Chapter 3 Debt

John's face clouded further as those words sank in. Tightly pressed lips and a trembling beard betrayed just how close he was to losing control.

In contrast, Greyson's expression hardly flickered.

"Let's go take our places," he said, standing and leading the way toward the dining room.

Vivian's eyes darted toward John, silently begging for him to object. However, he offered nothing but a cold stare in Lorna and Melanie's direction. His silence was clearly a reluctant endorsement of Greyson's authority.

Clearly, whatever Greyson had said had managed to tip the balance in his favor.

Seething with frustration, Vivian stamped her foot, though she could do little else.

What Greyson had threatened to reveal was a truth that no one in the Blake household dared speak aloud.

Chairs began scraping as family members found their seats, but not a single servant had arranged places for Lorna and Melanie.

Vivian made certain that two short stools were set in the farthest corner of the room.

"You might have forced your way into the Blake family, but there's still a pecking order. If you want to eat, you'll sit over there," she sneered, her words meant to degrade.

Though anger tightened her grip, Melanie kept quiet. All she wanted was for her mother to find safety and shelter under the Blake roof.

Everything else - petty slights, open hostility - meant nothing to her.

With gentle care, Melanie quietly guided Lorna toward their places in the corner.

Without warning, Greyson's low voice broke through the air. "Come sit over here."

The words left Melanie rooted to the spot, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

A subtle gesture, his long fingers curling in invitation, made it clear that he meant for her to take the empty seat by his side.

Tension rippled through the dining room, every gaze shifting as the mood turned strange and brittle.

Perhaps it had made sense to let her and Lorna remain at Emerald Villa for the sake of the unborn child, but what was he playing at now?

Lost in confusion, Melanie could only stare at him, unable to make sense of his motives.

"Must I have someone escort you?" The chill in Greyson's eyes left no room for argument, his voice unreadable.

Reluctance heavy in every step, Melanie crossed the room. "Is there something you want?" she asked, her tone etched with uncertainty and unease.

One eyebrow lifted as Greyson answered, "Sit down."

Vivian shot up from her seat, her outrage barely contained.

"Greyson, what are you thinking? The Blake family has always respected the proper order. That seat is meant for Colby. How can you let this woman take his place?"

Colby?

Hearing a name identical to her boyfriend's made Melanie pause for a brief second.

But she immediately snapped out of it.

Quickly, she shook her head, refusing the offer. "Thank you, but I'll stay by my mother's side."

Her words barely left her lips before Greyson added, cool and casual, "Then bring your mother here as well."

A visible storm brewed behind Vivian's eyes.

Without hesitation, Greyson motioned to the servants.

"Begin serving the food."

His tone allowed no argument - this was settled.

While Vivian seethed with anger, Melanie and Lorna sat stiffly, nerves prickling as if on a bed of needles.

The tension only made them hold themselves tighter, their bodies almost frozen in place.

Out of nowhere, Lorna trembled, accidentally tipping over the glass of water set before Melanie.

Too slow to stop it, Melanie watched in horror as the water tumbled straight into Greyson's lap.

Vivian's lips curled into a smug smile. "No matter how hard you try, you'll always be out of place here. Look what you've done - Greyson's pants are soaked."

In a frantic rush, Melanie grabbed napkins and dabbed at the mess, only then realizing that the spill had landed in the most humiliating spot possible.

Color rose fiercely in her cheeks as Vivian's words stung.

Her mind spun back to those breathless moments - Greyson pinning her to the sofa, his hand firm at her waist, thrusting into her as he forced her to lift her chin. There was heat in his eyes, a glimmer of amusement, and his raspy voice seemed to scrape right through her.

"Is your body made of water? You've soaked my pants."

As she stared at the broad wet mark, Melanie's embarrassment burned so bright that she almost wished she could vanish altogether.

Meanwhile, Vivian kept pouring salt on the wound, mocking her as crude and untamed.

Rumor had it Greyson couldn't stand disorder, hated having his things touched.

Vivian felt sure that this would be Melanie's undoing.

She settled in, eager for chaos, but Greyson's cold stare found her instead. "She's part of this household now. Why turn a small accident into such a spectacle?"

Shock flickered across Vivian's face.

Nothing was unfolding the way she'd imagined.

Before Vivian could escalate things further, a low, authoritative voice interrupted - Rhys Blake, John's eldest son, had finally decided to speak. "That's enough chatter for one night. Let's eat."

Rhys might not wear the crown in the Blake family, but his word carried weight, and his calm intervention defused the growing tension.

Without another word, Greyson excused himself to change and didn't return for the rest of dinner - or any of the evening's formalities.

Every mouthful at the table felt stiff and uneasy, the meal a silent trial for Melanie and Lorna.

Once dinner concluded, John quietly instructed the staff to escort Melanie and Lorna to Emerald Villa.

Though the villa had been empty for quite a while, the place was spotless, thanks to regular upkeep.

Inside, the staff did a quick tidy-up before leaving the mother and daughter to settle in. Lorna collapsed onto the couch, spent and shaken.

"Melanie, I was frightened out of my wits."

Melanie crouched beside her, gently saying, "We're only being allowed to stay here. Greyson won't cover the debts, but don't worry. Just rest and don't leave the estate. The debt collectors won't dare follow us onto Blake property."

Lorna gave a shaky nod, reassured for the moment.

Melanie continued, "Hand over anything Leland left. I'll try to catch John and plead our case. None of this debt should be your burden."

For all the years Leland spent with Lorna, he'd never made her his wife - so, in truth, those debts weren't legally hers.

Yet reason never stopped the creditors, who now used Lorna's unborn child as leverage, leaving them completely cornered.