Chapter 13

Melina instantly gave Andrew a look reserved for perverts. Andrew coldly retorted, "Relax, I'm not interested in a little brat like you." Melina, her face tense, asked, "We're just lying down and sleeping together? Is that all we'll do?" "Yes." "Can I put a pillow between us in the middle of the bed?" "Fine." "And if I don't have to pay for the orchids, can I grow some vegetables in the garden?" Andrew's face darkened with impatience. "Whatever." Seeing Andrew about to lose his temper, Melina quickly agreed, knowing when to quit while she was ahead. She tried to rationalize it to herself. They were married after all, so sleeping together was normal. And those orchids were worth over 100 thousand dollars. That amount could have kept the school in the mountains running for a long time. Having convinced herself, Melina swiftly climbed into Andrew's bed. The blanket was soft, with a woody scent similar to Andrew's. She couldn't understand why Andrew, who clearly disliked her, wanted to lie next to her. Melina stole a glance at Andrew, noticing his handsome profile. The small mole near his eye gave his cold gaze a bewitching quality. His eyes held a mysterious depth as if he could see straight into her soul. She quickly averted her eyes, her face warming. Maybe her fever hadn't fully subsided. Perhaps due to the cold medicine, the tension earlier soon faded. Soon, Melina felt drowsy and drifted off to sleep. Andrew's eyes were full of mockery. A hundred thousand was all it took for this kid to climb into his bed—indeed greedy for money. But midway through his scorn, he realized she was already asleep. Andrew was speechless. How could she fall asleep just like that? Was she really so unguarded around him? Andrew needed complete solitude when he rested, and no one dared to sleep when he was around. A childhood playmate once described sleeping next to Andrew as lying beside a snake, which was poised to strike. It was impossible to relax next to him. Andrew watched her for a while, listening to the steady breathing beside him. Gradually, his tense emotions began to ease. He closed his eyes. Meanwhile, Wallace, still uneasy after the phone call, couldn't shake his concerns. His grandson, after all, hardly seemed like a good person. What if his sweet granddaughter-in-law had been deceived by that boy? The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He decided to check on them discreetly. Wallace sneaked into Oakread, finding the villa eerily quiet. He crept upstairs and gently pushed open Andrew's bedroom door, peeking inside. There, he saw two figures sharing the same bed. He drew in a sharp breath. Things had progressed this quickly. Wallace knew his grandson well. Beneath Andrew's carefree exterior lay a heart that had been hardened by years of harsh experiences. He had believed Andrew would never trust anyone, much less get married or have children. That was why he had resorted to such extreme measures, threatening Andrew into agreeing to marriage. He truly believed that someone as pure and kind as Melina might be able to reach Andrew. Wallace had expected it would take time for them to even get close, but this was unexpected progress. Wallace's beard quivered with delight as he grinned. Hastily, he withdrew his head from the door. He closed the door quietly and scurried away like a thief in the night. The moment Wallace shut the door, Andrew's eyes snapped open. He stared in silence at the girl who had somehow rolled over to his side. For the past two hours, he had slept peacefully. Even when Melina with her restless sleeping habits had snuggled close, he hadn't stirred. It had been years since he'd slept so soundly. He'd figured out what calmed his nerves. It was the scent from Melina, perhaps from her body wash or laundry detergent. Having identified the cause, he no longer saw any use for the person before him. Andrew abruptly pushed Melina away. Still groggy from sleep, Melina nearly tumbled off the bed. She rubbed her eyes and stared at Andrew in confusion, not understanding what was happening. Andrew's voice was stern as he commanded, "Get out." Melina was baffled. It was Andrew who had proposed this agreement, insisting she sleep here. Now he was ordering her out in that tone. Why was he being so harsh? She really wanted to punch him again! … Melina had thought that sharing a bed was a sign that their relationship was improving. She had hoped they might get along better from now on. But unexpectedly, after that one night, Andrew seemed to dislike her even more. He began tormenting her relentlessly, finding endless tasks to keep her busy for hours on end. Even after she completed her assigned chores, Andrew would still find other things to keep her busy. Yesterday, he made her change all the curtains in the small building. He made her hand-wash them late into the night. Today, he scattered beans on the carpet, making her pick them up one by one. Even Melina, naive as she was, could see that Andrew was deliberately making things difficult for her. Melina told herself to endure it. Wallace had been kind to her. No matter how nasty Andrew's attitude, she had to be gracious. She couldn't lose her temper! She must not hit Andrew! To avoid conflict with Andrew, Melina decided to call Dorothy. She carefully inquired about every single task at Oakread. She jotted everything down in a small notebook. The notebook detailed that cleaning needed to be done daily. Andrew's bedding had to be changed every three days. The carpets needed to be professionally cleaned weekly. Andrew's clothes, suits, shirts, and ties needed dry cleaning, while silk and cashmere items required hand-washing. Andrew disliked cilantro, melons, pork, beef, and... He sure was a picky eater! Melina meticulously recorded every detail. No matter what tasks Andrew assigned, she persevered and worked hard. If Andrew wanted to, he had countless ways to make life difficult for someone. But with Melina, he didn't use those dirty tactics. He simply made things difficult, hoping she'd give up and leave. But Melina refused to surrender. For Wallace's sake, these small hardships were nothing. However, these past few days had taught Melina one thing. Andrew was indeed a jerk. And this jerk disliked her. … Their battle of wills continued until the weekend. As previously arranged, Wallace was coming over for lunch today. Melina decided it was time to talk to Andrew. She didn't mind living with Andrew this way, but she didn't want Wallace to notice the tension between them. Once again, Melina prepared breakfast, waiting for Andrew to wake up. She had planned to go upstairs and wake him if he wasn't up by 10:00 am. She didn't want Wallace to arrive while Andrew was still asleep. To her surprise, Andrew came downstairs at 9:00 am, looking irritable. For some reason, Andrew's temper had been worsening over the past few days. As he descended, Andrew instinctively frowned upon seeing Melina. The usually cheerful Melina managed a strained smile. "Andrew, breakfast is ready." Andrew had a sandwich and milk on the table, while Melina had ravioli drizzled with chili oil. Since Andrew had said even a dog wouldn't eat Melina's cooking, she had stuck strictly to Dorothy's instructions. She only prepared foods Andrew typically ate. As he sipped his milk, Melina looked at him with crystal-clear eyes. "Andrew, Mr. Wentworth Senior is coming for lunch today. Can we... Can we pretend to be a normal married couple, just for today?"