Melena's Dark Secret

“D-Daemon, am I going crazy? What if they’re telling the truth? What if it’s just in my head? W-What if our Emily is really dead and it is just me who can’t move on?”

Daemon runs to his wife’s side when he hears that. They decided to go home after what happened at Brian’s house to avoid any further conflicts.

“I believe in you, Devon.” He hugs her tightly. God knows how much he wanted to trade her pain for all that he had now. Seeing her every day suffering longing for their daughter makes him think how useless he is as a man.

He got the money and influence and yet he is still failing every day from finding Emily.

“They have our child. Let’s keep trying to find her. Let’s hold on no matter what.”

She bit her lips and avoided his eyes. “But I am slowly getting tired, Daemon. No matter how I try to hold on to hope that my daughter is alive, all of the things I learned and encountered told me she’s gone already.”

“You are definitely allowed to get tired, Devon. No one here is as invincible as you think. We all get tired too, Devon.” He kissed her forehead gently and searched for her eyes again. “That’s why I’m here for you. Get tired, get anxious but I will always make sure to keep you from giving up. No one gives up here.”

She went silent for a while but he knows she’s still not convinced. “Really? Without any doubt? Do you really think Emily is still alive?”

He nodded and smiled at her. “Yes, without doubt, Devon. I believe in you.”

But the cloud of doubt would never leave her eyes.

“I don’t believe you. You’re only saying that because you don't want me to get worried. Daemon, I want you to be honest with me. Can we really find our child back? Can I still hope?”

“Devon. You are the reason why I even started to believe again that Emily is alive. Don’t lose hope. Come on, we can do this together.”

Right now, the only thing he can offer to her is his unwavering support and faith that they can still see their daughter alive.

Still, she did not believe him. She sat on the sofa in the living room away from him and sulked in the corner pitying herself. “This is all my fault. If only I did not plan on leaving, then it wouldn’t not have happened. Emily will still be here by my side.”

He slowly sat beside her but left a few inches from her to give her space. “Devon, we’re past that phase already. Blaming yourself would only get us nowhere. And it isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I was not being a good husband and father to you and Emily. If there is someone we should blame, then that should be me.”

She stared at the floor for a good minute before collecting herself. “You’re right. This will only make us run into circles and this is exactly what they want, to make us lose our focus. Focus. We need to focus.”

Daemon pulled her in his body for an embrace. These days, more than passionate love making, they’re making an effort to explore other ways of intimacy like simply feeling each other’s heat that brings comfort to them.

“What did you find earlier?” she asked afterwards when they’re in the bathtub together soaking themselves in a refreshing bath to cool their heads.

“Nothing. I didn’t find any that would give me any clue or idea on where they’re hiding our child.”

He pumped bath soap into his hand and lathered it across her back. “But why would Brian adopt Emily, Devon? He has a wife. They could have one.”

“Brian has erectile dysfunction and my other brothers are sterile. It’s hard for them to father children obviously. He’s the eldest so dad pressured him to have kids. They have finally seen Emily as the savior of the family with sons who can’t procreate, which is one of the other reasons why dad wanted me to marry young with that asshole old man.”

Devon’s chest rose and fell upon remembering Joffrey. If she did not flee that time, then she doesn’t know what kind of a shithole life she will be living now.

“What if Emily is with your other brothers?” Daemon kissed her nape to calm her raging anger. “We never know if your mother decided right from the very start to give our daughter to one of your other brothers. I’ve already widened my investigation and included your brother in Mexico.”

“That’s impossible. They all hate children except Brian. Besides, he is likely to be the one mom will entrust a baby with. He is loyal to his wife while all my other brothers collect women like a collection.”

She turned back at him and began kissing his jaw. She likes the way his stubbles tickle her cheek.

“You tailed him. Did you notice something unusual?”

He shook his head and caressed her face, his breathing started to get heavy. “Nothing. He’s being too cautious.”

Devon stopped kissing him and sighed hard. “I badly want to confront my parents now but I’m holding back myself. I’m afraid they’ll take Emily abroad.”

Her eyes began to water. “Daemon, I don’t think I can survive anymore without her.” She covered her hands and sobbed loudly. “I can’t live this life anymore without my baby!”

Daemon’s heart bled as she watcher wife cry helplessly. Without saying anything, he cupped her face and kissed her hand on the lips to take her mind off the present. Devon responded and surrendered to his burning kisses.

“WHAT are you doing here?” Melena asked the unwanted visitor in the mansion before dragging her inside to make sure no one sees her from the outside.

“Mrs. Farrows, you should know why I’m here,” the woman said smugly and took off her sunglasses. “I want to get what I lent to your family.”

The color on Melena’s face faded in an instant. “What are you saying? My granddaughter is not some kind of thing that can be passed on!”

“Oh is that so?” Maddy grinned at the wife of Daemon’s ultimate enemy.

Now that Daemon treated her like an enemy and started to get close to the Farrows, there’s no reason for her to keep playing safe. She has to fight as cleverly as she is so she needs her one and only trump card.

“Then should I tell your daughter that her long-lost daughter is all alone in her mother’s care? Well, I’m an easy person.”

She pretended to leave so when Melena stopped her, she could only smile. This woman is so predictable.

She called her on the night of the accident and gave her Devon’s child in exchange for information on how to infiltrate one of the Daemon’s gun shipments that night. She wants him to ask her for help but to her shock, Gestoni orders an assassination on him.

Knowing that both the assassination and Devon running away happened on the same night, it’s easier to manipulate Daemon’s emotion and use it against the budding feelings he has for Devon.

“No! Maddy! Please don’t tell her! She will hate me! What do you want me to do? Please, I’ll do anything for you! Just don’t tell Devon about it!” Melena pleaded desperately.

That is the only secret that she will carry to her grave. Devon’s heart is slowly warming up to them, giving their family a chance despite what they did to her.

Maddy raised her head higher and spoke her last words to Melena. “If you could make Devon ask for a divorce from Daemon, I’ll forget what happened that night.”

“That’s impossible! They love each other so much!”

“No!” Maddy yelled. “They don’t. Melena, I’m not joking. Do everything to separate the two of them. Only then could you possibly keep your secret.”

Maddy turned her back leaving Melena frozen in her feet thinking hard how to do that.