Loving Madeline

Chapter 360: Confronting My Brother

Charlotte’s POV

"What is going on, Charlotte? Are you okay?" Cecily asked with worries on her face when she found me on the stairs with luggage in my hand.

"I hated Jack, Cel. He was lying to me, to all of us." I responded as I continued walking down the staircase, holding back my tears while she walked beside me.

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"Jack was only here in Barcelonia to work, and my brother paid him to become my cook. He was not in love with me. He knew from the start I was here because he signed a contract with my brother." I declared, and all the pain I felt came rushing back to me.

Last night, I cried until there were no more tears left, and I promised myself not to cry anymore, but the pain of his betrayal cut so deep.

"I felt like the ground had been pulled from beneath me, a sudden plunge into an abyss I didn’t see coming. Once solid and unwavering, my trust in Jack now felt fragile, like glass shattered into irreparable pieces." I said as I put the luggage on the floor.

"Cecily, I felt so hurt and betrayed. I couldn’t sleep last night. I kept replaying moments I shared with him, searching for signs I missed, and every memory became tainted with doubt. My love for him battled with anger, sadness, and disbelief, and all of it swirled together into a storm I couldn’t escape. It wasn’t just the act itself that hurt; it was the realization that the person I’d given my heart to had planned to break it." I added, and she pulled me into a tight embrace.

"I am sorry, Charlotte, but I don’t think his feelings for you weren’t real. I knew Jack was in love with you." Cecily mumbled, and I shook my head.

"No, I had read the contract, and my brother was paying him this whole time," I answered as she slowly released me from his hold.

"I think you should not leave, Charlotte. This is your home, and you should give Jack the benefit of the doubt." Cecily said.

"He doesn’t deserve it, Cel. He tricked me and played me with his fingers. I hated him and didn’t want to see him anymore." I replied.

"Come on, Char. You are both in love with each other, you love him, and you are getting married, " my friend responded.

"It is all now clear to me, Cel, that he is so eager to marry me after knowing my family has taken me back. I am no longer the black sheep of our family. And he knew I still had my inheritance. Jack wanted to marry me because of our family’s wealth. I couldn’t believe he was this kind of person." I declared, and every word I said felt bitter in my mouth.

"I am leaving, Cecily. Don’t worry; I will still communicate with you. I needed to go somewhere to clear my head, and I didn’t know how to mend my broken heart, but I had to."

"I never felt so betrayed my whole life, and I hated myself that I fell in love with him." I continued.

"Don’t say that Charlotte; I am sure Jack is not that kind of person." Cecily insisted, and I couldn’t blame her for being loyal to her friend.

"Cel, I am leaving now and don’t want to do anything with him. I will not tell you where I am going since you will tell Jack." I responded.

The car for rent arrived, and I said goodbye to Cecily.

Leaving the manor I now call my home feels like walking away from a piece of myself, a place where love and pain are intertwined. I want to stay, to hold onto the comfort of its walls and the memories of better days. But the hurt lingers in every corner, and waiting would mean living with ghosts I’m not ready to face. So I leave, not because I want to, but because I need to. I need to heal, to find a peace I couldn’t have here in Barcelonia.

It is a bittersweet feeling. I admit I learned so many things in the manor and didn’t regret anything I experienced for the first time. I have so many firsts in this place. I fell in love for the first time, had my first kiss, and experienced heartbreak. I didn’t know it could be painful like this.

I didn’t have a choice but to come home to the Divenson mansion. The old white house stood with timeless grace, its once-brilliant façade now softened by the gentle touch of age. Tall, arched windows framed with delicate carvings reflected the fading sunlight, and ivy crept up its stately columns as if drawn to its enduring beauty.

Despite the faint cracks in its walls and the slightly worn edges, the mansion exuded an air of elegance, as though it carried the weight of history with effortless charm. It was a place where grandeur and nostalgia intertwined, whispering stories of a bygone era.

I didn’t know how long I had stood before my old home. The weight of my father’s absence settled in my chest. Once alive with his laughter and steady presence, the house felt hollow, like a stage after the final act.

The old butler greeted me with the same respect. As I got inside, every corner held a memory, my father’s voice calling from the porch, the way he’d stand by the window lost in thought. Yet now, the echoes of those moments were just that—echoes. I missed him in a way words couldn’t touch, an ache so deep it felt like the house itself grieved with me, holding onto his spirit in its weathered walls and quiet rooms.

The pain in my heart tripled as I remembered my brother’s scheme as I looked at the old family portrait in our living room. I thought Hunter loved me as his younger sister. I didn’t know he manipulated my life and asked someone to look after me, and Jack allowed my elder brother to use him in his game.

He must hate me so much for hurting his wife. I already asked forgiveness for all the things I did to Madeline. I thought he had already forgiven me.

Being in my old room evokes a mix of emotions. It felt like I was stepping into a time capsule. The faded posters on the walls, the worn-out desk, and the bed that once seemed so big now felt smaller yet heavier with memories.

The air carried a faint trace of familiarity—like an echo of who I used to be. It was comforting and unsettling all at once, as though the room held onto pieces of me that I’d long since outgrown but could never quite leave behind. In its quiet stillness, it whispered both belonging and distance, a reminder of how much I had changed.

I knew I had changed and become a better version of myself, but I wished I hadn’t allowed Jack to get into my system. I wished I was still the old Charlotte who could hide her true feelings.

The sheets were cleaned, and I knew the house was well-cleaned since servants kept things running in our old mansion ever since my mom and sister moved to Hunter’s house.

I lay on my bed thinking about the things I should do, and I fell asleep with tears in my eyes. I woke up the following morning with a soft knock on my bedroom door. I couldn’t believe one of the maids woke me up to eat breakfast, and if I were my old self, I am sure I would have already yelled at her for disturbing my sleep, but I am now a different person, and I will not allow the pain and betrayal I felt will make me go back to being a brat.

The food on the table looked delicious, but I didn’t have the appetite to eat. I still feel terrible. I only ate a little since I didn’t want the staff to feel stupid for preparing the food for me.

I was shocked when, as I was about to get out of the main door, the butler handed me the key to my old car.

"I planned to commute," I replied, trying my best to smile at him.

"Ms. Charlotte, your brother made sure all the cars in the garage were well maintained. I am sure you don’t want to be stuck in traffic riding a bus. Your sports car would be the best vehicle you can use." He replied, and I took the car keys from his hand and was excited to drive my old car.

At least driving my own car made me feel excited, and I could feel the anxiousness in my heart as I neared my brother’s office. I made sure he was on Archois before I went to our company.

I barged into Hunter’s office before his secretary could inform him, and I saw the surprise on my brother’s face. I could tell he was genuinely happy to see me, but I was so angry with him that I couldn’t return his smile.

"Charlotte, what a surprise?" he said, still smiling brotherly.

"How dare you manipulate my life, Hunter?" I asked angrily.

"What? I don’t understand. What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"How can you explain to me why Jack has a contract with your company?" I asked, and my brother’s face turned pale as he looked at me speechless.

"Answer me, Hunter?" I yelled as I started throwing the things I found on his table, and he was with me in an instant, trying to pacify me, but I tried to get away from his hold and punch him in the chest, he let me hit him as my tears gushing on my cheeks.

"Charlotte, you need to calm down and listen to me. If you want an answer, we can’t talk if you are like this, " my brother said, and I stopped and looked at him in the eyes.

"How are you going to explain everything, Hunter?" I asked, hopeful that his answer would save my relationship with Jack.