Chapter 640:
Colton, visibly shaken from his time in Muisvedo, staggered slightly under her sudden embrace.
âIâmâ¦fine,â he muttered.
âThank God! You donât know how worried Iâve been,â she said, her red-rimmed eyes fixed on his face. But beneath the surface, her concern was shallow; the tears were more for effect than for empathy. Colton didnât noticeâor perhaps didnât care. His gaze drifted, eyes clouded as his thoughts sank into the darkness heâd endured these past days.
âDid⦠did Allison agree to let me go?â he finally asked, his voice strained.
He had never thought the ex-wife he had previously hated would show such a wild and captivating side. He seemed to have lost himself entirely in his own thoughts as well; it wasnât only Melany.
âOf course not.â Melany tugged at his shirt with a mix of frustration and hurt. âColton, why donât you look at me?â
At her words, Colton seemed to finally register her presence. âSorry⦠Iâm just tired, thatâs all.â
His voice was flat, his mind somewhere else entirely, likely still reeling from the thought of Allison.
Seeing this, Melany fought down a wave of jealousy, putting on an innocent, wounded look.
âYou know⦠you canât really blame Allison for all this. Itâs on me. I never should have⦠challenged her like that. But I didnât realize she hated me enough to make even Lindy fall ill with worry,â Melany remarked, wiping her eyes, her voice clogged with emotion, as if she were too upset to speak.
Coltonâs brow furrowed as he looked at her. âWhat⦠what exactly happened?â
Melany looked at him pitifully. âA few days ago, Lindy and I⦠we went to see Allison. We knelt in front of her, Colton. Both of us, begging her to show a little mercy⦠But she wouldnât even listen. She actually made us slap each other!â
She carefully avoided sharing the whole truth, instead letting selective details settle in Coltonâs mind, casting herself in the light of a victim.
âAnd then⦠she even had her people push Lindy into the water.â Colton stared in disbelief, his eyes finally catching the faint swelling on Melanyâs cheeks, still visible beneath the layer of makeup.
âHow is my mom?â he asked.
âHer headaches are worse,â Melany replied, biting her lip, looking on the verge of tears. âSheâs in bed, completely drained from all the stress. Itâs really bad, Colton. Itâs not Allisonâs fault⦠Itâs mine. I shouldnât have married into your family and upset her like I did. If I hadnât, your mom wouldnât be in this state.â She leaned into the pity act, hoping it would shift the focus away from her involvement in the gambling fiasco.
After all, she had really taken a financial hit back then. Coltonâs face tightened, his frustration simmering. âSo, youâre telling me she did this to my mom⦠for revenge?â
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