Chapter 36
36–He Confessed His Feelings For Me
Madeline:
We were both staring at each other when someone’s arrival shifted Baxter’s energy. He straightened his back, turned around, and rubbed his face with his hands.
I spun toward the small balcony where little Gina stood.
“Mommy!” she called out, and as soon as I heard her voice, I smiled through my tears and rushed over to pick her
“You okay now?” I asked with a wide smile.
“I’m fine. I just had a dream,” she said with a pout.
Baxter pivoted on his heel, his gaze meeting mine.
“What kind of dream?” I asked her as I carefully sat her on the railing, keeping my hands behind her back while she clung to me.
“I saw a man in a cave. An old man. He was blind, and he was doing something with his hands,” she said, recalling the dream in vivid detail.
I swallowed hard before I could ask another question.
“What was he doing with his hands?” Baxter asked.
He must have noticed I was having a hard time holding myself together, so he took over.
“I don’t know. He was starting a fire with his hands somehow. Then he started hissing and pulling his hands back. After that, little kids started to come. There were so many of them. Even I was there.” 3
As soon as she said that, my eyes widened beyond measure. Goosebumps prickled across my skin.
“And that’s it,” Gina said with a small shrug, signaling that she wanted to be put down so she could go play with her toys while her siblings were still resting.
Sol did.
Once she went back inside, I turned to Baxter.
“Do you think that means something?” I asked.
He ran a hand through his hair anxiously.
“We’ll need to keep an eye on it,” Baxter said as he finally faced me. “Someone has to watch the kids when they’re sleeping p>
His words hit hard. This was what I had been afraid of, things getting too serious.
“Don’t worry, I brought the pills. We can give them now,” Baxter added, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
“Does that mean they won’t suffer?” I asked.
The moment he looked away, I already knew the answer.
“It will stop the symptoms from reaching the extreme stage for a year, maybe two,” he admitted quietly.
1/3
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But that wasn’t enough. My kids needed to be free of this sickness as soon as possible.
Something was in the air, something that only attacked children.
As we talked, my phone started beeping. I lowered my head and looked at the number. I didn’t remember saving it, so I frowned.
Baster must have noticed, because he stepped closer, glanced at the screen, and said, “That’s Graham’s number p>
I looked up, a crease forming on my forehead.
“Maybe it’s something important,” I said, answering the call. “Hello p>
There was nothing but rapid breathing on the other end.
“ Hello?” I repeated, tapping my fingers against my chin as I turned toward the suite,
My two little ones came out of their room, rubbing their eyes. When Baxter saw them, he started walking over, probably wanting to spend more time with Bodhi.
I wanted to stop him, but I didn’t. Soon, I would find the cure and leave. Baxter would have to say goodbye to Bodhi, no matter what.
For now, I just wanted my kids to stop suffering. And if someone was willing to help me take care of them, I was grateful.
The call cut off, and I stared at my phone in confusion. Then, Graham called again.
I answered, calling his name several times, but only heard the same rapid breathing and faint shuffling before the line went dead once more.
When the phone rang a third time, I put it on speaker.
“Hello p>
Finally, a voice came through.
“Graham? You’ve been calling me. Is everything okay?” I asked as I walked back into the suite and headed to the room to grab the files.
Since Baxter was already with the kids, I felt a small sense of relief for Gina, at least for now.
“Are you okay?” I called out again. I could hear Graham’s breathing on the other end. His breathing was loud and
uneven.
“I miss you p>
Everything around me stopped. Even I froze. It took me a moment to pull myself together and respond.
“ Graham, you’re calling the wrong person, ” I said with a small, awkward laugh as I sat down at the table, resting my hand on the file.
My fist clenched slightly. It felt cruel of him to call and say something like that when the call was clearly meant for Kaylee, his wife.
“I can’t live without you,” he went on in a slurred, drowsy voice, and another realization struck me.
He was drunk. Of course, he had dialed the wrong number.
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“I just don’t know why we’re not together, but I want you here right now,” he hiccuped, sounding as if he was crying
“Graham, I feel sorry for you, but you’re calling the wrong person. Maybe you should call Kaylee,” I told him, already ready to hang up.
“I’m calling the right person, Madeline p>
When he said my name, my heart stopped in my chest.
“What p>
My voice rose in disbelief. I stared at the screen in silence.
this some kind of joke?” I demanded, my voice hardening.
“I miss you, Madeline. I really do. I want you in my life,” he continued, shocking me even more.
“You’re not in your right mind right now. Talk to me when you’re sober,” I said sharply, my voice trembling.
Then, before I could change my mind, I hung up on him.
My fists clenched, and my eyes filled with tears. After all these years, now he decided to confess that he wanted me?
I groaned under my breath, shoving my phone aside and slamming my hands on the table as I stood.
When I turned around, Baxter was standing in the doorway. The look of shock on his face said it all, that he’d heard everything.
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.