The Italian's proposal

Chapter Twenty-five

Melody

Melody had been in Lucy’s studio for three days when the door rang. Her heart leapt in her chest and she was forced to shake her hands and take a deep breath. She couldn’t lose her composure, she told herself as she walked toward the door. Could it be Timothy? Had he realized that she loved him? Had he finally realized that she left because she didn’t know if he loved her?

She hasn’t heard from him in three days, not a call, not a text message, nothing to say that he was okay, that he moved on with his life. It hurt her soul to think that he continued as if nothing happened, because she was destroyed, desolate and most of all, she was alone.

On several occasions she picked up her cell phone to call him, to tell him that she would go get her things, clothes he bought her, shoes, purses, even clothes for her baby. He left one of her credit cards at her disposal, called the bank and spoke to a representative to authorize her to use it as she pleased. She kept it in her wallet, but she had no desire to call him and let him think she was calling him because she changed her mind.

And she regretted it!

She made a fool of Timothy, alone in the chapel to show his face for her regret and her leaving. He had to talk to her father, to his parents, to the press. God! She was a coward. In every sense of the word, coward, was definitely an understatement.

It wasn’t his fault that she fell in love with him. It wasn’t his fault for making her heart race by having him around. Timothy hadn’t even realized the effect he had on her.

Because even when they made love, when his hands were all over her body, when he gave her the pleasure of feeling her first orgasm, she loved him madly, and in her innocence, she believed that by not repeating that, she could save her heart.

But her heart was already compromised. In love like a stray in the woods. Blind with love for Timothy Giannato.

That’s why she was unconsciously waiting for him to come to the door, to call her, to look for her.

But nothing happened in three days.

Lucy recommended her not to read anything in the press, nor to talk to anyone. Secluded in her studio apartment, she simply cried and drank water, to have liquid in her body so she could continue crying.

She realized that she hurt a good man with her hasty decision, one who helped her and proved that money does not make people bad and ruthless, there are also people with a noble heart, and enough money to help.

She opened the door and her heart stopped beating for a second.

“Allegra. I don’t know what you’re doing here but this is not a good time,” she told her without moving from the door.

She had her pajamas on, a red tank top with little hearts on it, and pants larger than they were normally worn. But she had no desire to get dressed, hadn’t been that way since she returned from her wedding.

Her wedding.

She didn’t want to think about that one, even though it was the only thing she’d done in three days.

“I just saw in the paper that you left your wedding,” her sister was wearing a sky-blue dress and low sandals, her hair was pulled back in a stern ponytail. “Will you let me in, Mel?”

“No,” there was no use listening as Allegra wallowed in her grief.

“Mel...”

you last spoke to me! A month since you preferred your husband to your own sister! It’s not fair for you to

to have to face that her whole family hated her for so long, that they didn’t seek her out, that only

Charles Redford had been there for her, on the day that was supposed to be the most important

Allegra. She looked haggard, thinner, gaunt, dark-eyed, and at that moment, on the verge of bursting into tears. “I’m sorry Mel. I haven’t been having the best month. I’m sorry for not being the sister you deserved, I’m sorry for not being there to take care of you like

the door all the way

in,” she

her reaction, must have been as

You were there throughout my pregnancy, even when you knew

told her as she sat down on the

had barely eaten in those three days, her body was screaming for her to just stay in bed. Not to move, not to go out, not to talk. Instead, she

beside her. “I married a thief and a

sister and mother had acted less than

matter to her that others didn’t have the same

Alle,” she said stroking her back. Allegra laid her head on her legs and Melody continued to comfort her for a

“I was stupid...”

and a perfect mother. That’s what you were. His infidelity? It’s

I don’t condemn myself for what he did to me,” she said rising from her legs and looking at her. “I’m sorry...I hate myself, for not listening to you and believing you. And I’m so selfish, that instead of asking you how you are

the couch and started pacing around the room. Melody wanted to stop her, but she looked like a

she called out to her, but Allegra paid no

with that woman they stole those three million... And he blamed you!” she vociferated angrily. “You! And I am the worst. Me, who believed every word he said. How could I

front of their eyes, not because it’s

Timothy. He didn’t see that she loved him, a whole

good. In the end, she was gone. She decided to walk away

woman, and yet she

to you,” her older sister approached her again, this time, knelt

it. I stopped feeling bad about those things a long time ago,” her eyes were beginning

Don’t cry honey. Don’t cry for me. I don’t deserve it. You are all that is

life is a mess Alle,” she finally blurted out. “I appreciate you being here, that you came. But right now, I’m not the best person to raise

He seemed like a good man, and more than

told him dropping her hands and pulling her legs up, she hugged her knees. Her sister

That man loves you. He forgave Equilay’s theft, he let

for doing so, would mean she had to tell her about the sham marriage and the inheritance Timothy

were subjects that were simply not for her to

me why you think that,” she told her, as with her thumbs she wiped away the tears she quietly had been shedding. “Don’t tell me if you don’t want to. But you must believe me when I tell you that, that man loves you. Maybe he’ s the one who doesn’t realize it, but he does, I

a cheap shot, and she knew it. But her sister wasn’t one to tell her she

was right, as much as she wanted to listen to her without looking at her as the one who turned her back on her, she couldn’t. She kept seeing her as the one who believed her husband, her

down at her from above,

smiled, though the gesture didn’t reach her tired