Chapter 233: I Knew You Couldn’t Do It
"I, uh, forgot my keys when I stepped out just now, so I’m locked out. Are you in Rockwellburg?"
"I am."
A flicker of secret delight lit up in Melody Monroe’s heart. "You must have a spare key, right? Could I trouble you to bring it to me? Or you could just tell me where it is, and I’ll go get it myself!"
Before she got an answer, he hung up.
Melody Monroe stared at her phone, utterly baffled.
’What does that mean?’
’So does he have a key or not?’
Suddenly, her phone pinged with a text alert.
"Go get it from the mailbox downstairs in half an hour."
Reading the message, Melody Monroe breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
It was still early, so she squatted by the door to wait, planning to head down only when it was almost time.
Evan Fairchild remembered the set of keys was in his car. He found them, made a U-turn, and drove back the way he came.
’That woman. How could she lock herself out?!’
A fire of frustration was still smoldering inside Evan Fairchild.
Then his thoughts turned to the handkerchief.
’What on earth does she see in Christopher Sterling? The man is married! Is she really willing to suffer that kind of humiliation?’
’And how am I any worse than him?’
The car rolled to a stop downstairs. Evan Fairchild put the key in the mailbox but didn’t leave immediately, remaining seated in his car.
About ten minutes later, he saw Melody Monroe’s silhouette. The moment he laid eyes on her, he felt the impulse to storm over, drag her into the car, and take her back with him!
Melody Monroe walked toward the mailbox. She found it open with a key sitting inside. Glancing around, she didn’t see anyone.
’I can’t believe the landlord got the key here so fast.’
She took the key and got in the elevator.
In the split second before the elevator doors slid shut, she thought she saw a figure flash past.
She jabbed the "door open" button, but it was too late. The elevator was already going up.
Evan Fairchild jabbed the call button, but the elevator doors didn’t respond. He slammed it a few more times, only to realize the car was already ascending.
He slowly straightened up, undoing the top button of his shirt.
’He could already imagine what a pathetic sight he was right now.’
’Is this what it feels like to love someone?’
’Just how much did he love Melody Monroe?’
’Love her enough to let himself be reduced to such a sorry state?’
...
Back in the apartment, Melody Monroe looked at the things scattered on the floor and began tidying them up, one by one.
The handkerchief was still lying off to the side. She picked it up and threw it directly into the trash can!
She walked into her bedroom and collapsed weakly onto the bed.
Suddenly, her phone rang. She picked it up and glanced at it.
It was a work notice from Rose Shaw. She was given three days off, after which she had to rush to shoot a commercial for Bloomwell in another city.
"Got it, Rose." She replied, then tossed her phone aside.
After exiting the chat with Rose Shaw, her eyes fell on the profile picture pinned to the top of her contacts.
Evan Fairchild. The only person she’d ever pinned.
She opened their chat history, reading it over and over again...
...
Ian Monroe was still sitting on the steps outside. When he heard a car, his little face lit up with delight, and he ran expectantly toward the courtyard.
When he saw that his mother wasn’t in the car, his little face immediately fell in disappointment.
’Sure enough, Mr. Fairchild didn’t bring Mom back.’
Evan Fairchild opened the car door, and as he stepped out, his eyes met Ian Monroe’s.
"I knew it wouldn’t work if you went alone! And you didn’t even take me with you!"
Evan Fairchild strode toward the house.
Ian Monroe scrambled to follow him. "Why didn’t Mom come back with you?"