Chapter 63


    People were inherently selfish. It might be a bit harsh to generalize, but Jocelyn knew all too well that


    she was pretty much cut from that cloth.


    She wanted to be her hubby’s everything.


    She’s even thought that if she kicked the bucket, she’d want her hubby to tag along for the ride.


    That’s gotta be some kind of sickness.


    On some issues, she was a bit of a fanatic, too.


    Melvin just shrugged it off and said, “Are there really guys like that in this world?”


    Jocelyn cocked her head and eyed him, “Given our current rtionship, if your mom and I fell into the


    river at the same time, who would you save first?”


    The second the words left her lips, you could practically see his face lose all color.


    “No ‘ifs’.”


    Jocelyn frowned, “Can’t you just y along and give me an answer?”


    “My mom’s passed away.


    Jocelyn’s breath hitched, and she blurted out reflexively, I’m sorry.”


    She genuinely didn’t know squat about Melvin’s family affairs; he never mentioned his parents, and she


    just assumed they were both hale and hearty considering he’s still a young buck.


    Melvin mmed up.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Jocelyn just sat there in silence and said no more as well.


    A million questions swirled in her head, but she didn’t dare to voice a single one.


    Ever since she popped that question, she could feel him wrapped up in darkness, the kind where


    there’s no way to find your way


    out.


    Suddenly, a thought zipped through her mind. Could his aversion to getting married have something to


    do with his family? Was it because of his mother?


    But his sister’s hitched and her kids are already growing like weeds.


    Jocelyn sneaked another nce at him. He was driving stone-faced.


    “I need to swing by the office for a bit.” Melvin had already steered the car towards hispany.


    “It’s cool, just drop me off at the corner and I’ll hail a cab,” Jocelyn said, not wanting to be a pain in the


    neck.


    Melvin didn’t stop the car. “Won’t take long. Just hang in the car.”


    Jocelyn didn’t feel like arguing anymore.


    They pulled into thepany’s open-air lot, parked, and Melvin got on the phone without getting out


    right away.


    From the car, Jocelyn spotted her dad, alvin, at the main entrance, decked out in a security uniform.


    With hands full of bags, he used his body to prop the ss door, looking inside all smiles.


    Soon enough, Willow showed up.


    She was dolled up in designer duds In a cocky manner, she looked down her nose at Calvin with sheer


    contempt.


    They stepped outside, and whatever Willow said to her assistant, the assistant ryed to Calvin Calvin


    hurriedly turned around and was to head away when he was called back again; as he listened to the


    assistant, he nodded and smiled. Then he scurried to load stuff into a minivan parked out front. After


    stowing the gear, he dashed back into the building.


    Willow and her assistant stood by the car, their words lost on the wind, but their expressions screamed


    bad vibes.


    They were staring at thepany entrance, and the sneer on their lips was obviously directed at


    Calvin.


    Jocelyn felt her blood boiling in an instant, her fists clenching slightly.


    As Melvin finished his call, he saw Jocelyn staring daggers somewhere off to the side. He followed her


    gaze and caught sight of Calvin, empty-handed, looking like he was trying to exin the missing


    goods.


    The sopistant rummaged through a bag and said something


    Having been stunned for a second, Calvin soon stered on a smile and went over to open their car


    door for them.


    Seeing this, Jocelyn came to the end of her patience. But she couldn’t blow her top


    Whether Willow was deliberately giving her dad the runaround or not, he had taken the job. If she


    stormed out now, it would only embarrass him.


    Jocelyn gripped her fists lighter, swallowing down the anger which was about to choke her, “Is this what


    a security chief’s job looks like at yourpany?”


    Melvin furrowed his brow. Without answering her, he just got out of the car and mmed the door,


    striding towards the still-Idle


    minivan.


    The folks inside it must’ve seen himing because the door swung open again.


    Jocelyn watched as her dad stood in front of Melvin, all meek and respectful, and her heart twisted in


    pain.


    She knew that being a security guard was no cakewalk.


    To some, it’s like you’re a second-ss citizen, and there are those who’ll trash-talk you behind your


    back, trampling the profession all over.


    She had seen her dad at work before. Sometimes jotting down license tes, doing rounds, or lending


    a hand when folks wereden with stuff seemed only natural. To do a favor like that was due to basic


    human decency, even if it was not for the job.


    But what she had just witnessed with Willow was different; it felt like she was deliberately treating her


    father as a ything.


    The look and gaze she gave clued her that it was Intentional


    She was sure. Willow knew he was her dad.


    Otherwise, why didn’t she bother the assistant? Why would she ask a man in his fifties, nearly at the


    age of retirement, to run in


    and out?


    if they genuinely needed help, no big deal. But it was clear that wasn’t the case.


    Jocelyn didn’t want to see her father at Willow’s beck and call, nor to see him treading on eggshells


    with a forced grin.


    At that moment, Melvin fixed Willow with a cold stare, “What do you think you’re doing?”


    *Uh? People from your brand department asked me toe fetch a few things, so I….


    “I mean, you’ve got your assistant, why are you making my hire run errands?” Melvin’s tone was icy.


    Willow was taken aback, realizing what he was getting at.


    Caught off guard by his reaction, sheughed awkwardly, “What’s the problem? Can’t I have him fetch


    things for me? He’s just a security guard. Is there an issue with him carrying stuff for me?”


    “Of course, there is! Melvin’s voice was even more steely.


    Willow was rattled.


    Calvin hadn’t expected his boss to blow up at a big star over his issue. He tried to smooth things over,


    but when Melvin’s face darkened, it was indeed intimidating.


    “Mr. Martinez, Im just lending a hand, no higgie,” Calvin figured, the girls were always more precious,


    and an old guy like him hauling a few items was no skin off his back.


    Melvin suddenly turned to Calvin, “Is she paying your sry?”


    Calvin was taken aback, shaking his head.


    “So why are you taking orders from her? Melvin’s tone had softened, but the earlier sharpness made it


    still sound pretty harsh.


    Calvin was at a loss for words.


    Melvin shot another look at Willow, who was looking pretty green around the gills, “He’s my hire, and I


    haven’t even had him lift a finger or run an errand for me. So who gives you the right to boss my guy


    around? Pull this stunt again, and you can kiss your assistant gig goodbye.”


    The poor assistant was already shaking in his boots from Melvin’s aura of authority, and getting called


    out like that only made him quiver more


    Willow was mortified. This was the first time Melvin had embarrassed her in front of others, not leaving


    her an ounce of dignity


    Hex time whoever asks you to fetch anything, just say no. That’s not your job, Melvin then turned to


    Calvin. brought you in to manage, not to be a gofer. If anyone else wants you to do stuff, tell them to


    come to me


    Calvin’s no fool. He could tell that despite Melvin’s rough tone, he was looking out for him.


    He nodded eagerly, Thanks, Mr. Martinez, got it.”


    Melvin then strolled into thepany building without even looking back, and Calvin quickly followed


    suit.


    Willow was left behind, face turning to the color of a storm cloud, fuming with anger.