Chapter 4
Jeremy was always well-mannered in front of the Wardolfs. There was no particular reason for this other than that they were Cheryl’s parents.
Cheryl Wardolf was the Wardolf’s biological daughter and Melody’s older sister. She was also the one who was supposed to be engaged to Jeremy.
However, she died due to an accident on the eve of the engagement party.
Jeremy and Cheryl had once been a couple envied by everyone.
Lately, they were in the middle of the rainy season. Melody had gotten slightly wet in the short time frame to open her umbrella after getting out of the car. She instinctively shivered when she walked into the heated private room.
She walked up to her parents and greeted them respectfully.
Her adoptive mother, Laura Luden, ignored her while Andrew said indifferently, “Have a seat since you’re here.”
“Okay,” Melody meekly answered before heading to sit next to Jeremy.
However, she had barely sat down when Laura’s displeased voice rang out.
“You sat down just because you’re told to? Do you think there’s a seat for you here?”
Melody stiffened.
Jeremy, in that emotionless tone of his, reminded her, “Krystal’s back.”
A look of confusion crossed Melody’s eyes. She was about to ask when the sound of high heels clicking on the floor sounded behind her.
Laura got to her feet, a big smile on her face. “Are you done with your phone call, Krys? Come here. We can ask them to start serving the food now.”
A crisp, pleasant-sounding voice came from behind. “Excuse me, could you move? You’re in my way.”
Melody turned around belatedly, only to freeze in her spot when she saw who was standing behind her.
The woman standing there was tall and stunning, but her neat bob made her strikingly beautiful face appear slightly colder.
However, what made Melody freeze was that this lady closely resembled Cheryl.
Krystal Finnigan, the lady in question, frowned slightly. It is likely because of how blatantly Melody was staring at her.
“This is my seat,” she said in a cool voice.
Melody finally came back to her senses, and in the midst of it all, the dots connected for her.
Cheryl had a younger twin sister who went missing when she was very young. It wasn’t until recently that Andrew brought her back.
Melody continued to study Krystal. Her face was so similar to Cheryl’s that there was no denying it. That, and Laura’s attitude, made everything clear.
Laura was getting impatient. “Why are you still standing in the way? You’re so oblivious.”
Melody lowered her gaze and reflexively took a few steps back, giving her seat to Krystal.
Krystal then walked right past Melody and sat down next to Jeremy.
Melody looked at Jeremy and parted her lips, wanting to say something. However, Jeremy gave her a look so apathetic that she could only swallow her words back down.
Jeremy had never been patient with her, so he naturally wouldn’t care about the awkward situation she now found herself in. He also wouldn’t bother to explain anything to her.
He found all that to be troublesome.
Regallo Villas was the Wardolfs’ property, and this private room was specifically reserved for them.
When Cheryl was still alive, there were four people in the family. When Cheryl died, Jeremy joined them.
Andrew didn’t like it when there were empty seats, so the room only ever had four chairs.
Now that Andrew, Laura, Jeremy, and Krystal were all seated, Melody could only stand helplessly to the side. Without Andrew’s word, she didn’t dare leave either.
Melody seemed completely out of place, surrounded by the opulence of her surroundings. However, no one seemed to notice her discomfort.
Laura only had eyes for Krystal. She looked at Krystal, her gaze dripping with pity and affection. “Krys, I’m so sorry for everything you’ve suffered through all these years. We’ve never stopped looking for you.”
Krystal’s expression didn’t change, and her tone stayed indifferent despite Laura’s concern. “I’ve been fine. My parents love me very much.”
Laura’s eyes instantly misted over, but her smile remained. “It’s all thanks to Jeremy. He ran into you when he was traveling for his conference. If he did not bring you back to do a paternity test, then who knows how long I would’ve needed to wait until we are finally reunited.”
“Yes, it was quite the coincidence,” Jeremy answered nonchalantly.
After a beat of silence, he added, “They look very much alike.”
As for who “they” meant, they all knew very well.
“Indeed.” Laura chuckled. “However, I still want to thank you. You’ve been busy because of Krys these past two weeks or so. I heard you even applied for leave from the hospital and skipped an important meeting. Hopefully, that won’t affect you much.”
Jeremy was unbothered. “It was just a small meeting. It won’t matter.”
A dozen thoughts ran through Melody’s mind, and she clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms.
This was the first time she heard Jeremy say that work wasn’t that important.
He had always been meticulous, especially when it came to his work. He could be more demanding than the Chief of Neurosurgery. People would often say that he was like a machine that never tired.
In all the years he had worked at the hospital, he had never once taken leave or been absent.
As it turned out, he hadn’t been to the conference for the two weeks or so while he was away. Instead, he had been going about bringing Krystal home.
So, there were still things and people more important to him than work.
