“And why, on our wedding day, did you send my parents to a hotel?” she continued, her voice rising. “Couldn’t you have prepared one of your family’s properties for them? They traveled a great distance, and yet you let them stay at some hotel. What will people think when they hear about this? How could they not look down on us?”
Colton’s temper, already on edge, flared again. The disapproving glances from their guests were fresh in his memory. If not for his stubborn decision to marry Melany, he wouldn’t have angered his grandfather, who had refused to attend. And without his grandfather’s presence, the guests had taken liberties, showing their disdain openly.
He had sacrificed so much for Melany-lost standing with his own family-and her parents had repaid him by creating chaos at the wedding. Their behavior had been downright rude.
During the reception, a guest eager to offer a toast and celebrate had been snubbed by her parents simply because the guest’s company wasn’t deemed valuable enough. Yet, when wealthier guests approached, her parents fawned over them like sycophants. They were shameless social climbers!
His voice was tight with suppressed rage. “You think I’m blaming you? How did your ex even know about our wedding if you hadn’t told him? You ‘invited’ him, didn’t you?”
“Colton,” Melany snapped, her tears forgotten, her voice sharp with anger. “Didn’t you want to invite your ex-wife to our wedding? Why can’t I invite my ex?”
“I didn’t send her the invitation; you did. Do you think I don’t know what you’re doing?” Colton, blinded by rage, spoke without thinking.
After all, Allison was an orphan with no authority or influence. Even if she went to the wedding, she would have been a mere spectator. Melany’s ex-husband, however, was different. He had once been a rich young man. His words today were intended to embarrass Colton.
Melany stared at Colton in disbelief, unable to comprehend that he would speak to her this way.
“Colton, you’re actually scolding me because of Allison?” Her eyes reddened instantly, and tears began to fall down her cheeks.
Seeing her incredulous expression, Colton realized he had spoken too harshly. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I need to go out and clear my head. Don’t follow me.”
Melany watched Colton’s retreating figure, her anger escalating as she stormed into the bridal chamber.
Staring at the room, decorated for the wedding, she gritted her teeth in fury. In her rage, she smashed the candles and wine glasses to the floor. On the very first day of their marriage, what should have been a joyous occasion had turned into chaos!
If that dreadful Allison caught wind of this, she would surely be thrilled.
Colton hadn’t actually gone far; he had lingered by the staircase, his hand gripping the banister tightly as he listened to the commotion inside.
A loud crash echoed from within the room, and he instinctively stiffened.
The unmistakable sound of shattering glass filled the air-it seemed Melany had lost control, destroying all the wine glasses in her rage.
Normally, Colton would have already taken a deep breath, set aside his annoyance, and gone in to soothe her. He was used to their spats, the kind that fizzled out as quickly as they flared, more teasing than anything serious.
But this time, it felt different. The tension in the air was heavier, sharper, and he could feel that something had shifted between them. Melany didn’t seem to be the same woman he had once known.
He could faintly recall the early days, when she would cling shyly to his arm, her cheeks flushed as she smiled at him whenever someone made a playful remark about their relationship.
“Stop it,” she would say, laughing it off. “Colton’s like a brother to me…”
But now, that statement cut him deeply. So, she saw her ex-husband as a “brother” too? How many “brothers” did she have?
Once a comparison took root, it spread like a crack in glass, unstoppable.
His expression darkened, irritation clawing at him as he snatched up his car keys, ready to leave and clear his head. But before he could take another step, Lindy’s voice rang out from behind him, sharp and insistent.
“Colton, are you seriously going out alone on your wedding night? What if someone sees you? Think about the disgrace that would bring our family! This is your big day, after all. We need to show strength. Remember, as long as you don’t feel ashamed, no one will dare mock us behind our backs.”
She approached slowly, placing a hand on his shoulder with calculated gentleness, her tone deceptively soft. “Go and calm Melany down. She’s brought in a hefty sum from her family this time – ten million dollars. Her parents may be crafty, but they’re not too bright.”
As she spoke, a cold sneer curled at the edges of her lips. “People like them are easy to manipulate. If we were dealing with the smarter ones, our family might struggle to keep control.”
Colton hesitated, her words sinking in. His jaw clenched as his fingers tightened around the keys.
Through the closed door, he could still hear Melany’s quiet sobs, tugging at something deep within him. Against his better judgment, his resolve began to weaken.
After all, she was the woman he had yearned for all these years. Maybe Melany was innocent, and it was just her ex-husband stirring up trouble to spite them. “I understand, Mom,” he said with a resigned sigh. “I’ll go back and comfort her.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re seeing sense,” Lindy replied, her eyes narrowing as she watched Colton retreat to the bedroom. A slow, mocking smile tugged at her lips, a glint of satisfaction flickering in her gaze.
Love? Affection? They were mere illusions. She had long since learned that only self-interest carried any real weight.
Inside the room, Melany sat on the edge of the bed, her delicate face twisted in anguish from their earlier argument. Of all nights, it had to be their wedding night.
As the door creaked open, her tears slipped down her cheeks, perfectly timed to amplify her despair.
Colton approached her slowly, slipping his arms around her trembling frame from behind. His touch was gentle as he brushed away her tears. “Alright, don’t cry,” he whispered with a sigh, his breath warm against her skin. “I only said those things in the heat of the moment because I care about you. That’s why your ex-husband gets under my skin so much. I’m sorry, Melany. It won’t happen again.” He pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her trembling lips.
She instinctively leaned into him, seeking his warmth.
Looking up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes, her voice was a soft plea. “Colton, all I want is for you to trust me. I only care about you, so please, don’t doubt me anymore. It’s breaking my heart.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
With those words, Melany let out a deep, relieved breath. The tension between them melted, and a small, satisfied smile curled at the edges of her mouth. Her goal was met; she knew she could bend Colton to her will.
If she could manipulate him once, she could do it again and again for the rest of their lives.
They kissed, their argument forgotten. Soon, they melted into each other’s arms, lost in passion.
But as Melany closed her eyes, her mind settling into pleasure, she missed the dark shadow clouding Colton’s expression. He thought bitterly of Allison-how she would mock him mercilessly if she knew what had happened tonight…
But Colton was just overthinking things; in reality, Allison didn’t spare a moment’s thought for him or Melany.
After leaving the Lloyd estate, she drove straight toward the mountaintop nursing home where Kinslee was staying. Her route veered off into a secluded, winding path. The center was nestled in a scenic spot atop the mountain, famed for its pristine air. With its heavily guarded entrance, Allison wasn’t sure she could get in, but she figured she’d scout the area first. Her eyes flicked to the silver mask lying on the passenger seat, and her fingers tightened around the wheel as a small knot of nerves tightened in her chest.
But before she reached the summit, a figure suddenly blocked her path on the narrow road. She slammed on the brakes, her heart leaping into her throat as the car screeched to a stop, nearly crashing into the shadowy figure.
Peering through the windshield, her eyes flickered with recognition. “Kinslee?”
Allison had studied every detail about the Lloyd family, committing their faces to memory, and there was no mistaking Kinslee’s familiar features.
But something was off. Kinslee stood there, dazed and confused, her words slurred and her expression unfocused. She seemed to have wandered off on her own, as there were no caregivers or staff in sight.
She crouched by the roadside, trowel in one hand and wicker basket in the other, carefully picking a few delicate wildflowers. When Allison called out again, she slowly stood, blinking in confusion as she looked around. “Where am I?”
“You’re halfway up the mountain,” Allison said, stepping out of the car to steady her.
The night was closing in, and the mountain, with its untamed wildlife and rough terrain, wasn’t safe – especially for someone like Kinslee.
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.