COMMENT
Chapter 17
After that, Ken strode out of the emergency stairway. The heavy door slammed shut behind him, severing any lingering interest he had in Melody.
Melody was not bothered by his sudden change in attitude. Her attention was on the cheque and the amount written on it. She could not believe he indeed paid her two million dollars.
Resolved to look into the health issue of his elderly relative if given the chance, she quietly muttered to herself, Two million dollars.
She realized that curing the red blotched her face would require at least five expensive ingredients, each costing a
fortune. I really need to start saving up, she thought.
Melody carefully pocketed the check and stepped out of the stairwell. Just as she did, someone called out to her excitedly. “Doctor! I was hoping to find you here!”
Startled, Melody turned to see a woman dressed in the uniform from Wilmot’s beauty shop.
“Is everything alright? I thought the paramedics had arrived by the time I left, Melody asked, puzzled.
“Oh, everything’s fine. Our boss just wants to thank you personally the woman said, pulling her towards the shop without waiting for a response.
As Mélody reentered, Wilmot approached her with a look of deep remorse. “Miss, I’ve come to realize you weren’t trying to hurt my son, you were actually saving him! I was wrong to doubt you and almost prevented you from doing so…”
Melody dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “It was nothing, really. No thanks needed.”
She had only demanded a hefty fee from Ken to avoid getting tangled up with him. But when it really mattered, Melody never hesitated to help.
Just then, Mabel came up to Melody, beaming from ear to ear. She held onto Melody’s arm and chirped. “Melody?”
“Are you out of your mind?” Melody asked, baffled by her change in attitude. She found Mabel’s pretentious mannerisms. and nauseatingly sweet voice repulsive.
Mabel’s smile froze, and she had to work hard to suppress her rising annoyance. “What are you talking about, Melody? Im perfectly fine…
Wilmot walked up to them and asked, “Doctor, is Mabel your sister?”
“Of course,” Mabel cut in, before Melody could utter a sound.
At that point, Melody could tell that something was amiss. She met Wilmot’s inquisitive gaze, curled her lips, and said, “I’m afraid this lady made a mistake. I don’t know her.
“I knew it!” Wilmot took out a ownership transfer document and handed it to Melody, saying, “I can’t thank you enough for saving Shane’s life. As a gesture of our gratitude, I would like to gift you this shop. Please do not reject us. We’ll feel indebted eternally if you do not accept our token of appreciation.”
Melody instantly pieced the puzzle together. Mabel’s sudden ou pour of affection was with an ulterior motive. She was eyeing Wilmot’s shop.
Melody knew all about Wilmot’s extraordinary talent in makeup artistry. Not just Wilmot himself, but his entire team were also top–notch. Whenever the elite ladies of Silverlake had an important event to attend, they would flock to Wilmot’s salon for their makeup needs.
1/3
Chapter 17
Taking over his shop meant gaining direct access to half of the city’s high society network. So Melody didn’t hesitate for at second and immediately accepted the transfer of ownership.
When Melody was signing the ownership transfer document, Wilmot turned his attention to Mabel.
“Ms. Mabel, I hope you remember what we have discussed earlier. Since you are not related to Shane’s savior, please honor our agreement and do not patronize my shops from now on!” He had a cold glare in his eyes when he said that.
Wilmot was no fool; he suspected that Melody and Mabel knew each other. Yet, his integrity wouldn’t allow him to respect someone as opportunistic as Mabel, so he immediately concluded that she was lying.
Mabel’s face turned ghostly pale when she heard Wilmot’s declaration. Not only had she lost the chance to own the shop. but she was now permanently banned from receiving any services from Wilmot’s highly sought–after salon.
She panicked and started pleading with Melody. “Melody, please, don’t be mad at me. Clarify our relationship to him, will you?”
She deeply regretted instructing Melody to act as if they were strangers earlier, thinking it would save her from embarrassment. Now, she was desperately in need of Melody vouching for their relationship.
However, Melody promptly brushed off her hand, and aloofly said. Im sorry, but we are not acquainted at all.” She finished signing the ownership transfer document, exchanged contact details with Wilmot, and made her way out.
Wilmot was in a hurry to visit his son at the hospital, so he did not hold Melody back. He left as soon as she departed.
Mabel was left standing alone in the shop, enduring scrutinizing looks from the staff in the shop
Furious, she ran after Melody and shouted, “Stand still, Melody!”
Melody stopped in her tracks and gave Mabel a hostile glare. “What can I do for you, Miss Fox?
“Stop your act, you slut! Why did you say you don’t know me? Mabel demanded.
Melody put on an aggrieved face and said, “Isn’t that what you wanted? You told me to pretend we didn’t know each other so I wouldn’t embarrass you, right?”
Mabel could not find her retort, as Melody had used what she said against her.
Suddenly, she recalled Ken also appeared and helped Melody earlier in the day. She reckoned Melody became more. arrogant after being backed by Ken.
She got closer to Melody and said in a hushed voice, “If you think Ken Swanson has your back, and now you can act high and mighty, you are wrong! That’s wishful thinking on your part!”
Ken Swanson? So he’s Ulric’s brother?” Melody was dumbfounded. She thought Ken was just a member of the extended Swanson family and had not expected him to be so closely related to Ulric.
“Let me tell you something. Ken may be running the Swanson Group for now, but he can never be the true heir! He injured Ulric for his selfish gains. Do you think he would still stand a chance when Ulric recovers from his injuries? No way! Everyone may appear to respect him, but they are talking behind his back. Once Ulric regains control of Swanson Group, Ken will be in trouble. So if you are counting on Ken to be your backer, you can forget it. An evil man like him would never fall for an ugly duckling like you, Mabel added.