Loving Madeline

Chapter 365: New Adventure

Charlotte’s POV

My mother’s presence was a comfort I hadn’t realized I needed.

With her help, I had finally found a place to set up my business, and for the past few months, I had thrown myself into making it a reality.

Three months later, my dream came to life.

I stood outside my newly opened café, Charlotte’s Haven Café, staring at the elegant signage with a sense of pride I hadn’t felt in a long time.

It wasn’t grand. It wasn’t the most luxurious café in town. But it was mine.

A space I had built from the ground up, a place that finally felt like a fresh start.

"Thank you so much, Mom," I murmured, my voice thick with emotion as I turned to her. "I couldn’t have done any of this without you."

She smiled, squeezing my hand. "Oh, sweetheart, you did this. I just gave you a little push."

I exhaled, feeling the weight of all the struggles, doubts, and sleepless nights that had led to this moment.

But before I could fully savor the feeling, she brought up Barcelonia.

"Your hotel there still needs you, Charlotte. It’s yours."

I sighed, my excitement dimming slightly.

The hotel.

A place tied to a past I wasn’t ready to revisit.

"I should sell my shares, Mom," I admitted, folding my arms across my chest. "I can’t run a business with my ex. Not now."

She studied me for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, she sighed.

"You need to face Jack eventually," she said gently.

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening at the mention of his name.

"I know," I whispered.

But knowing it and being ready for it were two entirely different things.

For now, this café was my safe haven.

And I wasn’t ready to leave it just yet.

I hadn’t expected all my family members to come for the soft opening of my café. Seeing them gathered here, celebrating with me, filled me with a kind of happiness I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Even Madeline’s grandfather had come to show his support, and I was deeply grateful for that.

But despite the warmth and love surrounding me, a part of me still felt incomplete.

Something—someone—was missing.

"Congratulations, Charlotte," Hunter’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see my older brother standing beside me, holding a cup of espresso. His eyes held genuine pride, and I felt no tension between us for the first time in a while.

"I am so proud of you, little sis."

I smiled. A real one. "Thank you for coming, even though I know you’re busy."

Hunter exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, honestly, I don’t even know how to handle everything," he admitted. "Balancing work and family—it’s harder than I thought. And I still can’t believe you turned down my offer."

I sighed, already knowing this conversation would come up again.

"This is what I want, Hunter," I said, my voice softer but firm.

This café. This is a fresh start.

Not a position in the family business. Not a life tied to the past.

Hunter studied me for a moment, then nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I know. And I am happy for you."

He hesitated before adding, "I just hope... you’ll forgive me someday."

I met his gaze, and for the first time, I saw something I hadn’t before—regret.

A deep, unspoken guilt that he had carried for too long.

"I already have," I said.

His relief was immediate, and I could feel the weight lifting from between us.

Maybe this café wasn’t just a new beginning for me.

Maybe it was a way to mend old wounds, too.

Yet, even as I stood there, surrounded by people who cared about me, a different thought crept into my mind.

Jack had stopped bothering me—no calls, no texts, nothing. I should have been relieved, but I felt a strange emptiness instead.

I pushed the thought aside, forcing my focus back onto the café, onto the people who were here with me.

This was my moment, and I wouldn’t let anyone, not even Jack, take it away from me.

Running a café on my own had been exhausting yet fulfilling. But as much as I wanted to handle everything myself, I knew I couldn’t.

So, I hired a team.

A few reliable staff members, including a pastry chef, helped with daily operations, although I still insisted on overseeing the baking and dessert preparations myself.

Baking had always been my safe space, my way of finding control in the chaos of life.

After placing the last batch of chocolate moist cake into the oven, I turned to Lindsey, my pastry chef.

One year had passed in a blur.

"I think I need to start attending seminars and training to expand our cafe. We need a new set of desserts," I said, wiping my hands on my apron.

Lindsey nodded, tossing some flour-dusted utensils into the sink. "Yeah, that’s always a great idea. Actually, there’s a free training session happening this month."

I hesitated.

I should have been interested. Learning more, honing my craft, and networking with other bakers should have excited me.

But instead, my chest tightened as I remembered the reason why I became interested in baking and cooking. It was all because of my ex.

"I... don’t want to attend anything local," I admitted carefully, avoiding her gaze.

I didn’t tell her the real reason.

That I was afraid of running into Jack.

Archois is big. The chances of bumping into him were slim... but not impossible.

Jack was a renowned chef.

He would attend any event, seminar, or training related to cooking and baking.

And I wasn’t ready.

I wasn’t ready to see him.

To face him.

To pretend that my heart wouldn’t react at the mere sight of him.

So, after Lindsey left to finish another batch of pastries, I pulled out my laptop and searched for training abroad.

It didn’t take long to find something—a renowned pastry workshop in Paris. My heart raced with excitement as I scrolled through the details.

A chance to travel again and to learn from the best.

A chance to breathe. I hadn’t left Archois since the café started. Maybe a change of scenery was exactly what I needed.

I smiled to myself as I bookmarked the page, already feeling lighter at the thought.

This was my chance to move forward.

And for the first time in a long time, I actually felt excited about the future.

"Lindsey, I’ll be away for two weeks, but I know you’ll take good care of the café," I said over the phone, double-checking my itinerary one last time.

"Of course, boss," she replied confidently on the other line. I’ve got everything under control, " she added, and I gave her additional instructions before ending my call.

I let out a sigh of relief, trusting her completely. Lindsey had been a lifesaver since I opened the café. Leaving it in her hands for a couple of weeks wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but I knew she was more than capable.

Just as I was about to head out, I spotted Hunter sitting in the dining hall, casually sipping a cup of coffee.

What is he doing here?

"What are you doing here, Hunter?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

He looked up, utterly unfazed by my suspicious tone. "Mom told me you’re flying out today," he said simply.

"And?" I crossed my arms, waiting for him to elaborate.

He smirked, taking another sip of his coffee before setting the cup down. "Isn’t it obvious? I’m driving you to the airport."

I blinked. "You are?"

His smirk widened. "Yeah. What, you think I’d let my baby sister go to Paris without ensuring she gets there safely?"

I didn’t say it out loud, but... I was genuinely happy he was here.

We had come a long way, Hunter and I. There was a time when we could barely hold a conversation without it turning into an argument. But now, standing here, knowing he had taken time out of his day just to send me off—it meant something.

"Paris, huh?" he mused as he stood up, stretching his arms.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are you the only one who gets to go to Paris?"

Hunter chuckled. "I’m not saying that. I think it’s nice that you’re finally starting to have a life again."

His words made me pause.

I frowned. "I am living my life, Hunter. And for your information, I’m happy."

He held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I’m just saying. It’s good to see you excited about something again."

I wanted to argue, but... maybe he had a point.

I had spent so much time building my café, distracting myself, avoiding my past. Maybe this trip was the first real thing I was doing for myself.

Hunter stood up and walked with me to the living room, effortlessly picking up my suitcase.

"We have drivers, you know," I pointed out. "I could have just asked one of them to take me."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but I wanted to do this. And I want to make sure you get to the airport safely."

I just looked at him for a moment, taking in this rare display of affection from my brother.

Hunter doesn’t say much but shows his love through his actions.

And I couldn’t deny I felt terrific to have him here.

I smiled. "Okay, then. Let’s go."

I felt a strange mix of excitement and nervousness as we stepped outside.

Paris awaited me. For the first time in a long time, I was ready for a new adventure.