"Melon, are you looking for Spencer?" Adam asked, handing her a glass of iced tea as he came to stand behind her.
Melanie stiffened at the awful nickname but chose not to protest this time. Knowing what she knew of this man now, he would only make a bigger show of it, repeating it in front of everyone until she was too embarrassed to even look at anyone.
"I am wondering where he is, yes," she replied, keeping her voice even. And that was the truth. As the 'star' of tonight's celebration, he should be here now and she wanted to see him.
Adam's arm snaked around her waist, and she stiffened as his hand settled possessively on her hip. His grip was light and yet somehow possessive. "I'm jealous" he murmured, though his voice sounded more amused than jealous as he continued. "Here you are with me, yet your thoughts are on Spencer? I don't like it."
Melanie gave him a thin, unimpressed smile. "I don't like your paws on me either, but I'm suffering through it, aren't I? We can't like everything."
Adam grinned, and pinched her waist slightly, and she turned her head to glare at him only to see his eyes glinting with mischief. "Ah, I am sure I cannot use paws to do that...but I do like my hands on you." He tilted his head,winked at her and continued. "Anyway, don't worry. He'll be here soon. Grandfather has already spun the perfect story for us. As of now, you're officially a childhood confidante to both me and Spencer—someone who has been part of our lives for years."
Melanie arched a brow. "Huh. Is that why people have stopped staring and whispering behind their hands wondering what I am doing with you?"
A slow smirk curved Adam's lips as he leaned in, bringing his mouth close to her ear, "That is also why I have to work twice as hard to prove we are more than just 'childhood friends.'"
Melanie nodded stiffly, but her sharp gaze flicked up to his. "Why is Grandfather siding with Spencer? Why doesn't he want you to inherit the estate?"
Adam stilled. A flicker of surprise crossed his face before he masked it behind an easy smile. He hadn't expected her to see through things so quickly.
"And what makes you think that?" he asked lightly, "To Grandfather, Spencer and I are equals. He's already said he doesn't care which of us inherits the majority of the estate as long as we're both happy."
Melanie scoffed. She was about to call him out on his bluff when he asked her," Tell me, Melon. Are you curious about me now?"
Melanie turned her head away then and sipped the drink in her hand. She was not going to ask any more questions. There was no need to cater to this man's already massive ego.
***
Meanwhile, from the upper hallway, a pair of glittering eyes burned with silent fury as he observed the two figures below. Hidden in the shadows, he remained motionless, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. Grandfather had warned him—warned him that Adam might make his move now that he was vulnerable—but he hadn't expected this.
Not from Melanie.
The bi*ch! She had sworn she loved him. She had promised to wait for him, to remain loyal no matter what. And yet, the moment she knew that she was set to gain an inheritance from this, it had taken her mere hours to betray him.
To stand there, letting Adam pull her close, allowing him to touch her so casually, so possessively, as if she belonged to him.
He grit his teeth, as he stared at her. Even he hadn't taken such liberties with her despite their marriage, despite sharing a bed! And yet here she was, yielding to Adam's touch as if none of it had ever mattered. He should have f*cked her when he had the chance! The night he had returned and she had thrown herself at him!
Then he would have liked to see Adam coming around to her! His nails bit into his palms, but he barely felt the pain as he continued to stare before taking a deep breath. Like hell he was going to make things easy for her.
Slowly, his face now expressionless, he walked down the stairs. And watched as everyone tried to get close to him. Yes. They needed to remember that he was the heir. The eldest male heir of the family.
With a smile, he greeted the guests, interacting with each of them as if he had long known them. But slowly and steadily he made his way towards the two people standing in the corner. After all, it was essential to keep up appearances. With grandfather already having spread the rumor that Melanie was his friend, he had no choice to go and greet her and Adam.
His smile didn't falter as he met Adam's gaze, offering a nod of greeting. Adam returned the gesture, his expression unreadable. But Spencer wasn't concerned with Adam. Not right now.
His eyes slid to Melanie.
For a moment, he simply looked at her, before he took another step forward. And then, with an ease that belied the tension coiled inside him, he moved between them—cutting off the space between her and Adam as if the act were purely natural.
He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into an embrace, "Mel. Thank you for joining us tonight."
As he leaned in, his lips barely an inch from her ear, his voice dropped to a whisper only she could hear. "Really, Mel? You would cheat on me—with Adam? My own brother? I didn't think you had it in you."
He moved back then as she stiffened, even while maintaining the smile on her face. But his eyes hardened even more. He knew her too well and the guilt in her eyes told him what he needed to know. She had been in cahoots with Adam before this... before she revealed that they were not married after all...
Just then, the official photographer approached, camera in hand, offering them a polite smile as he asked hurriedly, "A quick pose, if you don't mind?"
Still smiling, Spencer shifted his stance, moving to stand on Melanie's right. With calculated ease, he made sure that Adam stood on her other side, effectively flanking her between them.
And just like that, the picture was set—exactly the way he wanted it.