The Marvelous Elijah’s Return

Remember that I asked you nicely first
With a scowl on her face, Melina turned around to look at Peach, and then she looked over at Matt, a few distances away from
them, standing close to the wall, his back resting against the concrete, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.
“Who is he?” Melina asked her tone hard, making it evident that she wasn’t letting this go easily.
Knowing that the only reason she and Elijah were here was that that was what her mother wanted, Peach tried not to show
anything on her face, trying her best to keep her emotions hidden.
“He’s Elijah’s friend,” Peach answered after taking a deep breath and calming her raging mind. “Elijah has a friend?” Melina
scoffed in confusion, raising an eyebrow at Peach before glaring at Matt.
“What do you want, Melina?”
“Elijah,”
Silence fell over them, Peach holding her gaze straight ahead as Melina stared angrily at her, waiting for an answer, only finding
it odd when Peach kept silent with an unreadable expression.
“I want Elijah back... After all, I was married to him first, and my feelings for him never left even after we were divorced.” Melina
said, her voice becoming soft all of sudden.
For a moment Peach didn’t reply, and the only sound that filled the hall was their heavy breathing, until finally, Peach spoke in a
hushed voice, struggling not to lose her anger,” What are you saying, Melina?”
“I’m saying that I miss Elijah... So much... I missed him... And every time I look at him, I realize how much I was stupid to let him
go... He was my first love... The one person who truly loved me, whom I truly loved... We were meant to be together... You
know that... We are meant to be together...” Melina explained, her eyes beginning to tear up. “You still love him!” Peach scoffed
in disbelief, unable to hide the hurt that filled her voice. but she didn’t care.
“Yes...”
“What kind of twisted shit are you doing now, Melina?!”
A few minutes passed between the two women with neither making a move to say another word. Finally, Melina broke the
silence.

“Take a look at our family, Peach... how much pressure they put on us to be perfect, to marry for money and not love, and not
stray from the path that they planted in our way...” Melina trailed off sadly, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I let him go
because I allowed the pressure from them to get to me, but now, I’ve realized that I can’t continue living without him. Not
anymore...”
“Melina...” Peach mumbled, a sense of annoyance filling her as she watched her cousin cry openly in front of her. “Who put you
up to this nonsense? Was it madam Jewel.. your father
or was it a joint decision, like some sick meeting you guys held? Is that why you all are gathered here?!”
“No! Of course not... Love just doesn’t die because you stop being together, Peach.”
“Do you even know where you went wrong in you guys’ relationship... Do you know what you did to him? How much have you
affected him because of your deception?”
Deep down, Melina was frowning inside, annoyed by the question Peach threw at her, and by her inability to give an honest
answer. But the fake tears in her eyes only became more apparent, causing Peach to sigh loudly, running her hand through her
hair in frustration. “I know, Peach... and that’s why I want him back, to make things right again. To start fresh... and love him as I
wanted to do all these while, but was pressured into not doing.” Melina replied softly, looking away from Peach.
“Elijah is not a thing that you can have when you want and toss when you don’t... It doesn’t work like that! Love isn’t something
you can just pick up whenever you feel like it, Melina.” Peach said sternly.
“So, you are not going to let him go, even though he’s my ex-husband and I am your cousin, Peach... you are still going to be
with him after knowing that I still love him... despite everything else I just said?” “Yes, and no! Also, I know that you cheated on
him, Madam Jewel said that you got a couple of millions of dollars for being with him... I don’t know what she meant by that...
and you don’t even know his friends... I don’t know what you are talking about or why you are doing this, but I am not giving
Elijah up.”
“Peach!”
“This conversation is over, Melina!” With that Peach turned in her heels, but immediately stopped when she heard Melina
whisper, “You know there are other ways to get him back without asking you to leave him, right?”
Even though she didn’t want to, her emotions hit hard at those words, a look of nervousness appearing on her face. Slowly
turning her head to look back at her cousin, Peach whispered,” What do you mean?”

“The first time I ever met Elijah was at a bar, and that same night, we had sex... He couldn’t resist me then... Do you want us to
put it to a bet that he can’t do it now?” Melina asked her in the most seductive way possible, staring directly at Peach.
“I’m not interested in your sick plan or game... Leave him alone, Melina.”
“You are scared, ain’t you? Shaking that he will fall.... How long did it take him to have you... How long did it take him to want
your body?”
Just for a moment, a look of insecurity crossed Peach’s eyes, and her face gave it away, making Melina scoff, mumbling, “He
hasn’t touched you yet, has he?”
“Love is not the same as lust, Melina.” Peach replied, her expression showing that she was lighting hard to keep her calm.
“But does Elijah feel both for you?”
“Well, we are getting married two weeks from now, so I would imagine so.”
When Melina’s eyes darted towards the ring on Peach’s finger, she scoffed and said,” Remember that I asked you nicely first.”
Darting his eyes around the table, Elijah’s gaze zone for a while, and then he stopped at Josh’s harsh look, giving him a death
stare “So, Elijah. Since you are interested in one of my granddaughters again, how about answering a few questions for us?”
Madam Jewel asked Elijah in an attempt to break the awkward tension around them, forcing a smile on her lips as she eyed him.
“My mother is right. We can’t keep giving our girls to you when honestly, you are not more than a stranger to us and we are not
sure if you’re trustworthy.” Dean said, his tone cold, as everyone at the table nodded along in agreement with him. Looking
around, Elijah saw that almost every single person around the table was giving him judgmental looks, and he snorted slightly,
letting out, “I am only here because Peach is. I didn’t come to entertain your thirst to interrogate me.”
“You arrogant prick,” Tommy muttered under his breath, shooting Elijah a dirty look, not bothering to say anything else.
“Albert is dead. We are Peach’s uncles, and we deserve to know who the heck she’s about to marry, especially since the
reputation you have is bad enough already.” Elmer stated, narrowing his eyes at Elijah. Studying their faces for a while, Elijah
scoffed and then averted his gaze, not saying another word, dismissing them completely.
In a fate of rage, Matthew stood and slammed his hands onto the tabletop, startling everyone, causing Elijah to meet his eyes as
he asked, “Who are you?”
“A man?” Elijah responded, his voice filled with amusement and mockery. “That’s not what I mean!”

“It’s not?”
When Mathew saw the corn of Elijah’s lips twitching upward in a half-smirk, he grabbed the bread knife and threw it towards him,
only for Elijah to catch it swiftly with his hand, his eyes locked onto Matthew.
“And eye for an eye. Ruin mine, and I will damage yours within a blink of an eye. Don’t test my patience, Mr. Hayes.” Elijah said,
aggressively tossing the knife on the table, and it hit against the plate, making everyone flinch.
Then when he took his gaze off Mathew’s shaky stare, Elijah saw Peach walking back into the dining room, and with one look at
her eyes, he grew concerned.
Forcing herself to stay calm and emotionless, Peach walked over to where Elijah was seated, ignoring the glares that were
directed at her from all sides.
Once she reached his side, she looked straight into Elijah’s eyes and whispered in a hoarse voice, “Can we go home now?”
“Peach... didn’t you come here to tell us something?” Madam Jewel asked, a confused look on her face as she watched Elijah
stand from his seat.
“Yeah, but I don’t think I want any of you at iny wedding ceremony anymore.” Peach
announced coldly, glaring daggers at each of their faces. Her words made Elijah even more surprised and concerned, but he
withheld from showing it, instead lacing his fingers with Peach’s own, and gently squeezing her hand. “Peach, come on... I don’t
know why you are changing your mind all of sudden, but this uncle of yours wants to celebrate your marriage, even if your soon-
be husband is not our favorite, so please share with us what you came to tell us....” Tommy suddenly pleaded with her, leaning
forward in his chair, trying to grab her attention.
Immediately, Elijah became alert, knowing that Tommy being concerned about their wedding was more alarming than a good
thing. “Peach, you heard your uncle... Tell us what you came to say to us!” Madam Jewel uttered, struggling against her
bitterness.
At that moment, Melina walked inside, and when she locked eyes with Peach, Peach immediately darted her eyes to her bag,
and without saying a word, Peach took out a mauve velvet box with an acrylic wedding invitation card in it.
“We are having a beach wedding.” She let out, settling the box on the table, listening to the silence for a second. “I only got one
for grand...ma, well, because I thought only her was going to be home.”

With that, she and Elijah exchanged glances, before he led her out of the dining room, walking past Melina at the doorway, and
she and he locked eyes for a second longer before he led Peach away.