The Italian's proposal

Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Timothy

Timothy was on his way to Melody’s parents’ house; it was the only place he hadn’t looked for. He had called her countless times on her cell phone, wasting time dialing, knowing she wasn’t going to answer.

She was tired of him and his attitude and he knew it.

“Sir,” it was Clark, he was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t realized they were already in front of Melody’s parents’ house.

The detective had done the job right.

She was there, she hasn’t been out all afternoon, not even to the porch.

“Shall I wait for you or come back for you later?” he didn’t know what the answer to that question would be either.

“Wait for me,” how about Melody refused to see him, she had her reasons. He screwed up big time. And Equilay Thompson’s Bahamas account confirmed it. He has been stupid, blinded by Gia’s infidelity and betrayal, he judged Melody without listening to her.

Now she was gone.

An innocent in a world full of bullets in the air.

She was hit by one, and unfortunately, Timothy was the one who pulled the trigger and sentenced.

“No,” he regretted. “Go. I’ll call you when we’re done.” He wasn’t going to leave without her.

He always had been known for being a confident man, but at that moment, with the documents the detective handed him half an hour earlier, he didn’t even know how to walk safely and calmly.

Regret and guilt were two things he never felt before, at least not to this magnitude.

He called Hamlet, asking for Devina’s number, which his cousin didn’t like, as he knew they didn’t get along, but in the end, Timothy was forced to confess that he screwed up big time.

Big and deep.

“Did you find her yet?” was the first thing she said when Hamlet put her on the phone.

“No. But you were right.”

“I usually am,” he imagined her smiling complacently, she was tremendous, that woman.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Admitting it hadn’t cost him as much as he imagined.

The truth was, if he was responsible for hurting Melody, it was appropriate to be just as responsible for apologizing and begging for her forgiveness.

He did not see himself as a man who would kneel before anyone, but neither did he see himself as one who would mistreat and hurt.

The last one already did.

It cost him nothing to kneel if necessary.

“The first thing is to talk to her, go over to her and tell her that you know she wasn’t the one who stole the money,” she told him after a while with the line silent.

“You make it too easy; don’t you remember how she beat you up for thinking I sent you?” she didn’t want to imagine what it would do to him if he didn’t tread lightly.

“It’s not that I forgot, it’s that she acted out of how we conditioned her. I realize this now.”

“What the fuck do you mean?” Devina seemed to have all the time in the world, whereas he, needed to figure everything out now. He was a pragmatic man of action, not one to make a mess and walk away without sorting it out.

“You accused her of stealing from you, of planning something as ugly as a three-million-dollar embezzlement, I tried to help her by giving her the money,” she sighed and continued. “I influenced her to believe you were trying to blame her even more. Melody didn’t see it as help, she saw it as a ploy to prove her dignity and her sincerity. Not as an escape, which was what I was looking for.”

“You wanted her to leave me?” he didn’t understand why Devina had stepped in where no one called her.

it in her eyes. She’s a kid, at least she thinks no one’s doing any harm. She only recently realizes that her brother-in-law, who she believed in for years, stole from you.” Looking from that way, he only managed to feel like Satan himself, like a deplorable being. He thought of the restaurant and how he gave her Equilay Thompson’s statement and how he smiled at her all smug and wild. “She hardly realizes what the world is like. Did you ever stop to think how hard it must be to be pregnant and exiled by your own

you, I’m sorry that...” he didn’t

understand is that you must be empathetic, put yourself in her place, understand her or at least try to,” she said something to Hamlet and then went back to him. “I know you like her, if you weren’t attracted to her, you wouldn’t be screwing your brains out so much to seek her forgiveness. For that alone I give you the vote of

he said

and listen to her. Tell her you screwed up, tell her you’re sorry and hopefully, hopefully, you’ll get her to forgive you,” she said

as he stood in front of the

wanted to hit him with a broom, so

the car and watched Clark drive away, a part of him wanted to leave with him, take refuge in his penthouse and carry on as if nothing happened. But the part that contained his integrity, his remorse,

said when Melody’s mother opened the door for him.

on the woman’s face, she knew who he was,

aside, making way for him, which he was curious about. He hadn’t expected such a simple and

with

coffee or wine?” she asked after

the extreme, he tried to behave as

the living room, giving it a contemporary and classic style, there were photographs of Melody and her sister as children, all the way up to their teenage years. He

as Melody’s mother watched him, he was used to people’s stares on him, he grew up as the son of influential people, both, in Italy and in Manhattan and most of the world. His last name opened doors for him, but

And he was.

how petulant

he lost his

why Devina judged him so harshly. Because in her eyes, he was a

how he let himself appear

always told her she should stop making such a big deal out of everything,” he realized at once to whom Melody came out so talkative, for, although

found it

like it’s a good thing. It’s not a good thing to be constantly drowning in a glass of

something else, but Melody’s father came

you Mr. Redford,” he decided to take the first

Melody said about him at his parents’ house, he hoped not so much that his father would cut him down with a razor. The

as if the family was a jewel of union and love, that made him question why Melody left

shook his hand for a second and released him as he looked at his wife. “Did you

said blushing, though she had been more amused, spreading uncertainty in him, than trying to be a

sit down. “Where’s Melody?

least we can do is invite you to dinner, so we can get to know each other,”

Melody hadn’t rant at him or told him what kind of

that made him

wasn’t looking to sow hatred in others at the thought of him, though it was well

can stay long,” he just wished he could talk to Melody alone and be able to

do you know where I can get my...?” the question died on her lips at the

on either side of her face and down to her breasts. She was wearing white tights, which

room grew heavy and it wasn’t

daughter. Timothy came to talk to you. We’ll leave you alone,” Charles looked at him and the threat was implied in his eyes, but he still said staring at him. “Be incredibly careful with my daughter. She’s

he meant it

of my family members care how rich you are, my daughter

to them and put a hand on her father’s back. “Leave us alone for a moment, we’ll be on the

parents, when hours before, he thought their daughter

your sister is coming for dinner,” Melody didn’t look at her mother, but it didn’t take it for him to realize something was going on there. Melody looked at him without fear and walked to the front

was surrounded by a relatively low wall, made of brick, Melody sat there

that contained all the family information of Equilay and Melody herself, bank accounts of both and the proof that her brother-in-law kept the money in an account in the Bahamas. He felt her warmth and smelled her scent of wildflowers. That smell he could never forget.

the strongest women he knew, taking care of a child alone, never minding that the father was absent, shouldn’t be easy. He didn’t

“What?”

to let go, but he didn’t let her. “Look at me Melody, look me in the eyes and believe me when I say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for judging you lightly and not

struggling and

“You...”

you had nothing to do with the

morning...you believed...” she let out a sob and covered her mouth

he wrapped one of his arms around her and held her there, close to his chest. “Sorry... I’m sorry. I really am. I don’t care what you ask, I’ll give you anything, but I want you to know that I know I was a bastard, and I don’t deserve you to help me, or to marry me. I don’t deserve to have you even as a friend,” he knew

turned away as

I’m a freeloader and a slut? You did that!” she

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