He only married me to show her that he already moved on Chapter 70 - seventy: Releasing the pain

Madi's POV:

"Good morning Aunt Madi!"

I felt the sudden dipped on the side of my bed. It's because of my seven years old niece, Sarah from my older sister Madison. She jumped up and hugged me on my back as I laid on my stomach. 

"Aunt Madi, wake up!" she ride me on my back and starts to make me her horse. 

-'Oh my dearest God! Why did you give such this lovable niece?'-

"Sweety, it's still early!"

I complained while getting one of my pillow to cover my face, but the silly kid take it away from me and jumped repeatedly on the bed. 

"No! It's already eight o'clock, it's actually late in the morning."

"Oh God! Sarah, stop that! You might fall!" I opened my left eye. 

"No! I'm used to this, Aunt Madi. Come on, get up we're still going to the park, you promised me!"

"Yeah, I know. But get down sweety and play with your dolls in the living room, I'm just gonna follow you there." I said taking again the pillow but she removed it from my hands. 

"No! You're lying!"

"I'm not! I swear."

"No! You always say that every morning, but you just go back to sleep again!"

-'Oh my God! I can't lie anymore to this stubborn kid!'-

"Hey, you wake up your Auntie again?" I heard my sister's voice at the door frame. 

"Because she promised me, mommy, we're going to the park this morning!"

"But it's still early, baby."

"No! Look!" she showed her pink barbie wristwatch. "Its eight-ten in the morning, Mommy! Auntie needs to get up!"

I looked at my sister and I gave her a playful glare which she just chuckled at. 

"Why did you have to teach her how to read the time?" I asked her when she seated at the edge of my bed. 

"I didn't, Sis. She just learned it from her nanny." she chuckled again when I faked my cry. 

"Okay fine! We're going to the park, but I won't take a bath. It's chilly!"

And the kid's eyes narrowed in disgust. "Yuck, Aunt Madi! You will stink!"

"Of course not! Even if I don't take a bath for three days, I won't stink." of course it's a joke to annoy the kid. 

"Yucks! You're eww!" she crumpled her face while me and her mother both laughed at her reactions. 

"Come on, Sis. You know your niece won't stop bothering you if you don't get up."

Madison kissed me on my forehead. It's their gesture since I was a kid. 

"Let's go, baby. Let your Auntie take a bath now, so you can go together at the park." she said extending her hand to her daughter. 

"But Mom..?"

"Come on, Sarah. She will follow us downstairs, right Sis?" I smiled when she winked at me. And my stubborn niece didn't protest again, she just followed her Mom outside the door. 

I don't have a choice but to get up and go to the bathroom to take a bath, because I'm sure my stubborn niece will go back after ten minutes to check if I go back to sleep. 

I sighed as I looked myself in front of my bathroom mirror. It's been three years and I didn't notice how the time flew by so fast. I am currently staying with my sister and in her family's house in Aurora, Colorado. 

I've never stepped again in Chicago for the past three years. I didn't contact any of my friends there, except my three managers whom I gave my authorization to decide and sign all the needed papers and doc.u.ments in behalf of me. 

I cut all my connections to anyone who were connected to my previous work especially to the person I avoided the most... Gabriel Wilsons. It's been so hard for me to cope with my emotions during my first year of staying here. I've been crying almost every night and trying to forget every single memory of my painful past. 

But eventually, I learned how to deal with my pain and play with it as time goes by. It's not easy and I admit, there's occasional night that I broke down and cried because I know I couldn't go back and change what happened. I learned to accept the fact that there's someone I met and came to my life, but we're not meant to be and no matter what I do, things will never change and will never be the same again. 

Honestly, I can't say I am completely healed and totally forget the past, but at least I know now how to handle the pain. And maybe this pain that I've been through, might be my greatest strength in the future or when our paths cross again.. who would know, right? 

As they say.. healing begins the moment you accept the hurt. Yes, I accepted all of it and now I can find myself smiling every time I remember those memories, the time I left his house and the time I say goodbye to my dying heart. 

Flashback.... 

***Where do I start to leave my life alone? I guess I'm learning, only learning... learning the art of letting go.***

After hearing the last lyrics of the song, I let all the tears come out from eyes. I let my heart bleed for the last moment. And Bryan needs to stop the car just to pull me into a hug. 

"You know what, if you don't stop crying.. I swear I'll kill that f.u.c.k.i.n.g bastard, Madielyn!" he said while rubbing my back. 

"No, please... Bry. Just let me cry for now and I promise after this, I'm going to fix myself again."

"You better, Madi. You know how much we love you, right? The old man misses you, Sis. I hope this would be the right time to open your heart again for him. He loves you, and please let him explain. Maybe he can help you in some aspect of your life.. you didn't know."

I know he's referring to our Dad, but I didn't say anything. 

We stayed there for almost twenty minutes and after that, we used his private jet to fly and go to Florida. My mom was so shocked when she saw me with my brother. She hugged me immediately and I cried on her shoulders. There's no questions asked at that moment. She also hugged Bry and let us sit in the living room for a while then she walked with me to my own room. 

She hugged me tightly once we were seated in my bed. 

"Embrace the pain of letting go of the painful moments in your life, Madi. Because if you do, it will make you stronger, braver and kinder. Cry and scream if you have to. It might hurt when you move on, but then it will heal eventually with each passing day."

I pulled back from her embrace and I looked directly into her eyes. 

"What do you mean, Mom?" I asked in tears but she wiped those with her hands and kissed my forehead. 

"I am your mother, Madielyn. Even when you don't open your mouth, I know what you're thinking. I know what are those things that bothering in your mind and inside of this." she sadly smiled and pointed my chest where my heart located inside. 

"Y-You mean, y-ou know everything?"

She sighed. "I told you, I am your mother."

"But how?" I asked as I straightened my sit and wiped my face with my both hands. I didn't remember I opened these things with her. 

"Let's just say, you'll never grow into this fine and strong woman, if your mother doesn't know how to make a move. I have connections, Madi. I know everything. Every single details about you when you started to live in Chicago."

My eyes widened when I heard what she said. "What about our uhm..m-mar------"

"Marriage?"

I gasped but I nodded. 

"The man who let you signed your marriage contract is one of my loyal friend." she shrugged her shoulders. 

"B-But that's Gabriel's lawyer." I said still in wide eyes. 

"I know, but as I told you... I have connections Madielyn, and he's one of my suitors from highschool."

I bite my bottom lip. "But why you didn't tell me?"

"Well, I want you to experience everything, my baby. I know I can show you the whole world, I can go with you in every place that you want to see, but what I can't is to show you the reality that's hidden in every corner of it. And if this overwhelming breakdown is one of the process, I will let you experience it. You know why... because that's the thing that I didn't learn to face when I was in your age. I am spineless and weak, unlike you." she cupped both of my cheeks. 

"Mom...what am I going to do?"

"Release everything. You are stronger than the pain, my baby. Remember the old saying...'God's plan will always be greater and more beautiful than all your disappointments. Who would ever know, when you completely healed you will meet the right person that will bring back your smile and will pick all the pieces of your broken heart."

"Mommy...." I hugged her tightly. 

There's no arms in this world that will ever compare to the warmth that comes from your mother's embrace. 

"Come on, what's your motto again in life? You are who?"

I smiled with tears but proudly salute my hand while stating my old line. 

"I am Madi! The ever beautiful, confident and STRONG Madi!"

"That's my girl."

She wiped my tears again and pulled me into her warm embrace. 

We stayed in Florida for two days and then Bryan go with me to face the first man that I loved in my life, our Dad.

Chapter end