Chapter 274: A Fight
Melody’s breath caught as a sudden thought slammed into her. A thought that was so wild that it could not possibly be true. Her lips parted slightly, as if the words were struggling to find form, and then she clenched her hands, drew in a long breath and asked directly,"Are we related?"
Marianne’s composure cracked. Her eyes widened just enough to betray the shock and fear over Melody’s guess. The silence that followed was deafening.
Melody saw it. And in that moment she saw everything in that pause. Had found all the answers.
She took a step closer, to her mother and asked directly. "That’s it, isn’t it? That’s why you’ve been looking into her. Why you’re suddenly obsessed with knowing who raised her, where she came from. This isn’t just about furniture. Or taste. Or admiration."
She motioned around them. "You suddenly want to live here. Out of nowhere. After all these years of being on the monve, you now want to settle down here. And what’s the first thing you do? You start refurnishing everything. You pick LuxeArt. Her firm. And you’ve met her. Despite what you just said, you have met her. Haven’t you?"
Marianne didn’t speak. Her hands were still, her coffee forgotten.
Melody took another step forward. "This isn’t a coincidence. It can’t be. She looks exactly like me. And you know it’s not just a passing resemblance. It’s enough that anyone who sees us side by side would do a double take. It’s why you stared at the catalogue the way you did. It’s why your face changed when I said her name."
Her voice faltered for a moment before strengthening again. "Tell me the truth. Is Melanie... is she related to me?"
Marianne opened her mouth, then closed it again, her jaw working as if the right words simply wouldn’t come. Her silence, Melanie felt pressing down on her, heavier with each second that passed.