CHAPTER 35

It had been a week since the incident with Mrs. Callaway, and I had been as carefree as a bird as I navigated through life, enjoying my sweet time with the sweetest man I knew, so much that I always couldn’t wait to see him, even though I was on my way to see him, like now. I hadn’t spent as much time as I wanted with Reeves and he even complained about it. The man couldn’t spend a day without seeing me, and though it was overwhelming in more positive than negative ways, I couldn’t help but feel that his luck with me was running out, and it would only be a moment before he’d get tired of me and go for someone who was a little more like Daisy and Emilia. It was something I thought about a lot. I knew I couldn’t become a Daisy or an Emilia, but sometimes, seeing how they always got the men against the likes of me, put me off.

On cue, my phone started ringing, thanking God I had my Airpods pro hung in my ears as I drove. I tapped on it to pick up the call, it was Stephen calling. The man had decided to throw me under the bus since I wasn’t nice to his girlfriend; steady giving her all his time and attention, for forgetting that I exist. I couldn’t blame him though, the man was in love.

“Melanie, before you say anything, I just want to say I’m sorry and it’s not what you think, I swear,” Stephen defended before I could speak.

“Oh, how am I doing? I’m doing great actually, just like I’ve always been,” I rolled my eyes.

“I’m so sorry Mel, I didn’t know how to tell you I was going to travel with Emilia without you making it sound like it’s a sin,” Stephen said. I could already picture the look on his face as he said those words; squinted eyes and furrowed brows his eyes, like in fear like I was going to beat him up or something. So I laughed.

“I don’t have any business or problem with you traveling with your girlfriend, Sir; you make it sound like I’m in love with you or something. I only have a problem with you not letting me know you were going to travel. But I guess it’s a good thing because I would’ve probably brushed you off because of the things that have been happening with me,” I told him honestly. With the whole thing with Reeves and Mrs. Callaway, I don’t think I would’ve been very receptive to him or anything. So it was a good thing that he called me when I didn’t have anything weighing me down.

“What’s been happening?” he asked me immediately, like in worry that I’d want to do something bad to myself.

“Nothing much really; Reeves and I are back together for real this time, and I like him,” I smiled at the thought of meeting him in a few minutes. I guess you could say I had it bad for the man.

“How did you manage that? I’m so happy for you, and I want to say I told you so’ so bad, but I’m too happy to care I that I told you this would happen,” I laughed at Stephen’s words. He was telling me ‘I told you so’

“Shut up! Also, I met a wife, and she wanted me to lie in court for her so she gets half of her husband’s property. She was rude and she threatened me, so I turned her down,” I said nonchalantly. I still couldn’t believe how bothered I was about Mrs. Callaway that it’s even embarrassing to think and talk about.

“Oh my God, Mel, Why didn’t you tell me about this? I would’ve found a way to help,” Stephen’s tone had changed now, and he sounded like a worried father, just like I knew he would.

“It’s been a few days, and I already turned her down. I don’t think she’d disturb me anymore,” I dismissed him. I didn’t want him getting worried unnecessarily, and it was for the same reason I didn’t tell Reeves about it.

“What did Reeves say though, you told him, right?” I was quiet.

“Oh come on Mel, what if something happened to you? Don’t you even trust him enough to tell him things like this?” he asked me. I said I didn’t tell Reeves about the whole thing because I didn’t want him to worry, which was true, but I also didn’t tell him because I felt like putting him into a part of my life that happened before I met him was excessive and not necessary, he didn’t need to know in detail how I did what I did and what I got for it.

“I told you I took care of it, Stephen, it's fine. She won’t disturb me anymore. I put her in her place,” something about the way the words came out of my lips didn’t sound as convincing as it had when I said it earlier and when I said it to myself all this time. Something was off.

“I’ll be back to town soon, take good care of yourself, and I don’t want to come back to town to see that you are married or something,” Stephen joked to lighten the mood. I had already gotten to the parking lot, so I parked my car and told Stephen off, then hung up, applied more lip gloss on my lips, and made my way to Reeves.

“Are you good?” were the first words Reeves said to me as he opened the door to his penthouse for me. I smiled, trying to hide my confusion. Why would he ask me that? Did Stephen say something? No, he wouldn’t dare.

I pushed my body onto him and he caught me in a hug, nodding, as I told him I was good.

“Why though? Do I look bad?” I asked him, pushing him away from me so I could give him a better view. I spun slowly, keeping a sultry smile playing on my lips.

“You look, beautiful baby,” Reeves pulled me to him so our faces were inches from each other.

“But that’s not what I meant,” Reeves faced morphed into a one of worry and anger, but it didn’t feel like the anger was directed towards me. I cocked my head a little to the side, knowing that whatever Reeves was about to say wouldn’t benefit me in any way. Something was wrong, that much I could tell.

I braced myself for the worst as I asked Reeves what he had meant. God forbid it had anything to Mrs. Callaway.

“Well, I was about to leave the office when I got this large envelope,” Reeves grabbed my hands, leading me to the living room as he spoke. Did he get an envelope?

“And whoever dropped it said it was from you. I opened the first envelop and found another envelope inside it, with a note,” Mrs. Callaway, I swear I’d kill that woman. She was going after my relationship like she said she would when she had nothing.

“The note I found in the first envelop said the other envelope should be delivered to you, here, take a look,” Reeves brushed his fingers through his hair, which I was just noticing he had down, as he handed me the piece of white paper. I hesitated for a second, but I knew there was no way Mrs. Callaway would have anything on me, so I collected the paper, and opened it.

Usually, I wouldn’t bring myself to do anything like this, because I think people are mature enough to make certain decisions for them, but I think you’re making the worst decision with Melanie. She’s a liar and a gold digger…

I paused and laughed; this woman took out her time to do this? I’m a liar and a gold digger? What else is new? I looked up to see Reeves looking at me with a stunned look on his face that asked me how I could laugh when this was a serious matter… to him. I shook my head and wiped the residue smile I had on my face, pressing my lips together as I turned back to the piece of paper.

…and a gold digger, she’s not who she says she is, or who you think she is. Be careful, that’s all I have to say. The other envelope should be delivered to Melanie, I believe you have a reason to see her now.

The note was a pointless attempt at everything. Reeves knew about my gold digging, he knew about the way I loved material things, and yet, he chose to be with me. I didn’t have anything to lose. I wasn’t going to lose Reeves just because some rich woman thought she could scribble a few things and automatically ruin everything.

I turned to Reeves with an easy smile playing on my lips, while he returned my smile with a scowl, probably wondering what was going through my head.

“What’s this about? Do you know this person?” he asked me. I could tell from the way he looked at me that those were not the questions he wanted to ask or the only questions he wanted to ask, but he didn’t know how to ask the questions in it won’t annoy me. I smiled at him, so he’d feel at ease.

“Some woman that thinks she can break us apart with this,” I waved the piece of paper. I took in a deep breath and walked to Reeves who was leaning on a wall, I set myself between his legs, putting his arms around my waist, then I looked up to him. He was worried, and it was very evident on his face. This was the first time he was in a situation like this, and he probably didn’t know what to do.

“I don’t want you thinking much about this. If you have any questions, ask them, I’ll answer them honestly, and I’m sorry for putting you in my mess,” I raked my fingers through his hair.

Reeves didn’t like the last line, because as I said them, he furrowed his brows.

“Your mess is my mess. I’m just mad that you had someone bothering you like this and you didn’t care to tell me about it,” Reeves said. He had his right hand caressing my cheek as he spoke.

“I didn’t want you to worry about this, it’s nothing, that’s why I didn’t tell you,” I pouted.

“She’s the same person that kept texting you when we went out on a date on time, right?” he asked me. I was kind of scared to say yes because I remembered telling him it was one of my Instagram followers, but I told him I would answer honestly, so I couldn’t lie to him anymore, so I nodded.

Reeves let out a sigh and nodded, he motioned to the other envelop that sat at the center table.

“You should check that then,” he said. I nodded strolled nonchalantly to the center, taking the large brown envelope in my hands. The envelope wasn’t sealed, so it meant Reeves probably looked at the content in it.

When I pulled the papers out of the envelope, my eyes widened in shock. Who the hell was Mrs. Callaway and how the hell did she get her hands on my shit?

I looked through the papers, barely believing I was looking at what I was looking at, and how possible it was that she got them. Saying Mrs. Callaway had nothing on me was a mistake, I shouldn’t have said that, I had forgotten how far a woman with money would go to get what she wanted. I looked into the envelope and found a small piece of paper with it, that had her number and a small note that read;

I think I got you this time. Call me.

My eyes widened even more at the thought that Reeves had seen the papers. I turned to him;

“Did you look through this envelop?” I asked him. All traces of smiles were gone from my face. Reeves shook his head and folded his arms, probably expecting me to tell him what was going on, but I couldn’t. I had to meet with that witch.

I grabbed all the papers, shoved them back into the brown envelop, grabbed my phone from my purse and my car keys, then I power walked out of Reeves ‘ house as fast as I could. From a distance, I could hear Reeves's concerned voice calling after me, but I couldn’t stop walking. My brain was spinning and working overtime, trying to calm me down and find ways I could get out of this mess that I got myself in.