the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart-Chapter 549 Miss Benjamin Didn’t Know Who She Went With

Chapter 549: Chapter 549 Miss Benjamin Didn’t Know Who She Went With
When Ignatius Leclair arrived at the Howard Family residence, Melody Cloud was accompanying the elderly lady in conversation.
"Before I returned home, I went to the United Kingdom to sort through Lara’s old belongings. Although I was afraid that seeing these items would evoke sorrow, I still couldn’t resist bringing them back," Melody said softly, her voice gentle, as she took out some of Lara Howard’s cherished belongings.
The elderly lady became visibly emotional at the sight. Lara had passed away at the peak of her youth, leaving a perpetual ache in her heart. Seeing the young girl from the Cloud Family be so nostalgic was comforting—it was a worthy sentiment for how much Lara had doted on her.
"You’re a good child, so thoughtful," the elderly lady said warmly, suppressing her emotions to maintain her composure in front of the younger generation.
Melody smiled faintly, her expression impeccably calm and graceful. When her gaze caught Ignatius entering the room, her smile grew even softer.
Ever since the scandal involving Delphine Carter and her father embezzling inheritance three years ago, the Cloud Family had plunged into silence. Her elder brother had fallen out with the family, and she herself had lost her dignity, forced to flee abroad to avoid the fallout. She had been gone for three years, biting back tears even when she’d heard that Delphine gave birth to twins during her absence.
Three years of enduring, and now she was finally back.
The first thing she’d done upon arriving in Imperial City yesterday was visit Ignatius Leclair’s villa. Although she didn’t stay long, Melody had seen a glimmer of hope. So today, she came to visit the Howard Family’s elderly lady, hoping to rekindle a thread of affection from the past.
As for those gaudy, shameless women in Imperial City, Melody lowered her gaze in silent disdain—none of them could compare to her. Once she reclaimed her place in high society, those women wouldn’t even be worthy to polish her shoes.
The elderly lady had always been fond of Melody because of Lara’s ties to her. Thinking about how Ignatius, her grandson, had been as stubborn as a mule for three years and still hadn’t turned a corner, even the arranged meetings amounted to nothing. If Ignatius and Melody could marry, it would be an excellent choice—after all, the two had grown up together. Although the Cloud Family’s parents had proven less than honorable, it would still be better than Ignatius living alone and Benjamin growing up without a mother figure in his life.
Seeing Ignatius entering, the elderly lady smiled warmly and said, "Perfect timing. Melody is here in Imperial City. Take her out and show her around."
Melody rose to her feet, her gaze carrying a subtle hope, though she refrained from being overly eager. Over the past three years, she had painstakingly studied Ignatius’s character and tastes, intentionally or unintentionally emulating Delphine Carter.
This trip to Imperial City was merely to test the waters, and she had surprisingly discovered that Ignatius didn’t seem as detached toward her as he’d been before. This revelation was like a reassurance she desperately needed.
"We met yesterday," Ignatius said blandly. He harbored faint childhood affection for Melody, but Magnus Leclair had grown increasingly displeased with her due to Delphine’s presence.
Melody lowered her gaze, her eyes reddening slightly as she said, "I shouldn’t have come. With all that’s happened in my family, my visit to the Howard Family might attract unwanted attention and give rise to misunderstandings. I’ve already decided to settle permanently overseas and won’t be returning. This time, I came only to return Lara’s belongings to put my heart at ease."
The elderly lady was taken aback and grasped her hand. "Good child, what does your family’s matter have to do with you? Don’t say something so foolish," she said earnestly.
The elderly lady then cast a meaningful glance at Ignatius Leclair.
"The Cloud Family’s issue happened three years ago—it has faded considerably since then. There’s no need for something as drastic as relocating overseas," Ignatius said indifferently.
"I’m sorry, Ignatius. In the past, it was all my ignorance. Over the past three years, I’ve profoundly repented for my actions. We’ve known each other since childhood—please, don’t hate me," Melody said as tears began to fall from her chestnut eyes.
Ignatius frowned slightly. After a prolonged silence, he said coldly, "I won’t."
At that moment, Maximilian’s phone call came through, his voice trembling. "Young Master Leclair, Miss Benjamin has gone somewhere with someone. I don’t know who."