Chapter 82


    “Go and see him off,” Calvin said with a nce at Jocelyn.


    After pondering for a moment, Jocelyn stood up and made her way to the stairs. However, halfway


    down, she stopped.


    ‘Til stop here. You go on,” Jocelyn said, her voice betraying her reluctance to encounter Melvin She


    couldn’t imagine what she would say to him. It was like meeting an ex after a breakup. There was no


    way to stay cool andposed.


    Preston seemed confused ‘Why? Don’t you miss him? It’s been ages since you two saw each other.”


    “Just go Jocelyn replied. It’s impossible to share her inner turmoil with Preston, who was practically still


    a kid.


    Seeing how adamant she was, Preston didn’t press further and went downstairs alone.


    Leaning against the wall, Jocelyn listened and waited.


    After a long while, she heard a car pull away. As the tension in her heart eased, a sense of emptiness


    washed over her


    She went back home to prepare for the uing exams. Her workload wasn’t going to ease up


    anytime soon. It was only after she sat down for a while that she grabbed her bag and hailed a cab


    back to her own apartment


    As soon as the elevator doors opened, a familiar scent of cigarette smoke hit her nostrils.


    She looked up and locked eyes with those deep, soulful eyes that she knew all too well.


    Her heart skipped a beat


    Melvin crushed his cigarette in the stand-up ashtray in the hallway and approached her, wrapping his


    arms gently around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder. He seemed to let go of all his


    strength, seekingfort in her presence.


    Jocelyn wasn’t sure how to respond to his embrace, so she just let him hold her.


    After a while, she felt the weight on her shoulder grow heavier, followed by the steady sound of his


    breathing.


    Was he asleep?


    How exhausted must he be?


    Unable to stand still too long, Jocelyn softly called his name, “Melvin? There was no response, so she


    tapped his shoulder.


    He murmured something, his voice low and hoarse, betraying his fatigue.


    “Don’t sleep here, go home to bed, Jocelyn urged, helping him stand


    As he opened his eyes, he leaned against the wall, and only at this close distance did she see how


    weary he looked. Dark circles under his eyes, bloodshot scleras, and a stubbly chin.


    Frowning, Jocelyn eventually opened the door.


    Melvin went straight to the couch and copsed, appearing utterly spent.


    Jocelyn asked if he wanted a shower, but he was already asleep again.


    What could have worn him out so much? He looked like the tired heroes from the old stories, drained


    by some enchantress


    She let him be and went to the kitchen to cook some porridge for him, anticipating that he might want


    something warm when he woke


    1.


    The porridge was ready, but Melvin was still sleeping. Jocelyn worked on herputer in the living


    room, leaving him to rest on the


    couch.


    By the time she finished preparing the exam items, it was midnight. Stretching, she looked up to find


    Melvin watching her


    Startled, she asked, “Hungry?”


    “A bit, he replied.


    Jocelyn got up, her legs numb. She leaned on the table for support as she made her way to the kitchen


    and served him a bowl of porridge.


    Melvin sat up and gulped it down.


    “Want more?”


    “No, that’s erlough.”


    Not pressing further, Jocelyn cleaned up the bowl and put away herptop and papers. The awkward


    silence hung heavy, and she bit her Tp. You not heading back?


    Melvin raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by her question.


    The ar tumed even more awkward.


    Touching her nose and forcing a smile, Jocelyn added, “I’ve got a bit more work. You can rest if you


    need to


    She wasn’t sure why things had be so strained. She had finished her work but right at the


    moment she didn’t want to share a bedroom with him.


    Melvin, now seeming more lively, fished a small handmade box from his pocket and handed it to


    Jocelyn.


    She knew it was a gift, a gesture he made every time he came back from his travels.


    epting the box without opening it, she ced it on the table. “It’ste. You should get some sleep.”


    “Aren’t you curious? Jocelyn nced at the box. It was a hand-made box, less opulent than his


    previous gifts, but looked special


    “You don’t need to bring something every time. It’s too much,” she said, suspecting it contained jewelry,


    which she seldom wore.


    “Too much for you?”


    *Its excessive and inappropriate” she exined, guessing it was either a bracelet or earrings. She


    hardly wore earrings; the holes had nearly closed up.


    Melvin studied her. “What’s wrong with you?”


    Jocelyn was taken aback but quickly smiled. “I’m fine


    “Why the formality then?”


    And there it was. She was being formal, not with him, but with herself.


    He didn’t know what she had discovered, nor did he understand why she hadn’t greeted him warmly.


    In that moment, Jocelyn seemed to be a personden with heavy thoughts, while Melvin appeared


    blissfully unaware.


    “Nothing You look tired. Go take a shower. I’ll finish up here and then head to bed,” she said, suddenly


    losing the will to exin or argue. Every time she needed to express herself that she didn’t like the


    things he did, but he never took it to heart either.


    He never took her words seriously


    Acting obediently this time, Melvin headed to the bedroom for his clothes and then to the bathroom.


    Jocelyn sat outside, unable to focus. The sound of the shower was clear, and involuntary images of his


    body invaded her thoughts, stirring forbidden desires.


    She despised herself for these thoughts.


    It seemed that emotional and physical desires could be separate. Despite knowing about his


    ambiguous rtionship with Willow, it didn’t stop her from craving his touch


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Thankfully, the thought was fleeting as her phone buzzed with a message from U


    [They’re back The guy didn’t stay with Willow. Digging up dirt on them will take some effort. But Willow


    is wild. It’s possible to catch her off guard if we’re careful.]


    At this moment, Jocelyn truly didn’t care anymore.


    She replied: [It doesn’t matter now]


    [Weren’t you eager to expose Willow before?]


    Jocelyn was just about to text U that they should stop contacting each other when Melvin appeared.


    She quickly pocketed her phone, her expression cool andposed as she turned to look at him.


    “Aren’t you in bed yet?” Melvin, using her pink towel to dry his hair, was decently dressed in pajamas.


    “Just about to,” Jocelyn smiled.


    Melvin stood there, not moving. Jocelyn knew he was waiting for her.


    She got up, took her phone and went into the bedroom.


    “Go take a shower,” Melvin urged


    Jocelyn was aware that absence makes the hearts grow fonder. He’d made the effort toe see her,


    cleaned himself up andy in bed. Something was bound to happen tonight.


    After all, physical intimacy often keeps the me alive in adult rtionships. Isn’t there a saying?


    Couples argue but make up by the end


    When she was showering, the thought of Willow in a sultry spaghetti strap nightgown sharing a room


    with him made Jocelyn feel


    Mreasy


    She could overlook his pre-marriage escapades. But post-marriage infidelity, even the possibility of it,


    made her stomach chur


    Though she and Melvin weren’t exactly in a pre- or post-marriage situation, the principle was the same.


    She couldn’t stomach a man who yed the field.


    Dragging her feet, she entered the bedroom to find him holding her phone with a serious look on his


    face.


    Chape