The Unwilling CEO's Love Game novel Chapter 213

Melvin felt a surge of rage so intense he could rip Zachary's smug face right off.

"You know, it just hit me," Melvin said with casualness, "that my sister's been single for long, and Preston’s grown up. It's high time we find her a new boyfriend."

The other end of the line fell into a brief silence.

Melvin could feel Zachary's dark mood, but he still had the audacity to irritate Zachary.

"We're family, Melvin," Zachary said, and it was hard to tell if he was playing the sympathy card or issuing a veiled threat.

Melvin flicked ash from his cigarette, his voice remained cool. "My sister's been divorced from you for years now. You've got a new flame. It's not right to expect her to play the grieving widow alone."

"I'll have someone keep tabs on that guy and that woman in SouthMyst region. If they step out of line, you'll be the first to know. And if you need him to disappear, I'll handle it," Zachary offered like it was nothing. "If Jocelyn becomes a widow, well, that clears the path for you two, doesn't it?"

Melvin could almost thank him for playing matchmaker.

"No need to trouble yourself with the latter actions," Melvin reminded him, "keep your hands clean, man. You've got a son who's a real stand-up guy."

"Fine," Zachary relented before asking, "Anything else you need?"

"If you're still keen on winning back my sister, you'd best stop chasing every skirt in sight," Melvin warned him. "She's not pining for you, man."

That hit a nerve of Zachary, and the line went dead.

Melvin stared at his phone, mulling over Zachary's suggestion.

If Castiel kicked the bucket, Jocelyn would be left alone with a kid. That's when he could swoop in.

Once the thought took root in his mind, he could hardly get rid of it.

Melvin took a deep drag of his cigarette to squash the sinister idea.

...

Zephyr watched as Melvin tried to drown himself in booze, finally intervened, "What's done is done, man. You've gotta accept it."

Melvin shot him a frosty glare. "Could you?"

"No way," Zephyr admitted bluntly. "But that doesn't mean I'd roll over and die."

Melvin had no desire to continue the conversation.

Clutching his glass, he downed another drink. "She really went through with it."

Zephyr couldn't talk him down, only offering a feeble consolation, "Look, Jocelyn stuck with you for a good stretch. How many women would hang around for three years with no ring? She had treated you quite well."

Melvin snorted. "I told her to wait for me."

"She probably lost faith waiting," suggested Zephyr. "Women are emotional creatures. They overthink. She probably imagined every possible tomorrow and couldn't see a future with you. That’s why she handed it to someone else."

Melvin wasn't buying that crap. "That guy's out there playing the field. What kind of future is that?"

"That's her business now. She's not yours any longer," Zephyr's words were like a knife, stabbing Melvin in the heart.

Melvin hated the thought of her belonging to someone else, bearing another man's child.

He couldn't keep her by his side like before anymore. He had no right.

"If her husband croaked, she could come back to me, right?" Melvin blurted out.

Zephyr's eyes widened in shock. "You wouldn't actually off the guy, would you? And even if she were single, you ready to play stepdad?"

"The kid's young. I say I'm the dad, and that's that," Melvin said, dead serious.

Zephyr was flabbergasted, struggling to believe Melvin could stoop so low.

He was at a loss for words.

"You gotta think this through. If you go down that road, even if she did come back to you, could you live with yourself? What if the truth came out one day? How would you even deal with that mess?" Zephyr had to remind him of the stakes.

Melvin took a deep breath.

He set down his glass and leaned back, lighting another cigarette and taking a hard drag.

Only then did he truly grasp that Jocelyn was gone.

He loved her for so long, thought she'd never leave him. He took her for granted, and now she was someone else's wife.

The turmoil in his heart was uncontrollable. He wanted to numb the pain with alcohol.

Turned out, drowning in alcohol to forget only multiplied the sorrows.

"Stop drinking," Zephyr said, seeing him empty the bottle. He wouldn't let Melvin crack open another. "You're just recovering. Don't wreck yourself."

"I should've died back there," Melvin whispered faintly.

Zephyr frowned. "You forget what Yasmine said? You clung to life because she told you every day that Jocelyn was waiting."

"But she wasn't," Melvin looked at him, "so I should've died."