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.

an innocent woman, I saw 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

sorry that...” he didn’t even know what to say

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

thanks,” he

you’re sorry and hopefully, hopefully, you’ll get

as he stood in front of the house, the uncertainty

him with a broom,

take refuge in his penthouse and carry on as if nothing happened. But the part that contained his integrity, his remorse, and his attraction to Melody, kept him from

mother opened the door for him. He recognized her, since the report given by

look on the woman’s face, she knew who

to finally meet you,” she said and stepped aside, making way for him, which he was curious about. He hadn’t expected such a simple and cordial

some banging with

coffee or wine?” she asked after inviting him

the extreme, he tried to behave as affable as possible, but it was impossible for him not

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

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

And he was.

now how petulant he

infidelity, he lost his essence and

judged him so harshly. Because in her

let himself

deal out of

Melody communicates,” but he found it unnecessary to let her mother

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

the woman wanted to tell him something else, but Melody’s father came out of one of the rooms

Giannato, nice to meet you Mr. Redford,” he decided to take the

at his parents’ house, he hoped not so much that his father would cut him down with

why Melody left her parents’ house, even more, because being pregnant she did not have health insurance, being her father

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

had been more amused, spreading uncertainty in him,

he said as he agreed to sit down. “Where’s Melody? I need to talk

can do is invite you to dinner, so we can get to know each other,” Melody’s father sounded more like an accusation and challenge than an invitation. But he deserved

understand that Melody hadn’t rant at him or told him what kind of relationship they were starting

that made him feel even

to sow hatred in others at the thought of him, though it was well

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

where I can get my...?” the question died on her lips at the sight of him. Her eyes went from calm

loose on either side of her face and down to her breasts.

room grew heavy

looked at him and the threat was implied in his eyes, but he still

her,” and he meant it from the bottom of

doesn’t matter to me, none of my family members care how rich you are, my daughter doesn’t deserve to

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

front of Melody’s parents, when hours before, he thought their daughter was

dinner,” Melody didn’t look at her mother, but it didn’t take it for him to realize something was going on

made of brick, Melody sat there and looked at him with her

said sitting down next to her and leaving the envelope on top of the wall, with the documents 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

wrinkled her brow. Her big gray eyes were undaunted. She was strong. One of 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 know the root of her relationship with that guy, he didn’t

“What?”

replied taking her hand. She tried 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

and stare

“You...”

you had nothing to do with the three-million-dollar

let out a sob and

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

turned

paper! It was a secret between you and me. No press. Have you seen everything they say about me? That I’m a freeloader and a slut? You did that!” she began

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255