"I searched everywhere for you," Melody exined anxiously, "but someone tried to pressure me into drinking some wine at the banquet hall. Sherman saved me from him." Lucas''s eyes narrowed slightly as his expression sank. "Pressure you? What did he do to you?"


    Melody tried to wave off the intensity as she sensed his swelling anger. "No, no, he was just very insistent, that''s all. I didn''t want to entertain him because I was in such a hurry to look for you."


    "I see," Lucas replied curtly and pulled her close. His hand rested possessively on her lower back.


    Knowing that Sherman was behind her, Melody reached out and stopped Lucas'' arm hesitantly. "Wait, Lucas. I''ll have to say goodbye to my senior before we leave."


    Lucas stopped and looked at her with a frown. "What are you going to say to him?"


    "Just a minute," Melody said as she turned to face Sherman. "I need to go now. It was lovely seeing you again. Let''s talk sometime soon."


    Sherman stared at them in bewilderment. "Are you that close with my cousin?"


    His voice was tinged with surprise. He had assumed they were mere acquaintances who perhaps recognized each other from a previous meeting, but the sight of them holding hands seemed to paint a different picture.


    Melody avoided his gaze and was unsure how to exin their rtionship. "We''re..."


    "Are you a friend of his?" Sherman asked.


    Before she could answer, Lucas stepped forward and tightened his grip around her shoulder. "We''re not friends," he said in a firm voice.


    Melody flinched at his touch, and her vision darted inadvertently toward Sherman. She did not want him to know about the messy entanglement she had with Lucas. Lucas, however, seemed intent on revealing the truth.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "And how dare you call her by her name? You should address her as Missus Rivera now," he said, his voiceced with a hint of mockery.


    Sherman clenched his jaw. "Missus Rivera? You''re married to my cousin?" His disbelief was evident.


    Melody''s emotions sank. After years of having a crush on him and finally being able to build a connection with him during their chance encounter, Lucas shattered all hope of a future with Sherman in a matter of moments. She had barely just reconnected with Sherman, yet Lucas had already nipped the budding feeling in the bud.


    With a heavy heart, she nodded slowly. "Yes... We''re married."


    A bitter smile formed on Sherman''s lips after a brief moment of shock. "So, it seems. As my cousin says, I should call you ma''am from now on."


    The distant way in which he addressed her was like daggers stabbing Melody''s soul. The man who was once her source of sunshine became a distant figure that would remain forever out of reach. Lucas then whispered sarcastically into Melody''s ear, "Are you that close with my cousin? Did you enjoy a nice conversation?"


    Sherman sensed the underlying animosity between them, so he chuckled and tried to lighten the mood. "She and I are high school ssmates. It''s been years since west saw each other, so we just caught up with each other earlier."