Since she was feeling weak, Melinda was focused on taking care of her health to regain her strength. From then on, she never stayed up late to write her novel and often went to the playground of the university in the next block to get some fresh air.
Melinda was an effortless beauty. She didn't prefer wearing makeup and usually went to the playground in simple clothes. Still she inadvertently stole the heart of many boys. A lot of boys were interested in her. Many of them hit on her while there were a couple of boys who even asked her out. Melinda didn't know whether to laugh or cry about it.
She had the entire day to herself and made the most of her time by working on her novel. She wrote over ten thousand words a day and made sure to go to bed only after revising and editing it. She finished her novel in two weeks.
After Kent's constant persuasion, Melinda mustered her strength to send her book to a magazine. The editor was impressed by Melinda's work and had started publishing her story on their biweekly. She had also promised to publish the entire book if it received a positive response from the readers.
Melinda was incredibly proud of herself. She couldn't believe that her book was being published.
She became passionate about writing and wanted to write another novel. However, her health didn't seem to cooperate and she decided to take a break before working on another book.
Melinda was communicating with the editor only via email. Kent had been handling all the crucial aspects of it. He was concerned about the contract and became a regular customer of the magazine.
Kent didn't want Melinda to feel disappointed, so he had informed the editor that he would invest his money in publishing the novel even if they weren't happy about the story. But he didn't tell Melinda about it.
Fortunately, Melinda's novel had gained a vast fan base. Most of her fans were eagerly waiting for her book to be published in paper form and asked about it on the social media platform. Melinda hadn't revealed her identity and they were curious to find out about the author.
The editor was pleased by the response. Melinda had even published a couple of short stories that were a huge hit among the people.
The stories were a reflection of Melinda's life. They were heart-stirring and many people could relate to it. Some parts made the readers cry and there was a dash of humor to the stories that turned them to a wholesome read. Her stories touched upon the topics of violence, abuse, and mental health.
The readers experienced a wave of emotions and were immersed in the story. Melinda's short stories were responsible for increasing her readership. Her fans multiplied in number and were waiting to read her new book.
Kent was busy with work and it had been a long time since he had met Melinda. When Kent was in the company, he received a call from the chief editor of the magazine. She had called to inform him that they were ready to buy the copyright of Melinda's novel.
"I'll send you the contract when it's ready. You can also make your requests and negotiations. We'll discuss and come to a conclusion," the editor said.
Kent's heart swelled with joy. An ecstatic grin stretched across his lips. He couldn't contain his happiness and was incredibly proud of Melinda. Kent had witnessed Melinda's hard work. He knew that she had once spent day and night writing her novel despite her health. His respect for Melinda grew multifold.
Melinda had turned her own life experiences into a book. She had poured her heart out, which made the book more special.
Kent knew that Melinda would be in cloud nine if she found out that her book was going to be published. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of it. He quickly grabbed his phone and called her. The phone rang for a long time before it got disconnected.
He called her again but there was no answer.
Kent broke into a cold sweat when he got reminded of Melinda's health. He regretted not checking on her. He immediately got into the car and drove to Melinda's apartment.
Kent's heart was drumming in his chest. The road was empty and he didn't bother obeying the traffic signal.
He accelerated his car as anxiety was killing him. He finally slammed the brake when he arrived at Melinda's residence. It was a half an hour drive but Kent reached in twenty minutes. He had never lost his cool but Melinda's unanswered call was driving him insane.
Melinda walked out of the bathroom and wiped her hair with a towel. There was a sharp knock at the door. When Melinda opened the door, she was surprised to see Kent gasping for breath. He was sweating profusely and looking anxious.
"Kent, what's wrong with you?" Melinda frowned.
She had never seen him like this. She quickly dropped the towel and poured a glass of water for him.
Kent leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He was puffing and panting. He had been worried about Melinda and had run all the way to the fifth floor.
"I called you, but you didn't answer. I became worried," he said breathlessly.
Melinda glanced at her phone and bit her lip. She felt guilty for not answering his call.
"I'm sorry, Kent, I was in the shower. What's up? Why did you call?"
Kent's face broke into a happy grin. "The publisher has decided to buy the copyright of your book. Congratulations, Melinda."
Melinda froze on the spot. Her eyes widened with shock as she clamped her mouth with her hand. All her hard work had finally paid off.
"So... So they're going to publish my book?" Melinda muttered in disbelief. Kent chuckled and ruffled her hair.
Melinda was aware of Kent's feelings for her and always kept a safe distance from him. But she was too happy at the moment to care about anything else.
"Yep. The editor will send the contract later. You'll have to read it carefully and then go to the office and sign the contract," Kent said.
Melinda clapped her hands excitedly. She couldn't recall being this happy before. Her eyes prickled with happy tears.
Kent had been there for her and supported her the entire time. He could understand Melinda's emotions. The next day, Kent accompanied Melinda to the office to sign the contract.
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