<h4>Chapter 354: A Dinner</h4>


    "Do you have to be so cold? We’re going to my parents’ ce for dinner. The least you can do is hold my hand. Or do you want them to find out about the contract?" Melody asked, her tone clipped as she nced at the cold-faced man beside her.


    Adam didn’t even flinch. His expression remained nk, his eyes fixed ahead like she hadn’t spoken at all.


    Over thest few days, Melody had started wondering if she had made a mistake. A serious one. He had been nicer to her when she was Melody—when he hadn’t known the truth. Back then, his gaze lingered. His tone was softer. There had been something almost warm in the way he spoke to her.


    But now?


    Now it was like standing next to a wall.


    From his behavior recently, she hade to understand something very clearly—he hated Mnie. He absolutely loathed her. The thought made her scoff. This had been a miscalction. A big one. She had been so sure that Adam cared about Mnie. So sure that they had feelings for each other. But now she realized—they were both pretending. Both of them deserved Oscars for the way they had yed her. She had fallen for the act, just like everyone else.


    But now that she looked back, she remembered something. Mnie had seemed irritated the first time she’d asked her about Adam. At the time, she’d thought it was jealousy, maybe possessiveness. But now? Now it could very well have been something else entirely. Maybe frustration. Maybe guilt. Maybe Mnie hadn’t wanted to lie but had done it anyway.


    Either way, it didn’t matter anymore.


    Just because she had misjudged their dynamic didn’t mean she couldn’t turn things in her favor. She had made her move. She had taken this ce in Mnie’s absence. It was going to be more difficult than she had expected, yes. But maybe it would be more fun too. She liked a challenge. And getting Adam to fall for her now—when he clearly wanted nothing to do with her—would be the greatest challenge of all.


    The key was getting closer to him. Proximity was everything. She needed to tempt him. To wear him down. To make him want her the way he had once seemed to want Melody. But that was difficult when he spent all his time locked up in his office.


    She had tried everything—meals, outfits, casual conversation. Nothing worked. He barely even looked at her.


    Another thing she hade to realize- Adam and Mnie were both workaholics. Obsessively so. That made her old tricks useless. She couldn’t justin about being bored or lonely to get his attention. That would only annoy him and make his suspicious. It certainly hadn’t worked thest few times.


    Soon, she would have to step into Mnie’s shoespletely. Join her business. Step into her schedule. Her world. But she knew nothing about any of that. Mnie’spany, her clients, her work, it was a world Melody wasn’t prepared for. At least not yet.


    Still, that could wait. She’d figure it out when the time came. For now, her focus remained clear.


    Her focus was Adam.


    "Don’t worry. I’ll hold your hand tight, once we get there. With the way you are behaving, one might think you are even eager to hold my hand. What happened to loving Spencer forever?"


    Melody sighed. She had not even met this ex of Mnie. Spencer Collins...


    Once outside the building, Melody decisively held out her hand. She’d like to see him reject her now.


    But Adam didn’t look at her simply took her hand in his and started walking in, almost pulling her forward, "Can’t you walk a bit slower?"


    "You need to walk faster."


    With thatment, Melody went quiet. At this rate, she would get into an argument with him and all her n to let him feel her hand and more would be wasted.


    But they had barely stepped out of the elevator and Melody was just thinking of her next step when their mother’s voice echoed in the hallway. "There you are!" Marianne stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Adam first before turning to her daughter. "And you, my girl-look at you! Still glowing like you always did. Isn’t she, Adam? Come in,e in!"


    They stepped inside, their joined hands still visible as they crossed the threshold into the house. But the moment they passed into the living room, Adam let go. His movement was casual, almost unnoticeable, except that he slipped a hand into his coat pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and discreetly wiped his palm.


    Melody saw it. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Her jaw tensed. He didn’t look at her. Didn’t care if she noticed or not. How dare he! Did he actually think her hand was dirty? Her hands clenched at her sides at the tant disrespect but she had to curb it as her father weed them warmly," Sit down, both of you. Dinner’s almost ready. Your mother has been pacing around all afternoon preparing everything."


    Melody sat down stiffly, schooling her features into something polite. Adam followed suit, settling beside her with the same casual grace he carried but keeping a distance that would not usually be in a couple. She sighed. Wondering if she should move closer.


    Marianne leaned forward, reaching across and taking Melody’s hand in both of hers. "Mnie, let me show you around. Thest time you were here was in a professional capacity. But this time, you’re back as my daughter." She smiled, then stood, gently tugging at her daughter’s hand. "Come on, I want to show you your room from when you were a baby."


    Melody froze for a second. Her mother’s words weren’t particrly suspicious, but something about her tone made her uneasy. Wanting to take her away? Alone? Why? She knew everything so why the need for pretense?


    Still, she couldn’t object. That would only raise questions. And so, without a word, she stood and followed Marianne out of the room.