Chapter 78 Veiled Barbs
*?) Lucky Draw
After they finished shopping, Kevin started urging Melody to head home.
“You’re still pregnant,” he reminded her, “You’ve been out long enough. You must be tired. Let’s get you back.”
But Melody wasn’t actually pregnant, and she wasn’t tired at all. What she was, was reluctant to be separated from Chandler.
Of course, she couldn’t say that out loud, so instead, she clung to his arm and stayed silent.
Kevin picked up on her hesitation and frowned.
“You can ride with Chandler,” he said stiffly. “I’ll follow in my
car behind.”
He didn’t give either of them a chance to argue before pulling his sister toward the elevator.
Chandler hesitated. He’d been planning to return to the store and find Ginny once the Wheeler siblings left, but now that Kevin insisted he take Melody home, he couldn’t exactly refuse.
So he followed in silence.
While waiting for the elevator, Chandler glanced toward the boutique across the floor. Ginny must have left already. She
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wouldn’t have waited this long.
She must’ve been upset.
Lucky Draw
He hadn’t meant to leave her behind like that. Would she even answer his calls later?
The elevator reached the ground floor.
Just as Kevin opened his mouth to ask where Chandler’s car was parked, Chandler suddenly cut in.
“My stomach’s acting up. I need to use the restroom.”
Without waiting for a response, he stepped back into the elevator and pressed the button for the second floor.
Melody blinked in confusion. “There’s a restroom on the first floor… why’s he going upstairs?”
They were regulars at this mall. Chandler knew that as well as she did. There was no reason to go up, unless something else was going on.
Kevin, on the other hand, knew exactly where Chandler was headed. But he didn’t explain. He coaxed his sister into waiting in the lobby, sitting beside her to keep her company.
Meanwhile, Chandler stepped off the elevator and made a beeline for the boutique.
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He pushed through the door, barely catching his breath.
Lucky Draw
“The girl who came in with me earlier where is she? Is she still in the store?”
The two saleswomen, who were busy helping another customer pack up purchases, exchanged a quick, uneasy glance.
Then they both shook their heads a little too fast. “N–No… she already left.”
Chandler was too distracted to notice their unease. As soon as he heard Ginny had gone, his whole expression fell.
So she really did leave. She must’ve been angry.
Maybe it was for the best. If she were still here, he wouldn’t even know how to explain everything.
He tried to convince himself of that, but the longer he stood there, the darker his expression became.
When he got back to the lobby, Melody looked up in concern.
“Are you okay? Are you still feeling sick? Should Kevin and I take you to the hospital?”
Chandler shook his head weakly, about to say he was fine, when Kevin chimed in with a sharp, sarcastic edge. “A man with a
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body that frail? That’s not a good sign.”
Lucky Draw Lucky
No man liked hearing that. Chandler stiffened, visibly annoyed.
“I found out I left something behind at the boutique, so I ran back to get it,” he explained quickly. “I didn’t want to keep you both waiting, so I ran the whole way. That’s why I’m sweating.”
Melody relaxed, relieved that he wasn’t ill.
But Kevin’s irritation only grew.
“If I had to guess,” he said flatly, “I’d say you left that item in the first store we visited.”
Chandler felt the jab. He could sense the double meaning in Kevin’s words, but said nothing.
If Kevin truly suspected Chandler had gone to see Ginny, he wouldn’t have let it go this easily. Maybe he was just tired of
waiting.
Without responding, Chandler took Melody’s hand and walked her toward the parking lot.
Outside the mall, Keyin asked Melody to wait at the entrance while he and Chandler retrieved the car. As they walked, he turned to Chandler and spoke in a low, pointed voice.
“My sister’s simple–hearted. She likes you, and she believes
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Chapter 78 Veiled Barbs
every word you say.
(Lucky Draw
“She’s the princess in our family. If it were up to us to choose her husband, you wouldn’t have even made the list.
“But she loves you, and to make her happy, we’ve decided to tolerate you. That doesn’t mean we like you, Chandler.
“Just the fact that you’re still not divorced makes you unworthy in our eyes. Not a responsible man, not someone fit to stand beside her.
“But for Melody’s sake, we’ve swallowed our pride.
“So I hope, for the sake of the child she’s carrying, you’ll be faithful to her. Stop keeping one hand in the bowl and another reaching for the pot.”
He finished speaking, got into his car, and sped away without looking back.
Chandler stared after the taillights, brows furrowed.
“Mm… mm…”
Inside the storeroom, Ginny struggled to cry out, hoping someone–anyone–outside might hear her.
But before long, she heard the employees talking about closing up shop.
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Chapter 78 Veiled Barbs
Panic surged through her.
(9) Lucky Draw
If the store closed, the whole mall would be locked down. She wouldn’t be able to get out at all.
She was still wearing the high–slit dress she’d tried on earlier, and the night air outside had turned sharp. It was late autumn. If she had to spend the night here, she’d be frozen by morning- if not worse.
She couldn’t afford to get sick.
And she definitely couldn’t let Kevin win.
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