Chapter <b>5</b>
Ynda scowled in annoyancé.
<b>Ynda’s </b>face twisted into a scowl. Throwing the coat I gave her on the floor and trying to p me in the face? That little bitch… Ynda was fuming, just about to explode, <b>when </b><b>Maria’s </b>astonished voice broke through <b>the </b>tension. “Melody, your
hand!
Ynda’s eyes snapped up in suspicion, catching sight of blood droplets <b>forming </b>on the back of Melody’s hand. The stark red against her fair skin was vivid.
“<b>What </b>the hell?” Ynda waspletely baffled<b>, </b>a chill of foreboding running down her spine.
Before Ynda could even process what was happening. Mariamanded in a stern tone, “Bring that coat here!”
“Yes, <b>ma’am</b>.” The servant quickly obeyed, retrieving the fox fur coat from the floor and presenting it to Maria.
As <b>Maria </b>probed the coat’s sleeve, she shockingly extracted two long needles hidden among the fur.
could
The servant couldn’t help but blurt out, “If those hit an artery…
Maria’s expression darkened faster than a thundercloud. Ynda, this is outrageous!”
Even if Ynda detested her stepdaughter, resorting to such dangerous tactics was unthinkable. This could have killed her! Maria thought in shock.
Ynda, finally realizing <b>the </b>gravity of the situation, hurriedly defended herself, “No, I swear I didn’t nt those! I <b>have </b>no idea how this happened…”
Meanwhile, unnoticed, Melody stealthily pinched her thigh<b>, </b><b>causing </b>tears to stream down her face. Ynda Dropping <b>the </b>formalities, she reverted to calling <b>her </b>by her <b>first </b>name, <b>which </b>no one could fault under <b>these </b>circumstances.
Sobbing, Melody implored, “If you hate me so much, why did you bring me back here?”
Ynda<b>, </b>usually so image–conscious, lost herposure in front of the guests and Maria. Pointing usingly, she snapped, “Bullshit! You’re setting me up!”
Quick to defend her mother, Mabel interjected, “My mon treats everyone well. She wouldn’t do something like this!”
Melody bit her lip, pausing <b>before </b>she backtracked, “I must have misunderstood, Ynda. It’s all just a big misunderstanding.
This left Mabel speechless, looking to <b>Ynda </b>for cues.
Ynda <b>was </b>seething. It was always her setting others up, not the other way around..Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.
She <b>raised </b><b>her </b>hand to p Melody, <b>but </b><b>Maria </b>quickly <b>made </b><b>a </b>sign, and <b>a </b>servant stepped in to restrain her. “Mrs. Fox, we have guests. <b>This </b><b>is </b>not the way.”
Panicked<b>, </b><b>Ynda </b>turned to Maria, pleading, “Mom, it wasn’t me I might be many things, but I wouldn’t do <b>this</b>!”
Maria’s frown deepened. If it hadn’t been for the Snowblossom incident, she might have doubted Melody, but now her trust in Melody had grown, overshadowing any <b>faith </b>in Ynda. However<b>, </b>she knew staging such <b>a </b>scene in front of a <b>crowd </b>wasn’t Ynda’s style.
Maria <b>took </b>another look at Melody. She <b>was </b>tiny and frail, with tears welling up in her eyes that made her look more scared. than scheming. It was hard to imagine her plotting <b>against </b>Ynda.
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Chapter 5
Seriously, <b>how </b>could a girl fresh off the boat from the sticks, justnded in Silveke, pull off any borate plots? Maria mused.
Maria’s suspicions <b>about </b>Ynda grew. It looked like she was trying to drive a wedge between her and her beloved granddaughter.
This realization pissed Maria off even more. Plotting against Melody is one thing, but dragging me into her shitty games too<b>? </b><b>Does </b>Ynda think I’m blind?
Fed up. Maria pushed herself up from her wheelchair with a grunt and announced, “Ladies <b>and </b>gentlemen, sorry <b>you </b><b>had </b>to see this mess. I’ll sort out a little something by <b>way </b>of apologyter. Let’s just try to forget any of this ever happened, alright?”
After the guests had left with a few sharp words, <b>Maria </b>turned to Ynda with a frosty warning, “I don’t want to see another circus like <b>today</b>. You and Mabel, get your asses back to your room and think about what you’ve done! Melody, you’re staying in <b>the </b>little house in the backyard with me
It was clear she was shielding Melody.
Melody couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness. In her previous life, she’d never managed to win Maria’s affection and <b>had </b>died full of regrets. Now, thanks to Ynda’s maniptions, she was finally seeing <b>a </b>silver lining.
Outwardly, Melody kept up her innocent facade, winning Maria’s doting affection. Inwardly, she was secretly thrilled to see Ynda and Mabel stomping upstairs, their anger and frustration clear as day. She thought, I’m goona make those bitches pay back everything they did to me and my <b>mom</b><b>, </b>and then some‘
That night, Melody was too wired to sleep, her mind teeming with ns for revenge.
She had dug up some dirt on Ulric using herputer. To the world, he was this gentle, disabled <b>man </b>oppressed by his ville <b>brother</b>. But Melody knew <b>that </b><b>was </b>all bullshit.
She remembered clearly meeting Ulric the day after herst birthday party. Her so–called fiance had shown up not for her, <b>but </b>to gift Mabel, hardly sparing Melody <b>a </b>nce. His attitude had flippedpletely only after he heard she might be able <b>to </b>fix his leg
Looking back, Melody cringed at her own naivety. She had been nothing more than a tool to Ulric.
Although she couldn’t get close to Ulric yet, Ynda and Mabel were within striking distance. To take them down, winning over Maria’s heartpletely was her first strategic move.
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