Was that Christopher? And the one following closely behind him was Luke.Luke, ever the initiator of friendly interactions, said warmly, "Quite the coincidence to see you here, Ms. Nolan."Melody acknowledged him with a slight nod.Christopher, curious, asked her, "Heading somewhere?""I'm on my way to Pharma Paradise Factory," Melody answered, her focus still partly on the car issue.Christopher, eager to help, suggested, "I'm headed there too. I can give you a ride."Melody was reluctant to owe anyone anything, despite it being a minor favor. She declined, "Thanks, but I'll manage."Her courteous yet distant attitude left Christopher feeling a bit frustrated.Luke, noticing this, shook his head subtly and intervened, "Ms. Nolan, you've been repairing this for some time. The car seems tricky to fix. Why not let someone else handle it? Along our journey, we can drop you off. It'll be quicker."Jenson, typically not one to interfere in Melody's personal dealings, checked his wa
"Hey, there's no need for formalities between us," Alec said."I must admit, this pill has stumped me," he sighed, and he waved his hand dismissively. "Today is a critical stage in the experiment, but despite trying many different combinations, I can't find the right one. I'm at a loss as to what's going wrong."Melody twirled the pill in her hand and suggested thoughtfully, "Have you considered that perhaps the issue isn't with your method? Maybe it's lacking an ingredient?"Alec had never thought of this possibility before."Really? This formula was years in the making. Any insights you have would be welcome.""The formula is top-notch, with premium, well-chosen ingredients to ease the liver and balance bodily systems," Melody noted. "But the cool, spicy qualities of peppermint might be holding back its full effectiveness."She continued, "Adding crushed Appeo Stalk could amplify its properties, ensuring the pill's success."Alec nodded vigorously in agreement with her reaso
The car took a quick turn and soon vanished from Alec's sight.The two assistants were sitting in the front, with Luke at the wheel, and Christopher and Melody in the back.Both were in better spirits than before. One had secured the much-needed treatment for Natasha, and the other had successfully signed a contract and reconnected with an old friend.The mood in the car was significantly lighter and less awkward than on their way there.Casually, Christopher commented, "I had no idea you were adept at pill-making.""It's just a basic skill," Melody responded with a touch of detachment. "What really caught me off guard was Mr. Bolton's readiness to spend a fortune for the Enzacion pill."She considered silently how Christopher's encounter with Alec, a person of ethical conduct, was a stroke of luck. In the hands of a greedy man, Christopher could have been exploited.Christopher, on the other hand, showed little concern for the expense. Determined to find a cure for his sister,
Melody was shouting frantically, but Christopher was too far away, and there was too much noise to hear her.She hence rushed out of the car, shouting, "Watch out, Christopher!"At the same time, she locked on to the tattooed man and launched a spinning kick, sending him flying!Christopher turned right then and exclaimed, "Why did you leave the car?"Before Melody could answer, his eyes widened in horror as he cried out, "Move!"However, it was too late.Melody could hear the loud thud, just as someone struck her in the head with a wooden club from behind!Thud.She collapsed to the ground, and Christopher's pupils dilated as he cried, "Melody!"Jenson hurried to their side when he saw what happened. He whipped out his butterfly knife to keep the thugs at bay, while Christopher quickly took off his jacket and moved Melody to safety.When he returned, his eyes were red with murderous intent.The goons were all cowed in response. "Boss, I think he's going to—"The leader's h
Once they placed Melody on the bed, a nurse hooked her to an IV bottle, telling Christopher before she left, "Please press the buzzer to call us once the bottle is finished."And with that, it was just Christopher and Melody in the vast ward.Melody's eyes were closed, her hair spread around her, making her dainty face appear even smaller.Her pale cheeks and other parts of her, however, showed how weak and vulnerable she was.Christopher felt a dull aching on his chest, his heart almost breaking right then.He could not help brushing and fixing Melody's hair, noticing in surprise that she had lost weight again.He picked up her hand and could feel how skinny her palm was too.How could one so small muster such strength and courage to save him?And even though he was determined to protect her—even promising that much to his own grandfather—he was constantly letting her get hurt.Guilt, worry, and heartache… all those sensations came bundled in one, leaving Christopher stifled.
Melody's voice was quiet, but the words left everyone freezing up, petrified! Levian soon recovered, his heart breaking as he caressed Melody's cheek. "Mel, please… You're scaring me. It's me, Lev!"Albert was on the verge of tears. "Don't you remember us, Mel?"Luna was stamping her feet frantically too. "Gosh, how could this happen? Look at me, Mel—don't you remember me?"Christopher remained silent, though the shock in his eyes remained.He leaned forward, calling out to her, "Melody…"Melody was still staring blankly, seemingly not recognizing them.Luna could fall apart right then and turned to leave, "No! Doctor, we need to get the doctor—"Melody suddenly smiled, finally having had enough. "Okay, get back here already. I was just messing with y'all."Luna turned around from the doorway, blinking. "Do you remember me?""Of course. How can I forget Luna Bailey, heiress of the Bailey household?" Melody grinned. "I'm really fine—just pulling your leg."Luna breathed a lo
Melody did not think that far, shaking her head and admitting, "No. I called the cops and no one else."She could not see it, but Christopher's expression darkened right then.If that really was the case, and Philip arrived without being notified…His suspicion was right.-It was a quiet night.The nurse came to remove Melody's IV after her bottle was done, and Christopher had her take the after-meal medicine as instructed.He never took his eyes off her, his care and concern all too obvious.Even the nurse was clicking her tongue in wonder, sighing enviously, "Your husband is fantastic, ma'am."Melody almost choked and quickly said, "We're not… you're misunderstanding something here, nurse."However, the nurse merely gave her a knowing look. "Come now, don't be shy—you two make a beautiful couple, and everyone can see that. Get some rest, and buzz us if you need assistance."Melody was left hiding her face behind her palm even as she closed the door. Nurses these days were
Philip smiled faintly, unperturbed. "That's probably because Melody and I are connected in our hearts. Makes sense that you won't understand that."Christopher certainly would not buy such clear nonsense and narrowed his eyes. "I actually thought you had a sense of responsibility. Turns out I've overestimated you."His eyes flashing warily, he lowered his voice as he growled slowly and clearly, "I'm warning you. Don't even think about hurting Melody, or I won't hold back."The air between both men tensed, but Philip's brow suddenly eased as he laughed, as if hearing a joke."Me, hurt Melody? Are you daydreaming, Christopher Bolton? Who was the one who was married to her but hurt her to the point that she's unable to fall in love again?'The fact that his beloved Melody was abused throughout at the Bolton household still left Philip indignant, and he met Christopher's glare without flinching. "You and your family bullied, humiliated, and harassed her in every way possible. And now