Chapter 8
Hugh’s wrist was caught mid-air by a strong, unyielding grip. He whipped around, ready to yell, but the words died in his throat when he saw who it was.
Bradley stood behind him, his expression calm but cold, his grip firm as steel. The sheer authority radiating from him sent a shiver down Hugh’s spine.
“Let go,” Hugh barked, his voice tinged with frustration and a hint of fear.
Bradley didn’t move. Instead, his grip tightened for a brief moment before he released Hugh’s wrist with a sharp shove, sending him stumbling back a few steps.
Reaching into his pocket, Bradley pulled out a crisp handkerchief and wiped his hand, his movements slow and deliberate. “A man hitting a woman?” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Classy. Real fucking classy.”
Hugh’s face turned red, his embarrassment quickly shifting to anger. But when his gaze met Bradley’s icy stare, whatever fight he had left fizzled out. He glared but didn’t move.
“Stay out of this,” Hugh muttered, his voice low and strained. “It’s none of your business.”
Bradley ignored Hugh’s threats completely and turned to Melissa. “Should I call security?”
Melissa’s palms still tingled from the slap, but Bradley’s calm and composed demeanor steadied her. She exhaled shakily, her voice firm. “No, thank you. That won’t be necessary.”
Bradley’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered briefly in his eyes. He pressed the elevator button, and when the doors opened, he stepped inside. He didn’t close them, though. Instead, he turned back, his gaze fixed on her, as if waiting.
Melissa hesitated. There was no point staying here-arguing with Hugh and Hannah wasn’t going to get her anywhere. If anything, sticking around would only make her look weaker.
She wasn’t about to let that happen. Without another glance at the couple, she stepped into the elevator.
The ride was painfully silent. Melissa huddled in the corner, lost in thought, while Bradley stood tall, arms crossed, his face unreadable. After a long pause, he broke the silence. “So, your fiancé cheated on you. And with someone you know, huh? That’s gotta sting.
Melissa shot him a glare, her voice sharp. “Is now really the time to rub it in?”
Bradley raised a brow but didn’t respond. Instead, he leaned back against the wall, silently watching her.
When they reached the first floor, he glanced at her again. The sight of her-so exhausted, so fragile-pulled at something deep in his chest. Remembering how bravely she’d faced Curtis earlier, he softened slightly. “Where are you going? Do you
need a ride?”
Melissa pushed herself upright, her voice firmer than her shaky legs. “No, I’m fine.”
She still had somewhere to go. In Chassis, there was an apartment she hadn’t thought about in years—a place Hugh had given her back when he was trying to prove his devotion.
It was near the university, originally meant to be his student apartment, but he’d gifted it to her in a dramatic show of commitment. She remembered Hannah joking at the time, “What if you break up? He’ll just take it back.”
Hugh had shut her down by immediately transferring the title to Melissa, insisting the apartment would always belong to
her.
At the time, Melissa had been deeply moved. But after their breakup, she’d nearly forgotten the place existed. It wasn’t until these last few days-homeless, broke, and stuck in the hospital-that she’d remembered it.
1/2
11:57 Sat, 19 Jul
Chapter 8
95%
She had briefly considered returning it to Hugh, thinking it was only fair since they hadn’t married. But after learning of his betrayal, her resolve hardened.
‘Why the hell should I give it back?’ she thought. The apartment was legally hers, and she wasn’t about to let him walk all over her again.
She hailed a cab and headed straight for the apartment. Expecting it to be abandoned and dusty after years of disuse, she was stunned to find it spotless when she unlocked the door. Someone had been living there.
Her head buzzed as she stepped inside, her confusion quickly turning to rage when her eyes landed on a photo hanging on the wall: Hugh, Hannah, and their child, smiling like the perfect family.
Fury erupted in her chest, hot and unforgiving. “These two assholes, she cursed silently. Not only had they betrayed her, but they’d moved into her apartment, living their happy little life as if she didn’t exist.
Without thinking, Melissa grabbed the photo frame and smashed it against the floor. The glass shattered with a sharp crack, shards flying everywhere.
Her fists clenched as she resisted the overwhelming urge to destroy everything in sight. Years of swallowing her pride, of being walked on by her mother, stepfather, her so-called best friend, and her ex-fiancé-it all came rushing back, fueling her
anger.
‘No more. No more being the weak one, she told herself.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Opening a cabinet, she found the property deed. Holding it tightly, she picked up her phone and dialed 911.
At the hospital, Hugh Wallaker frowned as he answered his ringing phone. “Trespassing? That’s my apartment!”
Chapter 9
