Serendipity's Secret (Melanie) novel Chapter 40

Chapter 40 

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Melanie ignored the man and headed back. 

After the man, Hector, had used the restroom, he hurried back to his table, where two other men were seated. 

“Tanner, you won’t believe it! I saw a stunning beauty in the restroom. She looked like a goddess!” he exclaimed, excitement bubbling over. Tanner, the man he addressed, looked at him with disdain, clearly unimpressed. “What’s with you? Have you not seen a woman ever in your life?” 

“No, seriously! She’s incredibly beautiful. I’ve never seen such a lovely lady in my li Tanner frowned, annoyed. “Shut up and eat. Once you’re done, get out of here.” 

With a sigh, Hector tell silent 

Julia didn’t waste a single bite and polished off all four dishes 

life! Hector clutched Tanner’s arm, practically swearing to emphasize his point. 

Melanie had been considering taking leftovers home because she didn’t want to waste food. With times being tough and many people struggling to afford basic staples, she thought that wasting food would be truly shameful. Melanie was pleasantly surprised when Julia polished off every last bite. 

“Let’s get going, Julia,” Melanie said, and the two stood up, ready to embark on their journey back 

As they reached the door, a few other customers were exiting. Melanie stepped aside to avoid colliding with anyone. 

Hector spotted Melanie again and couldn’t help but poke Tanner in his side. “Look–there she is!” 

Tanner shot him a warning glate, but curiosity got the better of him. He glanced at Melanie and froze at the sight. 

Even Melanie, who usually wasn’t easily flustered, sensed the attention and felt a tightening in her chest. 

She had heard about the gathering of troublemakers in the surrounding area. She needed to be careful in public. 

She quickly took Julia’s hand and kept her head down as they hurried out. 

The three men remained at their table, still a bit dazed. Hector enthusiastically rudged Tanner again, saying, “See? I wasn’t lying, right? She’s gorgeous! Much prettier than the women in our neighborhood 

Tanner remained silent this time, still processing what he had seen. 

Just as the three stepped outside, they saw the two women drive off. Hector couldn’t help but gawk “Wow, she must be wealthy. Look, she has a car!” 

Tanner squinted at Julia’s license plate. “Enough talk Let’s get back. We’ve got things to do tonight” 

The three hopped into a nearby car, and Tanner started the engine, following behind Julia and Melanle 

After several blocks, Julia frowned. Initially, she thought it was just a coincidence, but it became clear that the three men were talling them 

Melanie felt the tension rise in her chest. “Julia, do you think that car has been following us?” 

“at could just be that they’re going the same way. Don’t worry, I’m here with you,” julia reassured her, though she couldn’t shake the unease settling in her 

stomach