Chapter 89: Twisting the Knife

Melody Summers returned to 36-02 and went straight to bed to get some rest.

It was a complete surprise running into Flynn Adler and Ethan Sutton today. For an engaged man, Ethan Sutton was being shamelessly unfaithful, openly hitting on the eldest daughter of the Walsh family.

As the saying goes, what goes around comes around. She wondered if Sylvia Lancaster had managed to hook up with Flynn Adler yet.

Besides, according to the timeline from her past life, Sylvia Lancaster had always treasured that antique sapphire necklace. In her past life, even during the Lancaster family’s most difficult times, she never considered selling it.

But now, she had sent the necklace to be auctioned off.

Melody Summers was silently reviewing these events when Winnie Summers returned, all smiles. She had won the most money at the card table earlier.

Winnie Summers smiled and asked Melody, "Miss Dunn invited us to see the art exhibition at the hotel. Melody, do you want to come along?"

Miss Dunn was the resident of 36-01. Her name was Joanna Dunn, a self-made entrepreneur who lived alone with her mother, Miss Dunn.

Joanna Dunn had a frank and generous personality. She had started in the clothing business, later founding her own apparel brand and factory. Since Grace Sutton, who had a similar temperament and worked in the same industry, was her aunt, the two hit it off immediately.

Melody’s grandmother, Miss Lowell, and the elder Miss Dunn were of a similar age, and the three ladies got along splendidly.

In just one afternoon, the two families had grown close.

"Okay, I’ll go."

Although Melody Summers was a bit tired, she mustered her energy, scooped up Albus, and got up to leave with her family.

*

The art exhibition was held in the art gallery on the 17th floor of the hotel. The theme was "The Peony Pavilion," and it featured many ancient paintings.

Elaine Hughes stood before an ancient painting, gazing up at it wistfully.

This ancient painting was part of Elaine Hughes’s dowry. It had been a cherished piece in her grandfather, Mr. Hughes’s, collection for many years.

Unfortunately, a natural disaster had left the Lancaster family with a massive capital shortfall. Banks were constantly hounding them for debt, and employees had even filed for labor arbitration.

With the court on the verge of seizing their assets, Elaine Hughes had no choice but to sell many paintings from her dowry to help Robert Lancaster cover the deficit.

Although Robert Lancaster promised her that he would buy back all the paintings once the Lancaster Group’s situation improved, Elaine Hughes still felt heartbroken.

Just last night, she had dreamt of her grandfather confronting her, asking why she couldn’t protect the family’s art collection. Why did she sell the paintings for money?

In the dream, Elaine Hughes was overwhelmed with sorrow. She tried desperately to explain her predicament to her grandfather, but he wouldn’t forgive her. He cursed her for being a disgrace who had abandoned her heritage for money.

Elaine Hughes had woken up with tears streaming down her face and had been on edge all day. When she heard that one of the paintings she had sold was on display at The Nimbus Hotel’s art exhibition, she quickly brought her son to see it.

Silas Lancaster stood quietly by Elaine Hughes’s side, but his mind wasn’t on the art. The atmosphere in the Lancaster family had been oppressive lately, and Silas himself was having a rough time.

Ever since news of the Lancaster family’s impending bankruptcy got out, his good friends and classmates had started to distance themselves from him. Many had blocked him, and on the rare occasion they went out, they would gang up to exclude him.

Silas felt deeply wronged. He didn’t understand why he had to endure this ostracism for no reason when he clearly hadn’t done anything wrong.

He was eighteen or nineteen, an age where socializing with peers was crucial, yet now he could only coop himself up at home.

To make matters worse, his best friend, Hugh Hayes, had disappeared, leaving him with no one to confide in.

Thinking of this, he lowered his head in frustration.

Suddenly, a flash of a red dress caught his eye. The color was so striking that he couldn’t help but turn to look as a group of people approached.

The woman in the red dress was middle-aged and also wore sparkly shoes. She was walking over, speaking and laughing softly with the people around her.

Silas Lancaster couldn’t help but sneer at the sight. ’Wearing such a bright red dress at her age,’ he thought disdainfully. ’She really has no sense of propriety.’

Just as he was about to turn away, he was stunned to see a familiar face in the crowd—

Melody Summers was right in the middle of them!

"Melody Summers!" Silas Lancaster called out involuntarily.

Hearing Silas Lancaster shout, Elaine Hughes was confused. This was the art exhibition at The Nimbus Hotel, open only to VIPs and hotel guests. ’How could someone from Melody Summers’s background possibly get into a place like this?’

She followed Silas Lancaster’s gaze and was surprised to actually see Melody Summers in the crowd.

Yesterday, Simon Lancaster had contacted Melody Summers’s adoptive father. He had instructed the man to go to The Metropolis Residences to intercept Melody and her mother and persuade Melody to agree to the marriage proposal from the Lawson family.

But when the man went to The Metropolis Residences today, he found they were already gone.

Melody Summers’s adoptive father reported back that her family had moved out of The Metropolis Residences that very morning. He also mentioned that a large fire had broken out on the mountain behind the complex, filling the air with smoke, and that firefighters had been struggling to extinguish the blaze for a long time.

’So, Melody Summers came here, to The Nimbus Hotel.’

At this thought, Elaine Hughes grew puzzled. ’Where did Melody Summers’s family get the money to stay in a place like this? The rates here are astronomical. A single night costs what an ordinary person makes in a year or two.’

Silas Lancaster, meanwhile, strode up to Melody Summers in a few quick strides. Without a word, he glared at her, his gaze murderous.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Grace Sutton reacted quickly, stepping in front of Melody to shield her. She frowned at Silas.

Colin Summers reacted as well, stepping forward and shoving Silas Lancaster back a few steps. "What’s your problem, kid?" he snapped. "Why’d you come charging over here? And why are you glaring at my niece like that?"

Melody Summers looked at Silas Lancaster and Elaine Hughes and sighed heavily in resignation. ’I never should have come to this stupid art exhibition,’ she thought. ’Great, now I’ve run into these leeches again.’

Just then, Elaine Hughes hurried over. She looked at Melody Summers with a puzzled expression and asked, "Melody, what are you doing here?"

Winnie Summers recognized Elaine Hughes. She frowned, pulling Melody close, and answered with displeasure, "We’re staying here. Ma’am, please step aside. You’re blocking our way."

Melody Summers, holding Albus, lowered her eyes and said nothing. She had no desire to engage with the two people in front of her; right now, she just felt exhausted.

Hearing this, Elaine Hughes frowned at Winnie Summers. "You’re staying here? Where did you get the money to stay here? You’re a bunch of country bumpkins. How much could you possibly earn in a month?"

Then she turned to Melody Summers and asked angrily, "Melody, did you pay for this? How could you spend the money your father gave you on these people? Don’t you know the Lancaster family is in a bad situation right now and needs money, too?"

Elaine Hughes didn’t know why she was so angry, but the moment she thought about the Lancaster family being short on money while Melody Summers was spending it on her adoptive family, she felt an uncontrollable surge of anger and self-pity.

’Melody Summers isn’t even blood-related to these people,’ Elaine Hughes thought, ’so why is she spending money on them? If she’s going to spend it on anyone, it should be on me, her own biological mother!’

Elaine Hughes anxiously stepped forward, trying to grab Melody Summers. "Come on, Melody, come home with me. No matter what, you’re coming back with me today!"

Elaine Hughes’s heart began to race. ’If I can just take Melody Summers back today and send her to the Lawson family, all of our problems will be solved!’

’I can get my paintings back, and I won’t have to cry with remorse before my grandfather in my dreams anymore!’

Seeing this, Colin Summers and Winnie Summers quickly blocked Elaine Hughes’s outstretched hand. Grace Sutton yelled at her, "Are you insane? How dare you try to snatch someone’s child?!"

Melody’s grandmother and Miss Lowell also held onto Melody Summers’s arms tightly.

The members of the Summers family firmly shielded Melody Summers, making it impossible for Elaine Hughes and Silas Lancaster to get near her.

Although Miss Dunn didn’t know what was going on, she could tell the newcomers meant trouble. She frowned at Elaine Hughes and said, "What do you think you’re doing? If you keep this up, I’m calling security."

Elaine Hughes grew anxious. "This is my daughter! I gave birth to her! What’s wrong with me taking my own biological daughter away? You want to call security? I’m going to report you to the police for human trafficking!"

Melody Summers scoffed. "I don’t have parents who are suing me for eight million, nor do I have parents who are trying to lure me home to sell me off. Go ahead and call the police. See if they’ll even listen to you."

Winnie Summers also spoke up. "That’s right. Melody is legally my daughter. I have the official adoption papers. Go ahead and call the police, but don’t you dare touch a hair on my daughter’s head."

Seeing Melody Summers surrounded by her protectors, Elaine Hughes grew anxious and burst into tears. She wailed, "Melody Summers, you’ve disappointed your mother so much. How could you be a child I gave birth to? Can’t you learn to be even half as sensible as Sylvia?"

Hearing Elaine Hughes mention Sylvia Lancaster made Melody Summers want to laugh. She nodded lightly. "You’re right. Sylvia Lancaster certainly acts more like your daughter. You’re both selfish and know very well how to sacrifice others for your own gain. Mrs. Lancaster, you should cherish the mother-daughter bond you have with your precious girl and stop going around claiming random daughters."

At her words, a vein bulged on Silas Lancaster’s forehead. He snarled at Melody Summers, "What right do you have to talk about Mom and Sylvia like that? Sylvia is nowhere near as selfish as you!"

Melody Summers ignored him and continued speaking to Elaine Hughes. "Mrs. Lancaster, I suppose you don’t know yet, but Sylvia Lancaster sent that antique sapphire family heirloom of yours to the auction at The Nimbus Hotel. It’s already been bought by someone else."

Elaine Hughes froze. "What did you say?"

Seeing Melody Summers’s confident smile, Elaine Hughes shook her head in a daze and murmured, "That’s impossible. Why would Sylvia send a family heirloom to an auction?"

Melody Summers smiled. "If you don’t believe me, go ask Sylvia Lancaster. See if she can produce that sapphire necklace."

Seeing Elaine Hughes’s flustered expression, Melody Summers twisted the knife. "Your Lancaster family is in such dire straits right now. Did your precious daughter give you the money from selling the necklace?"

Noticing the ugly expressions on Elaine Hughes and Silas Lancaster’s faces, Melody Summers twisted the knife again. "Oh, and by the way, I bet you don’t know this either. Ethan Sutton paid 420 million for the Pink Diamond today. The wonderful son-in-law your Lancaster family so carefully selected would rather spend a fortune on a rock than give any of it to you."

Elaine Hughes was utterly devastated. She couldn’t believe Sylvia Lancaster would send the family heirloom necklace to be auctioned.

When she gave the necklace to Sylvia Lancaster, Sylvia had seemed to cherish it so much. She had even promised Elaine Hughes that she would pass it down to her own children.

Overwhelmed by a storm of emotions, Elaine Hughes turned and staggered away from the art exhibition.

Silas Lancaster, however, frowned deeply and asked Melody Summers in a low voice, "Melody Summers, does Hugh Hayes’s disappearance have anything to do with you?"