Ch. 2191..2200

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2191-Based on what Nathan understood, the Riveras' old lady ought to belong to the latter group. The Riveras intentionally handed over all the good scripts to Melody, as she was their new and hard-sought granddaughter-in-law. However, Melody had no intention of exploiting her privileges in such a manner. She wanted to land a role in the movies fairly.

Then again, everything he heard was nothing more than hearsay. Discerning the veracity of the information thus became a challenge. Those who had a longstanding involvement in showbiz would have forged some connections, and Nathan was no different.

Melody nodded without the slightest hint of reservation. There was no point in her trying to hide her status since it was already common knowledge. Doing so

would give her the impression that she was being too petty.

Furthermore, it worked to her advantage for outsiders to know that she was the granddaughter-in-law of the Riveras since she was still under contract with Lucas. She was well aware of the vast gap in status between herself and the entire Rivera family-it would be an understatement to even describe them as being polar opposites.

"I'm just worried that the old couple might not understand how youngsters think nowadays. That'll definitely result in a misunderstanding. They're old, and I don't want something like this to happen," Melody expressed her true thoughts. Her concerns extended beyond the impact on the Riveras, as she also feared that Beatrice and Cedric might misconstrue the news to mean that there was some kind of conflict between herself and Lucas. In turn, that would result in her breaking the terms of their contractual agreement.

Nathan nodded in understanding. Being in such a family had its pros and cons.

Having to consider the entire family when dealing with such situations was perhaps an example of a con.

Even so, it seemed that Melody had not been in too many tough situations-at least not yet. Nathan was willing to extend a helping hand to the best of his capacity, viewing his gesture as a small favor that could leave a favorable impression on the Riveras' future matriarch.

"It's no biggie. I think it'd be good to clarify things. What approach do you suggest, though?" Nathan asked.

Melody, surprised that Nathan would be so quick to agree, responded, "I've already given it some thought, and I think the most effective way to handle this is to issue a joint clarification on social media. We'll make it clear that we're just friends, not a couple."

Nathan nodded and agreed with that plan. "Which picture shall we use, then?"

They finally decided to use one of their phones to select a suitable picture. They had taken a few out of routine during lunch together, so there were enough samples for them to choose from. Unbeknownst to them, Lucas came unannounced with Melody's favorite snacks and was taken aback when he saw her engaging in such an animated conversation with a stranger. Lucas's voice cut through the scene sharply. "What are you two doing?"

Before Melody could offer any explanation, Lucas seized Nathan by the pollad and' shoved the man aside.

"Agh!" Nathan might have fared sfature. Alas, he had been caught off-guard and tumbled to the ground as a result.

Melody was jolted by Lucas's sudden appearance. As soon as she looked toward the doof, he had already passed by her like a gust of wind.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2192-Melody recoiled in fear and took two steps back. She then hastily reached forward and grabbed Lucas' hand in a desperate attempt to halt further violence.

"What are you doing, Lucas?! Stop it-" Melody pleaded as Nathan got back to his feet and struggled to contain his rising temper.

Melody knew that Lucas was strong enough that Nathan stood no chance against him in a physical confrontation. To avert escalating tensions, Melody disregarded her safety and positioned herself in front of Nation. Lucas ceased his aggression after being hugged tightly by Melody.

"This is a misunderstanding, Lucas! Calm down and hear me out!" Melody then turned and said to Nathan, "Hurry up and leave! I'll—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Lucas dragged her away by force.

Clearly seething with anger, Lucas held Melody's wrist like a clamp. His grip was so powerful that she hissed in pain.

"It hurts! What's gotten into you, Lucas?! Let me go!" Melody stumbled as he dragged her away and attempted to use her other hand to pry herself free from his iron-like grip.

Lucas had an imposing, emotionless demeanor that lent him an air of frigidity.

Many of the crew members were intimidated by him, and they were afraid to look up at him as they feared he might last out at them and fire them from their jobs.

Melody was dragged into the first empty room Lucas came across, and he slammed the door shut behind them. Melody struggled persistently and was finally able to remove her hand from Lucas' unyielding grasp. She stood opposite him and rubbed her reddened wrists as she stared defiantly at him.

"Why are you here? What were you trying to do?!"

"Where did you get the nerve to ask me that? Why don't you reflect on what action before asking me that?" Lucas retorted angrily. He was still seething after witnessing what he perceived to be intimacy between Melody and Nathan.

sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Melody shot back in a sour mood, "If you need a place to vent your anger, do it at home! Please don't go berserk here at my workplace!" She massaged her sore wrist and walked past Lucas to leave. Lucas placed one hand on the door to stop her and pinched Melody's chin with his other hand. "Is it that hard for you to stay in the same room with me for just a while? Are you in such a hurry to go back to that man?"

Melody frowned. She did not want to make any remarks she might regret in the heat of the moment, but she found herself struggling to hold back her emotions.

"Duh! You attacked him out of nowhere! Are you going to stop me from checking if he's okay?"

Those words took on a different meaning when Lucas heard them. He interpreted Melody's apparent nonchalance as a desire to leave him and attend to Nathan. Angered by that perception, he lowered his head suddenly and kissed her with a mix of passion and aggression.

Startled by the unexpected gesture, Melody pushed him away. "Ngh! What are you doing?!"

Melody did not exert that much of strength when he pushed Lucas away, but he had been too engrossed in the moment that his grip was loose enough for Melody to push him back. Melody's eyes were red with anger, and she wiped her lips fiercely with her sleeve.

Lucas frowned, wondering if her actions were that of disdain and disgust

"Are you out of your mind or something? Why'd you just show up here and throw a fit?" Melody • mi questioned in a mix oranger and frustration. She wondered just what her existence meant to Lucas. Even if their relationship was built on a contract, there was simply no justification for him to show such aggressive behavior toward her.

 

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2193-"Me? Out of my mind? Did you have to react so dramatically to me? Why didn't you react that way with that other guy?" Lucas narrowed his eyes threateningly.

"What did you think Nathan and I were doing in my lounge?" Melody gestured to herself with a perplexed expression. Lucas offered no response, yet his silence spoke volumes.

"What do you take me for, Lucas? Just because you don't respect me doesn't mean you can assume that others won't either!" Irritated, she took two steps back and distanced herself from him.

The lounge door was wide open when he entered. If she had harbored ulterior motives, she would have been an idiot to leave the door open like that. They

had merely signed a contract, and he had no right to attack another man as if he was her boyfriend-which he clearly was not.

"What does this have to do with respect? Do you think it's appropriate for you to be so close to that man?" Lucas asked coldly.

His arrogant, condescending gaze only fueled Melody's anger. "That has nothing to do with you at all! I'm working! Need I remind you that there was never a condition in the contract that allows us to interfere in another person's private life?" Melody retorted angrily. Lucas had hurt her many times, and she wanted to make everything very clear.

"What do you mean? Do you want to renegotiate the contract?" Lucas sneered, but his pained expression contradicted the sneer.

"I'm only reiterating the terms. You set those conditions yourself, didn't you?

Weren't you concerned that I might develop feelings and use them against you when you inserted that clause in the contract?" Though the contract explicitly prohibited Melody from having feelings for Lucas, developing such feelings was not something she had full control over. It was also one of the reasons Melody loathed herself. She had failed in that aspect, and she did not want him to trample on her dignity any further.

"Have you forgotten what I said to you the other day about asking you to reconsider our relationship?" Lucas asked.

"I didn't forget! You did-" Melody yelled, her voice cracking. She did not expect Lucas to try to shift the blame on her when he had clearly forgotten all about it after that call with Thalia!

Hearing him raise that in front of her was appalling. 'What do you take me for?

Am I a pet that you can play with whenever you're in a good mood and then ignore after that? If your relationship with Thalia is that good, why didn't you get her to help you with this charade?' Melody thought to herself and felt a wave of sadness.

She had endured enough suffering from those feelings that she never should have had in the first place, and she refused to endure it any longer.

"That's not a valid reason for you to string other men along!" Lucas held Melody's shoulders and tried to figure out what was going on in her mind. "I've already given you enough time. Haven't you realized anything yet?"

Melody shook her head and declared angrily, "I have! I've got it all figured out a long time agot want nothing to do With you, and I won't have anything to do with you!"

SXal*&h the Find&ovel.&et website on Googli to access chapterscornovels early and if the highest quality.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2194-There were times Lucas could feel as though Melody had feelings for him, so he could not understand why she was that reluctant to reconsider their relationship.

Melody cried and shouted, "Why should I be with someone who doesn't know how to respect me? Do you even know the meaning of the word 'respect'? Just because you are the Rivera Group's president doesn't mean you can treat me badly."

Melody's shoulders were trembling, and she closed her eyes to try and stop herself from crying.

Lucas's mind went blank for a moment. He raised his hand to wipe away her tears, but she avoided it by instinct.

"Enough! Stop playing games with me. And don't lie to me anymore…" Melody whimpered, feeling drained of all energy.

"Lie? When did I lie to you? I don't understand what you're accusing me of!"

Lucas retracted his hand. His expression soured, and he gazed down at the crying Melody.

Melody smiled bitterly. "You don't understand anything, do you?"

"Yes, I don't," Lucas answered frankly and his frown grew deeper. "How am I supposed to understand if you don't tell me anything?" Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Lucas thought to himself, 'Why can't she just make things clear? It would've been much easier for me to understand her if she just explained everything to me! Then we wouldn't have been in this situation in the first place!' Their time together seemed to have been all for naught, and he was even accused of being disrespectful.

"I feel disrespected because you think you're never in the wrong! Tell me, do you treat Thalia the same way you're treating me?" Melody clenched her fists. She tried to stop her tears and attempted to portray herself in a less bitter tone.

Lucas, as expected, could not understand why Melody was mentioning Thalia.

Lucas said angrily, "This is between you and me. Why are you bringing up Thalia's name? She's not as difficult to understand as you are!"

Melody was hurt by his words. "Yes, Thalia's better than me. She's neither as sensitive nor as difficult to understand as I am. I'm not fit to be with you, so don't bother asking me to reconsider our relationship. Just forget about it."

She turned away to stop Lucas from seeing her uncontrollable tears. Sadness and self-deprecation overwhelmed her heart. She wondered if her expectations had been too high when all she wished for was more respect from Lucas.

She had earlier maintained a reasonable social distance with Nathan when disqussing their plan to address an internet rumor. Lucas, however, barged in without so much as a word and assaulted her coworker.

Melody wondered if Lucas would have been as rude to Thaliain am similar situation.

Lucas interpreted Melody's turning away as her refusal to look at him.

He frowned and said, "How coulgyou Say that? Do you think he's better say that? Do you thick he's beiter than me? if that's the case, then why don't you just go with him? I don't want to hear your excuses. If being with me is making you feel so awkward, then just go ahead and leave!"

Melody frowned and wondered why Lucas brought Nathan into the conversation.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2195-Melody turned around in frustration and said, "This has nothing to do with Nathan! It's about you assaulting Nathan for no good reason! He is my colleague! We're at work! You don't even know what we're talking about!"

sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I might not know what you were doing with him, but I have eyes, Melody! I'm not blind!" Lucas yanked his tie in frustration.

"So, you think I'm cheating on you and having an affair with another man?"

Melody found his logic extremely absurd. She never questioned him about his relationship with Thalia, yet he was jumping to conclusions about her relationship with Nathan!

'What does Lucas think of me? A pet to keep at home and entertain only when he's in a good mood? He listens to me when he's in a good mood, but he can't even let me finish a sentence when he's unhappy!' Melody became angrier the more she thought about it. She raised her arm and pointed at the door. "I don't care what you think! It's not like you're going to understand whatever I say anyway! Please leave! I don't want to see you at my workplace ever again!"

Lucas was flabbergasted at Melody's act of chasing him out for the sake of some outsider. "What did you say? I'd like to hear you repeat it." He looked furious.

Melody took a deep breath and repeated what she just said. "I'll be clear with you, Lucas. Don't ever come to my workplace again! I hope you can separate your professional life from your private life. We'll only have to keep this charade up in front of Grandpa Cedric and Grandma Beatrice. That's it!"

Melody was obligated to cooperate with Lucas, but she did not owe him all her time. "Fine. You said it yourself, Melody. Don't come running to me if something happens next time!" he said harshly and left.

A silence hung between them, with neither willing to yield to the other. At that moment, the sound of Lucas' ringing phone cut through the somber atmosphere.

He glanced at it and answered immediately as though a second's delay was unacceptable to the caller.

His anxious look led Melody to believe that it had to be Thalia, whom Lucas cared deeply for. Though he was furious just moments ago, his expression softened upon answering the call. "Hello," he said as he opened the door and walked out.

He did not leave when Melody asked him to, and it took Thalia's call for him to exit the room. Left alone in the room, Melody felt a sense of loneliness and frustration.

Lucas' departing footsteps gave Melody some respite from the ordeal. She breathed a sigh of relief and squatted. In the past, she could at least try to deceive herself into thinking that Lucas had some feelings for her, but that was no longer possible. If he truly cared, he would not have disrespected her time and time again.

She questioned herself, asking how high did she rank in Lucas' priorities. She no longer wanted to compete for any of his attention.

Visit En.novelxo.com to read full content

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2196-In the end, she left the room when Lucas was out. Nathan must still be in disarray, and all Melody wanted was to apologize to him. However, with all that had happened-especially the matter of her and Nathar being shipped together by the fans-made it challenging for her to explain everything at once.

She needed to go home and clarify things with Beatrice and Cedric. As she was still under contract with Lucas, she felt obliged to ensure that neither of them worried too much.

With that thought in mind, Melody decided to send an apology text to Nathan since she could not locate him anyway. [I'm really sorry, Nathan. How are you feeling now? Are you hurt?]

Nathan seemed to be in good condition and even sent her a photo of himself.

[Don't worry. It wasn't that bad. Mister Lucas held back.] Melody felt relieved to hear that it was not serious, but her apologies continued.

[I'm sorry I got you involved in this. I've already talked to him, and he probably won't show up on set again in the future. I hope you can forgive his impulsiveness this time.] Nathan was surprised that Melody could convince Lucas to stay away from their crew. Her influence on Lucas was greater than he imagined. [Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure he misunderstood our relationship and got jealous after seeing the news on the internet. He'll understand as long as you explain everything to him.] Melody smiled bitterly. 'Lucas? Understanding me? Impossible!' She asked Nathan to rest and arranged for him to take a day off. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Meanwhile, the online rumors were gaining even more momentum.

She had just parted ways with Lucas on bad terms and did not know where he was, so she decided to head back home and explain things to Cedric and Beatrice. When she arrived home, both of them were sitting on the sofa in the kitchen.

Cedric, as usual, had a book in hand. He seemed surprised that Melody had returned. "You're back early, Melody. Have you finished filming?"

Beatrice emerged from the kitchen after hearing that Melody had returned. In her old age, her favorite activity was cooking for her grandson and Beatrice took off her apron and handed it to the servant. "Ah, you're back, Melody! Would you like a bowl of freshly made lime sorbet? They're absolutely refreshing."

Melody held the bag in her hand and did not know how to address their questions about her sudden return.

Beatrice glanced at the servant, who duly took the bag from der hand.

"Is there something you'd like to tell Us, Melody? Sit down end have some limg sorbet, Beatrice offered.

Melody always found it difficult to hide her emotions. She had an awkward expression and did not"

kpom what was going on with Lucas.

He had promised to pick her up, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Okay."

Melody nodded obediently.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2197-When Melody was given a spoon and a serving of lime sorbet, she did not know how to begin telling them about what happened.

"How does the lime sorbet taste? I put a lot of effort into making it."

"Really? Let me try it!" Melody hastily took a slice and savored its sweetness before swallowing. "It is delicious! Your cooking is always the best!"

Cedric enjoyed his serving of lime sorbet too, but Beatrice served him a very small portion out of concern for his blood sugar.

"I'm glad you enjoy it. It makes all the trouble worth it! How about I have someone bring you lunch to the set later in the afternoon?"

Melody's hand paused as she stirred the sorbet. "I might not go to the set this afternoon. There's been an incident."

"Oh?" Beatrice promptly set down her spoon. "Did someone bully you again?

You need to tell us if that's the case!"

Melody felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Beatrice and Cedric had provided her with the care and affection she never once received. "No, no one troubled me. It was just a misunderstanding between myself and Lucas." Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

If their argument prompted her to return earlier, it had to be serious enough that Melody felt the need to leave work and return home.

Seeing the old lady's inquisitive eyes, Melody decided to be straightforward.

"Grandma Beatrice, Grandpa Cedric… This is what happened. One of the actors in the crew became popular on one of the social media platforms after the film's success. Everyone thought we were a couple. When I was discussing with that actor about the best way to clarify this misunderstanding to the public, Lucas showed up and… misunderstood."

Melody's expression took on a complicated hue after she mentioned Lucas.

Beatrice, knowing her grandson's temperament, immediately understood. "Is that the reason you come back early?" She held Melody's hand, who responded with a confused expression.

"A lot of people know I'm your granddaughter-in-law, and this might cause trouble for you and Grandpa. I'm really sorry. I didn't want this to happen either,"

Melody explained.

"Even if your grandfather and I don't really pay much attention to what's happening, we do hear bits and pieces of this sort of news. As much as we try to avoid it, there will always be people making sure that we hear about it. We know what happened," Beatrice reassured Melody and patted the back of her hand.

As Melody feared, there were people who were aware of her relationship with the Riveras and coyeted ber pasition As a result, they tried to pass on such messages to the old couple in the hopes to create a chance for themselves. Fortunately, Beatrice despised such wrongdoing.

"These people must think that we're senile. Even if you are having an affair with one of the male actors,"

would your show it so blatantly in front of other crew members? We might be old, but we're still very much aware of how the internet works.

"The relationship between you and that other actor is nothing more than hype, am I right? The publicity can boost the viewership of your movie.

It's just a way to engage the audience. We know it."

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2198-Melody gazed at Cedric, who had just finished his bowl of lime sorbet and was delicately wiping the corners of his mouth. He nodded to his wife's observation.

"Don't worry, Melody. Your grandma and I stand by you. We know that you're not that kind of person. We've seen this sort of thing a lot already."

Melody then turned to Beatrice, noticing not a single hint of blame in her expression-only genuine concern that brought tears to Melody's eyes. She felt incredibly fortunate to have encountered the old couple, but she felt a simultaneous pang of disappointment settling in.

The interactions with Lucas' grandparents felt remarkably different from her interaction with Lucas. They unconditionally chose to believe in her, yet Lucas could not even show her the courtesy to try and understand her situation.

A sigh escaped her lips.

Beatrice's dissatisfaction with Lucas grew evident, and she was clearly displeased with her grandson's inability to comprehend a woman's heart. When it came to such matters, trust was the key to ensuring they could go through such a situation. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Without a fundamental level of trust, proceeding any further would be downright impossible. They had both watched the video, and there was nothing out of line with it.

Lucas should have long grasped the unique nature of the industry that Melody had delved into to become an actress. He supported her entrance into showbiz, so his mental fortitude needed to be done properly.

Melody might have to deal with on-screen romances with other actors. Were he to erupt in anger every time, then the foundation that formed the basis of their relationship would only erode over time. "Thank you so much for putting your trust in me. It means a lot. Thank you," Melody said as she gripped Beatrice's hand firmly.

Tears were streaming down Melody's face.

Beatrice felt a surge of distress at Melody's vulnerability, and she wondered why a good child had to face all those challenges in her pursuit of a career.

"Of course. Your grandfather and I trust you-not just as an actress, but as a person! Be confident, Melody! You're more than worth our trust."

Melody was incredibly moved by Beatrice's words, and therein she sensed the stark contrast with Lucas.

Whenever adversity struck, her grandparents stood by her and offered unconditional trust and support. However, Lucas did not. Melody wondered if Lucas had no trust in her whatsoever. 'Did he believe she would frolic around with other men? Or did he view her as being expendable?' Seeing Melody's somber expression, Beatrice suggested that she head upstairs to rest after finishing the lime sorbet. "Now that you're done with your sorbet, you should go to your room and take a nap. I'll have the nanny call you once dinner is ready."

Melody nodded. "Okay. I'll head up soon."

Beatrice watched as Melody went up the stairs.

As soon as Melody was out of earshot, Beatrice turned to Cedric and said, "Lucas upset Melody again!

don't understand what on earth he's doing! Why can't he appreciate her more? All he does is make things more difficult! I'll give him a good scolding when he returns."

Cedric remained silent. He perceived his grandson's impulsiveness but felt it was primarily directed at Melody. It might be rash, but it was not as if Lucas routinely made such decisions.

Lucas' actions might seem erratic, Liças was navigating marriage for the first time, and there was a need for both parties to exercise tolerance.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2199-"At the end of the day, this issue is between a young couple who are going through a tough time. Don't be so harsh on Lucas," Cedric remarked.

Beatrice rolled her eyes. "Look at you, already defending him before I even said anything to Lucas. You're the reason he's like this!"

"Sure, it's all my fault. It's not like you've ever spoiled Lucas, right?" Cedric chided sarcastically.

Beatrice cocked an eyebrow. "Are you trying to settle old scores with me? I won't deny that I doted on Lucas when he was a child! But when it comes to more important matters, I never let him do as he pleased!"

Cedric nodded. "Okay, okay. You're right. I'm the one who let him have his way.

But on a more serious note, I do need to talk with him when he returns. He can't just cast aspersions on Melody like this!" Beatrice sighed and pointed out, "Melody is sad because he doesn't trust her."

Even Cedric acknowledged that the entire issue centered around trust.

Melody went into the room with a heavy heart. She thought that she would not be able to fall asleep, but she collapsed as soon as her head hit the pillow.

However, her sleep was far from serene due to the vivid dreams that haunted her.

In the dream, Lucas unhesitatingly chose another woman over her, leaving her heartbroken.

"Why are you here, Thalia? Do you miss me?" Lucas said, holding Thalia's hand with a childlike joy and innocence.

Melody watched as he held Thalia's hand and smiled in a way that she had never seen before. The woman asked, "Yeah! I came back for you, Lucas! Who is this woman next to you?"

Lucas looked at Melody and said, "She's not important. You're not feeling well, so let's not stay outside for too long."

They held hands and departed, leaving Melody watching helplessly as their figures grew further and further. "No! Don't leave me!"

Melody awoke with a start, realizing that it was nothing more than a dream.

Though none of it was real, the pain of not being chosen lingered in her heart.

She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

At that moment, Beatrice called out to her, "Melody? Are you awake? Dinner is ready. Are you hungry yet?"

Melody answered, "Okay, Grandma! You can go ahead and start without me. I'm going to the bathroom to freshen up."

"In that case, we'll wait for you downstairs. Don't be in such a hurry. Just take your time."

"Okay…"

Melody sighed and got out of bed. The cold sweat from her dream made her feel all sticky and uncomfortable.

After dinner, she returned to her room and found that Lucas had not.

returned yet. Neither Beatrice nor Cedric mentioned him at the dinner table as they were seenging yaware that he would not be back. Melody wondered when he would return, and she considered preparing some snacks in case he came home hungry at night. However, she shook her head of those thoughts, realizing that he was wealthy enough that he would not starve.

Even though Lucas had stormed off angrily, Melody was not very happy with herself for fin ding sadifficut to forgetabout him. Since he had not returned, she wondered when he would return and if he would get hungry.

After all, someone who managed a company as large as Rivera Group would surely have many. C On résponsibilities to shoulder even though he only had to deal with them at their headquarters.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2200-Lucas did not return the entire night, and Melody was unsure how she eventually fell asleep.

The following morning, she came down and saw Edmund. In the meantime, Beatrice was having breakfast at the nearby dining table and offered a smile when Melody descended. Edmund greeted Melody respectfully, too.

"Edmund? Why are you here at this hour?" Melody asked, puzzled. Under normal circumstances, Edmund was always with Lucas and rarely visited the home.

Edmund nodded slightly and replied, "He flew abroad last night. I'm here to pack up his belongings and catch a nine o'clock flight."

'He went abroad?' Melody was stunned, but she soon nodded and chose not to dwell on it. Once Edmund noticed that Melody was up, he immediately went up the stairs to collect Lucas' luggage. Lucas had departed without informing Melody, which greatly displeased Beatrice. However, she concealed her anger in Melody's presence. Adding discord to their already-delicate relationship would not be a wise choice.

Lucas' obliviousness baffled Beatrice, and she could not understand why he would leave the country at such a time. His departure would only widen the rift between them and exacerbate their already strained relationship.

When Melody sat down for breakfast, Beatrice served her attentively.

Melody kept quiet, but she knew that Lucas left the country because of that phone call, and not because of her. That thought brought unspeakable unease, and she shook her head to try and avoid thinking about him. She did not seem to have any appetite and said that she was full, even though she had not eaten much.

Beatrice looked at her in concern, knowing that she was the kind to suppress whatever was bothering her.

Concerned that Melody would not be able to handle all that pent-up sadness, Beatrice was just about to advise her when Melody stood up abruptly and announced that she was heading to the film set. Beatrice, worried for her granddaughter-in-law, instructed the servant to prepare some snacks out of worry that Melody might go hungry during her time at work.

Melody smiled, then bid farewell to them. However, the smile faded from her face as she turned away.

Even Cedric began to worry about Melody's relationship with Lucas. It was unbecoming of him to just take a flight abroad after the impasse with Melody.

However, neither he nor Beatrice were in a position to intervene. They could only remind Edmund to convey their wish for Lucas to return soon and not remain outside of the country after discussing business. Edmund merely nodded. He found it inappropriate to inform the old couple of Lucas' matters, and the most he could do was relay their message to him.

Melody arrived at the set shortly thereafter. Before stepping out of the car, shewook a deep breath and tried to calm her emotions.

The filming posed a psychological challenge, especially after Lucas' outburst on set yesterday that resulted in the male)ead being assaulted. Melody could already foresee the curious glances from her colleagues. S~Maddh the FindNaxal.n&t website on Googld to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Despite her worries, the film crew would not halt production just for her, and her contractual obligations M compelledher to fuffill her responsibilities even if she did not feel like going to work. That being said, Melody also wanted to take the opportunity to apologize to Nathan.