The moment Mrs. Green lunged, Melody's reflexes kicked in with a speed that belied her delicate appearance. She effortlessly sidestepped the attack, her hand instinctively darting out to intercept the hidden knife. A sharp pain shot through her palm as the blade sliced through her skin, but she barely registered it.
"Mrs. Green, Mum and Dad, I am being bullied!" Melody cried out, rushing towards her parents with a theatrical display of distress. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision as she clung to Audrey's arm.
{Hehe! This will also put more crimes on these Green Family's record.} Melody thought gleefully, relishing the escalating chaos.
Audrey's face contorted with a mixture of anger and concern as she examined the cut on Melody's hand.
Audrey's protective instincts flared, overriding her initial fury at the Greens. The sight of her daughter, seemingly vulnerable and distressed, triggered a primal urge to shield her from harm. Jasper, ever the composed strategist, moved with swift efficiency, retrieving a first aid kit and gently tending to Melody's wound. His eyes, however, remained fixed on the Greens with an intensity that promised retribution.
"Guards," Jasper commanded, his voice low and dangerous.
"Make Mrs. Green kneel and apologize to my daughter." The guards immediately obeyed, forcibly restraining the struggling woman and forcing her to her knees before Melody.
Melody leaned into Audrey's embrace, feigning weakness while subtly amplifying her thoughts towards Diego. {Big brother! You're amazing! Thank you for handling this so well! Now hurry up and write that will!}
The Green family's ignominious departure left a palpable vacuum in the opulent foyer, the silence broken only by the rustling of servants and the crackling of the fire. Melody, seemingly exhausted by the dramatic performance she'd just orchestrated, let out a languid yawn and gracefully lowered her head onto Diego's lap. The gesture was both calculated and surprisingly endearing, a subtle display of trust and affection that momentarily softened Diego's guarded expression.
{Big brother is so warm.} Melody thought, enjoying the feeling of his hand gently stroking her hair.
Rosemary Alexander, still kneeling on the marble floor, looked up with pleading eyes.
"Madam Audrey, Master Jasper, please I beg of you!" she cried out, clasping her hands together in a desperate plea for mercy.
Audrey's response was swift and devastating.
Audrey's response was swift and devastating. Her voice, though calm, dripped with a chilling certainty that silenced the room.
"Rosemary Alexander, artificial insemination – that is what your mother did, but my husband has never cheated," Audrey stated flatly, her gaze unwavering as she locked eyes with the younger woman.
The words hung in the air like a poisoned dart, striking Rosemary with unexpected force. A gasp escaped her lips as her face drained of all color. The carefully constructed façade of innocence and propriety crumbled before her, revealing the raw vulnerability beneath.
{Mum is so smart! Haha, she can't twist the truth! What will Rosemary say next?} Melody thought with a smug satisfaction. She could practically taste the desperation radiating from Rosemary as she struggled to formulate a response.
Diego's hand stilled on her hair as he processed his mother's bombshell revelation. The implications were staggering. Rosemary, the seemingly devoted and obedient assistant, had been entangled in a web of deceit and manipulation orchestrated by her own mother. And the revelation about Audrey's husband, Jasper, was a calculated maneuver designed to shatter Rosemary's composure and expose her true motives.
{Wow, mum is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers!} Melody mused, a genuine admiration for her mother's ruthless intellect blossoming within her.
Rosemary's face crumpled as she attempted to deny the accusations, but the words caught in her throat. The carefully constructed narrative she had been peddling for months lay in ruins, exposed for all to see.
"That's… that's a lie! My mother would never…"
Melody luxuriated in the discomfort radiating from Rosemary, savoring the moment of her downfall. The Green family's carefully constructed facade had crumbled, revealing the ugly truth beneath.
{Tsk, liar! Her mum back then was just a servant girl who was deeply in love with Dad, but guess what? Dad has never cared about any woman until Mum came around. Rosemary's mother, Selena, is a true whore, sleeps around all day long. In three days from now she will show up; it will be fun to watch!} Melody thought with a malicious grin, anticipating the chaos that was about to unfold.
Jasper's reaction was swift and chilling. The subtle tightening of his jaw and the icy glint in his eyes were clear indicators of his displeasure. He gently patted Melody's head, a gesture that belied the dangerous power simmering beneath the surface.
"Melody, your mum and I have been sponsoring a girl named Naomi Rivermoon. Anyway, over the summer she has been out of the country, and your mum and I, as you can…" Jasper began, his voice carefully measured.
Melody sweetly smiled, feigning innocence and genuine excitement.
"Dad, Mum, it's okay! I am excited to meet your biological daughter," she chirped, her voice brimming with manufactured enthusiasm.
{It was the truth! The second female villainess in this novel is the true heiress of Audrey and Jasper because of the swapping at birth. Anyway, Mum and Dad's biological daughter's name should be Melissa.} Melody mentally corrected her thoughts, ensuring she aligned with the original narrative.
"Daddy, Mum where is your biological daughter?" Melody asked innocently, tilting her head to emphasize her childlike curiosity.
Audrey waved a dismissive hand, her expression betraying a distinct lack of interest in the impending arrival of her biological daughter. Despite being the true heir, Melissa was a pawn in a longforgotten game, a consequence of a desperate act to secure the Montgomery legacy. Audrey adored and would always pamper Melody, and she wasn't about to jeopardize that bond for some distant relative.
"She will be back at the end of the week," Audrey said, her tone conveying indifference.
Melody didn't push the matter further, understanding that any attempt to pry deeper would be met with resistance. She knew her position within the family was secure, built on years of unwavering affection and carefully cultivated loyalty.
"Mum, Daddy? Let her stay," Melody suggested casually, leaning further into Diego's lap.
"She does have your bloodline."