AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you,” I replied softly.
“Are you happy?” He stared at me piercingly as if trying to see right through me.
I nodded as I whispered, “Yes. Yes, I am happy.”
He sighed deeply. “I regret I couldn’t give you whathegave you.” He intonated the sentence in a way that made me shiver. As if Shane was the enemy that took his life away from him.
“Don’t do this, Callan.” I shook my head, furrowing my brows, my tone firm.
“Do what, Melanie?”
“Don’t ruin it. You’re his friend.”
Callan took a deep breath. I walked toward the chair and sat, leaning toward him.
“Let’s leave the past behind, Callan. We were just kids.”
I wasn’t sure if those words hurt him, but his face fell, and so did his gaze. He looked down, nodding regretfully. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but the door swung open, and Shane walked in, holding two bottles of water.
“There you go.” He fetched me one of the bottles, a genuine smile on his face, lightening up the gloomy atmosphere looming over the room. “And this one’s for you, mate,” Shane said teasingly, handing the other bottle to Callan.
“Thanks, boss.”
“Today, I’m not your boss. I’m your friend.” Shane winked, and I couldn’t fight a smile.
I admired the bond they had. Maybe that was why I didn’t tell Shane about Callan. To me, Callan was just a memory. Someone from my past. Someone neutral to me now. But I had a haunting impression that if I told Shane we had a history together, it could ruin their friendship. And that was the last thing I’d want. Besides, I considered the relationship I had with him in the past as a completely closed chapter of my life, meaningless to my present or future.
Shane turned to face me again, his husky voice snapping me out of my thoughts. “My father called me. He wants us to come for dinner tonight.” His gaze was serious as his eyes darted between mine.
“It’s okay, Shane. We’ll go,” I stated. I was expecting this, knowing that Karl didn’t approve of our relationship, and now we were engaged. Nonetheless, I was ready to face any obstacles. I was ready to fight the world by Shane’s side.
“Trouble?” Callan questioned and Shane turned to face him.
“Nothing I can’t handle,” Shane said firmly, reaching for my hand. “Take care, Callan. I’ll see you soon.”
~••~
We were sitting by the high-end wooden table in the Vergoossens’ residence. This time we ate in the bright, elegant dining room with its style being on the verge of modern and vintage with plenty of natural light and a charming fireplace. I squeezed Shane’s hand, and he smiled, soothing my nerves. The atmosphere was tense. I caught Karl sending me a sinister gaze several times, but it wasn’t that that made me uneasy. It wasAnders. I was racking my brain, wondering what his issue was. He was ten times worse than his father. Whenever I spoke, he would scoff or mock me. He looked at me as if I was his worst nightmare. I got it that the Vergoossens weren’t too enthusiastic about me because I was an Atwood, but it felt like it wasn’t the case for Anders. There was something more than that. I knew it. Eventually, it floated to the surface.
“Well.” Karl’s stern voice snapped me out of my thoughts. His gaze was focused on my glimmering diamond ring. “I suppose we should congratulate you on your engagement.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Anders snapped, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “Are we seriously going to play a happy family now? With her?” He looked at me, furrowing his brows, his eyes filled with hatred.
“Watch your mouth,” Shane hissed, although keeping his composure.
“Or what?” Anders retorted.
“Anders,” Karl started, but his younger son cut him off. It seemed he didn’t respect his father as much as Shane did. He was more rebellious and reckless.
“No, don’t try to shut me up,” he shouted. “Let’s face the truth. If I brought Atwood’s daughter home, you would bury me alive.”
“Atwood’s daughter?” Shane scoffed, clenching his fist. “Melanie is so much more than that. Don’t define her by her last name.”
“Oh, right. Because now it doesn’t matter whose daughter she is,” Anders continued. His tone was a mix of sarcasm and towering rage. “Might I remind you that just a couple of weeks ago, you saw her as—”
Shane stood up, slamming his hands against the table. “You better stop, Anders. I’m warning you,” he vocalized. His voice was so dark and cold that it sent chills down my body.
Anders clenched his jaw, nodding while staring into Shane’s eyes. He took a deep breath before turning his gaze to his father, who watched the whole commotion with disdain on his face. “Even now, you let him do whatever the hell he wants,” Anders hissed, his tone low. “He brings an enemy to our house, and you do nothing. You let him because he’s your firstborn. Rose’s son. The great heir to your great legacy. A real Vergoossen, flesh, and blood. And I? I’m just the worst version of him.”
