Chapter 278: Letting go (3)
Melody sat in another room, not far from where her nieces and nephew were sitting.
Alessandra and Edgar both sat facing Melody, but Melody couldn’t meet her sister’s eyes.
"It pains me to have to share this. I truly thought our mother was going to do her best to move forward with you, but all this time, she was only pretending to make my father happy. All this while she never saw you as her daughter," Melody said, this news making her heart ache.
It wasn’t something easy to share with Alessandra. Melody’s mind raced with all the endless thoughts of the emotions Alessandra might be going through.
Disappointment. Anger. Sadness.
Feeling unwanted?
Melody was puzzled when Alessandra smiled, but it didn’t take long to realise the smile didn’t reach Alessandra’s eyes.
"Penelope shared what she overheard the day she sat with you and Melanie. I’ve known for some time now that she doesn’t view me as her daughter. The treatment I received compared to you or Claire has always been blatant," said Alessandra.
Alessandra didn’t have any more tears left to cry over this truth. It hurt for a long period that her father never treated her well, and she was unwanted by her mother, but there came a time when she had to accept it and move on.
Alessandra couldn’t dwell on such emotions. She had children to care for who couldn’t see her break down over her past. It only hurt to see her children pulled into it.
"I will give her what she wants by moving on from the past. I will never speak of what I felt about her not returning to me or let her know what my father did. We should go back to me, not knowing what became of her," said Alessandra.
Alessandra preferred the old days when she was clueless about where her mother had run off to. She had come up with many theories about what happened to her mother, and they were all better than reality.
Alessandra continued to say, "I know what happened to her, and I am not going to push her to accept a child forced upon her. It is time to let go completely, and I will do so. Should they approach you, let it be known that it is not my husband who says this, but me. I don’t want them to speak of having ties to me."
Alessandra was one to show kindness without expecting anything in return, but that had to change. She couldn’t keep giving to people who wanted to take and not once give anything.
Alessandra didn’t want gifts. She wanted a family bond.
"I don’t have any ties with Claire’s husband. I know that as a doctor, he claims that he has treated me. Never once have I turned to him. Luke will also have to stop speaking of us. I have given plenty and now, I must pull my hand back," Alessandra decided.
Edgar stood by Alessandra, but he had plans to do more than just cut them off. To show them how grateful they should have been to Alessandra, Edgar was going to take away what they gained because of her.
"They will be upset, but it is needed. They have all changed since we came here. My father’s work provided us with a quiet life. Since we came here, Claire and Luke have become so different. Part of me wished we had never left. Mother should have come alone," said Melody.
"That is how Lockwood is. Many see the glamour of it and want to fit in where they don’t belong. From day one, I noticed your family only cared about her status, which is why I didn’t like any of you," Edgar shared.
Nothing about the first day of Alessandra reuniting with her family had been pleasant. From Melanie ignoring the request to her being the one to sit with Alessandra, to her daughters thinking they were now close to Alessandra.
"You are not like the others, Melody. I wish for you to still visit me when you are in Lockwood and for us to write to each other. We have gotten close over the years, and I would love for us to continue to be this way. You are the sister I have always needed," said Alessandra.
Melody smiled and looked away to wipe her eyes. "Of course, I would still come around. I only ask for you to excuse me for the next few days since I am too ashamed to face you. I have been thinking recently, what if she grew tired of my father? Would she have left us, too?"
Since Melanie was capable of leaving Alessandra behind, Melody didn’t think it was impossible that Melanie could leave her as well.
"Sorry," Melody apologised. "I shouldn’t make it about me."
"You can speak of how you feel," Alessandra encouraged Melody. "I am not the only one who can speak of how I feel. You can always speak to me and I will listen."
"Thank you. Aside from you, I will only have my father to speak with. Duke Collins, you should keep watch to see if they go to court. If you cut them off, then they will seek to have the mines," Melody said, knowing Luke wouldn’t let it go.
Edgar wasn’t worried about the court. "Your grandmother made it very clear in her letter to the court that Alessandra is to have her share of the mines. It cannot be fought."
"Thank goodness," Melody sighed in relief.
"Thank you, Melody. It couldn’t have been easy for you to gather the family or come here to ask us to stop supporting them. It is unfortunate you have to be in this position. I will do my best to make it up to you," Alessandra offered.
"No," Melody shook her head. "You don’t need to do anything. I am on the side that it is right. If you were being unreasonable, then I would have addressed you as well. Over the years, you have admitted to your faults. You are not the one who placed me in this position."
Still, Alessandra didn’t like that Melody would be at odds with the others. Melody loved her family no matter what. Alessandra hoped the others knew this as well, and despite how angry they were going to be, they still loved Melody.
Melody glanced at Edgar. She couldn’t tell what was going through his mind, but she was most certain he was plotting something regarding her family.
Alessandra got up from her seat to sit beside Melody. "We must turn this into a better occasion. The girls have been missing their aunt, so while you are here, why don’t we enjoy the day together?"
Melody wiped away the last of her tears and said, "I would love this."