Melody Strikes Back by Myra Walker

Melody yelped, instinctively covering her chest with her arms. However, she couldn’t help but think, ‘Am I getting hit on? No way, I’m so ugly, who’d want to hit on me? 

“Don’t fucking touch me! I’m engaged to the Swanson Group’s second heir! Despite her disdain for Ulric, she had to pull out her fiancée card to scare the man off. 

Melody’s declaration seemed to work, as the man paused. “Ulric’s fiancée?” 

The man, identified as Ken Swanson, took a step back, his expression darkening. In the dim light, Melody couldn’t see his face clearly, but she caught his hesitation. 

Realizing he knew Ulric, she bluffed, “Exactly! Since you know him, you should realize messing with me is off–limits, future Mrs. Swanson here! Leave now, and we can pretend this never happened.” 

But right as she spoke, loud footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. 

“Weird, I could’ve sworn he came this way… one said. 

“He must be hiding in one of these cabins, let’s search each one another suggested. 

The voices outside were getting closer, and Melody could tell they were about to bust in on them in 

So, he wasn’t pulling anything shady; he was actually a fugitive on the run? 

The man’s arms on either side of her head were strong and firm, indicating he was well–trained. 

With a dagger at her throat, he could end her life in an instant. 

n this room. 

Melody decide to negotiate for her safety. “I can help you dodge the crowd outside and treat your wounds, but you gotta promise not to touch me!” 

It seemed impossible to escape this guy’s grip, so cooperating seemed her best bet. As soon as she made her offer, the menacing look in Ken’s eyes softened slightly. 

“You better keep your end of the deal, or else… I couldn’t give less of a shit whose fiancée you are!” His tone was threatening. and though Melody couldn’t clearly see his face, the air around him felt ice–cold and dangerous. 

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps reached the cabin door. 

Melody realized she had no time to hide Ken. Acting on instinct she pushed him down and started making exaggerated moaning sounds, swaying her hips to sell the act. 

Ken realized she was trying to help him escape but looked utterly shocked, apparently not comfortable with the ruse 

Despite the rash marring her face, which made her look like she never been with a man before, she was unexpectedly convincing. 

Just then, the cabin door was kicked open. Melody, startled like a deer caught in headlights, let out a yelp and clung to the 

Ken’s neck. 

From the hallway light, an intruder saw two bodies tangled together. Melody, on the bottom of Ken, appeared radiant, her blonde hair straggling over a pillow–visually striking even from behind. 

However, when she turned her face, revealing hideous red rashe, it destroyed the allure completely. 

Disgusted, the man lost interest and slamuned the door shut. 

“Ken in there?” another voice chimed in, drawing closer. 

ha 

“Nah, just some weirdos. Let’s go.” The man repiled with a wave of the hand.. 

As the door clicked shut, Melody let out a sigh of relief. She listened as their footsteps faded away, leaving the cabin quiet again. 

“Nice work,” Ken said, his tone anything but complimentary. Without even glancing her way, he sat up to tend to his wounds. 

is a ghastly 

In the dim light streaming through the curtain gaps, Melody saw the severity of his injuries. Around his waist was a wound, and as he dabbed the blood with his shirt, she spotted a bullet embedded there. 

The necklace around his chest had miraculously stopped the bullet from piercing all the way through. Despite the grim injury. Ken remained impressively composed. His lack of disgust or fear, even after seeing the blotches on Melody’s face, spoke volumes about his inner strength. 

Who the hell is this guy? Melody wondered, just as she watched him bite down on his shirt and harshly yank the bullet out. Blood gushed out like a busted pipe. 

“Are you out of your freaking mind?” she exclaimed. 

Driven by her medical instincts, even though he seemed like bad news, Melody quickly dressed and grabbed a first aid kit from her suitcase. 

Under Ken’s skeptical gaze, she blurted out, I’m a doctor.” 

Ken didn’t respond, but he didn’t stop her as she began to staunch the bleeding. Luckily, her med kit was well–equipped. including clotting medicines. 

Still, it took her a solid half–hour to get things under control. 

“All done,” she announced, finishing up. 

Immediately, Ken grabbed her chin, lifting her face. Her face was small compared to his hand, her eyes large and shimmering like crystals, but the red splotches made her look hideous. 

He wasn’t one to judge by appearances. But he couldn’t believe that this intriguing woman actually was his disabled brother’s fiancée. 

“How old are you? What’s your name? Where do you live?” Ken interrogated her like a cop. Melody was so done with his questioning. She looked away, her lips sealed, and remained silent. After a moment, she said, “They’ve left, you should too. 

*Not 

“Not gonna spill, huh?” he retorted. 

Melody clenched her jaw. She wasn’t about to spill her guts to someone so dangerous. 

Ken sneered, lowering his gaze. “Do you even know who I am?” 

“I don’t care! Just leave!” Melody snapped. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Fine” With that, he reached out and yanked the necklace from her neck. 

It wasn’t the necklace that mattered, but the ring that hung from it–the ring that belonged to Melody’s mother. 

“Give it the fuck back!” Melody lunged, but Ken was a freaking giant. He dangled it just out of reach, smirking as she jumped desperately. 

He toyed with her like she was just a little cat, letting her make futile attempts for what seemed like forever before he finally spoke up. “This cruise is heading to Silverlake. Looks like you’re coming along for the ride. Hit me up at the Blue Moon. 

11:21 THU, Lu 

Lounge once we dock. Hl give it back then.” 

With that, he struck her neck swiftly, and everything went black Melody collapsed into his arms, knocked out cold. 

When she woke up again, the cruise ship had already pulled into the port. Melody bolted upright in bed, only to find that Ken was nowhere to be seen. 

She frantically checked herself over and breathed a sigh of relief when she realized he hadn’t harmed her. 

Next, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a dagger that shimmered with a cold light. She then ran a strand of her hair along the blade, and it sliced clean through. 

A cunning smirk crossed her face. Melody figured the dagger was payment enough for her troubles. It looked plain but could slice through iron as if it were butter. Definitely valuable. 

When Ken had gone for her neck, she knew she couldn’t fight back physically, so she had cleverly swiped the dagger from his pocket without him noticing. 

Not a bad trade–off, all things considered, she thought 

But Melody wasn’t gonna track him down at the Blue Moon Lounge. She had too much on her plate already–no time to waste on some risky stranger. She had bigger scores to settle–for herself and her mom 

Melody stashed the dagger and caught a glimpse of herself in the room’s mirror. Her face was blotchy with alarming red patches. She pulled out a medicine packet from her suitcase and started treating herself immediately. 

Ridding herself of the toxins would take months and would normally require expensive medicinal materials. Having just returned from the countryside, broke, Melody had to work with what she had. 

Her mentor had warned her that her beauty would bring her trouble, so she had kept her true face hidden upon returning home. However, caution hadn’t saved her from being betrayed and murdered on the operating table by her stepsister, her friend, and her own husband in her past life 

This time, she was determined to turn the tables. She was going to restore her beauty, strengthen herself, and never let anyone manipulate her again. 

As the ship docked. Melody got out of bed, pulled her suitcase, and left the blood–stained cabin behind. 

Silverlake, I’m back, she whispered to herself. 

She was itching for payback against those who had wronged her in her past life, and she wanted them to feel the heat big 

time. 

Stepping off the cruise ship, Melody was met by the Fox family’s butler, eagerly awaiting her at the port. 

“Where the hell is she? Why isn’t she out yet? Any of you seen the girl with the rash all over her face the butler snapped, looking back at his team. 

A few of his subordinates shook their heads. 

Melody happened to overhear the conversation. It seemed her stepmother had already sussed out everything about her, even the rash. Smirking, she strolled over.