Chapter 65

MELISSA'S POV
PRESENT DAY
Amber had been standing over me like a hawk ever since we got to the house, the trip to the station hadn't helped to erase the tension we had both felt but rather it had succeeded in elevating it. With so much going on already, the threats, the intensive abuse and then the injury, Stacey's news was just too much for me to handle.
I had just woken up when I heard Amber's voice coming from downstairs, 'Thank you for dropping the kids off, Daniel. I have no idea how to possibly than.." I heard Daniel cut her off before she could be able to express her gratitude completely.
'You don't have to keep thanking me, Amber. All I did was get there on time, that's all" Daniel argued but it seemed Amber had more on her mind.
'Yeah, you showed up, unlike your friend" I could picture the scoff I heard from her. It was strange how much Amber appeared to hate Jay Harley but then acted in the opposite direction.
Daniel didn't appear to want to take his friend's side as he replied, 'Thank God I showed up, unlike my friend" Turns out Daniel hadn't been able to reach Jay either.
'I don't matter though, I'm just glad Melissa and the kids are safe" I heard Amber repeat, for the hundredth time, as I struggled to get down from the bed and walk towards the stairs leading to the living room.
I had been awake for quite awhile but along with the excruciating pain I felt due to the injury on my foot, I didn't even know how I was supposed to face Daniel Fletcher after everything that had happened with Ken. I knew Ken worked at Black Worth industry corps, but I had no idea who the owners were but now I do and now, it gets worse.
As I limped down the stairs, I realized they were having a conversation I needed to hear but couldn't bring myself to ask, since it would be Daniel I would be asking and I couldn't face him at the moment. Not after everything that had happened.
'I had no idea you owned Black Worth industry corps, Ken had been working there for about five years now" Amber's voice floated down to me as I sat on the last step of the staircase. The kids were at school and the house was quiet, it was the perfect time to eavesdrop.
'Yeah, it just kind of happened. I also had no idea Ken Duke was Melissa's husband" Daniel answered and I could almost picture the look of disappointment on his face. It had been 10 whole years, what was he expecting from me? To wait for him? After he left the way he did?
'It was more a marriage of convenience than love but that's by the way. You and Jay are partners or what? How does it work?"
'Well, I'll get back to Melissa's marriage but yes, Jay and I are partners. It is more his company than mine but I still have quite a number of shares there"
'And what does Ken do in the company? Did he also lie about that?"
'No, no, he really is the managing director. Jay, like me, spends most of his time spending his money than actually worrying about making more. Ken Duke helps to manage everything and make sure we don't both go bankrupt"
'That seems like a huge responsibility to give to someone" I nodded in agreement where I was sitting. It seemed like such a responsibility to give to such an incompetent man, apparently, Daniel thought otherwise.
'It would surprise you to hear that Ken Duke is actually the most competent man I have ever met in my life" Amber's laugh echoed mine as I decided it was time to make my entry. Ken might have been the best man for the job in Black Worth but asides that, he was just a plain awful man.
It took me over an hour to finally convince Amber to go to work. She had wanted to skip work to be with me at home but I knew she needed the money and besides, her job hunt wasn't going well. Daniel had chipped in some words and as I saw her pull out of the yard, I heaved a sigh of relief.
Along with the relief I felt, I was still oddly tensed. Amber's departure meant I had to stay in the house alone with my new nemesis, Daniel Fletcher. Almost 12 hours after the gruesome encounter with Ken, I sat in the kitchen and thought about what had happened at the date with Daniel.
'You look so beautiful" was the first thing he said as soon as I walked back out the house. I had decided to ditch the pants and top and dress up slightly, it could have been because I wanted to prove to him that motherhood hadn't completely killed my spark but it could also had been something else entirely.
Alfred's and my restaurant was as far as classy as I had ever seen since I had Ken Jr, I had always thought Ken was too busy with work to bother about date nights but apparently, I was wrong. My husband was too busy with different women, to bother about a mother of two who had added more weight than she could have prayed for.
Thinking about it now, I couldn't believe Ken had done all the things the officer had read out from his case file. Harassment? Attempted rape? Theft? Ken Jr was the exact replica of his father, angelic appearance and the heart of an angel. Well, it seemed they weren't exactly alike in every aspect, unlike my son, Ken was a monster.
I had no idea I was crying until I felt strong arms wrap around me from the back,
'Its okay, you're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you" Daniel's soft voice flowed all over me as he held on to me tightly. Pushing him away was one of the things I had grown to regret, without thinking about the consequences just like the last time, I turned around and kissed him.