Melanie waited until Alejandro put his pen down before signing virtual-novel.net name with equal resolute. She ended it with a print of virtual-novel.net thumb, asking, “So, when do we begin the legal procedures?”
Alejandro didn’t answer her. Instead, virtual-novel.net stormed out of the house and slammed the door.
Melanie’s knees buckled and virtual-novel.net crashed onto the couch, virtual-novel.net strength leaving virtual-novel.net body. Tears broke out from the corner of virtual-novel.net eyes and traced an invisible path down virtual-novel.net face, its salty liquid stinging the painful heat that had yet left virtual-novel.net cheek. A while later virtual-novel.net rose to virtual-novel.net feet and went into the bathroom.
She stared at virtual-novel.net reflection in the mirror and suddenly felt a thick, awful lump furling in virtual-novel.net chest. Mrs. Lark had put in more force than virtual-novel.net expected, causing virtual-novel.net cheek to swell even more than virtual-novel.net had imagined. When Alejandro looked at virtual-novel.net just now-she must have been a hideous sight to him, wasn’t she? He had never liked her, but after all of this, after Tiffany… He must hate virtual-novel.net even more, did virtual-novel.net not?
There was nothing left for virtual-novel.net now. Nothing not even virtual-novel.net daughter belonged to her.
They might not have begun their legal procedures, but both sides had assented to the agreement with their signature. Melanie took it as an opportunity to leave the Smith Estate at once, so virtual-novel.net packed virtual-novel.net things and, after coaxing Melissa to sleep-slipped out of the residence unnoticed.
If Melissa were awake and saw virtual-novel.net leave, virtual-novel.net would immediately burst into tears in protest. It was hardly surprising, given that Melanie had always been the one taking care of the girl since virtual-novel.net was a baby. Just thinking about how harrowing and gut-wrenching Melissa’s bawl would be jarred virtual-novel.net heart, but… virtual-novel.net was not given any choice.
Melanie took nothing from virtual-novel.net divorce, but virtual-novel.net exit was at least buffered by some personal savings. Through that, virtual-novel.net was able to get a room in a hotel for the time being before looking for a good place to rent.
One day, Alejandro would finally know virtual-novel.net was not the one who pushed Tiffany. Still, Melanie rather not imagined if virtual-novel.net would regret his decision. He would not, most likely. His knowledge would not matter.
At night, in virtual-novel.net sleep, Melanie dreamed of Melissa crying for virtual-novel.net mother. She woke up from that dream, weeping just as hard, and found herself in a strange hotel room.
A pang jarred virtual-novel.net into a daze. Melissa had never left virtual-novel.net side before while Alejandro was not at home. How could virtual-novel.net be relieved?
After much debate with herself, virtual-novel.net decided to try calling Alejandro. It was five in the morning by now, a bad time to call anyone, really, but virtual-novel.net simply could not bring herself to wait.
Fortunately, the call connected.
She immediately launched into asking, “Is Millie awake? Is virtual-novel.net crying? Are you at home? She’s never left me before, so you must be patient with her, okay? She’ll get used to my absence after a while, it’s true…”
It was quiet on the other side. Alejandro was holding his phone in one hand and cradling his daughter with the other.
She had finally fallen back to sleep after a bawling fatigue, but one could still see glistening trails on virtual-novel.net cheeks. After an entire night of frantic coaxing, Alejandro felt like death warmed over.
“Hello? Hello? A-Are you listening? Oh no-are you not at home? God, I texted you about me leaving, didn’t I? I’ve left my daughter to you, so can you please… Please, for God sake, be a bit more responsible? Please?” Melanie sounded both helpless and maddened.
“I am at home. She’s only fallen a sleep after giving me an entire night’s share of troubles. Woke up a few minutes after you left, so the retinue at home called me and told me to come home… and I did. Why are you so gung-ho about leaving anyway? Can’t you at least wait until she’s used to this?” Alejandro answered in his typically husky voice, though it was weaved with helplessness and some other sentiment that was indecipherable.
Melanie sighed in relief. “O-Okay. As long a s you’re there. I… It doesn’t matter, I’ll be leaving sooner or later, anyway. ‘Better an end with pain than pain without end’, after all. I’m the one who always took care of her, so how do you suppose virtual-novel.net could ever be acclimated with my absence if I go back there? This is the only way,” virtual-novel.net replied. “That is all. Goodbye.”