Chapter 41: Stay with me


    Madi''s POV:


    I saw Gabrieling from the minibar, the moment Aunt Morgan asked me the question I didn''t expect


    to hear.


    "Madi, how many boyfriends did you have before you met Gabriel?"


    I was taken aback by her sudden and blunt question.


    "Morgan! That''s a personal question, you shouldn''t ask her that. That''s rude!" Even her husband was


    shocked by what she asked. Well actually, all of us were shocked.


    "It''s okay, Uncle James, it''s not a big deal," I said smiling.


    "Hi, love." Gabriel sat down next to me and held my hand. "What''s that.. what''s not a big deal?"


    I looked at him and Aunt Morgan repeated her question.


    "I was asking Madi, if how many boyfriends did she have before you came into her life?"


    It''s getting more awkward now that I can feel Gabriel''s eyes on my face and his grip on my hand has


    tightened. It feels like someone is asking me if I am still a virgin in front of him.


    "Actually, Aunt Morgan, I''ve never been in a rtionship before---"


    "As in never?" Nancy cut me off.


    "Yeah, I mean never." I shrugged but tried my best not to look at Gabriel''s face.


    "So, does that mean Gabriel is your first boyfriend?" Aunt Morgan''s eyeballs almost popped out of their


    sockets.


    I bit my lips as I nodded awkwardly.


    "You are so damn lucky, Gabriel!" Nancy eximed in a louder voice.


    "Nancy, yournguage!" her father red at her and before she could react, we heard Greg''sugh. He


    also came from the mini-bar.


    "Yes, Nancy''s right. Gabriel is indeed lucky to have Madi in his life," he smirked at Gabriel and I can''t


    help raising an eyebrow. I nced at Gabriel only to see him with the same smirk as Greg.


    But I gasped when he suddenly lifted me and ced me on hisp. He wrapped his hands around my


    waist and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.


    "Yeah, I''m so lucky to win your heart and I will never let you go no matter what. I won''t let those men


    who want to take you away from me. You''re just mine and will always be mine." he said looking into my


    eyes. He kissed me before ncing at Greg and smirked.


    I gulped as my eyes widened in surprise. Why do I feel something is happening between the two of


    them? Based on their exchange of smiles and odd nces at each other, Gabriel doesn''t seem


    pleased with Greg''s sudden appearance while thetter seems to be enjoying Gabriel''s annoyance.


    "I believe Greg." We all turned to Mr Wilsons who''s looking seriously at his son. "You''re indeed lucky,


    son, to have Madi in your life. I hope you''ll always appreciate her efforts, give her the time and love she


    deserves. Take care of her, son."


    That''s the second time I have heard Mr Wilsons gave his advice on ''how Gabriel should love me and


    take care of me''. Does he know the truth? Or we''re just both being paranoid because of lying to them?


    "Of course, Dad," he said seriously that you can''t even hear a hint of a lie in his voice.


    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


    I don''t know how many times I let out a heavy sigh since I came out on the terrace of Gabriel''s room. I


    suddenly want to be alone and think of everything.


    Am I wrong or I am just a fool? I remember the day, I saw Gabriel in the mall, stealing nces at his


    ex-girlfriend. Iughed at him and called him ''stupid and the biggest fool I''ve ever met, for following her,


    for hiring someone to monitor her and for hoping that someday she woulde back into his life.


    But now I think, I am also one of those people who needs to join the parade of fools on the street and


    the one who needs to build her monument for being stupid.


    I fell in love with my boss. I fell in love with him. How stupid, right? I mean, how could I exin this


    feeling? I''m happy when he''s happy, I feel sad when he''s sad and I can also feel the pain inside his


    heart.


    I sighed, shaking my head with a bitter smile. How did I end up falling in love with him when I know he''s


    still in love with her? When I know he can''t look at me differently?


    I rubbed my arms when I felt the cold breeze embraced me and shivered a little at its cold touch.


    "Why are you here? Do you want to catch colds?" I heard Gabriel''s voice as I also felt something warm


    on my shoulders. I looked at him and noticed he put a jacket on me.


    "Thank you," I said smiling at him. He didn''t say anything. He just sighed and watched the pool water


    glisten with the moonlights above.


    "Thank you, Madi."


    I nced at him, frowning. I don''t know why he''s saying thank you.


    "For what?"


    "For staying, for helping me and for everything." Then he smiled at me, a smile that didn''t even reach


    his eyes. And I have to look away before I find myself melting from the pain.


    "Gabriel, why do we have to pretend? I mean, why do we have to do this? Why do you have to act as if


    you''ve already moved on from your past?"


    He chuckled suddenly. "Madi, I''ve already told you the reason, to get her back and punish her."


    "Just to punish her?"


    I sighed when he fell silent after I asked that question. Haist... I wonder why I still asked when the


    answer is already dancing in front of me.


    "Just to punish her." and he answered finally.


    "Why do you have to punish her?"


    "To make her feel the pain I suffered when she left. When she decided to choose someone else over


    me!"


    And that''s my turn tough. A bitter kind ofugh.


    "Then you don''t really love her if you want to punish her!" he looked at me like I have grown two heads.


    "Because if you do, you will let her go and be happy for the life she has chosen. You will not punish her


    for what she has done because you love her, and that means you don''t want her to get hurt or even


    feel a single pain."


    "Madi, what do you understand? You don''t even have a boyfriend!" his voice rose as his both eyes


    were boring holes mine.


    Ohh... that was a low blow.


    "She hurt me! She left me heartbroken, torn apart! I became like this because of her! And you won''t


    understand because you aren''t the one who suffered the pain!"


    I don''t know but I just found myselfughing...ughing again in pain.


    "Wow, Gabriel! Do you think I don''t understand your pain? I do, Gabriel!" I said pointing to my chest


    and having the same tone of voice he gave me. "I do understand every little inch of it! And I don''t need


    to suffer the pain that you had and suffered just for me to understand you, because if I don''t, I won''t


    stay here next to you, lying and helping you with your stupid game!"


    I looked away as I can feel my temper rising from what he said. If I don''t understand him, I won''t


    sacrifice myself and my happiness just to be tied to him. If only I could force my heart not to fall in love


    with him, I would. If only I could ease and vanish his pain and suffering due to his past... I will definitely


    do it without even him asking me.


    "Why are you telling me this, Madi?"


    I sighed but I chose to ignore his question.


    "Do you know why I cried when you asked me to marry you earlier?" I haven''t heard his answer so I


    continued. "Because I suddenly felt guilty and sad at the same time because I really wanted to help you


    let out all the pain and show you the ''second chances in life'' like what you said while proposing to me. I


    want you to see those better opportunities in life, Gab. If she''s really meant for you, then she''s for you.


    And if not, learn to let go. Let her go."


    "No, Madi," he said shaking his head and Iughed again.


    -''Fucking shit!''-


    "I can''t. I''ve already nned all this and you know that."


    "Do you know what''s the best revenge you can give to those people who have hurt you the most? It''s


    to show them that you''re now happily moved on and giving yourself another chance to be happy


    again." I walked over to him and took both of his hands. "Because hating her and holding on to what


    she did, you can''t heal, Gab. Because this pain inside you...." I lifted my finger to point at his left chest.


    "... will remain until you finally allow yourself to let them go."


    "That''s why I''m doing all of this! I''m going to show her that I''ve moved on and that I''m happy!"


    "No, Gabriel. Don''t do all this for her. Do this for yourself and not for her."


    He didn''t say anything. He was silent until I noticed him sigh and looked at me while my hands were


    still on his.


    "Are you backing out now, Madi?"


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    I don''t know where he got that question. I was just giving him advice but I didn''t say I''m backing out


    with his deal.


    "Tell me, Madi, are you backing out now?" There''s a certain emotion in his eyes that I couldn''t read.


    "Gab---"


    "No, Madi." and he suddenly hugged me. "No, please stay with me. I can''t do this without you," he said


    as he repeatedly kissed the top of my head.


    "Gabriel..." What''s going on with him?


    He pulled back and hold both of my shoulders as he looked directly into my eyes.


    "Madi, please?" He closed his eyes and then let out a heavy sigh before opening them again. "Madi,


    please stay with me. If you don''t want me to kiss you in front of my family, then I won''t. Just stay with


    me until I''m done with this and until I finally figure out everything."


    Figure out everything? What is going on with him? He''s like my boyfriend begging me not to leave him


    and to stay with him.


    "Gabriel! What are you talking about? I didn''t say anything about backing out. And what do you mean


    figure out everything? What are those things you need to figure out?"


    He looked at me puzzled. "So you''re not backing out?"


    "No," I replied shaking my head.


    "Thank you, love." he sighed in relief and hugged me again. "Just have patience with me, please and I


    promise I won''t be a jerk anymore not even in the office."


    Iughed at his promise. "Do you really promise that?"


    "Yes, I promise."


    Iughed again when he raised his palm as a sign of promise.


    "Pinky swear?" I show my smallest finger and heughed at me too, but then he epted it.


    "Pinky swear." And we bothughed at the childish gesture. But deep inside of me, I wished we could


    stay that way forever.


    "What would I do to you if you started being a jerk again?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "p me."


    My eyes widened a bit. "Are you sure of that, Gabriel Wilsons?" I asked him emphasizing his name, but


    he just chuckled.


    "Yes, love, you can p me or do whatever you want if I bing a jerk again."


    "Okay, thates from your mouth, ahh?" I chuckled and shivered when I felt again the cold wind blow


    all over my skin.


    His eyebrows knitted when he noticed me and took both of my hands.


    "You''re cold," he said rubbing my hands and I couldn''t but smile when he blew a warm breath on them.


    "Yucks!" I said in the form of a joke.


    And his serious face turned into a yful one. He continued to blow his warm breath on my hands.


    "Gabriel! That''s disgusting! You''re not helping me anymore!" I said trying to pull my hands.


    "No, love. You''re cold."


    "Eww!" I screamed when he bit my fingertips. He''s really enjoying it. "I will kick your precious jewels if


    you keep doing it!" I said stomping my left foot.


    And it worked. He stopped what he was doing and looked at me. He even let go of my hands.


    "Precious jewels?"


    "Yes, precious jewels," I repeated proudly.


    "Did you call my balls precious jewels?" he asked in disbelief.


    "Yes, and I---" I didn''t get the chance to finish my sentence when heughed. Heughed so hard that


    he had to clutch his stomach.


    I scratched the tip of my eyebrow. -''What''s with the ''precious jewels''?''-


    "Ohh love.. please you can kick any part of my body just not these two precious jewels of mine. How


    can I be a Dad someday? How can we give our parents their grandchildren?" he winked at me.


    And my lips curled up into a smile.


    "Hahaha... so funny!" And I rolled my eyes.