Chapter 356
Don’t Like
“I don’t like this. Can you at least tell Adam? That’s all I’m asking. If Adam knows… then I’ll be at peace. At least I’ll feel like someone on the outside is aware of what’s happening.”
“I understand, Melanie. I really do. But I can’t take that risk right now. I know this situation makes you uneasy. You feel cornered. But if Cadence starts sensing that something’s off-if he even suspects that you’re not fully cooperating or planning something else, he won’t hesitate. He won’t let you leave. And if that happens, everything we’ve planned so far could fall apart. We can’t afford to stir things up just yet.”
Melanie sighed deeply, her shoulders dropping as she looked down at her hands. Her voice was quieter now, “Then what am I supposed to do? Just walk into that house like I belong there? Like I know these people? Look, I understand what you said, that I should go back pretending to be Melody and try to clear things up slowly- but those people are strangers to me and…”
She paused, then looked up again. “Also, telling Adam that Melody has returned is okay, right? There’s nothing wrong with that. If, like you said, he’s already suspicious, then he’ll come looking for answers. He’ll try to get close. And once he sees me, everything will be okay. He’ll make sure I’m protected, or at the very least, that I’m not alone in this.”
“Melanie…” he said, gently but firmly. “Cadence isn’t a fool. Yes, he believes you’re Melody, but don’t assume he’s blindly convinced. He’s obsessive, not reckless. He knows how to play the long game. He’ll avoid unnecessary risks, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t watching closely. He’s probably already placed people around Adam. Maybe not directly, but close enough to know if there’s any sign of you trying to reach out. Any shift in your behavior could tip him off.”
Melanie clenched her jaw, trying to push down the chill crawling up her spine.
“You have to be extremely careful,” he continued. “Even if you try to slowly push Melody to the side and let yourself go back, you must do it quietly. Subtly. No one outside your immediate circle should notice the difference. Okay? For now, I’ve messaged Mrs Thomas that she should not reveal the news of your return because you might still be in danger because of your kidnappers.”
Just then, the door opened with a soft click and Cadence stepped inside. Dr. Jung continued immediately, as if they had already been discussing only about her health, “You’ll need to continue the medication once you’re there. Don’t skip a dose. It’s important for your recovery.”
Melanie nodded weakly, her expression unreadable. Then, as if on instinct, she turned to Cadence and held out her hand. She knew that with just that one gesture, he would be easy to handle. It was a trick that Dr Jung had told her. As expected, the man took her hand hurriedly and came to sit beside her on the sick bed but then immediately turned his head to glare at the doctor, “Why is she still hot? Her fever hasn’t gone down. It’s been over a day.”
Dr. Jung didn’t flinch. “Her body’s still reacting to stress. The medication is working, but it’ll take time. Her head was all messed up and you know it.”
Cadence’s eyes narrowed slightly. He looked back at Melanie, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. “Do you want to delay going to your parent’s home. It would be better if she could postpone it to next…”
“No!” Melanie almost screamed before catching herself. She drew in a sharp breath and lowered her voice. “No. I need to go now. If we wait any longer, they’ll have more questions. If I show up weak and recovering, then it’ll be easier to explain why I didn’t come back right away. They’ll assume I was too sick to travel, that you kept me safe and helped me recover first. It’ll work in our favour.”
Cadence looked at her, confused for a moment. “But…”
Dr. Jung stepped in smoothly. “She’s right. This is the best time. Let them see her like this…pale, tired, clearly still unwell. That way, any doubts about her absence will shift toward concern. They’ll be relieved she’s back, not suspicious. And later, if any questions come up, we can simply say she needed more time because of her condition. Your name will be the one tied to her rescue.”
Cadence still didn’t look convinced. His jaw tightened.
“Think about it,” Melanie added, this time calmer, more controlled. “They’ll assume the reason I didn’t come home sooner was because of how bad things were. If I go now, like this, it paints a picture they’ll want to believe. That you found me, cared for me, and brought me home when I could finally manage it. It’ll make you look like a saviour, not a…” Melanie paused. Yep.. Look like a saviour and not a kidnapper.
Dr. Jung nodded, as if to solidify the point. “Exactly. And to be clear, her condition isn’t that serious. It’s just the flu. A combination of exhaustion and a bit of fever. She’ll be fine in a few days.”
That was a mistake.
Cadence stiffened. His head snapped toward Jung.
“Just the flu?” he repeated, his voice low and dangerous. “Are you saying she’s exaggerating? That she’s pretending?”
“No, not at all,” Dr. Jung said quickly, keeping his voice even. “I’m saying it’s manageable. Nothing life-threatening. That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
Cadence stood up abruptly, his hand balling into a fist at his side. “You think it’s fine for her to burn with fever all night and just call it a flu?”
His hand twitched, jaw locked tight, steps moving forward.
“Cadence!” Melanie said sharply, reaching out and grabbing his arm. He stopped mid-step, his whole body tense as he looked down at her.
“Don’t do it,” she said, eyes locking with his, her voice firm. “I don’t want to witness any fights. Not now. Not like this.”
“But he said- “
“I don’t care what he said.” Her hand didn’t loosen on his arm. “I don’t care if he calls it the flu or something else. I don’t want to see you lose control. I don’t want to feel afraid when I look at you.”
That seemed to put Cadence at ease and he hurriedly sat back down next to Melanie, holding her hand.