Chapter 433: Adam’s Mother
Melanie woke up slowly and rubbed her eyes. At least this time, she knew where she was. The rescue people who had carried her out of the apartment had told her where they were taking her, so she wasn’t completely in the dark.
She should have been worried about being taken away by strangers, especially after everything that had happened, but at that moment, when she had been struggling just to breathe, the thought had hardly mattered. All she had cared about then was the chance to fill her lungs with air again.
Now that the worst of that panic had passed, she began to think more clearly. Something told her the lady she was about to meet would not be easy to deal with. Melanie had that instinctive feeling, the same kind of sharp warning she used to get when facing Marianne.
Still, after having survived Marianne’s twisted games, she found herself wondering if Adam’s mother might actually turn out to be easier. A breeze, compared to the storm she had already endured.
The first thing she did after waking from the medicine-induced sleep was to make trouble. She had no interest in playing along quietly. She refused to eat. She refused to answer the attendants who came in to check on her.
She refused nearly everything asked of her, shutting down any attempt to handle her as though she were some obedient patient. She wasn’t going to give them that satisfaction. If the woman in charge wanted something from her, then she could come and ask for it herself.
Melanie wasn’t foolish; she understood exactly what was happening. The team had gone out of their way to keep her and Adam apart. It didn’t take a genius to understand what had happened.
Adam’s mother wanted to return in his life and she had conveniently found her and decided to use her. Now, if it had been the old her, she might have been bothered by the appearance of a new mother in law. But she... after handling Spencer’s mother and Marianne, she could handle anyone.
So she dug in her heels, knowing full well her little rebellion would force the woman to show up sooner or later. And when she did, Melanie intended to be ready. She really was tired to being separated from Adam repeatedly. For a moment she could almost understand Dr Jung’s stance about taking Cadence away onto a secluded island. She and Adam should probably do the same to keep away from their own crazy exes and other people’s crazy exes!!!
"Miss Melanie, please," the nurse urged gently. "You are already on strong medication. It is not good for you—or for the baby—to starve like this. It could be harmful."
Melanie narrowed her eyes. A low blow. Of course they would try to use her pregnancy against her. They thought reminding her of the child would be enough to make her bend. But she was not so easy to corner.
"Good then," she said coolly. "Ask your madam to come and see me. I’ll have a nice lunch with her."
"Miss Melanie..." The nurse tried again, her tone carrying a mix of worry and exasperation.
Melanie gave her a thin smile, sharp and unyielding. "I’ve just survived a murder attempt by my stepmother. Before that, I was kidnapped. Do you really think you can blackmail me into eating? If she is so concerned about me, she can show herself and talk to me directly."
The nurse hesitated, studying her with uncertainty. Then, perhaps realizing Melanie’s resolve wasn’t going to break, she gave a small nod and turned away. Without another word, she left the room, no doubt heading off to inform the lady of the house about the stand-off.
As expected, the next time, Adam’s ’mother’ did not come. Instead, came a man with a bowl of soup and some crackers. "Madam is busy at the moment. Miss Melanie, if you would be so kind as to eat first and then later Madam can visit you."
Melanie’s stomach almost rumbled at the delicious aroma of the soup, and she had to do all she could not to jump up and sip it. Dam* it! Adam’s mother really was stubborn. But she was no less.
Setting her jaw, she picked up the soup and watched as the man glanced at her trimuphantly. But in the next moment, the soup slipped from her hand, and upended onto the floor. She squealed and channeling a classic ’green tea’ bi*ch, said," Are you trying to burn me? Is that what your madam odered me to do? Bringing this boiling and trying to burn me?"
The man hurriedly apologized and scuttled out and Melanie leaned back in her chair, inhaling the aroma of the soup with regret. It would have tasted good... What if she really had to starve for a long time? Melanie shook her head. No. If the woman still refused to come, she would switch to some other tactis...
Thankfully, Melanie did not have to wait for long. About thirty minutes later, there was a perfunctory knock on the door again and the butler walked in with another bowl of soup, followed by the woman who had been hugging Adam that day in the office.
The woman stared at Melanie and Melanie stared right back, actually appreciating the woman. Dam* it! No wonder her husband was so good looking. He really did inherit some good genes. The woman did not look a day over thirty. But of course, she was not going to compliment her on her looks.
As the staring match continued, the woman finallly gave a huff and ordered pointedly," Drink the soup first and then we will talk."
Melanie nodded at that and extended her hand to take the bowl when the woman cut in as she spoke acidly," Place a table in front of her, lest she claim I tried to burn her again."
Melanie covered a smile at that and let the butler place the soup in front of her. Now that she had a good beginning, she didn’t mind.