Olivia was sitting on the couch in Bolton Manor, fuming.Everything about the painting only became more suspicious the more she thought about it, but she could not quite put her finger on it… until she had her tea.'Damn it! Melody must have had a hand in this!'Naturally, Talia found her in a sullen mood when she arrived at Bolton Manor. "Mrs. Bolton?" she called out sweetly just then.Olivia looked up, cheering up a little just then. "Oh, hello. Come here and sit with me."Even as she beckoned at Talia, her eyes were already fixed on the presents Talia brought, which Talia could see as bright as day.A few presents were enough to control her already? Her soon-to-be mother-in-law was as shallow as she was dull."Chris told me that Nat would be out for a couple days, so I came to keep you company since you might get lonely here," she said, handing Olivia the nutritional supplements and branded beauty products. "I saw these along the way here, and I bought them since I thought
Melody was in the parking lot, which was so brightly lit it was almost blinding.She was unaware that she was now being targeted, though she would not be afraid anyway.However, her mind was still on the painting as she forked out her car keys from her handbag.Seeing that she was distracted, Jensen called out softly, "Ms. Nolan?"Melody turned, her gaze as cool as ice beneath the lights. Despite that, Jensen extended his hand to take her handbag. "Where to, Ms. Nolan? I can take you there.""It's fine—you can head home. I'd like to take a stroll alone," Melody replied. She would rather keep Jensen in the dark, since he would not be helpful even if he knew anyway. Jensen remained hesitant but quickly turned away when Melody shot him a cool look, her sense of superiority seemingly projected into the air around them."Yes, Ms. Nolan—I'll head home now. Just call me anytime you need me," he said.After sending Jensen away, Melody thought she should verify if Christopher was tel
Irwin blinked. "What is it?"Melody was focused on driving, however, and did not respond. Even as the beautiful night view passed fleetingly, none of it seemed to interest Irwin—if anything, his annoyance only grew as he could not help ranting, "Honestly, how do the minds of the Boltons work? Olivia Bailey is so stupid she can't even steal a painting… How did she even marry into their family?!"While they were paid damages, did Melody even need the money?! Even her shoes were worth millions!It was such a pity that they could not find the painting, let alone obtain it.And that was all Christopher's fault!Fuming, Irwin suddenly had an idea and turned toward Melody with a blazing gaze. "Actually, why don't you just paint another if we can't retrieve it?"He had seen her paint, and her art was breathtaking to say the least! In fact, one of her works had gained the favor of the Queen of Stabion, and she even invited Melody to a banquet at her palace. Still, Melody rejected the in
The moon's glow spilled through the window and into the hallway, illuminating Melody's visage within a tender halation.Upon a closer look, it was a look of wistfulness.Irwin certainly could tell—now that the Seascape Painting was found, his boss was definitely missing her father.Despite her tough, valiant exterior, she was as tender as she was affectionate on the inside. From the meticulously preserved greenhouse to the incidents revolving around the Seascape Painting, her strong desire to honor her late parents was obvious.Feeling pained from just seeing that, Irwin spoke quietly to comfort her, "Well, your hard work paid off, and the painting's back. Their remembrance day will be perfect, ma'am!"Irwin was right—Melody's mother loved her flowers, and her father had a passion for art. Given that his favorite painting was this painting, he would certainly be delighted wherever he was now.Melody was relieved too, and there was just one loose end yet to be tied up.After all,
Luke was watching Christopher's reaction through the rearview mirror.After so many outbursts, he finally realized that Christopher would visibly scowl whenever Melody was mentioned but insisted on talking about her anyway.Luke certainly wanted to point out that he cared a little too much for his ex-wife, even though they were already divorced.Still, he was only human and valued his life!On the other hand, Christopher could tell that he wanted to say something. "Something on your mind?"Luke promptly shook his head. "N-Nothing."Christopher snorted, not bothered to press the issue as he snapped, "Have someone keep an eye on my mom. Make sure she's staying home and not doing anything stupid again!"Melody was devious. He would never let her get another chance!"Yes, sir. No worries, sir," Luke assured him. "Are we heading home now?"Christopher was rubbing between his brows, annoyed at the thought that his mother would inevitably start crying and complaining about the painti
The person on the other end allowed his voice to trail off, upsetting Olivia in turn. "Stop keeping me in suspense and tell me already!"The person on the other end chuckled. "We just received word that Melody got into a car with an old man, looking all mysterious… Who knows what they're up to?""With an old man?!" Olivia appeared disgusted right then, as if her very ears were defiled. "Hah! That wretch is truly brazen!"So, Melody was not satisfied with a young stud and now wanted a geezer too?! Curse her! That bumpkin pretended to be all sweet and docile at home, and Olivia was sick to the stomach at the thought that Melody was once her daughter-in-law!It was such an insult to her family!"You're not making a mistake, right?" she asked. "Where have they gone?""West side of the city, at the outskirts. We're still following them, but we can provide a location in real time," the person on the end said."Send it already!" Olivia snapped as she picked up her handbag off the tab
Olivia held an umbrella with one hand and kept her cape over her shoulders with the other as she looked around in disgust.She had been carefully tailing them, taking detours and hiding behind corners, almost running down a pedestrian at one point. It certainly took effort to finally reach this place!Contrary to her expectations of catching them red-handed at the hotel, she found in surprise that Melody picked a grave for her date with the old man!The bumpkin was really crazy! Even so, despite Olivia's fortune teller recently telling her to avoid sinister locations, she had to come to expose Melody. She would repay every grievance she suffered at Melody's hands by personally tearing her pretentious self apart!With that in mind, she cast a sideways glance at the pair standing in front of the gravestones. Still, the man with Melody was somehow familiar…Though Olivia's disposition was nothing to boast about, she had attended important events as Christopher's mother from time to
"Stop, Frederick!" Melody snapped coolly, cutting him short.While Olivia was flushed down to her neck, Melody's beautiful face was staunch, though the air around her seemed to turn cool just then.Frederick was actually stunned—Melody was really angry now!"What?!" Olivia reared her chin, demanding in disdain despite flinching a little from Melody's glare. "Everything I said is the truth, isn't it? Or are you trying to argue against that?"Melody simply sneered in turn. "You were saying I bewitched your father-in-law, but where's the proof? Come to think of it, you claim yourself to be the sole lady in the Bolton household and his legitimate daughter-in-law… but you're nowhere to be found when he was admitted to the hospital, were you? You were off playing cards and meeting some fresh-faced youth, having no intention of caring for the old man, weren't you?"She spoke with composure, but her words were filled with sharp, prickly barbs. And she certainly struck Olivia where it hu