Double Life of the Useless Son-in-law

Chapter 2

Once Coulter was downstairs, he pulled his phone again, his eyes scanning the entire place.

It was empty, and he dialled a number, then brought the phone to his ear. Ian picked up after the first ring, almost like he had been waiting for the call.

"I saw the live broadcast, Ian. And now I have one more job for you."

"Sure, sir. What do I have to do?"

"Please take care of all of the officials that helped Melissa's company go public, then go ahead with the transfer of Sun Group to her name."

Ian hesitated for a second before his voice finally broke the static. "Sure, sir. I will take care of everything."

Coulter pushed the phone into his pocket and started to make his way to the kitchen, just as Madam Gabriella and her friends came down, each looking ready to leave.

"We have to go out for some urgent matters," Madam Gabriella said, her voice still full of scorn. "I assume you will be able to take care of the house on your own?"

"Yes, Madam," Coulter replied, before pleasantly bidding the rest of the women goodbye.

Most of them answered mockingly, but he had more important business to attend to. Once they were gone, he made his way to the kitchen.

He loved cooking for Melissa, and Melissa has also always loved his cooking. What better way for him to celebrate her achievement today than with a lavish dinner?

The thought itself made him smile, and he immediately got to work.

He finished the meal just as the sun started to set, then aet the dining table, complete with flowers, a bottle of wine, and a handwritten congratulatory letter.

Melissa should be back by now, but she still wasn't. He opted to wait in the living room. She was probably caught up with a lot of work, and that's why she wasn't back yet.

An hour passed, and Coulter started to grow worried. He took out his phone and dialled her number, but it kept ringing with no answer.

The lack of an answer only agitated him more, and he called again and again, and all went without being picked up.

Coulter started to pace around, his chest heaving hard. What could have happened?

He decided to call back yet again, and if it wasn't picked up this time, he might have to go out looking for her.

The phone rang steadily, and his heart beat wildly in anticipation. He had started to prepare to go out when, just before the phone went off, it was answered.

"Melissa?" He said, bringing the phone to his ear, his eyes wide with worry.

"Hello?"

Coulter's brows furrowed as he moved the phone from his ear to make sure he hadn't dialled the wrong number. It was indeed Melissa's number, but... it was a man who had picked up.

"Is... this not Melissa's phone?"

The man on the other end laughed. "It is," he said rather flippantly. "Baby, someone's calling."

Coulter's brows furrowed. Baby? Melissa? His wife?

"Hello?"

The sound of Melissa's voice brought him back from the train of thoughts, and he swallowed hard, trying to push down all of the conflicting emotions that were threatening to break him apart.

"Melissa, I called because..."

"Oh for goodness sake, Coulter. Don't you realize these are work hours for me? Or have you lost the perception of time because all you do is lounge around at home?"

"I... I am sorry, Melissa. I was worried because...."

"Just get to the point, Coulter. I have work to do and unlike you, I can't spend all day on the phone!"

Coulter flinched, then nodded slowly. "Yes. I... I prepared a candlelit dinner to celebrate your achievement. I wanted us to have a private evening together, so I was wondering wjhen you would be back. When will you be home, Melissa?"

Melissa gave a small hiss, her impatience pushing through the static. "I have a company celebration banquet to attend tonight. I will not becoming home tonight."

Before Coulter could say a word, she cut the call.

He stood in the living room, staring at his phone, his chest heaving lightly. He felrndejected, disappointed, like nothing he ever did could be good enough simply because he appeared to be of lower class. It stung badly, especially because he loved his wife. More than anyone or anything.

He started to head up to the bedroom when his phone lit up with a message. He stopped, then opened it. It was a video, and he tapped oncit to play it.

He could see a crowd of people, some decorations in red, bouquets and flashing lights. His brows furrowed as the video fell on man on his knees, a ring resting on his hand.

"Will you marry me, Melissa?"

His brows furrowed. Melissa?

He didn't have to wonder if it was the Melissa he knew for too long because the camera lifted to the woman.

She had her hands on her mouth, was wearing a different dress from the suit she had on at the dress conference, and her hair was let down beautifully as opposed to the professional ponytail she had on earlier.

But he knew his wife, and he knew she was the one in the video.

"Melissa," he said im disbelief, as the video continued, and Melissa said yes, and the man slipped the ring into her finger.

The ring finger was empty, as if she had erased everything about Coulter.

"Thank you so much," the man in the video said, as he got on his feet and wrapped his hands around her, then took her lips in his.

The cheers erupted, all around, and Coulter let the phone slip away from his hand.

Melissa? Why would she do this? She was married to him, why would she accept the proposal of another man?

Panic filled him, and he picked up the phone and tried calling her, only to be sent to voicemail.

The phone was switched off.

Melissa adjusted her bare legs around Caleb's waist, her eyes watching the wine glasss she was holding.

Caleb lay beside her, his hands lacing in her hair, his eyes watching her adoringly. He let his gaze fall on her fingers, and he gave a small sigh.

"You are not wearing the ring."

She gave a small nod.

"Why accept it and not wear it?"

Melissa turned to face him, her hand gently cupping his face. "It isn't appropriate to do that just yet, Caleb. You know my divorce hasn't been finalized yet. Coulter may be a useless bum, but I prefer to break things off cleanly."

Caleb rolled his eyes at the mention of Caleb, and as if he was trying to be possessive, he grabbed her by the neck and kissed her hard, stealing the breath away from her.

"When will the divorce be done?" He asked, his voice still raspy from the kiss. "How much longer do I wait till I can have you all to myself?"

Melissa swallowed, hesitating for a moment, before she forced a smile. "It is almost done. Soon enough, I will hand the papers to him."

Caleb smiled, his eyes flashing with excitement. Who knew that fate would be on his side this way?

Melissa kissed his lips lightly, her mind reeling. She knew she owed him this much at least. Despite their break up years ago when he moved abroad, the first thing he did after returning, despite her being married, was to help her company achieve what she had been trying to do for years.

It didn't matter if Coulter would be hurt, but Caleb was the man she believed she needed.

Caleb bit down on his lips as he sipped from his glass. He was extremely lucky with the turn of events. The public listing of the Martinez Corporation couldn't have come at a better time, when he was trying to get Melissaa back from her bum of a husband.

He didn't care what or who was behind the listing, and he would never clarify the misunderstanding to Melissa. It was, in the end, the reason she was even in his bed, and he would have her here for as long as he could.