She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 172

Melanie shook her head.

“No, nothing!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw Preston’s frown deepen.

What was going on?

Melanie wracked her brain but couldn’t figure out why she had managed to displease him.

Had she promised him something and failed to deliver?

Or… had she broken something in the house without realizing it?

Melanie felt like her head was about to explode.

“Um… Preston, is there something I’m supposed to say to you?” Melanie asked, not wanting any misunderstanding to linger between them.

Preston rose from the sofa, and the sudden sense of pressure made Melanie instinctively hold her breath.

His dark, pool-like eyes stared at her, making her heart beat faster.

“No… It’s nothing… Good night.”

With that, Preston turned and went back to his bedroom.

Melanie was left standing there, completely bewildered.

The next day, and the day after, and the day after that…

Preston saw Melanie at home in the evenings, but she never mentioned anything to him.

The weekend arrived as scheduled.

The new resort on the north side of town was a paradise for the wealthy to relax and have fun. It combined natural scenery with modern facilities and luxurious decor, making a huge splash upon opening and attracting many to sign up for memberships.

Gabriel was one of its members.

He had genuinely become obsessed with tennis lately, and it was one of the few sports he was actually decent at. As long as he wasn’t competing against professional athletes, he felt his skill level was quite high.

And his brother played even better than he did.

Gabriel’s plan was perfect. When he saw Melanie, he would show off his skills and impress her. Then, with his brother’s superior ability, Preston would ultimately beat him. In this way, Melanie was sure to be captivated by his brother.

It was the classic case of falling for the looks, then being won over by the talent.

Having changed into his tennis attire, Gabriel and his female partner arrived at the court first to wait.

Before long, he saw Melanie.

She had also changed into her tennis clothes—a simple and elegant all-white outfit. She had tied her long, smooth hair into a high ponytail, looking both athletic and fresh.

It was too late for regrets now. All he could do was awkwardly watch Melanie team up with a man who wasn’t his brother for a doubles match.

Melanie was oblivious to Gabriel's scheming. She had simply asked Oliver to be her partner because he was a tennis coach.

On the court, Gabriel was initially confident and eager.

Soon, however, he found himself struggling to keep up. He was prepared for Oliver to be good, being a tennis coach, but he never expected Melanie to be incredibly skilled as well.

He had wanted to show off in front of Melanie and impress her, but now she was the one impressing him.

His impression of Melanie in the workplace was that of a beautiful, competent, and excellent professional, but not an athlete. Yet, once she stepped onto the court, with her long hair flying as she swung her racket, she moved like a precision machine, hitting the ball exactly where she wanted.

They played three consecutive games, and Gabriel lost all three miserably.

“Time out… let’s take a break…” Gabriel waved his hands and retreated to the rest area—Melanie’s rest area, to be precise.

“Ms. Royce, are you a retired professional tennis player?”

Gabriel’s question made Melanie laugh. In truth, she was self-taught, but she felt there was no need to tell him that. It would only make him more upset.

Melanie and Gabriel rested and chatted casually. What they didn't know was that as they were talking and laughing, just outside the court, Emilia Hartwell was hiding in the shadows, watching them.

The new resort was high-end, attracting a crowd of high-society gentlemen and ladies.