Yours, Forever

Chapter 122

"Sure, I'll come visit."

"We will come visit." Damien chimed in, throwing Madison a wink, and she just laughed softly.

His hands wrapped possessively around her waist, Madison leaned further into his arms, sighing satisfactorily as she bade her family goodbye.

Watching as everyone got into the jeep Damien had provided to take them home, she continued waving at the moving car until finally, the vehicle was out of the mansion's heavy gates, and it was just her and Damien standing outside in the cold.

It'd been a long night, filled with eating, drinking, and dancing, and now it was all over, and as much as she had not wanted the event to end, she was rather grateful.

She was tired, and she could do with some sleep as it stood.

"Hey, lovebirds." A familiar voice called behind, and they both turned back to check.

It was Alvarez, and he was coming down from the mansion's stairs, bag and suitcase packed already, and Madison's brow raised immediately, the sleep at the corner of her eyes disappearing immediately.

"Alvarez? What's going on? Where are you going with these bags?" She instantly queried, disentangling from Damien's home as she began to walk towards him.

"Madison, I'm leaving, as you can see." He said with a smile, and she just stared at him dumbfoundedly, confused at the same time.

Damien wasn't even saying anything and turning to face him, she saw the knowing look on his face, and it dawned on her that he must have known about this.

"You knew?"

"Yes, I did, Maddie." Damien replied all too quickly; walking towards her and dragging her spread hands, he pulled her into his arms.

"Huh? I don't understand. It's late already. Why can't you leave it till tomorrow at least? I know you were going to leave after the reunion dinner, but... I never expected it to be this early and...."

"Maddie, I have to be with my family, and it's urgent too. Ivy's mum is not having the best experience with that pregnancy, and she didn't even say a thing when we talked this morning, but I couldn't feel the stress in her voice."

"Oh, Alvarez..." Madison trailed off, already understanding the angle he was coming from.

She looked up at Damien, and he just nodded and whispered, "We talked, Maddie. He has to go. He can't be here forever, and he has done so much for us."

"I know... I know..." She replied all too quickly, sniffing back the tears threatening to spill down her face.

The cool breeze whipping and carrying the night's air with it made her lips tremble, and her whole body shook heavily.

Alvarez was finally leaving. Her best friend was going, and it felt like a heavy fragment of her soul was being ripped away.

He had to go. He had a family to cater to. A pregnant wife to take care of. And his work too.

He couldn't stay in London forever. This she knew, and for a second, she wanted to be selfish.

She wanted to ask him to stay. He could tell his wife about relocating to London, and he could come with his family to stay here.

A big house. Everyone close by, and it felt so lovely just thinking about it, but she had to face reality, and this was it.

The tears she was trying to hold back came anyway, unbidden and unwanted, and without a word, she removed Damien's arms from her waist.

"What are you...." He was already asking, but she paid him no heed and instead walked to where Alvarez was standing.

His hands were still holding his bags, but when he saw her approaching with wide arms, he dropped the luggage to the floor and accepted her embrace.