Loving Madeline
Chapter 261 - A Gift

Hunter's POV

It felt like my world was crumbling down as I realized something had happened to my wife. I could feel the hammering of my heart against my chest, and it felt like I couldn't breathe. I was devastated and couldn't believe this was happening inside her grandpa's property.

"Don't worry, Hunter; Madeline would be alright." I heard Cal say as we walked through the corridors, and how can we replace my wife when there are guests in almost every room, and it is past midnight, and for sure most of the tourists are sleeping unless they are still out and having a good time in one of the bars in the metropolis.

"I hope, Cal. I feel so helpless now that I don't know what is going on with my wife, and I think I am losing my fucking mind, Calixto." I said as I released a heavy sigh, and I loosened my necktie and opened the upper button of my inner shirt. 

"Nothing will happen to her, Hunter," Cal replied, and he gave his reassuring smile, and I was hoping he was right. And as we rounded a corner, I was shocked to replace Hector with his men. And I wondered why he left the grand ballroom.

"Hunter! We know where Madeline is; my men found out who conspired with the culprit, and they brought her to the grand ballroom, and she cried in front of me asking me to spare her." He said, and I felt so happy that we now have a lead in replaceing Maddie.

"Who is behind all this?" I asked as I walked beside him, and I realized Cal and I was on the same floor where the suspect was hiding my wife. I could feel the loud pounding of my heart as I waited for Hector Grant to answer my question, and I felt so afraid to know if it was my father or sister who tried to harm my wife again.

"It was your ex, and I realized I should never give her the chance to escape from her crimes. She almost killed my granddaughter once, and I thought she would learn from her mistakes when I stripped her entire family of their wealth." Grandpa declared, and I was clenching my fists as I thought about Kaye's vileness.

"I will see to it that this time, she will rot in jail, taking my granddaughter for the second time is beyond crazy, and she must be so in love with you that she is willing to kill an innocent human being for the sake of having you, and I think it is no longer called love, Hunter, it is craziness," Hector added. I could see the disgust and anger on his face. He may be an older man, but he looked younger and vigorous.

"I couldn't believe Kaye will do something like this again; you have already given her a second chance to renew herself. I know this is all my fault." I muttered, and Hector tapped my shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault Hunter; you weren't the one who held hostage of Madeline; having a handsome face and a lot of money is not a crime Hunter, and I know that is one of the reasons why Kaye was so in love with you, and that is why she became insane, and she no longer knows the difference between right and wrong." He responded, but I couldn't stop blaming myself for what was happening at the moment.

"I already called the authority since I want them to capture Kaye; I tried to help her the best way I could, but she only tested my patience, and this time, I will make sure she will realize what a fool she had been for doing such a crime," Hector added.

Hunter Grant suddenly stopped in front of Room 808, and I suddenly felt nervous, and I wanted to get inside right away, but he faced his men and motioned them to come closer.

"Don't come in yet, let Hunter and I handle the situation first, and wait for the police to arrive; I want to speak with her first, and whatever happens, don't hurt her, and that is my order," Grandpa said in a low voice.

"What if she will hurt you and your granddaughter?" The leader of his men asked in more than a whisper.

"That is the time you will intervene, but my order would still be the same, try to disarm and capture the subject without hurting her, she needs love, and I guess that was one of the reasons she was doing all this and not only because she was obsessed with Hunter, but because she was jealous of my granddaughter for being Hunter's wife and the only heiress of my empire," Hector responded, and his men nodded.

Hector signaled me to follow him, and I could tell he was holding a master key of the room. And when he tapped the key card on the door lock, I could hear the beeping sound indicating that he had successfully opened the door. I wanted to get inside first since we didn't know what Kaye was holding as a weapon since I knew she was desperate, and I was hoping she didn't hurt my wife and son.

The moment we got inside, my body trembled when I saw Kaye pointing a gun at my wife's head, and she was laughing like a madwoman; we carefully walked towards her since she was occupied at the moment, and she didn't know we already got inside. 

When I realized she was about to shoot Madeline, I made my movement faster to shield my wife. Still, Hector pushed me so hard that I almost stumbled on the floor, and he beat me to it, and the next thing I heard was the loud gunshot, and just on time, he covered Madeline's frame with his body, and he fell to the ground with a loud thud while I could hear Maddie's loud cry.

I was terrified but felt relieved that my wife was fine, but I am worried about Hector's gun wound; I hope no internal organ is damaged. I didn't waste my time. I disarmed Kaye right away since I could tell she was stunned for a moment, and when she saw me, her face lit up. I got her gun, and she was looking at me with love and pain, and I could also see the disgust and frustrations.

"Hunter!" She exclaimed, moving closer to me, but I stepped back just on time. The police arrived, and I quickly got near my wife while the authority secured Kaye's wrists with handcuffs.

"How could you not give me your love, Hunter? You know how much I love you, yet you continue to love that woman. She is a bitch Hunter." She was yelling at me while I was securing my wife in my arms, and I was kissing Maddie's forehead as she continued to sob, and I felt her entire body is shivering with what was going on.

"Shh, my love, you are now safe," I whispered.

"Yes, but how about grandpa, Hunter? I am so afraid if he will die." She said as we looked at the paramedics put Hector on the stretcher, and I felt so glad he still had a pulse.

"Nothing will happen to him, Madeline," I replied.

I felt so glad Roman had already gotten my car ready, and the moment the paramedics brought Hector to the ambulance, we followed the ambulance going to the hospital. I didn't expect the beautiful night we had ended into another disaster, and I couldn't believe just like me, Madeline's grandpa would offer his life for his granddaughter.

I was holding my wife's hand as I drove my car, and I could see on the rearview mirror that Aunt Francine was wiping her tears, and I am aware that we are all afraid if Hector dies since I know things will never be the same again. My wife was silent, but I knew she was holding her tears for the sake of our baby. 

I could see the car Cal was driving behind us, and I knew my entire family was riding with him, and my men were trailing behind him. It is so hard for me to understand why Kaye turned out to be this way. Growing up, she always had been vocal about her feelings for me, and when Rebecca came into my life, she was devastated and told me one day I would become her husband.

I thought she had already forgotten about me when I married Maddie, and I can still feel the horror when I remembered her pointing a gun at Madeline. I don't know how I would deal with it if she shot Maddie in the head, I don't know what I would do to her, and I felt guilty that I couldn't go after Kaye to disarm her right away.

I know I couldn't clearly understand when I saw her willingness to kill my wife, and until now, I can still feel the trembling of my body. And I felt glad we had already arrived at the hospital's parking lot. They both climbed out of the car before I could open the door for them. We followed Hector's body to the emergency room while the rest of my family was waiting outside.

The doctors said Hector Grant needed surgery so they could take out the bullet, and I asked my wife to come back to the hotel since she was required to rest. Still, she insisted on staying, and she would not go home unless she knew her grandpa's condition was already stable, and I understood her point.

 I was hoping Hector would live since I didn't want my wife to be sad again.. She had lost so much, and I tightened my arms around her, and I felt thankful once again that I was given another chance to be with my wife, and having her in my arms is a gift.