Melody Strikes Back by Myra Walker (Chapters 56, 57, 58, 59 & 60)  

Chapter 56

After the door was closed, Astrid’s facial expression became better.

Astrid asked the servant to take the medicine from Melody secretly. Astrid did not discuss it with Ulric. As she thought about it, she felt a lingering fear.

At that time, the servant said it was Astrid’s instruction. Astrid would not be able to get away if somebody found out. She was indeed guilty of the act.

As she thought about it, Astrid felt it was fortunate that the servant did not grab the medicine from Melody’s hand.

Now, Astrid became fidgety. She walked toward Ulric and asked, “Do you have any better plans?”

The expression on Ulric’s face was terrible. “We have to know what they are up to. I’ll get to know her first. Don’t act rashly in case they know our next move. Whatever happened at the medicinal shop was already a warning. Don’t do anything without asking me first again.”

Astrid nodded and said, “Yes, yes!”

She seemed to have lost her aura in front of her son. She spoke to him as though she wanted to please him.

She loved Ulric, but at the same time, she was afraid of him.

Back then, it was Ulric’s idea to frame Ken, When Astrid heard that it was his idea, she had a big shock.

When she saw Ulric cripple his own legs emotionlessly, she had nightmares over and over again. She even developed a high fever.

A person who could hurt himself so viciously would not treat others with compassion.

Ulrich added, “Oh yes, don’t forget to get the doctor to go over and check. We have to act as though everything was real.” “Oh yes! I’ll go now… Astrid patted the back of her head..

In Margaret’s room.

When Melody brought the herbal medicine into Margaret’s room, it was still piping hot.

Melody intentionally mentioned what just happened downstairs: After Margaret heard that, she did not give it much thought. She said, “Astrid has a suspicious nature. However, she did that because of me. Don’t bother about this matter. Astrid didn’t mean to suspect you.

Melody felt helpless. Margaret and her grandmother were the same. They treated the hypocrites in their families very well They didn’t realize that these hypocrites were wolves in sheep’s clothing, waiting to seize an opportunity to destroy them.

However, Melody had no evidence, and she was an outsider. She was in no position to say these things. Hence, she kept quiet and nodded her head. She looked at Ken who stood by the bedside. Ken’s expression was gloomy. He was obviously getting angry

Even Margaret realized something was wrong. She asked with a puzzled tone, “Ken, what’s the matter? Are you feeling okay? Why do you look angry?”

“I’m fine, Grandma.” Ken shook his head, trying very hard to look natural and calm. He sat by Margaret’s bedside and said, “I’m just worried about you.”

“Silly boy, it will take some time before I get well Margaret smiled contentedly.

Melody sighed quietly. It was best not to let the elderly know what happened. If not, they would be depressed, and it would affect their health.

It was obvious that Ken had the same thought. When he saw Astrul bring the doctor in, he did not say anything nor greet Astrid. He treated Astrid as though she was invisible.

After examining Margaret, the doctor confirmed there was nothing in the medicine that she was allergic to. Margaret then took the medicine from Melody and drank everything. She mumbled that everyone was being overly worried.

After drinking the medicine. Margaret looked surprised and asked, “Why isn’t the medicine bitter?”

Melody’s eyes narrowed as she smiled. “The main ingredient of this medicine is walnuts. Hence it won’t be really bitter. Oh yes, Ken helped in grinding the walnuts into powder form

As Melody explained, she did not forget to mention Ken’s help. Although Ken still did not bother to talk to her, and his attitude toward her was not good, Melody already treated him as a friend.

Or maybe Melody owed it to him in their previous lives if there were such things. When Melody mentioned Ken, Margaret’s gaze was full of gentleness and affection for Ken. “Ken, why didn’t you tell me that you have done many things for me?”

Ken threw a glance at Melody and then turned to look at Margaret. “These are trivial things. I don’t think it is necessary to mention them.” Margaret felt very touched,

Ken was young, and Margaret already loved him very much. However, she was fair and did not show any unbiasedness. she realized that compared to Ulrich. Ken was more thoughtful and caring toward her.

“You are really considerate, Margaret commented and did not say anymore. However, she took note of all the good that Ken had done.

Astrid was so angry that she gritted her teeth. However, she did not dare to show her dissatisfaction on her face.

This bitch had been bribed by Ken!

Well, it could work well. If Melody and Ken cooperated, and something happened to Margaret, Melody would get into deep trouble, and Ken would also need to face serious consequences.

Astrid calmed down after thinking of that. She spoke as though she was upset. “Ken is really caring. However, Ulrich could not do as much as Ken. Mom, please don’t think that Ulrich is not concerned about you. When you fell sick, Ulrich came here to keep you company every day. He was worried that you would develop negative thoughts. But you understand that Ulrich…”

When Astrid wanted to continue talking. Melody found an opportunity to interrupt, “Margaret, I forgot to say this just now. After drinking the medicine, you have to take some medicine orally

Melody continued. These are some tablets with herbal ingredients that I have formulated. You need to eat them together with the medicine that you have just taken. Please swallow them now so that the medicine will be effective.

When Margaret heard this, she did not bother about Astrid’s nagging. She took the tablets and swallowed them immediately.

The tablets tasted very bitter. Margaret quickly asked the servant to bring a spoonful of honey. She did not bother about what Astrid had said about Ulrich.

Seeing that Margaret totally ignored her, Astrid blamed Melody If she could, she would have strangled Melody. However, at this time, she could only look at Melody who was standing in front of her and cursed her in her heart.

She was very worried that she could not control her emotions and would have a confrontation with Melody. Hence, she quickly came up with an excuse and left the room.

After Margaret had finished taking the medicine, Melody went to prepare some ointment. However, Melody did not need it today, so she asked James to keep the medicine carefully. Then Melody said goodbye to Margaret and was about to leave.

Margaret did not want Melody to leave as she knew that Melody was a very gentle and caring girl. If she were by Margaret’s side, she would feel very comfortable and secure.

Margaret held Melody’s hand and asked, “Why don’t you stay a little longer? Or stay here for the next few days? In that case, you don’t have to make many trips here and back

Thank you for your kind suggestion, but it is okay. I just returned to Silverlake, and my grandma also misses me a lot. Her health has not been very good recently. I would like to keep her company. But don’t worry, I’ll be here punctually every day.

After hearing that, Margaret relented. She reminded Melody to take care of her grandmother and check her health.

As Melody was about to leave. Margaret instructed Ken to send Melody home.

Chapter 57

“Ken, please make sure Melody gets home safely. If there’s nothing urgent over the next few days, you can handle her pick-ups and drop-offs.”

Margaret made her final decision, leaving Ken no room to refuse before instructing the servant to see Melody out..

The two were half–escorted, half–pushed out of Margaret’s room by the servant.

At this moment, Melody finally realized, somewhat belatedly, that Margaret seemed to be trying to set her up with Ken.

Her lips twitched involuntarily,

Ulric and Astrid were her enemies. In her previous life, Ulric had deceived her into going to the hospital where her heart was harvested. Astrid Swanson was involved in the scheme as well

Even if Ken was at odds with them, she could not possibly marry him.

The entire Swanson family is like an ancient harem, with overt and covert struggles that make one never dare to relax their vigilance. Every moment spent there felt suffocating: let alone the thought of marrying into it again.

Moreover, Ken wouldn’t be interested in her either. She decided it was best to seize the opportunity to clarify her stance with Margaret.

With this in mind. Melody turned to glance at Ken, only to see his expression dark and inscrutable, leaving her unaware of his thoughts.

“Um… Melody spoke up. At that moment, Ken seemed to snap out of his reverie, looking at her with questioning eyes as if asking what was on her mind.

TII just take a cab back home You don’t need to drop me off. I need to get some shopping done,” Melody said.

Ken responded with a neutral expression. “That works out. I have some things to take care of as well. Go ahead then.

He said it without even bothering with false pleasantries, then turned around and headed upstairs.

Melody shrugged. He clearly didn’t care much about her at all.

With his temperament, it was uncertain whether he would ever find a wife in the future.

In Margaret’s previous life when she died, it seemed like Ulric was not involved with anyone romantically. After Margaret’s recent narrow escape, she would certainly have her hands full worrying about the future.

But none of these concerns had anything to do with her.

With that thought, Melody headed straight for the exit.

When she arrived it was overcast, and now a light drizzle began to fall, causing the temperature to drop sharply.

Coincidentally, there were no servants in the living room. Not wanting to bother finding someone to borrow an umbrella from, she simply took off her light jacket, held it over her head and started running outside.

She ran a few steps when she saw a figure sitting in a wheelchair in the rain.

It could only be Ulric.

Uinic was only wearing a thin white shirt, which clung to his body due to the rain, faintly revealing his perfectly shaped right–pack abs

Already slender, his overly pale skin added a touch of vulnerability, making his strikingly handsome face stand out even

Compared to Ken’s almost domineering presence, Ulric’s resembled a painting that existed yet did not–ethereal and exclusive.

But she was well aware that behind this seemingly delicate painting lurked a monstrous beast.

In her previous life, she had been deceived by Ulric’s “painted skin and paid a terrible price for it.

Suppressing her disgust. Melody intended to bypass Ulric but he called out to her, “Miss Fox, please wait!”

Reluctantly, Melody stopped and frowned at Ulric and asked, “What do you want. Mr. Ulric?“

Ulric struggled to stand up from his wheelchair, supporting himself with a cane in one hand and holding an umbrella in the other. Despite his unsteady steps, he made his way to her and gallantly held the umbrella over her to shield her from the

“Didn’t the servants provide you with an umbrella? What kind of oversight is this?” Ulric chided, his brow furrowed in displeasure. He then inquired with a tone of concern, “Is your chauffeur waiting at the estate’s entrance?”

In reality, he had intentionally dismissed the servants in the hall all to secure a moment alone with Melody.

Under the umbrella, Ulric got a close look at Melody’s face for the first time. That face was extremely ugly, with horrifying red blotches, making one unwilling to take a second glance.

Ulric suppressed the urge to vomit, the disgust in his eyes fleeting away, replaced instead by a gaze of profound concern Melody, with her keen eye for detail, could not help but notice that fleeting moment.

A wave of self–deprecating laughter washed over her. How could she have been so foolish in her past life, believing that Ulric’s mediocre acting was a genuine reflection of his love for her inner beauty, despite her ugly appearance?

A smirk played on her lips as she indulged in these thoughts, her face contorted in a mask of derision.

Ulric looked at her expression, momentarily taken aback. He couldn’t help asking, “Miss Fox, what’s so amusing?” Melody stifled her laughter and replied calmly, Tmi laughing because… why are you forcing yourself? Nobody wants to have a conversation with me because of my face. Why do you feel compelled to talk to me? Don’t you find it repulsive?” Ulric stared at her with widened eyes, feeling as though his innermost thoughts were being scrutinized. However, he quickly regained his composure, shook his head, and said, “Miss Fox, please don’t say that. Even if you’re currently dealing with a skin condition and that’s why those things are on your face, I still think you’re beautiful. Beauty isn’t necessarily about appearance; it’s more about inner qualities and personality. What do you think?”

Melody felt like she was witnessing a self–directed comedy. She retorted mockingly, “Mr. Ulric, you are quite the smooth talker. You are the first person to find me beautiful. You would better not say such things Lies make noses grow longer.

Ulric, realizing his attempts were futile, seemed a bit taken aback by her lack of response. He awkwardly chuckled and said, “Miss Fox, you have a great sense of humor,

“You too,” said Melody.

Ulric continued, “However, I’m not lying or being polite. I’m speaking from the heart. If you weren’t beautiful, how could you be Silverlake’s top socialite?”

Melody paused, suddenly realizing that Ulric might have mistaken her for Mabel.

“Silverlake’s top socialite. Melody murmured softly.

“Yes.” Ulric nodded. “I believe you’ll still be this year’s top socialite even if your face isn’t perfect. Character is something that can’t be disguised

Melody instantly confirmed that Ulric had indeed mistaken her for Mabel

This was interesting

No wonder Ulric had delivered gifts to her home yesterday, clearly meant for Melody, when they were actually intended for

Mabel

If this pair of lovebirds got together prematurely, who knows if they would be as affectionate as in their previous life.

Just then, Melody caught sight of Ken rushing out of the villa with an umbrella.

Melody wondered, Was he coming to give her the umbrella?

In the next moment, Ken’s gaze met hers, and he saw Ulric holding the umbrella with her.

Ken’s eyes dimmed and he turned back into the villa.

“Ken!” Melody instinctively chased after him.

She didn’t want Ken to misunderstand her relationship with Ulric. She still harbored hope of forming an alliance with Ken.

With that in mind. Melody quickened her pace, her heart pounding.

Melody ran over, panting heavily, and finally managed to stop Ken.

However, the rain-soaked ground was slippery, and as she caught up, her feet suddenly slipped. She lost her balance and began to fall backward.

Chapter 58

Just when Melody thought she was going to fall, a strong hand suddenly gripped her waist, pulling her back steadily.

Due to the inertia, Melody’s entire body fell into the person’s arms, a pleasant peppermint scent filling her nose. Before Mel

Melody could react, the man had already taken a step back, and the peppermint fragrance began to fade. When she looked up, she found herself staring into the expressionless face of Ken

She quickly explained, “Don’t misunderstand. It was him who suddenly blocked me, and I then spoke to him…”

Ken responded with a meaningful tone. “Why should I misunderstand? Isn’t it Miss Fox who is misunderstanding?” The implication was clear. He did not care what kind of relationship she had with Ulric, and she did not need to explain. “I Melody’s throat tightened, and for a moment, she did not know what to say

“Since Miss Fox has someone to send her umbrella, then I won’t bother the two of you and will go back first. I only hope that Miss Fox can treat my grandmother’s illness properly. If I find out that you and he both want to harm my grandmother…

He curved his lips into a smile. Though he was smiling, it sent a shiver down her spine.

After Ken finished speaking, he turned around and entered the villa.

James happened to see Ken enter with a grim expression, and his heart could not help but thump.

Who had made Ken angry?

There weren’t many people who could provoke such a reaction from him.

He subconsciously looked towards the door and saw Melody’s face gazing after Ken with a complicated expression.

They? he thought curiously.

James had a good impression of Melody–her personality was pleasant, and she had a serious character–but that face…

It must be that he misunderstood.

James shook his head, not daring to speculate too much about Ken’s thoughts, and quickly returned to his post, guarding the medicinal herbs in the room for Melody.

Outside the door, Melody hesitated but ultimately did not go after Ken.

What could she explain if she went after him?

She had only been in contact with Ken a few times, and to him, she was just an insignificant doctor. As long as she did not threaten his grandmother’s safety, he did not care whether she was close or not.

Thinking of this, Melody felt indescribably wronged.

She obviously did not do anything.

Just at this time, the sound of stumbling footsteps came from behind her.

When Melody turned her head, she met Ulric’s gaze.

“Miss Fox, you seem to have a good relationship with my brother?” Ulric asked with a concerned face. “Is my brother misunderstanding something? Do you need me to explain it to him?”

“No need,” Melody said coldly, lowering her gaze. “Mr. Ulric, if you’re so worried about my affairs, you might as well worry about yourself.”

With that, she braved the rain and ran out.

As Melody turned her back. Ulric’s once soft gaze instantly turned cold.

So, there really was something between them.

At this moment, his desire to win was suddenly aroused.

Before this, he had only wanted to pull Melody to his side to help him deal with his grandmother at home. But now, he purely wanted to prove that he was more attractive than Ken.

Thinking of this, Ulric’s eyes lit up. He deliberately chased after Melody.

“Miss Fox! Umbrella!” he called out, but his legs couldn’t keep up, and he fell heavily to the ground after a few steps.

Mud splattered across his handsome face, like a famous painting stained with oil, evoking a pang of pity in anyone who saw him

However, Melody did not even look back and continued running towards the gate.

Damn it!”

Ulric glared at Melody’s retreating figure until she vanished from sight. He cursed viciously and pounded the ground.

He believed no one could resist his charm and sincerity

However, Melody had completely ignored him.

“Ah! Mr. Ulric!”

“Mr. Ulric, are you alright? Let me help you up

“Are you all dead? Go call a doctor!”

The servants, who had just returned, sprang into action upon seeing Ulric in the muddy water.

The butler hurried to the front, carefully helping him up.

However, as soon as the butler raised his eyes, he noticed an unfamiliar viciousness in Ulric’s expression, and he was instantly startled.

But in the blink of an eye, that viciousness vanished, replaced by his usual warm demeanor.

“I’m fine, thank you.” Ulric stood up with the butler’s help and thanked him politely, maintaining his composure.

This made the butler doubt what he had seen earlier,

Yes, it had to be a case of blurred vision.

How could the gentlemanly, calm Ulric have shown such a vicious expression?

It must have been a mistake! he thought

Soon the doctor arrived, and Ulric cooperated with the examination. Apart from a minor abrasion on his palm, there were no major injuries.

“This little injury, I’ll take care of it myself. I’ll go upstairs and take a shower. I don’t need anyone to come in and help. I’ll be fine on my own.”

The butler was worried that Ulric might fall and hurt himself again in the bathroom, but Ulric firmly insisted, “No one needs to help. Left with no choice, the butler complied.

As soon as he returned to his room, the softness on Ulric’s face vanished.

He overturned the coffee table with one hand, his face contorted with viciousness.

Even that ugly girl thinks that Ken is better than him?

He was determined to win over that ugly girl, make her fall head over heels for him, and then cruelly discard her to marry someone else.

Imagining Melody kneeling on the ground and crying in pain slightly improved his mood.

Ulric smoked another cigarette in his room before heading to wash up and change his clothes. Once he had cleaned himself up, he pressed the emergency bell specially installed in his room.

“Please send someone up. I accidentally knocked over the coffee table,” he said.

His tone was as gentle as usual. The servant on the other end answered promptly and rushed over, never suspecting for a moment that the “accident” was anything but intentional.

At the same time.

Melody ran to the door in the rain, expecting to wait for a while to hail a cab. To her surprise, the driver who had driven her here in the morning pulled up in front of her.

“Miss Fox, you’ve finally come out. Mr. Ken asked me to wait for you here and send you home safely.”

Melody was slightly stunned. She thought, ‘Ken ‘really did more and said less, often making people misunderstand him as an arrogant guy who didn’t know how to be polite at all:

It was probably because she had just been up close and personal with Ulric that she found Ken so much more pleasing to the eye in comparison.

It’s just a pity.

It seemed like Ken had too many misunderstandings with her.

Melody’s eyes darkened slightly as she thanked the driver and opened the car door to get in.

“There’s no need to send me home. I need to go to the Herbathrive for a bit.”

“Sure, Miss Fox. The driver started the engine, and the car quickly arrived at the entrance of the Herbathrive.

As soon as Melody entered, David hurriedly greeted her.

“Miss You Why did you come back…” he asked worriedly, his forehead glistening with sweat from anxiety.

Melody laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to assign blame. I’ve said it before, as long as you’re more careful in the future, that issue is behind us.”

David nodded repeatedly. “I will now double–check everything before delivering the herbs to any customer from now on.” Melody responded with an acknowledging hum and inquired, ‘Is your boss available? I need to speak with him.”

Chapter 59

Melody’s visit to Herbathrive was not for Margaret Swanson, but for her own dignity,

However, David Chen shook his head and said, “The boss isn’t here. She’s gone to Myanmar to procure herbs and won’t be back for at least a week.”

“A week…” Melody murmured.

A week would be just enough time for Margaret’s situation to be settled. Perfect.

She nodded and said, “I see. I’d like to ask you for a favor, Could you get in touch with me when your boss gets back!”

“Of course!” David agreed, but then he couldn’t help but ask, “What do you need my boss for?”

Melody simply replied, “It’s not about you. If you don’t say a word, no one will know you mixed up the herbs.”

Melody’s words reassured David. He shook his head sheepishly and said, “Sorry… I was just so scared. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a skilled traditional medicine practitioner, and if I got kicked out of Herbathrive, my dreams would be crushed…”

Melody gave a sympathetic nod. This kid clearly had a real passion for traditional medicine.

He didn’t have any formal education, nor could his family afford to put him through a proper traditional medicine program. Working at Herbaihrive was his only viable option for the time being.

After a brief pause, Melody decided to be upfront with David. In actually here to buy some herbs from your boss, some… very rare ones. Your staff probably aren’t authorized to sell them, right?”

David’s eyes widened in surprise. He nodded. Yeah, that’s right, We keep the high–quality stuff elsewhere. We don’t have access to it either, But how did you know that? It’s your first time buying from our store, isn’t it?”

“You don’t need to know that,” Melody affirmed.

David refrained from asking any more questions.

After exchanging contact details, Melody said her goodbyes and left.

David watched as Melody walked away, puzzled.

He had a feeling that this young woman knew much more about Herbathrive than even he did.

After leaving Herbathrive, Melody made her way to the mall.

It was the same mall where the store Wilmot Sherman had given her was located. Melody told the driver not to wait up for her after she got out of the car, and that she would take a taxi back later.

Yolanda Fox snatched the contract for Wilmot’s store from her hands. She would settle the score with her today.

As she waited for the contract to return to its rightful owner, she thought, “Yolanda’s expression would be quite amusing, wouldn’t it?”

However, the driver insisted, “Mr. Fox said I must ensure that you reach home safely before I can leave. Your safety is now Mrs. Fox’s safety. Please excuse the inconvenience.”

Melody reluctantly agreed.

It was better to have a driver on standby anyway. Open confrontations were easier to deal with than hidden threats. Who knew when Astrid Swanson would lose her mind and take the chance to kill her?

“Then please, wait for me here. I’ll be back soon,” she said.

“Of course, Miss Fox, the driver replied respectfully, opening the car door for her.

As soon as she stepped out of the car, the chilly air enveloped her. Melody clutched her jacket and briskly entered the mall, making a beeline for Wilmot’s salon.

Wilmot had five outlets in Silverlake. Recognizing that Melody was rather young and inexperienced, he figured she would have trouble managing them all at once, so he made it a point to drop by whenever he had the time.

Just as Melody had arrived, Wilmot was finishing up a lesson with an apprentice.

“Miss Fox!” Wilmot exclaimed as soon as he saw Melody, rushing forward to greet her.

Melody returned the greeting and asked, “How’s your little one doing?

“Thanks to you, he’s all better now, The doctor said he’ll be out of the hospital in two weeks so he can finally go back to school You’re our savior!” Wilmot said. He was just about to kneel before Melody.

Melody quickly helped Wilmot up

“You don’t need to do that. I’m medically trained, and it was just a coincidence. Besides, haven’t you already given me enough? You’ve already gifted me this store.

That’s simply not enough. My son’s life is more important than my own. If you really want, I’m more than happy to offer. you all of my assets”

“No, it’s really more than enough.”

“It’s not enough! If you won’t accept anything, please let me at least kneel to express my gratitude…”

“Please don’t…

It just so happened that several older, affluent ladies, who had just finished their hair appointments, walked out to witness the scene.

These ladies, by pure chance, had attended Margaret Swanson’s birthday banquet the previous evening. Witnessing Wilmot kneeling before Melody, they rushed over in surprise, exclaiming. “Mr. Sherman, what on earth are you doing?”

You see, they had all practically begged Wilmot to style their hair. In spite of that, there had never been any guarantee they’d secure an appointment.

Seeing Wilmot kneeling for the country bumpkin from the Fox family, they were convinced that Melody was causing trouble for Wilmot. They marched over, looking far from happy

“Melody, what’s going on here? Are you bullying Mr. Sherman because you think no one’s watching?”

“Bullying someone in public like this, has your family not taught you any manners?”

“Country bumpkins like you need to know their place! Your family shouldn’t have brought you back here!”

The Fox family wasn’t what they used to be; they’ve fallen on hard times. If it weren’t for Mrs. Maria Fox’s support, wouldn’t have even been invited to the Swanson family’s birthday banquet yesterday.

The Melody Fox who stood before them was nowhere close to meeting their standards.

They were thinking about how to stand up for Wilmot and how they’d give Melody a good scolding, so they spoke as harshly as possible.

But immediately, Wilmot rushed to clarify, “No, Miss Fox isn’t bullying me. You’re all mistaken….

He quickly explained the situation, and the store assistant chimed in to sing praises, insisting Melody was the best doctor in the world.

When they heard that Wilmot had gifted the store to Melody, the ladies suddenly appeared embarrassed and hurried to make amends. “Miss Fox, we sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding. Please accept our apologies.”

“I must apologize as well. I’m sorry, Miss Fox. It was my mistake

If it meant that she could continue getting her hair and makeup done at Wilmot’s salon, saying sorry wasn’t really a big deal.

Melody shook her head and said, “It’s okay. It really was just a misunderstanding”

Noticing Melody’s calm demeanor, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Some even took the chance to add her as a contact before happily asking, “Miss Fox, may we consult you for any styling services in the future?”

Seeing this, Wilmot, who was standing close by, chimed in, “As long as it’s someone you introduce, Miss Fox, I’m at your service, 24/7”

Hearing this, the ladies‘ eyes lit up with a new respect for Melody

“Miss Fox, we may need to ask for your help in the future…

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you all Melody said apologetically. “As much as Mr. Sherman has gifted me this store, I have given the contract to my stepmother She said I’m too young and know nothing about running a business. So in the future, if you need anything, please speak to my stepmother.”

After Melody was done speaking, she took a glance at Wilmot.

Wilmot’s face fell the moment he caught the word “stepmother. His brows furrowed together in a deep frown.

Chapter 60

“Miss Fox, this shop is yours, and you shouldn’t worry about managing it–I will handle that for you. Even if she holds the contract, it will have no effect. You are the only one who has the authority to make decisions here!” Wilmot stated with a fervent conviction.

“L… Melody appeared utterly terrified, shaking her head back and forth repeatedly. “Let’s just drop it, better to let it go…”

Seeing Melody in such a state of fear, Wilmo became even more convinced that the contract must have been forcibly taken by her stepmother.

He firmly grasped Melody’s hand, reassuringly stating, “Miss Fox If you are too scared, I will personally accompany you to

retrieve it!”

Although not particularly powerful or influential, Wilmot, equipped with his exceptional skills in makeup and styling and his extensive network, felt vastly superior to the Fox family and more than capable of confronting them.

The situation caught the attention of several high society ladies, who exchanged knowing glances and suggested, “We are actually on our way to the Fox residence 100. We can escort you there,”

Without waiting for a reply, they took Wilmot and Melody with them and promptly left the building.

Melody, hesitantly compliant, signaled subtly to the driver who had been waiting at the mall entrance as they walked out. Confused by the situation but catching the cue from Melody’s eyes, the driver did not come over to greet them but instead started the car and followed them discreetly.

Upon arriving at the Fox residence, the driver then discreetly departed the scene.

At the entrance, Wilmot did not forget to offer words of comfort “Miss Fox, do not be frightened. I am here with you. Your stepmother cannot harm you; what is rightfully yours will remain yours.”

Melody nodded meekly, emitting a soft hum in agreement.

This submissive demeanor deeply troubled the observing ladies who couldn’t help but shake their heads at the sight. What Yolanda had done was indeed too much!

In their social circle, having a stepmother was common, but none exhibited bias as blatantly as Yolanda.

She was foolish, malicious, and utterly petty!

“Miss Fox, do not fret. We will also advocate on your behalf.”

“Thank you, truly, thank you…” After expressing her gratitude, they rang the doorbell to the Fox residence,

The butler, who opened the door, did not recognize Wilmot but did recognize the prominent ladies. He completely overlooked Melody and enthusiastically welcomed the ladies with a gesture.

Once again, the ladies shook their heads at this, pitying Melody for the disdainful treatment she received even from her own household staff.

This further affirmed Wilmot and the ladies‘ resolve to support Melody in her quest for justice.

Leading them through to the hall, the butler showcased the grandeur of the Fox residence.

The hall buzzed with guests, with Mabel captivating everyone’s attention in the center.

Mabel’s eyes, accentuated with refined makeup and dramatically curled lashes, shimmered like sparkling diamonds.

She wore a délicate light blue silk satin evening gown, elegantly embellished with Swarovski crystals. Although the crystals themselves were inexpensive, the total ensemble was valued at no less than five million.

Despite the dwindling fortunes of the Fox family, Mabel spared no expense on her appearance, consistently choosing only the finest.

Her mere presence was enough to draw all eyes to her, creating subtle ripples of admiration and envy amongst the guests. Mabel relished the glances, both admiring and jealous, from the crowd, feeling a surge of pride swell within her.

See, she was the one truly worthy of Ulric Swanson’s attention; as for that monstrosity, Melody… well, she was simply out of her league!

Even if Melody had briefly outshone others at the tea room yesterday and had later been taken to meet the elder Mrs. Swanson by her grandmother, it mattered little.

Mabel knew that leveraging her inherent beauty was enough to keep Melody beneath her.

After a night of scolding from Yolanda, Mabel had adjusted her mindset and now carried herself with the grace and poise of a leading socialite,

Yolanda watched her daughter with a mixture of pride and smug satisfaction.

The guests did not hold back their compliments.

“She truly is Silverlake’s top socialite, Miss Fox, you are absolutely stunning!”

“Miss Fox could turn even a sack into a trendsetter; she is a born fashion icon.”

“Yolanda, you are blessed to have such a beautiful daughter!”

Despite her internal pride, Yolanda maintained a facade of humility.

“Oh, it’s nothing really. This child can be quite the little madam at times; sometimes she’s as stubborn as a mule, and there’s no stopping her!”

“Oh, all young ladies are like that! Mabel is already so understanding and well–mannered.”

Yolanda smiled, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed pride. She offhandedly remarked, “Melody went out early today: I wonder why she hasn’t returned yet. That child, oh…

“Are you referring to your stepdaughter? That child is indeed… quite a handful!”

Yolanda and Mabel’s sense of superiority intensified.

Compared to Melody, Mabel was akin to a celestial being, while Melody was nothing more than a despised insect, utterly incomparable!

The crowd continued to shower Mabel with attention, completely oblivious to Melody’s quiet entrance.

-Melody observed everything with a stoic expression, her inner calm undisturbed.

In her previous life, it had always been this way: whenever she gained recognition through the skills learned from her master, Yolanda would invariably host a gathering the following day, inviting friends and family to ridicule her for her unattractive appearance, all to elevate Mabel.

This was precisely why she had made a special trip to the styling salon.

Previously, she had endured constant mistreatment; this time around, she was determined not to suffer any longer.

Yolanda had indeed lived up to her expectations by inviting numerous notable figures to “admire her supposed

unattractiveness.

In a fleeting moment, Melody turned towards Wilmot with a look of discomfort.

“Mr. Sherman…

She was reluctant to exploit anyone, but circumstances dictated that she seize this opportunity to reclaim what was rightfully hers!

As for Wilmot, she intended to offer him an apology once the matter was resolved.

Her appearance of vulnerability only fueled Wilmot’s indignation.

He advanced a step, deliberately elevating his voice. “Miss Mabel’s beauty is truly breathtaking!”

This proclamation effectively diverted the attention of Yolanda and Mabel towards him.

The guests also instinctively turned their gaze towards Wilmot and Melody.

Yolanda was quick to notice the unusual tone in Wilmor’s voice; she had not invited him to their home, yet here he was, unexpectedly appearing alongside Melody, possibly signaling impending trouble…

Mabel’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly remembering the contract her mother had seized from Melody.

Mabel’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly remembering the contract her mother had seized from Melody.

Yolanda furrowed her brows deeply, choosing to disregard Wilmot’s remarks, and quickly approached Melody. With a firm grip, she pulled her aside and whispered in a stern, low tone, “Melody! What kind of game do you think you’re playing here!

“Yolanda, what are you referring to? I’m afraid I don’t quite understand, Melody responded, her head gently shaking as she portrayed an image of bewildered innocence, her face a perfect depiction of confusion.

The onlookers, witnessing this exchange, exhibited expressions of surprise and curiosity. The sudden tension between the stepmother and stepdaughter piqued their interest, drawing murmurs from the crowd.

However, Yolanda, standing intimately close to Melody, could discern that the supposed confusion on Melody’s face was nothing but a shallow façade. She knew her stepdaughter better than anyone else could.

Because a closer look would reveal the sarcasm hidden deep within Melody’s eyes as if she and Mabel were merely two jesters in a farcical play.

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