Loving Madeline

Hunter's POV

Saying goodbye to my brother for the last time was pretty hard on my part, and before I could offer him the white rose in my hand, I got distracted because of my wife's presence. I knew it blew my mind how she managed to come home to Astikoz when Hector and I talked about her safety before I left his estate.

The woman standing in front of me is no other than Madeline. I knew from the bottom of my heart that she was my wife, but I tried my best to pretend she wasn't my wife and that she was fake because I was so afraid my father would find out she was the real one.

There is a big possibility that my dad will hurt Maddie immediately, even before the burial.

I don't know if I will be angry and happy to see her because I can't deny that I miss her so much, but we agreed that she would be at her grandpa's place while I attend my brother's funeral.

I asked her never to go back to our hometown in the meantime for her safety. I know it was Maddie because she will never listen to me even if I beg her to stay where she is because I understood that she wanted to see Parker for the last time and wished to say goodbye to him and his wife.

I could see the pain that registered on Maddie's face after I told her to leave the cemetery because she was not welcome. After all, she was fake. And when my wife begged me to listen to her pleas, knowing she was my wife, I could feel the pain in my heart. I needed to be brave and strong enough to push her away.

My father's men could hurt her anytime if I acknowledged her as my wife, and the only way to keep her safe was to make her leave, but my plan became futile when my little sister intervened.

My face fell when Lily asked me to open my eyes and welcome my wife. I wished my sister would know that what I had said was not true, and I felt so frustrated that she was accusing me that I didn't recognize my wife; in fact, I wanted to take Madeline into my arms right away.

Yet, I was aware I didn't have the liberty to do that if I wanted my wife to be safe. I was touched when my sister stood in front of the crowd and declared she loved Madeline like a real sister, and I knew that she did because they were very close to each other.

I know they are both willing to do anything to keep each other safe, and right now, I don't know how to tell Lily I am only doing it for Maddie's protection.

The moment I heard the gunshot, I could no longer stop myself from shouting my wife's name, and I hated to feel the same dread when she was kidnapped.

Everything happened so fast that I felt so useless as I witnessed how Madeline struggled to keep herself footed on the ground; I tried my best to come to her in an instant, but someone grabbed me from behind, and I could tell he was one of my father's men.

The whole place became chaotic as I tried to get away from the man who was holding me, and I realized he was not alone; two men were holding me. I felt terrified when I saw armed men surrounding the area. I felt relieved when I realized they were all Hector's men, but it was late; someone had shot my wife in her chest.

I could see the horrified look on my father's face as he quickly moved closer to my wife, and it felt like the entire place stood still as I screamed and ran toward Maddie after I fought those men.

I heard another gunshot, my sister was screaming, and I thought my father would hurt my wife, but it dawned on me; he shielded my wife's torso with his own.

I realized he had taken the second bullet, and he had sacrificed himself. I was yelling as I saw them both fall to the ground. I was beside my wife in an instant while I could hear my father asking for my forgiveness.

"Hunter, this is all my fault; I am sorry, son; I was the most wicked father in the whole work because of my anger and determination to take back the company." I heard my dad say, and I know he was having difficulty breathing since he had been shoot too, but I didn't have the time to listen to him as I could see blood all over the ground as I looked at the unmoving body of my wife.

"Hey, my love, please, stay with me," I said as I took her cold hand; I could hear the wailing of my sister and mother behind me.

I felt so confused about what to do; no matter how I tried to wake her up, she didn't open her eyes, and I could feel the tears that wet my cheeks as I could

"Hunter, please let the rescuer and medical professionals take care of Maddie, don't worry; she will be fine," Callisto said as he pulled me up, and I realized Jack was with him, helping me to get up.

My men continued the burial without us since my family went straight to the hospital; I felt angry and scared.

"I should have acted differently, and none of this would have happened," I mumbled as I stood and leaned on the wall of the waiting area of the hospital. They brought my wife and my father to the operating room right away to perform an operation to take out the bullet.

"Hey, Hunter, you know it wasn't your fault, but don't worry, the man who shot your wife and Clark was already in the custody of the police; sad to say, he claimed he was one of your father's men." Calixto declared, and I sighed heavily.

"Wow, I didn't know he would still do something like that after we lost my brother; we didn't even have the chance to say our last goodbye to Parker," I responded, and I tried to look okay, but deep inside me, I never felt so worried my entire life knowing my wife was fighting for her life.

"Don't worry, Madeline is a fighter, Hunter," he replied.

"I don't know what will happen to me if," I couldn't even finish my sentence; thinking about losing my wife makes me crazy, and I don't want to think about it, but we don't have any update yet about their status.

It was driving me crazy that they had been in the operating rooms for more than two hours, and we were waiting with fear.

"Hey, nothing will happen to her, son, your wife is brave, and I know she can make it," Cal responded as she tapped my shoulder.

"I don't even know how to tell her family in Neospoli what happened, and I wished to inform them if we have some updates about her situation; I am scared, Calixto," I said.

"Of course, we are all scared, Hunter; you are not the only one who loves your wife dearly, we don't need to be her husband to care, and you know that," he responded.

"Thank you," I mumbled.

"Please, take a seat; you have been standing here for more than two hours; it would help if you sit down," Calixto stated.

I followed his advice, and I walked towards the chair and sat beside my mom and sister, and I could tell my sister was still upset with me, but she was too hurt and afraid to say another word.

I took her in my arms and caressed her head, and I could hear Lily sobbing.

"I am sorry, Lil, I know this is not the right time to talk about what happened earlier, but you have all the right to know what happened out there," I mumbled.

Lily didn't raise her head or look at me. I knew she wanted me to continue talking, and I told her everything about why I did it, and she looked up with guilt on her face.

"I am sorry, Hunter if I ruined your plan; maybe if I didn't intervene, Maddie could be safe," she replied.

"I don't think so, Lily; dad will still do it even if she is fake or real; our father will find a way to hurt my wife physically and emotionally." I declared.

"I don't know what I feel right now, Hunter. I am so angry with dad, but I also feel bad about what happened to him." My sister replied.

"Our father tried his best to stop his man from shooting Maddie for the second time by covering Madeline's body with his, and maybe it was because he realized what he had done was wrong, but it was too late." She added.

"Yeah, I felt the same way too, I want him to pay for what he had done to Rebecca that compromised Parker's life, and now to my wife, he confessed it was all his fault," I answered.

"I saw what happened out there earlier; when you proclaimed in front of everyone that you would do everything for Madeline, that was the time our father realized he was wrong," I added.

"Yeah, but it was too late; he wanted to stop the man who shot my wife, but it was too late, and now he falls victim to his own wickedness." I continue.

Before my sister could reply, I heard my mother gasp, and we all turned our heads to the door, and I was shocked to see Madeline getting inside the waiting area without a scratch.