When Love Becomes a Cage by Nora

Chapter 75

Chapter 75



I never really took the whole debacle to heart. It was the Pattersons who should've been sweating bullets, not me.

Clyde's scandal was bound to ding the stock market, and the Pattersons' fortune would take a hit.

After all, it's just me now. No family left to fret over.

But just as I was leaving the hotel that morning, a group of guys blocked my path.

"Ma'am, the boss wants you back home," the lead guy, Merritt's chief of security, informed me. Seems Merritt Patterson got wind of the scandal too. After the last incident, he'd been unusually fixated on online chatter.

I hopped into the car without protest and shot Vinson a quick text to say I'd be skipping work. I also messaged Clyde: not my circus, not my monkeys.

As I arrived at the Patterson Mansion, Merritt looked like he'd swallowed a whole bottle of antacids. The man was not in good shape.

"Melanie! Look at the mess you've created!"

Lucia charged at me as if she was going to take a swing. I sidestepped, and she nearly took a tumble.

"You dare dodge?"

"If I didn't, you'd be up for assault."

I faced her with a blank stare.

To an outsider, you'd think she genuinely cared for Clyde. In reality, she just couldn't stand me.

"Melanie, there's got to be some misunderstanding. Why

fuming Merritt. "Nothing happened between us. He just lent me his room key and left the hotel. There's surveillance

wasn't hard to verify with all the 24/7 shops around. Clearing my name was easy.

"Just because you say so? What good

this time married

wrong you? Remember when you were abroad, and your family had that accident? He

family matter.

rushed in, immediately shielding

gaze remained locked on Lucia. What had Clyde done for me

questions, knowing it wasn't

Merritt, then knelt. "Grandpa, I

yesterday. There's nothing going on

what kind of person Melanie is.

leaning on his cane, but Laird quickly supported

play around a bit," he chimed in, barely

that's another

"Uncle, this is serious. Shareholders are asking questions. How

boiling with rage, banged his cane

mess. And you two need

and I couldn't help but

another solution

Clyde

leave me for Kayla,

girl"

for a "common, over a

up a love story

everyone, Clyde finally

"Clyde, she mentioned

was an