"...I still have a lot to say, but this toast would be incomplete without my late father, Mr Daniel. It's so funny how everything that happened all till this day is somehow intertwined with the events of the past. I can't say the memories are worthwhile, but then everything happens for a reason, and I know that wherever he is right now, he would be watching us with love, admiration, and pride. I am also proud, not because of my achievements or everything I might have gained in these past few years. But because of what I became after all these incidents. I would never have imagined this scenario, but I am grateful for it. This enmity and malice between our families have been long gone, but we still have to look out for each other, especially when the situation gets tough. However, it can only get better from here. That I know!"
The sound of applause filling the room as Damien continued his speech had Madison's lips quivering, and she fought the urge not to cry.
The way he spoke was so eloquent, so heartfelt – it made her heart ache.
Despite trying her best not to shed a tear, she could feel the liquid prickling at the corner of her eyes as she listened to him speak, and her breath hitched when he looked around the room – meeting everyone's eyes before stopping at hers.
"...And before I say cheers. I know I've already acknowledged everyone in my toast, but I want to raise another combined toast to the woman I love most in the whole wide world." He began, and with a snicker, he added, "...No offense, mother."
Madison's trembling lips burst into giggles, gripping her glass cup tightly as she stared back at him, his piercing gaze unmoving.
In the depths of his eyes, she could see the love he had for her. The kind of love that would last forever, and no matter how far apart they got, they could always count on the universe to bring them back together.
She was fated to be with him - both in the past, the present and the future too - and Madison couldn't wish for a more better feeling.
"This toast goes to the woman I love most in the entire world..." Damien began again, his lips stretching into an affectionate smile as he cleared his throat and continued, "Madison Connor. For all the times I've hurt you, I want to say sorry, and I don't think I'll ever stop apologizing. I know the magic word wouldn't do anything to ease the pain, but with time things can only get better between us. Despite the hurdles, the shame, and the fucked up things I did, you still chose to be with me, and I don't even know how to thank you for that. I... Damn! I can't pour out all the words in my head because if I do, we might not finish here tonight, and I know no one wants that, right?" He queried, and murmurs arose as everyone nodded with teary smiles.
"Oh, Damien..." Madison muttered within herself, a tear sliding down her cheeks at long last.
She wasn't the only one crying, though. The rest of the room was filled with tears, too; Her mother was openly weeping alongside Gina and Micheal too. As for Damien's mother, her face was contorted into a bittersweet smile as she watched her son, and she had a napkin in hand, dabbing at the end of her eyes.
Who else wasn't crying? Was it Alvarez? Was it Mason? He was trying so hard to keep his cool, but Madison could see him sniffing. He was indeed touched.
Or was it her father? Her chest clenched when she saw that he'd buried his face in his fragile hands, his whole body shaking heavily as he cried like a baby
This was the first time she was experiencing this, and it shook her core.
It was more than surreal, seeing people who hadn't spoken in months, years rather, tear up at Damien's words.
People who Madison herself didn't think could be touched, after all the enmity and hostility they'd kept amongst themselves.
It was so appalling, in a good way, though.
Damien had really changed, this Madison noted. He had grown into a more loving person than before, and even though things were still a bit awkward between them, she was also growing to love him more unconditionally.
Madison couldn't imagine anything more perfect than the life they were living now.
Her parents loved each other deeply, too; despite the past history and tragic love story that birthed their marriage, and despite all that, her father had made her go through, Madison knew that he deserved to be happy.
Happy and in love with his wife, her mother. A woman he'd been madly in love with. A woman who'd made him do disastrous things just because he couldn't be without her.
Ironically, his obsessive ambitions were almost similar to the one Katherine had for Damien, and Madison could only wonder at the coincidence.
"I love you so much, Madison Connor. Thank you for giving me another chance. You've given me hope and the opportunity to be better than I ever dreamed possible, and I'll forever be indebted to you. Thanks for understanding and supporting me through the difficult times, and cheers to better things ahead."
"Oh D..." Madison said again, as cahoots and more applause filled the room.
As glasses clinked and reverberating giggles filled the air, Madison saw Damien blowing her a kiss, and despite how emotional she was feeling, she couldn't help but blush heavily.
The next few minutes that went by saw the whole family dispersing away from the dining table as everyone drank from their glasses and conversed with each other.
Damien and Alvarez went to talk to her brothers; her mother and his mother were deeply engrossed in whatever conversation they had going on, and her father was with the kids in the house.
Micheal's pregnant girlfriend was chatting away with Mason's wife, and it was indeed a whole house.
"Hey, you..." Someone called from behind, and getting up from the chair she was sitting on, Madison turned around, spotting Gina par-ambling towards her.
"Hello, love." She greeted sharply, her arms outstretched as she pulled her best friend into a warm embrace.
"Sorry, we've barely talked. I arrived late 'cause I was holed up in my room, and you seemed to have secured a spot for yourself already, so I didn't want to disturb you." Madison offered her apologies, and Gina just waved it off.
"How have you been, love? I can see you're doing just fine, and the Damien effect is radiating off you already." Gina finished, and Madison raised her brows jokingly, "Uh huh? Whatever do you mean? How have you been too?"
"I am okay. Doing fine, as you can see."
"Yes, of course." Madison agreed, and for a second, silence befell them briefly.
Taking Madison's free left hand and squeezing gently, Gina looked into her eyes and said after some time. "I'm so happy for you, Madison. I'm joyful that everything has fallen into place for you, and you'll get to live happily, just like you've always wanted. Your selflessness, forgiving spirit, and resilience have brought you so far, and I'm glad you have your happiness back. I'm so proud of you, honey, and I'm so glad you found Damien too."
Tears welled up in Madison's eyes as she stared intently at her best friend, who looked at her with such warmth that Madison felt her heart swelling with emotion.
Gina squeezed her arm again and releasing it, she added with a sheepish wink, "I know you have Damien now, but if there's anything that you need to talk about, you can call me. I'm always here, and I will always listen if you want to talk. I promise.
"Gina..." Madison trailed off in response, her lips quivering, and Gina only nodded.
"You don't have to say anything in reply. I'm always here for you."
"Thank you so much. I love you, and I'm glad you're here with me too."
"I know, right." Gina chimed all too happily. "Your neighbors at your former place and co-workers at the bakery send their greetings and condolences. About the kidnap case and everything. They are so happy for you, Maddie."
Her eyes widening gleefully at the heartfelt greeting, Madison opened her mouth to utter a reply, but before she could though, someone bumped into her from behind, and she let out a gasp.
Wiping her teary cheeks with the base of her palms, she turned around only to see Damien smiling back at her, hands raised, and she let out a curse.
She already knew it was him even before she looked, and rolling her eyes now; she grumbled, "Damien! Why did you do that? Can't you see that I'm in the middle of a..."
"You've been crying again?" He asked, suddenly ignoring what she had just been saying, and Madison just shrugged.
His hands going to her cheeks and cupping her face with his palm, he began to wipe her brows and the side of her eyes, and looking at Gina from behind, Madison heard him say.
"Gina, thanks for keeping Maddie company. However, I would love to steal her for a moment. I hope you don't mind."
"Damien, what are you...."
"Sure, we're already done with our conversation. You can steal and take her wherever you want to. You have my permission." Gina interrupted sharply, and before Madison could say another word, her best friend was already scampering away, a knowing look on her face.
"I don't like it when you cry, and you know, right?" Damien queried as he began to drag her away from the room, but Madison said nothing in reply.
"Where are you taking me to?" She groaned, and chuckling, as his grip on her wrists tightened, he said, "To the garden. I need some alone time with you."
.......
"Mmmm, Damien, enough with the kisses."Madison grumbled, laying her complaints for the umpteenth time since they'd arrived at the garden, but Damien didn't pay any heed.
If there was anything he loved to do in this world, it was kissing Madison's soft skin in all its exposed places, dropping hickeys and murmuring sweet nothings in her ears.
"Oh, Christ! You don't listen, do you?" She groaned, and he just chuckled in response.
"You have no idea what your heady body fragrance does to me. Between have I told you just how exquisite you look tonight in this dress?"
"Oh, please. You've told me that more than a hundred times." She replied sharply, and Damien once again burst into fits of laughter, his chest lifting.
How he wanted time to freeze, and they could stay here forever. Talking about everything and nothing as the cool night breeze blew past, carrying with it the murky fragrance of flowers and blooming plants.
"I'm so glad I dragged you away from the living room to this serene place. I needed some alone time with you and...."
"And what? We just left our guest, and that's not fair." Madison interrupted before he could finish with his speech, and Damien just rolled his eyes.
"I don't care. It's not like they're strangers. They're family, and they must surely understand that I needed some time alone with the woman I love most in the whole wide world."
"Damien..." She trailed off, chuckling, and even though he wasn't staring straight at her face, Damien knew she must be blushing heavily already.
"I can't wait to have you underneath me, Madison. I miss you so damn much." Damien said, kissing the base of her neck and throat.
For a while, she said nothing, and his brows lifted in confusion.
Opening his mouth to speak, he saw that she had tilted his face sideways to meet his, and now she was gazing into his eyes.
She had an unreadable expression, and the darkness surrounding the corner of her beautiful brown eyes made Damien cringe a bit.
What was wrong?
"Madison, what is it, love...?" He asked softly, kissing the corner of her lips, but she said nothing. Not even giving him a smile or whatnot.
"Maddie?"
"I... I miss you too, Damien. I... Must we have se... I... Fuck!" She let out a curse, and Damien's brows just deepened further.
"What is it, Maddie? Don't you want me to...?
"I want you to do everything okay. Whatever it is, I want it. I miss the feeling of you, and since it's been so long, I wonder what it would be like. Also I..." She paused, trailing off, and Damien could see her lips trembling slightly in fright.
Something was wrong, and he could sense it.
There was something she wasn't saying, and that knowledge pricked at his skin so much.
"Madison? Love... There's something you're not telling me, right?" He yelled out the question sharply, as he couldn't hold it back any longer.
A tear fell down her face as she called out, "Dami..."
Gripping her tightly with his arms, he turned her around until she was facing him squarely, and his hands going to her cheek, he queried, "You know I hate it when you cry. What's wrong? Is there something you're not telling me? Talk to me!" He finished with a command, and he saw her swallow heavily, her throat bobbing as she opened her mouth and closed it again, trying so hard to find the courage to say something.
"Talk to me, Maddie. I won't bite. I'm here to always listen to your worries and concerns, remember?" Damien said again, doing his best to assure her, and his hands gently caressed her hair.
"I... It's just that... I've been quite celibate these past few years and..."
"Huh?"
"I've not been with any other man apart from you. I... You know I was almost rap..."
"Don't talk about it!" Damien instantly shut her up, already knowing where she was headed with that speech.
He hated the sore reminder that Madison could have been manhandled in the worst fucking way possible, and oh how he wished to get his hands on those motherfuckers who had touched his property.
"So you see..." Madison began, interrupting his train of thoughts as she continued, "I have no idea what it feels like to be..."
Damien didn't let her finish at all.
Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against her, roughly, and with one hand still firmly holding her face in his, he used the other hand to move her hair behind her shoulders as he deepened the kiss further.
Within seconds their lips explored together, their tongues melting as they kissed vigorously.
"Mmmm..." He let out a sigh as they parted their mouths, and breathing heavily, they gazed at each other intently.
Madison's cheeks were flushed, and Damien could feel her whole body shaking.
"Calm down, love. Relax. You're here with me now."
"I... I know but..."
As she trailed off with a whimper, her voice breaking because she felt she had lost herself, Damien's chest tightened.
He was more than shocked, hearing that she'd been with no one else but him, and once again, guilt flooded his whole being.
He recalled how carefree he'd been with his life, sleeping with whores, women and the like. Having the time of his life, even with Katherine back then, but Madison had kept herself.
He was proud somehow, but at the same time, it wasn't fair.
It wasn't fair that he got to enjoy all those things in the past, and she had to suffer, being alone with no one by her side.
Few friends, no family, no stable job and... "Fuck." He cursed gently, his hands palming her cheek as he rubbed at the soft skin gently.
It hurt to hear her say some kinds of stuff, and again he knew just how hard it must have been for her to deal with all these, even if it wasn't intentional.
That was why now, the only thing he wished to do right was to make her happy. To prove to her that he was here for her through thick and thin and he was never leaving.
"I can't believe you kept yourself all these years Maddie... I... it's surreal, and I don't know what to say."
"I didn't keep myself for you; just know that." She instantly shot back the second he was done with his statement, and Damien only chuckled heartbreakingly.
"Now I feel hurt."
"It's the truth, though." She began again, her eyes dropping as she continued, "After I was thrown out into the streets... And after the near-rape incident, I abhorred and resented men. I grew a deep hatred for them, and as I grew up, fighting my way through life, I rejected advances. I just didn't want to have anything to do with the opposite sex and..."
"I understand, Maddie." He interrupted slightly, "I do understand, and I'm so sorry. I'm going to do right by you, Madison, this I promise."
"I know. I do know." Madison murmured, her face dropping again, but Damien quickly lifted it up with the tip of his finger.
There was some kind of strange look in her eyes, and even though he was tempted to ask her what was wrong yet again, he stared intently into her honey-like orbs and then said, "I'm going to do right by you, my love. I'm going to propose to you, marry you and then..."
"Huh? Marriage?" She sharply interrupted, and Damien nodded.
At first, she said nothing, but then Damien felt her grip on his left hand tighten, and the dim lighting surrounding the garden showed just how uneasy she looked.
"Maddie? What's..."
"I... Do you want to get married to me? I... What am I even saying?"
"Hey. Calm down."
"Sorry. I am calm.! It's just that..." She paused, and Damien waited for her to say something, but it looked like she wasn't going to any further.
"It's just that what? Talk to me, Maddie. You know I want to make it right by you, and to do that I have to marry you. I have to make you mine, and that's my sole purpose right now. I want you bearing my last name and... Why in God's name would you even think otherwise? That I don't want to marry you?"
"Not that. I just..." She paused again, and before she continued again, she removed her hands from his and placed it on her stomach, instantly giving Damien a clue of what she was worried about.
Kids. Her inability to have kids. The sore reminder of their late child tugged at his heart, and a tear almost rolled down his cheeks, but he held himself, trying to be strong.
"Madison..." He began after some time, taking her hands from her stomach and clasping them tightly. He took a step backwards and said, "I know what's going on in your mind already, and I want you to know one thing. I'm here for you, and I'm enough, okay? Nothing else matters."
"But I know how much you love children and..."
"Madison, stop this. In as much as I want kids, I want you more. I love kids, but I love you more. You are above anything, and with you, by my side, we can conquer anything. So stop bringing this topic up, okay, and let's keep praying for a miracle. Besides, we almost brought a child into this world before, and we'll continue to honour his or her memory for as long as it takes."
"Yes, I know. But I want kids. I want to have my own child and..."
"We'll find a way around this, okay, Maddie? There are so many options now, and we can go to the hospital. I'll make your dreams come true, trust me. Be it miraculously on in the strangest way possible. I'm going to make you happy, Madison. Always."
"Okay."
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes... yes, I do." She let out a whimper, and before Damien could say or do anything again, she took a step towards him and hugged him tightly as she began to sob.
"It's okay, Maddie. It's okay. I'm here now." He whispered, his lips on her hair as he stroked her back gently.
And it was at that moment that Damien swore within himself that he was going to protect this woman.
He was going to protect, love and cherish her forever. Till death do him part.
.......
Thanks for reading. 💕