Melody
"You are the child sent to Mallory. You are Maximus' illegitimate child."
No!
I am my mother's daughter.
My mother's name is Stella, not some imposter!
I shook my head in denial and stared at Dorian as tears ran down my cheek.
This is a dream. All of this is a bad dream.
I want to wake up. I want to wake up from this terrible nightmare.
Please, goddess.
I want to wake up from this dream!
"So... You knew who I was when... when I first came here?"
As much as I dread the answer to that question I knew I had to ask.
"Yes."
Dorian's reply struck a painful chord in my heart and my heart sank.
He knew me.
He knew who I was and that was why he took me in.
Would he have helped me if he didn't know who I was?
"Melody, I ..."
"No. Don't say anything," I shook my head and waved my finger. "Just answer my questions."
I have to know how much I have been fooled.
"You took me in to relieve your father's debt. To correct your uncle's mistakes. Is that it?"
Say no.
Please say no.
"Yes."
I could hear the sound of my heart as it shattered to pieces.
"All the love you showed me...." I paused and thought about it.
I probably shouldn't ask that. I don't know if I'm ready for the answer that he might give to that.
"Were those real? The affection you showed was that also repayment of the debt owed?"
"Melody," Dorian tried to hold me but I stepped away.
"Just answer me!"
"At first it wasn't but....."
No.
This isn't true.
I didn't just hear him say that.
I didn't just hear him say that the love I was starting to appreciate was all a lie.
I thought that since my whole life turned out to be a lie, Dorian's love was the only thing that was real about my existence but it turned out otherwise.
Turned out that I was wrong once again.
I am nobody. I have nothing. No love, No identity.
Now I know why my father hates me so much. Now I see why he despises me.
He hates me because I came to this world out of deception.
My whole life was a lie.
How am I supposed to accept that my whole life was a lie?
I lived a lie.
My existence is a lie.
Nothing is real about me.
Dorian only saw me as a way to make up for his uncle's mistakes. He never really loved me.
Oh, goddess.
What's with me and the men you make my mates?
"Please listen to me, Mel," Dorian sounded aggrieved. He looked like he would cry at any time but I don't care.
I'm too hurt to bother.
"Yes, I didn't always love you from the beginning. I showed you love because I wanted to fulfil my father's last wish." He brushed his hand through his face. "He wanted me to find you and reunite you with Estrella. Then he wanted me to go to Mallory and apologize to the king and the Viscount for my uncle's crimes. He wanted me to unite the kingdoms but I didn't know how to do that, especially when Estrella went missing for years."
Dorian rubbed his hands together and brushed it over his face.
"As fate would have it, you came to Dark Flame yourself seeking shelter, and I thought, what better way to fulfil my father's wish? So I sheltered you. But every time I remember what my parents had to go through because of King Arthur and the fact that their supposed friend, Maximus, didn't stand up for them, it hurts me. So I thought I'd use you as a tool to get back at them both. But after hearing everything you've been through at the hands of your father, I changed my plans and decided to use Giovanni and Aaron instead. However, after being with you for two years and seeing the kids grow before me, everything changed. I fell in love with you and wanted eternity with you and the kids." He cupped my cheek and looked straight into my eyes.
"I let go of my revenge for you, Mel. Just for you."
Really?
What a huge sacrifice Dorian has made for me. What a great man he is.
Tch.
Should I dance with joy at the discovery? Should I celebrate the fact that he intended to use me before but changed his mind due to an unforeseen circumstance?
If he hadn't fallen in love with me, he would have used my innocent pups against.....
Oh no.
I can't even bring myself to say it.
"Melody," he placed his hand on my shoulder. "Please, believe me, I....."
I don't want to hear it!
I don't want to hear him deceive me again.
I yanked his hands off my shoulders and hurried out of the study.
I needed some air.
"Mel.... Melody!"
I could hear him calling out to me, but I didn't stop running.
I had my eyes closed as I ran. Tears cascade down my face like a flood. No matter how hard I wiped, it didn't stop so I let it be.
I let the tears rain freely as I ran.
I was so blinded by my tears that I didn't realize where I was going until I bumped into someone.
"Melody?"
Oh no.
Not him, please.
I resumed running without taking a breather. The last person I want to see now is Derek. What are the odds that I will bump into him right at this moment?
"Melody!"
Now they both called out.
Apparently Dorian had been following me and I bumped into Derek before running so they both came calling after me.
I don't want to see any of them.
I could sense their presence right behind me. They were catching up. I can't let them stop me. So I did what I thought was best.
I shift.
I let Joanne do the running while I took the time to think of what to do.
Both men have hurt me, but they are both my mates. I cannot ignore that fact.
So, Which one of them deserves my forgiveness? Is it Derek? Or Dorian?