Chapter 427: Shocked Hurt
Adam’s face was hard, his eyes dark with something Melanie had never seen directed at her before. Fury. Not disappointment, not hurt- pure, unrestrained fury. Melanie frowned. Why was he angry?
"Why didn’t you tell me?" His voice was sharp, biting through the heavy silence like a blade.
Melanie blinked at him. Was he really angry because of this. She’d only discovered this yesterday and he knew what yesterday had been like. He should have guessed by now that she’d come to the office to tell him but then after what had happened there. But she shook her head and still tried to explain, "Adam, I planned to—"
"When?" He cut her off instantly, his tone rising. "When were you going to tell me? After the child was born? After the entire world knew before I did?"
Her throat constricted. What was wrong with him suddenly? She shook her head quickly, her hands trembling as she reached for him again, but he stepped back, refusing her touch. "No, Adam. Please, listen to me. I wanted to tell you last night, I swear, but then yesterday—"
"Yesterday what?" he snapped, his eyes narrowing, voice dripping with venom. "You needed to tell Cadence first? Is that it? He knows it before me. Marianne knows it. But I don’t know?"
The breath rushed out of her. "No! That’s not what I meant—"
But he didn’t let her finish. He took a step closer, looming over her, his jaw clenched so tightly she thought it might break. "You planned it, didn’t you? All of this. You were going to stand here, smile at me, tell me you’re carrying my child—except you couldn’t, because you weren’t sure it was mine, were you? That is why you did not tell me immediately"
The words struck her like physical blows. Melanie’s eyes widened, tears pricking hot at the corners. "What? Adam, how can you—" She could not help but wonder what was going on. Adam knew that he was the only one so where were all these accusations coming from? Melanie thought back to the scene from yesterday? With a single sentence, Marianne had succeeded in riling up Cadence. Could it be that she had done something similar with Adam as well?
She was about to ask him about but he barked loudy, "Don’t. Don’t stand there and act innocent and hurt! You think I didn’t notice? You think I didn’t see the way you looked at him? The way you never breathed a word about what happened when you were with him?"
Her heart dropped. Her lips trembled at that and she asked," Adam. What are you?"
But once again, he did not let her finish, "Ahh. What was the reason you used? It hurt too much to talk about her kidnapping?" He gave a bitter and humorless laugh. "No, Melanie. It wasn’t pain keeping you silent. It was guilt. You never talked about it because you fell for him, didn’t you? You chose him."
This time, Melanie was genuinely confused. Where was all this coming from? Before she could say something, she finally looked into Adam’s eyes and then his hands which were gripping her. His eyes were still violent, but his hand on her was gently and calm... she even felt his thumb rubbing circles on her, as if to calm her...
Melanie felt her eyes widen. Someone was listening in and these words and anger from Adam was for their benefit...
She shook her head violently, and let tears spill now as she blinked at him reassuringly, letting him know she understood and gave her own performance, "No! I never—Adam, I love you, only you—"
"Love me?" He leaned closer, his face twisted with rage. "You don’t love me. You’ve never loved me. Everything we had—every moment I trusted you, every time I believed in you—you threw it away the moment you let him touch you."
"That’s why you didn’t tell me," he continued coldly. "Because you don’t know whose child it is. Mine? His? You couldn’t even give me the dignity of the truth."
Melanie’s had to pinch herself hard to bring out the sob in her voice as she said, "That’s not true, Adam! Please, I swear, I never—"
"You never?" he mocked, cutting her off again, his voice dripping with scorn. "You expect me to believe that? After everything? After your silence, your excuses, your secrets? Do you know how it feels, Melanie? To realize the woman I trusted with my life may have been lying to me?"
She stared at him, shaking her head as if denial alone could undo his words. "I never lied to you! I wanted to tell you myself, in my own way, because you matter to me more than anyone—"
"Stop." His tone was final, a growl that froze her mid-sentence. "You think words will fix this? You think you can cry and make me forget that you’ve been hiding the truth from me? You would have kept on hiding about the baby until you decided what to do, wouldn’t you? What did you plan to do, Melanie?"
:Continue to play Melody, marry Cadence and sail into the sunset? Was that the plan? After all, it would have been quite beneficial to you... Melody out of your way so all her inheritance would belong to you. Then you would have easily gotten rid of me and then sailed to the island with Cadence. What a plan... Melanie! What a pla..."
Before Melanie could think of what to say to that, Adam let go of her and walked to the slightly open door and closed the door with a loud bang... Then,he turned around and caught her in a tight hug, almost crushing the breath out of her.
Melanie smiled in relief and quickly hugged him back, relieved. For a few moments there, until she had understood Adam’s signal, she had been really scared that Adam did not believe in her. She slumped in relief in his arms and hugged him back happily...