The room fills with tension and uncomfortable air. Matthew, who is sitting in this kind of atmosphere for a second time, felt suffocated by it. Damian is sitting on the main couch, tapping his finger on the armchair.
He couldn’t move his glares at Riccardo, who was not being invited at all. Melody just sits on the opposite couch of Damian, noticing the glares from Damian.
“Why do you glare at him like that?” she broke the silence.
Damian snaps out of his thoughts and glances at her, “Why is he here?”
“I don’t even know why,” she shrugs.
“Come on, I told you I will visit you,” he grins. “I wouldn’t say anything. Don’t bother me.”
“Your presence bothers me,” Damian grits out.
Riccardo chuckles, “You pay too much attention to me, bud,”
“That’s because you are in my house. I suggest you leave now,” he says firmly.
Before Riccardo could speak, Melody beat him to it, “Both of you enough. May I know why I am being called here?”
Damian let out a deep sigh. He glares at Riccardo as a sign that he should feel glad that Melody is here. If no one was here, he would have already dragged this man out of his mansion.
“It’s about your clan. What are you going to do about it? Will you take it over?” Damian question.
She was taken aback by his question. That’s right. She hasn’t thought about that yet since she was traumatised by the incident of her killing her stepfather. Melody cleared her throat and thought about it.
“I… I never thought of taking over the clan. Besides, my father never trained me about it,” she says in a gentle tone.
“So… what are you going to do?” Matthew asks.
Melody thought about it for a moment. There’s only one thing she wants, which is her father’s property. That’s the only sign for her.
“Maybe… you guys can take it over,” she mumbles.
Damian and Matthew exchange looks in shock. They didn’t expect her to say that. Her father’s clan is not that big, so Damian doesn’t mind taking it over. He looks at her with a serious gaze.
“Are you sure? You know you can’t take it back once it is under my name,” Damian says firmly.
“I’m sure. I just want my father’s property that sign for me,” she sighs.
“If you say so… you don’t have to worry about it anymore. We wouldn’t touch a single cent of your father’s property,” Damian snaps his finger.
Matthew takes that sign and pulls out a file. He put it on the table. “Sign it, Mel. We will handle the rest,”
Melody opens the table. She grabbed the pen and was about to sign it. When she remembers something, she looks at him for a moment.
“Um… can I request something before I sign?”
“And that is?” Damian arches his eyebrows.
“I want all the men in my clan to be treated with respect like how you treat your clan. With welcome and warmth treatment,” she strictly says.
Damian can see how important those men in her clan are to her. He knows they treat her so well before she is under his care. When he heard that request, he didn’t think much about it and agreed.
He will do anything for her…
Anything…
“Right away,”
Hearing him say that made Melody sigh in relief. She continued to sign the paper. Finally, she officially got the property that her father trusted her to hold. It brings a smile to her face.
She closed the file and handed it to Matthew. Melody breathes out and gets up. It catches Damian’s attention.
“Where are you going?” he asks with his stoic expression.
“Anywhere. Is there something else to discuss?” she asks deadpan.
“Can’t you… Can’t you sit just for a moment?” Damian hesitated to speak.
“No-” she was about to answer but she remembers Riccardo’s words. “Fine,”
Melody sits on the couch back. She sighs and looks away from everyone not wanting to do this. Even though Damian’s expression is stoic, his heart feels light when she listens to him.
“If there’s any request you want to make… just inform me right away. I will do it for you,” he starts the conversation.
“Hm.”
“Not only about this clan stuff but… if you want something out of our deal, don’t be afraid to tell me,” he added.
Melody’s finger twitch. She looks at him, “I want nothing from you anymore. Don’t worry,”
“Mel, I know both of us are not on a good term, but… you are still under my care not until you sign the divorce paper,” Damian narrows his eyes on her, “If you got something on your mind, tell me.”
“Why do I have to? I told you… I want nothing from you. I don’t care whether I’m still under your care or not,” she firmly said.
Matthew shifted in his seat, knowing where this conversation led to. He fanned himself as the air got hotter. Not in a good way.
“Why do you have to be so stubborn? I’m being nice here and yet, you keep pushing me away,” he grits out.
“I don’t need that ‘nice’ of you. I didn’t ask for it,” she said.
Damian chuckles, “Oh yeah? If you didn’t need my nice treatment, you wouldn’t be alive right now, Melody.”
“Are you saying you will kill me? Kill me. I dare you,” she gets up, getting frustrated with him.
“Careful with what you ask, Mel,” he clenched his fist.
“I don’t have to. Why? Because I’d rather die than face your wrath!” she raised her voice. “You should feel glad that I’m doing you a favour right now.”
“You don’t need me, right? Then, I’m leaving as you ask for,”
A sound click is being heard. Damian points his gun toward her. If it was not because of anger, Melody would be trembling in fear. Yet, there’s no sign of fear in her eyes. The only thing they could see was pain and sadness.
Not only that. Damian’s hand tremble slightly, holding the gun toward her. Riccardo just watches their interaction while Matthew does not know what to do to break this fight.
“Shoot. I’m ready,” she demands. Her doe eyes were brimming with tears.
Damian gritted his teeth, “You… You pissed me off…”
“I’d rather die than face you who are not being honest with yourself,” her words make Damian flinch.
Is he not honest with himself? Damian’s stoic expression starts to break. The pain and sadness in his eyes start to be visible.
Suddenly, the living room door opens when Victor walks in. He holding a file, “Dam, I-”
His words stuck along with his steps. The scene in front of him succeeds in making him. Damian pointing his gun towards Melody. Matthew looks at his friend asking for help.
“What is going on here?” Victor frowns.
Damian breathing heavily and lowers his gun, “Nothing. What do you want to say just now?”
He knows something is happening while he’s gone. He always misses something, and it makes him frustrated.
“I got the divorce paper that you asked me to prepare,” Victor handed it to him.
Melody’s eyes widen slightly. The sight of Damian holding the divorce paper stung her heart deeply. She looks at Riccardo, who is already looking at her. His eyes pleading her to remember their discussion before this.
“Oh…” Damian didn’t expect the divorce paper to arrive early. He’s not ready for it,
He looks at Melody. The grip on the paper tightened causing it to crumble a bit. No, he doesn’t want this. He never wants this. But… for her sake.
“You said you want to leave, right? Then, sign this,” he threw the paper at the coffee table.
Melody clenched her fist. She glanced at Riccardo one last time. He didn’t say anything and kept a neutral expression, but his eyes said something else. She moves her gaze to the paper once again.
‘He just… too stupid to be honest in what he truly wants.’
‘No one taught him how to express what he wanted,’
‘Bear with him a little bit longer. Just a little bit,
In the end, she decides to do this for Riccardo. “I will sign it later. I got work to do,”
By that, she walks away leaving the living room. Damian furrows his eyebrows, confused by her action.