and I hope everyone is like you. How I wish I could be as forgiving as you, Maddie." She responded, and I smiled at Gina.

    "You can if you will try harder, Gina. It is better to live without burdens in your heart, Gin; we need to let go of all the negative vibes." I answered, and she smiled at me.

    "Okay, I will try to follow your advice." She muttered.

    "That is better, and I think you should start with Charlotte; I want to say thank you for showing me your undying loyalty and support towards me; I appreciate that Gina,but she is Hunter''s sister, and whatever happens, we will always belong together because she is part of Hunter''s life," I stated.

    "And I know how much my husband valued his family, so I need to embrace her even if before she hated my existence, and right now I felt so happy that finally Charlotte and her dad epted me, so you better ept them too, let us give them a second chance, Gina, that is what everyone needs, to have a second chance in life since no one is perfect." added.

    "You are perfect in my eyes, Maddie." My best friend responded, and Iughed.

    "You know I am not perfect, Gina; that is a biased opinioning from you," I said as I pulled her with me so we could catch up with ourpanionssince I noticed we became so behindfrom them, and we were bothughing as we ran after them.

    All of us were having fun shopping all we wanted, and my aunt told us it would be on her tab. The girls went crazy with our shopping escapade, especially Lily, who loves shopping. My aunt told us whoever got many items would receive another bonusing from her, and I couldn''t believe I would enjoy shopping this much.

    I suddenly remembered my mother and how I wish she were still alive so that she could have this kind of fun, and I felt sad for my mother that she diedso young, and she didn''t get the chance to see me turned into a woman, and I wanted her to be with me at this very moment.

    "Hey, are you okay, my dear?" My aunt asked me when she found me staring at the beautiful shoes in front of me.

    "Yes, I am fine, mom," I responded.

    "Why don''t you take it if you love it, dear." She said as she turned her gaze on the beautiful shoes I was looking at, and I hesitated because it cost a fortune, but my aunt took them from the rack, and she held my hand and asked me to sit on the nearby bench so I could fit the shoes.

    "Vi! It looks perfect on your feet, Maddie." She said, looking sad when she nced at my almost empty basket.

    "You don''t like the disys on our store, Maddie?" She asked.

    "I like them, mom," I replied.

    "And why do you only have so little on your tray? We only have three hours before the store will open for the customers, and if you do not choose anything, you will lose your chance to get what you want." She dered.

    "Mom, I have everything in my closet, and thanks to you for providing me with more than I need, all the elegant dresses, signature bags and shoes, jewelry, and essories. So, I don''t need anything for now." I said, and she smiled.

    "Oh, Madeline, you inherited mom''s attitude. That is why dad, was so in love with her. Your grandmother is a simple woman; she loved the simplicity of life, while I am a shy person." She said, and I smiled at her description of herself.

    "Yes, Madeline, that is true. I love shopping a lot, and Lily reminds me of my young self." She said asshe put the shoes on my shopping basket, and she asked me to look at some of the dresses. I enjoyed watching all of them, including Hunter''s mom. I knowshe is a wealthy woman, but having this kind of shopping is entertaining. And I could tell Leticia Divenson was having fun.

    After our shopping spree as expected, Lily won, and she looked so happy as she hugged my aunt Francine, and I felt so delighted for my little sister. We all get inside the limo, and as we travel back to the Grant castle, I can see all of them are wearing the same smile. And the moment we arrived at my grandpa''s ce, the boys came to us immediately, and my husband took the paper bags from my hands.

    Together we enjoyed eating our lunch,and I could say my grandfather was so happy to see us all, and I could tell he wanted to have us in his house because he was alone most of the time, especially if my aunt would go home to her husband.. And I can''t contain my happiness as I looked at every family member at the table, and now I am proud to say we became one family.

 Chapter 247 - My Forever Goal

    Hunter''s POV

    Ever since I almost lost my wife during the fire on the boat, I always feel worried about her every time I am not with her, and like what is going on right now. And now that she is going shopping with my mom and her aunt and the rest of the girls, I can''t deny I have another panic attack. I was waiting for them in the living room when her grandpa joined me, and I suddenly felt nervous, and even if I had a serious talk with Hector Grant, I still felt worried about being alone with him. I know it is because of his reputation being the most influential man in Neospoli country.

    "How are you, son?" He asked, smiling at me, and I rxed a little.

    "I felt great, grandpa," I replied.

    "Are you sure? Why does it seems like you look so worried?" He asked.

    "I am just nervous about my wife, and no matter how I tried to control myself, I couldn''t stop worrying about her," I replied, and he smiled at me.

    "Now, I am convinced that you love my daughter that much." He said as he looked at me.

    "Of course, I am crazy in love with your granddaughter. I hope everything will be alright from now on. I can''t afford to lose Madeline." I said as I released a heavy sigh.

    "The feelings are mutual, Hunter; she is my only granddaughter and the only reminder of my son. After I lose Frank, I have never been the same. I know I lost a part of my life. My son looked like her mother, and even his character. He loved the simplicity of life, and I know how I hurt him when I told him I would disown him if he walked away from me. From this life and his family." Hector Grant dered.

    "I never shared with anyone how I felt." He said as he looked at the portrait of his son on the wall.

    "Tonight, I wanted to tell Frank I love him, and I miss him so much, and I wanted to give his only child and his grandchild all the best things this world can offer, and I am asking you to help me reach my goal, Hunter." He dered, and I suddenly felt nervous about what he would tell me that I couldn''t even formte a single word.

    "As you can see, my days are numbered since I am already old, and before I die, I wanted to make Madeline my heir, and to do that, as her husband, I need your cooperation." He added.

    "I am asking you to be part of mypany, Hunter; for me, you are not only Madeline''s husband. The moment you took good care and loved her, you became my grandson. I wanted to be part of your lives." He continued.

    "I know what I am going to ask you is too much, but I am confident because of your love for Madeline, you will do it for her sake, and I hope you will not disappoint me, son. I know you gave my son''sst dying wish fulfillment. I hope this time you will also give this old man the same." He muttered.

    "I want you to be the CEO of mypany, Hunter, work for me, I will transfer all my shares to you and Madeline, and I know my daughter, Francine, will also give her share to your wife. I want someone to like you to be the sessor of our family businesses because I know you are trustworthy, and most of all, you will do everything for Maddie." He said, and I was speechless.

    I know this will happen, but now that this is happening, I don''t know how to respond to Hector Grant. How can I say no? He is offering me more than I can ask for, and I know it would be too much to handle; what if I will bankrupt hispanies instead of making them more profitable.

    "I am not asking for your answer now, Hunter, I will give you enough time, but I hope it will not take long." He said, and I smiled at him. Atst, I was able to find my voice.

    "I felt so honored that you gave me your trust, grandpa, but I don''t know if I can make it. I mean, I am not like you. Your name is known in the industry all over the world." I dered, and he tapped my shoulder, and watching him with his business suit even he is inside his home on an ordinary day like this made me feel more intimidated by him.

    "Hunter, you think you are an ordinary businessman,I may be old, but you can''t fool me, son. I have read so many articles in the magazine about you. I know how you made your family business afloat after it almost went to the bottom. I believe in your capabilities, son." He said, and before I could respond to him, I saw my father with Calixto and Parker walking towards us, and Hector Grant greeted them while I was lost in my thoughts thinking about his offer.

    Calixto made Maddie''s grandpaugh a lot, and even if I had a dilemma at the moment, I couldn''t stop myselfughing with them especially when Cal told them how we survived during the explosion at the gold mine, and I could see how my father''s face turned so pale. I know he nned something not to hurt me, but only to scare my wife, but the men my fatherhired made a wrong move, and we almost got killed.

    The moment the girls arrived, it felt like I hadn''t seen my wife for a long time that I couldn''t stop myself from running towards her, and I kissed her on the lips, and I took the paper bags from her hands, and we excused ourselves as I brought her to our room because I want to be alone with Madeline.

    "I missed you." I blurted out the moment we got inside her room, and sheughed.

    "Why are youughing, Mrs. Divenson?" I asked, and she was only shaking her head, and I moved closer to her, and she stepped back while giggling until her legs hit the bed, and she had nowhere to run. Iy my hands on her waist, and I looked at her intensely, and I could see the blush on her face, and it made me feel so happy that I still make my wife feel this way every time we are near each other.

    "How could you miss me already when I was only away for more than five hours." She dered.

    "I miss you every time you are out of my sight,Madeline," I whispered in her ear, and I could tell right away her skin had goosebumps.

    "Oh, that is so sweet, my love." She said, and then she put her arms around my neck while she looked up at me.

    "I felt the same way, Hunter! And I love you so much; thank you for bringing your entire family here to my grandpa''s ce. You make me feel so happy, and I wanted to tell you, you also make my grandpa so happy and my aunt Francine as well." She added

    "It must be so lonely here. And I couldn''t imagine grandpa is living in this house alone, of course, he was with his staff, but they are workers, not family members." Madeline dered. Iput my forehead on hers, and I can smell my wife''s intoxicating scent that always drive me so crazy.

    "What do you want to do about it, Madeline?" I asked, and I could feel she suddenly felt nervous, but I gave her an encouraging look that told her whatever kind of answer she would give me would be alright with me.

    "I always wanted to know my family from my mother and father''s side, and I felt so happy when I learned about my grandpa. And knowing he is living in this house without my aunt most of the time, I wanted to be here for him." She said as she cupped my face.

    "But you know I will never live my life away from you, Hunter. You are my life now, and I know my grandpa understood about it, but we will make sure to visit him frequently, and I will also ask him to visit us in our home." She added, and I pulled her closer to me.

    "Then let us stay here with your grandfather." I dered, and her face lit up.

    "Are you sure about that, Hunter?" She asked in disbelief.

    "Of course, I already told you, I am willing to do everything for you, my sweet Madeline," I answered, and she put her head on my chest as she tightened her arms around me, and I could tell she was crying.

    "Did I make you upset, Madeline?" I asked her, and she shook her head.

    "No, my love, it was the opposite; these are tears of joy. You make me feel so happy, and I couldn''t wait to tell my grandpa about this good news, and aunt Francine will be thrilled once she learns we will be staying here in Neospoli for good." Madeline replied.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for loving me this way. I will forever be grateful to have you in my life, and I can''t express the happiness I felt right now; it is hard to express them in words." She added, and I answered her words by giving her a sweet kiss; and we were kissing passionately, and we only stop from kissing each other when we heard someone is on our door.

    I stopped kissing Madeline, and I smiled as I realized how her face blushed after we shared a beautiful kiss, and I could still feel the sweetness of her mouth as I walked and opened the door with a beautiful smile on my face, and my smile broadened when I saw my little sister and Madeline''s best friend standing outside our door together with two women I am not familiar with, and I could tell they are here to do their make-up.

    "We will be having our make-up now, Hunter, since the make-up artists are here, so you better leave us now, big brother," Lily said right away, and instead of going out, I only opened the door wide, and I motioned them toe inside.

    "I am sorry, Lily, but I wanted to be near my wife, but you don''t need to worry. I will be on the sofa." I said, and she pouted her lips.

    "I just want to surprise you after Madeline''s got her hair and make-up done," she responded after getting inside our room.

    "Lily, my wife''s beautiful face will always mesmerize me; with or without makeup, she will always be the most beautiful woman in my eyes," I said, and my sister beamed at me, and when I darted a nce on my wife, Madeline was wearing a beautiful smile on her face.. I felt so proud that I made Madeline this delighted, and that would be my forever goal, always give her the happiness that shedeserves, even if it means I will give up the life I have in Archois and stay here with herin this lovely castle.

 Chapter 248 - Proud Grandpa

    Madeline''s POV

    I am not fond of having make-up because I didn''t attend any party growing up and right now I have enjoyed it for the first time since I was with Lily and my best friend. And I couldn''t stop my little sister from doing her make-up alone, and I know that she''s good because she looked so beautiful after showing me her face. And even the makeup artists were impressed by her performance. And I could tell Hunter''s sister is very talented.

    And seeing Lily with absolute happiness on her face warmed my heart. I realize I will never have regrets for saving her life because I cannot exin the satisfaction that I feel right now. She giggled, and I wanted to tell her that I am so d that I met someone like her because I will never forget how she treated me when I first came into their mansion, and it will forever be in my memory.

    I felt so grateful as I witnessed her turn into a beautiful young woman, and even if I could no longer look at the adorable little girl that I know,for me, Lily will always be my little sister.

    "Wow! You look so gorgeous, Madeline, and you look like an actual princessing from a royal family in one of the countries in Europe." Lily said, and I could see the blush on my face as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

    "That is not true, Lily; you are the one who looks like a princess; your ball gown looked so great in you," I said as I turned my gaze to Lily, and her Cindere-inspired gown looked so perfect on her, and she beamed at me.

    "Thank you, Madeline, but I know you will always be the most beautiful, and I am sure Hunter will never leave your side tonight. And I can''t wait for his reaction the moment you get out of this room, and I am sure my big brother will go crazy over his wife." Lily said excitedly.

    "Thank you, Lily. I am excited to see your brother because I know he will look dashing tonight." I said, and just thinking about my husband waiting for me outside my room made me feelthe knots on my stomach, and it felt like it was our wedding day again, and I couldn''t contain my excitement as I put on my shoes.

    "I stood up carefully since I don''t want to step on my gown since it is floor length, and when I saw my royal blue umbre cut gownlooked so perfect on me, I smiled widely, and the color of my dressheightened myplexion, and my smooth white skin glowed. And I wanted to tell Lily that this time,I felt like I was a princess from a movie.

    "Lily was right, Maddie; you look stunning." I heard Gina''spliment, and I looked at her with a broad grin on my face.

    "You looked fantastic with your gown as well, Gina, and it feels like we are attending a prom," I said.

    "Yeah, you are right, and I feel the same way too, but since tonight is all about you, I could tell you already became the prom queen while your husband is the prom king." She responded, and we both giggled, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling sad as I remembered the prom night that I couldn''t attend.

    I wanted to, but my aunt begged me not to go since I can''t afford to be absent from my part-time job, and the other reason is I couldn''t afford to buy a new dress, and it is so ironic that right now, I could have any dress I want. I can have the most expensive clothing of my choice. My husband showered me with all the dresses I could wear, while my aunt doubled the collection of my dresses in my closet.

    I couldn''t believe that sometimes life would be so unfair, and there are moments that no matter how you want to make your life better and work harder, it will never be enough, and life bes more arduous. Andright now, I realized this was the reward of all the hardships that I had been through, and I couldn''t stop myself from remembering my mother.

    "Are you ready, Madeline?" Lily asked me as she noticed I zone out, and I snapped back to the present, giving her a beautiful smile.

    " I couldn''t be more ready, Lily." I dered, and her face lit up as she linked her arm with mine while I was holding the hem of my gown.

    I could feel my heart thumping furiously as I found my husband waiting for me outside our bedroom, looking dashing as ever with his navy blue suit. I wanted to remember this moment forever as he looked at me with too much intensity and admiration.

    "You looked so beautiful, Madeline." He said the moment he took my hand, then kissed my knuckles tenderly.

    "Thank you, Hunter, you looked so handsome as ever," I answered him while I could feel the butterflies on my chest as I looked at his mesmerizing eyes, and I realized my husband was drinking me in.

    "I wanted to take you back into our room, my hot and lovely wife, and I will slowly undress your gown." He whispered in my ear that made my entire face flush instantly, and I couldn''t stop myself from giggling. His sexy voice made me feel thrilled.

    "I was feeling the same way too, Hunter. Now that I see you, I realize how hot you look. I wanted to go back in our room and remove every piece of your clothing and spend the night naked beside you." I responded, and I enjoyed the moment seeing how my husband''s face became redder.

    "Stop teasing me that way, Madeline, if you don''t want your grandpa to be disappointed about us." He said, and I am d Lily and Gina are already walking ahead of us.

    "You started it, Hunter," I responded.

    "I never realized you can tease me in that manner, Madeline." He said.

    "Why, don''t you like it, Mr. Divenson?" I asked, and he darted a side nce at me with a mischievous grin on his face.

    "I love every word you uttered, Madeline, but I don''t like the idea that I will be getting a hard-on for the rest of the party thinking of how wonderful it is to taste your lips and touch your body." He said, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so hot all over my frame, and having this kind conversation with my husband made me feel so thrilled, and I can''t deny he is turning me on with his words.

    "Do you think we can escape the partyter?" I asked, and I heard him chuckle.

    I was lost for words the moment we got inside the ballroom, and the beautiful emcee acknowledged our arrival right away, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so nervous. Still, I felt my husband''s warm hand tighten his grip on my palm, giving me enough courage to face the entire crowd.

    I still couldn''t believe that my grandfather invited so many guests and made the entire ballroom almostfilled with different individuals I didn''t even recognize. They were all looking at me with interest. I could tell these people yed an important role in this country.

    I wondered who made the decoration, including the backdrop, and I could tell right away my grandpa spent a considerable amount of money for this party alone, from the decoration, sound system, and hiring a live band.

    My uneasiness suddenly disappeared the moment I found my husband''s entire family at one table, and next to their table is where my aunt Francine and her husband uncle Paul together with grandpa, were

    seated, and I can tell my grandfather looked so proud of me as he stood up and greeted me.

    "You looked so lovely, Madeline." He dered, and I smiled from ear to ear after I said my thanks to him.

    "Can I borrow your wife for a while, Hunter?" My grandfather added, and my husband handed me to my grandpa, and he brought me to the center of the stage while he took the microphone from the host.

    "Good evening everyone, I couldn''t thank you enough for joining me tonight at this significant event that is happening in our lives, andI am so proud to say that this beautiful and gorgeous young woman standing in front of me is the daughter of my only son, Frank." My grandfather said as the entire crowd listened to his every word, and I could feel my entire face is blushing since I am not so used to being the center of attention.

    "With great joy and pride, I want to take this opportunity to wee my only granddaughter, Madeline, and her husband, Hunter, and his entire family. Beginning tonight, I am proud to say that I gained a handsome grandson; please join us here on stage, Hunter." My grandpa added, and I tried to control my emotions as I looked at my husband walking towards us.

    The moment he joined us on the stage, Hunter took my hand right away, and I could tell the entire crowd got so excited to see us, and they were giving us their weing smiles, and I realized tonight was one of the happiest moments in my life.

 Chapter 249 - In My Arms

    Hunter''s POV

    "Why do you look so stressed, Hunter?" Calixto asked when I got inside his designated bedroom, and I am so happy that he is with us here in Grant''s castle.

    "I am not stressed, Cal. I am just thinking about something important, and I don''t know if I am making the right decision, but knowing it involves my wife, it would always be a good decision. And I think this time I need to say goodbye to you, Calixto." I said as I looked at him, and I smiled when he looked dashing with his ck tuxedo.

    "Goodbye? What do you mean by that, Hunter?" He asked, and I could see the worries on his face.

    "Hector Grant asked me to be the CEO of hispanies, and I wanted to say no right away, but he told me he would give me enough time to decide. And when I talked with Madeline without telling her what his grandpa asked me to do, my wife told me she wanted to be here with her grandfather, and I can''t live my life in Archois knowing my wife would be here. I wanted to be near my wife every day." I dered, and Calixto''s wide smile told me he was happy for my decision.

    "Wow! Congrattions, son! I am so proud of you. I know even if you are his grandson-inw, Hector Grant will never appoint you if he didn''t trust you. It only means you made Madeline''s grandpa believe in your capability, and I am sure he will never be disappointed for choosing you, Hunter. Everyone knows you are good with what you do." Cal responded.

    "I can''t deny I will be missing you and Madeline, and for me, that is the best thing you can do and best decision ever, because it is about time, you will give your siblings the chance to prove their worth. I could see many changes in Parker''s personality after he started working in yourpany again, and I think he would be now ready to take your ce." He added.

    "Yeah, I know, and I felt d I have him since I don''t want mom to continue working; she is getting older, and I want mom to retire," I said.

    "But I am afraid I couldn''t meet Hector''s Grant expectations from me because we both know he is best in the field, and he builds his name not only in the mining industry, but he has lots of business around the country," I added.

    "And I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried if I can''t do it right, Cal. I am scared if hispany will have a loss the moment I take over." I dered as I looked at him on his face.

    "Of course, I am aware of that, Hunter. If he didn''t own the most prominentpanies here in Neospoli, he would not get the title of being the richest man, so you better brace yourself for the pressure you are going to face, but I am sure you can handle it since you were born to be a leader and a fighter." Cal said.

    "You are smart, Hunter, and there is nothing you can''t do, besides by doing that, you are not only making your wife happy, but you make Hector Grant happy as well; can you imagine that? Your long-time idol in the mining industry became your grandpa-inw." He added, and I chuckled.

    "I am so excited for your new endeavor, Hunter, and I guess Neospoli is the best ce where you can start a new life with your wife; after a lot of bad things that happened in Archois. It is about time you should start fresh." He stated.

    "Thank you, Cal, for the encouragement and your opinion. It means a lot to me." I replied as I nced at hisface.

    "If I am going to ask you to be my assistant, Cal, do you think you can settle here? I will provide you and your family the same arrangement in Archois, and you can bring your entire family here, Calixto. I can hire your children to work whichever entity of their choice since there would be unlimited options." I said excitedly.

    "Wow, that is a very tempting offer, son, and you know I always love working for you, but I am already old, Hunter, but if you give my son a chance to work for you, you will make this old man happy." He dered, and I grinned at him.

    "You are not that old, Cal, but if you wanted to retire early and enjoy, that would be a nice decision, Calixto. Of course, your son would be wee if he wanted to, but if not, it would be fine by me, but one thing I am sure, I will be missing you, Cal, especially your character being a hard-headed person." I said as I smiled at him, and heughed.

    I excused myself from Cal when I looked at my watch, and I smiled as I realized it was almost time.

    "So excited to see your wife again?" He asked in disbelief.

    "Hell, yeah!" I responded, and he chuckled.

    "That is nice son, see you at the ballroom," Cal said as he joined me, walking towards the door, and we went on separate ways.

    I know it is silly because I don''t need to feel this nervous anymore. After all, we have been married for many years, but I couldn''t stop feeling so excited as I waited for my wife toe out of our room. I have been standing outside the door for a while now, and I was listening to the rapid beating of my heart. And it feels so wonderful to be with Madeline at this very important moment of her life, and being her husband made me feel so proud of her.

    I never expected that she would be the most famous woman in this country. After Maddie''s grandfather had a press conference, everyone in Neospoli country learned she was the only heir of her grandfather''s empire. I could tell that my wife had be the favorite of the people in Neospoli, and when I read some articles, it felt So lovely that everyone knew she was a married woman and her husband was me, and my wife belonged with me. Their description of Madeline is fascinating, and I couldn''t disagree with them.

    My mouth dried as I watched Madeline get out of our room, and I felt so damn lucky to have her as my wife. She looked so beautiful, and I couldn''t stop gazing at her beautiful face.

    "Big brother, stop staring at your wife that way; Madeline will melt if you continue to stare at her in that manner." My Lily sister said, and my lovely wife giggled, and I wanted to capture her sweet mouth right away, but I didn''t want to ruin her make-up, and I know even without makeup, she will always look stunning.

    I couldn''t stop myself from telling my wife that I wanted to take her back into our room. I could see that her face turned so red when I started teasing her about what I will do with her dress. I like the way she looked at me with the desires on her face, and it took a lot of my self-control not to turn around and hide my wife from anyone and have her for myself, but I couldn''t do that to her grandpa. AndI am aware that this particr night is for my wife to celebrate, and I wanted to be with her.

    The ballroom is filled with excited guests, and I felt so proud that they gazed at my wife with devotion and admiration. I could tell she feels shy since she is not used to facing arge crowd and not an ordinary group but mainly came from a wealthy family in Neospoli. I saw some I am familiar with, and the moment Hector Grant took Madeline''s hand from me, I gave my wife a reassuring smile that everything would be okay.

    I didn''t expect Maddie''s grandpa to call me on stage to join my wife, and I couldn''t control my emotions. If this is the reward for all my wife''s sacrifices, then I could see it was all worth it, and right now, as I see my wife''s face filled with happiness, I thank heaven for making my wife so joyful tonight, and I wish the night would never end.

    The celebration continued, and we ate our dinner happily. I couldn''t stop myself from holding my wife''s hand under the table, and she looked at me sideways, and when she leaned forward and kissed me on the lips, I felt like I was in heaven, it was only a quick kiss, but it was enough to make my whole body sets on fire.

    My innocent lovely wife will always make my heart flutter with happiness, and I know I will always findfort in her loving arms, and that is why I will never hesitate to live here in Neospoli with her and leave my old life behind. I am excited to tell her grandfather about my decision to resign from the Divenson Mining Corporation and ept the offer he implored me.

    Hector Grant danced with Madeline while I took Lily with me on the dance floor, and I smiled when I saw my mom and dad dancing as well, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw my brother, Parker dancing with Reba, and Cal was dancing with Gina. And I couldn''t stop myself from grinning as I realized everyone was so happy tonight. And when Madeline''s grandpa brought her to me, my heart melted when I saw that my wife''s eyes were dancing with happiness.

    "Happy?" I asked.

    "I am happy, but I am happier every time I am in your arms, Hunter.." She said, and she put her head on my chest while I put my arms around her waist, and we slowly danced together, and I felt home and at peace knowing I had her in my arms, safe and sound.

 Chapter 250 - His Choice

    Madeline''s POV

    "Madeline, I am so happy for you, and atst I''ve got the chance to dance and talk with you, and I could tell you are now so tired from dancing because your grandfather''s friends are so eager to know his beautiful granddaughter, and I could tell those men regretted that you are already married to my handsome boss," Cal said the moment he started dancing with me.

    I felt so happy to talk with him since he was right. I got so busy, and I didn''t get the chance to speak with him. I was smiling at Cal as we slowly danced on the dance floor, and he was right; many of my grandpa''s friends danced with me but only for a short time since I could tell my husband was jealous since he woulde back again to me immediately before I can even answer some of there questions.

    "You know that is not true, Cal; you have seen how Hunter drove those men away from me," I said, and he wasughing while shaking his head, and I could tell only Cal and grandpa danced with me for a long while.

    "Yeah, I couldn''t believe that a day wille that Hunter Divenson will be a jealous freak, and I could understand. He loves you more than anything in this world, Madeline; he doesn''t care whoever you are." He dered.

    "I know, Cal, and I am so grateful for my husband''s love for me," I responded, and his face turned suddenly solemn, and he looked at me in the eyes for a long while.

    "Is there something that you wanted to ask me, Calixto?" I asked when he remained silent.

    "Hmm, I wonder if you wanted to stay here for good?" He asked, and I smiled at him.

    "Did my husband tell you about our n?" I inquired, but he shook his head.

    "No, I am just wondering since your grandpa is already old, and I could tell your aunt is also busy running his husband''s businesses." He dered.

    "Yes, Cal, I wanted to settle here for good, and I think this is the best ce where we can start a new life. I love Archois, but you know many painful memories happened to me over there that I wanted to forget." I said, and he smiled at me.

    "Of course, Madeline, that would be a good choice for you and Hunter," Cal responded, and I gave him a sweet smile.

    "I am going to miss you for sure." He said.

    "Don''t worry, Cal, I will find time to visit Archois from time to time," I said, and he beamed at me.

    "I will be looking forward to seeing you from time to time, Madeline, and I am so d that you are alive; you just don''t know what happened to all of us; after we all thought you were gone, your husband almost jumped from the chopper that day just to find you, and I am just d Roman was there with me since I couldn''t tackle Hunter alone," Cal responded.

    "You know your husband is stronger than us, but that time he was so worried about you and disoriented that is why we were able to secure him before he could get himself killed." He added, and I could feel the goosebumps on my skin as I realized I almost lost my husband because of me.

    "Thank you so much, Cal, for saving my husband that day. I never knew that I had almost lost him. Noah and Karen helped me a lot, and without them, I know I would never survive; I don''t know about life on the water, and I haven''t ridden a boat before. And I would be grateful if you could contact them, Cal, the moment we will return to Archois. I wanted to show them my gratitude." I dered, and he smiled at me.

    "Of course, but I heard from your grandpa''s butler; they already take good care of them." He said, and I raised my eyebrows.

    "They did?" I asked in disbelief since no one told me about what happened to Noah and Karen.

    "Yeah, and Hunter alsopensated them even if they camete; after you made a call, they looked for Hunter since you asked them to look for your husband." He replied, and I became more shocked and wondered why no one even told me about them.

    "Cal, I think you need to give my wife time to rest since she is pregnant." I heard my husband''s voice, and Cal was beaming at me.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson." He said, and he handed me to my husband.

    "My sweet, you need to rest." He said, and I could feel his worries, and I nodded at him, and together we returned to our table, I suddenly felt so hungry, and I knew my baby was making me so hungry from time to time.

    Hunter got me some food, and I was eating my food heartily, and he was looking at me with amusement on his face.

    " Why are you looking at me like that, Hunter?" I asked, and he was grinning at me.

    "I just love the way you devour your food, my sweet, and I think I became more in love with you now that you gain more weight." He dered, and I pouted my lips at him.

    "I am aware that you are only saying that so I will not feel bad about my figure," I said.

    "Madeline, I love you, and it will never change even if your weight will double." He said, and Iughed while he was kissing my knuckles.

    "Are you sure about that, Hunter?"

    "Of course, Madeline." He said, and his intense gaze made me feel I had butterflies on my chest, and I was smiling at him from ear to ear.

    The ball ended, and I could tell everyone had fun; I stood up from our table, and Hunter assisted me as I walked towards my grandfather.

    "Hey, did you enjoy tonight, Madeline?" He asked the moment I stood beside him while my husband joined his parents and siblings, grandpa took my hand, and we sat on the nearest chairs.

    "I enjoyed the ball, grandpa; thank you so much for holding such a party; you knew I grew from a world different from yours," I said as I tried to contain my emotions.

    "I wanted you to get used to it, Madeline, because whether you like it or not, that will be your life from now on. And believe me, you will enjoy it because I could see you have the same experience with your grandmother." My grandpa responded.

    "When I married her, she knew nothing about my world, but because she loves me, she was able to embrace it with all her heart, and I could say my beloved wife loved her life from that moment on, even if my wife experienced hardships your grandma never once tell me about it because she wanted me to be proud of her." He added, and I could see the love he has for my grandma.

    "You have more experience than her, Maddie, since you married a wealthy man, and the things you will find here in my estate will no longer faze you." He continued.

    "But you don''t need to worry about anything, my dear, because I know that your husband will be there every step of the way, giving you all the support you need. And I am so happy that Hunter is your husband, and I could tell he is so in love with you, and he cares so much about your well-being, and I can tell that he will be a good father to your children, and he can be a great grandpa to your grandchildren." He dered.

    I smiled at my grandpa, and I felt so happy now that everything was in ce, and even if I dreamed the impossible thing, it still happened. Right now, I have a family I can call my own, who could have thought I was the granddaughter of this wealthy man sitting beside me, and I couldn''t thank God enough for giving me everything more than I needed in my life.

    After staying more than a month in my grandpa''s castle, I needed to go back to Archois. I wouldn''t say I like the feeling of saying goodbye to my aunt and grandfather, and it feels like my heart was aching as I walked beside my husband.

    When we descended the stairs, I could see everyone was already waiting for us, and I searched the entire ce for my grandfather; and when I saw him, I couldn''t contain the smile that spreads across my face, and I felt so thankful this time he is ready to send us off.He stood up from the sofa when he saw meing into him, and I could see the sadness behind his smiles.

    "Grandpa, I want you toe with us." I blurted out, and he ruffled my hair like I was a child.

    "You know that I can''t, Madeline. I am needed here, and that is why I want to ask you toe

    back right away after you settle everything in Archois." He said, and I nodded my head.

    "Of course, grandpa, we wille back the soonest possible time. I wanted to give birth to my child here." I said, and I could see the gratification on his face.

    "That would be so lovely, Madeline. I couldn''t wait to see my great-grandchild." He responded.

    "Goodbye, for now, grandpa. I promised to be back sooner," I said, and he smiled at me.

    "Thank you, Madeline. I will be looking for that day." He responded, and then he walked with me through the main door. Hunter''s entire family, including my friends, bid farewell to my grandfather, and as I boarded our family helicopter, I couldn''t stop myself from crying. Hunter was holding my hands after he helped mesit on my seat, and I put my head on his shoulder as I continued to sob, and I never expected that I would be this emotional.

    "Madeline, don''t worry, I promised you, we will go back to your grandpa''s estate sooner thanter." My husband said, and his wordsforted me, and I am not happy that Hunter chose to leave his family. The business he loved so much and abandoned the ce where he grew up to be with me on foreignnd, and I felt grateful for his choice.

    I couldn''t be happier to have our new life in Neospoli, and I was hoping the odds would be with us.. There would be no more big troubles that maye our way, and I felt lucky to be surrounded by my husband''s family and friends, and most of all to be with the man I can''t live without, the only man I love, Hunter Divenson.

 Chapter 251 - Our Favorite Place

    Madeline''s POV

    The household staff greeted me warmly when we arrived home, and I could tell they looked so happy when they saw me after more than one month. I realized everyone missed me, from the gardeners, maids, and especially the kitchen staff. And I couldn''t believe they offered a little surprise by giving me flowers, and they hung a streamer on the front porch that said, "Wee home, Madeline!".

    I couldn''t stop myself from feeling emotional since I never expected that they would do something like this for me, and I can feel that they care for me, not only because I am Hunter''s wife but as their friend. Andthen, they gave me a wee home cake which I sharedwith Hunter''s family, together with my friends, Gina, Cer, and Cal. And I suddenly missed the Morigan family, and I wanted to visit them before we went back to my grandpa''s ce.

    My husband''s whole family stayed with us for the night,and it felt so lively that we hadpany during dinner, and after eating our sumptuous meal, we all went to the terrace to watch the starry night, and then rk Divenson made an announcement.

    "Hunter, Madeline, now that you are back here, in Archois, we would go back to the Divenson mansion tomorrow." He said as he darted a nceat Hunter.

    "You don''t need to do that, Dad; you can all stay here." My husband responded.

    "Thank you, son. I appreciate your hospitality, but it is about time that we should go back to our ancestral house, and I am asking you to visit us if you have spare time before you go back to Neospoli." His father dered.

    And I could see the smile on my husband''s face, and I know he felt so happy hearing his dad called him a son. Hunter''s dad used to call him that way with tenderness, but I know because of me, their rtionship as father and son has been tested by time. And so many things happened, and Carl almost harmed my husband.

    "Of course, Dad, we will not go back to the Grant estate without saying goodbye to everyone. It would be a new beginning for my wife and me, and thank you so much for all your support." Hunter responded, and his father beamed at him.

    "We know you will have a sessful career in Neospoli, Hunter, we all believe in your capabilities, and with Madeline by your side, I am sure everything will be alright, and Hector Grant will take good care of both of you." rk Divenson said.

    "And Madeline, please take good care of yourself and the baby; we will fly to Neospoli when you give birth to my grandchild." He said, smiling at me, and because I am not used to hearing rk talking to me in an excellent way, I still felt shy every time Hunter''s dad spoke to me.

    "Of course, Dad, I will," I said while I felt my husband''s hand squeeze my palm, and I smiled as I realized it was his way of telling me there was nothing to be worried about the situation.

    We all enjoyed talking and eating finger foods even if we had just finished eating dinner, and it felt nice to be with them. I realized if they only epted me right away, the moment Calixto brought me to the Divenson mansion that day, maybe things would be different, but I could say everything that happened was meant to be.

    We said good night to everyone, and then we made our way into our favorite ce, our bedroom. And the moment we get inside, I realize how much I miss our bedroom, especially our bed. And a smile as I remember the memories I sharedin this ce with my husband, and I am sure I will miss our house once we settle in Neospoli.

    Still, I could tell we will also love my grandpa''s castle, and since it belonged to my family, I am so proud to live in that castle, and I will make sure my grandfather will not feel lonely again. And it made me feel so delighted that my grandpa trusted us to continue my great-grandparents'' legacy.

    I called my grandfather, and even if he was trying to hide his loneliness by telling me he was fine, I could tell grandpa missed us already. I know he wanted us to return, but he understands Hunter needs to turn over everything to Parker. And I hope my husband''s brother will not disappoint hisparents and his siblings, but I could tell Parker became a different man ever since he had been with Reba.

    I didn''t have enough time to speak with Reba while we were in Neospoli, not only because I was busy, but because I couldn''t deny that it is still awkward between us, but I could say that soon everything will be better between us.

    I know it wasn''t easy on my part to forget everything that happened between Hunter and her. However, I am still d that in the end, Reba became part of the Divenson family. I was happy that Parker married her at a civil wedding ceremony when I was in Neospoli, and she is now officially a Divenson.

    "Hey, are you okay?" My husband asked when he noticed I fell silent, and I looked at him, feeling guilty that I was thinking about his ex. Since I don''t want to lie to my husband anymore, I asked himwhy he didn''t inform me that one of the reasons he returned to Archois thest time was to attend Parker and Reba''s civil marriage ceremony. And as usual, it was Lily who informed me about it, but I didn''t tell his sister I didn''t know anything. My husband tensed up, but I walked closer to him, and I cupped his face.

    "Hey, it is okay; I am not angry with you; I am just curious," I said, but I know I felt a little hurt because I am already a Divenson, and I am part of their family.

    "I am sorry, Madeline. When I learned, they were getting married, and I didn''t want to pressure you to return here to Archois. Because I was aware, you still wanted to spend more time with your grandfather. " He dered.

    "And that is not only the reason why I didn''t inform you; the main reason is, I don''t want to talk about Reba at all in front of you." He added, and I raised my eyebrow, and this time it was my husband who cupped my face

    "Even if she is now Parker''s wife, I still feel guilty of what I have done to you after we get married, and I don''t want to lose you ever again, Madeline. I love you so much that even mentioning Reba''s name in front of you terrifies me because I don''t want to go on that road again." My husband dered.

    "To be away from you is the worst punishment I could ever have; not seeing your beautiful face or hearing your sweet voice andughter would be torture." He continued while I could feel the knots on my stomach when he pulled me closer to him, and my husband''s sexy voice made me feel lightheaded, and his intoxicating masculine scent is driving me nuts.

    "Please forgive me, my sweet." He said, and I could see the pleading on his face, and I smiled as I rested my head on his chest, and he tenderly caressed my back.

    " You don''t need to say sorry, Hunter. I understand, even if I felt a little hurt. And I want you to know that it would be alright; I felt secure with you, my love, so even if she was your ex, I know everything between the two of you was over. You can tell me anything concerning Reba because she is now our sister-inw." I said as I tried to give him a reassuring smile.

    "Reba''s life wasn''t easy either, and I am so happy that she found love again," I said, and I could no longer think straight since I felt my husband nibble my ear, and I couldn''t stop feeling excited.

    "You better stop that, Hunter; we are still talking," I said, and I felt a little frustrated that he listened to my request.

    "I am also happy that they found each other, Madeline. And thank you for not getting angry with me because I don''t want you to get upset because I am worried about our baby." He said.

    "You don''t need to worry about anything because I am good, and our baby is doing fine," I said as I tightened my hold on his waist, and when I raised my head, I could see the burning desires on my husband''s eyes, and I can feel his erection on my stomach.

    "I wanted to make love with you now, Madeline." He said, and I could tell right away my face flushed, but I couldn''t deny my husband''s sexy words were turning me on.

    "I want to make you feel good, and I couldn''t deny the moment we got inside here in our bedroom and saw our bed. I wanted to strip your dress right away, but I could see the worries in your eyes, and I suddenly felt rmed." He added, and I put my finger on his lips to silence him.

    "I don''t have any worries left, and all I can feel right now is the aching between my legs because I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so arouse as I felt the hardness of your manhood on my stomach, and I can''t deny, I want you to make love with me, Hunter," I said. My words were enough to make my husband growl.. I was giggling as he carried me into our enormous bed.

 Chapter 252 - Farewell Party

    Hunter''s POV

    The moment we got back into our house, I could see that my wife was so happy, and seeing Maddie this way always warms my heart, and I know she will always make me feel at peace every time I see her with happiness on her face. My wife will always be a reminder that I have a wonderful life. Shepletes me in a way I couldn''t even describe in words.

    And every time she teased me, I ended up wanting her more, and making love with my wife will always be a blessing. Making her happy and satisfied is enough to say I am a happily married man because Madeline is my happiness and my life.

    I know she got exhausted after our steamy lovemaking, and even until now, I can still feel the aftershock of our union, and I can feel the racing of my heart as I watched my wife peacefully sleeping in my arms. And it will always be a wonderful feeling to im Madeline. And I love the way she gave and surrendered herself to me.

    "Good morning, you didn''t sleep, my love?" My wife asked me the following morning when she woke up and found me staring at her lovely face; and I nodded my head, and she raised her eyebrows.

    "You are lying because I heard you snoringst night." She said while she was giggling, and I smiled because I knew I had fallen asleep after watching her face, for I don''t know how long. I couldn''t stop myself from pulling her closer to me, and I was shocked when my wife moved on top of me. It felt so wonderful to have this moment with her, and I could feel my erection right away, and she was teasing me again by giving me a sexy, mischievous smile as she pressed her body into my hard erection. And I closed my eyes when she gyrated her hips on top of me since it felt so wonderful.

    "I did?" I asked with a strained voice because I can''t deny I wanted to make love with her again, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so horny when she was still talking, yet she was doing something that made me want to have her right away. She caressed her soft fingers on my chiseled chest while she was grinding on top of me, and it made me groan.

    "I was only kidding; you didn''t snore, you were only calling my name in your sleep when I got up from bed past midnight to pee, and I don''t want to go back to sleep since it feels so lovely to hear you calling my name.

    "Well, I am busted. Even in my dreams, I only want you, my wife, and you will always be with me, Madeline, and it means you are only mine." I said, and my heart skipped a beat when she gave me her sweet signature smile, and there is nothing I want every morning to have her in my arms and see her beautiful smile.

    "I don''t want to belong to anyone else but you. And you should always remember that you are only mine, Hunter." Madeline said, and I could no longer speak when she made me feel so good when she started kissing my bare chest going down to my rock-hard t stomach, and the way my wife touched me down there made me groan. She was jerking me off in a good way, and it feels so good that I am controlling myself not to take her right away because it looked damn sexy when my wife was taking control.

    And when she took me with her sexy mouth, I couldn''t stop myself from fisting her hair, and she looked so hot as she held and licked my shaft, and I could tell I was getting bigger as she kissed me with passion, and I could tell I was on her mercy. And I love the feeling of watching my wife pleasing me, and when she removed her nightgown, I grunted under my breath when I saw her supple breasts dangling before me, and I couldn''t stop myself from taking control.

    I sat up and pulled her up, and I slowlyid her down back into the mattress, and I secured her wrists with my hand while I kissed her sensual mouth, and I couldn''t stop myself from sucking her lower lip while my other hand was caressing her breasts one after the other.

    I kissed her lips passionately, and I kissed her lower to her chin and down to her smooth throat, to her shoulder. When I cupped her breasts and sucked her hard nipple, I felt her arch her back, and I continued to lick and suckle her nipples back and forth; and I loved the way she was moaning because it intensified my desire to have her. I touched her slit, and I felt my wife shuddered under my touch, and I could feel that she was drenched with her juices, and I smiled as I realized I made my wife so wet.

    "Hunter, my love, it feels so good," Madeline said in between her moans when I started kissing her sweetness from her outerbia, and I made a figure-eight pattern as I continued to toy her sensitive parts between her legs with my tongue. I rubbed her clit with my fingers as I licked and slurped her slit; I felt my wife buck her hips, and she was caressing my head with her fingers. I could feel my wife''s orgasm when I sucked her clit, and I continued to devour her sweetness with my mouth while my hand was ying with her breasts.

    "Hunter! Hun--ter!" My wife''s sweet voice fueled my desire to take her. When I heard her pleading with me to take her, I no longer denied myself from having Madeline. I positioned my stiff rod on her entrance. When I slowly took her, I could feel her juices coat my shaft, and with one fluid stroke, I imed my wife, and I felt my wife''s fingernails on my shoulders as I rammed her with my cock while I was sucking her nipples one after the other.

    She curled her legs around me while I continued to thrust harder, and I could feel Maddie writhe under me, and together we moaned as we felt the pleasure of our lovemaking. I was pushing harder while I kissed Maddie on the lips, and she came ahead of me, moaning my name. I love watching the satisfied smile on my wife''s face as she arched her back and bucked her hips to give me more ess as I continued tothrust harder. She came one more time, and this time I climaxed right after her, and I sprayed my seed on her, and I continued to rock my hips until I felt thest drop of my cum.

    "That was incredible, Hunter!" She said, giggling after I copsednext to her.

    "Yes, that was amazing," I said as I brought my wife closer to me, and I caressed her face before I took her slightly opened mouth, and we shared another searing kiss before we fell back to sleep together with smiles on our faces.

    The days passed quickly, and I knew Madeline''s grandfather was missing her like crazy, and one day, we were surprised that Hector Grant, together with aunt Francine, arrived in Archois. My wife was so happy that her grandpa traveled to Archois to see her, and I could tell the richest man in Neospoli loved her granddaughter, and I felt so happy for my wife.

    Madeline invited my family toeinto our house, and once again, we became a big happy family, and I realized we were all gathered together because of my lovely wife.

    After I turned over everything to my brother, with a heavy heart, I said goodbye to my staff who had been with me for so many years and thanked them for their hard work and loyalty to the Divenson Mining Company; I am still part of thepany since I didn''t give up my share, the only difference I will no longer be the CEO, and I felt d the employees weed my brother warmly as their new boss.

    Madeline''s grandpa and Aunt waited for us toe

    home with them to Neospoli, and we held a farewell party in our house, and it was both a joyful and painful party. I am happy that I will be with my wife and our child, and sad because I will say goodbye to my mom, Lily, and the rest of my family. Of course, I will be saying goodbye to my best friend, who also became my dad on many asions, and my partner in everything I do with my life, Calixto.

    "Congrattions on your chosen path, Hunter; I am so proud of you, son; I hope you will always remember this old friend of yours," Calixto said as I joined him on his table, and he was holding a ss of scotch on his hand for a long time, and I could tell he was on deep thought.

    "Thank you, Cal. Are you sad that I am leaving?" I asked as I looked at his face.

    "No, I am not sad; I am happy for you, Hunter. It is another milestone for you to face, but I know you will nail it, son, but I can''t deny I will be missing you." He said as he took a deep breath.

    "If only Neospoli is not that far, or if it could only be driven by car, I would still love to work for you, Hunter. You are a good boss, and I felt d you chose me to be your assistant the moment you took over thepany. I know it was never a smooth sailing ride, but I could tell it was an incredible journey. Thank you, Hunter, for everything." He said, and I tapped his shoulders.

    "I should be the one thanking you, Cal," I said.

    "You taught me so many things, and because of you, I became what I am today; you are not only my employee, you are also my friend, and of course, it feels like most of the time you are my real dad," I said, and heughed.

    "Good luck, Hunter. I am so delighted that atst, I finally see you smiling with your eyes since you found Madeline; I was right; after all, Madeline was your salvation." He dered, and I smiled at him.

    "Of course, Cal, Madeline taught me how to fall in love again, and she was indeed my salvation and happiness, and thank you so much for finding Maddie for me," I said, and he beamed at me, and my heart danced with joy when my wife joins us with a beautiful smile on her face.

 Chapter 253 - Wherever I Am

    Madeline''s POV

    "No! You can''t do that, Madeline, and I can''t take this," Gina said when I gave her my car''s key, and the documents that it is now under her name, it is the one I bought for myself the moment I found out mistakenly Reba was pregnant with Hunter''s child. I felt so d Parker was the father and not my husband; after all, I don''t know if I can forgive him no matter how much I love Hunter.

    "Yes, Gina, you can, and that is nothingpared to all the sacrifices you made for me, and I want you to have it together with the house. You know that is so little, your best friend will be leaving on a castle, and I will be driving different cars, so I guess you know what it means, Gina. I wouldn''t need another car even if I bought this for myself." I responded, and Gina started crying.

    "Hey, please don''t make this so hard for me, Gina," I said.

    "I am sorry, Madeline; I couldn''t stop feeling so sad knowing that you''re leaving for good. We grew up together, and I am so used to being with you all the time. And even when the time you get married to Hunter, we are still together, and we always have time for each other. And I couldn''t stop myself from missing you even before you are gone to your grandpa''s estate." She responded.

    "Hey, you know you can visit me anytime? I will buy you a ne ticket, Gina, every time you miss me, please don''t hesitate to visit me because I will be missing you too, and you know you arenot only my best friend, you are also my sister, and most of the time you act like my mom." I dered, and sheughed, and I took her into my arms, and I could no longer stop crying.

    "I am going to miss you too, Gina. And I will miss you a lot." I added.

    "Madeline, please always take good care of yourself and don''t ever do something stupid again without letting your husband know about it, Hunter loves you so much, and he deserves to know everything. So, please, in case if you are in trouble again, tell him right away, and don''t hide anything from him because he will do the impossible for you." She dered, and I nodded my head.

    "I know, Gina, and don''t worry, from now on, I will not keep anything from him. We will be leaving this ce, and I am d that Hunter is willing to go with me." I said, and she smiled at me.

    "Of course, that is how much he loves you, my dear best friend, and I hope I can find someone like Hunter." She said, and then she turned her head and looked at Jack and his entire family; I invited them to our farewell party since I missed them so much, and they are like a family to me."

    "Don''t worry; you will find him soon, Gina," I said as I looked at her, and I could see the sadness on her face.

    "I already found him, Madeline, but I don''t think he will ever like me. Besides, I am not as beautiful as you, and we both know he only likes you, Maddie." Gina said, and I held her arm.

    "Gina, you are beautiful in your ways, and believe me because I am the one who is looking at you right now. And I could tell Jack will soon realize you are the one for him." I said, and she shook her head.

    "Don''t make meugh, Madeline; Jack will never like me because he likes you a lot even if you are already married, and I don''t think he will stop loving you. And I could tell youropinion about me will always be biased since you are my best friend." She said, and I shook my head.

    "Of course not; best friends and real friends will always tell you the truth, Gina, no matter how much the truth will hurt you. And you know you are beautiful, Gina." I said, and she grinned at me.

    "You have to believe thathe will like you too, and don''t surrender, okay? I know you will look good together, Gina. You are beautiful, and Jack is handsome like a model in a magazine, and you both have good qualities, and I will be the first one who will be happy the moment you end up together." I added.

    "How I wish, Madeline, I have never liked anyone this way, Jack is more than a pretty face, and you know that," Gina responded.

    "Of course, Gina, I know," I replied.

    I was standing near the railings of our roof deck where the family party was held, and I was smiling as I looked at the stars above when I felt someone standing beside me, and when I whirled my head, I smiled when I found Jack looking at me sideways.

    "Hello, Madeline, I want you to know I felt so happy that you came home alive. I was perturbed when I heard the news about you, and I wanted to do something for you, but I know that I am so helpless because even your husband, who is very wealthy, became powerless in saving you, and I am d that there are people who came to your rescue." He said.

    "Thank you for your concern, Jack, me too, I felt so happy to be given another chance to live and be with my family and friends, and I am happy to see you again, Jack," I said

    ."Me too, Maddie; thank you so much for inviting me, and I felt d Hunter didn''t say no when you invited me." He responded.

    "Of course, my husband knew that we are close friends," I replied right away, and I heard him take a deep breath.

    "Yeah, for you, but Hunter knew that I always have a thing for you, Madeline, and I have to be honest even if I know you are already married to Hunter Divenson, and I could tell I am crazy for thinking this way because for heaven''s sake I know how much you love your husband. Besides, I have nothing to offer you, and I felt so ashamed of myself for liking you this much even until now." He dered, and when I looked at his handsome face, I smiled at him.

    "Thank you, Jack; I don''t deserve your feelings because you were right; I only love my husband," I replied.

    "Of course, I know that Madeline, I am d you still make friends with me even if you know I have feelings for you." He muttered.

    "I am ttered, Jack, you are handsome and known as the hot chef of Archois, but I think if you only look around you, you will realize that you already met the right woman for you, but you just failed to recognize the feeling since you were trying your best to ignore it, " I said.

    "What you mean, Madeline?" He asked, and I could see the confusion on his face.

    "You need to get over with me, Jack, and try looking around you, and I am sure you will be surprised to realize what I mean," I said, and he gave me a weak smile.

    "I will try, Madeline, but I don''t know if I will ever get over you that easily." He said, and I felt terrible why he needed to fall in love with me and not with Gina, but I am hoping tonight he will realize someone is here for him and willing to love him through eternity.

    I didn''t expect Jack will be this loyal to me even until now. I had been married to Hunter for so many years, yet he remained single for a long time now, where he can have anyone he wanted except me because my heart will only beat for my husband.

    "Can I borrow my wife, Jack?" I heard my husband''s voice, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling having butterflies in my stomach as I realized he got jealous again.

    "Of course, Mr. Divenson," Jack said, but he never takes his eyes away from me.

    "Good luck, Madeline. I hope you will love Neospoli country." He added, and he darted a nce at my husband, and he nodded at him before he went back to his table and joined with his uncle, mom, and sister.My husband put his hands on my waist, and then he turned me around so I would be facing him, while I couldn''t stop myself from giggling.

    "What is so funny, Mrs. Divenson?" He asked me while I put my hands around his neck.

    "You and your jealousy, my dear husband," I replied, and he raised his eyebrow.

    "Who said I am jealous?" He asked.

    "So, you are not jealous?" I asked, and he shyly smiled at me.

    "Yes, it may sound crazy and ridiculous, but I admit I am still jealous of Jack, Madeline." He said in more than a whisper while he put his forehead on mine, and every time I am this close with my husband, I couldn''t deny the euphoria that I feel, and it feels so lovely to hear that this handsome and hot man is crazy about me.

    "My love, you know I will always choose you, right?" I asked, and he brought me closer to him.

    "I know, Madeline, but I just can''t stop feeling this way because I am so crazy in love with you, and I am excited to have a new life with you in your grandpa''s ce.." He dered, and I felt like I was in seventh heaven when he leaned down and captured my mouth, and we shared a long passionate kiss, and I realized wherever I am,as long as I am with Hunter, everything will be alright.

 Chapter 254 - Wish Granted

    Madeline''s POV

    I was in my husband''s arms, feeling more love and secure than ever. It felt nice to him hugging me from behind as we looked at the starry night together. Then if we looked down, we behold the city lights gleaming in the darkness, and I felt sad since this would be ourst night here in Archois, and I am sure I will miss all my friends, including Hunter''s family, especially Lily.

    We said goodbye to Hunter''s family and my friends on the following day, and with a heavy heart, I left them with tears in my eyes. And I know that I should be happy for our new journey in life, but I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so emotional. And I could tell my aunt Francine and grandpa Hector was the only ones who were so happy as we made our way to the helipad.

    The flight going home to Neospoli was long and tiring, but I felt so d; I was with my husband, and it was already nighttime when we arrived in Choraz, and I felt so drained since I experienced dizziness during the entire ride. Hunter assisted me in walking inside my grandpa''s ce, and I felt d that we were finally home.

    "Are you okay, sweetheart?" My grandpa asked me when we got inside the house, and I could see the worries on his face.

    "Yes, I am, don''t worry, I only need to have a rest, grandpa," I responded.

    "Okay, I will ask someone to go into your room when dinner is ready." He said.

    "Thank you, grandpa," I replied, and we climbed the stairs while my husband never let my hand go. The moment we got inside my room, I changed into one of the maternity dresses my aunt bought for me, and I slowlyy on our bed as I could feel the entire house is spinning, and I saw Hunter get out of our room, and when he came back, he has thermos and mug on his hand.

    Hunter let me drink the hot water, and my aunt came into our room to check on me. When she was convinced I was fine, she left in our room saying she would see us during dinner, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at my husband. It felt so wonderful to have him beside me, and he was caressing my tummy, and I know Hunter was so excited to see our baby.

    By dinner time, I was shocked when three household staff came inside our room, and I realized the two were maids based on their uniforms. They had trays with good on their hands, while the other was wearing a nurse uniform, and she had a stethoscope on her neck while holding a medical kit in her hand.

    "Ms. Madeline, your grandpa said you are not feeling well, and he wanted you to take your meal here in your room. I am Rose, one of the household maids, and this is Mia, the nurse of Grant''s estate, and don''t worry, the doctor is on his way." Rose said, and I sat up on the bed, and My husband helped me lean my back on the headboard.

    "Thank you, but I am fine; I only need some rest; I just got tired from our flight," I responded while Hunter was standing beside the bed, and when I glimpsed at him, I could see the amusement on his face.

    "It is nice to know that you felt fine now, Ms. Madeline, but still, I needed to do my job, and I hope I can get your vitals before you eat your dinner. I need to report to your grandfather that you are excellent by telling him your vital stats." Mia said, and I almost forgot my granddad has a house nurse and on-call doctor.

    "Okay, but please, convince him that I don''t need to see a doctor," I responded, and the nurse smiled weakly at me.

    "I will try, Ms. Madeline, but I could tell he will still ask the doctor to check on you. He was worried about your condition since you are pregnant, and I know she is concerned about you, Maddie." The nurse replied.

    "Yes, he was anxious, and this is the first time I saw our employer this stress, and he was in the kitchen telling the staff to cook for you. He didn''t ask Leo to do it, and he came to our quarter to personally ask me I will be assisting all your needs." Rose said, and I am overwhelmed with happiness, but I needed to tell my grandpa that I don''t need a personal maid to take good care of me.

    "Thank you, Rose, I am telling you, my grandfather was only overreacting," I said as I shook my head.

    "Maddie, I haven''t seen your grandpa so happy and worried since I started working here, and he always asked Leonardo to do things around here under hismand, but tonight he never asked the butler. You made the old man happy, Maddie, and since you came into this house, he startedmunicating with all the staff even with his busy schedule." Rose dered.

    "You bring out the best on him, Madeline, and he gave us a bonus the first time you came here," Rose added, and I was surprised.

    "Yes, Madeline, your grandpa used to be so strict to all the household staff. He doesn''t want anyone tomit a mistake. He was a perfectionist in almost everything. We can''tmit any mistakesbecause we will get fired." She stated.

    "But when you came here in the estate, everything changed, and that is why we are so grateful to have you in this house, and for us, you became the new Queen on this castle." Rose continued, and I could feel my face turn so red.

    "Wow! I didn''t know about these things, and thank you, Rose, for telling me all." I said.

    "You have all the right to know, Ms. Madeline, because we are all happy to have you here, and we felt d that you came, and now that your grandfather informed us all that you will be staying here for good together with your husband we couldn''t be happier." She responded.

    "We are all excited for theings days toe knowing everything will be okay; here in the estate because you will be the new madam of this house, and knowing that you have a good heart, the staffare all excited to serve you and your family." She said as she darted a nce at my husband.

    And I smiled as I looked at her blushed, and I know she is still young, and I am aware wherever we will go, Hunter will always have the same effect on all the women who will be around him, and I felt so lucky that I am his wife. I know there is nothing I can do if women will get fascinated by his appeal because I can never change the fact that my husband is handsome and hot.

    The nurse left together with the maids, and Rose said she would be back to dish out the dishes, and I amstill shocked about the things I learned about my grandfather, and I couldn''t believe my presence here changed my granda''s heart, and I made him a different man.

    We eat our dinner in silence while I still think about Hector Grant, the man I thought who doesn''t have feelings and doesn''t know how to love. I felt guilty thinking back to the words I said to my grandpa the first time that we met, but I know my grandfather couldn''t me me for what I did before then since he hurt my feelings.

    My husband brought me back into our bed after eating our supper.

    "Wow! I couldn''t believe that your grandpa would be so worried about you, my love, and I felt so thankful that he loves you." My husband said, and I smiled at him.

    "Me too; it feels so wonderful to know that I have a grandfather. Do you know it was part of my dreams?" I asked, and my husband shook my head.

    "It must sound funny and crazy, but since I didn''t know my grandparents from both sides, every time Gina visited her grandparents in the province, I always felt lonely, and I was wishing I have grandparents too, since I know grandparents will always love their grandkids, and I could tell they fancy their grandchildren more than they fancy their children," I said. My husband was looking at my face, and he kept silent while he continued caressing my face.

    "I asked my aunt about my grandparents even if I already know my mom''s parents passed away when my aunt and mom were only teenagers, and that is why they both work hard to survive," I added.

    "I always imagine going to my grandparents'' house during summer, school breaks, and holidays. But I came to understand there are so many things in this world that I am not so lucky to have. Like having a father growing up, and knowing my grandparents, and of course, I never got the chance to seemy mom grow old because she died too young." I continued, and I could no longer stop my tears from falling as I remembered my mom.

    "Hey, don''t cry, my love." I heard my husband''s soft voice, and I shook my head.

    "Don''t worry, and these are tears of happiness, Hunter. I am so happy that I have my grandpa, and I was given a chance to know him, and I couldn''t believe one of my childhood dreams would be granted when I am pregnant with my first child." I said happily, and I felt him dry my tears with his fingers.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline, we will be good grandparents to our grandchildren, and I promise to grow old with you enough that we can y not only with our grandchildren but with our great-grandchildren." He said with a beautiful smile on his face, and he brought me closer to him, and I was leaning my head on his chest.

    "You better keep your promise, my love," I said.

    "Of course, Madeline.." He said, and my husband cupped my chin, and then he kissed me long enough to make us both breathless.

 Chapter 255 - Always Be Here For Her

    Hunter''s POVI

    I can see the concern on Hector Grant''s face when he found out my wife is not feeling well, and I found it amazing that Madeline''s grandfather really care for her, and I couldn''t believe that this arrogant man turned out to be so caring and loving grandpa to my wife.The doctor still came even if Madeline begged the nurse to tell her grandfather that she was feeling better.

    And I was the one who felt grateful that the doctor came, because I was damn worried about her condition, and I felt d her grandpa was the one who insisted that the doctor should check on her.I didn''t show it to my wife that I felt troubled about her situation even if she was only having slight dizziness.

    I was afraid about the safety of our baby, and when the doctor said my wife is fine that is the time I felt relieved. And watching Maddie sleep peacefully on my arm made me feel so happy that we are now together.

    And I will never allow it to happen again that I will be separated from my wife.On the following day Hector Grant came to our room early in the morning, and I felt d I was ready, and on my way to the dining hall, I don''t intend to wake up Madeline, but when she heard her grandpa''s voice she got up and greeted her grandfather with a sweet smile on her face, and I don''t want to leave my wife the entire day, since I got used being with her every day thest time we were here.

    "Please, take care of my husband today, grandpa." My wife softly said.

    "Madeline, you don''t need to worry about your husband, Hunter is one of the best mining engineer in the world, at young age he established his name. And you should be proud of your husband." Hector Grant said, and hearing those wordsing from the person I admired for so long was enough to warmed my heart.

    "Of course, grandpa, I am so proud of my husband, and of course, I am so proud of you too, and I couldn''t believe my grandfather is a mining engineer, and I also married to a mining engineer, and it seems this child on my womb would inherits your passion in mining." Madeline responded, and her words made her grandpa and meughed.

    "But you don''t need to worry about anything, Madeline, I will take good care of your husband today, and I don''t want to make it slow, I want to train him now so everyone in mypany would know him right away, because I want Hunter to take over my ce sooner." Hector dered.

    "Because I wanted to spend the rest of my life ying with my grandchild, I lost my chance to see you grow, and y with you, this time I promise to be a hands on great-grandpa to your child." He added, and I could see the happiness on my wife''s face. Hector Grant walked closer to my wife, and bring her closer into him, and then he kissed my wife''s forehead.

    "You take good care, my dear." He said, and he said goodbye to Maddie and walked out through the door ahead of me, and I could tell he was giving me enough privacy to say goodbye to my wife.

    "See youter, my love." I said to Madeline as I put my hands on her hips.

    "Okay, don''t tire yourself, Hunter." She said, and stood on her toes, and my wife whispered something on my ear that made all the nerves on my body burning with fire.

    "Don''t tease me early morning, Madeline." I grunted under my breath.

    "I am not teasing you, my love, I am just reminding you what awaits you at home." She said as she was biting her lower lip, and even if I know Hector was waiting for me outside, I kissed my wife, and I made out with Madeline long and sweet until I hear her softly moaning.

    "You really know how to tease your husband, my sweet." I said, and she giggled, and I kissed her one more time before I got out of the door, and I don''t really want to leave her even for a while. And I found Hector Grant looking at me with taunting smile on his lips."It seems you find it so hard to say goodbye to your wife, son." He dered.

    "Yeah, you may call me crazy, but I don''t want to leave her side especially now that she is pregnant, and because of the things that happened from the past, I don''t want to be away from Madeline even for a while." I responded, and his smile broadened, and this time I could tell it was a smile of relief.

    "You are not crazy, Hunter, you are only madly in love with my lovely granddaughter, and that is a good thing, I remember my wife. And I love her so dearly even if we came from two different worlds, and I felt so d she became my wife, and we were blessed with children, and it broke her heart when she learned I wanted Frank to marry the daughter of my business partner, and I am not proud of what I had be, Hunter." He said after we setteled at the back of his car.

    Hector Grant looked so regal in his business suit, and I felt so proud being with him. He instructed the chauffeur to leave the estate, and I wanted to tell him next time I will be driving the car since I don''t need a driver.

    "Don''t let your pride ruined the good rtionship you have with Madeline, Hunter, whatever problem you will encounter along the way, always remember, Madeline is your wife, and you are willing to do everything for her, and always make your wife and children on top of all your priorities.Grandpa added.

    "Even if I am the wealthiest man in this country, I failed as a father, and I know my children loathed me, and I am just d Francine never ran away, or else I will end up more miserable." He continued.

    "When I learned I have a granddaughter, I felt so happy, and I promised myself I will make it up to her, all the things I wasn''t able to give to her father I will shower Madeline everything, and I am expecting you to cooperate with me because I have so many things I wanted to do with my grandchild." He dered.

    "I am already old, Hunter, and two of the things you can''t buy no matter how wealthy you are, are life span extension and time, you can''t buy them from the store. And that is why you have to make good memories. I never thought about these things, not until I met your wife." He added.

    "I wanted to have more memories and time with Madeline, Hunter, and of course, I wanted to watch your children grow into adults, but I know I am asking to much, right now, all I want is an opportunity to be with Maddie. I hope you will not be selfish." He dered, and I looked at him.

    "Of course, you can have as much time you want with my wife. All I want for Madeline is to be happy. I know my wife felt so d when you came into her life. You were only a dream once, and my wife didn''t expect you will be real." I said, and he grinned at me.

    "Of course, I am real." He replied, and he kept silent for the rest of our ride, and then we arrived on the tallest building all over Choraz, and I am no longer shock when I raised my head, and realized the skycraper in front to us belonged to him, and until now I couldn''t beleieve I will be the new CEO of hispany.

    The moment we arrived inside the building, I didn''t expect we will be attending a board meeting right away, and I was overwhelmed with happiness when the Board of Directors weed and greeted me warmly, and I could tell it may not be an easy road for me, but I am willing to do everything I can for my wife and future children, and I know there is nothing I should be afarid of since Hector Grant will be there for me every step of the way.

    It was a long tiring day, but when it was time for us to go home, I smiled as I remebered my wife''s words, and I wanted toe home right away because I am excited that my beautiful pregnant wife is waiting home for me.

    The ride going to Grant estate feels like forever, may be because I wanted to see Madeline, and I am excited to spend another night with my wife. Leonardo met us on the grand entrance of the house and I could tell right away something is bothering him since he looked so stressed, and he can''t focus his eyes to his boss, or to me.

    "Good evening, Mr. Grant, Mr. Divenson." He greeted us, and we both greeted him."Can I have a word with you, Mr. Grant?" He asked as he looked at Hector and then to me."Is my wife, okay?" I asked as I can feel the rapid beating of my heart, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so worried about Madeline.

    "There is nothing to be worried about, Mr. Divenson, your wife is fine, and she is with her aunt Francine on the garden''s pavilion." He said, and I released a sigh of relief.

    "What do you want to talk about, Leo? Hunter could join us, from now on, you can discuss anything with me in Hunter''s presence." Grandpa replied.

    "Of course, sir.." The butler responded, but I could feel Leo doesn''t want to include me with their conversation, and I could tell it would be regarding Madeline, and whatever it is I am confident Hector Grant will protect my wife, and whatever happens I will always be here for her.

 Chapter 256 - It Is A Boy

    Hunter''s POV

    "What is it, Leo?" Hector Grant asked the moment we got inside his study, and I could tell Leo felt uneasy."Someone came today, and she was looking for you." Leo dered, grandpa raised his eyebrows, and I wonder who came today that made the butler so workup.

    "Who is that someone, Leo?" My grandfather-inw asked, and Leonardo handed him an envelope, and grandpa''s forehead furrowed.

    "Just tell me about it, Leo; I don''t have time to get over with what is inside this envelope." He dered.

    "It seems Madeline is not your only granddaughter." He said, and Leo''s words surprised me, and I could tell Hector was more shocked than I was, and I couldn''t read the expression on his face.

    "That is ridiculous, and Frank doesn''t have any more daughters? What do you mean by that, Leo?" He asked, and he was not pleased with what he heard.

    "The woman who came today imed she was also Frank''s daughter from another woman, and I think the contents of that envelope were proof that she is also your granddaughter," Leo responded as he looked at his employer and then at me.

    I was shocked when Hector Grant threw the brown envelope on top of his table, and he looked at Leonardo while he was curling his fists on his sides.

    "I am not interested in knowing that woman, and I don''t even want to know her name. I only know Frank had two children, the one who died and Madeline, and I could tell that someone was a fraud. Don''t ever let her get inside this house, Leo." He retorted.

    "And don''t tell my granddaughter about this. I don''t want Madeline to know about this woman." Hector added.

    "Do you understand, Leo?" He asked, and the butler nodded his head."Of course, sir," Leo replied, and grandpa walked to the door while he motioned me to follow him.

    "Please, Hunter, don''t tell Madeline about this." He said as we walked to the grand staircase.

    "Don''t worry, grandpa, I won''t tell her anything," I responded."Good." He replied."What if it is true, grandpa?" I asked, and he shook his head."Hunter, I know Madeline is my only granddaughter. Even if my son didn''t reach out to me, I know about his life. I expected after the press conference, some will get jealous of Madeline, and they will use any means they can to get an inheritance from me." He responded."By the time the people of Neospoli learned I have a granddaughter, I expected many will im they are my granddaughters too because I announced that Madeline is my only heir, and they think they can fool me." He added."I know Maddie is my only granddaughter and no one else." He said, and we ascended the grand staircase."See you at dinner, Hunter." He said before he walked towards his bedroom, and I strode to our bedroom, and I felt so excited to see my wife, and I realized I missed her so much, even if I hadst seen her this morning.I felt so happy that Madeline''s grandfather was thinking about her safety. Now that someone is trying to im him as her grandfather, he shows his disinterest by telling Leonardo never to entertain that woman. Still, I can''t stop myself from worrying even if Hector Grant told me Madeline was his only granddaughter since I know that woman could make our lifeplicated if she happens to be real.I softly knocked since I wanted to see Madeline''s reaction the moment she found me outside our bedroom door, and she didn''t disappoint me when she threw herself at me and curled her arms around my neck right away."I missed you so much," Maddie replied, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling at her."I missed you too, my sweet Madeline," I replied, and I kissed her on the lips, and I couldn''t believe that I would be making out with my wife outside our bedroom, and she giggled as I carried her inside our room."How was your day, my love?" Madeline asked me, and I couldn''t stop myself from gaping at my wife''s beautiful face, and I wanted to make love to her right away, but I knew we needed to eat dinner with her grandpa."It was fantastic, the BOD''s weed me warmly, and I am just lonely because I want to be here with you," I said, and her beautiful smile made me have knots on my stomach, and my hand made its way to her face, and my fingers caressed her smooth skin."Me too; I wanted to ask Leonardo for a driver since I was desperate to see you, I nned to visit you in your office this afternoon, but I don''t want to disturb your busy day." My wife responded."You know I will always have time for you, Madeline," I said, and Megan locked her beautiful eyes with mine, and I could see that she was starting to blush as I traced the contour of her lips with my fingers."Yeah, I know, Hunter, but I don''t want grandpa to think I can''t control myself. I need to endure the need to see you, and I am just d aunt Francine dropped by, and she had tea with me this afternoon." Madeline responded, and I talked with my wife some more before I got inside the bathroom and took a bath.During dinner, I could tell my wife was very enthusiastic as she talked with her grandfather, and Hector Grant wasughing most of the time, and I was only listening to them as we ate our dinner. I know my wife is not a talker, but this time I felt so happy that she was talking andughing with her grandfather, and I realized she loved Neospoli, and I felt d we made the right decision by living here in this beautiful Neospoli country.Months passed, and I couldn''t stop smiling as I watched my wife''s bump. At this point, I could tell pregnancy suited Maddie well; her breasts became fuller, and I loved watching my wife on her maternity dress, especially if we were walking together holding hands, and knowing I am the father of her child made me feel so proud, and even if I felt a little nervous and worried, because I know giving birth is not that easy thebor could be painful, I couldn''t wait to see my child.I was driving my car, and it was a wee gift from Hector. He bought me a new car right after I asked him if I could use one of his cars since I wanted to go to my office driving my car since I don''t like to have a driver anymore after what happened with Frank. Hector resigned after two months I assumed his post, and he is now enjoying his time with Madeline every day, and my wife couldn''t be happier."Are you excited?" My wife asked, and I turned my head and looked at her sideways, and I smiled at Maddie before I returned my focus on the road. We are on our way to one of her prenatal checks up, and we will also know today the gender of our child."Of course, I am, and I don''t care if it was a boy or a girl. I would be happy and excited fo be a dad." I responded, and it always warmed my heart to see my wife''s hand caress her tummy while I was holding her other arm."Me too; if it is a boy, I know he will look exactly like you." She said, and her giggles made me smile."Yeah, and if it is a girl, I know she will look a lot like you," I responded, and she put her head on my shoulder as I drove at a minimum speed since I always wanted to have this moment with Maddie. I missed driving my car while she was sitting beside me. We were listening to our favorite music, and it felt so lovely to watch her this happy and excited.The moment we arrived at the parking lot, I couldn''t stop my heart racing due to my excitement, and we walked holding hands as we made our way to the OB-Gyn clinic."Congrattions, Mr. and Mrs. Divenson, you''ve got a baby boy." The doctor said, and my tears fell on my cheeks as I kissed my wife''s hand, and I couldn''t express the feelings I felt when I learned we have a baby boy, and there are so many things ying on my head as of the moment. And I felt so excited as I thought about what we should do together with him and my wife. "I can''t wait to go camping together, and we will go fishing," I said excitedly as we were on our way back to the parking lot, and I heard my wife''s softughter."My love, I think you should think about changing his diaper first." My wife said."Yes, of course, I couldn''t believe I would feel this excited that I was thinking about what we can do when he is already a teenager instead of the basic things," I replied."Thank you, Madeline, for making me this happy; you taught me how to be a real man, youplete me, and now I couldn''t express the happiness I felt when I heard the doctor say we have a baby boy," I said.."Me too; I can''t wait to tell them that it is a baby boy," Madeline replied, and I captured my wife''s sweet mouth and kissed her passionately as I could feel the overwhelming emotions in my heart, and I felt so excited to be a dad.

 Chapter 257 - Baby Shower

    Madeline''s POV

    The moment I heard the doctor say we have a baby boy, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so happy, and as I watched my husband''s face filled with joy, I felt like I was in seventh heaven. I couldn''t wait to tell them in Archois, and I am sure they will be all excited to learn about the gender of our baby.

    "Are you happy that it was a boy?" I asked my husband after we got inside our room.

    "Of course, and it would be alright with me either it is a boy or a girl, Madeline; I can''t wait to be a dad." He said.

    "Me too; I can''t wait to be a mom," I responded, and he pulled me closer with him, and then he kissed my forehead, cheeks, and lips.

    "Take a rest, for now, my love. I need to read some emails." Hunter said, and I nodded my head as he guided me towards our bed. I fell asleep right away, and I was dreaming a beautiful dream with my husband and our baby boy. I was smiling when I felt fingers caressing my face, and when I opened my eyes, I found Hunter gaping at my face.

    "Hey, why didn''t you wake me up, my love?" I asked, and he beamed at me.

    "It was okay, Maddie. It is still early for dinner; I want you to have enough sleep so you will be healthy and will give birth to a healthy boy." He answered with enthusiasm.

    "Don''t worry; my aunt Francine made sure I would eat healthy food every day," I responded as I clung to my husband, and as I looked back on all the things I have been through, I never expected I would have this kind of life, and I felt so grateful for everything that we have.

    My grandfather was excited to learn that he has a great-grandson."That would be lovely, and I hope you will name him after Frank, it can be his second name, as long as you will name him after my son, that is my only wish, and I think I am given another chance to make up with my son through your child. I promise I will be a great-granddad.

    "My grandpa dered as we were eating our dinner, and I smiled at him."Of course, don''t worry, grandpa, I will name him after my dad; I am sure it would be alright with my husband," I said as I looked at Hunter sideways.

    "Of course, Frank was close to me, and he was like a family, and I never thought he would be my father-inw." My husband responded, and I thought of a second name that would suit our baby.

    I never expected my aunt would have a surprise baby shower for me. I was in my third trimester when I was shocked the Divenson family arrived in my grandpa''s estate, and this time the Morigan family came with them, including Tony, and I was a little disappointed that Jack didn''t go with them.

    I felt d Calixto, together with his wife and children, came, even Captain Noah and Karen surprised me, and I couldn''t believe they would give me this kind of happiness, and I felt so thankful that my aunt knew who are the most important people in my life.

    The baby shower reception took ce at one of my grandpa''s hotels. And it was indeed a beautiful night for all of us, and I got another chance to be with my family and friends.

    "Thank you so much foring, Karen," I said when I found her at the table alone since Noah was talking with my husband and grandpa, and the upbeat music in the background made the entire ce so lively.

    "Of course, I will never let this opportunity pass. Madeline, I was surprised when I learned you were actually the wife of Hunter Divenson, but nothing can prepare the shock when I was informed you were Hector Grant''s granddaughter." She dered, and I could see the amazement on her face while I was smiling at her.

    "I know you look so beautiful, but I never expected you to be that rich; I looked up to your grandfather since he is the richest man in this country, and I felt so honored and privileged that I met his granddaughter in person." She added.

    "I am not that rich, Karen, and it was my grandpa''s wealth, not mine," I replied.

    "Everyone in Neospoli was talking about you and wanted to be like you ever since your grandpa introduced you to the public as his heir, it was your grandpa''s wealth, and he will pass it down to you, so you are filthy rich, Madeline." She said with a wide grin on her beautiful face.

    "No wonder many wanted to take you, Madeline, and I could tell right now, your security is tight; your husband and grandpa don''t want anything to happen to you since you are carrying the heir of Grant''s empire." She added.

    It wasn''t easy to be me, but I will never wish to be someone else because I love my husband dearly, and I felt so lucky and blessed to be Hector Grant''s granddaughter." I dered.

    "Of course, Madeline." She said, and she joined the girls when the games started, and I felt my husband''s arm curled around my shoulders as we watched the girls having fun as they participated in the parlor games.

    It was so funny, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying andughing as I realized that my grandpa Hector and aunt Francine were true to their promise that they would make sure I would never feel lonely while I was staying at Grant''s castle.

    Lily was so happy when she learned she would have a nephew, and watching her joined her sister and my friends yed the game of who could finish putting diapers on the dummy baby. I couldn''t believe Gina would win, and I didn''t know my best friend was good at putting on a diaper, and I couldn''t wait to do the real thing.

    "Thank you, Gina, foring back here in Neospoli for me," I said after pulling her away from the crowd since I wanted to be alone with my best friend.

    "Are you kidding me? Riding in your grandpa''s private ne was another experience for me, and I was able to try everything only wealthy people can afford because of you." My best friend dered.

    "The amodation would always be a surprise, like now, we are staying here in this five-star hotel, and I don''t know maybe next time on your father''s beach resort or to his ind." My best friend said, and I couldn''t stop myself from grinning as I could feel Gina''s excitement.

    "But above all, nothing can bepared to the joy I felt every time I see you with great happiness and contentment in your face, and I felt so proud that I am still your best friend, you didn''t forget me even if you are now among the richest women in the world." She added, and her face turned solemn.

    "Gina, you will always be my best friend, and I know you will always be there for me even if I be the poorest girl on earth, and I will never barter you with anything," I said.

    "Not even with Hunter?" She asked, and my face fell even if I knew my best friend was only joking; because I thought, what if it will happen in the future that I need to choose between my husband and best friend.

    "Hey, don''t look sad; I was only kidding, Maddie; besides, it will never happen that I will ask you to choose between Hunter and me. I know he is your life, and I will always be here to support your rtionship with your husband, and I felt so happy that he looked so delighted every time he looked at you with tenderness and full of love." Gina added.

    "And as your BFF, it would be enough for me to see you that happy; this is all my wish for you, Madeline," Gina said, and I hugged my best friend, and sheughed when she felt my bump, and then she caressed my tummy.

    "I can''t wait to be an aunt, Maddie." She dered with a wide grin on her face.

    "Yeah, I can''t wait to be a mommy too, and my excitement was killing me, Gina," I said, and we both smiled at each other.The shower party ended, and it was really fun, and I knew my grandfather had a great time, and then he asked my husband, rk, Parker, Tony, Uncle Paul, and Calixto to have a drink with him at the bar located at the ground floor of the hotel.

    "Hey, my sweet Madeline, I will join grandpa and the boys to have a drink. Would it be alright?" My husband asked, and I gave him a sweet smile.

    "Of course, enjoy your night, my love; I will ask Lily or Gina to apany me to the VIP room," I said, and he caressed my face and gave me a quick pecked on the lips before he walked away from me. I smiled when I realized my family and Hunter''s family got along, and I couldn''t wish for more.

    When I looked around, I could no longer see the girls, so I walked my way out from the grand ballroom of the hotel and strode carefully towards the elevator; and when I got inside, I saw someone running towards the elevator, and I pressed the stop button as I realized she wanted to ride the elevator.. I smiled at her when she got inside, but I wondered why she was looking daggers at me, and before I could react, I felt something hit my neck, and total ckness followed as I lost consciousness.

 Chapter 258 - Finding Madeline

    Hunter''s POV

    "I could tell you are very happy, Hunter," Calixto said as I settled beside him. We were already at the bar, and grandpa Hector requested to make the whole ce exclusive for us, and I could see that Madeline''s old man was having fun. He was so excited to be a great-grandfather, and I felt so happy to see my father having a good conversation with him; and this was one of the best nights for us.

    "Of course, Cal, next month, I will be carrying my little one in my arms, and I couldn''t wait to get Maddie pregnant again," I responded, and it made himugh.

    "Of course, while you are still young, I am excited for you both." He said, and I grinned at him.

    "I am sure Madeline will be excited to have another child with you." He said, and just thinking about my wife made me smile. I texted her, but she didn''t reply, and I could tell she wanted me to have a good time with the boys, and I know my wifewas busy talking with the girls, especially Gina and Lily.

    "I am only kidding, Cal, and maybe after two years, it would be enough time for Madeline to adjust to her new world; I know parenthood would be challenging for both of us," I responded.

    "Yes, it would be harder than you thought, but you can hire nannies, and I am sure it would be easy for you to move around your house when you have maids to help you." He replied.

    "Nope, Maddie will be a hands-on mom; she doesn''t want to have nannies." I dered.

    "We know, Maddie, but you should hire someone to assist her, Hunter; it would be hard on her part; just tell her the nanny would be there just in case she wanted to have a nice sleep, and it would be nice if there would be someone to assist her needs after she gave birth to your son." He responded.

    "Of course, Calixto, I know about that, I already asked my mother to send us at least two individuals who will live with us and help my wife with all she needs after she gives birth to our son, but I know Madeline will protest the moment she will find out about my ns," I said, and I released a heavy sigh.

    "I know, but she will understand when she will get busy with your son, especially when she doesn''t have enough sleep," Cal said, and I nodded my head at him.

    I only drink a little since I still want to have a fantastic night with Madeline, and it was almost midnight when we call it a night. I said good night to everyone and walked towards our suite room, and I was shocked to find our space was empty, and I suddenly felt worried, but I thought my wife was only in the other room, so I called my sister, and when she told me she wasn''t with Madeline I started to feel worried.

    "Why are you looking for Madeline, Hunter?" Gina asked me when I came to her room, and my face saddened, and Gina''s worries mirrored my anxiousness, and I could no longer stop myself from feeling so troubled when I couldn''t find my wife.

    "Where could she be at this hour, Gina?" I asked, and she shook her head, and I could see that her hands were shaking.

    "I don''t know, Hunter; I thought she was with you." She responded, and Ibed my hair with my fingers, and I couldn''t stop feeling uneasy.

    "No, I was having a drink with grandpa and the boys at the bar, and when I got back in our room, she wasn''t there, and I thought she was talking with you and Lily." I dered.

    "I haven''t spoken with Madeline after leaving the grand ballroom with Cer. Maybe she was with the Morigans." Gina said, and I smiled as I realized Gina could be right.

    "Okay, thank you, Gina," I said and left her room in a hurry, but my fear intensified when I found out she wasn''t there either. Then everyone is now looking for my wife, even grandpa Hector looked so devastated when he found out what happened, and he requested the camera footage at the grand ballroom.

    I could see the face of the head of the security department paled when he spoke with Hector Grant. I could discern the anger on grandpa''s voice when the head of the security department informed him, together with the IT head, that they couldn''t find any footage from the CCTV, and it feels like somebody deleted the file for tonight''s event.

    "I wanted to speak with the Resident Manager right now, and I needed some answer," Grandpa said with authority, but I could feel his anger behind his calm demeanor. At the same time, aunt Francine looked so worried about her niece while my heart was hammering against my chest, and I wondered where my wife could be.

    "Don''t worry, Mr. Grant, my men already blocked all the exit points, and they are doing their best to locate your granddaughter." The head of the Security guard said.

    "If you do not find my granddaughter, I will fire all of you; how could this happen? We chose to celebrate here because I know this ce is safe since I own this establishment, and I couldn''t believe my granddaughter will vanish in thin air." He said, and he could no longer conceal his disappointments with his men.

    And I felt a little okay when I saw Roman walking towards me, and I knew he could help me find my Madeline.

    "Mr. Divenson, I am sure your wife didn''t leave the hotel premises since I deployed my men all over the exit points, especially the elevators, so I am sure your wife is still inside the hotel," Roman said. I felt d his team came with me here in Neospoli.

    "Please, Roman, I need to find my wife," I said as I could feel the fear of what could happen with Madeline.

    "Don''t worry, Mr. Divenson, we will find your wife," Roman responded, and I wish they could locate my wife as soon as possible.

    "How could this happen? I should have taken her into our room and didn''t let her walk alone through the hallways, and this is all my fault." I said, and Roman patted my shoulder.

    "Don''t me yourself, Mr. Divenson. It wasn''t nobody''s fault." Roman responded, but I couldn''t stop ming myself. Roman left with grandpa''s men, and I walked with Calixto since I couldn''t stop worrying about her, and I wondered who took my wife.

    "Did you hear what happened to Kaye''s family, Cal?" I asked as we tried to go back to the grand ballroom.

    "Yes, and since her father was facing so manywsuits, I think Kaye left Astikoz and tried working abroad," Cal responded.

    "Why? Do you think she has something to do with what happened tonight?" Cal asked, and I slowly nodded my head.

    "There is no one I can think of that might hurt my wife except Kaye. I know I hurt her so many times, but I turned her down since I don''t feel anything towards her, and I think she was here in Neospoli, Calixto, to get back at me." I answered.

    "Well, I couldn''t disagree with you since I am sure there is a strong possibility, and I couldn''t believe someone is capable of doing bad things because of love, and Kaye almost harmed Madeline and your son before, and we both know what she is capable of," Cal dered. I released a heavy sigh, and I couldn''t believe something would transpire again to my wife.

    "I need to deal with her, and I will never forgive her if sheys a finger with Madeline, and I am just hoping Madeline is fine," I said as I scratched my head even if I didn''t feel anything.

    "Hunter!" I heard my sister''s voice rang inside the grand ball hall. When I turned my head, I saw her together with my mom and Gina, and I could see their fears. And then, the whole ce brightened, and I realized one of the hotel staff hade inside to switch on all the lights, and when Hector Grant walked inside, I realized he was the one who requested to light the entire ce and then one by one I saw the rest of my family and friends joined us in the ballroom.

    "I think no one among us could sleep tonight knowing my granddaughter is missing, but right now, I will use all my influence and money to see my granddaughter before the sun will rise in the morning, and I want everyone to remain calm because nothing will happen to Madeline." He said in a loud voice.

    "Hunter, don''t worry, we will find your wife," Grandpa said, and he looked at me intently, and I nodded my head at him since no words came out of my mouth because I didn''t want them to know I was beginning to panic, and I couldn''t wait for my men since I needed to look for Maddie myself.

    "Grandpa, I couldn''t sit waiting for them; I need to find my wife," I replied after a long while.

    "Suit yourself, son, but you have to be careful; we don''t know who we are dealing with, but I could tell someone betrayed me; my security is tight, and unless someone from the inside will give our opponents the ess they need," Grandpa said.

    "I could say, it is no longer impossible for them to enter inside no matter how safe the entire ce could be, because someone from the inside coborates with them, but don''t worry, the culprit will not go away with his crime, I will make sure he will stay in prison for the rest of his life." Hector Grant growled.

    All I can think of is my wife, and I was hoping she only got out of the hotel to have fun, and she forgot the time. I don''t want to think that something has happened to my sweet Madeline because I don''t know how to live my life without her by my side.. I walked out from the Grand ballroom together with Calixto, and we helped my men and grandpa''s bodyguards to locate my lovely wife, and I couldn''t stop ming myself, and I made a promise, I would never rest until I find my wife.

 Chapter 259 - Her Aim

    Madeline''s POV

    When I woke up, I could feel that I was lying on a soft mattress, and I was sure I was inside a room. I didn''t open my eyes right away since I was afraid the woman had done something terrible to my baby. I touched my belly, and I could tell I was still carrying my son in my womb, and I didn''t feel anything unusual on my body.

    I felt terrified as I remembered the woman''s face who made me unconscious. She didn''t hurt me, but knowing she used something to make me faint right away was enough to tell me; she is bad news, and I wondered what she wanted from me.

    "I am aware you are awake, Madeline." I heard a familiar voice, and I could feel the goosebumps that covered my entire skin as I opened my eyes, and I was face to face with Kaye.

    She was wearing a white dress, and she looked stunning as always; her hair was shorter this time, and I could see the anger on her face as she looked at daggers at me.

    "What do you want from me, Kaye?" I asked as I tried to sound calm even if I felt so afraid of what she will do to me; Kaye almost seeded in her n of killing me, but my grandpa''s men intervened, and I could tell Kaye was capable of hurting me, and worse she can kill me. I am not afraid, but I am scared for my baby.

    "You know what I want from you, Madeline. I only wanted to have Hunter in my life, but right now, you took everything from me. Your grandfather ruined my father, and he made our entire family suffer." She snarled.

    "Your grandpa was doing illegal things, Kaye. It wasn''t my grandpa''s fault if the authority put your father behind bars since he needs to answer for his crimes." I answered, and it made her angrier.

    "You better shut up, or I will cut your throat, Maddie." She hissed as she picked up a butcher''s knife from the table, and Kaye gave me a sinister smile, and I could feel my legs were trembling when I saw her touch the tip of the de, and I know she is capable of doing evil things, and I should never let my guard down.

    I swallowed my saliva as I watched her walking back and forth inside the room, and as I looked around, I could tell we were still inside my grandpa''s hotel since they couldn''t bring my body outside the hotel premises, and whoever helped her must be working for my grandpa.

    "I will make sure Hector Grant will release my father from jail, Madeline; if not, he will have your cold body," Kaye said, and herughter reverberated the entire room, and I couldn''t believe she was the Kaye I knew years ago, she looked like an angel on the first day that I met her. Now all I could see on her face was anger.

    "Then I need to have your husband, if you didn''te into his life, I am sure, I am now his wife, and I have a happy life. You are the reason why I am having a hard time, Maddie." She added.

    "I didn''t do anything to you, Kaye. You were the one who paid goons to kill me. You already tried to kill me once, but you weren''t sessful, and do you know why, Kaye?" I asked bravely, and she walked closer to me, and I could tell her anger blinded her.

    I knew that Kaye''s family lost their wealth since my grandpa''s men discovered that her father was doing illegal transactions. When grandpa found everything, he contacted the government agencies, and I couldn''t me Kaye for why she was so angry with me. She yanked my hair that made me yelp.

    "You should never ask me questions, and I will only allow you to ask me some queries only at this timesince I don''t give you any right to question me or ask me anything. You have to wait for me if I allow you to talk or not. You have to remember you are under my mercy, Madeline." She responded while she was still yanking my hair, and I could feel the pain in my head, but I didn''t let her know I was afraid of her.

    "I will ruin you, Madeline. In that way, I can get back to all of you, and I hated Hunter more for loving you so much. I was waiting for him to love me, but he ended marrying someone like you who has nothing to offer him, but I could tell his father knew all about you, Madeline." She said, and her words caught my attention.

    "Yes, Maddie, don''t look such shock, and I loathed rk Divenson for using me. He knew you were an heiress. He tried his best to stop Hunter from loving you so his son would be more in love with you." She added, and I couldn''t stop believing in her words.

    "Madeline, your father-inw, was a wicked man; he even nned with his illness. And do you think Charlotte and rk Divenson will change their wicked ways of living?" She asked, and I couldn''t hide the horrified look on my face.

    "Yes, Maddie, I wasn''t your only enemy, and I could tell the father and daughter yed their role perfectly since their acting fooled you," Kaye added. Ifelt so hurt that I trusted Hunter''s father and sister only to find out that they didn''t mean anything they said when they apologized to Hunter and me.

    "What do you mean when you said even his illness?" I asked, and I could hear my voice is trembling.

    "I don''t need to exin it to you, Maddie. I know how intelligent you are, and I know it was one of the reasons why Hunter became so crazy about you even if, at first, he was only using you." She said, and I could tell this was her strategy to make me hate my husband.

    "You were wrong, Kaye; my husband was in love with me; that is why he made me his wife, and there is no other reason," I replied, and she erupted intoughter.

    "Do you realize what you were talking about, Madeline? Come on, you know he is only wanted to marry you so he can have an heir, and Hunter nned to file a divorce after you gave birth to his child, but his n failed because he fell in love with you." She said, and I could feel her grip on my hair loosen.

    "And that is why I hated you so much." She said, and I could see the pain on her face.

    "I have loved Hunter ever since I was a little girl. I have always known he is the man for me, and now that I lost everything, you gained all the good things in this world." She added.

    "You marry Hunter, and you are the only heir of Hector Grant, and I am sorry because you be my target, Maddie." She said, and she looked like a madwoman or a possessed woman as she smiled at me with wickedness.

    I couldn''t believe Hunter''s father made up his illness so he coulde closer to my grandpa, and I felt horrified as I realized they were now nning to do something to eliminatemy grandfather.

    "What are you nning to do with my grandpa, Kaye?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "I don''t know Madeline; they no longer talk with me since they don''t want me to be involved anymore when Hunter''s father and sister realized they don''t need me anymore; and when they found out about what happened with my father. rk and Charlotte decided to stopmunicating with me when I needed them most, and that is why I made my n, Maddie."She said, and I felt my entire body is shivering as I realized they fooled us once again.

    "I am not sure if they will continue to do their evil n, or they got scared of your grandpa; because he will find out the truth about them. Your grandpa is an influential and the cleverest man I have ever known, but I hated him for destroying our family; that is why I am holding you hostage until he will give in to my requests." She said, and I pity her even if she ns to hurt me.

    I could tell she was shaking, maybe it was because of her anger, or she felt guilty and scared if my grandpa and Hunter''s men would find me. She would deal with the authority, and I needed to help her even if I could tell it would be impossible to convince her that she could never run away from her crime if she would hurt me.

    "I want to help you, Kaye," I said, and she wasughing again.

    "I don''t need your help, Madeline, but if you insist, I will ept your offer. You can only help me if you give up, Hunter."She said, and my eyes widened.

    "See? Be careful with what you are talking about, Madeline. You can never help me with my problem because I only wanted to have Hunter in my life, then I need to do something with you that will make your grandpa realize it wasn''t a good idea that he messed with my family." Kaye dered.

    Kaye fished out something in her pocket, and she opened a medicine capsule, and she asked me to open my mouth, and I realized she was using medicine to harm me, and I wondered what she was trying to do with me, and I realized she was aiming for my baby.

    .

    .

 Chapter 260 - Kayeâ€™s Revenge

    Madeline''s POV

    "I am asking you to do an effortless thing, Madeline, to open your mouth." Kaye hissed, and she was trying toe near me, and I was doing my best to evade her, and even if my bump was big, I could still move quickly, maybe because it was because of the adrenaline rush because I was so afraid if she would harm my baby boy.

    "Don''t make me angry, Madeline." She added while I was searching for an escape route, but she blocked my way.

    "Don''t test my patience, Madeline!" She shouted, and I stopped in my tracks and looked at her.

    "Please, Kaye, let me go, and I will do everything I can to help your father get out of jail." I softly said, and she cocked her head.

    "Do you think I will believe you, Madeline, I am not a fool, and you can never y with me because I know your grandfather will never allow my father to get out from jail after what I have done to you, and I am just d that he didn''t put me behind bars also. And that is his biggest mistake because he had forgotten that I am also a wicked person just like my father." She dered, and my face fell.

    "Don''t do this, Kaye. I am telling you, you will never get away from this, Hunter will find you, and my grandfather will see to it that you will answer for your crime if everyou try to harm me." I said with a trembling voice, and I could see the sinister look on her face.

    "It would be toote for them because the moment they will find you, I will make sure you are already on the brink of death because I wanted to tell Hunter and your grandfather one thing, no matter how wealthy and powerful they are, they can never get away from my revenge. I can do everything I can to harm you, Maddie." She responded.

    "Please, don''t harm my baby, he is innocent, and I beg you to listen to me, Kaye. While it is still early and you still have time to leave this ce. You better leave now before my grandfather''s and my husband''s men will find you. You will be in big trouble." I said as I tried to look strong.

    "And who are you to dictate me, Madeline? Do you think I will listen to you? Come on, Maddie, you know I can hurt you, and there is nothing I am afraid of at this moment." She responded.

    "And I don''t care if I end up in jail as long as I can get my revenge. And I will make Hunter realize that he should choose me in the first ce and not someone like you because you don''t deserve him." She dered.

    "We belong together, and if you didn''te in his life, I am sure that I am now married to him." She added.

    "Kaye, you need to wake up because Hunter has never been in love with you in the first ce," I said, and she was looking daggers at me.

    "You have no right to tell me that now, Madeline, don''t forget you were just a debt payment for your aunt''s debt. And you are talking as if you are someone above me. Even if everyone knew you were Hector Grant''s daughter in my eyes, you would always be the poor girl who arrived in the Divenson mansion." Kaye said, and I could tell she was mocking me.

    "I never dreamed of bing wealthy, Kaye; all I want is a peaceful life," I replied.

    "If you want that kind of life, Madeline, you should never fall in love with Hunter Divenson." She muttered.

    "How can you steal him away from me, you bitch." She shouted, and it seemed like Kaye had a mental disorder, and that is why she no longer cared about what will happen to her.

    "You were right Kaye, I will always be poor in your eyes, and if you think that way, you should stop doing this because it would never be eptable in your society to get involved in a crime," I said.

    "Ha! Ha! Don''t make meugh, Maddie, do you think I still care about my reputation in society? The moment your grandpa dig my father''s illegal activities, our family became theughingstock in our society." She said.

    "And I wanted your grandfather to realize what it feels to lose something important; I am sure losing you, and his grandchild will make him crazy, and I am sorry Madeline, but you need toe closer to me, or I will leave no choice, but to harm you with my weapon," Kaye said.

    And I jumped on my feet when she pulled out a gun from her bag, and I realized she was here to kill me. I slowly get down on my knees, and I will do everything to save my son.

    "Please, Kaye, spare my child and me, " I begged her as I was on my knees, hoping she would listen to me because I couldn''t run away from her now; she was holding a gun. I am sure she is now ready to shoot me, and I realized I survived so many things in my life, and I couldn''t believe I would only die at the hands of Hunter''s ex, and her obsession with my husband turned her into an evil person.

    "It is toote for that, Madeline, and you don''t need to get down on your knees, but I love looking at you with your big tummy, and you are giving me an easy ess to killing you." She said, and I could hear the evilness in her voice.

    "But I don''t want to see you die easily, Madeline, and I will give you two options, drink this capsule or bullets from my gun." She said, and since she didn''t give me a better option, I got up slowly as I tried to hold on to the bed frame just like the way I got down on my knees.

    I wanted to die with dignity, so when I was on my feet, I faced her, and without fear, I looked at her face without fluttering my eyes.

    "Just kill me now, Kaye, if you want to spend the rest of your life in jail," I said.

    "Oh, that would be so brave of you to say, Madeline. And I am sure your grandpa and Hunter would be broken-hearted when they find your body." She said as she cocked her gun.

    And I realized I could no longer evade my death, and when she aimed her weapon at me, I could no longer keep my eyes wide open because of my fear of losing my son, and dying with him would be a better choice than losing him alone if I will take the medicine she gave me.

    I was shivering, and I could listen toKaye''sughter reverberated the entire room; and I jerked when I heard the loud gunshots, and I felt someone cover my body. I was waiting for the pain to hit me, but I couldn''t feel anything, and I heard a loud thud, and when I opened my eyes, I was shocked when I saw someone lying on the floor face down, and I could see blood on the carpeted floor.

    And then I saw Hunter disarmed Kaye, and I was horrified when I realized it was my grandfather who saved me, and then the police arrived, and I was standing there while my entire body was shivering.

    "No!!!!!! I shouted, and I didn''t know how I managed to get down on my knees and go near him as I felt my tears fall on my cheeks.

    "Grandpa, please! Please, hold on! Someone help him!" I was shouting, and I never felt so angry my entire life as I got up and went to Kaye, and before I could hit her, my husband took me into his arm, and he wasforting me, but I was too hurt to stop from crying so loud as he moved me away from Kaye.

    "You are a monster, Kaye, you will never get away from this, and I will make sure you rot in jail," I shouted.

    "I will kill you,Madeline; just wait; I hated your old man for saving you, and this is not my initial n." She growled, and I couldn''t believe even if the police secured her wrists with handcuffs, and she was still talking about killing me.

    "You will never seed, Kaye," I shouted back while I could feel my entire frame was shaking with anger.

    "Shh, Madeline, you need to calm down for the sake of our baby," Hunter whispered.

    "It could have been me, Madeline, but he stopped me and saved you." He added, and he kissed my forehead while I saw the tears on his face.

    "But don''t worry, grandpa will live." He muttered, and I know my husband was only giving me hope, and then I heard my aunt''s outcry. I could feel her pain as we watched the paramedic get my grandpa''s body, and I felt so happy when I saw one of them confirm my grandpa has still had a heartbeat, and I was praying hard he would be alright.

    Hunter never let me go as he continued to caress my back, and my aunt came closer to us with tears on her face.

    "Madeline, are you alright?" She asked, and I shook my head; how can I be alright when grandpa Hector is on the brink of death because of me? And I know I will forever carry this guilt in my heart.

    I rode with my aunt and Hunter in one vehicle while Hunter''s family followed behind us, and I wondered how I would tell Hunter about his father and sister? I know it will break his heart when he learns rk Divenson is healthy, and he only faked his illness, and I will never forgive him and Charlotte if something happens to my grandfather.

 Chapter 261 - A Gift

    Hunter''s POV

    It felt like my world was crumbling down as I realized something had happened to my wife. I could feel the hammering of my heart against my chest, and it felt like I couldn''t breathe. I was devastated and couldn''t believe this was happening inside her grandpa''s property.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter; Madeline would be alright." I heard Cal say as we walked through the corridors, and how can we find my wife when there are guests in almost every room, and it is past midnight, and for sure most of the tourists are sleeping unless they are still out and having a good time in one of the bars in the metropolis.

    "I hope, Cal. I feel so helpless now that I don''t know what is going on with my wife, and I think I am losing my fucking mind, Calixto." I said as I released a heavy sigh, and I loosened my necktie and opened the upper button of my inner shirt.

    "Nothing will happen to her, Hunter," Cal replied, and he gave his reassuring smile, and I was hoping he was right. And as we rounded a corner, I was shocked to find Hector with his men. And I wondered why he left the grand ballroom.

    "Hunter! We know where Madeline is; my men found out who conspired with the culprit, and they brought her to the grand ballroom, and she cried in front of me asking me to spare her." He said, and I felt so happy that we now have a lead in finding Maddie.

    "Who is behind all this?" I asked as I walked beside him, and I realized Cal and I was on the same floor where the suspect was hiding my wife. I could feel the loud pounding of my heart as I waited for Hector Grant to answer my question, and I felt so afraid to know if it was my father or sister who tried to harm my wife again.

    "It was your ex, and I realized I should never give her the chance to escape from her crimes. She almost killed my granddaughter once, and I thought she would learn from her mistakes when I stripped her entire family of their wealth." Grandpa dered, and I was clenching my fists as I thought about Kaye''s vileness.

    "I will see to it that this time, she will rot in jail, taking my granddaughter for the second time is beyond crazy, and she must be so in love with you that she is willing to kill an innocent human being for the sake of having you, and I think it is no longer called love, Hunter, it is craziness," Hector added. I could see the disgust and anger on his face. He may be an older man, but he looked younger and vigorous.

    "I couldn''t believe Kaye will do something like this again; you have already given her a second chance to renew herself. I know this is all my fault." I muttered, and Hector tapped my shoulder.

    "It wasn''t your fault Hunter; you weren''t the one who held hostage of Madeline; having a handsome face and a lot of money is not a crime Hunter, and I know that is one of the reasons why Kaye was so in love with you, and that is why she became insane, and she no longer knows the difference between right and wrong." He responded, but I couldn''t stop ming myself for what was happening at the moment.

    "I already called the authority since I want them to capture Kaye; I tried to help her the best way I could, but she only tested my patience, and this time, I will make sure she will realize what a fool she had been for doing such a crime," Hector added.

    Hunter Grant suddenly stopped in front of Room 808, and I suddenly felt nervous, and I wanted to get inside right away, but he faced his men and motioned them toe closer.

    "Don''te in yet, let Hunter and I handle the situation first, and wait for the police to arrive; I want to speak with her first, and whatever happens, don''t hurt her, and that is my order," Grandpa said in a low voice.

    "What if she will hurt you and your granddaughter?" The leader of his men asked in more than a whisper.

    "That is the time you will intervene, but my order would still be the same, try to disarm and capture the subject without hurting her, she needs love, and I guess that was one of the reasons she was doing all this and not only because she was obsessed with Hunter, but because she was jealous of my granddaughter for being Hunter''s wife and the only heiress of my empire," Hector responded, and his men nodded.

    Hector signaled me to follow him, and I could tell he was holding a master key of the room. And when he tapped the key card on the door lock, I could hear the beeping sound indicating that he had sessfully opened the door. I wanted to get inside first since we didn''t know what Kaye was holding as a weapon since I knew she was desperate, and I was hoping she didn''t hurt my wife and son.

    The moment we got inside, my body trembled when I saw Kaye pointing a gun at my wife''s head, and she wasughing like a madwoman; we carefully walked towards her since she was upied at the moment, and she didn''t know we already got inside.

    When I realized she was about to shoot Madeline, I made my movement faster to shield my wife. Still, Hector pushed me so hard that I almost stumbled on the floor, and he beat me to it, and the next thing I heard was the loud gunshot, and just on time, he covered Madeline''s frame with his body, and he fell to the ground with a loud thud while I could hear Maddie''s loud cry.

    I was terrified but felt relieved that my wife was fine, but I am worried about Hector''s gun wound; I hope no internal organ is damaged. I didn''t waste my time. I disarmed Kaye right away since I could tell she was stunned for a moment, and when she saw me, her face lit up. I got her gun, and she was looking at me with love and pain, and I could also see the disgust and frustrations.

    "Hunter!" She eximed, moving closer to me, but I stepped back just on time. The police arrived, and I quickly got near my wife while the authority secured Kaye''s wrists with handcuffs.

    "How could you not give me your love, Hunter? You know how much I love you, yet you continue to love that woman. She is a bitch Hunter." She was yelling at me while I was securing my wife in my arms, and I was kissing Maddie''s forehead as she continued to sob, and I felt her entire body is shivering with what was going on.

    "Shh, my love, you are now safe," I whispered.

    "Yes, but how about grandpa, Hunter? I am so afraid if he will die." She said as we looked at the paramedics put Hector on the stretcher, and I felt so d he still had a pulse.

    "Nothing will happen to him, Madeline," I replied.

    I felt so d Roman had already gotten my car ready, and the moment the paramedics brought Hector to the ambnce, we followed the ambnce going to the hospital. I didn''t expect the beautiful night we had ended into another disaster, and I couldn''t believe just like me, Madeline''s grandpa would offer his life for his granddaughter.

    I was holding my wife''s hand as I drove my car, and I could see on the rearview mirror that Aunt Francine was wiping her tears, and I am aware that we are all afraid if Hector dies since I know things will never be the same again. My wife was silent, but I knew she was holding her tears for the sake of our baby.

    I could see the car Cal was driving behind us, and I knew my entire family was riding with him, and my men were trailing behind him. It is so hard for me to understand why Kaye turned out to be this way. Growing up, she always had been vocal about her feelings for me, and when Reba came into my life, she was devastated and told me one day I would be her husband.

    I thought she had already forgotten about me when I married Maddie, and I can still feel the horror when I remembered her pointing a gun at Madeline. I don''t know how I would deal with it if she shot Maddie in the head, I don''t know what I would do to her, and I felt guilty that I couldn''t go after Kaye to disarm her right away.

    I know I couldn''t clearly understand when I saw her willingness to kill my wife, and until now, I can still feel the trembling of my body. And I felt d we had already arrived at the hospital''s parking lot. They both climbed out of the car before I could open the door for them. We followed Hector''s body to the emergency room while the rest of my family was waiting outside.

    The doctors said Hector Grant needed surgery so they could take out the bullet, and I asked my wife toe back to the hotel since she was required to rest. Still, she insisted on staying, and she would not go home unless she knew her grandpa''s condition was already stable, and I understood her point.

    I was hoping Hector would live since I didn''t want my wife to be sad again.. She had lost so much, and I tightened my arms around her, and I felt thankful once again that I was given another chance to be with my wife, and having her in my arms is a gift.

 Chapter 262 - My Husbandâ€™s Love

    Madeline''s POV

    "Madeline, we need to go back to the hotel now; you need to rest, my dear, for the sake of your baby." My aunt Francine said as she caressed my back. Hunter has been bugging me to go back to the hotel so I can have a good sleep, and I could tell he asked my aunt to talk with me. I raised my head and looked at her, and I could see the smear of mascara on her eyes because, like me, she had been crying too.

    "Aunt Francine, you know that I couldn''t go to sleep unless I knew that grandpa was okay. My guilt is eating me up, knowing that I am here. I am alive while my grandfather is there fighting for his life because of me." I responded, and I could see how my Aunt''s face fell.

    "Madeline, it wasn''t your fault at all. It was Kaye who shot your grandfather and not you, and it was his choice to save you. You know your husband tried to save you first, but dad pushed Hunter so he could protect both of you." My aunt said softly.

    "He wanted to spare your lives knowing he is already in his prime. I think your grandpa thought he was already old, and he is ready to die, but he is tough, Madeline. Dad will survive." My aunt said with confidence.

    "He wanted Hunter to be his sessor in the business, and he got everything in his life, Maddie, and I think dad wanted to be called a hero before he dies." My aunt added, and I could tell if we were in a different circumstance. I could haveughed at my aunt''sst words, and yes, he became my hero indeed.

    "The operation went well, Ms. Francine, Madeline, Mr. Grant is now safe, and he is at the recovery room," Leo said; I was on my feet right away, and I could no longer stop the tears of happiness from falling on my cheeks, and my aunt hugged me right away.

    "You can now go back to the hotel ande back tomorrow since Hector needed to rest, and you better visit him tomorrow afternoon so he can have enough time to rest." The butler said, and I nodded my head.

    When I turned around, I saw my husband on the corner waiting for me, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw him smile at me, and I realized how he makes me feel every time he gives me his sweet smile. And I realized as the day went by I became more in love with Hunter Divenson, and I felt so lucky to be surrounded by people who love me.

    We all went back to the hotel, and I could tell everyone was relieved to know that my grandpa was safe. I couldn''t stop staring at rk and Charlotte as I realized I was sure they were the only ones who were not happy that my grandfather survived, and I could tell they were both waiting for an opportunity to harm my child and me. However, I am sure not now since My grandpa is still alive.

    They should go back to Archois before they can hurt my aunt too. I am sure they will not do anything to Hunter unless my grandpa left everything to my husband and me, and of course, to our child.

    I don''t know how to tell Hunter about the information I gathered from Kaye, but he needs to learn the truth before it is toote. I don''t want him to hate them again, but it seems his father and sister will never change. I am just d Parker changed after he fell in love with Reba.

    "Hey, are you now ready to go back to the hotel?" My husband asked after he closed the distance between us, and I nodded my head as I looked at him, and I could see the worries on his handsome face.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, if I make you worried. I can''t sleep knowing that my grandfather was fighting for his life, and knowing he is on the brink of death because of me made me feel so guilty." I dered, and he caressed my face.

    "Hey, it is okay, my sweet, I understood how you feel, and I feel the same way. I could have saved him if I had gone to Kaye and disarmed her right away. But my mind was in disarray when I saw her pointed the gun in your head." My husband responded.

    "I thought I would never experience that kind of emotion again; it was the kind of fear I felt when you were taken away from me with Kaye''s men, they took you at Zambo, and the fire made it worse. And I don''t want to feel that way ever again, but it seems we are destined to face this kind of test now and then, but I promise you, my love, I will protect you whatever it takes." He said as he looked at me with tenderness.

    "Thank you, Hunter, I know," I said as I took his hand.

    "Please, take me back to the hotel now," I said, and he beamed at me, and we proceeded to the parking lot, and my aunt called me that uncle Paul, and she would be going home to the castle by riding the chopper, and I asked my husband if we could go with them, and he dly said yes.

    The moment we arrived at the Grant castle, it was almost eight o''clock in the morning, and I felt so drained that I copsed on the bed right after we got inside our room. I had an excellent sleep while I was sleeping on my husband''s arm, and when I woke up, I found him staring at me, and I smiled at him feeling conscious, but he kissed me right away, and I was out of breath after he released my mouth.

    I could feel my baby kick my side, and I could see the happiness on my husband''s face when I asked him to put his hand over my tummy, and my son was having a good time, and maybe he knew we were both excited to see him.

    "I can''t wait to see you, buddy," Hunter whispered on my belly while he was caressing my bump, and our son kicked again, and I could feel slight pain. Still, nothing could stop me from feeling so happy as I felt him inside my womb, and it feels so lovely to be with Hunter at this particr moment. He looked so adorable right now talking to our unborn child.

    And I was smiling at him as he helped me get up from bed, and we took a shower together. I smiled as he shampooed my hair and put conditioner after, and when hethered my body with the body wash, I couldn''t stop myself from giggling as I realized Hunter was taking good care of my needs.

    My husband towel-dried my body, and he dressed me up while Hunter couldn''t stop staring at my breasts as he bit his lower lip, and Hunter looked so sexy. Iughed when he couldn''t take it anymore, and he took one of my nipples on his mouth, and he suckled it. I moaned as I felt him toy my nipples one after the other that I was gripping his hair. I could feel the sensation that traveled down to the sensitive parts between my legs, and I loved how my husband made my entire body feel so good, even if my tummy is now so big.

    "You look so hot, Madeline; you are turning me on beyond you can imagine, but I know your aunt and uncle are waiting for us in the dining hall since we need to go back to the hospital and visit your grandpa." He said, and I smiled at him.

    "Maybeter, my love," I said as he helped me get dressed, and he was the one who chose my maternity dress for today. I can still feel the aching between my legs, and I stifled augh when I could see the stiff rod of my husband between his legs. I couldn''t deny I was so aroused as I stared at his manhood pointing at the ceiling, and I felt d he put on his boxer briefs and then his faded jeans, and I am drooling over him when he put on his white shirt toplete his attire.

    "You looked damn hot, hubby!" I eximed, and he was beaming at me.

    "Really? Did I make you wet?" Hunter asked, and I blushed as I nodded my head, and he moved closer to me, and he took my hand, and he let me feel his erection, and I know my face turned redder.

    "Good, I like it when I turn you on, Madeline, and I couldn''t wait to make love with youter tonight." He said, and his voice fueled my desire to have him.

    "Okay," I mumbled as he held my hand, and we walked out from our room and proceeded to the dining room.

    "Did you have a good sleep, Madeline?" My aunt asked the moment we arrived at the dining hall, and my husband pulled out a chair for me and helped me sit down before he sat on his chair.

    "Yes, Mom," I responded, and I could see the relief on her face.

    "Good, I am sure your grandfather is excited to see you; please don''t tell him you were upset and feel guilty that he took the bullet for you, Madeline." Aunt Francine said, and I nodded my head at her.

    "How is he, Mom?" I asked her.

    "Leonardo called me a while ago, and he said, father, was looking for all of us." She said, and I felt so happy that my grandfather was safe, and I beamed when I felt my husband take my hand under the table and squeeze it, and I could feel Hunter''s love and concern for me through his sweet touch.

    I couldn''t be happier to have another chance to be with my grandfather and my family; if not for my grandpa, I could have died.. I am so grateful for this opportunity to share another day with my grandfather, and I am excited to give birth to my son, so my grandpa could finally see his great-grandchild.

 Chapter 263 - Something Horrible

    Madeline''s POV

    I felt so worried about Hector''s life, and I knew if he died, my wife would be in great pain. And I was hoping he would live long enough to spend more time with Madeline. He is one of the bravest men I know, and my admiration for him doubled; he has been my idol in terms of business, and knowing he was willing to give his life for another person was another story.

    I am not saying I felt d he protected my wife and me, but I am so grateful for what he had done for my wife. And knowing I am not the only one who cares about Maddie made me feel so happy. After learning the operation went well, I felt relieved as I took my wife back to the hotel.

    I was watching Madeline''s sleeping figure, and I couldn''t stop myself from caressing her beautiful face, and I couldn''t wait for her to give birth to our son, and I hope I will never experience that kind of fear ever again. I almost lost my sanity when I learned she was gone, and I couldn''t believe Kaye would nearly kill her. And I hated myself that because of me, my wife almost got killed, and I know I will never forgive myself if something happened to Maddie.

    I could see the happiness on Madeline''s face when her aunt informed us that her grandfather was now safe and looking for us. And I couldn''t deny I was the one who was very happy because I wanted to see the smile on my wife''s face again as she looked at her grandfather with adoration because I know the moment she learned about Hector Grant is her grandfather, she became alive and enthusiastic.

    I am aware she had been dreaming to know the family of his father, and everything happened unexpectedly. Who could have thought my wife was an heiress? I married her for a different reason, but I fell in love with her, and even until now, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling guilty that once I was thinking of filing a divorce after she gave birth to our child.

    I couldn''t imagine my life living without Madeline, and I have caused her too much pain, and all I ever wanted was to make her happy in my arms. I will do everything I can to make her the happiest woman in the entire universe because I am so damn lucky to have her as my wife. As we were having our meal in the dining hall, I looked at her with wide eyes, and I couldn''t stop myself from thinking I was indeed the luckiest man on earth.

    "Are you ready to see grandpa, my sweet?" I asked her the moment we walked out from the dining room, and we made our way to the parking lot, and I could see the beautiful smile on her face.

    "Yes, of course, course, I need to tell him my thanks." She said, and I wanted to drive, but one of the family drivers was already waiting for us, and I helped her get inside the car. At the same time, I saw Aunt Francine was riding with her husband in another vehicle, and I smiled as I realized all the cars of Hector Grant cost a fortune.

    I held my wife''s hand the entire ride to the hospital, and I could feel her nervousness as we arrived at the hospital parking lot.

    "Hey, you need to calm down; grandpa is now safe," I said, and she looked at me and smiled.

    "I know, my love, but I couldn''t stop myself from thinking because of me, he suffered, and he almost got killed." She responded.

    "Your aunt Francine already warned you, Madeline, so please take it easy," I said, and I felt her caress the back of my hand.

    "Don''t worry, and I will be okay." She responded, and we got out of the car, and her aunt and uncle were already waiting for us.

    "Grandpa!" Madeline eximed the moment she saw her grandfather, and no matter how we reminded her to take everything easy, she broke down, and I could see the concern on Hector''s face.

    "Madeline, you don''t need to cry, I survived, and I am still alive." He dered.

    "How could you take a bullet from me, grandpa? You could have died, and I will forever bring that guilt, and I couldn''t take it if something happened to you." She responded, and I could see the disappointments on her aunt Francine''s face while she was shaking her head; it seemed like Madeline didn''t listen to her advice at all, and I didn''t know if I would feel happy or sad.

    I know Madeline will always be honest with her feelings, and I couldn''t stop my tears when I saw Hector embrace my wife full of love.

    "I couldn''t protect my son, and I will never let anything happen to you, and if Hunter sacrifices his life for you, I know you will be in agony for the rest of your life, Maddie; besides, I am still alive and kicking. Don''t worry about me, my dear; I will live long enough to y with my great-grandchild." He said with a wide grin on his face.

    I could see the smile on my wife''s face as she tried to wipe her tears with her handkerchief, and she walked away from the bed and came to my side to give her aunt a chance to speak with her grandpa. And I took my wife''s hand as we watched and listened to aunt Francine talks to her dad.

    We stayed longer, and we had a wonderful conversation with her grandfather. When it was almost past visiting time, we all said goodbye to Hector, and we promised to get back to revisit him tomorrow.

    I could feel the calmness on Madeline the entire ride going back to the castle. We said good night to her aunt and uncle, and when we got inside our room, my wife sat on the sofa, and I could tell right away something was bothering her.

    "What is it, Madeline?" I asked her when she looked up at me, and I could see the worries on her face.

    "I don''t want to tell you about this, but since we promised never to keep a secret from each other, I think you should know everything." She said, and I could see the seriousness on my wife''s face, and I suddenly felt worried about what could be wrong this time.

    "I don''t want to be the bearer of this news, but since I was the one who heard it from Kaye, and I don''t believe her, but what if she was telling the truth?" She added, and I became more confused.

    "Madeline, I want you to tell me everything, and together we will face it, and even if I felt worried, what could it be? I am grateful for your honesty, now tell me what is it, my sweet?" I encouraged my wife to tell me what was bothering her, and I saw her swallow her saliva, and it must be something horrible that she found it hard to tell me what was going on.

    "It is about your father and sister, I am sorry, Hunter, but they are not true to us. Your dad faked his illness; Kaye told me your father is healthy as steel, he doesn''t have any sickness, and it was all an act, and they were part of what happened to grandpa tonight supposedly. Still, they back down at thest minute and left Kaye behind since they were nning something bigger," Madeline said, and I could feel my entire face felt so warm with anger.

    "I should be the one who needed to apologize to you, Madeline. I felt so ashamed about my dad and sister, and thank you for telling me about it without telling your grandpa and aunt." I answered as I caressed her face.

    "Don''t be overwhelmed by your anger, Hunter; we don''t know if it was also wrong information; we can''t trust Kaye''s words as of the moment. I think you have to investigate first." My wife said, and I realized how fortunate I am to have her as my wife; she had witnessed the cruelty of my father and sister, yet she is still hopeful that Kaye could be lying.

    Her kindness andpassion are some of the most incredible things I love about my wife. If she weren''t that kind of person, I know I wouldn''t have this chance to be with her again for all the things I have done to her and for all the suffering she experienced in my hands, yet her love for me remained steadfast, and I became more in love with her every day.

    "Okay, thank you so much, Madeline, don''t worry; I will talk with Cal and Roman regarding this matter," I said, and she smiled and nodded her head at me. And I will make sure my dad and Charlotte can never hurt Madeline again, and I am so d they are staying at the hotel, and I need to see to it they will go home tomorrow morning so they can no longer get close with Madeline.

    I excused myself from Madeline, and I made an important call. Madeline''s safety will be my top priority, and after I talked with my brother Parker, I also called Roman and Cal. When I made sure my men would monitor their movements, I went back to our room, and my eyes got so big when I found my wife undressing. I hastily moved closer to Madeline and helped her take off her maternity dress, and her nakedness made me feel so aroused.

    "Are you tired?" I asked as I started caressing her arms, and I was giving her butterfly kisses, and even if I felt so worried about my father and sister, I wanted to satisfy my wife. And I couldn''t stop my erection from getting bigger as I could hear Maddie''s moan.

    "I will never get tired of you, Hunter," Madeline answered, and when her hand started rubbing on my bulge, I carried my wife on the bed.. I could see her eyes widen when I quickly discarded my clothes in front of her, and we shared another night filled with love and moans of pleasure of my wife echoed our room.

 Chapter 264 - Happy And Safe

    Hunter''s POV

    Hector finally got discharged from the hospital and came home to the castle, and we all felt so happy he survived. Madeline was so excited to see her grandfather. And I couldn''t be happier.

    I made sure my entire family went home to Archois, knowing my father and sister were still couldn''t be trusted. I was so angry when Maddie told me about what Kaye had told her, and I felt so useless that I couldn''t even protect my wife and, worse, against my own family members.

    It was hard on my part to ept what was going on since I felt so happy that I thought my dad and Charlotte finally had a change of heart without knowing they manipted everything, including my father''s sickness. I couldn''t still believe the person I had adored so much since I was a child could be this wicked.

    "Hey, are you okay, my love?" I heard Madeline''s sweet voice behind me as I was standing near the wide opened window of our room, and even if the view is breathtaking, nothing canpare to the feeling I felt every time I felt her near me. Madeline will always be the most beautiful creation I have ever seen, and I am so thankful to God that she is mine.

    I felt her arms around me, and I smiled when her bump hit my back, and I slowly turned around and looked at her with a beautiful smile on my face.

    "Nothing can be wrong when I am with you, my sweet Madeline," I said as I cupped her beautiful face, and I couldn''t believe that until now, she would blush every time I looked at her with great intensity. Her enticing lips made me lean down and im them with my mouth, and I was kissing my wife with too much affection, and her sweet moans and the way she kisses me back will always make me hard every time we make out.

    "You are lying, my love." She said after I let go of her sweet mouth, and I know she can see me through.

    "What is bothering you, Hunter?" Maddie asked with a worried expression on her face.

    "Okay, I am still upset about dad and Charlotte, and I hate to think because of me, your life is in danger," I said, and she smiled.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter, nothing will happen to me; their evil n will never be sessful; evil will never win against goodness." She said, and I looked at her with tenderness.

    "Too much goodness in your heart will be the reason you will get hurt, Madeline. Don''t trust them so much that they will change, and I am sorry that this is all happening to you because of me." I said, and she smiled at me.

    "You are my happiness, Hunter, and nothing is your fault; you are my husband, and there is nowhere in this world I wanna be but to be with you," Madeline responded, and I took her into my arms.

    "Don''t worry about anything, Hunter; they wille to realize we have done nothing to them, and I know how much you love your sister and your father, and it seemed like all they ever wanted is to hurt you by harming me, and this is all happening because of me, and not because of you," Maddie added while I shook my head.

    "If I didn''te into your life, you could have a peaceful life," I said as I released a deep sigh.

    "And I am sure I will never experience this kind of happiness, Hunter. You should know that having you in my life is the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me, my love. Don''t ever say that because I don''t have any regrets marrying you." Madeline said, and I felt better since nothing mattered to me in this world aside from Madeline and our son.

    The days passed in a blur, and I felt disappointed when I found out Kaye was telling the truth about my father''s fake illness. How could he fool us all? I told Madeline about it, and I could see the pain on her face, but we kept it between us since I still cared about my father no matter how evil he could be.

    I asked my mom to be vignt at all times, but I knew my father would never hurt my mom and Lily. And it feels like he only hated my existence and Madeline. And I wondered why he had to continue doing this when he knew my wife was an heiress, and her grandfather was wealthier than us. My dad also knew that my wife would inherit everything, and it dawned on me he wanted to eliminate us all after Hector turned over everything to Madeline and me.

    I was horrified, and I needed to secure everything. It took a lot of effort to double the security without rming my wife, and I made sure the newly hired men would not interact with Madeline so she would not worry about what was going on.

    Every time I am in the office, I can''t concentrate until I can''t take it anymore. I did something that would make me feel at ease and make my wife happy.

    "Hunter! Is everything alright? Is Madeline okay?" Gina asked, and I smiled when I heard her questions on the other line.

    "Rx, Gina, your best friend, is alright. I know you have an excellent job out there at Archois, and it would be too much if I asked you for some favor you can''t refuse. I want to hire you, Gina." I said, and she was speechless for a while, and when she answered me, I could feel her excitement.

    "What am I going to do with yourpany, Hunter?" Gina asked, and I hesitated.

    "I will hire you as one of my executive staff, but your main job would be with my wife," I said, and I felt so worried if she would decline.

    "Wow, who could refuse an offer like that, I''d love to, but do you know she will get disappointed if she learns you hire me so that she will have somepany? Hire me as your staff, and I will do the rest; all she will know is I will be working for you." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling like an idiot.

    "Thank you, Gina," I said.

    "I should be the one thanking you, Hunter, for loving my best friend this way; she is more a friend and a sister to me, and her sadness will be my sorrow, and her happiness would be my joy too, and I couldn''t thank you enough for making her so happy," Gina responded.

    "Can you resign with your work immediately? Just tell me if you ever needed my help." I said, and I could hear Gina''sughter on the other line.

    "Don''t worry, I will be there before your wife gives birth to your son, and I couldn''t wait to be there with my best friend." She said, and I couldn''t stop myself from grinning.

    "I need to go now, Gina. I will send you the ne ticket the moment you tell me the date you will be flying here, and please don''t tell Madeline about it. I want to surprise my wife." I said.

    "Of course, I won''t. Goodbye, Hunter." She responded I ended the call after I said my goodbye to Gina, and I felt better knowing my wife would be so happy to have her best friend. All I want for Madeline is to be happy and safe.

    Before fetching Gina at the airport, I dropped by the nearest flower shop since I wanted to buy flowers for my pregnant wife and her best friend. Even if Madeline''s tummy is now so big, she still looked so hot and sexy, and I couldn''t stop thinking about her every waking moment of my life. I couldn''t stop feeling so worried even if I tightened the security, and I couldn''t believe the threat would being from my family members.

    "Gina!" Madeline yelled as her eyes widened when she saw Gina with me, and I felt so delighted to see the happiness on her face. Gina ran towards her, and they both hugged each other, and I could see the tears in my wife''s eyes, and I slowly moved closer to them, and when they let go of each other, I handed the bouquet to her, and I gave the other one to Gina.

    "Wee to thepany, Gina!" I said as I gave her the flowers, and I could see the shock on my wife''s face; I moved closer to Madeline, and Iy my arm around her shoulders.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for this wonderful opportunity, don''t worry, I will be a good employee," Gina responded.

    "No way!" Madeline said with a beautiful smile on her face.

    "Yes, Maddie, I applied as one of the executive staff of your husband, and thankfully I passed. I didn''t inform you since I wanted to pass the exam on my own and without your help." Gina said, and I could tell she could be a good actress.

    "Wow! Congrattions, Gina; I couldn''t exin the happiness I felt even if you didn''t tell me about it; I am shocked but happy." My wife said.

    We ate dinner, and I told Madeline Gina would be staying at the castle while she looked for her ce.

    "Gina, please, don''t look for a ce where you can stay; this castle is so big, you can stay with us," Madeline asked, and I felt so d my wife bought our act.

    "Well, that would be fantastic, but I would like to pay for rent, and I want Hunter to deduct it with my sry," Gina said, and my wife protested, but Gina insisted if she doesn''t pay for the rent, she will be looking for her own ce.

    "Okay, in one condition," Madeline said, and she sounded so serious, and I suddenly felt worried about her condition.

    "And what would be the condition, Maddie?" Gina asked, and I could tell she was eager to learn what it could be.

    "You will receive the full refund the moment you will move out." She said, and I couldn''t contain myughter, and I saw Gina''s face fall.

    "That is not fair, Maddie," Gina muttered.

    "You are a family, Gina; no need to pay rent.." Madeline insisted, and I shrugged my shoulder as I realized Gina couldn''t win this argument, and I took my wife''s hand over the table and looked at her with a wide grin on my face.

 Chapter 265 - Talent

    Madeline''s POV

    "How could you keep this a secret from me, Gina?" I asked my best friend when I finally got the chance to be alone with her.

    "Maddie, I didn''t want you to intervene, and for once, I wanted to get hired without your help," I responded.

    "But Hunter knew you, and it is still the same," I said as I looked at her, still unable to believe that she was finally here with me.

    "He doesn''t know a thing either, and that is why I grabbed the chance, and he was shocked when he saw my name on his table, and he called me right away, but the Human Resource Manager already hired me, and here I am." She responded, and I am still apprehensive about it, and I think my husband has something to do about her appearance.

    "Are you sure my husband doesn''t have anything to do about this?" I asked, and she was smiling while she shook her head.

    "I came here in Neospoli to work, Madeline, and at the same time to spend my spare time with you, and the good thing is, Hunter already told me I can be assigned here since my function would be mostly online, so I don''t report at the office all the time." She said, and my eyes widened.

    "Really? Wow! That would be great!" I said, and I couldn''t stop feeling so excited about having Gina here with me.

    My husband left early, and I was in the nursery room painting, and I couldn''t believe I would go crazy with one of Lily''s hobbies. She was the one who gave me my painting materials, and so far, I have created several masterpieces, and I am proud of what I have done. Still, no one knew about it yet, not even my husband, and I paused for a while. And I moved to the balcony and sat on one of the chairs while I was looking at the garden below, and I didn''t notice someone getting inside the room, and when I turned my head, I smiled when I saw my grandfather.

    "There you are! I have been looking for you all over the house, and I think Leo searched the entire ce, and I am happy to find you here, and I didn''t realize you could paint." He said as he looked at the canvass on the easel, and I smiled at him.

    "Wow, I haven''t known you''ve got talent in painting, Madeline!" He said as he looked at my face.

    "Thank you, grandpa, I want to surprise my husband, and I find it so hard to finish his portrait because I don''t think I could give justice to his face on the canvass," I responded.

    "Are you kidding me, Maddie? The painting of your husband looked exactly like him, and I don''t think the one who painted that masterpiece is an amateur painter; you are good, Maddie; I am sure if I am going to show your painting to Hunter without telling him you were the artists he will buy it right away." He dered.

    "Are you sure, grandpa?" I asked, and he nodded his head, and then he took my hand, and he kissed my knuckles, and I could see the tears on his eyes, and I couldn''t believe he would be crying over a painting.

    "You are really Frank''s daughter, Maddie, no doubt about it, your father is a good painter, pleasee with me." He said, and I was shocked to know this information about my father, and I realized there are more things I needed to know about him.

    I slowly got up from my chair, and my grandpa held my hand as we walked out from the nursery, and I suddenly felt sad as I remembered the nursery my husband had prepared for our child back in our house in Archois, and I suddenly missed our home. But I set aside my loneliness as I realized I am at home here, Hunter is here with me in Neospoli, and my grandpa is doing his best to make our stay here in his castle a happy one, and I am enjoying every day.

    We walked through corridors until my grandpa stopped in front of a massive door, and when he opened it, I was so shocked to see many canvasses on different frames. And they arranged all paintings by size, and I could tell grandpa kept them well maintained since I couldn''t see dust anywhere.

    "These are your father''s works since he was in grade school until his college days; I framed every piece of canvass I found on his room after he had gone; I know your dad''s passion, but I haven''t supported him even once, and now I look like a fool,ing here every day, watching each masterpiece, and I realized what a terrible father I was." My grandpa said, and I couldn''t believe my dad''s talent. He was fantastic, and I am mesmerized by his works.

    "And now that I saw you out there with the portrait of your husband on a canvass, I wanted to encourage you to continue painting, Madeline; I can see your dad''s talent in you." He said, and I couldn''t believe my father, whom I have known as the driver of the Divenson family for years, is one hell of a guy. My dad is very talented.

    "Grandpa, I don''t think I can be as good as him. His works are excellent! They looked like real photos taken by a well-known photographer." I responded, and he smiled as he looked at me.

    "Madeline, you''ve got Frank''s talent, and it would be a waste if you will not nurture your talent, youngdy. I will support you with the kind of help I should have given to your dad." He said, and I could feelmy grandpa''s regrets in his voice, and I wanted to take away the guilt that he felt.

    "Don''t worry, Grandpa, and I will try to paint more after I give birth to my child," I responded as I was touching my belly.

    "I wanted to give that painting on his birthday, but I hesitated since I don''t think it is good enough." I dered.

    "Are you kidding me? That was perfect, Madeline." He said, and I smiled.

    "Okay, I will give it to him, grandpa," I said.

    Grandpa helped me have my painting framed, and when I saw the result, I couldn''t stop myself from smiling; even Gina was shocked to see my masterpiece.

    "Oh my goodness! You are my best friend, and this is the first time I realized there is still something I didn''t know about you, Maddie." She eximed when I asked her to help me wrap the frame, I wanted it to be delivered to my husband''s office on his birthday, and she volunteered to bring it to Hunter''s office, and I couldn''t be happier.

    "I am sorry, I only started painting after Lily asked me if I wanted to try, and since my husband begged me to stay here at the castle waiting to give birth to our son, I am spending my time at the nursery talking with our son while I was painting." I dered, and I could see the happiness on my best friend''s face.

    "Why are you saying sorry, Madeline, you are discovering something you can be proud of about yourself, and you have your grandfather''s support, and what are you apologizing for? For being talented? You are one kind of a woman, Maddie. And that is why I am so happy to be called your best friend." She said, and I was grinning at her.

    "I was saying sorry because I didn''t inform you about my passion for painting, Gina," I responded, and she beamed at me.

    "It was okay, Madeline, I am happy for you, and I couldn''t believe you are this beautiful and super talented and not to mention filthy rich, and if Hunter isn''t your husband, I am going to tell you, your husband is such a lucky man to have you as his wife." My best friend added.

    "Please don''t tell Hunter about the painting, Gina," I begged my best friend before I said goodbye to her to have my afternoon walk in the garden as my way of exercise, so I will find it easy to deliver our son.

    "Hey, beautiful, may I join you?" I could hear the familiar voice of my husband, and I was smiling before I could even turn my head to look at him.

    "I am sorry, but I am a happily married woman," I replied as I tried to walk away from him, and he chuckled.

    "He must be a lucky man." He said, and I couldn''t stop the butterflies on my chest when I felt his presence near me.

    "Of course he is; I am so in love with him," I responded, and the next thing I know I was in Hunter''s arms, and he was hugging me from behind, and it felt so lovely to have my husband''s strong arms around my bump, and I could feel our son feels so happy to hear his dad''s voice since he kicked me on my side.

    "It seemed our son is so happy to hear your voice, my love," I said as I put his hand on my tummy.

    "Yeah, he is!" He responded when he felt our son''s foot, and then I felt him kiss my forehead.

    "You are home early?" I asked as I looked at him.

    "Yes, I promised to have an afternoon walk with you." He responded, and I could feel my heart is swelling with happiness.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for making me a happy wife." I dered.

    "Of course, Madeline, that is one of my priorities in life the moment I marry you, and that is to make you happy.." He said as we continued to walk in the garden, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling from ear to ear.

 Chapter 266 - Greatest Birthday Gift

    Madeline''s POV

    The days passed in a blur, and I am so excited today;because it is my husband''s birthday. I already briefed all the household staff not to greet my husband since I wanted them to wee himter tonight when he came home. I was pretending to be asleep even if I tried to kiss him back when he said his goodbye to me before he left going to his office, but I didn''t want to ruin the surprise.

    "What are you doing here, Gina? You are supposed to be in the office?" I asked my best friend when I found her in the living room waiting for me, and she was smiling from ear to ear.

    "You asked me not to bring your gift in the office since you wanted to give it personally to Hunterter tonight, and I don''t need to report today since I have my work online, so the best thing to do is enjoy the rest of my day with my best friend." She responded, and I raised my eyebrows.

    "Are you sure Hunter didn''t pay you to apany me, Gina?" I asked, and she wasughing hard.

    "I am aware your husband is so in love with you, Madeline, but why should he hire me when you already have so many men outside this house protecting you? I am not good with martial arts, and I don''t even know how to hold a gun, so there is no reason for Hunter or your grandfather to hire someone like me." She said, and I scowl at her, and I knew she was right.

    "I will be happy to assist your needs today, you know I am good withputer, so I will be finished with my job for the day before you know it, and before you can even start with your decorations, and I wonder why you didn''t hire when you have all the money, and for goodness sake, you are about to give birth, Madeline, you could have employed someone to do the job," Ginained. I covered my ears so I could not hear what she was saying.

    "Okay, if you won''t listen to me, fine, but I will tell you, I will find a way to decorate the venue without you, and you should trust me, Maddie, I can make the ce morous, and you will love it," She added.

    I was shocked when aunt Francine arrived together with an event organizer with her staff, and I knew it was all because of my best friend, and I couldn''t believe she would ruin my day, but I couldn''t deny they did a good job, and I was so happy with the oue, and I couldn''t wait for my husband toe home.

    Flying balloons and floor balloons are scattered everywhere, and it feels like we have a children''s party, but I don''t care. I wanted this birthday to be special for Hunter since this is our first time celebrating his birthday here at the castle. I could see the chocte fountain at the center of the dessert table, and my mouth watered as I looked at the fruit tters.

    I asked everyone to keep silent while the lights were out after Roman called and told me they were approaching the castle''s main gate, and it seemed like we didn''t have electricity. I made sure to celebrate his birthday in the family room and not the ballroom since it was only a small gathering suitable for our family and close friends.

    "Hey, what is wrong? Why is it so dark?" Hunter asked when he found me on the front porch waiting for him while lighting his way with the shlight in my hand.

    "Well, something has broken on the mainline, and suddenly the generator didn''t work but don''t worry, Leonardo was on it. Can we get inside now?" I said as I offered my hand to him, and he asked me to give him the shlight I was holding. Still, I didn''t hand it to him as we got inside, and when we neared the family room, the whole ce illuminated, and I could see the surprised look on my husband''s face as he looked at all the guests in front of us.

    I only invited his mom, Lily, and Calixto; I didn''t include Charlotte and his father, while Parker is busy, and Reba stayed with her husband. My aunt, together with her husband, grandpa, and some of Hunter''s staff in his office, and of course, the household staff. And as we sang happy birthday, he was holding my hand, and I could see the tears that welled upon his eyes.

    "Thank you, everyone; I thought everyone had forgotten my birthday, including my lovely wife. And I could tell this is her n after all." My husband said, and everyoneughed.

    "Thank you, my love," He said, and he kissed on the lips, just on time, I felt a slight pain in my stomach, and then I could feel the fluid on my thighs down to my legs, and I realized my water break.

    "I think I need to go to the hospital now; my water broke!" I said, and all eyes were on me, and then I could see the panic on everyone''s eyes, including my husband''s face.

    "Hey, you need to rx, Hunter; I will be okay," I said as he carried me, and even if I could feel the contractions, I asked them to eat and continue the party without us, and I couldn''t wait to give birth to our little boy.

    "How could I rx when I know you are in pain?" He asked as he descended on the front steps.

    "You better put me down since I can still walk on my own," I said, but my husband never listened to me. I felt so d Roman got the car ready in front of the main entrance of the house, and my husband carefullyy me down at the back of the vehicle, and he sat beside me holding my hand while I knew Gina was on the other car with my things which she helped me get prepared one week ago.

    But the pain became too much for me to keep silent, and I was trying my best to control myself, but I could no longer hold the pain.

    "Roman, please!" He yelled, and I could hear Roman blowing the horn nonstop as he drove the car at full speed. They could have called an ambnce, but I know my husband panicked. I didn''t have the time to argue with him because I couldn''t deny he looked like hell right now, and if I was not inbor, I could have enjoyed this moment looking at my husband''s face. My tears fell, and I was clutching on Hunter''s arm until I could feel my fingernails dug on his flesh as I felt the contractions. And I wanted to say to him I was fine so he would rx a little, but the pain was too much for me to handle that I could no longer pretend I was okay.

    "Hold on, Maddie, we are always there!" Hunter said, and I was trying to control my breathing. I inhale-exhale while I was talking to my baby to wait until we arrived at the hospital, and then, I could feel too much pain in my entire abdomen, back, and on my groin, and I could even feel the pain on my sides and thighs. And I was moaning in pain.

    "Hunter!" I said, and I could feel him wiping the bead of sweat on my face and forehead while he was caressing my arm, and I could see the worries on his face.

    The drive going to the hospital felt like forever, and I was moaning the entire time; when we arrived at the hospital, I was met by my OB at the entrance of the Emergency Room, and I realized my aunt had called her right away.

    "Hello, Maddie, don''t worry, my dear, you will finally meet your little angel in a while." My OB said with a beautiful smile on her face, and she talked with my husband, and that was the only time I saw him rx a little, and they brought me to thebor room right away, and after two hours, the doctor was shocked when I was almost 10cm, she couldn''t believe I am about to give birth.

    "I could tell your baby must be very eager to meet you, Madeline, now I want you to get ready to push," She said. I couldn''t wait to meet my baby boy either, and I felt so d he didn''t let me have longbor after three strong pushes, and he was out, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying when I heard my son''s first cry. It was the most satisfying moment of my life when he was lifted up onto my chest, and when I saw him, my tears of happiness continued to fall, and I couldn''t believe my husband and son had the same date of birth.

    "Oh, Madeline, you gave me the greatest gift on my birthday, and it was our baby boy!" Hunter said the moment he got inside and sat beside me on my bed in one of the VIP rooms of the hospital, and I could see the tears in his eyes.

    The first time he held our son, I wanted to capture the moment as I could see the love and too much affection on my husband''s face, and Hunter was overwhelmed with happiness when he finally met our little boy, Frank Luis.

 Chapter 267 - I Am Home

    Madeline''s POV

    "I am sorry if I ruined your surprise birthday party," I said to my husband.

    "Shh, you need to go to sleep, my love. You are tired, and you just gave birth to an angel. I want you to know that it was the best party ever. I love you, Madeline. Thank you for making me feel this way." He said as he cupped my face, and then he kissed me softly on the lips, and even if I felt so tired, I could feel my heart flutters with happiness.

    "I love you too, Hunter," I murmured, and I drifted into a beautiful sleep, and when I walked up the following morning, the scene in front of me made my eyes water. Hunter was dancing our son to sleep, and I couldn''t believe I would see him like this one day, and I could feel parenthood suited him well.

    "Good morning! My love," I greeted him, and when he turned around, I could see the beautiful smile on his face, and he put down our little boy beside me on the bed. Then he took out his phone, and he took a selfie of us, and he let me see his pher, and I smiled when I realized it was his new wallpaper. His previous wallpaper was our picture together taken on our wedding day, and now that we have our son with us, it feels like everything is in ce.

    Then the rest of our family arrived, and I felt so happy to see them, and I could see. The tears were on the eyes of Hunter''s mom, Lily, and Gina as they looked at my son.

    "I am an aunt!" Lily eximed as Hunter handed her our baby, and my husband dried the tears in his sister''s cheeks.

    "Yes, you are officially an aunt now, Lily, and I except you will be here during summer to help Madeline to look after Frank." My husband said, and Iughed.

    "Of course, Hunter, you don''t need to tell me that because I will volunteer," Lily responded with a beautiful smile on her face.

    "Wee, Frank Luis, I am your aunt Lily, and I promised you I will be the greatest aunt in this world." Lily dered, and we allughed, and I suddenly remembered my mom and how I wished she was here with us, but I know she is happy now wherever she is, and I promised to bring my child in front of her grave the moment we will visit Archois.

    "Hey, congrattions, I am so happy for you, Madeline," Gina whispered when she came closer to me, and she was holding my hand.

    "Thank you, Gina, for being here with me. I want to enjoy this moment with you," I responded.

    "I felt d that you finally delivered your baby boy, and I could tell he looked like your husband." She said.

    "I thought he got my face," I responded, and she shook.

    "No, you are so in love with your husband, and that is why your son looked exactly like him." My best friend answered.

    "Fair enough," I replied, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing. And I will never be ashamed to tell the whole world I am so in love with my husband because that is the truth.When it was my grandpa''s turn to carry my son in his arms, I could see the happiness on his face, which was priceless.

    "Frank, wee to this beautiful world, don''t worry, we all love you, and I will make sure you will have the brightest future, and I couldn''t wait to teach you how to ride a horse and drive a car." My grandpa said, and I cried in happiness, and I hope he will live long enough to see my son grow into an adult. And I wish that formy grandpa.

    The following day I got discharged from the hospital, and we went home to the castle; I was surprised when aunt Francine threw a wee party for our baby and me, and I felt so happy that I was finally home. On the first night, my husband and I slept in the nursery, and the following day after that, we ended up bringing him into our bedroom.

    And I only agreed that the nanny would be on duty during day time since I wanted to be with my son during nighttime, and even if the nanny Hunter hired was around, I always asked her to bring our baby boy into our room. I wanted to be hands-on with him, from breastfeeding to changing his diaper, and I loved every moment I spent with my little angel.

    "The baptism would be next month, and what do you think? Is it safe to invite your father and sister?" I asked my husband, and I saw him curled his fists on his sides.

    "I know you wanted to believe that they will change, Madeline, but I am sorry. I could say my dad and Charlotte are lost cause, and there is nothing we can do to save them." He said.

    "Oh, my love, I was thinking maybe now that you have a son, he will finally stop being wicked," I responded.

    "I don''t think so, Madeline, I think he cursed the day I was born, and no matter what I do, I can never please him, and he will always hate me without a valid reason. I know it hurts me so much because I hope and I wish that one of these days he could be with us and celebrate special asions with us, but I don''t want to put your life in danger again, especially now that we have our son." My husband said.

    "It would be too risky, my love," Hunter said as he put his arm around my shoulders, and we were inside the nursery room looking at our little boy soundly sleeping on his crib.

    "Okay, I think we should invite mom and Lily, and of course, Reba and Parker," I said.

    "Yeah, I already asked Gina to send the invitation, and I am so excited for his baptism." He said.

    "Me too, my love," I said, and we both walked towards our bed inside the nursery room, and we knew it was funny, but we couldn''t help it, we always wanted to be near our son, even if we knew he is safe inside this castle.

    I couldn''t help thinking about what happened to me before I gave birth to him, and I hate to think that while his father and sister are free, we can never be safe.I don''t know if they canept us in the future, but I think it would be impossible.

    I pity my husband because I couldn''t believe that his father and sister are his enemies; instead, they should be one of the persons we can trust to help us if ever we are in need because the family will always be a family.

    I know rk became more devastated when Hunter''s mom didn''t withdraw the divorce case she filed, and I asked my grandpa not to file awsuit against Hunter''s dad and Charlotte. My grandfather was frustrated with my decision, and I know it wasn''t a wise judgment, but I still believe in second chances.

    "Madeline, how many times do I have to tell you? Sometimes you need to close your eyes because there are things you cannot change no matter how desperate you are, and you have to make a wise decision for the good of everyone. Let me handle rk''s and Charlotte''s case." My grandpa said after he got shot by Kaye.

    "Please, grandpa, they are my husband''s family, and I couldn''t take it if they were in prison," I responded, and my grandpa''s face fell.

    "Madeline, what should I do to make you change your mind? I am sure your husband will not be against it, and that is for your safety." He insisted.

    "I know, but I don''t want Hunter to feel guilty at the end, and not only for Hunter, but I also love Lily, and I know how much she loves her dad even if she hated him, and Ican never put rk behind bars knowing it will devastate her daughter knowing her father and sister were in jail," I said.

    "Oh, Madeline, you reminded me so much of my wife. Your grandmother is so much like you, and I know I can never win against you, and I think all I need to do is double or triple your security to keep you safe. I love you, Madeline, and I don''t want anything to happen to you." He added.

    "I am sorry, grandpa, because of me, you''ve got hurt," I said, feeling so guilty that he took a bullet for me.

    "Hey, it wasn''t your fault, Madeline; besides, I will do it again for you." He said, and I shook my head.

    "You are not doing anything like that ever again, grandpa," I said, and he smiled at me.

    "Okay, I will make sure to hire the best agents in the country." He said as he ruffled my hair.

    "Are you okay, Madeline?" Hunter asked me, and I snapped back at present and smiled at him.

    "Of course, I have never been better," I said, and he offered his arms to me.. I scooted closer to him as we listened to the nursery rhyme on his cellphone, and I was smiling while I listened to my husband sing along, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing, and I realized I was home in my husband''s arms, and I am a happy wife and mother.

 Chapter 268 - Cupid

    Hunter''s POV

    "Cal, I love Madeline, and it is understated; I love her so much, and now that we have a son, I became more in love with her, Calixto, and as I stared at my wife dance as she was carrying our child in her arms made my eyes water. Yeah, after all the things we have been through, I felt so happy that now finally, we became parents." I heard my husband talking with Calixto, and I couldn''t stop smiling as I felt so happy to listen to his words.

    "Of course, Cal, thank you for calling; she was already sleeping. Do you know what makes me feel so happy, Cal?Frank Luis has been crying, and I smiled when the moment his mom took him into her arms, he fell silent right away, and I couldn''t express in words how happy I am right now just looking at my wife and son sleeping." He added.

    "I have always known that Madeline is my life, and now there is an addition, and they be the most important persons in my life. I couldn''t imagine being away from them, and I couldn''t believe I would be attending the International Business Summit to be held in the UK, and just thinking about it makes me feel unhappy because I don''t want to be away from them, especially now that my wife gave birth to our cute little angel." He continued, and they talked more before Hunter finally ended the call.

    The following night, I couldn''t stop thinking about Hunter''s conversation with Calixto, and I couldn''t stop myself from asking him about it as I was dancing our baby boy to sleep.

    "Is there anything you want to tell me, my love?" I asked as I moved closer to my husband, and he got up from bed. He took our son from me, Frank was already sleeping, and I couldn''t stop myself from kissing our little boy.

    "There are so many things I want to tell you, Madeline, you looked so beautiful tonight, and I could tell motherhood suits you well, and you looked hotter, my sweet Madeline." He dered, and I couldn''t stop my face from turning bright red, and I couldn''t believe until now that his words had the same effect on me; before we got married, I always blushed every time he gave mepliments.

    "Do you know you still looked so adorable every time you blushed? and I am d, and I am sure even if our hair turns to grey, you will still be the same Madeline I fell in love with years ago, and I will never get tired of loving you, my wife." He said, and my heart swelled with happiness.

    "Wow, thank you, my dear husband, and that is too many to count, but I could tell something is bothering you, Hunter; what is it? You can''t lie to me, my love. I know you, and every time

    you want to tell me something, you can''t stop yourself from stealing nces at me. Spit it out, Hunter." I responded, and I couldn''t believe he would beughing so hard.

    "You''ve got me, okay, there is something I wanted to tell you, my sweet and lovely wife. The International Business Summit is fast approaching, and I needed to attend this event, but I don''t want to go because I couldn''t stop myself from worrying about you and our son." There he said it, and I closed the distance between us, and I took our son back from his arms, and slowly put him on his crib, and we couldn''t let him be alone in the nursery so, if we are not sleeping in the nursery, we will bring his crib in our room.

    "Hunter, you must go; grandpa already told me about it, and I know what you are doing for thepany is for the future of our son and our grandchildren as well, and you know I will never hold you back, my love. Don''t worry about us; we will never leave the Grant Castle once you are away, and I will do that so you will have peace of mind, and I am sure nothing will happen to us, Hunter." I responded,and he weakly smiledat me.

    "But I don''t want to go because I want to be with you and Luis." My husband muttered.

    "Don''t worry; before you will know it, and it will be over. We can Facetime the moment you will get back to your hotel." I answered.

    "I know, but it would be so different if I could kiss and hug you, and I could take our son in my arms," Hunter replied.

    "My love, it will not take one month, and if you want, I can ask Lily toe here, so I havepany here in our room, plus Gina is living here in our estate. I am sure everything will be fine, and don''t forget about grandpa and my aunt, you know them, they always look out for us," I said.

    "I know you would be safe, Madeline, but I will be missing you like crazy," He said.

    "The feeling would be mutual, my love, you know I even miss you even if you are working in your office how much more we will be miles apart from each other, but it will be okay, you will call and text me every day every chance you can get, okay?" I said, and I stood up on my toes, and I kissed my husband on the lips, and I giggled when he carried me, and he slowly put me down on our bed.

    "And do you know what will make me miss you more?" He asked, and I shook my head.

    "This," He said as he started undressing my nightgown, and I couldn''t stop myself from getting thrilled as I realized I was going to spend another night with my husband filled with passion and love. And when I felt his hands on my sensitive parts, I couldn''t stop moaning, and we made love passionately.

    "Are you sure you won''t be missing Hunter the moment he leaves for Europe?" Gina asked me, and I wondered why she was at home again.

    "Of course, I will miss him like crazy," I answered her.

    "Aren''t you going to the office, Gina?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "Not today, and I love it that I will be spending more time with Luis; just leave him to me if you will feel sleepy, Madeline." She said.

    "Can you tell me honestly, Gina, did my husband hire you to work at his office, or did he hire you so you can monitor my daily activities here in our home?" I asked, and my best friend shook her head right away.

    "Of course not, I already told you the nature of my work, and I couldn''t believe you would doubt me. I know you are intelligent, Maddie, and I could never level with your intelligence, but I hope you will also trust me the way your husband did. I am so grateful that your grandpa''spanygave me this kind of opportunity." She dered.

    "Hey, I am sorry, Gina, but I didn''t mean it that way, okay? I find it odd that you are always here when you should be there in the office. I don''t mean to offend you, Gina, and please don''t get me wrong, and as your best friend, I am just saying what is on my mind right now." I responded.

    "I know you don''t mean to hurt me, Madeline, and I am sorry if I overreacted. I am just d I''ve got this position because I can be with you." She said with tenderness.

    "Thank you, Gina, and please don''t get angry with me," I replied.

    "You know I will never get angry with you, Maddie, and I just hope you still want to see me here." She said.

    "Of course, Gina, I wanted you to be here with me always, and I hope even if you get married, you will still find time to be with me," I responded, and sheughed.

    "Married? How? I don''t even have a boyfriend, Madeline." She responded.

    "Who knows, you will find the love of your life here in Neospoli country," I answered.

    "I don''t know, Maddie. I am not even sure if I will forget about Jack. I didn''t expect I would fall in love with him, and I am so thankful I got this job, so I will stop myself froming into his restaurant." My best friend said, and I felt sad for her as I looked at her face.

    "Does she have a girlfriend already?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "I don''t think he has since I haven''t seen anyone on his social media ount, and I think like me, he couldn''t get over with you. I could tell that Jack Morigan is still in love with you, Madeline." My best friend answered.

    And I felt guilty because I wanted Jack to have a love life; he is too handsome and hot to be hung up with me. He should be happy now with the girl he loves. And I could tell they would look good together.

    "How about you will confess to Jack?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "There is no way I will do something stupid like that, Madeline, you know I don''t have the guts to tell him how I feel, and I don''t want to get humiliated and hurt at the same time," Gina responded.

    "I don''t think Jack will humiliate you, Gin; we both know he is a good man. How I wish I could find a way to help you, Gina." I replied, and she looked at me with sadness on her face, and I realized she had done so many things for me, and I think it is about time I could return the favor.

    I needed to help Gina win Jack''s love since I could tell there was a big chance Jack would fall in love with my best friend, and all I needed to do was a good n, and I couldn''t wait to be their cupid, and I am so excited for them to fall in love with each other.

 Chapter 269 - More Than Enough

    Hunter''s POV

    I don''t want to attend the Summit and leave my wife and our newborn baby. It would be so hard for me, and as I watch my wife prepare my things, I end up putting them back in the closet.

    "Hunter, what are you doing, my love? Do you think we are ying some games? You can''t put back those things I arranged on your suitcase." She said as she looked at me while she put her hands in her hips, and I couldn''t stop myself from looking at her beautiful face.

    "Are you even listening to me?" Madeline asked, and this time, I could tell I pissed her, and I slowly walked towards my wife, putting my arms around her waist as I looked at her with puppy eyes.

    "Please, Maddie, don''t let me go," I begged, and she giggled.

    "Do you even realize what you are doing, my dearest husband?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "Hunter, you are the new CEO of my grandpa''spany, and I don''t want you to disappoint him since he believed in your capacity, and now you are giving me puppy eyes because you don''t want to go? What am I going to do with you?" She asked, and I wanted to smile as I looked at the expression on her lovely face.

    "Make love to me, my sweet wife, and I will make you feel better," I whispered in her ear, and I could feel goosebumps cover her skin right away. I smiled when I heard my wife moan as I trailedkisses on her throat while touching her beautiful breasts. I couldn''t deny she looked sexier after she gave birth to our son, and Maddie''s words left unsaid when I captured her mouth with urgency, and I love the way my wife melted in my arms as I continued to roam her glorious body with my hands.

    "Do you know this is unfair?" She asked after I gave her time to breathe since the hot kiss we shared left my wife breathless.

    "How can you say it is unfair, I am your husband, and you know how much I love your body react to my every touch, Maddie, and you can''t deny it; you wanted me to im you right now since I can feel your wetness between your legs, my sweet Madeline," I said, and I loved how her face blushed.

    I couldn''t deny just watching my wife at this very moment makes me feel so happy, and I couldn''t stop myself from wanting to make love with her since she looked so hot and beautiful, and I love her so much. And I love kissing every inch of her body, and I wish to satisfy my wife the way she deserves.

    "It is unfair because you know how much I crave to have you every time you kiss me, Hunter." She responded, and it made me more aroused, and I undressed my wife slowly, and I couldn''t stop myself from admiring her, and she tried to cover her tummy with her hands.

    "And why are you doing that, Maddie?" I asked, and I could tell she was conscious about her stretch marks.

    "Because I got these," She said in more than a whisper, and she was looking down on her toes, and I cupped her chin.

    "Look at me, Madeline, do you know watching these stretch marks on your belly makes me more in love with you, these marks are the signs that you gave me the most beautiful gift I could ever have in this lifetime, and that is our baby, and I would love to kiss them every moment I have with you, and it doesn''t make you ugly, it makes you more beautiful," I said. She let go of her hands while I picked her up, and I carried her to our bed, and I slowly put her down on the soft mattress.

    I started kissing her tummy every inch while my fingers found the hem of her dress, and I pulled it up as I caressed her thighs up to her sensitive part. I yanked her panties down, and I could smell her arousal, and I loved it, and I found her mound, and I rubbed her clit, and I could feel how wet my wife is, and I felt so happy I made her feel this way.

    I was still kissing her belly, and I dragged my mouth upward to her ribcage and ran my tongue on her smooth skin until I found her perfect breasts.I couldn''t stop myself from iming her hard buds one after the other, and I could see how her nipples hardened and her breast puckered. And her moans intensified the lust I felt for my wife.

    "Hunter, how could you do this to me when I am about to prepare your things," She said in between her moans, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling. I could feel her hips bucked as I continued to y my fingers in her slit, and when I flicked her clit she moaned, and she was panting, and I could feel her sweet juices on my fingers as she came.

    I moved lower, and I parted her thighs, and I could see her pearl glistening with the recesses of her cum, and when my mouth made contact with her flesh, and Ipped her sweetness, Madeline was calling my name while she fisted my hair with her fingers. And I could feel she bucked her hips when I dragged my tongue up and down on her slit, and I slowly imed her clit, and when I sucked her clitI could feel my wife curled her toes. As I sucked and lickedherbia, I caressed her breasts with my fingers, and I could tell Madeline was writhing with pleasure, and nothing was more important to me but to make her happy and satisfied.

    "Hunter, please, you are killing me," She moaned.

    "Patience, my sweet wife, let me make you happy, and I want you to remember this moment when I am miles away from you," I said. I could see her eyes rolled at the back of her head as she came for the second time, and I couldn''t take it anymore, I positioned my stiff rod in front of her entrance, and I slowly tookmy wife, and I wanted her to feel me inch by inch.

    "Oh, you are so tight, Madeline!" I grunted as I made a final stroke and took her, and I could feel her adjust to my stiff manhood, and I didn''t want to hurt my wife. When she spread her legs wider and bucked her hips, I smiled as I realized I made her so horny, and I started to push slowly at first.

    Then I made my pacing faster, and I am thrusting so hard, and I could hear the screaming of my wife echoing our room as I continued to ram her with my stiff rod, and her moans made me harder and bigger, and I will never get tired of making love with my wife.

    "Please don''t stop, my love!" She said in between her moans andbored breathing, and I love to hear Maddie''s sweet moans.

    "I don''t have any n on stopping my love; you make me so damn hard just by watching you bite your lower lip, you are a seductress Madeline, you make your husband so turned on, and you set my entire body on fire, and keep doing that, and I can''t hold on anymore," I said as I continue pumping in and out of her, I could see her hand gripping on the sheet while her other hand was on my hair.I could hear the pping sound of our body joined together with passion and lust, and I couldn''t hold on anymore.

    "I am nowing, my sweet!" I grunted.

    "I want you toe now inside me, my love, and I wille with you," Madeline responded as she breathed heavily. Her encouragement was enough to bring me to the edge, and I came hard as I was calling my wife''s name. And she came harder this time seconds after I released my cum on her womb, and I was still on top of my wife spraying thest drop of my seed, but I was using my arms to protect me from crashing my wife with my weight.

    I kissed her passionately before I slid to her side, and I smiled when she caressed my manhood. I know what that gesture means, and I made love with my wife for the second time around, passionately savoring each moment. And we shared another hot lovemaking. And we were cuddling each other after our second round with smiles on our faces.

    "Do you still want me to go?" I asked her, and I tried to beg her with my eyes, but my wife nodded her head, and I knew right away there was no way I could change her mind.

    "You know I will miss you so much, Hunter, especially making love with you, but you need to go for Frank''s future," Madeline said, and this time I got out of bed. I started putting my things in my suitcase while I was naked like the way I was born, and my wife wasughing so hard as she threw me my clothes.

    "You don''t want to see my nakedness, my dear wife?" I asked, feeling so amused by herughter.

    "Trust me, Hunter, I''d love to, but I don''t want to end up making love with you again while I will help you with your things; we need to prepare all the things you needed, and I don''t want you to think I am not suitable to be your wife since I couldn''t even ready your things." She responded, and I walked closer to her.

    "You are more than enough to be my wife, Madeline; I love you just the way you are, and whatever happens, nothing can stop me from loving you, Maddie.." I dered, and the smile I saw on her face was priceless.

 Chapter 270 - For Our Son

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter, son, you don''t need to worry about Madeline and Frank Luis; I promised you nothing would happen to them while you are away." Hector Grant said while I was inside his study, and he called me to talk about the uing summit, but I realized he wanted to speak with me about a personal matter.

    "I know, but I find it so hard to leave them, grandpa," I said, and he smiled at me.

    "I still remember when myte wife gave birth to our firstborn; I was so happy when I learned she had given birth to our son, but I was miles away that time, and I couldn''t be with her, and social media is not yet in during those times, I called my wife via long distance. And I remembered that was one of the happiest days of my life." He said with a beautiful smile on his face.

    "But, it was also the hardest time of my career; I couldn''te home since I needed to close a deal, and all I ever wanted was toe home and be with my wife." He added.

    "So, what I am telling you is, you need to attend the Summit; your son and wife will be waiting for you, and my advice, always think you will being home soon, and you will be united with them." He continued, and I nodded my head.

    "Good luck, son, and make us proud." He said as he offered his hand to me, and I gripped his strong hand with a broad smile on my face.

    "Thank you, grandpa," I responded, and together we walked out from his study. My heart swelled with happiness when I saw my wife in the living room dancing our little boy to sleep, and just thinking of leaving them gave me a pang on my chest, no matter how grandpa assured me that my wife and son would be alright.

    I couldn''t stop worrying about their safety because I kept thinking about what happened to Madeline during the baby shower; I know the security of this house is so tight, all the staff has been verified. They all give their words to Hector Grant that they will never betray him and his whole family.

    Madeline''s grandfather reced allthe hotel staff after the incident, and I felt guilty because it was all because of me, Maddie''s family had nothing to do about it, and I felt so d they never med me. And even if I had already assigned men to monitor all the activities of my father and Charlotte, I couldn''t stop thinking that they would still harm my wife, especially now that the divorce case was over. My parents finally got divorced, and I felt so happy to have my mom and sister in the Grant castle, and their arrival made my wife so happy.

    I felt so d Madeline''s family weed my mom and sister warmly. Lily has already processed her transfer, and she will be a student at Neospoli Academy; she couldn''t wait to go to ss while, in the meantime, she helped Maddie with our baby, and mom is enjoying her time in the garden most of the time.

    We are eating dinner, and I couldn''t be happier to see my mom and sister dining with us, and I felt d Parker runs the Divenson Mining Corporation just fine, with the help of Calixto, and of course, by Reba by his side. When dinner was over, we got back to our room immediately because I wanted to be alone with my wife and son.

    "Hey, what are you thinking about, Hunter? It feels like your mind is somewhere else; I have been calling you, my love." My wife said as she came closer to me, and I closed my eyes and felt her hands massage my shoulders.

    "I am sorry, I am only thinking about the Summit." I lied because I couldn''t tell her; I didn''t want to go, but I didn''t want to make her upset.

    "You don''t need to worry about it, my love; you attended Summit before when you were still the CEO of your father''spany," Maddie said, and I held her wrist, and I pulled her with me until she was sitting on myp. I wanted to tell her this was the reason why I didn''t want to go because I wanted to be around her all the time.

    "Yeah, I did, but this time it would be different because I am representing your grandfather''spany," I responded, and my wife cupped my face.

    "Hunter, it is still the same; you are still one of the best CEO all over the world." She dered, and I couldn''t stop myself from chuckling.

    "You know that is not true, my love," I said, and she looked at me in the eyes, and her solemn expression is telling me she means what she said.

    "For me, as your wife and your lover, you are the number one CEO." She responded, and I couldn''t stop myself from capturing my wife''s sweet mouth; and we were kissing with urgency, and I quickly discarded her dress. At the same time, she helped me pull out my shirt and pants, and I took her to our bed, and we kissed each other passionately when our son cried, and we bothughed, and I helped her get up from the bed, and she took our son from the crib.

    And I realized our son was hungry, and I was smiling as I watched Madeline breastfeeding our son. She looked so sexy as she caressed his face with her fingers, and I couldn''t express the gratification I felt being a father to Frank Luis and husband to Madeline. And it made me realize I needed to attend the Summit and make my wife proud of me, and most of all, it is for our son''s future.

    I made love with my wife after she put our baby to sleep, and I cuddled her on my chest while she slept. I am one hundred percent sure I will be missing my wife like crazy, especially her touch and the way she kissed me back every time we made love, and I wish the Summit were over before it willbegin, and I know I was thinking the impossible.

    "Hunter! Hunter! Please wake up, my love." I heard my wife waking me up, and instead of getting up, I grabbed her closer to me, and she was giggling, and the next thing I knew, my wife was pulling me up from the bed.

    "You need to wake up, or you will bete for your flight." She said while my eyes were still closed.

    "I don''t want to go, Maddie; I want to be here with you in our bed," I mumbled.

    "We have all the time the moment you wille back home, my love," She said, and I smiled. When I opened my eyes, I saw her looking at my face, and I brought her closer to me, I embraced my wife for a long time before I dragged my feet towards the bathroom, and when I finished taking a bath, I saw my business suit on top of our bed with my necktie and socks.

    I put on my suitzily while I was staring at my wife with our son in her arms, and I couldn''t stop myself from missing them already before I could even step out of our room.

    "I will miss you so much, Madeline," I whispered in her ear when I came closer to her.

    "I will miss you too," She responded.

    "I don''t really want to go," I said in more than a whisper.

    "But you need to go, my love." She said, and she slowly put back our son on his crib after I kissed his chubby cheek. He fell asleep quickly, and my wife walked me out of our room, just on time; Gina arrived, and shesaid her goodbye to me and wished me a happy trip before she got inside our room to look for our son, and I could tell Maddie texted her.I couldn''t stop smiling when I saw mom and Lily waiting for me on the front porch together with Hector Grant.

    "Enjoy your business trip, son, don''t worry. We will be here for Maddie and Frank." My mom said after I kissed her cheek.

    "Thank you, mom," I responded to my mother, and she gave me a sweet smile.

    "Hunter, have a nice trip, and enjoy Europe!" Lily said, and I hugged her.

    "I will, Lily," I responded as I released her from my embrace.

    "Don''t forget my presence, or else you can never get inside this castle." My sister added, and Maddie''s grandpa erupted intoughter while Lily giggled.

    "Take care, son, and don''t worry about your wife and son; there are so many of us who will look out for them." He dered.

    "Thank you, grandpa," I replied.

    "And one more thing, Hunter, don''t forget my present as well, or else you can never get inside the gate." He said, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing, and then when I looked at my wife, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so sad.

    "Hey, I don''t want to see you like that, my love; I want you to look happy, always remember one smile from you can make my entire day brighter. I love you, Hunter." She said, and I kissed my wife on the lips, and when I released her mouth, we were both panting, and I realized my mom, Lily, and grandpa had already left us, and only the driver was waiting for me to get inside the car.

    "I love you too, my wife," I whispered in her ear, and it took a lot of my willpower to turn away from my wife and get inside the car, and I left the Grant castle feeling so empty for the first time, but I needed to go to make my wife proud of me, and course, for our son''s future.

 Chapter 271 - Wanted To Come Home

    Hunter''s POV

    I could feel the heaviness of my heart as I boarded one of the private nes of Hector Grant and how I wanted to fly with Madeline and my son. I couldn''t wait when Frank would be old enough to travel with us, and I will make sure to bring them with me every time I am away for a business trip. I couldn''t even sleep during the entire ride, and I watched the photos of my wife and son on my phone the whole flight, and I couldn''t wait to call my Madeline.

    The moment I arrived at the hotel and checked in, I called my wife right away, and I felt so frustrated when she didn''t pick up her phone, and I didn''t have a choice but to call my youngest sister, and I became more frustrated when Lily didn''t also pick up. And I called Gina, and I was hoping she would answer my call.

    "Thank goodness, Gina, why is no one answering my call?" I asked.

    "Hunter, rx; I amsorry; I am at the office right now." She responded, and I couldn''t believe my luck.

    "What? What are you doing there?" I asked, confused while still frustrated that I couldn''t speak with my wife.

    "Madeline was doubtful about me, why I always stayed at the castle, so I take this opportunity toe since Lily and your mom are around, I don''t want her to find out she is my main job, and you are paying me a good amount of money just to apany her, and I don''t want her to hate you." She responded, and I released a heavy sigh.

    "Thank you, Gina, but please don''t stay there for eight hours; you have to get home before dinner; I want you to have dinner with my wife, Gina, I don''t want her to feel alone, especially now that I am miles away from my wife," I said, and my wife''s best friend was giggling.

    "Oh, Hunter, to be honest, I felt so d I wasn''t wrong for convincing Madeline for how many times never to stop loving you because I can feel it deep no my would that you will love her this way and thank you for loving my best friend unconditionally, and I could tell she didn''t make a wrong choice, he got the best husband in the world." Gina dered, and I smiled.

    "Gina, you know I have so many shorings with our marriage, I let Madeline suffer for how many years because of my past, and I felt so guilty until now," I replied.

    "Hey, stop thinking like that; I know you never abandon my best friend; you are always a good husband to her, Hunter, I have witnessed how you tried to win her love, and I am d you fight your love for Maddie." She stated.

    "I need to go now, Gina, and thank you for being there for my wife," I said.

    "You are wee, don''t worry, I will go home at 3:00 p.m," Gina responded, and I said goodbye to her, and I redialed Madeline''s number, and after several rings finally she answered my call.

    "Hello, my love!" She answered excitedly, and I wanted to go home immediately after hearing my wife''s soft voice.

    "Madeline, I had been calling you, and I felt so worried why you didn''t pick up," I said, and she was giggling on the other line.

    "Hunter, I was with our baby boy, and I spent my day at Lily and mom''s room, and I forgot to bring my phone." She said.

    "You miss me already?" She asked.

    "Yeah, I am missing you like crazy, Maddie, and I don''t want to attend the Summit anymore, especially now that I heard your sweet seductive voice," I said.

    "Do you know I am now lying in our bed naked because I am on my way to the bathroom to take a bath?" She said, and I needed to close my eyes as I imagined my wife''s glorious body, and I copsed on the extra king-sized bed, and I am sure I am going to miss my wife more tonight.

    "Don''t do this to me, Madeline, and I couldn''t make

    love with you on the phone because I need to attend dinner tonight with some of your grandfather''s friends, and I only have minutes to spare," I said as I grunted undermy breath, and I felt so d I didn''t use video call, or my wife is killing me softly.

    "Don''t worry, my love, we can make love until morning the moment you wille back." She said.

    "Stop doing that, Madeline or I will end up with a boner facing your grandpa''s friends, and I don''t want them to think the new CEO of Hector Grant''spany is a pervert," I said, and theughter of my wife makes me miss her even more.

    "It would be your loss, Mr. Davidson, and I am willing to relieve that bulge in between your legs." She said while giggling.

    "Mrs. Davidson, I will make you pay for this, for making me this hard, and I needed to attend dinner; how can I hide this, Madeline?" I asked, and I loved how naughty she sounded right now, and I don''t think I can finish the one-week activity withouting home to Neospoli.

    "I am sorry for teasing you, my love, I miss you so much, and please, you better stop your erection now, and the best thing you can do is take a cold bath, my love, so that the heat will subside next time you better callme when you are in your way to sleep at night, or else you will always end up having an erection every time you call me because I can''t stop myself from teasing you." She responded.

    "When did you be so naughty, Madeline?" I asked while smiling like an idiot as I thought about my wife''s lovely face.

    "Since the day I married you, Hunter." She answered, and I wasughing so hard.

    "I love you, Maddie," I said.

    "I love you too, Hunter." My wife replied.

    "I need to go now, my love; please kiss our little boy for me." I dered.

    "Of course, please, take care, my love," Madeline said, and I ended the call after I said goodbye to her. I needed to have a bath to cool down the heat of my entire body, and I took a quick shower and I changed into my ck suit. I remembered Madeline again as I put on my necktie, she will always tie my necktie every morning before I go to work, and now I have to do it on my own.

    I walked to the elevator and made my way to the hotel''s main restaurant, I was met by one of Hector''s friends, and he brought me to their table. I had a great conversation with them, and I felt d they weed me warmly. They invited me toe with them into one of the clubs nearby to have a drink, but I passed because I wanted to see my son before I went to sleep, and I felt relieved they understood when I told them I needed to call my wife since she had just given birth to our son.

    The moment I returned to my room, I realized it was alreadyte if I called Madeline back, and I felt guilty that I hadn''t answered her call since I could see many missed calls on my screen, and I was so busy talking with his grandpa''s friends. I undressed my clothes and took a warm bath, and I copsed on the bed after taking a shower. I was looking at the ceiling for a long time, and I got up from my bed and brought my phone with me as I walked towards the balcony, and I called the only person I could call any time of the day.

    "Hunter! Why are you calling me at this hour? Is Maddie alright?" Calixto asked right away, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling.

    "I don''t know if I am going to feel hurt or happy; why is it every time I call the first question that wille

    out your mouth, is Madeline alright? Is there a chance you will ask me if I am alright, Cal?" I asked, feeling hurt.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Divenson, I couldn''t stop myself from worrying about Maddie all the time, and even now that she became one of the richest women in Neospoli, her life is still in danger because of

    your father." He said, and I could feel the worries in his voice.

    "It is okay, Cal; I am d there is someone out there who cares about my wife as you do," I responded.

    "Where are you, and why are you calling this old man at this hour when I was already sleeping peacefully." He dered.

    "And why did you answer my call?" I asked.

    "Because I could see the name, Hunter, and you know I could never ignore you, son. I hope everything is fine with you and Maddie." He answered.

    "Of course, but I am not fine; I am in Europe right now, and I am missing my wifeand son badly, Cal, and I don''t think I can stay here for one week, I don''t want to attend the SUMMIT, and all I want to do is go home to my family." I dered.

    "Hunter, I understand what you feel right now, and I experienced that when I was away from

    my family when I was so busy doing my job as your father''s assistant, and I didn''tin to your father because that time, it was my job. Your father hired me because of that reason, to be there for him every time he needed me," Calixto said, and I suddenly realized all the times he came with me on business trips when I was still single.

    "I am sorry, Cal; now I understand what you mean when you told me you needed toe home for your wife and kids, and I get it now, thank you for your time, Cal, and I am sorry for disturbing you; at this hour," I responded.

    "It is okay, Hunter, you know you can call me anytime, you go to sleep now, son, and before you know it, you will be home with your wife and son in Neospoli." He said, and I ended the call with a beautiful smile on my face, and I have always known Calixto will always help me feel better. And he was right. I can be with Maddie and Frank soon, and I couldn''t believe I just got here, but I already wanted toe home.

 Chapter 272 - Vacation Time

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hey, do you miss your dad, Frank?" I asked our son after I breastfed him, and I know he couldn''t speak yet, but I felt excited for that day toe, and I wondered what would be the first word that woulde out from his mouth, and I hope he will say mom, and couldn''t stop myself from missing my husband. It has been days that we haven''t seen each other, and it feels like years since Ist kissed Hunter.

    "I miss your dad too, buddy, but don''t worry, he willehome soon, and you should grow fast so we cane with him during his business trips, and I couldn''t wait to see you grow into an adult and I know you will look like your dad, and just promise me, you will not make girls cry, okay?" I asked, and it felt so funny to be talking to my infant in this manner. And I couldn''t wait for our son to grow up.

    Our baby was sleeping peacefully, and I carefully put him at the center of our bed, and I sat beside him for a long time, and the waiting time was killing me because I missed my husband like crazy.

    "Why do you look so sad now, Madeline? You sounded so confident when you told your husband he needed to attend the Business Summit." I heard Gina''s voice the moment she got inside our room, and she found me holding my phone, and I weakly smiled at my best friend.

    "I know I would be missing, Hunter like crazy, Gina, but do you think I will show it to him? We both know this is a very important part of his career where he can show to my grandfather that Hunter could be trusted to run my grandfather''s empire." I dered.

    "Well, I understand what you mean, but I guess Hunter doesn''t need to prove himself because he had been a good CEO of his mother''spany, and you should be proud of your husband." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "Of course, I am a proud wife, Gina, you don''t realize how happy I am right now for being his wife, and I couldn''t stop thinking about how many times you bring me to Archois hills so I could cry my heart out every time I got broken-hearted, and I wanted to thank you for never getting tired of bringing me

    to that ce," I said.

    "You know, I wanted to bring you back there at the right time when Frank is already big enough toewith you and enjoy the view of the hills." She responded.

    "And I think you should go back there and share your happiness to the cliff, and I don''t think that ce is only for broken-hearted," She added.

    "Wow, thank you for bringing that up, Gina; I wanted to go back there and shout my love for Hunter, I want the entire hills to know I am happy and contented now, and I was able to meet the family I am longing to have for a long time, and of course, I wanted to visit my aunt," I said, and she beamed at me.

    "Okay, we will do that, but I don''t think your grandpa will allow you to leave the city of Choraz; it has been a while that you didn''te home to Archois, and I think it is not yet safe to go back there knowing your father-inw is still looking an opportunity to harm you, Madeline, your grandfather almost lost his life just to protect you, and I am also afraid for your safety." She dered.

    "Yeah, I know, Gin, and I am sure Hunter will never allow me to go back to Archois even with him; he was afraid that something might happen to me, especially now that we have our son," I said.

    "Well, you can''t me your husband, Maddie, he almost lost you so many times, and I could tell he was afraid of losing you again. It wasn''t easy for all of us, and I don''t want to experience that kind of trauma, Madeline; that is why I want to ask you to be careful at all times." My best friend said.

    "Don''t worry, Gina, I survived even if for how many times rk wanted to make me disappear," I said, and she shook her head.

    "Maybe you are only lucky during those times; what if next time Hunter''s father finally got his chance to have you," She replied.

    "I still believe evil will not seed versus goodness," I countered, and she released a heavy sigh.

    "Madeline, we are talking about rk Divenson, and he will never stop until he takes you down, and I guess it was all because of Charlotte, she was the one who feeds information to him, and that is why he hated you," Gina said, and I agree with her.

    I was on my way to take my shower, and I leaped on my feet when I heard my phone ring,and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I looked at my husband''s name on the screen.

    "Hello, my love," I answered with my sweetest voice.

    "Oh, Madeline, I don''t know how I am

    going to survive for another day hearing your voice like that, you are killing me,my wife," Hunter said, and I couldn''t stop myself from giggling.

    "Why do you always call me when I am on my way to shower?" I asked.

    "Really, well, maybe because I love you so much that I can feel it whenyou are about to take a bath, and right now I wanted to go home, and three days is too long for me." My husband responded.

    "I want you toe home to, Hunter, but you need to have a little sacrifice," I replied.

    "I know, Madeline, I just miss you so much, and it feels like I haven''t seen and kissed you in years," He mumbled, and I smiled as I realized we were thinking in the same manner.

    "I was thinking the same way too, but know I am going to see you soon, and I am excited," I responded.

    "Of course, I know, and I wanted to draw the days so I can be with you; how''s our little boy?" He asked, and I smiled as I looked at our son on the bed.

    "Frank is already sleeping, but he told me he misses you so much," I answered.

    "I missed him too, and I love you both," He

    responded, and I felt so alone after his call ended.

    "How are you doing, Madeline?" My grandpa asked me the following morning after he took my son from me, and he carried Frank on his chest as we got inside the dining hall.

    "I am fine, grandpa," I replied, and he beamed at me after he sat on his chair, and then Lily got my son from him.

    "I know you are missing your husband like crazy, and you got bored being in the house for almost the entire week, and I think I should bring you somewhere today where you can rx and let us all go to one of our vacation houses." He said, and I hesitated.

    "Hey, don''t worry, I already informed your husband about it, and I told him you will be safe, and I will make sure the entire ce is safe; my men cleared the area, so you better get ready after breakfast because we need to leave in two hours." He said, and I smiled at my grandfather.

    "Thank you, grandpa," I responded.

    "Madeline, I always wanted to make you happy, but after your husband attended the Business Summit, you are always in your room," He said.

    "I am sorry, I couldn''t stop myself from missing him even if we have been talking on the phone every chance he can get," I responded.

    "Of course, it is normal to miss your husband, Madeline, and don''t worry, you will get used to it," He said.

    "He attended so many business trips before during early years in our marriage, but it feels so different now that we''ve got Frank," I replied.

    "Of course, my dear, and that is because it is nice to have your partner every time you wake up to feed and change your son''s diaper." He said, and I nodded as we continued eating our breakfast, and how I wish Hunter would join us in going to one of my grandpa''s vacation homes.

    I could see the excitement of Lily and Gina as we made our way to the coaster, and grandpa told us that aunt Francine and uncle Paul would meet us there. It took almost four hours before we reached our destination, and I could see the beautiful beach house that reminded me of our Vi in Magnolia. Still, the house is bigger and more beautiful, and it was the only house I could see in the vicinity; I haven''t been here, and I know my grandpa has many vacation homes, and I could tell right away I will be missing my husband more.

    The household staff was waiting for us at the house''s main entrance. They were all wearing uniforms, and my grandpa proudly introduced me to them as his only heir, and I suddenly felt worried if someone would betray us again like what happened at the Grant hotel. But my aunt told me once that my grandpa changed all his employees to all his properties, and only those who have been proven loyal to thepany remain.

    "Wow! I love this ce, Grandpa Hector!" Lily eximed as she looked at the house and the beautifulndscape that surrounded the entire house; I could see the ocean from where we were, and it was a beautiful ce that took my breath away, and the staff assisted all of us to get inside the house.. And I was shocked to see a familiar face amongst the staff that made my mouth hang open, and I couldn''t believe he would be here at my grandpa''s vacation home.

 Chapter 273 - Missing Him Like Crazy

    Madeline''s POV

    "Jack!" I eximed, and I couldn''t believe I would see him in my grandpa''s beach house.

    "Hello, Madeline, it seemed like motherhood suited you well, and you became more beautiful." He said as he looked at my face, and I couldn''t stop myself from blushing; I know I love my husband so much, but I couldn''t deny Jack is a handsome man, and until now, he still has the same effect on me. Maybe it was because he liked me, and I felt guilty that I had hurt him when I couldn''t reciprocate his love for me.

    I liked Jack Morigan as a friend because his family took good care of me when I ran away from the Divenson mansion, and I will forever be grateful for their kindness.

    "Jack, I want you to meet my son, Frank Luis," I said, and he was looking at my son with a wide grin on his face.

    "I could tell he will look like your husband when he grows up,and did you know if your child looked like your partner it means you are so in love with your husband, and if your baby got your physical features, then your husband is the one who is more in love with you?" He asked, and ughed.

    "Well, it could be true; I will not deny it anyway; I am proud to be in love with Hunter." I dered, and he beamed at me, and this time I could no longer see the pain beneath his smile.

    "Yeah, I know, and that is the reason why I learned to forget you, and I am d that I could talk to you now without feeling the pain," He said, and I felt so d, and I am so excited for my best friend, and I couldn''t imagine Gina''s reaction the moment she learned Jack was here with us.

    "I know it would be rude to ask, but why do the well-known chef and owner of one of the best restaurants in Archois would be here in Neospoli country? And this is so unexpected, and I never predicted I will see you here today, Jack," I stated.

    "Well, one month ago, your grandfather called me, ever since he visited Archois when he came to see you, and you brought him to my restaurant, your grandfather told me he couldn''t forget the taste of my every menu, and Hector invited me toe here, and he offered me a reasonable amount I couldn''t refuse that will help me to open another branch in the future." He answered, and my grandpa didn''t tellme anything.

    "Wow! That is great, and I couldn''t wait to tell Gina that you are here," I said, and I saw his face blush.

    "Is Gina here as well?" He asked, and I could see his face lit up when he mentioned my best friend''s name.

    "Yes, she is with us, and I guess she is still outside with my aunt," I responded.

    "That would be nice to see herter, and if you will excuse me, Maddie, I needed to go to the kitchen now; I need to prepare your lunch." He said.

    "Okay, but you have to promise me you will be joining us in every meal," I said, and he gave me one of his sweetest smiles.

    "I couldn''t believe you would tell me the same thing as what your grandfather had told me." He replied, and I chuckled.

    "Now I could tell I am his granddaughter," I said, and Jackughed.

    "Jack, it feels so nice to see you, and I was hurt when you didn''t show up thest time I invited you," I said, and his face turned serious as he looked at me.

    "I wanted to attend that party, Madeline, but I promised myself I would see you next time when I am ready, and now here I am as one of your close friends." He responded.

    "And I am no longer the man who once became so crazy with you to the extent that I hoped one day you will leave Hunter, and you will realize I am the only man for you, and as I think about it now, I felt so ashamed of myself for thinking that way." He dered, and I was surprised with his confession.

    "I wasn''t proud of myself for thinking that way, and I felt so thankful that I came to realize I could never have you as more than friends because no matter what kind of trouble you are going to face, you will never stop loving Hunter, and I could say he is such a lucky man for having you as his wife." He added.

    "And knowing he was so in love with you too, made me realize I should be happy for you, that in the end, you''ve got what you wanted in your life, and I just want you to know, Maddie, I am so happy to see you with your child, and I couldn''t wait to see your husband," Jack said, and I smiled at him.

    "Yeah, and I am excited to inform Hunter, you are here, and like my grandpa, he was also fascinated by your cooking, but he couldn''t stop himself from feeling so jealous of you," I said, and he chuckled.

    "There is nothing Hunter should be jealous of about me because he has you," He answered.

    "Yeah, I know, but he couldn''t control himself, and I know he is insecure with our closeness, but I am sure this time he will no longer feel that way," I dered as I looked at Jack, and I know Hunter will know right away, that Jack''s feelings for me are purely friendship.

    "You should go to the kitchen now," I said, and we said goodbye to each other, and I proceeded to my room feeling so happy and excited.

    "What?" Gina asked me after I told her Jack was in the house, and I asked her to lower her voice a bit because my son was sleeping on the bed.

    "You heard me, Gina, your Prince Charming is here, and this ce is very romantic, and there is a possibility that he will fall in love with you while you are in this beautiful ce," I said, and I could see the pain on her face.

    "Why is he even here? I don''t want to see her, Madeline," She said as she walked to the door.

    "Gina, wait," I dered, and she stopped and turned around to look at me.

    "I don''t want to be humiliated again, Maddie; he told me he can''t love anyone else and will be forever in love with you." My best friend said as she nced at me.

    "Well, he is a different man now, Gina, and you will never know what I meant if you do not speak with him, I could see how his face lit up when I told him you are here with us," I said,and her face suddenly lights up, and I could tell my best friend is blushing.

    "Are you sure about that?" Gina asked, and I nodded my head.

    "I am one hundred percent sure, and I will never lie to you; who knows, things will go differently, and you will have your chance with Jack," I replied.

    "I didn''t bring anything fancy, Maddie; what should I wear that I will look presentable in front of him?" My best friend asked, and I could see the panic on her face.

    "You need to rx and leave it to me, and I will ask Lily to do your hairter, and about your dress, all you have to do is look on my dresser, you know my aunt will never fail to surprise me, I couldn''t believe even here I''ve got all types of dresses I can wear, can you believe if I tell you I have a ball gown?" I asked, and she beamed at me as she started looking at the clothes on the wardrobe cab.

    "Who knows your grandpa will suddenly throw a party, and that is why you have gowns in here." She responded, and I smiled when she found a floral knee-length dress, it was a beautiful dress and not too fancy.

    "I am sure that dress will look good on you, and you need to find another one for dinner, and I think you will have your date at night," I said, and Gina giggled, and I already promised myself to help Gina with Jack.

    .

    And I never expected my grandfather would help me, I only mentioned to him once that I wanted to repay Gina all the things she had done for me ever since we were younger, and I know she was always there for me. When my mom died, it was her whoforted me at the darkest moment in my entire life. I was so young back then, and I felt so alone.

    Everybody was excited to have lunch, and my best friend looked so beautiful, I know Lily did a great job on her hair and light make-up, and I know it would be impossible for Jack not to find her attractive.

    Aunt Francine was carrying my little boy, and uncle Paul couldn''t stop himself from watching my little boy, and I could see the anxiousness on Gina''s face, and I took her hand as we walked on the shore.

    "You need to rx, Gina, we are only going to eat lunch, and you are not entering a beauty pageant where you will be asked by the judges some questions," I said as I tried my best to keep my voice so low, and I felt d sheughed.

    "I just couldn''t stop myself from feeling so nervous; what if he ignored me, Maddie?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "Believe me, Gina, Jack will never ignore you; you looked so beautiful!" I said, and she rxed a little as we made our way to the beachfront, where there is a beautiful native cottage big enough to hold a little party. I felt so worried when I suddenly saw my husband among the crowd, and I knew I was missing him crazy that is why I was hallucinating.

    But when he smiled and ran towards me, I couldn''t stop myself from meeting him halfway, and I threw myself at him while he put his hands around my waist, and he lifted me in the air while I couldn''t stop myself from giggling, and I felt so happy when I realized my husband finally came home to me.

 Chapter 274 - [Bonus Chapter]Maddieâ€™s Love For Me

    Hunter''s POV

    I read the message from Hector Grant, and I couldn''t believe he would text me, and he didn''t ask his daughter or my wife, not even Gina. He was informing me that he would take my wife on a vacation while I was away because he knew my wife was missing me, but thest part of his text made me frown, and I couldn''t stop myself from booking the next flight to Choraz, Neospoli Airport.

    "I invited the best cook in Archois because I love his menus, and I wanted my granddaughter to feel like she was back in Archois." Madeline''s grandpa stated on his text, and I read his text message repeatedly as I was on my way to the airport, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so anxious.

    "What do you want from me at this hour, Hunter?" Calixto asked on the other line, and I smiled as I realized how much I missed him.

    "I miss you, Cal," I said, and he chuckled on the other line.

    "Do you miss me, or do you want to ask me about something?" He asked, and I smiled even if he couldn''t see me.

    "Are you a mind reader, Cal?" I asked him, and heughed.

    "Come on, Hunter, I don''t need to be a mind reader to know why you are calling me, and spit it out now." He said, and I cleared my throat.

    "Can I ask you a question, Calixto?" I asked.

    "Don''t kill me with the suspense, Hunter; you know you can always ask me about anything." He responded, and I chuckled.

    "Can you tell me who is the best cook in Archois?" I asked, and he was silent for a long time.

    "And why do you ask me that kind of question, son? Do you want to have a franchise of his restaurant in Neospoli?" He asked.

    "Of course not, I know how to cook, but I am already busy with my career, and opening another business will upset my wife. I know I don''t have enough time for Maddie and our son." I responded quickly.

    "Hunter, you can search that on the web, and you will have your answer, but I could tell it will break your heart to know who he is," Calixto stated.

    "Any why do you think it will break my heart, Cal?" I asked, and he cleared his throat before he spoke.

    "Jack Morigan became number one not only because he is excellent but because of his charm, and women are going crazy with him every time he showed up on his show, and I heard his cooking show is number one in our country." He responded, and I slumped on my seat.

    "Why do you ask me?" He asked, and I released a heavy sigh.

    "Hector Grant invited the most famous chef in Archois, and I was wondering who it could be, and thank you for the information, Calixto," I said.

    "And why do you sound so sad after knowing it was Jack? He is one of Madeline''s close friends, Hunter, and you should be happy." He dered.

    "Yeah, I know, Cal, grandpa was taking my wife and the entire family to one of his vacation homes, and he invited Jack to cook for them," I said, and Calixto wasughing so hard.

    "Oh, I see, so you are jealous," he said, and I couldn''t disagree with him.

    "Yeah, I am fucking jealous right now, and I don''t even know how to control my jealousy, Cal," I said as I curled my fists on my side.

    "Hunter, you have been married for a long time, and for how many times you hurt your wife, but she never goes to Jack''s arms, and do you know why?" He asked.

    "Why?" I responded.

    "Because your wife''s heart only beats for you, Madeline is in love with you, Hunter, and she told me once, she couldn''t imagine herself loving anyone else, and your wife told me, you are the only man Maddie will ever love until on the day she will take herst breath," He said, and my heart swelled with happiness.

    "Are you sure about that, Calixto? You are not only telling me that because you want me to feel better?" I asked.

    "And why do you think I will lie to you? Hunter, your jealousy will not do you good. Jack and your wife are only friends, and you know that in your heart and stop feeling that way because it will only hurt Madeline''s feeling knowing you are jealous of her friend." Calixto responded.

    "You have to get closed with Jack because he is also close with Madeline, and if you really love your wife, you have to let go of your own insecurities because you''ve got it all. You are handsome and have overloaded sex appeal, and you are so rich, so you don''t need to feel insecure, son." He added.

    "Thank you, Cal, I know, but I couldn''t stop myself from feeling this way; that is why I am calling you. I know you will help me control myself, don''t worry, I will be good to Jack this time." I answered.

    "Good, because Jack Morigan is a good young man, and you don''t need to be jealous with him, and he has always been honest with his feelings to Maddie, but for how many times she rejected him, and do you know there were times I wanted Madeline to fall in love with him?" He asked, and I was shocked by his revtion.

    "And why is that?" I asked.

    "When I saw her in pain because of you, Maddie still wanted you in her life no matter how she was hurting, and she never gave up on you, not even once, Hunter." He said, and I felt so guilty.

    "I know, Calixto, and I already paid the price when I almost lost her when she saved my sister. And I could still remember the pain of losing Madeline on the fire, and it made me almost lose hope, but when I learned she was alive, I wanted to swim the ocean to be with her right away." I responded.

    "I know, Hunter, and stop worrying over nothing, enjoy your life with your wife while you are still both young, son, believe me, when you are old, your mind is the only thing that will keep you busy, but your body will feel too tired to do what was your mind was telling you to do, and I am telling you to enjoy and savor each moment you have with Madeline." He dered.

    "I know Cal, and that is why I am now on my way to the airport; I don''t care if Hector Grant will fire me," I responded, and Calughed.

    "It will never happen, Hunter; Hector couldn''t fire Madeline being his only heir so that you will be stuck with her grandfather''s richness." He said, and it was my turn tough, and I said goodbye to Cal, feeling better.

    The moment I arrived at the Choraz airport, I asked thepany driver to drive me to the beach house where the entire family was having fun, and I felt so anxious to meet my wife and kiss her, and of course, I am dying to have our son in my arms. I got out of the car when I arrived at my destination and carried my luggage, and when my sister saw me, she came running to me.

    "Hunter, I thought you would being home this weekend!" Lily eximed as she put her arms around my waist, and I hugged my sister back.

    "I miss my wife and son like crazy, Lily," I said, and my sister smiled at me after I released her from my embrace. She asked me toe with her to the cottage because she wanted me to surprise Madeline, and my mom hugged me right away, and they all greeted me, and Hector didn''t even ask me why I left the summit; he only tapped my shoulder, and he weed me warmly.

    And I was holding my breath when I saw my beautiful wife walking gracefully on the sand together with her best friend, and Aunt Francine was carrying our little boy while uncle Paul was bringing the umbre even if the sun hid beneath the clouds.

    The beautiful creation around me failed inparison to the natural beauty of my wife''s face, and I know she stopped in her tracks when our eyes met, and she couldn''t believe I would be here at this hour, and I could no longer contain myself from running to my sweet wife.

    Madeline was also running towards me, and I took her in my arms, and I picked her up and lifted her in the air, and I spun her around, and when I put her feet back on the sand, she was looking at me with happiness all over her face, and I caressed her face with my fingers.

    "Hunter, are you even real?" She asked in more than a whisper, and I couldn''t stop myself from chuckling; I pulled her closer to me, and my wife''s familiar scent drove me nuts, and I love how she blushed as I leaned down and captured my wife''s enticing lips.

    I kissed Madeline passionately, and we made out as I could feel the ocean breeze brushing on my skin.. I kissed her long enough to make her breathless while our family was watching us with smiles on their faces, including Jack Morigan, and I realized Calixto was right; I needed to let go of all my insecurities because I knew how much my wife loved me.

 Chapter 275 - My Love For Hunter

    Madeline''s POV

    "What are you doing here?" I asked in disbelief after my husband made me feel breathless and made my lips swell from his kiss.

    "Aren''t you happy to see me, my dear wife?" Hunter asked as he looked at my still swollen lips and the way his eyes lingered on my lips made me want to run away with him to my room, and I could see the hurt on his face as I cupped his face.

    "You can see the happiness all over my face, my dearest husband; I just couldn''t believe that you will be here knowing you still have days to attend the Summit," I responded, and he took my hand.

    "I couldn''t wait to see you and our son, it was the longest days of my life without seeing you, my sweet, you just don''t know I wanted to be with you every time I see your face on my screen, and when I heard your seductive voice I wanted to take the next flight so I can be with you, and we can make love all night long." He said in more than a whisper, and I couldn''t stop myself from blushing.

    "I felt the same way too, Hunter; I miss you every second of the day," I responded, and he smiled at me.

    "I know, and I could feel it the way you kissed me back, my Madeline." He said, and his reply made me feel so giddy. I couldn''t stop myself from smiling ear to ear as he brought me to the cottage; everyone greeted my husband, and he said hi to them, but I could see that his eyes zeroed on our little one, and I could see the tears of happiness on my husband''s eyes as he came closer to our son.

    And when my aunt handed our baby to my husband, Hunter slowly brought him closer into his chest, and he kissed our son''s cheeks, and I couldn''t stop my tears as well; it felt so lovely to watch my husband look at our son with full of affection on his face, and I know this child is the reminder of how much we love each other, and knowing my husband came home for us was enough to make me feel I am the luckiest girl in the world for having Hunter as my husband.

    "Hey, aren''t you going to eat?" My grandpa asked me when he found me gazing at my husband and son.

    "I will eat together with Hunter, Grandpa," I responded, and I could see the beautiful smile on my grandfather''s face.

    "So sweet, Madeline, and I am happy that your husband didn''t stay in Europe until the event was over, and I could tell he was different from me, and that is a good thing, he valued his family first, and I could tell he left one of the executives of thepany to fill in his absence." My grandfather dered as he looked at Hunter with admiration on his face.

    "And how I wished I did the same when I was in his age, and I know regrets will never do me good, but I wanted to share it with you so you will have ideas, and I don''t think I need to remind your husband how to be a good father and husband because he showed me something I should have done when I still have the chance." Grandpa Hector added.

    "And now Hunter reminded me of the many chances I have lost in my lifetime, and I wasn''t proud during those times, I thought I had the best reasoning, and no one can stop me from doing what I want because I wanted to be the richest man in the entire country." He added.

    "And I wanted everyone to acknowledge me, and I felt so proud that everyone in Neospoli, including men from other countries, wanted to meet me, but they didn''t realize my only son ran away from me because he couldn''t stand me, and it made me realized right now, no matter how wealthy I be, I could never bring back the time, and I could never have another chance to be with my only son." He stated, and I could see the sadness on his face, and I didn''t have any idea how to make him feel better.

    "Grandpa, it is never toote; you still have your chance to enjoy your time with my son and me," I said, and he smiled at me.

    "Yes, Madeline, I know, and thank you so much for making this old man enjoy his remaining days on earth!" He responded, and I sat beside him, and I put my head on his shoulder; why I watch my husband look at our son with a beautiful smile on his face.

    "Granpa, can I ask you something?" I asked.

    "Of course, anything you want, Madeline, I will give it to you." He responded right away.

    "Can you promise me that you will live longer to enjoy my days with you? That is all I ask from you?" I responded, and he wasughing so hard, and it made everyone looks at us.

    "Oh, my sweet grandchild, do you know how excited I was to listen to your request? I thought you would be asking me to buy you a brand new sports car, thetest iPhone on the market, or a set of jewelry, and you are different. How can you be so simple, Madeline, when your grandpa is the richest man in this country, and I can give you anything you want." He dered.

    "And you reminded me so much of your father, you don''t cling to material things, and you only ask me for my time which makes me happier and grateful." He dered as he caressed my hair with his fingers.

    "But what you are asking me is impossible, Madeline; I can''t promise you that because I don''t want you to hate me when I am in my coffin. I am already old, Maddie, but I will try my best to live longer, but we both know, we only have one life, and we don''t know when we will leave this world, but I want you to know, I want to spend more time with you and see your son grows into an adult." He said as he looked at me full of fatherly love.

    "Don''t worry, I will try to bribe death with my richness; maybe he will grant to my request," he said, and Iughed with his joke, but I couldn''t deny I felt so sad, and I couldn''t stop myself from frowning, and just thinking my grandpa will be gone someday made me feel like crying.

    "Hey, you don''t need to be sad; I am still strong, Madeline." He said, and I smiled at him.

    I ate lunch with Hunter after I breastfed our son, and Aunt Francine and Uncle Paul looked after Frank as we enjoyed our food. And I missed eating while watching the ocean before us, and this is one of my favorites, having fun with my loved ones on the beach eating our favorite food.

    "Wow, this food is tasty," Hunter mumbled, and I weakly smiled as I remember Jack prepared the food, and when I looked up, Hunter was looking at Gina and Jack talking on the beach and even if their backs are on us; I could tell my best friend is blushing right now. And I couldn''t wait to adobe alone with her and ask Gina about their conversations, and I felt so d our n worked, and I couldn''t be happier thinking my best friend would end up with Jack.

    "I couldn''t believe grandpa would hire Jack." He said in more than a whisper.

    "Are you still jealous of Jack?" I asked as I teased him, and when he looked at me, I could tell his answer right away, even if he would deny it to me.

    "Yes, my dear wife and Jack were one of the reasons I came all the way here from the airport, but the way you kissed me in front of everyone a while ago made me feel so stupid for feeling that way; I know how much you love me, Madeline." He dered, and I could see him licked his fingers to clean the sauce of his grilled pork on his hand digits, and I couldn''t stop from feeling so excited to be alone with my husbandter tonight, and his honesty made me

    I love him more.

    "I hope you will not be upset with me; I promised you from now on I will be friends with Jack, and I couldn''t wait to have a drink with himter tonight," He responded.

    "Please don''t," I mumbled, and I could see the confusion on his face.

    "You don''t want me to be friends with Jack?" He asked, and I smiled at him.

    "Of course, I have wished for that day toe, Hunter, but please don''t ask him to have a drink with you. Can''t you see I am trying to be a cupid?" I asked, and his eyes widened, and my husbandughed.

    "So, you wanted Jack to court Gina?" He asked, and I asked him to lower his voice, and we ended up talking in hush voices, and I couldn''t stop myself from giggling when Hunter told me how to make Jack fall in love with Gina more, and it was a ridiculous idea, but I think it will work on Jack.

    I knew it was based on Hunter''s experience, and I never expected to talk with my husband about these things.. It was fun to find ways to make my die-hard admirer fall for my best friend, and it made me realize my husband finally let go of his insecurities as he realized I only love him in this lifetime, and even after my death, I know he will always be my one and only.

 Chapter 276 - New Friend

    Hunter''s POV

    I couldn''t stop my tears from falling on my cheeks as I held my son on my chest, and it felt so satisfying to be a father, and watching my wife talking happily with her grandpa made my dayplete. And I don''t have regrets abouting home even if the event hasn''t ended yet, and I felt so d Hector Grant didn''t say anything about why I came home ahead of time, and I guess he understood the feeling of being away from my family.

    When Aunt Francine took our son from me, I didn''t waste my time to join with my wife, and I could tell it was a fantastic day to celebrate the gift of life. After eating lunch, we talked, and I watched my sister on the water having fun with my mom; I couldn''t believe that my father turned more wicked that we needed to double the security for Madeline and my son''s sake. It was a shame knowing he was my father.

    I felt so worried about Charlotte, I thought she changed, and it hurt me because I know mom is hurting inside because of my sister. And if I could only do something about it, I already did it, and all I can do right now is to wish that she will finallye to her senses and advise dad to give it a rest.

    My father and sister should be happy for me; I felt so delighted when I learned Maddie is the only heir of Hector Grant because I knew it would finally make my dad ept Madeline as my wife, but I didn''t expect that my dad hadn''t changed, and I wondered why? And it made me question why he needs to be so angry with Madeline when my wife has nothing to do with him, and as far as I know, he only wanted me to marry Kaye because of their wealth, but when everything got reversed, he still feels the same way towards Madeline.

    Kaye''s father was convicted, and their family lost everything they had while Maddie got everything she needed with her life; she will be the wealthiest person in Neospoli the moment Hector Grant transferred everything in her name since Aunt Francine wanted to give her share to my wife as well. Everything was perfect, but it never pleased my dad, and I could tell there was something more.

    "Hey, are you okay, Hunter?" Maddie asked when she found me staring into space, we were sitting on the sand, and I smiled as I nodded my head, and I pulled her closer to me.

    "Of course, Madeline, why should I not be okay when I am with you and Frank. Everything is perfect, my love." I whispered in her ear, and I could see the hair at the back of her neck stand up, and I couldn''t stop myself from grinning. It feels so lovely to see her like this, and she put her head on my chest while I circled my arms around her waist, and the intoxicating scent is enough to drive me insane.

    "You can''t lie to me, my love, and I know you are thinking about your dad and sister." She said, and I fell silent because I didn''t want to deny nor confirm she was right.

    "I just want you to know, you can talk with me anytime, and I don''t hold any grudge towards your father even for how many times he attempted to hurt me, and I am just d I was so lucky, and I could tell, my guardian angel must be quick and so smart that he always alert in protecting me." She dered.

    "Thank you, my love, don''t worry, I will talk to you if I am thinking about my father." I lied, and she fell silent as she continued to watch the endless water in front of us until she dozed off to sleep.

    And Iloosened my necktie and opened the buttons of my undershirt since I was still wearing my business suit. Itlooked so funny that everyone around me was wearing swimming attire, and it felt like I belonged to the security team who were hiding from us, but I knew they were there watching the surroundings for possible threats.

    And I don''t want my wife to have this kind of life since she enjoyed her freedom before bing my wife. Right now, Maddie can''t leave the house without bodyguards, she didn''tin even once, and I couldn''t stopmyself from feeling so worried that anytime something will happen to her and our son.

    The day passed in a blur, and it was almost sunset; I smiled when I looked at my wife and son sleeping in the cottage, and they looked both adorable. The rest of my family returned inside the house except with Aunt Francine and Uncle Paul, who are talking while they are both lying on the beach lounger near the cottage, enjoying the breeze of the ocean.

    I walked on the sand barefoot while I was still wearing my cks. I pulled up the hem of my pants as I walked along the shore, I enjoyed walking on the wet sand, and when I raised my head, I found Jack walking in my direction, and I could tell he had done cooking for dinner and he left the rest to the kitchen staff since he was on his cargo shorts and t-shirt.

    And I couldn''t deny his physical appearance could make girls go crazy with him, and I felt so d I met Madeline first before they got the chance to meet each other, or there is a possibility I will end up with a broken heart. Still, I believe Madeline is destined to be mine.

    "Hello, Mr. Divenson; I am sorry if I wasn''t able to speak with you during lunch." He said, and for the first time, I smiled at Jack genuinely.

    "Jack, you can call me Hunter from now on; besides, I could tell we will be family soon," I said, and Jack blushed; he knew we consider Gina as an additional member of our family; she is Madeline''s sister even if they are not rted by blood.

    "I hope she will give me a chance, Hunter, and I know I hurt Gina when she was still in Archois." He responded.

    "Well, I think she will give you a chance, buddy," I said, and he grinned at me.

    "You think so?" He asked.

    "I will tell you a secret, but you need to promise me never to tell my wife or Gina about it," I stated, and I could see his face lit up.

    "Of course, I will not tell a single soul." He replied.

    "Gina still likes you, Jack; I know about that because there are times my wife and Gina would be talking about you," I said, and he grinned at me.

    "So, there is nothing to be worried about, Jack, I am sure she will be your girlfriend before this vacation is over, and all you need to do is apologize," I added.

    "Okay, I will do that, and thank you so much for your advice," Jack responded.

    "It is nothing, besides we wanted you to end up with Gina because she is a wonderful woman, Jack, and she loves you," I stated.

    "Me too; I felt so happy when I learnedshe was here, and to be honest, I had been waiting for her to visit me at my restaurant, but after the day I rejected her, she never came again." He dered.

    "Of course, she felt humiliated and hurt, it was normal, and I could tell she wished never to see you again even if her heart was screaming to be with you," I said.

    "Trust me, I had been there, I became an idiot once, and you were the one who made me realize how much I wanted to have Madeline in my life," I said, and he beamed at me.

    "Don''t smile at me like that, Jack, because for how many times I wanted to beat you because of my jealousy," I said, and heughed.

    "I know, I could see it in your eyes, Hunter, and all I ever wanted for you is to open your eyes because I know from the very start, Maddie was so in love with you, and I felt so happy now that things are in ce, and you end up happily married with her, and now you have an adorable son." He dered, and I couldn''t stop myself from grinning from ear to ear.

    "Thank you, Jack; it has been a long time that I wanted to have a word with you, but I felt too embarrassed to admit my mistakes; you were the reason I realized I couldn''t take it if Madeline ended up marrying another man. You helped me to man up, and I know I hurt Madeline so many times, and I am not proud about it, and I wanted to take away all the pain she went through because of me." I said as I looked at the sun setting on the horizon.

    "You can never change the past, Hunter, all you need to do is to shower Madeline your love and care for the rest of your lives, and I know all the heartaches she experienced will slowly fade away." He responded, and I nodded my head.

    "Yeah, I will do that, Jack," I said.

    "See youter during dinner, Chef, and I hope we can have some drinks," I added.

    "Sure, I would love that, Hunter." He said, and we said goodbye to each other, and we went on separate ways.

    I walked towards the cottage feeling like I became a different man after talking with Jack, and I knew it was because I found a new friend, and I smiled as I realized how I missed Calixto Morgan.. I couldn''t wait to tell him I had gained another friend, and I am sure he will be so happy for me because he had beenining that he is my only close friend.

 Chapter 277 - Best Friends

    Madeline''s POV

    "Aren''t you afraid grandpa would fire you?" I asked my husband when we were alone in our room, and he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

    "I don''t think your grandfather will do something like that, Madeline." He responded as he came closer to me, and I could smell his masculine scent right away, which always drives me nuts and brings a beautiful sensation all over my body.

    "Your grandpa wanted me to follow my heart, and he knew you would be happy if Ie home to you and Frank." He added, and I could feel the butterflies swarming on my belly when he put his hands on my hips.

    "Do you miss me, my sweet Madeline?" He asked, and I teased him by shaking my head.

    "Oh, really, but the way you kissed me a while ago on the beachfront tells a different story." He mumbled and let his hands caress my arms.

    "I miss you terribly that I wanted to be alone with you right away and taste your sweet lips." He added while his hands roamed around my body and found my sensitive parts that made the cells all over my framee alive.

    "I miss you so much, my wife." He continued, and when he captured my mouth, I was lost in his world, and it elicited a soft moaning from my mouth, and he chuckled.

    "Aren''t you going to admit you miss me, my wife?" He asked, and his intense gaze made me nod my head.

    "Of course, I miss you so much, Hunter, I wanted to beg you toe home, but I don''t want you to think I am a clingy wife," I replied, and heughed.

    "I always wanted to be with you too, and I will never call you clingy, my wife. I couldn''t wait to kiss every inch of you, my sweet wife." He whispered in my ear with a husky voice that brought a shiver in my entire body down to my spine, and when he found the hem of my dress and pulled it off, I couldn''t stop my heart from racing, and the anticipation of having my husband''s hard manhood inside me was killing me.

    The way Ashton caressed and kissed every part of my body made me scream his name, and I know how it felt to be in his arms, but every time we made love, it still felt different, and I couldn''t get enough of my husband. We made love, and I could feel Hunter''s love for me with every kiss and touch of his hands.

    "I love you, Madeline!" He grunted as he came, and I was panting after we shared another hot and steamy lovemaking. I couldn''t stop myself from smiling from ear to ear as I watched his naked body, and I couldn''t stop myself from biting my lower lip which would always drive him crazy, he imed my hungry mouth once again, and we made out like teenagers until my lips got swollen, and we made love again.

    "Wow, it was one way of showing me how much you miss me, my dearest husband," I mumbled as I copsed on the bed beside him after riding my husband.

    "Of course, I want to show you more, but we still have dinner to attend to, and I don''t want to tire you, and we still have a long nightter, my sweet." He said in more than a whisper, making me blush, thinking we would be making love againter tonight.

    I could see over the window that it was still sunnyoutside, and I wanted to ask him to have a walk with me on the seashore, but I wanted toy in bed with his arms around me. It feels so lovely to put my head on his chiseled chest.

    "I think Gina and Jack will hit it off just fine." My husband said while he was caressing my back.

    "I hope so, and I wanted my best friend to be happy atst. She deserves all the happiness in this world. She was the only person who never left, and she had sacrificed so much for me, and I know even if you won''t tell me about it, you hired her not because you needed additional staff, but you wanted me to feel at home; by having Gina around." I dered, and I could see the guilty look on my husband''s face, but he was still trying to deny it by shaking his head.

    "Hey, Gina is good with what she does, Madeline." He responded.

    "I know, Hunter, but you can hire anyone from Neospoli. You don''t need to hiremy best friend from Archois. But don''t worry, my love, I appreciate all the things you have done to make me a happy wife, and I am so grateful for having you as my husband and father to our adorable son." I dered as he scooted closer to me.

    "Of course, Madeline, it was part of my n, but I wanted Gina to have a promising career, and she is an excellent employee, but if the timees your best friend will decide to resign, I will never hold her back, but I guess if she ends up marrying Jack, then she will handle the marketing for Jack''s restaurant. I heard grandpa offered Jack a proposal, and he asked him to open a branch of his restaurant here in Neospoli." My husband responded, and my smile widened.

    "Wow! That would be great!" I said happily.

    "Yes, it is," he answered, and we fell silent; I couldn''t wait to speak with my best friend, and I felt so delighted that my best friend would have Jack as her boyfriend.

    I talked with my husband until I fell asleep in his arms, and when I woke up, I realized he was no longer beside me. I got up and went to the bathroom, and I took a warm shower. After I put on one of my favorite casual dresses, I walked toward the balcony of our room, and I realized the sun was setting on the horizon.

    My heart swelled with happiness when I looked at the shore and found my husband carrying our son while he was talking with my grandfather, and it was such a lovely scene that I couldn''t stop myself from taking pictures of them, and I realized they were the three males I love the most in this world.

    I couldn''t stop myself from taking photos when I received a message notificationing from Gina, and I smiled when I realized she was asking me if we could talk.

    "Sure, I will be here waiting for you on thebalcony of our room," I responded, and I realized she was already outside the door because before I could even send my follow-up text, she was already standing beside me on the balcony.

    "Hey!" She greeted me with a wide grin on her face, and I couldn''t stop smiling at her from ear to ear.

    "Judging by the look on your face, I could tell you are so happy, and itseems like you are on cloud nine right now, Gina," I said, and she giggled.

    "Yes, I couldn''t put it into words how happy I am, Maddie, and thank you so much for making your best friend so happy, and I know you are behind all this; you can''t lie to me." She said, and I raised my eyebrows.

    "Gina, I had no idea that Jack would be here, it was only a coincidence that I wanted him to have a date with you, and I think you should thank my grandpa," I responded.

    "Really? You didn''t ask your grandfather to invite Jack?" She asked in disbelief, and I shook my head.

    "Yes, it wasn''t me, Jack suited to be called the best chef in Archois, and I am sure it was the reason why my grandpa hired him," I answered.

    "And he became an instant celebrity the moment his cooking show aired, and you can''t deny Jack is handsome and hot, Gina. It means you are so lucky to be his girlfriend." I said, and her face fell.

    "I know he came here to see you, Madeline," She said as she looked at the shoreline while I still could see my husband and grandpa are talking, and I beamed when I realized it was now grandpa who was carrying our son on his chest.

    "Maybe yes, but it was because he wanted to tell me that he is over me and now ready to enter a rtionship. Jack didn''te during the baby shower my aunt prepared for me since he wanted to show up when he was ready to tell me that he is no longer in love with me." I dered as I turned my head and looked at my best friend.

    "Gina, you need to give Jack a chance and I know you are still in love with him, and you don''t need to get jealous of me because you have always known that I love him as a friend only. I am so in love with my husband, Gin." I added, and she gave me a shy smile.

    "I know, Madeline, don''t get me wrong, you are my best friend, and our friendship means a lot to me, you are more than a sister, but I couldn''t stop myself from feeling this way. And I am sorry that sometimes I wish I was you." Gina continued, and I moved closer to her, and I held her hand.

    "You''ve got everything, but it doesn''t mean I am not happy for you, Maddie. I am the happiest person that you end up the richest woman in this country, being the heir of Hector Grant, and for having Hunter Divenson as your husband." She dered.

    "You don''t need to apologize, Gina; I understand, and I want you to know you are the reason I am still here, for how many times I almost gave up fighting, especially when my mom died, I was so young back then, but you were there giving me all the support that I need," I responded.

    "You helped me financially even if you ended up losing everything you saved for yourself; I know how badly you needed to buy a new cellphone at that time, but when you saw me crying because I needed to bring my mom into the hospital, you gave me your piggy bank without hesitation, and how could I forgot your kindness, Gina. And all I want is to pay back everything you have done to me." I said, and I hugged her as I could feel my tears falling on my cheeks.

    "You have already paid off everything, Maddie; besides, you don''t need to pay me. But you have given me everything I could ask for, and I am the luckiest person for having you as my best friend; I know even if you don''t admit it, you helped me to have this chance to meet Jack again and don''t worry, I will never let this opportunity be wasted.." She replied with a wide grin on her face, and we embraced each other for a long time; and my smile broadened when I saw my husband waving at me with a beautiful smile on his face, and I realized this was one of the best days I could ever have in my life.

 Chapter 278 Feeling Secured And Loved

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you having fun, my beautiful wife?" Hunter asked the moment he got back into our room from their walk on the sand, and I took Frank from him and breastfed him right away because I knew why my husband went back to our room sinceour son got hungry.

    "Yes, of course, this is one of the best vacations that I have, but nothing can beat our honeymoon, my love," I responded; my husband smiled at me, and his intense gaze made my entire body feel so weak, and good thing I was leaning my back on the headboard of our bed.

    "Of course, it will always be the best memory, Madeline." He said as he sat beside me, and Hunter was holding our son''s hand while he was caressing my face.

    "And now that we have our son, I wanted to create more memories with you and Frank, and I couldn''t wait for him to say the word, daddy and mommy." He said.

    "Me too, my love," I responded, and we both looked at our son as he suckled my breast. And I always loved every time I breastfed him, and it made me feel more connected with my infant; like Hunter, I couldn''t wait to hear the first word that came out of our son''s mouth, and I couldn''t wait for that moment toe.Hunter took our son from me, and he carefully put him in the crib after our son fell asleep.

    "I missed you so much, Madeline," my husband said the moment he joined me in the bed.

    "I missed you too, and I hope you will never attend another business conference, but I know being the CEO of my grandpa''spany, it is part of your job," I said as he brought me closer to him, and I could feel the knots on my stomach when I felt him caress my arm.

    "Me too, my sweet Madeline, but when Frank is big enough to travel, I want you and our son toe with me every time I need to attend business meetings and conferences." He responded, and I nodded my head.

    "Of course, I would love to, and I wanted to visit those ces with you and Frank," I said, feeling so excited to travel, even if I knew there would be a risk. Still, I know Hunter will ensure our safety, and I am sure my grandfather will hire the best men to protect my family, but I couldn''t stop feeling worried sometimes.

    And how I wished a time woulde when I would be enjoying my life without thinking about my safety, like during those days when I was still living with my aunt; I was enjoying my freedom back then, and I didn''t realize marrying a big shot will put my life in danger, but I know I love Hunter. I am willing to do everything for him.

    "Hey, Madeline, you need to wake up; dinner is ready," I heard my husband''s voice waking me up from sleep, and I didn''t realize I had dozed off to sleep while his arms were curled around me.

    "Oh, I am sorry, I don''t want to sleep, but I guess I missed sleeping in your arms so much," I said as he was pulling me up with him.

    "It is okay; you don''t need to apologize, it was so lovely watching you in your sleep, my love, and that is one of the things I miss about you. I missed your scent and everything about you." He responded, and when I looked at the crib, our little boy was no longer there.

    "Lily texted and asked me if she could borrow our son, so I texted my sister when Frank woke up, and she came rushing here and brought him outside." He answered me before I could even ask him where our son was. And I seductively put on my dress while my husband was looking at me the entire time.

    "You looked so beautiful in that summer dress, my love, but you are gorgeous without it, and I wanted to ditch dinner and be with you here alone in our bed and make love with you until morning, but I don''t want grandpa Hector to wait for us because he was expecting all of us to join him at the dining hall." He said, I know I was blushing, and I wanted to tell him I felt the same way too.

    I couldn''t stop myself from staring at Hunter''s handsome face. It felt like I was still a teenager because I couldn''t stop having the knots on my belly as I looked at Hunter gazing at me. We got out of our room holding hands, and when we reached the dining hall, I realized they had been waiting for Hunter and me to join them because I could tell we were thest ones who arrived.

    "I am sorry, everyone, I fell asleep," I said as I looked them around the table, and they all responded it was okay.

    And then, my grandpa announced that we should dig in, and I couldn''t stop feeling so thrilled when I found Jack sitting beside my best friend. I couldn''t wait to know the full detailster, and then my grandpa Hectorplimented Jack right away after taking the first bite of his food, and the hottest chef in Archois blushed as he acknowledged my grandpa''s praise.<sub> </sub>

    The dinner was superb, and as expected, all the food was delicious; I couldn''t deny; that Jack is one hell of a cook. And I got so full after eating so many shrimps tempura and squids cmari.

    "Jack, the food is superb, and thank you for the meal," I said after dinner,

    "Thank you so much, Madeline; yourpliments mean so much to me," Jack answered me as he gave me one of his sweetest smiles while he nodded at my husband.

    We all got up from the long wooden table and proceeded to the beachfront, and we were all in awe. I realized my grandpa had hired one of the famous male singers in the country to entertain us for the night, and I almostughed when I found Lily in the front sitting on the beach nket, and I remembered the singer; he was Lily''s idol ever since she was twelve years old.

    I could see many beach nkets spread on the sand, and my husband chose the one near the water. He was sitting behind me while his arms were around my waist, and it felt so lovely to listen to mellow music on the seashore; and I could see grandpa seated beside with Hunter''s mom, and I was smiling from ear to ear when I found Jack and Gina are sharing a nket.

    My husband was singing with the artist, and I loved hearing Hunter''s masculine voice in my ear. I couldn''t believe it when the singer asked who wanted to sing a song at the front, Jack raised his hand right away, and the crowd got crazy. I was shouting with the rest, and I could tell my best friend was blushing. And everyone was in awe when we heard Jack''s voice, and I was surprised that he had a beautiful voice that is capable of melting girls'' hearts.

    Jack was singing "Beautiful In My Eyes" by Joshua Kadison, and he was staring at Gina the whole time he was singing his song. I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so happy as I looked at them, and I didn''t realize my tears were falling on my cheeks. We all pped our hands after he ended his song, and even the singerplimented Jack for his excellent performance; when he returned to his ce, I could see that Jack is now holding hands with my best friend.

    "Wow! I didn''t know Jack could sing like that," Hunter said in more than a whisper, and I giggled as I realized my husband praised Jack.

    "Me too, and I think my best friend is now on cloud nine, and I am sure she won''t be able to sleep tonight," I responded.

    "How about you? Did you sleep well after we first met?" He asked as he pulled me closer to him.

    "How can I sleep when you kissed me on the first night that we met, and it was my first kiss, Hunter, and I fell in love with you that night, and do you remember I was stealing nces at you while you were sleeping beside me on that night?" I asked.

    "Of course, I remember vividly, and I was trying my best not to kiss you, Madeline, but when I looked at your face, I was so lost, and I couldn''t stop myself from kissing you, and you were not the only one who didn''t sleep that night, I was thinking about your sweet lips and angelic face, and I wanted to im you, and I admit, I felt something so strong and real on the first night I met you, Maddie." He responded as he kissed my head.

    "I love you, Madeline," he added.

    "I love you too, Hunter," I responded.

    I smiled as I remembered our past, and I couldn''t deny I fell in love with Hunter on the night we first met, and right now, it feels so romantic to listen to the love song ying in the background while I am in the arms of my loving husband feeling secured and loved.

    .

    .

 Chapter 279 The News

    Hunter''s POV

    Maddie''s grandpa decided to extend our vacation for another three more days, and I felt so happy to spend more time with Madeline and our son. We were having so much fun, and I felt d Parker and Reba could join us on thest two days of our vacation, and I couldn''t stop thinking about my father and Charlotte.

    "Thank you so much for inviting us, Hunter," Parker said as we had our drinks near the shore; we were both wearing board shorts and sleeveless tank tops; I could see the sun setting on the horizon while my wife was carrying our son on her chest together with my mom, Reba, Lily, and Gina. They were walking barefoot on the white sand.

    "Of course, I wished you could join us and have time to rx with Reba," I said.

    "Do you have some news about our father?" I asked, and he looked at me.

    "He came to my office a couple of times, and he asked me to side with him and Charlotte, and I begged him to stop, but I don''t understand why father hated your wife so much, Hunter." He said, and I heavily sighed.

    "What you mean to side with him?" I asked.

    "He warned me not toe here and speak with you or mingle with Madeline''s family. I could see the hatred on his face, and I wondered why, and it felt like there was something deeper reason why he couldn''t ept Madeline even if we found out Madeline is an heiress." He responded, and I was thinking the same thing.

    "I am sure father loved you, even if you are not his biological son, and I could tell he hated Madeline, especially now that you have a son," Parker added after drinking his liquor.

    "I don''t know what to think anymore, and I hate that until now; I felt so afraid if something would happen to my wife, Parker," I replied.

    "You better be careful, Hunter, and keep Madeline guarded at all times because thest time I spoke with father, I could see the determination in his face that whatever it takes, he will take Maddie from you." My brother dered, and my face fell, and I couldn''t stop worrying about my wife and son''s safety.

    "Thank you, Parker, don''t worry; I am doing my best to secure everything to make her safe, and I don''t want her to think I am taking away her freedom; you know she grew up in poverty." I dered.

    "And Madeline is not used to having bodyguards wherever she goes, and after she became my wife, everything was new to her, and I am proud to say my wife knew how to adopt her new life," I added.

    "But now that her life is in danger because of our father, she needs to live her life with bodyguards around her, and I am aware she doesn''t want this kind of life since she loves her freedom, and if before, I asked my men to keep distance from her, this time is different; they need to be with my wife at close range just to keep her safe." I continued.

    "Does she know about the threat to her life?" My brother asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Yes, and she is brave, Parker," I responded as I looked at Madeline, and I knew I would be lost if something happened to my wife.

    "I can see that, and when she told you about Reba, that was the bravest thing she had ever done; Madeline was already your wife at that time, but she chose to tell you the truth, and it was because Madeline has a good hard, and I felt guilty that I almost hurt her because of our father." He said, and I looked at my brother with confusion on my face.

    "Yes, it wasn''t my intention to hurt her that day, Hunter. Dad was the one who asked me to harass Madeline. He told me that if I do not follow his order, he will not include me in hisst will." My brother confessed, and I grunted under my breath.

    "Why you didn''t tell me about all this, Parker?" I asked.

    "I don''t want you to hate dad, and I know you will give me another chance if I apologize to you because I know you are a good person, Hunter, and as my big brother, you protected me so many times."He responded.

    "On the night Madeline came to our house, dad briefed me on what to do, and I didn''t want to do it with Madeline because I like her to be my sister-inw; I could see her innocence, and I pitied her that she was forced to stay in our mansion and to be honest, I hate you for using your money just to have her as your wife." My brother dered, and his revtion shocked me.

    "But when I realized Maddie was falling in love with you, and I could see it in your eyes that you were feeling the same way too, I felt so d, and I knew that you would never be the same man again," Parker added.

    "I was ashamed of what I had done to Maddie, Hunter, and this time I wanted to make sure she was safe. I know you will do everything to protect your wife, and Hector Grant will do the same, but since our father has been nning his revenge for so long now, I am still afraid for Madeline''s safety." He continued, and I tapped my brother''s shoulder.

    "Thank you so much for your concern about Maddie, Parker, and you don''t need to worry; I already tightened the security around the house," I responded.<sub> </sub>

    "I felt d you told me the truth about what our father had done. I couldn''t believe he ordered you to harass my wife." I added.

    "I felt relieved you didn''t intend to harm Maddie that time, and even if it was a story from the past, I felt d I learned the truth now," I said as I smiled at my brother.

    "I nned to tell you everything, but I haven''t got the chance, and now, I feel so worried about Madeline''s safety, and I know I need to tell you everything that I know." My brother responded.

    "Thank you, Parker," I said, and I felt d Parker was on my side.

    The dinner was lively as usual, drinks were served, and all I could hear was theughter at the table and how I wished everything would be okay, but I couldn''t stop worrying about Madeline.

    "Hey, are you okay, hubby?" I smiled when I heard my sweet wife whispering in my ear.

    "Yes, of course," I replied as I looked at her, and I curled my arm around her tiny waist.

    "You don''t look fine to me, and I could see worries all over your face." She seriously said, and Iughed at her.

    "Are you a mind reader now, my sweet?" I asked, and it was her turn tough.

    "I don''t need to be a mind reader to know what is going on with you, my dearest husband. I could tell your mind is somewhere else because mom has been calling your name," she said, and I looked at my mother, who was also looking at me with a troubled look on her face.

    "I am sorry, I was thinking about work." I lied, and she squeezed my palm.

    "Don''t worry, my love, everything will be alright." She said, and I beamed at her.

    The family vacation ended happily, and everyone had fun, and we all needed to get back to reality. I felt so happy that Maddie''s grandfather allowed us to enjoy ourselves on his vacation home.It was the best vacation for all of us.Parker and Reba, together with Jack, returned to Archois city riding Hector''s private ne.

    I couldn''t believe it when we heard the sad news, my brother and Reba died in a car ident two days after arriving home in our hometown.

    "No, this is not happening," my mom cried out after I told her about the tragic ident that happened to my brother and his wife and my ex-fiancee.

    "Calixto was there at the hospital, mom, and he took care of everything," I said as I took her and Lily in my arms; they were both hysterical, and I could no longer stop my tears from falling while I could see my wife hugging Gina, and she was also crying.

    "Hunter, please, let mee with you. Aunt Francine would take care of our baby; you can''t leave me here; I need to see Parker for thest time after you told me everything; I wanted to call him, but I couldn''t believe he would die, and I wanted to see Reba too, " my wife was begging me, but I know I can''t bring her to Archois, not this time.

    I couldn''t stop having doubts about Reba and my brother''s death. It was painful for us, and I wanted to make Madeline stay, but I was afraid to leave her behind. I have fears now, and I felt confused about what to do, especially if I looked at my wife''s beautiful face.

    "If you love me, you should bring me with you, Hunter," she dered.

    "My sweet Madeline, that is unfair, don''t do this to me, please; you know how much I love you, and I can''t risk it; I couldn''t take it if something happens to you," I responded.

    "Hunter, nothing will happen to me, we will be together, and I promise to be at your side always." Madeline insisted, and when she came closer to me, she tiptoed and kissed me on the lips. I lost my sense of thinking, and the moment I tasted my wife''s lips, I knew it would take a lot of self-control not to say yes to my beloved wife.

    .

 Chapter 280 Brilliant Idea

    Madeline''s POV

    "It is still a no, Madeline, and I am sorry, I can''t risk it, my love," Hunter whispered in my ear, and I let go of his hand, and I got out of our room feeling so pissed with my husband.

    I couldn''t believe Hunter would not allow me to go home with him to our hometown. It has been a long time since we didn''t visit Archois City because of the danger. I felt so sad when I heard about the ident and what happened to Reba and Parker; I wanted toe home immediately.

    I know I will miss our little boy, but he will be safe if he stays here with my aunt and grandpa, and I can''t risk bringing Frank with us; it would be too risky and dangerous for our family to travel together and I couldn''t believe it is all because of rk.

    Lily and my mother-inw left a while ago, boarding my grandpa''s private ne; my husband needed to take care of some important matter in the office; he couldn''t leave his office without making sure everything was in order, and he was nning to go tomorrow.

    Hector Grant took over everything to Hunter, and my husband became the head of thepany; and his role was to ensure thepany was doing well and stable. It is his job to look over the operation, the finances, and the nning, even if there are managers under hismand.

    My grandpa wanted to make sure Hunter would turn over thepany to our son in the future withoutplications. My grandfather wished to make the operation smooth, with no illegal issues, and it would never be that easy because there would be employees who would try to sabotage the operation for personal gain.

    But I know my husband''s capability and his intelligence is beyondpare, and that is one of the factors I became more in love with my hot and handsome husband, but as of this moment, I don''t want to see Hunter.

    I was fidgeting as I made my way toward my grandfather''s study. I know he is reading something in his home office at this time, and I needed to speak with him or else I would go crazy.

    I didn''t even knock; I got inside quickly, and I smiled when I found him sleeping on his chair; and I sat on the side table watching him with a smile on my face. I almostughed when I saw the horrified expression on his face when he found me sitting in front of his table; when he opened his eyes.

    "Oh, my goodness, Madeline! You scared me, and I thought my wife visited me for real since I dreamed about your grandma." He said.

    I giggled as I realized how much he loved her and wished I got the chance to know and meet my grandma in person; she must be a fantastic woman; I could tell by how much my grandpa adored her even if she had died so many years ago. He didn''t get married again, and I could tell it was true love.

    "I could tell something is bothering you, and you are not in the mood, my child. What can I do for you, Madeline?" He inquired as he looked at me with concern on his face.

    "It is Hunter," I responded as I averted my grandpa''s gaze.

    "Did your husband hurt you?" He asked, and I shook my head.

    "Of course not, grandpa; I know my husband is not capable of hurting me physically; I know my husband loves me more than he loved himself," I said, and he smiled.

    "You are correct, he told me about that, and his deration of his love for you made me feel envious; how I wish I would be given another chance to go back in time, but I know we are living in reality, and it will never happen that I would go back in time." He answered.

    "So, I will spend my life regretting the things I didn''t make right, and one of those things I regretted the most, for being maniptive and a strict father to my son," Grandpa added, and I could feel the bitterness in his words.

    "Hey, don''t be so hard on yourself, grandpa; I know wherever he could be; Dad is happy now to see you taking good care of his grandchild and me," I said, and his face lit up.

    "Of course, I will do everything I can to keep you safe, Madeline." He said as he looked at me intently, and I could feel my nervousness.

    "What can I do for you, again?" He asked, and I got up and moved closer to him.

    "I want toe home with Hunter, grandpa Hector," I said, and his face fell, and I could tell there was no way I coulde home to Archois with Hunter. But I wanted to see Reba and Parker for thest time. I wanted to say goodbye to them, and most of all, I wanted to end rk''s wickedness.

    "Oh, Maddie, this is so hard for me to decide. I know you will get angry with me if I say no, and Hunter would not be happy with me if I say yes to you." My grandpa said, and he released a heavy sigh, and I could see the worries on his face.

    "Grandpa, there is nothing you need to be worried about, you have your men, and I know you have a special set of bodyguards. I think this is their chance to showcase their talents and abilities in dealing with a wicked and smart person like rk Divenson." I said.

    "And making you as the bait? I am old, but I am not yet crazy, Madeline." He said, and I shook my head, and I gave him one of my sweetest smiles.<sub> </sub>

    "Do you trust me, grandpa?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "With what is ying with your pretty little head? Why were you kidnapped and almost die during the fire on the boat and almost kidnapped by the pirate? No, Madeline, I will never trust you." He said, and I moved back to the chair.

    "Grandpa, please, hear me out," I said, and he slowly nodded.

    "I don''t want rk to kill another innocent person, he wanted to take me out of Hunter''s life from the very start, and I know it is me he wants to kill, and he will never stop until he can have me again. I am so afraid if next time he will target my son." I added, and his face darkened.

    "No, he can''t hurt you, Maddie, and I will never allow him to touch my great-grandson over my dead body." He growled.

    "Grandpa, we need to use this opportunity to capture him," I responded.

    "And put your life on the line? There is no way I will allow you to risk your life, Madeline." He retorted.

    "You need to rx, grandpa, and listen to my n," I said.

    "Okay, I will listen, but it will never be a guarantee; I will say yes to you, Maddie." He responded.

    "Fair enough with me, but I doubt if you will say no to my idea, grandpa," I said, feeling so confident and excited to initiate my n to stop and capture rk.

    "Well, I could say your idea is brilliant; as long as you are safe, I will not say no. I will contact the head of my security and tell him about your impressive idea." My grandfather said after I told him about my n, and I could see the satisfaction on his face, and I could tell he was so proud of me.

    "I believe this will work, and it is about time to bring him down; I was hesitant to take action since he was Hunter''s father, and please, don''t tell Hunter about this info I received a while ago from the men I stationed at Archois," he paused.

    "Based on their investigation, it was positive that rk was behind Parker and Reba''s death, and I couldn''t believe because of his greed for power and money, rk would take the life of his son, including his daughter-inw." My grandfather dered.

    I couldn''t stop feeling so angry with Hunter''s father, and even if he wasn''t my husband''s biological father, he was the only father he knew; that is why Hunter cared so much about rk. I couldn''t imagine Hunter''s reaction if he learned it was rk behind Reba and Parker''s death.

    "Good night, Madeline; you should go back to your room now, don''t make your husband worry about you," he said, and I nodded as I got up from my seat and kissed him on the cheek before walking out of the door.

    I am so excited to tell Gina about my n, and no one should know about it except my grandpa and his men, Gina and me.

    "Hey," I said as I found my husband sitting on thest step on the top of the stairs, and I could tell he was waiting for me to return to our room.

    "Aren''t you angry with me anymore?" He asked, and I smiled at my husband as I sat beside him.

    "No, I was upset, but I will never get angry with you, my love," I lied since I felt guilty that I felt so angry with him a while ago, and I know it was natural since I love my husband so much, and I couldn''t believe he will say no to me, but I understand his purpose for saying no.

    "You know that I love you so much, right?" He asked while he held and squeezed my hand, and I could feel the butterflies on my stomach as I found my husband looking at me with great intensity, and I could feel his love for me through his intense gaze.

    "Yeah, I know, Hunter, and you don''t need to exin why you don''t want me toe home with you to Archois; I understand it was because of your love for me, and for that, I felt so grateful, and happy," I responded, and he smiled at me.

    "I love you," I said, and I kissed him on the lips, and he kissed me back hungrily; I couldn''t believe I would be making out with my husband on top of the stairs, and I giggled when my husband picked me up as if I weighed nothing at all.

    Hunter walked faster going to our room, and I felt so excited and happy to share another intimate moment with my husband, wishing and hoping my n would work out so we would no longer live in fear and we would live our lives happily, knowing no one is nning to hurt my loved ones and me.

    .

 Chapter 281 Time To Mourn

    Hunter''s POV

    I could see the disappointment on Madeline''s face as she let go of my hold, and she turned around and went outside our room. I wanted to run after her, but I knew she needed time to let go of her anger toward me. I could say she went to his grandpa''s study, and she asked permission from Hector, but I had already told grandpa never to allow Maddie toe with me.

    I wished she couldn''t convince Hector using her charm; I know Madeline; she can easily persuade me by her puppy eyes look; that is why I avoided her gaze when we talked about going back to our hometown.

    I also asked Gina to advise Madeline to stay here while I was away. I couldn''t risk it because I knew my father was nning something bigger this time after he sessfully killed my brother and his wife, who happened to be my ex-fianc??e. I talked with Calixto, and he confirmed someone did something on Parker''s car, and it was one of my father''s men.

    I wished I had advised Reba to travel abroad and forget about our family, and I felt so guilty. I went to the nursery, and I smiled when I saw our son peacefully sleeping in his crib while his nanny was also sleeping on the folding bed.

    I looked at our son for a long time, and I doubted if my dad was nning to kill us all, but I knew he would never harm my mom and Lily. But I asked grandpa Hector''s help. My mother and Lily still needed protection, and I hoped he would not do something stupid during the funeral. I asked my mom to stay at one of Hector''s properties in the meantime.

    It was safe because grandpa''s men surrounded the area, and I was so tempted to bring my wife with me, but I couldn''t imagine if something would happen to Madeline. I''d rather die than see my wife get hurt by my dad. How I wished he was the one who died, I know it is not good to expect someone to die, but he had done nothing so far but threaten our family.

    I wished Madeline didn''t ask her grandpa not to file a case against my father when his men kidnaped her. He better rot in jail, or my brother could still be alive. I missed my brother so much, and I know we didn''t get along because dad tried his best to manipte Parker, and it felt so sad that in the end, my father still took my brother''s life.

    He asked his men to do something on his car, and Parker lost control, and I know what happened next; dad was heartless. I am having difficulty leaving Madeline and our son, but I needed toe home to Archois and be with my mother and sister.

    "I love you, son. Whatever happens to me, I want you to take care of your mom when you grow older, okay? But I will try to evade death for you and your mother. I love you both." I talked to my little child, and I wished to carry him in my arms, but I didn''t want to disturb his sleep.

    I kissed my son''s cheeks before I left the nursery room, feeling so sad that I was going to miss him and my wife. And when I got back, Madeline was still not around, and I could tell I had pissed her off; I wished she woulde back soon since I was leaving tomorrow morning, and I hadn''t told her yet.

    I already informed grandpa, but it is hard to say goodbye to my sweet wife. I was walking around in our room waiting for Maddie to return, but I felt worried since she had been gone for so long. I walked out of our room; walked towards the stairs.

    I had second thoughts if I woulde after her to grandpa''s study, but I hesitated, and I ended up sitting on top of the stairs and patiently waiting for my wife to return to our room.

    I could see the surprise on her face when she found me waiting for her, and my wife was wearing a beautiful smile on her face that made me horrified. I felt so worried if grandpa allowed her toe with me tomorrow; I felt relieved when she told me she understood why I didn''t want her to go with me.

    When my wife kissed me on the lips, I couldn''t stop kissing her back hungrily, and it felt so exciting to be making out with my wife, knowing anytime someone might see us, and before that happened, I picked up my wife and carried her towards our room, and herughter gives warmth to my heart.

    I made love with Madeline long and sweet, and I felt nervous knowing I needed to tell her I was leaving tomorrow.

    "My love," I said after we both copsed on the bed, panting after sharing another intimate moment.

    "Yes?" She asked as I pulled her closer to me, and I couldn''t believe I was still hard for my wife as I could feel her nakedness next to me, but I needed to stop since I had to speak with Madeline.

    "I am leaving tomorrow," I said, and she slowly nodded.

    "Of course, you need to be there to help mom process the important documents, and you need to go over thepany details, and I could tell it would take a long time before you cane back, grandpa said, you don''t need to worry about hispany." My wife responded, and I felt so d she didn''t sound sad as she spoke to me.

    "He will take over for the meantime; he missed working anyway," my wife said, and she was giggling, and I don''t think she was feigning her smile because I know when she was faking and worried about something.<sub> </sub>

    "Thank grandpa for me, my sweet," I responded as I caressed her face and kissed her again; and I knew I couldn''t stop myself from kissing my wife every time we were this close, and I felt d our love for each other is growing stronger every day.

    "I want you to take care of yourself and our son while I am away," I said.

    "Don''t worry about us, my love; grandpa''s men are all over the ground, and nobody can get inside unless your dad could afford to hire the Military force in Neospoli, but you don''t need to worry about anything; the newly elected president of Neospoli is my grandpa''s best friend, so I don''t think rk could prate here in Neospoli, besides grandpa''s men are monitoring his actions in Archois at this moment," Maddie responded. I felt so d she was now okay that I was leaving the following morning.

    When I woke up, I could feel Madeline''s naked body pressed against me, my arms were still around her, and she was peacefully sleeping; I didn''t want to go, yet I needed to get up since I knew the Divenson miningpany would copse if my father would take over. I know he was nning to sell thepany, and he was looking for the perfect time.

    I don''t want to give rk the chance to make my grandfather''spany go to waste, and I need to protect my mother''spany until Lily is ready to take over. I know my sister is tough, and she is intelligent. She can stand on her own by the time she takes over, and I will make sure Lily still has apany to run after she graduates from college.

    I kissed my wife after I put on my business suit. I will be boarding Grandpa Hector''s private ne and report to the office immediately.

    "You don''t need to get up, Maddie," I said when she was about to get up from our bed.

    "I don''t want to say goodbye to you downstairs, or else I couldn''t go to the airport," I said, and she pulled me down and kissed me on the lips.

    "Take care, my love," she whispered after our mind-blowing kiss.

    "Yes, always for you, my love, and our son," I responded, and I got out quickly since the longer I stayed and looked at Maddie, there would be chance I would end up beside her on our bed.

    I walked fast, went to the stairs, got out from the main entrance, and got inside the car. The driver greeted me, and he drove away from the driveway of Hector Grant''s castle.

    I couldn''t sleep the entire flight since I was thinking about my wife and son and, of course, Parker and his wife. I felt tired from the flight, but I didn''t have enough time. I told thepany driver to take me to the Divenson Mining Company building.

    "Hunter? What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked, and I could see the surprise on her face when I walked inside Parker''s office.

    "Hello, Charlotte, I think I should be the one to ask you, why are you here?" I asked, and my sister was speechless as she looked at me for a long time.

    "I was the CEO of thispany before Parker took over, and mom appointed me after our brother died; howe you are working when you should be mourning Parker''s death?" I asked, and she grimaced.

    "He is dead, Hunter, and he will not go back from the dead no matter how much I cry; life must go on," she responded.

    "You can have your bereavement leave, Charlotte," I responded.

    "You must go to your office if you don''t want to mourn; leave everything to me," I said, and I could see the hesitation on her face, and she quickly got the long brown envelope on top of the table.

    But I was faster than her, and I took it before she could take it from the table; I could see the horrified looked on her face. I knew right away that my father ordered my sister to undermine the operation of thepany, and I couldn''t wait to see what are the documents inside this long brown envelope. I felt so d I arrived on time before they could do something to sabotage thepany''s operation.

 Chapter 282 Coming Home

    Madeline''s POV

    My husband didn''t allow me to send him to the car, and I could feel the heaviness of my heart the moment he closed the door. I wanted toe with him, but I needed to help my husband.

    I don''t understand, and I don''t know why until now, Hunter''s father is still angry with me. They found out I am one of the wealthiest women in the world after my great-grandfather, Hector Grant, announced I am his only grandchild and the heir to his properties and businesses.

    I felt so sad that even though I had given birth to our son, my father-inw was still angry with me without knowing the real reason. And now that his son was killed because of him terrifies me. And I knew I needed to do something to stop him from killing another innocent individual, and it disheartened me that he killed the two members of his family.

    Reba, Parker''s wife, became a member of the Divenson family like my son and me. We are also part of his family.

    I slowly got up from the bed and went to the bathroom, and took a shower longer than usual. I couldn''t deny I was having second thoughts, and I wanted to stay and be with our son. But thinking of the possibility that rk would do something terrible to my husband made me want to be with Hunter right away.

    I put on my bra and panties, then slipped on myfy dress, which Hunter bought for me when he attended the summit.

    Hunter called me the moment hended at Archois airport, and I couldn''t deny how much I missed him. We talked only for a moment since he went straight to his old office.

    I went to my son''s room, and I smiled when I found him still sleeping peacefully in his crib, but I couldn''t stop myself from carrying him into my arms. He looks so handsome, and I know he will grow up like his father. I smiled when he didn''t wake up as I held him in my arms.

    My son''s nanny was still sleeping, but I didn''t wake her up because I knew she had been out most of thenight feeding and changing Frank''s diaper.

    I usually have him in my room, onlyst night I asked the nanny to stay with Frank.

    I got out of the nursery and went downstairs, and looked for my grandpa. I found him in the backyard reading newspaper; he smiled when he saw me with my son in my arms.

    "Good morning, Madeline!" He greeted me with a smile before he sipped his coffee.

    One of the maids came and served him his food, and then another one helped me with mine. My grandpa took Frank from me and told me to have breakfast.

    "Are you sure about your n, Madeline?" He asked after making sure we were alone. And I nodded my head.

    "Yes, grandpa, there is no backing out; I want to do this," I replied.

    "As much as I wanted to say no to you, I know you will never stop bugging me until I say yes." He responded, and I smiled weakly at him.

    "I am sorry, grandpa, for being hard-headed, but I want to do this once and for all," I replied, and he grinned at me.

    "You are so different from Frank, and your father has always been the shy type; you got your personality from your grandma, my sweet wife." Grandpa Hector, and I could see the love on his face as he remembered my granny.

    "You have her spirit, and I could tell she would be so happy to know you, and wherever she is right now, I can tell she is smiling as we are having this conversation." He added.

    "I asked the head of my security team to prepare everything you needed, including hiring the best artists to help with your n, and I hope it would work. Please, be careful, Madeline." He said, and I nodded my head.

    "Don''t worry, grandpa, nothing will happen to us; I will make sure everything will go smoothly," I responded.

    "Of course, you have to, your son will be waiting for you, and I will miss you, Maddie." He said, and my heart swelled as I looked at my grandpa.

    I stood up and put my arms around his neck after I kissed his cheeks.

    "I love you, my granddaughter, and I knew I would regret it the moment you leave this house. But you always have these brilliant ideas in your head, and I know you will seed since all you want is for

    themon good of everyone." He added.

    "I love you too, grandpa; I promised I woulde home in one piece, besides I missed Archois, and I wanted to visit the only ce I knew before I learned about my true identity," I responded.

    "Of course, I understand." He said.

    We talked some more until aunt Francine joined us, and she looked horrified when she learned I am

    leaving, but I knew she could keep a secret.

    "Don''t worry, mom, and I will be okay," I assured her.

    "You better be, Maddie." She replied as she took my son from grandpa, and I could see how much they adored my little boy.

    I excused myself and went to Gina''s room, and I smiled when I realized she was talking to Jack on the other line. I sat on the edge of her bed smiling as I listened to the one-sided conversation, and I felt so happy for my best friend that, atst, she found love.

    "Jack was excited that I aming home, but don''t worry, and I didn''t tell him about our ns." She said, and I grinned at her.<sub> </sub>

    "Thank you, Gina, for doing all this for me, and I hope our n will work," I said, and she came

    closer and sat beside me.

    "I know it will work, Madeline," Gina responded, and I realized she had packed her things already.

    "Wow! Someone is excited!" I said as I turned my focus on her luggage, and I could see how her face blushed.

    "Yeah, I will be staying at Jack''s ce, and I don''t know what it means, but.." she trailed off, and I took her hand.

    "Hey, I know how much you wanted Jack in your life, Gina; you are old enough to sleep with him," I replied, and I could see the blush on her face.

    "He is a good man, and I know Jack will never hurt you, Gina," I added.

    "Thank you, Madeline, but I am not as beautiful

    as you." She responded.

    "Gina, please, stop talking nonsense, he is into you, and I am sure Jack''s love for you is not that shallow," I said.

    "Besides, you are beautiful, Gina," I said, and she smiled at me.

    "Thank you, Madeline." She responded.

    "I am excited to go to Magnolia, and there were many ces we needed to visit before the funeral service," I said, and her face turned solemn as she listened to me.

    "Maddie, I know what you are going to do would be risky; what if they will not take you with me?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "Believe me, Gina, they will take us both, and they will never know. It would be dangerous for you too, and I know I am putting your life in danger, but we don''t have time, and I know rk will never stop until he can get what he wants, and that is me." I responded.

    "Don''t worry, my grandfather''s men will be there, and the head of his security team already coordinated with the authority. Nothing will happen, and we will be okay." I said.

    "You can back out now if you want," I added.

    "Who says I will back out? I am always ready to fight and be by your side, Madeline. I promised your mom I would be with you through thick and thin." She responded, and I couldn''t stop feeling sad as I remembered my mom.

    "You were so young back then, Gina; it doesn''t count unless you were eighteen," I said andughed.

    "Hey, friendship has no age boundary, Maddie. Even though I was so young back then, I know

    it was binding." She replied and hugged me, and I tightened my arms around her.

    I know Gina would always give mefort I couldn''t exin, maybe because she had always been there for me.

    "I should go to my room now; I have some packing to do," I said after we let go of each other.

    "Of course, I don''t want you to end up borrowing my clothes, and all your clothes are now branded." She teased me, and I went out of her roomughing.

    I woke up early since we had an early flight. I kissed my son goodbye, and I was holding my tears as I left him with aunt Francine, and my granddad was already waiting for us outside.

    "Good luck, Maddie; I know you can make it," he said as he took me into his arms.

    "Thank you, grandpa, for believing in me and allowing me to go after my husband," I responded.

    "Of course, I know how much you wanted to be reunited with Hunter, even if you needed to stay away from him for a while." He stated.

    "You take care, Maddie." He added, and I kissed his cheeks.

    "Thank you, grandpa; please take care of yourself too and watch over my son," I replied.

    "Don''t worry about Frank; we will take good care of him," he said with a wide grin.

    "Are you ready?" I asked Gina when we arrived at the airport,and she nodded as she said yes, and we got inside the private ne owned by my grandpa. The moment the ne took off, I couldn''t stop feeling excited and thrilled. I wished we would all be fine, and I couldn''t wait to see my hometown.

 Chapter 283 The Pain

    Hunter''s POV

    "Seriously? What have you done to thepany, Charlotte?" I asked as I looked at the documents on the paper. It contained contracts that could ruin thepany''s image, and I am just d I came before they were finalized and notarized.

    "Don''t act as if you care about thispany anymore, my dear brother; you have your life figured out since you married Madeline; who could have thought the woman you bought would be an heiress? And now you are telling me I had done something terrible to ourpany?" She asked, and I could see the anger in her voice.

    "Looked, I care about thispany since our great grandparents built this, and I don''t want to sell thispany, mom still holds thergest share, and she nned to give her total shares to our youngest sister. I am certain dad gave you his share, and you can''t take Parker''s share by doing this, Charlotte." I said, and I could see how my sister''s face hardened.

    "You don''t have any right to dictate to me what to do, Hunter. I will do as I please." She replied with a stern tone.

    "Then, I don''t have a choice but to stop you. You can''t just let these people be part of ourpany, and they don''t y fair," I responded.

    "How much did you gain from these under-the-table transactions?" I asked, and I could see how her face turned crimson.

    "I didn''t gain anything, Hunter. I am doing all these for my thepany''s benefits." She replied with confidence.

    "Okay, then be it. I will have my team investigate these," I replied.

    "That is the problem with you, big brother; you felt privileged since you were the eldest son, and you don''t want to recognize my efforts; why? Is it because I side with dad, or is it because I am a woman?" She asked, and her anger intensified.

    "I don''t judge you because you are a woman, Charlotte, but because of what you have done. I love our father, but you know how many times he tried d to harm my wife and me because he couldn''t ept Maddie." I replied.

    "It has been because he knew your wife was never enough for you." She yelled.

    "Madeline is more than enough; why can''t he ept that I am in love with Madeline, and I couldn''t be with Kaye? Is it through a hard t understand?" I asked.

    "Yes, you were being difficult, Hunter, and do whatever you want, but I am telling you; you can''t stop us, dear brother." She responded as she got up from her seat and left the office after she closed the door with a loud bang.

    I wanted to call Madeline to calm my nerves, but I didn''t want my wife to know I was pissed off with my sister. Even though many times my father and sister tried to harm her, she still wanted to make amends with them even if she knew the possible danger.

    I went over to the documents on the table, and it was almost lunchtime when I stopped and made a quick text to my wife.

    "Hello, handsome. I miss you here, my love." She responded, and I smiled when I received a picture of Maddie with our son. I wished to go back to Neospoli right away and be with her, but I knew itwould take a long while before I could go back.

    "I miss you more, my lovely wife. I am missing you like crazy, Maddie. I am sorry it will take a long while before I cane home and be with you." I responded to her text message.

    "Hey, don''t worry; take your time, my love. I understand what is going on with thepany, and of course, losing Parker and Reba wasn''t easy. I want you to know I am mourning with you." My wife texted.

    "It pained me so much that after spending time with them at my grandpa''s resort, they were gone just like that, and it made me realize life is too short. I love you, please, take care always for our son and me." Maddie added I wanted to call her, but I knew I would only miss her more.

    "I love you more, my love. Calixto is here; text youter." I responded.

    "Okay,ter, my love, send my regards to Cal." I smiled when I read my wife''s reply. I remembered how much Calixto cared about my wife.

    "Mr. Divenson, it is good to see you again, but I am not happy we have to meet because of Parker and Reba''s death," Calixto said right after he stood in front of the table I reserved for us.

    "Yeah, I know, Cal," I said, and I could no longer hide my sadness.

    "Please, take a seat," I added as I pulled out a chair for him.

    "Don''t make me feel I am that old, Hunter," he said, and I could see the hurt on his face.

    "I didn''t do anything, Cal," I replied as I creased my forehead.

    "You pulled out a chair for me. I am not your grandpa," he responded, and I couldn''t stop chuckling as I shook my head.<sub> </sub>

    "My wife told me to take good care of you, and I am only making Madeline''s wishes," I responded, and I could see how his face softened after I mentioned my wife''s name.

    "Oh, your lovely wife, please tell Maddie I am doing okay, don''t let her worry about us here. I am d you didn''t bring your wife with you, Hunter."Calixto said as he turned his head to look around; I could tell he was worried that someone would hear our conversation.

    But I chose a table as far from other customers as possible so we could freely discuss my brother''s death.

    "Madeline was upset with me at first, but I felt relieved when she didn''t insist oning with me. I am aware it would be too dangerous for her. I wish to be with my wife every single day, Cal, but I am afraid of what my father and Charlotte would do the moment Maddie would set foot here in Archois." I responded.

    "Good decision, Hunter. I could tell your sister and father are desperate to take over thepany." He replied.

    "I know, but I could tell my father is more desperate to get back at Maddie, and until now, I don''t understand why he was so angry with my wife. You knew Madeline was innocent, and she had done nothing to my father." I dered.

    "My family was the one who had done terrible things to my wife, and I am ashamed of what my dad had done to Madeline from the very start of our rtionship," I added, and before Calixto could answer me, the waitress arrived with our food.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for inviting me to eat lunch with you," Cal said after he finished eating his food.

    "You are wee, Cal, you are my only close friend here in Archois, and I will join my mom and Lilyter tonight," I replied.

    "I am your only friend, Hunter." He said, and I could see a broad grin on his face.

    "Yeah, you are right," I agreed with him, and his smile broadened.

    "Did you process everything? I mean, the funeral service and the interment?" I asked.

    "Yes, I apanied your mom and Lily. I told them I could take care of everything, but your mother insisted, and I could tell Mrs. Divenson felt so guilty she wasn''t there foryour brother." He responded.

    "We all feel the same way, Cal; losing my brother was eye-opening for us," I replied.

    "It wasn''t your fault, Hunter," he replied.

    "I don''t know how I will deal with my dad knowing he was responsible for Parker''s death," I answered.

    "We don''t have enough evidence to put your father in jail," he responded, and I let out a heavy sigh; Calixto was right; everything had been nned perfectly by our father.

    The hatred I felt towards my father heightened, and I didn''t know what to do with him.

    "I couldn''t believe he would do that to Parker," I responded.

    "I think it was because your brother fell in love with Reba. rk adored your bother, Hunter. It wasn''t part of his n to kill Parker." Cal replied.

    "Your father taught Reba would drive the car that day, but your brother changed his mind. Parker didn''t report to the office that day since he wanted to apany his wife to the doctor for her prenatal." Calixto said, and I could feel the pain in my heart.

    "I am sure you were not the only one mourning, but your dad was too. He was sessful in killing Reba, but he failed in protecting your brother, and I could tell he had regrets right now, and he was suffering from his guilt." Cal added, and I shook my head.

    "I am not sure if he has a conscience, Calixto, and I was hoping you were right; I hope my father will never get over the pain of losing my brother because of his wickedness.

    We went back to the office after eating lunch, and I got busy the entire afternoon having a meeting with the legal counsel of ourpany.

    It was already past six o''clock in the evening when we were done. I quickly left the building and drove to Hector''s Grant estate.

    "Hunter, you came!" Lily eximed the moment I got inside the living room, and she quickly got up from her seat and ran towards me while my mom followed behind her.

    They hugged me, and they both cried in my arms while I could feel the pain of losing my younger brother.

 Chapter 284 Missing My Old Life

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you nervous, Maddie?" Gina asked as we drank our coffee.

    "I would be a liar if I said no, Gina. I felt worried that things would go wrong, but I didn''t want to live in fear for the rest of my life. We need to stop rk from doing something evil because I couldn''t deny I was afraid for my son''s life." I responded as I looked at my best friend, and I couldn''t stop noticing she was glowing.

    "Until now, I don''t understand why he hated me so much when I have done nothing to him. Ever since I met his son, I gave Hunter all the support he needed from me as his wife. I love my husband from the very beginning, and I am sure until the end." I added.

    "I wished someday rk would change, but I could tell it would be impossible based on the things that he had done in the past. He never learned from his mistakes; he even plotted to kill his own son and daughter-inw." I continued.

    "Yeah, and I felt sorry for Reba; your father-inw tried to kill her once, but he was unsessful, but he had done it perfectly for the second time, and it hurts that Parker does with his wife," Gina responded, and I agreed with her.

    "It hurts to think that Reba was first on his list, and it ismon knowledge that you were second on his death wish. I hated him for plotting everything against you, from kidnapping and setting the boat on fire to get rid of you and killing innocent individuals along the process." She added.

    "Your father-inw was an evil who deserves to be punished for his wrongdoings." She stated,and I could see how she hated rk through her eyes.

    "Are you sure you want to do it with me, Gina? Your life could be in danger if we will proceed as nned." I said while I could hear theughter of my grandpa''s men in their seats.

    "Of course. Do you think I will back out and let you go there alone?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "No, I know you, Gina, you are willing to take a bullet for me, but you have to promise me when things start to go wrong, you need to stop and save yourself," I said.

    "Sorry, I can never do that, Madeline. We are on this together, and I will never leave you alone. I am your best friend, and I promise to be with you no matter what happens. Besides, I vow to Hunter that I will never leave your side, Maddie." She replied, and my face fell.

    "Gina, don''t be so hard-headed and don''t make this hard for you, and I am your BFF, not my husband," I said, and she onlyughed at me.

    "Kidding aside, we need to promise each other never to save anyone," I said, and she archer her eyebrows.

    "Are you sure about that, Madeline? I know you are worst than me. If I take a bullet for you, you are willing to jump and hug the bomb for me. Let us make this clear, we will do this without fear, and we need to think no one is going to die. Let us promise to be there in our senior years." She dered.

    "I want to see you with your grandchildren, Maddie." She added, and I took her hand.

    "Thank you, Gina; I promised I would be there with you even if we both find it hard to walk because of our arthritis," I said, and she chuckled.

    "Deal, I love that," she responded, and we smiled at each other.

    She put her head on my shoulder, and we both fell silent as we felt the turbulence, and I could feel how she tensed up.

    "Rx, they are just strong winds, Gina," I said, and I stifled augh when I looked at the horrible expression on her face.

    "I am not afraid of the turbulence, Maddie; I am worried about rk." She lied as she gripped her seat.

    I couldn''t believe I was talking to the same woman who vowed to take a bullet for me. Gina has always been afraid of riding a ne, and she tried her best to hide it from me, and I tried to pretend I didn''t know and kept my amusement to myself.

    We safelynded at the Archois airport, and I couldn''t deny I had the best time and realized it was one of the best flights I ever had because I was enjoying the entire flight looking at my best friend jerk and turning so pale every moment the ne shook the moment we encountered turbulence up there.

    Having fun with Gina wasn''t new; whenever she was around, she always made me feel better. If things went wrong, she would always tell me never to give up and lose hope, and when things were better, she would make it more enjoyable.

    If ever I am reborn, I still want Gina to be my best friend, and I will never ask for anyone else.

    We put on our shawls, straw hats, and oversized sunsses before we climbed out of the ne to ensure no one would notice us. We got inside the ck SUV waiting for us on the ground after dealing with the customs agents.

    "Wee home, Madeline!" She said right after the car moved away, and I smiled as I looked at her sideways.<sub> </sub>

    "Thank you, wee home too, Gina," I responded, and I leaned my back on the backrest of my seat after I removed my hat and sunsses.

    I wanted to look around but felt too tired to do so, and I couldn''t stop from dozing off, and when I woke up, I was in awe when I realized we were already in the Magnolia vige, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling when I remembered my first time visiting the town.

    It was an unforgettable day, and I was so hurt that time since I was already fallen for Hunter.

    "Madeline!" Jack''s mom screamed when we got inside the restaurant, and I couldn''t stop smiling from ear to ear as I ran and met her halfway. Lydia took me into her arms, and I missed the smell of the restaurant. The aroma of herbs and spices made mehungry.

    "Why didn''t you tell me you wereing?" She asked as she looked at me.

    "I wanted to surprise you guys," I responded, and her grin widened, and then she turmed her gaze to my best friend.

    Gina was blushing as she said hi to her future mother-inw, and I felt so happy for her, and my best friend''s face turned redder when Jack came out from the kitchen looking as hot as ever while Lianne was following behind him.

    Even if I am so in love with my husband, I couldn''t deny I admired Jack''s pretty face and toned body. And I love him as a friend, and I am so excited for him and Gina.

    "You didn''t tell me you would be here?" Gina asked her boyfriend while I giggled, watching them looking great together, and I smiled when Jack didn''t answer her, but instead, he kissed Gina on the lips in front of his family, and I couldn''t stop myself from pping my hands as I shouted more.

    I felt d no customers were around, and I wondered why, but I set aside my curiosity as I looked at Gina''s face after her boyfriend released her mouth.

    My best friend was still blushing as Jack released her and looked d at me with too much happiness on his face, and I felt happier that love worked out for them and they gave each other a chance in love.

    "Hello, to the heiress of Hector Grant, wee.to our ce." He said, and I shook my head while I wasughing.

    "Please, Jack, don''t ever say that again," I said ad he moved closer to me.

    "Why? Are you ashamed of who you are? I still remember the first time you came here, you were looking for a part-time job, and I was d uncle Tony chose to help you, and I felt so proud I am his nephew." He said, and I smiled as I remembered Tony, he was Lily''s friend, and they helped me run away from the Divension mansion.

    "He helped you even if we didn''t know your true identity yet, and I few l d Lily made that choice for you." He said.

    "Me too; I felt so lucky and honored to be part of this establishment once and as one of your waitresses. Can I be a server for today?" I asked, and I could see his face fall.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I closed the restaurant just for you," he responded.

    "You don''t need to do that, Jack," I replied.

    "For your safety, Madeline, even if your grandpa''s.men surround the area, it is better to take extra precautions. I was aware you came here without telling your husband about it, and your grandpa had been calling me from the moment he had learned you would being home to Archois." He responded.

    "I wanted to have some fun before we go on our mission," I replied.

    "We can still have fun, go to the staff room now and grab your uniform, and you will be serving us." He said, and my face lit up.

    "Are you sure I can?" I asked, feeling so excited.

    "Yes, you can, Maddie, as long as you let me

    borrow my girlfriend." He said, and Lianne was coughing, and I couldn''t stop from chuckling while Gina''s face turned redder.

    "Of course, she is all yours, and I will be your only server for the day!" I said excitedly while they all settled on their seats on the table, and I made my way to the staff room feeling so alive and happy, and it felt like I was back to being eighteen.

    I suddenly missed my husband, and Icouldn''t wait to be with him, but at the moment, I wanted to enjoy the old life I had been a part-timer;I was proud being one, even now that I have be an heiress it will never change that once I was a waitress who struggled to have a better life and dreamed of bing a sessful career woman someday without knowing what was waiting in the store for me.

 Chapter 285 Our Plans

    ? Madeline''s POV

    I was smiling from ear to ear as I made my way to the staff room, and I was shocked when one of the servers handed me a uniform, and I couldn''t believe the stic had my name on it, and I realized it was my old uniform.

    "Wee back, Ms. Madeline. Lydia told us; one day, you will visit here, and you will be looking for your uniform, she mentioned you already gave birth to your son, but you still looked like you were single to me." She dered, and I blushed.

    "Thank you, Sherly," I replied after I read her name on the namete on her chest.

    "You are wee," she replied with a friendly smile before I turned my heels and made my way to the dressing room. I put on my old uniform, and I smiled as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

    I couldn''t believe the uniform still suited me; only this time, my butt and chest were more emphasized. I loved every curve of my body; I couldn''t stop thinking about Hunter and the way he looked at me every time I was naked in front of him.

    I couldn''t deny I missed how my husband touched and kissed every part of my body. I wanted to see my Hunter. But I know I couldn''t since I was on a mission. I already sent him a quick message through my iPhone, which I left at my grandpa''s castle, and I willpose the news, and aunt Francine will send it to him through my number.

    He will know where I am because we shared our location with each other. I am d my husband was busy, and he doesn''t have time to make a video call as of the moment, but I already told aunt Francine what to do if ever he will try to call me through video call.

    I am aware after the funeral, and Hunter would find time to see our son and me through video call; that is why aunt Francine keeps sending Hunter pictures of our little boy every day. But I could tell by then he would know I was here in Archois.

    Tomorrow I need to start activating my n, and I need to see Calixto. I know I could always count on him, even if he was loyal to Hunter; I could tell he cared about me more than he does with Hunter.

    "Are you ready?" Sherly asked me after I got out of the dressing room.

    "Yeah, I am so ready," I responded, and she looked at me from head to toe.

    "This is so unfair, Lydia kept that uniform for many years, yet it still looked so good on you; you looked great in that skirt and blouse, Maddie." She stated, and I blushed again.

    I walked back to the main restaurant to take their orders after I picked up the pen and order slip from the counter. It felt like I was eighteen years old again as I smiled and strode toward them.

    "Wow! You still looked the same, Madeline, and it seemed like you never aged at all." Lydia said with amusement on her face as she looked at me.

    "Thank you," I replied, and I felt conscious as I realized all eyes were on me.

    "Well, enough for thepliments, I am Maddie, and I am here to take your orders," I dered, and I couldn''t stop feeling conscious as my eyes darted at Jack.

    I knew he now loved my best friend, but I could tell he was looking at me in the same

    manner when I was still eighteen, and I felt d Gina didn''t notice as she gazed at me.

    I became busy scribbling their orders, and I furrowed my forehead when they mentioned an unfamiliar menu, and I realized I had been gone for how many years.

    For sure, they had already changed some of their menus. I still felt d there was still food I was familiar with, and I felt so excited as I turned around and went to the kitchen.

    "You?" I was surprised when I found Jack standing at the kitchen counter, smiling at me.

    "I am the chef for today," he responded, and I couldn''t stopughing.

    "You better stay in the kitchen and didn''t join them," I said, and he shook his head.

    "And missed greeting you and Gina? I am happy to see you here again, Madeline." He responded as his face turned serious.

    "Thank you, Jack; it felt like I was back in time. I felt so happy to be back here; the memories I had here in Magnolia were among the beautiful memories I kept in my heart," I replied, and he smiled as he looked at my face.

    "Yeah, I know," he responded, and he let out a soft sigh before he took the piece of paper from me.

    "You should go back in there and join them," he said, and I nodded.<sub> </sub>

    "I want you to join us at the table, Jack. Gina would love it; don''t you have any staff who can cook for us?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "Don''t worry, I will make it quick; I wanted to cook for you, Madeline; besides, my girl requested I should cook for you," he said, and I smiled when I found him blushing, and it felt so wonderful to hear Jack refer my best friend as his girl.

    "Thank you, Jack; I couldn''t wait to eat," I said and giggled.

    "Okay, I needed to cook now, Madeline," he replied.

    "Of course, I should head back to the table," I said.

    "You don''t need to carry and serve the food, Maddie; Sherly will be the one to do it," he responded.

    "Copy on that, chef," I stated, and Jack chuckled, smiling like an idiot as I walked towards the main restaurant, and I couldn''t wait to be alone and Gina and tell her that Jack was now head over heels for her.

    I realized the way he looked at me a while ago was only admiration, and there was nothing more about it, and I felt guilty for thinking otherwise.

    I knew Jack was a good guy, and when hemitted himself to Gina, he was sure about it, and I realized my best friend was so lucky to have him, and I felt so happy for them.

    I wished Jack would propose to Gina in the near future since I couldn''t wait for them to build their own family, even if it meant I would be separated from Gina since she had to leave Neospoli and be with Jack.

    I was holding the order booklet and pen, and I was about to return it to the cashier''s counter when I heard a familiar voice, and I stopped in my tracks while I could feel my heart pounding so hard against my chest.

    "Calixto, Hunter, this is a surprise! Allow us to offer our condolences to you and the entire family. I am deeply sorry for your loss," Lydia said louder than necessary, and I could tell she did it on purpose so that I would know she was talking to my husband and Cal.

    I could tell Gina must tell them before Hunter and Calixto arrived that I came back without my husband''sknowledge since I nned to surprise him, which was our agreed reason.

    Before we left Neospoli, we brainstormed about possible scenarios, and I couldn''t believe we would encounter it right away before our first day was over, and I felt so confused about what to do.

    I wanted to hear my husband''s voice, so I stayed where I was. I hide on the wall between the customer area and the hallway leading to the kitchen.

    "Thank you, I had a busy day, and I will be busier in theing days; but I couldn''t stop thinking abouting here to meet you, Lydia, and I wanted to surprise you since I know my wife would love it, and I couldn''t wait to call my wife and tell her we are here," Hunter responded and my nervousness hightened.

    "I was surprised to see you, Gina; I didn''t know you were here." He added.

    "I am sorry, I was too insensitive, and I almost forgot; Jack is your boyfriend, and it would be expected you have to see him from time to time." He continued.

    "I apologize, Hunter, you are my boss, and I should have told you I aming to meet Jack since I miss him so much." My best friend responded.

    Even if I felt so worried that my husband would find out that I was here with Gina, I couldn''t stop shaking my head and felt so amused as I listened to Gina talking with my husband. I was holding my breath as I waited for Hunter''s following words.

    "Don''t worry, Gina, I understand, being in love is a wonderful feeling, and I could tell my wife felt so excited and thrilled when you told her you wereing here to Magnolia vige." Hunter dered.

    "Yes, she was ecstatic, but please, don''t tell Madeline we''ve met; she would feel upset; you know how much your wife wanted toe with you. Not unless we are back in Neospoli." My best friend responded.

    "I think it would be best if you should not make any video calls because she will be more upset, I know she was texting you, but Maddie avoided calling you because she couldn''t stop from missing Archois city, and most especially the Magnolia vige," Gina added.

    "Thank you, Gina, I felt terrible that I didn''t bring her with me, but you know the reason why, and I hope you understand, I love her so much, and I don''t want my wife to get hurt," Hunter responded.

    "I love you too, Hunter." I couldn''t stop from mumbling as I slowly turned around and went back to the kitchen. I wanted to p my hands at Gina for telling Hunter not to call me.

    I felt so guilty that I tricked and lied to my husband, but I needed to do this to stop rk from doing further damage, and I am sure Hunter would understand; I was hoping everything would turn out ording to our ns so that we can finally found peace and free from fears.

 Chapter 286 For Peace

    Madeline''s POV

    "Are you okay, Madeline? Why do you look so pale?" Jack asked the moment he saw me get inside the kitchen, and I could see the concern onhis face.

    "My husband and Calixto are in the restaurant," I replied, and his eyes widened as he closed the kitchen door, and he mentioned me to follow him.

    "Now, I could tell you are really connected with your husband; maybe he can feel that you are near," Jack said after he opened his office, and I weakly smiled at him.

    I am still amazed at how organized he was, and he mentioned me to sit down on the chair in front of his table.

    "I am sorry to bother you, and I begged Gina not to tell you that we wereing. I couldn''t believe that she discussed all the details with you and that you are no longer surprised why I am hiding from my husband." I dered.

    "My girlfriend knew we were friends, Madeline, and she cares so much about you." He replied.

    "You don''t need to close the entire restaurant so we can eat here, Jack," I replied.

    "Maddie, we are worried about your safety, and you don''t need to apologize. We want to help you, and you must rx; we are family." He responded.

    "Your grandpa was an excellent help to me, you just don''t know what he had done to me, and even if I didn''t receive any help from Hector, I would still do anything for you, Madeline," Jack added, looking at me with tenderness.

    "I am more concerned about your ns; what if things go wrong? You can be hurt, Madeline, it worries Gina, and I feel the same way." He continued.

    "Jack, don''t worry, I nned everything with Grandpa, and he supported me on this even if I knew Hunter would be devastated if he found out the truth, but I don''t have a choice; I need to do this to bring peace to our family," I responded, and he released a heavy sigh.

    "Oh, no, you are cooking; you should return to the kitchen, Jack!" I said, feeling worried about the food he had prepared.

    "Rx, I''ve got everything covered, and I nned to join you at your table when I saw you getting inside the kitchen. I''ve got an assistant cook who will prepare what they order, and I think you can no longer serve the food." He said, and my face fell as I nodded my head.

    "Yeah, how can I serve those tes knowing my husband was there talking with your mom and sister and gina? I hope your girlfriend didn''t tell my husband yet that I am here with her because sometimes she can''t control herself." I replied.

    "Yes, you could be right, but I think if we talked about you, she would never say a single word." He replied.

    "I need your help, Jack," I said, and he furrowed his forehead.

    "What kind of help, Maddie?" He asked.

    "You better go there and talk with my husband, ask him what food he wants to eat, and you better prepare them faster than necessary because I need to have a good time with your mom and sister," I replied.

    "I don''t think I can make your husband leave quickly because I am sure he will have a good time talking with Calixto and my family." He said.

    "Why not stay the night in our ancestral home, and we can talk over barbecue like the old times? What do you think?" He asked, and my face lit up.

    "Sure, but I don''t want to spend my entire day here in your office," Iined, and he chuckled.

    "I can make you busy, you can help me with this, and I will pay you for the hours you work for me while I entertain your husband." He said, and my smile widened.

    "Yes, I can order these things for you, and I can arrange your records," I said, and heughed.

    "Thank you, Jack," I replied.

    "Don''t mention it, Maddie," he said, and he looked at me for a long time and smiled.

    "What? Why are you smiling like that?" I asked as I could see the amusement on his face.

    "I am happy that you are still the old Madeline we knew; nothing had changed at all, with all the wealth that you possessed as of the moment, being the wife of Hunter and, of course, being the only heir of your grandpa." He responded, and my face softened.

    "Why should I change, Jack? To me, rtionship matters the most, we can never bring material things in our grave, and we all end up back to ashes; what is important is how we treat other people withpassion." I answered.

    "Of course, Maddie, I support your advocacy, and thank you for supporting charity events, and I could tell Hunter is very proud of you." He said, and I blushed.

    "I missed you, Maddie." He added, and I could tell my face turned redder.

    "Make sure you clean the entire office, and I expect you order these things, Ms. Brownwood." He dered, and I grinned at him.

    "Yes, chef," I responded, and he got out of his office, chuckling.

    It felt so lovely to be back at Magnolia Vige, but I wished I hade here with my husband, and I was not hiding from him. I missed Hunter like crazy, and I was seconds away from throwing myself at him.

    "Hey, are you okay in here?" I was startled when I heard Liliane''s voice behind me.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I don''t mean to frighten you, my brother was worried about you," Lianne said as she sat on the chair while I sister some of the menu books.I found her watching me with a wide grin on her face.<sub> </sub>

    "I couldn''t believe the heiress of Hector Grant would be cleaning my brother''s office." She said.

    "Of course, but Jack knew my services were not free, so he offered me an hourly rate," I replied, and I could see the amusement on her face.

    "I felt so happy that Jack decided to rerun this ce," I mumbled.

    "He liked staying in the big city, but I could tell his heart belonged here, and I am sure after he gets married to your best friend, he will settle her." She replied.

    "Oh, that is sweet of him. I am sure Gina would be ecstatic." I stated.

    "Yes, she will. Don''t tell her yet, but my brother already nned everything, and he got a big surprise for Gina." She dered, and my eyes widened after she whispered about it in my ear. I couldn''t wait for my best friend to find out; she would go crazy for sure.

    "Are you sure you don''t want to see your husband?" Lianne asked, and my face saddened.

    "Not yet, Lianne," I responded.

    "Too bad, he looked so handsome and hot, but I am sure women will be turned off since he couldn''t stop talking about his lovely wife," Lianne said, and I smiled like an idiot.

    "Yeah, you are so lucky, Maddie, your husband is still madly in love with you, and I couldn''t imagine someone as popr and handsome as Hunter would go crazy over a woman, but I have my answer because I know you, and you are the best wife." She added, and I couldn''t stop from giggling.

    "Are they gone?" I asked.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, but they are staying for the night," she responded.

    "What?" I asked, shocked that I had let go of the logbook I was holding in my hands.

    "Yes, but not in our house, but he nned to stay in your Vi." She replied, and I let out a soft sigh, and I couldn''t stop missing the ce where I had my honeymoon with my husband.

    "Your face is glowing!" Lianne teased me.

    "Yeah, I couldn''t wait to join him in our Vi. Too bad I can''t," I replied.

    "You muste with me, Maddie; they just left the restaurant," she stated, and I felt relieved my husband was no longer around or I could no longer initiate my ns.

    I ate like I hadn''t eaten for days since I was starving, and I couldn''t believe Hunter would stay for more than three hours.

    "Rx, Maddie; Hunter won''t find out you are here in Magnolia; I advised him to avoid calling you since it will upset you," Gina said after I told her about my concerns.

    "You did?" I asked in disbelief.

    "Yes, and he thanked me for my advice." He replied andughed.

    We had a barbecue in their backyard, and I couldn''t stop calling my aunt; just watching my child in his sleep made me feel so happy, and I couldn''t wait toe home and be with him, but I needed to stay more days, and everything will be okay.

    We had fun talking and singing, and I missed them, and I promised one of these days I woulde

    back to Magnolia with my husband and son.

    "Are you sure you are sharing a room with me?" I whisper after Gina gets inside the guest room.

    "Yes," she replied.

    "Are you crazy? Tonight is your chance to be with Jack, and you should go to his room." I said in more than a whisper, and I felt afraid anyone would hear us.

    "Do you think it would be okay?" She asked.

    "Gina, you already slept with Jack, and I am sure his entire family assumed you had done it already, so stop being like that," I replied, and her eyes got so big.

    "I couldn''t believe this. Madeline Brownwood would encourage her best friend to sleep with his boyfriend." She said.

    "Hey, you are almost thirty, Gina, you are no longer a teenager, besides I knew your heart was screaming to be with him, you are only worried about what I think; you don''t need to feel shy; I would do the same if I were in your situation." I dered, and his face lit up.

    "Thank you, I felt bad I said no to Jack." She replied.

    "What are you waiting for, Gina? Go!" I eximed, and she cameout of our room on tiptoe while I was smiling as I hit the bed and wishing Hunter was in the other room waiting for me.

    I miss making love with my husband, and I dozed off to sleep with Hunter''s handsome face on my mind with a beautiful smile on my face.

 Chapter 287 It Would Take Time

    Hunter''s POV

    "Good morning, Hunter; what is your n for today?" Calixto asked the moment he got inside my old office.

    "I''m almost done with the financial records, and I could see the discrepancy, and I could tell this is not Parker''s mishap," I said, and he looked at me with worries on his face.

    "Don''t worry, Cal, I will not do anything to my sister; I wanted to reach out to her and dad," I added.

    "I don''t think that is a good idea, Hunter, I could say your father still hated you because of Madeline, and I don''t know if he will speak with you," Cal replied, and I released a heavy sigh.

    "I am afraid of what would happen during the funeral, Hunter; I don''t know, but it felt like something will happen, and you should take extra precautions; maybe wearing a bulletproof vest would do you good, and so your mom and sister," Calixto added and my face saddened.

    "Don''t tell me I am crazy, but we don''t know if your dad was nning something that might cause coteral damage." He continued, and I couldn''t argue with Cal.

    "Do you think mom will listen to me? I am sure she will call mecrazy for attending a funeral, and I will request them to wear a bulletproof vest." I responded, and he fell silent.

    "Then, double your security; I am sure Hector provided you with his men." He replied, and I nodded my head.

    "Can we go to Magnolia Vige and have lunch at Jack''s restaurant?" I asked, and he smiled.

    "I love that, Mr. Divenson; I will be back before ten," he replied, and I nodded.

    I drove his car, and I couldn''t stopughing when I found Calixto gripping his seat.

    "Are you scared, Cal?" I asked, still amused by his expression.

    "Even if I am already old, I am still afraid to die, Hunter, I love my wife, and I am a happy father. There is no reason for meto die early." He responded.

    "Why are you running this car, almost hitting the maximum speed limit?" He asked as he darted me a side nce.

    "I wanted to reach Magnolia during lunchtime, and I didn''t eat anythingduring breakfast," I said.

    "Well, you should drive safely; you have a beautiful, wealthy wife; when you die, I am sure every man in Neospoli would line up to date your wife." He said, and my face darkened.

    "Don''t say something like that, Calixto; I will never let myself die young; I wanted to grow old with Maddie and enjoy our old days happily, don''t worry, you can tell I was driving fast, but I am a defensive driver, Cal," I replied, and I could see the relief on his face when I slowed down when we are entering the

    Magnolia Vige.

    Old memories suddenly shed back in my mind, and I remembered the day I realized for the first time that I was in love with Madeline.

    She was only neen back then, but Maddie is an epitome of a strong woman, and I fell in love with her harder than I should have; I never had a single regret loving her every day of my life, and I couldn''t stop missing her like crazy.

    "I could tell you are thinking about your wife," I heard Calixto, and I almost forgot he was sitting beside me.

    "How did you know?" I asked, pretending he read my mind wrong.

    "You can''t deny it to me, son, every time you think about Madeline, I can see that look," he replied.

    "What look, Cal?" I inquired.

    "A man in love," he responded, and I chuckled.

    "Yeah, you are right, Cal; I am thinking about my wife. I miss her so much," I responded, and he smiled at me like I had said the most precious thing in the world.

    "That is good to know that you are taking good care of Madeline, Hunter." He said.

    "Of course, Cal, you should know that by now," I said, and heughed.

    I couldn''t believe I would see Gina in the restaurant, but I realized she had all the right to visit Jack, and I couldn''t stop thinking about my wife.

    I was used to it; every time Gina was around, my wife would be there too, but not today. I am sure Madeline''s best friend is here to reunite with her boyfriend and not to have some fun or to attend the funeral of my brother.

    "Did you tell my wife you areing to Magnolia, Gina?" I asked, and I could see the guilt all over her face.

    "I am sorry, Hunter; I promise to be with your wife, but I couldn''t stoping here and seeing my boyfriend." She said while I could see the blush that crept all over her face.

    I know she feltguilty abouting here even if I asked her to be there with Madeline. But Gina has the freedom to enjoy herself and be with Jack. She is one of my employees, my wife''s best friend, and she is not a prisoner in Hector Grant''s estate.

    I wished to see Maddie having fun talking with her friends in Magnolia, butI knew my wife was safer out there, and I couldn''t afford to risk it even if every damn minute it felt like my hurt was about to burst because of how much I wanted to be with her.

    "I came home to attend the funeral of your brother, Hunter, and to see Jack too," Gina added, I smiled at her, but I could tell it was more about seeing her boyfriend, but now that I found out she was here, she felt guilty if she would not attend the funeral service of my brother.<sub> </sub>

    "Thank you, Gina, I appreciate it, but I hope you tell Maddie about your n since I am sure she will be more upset," I replied.

    "Of course, we are best friends, Hunter, don''t worry; she understood why she needed to stay behind; she even encouraged me toe home so I could also spend time with Jack and his family," Gina stated.

    "Do you want to order now?" Lianne asked, and I shifted my attention to her as I nodded my head.

    "Yes, please, we came here just to eat Jack''s specialty, and I want to order Jack''s Special steak," I said.

    "Me too, I love the steak," Calixto added, and his stomach grumbled loud enough that everyone around the table could hear it, and they all turned their gaze on him.

    "I am sorry, I am starving," he said, and I couldn''t stop coughing since I was holding myughter at bay.

    I didn''t expect they hadn''t eaten their lunch yet, and when Jack joined us at the table, I said my thanks for serving us the most delicious steak I had ever tasted; so tender, and it tasted so good in my mouth.

    "Thank you foring, Mr. Divenson." He replied.

    "Even if I had a busy day, and you have a branch in Archois, it still felt different to dine here, Jack," I replied.

    "Maybe because you have beautiful memories in this ce, Hunter," Lydia said with a broad grin on her face, and I nodded in agreement.

    "Yeah, indeed, I wished to bring my sister and mom; maybe tomorrow I can have a takeaway order good for two," I said.

    "Sure," Jack answered while Gina''s eyes widened.

    "Are you staying in Magnolia?" She asked.

    "Yeah, we will spend the night at our Vi," I responded.

    "Oh, I see; that would be lovely," Gina answered.

    "If you want, you can all join us," I replied.

    "Thank you, Hunter, but we already have ns for tonight," Gina responded, and then she turned her gaze to Jack.

    "Yeah, we are returning to Archois this afternoon," Jack responded.

    "Ah, okay, see you at the funeral, Gina," I mumbled.

    "Yeah, see you, Hunter." She replied.

    We left the restaurant after I drank my wine, and Cal wanted to stay and talk with them, but I insisted that we should go already since I wanted to have an afternoon swim on the beach.

    We said goodbye to the Morigans, and I drove straight to the vi.

    "Are you sure you wanted to take a nap?" I asked Cal.

    "Yes, I am sleepy; you know, at my age, I needed to take a rest after a long drive." He responded, and I chuckled.

    "It wasn''t a long drive, Cal, and I was the one who drove the car, not you," I said as I narrowed my eyes at him.

    "You better go to the beach now, Hunter," he said ashey on the chaise lounge on the porch.

    I shook my head and made my way to the shore. I wanted to take a picture and send it to my beloved wife, but I realized Gina was right; the more I call and send her pictures, Madeline will be upset that I didn''t bring her with me.

    It was enough that she sent me photos every day of our little boy, and I know why Maddie avoided sending me her pictures, too; she knew I would miss her more.

    The water looked so calm, and I couldn''t stop feeling the pain of losing my brother; as I watched the waves crashing on the shore, I realized life is too short, and I hoped my father would recognize we are his children, and I wanted to know why he hated my wife so much.

    I cooked dinner after my swim, and I woke Cal up by shaking his shoulder, and he was initially disoriented, but he widely smiled at me after he realized we were still in our Vi.

    "Wow, thank you for cooking dinner, Mr. Divenson," He said, and I smiled at him as I offered him his te.

    The drive back to Archois took longer as we enjoyed the view, and I couldn''t believe the time had passed too quickly, and it would be Parker and Reba''s funeral.

    I put on my navy blue suit while I saw my mom and sister wearing ck dresses, and I could tell my mom and Lily had been crying again, and I wished there was a way I could take away their pain overnight, but I knew it would take time.

    I didn''t drive since grandpa Hector assigned a driver who would take us to the church, and he would be driving us to the cemetery, and as we neared the church, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so nervous about meeting my father, rk Divenson.

 Chapter 288 Euphoria

    Madeline''s POV

    "Why are you here, Gina? It is still early; you should be with Jack at this hour," I said as I turned to her side after shey on the bed beside me.

    "I don''t want Jack''s mother to see me getting out of his room, and it would be awkward, Maddie," she replied.

    "You are both an adult, Gina; I am sure Lydia would understand," I replied.

    I didn''t want to ruin her mood since she looked so happy to be with Jack. I felt guilty that because of me, she needed to go back to the city. I didn''t expect she woulde back to our room earlier than I expected.

    "You can stay here and spend your time with him together with his family, and you don''t need toe with me today, Gina; I would understand," I added and smiled at her.

    "Maddie, I came with you because of that mission, and I didn''t expect I would be spending a night with Jack," she replied with a beautiful smile that I could see her face was glowing.

    Gina was still wearing her nightgown, and she looked so sexy, and I could see she was blushing. I never see my best friend this happy, and I felt so delightedfor her.

    "Thank you for allowing me to be with Jack," she said.

    "You don''t need to say thank you, Gina; he is your boyfriend, besides it was part of my itinerary to visit Magnolia Vige since I missed Jack''s family," I responded.

    "Are you ready to go back to Archois?" She asked after a while.

    "Yeah, we need to prepare everything. Did you tell Jack about our ns?" I said, and she shook her head.

    "Of course not; I don''t want him to worry, all he knew is Hunter, and his family didn''t know you were here to attend the funeral; I am just worried if he wille to us the moment we arrive at the church." She replied.

    "About that, you better tell him you can''t join them during the funeral service since I asked you to be with me, and I have to be with Hunter and his family," I exined.

    "You better tell Jack to stay with his family while you will be with me, I don''t know what will happen during the funeral, but I am sure it would blow their mind the moment they see us, especially rk," I added.

    "I couldn''t imagine what would be Hunter''s reaction; I wonder what he will do the moment we will get inside the church," My best friend said.

    "You need to be extra careful, Madeline," she added.

    "Yeah, but I want you to be careful too, Gina, your life could be in danger because of me, and I know rk will makehis move right away," I replied.

    "But I don''t want to think about Hunter''s father yet, and I am worried about my mom''s sister. I was hurt when I received her letter, and she said in her lettershe didn''t want to deal with me anymore." I added.

    "I am sorry about that, Madeline," she responded.

    "It is okay, Gina; I was excited that she finally wrote a letter to me; I didn''t expect she would tell me to leave her and her family alone," I dered since I didn''t get the chance to tell Gina the details since after I read my aunt''s letter we heard the bad news about Parker and Reba.

    "Oh, that is unbelievable," she mumbled.

    "I know, right," I replied.

    "I asked Calixto to find them, but they told Cal to tell me to honor their wishes since they didn''t want to see me anymore after all the things I did for them," I added.

    "It hurts me since they are the only ones I know from my maternal side, and I want to go to their house and see my aunt," I said.

    "Oh, Madeline, your aunt already asked you to honor her wishes," Gina responded, and I shook my head.

    "I want to hear it myself, Gina, even if it hurts," I replied, and we talked more until my best friend smiled as she showed me the text message from her boyfriend telling us toe down and join them in the dining area to have breakfast.

    Lydia, Lianne, and Jack were already waiting for us in the dining hall, and they all greeted us warmly with sweet smiles on their faces.

    "Are you really going back to the city today?" Lydia asked as she looked at me.

    "Yeah, I needed to take care of some matters before the funeral service of Reba and Parker," I responded as Jack and Lianne served us our food.

    "Thank you, chef Jack and Lianne," I said as I smiled at them.

    I suddenly felt hungry when I saw the french toast and egg fillet on my te with siding of fresh strawberry and banana, and I poured fresh milk into my ss.<sub> </sub>

    I ate my food with a beautiful smile as I listened to them happily talking with each other, and their lively conversation made me want to stay another day with them.

    I wished to stay longer, but we needed to return to the city and meet grandpa''s trusted friend in Archois. I haven''t met him yet since he wasn''t able to visit Neospoli due to his hectic schedule, and since my grandfather trusted him, I need to put my faith in him too.

    We said goodbye to them, and Jack''s family cheered when he kissed Gina on the lips before he finally let go of my best friend.

    "Wow! Someone is so in love!" I teased my best friend after we drove away from Morigan''s ancestral house.

    "Yeah, I am in love, and I didn''t expect it would feel this way; I hadn''t experienced this euphoria before," she replied.

    "Yeah, I can rte, and I know how it feels; it felt like your heart would burst due to much happiness, and you felt like you were floating in the air," I said, and she giggled as she nodded head.

    "I am so happy for you and Jack, Gina; I was dreaming for this day toe when I could finally say that my best friend is in love, and I felt so d it was with Jack Morigan," I added.

    "Me too," she replied.

    "I know he was such a gentleman, and he will never hurt you, Gina," I added.

    "I know, Maddie, and I wish he would propose to me soon," she replied, and I smiled at her.

    "Of course, when the right timees, I know he was still nning his proposal, and when that dayes, I am sure you will be the happiest woman on earth," I said, and she beamed at me.

    We listened to our favorite ylist as we traversed the road leading to the city, and I couldn''t stop myself from driving to my aunt''s house, and I wished I didn''te.

    "Are you okay?" Gina asked after my cousin told me my aunt didn''t want to speak with me, and I didn''t understand why she had nothing to do with me.

    "No, I will never be fine knowing my Aunt doesn''t want to speak with me. I don''t know what I have done wrong to her, Gina." I said as I clenched my fists on the steering wheel.

    "Maybe rk Divenson was all behind this, and it would be impossible if your aunt would shun you just like that; you are her niece, Maddie," Gina said as she tried to console me.

    "I don''t know, and I just want to see her and say hello, I kept sending them money every month, and she told meto stop since she doesn''t need my money anymore. I only wanted to share my blessings with her." I responded.

    "Don''t worry, one of these days she wille to you," my best friend replied.

    "I wish that were true, Gina," I said as I started the engine of the car.

    "I need to go back, and I should be with my husband," I replied as I focused my attention on the road.

    ? "Where are we going to meet this person? I mean, your grandpa''s friend?" She asked.

    "I have his address, and I already set the GPS," I replied.

    "We will be staying at his ce since my grandpa''s men and his men will be our backup during the funeral service," I added.

    "Do you think we can still attend the burial?" She asked, and I darted a nce at her before I shook my head.

    "I don''t think so; I am sure by the time rk found out I was there, he would quickly make a move," I replied, and she fell silent for the rest of our ride, and I could tell Gina felt nervous.

    "If you don''t want to do it, you can still back out, Gina; even on that day, just remember you have the freedom to continue or not; I will give you an option," I added.

    "I even want you to stay on Magnolia and be safe, but I am sure you will do everything for me, and I am forever grateful for having you in my life, Gina," I said.

    "Me too, Maddie; the feeling is mutual; I am thankful for having you as your best friend." She responded.

    The GPS brought us to the city''s outskirts, andwe stopped in front of arge wrought iron entrance gate of an enormous mansion.

    "Wow! Your grandpa''s friend is loaded too," Gina mumbled as she looked at the mansion from a distance; after the security guards let us in, before I could introduce myself that I am Madeline, the granddaughter of Hector Grant.

    The camera on the guardhouse captured my face and Gina, and they got all the information they needed without showing them our Identification Cards.

    I couldn''t stop feeling excited as I drove the car toward the entrance of the main house, and I couldn''t wait to see the man who would help us to take down rk Divenson.

 Chapter 289 Forever Enemy

    Madeline''s POV

    "Hello, Madeline and Gina, wee to my estate," a handsome man in histe twenties or early thirties greeted us with a beautiful smile on his face while Gina and I were standing in the living room with mouths agape.

    "You are my grandpa''s Fri-friend?" I stuttered as I looked at him, and his grin broadened.

    ? "Yeah, why do you look so shocked, Maddie?" He asked, and I felt a little embarrassed.

    "You are so young," I mumbled, and I wanted to add hot and handsome, but I kept it to myself since I didn''t want him to think I was flirting with him.

    "Ha! Ha! Do you think I am old?" He asked, and I could see the amusement on his face as he looked at me.

    "My name is Dean, and my grandfather is David Richester, who happens to be your grandpa''s best friend." She replied.

    "Oh, I am sorry; I assumed immediately you were my grandpa''s best friend," I responded as I felt shy.

    "It was okay, Madeline; I love Hector; he is one of my favorite people in this world," Dean replied, and I smiled at him.

    "When can I see your grandfather?" I asked.

    "I regret to inform you, but he was out of the country." He replied, and my face fell.

    "Hey, don''t look sad, Maddie; even if my grandpa is not around, I will still be the person you wanted to see since he left everything to me concerning his security team." He dered.

    "I am the eldest among his grandchildren, and they all expected me to follow in his footsteps; that is the reason why at an early age, I had learned so much from running thepany before I could ever graduate from college," Dean added.

    "He told me you, Hector Grant asked for his help, and he assigned me to assist you." He continued, and I couldn''t stop from having doubts.

    "Hey, don''t look at me that way, Maddie; believe me, I''ve got talents and skills, or else my grandpa will never trust me to be with you," Dean stated.

    "I am sorry, Dean, for having uncertainties," I replied.

    "Of course, I understand, Madeline," he said, and I smiled at him.

    "Thank you, but I really need your help," I answered.

    "Please,dies, follow me to my grandpa''s study." He said as he loosened his navy blue necktie.

    We were following behind him in silence, and I could tell Gina wanted to say something, but he kept her mouth shut as he looked at Dean Richester''s back.

    We heard of the Richesters before but never got the chance to know them since they belonged to the elite society, and their family is one of the richest in the country.

    "Please have a seat, and I wanted to speak with the two of you about the initial n I made after I talked to your grandpa, and he told me about your brilliant idea, which I considered could be dangerous for both of you." He said right away as he stood in front of us, and he was towering over us.

    David''s grandson is not only handsome, but he is so tall and looked so charming and friendly. He has his own charisma, and I could tell he made women cry.

    "Do you have any idea what we should do during the funeral?" I asked.

    "Well, we must do the original n, which is to surprise yourfather-inw; if he was the reason for his son''s death, even if it was unintentional, I could tell he would be a little distracted, but since rk was a wicked person, I am certain,already nned everything," Dean said as hebed his sleek dark hair with his fingers.

    "I could tell your husband''s father was waiting for you toe since he knew your personality. He can read your mind, Madeline, and I know rk Divenson would think you will never listen to his son, and you will still attend the funeral of his youngest son and daughter-inw." He added, and I couldn''t stop feeling nervous.

    "You don''t need to worry, we will double the security, but we will make sure no one will get hurt, and don''t think my men and Hector''s men abandoned you when there is no rescue right away; we need to bait rk, Madeline," Dean stated.

    "Okay, what are we going to do?" I asked.

    "Just follow the order of his men," he replied.

    "What if his men will shoot Madeline or me?" Gina asked, and he looked at my best friend and me before he spoke calmly.<sub> </sub>

    "That is why you needed to be alert at all times, but I am sure rk will be cautious in my assessment; he will make his move after his son''s burial. He is not that stupid to ruin his own son''s funeral. ording to my source, your father-inw was in pain of losing Parker," He responded.

    "I think it would be best if Gina would show up first, and you shoulde out at the cemetery, Madeline." He said.

    "But I wanted to attend the funeral service and see Parker and Reba for thest time. Do you think we cane at the sametime?" I asked, and I could see that he was deliberating what I had said.

    "Well, it would be possible, but your n would create amotion. I guess you wanted to give your husband''s brother a perfect funeral, and to do that, I think you should not make a scene and ask Gina to stay in the car the entire funeral service." He responded.

    "I think rk will make his n after heid his son to rest. He won''t make a move in front of many people and his friends, and we are not even sure if he had a change of heart; who knows, he wanted to see you and be a good father to you." He said, and I halfughed.

    "No, it will never happen, Dean, rk is evil, and his daughter Charlotte is his right hand, and we don''t know what they are scheming right now as they wait for the funeral," I responded.

    "Okay, so let us assume rk is nning to hurt you, we will tackle that issue for the rest of the day, and tomorrow, I will brief you on what you should do the moment his men take you." Dean dered.

    "What if he shoots me on the spot?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "Don''t worry, before rk''s man can shoot you, he will be dead," he said with confidence, and I felt relieved by his promise even if I knew this was my choice and I could get hurt along the process.

    "Madeline, your grandpa, paid a reasonable

    amount of money for your safety so that you can attend the funeral, and you don''t need to fear." He said.

    "Your things are already in your assigned room; I asked the maid to prepare two rooms for you," he added.

    "Thank you for everything, Dean, but can we share the same room?" I asked, and he smiled at us.

    "Sure! Whatever you want. You are really best friends. I will ask one of the household staff to bring Gina''s suitcase to your room." He replied.

    "Thank you again," I replied.

    "You are wee." He said.

    After our meeting, Dean brought us to our room, and Gina and I spent the rest of the afternoon talking about the possibility of being caught, but we were both hopeful our n would work out.

    The day of the funeral came. It was still early, but we were getting ready in our room when Dean came together with the professional makeup artist and the one who would help us with our n.

    It was still early, and I didn''t want us to bete since I was sure I would get extra attention if I got inside the churchte.

    "Wow! I couldn''t believe something like this was possible?" Gina said after she looked at her reflection in the mirror, and when Dean returned to our room, I could see the surprised look on his face as his eyes scrutinized Gina and me.

    "I am out of words to describe you girls; you both looked amazing; sadly, you were attending a funeral; I wished I had met you in different circumstances," Dean said as he looked me in the eyes.

    "Yeah, me too; I hope the same thing," I replied, and he motioned us to follow him outside the room, and I couldn''t stop from feeling nervous as I darted a nce at my best friend and I gave her a beautiful smile letting her know everything will be alright.

    I didn''t expect Dean would be driving our service vehicle, and I sat beside him in front of his car.

    "Nice ride," I said, and he chuckled.

    "This car is nothing to your new baby; I heard your grandpa wanted to give you the most expensive car this world can offer," he replied, and I couldn''t stop grinning as I remembered my reaction when I received my grandpa''s gift.

    I didn''t intend to get upset, but it was too much, and I apologized to Hector Grant after initially refusing that expensive present. My grandpa told me he worked hard every single day of his life, hoping one day he could make his only grandchild happy, and my grandfather didn''t expect giving me that car would make me upset, and he became more proud of me.

    "Are you ready?" Dean asked after he parked his ck SUV at the church parking lot.

    As I looked around, I could see expensive vehicles around us, and I couldn''t stop feeling anxious as I nodded my head, thinking I would be seeing Hunter''s father, my forever enemy. The man who plotted to kill me numerous times, and I am determined to stop his craziness, whatever it takes, so my family could finally have peace.

 Chapter 290 The Funeral

    Hunter''s POV

    We were sitting in the front row, and my mom was still sobbing; no matter how I tried to console her, I understood she was grieving.

    Lily was wiping her tears, and she kept her voice low that I couldn''t even hear; her crying while I could feel the excruciating pain in my heart; as the clergy led the service, I couldn''t find Charlotte and my father.

    I didn''t know if I had to feel worried or relieved that they didn''te at all, and I knew my mom would be more heartbroken if dad did note.

    Parker is my father''s only biological son, and I know when we were younger, dad tried his best to show everyone I was his favorite son, especially when we were out in public; he wanted to portray he was the best father in the world without knowing my dad hated every moment he spent with me since I wasn''t his own child.

    I pity him since he couldn''t make Parker the heir because thepany was my mom''s inheritance.

    It was in the middle of the liturgy when rk and Charlotte came; I could feel the tension in the air as dad sat beside me in the front pew while Charlotte settled herself next to me.

    My father wore a ck suit, and Charlotte was wearing a ck ankle-length dress.

    When it was time for the eulogy, I didn''t want to go up to the front since I didn''t wish to say goodbye to Parker yet, and of course, it would be hard knowing our dad was the mastermind of their deaths.

    I know he was remorseful that he nned to kill Reba without thinking Parker would be joining his wife on their journey to the afterlife.

    I got up from my seat, and I stood in front of all the people who mourned with us. I could see Reba''s family on the other side of the church, and I was the one who felt guilty, and I didn''t know if they had any idea it was my father who did it to their beloved Reba.

    I didn''t get the chance to speak with them, and I didn''t want to talk to any of Reba''s rtives since I didn''t know how tofort them.

    I didn''t write my speechsince I tried topose it the other night, but I''ve got nothing. As I looked at everyone who attended the service, my heart filled with so much gratitude that they all came and joined us in this unforgettable event in our lives.

    "We all came together today in memory of my beloved brother, Parker, and his wife, Reba. I still couldn''t believe he was gone together with his beloved wife." I said as I looked at the crowd.

    "Parker was the best brother anyone could have; he is a good son to our parents and; a caring and loving brother to his siblings, growing up he always looked up to me as his elder brother, and I know in his eyes, I am always his hero," I added.

    "There were moments that I tried to look brave even if I wanted to cry because of some minor physical sports injuries or emotional problems I encountered during our childhood and teenage years because I knew he would always believe in me." I dered, trying to control my tears from falling as I narrated some of my childhood memories with Parker.

    "On behalf of our family, to all our friends who joined us today, I would like to tell you all we felt so happy and grateful to all of you." I continued.

    I tried to look stern as I delivered my speech, and when I was in the part where I thanked everyone, I got distracted when someone got inside wearing a ck dress with a ck fascinator on her head.

    It seemed like I was looking at my wife even if I knew there was no way Madeline would be in Archoisand would be joining us in the funeral service since I made sure she stayed at his grandpa''s ce.

    Even if the woman''s head was down and she was staring at her feet, it couldn''t deny herphysique looked exactly like Maddie''s.

    I couldn''t stop my heart racing as I gazed at her, and everyone was wondering why I suddenly stopped talking, and they all looked where I was staring, and it was a wrong move, and I suddenly felt rmed.

    "Thank you all foring," I ended my eulogy after the woman settled at the back pew while some of the guests were whispering and still had their eyes on the woman who happened to look like Madeline.

    I wished to go straight to her seat, but I needed to join my family at the front pew. My mother hugged me, and so did my sister Lily. I couldn''t stop turning my head to look at the mysterious woman, but I could no longer see her since the crowd hid her.

    My sister Lily was the one who gave a eulogy after me, and she vividly narrated what a good brother Parker was. I loved how she talked about him, and I missed him even more, but I couldn''t concentrate since I felt so bothered by the woman who came unannounced.<sub> </sub>

    Did rk Divenson hire her to distract all of us, especially me? I couldn''t believe why he would do that to all of us at my younger brother''s funeral service.

    I opened my phone and looked at the messages Maddie had sent me, and I wanted to call her right away, but I wanted to honor my brother even for thest time.

    I am sure my wife was safe, and Madeline will not do something like this; she will never make me worried. I am sure she will not be reckless by this time since we had a son, and I am sure Maddie would consider the possibility of attending the funeral; my father would hurt her.

    "What is going on? Are you okay, son?" My mother asked me as she turned her gaze at me, and I could see the sorrow on her face as she took my hand.

    "Everything is okay, mom; I am still not in the mood. To be honest, I am in deep pain too; we had seen each other during our vacation, and they both looked healthy." I answered, and she tried to give me a weak smile.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I couldn''t control myself from feeling the pain of losing your brother, I should be brave for all my children, but instead, I had done nothing but showed you how weak I could be." My mom said in more than a whisper as we waited for the staff of the funeral homes to bring my brother and Reba''s coffins to the funeral cars to be brought to the memorial park where we wouldy their bodies to rest.

    "What is that woman doing here?" I could listen to my father''s angry voice, and I suddenly tensed up, and I couldn''t believe this was happening as I turned around and found the woman talking with Calixto at the back, and she quickly walked out of the church before I could run towards them.

    I hastily got up as I excused myself from my mom, and I asked Lily to be with our mother, whatever happens.

    "Calixto, can you tell me what is going on?" I asked, and I could tell he looked so pale as he grabbed my wrist as I was about to follow the woman.

    "Have you seen her?" He asked, and my heart hammered against my chest.

    "I didn''t see her face, but I could tell he looked like Madeline," I replied.

    "Yeah, and don''t bother running after her, she looked like Maddie, but I knew she wasn''t Madeline at all, don''t waste your time; I am sure your father is behind all this, Hunter." He said.

    "What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

    "Her face is Madeline, but when she talked with me, her voice sounded so different, and when I asked her something, I could tell she wasn''t your wife." He responded.

    "How could you be sure? What if she was my wife, and she came to see Parker and Reba for thest time?" I asked, and he shook her head.

    "She wasn''t able to answer the security question I intended for Maddie," he replied, and his answer made me feel more disoriented.

    "What are you talking about, Cal?" I asked.

    "I am closed to your wife, and I am sorry to tell you this, but we had talked about something that does not include you, and if she was Maddie, I am sure she could rte to what I had asked her, but she looked pale and so nervous." He answered.

    "Your wife is always calm even if she feels so broken and disoriented inside; she is so good at hiding her real emotions," Cal added.

    No, I muste after her; I need to speak with her to say she isn''t my wife," I insisted.

    "Please, don''t go after her, Hunter; I am sure she is not your wife. Her voice was different, and she wasshorter than Maddie, and the way she moved was different from her." Calixto said louder than necessary as I turned my heels and ran away from him, and I got out of the church hurriedly.

    As I went to the parking lot, but I could no longer find her, and I suddenly felt worried and confused about what was going on.

    Did Maddiee home to Archois? Or did my father hire someone to y as my wife to ruin the service? I looked at my brother''s casket as the men from the funeral parlor put it on the hearse while I was standing on the pavement, feeling lost and bewildered by what was going on.

 Chapter 291 Bait

    Madeline''s POV

    My heart was racing as I could feel the sweat on my palm as we neared the church where the funeral service was going on; it felt like I was having some trouble with my stomach since I felt like I wanted to use a restroom as I tried to stop my nervousness.

    Even though we nned everything, I couldn''t stop having doubts. I was anxious that things would go wrong, and I did not want to face failure or any damage resulting from our n.

    Losing Parker and Reba was unexpected, and we were still having a hard time epting what was going on with Hunter''s family. I want to quit thinking that rk has the ability to hurt my husband during the funeral because I know how much my father-inw hated his son, after Hunter got married to me.

    I know we werete, and it was part of our n; we needed to capture the attention of everyone so that rk would know I was there.

    The van parked at the back part of the church to make sure no one would know immediately I was attending the funeral. We n to get inside the churchter than necessary to make a grand entrance.

    "Girls, are you ready?" Dean asked both Gina and me. I felt relieved when I saw Dean''s men and my grandpa''s men get off from their vehicles. I felt safe, yet I was hesitant to continue with our n.

    I know my husband would get angry at me the moment he realized I was in Archois City without his knowledge. I didn''t even inform him I wasing home to our hometown.

    And as much as I want my husband to trust me, the safety of my family is my priority; I am willing to do everything to stop rk from his wickedness. I know the only way to do it is by making a sacrifice.

    "Yeah, we are ready," I answered, and Gina just nodded her head, and when I took her hand, I could feel how cold her palm was, and she didn''t need to tell me what was on her mind since I knew her very well.

    I am aware my best friend is worried; just one look at her face, I could tell she was very nervous and afraid that something would go wrong, just like what I was feeling.

    No matter how brave we look from the outside, I know deep inside we are both shaking and have turmoil at the moment.Gina came out of the van first, as agreed, and I was fidgeting and holding my breath as I waited for her to reach the church entrance.

    "Hey, you have to rx, Gina," I heard Dean say as he looked at his phone. I could see the front of the churching into view, and I could tell Gina was walking fast as I looked at her surrounding in a blur.

    Yeah, Dean put a hidden camera in our clothes to make our n work perfectly; he was an excellent help to us, yet I am still doubtful if we can aplish our task.

    "Act normal, and don''t look at anyone; bow your head enough for you to see where you are going." Dean continued, and then he swiped the screen, and I could see another angle, and I think it was footage from one of his men.

    Gina came inside the church, and my heart suddenly felt warm as I looked at Hunter standing in front of the church, and I realized he was giving his eulogy for his brother, and I wanted to be there for him and his family.

    My best friend sat on the back pew, contrary to our original n. I wanted to be there instead of her, but Dean insisted it would be better for Gina toe out first, and I could have my chance at the cemetery.

    Gina looked liked me, and I only realized this morning that things like this could be possible, and it will happen not only in television shows but as well as in real life.

    We looked like identical twins when we looked at our reflection in the mirror after the friend of Dean finished her makeover with Gina. I could tell the only way Hunter would find out it wasn''t me was the moment Gina talked.

    My heart was in pain as I looked at my husband, and I knew how much Hunter was hurting, and I wished I could be with them and share the pain of losing Parker and Reba.

    I saw Calixto Morgan get up from his seat and make his way to Gina, and I knew he would know immediately that something was going on when he realized Gina wasn''t me.

    Dean browsed the screen and turned on the mike, and I felt my heart would burst as I listened to Calixto talking with Gina.

    "Madeline, it was fancy meeting you here; your husband told me you can''t make it; I don''t know

    if I will be happy that you could join us, or I will be devastated that you showed up unannounced and you are putting your life in danger," Cal said, and I was holding my breath as I waited for Gina''s reaction.

    "Hi," Gina replied.<sub> </sub>

    "Don''t talk to him, Gina," Dean instructed, and I know Gina could hear him, and I am sure she didn''t turn off her microphone, and she could listen to Dean.

    "I need to go now, Cal," Gina tried her best to speak like me, but I could tell it was an epic fail since I was closed with Calixto, and I knew he could tell it wasn''t me at all.

    My best friend''s appearance was enough to catch rk''s Divenson''s attention, and I could see him looking in Gina''s direction, and Dean''s man was good at capturing rk''s face as he realized I was attending the service.

    "You need to get out of the church now, Gina. You have to move." Dean instructed as he adjusted his screen, and I could see two monitors, one from Gina''s perspective and the other one from one

    of his men.

    I could feel my heart pounding so hard against my chest as I looked at Gina stand up and made her way to the exit, and the moment she got out, my best friend ran as fast as she could, and I leaned my back on the back rest as she made her way to our vehicle.

    I know Dean''s men would be there to make her exit safe, but after seeing my husband, I felt distracted, and I didn''t know if I could make it, but we were here, and I knew there was no turning back; we have to finish what we had started.

    "I am sorry, Maddie, Dean, I knew I messed up," Gina said right after she got inside the car.

    "Hey, it was okay, Gina; you did great out there; you don''t need to worry about anything; no one came after you," Dean responded.

    "Yes, you were amazing, Gina," I added.

    "I didn''t know how I would react if Hunter came to me, I was only talking to Calixto, yet it felt like I had a heart attack because of my nervousness," Gina stated.

    "I felt d Dean told meto get out of the church, or else, I don''t know what I should do; staying there for another five minutes would be a disaster." She added.

    "I don''t want to answer Calixto, but I didn''t want him to be more suspicious, and it waste for me to realize he became more doubtful about my appearance, and I am sure Cal would know it wasn''t Madeline who went there, but a fake one." Gina dered.

    "Gina, that was the whole point for all of these; we wanted to makeHunter believe Maddie was the impostor the moment she took ast look at Parker at the cemetery; that was the whole n." Dean answered, and I could see the confusion on Gina''s face.

    "What are you talking about?" She asked.

    "I am sorry, Gina, we didn''t tell you since we wanted you to act normal; that is why we have a changed of ns; it was best that you showed up during the funeral service so I could attend the burial and I am sure my husband would stay his distance from me knowing he was thinking I was you, the one who appeared at the service," I exined.

    "I am sure Calixto would tell my husband you were a fake Madeline, so I can have my moment at the burial while we can make rk angry by thinking I came to the funeral, and I am sure he was now nning on how to capture me," I added.

    "We can proceed to our n B after the burial; thank you for doing all these for me, Gina. If you don''t want to go to the cemetery, it would be fine, and I can take it from there." I continued.

    "Are you crazy, Maddie? We are on this together, and we passed stage one; you should be careful at the burial; rk could hire a sniper." She responded.

    "Gina, you don''t need to worry. Remember what I told you? Before rk''s man could pull the trigger, he could be dead. You don''t need to worry about anything, and we hired the best among the best." Dean answered.

    "All we need to do now is to lure rk, and to do that, we need to take a risk, and it means making Maddie the bait." He added.

    "I came here for that, Dean; I am ready to face Hunter''s father; I know this is the only way to stop him from hurting and threatening my family," I replied, trying to look brave even if my entire body was trembling.

    I know I needed to do this for our son; since I wished to raise our child without fear of losing him any moment because of rk, my son''s grandpa; it would be painful to see rk lose this game, but it had toe to an end so we can attain peace in our lives.

 Chapter 292 Not Fake But Real

    Hunter''s POV

    "Calixto, what is going on?" I asked my assistant as I settled next to him on the passenger''s seat of his car after I briefed my men to be vignt, especially now that someone had shown up and pretended to be my wife.We are on our way to the cemetery.

    I couldn''t believe my father would do something like this. I could see how angry he looked at the woman who faked Madeline.

    "I was having some doubts if it was your father''s n all along or if someone was trying to bring chaos today because of your dad. I could tell he has enemies now, and I found out your father was doing something illegal." Cal dered, and I heavily sigh.

    "I didn''t expect he would be worst," I responded.

    "rk was desperate to remain on the top, Hunter, but after what transpired for the past years, you know, when your mom filed the divorce, he was devastated and couldn''t ept he lost his power being one of the powerful men in the country." Calixto dered.

    "Your dad felt like he became an outcast, and he thought Madeline was the reason why he was suddenly at the bottom, and rk was ming your wife for everything that happened in his life." He added.

    "He is sick, and dad knew my wife had nothing to do with what was happening to our family. It was all because of his greediness." I responded, feeling pissed, looking at the road ahead.

    "I still couldn''t believe he would go this far; killing my brother and Reba wasn''t enough for him, and I don''t know what he was trying to do now," I replied.

    "All you have to do is be alert, don''t let your guard down, Hunter," Cal replied.

    "I know," I replied as I looked at the sky over the window of his car. I couldn''t believe the weather had suddenly changed, it was a warm sunny day, and I felt the hotness of the sun before the funeral service started, but now I could see an overcast in the sky; I could tell it would rain at any minute.

    "Don''t be distracted by that woman, Hunter; I am sure she was fake," he replied, and I could see the worries on his face.

    "Don''t worry, they can''t fool me, Cal; I know my wife very well, and even if her physical appearance changes, I can tell whether she is my wife or not," I said while I couldn''t stop thinking about the woman who showed up at the funeral.

    "Do you think it was my father''s n?" I asked as I darted a nce at Calixto.

    "I am not sure about that, and I don''t get why he looked so angry, and I don''t think your father was faking it; it seemed so real that he was angry a while ago when he realized Maddie was at the church." He responded.

    "Maybe it was Charlotte, and it wasn''t my dad since I could tell he was so affected by Parker''s death," I stated.

    "You could be right, and your sister could be deadly, Hunter; there is a strong possibility she was thinking about something that is why he was using a fake Maddie to make you apprehensive about what is going on." He replied.

    "But there is one way to find out; you better call Madeline right now." He added, and I felt so stupid for not doing it right away to check on my wife.

    I dialed Maddie''s number, and she answered right away, and I put it on the speaker so Cal would know if Maddie was not at Hector''s ce.

    "Hello, how are you, my love? I wished everything was okay, and how I wished to be there with you," she answered right away, and I smiled at Cal as I realized my wife was safe.

    "Everything is fine, my love," I replied.

    "That''s great; I hope to see you soon, my love; I need to go now. Our son needs immediate attention," my wife responded as I could hear Frank crying in the background, and before I could even say goodbye to my wife, the line went dead, but it was enough for me to know that Madeline was in Neospoli.

    "Thank goodness she was in Neospoli; I was holding my breath since I was expecting someone would answer your call," Calixto said, and I smiled as I received a text message from Maddie.

    "I miss you so much, my love; I love you, I wanted to speak with you more, but I will only miss you more, take care always for us, my love." Madeline texted, and I was smiling from ear to ear.

    "I miss you more, my beautiful wife; I couldn''t wait to be with you and our son; I will talk to you again tonight, my love," I responded with three hearts emojis.

    "To tell you honestly, Cal, I couldn''t stop feeling doubtful, but now that I had spoken with Madeline, I felt at peace," I replied.

    "I felt the same way, too, Hunter; you know how much I care about your wife; she is like my daughter," Cal responded, and my smile broadened.<sub> </sub>

    "I know, and it hurts me that you have favoritism, Calixto," I replied, and he chuckled.

    We fell silent as I leaned my back on my seat, and I was hoping it would not rain so we could correctly say goodbye to Parker. I could hear thunderstorms as we neared the gate of the cemetery.

    Cal parked the car beside the vehicle where my mom and sister rode. I got out quickly, and I could see Cal getting the big umbre from his car trunk.

    I could see that they had assembled a tent near Parker and Reba''s grave; it would be difficult for all the people who attended the interment if it would suddenly rain.

    I saw my father get out of his car together with Charlotte, and I hate to think that we were divided since we are family, and it hurts me so much that we have animosity towards each other.

    We settled on the front seats while they put the caskets on the bier coffin stands for final viewing. Parker''s secretary was the one who helped Cal facilitate everything, including the funeral and interment service.

    "How could you not give our family a little respect, Hunter?" He said in more than a whisper, but I could tell he was pissed, and I knew right away he was talking about the fake Madeline.

    "What do you mean, dad?" I asked.

    "I could never ept your wife as part of our family, and you should have the decency to tell her not toe." He added.

    "Dad, Maddie is now my wife, and she is a friend of Reba and Parker; she has all the right to join us as we mourn my brother''s death," I said, and I was controlling my anger toward my dad.

    He looked at me with anger all over his face, but I didn''t avert his gaze; I was no longer afraid of my father after what he had done to Parker. I wanted to tell him I knew the truth, but this was not the right time.

    "She will forever be an outcast, Hunter; I already told you no matter what happened, I will never ept Madeline Brownwood to be part of our family." He hissed.

    "Dad, please, we are here to give our final respect to my brother and not to fight each other," I pleaded, and I felt d his face softened a little, and he fell silent.

    When I looked at my mom, she was holding Lily''s hand, and she was softly crying; and stood up and sat next to my mom, and she put her head on my shoulder while I tried tofort my mother the best way I could.

    "Mom, please, don''t cry too much. I know Parker doesn''t want you to cry; he wanted to see you with a smile on your face and not tears in your eyes." I whispered as I caressed her back.

    "My son, I love you all; I gave birth to all of you, and as a mother, it breaks my heart to see your brother lying lifeless inside that ss since he was still very young to die, Hunter." My mom softly answered me, and I could feel the pain in her voice.

    "We all love you, mom," I answered.

    "I know, Hunter. I don''t want any of you to get hurt, and if I could only have Parker in my arms like the day he was born, I would do it in a heartbeat just to keep him safe." She added, and I could feel the excruciating pain in my heart as I could see my mom''s agony.

    I wondered how dad was going to deal with Parker''s passing, knowing he was the reason why my brother was gone.

    I didn''t tell him it wasn''t Maddie since I didn''t even know if his confrontation with me was just an act and part of his ns. I couldn''t even see that woman as I looked around the area, and I felt d but worried at the same time.

    Parker''s secretary handed each one of us a long stem white rose as a final offering to my beloved brother, and some of Parker''s friends picked one stem, and I could see some of his friends from high school and college lined up to say goodbye to him for thest time.

    We let the guests be first in line while the rest of my family and I was sitting on our seats waiting for our turn. I could see some of the girls crying as they looked at my brother''s face for thest time, and they talked with him even if I knew Parker could no longer answer them.

    It was a painful reality that he was gone; he was younger than me, and his death was untimely, and I wished to spend more time with my brother after I had a heart-to-heart talk with him during our vacation in Neospoli.

    On the other side were the family and friends of Reba, who lined up to bid their final goodbye to her. I felt happy that many attended the funeral service, and they all came to join us as we were about toy their bodies to rest.

    My eyes widened in shock, and I could feel the hammering of my heart against my chest when I saw the woman who looked like Madeline; she was walking fast towards Parker''s coffin after thest of the guests walked away from my brother''s casket, and I got up quickly before my father can move to join her.

    I could feel my nervousness as I stood beside the woman. I didn''t know how to handle her knowing she was fake, but when the woman turned her head and look at me, my face paled, and my limbs trembled as I realized she wasn''t fake but real, and I couldn''t believe Madeline was in Archois.

 Chapter 293 Farewell

    Madeline''s POV

    "Do you want me toe with you?" Gina asked, and I shook my head.

    "I don''t think that would be a good idea, Gina; I wanted to say my final goodbye to Parker and Reba with sincerity; we both don''t want to put on a show, right?" I asked, and she nodded.

    "Of course, I couldn''t believe there woulde a time I would look beautiful as you. As much as I wanted to look like this, I don''t think I can handle it, knowing I was only borrowing your face." Gina responded.

    "I am even amazed that we looked alike, Gina. To tell you honestly, I love it," I replied.

    "Me too, but after I spoke with our friend, Calixto Morgan, I felt so nervous," Gina said, and I still see her anxiousness.

    "I don''t think Calixto was convinced I was you when he spoke with me. I am sure your husband''s assistant knew right away that I was fake because he tried to act normal, but I could tell that he tensed up when he looked at me when I spoke with him." Gina added.

    "Don''t worry, that is what I wanted all along; I wished my husband to stay away from me; for sure, Cal would warn Hunter you weren''t me, and I could tell they would think it was rk''s scheme," I said with a satisfied smile on my face.

    "I don''t know if our n will work out, but I want you to be careful at all times, Madeline. You don''t know what would be rk''s n after he found out you attended the funeral." Gina stated.

    "I am sure he is now ready to attack you; for certain, your father-inw contacted his men to shoot you, just be careful." She added, and I took her hand.

    "Of course, I will be extra careful. Besides, Dean and grandpa''s men are all over the cemetery, so you have to rx a little; take a deep breath, Gina," I suggested, and she let out a soft sigh.

    "I thought I could be brave like you; I am sorry, Madeline," she said.

    "Hey, please, don''t say that; you have done your part perfectly, Gina. You don''t need to go out here again unless it was necessary for you to help me out, but you knew I would never put your life in danger, so you better stay here with Dean as he monitored everything." I dered.

    "Gina, don''t worry about Madeline; I am sure her husband could protect her before I can, but knowing Maddie would be willing to sacrifice herself for her husband, Hector asked me to double my effort. I need to protect Maddie and Hunter at the same time." He responded.

    I felt relieved since I was worried about my husband''s safety knowing his father was capable of hurting him too; he even sacrificed his son''s life to achieve what he wanted, but his n failed, and now, he was suffering the aftereffect of his goal of taking Reba''s life.

    "You better go now, Maddie; I could tell people are starting to say their final goodbye," Dean said as he looked at the throng of people lining up to see Reba and Parker for thest time.

    "I guess it is time for me to go, Gina, don''t get out of this car unless I ask you; you need to stay here for your own safety," I said.

    "What if rk''s men will take you? Do you think I can stay here and watch you taken by them? I may be a little afraid, but when ites to you, you know I can be brave." She replied, and Iughed.

    "My dear, Gina, don''t ever put your life in danger; his men are armed. Do you think you can help me? You don''t even know how to hold a gun, so you better stay here with Dean and let his men protect me." I said as I looked at my best friend.

    "You must remember and understand that you are one of the people I am willing to offer my life so you can be safe; rk knew that, so if he sees you, he can automatically ask his men to take you with them, for he knew I wille after you," I added, and she took my hand.

    "Just promise me you wille back in one piece," she replied, and I nodded my head.

    "Of course, I will," I said, and before I will chicken out, I put on the shawl over my head, and I opened the vehicle door, and closed it with a bang without taking a second nce.

    I could feel my limbs tremble as I walked away from them. I could see the people giving theirst goodbye to Parker and Reba, and I could tell they were their friends.<sub> </sub>

    Even from a distance, I could see my husband and his family settled in the chairs on the front row as they waited for their turn. I walked faster so I could line up before the Divensons could stand up from their seats.

    I adjusted the shawl on my head, it was drizzling, and I hated that the weather suddenly turned bad. I don''t want rk to see me yet; I need to say my goodbye first before I will show myself to all of them.

    I made a beeline to Reba''s coffin, and someone gave me a long stem white rose. I couldn''t stop

    myself from inhaling the fresh flower; even if I wasn''t close to her, I could feel the pain of losing my husband''s ex.

    Reba was the number one victim of rk''s cruelty; I can rte to her and everything she suffered under rk''s game. Hedidn''t stop until she was dead.

    He tried to kill me so manytimes, but I got lucky I found out I was Hector''s only heir, and I married his son.

    I could feel my knees go weak as I came near to her casket. She looked peaceful, maybe because she was with Parker. They died together, and I could tell they would continue to love each other even until death.

    "Hey, Reba," I said to myself as I touched the ss with my fingers, and I could feel my tears fall

    on my cheeks.

    "I am sorry, I should have asked my grandpa to put him in jail, but I thought he would learn from his mistakes and change. rk almost killed my grandpa, but I was the one who begged my grandfather to let it go, and I didn''t expect this would happen." I added, and I knew even if I was talking to her through my mind, she could hear me.

    "Don''t worry, Reba, I will give your death justice, and I promised you that; all I ask from you is your guidance; I hope you will stay with me and help me to be stronger," I said, and I could hear someone at my back clearing her throat, and it was my cue to say goodbye to her.

    "Goodbye, Reba. May you rest in peace; thank you for the memories and for loving Hunter all through the years; I could tell you have a good heart; you were just a victim of the heartlessness of rk. Farewell, my friend, until we meet again," I whispered, and I bowed my head as I hastily made my way to Parker''s casket.

    The line was getting shorter, and I could feel the hammering of my heart against my chest; I nned to show my face to everyone after I said my farewell to Hunter''s brother, and I couldn''t wait to see Parker for thest time.

    I tried my best to control my emotions as I neared his coffin. I needed to focus on my mission at hand, and so far, I felt d no one had noticed my presence since I covered my face with my fan while I ovepped the ckce shawl on my head that almost covered half of my face.

    I was lost for words as I looked at Parker''s face, and I knew the make-up artist had done a great job of making his face like he was only sleeping.

    "Hi, Parker, I don''t have enough time, but I promise, before I will fly home, I will visit you and Reba one more time; granting my n will work out, don''t worry, I will help you to get the justice that you deserve," I said in a whisper.

    "I am sorry if I hated you when I first came to your mansion; I thought you were that bad. I felt terrible that after I knew the truth, I didn''t have the chance to spend more time with you." I added while I tried to control my tears from falling.

    "Thank you for being honest; at least I was able to forgive you, Parker. Goodbye, and please watch over us, and may you be happy with Reba. Please be our angel, Parker." I said as I touched the ss with my fingers.

    The rain fell, and I don''t need to turn around to know that everyone tried to squeeze inside the tent. I could feel the cold wind brushing my face as I continued to watch Parker''s face.

    I cringed when I felt someone standing beside me, and I didn''t need to look at him to know who he was; his scent was so familiar that even in my sleep, I knew it was him. My heart was beating so fast as my husband moved closer to me.

    "Who are you? Why are you wearing my wife''s face?" He asked in a low yet angry tone, and I hated that I had lost control. I made a big mistake by looking up at him; my husband''s eyes widened in shock, and his face paled as he looked at me. Itwas toote for me to run away from him because I could tell right away he knew it was me.

 Chapter 294 No! Stop!

    Madeline''sPOV

    "Madeline, what are you doing here?" He asked in more than a whisper, and I could see how my husband''s angry face turned soft.

    I hated that I had to see my husband''s misery and concern during this difficult time in his life, but I didn''t have a choice but to go on with my mission of getting back at his father for everything rk had done to us.

    "Hello, my love; I am sorry. I know I have made a terrible mistake, but you have to believe me; I need to do this," I answered, and I could see the rm on his face as he shook his head.

    He looked dashing as ever, even if he was mourning, and I knew I didn''t have time to exin what was going on, but I knew he would understandter on after everything was in ce.

    We all be happy, and when this is over, I will make sure to make him understand that I did all this for our son and his family.

    "You have to get out; this is my brother''s funeral, you are fake, and you need to leave before I call the police. We are mourning for losing my brother and his wife. I couldn''t believe someone like you would ruin this solemn event!" He shouted at me, which made my entire body tremble in fear while I could hear the crowd gasping in disbelief.

    I was shocked because I had never heard my husband shout at me, and I was taken aback by how he reacted to my presence because I was expecting he would understand why I needed toe to Archois.

    I could hear the murmuring behind us, and I became so confused about what to do; I was on my way to telling my husband why I hade home to our hometown, and I tried my best to stop my entire body from trembling.

    Hunter knew I was real, and I suddenly felt worried about why he got so angry with me and pretended he didn''t know me; we aimed to make

    my husband believed I was a fraud, but I felt hurt because he called me fake.

    "I am your wife, Hunter," I mumbled, trying my best to make my voice as low as possible so that only my husband could hear me talking.

    I couldn''t believe my husband would make a show by shouting at me, and I am sure everyone''s attention was on me. It was my n all along; I wanted to make rk and Charlotte realize I was attending the burial so they would make their evil n.

    "Don''t ever fool me, and my wife was in Neospoli country as of the moment. I talked with her a while ago through a video call.Madeline was not here, so you better get out before I will drag you out of this ce." Hunter said, and I could see the anger on his face that I took a back step.

    It seemed my n all worked out, but I couldn''t believe my husband would not recognize me at all. I felt so hurt, but I needed to be vital to make rk believe I was real, and now that Hunter denied my identity.

    I don''t think rk will do something to me after Hunter announced to everyone I was fake. My shoulders sagged as I looked into Hunter''s eyes.

    "How could you do this to me, my love?" I asked as I tried to act normal, but everything I said now was true.

    "I am Maddie, and I am sorry if I came here to say myst goodbye to Parker and Reba; they both mean so much to me. I didn''t know this would make you angry. I am real, and I am your wife!" I shouted back to him so that I could make rke believe I was his daughter-inw.

    "Hunter, please, don''t do this," I begged as I moved closer to my husband.

    "No, I don''t believe you; please, don''t make this hard for all of us, give us some respect; I don''t know who sent you, and you can tell your boss to go to hell, isn''t it enough that my brother and his wife died?" He asked.

    "What do you want from us? From our family? Tell your damn boss to leave my family alone. I don''t even know how you copied my wife''s voice, her face, her figure, but I just want to tell you, even if Madeline would change her appearance into someone else''s face and physique, I will always know it was her." My husband added.

    "Even my assistant, Cal, knew you were fake; you can go back to your damn big boss and tell him to back off because the Divenson will never stop until we can give Parker and Reba''s death justice." He added sternly; I heard another gasp from the audience. Icould tell my husband poured out his raw emotions as he talked with me.

    "I don''t have a boss, Hunter, and you have to believe me; I am your wife. I only came here to say myst goodbye and to see them for thest time." I responded, and before Hunter could talk, I could feel strong hands gripping my wrists.<sub> </sub>

    "Please, Miss, you need toe with me," he said with authority as he started to yank me away from my husband.

    "Hunter, please! It is me!" I yelled as the man used force on me, and I could see Lilying after us.

    "Wait! Please, let her go!" My sister-inw shouted, and the man suddenly stopped from grabbing me by the hands, and I stopped struggling as I smiled at Lily. I felt so delighted that she intervened, or else all that I had nned for will be gone to waste.

    "Lily, what are you doing?" I heard Hunter ask her.

    "Can''t you see it, Hunter? She is Madeline, and I couldn''t believe you were doing this to your wife. She came all the way here to mourn with us. Are you getting paranoid that something might happen to her, and that is why you beg her to stay at her grandpa''s castle?" Lily shouted at his brother.

    "No one will hurt her, Hunter, Madeline is a strong woman, and I don''t understand why there would be someone capable of hurting her," Lily said, and her words made my tears fall.

    "Madeline is the most loving and selfless woman I have ever met; she did her best to save me when I was kidnapped; I just want you to know I will be brokenhearted if something happens to her, Hunter; I don''t know if I can cope up if someone evil

    person will hurt your wife." She added.

    "Hey, sweetheart, I know how much you love Maddie, but don''t worry, she isn''t your sister-inw, my wife was safe in Neospoli, and this woman here is not real." Hunter insisted.

    "No, I don''t know why you are doing this to your wife, Hunter, but I can tell she is Madeline," Lily responded, and I could tell everyone was listening to their conversation, and all eyes were on me.

    "Lily, please, not this time; you have to believe me for Madeline''s sake; she was only using Maddie''s face to make us believe she came here to mourn with us, so please don''t get fooled by her face, Lily," Hunter begged his sister.

    "I knew the truth behind all this, and she wanted to do something evil to any member of my family, especially you,"my husband added, but Lily shook her head as she walked towards me.

    "I am sorry, big brother, if I have to disobey you this time, I want to be with Maddie; if you ask her to leave, I will go with her," Lily answered, and she gave me a weak smile as she looked at me.

    I couldn''t stop beaming at her, even if I could taste the tears in my mouth. Lily has been my savior countless times; I loved her on the first day she became my friend, and she is like a biological sister to me, and I could see how much she loved and adored me every time she looked at me.

    I could see rk''s face pale as he looked at his daughter, and then, when he turned his gaze at me, I couldn''t read the expression on his face as he looked at my face.

    "No, Lily, stop where you are! Lily!" rk shouted at his youngest daughter, and I could feel the concern in his voice, and I could tell something was about to happen, but Lily didn''t listen to him as he moved closer to me.

    I could see the horrified looked on rk''s face as he stood up from his seat and ran towards me, and I didn''t know what was going on as I felt the man''s hand loosen on my wrists, and I couldn''t believe he had let me go.

    "Dad, stop!" It was Charlotte''s voice; she also got up from her seat, and I could tell she was worried for her dad; I could also see the horrified look on her face.

    Then I heard the gunshot, and I could feel it in my chest, and I could feel the taste of blood in my mouth.

    "No! Madeline!"I heard Hunter''s voice, and then I could hear rk shouting the word stop that reverberated throughout the entire ce.

    "I am sorry, my love," I mumbled, and I heard another gunshot as I felt someone hug me before my entire surrounding turned ck, and I lost consciousness.

 Chapter 295 Victim

    Hunter''s POV

    Saying goodbye to my brother for thest time was pretty hard on my part, and before I could offer him the white rose in my hand, I got distracted because of my wife''s presence. I knew it blew my mind how she managed toe home to Astikoz when Hector and I talked about her safety before I left his estate.

    The woman standing in front of me is no other than Madeline. I knew from the bottom of my heart that she was my wife, but I tried my best to pretend she wasn''t my wife and that she was fake because I was so afraid my father would find out she was the real one.

    There is a big possibility that my dad will hurt Maddie immediately, even before the burial.

    I don''t know if I will be angry and happy to see her because I can''t deny that I miss her so much, but we agreed that she would be at her grandpa''s ce while I attend my brother''s funeral.

    I asked her never to go back to our hometown in the meantime for her safety. I know it was Maddie because she will never listen to me even if I beg her to stay where she is because I understood that she wanted to see Parker for thest time and wished to say goodbye to him and his wife.

    I could see the pain that registered on Maddie''s face after I told her to leave the cemetery because she was not wee. After all, she was fake. And when my wife begged me to listen to her pleas, knowing she was my wife, I could feel the pain in my heart.I needed to be brave and strong enough to push her away.

    My father''s men could hurt her anytime if I acknowledged her as my wife, and the only way to keep her safe was to make her leave, but my n became futile when my little sister intervened.

    My face fell when Lily asked me to open my eyes and wee my wife. I wished my sister would know that what I had said was not true, and I felt so frustrated that she was using me that I didn''t recognize my wife; in fact, I wanted to take Madeline into my arms right away.

    Yet, I was aware I didn''t have the liberty to do that if I wanted my wife to be safe. I was touched when my sister stood in front of the crowd and dered she loved Madeline like a real sister, and I knew that she did because they were very close to each other.

    I know they are both willing to do anything to keep each other safe, and right now, I don''t know how to tell Lily I am only doing it for Maddie''s protection.

    The moment I heard the gunshot, I could no longer stop myself from shouting my wife''s name, and I hated to feel the same dread when she was kidnapped.

    Everything happened so fast that I felt so useless as I witnessed how Madeline struggled to keep herself footed on the ground; I tried my best toe to her in an instant, but someone grabbed me from behind, and I could tell he was one of my father''s men.

    The whole ce became chaotic as I tried to get away from the man who was holding me, and I realized he was not alone; two men were holding me. I felt terrified when I saw armed men surrounding the area. I felt relieved when I realized they were all Hector''s men, but it waste; someone had shot my wife in her chest.

    I could see the horrified look on my father''s face as he quickly moved closer to my wife, and it felt like the entire ce stood still as I screamed and ran toward Maddie after I fought those men.

    I heard another gunshot, my sister was screaming, and I thought my father would hurt my wife, but it dawned on me;he shielded my wife''s torso with his own.

    I realized he had taken the second bullet, and he had sacrificed himself. I was yelling as I saw them both fall to the ground. I was beside my wife in an instant while I could hear my father asking for my forgiveness.

    "Hunter, this is all my fault; I am sorry, son; I was the most wicked father in the whole work because of my anger and determination to take back thepany." I heard my dad say, and I know he was having difficulty breathing since he had been shoot too, but I didn''t have the time to listen to him as I could see blood all over the ground as I looked at the unmoving body of my wife.

    "Hey, my love, please, stay with me," I said as I took her cold hand; I could hear the wailing of my sister and mother behind me.

    I felt so confused about what to do; no matter how I tried to wake her up, she didn''t open her eyes, and I could feel the tears that wet my cheeks as I could

    "Hunter, please let the rescuer and medical professionals take care of Maddie, don''t worry; she will be fine," Callisto said as he pulled me up, and I realized Jack was with him, helping me to get up.

    My men continued the burial without us since my family went straight to the hospital; I felt angry and scared.

    "I should have acted differently, and none of this would have happened," I mumbled as I stood and leaned on the wall of the waiting area of the hospital.They brought my wife and my father to the operating room right away to perform an operation to take out the bullet.<sub> </sub>

    "Hey, Hunter, you know it wasn''t your fault, but don''t worry, the man who shot your wife and rk was already in the custody of the police; sad to say, he imed he was one of your father''s men." Calixto dered, and I sighed heavily.

    "Wow, I didn''t know he would still do something like that after we lost my brother; we didn''t even have the chance to say ourst goodbye to Parker," I responded, and I tried to look okay, but deep inside me, I never felt so worried my entire life knowing my wife was fighting for her life.

    "Don''t worry, Madeline is a fighter, Hunter," he replied.

    "I don''t know what will happen to me if," I couldn''t even finish my sentence; thinking about losing my wife makes me crazy, and I don''t want to think about it, but we don''t have any update yet about their status.

    It was driving me crazy that they had been in the operating rooms for more than two hours, and we were waiting with fear.

    "Hey, nothing will happen to her, son, your wife is brave, and I know she can make it," Cal responded as she tapped my shoulder.

    "I don''t even know how to tell her family in Neospoli what happened, and I wished to inform them if we have some updates about her situation; I am scared, Calixto," I said.

    "Of course, we are all scared, Hunter; you are not the only one who loves your wife dearly, we don''t need to be her husband to care, and you know that," he responded.

    "Thank you," I mumbled.

    "Please, take a seat; you have been standing here for more than two hours; it would help if you sit down," Calixto stated.

    I followed his advice, and I walked towards the chair and sat beside my mom and sister, and I could tell my sister was still upset with me, but she was too hurt and afraid to say another word.

    I took her in my arms and caressed her head, and I could hear Lily sobbing.

    "I am sorry, Lil, I know this is not the right time to talk about what happened earlier, but you have all the right to know what happened out there," I mumbled.

    Lily didn''t raise her head or look at me. I knew she wanted me to continue talking, and I told her everything about why I did it, and she looked up with guilt on her face.

    "I am sorry, Hunter if I ruined your n; maybe if I didn''t intervene, Maddie could be safe," she replied.

    "I don''t think so, Lily; dad will still do it even if she is fake or real; our father will find a way to hurt my wife physically and emotionally." I dered.

    "I don''t know what I feel right now, Hunter. I am so angry with dad, but I also feel bad about what happened to him." My sister replied.

    "Our father tried his best to stop his man from shooting Maddie for the second time by covering Madeline''s body with his, and maybe it was because he realizedwhat he had done was wrong, but it was toote." She added.

    "Yeah, I felt the same way too, I want him to pay for what he had done to Reba thatpromised Parker''s life, and now to my wife, he confessed it was all his fault," I answered.

    "I saw what happened out there earlier; when you proimed in front of everyone that you would do everything for Madeline, that was the time our fatherrealized he was wrong," I added.

    "Yeah, but it was toote; he wanted to stop the man who shot my wife, but it was toote, and now he falls victim to his own wickedness." I continue.

    Before my sister could reply, I heard my mother gasp, and we all turned our heads to the door, and I was shocked to see Madeline getting inside the waiting area without a scratch.

 Chapter 296 Stupid Plan

    Hunter''s POV

    "Hunter! How is she?" I could hear Gina''s voice inside Madeline''s body, and I realized the woman I was seeing was my wife''s best friend and not my wife.

    "What is going on, Gina?" I asked, confused while I was looking at her, and it dawned on me she was the woman Calixto had a word with; at the church during my brother''s funeral.

    No wonder Cal said she was fake and insisted she wasn''t Maddie since she was shorter than my wife. She had Maddie''s face, but the way she moved and her mannerism was very different.

    I knew my wife so well, but I could tell that those who were not close with Madeline would really think Gina was my wife. I could see the tears trickling down her face, and she didn''t even bother to wipe them as she looked at me and waited for my reply.

    "It was a long story, but I promise to tell your everything after you will tell me about her condition," Gina responded.

    Jack was looking at us since his entire family joined my family in the waiting room as we waited for the operation to be over, Lily was crying nonstop, and it took me a long time to soothe her.

    I was angry and confused that it happened, but I felt responsible and useless at the moment. And I know there is a feeling I was trying to fight back, and that is losing my wife.

    "We don''t have any update yet, but we are all hoping and praying for the best. Do you know what I am so afraid of, Gina?" I asked, and she was looking at me with the same fear I was feeling.

    "I don''t know how to say it, but right now, I am so scared just thinking about losing your best friend because, you know, Maddie means the whole world to me," I added.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, I know I should have told her not to go on with this stupid n, but you know your wife; she can be hard-headed sometimes, especially if it involves her loved ones," Gina replied.

    "Because of her selflessness, she is willing to offer even her own life without knowing the after-effects of what she had done to her loved ones, especially to you, her husband." She added.

    "You know how much your life loves you, Hunter, but I could say that she loves you more, and that is why she did it because she wanted to stop your father from hurting you, and she was so scared that something would happen to your son." Maddie''s best friend continued.

    I was looking at Gina with my mouth hung open as she told me everything, and I was clenching my fists on my sides when I learned Hector Grant was the one who permitted Madeline toe home to Archois.

    "How could Hector be so reckless, and right now, I didn''t even know how to tell him what had happened," I said while I tried not to show my anger.

    "You can me me too; not only her grandfather, because I am her best friend, and I should be the one to stop her, and what I did was unforgivable, and I will never forgive myself if something happens to Madeline," Gina replied as I could see tears fall on her face. My face softened as I looked at her.

    "You don''t need to me yourself, Gina; I know Maddie doesn''t want you to feel guilty because it was her idea, and I am sure if you are opposed to her ns; she will find another way toe home and attend Parker and Reba''s funeral," I responded.

    "I guess the same thing will happen, and I am angry with my father that he didn''t stop, even for a while, to give my brother the respect he deserved," I added.

    "I hated myself that even if I knew he was the mastermind of Parker''s death, I still wanted to give him a chance to change his heart," I added.

    "My wife was in the operating room fighting for her life because of him, yet I still wanted him to live; I don''t want my father to die after what he had done to wreck our family." I continued, and Gina smiled at me while her tears fell on her cheeks.

    "You are so like, Maddie, and I am sure after all this, she will still tell me that we should all forgive your dad. You both have good hearts and souls, you deserve to be happy, and I don''t know why things like this keep happening in your life." Gina dered.

    "I don''t care what kind of trials and tests we are going to face as long as we are together, Gina. All I ask from you right now is to pray for her that she will recover and she will survive." I responded.

    "I don''t know what I will be if something happens to your best friend; I love her so much. I couldn''t imagine my life living without her." I added, and I could no longer stop my tears from trickling down my face.

    "Hunter, you don''t need to tell me how much you love her because I know and she feels the same way, but Maddie loves you more than anything in this world, and you don''t need to ask me to pray for my best friend because you know I am willing to give up my own life just for her," Gina responded.

    "I am willing to do anything just to save Madeline, and if I could only do something right now that could save her from dying; I would do it in a heartbeat, and I hate that I was one of the reasons she was in there, and I am sure I will forever have this burden in my heart." She added.<sub> </sub>

    "Hey, Gina, please, stop ming yourself. My wife will not be happy if she learns you me yourself, knowing she initiated that n." I said as I took her in my arms, and Gina cried harder, and I let her share my agony as we hugged each other.

    "You better remove whatever they put on your face so you will look like Gina again; I am sure your boyfriend is now so worried about you," I said after I released her from my embrace.

    "Okay, talking to you made me feel better," Gina said.

    "Yeah, I feel the same, Gina, thank you for loving my wife," I said.

    "I should be the one who should be saying that; thank you for loving my best friend." She said in more than a whisper.

    "I will change my face and clothes; I felt guilty for borrowing your wife''s beautiful face; please, keep me posted if ever you hear any news." She replied, and I felt d she stopped crying, but I could see the evidence of her outburst just by watching her swollen eyes.

    "Of course, I will let you know if we have an update with regards to the operation, don''t worry, she will make it, Gina, my wife, is a fighter and a strong woman, and I don''t think she will give up on us." I dered, and she gave me one of her sweetest smiles.

    "I know," she whispered before she turned her heels and walked out of the waiting area.

    "Are you okay, son?" My mom asked after I sat beside her, and I shook my head.

    "I am sorry, Hunter; I should have done something before things like this could happen." My mom said as she took my hand.

    "Mom, it wasn''t your fault," I replied.

    "It was; if I didn''t give him enough power, maybe he didn''t have be so obsessed with my wealth, but I don''t know why he hated your wife so much." My mom said.

    "I was shocked at what happened, but when I saw your father fall into the ground and realized he saved Maddie from another bullet, I hate to admit, all my anger towards your father vanished, and I felt so happy that after all, there is still some goodness left of him even if he was the reason why Madeline got shot." My mother added.

    "It made me realize it wasn''t your father''s n to kill Maddie, and he was too hurt and broken to harm Madeline." My mom continued, and I looked at her with confusion on myface.

    "What do you mean, mom?" I asked.

    "Did you hear what he said before he lost consciousness?" My mom asked, and I shook my head.

    "I didn''t, I was focused on my wife that I didn''t hear anything except he was saying sorry, but I felt too horrified watching my wife with blood on her hands to care about dad," I confessed.

    "Well, he said he was sorry, and rk kept asking Charlotte why?" My mom said.

    "Charlotte?" I asked, and she nodded her head.

    "Does it mean.." I didn''t dare to say it aloud, knowing it would break our hearts more.

    "Yeah, your sister ordered your father''s men to kill your wife, and it wasn''t your dad." My mom said, and I leaned on my seat, feeling so lost for words on what to say.

    "I know how you feel towards Charlotte, Hunter, but I just want to remind you she will always be your sister," my mother added. Before I could answer, my mom, the doctor who led the operation, came inside the waiting room, and my mom and I got up quickly and met him halfway.

    He was my mom''s friend, and I could tell by the looked on his face that he was bringing bad news.

 Chapter 297 Guiding Light

    Hunter''s POV

    "Divine, Hunter," the doctor said, and my mom and I came to him hastily.

    "How are they, doc?" I asked since I could tell my mother was still having a hard time speaking since we had all witnessed what had happened to my father and my wife.

    "I am sorry; I did everything I could," the doctor said as he looked at me.

    "But your father didn''t make it, he lost too much blood, and the bullet badly damaged his heart." He added, and I took my mom in my arms and hugged her as she cried.

    "How about my wife? How is she?" I asked, and the doctor weakly smiled at me.

    "Good thing your wife survived, and she is now in the ICU; hoping there will be noplications; she will be transferred to her room depending on her recovery process. She was lucky the bullet that hit her didn''t severely damage her lungs." The doctor replied, and I let out a sigh of relief as I felt my tears trickle down myface.

    "Thank you, doctor, for saving my wife," I said in more than a whisper.

    It was the most extended hours in my entire life, and I couldn''t wait to see Madeline. I know it will never be easy for my mother to ept mydad''s death,even if she was the one who filed the divorce. They had been married for so many years, and I understand she was morning for my father.

    We just lost Parker and Reba, and now we are going to attend another funeral, and I wondered how I am going to deal with Charlotte. It wouldn''t be easy to tell my mother that my sister needed to face the crime shemitted.

    I don''t want to break my mother''s heart, but that would be the only way to stop my sister from harming family members to get what she wanted.

    I brought back my mother and Lily to Hector''s ce in Archois City while Calixto and I processed the things needed for my dad so that the hospital would release his body.

    "She is now fine, Gina; you better go back to Jack''s ce; I know you are tired too; you better have some sleep," I said when I found her at the farthest corner of the waiting area of the hospital.

    "I want to see her, Hunter; I am sure I couldn''t sleep knowing Maddie was hurt; this is all my fault; why I didn''t remind her to put on her bulletproof vest, I am sure she got disoriented that she had forgotten the most important thing of our mission, to be safe." Gina dered, and even if I had told her already that Madeline''s operation was sessful, she was still ming herself.

    "Hey, stop ming yourself, Gina; I know my wife will not be happy if she finds out you kept ming yourself," I responded.

    "I will call Jack," I said, and she shook her head.

    "Please don''t; I know why he left; he was pissed that I didn''t tell him anything, and I felt guilty," she responded.

    "Hey, your boyfriend loves you, and I am sure he will understand why you did it, Gina. Please, let me thank you for everything you have done for my wife. I know she couldn''t make it without your help." I stated.

    "I know thank you willnever be enough to show you how grateful I am for always being there for Madeline from the beginning that she needed someone like you, especially when she lost her mom; I know you were her rock during that time," I added, and she smiled at me.

    "You don''t need to thank me, Hunter, I am willing to do everything I can for your wife, and that is why I warned you never to hurt her because I will be the one who will feel her pain," she responded, and I felt so thankful that Maddie has a best friend like Gina.

    "Hmm," I turned around when I felt someone tap my shoulder, and I grinned when I realized it was Jack.

    "I thought you went home; thank you foring back for Gina, Jack," I said, and he nodded his head.

    "No, I only drove my mom and sister to my ce, and I came back for my girl." He answered, and I could tell Gina was on cloud nine at the moment; even if she was worried Jack would be angry with her, all I could see on his face was his worried expression.

    "I felt relieved that your wife is now out of danger; we wille back tomorrow, Hunter. I am sorry about your dad." Jack responded.

    "Please, tell Maddie to get well soon and inform your wife we were worried about her," Jack responded, and I nodded at him.

    "Thank you, Jack; now, if you will excuse me, I need to talk with the doctors." I lied since I knew they needed to be alone. I walked away from them without taking a second nce.<sub> </sub>

    I was impatient as I waited for my wife to open her eyes, but I could tell the operation made her sleepy, and I understood her trauma.

    I was sitting on a chair watching her beautiful face, and I was holding her hand, and I couldn''t stop myself from crying. It took me a while to inform her grandpa what happened since Gina told me the one who helped them said he couldn''t tell Hector what happened to Maddie, and I am sure he was ming himself, just like Gina.

    I was one of them, and I med myself for Maddie being shot. I could have saved her since she was so near to me, yet she was still hit, and I don''t want to relive that moment; I could still hear Hector''s regrets, and he was also ming himself, and I realized many loved my wife so dearly.

    Yet the mastermind was still atrge, and I didn''t want to think about Charlotte since I wanted to devote my time to my wife at the moment.

    "Hunter, my love," I heard her sweet voice, and I realized I dozed off on my chair, and when I opened my eyes, I realized I was still in the waiting area.And I was only dreaming of Madeline.

    I went to the ICU a while ago, and watching my wife with apparatus attached to her fragile body made me feel sick, and my guilt was eating me up.

    I mostly stayed in the hospital while Calixto was busy running thepany since my mother could no longer do it because of what happened to our family.

    My mother thought it was because of the miningpany that my father and sister became so obsessed with the position.

    It took one week before Madeline got transferred to her room, and I was excited to stay by her side 24/7.

    "Shh, don''t talk yet; you need to rest, my love," I said when I heard her calling my name. I held her hand.

    Madeline looked tired yet wanted to speak with me, and I put my finger on her lips.

    "We will talk when you get out of this ce; for now, you need to listen to me, my love. Don''t me yourself for what happened. I want you to know I am so happy that you came to attend my brother''s burial, and I am deeply sorry that someone tried to kill you." I dered, and I caressed her head.

    I felt delighted that my wife listened to me, but she didn''t reply. She only closed her eyes, and I saw tears trickling down her face. I knew she was ming herself for ying the hero again. I didn''t tell her what happened to my dad yet, and I am sure she will feel worse.

    "Hey, don''t cry, my sweet Madeline," I whispered as I squeezed her palm.

    The days that followed became harder for both of us since my wife avoided talking with me, and I understood her; I was with her every day; I would only leave her side once we got visitors since I wanted them to have a moment with my wife.

    I was talking with her even if she didn''t answer me, and I felt hurt that she spoke with her grandpa and other visitors but not with me.

    I felt d my mom understood that I needed to be with Madeline all the time, and when it was time for my father''s funeral, I asked Gina to cover for me.

    I left the hospital with a heavy heart, and I was worried that her treatment of me would be worse since she got colder with each passing day as she recovered from her injury.

    The funeral was solemn, and I didn''t speak or give a eulogy to my father since I felt disoriented by what was happening with my wife.

    As expected, Charlotte was a no-show, and ording to one of my men, she was no longer in Archois, and I knew she went to hiding since she felt guilty about what happened to our father.

    My sister nned to kill Madeline, and she didn''t expect our dad would shield my wife with his own body; just thinking about it made my body tremble with anger, and I was clenching my fists on my sides.

    "Hunter, I know you are hurting, but I could tell there is more to your sadness," my mom said as we returned from the cemetery.

    "It is Madeline; I am worried about us; she became distant with me," I said when I could no longer take it, and my mother took my hand, and her motherly caress made me feel a little better.

    "Son, your wife, was traumatized by what happened; all you need to do is be with her all the time possible." My mom responded.

    "I know many things are ying on her mind right now, but don''t worry, your love for each other will be your guiding light; just hold on, son, she wille back to you." My mother added, and I was hoping she could be right.

 Chapter 298 Guilt

    Madeline''s POV

    When I opened my eyes, I realized I was lying on a hospital bed. I could see the apparatus attached to my body, and my entire body felt weak.

    When I turned my head, I saw my husband''s face lit up when our eyes met, and I couldn''t stop having butterflies in my stomach.

    I was disoriented at first about why I was in the hospital. Then, the memories of what happened came rushing back into my mind.

    "Wee back, Madeline," Hunter whispered.

    "My love, thank goodness you are finally awake." He added as he took and caressed my hand.

    I remained speechless as I recollected we were in the cemetery. I could see the sadness on my husband''s face that day, and I jerked when I remembered someone had shot me in my chest.

    "Is there anyone hurt during Parker and Reba''s burial?" I asked, concerned.

    "Hey, don''t worry about what happened. Everyone was safe except you, my love. I am sorry if I failed to protect you." He responded as he kissed my knuckles.

    "I felt thirsty," I mumbled, andhe got up and gave me water.

    I stayed in the hospital for how many days until one day, Calixto narrated everything that happened on the day I got shot. I felt so thankful that he told me about it, andI felt betrayed that my husband and best friend lied to me. They didn''t inform me my father-inw saved my life.

    I pretended I was asleep when my husband whispered in my ear he was going out for a while, and I realized he would be attending his dad''s funeral.

    I could say my husband asked Gina to look after mewhile he was away. How could he remain so caring when I was the reason his father got killed? My guilt intensified as I thought of rk''s selfless act of kindness.

    "Hey, why are you crying, Maddie?" Gina asked, and I didn''t realize my tears were falling down my cheeks.

    "I felt so guilty, Gina, our n didn''t work," I said as I looked at my best friend.

    "Don''t be guilty; you didn''t do anything wrong; I know how much you wanted to attend Parker''s funeral." She responded.

    "Yeah, and Hunter''s family is dealing with another ordeal. Hunter is suffering because of me. First, he lost Parker and his first love. I knew even if Reba was no longer part of his life, his young self loved that woman, and they were still connected even if he won''t tell me about it," I replied as I felt her take my hand.

    "Don''t tell me you were jealous of Reba?" She asked, and I slowly nodded my head.

    "Yeah, I knew it was stupid, but he was Hunter''s first love, Gina, and she was dead, and now, he was attending his dad''s funeral," I responded, and my best friend''s eyes widened.

    "Who told you?" She asked.

    "I hated you for keeping it a secret from me, and no one told me except Calixto, and I realized he was the only one I could trust in this world," I replied, and her face fell.

    "You knew that is not true, Meg," she said as I could see the hurt on her face.

    "Why didn''t you tell me when I asked you how was rk?" I asked, and Gina was silent for a while, and she let out a soft sigh before he answered me.

    "I am sorry, Madeline, I don''t intend to lie to you, but you should believe I was worried about your condition. You were just out from surgery, and you needed time to heal." She replied in more than a whisper.

    "When one of rk''s men fired his weapon, it was the scariest day of my entire life. You just don''t realizehow worried I was when I heard the gunshot; I wanted to get out of the vehicle, but your father''s friend stopped me." Gina added, and she was crying.

    "He only did the right thing; if you ran towards me, you could have been killed, Gina. We promised each other never to put ourselves in danger." I responded, and she shook her head.

    "Yeah, but you are so important to me, Maddie," she replied, and I felt so guilty that I used her of something she wasn''t, and I know I can always count on my best friend.

    "I am sorry, Gina; I know you will always be there for me. I understand you don''t want me to worry about what happened to my father-inw, but I needed to know the truth." I stated.

    "Yeah, and acted differently towards your husband who loves you very much, the same person willing to give you the moon and the sun just to make you happy?" She responded, and I averted my best friend''s gaze.

    "I should have stopped you, and none of this would happen; you almost got killed, Maddie. I don''t know what will happen to me if you don''t survive," Gina added, and she could no longer hold her tears.

    "Hey, I am alive, and luckily I survived the surgery, and there was noplication. I am now fine, Gina." I replied with a weak smile.<sub> </sub>

    "Madeline, you are not yet fine, you need to have a lot of rest, and you don''t need to stress yourself. You should treat Hunter nicely, Maddie." She added as she looked at me with concern.

    "How can I talk to him knowing he lost the only father he knew because of me? His loved ones will always be in danger if I am with him." I replied.

    "What you mean by that, Madeline?" My best friend asked as she was shaking her head.

    "It would be hard, but I think it would be best if he will stay away from me." I softly mumbled.

    "Are you crazy? Do you realize what you were talking about?" She responded.

    "Don''t do this to yourself, and don''t drive your husband away; you will be miserable without Hunter, and you know that; how could you even say those words?" Gina added.

    "We all know Charlotte and her father connived with each other; maybe at thest minute, rk realized he was doing the wrong thing, and he saved you." Gina dered.

    "I heard from Calixto Lily made a speech, and everybody heard what she said; I guess Hunter''s dad felt guilty, and he did it for his daughter. Lily was devastated; she will be more brokenhearted if you continue ignoring her brother." My best friend added.

    "What should I do with this guilt, Gina? How can I be the same again?" I asked as I put my hand over my chest.

    "You should stop feeling guilty, Madeline; you weren''t the one who pulled the trigger and injured someone; it was one of rk''s men. Hunter''s dad died because of his heroic act; at least he died with a purpose and dignity." She replied.

    "He died as a hero, Madeline, and those people didn''t know rk was the mastermind of that shooting incident. If you feel meworthy, I should never stop ming myself. I am your best friend, yet I didn''t stop you; instead, I gave you my full support." Gina dered, and she let out a heavy sigh while I fell silent.

    "Your grandfather was ming himself too, and I think we should stop since we can''t undo what happened. It would be an eye-opener to us; we weren''t born as heroes, Madeline." Gina added.

    "We made our family worried." She continued.

    "If you don''t want to see your husband, if that is what your heart desires, I needed to speak with him; if Hunter''s presence made you sicker, I think he will understand." She stated, and I looked at her without saying anything.

    "I will talk with Hunter to stoping here while you are healing, but you have to promise me you will never give up on him, Maddie." She begged, and I weakly smiled at her.

    "Gina, I love my husband so much, and I wish to make him happy. I don''t deserve to have him in my life anymore. I brought him too much trouble." I responded.

    "You are his happiness, Madeline, and you know that; why do you feel that way now? You had been through a lot together. Hunter would be more miserable without you. You can''t stop him from loving you." Gina replied as she took my hand.

    "He is your husband, Maddie, and you promised to be there for each other for the rest of your lives. Do you think he will give up on you?" She added.

    "You better stop giving him a cold treatment, or else you will be the one to suffer in the end." Gina continued.

    "I don''t want to see my husband as of the moment. I must forgive myself first, or I will forever carry this burden deep inside me." I responded.

    "The more I see his face, the more I feel guilty about what is happening in his life, Gina," I added.

    "You better talk to him, Madeline. He deserved to know what was ying in your head right now; if you still love your husband, you have to speak with him." My best friend said.

    "Of course I do, but I don''t want him to end up hating me when he realizes I was the reason his entire family was having a hard time right now," I said.

    "I don''t know what I felt like this, Gina," I mumbled.

    "I think you need more time to rest when you get better, and I am sure everything will be alright. Maybe it was because of the anesthesia or the medication you are taking that is why you have these sentiments." Gina dered.

    "No, I know how I feel, Gina," I replied.

    "He didn''t tell me he would attend his father''s funeral, and it made me sadder," I mumbled.

    "You know, he doesn''t want you to be stressed about what happened to his father. Hunter wanted you to recover soon." Gina replied.

    I don''t know how I will face Hunter''s family, especially Lily. I know how much she loves her dad. And even if my husband was with me the entire time I ignored him because of my guilt that eating me up.

 Chapter 299 Ginas Plan

    Hunter''s POV

    I creased my forehead after I saw Gina''s name on my screen, and I suddenly felt rmed about why she was calling me. I could feel my hands trembling as I answered her call.

    "Hello, Gina, is everything alright?" I answered.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter, your wife, is fine. Can we meet up before youe to her room?" She asked.

    "Yes, of course," I replied, and I couldn''t stop feeling worried about what she wanted to talk about, and I was hoping it would be something else.

    "Okay, just text me when you are on your way, and I will be waiting for you at the hospital''s cafeteria." She replied I was so down after I talked with Gina, and I could tell it was something about my wife.

    "Are you okay, son?" Calixto asked, and I shook my head.

    "You know you can always tell me anything; I am your only best friend; I hope you still remember that even if you are no longer living here in Archois." He added, and I chuckled.

    I could say he was the only one who could make me feel better, even if my heart felt so sad and worried.

    "I still remember, Cal. I wouldn''t be calling you long-distance calls if I had forgotten," I replied, and he beamed at me.

    "Now, tell me, what is bothering you, Hunter?" He asked, and I let out a heavy sigh.

    "Madeline changed after the ident, and she stopped talking to me after she learned dad died protecting her," I said as I covered my face with my hands.

    "No matter how I tried to take good care of her, it felt like she didn''t see me. Maddie was ignoring me." I added, and he was silent for a long time, and it would be unusual for Cal to be out of words.

    "Maddie was ming herself, Hunter; it doesn''t mean she doesn''t love you anymore. She needed you now and be there for her," he responded, and I cocked my head at Calixto.

    "No, I could tell she doesn''t want me around; maybe she found someone else," I said, out of my frustrations, while Calughed.

    "Hunter, that is ridiculous; you knew Madeline was only in love with you," Cal replied.

    "You must understand her situation, and maybe it was because of the medicine she was taking," he added, and I leaned my back on my seat.

    We just got back at Hector''s ce in Archois after my dad''s funeral since no one wanted toe to hoem

    to the Divenson mansion,and I wished my wife was with us.

    "I should have let here with me, and none of this happened. Maddie begged me, but I didn''t listen because I was worried about her safety, and I had forgotten how clever she was." I dered.

    "Right now, I don''t know what to do, Calixto; I am losing my fucking mind. I was so worried about her, and I thought everything would be alright between us after her operation." I stated.

    "I am lost," I added, and his face turned serious as he looked at me.

    "Oh, Hunter, I haven''t seen you so disturb like this, don''t worry, I will visit her tomorrow; maybe I can help her." He answered, and my face lit up.

    "Are you sure?" I asked.

    "Yes, I will be there tomorrow," Cal responded, and I felt a little better.

    "Your wife was having a hard time, Hunter; she needed deeper understanding." He added.

    "I missed her like crazy, Cal; I wished to kiss and hug my wife," I said as I felt defeated.

    "Soon, you can do that to her; besides, you have a lifetime to do that, Hunter, she is still your wife, and be thankful that she survived, or things would be worst for all of us." He responded.

    "I think it would be best if you returned to the hospital now and be with Madeline," Calixto said, and I stood up and gave him a weak smile.

    "Thank you, Cal, for always being there for Medline and me, see you tomorrow, I don''t want to go say goodbye yet, but you were right; I must stay with Maddie," I responded.

    I had a quick conversation with my mom and Lily before I bid my farewell to them. They promised to visit my wife the next day, and I was hoping everything would be okay between us before my family visited Madeline.

    One of Hector''s men drove me back to the hospital, and I was holding my iPhone as I was deliberating if I should call Gina or not. I didn''t want to talk with her knowing she would be telling me something that could be upsetting.

    I thanked the driver before I got out of the car. My steps felt heavy as I made my way to the cafeteria after I texted my wife''s best friend.

    Gina was already there when I arrived, and she was sitting on the farthest side.

    I could tell she wanted to speak with me without anyone hearing us. She weakly smiled as she waved her hand at me.

    "I ordered coffee for us," she said after I settled myself in front of her.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Coffee would be fine," I replied.

    "So, why do you want to speak with me? I hope my wife is not alone in her room right now," I said.

    "She wasn''t alone; Lydia and her kids were with her," Gina replied, and if I didn''t know she was now Jack''s girlfriend, I would be jealous of Jack.

    "Look, I know you don''t feel good right now; you looked so haggard; you needed to have a good night''s sleep, Hunter." She said, and I stared at her.

    "Is that all you want to tell me? You were worried Ick sleep?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "No, my best friend felt so unhappy, and every time she was with you, she became more upset." She dered.

    "Did she tell you why she was angry with me, Gina?" I asked, and I was hoping I would have some answers.

    "Is she still in love with me?" I asked, and her smile widened.

    "Of course; how could you ask me that question, Hunter?" She asked back.

    "She wasn''t talking to me; I am her husband, Gina, but after the operation, my wife changed a lot, she is no longer the sweet Maddie that I knew, and I felt so scared of losing her." I dered, and her face softened.

    "Hunter, you are not going to lose your wife, she was having a hard time after she learned your dad got killed, and it became worst when she realized your father died because he saved her," Gina said.

    "What do you want me to do, Gin?" I asked since I felt so lost, and I didn''t have any idea how to make my wife feel better.

    "Maybe, if you won''t show up, she will start to realize what she was doing was pushing you away from her. I love, and I care about, my best friend, but I don''t want to tolerate her doing this to you." She dered, and my eyes turned big as saucers.

    "Are you telling me to stay away from my wife?" I asked indisbelief.

    "I don''t think I can do that, Gina; that is very hard on my part," I replied.

    "I know, but if you want her back, you should trust me." She responded, and I fell silent.

    "Are you sure my wife still loves me?" I asked, and she smiled at me.

    "Of course, Maddie will always be in love with one man, and it is you, Hunter, but you need to give her time to mourn your father''s death," Gina answered.

    "Don''t worry, and I will be with her every step of the way; I want her to stop ming herself; maybe if she stops seeing you, she wille to her senses that she was the one who drove you away," She added.

    "I was hoping she would stop ming herself," she continued.

    "I wished to see her," I softly replied.

    "You can still see your wife, but only when she is asleep; this is the only way you can help her, Hunter," Gina replied.

    "Okay, if this is the only way to save my wife from feeling so sad, then I don''t have a choice but follow your advice," I responded, and she beamed at me.

    "As long as you promise me that I can see her every time she sleeps," I said.

    "Of course, but you must be quiet and stay as far away from her as possible. Maddie should not see you until she asks for you." Gina dered, and I could feel the pain in my heart as I realized my wife didn''t want to see me.

    "I hope this will work, Gina," I mumbled.

    "Don''t worry, Hunter; I am sure this will work, but you have to promise to be patient with your wife." She replied.

    "Okay, I want Madeline to be okay so we can return to Majuscule together," I answered.

    "I think she will be discharged by next week; the doctor said maybe he can give Maddiedischarge clearance soon since there were noplications and she was showing progress," Gina stated.

    "That is good news, Gina," I responded.

    "I will be in the waiting area, and you can text me anytime; I will not leave the hospital. I want to be with my wife, and this situation is killing me, Gina, but since you are her best friend, I believe in you that everything will be fine." I said as I could feel the emptiness in my heart.

    "Thank you, Hunter, and now, I can tell you love Madeline so much," she replied.

    "Of course I do, and I am willing to do anything for my wife," I replied.

    I was hoping everything would work out ording to Gina''s n, and I knew I didn''t have a choice but to be patient so I could be with my sweet Madeline soon.

 Chapter 300 Scared Of Losing Him

    "Hey, how are you feeling?" My best friend asked when she returned to the hospital room, and I wondered what took her so long toe back when all she told me was she would call Jack.

    She was beaming at me while she showed me the bouquet in her hands. Red roses with white angel''s breath were arranged beautifully and wrapped with craft paper, and they looked so fresh and beautiful.

    "I am fine; thank you for the flowers," I responded, and her facial expression suddenly changed.

    "You should thank your husbandter," Gina stated, and my face fell, and the feelings I felt intensified.

    "He brought that flowers?" I asked, and she nodded her head with a shy smile, and I could tell that something was going on.

    I wanted to ask her where is my husband, and I couldn''t stop from blushing. God knows how much I miss Hunter, and I don''t understand why I feel this way.

    Gina put the flowers on the table while I sat on the bed; it was past eight. As I looked at my phone, Iy back on the bed. I wondered why Hunter hadn''t returned yet. I didn''t realize I had dozed off, and when I woke up, my eyes searched the room and found Gina sleeping on the couch while my heart was hammering against my chest when I realized my husband was not around.

    I slowly stood up and picked up the IV bottle from the stand, and I walked towards the window. I drew the curtain to the side and was mesmerized by the city lights below glittering like it was Christmas.

    "Why are you still here, Gina?" I asked.

    "I would be spending the night here to apany you." She responded with a smile.

    "You don''t need to do that; I can take care of myself;besides, the hospital staff would check on me from time to time," I answered.

    "I know, but I want to stay here with you; it would be different if you had someone; hopefully, ording to your husband, your doctors will give you clearance at the end of this week, and you will be discharged." She replied.

    "Yeah, I couldn''t wait to see my little boy," I mumbled, and a beautiful smile spread across her face.

    "I miss Frank too, and I hope to see him soon," Gina said as she covered my frame with the nket.

    "You should go back to sleep now, Maddie," she added, and I nodded my head while I could feel the emptiness in my heart.

    "Are you sure you are okay?" She asked after a long silence, and I couldn''t keep a secret from her. Gina would always know if something was wrong with me, no matter how much I tried to hide it from her.

    "I am just wondering where my husband could be," I said in more than a whisper, and I avoided her gaze since I knew she would me me.

    "You don''t need to worry about your husband, Madeline; he went home to your mansion to rest." My best friend replied, and my eyes widened in shock.

    "He informed you?" I asked, feeling hurt that he didn''t text me at all.

    "Yes, he texted me and begged me to apany you, but you knew Hunter doesn''t need to beg since I will always be here for you anytime you need me," Gina replied, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so upset that Hunter informed my best friend and he didn''t even call me.

    He attended his dad''s funeral and maybe he realized I was the reason his father died, and he couldn''t face me at the moment.

    "I could feel something is going on, and Hunter realized I was the reason his family tore apart." I replied and she took my hands and looked at me in the eyes.

    "My husband is leaving me, Gina," I mumbled as I pulled my hand away from her, and my best friendughed.

    "Madeline, that is not true, you knew how much he loves you, you were cold to him after the operation, and what would you think he will feel, Maddie?" Gina asked and I fell silent.

    "Hunter was having a hard time when you were shot with that bullet, and he was so happy when you were given another chance to live your life, Maddie." She answered.

    "But you became different, and he was scared of losing you, but one thing I am certain, he will never leave you, Madeline." Gina added.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Your husband wanted you to be happy at all times, but all he could see in your face was unhappiness and regrets after your operation; rk died because someone shot him, and not because you killed him. You are too good to hurt someone, Madeline, and we all know you cannot hurt anyone." Gina dered as she sat beside me on the bed.

    "I hate to see you like this, Madeline, I don''t want you to feel guilty because you wished for everyone''s happiness." She said, and I fell silent until I fell asleep again, and when I woke up the following morning, I could hear voices inside my room, and when I opened my eyes, I saw Lily sitting on a stool beside my bed.

    "How are you, Madeline?" She asked as she held my hand, my tears fell on my cheeks and I felt her dry my tears with her handkerchief.

    "I am sorry, Lily," I mumbled and she shook her head.

    "Madeline, you have nothing to apologize for, it wasn''t your fault that dad died, and I knew I hated my father for hurting you so many times; I felt guilty that there were moments I wished he wasn''t my father." Lily said as she squeezed my hand.

    " I had forgiven him, Madeline, you will always be my idol; you were a forgiving person and I always wished to be like you." Hunter''s sister added.

    "I felt so proud of my dad on that day he saved your life, and I felt d he chose to be a good man at the end of his life, and I am no longer ashamed that I am his daughter." Lily continued.

    "Please, stop feeling sorry, and don''t ever apologize to us since you have done nothing so far but goodness." Lily said as she smiled at me, and then she took me into a tight embrace.

    Hunter''s mom said the same thing, yet I couldn''t stop myself from feeling culpable. We talked and they stayed by my side until Gina returned since she went home after Lily and mom arrived.

    I kept looking at the door hoping Hunter would get inside my room, but night time came and my husband didn''t return. I became more frustrated when I didn''t receive any text messages from my husband and I wished to throw away my phone.

    It was all my fault and I knew I hurt him. I pretended I was asleep. I am just d Gina didn''t bother to ask me again if I was okay. I don''t feel physically ill anymore, but I the emotional pain was killing me heart.

    I only ate a little during dinner since I am desperate to see my husband, and this is the first time I hadn''t heard anything from himthis long after we settled in Neospoli country for good.

    I asked Gina to leave me, but she is hardheaded and she slept on the sofa while I was lying awake on my bed missing my husband like crazy. It was a torture not to see him and hear his voice.

    I closed my eyes, but I couldn''t sleep, and I felt my tears on my cheeks as they flowed like waterfalls, and suddenly I felt my entire body was on fire as I inhaled his heavenly scent, and I knew my husband was around.

    Hunter was wiping my tears with his fingers, and I wished to open my eyes and see him, but I am too ashamed of what I have done. I felt him kiss my forehead before he moved away from me.

    When I fluttered my eyes I saw his back figure walking away from me, and I hated myself that I turned mute even if all I ever wanted was to call his name.

    I found out the following morning I was only dreaming about my husband when Gina told me it would be impossible for Hunter to visit me since he flew back to Neospoli earlier yesterday due to some important matters rted to thepany.

    "Madeline, you should eat your breakfast, or else, you can''t go home, you should make the doctor think you are ready to go home." Gina said when she noticed I wasn''t eating my breakfast meal; because I was desperate to see my husband.

    "I don''t have the appetite, Gina," I mumbled.

    "Is this all because of your husband?" She asked and I could no longer hide the pain I feel inside my heart.

    "Yes, I missed him so much, Gina, and I could feel my heart is about to burst inside my chest," I replied and she smiled at me while I could feel the excruciating pain in my heart as I thought my husband had left without saying goodbye to me.

    "Madeline, your husband is only one call and text away, you can always call him, and you know that," Gina replied, and I avoided her gaze since I knew she was right.

    "You need to lower your pride for once, Madeline, he is your husband, and you love him." She added, and I was silent.

    Gina went back to the sofa when I stopped talking, I yawned and closed my eyes, I felt miserable without knowing my husband''s whereabouts and I knew he would be safe in my grandpa''s ce, and Gina was right, I could call Hunter anytime I want since I am still his wife, but I felt so afraid if he would ignore my call.

    It was almost midnight when I picked up my phone and tried topose a message for my husband, but I kept deleting the words that I had typed, afraid that he might not reply to me, but in the end I ended up typing nine words and sent the message, and I could feel the hammering of my heart as I waited for his reply.

 Chapter 301 Loving Madeline

    Hunter''s POV

    I checked into the nearest hotel near the hospital where my wife was confined.I could feel the heaviness in my heart as I held the visitor''s pass in my hand as I rode the elevator going down.

    Gina texted me that my wife was already sleeping, and I felt like I was an idiot as I followed her idea. But she could be right, maybe my wife needed space, and it broke my heart not to be near her, especially now that she was in the hospital and suffering the trauma of what happened.

    I knew how much she needed me at that moment, but she turned so cold, and I didn''t know what had gone wrong. I was so scared of losing Madeline, and she was my wife and everything; I would do anything to save our marriage and to have her in my arms again.

    "I know I was getting paranoid, but I couldn''t stop worrying about my wife. I felt better after I had a serious talk with Calixto. He was always my confidante, and Cal would always give me the encouragement that I needed, but this time I knew I had to face this battle alone.

    I couldn''t stop worrying and having what-ifs, and I knew I had to trust Gina on this, and I hoped she was right; I was hoping my wife would be looking for me soon.

    My wife''s best friend was already waiting for me outside Maddie''s room, and I could feel the sweat on my palm as I neared her.

    "How is she?" I asked, and she shook her head, and I couldn''t hide my disappointment.

    "She didn''t ask where I am?" I inquired, and I could feel thepain in my chest when Gina nodded her head.

    "But you don''t need to worry, Hunter; I know she wille around. We will give her time, be patient, and you will be rewarded." She responded.

    "How long do I need to wait, Gina? I was losing my mind, and I couldn''t take it anymore." I responded, and she tapped my shoulder.

    "You must get inside before the doctors have their rounds, don''t worry, Hunter; your wife is still in love with you; she med herself for what happened to your dad. I kept reminding her every day that it wasn''t her fault." Gina dered.

    "I am losing my patience, Gina," I mumbled.

    "I know, I felt the same, but she was hurting, Hunter; I knew she wanted to see you, but your wife was trying to control herself, and I am sure before she gets discharged, Madeline would be asking for you." She dered, and I weakly smiled at her wishing everything will be alright between Maddie and me.

    I couldn''t wait to take her home with me to Neospoli and be united with our son.

    Gina walked towards the exit, and I slowly opened the door, and I held my breath as I got inside her room, and as I looked at Maddie sleeping peacefully, she filled my heart with mixed emotions. She must be tired; I knew how tiring it was toy on a hospital bed.

    I wished to touch Madeline''s hand, caressed her face, and whispered sweet nothings in her ear, and I wished to kiss her sweet lips and hear her moans, but I kept myself from touching my wife, for I felt afraid she would wake up, and Gina''s n would fail.

    I was watching my wife with longings until Gina came back and asked to leave the room.

    "Hunter, it is time for Maddie to take her medicine; you should get out before the nurse arrives," Gina said in more than a whisper, and I left with a broken heart since I was dying to kiss my wife and to hear her sweet voice.

    Izily walked through the hallways as I could smell the antiseptic.I could hear the voice over the PA dering code blue; I bet someone was fighting for his life at the moment.

    I realized life was too short, and I wished to spendthe rest of my life loving Madeline. I continued walking, feeling so alone and lost. I was still mending my broken heart because of losing my younger brother after my dad got shot and died.

    It wasn''t an easy year for me, and now, I am dealing with a more severe problem which is losing my wife. I understood she was having difficulty epting that my dad saved her, and she med herself for my father''s death.

    I took a cold shower to ease my uneasiness, yet I still felt so down, knowing my hotel bed was empty without my wife beside me.

    I was wide awake, holding my phone, wishing I will receive a single messageing from her, but I only got disappointed since I got nothing. Maybe Gina was wrong at this time, and I needed to be with Madeline.<novelnext></novelnext>

    I got up and threw the phone on the bed, and I walked straight to the balcony of my suite room, where I could see the city lights illuminating the entire City of Archois.

    I couldn''t stop myself from reminiscing the past as I remembered the first day I met Madeline. Her beautiful and innocent face made me fall for her harder than I should be.

    She looked so perfect in my eyes that I wanted to have her right away, and when I tasted her sweet plump lips, I knew I was hooked, and there was no way I would let her go, and I didn''t care if I became selfish.

    Marrying Maddie was a risk knowing my dad was against her because of her status in life without knowing she possessed more wealth than us, and I smiled as I realized she never changed after I hurt her so many times, and after learning the truth, she was an heiress.

    Madeline remained humble and kind, and I fell in love with her more each day. When she gave birth to our little boy, I was the happiest man in the entire universe for making her the mother of my child.

    "I love you, Maddie; pleasee back to me," I softly whispered, hoping a fairy godmother was real andshe would listen to my plea.

    I was gripping the railings of the balcony as I felt the cold air breeze brushing my skin, and in moments like this, I wished to have Madeline in my arms.

    I wanted to drag the hours so I could go back to the hospital and be with her, I couldn''t take it, and I didn''t care if Gina hated me. I am Maddie''s husband, and I will do everything I can to have her back.

    I didn''t know how many hours I stood on the balcony until I felt the soreness on my hands as I gripped the railing tighter. I looked at the starless sky one more time before returning to my room.

    I didn''t want to pick up my phone since I knew I would be more brokenhearted if I did not receive any messages from Maddie; my heart was racing when I heard my phone chime, and I was hoping the message came from my wife.

    "I am sorry, Hunter. I miss you, my love." I couldn''t stop my tears from falling after I read my wife''s message.

    I felt so thankful that I got her back, and I couldn''t stop feeling so excited to see her, and I am sure I fell asleep with a wide grin on my face.

    I wished to surprise my wife that I didn''t answer her message and to make her think I was asleep already. I woke up and bathed early the following day since I couldn''t control my excitement, and it felt like I had my first date with my wife.

    I smiled like an idiot as I stared at the reflection of my face in the mirror as I adjusted the sleeve of my white and ck stripe sweatshirt, and I knew how much she loved watching me wearing jeans.

    I walked out of my room in high spirits, and I greeted the hotel staff with enthusiasm, and I couldn''t stop grinning as I heard the girls at the front desks giggle after I said good morning and waved my hand at them before I walked out through the ss door.

    "Wow! Good job, Hunter, you looked presentable now; I wasn''t happy with your appearancest night, you looked so haggard, and it seemed like you were carrying the world on your shoulders." Gina said the moment she met me at the door, and I couldn''t stop my heart from hammering againstmy chest as I could feel the thrill of meeting my wife.

    "I was scared of losing your best friend, Gina, even if you told me she wasn''t going anywhere. You can''t stop me from worrying, and you know Madeline is my life." I replied as I looked at her with amusement on her face.

    "I never realized one of the most handsome and wealthiest men in this country would lose his confidence," my wife''s best friend responded.

    "I am only human, Gina, and I admit I could be vulnerable like other human beings concerning Madeline," I stated, and sheughed.

    "Well, I should remind you, Madeline loves no one except you, and you should bear with her; what she needs right now is your understanding. I told you she couldn''t take it, and I am d and so proud of myself that I was right and my n worked." Gina said as she beamed at me.

    "Yeah, thanks, Gina; I knew I could always trust you," I replied, feeling guilty thatst night I was doubtful about her n.

    "I think you should get inside now, and I could tell she felt disappointed that you didn''t reply to her message, and I told her maybe you were asleep. She was anxious, Hunter, and I could tell she was unhappy without seeing you, and it might dy her recovery." Gina stated.

    "Get inside now, Hunter," she added and walked away from me after I mumbled thanks to her. I opened the door of Madeline''s hospital suite room with a broad smile on my face knowing Maddie was already waiting for me, and I felt so happy to know that my wife was still in love with me.

 Chapter 302 I Love You, Hunter

    Madeline''s POV

    My near-death experience made me realize life is too precious, and I felt guilty I lost special moments with myhusband by being cold to him. I waited for his reply, but I haven''t received anything, and I felt so scared of losing Hunter.

    "It is my fault," I mumbled to myself, and I let out a soft sigh as I picked up my phone again.

    I became frustrated that I hadn''t received anything from my husband; and for making him feel unwanted. I always wished to be near my husband, and God knows how much I miss him.

    "You are causing your own problem, Maddie. You have your husband here with you, yet you ignored him like he didn''t exist, and worst, you make him feel unimportant even if deep inside your heart you were dying to kiss and hug him." I heard Gina say as I stared at my phone.

    I slowly raised my head and found her standing near my bed with arms crossed over her chest, and she was looking at me with a look that I was so familiar with, and I knew I made her unhappy.

    "I know, I missed him like crazy, Gina, and the guilt I felt was eating me up." I responded, and she stared at me for a long time.

    "He loves you, Maddie, and you knew it wasn''t your fault; it was all rk''s idea to kill you in the first ce; you don''t need to worry, okay? Hunter will never hate or condemn you." Gina replied as she came closer and sat on my bed.

    "Let it go," my best friend added as she held my hand.

    "I texted him, but he didn''t reply," I responded before I released a soft sigh.

    "Now, you wanted him to be with you; you are making me crazy." She replied.

    "I am sorry, Gina," I softly responded.

    "Don''t worry; he will be back before you know it, don''t call him; he is busy at the moment trying to fix things in yourpany. He wanted to fly back to be with you." My best friend dered as I looked at her with a quizzical look.

    "You don''t need to give me that look, Maddie, he didn''t text me, but I guess I trust your husband more than you do." She replied, and my face fell as I averted her gaze.

    "When he returns, I will make sure he will know that I am so in love with him; I am sorry for what I have done after what happened to me. I know I made him worry, but instead, I made him feel worst by being insensitive to his feelings." I dered.

    "At least you know what to do," she responded as she tried to hide her smile.

    "Of course, Hunter Divenson is still my husband, and I am still his wife; I have all the right to fight for him," I replied with a widegrin, and she stood up and opened the blinds of my room so I could see some light.

    I wished to go home and spend time with my son and Hunter during the day, and when night came, I wanted to be in my husband''s arms and listen to him as he whispered sweet nothings in my ear.

    "Wow, I always love it when you smile, Maddie; you can light up even the darkest room in the world." Gina said as she beamed at me.

    "I needed to go to the cafeteria to buy something. Would it be alright if I leave you alone?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Of course, I can always ring the nurse station," I replied, and she walked out of my room without taking a second nce, and I watched the bright sky through the window with a smile feeling hopeful that my husband woulde.

    "I didn''t expect you would be back right away, Gina?" I asked with a smile as I heard her approaching footsteps, and my heart fluttered with too much happiness when I turned around, and found my husband walking towards me.

    "I couldn''t wait to see you, my love," he said as he neared me, and I could feel the loud beating of my heart as he sat and cupped my face.

    I was speechless, and I could feel the butterflies swarming in my belly as I looked at his handsome face. I could smell his aftershave, and his familiar intoxicating scent made my knees weak.

    "I am so," my words died on my lips as I felt his mouth on mine, and my pulse was racing as he imed my lips.My husband kissed me with tenderness, and I was the one who kissed him with urgency, and I love how he responds to my every kiss. I could feel the tears on my cheeks as he pulled me closer to him.

    "I love you, Madeline," Hunter whispered in my ear after he released my mouth, and then he kissed my forehead.

    "I love you more, and I am sorry, my love," I said as he dried my tears with his fingers.

    "No need for saying sorry, my love; I thought I would never hear you say those magic words again," Hunter replied tenderly as I put my head on his chest after he sat beside me; I felt so happy in his arms, and I wished we were in our bedroom in Neospoli.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Not in a million years, Hunter; I will never get tired of saying I love you," I replied with a smile on my lips.

    "Wee back, Madeline," my husband responded as he beamed at meafter he kissed my forehead.

    "I missed you so much," I said as I touched his strong biceps, and he was smiling at me showcasing his perfect white teeth.

    "I thought I was about to lose you, my love; I was scared," Hunter said, and I put my finger on his lips as I shook my head.

    "I felt the same way, Hunter. I wished to kiss and hug you, yet the guilt I felt was so strong that I ended up hating myself for what happened not only to your father but to Parker." I responded.

    "Shh, Maddie, none of those things are your fault, we fell in love, and there is nothing wrong with that; my dad was against us; he became evil, and he used my siblings against me." Hunter replied.

    "I felt d Parker took our side, and now, I am worried about my sister." He added as I could see the worries on his handsome face.

    "Reba will do something that will harm our family, and I knew she was angry with us, especially after what happened to father; she felt betrayed by dad when he saved you." My husband dered.

    "I need to stop her, or else we will never find peace in our lives." He said and let outa heavy sigh.

    "My love, I don''t think she can harm us, just let her go," I replied.

    "And give Charlotte a chance to kill you? Not a chance, Maddie; I don''t care where to find her, I have to locate my sister; I am scared of losing you, my love," Hunter dered, and I took his hand.

    "Hey, I am not going anywhere, and I will always be here for you, Hunter," I whispered.

    "Are you sure about that? Thest time I checked, you made me feel I don''t exist," he responded.

    "I didn''t know what came over me; maybe it was because of the medicine I received, but I want you to know you are not losing me, Hunter. I am so sorry, my love, for making you feel that way." I replied, and I could no longer stop myself from crying, and he pulled me closer tohim.

    "Stop saying sorry, my love; it wasn''t your fault, okay? If that is what you want, then I have to let my sister go and triple the security; I don''t want to make the same mistake again." He said.

    I enjoyed the feeling in my husband''s arms, and if the doctor didn''t get inside, I am sure we are still hugging each other.

    "Hunter, I am happy I can finally give Madeline the discharge order. All hertestb tests were good, there were no implications of infections, and your wife is free to go." The doctor said. I knew he was a friend of Hunter''s mom.

    "You need more rest, Maddie; avoid strenuous activities; for the time being, you muste back after two weeks for a follow-up check-up in my clinic." He continued as he looked at me with a beautiful smile on his face.

    "Thank you so much, doctor, for saving my life," I responded.

    "It was my pleasure, Mrs. Divenson; Hunter is like a son to me," he said and tapped my husband''s shoulder.

    I got discharged, and we came home to our mansion, the house my husband built for me in Archois.

    It felt like a long time ago that I hadn''t visited the ce. Memories shed back in my mind vividly, both beautiful and ugly memories.

    I couldn''t stop myself from looking at the nursery, tears flowed like waterfalls on my cheek as I stared at the things Hunter bought for our future son at that time, and it was the day I realized he fell in love with me and I discovered, Reba was alive.

    "Hey, what made you upset, my love?" Hunter asked as he dried my tears with his fingers.

    "I just realized how much I love you, Hunter," I replied, and he smiled as I could see a tear fall on his handsome face.

    "I love you more, Madeline; I am grateful that you are alive, and God gave me another chance to love you more each day." He responded before he captured my mouth, and we shared another mind-blowing kiss that covered my entire body with goosebumps. The anticipation of what would happen next made my stomach flutter with excitement. I knew we would be making love.

 Chapter 303 Forever Enemy

    Hunter''s POV

    "Does Madeline know about this n of yours?" Cal asked and I shook my head as I adjusted my tie.

    "No, she wanted to let it go, but I don''t want anything to happen again to my wife. I want Charlotte to be in her ce." I responded.

    "She was staying in one of your properties in the north, do you still want to see her?" My long-time assistant asked, and I couldn''t deny how much I miss Cal and his wisdom.

    "Prepare the helicopter tomorrow morning, and please, don''t ever tell Madeline where I am going, Calixto, I trust you. I need to do this for Maddie and our son." I said, and he nodded his head.

    "Of course, I will never tell her about this, not even your mother, but I got upset since you don''t want my services anymore." He responded sounding a little bit hurt.

    "Come on, Cal, you knew my wife needs you, and you better be with her at this time," I responded, and he grinned at me.

    "What time do you want to leave?" He asked as he wrote down something on his organizer.

    "I want to leave together with some of my men as early as 6.30 a.m," I responded and he scribbled on his notes before he looked at me.

    "Don''t worry, Mr. Divenson, everything will be ready in your residence, I will wait for you as early as six o''clock in the morning." He stated.

    "Good, you are dismissed, Cal, I knew how much you wanted to spend time with your wife and grandchildren," I said, and he chuckled.

    "Of course, atst, you understand because you are now a father," he replied.

    "Of course, I couldn''t even wait to go home to Neospoli and be with our son, I hope you will take care of everything until Lily will be ready to run thepany, for now, we still need you, Cal, don''t retire yet, please, all I asked for you is to wait for my younger sister to take over, then you will free to go," I said, and he chuckled.

    "As long as I am able, I am still willing to serve yourpany, it is my pleasure to be part of the Divenson Mining Company, besides, I am not yet ready to resign." He replied and I beamed at him.

    I said goodbye to Cal and made my way to the parking lot, I don''t know how to tell Maddie, but I need to find an excuse for why I will not be around tomorrow the entire day. I wished toe back home as early as possible if there would be noplications, I hope Charlotte will cooperate.

    "Hello, how''s your day, my love?" My wife asked the moment I got inside the house and I felt d my mother and Lily were in our home; since Gina was staying at Jack''s ce.

    I kissed my wife on the lips before I answer her question, and I couldn''t believe I would be missing her like crazy, I haven''t only seen her for hours, and now I wanted to take her to our room and be alone with her.

    "I had a busy day as usual, but I got help from one of your favorites persons," I responded and she gave me a beautiful smile as she helped me remove my coat.

    "I knew it, it was Calixto Morgan, I am d Cal is still working at thepany, I missed talking with him," she replied.

    "Yeah, I could tell he misses you too," I responded.

    "Mom and Lily are already waiting for us in the dining hall," my wife said, and I took her hand and we walked towards the dining hall holding hands.

    The dinner was superb and it felt like everyone was enjoying dinner, and I missed my mother''sughter; I was delighted she was beginning to recover from her grief of losing my brother and father.

    "Maddie, I would be going out of town tomorrow, and I will be leaving early," I said as we got back to our room, and I could see how Madeline tensed up as she turned around and faced me.

    "Where are you going, Hunter?" She asked and I could see the worries on her face.

    "I needed to visit the mining site, I have to deal with some issues that need my attention," I responded and her face fell as she moved closer to me.

    "My love, thest time you visited that ce I almost lost you, is there any way to fix things without going there?" My wife asked and I closed the distance between us in an instant.

    "Hey, don''t worry, no one can hurt me now, my love," I said as I cupped her face.

    "I don''t know, I don''t want you to go," she whispered as she tried to avert my gaze. Itook her into my arms and kissed her forehead.

    "Maddie, you have to trust me, I will go there and then we will go back to Neospoli and be with Frank, I know how much you miss our son, I missed him too, and I couldn''t wait to carry him in my arms." I dered, and she tightened her arms around me.

    "Yeah, I miss our little boy, I want to go home." She replied.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Don''t worry, we will go home soon, my love," I mumbled, and I took her into the bed, and my wife slept in my arms; it took me a long time before I drifted to sleep since I couldn''t stop thinking about my sister.

    When I woke up the bed was empty and I wondered where my wife could be. I took a bath and get dressed, and I am shocked to find Madeline in the dining room; she was preparing my breakfast, and I couldn''t stop my heart from beating so fast as I looked at her beautiful face and gorgeous figure.

    "Good morning, beautiful!" I greeted my lovely wife, and she greeted me back with a beautiful smile.

    "You don''t need to do this, my love," I said as I looked at her beautiful face.

    "You are my husband, and I should take good care of you," she responded.

    "Oh, I am such a lucky man for having you as my wife, Maddie," I said as my grin widened.

    "Take care, Hunter, and you shoulde back to me," Madeline said before I went to the helipad.

    "Of course, I will, my love, you should take care of yourself too while I am away. You still need to recover from your surgery, Madeline." I dered.

    "I am now fine, I will wait for you, my love." She replied.

    I could feel the heaviness in my heart after I kissed my wife and turned around and left without taking another nce. I don''t want to leave her, but I have to do it so we can finally have peace.

    We safelynded in one of our estates, and I suddenly felt worried about how I am going to face my sister. I know Charlotte is hard-headed and she will never listen to me.

    "ording to our informant, your sister is alone, Charlotte has no bodyguards like she used to, she only has maids in the house, I think it is safe if you will speak with her alone, Mr. Divenson," Roman said before I unbuckled my seatbelt.

    "Okay, I am going inside alone," I responded.

    "Be careful, Sir," he replied, and I got up after I mumbled my thanks and made my way to the main entrance of the house.

    We used to enjoy our summer here when we were kids with our mom, I didn''t know our lives will be chaotic, and we will end up hating each other because of greed.

    "What do you want, Hunter?" Charlotte asked with anger on her face the moment I found her in the living room.

    "Is that your way of greeting your brother?" I asked, and sheughed.

    "Come on, Hunter, you don''te here in peace," she replied.

    "That is not true, Charlotte, I was worried about you," I responded.

    "No, you are taking me to jail, go ahead, Hunter, I couldn''t believe it until now that because of that woman, you turned your back on your family, Parker was dead, and our father was gone because of your wife!" She yelled.

    "Hey, that is not true, Charlotte, dad was gone because it was his choice to save Madeline," I responded and she fell silent.

    "I am not taking you to jail, all I want is to know how you are doing, I care about you, Charlotte, I felt responsible for you, and I don''t want you to be miserable in here." I dered and she shook her head.

    "I know why you are here, Hunter, you want to make sure I won''t do anything to your wife, sh news, while I am still free and alive; I will never give you and your family peace! I will be your forever enemy, and I will never rest until I have your wife." She said and my face fell.

    "I will do anything to get back at Madeline for ruining my life!" Charlotte added.

    "Don''t do this, Charlotte, you are better than this," I said.

    "I don''t care if I will go to jail as long as I can take her down, I will make sure she will be living in hell, Madeline doesn''t have the right to be happy, I hated her existence, Hunter, I hate your wife." She shouted, and I was curling my fists on my sides.

    "I will never allow you to hurt, Maddie, I will protect her with my life, Charlotte, whatever you are nning, you will not seed. I will be your enemy, and I won''t allow you to get closer to my wife." I dered.

    "Watch me, Hunter, and when that dayes, I will beughing at you. I will not hesitate to kill you if I have to," she responded with a sinister smile on her face.

    I couldn''t believe angerenfold Charlotte''s heart and turned her into a wicked person; I could see in her eyes that she will never change, and she was determined to be our forever enemy.

 Chapter 304 My Plan

    Hunter''s POV

    "What is your n now, Hunter?" Cal asked the moment I returned to the office.

    "I don''t know, Cal, I couldn''t hurt her; she is my sister," I responded.

    "But your wife and son could be in danger." He replied.

    "I know," I responded feeling so defeated.

    "I have to bring back Madeline to Neospoli, I will be back to take care of Charlotte," I replied.

    "Okay, but how are you going to take good care of Charlotte?" He asked, and I winked at him.

    "Leave it to me, Cal," I responded, but to be honest, I don''t know how to stop my sister from hurting my family. I knew we have bodyguards guarding the castle 24/7, but still, while she is still out there formting her revenge, I don''t think I will have peace of mind." I responded.

    "I know what you mean, Hunter." He said.

    After the doctor said my wife could return home, we fly home the following day together with my mom and sister. We decided that Lily should continue her studies in Neospoli Country, and she will have her training at Hector''spany.

    "I couldn''t believe Gina would break up with Jack," my wife said the moment we were alone in our room after we put our son into his bed.

    "What?" I asked in disbelief.

    "Why would she do that?" I asked.

    "I don''t know, she won''t tell me the reason. I think something is going on with my best friend." My wife answered and I could tell she was very affected by Jack and Gina''s breakup.

    "Well, there is nothing we can do about matters of the heart, my love," I replied, and she let out a soft sigh as she nodded her head.

    "Maybe you can speak with her," my wife said and I arched an eyebrow.

    "I don''t think she will open up to me, Maddie," I replied, and I started kissing her neck down to her corbone since I wanted to take away her worries.

    "Can we do itter in the morning, I am tired, my love," she said and I sighed as I pulled her into a tight embrace.

    "Of course, I am sorry if I was being insensitive, Madeline," I said, and she smiled as she caressed my chest.

    "You are not insensitive, I like it, but I don''t want to be like a log," she responded and Iughed.

    "Don''t worry, my love, just sleep, I know you are very tired from our trip," I said and I kissed her forehead.

    Maddie fell asleep, and I couldn''t stop staring at her lovely face. She must be so upset that she drifted into sleep right away. I don''t want to see her sad, but we can''t do anything about Gina and Jack.

    I slowly got up from our bed since I didn''t want to wake up my wife. I was staring at my phone for a long time, I couldn''t sleep thinking about Charlotte.

    "Hey," I heard my wife''s sweet voice while I could feel her fingers caressing my hard member, and I couldn''t stop smiling as I realized my wife was being naughty.

    I let her delicate fingers slide inside my boxer shorts as I continued to pretend I was asleep. I was trying my best to control my moan when she teased the tip of my raging manhood.

    With one touch from my wife; all the cells in my entire body woulde alive. When I felt her mouth capture my entire length, I couldn''t take it anymore. I grunted, and I fisted her hair, I heard her giggle as she continued to tease my shaft.

    I let her suck and licked my length, and I am proud that I am well endowed since I wanted to please my wife. I could feel my impending orgasm as she continued to jerk and eat me like she was eating a lollipop.

    My wife yelped when I took control, Iid her into the bed and stripped her gown in an instant, and I was drooling over my wife''s sexy body. Even if she had given birth to our son, nothing had changed, she still looked gorgeous and I wanted to take her right away, but I needed to return the favor.

    I could see her pearl was glistening with her juices, and my manhood turned harder as I realized my wife was so wet for me. I leaned down and taste her mound, and I could taste her sweet nectar in my mouth.

    I could no longer stop myself from devouring her slit, I suckled her clit and it made her buck her hips, and I smiled as I continued top herbia, outer towards her innerbia. Icould feel her clit swell as I continued to suck and eat her pearl.

    "My love, please, don''t make me beg, I wanted you to be inside me," Madeline begged in between her moans.

    "What do you want meto do, my love," I asked as I caressed her supple breasts.

    "Take me, Hunter!" She yelled, and I don''t want to torture my wife and myself, I positioned my hard member in front of her slit, and I yed the tip by teasing her clit.

    "My love, please, no more teasing, I want your rod inside me now, I am so horny for your dick," she said, and it was enough to drive me wild.

    I took my wife with one long stroke while I imed her lips. I kissed my wife while I thrust deeper and she moaned when I hit her g-spot, and my wife was arching her back so I could have a taste of her nipples.

    I suckled her hard nipple one after the other, and I love how she melted into my arms, and my wife was shouting myname as I came with her, and I sprayed my seed into her hoping we will have another child.

    I copsed beside her panting, and I pulled her naked body closer to mine, and I was inhaling her heavenly scent, and I couldn''t stop myself from feeling so lucky to have Madeline as my wife.

    "I love you, Hunter," she mumbled as she closed her eyes, and she was asleep before I could even reply. I couldn''t believe I exhausted her so much.

    Maddie''s grandpa and Aunt prepared a feast for us the following morning, and I couldn''t believe we have so much food on the table.

    "What is the asion?" My mom asked.

    "Nothing, I am just so happy that you are all back in one peace, I am so happy to see you all," Hector responded as I could see the tears that welled up in his eyes, and I knew they were tears of happiness.

    "It is a beautiful day to celebrate life, I thanked God for Maddie''s life, I was so scared when I learned she was shot in the chest, but d no major organs has been damaged, it was a miracle indeed, thank you foring back, Madeline." Hector softly said as he looked at my wife with tenderness.

    "I am so happy to be back, grandpa," Madeline responded and we happily eat our breakfast.

    "Why so soon, my love?" Madeline asked after I told her I needed to go back to Archois.

    "Calixto called me, and I have to be there for some important documents but don''t worry, my love, I will be back before you know it," I said, and her face fell.

    "I don''t want you to go, but I don''t want to be selfish, I knew how much thepany means to mom, Lily, and you." She replied.

    "You have to promise me you wille back to me," Madeline added, and she looked so adorable as she pouted her lips.

    I kissed my wife on the lips before I got out of our room carrying my suitcase.

    I flew back to Archois with a heavy heart, but I needed to do something to make all of us safe, and I hope my n would work.

    "What a surprise, Mr. Divenson," Jack said the moment he met me, I knew he was busy inside his kitchen, but I couldn''t wait to speak with him.

    "Yeah, I came all the way here from Neospoli just to see you," I responded and he furrowed his forehead.

    "I am sorry if I came unannounced, but after I heard about your break up with Gina, I couldn''t rest," I said.

    "Why does it matter to you? Are you afraid I will go afteryour wife?" He asked, and Iughed.

    "It will never happen, I am confident my wife is only in love with me even if I had been a jerk. Maddie chose to love me, and I love my wife so dearly, she was worried about you, she cares about you, Jack." I said, and he fell silent.

    "I know I don''t have any right to meddle with your personal affair, but you are a good chef, a very talented one, I heard you were nning to sell your restaurant since you are nning to go abroad," I said, and it caught his interest.

    "Are you nning to buy it?" He asked, and I shook my head.

    "No, but I have a proposition for you," I said and he looked at me with interest.

    "What kind of business is that, Mr. Divenson?" He asked.

    "I don''t think I can discuss this matter with you here, if you are interested, I will be waiting for you at my residence tonight. I know you have customers waiting in line, I am sure you will never say no to this, Jack, I will give you a nice offer you can''t refuse." I responded.

    "I don''t want to do it, but I am curious, I will be there," he replied, and I got out of his restaurant feeling hopeful that my n would work out.

 Chapter 305 The Contract

    Hunter''s POV

    "Are you sure that n of yours would work, Hunter?" Calixto asked me as he sat beside me on the sofa of our mansion in Archois holding his ss of scotch.

    "I wished to keep my family safe, especially Madeline and my son. I know my sister will never hurt my mom and sister." I responded.

    "I know you are doubting my ns and you will try to stop me, but I will do everything I can to protect Madeline," I replied.

    "What I don''t understand is Charlotte''s hatred toward my wife. My brother has been dead and so did our father, but my sister was still harboring her anger inside her heart, and she wanted to hurt my wife." I added.

    "Come on, Hunter, that is the stupidest idea I had ever heard." He responded and my face fell.

    "Is that what you think?" I asked as I leaned my back on my seat while Cal was nodding his head.

    "Of course, how could you formte this thing? You must be exhausted that you came up to this unbelievable idea of yours, you could have asked your wife; I am sure Madeline could help you." He replied.

    "Well, I am here now, I think I should talk with Jack and I should never tell you about this," I said, and heughed that I felt so irritated with Calixto, and then I heard knocking on the front door and I know Cer was on it since she was still living in this house with her mother.

    Cer was working in the Divensonpany and we let her family stay in our mansion for free, I know how much my wife loves her, and that is why I offer this ce to them, and I am d they took good care of our ce.

    "Mr. Divenson, Jack is here," Cer said and I stood up and smiled at Jack before I offered my hand to him while I could see Calixto''s face turned solemn as he watched us.

    "You may go now, Cal, I am sure your wife is waiting for you at home," I said and he hastily stood up from his seat.

    "Of course, but Hunter, I am against your n, and as your assistant for so many years, you have to, believe me, it will never work." He responded as he looked me in the eyes.

    "Thank you so much for your unsolicited advice, Cal," I replied, and I could see the hurt that registered on his face.

    "Goodbye, Mr. Divenson, Jack, it is nice to see you," Calixto said before he left Jack and me in the living room. I motioned Jack to sit down and I didn''t waste my time, I told him why I ask him toe into our house.

    "Three Million Dors?" Jack asked while his eyes widened in shock.

    "Yes, take it or leave it," I said, and I could tell he wastrying to process what I had said.

    "You will pay me that big amount of money? And all I have to do is cook meals for someone who is living in one of your properties in the north?" He asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Yeah, for one year! But you have to stay there with her for one whole year, you will be her cook and driver." I added.

    "Once the contract expired, you will get the whole amount, upon contract sighing I would be giving you fifty-thousand dors as a bonus. You will have a monthly allowance of thirty-thousand dors aside from the contract amount. I will give you a copy of the contract after you signed it, you maye to my office tomorrow to finalize our deal." I dered.

    "Wow! That amount is so tempting, Hunter, but I am not stupid, I don''t understand why you have to pay me this amount of money, I don''t get it man, who is this person?" He asked, and I let out a heavy sigh.

    "It is my sister, Charlotte," I responded and I could see how his face fell.

    "Charlotte? Come on, Hunter, I don''t like your sister, I hated her for hurting Madeline so many times," he replied.

    "That is why I am asking you to do it, Jack, you are the only person I can think of; I know you are still suffering from a broken heart from your break up with Gina, but I need your help," I begged him.

    "I am sorry, man, this is crazy, and about my break up with Gina, you don''t need to worry about what happened to us, it was our mutual decision, and to be honest, I am more relieved that she broke up with me and told me, she fell in love with someone else in Neospoli." He dered, and I didn''t expect Gina had someone, and I wondered who could it be.

    "Oh, I am sorry, Jack," I mumbled.

    "Don''t be, I am fine, the truth is I am not even sure if I was the right person for Gina, I am sorry to tell you this, but I courted her because of Madeline, but don''t get me wrong, Hunter, Gina is a great person, and I had loved her, but I don''t think we are meant to be," Jack responded.

    "Of course, there is nothing I can do with your decision, Jack," I replied.

    "With regards to what I am offering to you, maybe you will think it over, I knew you hated my sister too, but I believed she still has hope, Jack, I want to help her," I said.

    "I don''t want to see my mother in pain, Jack, and I am afraid if we don''t stop Charlotte, she will do something to Maddie and our son. I don''t want that to happen." I said.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I think I am not the one your sister needs, Hunter, she needs a psychologist, she needs help," Jack answered.

    "No, she needed someone who will love her," I replied, and he arched his eyebrows as he gave me a

    quizzical look.

    "Hunter, I can''t believe you man, you are paying me to make your sister fall in love with me?" Jack asked.

    "What made you think I will like your evil sister?" He asked, and my face saddened.

    "Do you think Charlotte is capable of loving someone?" He asked another question while I was trying to find the right words to convince him.

    "Trust me on this Jack, I knew there was some point in her life that she likes you, I heard her talking with Kaye, but Charlotte knew you were in love with Madeline at that time and it made her furious," I responded.

    "But I can''t be the man who will love her, Hunter," he stated.

    "Yeah, I know Jack, all you have to do is make her fall for you, and when she does, try to bring her back to us, I know she is still capable of loving and changing her views in life, and I know you can help her, Jack." I insisted.

    "I am not sure if I can do that," he softly responded.

    "Well, you have to do this for my wife, Jack," I begged and he looked at me for a long time.

    "You are crazy, Hunter," he dered.

    "Yeah, I know, I am, but I am willing to do anything for my wife," I replied.

    "What if it will not work out?" He asked.

    "I will still pay you, just finished the contract," I responded, and he let out a heavy sigh.

    "Let me think about it," he said as he stood up.

    "I will wait for you in my office tomorrow," I said and he nodded his head and walked away from me while I let out a heavy sigh hoping Jack wille and agree with my terms.

    "How are you, my love?" Madeline asked right away the moment she answered my call.

    "Everything is under control, my love, you don''t need to worry about anything, I will be home the day after tomorrow, I miss you like crazy, Maddie," I responded and she giggled.

    "Me too, I missyou so much, and our son misses you too, take care always, Hunter, ande back to us soon." My wife sweetly said and just hearing her voice makes me miss her more.

    I took a shower after I said goodbye to Madeline and ended the call. I kept turning in my bed, and I find it hard to sleep thinking about Jack''s decision, he is my only hope in keeping my wife safe.

    "Mr. Divenson, someone named Jack is here to see you," one of thesecretaries said on the trunkline, and I felt relieved that he came.

    "Let him in," I responded and put the phone down.

    "Good morning, Jack, thanks foring," I said.

    "Good morning, Hunter, you know why I am here. I wanted to expand my restaurant, and now, I got my answer, I asked my mother to look after my restaurant while I am away, I told her you asked me to be your chef for one year, please, don''t tell my mother I will be serving Charlotte." Jack dered.

    "Don''t worry, this is only between us, Jack, you will also sign a non-disclosure agreement, let us wait for the legal counsel of thepany; he was on his way. You can review the contract and have it signed, and then you are ready to go." I stated.

    "You don''t need to pack anything, I ordered you clothes needed for your whole stay, a chopper will take you there, "I added.

    Thewyer came and we talked and discussed the terms with Jack, and it was almost dinner time when he had done signing the contract and I handed him the check in the amount of fifty-thousand dors. I watched Jack walk away from my office feeling hopeful that everything will work out ording to my n.

 Chapter 306 My Best Friendâ€™s Pain

    Madeline''s POV

    "What?" I asked in disbelief as I looked at Gina.

    "Yes, I lied to Jack, I broke up with him because I know until now he is still in love with you, Madeline." My best friend said as she sat across from me in the gazebo located on the east side of the garden.

    I was carrying my son in my arms since he fell asleep after he finished drinking his milk, we were waiting for my husband and I couldn''t wait to see Hunter.

    "That is ridiculous, Gina," I responded.

    "I know you will not believe me, but after you got shot, I realized how much you mean to him, he didn''t make love to me even once even if I was staying at his ce the whole time I was in Archois," Gina said, and I felt so guilty as I looked at her.

    "My mom was upset that I only visited them for how many hours, and I didn''t even bother to stay even for one night in our house." She added.

    "We hadn''t seen each other for a long while, and I was expecting he will make love to me because I miss him so much, and I ended up broken-hearted, it wasn''t only about that thing, he didn''t even kiss me the way a boyfriend should kiss his girlfriend after a long while of not seeing each other." Gina continued.

    "I am sorry, Gina, I was so focused on my injury that I didn''t even notice you were suffering, I felt so useless as your best friend," I responded as I looked at her, but she was averting my gaze.

    Gina was looking at the butterflies flying around the garden after they seeped the nectar of the flowers.

    "Hey, that is not true, Maddie, you had done enough for me, and it was all my fault, I should have never shown him that I wanted him somuch, and I knew he only asked me out because of you; he wanted to forget you, but failed miserably." She replied, and then she turned her gaze to me.

    "You are so brave, Gina, I am so proud of you, but lying is not a good thing," I mumbled.

    "It was only a white lie, Madeline, I wished to let him go, and set him free, he wasn''t happy with me, he better finds someone else, maybe he will find someone that will make him forget about you." She answered.

    "I have no regrets for having him as my boyfriend, even if most of the time I was the only one who made an extra effort for our rtionship to work. I was happy even if I knew it was a one-sided love affair. I am so thankful to Jack, he made me experience my first love with him." Gina said with a smile.

    I felt a little worried for my best friend since she was trying her best to look strong even if I know deep inside her heart she was hurting and she couldn''t hide it from me, she was in too much pain.

    "I will never forget him, especially the sweet moments I shared with him, and most of all his kisses, God knows how much I wanted to be in his arms, but I don''t want him to suffer because of me." She added as she stood up and turned her back on me and watched the three-tier water fountain in which the water was flowing endlessly at the center of the garden.

    "I know he is such a good person, and he will never break up with me even if he doesn''t want me anymore, and do you know what is the saddest part? I became more drawn to him, but I don''t want to be selfish, Madeline."She added as she turned around and looked at me.

    She walked closer to me, and this time Gina could no longer hide her pain, I could see the tears that flowed down her cheeks like waterfalls.

    "Oh, Gina, you should not break up with Jack if you will only be this miserable, how could you do this to yourself?" I asked, and she was shaking her head as she looked at me.

    "Don''t worry, just allow me to cry, Madeline, I am tired of being strong, for once, I want to sumb to my loneliness and sadness. I want to embrace how I feel inside my heart, I am tired of being a hypocrite for telling you I am okay when I am not." She said while I slowly put my son on his portable crib.

    I took Gina in my arms and caressed her back, I let her cry and sob and asked her to pour her negative emotions, and she wailed until there is no single tear left, and I could see how swollen her eyes were after I released her from my embrace.

    "You are not a hypocrite, Gina, you are only trying to be a good friend, you don''t want me to worry about you, but you have to be honest with me because I am your best friend, I always tell you how I feel and think, you have to give me a chance tofort you, you had been doing it for me for how many years." I dered as I wiped her tears with my fingers.

    "I love you more than a sister, and you know that, I wanted you to be happy, and I wished to tell you, you are the bravest and unselfish woman I know, and I am so proud being your best friend, not everyone is capable of being selfless, Gina," I added.

    "I guess, I got thistrait from you," she replied and Iughed.

    "No, that is what you are, and maybe that is why we are best friends," I said as I looked at her face.

    "Thank you, Madeline, I don''t know what to do without you, you always give me courage and strength, and you are my guiding light in my darkest moment." She responded.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You don''t need to thank me, Gina, that''s what best friends are for, I will always be here for you," I replied, and we both fell silent, and even in silence we can stillmunicate with each other, and I will do everything I can to help her get over with Jack.

    My husband joined us in the gazebo and I could see the worried look on his face as he looked at Gina after he kissed me on my lips. And it felt like our son, Frank Luis knew his father has arrived since he woke up from his sleep, and Hunter excitedly took him from the crib and carried him in his arms.

    I felt so happy to see my husband, but I couldn''t stop worrying about Gina. My best friend excused herself after she said hi to Hunter.

    "I missed you, my love," Hunter whispered as he inhaled my neck, and his breath make my entire body on fire.

    "I missed you more, my love," I answered as I linked my arm with his.

    "Is Gina doing fine?" Hunter asked the moment we got inside our bedroom.

    "No, she isn''t fine, my love, but I know she will be okay," I responded.

    "I heard she has a boyfriend," my husband said.

    "Who told you that?" I asked and my husband was silent.

    "You came to Jack''s restaurant?" I asked and looked at him and I could see the guilt on my husband''s face.

    "I am sorry, I know, I should not intervene, but I know you are worried about Gina. I only went to his restaurant to dine, and I asked for Jack to see him." Hunter responded.

    "But you have to believe me, my love, I didn''t ask Jack anything about Gina. He told me that Gina broke up with him because she found someone else, and I felt relieved you don''t need to worry about your friend, and I don''t want to pry, but it seemed to me she wasn''t doing fine." My husband said.

    "Yeah, she is still in love with Jack, but she needed to let him go because she knew, their rtionship is not going anywhere, and Gina knew Jack is not happy anymore," I replied.

    "That is sad, but I know Gina will be fine, she is a strong woman," my husband stated.

    "Yes, she will," I agreed with my husband.

    "Now, I think I should let you know how much I missed you, my Madeline," he said as he started undressing me, and my excitement was killing me.

    My husband was kissing my neck down to my corbone as I felt his hand caressing my thigh, and I unbuttoned his jeans and tugged his zipper down, and just watching the outline of my husband''s manhood beneath his underwear made me ache between my legs.

    I am still in awe as I watched how big Hunter is, and I couldn''t wait to have him inside me.

    "I am so lucky for having you as my wife, Madeline," he whispered before he took my earlobe into his mouth.

    "I am the luckiest woman too, for having you as my husband, Hunter," I responded, and I groaned as he pressed his stiff rod into my belly, and his intoxicating scent was making me nuts, and I closed my eyes when Hunter tugged down my dress and discarded my bra in an instant.

    My nipples are already as hard as steel as he danced his tongue on my body lower until he reach my supple breast I arched my back to give him more ess and pulled down his boxer briefs and I swallowed my saliva when I held his manhood in my hand.

    "Oh, Maddie, you are driving me crazy," he said as he stared at my naked body.

    I yelped when my husband carried me and I was giggling as Hunter gently settled my body on the bed like I am a fragile ss. I smiled seductively at my husband knowing it would be a long night for us.

    I couldn''t wait for him to take me to a ce just for the two of us, and I couldn''t stop drooling over my husband''s hot body as I gaped at his nakedness, and when he started kissing me from my feet higher, I know it would not be long before I will bescreaming his name in ecstasy.

 Chapter 307 Epilogue-Book 1 Loving Madeline

    Madeline''s POV

    We were preparing for our son''s fifth birthday in the garden when I suddenly felt so dizzy, and I ran inside the house since I could feel I am about to vomit the food that I eat during breakfast, I didn''t reach the sink, I ended up throwing up in front of the main door; my family was with me immediately.

    "Mom, are you okay?" I heard our child''s sweet voice while my husband was beside me in an instant holding my hair into a ponytail as he let me vomit, but there is none left only my saliva.

    "Hey, buddy, go to your Aunt Lily while I will take good care of mom, okay?" My husband asked our little boy, and I could see the worries on his face.

    "Okay, dad," Frank responded and he ran towards Lily.

    "How are you feeling, my love?" Hunter asked with worries all over his face after he gave me a cup of hot water. I couldn''t believe he will carry me inside the house as if I weigh nothing at all.

    "Hey, why doyou look like that?" I asked, and he held my hand and kissed my knuckles before he answered my question.

    "I am worried about you, my love," he responded and Iughed.

    "Don''t worry about me, okay?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "How can I not be worried when you throw up like that and now you are telling me you can''t stand up since you felt dizzy." He replied.

    "I think I shouldcall our family doctor to check on you, or it is better if I will take you to the hospital," he added.

    "You have to rx,Gina is on her way," I replied.

    "Is Gina a doctor now? I knew she married a surgeon, yet it doesn''t mean she has the knowledge to see what is going on with you. Come on, my love, don''t make this harder for me." Heined, and I wanted tough at my husband''s reaction but he looked so adorable that I couldn''t afford tough at him.

    "I know, but I asked her to buy a pregnancy test," I said and my husband''s expression made me want to cry.

    "You mean, you could be pregnant?" He asked with tears in his eyes.

    "Yeah, I missed my periodst month, and now, I think I am having morning sickness," I responded.

    I almost screamed when my husband carried me and turn me around shouting with joy that he is going to be a dad, and in an instant, we were surrounded by our family members again saying their congrattions even before we can confirm I was really pregnant.

    "It is positive!" I said the moment I took the test inside our bedroom.

    "Yes, I am going to be a dad again, and I couldn''t wait to paint the nursery room, and I am sure this time we will have a baby girl." He said, and I beamed at him.

    "My love, girl or boy, we should be happy to have another gift from God," I replied and he came closer to me and put his arms around me.

    "Of course, my love, girl or boy, I would love him like the way I love Frank, and I will give our children all the love that they deserve and everything this world can offer, and I promised, I will be a good father to our children." He stated.

    "You don''t need to promise anything, I know you are a great dad, Hunter, and the best husband I could ever ask for," I responded and he beamed before he captured my mouth and kissed me passionately.

    It was one of the best days of our lives, and I felt so happy that my pregnancy test turned out positive. Our little boy was so excited when we told him the good news that he is going to be a big brother soon.

    "You should stay at home, my love, no more walking," Hunter said one night as he kissed my bump, and I let out a soft sigh as I cupped his face.

    "Hey, it was nothing, my OB said I would be fine," I responded.

    "You are only overreacting, my love," I added, and he took my hands.

    "I am not overreacting, Maddie, I don''t want anything to happen to you and our baby, you had bleeding, and we should take it seriously." Hereplied.

    "Trust me on this, we will be fine, my love. My OB was one of the best doctors in this country" I said as I looked him in the eyes.

    "Okay, but please, no more gardening, Madeline," he responded and I nodded my head.

    "No more chasing butterflies with Frank in the afternoon, just sit down at the gazebo and let them fly around you. If you want I can stay with you in the gazebo." He added.

    "You don''t need to do that, my love. You need to go to work." I answered.

    "My work can wait, I am the CEO, remember?" He asked and Iughed.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for being a good husband, but you have to have some faith in my doctor and me, I will tell you if I don''t feel better, okay?" I replied, and I could see he rxed a little.

    I gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Hanna and we couldn''t be happier. She is my mini-me, and our lives became livelier when she came into our lives. As our children grow older we became closer to them.

    I felt so happy when Gina finally found someone and not an ordinary someone, she got married to the most renowned surgeon all over Neospoli Country, and they were blessed with three kids, one boy, and two girls. The eldest is now twenty years old while their second child is seventeen, and the youngest is fourteen.

    Lily took over thepany after she graduated from college, but she always have time to visit us and I knew she couldn''t stop herself from visiting her niece and nephew, and of course, I knew she misses her mother the most since Hunter''smother stayed with us in my grandpa''s castle, and I felt d my grandfather Hector is still healthy and kicking.

    What is more exciting is that Calixto Morgan is still working at the Divenson Miningpany, and he is now the assistant of Lily. I am so proud of Lily, and everyone knew we had a special bond, and I love her so much.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Lily always called me every time, she was bored, happy, upset, and most of all, every time someone broke her heart, but she ising to Neospoli to finally introduce us to her fiance, a businessman she met during one of her business trips in Europe.

    Charlotte was now happy with her life, and I couldn''t believe my husband would do something outrageous that put our rtionship to a test when I received a call from his sister one day and she was asking me for help. I know it was all in the past now, but I still couldn''t believe my husband was willing to do everything just to keep me safe.

    I couldn''t believe eighteen years had passed since I gave birth to our lovely daughter, and now, we are getting dressed since we will be celebrating Hanna''s eighteenth birthday and Frank would be her escort. I felt so happy that our children are good kids, they never gave us headaches growing up.

    "Hey, why do you look sad, my love?" Hunter asked as he looked at my reflection in the mirror while his arms were around my waist.

    "It is our daughter''s birthday, you have to be happy," he added.

    "I am happy, I just couldn''t believe time flies so fast, and Hanna is no longer our baby, she is now a grown woman, and I don''t want her to get married yet." I dered and my husband chuckled.

    "Hey, today is our daughter''s eighteenth birthday and she is not getting married, Madeline." My husband responded.

    "I married you when I was only neen years old, and I couldn''t imagine myself giving away my daughter to a man, she is still my baby, my love," I answered.

    "Do you regret marrying me?" He asked as he kissed my neck, and I giggled.

    "Of course not, you are my first of everything, and would be myst, marrying you was the best decision I have ever made in my entire life, and if I have to go back in time, I will still marry you, Mr. Divenson," I said and he smiled at me and looked at me in the same manner since the day I first met him, he was staring at me with the same love and lust.

    "Do you still love me even if I am old?" I asked and my husband''sughter reverberated inside our bedroom.

    "Who told you that? You are still smoking hot, Madeline, you are only in your early forties, and you still looked the same to me, you are still the beautiful and hot young woman I fell in love with, and I will never stop loving you, my lovely wife, my Madeline." He whispered as he turned me around so I would be facing him.

    "Always remember this, Maddie, my love for you is like wine, the longer we are married to each other;my love for you will be deeper and stronger, and falling in love with you was the best thing that ever happened in my life, and being in love with you is what gives me happiness I couldn''t exin in words." He added as he was staring at my face with great intensity.

    "I will love you even if your hair would turn grey, and even if you find it hard to walk because of your arthritis, I would still love you even if we forget each other''s name because of Alzheimer, I love you, Madeline, now, and forever." He continued.

    "I love you more, my love," I said in more than a whisper as I felt tears of happiness flowed down my cheeks as I realized I am happily married to my hot and handsome husband, and he did everything he can to make me feel love and safe at all times.

    Most of all, Hunter made sure I will feel his love for me every day by never leaving my side. I know whateveres our way, we will surpass anything because we have each other, and our love for each other is the source of our strength.

    ====== THE END========

    Please continue to support me by reading the side Story of Jack and Charlotte

    Book 2-The Hot Chef and The Wicked Sister

    Synopsis:

    Jack Morigan was in love with Madeline from the moment heid eyes on her, but too bad, she was already head over heels and engaged to Hunter Divenson, the famous handsome bachelor all over the country.

    He never stops loving Madeline until he made Maddie''s best friend, Gina,his girlfriend, everything was okay between them, but deep in his heart he knew, he was still hung up on Maddie.

    When Gina broke up with him, he knew it was all his fault, but he realized it was better that way, and he wanted to go abroad to forget Madeline and to have more money to expand his restaurant business.

    Charlotte Divenson was the wicked sister of Hunter Divenson, she felt so angry when she found out Hunter broke her best friend''s heart because of Madeline.

    Hunter is the apple of her dad''s eyes, and the golden son of her parents because he is the eldest son and the heir of thepany, she took every opportunity to ruin his brother''s life; just to seek her parents'' love and attention, and she was the happiest when Hunter made a big mistake of falling in love with Madeline.

    She was known as the wicked sister, but she knew she was only a lonely child who wanted recognition from her parents.

    Charlotte got angry with everyone and shut off the world when her father and younger brother died; she med herself for their death, and she wanted to take her revenge on Madeline since for her she was the reason why their family got broken.

    Jack was shocked when Hunter offered him a job to make his wife safe, that is to be the chef and driver of his wicked sister Charlotte, he yearned to refuse but the money at stake is too high to resist.

    Charlotte was in hiding and her money was running out that she could no longer afford to pay her maids, and her supplies were getting low, she was afraid to look for a job since she grew up in luxury and know nothing about work.

    She was shocked to find Jack Morigan on her doorstep asking her to take him in since he needed a ce to stay.

    In ex-changed for his lodging he will provide her with food and his services in the house. She wanted to say no, but she is in dire need of food.

    They lived together in the same house bickering with each other, they don''t get along; until one day they could no longer resist the growing attraction between them.

    Can Jack tame Hunter''s wicked sister, and leave her and get his money after the contract he signed expired even if he knew he was helplessly falling for Charlotte?

    What will happen to their love story the moment Charlotte found out the truth that she was only a job for Jack?

    Are they going to hold on and fight for their love, or they will drift apart with hatred in their hearts?

 Chapter 308 The Break-Up

    Jack''s POV

    "How''s Madeline?" I asked Gina the moment she arrived at my house, and she looked so haggard and tired wearing the same clothes she wore before she left my house yesterday.

    "She is fine, and the doctor said Madeline would be discharged by tomorrow." My girlfriend replied with a smile on her face, but I could tell something was off since her smile didn''t reach her ears, and even if she was smiling her eyes still looked sad.

    "Hey, is everything alright?" I asked as I motioned her to sit beside me.

    "Everything is great, especially now that Madeline is finally going home to Neospoli, and Hunter couldn''t wait to bring his wife home," she responded, and it felt like she emphasized Hunter''s name, and I couldn''t stop the pang on my chest and felt so guilty.

    Gina is a great person, but I couldn''t deny after what happened to Maddie during the funeral of Parker, I realized I am still crazy in love with my first love. I know it was crazy because when I met Madeline for the first time she was already in love and engaged with Hunter Divenson.

    But the idea that her heart already belonged to one of the wealthiest men in the country didn''t stop me from loving her, and it wasn''t a secret to everyone since I showed to Madeline I was really into her, and I confessed to her how I really felt.

    Maddie was honest with her feelings and told me, she only liked me as a friend, and she couldn''t imagine herself loving anyone else, but Hunter.

    I attended their wedding, and I knew it was the stupidest thing I had ever done because I only made my heart bleed that day. She was so beautiful on her wedding day, and I couldn''t forget her lovely face wherever I go.

    The guilt I felt was eating me up as I looked at Gina''s beautiful face, I could tell she was no longer happy with our rtionship because of me. I knew I couldn''t break up with her knowing it would break her heart, and I don''t want Madeline to get angry with me.

    Gina is a perfect girlfriend and she deserved someone who will love her the way she deserved. I had learned to love her, but after Maddie almost diedwhen she was shot in the chest by one of rk''s men, I realized I am still in love with her, and it was so unfair for Gina, and I was trying to tell the truth, but I don''t know how to tell her.

    I don''t have the heart to hurt Gina, but I know she has been waiting for me to propose to her, but I couldn''t do that knowing I am in love with her best friend, and I need to tell her the truth.

    "Jack," she mumbled as she sat beside me, and I hate that I didn''t kiss her when she arrived because I know it wasn''t right.

    "Yes," I answered.

    "I am sorry, but I need to break up with you," she said, and I was stunned by her words and wondered if she could read my mind.

    "What?" I asked trying to look surprised and worried, and I wanted to punch myself for feeling excited that she finally set me free.

    "I said, I want us to break up," she responded.

    "But why?" I asked.

    "I fall in love with someone else," she responded, and my face fell and her answer made me speechless. I couldn''t believe that would be the reason she would break up with me since it was a big p on my face.

    "I am sorry, Jack. Please, say something," she said in more than a whisper as she fidgeted in her seat.

    "What should I say? I am not happy that you are telling me you wanted to break up with me because you found someone else, but I couldn''t me you, Gina. I wasn''t a good boyfriend to you, and I know my shorings, I think I should be the one who should apologize," I responded.

    "Hey, don''t apologize to me, Jack, you were the perfect boyfriend that I had been dreaming of, and thank you for all the memories I had with you, I will never forget you," Gina said as she smiled at me.

    "Oh, Gina, I don''t know what to say, I am hurt that you were breaking up with me, but I am so thankful for your honesty, I know you are no longer happy with me." I dered.

    "Hey, don''t say that Jack, but I guess long distance rtionship is not for me, I couldn''t ask you to give up your work here and be with me in Neospoli. Besides, I fell in love with someone, and I hope you will forgive me, Jack." She responded.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Of course, I had forgiven you," I replied and took Gina in my arms, and kissed her for thest time.

    She was blushing when I released her mouth and I could tell she was avoiding my gaze.

    "Are we still friends?" I asked after an awkward moment.

    "Of course, and I think, I should be the one asking you that question because I was the one who cheated in our rtionship." She dered, and I wished to tell her I am so relieved that she fell in love with someone, and I don''t need to break her heart.

    "I still want you to be my friend, Gina, I would be happy if you feel the same way," I responded and she beamed at me.

    Gina had been long gone but I was still seating where I was when she left, and I couldn''t believe that it finally happened. I am back to being single, but why I felt so empty inside, I know it was because I wished to be with Madeline, and I hate why Hunter Divenson existed.

    If he wasn''t in the picture, I know Maddie would be my wife, and I know I am crazy for thinking that way.

    Days passed, and I tried calling Gina to check on her if she was really okay, I got disappointed when I could no longer contact her number and she blocked me on her social media ounts, and it dawned on me, we could never be friends again. I wondered if her new boyfriend forbid her tomunicate with me, and I smiled as I realized at least she is now happy.

    "Hunter?" I was surprised since he is thest person I wanted to see. I was busy supervising my staff in the kitchen when one of the waiters approached and told me someone was looking for me in the restaurant, and guests are so important in my line of business.

    I didn''t expect I would be seeing Madeline''s husband, the person who reminds me I am not good enough for her since I couldn''t be as rich as him no matter how I will work day and night.

    "Are you alright? The restaurant is empty, all your staff had gone home, yet you are still here in your office spacing out, what is wrong, big brother?" Lianne asked, and I didn''t expect she would be waiting for me.

    "Nothing, Lianne," I responded as I nce at her.

    "Come on, Jack, you can''t lie to me, Madeline is now fine, you don''t need to worry about her anymore, I think you should start worrying about yourself and stop thinking about others, especially Maddie." She dered, and I let out a soft sigh as I looked at Lianne.

    My sister and I are very close, and I could tell she is my best friend, we don''t have secrets, she knew how crazy I am with Maddie, and she kept telling me I was crazy, but loving Madeline was like an addiction to me, the more I try to forget her, the deeper I became more in love with Madeline.

    I don''t have a choice but tell her about the stupid contract I signed, and I begged her not to tell anything about the deal I made with Hunter to our mother. After all, I need her to understand I am doing it for the expansion of my restaurant.

    "Well, I think you made the right decision, Jack, besides, I think it is rude for us to judge Charlotte, maybe she was misunderstood by her parents, and I think she deserves to have a second chance, don''t you think?" My sister asked after I told her everything.

    "Of course, but I still hate her for trying to hurt Madeline so many times, I witnessed it myself when I came to their mansion," I responded.

    "Maybe it is time to know her and found out what she is, you can''t hate her base on what she had done in the past." My sister replied.

    "Look, I will go there to cook her food, but I will never be friendly with her, she is wicked, and I don''t think someone like her would ever change, Lianne, I am doing all this for the money, nothing more nothing less," I said with finality.

    "Okay, but I hope when you are away, you will take this chance to forget about Madeline. You will be in a new ce, maybe you are too busy daydreaming about Maddie and you didn''t realize you already met the girl just for you." Lianne said and I gave her a hard look.

    "Jack, she is happily married to Hunter Divenson, she was in love with him, you have to stop your craziness, you have the right to be happy too." She added.

    "Don''t worry, I will try harder this time, Lianne," I replied in more than a whisper and my sister''s face lit up as she hugged me. And I don''t want to tell her I don''t know even know where to start, and I still find it so hard to forget Madeline, but I was hoping one day I can finally say I was over her.

 Chapter 309 Alone In A Cruel World

    Charlotte''s POV

    "Ms. Charlotte, I don''t think I can stay here and work for you anymore, I need money to buy milk for my baby," the remaining maid said, and I wanted to scream at her, but she had done a lot for me, she is the only one left since the driver, the gardener, and two maids had already gone, but Lucia remained for almost three weeks without sry.

    "Lucia, I understand, if I will receive my allowance this month, I will text you, will youe back and work for me again?" I asked, and she smiled

    at me, and I knew I was only fooling myself since there would be no more allowance.

    I knew I never get closer to our maids before, I thought they were filthy individuals who needed money from our family, but living all alone with my maids made me realize I was so wrong.

    "Of course, don''t worry, I wille here and visit you, but for now, I needed a job since my husband was terminated from his job." She said, and I hate that I had learned how to be sympathetic with them.

    "Do you think you can manage to be alone?" She asked.

    "Of course, I am a grown woman, Lucia," I responded, and I knew I was only lying to her because I don''t have enough money left to pay for her services.

    "I should go now, Ms. Charlotte," she said, and I was shocked when she hugged me, and if I were in our mansion in Archois, I would shout at any maid who will try to hug me, but this time, Lucia''s embrace gave me thefort I couldn''t exin.

    "You should take good care of yourself, and if you will need help, don''t hesitate to text or call me, okay?" She added and I smiled at her after she released me from her tight embrace.

    "Thank you, Lucia, for all your help, and for being my friend," I said, and never in my life had I imagined myself calling a maid my friend, but I never felt so true to myself, this is the only time I realized I found a true friend.

    "Of course, it is my honor, Ms. Charlotte," she responded with a beautiful smile on her face.

    "Please, just call me by my first name, I would love that," I replied, and she was grinning at me.

    "Okay, Charlotte, see you when I see you," she said as she stood up, and I walked her out to the main door.

    Lucia was long gone, but I was still watching on the driveway of our estate in the North, in the town of Barcelonia, I have never liked this ce before because, for me, it was so far from the city life that I used too, but now I understood why my parents bought this property.

    I needed to go to the town capital if I want to eat at a fancy restaurant or buy clothes in a mall, and our estate was far from the town capital, and now that I don''t have a driver, I had to drive alone if I needed something, but that is the problem, I don''t have money to buy my basic needs anymore.

    I couldn''t use any of my cards, and I am one hundred percent sure my elder brother had frozen all my ounts under thepany, and I couldn''t me him for hating me.

    I did something terrible and I have to pay for my sins, and I am just thankful Hunter didn''t turn me over to the police, but I didn''t shoot his wife, it was one of my father''s men, I only stood there hoping everything will end since I felt so tired of seeking my parents'' attention, I only med Madeline, but the truth is, she has nothing to do with my misery and pain.

    ? My only mistake, I didn''t tell Hunter or my mom, or Madeline about my dad''s n. I only stood there frozen in time since I was so lost after knowing my brother died, I didn''t know if my dad has something to do about it, but I don''t want to go there, I love my father so much, and I couldn''t believe he is now dead.

    It was so painful on my part because my dad only started to see me after Hunter fell in love with Madeline, and I hated my brother for turning down Kaye, the only person I trusted the most, only to find out in the end, she only made me her best friend because of my brother.

    I couldn''t stop thinking about the hurtful words she said on the night we attended the same party together before their properties were seized by the authorities.

    "I don''t even like Charlotte," Kaye said, and I stopped in my tracks and hide on the wall as I held the cocktail ss tighter in my hand.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "What do you mean by that? You are always together, don''t tell me you hate her?" One of her friends asked.

    "You want to know a secret? I am only using her to be closer to Hunter, I don''t like a spoiled brat like her, and I don''t like Charlotte Divenson at all, but I need to pretend I loved herpany, but after I steal Hunter from Madeline, I will stop being her best friend." Kaye responded and her friendsughed with her.

    I struggled to leave that party with tears in my eyes, and I never felt so alone in my entire life. But at least, at that time I have all the money that I need to live my life in luxury, but now, I felt so alone without money, mysavings had run out, and I don''t know how to survive this cruel world without money.

    I didn''t realize I dozed off on the couch, and I woke up feeling so hungry, I stood up, and walked to the kitchen, I didn''t even know how to switch on the stove and it took me a while to light it, and I felt like a child as I jumped after I discovered on how to switch it on.

    I rummaged through the cupboard, and I smiled when I found some noodles, and my face fell when I looked at the expiry date. It has expired already, but my stomach is grumbling, and I never felt so hungry in my entire life. I only had breakfast with Lucia, and it is now dinner time.

    I read the instruction on the packaging, and I smiled when I realized it was so easy to cook noodles. I don''t care about the expiry date anymore.

    I opened the refrigerator and found some eggs and fruits, and vegetables, at least I have eggs, and I can eat the fruit, but I don''t know how to cook the veggies.

    I picked up an egg and mixed it with my noodles, and I eat like a beggar, and I tried to stop the tears from falling down my cheeks as I devour my food, but I could no longer stop them from falling as I realized I am going to die of hunger, and I couldn''t stop thinking about the food of our household staff in our mansion in Archois.

    My dad always makes sure they have good food so they can serve our family better, he used to say a man couldn''t do his job well with an empty stomach, and as of the moment I wished I was one of the maids in our mansion.

    I emptied my bowl, and I eat some grapes I felt so full, and I wondered what I am going to eat tomorrow. I washed the utensils that I used and went back to my room.

    I rummaged through my things, but I could no longer see any jewelry I can pawn, thest piece of jewelry I brought to the nearest pawnshop was my dad''s gift for me when I graduated from college, a beautiful 8-carat diamond ring.

    I copsed on my bed after feeling frustrated that I''d got nothing left. I should have thought about theing days, and I realized what a fool I had been, I live in the moment; I spent my remaining money on expensive clothes, bags, and shoes that I don''t even need. I had forgotten. I lost everything I have after I left my life behind.

    I was so afraid that my brother would file a case against me, and to be honest, when my elder brother came to visit me, I felt so happy, and when he told me he cared about me, I want to believe him, but I know the reason why Hunter came, he wanted to make sure I will not do anything to hurt his wife, and I felt so hurt.

    I am not a murderer, I admit I did horrible things to make Madeline leave ourhouse, but not because it was all my ns, Kaye made me do it, and I was stupid enough to listen to her, and to believe all her lies.

    I knew Madeline has a pure soul, but I was envious of Hunter, and when I realized he was falling in love with her, I wanted to separate them so my brother would feel how to be rejected.

    And I wished to get closer to Kaye since I admired her since I was a child. I listened to everything that my best friend had told me even if I was drifting apart from my family.

    When I realized what I had done, it was already toote for me, my dad became my only refuge and strength after I found out Kaye''s secret.

    And right now, I could say I am reaping the oue of what I sow, and I am being punished for making Madeline''s life miserable, but I am still happy for her that she fought for her love of my brother, and I knew she was asking everyone not to hurt me.

    And that is the saddest and painful truth, I was the cause of her tears, yet she wanted to make me safe. I don''t know how am I going to redeem myself and make my family proud of me; even if they called methe wicked sister deep inside I am only a human being, a lonely daughterwho needed the love and care of her parents and all I ever wanted was their recognition, I wanted them to acknowledge my existence.

    .

 Chapter 310 Beyond Redemption

    Jack''s POV

    "I don''t think your sister will allow me to get inside your house, Hunter; she knew I am your wife''s friend," I said during ourst conversation.

    "I don''t think she will do that, Jack. I love my sister, and I don''t want her to continue living her life filled with anger and hatred, but she needs to learn it the hard way; I froze all her cards." He replied, and I was surprised.

    "No way," I mumbled.

    "Yes, I did, after what happened to my wife, I was so angry with my sister that time, Jack, but in the end, I realized she is still my sister; she is still part of our family. I love my mother, and I knew she was waiting for my sister toe home one day." He responded.

    "I don''t want her to suffer, but I have to do this to make her a better person; I wished to understand Charlotte and be closer to her, but she didn''t give me a chance since she was always jealous of me, for being the eldest child, and my position in thepany made her loathe me more," Hunter added.

    "I am sure by this time, my sister had run out of money. ording to my source, no one left in our manor except Charlotte; all the household staff was gone since she couldn''t pay them anymore." He continued.

    "Do you know what is funny? She pawned her jewelry pieces only to buy what she wanted, like dress, shoes, and bags, without realizing she was running out of food supply." Hunter stated, and I could see the frustration on his face.

    "So, I don''t think Charlotte will drive you away, Jack. You will be her knight in shining armor, but I hope you will teach her how to do the household chores to make her realize it wasn''t easy to live in poverty." Mr. Divenson said.

    "My sister used to look down on our maids and household staff, she treated them like they were filthy and they don''t deserve some respect." He continued.

    I wanted to tell Hunter that his sister was hopeless, but I didn''t want to add to his burden; I could tell how much he tried to save Charlotte, and it made me realize Madeline is so lucky to have him as her husband; he even cared about his wicked sister even if she was beyond redemption.

    "I wanted Charlotte toe to her senses that she should treat everyone equally, whether that person came from the wealthy family or the lower ss in our society," Hunter added. I realized what he wanted me to do was impossible.

    "Okay, I will do what I can, Mr. Divenson, but you should not forget Charlotte is very difficult to handle, and I don''t think I can tame her, Hunter," I responded.

    "Of course, Jack, but I trust you, and I know you can help my sister." He said with a smile, and I could tell Hunter was hopeful that his sister would change.

    "Is it true, son?" My mom asked, and I snapped back to the present.

    I slowly nodded my head. She had just arrived from Magnolia Vige, and I couldn''t believe my sister would tell her I was leaving. I warned Lianne not to inform our mom since I knew she would make a big deal out of it. I nned to call her when I arrived in Barcelonia.

    "Yes, mom, but you don''t need to worry. One year is only a short time; I will be back here before you know it," I responded with a wide grin, but I knew my mom was not happy about my decision since she was ring at me.

    "I heard about your breakup with Gina, and I didn''t expect you would do something like this; I didn''t even know you were that in love with her." She responded as she sat at the edge of my bed. I was in the middle of packing my things when she came.

    Even if Hunter told me he prepared my wardrobe, I still chose to bring my own clothes that I amfortable with, and I didn''t know what kind of clothing he prepared for me; I better make sure I have something to wear when I reach Barcelonia.

    "Mom, I am not doing this for anyone. I wanted to expand my business," I responded.

    "Jack, you don''t need to do that, you have opened a few branches here in Archois and the neighboring towns, and you have proven yourself. Son, whatever you do, you can neverpete with Hunter Divenson." My mom dered, and my face fell.

    "Madeline is now happy with her husband and newfound family, and I guess you have to be happy for her. You must stop your craziness, Jack; you will only end up single and miserable." My mom added, and I sighed.

    "Yeah, that is what I am doing, mom; you don''t realize how much I wanted to forget about her. I am trying my best; I took this job to forget Madeline." I answered honestly, and I felt a little guilty that I couldn''t tell her I would be working for my rival, Hunter.

    I don''t want to deal with Charlotte. I wished to leave Archois to get over my first love and forget everything about her, but I am only fooling myself since I am doing all this for Madeline.

    "Besides, this kind of opportunity knocks only once in a lifetime," I added, and my mom smiled.

    "I am sorry, son if I sounded rude; I just want you to be happy, Jack; you deserve it," my mother responded.

    "There is nothing to apologize for, mom; I know you are only concerned about me but don''t worry, I am still young; a time wille that I will introduce my future fiancee to you," I said, and my mom came closer to me and cupped my face.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I know, sweetheart, you are not only young but handsome," she said, and Iughed and shook my head.

    "Come on, mom cut the handsome part," I responded.

    "Take care, son," she said with gentleness.

    "I will, mom," I replied.

    "Hello, Jack," Calixto was the one who met me at the lobby of the Divenson building.

    "Hi, Cal, good morning!" he responded.

    "Please, follow me," he said and motioned me to follow him, and I walked behind him towards the elevator dragging my suitcase.

    "I couldn''t believe you would agree with Mr. Divenson''s terms, Jack." Calixto dered as we got inside the elevator and pressed the button on thest floor since we would be going to the rooftop of the Divenson building.

    "It was an offer I couldn''t refuse; besides, I wished to protect Madeline," I responded, and then he smiled at me.

    "Thank you for doing this, son; you know I always wanted to do the same, Maddie is like a daughter to me, and I always wanted her to be safe. Frank was my friend, and when I learned about her daughter and what she had been through, I wished to help Madeline in any way I could." Cal replied.

    "I don''t know if this n would work, but I was hoping for the best." He added.

    "Me too, Cal; I need to do this for Maddie and myself as well," I responded.

    "Good luck, Jack," Calixto said, and the roaring sound of the de made us shout so we could understand each other.

    "Thank you, Calixto; see you when I get back; I will cook you a nice meal," I replied.

    "I am looking forward to that, Jack," he responded as he smiled at me.

    "Me too," I stated and extended my hand for him, and he gripped my palm tightly, and I said my farewell to him, turned around, and walked towards the chopper.

    I was gripping my seat as the helicopter took off, and I closed my eyes as I thought of meeting Charlotte. I don''t know if I wouldst one day being with her, and just thinking of being alone with her for the whole duration of one year made me want to ask the pilot to turn around and go back to the Divenson building.

    But Maddie''s safety would depend on me. I didn''t want anything to happen to her, and I wanted to help Hunter. I don''t know, it felt like I was challenged after I realized what a good brother he is, and he trusted me so much that I didn''t want to fail him.

    I got off the helicopter and realized a driver was waiting for me. I wasn''t informed I would stay in an expensive hotel for the night.

    "I thought I would directly go to the Divenson manor?" I asked the driver.

    "No, Jack, Charlotte would be doubtful if she will

    learn you came with a chopper. Mr. Divenson arranged a ride for you tomorrow to take you to their manor, and you should bring this paper with you." He said as he handed me a newspaper.

    "What is this?" I asked.

    "Just turned to the advertising pages. I highlighted the part you will show Ms. Divenson." He answered, and I could tell he was one of the men of Hunter who worked for him here in Barcelonia.

    "You can''t just show up and tell Charlotte you wanted to stay in that house," The driver added, and I leaned on my seat as I started scanning the pages, and I quickly found the highlighted part; it was an ad with a caption room for rent with the address of the manor.

    "You know what to do, and I don''t need to brief you on how to convince Hunter''s sister; I guess by your looks, you don''t need to talk a lot." He said, and I wanted to tell him he was wrong. I don''t know how to convince Charlotte, but I am now in Barcelonia. I have to do it whether I like it or not.

 Chapter 311 Unexpected Guest

    Charlotte''s POV

    The entire house felt so quiet now that I was the only one left. I was still in the living room staring into space, trying to think what I should do to make some money. I couldn''t believe I would be living in this big house alone.

    I used to be surrounded by people from the elite society, always having nightlife or busy attending social gatherings. I am a Divenson, and people would look up to me. I enjoyed the attention. I enjoyed dining in a fancy restaurant with my friends using my cards.

    I love buying expensive things, especially clothing and I have a shoe collection without thinking, I couldn''t even wear them. They are all arranged in my customized shoe cab inside my spacious bedroom. I didn''t care how my father and brother worked hard every day, and when I worked in our miningpany, I wasn''t working at all.

    I asked one of my executives to read the report for me, and I came to the officete and went out early, and I paid someone to do my job without my father and brother''s knowledge. They thought I was diligent and a good employee.

    The truth is, I only wanted to rece my brother as the CEO because I was envious of him, and I wanted Hunter to get pissed with me. I don''t know anything about thepany.

    I attended board meetings to show my dad I was concerned and interested in running thepany, but the entire meaning, I was bored; I tried to question my brother''s credibility most of the time.

    Now, I realize I was a spoiled brat, and I didn''t even think about my dad and brother''s sacrifices for our family. I was drifting apart because of my greed and selfishness.

    I sighed as I hugged my knees. I don''t want to cry, and I will not cry. I don''t care how pitiful I am right now, and I need to be strong to survive. I will never beg my brother, my mom, or even to my little sister to give me money. I have to figure it out on my own.

    I was disoriented when I woke up the following morning, and I realized I had fallen asleep on the sofa. I didn''t even take a bath and changed my clothes into pajamas.

    My stomach was grumbling again, and when I went to the kitchen, the stove didn''t light up, no matter how I turned the stove dial.

    "Come on, why don''t you light up? You can''t do this to me," I felt like crazy talking to a gas range.

    I felt so frustrated that I couldn''t cook anything; I left the kitchen, stomping my feet, and made a beeline to my room. I quickly took a bath and changed into one of my favorite dresses.

    I needed to go to town to look for a job if I wanted to have something to eat. I put on one of my high heels, got the car keys, and left my room feeling hopeful that I would have a productive day.

    "Shit! I couldn''t believe this! Why is this happening to me right now why?" I screamed as I held the steering wheel tighter. I couldn''t drive the car since the battery was weak, and I didn''t know how to fix it; no matter how I turned the engine, it wouldn''t start.

    I took off my heels and changed them into slippers. I felt so hungry, but I couldn''t even switch on the stupid stove. Our estate has nts, and maybe I could find something to eat around the area.

    I walked and walked but didn''t find anything I could eat, and I got so tired that I ended up sitting under a big tree. I didn''t even recognize the tree since I didn''t care about nts. I leaned my back on the tree trunk as I could feel the tears trickling down my face.

    "I hate you, universe!" I shouted, and I knew; no one would hear me. I couldn''t believe my luck. But I realize it is better than being in prison. At least I still have my freedom, and I can do this; all I need to do is to think of a way how to live in this new world I am living in now.

    I smiled when I remembered Lucia, and she was the only one I could think of who could help me. I was so hungry that I could feel my stomach aching terribly.

    "Hi, this is Lucia; sorry, I can''t talk right now; please

    leave a message," I grunted as I ended the call. I got up and slowly walked back home empty-handed.

    My feet hurt from walking, and I was limping as I made my way to the kitchen, rummaging through the refrigerator once again, hoping I would find something to eat, but I got nothing.

    "I couldn''t believe this," I mumbled as I got the pitcher from the fridge since I felt so thirsty from

    walking.

    I drank a lot of water, hoping it would help me with my hunger, but I could still feel the rumbling of my stomach, and I was lying on the sofa feeling so hopeless thanst night.

    I tried calling my friends in Archois, but no one answered. I could tell they avoided me after what happened during the funeral of Parker and the day my father died to save Madeline.<novelnext></novelnext>

    I could tell my friends were ashamed that they knew me, and I knew my reputation had been tainted, and everyone believed I was the mastermind of the shooting incident at the cemetery that caused my dad''s death.

    I hate that I couldn''t stop reminiscing about that painful day when I felt so down already. I missed my father so much that I curled into a ball while sobbing, calling my dad and Parker''s names.

    I almost jumped to my feet when I heard the doorbell ring, and I couldn''t stop smiling when I realized Lucia had returned for me to bring me food.

    I ran to the main door barefoot, and my smile faltered when I found a man standing on my doorstep with luggage and paper bags in his hands, and I could smell the aroma of Chinese take-out food.

    Even if his back was on me, I could tell he had a toned body, and he was tall with broad shoulders, and I should be afraid that a man was standing in front of me, and I hated myself for thinking he was hot and could be handsome.

    "How can I help you?" I asked, and he slowly turned around and looked at me, and I could see the shock that registered on his face, and no matter how handsome and hot he looked, Jack Morigan was thest person on earth I wanted to see, not when I was at the lowest point in my life.

    "Charlotte?" He asked.

    "Yes, it is me; what are you doing here, Jack? Are you here to kill me?" I asked as I stepped back and crossed my arms over my chest.

    "What? Do you think I am that kind of person? And what made you think I would kill you? I didn''t even know you were here in this ce far away from civilization." He responded.

    "Excuse me, I just want to remind you this ce is secluded because it is private property, my family owned thisnd, and anyone who woulde here would be charged with trespassing," I said as I looked at his handsome face, and I hate to admit he is still the same.

    Tall, dark, and super handsome, and his sexiness still made me want toe closer to him.

    "Another thing, who knows? Madeline sent you to kill me," I added, and his face fell.

    "Look, Madeline is a good person, an angel, and she cannot hurt anyone. I came here because of this," he replied and handed me a newspaper. I grabbed it since I didn''t want him to know I was checking him out.

    "Whatever you say, I won''t believe you," I responded.

    "What? Who was crazy enough to put an ad in a newspaper that I have a room for rent here in this manor?" I asked, unable to believe what I saw in the newspaper.

    "I came all the way here, Charlotte, and I didn''t expect you would be myndy." He said.

    "Do you think I will allow some strangers to stay in my house?" I asked.

    "Come on, Charlotte, we know each other," he answered, and I could tell he was desperate to find a ce to stay, and I really wanted to say yes since I was afraid to stay here all alone, but I didn''t want

    him to know I am broke.

    "Go away, Jack; I won''t allow you to get inside my house," I said as I stepped inside, and he walked closer to me, and I suddenly felt nervous, and I hated that until now; I was still affected by his presence.

    "Please, Charlotte, let me stay here, I will pay the rental payments, and I will cook for you." He said, and his offer was very tempting since I didn''t have money left, and I didn''t know how to cook, but my pride took over.

    "Go to hell, Jack!" I yelled at him as I closed the door in his face, and I leaned on the door frame feeling dizzy and weak.

    "Charlotte, please hear me out. I need a ce to stay," he was talking behind the door.

    "Go away, Jack!" I yelled.

    "Okay, I will, but I am starving; I bought some food, and I brought extra for thendy," he said, and my stomach grumbled the moment he mentioned food, and I couldn''t help but open the door since I felt like dying without eating breakfast and lunch.

 Chapter 312 Complicated Mission

    Jack''s POV

    My ride arrived on time, and I left my hotel around ten o''clock in the morning, hoping I woulde to the Divenson manor at lunchtime. I instructed the driver that we should have a stopover at the nearest Chinese restaurant since I was craving Chinese food, and Hunter also told me that it was one of her sister''s favorites.

    I enjoyed the entire ride since I loved watching the trees on the side of the road, and I could tell the location of their estate was secluded, and I saw a few houses, but they were still far away from the Divenson manor.

    I am sure they are the families who worked for the Divenson family but temporarily stopped since Hunter asked them to cooperate with him. Hunter still pays them even without working just to teach her sister a lesson.

    But ording to Hunter, there is still staff working not so close at the manor. He instructed them to use the back gate to work on thend and continue nting vegetables, fruits, and other crops.

    I am sure if Charlotte finds time to wander around the entire estate, she will know she can harvest fruits and vegetables, but I am sure if she ever leaves the estate, she will be at the capital buying clothes and shoes.

    "Are you one of Hunter''s men?" I asked the driver, and he looked at me sideways since I sat beside him in the front seat.

    ? "Yes, but I am not one of his bodyguards; I am one of the staff of the estate; I worked on the maintenance side; if you need anything in the house, just call me, Mr. Divenson instructed me, you will be the one to give us order from now on." He answered.

    "Okay, that is good; I am Jack Morigan, by the way," I replied.

    "I am Mario Bagazo; I will give you my number so you can call me anytime," Mario replied, and I could tell he was only older than me by two years.

    "Thank you, Mario; at least I will not find it hard to call someone if I need a ce to stay tonight. I believe you are all aware why Hunter was doing all this for his sister," I responded.

    "Of course, my wife was thest maid who left the manor, she wanted to stay, but I told her you wereing," he replied.

    "So, you are married, and your wife is also working for the Divensons?" I asked.

    "Yes, actually, the ce where we stayed is still owned by the Divenson family; their mother has a heart of gold." He responded.

    "Where do you live?" I asked.

    "On the other side of the estate, don''t worry, I will tell you the shortcut one of these days, we got ess to the estate at the back part, and it was easier for us to continue working." He said.

    "What made you think she will not ept you, Jack?" He asked.

    "Well, Charlotte is not easy to get along with," I said, and he chuckled.

    "That is impossible; my wife told me the opposite; she said she was so down to earth," he responded, and Iughed, and then I found him looking at me with seriousness on his face.

    "I am sorry; I am not saying your wife was lying, but I couldn''t believe that is the case; it needs a miracle before Charlotte would be friendly with the maids." I dered.

    "I am not saying you are the one who is lying Jack since Hunter was doing all this so that she would change; the truth is when they were kids, I didn''t see Charlotte mingle with us during their vacation; she usually stayed in her room." Mario dered.

    "Hunter and Parker are the only ones who will join us, and when they be teenagers, she seldomes here with her parents, and I only see their little sister once when she was only four years old." He added.

    "Lily, she is now a beautiful youngdy, Mario," I said with a smile since I knew Lily was Madeline''s favorite amongst Hunter''s siblings.

    "Are you one of the elite bodyguards of Hunter?" He asked, and I chuckled.

    "No, I don''t know how to hold a gun, Mario. I am a chef cook." I replied, and his face lit up.

    "That is why you looked so familiar, and you are the chef in a tv show; my wife adores you so much. She will kill me if I do not take her to meet you." He said, and I blushed. I didn''t expect the TV show to make me famous here in Barcelonia.

    "Wow, I am ttered that I have fans around here," I responded.

    "Are you kidding me? The women in ourmunity were crazy about you, even my mom," he said, and I wondered what was wrong with his sister and why he suddenly felt sad.

    "What happened to your mom, Mario?" I asked, concerned.

    "She passed away three months ago," he replied.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I am sorry to hear that, Mario," I stated.

    "It is okay, and I just couldn''t stop myself from feeling sad every time I remembered her." He responded.

    "Of course, she is your mom," I replied.

    "I hope she got the chance to see you, Jack," he said.

    "Me too; she must be a remarkable woman," I dered.

    "Yeah, she is," he answered with a broad smile.

    I could see the manor as we neared the archway of their estate, and I shook my head as I realized I could never win against Hunter Divenson, the white house looked so beautiful from afar, and the massive pirs of the front porch were enough to tell me that house cost a fortune.

    "Wow! I couldn''t even find the perfect words to describe that house," I said as I looked at it with awe.

    "Yes, it''s magnificent!" Mario mumbled.

    "Yes, it is," I replied.

    "It seemed thedy of the house was around, and I assumed that was her car," I said, and he chuckled as he darted a nce at me.

    "She couldn''t leave the house, I felt guilty, but Hunter instructed me to change her battery with the old one since he wanted you to y as the hero in Charlotte''s life; the new battery is in the maintenance room." He replied.

    I was shocked and shook my head, and I couldn''t imagine Charlotte''s reaction when she found out her car wouldn''t start. I could say it was payback time, but I remembered Lianne''s words.

    My sister was correct; we don''t have any right to judge Hunter''s sister, but what she had done to Maddie''s life was too much, especially when she made Madeline think Hunter was the father of Reba''s child. It was unforgivable, but Maddie forgave her, and who am I to hate her?

    "Well, good luck then, Jack, I hope you can tame her, but I guess no need to do that; maybe my wife was right, we could be wrong about her, but I wished you could tame her like what Hunter was hoping," Mario added, and I snapped back to the present.

    "Thanks for the ride, Mario," I responded as I handed him a tip.

    "No need to give me a tip, Jack. I am doing all this for the Divenson family and my wife; she was worried about Charlotte." He said, and I smiled at him as I put the money in his jacket pocket before I got out of the car.

    "I couldn''t believe you, man, but thanks anyway." He said, and I wondered why Charlotte hadn''te out yet; she must hear the sound of the engine of the car.

    "You are wee," I answered as I opened the trunk and pulled out my luggage while he handed me the takeout food.

    "Goodbye, Jack. I hope I will not be picking you up today," he said, and Iughed.

    I said goodbye to Mario and felt d I had found a new friend in this secluded area.

    I knocked on the massive wooden door, but no one answered, and I smiled when I saw the doorbell on the side of the door. I pressed the bell once and waited for a while. I thought she must be sleeping since she didn''t answer, I pressed the doorbell again, and atst, I heard someone inside.

    "Coming!" I heard her feminine voice, and I realized Charlotte had a sweet voice.

    I could see the surprised look on Charlotte''s face when she saw me, her face paled, and I was even more shocked even though I was expecting to see her.

    She looked so different from the Charlotte I had seen before. Mario''s wife could be right. I couldn''t believe Charlotte would be barefoot and without makeup; she let her curly brown hair cascade on her shoulders like she didn''t care how she looked.

    Hunter''s sister looked so beautiful that I hated myself that I couldn''t take my eyes away from her lovely face, and it felt like I was seeing her for the first time, but when she spoke, I almostughed when I realized I was right after all, she didn''t change at all.

    Charlotte used me as a hired killer, and I shook my head as I realized the words that came out of her mouth were still like a bullet, and as expected, she yelled at me and told me to go to hell.

    If Hunter didn''t hire me to help her, I would have gone right away when she closed the door in my face. Still, I needed to be more patient and exert more effort to make Charlotte say yes to my proposal since I knew my charm wouldn''t be enough to make her agree that I would be her tenant, and I realized my mission was moreplicated than I thought.

 Chapter 313 Take It Or Leave It

    Charlotte''s POV

    Never in my entire life have I imagined I would do something against my will because of hunger. Jewelry, maybe; I remembered I asked my dad about something that I liked; it was a beautiful ne with an intricate diamond pendant.

    Dad asked me to attend that g with him before he bought me anything, and even if I didn''t want to go, I didn''t have a choice but to obey, even if I was dying to get out and party with my friends.

    I wanted tough at myself for being so pathetic; how could I allow Jack Morigan to get inside our house because he had some food? That is ridiculous, right? I was once a debutant of Archois City, a daughter of a wealthy man, yet here I am, waiting for some hunk to offer me his food.

    I had never felt so hungry in my entire life. Yesterday was fine, but today, it felt like I was willing to eat wild animals because of my hunger.

    "When was thest time you ate?" Jack asked after I showed him the dining area.

    "Why are you asking me that question? Do you think I don''t have food, Jack?" I asked, feeling irritated by his inquiry.

    "Because I am a chef, and I know the look of a hungry person; I didn''t say you don''t have food," Jack responded.

    "Do you know how to cook, Charlotte?" Jack asked, and his words made me frown; he got to be kidding me. I tried to change my facial expression into something more presentable, but my stomach betrayed me.

    "See, I could tell you are hungry, Ms. Divenson," Jack added after he heard the loud grumbling of my stomach.

    "I have maids and kitchen staff, so I don''t need to learn to cook." I lied, and he looked at me as if he was trying to read my mind.

    "Are you sure about that? Why did you open the door and talk with me instead of your butler? And why are you all alone here, Charlotte?" He asked.

    "Here, you better eat this," he added as he handed me the food container from one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the town capital while it took me a while to respond.

    "I let them have their off today since I wanted to be alone," I replied as I took the food container from his hand, and he only nodded his head.

    I don''t care if I have to lie to him. Jack would be leaving anyway. He will be gone after eating his lunch. I don''t want him to know what is going on with my fucking life; nobody should know I have a breakdown and am broke.

    "Thank you," I added, and I tried to devour my food with poise like I used to, even if I wanted to eat faster to satisfy my hunger right away. I was conscious since Jack was sitting across from me and was staring at my face like I was some experiment.

    "Are you going to stare at me, or will you eat your food?" I felt ufortable, and I became more irritated when he only chuckled.

    "What? Do I have something in my face, Jack?" I asked when I raised my head and still found him looking at my face.

    "Are you in trouble, Charlotte?" He asked, and I could see the seriousness in his voice, and I noticed he didn''t even touch his food, and I hated that I wanted to eat his dumplings since I still felt hungry.

    "Why do you think I am in trouble?" I asked as I looked at his handsome face.

    "I just couldn''t believe I would find you here, alone in a ce far away from the city or town center, you love to party, and I know your social status in Archois." He responded, and I averted his gaze.

    "I have my reasons for being here, Mr. Morigan, and correction; I am not alone. I already told you my staff was having a day off, and it is none of your business that I am spending my vacation here in Barcelonia." I dered.

    "Now, you should eat your food before I drive you away," I added, and his face fell.

    "Come on, Charlotte, please, let me stay here," he said.

    "I already told you none of the rooms here are for rent; it was a mistake. I don''t know who paid for that advertisement. I don''t need a tenant, especially someone like you," I added, and he chuckled.

    "I didn''t do anything to you; why do you hate me, Charlotte?" He asked, and I hated that I found his voice so sexy, like his personality; it felt like I wanted him to take me to bed and be my first.

    Oh! No! What am I thinking? Did I fantasize about Jack? Yeah, I could remember the first time I saw him, I felt something for him, but I felt so hurt when I learned he liked Madeline. I wanted to use him to make Hunter leave Maddie, but my brother''s love for his wife was too strong that nothing could tear them apart.

    "I have a million reasons to hate you, Jack, and one night would never be enough if you wanted to hear all of them," I sarcastically responded since I knew deep inside I had more reasons why he should stay.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Can you at least hear my proposal?" He asked.

    "I don''t know, Jack, I don''t have time for that; even if I was in vacation mode, I am a busy person," I replied.

    "I can tell you about it while I am eating; all you have to do is listen to me; just give me five minutes." He insisted, and I let out a heavy sigh.

    "No, you should tell me first why the hottest chef in Archois was in Barcelonia?" I asked, and his face fell, and I could tell Jack was brokenhearted.

    "My girlfriend dumped me because she found someone new. I just wanted to mend my broken heart and forget everything." He said as he stared at his food, and I fell silent.

    I don''t know how to soothe Jack since I have never been in a rtionship. I am too busy hating my elder brother and his wife that I didn''t have time for myself. I have never been in love, and I hate to admit I have no experience in dating, and Iam still a virgin.

    Everyone thought I was a spoiled brat, and I could y boys with my fingers, but the truth is, I had to pretend dates to please my parents, but those boys were only my friends. I don''t date, and I am a liar if I say I never fantasize about having what Hunter and Madeline have.

    I dreamed of being loved by someone for who I am and not because of my family name, especially now that I had lost my status in the society I used to live in, and Jack was right. I am alone in this abandoned manor.

    "I am sorry to hear that, Jack. Do you think you can forget her by being here in Barcelonia?" I asked.

    "Well, for starters, I just want to be alone and find myself again," he responded.

    "I think this is the perfect ce for me, I am a renowned chef, and you know I am good at what I do. If you allow me to rent one of your rooms, I could be your chef cook, and I promised to prepare all your favorite cuisine, Charlotte," Jack added with a beautiful smile on his face while my face fell.

    How could he cook for me when I didn''t have money to buy the ingredients?

    "I can be your driver, and I will drive you wherever you want to go; just let me stay, Charlotte." He begged, and as much I wanted to take him in, I didn''t have money to buy gasoline either, the battery of my car broke, and I didn''t have the money to order a new one.

    "I am sorry, Jack, but I couldn''t help you with your problem. I still want you to leave our property once you are finished eating your food." I responded, and his face saddened.

    "Thank you for the food, Jack. I appreciate for sharing it with me," I added, and he smiled as he nodded his head, and I hated that his smile alone could make my legs tremble.

    "Of course, I understand, Charlotte, but I needed to book another ride. Could you, at least, let me stay for the night? I promise you I will be gone by tomorrow." He responded, and since I owed him my food for the day, I slowly nodded, and his smile broadened, and I didn''t realize Jack had perfectly white teeth.

    What is wrong with me? I had never paid any attention to anyone''s teeth before, but why I admired every part of Jack''s hot body.

    "Thank you so much, Charlotte," he added, and then he cleaned the table and went to the kitchen while I was following him.

    "What are you doing?" I asked when he came closer to the gas stove.

    "Well, I am a cook. Remember, I wanted to check if everything here is running perfectly, including the stove, the microwave, and other stuff," he replied, and I wanted to ask if my heart was included.

    "You don''t need to do that," I mumbled.

    "You allow me to stay for the night; this is the least I can do for you; I will cook you some dinner." He replied with a wide grin.

    "I am not letting you stay for free, Jack," I responded, and I could see the shock on his face, but I needed money to buy food; I have to grab this opportunity.

    "This manor is only for the member of the Divenson family, and as you can see, this is a fortress, and it feels like you are staying in one of the five-star hotels in Archois. I will allow you to stay in the master''s bedroom for an affordable price, and you only need to pay five hundred dors." I dered, and his eyes widened.

    "Whoa! Are you nuts? Five hundred dors for one night?" Jack asked, and I could tell he was pissed with the amount I gave him.

    "Take it or leave it, chef," I said with a yful smile on my lips, feeling so excited that I could finally buy some groceries.

 Chapter 314 Lost

    Jack''s POV

    "Just leave your things, Jack, except for the food," Charlotte said when I was about to carry my suitcase and my hand-carry bag.

    "No one will touch your things; you already said this ce is secluded," she added before she got inside the house, and I let out a heavy sigh before I went after her with the take-out food in my hands; my eyes widened when I saw the interior of the manor.

    It was perfect on the inside, from the high ceiling to expensive chandeliers, and I could see expensive paintings hanging in the hallway as she led me to the dining hall. My mouth was agape as I saw the delicately carved long wooden table surrounded by twenty-four dining chairs made from the most expensive wood.

    I carefully put the food on top of the table as she pulled out a chair, and I could tell Hunter''s sister was checking me out; I liked the feeling of being scrutinized by her seductive eyes.

    I hate that I noticed how sexy she looked when she unintentionally bit her lower lip, and I couldn''t believe I wished to have a taste of her sweet mouth; it was insane, Charlotte was thest woman I wanted to see and to make out with; but why I was wondering how it felt to kiss her, I never felt this way with anyone except with Madeline.

    She watched me with hunger all over her face, and I couldn''t stop my heart from wanting to feed her. I hated how Charlotte threw hurtful words at me, but I knew she was only doing it because of her damn pride. She doesn''t want me to see that she is broke and all alone in this lonely ce.

    I tried my best to win her over, but she was so determined to drive me away after I ate my lunch, so I decided to watch her eat her food even if I was starving. I wanted to buy some time and look for the perfect words to convince her.

    I had to start eating my food since she noticed I didn''t take a single bite. We finished eating, yet, I still couldn''t find anything to make her say yes, I cleaned the table while she continued staring at me, and it seemed we both couldn''t stop stealing nces at each other.

    I love the kitchen, it has a stone cooktops hood, and the quartz countertops are sparkling. I was trying to check the stove when Charlotte asked me to stop.

    I smiled when Charlotte told me I could stay in the master''s bedroom, and I wished to hug her for giving me such amodation. But I almost gagged when she informed me I had to pay five hundred dors.

    "That is overcharging, Charlotte; this is not a hotel," I said to her, even if I didn''t need to pay anything since Hunter would be the one to pay all the expenses I incurred during my stay. I will only email him the total amount for the month, including the rent his sister would charge me, but it was too much for one night.

    "Then you must leave, Jack," she responded as she put her hands on her hips.

    "I can take the couch in the living room, and I will give you fifty," I said.

    "No, two hundred," she said, and I sighed.

    "Okay, I will take the master''s bedroom for two-fifty," I answered, and her smile widened.

    "Deal," she responded with a triumphant smile on her face.

    "Take your bags, and I will show you the master bedroom; you can cookter, but the thing is, I have to go to town tomorrow to buy some groceries, which means you have nothing to cook from the fridge," Charlotte added.

    "Don''t worry, I will still cook you a nice meal," I responded before I walked past her to take my luggage.

    Charlotte was waiting for me in the living room, and I could see the sadness on her face as she looked at the family picture on the wall. I just stared at the picture and smile.

    She was young back then; maybe she was only eighteen. Her hair was perfect, and Charlotte was smiling while she curled her arm around her little sister''s shoulders. It was an ideal picture of the Divenson family.

    "Why didn''t you tell me you are here already? Are you an assassin?" She asked.

    "What? First, you had mistaken me as a hired killer and now an assassin;e on, Charlotte," I responded, and sheughed.

    I couldn''t believe I would hear herughter, it felt so wonderful to see herughing like that, so carefree, and she suddenly stopped and scowled at me. Charlotte walked ahead of me towards the grand staircase without saying another word.

    "What made you think I am an assassin?" I asked, feeling so curious.

    "I haven''t heard your footsteps," she responded, and I smiled as I ascended the stairs and looked at her walking barefoot. Charlotte is hot; I couldn''t deny she is sexy, she got long smooth legs, and I tried to focus on the steps and not on her beautiful figure.

    I don''t know if Hunter was right; he was confident his sister would fall for me, and just thinking about kissing Charlotte made me feel hot all over my body, and I needed a cold bath to calm my nerves; this is not happening to me, I am not going to fall for this brat.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Wow!" I mumbled as I stared into the extra king-sized bed with a customized headboard at the center of the spacious master bedroom.

    "This bathroom has a jacuzzi, you can have the best rxation you could ever ask for, and your balcony''s view is heaven. You can see the thousands of stars at night, and you have the best view of the sunset." She said.

    "On this side, you can see the view of the backyard swimming pool," Charlotte added as she walked towards the window and pulled the curtain to the sides, and I moved closer to her; I smiled as I looked down at the contemporary swimming pool with jacuzzi at the center, I could see chaise lounge on the sides.

    "Too bad, I am only staying for one night," I mumbled, and she slowly turned around, and I wanted to step back since I could inhale her sweet feminine scent; it was a wonderful fragrance that I wanted to pull her closer to me.

    "Then, I guess you have to enjoy your stay; maybe you can have a night swimmingter," she responded, and I could see Charlotte was blushing.

    "I will leave you now so you can rest, but you don''t need to unpack," she added, and I chuckled.

    "Of course," I mumbled, and she walked through the door, and I was left standing on the floor feeling like a fool.

    "Hey, Jack, how are you, man? Do you need a ce to stay?" Mario asked the moment he answered my call.

    "Not yet, Charlotte will only allow me to stay for one night, but I will worry about that thing tomorrow; for now, I need your help, man," I responded.

    "Anything for Ms. Charlotte," he replied.

    "I wanted to cook some dinner for her; I want to make it special so I can convince her to allow me to stay," I said.

    "Is there any grocery store nearby?" I asked.

    "Yeah, but it is notplete; I can drive to town; text me what you need. Hunter already gave me money; if you need something on your first day, I will deliver it at the manor." He replied, and I let out a sigh of relief.

    "Thank you, Mario. I will text you the list," I stated.

    "Okay, Jack, I hope you are getting along with the princess," he said, and I chuckled.

    "Well, she is still the same, Mario, a pain in the ass; but I could tell there is something about her personality, and I admit she changed a bit. I mean, regarding her looks, she used to be so vain, but when I met her, I almost didn''t recognize Charlotte. She is even more beautiful without makeup." I dered.

    "Oh, I could tell love is in the air," he responded, and I could feel the amusement in his words, and I couldn''t believe I said thest part aloud. I should not share that thought with Mario, and now he thought I had a thing for Hunter''s sister.

    "Come on, buddy; she is just a job for me. Goodbye, bro." I replied, and I could hear himughing on the other line before I ended the call.

    I texted Mario the list of ingredients. I took a cold shower, changed into a white shirt and ck cargo pants, and left my room hurriedly. The house was so quiet, and I was looking for Charlotte, but I couldn''t find her anywhere, and I didn''t want to check all the rooms; besides, I knew she would get angry if I looked at the rooms.

    I knew I only had ess to the master bedroom. So, I don''t have a choice but to go straight to the kitchen and fix the stove. As per Mario, her wife left only yesterday, which is why the house is still tidy.

    It was past four in the afternoon when Mario got back, and I felt d Charlotte was not yet around, and I wondered what she was doing.

    I get busy immediately, and once I am in the kitchen, I am lost in my own world. Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by my grandparents, especially my grandpa. I loved watching him cook in the kitchen of our diner.

    I used to taste every menu my grandfather cooked and every dessert my grandma baked and made. At a young age, I already started helping in the diner, cooking, serving, and cleaning the kitchen; since then, I had been dreaming of bing a famous chef, and I did it, and I became an instant celebrity.

    I wasn''t prepared to face the world of showbiz, especially when I was linked to an actress. I was still crazy about Madeline at that time, and I chose to have a normal life again than to be famous and lose my privacy, and now, I am hiding from the world.

    After my conversation with Charlotte, I couldn''t stop thinking about her, about what she had been through, and I could tell behind her facade she was lost, and I realized she was not the only one who was lost since I needed to find myself too.

 Chapter 315 Dinner With Jack

    Charlotte''s POV",

    I couldn''t believe I felt so affected by the hot chef who showed up unannounced on my doorstep. It was still a mystery to me who paid for that advertisement in the newspaper if I only had money; I am sure I already went to the publication andined I didn''t pay for it, but I couldn''t deny I felt so d someone did it for my sake.

    No matter how I squeezed my mind, I couldn''t think of anyone else who would do something like that; It would be impossible if Lucia did it for me, she has no money too, and her child needed milk.

    I hate myself for feeling so conscious that Jack Morigan was walking behind me as I climbed the grand staircase. I didn''t want him to see me like this; I used to wear makeup since it made me feel confident, but who can think of putting lipstick and blush on when you are too hungry to make yourself beautiful?

    I felt so hot when he stood so close to me, and I couldn''t stop feeling conscious. Jack''s proximity made me feel something I had never felt before, and I wanted to say yes to his proposal, but I didn''t want to embarrass myself.

    I have to get out of the master''s bedroom before I do something I might regretter on. I avoided his gaze and got out quickly, and made a beeline to my room. I let out a heavy sigh after I close my door.

    I was wondering what was going on with my heart. It was racing like I had been running for miles, and I hate to admit this is all because of the hot chef who invaded my privacy.

    I smiled as I walked towards my bed and copsed on the soft mattress while giggling like a child. I couldn''t stop thinking about his prating gaze that would make me feel like jelly.

    I didn''t realize I had dozed off, and when I woke up, I was groping on my bed since it was dark already. I used my phone''s shlight to light my room; my feet still hurt from walking this morning.

    I felt d Jack showed up, or else I didn''t know where to get something to eat, but I hate that I am starving again. I could feel the grumbling in my stomach; I needed to ask Jack for the payment for his stay, but I couldn''t do it; it was only a tiny amount of money, and he might think I was broke if I asked for the payment tonight.

    I have to wait until tomorrow morning, but I hope Jack will knock on my door and hand me the money. I couldn''t believe I would experience something like this, which was humiliating.

    At least I have money for theing days, enough to buy some food until I will find a decent job to pay the bills and to buy food.

    I switched on the light and made my way to the bathroom; Izily took off my dress and turned on the water, and let it flow on the bathtub. I could tell I needed a luxurious bath to take away the foreign feeling which is trying to ruin my sanity.

    I got inside the tub, and after adjusting the temperature to my liking, I could smell the aroma ofvender that soothed my nerves, and Iy and positioned my head by leaning on the opposite side of the tub from the tap.

    I tried my best to shut off my head, but I couldn''t stop thinking about Jack and thinking what he was doing right now. His mysterious smile brings tingles to my core, and I love how he speaks and even when he walks. He is damn hot and handsome, and he is still the same man I had a crush on a long time ago; he was the only guy who made me feel this way.

    After thirty minutes of pampering myself on the tub, I rinsed off my body and got out of the bathroom. It took me a while to decide what dress to wear, and I didn''t want Jack to think I dressed up for him. I chose to wear simple walking shorts and a white Versace t-shirt with logo text printed on the front.

    I wanted to look simple in his eyes since it felt like Jack loved how I looked nowpared to thest time we saw each other. He never looked at me before with interest. I don''t know if I was right, but it seemed like he was interested in getting to know me.

    What the hell am I thinking? I nned to kick him out in the morning, yet I was trying to make him like me; I wished to impress Jack Morigan, and it scared me. I should stop my craziness before I will further embarrassed and hurt myself.

    I got out of my room hurriedly, and I smiled when I smelled the aroma of delicious food wafting in the airing from the kitchen, and I knew Jack was cooking; I was wondering where did he get the ingredients unless he went to the town capital.

    I stopped in my tracks when I saw my guest facing the stove, and he looked so sexy even if his back was on me; I needed to lean on the wall to control the rapid beating of my heart. He was so lost in his own world that he didn''t even notice I was watching him.

    "Wow! You are really something, Jack Morigan," I said, and he chuckled.

    "Why, Ms. Divenson?" He asked as he turned around with a seductive smile stered all over his handsome face that I could feel my heart skip a beat.

    "Well, I didn''t expect you would really cook something for dinner," I responded, and his smile widened.

    "I am a man with a word of honor, Ms. Divenson, and I never make a promise I will not fulfill." He said as he looked at me, and when his eyes lingered on my lips; I couldn''t stop blushing as I tried to avert his gaze.

    "What are you cooking?" I asked.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I will tell youter; for now, I want you to sit down and rx," he replied before he turned around and continued what he was doing while I watched him with amusement on my face.

    I admit I was a spoiled brat, but there were moments in my life I wanted to learn things like cooking or baking or to do household chores, but I didn''t want my friends tough at me since, for them, only the household staff would do things like that; and we got more than a dozen of helpers in our mansion.

    I thought my friends were right, but I realized there were things more to wealth and being famous. I never realized I would be desperate to look for a job to survive in this ce I hate the most.

    I watched Jack set the table while my mouth watered as I looked at the steak with a garnish of minced garlic, lemon zest, and chopped parsley. He also prepared a side dish of scalloped potatoes, and what made our dinner special was a bottle of red wine on a bucket filled with ice cubes.

    "Where did you get the ingredients?" I asked as he sat down across from me.

    "I had my ways, Ms. Divenson." He responded as he looked at me with seriousness.

    "Come on, Jack, please, stop addressing me by using my family name," I said, and he smirked at me.

    "You were the one who addressed me with my family name first, and I thought you wanted me to call you in the same manner." He replied.

    "Okay, from now on, we should call each other on a first-name basis," I dered, and he smiled as he nodded his head.

    "That is fine with me, Charlotte," he responded, and I hated that I loved how he pronounced my name.

    "Are you going to deduct my dinner from the payment of your stay?" I asked in the middle of our dinner, and heughed.

    "Of course not; I told you if you will allow me to stay for the night, I will cook you a sumptuous meal; this is my way of expressing my gratitude to you for allowing me to stay and use the master bedroom." He responded.

    "I hope you will reconsider my proposal," he added, and I shook my head.

    "One night would be enough, Jack," I answered, and his face fell, and I hated that even if he looked sad, he still looked so adorable.

    Jack was silent as he continued eating his dinner, while I felt guilty, but I would never let him stay here in our house since I still have my pride. I didn''t want him to know what was going on with my life; I couldn''t deny I had feelings for him until now, and thest thing I wanted from Jack was his pity.

    "If I can''t change your mind, could you at least think it over tonight?" He asked as he poured wine into the wine ss.

    "No, I won''t change my mind," I answered without hesitation.

    "Okay, I can''t force you, but I wanted to make this night memorable. Would you join me in the swimming poolter?" He asked as he looked me in the eyes.

    "Please?" He added when I didn''t answer him.

    "I don''t know, and I am busy, Jack," I lied.

    "Come on, Charlotte, I know why you are here in Barcelonia," he said, and I suddenly felt nervous.

    "You came here to rx, so you better enjoy yourself too. Aside from being a chef, I can give you a nice body massage." He added.

    My face turned bright red; I couldn''t imagine how it would feel to have Jack''s hands all over my body; just one looking from him had already made my body on fire, and I wondered how I was going to control myself if he touched me.

 Chapter 316 A Job

    Jack''s POV

    It seemed like Charlotte was so determined with her decision, she didn''t want me to be in her house, and I didn''t want to go home, especially now that I was starting to see the real Charlotte Divenson.

    She was wearing a shirt and shorts, so simple, yet, she still looked so beautiful and young that I wanted to take her into my arms. I knew I came here to Barcelonia to make her fall for me and not the other way around.

    Watching her eat her food without care if she was the daughter of rk Divenson made me smile. I hope she will have a night swimming with me. Mario told me her wife hid the wines back in the cer so Charlotte would be left with nothing, and just watching her now without knowing what was really happening around her made me feel guilty.

    But Hunter''s n was good for her; she needed to learn how to live in this world without the support of her family and to be an independent woman. I could tell she was trying to figure out how to live here in Barcelonia alone without money.

    I am sure she didn''t want me to stay because she was afraid I would find out the truth, and I was having a hard time convincing her, and I needed help from a woman''s point of view.

    I am not so familiar with dealing with girls, even if I knew many women wanted to have my attention andpany; I only fell in love once with Madeline, and I only had one girlfriend, and that is Maddie''s best friend.

    "I cooked, so you better clean the table and wash the dishes," I said, and her eyes widened in shock.

    "Are you ordering me to wash the dishes?" She asked, and I could feel the irritation in her voice.

    "Why, is there something wrong with it?" I asked back.

    "Of course, I didn''t ask you to cook, Jack; you did it, so you better clean all these messes," she answered, and I realized she still wanted to pretend she had money to boss me around.

    "Okay, I can do that, but I think you should deduct mybor from the total amount of my due," I responded, and I could see the rm on her face she was trying to hide.

    "No, the maids will do it tomorrow," she replied.

    "My dear, Charlotte, you should clean your table and kitchen if you don''t want rodents to be yourpany in this wonderful house," I responded, and she quickly got up from her seat with a te in her hands and gracefully walked out of the dining hall towards the kitchen.

    I let out a heavy sigh while I shook my head; I hated that I wanted to help her, and I couldn''t stand her bratty attitude; she infuriated me to the highest level.

    I cleaned the table and brought the dishes to the kitchen sink, and I found her washing her tes and the utensils I used when I cooked our food, and I couldn''t stop smiling watching her; I knew she didn''t know how to do any household chores, but now, I could tell Charlotte was trying her best to do everything she can to survive.

    "I thought the maids would do the washing?" I asked, and I stifled augh when I saw her tensed up, but she didn''t bother to turn around and look at me.

    "I don''t want anypany in this house," she replied sternly, and I walked closer to her and put the rest of the dishes on the kitchen counter.

    "I can help you if you want," I mumbled, and she spun her head and nced at me.

    "No need, I can do this," she responded softly, and it felt like she was crying.

    "Are you okay?" I asked.

    "Of course, I am fine," she responded as she continued washing the dishes manually.

    "You don''t need to do it if you don''t want to; this is your house; I was only kidding, Charlotte." I softly said, but she didn''t answer me.

    "Hey, please, don''t ignore me," I added.

    "I am not ignoring you, Jack, and I''d rather stay quiet than talk with you; there is nothing to talk about." She responded, and I could feel the bitterness in her voice.

    "I am sorry if I disturb your peaceful life, Charlotte, or if I offended you; I don''t intend to hurt you," I softly mumbled before I walked out of the kitchen and went straight to my room.

    "Hey, how is it going out there?" I heard my sister''s sweet voice on the other line, and I couldn''t help but smile.

    Lianne would always make me feel better, especially if I felt so down and confused; she had been my rock all through these years; I wanted to open up to my mom; but she has a lot on her te already ever since our dad died, I knew my mother wasn''t the same.

    Our mom never showed us once that she was hurting and in pain; she wanted us to see her smiling even if life became hard for her. Losing my dad was the saddest day in my life.

    "The only thing I can guarantee you is this ce is amazing, but I have a hard time dealing with Charlotte, but you were she was different from the person we knew. I don''t know if it was because of her situation. I could say it was wrong for us to judge her." I responded.

    "I didn''t judge her, Jack," my sister responded.

    "I could tell something was going on with you, big brother; it seemed like you were beginning to like her," my sister replied, and I could feel the amusement in her voice.

    "Of course not; there is no way I will like her, Lianne; I am just telling you my observation. I don''t like Charlotte, and she is still infuriating even if I could say she changed a lot from thest time we saw her." I answered, trying to make my voice convincing.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Well, if you want to keep it a secret from me that there is an attraction between you two, it is all up to you, Jack; I will not force you; just tell me about the development of your mission." My sister stated.

    "I am having a hard time convincing the princess; she almost kicked me out the moment she saw me, I am just d I got food, and she allowed me to stay overnight." I dered, and I told her the whole story.

    "Wow, it seemed you needed to do your best to make her say yes," my sister replied.

    "That is why I am calling you right now; I needed some help," I said.

    "What kind of help, Jack? I am miles away from you." Lianne responded.

    "You are a woman; maybe you have an idea of how to make her agree with my terms," I replied.

    "She is a Divenson, and I could tell you can never bribe her because of her pride; that is the only thing she has right now. Even if she almost lost everything she has, Charlotte is still pretending she got everything." Lianne said.

    "All you need to do is be patient, don''t leave the manor no matter how she will drive you away; just continue feeding her," my sister added.

    "Where am I going to stay then?" I asked.

    "Show Charlotte you wanted to stay with her at the Divenson estate in Barcelonia, even outside the house." My sister replied.

    "What?" I asked in disbelief.

    "You told me the estate is big; I mean, you can put a tent near the house, right?" She asked back.

    "No, I am not going to do that," I said.

    "Come on, Jack, you used to love camping with dad; it is about time to do it again, he was gone, but his memories will always be in our hearts." My sister responded.

    "I am not doing it because of dad''s memories, Lianne; I won''t do it because of Charlotte," I replied.

    "Hey, you want to win her heart, right?" She asked, and I let out a heavy sigh in response.

    "Then, you have to do it, Jack; you need to show Charlotte you can be her friend during this hard time in her life, you knew how much she needed money, and I think you should give her the amount due for your stay." My sister dered.

    "Do you know how hard it was on her part to wash the dishes? All her life, she had maids wherever she needed everything, and we both knew she didn''t know anything about household chores, but she badly needed that money, Jack." Lianne added.

    "You better give her the amount you agreed to pay," she continued.

    "Okay, if you think that is the best thing to do, then I will do it for the sake of my mission; she is only a job for me, my dearest sister," I replied.

    "Jack, you might eat your words one of these days; who knows, you will find your true love over there," my sister responded.

    "I came here because of the contract I signed, not to fall in love, Lianne," I replied, and my sister giggled. I said goodbye to her even though I knew she still wanted to talk with me.

    I got three hundred dor bills from my wallet, and I was about to leave my room when I heard a soft knocking on my door.

    "Hi," Charlotte said when I opened the door; I could see that she was fidgeting.

    "Hey," I replied, and I could tell there was something she wanted to say to me, and I remembered maybe Lianne was right; she needed the money right now.

    "Are you going to kick me out?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "Of course not. If you want to have a night swimming in the pool, just knock on my room." She replied.

    "Okay, but may I know which room?" I asked, trying to sound calm since I couldn''t deny her proximity was making me so hot all over my body.

    "My room is next to yours," she replied, and I could feel my pulse quicken, knowing she would be sleeping next to my room.

    "That means you would be swimming with me?" I asked, feeling excited.

    "No, I will give you the instructions on where to switch the lights and how to turn on the jacuzzi," Charlotte responded, and my face fell.

 Chapter 317 Insulted

    Charlotte''s POV",

    I know how much I wanted to have a night swimming with Jack. I couldn''t stop thinking about his toned body beneath his shirt; I was dying to see his abs since I could see how muscr his arms were, and I was sure it would be so nice to be wrapped in his arms.

    Why is this happening to me? Am I desperate to getid by the hot chef? I knew I was preserving myself for my great love; for the one I want to spend my life with for the rest of my life, I don''t think I could find a man who would love me now.

    I am broke, and I am hiding from everyone, and I left my old life behind after what happened to my dad and Parker. They were the only ones who understood me, and I hate that Parker betrayed my dad and me.

    We found out he traveled to Neospoli with Reba to have a strong rtionship with Hunter and his newfound family. I was envious, and I got hurt that our eldest brother didn''t invite me at all, and I couldn''t me him after all the bad things I did to Maddie.

    I knew he feared I would do something sinister to his wife. I admit I hated Madeline''s existence, but I don''t intend to kill her; I don''t want to hurt anyone. I want her to get scared and leave my brother alone.

    But the more I tried to scare her, the stronger she became. I could tell she was not an ordinary woman. Maddie was stronger than I thought, and in the end, I realized she deserved to have Hunter''s love and no one else.

    I was prancing inside my room since I wished to get out and have a friendly conversation with Jack. I couldn''t deny I liked hispany, he was not only hot, but he was intelligent and funny; I sighed heavily as I made my way to my dresser and sat on the vanity chair in front of my mirror.

    Ibed my hair and realized it had been a while since I went to the salon for hair treatment. I used to pamper myself, and now I could see split ends on my hair. But after I experienced nothing left in my pocket and wallet, I didn''t care if I didn''t have shampoo or conditioner; I valued food more than anything at the moment.

    My hair could wait, and all I needed to do was to save some money for future use. I hope Jack will give me the payment for his overnight stay. I could take a bus tomorrow.

    I knew my life would never be the same again; it wouldn''t be easy since I couldn''t afford to hire Uber or ride a taxi. I need to save any chance I can get.

    I couldn''t imagine myself walking from our manor to the bus stop. It would take a lot of my energy, but I used to see some of our farmhands walk from and towards the bus staff every morning and afternoon.

    I needed to speak with Jack if I wanted him to stay. I don''t want him to leave without paying me anything. I am so desperate to get his payment, or else I will be starving for theing days.

    I looked a little pale, but I am d I still have a little ray of hope because of Jack. I wanted to look beautiful and presentable, but I didn''t want to be so obvious. I smiled when I was satisfied with my reflection in the mirror.

    I took a deep breath before I got up and walked out of my room, and I felt nervous as I neared the master''s bedroom. I knocked, and when Jack opened the door, I had to hold my breath since I still couldn''t stop myself from admiring his handsome face.

    I felt thrilled when he invited me to swim with him, but I knew I should behave and don''t let him tempt me. I told him to knock on my door if he was ready to have a night swim.

    I wished I had something in my fridge to cook, like French fries or finger food, but I knew I had none. I suddenly felt thirsty after talking with Jack since it still felt surreal to have him inside our manor.

    I went straight to the kitchen and got a tall ss, and my eyes widened when I opened the fridge to get the pitcher and was shocked as I realized Jack had filled my refrigerator with food. From fresh milk, fresh fruits, and veggies. When I looked at the bottom shelf, I saw raw meats and Seafood.

    "Hey!" I almost jumped to my feet when I heard Jack''s masculine voice behind me, and I didn''t expect he woulde to the kitchen.

    "I am sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you. I had been knocking on your door, and I thought you had fallen asleep already." He said while I was still standing in front of the fridge, tightly gripping the handle; I felt so afraid to turn around since I didn''t want him to know I was blushing.

    "It is still early to go to sleep," I replied.

    "What is the meaning of all this food inside the ref, Jack?" I asked.

    "I already told you, you can''t stay here for long; you should leave early tomorrow; I don''t want any of my staff to see you here. I don''t want any of my maids to think I brought a guy while they were away." I added as I slowly turned around.

    I could say it was a wrong move since I found him half naked; Jack was only wearing board shorts with a bath towel around his neck. His chiseled chest and six-pack abs made me hold my breath. I knew Jack was hot, but I wasn''t prepared to see him this close without a shirt.

    He looked so sexy that I wanted to get closer to him. I quickly turned my head when he found me gaping on his bare chest. I couldn''t believe I would be drooling over him.

    "Yes, of course, it was crystal clear that you only gave me one night to stay here in your manor. I understand, Charlotte. I bought you food to thank you for your kindness. I was grateful that you allowed me to stay here even for one night." Jack responded.

    "I couldn''t believe my luck that I will find you here," he added meaningfully as he looked at me with the same intensity.<novelnext></novelnext>

    I hated that my heart was screaming with happiness. I knew his words meant nothing to him, but I was hoping Jack felt the same way, too; I had always known he liked Medeline for her excellent traits. I felt sad that I didn''t have any of Maddie''s extraordinary qualities, and I am sure Jack would never like me.

    My brother''s wife is so beautiful, and her innocent look would always make men go crazy over her; her smile alone could melt any man''s heart, and I wished I could be like Madeline so I would find someone to love me like the way my brother had loved her.

    "You don''t need to buy me food, Jack. I told you I would go to the capital tomorrow to buy some groceries." I responded since I knew he was waiting for my reply.

    "All you need to do is to say "thank you," Charlotte; at least you don''t need to go to the grocery store tomorrow, and please take this," Jack responded as he handed me a white envelope.

    "What is this?" I asked.

    "The payment for my stay," he replied, and I tried to hide the happiness I felt as I received the envelope.

    "Thank you, Jack," I said as I averted his gaze.

    "You are wee," he softly responded.

    "I could tell you are now ready to swim, and I believed you showered already. I can take you to the pool," I stated as I put the envelope on top of the fridge.

    "Well, yes, I am excited to dip into the water; I needed a good swim to clear my head." He responded, and I was wondering if Jack was still thinking about his girlfriend.

    "Are you sure your girlfriend broke up with you?" I asked as we walked side by side towards the backyard, and I heard himugh.

    "Why, is it hard to believe I had a girlfriend?" He asked.

    "No, of course not. You''ve got a lot of fans from the women''s department; I find it hard to believe that she would break up with you," I responded, and he was silent for a while until we reached the pool.

    "Why do you say that?" Jack asked and darted a side nce at me as we ceased walking.

    "Well, you are handsome and hot, and you seemed nice," I responded in more than a whisper.

    "Do you think I am hot, Charlotte?" He asked, and I could feel the amusement in his voice as he moved closer to me. I could feel the knots in my stomach as I inhaled his intoxicating scent.

    "Yes, of course, I would be a liar if I said no," I responded. I could feel my face turn warm as I walked away from him, and I could feel him following behind me.

    I started changing the subject by giving him instructions on where to switch on the lights of the pool and the control panel of the jacuzzi since I didn''t want Jack to know I was so affected by his proximity.

    "Do you have any questions?" I asked after I briefed him about using the pool at night.

    "Yes," he answered right away.

    "What do you want to ask me?" I asked.

    "Can you stay for a while? I mean, it would be best if I had someone to talk to," he responded, and I widened my eyes at him.

    "Seriously, Jack? I was asking if you have a question about the pool and the jacuzzi," I dered, irritated by his question.

    "I listened to your instruction carefully, and I know how to operate the jacuzzi. I just wanted to ask you to stay even for a while; I can pay you one hundred dors," he responded, and I couldn''t stop feeling insulted.

    "What? Are you out of your mind? Do you think I am a bargirl? I don''t need your money, Jack Morigan." I responded sternly and walked out of the swimming pool in a hurry; even if I badly needed money, I would never allow myself to look so cheap, especially in front of Jack.

 Chapter 318 Thrilled

    Jack''s POV",

    I sighed as I looked at Charlotte''s figure walking away from me. I wanted to stop her, but I was speechless, and I didn''t want to upset her more. I didn''t intend to offend her since I wished she would stay and talk with me, but it seemed my n had failed.

    I lost interest in having a night swim since I felt so guilty, and I walked towards the nearest chaise lounge andy down while I was still thinking about Charlotte. I couldn''t believe she would make me feel this way.

    I didn''t expect I would worry about how she felt since all I wanted was to follow her brother''s request, and I could tell I would be doing all of this because I started to care about her and not because of that stupid contract I signed.

    I got up when I couldn''t take it anymore; I walked inside the house and was d that I found her sitting on the sofa reading an old magazine, but I could tell her mind was not on the column she was looking at; I couldn''t stop staring at her lovely face even if she was frowning and I am sure she is still angry with me.

    "Can we talk?" I softly asked, and she slowly raised her head and looked at me, still giving me the cold treatment I deserved.

    Charlotte didn''t say anything as she turned her attention back to the magazine, and I cleared my throat before I spoke.

    "I am sorry; I didn''t mean to offend you or have any intention of insulting you; I was only kidding; I knew your status in the society, Charlotte. Your family is among the wealthiest in the country, and living in this manor is enough to showcase how powerful the Divensons are; I knew I wasn''t even worthy of your time." I dered.

    "I am also aware that you only associate yourself with those people who came from the elite family in society. I am sorry if I was out of bounce." I added it was true; even if Hunter cut off everything, he loves his sister, Charlotte still has a share of thepany, and her inheritance was intact.

    Her eldest brother is a kind man, and I knew Hunter always made sure everything was fair between his siblings; and good thing he married Madeline because she is not greedy; Maddie always wanted everyone to be treated fairly; that is one of the things I love about her.

    "Please, forgive me, Charlotte," I continued, and she closed the magazine and stood up.

    "Okay, but I will only forgive you if you cook me french fries," she responded, and I chuckled.

    "Sure," I replied with a wide grin.

    "Are you going to cook half naked?" She asked, and I looked at her with a mischievous smile

    on my face.

    "Why does it bother you that I look like this?" I asked as I pulled away the towel from my neck. I knew it was part of the contract to seduce Charlotte since my primary goal was to make her fall in love with me.

    But I wished to impress Hunter''s sister with my abs and toned body for my own intention, which I should be scared of, but it seemed I was enjoying my time with her.

    "Of course not; why should I be affected by your body, Jack?" She asked as she looked me in the eyes.

    "Okay, so there is no problem; just wait here while I cook your french fries," I responded.

    "I will be waiting for you in the swimming pool." She replied as she beamed at me.

    "That would be fine with me," I answered as I smiled back at her; I wished Charlotte woulde to the kitchen, but knowing she would be waiting for me at the swimming pool made me feel excited.

    "Is it really okay with you? You will be swimming in the pool, and I asked you to cook for me?" Charlotte asked, and I could see the concern on her face.

    "Of course, no worries, I will only be cooking french fries; just wait for me at the pool," I responded and turned my heels, and walked out of the living room without taking a second look since I was afraid she would change her mind.

    I quickly get the apron and put it over my torso; I get the french fries from the freezer and switch on the stove. I felt d I asked Mario to buy food for theing days. I don''t know how to convince Charlotte yet, but I am not leaving; I have to make her say yes.

    I peeled and sliced fresh fruits, and I wished to impress her; I needed to show her how good I could be.

    "Oh, I didn''t request fresh juice," Charlotte said as I put the tray on the table beside the lounger where she sat.

    "Well, you are special," I responded, and she blushed immediately. She looked so adorable as she averted my gaze.

    "Thank you, you really know how to spoil a woman; mixed fresh juice would take so much of your time," she replied, and I grinned as I sat beside her.

    "I don''t give any special attention to any woman, Ms. Divenson," I replied as I searched her eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Oh, really, are you flirting with me, Jack?" she asked as she sipped her fresh fruit juice. I could tell I blushed, but I didn''t turn away from her.

    "Maybe," I responded honestly.

    "Well, you better stop since you and I would never happen," she responded, and I felt hurt, but I hid my disappointment as I gave her one of my sweetest smiles.

    "Of course, you are a Divenson, and it would be too much for me to expect that someone like you would somehow like me. I am way out of your league, I get that, but I am not giving up just yet." I responded, and sheughed as she looked at the pool.

    "I couldn''t believe I would have this kind of conversation with you, Jack; you can''t fool me; you are in love with my brother''s wife." She dered.

    "I admit, I was in love with Madeline once, but we both know how crazy she was with your brother. I am living in reality now. I moved on with her." l replied. I had denied that I was no longer in love with Maddie, but this was the first time it felt real in my mouth.

    Charlotte fell silent as she continued devouring her french fries while I stood up and transferred to the chaise lounge next to hers, and Iy there half-naked. I was lost for words. I wished to convince Charlotte I was really into her, but I knew I needed to take it slowly to make her believe in me.

    "Aren''t you going to swim?" I heard her sweet voice say, and I deliberately opened my eyes and found her beautiful eyes staring at me.

    "It would be more fun if I gotpany," I replied as I sat on the lounger.

    "I am not in the mood to have a swim, Jack," she responded, and I let out a soft sigh as I got up andid the towel on the lounger.

    "Okay, suit yourself; thank you for staying," I responded and went to the customized swimming pool steps. I suddenly missed the beaches in Magnolia and wished I could bring her there someday.

    "I already turned on the jacuzzi," I heard Charlotte say.

    "Thank you," I responded and dove into the pool, smiling when I caught her staring at me the moment I raised my head out of the water.

    I wanted to stay longer inside the jacuzzi, but I wished to spend more time with Charlotte, and l wished to have a pleasant conversation with Hunter''s sister, hoping she would let me stay.

    I felt d she didn''t leave, and she was having a good time watching me swim in the pool while I felt conscious; I knew I should not feel this way, but I couldn''t control myself.

    "Are you done swimming?" Charlotte asked when I joined her, and I nodded as I put the towel over my shoulders.

    "Yeah, I''d rather spend my time talking with you," I responded, and she blushed.

    "I don''t think you got the right person, Jack. I am not good at talking with strangers," she replied, and I felt a little hurt.

    "Am I still a stranger to you, Charlotte?" I asked as I looked her in the eyes.

    "Is it because I don''t belong to your world?" I asked, and she quickly shook her head.

    "I am sorry, Jack. I don''t mean it that way," she softly replied.

    "Please stop saying you don''t belong to my world, and you don''te from another; you are not an alien; we are living in the same world." She added.

    "Charlotte, you know what I mean," I stated, and she bowed her head and stared at her feet. I could tell she was avoiding my gaze.

    "I don''t know what you are talking about, Jack; you better go to your room now and take a shower," she responded.

    "I will not take a shower yet unless you promise me you will talk with meter; I don''t care where, as long as you will give me a little of your time." I dered, and sheughed.

    "Okay, if you really want mypany, but don''t ever tell me I didn''t warn you; I am boring, Jack," Charlotte responded.

    "That is not true, I find you fascinating, Charlotte, and I am thrilled to spend more time with you," I replied. My words made her flush even more.

    I left her before she changed her mind, and I was smiling like an idiot as I ran towards my room to take a shower; my heart was racing as I thought of her kissable lips, thinking I would never let this night pass without kissing her.

 Chapter 319 Just A Kiss

    Charlotte''s POV

    I didn''t know what I was doing, and I couldn''t believe myself watching Jack takingps in the pool. I felt obligated to apany him after he prepared French fries and fresh fruit juice for me.

    I could feel the sweetness of the apple mixed with fresh orange in my mouth, and there were more than just two vors in my juice that I couldn''t pinpoint its vor. I felt shy to ask him, and I wondered why even the juice he prepared tasted so good. I hate to admit that Jack Morigan is more than just a pretty face.

    I could see his muscr arms as he took a backstroke, and I could watch him all night with butterflies swarming in my belly. I know I have to stop myself from fantasizing about him since he will never like me, but I couldn''t stop my innocent heart from liking him; besides, I don''t want my heart to take over my sanity and allow him to be my lodger.

    I need to deal with my problems alone, and Jack should leave tomorrow even if I were dying to ask him to stay with me. I was blushing when I heard him say he rather talk with me than continue swimming in the pool, and I admit his words warmed my heart.

    I waited in the living room for Jack to return since he went to his room to take a bath and change; it would be better because I hated myself for ogling his half-naked body. I could feel my heart beating so loud as I sat trying to concentrate on the show I was watching on the 80-inch television.

    But I couldn''t fool myself; even if I was looking at the TV screen, Jack upied my thoughts, and no matter how much I wanted to take him off my head, I couldn''t take away the stunning image of his face on my mind.

    "Would you mind if I sit beside you?" I heard Jack''s masculine voice, which always brings me to the edge; his voice alone is like a maic force that no matter how much I wanted to keep my eyes fixed on the screen, my head turned to the side, and he took my breath away when I found him looking straight into my eyes.

    Jack was only wearing a simple white shirt and sweatpants, but he looked so gorgeous that it took me a while before I answered him; I wished he didn''t notice I was crazy about him.

    "I don''t think you should sit beside me," I answered as I got up from my seat, and I could see the disappointment on his face.

    "Are you going to sleep now?" He asked without taking his eyes away from me.

    "Of course not; I waited for you, Jack; I wished to take you to the roof deck," I responded, and he beamed at me.

    "Oh, I thought you were nning to make me beg," he replied, and his intense gaze made me turn around since I didn''t want him to see me blushing.

    "I have a word of honor, Jack," I replied as I walked towards the stairs, and I felt my entire limbs shaking as I could hear his steps behind me.

    "Wow!" He eximed as he looked up and found the thousands of stars shining above us while I could feel the night breeze brushing my skin.

    "It is so beautiful, thank you, Charlotte, for bringing me here," he added as he lowered his head and looked at me.

    "You are wee. I knew you would like this ce," I responded as I walked closer to the railings and looked below us. I could see the trees that surrounded our estate.

    This ce used to generate ie from the crops, but when I arrived here, I hadn''t seen any estate workers except the maids.

    I heard dad and Hunter talking about the ie they get from our estate, the staff harvested fruits, crops, and vegetables here in Barcelonia, but I didn''t mind since I don''t have any interest in making this ce my residence, but after what happened to my father and Parker; this is the only ce I found safe.

    But Hunter still found me, and I thought the police would be the ones to look after me; I am not afraid of the authority and my brother since I didn''t hurt Hunter''s wife.

    I only hated Maddie, but I never tried to hurt her physically; I only wanted to hurt her with my words so that she would leave our family alone. I felt worse about the bad things I did to her, and I already regretted everything.

    I was hoping I would be given another chance to be with my family and to know Madeline more. I wished I had befriended her and never let my jealousy take over my sense of thinking, but it was alreadyte. I am sure they all hated me now.<novelnext></novelnext>

    I am just d my brother didn''t file a case against me. Even if I knew I was innocent, I still feel guilty about all the bad things that happened to Maddie because of Kaye''s ulterior motives. I was too blinded, and I regretted that I had made her my best friend.

    Even if Dad nned to separate Hunter and Maddie, I don''t think our father is capable of hurting my brother''s wife; maybe it was all Kaye''s n, but she still got connections, and I am sure the man who shot Maddie was one of her men.

    "I love it; the stillness of the night made me feel more rxed," Jack''s words made me snap back to the present.

    "Yes, and that is why I love spending my night here, especially if there is a moon in the sky," I responded.

    "Yeah, it will illuminate the entire estate; you have a beautiful house, Charlotte," he stated.

    "I don''t own this ce; this belongs to our family," I replied.

    "Of course, but you are a Divenson; you have all the right to say this ce belongs to you." He answered, and I shook my head.

    "I don''t think so, Jack," I responded while Jack looked at me with a quizzical look on his face.

    "I don''t want to have a im to anything I didn''t work for; I wanted to have my own business someday and make a name of my own. I just wish I could do it," I added, and he smiled at me before he pulled out a patio chair and motioned me to sit down before he tugged another chair for himself and sat beside me.

    "Of course, you can," He replied.

    "I am not like you, Jack; you know what you want to do with your life because you have found out your passion in cooking, unlike me, I don''t know, it feels like I don''t have any talents or skills I can use to build my ownpany," I responded as I looked at the sky above us.

    "Hey, that is not true; every one of us is unique and has special talents and skills; maybe you will find out soon what you are capable of; it is more about knowing yourself and what you love the most, don''t be pressured, Charlotte, you have all the time. Just savor the moment and enjoy yourself." Jack dered.

    I wanted to tell him I didn''t have the luxury of enjoying my life at the moment since I was so broke, but he didn''t need to know anything about my life now. It was enough that he believed I was still an heiress.

    "Are you cold?" He asked after a moment of silence, and I shook my head.

    "You are shivering; I think we should head back inside; it is gettingte," Jack said as he held my wrist and pulled me up.

    All the hair on my body stood up as I could feel him standing so close to me, and when I raised my head and looked at him. Jack''s intense gaze made my limbs feel weaker than they were, and when he closed the distance between us, I knew I must turn around and leave.

    Yet, I waited for him toe closer until I could feel his toned body pressed against mine. He was staring at my lips with great intensity, and I could see the hunger in his eyes as he put his hands around my waist; I couldn''t stop biting my lower lip which made him grunt under his breath.

    "You are so beautiful, Charlotte," he softly mumbled as he leaned down, and I could feel the knots on my belly before he captured my full lips. I could feel my entire body was on fire even if I felt conscious of how to respond to his kiss, but Jack is so good with kissing that I found myself kissing him back with urgency as I put my hands around his neck.

    I never knew a kiss could be so good that I didn''t want him to stop until I caught my breath. He only released my mouth so I could breathe, and before I could say a word, Jack kissed me again, and he let me experience what a real kiss is, and I was in seventh heaven as I felt him deepen his kiss.

    I could feel my lips swollen as he kissed me over and over again until I was horrified as I realized what I had done. I pushed him so hard, and I could see the shock on his face as he looked at me.

    "You can''t change my mind, Jack, and don''t ever think because I kiss you back, I will let you stay here in our manor. It was just a kiss, and it meant nothing to me." I dered before I ran away from him, feeling so hot and ashamed that I kissed him with too much intensity, as my life depended on his kisses.

 Chapter 320 Losing Control

    Jack''s POV

    "Kiss her, kiss her," those were the words that kept repeating in my mind as I had my conversation with Hunter''s sister, and I hated that I couldn''t stop myself from staring at her beautiful face and her full red lips were so inviting that I lost control.

    I used to be strong, and I could control myself no matter how intense my emotions were; something like this only happened once, and it was with Madeline. We were at the beach enjoying ourselves with my friends, and even if I knew she had Hunter in her life, I still kissed her.

    And now, I was aware I needed to be patient to gain Charlotte''s trust, but I failed because I couldn''t control myself. I don''t know how I will tell Hunter that I was the one who was beginning to fall for Charlotte and not the other way around.

    Kissing Charlotte was one of the best things I have ever done out of impulse, and I don''t have any regrets, but the horrified look I saw on her face after I kissed her made me feel a little sad, but it didn''t stop me from smiling like an idiot.

    Charlotte Divenson kissed me back with the same fervor, and I could tell even if she told me it didn''t mean anything to her. I can tell she liked it too, and I am sure she would kiss me again if I took her mouth again.

    She had been long gone, but I was left tightly gripping the railings as my breathing slowed down. I had never felt this way about anyone for a long time, not even with Gina.

    I hate to say that I had used my ex to forget Madeline, and now, I knew I couldn''t stop the attraction I felt for Charlotte even if she was so different, and I knew I should not fall for her.

    She was the reason why Madeline suffered, and I came here to Barcelonia because of Madeline and not because of Hunter. I don''t want anything to happen with Maddie because of Charlotte.

    I was willing to do anything to save her brother''s wife, but it felt like we all doubted Charlotte without investigating the truth. It seemed like she was innocent and incapable of hurting anyone, and I became more intrigued to know her.

    I didn''t want to go back to my room, I wished to stay and watch the stars twinkling like Christmas lights in December, but I got tired from my swimming that I needed to be in bed and have a good night''s sleep.

    Izily left the roof deck and went to the master''s bedroom. I wished to talk with her and stood in front of her room for a long time, but in the end, I realized I didn''t want Charlotte to get angry with me more.

    I realized she wasn''t happy that she kissed me back, but it waste. I had already tasted her sweet lips. I knew how wonderful it was to devour her sweet mouth, and I couldn''t wait to do it again, but I knew it would take a long time before I could kiss her again, but I was willing to stay no matter how long because I wished to know her more.

    But I regretted that I went back to my room andy on the soft bed since I find it so hard to fall asleep, and it took me a long time to finally go to sleep.

    I felt d I set my rm early morning since I nned to cook her breakfast. I bathed early to look fresh before her, and I didn''t expect she would wake up so early.

    "What do you think you are doing, Jack? Who gave you permission to cook in my kitchen?" She asked in a stern voice, and I needed to control myself before I lost control and kissed her again to give her a dose of her own medicine.

    I knew I was dealing with the bratty sister of Hunter, but after talking to her, I almost believed she was really a nice person. I didn''t expect she would show me the ugly side of her early morning.

    "You are up already?" I asked with a beautiful smile on my face which made her frown.

    "Don''t give me that sweet smile of yours, Mr. Morigan; you can never change my mind." She answered, and I could tell she was serious with her words as she was looking daggers at me.

    "Look, I am not doing all this because I want to win your heart over, Charlotte. I want to cook you breakfast before I get out of this manor." I responded, and I could see her face soften.

    "I want you to have a nice meal made by the most famous chef in Archois," I added, and sheughed.

    "You are so full of yourself, Jack, I thought you were a humble person, but I couldn''t believe you would be bragging about how famous you were," she replied.

    Charlotte''s words silenced me as I look back at my life when I was enjoying fame, and I realized it doesn''t matter; what is important is the people who really care about you, not the fame.

    "I never once bragged who I be; I only wanted to impress you," I replied as I looked at her face, and she blushed right away, and Charlotte looked so adorable as she tried to avoid my gaze.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "No need to impress me, chef; no matter how hot and handsome you are, you can''t fool me." She responded, and I grinned.

    "Do you think I am hot and handsome?" I asked, still couldn''t stop from beaming at her, and I felt so happy that she found me handsome.

    "Yeah, but I am immune to handsome guys like you; plus, you are leaving today; no need to impress me." She replied.

    "It hurts, but I am happy for thepliments I received from you; my heart is fluttering right now," I responded and winked at her; her face turned redder, and I wished to tease Charlotte more, but she needed to eat.

    I was quiet while setting the table as she was standing so close to me.

    "You can help me get the table ready if you want; you can get the tes," I said, and she turned around and followed what I ordered her to do, but she stopped and handed me the tes while she grimaced at me.

    "I didn''t ask you to prepare breakfast for me, and this is all your n. I have maids, and I couldn''t believe you would boss me around." Charlotte dered.

    I could see the irritation written all over her face, and I wanted to tell her I knew what was going on with her life already and she should stopining, but I was aware she was trying to keep her dignity intact; she was protecting her name.

    "Okay, princess, you don''t need to help if you don''t want to; you don''t have to be angry with me. It would be my honor to serve you." I replied with a broad smile while I took the tes from her hands.

    I have to convince Charlotte I am a good man, and no matter how hurtful the words she will throw at me, I should never get affected by them.

    "You can sit down and watch me set the table, and then you can eat your meal," I added.

    She looked me in the eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. I couldn''t stop myself from staring at her sensual lips that I wished to devour in an instant and kiss until her lips got swollen.

    "I don''t want to eat the food you prepare, Jack." She responded, and I chuckled.

    "Come on, Charlotte, if you were upset with me because I kissed youst night, I am sorry; I should not have done something like that; you let me stay here for the night, but in return, I only hurt your feelings." I dered, and I wanted to add I don''t have any regrets about kissing her, but I wanted my apology to sound sincere and convincing.

    "Don''t make meugh, Jack; it wasn''t about the kiss; I already told youst night I wasn''t affected by it." She replied without looking at my face.

    "Then, what is the problem? I thought you would be delighted if I prepared a meal for you. I did this because I wanted to feed you, that is all," I said, and I couldn''t hide my frustration as I put thest tter on the table.

    "Please, this is my way of saying thank you to you," I added, and she almost smiled at me; but I knew she didn''t want me to see she was happy.

    "You cooked me dinnerst night; it was enough," she responded.

    "Well, as a chef, it would make me happy if you would eat the food I prepare for you," I said.

    "Okay, but you have to eat with me," she replied, and I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I pulled out a dining chair and assisted Charlotte to sit down, and I could feel the electricity the moment my skin brushed with hers.

    "It would be my pleasure to eat with you, princess," I responded with too much enthusiasm.

    "Please, stop calling me that, Jack; I am not a princess, for goodness sake," she said as she darted a nce at me before she shifted her attention to the food on the table.

    "You may not be a real princess, but you are a princess to me," I replied, and she blushed, but she didn''t say another word; I was watching Charlotte with amusement on my face as I realized I would never leave this ce because it hit me like a bomb; I want to be with her.

 Chapter 321 A Mistake

    Charlotte''s POV",

    "What have I done?" I asked myself as I touched my lips, which swelled after sharing a mind-blowing kiss with the hot chef. I was leaning at the back frame of my bedroom door, trying to control the loud beating of my heart.

    I knew it was a mistake, but it felt so right to kiss him back. He looked so hot that I could no longer fight back the urge to taste his full lips. I could still feel the taste of Jack''s lips on my mouth and smell his intoxicating scent that stuck in my body and made my entire body feel so weak.

    "You have to get a grip on yourself, Charlotte," I added after I let out a heavy sigh and made my way to the bathroom. I immediately discarded my clothing since I was so eager to take a cold bath to control my nerves.

    I wanted to dip into the tub, but I gotzy; I turned on the shower knob and felt the cold water sprayed into my body. I rxed a little, but I couldn''t stop thinking about the hot kisses I had shared with Jack.

    I smiled as Ithered my body with body wash, and I couldn''t stop feeling thrilled that he kissed me. I hate to admit it, but I love how Jack kissed me even if I told him it didn''t mean anything; in reality, it meant more to me.

    Jack doesn''t need to know I enjoyed his kisses, and I was dying to have him kiss me once again, but I know I have to stop my craziness and forget about him. He was only my guest, and I only helped him, and that is all; I don''t need to crave his touch and kisses.

    I put on my nightgown and blew dry my hair; I was looking at my reflection in the mirror, and I couldn''t stop trailing the contour of my lips with my fingers as I thought of how wonderful it was to be in Jack''s arms.

    I kept turning on my bed and found it hard to sleep as I tried to shut him off my mind. It was one of the best nights of my life, but I felt terrified. After all, I knew Jack was leaving tomorrow because I couldn''t allow him to stay.

    I woke up the following morning with swollen eyes, and my back hurt because of myck of sleep. I groaned as I got up from bed, and I hated thinking I had to wake up early because of Jack.

    I need to tell him to leave early so that I can have my peace. Even if my mind was driving me crazy and I couldn''t forget about the kiss we sharedst night, I should stop thinking g about him, or else I will be the one to suffer the effect of his departure.

    I was shocked and felt so irritated that I found him in my kitchen cooking breakfast for me. I don''t want him to y nice because I know I will get swayed by his actions, and I will be more attached to him.

    I couldn''t stop myself from scanning Jack''s handsome face down to his toned body, and when I raised my head, my eyes lingered on his lips, and I wanted to kiss him again and feel his mouth on mine.

    I admit, he looked so handsome and hot as he cooked in front of me, and I envied him because he seemed so peaceful and happy with what he was doing. I feel so ashamed that I have nothing to be proud of because, as of now, I still don''t know what I should do with my life.

    I am broke, andst night, I spent my entire night thinking about him until I fell asleep, even if I should figure out what I should do to have money and sustain my daily needs.

    The hot chef seemed unaffected by the hurtful words I threw at him, and I know he was trying to ignore my words, even if it hurt his ego, and I admire his patience.

    I knew he was hurt when I told him the kisses we sharedst night meant nothing to me, but he kept smiling at me, and I hated him for making my heart flutters.

    "You know what? Nothing will happen if you keep staring at your te; you better eat breakfast before the food gets cold, Charlotte." Jack said as I stared at my food for a long time.

    "I promise you, you will miss my cooking," he added, and I grimaced.

    "Don''t be so full of yourself, chef, I came from a wealthy family, and you know we got chefs in our kitchen from our country, Europe and Asia, and we even have a Japanese cook," I responded, and he only smirked at me.

    "I knew, but I am different from them, and you know that," he proudly responded, and I took my first bite of the food on my te, and I was so lost for words; Jack is the best chef, but I couldn''t tell him that to boost his ego.

    I continued eating my breakfast, trying to hide that I was enjoying my meal. I felt so full after eating everything Jack put on my te while he was watching me the entire time, which made me conscious.

    "Thank you for the food, Jack, the bread was terrific, and I must admit the Mediterranean vegetable sd and the dressing was perfect," I said after I wiped my mouth with the table napkin and his face lit up; my heart felt so warm that mypliment made him so happy.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Thank you, princess, yourpliment means so much to me," he responded, and his nickname for me made me feel so special, and even if I told him to stop calling me that, I couldn''t deny I love the way he called me princess; if felt like music in my ears.

    "Jack, I am sorry, but I can''t let you stay for another day; you need to leave this house." I firmly said, and I could see the disappointment on his face that he was trying to hide with his beautiful smile.

    "I know, Charlotte," he answered and avoided my gaze and continued eating his food without saying another word. He cleaned the table while I was stealing nces at him.

    Jack excused himself and went straight to his room, and I was left in the dining hall feeling like an idiot. I wanted him to stay, but my mind told me it wasn''t a good idea. I got up and took the stairs two steps at a time, and I was panting as I reached the door of the master''s bedroom.

    I was standing in front of the door, and how many times I attempted to knock, but in the end, I chickened out since I knew I wouldn''t allow him to stay; I retreated and went to the living room.

    I was restless as I waited for Jack, and it felt like an eternity before he came down with a suitcase in his hand.

    "I think I should go now; I could say you wanted me to disappear right away," he said with sadness in his voice.

    "I can''t let you stay, and you know that, Jack," I answered as I got up from the sofa, trying my best to look unaffected that he was leaving.

    "You don''t need to walk me outside, Charlotte. Don''t worry; I will not forget to close the main door." He responded without looking at me, and I felt hurt.

    "You can''t dictate to me what to do, chef, besides I want to make sure no Bulgars can get inside the house," I replied as I walked ahead of him, and I could hear him following behind me, dragging his luggage.

    "Goodbye, Charlotte," he said when we reached the front porch as he towered over me, and Jack''s intoxicating scent was driving me crazy.

    "Goodbye, Jack," I replied.

    "Thank you so much for the warm amodation; staying here in your manor was one of the best experiences I had ever had in my life; you made it more meaningful, Charlotte," he added as he searched my eyes.

    When Jack''s eyes shifted to my lips, my face turned bright red right away, and I averted his intense gaze since I didn''t want to throw myself at him and make myself look like a fool.

    "You are wee, Jack, and I am sorry if I can''t say you are wee toe back since it would be impossible. I hope you find the peace you have been looking for here in Barcelonia." I responded.

    "I am sure there are many apartments you can rent in the town center, and I hope you will find a way to mend your broken heart." I dered, and his smile made my knees feel weak.

    "You know what is funny?" He asked, and I shook my head.

    "I couldn''t believe I would be more brokenhearted after I met you here; you looked so beautiful and hot, and saying goodbye to you was harder than I thought," he added, and his words made me blush.

    "Come on, Jack, don''t make me believe with your flowery words," I replied right away.

    "I am telling you the truth, Charlotte, but I am not asking you to believe me, and those kisses we shared meant so much to me." He answered before he walked away from me.

    I didn''t move an inch since the very moment Jack left me; I was watching his figure getting smaller while I was leaning on the wall, wishing I had enough courage to tell him. I felt the same way too.

    But I am Charlotte Divenson. I was expected to marry someone from the elite society from the moment I turned eighteen; and even if I became an outcast, I should never forget who I was; no matter how intense the kisses I shared with Jack and how good it felt to be in his arms; we just couldn''t be together. It was a mistake that I kissed him back.

 Chapter 322 Beginning To Fall

    Jack''sPOV

    I could say flirting with Charlotte Divenson was the easiest thing to do, yet it felt like leaving her was the hardest. I carried my suitcase after looking at the master''s bedroom where I stayed for the night.

    I knew I was a nobody to her since she is a Divenson, after all, she used to have so many suitors. These different men came from wealthy families, but I have never seen her dated or be exclusive with anyone, or maybe she kept her love life so private that no one from the outside world knew who she was dating.

    It was a wonderful experience for me especially kissing Charlotte. I couldn''t deny she looked so beautiful and hot, and my attraction for her was too much to control.

    I could feel it to my core she wanted to drive me away this morning, no matter how I used my charm on her. She couldn''t deny that she liked me too, or it was only a fragment of my imagination.

    It was funny that I thought Charlotte was innocent or didn''t have any dating experience because of the way she reacted when I first kissed her, but maybe she was apprehensive because I came from the lower ss, and it hurt my ego.

    I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and I felt disappointed that my looks didn''t work on her. I wore a in white t-shirt and jeans since there was no need to impress her; I could never change her mind, and I should proceed to my n B.

    I will leave the house, but not the Divenson estate; I already contacted Mario and informed him about my n, and he was waiting for me at the exit, but it seemed like my heart didn''t want to leave, but it would be temporary, I knew I woulde back here before I knew it; she will beg for mypany.

    I felt unhappy after I said goodbye to Charlotte because I expected she would ask me to stay for lunch even if I knew how much she wanted me to leave when she saw me this morning.

    I walked away from her without a second nce because if I did, I knew I would be kissing her again, and thest thing I want is her fury.

    "I could say she kicked you out," Mario said as he looked at the suitcase in my hand.

    "Yeah, she is totally heartless," I responded, and hisughter reverberated inside his car.

    "Where are you taking me?" I asked.

    "The ce is not yet ready, so I will take you to my sister''s house; we only need some renovation, and the ce will be ready in three days." He responded.

    "I told you I only need a tent," I replied.

    "Trust me, Jack, tent won''t do here; besides, Hunter already instructed me to renovate the staff house, Charlotte doesn''t need to know you are living inside the Divenson estate since she hasn''t left the house as far as the staff house, but I could say she will soon wander around the estate when her supply run out again." Mario dered.

    "You should not provide her enough food; see what happened?" He asked, and I shook my head.

    "It will not change anything, Mario, she got her damn pride, and I could tell Charlotte doesn''t want me to know she was broke," I responded.

    "Well, she is a Divenson, and I could tell she is still in denial." He replied.

    "Exactly," I stated, and we fell silent for the rest of the ride, and I smiled when he pulled over in front of a bungalow house with a lovely garden, and a beautiful youngdy was waiting for us on the front porch.

    "Wee to our simple abode, Jack; I want you to meet my sister, Cecily, sis; this is Jack," Mario introduced me to the beautiful woman who blushed as she stared at me with wide eyes.

    "I couldn''t believe you would be here in our ce; our mother would be so happy to see you if she was only here; wee to Barcelonia, Jack," Cecily said as she extended her hand, and her smile made her more beautiful.

    "Thank you, Cecily; nice to meet you," I responded, and her smile widened.

    "It is our pleasure to have you here, and pleasee inside." She replied as she motioned me to follow her inside.

    "I guess I should leave you with my sister, don''t worry; you are in good hands; Cecily is a good cook, too. I am sure you will get along." Mario said before he turned around and left.

    I wanted to protest, but Cecily seemed amodating and friendly.

    "This would be your room, Jack; I am sorry, my brother didn''t inform me that you would be staying here, I should have clean the house, but I got no time." Cecily dered.

    "This is too much; I only asked your brother to provide me with a tent. I am sorry for disturbing you, Cecily." I responded, and she blushed again.

    "You are not disturbing me. I also worked with the Divenson family. I was the one who managed their finances here in Barcelonia; the Divenson family was the one who supported me with my studies; after I graduated, Hunter asked me if he could hire me; plus, his offer was tempting. I couldn''t say no." She dered, and I chuckled as I remembered Hunter''s offer for me to be with his sister.

    "Your stay here would be part of our job; you don''t need to feel guilty, we didn''t have an operation from the moment Charlotte Divenson showed up at the Manor, but her brother instructed us on what to do, and we are all here to support our boss''s requests," Cecily added with a smile.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "There is a bathroom in this room, and if you need anything, my room is across from yours; just knock on my door." She stated, and I couldn''t stop smiling at her.

    "Can I ask you about something?" I asked, and she arched her eyebrows.

    "What is it, Jack?" She asked, and I could see her curiosity behind her smile.

    "Do you know someone who has a spare car in this neighborhood? I need to rent a car to do my duty at the Divenson manor." I replied, and she beamed at me.

    "Do you think Hunter didn''t think about that? of course, you have your car here, and he got it ready before you arrived." She replied, and I couldn''t stop beaming at her.

    I couldn''t stop noticing Cecily''s physical appearance, she is tall with porcin skin, thick eyshes, sensual lips, and long brown hair, and if I describe her with one word, she is beautiful.

    "Wow, I don''t know what to say; Hunter is a great boss," I responded after I recovered from my shock, and I wondered why Mario didn''t tell me

    anything about it, and I was wondering who was living in this house aside from Cecily.

    "Is there anything you want to ask me, Jack, before I will go to my room?" She asked, and I cleared my throat as I nodded my head.

    "Are you living alone in this house?" I asked, and she nodded her head.

    "Why do you ask?" She asked back.

    "Aren''t you afraid of me?" I asked, and herughter echoed inside my assigned room.

    "I know you are harmless, Jack. I could say we could be good friends." She responded; it was my time to give her one of my sweetest smiles.

    "Thank you so much, Cecily. I thought I would be sleeping on the road tonight." I responded.

    "That is not happening, besides, Hunter will never allow his men to suffer or to be in a delicate situation," Cecily replied.

    "You don''t need to worry about food supplies; we got plenty; the goods arrived today." She added, and I couldn''t stop thinking about Charlotte.

    I settled in my room, and I liked the neighborhood''s serenity. It wasforting, I didn''t expect Cecily to cook lunch, and Mario was right; his sister was good at cooking.

    "Wow, this is delicious," I said after I tasted the beef stew.

    "Thank you, aplimenting from a famous chef would mean so much to me," Cecily said as she looked me in the eyes.

    I cooked dinner, and I prepared extra for Charlotte. I knew I should stop thinking about her, but I couldn''t stop worrying if she had nothing to eat.

    "Are you sure about that, Jack?" Cecily asked when she saw me put the food in the microwavable container.

    Yes, I knew she didn''t want to see me, but I needed to check on her; that is part of my job, Cecily." I replied, and I could see the meaningful smile on her face.

    "What?" I asked, and she only shook her head as she turned away.

    "You got it bad, chef," she answered before she walked out of the kitchen, and I wanted to shout and tell her she was wrong, but there was no need to deny nor confirm her suspicion.

    "This is the key to the main door; I will not lock the deadbolt. I will only lock the knob so you can get inside when you return. I know you n to stay with her; you are worried about Charlotte." Cecily dered.

    "It is part of my job, Cecily," I replied.

    "I know, Jack, but the worries I saw on your face were telling me different things." She responded before she closed the door in my face.

    I shook my head as I walked towards the garage, and I smiled when I saw a brand-new pickup truck. I couldn''t believe Hunter would provide me with everything I needed, and I felt guilty as I got inside the pickup and drove away from Cecily''s house; how could I tell Hunter I was beginning to fall for his bratty little sister?

 Chapter 323 My Pride

    Charlotte''s POV

    The entire house was quiet after Jack left, and I felt so lonely; I admit I became lonelier after he left. I was stupid for letting Jack go because of my damn pride.

    I walked around the house, and I started to worry about how I was going to clean the entire manor. I couldn''t stay here without maintaining its cleanliness. I hate specks of dust and bugs. But I don''t have money to pay the maids anymore.

    I spent my entire morning lying on the bed in the master''s bedroom, and Jack upied my mind. I hate that I love sniffing his intoxicating scent on the bed covers, and I daydreamed about him the whole morning.

    I stood up of the bed when I felt my stomach grumble, and I realized it was lunchtime. I hastily walked towards the kitchen and opened the fridge, and my face fell when I looked at the ingredients I found on the refrigerator.

    "How am I going to cook all these? I don''t even know a single menu," I mumbled and hated Jack for buying me meat and vegetables; he could have bought me ready-to-eat canned goods or something I could reheat in the oven.

    I get some eggs and bring the pot. I am sure I knew how to boil some eggs, and it was a shame that I didn''t know how to cook at this age, but it would be ridiculous if my friends found out I was learning to cook on my own.

    After eating two boiled eggs, I drank lots of water to make myself full. I changed into one of my favorite dresses since I wanted to go to the capital, but after I got inside my car, I realized I couldn''t drive since I needed to order a new battery.

    I didn''t know where to buy it; I climbed out of the car and started walking towards the archway of our manor. I could hear the birds chirping on the trees and felt d my parents ensured many trees lined up in our driveway.

    The sun was brightly shining, and if no shades wereing from the trees, I would indeed have sunburn since I didn''t put any sunblock on my skin. I feltzy to bring an umbre with me.

    I caught my breath as I continued walking, and I could feel the sweat that was beginning to form on my forehead and armpits.

    "I hate my life!!!!" I shouted when I couldn''t take it anymore; I felt so tired, and I wanted to return to the days when I was enjoying my freedom with all the money I could spend.

    And this was the first time I realized the value of money. I needed to buy instant food like noodles; I hated eating instant food since I was so used to living in a house with kitchen staff who would cook me anything I wanted, and now, I am starving, and it felt like the end of the world for me.

    How could I live without money and food to eat? I don''t have pieces of jewelry left to pawn. I don''t even have a copy of a resume and application letter since my family owned the Divensonpany; I don''t need to apply for the position; my parentsid out the job for me.

    I wished I had a true friend who would be there for me in times like this, and I felt so ashamed for thinking I had a wonderful life. How could I say I had a great life when I had no one I could call at this moment?

    My life was a fraud after all, all the friends I had were fake, not a single one was concerned about me, and I didn''t receive any text messages asking me if I was okay; it was sad, and now, I realized they hated me for being the daughter of rk Divenson.

    I arrived at the bus stop panting and sweating, and I hated my life more when I missed the bus, no matter how much I shouted and waved my hands to the driver to wait for me.

    I knew I looked like a mess, I always looked beautiful, but today was the worst day of my life. I walked a long distance and felt so tired. I jogged, but it was for my health benefit, and I usually used the treadmill anytime I wanted.

    I didn''t expect to be walking because my car broke and I don''t have any spare I can use, we used to have so many cars here in the manor, and I wondered where my brother disposed of them.

    I sat on the bench made of concrete in the waiting shed and waited for the next bus toe. I could see a few passengers waiting for the same bus, and they were looking at me with curiosity; for sure, they knew each other since they came from the same neighborhood, and they only stopped talking when I arrived.

    "Excuse me, my dear, are you new here?" An older woman who was looking at me with a beautiful smile on her face asked, and I only nodded my head.

    "I am sorry for asking, but we knew everyone who lived around here, and this is the first time I see you here; it would be impossible not to notice because you are so beautiful." She added, and I am sure I blushed.

    "Which family were you staying with, my dear?" She asked again, and I didn''t want to talk to anyone, but she seemed friendly, and I didn''t want them to think I was a snob.

    "Hmm, at the Divenson manor," I responded, and her eyes widened, and she was silent for a while.

    "Oh, no wonder you looked so different. Are you one of the employees of the Divenson manor?" A younger woman asked as she looked at me from head to toe.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Yes," I lied since I didn''t think they would believe me if I told them I was a Divenson since I was with them at the bus stop and I was not riding a luxurious car.

    "Oh, no wonder I haven''t seen Cecily going to the manor," the olddy said, and I wondered who she was referring to.

    "I heard they changed all the staff at the Divenson Estate," the youngdy responded while I pretended to close my eyes since I didn''t want them to talk about my family, and I was afraid that one of the maids betrayed me and spread rumors about me.

    I don''t know anyone from this neighborhood, but I nned to settle here in Barcelonia for good, and I want to have a good reputation.

    "Yeah, they said something was going on at the Divenson manor after their father died; it was terrible; the death of rk Divenson was tragic." The olddy said, and I curled my fists on myp since I didn''t want to remember the pain of losing my father.

    "ording to my source, the eldest son must pay a reasonable amount of money to the media to stop them from spreading reports about what happened to their father." She added.

    "Oh?" One of the listeners eximed, and I felt d when I opened my eyes; the bus had arrived, I got inside the bus ahead of everyone, and I chose to sit at the farthest seat at the back.

    When I reached the town capital, it took a lot of self-control not to get inside the expensive boutique. I wanted to feel beautiful even if I didn''t have enough money, so I went window shopping.

    For the first time, I ate at the food court of the mall, and I realized it was fun after all. I used to feel awkward seeing people dining with lots of people without any privacy, but now, I have learned how to appreciate the simple things in life, which I missed growing up since I grew up in luxury.

    I only needed to buy basic goods, so I went straight to the grocery store and picked up the items on my list. I almost gasped when I realized I only had little money left, and I couldn''t afford to ride a taxi to go home since our estate is so far from the city center.

    I grunted when I carried the grocery bags and realized they were so heavy; I found it so hard to walk, and I wanted to shout and cry since I hadn''t done something like this, and I couldn''t stop looking back on the days when I went shopping and got maids who would bring the paper bags for me.

    I reached the bus stop catching my breath, and I could feel the bead of sweat that trickled from my forehead to my cheeks. I put the bags and wiped my face with the sleeve of my dress.

    I copsed on the bus seat, and if I had known I would be carrying my stuff at the bus stop, I should have skipped window shopping; now, my feet hurt, and I wished I had a car.

    I didn''t realize I had dozed off, and I shouted when I almost missed my stop. I couldn''t believe it was already dark when I got off, and I became more frustrated with myself. It would be hard to walk in darkness, and I am unsure if the street lights leading to the manor are all working.

    I slowly walked towards the archway of our estate, stopped once in a while, and put the bags on the ground as I caught my breath.

    "I need to ask someone to fix my car; I can''t live like this forever; I look so pathetic," I mumbled as I continued walking, and I could feel the soreness of my feet and back.

    "If I only set aside my pride for once, I am sure the hot chef is still with me," I added, and I knew I looked like a fool for talking to myself.

    I let out a sigh of relief when I could see the archway of our estate and I could see the lighted posts from the outside, and I remembered my father mentioned using srmps on the sides of the driveway; at least I don''t need to pay for additional expense for the electricity of themp posts.

    I was resting again when I could no longer endure the heaviness of the grocery bags, the early evening breeze tickled my skin, and even if I felt so tired, hopeless, and lonely, I smiled as I appreciated the fresh air.

    I closed my eyes and inhaled the freshness of my surroundings, and I could feel the pang in my chest as I remembered Jack, and I hated myself for feeling so hot as I remembered his hot kisses; I couldn''t deny I missed him, and this is the first time I experienced missing a guy terribly.

    I was still fantasizing about Jack when I suddenly heard an approaching vehicle, and I couldn''t stop smiling as I thought Lucia muste to visit me with her husband.

    I turned around and put my hand on my forehead to shield my eyes from the headlights. When it stopped beside me, I realized Lucia''s husband must win the lottery, for they had a brand-new pickup truck.

    But my eyes widened in shock when the driver''s side window opened, and my heart skipped a beat, and I couldn''t stop having butterflies in my stomach when I saw the driver, no other than Jack Morigan, who was smiling at me like a model from a magazine.

 Chapter 324 Because Of Me

    Charlotte''s POV

    "Jack?" I asked without fluttering my eyes; it felt so surreal to see him again; I thought he had already left Barcelonia.

    My heart raced as I looked at him, climbed out of his pick-up truck, and walked closer to me without taking his gaze away. I stood on the pavement with my mouth agape as I stared at his handsome face; he looked so boyish, wearing simple clothing¡ªa pair of faded jeans and a in white t-shirt.

    He took the grocery bags from my hands, which was when I snapped back to reality and moved as far away from him as possible. I didn''t want him to know my heart was dancing with too much happiness when I saw him.

    "What are you doing here, Jack?" I asked coldly, as if I wasn''t happy to see him at all.

    "I told you I will being back," he answered while his eyes were fixed on my lips, and I could feel the butterfly on my chest as I averted his gaze. He put the grocery bags in the back seat of his truck while I was still standing on the ground like a statue.

    I never expected that I would see him again. I didn''t understand why my heart was racing, and it felt like I needed more air to breathe.

    "Get in, Charlotte," he added after he found me in the same spot, looking like a fool. I am no longer a teenager, but I wondered why I couldn''t stop my heart from beating so fast, as if I ran for miles.

    "I can walk," I replied.

    "Come on, I am your friend; you can trust me," he responded, and I hated myself that I felt a little hurt after I heard the word "friend" because I knew I wanted him to tell me I was special to him, and not just a friend.

    Jack held my wrist and dragged me towards the passenger''s seat of his pick-up, and I wondered where he was staying at the moment; I could feel the hair all over my skin on my body stood up when he picked me up like I weighed nothing, and helped me settle on the seat.

    I held my breath when he leaned closer to me, and I closed my eyes and waited for him to kiss me, and I almost screamed when I heard the loud bang of the door after he closed it; I felt so embarrassed that I expected him to kiss me, and I felt so stupid for thinking such a way.

    "You don''t need to carry the grocery bags, Jack. I can take them from here," I dered and hastily got out of his truck, but he was fast; he was able to open the back door on the other side and picked up the bags before I could even open the door on my side.

    "Charlotte, it is not bad to have some help sometimes, I understand you are an independent woman, but I am here; the bags are heavy, and I knew you got tired walking from the bus stop to the archway of your estate," Jack stated as he towered over me. His masculine scent, which I missed so much, made me speechless.

    My hands were trembling as I opened the main door, and I couldn''t believe I would be so affected by his mere presence; Jack is a nobody; I don''t need to feel this kind of emotion towards him, but I can''t control it; I am trying my best to hide how I felt for Jack.

    "Thank you, and you may go now Jack," I said, and I hated that my stomach betrayed me. I ate a snack before I left the capital, but I felt hungry again, and worst, Jack heard my stomach grumble after I switched on the light in the kitchen.

    "I will not go unless I will see one of your maids or any of your household staff." He responded, and I suddenly panicked.

    "Why? This property belongs to my family, and I am staying here, which means, I am the boss at this moment. Meaning, I have all the right to drive you away, or I can call the cops." I answered with irritation in my voice, why it seemed like he knew what was going on with my life.

    "You don''t need to call the cops, Charlotte; if you don''t really want to see me here, I will leave; I am just worried about you." He responded, and I felt slightly guilty for being rude to him.

    "Please, don''t forget to lock the door after you get out of the house," I added, and I could see the hurt on his face.

    Jack had done nothing so far but help me, and all I did was throw hurtful words at him. He walked out of the kitchen without ncing at me; I wished to run after him, but my pride stopped me. I am a Divenson, and I will never bend my knees to him, even if I am dying to be in his arms again

    "You are evil, Charlotte," I reprimanded myself as I stood near the kitchen counter, pulling out the grocery items I bought from the store. I felt so hungry as I shook my head, unable to believe I was mean to Jack.

    "I am sorry, Jack," I whispered to myself.

    "It is okay, Charlotte," I jumped when I heard his voice behind me.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Why are you still here, Jack?" I asked sternly.

    "I brought you dinner," he said as he put the paper bag on the kitchen counter; just in time, my stomach grumbled loudly, and I turned my head away from him to hide my embarrassment.

    "You should eat now, and you can reheat the food in the microwave if you want. I wrote my number on a piece of paper inside the paper bag just in case you need some help." Jack added.

    "I won''t need your help, Jack; I am surrounded by my maids and kitchen staff most of the time; you may leave now, even if I allowed you to stay herest night; for me, you are still a stranger," I responded coldly, and his face saddened as he looked me in the eyes.

    "Don''t worry, princess; I will leave and not disturb you again. I was crazy for thinking maybe what they said about you was not true; I disagree with them for calling you a spoiled brat and the wicked sister of Hunter." He said, and my eyes widened in shock with what he said.

    "I thought they were wrong, but now, I could say they were right, after all," Jack added, and I could feel the disappointment in the tone of his voice; he turned his heels and walked away from me without taking a second look.

    I was left dumbfounded, and I was hurt that he called me a wicked person. I am not that bad, and I don''t know who Jack was referring to with the word " them," I don''t care about them for thinking I am a spoiled brat and a wicked person.

    I wanted to show Jack he was right for thinking those people who thought I was a bad person were wrong since they misjudged me before they knew me.

    "Wait, Jack!" I shouted as I ran after him, and he only stopped walking when he reached the front porch. I almost collided with his toned body, but he didn''t turn around and face me.

    "I am sorry, I am just tired; thank you for the food," I said, and he was silent for a while before he turned around and looked at me with great intensity that made me feel so weak that I tightly held the door frame for support.

    Then, Jack smiled at me, which made my heart skip a beat.

    "Wow! It sounded so sweet in my ears that you apologized to me; you don''t need to, but if you are sorry, I think you should let me stay even for a while; I came all the way here to see you," he said with tenderness, and I am sure my face turned crimson.

    "Of course," I softly replied, and he got inside the house before I could invite him toe inside.

    "So, you went to the capital?" He asked as he looked at me eating my food which made me so conscious that I found it hard to chew food.

    "Yeah, I bought some groceries," I responded as I tried to avoid his gaze, especially his lips.

    "Why didn''t you tell me before I left this morning? I could have dropped you at the grocery store." He answered, and I felt d he didn''t ask me why I had no maids in the house. I told him all the household staff would return within the day, and it was already nighttime, but none of them hade.

    "It was unnned," I lied.

    "Why didn''t you bring your car? Your house is far from the bus stop," he asked, and I smiled at him.

    " I wanted to have some exercise; I didn''t expect it would be a long walk," I fabricated another lie, and I wished I won''t say another lie to Jack.

    "Howe you are still in Barcelonia?" I asked, curious why he came back with a pick-up truck, and I was wondering where he was currently staying.

    "I told you, I fell in love here in Barcelonia. I wanted to open a restaurant in the capital," he said with seriousness as he looked at me.

    When his eyes zeroed in on my lips, I could no longer stop my heart from hammering against my chest; and I hated that I was hoping Jack didn''t only fall in love with the ce, but he also fell in love with me and he stayed because of me.

 Chapter 325 Broken

    Jack''s POV

    I was singing my favorite song as I listened to it on my ylist, sting on the stereo of my pick-up truck. I knew it wasn''t my truck, but I had to pretend it was mine to convince Charlotte.

    I need to persuade Hunter''s sister I could be her driver, and I was hoping she would allow me to rent a room in their manor before the renovation ended since I knew Hunter asked to renovate the ce not only for me but for his men who were working on their estate.

    I felt excited as I got near the archway of the Divenson manor, and I shook my head andughed when I couldn''t believe my luck. I saw Charlotte walking toward the house, and I hated to see her carrying those heavy grocery bags because of her damn pride.

    She put the bags on the ground, and I could tell she got third from walking from the bus stop. She was catching her breath and trying to recover her energy as she inhaled some fresh air.

    I wished to see her that way, and I am not saying I love watching her suffer from being cut off from everything she used to have in her life. I knew I shouldn''t be smiling, but I couldn''t stop feeling so amused that Charlotte Divenson suddenly became an ordinary woman.

    Never I imagined I would see her in this kind of situation. She looked so simple, and I smiled as I realized as she became helpless; I found myself falling for her.

    She turned her head in my direction when she noticed my car''s headlights. I could tell even from a distance that she was happy that someone had finallye for her, but I couldn''t stop feeling a little hurt by how her smile turned into a scowl when she realized I was the driver of the vehicle that stopped beside her.

    I couldn''t understand Charlotte, but the more she threw hurtful words at me, the more I became interested in getting to know her better. It was crazy that I was the one who fell in love instead of her, but I wouldn''t be discouraged, and I will pursue her and worry about Hunter''s angerter.

    I felt d Charlotte let me stay out of guilt that I brought her food for dinner, and before she could change her mind, I hastily got inside her house without an invitation and walked straight toward the dining room, grinning like an idiot.

    "How can I eat peacefully if you keep staring at me like that?" She asked, ring at me, and I stifled augh since she looked so adorable, even if she seemed so irritated.

    "Why? Are you affected by my presence, Charlotte?" I asked back, and I could see the blush that crept all over her lovely face before she snapped at me again.

    "I already told you to stop your illusion, Jack, I tried my best to be civil with you, but if you continue what you are doing, you better leave." She responded coldly, and I stood up and faced the wall.

    "You may continue to eat now," I mumbled, and she didn''t say anything, and I didn''t know what to say either. There were moments I thought she liked me, but most of the time, I knew Charlotte hated me.

    I should remind myself that she was only a job for me. I needed to do all this for the money her brother would pay me, and I should remember Ieft my hometown to give myself a break to finally get over with Madeline and not flirt with this spoiled brat who was still trying to pretend she was okay even if she was so broken inside.

    I have to forget this foreign feeling and do my job as Hunter expected me to do. I need to leave and talk with Hunter.

    "You can choose another ce, Jack; there are a lot of beautiful towns and cities in our country where you can put up your restaurant, and why do you like it here?" I heard her ask, and I smiled that I didn''t need to speak with her first.

    I slowly turned around and tried not to give her my beautiful smile.

    "I knew I got a lot of fans here, so why not? I am sure my restaurant would be packed with customers every day." I responded, feeling so confident.

    It was only a lie, but after I told Charlotte about it, it felt like I wanted to have a restaurant in Barcelonia. Maybe living here permanently would be a good idea; I could discuss this matter with Hunter, and I couldn''t wait to call him.

    "I knew it; you only wanted to show off with the women here in Barcelonia," she said with a frown, and I could tell she was unhappy about it; I let out a heavy sigh as I looked at her in the eyes.

    "Princess, I don''t need to show off what I am good at, they know I am an excellent chef, and I should be proud of who I am," I responded.

    "I couldn''t believe you bought a pickup already," she replied as she averted my gaze and she was ying with the fork with her hands.

    "Well, I don''t want tomute back and forth to the capital and your estate, I needed a service, and I met someone who needed to dispose of his truck," I answered.

    "I think it is thetest model of Ford," She stated, and I smiled at her.

    "Yeah, it is, and I got lucky since he needed to go after his wife; I am not happy that he had a misunderstanding with his spouse, but I think Barcelonia liked having me here." I dered.

    "Are you still alone?" I asked, and I could see how her face turned red; I am not sure if it was with anger or if she were afraid I would know she no longer had maids who worked for her in the manor.

    "Why are you so concerned if I am alone, Jack? It is no longer your concern. I called the butler and instructed him to tell all the staff to give me space. I realized I wanted to be alone for now." She responded with annoyance in her voice.

    "I don''t want anyone to disturb me, and for the time being, no one wille here unless I will ask my Butler to assign personnel to clean the house and the surroundings," Charlotte added. Still, this time she lowered her voice, and her worries were evident behind her strong demeanor.

    "I heard there was some robbery going on in the neighborhood, but I don''t think they wille here," I said, and her hands shook as she picked up her te, and I stifled augh.

    I hate that I needed to fabricate a story to make her get afraid so she would ask me to apany her; it was some, but her brother asked me to do anything in my way to convince Charlotte to make me stay in the manor. I am just doing my job.

    "My father''s men are there watching me, Jack. I don''t think robbers could get inside here." She answered with confidence before she turned around and walked towards the kitchen.

    Charlotte was right; even if Hunter had frozen all her cards and ounts, she still had bodyguards, but she didn''t know she still had bodyguards; Charlotte couldn''t see them. They were guarding her secretly, I don''t even know where they are, but they knew what I was doing here in Barcelonia.

    They will never interfere with my affair unless someone puts Charlotte''s life in danger which will never happen while I am around since I want to be her knight in shining armor and be her hero.

    "Okay, but I don''t see anyone around; I am just worried about you, princess," I replied.

    "I already told you to stop calling me Princess, and I don''t like it, Jack. Besides, I have a beautiful name." She replied, and her irritation amused me.

    "Of course, you have a great name, perfect for a princess. I should go now; I am sure you wanted to make me leave." I replied as I turned around and left, hoping she would stop me.

    "Don''t forget to close the door; you don''t need to lock it," she said instead, and I walked out of her house with a heavy heart.

    p¦Á§ád¦Á §«?¦Í¨º|,§ã¨°§® "Based on the look on your face, I could say you didn''t have a good time at the Divenson manor," Cecily said when I got inside her house.

    "I thought you were asleep already," I replied as I sat beside her on the sofa and smiled when I saw her knitting.

    "I couldn''t sleep thinking you are still at the manor," she responded without looking at my face, and I blushed.

    "I couldn''t wait to hear what happened out there; knowing Ms. Charlotte''s attitude, I doubt you would convince her, Jack, but I am still rooting for you and Hunter''s sister. She replied with excitement all over her face as she looked up at me.

    I almostughed as I realized I got the wrong notion why she waited; I thought Cecily was going to flirt with me, and I admit I felt relieved when I learned she wasn''t interested in me; she wasn''t one of those girls who would be charmed by my looks without knowing me first.

    "Well, it''s my job to woo her, but I could tell it would not be easy; she was strong-willed, and her ego is higher than the Divenson''s building at Archois," I responded, and Cecily''sughter made me smile.

    "Good luck, Jack, and you should be careful, Charlotte Divenson is one hell of a beauty, and I am sure it would be hard on your part to be with her every day and not to fall for her; I could say Hunter has you a tough job." She dered, and I shook my head.

    "Cecily, she is just a job for me," I replied, and she raised her eyebrows as she beamed at me.

    "Whatever you say, Jack," she stated as she stood up from the sofa.

    "Good night; I hope tomorrow you will tell me something interesting; if you want, I can help you," she said, and my eyes widened.

    "Can you really help me convince, Charlotte?" I asked, feeling hopeful.

    "Well, I am also a woman; I could give you tips," she answered as I grinned at her; I was about to ask Cecily how when my phone rang, and I furrowed my eyebrows when I saw an unknown number appear on my screen.

    "Hello," I answered.

    "Jack," a woman''s voice said on the other line, and my heart quickened when I heard Charlotte''s sweet voice, and I was beaming like an idiot as I waited for her to continue talking as I looked at Cecily''s silly expression.

 Chapter 326 New Friend

    Charlotte''s POV

    Jack had been long gone, and I felt frustrated as I heard his truck drive away from our manor. I was clenching my fist as I held my phone tighter. I tried calling Lucia, but her phone was out of coverage.

    I looked tough and brave in front of Jack, but after I realized my life could be in danger, I ran towards the main entrance of our house; just in time, I saw the tail lights of his car fading away as he got out of the archway of our estate.

    "You are such a fool, Charlotte, he came and begged you, but your damn pride was making you miserable," I said to myself after ensuring the main door was locked. I double-checked even the back door.

    I was living alone in this big house, and robbers were the least of my concern, but they could harm me; worst, they would kidnap me and ask for ransom from my family.

    My body trembled as I realized I was in danger; if what Jack had told me was true, I was sure the kidnappers would kill me if they found out my family didn''t care about me at all. I am sure I made my entire family hate me for siding with my father.

    I knew my mom loved me, and my sister Lily adored me, but after what happened to Parker and dad, I couldn''t me them if they told anyone I was not part of the Divenson family anymore. I am grateful Hunter didn''t force me to leave this ce.

    I hated Hunter for cutting me off with everything, but I deserved all this; I wanted to prove to my elder brother that I could be someone he could be proud of someday, but thinking of ways how to do it made my face fall; there is no way I can be someone aside being a Divenson.

    I am proud to call myself. I am now an independent woman, but I can''t deny I am the loneliest human being on earth. I don''t have a family I can call and talk with, not even friends I can rely on. There is no one I can share all my frustrations in life and the secret I have right now.

    I don''t even have a boyfriend who can be here to cheer me up and would tell me everything will be alright. The household staff left me since I could no longer pay for their services, and I realized there was only one person who was bold enough to ask me to rent one of the manor''s rooms, but why, of all people around the world, it has to be Jack Morigan?

    It could be someone who didn''t know me, someone who was not as hot and handsome as Jack. There is too much at stake If I will allow him to stay with me. He would find out about my real deal now.

    And what made me more worried was my attraction to him. Even if I became an outcast in our family, I am still Charlotte Divenson, the eldest daughter of my parents, who used to be the center of attention of elite families.

    I was once the envy of most girls in our society, and I have to bear in mind I could never have Jack as my boyfriend; I couldn''t lose my pride in him no matter how I wished to taste his lips again and to be in his arms.

    I must be crazy for thinking about Jack this way, and he is so out of my league; there is no way I would lower my standard because of him. But why is he the only one I can think of at this very moment when I lost all my hopes? Also, I am so scared that something might happen to me.

    I hurriedly walked towards the kitchen and looked in the trash bin, where I crumpled and threw the paper where Jack put his phone number; there was no one I could ask for help but him.

    I don''t care where he is staying; all I need ispany only for tonight; I promise myself on the next day, I should learn to control my fears and find ways to calm myself.

    I felt relieved I found his number, and I copsed on the stool near the kitchen counter. My hands were trembling as I dialed and waited for him to answer.

    I didn''t care what he was going to call me after I contacted him, even after I told him I didn''t need his presence and I didn''t need him in my life, but this is a matter of life and death; I needed his help to get through the night.

    "Hello," he answered after so many rings that I almost ended my call. I hate to think why even his voice sounded so perfect in my ear that I couldn''t stop visualizing his handsome face. He stated, and I could feel he was unhappy, but I felt d he still took my call.

    "Jack, this is Charlotte," I said after a moment of silence since it felt like I had lost my ability to speak.

    "Yes, Ms. Divenson, what can I do for you?" He asked, and I could feel my face turn bright red. I don''t know why talking with him, even over the phone, would make me blush; I don''t like how I felt towards him, but I couldn''t control myself.

    "Ms. Divenson, are you okay? Are you still there?" He asked when I became speechless again.

    "Yeah, I am still here," I softly mumbled.

    "What do you want? I know you are not the type of person who would call me at night without a purpose." He responded coldly, and I felt a little hurt.

    "Do you change your mind? Do you take my offer?" He asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No, I am not changing my mind; I only made sure you gave me a legit phone number, that is all, Jack. Goodbye," I replied with sarcasm and ended the call before I made myself look like a fool.

    I knew he must beughing at me now. I shouldn''t have called him. Jack would think I was interested in him for calling him at this hour. My phone rang, and I almost threw it when I saw his name appear on my screen.

    I ignored his calls, and after five missed calls, I felt d he stopped calling. I gathered all my strength and walked towards my room gracefully, pretending I was not afraid of anything, even if I felt like screaming.

    Our manor got many rooms, and I felt so scared since I only lit some hallways lights because of my idea of saving some electricity. When I reached the first step of the staircase, I ran and took two steps at a time.

    The sounds of nocturnal animals outside made me feel more scared that I jumped into my bed after I locked my door and covered myself with the nket.

    I tried my best to fall asleep, but I could hear the clock ticking on the wall reminding me that I was still wide awake. I could feel the pain in my back and shoulders when I woke up the following morning because of myck of sleep.

    I am still proud that I made it through the morning, survived, and can do it; I am Charlotte Divenson. I feared no one, and I was not afraid of anything. I knew I was only fooling myself, but I realized I''d got no one, and the only way to survive was to look tough and strong; then, I would be okay.

    I boiled two eggs, and I whipped some butter in the wheat bread before I put them

    on the toaster. I was enjoying my breakfast alone for the first time.

    I left the house after I checked myself in the mirror. The below-the-knee length dress with a ck zer made me look like I was applying for a job. I browse resume samples on the web, and I found it easy to make my own.

    It was perfect, and I knew I wasn''t good with writing, but I could tell someone would hire me today. I was in high spirits as I walked out of the house. I already found some

    job hirings on the inte, but I believed applying in person would do me good.

    They would be impressed with my looks and hire me immediately. I was yelling as I neared the bus stop hoping the driver would hear me, but I wasn''t lucky. I didn''t catch the bus and needed to wait for the next one.

    I didn''t want to deal with the town''s people who were sitting in the waiting shed, and I opted to stay away from them as possible.

    "Hi," I heard a sweet female voice, and when I raised my head, I found a beautifuldy standing in front of me, and she had a contagious smile that I couldn''t stop smiling back at her.

    "Hey," I answered back since I am not good at talking with strangers.

    "I could tell you are new in this neighborhood since this is my first time seeing you here." She said, still smiling at me.

    "Yeah," I responded.

    "My name is Cecily," she introduced herself as she handed her hand to me, and I slowly took her warm hand and shook her hand.

    "I am Charlotte," I responded, and her smile widened.

    "Wee to Barcelonia, Charlotte; it is nice to see a new face and not to mention a beautiful one. I hope we can be friends, and I look forward to meeting you again." She dered.

    "Of course, I would love to," I answered.

    I felt so happy that I had met someone and thought maybe Cecily could be my first real friend aside from Lucia since Lucia was one of my maids, and my idea of going to town was not a waste. I giggled when my newfound friend dragged my hand and pulled me with her toward the bus stop.

 Chapter 327 Everything Will Be Alright

    Charlotte''s POV

    I knew it was still early to tell, but I had already liked Cecily; I felt she was different from everyone in this neighborhood. Almost everyone who rode the bus said hi to Cecily, and I could tell she was famous in this ce.

    She must be since she looked so beautiful and friendly. I knew I didn''t usually trust a stranger, and I don''t particrly appreciate talking with someone I had just met, but with Cecily, it felt like I had known her for a long time.

    Cecily didn''t ask me personal questions like where I was staying or what is my family name. She only asked me interesting questions that led me to be intrigued by her personality.

    "Where are you headed?" She asked after a moment of silence.

    "Hmm, I wished to apply for a job," I answered.

    "You can send your resume and application letter through email; you don''t need to go to town and personally handed your application." She answered.

    "I know, but it felt more real that I applied for the job when I brought the hard copy of my credentials," I responded, and she smiled at me.

    "Well, that made sense; I like your logic; you should go out to see our town for yourself, Barcelonia is one of the progressive towns in the country, but as you can see, there are still ces that look the same as it was from a long time ago." She dered, and I understood what she meant.

    We talked about trivial things, and because of her, I temporarily forgot about my current situation. I really enjoyed herpany.

    "You want me toe with you?" Cecily asked, and I could feel the excitement in her voice.

    "I''d love to, but I will not take your time. I am sure you have to go to work." I replied with a smile on my face.

    "What will you say if I tell you it is your lucky day since it is my day off today." She replied, and my eyes widened.

    "Really? You are not saying that because you pity me?" I asked, and her face suddenly turned serious.

    "Pity? It is overrated; you don''t need my pity, Charlotte. You are so beautiful, and even a woman like me wanted to be with you. You are fun to be with, and I am sure wherever you go, anyone would take a second or third look because you have this charm I couldn''t exin." Cecily dered, and I couldn''t stop blushing.

    "You are like a ma, Charlotte, and I am sure you will get hired before this day ends." She added, and my face lit up.

    "I doubt that," I said as I averted her gaze and turned my head to look at the side of the road we passed by.

    I wish my new friend were right, but I don''t think her statement could be true. What happened to me recently made me lose hope and confidence.

    "Why, I couldn''t believe someone like you would have any doubt about how your day would end. You''ve got it all; I am sure one look from the manager will get you hired immediately. Just believes in yourself, and everything will go ording to your n." She responded as I shyly smiled at her.

    Cecily was true to her words, she spent the whole day with me, and for the first time in my life, I could say; I found a real friend in this lifetime. I knew it was early to tell, but I could feel it in my heart, and I would do anything to keep her as my friend.

    "Thank you, Cecily, I know the map on my phone could locate those ces, but it was easier to navigate Barcelonia capital with your help. I owe you big time." I said, and she grinned at me. We were standing outside a restaurant where she wanted to eat dinner.

    "That is what friends are for," she replied with a beautiful smile on her face, and I couldn''t be happier.

    "You really want me to be your friend even if you don''t know me yet?" I asked, and she nodded as she looked at me with tenderness.

    "I could tell you are a good person, Charlotte; I don''t judge people by looks; I only listen to my instinct and heart." She responded as she pointed to her left chest, and I giggled.

    "Thank you, Cecily," I softly mumbled.

    "You are wee," she answered as she took my hand and dragged me inside the restaurant.

    "You can choose anything you want to eat, my treat; this is my way of weing you in Barcelonia." She said, and I shook my head.

    "No, you can''t do that, Cecily; I should be the one who must pay for our dinner; you apany me the entire time," I said.

    I am sure she didn''te from a wealthy family since she onlymutes in going to town. Either she didn''t own a car, or she was saving fuel.

    "It was nothing, Charlotte; I enjoyed yourpany." She responded as she took the  carte menu from the waiter.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You can''t do this; we must share the expenses." I insisted, but she only shook her head.

    "Come on, next time, and it would be your treat." She said, and I leaned on the backrest of my chair as I opened the menu.

    My mouth watered, and my stomach grumbled as I looked at the menu list, and I felt d the food are less expensive. I am sure she knew where we could eat good food so we didn''t need to pay more.

    I only ordered Ceasar sd, but she told me I should eat more. Cecily ordered pasta and chicken and some soup. I enjoyed my meal with my first true friend.

    She didn''t know my family name, yet she was excited to be my friend; this was the first time someone asked me to be her friend without knowing my true identity. I wish I had known her when I still had money to spend.

    I wanted to treat her to a fancy restaurant or any resort; we would go to the most expensive beauty salon for facial and hair treatments. I know it is still early, but I will tell her everything about me soon. I could say this is definitely not thest meeting I had with her.

    "Thank you so much, Cecily; I am so full," I said after we left the restaurant.

    "You are wee, Charlotte," she answered as she linked her arms with mine.

    We walked towards the bus stop. I could feel my legs hurt from walking, but I didn''t mind since I had so much fun with Cecily. At least, in this new world, I found someone genuine.

    Since it was a bitte, only a few passengers were waiting at the bus stop. I smiled when I saw the bus stop in front of us. I climbed and copsed on the bus seat right away while Cecily was giggling.

    "You must be tired," shemented.

    "A little," I lied.

    "You have my number now, so if you want to visit the capital, call me anytime." She said.

    "How about your work?" I asked.

    "You must text or call me in advance so I can change my schedule; I can arrange my work schedule for you." She answered, and my eyes widened.

    "You have your own business?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "No, but currently, I am working online; my boss would only ask me to run some errands for him since he was not here at the moment. He was out of the country." She answered.

    "Wow, I wished I could work online too, but I preferred to work in an establishment where I could interact with others." I decided since I really wanted to be on my own and to experience working in anotherpany.

    "Don''t worry. I am sure you will be busy for the next couple of days with your interviews," she responded, and I felt excited.

    I got off the bus ahead of my newfound friend, and I walked toward the manor with a broad smile on my face.

    Cecily was right. I was busy answering calls and went for interviews on the following days; It was fun, but after the final interview; I didn''t receive the call I had been waiting for, and I wondered what had gone wrong.

    The Manager seemed optimistic they would hire me, but none of thosepanies called me back after one week of waiting; I got the courage to contact the HR department of eachpany.

    I was shocked that I received the same answer; they couldn''t hire me because I was overqualified for the position I was applying for, which was ridiculous.

    I got frustrated that I remained unemployed and the money I received from Jack was running low. Cecily and I texted and called each other every day. I felt ashamed to tell her that none of thosepanies hired me, but I had to be honest with her.

    "It is okay, don''t worry. I am sure someone will hire you, Charlotte," she said after I told her everything.

    "Who? I felt so confident, but in the end, I got disappointed and felt so little of myself. I graduated from the most..." I trailed off since I didn''t want to tell Cecily I graduated from the most expensive University in the country, and I felt d she didn''t ask me to continue what I was saying.

    "Don''t give up easily; that is life; you have to keep going; if you fall, you must get up with your head high," my friend said, and I smiled even if I felt like crying.

    And I realized it felt nice to have a friend I could share my problems and frustrations with, and I didn''t need to keep them inside me, and Cecily was right. All I need to do is to fight and don''t give up.

    I said goodbye to Cecily with a smile on my face; she really made me feel so happy, and she gave me hope that everything will be going to be alright.

 Chapter 328 Craziness

    ?

    Jack''s POV

    I clenched the phone with my fist after Charlotte hung up on me. I couldn''t believe that she only called me to tell me that she wanted to know if I gave her a legit number; I couldn''t believe her.

    I felt so excited that I received a call from her only to find out that she only wanted to ensure I was not ying with her. I shook my head as I slowly turned around to walk toward my room.

    "Aren''t you going to tell me what she wanted with you, why she called you at this hour, Jack?" Cecily asked, and I let out a frustrated sigh before I turned around and faced her.

    "I am sure it was rude of me to turn around without saying good night, Cecily," I responded.

    "Come on, Jack, I don''t care if you would say good night or not. I am talking about Charlotte because I really wanted to help you with this; I don''t have work at this moment since I was only waiting for Hunter''s instructions." She answered, and I could see the frustration on her face.

    "It was not, and I really hate that she called me," I replied.

    "Oh, you seemed excited when you picked up her call, chef," she said, and I shook my head.

    "There is nothing to be excited about, Cecily. Hunter''s sister only called me to make sure she was calling my number. She thought I had given her the wrong number." I said, and she looked at me with tenderness, but suddenly her face lit up.

    "You are so naive, Jack, she wanted to tell you something, but her pride took over once more. You need my help with this one." She said, and Cecily looked excited as she got up from the sofa.

    "I will go to the bus stop tomorrow," she added.

    "Why? I asked.

    "I am sure she will go to the town center, and I couldn''t wait to introduce myself to her." She exined.

    "No, you can''t do that; I will be waiting for her at the archway of their estate," I said.

    "Jack, she may like you a lot, but her pride is greater than the mountains of Barcelonia. I am sure she needed a new friend, and I don''t think a suitor is what she needed right now." Cecily dered.

    "Don''t worry, and I am doing this all for you, and I want to help you to carry over with your job." She continued.

    "I never thought this job could be this hard; dealing with Charlotte was harder than I thought," I responded, and she beamed me.

    "Well, she is a Divenson, Jack, don''t ever forget that. You have to be patient with her, and she will let you stay in there; just wait for the perfect time." She replied.

    "I don''t know why with Charlotte, I lose my patience every time I am with her," I said.

    "It is simply because you want to be with her," she said, winking at me.

    "Cecily, she is only a job for me, and it frustrated me that until now, I couldn''t convince her to let me stay in the manor.

    "Well, believe me, you will have your chance soon," Cecily said, and by the grin on her face, I could tell she didn''t believe that it was all because of the job that I felt this way.

    I said good night to Cecily and made a beeline to my room. I find it hard to sleep since I can''t stop thinking about Charlotte, and I hate myself for reliving the kiss I shared with her.

    I had kissed women before, but this kind of feeling only happened to me with Madeline; I never expected I would experience this type of emotion once again, and it terrified me to my core.

    "You don''t need to take me to the bus stop, Jack," Cecily said when she found me waiting for her in her driveway.

    "It is far from here, and before you make it to the bus stop, sweat will cover your body," I responded as I opened the pickup door.

    "Thanks," she mumbled after she settled on the passenger''s seat.

    "I know you only wanted to see her; that is why you insisted on driving me to the bus stop," Cecily said as I drove away from her house, and I halfughed.

    "Do you think I would fall for her? Yes, Charlotte is beautiful, but I couldn''t deal with her attitude; once you know her personally, you will understand what I mean." I said, and she was silent for a while.

    "Well, I must meet her in person before I agree with you, Jack. I don''t judge someone based on what I hear. I want to witness it with my own eyes." She dered.

    "Of course, good luck with meeting Hunter''s wicked sister," I responded, and we both fell silent for the rest of the ride.

    "I don''t think she will go to the capital today," I said to Cecily after I parked my car not so far away from the bus stop.

    "Let us wait; I am sure she will," she answered, and I gripped the steering wheel as I waited for Charlotte to show up.

    "We should head back now, Cecily; we have been waiting for her for over an hour." I dered.

    "You should return to the house, Jack. I will wait for her until sunset." Cecily replied, and my eyes widened in shock.

    "You can''t do that," I replied.

    "Yes, I can; if I want to aplish something, I will never surrender easily." She responded.

    "I appreciate your help, Cecily, but I don''t want you to waste time waiting for that brat to appear. I know you have something better to do." I dered, and she eyed me for a long time.

    "Jack, if you want to win her heart, you must learn how to be patient and make some sacrifices. I am not doing this for you; I want to do this for Charlotte." She said, and I fell silent.

    "After I learned what happened to her from my brother and Lucia, I felt bad for her, and I wanted to help her; but Hunter warned us not to help her with anything, and we are not allowed to go to tha manor unless he will ask us to do so." She added.

    "Aren''t you afraid Hunter would find out you are meeting her secretly?" I said, and sheughed.

    "I don''t think he will know I did it on purpose, I will tell him I met his sister on a bus, and she talked to me first." She answered before she opened the passenger''s door.

    "Bye, Jack," she added, and I didn''t want her to go just yet, but Cecily had already closed the door before I could say anything

    I was about to start my car when I saw her walking towards the bus stop, and I admit, Charlotte made my heart skip a beat even if I was looking at her from a distance.

    She looked weary as she gracefully strode towards the waiting area and ceased walking before reaching the waiting shed.

    Cecily turned around and beamed at me, and mouth, "I told you so," even if she couldn''t see my face on the windshield because of the dark tint of the pickup truck.

    "Whatever," I mumbled and started the vehicle before I made a fool out of myself. The urge to talk with Charlotte was too strong, and I had to follow Cecily''s advice since she was a woman.

    I was waiting for Cecily on the front porch of her house since I wanted to know everything. It waste in the evening, but she was not yet home. She told me she would not get off with Charlotte and that I didn''t need to wait for her at the bus stop.

    "Did you wait for me?" She asked when she arrived home.

    "No, I wanted to inhale the fresh air," I lied, and sheughed as she sat on one of the patio chairs beside me.

    "So, how was your trip with Charlotte?" I asked when I couldn''t take it anymore, and her mischievous smile appeared. I should keep my mouth shut, but I couldn''t wait to know if she convinced Charlotte to let me stay at her house.

    "Well, I had fun with her, and I am sorry if I have to disagree with you, Jack, but Charlotte is a sweet young woman, and she is very friendly. I don''t think your judgment was appropriate." She said, and I couldn''t believe what I had heard.

    "If you had met her before all of this happened, I am sure you would not be telling me this; she was showing you her good side because she is in dire need of money and food," I responded.

    "Jack, don''t say that; give her a chance; it would be unfair if you judge her by her past mistakes." Mario''s sister said.

    I opened my mouth to counter her, but I didn''t want to upset Cecily and make her drive me away. I badly needed a ce to stay near the manor, and her house was the perfect spot.

    "Good night, Jack," she added and sat up and left me feeling guilty.

    "Don''t go to the manor and stop texting or calling her, and I know she will call you one of these days." She said as she stopped near the door.

    "Why you seemed so sure about that?" I asked.

    "Well, I felt bad for her since one of Hunter''s men is following us while we submitted her application letters, and I am sure no one will hire Charlotte Divenson." She responded before she got inside.

    I felt a pang in my chest as I remembered Cahrlotte''s face, and I wanted to go to the Divenson estate and be with her; to give herfort and tell her that I would be there for her, but I needed to stop my craziness before I lost this job.

 Chapter 329 Not Part Of My Plan

    ?

    Charlotte''s POV

    "You came!" I eximed the moment Cecily sat beside me at the waiting shed.

    "Of course," she replied with a broad smile on her angelic face, and before I could ask how she was doing, the bus arrived, and we climbed the bus giggling. I felt so happy to ride a bus. I never imagined myself riding public transport, and I realized it was fun and far from what I had imagined before.

    Growing up, I always had a driver in going to school since my parents were busy running our business, and when I learned how to drive, my mom insisted that I should have my own driver for my safety.

    I suddenly missed my mom and sister. I loved Lily even if I knew how much my little sister hated me because she idolized Madeline, and I knew it was all my fault. I showed Madeline my bad side and never showed her who I truly was.

    My jealousy of my brother blinded me, and I let my anger of the world take over my life. I lost a brother who was so dear to me, and I lost my dad, too, the only person who understood all about me.

    And most of all, I made Hunter angry with me, and this is all I got for all my bad choices because of my best friend. I thought Kaye was my real friend, but she manipted me, and it was toote now to redeem myself.

    "Are you okay, Charlotte?" I heard Cecily ask after I spaced out.

    "Yeah," I replied timidly.

    "Is there something you want to tell me?" She asked, and I looked at her for some time before I answered her question.

    "Yeah, actually, there are so many things that I wished to share with you, but I don''t think this is the right time to tell you about those things because I don''t want you to stay away from me," I answered, and she shook her head.

    "This is the first time I found a real friend, and I want you to like me for who I am. And I am scared that you will stop being my friend after discovering the truth about me." I added, and she smiled at me.

    "I am excited to hear all about you, and please, don''t worry, I will not judge you. I will remain as your friend." She responded.

    "But, if you are not ready, it would be okay; take your time," she added.

    "Actually, I don''t want to continue seeing you without telling you who I am," I replied.

    "Okay, I am listening," Cecily answered.

    "I am Charlotte Divenson, and I am currently staying at the Divenson manor," I said, and her expression remained the same as she smiled at me.

    "Oh, I loved your brother; he is so handsome and hot," she answered, and I widened my eyes at her.

    "You are more excited to know about my brother and not me," I said, feeling hurt.

    "Hey, of course, I am happy to know his sister, and I couldn''t believe you befriended me," she replied.

    "No wonder you looked so beautiful; you must be so lucky to have your mother''s genes. I had seen her multiple times featured in the magazine, and I admired her so much." Cecily added.

    "You didn''t know me?" I asked, and she shook her head.

    "I am sorry, I was too busy dreaming about your brother," she responded, and I sighed heavily.

    "He is crazy in love with his wife; my sister-inw is so beautiful and has a pure soul. She is a real angel, and I hate to admit I wanted to be like her." I dered, and I could see the quizzical look all over her face.

    I told her everything, even if I was the viin of the story, and if she really wanted to be my friend, she would stay, and I wouldn''t me Cecily if she chose to stay away from me.

    "You must hate me now," I mumbled, and she took my hand.

    "I don''t have the right to hate you, Charlotte. I understand how you feel and what you have been through. Everyone deserves a second chance and regrets everything you have done; that is the best part, and what matters the most is you ept your faults." Cecily dered, and I smiled at her.

    "Really? You still want to hang out with me?" I asked in disbelief.

    "Of course, people tend tomit mistakes asionally, and maybe your sister-inw is one of a kind. and I am sorry to say this, but I am intrigued to see the woman who captured your brother''s heart." She replied.

    "I am sure you will love her too. Everyone loves her, and not only that, her family is richer than my family; her great-grandfather was the founder of the biggest diamond miningpany in the world, and she is the only heir." I dered, and her eyes widened.

    "Your nephew or niece would be so lucky then," she mumbled, and I agreed with her.

    "There is something you should know about me, Cecily; aside from having the family name of Divenson, I don''t have anything. I am broke, and that is why I needed to find a job. My brother made sure I would suffer, and here I am, paying the prize for conniving with my best friend who betrayed me." I said, and she looked at me with tenderness.

    "I don''t think that is the case, Charlotte. Maybe Hunter wanted you to learn things on your own and to make you realize the true meaning of life by being independent. I am not taking his side, but for me, I am sure he cared about you so much." Cecily said, and I raised my eyebrows.

    "You are a Divenson by birth, and your brother could never take that away from you. I am sure you still have your shares in yourpany, and who knows, maybe when you are ready, he will let you run thepany that you love so much." She added, and Iughed.

    "You don''t know what you were talking about, Cecily; that is not happening. I am not an outcast; I need to work to support myself; my entire family abandoned me." I said, and she fell silent.

    "Don''t worry, I am sure things will get better; who knows, you will meet someone here and fall in love." She replied, and Iughed and suddenly remembered Jack and this foreign feeling I felt for him.

    "Falling in love is not part of my n, Cecily. I need to find a nice job." I added.

    "You are staying at the manor, right?" She asked.

    "Yes, of course," I replied.

    "Can I visit you sometimes?" She asked.

    "Sure, I would love it," I responded, and I felt happy as I got off the bus.

    I enjoyed my time roaming around the center of Barcelonia. And Cecily was the one who paid for our lunch, and we had eaten snacks before we left the capital.

    "Are you sure you are okay? It is alreadyte, Charlotte," Cecily said when I neared my stop.

    "Don''t worry, I will be okay," I replied, and I said my goodbye to Cecily, feeling happy that she never minded if I didn''t have money. She even offered me some money, but I rejected it since I didn''t want to take advantage of our friendship.

    I used my phone to light my way since I didn''t have enough money to pay extra electricity charges. I stopped using the heater, didn''t care if I had to use cool water if I showered at night, and avoided having a bath early in the morning. If I have to turn on the lights from the archway of our estate towards the manor, I will be in too much trouble.

    I could hear the sounds of nocturnal animals, and I wanted to run, but I needed to be strong and act like an independent woman. I was panting as I reached the main entrance of our house and quickly opened the door with my trembling hand.

    I switched on the light in the living room but didn''t turn on the light in the hallways leading to the kitchen. I was still full but felt so thirsty that I needed some water, only to find out I didn''t have water left on the pitcher inside the fridge, and I didn''t have mineral water left.

    I moaned in frustration, and I didn''t want to ask for help from Cecily again. She was the one who paid even the fare for the bus, and I hate to ask for help from Jack, but he was the only one whom I could think of who could bring me drinking water.

    I dialed his number, and I could feel my heart racing as I waited for him to answer my call.

    "Hey, Charlotte, are you okay?" He asked with a worried voice.

    "Hi, Jack, I am fine," I answered, trying to control the shaking of my hand as I realized even his voice was sexy.

    "I kind of need your help," I mumbled.

    "What can I do for you?" He asked.

    "I don''t have anything to drink. And I don''t know where to, but at this hour, I responded as I felt the dryness of my mouth.

    "Okay, I will be there," he responded.

    "Thank you, Jack," I replied.

    "Thank meter," he stated and said his goodbye, and ended the call.

    "You are so fast!" I eximed the moment I opened the door for him, and he was grinning as he carried a box.

    "Aren''t you going to let me in?" He asked, and I blushed as I pulled the door wider. And he walked inside and carried the box inside the kitchen, handed me a bottle, and put some bottled water in the fridge.

    "I can''t thank you enough, Jack," I mumbled after drinking the water.

    "Howe you arrived so fast?" I asked, and he beamed at him, showing me his perfect white teeth.

    "I have to find a ce nearby toe to you whenever you need something." He answered as he looked as he looked at me with tenderness, and I hated myself that I wanted to throw myself at him and taste his kissable lips once again.

 Chapter 330 Exercise Patience

    ?

    Jack''s POV

    "Hey, you have to be more patient, Jack. I have ns, and I am sure Charlotte will buy them," Cecily said as she sat beside me on the front porch. I felt frustrated that she got her second date with Charlotte and that I was stuck in her house.

    I told Mario I didn''t want to stay at the staff house anymore; I wanted to stay here in Cecily''s house since I was having fun and I loved herpany. And he questioned me if I had some feelings for his sister and told me he would love to have me as his brother-inw. And I told him the truth about how I feel for Hunter''s sister.

    "I am trying my best to be patient, but the idea that she went out with you and never called me made me feel useless," I responded, and sheughed.

    "Hey, you came here with a mission to tame her, but I don''t think it is necessary; she is beginning to realize the importance of hard work. Charlotte is desperate to find a job; too bad, her brother did his best to use his power and money." Cecily responded before she let out a heavy sigh.

    "And we are part of Hunter''s team. I hope it will not backfire on us someday," I said as I leaned on my seat, and before Cecily could say another word, my phone rang, and I smiled when I saw Charlotte''s name shed on my screen.

    "What did she say? I could see the look of excitement all over your face." Cecily asked after I ended the call.

    "Well, she needed her knight in shining armor, and wish me luck! Maybe this is my night!" I responded with too much enthusiasm as I got up from my seat while she shook her head.

    "Believe me, this is not your night," she responded, and I put my hand over my chest as I looked at her.

    "You should give me your moral support and not your word of encouragement," I replied.

    "I am not discouraging you. I don''t want you to hope too much, but don''t worry if this is not your night. You will have your chance, lover boy, and you will thank meter." Cecily responded as she stood up from her seat and followed me inside.

    I carried the box of mineral water to my pick-up truck while Cecily watched me from the porch. We got all the supplies Charlotte needed in the storage room of her house.

    "Thank you, Cil; see youter, or maybe tomorrow morning. I brought extra clothes just in case she wanted somepany," I said before I opened the door on the driver''s side.

    "Good luck. I wish you would not be back within thirty minutes; it would be a shame," she responded, and I chuckled.

    "Please, be positive. I need you to wish me luck, not to give me a negative vibe." I reacted before I climbed into the driver''s seat.

    "You can do it. I was only teasing you, Jack; good night, you have your key. I don''t want to wait for you until midnight." She responded.

    "Yes, I have my own key," I responded.

    Cecily waved her hand as I drove away from her house, and I felt excited to see Charlotte.

    The moment she opened the main door, I wanted to take her into my arms. I don''t know why I felt this way; I missed her so much.

    "Thank you so much foring, Jack, I didn''t have anyone I can call." She said, and I smiled at her.

    "I told you I can be your knight in shining armor," I responded and winked at her.

    "Why?" She asked, and I couldn''t believe she didn''t throw hurtful words at me; instead, Charlotte looked at me in a different light. I don''t want to assume because she is Charlotte Divenson. It is hard to predict what would be her next reaction.

    "I care about you, Charlotte," I responded, and she shook her head.

    "I don''t believe you, Jack, and I know you only wanted to stay here in the manor, but I am sorry, there is nothing you can do to change my mind." She replied, and my face fell.

    "Okay, I guess I should start looking at the Barcelonia Capital. I am sorry if I was being persistent even if you don''t want to see." I replied as I faced the way leading to the main door.

    "I am sorry, Jack," she softly answered.

    "It is okay, Charlotte, I can''t force you. I really like this ce, and I fell in love with its grandeur and beauty. I could tell I would have peace of mind once I stayed here and was stress-free. I hate the bustling and the pollution in the city." I dered.

    "Good night, just make sure to lock the doors," I added without looking back at her as I strode towards the exit.

    I could hear her footsteps behind me, and I wanted to beg her, but I relied on Cecily for this; she told me to let Charlotte think I was giving her up to make Cecily''s n work. I am having doubts, but I am desperate for her help since it seems to me I can never change Charlotte''s mind.

    "Good night, Jack," she said the moment we reached the door, and when I looked around to face her, she already closed the damn door. I walked towards my car, feeling so defeated.

    "Wow! You came back earlier than I expected," Cecily said the moment I got inside the living room. She was watching her favorite TV show. She turned off the television and turned her attention to me.

    "What happened?" She asked the moment I sat beside her.

    "She is impossible. I don''t think you can convince her, Cecily. Charlotte is so determined she can survive living here all alone in Barcelonia without any help from us." I replied with a frustrated voice.

    "Not from me; she actually allowed me to pay for her meal and the bus fare. Maybe she doesn''t want any helping from you." Cecily replied, and I slumped my back on the sofa.

    "I don''t think your n would work. I have to look for another strategy," I responded.

    "She will need your help soon, Jack; just trust me. Hunter made sure she couldn''t find any job around here in Barcelonia. Unless she will start her own business, she will survive." My newly found friend and confidante said with a smile on her face, and I shook my head.

    "I will only believe you when it happens before my eyes," I replied.

    "Be positive, okay, don''t waste your energy sulking. You better enjoy your stay here in Barcelonia." She mumbled.

    "How can I enjoy when I keeping back on the first base? I don''t think I can do this job. Hunter had been mistaken. I think I should pay for the breach of contract and go back to Archois and manage my restaurant." I dered.

    "Come on, Jack, I am sure she will open up to me about you soon. I will go to her house tomorrow, and you better go with my brother and explore the rest of Barcelonia." She responded.

    I said good night to Cecily and retired to my room. Mario dropped by early morning and convinced me to go with him, and since I had nothing to do, I agreed with him.

    "Wow! This ce is beautiful!" I eximed the moment I sat on the big rock facing the beautiful waterfalls before us. I almostined when he took me on a trail that I thought would never end, and I thought we''d got lost.

    I could see the big old trees around us, the chirping of the birds, and the sshing of the water on the rocks, and I smiled as I inhaled the fresh air.

    "The word beautiful is underrated," Mario responded, and I agreed with him.

    "Yes, you are right," I answered as I discarded my jogging pants and removed my shirt. And I dove into the pool of green water, and I screamed when I felt the cold water on my entire body, and I couldn''t stopughing.

    "Why didn''t you tell me the water is freezing?" I asked Mario as I swam around. I liked how it felt in my body. I was only shocked. I didn''t expect it to feel this way.

    "It is colder in the morning, but don''t worry, your body can adjust to the temperature quickly." He responded as his voice echoed throughout the entire ce, and he was right. I started to feel rxed.

    "This is my favorite spot; you can bring Charlotte here," he said the moment I joined him at the bank, and he handed me a te. I realized he brought food for breakfast, and I couldn''t believe I was starving, too.

    "He won''te with me, and I am nning to go back to Archois if Cecily''s n won''t work out." I softly answered him, and he shook his head.

    "Don''t surrender easily, Jack. I think my sister''s idea will do, but I am sure Miss Charlotte would be skeptical about it at first, but she will have no other choice. Hunter is doing his best to make her life miserable than it already is," he responded, and I arched my eyebrows as I stared at him.

    "My sister didn''t tell you about her brilliant n?" He asked, and I nodded my head.

    "Yes, she didn''t mention anything to me," I replied.

    "Then, I don''t have any right to tell you anything," he responded, and I sighed heavily.

    "Come on, Mar, you can tell me about it, and I won''t tell her anything," I said, and I was smiling when he started telling me about his sister''s

    ns. And I admit Cecily''s ideas were terrific, and I began to feel confident they might work out, and all I have to do is to exercise extra patience. I couldn''t stop feeling excited about staying and being with Charlotte Divenson.

 Chapter 331 A True Friend

    ?

    Charlotte''s POV

    I don''t know what will be Jack''s reaction after I close the door on his face. I should have asked him to stay a little longer or offered him some tea since that was the least I could do for him to bring me drinking water.

    But what I did was horrible, and I knew it was because of the foreign feeling that I felt. I don''t want to look like a fool in front of Jack. I kept my distance from him because his intoxicating scent alone made me want toe closer to him and hug him.

    I didn''t linger behind the door since I didn''t want to hear his pleading. I was afraid that I could no longer say no to him, and while I could still control myself, I did what was best for us. I thanked him, and that was enough.

    I was in my room rolling on my bed after I took a shower and blew dry my hair, and I quickly sat up on my bed. My face felt so hot as I realized I hadn''t given Jack the payment for the water. It would be toote to call him now, for he might be home already.

    I felt so stupid, and I didn''t want Jack to think I was only using him. I am a terrible person, and the best thing I can do is to call him and ask for an apology.

    I could feel the trembling of my hands as I dialed his number, and I felt disappointed when he didn''t pick up my call. I called again, but there was no answer, and after the fifth time, I gave up and copsed on my bed.

    It is still early in the evening, but there is nothing I can do; the Television set is not working, or I don''t know how to turn it on since there were so many wirings and I pulled them all when I realized I have to save because I can''t afford to watch TV while I was struggling financially.

    Besides, the cable is not working, for they already cut off the subscription, and I don''t have inte conection. The smart TV was useless since I was only using data on my phone to check my email and text messages of my new friend. I was waiting for Celia''s text message too, but it seemed like she had stoppedmunicating with me.

    I owe her a lot, and I couldn''t stop feeling guilty that her husband lost his job and I didn''t have the money to pay her wage for the remaining days of her services. I want to pay her sry, but I can''t afford to pay her now.

    My budget is very tight, and I hate that no one hired me. And most of thepanies I applied for told me I could re-apply after six months. For thest couple of days, I submitted my resume to almost all thepanies around Barcelonia capital, and they have the same stupid reason.

    I don''t know what they want. I tried putting no work experience for them not to consider me as more qualified, yet it still backfired on me. The Human Resources personnel questioned me why I didn''t work after I graduated from college.

    I don''t know what to do anymore. It seems like I have to nt my own food from now on. But I don''t know how to grow crops. I don''t have any idea about farming. I have acres ofnd around me, but I don''t know anything about agriculture, and there is no one who can help me.

    I was still thinking about my misfortune when I heard the ringing of my phone, and my heart raced as I realized Jack was calling me. I calm myself and do my best to make my voice sound calm and try not to sound flirtatious. I love to flirt with Jack, but I don''t want him to take advantage of me.

    "I am sorry, Charlotte, I was in the shower when you called. Are you okay?" He asked the moment I answered his call, and I smiled. I felt ashamed about what I did a while ago.

    "Yeah, I am sorry I couldn''t give you the payment for the water," I said, and heughed.

    "I can deliver you a ten-wheeler truck filled with mineral water for free. It was okay; you don''t need to pay for them." He answered, and I could feel the excitement in his voice.

    "You don''t need to worry about it; just call or text me if you need anything before I leave." He said, and I suddenly panicked.

    "What do you mean? Are you leaving Barcelonia?" I asked, trying to stop the trembling of my voice. And I don''t understand why I suddenly panicked and felt so sad after he mentioned he was leaving.

    "That was my n, but I hope before I leave, I can see you one more time," he answered.

    "But why? I thought you fell in love, Barcelonia, and you like to stay here for good." I responded.

    "You were right, I fell in love with your estate and the manor, but you didn''t want me to rent a room, but it was okay. That is your house, and you have all the right not to allow any stranger to stay there with you." Jack dered.

    "I am sorry, Jack," I softly replied, wanting to take back my words.

    "No need to apologize, Charlotte, I am only a stranger to you," he answered, and I wished to tell him he was no longer a stranger to me, and in fact, he was the only person aside from Cecily I could trust.

    I know after sharing those sweet kisses with Jack, it dawned on me; he became so familiar that I could still smell his scent even if he were long gone.

    "When are you leaving?" I asked, and he chuckled.

    "I am not sure yet," he responded, and I hated myself for feeling a little relieved that he hadn''t finalized the date of his flight.

    "Can I visit you one more time?" He asked.

    "I don''t think that is a good idea, Jack," I replied, and he let out a sigh.

    "Of course, I understand, Ms. Divenson. I guess this is goodbye. Please, take care of yourself." He said and ended the call before I could reply to him. and I threw the phone on the floor as I screamed.

    I only needed to say one word and why it felt so hard on my part to say yes. I wanted to see Jack, but at the back of my head I didn''t want to give myself something to hope for when I knew it would only end with a sad goodbye.

    I couldn''t deny I liked Jack so much, but because of my status in life, I can''t. I am now broke and an outcast. I don''t want him to drag him down with me. At first, I thought we couldn''t be together because I belonged to the Divenson family, but I was such a fool for feeling that way.

    I was only a Divenson by name, but the truth is, I have no family, no friends, and I have nothing to be proud of; Jack can''t have someone like me as his girlfriend. Iy on my bed, trying to keep my tears from falling, but I couldn''t stop them from trickling down my face as I realized I was so alone.

    I screamed and let my tears fall like waterfalls. I still couldn''t believe this was happening to me. I thought I was strong and could do it, but I needed my family with me. But because of my poor choices in life, I suffered this way.

    They all hated me for hurting Madeline, and as much as I wanted to hate her, I couldn''t anymore because I knew how much she cared for me, even after all the things I had done to make her leave our family alone.

    And Jack was here because he wanted to forget about Madeline and not because of her ex-girlfriend, Madeline''s best friend. I am just a rebound girl for him, and I don''t want to be that girl. I want Jack to love me like the way he loved Maddie.

    I fell asleep hugging my pillow with tears in my eyes, and I felt d I dozed off to sleep, but when I woke up the following morning, the pain was still there, and I only smiled when I got a text from Cecily, and she told me she wanted to visit.

    I don''t want her to see my situation, but I consider her my best friend now, and I told her everything about me. There is nothing to hide, and after my heartbreak with Jack, all I need is a friend with whom I can share my disappointments and pains.

    "Good morning, Charlotte!" Cecily greeted me with a beautiful smile on her face.

    "You are so early," I responded as I widely opened the door for her.

    "Of course, I nned to help you clean your house." She answered, and I shook my head.

    "No, you can''t do that; you are my guest," I answered, and she beamed at me.

    "And your friend, friends help each other with anything besides, don''t get me wrong, but I am sure you know nothing about household chores. You grew up in a mansion with maids all around you." She added, and I couldn''t disagree with her.

    "You don''t need to feel shy about it. I can help you with anything." She continued, and I smiled at her.

    "Thank you, Cecily," I mumbled, and I was surprised when she hugged me.

    "You don''t need to thank me; that''s what friends are for," she responded, and I couldn''t stop the happiness I felt in my heart as I realized I didn''t care if I had to go through with this kind of hardship as long as I found a true friend.

 Chapter 332 A Good Plan

    ?

    Charlotte''s POV

    "You don''t need to help me change my bed sheets, Cecily. I can do this," I said as she pulled the bedsheets from my bed.

    "I promised to help you with everything," she responded, and I watched her with wide eyes, and I didn''t tell her I felt d she was helping me.

    "After this, I will cook lunch. I brought some groceries that you might need, Charlotte," she added, and I felt more guilty that there was nothing I could offer her.

    "You don''t need to do it. I still have food on the fridge, and I have canned goods in the cupboards," I responded, and Cecily shook her head.

    "You need to eat healthy food. You can''t eat canned goods from breakfast to dinner. It is very unhealthy, don''t worry. Tomorrow, I will help you nt some vegetables." Cecily dered, and my eyes widened in surprise.

    "How did you know I was nning to nt some vegetables? But I don''t have any idea how," I responded with excitement.

    "Well, I just thought if you have your vegetable garden, you don''t need to buy them from the grocery store, and you can pick them fresh from your own vegetable patch, and they are organic if you n to stay here longer." She answered.

    "Of course I do. I have nothing else to do with my life. I mean, there is nowhere I can go. At least, my brother told me, I can be the tenant of this ce, and I can do everything I can as long as it will not harm our property." I responded, and she beamed at me.

    "It seemed like we have so many things to do around here for the next couple of days," Cecily replied, and I nodded with excitement all over my face.

    "Are you sure you can help me? You have a job, Cecily. I don''t want you to lose your job because of me." I mumbled.

    "Believe me, I am not going to lose my job. I don''t want to stay in our house for the rest of the day without anything to do. I want to be productive, and helping you is the best thing you can do." She replied.

    "Thank you so much, Cel," I mumbled.

    "Thank me the moment we harvested some crops from your garden." She replied.

    "I am thanking you for all your help, not only for the garden," I responded.

    "From now on, stop thanking me, okay?" She asked.

    "I can''t do that; that is the least I can do for you. I don''t have anything to offer you, and I feel so useless," I dered and sighed heavily.

    "Hey, you are not useless. I am your friend, and I don''t need anything in return for helping you. It made me happy to help you. I want to spend my time with you." She responded.

    "Really?" I asked, and she nodded.

    "Charlotte, not everyone who will make friends with you will take advantage of you. In this life, some genuine people want nothing but your friendship. You are a good person inside out, and you deserve to have real friends." Cecily said after she put the pillow on the pillowcase while I mimicked what she was doing.

    "Thank you, Cecily, but I am not the person you taught I was. I made mistakes from the past that I wasn''t proud of," I responded.

    "What is important is you regretted those horrible things that you did, and you epted your wrongdoings. I don''t judge you based on your past mistakes, Charlotte. It would be so unfair to you." Cecily said.

    "Unless we don''t learn from our mistakes, that is another story," she added with a smile.

    "Of course," I replied as I nodded at her.

    "I love yourpany so much, and I know that deep inside your heart, you are a good person. I always listen to my instinct, and if ever you turn into a bad person, I will still ept you, and I will stay by your side and remind you that you are not like that," Cecily dered.

    " I didn''t know what I did to deserve someone like you. To be honest, I had no friends in the society I thought where I belonged. I know all the friends that I had before were fake. They only made me the friends because of my family name and not because of who I am." I responded.

    "I am sorry, Charlotte, that you have to meet those kind of people, but don''t close your door. You deserve to have friends whom you can trust." Cecily said, and I was amazed that she finished cleaning my room quickly.

    So far, I had done nothing but observe what she was doing. I wanted to learn on my own, but as I watched Cecily do the chores, I realized it would be easier to witness it with my own eyes.

    I should have never looked down on our maids in the Divenson mansion. I realized what they did in our house wasn''t that easy. Cleaning the house the entire day could be so stressful.

    I yelled and asked them to do this and that, thinking they were being paid and should neverin. I felt horrible, and I wished I would be given another chance to rectify my mistakes.

    We went to the kitchen, and I felt d Cecily asked me to help her prepare lunch. She brought fresh meat and vegetables, and I felt so proud of myself after I peeled some of the vegetables and sliced them into cubes.

    "Thank you, Charlotte, you learned so fast," Cecily dered, and Iughed.

    "I knew those things were very simple for you, but I hadn''t tried them even once," I replied.

    "Of course, you don''t need to tell me. You used to have maids in this manor, too, right?" She asked, and I nodded my head, but I couldn''t tell her they had only left because my brother stopped paying for their sries since I arrived at Barcelonia.

    "It must be hard on your part," she added, and I agree with her. I watched Cecily cook, and I felt excited to do it on my own soon. She told me I could call her anytime if I wanted to cook something, and she would be willing to be my teacher in everything, including gardening.

    "Why do you learn all those things?" I asked, and sheughed.

    "I am sorry, I just found your question funny." She replied.

    "I grew up in poverty, Charlotte, growing up; I didn''t have the luxury to sit around and wait for someone to do things for me. I had to work from an early age to help my parents." Cecily said.

    "But I enjoyed my childhood so much, and I would never trade those memories with anything. I had a happy childhood, and I am happy with my life now. Even if we are not rich, we value and love each other. We are always here to support our family." She added, and I envy her so much.

    "Can I visit your house one of these days?" I asked, and she nodded her head.

    "Of course, one of these days, I will bring you to my house; my parents passed away, and my elder siblings were married already. I am living alone in our house." Cecily said, and I was shocked. I didn''t expect she was an orphan.

    "I am sorry to hear that," I replied.

    "It is okay. I miss them every day, but I amforted by the thought that they are always here in my heart, and I know they are watching over me all the time." She happily said I wished I could be as happy and contented as Cecily.

    "Oh, you can cook," I muttered after I tasted her cooking, and sheughed.

    "Of course I can," she proudly responded.

    "What I mean is you are a good cook, the mushroom soup was delicious, and your vegetable stir fry was yummy, and the beef steak was mouth-watering, too," I said, and I could see the amusement on her face.

    "Thank you, Charlotte. Aplimenting from you is an aplishment for me." She said, blushing, and I continued eating my food without care if I was eating so fast and talking while my mouth was full.

    I realized I have a life here in Barcelonia, and now that I have Cecily, I started to have some hope, and I could feel the pang in my chest as I remembered Jack. I don''t want him fo leave, but I don''t have the courage to tell him that, and Cecily was right. I should learn to trust again.

    "Let us continue cleaning after we talk about something you might like," Cecily said after she washed the dishes with her bare hands since I stopped using the dishwasher to conserve electricity.

    "What did you mean by something? Are you talking about a vacant job?" I asked with excitement.

    "It is more a business," she said, and I furrowed my forehead.

    "Cecily, business is not feasible since I don''t have money for the capital," I replied, slightly disappointed.

    "You don''t need a big capital. Besides, you can have partners; you only need a little amount to start," she responded, and Iughed.

    "Do you think we can start a business with small capital? And when you say small, how small could it be?" I asked.

    "Well, you should turn this ce into an exclusive resort. The customer should rent the whole ce. We will amodate the guests per booking; they can be a group, or they could be a couple, or if someone wants to have the entire ce for himself, he can rent it for one night or more." She responded.

    "Your estate has the most beautifulndscaped, and the swimming pool is enough to capture the heart of your prospective customers and all you need is a good chef because good food is very important." She said, and my eyes widened in shock as her idea sank in. I felt so excited all about it as I realized Cecily was a genius.

 Chapter 333 The Hot Chef

    ?

    Charlotte''s POV

    "So, are you okay with my idea?" Cecily asked.

    "Yes, of course, I haven''t thought about it; you are a genius, Cel. I really loved it," I responded, then my face fell.

    "What is wrong?" She asked when she noticed the expression on my face.

    "Nothing, it is just if I will proceed with our n. I have to call my brother and ask his permission." I answered.

    "Come on, Char. Hunter is your brother, and you told me he is a good person; you couldn''t stop being envious of him." She replied.

    "Yeah, I don''t like to reach out to him. I hate him for freezing my cards." I replied as I pouted my lips.

    "Hey, I am sure Hunter only wanted you to learn from your mistakes, and he was teaching you a lesson. Believe me, Charlotte, when you surpass all this, I am certain you will thank your brother." Cecily responded.

    "No, I will never thank him," I answered.

    "I know you are not like that," she mumbled, and my face softened. Cecily could really make me calm down, and I like her for being with me. She makes me feel like I am really a good person.

    "I will try," I softly said, and she beamed at me.

    "You will call him now if you want to realize your dream; you will run your own resort. Who knows, Hunter will finance you someday once you show him your determination, and you can build a five-star hotel someday, and you will be the president." Cecily said excitedly.

    "You want to have your own business, right?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "But I know nothing about running a hotel," I replied.

    "I will help you. You don''t need to worry about anything; for now, all you have to do is make a single call." She dered.

    "What if he will not answer my call?" I asked.

    "You have to call him again; he is a busy man, and you know that. Be patient. I am sure your brother will take your call." She responded.

    "Why do you feel so confident he would answer me?" I asked.

    "I may not know your brother personally, but I could tell he is a good person. He married Madeline, who came from nothing; he didn''t know at first that she was an actual heiress, but it didn''t stop him from marrying her." Cecily dered.

    "He could have married someone from the elite family in Archois, but he chose him because he had a good heart." She added.

    "You didn''t know his intention at first; he only did it to anger my parents," I replied.

    "Whatever reason he had, the fact that he fought his love for Maddie was amazing, and I am falling in love with him, too." She stated, and Iughed.

    "Now, do it," she added as she handed me my phone, and I could feel the trembling of my hand as I took it from her.

    "Hello, Charlotte. Are you okay?" Hunter answered right away, and I didn''t expect him to take my call with one ring. And I could feel the worries in his voice.

    "Yeah, I am fine even if I have nothing left," I responded sarcastically while Cecily shook her head.

    "Look, I am sorry if I have to be hard on you. I was only doing all this for your sake." He replied.

    "I know," I mumbled, and he sighed softly.

    "You do?" He asked.

    "Yes, of course, I knew I was such a bitch, and you hated me for hurting your wife. I am really sorry, Hunter. I came to realize what I had done to Maddie and you." I replied.

    "I had been heartless. I listened to Kaye; she poisoned my mind, and I believed in her." I added.

    "I have forgiven you. Do you need money?" He asked, and the old Charlotte would say yes right away. But I am now a different woman. I wanted to stand on my own.

    "No, I have to survive on my own and show you and our family that I deserve a second chance. I have to work hard to achieve what I want in my life. I want mom to be proud of me." I said.

    "Oh, Charlotte, I don''t know what to say." My brother responded.

    "Just say yes," I responded, and heughed, and I realized how much I missed my elder brother.

    "I don''t know what you asked that I should say yes," he responded with confusion.

    "I need something from you to start my own business," I said.

    "Okay, how much do you need?" He asked.

    "I don''t need your money, just your approval. I want to turn this ce into an exclusive resort," I said and discussed my ns with him.

    "Okay, you have my approval, and good luck; there is only one thing I want to ask from you." He replied, and I suddenly felt nervous.

    "What do you want?" I asked.

    "I will be the first guest to rent the entire ce." He said, and I smiled.

    "Are you serious?" I asked, and he chuckled.

    "Of course I am; just tell me when it will be avable," my brother replied.

    "You are busy," I said.

    "I will find time for you, sis," he responded, and I kept my tears at bay. It felt like music in my ears when I heard Hunter call me Sis; it meant a lot to me.

    "So, I could tell it is a yes?" Cecily said and nodded. Then, we were both jumping and screaming.

    "Now, we need to hire a good chef," she added. I was thinking about Jack, but I didn''t tell her about the hot chef I was crushing with, and I will never lower my pride and ask him to help me.

    I felt so ashamed that I drove him away, and I couldn''t ask him to stay, for he might think I was only using him.

    "I don''t know where to find a good chef here in Barcelonia," I replied.

    "Don''t worry. I handle the recruitment, and I know someone who might interested in the job." She responded.

    "Really?" I asked.

    "Yes, and I think you will like him too; he is young and too handsome to be a chef. He could be a celebrity." She responded, and I wanted to tell her I had someone in my heart already.

    "Okay, I will leave it to you," I replied.

    "I can be your first employee. I will resign from my job and help you." Cecily dered.

    "No, don''t resign; what if this business will fail?" I asked, and she only smiled at me.

    "Don''t worry. I am sure my boss will take me back when I beg him to take me back." She answered, and I looked at her with wide eyes.

    "Don''t worry about me, Charlotte. I will be fine." My friend assured me.

    "I already texted the chef, and he invited us to eat dinner with him at the capital." She said as we stated the furniture in the living room.

    "Wow, that is fast," I replied.

    "Of course, leave everything to me," she proudly said, and I was smiling as we continued cleaning the house. I don''t feel tired at all since I was looking forward to meeting with the chef cook. And I was hoping Cecily''s friend would say yes.

    "Wow! You looked so beautiful," Cecily said the moment I opened the door for her.

    "You told me to dress something nice to make the chef say yes," I replied after I closed the door.

    "You have a car?" I asked and smiled at her.

    "I borrowed it from my brother. I am not sure what time we will be finished talking with the chef, so I have to make sure we have a service." She responded.

    "Send my thanks to your brother," I said.

    "No need. I told him I have a date," Cecily responded, and Iughed.

    I climbed into the passenger seat and realized I had missed driving so much, and I wished I had money to ask some mechanic toe over and look at the car. I need a car if I will have my own business.

    "Do you know a mechanic around here?" I asked.

    "Of course, I''ve got connections," she responded.

    "When I have the money, I want to use one of the cars in the garage, but I don''t have the money yet to pay for the expenses," I replied.

    "I know someone; he doesn''t charge much. Maybe I can ask him to look at your car tomorrow. Maybe there is nothing wrong with your car, or I can ask him if he has a spare battery. I am sure the battery of the car is the only problem." She dered.

    "Are you sure?" I asked.

    "It is possible, and let us hope for the best," she answered, and I nodded as I leaned back on my seat as Cecily drove away from the manor.

    "Wow, he is inviting us to one of the expensive restaurants in Barcelonia. Are you sure he will pay for our dinner?" I asked, and Cecilyughed.

    "Of course, don''t worry, you are not going to pay for anything." She responded as we walked inside the restaurant.

    My stomach was crumbling since we didn''t eat snacks because we were having dinner. I missed dining in fancy restaurants like this, and I couldn''t stop smiling until the waiter brought us to our table. My eyes widened in surprise as I was face to face with the handsome chef who looked so hot with his denim pants and in white t-shirt, no other than Jack Morigan.

 Chapter 334 Finally

    334 Finally

    Jack''s POV

    Telling Charlotte I was leaving came out unexpectedly. Maybe I wanted her to feel something, but she didn''t ask me to stay. I felt so bad that when I came home to Cecily''s house, I went straight to my room after I said good night to her.

    The following day, I was waiting for something to happen. Cecily promised me she would help me, and I don''t know if we can make it work. But after being impatient, something finally happened.

    Cecily texted me and told me everything she talked with Charlotte, and I admit she was so good. She was able to make Hunter''s sister trust her.

    I was excited as I drove to the Barcelonia capital to meet them. I chose a fancy restaurant since I knew Charlotte had been craving her favorite food. I wished to cook her anything she liked, but she didn''t give me the chance.

    "Jack, what are you doing here?" She asked with wide eyes while I stood up, smiling at them.

    "Well, Cecily texted me," I responded, and I could see the shock on her face.

    "You knew each other?" Charlotte asked as she turned her head and looked at Cecily.

    "Do you know him?" Cecily asked back, looking innocent as if she wasn''t fooling Charlotte with our lies. Don''t get me wrong, I knew from the start she only wanted to help me, but after spending time with the Divenson heiress, she cares about her like a friend.

    I am happy that Charlotte finally found a real friend, but Cecily was helping. I don''t want to call it a betrayal since thetter was only helping a friend.

    "Of course, I knew him; he originally came from Magnolia and was one of the men who were crazy about my sister-inw," Charlotte responded, and I smirked at her words.

    I wanted to tell her I was falling for another woman, and that was her. But I don''t want to make a confession at the moment in front of Cecily. I must tell her at the right time.

    "Why do you know each other?" Charlotte asked.

    "Well, he rented one of the rooms in my house," Cecily answered, and Charlotte''s eyes turned big.

    "But I asked him to move out since my brother came home." She added, and I liked how she could quickly formte a lie.

    "No wonder you came to my house that night in an instant. You were staying within the neighborhood, and I couldn''t believe you were the chef Cecily was talking about." Charlotte said, and I smiled at her.

    "Why don''t you like to hire me?" I asked, and she looked at Cecily, and I could tell she didn''t want to hurt her friend.

    "I don''t know," she replied as she averted my gaze.

    "It is alright," I answered, and she raised her head and stared at me.

    "You don''t need to answer me now, and I am staying at one of the hotels in Barcelonia, and my flight is the day after tomorrow; if you change your mind, I can cancel my ne ticket anytime," I added.

    "Please, have a seat. I invited you to have dinner with me, not because I am interested in your offer. It would be tempting, but I don''t want you to get forced into something you don''t really want to do. I can''t force you to hire me. I don''t want you to me me one day." I continued as I pulled out a chair for her since Cecily had already taken the chair across from mine.

    I could see the hesitation on her face, but Cecily held her wrist and sat down to look at her friend. I don''t know what was ying in her head, and I was hoping Cecily was right.

    "But if you will hire me, I assure you I can be the best cook," I added.

    "You are among the best and most famous chefs nationwide, Jack. Don''t be too humble." Cecily said, and Iughed.

    "Come on, I am not that famous," I replied.

    "Oh, no wonder all the women in our neighborhood wanted to have your autograph, and if I didn''t ask them to leave you alone since you chose to stay in my house after I promisedyou that I would have a peaceful vacation." She answered, and she didn''t need to lie about this one.

    I was even shocked when I found her neighbors in front of her house waiting for me, and when I came out of my car, those women screamed my name, and I felt d Cecily took control of the situation.

    "Thank you, Cel. We should take our order now, and you must be starving." I said.

    I asked Charlotte to order what she wanted, but she chose the less expensive food on the menu. And I am thankful that I texted Hunter that they were her favorite food, and I ordered them for her.

    She was looking at me, surprised as I mentioned the expensive menu, And I could tell she wanted all of them. She had been eating instant foodtely, and I am sure she missed them. I am d she stayed and didn''t walk out of the restaurant.

    Cecily and I chatted while we waited for our order, and Charlotte was only listening to our conversation. I tried my best to look cool even if I felt nervous. I find it so hard to make her say yes, but I was hoping Cecily''s n would work.

    Our food arrived, and we started eating. I felt so happy seeing how Charlotte''s face lit up when they served the seafood tter. It includes shrimp, squid, and mussels with oyster garlic butter sauce. The aroma of the food made my stomach grumble.

    The rest of our orders arrived, and we ate in silence. Charlotte was eating heartily, and I felt d she enjoyed it as she chewed her food with grace.

    "Thank you so much for the dinner, Jack. I really enjoyed the food." Charlotte said after we ate the dessert.

    "It is my pleasure, Charlotte. I am d you enjoyed our dinner. I am sorry to disappoint you that it was me who showed up. I am sure you were expecting I was someone else." I replied.

    "Jack, I..." she trailed off, and I smiled at her.

    "You don''t need to exin. I am just happy to see you again before I leave." I answered.

    "I will think about it," she responded, and I shook my head.

    "You don''t need to think about it; if you are unsure now, your answer will be the same tomorrow," I answered.

    answered as she averted my gaze.

    22:48

    "I can be your partner, I will be the chef, and in exchange, we will share the profit; it is okay with me if "Jack, you are making this harder for me," she responded, and I could see the frustration on her face.

    "You can say no or yes right now. It will not make any difference. If you will hire me, I can guarantee you that your business will seed." I dered.

    "I don''t have the capital to pay you. I don''t have enough money. I can''t afford your services." She answered as she averted my gaze.

    "I can be your partner, I will be the chef, and in exchange, we will share the profit; it is okay with me if we will not share equally. I am okay with a 20% share as long as I will be staying at the estate." I said, and her eyes got as big as saucers.

    "Jack, you can''t do that," she responded.

    "It would be okay. You have to start your business, and when you have enough profit in the future, that would be the time you will increase my share," I replied, and Charlotte smiled.

    "Does it mean we have a deal?" I asked, and she looked at Cecily, and her friend nodded her head.

    "Jack is the only one who can help you, Charlotte. I am sure guests would like up the moment they learn Jack is the chef." Cecily replied, and I beamed when I saw Charlotte frown.

    "Do we need to mention his name on our website? I don''t need that is necessary." She asked.

    "Of course, to attract more customers," Cecily replied, and I wanted to hug her eight now for giving me points with Charlotte.

    "Well, just make sure you willmit to me, Jack. I don''t want you to leave me alone when things be rough. I am just starting with my business, and I need someone I can really trust." Charlotte said with seriousness in her voice.

    "Of course I am. I will not leave you whatever happens," I replied.

    "Then, you are hired, Mr. Morigan," she answered with a beautiful smile on her face as she handed her hand to me. The moment our palms met, I could feel the electricity, and she quickly pulled her hand away from me, and I am sure she felt it, too.

    "Thank you, Ms. Divenson. I am looking forward to working with you." I said, and not only that, I wished I could win her heart too.

    We left the restaurant, and I sent them to Cecily''s car.

    "See you tomorrow," I said as I opened the passenger''s seat for Charlotte.

    "Yes, of course," she replied.

    "Goodbye, Jack," Charlotte added, and I watched the car move away for me after Cecily said goodbye to me. I was screaming with happiness, atst, I got her. And I should celebrate with Cecily tonight.

    I left the restaurant after I bought a dress. Ten minutes after they left, I drove back to Cecily''s house since I was still staying at her ce and I was not staying in a hotel. I couldn''t stop from grinning as I drove my car, feeling so excited that finally, I would be living at the Divenson manor.

 Chapter 335 No Choice

    335 No Choice

    Charlotte''s POV

    I felt so conscious the entire time we were eating our dinner since I could feel Jack''s eyes were on me. And his presence alone made me have butterflies in my stomach.

    I was aware of how handsome and hot Jack was, and I couldn''t deny it. I felt so happy that he was the one who showed up, but I didn''t want him to know about how I felt.

    I wanted to start my own business so much that I had to lower my pride to realize my dream, even if I had to deal with the smoking hot chef who could make my heart beat faster than it should.

    Cecily believed in him, and I knew she was right; Jack was the only person who could help me. And Jack was clever enough; he didn''t give me a choice but to say yes right away.

    I could see the amusement all over his handsome face after I said yes to him. I was not sure if I was doing the right thing or if I would regret my decisionter on. But I have Cecily now. I am sure she will never leave me, whatever happens. She is my true friend, and I can say she is my best friend now.

    Besides, Jack promised he wouldn''t leave me if things didn''t go smoothly ording to our ns.

    "Are you sure about your decision? It would help if you didn''t decide based on my rmendation. You will always have thest say because that is your business, Charlotte." Cecily said after we drove away from the restaurant.

    "Don''t worry, I will not hold you responsible if ever he betrays me," I responded, and she shook her head.

    "I admit I only knew Jack recently, but I don''t think he will break his promise; he is a well-known chef, and I don''t think he will tarnish his reputation. I trust him, Charlotte." Cecily said.

    "Is there something going on between you two?" She asked when I didn''tment anything since I didn''t know how to answer her.

    "What do you mean?" I asked, feeling defensive.

    "Well, I don''t know, but it felt like there was something going on between you two." She replied, and I could feel my face blushing. I am just d she focused her attention on the road.

    "Nothing is going on between us," I responded, trying to around unaffected by her words, but how can I stop myself from reminiscing about the kiss I shared with Jack?

    "Okay, you can tell me anything when you are ready. Jack couldn''t take his eyes away from you the entire time we were eating our dinner. I am sure you stole his heart, and you can''t look at him in his eyes either; you were avoiding him the whole time." She dered.

    "You could be a spy, you know," I responded, and sheughed.

    "You like him!" She eximed.

    "No, I don''t like Jack," I answered, and she beamed as she nced at me.

    "Liar," she replied, and I chose to remain silent. I don''t need to confirm the obvious, and I don''t want to talk about it yet because I don''t want to get hurt. I am not sure if Jack was serious about his feelings for me. He came to Barcelonia to mend his broken heart and forget about Maddie.

    Thest thing I want is to be a rebound girl. It would be more painful; I must focus on my business and worry about my love lifeter. I knew I was already in a marrying age, and most of my batchmates and fake friends in college were already engaged or married. Some were legally separated already.

    It is not a race; how can I have a family when I don''t know where to get my next meal? I have to be on my own. If I had known it would be this hard, I would have saved my allowances and the sry I received from thepany even if I didn''t earn it. I mainly worked for fun and never took it seriously.

    I wanted to run thepany even if I knew I wasn''t capable, and I only did it to mess with my brother since I felt so jealous of Hunter, even if I knew he cared about me so much. It was toote for me now, and I could never turn back the time.

    I regretted everything I had done; I should have listened to my family and not to Kaye. She poisoned my mind because she wanted to have Hunter so much, and I was too naive to believe in her lies. She tricked me, and I deserved all this for betraying my family.

    "Thank you so much, Cecily," I said after she pulled over in front of our manor.

    "You are wee, Charlotte," she responded.

    "You should call Jack tonight," she added, and I raised my eyebrows as I nced at her.

    "Why should I call him?" I asked.

    "It would be impractical if he stayed in a hotel where you have so many rooms; besides, it was part of the deal. He should move in with you tomorrow; the sooner, the better." She replied, and I let out a soft sigh.

    "Okay," I responded, feeling defeated.

    "Good night," I added softly.

    "Good night, don''t make that face; Jack is a good man, Charlotte. He is a decent one, and I could say a good catch." She responded.

    "I am not worried about Jack. I am more concerned about myself," I replied, and sheughed.

    "Oh, that is interesting," she said with a wide grin on her face.

    "I guess it is for another time; we really need to have a girl''s talk soon. It is a bitte, and you need to have your beauty rest since we will be busy tomorrow." Cecily added.

    "There is no need for a girl''s talk. I wasn''t hiding anything from you," I replied before I climbed out of her car, and I knew I was blushing.

    "Okay, good to know. I like Jack. I don''t want toplicate things between us if you don''t like him; then, I don''t need to feel guilty if I flirt with him." She replied, and her words took me off guard.

    "Of course, I won''t mind," I answered after a moment of shock. Cecily said goodbye before she drove away from my house, and I could feel a pang on my chest. Just thinking about Cecily and Jack together made me feel sick.

    I should have been honest with her, but I don''t want my new friend tough at me, and I envy Cecily for being so open about her feelings for Jack, and I don''t want them to be together. And for the first time in my life, I realized I liked someone, and I didn''t wish for Cecily to have Jack in her life.

    I couldn''t stop thinking about what Cecily had said, and Iy on my bed with my phone on my chest. I had been trying to call Jack, but for how many? I put the phone down before I could dial his number.

    "Hello, Charlotte?" Jack answered right away, and I couldn''t stop smiling. I wanted to ask him toe to my house immediately before he met Cecily again.

    I can''t hurt Cecily, but I want Jack, too. I don''t think it will be asplicated as this. I couldn''t believe that for the first time, I met a real friend, and we liked the same person.

    Jack could be the reason that I will lose a true friend, but I don''t want to give up Cecily because of one boy; if he likes her back, there is nothing I can do about it. I must keep the pain inside me, and I will never tell Cecily how I genuinely feel for Jack.

    "Charlotte, are you still there? Do you hear me?" Jack asked on the other line when I didn''t say anything.

    "Yes, I am sorry, I have to look for a ce with a clear connection. I can hear you now." I lied.

    "What can I do for you? Don''t get me wrong, I was happy you called me, but I didn''t expect so soon." He responded.

    "Well, since I agreed with your terms, you can stay here at the manor starting tomorrow," I responded, trying to calm the loud beating of my heart. Jack''s voice alone could make my entire covered with goosebumps, and I couldn''t stop having butterflies in my belly.

    "Wow, that is good news," he excitedly replied.

    "It is a waste of your money if you will be living in a hotel. You are my partner, and I need your financial support now," I said, and heughed.

    "Don''t worry, I still have enough money to support your business." He responded.

    "Thank you, Jack. I knew I had been harsh with you, and I tried to drive you away for how many times, but you still say yes." I dered.

    "You don''t need to thank me, Charlotte. I am doing all this for Cecily. She begged me, and I couldn''t say no to her." He responded, and his answer made my heart bleed.

    I don''t understand why I felt this way when all I want is for him to leave me alone. If he agreed to be the chef of my resort because of my friend, then it only means he likes Cecily, too.

    My heart is pierced with the kind of pain I never knew existed, and I have to deal with it because I chose this, and I need to show them that I don''t care if they will be a couple. I don''t know if I can take it, but I need to be strong if I want to be sessful with my dream of bing an independent businesswoman, even if my heart will suffer.

 Chapter 336 Something Stupid

    336 Something Stupid

    Jack''s POV

    Cecily was waiting for me at the front porch, and I was smiling from ear to ear as I walked towards her.

    "It felt like we are having a celebration," she said when she noticed the wine in my hand.

    "Of course, it is a beautiful night to celebrate, thanks to you," I responded as we strode inside the house and headed straight to the living room.

    "I will get the wine ss," Cecily said, and I nodded my head before I sat down on the sofa.

    "So, what can you say?" She asked the moment she got back with two sses in her right hand and a corkscrew in her left hand, and she handed the wine opener to me and put the sses on the center table.

    "First, I want to thank you for all your help. You are amazing, Cecily." I responded, and she beamed at me.

    "I told you I can help you," she softly replied.

    "I believed you, but I couldn''t stop feeling worried if she would say no." I answered.

    "But she didn''t, Charlotte Divenson said yes!" She eximed while I poured wine into our sses.

    "Yeah, and not only that, she called me a while ago and told me I can move in tomorrow." I excitedly responded, and her smile widened.

    "I knew it. It is now all up to you, Jack. I have done my part, and please don''t mess this up." My friend dered.

    "Of course, I won''t mess up. I need to do this. I can''t fail. I must prove to Hunter that I am the right person for the job." I replied.

    "I could tell she is no longer a job for you, right?" She asked, and I nodded my head.

    "I don''t know how to do this. I can''t stop myself from drowning in her. I swear I don''t want to like her, but every time I see Charlotte, I can''t help myself but want her." I responded, and sheughed.

    "That is good news. I can tell she is crazy about you, too," Cecily responded.

    "No, that is not true. she only needed me to work for her, and she doesn''t like me at all." I replied.

    "That is not true," she mumbled, and I only shook my head, and I didn''t say anything.

    "Cheers!" Cecily added as she raised her wine ss.

    "Cheers to us, and congrattions for a job well done, Cecily." I smiled as I lifted up and nked my ss with hers.

    "Congrattions to us! At least we made her say yes. I felt so happy that I was able to help you." She stated.

    "Thank you so much again, Cecily, I don''t know what to do without you," I responded.

    "Don''t mention it; we are both working for Hunter, and your sess would be mine, too," she replied.

    "Of course," I softly mumbled. I felt sad as I thought of Charlotte; at first, she was just a job for me, but now that I was beginning to know the real her, I wanted to help her, but I signed a contract with her brother.

    I didn''t want Charlotte to know anything about it since I really wanted to help her as her knight in shining armor, and I didn''t want to be just a friend with her. I wanted more.

    "So, you are going to leave me?" Cecily asked.

    "Yes, but I guess we will be seeing each other every day since you will be working with her," I replied.

    "Of course, I like her, Jack. at first, I thought she was wicked, and I felt d the rumors I heard weren''t true." She replied.

    "Well, Charlotte regretted the wicked things she had done in the past; she wasn''t guilty of some of those rumors, but I believed she had her reasons, and we should give her the benefit of the doubt," I responded.

    "You must like her a lot," she mumbled as I poured wine on her empty ss.

    "I do, and I couldn''t wait to be with her; this is the first time I really wanted to be with someone after her sister-inw. I loved Maddie, and I will always cherish her in my heart," I responded, and she smiled.

    "I am so intrigued to meet this woman, and she captured Hunter Divenson''s heart; she must be something." She said.

    "Yeah, you will like her, Cecily; she is far different from all the women I have met before. Madeline has an exceptional beauty and charisma I couldn''t exin in words." I dered.

    "I was happy for her that Hunter fell in love with her too; she was crazy about him; it hurt me to the brim when she told me she was in love with him," I added.

    "That was the only time I dreamed of bing rich like Mr. Divenson. I really want Maddie for myself, but I know I couldn''t win. She was madly in love with him. But I liked how Maddie treated me even if she knew I liked her so much, and I became more drawn to her." I continued.

    "I thought I would never get over her until I came here to Barcelonia and spent time with Charlotte." I dered.

    "You fell in love with Hunter''s sister; what a lovely story. Who could have thought Maddie would be your sister-inw in the future," Cecily said, and Iughed.

    "That is something I am not sure about; she is adamant about hiring me. If not because of you, I am sure I will terminate the contract, lower my pride, and ask Hunter to waive the breach of contract," I responded.

    "At least we have seeded, and now, all we have to do is help her. She likes you. If not, she won''t hesitate to ask for your help, Jack." Cecily said.

    "She doesn''t want you to pity her. Charlotte is Divenson by blood, and they are super rich, but she thought she lost her share in thepany and was all alone." She added.

    "She doesn''t have any idea her entire family was waiting for her toe home. She thought they abandoned her. They all love her, especially Hunter. I could see how much he wanted Charlotte to stand alone." She continued.

    "He was only doing this to teach her a lesson. I can''t me Hunter, and I had seen how Charlotte tried to ruin Maddie. I was there. She asked me to do a favor for her once, but my loyalty was with Maddie, and that is why I agreed with Hunter and signed that contract." I responded.

    "I wanted to see for myself that Charlotte suffers without realizing I would put my heart at risk by falling for her. It was so ironic, and I couldn''t believe one day I would fall in love with the same girl I hated back then." I added.

    "That is life. Besides, love moves in mysterious ways, and you can''t alter destiny." Cecily replied, and I looked at her with wide eyes.

    "Do you really think we are destined to be together?" I asked, and she nodded.

    "Yes, you looked good together," she responded, and we both fell silent. We emptied the bottle and decided to call it a night.

    "Jack," Cecily called my name, and I ceased walking halfway to my room and turned around to face her.

    "Yes?" I asked.

    "I told Charlotte something stupid, but I could tell it helped," she answered with a mischievous grin on her face.

    "What kind of something is that and how did it help?" I asked, confused.

    "Well, I just wanted to make sure she likes you, but of course, as expected, she denied her feelings for you," Cecily responded, and I arched my eyebrows as I stared at her.

    "I don''t know what to say," I mumbled.

    "I am a little hurt. I didn''t expect you would ask her about that matter," I replied, feeling so low.

    "Hey, don''t be discouraged. I am sure she likes you because after I told her I like you, she blushed and fell silent." She dered, and my eyes widened in shock.

    "You like me?" I asked in disbelief, and sheughed.

    "Don''t worry, I was only testing her. You are handsome and hot, but I don''t have feelings for you, Jack. I like you as a brother. And I like Hunter Divenson type of guy, but too bad he was taken." Cecily replied, and I felt relieved she was only joking.

    "I could see the pain she was trying to hide after she recovered from her shock. Don''t worry, she likes you, and Charlotte would not call you if she hadn''t any feelings for you." Cecily added.

    "She nned to ask you to move into the manor next week, but after I told her I like you, she changed her mind." My friend continued, and then she winked before she made her way to her room,ughing while I was grinning like an idiot again, and I was hoping that was really the reason why Charlotte called me.

    I left Cecily''s house early in the morning, and I felt so excited as I drove to the Divenson manor. I pressed the doorbell multiple times and called her phone countless times before she finally opened the main door looking so sleepy, and she looked damn hot in her nightgown since she had forgotten to put on her robe.

    "Good morning!" I greeted her while she red at me.

    "It is still very early, Jack," sheined.

    "If you want to start your own business, you should start to discipline yourself; no matter howte you sleptst night, you must wake up early the following morning," I responded, and she grimaced at me before she finally opened the door.

    "Your room is on the west wing next to my room; since that side is not included, it would be for us and the staff only." Charlotte said.

    "I will ask Cecily to stay here if she wants since she is also our partner. She is willing to invest too," Charlotte said as she tried to fix her messy hair with her fingers, but for me, she still looked so lovely and hot, and her face turned crimson, and she averted my gaze when she caught me staring at her lips.

 Chapter 337 On The Right Track

    337 On The Right Track

    Charlotte''s POV

    I found it hard to sleep since I felt excited about my own business, but I knew it was because of Jack. He will being tomorrow, and he will be staying here in the manor with me. I don''t have any idea what I am doing, but I am sure Cecily would help me.

    The sound of my rm clock woke me up, and I felt too tired to get up because of myck of sleep, but I didn''t want Jack to find me sleeping when he arrived. I want to show him that I am ready to start with our business.

    He promised to help me with everything. I am excited about our partnership, but I don''t want to see him flirting with Cecily, and I hope he will not fall for her. But it would be impossible; Cecily is beautiful and hot.

    "Good morning!" Jack greeted me with a beautiful smile, and I felt like a stone as I stared at him, looking so handsome with his rugged jeans and in white t-shirt.

    "Can I get inside now, or do you still want to scrutinize me?" He asked, still smiling at me, and I had to look away from him. I felt so embarrassed as I opened the door for him. I remained silent as he got inside.

    "Are you okay?" Jack asked when I didn''t say anything.

    "Yes, everything is fine. I didn''t sleep wellst night, and I don''t feel good." I replied, and he looked at me with concern.

    "Just show me my room, and you can return to bed. I will wake you up when breakfast is ready. I will cook for us, and I brought some

    ingredients." He answered.

    "You don''t need to do that, Jack. I am okay," I responded.

    "I am cooking for both of us," he insisted, and I fell silent and led him to his room.

    "Wow! I didn''t expect you would give me a fancy room." I dered after we got inside my assigned room.

    "All the rooms in this house are spacious and elegant," I replied, and he beamed at me.

    "Of course, this is one of the Divenson properties," I responded as I watched her draw the curtain of the ss window of my room to allow the sunlight to brighten up my new space.

    I could see the Bermuda grass that needed mowing, and I had to contact some

    of the household staff, including the gardeners. If she wants to make this ce a sensation to our future guests, everything should be perfect.

    I knew Cecily would handle the registrations and all the government documents. I don''t want a business without papers; paying penalties would be a pain, and I don''t want to worry about those things.

    "Thank you, princess. You should get back to your room and have a sleep. I will knock on your door when breakfast is ready." Jack said, and my face blushed. I knew how much I hated it every time he called me princess, but why couldn''t I stop from having butterflies in my stomach?

    "Can you make it good for three? I asked Cecily toe as early as possible." I replied, avoiding his gaze.

    "Oh, she didn''t tell me, but it would be more awesome if she joined us for breakfast," Jack responded. My face fell, but I tried to give him one of my sweetest smiles.

    "Thank you," I sheepishly answered, walked out of his room, went straight to my room, and copsed into the bed, sighing.

    After ten minutes, I gathered all my strength to get up from the soft bed and proceeded to the bathroom to take a shower. Jack was in my kitchen preparing breakfast, and it made me feel excited.

    I was listening to my ylist on my phone as I put on my dress, and I was singing along with the artist. I never felt this happy, but when I thought about what Cecily said, it made me grimace.

    I was on my way to help Jack when I met him in the hallway, looking so fresh and hot, even if he was cooking in the kitchen. I felt conscious when I found him checking me out, and I wasn''t wearing a mini dress without makeup since it was damn early.

    "You are ready," Jack softly said as he ceased walking and stood before me.

    "Of course, I don''t want you to remind me I needed to wake up and get ready," I responded, and he chuckled.

    "Breakfast is ready," He said as he stared at my face with great intensity, and made my knees feel weak.

    "You don''t need to do that, Jack. I can take care of myself." I responded since I felt too conscious.

    "Well, that is part of our bargain. I stay here, and in return, I will cook for you and our guests. I need one or two assistants the moment we start epting guests. But rest assured, I will be the one to cook for you unless there are some emergencies that I need to deal with," He answered.

    I hated that I was so lost in his eyes that I didn''t know how to respond to him, and I felt d my phone chimed, and I smiled when I saw Cecily''s text.

    "Cecily is here," I said as I started at my phone, for I was so afraid to find him still staring at me, and I couldn''t stop throwing myself at him.

    "Oh, I will open the door for her; you should go straight to the dining hall," Jack responded, and my face turned sour as I continued walking without saying anything.

    "Hey, good morning, handsome!" Cecily greeted Jack with too much enthusiasm, and I knew she was doing all this to flirt with him, and I couldn''t stop from feeling jealous.

    "Good morning, Cecily!" He responded, and they walked towards the dining hall, chatting while I was walkingzily ahead of them. I don''t want them to think I was trying to listen to their conversation.

    Jack couldn''t stop smiling, and when they reached the dining room, I was sitting on the dining chair, frowning.

    "Hey, good morning!" Cecily greeted me, and I tried my best to fake a smile as I raised my head and looked at them. And it pierced me to my core that they looked so great together.

    "Good morning, Cil; thank you so much foring," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

    "Of course, I felt so happy when I woke up this morning; I couldn''t wait to join you. I have so many things on my mind that I wanted to talk with you two. And having the hot chef around inspired me more to work harder." Cecily responded, and I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from screaming.

    My face turned redder, and I couldn''t believe I would be this jealous. And Jack was watching Cecily with a wide grin on his face, and I wanted to throw hot water on his face.

    "I don''t know what to say," Jack mumbled, looking at her.

    "You don''t need to say anything, Jack. I am just happy that you are here with us, and I can see you every day." She said with a wink, and I tried my best not to choke my newly found friend.

    "I think we should eat now since there are so many things I need to discuss with you today; we need to double time if we have our soft opening in less than a month," Jack replied as he handed me my coffee.

    "Thank you," I softly said.

    "You are wee," He responded, and I blushed when I felt his hand brush my skin.

    "I missed your cooking, Jack," Cecily dered, and I coughed. I couldn''t believe she won''t stop flirting with Jack.

    "Oh, really? I am delighted that you enjoyed eating the food I prepared for you." The hot chef responded while I was trying to finish eating my food without choking.

    "Of course, you are a great chef, Jack. You really exceeded my expectations, and I told you my mom loved your show, and every woman in our neighborhood adores you." Cecily responded as she looked at him, and Jack smiled at her, which brought pain to my heart. I could have said yes when Cecily asked me

    if I liked Jack.

    I remained quiet as we continued eating breakfast. I helped Cecily clean the table while Jack opened hisptop and opened the file where he saved the list of things to be done and the menus he nned to present to us.

    "Are you two ready? I want to discuss what we should do toplete the work faster." He said after we finished washing the dishes.

    "Sure," we both answered. Cecily was smiling at Jack while I was avoiding his gaze.

    I want him to look at me with the kind of longing I had seen before, but I must be patient. I am not on the right track; businesses first, and when everything is in ce, I will flirt with him if I have to, but for now, I need to control myself since I have to uphold my reputation.

    It wasn''t my forte to chase a man, but with Jack Morigan, I don''t know if I could control myself; he was like a ma that I couldn''t stop myself from getting closer to him. I longed for his kisses and touch, and I hated that I needed topete with Cecily.

    I liked her a lot and considered her my bew best friend, and we should not fight each other because of a man. But I hate to admit that Jack is worth fighting for, and I am losing my mind.

 Chapter 338 My Desire

    ?

    Jack''s POV

    I could see the sadness in Charlotte''s eyes; I love Cecily for her made-up stories about her having a thing for me. She is beautiful, and I am sure Charlotte bought her lies. But I hoped she was right; she made Hunter''s sister jealous. I could y with Cecily''s game to make sure Charlotte would be mine, but seeing her in pain made me feel uneasy.

    I never felt this happy for a long time because after Madeline got married, I was miserable.

    I made Gina my girlfriend to be closer to Maddie, and it was a big mistake. I should not have used Madeline''s best friend to heal my wounds; in the end, I hurt Gina. I am delighted that she epted the fact that we couldn''t be together.

    I liked Madeline''s best friend, and I loved her in my own way. She was an incredible woman, but I couldn''t marry her since I didn''t love her enough. I needed to let her go, and I hoped Gina would find the perfect man for her. I wished her to have a happy life ahead of her, and I wished she would forgive me.

    I was going to fetch mydy boss and tell her breakfast was ready, but I met her in the hallway, looking so fresh and hot without makeup. She looked so lovely in her mini dress that hugged her body perfectly. And I could see the uncertainties on her face that she was trying to hide.

    How can I tell her this was what I signed for, but I couldn''t tell her I was under contract? Charlotte would hate me if she learned about it, but everyone who knew about the setup signed an NDA. She will never find out about it unless I will tell her everything.

    I felt guilty that I was hiding something from her, but my feelings for Charlotte were real. Falling for her was not part of the n; her brother asked me to make her fall in love with me, and not the other way around.

    "Wow, you looked beautiful, princess," I said as I ceased from walking and towered over her. She blushed right away as she tried to avert my gaze.

    "Thank you, Jack," she responded.

    I liked Cecily, but I wouldn''t say I liked the idea that she came too early. I wanted to be alone with Charlotte, but I needed my friend''s help to win over this feisty woman I was falling in love with.

    Cecily was right, Charlotte was jealous, but she tried to hide it from us. I could see how her face turned sour every time Cecily tried to flirt with me, and she was doing it perfectly. If she didn''t tell me about her ns, I am sure I would believe her.

    I had been honest with Charlotte about my feelings for her, but she rejected me many times, and I felt d Cecily was here to boost my confidence. I don''t want to have fun at my girl''s expense, but I love how jealous she was.

    Cecily proved her point, and I am starting to believe Hunter''s sister was really into me. I didn''t want to make Charlotte ufortable about this situation, but I was enjoying every moment.

    I knew she wasn''t the kind of woman who would chase a man. Charlotte Divenson''s ego is higher than the mountains of Barcelonia.

    I could see a scowl on Charlotte''s face out of the corner of my eye, but when I turned my head and looked at her, she was staring at me with a half smile on her lips, and how I wished to be alone with her and captured her lips and kissed her until her lips got swollen.

    "Oh, that is great, Jack. Your presentation looked doable, but without money, I don''t think we can start this business. There are still many things to buy, and we must renovate." Charlotte said after I presented my ideas.

    "Hey, I told you, I am willing to invest. don''t worry about the finances; I will take care of everything." I answered, and she weakly smiled at me. I know she didn''t want to have any debt of gratitude from me, but she doesn''t have a choice.

    "Thank you, Jack, I appreciate everything," she answered.

    We got busy the following day, but sleeping in her house every night made me feel happy and rxed. I cooked her food from breakfast to dinner, and she was enjoying herself except for the time Cecily joined us in the dining hall.

    Charlotte would turn silent every time Cecily was dining with us.

    "Do you want toe with me to the capital and buy some of the amenities?" I asked Charlotte one morning after we had eaten our breakfast.

    "I don''t know, Jack, I need to finish something," Charlotte answered without looking at my face.

    "Well, I think I have to ask Cecily if she is free to go with me," I answered, and her face turned sour in an instant, but she tried to hide it with a beautiful smile.

    "Maybe she is free," she softly answered.

    "See youter," I replied.

    "Yeah, see you; thank you for the delicious breakfast as always; it felt like I was back to the Divenson mansion." She responded, and I couldn''t stop from beaming at her.

    "It would be my pleasure. I am d you loved my menu." I stated.

    "Are you kidding me? You are greater than any of the chefs my mom hired in our mansion." Charlotte said.

    "Thank you, it means a lot to meing from you. You are a Divenson, and I knew you grew up in luxury, including having the privilege of having your own chefs that came from different countries, and yourpliment made me want to believe I am a great chef." I answered, and her face softened.

    "Come on, you are too humble, Jack. Of course, you are among the best chefs I have ever met." She said as she smiled at me, and I wished to lean down and capture her sweet lips.

    I don''t want to make thingsplicated at the moment, but I am so tempted to y her hair with my fingers and cup her lovely face as I stare at her beautiful eyes.

    "Hmm, breakfast is ready. You should try everything I cook for you, and you will decide if I am really a good chef." I replied, and she beamed at me.

    "I don''t need to do that, and I will not be eating alone." She dered as she walked ahead of me.

    The days passed in a blur, and I never felt so alive as I worked with Charlotte and Cecily. We contacted the previous staff of the manor to be her employees since Charlotte didn''t know them.

    Charlotte had never paid attention to all the household staff before, and she had no idea they were all working for her family for a long time. She thought she had hired new employees from Barcelonia. She had no idea they were living near her estate.

    She differed from Hunter and Lily, who always found time to chat and spend time with the maids.

    "Wow, I never expected we would be ready for our soft opening this fast," Charlotte said as we ate dinner.

    "You worked harder every day," I responded.

    "I wasn''t the only one who did the work, thank you guys." She said as she looked around the table. It was my idea to have dinner with her newly hired employees.

    "Thank you, Miss Charlotte, for this wonderful opportunity you have given us," Carlo said; he was one of the Housekeeping staff.

    "You are wee; it is my pleasure to have you here with me," Charlotte replied with a genuine smile on her face.

    "I couldn''t believe my brother would be my first guest and he would be here tomorrow," She said as she looked at me with a worried expression on her face. We were alone on the back porch facing the swimming pool, drinking wine.

    "You should be happy and excited; why do you look like that?" I asked after I drank my wine in one gulp.

    "I am just anxious about what would be his reaction. I don''t hate him now. I mean, we had a misunderstanding, and I hated my brother, and I med him for something. I conceded, and I understood now that everything he did was for my own good." She responded.

    "I want to impress him. I had been jealous of Hunter growing up, and I knew I was wrong back then. I just wished he would give me another chance to prove my worth." Charlotte added, and I smiled. I never expected to hear it from her mouth. The old Charlotte would never admit she was wrong.

    If she continues to act this way, I am sure I will be at her mercy since I can no longer stop my heart and mind from loving her.

    I am sure Charlotte was talking about being cut off from everything, and she couldn''t talk about it with me because of her ego. I couldn''t stop staring at her beautiful face as I realized she had changed.

    She no longer wears those fancy heels, and she has stopped talking about shopping for expensive bags, dresses, and perfume. Charlotte is enjoying her simple life in Barcelonia, so distinct from her previous way of living, and I found myself more enthralled by her.

    I sent Charlotte to her room after we called it a night, and I didn''t want to leave her, but we have a guest tomorrow, and it would be my boss. I found it hard to sleep since I couldn''t stop thinking about what would happen tomorrow, but I must face Hunter and let him know everything, including my desire to have his sister as my girlfriend.

 Chapter 339 Misjudged

    339 Misjudged

    Charlotte''s POV

    After saying goodnight to Jack, I didn''t dare to look back since I didn''t want to look like a fool. I couldn''t deny I was falling for Jack more every day, and I was afraid to throw myself at him and kiss those sweet lips of his and be wrapped in his strong arms.

    I went straight to my bed and copsed on the soft mattress, sighing heavily. I should stop this craziness before I look pathetic in Jack''s eyes. He stopped flirting with me ever since Cecily showed interest in him, and I hate every time they shared sweet smiles with each other.

    I don''t want to tell Cecily I like Jack more than she does, but I don''t want to hurt my friend and ruin her fantasies. But I have an episode every time I see them happily talking and having so much fun. I don''t know when I drifted to sleep. I woke up with a loud banging on my door.

    "Charlotte!! Wake up!" I heard Jack''s voice behind my door, and I groaned as I opened my eyes. I quickly sat up when I looked at the time on the clock hanging on the wall.

    "I am awake, Jack," I responded as I covered myself with my robe.

    "I am sorry I overslept," I said after I opened the door for him.

    "I don''t want to wake you, but your brother will arrive in less than two hours. I started to worry about you." He responded as he stared at me, and I suddenly felt conscious since I looked like a mess. My hair is disheveled, and I don''t know how I look since I didn''t have time to look at myself in the mirror.

    "Breakfast is ready, Cecily is here, and the rest of the staff," he added, and I blushed.

    I felt so embarrassed, and I wondered why my rm clock didn''t work this time when I needed to wake up early to prepare everything and make my team proud.

    "Hey,e on, you still have enough time. Don''t give me that look," Jack stated as he searched my eyes.

    "I felt ashamed. I felt irresponsible," I replied in more than a whisper.

    "I know how you feel right now, Charlotte, but this is not the time to have self-pity. You can do this, and you didn''t oversleep; in fact, I could tell youck of sleep. Don''t worry too much, and we are here for you." He said.

    "Now, take your time to prepare yourself," Jack added as he gave me one of his gorgeous smiles that could melt any woman''s heart.

    "Thank you, Jack," I replied, blushing.

    I quickly showered and found the most pleasing dress I could find in my closet. I don''t want to wear something fancy to make Hunter think I am still living my life in luxury.

    I smiled when I found a ck pencil-cut skirt with a slit at the back. I chose a white long-sleeved blouse. I looked decent as I watched my reflection in the life-sized mirror inside my room, and it felt like I was already a businesswoman.

    I wore ck high-heeled shoes and walked out of my room with confidence. I could feel my nervousness as I walked towards the dining hall, and I was surprised to find everyone sitting in front of the long table waiting for me.

    "Good morning, Ms. Charlotte," they said in unison while my heart was beating so fast as I found Jack looking at me with pride on his face.

    "Good morning, everyone. today, we will have a very special guest, and I expect you all to do your best to serve him beyond his expectations." I said to everyone, and they all nodded with a smile on their faces.

    We ate breakfast, and as usual, the food was superb. I couldn''t thank Jack and Cecily enough after I found out everything was set and there was nothing to worry about.

    "Are you nervous?" Jack asked as he stood beside on the porch.

    "Yes, I am," I replied, and my anxiousness heightened when I felt his hand took my palm.

    "Rx, everything will be okay," he said as he squeezed my palm, and it felt so lovely to feel his skin brushed mine.

    "I know, but I couldn''t help it, Jack," I responded, and heughed.

    "Hunter is your elder brother; I don''t think you must feel nervous. You must feel excited seeing him again, and you must be proud of yourself." He answered.

    I wanted to tell him it was more than that. Jack didn''t know my brother cut off everything, and I couldn''t tell him this was my way of showing my brother I was now a different person.

    I wished to impress Hunter, and I am trying my best to live my new life as it is, hoping my brother would give me another chance.

    "It isplicated, Jack," I mumbled.

    "Is it because of Maddie?" He asked.

    "Yeah, but I don''t hate her, Jack. I know she means a lot to you. I don''t want to harm Maddie," I said, trying to avoid his intense gaze.

    "I believed you, Charlotte," he mumbled, and my face lit up as I looked at him.

    "Really?" I asked, and he beamed at me without letting my hand go.

    "Of course, I could tell you have a good heart, Charlotte. I think you have reasons for doing all those things," Jack responded.

    "My best friend deceived me, and I was paying for the price right now," I said, and I could see the sympathy in his eyes.

    Before Jack could say anything, we heard an approaching vehicle, and he finally let go of my hand. I couldn''t stop trembling, but when he moved closer to me, I felt secure, and every cell in my body started to rx.

    "He is here," I mumbled as I looked at the car.

    "Yes, just act normal," Jack answered as if he could read what was ying in my head.

    "Wee, Hunter!" I said with enthusiasm the moment my brother climbed out of the vehicle and walked closer to me with a smile on his face. I was shocked when he took me into his arms and hugged me without saying a word.

    I could feel my brother''s love through his embrace, and I couldn''t stop myself from putting my arms around his waist as he pulled me closer to him.

    "Thank you, Charlotte," he said after he released me from his hold, and I knew I was blushing like a kid. I felt so happy, and I didn''t expect to have this kind of moment with my brother again.

    "I know you are tired from your flight. I should show you to your room first and let Jack prepare your meal," I said, and my brother turned his attention to Jack.

    "I am impressed, Charlotte." My brother said, and I felt so proud of myself.

    14:52

    I led Hunter to his room while the attendant carried his suitcase, and I felt less pressured after my "Oh, you hired the best chef in Archois," Hunter said, smiling as he offered his hand to Jack for a handshake.

    "Jack is not only a chef but my business partner as well," I replied.

    "I am impressed, Charlotte." My brother said, and I felt so proud of myself.

    I led Hunter to his room while the attendant carried his suitcase, and I felt less pressured after my brother gave me a warm hug. That gesture made me think he still cared about me, and I couldn''t wait to spend more time with my brother. And I wished Hunter would give me one more chance to prove my worth.

    "See, I told you everything would be alright," Jack said when I joined him in the kitchen as he prepared food for my brother.

    "Thank you, Jack, this means a lot to me. I don''t want to ruin this chance," I replied.

    "Don''t worry, I will do my best to serve your brother the best food I can offer," he responded, and I smiled at him before I walked to the dining hall and prepared the table.

    "Jack, as expected, your cooking is excellent; you are really the best," Hunter said after he ate his food. Heplimented Jack and I felt so proud of our hot chef.

    "Thank you, Hunter," Jack replied and I blushed when he winked at me.

    "I liked the ce. You turned it into a beautiful ce; I never expected this to happen. Good business choice, Charlotte; you really have the potential to run your own business." Jack said after I showed him around.

    "Thank you, Hunter," I replied in more than a whisper.

    "Look, I am sorry for everything I did, Hunter. You might think I didn''t have any remorse for everything I had done to Madeline, but believe me, I do. I didn''t want to hurt her." I said, and he turned his head and looked at me with tenderness.

    "I knew, Charlotte, Kaye told me everything. She came to see me before my flight." My brother answered, and I felt too shocked to respond to him.

    "Your best friend asked for my forgiveness. I felt so relieved when I learned the truth. I don''t hate you for what you did to my wife. Honestly, I was worried that you would do something that would harm Maddie and my son." Hunter added, and I felt hurt by his words.

    "I will never harm your wife and son. I can''t me you if you felt that way; after what you thought I had done, I am sure you don''t trust me anymore," I mumbled.

    "I was hoping you would change, Char. I knew you had a pure heart, and I wondered what happened to my sweet sister. and now, I felt so happy to see you, and knowing you weren''t the one responsible for those things that happened to Maddie made me happier." He dered.

    "I am sorry if I misjudged you," he said.

    "Don''t be sorry. I was part of Kaye''s game, and I am not that innocent. I still feel guilty." I replied.

    "Stop feeling that way, Charlotte. I am so proud of you." Hunter said as he ruffled my hair, tears of happiness rolling down my cheeks as I threw myself at him.

 Chapter 340 Upset

    Chapter 340 Upset

    Jack''s POV

    I couldn''t believe my eyes that I would witness such a beautiful scene. I could see the happiness on Hunter''s face as he looked at his sister, and I am sure he had already forgiven Charlotte for everything she had done to his wife.

    At this stage, I am sure he is willing to give his sister a second chance. I could feel my heart ached as I watched Charlotte cry. I knew they were tears of happiness, but I couldn''t stop from feeling sentimental.

    "Jack, it is nice to see you here with my sister," Hunter said with a broad smile on his face after he let go of Charlotte and turned his full attention to me. He extended his hand, and I shook it firmly, trying my best to look at ease even if I felt so guilty that I was his aplice.

    "It is my pleasure to work with her, Hunter." I casually replied.

    "I am happy to know you are the chef, and I couldn''t wait to taste your specialties." He responded, and I beamed at him. Charlotte showed Hunter to his room while I went to the kitchen.

    "Are you really my sister''s business partner?" Hunter asked after he summoned me to his room after eating his dinner. He ensured his sister was already in her room before he called and instructed me to proceed into his suite.

    "Hunter, I am sorry if I didn''t tell you anything about this partnership thing. I did it for Charlotte because I wanted to help her." I answered.

    "Don''t worry, I am not upset that you offered help to Charlotte. I am even d that you volunteered." He replied without taking his gaze from me.

    "Are you in love with my sister, Jack?" He asked, and I fell silent.

    "I could tell your silence means yes. I asked you to work for me and make my sister fall for you, but it seemed like you reversed our n." He dered, and my face blushed.

    "You don''t need to feel embarrassed about your feelings; my sister is irresistible. She is a Divenson, after all. Congrattions on a job well done." He added, and I looked at him with confusion all over my face.

    "Don''t give me that look as if you don''t know what I am talking about," Hunter continued.

    "I don''t know what you are congratting me for; as far as I know, I haven''t done anything yet," I responded.

    "Come on, Jack, don''t be too humble to take credit for your aplishments. You turned Charlotte into a different person; look at her; she is now an independent and responsible woman." Hunter dered.

    "I don''t know how you do it, but I am satisfied with your aplishments, and I don''t have any regrets that I hired you for the job." He added, and my face fell.

    "Hunter, I knew I signed a contract, but things changed, and I know I am selfish, but I couldn''t help it. I am falling for your sister, and I am guilty." I replied, and he beamed at me.

    "You don''t need to feel guilty, Jack. I don''t judge you, and I trust you. I know you will never hurt Charlotte." He responded, and I sheepishly smiled at him.

    "Aren''t you angry with me?" I asked.

    "Why would I be angry with you?" He asked back.

    "I came here for the job, but..." I trailed off.

    "I knew you were under contract, but I can tear the  contract and pretend it didn''t happen if that is what you want." He said as hebed his sleek hair with his finger. And I couldn''t me Madeline; she chose Hunter. Her husband is the embodiment of a perfect man.

    "But don''t worry, I will still pay you what is due for you," he added, and I shook my head.

    "That is what I want to discuss with you, Hunter," I replied.

    "Please, stop paying me, and I will return all the payments I have received from you," I responded, looking at him with my head high.

    "You don''t need to return the money, Jack. I owe you, and a deal is a deal." Hunter insisted, but I shook my head in protest.

    "Look, I want to court Charlotte, and I don''t want to feel guilty about it," I replied.

    "She doesn''t need to know about it, Jack. You can still make my sister your girlfriend without telling her the whole truth; besides, I believe your intention is pure. What matters is how you feel for her." Hunter said, and I fell silent.

    "I am happy you developed real feelings for my sister, Jack. I knew she was not that bad. I am sure Charlotte is willing to change, and she is trying her best to be a good person." He added.

    "Hunter, your sister has a pure heart, and I understand her. I knew she was fighting her feelings for me, but I hope in time Charlotte will open her heart to me." I dered.

    "I can see it in her eyes; she got it bad for you, Jack. But my sister''s pride could be the main hindrance to her feelings for you. Just don''t give up on her. I am thrilled to have you as my brother-inw in the future." Hunter said, and I shook my head.

    "I don''t know if I have a chance," I answered.

    "Of course, don''t you believe in yourself?" He asked.

    "I can''t tell if she likes me, Hunter," I replied.

    "Charlotte is my sister, and I knew her very well even if she tried to distance herself from me from the moment Kaye manipted her." He said, and I fell silent, and I was hoping he was right.

    I left Hunter''s room feeling happy that he didn''t ask me to stay away from his sister, and he even encouraged me to court her.

    "What did he want from you?" I almost jumped on my feet when I heard Charlotte''s voice when I turned towards my room. She was leaning on her bedroom door. I was surprised by her presence since Hunter and I thought talking was safe after she retired to her bed to sleep.

    "Nothing important," I said.

    "I don''t believe you, Jack," she answered with raised eyebrows as she looked at me.

    "Charlotte, I am telling you the truth," I replied andbed my hair with my fingers as I let out a soft sigh. I could still see the apprehension on her face.

    "Jack, we are partners. I expect you to be on my side," she responded, and I chuckled.

    "I couldn''t believe what you are saying right now. Do you think I will make you look bad in your brother''s eyes? Come on, Charlotte, I am not that kind of person," I said, trying to control my anger.

    I like her a lot,  but sometimes I can''t take her attitude, just like what is happening right now.

    "I ask you a simple question, Jack; you can tell me what you talked about." Charlotte insisted, and I looked at her for a long time without saying anything.

    "See, you fell silent," she dered.

    "Do you really want to know what we talked about? Can''t I have a normal conversation with your brother?" I asked, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

    "You knew how much I wanted to impress my brother, and I don''t want you to ruin my only chance, Jack." She said in a stern tone, and I could feel my face turned so hot.

    "I will never do that to you, Charlotte, and you know that if you really want to know every single detail I discussed with your brother, it is fine with me," I responded.

    I curled my fists on my sides. She infuriated me to the highest level, and I wanted to walk away without saying anything, but I knew she wouldn''t stop until she had some answers.

    "I told him that I like you a lot, and I wanted to court you. I informed Hunter my intention was pure. But right now, I don''t know if I made the right decision. Maybe my heart was wrong about you after all." I said, and I could see how her face flushed as she fell silent and looked at me with wide eyes.

    I didn''t say goodbye to Charlotte as I turned away from her as fast as possible and went straight to my bedroom after I mmed the door harder than necessary. I was pissed with her, but I hated myself for wanting to go back and take away her worries.

    "What is wrong with you two?" Cecily asked the following morning after we ate breakfast together with Hunter and his sister.

    "What do you mean?" I asked, pretending I didn''t know what she was talking about.

    "You and Charlotte, I could tell you were avoiding each other, and I noticed she was stealing nces at you the whole duration of breakfast while you were talking to Hunter as if she wasn''t there," Cecily answered.

    "She didn''t say a single word to me this morning," I replied, and she furrowed her forehead as she stared at me.

    "Charlotte is too much, and I was upset that she thought I tried to ruin her only chance to redeem herself with her brother," I said.

    "Jack, you have to understand she is under stress," Cecily said.

    "No, I don''t think that is why, Ces. I could say Charlotte will never trust me." I said, feeling frustrated.

    "I tried my best to impress her and win her over, but still, my effort was useless," I added, and she weakly smiled at me.

    "If you want to win Charlotte''s heart, you must be patient enough," she said.

    "No, if I have to tame her, I need to do something to put her in ce," I replied. Before Cecily could react, I saw Charlotte out of the corner of my eye on the kitchen door, and without any hesitation, I put my hands around Cecily''s tiny waist, pulled her closer to me, and kissed her lips.

 Chapter 341 The Pain

    Chapter 341 The Pain

    Charlotte''s POV

    I trembled when I heard the loud bang of Jack''s bedroom door after he closed it with too much force because he was so angry with me. I wanted to call him toe back, but I felt so embarrassed about what I had done.

    I slowly walked back inside my room with shaking limbs. I hated myself for acting that way and saying those words to Jack, but I could no longer take them back. I hurt him, and I couldn''t me him if he left without saying goodbye to me.

    He was hurt and angry. I judged him, and I loathe myself more. I should have been careful with my words and let him exin his side first before I attacked him with painful usations.

    I was so scared when I found him getting out of my brother''s suite, and I wondered what he was doing inside. My mind was in chaos as I thought of the possibilities, and I could no longer control my mouth from using him of ruining my only chance.

    "What I have done?" I asked myself after I copsed into my bed. I wanted to call him and apologize, but I was afraid he wouldn''t answer my call.

    I felt so immature, and I wanted to scream. I was such a fool. Jack only talked with Hunter to let my brother know he likes me, and after what I have done, I don''t think he will still like me.

    He looked so disgusted after I yelled at him. I liked him so much, and I thought we could be together now because I noticed Cecily distanced herself from Jack when he didn''t date her, even if she showed to his face how much she liked him.

    I found it so hard to sleep after I took a hot shower. I kept turning on my bed, but I couldn''t stop reliving what happened. The image of Jack''s face filled with pain haunted me the entire night.

    When I got up from bed the following morning,

    I felt dizzy, and my whole body ached.

    I hurriedly showered and put on one of my favorite casual dresses. I apply light makeup on my face to hide the evidence of myck of sleep, and I admit I wished to look good in Jack''s eyes; that is why I applied some foundation on my face and lipstick on my lips.

    There is one thing I want to do before I start my day. I need to ask an apology to Jack and ask him to give me one more chance, and if I need to confess my feelings for him, I will do it to win his forgiveness.

    Hunter is here, and I don''t want to make this day worse by being the bad girl. Jack confessed to my brother, and it must have been hard on his part, and he must have liked me a lot to speak with my brother about how he felt for me.

    I felt excited to see Jack, knowing he was already cooking breakfast in the kitchen. I need to see him now before my brother wakes up. I put on my high heels and walked out of my room hastily.

    I took the stairs two steps at a time. I needed to see Jack, and I could feel the hammering of my heart as I took every step. I felt so excited to feel his lips again. I know I was thinking in advance. I was hoping after I told him how I felt, he would kiss me.

    I could feel the knots on my stomach as I walked into the living room with grace. I was smiling like an idiot as I made my way to the kitchen, but my smile turned into a grimace, and my world crumbled down when I found Jack kissing Cecily as I stood at the kitchen door with my eyes wide open.

    I wanted to run as I watched Jack pull Cecily tighter, but I couldn''t move my feet. The way he kissed her was more than enough to tell me he was totally over me. He had forgotten over me after one night, and I couldn''t me him.

    It felt like my heart was pierced and cut into a million pieces. I never expected to find the hot chef doing something like that because he told mest night he confessed to my brother he liked me a lot. How could he like me and kiss another woman in front of me?

    "Good morning, Charlotte!" He greeted me after he released Cecily''s mouth as if he had done nothing wrong, and I wanted toe closer and p him hard on his face, but I didn''t even have the energy to utter a single word.

    "Good morning, Charlotte. Are you okay?" Cecily asked, and I could see the happiness all over her face while I wanted to disappear and hide from them forever.

    But I needed to be strong and pretend I was unaffected by what I witnessed. I am a Divenson, and I will never allow a man to ruin my reputation. I will never beg Jack to have me as his girlfriend.

    "Good morning; you may continue what you are doing. I only wanted to check if breakfast was ready; please, excuse me, I needed to see my brother," I responded after I recovered from my shock, I turned my heels in a hurry trying to contain my tears from falling, and left the kitchen with a heavy heart.

    "Good morning, Charlotte! Are you on your way to fetch me?" My brother asked with a beautiful smile on his face when I came across him in the hallway on the second floor.

    "Yes, Sir, I just wanted to ask if you had a good night''s sleep," I replied, and he chuckled.

    "Come on, don''t call me that. I am your brother, Charlotte," he responded, and I smiled even if my heart was aching.

    At least Hunter was here to cheer me up, and it felt so ironic since he used to be thest person I wanted to spend my time with after what I had done to him. I knew Kaye''s words blinded me, and I believed her lies, and right now, I want to make it up to him.

    "Do you want me to apany you today?" I asked, and he beamed at me.

    "I would love that, Charlotte," he said enthusiastically, and I could feel he meant what he said.

    "Where do you want to go?" I asked.

    "Well, I wished to visit Barcelonia''s capital since I needed to buy something." He replied, and I nodded.

    "I will be happy toe with you, big brother," I replied.

    "Okay, we will leave after eating lunch, and I n to have dinner with you with Jack and Cecily at my favorite restaurant in the capital." He dered, and I suddenly tensed up and just thinking about them made me feel sick.

    I even formted a n on how to excuse myself during mealtime. I don''t want to eat with them. I considered Cecily, my best friend, but after what I saw a while ago, I don''t want to see them both.

    "Let us go to the dining hall because I am starving." He added.

    "I am sorry, Hunter, but I needed to call some suppliers. Would it be alright if I couldn''t join you?" I asked, and he widely grinned at me.

    "Oh, you be a workaholic, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Charlotte." He replied, still smiling at me.

    "I know, but don''t worry, I already ate bread and took coffee," I answered.

    "Alright, just make sure you will not skip a meal within the day," he stated as his face turned serious.

    "Yes, sir," I replied, and he shook his head.

    "Stop calling me that," he responded.

    "I am sorry, but technically, you are my guest, and I should address you properly," I said.

    "Charlotte, please, stop that; you are making me ufortable." He mumbled as he looked at me in the eyes.

    "Okay, Hunter," I replied and he sweetly smiled at me.

    "Can we have dinner alone?" I asked, and he stared at me.

    "Why? Don''t you want your employees to join us?" He asked with curiosity in his eyes.

    "It is not like that, Hunter. I just want to be alone with you to have a brother and sister bonding time that we couldn''t have for a long time. I knew I had done so many things that displeased you, and it felt surreal that I am talking with you right now." I responded.

    "Oh,  I like the idea, that would be lovely. Let us have dinner alone; we will invite Jack and Cecily tomorrow night." He responded, and I forced myself to fake a smile even if I wanted to frown and say no. I couldn''t find any excuse not to have dinner with them tomorrow.

    I will make another excuse tomorrow; at least I don''t need to deal with them tonight. I want to be alone with Hunter, not only to make up for the lost time but to be away from the manor for the time being.

    I don''t want to be with Jack or Cecily. I couldn''t stop the image of them kissing in front of me. It really breaks my heart, and I don''t know if I can take the pain any longer.

    I nned to apologize to Jack about my behaviorst night. I knew I hurt him for using him, but right now, I felt so angry and betrayed. How could he kiss Cecily after he confessed to my brother he liked me?

 Chapter 342 Get A Grip

    Chapter 342 Get A Grip

    Jack''s POV

    "I am sorry for kissing you unexpectedly, Cel. I knew I should have told you what happenedst night, but it was toote. Charlotte suddenly appeared at the kitchen door, and I felt so angry with her that I wanted to teach her a lesson she wouldn''t forget," I said after I let go of her.

    "Do you think it was worth it?" Cecily asked with concern in her face, and my face fell.

    "I don''t know, maybe I lost my chance on her, but she was too much," I responded and told her what happened between Charlotte and me after I talked with Hunter.

    "Jack, I told you to be patient with her. I don''t want to ruin our friendship. I like her, and judging by the expression on her face, she didn''t like what she saw," Cecily replied, and I halfughed.

    "Are you serious? She wasn''t affected at all, and she even told us to continue what we were doing. Charlotte is heartless, Cecily," I dered as I put my hands over the kitchen countertop.

    "Yes, I am. She may be good at hiding her real feelings, but I can tell we hurt her." My friend mumbled.

    "I knew I gave you the idea of making her jealous by using me, but I saw the pain on her face every time I flirted with you, Jack. Charlotte loves you, and her ego is her greatest enemy." She added, and I wished she was right.

    "You have to woe her, Jack," Cecily continued, and I shook my head.

    "I confessed to Hunter how I felt for her, but in return, Charlotte used me of doing something I wouldn''t do. I don''t think we will work out if she ever gives me a chance." I responded.

    "It was her nature, and I knew from the start taming her would be a big challenge for me. I shouldn''t have epted this job in the first ce," I added as I picked up the knife and continued slicing the fruits for breakfast.

    "Hey, aren''t you happy you are here in Barcelonia?" Cecily asked.

    "Of course I am," I replied as I gave her a quick nce.

    "Don''t tell me you are giving up on her?" She asked, and I fell silent since I didn''t have the right answer for her.

    I served Hunter his breakfast, and he insisted that we should join him. I hated myself that I felt upset that Charlotte didn''t eat breakfast with us. She avoided us the whole day, and I am sure she was angry with me. And I don''t know if it was because of what happenedst night or if she saw me kissing Cecily.

    "I will go out tonight with my little sister, don''t bother to cook me dinner, Jack. You can rx, buddy." Hunter said as I served him his snack.

    "Okay, enjoy Barcelonia," I replied.

    "I want to have dinner with Charlotte," he mumbled, and I just nodded my head.

    "Hey, is everything alright?" He asked.

    "Yes, of course," I quickly replied.

    "Are you sure? It seemed like my sister was not in the mood today; she looked disturbed." He dered, and my heart raced as I tensed up.

    "I haven''t seen her," I replied, and he cocked his head and looked at me with a quizzical look on his face.

    "Jack, you must make a move if you want to win her over," he mumbled. And I wanted to tell him I made a wrong move earlier this morning, but I remained silent.

    "I am sorry. I have no right to meddle with your personal matters, but we are talking about my sister here, and I guess I have all the right to know what is going on between you." He added as he looked at me in the eyes.

    "You looked anxious, too, and you don''t need to tell me something is wrong. Your facial expression tells me everything. You just told mest night you liked my sister, and I was expecting you to look happy, but it was the opposite." Hunter dered, and I took a deep breath before I told him everything.

    "Hmmm, so Charlotte, don''t get discouraged, Jack; if you really love my sister, you need to be more understanding." He said.

    "Thank you for your advice, but I think it is better if I stay away from her for the time being and give her enough space that she needs," I responded, and he shook his head.

    "I don''t think that is a good idea, Jack, but if that is what you want, it is all up to you. I just wished you wouldn''t give up on her." He dered, and I opted to remain silent.

    Charlotte was able to avoid me for the rest of the day until evening came. I was on my way to my room to shower when I came across her in the hallway, and my stupid heart betrayed me as I looked at her, wearing a strapless knee-length dress with a dangling neckline. And I have to control myself not toe closer to her.

    She looked surprised when she found me staring

    at her, and she blushed and quickly avoided my gaze. She looked down at her shoes, and I could tell she was as nervous as I was.

    Her beauty took my breath away, and I was standing there like a fool, admiring her lovely face and luscious curves. Damn, this woman is driving me crazy.

    "You looked so beautiful, Charlotte," I mumbled as I continued to walk.

    "Thank you, but Cecily is more beautiful than I am," she replied without looking at me, and I chuckled and stopped walking in front of her.

    "Are you jealous of us?" I asked, and she blushed even more.

    "What? Are you crazy?" Charlotte asked as she raised her head and looked at me with her eyes zing with anger.

    "Why would I be jealous of you? I don''t care if you will be kissing from time to time as long as it will not interfere with your work. I don''t give a damn about your personal life." She added before she turned her heels and walked away from me.

    I needed to lean on the wall to keep myself from running after her and dere all my love for her. I shook my head as I realized how much I wanted to shut her mouth by kissing her.

    "Are you okay, Jack?" Cecily asked after I joined her near the garden. It was a starry night, and the house seemed quiet after Hunter and Charlotte left.

    "Yes, I am good," I replied.

    "Liar!" She said, and I let out a soft sigh as I sat on the bench beside her.

    "She was avoiding me, too, and I don''t like to be treated this way because of you. You better fix things before I lose her, Jack." Cecily said.

    "I am sorry, Cel, for dragging you into this mess," I replied.

    "You need to tell her tonight, Jack." She said, and my eyes widened.

    "No, I can''t," I responded.

    "Then, I will do it for you," Cecily replied, and I became more shocked.

    "Please, don''t do it, Cel," I asked.

    "I can''t sleep tonight knowing she was angry with me." She responded.

    "You need to tell her that I was not the one you wanted to kiss," she added, and I slowly nodded my head.

    "Okay, I will try if she will speak with me," I replied.

    "You have to use your charm, or you can kiss her before telling her everything," she said, and Iughed.

    "I am sure she will p me if I do that," I responded.

    "You wanna bet?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "No, I don''t want to make another game with her. I am tired, Cecily," I said as I looked at the stars above us.

    "Then, you must do something and make things right before it would be toote." She replied, and I hate to admit Cecily was right.

    "But what if it will go wrong?" I asked, and she smiled at me.

    "You are the hottest and most handsome chef in the country. I don''t think things will go wrong with a face like that," she replied, and I shook my head.

    "Charlotte is immune to my kind, Cecily. Do you think she was affected by my handsomeness? I don''t think so; in her eyes, I am just an ordinary guy, Cecily. Besides, she doesn''t want someone like me to be her boyfriend because I am not rich." I responded.

    "You are so humble, Jack. I knew how loaded you are, and I was even shocked when you agreed to work with Hunter Divenson since you have money and are now considered rich." She replied as she looked at me, and then she fished out her phone from her pocket.

    "She came from the elite society, Cel. She suffered financially because her brother wanted her to learn things the hard way, but it doesn''t mean she lost her inheritance." I dered.

    "The moment she gets all her privileges back, I am sure she will forget me right away, and she will go back to the real world where she belongs, and I will be left with a broken heart," I added.

    "Jack, don''t be too hard on yourself. I couldn''t believe Charlotte would affect you this much; you are the most confident man I have ever met. Don''t lose yourself; get a grip." Cecily stated.

    "Believe me, Jack, she loves you too, and I am not telling you this to boost your confidence, but as a woman. I knew how she felt for you." She added.

    "I need to go now; my brother is here," Cecily added before I could reply. She stood up, and I got up and walked to the front door with her.

    I chatted with Mario, and I felt d to have some friends here in Barcelonia; I knew I was falling in love with this ce, and I felt horrified as it dawned on me I was more in love with mydy boss. I couldn''t get away with what I felt, and I needed to find the courage to tell Charlotte I wanted her to be my girlfriend.

 Chapter 343 Never Too Late

    Chapter 343 Never Too Late

    Charlotte''s POV

    "You looked so beautiful, Charlotte," my brother said as he opened the passenger''s door for me.

    "Thank you, Hunter; you looked dashing with your business suit as always," I replied, smiling at my elder brother.

    "I wished to wear jeans and a shirt, but I know you, you always wear fancy clothes every time you go out. I don''t want to look like your driver." He stated, and I shook my head.

    "Not anymore. I now realize fancy clothes and shoes, even bags and perfume, don''t matter," I replied, and he looked amused by what I said.

    "What do you mean by that?" He asked as he started the car.

    "After you cut off my cards and all means I can use to buy anything I want, I realized expensive things are no longer important. I hated you after you froze all my cards and ounts." I responded.

    "I am sorry, Charlotte. I don''t want to see you suffer, but I needed to do it," he replied as he darted a nce at me.

    "You don''t need to apologize, Hunter; the spoiled old me would have yelled and cursed you, but now, I understand why you did it to me. I thank you for making me realize that there is more to life than partying and socializing with fake friends." I replied.

    "I learned so much, and Barcelonia taught me so many things," I added, and he nodded his head as he returned his focus to the road.

    "Can you tell me what have you learned?" He asked.

    "I realized the love and support of my family is what I needed in times of trouble, and I never felt so alone my entire life, and basic needs are all I need to survive in this cruel world," I replied.

    "I don''t need fancy clothes, and what I need is to learn to do basic chores to survive. Money makes things easier, but I learned it is wonderful to work to earn money of my own." I added.

    "It was hard, and I thought making money was that easy; I am sorry if I had been a spoiled brat. I did so many things that upset you, and I made you angry countless times every time I opposed your decision." I continued.

    "I know I wasn''t a good sister to you and Lily. I had been a bad daughter to Mom, and I hope you will give me another chance. And I wish to see Mom. I hope you will allow me to see her again, Hunter." I stated, and my brother looked at me again with tenderness.

    "Charlotte, Mom misses you so much, and she was worried sick about you, but I assure her you are doing fine. Don''t worry, and I will bring her and Lily here in Barcelonia soon." Hunter replied.

    "Is she not angry with me? I disappoint our mother, and I don''t have the heart to face her." I responded and let out a soft sigh.

    "No, our mother loves you so much, and she kept ming herself for why you left, and she wished to see you again, Charlotte. I felt d you are now mature, and I am sure Mom would be happy to see you like this." My brother dered.

    "You are a better version of yourself now, and I am so proud of you," Hunter said.

    "Does it mean you are giving me another chance, Hunter?" I asked to feel anxious.

    "Charlotte, I only did it for your good, and the truth is, it broke my heart to cut you off with everything and make you suffer financially for months, but you showed me that you are a strong woman and can take care of yourself." He replied as he looked at me sideways.

    "Of course, you are my sister, Charlotte. I am giving you another chance; you don''t need to worry about money anymore. I will ask the bank to unfreeze all your cards by tomorrow." He replied, and I shook my head.

    "I don''t need my cards anymore, Hunter. I don''t need any money from you from now on. I want to stand on my own. I now have my own business, and I am trying my best to make it work, and I hope I will seed." I said.

    "I want people to recognize my own hard work and not because I am a Divenson," I added, and he beamed at me.

    "I want to make my own name in the business industry and make you all proud." I continued.

    "Wow! I told you, I am proud of you. I don''t know what to say about your cards; they are yours, and it will be up to you if you will use them or not."  He responded and looked astounded by my words, and Iughed.

    "Don''t be so surprised, but I couldn''t me

    you. I was even shocked that one day I would be saying this to you." I dered as I leaned on my seat.

    "I understand if you don''t want to use your cards again, but they are all yours, Charlotte. It is up to you if you will use them or not, but I will still order the activation of your cards." My brother replied, and I smiled at him.

    We arrived at the most expensive and fancy restaurant in Barcelonia, and he was confused when I told him I didn''t want to eat there, and he became more surprised when I brought him to the ce where Cecily brought me.

    "Are you sure you want to eat here?" He asked, and I nodded with a wide grin.

    "Yes, I love this ce. Are you okay if we will eat here?" I asked back.

    "No problem with me," Hunter replied, and I could see the amusement all over his face.

    After we ate dinner, Hunter brought me to a bar, and I loved the cozy atmosphere; we drank cocktails and listened to some acoustic band ying at the center of the stage.

    I noticed women keeping an eye on my brother, and I couldn''t stop teasing him.

    "Your charm never wore out, and I could see girls at their table looking at you, hoping you would look at them, big brother," I said before I sipped my Margarita. He chuckled, but he didn''t say a word as he looked at me.

    "You miss Madeline?" I asked, and he nodded.

    "Yeah, I missed her and our son. I wanted to bring them with me, but I wanted things to be okay between us. I don''t want you to throw your anger towards Maddie." He responded, and I blushed since I felt guilty.

    "Hunter, I don''t hate Madeline. It was Kaye who poisoned my mind, and I was a fool who listened to my fake best friend. I was too naive to believe in her lies. She only used me to get closer to you, and she did everything to make me believe in her lies." I dered.

    "I knew I had done terrible things to your wife, but I never dreamed of hurting her physically. I couldn''t me you if you think I nned to do something bad to Madeline. You have all the right to hate me, and I couldn''t me Maddie if she hates me." I added.

    "I want to know her, Hunter. I wished to be friends with Madeline, and I knew it would be hard to believe, but I really do." I continued, and my brother took my hand over the table.

    "Charlotte, I believe you and my wife would be happy to be friends with you. Madeline doesn''t hate you, and she wanted to get close to you and be your friend." He responded, and my eyes widened.

    "Are you sure about that, Hunter?" I asked in disbelief.

    "Yes, you know my wife, Charlotte, she has a kind heart, and Madeline will never hold a grudge towards anyone. She always believed everyone deserves a second or even third chance in life." I replied.

    "When the perfect timees, you will see each other; when your business is stable, you can visit us anytime." He said.

    I never felt so happy like this, not because my brother was giving me back all the privileges that I have as a Divenson, it wasn''t about the money, but because he epted me as his sister, and hearing him say he is proud of me made me feel so ecstatic.

    "Char, I guess we should call it a night; you have work tomorrow," my brother said, and I agreed with him since I felt a little tipsy, and I didn''t want to disappoint my brother even if I was now in the mood to party.

    "Are you okay?" He asked after he helped me fasten my seatbelt.

    "Of course, I am okay. I still couldn''t believe we had so much fun, and I realized I am so lucky to have you as my brother. I thought you were so boring to be with, but I was wrong." I said, and I giggled.

    "You thought I was boring?" He asked, and I nodded.

    "Yeah, but you are super funny, and I loved to see you like this, less serious, and you made me feel you are my brother and not the CEO of one of the biggestpanies worldwide," I responded.

    "I never got the chance to see this side of you, and I was such a fool for thinking you are mypetition. I didn''t realize you were my protector and the only person who would stand by me. I am sorry, Hunter. I wished I realized it sooner." I added, and my brother shook his head.

    "Charlotte, stop saying sorry. I am happy you realize it by now; it is never toote. I enjoyed tonight too, and I am thankful to God I got my sister back." He responded.

    I smiled at Hunter as he drove away from the bar, and I am so thankful to have this chance to be with my brother and realize it would never be toote to ept your shorings and learn from your mistakes.

 Chapter 344 Still Crazy About Him

    Chapter 344 Still Crazy About Him

    Charlotte''s POV

    "Thank you so much, Hunter; I really enjoyed our time together. And thank you foring here and for being my first guest." I said after he helped me climb out of the car.

    "You are wee, and it was my pleasure. I had a great time with you, Charlotte. And this would not be thest, since I will being back." My brother replied as he smiled at me.

    "Next time, I n to bring Madeline," he added, and I was speechless.

    "Are you okay? Why did you suddenly fall silent, and you looked pale." Hunter asked as he looked at me.

    "Do you think she will apany you knowing I am running this ce?" I asked, and he nodded.

    "Of course, you don''t need to feel worried about meeting my wife again, Charlotte." My brother responded.

    "Aren''t you afraid I will do something evil to her?" I asked, and he shook his head.

    "I know you cannot hurt anyone, Charlotte; what you have done in the past does not matter. You regretted them, and like me, my wife is willing to give you another chance to prove your worth." He replied.

    "I am sure Madeline will be thrilled to visit you here," Hunted added as I weakly smiled at him.

    "Good night, it is gettingte. I know you are now an early riser. It shocked me initially, but when I witnessed how dedicated you are to your work, I felt proud of you." My brother said, and I blushed with hispliments.

    "Thanks, good night, big brother," I shyly replied.

    Hunter sent me to my room, and we bid good night to each other again. I got inside my room with a broad smile on my face, and I admit I felt better after spending time with him.

    He made me forget the pain I felt before I left the manor, but after I took a shower and put on my nightdress, I couldn''t stop feeling alone again, and I couldn''t stop myself from thinking about Jack no matter how I tried to forget about him and Cecily.

    It would be hard on my part to work with them every day, and I don''t know if I will learn to ept the reality that I could never have Jack.

    The loud knocking on my door made me wake up from my deep slumber, and I wondered who it could be. I looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was still 4.00 a.m., and I suddenly felt nervous about what was happening.

    "Hunter? Are you okay?" I asked after I opened my door and found my brother standing at my doorstep, and he was already fresh from the shower. He was wearing a gray suit.

    "I am sorry to wake you up this early. I got a callst night, and I didn''t want to disturb your sleep; I need to leave now, Char." He dered as he towered over me, and my eyes widened as I stared at him.

    I no longer need coffee to make me feel fully awake since his statement shocked me.

    "But why?" I asked in confusion.

    "I need to go back. Something urgent came up, and I needed to report to the office today. I am sorry, I really wanted to stay longer, but I can''t. I hope you understand, but don''t worry, I know the rules. I will not ask for a refund." He dered, and I shook my head.

    "Hunter, I am not upset because of the money. I am just excited, and I was hoping to spend more time with you," I responded, and he beamed at me.

    "I know, I was only teasing you. I understand how you feel because I feel the same way. Don''t worry, I will make it up to you. In my next vacation, I will make sure there will be no trouble in thepany." He said.

    "Okay, have a safe flight, and take care," I replied as I faced him.

    I almost got back to my room when Jack''s bedroom door opened up, and he emerged wearing shorts and a sleeveless tank top that showcased his toned chest and arms.

    "Good morning, Hunter. Are you ready?" He asked, and I didn''t need to ask what he meant since I could see the car key dangling from his hand.

    "Yeah, Charlotte, I know it was too much to ask, but it would be wonderful if you would send me to the airport with Jack." My brother dered, and I couldn''t say no, Hunter.

    "Yes, of course, I would love to, but I needed to change. I will be ready in five minutes," I replied and hastily entered my room.

    I quickly toothbrush my teeth, then pull out the first dress I found in my closet and get dressed at the speed of lightning. I pulled my hair into a ponytail using an stic bond. I grabbed my purse after I put on lip gloss on my lips.

    I got out of my room running, and I took the stairs two steps at a time and made my way to the main door.

    Jack already turned on the ignition, and Hunter was already sitting in the front seat while Jack was standing near the back passenger''s door. And I hated that I felt conscious as I looked at him open the door for me.

    I said my thanks after I got inside the car, doing my best to avoid his intense gaze, and he mumbled wee as he gently closed the door.

    Hunter and Jack were talking while I tried not to participate in their conversation, but Hunter was doing his best to include me, and I couldn''t ignore them talking to me. I had to answer Jack''s questions while trying to sound enthusiastic since I didn''t want my brother to know something was happening.

    He can''t find out that I am upset because I found my chef cook kissing my friend. I don''t consider Cecily as my employee at all; she was a close friend, and I don''t want to change even if I feel jealous that they are now dating.

    It was all my fault; I hurt Jack, and I couldn''t me him if he fell in love with Cecily. She was beautiful and sweet, and I could tell it wasn''t hard for him to fall in love with my friend. In his eyes, I will always be the spoiled brat of the Divenson family.

    I opened the door before Jack could the moment we arrived at the airport.

    "Jack, thank you for driving me here at the airport; please take care of my little sister for me," Hunter said the moment we reached the departure area.

    "I can take care of myself, Hunter. I am an adult, and I don''t need a babysitter," I said, feeling irritated, and my brother onlyughed as he turned to face me.

    "Of course, you don''t need to remind me about that, Charlotte. I am aware  you are an independent young woman, and you can surely take care of yourself, but it would be different if a man would take care of you." He replied with a wink, and I blushed.

    He didn''t know Jack had a change of heart, and I couldn''t tell him about it in front of Jack.

    "Thank you so much for your time, Charlotte. I really appreciate your presence here. Take care always," Hunter added as he looked at me with brotherly love in his eyes.

    "You are wee. Keep safe," I responded, and my brother leaned down and kissed my cheeks.

    I was watching Hunter''s figure until he was lost in the crowd, and I didn''t have a choice but to turn around and face Jack.

    "Are you hungry?" He asked.

    "No," I responded as I walked past him, but Jack had long legs, and he was able to keep up with me.

    "I know a ce that serves delicious breakfast," he dered as he looked at me.

    "I am not hungry, and I am not nning to eat breakfast with you," I responded, and I walked as fast as I could.

    "Please, I am hungry," he begged as he tried to block my way. I tried to move to my right, but he was fast and moved to his left.

    "What are you doing, Jack?" I asked with a stern tone.

    "I just want to have breakfast with you. It is still early. Besides, our next guest will be arriving this afternoon, and we have plenty of time to prepare." He responded.

    "Do you think Cecily would feel happy if she found out we had breakfast together?" I asked, and heughed.

    "What is so funny, Mr. Morigan? Cecily and I are friends, and I don''t like what you are doing." I added.

    "Nothing is wrong if I have breakfast with you. I am not taking you on a date." He replied, which made me furious that I stomped on his feet, and he was groaning as I walked away from him with a wide smile on my face.

    "Are you a kid?" He asked behind me, and I didn''t answer him as I continued to walk towards the parking lot. And before I could open the car door, he held my wrist and spun me around.

    My heart raced as I inhaled his intoxicating scent, and when Jack pulled me closer to him, I had to close my eyes since I didn''t want to look like a fool in front of him, and I felt scared if I would do something stupid that would lead him to find out I am still crazy about him.

 Chapter 345 Breakfast With Charlotte

    Chapter 345 Breakfast With Charlotte

    Jack''s POV

    I was waiting for them toe home since I wanted to speak with Charlotte, but I realized she wouldn''t talk with me. She was still upset that she saw me kissing Cecily, so I hoped my friend was right, but I didn''t think Ces could be right.

    Mydy boss was only angry because we were both her employees, and she didn''t want our work to be affected if our rtionship became shaky. And I was stupid for thinking she was upset because she really liked me.

    I was lying on my bed, but I couldn''t sleep. I called my sister, Lianne, since I missed her so much at a time like this; she is not only a sister to me but my best friend, too.

    "Are you okay, Jack? You will not be calling me at this hour if you only want to ask how I am doing?" She asked when she answered my call, and I shook my head; my sister knew me too well.

    "I am fine, Lianne. I was busy the entire day, and I didn''t have the time to call you." I responded.

    "Liar, spit it out, Jack," she replied, and I let out a soft sigh.

    "It is Charlotte," I responded.

    "What did she do to you? You always have a choice, brother; leave if you are unhappy over there. You don''t need Hunter''s money." She replied.

    "And thest thing you need is his spoiled brat sister, who is giving you a hard time," Lianne replied.

    "Hey, Charlotte is not what you think, Li," I dered, and sheughed.

    "Oh? No! Don''t tell me you are falling for her, Jack?" My sister asked, and I was speechless.

    "Oh, no, this is bad," she added while I fell silent.

    "Are you still there? I am not judging you, Jack, but we both knew how she made Maddie''s life miserable." Lianne dered.

    "Of course, but she has her reasons, and she regretted those things, Li. I wish you woulde here and know the real Charlotte Divenson," I replied, and it was her turn to feel silent.

    "I couldn''t believe you would say that Jack; you hated her for all she had done to Madeline." She stated.

    "Yes, before I know the real Charlotte, she is not the spoiled brat we know, Li, and she has changed a lot since she stayed here in Barcelonia,"  I responded.

    "Oh, boy, you are really in love with her," my sister said.

    "Yeah, I am, and I hate feeling this way," I answered, and my sisterughed.

    "Why?" She asked.

    "It drives me crazy, and I wanted her so much that it hurts. I made a stupid mistake, and now, she is avoiding me." I responded and narrated to her everything that had happened between Charlotte and me.

    "Oh, you are in big trouble, Jack." She dered after sharing with her what happened to us.

    "Yeah, I know," I replied.

    "Well, it seemed she was also into you," Lianne responded.

    "You think?" I asked, feeling excited.

    "Of course, can''t you read her reactions? She is definitely jealous of this Cecily girl. I couldn''t wait to be there with you and witness your love story." She dered.

    "Can youe and visit me?" I asked.

    "Sure, why not? I can trust the manager to run your restaurant here. I can be there with you as long as you want me to be there." My sister replied with excitement in her voice.

    "Really? It would be great, Li. I want you here. I am losing my mind, and I don''t know if what you were saying was true. I don''t think she likes me based on her actions. I believed she hated me so much." I dered, and my sister chuckled.

    "You can never tell what are her true feelings Jack. You know us, women areplicated in terms of telling our man what we really want. Sometimes, we blurted out things we didn''t mean and kept the things that we really wanted you to hear." My sister responded.

    "I will be there before you know it. Don''t worry, and I will book as a guest of her vacation house, not as your guest. I will pay what is due. I had been dying to explore Barcelonia for a long time, and this is my chance; who knows, I will also find my soulmate there." She added, and Iughed.

    "Come on, what happened to yourtest boyfriend?" I asked.

    "He was a jerk, and I am sorry I didn''t listen to you." She answered.

    "I am d you dumped him. You deserve someone better," I replied.

    "Yeah, I know. Anyway, I was waiting for the right man, and he wasn''t the one, and I knew it from the very start. I just felt so lonely that I wanted us to work out even if I knew we didn''t have anything inmon. We argued in almost everything that we do." My sister responded.

    "Well, I am not an expert in terms of love, but I think you will know it when ites," I replied.

    "I felt this before when I met Maddie, and I didn''t expect I would fall in love again," I added.

    "I know. I wished Madeline was the one for you, but you can never win her heart, and we both know you can''t beat Hunter Divenson." My sister replied.

    "Maybe it was because Charlotte is the right girl for you. I hated her, but after you told me her story, I guess she deserves a second chance." Lianne continued.

    "Thank you, Li," I replied, and we talked some more. I only ended the call when I heard Hunter''s voice outside my room.

    "I am sorry for disturbing you, Jack, but I got a call, and I needed to go home." He said, and I furrowed my eyebrows as I listened to his exnation of why he needed to shorten his stay.

    "Can you drive me to the airport tomorrow at dawn?" He asked.

    "Of course, is Charlotteing?" I asked.

    "I am not sure. I haven''t had the chance to tell her yet that I am leaving. I am sure she will be upset." Hunter responded.

    "I knocked on her door, but she didn''t answer. I guess she was sleeping already. It is past midnight; I don''t want to disturb her." He added.

    Hunter went back to his room, and I slowly got inside my own bedroom, thinking about his sister. I am excited that Lianne ising to Barcelonia, and I hope she can help me with my problem with Charlotte.

    I woke up early and didn''t bother to take a bath, and when I met Hunter in the corridor with his sister, I felt conscious and regretted that I was wearing shorts and a sleeveless tank top. I should look good in front of her.

    Charlotte looked so gorgeous, even if she was only wearing a simple dress. And I couldn''t take my eyes away from her. She was avoiding my gaze and tried not to speak with me, but Hunter was doing his best to include me in their conversation as I drove to the airport.

    After saying goodbye to her brother, she had no choice but to turn around and face me. She was difficult when I asked her to have breakfast with me, and it took a lot of my willpower not to kiss her after I pulled her closer to me.

    Her scent alone was driving me mad, and her closeness was making my heart pound harder. I had to control my emotions since I didn''t want her to be angry with me more.

    "I am sorry. I know you don''t want to have breakfast with me since I don''t look presentable; you are ashamed of what I am wearing," I dered as I slowly released her from my hold.

    "What? That is not true," she replied, and I hid my amusement as I looked at her beautiful face.

    "Then prove it to me, Charlotte. I know I am just a mere employee, and I don''t have any right to ask you to have breakfast with me. It was stupid of me to ask you such a request." I stated.

    "I am sorry," I mumbled before I walked away from her, and my heart was racing as I heard her sweet voice calling my name.

    "Jack, wait," she said, and I stopped walking and waited for her to continue talking.

    "We can eat breakfast," she added, and I smiled before I turned around and faced her.

    "Are you sure?" I asked, and she smiled at me as she nodded her head, and my stupid heart jumped against my chest as I stared at her.

    "Oh, I haven''t been in this ce," Charlotte said as she looked around.

    "They served the best breakfast in Barcelonia," I answered. I could see the excitement on her face, and I felt d she was no longer wearing a long face.

    "Are you ready to order?" I asked, and she put down the menu book and looked at me.

    "I don''t know what to choose. Can you do it for me?" She answered, and I beamed at her.

    "Of course, try Bocadillos and fried eggs,"  I said.

    "Okay, I want yogurt with fresh fruits," she replied.

    I was watching her with awe as she ate her breakfast.

    "Stop staring at me, Jack." She said and blushed.

    "I am sorry, I just can''t stop myself from looking at your beautiful face," I replied, and her face turned redder.

    "Thank you for yourpliment, but I think it would be best to save that for your girlfriend." She answered, and I shook my head.

    "I don''t have a girlfriend, Charlotte," I replied, and she looked at me with confusion on her face. I knew I needed to tell her everything if I wanted to win her heart, and I could no longer wait. I wanted her to be my girlfriend, and I wished she would not reject me.

 Chapter 346 My Jealousy

    <h4>Chapter 346 My Jealousy</h4>

    Charlotte''s POV

    My heart beat so fast after Jack told me he didn''t have a girlfriend. There are so many questions I want to ask Jack, but I suddenly felt shy and conscious. I don''t want him to know I felt happy he was telling me about it.

    "You were ying Cecily''s heart?" I asked, and he looked at me with seriousness.

    "No, I wasn''t. I was being honest with her. I told her how I really felt for you. Kissing her was a mistake. I wanted to make you jealous. I know it was unfair to Cecily, but she understands me." Jack responded, and my heart jumped with happiness, but I kept myself from smiling since I pitied my friend. I don''t want Cecily to get hurt because of me.

    "I asked for an apology to her, and she epted it heartily. I know she is your friend, but you knew I liked you, Charlotte, and nothing had changed how I felt for you. It is you that I want to be with." Jack added, and I could feel the knots in my stomach as he stared at me with great intensity.

    I was blushing, and I averted his gaze and looked at the food on my te. I never felt this way towards any man. I don''t get intimidated or feel shy around anyone, but with Jack, it seemed like I was always at a loss for words, and I wanted him to see me

    on my best.

    "Charlotte, please give me a chance," he continued as he took my hand over the table, and I could feel the pounding of my heart as I looked at him.

    "Jack, I don''t know," I replied.

    "You are my employee, and I don''t want you to hurt Cecily''s feelings," I added.

    "You don''t need to worry about her, Charlotte." He answered.

    "Do you like me?" He asked, and I was shocked by his question.

    "If you do, then give me a chance, and if not, you can reject me now." He added.

    "Jack, I.." I was at a loss for words since I didn''t know how to answer him. I don''t want to reject him, Jack, but I don''t want to look cheap.

    "Just reject me so I can move on," he said.

    "Give me time to think this over, Jack. I am not ready to be in a rtionship, and I don''t want our rtionship as business partners to be affected." I softly replied.

    "At least you should think about it, and it is fine with me. I will do anything I can to win your heart. I know you have doubts, and there is a reason why you can''t say yes to me now, but I will make sure you will be mine, Charlotte." He said with authority. I wished to throw myself at him, but I had my pride, and I needed to control myself.

    His deep voice makes me feel so hot and excited. Just looking at Jack''s mesmerizing eyes made me feel weak, and my legs turned to jelly. He stood up and assisted me in getting up from my chair, and I was disappointed when he released my hand and walked towards the door.

    I followed him into the parking lot of the car in silence. I could feel the loud beating of my heart as we neared his car.? Jack opened the door, and I let him fasten the seatbelt for me. And I had to hold my breath as I felt his nearness and his intoxicating scent drove me crazy.

    He was silent as he drove away from the restaurant, and I felt too nervous to speak.

    "Thank you for the breakfast, Jack," I said after I climbed out of his car.

    "You are wee, Charlotte. Thank you for your time and the chance," he replied. And he looked so boyish as he shyly smiled at me, and my heart was racing as I was captivated by his intense gaze.

    "Good morning!" Cecily greeted us with a broad smile on her face.

    My friend was waiting for us on the front porch, and I suddenly felt guilty as I looked at her. I could tell she liked Jack by the way she flirted with him and by how many times I caught her looking at him with dreamy eyes.

    "Good morning, Cel," Jack responded with the same enthusiasm while I was speechless.

    Our guests arrived earlier than expected, and we all got busy since we didn''t expect them to bring additional guests, and we had to set up three more rooms.

    Jack was busy, and he acted like nothing had happened earlier that morning, and I hated myself for expecting more. I could have said yes right away.

    "Hello, you are the owner, right?" One of the guests asked as I helped serve their dinner.

    "Yes, but I have a business partner, the chef," I shyly replied, and her eyes twinkled.

    "Oh, Jack is one of the owners," the blonde one said, and I suddenly felt jealous of the way she smiled at me.

    "Is Jack single?" She asked, and I shook my head.

    "Oh! He has a girlfriend, that is too bad; I liked him; he is hot and handsome." The woman responded. She is beautiful and hot, and I hated myself for hating her for giving Jackpliments.

    "If she has a girlfriend, it is not a problem, Jen; men are always captivated by your beauty; you can flirt with him and make him your boyfriend. Jack would surely break up with his girlfriend." Her friend said, and their friends nodded in agreement.

    What is wrong with these young people? Is it a trend nowadays to steal someone''s boyfriend? Even if I was lying, I knew Jack was single, but because of my selfishness, I got angry that Jen''s friends encouraged her to flirt with Jack. She was beaming, and I could see a mischievous smile on her beautiful face.

    "I am sorry,dies, but Jack is happily married," I dered out of the blue. And I wished to take it back, but I was too jealous.

    "Well, there is a process we call divorce, or you can just have a one-night stand with him, Jen," one of her friends stated, and they allughed.

    I faked a smile as I excused myself. I don''t want to hear them nning on how to win Jack.

    "Hey, is everything okay?" Jack asked with concern in his voice the moment I returned to the kitchen.

    "I think it is better that from now on, you should stay at your post. You are the chef, and you should be here in the kitchen." I replied in a stern tone.

    "It is not part of your job description, nor is it your duty to entertain our guests unless you want to show them how hot and handsome you are!" I added as I widened my eyes at him. I did not care how I sounded.

    Jack was surprised, and before he could recover from his shock due to my sudden outburst, I walked out of the kitchen, trying to control my anger.

    I never felt this kind of emotion towards anyone. I don''t get jealous because of some random girls, but right now, my jealousy is eating me up. I avoided Jack for the rest of the evening by hiding in the pool area at the back part of the manor.

    "Are you okay, Charlotte?" I heard Cecily''s sweet voice, and I slowly turned my head.

    "Yes, what made you think I am not okay?" I asked as I sweetly smiled at her, trying to hide how I truly felt at the moment.

    "I called you so many times, but it seemed like your mind was elsewhere," she responded.

    "I am fine, Cel; I just feel a little bit lonely now that my brother has gone back to Neospoli Country," I responded.

    "Are you sure it was because of your brother and not because of someone else?" She asked, unconvinced of my answer, and I furrowed my forehead.

    "What made you think it was because of someone else?" I asked anxiously.

    "You can tell me anything, Charlotte," my friend replied, and Iughed.

    "There is nothing important going on in my life right now, Cel," I replied, and she looked at me with worry on her face.

    "I don''t think so; it seemed to me that you and Jack are not okay," she responded.

    "Cel, nothing is going on between Jack and me," I lied since I was afraid to hurt her feelings.

    "Okay, you don''t need to be stressed about it," she dered.

    "I knew you liked Jack," I replied, and sheughed.

    "Yes, but he doesn''t feel the same way towards me. Jack likes you, Charlotte, and I could say you looked good together. You don''t need to torture yourselves." My friend said.

    "You don''t need to worry about my feelings. I liked Jack as a friend, nothing more. I only flirted with him since I want to test your feelings for him." She added, and I was astounded with her reply.

    "What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

    "I am sorry; from the moment Jack told me how much he likes you, I couldn''t stop myself from being involved. I like him to be your boyfriend, Charlotte." Cecily answered.

    "I don''t fancy him romantically; we are good friends, and I felt guilty that I did those things in front of you. I hope you will forgive me." She added, and it felt like she lifted something from my chest.

    The idea that Cecily doesn''t like Jack at all made me feel happy.

    "I don''t hate you, Cecily," I replied with a broad smile on my face. I could feel the happiness that enveloped my heart as I realized I would not hurt Cecily''s feelings if I said yes to Jack and epted him as my boyfriend since she only liked him as a friend.

 Chapter 347 I Am In Love

    347 I Am In Love

    Charlotte''s POV

    "You like Jack, right?" Cecily asked, and I slowly nodded my head as I blushed. I still feel shy even if I don''t need to pretend how I feel in front of her anymore.

    "Are you sure you don''t like Jack, Cecily?" I asked back, and she beamed at me as she shook her head.

    "Even if I have feelings for him, it still is useless. Jack only has eyes for you, Charlotte." She answered, and I blushed even more.

    "You looked great together, and you deserve each other," my best friend added.

    "I don''t know, Cel, it seemed wrong and hical. He is working for me, and it would not look good," I answered.

    "Come on, you are business partners; for me, no one would give a damn." She stated, and I couldn''t stop smiling at her.

    I walked back to my room feeling happy, but my face fell when I remembered what I had done to him a while ago. I lost control of myself again because I was jealous of our guests interested in Jack.

    I tiptoed as I passed his room, and I hastily opened my bedroom and got inside, feeling nervous. I quickly showered and changed into my night dress.

    "I should apologize to Jack tomorrow. I can''t dare to face him now after what I said to him a while ago," I mumbled to myself as I copsed in my bed.

    I should zip my mouth every time I am near him to avoid further damage to our future rtionship. Yes, I felt like a high school girl who was dreaming of having her first love. It waste for me, but I don''t have any regrets, and I am sure of how I feel.

    It dawned on me I was in love with Jack Morigan, and I couldn''t wait to be his girlfriend. I fell asleep with a smile on my face

    I woke up earlier than my usual time to have my morning run. I need to be in shape if I want to win, Jack. It is inevitable that he will meet beautiful women every now and then, and I wanted him to see me as his only woman.

    I was looking at my reflection in the vanity mirror and couldn''t believe I felt conscious that Jack would see me in my attire. I wore brandless tights and a ck racerback, and I suddenly wished I was in the Divenson mansion where I have my pricey clothing.

    The manor was quiet, and I felt d I hadn''t seen any guests. They must be in their rooms sleeping since I knew they had funst night and went to bedte. If Cecily didn''t tell me about Jack''s feelings for me, I am sure I am still angry with him.

    I could feel the early breeze that tickled my skin as I started to run. I was listening to my favorite ylist with my earpods, and I was singing with the artist. I couldn''t believe I felt so alive and happy for the first time after my father and Parker died.

    If I could only turn back time, I would do things differently, but it was toote now. One day, I would go to my mother and ask her forgiveness. I want to make her to be proud of me when we meet again.

    I am happy that for the next couple of days, we are fully booked, and we got a lot of bookings online that we couldn''t amodate. We just got our first batch of guests after my brother. But after I put Jack''s name on our website as our chef, prospective guests flooded our web page and official email with messages.

    I am grateful for the response of the people of my new business, but I was worried that Jack might find someone else. It would be hard on my part. I can''t take it if he falls in love with one of our guests.

    My feet suddenly felt heavy as I set aside my worries and continued to run around the property. I was sweating and panting when I suddenly wanted to scream when I saw Jack on the fields running with one of our guests.

    It felt like someone had punched me in my gut as I watched them from a distance with jealousy written all over my face.

    "Get a grip of yourself, Charlotte," I mumbled to myself, and I tried to take another way, but I was facing a dead end, and I didn''t have a choice but to go back and face them.

    I must face them with professionalism, but I will really talk with Jackter. It was unprofessional for him to have a run with one of our guests, and I knew this woman only wanted to get into his pants.

    "Good morning to you both! I am d I am not the only one who is health conscious." I greeted them with a smile on my face, but I avoided Jack''s eyes the whole time as I turned my attention to hispany, the woman named Jen. Among them, she was the one who was more interested in making Jack her boyfriend.

    I couldn''t get their conversations out of my mindst night; it took me a long time to fall asleep, and until now, her words echoed in my head. I knew she found Jack hot and handsome, and even if I warned her he got a girlfriend, it didn''t stop her and her friends from formting a n on how to seduce Jack.

    "Good morning, Miss Charlotte. I hate to jog or to do any exercises, but I learned from one of the staff that Jack always has his run in the morning," Jen replied, batting her eyshes.

    "I want to know him more; that is why I only have two hours of sleep since I woke up early to catch up with him." She added with a smile, showcasing her perfect white teeth while I was clenching my teeth and trying my best to look okay.

    "Oh, that is wonderful. Our chef is good at influencing people, and I am d he is kind enough to jog with you," I said, smiling at her.

    Jack remained silent, but I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was staring at me the whole time I was talking with Jen.

    "See you around, and I hope you enjoy your stay," I said.

    "Of course, I am having one of the best days of my life; after I learned he was here in Barcelonia, I didn''t think twice about begging my father to allow me toe here using our private jet." Jen dered, and I could tell she was telling us she came from a wealthy family to impress Jack.

    "Oh, that is great! You must be close with your father." I replied.

    "Of course, I am his only child, and he always has me what I want. What Jen wants Jen gets, that''s how my friends would describe me." She answered, and I shyly smiled at her.

    "I am enjoying my time as of the moment since I am going to rece him when he steps down from his position. I am the only heir of my father''spany, and he was always worried about me. I am sorry if my bodyguards are all over the ce." She added.

    Her father''s secretary booked her amodation together with her friends, including her bodyguards, who were staying on the opposite wing.

    Her bodyguards tried to be invisible, but I could feel their presence when Jen and her friends arrived.

    "It was okay; your father pays for their amodation and food; it is good for our business," I said.

    "I nned to extend our stay for one more week. Would it be possible?" She asked, and I quickly shook my head.

    "I am sorry, Miss Jen, but we are fully booked, and as much as I want to amodate you and your friends, I can''t do that since our rooms are limited," I replied.

    "You''ve got extra rooms; why don''t you use them?" She asked.

    "We needed to renovate those rooms." I insisted.

    "I am sorry, but I can''t," I replied.

    They can extend, but I don''t want her to flirt with Jack for the whole duration of her stay, and I will end up miserable.

    "Charlotte, I think we can still amodate them," Jack interjected our conversation, and I couldn''t believe he wanted her to extend her stay.

    "Jack, I wish to speak with youter, Miss Jen. I will notify you if we can amodate your extension, but as of the moment, I can''t confirm yet," I said, and it was hard for me to control my anger because of what Jack had said.

    I used to re up quickly, but now that I am running a business, I should learn to control my anger.

    "If you will excuse me, I needed to get back in the house," I said and turned my heels before any of them could reply.

    I walked straight to the main door, and Cecily''s forehead furrowed when she saw me. I greeted her but didn''t stop to talk with her as I made my way to my room.

    I was so happy when I woke up this morning, and I couldn''t believe Jack would ruin my morning again. I guess Cecily was wrong; we are the exact opposite. We couldn''t agree on the same thing, and I hated him for flirting with another woman.

    The day passed in a blur, and I was d I was able to avoid Jack for the rest of the day by staying in my office the whole time. I asked one of the staff to deliver my food, and I ate in my office.

    It was alreadyte when I returned to my room. I took a hot shower and got ready to sleep when I heard knocking on my door, and my heart hammered when I found Jack on my door looking as hot as ever.

    "Charlotte, we need to talk," he said.

    "Jack, it is nighttime already; we can talk about business tomorrow," I replied as I tried to close the door in his face, but he was strong and held the door frame.

    "I wished to talk with you about us, not about work," he responded, and my heart raced.

    "I don''t think there is something we should talk about after I saw you with Jen. You even helped her by convincing me to let her extend her stay," I said.

    "You should leave now, Jack. I am¡­" My words died on my lips when Jack captured my mouth. My entire body felt so weak as my anger evaporated in the air as I felt his mouth continued to devour my lips.

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