The Wedding Night

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”

Albert Einstein

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Giovanni POV

The first time Lorenzo made his appearance into the company and Melody ran out was the day I knew something was wrong. They knew each other from somewhere that why they were acting like a bunch of kids.

“You know her from somewhere don’t you?” I asked my brother whose eyes were fixed at the entrance where melody just walked through.

“Maybe,” he replied with a smirk on his face.

Lorenzo wasn’t the one to give a sarcastic answer. I knew him well enough to know that he and melody might have met somewhere.

“You are lying to me,”

Lorenzo smiled but didn’t say anything. We both stare at each other for a while without communicating and I knew one of us was waiting for the other to break the silence but I ain’t gonna be the one.

Lorenzo cleared his throat and looked sideways. It seems he has given up on the long staring. “OK since you want to do a staring contest, I’m afraid I don’t have all  day.” He said but I didn’t blink or react to what he had just said. ” maybe I know melody from somewhere but it doesn’t matter to you.”

“It does,” I finally replied. “She is my employee so I need to know why my brother hates her so much.”

“She is a bad person. You should send her away from your company because if you don’t, you’ll regret it when you learn the truth.”

“What do you mean the truth?” I asked him. “What are you not telling me, Lorenzo?”

“I’ll take care of it but if I were you I’ll listen to the warnings.” He replied and walked out of the boardroom leaving me alone with my thought.

What does he mean by the truth? What are they not telling me?

I wanted to believe every word that came from Lorenzo’s mouth but he was someone I grew up hating because of the affection he got from our parents. I also didn’t believe Melody because she seemed suspicious ever since she came to my company. I knew I had to find out the truth somehow without them knowing but how was I going to do that when I am broken inside myself.

A few minutes later, I was sitting in my office with my head on my desk. I was so lost in my thought that I didn’t hear the knocking on my office door until the person entered.

“Sir, sir.” I heard Melody’s soft voice calling unto me.

I slowly raised my head and stared at her for a while until her throat clearing bought me out of my thought.

“What can I do for you?” I asked her.

“Your mother has been calling for a while now. I used the intercom but you didn’t pick up that’s why I came to your office to inform you.”

“You picked my mother’s call?” I shouted.

Melody flinched and quickly covered her eyes as if I was going to hit her.

I ignored her reaction and instead I asked her this. “Why will you pick my mother’s call? What did you discuss?” I threw series of questions at her.

“I didn’t know it was your mother. I picked up thinking it was one of your clients.” She defended.

I stood up from my seats and walked to where she stood. I moved closer to her and when we were few inches apart, I grabbed her left hand forcefully. “Who are you?” I asked her that question because I wanted the answers I couldn’t get from Lorenzo.

“Excuse me,” she retorted and tried to free her hand from my grip but I didn’t let go of her instead I tightened my grip on her hand.

“Who are you? Were you sent by my mother to watch over me? Is that why you were so rude to Lorenzo? Do you guys met through my mother and decided to make me feel like an idiot?” I yelled and pulled her closer to me. “Answer me!”

Melody blinked twice and tried to push me away with her other hand but I also grabbed it. “What are you even saying? I didn’t know it was your mother that was on the phone. Maybe if I knew, I wouldn’t pick it up.”

What does she mean if she had known? What was she trying to get to?

“How do you mean?”

“I didn’t know it was your mother! I only did my job as a personal assistant would.” She shouted and struggled to free her hand.

“Listen up!” I shouted back. “I don’t know what you and my family are planning behind my back but it’s not going to work because I’m watching you and Lorenzo.”

“What does Lorenzo have to do with this?” She asked.

I know she was lying and pretending she didn’t know what I was saying but I’m also going to pretend I didn’t know what she meant.

“Get out of my office now!” I let go of her hand and pointed to the door.

She looked at me like she was contemplating on what to say but she didn’t say anything but instead walked out of the office and slammed the door on her out.

I touched my bandaged head and rub it as I felt a headache that was starting to set in. I walked towards my desk and grabbed my phone. Scrolling through my phone, I saw my mother’s calls and messages but the last message made me almost question if my family ever love me.

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Melody POV

“Awwww,” Lorena squealed and pulled me for a hug. “I’m happy for you.” She commented

When I reached home after the long stressful day, I informed Lorena of my proposal acceptance and she couldn’t keep the happiness she felt.

“Why do you look as if someone stole your daughter?”

“I hate my boss but I like him because he is franklin and I could never hate franklin but I feel like he isn’t the man I once loved.” I ranted and looked at Lorena’s face. She didn’t say anything instead she was looking at me like she was waiting for me to continue and so I did. “His brother is also making my life a living hell. He wants me gone and what if their mother finds about my existence, she will do everything to take my daughter away!”

“Calm down Mel. No one is taking your daughter away from you.”

I nodded at her assurance but I know how the Aderemi’s were. They are the most cunning people I’ve ever met and If I found out that franklin had a daughter, they’ll do anything to take her away from me.

“What are you thinking of?” Lorena’s voice bought me out of my thought.

“Maybe I’m scared that I’ll lose everything. Maybe we should move away from Mecianda as we did back in Italy.”

“Respiro(breath)” Lorena said in Italian and gently massage my back while singing an Italian song for me.

I closed my eyes and didn’t know when I fell asleep on her lap.

The next time I woke up was on the bed where my daughter laid beside me. Lorena was also laying on the other side of the bed which made it too tight for the three of us to accommodate. I stood up from the bed and looked outside the window, it was dark outside and when I checked my time, it was past midnight. I stretched my body and sat on the ground with my Laptop laying on the ground with me.

I quickly searched for the accommodation I was looking for. Lorena and I couldn’t stay in this tiny motel forever. I scrolled through the houses that were placed on the internet but my eye caught a certain house.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

It was a two-bedroom and the cheapest house I could find on the internet. It was an old house located at the other end of the city. It wasn’t pleasant to look at but it looks very homey and a little retouch will bring out the beauty of the house. I quickly copied the agent’s number and messaged him that I was interested in the house.

Once I get my first salary, Lorena and I could repair the house the way we wanted but stay in the house was far better than staying in the motel.

Maybe this is what my family and I needed.