"How can she do this to me, mama?"
Irene was crying while leaning on her mother's shoulder. She would never forgive Melody for destroying her happiness once again. She had no right to spoil her day.
She was finally going to make Gideon hers but why did Melody have to come and destroy everything she had achieved so far in all these years?
If Melody so wanted her husband then why did they get separated in the first place?
"Irene, calm down," Melisa said with a pained look. She loved her daughter a lot and was ready to go to any extent to keep her happy. She was her only child after all. "I will talk to Melody. She can't come and go just like she desires. Stop crying, my child. Mama promises you that she will make sure you get Gideon."
Something about the way Melisa said "will make sure you get Gideon" made it seem as if Gideon was a toy and anyone could have him after paying a certain price.
"Edward?" Melisa called out her husband's name as she saw him coming her way. She looked at him as if she was in utter grievances. "Please ask Irene to calm down. She has been crying for an hour now. Please do something, I can't see my child in pain."
Edward sighed and patted Irene's shoulder. He was such an unfortunate father. He could only console one daughter and see the other in pain. It happened seven years ago and it was going to happen once again.
It was fixed that either Melody or Irene would get broken in the end.
"Stop crying, okay?" Edwards whispered in a soft voice. "You have a show tomorrow. You can't miss it, remember?"
Irene nodded and wiped her tears. She had a very important show tomorrow and she was the showstopper. She would prove everything that she was best for Gideon, not that good for nothing Melody who had nothing but a pretty face.
Only she deserved Gideon nobody else.
"Go back with your mom. I will see you both at home," Edward told them while leaving the premises. Currently, he has a matter to deal with.
"Mr Callahan?" Assistant Roman was waiting for his boss outside.
"Did you find my elder daughter?" Edward asked. His aura changed from a gentle father to a cold and apathetic business man. He appeared more distinguished and noble with his proud gait.
"Miss Melody Callahan is presently in the reception area," Assistant Roman informed his boss.
Just like Roman had told, Edward saw his elder daughter sitting on the sofa in the reception area, engrossed in her phone. He cleared his throat to get her attention.
Glancing up from her phone, Melody saw her father standing before him, seeming as if she had offended seven of his previous generations. She smirked inwardly. Of course, she knew he was going to ask his assistant to find her. Wasn't it why she decided to wait for them here, instead of wasting their time looking for her?
"Did you have dinner?" Edward asked Melody. He asked her in a manner that portrayed him as a caring father not a businessman out of negotiation. Only time will tell if he was here for negotiation or to play the role of a father.
Melody stared at him for a long time before shaking her head, not showing any emotion on her face.
"Come, we will have dinner in the hotel restaurant, " Edwad said and naturally Melody followed.
…
While Melody was eating her dinner in peace, Edward was staring at her like she was under his study. He was trying to read all the lines and secrets hidden on her face and he did read some to some extent. But he could say what he read was what she was allowing him to see.
The innocent and sweet daughter of his was long gone and in her place was a woman he didn't recognize anymore. Perhaps, he did but his heart didn't want to accept that it was like he was seeing his own carbon copy.
The hidden ferociousness, scheming eyes and honeyed poisonous words. It was so like him that it was scaring him. It was frightening him so much that it fekt as if he could foresaw the result in a single glance; either Hawthrones or Melody would survive. However, no one would be able to leave unscathed.
What would be the benefit of the battle that would leavs all of them defeated in the end?
"How are you?" Edward asked after a long time.
"I'm fine," Melody replied to him with her perfect practiced smile. She didn't ask him how he was in return and continued to eat her food. How he had been all these years had nothing to do with her.
"How has life treated you in all these years?" Another question.
A look of pain passed in her eyes before it was replaced by a nonchalant one. "Quite well actually. Lost and found many things."
No one said anything else for a while.
"Why are you back, Mel?" Edward asked, his intelligent eyes trying to see through her.
Melody swallowed the bite with difficulty but appeared smiling and relaxed, drank water and wiped her mouth. "I thought you would be happy to see your daughter after all these years."
Although her tone was soft like cotton, he felt as if someone dabbed poisonous cotton on his wounds. Painful amd burning.
"I would be if it was my daughter sitting in front of me instead of Gideon Hawthrone's ex wife," Edward directly told her.
Melody didn't correct him. His daughter was long gone and her body was occupied by a vengeful ghost.
"Your elder daughter is dead, Mr Callahan,"She said in a questioning tone," What are you doing here? Go back. I don't want Irene Callahan to come and interrogate me for stealing her father too."
"Leave Irene out of this mess, Melody,"Edward sighed. "Don't cause more pain on each other than you have done."