Chapter 6 There's Big News

An address popped up on Melanie's screen, followed by a brief message from Greyson. "Move into this villa."

The instruction left Melanie reeling.

Was Greyson planning to keep her as a secret lover, treating her like something to be used whenever he pleased?

A cold knot of dread twisted in Melanie's stomach.

Given her situation, resistance was out of the question.

A pang of regret hit her - approaching Greyson had seemed like a simple bargain, nothing more than an exchange.

Now, everything had spun out of her control. Any hope of escape rested entirely on his willingness to let her go.

What choice did she have now?

Her phone vibrated again, snapping her from her spiraling thoughts.

An unknown international number flashed on the screen.

Melanie stood rooted to the spot, heart pounding.

It must be Colby Hewitt.

For three years, they'd called themselves a couple - until the night last week, when she'd caught him on a video call, shamelessly with another woman.

How could he have the nerve to reach out now?

Seething, Melanie ended the call, only for Colby to dial her number again, refusing to give up.

Frustration boiling over, she finally picked up.

On the other end, Colby's tone was soft and pleading. "Melanie, just hear me out, will you? That was nothing - just a stage play rehearsal, I swear. You've got it all wrong."

"A rehearsal? With both of you naked? Colby Hewitt, do you think I'm either clueless or blind? Don't call this number again."

With that, she ended the call and blocked him without hesitation.

Meanwhile, across the ocean in a cluttered bachelor apartment, laughter erupted among Colby's friends as they heard the telltale click of his number being cut off.

"Didn't you brag about always having her wrapped around your finger? She sounds pretty furious, man. You've been at this for a week and still can't get her back. Better watch out or someone else will scoop her up."

Another chimed in, waving a beer, "We're just blowing off steam at this party. Your girl's way too uptight for this crowd. Colby, you said you'd bring her out so we could all have our fun with her. Don't back out now."

Colby's expression soured as the teasing continued, unable to keep up his usual composure.

"Relax. When I'm back in town, I'll make sure of it."

...

Once she'd composed herself, Melanie cracked open the door, only to jump when she found the butler waiting just outside.

His eyes lingered on her a moment too long before he offered a respectful nod.

"This way, Miss Dale."

Daylight streamed through the hallway, and Melanie shrank from the idea of running into any more Blake family members. Quietly, she fell into step behind him.

They cut across the manicured garden and slipped out the rear exit, just a short walk from Emerald Villa.

Turning to him, Melanie offered a polite, "Thank you," forcing herself to move with steady steps.

Yet, she could feel that the gaze behind her remained fixed, making her feel uneasy.

Behind her, the butler's mind spun with questions. Colby Hewitt? Wasn't that what they called Rhys' son now?

Before Colby headed overseas, John was afraid that if he caused some scandal and people found out that he was a Blake, it would tarnish the family's reputation. Therefore, he was barred from using the Blake name and took his mother's instead. But what business could he possibly have with Lorna's daughter? Could it be that Melanie was talking to another man who went by Colby Hewitt too?

Melanie had no idea what thoughts lingered in the butler's mind.

Instead of heading straight back to Emerald Villa, she wandered off the Blake property, picked up a few necessities in town, and only then returned home.

As soon as she stepped inside, she found Lorna waiting on the sofa, eyes rimmed red from a sleepless night.

"Melanie, where were you all night? And what happened to your clothes? Those aren't the ones you left in!"

Setting her bags down, Melanie hurried to explain, "Mom, why do you seem so on edge? I dropped by our old place to grab some things, but the office called me back for overtime. I barely got a wink of sleep, and I changed outfits because I had a meeting with a client this morning."

Lorna, never one for city life and used to keeping to herself when she was with Leland, took Melanie's words at face value.

"You had me worried sick. You're all I have left, so please, take care of yourself."

Melanie offered a reassuring nod, silently recalling the agreement she'd made with Greyson.

"Mom, work has gotten busier. The company's running a bonus program - whoever puts in more hours gets a bigger payout. I want to save up, so I'll probably spend a lot of time at the office. If you ever need anything, just give me a call. Don't stay up on my account."

"But aren't the Blake family supposed to help us with those debts?" Lorna's anxiety returned in full force.

Guiding her mother gently, Melanie eased her down onto the sofa.

"I'll sort things out with the Blake family. All you need to worry about is your health. With Greyson vouching for you, nobody will dare cause trouble. I'm not working just to clear our debts - I want to build a future for us, especially once the baby arrives. Having a safety net is what really matters."

...

Once Lorna was settled, Melanie lingered in thought, then made up her mind to stop by the office before dealing with anything else.

Moving into the new place would have to wait until she could speak to Greyson face-to-face.

But the moment she stepped into the building, Stella Graham, one of her teammates, caught her by the arm.

"Melanie, you won't believe it. There's big news - the company just got bought out by a corporate giant."