SWNOVELS Chapter 16
Chapter 16 Dangerously Close
“Upon my arrival, I expect to be addressed respectfully as Ma’am!” Melody’s demeanor exuded an icy resolve, her visage as frosty as her tone, firm and commanding. Merely her presence alone sent ripples of apprehension through the meeting room.
Yet, that wasn’t enough.
Arching an eyebrow, she cast her bracelet onto the table with a decisive flick. “In three days‘ time, I shall present
the invitation to the Golden Financial Summit before you all.”
“Prepare yourselves to join me on the battlefield of the summit at that juncture!”
With a burning ambition propelling her forward, Melody openly displayed her fervent aspirations.
At that moment, each person seemed to conjure visions of Martin, their revered patriarch, founding a company with a mere twenty thousand dollars four years prior. He took a chance, using the inaugural project to unlock commissions worth millions.
Andrew rose from his seat, his bearing poised and assured. A faint smile graced his thin lips as he spoke, *Ma’ain, we eagerly anticipate your forthcoming news.
The scorn and ridicule from the doctoral candidates towards Melody abated, yet a teasing undertone lingered. “Little Ma’am, don’t disappoint us now….
Back at the Moor Mansion.
Upon entering, Melody was immediately struck by the palpable tension enveloping the estate. The servants moved about with visible unease.
In the master bedroom, Melody’s eyes fell upon Edward’s wheelchair parked beside the sofa where she often rested. He methodically tore her freshly laundered white garments, scattering them across the floor with deliberate motions as if engaged in some lofty and elegant endeavor.
Taken aback, Melody moved forward to retrieve a torn shirt, her brow furrowed in perplexity. “Edward, what compels you to rend my clothing in such a manner?”
At the sound of her voice, Edward’s dark, penetrating gaze flickered under the lamplight as he turned to regard her. A smirk played upon his lips, his deep voice carrying a subtle edge of danger. “How can one embrace the new without discarding the old?”
Though he had provided her with funds to purchase new attire, she had chosen instead to support multiple men–college students, no less.
On top of that, eighteen of them!
Her appetite seemed insatiable.
If she found me lacking, why attempt to mold me into something I’m not?
Melody was momentarily stunned, almost forgetting the card Edward had given her that morning to procure new clothes.
Yet, she struggled to recall the last time she had donned new attire.
During her tenure with the Shield family, she often wore hand–me–downs from Suzanna–outdated styles, faded hues, some even threadbare. She would mend and alter them herself to extend their wearability.
The Shield family often remarked on the uncanny resemblance between her wardrobe and Suzanna’s, as though she had pilfered half of Suzanna’s belongings.
But everything she received was what Suzanna had grown tired of.
Declining would have been tantamount to rejecting the Shield family’s offerings and disrespecting Suzanna’s intentions,
Contemplating this, she regarded Edward with a trace of melancholy in her gaze.
It seemed Edward was the only one who had ever taken notice in both my past life and this current one.
He pitied her for wearing drab, worn–out attire.
In her previous life, he had even purchased new clothes for her.
She dared to believe that she, too, could be cherished by someone, that she was also deserving of luxurious garments and exquisite jewelry.
Yet, she had consistently rebuffed his advances back then.
After a moment of reverie, she shook her head, refocusing on the present
Observing her distant expression, Edward’s countenance darkened, a maelstrom of emotions swirling in his eyes as he tersely remarked, “Melody, do you feel aggrieved using my funds to support another man first?”
He narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on her shirt.
His concern wasn’t for Melody herself; he was merely irritated by her brazen exploitation of his resources.
Yet, in the next instant, Melody bent forward, closing the distance between them.
Her delicate fingers brushed against his expensive collar as their eyes locked, her gaze clear and beguiling. “Edward, I have never supported another man, only you!”
“And this attire I’m wearing now is old and worn. Would you care… to tear it?”
Melody’s heart raced; she felt as though she were intoxicated, treading on treacherous ground. A blushi crept across her skin, tingling with sensitivity.
I must be out of my mind! she chided herself.
Edward’s eyes widened, momentarily caught off guard by Melody’s enigmatic words. Yet, he swiftly regained his composure, his tone icy as he retorted, “What are you attempting… to accomplish?”
Melody started to move back as if about to retreat, but in a sudden motion, she lost her balance and stumbled forward.
Though she managed to grasp the wheelchair’s armrest, her soft, moist lips brushed against Edward’s forehead before lightly alighting upon his prominent nose…
Simultaneously, the bedroom door swung open.
Old Madam Moore’s composed Visage morphed from surprise to a sly smile in an instant. “Hehe, young people could stand to indulge in a few more films.
“Behold, my grandson has finally come of age.”