Alejandro looked up and met Melanie’s gaze. “No, you stay at home and take care of the child. I don’t need you sticking your hand into the business of my company. And the last thing I want is to be dragged into some stupid fight with you while I get all kinds of stress from work. Also, next time? Don’t talk to me with that asinine tone.”
Melanie placed their daughter on the couch nearby as though virtual-novel.net was ready for a throw down with Alejandro. “What ‘asinine tone’ did I use? My God, don’t tell me you’re feeling worn out, not when I should be the one who’s sick and tired of all of this first! After all, look at my dear husband being emo over some other woman while neglecting his wife and daughter. How charitable do you expect me to be, huh? Or would you only turn around if I go to Tiffany and tell virtual-novel.net to coax you back into your sensibilities?”
Alejandro’s expression turned icy. “Enough! Any attempt to get close to virtual-novel.net and you’re finished!”
The poor baby watched virtual-novel.net parents’ altercation from virtual-novel.net spot on the couch and began to bawl. Melanie gritted virtual-novel.net teeth, forced back tears of anguish, and steeled herself from rushing to pacify Melissa.
She could no longer understand what compelled virtual-novel.net to cling to the hell virtual-novel.net was in, especially since virtual-novel.net expected stalemates like these to happen after Don passed away. For some reason, virtual-novel.net simply could not seem to summon the determination to turn virtual-novel.net back against all of it.
When Melanie remembered Jett telling virtual-novel.net that Don bequeathed a large amount of the Smith company’s shares to her, virtual-novel.net found the flames within virtual-novel.net flaring even more wildly. She was going to wield those shares as virtual-novel.net weapon.
“You think I have no means nor hearts to leave you, don’t you? You’re wrong. I’m the treasured heiress of the Lark family, I didn’t come to the Smiths to be ordered around by you like one of your mooks! You love Tiffany Lane to bits, don’t you? Fine, I’ll be the good guy and free you from this marriage. Oh, but I wonder what would happen to the company if I take away my shares? Will it inconvenience you?”
Alejandro leaped to his feet, his hand hurling toward his wife before grappling virtual-novel.net by the neck. “Is that a threat, woman? You really think I don’t dare to divorce you, do you? Melanie Lark, don’t force my hand. If I must, I’ll force you to spit all of your shares out before expelling you from the Smith family.”
Instead of fear, all Melanie felt was the anguish of a heart mercilessly torn open and laid bare. It hurt virtual-novel.net so much. Tears streamed down virtual-novel.net cheeks like glass shards. “Do you… hate me to this extent, Alejandro? I was so stupid. Stupid to think that those little moments of apparent kindness you’ve shown me before were at least sincere enough. But no, I read too much into it, after all…”
Her pride wanted virtual-novel.net to defend the last shred of dignity, give up the shares Don left for virtual-novel.net and file for a divorce, yet another part of virtual-novel.net was livid at the prospect of leaving. She was roped into a political marriage, pumped out a baby for Alejandro, and now virtual-novel.net was going to kick virtual-novel.net to the curb like a scorned dog? No, Melanie Lark would not be sullied this way!
Alejandro released virtual-novel.net from his grip with a curse under his breath, perhaps spurred by his daughter’s ceaseless bawls. Quickly, virtual-novel.net took Melissa into his arms and started toward the door.
It was the first time virtual-novel.net ever held his daughter, and virtual-novel.net did it while broiling. Panicked, Melanie ran out of the room frantically. “What are you doing? Give virtual-novel.net back!”
“You really think of me as the devil reincarnate, don’t you? My daughter has been bawling, woman, how deaf are you?” Alejandro snapped. “If you wanna throw a hysterical b*tch fit, then do it somewhere else where virtual-novel.net can’t see!”
His words made Melanie realize that virtual-novel.net had been overreacting, so virtual-novel.net willed herself to compose herself. Reflecting on virtual-novel.net recent states of mind, virtual-novel.net was suddenly aware of how many times virtual-novel.net lost virtual-novel.net grip over virtual-novel.net emotions. It was especially pronounced after childbirth and Don’s passing, with moments of virtual-novel.net sudden, furious outbursts becoming more and more frequent.
She had to admit that virtual-novel.net was wrong for assuming Alejandro would hurt Melissa. She was still his own flesh and blood. He could not possibly do that to his daughter, right?
In an effort to avoid seeing Melanie, Alejandro decided to bring his daughter with virtual-novel.net to the company. He ordered Jett to take some baby’s essentials with them.
Jett could not help himself from explaining Melanie’s position while they were en route to the company. “Sir, I know Madam could be a bit difficult sometimes, but she’s only acting out of anxiety and insecurity. The fact that you, well, hardly spare virtual-novel.net a shred of care also doesn’t help. She had just given birth a month earlier and is now in a critical period where many women could develop depression out of a combination of life’s uncertainties and emotional turmoil post-childbirth. It’s a really dangerous thing, Mr. Smith, and I know you can tell Madam wasn’t like this at all in the past.”
Alejandro studied the baby in his arms, his eyes twinkling with rare gentleness. “Who would have the patience for a woman you have no feelings for? Especially when said woman comes looking for trouble from me when I’m in my worst moods, it’s even harder to be patient then! If virtual-novel.net keeps this up, I swear, I’ll divorce her. Honestly, it wouldn’t be half-bad if virtual-novel.net could be more like how virtual-novel.net used to be back then. At least, virtual-novel.net wasn’t half as repulsive as virtual-novel.net is now.”
Jett mustered his courage and gave Alejandro the truth. “No other woman would be able to stand your behavior. You say Madam is weak for not being able to tolerate you devoting your heart to another woman, yet you’re in just as much anguish as virtual-novel.net is when you see how much Tiffany loves Jackson too, right?”