The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 272: Reunion Of Hearts (1)

Chapter 272: Reunion Of Hearts (1)

When the grand double door opened to announce their presence, Madeline’s eyes had widened like a saucer as she remained glued to her spot, and her breath ceased when she spotted a familiar figure across the room. At first, she assumed it was one of her usual delusions where Cassian would appear before her gaze, it couldn’t possibly be real, could it? But that assumption fell short when Inna ran to the man that looked just like her husband.

"Cassian!" Inna didn’t hesitate before jumping into the arms of her brother who was surprisingly baffled by his sister’s reaction. The once cheerful Inna who stepped in moments ago was suddenly in tears as she refused to let go of her brother, and when she finally did, she looked at the face of her brother whom she thought had died during the making of the barrier spell.

Holding both his hand and feeling his shoulder, Inna could barely bring herself to speak, or believe it. " Cas...I’m not hallucinating am I? Is this....is this really you?" As if to confirm that she wasn’t the only one seeing Cassian, she glanced at Elian who appeared dazed and dumbfounded. "You’re seeing him too? You’re seeing Cassian, right?"

"A-Ah! Is that my bone breaking?" Complained Cassian as he felt crushed from the weight of his sister’s tight hug. "You’re not hugging me, you’re trying to end my life, let go."

"Cassian." Elian also reached for his side, and the two of them shook hands before bumping shoulders. Looking at Cassian and seeing him stand in front of him, Elian barely knew how to react or what to say to him. "What happened to you? How are you–? My God, is this really you? And you’re fine?"

"What sort of question is that, he’s fine and hasn’t changed one bit." Inna could feel her eyes water in joy as she touched her brother’s face. "He’s still my handsome brother you bastard I’m going to kill you myself! Where did you hide yourself?!" And just like that, Inna’s joyous mode has switched into anger, remembering the heart ache she had received when she thought her brother was gone forever, and that one reaction frightened Cassian who wasn’t given the chance to go to Madeline.

"Hold on."

As everyone rushed towards Cassian, pulled by their emotions to see him alive, Madeline on the other hand stood like a statue at the entrance, unable to find the strength to take a step forward. Her trembling hands clutched her belly protectively, and she could hardly comprehend what her eyes were telling her.

It clearly wasn’t her imagination, it couldn’t be, if it was, they wouldn’t surround him like this, would they?

Like an answer to her question, the world seemed to stand still when she locked gaze with Cassian, and he held it. Thanks to Alaric’s help, the young lad was able to maneuver past the happy crowd that looked happy to see him, and when he approached the woman he had yearned to see the most out of all of them, she stepped back with a shaky short gasp.

Noticing her retreating action when all he wanted to do at that moment was hold her, Cassian was forced to stop in his tracks. He could see the doubt and disbelief reflecting in her clear obsidian orbs, and her present emotions were a tumultuous mix of happiness, disbelief and anger.

"Maddie."

"C...Cas." Her voice evidently cracked with emotion as she took another wary step back. The memories she had been trying to fight through suddenly flooded her mind, and she felt a sense of betrayal mixed with the love she thought she had lost.

"Maddie, wait listen to me." He called, almost desperately when she shook her head and turned to leave the room. "Maddie!"

Ignoring everyone else, Cassian went after the shocked woman. Inna wanted to go after Madeline to ensure she would be alright, but Elaine had stopped her daughter with an assuring gaze, signaling with her eyes that they needed the time alone, and Inna nodded her head in understanding, but still hoped silently that everything would go fine between them.

Exiting the Palace, Madeline had stopped at the main door when she could no longer run farther. The midnight breeze meeting her sensitive skin was able to make her take in some deep breaths, and she closed her eyes, silently wondering if what she had seen was true or if her mind was playing games with her.

Free tears escaped her eyes as she shook her head, unsure of what to believe anymore, but she flinched when she heard footsteps trailing behind her, as if someone was following her. Turning around, she saw Cassian who had slowed down on his chase, and Madeline didn’t think it was possible for one to hallucinate this long.

Stopping in his approach, the young lad took some time to catch his breath before meeting her eyes. The wound that was yet to heal and had been hidden under his shirt, stung him painfully, but he didn’t mind it, he didn’t mind anything since he was given another chance to see the woman that meant a lot to him, the woman he continuously yearned for during his critical state.

"Madeline..." his voice trembled with emotions as he reached his hand out so he could touch her, to hold her in his arms, but once again, she flinched back, keeping a good distance between the two of them, and he could see the anger in her eyes, the hurt she had no intention of hiding.

"You’re... you’ve been fucking alive this whole time?" Madeline no longer had the strength to hold back her tears as she felt betrayed, so much that she couldn’t tell at all. "How could you.....why did you let me believe you were gone? I kept mourning you! Cassian."

"I’m so sorry, I really am, and I understand what you must be thinking but it’s nothing like that, I promise." He immediately apologized as his Amber-brown eyes glazed with regrets. "I’ll explain everything if you give me the chance, I’ll answer all your questions but..... don’t run away from me, please." He begged, looking as if he would die if she took another step away from him.

"You do owe me an explanation. You left me alone for seven months! Carrying your child!" Her hands moved protectively over her belly, a visible sign of the time they had spent apart, away from one another. When his gaze lowered to the protrusion of her belly, his teary eyes widened at the sight, and although he knew the reason for such, he couldn’t help but ask.

"You... you’re pregnant?" The genuine surprise that flashed in his eyes as he was only noticing it now, made him feel the weight of guilt on his shoulder heightening, and his heart ached terribly, wondering how his Maddie had to spend months bearing their child all by herself.

"I’m going to explain it all, I promise but... let me hold you again, Maddie." Cassian took a step closer, trying to breach the emotional distance between them as he held out his hand for her to hold. "Do you not miss me at all?"

Hearing him speak like he couldn’t handle her distance, her gaze lingered on his hand for some seconds, but she made no attempt to hold it. Meeting his gaze, she only walked past him, refusing to receive his hand. "I want my explana–" her breath hitched when he unexpectedly hugged her behind, and her body automatically tensed when she felt her back pressing his warm solid chest.

"Are you that mad that you won’t let me hold you?" He whispered, the cool night breeze unable to quench the mixed emotion that lingered heavily in the air. "You have no idea Maddie, I experienced hell for the first time and it was being away from you, you don’t know what that did to me."

When he sensed she wasn’t going to walk away from him, he released her and gently turned her around so she’d look at him. It’s been seven months since they got separated, and nothing has changed much in his wife’s appearance, except for the added weight she must have gotten after being pregnant for him, she looked as beautiful as ever.

"Maddie." Staring intensely into her obsidian eyes, he kissed her out of blue, and Madeline’s body tensed at his unforseen action, her pupils dilating.

He had kissed her without permission, without warning, without even deciding to do it, but simply because he couldn’t have done anything else. He needed that breath she was holding, it belonged to him, and after seven months of not being able to breathe without her, he desperately wanted it back.

When he pulled back, his gaze lowered to her belly, and he crouched on one knee, still coming to terms with the greatest news he had been welcomed with. He wanted to surprise his lovely wife with his presence, but she had surprised him with a gift far better than the one he planned for her.

"My child?" It was a stupid question, he knew it was his, but he needed to hear her say it to him.

When Madeline recovered from the kiss that had stolen her breath away, she looked down at Cassian, and with her expression softening, she nodded her head as more tears streamed down her eyes. For the first time, she saw tears escape the eyes of Cassian as he placed a hand on her belly in the gentlest manner, wanting to feel the baby’s presence whilst afraid not to hurt it too.

"I’m so sorry." He apologized again, "you had my child and I- I feel so stupid. I should have healed sooner, I should have been here."

Holding out her hand for Cassian, she noticed the glimmer of hope that returned in his eyes as he received her hand, and Madeline pulled him up to his feet. Her trembling hands reached up to feel his face, he hadn’t changed in the slightest, he was still her Cassian, her husband, the man she fell so much in love with.

"Cas." And she embraced him as if realizing he was the one she had been talking to. "Don’t ever leave me like that again."

"I won’t." He embraced her gently to avoid hurting her or the baby. "I’ll never do it again." He promised sincerely.