It was silent around Melody.

She could only see people opening and closing their mouths, and Tessa's face twisted in pain.

She couldn't move at all. The sudden terror of losing her hearing made her freeze. Her mind went blank, and she was unable to react.

Then, Tessa threw another glass at her. Her arm was pulled, causing her to stumble backward and almost fall.

The glass shattered at her feet, but Melody could only see shards flying around. She couldn't hear anything, like a silent movie.

She raised her head in a daze and saw Jeremy's tense profile.

He was frowning, talking to the others.

Noticing Melody's gaze, he lowered his eyes. It was as if a heavy fog had settled over his dark eyes, making his emotions unreadable.

Melody watched his lips move. She guessed he was asking why she provoked Tessa.

She wanted to explain but couldn't get the words out.

Without her hearing, it f

Andrew sounded stern, but Melody couldn't hear him.

He looked serious as he watched her for a moment. He spoke in a commanding tone. "Mel, apologize to Ms. Langford. Own up if you made a mistake. Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you have the Wardolf family behind you!"

He sighed and spoke to the others. "Melody has had trouble with her hearing since she was young. We tend to spoil her a bit at home, so sometimes she can be too much. I admit I neglected to teach her properly."

Even when he finished, Melody still didn't react.

Andrew frowned. He urged her again in a quieter but firmer voice. "Mel, didn't you hear me?"

This time, the warning was clear.

Then Tessa, who had been so agitated, suddenly passed out.

Everyone started shouting in confusion.

Melody snapped back to reality, and her instincts as a nurse made her want to step forward to check on Tessa.

Sud

Melody's dress was white with thin straps. It looked simple and elegant, but it was a bit too large. She used two small clips on the sides to keep it from hanging loosely.

Laura cast her a glance and said flatly, "She can't pull off couture anyway. It's a waste of money every time. Krystal is way better at this. She takes care of her own outfit."

Melody stood there with her eyes lowered. A specialized styling studio did her hair and makeup.

Every time there was a big event, they dolled her up. She just had to follow Andrew around for a while, and then she was done. Her purpose was to show that Andrew was truly kindhearted.

The Regallo Group wasn't a small company, and the Wardolf family had a major influence in Jembina.

Many people from the industry showed up, along with plenty of reporters.

After Melody finished her assigned rounds with Andrew, she no longer had to stay in the main area.

Andrew didn't like her socializing with others.

It was crowded and noisy inside. Melody's ears felt uncomfortable, so she found a quiet corner.

Felicia arrived with her father, dealt with some socializing, and found Melody. "Hey, babe, who did your makeup today? It doesn't suit you at all."

Melody had a sweet, innocent face, but they had used a mature style of makeup that made her look a bit older.

Besides, Andrew wanted to highlight her hearing issues, so the stylist exposed her ears, making her hearing aid visible.

"The dress is old-fashioned," Felicia said, eyeing Melody from head to toe with distaste.

Melody asked, "Aren't you going to mingle with your dad?"

Felicia shrugged. "I don't have to. I'm here in my capacity as a reporter. I only caught a ride with him."

"There are definitely more reporters here than usual," Melody said. "The past events never had such a big crowd."

"You don't know why?" Felicia asked.

Melody looked puzzled.

Felicia sighed. "Tessa is here today."

She didn't go on, but Melody understood. Half the reporters were here for the Wardolf family's banquet, while the others came for Melody and Tessa.

Andrew had already made Melody's identity public.

The Wardolfs' adopted daughter leaking the female CEO's critical illness would have been a huge story. The reporters were likely digging for more details.

Felicia patted Melody's arm sympathetically. "Don't worry. They won't actually do anything to you. Once the hospital gets proof you're innocent, you'll be fine."

Melody nodded. When she looked up, she saw Jeremy.

He hadn't been home for days and stayed at the hospital to deal with the situation.

Melody suddenly made up her mind and walked toward him, telling Felicia to wait. She wanted to ask when she could go back to work.

However, as soon as she got near, Jeremy frowned and spoke in a low voice. "Stop."

Melody froze. "What's wrong?"

"The perfume smells strong. It's unpleasant," he said.

Melody pressed her lips together and lowered her lashes, awkwardly stepping half a pace back. The stylist had sprayed her with perfume to hide any lingering hospital smell.

Keeping a safe distance, Melody pretended not to see Jeremy's displeasure. She forced herself to stay calm and asked softly, "Did Dr. Turner mention when I can return to work?"

Jeremy was wearing a formal suit instead of his usual white coat. The black suit made him look reserved, covering his usual cool demeanor.

At Melody's question, he paused, then spoke in a steady tone. "He didn't say."

"Then I..." Melody started, but she was interrupted by hurried footsteps.

A sharp voice called out from behind her, "That's her! That nurse! She leaked Tessa's condition, and because of her, Tessa got worse!"

Melody turned around in surprise, only to be dragged in front of Tessa, who was sitting in a wheelchair.

Tessa looked even more worn out than before. Her eyes were hollow, and she stared at Melody without blinking.

She was in the late stages of a cerebrovascular tumor, and the odds of recovery were slim from the start.

Tessa fixed her gaze on Melody, speaking slowly, "I'm not here for anything else. I just want an explanation. Why are you so vicious?"

Her voice was hoarse.

Melody had seen many patients in the hospital. She composed herself and crouched slightly to be at Tessa's eye level. She explained calmly, "Ms. Langford, the leak about your condition really has nothing to do with me."

However, the moment she finished speaking, Tessa grabbed a wine glass from the table next to her and smashed it onto Melody's shoulder.

"What gave you the right? Who gave you the right to reveal my illness? Do you know how many people are laughing at me now?"

Tessa suddenly broke down in tears and grabbed something else from the table, throwing it at Melody again.

Shards of glass had cut Melody's shoulder, and thin lines of blood slowly started to seep out.

She stood there in shock, watching Tessa break down silently.

A stray shard had hit her hearing aid, knocking it loose. She could no longer hear anything.

It was silent around Melody.

She could only see people opening and closing their mouths, and Tessa's face twisted in pain.

She couldn't move at all. The sudden terror of losing her hearing made her freeze. Her mind went blank, and she was unable to react.

Then, Tessa threw another glass at her. Her arm was pulled, causing her to stumble backward and almost fall.

The glass shattered at her feet, but Melody could only see shards flying around. She couldn't hear anything, like a silent movie.

She raised her head in a daze and saw Jeremy's tense profile.

He was frowning, talking to the others.

Noticing Melody's gaze, he lowered his eyes. It was as if a heavy fog had settled over his dark eyes, making his emotions unreadable.

Melody watched his lips move. She guessed he was asking why she provoked Tessa.

She wanted to explain but couldn't get the words out.

Without her hearing, it felt like her ability to speak was also gone.

Her arm hurt more and more. She realized that Jeremy w

Chapter 25