Chapter 9

Melody's eyes flickered for a brief moment, a hint of sarcasm appearing in her eyes. However, a single tear flowed down from the corner of her eye a split second later. She instinctively reached up to wipe the tear away, but Joshua beat her to it. He carefully and shakily wiped the tear away with the pads of his fingers. "Mel, what's the matter? Please don't scare me like this. Tell me if anything is making you feel upset. Don't hold it within yourself," Joshua said, leaning closer for a hug. However, Melody neatly avoided him again. She finally looked at him and spoke in a distant, faraway tone. "Joshua Gretchen, let's go to the seaside." Joshua's hand stiffened. He looked at her in shock. "Mel, aren't you afraid of water? Isn't that why you've always been fearful of the sea?" Melody answered him faintly, "I just feel like it." After all, the method she'd chosen to "die" was death by jumping into the sea and drowning. Joshua didn't ask any further when he heard her answer. He just got Gaston to prep the car at once. On the way to the seaside, Joshua held on to her hand as his other hand held the steering wheel. She didn't seem to shake his hold away like last time anymore. Seeing that Melody was starting to accept him again, Joshua smiled happily and started recounting the past ever since they started dating each other. At that time, Joshua only had eyes for Melody, so he still remembered everything they did as a couple even if Melody had already forgotten about it. When they were young, Melody once gave him a lemon-flavored candy with a bright smile on her face. In high school, she'd held him by his hand as they danced their first dance together at prom. When they were in a long-distance relationship, she took a red-eye flight just to see him. "You were the one I'd always loved and cherished the most, but you took such a long flight in the wee hours of the morning just to see me. I swore back then that I would never let you feel hurt or uncomfortable ever again. "Mel," Joshua said, stopping his car by the seaside and looking at her with his eyes full of love. "I will love you until the end of my life." Melody just smiled back at him. However, her smile was mixed with a hint of sarcasm and mockery. He'd been lying to her so much that he was now starting to believe in his own lies. They sat on the beach, side by side, leaning against each other as they stared out at the open sea before them. They enjoyed the calm and quiet of the beach in the evening. Just then, Joshua's phone started vibrating like crazy. He didn't even look at it before declining the call. However, the other party wouldn't let up and continued calling him over and over again. Finally, Joshua glanced briefly at the screen and went to take the call away from Melody. She didn't know what the other party said to Joshua, but his eyes turned dark with lust. At the same time, Melody also received a text message from Angel. It read, "Melody Foxglove, so what if you're both getting married tomorrow? Would you believe me if I said he'd be running to me as soon as I called him? "You know what? You should give up on him and give me the title of Mrs. Gretchen now if you know what's best for you." This wasn't the first time Angel forced Melody to give up her spot, but it was the first time Melody ever responded to any of Angel's texts. "As you wish." Moments later, Joshua hung up and ran toward Melody with an apologetic look on his face. "Mel, I'm sorry, but something urgent just came up at the company…" "Joshua Gretchen, do you still remember what I told you on the day you proposed to me?" Melody's sudden question caught Joshua off guard. He felt anxious all of a sudden. "I told you that if you were to change your mind and not love me anymore, you just have to tell me. I would then end our relationship and stop bothering you. But if you were to lie to me, then I would leave you forever." There was a faint smile on Melody's face, but the smile never reached her eyes. Joshua suddenly gripped his phone a little tighter until his knuckles turned white. He fell silent for a long time before ruffling her hair. "Mel, I love you too much. Why would I ever lie to you?" At once, the last bit of love Melody had left for Joshua disappeared into the dark of the night. She just chuckled and said, "Didn't you say that you have something urgent at the company? Hurry along now." Joshua looked at Melody's calm demeanor and was suddenly consumed by an unknown fear. Suddenly, he didn't dare to leave anymore. He was worried that he wouldn't be able to see her again if he left this time. However, he kept thinking about his last call. He kept gripping and unwrapping his phone, unsure of what to do next. Melody was right here. What could possibly happen to her? Also, they were going to get married tomorrow. Joshua heaved a sigh of relief when he thought about this. "Mel, go back home a little earlier after you're done looking at the sea, alright? I'll see you at the wedding tomorrow." Then, he turned and left in his car, disappearing entirely from her sight. Melody watched quietly as he left. She didn't try to stop him or ask him to stay. Ten minutes later, another car stopped by the seaside. A man came up to her. "Ms. Foxglove, all of your records within the country have been completely wiped out. Your new identification card, new phone, and flight ticket have all been prepared. From today onward, nobody in the world will be able to find you anymore." Melody kept her eyes lowered as she took the things from the man. She also gave him her phone. "Send that corpse straight to the wedding tomorrow. Also, please hand this phone personally to the groom." She wanted him to know how Angel had been continuously challenging and threatening her for the past few days. She wanted him to know that she had "killed" herself when he heartlessly lied to her and left her for another woman's arms. She wanted him to know that this was the last time they would ever meet. He was going to spend the rest of his life wallowing in pain and guilt that he would never recover from. After confirming everything, Melody took all of her documents bearing her new identity and got into an unmarked car. "To the airport." The darkness of the night would soon end, and she would welcome the warmth of the golden sunlight with open arms.