Emily was buzzing from all the attention she was getting and asked straight up, "Heard anything about Melinda lately?"
"You came to the right person," Elsie said, sliding up next to her. "Let me tell you... lately, Melinda..."
Ever since Elsie had intentionally lost Sam, Melinda had been cautious around her. Elsie had tried to reach out a few times, but Melinda's responses were always lukewarm. Still, that didn't stop Elsie from gathering intel.
As Elsie rambled on, Emily's interest started to fade. She already had her own plans in motion.
If Melinda hated the Thomas family, what would she do?
She'd definitely try to hurt the Thomas family, like...
Getting back at Larry.
Last time, Emily noticed Larry was on medication. If something went wrong with his meds...
The blame would naturally fall on Melinda.
Emily was never just a sweet, simple girl. Her ambitions went way beyond just Raymond.
As long as she could break up Melinda and Raymond, she'd have plenty of opportunities.
Before leaving, Emily placed a necklace in the drawer of her room.
This necklace was Raymond's sixth birthday gift. The pendant had a unique drawing, a family portrait hand-drawn by Raymond's biological parents. It was one of a kind...
To Raymond, this necklace was priceless. It was the last and only precious thing his parents had left him.
The next evening, at Raymond's villa.
Melinda lay on the bed. Tomorrow was Sunday, and she had promised Raymond to visit the Thomas family, but she didn't want to bring Sam.
Raymond didn't stop her. He had arranged for reliable people to take care of Sam at home, so he was at ease.
"Grandpa really likes Sam. He says Sam looks just like I did when I was a kid," Raymond said, standing by the car.
His gaze shifted to Melinda, who was dressed in simple white.
They walked in silence, one behind the other.
"It's not that I don't want to bring him, you know I..."
She was unmarried and pregnant, which was a huge taboo in a big family. Moreover, as a woman with a child, such family gatherings were hotbeds of gossip. She didn't care about her own reputation, but she didn't want Sam to get hurt.
"I know, no need to apologize."
Raymond took her hand gently. "This outfit isn't quite right."
Melinda looked down at her simple white T-shirt and jeans.
"Upstairs, I'll pick something for you," Raymond said, leading her back upstairs to change.
Raymond stood in front of the wardrobe, which was mostly filled with clothes he had bought.
He pulled out the latest brand-name outfits and laid them on the bed, his voice leaving no room for refusal. "Pick one."
Melinda nodded and chose one she liked, heading to the bathroom to change.
A moment later, she came out, her face flushed. "I can't zip it up."
Raymond chuckled, walked behind her, and zipped it up, whispering, "This one doesn't fit."
Melinda nodded, picked another outfit, and came out. In front of Raymond, her smooth skin and the slight reveal of her chest made her look both shy and alluring.
Raymond's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He walked up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and fixed her hands at her sides.
"This one's nice," he said, his gaze never leaving her.
Melinda shivered, feeling his touch like a spark igniting a fire.
After she finished dressing, Raymond said softly, "I'll wait for you outside."
Melinda walked into the living room, her lace dress hugging her curves perfectly, with a slight slit revealing her slender legs.
Sexy but not vulgar.
Raymond watched from downstairs, his gaze burning.
Melinda felt uneasy under his intense stare.
"Did you... invite Emily?" Melinda asked nervously.
"No," Raymond said calmly.
Emily had been waiting at the entrance of the Thomas Villa for what felt like forever, but no cars had left.
So, she decided to just barge in.
In the living room, Emily showed up uninvited. Larry, though surprised, kept his usual cool and didn't show any hostility.
Emily's reason for coming was pretty obvious, and Larry couldn't stand people like her.
As soon as she walked in, Larry felt a strong dislike for Emily's overly perfect face.
Before he could ask how she got in, Emily started her pity act.
"I'm sorry for coming uninvited. I just missed Grandpa so much," Emily said, tears welling up in her eyes. Her acting skills were Oscar-worthy.
Larry comforted her briefly and had a servant take her to the garden to rest.
Once Emily left, Larry sighed in relief. He knew very well that the Thomas family only recognized one daughter-in-law, and that was Melinda. No matter how hard Emily tried, it was pointless.
"Who tipped off Ms. Lowe?" Roy asked quietly.
"Never mind, just treat her well since she's here," Larry waved it off.
But Roy still felt uneasy. He knew exactly who Emily was—a burden that Raymond couldn't shake off.
"Should we inform Mr. Thomas?"
Larry thought about how Raymond was bringing Melinda over today. If they told him midway that Emily was here, Melinda might not come.
Thinking of Melinda, he shook his head. "Forget it, we'll deal with it when they arrive."
One was unwelcome by Larry, and the other was someone he was eager to invite.
The difference in Larry's regard for Emily and Melinda was clear.
Soon, Larry's daughter and son-in-law arrived, along with William.
Some early-arriving relatives and friends also gathered in the living room, and the Thomas Villa's exterior was filled with luxury cars.
With Larry's support, all the Thomas family relatives had established themselves in the political and business worlds. The Thomas family, with its century-long history, was like a towering tree with a complex network of roots.
Larry's brother also held a high position in politics.
Emily sat in the garden, sipping tea, listening to the laughter from the living room. She clenched the pillbox in her bag, a cold smile on her lips.
Melinda, today you will be humiliated in front of the Thomas family's relatives.
She took a sip of tea, the fragrance lingering in her mouth.
Her sense of taste had partially returned due to the medication.
The doctor had said she might have lasting side effects, but for the sake of beauty, Emily had to endure the pain.
At that moment, a black car drove into the front yard. Raymond got out, followed by Melinda.
Raymond reached out to hold her hand, but Melinda instinctively pulled away. "Don't..."
His deep eyes gazed at her, a hint of a smile. "Afraid of me?"
They walked through the front garden and into the living room, where three tables were set up, filled with Thomas family relatives. Seeing Raymond, they all stood up.
"Raymond's here."
Raymond had been polite and well-mannered since childhood, earning a good reputation among the Thomas family relatives.
Melinda, following Raymond, was being watched by so many eyes for the first time.
She instinctively took a step back.
Raymond turned to her, his voice slightly hoarse. "Don't be nervous."
Melinda looked into his eyes, seeing a hint of barely noticeable tenderness.
"I'm okay."
"Raymond, aren't you going to introduce this beautiful lady to us?" A relative greeted them.
"Her name is Melinda, my girlfriend." Melinda trembled. She had anticipated this moment, but when it actually happened, she still felt flustered.
"She's really beautiful! Raymond has good taste!"
"Of course, Raymond has always been the most handsome kid here. Naturally, he should be with a beautiful girl."
"I don't agree!"