Chapter 66 - Madeline

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It's Christmas. I go to the shelter with Jack, Christian and Meredith. Ethan and I keep contact. Him with a brief message, me with the long message narrated my day. And later when I asked him when he will come back so I can pick him up in the airport, Ethan replied to me with 'sorry, I couldn't go back to the US right now.'

I force Jack to come inside the shelter; he told me the kids would cry when they see him, even the baby. But I don't believe it. So I drag him in and true to his words. The kids cry once Jack comes in.

Luckily, I have 2 superstars in tow. The kids love them. So, all is good. We play hide and seek with the kids. The kids are so happy. I really hope Ethan could witness their merry faces. I take some pictures and send them to him.

Madeline: I'm in the kids's shelter today. The kids are so happy. I hope you can see their merry faces here. Merry Christmas, Ethan. I love you...

Every time I send a message to him, I want to cry. A hand wraps around my shoulders. I turn around. It's Meredith.

"He still replied to you with anemic messages?"

My tears leaking down, I wipe it abruptly. Meredith takes me to sit on the bench. "Give him some time, okay? For another man, I would say leave him. But it's Ethan. we all know how much he loves you Mads, and from what Christian told me... I can't even blame him for his attitude," she sighs.

"I know Mer. I just regret it. I thought he would agree with me. He always did," I say weakly.

"You didn't see this one coming, right? It's okay, Mads. I'm sure Ethan just need some times. He'll be back to you." She still caresses me. "Stay with me for the night? We can do anything you want. We can drink until we are drunk... um.. No, the right words is... I'm drunk, you're fine." She chuckles.

I chuckle weakly, "you always the lightweight in the group."

"Yeah, I wish I were you. Drink alcohol like a fish."

I smile at her. "Thanks Mer" I hug her and I let my tears flow. It feels so good to have someone hug you when you're down.

***

I slept at Meredith's place. Despite her words to drink until she was drunk, we ended up with bing on Netflix and eat popcorn. Somehow, the smell of the alcohol makes me want to vomit.

Meredith asked me to sleep in her room, but I refused. I know she's been sleeping with Christian in that bed for some times. So I chose my old room, the guest room.

I check my watch. It's 9am. Ahh, that's why I'm so hungry right now. I need food!

I walk outside the room. Meredith is there with Christian. Christian still in his sweatpants and shirt. His hair disheveled like he just woke up. "Morning, C. So early! You missed her that much?" I tease him. But he looks grim. "Are... are you okay?"

Meredith comes to me and pulls me to sit. Something's wrong. Ethan!!

"What happened to Ethan?" I ask them. They glance at each other. Meredith gives me her phone. My heart thumps wildly. Whatever it is, I'm sure I wouldn't like it. I brace myself before looking at the screen.

It's Ethan with 3 men in suits. His Chinese partners in front of the club. They walked together. It's just like that. But the title is 'Billionaire Ethan Hall spotted in the strip club in China on Christmas.'

"Breathe, Mads," Christian says, but his voice seems so far away. And I can taste acid in my mouth. I put the phone on the sofa hastily and run to the toilet. I vomit.

"Madeline!" Meredith comes in and helps me.

I retch and gag. My stomach is so empty right now and hurt. I don't know which one is hurting. My stomach or my heart. Or both...

Meredith holds my hair and gives me a napkin.

"I need privacy, Mer," I say without looking at her. She nods and walks out of the toilet. She lets the toilet's door open a bit.

I splash my face, use the mouthwash. I stare at myself in the mirror, red eyes, red nose, grey lips. Perfect, Madeline!

When I walk out, I find 2 pairs of eyes watching me with worry. I smile (or at least I think I'm smiling). And sit back on the couch.

"Mads, we cannot trust the paparazzi," Meredith says softly and Christian nods.

I nod. "I'm not. I'm not," I say weakly. Who is going to believe me?

"Let's wait for Ethan to explain, okay? He loves you. He wouldn't do something to make you hurt. Trust me, Mads," Christian says.

"Of course, of course I will wait for him," I answer them, but I realize deep in my heart I'm still trying to convince myself.

"The picture means nothing, Mads. I know from the first hand. Okay? Maybe Ethan was there for a business meeting. The partner thought that the stripper would help them get their goal with Ethan. Paparazzi put that headline for the clickbait," Christian continues.

"Yeah, C. Trust me. I know this from the first hand too." Back to my celebrity's life, every small move I made with my guy friend, the paparazzi would interpret them as a lover gesture.

Meredith bites her bottom lips. "The Hall PR called me earlier because they found out you are here with me. They couldn't reach you."

"Yeah, I turned off my phone last night. I forgot to bring my charger."

"They... they asked you to say nothing to the paparazzi. Can you do that, Mads?" Meredith asks warily.

"Of course. Of course I wouldn't say anything. Tell them to not worry about me. I wouldn't do anything to hurt The Hall Industries," I say without looking at them. "Now, if you excuse me. I want to take a shower." I walk without waiting for them to answer me.

I turn on my phone. The messages burst in. Most of them from Eddie and his team from PR, some from Helen, Christian, Sarah, Rainey, Tony, Drew, even Katherine Dale. Everyone tells me the same things 'don't trust the article. Ethan wouldn't do this to you.' I also believe Ethan wouldn't do this to me. But... there is no message from Ethan himself... Why?

***

I go back to my house despite Meredith's argument to ask me to stay there. I don't have any energy to socialize with anyone right now. I desperately need to go back to my cave. I need time for myself.

Where are you Ethan? Why, suddenly you've become radio silence. It's not like we kept contact with all the lovey dovey messages as well, but at least he still texted me when he arrived in China, finished his meeting, and came back to the hotel. He even called me just to say goodnight, even though his voice sounded so distant.

My eyes find a box near the door. I delivered it from Julian Town. I have had no time to open it, and because I promised to move in with Ethan, I thought I would bring this box to his house. But now, I think I just open it here. I go to the box and open it on the floor. Most of it are the photos from my house in Julian Town, some stuff from mom and dad. I laugh when I lift a small box. It's mom's treasure box, inside contains mom's favorite thing. Dried flower from her wedding with dad, her and dad first picture ever, their train tickets on their honeymoon trip, a pregnancy test when she found out she was pregnant with me, my first handwriting saying 'I love Mom', and many more. I put mom's box on the side and unpacking the rest of my stuff. There is a lot of picture in the box. My picture with my parents, their wedding picture, and there is one picture of me and a boy. I was 5 back then, this boy... this is the same boy I looked at when I decorated Ethan's Christmas tree. Wait, a minute... It's Ethan! Oh my God. We've known each other since we were kids. I remember I was close with this boy.

I was 8 years old. I was having my first crush back then...

That was me...

I take out the photo from the frame and touch the boy's face. "Hi Ethan," I whisper.

***

December 28th.

Madeline: Happy birthday, Ethan. I want to say it in person. I tried to call you earlier, but your phone was off. I know you don't celebrate your birthday anymore, but I wish you were here with me, not to celebrate your birthday. I just want to spend time with you. I miss you so much, Ethan. Let me know when you will be back in LA. I'll make dinner for you, okay?

So here I am in Ethan's house. Ethan still hasn't replied to any of my messages since the day I saw the stupid headlines with Ethan walked to the strip club.

He found a new woman!!

Shut up you, toxic mind. I have trust in Ethan. He wouldn't do that to me.

I got a secret recipe from Helen; she said Amanda Hall, Ethan's mom, always made this for Ethan's birthday. It's a simple fried noodle. Helen said, in China, people celebrate their birthday with birthday noodles. For a long life. So, here I am in Consuela's kitchen, trying to make a birthday noodle for Ethan. I want Ethan to remember the happiest moment in his life. When his parents celebrated his birthday.

"Mads, I can help you. Tell me what to do," Consuela says to me. I refused her help because I wanted to make the noodles from scratch.

"It's okay, Consuela, I can handle this." I smile at her. But the more I look at the food, the more hungry I am. "Um.. you can make something light for me. I kinda hungry," I say shyly.

She laughs and nods.

***

I fell asleep on the couch. Maybe I'm more tired than I thought. I check my phone. It's 10pm. 2 more hours before the birthday is over. Ethan is still in radio silence. I exhale. Where are you, Ethan? The pilot told me they arrived in LA around 3 pm. I assume Ethan will go to Julian Town and come back to LA. But...

I try to call him, but his phone is still off. I sigh.

Madeline: Ethan, where are you? I made dinner for you. If you have eaten nothing, please eat the food I made, okay? I'm going home now. Hope we can meet up tomorrow. I love you, Ethan. Happy Birthday.

Just in time, the message sent and my phone off. I forgot to charge it, again.

I stand up slowly. These few days I always dizzy every time I stand up too fast, so I need to do it slowly. I walk to find Consuela and tell her I'm going home. She asks me to stay, but I refuse. I'm not sure whether Ethan wants to see me in his house.

I walk to the front door. The Christmas Tree is still in the middle of the house with its light. It's so beautiful. I stare at it for a full minute. I guess I need the magic from the Christmas to bring him back...

***

I arrive at my apartment and go to my door. When I want to close my door, someone holds the door and pushes it open. I stumble back. My eyes snap at the door. What I see is worse than the devil. It's my ex, Thomas Hudson.

Hair like a rat nest, red eyed, face flush from the alcohol, his shirt crumbled, he smells alcohol and... pot? But that's not important because he has a gun in his hand and is pointing at me.

"Hello, Madeline Parker."

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