Chapter 7
Finally, Melody’s birthday arrived.
Joshua nished home and prepared a huge birthday banquet for her.
He was waiting at the foot of the stairs when Melody came down in her birthday gown. She glanced at him with her calmeyes, in fact, her eyes were a little too calm and soulless than they should be.
When Josh saber like this, he felt a pang in his heart. He had been looking forward to seeing her happy.
From what he could remember, Melody used to always be fresh and lively. She had never looked so pale and ghostly like this. Her eyes didn’t even have their usual sparkle in them
On instinct, Joshua wanted to pull her into his arms, but she neatly avoided him. Her voice was hoarse as she said, “I’ve been feeling unwell lately, so don’t come close to me. I don’t want to pass the virus to you.”
Then, ignoring the hand Joshua still had dangling mid–air, she turned and walked away.
Throughout the birthday banquet, Melody felt like an outsider. She watched as Joshua confessed his undying love for her the same way he did every year.
The last to come out was his birthday gift to her. Every year, Joshua would prepare a very unique gift for her on her birthday, and it was always the highlight of the banquet.
This time, Joshua’s gift for Melody was a necklace from the royal family. It was a priceless gift that could not be found anywhere else in the world.
As soon as he took it out, Melody could hear the gaps of awe from all the guests around her. However, she lowered her eyes so nobody would see the look of self- mockery in them and refused to take the necidace from Joshua.
Joshua didn’t think much about it. He thought that she was still feeling unwell. He ended the banquet early after clasping the necidace around herneck and offered to send herbackhome.
e started ringing.
However, as soon as he got her into the car, his phones
He glanced at the screen beface telling Melody apologetically, “Mel, I’m sorry, but I need to see to another urgent matter. Go home and rest first, okay? I’ll come back as soon as I’ve settled things.”
Melody didn’t expose him. She just nodded mindlessly
After getting her permission, Joshua kissed her and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, as soon as Joshua got out of the car, Melody’s phone rang again with a notification of a text message from Angel.
“Follow him. There’s a surprise waiting for you!”
Melody went quiet for along while. Finally, she told Sean to turn the car around and follow Joshua’s car.
Very soon, Melody saw that joshua’s car had rolled to a stop before Angel’s villa. He didn’t even bother shutting his driver’s door before rushing into the villa.
Melody gripped her phone a little tighter as she got out of the car and went after him.
Even the door leading into the villa wasn’t closed shut, possibly because of how much joshna had been in a hurry. Melody looked in through the gapi the door and froze in place when she realized what was happening inside.
It was another birthday banquer!
It wasn’t just that—even the guests attending this birthday banquet looked familiar. Joshua’s best friends were there–venis parents were there too!
Rationale told Melody that she should leave as soon as possible. If she didn’t, then she knew that she wouldn’t be able to withstand whatever happened next.. However, her feet felt like they’d been nailed to the ground. She simply couldn’t move.
Melody was frozen in place. She watched in disbelief as Joshuaclasped another necklace around Angel’s neck. It looked exactly the same as the one he’d just given her a while ago.
Joshua’s friends Immediately cherred loudly for them.
“Wow, Mrs. Gretchen! You look so beautiful!*
Joshua immediately cast them a side–eye when he heard that…
“Don’t simply call her that. There’s only one Mes. Gretchen!”
His friends immediately pulled an imaginary zipper across their mouths.
“Don’t worry, Josh! We’re only calling her like this in private. We won’t let your precious Melody know about this.”
“Exactly! We know how to keep a secret”
“We’ve been keeping our mouths shut ever since you introduced her to us half a year ago. You can trust us!”
Even Joshua’s mother, Jessica Miller, went over to Angel and pressed their family heirloom, a gold bracelet, into Angel’s hands.
“Although you have to keep your relationship a secret, I’ll still acknowledge you as my daughter–in–law as long as you give birth to a grandchild for me.”
Melody couldn’t listen to the rest of what Jessica said to Angel. Her tightly clenched hands dropped to her sides. Then, she tumed and left.
She walked faster and faster, as if there was a demon after her. Suddenly, Melody book into a nun. She can as quickly as she could and finally fell to the ground in a heap.
Instantly, a stone suddenly broke out as flashes of Lightning and claps of thunder were heard. Rain began to pour down from the skies, soaking up the earth and Luming the streets into awet, blurry mess.
Chapter 8
