Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law

But Cadence seemed unconvinced as he looked at her and then at the dark room behind her," Are you sure you were sleeping, or did you have someone in the room with you?"

Melanie stiffened, though her expression stayed cold and unreadable. With narrowed eyes, she stepped aside, the motion deliberate and sharp. "Why don't you step inside and look around for yourself?" she said coolly. "Go ahead. I'll wait for you outside."

She shifted as though to move past him, her chin tilted high, but he quickly blocked her way. His presence loomed, yet her composure never faltered. "Why are you going outside?" he demanded, suspicion thick in his voice.

"Because I refuse to share a room with you and your doubts," she replied, her tone clipped and icy. "So, check every corner if you must. When you're done, I'll return."

As she moved again to step around him, his hand darted out, catching her wrist. Her gaze snapped to the contact, and the chill in her eyes made him falter. Slowly, she pulled her arm back, her glare cutting into him like a blade. "What?" she asked, her voice low, dangerous in its restraint.

The sharpness in her tone made him hesitate. Hurriedly, he raised his free hand in a placating gesture and stepped back, a forced smile curving his lips. "Okay, okay. Don't be angry," he said quickly, trying to soften his voice. "I was just… being a little needy. That's all. Go sleep. I won't disturb you tonight."

And yet, as the man moved out slowly, his eyes continued to scan the dark room, as if he would be able to spot someone. And that got on her nerves to the point that she had to physically stop herself from turning around to check in case Adam could be seen. She cluthched at the door handle, reminding herself that she could not do it. She should only stare at him. That was the only way to handle it.

Once the door closed behind the man, Melanie made a deliberate movement and locked the door behind her, before moving to lie down on the bed, waiting for Adam to come to her. Now that the danger had passed, she knew that they would not be disturbed tonight, so she wanted to burrow herself in his embrace.

Melanie lay still for a while, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as the silence of the room pressed in around her. A minute passed. Then another. She expected the faint sound of movement, the quiet shift of someone emerging from the shadows, but nothing came. The seconds stretched longer, and unease began to creep into her chest.

Finally, she pushed herself upright, the sheets rustling faintly in the quiet. "Adam?" she whispered, though her voice was soft, hesitant. There was no answer. She scanned the corners of the dim room, eyes adjusting to the darkness, but found nothing. The place looked as empty as it had when Cadence stood at the door.

Her feet touched the cold floor, and she padded quietly across the room, pulling aside the curtain and stepping onto the balcony. A rush of night air met her face, cool against her skin, and she glanced around quickly, searching for any sign of him. The balcony was empty, the shadows cast by the railings stretching long across the floor. No movement, no trace. She frowned and leaned over the edge for a better view, half-expecting to catch him climbing down or waiting below. Still nothing.

With a sigh, she turned back inside, her frustration mounting. The room was silent, untouched. It made no sense- he wouldn't have simply left, would he?

Hmm. She moved towards the bathroom and when her eyes landed on the bathtub, she almost laughed aloud.

There he was. Adam sat slouched in the tub as though it were a throne, his head tilted back, eyes closed, and mouth set in a stubborn pout.

"You really are something, Adam Collins. There I was, inviting him to come and check the room and you decided to set up a bath? What if he had..."

But then she tapered off as Adam did not open his eyes to look at her or said anything. Was something wrong. She thought back to the moments just before Cadence's arrival and her irritation gave way to hesitation. A flicker of unease passed through her chest.

Something about Adam had seemed strange even before Cadence's sudden knock, though in her hurry to keep up her icy front, she hadn't let herself dwell on it. Now, with him sitting so motionless, that uneasy feeling came rushing back, sharper than before.

Worried, she stepped closer, her movements slow and careful. The quiet sound of her bare feet against the bathroom floor seemed louder than it should have been. She leaned over the edge of the tub as she studied him more closely. His stillness unsettled her. Was he asleep? Or had exhaustion finally taken such a toll on him that he couldn't even bring himself to respond?

Her hand lifted almost hesitantly, fingers stretching out as she prepared to touch his shoulder. Just a light shake, she thought. Just enough to be sure he was fine.

But before she could make contact, Adam moved with startling swiftness. His arm shot up, catching her wrist, and with one sudden pull he dragged her forward into the tub.

Water splashed over the edges in a sharp wave, soaking the floor and sending a shock of cold through her clothes as she landed hard against him. Melanie let out a small gasp, her body pressed to his, struggling to find her balance in the sudden tangle of limbs. She had no time to scold him or even to catch her breath before he closed the space between them.

His lips claimed hers in a deep, insistent, demanding kiss, as if he had been holding himself back for too long and now refused to wait another moment. She frowned at the harshness of it, because it almost bordered on pain and hit his shoulder, wanting him to stop.