Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 528: Michale Shaw Spin-off (19) Grandma, My Melody
Chapter 528: Michale Shaw Spin-off (19) Grandma, My Melody
She instinctively struggled, her voice suppressed, “Are you crazy? We’re outside. What if someone sees?”
“Don’t worry, no one will.”
At this moment, the night was already deep. Tobias Carter made sure there was no one around before relaxing. He pulled his arm from around her waist, turned, and looked at her. “Be more careful in public from now on.”
“You’re unhappy,” he stated affirmatively.
“I’m not.”
“Because of Sister Hannah?”
A flicker of unusual emotion crossed Tobias’s eyes. She hadn’t expected Michale Shaw to be so perceptive. She merely retorted, “It has nothing to do with her.”
But Michale Shaw suddenly bent over, getting closer, “Really?”
“Of course…” Tobias didn’t finish her sentence before he had already leaned in to kiss her. Her breath hitched—this was outside. Had he lost his mind?
Unable to push him away, Tobias retreated two steps urgently. Her back pressed under the magnolia tree, shaking the branches, causing petals to fall. And that kiss deepened. Michale Shaw held her nape, his palm dry and scorching.
This was outside…
If someone saw, it would be over.
He really was crazy!
But Michale Shaw never played by the rules. No matter how crazy he acted, it seemed somehow expected. Tobias, dragged and pulled by him…
The heat on her lips devoured her rationality.
She could only follow her body’s instincts.
“Michale, you really are crazy!” Tobias gritted her teeth.
He just smiled at her, “This isn’t madness; it’s normal. Your life should always be like this.”
Tobias was momentarily stunned.
“I’ve long moved on from Sister Hannah. We’re just regular friends now, like siblings. She’s married. You know my personality—I can’t hide anything. If I had any inappropriate feelings for her, Hale and Young Master Shea would have seen right through it.”
“You know Hale’s character, and Isaac Shea is crazy too. He would never allow a rival to be so close to his wife.”
“I only like you, love only you.”
The intense kiss earlier had yet to fade from Tobias’s face.
Now his words made her face burn even hotter.
“Can’t you not talk about love all the time? Don’t you ever feel embarrassed?”
“I have thick skin.”
“You…”
“I just want to tell you every moment that I like you, love you. Melody is the person I love the most, I… mm!” Michale Shaw’s words were cut off by Tobias covering his mouth, forcibly dragging him into the house.
How thick-skinned this person was.
Tobias was indeed upset because of Hannah.
She envied her, not because of Michale, but because of how free and unrestrained she could be. Kicking her biological father out of the house and tearing apart the home-wrecking mistress had become well-known events. When she was with Isaac, many in the circle didn’t think highly of them, feeling their personalities were incompatible…
Doing what you love, loving who you love.
Living boldly and unrestrained, naturally, Tobias was envious of that.
**
That night, Tobias didn’t sleep well.
She dreamed a rare dream about her brother. He was still around seven or eight years old, holding a box of liquor-filled chocolates, smiling at her, “Melody, these are specially bought for you by your brother. Your favorite.”
Then, her brother’s figure faded, and her grandmother’s face appeared, “It’s all because of you. If it weren’t for you, Tobias wouldn’t have been kidnapped and wouldn’t have died!”
“It’s all your fault, all because of you!”
“Tobias, give me back my Tobias—”
Her breathing became rapid. She was jolted awake by a phone call, drenched in sweat. She picked up the phone. It was her father calling, “Hello, Dad.”
“Your grandma is awake. She’s making a fuss, wanting to go home to find… Tobias.” George Carter knew he had wronged his daughter. Asking her to pretend to be his son was wrong from the start. Now, correcting the mistakes was too difficult. “You should come over.”
“Alright, I’ll be there right away!”
She broke out in sweat, quickly took a shower, changed clothes, and ran out.
“Melody!” Michale Shaw came out when he heard the noise.
“My grandma woke up. I’m going to the hospital!”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No need!”
She was in such a rush. The sky was still gray when she arrived at the hospital. She ran the whole way, gasping for breath by the time she reached the room. She stopped at the door, trying to calm her breathing, tidying her hair and clothes.
She pushed the door open and went in. Elder Mrs. Carter saw her, just staring at her.
“Mom, look, Tobias is here!” George Carter said with a smile.
“Grandma.” Tobias walked to her bedside. “You’re awake? I heard you were looking for me, so I came. Have you been disobedient?”
The old lady didn’t speak, just reached out her hand…
When she grasped her hand, she held on tightly.
“Grandma, you’ve been unconscious for a long time. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something? Does your head still hurt? How are your legs feeling?” She smiled while asking a lot of questions.
But the old lady remained silent, making everyone in the Carter family anxious.
“Mom, Tobias usually has to work, so he can’t stay in the hospital. Look, one phone call and he’s here. Aren’t you happy to see him?” George Carter looked at his mother with a smile.
The old lady stared at her. Suddenly, she reached out. Tobias immediately leaned her face closer…
Why was she able to do this?
Besides her brother, it was because her grandmother doted on her a lot.
The old lady had two sons and two daughters. She was the only granddaughter and was loved dearly since childhood. She couldn’t bear to see her grandmother being driven to madness.
Her fingers were thin and cracked, touching her face with an indescribable roughness.
Her fingers passed over her brows, nose, lips…
Smoothing over every inch of her face.
Tears welled up as they continued.
The Carter family stood aside, looking at each other, completely at a loss. What was wrong with the old lady tonight?
“Mom, this is Tobias, right? Don’t you recognize him?” Mrs. Carter also said from the side. When her son died, she was more heartbroken than anyone else. But as the elder sister-in-law, she had to hold the family together.
Moreover, she still had a daughter!
She had to stay strong.
Every time she called her daughter Tobias, it was like a knife cutting into her mother’s heart.
Now, everyone in the Carter family had hearts that bled.
“To… Tobias?” The old lady’s eyes reddened, her fingers trembled as they touched her short hair. “You’re not Tobias, you’re my Melody.”
At that moment,
The entire ward fell silent.
“Our little Melody loved to be pretty most. Grandma loved braiding Melody’s hair most. Why did you cut your hair?”
Her eyes reddened suddenly, and tears spilled out, “Grandma…”
“My good girl, don’t cry, why are you crying? Grandma’s legs hurt and I can’t move. Come closer,” the old lady reached out to her, “Let grandma hug you.”
“My good girl, don’t cry. When you cry, grandma’s heart aches too.”
“You’re not Tobias, you’re grandma’s most cherished Melody, right? Grandma didn’t mistake you, did she?” The old lady’s voice trembled, clearly regaining her clarity.
Melody Carter couldn’t hold it in any longer. She embraced her, and the tears she withheld for so long finally fell.