Chapter 65

Edward told Melanie, "Ignore them. Just focus on being yourself. You don't have to listen to what they say." After he finished washing up, he sat down with Melanie to study. He now had high hopes for her. What once seemed like a pipe dream—learning Encarian in two weeks—now felt achievable. Not only would Melanie avoid embarrassment, but she might even impress everyone at the event. After all, even though the other leaders' wives were well-educated, their Encarian wasn't necessarily great. He didn't expect Melanie to master it. She just needed to be good enough to attend events like these. After playing along for a while, Melanie remembered the telegram. Edward had shown it to her yesterday, but she hadn't replied. She debated whether to respond the next day. The telegram from Smith Village was sent by Melanie's original father, Frederick Smith. He demanded that she help the Hawke family secure a business deal with Anna. The message implied that they wouldn't forgive her if Mela