Chapter 8 Leave from here

Mellisa wiped her tears and took a deep breath, trying to stay strong and calm. She put on a brave face and decided to move forward despite her sadness. and pulled away from the hug, forcing a smile as she spoke. "Granny, how are you today." She asked, trying as much as possible to sound normal. Riya knew everything but said nothing.

" I'm good dear," She smiled sadly. "Do you need anything, or do you want to go shopping? Anything you want??" Riya asked. Trying to reduce her guilty coincidence.

"Don't worry grandma, I don't need anything." Melissa said, "I'm sure it is time for breakfast, let's go and have breakfast, you must be hungry by now ." Mellisa said, hiding her worries and trying not to think about what happened. She smiled and tried to focus on the present moment and not think about the past. She knew that bad luck and she were best friends so she was determined to accept that fact and move on in life with her pain and sorrow. She took a deep breath and knew that she could get through it and make it through anything life threw at her.

Reaching the dining table, they found everyone already present in the dining table including Zick. Mellisa did not bother herself with greeting everyone because they were going to ignore her anyway.

Everyone ate their breakfast in silence only the sound of the spoon was only heard.

"Mom, my company might go bankrupt. My customers are complaining about my product" Mike said, feeling ashamed of himself. But shame was the last thing he cared about.

" And what do I have to do with your company, " Riya asked with raised eyebrows." Everyone must mind their own business as I am minding my mine, better do something before it's too late, I'm sick and tired of helping a grown man like you. " Riya said nonchalantly.

"But mom?? I'm your son" Mike said dejectedly. " Please help me this once, I promise to pay you back soon. " He begged.

" Forget it, dad, grandma can be heartless sometimes that I even wonder if she is our own blood or not . " Zick said chewing the food in his mouth.

Riya said nothing a continued with eating her food

Mellisa was hesitant to speak her mind, but she gathered the courage to speak. " I can give you 5 steps that will help you if you don't mind. " Melissa said.

Making both Zick and Liala burst into laughter.

" What will an old hag like you know about business? " Zick laughed." Please don't humiliate yourself by saying anything. just keep quiet already. " Zick shook his head still laughing.

Mike did not pay attention to both his wife and son, instead, he looked at Mellisa with interest, wanting to know about the 5 steps she just mentioned. " Tell me about your ideas please.".

Mellisa let out a deep sigh of relief, at least he did not mock her." 1. Highlight the product's features and benefits. Focus on how your product will make your customers' lives easier, more enjoyable, or more efficient.

2. Offer a money-back guarantee. Show your customers that you believe in your product and are willing to stand behind it.

3. Showcase customer success stories. Showing your customers how others have benefitted from using your product will give them greater confidence in their purchase.

4. Offer incentives. Offering a discount or a gift with a purchase can be a great way to entice customers to buy.

5. Provide customer service. Showing customers that you are available to answer their questions and address any issues they may have can help give them the confidence to make a purchase." Mellisa explained

" Wow!!! Mellisa, that's a great idea. Im a very successful businessman but I never thought of that at all, thank you, Mellisa. " Mike exclaimed happily.

" I'm glad that I could help. " Melissa said with a forced smile. " Thank you for the breakfast I will go and help in the kitchen," Mellisa said, she got scared by a deadly glare that Zick was throwing at her, but without wanting to upset him she left the dining table.

Both Zick and Liala watched Mellisa's back as she was walking to the kitchen. They felt so naked, especially Liala who knew nothing about business but she just laughed at someone who was more experienced than her, how shameful that was??

" Don't judge a book by its out cover, because you don't know what is inside. " Riya said, getting up from the chair, she left for work.

" She is right," Mike said and followed behind his mother.

...…. The days flew by and two years had passed since Mellisa had been living with her husband and his family. She had endured a living hell on earth, her husband often bringing other women into their bedroom and making love to them in front of her. Mellisa was too scared to tell anyone what was going on, fearful of the repercussions if her husband got wind of it. Every night she would cry as she watched him make love to another woman in the same room as her, her heart breaking a little more each day.

On top of this, Liala had made Mellisa her servant, requiring her to work day and night without a break to clean the mansion on her own.

As time passed, Mellisa's sadness only seemed to deepen. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed as though nothing ever improved.

However, things were better because Mike started liking her ever since she helped him with his company. He was unaware of the situation she was in at home, but Riya, who knew everything, decided to stay quiet. Mike became very protective of Mellisa, and would not tolerate anyone bullying her.

...

Mellisa was busy cleaning the house when Zick come back home early, she was not surprised when she saw him with a woman beside him. " Good afternoon Sir." Mellisa greeted with a low tone, her head bowed. " Do you need anything?"

"Enough with all this nonsense, I've had enough with you." Zick shouted angrily. "look at this girl here, just look how beautiful she is and you know what she is my new wife. Pack your shabby clothes and leave them here.

Mellisa said nothing but smiled looking at the girl beside Zick, she was indeed beautiful The girl had skin that glowed like the sun, smooth as silk, and as radiant as newly fallen snow. Her hair was long and dark, cascading down her back in soft waves. Her eyes shone like the stars, captivating everyone in the room with their intensity. She had full, luscious lips that begged to be kissed and a figure that made the room go silent with awe. She was the epitome of beauty, and everyone that saw her was mesmerized.

" Zick Nidia!!!, What do you think I was made of? " Melissa gathered all her courage and walked in front of him, looking straight into his eyes without blinking. " Oh!!! Do you think I was never born but made of stones instead right?? Why did you agree with your grandma when she asked you to marry me huh? knowing very well that you hated me??" she pushed his chest weakly with her hands. " You took my self-worth away from me, you took my confidence away from me, how do you think I feel when you bring another woman into the same room that I sleep knowing very well that im your wife? " Melissa burst angrily, she could not bear it all anymore.

" How dare you!!!!? "How dare you?! " Zick shouted, raising his hand to slap her in the face. But Melissa quickly grabbed his arm and with a deadly glare, she said, "Don't ever take my silence as my weakness. I'm not weak but I'm just helpless. Just because I keep quiet and bear with your nonsense, doesn't make me a fool. My silence means I want peace, it doesn't mean that I'm scared of you. A man who hits a woman is a coward. You are afraid of your peers that's why you bully women."

The fury in her eyes and the determination in her voice made Zick flinch and he quickly pulled away from her. His face showed no remorse, only a hint of surprise and perhaps even a little fear. He knew that he has gone too far and that he had to put an end to this by simple chasing her away in that way, he won't have to raise his hand on a woman . He cleared his throat feeling ashamed, Mellisa was insulting him in front of his girlfriend and mother the fact that hurt his ego so much was that she was absolutely right in everything she said . "I'm sorry about that, but just leave from here, I don't love you and I'm not interested in you ."

Mellisa still held her ground and simply said, " You took my self-worth away from me, you took my confidence away from me, which makes you a man with no backbones, why didn't tell your grandma to break this alliance? You know what? , I don't care anymore. I will go from here but one day you will miss me, you will beg me to come back into your life and at that time I won't even spare you a glance. "

" just go away, my son doesn't need you at all. "Lila said....