Yulia was in her bedroom. The large French windows were open, making the pink curtains billow in the
cool breeze. Her silver mobile phone shone in the night almost as brilliantly as her diamond earrings.
"Why did you give up the chance of being the spokesperson? Without this opportunity, you'll have one
less excuse to approach my brother."
There was a trace of dissatisfaction in her voice. She grabbed the fluttering gauze curtain with one
hand. For a moment, Yulia imagined this to be Melinda. How she wished she could tear it apart into
pieces.
"I have my reasons why I did what I did."
Thinking of the way Jonas looked at her today, Emily knew that she did the right thing. If she made
Jonas get into a serious fight with Nelson and failed to get the spokesman, it would be a huge loss.
After all, Yulia was raised in the ivory tower, and she was only capable to connive at naive little tricks.
Sometimes, the best way to move forward was to take a step back.
"But Emily... We are partners!"
"I know. Don't worry, I have a plan, and it involves you telling me everything that Melinda does at home.
You have to do this. Otherwise it won't work."
Emily looked at the photo frame beside her which held a falsified photo of her and Jonas. There was a
look in Emily's eyes that was inherently possessive.
It was as if she was in a raging battle, and the promised reward was Jonas.
"You want me to spy on Melinda?"
Yulia asked incredulously, covering her mouth as she looked vigilantly out the window. "I don't even live
in the same villa with her," she continued in a lower voice, feeling annoyed in her heart.
"I just want you to keep an eye on her. Even if you don't live together, can't you figure out a way? On
the right balcony at the third floor of the main villa, you can see their villa from there."
From the way she spoke, it was obvious that Emily knew the Gu's mansion better than Yulia. Although
it was quite surprising, Yulia didn't seem to think too much about it. She then unwittingly went to the
room, and sure enough found that what Emily had said was true.
"Actually, you don't have to keep an eye on Melinda all the time," Emily said a bit excitedly. She heard
over the phone how Yulia went out to the balcony, and was feeling thrilled that her plans were starting
to take form. "I just want you to inform me right away whenever she goes out."
"Got it," Yulia said quietly.
After hanging up the phone, Yulia stood out on the balcony for a long time, waiting for something to
happen. With binoculars, she could even see everything that was going on in the living room.
Moments later, Jonas showed up in the courtyard. Yulia quickly ducked down and then left carefully,
feeling a bit guilty.
Melinda was reading a book in the bedroom. Her glasses rested daintily on the bridge of her nose. It
was as if she was in her own cozy, peaceful bubble.
Just then, Jonas entered.
"Why are you so late today?" Melinda put down the book in her hand and asked casually. Jonas started
unbuttoning his shirt and flung it on the bed. Seeing this, she grabbed it and threw it into the washing
basket.
"There's a lot of work at the company," he answered with a tired sigh.
Nodding, Melinda was familiar about the matter regarding the spokesperson. She knew she'd better not
to ask too much about it as it would displease Jonas.
The next day, it was a rare sunny afternoon in A City. Melinda made an appointment to have tea with
her editor. For their meeting, she decided to wear a plain white T-shirt, a nude gauze skirt, and a pair of
thin shoes. The makeup she was wearing was light and fresh. As for her hair, she just let it naturally fall
down over her shoulders.
She looked so gorgeous and elegant that Yulia couldn't help but stare at her in awe. How could it be
possible that she was wearing such simple clothes and yet still looked great?
"Melinda! Are you going out?" Yulia asked as she hurriedly walked towards her.
"Yes, I have an appointment with a friend," she replied promptly.
"Well, I was just about to go out, but my driver has gone to rest today. Can you wait for me for a minute
and give me a ride?" asked Yulia.
However, Melinda slightly furrowed her brows when she heard this. Just a while ago, she saw Yulia's
driver outside.
"Hurry up then," Melinda said, shrugging it off. "I have to be there in fifteen minutes. I still have dinner
with Jonas later." If she ended up being late for tea with her editor, she might not make it in time for her
dinner with Jonas. They had made plans the other day to eat together tonight.
"Thank you, Melinda. I'll just go get my makeup and my handbag." As soon as Yulia said this, she went
back to her bedroom quickly, told Emily about Melinda's plans, and then went out with her bag in her
hand.
"So, I'm going to go the coffee shop downtown. Where are you going?" Melinda asked Yulia as she
started the car.
"Actually, I'm going there as well!"
"Oh," Melinda said in surprise. "Okay then."
When they were halfway there, Yulia said that she forgot something very important at home. With a
disgruntled sigh, Melinda turned around and headed back to the villa. It was already four o'clock in the
afternoon when they finally got to the coffee shop.
Yulia got down and walked up to a table. From the looks of it, she really was going to meet someone
there.
"I'm sorry. I had to deal with something on my way here. I'll treat you to dinner later,"
Melinda said helplessly as she sat down with her editor. The editor was actually a good tempered
person and wasn't too upset that Melinda was late. "No worries. I accept your apology."
"Thank you so much,"
Melinda beamed. Then she sent a message to Jonas saying that she could not have dinner with him
because she had something to discuss with her editor tonight. In just a few seconds, Jonas replied.
"How dare you stand me up like that?"
The message from Jonas was very domineering, making Melinda choke slightly. She wiped her mouth
in embarrassment, and then quickly replied,
"It's all your sister's fault. I'm innocent, okay? Thank you."
After putting her phone back inside her bag, she sat up straight and ordered a slice of cake before
diving into business with her editor.
Just when Jonas was about to text back, he received a call from Emily. Unfortunately, he accidentally
answered it right away.
"Jonas."
From Emily's tone, she sounded very excited that Jonas picked up the phone at once. "Do you have
time tonight? Let's have dinner together," she said.
"Okay, I'll send you the address later."
Thinking that Melinda had cancelled the meal with him, Jonas was somewhat angry. A satisfied smile
appeared at the corners of Emily's mouth. It was lucky that Yulia found out about Melinda's plans, and
had gotten her late on purpose.
Later that night, Melinda had gone back home after her dinner with her editor. Much to her surprise,
Jonas had still not gotten back to the villa. 'I thought that he would be eating dinner here,' she
pondered.
"Did Jonas go home for dinner?" she asked.
"Mrs. Gu, didn't you and Mr. Jonas say that you would have dinner outside tonight?"
Gavin was also confused. He didn't expect that Melinda would ask him such a question. Since the two
didn't come back together, he thought there must be something wrong with Jonas.
Since she was the one who called their dinner off, Melinda felt slightly embarrassed. "Never mind. I
was just asking."
Melinda went to their villa and had a nice, long hot bath. Thinking of what she had discussed with the
editor, she had some ideas about the development of the novel. After her bath, she moved her laptop
to the living room, and then sat on the carpet and typed.
It was already eleven o'clock in the evening when Jonas got home. The strong smell of alcohol
emanated from his body. On top of that, there was something else—Melinda was sensitive enough to
smell a woman's perfume. Besides, this kind of perfume smelled much like what Emily used.
"Where were you? Did you have dinner by yourself?"
"What? You want to check where I was and who I was with?"
Jonas pulled his tie with a frown and saw Melinda sitting on the carpet. Then he pulled her up and
leaned her against the sofa. Smelling the alcohol and the women's perfume, Melinda felt uncomfortable
and struggled to leave.
"I was just asking a simple question. There's no need to get so defensive about it," she said as she
gently pushed him away.
Her calm and collected attitude made Jonas relaxed as well, even though there was a bit of bitterness
in her heart. Even so, he still didn't tell her where he was.
"It's late. Stop working. Go to bed early," he said, quickly changing the subject.
"Okay."
Jonas's suit jacket was left on the sofa. Seeing this, Melinda picked it up and saw a few yellow curly
hairs. Without a doubt, Melinda knew it was Emily's hair.
Melinda raised her head and found that Jonas had disappeared up the stairway. She pulled off the
hairs and threw it into the trash can haphazardly.
In the next few days, Melinda discovered a strange pattern. Whenever she prepared to go out, and
passed by the main villa, Yulia would definitely appear all of a sudden. And she always had various
reasons to delay her.
When she had an appointment with Jonas, this kind of situation would definitely happen. And during
this period, after being stood up for several times, Jonas acted colder and colder towards Melinda.
"What's wrong? Is your driver sick today, or is your car broken?"
Melinda said in a sarcastic tone when Yulia came up to her again. There was a sudden change in
Yulia's expression, but she managed to calm herself down in a split second.
"Melinda, where are you going? I sent my car to the garage for maintenance. Can you give me a ride?"
said Yulia. Melinda raised her eyebrows. Didn't she feel embarrassed by these similar excuses?
"I'm going to the library. I have made an appointment for lunch at a restaurant nearby with your
brother,"
Melinda said with a teasing smile on her face. Yulia was so focused that she didn't notice the change
on her face. "Oh, it seems that we are not the same way. I will pick a car in the garage later," Yulia said
with a sense of regret.
After that, Yulia walked back to the main villa. Melinda got on the car and asked the driver to drive to
the back gate. On the way to the yard, she heard Yulia's voice.
"She is going to the library now. She'll be having lunch with my brother."
Yulia's voice came clearly to the ears of Melinda. Her eyes instantly burned with anger. How could Yulia
tell others her whereabouts?!
"I can't stop her. You have to figure it out by yourself." Yulia had sensed that Melinda was on the alert,
and she knew that she couldn't follow, so she called Emily to figure out a way.
Melinda stood outside the back door with a small seam, where she could see how Yulia cautiously
leaned against the wall. After hanging up the phone, she left in a hurry.
Yulia didn't notice that the back door was opened after she left. Meanwhile, Melinda's eyes burned with
anger.
She felt that there was something strange going on with Yulia for the past few days, and now she knew
why. Yulia had been monitoring her for quite some time now. The only thing Melinda had to figure out
was who Yulia was speaking to.
Yulia's voice came clearly to the ears of Melinda. Her eyes instantly burned with anger. How could Yulia
tell others her whereabouts?!
"| can't stop her. You have to figure it out by yourself." Yulia had sensed that Melinda was on the alert,
and she knew that she couldn't follow, so she called Emily to figure out a way.
Melinda stood outside the back door with a small seam, where she could see how Yulia cautiously
leaned against the wall. After hanging up the phone, she left in a hurry.
Yulia didn't notice that the back door was opened after she left. Meanwhile, Melinda's eyes burned with
anger.
She felt that there was something strange going on with Yulia for the past few days, and now she knew
why. Yulia had been monitoring her for quite some time now. The only thing Melinda had to figure out
was who Yulia was speaking to.
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