Melissa lived in Edward’s mansion for weeks’ training every day. Though her grandfather was against her plans, he would not let her face the Johnsons on her own.
He watched her run around the field every morning and work out in the gym. Often instructing David to be too hard on her whenever she got flustered and left in the middle of the practice.
Standing at the floor to ceiling window, he watched his grandchildren teasing each other. Back then, he never thought his choices in life would hurt his family this much. Looking at his grandchildren reminded him of how close and happy his boys were.
“They are getting along very well.” Lucy said, placing the tea tray on his office desk.
“Yes, if only I can stop her from doing what she is planning. Prevent her from being so hateful and resentful, then we would all be happy.”
“Are you afraid of meeting Johnson face to face?” She asked handing him a cup of tea.
“I knew this day was inevitable, but I’m worried about what it might do to them.” Sighing he sipped the tea, his eyes glued on David and Melissa.
“They will understand once they get to know everything that happened in the past and hopefully you and Johnson can get along again like the good old days.” She touched his arm looking at his old face reminding her of the playful boy she always tagged along with.
Life has hardened him but she could still see that boy in his eyes and from his smile as he watched his grandchildren from afar.
“Remember, stand with your back straight, legs apart, and well balanced before shooting.” David instructed Melissa fixing her earmuffs at the shooting range. Unlike Melissa, David studied in a military school. All his life his mother trained him to defend himself since she knew the family they come from. And when he met his grandfather and joined Edward’s security company he became one of the best training instructors.
Breathing in, Melissa closed her eyes for a second then opened them and fired all the bullets at the target.
Drawing the target near she screamed hugging David. “Yesss! I f*cking did it. I hit the bull’s eye, haha.” For days she had trained, missing the target every time to a point of almost giving up but now she did it. Picturing Sasha in front of her gave Melissa the focus she has been missing. “Again, I want to try with a moving object.” She said loading her gun as David changed the target.
“That’s enough for the day. Why don’t you sit down and have something to drink.” Betty called out to them setting a tray of iced tea and bread on the table. “Keep that thing away from me. I don’t understand why you feel so happy handling such a dangerous weapon.” Betty shook her head pushing the gun Melissa was holding away from her.
At first, when Melissa said she was going to live with the Edwards, her aunt was happy to join her but seeing how she was changing alarmed her. She was not the same sweet loving forgiving girl she was taking care of. The Melissa she saw in that house was full of hate and revenge. If she forcefully goes to the Johnsons like this she will get hurt and that broke Betty’s heart.
“Aunt you don’t have to be scared, it’s safe.” Melissa laughed teasing her with the gun in her hand.
“Ma’am someone is here to see you.” One of the maids informed Melissa.
Walking into the waiting area, she met with the private detective that David had recommended to her.
“Have a seat.” She smiled at him as they shone hands. “What did you find out?” The man took an envelope from his briefcase.
“There is information about your aunt’s family.” He handed her the envelope.
“I don’t understand.” Seated opposite him she went through the report.
“Like you ordered ma’am, we checked all the cemeteries but nothing came up. So I went to the company and though the company’s name had changed after Mr. Richard’s accident, the ownership didn’t. An old employee recognized Ms. Betty from the photo, but surprisingly enough he believed she was dead.” The detective explained.
“So after the accident, they relocated? Does this mean they are alive?” Melissa asked, glancing from the report to the detective.
“Yes, but he remarried. Here are the pictures taken not so long ago.” The detective spread numerous pictures on the table.
“What is his relationship with the Johnsons?” She asked looking at the picture with Mark, Robert, and Mr. Richard in it.
“When Mr. Richard’s parents died, they left him under Mr. Johnson’s care. The Johnsons adopted him.”
“What?” Staring at the face she had not seen in months, Melissa wondered if he knew all along. “Thank you. I’ll have the rest of our agreed payment wired to your account.” Getting up from the chair, she shook his hand as the maid escorted him out.
“So the Johnsons are the family that never accepted your relationship aunt? All these years you have mourned the loss of your husband and son yet Mr. Richard lives happily with another woman. I’ll make them suffer as much as you have suffered, aunt.” Clenching her fist, she swore, watching her aunt chart happily with David.
She not only wanted to get her son but also unite her aunt with her son and spit on Mr Johnson’s face. Show them they have no power to control people’s lives, no matter how rich they are.
Stepping down the stairs getting back to training, Melissa got a message from Nancy. With range, she trembled like a leaf on a stormy night, looking at the content of the message.
Leaning on the handrail for support, Melissa read through the message as silent tears cascaded down her cheek breaking her heart all over again.
“Stop Melissa, stop.” Taking a deep breath, she wiped her face.
Regaining her composer, she headed back to the training area and joined her aunt and David.
“We will go to the Johnsons on this date.” She stated, placing her phone on the table for them to look at it.
“What?” Betty took the phone, then stared at Melissa with eyebrows raised. “This can’t be. Mark and Sasha are getting married?” She asked, handing the phone to David.
Putting an ice cube in her mouth, Melissa nodded briefly closing her eyes avoiding eye contact.
“How do we get in?” David asked
“It’s simple. We go in as guests invited to the party.” She responded as she chewed on a piece of bread, acting like the news didn’t affect her.
“It’s not that simple Melissa, we need the invitation card to get in. It’s a requirement in most of these high end parties.” David said, placing the phone back.
“I have taken care of that. The Edwards will receive a formal invitation to the engagement party.”
“Melissa, are you going to stop the engagement?” Betty asked after listening to their plans.
“No aunt, I’m going to get my son. This is the perfect opportunity to get to him. I don’t care who Mark chooses to marry. I’m done with him.” She loaded the gun, heading back to the shooting range.
When Sasha brought her the divorce papers, she thought they had tricked Mark into signing them, but looking at their picture on the magazine cover, announcing their love for each other hurt more than it did signing those documents. “I’ll not let you do to me what your family did to my aunt. I’ll get Tommy back, no matter who I have to kill. You can’t win, not this time, Johnson.” She uttered to herself, shooting at the target as tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.
“I’m worried about what she may do. Please talk her out of this.” Betty conversed with David as they watched Melissa. She worried about Melissa’s mental health. “If pushed too far, she may snap.”
“You know how stubborn she is, aunt. If we don’t support her, she will do it on her own. As Melissa said, this party will be a brilliant cover for us to get to the Johnson. Don’t worry aunt, I’ll do all I can to protect her. Mr Johnson won’t dare harm my sister, not when I’m still around.” David assured Betty, easing her worry.