Her Scissors Cut My Hair, But His Betrayal Cut Deeper - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

This was the 999th time Melody made love to her best friend's brother.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, yet he still couldn't cross the finish line.
"Maybe I could help you with... hand?" she suggested in blush face.
Nathan gently brushed her hair. "It's fine. I'll handle it by myself. You go shower first."
The hot water cascaded down with a rushing sound. Through the steamy mist, she suddenly realized she'd forgotten to bring her pajamas.
Just as she pushed open the bathroom door, she heard a deep, breathy groan coming from the living room—
"Claire... baby..."
Melody froze. Through the crack in the door, she saw Nathan was pleasuring himself... while staring at a photo of Claire Bennett.
Eyes closed, Adam's apple bobbing, he released a muffled sound as he found his release.
So... All those nights together, all those times he couldn't finish with her, and yet here he was, calling another woman's name and finding release almost instantly.
Witnessing this scene, Melody felt as if she had plunged into an icy abyss.
The jarring ring of his phone cut through the moment. Nathan composed himself before answering.
His friend Luke's incredulous voice immediately filled the room.
"Nathan, are you seriously dropping $5,000,000 on bidding for Claire's virginity tomorrow?"
"Have you forgotten how she dumped your ass the second your family went broke? She literally hooked up with the dean's son for a study abroad spot! Now that you're loaded again, she's back begging for scraps. This woman is—"
"I know what she is," Nathan cut in, voice tight. "Shallow. Self-centered. Fake as hell."
He paused, let out a hollow laugh. "But I can't stop wanting her."
"These past years... I've been fucking obsessed to her."
Luke's voice rose. "What about Melody? Your actual girlfriend? What is she to you?"
Nathan sighed heavily. "I've tried, man. But I just cannot make it to love her."
"When you've had someone like Claire... everyone else just feels like settling."
"Melody's amazing, but she's always been... plan B."
Luke cursed under his breath. "I don't know what spell Claire cast on you. When Melody finds out and walks—'cause she will—you're gonna regret it for the rest of your life!"
Weariness crept into Nathan's voice. "If she leaves, so let it be."
"It's been years. I can't bring myself to end it."
"If she pulls the trigger... honestly, it'd be a relief."
Seeing Nathan about to end the call, Melody retreated silently to the shower, her entire body trembling.
As the water beat down on her, memories flooded back to the first time she'd laid eyes on Nathan Gray at freshman orientation.
The student body president in his crisp button-down, commanding the stage with effortless charm. When he looked up, every girl in the auditorium practically swooned.
"Hello? Earth to Melody!" her best friend Emma had nudged her, grinning. "That's my brother. Gorgeous, right?"
Within weeks, she learned the campus saying: You might not know the principal, but not recognizing campus heartthrob Nathan was a cardinal sin.
He was the object of every girl's desire, and Melody only dared steal glances at him when visiting Emma's house.
But he always politely rejected every girl who confessed—until Claire transferred in.
Claire burst onto the scene like a hurricane—bold, relentless, and utterly fixated on Nathan.
Three months later, to everyone's shock, Nathan said yes.
Melody would never forget the day she turned a corner and saw Nathan pressing Claire against the wall in a kiss that made her heart crack.
His long fingers tangled in Claire's hair, his usually guarded eyes burning with raw desire. It was a side of him she'd never imagined existed.
She watched him transform for Claire—waiting in overnight lines for limited-edition sneakers, getting into fights with guys who looked at her too long, skipping classes to drive her to concerts three states away.
Until junior year, when the Gray family empire crumbled overnight.
Claire dumped him with brutal efficiency, leaving the country with the dean's son. Her parting shot: "Sorry, Nathan. You just can't give me what I need anymore."
Nathan—proud, dignified Nathan—ran after her car for two entire blocks.
His desperate pleas echoed down the street as she drove away without a backward glance.
After that, he spiraled. Melody followed him out of concern one night until he finally confronted her.
"Why are you stalking me?" he demanded.
She couldn't form words.
"You like me?" He cut to the chase. "Fine. Let's be together then."
Only later did she learn the truth: he'd agreed to date her purely to escape his Claire-shaped void.
Yet she took what she could get, loving him quietly, hoping to thaw his frozen heart.
Eventually, he seemed to love her. He remembered her birthday, brought her chicken soup when she was sick, and held her through thunderstorms.
When he rebuilt his fortune—becoming even wealthier than before—he spoiled her even more.
Until two weeks ago, when they met Claire working as a hostess at a club.
When Claire accidentally spilled wine on Melody's designer dress, Nathan coldly demanded $5,000,000 in damages.
"I don't have that kind of money," Claire had replied, tears welling in her eyes. "But I still have my virginity. I'll auction it and give you every penny. Will that work?"
Nathan had gripped her chin, his voice glacier-cold: "Well, You have three days."
That night, Melody lay awake as Nathan spent hours in his study, emerging reeking of cigarettes and whiskey.
He lay with his back to her until dawn broke.
It turned out he'd already decided at that time: he would buy Claire's virginity himself.
All his hatred was just the flip side of obsession.
All those nights he couldn't perform with Melody, just because of—she wasn't Claire.
Staring at her reflection in the fogged mirror, Melody began to laugh, the sound cracking into a sob midway.
She could love hard, but she could either walk away harder.
If he didn't want her, he could have just said so.
She wouldn't beg a man to love her back.
Turning off the water, she picked up her phone and sent a text.
The next morning, Nathan was heading out when Melody appeared, fully dressed.
"Why so early?" he asked, surprised. "It's Saturday."
Melody kept her eyes down. "I have something important to take care of."
Nathan touched her shoulder. "I'll drive you."
In the car, just as he asked where she was going, his phone rang.
His assistant's voice came through the speaker: "Mr. Gray, Miss Bennett's auction starts at eight tonight. The private bidding room is ready. Will you be attending personally?"
Nathan's jaw tightened. "Yes. I'm heading over now to handle the arrangements."
Hanging up, he glanced at Melody, clearly anxious to leave. She could see it in his eyes—the fear that someone else might claim what he considered rightfully his.
"You go first," she said quietly. "I'll grab an Uber."
Nathan didn't even try to hide his relief. "Okay, babe. Text me when you get where you're going."
After he drove away, Melody hailed a rideshare to the café where she'd arranged to meet Emma.
The moment she walked in, Emma rushed over and grabbed her hands, eyes wide with panic.
"Melody, were you serious in your message last night? Are you're really willing to marry into the Sinclair family in my place?!"