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2024-10-29 19:42:56" Didn't you say that you would do anything to get your face back?" He asks. " I have made your dream come true, now marry me. "
Melody looks shocked. Her eyes move quickly. From the face is the handsome man that is looking at her and then away. She doesn't know what to think of this.
" You don't want to?" Duke asks. " You don't think I am good enough to be your husband?"
Is he kidding right now? He is so gorgeous that she started to have weird dreams about him now, he is every woman's dream.
He took care of her while she recovered and she has kind of started to fall in love with him too. He is the definition of a good husband.
She walks towards him and slowly touches his face. Now she can admire him without thinking of her own ugliness, it's gone.
" Marry me, Melody. " He repeats.
"Okay. " Fuck it. He is the only one who has been able to come up with a solution to her long problem and for that, she is going to marry him.
****
Melody had no idea that marriage could be done so quickly.
She had been the chief bride's maid for both of her sisters and she experienced the extra expensive ceremonies that took place both times.
She is not expecting the same thing for herself –she wasn't even thinking of herself ever getting married, this is even a dream come true for her.
After the brief marriage at the courthouse, they are now heading back to the house.
Duke hasn't said a word to her since they left and she hasn't said a word to him either. She is nervous because she knows what follows after marriage.
Sex that she has never had and doesn't have a clue what it's going to be like. Her sister told her about their magical wedding nights and her eldest is even carrying the evidence of it – a large protruding belly.
When they get back to Duke's moderate apartment, she sits like a statue on the bed and watches him take off his clothes.
Just before he takes off his pants, he goes into the bathroom and she breathes out in relief. He soon returns.
" Um, Duke. " She starts. " Since we just got married I am thinking that maybe we should go visit my family. They are close to me and I want them to meet you now.
"Closest to you? Are you trying to suggest that they love you?" He laughs in a way that suggests he doesn't believe her.
" Yes. " She insists. " They would literally kill for me, I know that. You need to see what my parents and grandpa passed through finding a cure for me."
He isn't even listening to her. He walks to the closet and changes his pants into jeans. He puts on a gray shirt and a black jacket too.
" If they love you so much, then why haven't they looked for you?" He questions her. " You have been here for ten days now and not even a phone call from them. "
She goes quiet because he has just said the truth. Her parents or sisters haven't called her to find out if she is safe and okay.
" Well, if you really want to see your parents, I can't stop you. " He shrugs.
" Change into one of those clothes I bought for you and let's be on our way to their house. "
" Today is family dinner." She tells him. " Everyone, including my sisters and their husbands are going to be at my grandpa's place. "
*****
Melody's grandfather's house is a palace surrounded by beautiful green plains.
The expensive cars parked out front and the beautiful fountain that is in front of the house.
Melody reaches out for his hand and squeezes it in assurance.
" Don't worry, we are going to be fine. " She smiles. " Just tell me when it gets too much, I will be ready to leave. "
Duke nods, just to please. His poor wife doesn't know who the hell she is married to.
They get to the front door and Melody rings the bell.
An older woman opens the door. She is beautiful and looks like she is Melody's mother. Her neck is holding rolls and rolls of gold pieces of jewelry.
Melody doesn't say anything. She just smiles and waits for her mother's reaction.
" You kids are lost, aren't you?" She peers into their faces. " You guys have gotten the wrong house. "
"Mum, it's me!" Melody shouts.
Her mother frowns, she doesn't believe her at all. Duke is a bit disgusted.
Edna pulls the collar of her shift back to reveal a birthmark on her shoulder. She proceeds to put her hand on the fingerprint scanner of the door and it beeps, it's indeed her.
Her mother screams with joy and pulls her to herself. She laughs as she whirls around with her.
" Oh my God. "Her mother says. " Joseph! Bella!"
Her mother doesn't let go of her hand. Melody doesn't forget Duke, she pulls him closer to her so that he doesn't feel alone.
Two people come rushing down the stairs and it's a lady who looks like the man behind her. She has Melody's nose, which has got to be her sister.
It doesn't take long for her to be recognized and it's all hugs and kisses again. The happiness is evident on their faces and words.
Her mother takes out her phone and begins to fumble with it. She is taking pictures of Melody already.
" Where is Papa? I want to see him. " Melody laughs.
" Papa had an emergency meeting, he is going to be back any minute from now." Her sister fills her in.
Her mother is still snapping, Melody can't ignore it anymore.
"Mum, what are you doing?" She asks with a chuckle.
" I'm going to send your pictures to Mister Sean's son. Didn't he say I would take you if your face wasn't that bad?"
"Mother!" Bella rebukes their mum. " You can't say that, she is right here!"
Melody smiles and looks at the floor. She is already used to that by now.
" Mum, you can't do that. I'm married already, this is my husband." Melody gestures to Duke who has been standing behind her all this time.
It seems that he has been invisible to them all this time that they are celebrating and it's just now that they are noticing him.
He is not moved by their demeaning glares, he is keeping his cool.
"This?!" Her mother gestures. " Who the hell is he supposed to be?"
" Mum!" Melody frowns.
" Who are you, son? " Her father asks Duke. " Who are your parents?"
" I don't have any. " Duke speaks. " They died. "
They all turn white as if it's a very horrible thing not to have parents.
"I can't handle this. " Mister Joseph rubs his temple. " Dad is going to be back and he is going to handle this. "
*****
Melody doesn't know how to come, but Duke is still so cool despite all.
Her grandfather is a very intimidating man, even to rich people like them. He is trying to break Duke down with his strong gaze, but Duke is standing strong.
Her grandfather sips from his cup of tea and lets out a satisfied sigh.
"Let me get this straight. You went to court and married my granddaughter. " He points.
" I did. " Duke nods. " We both consented to it. "
Her grandfather chuckles and drinks another sip from the cup.
" Do you know me, son?" He asks.
" Melody filled me with something. " Duke answers.
" I am Jimmy fucking Futterman. I don't deal with hungry orphans like you. " He huffs. " If you don't understand, I am just saying you can't marry my granddaughter. "
"Papa!" Melody is disappointed in her family.
" Well, that's very confusing because it's done already. " Duke reminds him.
Mister Jimmy laughs and his old shoulders shake.
" My first grandchild, Nora. Her husband is a lawyer. " He boasts. " Bella here has a husband works in one of the biggest company in the country, so what do you do? Who much are you worth?"
" I have a house and a car. My satisfaction is worth a lot if that's what you are asking. " Duke looks him dead in the eyes.
"Okay, I'll tell you what. Name a price for giving her back her face and I am going to pay. You guys dissolve this silly marriage and both of you are on separate ways. " He announces.
" I'm not going to divorce Melody. " Duke tells him.
For the first time, he frowns and adjusts in his sit and glares at Duke.
"Fine. " He breathes. " There is this company that is seeking a big investor to bring in 100 million dollars. I would have gotten this done with the bank, but it seems their new manager doesn't know who I am because they have rejected my application for a loan too many times. "
Duke doesn't move, he is still listening.
"I give you ten days to come up with the money, I don't care if you have to go to all the banks in the city, prove yourself to be man enough or you leave my grandchild. "
Melody's heart shatters to many pieces.
" Ten days?" Duke raises his eyebrow.
"Too less? Then just get away from my dear granddaughter. " He mocked.
“No, why do I need 10 days to complete this little deal?” Duke smiles confidently.
“Tomorrow and the deal will be finalized.”
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Melody is mad at her for the way he handled this with her grandfather and she doesn't speak to him as they walk to the car. She shuts the door so loudly when she gets it that Duke turns around and frowns at her. " You are fully aware that this is the only car that we have, right?" He asks. " How could you be so naive?" She laments with anger. " He was baiting you and you took it like a fucking fish!" Duke knows sheis angry and he just starts the car and drives out of her grandfather's old mansion. Her eyes are outside and her head is supported by her hand, it's obvious that she is trying to think of a way out of this mess. " I have friends. " She sighs. " If I beg them well enough they might lend us the money. It will take us decades to pay back but at least I have my face now, and I can work well. " " You aren't taking any loan from your friend. " He tells her. " Oh, Mister genius. " She raises her hands helplessly. " Do you have thousands of dollars bills stacked somew
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Tonya is finally going to go home. After a few months of hiding away in an orphanage, she is finally going back home to her family. Duke being too busy with the new government, won't be able to take her home. Eden is given this task and she is the best option given that Tonya is closest to her. So with a huge number of military escorts, they are on their way to Padre island. Eden is sitting beside Tonya in the private plane. Tonya is asleep beside her and she has her head on Eden's lap. Eden gently strokes her head as she keeps her eyes on the white clouds. She has recovered over the week, but she never attended Ansel's burial. The plane has a limited number of passengers, but it's full. She and Tonya are the only civilians here and Eden feels safe. None of the soldiers here are corrupt, all the corrupt ones have been sacked and it was like a cleansing for the whole army. The pilot soon announces that the plane is getting ready to land, and they have come to their destinat
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**BREAKING NEWS**** The whole country is in a state of confusion as much evidence has been released against the president and some members of the government and top military. He has been forced to resign and the vice president has just been sworn in.**** Many arrests have been made to link some top businessmen that have been in dubious dealings with the president. **Eden is watching the news from her bed. She takes the remote and turns the volume even higher, she wants to hear all she can. Duke wasn't kidding when she told him that there will be a cleansing. It has been just a few days later and it has come to pass just as he had promised her. She sits in her bed, biting her nails as she tries to concentrate on the images on the screen and what they are saying. ** The new president, as an act of transparency, has released the names of those arrested.**Eden holds her breath as the names appear on the screen. The military officers first, there are a whole lot of them, including
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Eden can't believe that this is about to happen. It feels like she has just heard that the rapture is about to come. " When was this decided?" She asks Logan. " I don't know. " He answers truthfully. " Duke just told me what I have told you and that's all I know."Her heart is going crazy. Yes, she wants for the evil among Mafia to end, but she doesn't want Ansel to go down with them. " I have to tell Ansel." She says to herself. " I can't let him fall with the rest."She is already walking away when Logan catches her hand and stops her. "I'm sorry, I can't let you do that." He apologizes. " So you expect me to stand still and watch Ansel get destroyed?" She is agitated. " Let go of me!" She is pulling attention towards them and he has no choice but to pull her to a secret part of the building. She shrugs him off violently. "Listen to me, you have to listen to me." He implores her. " We both should be grateful that Duke saved us from getting caught in the net. Telling Ansel
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After a long drive, Duke returns home. It's kind of a relief because he is living alone, without those soldiers around to scare him anymore and it comes in quite handy now that he has his own tiny family. He steps out of the car with the crunchies and walks to the house. " Hello, I'm home." He announces loudly. Melody appears from the kitchen with a spatula in her hand and an exhausted look on her face. " Oh God, your back." She wipes sweat from her eyebrow. " Didn't know you would be back so quickly."" I had luck on my side, I found it." He lifts it up for her to see and her face lights up in delight. They walk towards each other and he gives it to her as she places a kiss on the side of his cheek. That was a tease, she kisses him on his lips and he giggles, he is delighted. " I would go out and scavenge for other crunchies if you would kiss me again." She laughs, he is funny when he wants to be. "Oh, I won't do that to my husband." She shakes her head. " But here is anot
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Eden hasn't been confused like this in a long time. Ansel hasn't called her since he asked her to leave his house and also she has been too scared to try to call him too. That doesn't mean that hasn't been thinking about what happened in his house, the confrontation, and how she blurted out that she loves him. She might have imagined it, but it's possible that he got kind of scared about what she said because then he refused to speak to her again. Ansel might be madly crazy, but she didn't lie. It might have been just sex and fooling around for him, but she fell for him a long time ago. That's why has ignored every sign that proved to be a red flag in him. She is still hoping that he is going to give up his bad side. She doesn't want to think of him ending up like the bad guys in movies, she hates it. This had led her to some kind of depression and that's why she is still in her room when it's almost midday. She hasn't gone out of her room and she has canceled all meetings tha
