Chapter 23:

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Colton’s face was a storm brewing in silence, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.

“Pack it up and get out! And while you’re at it, stop spreading lies on my turf!”

The workers, bewildered by his sudden outburst, moved sluggishly, their moods soured as they loaded everything onto the truck, grumbling under their breath. “Look at that pair. Couldn’t be more different if they tried,” one of them muttered.

Colton was about to explode.

He cursed, “Bunch of lowlifes!”

Melany clung to his arm. “Why let people like that get under your skin, Colton? This is going to be our home now. Doesn’t that make you happy?”

The idle chatter of those beneath her wasn’t worth a second thought. They didn’t know anything.

No matter how many cards Allison thought she had up her sleeve, Melany was the one destined to stand by Colton’s side.

“Of course, I’m happy. My future is with you.” The weight of his grandfather’s disappointment lingered, stealing any desire to argue further. He led Melany upstairs to the second floor.

His room was just as it had always been, except for one detail.

There, on the table, sat a small, elegant box.

Allison’s wedding ring. He hadn’t thought about it in ages. Keanu had pitied her at the time, pushing for a rushed ceremony, and they’d only managed to get a limited edition diamond ring.

Lɒtєѕτ chɑρτєrs ιn g𝓪l𝑛ovє𝓁𝓈.𝑐𝓞𝓂

Colton himself had never worn his ring. He had tossed it into the safe—out of sight, out of mind. This was the second time he’d laid eyes on Allison’s ring; the first being at their wedding.

It had cost around four hundred thousand. Though not as extravagant as the ring he’d quietly purchased for Melany, for someone like Allison—coming from nothing—it had been a fortune.

Yet, she’d left it behind.

Colton moved toward the closet, opening it to reveal the untouched relics of Allison’s past—luxury dresses and jewelry hanging with meticulous care. Even the limited-edition handbags, each worth a small fortune, sat undisturbed.

These were all things he’d given her without much thought over the years, or that Lindy had bought for her. Allison had taken everything that was truly hers. But the lavish gifts from the Stevens family? She’d left those behind without a second glance.

It should’ve been easy, this clear-cut separation. But as Colton pressed a hand to his chest, an unexpected heaviness settled there, as though something had quietly slipped away, leaving behind a space he hadn’t noticed before.

His heart felt strangely hollow. There was no sense of belonging.

“Colton, stop dwelling on it. Even though Allison got that Cobweb invitation, I’ve already had my dad look into it.” She assumed his silence was frustration and spoke up, hoping to comfort him. “Whoever the ad executive is doesn’t matter. I’ve found a lead.”

Allison’s parting words had stung more deeply than Melany cared to admit, even though they were likely spoken in passing. But to Melany, they were an unspoken challenge—one she was determined to rise above. She wouldn’t spend her life playing second fiddle to Allison.

“What kind of lead?”

“Kellan Lloyd—the heir to the Lloyd Group. He’s got connections with the advertising executive. If we can get him on our side, that’s our in. He’s been hanging around Athton lately, something about ceramics.”

Colton weighed her words before nodding, reaching out to run his fingers gently through her hair. “Melany, you always know exactly what I need!” He was resolute. He would win Kellan over in Athton, and this time, failure wasn’t an option!

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