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 green lawn 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 place; 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 home to the castle and hid from him." She declared.

"I stayed in my old room for days crying, and he came, and never get tired of telling me outside my bedroom door how 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 declared.

"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 dream come true. Welcome 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 my last 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 aunt laughed.

"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 declared.

"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 blamed 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 Frank comes 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 even come home once or attempted to contact us especially the times when my brother was having a hard time, not even when he took his last breath." Aunt Francine continued. And I could feel my grandfather's pain as I realized he waited for my father to come 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 she laughed 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 become the most incredible mom in the entire universe.