ENCHANTED LOVE, VOLUME 3 - Season 11 Episode 60

Melissa turned pale upon hearing about Leila’s grim experiences. She frowned slightly and said to Leila, “I may be overstepping boundaries here, but if I may…” Melissa took a moment to formulate her thoughts and went on, “Even if he wants to be with that woman, there’s absolutely no need to treat you this way. You are a kind, selfless girl who helped him raise his son for three years without getting anything in return. How could he be so quick to forget your kindness? Besides…”

Melissa knitted her brows and continued, “Even if he despises you, isn’t it a bit much to get you locked up so that he could pursue that woman?”

Leila had not gotten the chance to respond yet. Melissa felt fury bubbling up inside her. She grumbled, “That Charles… How could he act like this? What has become of him?” Melissa scowled.

Leila’s voice shook a little when she said, “Melissa, it is not his fault.” Leila had a wry smile on her face. “The blame is on that vile woman. Unfortunately, she has good tricks up her sleeve. She had fooled him into doing what she wants.”

With a sigh, Leila continued, “Charles fell head over heels for this woman. No matter what she tells him to do, he simply obeys.”

She worriedly looked out the window and told Melissa, “I feel nothing but overwhelming pity for myself for being locked in here right now. There’s nothing I can do in such a dim cell. When I get out of here, I will make sure that woman is dealt with. If Charles stays with her, he is going to get himself in trouble. That’s for sure.”

“Yes, you are right,” said Melissa. She drew in a deep breath and then exhaled. “Being with such a wicked woman,” she paused, unsure whether to continue or stop. She chose to continue, “Being with a woman like that surely must lead to nothing good. She uses people and she corrupts everyone unlucky enough to fall into her orbit.”

Quite affected by Leila’s story, Melissa continued to seem pleased. She looked at Leila and told her, “Right. Leila, you…” There was a slight pause. It almost sounded like hesitation. “Could you please tell me more about Charles?” she finally added.

“Charles?” Leila hesitated for a second and asked Melissa, “Melissa, why are you… particularly interested in Charles all of a sudden?”

“What makes you say that I am?” Melissa asked. She appeared to be avoiding eye contact, but Leila wasn’t sure. Without looking at Leila, Melissa said, “It’s just that I have been trapped in here for so long. I guess I get so excited to learn about anything as long as it’s about the outside world. I wasn’t particularly interested in this Charles.” She made it sound as though Charles was someone she had never heard of.

“No!” Leila looked firmly at Melissa. “I don’t buy it. I get what you’re trying to say and what you’re trying to make me believe, but your interest in Charles seems…strange. Besides, don’t think I didn’t notice. When I first mentioned the name ‘Charles Taylor’, you were startled. You must be hiding something from me.”

Leila waited for her to deny everything. To her surprise, with a wry smile, Melissa replied, “You’re a smart girl, aren’t you? Tell me. How could that woman completely outsmart such a clever girl like you?”

“Melissa…” Leila’s response was accompanied by a bitter smile.

“Well, I guess there’s no more use hiding it from you,” said Melissa. She appeared to be more relaxed than Leila expected her to be. She smiled and said to Leila, “I guess it’s time to tell you the truth. I had a life outside this cell. Before being sent to prison, I was a good friend of Charles’ father. In fact, I was there while Charles was growing up. I still remember the first time I met him. He was only a teenager then.”

Then, Melissa smiled bitterly and continued to explain, “I was just so surprised to find out you and I had this in common. We both knew Charles. After hearing your stories, I am even more in awe of the world. That’s why I wanted to know more about Charles.

Sorry if I led you to believe a different truth. But that’s it. That’s the whole story.” Leila nodded slightly and became more cautious. She asked Melissa, “Well, what do you want to know? I will tell you everything that I know.”

“Alright!” Melissa exclaimed, a little too enthusiastically. She smiled and replied to Leila, “It’s up to you. As long as it’s about Charles, I’m interested in it. I haven’t heard about him in a while.

Anything you choose to tell me, I’ll be fine with.”

Leila found this to be a bit strange. It seemed to her like Melissa was overdoing it so she would no longer suspect her. Leila didn’t know how to feel, but she managed to answer with a bitter smile, “He’s fine now. He has two kids—a boy and a girl—with that woman. He is living a pleasant and prosperous life and has totally forgotten about me.”

Melissa tried to control herself. With the most casual yet careful tone, she asked, “Then… what about Gary? Is he okay?” Tears formed around Melissa’s eyes when she said this. She clenched her fists lightly and with all the self-control she could muster; she bit her lower lip. The part of her lip closest to her teeth turned white. Only in this way could she restrain herself.

“Gary…” Leila frowned slightly. “Gary is getting older and his health is getting worse. He’s not in the best shape. But the last time I met him, he was still in good spirits and had those happy wrinkles in his eyes. These days…” She paused. She did not know how to say what she needed to say. Ultimately, she decided to be truthful. “I honestly don’t know how he is doing now.”

“Then…” Melissa’s voice shook. “What about Chris?” Melissa continued with her question. “Chris is now at an age when she should be getting married or raising a family, right?” Without waiting for an answer, Melissa went on, “How is she these days?”

Leila thought something was off. “Melissa, you seem to have a deep connection with the Taylor family. You even know Chris!” Leila said with a smile.

“Of course.” Melissa continued talking to Leila with a tender smile. “I guess I count as a family friend.” Just as suddenly as she said that, she took it back. “You know what? Never mind. Just let it go. I don’t feel like talking about it at the moment,” said Melissa.

Leila was beginning to think her suspicions were correct. There was something about the way Melissa couldn’t help asking questions. Leila was no fool. She knew Melissa had not been honest about her real relationship
with Charles. She no longer asked to know more. She stopped asking questions instead. Leila took a look at this woman in front of her. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head. She realized that if she played her cards just right, she could use Melissa to exact revenge on Sheryl and Charles.

She began planning very carefully. ‘Melissa has been here for more than a decade now,’ she thought to herself, ‘and yet she maintains a strict routine unfit for an average woman, a routine that boasts class. The first thing she does upon waking up every morning is clean herself up and comb her hair in slow, deliberate strokes. Even inside this cell, it remains a priority of hers to look decent.

Taking these and other tiny observations into account, it makes sense! Melissa must be a cultivated woman from a renowned family before she was imprisoned. And now that I think about it, her sentence ends in about half a month.’ Leila began feeling hopeful. ‘There’s probably a way to get out of here. I wonder what part Melissa’s release will play.

Besides, judging from her relationship with Charles and various other connections I might not even know about, Melissa might come in handy even after my time in prison. She could be the key to my personal successes in life.’ With such clever ideas in mind, Leila was beyond excitement. It was time to put her ideas into action now. She smiled and told Melissa, “Actually, Chris is actually doing well. She’s now married and has a kid. You know, she was the only one in the family who rooted for me and Charles, but she also changed after Sheryl’s return.”

“That girl… It’s so typical of her to be swayed and just go along with what other people say. She has always been kind of a pushover. She has been like that since she was a child.” Melissa breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Chris was living a good life.

This did not sit well with Leila. She frowned slightly and told Melissa, “Melissa, you don’t know the entire truth. Although Chris is enjoying a good life right now, you have to know that her husband Sam…” Leila had Melissa’s full attention. She had her right where she wanted. “Sam was Sheryl’s childhood friend. It’s already bad enough that Sheryl and Sam dated when they were younger. Now, they’ve even become relatives. They spend so much time with each other, who could say that the spark they had in the past might not suddenly turn into a raging wildfire?”

Leila sighed and continued, “You are right. Chris is indeed like that She could be so spineless at times. Therefore, even if something terrible happens, she might hide it and never tell anyone.”

“That wicked woman…” The conversation had now returned to Sheryl. “What’s so special about her? How could she manipulate the people around her like this?” Melissa looked as if she was in deep thoughts. She frowned slightly and asked Leila, “Is no one in the Taylor family smart enough? Why would every single one of them approve of Charles getting married to that despicable woman?”

Leila replied with a smirk, “We all know what the real reason is. It’s not the Taylor family’s fault. They are so trusting. The real reason for all of this is that woman’s dirty tricks. To add to that, she has such an innocent and beautiful face. Poor Charles, clearly deceived by that woman’s beauty and cunningness.”

Leila sighed before continuing, “If I had the chance to get out of here, I would give my all to end Sheryl and Charles’ relationship. Imagine how good that would be for everyone.”

A look of hesitation fell like a curtain over Melissa’s face when she heard Leila.

They talked for a long time. Leila’s sole intention was to take advantage of Melissa’s sympathy. Thus, she was very careful with her words. What she said was both true and untrue, to some degree. The ultimate goal was for Melissa to believe whatever she said.

After all, they shared the same cell. Hopefully their relationship would get better from here.