Chapter 6

Melanie's eyes were red and shimmering with tears, like a sea of stars. The expression she wore shouldn't be possible on a woman in her 30s. Derrick pressed his lips together as a nerve pulsed in his forehead. He was helpless to stop the unsavory thoughts that flooded his mind despite the inappropriate timing. An image of a woman heaving as she clung to his shoulders and traced his earlobe flashed in his mind. He felt awake yet trapped in a dream, further fueling the confusion swirling in his chest. However, he wasn't heartless enough to question a panicked mother in the current circumstances. Louisa slept for a long time. The doctor dropped by to check on her and give her medicine before she succumbed to sleep once again. She was listless and couldn't keep any food down. She was so weak that even Tizzy could sense it. It lay obediently next to her pillow to not disturb her rest, nuzzling her face occasionally. Melanie went to settle the remaining medical bill, but the 20 thousand dollars she had wasn't enough. Louisa didn't have medical insurance either, so there was no reimbursement available. After a long mental battle with herself, she clenched her teeth and called Renard. He asked, "Mel, did you need something?" Derrick shot a look at Renard that prompted the latter to lower his head before handing his phone to him. Melanie inhaled deeply before she said solemnly, "Mr. Lindt, can I still get the eight thousand dollars you mentioned since I helped with wiping down Mr. Quinton's body? I can keep it a secret from him. Also, I… I'd like to request a month's salary in advance." Her voice had grown impossibly small by the time she finished speaking. She had only worked for two days, yet she was already asking for a month's salary in advance. She knew that she seemed like a conman, no matter how anyone looked at the situation, but she had no other choice. She continued, "I'm begging you, Mr. Lindt. I need to pay Louisa's medical bill, but I don't have enough money." A soft scoff echoed from the other end of the line, sounding both cold and haughty. Melanie's hand trembled. "You've got some nerve, Melanie. You were going to keep me in the dark, were you?" "Mr. Quinton… Why are you on the other end of the line?" she asked, forcing a smile onto her face. She wanted to find a hole to crawl into, but she didn't know if she could hide herself in time. "What's wrong? Did your plan to ask for a month's salary in advance go up in smoke because I answered the call? Do you think that the Quinton family's money grows on trees?" he coldly demanded. "Who do you think you are, Melanie? Do you think that you have some sort of special right?" Melanie felt humiliated as Derrick berated her. She lowered her gaze, feeling trapped. "I'm sorry, Mr. Quinton. I didn't think things through. I still have other matters to attend to, so I'll be hanging up now." Derrick's face darkened when the line went dead. "How dare she hang up on me when I wasn't ready to end the call yet!" His status had placed him above most people for years, so no one had ever dared to hang up on him first. Renard, who was standing to the side, was rendered speechless. Derrick was already scolding Melanie ruthlessly. Did he really expect her to stay on the line to continue enduring his endless verbal lashings? However, Renard wasn't brave enough to voice his thoughts. "She's got quite the temper. Am I such a heartless boss from her point of view? Did I say that I wasn't going to approve her request for a month's salary in advance?" Renard glanced at Derrick, asking, "Shall I tell Melanie that you've agreed to her request, Mr. Quinton?" Noticing the icy expression on Derrick's face, Renard's eyes flashed as he tried to guess the former's thoughts. "Or should I lend the money to her instead? It sounds like she's in a rather tough spot." "Why should you lend her the money? How much do you even have? Do you even have enough to pay the medical bills?" Renard smiled and replied, "Then we'll lend her the money on your behalf. Is 50 thousand dollars enough?" He couldn't help feeling exasperated with Derrick. It was obvious that Derrick wanted to lend Melanie the money, but he was too stubborn to admit it. Derrick frowned, looking utterly displeased. Renard's smile faded as he offered more suggestions—100 thousand dollars, 500 thousand dollars, or even 800 thousand dollars. He had no idea what Derrick was thinking as he watched the latter's expression grow even darker. In the end, he gritted out through clenched teeth, "58 thousand dollars sounds reasonable." A smile spread across Derrick's face. "It seems you're getting more and more stupid, Mr. Lindt." Renard was rendered speechless by his words. He rolled his eyes at Derrick before lowering his head to grab his phone. He then transferred 58 thousand dollars into Melanie's bank account. "I'll lend you the money. I know that you're a good woman. You can pay me back when you get your salary next month." Melanie didn't try to reject his good intentions. She accepted the money and thanked him, knowing she had no other options. "Wiping down Mr. Quinton's body will be part of your responsibilities from now on," Renard added. "Alright," Melanie replied. Her heart still hammered against her ribcage when she thought about the loathing in Derrick's eyes when he looked at her. Louisa was awake and playing with Tizzy when Melanie returned to the ward. "Do you want to eat something, Louisa?" she asked. Louisa raised her head and looked at Melanie. Her face was still small, but she was looking more and more like Derrick as she continued to grow. "Mommy, is Mr. Wheelchair my father?" Melanie didn't expect Louisa to ask such a question. She was stunned as she gazed into Louisa's clear eyes. She suddenly realized that Louisa had never experienced fatherly love since she was a child. Raymond wouldn't even look at her. Every time Louisa chased after him and called out for him, he would glare daggers at her, his eyes as cold as ice. Louisa would come crying to Melanie every time that happened, asking, "Mommy, why does Daddy hate me?" The lack of fatherly love on top of the chronic pain brought on by her illness made Louise crave a father's love more than the average person. Melanie lightly bit her lip. She was silent for two seconds before she answered, "He's not your father." "It would be great if he were. He can help you and share some of your burdens…" Louisa mumbled. A sour sensation spread through Melanie's chest. … Melanie went to work on Monday morning. When she arrived at the villa, she noticed Wilson sitting on the couch in the living room, carrying a stack of thick books in his arms. His eyes were sparkling brightly, and the smile stretching across his face made him look like a pure and innocent fox. "You're back, Madam York." Melanie still hadn't gotten used to the way Wilson addressed her. However, it did prove that she had been successful in making herself look older. Wilson dumped the books into her arms and whispered, "These are the good stuff and should be effective on your boss. He likes them a lot, so don't forget to give them to him. I still have to go to work, so I'll be going now." Melanie couldn't shake the feeling that he was enjoying the chaos as she watched his retreating figure. Since the books were meant for Derrick, she didn't take a good look at them. After Derrick was done eating breakfast, she handed them to him, saying, "Dr. Moore delivered these books to you this morning, Mr. Quinton." Derrick was sitting in his wheelchair when he accepted the books from her. "When did he become so cultured?" He curiously opened one of the books, but his face darkened in an instant when he read its contents. Meanwhile, Melanie's face burned when she caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye. She could see everything with perfect clarity, despite her angle. She couldn't help but wonder if it was the norm these days. It seemed that the more handsome a man was, the more twisted his personality. Derrick immediately tossed the book aside. He then ordered Melanie to call Wilson before roaring into the phone. "Do you want to disgust me to death, Wilson?" "I'm just thinking about your future happiness," Wilson answered innocently. "It's been so long since you reacted to anything. I was going to send you some videos, but it's a little inconvenient since you have Madam York taking care of you. "She might be divorced, but it doesn't change the fact that both of you are brimming with vitality. Who knows when either of you will lose control… If you keep getting stimulated, you might even make a full recovery."