Dangerous Love: You Are My One and Only Bride novel Chapter 1778

Melanie drew a deep breath. “Well, then, Arianne. Do you actually believe that all a man needs to do to make a woman stay is to gift her a car, some fancy jewellery, some chic designer bags, what-have-you? Is that all what love amounts to? Oh, no… No. Men do that so that you’d wanna stay with them. Once you’ve gotten all pleased and charmed by their bait, he’ll revert to how he’s always been. Why? Because you’re just an objective, and he’s achieved it. Why even waste energy coddling you now? …Don’t you see? There’s not a scintilla of genuine affection in it.

“I can tell, you know, if he loves me or not. I’m not seduced by all these materialistic trappings. I only ever wanted him, as a human being—be it Alejandro or Ethan. And yet, it doesn’t matter who he is; he simply isn’t mine. You don’t know the half of all those days and nights I’ve spent since I was bound to him by marriage, do you? I have had suitors—throngs of them, and I’ve never needed to lower myself to such submission, never needed to walk on tiptoes around any man. I’ve done so much for him. So, so much… So why is it that, at the end of the day, I’m still not in his heart?

“He just wants me to stay for the sake of his daughter. This is why the last ember of my hope has long died, Arianne. So, spare me all the platitudes of a spokesperson; you shouldn’t have.”

Even if Arianne were a master debater, Melanie’s reply had effectively hamstrung her arguments. At the end of the day, Arianne was never Melanie Lark; she had never lived a day with Alejandro, and she held no profound understanding about him.

“Are you absolutely, seriously—like, without a doubt—sure he’s never told you he likes you? Does he really hold nothing that could make you miss him when he’s gone?” Arianne asked finally.

Melanie was quiet for a beat. “Maybe he had, maybe he hadn’t. God knows I don’t remember a single instance of it…. Ha. Why is ‘I love you’ a metric, when a good few numbers of men are so adept at paying that lip service whenever their mood kicks in? A funny little whim—and he tells you he loves you. Do you trust your gut instincts, or the lips of men and their whims?” she reparteed. “I’m already an abandoned soul without a home or a family. A person like that—like me—yearns for their marriage to be exceptionally happy and warming. But I can’t even make that happen! She that lives on hope shall die fasting, and so I rather smolder my hope.

“…I think that’s all there is to this conversation, Arianne. You don’t have anything more to add to it. I know, you’re doing this because you think this is what’s best for me, but I’ve gone through way more painstaking ruminations. The desire to divorce has stuck and echoed in my mind for such infinite times that I just… I know this is the last time it’s going to stay in my head. I’m sure of it.”

Arianne felt defeated as she nodded stiffly. “Seems like I’ve underestimated your determination, Melanie. Just pretend I never came here, then; have a good, long talk tonight, you two. I wish you’ll find the chance to reconcile, for real,” she said. “You’re not gonna listen to what I say now, I get it. I don’t like putting in good words for someone, anyway. I just believe that… he’s not completely unsalvageable. If there is a possibility—any at all—you should still give both yourself and him a chance. Either way, I should go. Let’s continue talking some other time, shall we? Divorce or not, we’re still friends.”