Loving Madeline

Madeline's POV

"Thank you for coming, Karen. I appreciate your goodness towards me." I said, and she smiled at me as she sat at the stool while I sat at the edge of my bed and faced her. And I felt so glad that the ocean was now at peace, and the rocking of the boat came back to normal, and I could speak freely without feeling nauseated.

"Of course, I can't wait to hear what you have to say, Madeline. I am sorry if I was not able to come back right away, I discussed something important with my brother, and I waited for him to go back to his cabin, and I had to rummage his files to get some important documents." Karen replied, and I could tell she was eyeing me.

"It is okay. I couldn't sleep anyway, maybe because I spent most of my time the entire day on this bed, and I felt so glad the bad weather had gone." I said.

"You have to brace yourself, Maddie, because from time to time, the weather will turn bad again because for us sailors, it was only normal in this route.." She declared.

"I came here in your cabin even if I need to work four hours from now, and I need to have some sleep, but because I want to know you more, Maddie, I sacrifice a little bit. And I want to listen to my instinct for once since it feels like I need to know more about you. And I want to learn more things about you, and not from the records we have gathered." Karen declared, and I smiled at her.

"And one more thing, I can't guarantee if I can help you, Madeline, because you know I am only one of my brother's employees, and I can't disobey his command." She said, and my heart sank, but I don't want her to think I am weak, and I need to show Karen I am strong and a normal person. They already thought I was a crazy woman, and I could tell every crew member thought I was mentally ill, and I pity myself that I undergo this kind of hardship again. I know I am a strong person, but not all

the time I can take it all; sometimes I get tired too, but I know this time I need to fight because I have my baby in my womb that needs my attention. I need to be careful always, and I can't make any stupid decisions that jeopardize my child's safety.

"Of course, I am not lying, Karen, don't laugh at me because everything I am going to tell you is true." I declared, and she looked at me in the eyes.

"Start your story now, Madeline; you need to tell me everything you remember," Karen responded, and I weakly smiled at her.

"Of course, I am Madeline Brownwood, I will be turning 24 years old this year, and I married Hunter Divenson at the age of nineteen. I don't have any family except my aunt. And I wonder why you told me my family came here and talked with your brother. I have been an orphan since my mom died when I was young; while I don't know who my father was since he left my mom and me at the age of three, and I just found out my father was dead after Hunter Divenson chose me to be his wife." I said, and I had a feeling I could never convince her that I am Hunter's wife, or she won't believe in anything that I had told her since she was silent for a long time, and I was afraid if I would make the situation worst.

She handed me a brown envelope, and I couldn't stop myself from feeling so nervous when I fished out its contents. My eyes widened when I saw pictures of Hunter and Kaye together and most of the photos they were cuddling with each other, and I could tell that most of the images were taken a long ago, from their teenage years until they became a couple. And I know they have so many pictures together growing up since their family is close.

"She is the wife of Mr. Hunter Divenson, Madeline," Karen said, and I hate myself that no words came

out from my mouth when I saw the last picture of Kaye and Hunter. It was more recent because it was taken after I met Hunter's family, and I could tell it was the night Hunter first hurt me, and the following morning I ran away to the Magnolia village with the help of Lily and Tony. They looked so sweet together in the picture, and even if it was taken years ago, I could still feel the pain of my first heartache because it was at that moment I realized I had fallen in love with my cold, handsome fiance.

I could tell the photograph I held in my hands was taken in Hunter's room, and I know Kaye slept in his room that night. She took a selfie while Hunter was sleeping, and the picture made me feel so jealous, and I tried to control myself not to cry because, in the picture, Kaye was only wearing a sexy nightgown, and her cleavage was on full display, and her head was on Hunter's chest. And if she claimed she was Hunter's wife, anyone would believe her since the picture itself could tell a thousand stories.

I can't hold back my tears anymore as I remember that painful night, and right now, I felt so helpless as I realized Kaye fabricated everything as I continued to look at the documents in my hands. I can see laboratory results and doctors' prognoses about my illness. I couldn't believe what I had in my hands, and I almost screamed when I saw a picture of me serving drinks to Charlotte and Kaye in the swimming pool. I couldn't believe she took a picture of me that time, and there was also a picture of me with the maids doing laundry with my bare hands at the Divenson mansion.

"Mrs. Divenson said you were the maid of the Divenson household, and her husband was kind enough to allow you to continue your college education, and the moment you graduated, Hunter Divenson made you one of his secretaries, and his wife was frustrated that after everything they had done to you, you still claim to be his husband's wife," Karen said while I was shaking my head.

"That is not true, Karen," I said in more than a whisper. After all, I felt so defeated because even if I were in Karen's shoes, I would never believe my side of the story. After all, as of now, Kaye has already provided them the fake information. And the pictures are real, and Karen will only think I am insane if I continue to tell her I am Hunter's wife.

"They helped you with your medications, but she became more worried about your condition when you got pregnant. And Mrs. Divenson knew right away that you would claim Hunter was the father. She only wanted to protect her family, Madeline, and whoever the father of your child should know you are carrying his baby." Karen declared.

"Aren't you going to look at your parents?" She asked, and my forehead furrowed, and she took the envelope from me. She was looking at the pictures, one after the other, and when she found out what she was looking for, she handed me the image, and my eyes widened when I saw my photo together with Tony and Lydia.

"Just in case you have amnesia, Maddie, these two are your parents." She said, and I couldn't believe Kaye had a picture of me with Lydia and Tony, it was taken during my 22nd birthday, and it was held at our Villa, and I invited them that time.

"Karen, they are not my parents; they are siblings, she is Lydia, and he is her brother, Tony, and he was one of the drivers of the Divenson family." I blurted out, and Karen smiled at me.

"Yes, my dear, I heard your father told Noah that he was one of the family drivers of the Divenson family when he came together with Hunter's wife, and he told us you were his daughter, and that is the reason why you got the chance to met the Divensons. Hunter Divenson was your father's employer, and when you started working at their mansion, his family became your employer too." Karen added. And I got so confused about how come Tony came with Kaye? Did he betray Hunter and Lily? I know he was loyal to the Divenson family, and I realized maybe Clark Divenson was the one who ordered Tony to come with Kaye.

I am no longer surprised that Kaye was behind all this because even from the start, there is no one I can think about who will do all this except Kaye and Hunter's dad. And I know they collaborated with each other, including Charlotte, since she had my pictures when Charlotte asked me to serve them that time. And I am just thankful Kaye didn't order them to kill me, and I wonder how they will deal with me later. And I suddenly felt scared if Kaye would order them to kill me while we were still on the open water.

And I realized I couldn't trust them, and there is no one I can trust right now on this ship. And I know asking Karen to help me will become futile because right now, as she was gazing at me, I could tell she thought that I had lost my hand since all the evidence she had on her hands at the moment is enough to make Kaye's claim genuine. Everything I say to her will become ridiculous and unbelievable because I don't have enough proof that I am Hunter's legal wife.