Chapter 298: listless
Melody stirred her mint cooler listlessly, her hand idly tracing the smooth surface as she tried to understand Adam’s coldness towards her. Why did he refused to engage with her beyond the bare minimum? Even now-after she had bared her soul, revealing the depth of her devastation at the shocking discovery of having a sister-Adam had offered not even a perfunctory word to acknowledge her feelings. He had simply listened, nodded occasionally, but when it came time to speak, his only reply was that he would see if he could arrange a conversation with Melanie about the issue.
He hadn’t even mustered a reassurance that he would indeed arrange a meeting, leaving Melody to stew. Why did he have to be so blunt about his ’rejection’? She had been so careful to not let him be suspicious today!
Just as she was wondering this, a woman slipped into the vacant chair where Adam had just been seated. Melody looked up, her face clouded with puzzlement and irritation. "Can’t you see this table is already occupied?" she remarked in no mood to haggle with the woman for the table.
The woman across from her responded with a knowing smile and said, "Well, I saw, of course. And, I must admit, I also witnessed how Adam deliberately ignored you the very moment you entered. It was a sight that was, in its own strange way, quite pleasing to behold. After all, having observed that scene so clearly, how could I possibly let such a moment pass without sharing my thoughts with you?"
Melody’s brow furrowed further. Who exactly was this woman? And how did she know Adam? Moreover, what was the reason behind that smug, self-assured smile that she was sending her way? Could it be that she was, in fact, Melanie’s girlfriend, sent over with the ulterior motive of keeping a close watch on Adam and later reporting every detail back to her?
As these questions swirled in her mind, Melody felt her irritation surge to the surface. With a disdainful glare, she cast the mysterious girl a look of unmistakable contempt and declared, "I have no interest whatsoever in sharing even a moment with you. So please leave my table."
As these questions swirled in her mind, Melody felt her irritation surge to the surface. With a sharp exhale and a steely look, she cast the mysterious woman a glare laced with unmistakable contempt. "I have no interest whatsoever in sharing even a moment with you," she said coolly, her voice clipped and cold. "So please leave my table."
The woman didn’t budge. Instead, she tilted her head, eyes gleaming with amusement, and gave a slow, pitying shake of her head. "Tsk, tsk. Melanie," she said mockingly, drawing out the name like it was some kind of joke. "Did you really convince yourself that Adam had actually fallen for a homebody like you? Honestly? With your dull little sweaters and your neatly planned routines? You really thought that was enough to hold his interest? So what if you are smart in business and good at baking? That is not enough to hold a man’s interest."
"Spencer tried to warn you, didn’t he? That Adam was only chasing you because of the will. But you brushed it off, all wide-eyed and trusting. And now? Now that you’ve married him and probably signed over every document, every clause, every asset like the good, obedient little wife you are... tell me, do you still think he’s going to give you the time of day?"
She leaned in slightly, her smile growing wider, more poisonous. "You were useful, that’s all. A stepping stone. And now that your purpose is served, look at you—sitting here, abandoned, confused, trying to make sense of his silence. It’s almost tragic. Almost. At least if you had remained with Spencer, he would have given you something. He might not have loved you but he did feel guilty towards you. After all, he’d ’married’ you and abandoned you for three years. But now? Now you’ve landed yourself in a ditch..."
She let out a soft laugh, feigning sympathy. "But don’t take it too personally. You’re not the first woman Adam has manipulated, and I doubt you’ll be the last. At least you got a ring out of it. Most don’t even get that far. Men like Adam? They are made for fuc*ing and not marrying."