"Lucas I didn't mean that.I just hmm."Mel tried to defend what she said.
"Really. "Lucas said
Lucas sat next to Mel while engaging in a conversation with Milo concerning the engagement his parents said during the interview which was announced to separate Lucas from Mel.
While engrossed in a conversation with Milo,Miles walked in with Luke.Mel leaped from the sofa enveloping Luke in a tight hug which made Lucas jealous.
"Luuuukkkkke, where have you been . Have missed you." Mel said squeaking.
"I was taking care of things in Spain and I just got back.Why don't we head to the dinning to have lunch,am starving."He said .
"Okay.Lucas won't you join us , you haven't eaten anything yourself."Mel said concerned.
"Am good. "Lucas replied.
While enjoying their lunch, Lucas and Milo were discussing on Mel engagement.
"Why did your parents announce the engagement today-they should have done it sooner so I could lock Mel up for no one else to see."Lucas said .
"Tomorrow's our birthday. It's convenient to get it over with. And, let's be honest, it's to keep Mel away from you." Miles said.
Lucas's expression turned serious. "She's getting married to Hunter? After what happened to his mother... He's life took a dark turn."
Miles nodded. "He's a bloody masochist, a psychopath, and a killer. Goes by the name X who finds joy in raping married woman, trafficking of babies, organ harvesting, the worse of them all. And he's coming for Mel because he knows her weaknesses."
Milo's voice was laced with concern. "If Mel is engaged to him... I don't know what would happen to her. Mum and Dad created this opportunity for him. We have to do something."
The three of them shared a worried glance, aware of the potential danger Mel faced.
Mel tried to reduce the tension in the air by diverting Lucas attention to herself.
"Lucas can we go to the mall please-you can come if you want to I just want to get something's okay and I promise I wouldn't cause any trouble while we are there."She said
"Yes lets head out" he said .
Melody headed upstairs to her room, needing a brief moment to collect her thoughts. She quickly changed into a fresh outfit, the new clothes providing a small boost to her mood. Feeling slightly more energized, she made her way back downstairs to the living room.
As she entered, she was struck by the somber atmosphere. Her brothers, slumped on the couch, wore worried expressions. Lucas, their friends, sat beside them, his usual bright demeanor replaced by a gloomy frown.
The TV was muted, and the room was silent, except for the occasional sigh. Melody sensed that something was wrong, but no one seemed willing to talk about it. She took a seat next to her brothers, feeling the weight of their collective unease.
The gloomy attitude in the room was palpable, and Melody couldn't help but wonder how to break the silence.
Melody and Lucas strolled through the bustling mall, their first stop being a jewellery store. Melody had her heart set on finding the perfect bracelet, one with the names of her brothers engraved on it. She browsed through the displays, but nothing seemed quite right. Disappointed, she left the store empty-handed.
Next, they headed to the clothing section, where Melody spotted a beautiful dress she wanted to buy for her brother's birthday. However, when she asked Lucas to join her in trying it on, he politely declined, preferring to wait outside.
As Melody shopped, she noticed a shadowy figure lurking in the corner of her eye. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and her gaze met Lucas's, who seemed to be aware of the situation. His expression was cautious, and Melody wondered if she should be worried.
"Is everything okay?" Melody asked Lucas, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucas nodded subtly, his eyes never leaving the surrounding area. "Let's just get you that dress and get out of here," he suggested, his tone low and guarded.
Melody's instincts told her that something was off, but she wasn't sure what. She quickly grabbed the dress and decided to try it on, feeling a sense of unease as she walked away from Lucas.
She headed for the restroom, needing a moment of solitude. As she entered the restroom, an assassin sent by Hunter ambushed her. The attacker was ruthless, and Mel found herself in a desperate fight for her life.
The assassin's eyes widened in shock as the jagged shard of porcelain tore into his flesh, blood spraying across the tiled floor in hot spurts. He gurgled, clutching at the wound, but Mel didn't let up. Adrenaline surged through her veins, sharpening her senses amid the chaos. She drove her knee into his gut, forcing him to double over, then slammed her elbow into the back of his skull with a sickening crack.
He slumped against the wall, gasping, but rallied with a feral snarl, lunging at her with a concealed knife glinting in his hand. Mel dodged, the blade slicing through the air where her arm had been moments before. She countered by grabbing his wrist and twisting hard, the snap of bone echoing in the confined space. The knife clattered to the ground, and she kicked it away, her breath coming in ragged bursts.
'You bitch,' he rasped, blood bubbling from his lips, but Mel was done playing defense. She seized a handful of his hair, yanking his head back to expose the gash in his neck, and rammed the shard deeper. His body convulsed, then went limp, sliding down the wall in a heap. Mel staggered back, her hands trembling, smeared with crimson. The metallic tang of blood filled her nostrils, and she retched, bracing herself against the sink.
Heart pounding, she scanned the restroom—empty, thank God. No one had heard the commotion over the mall's distant hum. Wiping her face with a shaky sleeve, she tore off a strip from her new dress to staunch the assassin's bleeding, but it was too late; his eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. Panic clawed at her chest. Hunter. This was his doing. The engagement wasn't just a cage—it was a death sentence.
She slipped out of the restroom, forcing a casual stride despite the bloodstains she hoped the dim lighting concealed. Lucas waited outside the fitting rooms, arms crossed, his gaze sharpening the instant he saw her. 'Mel? What the hell happened?'
Her voice cracked as she grabbed his arm. 'Not here. We need to go. Now.'
Lucas's jaw tightened, his protective instincts flaring. He scanned the crowd, spotting nothing amiss, but the tension in her grip told him everything. Without a word, he steered her toward the exit, his hand firm on her lower back, guiding her through the throng of shoppers. The mall's bright lights felt mocking now, casting long shadows that seemed to whisper threats.