Chapter 87: Chapter 87

Madison stared at the vegetables in front of her, taking a look in her notes to glance at the recipe Gina had given her to cheer her up. She adored her friends recipes, and trying out new ones always put her in a good mood.

After the other day at work, Gina had tried to cheer Madison up as she continued to be moody the whole day and at the close of work, she surprised Madison by presenting her with a new recipe to try out.

It had worked effectively, because Madison immediately lit up and thanking her friend with a hug, she did promised to try it out and here she was.

Smiling, she began to slice the vegetables into tiny pieces.

She wanted to have a filling dinner because lunch had been tiny bites of a peanut butter sandwich that she hadn't been able to finish, and now she wanted to eat this evening to her full.

When she was finished slicing the vegetables, she checked the broth which was still simmering on the stove and taking a little out of it with her soon, she tasted it and hummed in approval at how delicious it was.

She was definitely getting the recipe well.

Just as she was pouring the vegetables in the soup pot, a light knock sounded on her door and freezing in surprise, Madison dragged her gaze to the nearby wall clock, checking the time.

It was late already, almost 8pm, and she didn’t even know she’d waste so much time cooking. Now though, who could possibly be knocking at her door by this time? She wondered.

She turned off the stove, wiping her hands with the kitchen towel as she walked out of the kitchen and towards the door.

She tried to recall if she was expecting anyone, and she would have easily guessed that it was one of her neighbors, but she had already hung out with them this evening so they couldn’t be the one. Also she wasn't expecting any visitors either, so who was at the freaking door?

Already at alert and tiptoeing cautiously, she made her way to the door, swallowing as she unlocked it and turned the knob.

She opened the door a little bit, peeping and then… that’s when she saw him.

Her eyes widened when she came face to face with none other than Damien, and he had a worried look in his eyes. His hair was also disheveled and he looked like he had been in a rush to get here and then…

“Arghhh!” Madison let out a loud scream, banging the door in his face and locking it behind her.

She shut her eyes tightly, wondering for a moment if she was hallucinating and seeing double but she definitely wasn't.

He knocked gently at first and then he began to bang his fists loudly on her door, when he got the message that she just wouldn’t open the door so easily.

"Madison! Please open the door. Please, we have to talk and…”

Madison was breathing heavily, and she wanted to shout at him to leave, but she couldn’t just string out any sentence.

Her mind was still whirling, and she tried to comprehend how he’d known about her home, or gotten her address or…

“Please listen to me.” He continued, cutting through her thoughts as he said, “I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, but please… please give me a chance to explain myself. Let's just…talk. We have to talk. So many things to say and I want to apologize profusely to you for everything.”

He wanted to apologize? For what? Madison could only scoff, her heart still pounding in her chest.

“What the hell do you want?” She finally said out the words she’d been hoarding within her. “Haven't you had enough already? What more do you want? I don’t want to even hear what you have to say, just go away." Her heart squeezed in her chest as she wondered why he was here in the first place.

What did he even want? And he looked so out of it too.

Suddenly Madison chided herself. Why did she care what was going on with him? If he looked scattered, bruised or disheveled, she shouldn’t care at all.

Whatever it was, it didn't concern her. She just needed him to leave.

She didn’t want him to spoil this evening that had just been going so well. No way she would allow him to come here, and ruin her day for her.

"Madison please… j-just give me a chance. I won't take much of your time. Just give me a chance to talk to you please.” He continued and Madison could hear the defiant tone in his speech, but she was also going to be adamant.

She continued telling him to go away, her chest heavy as she yelled back at him.

"Madison… please. I'm not leaving until you give me a chance. Just give me a few minutes. I just want to talk to you. I have a lot to say, I’m on my knees pleading..." He uttered, but she said nothing.

Deciding to keep quiet, and letting him wallow till he got tired.

Dropping to the floor, Madison sat by the wall of the door, waiting for him to leave but true to his words, he stayed there and continued to knock, calling out her name.

He wasn’t leaving, and even after minutes passed he continued not giving up at all.

Madison felt something within her clench, amazed at his relentless spirit, and she thought hard wondering if she should give him a chance, or just leave him to his self.

After a few minutes, the better part of her conscience won and sighing, Madison finally unlocked the door to face him.

As the door swung open, Damien fell to his knees, and she was taken aback when his eyes glazed over her, the remnants of tears in them.

He straightened on his knees, looking up at her hands clasped in front of each other as he began to say, "Madison… I-I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Everything I put you through. I was so bitter… so angry when I saw you in New York, and I felt betrayed especially after how things ended between us in the past. I've been such a fool, Madison. I’m so sorry."

Madison was dumbfounded.

She stiffened too, moving back slowly in surprise as she didn't know what to make of all this.

Where was all this coming from? She knew they’d talked about stuffs in the hotel suite but this… This was on a whole nother level.

"You have every right to hate me, to not want to see me, and yes it’s my fault. Back then I didn't even know the full story, and I didn't want to, either. I let all that hate and anger consume me, that I didn’t wait for you, nor try to read in between the lines. I didn’t see the message you were trying to pass when you… I… I’m freaking sorry Maddie and I hate that I didn't give you a chance to explain yourself. I just lashed out, letting my fury cloud my senses and for that I-I'm so sorry." He paused, and when he looked back up, it was almost like he was trying desperately to hold back tears from falling.

Madison could only stand dumbfounded still, elbows folded as she watched him in awe and a little bit of pain too.

He continued, “I met with your brother today and he told me everything. I feel like such a fool you know. All these years I've been holding a grudge against you for something that wasn't your fault, and it hurts so much. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Madison. Damn, I feel like a fool.” He trailed off.

Madison stared down at him on the floor on his knees, tears spilling out of her eyes and blurring her vision now. She didn't know what to say.

This felt unreal. Damien apologizing after all these years.

How many times had she wished for this? How many times had she longed for him to come back to her, and apologize? She’d dreamt of their reunion, wishing that she could turn back the hands of time and go back to those days when they were helplessly in love. She had always imagined it, but now that it was happening, she felt numb.

She was crying of course, but now she didn’t know if she was tearing up truly because of his word or because she was just letting the tears flown down impulsively.

Now, there was no use. There was no point at all and she’d gone through so much to just forgive him, and then forget it all.

“Madison please say something and…” He began to say again, cutting through her train of thoughts yet again and this time she lashed out so bitterly, “You don't understand, or do you?” She blurted, sniffing.

"I don’t know what Mason told you Damien, but I can’t just forgive you and then let all the sufferings I’ve gone through in the past just go like that. Okay, I think you don’t know this, but I'm useless Damien. Freaking useless to myself, and to you as a woman. The miscarriage damaged my uterus. And even if we get back together, I'll never be able to give you children... I know how much you love kids and…” She trailed off, unable to finish her words as she couldn't take it anymore and then she began to sob, tears streaming down her face.

She closed her eyes tightly, burying her face in her palms as tears wrecked through her whole body and she sobbed heavily. This was just too much.

She couldn’t hold her own child in her arms. She would never be able to see a mini version of Damien or herself and it hurt so damn much.

She… All of a sudden, while she was still crying heavily, she felt a pair of strong pair of arms pulling her forwards in a gentle masculine hug.

Her nose was suddenly filled with the smell of a familiar scent. One she’d known for so long, and now it was just so surreal. Shocked, she wondered if he had heard what she just said, and all her talks about being infertile and useless as a whole.

If he did hear it, then he should be far away from her, not hugging her like this and patting her back gently like a child.

No! No!

"I know about that Maddie.” He whispered into her ear, continuing, "I heard about it from Mason and I'm so sorry… I'm so so sorry about that, Madison. But I still love you. It doesn't change a thing. I love you, Madison and I always have. Nothing is ever going to change that. I'm sorry for leaving without telling you. I'm sorry you had to go through all that pain alone, and even when we still saw after all these years I treated you like… Damn, I don’t even know if I can ever forgive myself for that and once again I'm so… so sorry."

He pulled away, cupping her face in his hands, as he wiped the tears still streaming down her face. Madison placed her hands on his wrists, trying to speak, but she only blubbered out unintelligible words.

She was seemingly confused, and she felt like she was in a haze or something.

Being in Damien’s arms after all these years, despite their differences… Fuck, but it felt so good and…

"Shh… it's okay. It's okay…" He cooed gently his voice husky, and making her tremble, “I'm here for you. I'm never leaving you ever again. I promise you that." He wiped her tears away, smoothing out her hair and again Madison felt like she was dreaming.

Still aware of the fact that they were standing so close to each other, she began to melt into his warmth.

For years she had craved his presence, his touch, and she wondered if she said a thing if it would all disappear.

If she dared blink, would she wake up from this nightmare? From this dream? She had no idea.

And she did blink her eyes, wanting to wake up and save herself from the seeming heartache that would follow but no! When she opened her eyes he was still right there. In front of her, and he had his arms around her.

Giving her a small smile, Damien tucked her hair behind her ear, heart pounding as he slowly leaned in.

“I won’t leave you again. I promise." He said again, still wiping her tears away and Madison felt like she was in a trance of some sort.

His breath was fanning the back of her ear, and he leaned in again, while she met him halfway, rushing like they had little or no time left.

"Damien..." She breathed softly, another tear sliding down her face, and then… Their lips locked, warmth exploding in her chest and all through her body.

Damien took her mouth in a soft passionate kiss that had her craving for more, and she basked in the pleasure, her eyes squeezing tightly.

This was their first kiss together. Their first kiss after being apart for almost ten years… Dang!

…….

KATHERINE

Katherine sat uncomfortably in the front seat of her car, her binoculars raised to her eyes as she watched the interaction between Damien and Madison.

Her fingers dug into the chair when saw Damien pull Madison into a hug, and she felt like going over to where they were and digging her long nails in both of their skin.

She had driven at breakneck speed to Madison's house as soon as she left the hotel, and she had arrived just in time to see Damien on his knees talking to Madison.

From the distance she couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could see the bitch shedding crocodile tears as Damien begged her and Katherine’s chest squeezed bitterly.

This was the behavior she had expected from Damien, but instead he had treated her like shit and now here he was begging this bitch on his knees.

She was a million times better than her. So why did Damien continue to make her his priority?

Who the hell was she?

Pissed, she raised the binoculars back to her eyes, and even though it pained her to watch them, she knew she couldn’t miss a single thing.

The second she placed the binoculars back in her eyes, Katherine instantly regretted because just this moment they both leaned in close, and their lips were meeting in a kiss.

"No! No!" She yelled, “No, this can’t be happening!” She screamed in her car, with the binoculars dropping from her shaky hands in shock but she grabbed it back up.

She placed it again on her eyes, checking again, hoping she had only been seeing things and hallucinating but she wasn’t.

The real image of Damien and that bitch kissing was right back there, and they were so engrossed in the activity, that they didn’t even think of breaking apart.

Another woman was kissing her man for goodness sake! Katherine yelled angrily, kicking at her car as tears began to spill down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook violently as she continued to cry loudly, her head pounding painfully at the same time.

No, she was going to run mad any moment from now, and she could feel it.

Her head slowly turned to the passenger seat, and that’s when she saw the scissors she had used earlier at the hotel.

She had brought it with her, and as she stared at it now, her eyes glowed blazingly.

Picking it up, she brought it dangerously close to her wrist. Tears blurred her vision as she continued to cry, the scissors still hanging mid air, and she placed the small sharp edge just at the tip of her skin.

As the cold blade made contact with her skin, she closed her skin reveling in the feeling of tearing at her skin, and just before she began to tear, she stopped all of a sudden and tossed the scissors away.

No! No! Why would she harm herself? Why would she kill herself? What good would it do for her?

It definitely wouldn't stop that gold digger from being with Damien, instead they would have an happy ending, and she would be dead rotting in hell and suffering. No! She couldn’t have that.

Katherine shook her head. She would channel all this anger in her revenge on Madison.

Seeing the bitch in pain would definitely be better, and she would teach her a lesson before getting rid of her once and for all.

Wiping her nose with the back of her hand, tears still streaming down her cheeks heavily, Katherine picked up her phone.

She quickly dialed the number of one of her men, and as soon as he picked up, she brought it to her ear and said curtly, "It's time for the kidnap."

He grunted in understanding "When?"

Katherine looked toward Madison's house, her anger rising, "We watch her schedule, and when it’s appropriate we kidnap her. It should be carried out during this week. Do not fail me."

Without waiting for him to say another word, she hung up, and tossed her phone to the passenger seat.

Straightening, she threw the binoculars out the window and dragging her gaze away from the two sick lovebirds, she started the car’s ignition, and speedily drove away in anger.