When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

The pause on the other end of the line was palpable, and then, his tone lightened, almost as if he was smiling through the phone. "It's been ages, Melanie. I've been doing quite well. What's new with you?"

"I'm doing good, Uncle Talbot. Um, I just landed a bridge project. Interested?" I was at a loss for words. It felt like the last time I saw Talbot, I was just a kid.

Our families weren't what you'd call close, especially after Grandpa passed, pretty much severing what little connection there was.

My parents are peaceful, so I never truly knew what happened between them. I only knew Mom kept telling me to steer clear of Talbot and his family and keep my distance.

After Grandpa died, they gained most of his estate and the family business. Dad's not one to fight over money with his flesh and blood, so there must be more to the story. But they never told me.

The Crawford Group my dad built from scratch was a testament to his hard work. But being in the same industry, the Patterson Group and the Talbots always had some dealings, and with them taking over Dad's company, the dynamics within the Crawford family had changed.

Talbot smiled. "I heard about the bridge project. Congrats. But you know how tricky these inter-state collaborations can be."

I could tell he was intrigued but trying not to come off too eager. After all, me calling him out of the blue did have a whiff of suspicion about it.

I cleared my throat. "Uncle Talbot, I'm scouting for the right partners, gathering info from various sources."

Talbot's response was neutral. "Heard you might be splitting with Clyde?"

His knowledge about my personal life, far away in Ironvale, caught me off-guard.

He sighed, "So, the Patterson family is giving you a hard time?"

It sounded like he was positioning himself as my fallback. And he was right. Without someone in my corner, divorcing Clyde would leave me pretty vulnerable.

I didn't confirm or deny but steered the conversation back to the bridge.

Finally, he said, "Your proposal isn't bad, Melanie. But I need to think it over. And if you split with Clyde, you won't leave me hanging, right?"

His tone was probing, and I didn't hide the truth. "I might be divorcing, so I'm looking out for myself. About the collaboration, working with you makes more sense since we're family."

My reasoning was flawless, but Talbot was cautious, stating he'd consider it.

I heard the Crawford family's company had been thriving under his leadership in Ironvale, becoming a leading enterprise in recent years. With Dad's former team by his side, it was no surprise Talbot found success almost immediately, turning profits as soon as he took over. Still, he seemed wary of me, offering no solid commitments.

I fell asleep while pondering the diary entries mentioning Talbot's odd behavior.

Jade dragged me out on our lunch

break to shop for furniture the following day. "How can you live without furniture? They deliver and set it all up. Don't worry about the cost. Your best friend's got money!"

Jade was on a roll, making a name for herself within the Patterson Group.

Seeing her effortlessly secure deals made me genuinely happy for her. Maybe, with me gone, she'd make it as a director.

But just as we picked out a sofa and wardrobe, Clyde stormed in, furious. “Taking it easy during work hours, I see."

Jade argued, “Mr. Patterson, can't we step out during lunch?"

Jade stood before me, but Clyde fixed his gaze on me. "Buying furniture? You're planning to move out?"Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

His eyes blazed with anger as if he

could barely contain himself. After a moment, he softened his tone. "Melanie can we not do this? I've said it before. We're not getting a divorce. The online stuff will blow over. The Patterson Group will hold the platform accountable"

“Hold the platform accountable?" I rolled my eyes at him, thinking of Kayla and their unborn child. "Right, the platform is at fault. Theizens are at fault, but not the person behind it."

"Your child's mother will never be at fault. It's always my fault, isn't it?"

I tried to leave with Jade, but Clyde blocked our path. "Melanie, you know... Just give me some time. I'll give you the answers you want. I'l find out who's behind this and clear your name."

Jade stepped forward, but I held her back. "You don't know who's behind this? Or maybe you're planning to destroy evidence? Find a scapegoat?"

“Sorry, Melanie, it's not the right time. Just wait a little longer, okay?" Clyde looked down, his face filled with remorse.

I scoffed. Wasn't I the one who had been wronged here all along?

And then, time was what I couldn't afford to waste.

I sighed. “Clyde, let's end this amicably. Just sign the papers. These things take time."

“Melanie!” He pushed past Jade, grabbing my hand.

Then, Freya stepped in, her gaze sharp as she addressed Clyde. "What's this, Mr. Patterson? Domestic violence in public? Quite the man of power, Mr. Patterson. Impressive."