Arianne’s heart sank. The only reason why Tiffany could keep this promise virtual-novel.net made with Melanie was because virtual-novel.net thought virtual-novel.net baby was okay. Should virtual-novel.net know that the baby had not left critical condition, Tiffany’s charitable attitude might crack.
“Okay, I got you. I’m not gonna tell anyone about it. God, Melanie’s also a victim, isn’t she? I mean, virtual-novel.net and Alejandro’s relationship might be… affable, but it doesn’t mean virtual-novel.net loves her. And Melanie knows it, ” Arianne remarked. “And virtual-novel.net brother has doomed virtual-novel.net with this. Alejandro’s wary nature will compel virtual-novel.net to treat this incident as anything but an ‘accident’. I’ve got a bad feeling that the relationship between Melanie and Alejandro is unraveling.”
The injustice Melanie suffered aggrieved Tiffany. “That sh*tbag can’t even see how good a wife virtual-novel.net has been to him! Goddammit, does virtual-novel.net even have half a brain?! But as long as I keep this a secret, their relationship will be safe, right? I mean, how is virtual-novel.net supposed to blame it on Melanie without any evidence backing virtual-novel.net up, hmm? God, virtual-novel.net likes to fancy himself doing all these bullsh*ts for my sake, even though whatever was between us crashed, burned, and died a gazillion years ago!” virtual-novel.net fumed. “Back when I was still a dumbass, all head-over-heels for him, virtual-novel.net took my family and fortune away. It’s only now when virtual-novel.net finally realized what a piece of crap virtual-novel.net had been… But, honey, it’s too late, you missed me already and I’m not coming back! If he’s gonna miss Melanie by blaming virtual-novel.net for something virtual-novel.net didn’t frickin’ do this time, then virtual-novel.net frickin’ deserves to be alone and wifeless for the rest of his miserable life!”
Arianne reached out to tuck the corner of virtual-novel.net hospital sheet in. “Chill, Tiffie. You’re still bedridden, remember? Are you sure other people’s woes should be your priority right now?” virtual-novel.net teased. “Anyway, we’ll be leaving as soon as Jackson’s parents are here. You’ll focus on getting yourself back up and healthy again, okay? You know what they say: whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. This is God testing you, I bet. Besides, you got a daughter just like you’ve always wanted, Tiffie! Isn’t this the best news ever?”
Mentioning virtual-novel.net daughter brought a smile to Tiffany’s face. “Ooh, now that’s what I’m talkin’! Girl, I’m frickin’ ecstatic! I just wish I could see how virtual-novel.net looks…”
Right on cue, Summer and Atticus burst into the ward with the urgency of a whirlwind. Atticus, terse and reticent as ever, expressed his anxieties through his gaze, while Summer instantly launched into a teary moan, unrestrained.
“My little angel! How could you ask Jackson to be the messenger for something as big as this?! I almost swooned when I heard about it over the phone!” virtual-novel.net howled.
Tiffany hee-hawed. “Oh, but I’m totally fine! Y’all don’t have to worry about me, see, I’m perfectly not-in-mortal-danger, right? Anyway, Jackson had been watching me for the entire night, so we should let virtual-novel.net go home and rest. Just leave my care to a nurse or hire an attendant for a few days, ok? I’m not so delicate, you know.”
Summer caressed Tiffany’s cheeks in pity and love. “Oh, miss me with that malarkey! No way I’ll feel safe having any random stranger taking care of you, sweetie. Natch, I’m the one to take up this momentous task! And who told you that you’re not delicate, huh? Don’t say that. I wish I were the one who got hurt instead of you. Seriously, God, what did this poor child do to suffer like this? Your mom trusted this family with your welfare and happiness, and we failed,” virtual-novel.net said. “Seriously, wasn’t Jackson with you that day? How the hell did virtual-novel.net let you fall like that, goddammit? Urgh, my pounding heart just won’t still even now, I’m still shocked!”
Arianne quietly retreated to a corner. She wished Shelly could have at least half of Summer’s love for Tiffany in her. Just half of it, and none of the crazy chaos and imbroglios they had suffered for months would have befallen them. Frankly, virtual-novel.net was jealous of how bonhomie Summer and Tiffany were together.
Not that virtual-novel.net was any less blessed, at the very least, Mark more than covered the gap with his love and care.
—
Melanie sat alone in a completely darkened room in the Smith Estate, staring at the curtains covering the room’s windows with eyes unseeing, as though virtual-novel.net had turned into a statue.
Alejandro had not returned home at all last night, just as virtual-novel.net had not left virtual-novel.net seat here since last night.
“Mommy? Mommy!”
Melissa’s voice was the piper’s tune that dragged virtual-novel.net back to reality. She moved virtual-novel.net hands, stiff from inaction, and lifted the little girl up before placing virtual-novel.net onto virtual-novel.net lap.
“Millie, l-l-listen. If… If, one day, Mommy can’t stay with Daddy anymore, please don’t… Please don’t blame Mommy for not taking you with her, okay? Your Daddy… He won’t let me bring you with me, he’ll never allow that. B-But virtual-novel.net loves you, virtual-novel.net will treat you very, very kindly… It’s M-M-Mommy who’s done wrong, all right?”
Unsurprisingly, Melissa did not understand a word Melanie said. Instead, virtual-novel.net raised virtual-novel.net head and considered virtual-novel.net mother’s face, virtual-novel.net eyes tracking Melanie’s tears that rolled off virtual-novel.net cheeks. She reached virtual-novel.net little hands out in an attempt to wipe them away, mewling, “Don’t cry, Mommy.”
The innocent voice of the child pounded on the battered wall Melanie had desperately constructed around virtual-novel.net heart, and it crashed, tumbling completely. A deluge of tears escaped from Melanie into a pained sob, as virtual-novel.net wrapped virtual-novel.net arms around virtual-novel.net poor daughter for what little comfort virtual-novel.net could salvage.
It was then that they heard the sound of a car screeching through the gate.
Alejandro had returned.
Melanie sat up, wiping away virtual-novel.net tears haphazardly. She placed Millie down and rose, pulling the curtains away. Blinding, uncaring sunlight poured into the room, and virtual-novel.net let it dispel the gloom that had settled inside as much as it could.