Chapter 4
Nora gasped, covering her mouth in shock, and tugged at Oliver’s sleeve. “Oliver, maybe we should stop. Melisa’s leg seems broken!”
“Perfect,” Oliver replied. “A broken bone takes a hundred days to heal. She won’t be able to run or bully you for three months.”
I thought, “A hundred days is so long, Oliver. But no matter how smart you are, you can’t see that I only have one day left.”
For the first time, Oliver stayed by my side all night. He conducted a thorough physical exam and confirmed with the family doctor that I only had a fracture, assuring me I’d recover after three months of rest with the bone set.
Annoyed by his presence, I was about to send him away when I suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Oliver sneered, “Keep pretending. Why didn’t you cough while the doctor was here? Afraid he’d see through your act?
“Melisa, do you know why I like Nora? She’s like you-—always playing the innocent victim. You both treat me like a fool. But Nora has nothing, she relies on me. You were different–arrogant with the Talbot family behind you. Now that the Talbots are gone, you still won’t bow down. That’s why I hate you the most.
“Stop pretending. Learn from Nora how to show vulnerability. Your current demeanor disgusts me.
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Oliver abruptly stood up, seemingly out of annoyance, and instructed the driver, “I’ll be staying at the office tonight. Make sure no one disturbs me.”
The women outside, unaccustomed to rejection, gathered by my bedroom door, their eyes boring into me.
I coughed up another mouthful of blood.
Nora sneered, “Melisa, Oliver has already left. Stop acting in front of us.”
I was too weak to speak, only able to gasp for air and taste the metallic tang of blood.
Only I knew that the whip and bat had loosened the gravel again.
My heart felt shattered into pieces, the sharp fragments piercing it and scratching my windpipe, causing the constant coughing up of blood.
My life was nearing its end.
Suddenly, I longed for peanut soup.
With tremendous effort, I sat up, trying to maintain the last bit of dignity as the eldest daughter of the Talbot family.
“Bring me a bowl of thick, rich peanut soup.”
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Chapter 4
Nora rolled her eyes. “Why should I? Do I look like your maid?”
She turned to leave but was halted by Sally.
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The two shared a knowing glance. I overheard Sally whisper, “I saw her medical report–she’s allergic to peanuts. Why don’t we go along with it…”
Nora turned pale with concern. “But won’t she try to set us up on purpose?”
Sally nodded toward the door. “Are you dumb? Let’s use a different knife to do it.”
Soon, a young woman cautiously entered, carrying a bowl of peanut soup. She wore my favorite dress–the one I had on when Oliver proposed to me.
The woman was clever enough to style her hair just like mine had been that day.
With eyes full of ambition and challenge, she pressed the spoon to my lips without hesitation.
“Melisa, let me feed you. You must drink every last drop.”
I sipped it slowly, feeling hives erupt on my face, and my throat and fingers swelling. By the end, the peanut soup went down the wrong way, causing my heart to ache fiercely. Eventually, all color faded from my vision.
When Oliver returned, looking weary with dark circles under his eyes, he headed straight to my room.
“Have you learned your lesson yet?”
When I remained silent, his expression grew even more displeased. “Ignoring me is pointless. I have endless time to break your resistance! I doubt that imprisoning you for life won’t eventually break your will!
“Oh, right–you used to love dancing, didn’t you? Join me at a ball tomorrow. I’ll ensure everyone witnesses how the once–celebrated Talbot heiress, whose every dance captivated half of New York, now trails behind me on two broken legs like a dog!
“Lost your voice? Even dogs know how to bark!
“Or are you not tired of being stared at by the crowd? Do you want to go through that ordeal again?”
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