"Interested in pottery, are you?" Kellan sneered, glancing at Melany. The coldness in his dark eyes seemed to chill the air.
Melany clenched her fists and quickly looked away.
"You claim to appreciate pottery, but you can't even identify Allison's work. There's no point in your staying. Besides, I doubt Allison wants to see you."
Kellan's sharp tongue struck again. "And let me be clear: I have no patience for pretenders."
His words stung. Heat rose in Melany's cheeks, her expression shifting between embarrassment and anger. She swallowed her fury, forcing a bitter smile.
"Mr. Lloyd, you have a way with words," she said, feigning innocence. "I didn't realize this was Allison's. She was always so busy with housework at the villa. Colton's mother constantly praised her, saying she was unlike those shallow women who flaunted themselves. I assumed she wasn't the type for something like this. Who knew she had such hidden talents?"
Feigning surprise, she glanced at Colton. "Colton, honey, if you knew Allison was so skilled, why didn't you tell me? You made me look foolish in front of Mr. Lloyd."
Colton's eyes grew colder. "Well, there's a lot I didn't know about her."
He couldn't take his eyes off the meticulously crafted pottery. It was flawless, the work of an expert. How could Allison, his housekeeper, possess such a talent? He'd always seen her as nothing more than a domestic, managing the household, never showing interest in anything artistic or refined.
A knot of unease twisted inside him. For years, he'd believed Allison's world revolved around him, but now it seemed she'd been leading a separate life, one he knew nothing about. Seeing her with Kellan only amplified his unease. They sat in the soft sunlight, absorbed in their work, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle.
Colton had considered Allison shallow, recently divorced and already involved with several men. Worse, she'd become intimate with Kellan, CEO of the Lloyd Group.
Colton's expression darkened. He pulled Melany closer, putting an arm around her waist. "Mr. Lloyd, I've heard much about you. My grandfather always praised your leadership and business acumen. But even the best can be fooled. No one is infallible."
Kellan didn't react. His attention remained fixed on the clay, as if Colton hadn't spoken. He dipped his brush in water, smoothing the edges, uninterested in the conversation.
"Do you think slimming this section would make it more elegant?" Kellan asked Allison. "Ignore the dogs. Emanuel's eager to see this finished."
Absorbed in her craft, Allison replied without hesitation. "No, thinning it would ruin the balance. Hollow carving requires a different approach, and this clay isn't suitable."
Colton stood silent. The two continued their quiet discussion, oblivious to Colton and Melany.
To Colton, it was unsettling. In the past, Allison's eyes had always been on him. Even during arguments, her gaze never left him. Now, it was as if she'd vanished.
His grip tightened on Melany's waist, the tension mirroring the growing chill in his expression. Melany shivered at the pressure.