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 Villa for her. And after our wedding, I will give her the title, so she will know this place 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 Villa together with Madeline." I declared.

"Whaaattt?" He asked, and I almost laugh 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 declared 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 place where she can see a lot of stars, I was talking about the roof deck, and I know she has different idea playing on her sweet little head because of the blushed that crept on her lovely place, 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 Rebecca 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 glad 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 plate. 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 exclaimed, 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 declared, 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 to come 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 plan 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 plan 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 Rebecca, 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 plates, 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 her lace 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 blanket, 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.