"You are not Melanie? And you have been with me all this while?"
Melody looked up at him with hope. Yes. She had guessed it right. Adam would side with her. As she felt his hands on her shoulders, she gave him a hopeful smile and nodded...expecting him to hug her in acceptance and relief.
But in the very next moment, his fingers dug into her shoulders, the grip tightening until it sent sharp jolts of pain shooting down her arms. Melody whimpered, "Adam… you're hurting me."
She tried to pry his hands away, her own trembling fingers tugging at his wrists, but his grip only grew harder—unyielding—until, without warning, he shoved her back. She stumbled and crashed onto the floor, the impact knocking the breath from her lungs.
As she looked up at him in disbelief, her horror deepened when another figure stepped out from behind him. Adam's voice was cold when he said, "Mr. Thomas… now you see what a wonderful daughter you have raised?"
