Loving Madeline

Hunter's POV

We are following Mindy, and I was walking beside Madeline, and I want to lace my fingers with her to tell her through my actions that everything will be alright. Still, Rebecca'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 Rebecca'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 Rebecca'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 Rebecca 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 Rebecca hugged me, it feels like I am eighteen years old again; the memories I had with her flashed 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 Rebecca. 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. Rebecca used to be so sexy, but right now, I can see her bone structures underneath her skin. How could this happen to her?

"Rebecca, " 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 glad this is not a dream. I have wished to see you again. I miss you so much, Hunter." She declared, 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, Rebecca." I said, and I take her to the sofa by holding her hand.

"Are you going to take me home, now?" Rebecca 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 place, I will ask Lucinda to watch over Rebecca so she will get back to her old healthy self. She needs to eat her food regularly. 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.

"Rebecca, I will take you home, but not now, I need to prepare everything, and I should make the house ready." I declared, 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, Rebecca, I will come 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 mining company." I said, and her face lights up, and she smiled at me. Her smile warms my heart.

"Wow! Congratulations, 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?

"Rebecca, don't worry, the moment I will come 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 become 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 Rebecca 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 Rebecca, and I know it will never be easy on her part when I kissed Rebecca back, and I should ask for my apology later. Mindy excused herself, and I wish she will talk with Madeline.

"Thank you, Hunter. I want you to visit me every day." She declared.

"I want to do that, Rebecca, 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, Rebecca. 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 Rebecca, 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 alarmed.

"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 Rebecca, and she smiled at me.

"Of course, I know you will take care of our son." She responded.

"Rebecca, the visiting time is over; as you can see, I allow Hunter to be with you for hours, and he can't come back if he disobeys our visiting policy." Mindy said the moment she gets back to Rebecca's unit.

"Okay, did I tell you Hunter is my husband, Mindy?" She asked.

"Yes, thousand times, Rebecca." 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 declared, 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 place, 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 place until the day I die." She added, and I have to keep my anger at bay. It was hard saying goodbye to Rebecca 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 Rebecca. 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 for coming 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 Rebecca in that place 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.