Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law

Chapter 333: Crazy

Marianne held her daughter close for a few more moments. Melody’s sobs had quietened to hiccupping breaths, her body drained from the weight of everything she’d just said. Her head still rested in her mother’s lap, eyes closed, as if the world might go away if she didn’t open them. Melody kept on apologizing continuously, even though Marianne repeatedly assured her that it was not her fault.

Finally, when Melody’s sobs had quietened, Marianne stopped stroking her hair and helped her sit straight. Looking at her bloodshot eyes she gently patted her face and said," I think you should close your eyes and rest some more. I’ll be right back. Today you’re going to be discharged and we might have to make some changes in what is going to happen. I’ll be back soon."

Melodu looked up at her mother in confusion? "Mama? What changes woudl you need to make regarding my discharge? Where are you going?"

But Marianne didn’t meet her eyes right away. She picked up her purse, dusted her skirt as if trying to shake something off, then finally turned to her daughter.

"I’m going to tell Adam. He should be able to look for Melanie quietly. Also, the discharge, since you are not Melanie, you must come back with us to your home. Not Melanie’s home, He deserves to know the truth. And once he understands that Melanie will be back soon, I am sure he will not blame you either."

Melody’s breath caught again. She pushed herself up on the bed as panic flared within her as Marianne walked towards the door.. "No. No, Mama, please-you can’t tell him!"

Marianne froze by the door, her hand just inches from the handle. She turned back slowly.

"Melody," she said firmly, "his wife is missing. Disappeared for almost four days now. And you’ve been pretending to be her while he does not even know that the woman he loves is not you. How can I not tell him? Are you worried he’ll blame you? I’ll explain it all. I’ll make him understand. But hiding it from him is wrong."

Melody shook her head wildly, her hands clutching the blanket like a child. "No, Mama. You don’t understand. Please don’t tell him. Please!"

"I don’t understand?" Marianne took a step closer, her expression tightening. "Melody, this man’s wife is missing. He should be searching for her. And you’re asking me to keep quiet? To let him believe she’s still with him, when she’s not? Adam is a powerful man. He will be able to find Melanie! You don’t worry. Just tell me the name of the person who did this to yuo. Made you so scared."

"I just need time, Mama. Just a little more time. I’ll explain it to him myself, I promise. But not now. Not yet. In fact, I’ll do it the moment Melanie returns. I promise."

Marianne’s eyes narrowed slightly, and as she stared at her daughter’s face, something shifted in her.. She took another step forward and muttered in a low voice, "You said... you said your boyfriend’s name was Adam."

Melody went still. There was silence. Thick and stifling.

Marianne looked at her carefully, her voice suddenly colder, clipped. "Was that true? His name was Adam?"

Melody didn’t answer.

"Melody." Marianne’s voice turned sharp. "Answer me. Was it a coincidence?"

Melody’s eyes dropped to her lap. Her hands twisted in the blanket. She didn’t say anything, but her silence was louder than a scream.

Marianne’s breath caught. "Oh my god." She stared at her daughter as if she were looking at a stranger and said again,"Oh my god," as though saying it would somehow undo what she was beginning to guess.

"You lied," she said slowly, the words trembling with disbelief. "Your boyfriend... his name was never Adam, was it?"

Melody didn’t respond. She sat hunched on the bed, eyes fixed on the blanket twisted in her fists, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Melody. You lied to me. You used his name. Why?"

Melody looked up then, only for a second, her eyes brimming again. Then she looked away unwilling and ashamed.

And that was enough as Marianne’s expression twisted in horror. She’d always understood her daughter better than anyone. Marianne took a step forward and bit out harshly. "Was it because... you wanted to be with him? With Adam?"

That was when Melody looked away. Slowly. Not in denial, but in shame.

And that was enough.

Marianne’s hand rose instinctively, her palm hovering midair her whole body tense with disbelief as she fought the urge to slap her daughter. Melody flinched but didn’t move. The slap never came.

Instead, Marianne let her hand drop and pressed it to her temple. "What have you done," she whispered. Then louder, trembling with fury, "What have you done, you little fool? Did I really raise you to be such a despicable person?

Melody’s lip trembled. "Mama—"

"Melanie is your sister!" Marianne shouted, grief bleeding into her anger. "How could you? How could you look into her husband’s eyes and pretend to be her?"

"I didn’t plan it!" Melody cried out in a broken voice. "I was just trying to escape! I swear it. I ran, I used her name at the hospital because I didn’t know what else to do. And then.. then I saw him."

Her eyes welled again, her voice breaking. "He was kind. He treated me like I mattered. And for a second, I-I just wanted it to be real. I thought I will tell the truth in a moment and then another. But I could not. I like him, Mama. And the way he cares for Melanie, it makes me fall for him each minute. So every moment, it got harder to confess. Because I wanted him to keep looking at me like that."

Marianne closed her eyes. "You are leting him live a lie, Melody. And you are living one too.

"I know."

" And now Melanie-God knows where she is...and you’re here, in her place, with her husband."

"I didn’t mean to replace her," Melody whispered. "I know he doesn’t love me. But I—" she stopped herself, the next words too ugly to speak.

"But you wanted him to," Marianne said, finishing for her. "Didn’t you?"

Melody’s shoulders hunched. She nodded, once.

Marianne turned away, gripping the windowsill as if steadying herself. "You need to understand something," she said without turning. "This isn’t just a mistake. This is betrayal. To Melanie. To Adam. To everyone who trusted you."

"I was scared," Melody whispered. "I was ashamed. I didn’t know how to stop lying once I started."

Marianne turned back. Her voice was cold now. "Then start by telling the truth. Because whether you’re ready or not, this ends today."

Melody blinked. "You’re going to tell Adam?"

Marianne looked at her long and hard. "I have to. But I won’t be cruel about it. I’ll tell him the truth only upto what you have told me. Your feelings. I will let you hide. If we’re going to find Melanie, we need his help."

Melody closed her eyes. "He’ll hate me."

Marianne didn’t deny it. "Maybe. Maybe not. But you chose this. Now you face it."

She turned toward the door as Melody called out, "No mom. Please no. Don’t tell him. Mom please!" noveldrama

But this time, Marianne did not stop walking... until Melody threatened out loud, " Mama, you threatened to hurt yourself if I did not tell you the truth. But if you reveal the truth, I will jump out of this window...

Marianne stilled and turned around to see Melody standing near the window... ready to make true of her words.