In the comfort of her bedroom, Melissa peeled off her black dress and sighed with relief; her body could breathe, and she could now move around freely.
She changed into an oversized jumper and leggings and slid her feet into her leather slides. Her mother's words still haunted her mind as she let the sharp stabs of pain flush over her in the comfort of her father's house.
At the age of twenty-eight, she didn't consider herself old, yet most of her friends from the small town had married young, which wasn't uncommon, especially in small towns outside the influence of the capital where the average age of building a family had quickly spiked in the recent decade. Many women not only decided to gain more independence and put more emphasis on their careers, but they also considered the increasing cost of living, not to mention the astronomical rental market.
Who in their right mind would even consider starting a family in their late 20s? Melissa wondered.
Moreover, Melissa was almost convinced that her mother was lying about her father worrying about her future, but since her father could no longer defend himself, a seed of doubt entered her mind as she made her way back downstairs. It wasn't enough having lost her father not long ago, but second-guessing his last thoughts ticked on her temples, causing her neck to stiffen and ache. She gently massaged her neck as she entered the kitchen to prepare a cup of camomile tea.
As Melissa let the teabag brew, she replayed her father's fears in her mind. She had never discussed her future with him…but he had never brought it up with her either. Could he have been worrying in secret all along? Could her mother be right for once?
While Melissa continued to question everything, the doorbell interrupted her train of thought.
Melissa glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and frowned; 11:45 was not the time to turn up at someone's house unannounced.
The doorbell chimed again, and Melissa tiptoed through the hallway towards the front door. She peered through the entrance window to see the silhouette of a tall figure on the other side.
"Who is it?" she hooted, holding the doorknob.
The unknown visitor remained silent, but suddenly rattled the handle as if to try and get inside.
Melissa jumped back and her heart pounded with terror.
"If you don't reveal your identity, you will leave me no choice but to call the police!" Melissa barked, afraid that no one would notice her disappearance if the mysterious person had ill intentions.
The doorknob stopped moving and the entrance remained silent. The lack of response made the hair on her neck stand on end and goosebumps covered her skin.
Melissa cleared her throat and loaded her husky voice with authority. "I mean it, the town is not that big, the police will be here in minutes!"
Her loose threat seemed to have worked as the person paused and turned away from the door. The sound of their footsteps faded, and she relaxed her shoulders and exhaled.
Melissa relaxed. She had gotten used to people mixing up her apartment with someone else's in her cramped London building, but mistaking an entire house in such a small town surprised her.
She brushed off the strange encounter and returned to the kitchen when she bumped into a strong chest. A pair of muscular arms grabbed her, and her instinct told her to fight.
"Let me go! Keep your hands off me!" Melissa screamed, kicking the intruder to his knees.
She stepped back and whipped her hair away from her face. "I swear to God, you will not get away with this!"
The man's arms loosened from around her and a husky voice spoke. "Melissa, isn't it?"
Melissa stared at the tall figure before her and her eyes met a familiar face.
"Andres-" Melissa guessed, but she covered her mouth with embarrassment when she realised that the man who stood in her house couldn't possibly be Andres.
Hugo shook his head and a sarcastic smile appeared on his face. "Think again, Mona-Lisa. I believe you met my brother earlier today, so you should be well-informed of his medical condition."
"Oh, I didn't mean that… I'm so sorry," Melissa apologised, but she paused and dipped her brow.
She stepped back and crossed her hands over her chest. "I mean, what are you doing here breaking into people's homes?"
With confidence, Andres's twin brother moved her aside like a doll and stepped inside the small kitchen. Melissa scoffed with incredulousness and waited for his explanation.
"I saw a strange car in the driveway and decided to check that no one planned to rob the place. Your father's death headlined the news, so naturally, people with ill intentions would assume the house is empty," Hugo said, curiously eying Melissa's steaming teacup.
For a second, Melissa wanted to grab her teacup from the kitchen counter and cover his arrogant face in hot liquid, but she kept her cool.
"Well, as you now know, the car is mine. I rented it when I arrived," Melissa explained, tightening her unsupported chest.
Suddenly, she was very conscious of not wearing a bra underneath her jumper, as she hadn't expected any visitors at this hour.
"I see you arrived at Patrick's memorial service like everyone else," Hugo said.
He opened one of the kitchen cupboards and grabbed a teacup and a pack of tea biscuits from the top shelf.
Melissa opened her arms to stop him, but her braless breasts slumped under her jumper, causing her to close her arms to conceal them. The rough fabric rubbed against her sensitive skin and she felt her nipples harden.
"Excuse me, what are you doing, Mr Ferrero?"
Although the arrogant prick shared blood with Andres, he hadn't been such a familiar face in the town compared to his brother. In fact, Melissa could only remember crossing paths with him once or twice before he disappeared.
"Just Hugo," he said, pouring hot water into his cup. "I'm sure you are on a first-name basis with my brother as well."
Melissa scowled at Hugo and pursed her lips in frustration.
"And just to let you know, I've seen your nipples through your jumper since you bumped into me, so there is no reason to be shy now, just relax."
Melissa gasped. "For goodness's sake!"
Melissa fled from the kitchen and raced upstairs to the sound of his masculine laughter. She stormed into her old bedroom and grabbed the simple, lace bra from her bed, glaring at the door to make sure Hugo didn't barge in while she changed. His arrogance infuriated her, but she couldn't help the goosebumps creep from under her skin when she felt the faint hint of his cologne following her in the air.
Melissa took a deep breath to calm the butterflies in her stomach and returned to the kitchen a few minutes later.
Hugo sat at the kitchen table, drinking his tea and scoffing the last pack of biscuits in the house as he flicked through the Financial Times.
"You got that from my handbag!" Melissa barked, pointing at the newspaper spread out before him. "How dare you go through my things!"
Hugo rolled his eyes. "Calm down, it's not like I had to rifle through your bag to get it."
Melissa huffed and crossed her arms. "You never answered my question – what are you doing here?"
"I told you, I thought someone planned to rob the house," Hugo repeated, lifting his gaze from the newspaper.
Hugo's presence overpowered the small room and Melissa's body tensed with unease. He let his eyes rest on her for a while before he returned his gaze to the newspaper, licked his thumb and forefinger and turned the next page. Melissa blushed at his intimate gesture, but she cleared her throat and tried to match his authoritative tone.
"I appreciate your concern, but now you know it's me, the legal owner of the property, you need to leave. It's late and I have to get up early tomorrow."
Hugo closed the newspaper and folded it neatly on the table. "I'm sure it won't take all day tomorrow to get ready for a date night with my brother. Besides, your old man said I would be welcome here anytime."
Melissa jerked her head back up and glowered at him. "How do you know I have a date with your brother?"
Hugo munched the last biscuit and used the colourful napkin on the table to wipe his mouth. "My brother told me."
"Um, okay?"
Melissa touched her neck nervously.
I don't want to get caught in the middle of a delicate family matter, she thought silently and wondered if she should call off the evening with Andres.
"Oh dear, indeed," Hugo said and directed his sharp look at her. "Why are you going out with my brother, anyway? I don't recall you showing much interest in any of us ten years back."
His rightful accusation brought Melissa back in time.
Canford Cliffs had been a peaceful place to live, but she had never felt connected to the local children. She had always considered herself a lonely wolf and enjoyed reading more than participating in local activities. In fact, one of her best memories included wandering to the windy beach close to her home. Usually, it hadn't taken her long to find a secure spot before sitting down and sinking her feet deep into the warm sand. Solemnly, a good book, the waves hitting the shore and the whistling wind were enough to accompany her.
She had stayed in Canford Cliffs until the day she received her acceptance letter to the University of Kent to study finance and accounting, which had offered her a way to leave Canford Cliffs without guilt or regret.
The university had been only hours away, allowing her to visit her parents every weekend just in time to witness their cracking marriage. She had always tried to stay neutral and never take sides whilst her parents were arguing, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for her father who had given all his life to her and her mother.
"Are you done daydreaming or shall I give you another minute for you to reply to my simple question?"
Melissa blinked herself back to reality and desperately tried to remember his question.
"Well, your brother took me by surprise, and my mother thought it would be a good idea considering I haven't-"
"Do you always do what your mother says?" Hugo interrupted, striding towards her.
Melissa felt light-headed as Hugo's musky scent surrounded her, and she stole a moment to admire his black jeans and leather jacket that covered his muscular frame. She stared into his eyes and furrowed her brow.
"Your eyes are nearly black, not hazel," she mumbled as his warmth entered her joints.
Hugo laughed and inspected her features. "Thanks for the detailed description, I'll make a note of that."
"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that! I just meant… you are twins, but your brother's eyes are hazel, yours are more -"
"Whilst I appreciate your smart observation, the twin jokes are a little old now and I don't consider them entertaining whatsoever."
Melissa blushed and stepped away from him, her brain turning to mush, which was unusual as she worked with male colleagues every day. Why would Andres's brother be any different?
"Why would my father allow you to enter his house?" Melissa questioned, changing the topic.
"Because I kept him company when his only daughter, his little Lizzy, abandoned him for a big career in London," Hugo jabbed.
Melissa's eyes welled with tears at the sound of the old nickname her father had once given her, but she forced them back and glared at Hugo.
"It's hardly abandonment to live in a different city from your parents!" Melissa defended. "Besides, I visited them nearly every weekend and during the holidays."
Hugo tilted his head and smirked. "I'm sure that's exactly what your father thought on all those lonely nights with only the tick of the clock to keep him company."
Melissa's eyes sharpened. "How dare you guilt-trip me for my choices! We live in the 21st century, women have careers now and they run businesses. It shouldn't be a surprise to you."
Hugo's cocky smile disappeared, and his tone changed. "I didn't question your choices. I just pointed out that your father wasn't well for a long time before his heart attack, so he could have used more help around the house."
Two lonely tears emerged from the corners of Melissa's eyes as her stomach twisted with guilt. "You're lying."
Hugo lifted his hand towards Melissa's face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Now, what's the point in lying to someone I don't care about?"
Hugo's harsh words filled Melissa with an icy bitterness, but she refused to stoop to his level.
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. "You need to go now."
Hugo dropped his hands back to his sides and nodded. "Easy, just cancel the date with my brother and you'll never hear from me again."
Melissa scoffed in disbelief. "Why should I cancel? I promised my mother I would go!"
Hugo huffed in frustration. "In that case, what would you do if your mother told you to do this?"
Melissa frowned, but before she could respond, Hugo pressed his warm lips against hers with such intensity that she had to grab his arms to maintain her balance. She tried to pull away from him but Hugo wrapped his muscular arms around her waist and yanked her closer. His lips tasted of camomile tea and sweet biscuits, and his fierce passion sent her into a moment of pure bliss. Heat surged down Melissa's body and her stomach swirled with butterflies as electric passion continued to fill the kitchen.
Melissa lost herself in his embrace when Hugo suddenly pushed her away. He wiped his mouth and grimaced as if he had been forced to kiss her.
"Well, it looks like you are mummy's girl after all," Hugo mocked. "Your father would be thrilled to know how you entertain strangers in his house. Even though, it's the 21st century, as you stated."
Melissa opened her mouth to speak, but the combination of breathlessness and speechlessness overwhelmed her. Her lips burned from his unexpected embrace, but his intolerance made her mind blaze with rage.
"Stay away from my brother. I mean it," Hugo ordered as he turned on his heel.
He marched out of the kitchen and made his way to the front door without hesitation. As she followed, Melissa doubted whether Hugo had spent time with her father after all.