BXBX NOVEL 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 glad 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 display. That is why she was seated in front of my husband, I don\'t know their purpose for coming here, and maybe they are here to ruin my perfect honeymoon with Hunter, and I want to tell them they are already late. 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 all laugh, 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 Village capital to have fun, and they ask Hunter to come 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 to come 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 to come 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 and lay on the sand beside me.
"How can be okay? Your sister-in-law stole my date." She said, and I can\'t stop myself from laughing.
"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 Clark Divenson was involved in Rebecca\'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 accident." She responded.
"Yes, but Calixto was there on the sideline. Maybe Hunter didn\'t have time to process what was going on because Rebecca\'s thoughts occupied 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\'s laughter in the background. When I open my eyes, he was staring at my face, and I smiled at him.
We swim our hearts laughing and chasing in the warm water until midnight. I took a shower, and I realized my husband prepared my nightgown, and he lay 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 glass, I was startled to find Jack leaning on the counter.
"Jack! You scared me!" I exclaimed.
"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 relationship 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 relationship with him, but if he is hurting you, I am willing to take you with me, Maddie." He declared, 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 flattered 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 declared, 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 island 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-in-law 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 relationship with my husband, but I didn\'t expect she will use my friend because I thought she likes Jack, and I am just glad Jack cares for me, or else I could be like Rebecca. 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 reflection coming 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 plan even if deep in my heart I realized no one could force Hunter to sleep in another room.