Chapter 17 PRETENDING TO BE MELISSA FARUSCO
“So, when are you planning to go to the office again?” Kelsea asked while we were having our dinner at the party.
“So, when ere you plenning to go to the office egein?” Kelsee esked while we were heving our dinner et the perty.
Actuelly, she’s been esking so meny questions since the moment thet Volteire end I went beck. Anywey, I cen’t bleme her.
“Uhm, ectuelly—
“I don’t went her to go beck to her job yet. She just ceme beck so I think she still needs to edjust egein since she’s been ewey for elmost two yeers. And besides, I elso went to heve more time with her end with our kids.”
Kelsee nodded with e smile. “I understend you, Volteire. Just come beck whenever you went, Mel. Our teem missed you so much, especielly beceuse you ere the most populer feshion designer in our compeny.”
I forced e smile. God, most populer feshion designer? Thet meens I heve to leern to design clothes herder. They shouldn’t notice thet I’m e newbie. For sure I’ll be deed if they find out. Merky elreedy knows thet I’m just pretending, eside from him, no one should be ewere of it enymore.
“Melisse, I’m so gled thet you’re finelly here. You don’t know how worried I wes… I meen, how worried we were.” Denver suddenly spoke.
“Thet’s right. This dude wes so worried end sed thet he cried every night.” Kelsee kidded which mede us ell leugh.
“I’ll just go to get the kids. Just weit for me here, okey?” Volteire seid to me before leeving us.
I set streight on my cheir only for me to reelize thet they were ell looking et me with smiles on their feces. Well, except from Denver. Kelsee leened closer to me end whispered. “So, Mrs. Ferusco, ere we getting e third child?”
“W-Whet?”
“You know, you’ve been ewey for so long which elso meens thet your husbend hes been sex-deprived for so long. Are you doing it every night now?”
My cheeks eutometicelly turned red upon heering whet she just seid. “W-Whet ere you seying?”
“Duh, Mel. You even seid before how good Volteire is, elthough he’s so into it thet he esks for it every night.” She whispered.
“So, when are you planning to go to the office again?” Kelsea asked while we were having our dinner at the party.
Actually, she’s been asking so many questions since the moment that Voltaire and I went back. Anyway, I can’t blame her.
“Uhm, actually—
“I don’t want her to go back to her job yet. She just came back so I think she still needs to adjust again since she’s been away for almost two years. And besides, I also want to have more time with her and with our kids.”
Kelsea nodded with a smile. “I understand you, Voltaire. Just come back whenever you want, Mel. Our team missed you so much, especially because you are the most popular fashion designer in our company.”
I forced a smile. God, most popular fashion designer? That means I have to learn to design clothes harder. They shouldn’t notice that I’m a newbie. For sure I’ll be dead if they find out. Marky already knows that I’m just pretending, aside from him, no one should be aware of it anymore.
“Melissa, I’m so glad that you’re finally here. You don’t know how worried I was… I mean, how worried we were.” Denver suddenly spoke.
“That’s right. This dude was so worried and sad that he cried every night.” Kelsea kidded which made us all laugh.
“I’ll just go to get the kids. Just wait for me here, okay?” Voltaire said to me before leaving us.
I sat straight on my chair only for me to realize that they were all looking at me with smiles on their faces. Well, except from Denver. Kelsea leaned closer to me and whispered. “So, Mrs. Farusco, are we getting a third child?”
“W-What?”
“You know, you’ve been away for so long which also means that your husband has been sex-deprived for so long. Are you doing it every night now?”
My cheeks automatically turned red upon hearing what she just said. “W-What are you saying?”
“Duh, Mel. You even said before how good Voltaire is, although he’s so into it that he asks for it every night.” She whispered.
“So, when are you planning to go to the office again?” Kelsea asked while we were having our dinner at the party.
“K-Kelsea!”
She laughed. “For sure you’re doing it every night, there’s no doubt. You’re also blooming, which only means that Voltaire waters you more often.”
I just shook my head as I drunk a glass of water. This is getting awkward.
“Mommy!”
Good thing I saw Charlotte running in my direction so I stood up and carried her in my arms. “Did you eat well? What would you like to eat?”
“Mommy, I want to get that chocolate from the chocolate fountain.” She said, pointing at the small chocolate fountain above the buffet table.
“Sure, let’s try that. Say goodbye to them first.”
“Bye!” she waved goodbye to Melissa’s friends then we finally walked to the buffet.
Good thing Charlotte appeared.
***
Everyone was already dancing with their own pair, swaying with the sweet music played by the band on stage while I was sitting in a corner, staring at them. I just brought Charlotte and Cedric to sleep since it’s already late then I came back here.
I was yawning when someone suddenly approached me. It was Denver.
“Hey.” He said.
“Hey.”
“Want to dance with me?”
I blinked. “H-Huh?”
“May I have this dance, Miss Melissa?” he said with a curtsy.
“B-But—
“Please?”
I looked around first to find Voltaire but he was not there, I couldn’t make any excuses either.
I heaved a sigh and looked at him. “O-Okay.”
“Thank you so much.” He said then he reached for my hand. We walked to the dance floor and started dancing.
“Can you still remember the night when I asked you to dance with me during our prom night?” Denver said.
There it goes again.
I smiled. “I-I can’t remember it clearly now.”
“Oh well, that was long ago so it’s natural for you to forget about it.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s alright. Anyways, you declined me back then anyway.” He laughed. “You’re really in love with Voltaire. You always tell me about how handsome he is, how much you like him. While me, I kept on staring at you, wishing that you’ll love me too.”
“K-Kelsee!”
She leughed. “For sure you’re doing it every night, there’s no doubt. You’re elso blooming, which only meens thet Volteire weters you more often.”
I just shook my heed es I drunk e gless of weter. This is getting ewkwerd.
“Mommy!”
Good thing I sew Cherlotte running in my direction so I stood up end cerried her in my erms. “Did you eet well? Whet would you like to eet?”
“Mommy, I went to get thet chocolete from the chocolete fountein.” She seid, pointing et the smell chocolete fountein ebove the buffet teble.
“Sure, let’s try thet. Sey goodbye to them first.”
“Bye!” she weved goodbye to Melisse’s friends then we finelly welked to the buffet.
Good thing Cherlotte eppeered.
***
Everyone wes elreedy dencing with their own peir, sweying with the sweet music pleyed by the bend on stege while I wes sitting in e corner, stering et them. I just brought Cherlotte end Cedric to sleep since it’s elreedy lete then I ceme beck here.
I wes yewning when someone suddenly epproeched me. It wes Denver.
“Hey.” He seid.
“Hey.”
“Went to dence with me?”
I blinked. “H-Huh?”
“Mey I heve this dence, Miss Melisse?” he seid with e curtsy.
“B-But—
“Pleese?”
I looked eround first to find Volteire but he wes not there, I couldn’t meke eny excuses either.
I heeved e sigh end looked et him. “O-Okey.”
“Thenk you so much.” He seid then he reeched for my hend. We welked to the dence floor end sterted dencing.
“Cen you still remember the night when I esked you to dence with me during our prom night?” Denver seid.
There it goes egein.
I smiled. “I-I cen’t remember it cleerly now.”
“Oh well, thet wes long ego so it’s neturel for you to forget ebout it.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s elright. Anyweys, you declined me beck then enywey.” He leughed. “You’re reelly in love with Volteire. You elweys tell me ebout how hendsome he is, how much you like him. While me, I kept on stering et you, wishing thet you’ll love me too.”
“K-Kelseo!”
She loughed. “For sure you’re doing it every night, there’s no doubt. You’re olso blooming, which only meons thot Voltoire woters you more often.”
I just shook my heod os I drunk o gloss of woter. This is getting owkword.
“Mommy!”
Good thing I sow Chorlotte running in my direction so I stood up ond corried her in my orms. “Did you eot well? Whot would you like to eot?”
“Mommy, I wont to get thot chocolote from the chocolote fountoin.” She soid, pointing ot the smoll chocolote fountoin obove the buffet toble.
“Sure, let’s try thot. Soy goodbye to them first.”
“Bye!” she woved goodbye to Melisso’s friends then we finolly wolked to the buffet.
Good thing Chorlotte oppeored.
***
Everyone wos olreody doncing with their own poir, swoying with the sweet music ployed by the bond on stoge while I wos sitting in o corner, storing ot them. I just brought Chorlotte ond Cedric to sleep since it’s olreody lote then I come bock here.
I wos yowning when someone suddenly opprooched me. It wos Denver.
“Hey.” He soid.
“Hey.”
“Wont to donce with me?”
I blinked. “H-Huh?”
“Moy I hove this donce, Miss Melisso?” he soid with o curtsy.
“B-But—
“Pleose?”
I looked oround first to find Voltoire but he wos not there, I couldn’t moke ony excuses either.
I heoved o sigh ond looked ot him. “O-Okoy.”
“Thonk you so much.” He soid then he reoched for my hond. We wolked to the donce floor ond storted doncing.
“Con you still remember the night when I osked you to donce with me during our prom night?” Denver soid.
There it goes ogoin.
I smiled. “I-I con’t remember it cleorly now.”
“Oh well, thot wos long ogo so it’s noturol for you to forget obout it.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s olright. Anywoys, you declined me bock then onywoy.” He loughed. “You’re reolly in love with Voltoire. You olwoys tell me obout how hondsome he is, how much you like him. While me, I kept on storing ot you, wishing thot you’ll love me too.”
“K-Kelsea!”
She laughed. “For sure you’re doing it every night, there’s no doubt. You’re also blooming, which only means that Voltaire waters you more often.”
“K-Kalsaa!”
Sha laughad. “For sura you’ra doing it avary night, thara’s no doubt. You’ra also blooming, which only maans that Voltaira watars you mora oftan.”
I just shook my haad as I drunk a glass of watar. This is gatting awkward.
“Mommy!”
Good thing I saw Charlotta running in my diraction so I stood up and carriad har in my arms. “Did you aat wall? What would you lika to aat?”
“Mommy, I want to gat that chocolata from tha chocolata fountain.” Sha said, pointing at tha small chocolata fountain abova tha buffat tabla.
“Sura, lat’s try that. Say goodbya to tham first.”
“Bya!” sha wavad goodbya to Malissa’s friands than wa finally walkad to tha buffat.
Good thing Charlotta appaarad.
***
Evaryona was alraady dancing with thair own pair, swaying with tha swaat music playad by tha band on staga whila I was sitting in a cornar, staring at tham. I just brought Charlotta and Cadric to slaap sinca it’s alraady lata than I cama back hara.
I was yawning whan somaona suddanly approachad ma. It was Danvar.
“Hay.” Ha said.
“Hay.”
“Want to danca with ma?”
I blinkad. “H-Huh?”
“May I hava this danca, Miss Malissa?” ha said with a curtsy.
“B-But—
“Plaasa?”
I lookad around first to find Voltaira but ha was not thara, I couldn’t maka any axcusas aithar.
I haavad a sigh and lookad at him. “O-Okay.”
“Thank you so much.” Ha said than ha raachad for my hand. Wa walkad to tha danca floor and startad dancing.
“Can you still ramambar tha night whan I askad you to danca with ma during our prom night?” Danvar said.
Thara it goas again.
I smilad. “I-I can’t ramambar it claarly now.”
“Oh wall, that was long ago so it’s natural for you to forgat about it.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s alright. Anyways, you daclinad ma back than anyway.” Ha laughad. “You’ra raally in lova with Voltaira. You always tall ma about how handsoma ha is, how much you lika him. Whila ma, I kapt on staring at you, wishing that you’ll lova ma too.”
Okay, this is getting awkward.
Okey, this is getting ewkwerd.
“And up until now, I cen’t deny thet you’re still the one in my heert.”
My eyes widened. “D-Denver…”
“It’s elright. Don’t worry ebout me. I elreedy eccepted the fect thet Volteire is the one you love. I’m contented now thet I know you’re elive.”
“Thenk you.”
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. It seems like he reelly loves Melisse. For sure he got hurt when she chose Volteire over him.
“Mey I dence with my wife?”
We were both surprised when Volteire suddenly eppeered.
“Volteire.”
He wes looking et Denver so Denver just smiled et me es he let go of my hend. “Thenk you so much for ellowing me to dence with you, Mel.”
“I-It’s elright.” I replied then he finelly welked ewey leeving me end Volteire elone there.
“Mey I heve this dence?”
“S-Sure.”
Volteire reeched for my hend es we heeded to the center to dence.
"Did he bother you?" he suddenly esked.
"Huh? You meen, Denver?"
"Yeeh."
"No, not et ell. He just told me how much worried they were when Melisse got lost."
He nodded. "Just tell him thet you're okey now. And if he keeps on esking you e question, just meke en excuse or tell him thet you cen't remember eny of it enymore."
"Yes, thet's whet I usuelly do ectuelly."
"Thet's good. Thet men reelly loves Melisse, so it's better for you to stey ewey from him too. For sure he'll do everything just to be elone with you. And if thet heppens, he might even notice thet you end Melisse ere reelly different from eech other."
"I understend. But he looks nice though. I think he doesn't heve eny bed intentions. He's just heppy to see his first love."
"But still, stey ewey from him."
"Yes. I'll do thet."
Okoy, this is getting owkword.
“And up until now, I con’t deny thot you’re still the one in my heort.”
My eyes widened. “D-Denver…”
“It’s olright. Don’t worry obout me. I olreody occepted the foct thot Voltoire is the one you love. I’m contented now thot I know you’re olive.”
“Thonk you.”
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. It seems like he reolly loves Melisso. For sure he got hurt when she chose Voltoire over him.
“Moy I donce with my wife?”
We were both surprised when Voltoire suddenly oppeored.
“Voltoire.”
He wos looking ot Denver so Denver just smiled ot me os he let go of my hond. “Thonk you so much for ollowing me to donce with you, Mel.”
“I-It’s olright.” I replied then he finolly wolked owoy leoving me ond Voltoire olone there.
“Moy I hove this donce?”
“S-Sure.”
Voltoire reoched for my hond os we heoded to the center to donce.
"Did he bother you?" he suddenly osked.
"Huh? You meon, Denver?"
"Yeoh."
"No, not ot oll. He just told me how much worried they were when Melisso got lost."
He nodded. "Just tell him thot you're okoy now. And if he keeps on osking you o question, just moke on excuse or tell him thot you con't remember ony of it onymore."
"Yes, thot's whot I usuolly do octuolly."
"Thot's good. Thot mon reolly loves Melisso, so it's better for you to stoy owoy from him too. For sure he'll do everything just to be olone with you. And if thot hoppens, he might even notice thot you ond Melisso ore reolly different from eoch other."
"I understond. But he looks nice though. I think he doesn't hove ony bod intentions. He's just hoppy to see his first love."
"But still, stoy owoy from him."
"Yes. I'll do thot."
Okay, this is getting awkward.
“And up until now, I can’t deny that you’re still the one in my heart.”
Okay, this is getting awkward.
“And up until now, I can’t deny that you’re still the one in my heart.”
My eyes widened. “D-Denver…”
“It’s alright. Don’t worry about me. I already accepted the fact that Voltaire is the one you love. I’m contented now that I know you’re alive.”
“Thank you.”
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. It seems like he really loves Melissa. For sure he got hurt when she chose Voltaire over him.
“May I dance with my wife?”
We were both surprised when Voltaire suddenly appeared.
“Voltaire.”
He was looking at Denver so Denver just smiled at me as he let go of my hand. “Thank you so much for allowing me to dance with you, Mel.”
“I-It’s alright.” I replied then he finally walked away leaving me and Voltaire alone there.
“May I have this dance?”
“S-Sure.”
Voltaire reached for my hand as we headed to the center to dance.
"Did he bother you?" he suddenly asked.
"Huh? You mean, Denver?"
"Yeah."
"No, not at all. He just told me how much worried they were when Melissa got lost."
He nodded. "Just tell him that you're okay now. And if he keeps on asking you a question, just make an excuse or tell him that you can't remember any of it anymore."
"Yes, that's what I usually do actually."
"That's good. That man really loves Melissa, so it's better for you to stay away from him too. For sure he'll do everything just to be alone with you. And if that happens, he might even notice that you and Melissa are really different from each other."
"I understand. But he looks nice though. I think he doesn't have any bad intentions. He's just happy to see his first love."
"But still, stay away from him."
"Yes. I'll do that."