Melody Strikes Back by Myra Walker (Chapters 401, 402, 403, 404, and 405)

Chapter 401

Melody nodded and turned around to instruct Colin, “Mr. Herbert, go ahead and check on Beverly first. I’ll come over after I’ve completed the employment procedures.”

“Sure thing,” Colin replied. He was worried that Beverly might be afraid of being all by herself in the operating room, so he quickly agreed and hurried off to find her.

Seeing Colin leave, Gerard politely gestured with his hand and said to Melody, “Please come with me, Miss Fox.”

Gerard led the way with big strides, as if he was afraid that Melody would go back on her word at any moment.

Melody didn’t understand Gerard’s behavior and couldn’t put into words how strange he seemed to be acting.

Even if he was eager to take talents under his wing, wasn’t he a tad exaggerated?

Rodney guessed what Melody was pondering and whispered to her so that only the two of them could hear.

“Central Hospital’s biggest competitor in Silverlake is First Hospital. The director of First Hospital is Gerard’s old classmate and sworn enemy. He’s afraid that First Hospital will snatch you away. Plus, Gerard might be getting on in age but he is very much a child at heart, so…” Rodney’s low voice trailed off.

Melody understood then and couldn’t help but smile. “Actually, I think he’s kind of cute.”

“Cute?” Rodney shuddered and said, “He’s not a bad person, but he talks a lot. You’ll be annoyed to death by him. You’ll find out in time.”

Melody nodded. She felt her teacher and Gerard might hit it off. They were both talkative and not afraid to use big and exaggerated gestures, despite their age.

She just didn’t know when her teacher would show up.

Thinking of Quentin reminded Melody of the matter with malicious doctors. Her eyes darkened a little but then returned to normal in the blink of an eye.

*****

Meanwhile, at the hospital entrance, Dan had already woken up and was waiting for Liam with his arms full of his personal belongings.

Seeing Liam come out, he quickly rushed forward.

“Liam! Can you put in a good word for me in front of Gerard about the announcement? Once the announcement is made, the hospital’s reputation will definitely be affected. I don’t think he would risk that just for the sake of Melody.” Dan pleaded.

Liam was already in a bad mood because of his steep demotion, but Dan failed to pick up on that and his plea only caused Liam’s suppressed anger to boil up again.

Liam swiftly extended his arm and slapped Dan again.

“Just for Melody? Gerard can’t wait to get her into the hospital and see to her every wish, and you’re telling me that she’s not worth any trouble?” Liam lashed out at Dan.

Dan couldn’t help but ask in surprise, “Is she really as skilled as everyone says? But what about me? Can’t you put in a good word for me?”

Liam continued berating him. “We’re already at this juncture and you still don’t know that you’re done for? Of all the people in this world, why did you have to provoke Melody? I’ve seen stupid people, but I’ve never seen

someone as stupid as you! It’s all your fault that I was demoted. Do you still have the cheek to ask me to put in a good word for you? Get lost!”

Dan had been a little dissatisfied after being slapped, but when he heard Liam say that he had been demoted, his eyelids twitched.

“You’ve been demoted?” Dan asked incredulously.

“It’s all because of you! If you weren’t my nephew, I would have strangled you to death already! Get lost right now! Don’t ever appear in front of me again!” Liam exclaimed with finality as he stomped off towards the parking lot.

Dan stood rooted to the ground.

In that case, wasn’t he really done for?

He finally began to regret his decision to use Melody’s relatives as his test subjects.

As he stood there covering his face, he suddenly thought of something and quickly chased after Liam.

“Liam!” Dan called out.

“Didn’t I warn you never to appear in front of me again?!” Liam shouted in reply.

“Wait, it’s just…” Dan quickly said, “I’ve thought of a good way to let you continue being the assistant director while I can continue being a doctor.”

When Liam heard this, his expression softened slightly.

“What way?” he asked.

“First Hospital!” Dan quickly voiced his thoughts. “Isn’t Gerard at odds with the director of First Hospital? You’re a talented doctor after all, and you’ve published many important research papers. If you go to the director of First Hospital, he’ll surely grant you the position of assistant director.”

Liam narrowed his eyes and began to think.

Returning to the department at Central Hospital would simply be a great humiliation. If he went to First Hospital instead, he might have a shot.

Finally, Liam took a deep breath and said, “At least you still have some brains left. What are you waiting for? We have to get to First Hospital immediately!”

“Yes, yes, we don’t have any time to waste.” Dan agreed.

The two of them made a snap decision and drove straight to First Hospital.

They soon arrived and Liam, together with Dan, went straight to the director of the hospital, Oliver Wallrich.

They wasted no time in getting straight to the point.

Oliver was in no hurry to answer after listening to the two of them. Instead, he slowly finished the glass of coffee in his hand before speaking.

“So you want to jump ship from that old dog Gerard to my side…” he mused.

Liam smiled apologetically and said, “That’s right. Gerard is a person who doesn’t know how to be flexible. He’s too focused on his emotions and can’t lead anyone at all. Unlike you, you’re knowledgeable and smart…”

Dan also chimed in with praise for Oliver. “I’ve long heard of your name and reputation. Being able to speak with you today is such an honor that I don’t think will ever be matched.”

Oliver laughed heartily and said, “The both of you have a way with words indeed. I think we’ll all get along just fine.”

Liam and Dan exchanged glances and instantly felt that they had a chance. They doubled down on their efforts to butter Oliver up.

Oliver stroked his beard and said, “It’s not impossible to hire you guys. First Hospital is lacking in talented doctors right now.”

Liam’s eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, “So you agree to let us work here in the positions we previously held?”

Oliver raised an eyebrow and said, “As long as you do one thing, I’ll agree.”

The two of them asked in unison. “What is it?”

Oliver put down his coffee cup and said leisurely, “I heard that Central Hospital has a god-like doctor?”

Liam and Dan both stiffened. Panic flashed in their eyes.

When they were explaining their predicament earlier, they had glossed over some points and avoided mentioning them.

Melody’s name altogether. Now that Oliver was the one bringing her up, they panicked.

Liam steadied himself and tried his best to reply with a calm expression, saying, “There is indeed such a person, but whether their medical skills are as good as they are

rumored to be remains to be seen. After all, I haven’t witnessed it for myself.”

Oliver raised his eyebrows and responded, “You don’t have to care if there’s any truth to it or not. As long as you can get that doctor to work at our hospital too, the both of you can start work here immediately.”

Dan instantly twisted his face into an ugly expression. He couldn’t hold back from asking, “Is it really worth all that trouble for yourself to recruit a person whose skills are unproven? Could it be that even the two of us together are inferior to them?”

Oliver smiled and said, “It’s better to be safe than sorry. If won’t I this person is really as amazing as the rumors say, make a killing? Just spit it out. Can you get her on board or not?”

Chapter 402

Dan opened his mouth to answer Oliver’s question about poaching Melody to First Hospital, but no words came out.

God knew how much he regretted offending her now.

If he had known that Melody’s name was so useful, he wouldn’t have gone through so much trouble to change his surgery plan and use patients as test subjects.

Dan would give anything now for Melody to be his sugar mommy, but too bad she can’t stand the mere sight of him now.

Dan was extremely frustrated.

At this moment, Liam said, “We can make it happen. Give us three days. Three days. I’ll definitely get her on First Hospital’s payroll.”

“Excellent!” Oliver smiled. “I’ll await your good news then. Have a seat, boys, enjoy some coffee.”

Oliver’s attitude took a 180-degree turn and he personally prepared a fresh pot of coffee for them.

After leaving the hospital, Dan finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and asked, “Liam, why did you agree to him? We’re not in Melody’s good graces at all. With her personality, she’ll never give us the light of day. Why would she follow our bidding and come to First Hospital?”

Liam replied harshly, “This is why I said you’ve got shit for brains. Oliver doesn’t even know what that miracle doctor’s name is or what they look like. Can’t we just find someone with decent medical skills?”

Dan finally understood what Liam was planning, but he wasn’t entirely convinced. He asked uneasily, “Will this work? If the matter is exposed…”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Liam said confidently, “That old man Gerard will stop at nothing to keep Melody hidden from Oliver. It’s absolutely impossible that he would relay any information about her to his biggest rival. As long as you and I stay mum, Oliver won’t ever know what’s what. Moreover, Oliver is going to retire in a few years, so we just have to keep up the act till then.”

Dan relaxed slightly. He straightened his chest and said, “I’ll look for a suitable candidate immediately.”

“Well, it just so happens that I don’t have to go to work at Central Hospital these few days. I can search with you. After First Hospital confirms us, I’ll resign from Central Hospital to avoid any suspicion from Gerard.”

The two of them finalized their game plan and set off to look for a suitable candidate.

Back at Central Hospital, Melody had completed her employment procedures.

She held her work pass and asked, “Gerard, can I be the lead surgeon for my family member’s surgery?”

“Is that the one with stomach cancer?” Gerard asked.

“Yes, that’s right,” Melody replied.

“Yes, of course. If you need anything, just tell Rodney. If there’s anything he can’t arrange, let me know and I’ll get it done.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Let me buy you a meal after the surgery.

Melody Fox smiled and agreed. Then, she turned around and headed towards the operating floor.

Gerard heaved a sigh of relief. He held on to Melody’s employment contract as if it was a treasure. He was absolutely delighted.

Now that Melody was in his employ, he couldn’t wait to lord it over Oliver and see how that old man would try to outdo him.

Gerard stood up and poured himself a glass of red wine from a bottle that he saved for special occasions. He hummed a tune and tasted it carefully. His mood was better than ever.

*****

Melody quickly returned to the operating theater accompanied by Rodney.

In the operating room, Colin was in a sterile gown, comforting Beverly.

“It’s fine. There was a small incident earlier so the surgery was delayed. But then Melody came and resolved everything smoothly,” Colin said.

Beverly nodded and asked, “Who’s going to perform my surgery?”

“I’m not sure about that…” Colin hesitated.

As soon as he finished speaking, Melody and Rodney walked into the operating theater through the special passage for medical staff.

“Beverly, I’ll be performing your surgery with Rodney,” Melody said.

Beverly’s eyes immediately lit up when she saw Melody, saying, “Melody, you’re here! With you around, I’m not afraid of anything.”

Melody squeezed Beverly’s hand and said, “There’s no time to lose. Let’s start the surgery now. The anesthesia is about to be administered. Do you have anything else to say?”

Beverly thought about it and shook her head. “I have a lot to say, but I’ll tell you after the surgery.”

Melody and Colin looked at each other and smiled.

Soon, the surgery began. Under the effects of the anesthesia, Beverly quickly fell asleep.

Colin held Beverly’s hand tightly and looked at Melody.

For some reason, he had a nagging feeling that if Melody hadn’t appeared, Beverly would have left him too soon.

Two hours later, the surgery was over.

Melody heaved a sigh of relief and looked at Colin, who had been by Beverly’s side the entire time, and said, “Mr. Herbert, you should get some rest too. The surgery was very successful. Beverly can be transferred directly to a normal ward. After the anesthesia wears off, she will wake up. When the fasting period is over, I will prescribe some medicine for her. I believe it won’t take long for her to make a full recovery.”

“Thank you, Melody.” Colin’s eyes were wet with gratitude.

Melody smiled and said, “I think of you as family, yet you’re still standing on ceremony with me as if I’m an outsider.

Colin shook his head. “No, no, no. I won’t say anymore, alright? You’ve helped us so much. I’ll give Herbathrive to you as a token of my gratitude.”

At the mention of Herbathrive, Melody thought of malicious doctors again.

She said, “I have something to tell you about Herbathrive. Let’s get changed and have a chat.”

Colin was puzzled and felt a vague uneasiness, but agreed.

After Beverly had been settled in her ward, the two of them went to a nearby restaurant for dinner.

Melody asked for a private room. When the dishes were served, the waiter left and locked the door.

Colin couldn’t help but feel even more nervous. He asked, “Melody, tell me quickly. What is it?”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of, but I hope you’ll listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

“Alright.” Colin sat up straight.

Melody nodded and continued, “Did you know that there is a traditional medicine practitioner in Herbathrive who was a malicious doctor?”

When he heard this, Colin’s face immediately turned pale. “A malicious doctor?”

In the next moment, he realized that he had spoken too loudly and quickly covered his mouth.

He took a few deep breaths and calmed himself down before speaking again. “Who is it?”

“Someone named Michael Hudson.”

“Michael?” Colin widened his eyes and lowered his voice. “He has been working in Herbathrive for many years. How did you find out? Are you sure?”

Melody said with darkened eyes, “I’m sure. My teacher once mentioned Michael Hudson’s name. At that time, I thought it might have just been a coincidence that they had the exact same name, so I tested him. As a result, I could confirm that he was indeed the malicious doctor.”

Colin instantly felt a chill run down his spine.

“Halcyon is cracking down hard on malicious doctors. If word gets out about this, it would be the end of Herbathrive. Even I might be implicated…”

The more he thought about it, the more flustered he became. He tugged at Melody’s sleeve and asked, “Melody, what should we do now?”

Chapter 403

After Colin finished speaking, he realized that the whole fiasco with malicious doctors might even implicate Melody.

With this in mind, he quickly changed his stance. “No, this issue has nothing to do with you. It’s better if you don’t get involved.”

Melody frowned and said, “Mr. Herbert, what nonsense are you talking about? I consider you my family. Don’t you think your words would make me feel discouraged?”

“That’s not what I meant…” Colin replied weakly.

“I know, but this matter is also related to my teacher. Even if you disagree, I will definitely involve myself.” Melody said resolutely.

Colin lowered his eyes and was silent for a moment before saying, “How about this? When Beverly’s better, I’ll go to the police station myself and take the initiative to confess that I mistakenly took in malicious doctors into the medical center… If I do that, they shouldn’t make things difficult for me.”

Melody was quick to shoot down the idea. “No, that’s not good. Halcyon’s stance against malicious doctors is more severe than you can imagine. As long as malicious doctors are involved, they will definitely investigate carefully.

“At the very least, Herbathrive itself is likely to be forcibly shut down for a long time.

“Moreover, even if it reopens in the future, once patients find out that your clinic used to have malicious doctors, they would definitely shun you. At that time, it won’t make any difference whether the clinic reopens or not.”

“Then what should we do now?” Colin’s eyes were filled with frustration and confusion. He regretted recruiting Michael to work at the clinic.

Melody thought for a moment and said, “The only person who won’t be affected by malicious doctors is my teacher. He’s the first person to lead the crackdown on malicious doctors and also the person who captured most of them. I’ll find a reason for you to fire Michael. Leave everything to me.”

“Alright.” Colin nodded. “Later, I’ll head to Herbathrive to announce that before Beverly is discharged, you’ll be in charge of Herbathrive.”

Melody nodded in agreement and added, “This matter is not as big as it sounds. As long as it is handled properly, Herbathrive will come through unscathed.

“Don’t worry about anything else and just keep Beverly company while she recovers.”

Colin agreed. They proceeded to tuck into their meal, but Colin found himself without any appetite.

After the meal, Colin and Melody returned to Herbathrive.

In the car, Melody asked for details about Michael. “How did he come to work in Herbathrive? Has he shown any behavior that’s out of the ordinary?”

Colin searched his memory for a moment and replied, “It was a coincidence. Michael was injured and came to Herbathrive for a consultation.

“At that time, a patient in bad condition showed up in the clinic. The patient seemed like he had been poisoned, but no matter what method I used to test him, I could not confirm that that was indeed the case.

“Michael then exercised his knowledge and skills and managed to cure the patient quickly and systematically.

“After the patient left, I asked Michael if he was willing to join our clinic, and he agreed.”

Melody chuckled and asked, “Do you really think that was a coincidence?”

Colin was stunned. “Are you saying that Michael deliberately staged all of that?”

“That’s right. That patient must have been an actor hired by Michael. If he administered the poison himself, he’d have no trouble undoing it.”

Colin’s frustration was obvious as he exclaimed, “Why didn’t I think of that? How could someone so skilled agree to work for me so easily? Herbathrive was still a little-known medical center after all, at that time.”

Melody smiled bitterly. “You only have good intentions. It’s not unusual for others to try and take advantage of that. But it’s not too late to fix this.”

Soon, their red sports car came to a stop at the entrance of Herbathrive.

The limited edition sports car immediately drew the curious eyes of many employees.

The person who’d been left in charge, David, paid particular attention to its appearance. “Damn. Aren’t there only ten of those luxury cars worldwide? Are they here for a consultation? We’ll definitely have to roll out the red carpet for them.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Colin opened the door and got out, with Melody following closely behind.

“Huh? Colin?” David said to himself as he realized who they were and rushed forward to greet them.

David asked Melody enviously, “Miss Fox, is this your car?”

Melody nodded. “A friend gave it to me.”

“Gave?!” David was flabbergasted.

He was about to ask for details when Melody tossed the car keys to him and said, “If you want, you can take it for a ride.”

To Melody, these things were merely material objects. It made no difference if the car was worth twenty thousand dollars or 2 million dollars.

“Thank you, Miss Fox! From now onwards, I’ll look up to you and be in your care.” David replied enthusiastically.

Melody looked helpless as she replied, “Do you have an off button somewhere?”

David immediately stretched out two fingers and made a zipping gesture in front of his lips.

Colin then cleared his throat and said, “David, gather everyone. I have something to announce.”

The happy expression on David’s face was wiped off and he replied, “Yes, of course, right away.”

There were no patients at the time so everyone soon gathered in the break room, including Michael.

When Michael saw Melody, a shadow flashed across his eyes.

After the operation on the dog, he had been fearful and uneasy. He was afraid that Melody really had irrefutable evidence that he was a malicious doctor.

However, nothing unusual happened after that so his nerves soon settled.

past few years. Even if Melody suspected him, it was impossible for her to have evidence.

He had been careful to cover his tracks in the

If that case, she was just blowing hot air and couldn’t actually hold him to anything.

Confident in his reasoning, Michael raised his chin and took Melody’s presence lightly.

He tried his best to put on a calm face and asked, “Colin, why did you suddenly call us to gather? Is there something urgent?”

Colin coughed dryly and didn’t reveal anything. He looked around the room and said, “Everyone should already know that Beverly has been hospitalized for surgery in Central Hospital for the past few days. I can’t manage Herbathrive for the time being so Melody will be in charge of all

company matters, effective immediately. From now on, her word is as good as mine. Please follow her instructions and directives.”

As soon as he said this, dissatisfaction immediately appeared on Michael’s face.

His position in Herbathrive was second only to Colin. How could Colin decide to pass the helm to Melody instead of him?

Michael could not help but voice his disagreement unhappily, “Miss Fox is still young and can’t manage such a big enterprise. Leave it to me instead. When you were on your business trips before, I also took charge of Herbathrive.”

Colin frowned and said, “Since Dr. Hudson has an objection, I’ll make something clear now. Beverly and I don’t have any children, but we need someone to inherit Herbathrive. I treat Melody as my daughter and plan to hand Herbathrive to her in the future. This is a great opportunity for Melody to learn the ropes. If anything urgent or unusual comes up, I expect Dr. Hudson to provide assistance as well.”

Michael’s eyes instantly widened. “What?! You’re giving Herbathrive to her?!”

“That’s exactly right,” Colin said.

Chapter 404

Colin gave Michael a grim look and asked coldly, “You have an issue with that decision?”

Michael was already displeased with Colin for entrusting Herbathrive to Melody. Colin’s frosty attitude toward him further infuriated him, thus he said, “Colin, you’d better reconsider your decision. Let’s set aside a discussion about my contributions to Herbathrive’s development and talk about the ability of your chosen successor. How old is she? What medical skills does she have? What you’re doing will send Herbathrive down the hill.”

After Michael said this, the room fell silent. All the other doctors and staff held their breath, anxious over the confrontation.

Colin’s mood darkened as he said, “As I’ve mentioned, Melody is like a daughter to me. I don’t see any wrong with handing over Herbathrive to my heir.”

“You have every right to do that, but let me forewarn you that she doesn’t have what it takes to do the job. If you insist on handing Herbathrive to her, my disciples and I will leave this place immediately. There’s no future in Herbathrive anymore as I can foresee it collapsing soon after she takes over,” Michael said.

When Colin heard Michael’s threat to leave Herbathrive, he was overjoyed.

However, he pretended to be upset and asked, “Is that a threat, Michael?”

“Don’t take me wrong, Colin. I am merely offering you a choice,” Michael calmly replied.

He had set his sights on Herbathrive and stayed on for those years because he knew Colin had no children. That gave him a good chance to be appointed the heir to Herbathrive.

There was no chance he would sit still and watch Melody benefit from all his hard work.

He was confident he and his disciples would mean more to Colin than Melody.

To his surprise, Colin fumed instead and retorted, “How dare you threaten me, Michael! You have no respect for me as a boss! I have taken note of your wish to leave, so all the best to you!”

Michael’s eyes widened in shock and he blurted out in disbelief, “You are letting me go?”

“You heard me right. I have no wish or ability to manage a prideful and disrespectful staff like you. Please feel free to leave now.” Colin made his stand clear.

Michael’s face turned ashen.

He had no real intention of leaving Herbathrive, which had become one of Silverlake’s top traditional medicine clinics.

After putting much hard work into developing Herbathrive, he was naturally unwilling to let it go.

Alas, he could not take back his words, so he disgruntledly said, “Fine, I’ll leave right now. Don’t you regret this!”

With that, his gaze swept across his group of disciples, and he ordered, “Come with me! We’ll go where people appreciate us!”

Those disciples were trained by Michael, and in the field of traditional medicine, disciples had the utmost respect for their master. Thus, regardless of their personal preference, they would choose to obey him and leave Herbathrive with him.

Soon, more than half of the staff in Herbathrive left.

One of Michael’s disciples could not help but run up to him and ask in a low voice, “Master, are we seriously leaving?”

Michael turned around, smirkly threw a glance at Herbathrive’s signboard, and said, “Don’t worry, it’s temporary. How long do you think Herbathrive can last without us? It’ll be the change of seasons soon. People tend to fall sick more often during that period and they won’t be able to handle the influx of patients. By then, Colin will know who he should have let go instead.”

When the disciple heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “Master, you’re the best! When we are asked to return, Mr. Herbert will inevitably have to give us a promotion and a raise.”

“What a petty ambition you have!” Michael said disdainfully. “I’m not looking for a raise.”

Indeed, he had set his sights on taking over the whole of Herbathrive!

Back at Herbathrive, David grew worried as he watched more than half of the team leave.

Anxiously, he asked Colin, “Master, are you going to let Dr. Hudson go? He may be quick-tempered, but how will our clinic continue to function if he leaves with his people?”

Melody chipped in casually and said, “Well, we’ve got you, don’t we?”

“Me?” David was stunned.

Melody nodded and said, “David, you’ve picked up a lot of skills in the past two months. It’s about time you put them to practice.”

“A-am I ready?” David stammered, unnerved by that thought.

Melody patted him on his shoulder and said, “Don’t belittle yourself. You are a graduate of a recognized traditional medicine school. You’re smart, motivated, eager to learn, and passionate about traditional medicine. What you lack is confidence, but I have faith in you. You will do a great job. Don’t forget I’ve got your back!”

David secretly clenched his fists in determination and said, “Yes! I will do my best!”

Melody nodded to him, then turned to Colin and said, “It’s true we’ll be short-handed. Our clinic is big, so we do need more fresh blood.”

Colin was still exhilarated by the fact that malicious Michael was gone. When he heard Melody’s comment, he casually waved her off and said, “I’ll leave this matter to you. You’ve better judgment than I in this aspect.”

Melody did not refuse and readily agreed to take up that responsibility.

“I’ll make a move and head back to the hospital. Beverly should be waking up from anesthesia soon. I don’t want her to wake up without me by her side,” Colin said, never shying from showing his affection for Beverly.

After giving everyone present a few words of caution, he quickly left for Central Hospital.

After he left, the staff started to discuss in hushed tones.

“So Miss Fox be in charge of our clinic from now on? Is she up to it?”

“I don’t know… Let’s take it one step at a time.”

Among the remaining staff, some were supportive of Melody, while others were uneasy about her rise.

Melody was not blind to that fact. She glanced around the room and said, “I know many of you might share the same view as Michael, but I can promise you Herbathrive will not go down the hill. If any of you wish to upskill and become a qualified doctor in the future, head over to David and indicate your interest. I’ll start some training sessions as soon as I have time.”

Many were delighted to hear that, as they, like David, had harbored the dream of becoming a qualified doctor.

They were envious when they heard Melody’s offer to David earlier, not knowing they would be given the same opportunity too.

“Miss Fox, we’ll surely work closely with you in the future to upgrade ourselves,” they gushed.

Melody nodded in acknowledgment and then led David aside for a private conversation.

“I can’t be here all the time, but I’m worried Michael would be up to no good. If anyone causes trouble in Herbathrive, or if Michael comes by and makes things difficult for you, please call me immediately,” she said.

“Sure…” David replied, then hesitantly asked, “Miss Fox, why did you say Dr. Hudson might be up to no good?”

Melody deliberated briefly and decided not to hide the fact from David. In a hushed voice, she asked, “Have you heard of any malicious doctors with good values?”

David’s face instantly turned pale, and he muttered in bewilderment, “M-m-malicious…”

Chapter 405

Melody hurriedly gagged him and said, “You heard me right, but keep this a secret, okay?”

David nodded vigorously in agreement.

Melody let go of her hand that was covering his mouth and said, “Now you understand why Mr. Herbert and I had to get rid of him, right?”

“Totally! I may be a chatterbox but I’m not harebrained. I know some things shouldn’t be revealed, and I won’t leak a word,” he promised.

Melody nodded. She knew David well, and that was the reason she decided to trust him with the secret about Michael.

“Michael left earlier because he was angry. However, he must feel aggrieved, so he will find opportunities to come back and make trouble for us. Please help to keep an eye out for him. I’ll come by often to help out as well,” she added.

“Rest assured, Miss Fox. I will be here to defend

Herbathrive!” David promised, beaming with respect for Melody.

Melody gave David some further instructions, reminded him to post the recruitment notice, and then made her way out.

*****

An hour later, Melody had finished moving all her belongings to her new place.

The place was a far cry from its previously uninspiring state after she did it up.

Just as she was about to lie down and rest after a long tiring day, she received a call from Zara.

Zara rarely called her, so Melody was concerned. She quickly picked up the call and asked, “What’s wrong, Zaza?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I don’t have any work scheduled for these few days, so I thought of catching up with you. Are you busy today?” Zara asked.

Melody thought it would be nice to have a housewarming party at her new place, so she offered, “Would you like to come to my place? I’ll dish up something for you.”

“The Fox’s place? I’ve read in the news about the bet between two pharmaceutical companies in the past two days, and realized you’re the daughter of the Justalion Group’s chairman.”

At the mention of the Justalion Group, Melody’s eyes briefly betrayed a slight change in her emotions. However, she quickly regained her composure.

“It’s not the Fox’s place… I’ll forward you an address.”

Melody sent her address to Zara and it didn’t take long for Zara to arrive at her place.

“Wow… this place is nice!” Zara gushed as soon as she reached Melody’s new home.

Melody was amused by her reaction and teased, “Don’t give me that over-the-top act. It’s just an old house.”

Zara shook her head and explained, “No, I truly love this!

My family home is similar to this. Same courtyard style, but it’s not as elegant as yours. Sadly, since I became an actress, I could at most go home twice a year. Moreover, every time I do that, my agent pulls a long face.”

“Why? Worried it’ll affect your work schedule?”

“No…” Zara cast her eyes down, feeling a little inferior as she explained, “She doesn’t want people to know I came from a poor family. The paparazzi will have their eyes on me if I’m back in my hometown, and my detractors will create a big fuss over my background once they find out. I don’t want to make trouble for my agent and my fans. In the end, even if I do visit my family at home, I can’t really feel at ease and enjoy myself while I’m there. I haven’t gone home so far this year…”

As she spoke, Zara’s head hung lower, embarrassed.

Melody interrupted her and said, “What’s wrong with coming from a poor family?”

With a gleam in her eye, she continued to cheer up a confused Zara. “We can’t choose our family. Why should you feel sorry when it’s not your fault?”

“I-” Zara could not argue with that.

“Zara, if even you look down on yourself, how can you expect others to give you respect? Your background might not be as blessed as others, but what’s the problem with that? You made a name for yourself and you have millions of supporters. How does that make you inferior to those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth?”

It was a eureka moment for Zara.

“That’s right. If I look down on myself, how can I expect respect from others?’

Melody continued, “You might not know this, but although being the daughter of the Justalion Group’s chairman sounds glamorous, I was neglected by my family since I was young. My stepmother left me to grow up in the

countryside. However, I never felt it was something I had to feel inferior about. If I have inner strength, no one can hurt me with their words.”

Zara fell into a long silence. It was obvious that Melody’s words were affecting her deeply.

After a while, Zara slowly clenched her fists and broke into a smile, her eyes beaming.

“Thank you, Melody. I get you! I will grow stronger!” she said.

Melody nodded with a smile and changed the subject. “Hey, I promised to cook for you, didn’t I? Come give me a hand.”

Zara nodded enthusiastically and asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“The weather is hot now, so let’s eat something light. I’ll make you a special fruit salad.”

“Special fruit salad? What’s that?”

“You’ll see. I’ve bought all the ingredients. Help me prepare some of the ingredients.”

“Leave that to me!”

About an hour later, Melody brought out a big tray of fruit salad from the fridge.

She dished some into a bowl, handed it to Zara, and said, “Try this.”

Zara was staring at her phone but quickly hid the phone behind her back when Melody came up to her.

However, her action raised Melody’s suspicion. Melody raised an eyebrow and asked, “What are you hiding from me?”

“This… It’s best you ignore this,” Zara hesitantly said.

Melody knew something was wrong, so she probed further. “It has something to do with me?”

“Hmm… ah… no, no…” Zara stammered.

Amused, Melody demanded, “Out with it, Zaza. You know you’re a lousy liar.”

Zara pursed her lips momentarily, then fished out her phone from behind her and handed it to Melody.

Melody took it and saw a headline news on the screen.

It was a post from Justalion Group’s official X account, announcing that the Justalion Group and Russell had completely severed ties with Melody.

No reason was given in the post, but there was an official reply in the comments section below: [A disrespectful, complacent, and unreasonable person is not worthy of the Fox family.]

Zara cautiously monitored Melody for signs of change in her mood, ready to console her. Unexpectedly, Melody broke into a smile instead.

“Huh?” Zara was taken aback by Melody’s reaction.

“Melody, are you alright? What’s that smile for? Are you okay?” she asked anxiously.

Melody handed Zara her phone and said, “There’s nothing to be upset about. I severed ties with the Fox family last night.”

Zara was dumbfounded.

“Why?” she couldn’t help but ask.

Melody raised her eyebrows and explained, “They posted this announcement because they got upset. The more upset they are, the happier I am.”

The Fox family always swept dirt under their carpet and would never want to air their dirty laundry in public. The fact that Russell made such a post meant those black market assassins were giving him a hard time.

Panic would make them lose their cool and commit irrational acts. Melody was waiting to benefit from their mistakes. As such, she couldn’t be happier to see the post.

Unaffected by the announcement, Melody directed Zara’s attention back to the food. “Try this fruit salad,” she cheerily urged, handing Zara her share of the salad.

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