Filed to story: Mr Williams Madame Is Dying Novel Free Online (Madison & Hunter)
It was no wonder that Hunter reacted that way. Her rash decision would result in her death.
“Shake that idea off your mind, Madie. You have always wanted to set up a hospital for the citizens. Even if Andrea changed its name, this hospital is still operating.
“The medical staff we have here are skillful doctors from within the country and abroad. I’ve also established a foundation to help out poor people.
“Over 100 people are benefiting from it as of today. That includes deaf and dumb kids. There are also special programs for elderly people.
“The world might not be a perfect place, but there are people who make up for it. Had it not been for you, some people would’ve died because they were too poor to see the doctor.”
Tears began flooding her eyes. “Even if I could save everyone in this world, I couldn’t save my friends and children.
“What’s the use of saving so many people? There’s only one reason I’m living on, that is revenge.”
Hunter let out a soft sigh, not knowing how to talk her out of it.
“Get some sleep.” She didn’t say anything after that.
She merely looked at that ray of light at the edge of the sky as resentment stormed into her eyes.
Unconsciously, she placed her hand on her belly.
Habits couldn’t be changed easily. Not to mention that she had been doing that for six months.
The moment she pulled her senses back, Madison realized that her babies were gone.
It was as though a bright neighbor had moved out of the house one day, and she couldn’t get used to it.
She thought, “Give me some time, kids. I will surely take revenge for you.”
In the following days, Madison was cooperative when it came to the treatment.
She was slowly recovering, and she could walk around.
Mona’s body was sent to her hometown, a village. They buried her body.
Madison arrived at the church. When she got out of the car, she could hear people singing a hymn from a church.
Then, the priest began performing the mass before the cross.
The cries and prayers lingered along the wind underneath the gray clouds.
Since it was late fall, most of the crops were harvested, leaving only the dry stubble of wheat and withered corn stalks.
It was as if the world had lost its colors; it was grayish in color.
Madison lived in the cities since she was young. She had attended a few funerals, but it was her first visit to this kind of funeral.
It hit home more than the usual ritual.
Madison stepped on the soft soil, with Hunter following behind her quietly.
She pointed at the rice field.
“Monasaid that her hometown is pretty. Her hardworlding neighbors planted nabana seeds some time ago. When spring comes, it will be a field of blooming nabana flowers.
“The field is painted in green during summer, accompanied by the singing crickets. The kids will try to catch little lobsters in the field barefooted.
“The breeze is there for them to enjoy, and the ridges are the lanes for them to hop around.
“The grain will become mature during the fall. It’ll be a picture of gold when that happens. She will be sitting on the heap of harvested grains, celebrating the joy of harvest with her parents.
“She told me that she was going to bring me to her hometown after my delivery. She would take me to the field to touch the grains and little lobsters.
“There’s a huge apple tree and grapevine trellis on her porch. The apples and grapes they bore are big and sweet.”
“Madie…”
Madison choked on her voice. “I’m fine. I’m just exclaiming how I’m visiting her hometown in this kind of situation.” After the coffin was placed into the dug pit, people began burying it. The bereaved family was crying. Madison knelt before the gravestone, touching the smiling face on the picture. “I’ll avenge you, Mona.”
Drizzle began falling from the somber sky.
The candle flame danced along to the cold breeze.
Madison wiped the raindrop off her face, muttering, “Mona, is that you?”
Two drops of rain landed beneath Mona’s eyes on the picture, making it seem as though she was crying.
It broke Madison’s heart to see that.
She caressed the gravestone. “Don’t worry, Mona. I will take good care of your family. They are my family from now onward.
“Please rest in peace. In your next life … Find a better person in your next life.”
The drizzle showered the whole village after the funeral.
Instead of leaving immediately, she went to Mona’s old residence.
It had been a while since Mona’s family moved to a big city. They would only return to their hometown during festive days like New Year’s, so the house was usually empty.
The house seemed to be shabby. The apple tree and grapevine trellis stood in the rain, seeped with loneliness.
Madison stood below the grapevine trellis. She could imagine an adorable girl eating apples on a hot summer evening. The little girl waved a fan while listening to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice from an older person.
“This is Mona’s favorite grape. It’s a pity that she can’t have them anymore,” Allen recounted Mona’s past story while standing beside Madison.
Madison was listening to him attentively. There was a smile across her lips occasionally. “She sure is a mischievous kid.”
“Yeah, she’s the most mischievous kid in this village. But she scores academically. That was why we moved to the city. Our parents worked hard to feed us. We thought that good days were ahead of us. Who knew…”
She looked at his red eyes and patted his shoulder. “Don’t cry. I’m your sister from now onward. Study hard. Don’t disappoint her.”
“Okay.”
Madison officially introduced herself to Mona’s family. Since it was getting late, she decided to crash at the place for a night before leaving.
She slept in Mona’s room.
Even Mona’s bedsheet left traces of her past. The whole room was filled with the certificates of achievements she had received since she was young.
Madison listened to the rain as her back rested against Hunter’s warm chest.
He basically followed her everywhere she went, but she didn’t mind it.
When she was head over heels for him, he was the closest person to her; now that her love had died, she merely saw him as a bodyguard.
Madison faced her back to him as usual. The old-fashioned light cast a warm yellow sheen over her face, but it couldn’t stave off her coldness.
Only coldness and moisture filled the silent room.
Something was unfurling without anyone knowing.
Hunter broke the silence. “Allen personally told me that he wishes to attend military school.”
Madison turned around, furrowing her brows. “Military school? Doesn’t he wanna go to medical school?”
Mona had frequently mentioned her brother with pride.
The glint in Hunter’s eyes slightly wavered. “He shares the same notion as you, claiming that practicing medicine won’t be able to save people.”
She sighed. “Fine. Let him be.”
The following day, when Madison and Hunter wanted to leave the place, an older woman with white hair visited.
She was so old that her steps were wobbly. She hugged a colorful blanket in her arms. “Megan, your daughter previously asked me to patch a blanket. Do you still want it?”
Megan wore an awkward expression. “Madison, it was supposed to be a gift for you, but now
***
Madison suppressed the pain ripping through her heart. “I want it. Why not? It’s nice to have a souvenir. Madam, here, I’ll take it.
“1
“Okay. Mona kept reminding me to use fine threads and cloth to make it. I personally dried the cotton. It’s comfy and warm. You…”
The older woman looked at Madison, and her face fell. “Y-You’re finally back…”
Baffled, Madison looked at Penny. Wrinkles adorned Penny’s face, and her eyes were murky.
Her wrinkle-surrounded mouth was shaking due to vehement emotions.
“Mrs. Durst, are you speaking to me?”
“Yes, you!” The excited older woman held Madison’s hand, rubbing her rough hands against the back of Madison’s hand so much that it stung.
Penny’s reaction took Madison aback. They didn’t know each other, but why was Penny getting so excited?
“Mrs. Durst, did you get the wrong person?”
“How could I possibly get the wrong person? Miss, I’ve never expected myself to be able to meet you again. You look exactly the same as you were that year! You barely changed.”
Penny sized her up. “No, you seemed skinnier. Something’s different about your face, too.”
Megan quickly said, “I think you got the wrong person. Madison has never come to this village before. This is her first visit.”
“Madison?” Penny circled Madison while pointing at her at times. “Something’s off. You’re taller and skinnier than her. You look quite different, too. But you resemble her a lot.”
Madison and Hunter exchanged glances, wondering if Penny knew her family.
“Have a seat and take your time to remember. Who do I resemble?”
“Ms. Nat.”
Madison had never encountered that name before.
Considering that Penny could be the only lead to find her real family, Madison asked urgently, “Who is she? Where does she live? What kind of relationship do you have with her?”
“She’s…” Penny wanted to say something, but her mind went blank.
She handed the blanket to Megan. “Megan, your daughter’s death is such a tragic one. She was such a nice kid.”
“Mrs. Durst, you haven’t told me who Ms. Nat is yet.”
Penny turned to look at Madison, only to be surprised again. “Miss, you’re back…”
Madison was rendered speechless.
Hunter patted her shoulder, providing comfort. “She must be forgetful because of her age. Be patient.”
Megan added, “Yeah. She’s in her 80s this year. Her hearing and eyesight are good, but she can be forgetful sometimes.”
“Mom, does she have a family?”
“No. Her partner passed away a long time ago. She doesn’t have kids, either. She has lived in the village since I was young. She never left this place once.”
“Do you know her past?”
“I don’t know the details, but I heard something that happened seven decades ago. Wars were on the rise at that time, hence the natural disasters and casualties.
“A lot of people died of starvation at the time. Many people went to the cities to work. She went to the city to work as a nanny for a rich family before.”
Madison spoke to Penny for a while, realizing that the latter’s circumstances weren’t that good. Her memories would come and go, too.
After discussing with Hunter, Madison decided to bring Penny back to Aldenvine.
