Melinda's eyes were cold as she watched lily sunbathe in front of the mirror in her beautiful wedding dress.
She knew that all of this was actually hers. This dress, this wedding and this man. Her husband! The girl had torn all this out of her hand. Now she stood there in this dream of white and beamed out of happiness. And Melinda hated it. She hated to watch her get everything that had been hers for so long. The man who only a few years ago had waited on his knees and prayed she would be his wife. The man she loved with all her heart, the reason why she had put her life on the line. Just to save his. It was so unfair. He was hers.
While she fought for her survival all those years abroad, only the thought of him had let her breath. She had endured, all because of him. But because of this wedding, she felt she was choking at her own emotions. If she couldn't have him, what was the point behind all the torture she had to endure. Always living in fear.
Afraid that Gaston's men would find her after all. She needed him to breathe and stop suffocating in her nightmares every night. She could remember all the good memories they had together, as if barely seconds had passed since their separation. They meant nothing to him? The time that they had spent together. All the hours they warmed each other. The emptiness they had filled inside. What did she mean to him? Was it not love that attracted them? She remembered every time they were together. Their first encounter and their last good-bye kiss. The tender touches, the hugs and kisses.
And after all that, he'd just forgotten her. Melinda refused to believe it.
She could only see how he had to go on. He tried to live his life without her. Her heart was sure of it. Alexandre still searched for her every night.
She couldn't let the two of them be unhappy in the end, despite the fact that she knew a way to reunite them. Melinda couldn't let Alexandre marry someone else when she was back.
She would prevent this loveless marriage. She couldn't let the girl marry the man she loved. She couldn't watch with a smile on her lips. After she suffered a lot of heartache, her resentment against the girl grew even stronger. Melinda's eyes rested on Lily, her lips formed a narrow smile, a satisfied expression appeared on her face. She knew she would take it all back. She was not a woman who would give up without a fight. Alexandre would be by her side again. In the near future, she would be the Duchess de Valois.
Melinda's face lit up at the mere thought of what would happen later. Elegantly, she rose from her chair and quietly slipped to the door. Walking down the long corridor to a secluded room, closing the door behind her. Before she pulled the black mobile out of her pocket and dialing Dorylus' number. A few seconds later it clicked and a quiet breath could be heard on the line.
"Have all the arrangements been completed?"
"All is ready for the great spectacle." It hummed happily in her ear. Then it clicked, and only the sound of a hang-up call was heard. Melinda also returned her mobile phone to her pocket, smoothed the mint cocktail dress and stumbled back to her post. She had the feeling as if her lungs were finally getting air again after a long break. She could breathe. Really exhale. Any problems she had would finally be solved on this very day. All at once. Later, when everything got out of control, her opportunity would come to quietly and effectively complete the plan.
Yes, she had to admit that the last one had gone down the drain a lot. She had hired the wrong man and Alexandre was even injured and the security around the girl was only increased, which caused her a real headache. But on happy days, like a wedding, people tended to be careless. Her chance!
With a professional at work, who supported her. It never occurred to her to fail a second time. Together with her partner she had worked out every little detail of her plan in the last weeks. There could be no mistakes, because this plan was perfect. In all the turmoil, she would let the girl disappear. She would deal with the little bastard later, when she was officially his stepmother.