Hunter’s POV

I don’t want to leave Maddie in her room alone, not only because I want to sleep beside her, but because I am scared if she will run away again. I wouldn’t say I like it that I have to order the security guard to check all the cars every time the mansion employees will go out. They should make sure Madeline is not going out in the mansion without my permission, and I hope she will not learn about this that I won’t allow her to get out from the Divenson mansion while we are not yet married. I am sure she will hate me if she realizes I tightened security so she couldn’t get out. I am not making her a prisoner, but I don’t want her to leave me again.

I hate myself because of my stupidity. I lost my chance of sleeping beside her at the Villa. I know I have her in my life out of necessity. I need her to produce an heir, but every time she is around, I can’t deny she awaken something deep inside my core, and I am trying to fight it. I want to go to her room and spend the night with her, but I know she was still tired from her swimming yesterday.

It took me a long time before I finally go to sleep, and when I wake up the following morning, I suddenly felt nervous, and I want to see Maddie. When I go to her room, she was not around, and Madeline made her bed, and I think I am getting paranoid since the last time she ran away. It is still very early in the morning, I go to the ground floor quickly and search the whole floor, but I could not find her. I can’t stop myself from feeling so nervous, and when I am about to go back to the second floor to check if she could be in Lily’s room, I caught the door of the secret passage going to the staff houses is slightly open. 

I slowly walk to the door, and I flared up when I saw my brother harassing Madeline. Parker is trying to take advantage of her, I know my brother has the same built like me, but I know I am more robust than him because I always do my daily exercise routine early morning. I used all my strength when I hit my brother on his jaw then I pinned him down on the ground. I have a hard time steadying him because he fought with me with ease. I punched his jaw one more time, and this time he stopped fighting me as I unarmed him with his knife by twisting his wrist, and I was stunned when I heard my brother’s laughter.

I can feel my anger level up when Parker asked me to allow him to taste Madeline since he said I could never love her, so he told me to share Maddie with him. I kicked my brother as hard as possible, and I want to beat him until he can no longer walk, but I don’t want to put the law in my hands. I want to give my brother a lesson.

I told him not to lay a finger on Maddie again, or I will kill him, and I can hear Parker groaning in pain, but it never stops him from talking. And he told me in my face that I could never love anyone except Rebecca. As much as I don’t want Maddie to know regarding my past, my beloved brother mentioned Rebecca’s name, and I can no longer ask him to shut his mouth. I can’t stop feeling anxious because I am worried about making Madeline walk out of my life again. It made me angrier when he begged me to give Maddie to her.

“Madeline is not a toy, Parker, she will be my wife soon, and you should respect her and me as your elder brother, but it seems you are testing my patience. I have seen how you looked at her, but I ignore it because I couldn’t believe you can do something like this. I am warning you, Parker, don’t ever go near with Madeline again, and I am telling you, you are going to pay for this.” I said, and I moved closer to Maddie and removed the tie on her wrists, and I caressed her face softly.

I whispered in her ear if she was okay, and she nodded. I can feel she is still trembling with fear, but she tried her best not to show it to me. I take her out from the secret passage, and I get my phone and call Roman. And I told him to handle my brother, and I know Parker can’t get up on his own. I take Maddie to her room. I apologized to Maddie for what my brother did to her, and I asked her if he hurt her. I felt glad when she shook her head, but I know if I didn’t come on time, I can’t forgive myself because I know my brother could have harm Madeline, and when she cried, I can feel her pain, and I softly wiped her tears away.

“Madeline, I am sorry, but I promise you, I will never allow anything like this to happen again. I will protect you, Maddie.” I said and kissed her forehead.

She thanked me for saving her life, and I told her to file an assault case against Parker because I want him to learn his lesson the hard way. He carried a knife, and he could have killed Maddie. I will support her, but even though my family mistreated her and Parker almost harm her, she still thinks about my parents. She doesn’t want them to hate her even more.

I don’t want to leave Madeline after what happened earlier, but I have an important meeting with clients. And as I looked at her beautiful innocent face, I can’t stop myself from claiming her cherry red lips. It was only a quick kiss but enough for me to feel the electricity that travels my entire frame, and when I stopped kissing her, I am surprised when she captured my lips again, and I couldn’t stop myself from feeling so thrilled. I kissed Maddie rough and demanding, and I want to continue to kiss her and make her feel good again, but I need to go. I kissed her on the cheeks, and I get out of her room in haste. 

As I drive my car to my office, I called Lily to instruct Cerila to prepare a breakfast meal and bring it to Maddie’s room. I asked her to accompany Madeline the whole day, and my sister felt so excited that she would be spending the entire day with Madeline. 

“Hello, Mr. Divenson?” Gina answered on the other line.

“Gina, I told you last time, call me by my first name.” I said.

“I am sorry, Hunter. What can I do for you? Is Madeline alright?” She asked, and I can hear the worries in her voice.

“Do not worry, Maddie is fine. I call you because I want to know how much do you earn in your job at the restaurant of Lydia?” I asked.

“And why do you ask? Just the minimum rate, but the tips are fantastic.” She answered.

“I will triple your salary plus allowances. Do you want to work with me?” I asked.

“Wow, and what kind of job is that?” 

“Your only job is to accompany Madeline in the Divenson mansion while she is staying there, and don’t worry, I will pay you the remaining days of your summer vacation even if you are no longer working with me,” I said. I thought she hung up on me because it took her a long time to answer me.

“You want me to work with you? But my only job is to accompany my best friend to your mansion? Do I hear you right?” She asked, and I can tell she is still doubtful about my offer.

“Yes, Gina, look, I don’t want your best friend to run away again, so I was thinking maybe if you are in the mansion, you can make her stay there, and she will no longer think of staying away from me. All you need to do is make her stay at the mansion.” I said, and I hear Madeline’s best friend laughs.

“Is there anything funny, Gina?” I asked, confused.

“You are funny, Hunter. I couldn’t believe that the most handsome eligible bachelor in the city was afraid of something like that, you can have any woman you like, but I will hate you if you do that to my best friend. I am just stating a fact.” She declared.

“Don’t worry, Gina, I only want Maddie to become my wife. That is why I am asking you to work with me, so do you want to work with me?” I asked again.

“Of course, I’d love to; your job offer is beyond I can imagine, Hunter, and this is the most fantastic job I will ever have in my entire life. Spending time with my best friend the whole day is terrific.” She responded.

“But I require you to stay in the mansion, Gina. You have to be with Madeline all the time if I am not around, and I want you to start today and kindly tell Lydia I am begging you to come. Please, Gina, I need your help.” I declared.

“You don’t need to beg me, Hunter; it is okay with me if you will only give me an allowance; you don’t need to pay me the basic because I will be doing this for Madeline.” She replied, and I felt so relieved because, with Gina in the house, I know Madeline will no longer think of leaving the mansion.. I know I am not only doing this for Maddie but myself because now I have never been so sure in my entire life that I want Madeline to be my wife.