When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

The police station was eerily quiet, as if all eyes fixed on us.

Officer Lucy, who had spoken to me last time, had returned from field duty. Spotting us, she quickly pulled a colleague aside to whisper something.

I knew with Clyde's approval, Kayla could pretty much get away with anything short of arson or murder. But I wasn't ready to let it slide. After all, she chose to mess with me. And Clyde? He wasn't keen on divorce.

But the onlookers didn't know their story and were naturally curious.

Jade scoffed, "Mel, he's only your husband on paper. Letting the other woman waltz right in? Scumbag, disgusting!"

It must've been some special day because the station was unusually crowded. I tried to force down tears that weren't there, bowing my head in feigned distress.

At that, a few bystanders couldn't hold back.

"No way. So young and already homewrecking? Shameless."

"She's clearly after his money. The legit wife keeps it simple, but the mistress? She's always dressed to kill."

"That man's got a look of a heartbreaker. No good, both of them."

The bystanders, especially when sensing injustice, sided overwhelmingly with me.

Clyde looked furious, fixing his gaze on me.

Unable to bear the slander, Kayla sulked visibly. "What mistress? The real mistress is the one unloved! You don't know anything! They have no love between them. She's just clinging to my boyfriend!"

Her defense only fueled further disdain.

Eventually, the police had no choice but to take us back to the office.

"This matter is essentially a dispute without any financial loss, so..."

"Officer, she smashed my vase, an antique. It's worth thousands. Surely, that's enough for a case."

I fiddled with my fingers, suddenly determined to make a point.

The officer was stunned, momentarily at a loss for words.

"What are you proud of? Clyde bought everything in the house. What have you got? Can you afford anything?" Kayla continued to be defiant, confident in Clyde's favor.

I looked up at her, resigned. "Sorry, but even if I don't earn a penny, that's still marital property, and the mistress has no claim on them. And you took my jewelry. Even if Clyde and I divorce, those jewels should belong to the wife, right?"

The officer, almost reflexively, nodded in agreement.

"Kayla, the jewelry you took is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe even grand theft?" Jade gripped my hand, visibly excited. She thought I'd always been too passive, not knowing I could stand up for myself.

Raising an eyebrow, the officer seemed puzzled on how to proceed. "Try to settle this between

s first. If that face

step in."

we'll

With the officer gone, the atmosphere chilled even further.

Clinging to Clyde's arm, Kayla looked desperate as Clyde stared at me.

And then, he laughed, "Melanie, I knew it. You only love money."

"Back then, you left with that rich guy and insisted on breaking

Now, you want money again,

can't

live without it, can you?"

You

I nodded silently, letting him believe what he wanted.

But Jade couldn't stand it any longer, standing up to point at Clyde. "Do you even realize what you did back then..."

"Jade, stop," I quickly pulled her back, shaking my head softly, "It's the truth. No need to say more."

She hesitated, then fell silent. Better Clyde never knew the truth about back then. With things as they were, why bring up the past?

Sensing something off, Clyde looked suspiciously at us. "What about back then?"

"I left you for a rich guy. What more do you want to know?" I faced him emotionlessly, refusing to elaborate.

"You!" He clenched his fists in anger.

Kayla quickly held him back. "Clyde, it's all in the past now. Let it go."

"Now, what do we do?" Kayla's voice quivered with tears, her eyes burning with resentment toward me.

I smiled. "Of course, make you infamous. Maybe even land you in jail."

"Melanie, that's too much!" Kayla cried out, with Clyde trying to comfort her.

He looked at me, his eyes filled with resignation, "Melanie, she just went to our house. Why go so far?"

I retorted, "She trespassed. No, you let her take my jewelry and dresses, right? Then you're complicit."

Clyde seemed to remember my earlier mention of the jewelry, his face a picture of astonishment before turning to Kayla.

Kayla, clearly panicked, blurted out, "There's a banquet tonight. I, I didn't want to embarrass you."

She said nothing and everything at the same time. It seemed she had acted on her own, even deceiving Gemma.

Clyde took a deep breath, his gaze finally settling on me. "I'll give you $200,000. Let's call it even."