Chapter 149



Jake’s face wore an expression of impatience.

Melinda’s smile gradually faded.

Since marrying into the Reeves family, Melinda had seldom encountered such disrespect. Only Jake consistently treated her with disdain. He never showed her any warmth.

Melinda had always taken pride in her appearance. After all, it was her beauty that had captured Dean’s heart. However, her charms seemed ineffective on Jake.

Melinda, along with everyone else, had little faith in the happiness of Kallie and Jake’s marriage.

Yet the current situation revealed something different: Jake did care about Kallie.

This realization stirred jealousy within Melinda, leading her to wonder why Kallie, who barely spoke a word, garnered such devotion.

As Melinda passed by Jake, she halted and yelled, “Jake, I’m here to tell you Kallie has eloped with another man. Check the hospital’s security footage yourself if you doubt my words.”

Jake turned slowly to face Melinda, his gaze icy and menacing.

He approached Melinda, each step echoing as if crushing her heart beneath his shoes.

Nervousness enveloped Melinda.

Jake’s voice was calm yet icy as he spoke. “What do you think I’ll do to you for slandering my wife? Take a wild guess.”

As Melinda met Jake’s stern gaze, a chill ran down her spine.

Biting down on her lip, Melinda continued. “Why would I lie to you? I clearly saw everything. When I visited the hospital, Kallie stepped into a man’s car, and I even wrote down the license plate. You can verify the owner yourself. I have no motive to deceive you, and I’m aware of your investigative skills. Check it out yourself.”

Jake’s expression remained ominously dark. He said nothing further.

A bodyguard glanced at Jake and then let go of Melinda, jotting down the license plate number.

Jake’s eyes narrowed. He instantly recognized the number as belonging to a car from the Hayes family. His initial fears—that Kallie might have been abducted by his rivals—dissipated, suggesting instead that she had left willingly.

The Hayes family, deeply concerned about Kallie, would never have taken her from the hospital without her approval. This realization dawned on Jake, making perfect sense.

Surely, only Brent had the audacity to spirit Kallie away without alerting Jake.

A slight chuckle escaped Jake’s lips as he mocked himself for his previous concerns.

Melinda, feeling quite pleased with herself, contemplated approaching Jake to offer some ‘comforting’ words.

However, before Melinda could utter a word, Jake raised his eyes and snapped, “Get out.”

“You…” Melinda felt insulted but lacked the courage to protest. She turned reluctantly.

The primary doctor witnessed Melinda’s departure and hurried over, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Now that you’ve achieved your aim, will you let me go? I’ve assisted you, so I trust you’ll honor our agreement. I want no part in this. If you’re apprehended one day, leave my name out of it,” he pleaded.

Melinda shot the primary doctor a contemptuous glance. “Look at how scared you are already. Jake really gets intimidating when he’s upset. Right now, what you need to do is deflect his anger. Get him to vent on Kallie and Brent instead.”

The primary doctor’s heart sank at the sight of Melinda’s malicious grin. A wave of unease washed over him. “What exactly are you asking me to do?” he inquired, dread filling his voice.

Melinda’s smirk deepened as she leaned in close, her words a sinister whisper in the primary doctor’s ear.

The primary doctor’s eyes widened in horror, and he began to shake his head vehemently. “No, no, I can’t do that. If they find out, it’s over for me. I can’t. Please ask someone else.”

The primary doctor turned to leave, but Melinda was quick to chase after him. She seized his wrist, her grip threatening. “Alright, if you walk out now, I’ll tell Jake about the hidden camera you placed in Kallie’s ward. That alone would make him furious.”

Tears threatened to spill from the primary doctor’s eyes as panic gripped him. He deeply regretted ever getting mixed up with Melinda. Perhaps he should have confided in Kallie or Jake from the start.

But dwelling on regrets was useless now. There was no turning back.

Noticing the primary doctor’s hesitant consent, Melinda felt a sense of victory wash over her. She gently tapped his shoulder and said, “Follow my instructions, and your family will be out of harm’s way. Once we’re through with this, you can leave the hospital. How about becoming the Reeves family doctor? Dean is Jake’s older brother. Despite Jake’s foul temper, he wouldn’t dare touch a family member. With Dean watching over you, you’ll be safe.”

The look of fear on the primary doctor’s face gradually shifted to one of resolve. Trapped in his circumstances, he saw no other option. While Melinda’s scheme was harsh, it promised him survival.

The primary doctor nodded vigorously. “I’ll follow your lead from here on out.”

Melinda’s smile broadened. After giving the primary doctor further instructions, Melinda left the hospital.

Melinda and Dean had been at odds and living apart, yet today marked a change, as Dean had agreed to return home.

Having successfully sown discord between Kallie and Jake, coupled with Dean’s unexpected return, Melinda was in high spirits.

Melinda had planned to head home and cook, yet an impulsive thought struck her. Perhaps she ought to drop by the office to see Dean instead.

Familiar with the layout, she quickly found her way to his office door.

Melinda swung the door open and sweetly called out, “Honey.”

To her dismay, she caught sight of Dean entwined with another woman on the sofa. So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to notice the door swing open or Melinda’s presence.

The sight sent a wave of dizziness through Melinda, nearly toppling her over.

It wasn’t until Dean’s companion saw Melinda and let out a startled gasp that Dean realized what had happened.

Seething with rage, Melinda stormed forward. Though she refrained from confronting Dean directly, she couldn’t hold back from slapping the woman sharply across the face.

The impact nearly sent the woman sprawling. She quickly clung to Dean, whimpering, “Mr. Reeves, your wife is so fierce. That really hurt.”

Dean, with a soothing touch, caressed the woman’s face, blatantly disregarding Melinda, who was visibly shaking with fury.

Scanning the woman from head to toe, Melinda furiously asked Dean, “What does she have that I lack? She isn’t even more attractive than I am. Dean, how could you choose her to degrade me like this?”

Energized by the confrontation, the woman leaped to her feet, jabbed a finger toward Melinda’s face, and retorted, “You don’t understand, do you? It’s because I’m younger! Surely, you’re in your thirties, aren’t you? I’m merely in my twenties. If I lack your looks, Mr. Reeves prefers me.”

The woman’s words stung, and Melinda felt her sanity fraying at the edges.

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