Bot where is Madeline?”
Chapter 19 – Too Late
Madeline sat peacefully in the passenger seat as Jacob dieve through the streets of Florida. The horizon was illuminated by a warm morange glow as the sun stated its gradual descent
Jarob looked at Maddie every now and then, his eyes worried, her lips were squeezed into a tight line, her face was pale, and her eyes were vacant. His heart ached for her because of the intense hurt in her expression.
He pondered what would have caused her to abruptly leave her wedding. This was not the vibrant Mackie he knew, the one who delighted in the lime things, laughed unrestrainedly, and wat
full of life.
He was willing to be the stable presence she needed since something had broken her. He pulled off the main road and went toward the shore without saying a word. He was aware that she wanted a place that was quiet, peaceful, and away from the bustle of the outside worki
Apeaceful section of the coast with no people in sight marked the end of the drive. Words couldn’t provide the same sense of comfort as the steady sound of the waves lapping on the roast
Jacob parked the car and looked ovet at Maddie.
“Want to go on a walk?” he asked gently.
There was a slight flicker of gratitude in her eyes as she nodded slowly, her gestures nearly robotic. They exited the vehicle and strolled along the beach.
She took off her sandals, holding them in one hand as Jacob held the other. As they walked quietly down the water’s edge, the cold ocean breeze and the soft sand beneath their feet seemed
They eventually found a place with clean, dry sand, and they sat down to enjoy the evening he restling Maddie’s hair and their clothes. Jacob enjoyed the feel of the cool air against his scalp as he ran a hand over his recently cut hair,
They satin silence for a long time, listening to the distant seagulls screams and the waves. The weight of her gried ore at jacob, but he didn’t want to press her to speak. At last, he spoke in alow,cautious tone to break the silence,
“Does he beat you?” he asked, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
Maddie shook her head quickly, her brow furrowing at the suggestion,
“No” she said softly.
He
gave a nod, allowing the silence to return between them. He wasn’t going to make the fill the void because she seemed to need some space. However, she finally spoke, her voice shaking under the weight of her confession,
“I’ve just never been enough” she said,
“My love for him, everything. It was never enough. And I can’t keep doing this”
Jacob turned to her, his eyes filled with empathy,
“Doing whut?” he asked, his voice gentle but urging her to continue.
She paused, as though grounding herself with her fingers pressing into the sand. At last, she raised her eyes to him, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears,
“When I gave you my number, it was to have you keep me company” she admitted,
“So I wouldn’t feel lonely. But in you, I found so much more than just company”
Her words caused Jacob’s heart to ache, he took her hand and held it firmly while reassuring her in silence. With her head resting on his shoulder, Maddle leaned into him and let the rears she had been suppressing flow.
He gave her arm a gentle pat, a nonverbal declaration that he would always be there for her. For what seemed like hours, they sat in that position, the outside world slipping away as they sought comfort in another.
He didn’t need to, so Jacob didn’t ask her for more. For the time being, her presence with him, far from the suffering she had run from, was sufficient.
Back at the wedding, it became clear that the bride was absent and mayhem broke out Confused and terrified, Seharian sat in his groom’s suite, he had been getting ready to walk down the alsle when he realized Maddie was missing. He kept ringing her phone, but each time it went directly to voicemail
With every unsuccessful attempt, his fury increased, and the atmosphere in the room became oppressive. Despite the efforts of his friends to soothe him, he remained distraught. His
do waddenly feeling uncomfortably right, he paced back and forth while taking his hands through his hair.
His parents entered the suite a few moments later, their expressions a misture of shock and worry. Maddie’s parents were behind them, and they were just as upset. When Sebastian spotted them, he froze, his gut twisted with terror and shame,
