Ch. 2431..2440

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2431-Melody smiled shyly. "Yes, Grandma. We called mainly to reassure you. Lucas said he didn't have much to do at his company this morning, so he's here with me. He'll go to work in the afternoon." Beatrice, relieved to hear that Lucas was with Melody, said, "No need to rush! Let Lucas spend more time with you. His employees will take care of the work. You two haven't spent time together for quite some time. This is a rare opportunity."

"Um…"

Lucas suddenly took the phone from Melody's hand.

"Grandma, is there a reason for you to be at the company today? Is Grandpa there with you?" asked Lucas.

Melody leaned in to listen as well. Beatrice and Cedric had long since taken a back seat, and they usually did not go to the office unless necessary.

Melody was worried that Beatrice might be running around for her sake.

However, Beatrice was reluctant to say anything that would worry them.

"What? Can't I come to the company unless there's something? You two don't need to worry about me since I have the driver take me around," answered Beatrice. "Alright, I have other things to attend to. Goodbye."

Beatrice was always decisive, and she hung up the phone abruptly, regardless of Melody and Lucas' reactions.

Lucas looked at Melody helplessly as they listened to the busy tone coming from the phone.

"Grandma has always been like this," he said.

Melody frowned slightly. "I think Grandma is probably running around for my sake. She mentioned handing over the clarification of the matter to her, but I don't know why she'd go to the office." Realization suddenly dawned on Lucas.

"My guess is she went to look for Leo. He and his team are efficient, so leaving things to them shouldn't be a problem. Don't worry, I'll follow up on the progress at the office this afternoon, so both you and Grandma can relax."

Lucas gently smoothed out the frown on Melody's forehead. He did not like seeing her worried.

Melody nodded and snuggled back into Lucas' arms. However, neither of them knew that Wendy's post online had escalated the situation to another level.

Many social media users have used certain methods to uncover the relationship between Melody and Wendy.

It was just as Wendy said. She and Melody were stepsisters, and Wendy had been involved in many artistic activities since childhood. There were many occasions when she was photographed with Helen and Ethan.

Those photos were enough to show that Wendy enjoyed a good relationship with her stepmother. It was such a rare bond! However, the better the relationship between Wendy and her stepmother, the more unsettling it seemed.

After all, how come Melody, who was Helen's biological daughter, was the one struggling with family relationships?

All that evidence cast doubt on Melody's character. Why would Helen treat Wendy, her stepdaughter, with extra care unless Melody was a horrible person?

In fact, Melody had left home early. That indirectly suggested that Melody was a bad apple, so it was understandable why she would be out to hurt Thalia.

Helen, seeing this news, felt flustered. She did not understand why Wendy would expose their family affairs online.

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The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2432-To Helen, family matters should not be aired in public. Even though Melody had indeed done a lot of wrong things over the years, spreading it online would bring disgrace to the family.

Helen originally did not pay attention to that news, but it was when Wendy mentioned Melody when she came back home last time that she thought of taking a look. She had not found the time to go to Melody's place to complete the task Wendy entrusted to her.

At that moment, Helen sat restlessly at home.

"I'm back," Wendy kicked her shoes haphazardly to the side as soon as she entered the house. She collapsed onto the couch, and Helen immediately

approached, standing beside her with a look that indicated she had something to say.

"Wendy, I happen to have something I want to ask you," Helen said.

Wendy rolled her eyes inwardly, but she maintained a neutral expression on her face. She shifted slightly, still lying on the couch, and did not bother to sit up to look at Helen.

"Just ask me whatever you want," she replied.

"It's about the thing you asked me to do last time. I've been busy these days and haven't gotten around to it yet. But I saw what you said online. Why did you make it such a big deal? Melody isn't the same Melody as before. It might not end well if this gets blown out of proportion! Didn't we agree before? We shouldn't air family matters outside. By doing this, how do you think others will view me and your dad in the future?"

Wendy's face showed impatience as she sat up straight and said, "Hey! What do you mean by that? What do you mean by me airing out family matters? I was just telling the truth! Besides, it's your daughter who's been misbehaving and getting criticized by social media users. I just mentioned one or two things she's done over the years. Isn't that a good thing?

"Helen, don't you want to see me get more opportunities too? I've regained some popularity after publishing that post, and many advertisers are approaching me now. I was dragged down by Melody before, bu by speaking the truth, I can increase my exposure. Shouldn't you be happy for me? Why are you blaming me instead?"

Wendy's gaze held a hint of skepticism, making Helen feel like her good intentions were being questioned. She quickly waved her hand.

"I didn't mean it that way. I just think that since it's a family matter, it's not good to let others know about it… I know Melody has done some wrong things before, but it's better if only a few of us know about it. Your dad doesn't even know about this yet. If he sees that news online later, I don't know how he'll react."

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"Huh, are you trying to blame everything on me? If it wasn't for Melody causing trouble that affected me, why would I even say all those things? Dad won't blame me even if he sees it. He'll only feel sorry for me. We're both his daughters. Why should I be the one to suffer because of her? Just because I don't have a mom anymore?"

Wendy's words immediately made Helen raise her head. "Wendy… How could you say that? Over the years, I've treated you like my own. Sometimes, I even prioritize you over Melody. It really saddens me to see you act like this."

Helen felt both saddened and bewildered. She sat on the couch, wiping away her tears. She had been with Ethan for so many years, and she admitted that she had not been the best mother to Wendy, but she had never done anything wrong to Wendy.

From the very first day she entered this family, she treated Wendy very well, all in the hopes of hearing Wendy sincerely call her 'Mom', but she had yet to hear it.

After all she had done for Wendy, she still uttered such hurtful words. How could she not feel heartbroken?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2433-Wendy was getting impatient, but she managed to conceal it well. She leaned over and hugged Helen.

"Helen, please don't be angry. I was just frustrated and said those words in the heat of the moment. Don't take it to heart. How could I not feel your kindness toward me? I'm not heartless. It's just that Melody's actions have caused me so much trouble in the past.

"I've had over ten jobs canceled because of her. How could I not feel angry about that? Now that I've finally landed a few endorsements again, shouldn't you be happy for me instead?"

Helen sighed. "Of course I'm happy for you. It's just that Melody is also my daughter. Seeing everyone criticize her doesn't sit well with me."

However, Wendy did not care. She pressed on, "Helen, about the tasks I assigned you the other day, please remember to do them! Don't disappoint me, okay?"

Helen grasped Wendy's arm somewhat frantically. "Wendy, now that you're getting booked for jobs again, do you still want me to go find Melody?"

Wendy slowly pushed Helen's hand away and lowered her gaze. "Of course.

How could I let this go? She caused me so much misery before. I'm not going to pass up a chance for revenge!" Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Meanwhile, Lucas had his arm around Melody as they watched their movie.

Both of them were enjoying the sweet moment together.

Thus, Melody did not expect to receive a call from Helen.

"Melody?"

Melody felt a bit disoriented when she heard Helen's voice. She could not even remember the last time her mother called her by her name like this. After all, in that household, she and Wendy always argued. She would affectionately call Wendy by her name, but Helen never extended that treatment to Melody.

Noticing Melody's change in mood, Lucas immediately pressed the pause button and looked at her, gesturing his hands to ask her what was wrong.

Melody slowly shook her head.

"Do you need something from me?" she asked Helen.

Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, Melody realized that she might have asked the question with a bit of anticipation.

Helen immediately frowned when she heard Melody's indifferent tone.

"What's with this attitude? Is this how you should talk to your mother? I gave birth to you, gave you life. Can't a mother call her own daughter without reason?" Helen's tone was both demanding and assertive. Melody could not help but scoff at Helen's thinly veiled interrogation. How could her mother even have the audacity to say such things? Helen should have realized long ago that the bond between them had been severed.

"Oh, so you do know you're my mother? Miss Helen, don't you find it absurd to say all these things now?"

Seeing Melody's smile but sensing the sadness in her eyes, Lucas frowned.

Melody held his hand as if drawing strength from him.

Helen was her biological mother, supposed to be the closest person in her world. Melody had never imagined that one day she would need to rely on someone else to withstand the hurt from her own mother. "Have you lost your mind? I'm your mother. How can you talk to me like this? You've always been so difficult."

 

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2434-"It's bad that you've moved out, but you're now airing our family's dirty laundry online too? Do you know how furious your father will be when he sees that?! Are you trying to kill me?" Helen exclaimed. Melody frowned. 'What does she mean, airing their family's dirty laundry online? Wasn't the gossip online about me and Thalia?' Melody gestured for Lucas to bring the phone from the table over to her.

"You do know the reason I moved out was because of how you guys treated me, right? Am I the only one at fault here? You can't just dump all your anger on me because you're afraid of your husband getting mad. I'm not your punching bag."

This was a realization that Melody came to much later.

In that household, Helen had to endure pressure from both Ethan and Wendy.

She did not have any other choice but to transfer her own pressure onto her only controllable daughter. As the sole punching bag, she naturally bore all the burdens.

Melody became the scapegoat that kept their family harmony intact, but she had long grown tired of this kind of life. Thus, on the day she left her family, she actually felt relieved as if she had never been closer to freedom.

Lucas unlocked the phone and was bombarded with all sorts of entertainment news, but he had not expected that eight out of ten were related to Melody. He squinted and noticed there was a mention of Melody's sister, Wendy.

Lucas held the phone up to Melody.

Melody glanced at it briefly, then became utterly enraged.

Ignoring the slight pain in her ankle, Melody stood up abruptly. "Aren't you guys ever going to stop? Is Wendy spreading rumors online again? She's the one who stirred things up online! Doesn't she know I have enough on my plate already? You can't control your precious daughter, so you call me to scold me?!"

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Helen shouted back at her, "How is it a rumor when you're guilty of the thing people are accusing you of? Your sister lost her job because of you! If she doesn't step up to clarify things, how will she ever find work in the entertainment industry again?"

Melody felt both heartbroken and enraged at her mother's words. "Is this what you think of me? Do you really believe I'd do those things? Ha, you've never believed in me for a moment, have you? Wendy isn't your biological daughter, yet you'd rather believe her words over mine! Please, don't ever call me again!"

Melody shouted until her voice cracked, then there was silence on the other end of the phone.

Feeling utterly defeated, Melody sank back onto the couch, burying her head in her hands, unsure of how to face it all. Lucas immediately felt a surge of sympathy and gently lifted her injured foot onto his lap. He carefully examined it.

Only when she felt Lucas' touch did Melody finally come back to her senses.

"It's okay. I'm used to all this. It's like I'm just some random child they've found in the dumpster. Since the day I moved out, I've accepted this reality. Neither you nor anyone from the Sander family should call me anymore."

After hanging up, Melody quickly covered her eyes, her lips quivering downward, tears streaming down her face.

Lucas immediately hugged her, having deduced a thing or two from Melody's reaction just now. He would not have signed a contract with Melody either if it were not for a family that only seemed to drag her down and did not believe in her

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2435-It was enough to see how despicable Melody's family was.

"Alright, it's all in the past now. It's all over," Lucas comforted her gently. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (F)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Melody, gripping the fabric of Lucas' shirt, was in great anguish. "It's never over!

I've moved out, so why do they still want to hurt me like this? Why has my own mother never believed in me? Did she ever consider how I would feel when her stepdaughter smeared me online?"

Melody was also an actress. Previously, her online reputation was in shambles, and Wendy pushed her to the brink, leaving her with no chance of redemption.

Helen, as Melody's biological mother, never once considered what kind of situation her daughter was facing.

'Ha, she knew but simply didn't care. She doesn't even see me as her daughter!' thought Melody.

Lucas sighed inwardly. Not all parents were qualified to be parents. It was just too easy to become parents, which was why there were so many unfit parents and unhappy children. "It's not your fault. It's their fault for mistreating you,"

Lucas reassured.

Melody, feeling more pain from her mother's actions than from being vilified online, spoke softly, "I thought I had grown used to my mother's favoritism over the years, but I realize it's not favoritism. She just doesn't care about me at all.

Is it my fault? Maybe I shouldn't have been born. She didn't want me as her child, so that's why she hates me so much."

Melody looked at Lucas through tear-filled eyes, hoping to find an answer from him.

Lucas cupped Melody's face gently. "Who told you these things? You were never not supposed to be born. If you weren't born, what would I do? I forbid you from thinking like that!"

Melody forced a smile. "That was what my mom said. She said how much better it would be if I hadn't been born. You know, I've never felt so helpless. Even though I grew up there, I never had a sense of belonging. Not even my own room felt like mine."

The thought of young Melody squabbling with Wendy while her own mother disregarded her, leaving her in such a lonely and helpless state, filled Lucas with immense sorrow.

"It's your mother's fault, it's their fault, but it's not yours. Don't punish yourself for other people's mistakes. From the moment I met you, I felt grateful that you were born into this world."

Before learning about what happened in Melody's family, Lucas had always assumed that the optimistic woman who always smiled in the face of everything must have had a smooth life. How could someone with such a personality have emerged without love to nurture her?

It was not until that moment that he realized he was wrong. Some people truly do repay the world hurting them with love. Even until then, Melody still suffered because of her biological family.

Melody cried her heart out in Lucas' arms, tears flowing mechanically until she felt numb all over. Lucas silently sat by, comforting her, wiping away her tears, and gently warming her hands without rushing her. When Melody finally came back to herself, he cautiously asked, "Feeling a bit better now?"

Melody sighed in relief, leaning into his embrace. "Thank you for being here with me. Otherwise, I don't know how I would've made it through."

In truth, moments like these were not entirely unfamiliar to her. When she bravely left that home, carrying just one suitcase, she felt just as helpless.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2436-Melody could not even see where her future lay, but in that moment, she only knew she had to leave the family that always ensnared her, making it impossible for her to break free. That family was like a swamp that trapped Melody deep within. Without a ruthless break, she feared she would be bound forever.

It was painfully clear to her that her parents, unlike others, could not provide her with the support she needed, which added to Melody's distress. She had wondered more than once if it was because of her shortcomings that Helen and Ethan treated her this way. Still, why were they so kind to Wendy, even though she was a girl as well? Not to mention, Wendy was not even Helen's biological daughter.

After all these years, Melody could not help but doubt herself. "I thought that if I fulfilled all their wishes and demands, they'd love me like they love Wendy. In the end, I was just deluding myself. No matter how hard I try, they won't ever love me."

With a heart full of pity, Lucas gently caressed Melody's cheek. He could not understand how any parent could find fault with such a well-behaved daughter.

That so-called sister of Melody's was incredibly selfish, reaching the height of self-centeredness.

Instead of clarifying things for her sister online when she got into trouble, she went as far as to smear her name. It was truly difficult to fathom what kind of twisted family dynamics exist here. "You've already done well, Melody. In fact, you haven't done anything wrong. Choosing to escape from that family was the best decision you've made. Continuing to stay with them wouldn't bring any good, and they'd drain you for the rest of your life.

"As for what Wendy did, you don't need to worry about it anymore. Just stay off from online news for the moment and leave the matter to me, okay?"

Lucas could not bear to let Melody witness what he was going to do. Even though it was a fact that Helen and the others had been cruel to Melody, letting her witness it all firsthand was just too cruel.

Before they got together, Melody endured everything on her own. However, since he had chosen to be by her side, he would not allow her to be hurt by these things anymore. Anything that was not worth it and anyone who was not relevant should stay far away from Melody.

Melody laid in Lucas' embrace, feeling his gentle caresses. The sensation and warmth made her feel at ease. In the past, when she was hurt by her family, she would always hide away and silently shed tears alone.

Never before had someone held her as gently as Lucas did, reassuring her that none of it was her fault. Lost in this warmth, Melody unconsciously drifted off to sleep, while Lucas, after she had fallen asleep, took out his phone and walked over to the side.

"Mister Lucas?" Leo looked somewhat surprised at the incoming call displayed on his phone. "Why would the boss be calling me at this time?" Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"How's everything going with what my grandmother asked you to do?" asked Lucas after Leo answered the call.

Although Beatrice had just asked Leo about the progress of the Melody incident, he still reported to Lucas in detail.

"If the evidence collection goes smoothly, we should be able to file the lawsuit by next Monday. Tasha is much more foolish than we imagined. She did too many things online that violated the law. We're just waiting for the right moment to gather all the evidence thoroughly.

"It would be best to take care of everything at once so she won't be able to stir up trouble again."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2437-Lucas pondered for a moment before saying, "Since this matter is almost wrapped up, could you do me a favor?"

Leo was somewhat surprised. Lucas had never asked his employees to do things privately outside of work. He was curious about what task Lucas would assign to him.

However, to his surprise, it was once again related to Melody. It seemed that Melody was truly Lucas' beloved.

"I won't let you guys work in vain. Help me find out how Wendy got out.

Remember, keep everything that has to do with the Sanders on the down low, and let me deal with them directly."

Lucas was worried that making too much noise about this matter would alert the Sander family before he could strike. Moreover, if Beatrice found out about these things, she would go over to the Sanders' residence and cause a scene, which would not be good for Melody.

After hanging up the phone, Lucas stood on the balcony for a while before going back to Melody's side. Seeing Melody frowning even in her sleep, he felt his heart ache even more. "Are you feeling this way because you haven't let go of those people yet?"

Lucas understood that Melody was deeply sentimental and loyal. Even though her family had never treated her with kindness, it was still difficult for her to completely sever ties with them.

Despite saying that those people had wronged her, deep down, she still longed for even the slightest bit of care from them. Lucas did not blame her. After all, who could completely let go of the love of their parents? S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Lucas only hoped that his presence could bring her a little bit of happiness and that she would not be sad because of those unworthy people anymore.

"Look at how swollen your eyes are from all that crying," he said tenderly.

Meanwhile, in the Sanders' residence, Helen was furious at getting hung up on.

She yelled at Ethan, who was still sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, "That Melody is such an ungrateful wretch. How dare she take that kind of attitude with me!"

Ethan, flipping through the newspaper, shrugged. "She already moved out, so why bother calling her?"

To him, the absence of a son in the house meant little difference between their two daughters.

"Wendy asked me to find her. Otherwise, why would I bother making myself miserable?"

Ethan glanced at her and replied, "If it weren't for Melody causing such a scene online, why would Wendy even speak up like that? These days, the people who used to know about our family's affairs keep asking me about what kind of person Melody is. I'm embarrassed to even answer them. It's all because of that daughter of yours. She's ruined our family's reputation!"

Helen was already irritated especially since Ethan did not spend much time at home. With only her and Wendy in the house, she always felt like she had to be submissive and accommodating to Wendy. However, she could not even earn a smile from her in return. She had been harboring resentment for a long time.

"You're good at shifting blame, aren't you? Isn't Melody your daughter as well?

You should acknowledge your share of responsibility. Is it solely my fault that she's turned out like this? And what do you mean, ruining our family's reputation? What reputation do we even have left? The Sander family of today isn't the same as your grandfather's generation. Please wake up and stop dwelling on past glories!"

Ethan was most irritated when others pointed out the fact that the Sander family was not what it used to be. Many people knew deep down that the Sander family's decline happened under Ethan's watch, but he refused to admit it himself.

Thus, it was understandable that he became even more angered at Helen's bringing up his wound. He slammed the newspaper down on the coffee table.

"What do you mean by that?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2438-"Even if the Sander family isn't as prosperous as before, it's still not something a woman from a lowly background like you can aspire to. If it weren't for you seducing me, how could I have ended up with someone like you? Don't take advantage of the situation and act innocent.

"At your age, I'm already being generous by not making you go out and work for a few measly dollars. Do you think it's easy for me to work outside all day, drinking and doing business with others? Don't force me to punish you. You're just a stay-at-home mother, but you're more than welcome to go work outside if you want! I'm not going to stop you, so you better watch what you say!" sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Helen, her face streaked with tears from her husband's mockery, replied emotionally, "You heartless man. Do you not remember the state of the Sander family when I married you? How can you say I seduced you into marrying me?

Can you justify saying these things in light of the vows you made to me back then? Were all those promises just lies? All I said was that Melody is both our daughter, so why do you insist on blaming me for everything?"

Ethan's face darkened at the sight of his wife crying. He had indeed spoken harshly in anger earlier. However, he was used to being the alpha male and would not stoop to apologizing to Helen. As the head of the household, he saw no need to apologize for anything.

Just as Helen was crying, Wendy pushed open the door and entered. Before entering, she had a smile on her face, but upon seeing her stepmother crying and her father sitting on the couch with a stern expression, her smile faded.

"What's going on, Dad? Are you two fighting again?" she pretended to ask out of concern. These two had been frequently arguing lately.

She seemed to be enjoying the drama a bit. After all, her father had unhesitatingly abandoned her mother, and it was finally Helen's turn. This was just retribution.

Helen forced a smile, wiped away the tears from her face, and simply said, "Your dad and I were just kidding around. Wendy, are you hungry? There's some macaroni and cheese in the pot. You can eat it if you're hungry."

Ethan also showed a sense of understanding by not dwelling on the earlier topic. They had this unspoken agreement not to make a scene in front of their daughter.

"Really? Oh, but I'm not hungry, so you can save it for later. I'm going to a party.

Oh, Helen, don't forget about what I told you last time."

After saying this, Wendy grabbed the car keys, put on her shoes, and left without looking back. Helen called out to her several times as she walked away, but Wendy did not even spare her a glance. "That child… She didn't even say when she'll be back. I made a lot of her favorite food tonight," Helen grumbled to herself, then reluctantly asked the housekeeper to bring all the dishes to the table. After that, she half-heartedly called out to Ethan to come and eat as well.

"Why did Wendy ask you to find Melody?" Ethan rudely questioned Helen at the dinner table.

He was worried that if Helen went to see Melody, she might say something she should not have and cause some new trouble. The Sanders could not afford any more gossip news.

"Why don't you ask your precious daughter why she came to me? Am I your servant or something? Why do I have to do everything and report every detail to you?"

Ethan slammed his bowl on the table. "What's with your attitude? If you don't want to eat, then don't!"

Helen's chest heaved with suppressed anger. She scoffed and asked, "Why shouldn't I eat?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2439-"You're the least qualified person in this house to say that to me. If you can't stand me, then don't eat. I cooked everything here on this table, so who are you to tell me not to eat?" "You're a joke. I'm the one who paid for everything you're eating, wearing, and using. Do you think you could enjoy this kind of wealthy lifestyle if it weren't for me?"

Helen's eyes turned red. "Do you really think being your wife is such a joy?

Ethan, you're just too full of yourself."

Smack!

Ethan could not hold back his anger any longer and slapped Helen across the face, causing her to wince in pain. The force of the impact was so big that her

face was turned to the side.

She touched her cheek incredulously. After all these years, he had never laid a hand on her. Did that mean he was fed up with her already?

"You hit me… You actually hit me. When you proposed to me, Ethan, you said you'd always be good to me. Turns out it was all lies… I can't believe I trusted you so much. In the end, it was all just wishful thinking on my part."

Ethan, feeling increasingly irritated, stood up abruptly. "Can't you stop dwelling on the past? If I had known back then that you'd be so full of nonsense with age, I wouldn't have married you."

Helen could not believe he would say such a thing. When they were younger, he used to say he enjoyed her talking to him all the time; it made his world feel more colorful. However, as he grew older, it had become a flaw.

"Fine, it's all my fault."

Helen sat quietly in her chair, silently shedding tears.

Ethan felt like she had finally calmed down, so he sat back down and resumed eating. He wondered if she was going through menopause since she was always causing such a scene. After slapping her, she seemed to snap out of it and stopped making a fuss.

Melody had not expected Helen to come to the set to find her. Since Lucas had told her not to worry about these matters anymore, she immersed herself in the final stages of the production as if she had never received that phone call.

"Miss Melody, could you take a look at the lighting setup here?"

Ever since the crew discovered Melody's talent for understanding lighting and shadows, they would always consult her before adjusting anything.

Initially, they had all assumed that Melody was difficult to get along with, but after interacting with her, it was discovered that she was just a bit slow to react.

Especially in social situations, she tended to be reserved and took time to warm up to people. In reality, she was actually a very kind-hearted person; she would always help those who asked.

"Hmm, we can add more highlights on the face while the left eye can be in shadow."

While Melody gestured for the makeup artist to change her clothes, she was also observing the images from the lighting technician and helping him adjust them.

"It's really much better now. Thank you, Miss Melody!"

The lighting technician joyfully returned with the adjusted parameters. 'I guess that's why people say one shouldn't envy others' talents. Some people are just naturally gifted.' Meanwhile, Shaun approached Melody with a cup of tea in hand. After taking a sip, he said, "Everyone in the crew now appreciates you. Your presence has lightened the workload for many people, no doubt."

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The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2440-Melody smiled softly. "I'm glad I could help everyone."

Although some people were simply taking advantage of Melody's guidance, where there was one, there was usually another. Through these interactions, people began to get to know Melody more, and they discovered that her aloof appearance did not match her true nature at all.

Many people's impressions of Melody changed subtly over time, and she found solace in being treated kindly by others. As for what Shaun said about 'taking advantage' or anything like that, she could not care less. She enjoyed acting as well as other aspects of filmmaking. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

She might have considered working behind the scenes if it were not for her greater passion for the big screen. Bringing stories to life through live-action filming and then projecting them onto the big screen involved every aspect from acting to directing, and each person played a crucial role in shaping the final presentation of the film. Just like a screw on an assembly line, it took everyone's effort to make a movie. "Miss Melody, someone is looking for you."

Melody smiled serenely, allowing the makeup artist to touch up her makeup.

She found it a bit odd to have someone looking for her at that moment.

'Who could it be?' she wondered. She had already informed Beatrice and Cedric earlier that she would be fully committed to the film during this time, effectively secluding herself on the set.

Although Beatrice had told Melody how much she was missing her during their phone call last night, she had not mentioned anything about coming to visit Melody on set. Melody knew very well that Beatrice was very supportive of her career.

Beatrice had always believed that women must have their own careers to earn respect from others. Apart from Beatrice and Cedric, Melody could not think of anyone else who would come looking for her. "Well then, Mister Shaun, I'll guess I'll go see who it is."

Shaun took another sip of his tea and quickly waved his hand. "Sure, go ahead.

You deserve a break. You've been working tirelessly until now."

Melody walked over with a smile on her face, but she did not expect to find Helen waiting for her there. Melody's steps slowed as she approached, only confirming when she reached her that it was indeed her mother who had come to find her. At the same time, the smile on Melody's face faltered.

"What are you doing here?"

Helen had planned to praise her daughter, but as soon as she heard Melody's guarded tone, her expression changed immediately.

"What's up with the attitude? Can't a mother come to see her daughter? What kind of daughter are you? You're not even half as filial as Wendy. She's not even my biological daughter, yet she knows to take me to the beauty salon. But you?

You just grabbed your suitcase and abandoned your family, leaving for me to clean up the mess. I don't think anyone could be more heartless than you!"

The smile completely vanished from Melody's face. "Yes, you've said I'm not a good daughter before. It's not like you didn't know that, so why do you always have to come to me to confirm it again? Why don't you just stay at home since Wendy is so nice to you? Why did you come to me? You're not welcome here."

Helen truly felt that her daughter had grown up; Melody had become so strong that she could even disregard her own mother.

"You heartless child! You wouldn't even be born into this world if it weren't for your father and me? How dare you speak to your own mother like this? It's no wonder people online say you're ruthless and heartless. It's all because your father and I didn't raise you properly!"

Melody clenched her fists and growled through gritted teeth, "What exactly did you and him teach me? Did you teach me favoritism, or did you teach me to be ruthless and heartless?