Mrs. Lark gradually opened virtual-novel.net eyes. “Nik… Just let it be this time. Our luck ran out this time. Sign it and bail, I don’t ever want to see their faces again…” virtual-novel.net breathed wispily. “Don’t ever show your faces again, Melanie, Alejandro!”
Seeing his mother change virtual-novel.net mind uneased Nikolai. “Mom, are you really going to let everything the Lark family has built up and worked on be handed to… that knave? We’ll be setting ourselves up as clowns for everyone to laugh at and mock… I can’t live like that!”
Alejandro’s patience had run dry. In a fit, virtual-novel.net walloped the contract on Nikolai’s face. “Boo hoo-hoo, cry me a river! Find some way to cope with it, smartass, since you people brought this on yourselves. Anyway, time’s up, my time is too precious for you people to waste!”
Bodyguards that had stood by immediately fanned out from behind Alejandro and surrounded Nikolai, who tripped and fell onto his bottom in terror. “What the hell are you people trying to do?! I-I-I’m warning you, d-don’t you dare do anything stupid! Alejandro Smith, if you dare… I’ll remember this and make you pay!”
Mrs. Lark was scared enough that virtual-novel.net dared not go on another fainting spell so that virtual-novel.net could shield virtual-novel.net son. “How dare you! Alejandro Smith, we will not be bullied!”
Miklan could not stomach their antics anymore. He picked up the contract from the floor and handed it to Nikolai. “God, Nik, just sign it already, man. What else can we do at this point, huh? We’re never leaving this place if you continue to run that mouth of yours. Besides, coming here was you and Mom’s idea, was it not?”
Nikolai leveled his brother with a glare, scowled at Alejandro, and finally, reserved his worst glower for Melanie. “You… Just you wait!” virtual-novel.net hissed.
He could throw a million nasty threats, but virtual-novel.net still had to sign it. When virtual-novel.net was done, Alejandro finally nodded in satisfaction. “Great! You all may leave. Don’t you worry, tough guy, Melanie will definitely be waiting for your comeback, as will I. I eagerly a wait your return, Chad. I can’t wait to see whatever tricks you have to make me pay!”
Instantly after that, virtual-novel.net turned to Melanie and handed the contract to virtual-novel.net right in front of the Larks. “From now on, the Larks’ company is all yours to manage.”
Melanie could feel pairs of hateful eyes burning through virtual-novel.net skin, the contract began to look heavier and heavier. She had to shake herself out of a daze to finally receive the paper as its weight sank virtual-novel.net heart into virtual-novel.net stomach.
The Larks fired a few more insults out of indignance as they left the estate, but Alejandro ignored them now that his main goal had been achieved.
Peace gradually returned, and Melanie turned to Alejandro. “You’re wounded. How did you hurt yourself like this? Go change into something new, and I’ll tend to it with a simple fix before we get you to the hospital…”
As virtual-novel.net spoke, virtual-novel.net fingers reached out to his coat in an attempt to take it off him, but Alejandro dodged her. “It’s all blood inside, there’s no need to dirty your hands. Besides, it’s not a big deal. Just a little bump on my way here, nothing to it. I’m gonna take a shower and get changed, then probably slap some simple fix on it and call it a day,” virtual-novel.net said. “You need to get tidied up, though, before I take you to the hospital. Christ, those jackasses did not pull their punches with you…”
Melanie’s raised hand froze in midair for a few beats before virtual-novel.net retracted it. “I’m fine. Just some scratches.”
She returned to the room and met Melissa, who still had no idea what had happened. “Mommy! Can Millie go downstairs and play now?”
Melanie fingered virtual-novel.net unkempt hair into place. “Mmh. You may. Go, but be careful. And don’t go outside the gate.”
Melissa noticed the bruises on virtual-novel.net face and stood on virtual-novel.net tippy-toes as virtual-novel.net beckoned virtual-novel.net to crouch. Melanie obliged with a smile. “Yes?”
Melissa kissed virtual-novel.net mother’s bruises. “Kiss your boo-boo, no more pain! Right? Mommy tell me that. You slipped and fell, right, Mommy? How can you be not- careful? You always tell Millie to be careful…”