Loving Madeline

Chapter 363: My Future

Charlotte’s POV

I stopped in my tracks the moment I spotted my brother inside the dining hall.

Hunter sat at the long oak table, his posture relaxed as he sipped his coffee, looking entirely too comfortable. As if he belonged here. As if nothing had happened.

A wave of irritation rippled through me.

I folded my arms tightly across my chest, my voice carrying a sharp edge. "What are you doing here, Hunter?"

He glanced up, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Aren’t you happy to see me?" His voice was light, teasing, but I wasn’t in the mood for his games.

It was already noon, and he must have stopped by from his office. But why?

He was rarely in Archois these days. Most of his time was spent at Madeline’s grandfather’s estate, where his wife lived. It had been months since I had last seen him here, and something about his sudden presence put me on edge.

What could possibly be so important that he had to see me?

He set his coffee cup down, his piercing gaze meeting mine, unwavering. "This is our ancestral house, Charlotte. I have every right to be here."

There was a pause, a deliberate one, before he continued.

"But I didn’t come to check on the house. I came to see you." His words sent an uneasy feeling creeping up my spine.

I stiffened under his stare, refusing to let my expression betray the discomfort settling in my chest.

My fingers curled into my arms as I looked away, feigning indifference. "Well, here I am," I said flatly. "What do you want?"

Hunter exhaled slowly, shifting slightly in his chair. "I want to talk."

I let out a dry laugh. "Talk? About what?"

He leaned forward, his expression turning serious. "About your future, Charlotte."

I blinked, caught off guard. "My future?"

He nodded. "Yes. You’ve been drifting for months now, running from everything. But it’s time to decide what you really want."

I felt my shoulders tense. Of course, he would be the one to bring this up.

I had spent months trying to piece myself back together after everything that happened with Jack, trying to distance myself from the shadows of the past. And now, my brother had decided to waltz in here, acting as if he knew what was best for me?

I clenched my jaw. "I already know what I want, Hunter."

He arched a brow. "Do you?"

I met his gaze defiantly. "Yes. And it doesn’t involve being lectured by you."

Hunter sighed, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair. "Charlotte, I’m not here to lecture you. I’m here because I have an opportunity for you."

I exhaled slowly, already knowing where this was going. "Let me guess. You want me to work at the company."

Hunter didn’t deny it. "It makes sense. Our little sister is too young to take over, and I need someone I can trust to step in while I’m with Maddie."

There it was. The offer I had once dreamed of.

Back when our father was alive, I had wanted this. I had spent years preparing for it, waiting for my chance to prove that I was just as capable as Hunter.

But now?

Now, the idea of stepping into his place felt like stepping into a prison.

I let out a slow breath, shaking my head. "No, Hunter. My answer is no."

His brows furrowed, his frustration evident. "Charlotte, Mom would love to have you on board. You belong there."

At the mention of our mother, something inside me wavered.

I had considered it before. I knew it would make her happy. I knew it would bring me back into the fold, make me part of something familiar.

And yet, the thought of it made my chest feel tight. I had spent my entire life trying to fit into this mold, trying to be what everyone expected me to be.

But I wasn’t that person anymore.

After everything I had endured in Barcelonia, the betrayals, the heartbreak, the realization that money and status couldn’t shield me from pain. I understood something I never had before.

Fame and wealth didn’t matter. Not really.

What mattered were the people you could trust.

And just thinking about her made my heart bleed.

Cecily.

She had been my best friend. My confidante. The person I had trusted the most. And yet, she had been a part of their scheme, too. She had played her role so convincingly, smiling at me while stabbing me in the back.

The betrayal still burned, an ache that hadn’t dulled with time.

I forced myself to push it aside.

I would rebuild my life. But I would do it my way.

I squared my shoulders, my voice firm. "I want to start my own business."

Hunter sighed, rubbing his temples, frustration flashing across his face. "You’re wasting your time, Charlotte."

I set my jaw, unmoved.

He leaned forward, his tone more forceful now. "This family business has been passed down through generations. Our grandparents built this from the ground up, and they sacrificed so much to make sure we had something to hold onto. We can’t just let that go."

His words should have made me falter. Years ago, they would have.

But now? Now, all I could think about was the sacrifices I had made, the dreams I had abandoned, the mistakes I had suffered through all for a life that was never truly mine.

I had spent too long living in the shadow of expectations.

And I wasn’t going back.

I met his gaze, my expression unyielding. "That’s my choice to make."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The tension between us was thick, unspoken words hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break.

Finally, Hunter let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "Fine. But don’t come running back when you realize this is a mistake."

I swallowed the lump in my throat but said nothing.

Let him think what he wanted.

I knew the truth.

And this time, I wasn’t looking back.

I exhaled slowly, my heart still pounding. The weight of my decision settled over me. For the first time in a long time, I had chosen my path.

Now, I just had to make sure I didn’t regret it.

"Well," I said, my voice laced with sarcasm, "I survived after you and Jack played your little trick on me."

Hunter’s face fell, the regret flashing across his features unmistakable.

"Come on, Charlotte. I admit my mistake. I’ve already asked for your forgiveness. I only did what I thought was best for you. I wanted you to have a better life, I never meant to hurt you."

I let out a sharp laugh, shaking my head. "Huh! I don’t know about that, Hunter." I met his gaze again, my expression hard. "I know exactly why you did it. You wanted to punish me for everything I did to your wife." Hunter opened his mouth to protest, but I didn’t let him.

"You couldn’t forgive me, so you decided to get back at me. And what better way than to hire Jack to play with my feelings? To humiliate me?" I muttered, my voice filled with bitterness.

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Look, Charlotte, it’s all in the past now. You need to move forward. Let go of the resentment. Forgive those who hurt you." He hesitated, his voice turning softer. "Forgive me."

I scoffed. "I don’t know if I can, Hunter. You made me feel like a fool." My voice wavered slightly, but I steadied myself. "I believed Jack really loved me."

Hunter exhaled deeply. "He does love you, Charlotte."

I let out a half-hearted laugh. "Right. Love." Hunter’s expression darkened as if he knew what I was about to say.

"He wanted to marry me for the money, Hunter." My voice was calm, but there was an undeniable sting beneath it. "He agreed to come to Barcelonia because of the money, and not because he cared about me." Hunter flinched at my words but didn’t deny them.

I tilted my head, studying him. "You are his accomplice." I added.

Silence.

That was all the confirmation I needed.

"I don’t know how to convince you, but I swear to you, Jack’s feelings for you are real." My brother insisted, his tone almost desperate. "Give him a chance, Charlotte."

I shook my head.

I needed to change the subject. I needed to stop talking about him. Because even after all these months, it still hurt.

The beautiful memories I had with Jack kept replaying in my mind, no matter how much I tried to forget them. His touch, his voice, his stupid smirk—everything about him haunted me.

Hunter sighed, standing up abruptly. "I have to go, good luck to your new endeavor," he said, and just like that he turned his heels and left.

I watched as he walked out of the dining hall, his shoulders tense, his steps purposeful.

The moment he was gone, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

I exhaled slowly, the weight of my decision settling over me. I had chosen my own path. Now, I just had to make sure I didn’t regret it.

That night sleep evaded me. I tossed and turned, my mind replaying every conversation, every choice, every regret.

Hunter’s words echoed in my head.

"You need to move forward."

"Forgive me."

"Jack is serious about you."

I hated how easily those words unsettled me.

But what troubled me more was the thought that maybe I wasn’t as over Jack as I wanted to be.

I sighed, sitting up in bed.

Enough. I needed a fresh start.

A real one.

Tomorrow, I would start looking for a place to open my own business.

A small café.

Something that belonged only to me.

For once, I wanted to create something with my own hands, not inherit something that came with expectations and burdens.

I loved pastries, and I felt so excited about my plans.

And even though I had learned from Jack, I refused to let his memory ruin this dream for me.

Jack was the past.

But my future?

That belonged to me.