Chapter 676

Upon hearing Ken’s name, Zara’s face instantly displayed fear. She waved her hands repeatedly and said, “No, no, I’m sure I’ll find out before we start shooting.”

Melody, amused, asked, “Why are you so afraid of Ken? He won’t hurt you.”

Zara smiled awkwardly and hung her head, remaining silent.

She had fallen for Ken at first sight due to his handsome appearance at an earlier event.

But thanks to Melody’s introductions, after interacting with him a few times, she realized she was on a completely different level from him.

A single cold glance from Ken could intimidate her so much that she felt embarrassed at even the mere mention of his name.

There must be some problem with her to dare to fancy Ken before!

Now, she couldn’t even bring herself to look at him again. Her feelings had entirely shifted to awe and reverence, and she no longer dared to harbor any longing for him.

Seeing Zara’s silence, Melody guessed what might be troubling her but decided not to press further. Instead, she changed the subject and said, “You have more free time lately. If you’re bored, feel free to come by Herbathrive and hang out with me. I’m usually there.”

“Okay,” Zara replied. She pointed to the fork in the road ahead and said, “I live in that apartment. Do you want to come up and sit for a bit?”

“No, I’ve been busy recently and haven’t been to Herbathrive much. I need to check on things over there,” Melody said.

“I understand. I won’t keep you any longer. Just drop me off at the curb,” Zara said.

However, Melody still had Spencer drive to the entrance of the apartment and watched Zara enter before instructing Spencer to drive to Herbathrive.

Once at Herbathrive, Melody first went to check on Seventeen.

Seventeen, as usual, tried to get up when she arrived, but she gently pushed him back down on the bed and said, “Stay put. I need to check your wound.”

Seventeen nodded, looking uneasy, and lay back down, though still tense.

Melody removed the gauze and, after inspecting the wound, said, “The wound is healing very well. I’ll remove the stitches in two more days.”

Seventeen tried to get up to thank her, but Melody anticipated this and kept him down.

“If you want your injury to heal properly and get back to work, you need to stay still,” she said firmly.

Seventeen paused silently and then said, “Yes!”

After that, Melody settled on the stone table in the small courtyard and called James.

The phone was quickly answered, and James’ voice came through. “Miss Fox, what can I do for you?”

Melody said succinctly, “Please send someone to check if Nana’s items from Herbathrive to the Jensen family are being held up by anyone.”

“Yes!” James said.

This task might have been complicated for others, given that it involved someone else’s home, but it was undoubtedly a piece of cake for James.

In less than half an hour, James called back. “Miss Fox, I found out what you asked me to check.”

Melody put down her coffee. “Go ahead.”

“The items Nana sent were intercepted by the current mistress of the Jensen family. As soon as she moved in, she replaced all of the Jensen family’s original servants with her own people. So as soon as the items were mailed, they went directly to her,” James said.

“I see,” Melody responded, not surprised at all.

If it had been otherwise, Zane would not have remained so arrogant for so long.

He must have been kicked out of the Jansen family just like Nana, or even worse.

James’ voice came through again. “Do you need me to do anything else?”

“No, I’ll handle it myself. Please give me Dennis’ email address sol can send it directly to him,” Melody said.

“Okay,” James replied.

Melody hesitated, remembered Ken, and asked, “Has he had lunch yet?”

“Not yet…” James said.

“Then remind him to have lunch, or I’ll make some food for him and have Spencer deliver it,” Melody said.

James quickly replied, “It’s better to have Spencer deliver it. I… I don’t dare disturb Ken.”

“Alright then.” Melody hung up the phone and headed to the kitchenette.

In the kitchenette, Talia was preparing rice and getting ready for the evening meal.

Seeing Melody, she asked hurriedly, “Miss Fox, haven’t you had lunch yet?”

“I’ve had lunch. I’m just making a few dishes for a friend,” Melody said.

Talia realized something, and she asked with a smile, “Is it the friend you sent pasta to last time?”

“Ahem…” Melody blushed and responded somewhat awkwardly, “I need to use the kitchen.”

Talia smiled and silently gathered her things before leaving the kitchen.

Melody prepared the vegetable soup before starting on the main dishes.

It was past twelve, and she didn’t make anything too elaborate and just made some salads and a steak, which took no more than half an hour.

After handing the food box to Spencer, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Remember, you must watch him eat before you come back,” Melody said.

“Yes!” Spencer replied solemnly, treating the food box as if it were something of immense value. He carefully got into the car and drove away.

After watching Spencer leave, Melody was about to ask David to notify the applicants for their interviews when David rushed into the clinic. “Miss Fox, there’s trouble…”

After the previous incident, facing David’s alarmist tendencies like “wolf is here” again, Melody had become very calm. She asked lightly, “What’s wrong now?”

David, looking anxious, said, “A group of thugs has shown up outside. Their leader claims to be the son of the Jensen family and is demanding to settle a score with Nana.”

“Where’s Nana?” Melody asked.

“She went to the harbor to receive a shipment that arrived a few days ago and hasn’t come back yet.”

Melody then realized that this time, the “wolf” was really here, and perhaps she had attracted it herself.

However, she wasn’t worried. This “wolf” was only a sheep in wolf skin, and its threat was more bark than bite.

She replied in a calm tone, “I understand. First, have someone calm the patients and move them to the second floor for safety. Then, call Nana and tell her not to rush back. I’ll be right down.”

“Yes!” David hurried off.

Melody opened her laptop, created a new email address, and sent an email with a paternity test for Zane and another man, as well as evidence that lan had been unfaithful to Denise.

She also warned Dennis in the email that Zane had come to Herbathrive looking for trouble with his biological daughter.

After sending the email, Melody quickly typed out a string of code, hit “Enter”, and shut the laptop with a decisive motion. She then got up and headed downstairs.

There never seemed to be a free moment.

Meanwhile, at Jensen Group, Dennis was preparing a celebratory banquet for his company’s successful listing.

He had just asked his assistant to bring the company’s contact list and planned to draw up the invitation list when his computer suddenly went black.

“What’s going on… Is there a power outage?” Dennis asked.

Dennis rushed to check the office circuit, but the computer’s black screen lit up again, displaying a forced email that had just been received.

Chapter 677

Dennis soon realized that if he didn’t click on the email, his computer wouldn’t work.

Upon discovering that his computer had been hacked, a surge of anger overwhelmed him.

“It must be a blackmail email!” he thought furiously as he clicked it open.

However, the video and the paternity test that appeared made him freeze and halted his preparations to call the police.

After a few seconds, Dennis quickly forwarded both the paternity test and the video to the legal department.

Once it was confirmed that the paternity test and video were authentic and not forged or fabricated, his anger reached monstrous levels.

The assistant outside the office only heard Dennis’ furious exclamation. “Bitch!”

Before she could go in and ask what had happened, Dennis had already stormed out of the office.

Without a moment’s pause, Dennis barked, “Prepare the car! Take all the bodyguards and follow me to Herbathrive immediately!”

The assistant, stunned by his urgency, quickly responded with a hurried, “Yes.”

*****

Meanwhile, at the entrance of Herbathrive, Melody descended the stairs from the second floor to find that David had already gathered all the patients and their families in the lounge for coffee.

“Miss Fox, you’re finally here,” David rushed over to her and whispered, “Nana seems to have guessed what’s happening. She ignored my advice and is already on her way back. She’ll be here soon.”

“I know. It’s alright. It’s okay to let her witness it,” Melody replied.

“What does that mean?” David asked, puzzled.

Melody patted David on the shoulder. As Melody told him he would soon find out, Zane’s harsh, angry voice came from the door, “Nana, you shameless bitch, get out!”

Melody walked over to the door and saw that it wasn’t just Zane. Ian Leigh also came.

lan was Zane’s mother and the current matriarch of the Jensen family.

The weather was not very cold, but she already wore an expensive mink coat.

However, her taste was just as bad as Zane’s, which made her only know how to wear expensive clothes and not what suited her. It was evident she was more of a showy thug than a dignified noblewoman.

When Melody had discreetly investigate lan for Nana and Talia, she discovered that lan had once been a salesperson in a men’s clothing store and had occasionally worked as an escort.

It was during her time as an escort that she had become involved with Dennis.

Initially, Dennis had only come to Ian for fun and used condoms each time they had sex.

But lan wasn’t willing to let Dennis, a rich man, slip away. When she found out that she was pregnant with another lover’s child, but she went to Dennis and told him that it was his child.

It was not entirely unlikely for a woman to get pregnant despite using a condom, and Dennis was too drunk to remember if he had used condom each time.

Dennis, who had no son of his own, was overwhelmed with joy upon learning that lan’s baby was a boy. He did not doubt lan at all and provided for lan and the child, Zane.

lan had initially thought that she would remain a mistress to Dennis for the rest of her life. However, she unexpectedly became Dennis’ wife after the events involving Nana.

Despite this, lan’s feelings for the aging Dennis had faded, and she continued to secretly see her lover. This relationship was caught on video and in photos by Melody’s people.

As a result, Melody suspected that Zane might not be Dennis’ biological son, prompting her to arrange a paternity test.

The test was conducted using hair samples, so neither party involved was aware of it.

*****

With Zane yelling and cursing loudly, lan maintained a composed demeanor like a real lady, gently pulling Zane’s hand and saying, “It’s not worth lowering ourselves by yelling at that kind of pariah. It also diminishes our status.”

Then, she turned to the man behind her and said, “Go inside and bring out Nana and her mother for me.”

The man in question was lan’s date, Adam Mendes.

Zane was unaware of this and always thought Adam was a distant relative of his mother.

Adam, furious after learning that his son had been beaten by Nana’s men, agreed with a terse “yes” and brought his men to force their way into Herbathrive.

At Melody’s signal, David brought a group of Herbathrive’s men forward to block their way. “Stop right there! No one is allowed in! If you’re smart, leave now, or we’ll call the police!”

The mention of calling the police made professional gangsters like Adam hesitate.

lan, irritated, pulled away from Adam, who was blocking her path, and asked David, “How much are you paid at Herbathrive?”

David, taken aback by the unexpected question, frowned in confusion. “Why are you asking that?”

lan pulled out a wad of cash and dropped it at David’s feet with a dismissive flick of her wrist. “Here’s 2,000 dollars. That should cover two months of your salary, right? Take the money and go get Nana and her mom for me.”

David sneered at her condescending gesture and snapped, “Idiot!”

lan’s face darkened. “Who are you calling an Idiot? Say that again!”

“Just look at you! A shameless homewrecker is a homewrecker, no matter how much you strut around. Do you still want to act shamelessly? Huh?” David said.

“You!” lan was so enraged that she raised her hand, ready to slap David.

Melody was about to intervene, but she saw David grab Ian’s wrist and twist it behind her. And then he pushed Ian away and said, “I’m no gentleman. I hit women too. Get out now before I do!”

Melody felt a deep sense of relief.

There would come a day when she wouldn’t have the time or energy to oversee Herbathrive daily, and David’s commanding presence meant the Herbathrive had a worthy successor.

Zane, watching from a distance, was incensed by David’s words. “Damn it! How dare you talk to my mom like that? Are you all idiots? Beat him to a pulp for me!”

Adam had been waiting for lan and Zane to give the signal. With them taking the blame, he wasn’t worried about the police.

At Zane’s command, Adam led the charge to break in.

But as soon as his foot crossed the threshold of Herbathrive, a stick struck his right leg with a loud crack.

“Ah…” Adam screamed in pain and collapsed to his knees.

lan and Zane turned to see who had attacked, and when Zane recognized the attacker, his eyes widened with a mix of rage and panic. “It’s you!”

He saw Melody, the woman who had nearly strangled him at the restaurant!

“You know her?” lan asked.

“Yeah!” Zane said, pointing at Melody. “She’s the one who almost choked me to death today and beat up all my men!”

“So it was you.” lan narrowed her eyes but quickly composed herself and said, “It must be Nana and Talia who let you do that, right?”

Melody scoffed. “You’re mistaken. I didn’t even know who he was before I hit him.”

lan raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Then why did you hit him?”

Melody glanced at Zane with disdain and replied nonchalantly, “Because he deserved it.”

Chapter 678

Melody’s attitude had lan fuming once again. “You!”

“Mom, don’t talk nonsense with her! Just beat her to death! Even if she dies, my dad will still help to deal with it!” Zane shouted.

Zane even wished that he could kill Melody himself, but given her fighting ability, he could only stoke the flames in front of lan and let the others handle it.

He didn’t understand why his mom was wasting so much time on this unattractive woman when she could have just killed Melody.

“Shut the hell up!” lan glared at Zane before turning to Melody with a forced smile. “Look, girl, you’re young and maybe a bit reckless. I can forgive you for being impulsive. If you agree to come with us to the police station and say that Talia coerced you into attacking my son, not only will I not hold you accountable, but I’ll also reward you generously.”

Melody sneered, looking at lan as if she was an idiot.

lan, oblivious to her disdain, continued to smile. “Don’t be embarrassed. People are like that, and they always make the best choice. Talia, that homeless dog, doesn’t have anything to offer you. Whatever she promised, I can give you double, no, ten times that amount! And judging by your appearance, there must be very few guys interested in you, right? If you side with me, I can introduce you to wealthy, successful men and ensure you never have to worry about anything.”

Melody couldn’t help but laugh.

Wealthy, successful men?

She didn’t need that at all.

Zane quickly realized what his mom was trying to do-it was all about pulling this unattractive woman into their side.

He soon understood that dealing with Nana and Talia were more important than dealing with Melody.

He had to admit, his mom was still sharp. Long before he became his dad’s favored son, he had resented Nana and Talia who had taken his place.

If they could be sent to prison, it would be a satisfying way to relieve his hatred.

Thinking this, Zane put on a grin and added, “Miss, you might want to consider it. I’ll definitely forget all the past quarrel and introduce you to a good man.”

Melody impatiently shifted her neck from side to side. “Have you guys finished? I’ll repeat myself once again. I only hit him because he deserved it. It had nothing to do with Talia or Nana.”

lan frowned. “What do you mean by that? Think carefully. I can offer you ten times what Talia promised. From what my son says, you have some skills. I could easily make you the head of security for the Jensen family or even my personal bodyguard, and take you to high society events.”

This time, even David was amused by what she said. “Do you really think Miss Fox cares about being a bodyguard captain? Get out of here now if you don’t want to end up in serious trouble, or we’ll show no mercy!”

Melody raised her eyebrows, clearly thinking the same as David.

After realizing that a softer approach wouldn’t work, Ian’s expression hardened. “Alright! Adam, teach them a harsh lesson-no mercy! Beat them until they’re on their knees begging for forgiveness. If they won’t beg, then beat them to death!”

“Yes!” Adam said.

Adam was about to spring into action when Nana’s voice cut through the tension. “I dare you to lay a hand on anyone in Herbathrive!”

lan turned just in time to see Nana, who had rushed in out of breath.

lan scrutinized Nana, noting the faded grandeur of her appearance. Nana was dressed in low-quality clothes, and although her shoes were a well-known brand, they were worn and scuffed, clearly remnants from her departure from the Jensen family.

A flicker of mockery crossed lan’s eyes as she said, “Nana, you finally decided to show up. Where’s your mother? Still hiding and too scared to make an appearance?”

Nana looked at lan, the female protagonist from the cheating video, with her own eyes, and her face twisted with disgust. “If I hadn’t been out to deal with something, I would have showed up and torn your nasty face apart long ago! As for my mom, you’re not worthy to see her!”

lan’s face twisted in rage. “Shameless wretch, is that how your mother taught you to speak? You’re just a lowly scum!”

“Mom!” Zane, seeing Nana, snapped irritably, “Don’t waste time with her. Just deal with her!”

lan had no intention of leaving peacefully.

With a nod, she signaled Adam to proceed.

Adam immediately grabbed a baseball bat and started towards Nana.

But before he could take more than a couple of steps, a surprisingly strong hand grabbed his wrist.

It was none other than Melody.

Before he could react, Melody exerted a firm grip, and a sharp “crack” echoed through the air.

“Ah…” Adam screamed as the baseball bat clattered to the ground.

His hand!

His hand was broken!

“My hand! My hand is broken! It hurts so much!” Adam writhed on the floor in pain, a cold sweat glistening on his forehead.

“Adam…” lan’s heart ached at the sight of Adam’s suffering. She was inwardly furious and shouted at the group Adam had brought with him, “Are you all blind? Get moving! Take them down!”

Melody’s attack happened so fast, and the group only began to react after lan’s command, raising their weapons and preparing for a fight.

“Stop!” Nana called out firmly. “Ian, if you cause any more trouble here, I’ll sure expose the evidence of your cheating!”

She didn’t know why her father hadn’t reacted to the evidence she’d sent.

However, after seeing lan and Zane, it was clear from lan and Zane’s arrogance that the information hadn’t reached him yet.

lan’s eyes widened in shock and then narrowed in anger. “Great, so you’re the one who sent it!”

Zane looked at lan in confusion. “Mom, what cheating evidence? What’s she talking about?”

Ian’s panic rose, and she quickly offered a vague explanation. “Son, she’s just making things up! She deliberately sent fake evidence to your father, but I intercepted it before your father saw it. Otherwise, he would have misunderstood us.”

“Us?” Zane asked, bewildered. “How does this involve me? It’s not like I’m not his biological son.”

Before lan could respond, Melody cut in with a wry smile, “Actually, you’re right. You’re not your dad’s biological son. Want to know who your real father is?”

Adam, still in agony on the floor, immediately felt a sudden dart of panic.

He tried to suppress his pain, hoping Melody would stop. But she just continued to say, “Your real father is this guy on the ground with a broken arm.”

“You’re lying!” Zane shouted.

“You’re lying!” lan echoed.

“You’re lying!” Adam yelled.

The three of them yelled almost in unison.

Melody shrugged. “What do I gain from lying?”

Zane, who was accustomed to the comforts of his privileged life as Dennis’ only son, couldn’t accept this at all.

Without thinking, he retorted, “You’re just making this up. You and Nana are working together to slander my mom so that Nana can go back to the Jensen family!”

Nana clenched her teeth. “If you don’t believe me, you can do a paternity test right now.”

Chapter 679

Zane sipped and said, “I don’t buy it. Do you think I have no idea what you’re thinking? You’re thinking of replacing me and reclaiming your place in our family. But let me tell you, don’t even think about it. You won’t succeed because I am the biological son of this family!”

When Ian and Adam heard Zane’s confident words, a hint of guilt flashed past their eyes. Nana had the same personality as Zane.

However, Nana had been in Herbathrive for more than a month. She had more or less learned a little from Melody. She said calmly, “I don’t care if you’re his son. If you dare to cause trouble here, I won’t let you and your mother have a calm day.”

Ian felt even more guilty. She pulled Zane’s sleeve and said, “There are too many people here. If the police do come, we won’t be able to ask your dad for help. Let’s forget about it this time.”

“But I don’t want to!” Zane pushed Ian’s hand away and pointed at the wound on his face. “I’ve already been beaten up. Even if Dad finds out, he won’t ignore it. I’m his only son. Besides, they hit me first. Even if the police came, we still have the upper hand! Mom, don’t be afraid. I don’t believe that we can’t defeat that ugly monster. Besides, we’re not outnumbered.”

“But…”

Ian was conflicted. She never expected that the person who knew her secret would be Nana and her mother. She was afraid that Nana would expose her secret. However, she was desperate to use this opportunity to shut them up.

With Zane adding fuel to the fire, Ian made up her mind. She might as well beat Nana and her mother up so they wouldn’t say anything. Things had come to this, and she had no choice.

Ian became completely determined. She looked at Nana coldly and said, “You and your mother asked someone to harm my son and his friend. Now, it’s time for you to pay the price!”

Since it was a gang fight, Adam’s men would inevitably be implicated. However, his men regarded going to jail as going home. They wouldn’t mind getting their hands dirty and wouldn’t sell anybody out provided they get their money.

Ian turned around and ordered the people Adam brought, “Beat them up! I’ll reward you all handsomely after this!”

“Yes, Ma’am!” Everyone waved the weapons in their hands and threw them at Nana and Melody.

Nana did not expect Ian to be stubborn and cause trouble after revealing Ian’s secret. For a moment, she was so frightened that she forgot to avoid a weapon hurdled towards her. Fortunately, David reacted in time. He took a few steps forward and pulled Nana.

Only then did Nana narrowly avoid a head-on blow from a baseball bat. If it hit her, her head would have been split open. Nana looked at David with lingering fear. “Thank you…”

“Why are you still talking at a time like this? Hurry up and hide in the car!” David pushed Nana towards Herbathrive’s truck. He rolled up his sleeves and rushed towards the gangsters.

Meanwhile, Melody didn’t stay idle. She took the lead and faced the menacing hooligans fearlessly. Although she was unarmed, the moment she went up, she knocked out two people closest to her in the blink of an eye. However, even with her presence, there were too many people she had to fight. She could not take care of her people.

Many of the Herbathrive workers were knocked down by the hooligans. Two were seen beaten to the ground. The people Ian brought truly wanted to see blood.

Melody wanted to protect everyone. However, she had her limit. The people Ken had arranged to protect her from the shadows only cared about her safety. They would not appear unless her life was in grave danger.

“Damn it!” Melody kicked away the murderous mob who wanted to chase after Nana. Then, she turned around and took down three gangsters with spiked clubs.

‘This can’t go on like this. By the time Melody finished dealing with the mob, Herbathrive would probably have suffered heavy casualties. She narrowed her eyes as her mind raced.

Soon, Melody’s eyes lit up as she thought of something. “To take down a swarm, take out their queen!”

Melody quickly locked onto Zane and Ian’s location in the crowd. But the two of them were clever. After the conflict broke out, they called Adam through the telephone pole outside and arranged for two gangsters to protect them so that they wouldn’t be caught.

Melody estimated the distance. If she wanted to catch them, she had to pass through six hooligans waving baseball bats in front of her and get rid of the two hooligans protecting them. Her eyes narrowed and she rushed towards the two of them without any hesitation.

Unfortunately, the gangsters weren’t easy to deal with. They were much better than the people Melody dealt with inside. As she had predicted, the six gangsters surrounded her when they saw her rushing toward Ian and Zane.

Melody ducked and dodged two hits from the baseball bat. Then, with one hand on the ground, she kicked horizontally and swept four gangsters down. The other two were also beaten to the ground by her punches.

Melody did not waste any time and ran quickly to where Ian and Zane were. The two hooligans who were protecting them immediately tightened their grip on the mace in their hands, waiting for her to rush over.

“Quick, stop her!” Zane had seen how scary Melody was, and he ordered his two men to protect him while breaking out in cold sweat. However, those two people were no match for Melody at all. In just three moves, she knocked them down.

After kicking one of them away, Melody was about to walk towards Zane and his mother when she saw that Zane had caught Nana. “Don’t come any closer. If you take one more step, I’ll kill her!”

Ian quickly took out a sharp hairpin from her bag and pressed it against Nana’s throat. “Kneel immediately. Otherwise, I’ll pierce her throat!”

Melody had no choice but to stop. Meanwhile, Nana gritted her teeth and shouted, “Melody, you don’t have to worry about me. They’re just bluffing!”

but when Nana finished speaking, Ian tightened her grip. The sharp hairpin immediately pierced through Nana’s skin, and a trace of blood slowly seeped out. Nana’s body stiffened and her eyes widened in disbelief.

The sight turned Melody’s face cold. “Stop it!”

“What?” Ian sneered. “Do you think I’m bluffing? I could cut her throat right away, but I’d like to give you a warning. This is me showing mercy.”

Zane watched in excitement and smiled triumphantly. “Hurry up and listen to my mother. Kneel for us!”

Melody gritted her teeth and looked at Nana’s neck. She was still more than three meters away from her. No matter how fast Melody was, Ian could end Nana’s life in one second. ‘Would I bet on my speed?’

Chapter 680

Melody was hesitating, and lan spoke again, “I’ll count to three. If you don’t kneel, I’ll slit her throat!”

Melody gritted her teeth and finally gave up on her gamble. She was dealing with a human life. She could not take the slightest risk.

“Kneel!” Zane urged.

A tear fell from Nana’s eye. “Melody…”

Nana blamed herself for being weak. She felt useless. But her worst guilt was dragging Melody down. If she had listened to David Marrow just now and stayed in the car obediently, Melody would not have been in a dilemma. ‘Idiot! I’m such an idiot! Why was I thinking I could help her?’ Not only was she unable to help, she made the situation worse!

“You’ll be fine, Nana.” Melody looked firmly at Nana. Then, she looked into lan’s eyes and added, “Put down the hairpin and I’ll kneel for you.”

“Heh!” lan sneered. “You’re making the right choice. But what if you rush over when I put down the hairpin? Cover your head and kneel first, and I’ll put down the hairpin.”

“But…”

“This isn’t the time and place for negotiation!” lan interrupted.

Melody gritted her teeth and knelt before lan and Zane. However, before Melody’s knees touched the ground, two well-trained bodyguards suddenly appeared by the roadside.

Noticing their arrival, Melody immediately stood up again. She thought Ian had a backup and braced herself for another battle. But she did not expect the bodyguards to walk straight towards Ian and Zane.

Ian froze. “Who are you?”

The men stood about two meters from lan. Then, she noticed a middle-aged man standing beside a car, full of anger. It was Dennis.

Melody raised her eyebrows. ‘He comes quicker than I thought…

Ian and Zane did not expect Dennis to be there. Their eyes widened at the same time. Zane was the first to speak. “Dad? Why are you here?”

Ian also put away her hairpin guiltily. “Honey, why are you…”

“Shut up, all of you!” Dennis walked forward aggressively. Before lan could say anything, he raised his hand and slapped her. The slap made a crisp sound. Ian’s head was turned to the side, and her cheek started to swell at a speed visible to the naked eye.face.

lan covered her face in disbelief, but she was scared to ask any questions. A terrifying guess appeared in her mind. ‘Could it be that he already knew the secret?’

Nana was also in disbelief. She knew Dennis cherished his mistress. ‘Why is he slapping her?’

“Dad!” When Zane saw this scene, he quickly questioned, “Why did you hit Mom so suddenly? Could you at least ask something first?”

“Dad?” Dennis sneered and asked, “Who’s your father?”

Zane was stunned. “Dad? What are you talking about? Of course, you’re my…” Before Zane could finish speaking, Dennis kicked him in the stomach.

Dennis’s kick was filled with unwillingness, anger, and hatred. He didn’t hold back. The kick was so painful that Zane immediately curled up in pain. Although he was in pain, his mind was still unwilling to believe that his father, who loved him so much, would kick him.

lan could not care less about herself. She squatted beside Zane with a pained expression. “Zane, are you hurt? You’re scaring me…”

Upon seeing Zane’s face turned pale, lan looked at Dennis helplessly and said, “Dennis, it’s fine if you hit me, but how can you kick your son?”

“Son?” Dennis’s eyes were filled with rage. “Is he my son?”

lan’s face turned paler than Zane’s. However, she still braced herself and said, “If he’s not your son, whose son can he be? Don’t be deceived by someone with ulterior motives and sow discord between us!”

Dennis grabbed lan’s neck. “I’m not f*cking stupid! I’ve already gotten the forensics to verify the paternity test report and your cheating video. They’re all f*cking true! lan, you b*tch, how dare you cheat on me and lie to me for so many years? I hope you die!” As he scolded, he tightened his grip.

lan could not even speak. Her face turned pale. Seeing that she was about to suffocate, Melody walked up and grabbed Dennis’s hand to remind him. “That’s enough. If you keep this up, you’ll kill her.”

“Her death is not worth pitying!” He could tolerate the hatred of being cuckolded, but he could not stand the humiliation of raising a son out of a love affair.

When Melody saw this, she quickly raised her voice and said, “She deserves to die, but are you sure you want to sacrifice your entire life for someone like her?”

Dennis seemed to have returned to his senses. He slowly let go of his grip on Ian’s neck. At the same time, Zane had recovered from the pain. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain in his abdomen. With great effort, he stood before Ian. “Dad, I don’t know what kind of influence Nana gave you, but I can guarantee that Mom has always been loyal to you. I’ve never seen her get too close to any men.”

Zane’s words made Dennis sneer. He looked coldly at Adam, curling up on the ground, and said, “What do you mean? Is he not a man?”

Zane glanced at Adam and quickly explained, “Dad, you’ve misunderstood! Uncle Adam is my mother’s cousin. There can’t be anything between them. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him.”

Zane turned around and said to Adam, “Uncle Adam, can you speak now?”

Adam’s eyes darted around in panic, not daring to reply. His reaction made Zane feel something was wrong. He also remembered what Melody had said. ‘Could it be that he’s my father? That’s impossible!’ He immediately rejected the idea.

Seeing that Zane was still in denial, Melody used her phone to pull up the video of the affair and stuffed the phone into Zane’s hand.

“If you don’t believe me, look at this clip of your mother and your so- called ‘Uncle, Zane.”

“No!” Ian quickly tried to stop her, but Zane had already opened the video. The video was crystal clear. He saw Uncle Adam kissing his mother passionately in the video. A sick feeling made his stomach flip.

“Urgh!” Zane vomited.

Nana cringed in disgust and walked behind Melody. “Zane, do you believe I’m not lying to you? Your biological father is Uncle Adam.”

“No. That’s impossible!” He turned around and grabbed his mother’s collar. “Answer me, that’s not true, right? My father can’t be a gangster!”

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Chapter 671

Melody smiled helplessly. “Alright, six glasses of water then. You’ll drink the last three glasses after dinner.”

The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly pleasant. Margaret seemed to be in a much better mood.

“I’ll make you lunch. What would you like?” Melody asked.

Margaret didn’t request anything specific and simply told her to make whatever she liked.

“Alright, I’ll handle it,” Melody replied.

Noticing it was almost eleven o’clock, she headed straight to the kitchen.

But as soon as she went downstairs, she sensed something was wrong.

An unfamiliar person was wearing a butler’s uniform, and the original butler was nowhere to be seen.

Taking a closer look, she realized that many of the servants were new faces.

Just then, James passed by the front door, and Melody hurriedly chased after him.

“James!” she called out.

James stopped and inquired about Margaret’s health. After learning that Margaret had nearly recovered, he told Melody about Ken’s arrangements.

“I understand the situation,” Melody interrupted. “But there’s no need to deport all of them. Listen to me, leave one or two of the more deeply embedded hidden traitors, and then have people secretly keep an eye on them. They might come in handy later.”

James hesitated, but Melody’s commanding tone left no room for discussion as she stated firmly, “James, I’m not asking for your opinion.”

Her authority was surprisingly on par with Ken’s.

Subconsciously, James nodded and responded, “Yes.” After Melody left, he berated himself for his compliance.

‘How does Melody always manage to get the upper hand with me? We are both working for Ken, after all. Hmph!’ he thought.

With a mind to “squeal” on Melody, James called Ken to tell him everything, but to his surprise, Ken agreed. “Her plan is sound. Do as she said.”

Foiled in his attempt to gain favor, James had no choice but to follow Melody’s instructions. He left two of the deeply hidden ones, pretending not to know they were Ulric’s and Astrid’s men, and found reasonable excuses to dismiss the others.

Everything was arranged, and by eight o’clock in the evening, Ken was back.

He went to see Margaret first before looking for Melody.

When he didn’t find her in the bedroom, he asked the maid and learned that she was in his study.

The study was adjacent to their bedroom.

Ken didn’t like the idea of the study being connected to the room, where people tended to become lazy, so he set it up in the next room.

As a child, he was very strict with himself. He wouldn’t go to bed until he had finished his homework for the day. This self-discipline has stayed with him ever since.

Ever since the incident when Ulric broke his vase, Ken hadn’t allowed anyone into the study. Not even James.

When the servant reported to Ken that Melody was now in the study, she wore a timid expression, eager to absolve herself of responsibility. With her head lowered, she said, “I meant to stop Mrs. Swanson, but by the time I found out, she was already inside. I… I didn’t dare go in.”

Ken looked at the servant coldly.

The servant felt the intimidating pressure from his gaze, and her legs trembled with fear.

But to the servant’s surprise, Ken suddenly said, “In the future, if she wants to enter the study, don’t stop her. She can go in whenever she wants.”

The servant was stunned and only after several seconds managed to reply, “Yes…”

When he looked up, Ken had already entered the study.

After this incident, everyone Ken had stationed in the manor realized that Melody held an extraordinary place in his heart.

They couldn’t understand why Ken was so good to such an… unusual-looking woman, and they spent quite a while secretly discussing it without coming to any conclusion.

Of course, none of them believed Ken’s behavior towards Melody was because of love.

Love? That was ridiculous!

In the study, Melody was deeply absorbed in sketching a design in her notebook.

Since finishing dinner with Margaret, she had been working here for over three hours without feeling tired.

Time flies when one has a goal to accomplish.

So focused was she that she didn’t even notice Ken entering the room. She continued to concentrate on her work.

It wasn’t until Ken walked up beside her that he saw she was drawing a dress design.

Melody had so many skills, and each time she revealed a new one, it shocked Ken.

He didn’t know much about clothing design, but even he could tell at a glance that her design was impressive. Once it moved from paper to fabric and hit the market, it was bound to be a big success.

Ken looked at the drawings on the right side of the desk, where five completed designs were neatly arranged, each showcasing a unique style of dress or skirt.

What made them even more remarkable was that they all featured Halcyon-style elements, perfectly blending classical and contemporary fashion.

Noticing that Melody was at the most critical stage of her current design, Ken subconsciously slowed his breathing, afraid to disturb her.

For half an hour, he patiently stood by, waiting for her to finish.

Finally, Melody let out a long breath and put down her pen.

“Nice work.” Ken’s voice broke the silence beside her, startling Melody.

“When did you get here?” she asked, surprised.

“Not long ago. You were so focused that I didn’t want to interrupt,” Ken said.

“I see…” Melody stood up, a little embarrassed. “I haven’t done design work for a while, so I’m a bit rusty.”

“If this is what you call rusty, then you’re definitely being humblebragging,” Ken said with a smile.

“Humblebrag” was a recent internet slang term for subtly showing off.

Melody blinked in surprise. “Wow, you know that word too?”

Ken gave her a playful look. “What do you mean? I’m not so old that I can’t keep up with the times.”

“That’s not what I meant…” Melody trailed off, feeling slightly awkward.

Ken usually carried himself with such formality that she hadn’t expected him to be familiar with internet culture.

Ken smiled and waved off her concern. “Don’t worry, I didn’t take it the wrong way. By the way, are these designs intended for the Justalion Group?”

Melody nodded. “Yes. Didn’t you tell me last time that the Clark family was secretly approaching Justalion Group’s designers? I suspect they’ll take action quickly, especially after hearing about what happened to Ulric. They’ll definitely accelerate their plans. When that happens, the Justalion Group might lose all its designers. A fashion group without designers is like a glamorous woman without substance, and it can’t do anything.”

Ken asked, slightly puzzled, “Are you planning to help Russell get through this?”

“Of course not,” Melody replied with a smile. “Ulric now can’t even help with his own problems, so it’s impossible for him to help the Justalion Group establish cooperation with the Swanson Group. Even if he wanted to, I doubt Ramon would just agree to it. In that case, all of Russell’s previous efforts would be in vain.”

Ken quickly caught on to her meaning, “Once the Justalion Group can’t make ends meet, Russell will have no choice but to sell it if he doesn’t want to end up sleeping on the streets. And you want to seize the opportunity to take over and rebuild the group,” Ken said.

Chapter 672

“I just can’t hide anything from you. That’s exactly my plan, but when I take over the group, it’s going to be impossible to gather all the designers at once. So before that happens, I need to be prepared and have some extra designs ready to fill the gaps where I don’t have enough staff,” Melody said.

Ken glanced at her and then said, “Actually, you don’t need to work so hard. I’ve already considered this. I’ve tentatively selected some designers, but the final choices haven’t been made yet. Once the list is finalized, you can come in person to make the final confirmation.”

Melody was taken aback. “You’re already helping me find designers for the Justalion Group? When did you start?”

“It’s been a while,” Ken replied vaguely.

But with Melody pressing him, he had to tell the truth. “It’s been about three months. At that time, you hadn’t left the Fox family yet, and I promised the Swanson Group partnership to him, considering he’s your real father.”

Melody felt a shock deep inside. “So… From that time, you were planning to help me take back the Justalion Group from him?”

If that were the case, it could truly be seen as a masterstroke of strategy.

Ken shook his head. “The promise I made to him then was genuine, and so is my current decision to backtrack. At that time, when I helped find designers for the Justalion Group, I just wanted to

support Russell, who was struggling. But after you left to join the Fox family, my original intentions changed.”

Melody breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he wasn’t as calculating as she had feared, or she would have felt uneasy.

“Don’t worry,” Ken said, noticing her expression and guessing her concerns. He added, with a touch of innocence and helplessness, “Even if I were more calculating, I wouldn’t trick you or do anything to harm you.”

Melody covered her nose and coughed in embarrassment, standing up. go check on Margaret.”

Ken pulled her back. “No need. I just checked on her. She took the medicine you gave her and has gone to sleep. Lucy said she’s mentally much better and should be fully recovered by morning.”

Melody withdrew her hand. “Well… Then let’s go to sleep then.”

“Okay,” Ken said.

“By the way, have you had dinner yet?” Melody suddenly asked.

Ken shot her a disgruntled look. “By the time you, a busy person, remembered to have dinner with me, I’d be starving to death. So I already had dinner at the office.”

Melody showed a smile apologetically, a strong sense of guilt growing in her heart.

Ken had thought of everything for her long before she even realized it, and had already started making arrangements for looking for designers before she did. But she was still…

Even if it was a fake marriage, she really wasn’t that competent as a wife.

“It won’t happen again.” She suddenly declared with a determined look in her eyes. “Just as long as you don’t find me annoying.”

Ken gently touched her forehead. “Although I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but don’t worry. I’ll never annoy you. Let’s go, time for bed!”

The weather was getting colder by the day.

Melody shivered as she stepped out of the bathroom after her shower.

The next second, she heard the soft beep of the air conditioner turning on.

Ken had noticed her shivering and immediately switched on the air conditioner.

Her heart warmed, and she said with a bit of embarrassment, “Sorry, I’m a little afraid of the cold… You don’t have to turn on the air conditioner if you’re not cold.”

“It’s okay, I’m afraid of the cold too,” Ken replied.

Despite his words, he was only wearing short-sleeved pajamas, while Melody was already bundled up in winter pajamas.

But Ken quickly snuggled under the blanket, so Melody didn’t even notice that he was wearing just thin short-sleeved pajamas.

Melody was much more relaxed tonight than she had been the night before.

Her body was no longer tense, and she also no longer frozen in place until she finally drifted off to sleep.

Overall, she felt much more at ease.

After the lights were turned off, Ken’s voice broke the silence. “At work today, I heard some women talking about what they’re planning for Christmas. Do you like Christmas?”

Melody shook her head, then quickly realized Ken couldn’t see her in the dark and spoke up, “I can’t really say whether I like it or not. To be honest, I’ve never really celebrated Christmas.

The countryside where she grew up was rather isolated, and it took at least an hour to get to town-longer if she was walking.

People there didn’t really go out of their way to celebrate Christmas.

They were more focused on working hard to support their families.

And after returning to Silverlake in her previous life, she couldn’t even think about festivals or holidays. She was so consumed with working for Ulric and helping him secure his position as chairman of the Swanson Group that there wasn’t any time for Christmas.

But now that Ken had mentioned it, she found herself kind of longing for it.

“Do you?” Melody turned to Ken and asked, “Do you like Christmas?”

“Just like you, I also can’t really say if I like it or not. I haven’t experienced it much. But when I was studying abroad, Sid and some of our friends dragged me to celebrate Christmas once. That time, Sid drank too much, and I just ended up taking care of him.”

Ken paused for a moment before suggesting, “Why don’t we spend Christmas together this year? No pressure, just for fun.”

“Sounds great,” Melody replied. “If we’re both free then, let’s do it. I could invite some friends from Herbathrive, and Zara too, so we could have a fun, warm Christmas together.”

Ken stiffened a bit in the darkness.

He had meant a Christmas just for the two of them. With so many people, it wouldn’t be the same.

Without another word, Ken mumbled, “I’m sleepy. Let’s sleep.”

Melody, already feeling drowsy, murmured a reply, then turned over. Soon, her breathing became steady as she drifted off to sleep.

Ken glanced at Melody, who had fallen asleep without realizing anything, and sighed quietly.

“What now?” he thought. He couldn’t think of any other good time to confess his feelings to Melody besides Christmas.

Valentine’s Day was too far off, and the closest holidays had nothing to do with couples.

“Never mind, I’ll figure it out when the time comes,” he thought.

The next day, Ken woke up early again and headed out.

But today, instead of going to Swanson Group headquarters, he went to Ximber Tech.

With Janet and Sid, the core members of Ximber Tech, out of town, he needed to spend more time there.

Fortunately, with Zack running things, the company was in good shape.

“Mr. Swanson,” Zack said, following Ken with a stack of documents as they walked toward the conference room, “The new series of smart home products is scheduled for launch next month, but with Janet and Mr. Quant both out of town, we need to know if we should postpone the launch.”

Ken thought for a moment and then said, “No, everything should proceed as planned.”

“Understood,” Zack said.

As they reached the door of the conference room, Ken paused and turned to Zack. “You’ve been working hard lately.”

Zack froze for a second, then a smile spread across his face. “It’s my job.”

There was no need to say anything more.

What Ken had promised Zack wasn’t just a hefty salary but also shares in Ximber Tech and a partner position.

With such an offer, Zack naturally gave it his all.

Chapter 673

Zack took the initiative to help Ken push open the door to the conference room.

Inside, the technical team was already gathered and stood up respectfully when they saw Ken enter. “Mr. Swanson!”

“Please, everyone, have a seat.” Ken pulled out his chair and sat down, starting the meeting.

After the meeting concluded, Ken was about to leave for the Swanson Group headquarters when Zack suddenly called out to him. “Mr. Swanson, the HR manager mentioned that there’s a job applicant who might require you to go over and talk personally.”

A hint of curiosity appeared in Ken’s eyes. “For which position?”

Anyone who needed his personal involvement in an interview had to be significant.

“For the technical department,” Zack said in a low voice. “This person has a rather extraordinary background. His name is Warner Chapman, and his grandfather is Nickolas Chapman, who resides in Naymar Manor…”

Ken’s eyebrows lifted. “Let’s go meet him.”

In the interview room, Warner’s resume as a smart product development genius had the HR manager nodding in approval. After a few questions, the HR manager was almost ready to schedule Warner’s start date right away.

But he hesitated, knowing it wasn’t his place to make that decision when he thought of the two big shots in the company sitting next door.

However, the fact that neither of them had intervened so far suggested they were at least inclined to approve Warner’s hiring.

After a few moments of thought, the HR manager asked, “We’re very satisfied with your qualifications. Do you have any additional requirements?”

Warner responded, “I’m very interested in your boss. He’s someone I aspire to surpass. My additional request is to have a few minutes to speak with him before I start.”

“Well …” the HR manager hesitated.

“If that’s not possible, I’m afraid I won’t be able to join the company,” Warner said.

Ulric had already extended numerous offers, but Warner had long admired the enigmatic head of Ximber Tech. In the end, he decided to turn down Ulric’s promises and applied to Ximber Tech instead.

The HR manager found himself in a difficult position.

Ken was sitting right next door, but without his agreement, the HR manager couldn’t make the call.

Just as the HR manager was breaking into a sweat, the door connecting the interview room suddenly opened.

Warner instinctively turned his head to see who had entered.

When he saw the familiar, handsome face, a realization struck him, and his eyes widened. “Ken Swanson?”

Ken’s lips curved into a slight smile. “Mr. Chapman, how are you?”

“You…” Warner was truly surprised.

Ken extended his hand toward him. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the owner of Ximber Tech. I understand you wanted to speak with me?”

Warner’s suspicions were confirmed, and he stood there, utterly stunned.

At the Swanson villa, Margaret had completely recovered from her illness and could already sunbathe and play with the kittens in the back garden.

Melody was finally at ease, but just then, she received a call from Zara.

Her first thought was that something had happened to Zara, so she nervously answered, “Zara, what’s wrong?”

On the other end of the line, Zara quickly reassured her and said, “I’m fine, Melody, don’t worry. I just finished shooting and wanted to see if you’d like to have lunch together?”

Melody let out a sigh of relief and said, “Sure, you pick the place, and I’ll head over now.”

“I’ll text you the address,” Zara said.

“No problem.” After telling Margaret, Melody had Spencer take her to the destination.

The address Zara sent was for a popular restaurant in the city center. Zara had booked a private room, so there was no need to worry about the crowd recognizing her as a star.

It was only when Melody entered the room that she realized Zara wasn’t alone. A plain-looking middle-aged couple was with her.

“Melody, here!” Zara exclaimed, standing up to greet her warmly.

Melody nodded slightly and looked at the couple before asking, “And they are…”

“They are my parents,” Zara replied, scratching her head with embarrassment. “They happened to visit me today. I mentioned on the phone that you’ve helped me several times and are a good friend, so they insisted on meeting you. I didn’t tell you beforehand because I was worried you might feel awkward. I’m really sorry about that.”

“That’s okay.” Melody smiled and shook her head before turning to Zara’s parents. “Hello.”

Zara’s parents seemed a bit shy and, after a brief greeting, Zara’s mom, Grace Wentworth, handed Melody a basket.

“Melody, I’m not good with words, but I brought this from home. One basket for you and one for Zara. I hope you will like it.”

Melody glanced at the basket, noticing it was filled with farm-fresh eggs, and felt a warm sensation in her heart. “Thank you, Mrs. Wentworth, that’s very thoughtful of you. It’s hard to find authentic farm eggs around here.”

Grace had been a bit worried that Melody might not appreciate the gesture, but she was relieved to see her accept the eggs. “I’m glad you like them. When we visit next time, we’ll bring more for you.”

Melody nodded and said, “I grew up in the countryside too, and back then, I ate farm-fresh eggs every day. I didn’t realize that once I arrived in Silverlake, they’d become a luxury item.”

Hearing Melody talk about her countryside upbringing eased the tension in Zara’s parents, and the conversation flowed more easily.

After finishing her meal, Melody excused herself to go to the restroom and decided to pay the bill on the way.

As she completed the payment, she noticed Zara stepping out of the private room, surrounded by a group of men dressed in punk attire.

The leader, a man flaunting his wealth with brand-name clothing and an air of arrogance, tilted Zara’s chin with his hand and said with a smirk. “I went to the cast and tried to see you a few days ago, and you dared to avoid me? Now I’ve still caught you, haven’t I?”

Zara, not wanting to cause a scene in front of her parents or drag them into trouble, forced a polite response, saying, “Mr. Jensen, I’m sorry for missing you last time. Let’s talk another day. I’ll treat you to dinner to make it up to you.”

“Another day? Huh? Do you take me for a fool? Don’t even think about brushing me off! You’re coming to dinner with me today. If I’m satisfied with the evening, I might let you go!” the man said, as he reached out to grab Zara’s hand.

Zara, preparing to pull away, was suddenly interrupted.

A cell phone flew through the air, striking the back of the man’s head with a thud.

He clutched his head in pain, letting out a miserable scream. “Ah…”

His friends turned in shock. “Who dared to hit Mr. Jensen? Show yourself!”

“It was me.” Melody stepped forward, her expression calm and unyielding. “Harassing a girl in public, what kind of man are you?”

When they saw Melody’s face, they all laughed in disbelief.

How could someone like her dare to confront them?

With concern, Zara looked at Melody, who had stepped forward to defend her, and shook her head anxiously, silently pleading with Melody to stay out of it.

Chapter 674

Melody obviously couldn’t just stand by and watch her friend get bullied.

As soon as she pulled Zara behind her, Melody whispered, “Go back to the room and don’t let your parents sense that anything’s wrong.”

Zara grew even more anxious. “How can I leave you here alone? His family is powerful and influential, and these friends of his are all skilled fighters… Let’s not fight them head-on.”

“Zara, don’t worry. These people are no match for me,” Melody said.

Zara hadn’t seen what Melody was capable of, and her worry deepened. “Melody, please listen to me. Just go back. There are so many people here, he wouldn’t dare do anything to me. If I just drink a few cups of wine with him, he might be happy and let me go…”

Melody sighed and then said, “If you’re not comfortable going back, then step back a few paces so I don’t accidentally hurt you.”

After saying that, she resolved to end this quickly.

Zara reached out to pull Melody back, but Melody had already stepped forward.

Fixing her gaze on the man who had been harassing Zara, Melody said, “I’ll give you one chance. Apologize to Zara, swear you’ll never bother her again, and this will be over.”

The man who had been hit on the head with a cell phone finally recovered, glaring at Melody with disdain and disgust. “Who do you think you are? Daring to make me apologize? Who gave an ugly bitch like you the right to tell me what to do? Just looking at your face makes me sick. Get out of here… Ouch!”

Before he could finish his sentence, he screamed in agony.

Zara couldn’t keep up with Melody’s speed. By the time she could see clearly, Melody had already tackled the man to the ground, holding him down effortlessly.

“Apologize to her!” Melody’s voice was ice cold.

The man couldn’t move at all, his face pressed against the ground as he screamed in pain.

Zara covered her mouth, shocked by Melody’s speed.

Before Zara could say anything, the man’s friends sprang into action.

“How dare you attack Mr. Jensen! You’re asking for it!” The tallest of the group was the first to rush at Melody.

Still pinning down “Mr. Jensen” with one hand, Melody swung her fist at the tall man with no hesitation, striking him as he approached.

The tall man obviously couldn’t keep up with Melody’s speed and was quickly overpowered.

The others, witnessing this, hesitated to approach her alone. After exchanging nervous glances, they decided to rush in together, regardless of their reputations.

Melody kicked the man lying on the ground aside, then grabbed the collar of the glasses-wearing man who had led the charge. She swung him around by the scruff of his neck and hurled him into the group.

In an instant, half of the men were knocked to the ground, completely disoriented.

The remaining three were even worse off. Melody suddenly accelerated, sprang off the wall, and launched herself at them with a flying kick.

Her feet connected with the faces of the three men in quick succession.

Soon, all of them lay sprawled on the ground, defeated.

Melody turned her cold gaze to their leader, Zane.

“Do you want to continue?” she asked.

Zane’s face turned pale with fear, but he still managed to rise from the ground, backing away while warning, “Don’t come any closer! Do you know who I am? You can’t afford to mess with me!”

Melody raised an eyebrow. “Then tell me who you are.”

As he mentioned his identity, Zane’s face, adorned with designer labels, showed a flicker of smugness. “I am Zane Jensen from the Jensen family of Silverlake!”

“Jensen family?” Melody narrowed her eyes.

There was only one Jensen family with significant influence in Silverlake.

Realizing this, a cold, sarcastic glint appeared in her eyes. “So you’re Nana’s brother?” Melody asked.

At the mention of “Nana”, a look of shock crossed Zane’s face. “You know the woman that was kicked out of the house by my father?”

Melody confirmed that this Zane was indeed the son of Nana’s father’s mistress.

‘But why would Zane still live so well? Hasn’t Nana already sent the information I sent over to the Jensen family?’ she wondered.

It seemed that perhaps something was amiss within the Jensen family, preventing Dennis from seeing it.

Melody took a few steps forward and seized Zane by the neck.

His breathing was immediately constricted, and his face began to turn red.

The terror that now filled Zane’s eyes, so recently filled with arrogance when he had just bragged about his family background, was palpable. He begged hoarsely, “Don’t kill me… I was wrong… I won’t dare do it again…”

Upon hearing Zane’s pleas and apologies, Melody released him.

“You should’ve done that earlier!” Melody shot him a cold look and said, “For Nana’s sake, I’ll spare you this time. If I catch you bothering Zara or any other innocent girl again, you’ll face a terrible fate. Get out!”

Zane nearly choked. His original arrogant attitude had all gone.

“Let’s go!” Indignant and dejected, he quickly fled with his friends.

Zara hurried over to Melody. “Melody, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Melody managed a reassuring smile and said softly, “Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Zara let out a sigh of relief but then said anxiously, “Zane isn’t someone to be taken lightly. What if he comes after you again? It’s all my fault…”

“Don’t worry about me. Remember, I have a strong backer,” Melody said.

Zara quickly thought of Ken’s face. “But Mr. Swanson can’t always be there for you… How about this, I’ll find a few bodyguards for you to ensure your safety after I get back.”

“Bodyguards? No need,” Melody said with a smile. “I already have them. One of mine is worth ten of yours.”

That was a modest understatement.

With the likes of Seventeen and Spencer, who were death warrior, dealing with a hundred of Zane’s so-called “friends” would be no trouble at all for each of them.

Hearing that Melody had bodyguards, Zara felt somewhat reassured but still looked guilty. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to get involved because of me. I shouldn’t have asked you to lunch today.”

Melody frowned. “Zara, we’re friends. You don’t have to apologize. Zane isn’t someone to be afraid of. I’m stronger than you think, and you should have let me know the last time he harassed you.”

Zara looked down. “I just don’t want you to always have to clean up my mess. I wish I could protect you and help you someday.”

Melody smiled warmly and patted Zara on the head. “It’s enough that you care. You, as a big star, just shine on TV. Let me, an ordinary person, handle these dirty matters. Just remember me when you become famous.”

Chapter 675

She was kind to Zara, not only because Zara was sincere to her but also because Zara reminded her of her former self pure, like a blank sheet of paper.

She couldn’t bear to see Zara, who was as innocent as a blank sheet, being tainted by the world.

In her previous life, she had been alone, like a solitary team with no one to protect her, betrayed and harmed by everyone around her.

Therefore, she wanted to do her best to protect Zara, as if she were protecting her past self.

When Melody heard Zara say she also wanted to protect herself, Melody’s heart was touched.

“Besides, you will naturally have the ability to protect me when you become a big star,” Melody said.

Melody’s words were like a ray of light, strengthening Zara’s resolve to become strong.

“Right!” Zara nodded vigorously and said, “I will definitely become a big star!”

As they were talking, Zara’s parents emerged from the room, having heard the commotion.

With a worried expression, Grace pulled Zara aside and asked, “Did something happen just now? We heard what sounded like a fight. I wanted to come out and check, but your father thought it might be risky and get you into trouble, so we stayed put. When we saw you and Melody hadn’t returned, your dad couldn’t wait any longer and pulled me out…”

Melody interjected smoothly, “Mrs. Wentworth, Mr. Wentworth, don’t worry. There were indeed some people who got drunk and fought, but they’d already left. We just stayed here to watch.”

Grace was relieved but still admonished them. “It’s not fun to watch a fight! You two girls are so weak that you’ll be injured if someone bumps into you!”

Zara couldn’t help but smile when she thought of Melody taking on eight people by herself.

She might be weak, but Melody was incredibly strong. Zara was still amazed by what she saw just now!

Though she thought this, Zara said aloud, “I know, Mom. We won’t watch anything like that again.”

Grace and Zara’s father, Theo Wentworth, then relaxed.

“I’m glad you’re okay. We bought train tickets for an hour from now and plan to head back,” Grace said.

Zara looked disappointed. “Mom, why did you buy tickets without telling me? I just finished shooting the movie, and I’m free for a few more days. I could have shown you around Silverlake.”

Theo smiled. “If we stay for too many days, what about the pigs and chickens at home? Our neighbors have been helping us take care of the farm for the past two days, but we can’t expect them to keep doing that indefinitely, can we?”

Grace said, tears welling in her eyes, “We can’t bear to part with you, but we still need to go back to take care of everything at home. Even if you decide not to take this job one day, you can go back home and our family will always support you. We may not have a lot of money, but we won’t let you go hungry.”

Zara knew she couldn’t argue with her parents, and besides, they were unaccustomed to city life, so she could only nod and say, “Then I’ll take you to the train station.”

Melody volunteered and said, “I drove here, so I’ll give you a ride.”

Zara, who had recently gained fame from a web series but had not yet received an exclusive car from her company, sniffled with gratitude. “Thank you, Melody…”

‘Don’t say that. It’s nothing. Besides, we’re friends. I don’t want to hear you say that again.” Melody replied, feeling a little embarrassed.

After saying that, Melody suddenly paused.

She realized, perhaps for the first time, why Ken didn’t like hearing thanks.

When someone gives willingly, saying thank you could sometimes create a sense of distance rather than closeness.

Ken’s feelings toward her might be similar to her own feelings about Zara.

He also regarded herself as a good friend.

Melody felt unsettled by this realization.

He treated her as a friend, but she…

She secretly pinched her waist and tried to push the thoughts away, focusing on sending Zara’s parents to the train station.

Zara watched until her parents disappeared inside the station before pulling away.

“Well, don’t worry. When you have the chance, you can bring them over to stay with you,” Melody said, taking Zara back to the car.

On the way, Zara updated Melody about her current situation. “I’m almost finished with my part in the movie. Since most of it was filmed against a green screen, I wrapped up a month earlier than expected. But the supporting characters and the zombie scenes still need about a month of filming. The producer mentioned that if post- production goes smoothly, it might be screened during New Year’s Day. The higher-ups are very optimistic about the film, so the review process should be swift.”

“Screened during New Year’s Day…” Melody said, pleased for Zara.

“Although the film market is highly competitive during New Year’s Day, the apocalyptic theme of your film should be very appealing. I’ll book the whole cinema to support you when the time comes.”

Zara nodded vigorously. The sadness of parting with her family had faded considerably as she talked about her work.

“I’m going to do the dubbing myself,” Zara said. “To compete for next year’s National Movie Awards with this film, one of the requirements is that the character’s voice must be my own. I’m not very confident about my lines, though, so I’m planning to take some lessons from a voice coach.”

Melody replied, “The National Movie Awards are very prestigious. If you win Best Actress, you’ll sure be a huge star.”

Zara responded humbly, “This is my first film as the official lead actress, so I’m not aiming for Best Actress right now. I’d be thrilled just to get a nomination…”

Melody mentally reviewed the situation.

In her previous life, Yana had won Best Actress at the National Movie Awards the following year, and it was all thanks to the movie that Zara had just finished.

However, due to the unexpected changes brought on by her involvement, Yana had been removed from the cast, leaving Zara to take over.

Maybe Zara did have a real chance at the Best Actress award.

But of course, Melody kept this to herself and instead asked, “How long will you be able to rest next? Do you have any plans besides taking voice lessons?”

“I’m also planning to enroll in a costume design class,” Zara said.

Melody raised an eyebrow. “A costume design class?”

“Yes,” Zara said. “I have a variety show next month, Artist’s Wardrobe Season 2. This season is different from the first. It’s not just about visiting the guests’ wardrobes. We’ll also need to demonstrate our ability to design and modify clothes from the guests’ homes.”

Melody was optimistic about Artist’s Wardrobe Season 2. The second season had been even more successful in her previous life, surpassing the first season.

She nodded and asked, “Have you finalized your mystery guest for the first episode yet?”

“I was told that it’s been finalized, but even my agent doesn’t know who it is. It might be someone really mysterious, or maybe the company just wants to avoid overshadowing Yana by pairing me with a newcomer,” Zara said.

Melody pondered for a moment and then said, “Do you want me to ask Ken who the company has arranged as your mystery guest?”

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Chapter 666

Wendell, though not particularly distinguished, was still a life. He thought, ‘Is my life so worthless in their eyes, just like that?’ Realizing the full extent of the betrayal, he was trembling with anger. However, since he was still recovering, everyone assumed his slight trembling was a result of the poison, and no one suspected otherwise.

“Let’s have you drink some more water before talking,” the officer said, bringing another cup of water with concern. They needed to ensure Wendell was fully recovered before asking more questions. Given the severity of the poisoning, they were cautious about handling the case too hastily.

However, one thing they could be sure of was that Melody had been saving a life. During a brief lull, they consulted with their team’s forensic expert, who confirmed that traditional medicine employed such methods and that the acupuncture points were precisely targeted. The forensic expert even remarked, “This doctor’s skills are exceptional! It would be great if she could join our team.” Of course, she couldn’t join their team, but it was enough to prove that Melody had not acted with malicious intent in her actions.

“Thank you…” Wendell took the cup of water and drank it, but only half of it before handing it back. “I’ve had enough.”

“Uncle, it’s good that you’ve had enough to drink. I’m not sure if you remember what happened before you were poisoned. Did that woman give you anything to eat or do anything suspicious?” Ulric pointed at Melody. His eyes squinted, clearly signaling to Wendell.

Wendell understood that Ulric was now trying to make him blame Melody for the poisoning since he hadn’t died. Although he had long despised her, the fact that she had saved his life caused him to reevaluate his feelings toward her. His thoughts became conflicted, torn between his lingering hatred and the realization of the complexity of their situation.

Wendell knew that Melody was connected to Cadence’s death, and it was clear to everyone involved. However, he wondered if Ulric could distance himself from the situation. If Ulric hadn’t threatened him with his life and coerced him into dealing with Melody, Cadence wouldn’t have been forced to take on that dangerous task and ultimately lost her life. Ulric was the catalyst for the entire chain of events.

Wendell coldly glanced at Melody and said, “Before I was poisoned, I did drink a cup of water.”

Ulric slightly raised his eyebrows. Hearing Wendell’s statement, he felt a sense of relief. Ulric had been worried that Wendell might turn against him, but now he was reassured. Ulric thought, ‘Even if Wendell realizes I poisoned him, what can he do? He’s just a worthless pawn. Wendell wouldn’t dare defy my orders. If he tries, it’s a dead end for him. Wendell is too cowardly to make such a mistake.’

Astrid, who was behind him, also let out a sigh of relief. She thought, ‘My brother is alive, and he’s managed to implicate Melody. It is the best outcome we could hope for.’

Before they could continue celebrating, Wendell suddenly pointed at Ulric and said, “But the person who gave me the water was one of his men! Officer, you must seek justice for me!” Ulric’s hand, resting on the wheelchair’s armrest, tensed visibly, with veins standing out in anger.

Astrid gasped in shock and exclaimed, “Wendell Hunter! What are you talking about? Ulric is your nephew!”

The officers, startled by what they thought was a woman deceiving them, now looked at Ulric with disbelief and concern. Initially thinking Wendell was lashing out at her, Melody was taken aback when he shifted his accusation to Ulric. She sneered and felt that what goes around comes around and that justice was finally being served.

Wendell scoffed and said, “A beloved nephew? Just ask him if he ever regards me as his uncle, even for a second. To him, I’m just nothing in his eyes!”

Ulric narrowed his eyes coldly.

“Wendell Hunter, do you even realize who you’re accusing? Are you sure your mind is evident?”

Before Wendell could respond, the officer stepped before him and professionally addressed Ulric. “Mr. Ulric, we apologize for the inconvenience but need you to come with us.”

Astrid quickly intervened, saying, “No! That’s not true! He’s always been a troublemaker, spoiled by our family, and became worthless. Please don’t believe what he’s saying! He just lost his daughter and is clearly out of his mind right now!”

“The truth will be investigated thoroughly. But as we’ve said, we won’t wrong any innocent person,” the officer said. Astrid’s face went pale, while Ulric’s expression remained unchanged. However, the knuckles of his hand, turning pale, betrayed his inner turmoil.

Melody’s mind was indifferent. She thought, ‘Ulric Swanson, you never expected this, did you? Even those you see as insignificant can fight back fiercely when pushed too far. The heavens won’t always favor you. My recounter is the best proof of that.’

After making the statement, the lead officer turned to Wendell and asked, “Sir, can you come with us now to assist in the investigation of your poisoning?”

“Yes!” Wendell nodded vigorously. He thought, ‘Ulric won’t allow me to live. Since I will die anyway, I might as well take him down with me! This way, I might have a slim chance of survival.’ He wasn’t doing it for Melody. Whether she lived or died was irrelevant to him; what mattered was his own life.

The officer approached Melody and said, “Miss, you must also come with us for a statement. You were the first witness to the incident.”

Melody nodded. “Okay.”

Ken stepped forward, taking her hand and saying, “I’ll go with you.”

Melody smiled, feeling a warm sense of gratitude. She thought, ‘How fortunate I am to have met him in this lifetime.”

“Melody,” Margaret said as she took her hand. “I will be waiting for you at home.” At this point, what more could Margaret possibly fail to see?

However, the situation unfolded differently than Melody and the others had anticipated. Wendell also miscalculated-shortly after the police car set off, he began to vomit once again. The officers were startled and quickly instructed Melody, who was in a separate police car, to come over and assist with the emergency.

Melody quickly focused her full attention on treating Wendell, only to discover that he was suffering from not just the acute poison but also a chronic toxin. This chronic toxin, she realized, had likely been administered about a week prior. It was this slow-acting poison that was ultimately endangering his life.

Melody could manage the acute poison through methods like bloodletting and acupuncture, but the chronic toxin had already penetrated Wendell’s internal organs. What was even more chilling was that the two toxins worked in tandem. If the acute poison weren’t fully absorbed and were forcibly expelled, the chronic toxin would increase, eventually leading to death.

Chapter 667

In other words, if she had neutralized the lethal poison in Wendell, the slow-acting poison would have started to take effect. But if she hadn’t intervened, Wendell could have died immediately. Either way, Wendell would have died.

Melody pondered, ‘Only someone as ruthless as Ulric and Jennie could pull off something so vicious. No wonder Ulric was upset but didn’t show any panic-he had already secured his escape plan. Every move he made was calculated far in advance. Looking back, it’s no surprise I fell into his trap previously; I was too naive to see it coming.’

Melody seethed with anger, clenching her teeth in frustration. Yet, as she looked at Wendell, who was in so much pain, a flicker of sympathy appeared in her eyes. She thought, ‘How pitiful, just like I was previously realizing right before my death that I was nothing more than a pawn in Ulric’s game, ready to be sacrificed at any moment to serve his purposes.’

“How did it go?” the officer asked anxiously.

Melody let go helplessly and said, “I’m not capable enough. I couldn’t save him. I’m truly sorry…”

The officer didn’t bother to respond to her and urgently shouted to the driver, “Hurry, hurry! Get to the nearest hospital!”

The nearest hospital was still a twenty-minute drive away, but before they could even get there, he had already lost his pulse. By the time they arrived, the doctors could only pronounce him dead.

Melody sat in the car, her eyes cold and resignedly heavy. She pondered, ‘Ulric Swanson, do you even have a conscience? If it were Astrid, your mother, in Wendell’s place, would you still be capable of doing the same thing?’

The answer was almost too obvious to consider-it was a definite yes. Melody didn’t feel any sadness, only a sense of ridicule towards her past self for believing that someone so heartless could genuinely love her.

Suddenly, a large hand covered hers. It was Ken. He had also gotten into the police car to keep her company. As her hands were icy cold, his warm hand brought a comforting warmth, and she finally snapped out of her agony.

Melody forced a smile and said, “Life is so insignificant.”

“It’s not your fault we couldn’t save him,” Ken murmured gently.

Melody shook her head with a complicated expression. “That’s not what I meant…” But they were in the police car, and with the two officers sitting up front, there wasn’t much more she could say.

Wendell’s body was taken directly for an autopsy, while Melody went to the police station to give her statement. The process took over two hours; by the time she finished, it was already past three in the afternoon.

Melody didn’t find it particularly exhausting because she knew Ulric wouldn’t be able to get out as quickly as she did. Although Halcyon was known for its principle of “innocent until proven guilty,” Ulric might still face consequences. His influence would be diminished- at least Margaret and Ramon; Ulric wouldn’t be able to maintain his previous level of trust or continue playing the victim who had his legs ruined by Ken. Melody took a deep breath, feeling a rare relief in her chest.

As Melody walked out of the final door of the police station, she immediately spotted Ken waiting at the entrance, along with James, who looked sorrowful, standing beside him. Since the police station wasn’t easy to enter and Ken couldn’t use his status casually, Melody had expected him to wait in the car on such a cold day. Instead, she was surprised to see him standing outside the station, waiting for her.

‘Is he being foolish because of the weather? Melody thought as she quickly walked over and asked, “Aren’t you cold?”

Although it was afternoon, the temperature had already dropped to around 45 to 46°F, and Ken was wearing only a thin layer of clothing, making him highly susceptible to the cold. As Melody approached, she noticed his ears were red from the cold, and his lips had turned pale. Despite this, Ken didn’t think the chill was a big deal. Instead of answering her question, he asked her, “Did you have a hard time in there?”

Melody shook her head and said casually, “No, I wasn’t questioned as a suspect. I went in just as a key witness to help with the statement. Besides, they were quite polite and even gave me coffee.” She was uncomfortable accepting the coffee, but everyone inside was genuinely considerate and attentive to her needs.

Hearing her, James muttered, “Could they not be polite? Mr. Swanson even used connections he usually doesn’t rely on…” These connections were ones Ken had usually kept hidden to avoid drawing attention. He rarely contacted them. But today, he had made an exception for Melody.

The wind was blowing in the opposite direction, so Melody didn’t hear James. She asked in confusion, “James, what did you say?”

James was about to repeat himself loudly but was silenced by a sharp look from Ken. “N-Nothing, I was just saying it’s good that you didn’t have a hard time,” he stammered.

Melody didn’t think much of it and nodded. “Right, you don’t need to worry.”

Although Ken had connections inside, they hadn’t passed along the details of what happened. As he led Melody to the car, he glanced at his watch and asked, “Since you were just a witness, why did it take so long?”

When Ken asked, Melody couldn’t help but smile and said, “Actually, the statement was finished a while ago. But guess what…”

Ken asked cooperatively, “What’s wrong?”

Melody pulled out a business card with the contact information of a forensic expert from the precinct. Ken immediately got an inkling of what was going on.

Melody explained, “The elder members of the Hunter family have agreed to let the precinct perform an autopsy on Wendell. The forensic expert saw the detox methods used on Wendell and came to consult me about a few questions. I couldn’t refuse, so I ended up answering them.” Melody didn’t mention that the forensic expert had previously studied traditional medicine and recognized that she used two nine-line acupuncture techniques. After confirming her expertise, he insisted on becoming her disciple.

Melody hadn’t agreed to that. It wasn’t out of stinginess; instead, the nine-line acupuncture was a unique skill her mentor taught her, and she couldn’t teach it to others without her mentor’s permission.

Ken frowned and said, “These people know how to waste time.” As he complained, he handed her a packet of biscuits. “Here, have something to tide you over.”

Melody patted her belly, realizing she was indeed starving. She didn’t hesitate and started eating, but she shared some with Ken. Seeing her enjoy the biscuits, Ken reluctantly waved his hand and said, “I’ve already eaten.”

Melody quickly finished the packet of biscuits, but then she realized the car wasn’t headed toward the Swanson family but rather in the opposite direction. She turned to Ken with a puzzled expression and asked, “Where are you taking me?”

“Blue Moon Lounge,” Ken replied.

It seemed Ken had arranged things in advance. As soon as they arrived at the familiar private room, dishes started arriving. Melody only noticed that Ken was eating much faster than usual after she had almost finished her meal. It dawned on her that his claim of having eaten was a lie.

Melody felt a mix of emotions, but the small, unmistakable joy of his attention was undeniable. It seemed she was becoming increasingly dependent on his care, even starting to wish for more.

Chapter 668

She thought, ‘That wouldn’t do!’ Melody quickly ignored her lingering emotions, realizing she couldn’t let them distract her. Once Ken finished his meal, she shifted the conversation to the matter. “From my discussion with the forensic expert, it’s clear that Ulric will ultimately walk away unscathed. The principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ has always been a cornerstone of Halcyon’s legal system.”

“The poison can’t be detected?” Ken asked.

Melody nodded. “The poison is extremely sophisticated. It behaves like a parasite within the body, disappearing entirely once the host dies. Even when the autopsy is conducted, there won’t be any trace of it left.”

Wendell’s final words alone weren’t enough to convict Ulric. Unless something unexpected happened, he would likely be released within three days.

But Melody couldn’t accept it. Whether it was the incident at the youth center, what happened to Cadence, or even this funeral, Ulric had tried to take her down every time. Yet, she realized there was only so much she could do, and this overwhelming sense of helplessness weighed heavily on her.

Ken remained silent for a long moment before a sudden smile curved his lips. “Ulric is someone who cares about nothing but his interests. While he may eventually be released, he’s already lost something that matters greatly to him.”

“What is it?” Melody asked.

“The conscience,” Ken said.

Melody lifted her gaze and said, “I’ve thought about that too. After everything that’s happened, your father and Margaret will start to see him for who he is. But even so, I still feel it’s not nearly enough.”

Ken poured her a cup of coffee and spoke calmly, “If that’s how you see it, then you’re underestimating my father’s suspicious nature.”

“How so?” Melody asked.

“He’s like a ruler from ancient times. Although he’s getting older and his health is declining, he still doesn’t want to relinquish any authority to either me or Ulric.”

“Didn’t he arrange for you to join the headquarters of the Swanson Group?”

Ken shook his head and said, “That doesn’t help. Even though I’ve been busy lately, most of what I handle are minor tasks, just trivial matters. He keeps all the major projects for himself. Otherwise, why would he handle business trips himself instead of sending me? Business trips are the most exhausting, and just sitting in a car can leave him, someone who gets car sick easily, feeling completely drained.”

Melody was taken aback momentarily and asked, “So what are you implying?”

“He’s the kind of person who would immediately realize that his seemingly indifferent son is targeting his other son. Don’t you think he’s figured out that Ulric’s ultimate goal isn’t me but the Swanson Group, which he values most?”

“But, after all, he is your father’s son.”

Ken suggested she drink the coffee to warm up before continuing, “Just wait. We don’t need to do anything. Whatever we do now will be under his watchful eye. If we hold back, he’ll inevitably take action himself.”

“So, are you saying Ulric thought he was foolproof this time but still lost out?”

“That’s right. And don’t forget about Regina’s involvement with the malicious doctors. Although I’ve kept quiet due to my agreement with Ulric regarding the Pearly Antiques account, he won’t be able to ignore this issue. The Special Task Force isn’t something he can bribe his way into.”

Melody felt a sense of relief and began to look forward to Ramon’s return from his business trip.

As they chatted and spent time together, with Moon joining them for a while, it wasn’t until the sky darkened that Ken suggested heading back to the Swanson villa. Melody hesitated and asked, “Are we also staying there tonight?”

“Yes.” Ken nodded. “It looks like we’ll stay at the villa for a while.”

Melody hesitated for a moment but then accepted it. Compared to the tension and unease of sharing a bed with Ken, dealing with Ulric was the absolute priority. Everything else paled in comparison. Staying at the villa would allow them to stay attuned to Ramon’s stance.

Noticing that Melody showed no apparent signs of resistance, Ken’s usual icy demeanor softened noticeably. When they arrived at the villa, Margaret immediately greeted them, clearly having been waiting in the living room for their return.

Melody felt a bit guilty; she should have returned earlier. However, Ken had deliberately delayed their return, claiming that the more anxious Margaret seemed, the more it would emphasize her innocence. Not wanting to deceive Margaret, Melody chose to be honest, letting her know she was fine and had already had dinner.

However, Margaret didn’t believe Melody’s reassurance. Frowning, she said, “With something so serious happening, how could you be fine? You must be shaken up…”

Call…

Melody felt helpless. “Grandma, I am really…” Ken immediately intervened, pulling Melody close and addressing Margaret, “Grandma, she was shaken up; I’ll take her upstairs to rest first. You can go ahead and have dinner without waiting for us.”

Margaret nodded repeatedly. “Take her upstairs to rest. I’ll have the kitchen prepare a glass of chamomile I used to have so she can get a good night’s sleep.”

Ken nodded and half-dragged her back to their room without giving Melody a chance to say anything. Once inside, Melody couldn’t help but protest, “I’m really fine. Why did you lie to her?”

Ken suddenly grew serious. “Melody, I know you truly care about grandma. But think about it-do you believe that my grandma’s mysterious illness had no connection at all with that mother and son?”

Melody was taken aback and fell silent. She hadn’t considered that possibility and had no way of verifying it. Previously, she had interacted with the Swanson family too late, and by the time she did, Margaret had already committed suicide.

Ken took a deep breath, his expression growing more serious. “I hadn’t considered this before, but recent events are making me think that everything that happened in the past might not have been mere coincidence. My dad listens most to my grandma. With her gone, the only woman in charge of the household is Astrid. And with Astrid in charge, the only one who benefits is Ulric…”

Melody broke out in a cold sweat as she recalled her grandmother, who Yolanda had similarly harmed her previously.

“I understand what you mean now,” she said, lowering her gaze. “Deceiving Margaret for a while allows us to protect her for longer. Don’t worry; I won’t dwell on these small matters anymore.”

Ken felt relieved and instructed her to take a hot bath and rest before heading downstairs. Downstairs, although Margaret was seated at the dining table, it was clear that she hadn’t touched her bowl.

Ken sat down and immediately reprimanded the servants. “Can’t you see that the dishes on the table aren’t to grandma’s liking? Have the kitchen prepare a completely new set of dishes!”

“Don’t,” Margaret waved her hand. “It’s not their fault; I just have no appetite.” She dismissed all the servants and turned to Ken, saying, “I’ve sent Astrid back to the Hunter family.”

Chapter 669

The villa was filled with Ken’s people, so the news didn’t surprise him. However, he still asked, “If Dad asks about this, what should we tell him?”

Margaret’s face darkened. “Just say the truth! I know Wendell well enough. He was so antagonistic towards Melody that he even tried to kill her when he was with the Hunter family. But then he turned around and blamed Ulric, which shows that Ulric was behind everything!”

Margaret had witnessed everything firsthand. Even though she was older and her mind wasn’t as sharp, she could still piece together that Ulric had used Wendell to try and eliminate Melody. “Melody is my savior, and I truly don’t understand why he would go to such lengths against her, especially at such a high cost. That’s his uncle! It’s a misfortune for our family, truly a misfortune!” Margaret’s frustration grew, and she had trouble catching her breath by the end.

Ken quickly started to head upstairs to get Melody, but Margaret stopped him. “I’m fine; I just need a bit of water!” With the servants dismissed, Ken poured a glass of water and gave it to Margaret. Thankfully, after drinking the water, her chest felt somewhat relieved, though the anger she felt in her heart was something she knew would never truly settle.

Margaret sighed and said, “I’ve always tried to be fair to you and Ulric, giving you a bit more care in daily life since he still has his mother looking after him. I wonder if my greater concern for you has contributed to Ulric’s current behavior.” Ken remained silent, feeling it was inappropriate to voice his opinions in front of Margaret.

At that moment, Margaret suddenly asked, “Ken, tell me the truth- what exactly happened with Ulric’s leg back then?” This matter had been bothering her for a long time. On one hand, she couldn’t believe that Ken could be responsible. On the other hand, she found it painful to doubt Ulric. As a result, even years after the incident, she refused to see Ken.

Ken gave a bitter smile and said, “Grandma, after all these years, I’m finally hearing you ask me about it directly.”

Margaret felt a sharp pang of guilt and sorrow. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Ken; she was afraid to face the truth, fearing it might be even more painful than knowing Ken had injured Ulric’s legs. “I’m sorry… I’ve been selfish, wanting to see the family united but without considering your feelings.”

Ken shook his head, gazing out the window as he began to speak, almost as if recalling a memory. “That day, Ulric broke a vase in my study. It was my mom’s relic. You know, she loved collecting antiques.”

Margaret nodded. Ken continued, “I had treasured that vase because I’d heard my mom liked it. She had placed it on a high shelf to prevent it from being accidentally knocked over. But that day, when I walked into the study, I saw the vase’s shattered pieces lying near Ulric’s feet. He had used the vase and his words to provoke me, and I lost my temper and acted against him…”

Margaret’s heart skipped a beat. “So, you reacted by…”

Ken shook his head again. “Even if I hated him, I wouldn’t have crippled his legs. I only struck him, and you all heard the commotion and rushed over quickly. By the time you arrived, he had already injured his legs. I was young and scared at the time, and by the time I managed to explain, you were already discussing whether to send me to a juvenile detention center.”

In the end, Ramon intervened and prevented Ken from being sent away. However, shortly after, Ken was sent abroad to study. During that time, he spent daily with Sid, Janet, and the others. It could be said that those were the darkest days of his life.

Upon hearing this, Margaret felt even more heartbroken, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. “It’s my fault, I’m so sorry… It’s all my fault…”

Ken shook his head and took Margaret’s hand. “It’s all in the past now.”

After a while, Margaret managed to steady herself, but it seemed she had aged a decade instantly. Her voice was hoarse as she said, “Rest assured, I couldn’t give you an explanation back then, but now I will make things right with Melody. However, you need to be honest with me. Since you and Melody have been married, is it because of my insistence, or do you truly have feelings for her? If you don’t have any feelings for her, I won’t force you. I’ll be the one to take the blame.”

“Grandma,” Ken said with utmost sincerity, “At first, I didn’t accept this marriage, but now, I want to spend my life with her. Our relationship is something we need to handle ourselves.” He pondered, ‘I won’t force her to stay with me if she genuinely doesn’t have feelings for me. As I told her, their happiness matters most if I truly love someone.’

Margaret smiled with relief. “I knew she was a good person, so I arranged for you two to get married. It seems my stubbornness wasn’t in vain after all.”

“Yes, thank you for bringing such a wonderful person into my life.”

Margaret forced a smile and said, “I’m tired. I’m going to rest now. You should get some rest, too.”

“Alright,” Ken said, helping Margaret back to her room before heading to his study.

An antique restorer had repaired the shattered vase, but the cracks were still visible upon close inspection. Ken traced his finger gently over the line of the crack. After the incident with Ulric’s legs, he wanted to escape from the Swanson family, which led him to join forces with Sid and others to establish Ximber Tech.

But over the past six months, he had a sudden realization. Endless retreat and endurance would not bring peace. Only by taking proactive action and dispelling the shadows could he hope to secure a future bathed in constant sunlight.

There was a knock at the door of the study.

“Come in.”

As the command was given, James quietly entered. “Mr. Swanson, per your instructions, the most capable members around Ulric have been dealt with.”

Ken gave a curt nod and, after a moment, finally spoke. “The weather’s about to change. Make sure to dress warmly.” With that, he walked out of the study.

James stood there, puzzled, wondering, ‘Change in the weather? Which one is he referring to?’

After some thought, James realized he wasn’t the best at deciphering such cryptic messages. He turned to his phone and ordered three down jackets, figuring it was always better to be prepared.

The following day, Melody learned that Margaret sent Astrid back to the Hunter family. However, before Melody could fully enjoy the news, a servant informed her, “It seems Mrs. Margaret has fallen ill again; she woke up this morning covered in cold sweat. Mr. Swanson had pressing matters, so he only checked on her briefly before leaving. He asked me to remind you to visit her after breakfast.”

Melody immediately set aside her half-eaten bowl of oatmeal and said, “I’ll go check on her first.”

Chapter 670

The servant who delivered the message was surprised to see Melody immediately leave her meal.

However, she quickly seized the opportunity when no one was watching and followed Melody.

Once they reached the second floor and found themselves alone, the servant whispered, “Mrs. Swanson, there’s something else I need to tell you.”

Melody slowed her pace. Since the message had come from Ken, she assumed the servant was trustworthy. She nodded patiently and said, “Go ahead, what is it?”

The servant spoke rapidly, explaining that when they returned yesterday, Margaret had instructed Astrid to return to her family under the pretense of visiting her parents. Astrid, panicking, had packed up and left without fully understanding the implications of the request. This morning, realizing what had happened, she returned with her suitcase, only to be stopped by Margaret’s servant.

Melody raised an eyebrow and asked, “So she was stopped?”

“Yes.” The servant nodded. “Mrs. Astrid’s face turned quite pale when she saw it. But Lucy, one of Mrs. Margaret’s most trusted servants, didn’t flinch. She quoted Mrs. Margaret directly, saying that Mrs. Astrid should reflect on her parenting and that she couldn’t return without explicit orders. Unable to tolerate the humiliation, Mrs. Astrid had no choice but to leave angrily.”

Margaret’s authority within the Swanson family was immense; even her servants had the power to enforce her will. Astrid didn’t dare argue. Astrid might have reacted differently if the servant had been someone else.

Melody nodded. “I understand. You can go back to your duties now.”

“Noted.” Once the servant had left, Melody knocked on Margaret’s door.

Soon, Lucy answered the door. Seeing Melody, she quickly ushered her inside. “Mrs. Swanson, you must check on Mrs. Margaret. She’s started talking unclearly, and no matter how I persuade her, she refuses to go to the hospital.”

“Don’t worry, I’m here,” Melody reassured Lucy before quickly heading into the room.

Melody found Margaret writhing in pain, her lips pale, and her forehead drenched in cold sweat.

She immediately checked the temperature and confirmed it was a fever, though thankfully, the temperature was not high. Recognizing that fevers can be more severe for older individuals, Melody didn’t let her guard down. She carefully pulled Margaret’s hand from under the covers and took her pulse.

Lucy, standing behind, eagerly asked when she saw Melody had let go of her wrist, “How is Mrs. Fox, Mrs. Swanson?”

Melody, feeling slightly relieved, said, “It’s nothing serious. It’s just chills and a fever caused by wind and cold.”

Lucy glanced at Margaret and said, “It seems like she is in a lot of discomfort. Are you sure it’s just a cold?”

“It’s normal. Older people are much more affected by a fever than the young. Once the fever goes down, she’ll feel much better. She likely caught a chill at the funeral yesterday.”

Lucy sighed, saying, “If that’s the case, then it’s my fault. I only noticed in the middle of the night that she was crying in a thin gown by the window. That must be when she caught the cold.”

Melody nodded. “That’s likely the case. But you don’t need to worry too much. Even though the illness came on strongly, it will pass quickly. I’ll prescribe some medicine for you. Have someone go to Herbathrive to get it. Once she drinks it and sweats it out, she should feel much better by tomorrow.”

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief, clasped her hands in gratitude, and said, “Thank you so much, Mrs. Swanson.”

“Don’t mention it.” Melody got up, filled a basin with water, and soaked a towel in it. She folded the towel into a square and placed it on Margret’s forehead. The cool compress seemed to offer some relief, and her furrowed brow began to relax.

Seeing that Margaret looked a bit more comfortable, Melody took the opportunity to call Ken. Knowing she was calling about Margaret, Ken asked, “How is Grandma doing?”

“It’s just a cold with a fever, compounded by her emotional stress. I’ve already prescribed a remedy to help with the cold and fever and ease her worries. You don’t need to worry about it; focus on your work.”

Ken was utterly relieved by her words. “Then I’ll leave it to you to care for her today.”

“No problem.” The two of them no longer needed many words; everything was understood without being spoken.

After ending the call, Ken instructed James, “You don’t need to accompany me. Go back to the villa.”

James hesitated, feeling that returning would only leave him as a passive observer, unable to assist Melody. But then Ken added, “Since Astrid isn’t around, use this opportunity to replace her and Ulric’s people. Bring in more of our people, and don’t hold back.”

James’s eyes lit up. He thought, ‘Ah, finally some action!’

“Got it!” he responded loudly, quickly nodded before turning on his heel and leaving.

He had been waiting for this day for a long time. He thought, ‘In the past, Mr. Swanson never fought back or argued, even when he was wrongly accused and labeled as the villain who ruined his brother’s legs. But now, he’s finally decided to fight back and take them on.

Lucy quickly brought back the medicine from Herbathrive inside the villa per Melody’s prescription.

Melody stood by brewing the medicine and personally carried it to Margaret’s room. In such critical times, every detail mattered, and nothing was left to chance.

After taking the medicine, Margaret soon fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she had sweated profusely, and her condition had noticeably improved. Most reassuringly, she even began to feel hungry.

Feeling hungry after a fever is a positive sign. Melody instructed Lucy to have the kitchen prepare a bowl of banana oatmeal while she took the opportunity to check Margaret’s temperature.

At nearly 99°F, Margaret’s temperature was slightly elevated compared to her usual, but she was expected to recover fully soon.

After finishing a bowl of banana oatmeal, Margaret could sit up by herself. She held Melody’s hand and said, “I’m sorry to trouble you again.”

Melody shook her head and replied, “Don’t mention it. As your granddaughter-in-law, it’s only right for me to care for you.”

Although the title was temporary and could be removed at any time, she had previously been urging Ken to get a divorce. However, she was hesitant, even reluctant, to say it out loud.

She knew it wasn’t right, but even the sharpest mind can falter once emotions take over. She now understood that her heart had already been given away.

The only silver lining was that even if she and Ken don’t become actual spouses or lovers, they will remain lifelong allies. Just thinking about this brought her some relief from the bitterness.

Melody shook off the confusing thoughts and said, “You have a task today. You need to drink at least nine glasses of water.”

Margaret, who disliked drinking water, bargained with Melody, “How about six glasses of water?”

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Chapter 661

After a while, the ceremony of holding the cross and reading from the Bible ended. The elderly couple from the Hunter family approached and said, “We appreciate everyone’s efforts. There’s still some time before lunch, so we’ve arranged a lounge at the cemetery where you can relax, have coffee, enjoy refreshments, and warm up.”

It rained heavily yesterday, and although it didn’t rain today, the temperature had dropped even further, with a biting chill lingering in the air. In the southern region, autumn feels more like the onset of winter. After standing here for a while, everyone could feel the cold seeping in, so they all nodded in agreement at the suggestion.

“Sorry for the trouble.”

“Not at all; it’s the least we could do…” With that, the group, led by the Hunter family, made their way to the lounge at the cemetery to rest.

The lounge’s decor was quite ordinary, but the space was ample, with many rooms available for sleeping. The building had three and a half floors, with winding hallways that made getting lost easily if one was there for the first time. The sleeping rooms were set up because some families chose early times for the ceremony and had to bring the ashes ahead of time, staying overnight. However, this was rare since it was a cemetery, and few people were keen on spending the night there.

Melody and Ken followed the group and sat down where drinks and snacks were laid out. She glanced at the drinks, feeling the chill in her hands and feet, but decided not to touch it. It was better to stay cautious.

Before long, a group of people eager to curry favor with the Swanson family gathered around. “Mr. Swanson, it’s been a while since we last saw you. The last time was at the Swanson Group’s annual event. You’re looking more and more handsome.”

“What would you like to eat? Let us get it for you.”

“Mr. Ken, I previously mentioned a project to you…”

As more people gathered, some not recognizing Melody’s identity, they signaled her to move aside. Melody chose to ignore them. However, many of the people carried a strong scent of cigarettes and alcohol. With her heightened senses of taste and smell, she found the odor

overwhelming. She told Ken she would sit nearby and then got up and left. Ken didn’t follow her but gazed towards a corner of the room.

James was standing in the corner, and no one knew when he had arrived. James immediately understood when Ken shot him a glance and quickly followed Melody. She hadn’t left, finding a chair within a turn of Ken’s safe zone, where she sat down.

Not long after sitting down, James approached. “Miss Fox, I’ve come to keep you company.

Melody nodded in response, about to speak, when her peripheral vision caught sight of a familiar figure. Her eyelid twitched as she grabbed James’s sleeve. “It’s Jennie. James was momentarily confused. “Who did you say?”

“She’s Regina’s mother-one of those malicious doctors,” Melody said.

A screen shielded them, so Melody and James leaned back slightly, ensuring the screen blocked Jennie’s view. However, they could still see through the gaps in the screen and observe Jennie. She seemed unaware of their presence, glancing around before stealthily approaching the second floor.

Her furtive behavior immediately made Melody frown.” There’s something wrong. What’s on the second floor?” “It’s just where the guest rooms are-nothing much there. But…” James paused, then added, “It seems the elderly couple from the Hunter family are on the second floor.”

“I wonder what she’s up to, Melody said, frowning. “We need to check it out.”

James quickly said, “You stay here. I’ll go check it out. What if she’s trying to draw us away from something?”

“Alright.” Melody shared the same suspicion. They wouldn’t choose to deal with James now; the target must be either her or Ken. She couldn’t afford to wander around carelessly. “However, be cautious. Jennie isn’t as easy to handle as you might think. If the situation seems off, don’t push it- come back and find us immediately,” Melody reminded. “I’ll be careful, Miss Fox,” James assured.

Seeing Melody nod, James quickly moved toward the direction Jennie had gone, soon disappearing around the corner of the stairs. Melody was about to go and inform Ken but had only taken a couple of steps from her chair when she encountered Wendell.

She didn’t want to cause a scene with Wendell, so she stepped back to let him pass first. However, Wendell stopped before her, glaring with intense, fiery eyes.

“Bitch, let me tell you, you won’t be able to stay on top for much longer! Even if I can’t deal with you, plenty of others can. Don’t think hiding behind Mrs. Swanson and Ken will keep you safe. What goes around comes around, and Cadence will never forgive you, even in the afterlife! She’ll come for you sooner or later to settle the score!”

Melody replied, “Mr. Hunter, I don’t understand why you’re saying these. Whether you believe it or not, Miss Hunter’s death wasn’t caused by me. With all the videos online, why don’t you check them out? Why persist in accusing and slandering me? If it helps you feel better, you can continue to accuse me. I promise I won’t say a word in response.”

“You-” Wendell was seething with anger, and he reached out to slap Melody.

Melody avoided his strike by stepping aside, but she heard a dull thud behind her when she turned. Instinctively, she looked back to see Wendell, his face ashen, clutching his neck with one hand while dark blood trickled from his mouth.

Melody’s eyelid twitched violently as she quickly moved toward him. “Mr. Hunter?

“Wendell Hunter! What’s wrong with you?” She reached out to shake his arm, only to find several deep scratches already on it, likely from him scratching due to intense itching.

She thought, ‘What’s happening? The symptoms look like poisoning.’ As Melody’s mind raced, trying to decide whether to call for help or first attend to Wendell, she heard a group of people approaching from behind the screen. “The weather changes daily; it’s getting colder and colder.” “Yes, we might need to wear down jackets tomorrow.” “You young folks shouldn’t sacrifice warmth for style. If you catch a cold, you’ll be the one suffering later on.”

It was Margaret’s voice.

Melody felt a throbbing in her forehead. Wendell, Jennie, arguments, accusations, and Ulric’s attempts to smooth things over these elements quickly formed a troubling guess in Melody’s mind. Ulric seemed intent on using Wendell’s death to condemn her to a dire fate completely. It appeared Wendell was unaware he was being used as a pawn, sacrificing his life to create trouble for her. It turned out that Jennie’s ploy was to lure James away from the situation.

She gritted her teeth, stood up, and shouted to the crowd,” Help! Is anyone there? Please, someone, help!” Melody looked in urgent panic and quickly ran towards Ken.

But she had barely taken a few steps before Astrid called out to her. “Melody Fox, what are you doing!”

Chapter 662

Although Melody had already figured out what was happening, she intentionally acted in panic. Staying too calm might have made her seem suspicious.

Wendell happened to be lying beside the screen, which blocked the view of Astrid and the group. They only saw Melody shouting “Help!” and “Something’s wrong!” loudly and frantically. Her dramatic behavior even made Astrid, the stepmother, feel embarrassed.

Many of today’s attendees were relatives of the Hunter family, and Astrid was concerned about how they might perceive Melody’s dramatic display. Unable to control Ken, she couldn’t even manage his wife. Feeling frustrated, Astrid called out to Melody and coldly reprimanded her, Running around and shouting like this-what kind of behavior is that? Is this how the Fox family is raised?” After the harsh words out, Astrid realized it was inappropriate, especially with Mabel, also from the Fox family, following behind her. But there was no time for regret as she had already reached the screen. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wendell on the ground, violently vomiting blood.

Astrid’s eyes widened in shock, and she joined Melody, shouting, “Help! Someone! Help! Wendell, can you hear me?”

Astrid dropped her knees, ignoring her status, and desperately shook Wendell. His eyes were completely bloodshot, and aside from whether he could see clearly, his neck was almost torn open from his frantic scratching.

Only then did everyone realize something serious had happened, rather than Melody’s supposed lack of manners. Margaret also came over, and although her face showed fear, she remained more composed than the tearful Astrid.” Quick, get a doctor…”

Margaret suddenly realized that Melody was a skilled doctor. She quickly changed her instructions, urging someone to fetch the Hunter family elders and call the police. Then she turned to Melody and said, “Melody, aren’t you a doctor? Please, take a look and see what’s wrong with him.”

Melody maintained a naturally panicked expression. “I am trained in medicine, but I’ve never seen a case like this… I can try to help, but I can’t guarantee a hundred percent success. You should call an ambulance in the meantime.”

“Alright!” Before Margaret could respond, someone nearby had quickly called for an ambulance.

Melody moved closer to Wendell, but before she could reach him, Astrid suddenly glared fiercely and shoved her away. Melody stumbled dramatically, feigning confusion.

Margaret saw the commotion and furrowed her brows in concern. “Astrid, what are you doing? Let Melody help your brother right away!”

“Mom!” Astrid said, protecting Wendell with one hand while turning to Margaret. “My brother had an accident, and now, Melody is the only one here. How can we be sure she didn’t cause this?”

Margaret was taken aback. “What are you saying? Melody would never do something like this.”

Melody added, “I was talking to Mr. Hunter earlier but didn’t do anything. He suddenly collapsed and started vomiting blood. I was just as shocked and hurriedly called for help. You all heard me shouting.”

Astrid sneered. “Hearing is one thing, but seeing is believing. I saw that Wendell was alone with you when this happened. Besides, Wendell has had several conflicts with you today-who’s to say you didn’t use your medical skills to poison him deliberately?”

Mabel, following behind, glanced subtly and tried to support Astrid. “Melody, are you confused and made a mistake? If you tell the truth, I believe everyone would understand.” Though it sounded like she was helping, she desperately tried to shift the blame onto Melody.

Melody inwardly sneered but maintained her composure.”>

Mabel, I truly didn’t do anything! Why would I harm someone for no reason? That would only bring trouble upon myself.”

“But the only people here were you and Mr. Hunter. Melody, you really mustn’t make a mistake!”

Margaret’s gaze turned wary again, clearly influenced by Mabel’s words. She thought, ‘Could it be… Surely not, right?”

Melody noticed the shift in Margaret’s expression and decided not to engage further with Mabel. She turned directly to Margaret. “Grandma, arguing won’t help. It’s better to try to see if I can save him first. The truth will come out once Mr. Hunter wakes up, and I can clear my name.”

“Yes, that’s right!” Margaret nodded vigorously. “The most urgent thing is to save him. Astrid, I understand your doubts, but what Melody says is true. And with so many people watching, even if Melody were involved, she wouldn’ t dare to do anything now. Don’t let your suspicions delay her from trying to save Wendell! The Hunter family only has this one successor left!”

Astrid’s skepticism remained, but Margaret’s comment about the Hunter family’s sole successor jolted her into action. She stepped back and warned Melody sternly, “You better be genuinely trying to help him! If you have even malicious intent, I’ll make sure you pay the price, even if it costs me my life!”

Astrid’s interference had already wasted time, so Melody decided not to argue further and risk more delay. Instead, she dropped her knees beside Wendell, pulling one of his hands firmly as she focused on taking his pulse.

The pulse felt like boiling water one moment and a still, deep pool the next. Melody broke into a cold sweat; this poison was far more severe and complex than anything she had encountered before, even more challenging than what Mrs. Wallrich had suffered from. Moreover, she identified the poison as one that would leave no trace after death, making it impossible to detect once the victim was gone. It meant it could easily be used to frame her for Wendell’s death.

She thought, ‘How sinister and vicious!’ She had anticipated that something would go wrong today, but despite all her precautions, she hadn’t expected her opponent to stoop so low.

“How is he?” Margaret asked.

“His symptoms indicate poisoning. I’ll start to help detoxify him,” Melody replied truthfully.

“Poison…” Margaret gasped in shock, instinctively growing worried for herself as well.

People are inherently selfish, and others worry about whether they have come into contact with anything dangerous. The big question was whether this poison was intended solely for Wendell or if it was meant to affect everyone present. To put it bluntly, those gathered here were prominent figures in Silverlake, and even minor harm to them would be considered a significant loss. There are plenty of people who would benefit from their downfall. Everyone was on edge for the moment, but since Margaret was still present, they dared not leave and had to wait anxiously. Meanwhile, Melody focused on the immediate concern and told Margaret, “Yes, it’s poisoning indeed, and it’s severe. I recommend calling the police right away.” Margaret nodded rapidly and instructed, “Quickly, call the police.” Seeing Melody so composed and proactively suggesting reporting the incident, her lingering doubts dissipated.

Chapter 663

But Astrid was not concerned with anything beyond her immediate goal. In her view, if Wendell didn’t survive, Melody would be the prime suspect. Even though she was deeply pained by Wendell’s death, she still placed more importance on her son.

Astrid thought that if she could use this situation to bring Ken down as well, Wendell’s death would not have been in vain; it would have made a significant impact on her life. As for their parents, she was prepared to support them in Wendell’s stead. With this thought, Astrid felt a sudden and powerful urge for Melody not to save Wendell. Once the thought arose, it was impossible to suppress.

Seeing Melody about to administer the treatment, Astrid acted on impulse and grabbed Melody’s arm, preventing her from proceeding.

Astrid’s intervention took Melody aback, her brows furrowing deeply. “What are you doing?”

At this moment, Astrid had made up her mind entirely. She thought, ‘My brother’s life isn’t as important as my son’s future.’

Astrid narrowed her eyes coldly and said, “What am I doing? With such a long needle, it looks like you’re hoping he won’t die that quick so you can push him straight to death! I can’t just stand by and watch you kill him!”

“I’m not harming him; I’m trying to save him! If the toxins aren’t removed quickly, he’ll absorb them all, and then it will be too late!” Melody said.

“Stop lying! I don’t need your help! I won’t let him be at risk any longer. The ambulance is on its way. Wait to face the consequences!”

“You-” Before Melody could continue, a large hand appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Astrid by the arm and forcefully tossing her aside.

With a dull thud, Astrid crashed into the wall, letting out a piercing scream. “Ah-” Everyone, including Melody, instinctively turned to look at the owner of that mighty hand.

“Ken?” Melody surprised. She thought her earlier shouting hadn’t reached Ken, implying the distraction also lured him away. To her surprise, he had arrived just in time. Ken’s sudden appearance had undoubtedly added a powerful ally to the mix. It was a game-changer for Melody, who could focus on the critical task without the added pressure of being obstructed by others.

“Ken Swanson! What are you doing?” Astrid grimaced in pain, trying to push herself up from the ground. But Ken’s fierce gaze made Astrid freeze, unable to move or speak for a moment.

Astrid thought, ‘His gaze and presence were genuinely terrifying!’ Usually, Ken’s gaze was already intimidating, but today, she truly experienced what genuine, deep-seated fear felt like.

Seeing that Astrid had quieted down, Ken slightly tilted his head. His two subordinates immediately stepped forward, positioning themselves before her to ensure she couldn’t interfere with Melody. Once everything was in place, Ken turned his attention to Melody. Noticing she remained focused and unaffected, he let out a deep sigh of relief.

After Melody left, Ken sent James to follow her. Ken was about to find an excuse to leave when he heard a commotion from the other side of the hallway. Someone was shouting that a woman, presumably from the Fox family, had been bitten by a stray dog. Ken immediately pushed through the crowd and ran toward the source of the commotion. However, halfway there, Ken realized the truth. Given Melody’s skills, a stray dog would unlikely bite her. It was a diversion.

So, Ken turned and ran back, and sure enough, he found that something had gone wrong on Melody’s side. Fortunately, he arrived just in time.

At that moment, Ulric’s dismissive voice cut through the tension. “Ken Swanson, what have you done to my mother and uncle?” He sat in a wheelchair, flanked by a group of imposing bodyguards, his presence commanding and undiminished despite his seated position.

Mabel, relishing the drama, eagerly added fuel to the fire. She wished that Melody would be arrested by the police immediately and sentenced to life in prison, believing her mother would finally rest in peace. So Mabel said, “Ulric, Mrs. Swanson suspects that Melody poisoned Mr. Hunter and tried to stop her from approaching him. As a result, Mr. Ken Swanson intervened and held her back over there…”

As Mabel spoke, Margaret frowned deeply. She thought, This girl is far from as simple as she appears!’ Margaret cleared her throat and said, “Ulric, things are not as she says. Your mother is suspicious and believes Melody caused your uncle’s poisoning, but there’s no evidence to support that claim. Seeing that your uncle’s condition is serious, I took the initiative to have Melody treat him. Your brother did the right thing; don’t let yourself be misled.”

Mabel’s eyelids twitched, and she said nervously, “Mrs. Margaret, I just…”

“Enough, it’s not your place to speak,” Margaret cut her off, clearly displeased with Mabel.

Mabel felt frustrated with herself for jumping in a hurry. She could only hope that Melody was indeed the culprit. She thought, ‘Whether it’s truly Melody or not, she must end up behind bars!”

Ulric’s expression remained stern despite Margaret’s words. “Grandma, I understand that you trust Melody because she treated your illness. But no matter how much we like someone, we can’t ignore doubts. It’s better if I have someone take Uncle to the hospital directly. After all, Melody is still young, and professional medical treatment is more reliable.”

Once he took control of the situation, when they arrived at the hospital, it was up to him. No matter how advanced the medical facilities were, they couldn’t save someone beyond recovery.

“No!” Ken said coldly, “Melody is already working to save him. You should wait a little longer. Instead of wasting time on the road, following her instructions and detoxifying Mr. Hunter first is better.”

Ulric narrowed his eyes. “Ken, you’re acting strangely… Could it be that you’re involved in this as well?”

With Ulric present, Astrid’s courage grew bolder. “Ken Swanson, everyone knows your ambitions, even if they don’t say it out loud. If you’re willing to cripple your brother, what do you think my brother means to you? Step aside with your wife right now if you have any decency left! Otherwise, don’t blame us for suspecting you too!”

Ken ignored the fearful, suspicious, or even contemptuous looks. With his chin held high, he declared, “As long as I’m here today, no one will stop Melody from saving lives! No one knows what intentions the two of you have!”

“Ken, are you determined to turn things upside down?” Ulric pursed his lip, then suddenly waved his hand and ordered, “Seize him!”

The two groups quickly clashed. Ulric’s side had at least twenty people, while Ken had only three. Fortunately, Ken was skilled enough to take on multiple opponents at once. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the fight’s outcome remained uncertain.

Meanwhile, James, who had been chasing after Jennie, returned empty-handed. He had searched up and down every staircase, scouring each floor, but had found no sign of her. Therefore, he wanted to report to Ken first but was taken aback when he saw Ken engaged in a fierce fight with Ulric’s men.

He thought, ‘This is outrageous-resorting to numbers to overwhelm fewer people and even forcing Mr. Swanson to get involved personally!’

“Mr. Swanson, here I come!” James shouted as he rolled up his sleeves and charged into the fray.

Chapter 664

With James joining the fray, Ken’s side visibly gained an advantage. On the brink of being overwhelmed, his two bodyguards found renewed energy upon seeing James charge in, fighting with renewed vigor as if they were reinvigorated. The clash was far from a simple brawl; every strike and maneuver targeted vital points, aiming for debilitating or even fatal damage. One misstep could leave someone permanently incapacitated.

Having never witnessed such a scene before, the guests scattered in panic, with some running away and others seeking cover. Only a few brave men and Margaret remained, desperately trying to intervene and diffuse the situation. “Please, stop fighting!”

“Ulric! Ken! Both of you, stop this at once!” But the voices of Margaret and a few brave men were drowned out by the sounds of the brawl.

Despite the chaos around her, Melody remained extraordinarily calm, continuing with the acupuncture for Wendell. She knew that saving Wendell was her only chance to clear her name. Even if he didn’t speak up for her after waking, she had to give it her all. Melody precisely and steadily stabbed into each acupuncture point while two groups of people continued to fight fiercely behind her.

The scene was reminiscent of the day the youth center caught fire when she bravely faced the blazing flames around her, battling wits with the hacker behind the screen.

Ulric glanced over and felt a slight tremor in his heart. He thought, ‘Melody Fox truly is not an ordinary person.

If Melody were on Ulric’s side, he would treat her well, just as he did with Jennie, making her a valued guest and tolerating her less attractive appearance. He might even marry Melody, just as Ken had. To him, Ken was using Melody, as Ulric would. It was inconceivable that Ken genuinely liked someone he considered so unattractive.

However, since Melody had firmly allied herself with Ken, they could only be enemies.

Ulric felt a pang of pity, but his gaze grew even colder. It was precisely because of Melody’s exceptional skills that he was determined to find a way to eliminate her. He could not allow her to continue being Ken’s powerful ally.

Ulric glanced at his injured leg, cursing his incomplete recovery. If fully healed, he could join the fray and engage in a deadly fight with Ken. As it stood, his leg could manage walking but little else; even a slight push could send him tumbling. He was far from fit for battle.

Ulric, irritated, thumped his injured leg. He noticed Mabel hiding behind him out of the corner of his eye. His frown deepened, then suddenly relaxed as he turned to her and said, “Mabel, go stop your sister! We can’t let her be the cause of my uncle’s death. I’m begging you!”

Mabel’s fear of Melody was palpable, but Ulric’s plea was too important to ignore. It was her chance to prove her loyalty and gain favor with Ulric.

Seeing Melody intensely focused on her task, Mabel gathered all her courage. She reasoned that Melody, engrossed in her work and oblivious to the chaos around her, would likely be unaware of her approach.

At that moment, Ulric suddenly handed her a gleaming dagger. The cold glint of the blade mirrored the icy thrill in her heart. Mabel thought, ‘This is my chance to avenge my mother and make a mark in front of Ulric!’

Mabel gritted her teeth, took the dagger from Ulric, and, avoiding the fighting crowd and the watchful eyes of Margaret and the guests, quietly made her way to the screen.

Her thoughts raced, ‘Melody Fox, go and die!’ With a swift motion, she raised the dagger, aiming for the back of Melody’s neck. The blade would surely draw a stream of blood. Excitement gleamed in Mabel’s eyes.

Just as her dagger was about to reach Melody, a leg suddenly kicked her elbow. “Ah-” Mabel cried out in pain as the dagger flew from her hand.

Hearing the noise, Melody turned and saw Ken delivering another kick to Mabel’s stomach. Mabel was sent flying approximately ten feet away, the pain causing her to pass out instantly.

Melody froze for a few seconds, her gaze falling on the dagger that had landed by Wendell’s feet. At that moment, she realized Ken had just saved her life. Melody had been so focused that she hadn’t noticed Mabel approaching. Melody thought, ‘Damn it… I almost got killed by her!’

However, Melody had no time to dwell on her anger, as the poison in Wendell’s body had reached its most critical point. She couldn’t even spare a glance at Ken; instead, she immediately resumed the acupuncture. Finally, the acupuncture had come to an end.

Blackened blood droplets began to appear on his body. But it wasn’t enough, it was far from enough.

At this rate, the poison wouldn’t be halfway expelled before Wendell might already succumb. Suddenly, Melody’s eyes lit up when she noticed the dagger that Mabel had dropped. Without a moment’s hesitation, Melody picked up the dagger. There was no time or means to sterilize it, so Melody immediately grasped Wendell’s hand, and with a precise motion, she made a deep, deliberate cut at a specific location.

The blood flowed from the wound instantly, aiding in the detoxification process through bloodletting.

It was one of the detoxification methods used in traditional medicine, but it was hazardous, especially in a situation like this where there was no immediate medical support. However, Wendell would have no chance of survival without this approach.

Melody hesitated for only a second before resolutely continuing. She grabbed Wendell’s other hand and started the bloodletting. After finishing with both hands, she moved on to his ear and slid the dagger over the earlobe. Soon, it seemed as if Wendell had turned into a blood-soaked figure, lying motionless in a pool of his blood.

Melody pulled out a life-saving pill that she always carried with her, a remedy crafted by her mentor, capable of reviving someone on the brink of death. She had been reluctant to use it, but now, she had no choice but to use it on Wendell, a man she had little regard for. She pried open his jaw, placed the pill inside, and quickly lifted his chin. His throat moved slightly, and the pill slid down.

Melody sighed in relief, realizing there was nothing more she could do but wait and see Wendell’s fate. One thing was sure; the poison he was afflicted with was a newly developed toxin from malicious doctors, as she had never encountered such a poison before.

Recalling the figure of Jennie she saw before Wendell’s incident, it was clear that Jennie developed this poison. She pondered, ‘No wonder mentor hates malicious doctors. Halcyon’s strict crackdown on them is justified. This faction definitely cannot be allowed to remain!’

At that moment, the sound of police sirens suddenly blared. A group of officers rushed in, brandishing batons as they charged toward the fighting crowd.

Upon seeing the police arrive, Ulric’s voice cut through the chaos with authority. “Everyone, stop!” His command instantly halted his men’s aggression. Ken and James also ceased their actions, pausing mid- strike.

“What are you all doing?” The lead officer’s gaze swept over the scene, and he immediately noticed Wendell lying in a pool of blood.

His heart sank as he thought, ‘So much blood… It’s serious!’

Chapter 665

The officer approached Melody, who was closest to Wendell. “Did you do this?” he asked, though the question seemed almost redundant given the bloodied dagger she was holding.

Melody calmly explained, “The blood is from me, but the poison in him has nothing to do with me. I performed the bloodletting to help detoxify him.”

Astrid shouted angrily, “You’re lying! Officer, this woman is the one who poisoned my brother and then, right in front of us, cut him and let out so much blood! Many people can testify to this. You must arrest her immediately!”

The officer’s gaze hardened. “Drop the tools in your hands!”

Melody complied, raising her hands to show she meant no further harm. The officer, slightly easing his grip on the stun baton, instructed her, “Back against the wall, turn around!”

As Melody was about to comply, Ken stepped forward and said, “She hasn’t lied or committed any crime. She’s a doctor, and she was trying to save a life. I can vouch for her.” Margaret quickly added, “I can confirm that as well!”

The officer surveyed the conflicting sides and said, “We must take her in for now. Once the investigation is complete, we’ll release her if she hasn’t done anything wrong. Don’t worry; we won’t wrongfully accuse anyone.”

Melody had heard this before. However, proving her innocence would rely solely on her. Once she was in the police station, who knew if Ulric would immediately sabotage her efforts? She couldn’t do anything inside, so she had to avoid being taken in.

Melody forced herself to stay calm and continued to defend herself, “You can consult medical professionals. The locations where I performed the bloodletting were carefully chosen, and the needles I used were specifically for detoxification.”

“I understand, but we still need to take you back for further investigation.”

The officer stepped forward to restrain her, but Ken quickly intervened. “You can’t just take her away like this.”

The officer, well aware of Ken’s status, responded with a tone of professional detachment. “I’m sorry, Mr. Swanson, but we must follow the law. Please don’t make this more difficult for us.”

Melody did not want to get Ken involved. She gritted her teeth and said, “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

“Melody!” Ken frowned deeply. “You don’t have to go with them.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself,” she said, giving him a look that conveyed her wish for him to stay out of it. Ken might still find a way to help from the outside, but if he came with her, her chances of finding a way out of the situation would be slim.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Swanson, Mrs. Margaret,” the officer said, nodding slightly before taking hold of Melody’s wrist and leading her away.

Mabel felt overjoyed. She thought, ‘They’ve taken her away! Melody is finally being arrested! Mom, did you see? I’ve avenged you! Melody will experience the pain you endured all. You can rest in peace now!’

As the officers escorted Melody out, they instructed, “Get the person on the ground lifted and rushed to the hospital immediately for emergency treatment.”

Melody glanced at Wendell, who remained unresponsive, and her eyes dimmed with worry. The hospital could not save him; this was no ordinary illness. The poison was from malicious doctors, and only those trained in ancient traditional medicine could offer a solution. Even experts like Colin, who were purely focused on traditional medicine, would be at a loss. This time, she might have indeed met her match.

“Don’t worry; I’ll get you out soon!” Ken’s gaze was intense, filled with unwavering determination. No matter what it took, he would ensure that she came out unharmed.

“Melody…” Margaret’s face was filled with worry and regret. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let you come to help. If we had sent him to the hospital earlier, you wouldn’t have had to…”

Melody forced a smile. “Grandma, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. The truth will clear itself. I believe in the fairness and justice of the law.”

“Yes, I will think of a way, too,” Margaret said.

The officers urged, “Let’s go!” Melody nodded and complied, walking out with them.

Mabel’s eyes sparkled with excitement as the weight of her lingering anxiety finally lifted. Through this incident, she finally realized the true nature of things. She thought, ‘Ulric’s constant attention to Melody, even during meals, wasn’t because he was foolishly infatuated with her. Instead, he also wanted to deal with her! How wonderful is that! It’s as if the heavens have finally brought about the justice we’ve all been waiting for!’ She felt that her recent grievances were nothing compared to this moment.

Mabel was inwardly thanking her lucky stars when suddenly, Wendell, who had been placed on a stretcher, coughed up a mouthful of dark blood. The police officer checking his breathing earlier was startled by this sudden change when there was no sign of it. The officer, shaken, nearly dropped the stretcher as a result.

“He’s awake! Wendell’s awake!” Margaret cried out. “Don’t take Melody away! She’s innocent-she’s the one who saved him!”

The officer holding Melody paused and turned back, asking, “Sir, are you alright now?”

Wendell opened his mouth and managed to say, “Water…”

“Quick! Get him some water!” Fortunately, everyone was here for coffee, so finding a cup of water wasn’t tricky. Soon, a group of people managed to bring a cup of water over.

Wendell, wincing in pain from the cuts on his hand, grabbed the cup with trembling fingers and drank deeply. As if the water had cleared a blockage, his breathing gradually became more manageable and smooth.

Ulric was taken aback by Melody’s ability to save someone. His frustration with Jennie grew while he still harbored deep resentment towards Melody. He thought, ‘Wasn’t it said that this poison was exceptionally deadly and insidious, with no one able to cure it? Yet Melody managed to resolve it despite our similar age. How could Jennie claim no one could solve it? Damn, Jennie!’

Ulric, masking his frustration with a veneer of concern but with a warning glint in his eyes, asked, “Uncle, you’re awake? Are you feeling better?”

Wendell looked at Ulric with a complex expression, and after a long pause of over a minute, he finally spoke, “I suppose I’m not going to die.” He wasn’t foolish; he could now see who had tried to kill and save him.

Even though he was in a semi-conscious state when the fight broke out, Wendell was aware of everything happening around him before he lost consciousness. Before the illness took hold, he had just drunk a glass of water that Jennie had handed him with courtesy. The problem lay with that glass of water. However, the fact that Ulric would act this way toward him was no surprise. What truly hurt was realizing that even his sister, Astrid, was involved in this betrayal; he was utterly disappointed.

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Chapter 656

Melody immediately sensed the change in Margaret’s expression. She was certain that Wendell must have said something to her. Judging from Margaret’s reaction,

Wendell might have directly said that she murdered Cadence.

However, Melody didn’t reveal anything on her face. Her eyes met Margaret’s gaze calmly and she smiled. Margaret also gave her a stiff smile before continuing to walk forward.

The two groups of people met. Margaret first asked Ulric if his leg had improved. Ulric replied that it was as usual and she patted his shoulder comforting him. Only then did she ask Melody and Ken, “How are you two getting along?”

“Grandma, I’m getting along very well with Melody. I plan to hold the wedding next year,” said Ken. “I see…” Margaret smiled, but the smile was not genuine.

When Melody saw Margaret looking over, she held her hand affectionately. “Grandma, let me check your pulse.” Margaret hesitated for a moment but did not refuse.

Half a minute later, Melody let go and said, “Have you been sleeping poorly recently?”

“I have no problem sleeping, but I wake up very early in the morning. Perhaps I’m not used to the foreign environment,” said Margaret.

“Then you pay more attention to your sleep these few days. If you still don’t sleep much, I’ll give you a prescription,” said Melody. “Alright.” Margaret smiled again, but this time, the smile was much more genuine.

Astrid quickly pulled Mabel over and introduced, “Mom, this is Ulric’s girlfriend, Mabel Fox. She won the Best Celebrity award of Silverlake last year and is about to enter Professor Ander Morgan’s laboratory. She’s a very brilliant girl.”

“Ander Morgan, I know about him. He’s indeed very capable.” Margaret looked at Mabel seriously. Seeing that her appearance was outstanding and was compatible with Ulric, she nodded in satisfaction.

Mabel quickly took the initiative to greet her. “Margaret, you can call me Mabel.” The smile on Margaret’s face deepened. “Good girl. Which family are you from?” Mabel said awkwardly, “I’m… Melody’s sister.”

Margaret raised her eyebrows in surprise but quickly regained her composure. “What a coincidence. In the future, sisters-in-law will be sisters. There won’t be any disagreements.”

“Margaret, don’t tease me…” Mabel lowered her eyes shyly, but she was extremely disgusted by the fact that she was Melody’s sister-in-law.

“Alright, Mom, let’s eat first. Breakfast is ready. You definitely didn’t eat much on the plane. Don’t starve yourself.” Astrid deliberately distanced Margaret from Melody. She stood on Margaret’s right and signaled Mabel with her eyes to stand on Margaret’s left. One on the left and the other on the right, leaving no space for Melody.

However, Melody had no intention of getting involved. She walked side by side with Ken behind the three of them and sat down at the dining table. As soon as they were seated, the servants in the kitchen immediately served the dishes one after another.

The dishes were diverse, encompassing both Halcyon and Western breakfast options. At last, the head chef appeared with a pot.

“What’s that?” Margaret asked in surprise. “Are you guys eating barbecue for breakfast? It’s so unhealthy!”

The head chef quickly explained, “It’s not barbecue, Mrs. Swanson. It’s chicken soup. We’ve skimmed the oil and it’s very delicious. We’ve used it to cook shrimp ravioli.” As he spoke, the deputy behind him placed a plate of delicate shrimp ravioli on the table.

The moment the shrimp ravioli appeared, it immediately attracted Margaret’s attention. “Are these shrimp ravioli? They’re so beautiful, like crystals.”

Astrid smiled and said, “It seems that the servants in the kitchen have put in a lot of effort knowing that you’re back. This is also the first time I’ve seen this.” As she spoke, she instructed the butler, “Double their bonuses.”

Just as the butler was about to respond, the head chef hurriedly waved his hand. “It’s not our effort. We don’t dare to claim it.”

“Oh? You didn’t make it? Then who made it?” Margaret asked curiously. Astrid suddenly remembered what the butler had told her in the morning. A bad feeling rose in her heart.

As expected, the next moment, the head chef said, “Mrs. Melody Swanson made it. She came to the kitchen at 6:00 a.m. Just making the skin of the shrimp ravioli took her an hour. Mrs. Swanson, you have a taste of it.”

Astrid’s face darkened. ‘When did that little bitch bribe everyone in the kitchen? This head chef came from Michelin and is usually arrogant. He has never put in a good word for anyone. This bitch is really something!’

She suppressed her anger and looked at Margaret, only to notice Margaret smiled and said, “Melody, thank you for your effort.”

Melody shook her head calmly. “Not at all. I haven’t seen you for so long and I’ve always wanted to make something for you, but my ability is limited. I can only make this kind of food for you to warm up.”

“The weather is indeed getting cold.” Margaret gave her a look of appreciation. At the same time, she felt a little guilty.

Her illness was cured by Melody. It could be said that Melody had saved her life. But now, because of Wendell’s nonsense after getting drunk, she had estranged Melody. It was really her fault.

Moreover, Wendell was unreliable to begin with. He did many dirty things, but she just turned a blind eye and couldn’t be bothered. It wasn’t that she couldn’t see it.

‘It’s most likely slander.’ Thinking of this, Margaret felt even more guilty. She picked up her fork and stuffed a freshly cooked shrimp ravioli into her mouth. With one bite, the smoothness of the prawn meat and the fragrance of the vegetables immediately spread into her mouth.

The eyes of Margaret, who hadn’t eaten Halcyon dishes for a long time, immediately brightened up. “Delicious!” Melody’ s smile deepened. “As long as you like it.”

“I like it, but it’s better not to do something so strenuous in the future. If your hubby doesn’t feel sorry for you, I will!” Her words were filled with doting for Melody. There was no longer the estrangement and distance from the beginning. Melody smiled, but she heaved a sigh of relief in her heart.” More than an hour has not been spent in vain.’ She turned around and her eyes met Ken’s gaze. Their eyes met, and Ken’s eyes were filled with admiration and pride for Melody. ‘With just a plate of shrimp ravioli, you’ve turned the tables on Wendell. You’re indeed my woman, thought Ken.

Seeing this scene, Ulric’s left hand, which was under the table, clenched into a fist. From the corner of his eye, he saw Mabel’s uncontrollable jealousy. He frowned deeply. ‘Mabel is very beautiful, smart, has excellent grades, and has indeed caught Ander Morgan’s attention. However, when it comes to handling people and situations, Mabel can’t compare to Melody at all,” thought Ulric.

In comparison, he felt disappointed. After feeling disappointed, he felt a sense of disdain.

However, Mabel, who was immersed in jealousy, did not sense it at all. She was only cursing Melody in her heart. ‘A pretentious toady!’

Chapter 657

Margaret, who always had a poor appetite, ate more than half a plate of shrimp ravioli. This was enough to prove how delicious the shrimp ravioli was.

In the end, Melody had to stop her. “Grandma, if you like it, I’ll make it for you again. Eating too much seafood will cause gout.” Only then did Margaret put down her fork reluctantly.

The funeral was held at Wendell’s residence. They only needed to arrive before 10:30 a.m. Seeing that it was still early, Margaret said to Melody, “Melody, come and chat for a while in my room. I have a gift for you.”

“Alright.” Melody nodded and left the dining table. When she got up, she noticed that Ken was looking at her. She gave him a reassuring look and helped Margaret upstairs. Astrid was furious and started to resent Mabel for being unresponsive. Not only did Mabel fail to get any advantages for her in Margaret’s presence, but she also made her feel even more clearly Margaret’s favoritism toward Melody. Among all in the family, only Melody received a gift.

‘Did she think I’m dead? Not only did she not bring me a gift, but she also ignored Mabel. Rightfully, this’s the first time a girl officially meets the elder, so shouldn’t she at least give her something?’ thought Astrid.

She had deliberately mentioned to Margaret that Mabel was Ulric’s girlfriend, but Margaret ignored Mabel after taking her seat. Wasn’t this looking down on her? It was not the gift she cared about; it was her pride. But Margaret obviously had no intention of giving her that respect. ‘Damn it!’ cursed Astrid in her heart.

Astrid vented her anger on Mabel. After Margaret went upstairs, she said coldly to Mabel, “Aren’t you the Best Celebrity? Why didn’t you even know how to socialize?”

Mabel lowered her gaze with a pale face, her eyes full of displeasure. ‘How could you blame me?’ However, she could not flare up and could only say in a low voice, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Swanson…”

“Hmph!” Astrid snorted coldly and went upstairs without giving her any respect. Mabel instinctively sought help from Ulric, but he did not even look at her and asked his subordinate to push him to the elevator.

Mabel felt sad and unwilling, almost on the verge of tears again. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of Ken out of the corner of her eyes. Seeing him still in his seat eating the remaining shrimp ravioli, she had a thought.

After the elevator door closed, she sat back and asked Ken gently, “Ken, do you like shrimp ravioli? Or do you like seafood?”

Ken did not seem to hear her. He lowered his head and focused on eating the shrimp ravioli. He could not waste any bit of the delicacies that his wife had spent more than an hour preparing.

Seeing no response from Ken, Mabel thought that her voice was too soft and she mustered up the courage to repeat herself, “Ken…”

“Aren’t you annoying?” Ken looked up at her. “If Miss Mabel doesn’t have anyone to talk to, there’s a Pekingese in the garden.”

Mabel was stunned. Her cheeks quickly turned red from embarrassment and anger. “I’m sorry…” She hurriedly stood up and awkwardly walked toward the guest room on the second floor.

‘How could it be? How could it? Am I really inferior to that ugly freak?’ Mabel cried silently as she walked away.

Mabel silently cried all the way. It was not until she returned to her room that she realized her makeup was completely ruined and she needed to redo it. But what frightened her the most was that she realized the fine hair she shaved off the night before had grown again.

She screamed and quickly covered her mouth. ‘No one should have heard it, right?’ After confirming it was quiet outside, she heaved a sigh of relief, but she felt even more devastated. She felt that soon she would go crazy.

In Margaret’s room; it was not the first time Melody entered the room.

Margaret had been away traveling for more than a month. Although the room was cleaned every day, it still had a musty smell due to the recent rain.

As soon as Melody entered, she opened the window to ventilate the room and asked the servants to prepare a pot of hot coffee.

“Decaffeinated coffee is better for the stomach,” said

Melody. “Yes.” The servant took note of it seriously and turned around to make coffee.

Seeing this, Margaret felt even more guilty for suspecting Melody earlier and said, “Don’t make yourself so busy. Come and see the gift I’ve brought you.”

Margaret asked the servant to take out a rosewood box from the suitcase. There was a ruby inside. At a glance, Melody knew that it was valuable. “I can’t accept such a valuable gift…” She hurriedly waved her hand and refused to accept.

It was not that she deliberately rejected the gift, it was because she felt guilty. Although Cadence deserved the death penalty, she was indeed lying to Margaret. It was a separate issue.

“Since I’m giving it to you, just accept it,” said Margaret. Margaret firmly stuffed the box into her hand and said, “I came across this at an auction during my travels. When I saw it, I thought it would be perfect for you. This is a raw gemstone; you can take it to a jewelry shop and have them turn it into a piece of jewelry.”

Melody could not refuse so she could only accept it. After chatting for a while, Margaret asked casually, “We’re about to attend Cadence’s funeral. I wonder if you interacted with her while I was away? She has a little bad temper, but she’s kind-hearted. If you two know each other, you two will definitely get along well.”

Melody shook her head apologetically. “I don’t have much contact with Miss Hunter, but I know she is a very famous model. However, from the one time I interacted with her, I felt we didn’t really get along well, so we didn’t have much interaction after that. I’m really sorry.”

Margaret listened to Melody carefully. For Melody to say so directly that she and Cadence did not get along well meant she did not do it. Therefore, she did not have to avoid saying it at all. Margaret stopped probing and started chatting casually with her again.

They were talking about trivial matters, but Melody listened attentively, making Margaret even more satisfied. At her age, not many young people would listen to her sincerely. Before they knew it, it was almost time to set off. Margaret particularly reminded her, “Ride with me in the same car; let those few squeeze themselves.”

When they reached the Hunter family residence, she did not know if Wendell would go crazy again, so she wanted to be together with Melody. Melody knew what Margaret was thinking but did not show it on her face. She only smiled and nodded. “Alright, I want to spend more time with you. My grandma has returned to the Fox family residence. It’s good to be by your side.”

“Is that so? Why did she suddenly go back?” Margaret asked. “Well… I’ll tell you next time,” said Melody. “Okay,” Margaret responded.

The two of them chatted as they got into the car. Astrid’s heart ached when she saw this. Usually, she and Margaret would ride in the same car, but as soon as Melody came, even that seat was taken away from her.

She did not like to flatter Margaret, but not wanting to do so did not mean she was willing to let someone else take her place.

Chapter 658

Astrid gritted her teeth and stomped her feet. Immediately after, she put on a big smile and squeezed to Margaret’s side, saying, “Mom, you’ll get car sick. Let me ride with you so that I can take care of you on the way.”

“No need,” Margaret replied flatly. “I’ve asked Melody to ride with me. With you in addition would make me more likely to get car sick.”

Astrid was embarrassed after being rejected on the spot right before Melody. Margaret also noticed it. She thought for a moment and then said in a softer tone, “I know you mean well, but don’t forget, you’re bringing an extra person today. On the way, please tell her about the people who will be there today and how to speak to them appropriately.”

Only then did Astrid’s anger dissipate a little. “Thank you for reminding me. I understand.” She nodded and said to Melody, “Melody, pay more attention to Margaret. If she feels unwell, let her drink some water.”

Melody smiled and said, “Don’t worry. If Grandma feels unwell, I will definitely be the first to know.” Astrid was rendered speechless by this sentence. She turned around, called Mabel, and the two of them got into the same car.

Ken and Ulric, being brothers, were supposed to sit together. However, Ken immediately took the front passenger seat, saying, “Ulric, your legs aren’t good; I’ll sit in the front.” In reality, he just did not want to talk to Ulric. There were actually dozens of cars parked in the garage of the Swanson family, each was a rare luxury car on the market. However, the Hunter family was not as wealthy to buy a manor and only lived in a villa area, so the parking space was limited. To save trouble, Margaret only allowed them to drive three cars.

On the way, Margaret could not help but mention Cadence to Melody again. However, this time, she was more truthful and revealed some information to Melody.

“Wendell, that rascal, doesn’t learn good things but all the bad things. He used the Swanson family’s name to do a lot of dirty things. He’s a muddle-headed person. As a result, Cadence’s temper isn’t good.” Melody did not respond, knowing Margaret still had something else to say.

As expected, in just a while, Margaret sighed and said, “I don’t know where that fellow heard this nonsense from. He actually said that Cadence’s death was related to you…”

“What?” Melody pretended to be shocked and asked while pointing at her own nose, “Me? Where did he hear that from? I have nothing to do with Miss Hunter.”

Margaret patted her hand and comforted her. “I know. Of course, I know you. You’re bold and meticulous; you’re kind and innocent. Of course, you wouldn’t do such a thing. Besides, if you really did it, how could the police not find out? After all, Cadence is related to our family; they won’t dare to fool us.”

Melody nodded and looked relieved. Immediately after, she asked Margaret with a frightened expression, “Grandma, is it better if I don’t go to the funeral?”

“Silly child, I’ve already thought about it for you. If you don’t go, people will gossip even more. If you go and follow me, no one will dare to say anything about you,” said Margaret.

Only then did Melody reveal a completely relieved expression, but she still frowned in distress. “Why did Wendell think that way…”

“Don’t overthink. Rumors can’t be stopped. I’ve thought about it. The person who spread the rumors wants to use you to ruin our reputation. I won’t let it happen,” said Margaret.

Margaret thought it was simple, but somehow something happened after they arrived at the Hunter family residence.

The Hunter family residence was located in the Naymar Villa District, ten minutes or so away from Ford’s Naymar Manor.

At this moment, the Hunter family residence was placed with countless wreaths at the door, most of which were given by people. It made people feel heavy-hearted when they passed by.

Death wasn’t a joyful thing. In addition, Cadence’s death was very disgraceful. She was violated and then killed, and there were still countless videos and posts about it online. As a result, the Hunter family did not invite many people, but only a few close relatives. However, many people still came because of the Swanson family.

Many people turned up, By the time Melody and the others arrived, getting a parking spot had become a problem. But they did not need to worry about that. After getting out of the cars, they went inside after being greeted by the Hunter family’s elders at the entrance.

When Melody got out of the car, she deliberately dawdled for a while. After seeing Ken get out of the car from the corner of her eyes, she straightened the creases on her white blouse and bowed as she walked out. Then, she carefully helped Margaret out of the car.

Ken watched as Melody got out of the car. As he walked in, he casually touched his ear and James’s voice came through. “Mr. Ken, everything has been arranged to ensure that nothing goes wrong. We won’t let them take advantage of any loopholes to set up a trap for Miss Fox.”

“Ahem…” Ken covered his nose and coughed as a response.

“Let’s go in.” As soon as Margaret spoke, the group of people followed behind her and walked toward the door. “Margaret…” Astrid’s and Wendell’s parents were standing at the door to greet the guests. They were over ten years younger than Margaret, but it seemed that Cadence’s death had dealt them a huge blow as they now looked older than Margaret, who had just recovered from a serious illness. When the two elders saw Astrid, tears welled up their eyes again. However, with Margaret’s presence, they could only suppress their sadness and try their best to smile and say politely, “Thank you for making a trip here. If you get tired later, please feel free to leave early. Cadence would be very happy to know that you came.”

Margaret tightly held Mrs. Hunter’s hand and said, “My condolences… I watched Cadence grow up, too, and my heart is also bleeding, but I know your pain is even greater. But no matter what, you must take care of your health. Wendell is still young; he can remarry in the future, and you can help raise the children.”

The elderly woman nodded, but tears flowed uncontrollably. Margaret also felt uncomfortable seeing this. Her eyes also welled with tears.

Astrid stepped forward and said, “Mom, you’ve just recovered. Go in and take a drink first. I’ll help Dad and Mom greet the guests at the door.”

“Okay.” Margaret nodded and let Melody help her in.

Only when Margaret, Melody, and Ken went inside did Astrid have the time to talk to her parents. “Dad, Mom, don’t be sad. Cadence was not fortunate in this life, but if our family is truly destined to be with her, she will come back to us. Don’t forget, we still have Ulric.”

“Yes, we know. Go to accompany your mother-in-law. She’s a guest. It’s enough to have the two of us here,” said her parents.

Astrid did not go in. She waved her hand for Mabel to push Ulric through the door. The elderly couple’s attention was drawn to Mabel.

Chapter 659

Mabel also noticed the gazes of the two elderly people of the Hunter family. She gave a polite, gentle smile that neither felt out of place in such a situation nor failed to bring a sense of warmth, like a spring breeze. It was the advantage of beauty; it could easily lift one’s spirits with just a glance.

However, Mabel had learned to be smart. She smiled and slowly pushed Ulric in, without lingering for long. Only when Mabel’s figure disappeared did the two elderly people finally withdraw their gazes and ask Astrid, “Who is she?”

“She’s Ulric’s girlfriend,” said Astrid. To make the two elderly people feel better, Astrid added, “There might be good news soon, so you have to be happy.”

The two elderly people were indeed happy that Ulric had found a good girl and did not look so haggard anymore. Only then did Astrid feel that Mabel was slightly useful and she was no longer as annoyed as she was in the morning.

In the villa, all the decor had been replaced. Even the bright red coffee set that Wendell previously liked very much was replaced with plain white porcelain.

There was an urn right in front of the living room. Behind it was a student photo of Cadence which had been enlarged as a portrait.

Melody glanced at it indifferently. There was no guilt in her heart but indifference. In her previous life, she had been tricked by Cadence and Ulric into the hospital to extract her heart. Cadence had put in a lot of effort, so this could be considered revenge.

However, she did not know if Cadence was as lucky as her to be able to live a second life in a parallel universe like her.’ Will Cadence, living a second life, see through everything and get rid of her faults and bad habits or choose to take revenge like her?’

Of course, there were no answers to these questions. After living the second life for so long, Melody had also thought about it.

A dead person could not be revived. It was true that she had lived again, but the person who lived again should not be in the previous world, but in another parallel universe that was exactly the same. In the end, in that world, she was killed by them and could never come back to life.

Melody’s mind was in a mess as she thought about her second life. She only heard Margaret in front of her call out Wendell”. She swiftly came back to her senses and looked up.

Wendell was receiving a guest, whom Melody felt a little familiar. When she looked closer, she remembered that it was one of the Swanson Group’s senior executives.

It seemed that this person was from Ulric’s side. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to attend the funeral so openly.

When Wendell heard Margaret’s voice, he immediately left the senior executive aside and came over. Before he got close, Melody could smell the strong smell of alcohol on his body.

“Mrs. Swanson, you’re here.” His speech had even become slightly slurred. Furthermore, Wendell didn’t seem to have slept well for several days. He had dark circles beneath his eyes and those who didn’t know him would think that he had been punched into his eyes.

Margaret also smelled the alcohol on Wendell’s body. She frowned and reminded him, “There are many guests at home today. I know you want to drown your sorrows, but you have to drink less, lest you make a fool of yourself later.” It was obvious that Wendell did not listen to her. His eyes were red as he pounded his chest and said, “Mrs, Swanson, I feel terrible! Before Cadence’s mother died, she told me repeatedly to take good care of Cadence, but I… I really can’t face Cadence and her mother in the future.”

Margaret shook her head. “It’s not your fault. I believe Cadence’s mother will understand. Cadence has grown up; who would have thought she would encounter such a thing at her age?”

“No, this is not a coincidence. This has been planned for a long time. Cadence’s death is that bitch…” Halfway through his sentence, Wendell suddenly noticed Melody who was standing slightly behind Margaret.

He had drunk too much and was a little confused. When he was talking to Margaret just now, he did not notice Melody at all. Now that he saw her, his eyes suddenly widened as if his entire body was on fire. He shouted at the top of his lungs, “Bitch! Do you still have the cheek to come here? I’ll kill you!” As he cursed, he pounced on Melody like a madman.

Margaret was shocked and wanted to stop Wendell.

However, she was old and her limbs could not keep up with her thoughts. By the time she reached out to stop him, Wendell had already pounced on Melody.

Melody was about to dodge when a tall figure suddenly blocked in front of her and pinned Wendell to the ground. It was Ken!

Margaret finally reacted. She quickly walked over and said, ” Wendell! What are you doing? There are so many people here. What’s wrong with you?”

Wendell was pinned to the ground and could not move but could still speak. He wailed, “Mrs. Swanson, it’s her! She’s the one who killed my Cadence! I must kill her. I…”

Ken struck Wendell on the back of the neck with a karate chop, causing Wendell to lose consciousness and fall into a blackout. The world was finally quiet.

However, when the others saw this scene, they all looked over in shock. Many looked at Melody. ‘What happened? Didn’t they say that Cadence was violated by a gambler and then killed? How is it related to this woman?’

The three from the Hunter family who were receiving the guests at the door also heard the commotion and ran in. They were shocked to see Wendell lying motionless on the ground.

“What happened?” Mr. Hunter was the first to ask. “Nothing, Ken said calmly. “He lost his composure after drinking too much.”

To Melody’s surprise, Ulric also said, “Uncle drank too much and started talking nonsense. It was Ken who helped stop him. Grandpa, Grandma, please ask the servants to bring him up to wash his face and wake him up.”

‘So he was just drunk… Hearing the same thing from Ulric, the two elders of the Hunter family believed it without a doubt. While they heaved a sigh of relief, they also felt embarrassed.

‘There are so many guests. Couldn’t he restrain himself a little?’ thought the two elders. However, despite their resentment, they quickly called the servants to carry Wendell upstairs.

“We’re sorry, everyone…” The two elders apologized to everyone again, and the guests expressed their understanding. Soon, the living room resumed as normal. However, from time to time, some people would glance at Melody and mutter to the persons beside them. It was obvious that they were gossiping about her.

Melody made an excuse to go to the toilet to leave Margaret’s side and secretly brought Ken to a private place to talk.

“I felt weird,” said Melody. Ken immediately knew what she meant and said, “You’re saying that Ulric spoke up for us, right?

“That’s right.” Melody nodded. “He could have done nothing or taken the opportunity to tarnish my reputation.”

Ken chuckled. “If he were to do that, it would be too petty. He wouldn’t do something like that. The authorities have already made their final decision, and the perpetrator is about to be sentenced. If he were to tarnish your reputation out of the blue now, it would only make others think that he has issues with me, and he wouldn’t be able to explain himself to the old man. After all, you came here as the daughter-in-law of the Swanson family.”

Chapter 660

“Unless there is substantial evidence pointing to you and ensuring absolute certainty, he won’t come forward,” said Ken.

‘This’s what Ulric truly is.” Melody deeply felt that she really did not know Ulric well enough as Ken did. She had been too deeply deceived by Ulric in her previous life.

Ken continued, “Furthermore, Mabel was also present at that time. If he wanted to drag you into this matter, Mabel would not be spared.

“He cares most about how others perceive him and what the old man thinks of him. Even if he decides to go after you, he won’t dig too deep into this matter.

“In other words, he doesn’t want anyone to continue digging into the cause of Cadence’s death.”

Melody nodded again. “You’re right, but I’m still a little uneasy that he’s speaking up for us like this.”

Ken patted her shoulder. “Don’t overthink it; it’s useless to do so. I’ll stay fully alert to ensure the funeral goes smoothly. Just don’t stay out of my sight.”

Melody was slightly relieved and said, “I understand. I will also be more cautious and try my best to avoid facing Wendell head-on.”

As the two of them spoke, footsteps sounded from the other end of the corridor. There was a guest who had an emergency and was looking for the toilet. The two of them fell silent at the same time. As if they had just gone to the toilet, they returned to the living room calmly.

“Melody, you’re back.” Margaret had been waiting for her. Seeing that her expression was normal, but her lips were a little pale, she felt sorry and blamed herself. “It’s my fault. I didn’t expect that idiot, Wendell, to suddenly go crazy.”

Melody shook her head. “I’m fine. You don’t have to say that. I’m really fine.”

Margaret sighed and pulled her to sit down on a chair. “You follow Ken later. I thought I could protect you, but I forgot that I’m old and my reaction is getting slow. I might not have enough strength though I want to protect you.”

“I understand. Don’t worry,” said Melody.

After chatting for a while, a famous funeral director from Silverlake arrived. Everyone stood up. Wendell finally woke up and walked down the stairs. He did not lose his mind again but just stared coldly at Melody from time to time. Melody stood beside Ken calmly as if she did not notice Wendell’s gaze at all. Mabel stood not far behind Melody and her eyes revealed a gloating expression. When Wendell scolded Melody just now, she was truly happy.

Unfortunately, Ken reacted too soon and ruthlessly.

Otherwise, Melody might have been cut into pieces by Wendell.

‘What a pity, what a pity!’ Mabel clicked her tongue and shook her head in her heart.

When the funeral director performed the rituals that honor the deceased’s life, everyone stood aside. They then went up one by one to pay their last respect to the deceased.

When Mabel went forward to pay the last respect, she was a little nervous. After all, she was also at the scene of Cadence’s death.

However, at the time of paying last respect, she calmed down and even chanted in her heart, ‘Cadence, I wonder if you can hear me. We both know that the person who killed you was Melody. When you get down there, you must think of a way to take Melody away too…’

The moment she started it, it was a little out of control. She had even helped Cadence to think about what would happen to Melody. ‘It’s best if Melody’s innocence is also violated under everyone’s gaze before she’s killed. It’s better if the process of killing is even more cruel. It’s best if she’s not killed directly at the beginning. When the torturing is over, she will be stabbed in the throat…

The more Mabel thought about it, the more excited she became. She even felt that Melody had been tortured to death.

Unknowingly, she took a few more minutes to pay her last respects that the funeral director had to remind her. “Miss, I know you have a good relationship with Miss Hunter, but we still have to send her to the cemetery later… Please accept my condolences.”

Only then did Mabel realize she had been standing in front of the portrait for too long. She felt awkward and forced a sorrowful expression. She then nodded and returned to her seat.

However, because of this small interlude, the Hunter family’ s two elders’ favorability toward Mabel soared significantly. “What a good child. She will definitely treat Ulric well.”

“That’s right. I heard from Astrid that she knew Cadence beforehand, so she must be feeling really sad. After the funeral, find something and give her a gift as a token from both of us for meeting her,” said one of the two elders. Okay,” said the other.

Unexpectedly, Mabel ended up gaining the favor of the two elderly people from the Hunter family, and Astrid’s feelings of dislike toward her had almost vanished.

When it was Melody’s turn to pay her last respects, it did not go so smoothly. Before she could do it, Wendell rushed over and said, “You’re not allowed to do it.”

“Wendell!” Margaret frowned deeply. “You’re still drunk!” Wendell gritted his teeth. Under the double pressure of his parents and Margaret, he coldly turned around and returned to the side of the portrait.

Melody did not want to pay the last respect, to begin with, so she returned to her seat without hesitation. However, after Wendell’s commotion, all the guests who came to attend the funeral instinctively distanced themselves from Melody to avoid trouble and make them feel awkward.

Melody did not react at all. It was better to be straightforward than to secretly set a trap to harm her. ‘But would things really go so smoothly?’ Melody was still a little nervous.

Soon, the ceremony here ended and they were about to set off for the cemetery. They bought the most expensive location at the cemetery. It was said that this location would bring prosperity to the family.

Melody felt like laughing when she heard that.’ A dead person is dead; it’s impossible to do anything to a living person. Otherwise, her mother, who was killed in the operating theatre, would have long claimed Yolanda’s and Russell’s lives.’

After putting in the urn, Wendell personally covered it with soil. Then, he sealed it with cement. There was no need to force out any tears; it was so overwhelming that tears just streamed down uncontrollably.

Melody stepped back and realized that many people had retreated far away. She found Ken and the two of them moved away from the tombstone.

“It’s going too smoothly,” Melody said in a low voice. “I keep feeling that something is wrong.”

Ken felt the same, but he had been very meticulous. He instructed James to prepare everything and to keep an eye on the surroundings at all times. If there was any abnormality, James would immediately report it to him through the mini earpiece. But so far, nothing happened.

‘Is it the calm before the storm, or… are Wendell and Ulric not prepared to do anything at this time? There’s a saying in Halcyon that death is the most important thing. Perhaps they really did not have the thoughts now. I have been overthinking. Melody comforted herself, but she remained vigilant at all times and paid close attention to the movements of the people in the surroundings.

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Chapter 651

She would avenge her mother’s death sooner or later. However, now was not the time because she had not married Ulric yet. Nevertheless, giving Melody a little hard time should not be a problem.

She knew very well that Astrid had been privately ridiculed in the social circle for a long time because of Melody, so she would definitely agree with this suggestion.

As expected, Astrid glanced at her in satisfaction. Then, she raised his eyebrows and said, “It’s just ravioli, nothing complicated; we can make it immediately. It’s just that it isn’t something that we can serve on a formal occasion. We’ll try to make some and let the cook continue preparing the other dishes.”

“Alright, we’ll trouble Melody then.” Mabel looked at Melody gratefully, but her eyes were filled with provocation. ‘In front of Astrid, what can Melody do? Can she still act like when she’s at home and get someone to beat us up?”

Melody was composed and maintained her smile. She calmly responded, “Is the ravioli trending now? Thanks to you, I’ve just found out. But unfortunately, I didn’t make it; the Herbathrive’s chef did.”

Before Astrid could speak, Mabel said, “Melody, I saw some posts saying you prepared the filling. Did you deliberately refuse to make it for us? I may not be worthy, but… does Mrs. Swanson, too, not worthy to eat the ravioli you make?” Astrid looked at Mabel with more admiration now. ‘Mabel understands me and is smart enough; I like her. How nice if the person marrying into the Swanson family is Mabel and not Melody?’ thought Astrid.

Now, people were either mocking her for bringing home a country bribe or speculating that she deliberately matched her stepson with someone unworthy, which was driving her crazy. Her face immediately turned cold upon hearing Melody say, “I didn’t mean that; it’s just that I really did not make the ravioli.”

“It seems that Mabel is right; you really do think I’m not worthy of eating your food. I’m just self-deluded, thinking too highly of myself,” said Astrid.

Mabel chimed in by the side, “Melody, aren’t you going to the kitchen? Do you really want Mrs. Swanson to get angry?” Melody gave Mabel an intense gaze. ‘It’s been a few days, and you’ve made some progress, but not much.’

She smiled faintly and said calmly, “I really didn’t make the ravioli. There’s nothing I can do if you don’t believe me. But since Mrs. Swanson insists on eating such unpresentable food, I’ll go to the kitchen now.”

Astrid frowned. ‘Why am I feeling uncomfortable hearing this?’ However, she couldn’t find any fault, and, with a slight lift of her chin, she said, “Go ahead, thank you for your effort.”

Melody nodded, and under Mabel’s gloating gaze, she said, I remember when we were at home, you could fill and seal ravioli very well. Why not I prepare the filling, and you fill and seal it?”

“You…” Before Mabel could respond, Melody said, “Don’t tell me you’re unwilling to do such a small thing for Mrs. Swanson. I thought you were very close to Mrs. Swanson.” Mabel’s face darkened, and for a moment, she did not know how to refute. Seeing this, Astrid immediately spoke up for her, “Mabel is a guest. You should take care of this.” Melody had predicted Astrid would help Mabel. She nodded and said, “Alright then, but I’ll make the filling however I like, so if I add something that makes you sick, you can’t blame me…”

Astrid was stressed out. She gritted her teeth and said, ” Mabel, you’re bored anyway. Why don’t you help Melody?” She was worried that Melody, that wretched person, might take the opportunity to put all sorts of random things in the ravioli. But since she had already mentioned that Melody should make the ravioli, retracting it would be embarrassing, so she could only let Mabel handle it.

Mabel was extremely reluctant to be a cook, or rather, an assistant to the cook. However, Astrid had already said it, so she had no choice but to go.

“Alright. Melody, let’s go.” She tried hard to force a smile, but Melody did not even look at her. Her gaze was only fixed on Astrid.

‘Damn it, how dare you ignore me!’ thought Mabel. ‘Didn’t you know Astrid is in favor of me more than you?’

Melody could not be bothered by Mabel’s shifting gaze and said to Astrid, “Mrs. Swanson, it’s raining heavily today, and the weather is getting colder. Ken joined the company recently, so it’s inevitable that he will need James’s help. The loss is on the Swanson Group if James falls sick from kneeling. I thus ask you on his behalf if you’re appeased now, and can you let him get up and take a hot shower?”

Astrid instinctively wanted to refuse, but she heard Melody say again, “Ken has been busy recently and has a bad temper. We should do more things to make him happy, shouldn’t we? Margaret will be back soon, and we need to show her a happy, harmonious family scene, don’t you think so?”

Under persuasion and coercion, Astrid gritted her teeth and said, “Since you’ve pleaded for him, let him get up.” “Thank you, Mrs. Swanson. I knew you’re kind-hearted,” said Melody. Astrid snorted and looked at the butler. The butler understood and immediately went out to tell James.

Seeing James heading toward the servants’ room, Melody entered the kitchen with ease and familiarity. Astrid could not help but frown. ‘Melody has only been here a few times. Why is she so familiar with the kitchen at home? It’s as if she has lived here for a long time… This manor villa isn’t small.’

However, Astrid wasn’t smart enough to think that far ahead. Soon, she put the matter out of her mind and began drinking coffee leisurely.

‘Ken, no matter how arrogant and rude you are in front of me, won’t your wife have to listen to me obediently and speak to me politely?’ thought Astrid. However, Astrid didn’t realize that from the moment Melody called her ” Mrs. Swanson”, her joy and anger were led by Melody.

Soon Melody arrived at the kitchen. Without needing any introductions, Melody began to look for filling ingredients that she could use. However, this was Mabel’s first time entering the kitchen of the Swanson villa. The space was even larger than the living room of the Fox family. She was instantly dumbfounded. ‘This’s… too extravagant, isn’t it?’

In an instant, Mabel was even more determined to marry Ulric. However, when everyone in the kitchen saw her reaction, they could not help but feel disdainful. They thought, ‘I thought this pretty one was the main character, but seeing her reaction of someone who hasn’t seen much of the world, it seems she’s just a sidekick.’

It turned out the one they should flatter was the ugly one, who appeared calm and composed, and clearly had experience with big occasions.

The people in the kitchen were all smart. After assessing the status of the two individuals, they all began to surround Melody enthusiastically, completely ignoring Mabel.

Mabel was furious deep down. She thought it was because they knew that Melody was Ken’s wife and thus their attitude. She didn’t realize that it was her own first impression that had determined their attitude.

Melody, who lived her life again, understood the mentality of these people too well. Therefore, she put on airs along the way and pointed with her finger. “I want this, this, and this celery…”

Chapter 652

Melody’s composed and overbearing demeanor not only didn’t upset those around her but also made them more confident in their judgment. As a result, they attended to Melody with even more enthusiasm.

Whatever she said, almost everyone scrambled to do the work.

The kitchen servants were the least likely to see the master of the house. Not seeing the master meant minimal

chances for promotion or tips. So, anyone with ambition would go to great lengths to get a task that would let them be seen by the master.

As a result, all Melody had to do was point and give a few instructions when it came to selecting ingredients and fillings, and the rest was naturally handled by others.

Meanwhile, Mabel had a tough time. Labeled as a “sidekick” by these people, she had to do everything herself.

Mabel’s hands were nearly cramping from making so much pasta. She could only endure the soreness and keep going. Fortunately, she often attended cooking classes, so the ravioli she made looked decent and Astrid would definitely praise her later. Thinking of this, Mabel wiped the sweat off her forehead and continued to work hard.

On Melody’s end, she had already prepared everything and was just waiting to cook the pasta.

Seeing Mabel not moving fast enough, she urged her with a faint smile, “Mrs. Swanson must be waiting anxiously in the living room. Hurry up.”

Mabel gritted her teeth. Just as she was about to flare up, Melody walked away to care for the water in the pot.

This was the Swanson family. Mabel did not want to leave an impression of having a bad temper or lacking the demeanor of a socialite, so she had to suppress her anger and continue working.

By the time the ravioli was done, Mabel had forgotten her original intention of coming to the kitchen, which was to exhaust Melody so that she and Astrid could see Melody in a sorry state. However, everything had changed imperceptibly.

Finally, twenty minutes later, the ravioli was ready. Melody still did not move. With a glance, someone helped her make the pasta. When it came to mixing the fillings, Melody did not do anything.

She hardly bothered to open her mouth and simply muttered, “I don’t know what flavors they like, so you can adjust the seasonings as you see fit.” After that, she left everything to the servants in the kitchen.

Only seeing this scene did Mabel remember her original intention. She instantly gritted her teeth in hatred and cursed in her heart, ‘Damn it, I’m exhausted but you did nothing at all!’

Filled with growing anger, she could no longer endure it and walked over to Melody. She said in a low voice, “Don’t be so smug. I’m going to marry into the family soon. The Swanson family can’t possibly marry two daughters from the Fox family at the same time, so just wait to pack your things and get lost!”

Melody was still smiling faintly. “Why? My marriage certificate was personally arranged by Margaret. Even she and Ramon didn’t say that they wanted me to divorce Ken. Do you have greater authority than them?”

What she meant was very clear. Even Ramon and Margaret did not tell her to divorce. ‘Mabel, an outsider, you can forget about it!’

Mabel had initially wanted to provoke Melody to regain some dignity for herself. Unexpectedly, not only did she fail to upset Melody, but she ended up even more frustrated herself.

A surge of anger rose within Mabel, causing her to cough a few times. Instinctively, she reached up to cover her mouth, and when she put her hand away, she noticed faint traces of blood on it.

Startled, Mabel kept quiet and discreetly wiped the blood onto the hem of her clothes. She was no longer in the mood to argue with Melody and got herself a glass to drink some water. After swallowing a mouthful of water, the taste of blood immediately spread in her mouth.

She did not dare to spit it out and swallowed it forcefully. She felt it was time to go to the hospital for a checkup. There was also another unspeakable illness that she must take the opportunity to look into as well.

Thinking about her health, Mabel no longer cared about other things. Only when Melody brought the ravioli out did she suddenly come back to her senses. She quickly followed Melody.

Mabel had made all the ravioli and initially planned to personally serve them to Astrid to take credit. But after that little mishap just now, Melody ended up beating her to it. It was too late to chase Melody as she had already placed the pasta on the dining table and invited Astrid to try it.

Astrid did not get up. Instead, she instructed the butler. Call Ulric down for dinner. And Ken…” Only then did her gaze land on Melody and she said, “Call him and urge him. It’s getting late. The entire family is waiting for him to have dinner.”

The nonchalance in her tone directly disclosed her favoritism. ‘Anyway, Ken isn’t at home, so he doesn’t know what I say.

However, in the next moment, Ken’s voice sounded from the door. “I’m really sorry to have kept you waiting. It’s just that we have to finish the work Dad instructed before coming back for dinner. Otherwise, if we lose a big project, none of us can bear that responsibility, right? Or do you think that work isn’t as important as you rushing to eat?”

His voice was bone-chilling, making Astrid shiver. “I…I didn’t mean that.” Ken’s thin lips curved slightly. “You better not.” Astrid failed to respond. She gritted her teeth and stood up. “Tell the servants in the kitchen to serve the dishes.”

Melody’s eyes lit up when she heard Ken’s voice. She felt as if she had found the central support and quickly walked toward him. Ken opened his arms and hugged her. Melody did not expect Ken to do such a thing. Her body instantly stiffened and motionless as she was in Ken’s arms.

With her height, her face happened to reach Ken’s chest. Everything around seemed to quiet down, and only the sound of his heartbeat rhythmically echoed in her ears.

The next moment, Ken’s voice sounded above her head. Don’t be afraid. I’m back.”

At the company, the informant had reported to him that James had brought Melody back to the Swanson family early. Not only did Astrid give Melody a hard time, but she also made her make Pasta.

Ken always cherished Melody and rarely asked her to cook for him, so he thought Astrid didn’t have right to treat her like this.

“No…” Melody came back to her senses and quickly withdrew from Ken’s embrace. On the other end, Astrid could not hold it in anymore. She sneered and said, “Miss Fox, look at you. Are you trying to make Ken misunderstand that I bullied you?”

Melody was about to explain when she heard Ken snort from the tip of his nose. “Astrid, don’t treat me like fool.” Astrid’s face turned pale. “What did you call me?”

Just as the argument was about to break out, Ulric’s voice sounded from the elevator. “Mom, Ken rarely comes back. What are you doing?”

Astrid wanted to retort, but when she looked up, she met Ulric’s warning gaze. Only then did she remember her son had said that Ken had something on him.

For a moment, the fear and coldness that rose from the bottom of her heart.

Chapter 653

Only then did Astrid realize she had almost harmed her son. Ulric was the most important person in her life, and even though she was currently filled with anger and was humiliated, she swallowed them all. These grievances would be avenged sooner or later, once her son inherited the Swanson family estate.

On the other end, Mabel was so frightened that she did not even dare to breathe loudly. She had always thought that Ken, as what people had said about him, had long been discarded by the Swanson family. No matter how pompous and ostentatious Ken’s demeanor was, she believed Ken had no real standing in the Swanson family and was merely an empty shell.

But today, experiencing the situation firsthand, she realized that she had misunderstood Ken’s situation. Even Astrid, despite Ken’s audaciousity and disrespectful manner of addressing her, showed deference. For a moment, she shuddered as well.

Although it was autumn and the weather was getting cooler, the hall was very warm, with the fireplace lit in advance. Her cheeks felt hot from the warmth, but she felt as if in the depths of winter. At the same time, a feeling of jealousy began to rise within her.

‘If only Ulric could protect me like how Ken protected Melody… However, a voice in her heart told her with certainty that Ulric would not be like Ken. The more she thought about it, the more jealous she became. She was so jealous that she wished Melody could die immediately. “Alright, Ken.” Ulric pushed the wheelchair into the living room and broke the silence. “Mom is going through menopause now, so she has a bad temper. She also scolds me now and then. Please don’t feel offended and take it seriously.”

Ken didn’t reply, and he also didn’t continue to bicker with Astrid. He walked past Ulric and held Melody’s hand as they sat down at the dining table. “Isn’t the whole family waiting for me to have dinner? I’m back and we can eat now,” he said.

Astrid gritted her teeth in hatred, but she could only force a smile when she thought of the evidence Ken had. “Yes, let’s eat. I was blunt with what I said earlier. Melody is my daughter-in-law, and I care about her. I just worry that she might misunderstand me. I’m the kind of person who speaks bluntly without thinking, as you’re aware,” she said. Ken still didn’t say anything, but Melody had to. She smiled and replied, “I know; you dote on me.” Astrid smiled but felt tremendously disgusted. ‘Melody scrabbled her ugly face and smiled at me, how would I have the appetite to eat?’

She turned around and saw Mabel still standing at the side. She quickly waved at her. “Mabel, don’t just stand there. Come take a seat. Just treat it as your own home.” Mabel nodded and timidly chose a seat next to Ulric.

“Ulric…” She wanted to express with her eyes that she was frightened just now, but Ulric only smiled at her and looked away. She hadn’t even had time to send the message across.

Meanwhile, Ken kept taking food for Melody. “Eat more; you’re too skinny…” Every word made Mabel grit his teeth in hatred. She had thought that by staying overnight tonight, she could at least cause tremendous distress to Melody. But she ended up feeling more upset herself. Mabel couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong in her plan or actions. She finally waited till Ulric put down his fork and took the opportunity to ask, “Ulric, where do I sleep tonight?” Ulric paused, clearly he had not thought about this. Seeing Ulric’s reaction, Mabel’s heart turned cold, and sadness and disappointment overwhelmed her.

It was Astrid who answered. “You can sleep in the guest room on the second floor. A bed has been made for you, including the daily necessities and clothes for change.” “Alright, Mrs. Swanson.” Mabel nodded obediently, but her heart was bleeding.

She now had a headache and a tight chest and only wanted to find an excuse to go back to her room to rest. However,

Astrid was very enthusiastic after dinner and asked her to accompany her in arranging the flowers.

“I heard that you’ve always been the top in your flower arrangement class and also scored high in the flower arrangement category at last year’s socialite contest. Since you’re rarely staying here at night, why not teach me flower arrangements? I’m really clumsy at it,” said Astrid,

Mabel, who was anxious to go back to the room to rest, did not see the anticipation in Astrid’s eyes. She smiled apologetically and said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Swanson, I might have been in the cold today and am a little tired. I want to go back to my room to rest early.”

Astrid’s face instantly turned cold. “Alright, you go ahead.” Only then did Mabel realize Astrid was displeased because of this matter. She quickly wanted to make up for it but Astrid had already left the dining table and gone upstairs. She could only grit her teeth and seek help from Ulric.

However, when she looked at Ulric, she realized that Ulric had been staring at Melody. Anger surged in her heart.” Ulric?” Ulric retracted his gaze and slowly looked at her. What’s the matter?”

He glanced over and the anger in Mabel’s heart subsided. She didn’t dare to get angry at Ulric. “Nothing.” Mabel forced a smile and shook her head. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m going upstairs to rest now.”

“Alright, you go ahead,” said Ulric. After saying that, he really did not care about her anymore.

Mabel’s forced smile was on the verge of breaking down. Tears welled up in her eyes and she went to the room and cried hard wrapping her face with a pillow.

‘How could this be? Is it because I’m not pretty enough? But even in the entire Silverlake, and in the entertainment industry full of beauties, there’s only a handful that can compare to me. So why doesn’t Ulric treat me the way Ken does to Melody?’ thought Mabel.

After crying for a long time, Mabel slowly came back to her senses. ‘It’s not my problem, it’s Ulric’s. He may appear gentle and considerate, but deep down, he is a very indifferent and restrained person. This doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t love me; it’s just that even if he loves me, this is how he expresses it.

Unknowingly, Ken’s face appeared in Mabel’s mind. The next moment, she realized she was thinking about Ken and quickly patted her face. ‘What am I thinking?’ Mable shook her head forcefully, trying to shake off the chaotic thoughts. However, the more she tried, the clearer Ken’s face appeared in her mind. ‘Crazy, I must have been crazy. I must go to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow.

Mabel struggled to get out of bed and took a hot shower. When she instinctively looked in the mirror after washing up, she realized that the fine hair on her face had grown longer.

When she unconsciously looked in the mirror after washing up, she noticed that the fine hair on her face had grown longer. She was shocked and quickly looked for a razor. Fortunately, the disposable items that the Swanson family had given her were in a full set. There was also a razor inside. She heaved a sigh of relief and quickly shaved the fine hair off her face.

She didn’t know when it started, but the fine hair on her face would grow and surface every few days. Sometimes, when she didn’t pay attention for a few days at home, it would grow close to an inch long.

She had always thought that this condition was due to irregular sleep patterns, and because it was embarrassing to tell, she was afraid to let anyone know or to go to the hospital. But now, she was determined to see a doctor. Otherwise, after getting married, if Ulric woke up and saw that the hair on her face was longer than the hair on his leg, what would he think?

Chapter 654

The entire night, Mabel tossed and turned, unable to sleep at all. She was worried that her illness could not be cured, and was also annoyed that she was suppressed by Melody again today. Almost everything was not going her way.

However, in Melody’s and Ken’s room on the third floor, the atmosphere was completely different, though not necessarily easygoing.

Ken sat on the sofa while Melody stood in front of him with her head low, like a student being lectured by a teacher.

“She asked you to go to the kitchen, so you went to the kitchen to make ravioli for her?” asked Ken.

“No.” Melody quickly explained, “I didn’t do anything. I just instructed the servants in the kitchen to do the work.”

She quickly explained what happened in the kitchen in detail. Only then did Ken’s cold expression ease up a little, but his tone still didn’t sound good. “At least you’re not that stupid.”

‘What are you talking about?’ Melody frowned and retorted, ” Under such circumstances, I couldn’t keep rejecting her and directly say that I didn’t want to cook for her, right?” Ken seemed to have heard something unbelievable. “Why not?” “Huh?” Melody hesitated for a moment and asked for confirmation, “Do you mean that in such situations, I can just refuse outright without giving any reason?”

“You can find a reason. The reason can be that you don’t want to, she doesn’t deserve it, or something like that,” said Ken. Melody was lost for words.

Ken saw her eyes wide open and couldn’t help but reach out to pinch her cheek. As soon as he did that, Melody blushed. “What are you doing!”

Ken enjoyed seeing her with such an expression. This side of her was something others had probably never seen. In a good mood, he made her sit down beside him and patiently explained, “At home, I’ve never shown Astrid any courtesy. You are my wife, which means we’re united as one entity.

The way I treat her is the same way you can treat her.

Remember, she’s not my mother, you don’t have to treat her like an elder.”

“Did you…” Melody. asked hesitantly, “Discover something?”

Margaret had mentioned this to her previously. She suspected that Ken’s biological mother’s death was related to Astrid. However, she had never had the time to investigate this matter. In addition, it had been too long. Even if she wanted to investigate, it could not be done overnight.

Now that she heard Ken’s words, she could roughly confirm that Astrid was the murderer who killed Ken’s biological mother.

After a moment of silence, Ken asked, “Can I smoke a cigarette?” Melody knew that Ken’s throat had not fully recovered yet, but he could still smoke occasionally. Just as she was about to nod, he saw Ken put the cigarette box back. “Forget it. You don’t like the cigarette smell.”

Melody was speechless and could only feel her heartbeat had lost its rhythm again. After a few seconds of silence, Ken spoke again. “She’s indeed responsible for my mom’s death.”

Although Melody had long suspected this, she was still shocked hearing it with her own ears. Ken’s situation was very much similar to hers; she could completely empathize with him.

“Did you find any evidence?” asked Melody. Ken shook his head. “After so many years, last month, I finally found the place where the forensic doctor in charge of the autopsy lived. However, when James went over to investigate, he found out that person had died of lung cancer last year.” “So there’s no other clue?” asked Melody. “Yes.” Ken smiled bitterly and said, “Sometimes, I feel that I’m quite useless. My mom carried me for ten months before she gave birth to me, but I’m still living under the same roof as the enemy who killed my mom. Tell me, am I quite useless?”

Melody swallowed hard and couldn’t help but think of herself. However, she at least sent Yolanda to prison in another way. In the end, she personally watched Yolanda die of vomiting blood due to anger. As for Ken… If he wanted to avenge his mother, it would only be harder than her.

Melody felt sad and instinctively opened her arms to hug Ken. “It’s not your fault. We can’t punish ourselves in our hearts for others’ mistakes. I will be with you and help you seek revenge.”

Ken wanted to say something but ended up saying nothing. Instead, he simply reached out and hugged her tightly. Feeling his gesture, Melody felt an even greater sense of discomfort. The fact that he, who was usually strong, aloof, and imposing in front of others, showed a vulnerable side made her heart ache even more.

After hugging her for a long time, Ken let go of his hand and said, “It’s getting late; let’s sleep. You don’t have to take revenge; I’ll take revenge for my mom myself. I won’t drag you down with me. If I lose to the mother and son one day, divorce me immediately. I’ll do my best to let you escape unscathed.”

Melody frowned. “Ken, didn’t you say that we’re united as one entity? Don’t say such things again.” Ken was stunned for a moment before his thin lips suddenly curved. “Okay.”

Melody washed up first. She looked at the king-size bed big enough for five persons to sleep and felt conflicted. ‘What should I do? Should we really sleep together? Should I take the initiative to sleep on the floor? But will Ken think I’m pretentious and narcissistic? After all, with my current face, even if we sleep on the same bed, a normal man won’t have any desires, right? Moreover, Ken’s not just a normal man; he’s the dream man of millions of girls. Furthermore, we slept in the same bed before and he never touched me. That’s enough to say that I’m safe, and he’s the one in danger.’

Just as she was feeling conflicted, the bathroom door opened with a bang. Melody was shocked and her mind went blank. However, her body reflexively lifted the blanket and jumped onto the bed.

Ken walked out of the steam and saw that Melody was already lying on the bed. Just as he was about to suggest that he would sleep on the sofa so that she would not feel uncomfortable, he heard Melody say in a tremendously calm voice, “Sleep when you’re done. I’m sleepy; I’ll sleep first.”

‘Is she… taking the initiative to let me sleep with her?’ After being stunned for two seconds, Ken walked to the other side and lay down without hesitation. Since she was the one who proposed it, he naturally wouldn’t reject her.

The bed was huge. Melody was sleeping at the very edge of the bed. There was a distance of three feet between the two of them. However, Melody could still clearly feel the heat coming from his body, as well as the residual smell of shower gel on his body after his shower.

Melody closed her eyes tightly and did not dare to move. A few seconds later, she could feel Ken getting up. She was stunned. She thought that Ken somehow still disliked sharing a bed with her and wanted to sleep somewhere else. However, in the next second, the lights went out, and he lay down again. Melody could not describe what she was feeling at that moment. She only knew very well that the moment he turned off the lights and lay down again, she heaved a sigh of relief and even felt a little delight.’ Melody, you’re doomed,’ said a voice in her mind.

“Get some sleep. Grandma will be home tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. I’ll wake you at 7:30 a.m.” Ken’s voice sounded from the side.

Chapter 655

Melody opened her mouth and responded, “Mmm.” Then, she did not dare to say another word. She was afraid that he would see through her if she said anything else.

The night was over, and Melody looked at the white ceiling and the crystal chandelier, feeling quite surprised. She had thought that she would stay awake until dawn, but instead, she quickly fell asleep. When she opened her eyes again, it was already past six in the morning.

She turned around and realized that Ken was still asleep, but he did not seem to be sleeping well. His brows were tightly furrowed, and there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. ‘Did he have a nightmare?”

She couldn’t help but stretch out two fingers to smooth the crease between his brows. This action seemed to be effective. He did not frown anymore, and his pale face slowly returned to normal as if the nightmare was gone. Melody heaved a sigh of relief in her heart. She carefully pinched the corner of the blanket and got out of bed like a thief. She washed up, changed into the clothes she had brought, and went downstairs.

Today, she wore a stylish white blouse with a pair of high-waisted blue jeans and tied her hair into a high ponytail. Her outfit wouldn’t immediately suggest that she was in a sad mood because she was going to a funeral, but it also wouldn’t look out of place at the funeral.

However, the moment Melody went out, Ken opened his eyes. His eyes were clear, clearly showing that he hadn’t just woken up. He had woken up when Melody reached out to touch his glabella. However, he knew that he would definitely frighten her the moment he opened his eyes, so he simply pretended to be asleep.

He sat up and looked at the closed door, knowing why Melody went downstairs so early. However, since she had taken the initiative to do it, he would not stop her.

After a quick wash-up, Ken took out his tablet and dealt with the company’s work in advance so that he wouldn’t have to keep answering the company’s calls at the funeral.

Downstairs, Melody was the earliest to get up among the few people. The servants were taken aback when they saw her.

The butler was the first to react. He smiled and greeted her, “Good morning, Mrs. Swanson. You woke up quite early. Breakfast is still being prepared. Shall I find something for you to nibble on in the meantime?”

“No, I’ll help them in the kitchen,” said Melody. With that, Melody walked past the butler and headed for the kitchen.

The butler frowned. ‘Although this young madam is ugly, it’s undeniable that, in terms of demeanor and aura, she’s indeed well-matched with Mr. Swanson.’

However, he was Astrid’s people. After standing still for a few seconds, he immediately walked upstairs and reported to Astrid.

Astrid had yet to wake up. When the butler woke her up and told her about Melody, she dozed off tiredly and irritably. “If she wants to torment herself, let her. I want to continue sleeping. Anyway, that old lady is fond of her, to begin with. This can’t be changed for the time being. Wake me up at 7: 30.”

“Yes.” The butler did not dare to disturb Astrid further and quickly went downstairs.

In the kitchen, Melody didn’t just move her lips this time. Since Margaret had said that the family would eat together in the morning, and she planned to make breakfast for Margaret, she had to genuinely do it herself.

“All of you don’t have to worry about me. Come over only when I call you,” said Melody. With the display of authority yesterday and knowing that she was Ken’s wife, they immediately nodded and stepped back a little, but keeping their eyes on her.

Melody’s hands did not stop moving. Margaret’s teeth were not good. Melody had just walked around and realized that most of the breakfast prepared in the kitchen was to cater to Astrid’s and Ken’s tastes. Only the oatmeal was suitable for Margaret.

Therefore, she planned to make shrimp ravioli for Margaret. It was nutritious and wouldn’t be too oily for breakfast.

However, making shrimp ravioli was not easy, especially the “Delicate Crystal Shrimp Ravioli” that she wanted to make. The outer skin alone would take almost an hour.

Those chefs initially thought Melody could only make simple dishes and she had no culinary skills. For example, yesterday, the ravioli tasted quite ordinary, not knowing that Melody hadn’t put any effort into it and had just casually made the filling without using even a tenth of her culinary skills.

When the “Delicate Crystal Shrimp Ravioli” was finally made, the few Michelin-starred chefs all widened their eyes in surprise. They now understood why it was called “Delicate Crystal Shrimp Ravioli”. The skin was almost completely transparent, allowing the whole shrimp inside to be clearly seen. Around the shrimp was a ring of finely chopped vegetables, and the colors of the vegetables combined with the ravioli, made it look like a crystal lamp. This method was something they had never seen before.

A chef, summoning his courage, approached her and asked, “Mrs. Swanson, when you’re available, can you teach me how to make this shrimp ravioli?” Melody smiled slightly and said, “I’ll teach you when I have time.” The chef immediately cheered with joy, and in addition to reverence for her status, there was now a sense of admiration in his eyes.

Seeing this, the other two chefs also approached her and asked to become her apprentices, and Melody agreed with them. She indeed used a combination of grace and power to make these people completely submit to her.

“Shrimp ravioli is best when freshly prepared. Only prepare the pot and cook them when Mrs. Swanson returns. Don’t put all sorts of things in the pot, use the lightest chicken broth, and remember to skim off the layer of chicken fat on top…” After reminding them, she removed her apron and left the kitchen.

Coincidentally, Ken had also come downstairs. When their eyes met, Melody wanted to explain, but Ken smiled and said, “Thank you for your effort, our great chef. What delicious dishes have you made?” He didn’t blame her for being a “chef” again.”

Melody heaved a sigh of relief and said, “There’s not enough time. I only made one dish, shrimp ravioli, but I made a lot. You’ll have enough.”

Ulric was already sitting in the living room waiting. He didn’t know Melody had gone to the kitchen. When he heard their conversation, he instinctively frowned. ‘You still care to please Grandma!’ Soon his brows quickly relaxed. ‘The show is about to begin, so I’ll let you perform first.’

Ken also saw Ulric but he ignored him and nodded at Melody. Just as he was about to speak, a servant ran over and said, “Mrs. Swanson is back.”

Coincidentally, Mabel and Astrid also came down from upstairs. When they heard this, they immediately quickened their pace.

A group of people waited at the entrance. Soon, they saw Margaret walking over with the help of the servants.

“Mom.” Astrid was the first to go up to her. She held Margaret and asked, “Did you enjoy this trip? Are you too tired?”

“I’m fine. It’s just that Cadence…” Just as she looked up, she saw Melody waiting for her at the door. Her expression

became unnatural for a moment thinking of the call Wendell had made to her.

On the phone, Wendell said tearfully that Cadence was killed by Melody. She did not believe it, but when she saw Melody with her own eyes, a strange feeling arose in her heart.

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Chapter 646

The footsteps were particularly clear in the quiet hall because they were too hurried.

Everyone subconsciously looked in the direction of the footsteps.

Melody also turned to look in the direction where the footsteps came from. She saw James running toward her with a slight blush complexion and a chaotic breath.

She pursed her lips and cursed in her heart. ‘You are finally here!’

The receptionist’s eyes widened in shock when she saw who it was.

‘Mr. Deeds came down here!’ thought the receptionist.

However, her panic only lasted for a moment.

‘It must be a coincidence!’

However, James ran straight to them in the next second before the receptionist could completely calm down,

Then, he bowed to Melody and said, “I’m sorry, Miss Fox. The elevator is under maintenance. I ran down, so I was a little late.”

‘I see.’

‘So that is how it is!’

‘It turns out to be like that!’

The three sects, including the security guards, had three different emotions when they heard James.

The receptionist’s face was ashen, and her hands were visibly trembling.

“It’s okay,” Melody said calmly. “She stopped me from going up. Talk to her properly.”

“Yes!” Although James had joked with Melody in private, he did not dare to say anything disrespectful to Melody in front of others.

After moving his gaze away from Melody’s face, James’ expression quickly turned cold, and his gaze landed accurately on the receptionist.

The receptionist shivered and almost buried her head in her chest. Her voice was like the buzzing of a mosquito as she stammered, “I… I’m sorry, Mr. Deeds. I didn’t know she was your guest.”

James smiled coldly and said, “Miss Fox is not my guest. She is Mr. Swanson’s guest. Didn’t she tell you?”

The receptionist’s eyes widened.

‘The ugly freak is actually Ken’s guest!’ thought the receptionist.

The impact was even greater than James bowing to Melody.

The receptionist’s pupils almost trembled. She looked up with a pale face. “I… I’m sorry, Mr. Deeds. I didn’t do it on purpose. I was only doing my job. She didn’t have an appointment, so I could only stop her… She didn’t tell me she was Mr. Swanson’s guest. If I knew, how would I dare to stop the lady?”

Before Melody could speak, Spencer spoke first.

“Nonsense! Miss Fox said she was here to deliver food to Mr. Swanson as soon as she came over. It’s fine if you don’t believe us, but you said that if Mr. Deeds doesn’t come down in three minutes, Miss Fox will compensate each of you with 200 dollars. Later on, because of the elevator problem, Mr. Deeds came ten seconds later.

You directly dropped Miss Fox’s phone. Don’t think of denying these things you did!”

Melody was a little surprised when she heard Spencer’s confident voice.

She thought, ‘Spencer was a robot without his thoughts, but I did not expect him to be so unforgiving. He seems to be stronger than Seventeen, who is a bit dull. Of course, it may also be related to their age. Spencer looks seven or eight years younger than Seventeen.’

Melody’s mind was wandering. However, the more James listened, the uglier his face became

Although the receptionist had been crying and denying it, what else did James not understand when he looked down and saw the phone on the ground?

The death warrior would never lie to him.

“What’s your name?” James’s voice was as cold as ice.

“E… Emma Hill.”

“Good. Emma, you can pack your things and leave now. As for the other matters, I’ll get the Human Resources Department to contact you tomorrow.”

Emma was shocked.

‘James wants to fire me? Just because… I stopped the unremarkable and ugly woman?’

She thought she would be fined or deducted a few months of her bonus, at most!

“No.” Emma’s legs immediately went limp. She tugged at James’s pants and said, “Mr. Deeds, please forgive me this time! I’ll keep my eyes open next time. This won’t happen again.”

She had made a great effort to enter the Swanson Group headquarters and become a receptionist. She was already regarded as the pride of the entire village.

Her three-month internship had not ended, and she was suddenly fired. Moreover, those big companies might not hire her anymore. How could she accept that?

Emma cried bitterly, but James did not waver at all. He pulled his foot back forcefully.

“The front desk is the company’s face. The company can’t hire someone like you who judges people by their looks. This is Miss Fox. If our business partners come over in home clothes, will you chase them away, too? You won’t be the only one implicated by then!”

Emma’s tears and snot flowed together. She knew well it was useless to beg for mercy from James.

She couldn’t care less about her dignity and turned to Melody.

“Miss Fox, please be kind. I don’t know your identity. I thought you were here to cause trouble…”

Melody did not lift her eyelids as she said calmly, “You made a bet just now. I need to give you 2,200 dollars. My phone costs 1,800 dollars, and you compensate me 1,600 dollars. I have to transfer 600 dollars to you. Then the debt will be settled. Take out your phone. I’ll scan the QR code and pay.”

It was the Swanson Group. James had decided to deal with Emma. Even if Melody had turned the page, she could not embarrass James.

Otherwise, no one would take James’s words seriously in the future. The workplace was such a realistic place.

Finally, Emma was dragged out by the security guards with 600 dollars in cash.

The entire hall could hear Emma’s wails.

The security guards were glad that they had a way out. Otherwise, they would have had to look for work again.

The interlude passed quickly.

However, Melody, James, and Spencer could only go upstairs by taking the stairs because the elevator was broken.

On the way, Melody could not help but ask, “Ken has taken office as a new official. Would it be bad for him when you fired her for such a small matter?”

“Don’t worry, Miss Fox. It won’t happen.”

James analyzed the company’s situation with her in an orderly manner. Then, he said, “Many people are watching Mr. Swanson. They want to suppress him at the juncture when he just entered the company.

“Now that I did this, those people will know Mr. Swanson is not to be trifled with.

“If they want to do anything, they will think that even one who contradicted Mr. Swanson’s guest was fired, let alone them, who cause trouble.

“Therefore, not only will there not be any negative effects, but it will be a good thing.”

In other words, Melody had unintentionally established Ken’s prestige.

Melody heaved a sigh of relief. If she had known it would happen, she might as well have slapped Emma at the beginning and completely established some prestige for Ken.

However, she felt it was not good after thinking about it carefully. It was best to let James handle it.

Melody, James, and Spencer were skilled. They quickly reached the top floor.

Of course, James was a little out of breath after running down. However, when he saw how calm Melody was, his competitive spirit suddenly rose. He tried his best to hold his breath and knocked on the office door for Melody.

“Enter.” Ken’s voice came from inside.

Chapter 647

For some reason, Melody felt inexplicably nervous when she heard his low and hoarse voice.

She scolded herself inwardly for being useless. Then she calmed herself down and pushed the door open.

When the door opened, she saw Ken sitting at his desk, comparing the documents in his hand with the things on his computer. He did not even look up to see who was coming in.

Melody wanted to make fun of Ken. She turned around and took the food box from Spencer. She left a food box for James. Then she gestured for them to leave the room.

Spencer subconsciously wanted to speak, but James covered his mouth and dragged him out.

The office door closed automatically. Melody did not make a sound. She took the food box to the desk and opened the food box lid at the corner of the desk.

The food box had a good insulation effect. She could feel that the ravioli was still hot.

She drenched the ravioli with the seasonings she had brought, ripped open a disposable fork, and gently pushed the food box near Ken’s hand.

Ken saw a food box containing the ravioli from the corner of his eye. He subconsciously thought James had acted on his own.

Ken frowned and said unhappily, “I’ll eat after I’m done.”

Then he thought James would immediately take the food box away. Unexpectedly, James pushed his luck. Instead of taking the box away, he pushed it toward Ken.

The edge of the food box almost touched Ken’s arm.

‘When did James become so disobedient?’ thought Ken.

“James Deeds!”

Ken glared over coldly but widened his eyes in surprise the next second.

Melody was startled by Ken’s words. She didn’t expect Ken to react so strongly.

No wonder James had specially sent her a message. It turned out that James did not dare to do so for fear of getting into trouble.

‘James Deeds, you don’t want to get into trouble, but let me do it, right?’ thought Melody.

Melody quickly came back to her senses. She scratched her neck awkwardly and said, “You must eat no matter how much work you have. It will delay your work when you suffer from stomach problems due to hunger. A stomachache is as constant as a toothache, and you can’t concentrate on your work.”

Melody tried hard to think of a reason to absolve herself of her arbitrary decision just then. Then she saw Ken directly pull the food box over and reach out to her for a fork.

Melody hesitated before handing a fork to him.

“Have a seat.” Ken was not in a hurry to eat the ravioli. Instead, he let her sit opposite him.

There was a stool there. Melody walked over and sat down.

“I’m sorry, I…”

“Sorry,” Ken interrupted her apology. “I didn’t know it was you.”

‘So… he isn’t angry?’ thought Melody.

Melody probed, “Am I disturbing you?”

“No.” Ken shook his head. “The work has to be completed before tomorrow, but there’s plenty of time.”

Melody took a closer look at him and saw there was no anger in his eyes. Only then did she relax and return to normal.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but your habit of skipping meals when you’re busy is bad. Our lady boss of Herbathrive has got gastric cancer because she irregularly eats three meals a day. Of course, it was in the early stages. She was about to recover and be discharged.”

Melody paused and added, “I’m not cursing you. I’m just reminding you that health comes first.”

Ken looked at her deeply and said, “Don’t worry. I won’t let you be a widow.”

Melody’s eyes widened in frustration.

‘What widow? What the hell…

Before she could think of anything to rebuke him, Ken obediently picked up a ravioli and ate it.

After eating one, he asked her with certainty, “Did you make it?”

“Not really. I didn’t take part in making the ravioli. I only mixed the ingredients. I put the herbs in it. It increases one’s immunity to prevent colds. Eat more while it’s hot.”

“I didn’t taste herbs.”

“I used ingredients to block the smell of the herbs.”

“It’s a good imaginative idea.” Ken was generous in his praise.

Melody was about to say that it was nothing. Her master did it when she was little. Then she heard Ken ask again, “Do you have any ideas for creating a brand for it?”

“What?” It took Melody a second to realize Ken was referring to the ravioli she had brought.

“It’s just something casually made. I didn’t overthink it,” Melody said quickly.

“Then think about it for the next two days. Tell me the results when you’ve thought it through.”

Melody gave him a questioning look.

Ken explained to her.

“The Swanson Group has long been the leader of the property industry. Its entertainment industry is also well-known around the world. The group plans to enter the catering industry in the second half of this year.”

The Swanson Group owned many hotels but had no actual catering and foodstuffs.

Melody was secretly shocked.

‘The kind of thing is considered a company secret before it is announced. He tells me this?’ thought Melody.

Ken continued, “The catering industry has always been a huge cake

that can’t be divided. My father can’t do it all himself. If you’re interested, I’ll take over this piece.”

This way, Ken had a firm foothold in the Swanson Group.

Melody understood what Ken meant.

She only thought two seconds before saying, “I’ve decided and agreed. Let’s start with the instant ravioli.”

She wasn’t doing it for Ken, but since it was a major project of the Swanson Group, and Ramon couldn’t spare so much energy, either Ken or Ulric would be in charge of the area.

Of course, she couldn’t let Ulric get this big cake.

The more powerful Ulric was, the less likely she would succeed in her revenge. Even if she did not have the intention, she had it now. Moreover, she had the determination to succeed.

Ken looked at the change in Melody’s expression. Although he did not understand why she suddenly looked ambitious, it was a good thing that she agreed.

‘She will get a good share of the spoils. I can also get a better handle on the Swanson Group. It is the best of both worlds. However…’ thought Ken.

“The plan isn’t complete yet. You don’t have to put in too much effort to tire yourself out,” said Ken.

Anyway, health mattered most.

Melody nodded. “I know what I’m doing. Hurry up and eat. There’s no winter in Silverlake. Winter comes after summer. The weather is getting colder, and the ravioli easily get cold, which is bad for your stomach.”

“Okay.” Ken nodded. He quickly ate all thirty or so ravioli. Moreover, it seemed he could eat a little more.

“It’s delicious,” he praised sincerely.

It was hard to make something as simple as the ravioli taste so good.

However, she had done it. Not only that but also she had also mixed the immune-boosting herbs in the ravioli.

“Then go to work. I’ll wait for you to get off work together.”

Melody tactfully sat on the sofa aside.

She had to think carefully about making the instant ravioli.

It was unknown if it was because of the saying, “When a man and a woman work together, neither of them will feel tired.” Ken’s remaining work quickly shortened from two hours to an hour.

After Ken signed the last word, he looked up and saw Melody, who was more serious than he was, writing and drawing on the blank magazine page on the coffee table.

Chapter 648

Out of curiosity, Ken walked over.

Perhaps Melody was too serious. She did not notice he was standing beside her and continued to write and revise in the magazine.

Ken first looked at the magazine that was out of print. Then, he asked without changing his expression, “What are you writing?”

Melody was so frightened by his sudden voice that her hand holding the pen was a little unstable.

Upon seeing it was Ken, she explained, “I’m rewriting the recipe of the filling of the ravioli.”

“Oh?” Ken was not good at cooking. He asked, “I think the food I ate today is great. Can’t you use it directly?”

Melody nodded and said, “Of course not. I didn’t think about how long to store the ravioli filling today, nor did I consider selling the ravioli. Therefore, the ingredients and herbs I used are relatively expensive, and the ravioli is not unsuited for storage.

“Since they will be sold as instant food, I must prioritize recovering our investment and ensure it doesn’t go bad for a long time. Therefore, I have to change my recipe.

Melody had been thinking about it for more than an hour.

Then Melody asked Ken, “Are you done?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s go back. I want to go home and think about it. The sofa is a little hard, and it’s uncomfortable to sit on it.”

“Okay.” Ken took the coat hanging on the chair and threw it into her hand. He said almost commandingly, “Put it on before you go out.”

“I’m not cold.” Melody quickly shook her head.

“Well? Do you want me to help you put it on?”

“No, no!” Melody quickly waved her hand. Then, she took the jacket and put it on.

Ken was very tall, close to 6.2 feet. Melody was only 5.5 feet. Melody wore his windbreaker coat like a child in an adult’s coat.

Ken took a look and could not help but laugh.

Melody glared at him.

He was the one who wanted her to wear it!

Melody and Melody walked out of the office one after another. James and Spencer quickly greeted them.

“Mr. Swanson,” said Spencer.

“Mr. Swanson,” said James.

“Yes. Go and get the car,” said Ken.

“Yes!” James was surprised by Ken’s speed, but he did not dare to ask further. He took out the car key and asked Spencer to start the car.

“Remember to turn on the air conditioner.”

James reminded Spencer but was still worried. He took the car keys and walked in front.

The maintenance of the elevator was not over yet. Along the way,

they encountered many employees who took the safe passage.

When everyone saw Melody wearing Ken’s coat, they quietly looked over and gossiped.

However, when they saw Melody’s face, the gossip in their eyes quickly dissipated.

Melody must be Ken’s friend or relative since she was so ugly.

Melody naturally felt the gazes of those people. She did not care about such gazes before because she thought what they thought was their business. But now, she subconsciously lowered her head for some reason.

The feeling of inferiority that she had felt in her previous life had appeared again in this life.

She thought her heart had become indestructible in this life, but it turned out she had overestimated herself, right?

She subconsciously glanced at Ken. Fortunately, Ken was on the phone and did not notice her abnormal reaction.

They finally reached the underground garage after walking down over twenty floors with difficulty.

The signal in the garage was not good. Ken hung up and turned to her. “Margaret will be back the day after tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Melody replied absent-mindedly.

However, in the next second, Ken said, “She said the family will have breakfast together and go to Cadence’s funeral the next day. She wants you to come along. We have to return to the manor together tomorrow night.”

Melody stopped in her tracks.

Returning to the manor meant that they had to sleep together and interact intimately from time to time in front of the Swanson family to avoid being discovered by the Swanson family people that she and Ken were acting as a loving couple.

However, that was not the point now.

Melody’s face turned slightly pale. She lowered her voice and asked, “Did Margaret hear some rumors when she asked me over for Cadence’s funeral?”

For example, Cadence’s death was related to her.

Ken’s expression was also solemn.

“If that’s the case, you won’t be able to turn it down.”

“Right…”

Melody was responsible for Cadence’s death. Although she felt Cadence deserved it, she still felt a little upset when she thought about how Margaret would be disappointed in her.

Melody rarely felt people who were genuinely good to her. Margaret was one of those people who was genuinely nice to her. She did not want to disappoint those who were genuinely nice to her.

However, she could not admit to Cadence’s death.

Ken suddenly grabbed Melody’s hand while she was struggling.

She subconsciously looked up at him and met his dark and determined gaze.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

Melody’s nervous heart miraculously calmed down.

After returning to Serenity Villa, Melody was no longer in the mood to think about the frozen ravioli. She tossed and turned in bed, thinking about Cadence’s funeral.

Her sixth sense told her something bad could happen at the funeral.

Melody thought, ‘Why don’t I just not go? Wendell can’t do anything to me if I don’t go. However, if Wendell has spoken ill of me to Margaret, doesn’t it make me feel guilty not to show up at this point? If I did, Ulric would have done something… No. Mabel was also present at that time. If Ulric wants to clarify Cadence’s matter, Mabel would inevitably be involved. Ulric might do nothing or might do something I don’t expect.’

Melody was caught in a dilemma.

The more Melody thought about it, the more conflicted she became. As a result, she did not sleep the entire night. The next day, she walked out of the room with two dark circles under her eyes.

Ken had gone to work, and Susan was preparing her breakfast.

Upon seeing her like that, Susan was immediately shocked.

“Mrs. Swanson, what did you do last night?”

Susan swallowed the words “Have you gone to be a thief?” She asked worriedly, “Do you want to rest more?”

Melody touched her face.

‘Is it that obvious?’ thought Melody.

She smiled awkwardly and said, “I was busy with something last night and stayed up all night.”

“That won’t do. If you don’t recuperate, you’ll suffer even more when you get pregnant later. It won’t be good for the child, too.”

What was going on? How could Melody have a child with Ken?

At the very least, Melody wouldn’t be affected by staying up all night even if she did have a child with Ken.

However, Susan had had the older generation’s view, so Melody did not refute her. She said, “I’ll pay attention next time. Can you make me a cup of coffee?”

“Of course. I’ll go right now. However, you should eat something first. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is not good for you.”

“Alright…” Melody helplessly pulled out a chair and sat down, but her heart was warm.

Melody couldn’t have such trivial care when she was with the Fox family. Naturally, she felt happy.

Melody finally felt alive after breakfast and a cup of coffee,

Spencer was already waiting at the door, ready to drive anytime.

Melody received a call from David when she got into the car.

“Miss Fox, bad news!”

Chapter 649

Melody felt a little post-traumatic stress disorder when she heard David say bad news. Her face quickly darkened.

“What happened?”

Spencer was perceptive. He didn’t wait for Melody to speak before stepping on the gas and drove quickly and steadily toward Herbathrive.

Melody held her phone tightly and heard David say, “A large group of people came today. They were all brought by the patients and families who brought the ravioli yesterday. They insisted on buying the ravioli we made yesterday.”

Melody heaved a sigh of relief and angrily said, “Do you have to say such a little thing in such a hurry?”

She did think that something bad had happened again.

David also realized Melody was shocked by him. He quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, Miss Fox. But… can you come over quickly? There are too many people…”

“I see.” Melody hung up the phone speechlessly and rolled her eyes inwardly.

She praised David in her heart yesterday for becoming mature. Alright, she could take it back now.

It was the morning rush hour. Because of Spencer’s good driving skills, they could arrive at the door of Herbathrive 40 minutes later.

Before Melody got out of the car, she saw a large crowd of people squeezing at the door of Herbathrive. They almost broke the wooden door of Herbathrive.

Upon seeing that, Melody somewhat understood why David was so anxious.

There were too many people.

Despite the escort of Spencer, Melody couldn’t squeeze in. She could only take a detour and enter Herbathrive through the backyard door.

“Miss Fox!” David panted as he ran over to report. “Not only are there no fewer people, but there seem to be more and more of them. What do you think we should do? We can’t just drop off our patients and help Momma Talia wrap the ravioli, right?”

Melody thought and said, “Do you have a loudspeaker?”

“Yes. It is at the warehouse.”

“Give it to me.”

David turned around and ran to look for the loudspeaker.

Melody took the loudspeaker and walked to the lobby. The lobby was also full of people, who were tightly packed together. As they squeezed, they shouted, “Ravioli! I want to buy ravioli, too!”

Those who didn’t know better would think it wasn’t a medical center but a restaurant.

Melody turned on the loudspeaker and spoke calmly, “Everyone, quiet down!”

Her sudden voice made everyone subconsciously stand still.

Melody continued, “The ravioli we made yesterday were for Herbathrive to repay our old customers. We didn’t sell them. However, we will set up a pot at the door and give the ravioli as a compulsory gift every weekend. We will give 100 servings each time. Come back during the weekend. We don’t have any now. Please don’t interfere with our medical practice.”

As soon as Melody said so, many sighs immediately sounded.

Fortunately, everyone was no longer as crazy as before. They began to leave slowly.

Melody told David, “Tell the person at the door to open the door as wide as possible. Keep an eye on the crowd at all times. Don’t have a stampede incident.”

“Yes!” David led his men to evacuate the crowd.

The crowd finally dispersed after more than half an hour. Herbathrive finally returned to normal.

After everyone left, David could not help but give Melody a thumbs up.

“Miss Fox, it has to be you!”

Melody glared at him. “I have to deal with such a little matter personally. What if I can’t come over if something happens? Learn more. You’re still far from it.”

David lowered his head in shame.

When Melody saw that, she softened her tone and said, “Forget it. You can’t be blamed for this. It happened too suddenly. Go and get Momma Talia in my consultation room. I have something to tell her.”

“Alright.” David quickly nodded.

There were not many guests today. Most of the guests had been scared away by the crowd just now, so there were not many patients who needed to be treated.

After Melody finished treating the two patients, she looked up and saw Talia standing quietly at the door waiting for her. Melody did not know how long she had been waiting.

“Momma Talia, why aren’t you coming in?” Melody quickly waved her hand and invited Talia in.

Only then did Talia come in, rubbing her hands reluctantly.

Talia was also curious about her attitude toward Melody.

She could get along naturally with everyone else at Herbathrive but was a little uptight in front of Melody.

“Miss Fox, you wanted to see me?”

Melody smiled and said, “I call you Momma Talia. You should call me Melody instead.”

Talia quickly waved her hands. “No, no. I’m used to calling you Miss Fox. I can’t change it.”

How could she change? Melody was her benefactor, her life mentor, and her leader!

Melody did not make things difficult for her and went straight to the point about the ravioli.

“You knew what happened in the lobby today. The ravioli is so popular. I’m preparing to create a frozen ravioli brand. I wonder if you’re interested?”

Talia was flattered.

“Me? I don’t think I can do it…”

“Be more confident. You must have attended many business dinners before and knew something about branding. You may be the only person in the whole Herbathrive who can help me with this.”

Talia was still hesitating when Melody added, “Perhaps you feel that living in Herbathrive is comfortable, but are you willing to be our chef for the rest of your life?”

Melody’s words pierced Talia’s heart.

She was silent for a moment. Then she gritted her teeth and said, “You are the boss. You certainly won’t harm me. However, I don’t know where to start.”

“I promised the people who came today to ask for the ravioli. Every weekend, we’ll give away 100 free servings of the ravioli at Herbathrive. Since it’ll be sold as frozen ravioli, we definitely can’t use yesterday’s ingredients directly in terms of storage or profit. So I thought we’d try out which ingredients are best for production and sales over the weekend.”

“I see. I’ll go back and think about what ingredients to use to replace the food that doesn’t change the taste and texture but can save costs and extend the storage time.”

Melody nodded in satisfaction.

Talia was smart. She understood immediately.

Then Melody said, “It would be better if we were the only ones to know about this for the time being. I’m not 100% sure that I’ll do the project.”

“Alright. I won’t tell Nana either.”

“Okay, go ahead. I’ll think about the ingredients, too.”

There were too many instant ravioli on the market. If Melody wanted to surpass them in one go, apart from pursuing the taste, she had to have something novel that made people have to buy it. For example, she put herbs in the ravioli.

Melody had been thinking about the matter almost all day and had forgotten about Cadence.

It was not until James appeared before her that she remembered she had to go to the Swanson villa tonight.

Her head immediately began to hurt.

‘I don’t want to go… thought Melody.

However, she had no choice. In the current situation, she knew she had to brace herself and take the bull by the horns.

Chapter 650

Melody was visibly depressed. She put down the list of ingredients in her hand with resignation.

“Let’s go.”

James looked at Melody and could not help but be puzzled. ‘Why is Melody going back to Ken’s house with her look like she’s going to die?’ thought James.

However, time was tight. Astrid called him in advance and ordered him to bring Melody back to the Swanson villa before 5:30. It was already 4:50.

Although the person James was following was Ken, Ken had yet to fall out with his family. On the surface, Astrid was still Ken’s mother. James had to listen to Astrid’s orders.

However, James had a conscience on the way. He reminded Melody, “Miss Fox, Mr. Swanson will be busy for another hour before he can start back. You will arrive alone first. Be careful no matter what you do.”

Melody immediately understood.

Astrid, Melody’s mother-in-law in her previous life, was trying to do the same thing to Melody by showing her strength in Ken’s absence.

However, Melody would not endure humiliation like in her previous life this time.

To put it bluntly, Melody cared too much about Ulric in her previous life, so she naturally obeyed Astrid from the bottom of her heart.

However, this life was different.

Melody straightened her back and said, “Yes. Don’t worry. I can handle it.”

James looked at her worriedly in the rearview mirror. Then he stepped on the accelerator, and the car sped toward the Swanson villa.

However, it was inevitable that there would be a traffic jam at the hour. No matter how superb James was, it was dark when they reached the Swanson villa.

James quickly glanced at the time when he stopped the car.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that there were still three minutes to go.

“Miss Fox, let’s go in.”

Melody nodded. She didn’t need James to lead the way. She walked past the winding stone road in front of the parking lot and stepped through the living room door at 5:59 p.m.

As soon as Melody entered, she heard laughter coming from inside.

“Mabel, you’re still the best. You only give me a little massage, and my headache is eased. Yesterday, I even called a technician to come to my house. It was useless after more than an hour of massage.”

“I made a fool of myself. The technician is more professional than me. Perhaps your headache is already better, so I just happened to hit the jackpot.”

“You’re too modest, Mabel. You are a good girl.”

Melody frowned slightly when she looked at the two people chatting and laughing on the sofa in the living room.

‘Mabel is here, too? It seems that her relationship with Ulric is going smoothly… In my previous life, they had always been secretly together because of my existence. Now, they can openly stick

together. However, Mabel is still here at this hour. Could it be that she wants to stay overnight?’ thought Melody.

Melody looked around but did not see Ulric.

Behind her, James saw Astrid and Mabel did not notice their arrival. He could not help but speak up for Melody, “Mrs Astrid, Mrs. Melody is here.”

James did not want Melody to be the person who accompanied Ken for the rest of her life, but he knew well Melody was on his side.

As long as Melody did not divorce Ken, her honor represented Ken’s honor.

James was well known in this respect.

Astrid and Mabel looked over in surprise as soon as James spoke.

However, Mabel was pretending to be surprised.

She had seen Melody long before Melody stepped through the door.

‘She is so hideously ugly that it would be odd if she didn’t attract my attention,’ thought Mabel.

However, Mabel deliberately pretended not to see them. She wanted Melody to see she was a lot closer to Astrid than Melody, Astrid’s daughter-in-law.

“Here you are. Come and have a seat.” Astrid’s expression was calm, completely different from her attitude toward Mabel just then.

Melody’s expression did not change one bit. She nodded and called, ‘Mrs. Astrid.’ Then Melody was ready to sit down.

However, when Astrid heard Melody call her Mrs. Astrid, her ugly expression turned even uglier instantly.

‘Why? Ken has dared not call me Mom for so many years. Does the village girl also dare not to treat me as the mistress of the Swanson Family?’ thought Astrid.

“Indeed, I’m not worthy of being your mother.” Astrid sneered.

Melody paused slightly. Then, she ignored Astrid’s words and sat down in another armchair.

Astrid grew angrier.

However, Melody was now the Swanson family’s legitimate young mistress and Ken’s registered wife. So many servants were in the living room, and so was James, the microphone. Astrid could not flare up directly.

She looked at James sharply.

“You’re good at doing things. I asked you to bring her over before 5:30. You’re not even a minute early. How kind of you!” said Astrid.

There is always an excuse to convict the guilty.

Moreover, it was obvious Astrid was scolding Melody.

How could James not understand Astrid’s intentions?

‘Miss Fox is wronged when Mr. Swanson is away, thought James.

To avoid causing more trouble for Melody, James admitted his mistake. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Astrid. I went to pick up Miss Fox after you called me. It’s just that the traffic was too heavy, and I wasted a lot of time.”

Astrid was still unwilling to give up.

“So, am I wrong about you?”

The cold sweat broke out on James’s forehead.

Melody was about to speak up for James when she saw James give her a don’t look.

She understood. ‘Astrid is looking for someone to vent her anger on. If I stop Astrid, James will be in a worse situation.

Thinking of that, Melody could only calm down and force herself to ignore it.

James said sincerely, “It’s all my fault, Mrs. Astrid.”

Astrid raised her chin slightly. “Since you know your mistake, accept your punishment. Otherwise, you won’t learn your lesson.”

“Yes.”

Astrid rolled her eyes and said, “Kneel outside the door. You’re not allowed to get up until an hour later.”

“Yes.”

James did not say anything else. He stood up and walked outside to kneel.

Coincidentally, it started to rain when Melody came over. Now it was light rain turning into moderate rain, and Jesse was forced to kneel in the rain.

The autumn rain was bone-chilling, not to mention kneeling on the ground.

However, James did not say a word. He knelt just like that.

Melody couldn’t stand it. She lowered her eyes to think of a way.

She at least could text Ken to ask him to come over earlier.

After all, it was the Swanson family. Melody could not do whatever she wanted. She still had to consider the Swanson family’s true mistress.

However, Astrid’s gaze drifted over as Melody’s hand touched her phone.

With a faint smile, Astrid said, “Melody, you wouldn’t have to call Ken to report such a small matter just because I punished a servant who did something wrong, would you?

Melody’s fingers stiffened slightly as she squeezed out a smile.

“How can that be? You’re overthinking.”

“It’s good that I’m overthinking. Ken has just joined the company. We can’t let the gossipy subordinates find his fault. Let’s not disturb his work because of family matters.”

Melody pursed her lips. “You’re right.”

Mabel was overjoyed when she watched Melody who wanted to flare up but could only hold it in.

Since Melody returned from the countryside, Mabel had been suffering in front of her, even her mother…

Mabel’s mood sank when she thought of Yolanda, who had just died and had yet to be buried.

She turned to Astrid and said, “Mrs. Astrid, didn’t we just talk about how Herbathrive was trending today because the ravioli was delicious? I wonder if I can eat the ravioli that Melody made herself.

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Chapter 641

Ken glanced at the ended call and gave James a cold look. ‘You always have something to say, Ken thought irritably.

James felt Ken’s sharp gaze and shivered in fear.

‘What happened? Why does Mr. Swanson keep looking at me like he wants to kill me?’ thought James.

Ken immediately addressed the issue. “What’s wrong with the contractor?”

“I asked a worker who was planning to quit. He said the contractor was the village chief from nearby and was a local tyrant. Not only did he often hold their salary, but he also suppressed their unit price.

“Take the seismic supports in the basement for example. The price that we offered the contractor was 12 dollars for a set of seismic supports. However, the workers only received 4 dollars, well below the market price.

“It’s precisely because there are so many such things that the workers here often go on strike. As a result, the project has been delayed and hasn’t been delivered.”

Ken narrowed his eyes coldly.

The project was related to the Swanson Group’s further development into the real estate industry. However, the project was delayed again and again. It was useless no matter how much the headquarters urged them.

As soon as Ken took office, Ramon handed the mess over to him and limited him to finding the reason before he returned.

Now, the reason was finally found.

James indignantly continued, “They worked hard, but the contractor gets a lot of money for doing nothing. No one can be in a balanced state of mind. However, the contractor has great power, and some workers who are struggling to get jobs can only endure him, but they can’t take it anymore now because the contractor has begun to harass the workers’ wives…”

“Bastard!”

A mere contractor dared to call himself a king here!

Ken shouted coldly, scaring James so much that his body trembled.

“He’s just a village chief. Even if he’s the local tyrant here, it’s impossible that the people from the headquarters haven’t resolved the matter until now. He must have some connections.”

James said with admiration, “You’re right. I’ve checked. The contractor’s backer is Conor Quinn, the head of Pearly Antiques. Conor is a distant relative of Astrid’s. Don’t you think… this is a coincidence?”

“Indeed,” Ken said coldly. “Go and gather some practical evidence with a few reliable workers, especially the evidence of his harassment of women. We’ll return to headquarters immediately after you’re done.”

“Understood!” James became excited and immediately led his men to collect evidence.

It was also because the contractor was so arrogant that he did not hide his dirty deeds. Therefore, James had gathered a large amount of evidence that was enough to send the contractor to jail in less than half an hour.

Soon, the car arrived at the headquarters of the Swanson Group.

Conor was well-informed. Before James could heat the vegetable soup, Conor came looking for Ken again.

“James, does Mr. Swanson have time to see me? I have something important to discuss with him alone.”

James’ good mood evaporated instantly when he saw Conor.

He said expressionlessly, “Wait here. Mr. Swanson is not feeling well. He needs to rest before he has time to do anything else.”

Conor dared not get angry or speak up. “Yes, yes. His health matters most. Then I’ll wait here. If Mr. Swanson feels better, please help me inform him,” said Conor flatteringly.

“Got it!” James replied unhappily. He took the vegetable soup and walked toward the office.

When James entered, he immediately reported to Ken as he put down the pear soup.

“Mr. Swanson, Conor is here again.”

Ken sipped the vegetable soup. It tasted sweet but not greasy. As it flowed down his throat, the dry feeling was much less.

When Ken had finished the bowl of soup, he looked up and said, “Let him in.”

“Yes!” James turned around and left.

James knew Ken would have kept Conor waiting longer if it wasn’t for the matter of the construction site.

Soon, James led Conor in.

“Mr. Swanson…” Conor smiled servilely. “I’ve finally seen you. I heard you were not feeling well. I wonder if you’re any better now?”

Ken looked up at Conor expressionlessly.

His eyes were like icebergs, which made one feel a chill instantly.

Conor was so shocked by his gaze that he started stuttering.

“Mr… Mr. Swanson, you…”

Ken interrupted him.

“Who is Tom Quinn to you?”

Conor was stunned.

“Why are you suddenly asking about this…”

“Answer!”

Conor was so frightened that he shivered. He quickly said, “He’s my uncle. I… I don’t know if he has offended you in any way.”

Ken picked up the document on the desk and threw it directly at Conor’s face.

“See for yourself!”

Conor was a little unhappy to be slapped in the face by the document.

However, his face instantly turned pale when he read what Tom had done at the construction site.

His legs went weak, and he collapsed in front of Ken.

“Mr. Swanson, it’s my fault! I failed to supervise him, and he did such a stupid thing. Please give me a chance. I’ll teach him a lesson!”

Ken narrowed his eyes.

“Conor, you’re a senior of the Swanson Group. You’ve worked hard for the Swanson Group for so many years. I can spare you this time and hand the matter to you. Don’t let me down… It’s not worth ruining your career and your life for your uncle.”

Conor was both frightened and grateful.

“Thank you, Mr. Swanson! Thank you! I will make him pay the price he deserves!”

Ken raised his eyebrows. “It had better be, or I won’t be able to explain to Mr. Ramon when he returns.”

“Of course, of course!”

Ken pursed his lips and said, “So, what did you want to see me about?”

Only then did Conor remember why he was there.

He did not dare to say anything else about Tom. He handed over the booklet and account book with both hands and said respectfully, “They are the information booklet of all the shops under Pearly Antiques, as well as the account book for the past two years…”

Ken did not even look at them and said, “Got it. You can go out.”

Conor didn’t expect Ken to be completely unresponsive. For a moment, he was hesitant and did not know what to say.

It was James who reminded him, “Aren’t you leaving?”

Then Conor came back to his senses and left the office dejectedly. From his back, he seemed to flee from hell in a panic.

After Conor’s footsteps faded away, James could not help but ask, “Mr. Swanson, why did you let him handle this matter?”

“It’s a little tricky for me to handle the matter. Regardless of whether I’m too ruthless or not tough enough, My father will have bad thoughts about me. If I let their people handle it, they won’t cause trouble.”

“Then, aren’t you afraid Conor’ll lift it high and land gently?”

Ken chuckled and said, “He hates Tom even more than I do now. Don’t worry, he will give us a satisfactory answer.”

Chapter 642

Conor was a typical self-interested person.

In the face of such a thing that would endanger his future, what was his relative?

Not to mention it was his uncle, even if it was his father, Conor would not hesitate to put himself before his family.

To satisfy Ken, Conor would do it even more ruthlessly than Ken could.

After all, only the most familiar people know where the knife stabs the most pain.

James quickly figured it out after Ken’s reminder.

He suddenly realized people with low IQ really couldn’t be leaders. Only people like Ken were born to be in power.

Not long after Conor left, there was something new for Ken to sign.

Ken knew well that a group of subordinates were watching him, and there was no lack of people who wanted to set up a trap for him. Hence, he read every document word by word.

It was getting dark in the blink of an eye, but Ken ate nothing but a bowl of vegetable soup.

James’s heart ached as he watched Ken from the side, but he did not dare to disturb Ken. He could only sneak out and hide in the coffee room to text Melody.

[Miss Fox, Mr. Swanson hasn’t eaten anything besides the vegetable soup you asked me to bring.]

After sending the message, James instantly felt relieved, as if the matter had been resolved.

Melody saw the message as soon as James sent it to her.

She frowned slightly and turned to call out to the shop assistant in Herbathrive, who was passing by the door. “How’s Momma Talia’s ravioli?”

Momma Talia referred to Talia Jensen. After Talia became familiar with everyone, many people jokingly called her Momma Talia. Melody also followed suit.

The shop assistant hurriedly replied, “I think she has wrapped a lot of ravioli. Just now, I saw a family member, who came to get the medicine, got a bag of ravioli, and then left.”

“I see. Go and do your work.”

Melody responded and continued to examine the patient, who had just sat down. Melody asked, “Where do you feel unwell?”

The patient was a young girl in her third year of senior high school.

Her mother brought her in. She looked reluctant.

Before she sat down, she muttered, “Our school doctor said traditional medicine is a lie…”

After being scolded by her mother, she sat obediently and let Melody examine her.

The young girl pursed her lips and said, “I’m fine.”

Her words were filled with distrust toward Melody.

Melody was not upset. She looked at the young girl’s mother and asked, “Why did you think of bringing her to Herbathrive?”

The young girl’s parent glared at her daughter before answering Melody.

“She’s in her third year of senior high school this year. Perhaps she’s under a lot of pressure. She mentioned to me that she’s been feeling a tightness in her chest when she sleeps recently. In the PE class yesterday, the PE teacher said she had chest pains after a short run.”

“That’s because I do questions all day and lack exercise,” the girl retorted. “I’m not sick!”

Children at her age were a little rebellious. Melody patiently continued to examine the girl without speaking.

“Indeed, you lack exercise and are weak. You need to improve your health.”

However, Melody immediately changed the topic and said, “But your chest tightness has little to do with it.”

The girl’s parent was anxious.

“Then, what’s going on with her?”

Melody did not answer. She asked the young girl, “Take a deep breath and see if you feel any discomfort.”

Under her mother’s warning gaze, the young girl did as she was told.

However, she pressed her chest uncomfortably before she could completely breathe in.

“You’re feeling chest tightness again, aren’t you?”

The young girl was a little flustered and dared not to ignore Melody. She nodded and said, “Yes… a little stuffy and painful.”

“Is it here?” Melody reached out and pressed on the young girl’s chest.

The young girl nodded and asked in a panic, “Am I suffering from some terminal illness?”

Melody smiled gently and said, “Don’t worry. It’s not as serious as you think. Stand up. I’ll touch your back.”

The young girl stood up cooperatively.

Melody pressed on the young girl’s shoulder with one hand and touched her cervical vertebra with the other hand. When her fingers passed the girl’s fourth cervical vertebra, she stopped and tapped there. She said, “It’s the problem here.”

The girl’s parent asked anxiously, “Doctor, what’s wrong with my daughter?”

Melody took off her gloves and explained, “The fourth section of her cervical vertebrae was dislocated and pressed into her chest cavity, causing those problems. I’ll straighten her bones now. She’ll recover soon.”

The young girl widened her eyes in shock. “Will it hurt?”

“No. Just do as I say. Not only will it not hurt, but it will be comfortable.”

“Really…” The young girl was skeptical. ‘How can anyone be able to cure the illness comfortably? What is it if it’s not a lie?’ thought the young girl.

Just as the young girl quietly asked her mother if she could take her to the modern hospital for treatment, Melody had brought a wooden chair over from the corner.

“You have your back to me. Sit down with your arms around the back of the chair.”

The young girl’s parent hurriedly urged, “Hurry up and do it!”

Only then did the young girl accept her fate and sit over.

“Relax your hands…”

Melody pulled the little girl up when the girl was not paying attention.

The sound of bones cracking could be heard, which scared the girl’s parent so much that she shivered.

However, the young girl was curious. “It’s odd. It seems quite comfortable.”

Only then did the girl’s parent relax.

After the treatment, Melody released her hands and asked the young girl to breathe deeply again.

The young girl took a few deep breaths and said to her mother in surprise, “Mom! My chest is not stuffy anymore! The traditional medicine doesn’t seem to be a lie!”

The girl’s parent glared at her awkwardly again and apologized to Melody.” Doctor, I’m sorry. She’s been spoiled by us. She doesn’t think before she speaks.”

“It’s fine.” Melody shook her head and said, “She shouldn’t have such a problem at her age. In the future, you should give her time to exercise when she’s not studying. If she doesn’t have enough muscle strength, it is easy to be unable to restrain her cervical spine and cause misalignment.”

The girl’s parent listened carefully and asked about some things to take note of before leaving with the young girl gratefully.

The girl was the last patient of the day. Melody was about to reply to James when the little girl suddenly ran back and bowed deeply to her. “Miss, I’m sorry. Thank you. I’ll help you clear your name later!”

Melody smiled. “Hurry up and go. Don’t get lost with your mother.”

The young girl nodded and ran out quickly.

David, who happened to be walking over, saw the scene and walked in happily. “Miss Fox, you’re the best. Children of their age only have modern medicine in their minds. When she just came over, I heard her say the Herbathrive is a scammer. However, you’ve got her once you made a move”

“The traditional medicine is broad and profound. However, in your line of work, you can’t underestimate modern medicine because of this. They have their merits. Otherwise, Mr. Herbert wouldn’t have to bring Beverly to the modern medicine for treatment.”

David nodded repeatedly. “I won’t. You taught me to be humble all the time.”

Melody looked at David and realized David had become much more mature recently.

‘It’s good that you remember. Come on, let’s go and see how Momma Talia’s ravioli is doing,’ said Melody as she texted James back.

[Does he still have a lot of work?]

Chapter 643

James seemed to stare at his phone constantly. He quickly texted Melody back.

[He does have a lot on his plate today. He still has a dozen

documents to read. Conservatively speaking, it will take another two to three hours to finish what he is doing.]

After reading the message, Melody replied: [I see. I’ll send some ravioli over later.]

[Thank you, Miss Fox!]

James’ words were filled with joy.

James dared not to interrupt because he felt Ken would scold him badly if he made the slightest noise.

However, he felt Melody would not be treated like that for some reason.

James thought about it and felt a little jealous.

‘Why is it Melody has only known Ken for less than half a year, but her status is already higher than mine? It is annoying…’ thought James.

However, James’s jealousy vanished at the thought that Melody would save Ken from starvation.

The backyard of Herbathrive.

The things at Herbathrive were almost done. They were all squeezed into the small kitchen in the backyard.

Because there wasn’t enough space, everyone split up some stuffing and ravioli skins and moved to the courtyard to wrap ravioli.

Of course, most men were not born with the talent. The ravioli they made were oddly shaped.

Melody looked at the row of ravioli that looked like cinnamon rolls and shook her head helplessly. “Don’t wrap them up. Nana and David, go and boil the water. Let’s cook some to eat first.”

“Alright!”

Nana and David did not dare to have any objections. They quickly set up a pot and started a fire. Soon, smoke rose from the backyard.

Nana smelled the smoke in the air and felt a sense of security that she had never felt before.

‘Maybe this is why Mom was so determined to stay here, thought Nana.

At first, Nana still felt a trace of inexplicable reluctance when she decided to stay. But she did not want to go back now.

It was good to continue living like this.

She felt happy.

Nana looked up and met David’s gaze.

The next second when their eyes met, Nana and David blushed and looked away. Their hearts raced as they continued to do what they were doing.

Melody saw the scene. She smiled and walked into the kitchen.

Compared to the ravioli made by people in the courtyard, those that Talia made were all beautiful. The ravioli had the same size and looked like a replica, completely reaching the sales level.

Melody said, “Momma Talia, don’t boil the ravioli you made. Give me two servings after you’re done wrapping them. I’ll send them to my friend later. Put the rest in the fridge. When the patients leave tomorrow, send one serving to each person. Just pack six ravioli for each serving. It’s auspicious.”

Talia quickly nodded and packed two servings for Melody.

Of course, there were more than 30 ravioli for each serving.

Melody thought for a moment and asked Talia to add two more servings.

Coincidentally, the water that had been burned with firewood in the courtyard was boiling.

Melody was not in a hurry to cook her two servings. Instead, she asked everyone to put the ravioli that everyone had wrapped into the pot according to the portion they ate.

There were more than 30 people in the Herbathrive.

Fortunately, the pot was big enough. After the ravioli was cooked, everyone received a bowl.

Nana was the first to start eating.

She glanced at the ravioli made by David in her bowl. It was not flattering.

However, the fresh and tender juice immediately melted in her mouth when she took a bite. The fragrance assaulted her nose. It had no flavor of herbs and was tastier than any ravioli she had ever tasted.

“It’s so delicious…” She couldn’t wait to have her second bite as she exhaled hot air.

David smiled. “Have you never eaten ravioli before?”

Nana glared at him and urged, “If you don’t believe me, eat one yourself.”

David didn’t think that ravioli could be that delicious.

However, his eyes immediately lit up after eating a ravioli.

“This is… too fresh and delicious! I have to eat a few more bowls after this!”

The others laughed and said David was a smart person. Then, none of them weren’t impressed after they started eating the ravioli.

It was the ravioli that they usually ate. However, it was unknown if it was because they were hungry or something else, all of them had an appetite and said to want to eat ten bowls.

Just then, Talia came out of the small kitchen. The group of people immediately praised Talia’s culinary skills.

Talia scratched her neck in embarrassment and said, “You’ve misunderstood. The ravioli is delicious because of the fillings and ingredients. I made these two according to the formula Miss gave me.”

Because the herbs were added to prevent colds, Melody had taken the time to write the ingredient list two hours ago to avoid the smell of medicine from becoming too strong after the ravioli was cooked.

The group of people widened their eyes in surprise.

“Miss Fox, so your culinary skills are that good?”

Melody never praised her medical skills but was confident in her culinary skills.

“My culinary skills are slightly better than my medical skills.”

Someone immediately exclaimed, “Oh, my god. How delicious is your cooking!”

“Miss Fox, I’m not asking you to cook for us. I was just wondering, is there any chance we might get to eat some of your cooking?”

“Alright, stop talking nonsense. I’ll cook for you when the clinic is empty one day.”

Another cheer went up.

Melody shook her head helplessly. She cooked the four servings of ravioli she asked Talia for in the pot. Then, she drizzled the ingredients and placed them in four thermos boxes.

David asked gossipily, “Miss Fox, who are you sending them to? A man or a woman?”

Melody glared at him with feigned anger. “You gossip! I’ll send them to Mr. Herbert and Mrs. Herbert. Do you want to go with me?”

David quickly waved his hand. He had a natural fear of Colin, who was his boss.

“Let’s wait for Mr. Herbert and Mrs. Herbert to come back. I’ll see them again so that I don’t cause trouble for them.”

Melody glared at him again in amusement and took a bowl of ravioli to the room where she used to rest.

The room was now used for Seventeen to recuperate inside.

Melody had originally planned to arrange for Seventeen to stay in a

ward in Herbathrive, but many people were coming and going at the door, so she arranged for him to stay there.

When Seventeen saw her enter, he hurriedly wanted to sit up.

Melody quickly let him lie down and placed the ravioli on the bedside table. “You don’t have to care about your status during this period. Just focus on recuperating as soon as possible.”

Seventeen nodded in fear and gratitude.

“Thank you, Miss Fox.”

“No need to say thanks. Eat. The ravioli can increase your immunity. It’s great for your recovery. I’m going out later. As usual, call the number I gave you if there’s anything. David will come in to help you.”

“Yes!”

Melody nodded and left with ten thermos boxes.

Just as she was about to leave, a man with a murderous aura emerged from the shadows.

Melody immediately straightened her back in alarm.

Her sharp intuition told her that the person was not an ordinary person. Moreover, he should be quite skilled.

Chapter 644

Just as Melody was tense, the man bowed respectfully to her.

“Miss Fox, I’m number, Spencer. Mr. Swanson has asked me to replace Seventeen, my senior, to protect you for the next few days.”

Melody nodded and handed the car keys to him.

“You drive. Let’s go to First Hospital.”

“Yes!” Spencer said nothing else. He took the thermos boxes from Melody and escorted her to the car.

If Seventeen didn’t have much of his personality, Spencer was even better than Seventeen. Melody would almost forget his existence if she did not deliberately pay attention to him.

Spencer was completely invisible. It could be seen that the death warriors trained by Ken were becoming more and more like robots.

Melody was not supportive of Ken training these people. Then she accidentally heard James mention that those people were supposed to die, but Ken managed to save them. They would have long been gone from the world if it were not for Ken.

They chose to live that way.

Moreover, the death warriors would have a chance to choose to leave or stay when they reached 30 years old. They could sign a confidentiality agreement and leave if they didn’t want to do it.

However, according to James, no one else left other than one death warrior who was found to have chronic diseases and chose to leave.

Moreover, after the death warrior left, Ken even gave him a large sum of money that was enough for him to live the rest of his life without worry.

Only then did Melody slightly change her opinion of the existence of the death warriors. There was nothing wrong with it since they had chosen their way of living.

Soon, the car stopped in the parking lot of Central Hospital.

Melody wanted Spencer to stay in the car and wait for her, but Spencer did not seem to understand her words and followed her like a statue.

Melody could only bring Spencer, the statue, to Colin and Beverly.

She had been too busy recently and could not find time to visit them, so Colin and Beverly felt a sense of joy at seeing her after a long time.

Melody put down the two thermos boxes and said, “It is the ravioli made by Momma Talia. It has the effect of strengthening immunity to prevent colds. It should taste good. Try it.”

“I’m not eating,” said Colin, waving his hand. “I just ate two servings of spaghetti. Beverly has a little appetite and only ate a few before she stopped eating. I was afraid of wasting them, so I swallowed them all. Look at my stomach…”

Colin straightened his back. He, who was originally slightly thin, now had a belly.

Colin had gained weight by accompanying Beverly in the ward during this period.

“Then I’ll bring the remaining box to Dr. Stanton. If I remember right, he should be working the night shift today,” Melody said with a smile.

Colin nodded repeatedly. “Give it to Dr. Stanton. If I want to eat it, I’ll share it with Beverly. Dr. Stanton takes care of us a lot. Please help me organize a dinner with him to express our gratitude when we’re discharged.”

“No problem. However, you don’t have to find an expensive restaurant. Their hospital is strict. Mr. Stanton can’t go to a high-end restaurant.”

Colin took note of it seriously.

After saying goodbye to Colin and Beverly and handing the ravioli to Rodney, Melody returned to the car and asked Spencer to drive her to the Swanson Group headquarters.

However, Melody was stopped by the receptionist when she arrived.

“What are you?” asked the receptionist.

Melody pointed at Spencer, carrying two thermos boxes behind her, and said, “I’m here to deliver food to Mr… Mr. Swanson.”

“Deliver food? If Mr. Swanson wants to eat. We’ll be responsible for sending the food up to him. You two can’t go up without an appointment.”

As the receptionist spoke, she exchanged glances with her colleague and started discussing mockingly in front of Melody.

“Is she the first one here today?”

“I can’t remember, but this one is undoubtedly the ugliest. I wonder which rich family’s daughter she is. Doesn’t she have any self-awareness?”

“What rich daughter? I think the clothes she’s wearing are cheaper than mine.”

“No family background and no appearance. Tsk, I’m impressed by her courage.'”

Melody’s expression turned cold.

“I’m not joking with you,” said Melody.

The receptionist looked at her speechlessly.

“I’m not joking with you, too. I’ll call the security guard if you don’t leave now.”

Melody narrowed her eyes and said, “Do you know why the person who sat here before you was fired?”

The receptionist choked. “How did I know that?”

“That’s it,” Melody said calmly. “She was fired because she stopped me from going up.”

The receptionist was stunned. In the next second, she laughed wildly with her colleague.

“I’ve never heard such a funny joke in my life!”

After laughing until she couldn’t breathe, the receptionist held back her laughter and glared at Melody. “Are you done joking? Are you shameless? Do you think you can be shameless just because you’re ugly? I’ll count to three. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the security guard to kick you out!”

The colleague beside her pursed her lips impatiently. “Why are you wasting your breath on her? Just get someone to chase her away! I feel unlucky just looking at her poor appearance! Security! Come over quickly. Someone is causing trouble here!”

The security guard appeared in front of Melody in the next second.

Spencer quickly blocked in front of Melody. The murderous look on his face shocked the security guard.

Upon seeing the situation was not right, the receptionist hurriedly shouted, “Help! Someone is causing trouble! All security guards come here!”

Melody had a headache and massaged her temple.

She didn’t expect to experience this kind of thing again. She was annoyed.

Ken should be busy, so Melody called James.

As soon as the call was answered, Melody went straight to the point. “James, please come down here. I was stopped by your receptionist and security guard.”

Without waiting for James to answer, Melody hung up and said, “I don’t want to cause trouble. I believe you don’t want to either. Wait three more minutes if you don’t believe what I just said. Three minutes later, James will come down to pick me up.”

The receptionist found it even more funny.

“Well, who are you? There should be a limit to your bragging, okay? Do you know who Mr. Deeds is? You dare to call him by his name. I think you’re out of control.”

However, the security guard was calmer than the receptionist. He said, “Could what she said be true? Why don’t we wait for three minutes? Anyway, three minutes isn’t long. It won’t be good if it is a misunderstanding.”

Melody glanced at the security guard in admiration.

‘The security guards bring their brains to work this time,’ thought Melody.

The receptionist stomped her feet in frustration.

“Is three minutes short? The hall is so chaotic. If Mr. Swanson suddenly came down, he would scold me not you.

Her colleague was a little flustered. She lowered her voice and reminded the receptionist, “But since she can call out Mr. Deeds’s name. She may know Mr. Deeds. Let’s wait.”

After all, even they only knew Ken had a special assistant by his side after Ken officially joined the headquarters. His name was James Deeds, and he was the most popular person in front of Ken.

Chapter 645

The receptionist’s frown deepened at her colleague’s reminder.

‘No one is on my side. Do they all believe the poor and ugly monster?’ thought the receptionist.

“Sure!” She said, gritting her teeth and looking coldly at Melody. “What if Mr. Deeds doesn’t come down after three minutes? Although you said to wait for you for three minutes, you’re delaying the work of so many of us. The time of so many people added up to half an hour. You have to compensate us for the half an hour’s delay.”

Melody did not want to cause trouble for Ken when he just took office, so she agreed directly with the receptionist without showing off.

“Okay, how much?”

The receptionist said, “200 dollars.”

“Sure.” Melody nodded.

Unexpectedly, the receptionist added, “Not all of us add up to 200 dollars, but everyone has to be paid 200 dollars. Not only that, if we don’t see him in three minutes, you have to get out after you pay us. How about that?”

Melody thought, ‘James will probably take less than three minutes to get downstairs by elevator.’

To avoid further arguments, Melody nodded again. “Okay.”

When the receptionist’s colleague saw Melody had agreed so confidently, she panicked even more and quickly said, “I suddenly remembered I forgot to send a report to the manager. I’ll go up. You don’t have to count the money on me.”

Then the receptionist’s colleague slipped away.

The security guards aside also panicked.

They were also new here but heard that the previous security guards had been fired because they had stopped someone they shouldn’t have.

Although they were only the security guards, it was the Swanson Group!

No matter how many people tried, they could not get into the Swanson Group to have a job.

Even the bosses of small and medium-sized enterprises respected the security guards when they met them.

Just in case and to keep their jobs, the security guards also said, “We don’t want the money either. We’re just doing our job.”

‘How useless…’ the receptionist cursed in her heart.

She had been a receptionist here for more than two months. She could not count the number of people like Melody who did not have an appointment but deliberately tried to build connections and put on airs.

‘What certainty? What promise to compensate? Isn’t it just a psychological tactic? Isn’t she just waiting for me to be afraid before letting her up?’ thought the receptionist.

She really couldn’t believe that a poor, ugly woman could hook up with James, a popular guy around Ken.

If the ugly woman could have hooked up with James, she would have done it so long ago.

The receptionist was calm. She took out her phone and began to count down.

“Remember. Once the three minutes are up, I want that money transferred immediately! If they don’t want the money, I’ll help them collect it!”

There were 11 of them, which was 2,200 dollars. She could use the money to buy a classic Louis Vuitton bag.

They didn’t want the money. She wanted it and was determined to get it.

With a half-smile, Melody said, “If James comes down in three minutes, please be careful what you say and do in the future. Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

The receptionist looked at her coldly. “Stop pretending. I won’t fall for your trap!”

‘I have seen the pretentious people before but have never seen one as real as you. Once the three minutes are up, let’s see how I get you out!’ thought the receptionist.

Melody did not say anything else and waited patiently for James to come down.

Behind her, Spencer reminded her in a low voice, “Miss Fox, I have a black market work pass. Maybe it can prove our identities. Why don’t…”

“Don’t take it out,” Melody warned with a frown. “Don’t associate the black market with Ken outside.”

“Yes!” Spencer dared not to say anything else and fell silent.

He had only spent less than an hour with Melody, but Melody gave him the feeling that she was the second Ken.

He couldn’t help but be convinced by whatever she said.

Perhaps… it was because Ken had repeatedly told him to take good care of her.

Three minutes was neither long nor short, but the security guards felt every second like a year.

They kept staring nervously at the elevator, afraid that James would come to pick Melody up in the next second.

Fortunately, three minutes were almost up, but the elevator still didn’t move and was still on the eleventh floor.

It seemed like they were bluffed.

“Beep, beep, beep.”

The receptionist’s phone rang at the end of the countdown.

She turned off the countdown on her phone and opened the payment code. She looked at Melody smugly.

“Hey, do you still keep your word? 2,200 dollars. Transfer the money to me immediately!”

Melody frowned.

‘That can’t be right. Did James not hear what I said on the phone just now? James should have called me back even if he didn’t hear what I said. What’s going on?’ thought Melody.

“I’ll make another call.”

“Stop pretending!” The receptionist raised her hand to hit Melody’s hand. Melody was too engrossed in flipping through her contact list to notice it. She heard a click, and her phone fell to the ground. The phone screen cracked.

Melody’s patience just now was all because of Ken. Now her phone screen had been cracked by the receptionist. Her face darkened in an instant. Her gaze fell coldly on the receptionist’s face like two ice rays.

The receptionist was shocked by Melody’s gaze. Then she became even angrier.

“How dare a liar who wants to barge into our company look at me like that? Are you all dead? Hurry up. Grab her and throw her out!”

As the receptionist spoke, she quickly added, “2,200 dollars can’t be less!”

“Miss Fox…” Even Spencer was angry at that moment.

As people who worked for Ken, their statuses had also risen.

Spencer had never been humiliated like this before and immediately wanted to attack the receptionist.

“Stop right there!”

Melody shouted coldly. In the end, Spencer was not mad enough to lose his mind.

She pulled him back and said, “Call James. Now!”

Her phone was broken, and she couldn’t call. She could only let Spencer do it.

Spencer held back his anger. Melody gave him an order, and he could only grit his teeth and call James.

“I’ve said stop pretending. Why are you still pretending at a time like this? Your phone can’t be used anymore. Use his to transfer the money to me! Now, immediately!”

The receptionist ordered as she pretended to snatch Spencer’s phone.

However, how could she be a match for a death warrior?

The receptionist missed as soon as she stretched out her hand. Spencer casually pulled her, causing her to lose her balance and pounce forward.

With a dull thud, the receptionist fell flat on her face.

Melody felt pain just by listening to the sound.

However, she did not reprimand Spencer this time. Firstly, the receptionist attacked Spencer first. Secondly, Spencer was fast enough. No one should be able to see how the receptionist fell except Melody.

It took four or five seconds for the receptionist to recover from the pain.

“Damn it! How dare you drag me! Hurry up and grab them!”

Just as the receptionist finished her words, a person ran over from the safe passage before the security guards could move.

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Chapter 636

The death of Yolanda relieved Melody, but she couldn’t fully relax. Her mother’s belongings were still not recovered, and her own revenge was not complete. She remained vigilant.

As Melody settled into the car, she dialed Mason’s number. “Russell gave me what I wanted. He might use the Justalion Group as collateral with you. If their assets aren’t enough, I can add some, but Russell mustn’t know.”

Though puzzled, Mason knew Melody was playing a strategic game. Without hesitation, he agreed, “Miss Fox, no need to worry. Your instructions will be executed. I have enough authority to handle this without troubling you.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“By the way, if Ruby still doesn’t have an appetite in a few days, let me know.”

“Sure…”

After ending the call, Melody realized the car was heading in the opposite direction of Serenity Villa. As she was about to ask, the car stopped at Silverlake Cemetery.

Melody looked at Ken in surprise as he gave a faint smile and said, “Your mother’s killer is dead. Aren’t you going to share the good news?”

Melody opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to thank Ken, but remembered he didn’t like being thanked. She quickly changed her words. “Ken, you’re a nice person.” She wondered if this would be better than saying thanks.

Ken’s forehead lined with frustration. “Go on,” he said, holding back his frustration, he handed her a flashlight and asked, “It’s a bit dark. Do you need me to go with you?”

Melody slightly waved her hand to turn down the offer. “No need. Humans are scarier than ghosts,” she said, stepping into the dark cemetery without hesitation.

Ken watched her disappear into the darkness and sighed softly. He didn’t know how long it would take to warm Melody’s heart, but he knew there were no shortcuts. The advice from Sid was useless. Melody wasn’t like other girls. Only with genuine feelings could he possibly win her over. He redirected his attention and made a call. “Hey, I remember you have a friend who sells…”

Half an hour later, Melody emerged from the cemetery, looking unchanged. But she was human, not made of steel. She had emotions and felt sadness and sorrow. She just hid them deep inside, showing no vulnerability. Her slightly reddened eyes, however, betrayed her feelings. Ken noticed but didn’t comment.

“Let’s go,” Melody said, smiling. “I’m in a good mood today. I’ll treat you to a late-night snack!”

“We should celebrate, indeed. But…” As Ken was speaking, he suddenly took out a bouquet from behind his back.

The flowers appeared in front of Melody out of nowhere. She was surprised and quickly realized that the bouquet in front of her was the same one she had seen in the backseat of the car. ‘So… is he giving me someone else’s flowers, or has he planned this all along? If the latter, why? Today isn’t a special day for me though…’ she wondered.

“Take them,” Ken said, holding out the flowers and thrusting them directly into her arms.

The fragrance filled Melody’s senses. All women were fond of flowers, and she was no exception, but she wondered what these flowers were for.

Ken, guessing her thoughts, explained, “Moon’s been acting strangely today, making a bunch of calls and insisting I bring you flowers. I’m starting to wonder if she has some kind of sixth sense, knowing Yolanda would die today.”

Knowing that it was Moon’s idea. Melody felt relieved but also a twinge of disappointment she didn’t notice. She moved her lips and said again, “Ken, you’re really a nice…”

“Enough,” Ken interrupted, glaring at her. “If you want to say thank you, just say it! This roundabout way of thanking is more annoying.”

Melody couldn’t help but laugh.

“By the way…” Ken cleared his throat. “Today marks a hundred days since we got our marriage certificate. Happy hundred days.”

Melody froze. She was surprised at the fact that Ken remembered this date. Emotions stirred within her, like a breeze rippling across a calm lake.

“There’s another surprise, but I’m not so sure if you would like it,” Ken added, snapping his fingers. Suddenly, a piercing sound shattered the suffocating stillness that had hung over the cemetery’s night sky.

It was fireworks! Melody watched in delight as a white light shot up rapidly into the sky, followed by a streak of gray smoke. Then, with a loud bang, a brilliant firework exploded. Shortly after, a second and third fireworks burst into the night sky, turning the darkness into a dazzling display as bright as day. Melody exclaimed, “So beautiful…”

Ken, watching her smile, couldn’t help but smile too. He wondered when Melody’s every expression started affecting him so much. Just as he was lost in his thoughts, an irate voice abruptly came from the cemetery the next moment. “Which brat dares to set off fireworks here!”

Melody was startled and quickly turned to Ken, asking, “They don’t allow fireworks here. Did you get a permit?”

“Forget about that. Run!” Ken said, grabbing her hand and pulling her away, but the car they had arrived in was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s the car?”

“I had James drive it up the hill to set off fireworks.”

“You…”

“Just run. We can deal with this later!” Ken tightened his grip on Melody’s hand and picked up the pace.

Melody hurried to keep up, and they ran all the way to a bustling street a few miles away before stopping to catch their breath.

“Ugh…” Melody panted, complaining, “When did you start doing things without thinking? Setting off fireworks in a place like that? We almost got caught!”

Ken shrugged and said, “Who was it that just said the fireworks were beautiful?”

Melody blushed and turned away, saying, “You should be embarrassed! If people knew the renowned Mr. Swanson was chased away by a cemetery security guard, they’d never stop laughing! You couldn’t handle something this simple? Honestly?”

Ken just smiled and remained silent. ‘Silly girl! I could have easily dealt with it, even without speaking, just by flashing a smile. But at that moment, I just wanted to run away with you like a normal guy would do. And it wasn’t so bad.’

“Didn’t you say you’d treat me to a late-night snack?” Ken said, pointing to the crowded food stalls. “Let’s eat here tonight.”

Chapter 637

“Are you sure?” Melody asked in disbelief, looking at Ken. “Are you really going to eat street food from a stall?”

“What? Is there a sign that says I shouldn’t eat this?”

“Of course not…”

Melody was just surprised. ‘In my past life, I was fooled by Ulric, mistakenly thinking we were in a serious relationship. I even invited him here to try street food on a whim, only for him to look disgusted just from the smell and refuse to eat anything from the stall. We ended up going to a five-star hotel for a late-night snack instead. Looking back now, I should have realized that Ulric never truly loved me. How could I have been so blind?’ lost in thought, a hand waved in front of her face. She snapped out of it and met Ken’s gaze.

“Thinking about something? You’re not planning to skip out on the bill, are you?”

“Of course not!” Melody’s bad mood was instantly lifted by Ken’s teasing. She regained her composure and warned him, “The food here isn’t exactly the cleanest. I’m asking you one last time. Are you sure you want to eat it?”

Ken didn’t answer. Instead, he walked over to the nearest food stall. “Hey, I’d like to get one of these…” He stepped back, looked at the sign on the stall, and read aloud, “Cheese balls.”

The vendor, amazed to see someone so well-dressed at his stall, quickly responded, “Sure! But I only sell them in boxes. 3 dollars and eight pieces per box.”

“3… dollars?” Ken’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

Melody chuckled and whispered so only they could hear, “Is this your first time buying something that costs 1 digit?”

Ken shot her a look and, with a hint of revenge, told the vendor, “I’ll take two boxes.”

“Hey…” Melody quickly reminded him, “You won’t be able to finish all that.”

“What, are you too stingy to spend 6 dollars?”

Reluctantly, Melody paid for the food. As the transaction was completed, the cheese balls were packed up. Ken popped one into his mouth.

“So, what do you think?”

Under Melody’s expectant gaze, Ken frowned and said, “This is what they call cheese balls? It only has a bit of cheese in it. Why even call them cheese balls?”

“Well, what should it be called then? Cheese strand balls? Does that sound any better?”

“Hmm.”

Ken went on to sample almost every food stall on the street, buying and trying everything, regardless of whether it was good or bad. Melody couldn’t help but worry. “You’re eating too much! You’d better not get a stomach ache later.”

“I won’t. It’s my first time having you foot the bill. Can’t let this chance slip by.”

“You’re…” Melody wasn’t quite sure how to describe her feelings, but it seemed like the guy who usually seemed aloof was finally showing a bit of human warmth.

Noticing Melody’s changing expression, Ken awkwardly asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’ve got something on your lip.” Melody used her thumb to wipe away the food residue from Ken’s mouth. Just as she was about to pull her hand back, he grabbed her wrist. Their eyes locked. The surrounding noise seemed to fade away, and the bustling crowd around them seemed to blur as their focus remained solely on each other.

Thump, thump, thump… Melody could almost hear her own heartbeat.

Ken’s lips parted. “Melody, I…” Before he could finish, James’s voice interrupted, “Mr. Ken! I finally found you!”

Melody felt like she’d been jolted and quickly pulled her hand away from Ken’s. She turned to see James rushing over.

James, who had been blocked by the crowd earlier, now spotted Melody and visibly relaxed. “Miss Fox, you’re here too. I’ve been looking for you…” As he spoke, he noticed the tension in the air and looked at Ken, who was glaring daggers at him. James shuddered, not knowing what was going on.

“Let’s go,” Melody said. “It’s getting late, and I need to head to Herbathrive early tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Ken coldly turned his gaze away from James and followed Melody out of the street.

However, what they didn’t notice was a pair of cold, watchful eyes were fixed on them. The owner of those eyes was reminded by a man behind her, “Miss Janet, we should be leaving. If we stay any longer, they might notice.”

Janet, clearly frustrated, shot a glare at the man. “Is this your way of bossing me around? My father sent you to assist, not to order me around.”

“I didn’t mean to…”

“Just know your place!” She glared at the assistant her father had sent and reluctantly got into the car to return to the hospital.

On the way, the assistant couldn’t help but comment, “Miss Janet, why bother? Mr. Swanson is blind and has his eyes on someone unattractive while never even giving you a second look. Why you’re still chasing after him? Why put yourself through this?”

“Shut up! Since when do people like you get to criticize Ken?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Just stop talking!”

The assistant fell silent, knowing better than to provoke Janet further, though still feeling pity for her.

The next morning, Melody was jolted awake by the sound of coughing. The room she was staying in was next to Ken’s, and even through the thick wall, she could hear his severe coughing. She quickly threw on slippers and went to knock on Ken’s door. At the same time, Susan heard the noise and came over.

Inside Ken’s room, they found him, lips pale but still dressed in a suit, clearly preparing to head out.

“What are you planning to do?” Melody asked.

“I’m heading to the headquarters.” Ken continued to cough while speaking.

“Hold on a minute.” Melody turned to Susan. “Please brew the traditional medicine I brought.”

“Of course,” Susan said, hurrying downstairs.

“I’m fine,” Ken said, looking at Melody. “It’s probably just a sore throat.”

“Just a sore throat? You ate so much spicy food last night.” She shot him a glare and commanded, “Let me check your throat.”

“I really don’t…”

“Open up!”

Ken reluctantly opened his mouth. Melody took a quick look and checked his pulse. “It’s inflammation from eating too much spicy food. Fortunately, there’s no fever yet. But if we don’t address it soon, it might turn into one.”

“I’m not that weak.”

“I’m a doctor. Do you not trust my judgment? No matter how urgent things are, you need to take the medicine first. It’s specifically prepared for you to help with the cough and reduce inflammation.”

Reluctantly, Ken agreed, “Alright.”

Half an hour later, the medicine was finally ready. Just as Ken finished taking it, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and a look of surprise crossed his face.

Chapter 638

Melody had initially thought about packing some of Susan’s vegetable soup for Ken to take with him. But when she caught sight of his expression, she hesitated and asked, “Is it work again?”

“No,” Ken replied, not taking the call and instead ending it. He said directly, “It was from someone at the company. A higher-up named Quinn. He’s the one managing Pearly Antiques.”

“The antique shop that your mom left behind, the one you’ve been trying to get back?”

“Yeah.”

Hearing Ken’s confirmation, Melody’s eyes lit up. “Isn’t that great news? If he’s reaching out, it must be about Pearly Antiques. Congratulations, you’re finally close to getting it back.”

Ken forced a smile and told her, “Mr. Quinn, the one managing Pearly Antiques, works for Ulric. If he’s contacting me now, it’s likely on Ulric’s orders.”

Melody’s face grew serious. “Could it be a trap?”

“No, it’s definitely not a trap. In fact, it might be a pleasant surprise.” Seeing that name instantly made Ken think of the situation with Regina, so he had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

“What do you mean?” Melody was momentarily confused. Ulric was synonymous with bad news in her mind, so she couldn’t quite think rationally. She was about to press for more when Susan came out of the kitchen with a bowl of vegetable soup.

“The soup is ready.”

“I’ll have this one. Can you get a thermos and pack the rest for him to take to the office?”

“Of course!” Susan happily went to prepare the thermos. Even though she knew Ken and Melody were still sleeping in separate rooms, she couldn’t help but notice that their relationship seemed to be growing closer.

While Susan was busy, Melody took the chance to remind Ken, “Just be extra careful with anything involving Ulric.”

“I know.”

By the time they finished talking, Susan had returned with a thermos full of vegetable soup.

Melody firmly placed the thermos into Ken’s hands and, as she saw him out, reminded James, “Make sure he has it. The thermos will only keep it warm for a few hours. It won’t be as effective if it gets cold.”

“Yes, Miss Fox,” James responded, taking the thermos from Ken.

“You be careful too. Seventeen isn’t around, so I’ve sent a new death warrior over. He should be here soon.”

“Alright.” Melody didn’t object. There was a time when she resented Ken for having someone watch over her, but now she didn’t mind at all. She had nothing to hide anymore, especially after what happened with Regina. She was almost entirely exposed to danger, so she had no choice but to be extra cautious.

Melody was right. As soon as Ken got to the office, he was swamped with work. His abrupt departure during yesterday’s meeting had left the board members, who were already on shaky ground, scrambling to hand over their projects for his review. He didn’t get a moment’s rest until just before lunch when he finally had a few minutes to sit down.

James saw his chance and approached with the thermos. “Mr. Ken. Don’t forget to have the soup.”

Only then did Ken remember Melody’s instructions to have the vegetable soup while it was still warm. He unscrewed the lid, but the steam had already dissipated.

James quickly offered. “There’s a microwave in the break room. I can get a bowl and heat it up for you.”

“No need. Just add some hot water to it. I still need to visit the construction site in the west suburbs.”

James didn’t argue, but as he was leaving the office, he quickly returned. Ken gave him a questioning look, and James reported. “Mr. Quinn, the one in charge of Pearly Antiques, is here to see you.”

Ken massaged his temples, pondering, ‘So eager to meet me, just as I suspected. Ulric must be worried that I would tell Dad about Regina mentioning his name.’ Without any change in expression, Ken said, “Tell him to come back this afternoon. We’re heading out to the site now.” He picked up his coat from the chair as he spoke, ready to leave.

James moved faster, politely showing Mr. Quinn out before Ken could step out the door.

When Ken exited his office, James handed him a card that had been slipped into his palm. It was obviously a gift from Mr. Quinn. James handed over the card and quietly said, “Mr. Quinn seemed very eager to see you.”

Ken raised an eyebrow but didn’t take the card. He only said, “Check the balance later.”

“Yes, sir.”

On the way to the construction site, James checked the balance. “There’s 2 million dollars on the card.”

Ken scoffed. “Seems like Pearly Antiques is quite profitable.”

“Could it be…” James lowered his voice. “his money?” James was clearly referring to Ulric.

Ken shook his head. “Quinn’s made enough from Pearly Antiques to retire. He wouldn’t dare take Ulric’s money. When he comes back this afternoon, make him wait a bit before bringing him in to see me.” If Mr. Quinn wanted to curry favor, Ken might as well make him sweat a little longer. The surprise might just get bigger.

“Yes, Mr. Ken,” James responded, though his mind had wandered to another matter, thinking, ‘That vegetable soup… Mr. Ken still hasn’t had any of it. Should I remind him or not?’ In the end, James decided to let it go. It’d probably be better not to have cold soup anyway.

Meanwhile, Conor Quinn, who hadn’t managed to speak with Ken either time, was as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof. After much deliberation, he dialed Ulric’s number.

The call was answered quickly, and Ulric’s voice came through. “Did you give him the ledger of Pearly Antiques?” Pearly Antiques had hundreds of locations in Halcyon, including several underground trading spots. Without that ledger, it would take Ken at least a few years to map out the entire network.

Conor stammered, and Ulric immediately understood. “You didn’t meet him.”

Conor’s hand trembled, and even over the phone, he could feel the immense pressure. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault…”

“It certainly is. I went through all the trouble of getting you that position at Pearly Antiques, and you’ve done nothing to repay me…”

Conor’s face went pale, and he hurriedly said, “Please, give me one more chance. He’s at the construction site in the west suburbs right now. Once he’s back, I’ll make sure to hand him the ledger myself.”

Ulric was silent for a long moment before finally speaking. “When you see him this afternoon, give him not only the ledger but also copies of Pearly Antiques’ account book from the past few years.” The ledger alone might not be that significant, but the account books were invaluable.

Chapter 639

With the account book in hand, Ken was on the verge of taking full control of Pearly Antiques. Once Ramon eased up, Pearly Antiques would be Ken’s. Letting go of such a lucrative opportunity was almost physically painful for Ulric. But compared to the issue with the malicious doctors, Pearly Antiques was insignificant.

“If he refuses, tell him I’m not going to fight him for Pearly Antiques,” Ulric instructed.

Conor wiped the sweat from his forehead. “May I ask why you’re going this far? Did something happen?” He wondered, ‘I owed this position to Ulric; even a fool could see that. But now that Ulric is handing Pearly Antiques to Ken, what am I supposed to do? Switch sides to Ken? There is no guarantee Ken would keep me. Continue relying on Ulric? How can I, when Pearly Antiques will soon belong to Ken?’

Ulric’s cold voice came through the phone. “Don’t pry into matters that aren’t your concern.” He paused before adding, “Once Ken officially takes over Pearly Antiques, I’ll find you another suitable position. Don’t worry, you won’t starve.”

Only then did Conor feel reassured. “Don’t worry, sir. I’ll get this done.”

After the call ended, Conor collapsed onto the couch, limbs feeling like jelly. Everyone in Silverlake thought Ulric was a gentleman, but those of them who worked for him knew the truth, he was much harder to please than Ken. Conor’s thoughts began to waver, considering aligning with Ken, but he didn’t dare act on it until the situation truly turned dire.

Conor was a distant relative of Astrid, and it didn’t take long for her to catch wind of the situation. She quickly went to Ulric. “Ulric, why are you giving up Pearly Antiques? Your dad promised it to me!”

Ulric’s eyes turned icy. “Conor’s loose lips, no doubt.”

“Don’t blame him. He needed the account book and they’re in my hands now. If he hadn’t told me, how would he have gotten them?”

Ulric frowned deeply. “When did the account book end up with you?”

“I’ve been eyeing Pearly Antiques for ages. That woman left behind such a valuable asset, I’ve been dreaming of getting it. Now that Conor’s finally in charge, what’s wrong with me taking over the account book for a while?” Astrid spoke with unsettling confidence.

Ulric’s expression darkened further. “Does Dad know about this?”

“He doesn’t.”

“It had better stay that way! If he finds out Conor is in that position because of us, he’ll start suspecting both of us immediately! Don’t forget. He’s not even thinking of retiring yet. He’s more cautious of us than he is of any outside competitor!”

Astrid started to panic. “I… He doesn’t know. I’m not stupid enough to let him find out.”

Ulric’s expression softened slightly. “He knows one of my weaknesses, and Pearly Antiques is my bargaining chip.”

“A weakness?” Astrid’s face went pale. “What kind of weakness?”

“That’s not for you to worry about. Just know that in the grand scheme of things, Pearly Antiques is insignificant.” Ulric had no intention of telling Astrid about the situation with the malicious doctors. Astrid might have a sharp mind, but she lacked foresight, and no one knew what rash actions she might take if she knew the truth.

Ulric had already prepared a cover story, anticipating that Astrid might press him for details, but his concern was unnecessary.

Astrid turned even paler when she learned that Ken had leverage over Ulric. She grabbed Ulric’s sleeve and asked, “What are we going to do? Ken’s been out to get us for ages, and he’s made no secret of it. Do you think he’ll give up Pearly Antiques just to use your weakness to get your dad to kick us out of the house?”

A vein throbbed in Ulric’s forehead. “It’s not as bad as you’re imagining.”

Even in the worst-case scenario, if Ken has a sudden change of heart and decides to give up on Pearly Antiques, and goes straight to Dad and exposes Regina’s secret, Dad won’t turn his back on his own son without concrete evidence. Unless, of course, Regina is foolish enough to tell the Special Task Force about my involvement with Jennie. Only then, if the Special Task Force comes after me, will Dad consider disowning me, Ulric analyzed the situation in his mind, ‘But Regina can’t be that stupid. Admitting to being one of the malicious doctors would be a death sentence, and everyone in Halcyon knows that. Still, if Ken does go down that path, it will damage my image as the good son in Dad’s eyes, which is why I have to make the painful decision to stop fighting Ken for Pearly Antiques.’

Astrid was still crying. Her fear of Ken was bone-deep, and she was terrified, repeatedly saying she would hand the account book back to Conor immediately.

Ulric’s headache intensified from her crying. “Enough! If you want to cry, do it in your room!”

Astrid forced herself to stop, her eyes red as she asked, “Ulric, do you really think Ken will want Pearly Antiques?”

“He only cares about one thing. Do you think he’ll accept? Just wait. Hand the account book over to Conor and keep your mouth shut. Go back to your usual activities, and don’t breathe a word of this.”

Astrid nodded. Ulric was her anchor, and if he wasn’t panicking, she couldn’t afford to panic either. She needed to stay calm. Taking a deep breath, tears still in her eyes, she left the room.

As soon as she was gone, a figure stepped out from behind the curtains. It was Jennie. Jennie immediately said to Ulric, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Swanson. This is all my fault.”

Ulric waved a hand dismissively. “It’s not entirely your fault. It’s that ‘wonderful daughter’ of yours. My people have already made contact with the team responsible for transporting supplies. In a couple of days, you’ll have your chance. In the meantime, prepare the medicine without leaving any traces. I’m worried that if we delay any longer, your ‘wonderful daughter’ might not make it.”

Jennie clenched her teeth, her resolve hardening. “Yes, the medicine is almost ready.” Once Jennie made up her mind, she never looked back. If Regina had to die, better it be by her own mother’s hand. “I’ll start today’s treatment now,” she said.

“Go ahead,” Ulric responded, pushing himself out of his wheelchair and walking unsteadily to the bed.

The treatment Jennie had been administering was beginning to show results. Ulric could now walk at least a hundred steps without any assistance. It wouldn’t be long before his legs were fully healed.

Chapter 640

The treatment was working, but it was excruciatingly painful. A gold acupuncture needle, dipped in medicinal solution, was inserted into a pressure point on Ulric’s thigh. The pain shot through him as if it was piercing his very bones, and he couldn’t help but cry out.

Jennie quickly handed Ulric a folded towel. He bit down on it, and the treatment continued. About half an hour later, today’s session finally ended.

Jennie let out a sigh of relief, feeling so drained that her lips had turned pale. Ulric was in even worse shape, his face ghostly white, completely devoid of color. But despite his condition, he quickly sat up on the bed as if nothing had happened and said, “Go take care of what you need to. Finish making that colorless, tasteless poison you mentioned-something that leaves no trace in the body.”

“Sure.” Jennie marveled at Ulric’s extraordinary willpower. She quickly straightened her maid’s uniform, gathered her things, and left.

Meanwhile, at Herbathrive. Ken was so busy managing the company and the construction site that he hadn’t had a moment to have his vegetable soup. Melody wasn’t faring much better.

It was late autumn, the time of year when people’s immune systems were weakest. Herbathrive was packed with more patients than usual, especially today-it was almost overflowing. Melody had been in the clinic since morning, diving straight into patient care and not emerging until after lunch when another doctor finally came to relieve her.

David had just finished his shift and was heading for lunch when he saw Melody walk out of the clinic. He hurried over to her. “Miss Fox, at this rate, everyone’s going to burn out. We really need to hire more help, and fast. Preferably people who can start immediately.”

Melody nodded. “Medical skills are crucial, but character is just as important.”

David’s expression darkened as he recalled Charlotte, some troublemaker they’d dealt with recently. “Don’t worry. Before anyone even interviews, I’ll make sure they pass the character test.”

“Good.” Melody nodded and joined David in the kitchen at the back.

At this hour, most people had already eaten. Only a few doctors who had just finished their morning shifts were left to eat. To keep the food warm, Talia bought a warming tray with her own money. The dishes were kept on the tray, so when Melody and the others came in, the food was still warm and ready to eat.

As soon as Melody entered, she noticed the warming tray. “Nice touch,” she complimented.

Talia blushed with pride. “Well, I can’t do much to help, but at least I can make sure you all get a good meal.”

Melody sat down and glanced at the tray’s brand. Ximber Tech… “This must have been expensive. Make sure you report it to Nana so she can reimburse you.”

“Oh, no need!” Talia quickly waved her hands. “I’m just happy to do something for you all.”

“Fair is fair,” Melody said, turning to David. “Make sure she gets reimbursed for this.”

“Sure.” David nodded and added, “Talia, please don’t refuse. We reimburse everything we buy for the clinic; it’s always been this way.”

Talia and Nana were struggling financially. Ximber Tech products were great but notoriously pricey. Seeing the seriousness in their faces, Talia finally relented. “Alright… So, what do you all want for dinner? I’ll make it for you guys.”

With Melody around, the others deferred to her. “Miss Fox, what would you like?”

“I’m not picky,” she replied, then suddenly had an idea. “How about some pasta?”

“Pasta sounds great! I love it!” Everyone agreed enthusiastically.

Talia nodded. “I’ll go and buy some flour to make the pasta.”

Melody shook her head. “Handmade pasta might take too long. Let’s buy pre-made ones.”

Talia quickly responded, “Don’t underestimate my speed! Handmade pasta is tedious, but I can make enough for all of you in one afternoon.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Melody shared her idea. “Since it’s flu season, I’m thinking of writing a prescription for a flu-prevention mix. We could grind the herbs into powder and mix it into the pasta sauce, then give the pasta to patients who come for medicine. That’s going to be more than just the portion enough for us. We should definitely buy pre-made pasta to save time. If anyone else finishes their work early, they can help with the pasta sauce. It’ll be too much for Talia.”

David and the others quickly chimed in, “No problem!”

Even the dullest task became fun with enough people, and making pasta sauce was no exception. Afternoons were usually less busy than mornings, so they were all able to pitch in.

“Alright, it’s settled then. I’ll finish eating and write the prescription. You all sort out the rest.”

“Leave it to us!”

Melody smiled, quickly finished her meal, and headed back to the clinic. On the way, she suddenly remembered Ken’s cough and called him.

The call connected quickly, and the sound of machinery clattering filled her ears. “Where are you? It’s so noisy.”

“Inspecting the site in the west suburbs,” Ken replied, his voice slightly muffled as he moved away from the noise. “Why, what’s up? Did something happen?” His tone was full of concern.

“No, I just finished lunch and wanted to remind you not to forget your vegetable soup.

Ken froze for a second, the silence on the line confirming Melody’s suspicion that he’d forgotten. She sighed. “Remember to have it when you get back. And don’t just mix it with hot water. Make sure to heat it up properly so it works for your cough.”

Ken’s mouth twitched as he thought, ‘Of course. She knows everything.’

“Got it. I’ll have James heat it up before bringing it to me.” Then, he stifled a couple of coughs. The medicine Melody had him take in the morning had already eased his cough, but he had smoked a cigarette during a conversation at the site, which had brought it back.

The next moment, Melody’s voice came through the phone. “Did you smoke?”

“No…” He denied it reflexively, then found it amusing. ‘Why should I be afraid of her?’ he thought to himself but still said, “Don’t worry. I won’t touch a cigarette until my cough is gone.”

“It’s best if you don’t smoke even after you’re better. It’s not good for you.”

He sighed and said, “Alright, boss. Satisfied now?”Melody stiffened at the playful tone. “Ken, when did you become so cheeky?”

Ken shrugged, about to tease her further, but James suddenly ran over. “We’ve found the issue. It’s with the foreman…”

Melody heard James’s voice and wisely said, “You better get back to work. I’ll hang up now.” Before Ken could respond, she ended the call.

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