Mrs. Lark came to the Capital from Ayashe the very next day. Alejandro was not at home, leaving only Melanie, along with her daughter, waiting by the entrance to greet her.
Melanie could tell what awaited, yet a large part of her refused to believe it or accept it as reality. How could she, when she remembered how vehemently her mother had objected to her daughter marrying a disabled man? She would not have cared so much if she saw Melanie as a mere pawn, right?
But then Melanie watched how fury oozed from every movement her mother made since disembarking from her car, and her heart sank. Fear began to claim her, and she stumbled a few steps back from the incoming presence. “Mom, I…”
Mrs. Lark scowled with daggers in her eyes. “Don’t you dare! I am not your mother… I don’t recall having a selfish excuse as my daughter!”
Selfish?!
At that moment, Melanie felt every drop of blood in her body gel. It was early summer, yet she felt cold, nipping steel in her veins.
“Me… selfish? Did any of you people speak to me before going ahead with that crazy plan? You people were ready to commit sins while pretending it’s for my sake. I chose the right thing to do, and now I’m the selfish one?” she retorted. “Two innocent lives! Do you even understand the weight of human lives?”
Mrs. Lark’s eyes searched the house, as though trying to see if Alejandro was at home.
Melanie understood her intention right away and called her out coldly, “Oh, don’t be scared now. Alejandro isn’t at home at the moment. In fact, since he’s divorcing me, he won’t even be home these days. So go ahead, state your piece however you like!”
Enraged, Mrs. Lark slapped her daughter across the cheek. “You think I wouldn’t hit you even if he were around? If he reserved even a modicum of fondness for you enough to protect you, then he would have let you bear him an actual scion already, stupid! The Smith family has so much legacy that there’s no way they will do without an actual heir. Isn’t it obvious then? If he’s given up on you providing him an heir, that means you’re just an unwanted deadweight waiting to be jettisoned!”
Mrs. Lark responded by decking the nanny’s face. “Who the hell do you think you are to speak to me like that?! Am I supposed to seek permission from the Smiths just to teach my own daughter some well-deserved lessons, huh?! Even Alejandro is my junior. I’m his mother-in-law, for God’s sake! Before the divorce is finalized, he will have to pay his due respect to me!”
The nanny took a blow to her face without breaking out a yelp; her firm, unyielding stance did not even falter. She simply considered Mrs. Lark with a deadpan expression before stating, “Yes, you are Mr. Smith’s senior, Ma’am. Hence, you may express your tantrum on me; that’s not a problem. But you simply cannot do it to Madam. Otherwise, Mr. Smith will be deeply displeased.”
A smile dripping with scorn shadowed Mrs. Lark’s lips. “Oh, really? I didn’t know Alejandro’s the kind to give a damn at all. Really, though, why would he care if a useless trash of a woman gets a bit hurt? They’re already on their way to divorce, anyway! Why the hell would you mean anything to him, Melanie?”
Suddenly, Alejandro’s voice rang. “Because nothing’s been done to make that divorce happen yet, has it?”
Millie bolted toward Alejandro, who was disembarking his car. “D-Daddy!”
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