It was getting late, and Eloise, having said her piece, stood up. "All right," she told Nathaniel, "we'll talk about this after you've recovered from your injury. For now, you rest and get better." As she was about to leave, she paused. "Oh, and forget about Melanie." She meant it.
Nathaniel remained silent. The ward fell quiet once more.
The following day, Melanie arrived with soup and buns. After the car accident, their relationship resumed as if nothing had happened. They avoided any mention of the past, maintaining a semblance of normalcy. However, a palpable chasm existed between them. Melanie brought him supplies and cared for him; he didn't dismiss her. A fragile peace settled over them—the calm before the storm.
She fed him breakfast, cleaned, and helped him wash. Finally, she settled down. "I went to the lab," she said. "Everything's proceeding as usual. No problems. The new employees adapted quickly. The new perfumers have some foundation, but aren't up to standard yet; it was best to hire more." She gave him the latest company updates.
Though she didn't report directly to him, Nathaniel already knew this information. He acknowledged her report. "I received the mail yesterday about the formula adjustment," he said. "It was your hard work; you deserve the credit."
His tone was polite but distant. He kept his mention of the formula adjustment brief; it reminded him of unpleasant events.
Melanie understood and avoided pressing the issue. "It's my job," she said. "It's for the good of the company."
Every sentence emphasized her actions were for the company and for him—implicitly absolving him of blame. Nathaniel understood her implication and remained silent.
Melanie popped a piece of chewing gum into her mouth. "Right," she said casually, "I heard Rebirth submitted their entries for the annual competition."
"I'm sure they did," Nathaniel replied faintly, sensing her search for comfortable conversation.
"But Lily prepared the entry herself. Rebirth trusts her that much?"
Nathaniel's impatience flared. He looked up. "What are you trying to say?"
His irritability, perhaps inherited from his mother, made him feel Melanie was beating around the bush. He longed for directness: 'Just tell me what's on your mind.'
"Nothing much," she said. "Since Lily left MN Inc., so much has happened. I feel like I never knew her. I never imagined she could be this powerful—join Rebirth, gain so much authority. I don't know what kind of magic she possesses."
Melanie sighed, looking up at the ceiling. She was clearly emotional.
Nathaniel, though silent, took her words to heart. He agreed; he hadn't known Lily at all. Without her Lodge family connections and the advantages that entailed, how could she have gotten into a place like Rebirth? Rebirth, though not enormous, was under the La Beaute Group umbrella, and their hiring process was rigorous.