Chapter 4

"It's nothing. Yvie's busy with work, so she had to leave first," Melanie said, lowering her gaze to avoid Dustin's probing eyes. Yvonne glanced at her, wanting to say something but holding back. In the end, she only shot Dustin a scathing glare and said, "Mel, call me anytime if you need anything." Once the door closed, Dustin walked over to the bedside. "The crowd was too huge at the time," he began to explain, his voice tinged with guilt. "I didn't see you." "It's fine." Melanie cut him off calmly and reached for the glass on the nightstand. As she shifted slightly, her hospital gown's collar slipped open, revealing the jagged burn scars beneath her collarbone. She glanced down, then adjusted her hospital gown as if nothing had ever happened. "I'm fine." Dustin frowned. "I didn't know you were this badly injured… I thought you only fainted from the smoke." She forced a smile. How could he have known? His eyes were always on Jane, after all. He would have never noticed how badly she was hurt. Melanie said nothing and took a sip of water. "I'll take care of you for the next few days," he suddenly said. "No need." She shook her head. "You're busy, so don't worry about me." He was about to argue when his phone rang. "Dustin…" Jane's sobs echoed from the other end of the line. "My hand hurts so much. The doctor said it might be infected." Hesitation flickered across Dustin's face. Melanie looked at him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Go." "I…" He gripped the phone with a frown. "I'm not good at taking care of people, anyway. I'll hire a nurse for you." She nodded. "Sure." After he left in a hurry, the ward fell quiet again. Melanie stared at the ceiling and suddenly broke into a smile. He said he'd take care of her, but just a single phone call from Jane was enough to make him leave without hesitation. Just like in the fire, he had dashed toward Jane without even looking back at her. She closed her eyes, the throbbing in her chest so overwhelming that she could barely breathe. Some promises were never meant to be taken seriously. … On the day of Melanie's discharge, Dustin came to pick her up. "There's an auction tonight. Come with me," he said, handing her a new cashmere coat. She instinctively refused. "No need—" "Are you still mad?" He frowned, thinking she still held a grudge against him. "I really didn't see you at the time. When I realized you were still inside, I immediately sent people in to look for you." She opened her mouth but said nothing, quietly taking the coat. It was only after she got in the car that she realized Jane was there, too. "Jane wanted to come as well, so I brought her along," Dustin explained. Melanie got into the backseat and remained silent throughout the entire journey. Meanwhile, Jane and Dustin were engaged in a lively conversation, discussing their childhood memories and Jane's experiences studying abroad. Dustin didn't speak much, but he responded naturally to her every prompt. Loneliness crept over Melanie as she gazed at the passing scenery. Later at the auction, every time Jane showed interest in an item, Dustin would raise his paddle to buy it for her. His extravagance quickly drew attention. "Isn't that Mr. Hart? He's certainly generous to his date." "I heard his girlfriend cared for him for three years. No wonder he spoils her." "Wait, that doesn't look like Ms. Wright from the news. Isn't that the one who dumped him before?" Amid the murmurs, someone mistook Jane for Melanie. Dustin froze for a moment. Then, as if the thought had just occurred to him, he turned to Melanie and asked, "What can I get for you?" Just then, a sapphire necklace was brought onstage, giving an ethereal glow under the lights. Melanie's gaze lingered on it for a second too long. Seeing that, Dustin immediately raised his paddle. "Ten million dollars!" "This necklace has quite a story," Jane suddenly said. "It was a king's gift to his queen, a symbol of devotion and eternal love." She gave Melanie a pointed look. "It suits Ms. Wright perfectly." Dustin faltered at her words. When the necklace was brought to him, he handed it to Jane instead. "This suits you better." "Oh, I can't possibly accept this," Jane said, feigning hesitation. "Ms. Wright had her eye on it first." "I'll buy her something else," Dustin said, turning toward Melanie. "What do you want?" She lowered her gaze, a wry smile tugging at her lips. He couldn't give her a symbol of loyalty and everlasting love, yet he had handed it to Jane without skipping a beat. The difference between being loved and not was stark. "Nothing," she said softly.