Chapter 21
The second the property manager finished talking, the crowd around them erupted like a pot boiling over.
“Maybe she’s a damn kidnapper! What kind of half–assed security does this place have?”
“This is supposed to be a luxury community, and you’re letting random people just
“Someone should check her out–she might be a criminal or something”
twalk in!
Seriously!”
Orju
“Look at her–dressed like that. Is the a nanny! Or just some housekeeper trying to act like she belongs here!”
Melissa stood there, drenched from head to toe, the weight of wet clothes dragging her down as judgmental eyes bore into her. The mocking and accusations surrounded her, each one sharper than the last. Her body trembled–whether from cold or pure rage, she wasn’t sure anymore.
Why is it that the people who do good always get punished, while the truly awful seem to get away with everything? she thought bitterly.
“I know you?” A sharp voice from a middle–aged woman cut through the chaos, making Melissa’s head snap up. Hope sparked briefly–maybe someone would finally speak up for her.
The woman squinted at Melissa, studying her like some kind of exhibit at a zoo. After a beat, her face lit up in a faux “ahal” moment. “I knew you looked familiar! You’re Hugh Wallaker’s ex–girlfriend, right? The one he dumped because you couldn’t have kids?”
“Wow, so this is where you ended up. Guess it makes sense you can’t have your own kids, so now you’re pushing other people’s into pools Pathetic.”
The crowd ate it up. The murmurs grew louder, sharper, more cutting. The man holding onto Melissa’s arm puffed up like he’d just been handed an award. His grip tightened as he shouted, “Call the cops! She’s not leaving until they get here
Melissa’s fingers curled into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms. Her voice, low and cold, sliced through the noise “Go ahead. Call them. And when it’s proven I didn’t push your kid, I expect you on your knees, begging for my forgiveness.”
The police station was a harsh contrast to the chaos outside. Melissa sat stiffly in a chair under lluorescent lights, answering questions about her identity. Her voice was calm, though her patience was wearing thin.
When it became clear she needed someone to vouch for her, she reluctantly gave the officer Bradley’s number.
The officer dialed and put the call on speaker
“Melissa Bush?” Bradley’s familiar voice came through, calm and composed. “Yes, I know her. She’s staying at the apartment I arranged. What happened? Alright, I’m on my way”
Melissa exhaled a shaky breath. Relief was short–lived, though, when she heard Curtis’s voice in the background. “Daddy, where are you going
“To the police station to pick up your mom” Bradley replied bluntly
Melissa closed her eyes, her chest tightening The last thing she wanted was for Curtis to see her like this, but at this point, she didn’t have much of a
choice.
Meanwhile, the boy’s father was still in full–on storyteller mode, spinning his tale like a bad soap opera
“That woman was skulking around, acting all shady,” he told the officer. I left for one minute to use the bathroom, and when I came back, my son was screaming his head off. Who else could’ve done it but her?”
His voice grew louder, more self–righteous with every word. “You know, some people are just bitter They hate their own lives and take it out on innocent kids. She’s probably one of those people–looking to get back at the world or something”
He pointed dramatically at Melissa, his face twisting with fake outrage. “Look at what she did to my sont I want him taken to the hospital for a full check–up. If anything’s wrong with him, she’s paying for it”
Melissa didn’t even Hinch. She’d heard so much bullshit in the past hour that she’d gone numb. Her head rested against the back of the chair as she tuned him out completely.
When Bradley finally walked into the station, Curtis in his arms, his expression was a mix of thunder and ice.
Melissa sat stumped in her chair, her damp clothes clinging to her like a second skin, her hair will wet and dripping onto her shoulders. Across from her, the enraged father was in the middle of another tirade, leaning so far forward that his finger was practically touching Melissa’s face.
Yet she sat motionless, her face blank, as if she’d stopped caring entirely.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Curtis’s voice rang out, breaking through the tension. He wriggled free from Bradley’s hold and balted toward Melissa, his
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2:02 AM ď ď
Chapter 21
small feet pounding against the tile floor,
At the sound of his voice, Melissa shot up, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Curtis threw himself into her arms, and she held him rightly, her entire body trembling
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