When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

Due to the complexity of my earlier surgery, a less invasive method wasn't feasible, resulting in scars that remain prominent, some appearing quite red and alarming.

In reality, they only saw a fraction of it. The lower scars would've probably scared them even more.

Lucky for Clyde, he had Kayla by his side, or he might've noticed something was off with me.

I had a good look at the woman in the video. Sure, our builds were somewhat similar, but there were flaws. To ensure "my" face was in the video, she always faced the camera, her chest in view, inadvertently proving it wasn't me in the footage.

Evelyn briskly walked over, buttoning up my shirt and glaring at Clyde. "How can you not trust your wife but believe what others say? Shouldn't you be the first to defend Melanie's innocence? If you had just told everyone from the start, Melanie wouldn't have had to go through this humiliation."

All eyes were on Clyde, and he stumbled over his words before saying, "I didn't know."

"You didn't know?" Evelyn looked at him incredulously. "Wasn't Melanie's surgery a major one? You didn't know? Don't family members have to sign on for surgeries?"

Everyone knew I had no other family. Clyde was it.

Clyde looked at me, his voice hoarse as he finally asked, "Melanie, when did you have the surgery?"

"The day you and Kayla went public." I tossed his shirt aside, staring at him blankly. "While you and she were setting off fireworks at the beach, and she announced it on social media, that was when the doctor told me I needed surgery."

"Why didn't you tell me? If you had told me earlier, this wouldn't have happened!" He clenched his fists, stepping closer with a look of anger as if it were all my fault.

I smiled at him bitterly. Even at this moment, he dared to question me.

I retorted fiercely, "I called you, but you didn't answer. I asked you for money, but you sent me away because Kayla had a cut on her hand. While I was in surgery, you two seemed to have returned to our place, right? You even bought her my favorite cupcakes. And then, you seemed to have also bought her a diamond necklace or earrings, I can't remember."

My gaze fell on the beautiful diamond necklace around Kayla's neck. Then I looked back at Clyde. "It was just a surgery. At worst, I could have died during surgery, but clearly, that's not as important as your time with your mistress."

I meant to mock him, but my words sounded more indifferent and detached than intended because I was merely stating the facts. For months, there were so many signs that I was not well, but Clyde never noticed.

Why? Because he didn't care.

No one spoke. Only Clyde looked at me, his eyes red with emotion.

Evelyn cautiously asked, "What kind of surgery was it? Those scars look severe."NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.

"Thyroid nodules got a bit complicated," I replied, the excuse I had prepared early on. It seemed plausible enough, given I was the long-suffering Mrs. Patterson, agitated to this point.

"Damn it, Clyde, you..." Merritt hurled the coffee cup at Clyde in rage.

Beside him, Kayla looked down, her lips pursed, lost in thought.

Clyde tried to explain, "Grandpa, no, Melanie, listen, at that time, I..."

"You still have the face to explain?" Merritt moved to hit him, but others quickly held him back.

I shrugged. "It's good to clear the air

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now. In front of everyone here, I'll repeat it. Clyde, let's get a divorce. Since you've had a child with someone else, and the Patterson family has accepted that child, it's time I stepped aside."

I then turned to Merritt, who was breathing heavily and bowed deeply. "Merritt, I'm sorry. I've let you down But no matter who Mrs. Patterson is, I no longer wish to be her. I'll repay what owe the Patterson family later, but right now, I need to save my own life. If I continue to get framed like this, I will die."

Having made myself clear, I felt somewhat relieved. I wouldn't bear burdens that weren't mine or interfere in matters the Patterson family needed to clarify.

After all, slandering me was slandering the Patterson Group, and they knew the principle of shared honor better than anyone.

As I turned to leave, Evelyn tried to stop me but halted at the look on my face.

Just before reaching the door, I turned to see Kayla, her face alight with glee.

"Kayla, how did you know the video was shot in a private dining room?" I asked.

While seeing her face turn pale, the rest seemed shocked momentarily before glaring at her. I smiled slightly and walked out the door.

It was up to the Patterson family to decide their next move. If they chose to protect Kayla, I had nothing more to say. Our paths had diverged, and I'd paid my debt.

I heard Clyde calling after me, but I

no longer wanted to listen. Driving his car back home, I began to pack my belongings. I had previously mentioned divorce but couldn't go through with it for various reasons. But it seemed I was finally free to leave.

As for what I owed Clyde, leaving him and preventing further damage to the Patterson Group might be the best repayment.