LOGINThird Person POVZane was worried about Melissa.Yes, he never wanted to go to the charity event. Yes, it’s because he was jealous and worried that Andrew still had a hold on her. He was also upset that it seemed that Melissa was losing her way, that her main concern was starting to focus on Andrew once again, instead of making Eleanor pay.Even though he can’t help feel some resentment towards her for still insisting on going, he decided to go after her anyway and make sure she’s safe.He waded through the crowd and dodged questions from the press, trying his best to look for Melissa.But the only person he found was Eleanor.She’s by the bar, nursing what looks to be a tall glass of martini. Zane frowns, knowing that she’s supposed to be pregnant. Why is she drinking?He starts to approach her, meaning to catch her in the act, but Eleanor seems to have developed a sense for people watching her because she immediately slid the glass back to the bartender and turns around to see him.
Melissa’s POVAt last, I snap out of it.I gasp, and the image in my head melts all at once, returning me to the study where adult Andrew is standing over me, holding my face and staring into my eyes. I push his hands off me, suddenly feeling strange.The flashbacks I’ve seen start to play again in my mind, hazy pictures that flick over like images outside a train window. My heart gets filled with doubt.Can I trust myself to conclude that that’s what really happened? Did I have an accident that made me forget everything? Or was my mind just desperate to disprove that Eleanor is the one that Andrew is truly loyal to?“Hey, are you alright?” Andrew frowns as I push him off me. “I’m sorry for touching you. It’s just that you started to act strange.”“I’m fine,” I murmur. “You were telling me about Eleanor… being the one who saved your life?”He nods unsurely, but he continues, “Well, yeah. She gave me a token, and I gave her one too. We were separated for years. My wife—ex-wife, I mean—
Melissa’s POVI have no idea how I know this is a memory, because I have no idea where I got it from at all.All I know is that I’m sinking into it fast, as though my body is in a trance.The study disappears. Andrew’s face disappears. Everything around me melts into darkness until it spits out another image.The first thing I see is a ray of sunshine, streaming through the trees. It’s so bright that I can almost feel it burning my eyes. I cover my face, trying to get rid of the glare as I look beyond me and see a wide field with trees swaying in the wind. I’m in a clearing, sitting on a red checkered blanket with an open basket.I must be on a picnic.And judging by the abandoned cup and plate in front of me, I can say that I’m not alone.“Hey!” a young voice says, a little deeper than what I would expect from a little girl.This must be a little boy.I lift my gaze, still squinting, only to see a little boy with blond hair and blue eyes running towards me. He has a scar on his foreh
Melissa’s POVI stare at Andrew, suddenly surprised. At first I thought that he was just trying to mess with me, then I realize that he’s serious.He wants me to take care of him.The only me would have jumped to the opportunity. He wouldn’t have needed to ask. But the new me is now appalled.“That’s not my job,” I say after a pause, smiling sweetly at him. “Eleanor and I have such a rough relationship, but I don’t want to do anything with another woman’s man. So excuse me—”“You won’t do anything with me,” Andrew says, and a slight smirk colors his face. “Why do you act like I told you to do something dirty with me? Is that what you’re thinking about?”I step back from him. For a moment I wonder why he’s acting this way. Does he know who I and what I’ve been up to all this time? But the longer I stare at him, the more I realize that he’s messing with me.I would even say he’s flirting with me.Knowing that this is another chance for me to get under Eleanor’s skin, I smile. “Very well
Melissa’s POVI swallow hard. I already knew that Andrew was going to be here, and there was no question about that. I was prepared to see him in the event, maybe toy with him a little. But what I didn’t expect was for him to defend me.Now, he’s glowering at James Truman, drawn to his full height. The scowl on his face would be enough to drive anyone away, and I don’t know why James hasn’t sprinted away in fear yet.In fact, he’s also squaring up to Andrew. “Really, son? Is she your date? Why do you think she wants to get away from me?”Andrew is taken aback by the question, I can tell. He just steps back a little, knowing that he doesn’t have the right to be doing this. Instead of jumping to his side, I just wait for this to play out.The old me would’ve been swooning already. I’ve seen Andrew as my prince charming all my life, and now it occurs to me that this is actually the first time he came to my defense for anything. Even when Nadia and Ivy were still around bullying me and em
Melissa’s POV“Why did you agree?”Zane’s question is quiet, almost soft. But I can tell that he’s angry underneath all that, and it feels even more dangerous than Andrew when he would get mad at me. At least he knew how to make it bubble to the surface. Zane was like a shark, hiding under the deep dark waters.I immediately knew I made a mistake.“I had to,” I whisper, holding his hand to stop him from pacing the floor. “I have a plan in mind, Zane. I was going to ask for your help and have you snatch up the investors that Andrew was talking about.”“As if I have a need for investors,” he says in a low voice, turning to face me. “Your launch will be in a couple of weeks. This is a distraction that you don’t need. I don’t want you around Andrew—I want you to focus on this and bring Eleanor down so you can start over. Why does it feel like you’re not even concerned about that?”I sigh. “I am. This is all a part of it. I’m still working on everything, and once the employees are brought







