As the evening sky began to deepen into a dusky hue, Melody returned to the Fitzgerald residence, a


    ce that seemed to pull her back like a ma she couldn’t resist.


    The word on the street was that Hailey hade down with a nasty bout of arthritis and had jetted off


    to Sunya Bay to soak up some sun and recuperate. With a heart heavy with worry for Dexter, she had


    given her blessings for Melody to stay on at the Fitzgeralds‘ to keep an eye on him. She had even


    made it clear that if Dexter was on board, she would dly wee Melody into the family fold.


    The Gordian knot that seemed unsolvable was now untied.


    Melody should have been over the moon, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from her heart’s desire.


    Surely, Dexter’s p wasn’t enough to send her packing.


    From the upstairs balcony, I watched Melody with a smirk. If a single p could send her running, the


    game wouldn’t be half as fun.


    Years of underhanded schemes and nders from her directed at me within the Fitzgerald household


    had built up a debt of revenge that was due. To settle for anything less than giving Melody a taste of


    extreme payback would hardly seem fair, would it?


    “Dexter… I’m sorry, I was out of line earlier,” Melody cooed apologetically, the queen of ying coy.


    “Phoebe was trying to rile me up, and I lost my cool. Hailey asked me to take care of you, and since


    you’re fresh out of the hospital and still healing, I need to be here for you.”


    Dexter, who seemed eager to leave, nced at his watch and frowned. “Wendy is more than capable


    of taking care of things here. Phoebe just pointed out that you’re not exactly stable at the, moment.


    Maybe it’s best if you head back.”


    “Dexter…” Melody’s voice was a mix of a choke and tension. “You know as well as I do that not all of


    the murderers have been caught. If I go back now, it could be the end of me.”


    Dexter fell silent, perhaps out of a sliver of lingering affection.


    Ridiculous.


    I watched the exchange between Melody and Dexter with icy detachment.


    “I’m stepping out for a bit. Don’t go picking fights with Phoebe,” Dexter finally said, not dismissing her


    but quickly moving to leave..


    Melody shot a nce my way, her eyes brimming with warning and loathing.


    I shed her a smile and descended the stairs gracefully.


    “Why do we have a new maid?” I taunted Melody, unable to resist poking the bear.


    She looked like she wanted to devour me, mming a ss of warm milk on the table with spite. “Drink


    up.” “I wouldn’t dare touch anything you’ve offered. If I fall ill, Dexter would be the one suffering,” I said,


    propping my chin on my hand, never taking my eyes off her.


    Melody was seething, her breath/uneven with rage. But she was a master at ying the victim, not one


    to crumble after being framed just once.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    She reined in her anger, settling beside me with a facade of calm. “Foebe, since we’re both bored, why


    don’t, we chat?”


    “What about?” I asked, keeping my smile firmly in ce.


    11.17


    Let’s talk about Phoebe and Colin, Melody said, her smile chilling. “Do you know why Phoebe had to


    die? 1 had a hunch that the murderer would target her because everyone who ever crossed or


    wronged Colin ended up dead…”


    I frowned, my fingers tensing up.


    “Phoebe deserved it more than anyone,” Melody continued, leaning back in her chair. “Colin adored


    her, but she forgot him and fell for someone else.”


    “You’ve heard about the orphanage fire, right?” she asked, toying with a lighter in her hands. “Someone


    couldn’t stand the gloom a genius cast over everyone and decided to lock them up and scare them with


    a little fire. But they didn’t count on the old dorm’s faulty wiring turning a small me into an inferno.”


    I struggled to restrain the urge tosh out at her, listening as she went on.


    “That day, Colin survived. The firefighters and police found him protected in a corner by a charred


    body.” Melody shook her head in feigned pity. “Their bond must have been strong. Carter shielded


    Colin with his body, burned beyond recognition, yet he never moved from that spot, protecting Colin to


    the very end.” “In the aftermath, Colin was severely burned but alive, while Carter… was gone,” she


    sighed.


    As Melody spoke, my body tensed with barely contained fury, trembling with the effort to remain calm.