Austin Hale had recently started working at the Adler Group. Although the salary was considerable and came with company benefits, after paying for utilities and food each month, he still couldnāt make ends meet.
If he could move into this villa with his mother, he could save a large sum on living expenses every month.
Melody Summers followed Grace Sutton downstairs in confusion. When she saw Austin Haleās face on the security monitor, she was even more baffled.
"Austin Hale, what are you doing here?"
Austin grew excited at the sound of Melodyās voice. He immediately looked at the display screen by the door, frantically neatening his hair and collar. Then, he spoke gently to Melody, "Melody Summers, can you open the door? Thereās something I want to say to you."
Melody scoffed and replied, "I have nothing to say to you. Donāt stand outside my house, or Iām calling security."
Seeing this, Austin said anxiously, "Donāt call security! I just want to say a few words. Please, just hear me out!"
Austin knew Melody wasnāt the type to easily go back on her decisions, so he had been agonizing for the past few days over whether to come.
That was until last night, when he woke up from a dream, drenched in sweat from the heatāthis monthās electricity bill was too high, and his family could no longer afford to run the air conditioner.
He got up, irritated, intending to wipe himself down with a damp towel, but as soon as he entered the living room, he smelled something sour.
Frowning, he looked around and saw a half-eaten bowl of spoiled noodles on the living room table.
To save electricity, Mrs. Hale had already unplugged the refrigerator. She couldnāt bear to throw away the extra noodles she had accidentally cooked yesterday, so sheād left them in the living room to eat the next day.
Because of the heat, the noodles had already started to ferment, emitting a foul odor.
It was in that moment that Austin decided he couldnāt live like this anymore. He once again recalled what Joanne White had saidāhe remembered her telling him that Melody Summers was now living in a villa and doing very well.
He knew that if he wanted to win Melody back, he would have to swallow his pride. In the past, he definitely wouldnāt have been willing. He was a handsome student from a prestigious university, a golden boy admired by countless people.
But for him now, pride and dignity were the least important things.
Joanne was right about him. He and Joanne were the same kind of people, willing to give up anything for their own benefit.
Austin had made up his mind. Today, he had taken a meticulous shower, using up all the desalinated water he received as an employee benefit from his company. He styled his own hair and put on his cleanest clothes, trying to look like the young, handsome student he was in college.
No matter what, Austin had to move into this villa today.
He lowered his eyes, gathered his emotions, and spoke to the screen with deep affection:
"Melody, please forgive me. Iāve been thinking a lot these past few days, and Iāve realized youāre the one I love most. I really canāt forget you. Please give me another chance. Let me pursue you again, okay?"
"Melody, I know I shouldnāt have hurt you, but it was all Joanneās fault for seducing me. I lost control for a moment and made a mistake. But I swear, this is the last and only time in my life Iāll ever make a mistake like this. Just think of it as me not having grown up yet. I just made a mistake that every boy makes."
"Melody, Iām working at the Adler Group now, earning over ten thousand a month. My boss really values me, and my supervisor told me Iām getting a raise next month."
"Melody, letās get back together. Weāre not poor college students anymore. If we work hard together, we can definitely build a good life. I believe that with you by my side, Iām bound to succeed. Iāll give you a better life!"
"Melody, why arenāt you saying anything? Are you still upset about Joanne? Donāt worry, Iāve already kicked her out. Sheās just a shallow gold-digger who isnāt fit to hold a candle to you. Itās all my fault for being too young and getting tempted by her. From now on, no matter what temptations are thrown my way, I will always choose you. I wonāt let you suffer anymore. Please, just give me one more chance, okay? Letās start over."
Austinās rambling was giving Melody a headache. It wasnāt until he mentioned working at the Adler Group that her ears perked up... āThe Adler Group...ā
āIf itās the Adler Group Iām thinking of,ā Melody thought, āthen all these annoying people are really flocking together for some reason. Is this what they call birds of a feather?ā
Melody didnāt want to waste another word on him. āThis guy really knows how to save face. He actually has the nerve to say he kicked Joanne out. If I hadnāt seen Joanne with Zane Simmons with my own two eyes, I might have actually fallen for his act. He was the one who got dumped, but heās still trying to pretend he did the dumping.ā
No matter how much Austin pleaded, reminiscing about their college days and professing his deep regret, Melody remained silent. She simply called the police.
Before long, Officer Tate arrived with a few security guards.
Officer Tate looked Austin up and down. Seeing how presentably he was dressed, he frowned and said, "Hello, sir. Weāve received a complaint that youāre causing a disturbance. Please come with us."
Austin looked on in disbelief. He couldnāt believe Melody would be so ruthless as to call the police on him.
He yelled wildly at the camera, "Melody Summers! How could you do this? How could you call the police! Iām a man! How could you not leave me with any dignity! Do you really not care about our past at all? How can you be so heartless? Open the door!"
As he spoke, Austin angrily threw a punch at the electronic screen, but Officer Tate quickly intercepted him.
Officer Tate pushed Austin to the ground, took out his handcuffs, and cuffed his hands behind his back. "Alright, thatās enough. Causing trouble right in front of a police officer? Youāre coming with us."
Seeing Austin being led away, Melody let out a sigh of relief.
She turned to her anxious grandmother, Miss Lowell, and aunt, and reassured them, "Itās alright now. If you see this person again, just call the police directly. Donāt even bother with him."
Grace Sutton nodded, then said with a worried expression, "Sigh, so many strange people have been showing up lately. Iām afraid to open the door to just anyone anymore."
"Thatās how it should be. From now on, donāt open the door for anyone you donāt know. I saw other people in the group chat saying the same thing. They even said that home invaders are using recordings of crying children or the sounds of kittens and puppies to get your sympathy and trick you into opening the door," her grandmother said with a serious look.
As Melody listened, she glanced out at the yard. Suddenly, she noticed two vine-like plants sprouting in the vegetable patch.
Melody walked over for a closer look. Just as she suspected, it was Desert Vine.
"Grandma, Miss Lowell, Aunt, come look at this," Melody called out to them.
As they gathered around, Melody pointed to the two Desert Vines and said, "Whatever you do, donāt touch this plant. It has tiny, transparent thorns. If you touch it, the thorns will get stuck in your skin and cause pain and swelling. The last time I took Sophie Thorne to the hospital, it was because she touched this plant."
"I know, I know," Grace Sutton said, slapping her thigh. "This stuff is growing all over the place outside now. Itās like it sprouted overnight. The property management even organized staff to clear it out, but it grows so fast that new ones pop up every day."
Melody was taken aback. She hadnāt been out in a few days and had no idea the Desert Vine had spread so much.
The group got some rubber gloves from the storage room and carefully pulled out the Desert Vines in the vegetable patch.
Luckily, the Summers familyās villa was enclosed, so there werenāt many Desert Vines. Otherwise, it would have been a real hassle.
That evening, when Winnie Summers and Colin Summers came home, they talked about the trouble caused by the Desert Vine at the dinner table.
"The property management collected a lot of Desert Vine today and turned it all in. The government is collecting it. They say theyāre going to process it and turn it into food."
"A child in the neighborhood fell while walking and landed with his arm right on a Desert Vine. By the time he was taken to the property management office, his whole arm was swollen. Thankfully, Melody brought over that special antidote before. One shot, and the swelling went down after a little while."
Melody opened her community group chat. She had been too busy mining these past few days to check it. Sure enough, everyone was talking about the Desert Vine.
"2-1408 Bella Grant: Donāt touch that Desert Vine, everyone! My kid fell on it by accident, and his whole arm swelled up in no time. It scared me to death. Luckily, the property management office had the antidote. He got better after the shot."
"4-2009 Nina: I heard that antidote is really expensive. A lot of people have been stung by the vines these past few days, and thereās a serious shortage. The price has been driven up to thirty thousand per shot. How much did you pay? @2-1408 Bella Grant."
"2-1408 Bella Grant: I didnāt pay anything. Property management said it was donated by a kind-hearted resident. The first shot is free for every household, but you have to pay if you get stung again."
"6-702 The Lover: Thatās wonderful! Thank you to our kind neighbor."
"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: Is thirty thousand a shot expensive? A box of crackers costs several hundred these days. Iāve lost all sense of prices. Iāve just been in a daze for the past six months. The only things I feel are that thereās less and less to eat, the weatherās getting hotter and hotter, and my savings are dwindling. Sigh."
"4-1209 Just Slacking: Itās such a shame this thing is poisonous. Iāve had pumpkin shoots before, and theyāre delicious. I thought this might be edible too, but I guess not."
āDonāt worry, youāll be eating it soon enough,ā Melody thought. āIn my past life, I ate it until I was sick of it.ā
Melody put down her phone and told Winnie and Colin about Austin pestering her earlier that day. "Mom, Uncle, if he goes to the supermarket to bother you, just throw him out."
Melody deeply regretted ever bringing Austin home. He knew Winnie and Colin, and she was afraid he would go to the supermarket to harass her mother and uncle.
"That little bastard!" Colin cursed angrily. "No wonder when you brought him home all those years ago, I had a bad feeling about him from the start. A grown man, putting on such airs, acting all high and mighty for no reason. I knew he was no good!"
Winnie thought for a moment, then said reflectively, "I remember now. The person Officer Tate arrested for attempted trespassing today was him, wasnāt it? After they dealt with him today, he was put on the community blacklist. Heāll be banned from entering The Metropolis Residences from now on, so donāt worry, Melody."
Melody was relieved to hear that. However, she was still puzzled. How did Austin find out her address? He claimed to be working for the Adler Group. āCould this have something to do with the Adler Family?ā
āSophie Thorne said the Lawson Family and the Adler Family are related by marriage. Could Austin showing up today be related to me kicking Mrs. Lawson out a few days ago?ā