When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

I didn't sleep a wink all night, constantly checking the time on my phone.

By eleven, I was already up, keeping an eye on the hallway.

Lisa had arranged for me to stay in the VIP suite, conveniently close to the staircase.

I counted the seconds in my head, and when I noticed the red light on the stairwell's security camera flicker off, I knew the surveillance system was updating.

Taking advantage of the distraction, I quickly left my room and headed up the stairs.

Two floors above my room was the rooftop. Pushing open the door, I gripped the pocket knife in my hand tighter.

The wind was biting cold, and I wrapped my jacket tighter around me, scanning the area.

Suddenly, the door shut behind me, and then I saw a hunched figure.

"Galen?"

I cautiously approached, and he spoke in a raspy voice, "Follow me."

He led me to a corner of the rooftop, sheltered from the wind and prying eyes.

Removing his hat and mask, I saw the scars on his face and instinctively covered my mouth to stifle my sobs. "Galen, how did you...?"

"You know about the fire." He sighed, shaking his head, then sat down on an abandoned chair.

"Mellie, it's been a while. It's good to see you."

I nodded, at a loss for words.

Was it good seeing him? He didn't seem alright, did he? But then again, maybe if I hadn't seen him, things could've been worse.

"Galen, you've seen Geneva, haven't you?"All content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Thinking about the figure I'd seen at the hospital door, my voice choked up.

Nothing hurts more than a father and daughter being estranged for years.

He nodded, his eyes soft with affection.

"Geneva's grown tall and beautiful. She used to look like her mom, but now she's starting to resemble me."

"Talbot must've been behind her food poisoning, the scumbag. He was just trying to lure me out."

He punched the chair beside him in anger, then slowly calmed down.

"Galen, have you been here all these years? What exactly happened? And about my dad..."

As he looked up at me with complex emotions, I didn't press further.

The truth was probably not far from what Geneva had told me.

It took Galen a good five minutes before he spoke again.

"Geneva's mom was sick. Talbot was a match and offered to help, but he wanted a favor in return."

"Your family's business was having minor financial troubles, nothing serious, but I..."

The rest confirmed Geneva's suspicions.

Talbot blackmailed Galen into cooking the books, funneling the company's money into his pockets.

Eventually, he arranged for their escape abroad, hoping to secure his family's safety.

"Talbot went back on his word. Auntie didn't get the surgery."

I spoke evenly, unsure of how to feel.

Galen nodded vigorously, "Yes, it's all my fault, my punishment."

He didn't ask for my forgiveness, and I didn't offer any words of consolation.

He was at fault, as was Talbot, but he was also a victim.

Looking out over the rooftop, the city

was

life,

x contrast to our ow

B with lights, bustling displacement. Content bow with

"Mellie, every year I send Talbot a portion of the evidence of his

to

conspiracy against your father, with the rest in a safe." Colongs

to

"There's also some money left for Geneva. I don't trust anyone else, but I trust you."

He handed me a safe key and a small envelope.

"Here's a power of attorney, so you can retrieve the evidence."

"And this USB drive contains

evidence of the Crawford and Miller

'collusion. It's all yourse

now."

Swno