Chapter 11 Indifference

Melinda was too shocked to speak.

Allannah's tone was relatively calm, but with a hint of indignation: "Stanley is such a bastard, now he's making false accusations! I was just helping you get out of an unhappy marriage, and he wants to revoke my license."

Hearing this, Melinda took a deep breath and finally found her voice.

"Allannah, I'll ask him what's going on, don't worry."

After saying that, she hung up and, with trembling fingers, found Stanley's name.

Every second waiting for the call to connect felt like torture.

Five calls in total, all unanswered.

Stanley never picked up.

Until the sixth call.

The moment the call connected, Melinda's tears burst out, and she tried to keep her voice calm: "Stanley, please don't do this, let Allannah go!"

Melinda started with a plea, knowing that doing so would make her lose the upper hand in negotiations.

But when had she ever had the upper hand with Stanley?

Even when she filed for divorce, Stanley still had so many ways to force her to give in.

Stanley just sneered: "Melinda, to get a divorce from me, you even thought of faking it. Stomach cancer? Everyone in the Beaufort Family is a liar, aren't they?"

Melinda bit her lip hard: "I was wrong, I know I shouldn't have done that. I apologize to you!"

"As long as you let Allannah go, I'll agree to any condition, okay? This report didn't actually go through her hands, it just used her identity..."

Stanley coldly interrupted her: "Enough, Melinda, do you think I would still believe you? I had it verified by a professional agency, this report was done entirely by Allannah, and the signature is unmistakably hers."

Melinda's teeth began to chatter from trembling.

Fear and anxiety felt like extreme cold, rising from her feet until she was frozen solid.

She held the phone with both hands, begging bitterly: "Stanley, I know I was wrong. Please, I'm begging you."

If he was only targeting her, or even her job, she wouldn't care.

After all, she could just resign, and the company could continue with another project.

But Allannah, she absolutely couldn't let her be implicated.

She had known Allannah for so many years, and she knew Allannah's dreams and ambitions. During their student days, Allannah had said that because she had seen relatives pass away, she wanted to become a great doctor in the future.

Now, this dream was about to be extinguished because of a report.

If that happened, Melinda would live in guilt for the rest of her life, unable to face Allannah.

Even though Stanley's words were now only filled with sarcasm and coldness, Melinda still spoke: "Stanley, I only ask you to target me alone, don't involve Allannah."

At this moment, all the emotions she had been suppressing broke free, and her voice trembled and shattered.

Stanley suddenly fell silent.

Melinda thought he was softening, her mind racing to find some condition to negotiate with him.

"Stanley, as long as you agree to let Allannah go, I'll agree to any condition. Didn't you say you wanted a child before the divorce?"

"I agree, we'll start trying for a baby right away, I'll give the Douglas Family a child."

The only response Melinda got was a few cold laughs from the other end of the line.

Then came Stanley's indifferent tone: "Melinda, do you think a few words can make me forget the consequences of deceiving me? You think too highly of yourself."

The call was hung up, and Melinda felt like the blood in her body had stopped flowing.

When she called again, there was only a busy signal, no more anxious waiting.

She was still sitting in front of the mirror, seeing her pale face and tear-streaked cheeks.

After sitting for a moment, Melinda found Stanley's assistant's number on her phone.

In no time, the assistant answered, respectfully: "Mrs. Douglas."

It was quiet on the other end, with occasional sounds of a meeting, like they were in a company meeting.

"Where is he? Is he in a meeting?"

Melinda's tone was now normal.

"Yes, Mr. Douglas is in a meeting, and then he has a social engagement. Is there anything you need, Mrs. Douglas?"

"Call me when your meeting is over, let me speak to him, okay?"

Hearing the assistant's hesitation, Melinda gritted her teeth: "Or tell me where the social engagement is."

Fortunately, the assistant wasn't Genevieve, and was still polite and respectful to Melinda, quickly giving the name of a club.

Cyber Oasis Club.

A well-known, high-spending place in the city, a prestigious venue. Many deals were made there, with cigarettes, wine, and beautiful women, all in abundance.

Melinda had always known that Stanley had a private room at Cyber Oasis Club, for business or entertaining friends.

The annual expenses were considerable, and the women who frequented it were all top beauties.

Standing at the entrance of Cyber Oasis Club, staring at the large neon sign, Melinda took a deep breath.

When she cared most about Stanley, she had thought about coming here to assert her identity, but she had run into Stanley at the door.

She was scolded and driven away.

That night, Stanley came back reeking of alcohol, and while humiliating her, he coldly told her not to be too greedy as his wife and to know her place.

The feeling of past humiliation washed over her, and Melinda shook her head, taking a deep breath before stepping through the door.

Cyber Oasis Club's private rooms were filled with debauchery, and guests' privacy was highly protected, with no access without a key card.

Fortunately, as Stanley's wife, Melinda could find a card he had casually left at home.

Melinda handed the key card to the security guard, and after her identity was verified, she walked towards the private room.

"Mr. Douglas hasn't come to see me for a long time, has he found a new lover? I've been getting so many beauty treatments recently, aren't you curious?"

A woman's coquettish voice rang out.

Then another voice: "Forget it, Mr. Douglas's first love has returned, he's been with her every day, he doesn't have time for you prostitutes."

"What prostitute, Mr. Hayes, I don't like hearing that."

Melinda recognized the man's voice as one of Stanley's friends, Jeremy Hayes.

So today wasn't a business engagement, it was a private gathering?

Melinda hesitated.

Although she and Stanley were married, everyone in Stanley's circle knew that Melinda was an unloved wife.

They had met a few times before, and their attitude towards Melinda was superficially polite, but they all looked down on her like Stanley did.

If it were a formal business meeting, Stanley might give her some respect, but in front of those playboys, she probably wouldn't even get a chance to speak properly.

Melinda hesitated for a moment, then decided not to go in, instead calling Stanley from the hallway.

Although she didn't want to see him, she still had to ask him to relent on Allannah's matter.