Kit's POV

I tried my best to shake off all the hurt that I had suffered a year and a half ago and that had come flooding back to me upon the sight of Melanie. She still looked stunningly gorgeous with just a hint of fragility because of her petite size but behind that facade was an iron heart that could make swift decisions that could leave anyone who loved her crushed and shattered for good.

I found it amazing that a year and six months was not enough to wipe out from my memory all the happy times that Melanie and I spent together and how all that happiness vanished and turned into a tragic nightmare on what was supposed to be my wedding day.

I still remember how my mom used to tell me every single day after that heart rending event to forget her, forget her, forget her, banish her from your memory, and how I tried to follow her advice but would end up crying myself to sleep night after night.

I glanced at Melanie looking so contrite and repentant and wondered whether she was truly sincere or was just putting on an act. Should I trust her once more and then end up becoming an emotional mess all over again?

I braced myself as she came close to me once again and hugged me tight, laying her head against my shoulder. I tried to ignore the increase in my heart rate at her physical nearness and  the fragrance of her perfume. I didn't realize that she could still have this effect on me.

She didn't say a word but just kept hugging me, running her hand lightly up and down across my back.

Against my better judgment, I found myself asking her if she wanted to stay for dinner.

She lifted her head from my shoulder and smiled sweetly at me.

"Yes, please, Kit, I would love that," was her soft answer.

I instructed James my butler to tell the cook to prepare dinner for two.

While waiting for dinner to be announced, I invited Melanie to my private study.

"I would like you to look at some photos on my phone," she said, motioning for me to join her on the couch.

Again, against my better judgment, I did so, knowing that she was going to show me photos from the past, our once happy past.

She swiped through several photos of ourselves in happy poses at different locations and different occasions. I gazed at the photos through misty eyes.

She was still trying to show me several more when James came to announce that dinner was ready.

I led the way to the dining room with Melanie holding on lightly to the crook of my arm.

James must have told the cook that the extra dish that she had been asked to prepare was for my ex-fiancee because she had prepared a dish that she knew Melanie would enjoy.

She had prepared a good sized fillet of grilled salmon served on a bed of shredded pickled half-ripe papaya and glazed pearl onions and a sprinkling of julienne red bell peppers.

Melanie and I were clinking our glasses of white Chardonnay together when James announced the arrival of a visitor. 

I trusted James' judgment of which visitor to come into my presence or to hold off so I told James to let the visitor in.

"My dad asked me to bring you this box of banana walnut cake......" Ming's voice trailed off upon seeing that I had a visitor dining in an intimate atmosphere with me.

At first he was slowly backing away but broke into a run when he saw me stand up to say, "Wait!"

"Ming! Wait!" I tried to run as fast as I could but he was able to keep distance from me.

Then suddenly he stopped running and turned around to walk back towards me.

I was absolutely unprepared for what he did next.

He smashed the box of banana walnut cake against my chest, wasting another good cake in just one day.

Thankfully he had not smashed the cake against my face like the last time.

"What was that all about, dear?"

I jumped at hearing Melanie's voice. I had not heard her approach me from behind. In fact I had totally forgotten that she was with me.

I searched my brain for how to explain the incident that she had just witnessed.

And then again I asked myself did I really owe her an explanation?