Since she was feeling weak, Melinda was focused on taking care of her health to regain her strength. From then on, she never stayed up late to write her novel and often went to the playground of the university in the next block to get some fresh air.

Melinda was an effortless beauty. She didn't prefer wearing makeup and usually went to the playground in simple clothes. Still she inadvertently stole the heart of many boys. A lot of boys were interested in her. Many of them hit on her while there were a couple of boys who even asked her out. Melinda didn't know whether to laugh or cry about it.

She had the entire day to herself and made the most of her time by working on her novel. She wrote over ten thousand words a day and made sure to go to bed only after revising and editing it. She finished her novel in two weeks.

After Kent's constant persuasion, Melinda mustered her strength to send her book to a magazine. The editor was impressed by Melinda's work and had started publishing her story on their biweekly. She had also promised to publish the entire book if it received a positive response from the readers.

Melinda was incredibly proud of herself. She couldn't believe that her book was being published.

She became passionate about writing and wanted to write another novel. However, her health didn't seem to cooperate and she decided to take a break before working on another book.

Melinda was communicating with the editor only via email. Kent had been handling all the crucial aspects of it. He was concerned about the contract and became a regular customer of the magazine.

Kent didn't want Melinda to feel disappointed, so he had informed the editor that he would invest his money in publishing the novel even if they weren't happy about the story. But he didn't tell Melinda about it.

Fortunately, Melinda's novel had gained a vast fan base. Most of her fans were eagerly waiting for her book to be published in paper form and asked about it on the social media platform. Melinda hadn't revealed her identity and they were curious to find out about the author.

The editor was pleased by the response. Melinda had even published a couple of short stories that were a huge hit among the people.

The stories were a reflection of Melinda's life. They were heart-stirring and many people could relate to it. Some parts made the readers cry and there was a dash of humor to the stories that turned them to a wholesome read. Her stories touched upon the topics of violence, abuse, and mental health.

The readers experienced a wave of emotions and were immersed in the story. Melinda's short stories were responsible for increasing her readership. Her fans multiplied in number and were waiting to read her new book.

Kent was busy with work and it had been a long time since he had met Melinda. When Kent was in the company, he received a call from the chief editor of the magazine. She had called to inform him that they were ready to buy the copyright of Melinda's novel.

"I'll send you the contract when it's ready. You can also make your requests and negotiations. We'll discuss and come to a conclusion," the editor said.

Kent's heart swelled with joy. An ecstatic grin stretched across his lips. He couldn't contain his happiness and was incredibly proud of Melinda. Kent had witnessed Melinda's hard work. He knew that she had once spent day and night writing her novel despite her health. His respect for Melinda grew multifold.

Melinda had turned her own life experiences into a book. She had poured her heart out, which made the book more special.

Kent knew that Melinda would be in cloud nine if she found out that her book was going to be published. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of it. He quickly grabbed his phone and called her. The phone rang for a long time before it got disconnected.

He called her again but there was no answer.

Kent broke into a cold sweat when he got reminded of Melinda's health. He regretted not checking on her. He immediately got into the car and drove to Melinda's apartment.

Kent's heart was drumming in his chest. The road was empty and he didn't bother obeying the traffic signal.

He accelerated his car as anxiety was killing him. He finally slammed the brake when he arrived at Melinda's residence. It was a half an hour drive but Kent reached in twenty minutes. He had never lost his cool but Melinda's unanswered call was driving him insane.

Melinda walked out of the bathroom and wiped her hair with a towel. There was a sharp knock at the door. When Melinda opened the door, she was surprised to see Kent gasping for breath. He was sweating profusely and looking anxious.

"Kent, what's wrong with you?" Melinda frowned.

She had never seen him like this. She quickly dropped the towel and poured a glass of water for him.

Kent leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He was puffing and panting. He had been worried about Melinda and had run all the way to the fifth floor.

"I called you, but you didn't answer. I became worried," he said breathlessly.

Melinda glanced at her phone and bit her lip. She felt guilty for not answering his call.

"I'm sorry, Kent, I was in the shower. What's up? Why did you call?"

Kent's face broke into a happy grin. "The publisher has decided to buy the copyright of your book. Congratulations, Melinda."

Melinda froze on the spot. Her eyes widened with shock as she clamped her mouth with her hand. All her hard work had finally paid off.

"So... So they're going to publish my book?" Melinda muttered in disbelief. Kent chuckled and ruffled her hair.

Melinda was aware of Kent's feelings for her and always k

ept a safe distance from him. But she was too happy at the moment to care about anything else.

"Yep. The editor will send the contract later. You'll have to read it carefully and then go to the office and sign the contract," Kent said.

Melinda clapped her hands excitedly. She couldn't recall being this happy before. Her eyes prickled with happy tears.

Kent had been there for her and supported her the entire time. He could understand Melinda's emotions. The next day, Kent accompanied Melinda to the office to sign the contract.

The editor was meeting Melinda for the first time. She felt that Melinda was a beauty with brain and was glad to partner with her.

"Oh, come on, Melinda. We need to enjoy your victory. Let me get you a cup of coffee to celebrate your success." Kent smiled tenderly. Melinda was giggling like a little girl as her eyes didn't leave the contract paper.

His heart melted at the sight of her happy face. He hardly saw her smile and wanted to protect her at all costs. Melinda was precious to him and he wanted to always keep her happy.

"Kent, you've been incredibly supportive and none of this would have been possible without you. So it's my treat today."

Melinda carefully placed the contract in her bag and grinned at him. There was a mall in front of the office and Melinda decided to take him to the most popular coffee shop there.

"You haven't changed one bit." Kent shook his head and smiled when he saw Melinda order the usual black forest cake and macchiato.

Melinda smiled and continued to stir her coffee.

But deep in her heart, she knew that she had changed a lot.

The coffee house was silent and a faint melody of piano filled the air. Melinda sighed contentedly as she was enjoying the moment. She always loved going to coffee shops and baking pastries. But she had abandoned all her wishes and desires after she got married to Jonas.

She was like a moth that was attracted to the flame. She wanted to start a new life with Jonas but marriage slowly killed every bit of happiness, hope, and life in her. She had turned into a numb, lifeless person. She didn't know who she was anymore and was in search of the lost ambitions and dreams to fill her hollow heart.

"Melinda! Hello?"

Kent snapped his fingers, interrupting Melinda's thought. She finally came back to her senses and realized that she was in a coffee shop with Kent. "I'm sorry. All of this is a bit overwhelming and I'm a bit distracted." Melinda smiled sheepishly.

Kent knew what she had been thinking but he didn't want to ask her about it, so he nodded and smiled at her.

Holley had been depressed lately and there wasn't any news about her. She was having a nasty headache and decided to grab a cup of coffee. When she walked into the coffee house, her eyes fell on Melinda who was talking happily with Kent. She disregarded her public image and walked up to her.

"Isn't this Mrs. Gu? Of course, it is. What are you doing with another man here? Secret affair is it?" Holley asked, smirking at Melinda.

The big sunglasses almost covered her entire face and Melinda couldn't recognize her for a moment.

"What a shameless couple!"

Holley's voice boomed across the coffee shop and everyone turned to look at her. "Miss Huang, mind your tongue!"

Melinda growled.

She had always been a strong, feisty woman, but everyone had misinterpreted her silence for fear. Melinda had endured Jonas's torture all these years without fighting back and people thought that she was afraid of him.

"Oops. Did I say anything wrong? Mrs. Gu, you're a married woman. You cannot go on a date with random men," Holley mocked.

She had always envied Melinda. She couldn't accept that Melinda lived a better life than she did.

"He's not a random man. He's my friend and I'm having coffee with him. This is a normal social activity, but I'm sure everything will seem wrong if you see through your filthy eyes. Moreover, I've been divorced and I can be with whoever I want. It's none of your business."

Melinda crossed her arms across her chest and smiled at her.

Holley's mouth popped open with shock.

"Divorce?"

Melinda's words hit her with full force. She didn't know that Jonas and Melinda were divorced.

"I get it now. Mr. Gu would've found out that you're a cheater. That's perhaps why he has divorced you." Holley snickered.

Although Holley was trying to push her buttons, Melinda didn't lose her composure. But she was a little annoyed. It was her moment, and she was celebrating her success, but Holley was ruining it for her.

Jonas was on his way home after visiting his ailing grandfather. The commotion in the coffee shop caught his attention. He narrowed his eyes when he saw that Holley and Melinda fighting. He asked the driver to stop the car.

Jonas's breath caught in his throat when he saw Melinda. He hadn't seen her for a long time and she was looking like a different person now.

"Take Holley away. Don't let the paparazzi take pictures of her," Jonas instructed the driver. The driver nodded and walked into the coffee shop.

Jonas couldn't take his eyes off Melinda.

He couldn't help but wonder if she was the same woman who had married him for his money. Melinda had always looked sad and weak but she seemed beautiful and energetic now.

Melinda was not in the mood to talk with Holley. She gritted her teeth and glared at her. The driver strutted towards Holley and whispered in her ear, "Miss Huang, everyone's watching you."

Holley instinctively peered at the surroundings and saw that everyone was staring at her. Her face flustered with embarrassment. She quickly adjusted her glasses and turned away.