Chapter 108 Unbelievable!
“First of all, I’m different,” Madeline pointed out matter-of-factly. “I can do anything and give up everything for my kids as long as it’s in their best interests, and that includes being a spinster for life.”
“You being a spinster, while noble, is not in Aldo and Buddy’s best interests at all,” Sebastian debated. “The kids need a father figure in their lives while they’re growing up, and having both parents around is the best for kids their age. They need to know that they have a perfect family rooting for them.”
“I know that,” she said. “That is why I’m willing to go through with something as ridiculous as getting a marriage certificate with you!”
“I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all,” he countered as he gazed into her eyes. “Maddie, you keep saying how I might meet a girl I truly love someday. Has it ever crossed your mind that you might be that girl?”
“Huh?” Madeline gaped at him with wide eyes.
Sebastian chuckled. “You’re young, pretty, and capable—this makes you the cream of the crop. Also, you are the biological mother of my children, which means we’ll be seeing a lot of each other. At this rate, don’t you think something might eventually happen between us? There might be a spark.”
She was stunned by his explanation, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. When he saw that he had rendered her speechless, he laughed and asked, “Tongue-tied all of a sudden?”
“I just…” She snapped out of her reverie and admitted hesitantly, “I never thought that would be a possibility for us.”
He raised a brow at her. “Why wouldn’t it? We wouldn’t consider being in a relationship with someone else while we’re raising the boys, and it’ll just be us two single folks hanging around at home. You won’t have your eyes on another man, and I won’t be interested in dating other women. That’s fertile ground for a possible romance to grow between us, don’t you think?”
Madeline bit her lip and said nothing. Considering that his proposal was a logical one, one might ask her why she thought that way. In truth, she didn’t think she was good enough for him.
In the past, she had never thought of herself as not being good enough for anyone, nor did she ever think about finding a man for herself just to fill the stepfather-shaped hole in Quincy and Joel’s lives. She had made up her mind about spending forever as a family of three with her two boys without ever contemplating marriage, but that was until Sebastian showed up out of the blue.
After that interlude, she found herself married to Sebastian on paper, but she never thought of herself as his wife.
The only reason she and Sebastian even bothered with the marriage certificate was so that Quincy and Joel wouldn’t be labeled as children born out of wedlock. Up until now, she had thought that Sebastian shared that sentiment.
She was constantly anticipating the moment he would bring up the matter of divorce. In fact, she was certain in her belief that it would happen after news of Quincy and Joel being children of the Hart Family had settled among high society.
Never did she consider the possibility that Sebastian would fall for her. She grew up humble, but she didn’t think so little of herself that she would believe she could never be good enough for anyone and thus submit to a bottom-feeder label.
That said, it was odd that someone of her fortitude could think that Sebastian would never fall for her.
Why is that so? It’s a strange feeling to have.
Upon seeing that she was lost in her thoughts once more, Sebastian shook his head and said, “Forget it. We’ll drop the matter for now; we still have a long journey to go anyway, and the only thing we need to know is that we will be bound to each other until such time that we each meet someone else. We’ll be going to the buffet, and after that, we’re heading back to the Harts’ pied-à-terre here in Wendel City; our dad’s here.”
“Huh?” Madeline was surprised by the news. She then asked, “Old Master Hart is here?”
“Mm-hmm.” Sebastian jerked his chin in the direction of the boys, who were bickering as they walked up ahead. “He said something about missing his grandchildren, so he decided to come by to see them.”
She blinked and made no reply. In all honesty, she wasn’t sure what she should say about that.
Sebastian tipped his head and gave her a bemused look. “My dad didn’t have much to occupy his time with after he retired from the army. He would do some gardening or raise a few pet birds before Aldo and Buddy came into our lives. You must understand, that he was in his forties when my mom had me, and while the rest of his peers had grandchildren who were already in high school, he was worried sick about me not having a girlfriend or the intention to settle down. Now, everything seems to have worked out in his favor; he gets to bring his grandchildren out alongside his friends, and he won’t have to pine after the ideal family life that he wants in his golden age anymore.”
Madeline said, “Old Master Hart is a very nice man.”
The Hart Family was formidable even among the elite, and while Quincy and Joel were part of their bloodline, their birth wasn’t exactly legitimate.
If Philip were an old-fashioned man, he would have never accepted Quincy and Joel as his grandchildren; instead, he’d shun them for being a disgrace to the Harts. However, not only did he acknowledge them, he even loved them as his own. Ever since he met them, he had shown that he wanted nothing but the best for them.
It was rare for someone as powerful as Philip to discard draconian ideals about the legitimacy of one’s birth, particularly when it concerned a family as elite as his. He had always been nothing but kind and generous to the kids and Madeline as well.
For this, Madeline was supremely grateful. She was sure that it would only bring unimaginable hurt to Quincy and Joel had Philip not accepted them with open arms and genuine love, but with contempt and disgust instead.
There were two ends to the spectrum—one was where Philip’s acceptance of the children could ensure them a bright future, and the other where his contempt for them could potentially turn them into the laughing stock of high society, which was an unbearable consequence for two young kids.
Philip was a very nice man indeed, and she vowed to tell her children that they ought to show him respect.
Just then, Sebastian looked at her and said, “You and the kids are very nice people as well, in case you didn’t know.”
Madeline wasn’t sure what to say to that. She could return the compliment as courtesy dictated, but in truth, she wasn’t convinced that Sebastian was a nice person at all. He had a twisted sense of humor, and there were times when he was wicked beyond imagination. Anyone who crossed paths with him needed to seriously consider what they had done wrong in their past lives to meet with such great misfortune.
That said, she had to give credit where credit was due; he was a brilliant father figure to Quincy and Joel. Granted, there were a few occasions where the insidious side of him prevailed over his reasonable one, but she supposed the ends justified his wicked means.
With that in mind, she said a little stiffly, “Well, you’re nice too.”
Sebastian eyed her for a moment. Then, he shook his head as he chuckled and said, “Alright, you don’t have to force yourself.”
Madeline fell silent. Was it that obvious?
They continued their idle chatter as they made their way over to the restaurant, whereupon the four of them helped themselves to the hearty buffet. When they were done with the meal, they left the restaurant and headed over to the Harts’ pied-à-terre.
The kids had only just gotten down from the car when they saw Philip waiting for them in the front yard.
They immediately lit up as they ran up to the old man with wide smiles on their faces, each of them calling aloud, “Grandpa!”
Even Quincy, who tended to bottle up his feelings, was grinning. That was a solid testimony to the love these children had for their grandfather.
They ran up to him and threw themselves into his open arms. Philip held each boy in one arm as he burst out into a cheery laugh and said, “Oh, my little darlings, I have missed you!”
Sebastian stared at this scene incredulously. He was quite sure that grandfather and grandchildren had only just seen each other not too long ago, so it was unbelievable that the old man could miss the kids so terribly. I never heard my dad saying how much he missed me while I was away from home for more than half a year. The double standard is glaringly obvious.
Sebastian was a little bitter as he stood to the side and greeted his father, only to be ignored as Philip straightened up, said hello to Madeline, then brought his two precious grandchildren into the house behind him. “Come along now, my little darlings. I’ve brought many gifts for you, and they’re in the living room waiting to be opened.”
Suddenly forlorn, Sebastian stared after Philip with his mouth open. He was beginning to suspect that he was adopted as a baby because his parents couldn’t have children of their own back in the day. That doesn’t make sense! If I’m not their biological son, Aldo and Buddy aren’t his biological grandkids. If that’s the case, he can’t possibly shower them with such unconditional love.
Madeline, on the other hand, sputtered when she saw the puzzled look on his face.
As though reminded of the fact that she was still next to him, Sebastian turned around and said, “Follow me to the bedroom. I need to tell you something.”
He sounded so serious that she nodded and went with him into his bedroom.
Once they went it, Sebastian turned to close the door and locked it. After that, he spun and gave her a meaningful look as he said, “Take your shirt off.”
Madeline gaped at him with wide eyes. Excuse me?!
