Melody Strikes Back by Myra Walker

Melody could tell that the doctors shared Ramon’s sentiments, as none seemed to take her seriously. 

The vice president of Silverlake Hospital, Desmond Hart, even turned to Ramon and inquired, “Mr. Ramon, surely this young lady isn’t another doctor you’ve brought in, right?” 

Ramon appeared to be considering his response, but Margaret’s voice called from behind them before he could answer, “Is that you, Melody 

“Yes, it’s me,” Melody replied. Margaret’s voice called out again, more anxious this time, “What are you doing outside! Come in quickly.” 

Margaret sounded so worried that Melody feared she might have developed new symptoms. Ignoring Ramon and the doctors, she hurried into the room. 

Ken instinctively followed after her but paused briefly in front of Ramon. “Why wasn’t I informed about these doctors?” he 

asked. 

Ramon gave him a dismissive glance and replied, “I know you too well. You would just go along with your grandmother. If she loses her head, you follow right along. Do you think I’d just leave you both to be?” 

“Bringing in a young girl to treat the old lady, that’s complete madness, Ramon thought. 

Ken wanted to say something but decided against it, quickly following Melody into his grandmother’s room.. 

The doctors resumed their heated discussion about Margaret’s condition, completely unfazed by Melody’s presence. 

To them, she was just an insignificant young girl, her presence hardly registering on their radar. They perceived her as unworthy of being considered a peer, certainly no threat to their expertise or authority. Without giving her a second thought, they dismissed her entirely and continued their fervent debate, their voices overlapping as they argued various diagnoses and treatment plans. 

***** 

Meanwhile, inside the room, Melody was relieved that Margaret was still in good condition. Realizing that Margaret was simply eager to meet her, Melody turned to greet Astrid instead 

“Hello, Mrs. Astrid, Melody greeted. However, she froze when her gaze caught someone near the door. 

It was Ulric Swanson. His chiseled features and handsome looks were accentuated by the pristine white loungewear he wore, exuding an air of refined elegance. 

As Melody looked at him, their eyes met, and Ulric’s light brown eyes locked onto hers. He still hadn’t realized he had mistaken her for her sister, Mabel Fox. 

Ulric appeared slightly surprised as he observed her face. Isn’t Mabel supposed to be the top socialife in the city? Why does she look so ghastly? Could she have developed a skin condition recently he wondered. Despite her looks, he silently conceded that her bearing and poise hinted at her upper–class upbringing. 

Relieved that she wasn’t the one he was engaged to, Ulric maintained a composed exterior despite his thoughts, even offering Melody a friendly smile. He nodded slightly and greeted her, “Miss Fox, nice to meet you.” 

In Ulric’s mind, girls his age often fancied handsome, gentle, and wealthy men. Smiling confidently, he expected Melody’s eyes to light up at the sight of him. However, instead of admiration, he saw a cold, disdainful look in her clear eyes, even catching a fleeting sense of hatred 

Why do I feel like she hates me? Puzzled, Ulric stared at Melody ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

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Suddenly, she smiled and said, “Hello, Mr. Ulric.” 

Ulric was momentarily taken aback, then nodded. ‘I must have been mistaken, he thought. “This girl has no reason to hate me since this is our first meeting with each other. 

With that thought, he dismissed any further suspicions but failed to notice Melody’s clenched fist under her sleeves and forced smile. He said. “I heard my grandmother specifically asked for you to treat her. Which medical school did you graduate from, Miss Fox?” 

Melody used to cherish Ulric deeply, considering him the most handsome gentleman in the world. But after that harrowing experience in her previous life, she found him utterly repulsive and more disgusting than a rat in a sewer. 

Regardless of her hatred, she still doesn’t have the power to confront Ulric in this life. I shall pretend to be a harmless little lamb. Well, an ugly little lamb, to be exact, she thought 

“Oh, I did not graduate from medical school, though, Melody replied smoothly. “I self–taught myself about health and medicine. 

Melody had constantly thought she would lose control of herself upon seeing Ulric again, but she was surprisingly calm and civil. Perhaps my mind had already prepared my body for such a scenario, she thought. 

Ulric was slightly taken aback by Melody’s response but quickly understood. As studying medicine would require a longer time frame, many socialites often preferred quick, prestigious courses abroad, such as luxury management, jewelry, or fashion design, before returning home to start their own brands. Hence, he found it remarkable that this lady before him had taught herself some medical skills. 

Astrid grew increasingly irritated as she watched her son and Melody converse. She quickly stood up and moved before Ulric, blocking his view. Turning to Melody, she said, “Miss Fox, why were you late? Didn’t your family teach you the importance of punctuality?” 

“I” Melody wanted to explain herself but was cut off by Ken. Ken, who had been sitting quietly beside Margaret, spoke up suddenly. “She went to Mount Deer to gather some herbs and also made a trip to Herbathrive. Also, she nearly fell off a cliff while trying to get one particular herb.” 

Astrid was momentarily stunned. Only then did she notice the dirt on Melody’s clothes and forehead. “Well, who knows? She looks so dreadful that I don’t even want to look at her, she thought. 

Upon hearing Ken’s words, Margaret immediately showed concern for Melody. “My dear, were you hurt at all? Change into clean clothes and get yourself checked. If you were hurt you should treat your wounds immediately.” 

“It’s alright, and I know my own body well. I’m okay, as long as you don’t mind all this dirt on me,” Melody replied. 

“Don’t be silly. Why would I mind?” Margaret responded warmly, her eyes reflecting genuine gratitude towards Melody’s selflessness. 

This young lady was even willing to risk her life for me. What a remarkable child, Margaret thought, noticing the dirt on Melody and the faint lines of exhaustion on her face. 

Astrid rolled her eyes inwardly, dismissing Melody’s actions as an attempt to garner favor. It wasn’t like she had actually fallen off the cliff, and she must have exaggerated the danger to win the old lady over. Such a simpleton, this old woman, Astrid thought, her skepticism overshadowing any sense of appreciation. 

When Ken spoke up for Melody, Ulric was surprised, as he had never seen him speak up for any woman. “Could she have been gorgeous before her skin condition? he wondered, briefly contemplating the possibility of Melody’s past allure. 

“This is getting interesting, Ulric thought, recognizing the potential leverage if there was a romantic entanglement between Ken and Melody. He envisioned various schemes where he could exploit this information to his advantage. 

A smirk appeared on his face, and his eyes took on a sinister gling that contrasted sharply with his gentle demeanor. 

As Astrid stood before him, no one noticed the subtle shift in Ulric’s expression, indicating his calculating nature beneath 

the façade of charm. 

Just then, the doctors outside concluded their discussion about Margaret’s condition. Ramon then led them into the room. hoping to introduce them. However, as the room was relatively small, it suddenly felt cramped with the addition of six people, the atmosphere growing tense with the influx of new arrivals