Maverick held on to the hope that, eventually, Melody would calm down, stop crying, and start explaining, but the situation only intensified with each passing moment.
He could feel the weight of her heartache as she let loose a torrent of tears onto his chest; if he squeezed his shirt, it would easily fill a bowl with water.
He swallowed hard, suspecting that it had to do with that Ethan guy.
Was that the source of her misery?
It had to be, especially after she had mentioned going on a date. Maybe something had gone wrong, or she had witnessed something that shattered her heart.
Remaining silent, Maverick stood still, gently caressing her hair to comfort her, although deep down, he knew it was pointless—crying over a man like that was futile.
For nearly twenty minutes, he remained like a statue, granting her that space. Eventually, her sobs subsided, and Melody pulled away from his embrace, her throat hoarse from the exertion. She glanced down at the damage done to his white shirt, now clinging to his body, almost transparent. When she finally met his gaze, it was a mixture of vulnerability and resolve.
"What happened?" he asked, his tone steady and controlled.
"You were right," she replied, her eyes shifting as her lashes fluttered down.
"About what?" Maverick pressed, determined to understand what had caused her such pain. Whatever had broken her must be significant to bring her to this level of vulnerability.
She looked him squarely in the eye. "Ethan... he was cheating on me."
Maverick's expression hardened as he straightened up, his fists clenching with anger. "How did you find out?" he asked, hoping the cowardly act hadn't been so blatant as to inflict intentional hurt on her.
He knew Ethan was cheating but had refrained from telling her. It would only complicate their relationship as she wouldn't have believed him.
But now, she saw it by herself.
She hesitated, biting her lip, an obvious struggle written on her face.
He wanted to ensure she was alright before he considered confronting Ethan. He was going to beat the bastard black and blue.
Maverick stepped closer, placing his hand on her bare shoulders, making her meet his gaze. "We've been friends, and we still are, Melody. You can share anything with me. I promise to support you, regardless of the situation, I don't care if you'll ever be in the wrong, my loyalty stands with you" he assured her, his sincerity clear in his eyes.
Melody nodded slowly, still processing the revelation. "Thank you," she said quietly.
Maverick exhaled, retracting his hand. "Let's go talk," he said firmly.
He walked towards the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water and pouring it into a cup. Melody moved to the dining area, her eyes locked on the table. He brought the water to her, placing it down softly before taking a seat beside her.
As she drank, Maverick noted the way she raised her head to swallow, then lowered the cup with a heavy heart. When she finally looked at him, he raised an eyebrow, silently encouraging her to continue.
"We were at the restaurant," she began. "At first, everything was fine; we had a good conversation, and I thought we were in a good place." She forced herself to push aside the painful memories. "I can't believe I didn't see it coming. How could I have ever considered marrying someone like Ethan? Luckily, I realized his true colors before I let myself fall deeper."
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she recounted the details. "Then this woman approached us—it turns out she worked with me but that's not the point, during the confrontation, she showed me a video of him with her. It crushed me. I had trusted Ethan to be faithful all this time; I thought it was work that kept us apart, but it was a lie. I should have seen it sooner. Why was I so stupid?" Her tears began to flow again, and she quickly wiped them away.
"You're not stupid, Melody," Maverick interjected firmly. "You were in love, but unfortunately with the wrong person."
She winced at the weight of her realization. "I never knew he was capable of this. He treated me well, despite his flaws. I tried to be understanding, but he crossed an unforgivable line. I despise cheating, and to think I was considering giving myself to him…" She clenched her teeth in disgust, the tense lines on her face reflecting.
Maverick could only watch her as she poured out her feelings. His own heart aching for her too.
"You think I'd be able to forget about this?" she asked him.
He nodded, his expression steady. "There's nothing you can't accomplish with determination, Melody. You can achieve anything if you set your mind to it." He said to her.
Maverick had made a firm decision to put aside any romantic feelings he had for her; they were far better off as friends. He couldn't keep doing this anymore.
He was certain that he could achieve it.
Melody's gaze shifted away from him. She swallowed hard, her focus drifting off into nothingness—it was clear she was intent on forgetting Ethan. She owed him nothing.
After years of loyalty, waiting for the moment they'd marry, he had shattered that trust without a second thought, choosing another woman instead. Anger surged within her; she was done crying for him. How could she have been so blind? Ethan was not the man she believed him to be, and now, she was tempted to retaliate to ease her pain.
"I don't know, Maverick; I feel like doing the same," she declared, her eyes now locking onto his.
His brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that?"
"I want to cheat back. He can't do this to me and leave me looking like a fool—" she started, but he interrupted her.
"Aren't you contradicting your principles, Melody? Reacting the way he did won't bring you peace. Just let it go and focus on healing," he urged.
Melody shook her head firmly. "That's precisely the problem, Maverick. I've always adhered to my principles, and look where it's gotten me. I want to know what it feels like to defy them for once," she asserted.
Maverick felt a wave of frustration wash over him; she wasn't open to reason anymore. Her thoughts were clouded by emotion, and he feared she might make a reckless decision if she kept going down this path.
"I've tried to be good, thinking kindness would be returned to me, but life doesn't operate that way," she continued, her gaze piercing through him. "So I want to experience breaking my own rules."
He exhaled sharply, turning away momentarily.
But then felt her soft hands gently grasp his cheeks. He met her gaze again, heart pounding, his lips parted slightly—this was dangerous territory.
The look in her eyes, it better not be what he was thinking.
She better not move an inch.
Maverick's concern shifted inwardly; he was concerned for himself. She was going to keep complicating things if she was being like this.
How could he ever move on?
No, this was only going to ruin things. For him, for her, for their relationship...
Melody's eyes flickered to his lips and back to his eyes. "Maverick..." she murmured.
"Don't you fucking—"
His voice faltered as she closed the gap, pressing her lips against his with a boldness that left him stunned.
She pulled back, her gaze unwavering as she assessed his reaction.
Maverick was reeling; shock, surprise, and confusion coursed through him. His heart raced—not from lack of experience, but from the intensity of what just happened. He had kissed other girls before, but nothing compared to what he felt with Melody. She struck a nerve deep within him, and he loathed how much power she had over him. How could he ever move on if she continued to come on to him like this?
She was complicating his life.
"Come here, Maverick," she purred, her hands resting assertively on his shoulders.
He cursed under his breath. Why did she have to look so inviting... And damn, he was hard!
Maverick could no longer hold it in anymore.
Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them. His hands moved to cup her cheeks, and he kissed her.