Without stopping to think, Allison furrowed her brow, grabbed her things, and rushed downstairs. She was at the Stevens Villa in no time.
However, when she stepped into the living room, the only people waiting were Lindy and Colton.
“You’re finally here, Allison. Come, sit with me,” Lindy said with a strained smile.
He looked worse for wear, pale and exhausted, clearly suffering from one of his severe migraines. The way he got up to greet Allison, showing deference as an elder, was almost touching. Colton, on the other hand, looked like he’d bitten into something sour.
He had spent five long hours trapped in the dark, mosquito-infested warehouse in Muisvedo the night before, and by the time he was rescued, the itching had kept him awake. Seeing Allison now was the last thing he wanted.
Allison, having long since seen through their facades, wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. “Where’s Keanu?” she asked, cutting straight to the point.
Lindy forced a smile. “I know you care for him, but he’s already been transferred to a top facility in Etron. You don’t have to worry.”
“But you said on the phone that a private doctor was treating him here…” In that instant, everything clicked, and a wave of disgust washed over her. It was all a trap. She hadn’t imagined they would stoop so low as to use Keanu against her. Her face darkened, and she stood up, ready to leave, but Lindy lunged forward, clutching her arm with trembling hands. Tears glistened in her eyes as her other hand pressed to her head in a show of pain.
“Allison, I know I haven’t been perfect to you, but these past three years, I’ve really tried. Didn’t I bring you to every major event? Didn’t I make sure you had every luxury item as soon as it hit the shelves? I’ve always treated you like my own daughter. You know you’re far more capable than that girl, Melany. I had my reasons for everything, and I understand why you might resent me, but-“
Allison had seen this performance too many times before. Lindy’s act was no different from Melany’s manipulative ways. Coldly, she shook off Lindy’s grip. “Why are you telling me this now? We settled everything the day I divorced Colton. Your daughter-in-law is Melany, not me.”
Lindy’s face tightened at the mention of Melany, and beneath the surface, a flash of anger flickered. If it hadn’t been for Melany’s meddling back then, none of this would have happened.
Still, Lindy didn’t give up. “All I’m asking is for you to use your connections to help me get more medicine. I’ll make sure you’re well compensated. You won’t lose out.”
Allison’s expression remained impassive. “I can’t help you,” she said in a flat, almost dismissive tone. “Find someone else who can.”
Colton’s brow furrowed, the tension in the room rising with her cold reply. “My mother is practically begging you for that medicine, and you make her degrade herself like this! Allison, don’t you have any decency left?!”
Allison barely spared him a glance, her voice laced with indifference. “You’re right. I lack all sense of manners. So, Mr. Stevens, keep an eye on those fingers of yours.”
Colton’s mouth snapped shut, his expression darkening at the memory of the time Allison had nearly sliced his fingers off, running a blade across his flesh so close he could still feel the chill of it. Just last night, he’d witnessed her effortlessly throw a grown man into a trash bin like he was nothing. Clearly ruthless and unyielding, Allison wasn’t one to bluff.
Her voice dropped to a chilling tone as she continued, “Yes, Mrs. Stevens, you’ve always been generous. You once tried to trade a bracelet for an invitation, but I do hope you’re not expecting to trade a single earring for life-saving medicine.”
Lindy forced a brittle laugh, her composure cracking. “Oh, Allison, such wit. I’ll pay whatever the cost is, to the last penny.”
In any other room, Lindy commanded respect with her mere presence. But here, Allison’s sharp words had her seething, her temples throbbing with rage as the tension mounted.
Lindy had naively hoped that Allison might show some compassion, or at least a flicker of the devotion she once had. Instead, Allison remained distant, colder than ever.
Colton could no longer suppress his fury. His face twisted as he snapped, “Who the hell do you think you are? I don’t need you for the medicine! I’ll get it myself!”
Allison arched an eyebrow, the faintest glimmer of mockery in her eyes. “Then why have you come to me time and time again, practically begging on your knees? Go get it yourself.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel, clearly done with the conversation. Wasting another breath on these people was beneath her.
Lindy and Colton stood there, fuming but speechless, as Allison walked away.
Just as she stepped outside, she nearly collided with Melany, who stood rigid, fury simmering behind her eyes. Allison’s gaze sharpened as she hissed, “You’d better move. Smart people know when to step aside.”
Melany froze, the memory of Allison handling the drunken man the previous night flashing vividly in her mind. She instinctively took a few steps back, scrambling for a response but finding none.
Allison, however, didn’t even spare her another glance, moving past her as though Melany were no more than an ant. From inside the villa, the sharp crash of shattering glass echoed through the night – Lindy was throwing one of her infamous tantrums again.
Melany’s hands balled into tight fists. She had overheard everything from behind the door. How dare Lindy insinuate that she was beneath Allison? What enraged her even more was Colton’s indifference – he hadn’t even defended her!
Melany’s face smoothed into a blank mask, though her thoughts seethed beneath the surface. It would be better if Lindy suffered… The woman didn’t have much time left anyway. Once Lindy was gone, the entire Stevens family empire would be hers.
Drawing in a steadying breath, Melany pushed her bitterness down and entered the room, a sweet, innocent smile painted on her lips.
“Lindy, please don’t let Allison upset you. She’s always been like that.”
Lindy, still fuming, spat, “I never imagined Allison could turn out this way! After all those expensive things I bought for her, I might as well have thrown them in the trash!”
Conveniently, she forgot that Allison hadn’t taken any of those so-called “expensive” gifts with her when she left.
Seeing his mother rub her temples in frustration, Colton stepped forward to soothe her. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ve done some digging. Even though Soothing Capsules are hard to find, there’s still another way to get them. A few years back, a virtual-reality game called Hacker’s World was all the rage. There are some forums about it on the dark web, and some people post bounties there, including rewards like MDH’s capsules. I’m sure I can get some for you!”
Melany tilted her head, her tone light but laced with hidden intent. “But hasn’t Hacker’s World been offline for years?” Of course, the last thing she wanted was for Lindy to actually get her hands on that medicine.
Colton paused, considering. “Don’t worry. There’s word that the original creator is planning a revival. It’s only a matter of time before Hacker’s World comes back online!”
“How long am I supposed to wait?” Lindy’s voice sliced through the silence, her patience wearing thin with each passing moment. It felt as though Colton wasn’t taking her illness seriously at all. Who knew how long it would take for the mysterious Hacker’s World to reboot? Frowning, she added sharply, “In the meantime, you’d better start making connections abroad. If I have another attack, it could cost me my life.”
Although the worst of the pain had passed, leaving her feeling slightly better, the sight of Melany only fueled her dissatisfaction. Weren’t Melany’s family supposed to have powerful connections overseas?
Yet, Melany seemed completely useless. Meanwhile, Allison-an orphan of all people-was proving far more resourceful. Melany could feel Lindy’s sharp gaze, knowing exactly what she was thinking.
With a composed smile, Melany spoke, though her voice barely concealed the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “Lindy, I have good news. My parents have cleared their schedules. They’re arriving from abroad today to help plan the wedding. And they’ll be bringing carefully chosen gifts.”
Her tone was sweet, but the underlying message was sharp. Unlike Allison, the easily controlled orphan, Melany had the backing of influential parents.
Lindy’s expression stiffened, but then softened as the meaning sank in. While Melany might not outshine Allison in every way, having wealthy parents was a considerable advantage. In the ongoing battles with mistresses and rivals, a well-connected daughter-in-law was a powerful asset.
“Ah, I see. That’s wonderful,” Lindy said, her voice smoothing as she took Melany’s hand, her touch warm yet calculated. “I’ve been unwell and may have said things I shouldn’t have. You’ve been through so much already. With your parents arriving, I can host a proper welcome dinner for them. It’ll be the perfect opportunity to finally meet my in-laws.”
She shot a quick glance at Colton, who seemed lost in thought, his attention wandering once again. She needed to remind him where his priorities should lie.
“As for the medicine,” she continued, “there’s no need for you and Melany to worry about it. I’ll have someone else handle it. If necessary, I can always tap into Keanu’s contacts. Colton, your focus should be on your future in-laws and finalizing the wedding plans.”
Her true motive, though unspoken, was clear. If Melany’s parents could be convinced to support them financially, it would provide the perfect leverage.
Seeing Colton still distracted, likely thinking about Allison, Lindy nudged him lightly. “What’s wrong? Daydreaming about your in-laws already?”
Snapping out of his thoughts, Colton looked at Melany, who smiled up at him. The thought of their wedding should have filled him with excitement-it was, after all, the dream he had envisioned for years. Yet, as the day drew closer, he couldn’t shake a growing sense of unease. Every time he thought about the future, Allison’s face would drift into his mind.
If only it were the old Allison-he wouldn’t have had to worry about a thing.
But now? The Allison of today was colder, more distant than ever.
Pushing those unsettling feelings aside, Colton kept his expression neutral. “Of course. I’ll make sure to give them a warm welcome.”
He reached out to brush a strand of hair behind Melany’s ear, and she leaned into his touch, resting her head against his chest.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.