When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

Lisa put away her look of satisfaction and looked at me seriously.

I watched her, puzzled by her unpredictability.

Leaning against the bathroom counter, she fixed her eye on me. "You know my family favors sons over daughters, right?"

I nodded.

It was a known fact. Her brother always received more affection and attention than she did.

Still, the Crawfords were wealthy and I figured Lisa's life wasn't too shabby.

She was far better off than most girls at least. She wore all sorts of jewelry and lived the life of a pampered heiress.

Lisa idly played with the running water and her voice seemed to be casual but yet deliberate. "My father was never good to my mother or me. He always wanted sons, but my mother couldn't have more children after me."

My mother was in bad condition when giving birth to me. Later, it turned out my father had fertility issues, making it nearly impossible for them to have more kids."

"He's been He's been fooling around with so many women over the years, but he still has no son. Serves him right!"

Her tone turned venomous with a stern look.

That's when I learned the reason for Lucia's death that she had succumbed to depression and ended her life abroad.

That explained why Lisa never returned because she couldn't bear to see her father and brother.

"You've probably forgotten what Tammie Crawford is like. Just a rich asshole, really."

"He got into gambling because I set it up. I wanted to ruin him just like he and my father ruined my mother."NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.

Lucia had stumbled upon her husband's affairs multiple times and endured his and her son's verbal abuses, which led to her depression.

In the end, she wanted to see her son one last time, but Tammie refused, feeling ashamed of her and cursing her to go to hell.

Betrayed by both her husband and son, Lucia couldn't take it anymore and jumped off a building in front of Lisa.

There was a flicker of sadness in Lisa's eyes, but it was mostly overshadowed by rage.

"After she died, no one cared about me anymore. I figured I might as well stay away, especially since Talbot was still sending me money."

"But I never expected him to arrange

a marriage for me. Any idea who he's been setting me up with? From an 80-year-old man to someone gay just looking for a sham marriage Marry me off to anyone who gave him money."

Suddenly, she lifted her dress to reveal a horrific scar on her back.

"I refused, and this is what I got from his belt. Some of the marks have healed."

She quietly redressed. "He started it, and now it's time for him to pay."

Looking at her, I realized I never truly knew Lisa Crawford.

She always appeared so glamorous, even a bit aloof with an air of privilege. But her story was filled with so much sorrow.

She shook her head. "I don't want Clyde."

"At first, I thought Clyde was not a good guy as he just catted around. If he made out with me, I could make it to the upper class."

I did not know how to respond, being really shocked.

It was a game of wits far beyond my skills.

Impatiently, she scoffed, "You're so clueless."

"Let's make a deal. You and Clyde help me take over the Crawford estate, and I'll help you find Galen Brown. How about that?"