Chapter 204: That’s Melinda

He adjusted his coat and walked outside, his steps steady, his heart surprisingly light.And there she was.

Melinda.

Standing in the courtyard, dressed in a soft navy suit that carried the elegance of her new position. Her hair shimmered under the daylight, and her hands clutched the strap of her handbag nervously.

The moment her eyes spotted Jayden, her composure shattered. She rushed forward without even realising it, her heels clicking against the stone path, her arms already opening.

"Jayden!"

He barely had time to brace himself before she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a strong, warm hug.

For a heartbeat, Jayden froze, stunned by the sudden wave of familiarity, of comfort, of something he hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever.

Slowly, he placed his arms around her, returning the embrace.

Although her actions were probably crazy, he completely understood. For a woman like Melinda who loves him so much, this was to be considered a minor act to express after not setting her eyes on him for several months.

...

The villa’s garden stretched wide, its canopy of green swaying gently with the afternoon breeze.

Birds hopped between branches, their songs weaving faint melodies that floated through the air. The faint trickle of a fountain could be heard from the other side of the hedge, soft enough not to disturb, yet present enough to soothe.

It was here, under a broad cream canopy set at the edge of the garden, that Jayden chose to receive Melinda.

He led her there, as they walked over to the cushioned chairs.

He had his eyes resting on the sunlight breaking through the leaves.

It was rare, he thought, for this place to be so quiet. Normally, guards patrolled, aides came and went, and some voice could be heard somewhere in the distance. But now, it was only him and her, Melinda.

He had studied how she approached. How her dress flowed lightly around her knees, how her hands held the strap of her handbag like it was a lifeline.

Her eyes carried the faintest nervousness, though her lips were curved in a smile.

"Mister President," she greeted softly when she reached the canopy.

Jayden chuckled at once, gesturing to the chair opposite him. "Come on, don’t call me that. Sit, please."

She obeyed, setting her bag gently by her side before lowering herself onto the chair. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the air thick with unspoken things. Then Jayden leaned slightly forward, his voice calm.

"How have you been, Melinda? How’s Monarch Café?"

Her eyes lit up as she clasped her hands together, as if just the name filled her with warmth.

"It’s been going very well. Rapidly, even. Sometimes I still can’t believe it’s mine. More customers fill the place every day. We’ve expanded the menu to nationwide satisfaction, hired over a hundred staffs... It’s grown beyond what I ever thought possible."

Her smile softened, becoming more personal. "And it’s all thanks to you, Jayden. If not for you, Monarch Café wouldn’t even exist for me."

Jayden shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "It was nothing. You deserve it. For the kind of person you are, a beautiful, humble soul who never stopped working hard, even when life wasn’t fair."

Melinda’s cheeks warmed instantly, her eyes darting down before she laughed lightly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"You always knew how to embarrass me with words."

"It’s only the truth," Jayden replied, his tone steady.

Then silence followed...

Not awkward, but heavy. They stared at each other across the small round table, their eyes holding as if trying to speak what their mouths couldn’t. Seconds turned into minutes, and neither of them looked away.

Then, with a visible swallow, Melinda broke the silence. Her voice trembled slightly, her fingers twisting together.

"I miss you, Jayden."

The words seemed to hang in the air, weighty, delicate, unshakable. It was as if she had poured her heart, her blood, her spirit into them, and once spoken, she couldn’t take them back.

Her head bowed instantly, her eyes fixed on her lap. She tried to mask it, to play it off as a slip of the tongue, but her reddening ears betrayed her.

Jayden’s eyes softened.

"It’s okay, Melinda."

He said, his voice low but firm.

She lifted her head slightly, her lips parting in surprise.

"It’s okay that you miss me," he continued. "I’m happy that you do. Because I miss you too."

Her breath caught, and for the first time that day, her gaze held his without wavering. Her lips curved faintly, trembling but real.

"I wish you could be here," Jayden admitted quietly.

"I wish the same," she whispered back, her tone giving every damn reason that she strongly meant it, and it sounded like it was a morsel of hope for her.

The look on her eyes proved every bit of it.

For a while, they simply sat there, holding onto that fragile honesty that had finally surfaced.

No walls, no roles, no weight of titles. Just two people, stripped down to something simple and true.

Then Jayden reached for the small tray the staff had set earlier. Two glasses. A bottle of rich, dark wine.

He poured gently, the liquid catching the light before sliding into each glass. He slid one toward her.

"To catching up," he said.

Her smile deepened as she lifted her glass.

"To catching up."

They drank, and the conversation loosened.

Melinda asked about his work, though Jayden skimmed lightly over the details. He asked her about the café’s busiest days, and she spoke with animation, describing customers who returned daily, the way the staff had become like family, the joy of seeing strangers become regulars.

They laughed over memories from Cloudbridge, the clumsy young barista who always spilled milk, the old man who never paid full price but tipped generously with stories instead, the time Harper tried to carry three trays at once and nearly dropped them all.

Those memories...

Their laughter rang through the garden, honest and unrestrained. Jayden found himself smiling more than he had in weeks, and Melinda’s face glowed brighter with each passing moment.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

When their glasses were nearly empty, the laughter softened. Silence returned, but this time it carried comfort, not tension. Jayden set his glass down, his gaze turning serious.

"There’s something I need to tell you," he said.

Melinda’s smile faded, concern knitting her brow at once.

The way he had suddenly said it, the face his face turned serious... It looked like it was something very serious, for sure.

"What is it?" She asked.

He inhaled, steadying himself. "The world is under threat."

Her eyes widened, covered in confusion at the very moment.

Jayden leaned back and began explaining carefully.

"There’s an enemy called the Sovereign Protocols. They aren’t like anything we’ve faced before. Stronger, more advanced. This isn’t just a war, it’s survival. But..." He paused, his gaze locking onto hers.

"You’re safe, Melinda. I’ll make sure of that. Whatever happens, I won’t let you be harmed."

Her lips trembled slightly, fear creeping into her expression. She nodded slowly, clutching her glass tighter.

"I... I believe in you, Jayden."

But her voice betrayed her, small and uncertain.

Sure, how he had ended the Icelandian Government tyranny should give every reason for her to trust him, but the weight of what he had said had lingered.

A threat far more than what they had ever faced... That line was frightening.

Jayden reached across the table, his hand brushing lightly against hers.

"Trust me."

Her shoulders eased a little as she nodded again, more firmly this time.

"I do."

The moment lingered, delicate but strong.

When finally she stood to leave, her steps were slower, her face shadowed by thought.

The fear of his words clung to her, but more than that, the joy of the afternoon refused to fade. She carried it with her, holding onto the warmth of their laughter, the truth of their confessions, the hope of another meeting.

She glanced back once before disappearing through the villa’s gate, her heart a storm of fear and longing.

...

Inside the villa, however, not all had missed the scene.

All the ladies stood by the window, all having their arms crossed as most stared in curiosity as they watched Melinda leave the villa.

"Who is that girl?" Charlotte asked flatly.

Beside her, Harper exhaled softly, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"That’s Melinda. She was my boss back when I worked in Cloudbridge. At her café."

"Her café?" Camilia asked asked, tilting her head.

Harper smiled a little wider as she seemed to have had a flash of memories in her head.

"Jayden’s café, actually," she explained. "Before it became hers after he gave it to her. If not for her, I don’t know what would’ve become of me."

Charlotte’s lips pursed, her gaze lingering on the garden where Jayden had been. She said nothing more, but her eyes narrowed with thought.

Harper only kept watching, her expression softer, almost protective. She knew what Melinda meant to Jayden. And now, it seemed, she knew what Jayden meant to Melinda too.