Dexter seemed almost desperate for me to believe him.


    “Dexter…” Melody’s presence was like a bad penny as if she couldn’t stand a moment apart from him.


    Dexter frowned, still standing his ground, waiting for Melody toe over and cling to his arm.


    He didn’t push Melody away; instead, he looked at me somewhat worriedly as if afraid I’d get jealous.


    “Go wait in the car,” Dexter told Melody.


    Melody hesitated.


    “The ce is swarming with reporters; Caleb’s already been taken away by the cops. You’ll be fine,”


    Dexter whispered.


    Melody bit her lip, shot me a resentful re, and left unwillingly.


    “Phoebe…” Dexter seemed to want to exin.


    “Mr. Fitzgerald, you really are adies‘ man,” I said with chilly sarcasm.


    “Melody did save my life once, and I promised to ensure her safety. Now that the murderer is after her,


    the police can’t protect her around the clock… I…” Dexter hoped I would understand. “And eded to


    uncover the truth, to show you Caleb’s true colors.”


    “Oh, so you were doing it all for me. How touching,” I couldn’t help butugh.


    How blind was I in the past to see Dexter through rose–colored sses just because of a supposed


    debt of gratitude?


    “Sometimes, people do confuse gratitude with love; I can rte to that,” I said coolly.


    Dexter’s face turned even more ufortable. “Phoebe… I didn’t mean… I…”


    “Dexter, even if you don’t want to admit it, I have to tell you a fact. Phoebe is dead. The person


    standing in front of you is Foebe,” I cut him off indifferently.


    Dexter’s throat seemed to close up, his eyes reddening. He opened his mouth to speak, but no word


    came


    out.


    Finally, he looked down, a bitter smile on his lips. “I know you are… Phoebe Caldwell.”


    “Foebe, you’ve ruined a perfectly good funeral. Look at the mess now!” The Langley family, those so–


    called rtives, saw Caleb taken away, Brendan’s body removed by the police and started to turn on


    me one by


    one.


    That aunt’s son–inw, fired up as if on steroids, stepped forward demanding an exnation. “Foebe!


    You’re a jinx! Since you married into the Langley family, we’ve never had a moment’s peace. Samuel’s


    ident, Brendan’s death, look at what you’ve done to this family!”


    “Exactly! Brendan can’t even rest in peace because of you. You’re going to be the end of the Langley


    family!” The daughter chimed in with her ownints.


    “If you’re sick, see a doctor. Whether Brendan died naturally or was murdered, the police need to give


    us an answer,” I frowned, stepping back warily, knowing these people were now in cahoots with Henry.


    If they hurt me or the baby in my belly by ident, it would only be a case of involuntary injury.


    09:53


    Sure enough, that son–inw made a move to push me.


    Dexter furrowed his brow and grabbed the man’s wrist. “Back off.”


    The man flinched, still somewhat intimidated by Dexter. “Foebe, you’re really something! Even Mr.


    Fitzgerald’s got your back.”


    My gaze fell on Dexter’s wrist, where a vicious scar was visible, looking like a relic from a suicide


    attempt.


    Seeing me looking at his wrist, Dexter quickly withdrew his hand, hiding it behind his back. “This isn’t


    safe. Come with me.”


    Eric stepped forward to block those demanding an exnation from me while Dexter grabbed my wrist,


    trying to lead me away.


    I shook off Dexter’s hand, and in the crowd, I saw Bran with a baseball cap on. It looked like he was


    skipping school again.


    When he saw me looking, Bran came over with a dark expression, ced the cap on my head, and


    gave Dexter a warning look before leading me to the car.


    “Did they take him away?” Bran asked me with displeasure.


    I nodded.


    Bran cursed under his breath as if he had anticipated this all along.Têxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.