Loving Madeline

Chapter 123 - Clark Divenson’s Gift

Madeline's POV

Gina and Cerila 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 Clark Divenson to manipulate 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 deal with it, and it is better that you should know the truth." Cerila 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," Cerila said as she also settled herself on my left side. They give me the courage to continue to open the box on my lap.

When I completely 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 Rebecca, 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 are composed of pregnancy test results with the ultrasound, and at the back part, I saw pictures of Rebecca 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 Rebecca. 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 Rebecca. She looked so beautiful now that the long scar on her face was gone. And I couldn't explain 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 never complain 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 Clark 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, Clark Divenson could have done something, and we don't know if Hunter is also a victim here," Cerila 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 accept that he betrayed my trust. I had been a good wife to him.

"No one can force him to have sex with Rebecca, 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 glance. 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 glass. 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 playing 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 Rebecca 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 balance, and I am just glad Cerila 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 I laughed 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, and I 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 glass 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't come home at all.

No matter how drunk I was last 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 Cerila, and they pulled me up from the bed; and I tried my best to resist them, but their combined strength made me get up on my bed.

"Madeline, you have to eat, you drunk too much alcohol last 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 much last 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 relaxed 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 Rebecca to become the mother of his child. I am aching, and I remember everything Clark Divenson had told me, and he was right I would leave this place sooner than later. 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 become 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 Cerila are still inside the master's bedroom, and they are waiting for me, and I can see the worries on their faces as I 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.