Chapter 847

Melina didn't have many friends. After falling in with the wrong crowd as a child, she had thrown herself into her studies, avoiding friendships altogether. When she had moved to Cyntia, Shayla had been her first real friend. Shayla was timid but fiercely loyal. When Melina had been struggling financially, she had found ways to help her. If she couldn't give Melina money directly, she would bring the latter food or clothes. When Melina had started delivering packages to make ends meet, Shayla hadn't felt embarrassed. Instead, she had often joined Melina and carried packages with her. Even after Melina had opened her own parcel collection point on campus with the administration's help, Shayla had stayed by her side, helping her manage it. Melina had always appreciated Shayla's kindness. She considered Shayla a true friend and made it a habit to protect her whenever possible. Now, thinking about what Shayla might be going through, Melina couldn't help but feel anxious. Lyla didn't take long to arrive. The loud screech of her motorcycle braking announced her urgency. Most people assumed Lyla didn't like Shayla, mainly because of her brash, outspoken personality. Timid, nervous people weren't exactly her type. But few realized that after Melina had started living off-campus, Lyla and Shayla had also shared a dorm room. The fact that Lyla hadn't kicked Shayla out spoke volumes about her tolerance for the latter. Lyla parked her bike and tipped her head at Melina with a casual grin. "Hop on!" As she handed Melina the helmet, her eyes landed on Melina's stomach, and she froze. Right. Melina was pregnant. It probably wasn't a good idea to have her riding a motorcycle. Standing nearby, Jason looked ready to pounce. His stance practically screamed, "Try it, and I'll stop you right here." Melina hesitated, realizing Lyla hadn't brought a car. Just as the situation grew awkward, Andrew's calm footsteps echoed from the villa. "Jason," Andrew said, his tone composed, "go to the garage and bring out one of the cars. Take them where they need to go." Lyla immediately shot a glare at Andrew, clearly still annoyed about being turned away the last few times she had visited. But Andrew didn't so much as glance in her direction. Instead, he handed Melina a thermos and a food container. "I made this for you," he said gently. "There's soup in the thermos and some snacks in the container. Eat them on the way." Melina accepted the food, her earlier frustration fading. It was hard to stay mad at someone who went out of his way to take care of her like this. Lyla, on the other hand, fumed silently. To her, Andrew was just putting on an act, and Melina didn't stand a chance against his manipulative ways. While Lyla stewed in her anger, Andrew remained indifferent. Jason quickly went to fetch the car, pausing only to remind his brother to keep an eye on Lyla's motorcycle, just in case. Andrew stayed in the driveway, watching as Melina got into the car. His expression was calm—even warm—as if he had no intention of following her this time. Andrew not insisting on joining Melina was unusual. Recently, he had been following her everywhere, no matter how trivial the errand. Melina was puzzled. There was no way for her to return to university, and she had stopped pushing for it. Wallace had asked her a few times, but she had never given him a clear answer. She planned to wait until after the baby was born before making any decisions. Still, she didn't dwell on it. Shayla's situation took precedence, and she pushed aside any thoughts about Andrew's behavior. After the car pulled away, Andrew lingered in the same spot, his gaze fixed on the retreating vehicle. A bodyguard approached him quickly. Andrew spoke coldly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, "Send at least ten people to tail them at a distance. Make sure she's safe. If anything happens to her, you know the consequences." "Yes, Mr. Wentworth." While Jason and his team stayed in plain sight, Andrew had covertly arranged for additional security to follow Melina. He was confident his team could handle it no matter what happened that day. And if Melina had any thoughts of taking the opportunity to leave him, well, he'd make sure she didn't get far.