Chapter 23
Anthony hurled a stack of documents at Melissa. His voice was as cold and sharp as a blade. “Explain these two car accidents. Why was the driver who crashed with us the same one who later hit Stephanie? He disappeared overseas during the investigation, then reappeared to hit her. You knew him, didn't you?”
The realization that Melissa had deceived them ignited Anthony's fury. Gripping her wrist, he glared at her with unrestrained anger. The papers left red marks on her face.
Melissa instantly assumed her pitiful demeanor. Tears welled as she desperately shook her head. “No, I don’t know him! What are you talking about, Anthony? I don’t understand.”
“Marcelo, please explain!” she pleaded, turning tear-filled eyes toward him. “Anthony must have misunderstood. My mother and I are maids. How could we orchestrate this? Did Emelie say something? She’s never liked me.”
She watched their reactions, avoiding the incriminating documents on the floor.
Marcelo’s usually gentle eyes were icy, filled with hatred. “Stop pretending. How dare you mention Emelie? You know what you and your mother did. You paid a driver to fake a drunk-driving accident, then staged a rescue. You knew you weren’t in danger. We were fools to believe you. But you can’t cover your tracks forever. If you hadn’t panicked and caused another crash, we might not have discovered your deception so quickly.”
Marcelo seized her throat. Though he spoke slowly, the bulging veins in his hands betrayed his force. Melissa was suffocating, her eyes rolling back. She struggled desperately. His gentleness had been an illusion.
He leaned close, whispering coldly, “Don’t worry, Melissa. You’ve done despicable things. I won’t let you off easily. You’ll suffer as Emelie did.”
Anthony intervened only when Melissa’s body went limp. “Ease up. Don’t kill her.”
Marcelo loosened his grip. The next second, a pot of scalding soup was poured over her. Melissa shrieked. The burning soup scalded her skin, turning it bright red. She curled up, writhing on the floor in agony.
“You can’t handle the pain? How do you think Emelie survived that?” Anthony’s eyes narrowed, his heart aching for Emelie. He imagined her pain after Melissa entered their lives. She had grown up surrounded by their love, yet it seemed they had inflicted all those wounds. A wave of guilt washed over him.
He hated himself for not seeing the truth sooner. Misguided gratitude for her supposed life-saving actions had blinded him. Marcelo felt the same. Years of observing countless lives in his acting career hadn't prepared him for this. His overconfidence had allowed Melissa to deceive him. Now, he saw his own folly.