Melody Thorne paused in her steps, feeling an increasing sense of suffocation in her chest, and what was once a light heart now felt somewhat heavy.
Jared Quinn's tall figure lazily leaned against the European-style sofa, propping his chin with one hand, his gaze casually sweeping across her body.
"How is she?" Jared asked, clutching Melody's wrist. "Is she better than the woman you traded?"
The extremely calm and subtle tone, however, carried a sense of oppression, with a light and meaningful upward inflection at the end, not angry, but just a shallow, profound inquiry.
Melody composed herself and looked up. "She matches you well, both in family background and appearance. She was always meant to be your girlfriend. If you didn't think she was good enough back then, you wouldn't have made her your girlfriend. So, there's no need to ask me now. If your intention is to humiliate me, then congratulations, you've succeeded."
