The Italian's proposal

Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Timothy

“Why the hell did you do that?” Timothy burst out when Devina showed him the check.

“Because you’re an idiot and you’re mistreating someone who’s not guilty of anything,” she sat at the dining room table with a cup of tea and glared at him angrily, “don’t come looking for trouble with me Timothy, I’m not the monster here.”

“You don’t know anything about what happened between Melody and me,” he replied furiously. “You’re just nosy.”

“In addition to being a freeloader, a hypocrite, now nosy? Wow, the definitions of me in your short vocabulary are expanding. You must feel good taking your anger out on me and not yourself.”

“Don’t be funny Devina,” he dropped a fist on the table and ran his hands through his hair, almost on the verge of losing his patience, to all this, Devina looked at him smiling. “Is this funny to you? Seeing me like this? You made her leave! I don’t know where she went!”

“How?” she stood up, took a last sip of her tea, and put the cup on the table. “I don’t understand what you mean. You have brought all this on yourself. You and your self-centeredness and lack of confidence...”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about! She planned a robbery! That’s not being a good person. Don’t fall into her angelic face,” he had fallen roundly and now he realized it. But he would make her pay.

“You’re so blind. You will ruin her,” she told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t like me; I don’t like you either. But that woman, that poor pregnant woman, she’s having the damnedest time, and

you don’t make it any easier. I know some mean and manipulative people, but that girl isn’t. So, yes dear. You’re ruining her.”

“What am I supposed to be ruining?” he asked without looking at her. The check was heavy between his fingers. He crumpled it up and tossed it on the table.

“Your chance to figure out what’s going on between you two. Melody didn’t steal that money. So do your research. As haughty as you are and think you’re smart, if I were you, I’d investigate all the strands,” she headed for the elevator. “That girl’s a sweetie pie. She hits hard, but she’s good. I know you think I’m not worth it, that I’m a freeloader and that me and your cousin won’t work out, but you’re wrong. Love comes in the most mysterious ways. It’s a good thing you have your eyes wide open for when it happens to you.”

“She did. Her brother-in-law signed a statement...”

“That makes one unscrupulous person. Throwing your own family under the bus? Did you think he’s the one behind it all?” she jabbed the elevator button and waited for it to go up to the top floor where they were. “She didn’t take my money. Start thinking about that detail. See you soon Timothy. I hope you don’t screw up anymore.”

That’s how she was.

Like a storm.

That’s what his cousin had told him.

And he had been right.

Devina was one of the most complex women he’d ever known. Marrying Hamlet seemed like a win/lose gamble: she gained status and money, and he lost the chance to find a woman who really loved him.

But something inside him was beginning to tell him that he was completely wrong about the intense, sassy redhead.

He dialed the detective’s number and waited for him to answer. He was beginning to lose his patience.

He was not a man to judge lightly, but maybe it was true and he might have made a big mistake with Melody. Ever since he forced her to move into his apartment three days ago, she excused herself for keeping the information that she was Equilay’s sister-in-law, but to him, blinded by rage and betrayal, he hadn’t listened to her for a single second. Every word she said went in one ear and out the other without leaving a mark on his mind.

“Sir?” the private detective answered him at several rings.

“I need you to really look into Equilay Thompson. There’s something not adding up in his statement. Search bank accounts, here and abroad, look further afield, dig, talk to neighbors, friends, cousins, the devil himself you have to but find out if he has the money!”

“Right away Sir,” the man was silent for a moment and then added; “Congratulations on your engagement.”

“What?” confused, he looked at the cell phone screen. Had he been stalking him with some hidden camera? No one knew about his engagement except Hamlet, and he’d recently found out that Devina knew about it too.

“You’re everywhere. You’re quite famous. Don’t mind the bad comments. If you love each other...”

“Look into what I asked.”

He closed the call and googled his name on the web.

Hundreds of pages immediately appeared advertising his engagement to the stranger.

None of them favored Melody.

And all he could think about was what she would suffer when she read it.

His cell phone rang at that moment, seeing the screen, he knew the news was officially all over the place.

“Timothy Giannato!” his mother shouted from behind the line. “What the hell were you thinking? Stai per sposare una giovane donna americana?” Carlota was upset and he was no one to stop her from venting her anger.

She was right to be. At least to a certain point.

“I don’t think you should be surprised mother. You told me I had to get married, or I’d be cut out of the company I’ve sacrificed so much for,” he went to his room and pulled back the curtains, started to take off his clothes and put his cell phone on speaker, he knew his mother would need at least five minutes of venting.

“So, is it true? Are you getting married? Do I know her? Who is she? I have to hear from the help about your engagement!” she asked. “Juliet came in smiling with the newspaper in her hand. I did not see my cell phone today, and I find out that I got more congratulations than on my birthday,” he understood that it was hard to find out that way, but he didn’t leak the information.

He planned to tell her after establishing a good situation and dynamic with Melody. But days passed and nothing was flowing between them.

And he wasn’t exactly doing his part to make it easy for her either.

“You don’t know her, but you will, soon enough,” at least he hoped so. If he managed to find Melody. Considering she was gone, and he was so confused when she took off, he had no idea where to start

looking for her.

“I hope so. Is she Italian? The papers haven’t been good about her, you must give a statement Timi,” his mother added this last comment, a little calmer and more concerned, which he silently appreciated. “You know the press is vicious. You can’t let your marriage start with bad comments. We’re a pretty well-known family.”

“More when there’ s someone in the press who hates me.” Gia must have been behind all those bad comments.

“Rosalia, Mateo’s sister, do you remember Mateo? Never mind,” he held the phone and urged his mother to focus on what he was going to say; “the point is that Rosalia told me, that Mateo told her, that your future wife works in a coffee shop in Manhattan. Which, let me tell you, is...”

“Worked.” He had no plans to let Melody continue working with Doyle, if he had to find a replacement for her and pay for it himself, well, he would gladly do so. That was if he managed to track down Melody’s whereabouts. “As you understand, Melody has no reason to work there anymore.”

“It’s a little early for you to start saying what your fiancée does and doesn’t have to do,” Carlota corrected. “Relationships don’t work if you try to control your partner. It’s a matter of sharing, interacting, communicating everything...”

“We’ll have coffee later and you can tell me all about relationships. For now, I’m naked in front of the shower and I need to stop talking to you, mom.”

“I’ll wait for you tomorrow, Friday, at our house. We’ll have a dinner in honor of you and your fiancée.”

Timothy didn’t know what to answer right away.

Letting his mother know, that he had no idea where his future wife was, represented a clear loss of power and failure to his mother and within seconds to his father. He could not afford to let them know about this.

Just as they shouldn’t have to find out that the marriage wasn’t going to be real.

“See you tomorrow mom.”

He showered in a hurry, he didn’t have time to count sheep or think about work, things were in order at least on the work front. His personal life, on the other hand, was a mess.

All thanks to Devina.

To her and her implanting new ideas.

He was calm, furious, but calm. Thinking Melody was responsible and would make her pay by making her marry him and pay back the money. He didn’t care about the three million, he cared that this woman came with her angel face, mock him, and then came out with that she was a rattlesnake.

“Sir,” his housekeeper knocked on the bedroom door.

“I’ll be right out, Paula,” he dressed hurriedly, putting on plain black pants and an olive-green shirt that, according to his mother, brought out his eyes. It was a gift for one of his past birthdays. “What’s wrong?” he asked when he opened the door.

“Miss Gia says she needs to see you.”

“Tell her I’m not in.”

“It’s just that she’s here. She saw Clark in the parking lot and well, you know how pushy she is,” Paula was nervous, the poor woman was looking everywhere but at him.

He had no idea that he could be intimidating in any way.

“Relax, I’ll be right out and tell him myself.”

“Thank you, sir.”

As the woman was leaving, Timothy felt the need to ask her a somewhat odd question.

“Paula,” she turned and clasped her hands behind her back. “What did you think of my fiancée? I know I didn’t notify you in advance that she was coming, and you’ve been with me for quite a few years, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable in any way.”

“Oh no sir,” she hastened to answer him. “I’m not offended. On the contrary. Miss Melody is a sweetheart. Even when I tell her not to help me, she pretends not to listen and helps me cook, she even arranges her clothes herself, even though I told her I was there to do it. I try not to get her to help me in the kitchen, because the poor little thing gets sick at everything.”

Paula looked at him with eyes full of joy as she spoke of Melody.

That stabbed his heart.

What if he really made a mistake in thinking she was guilty?

Did he let himself be manipulated by Equilay Thompson?

He couldn’t forgive himself if he had hurt an innocent woman.

“I know you haven’t asked for my opinion. But I’ve known you since you were a child, and I’m quite fond of you,” she approached him and Timothy was surprised, Paula never had that kind of attitude with him, not even when she worked for his parents and he was a teenager. “I know also that it’s none of my

business, but I care about her. She is very delicate, and she hardly eats anything, everything makes her sick with the baby. I think you should spend more time with her and make her eat.”

He felt his heart being stabbed for the second time.

“I’ve heard her cry several times when she thinks she’s alone. It breaks my soul. She’s so young. Be sure to take care of her Mr. Timothy,” the woman apologized and went to the kitchen, leaving him turned into a bundle of insecurities and a body full of guilt.

She been crying.

He tucked his shirt into his pants and finished putting on the belt.

Now ready, he called the detective again. He needed to settle his doubts as soon as possible and know what to do.

“Do you have anything yet?”

“I’m working as soon as I can.”

“Then do it faster!” he shouted angrily at him. He knew the anger wasn’t at him, but he couldn’t help it.

He closed the call. He would apologize later. In the meantime, he had more important things to do.

He went all the way to the living room and found Gia sitting on the couch. At another time in his life, he would have thought she was beautiful, an elegant and sophisticated woman. Now, after dealing with Melody, he saw only frivolity and disdain in Gia.

“What do you want Gia? I thought I made it clear to you that I don’t want to see you again,” he folded his arms and looked coldly at her.

“When have you ever seen me give up on something I want?” she said to him, as she got up from the couch. She was wearing black pants and a gold blouse with wide sleeves. “I think it’s time for you come to your senses and come back to me sweetheart.”

“I think it’s time for you to leave.”

“Don’t be like that. Look, your woman’s not here. I think it’s the perfect time for you to...”

“How do you know she’s not here?” was the first thing he asked her. She walked up to him and ran a finger across his cheek, he had been wearing a beard for a few days. Something strange about him, as he was always clean-shaven and impeccable.

“I have contacts,” she said smiling flirtatiously and accomplished.

“The same ones you used to fill the newspapers with gossip,” he took her hand from his face and she looked surprised. “How long are you going to keep thinking I’m getting back with you? Understand it. It’s over. And today I’m not in the mood for your little games and tricks.”

“Games? You think I play games with you?” she slipped a hand between his balls and squeezed him sensually. Timothy stilled and closed his eyes in reflex. “What I provoke in you no one can do it. Least of all that glib, dead little girl you intend to marry,” she loosened her grip and clamped tighter again. “I am more than she is.”

“More?” he said grabbing her by the wrist. At another time, her hands would have driven him mad with pleasure, but at that moment, he felt only disdain for her. “You think you’re better than Melody because she doesn’t wear expensive clothes like you? Because she’s not your so-called class? You were up to your fucking ears in debt when you started messing with me!”

She let go of his parts and he let go of her wrist. Gia grabbed where his hand had been.

“We’re the same kind honey. Don’t you pretend to be humble now. You, who buys fancy cars every month. You, who don’t talk to anyone for fear of being asked for money or work. You’re a pathetic rich kid who has made a way because of your parents’ money and name.”

“If I’m so pathetic, why do you want to be with me?” Paula poked her head out and Timothy saw her from the corner of his eye. He would talk to her later about privacy. “On a whim?”

“No one will love me like you,” she bit her lower lip and her eyes filled with tears.

Crocodile tears, he told himself in annoyance.

“No one will love you like I did. You’re right about that. But you preferred being unfaithful to valuing me,” he smiled, for he had realized how she was a manipulative woman and not one without malice.

He felt stupid.

A scumbag.

There, watching as Gia let a single tear fall into her expensive, flawless makeup, he realized the truth about her.

She never wanted him.

It was all part of the setup.

“Timi don’t tell me that. You’re breaking my heart talking to me like that,” she threw herself into his arms sobbing dryly, he knew that not another tear would come from her eyes, nor from her desiccated heart. “Don’t leave me for her.”

“Who told you I’m doing it for her?” he gently pushed her away and grabbed her face. “I left you because you weren’t worth it. Thank God I found one who is.” She opened her eyes in horror and hurt.

“Don’t make that face Gia, I know it’s pride that hurts you. Not because you love me. And I’ll tell you one thing, I don’t care how many articles you put in your paper, or how much crap you upload to the internet. My thing with Melody is a fact. You better get used to it. Or you’ll force me to make a statement about your infidelity.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she whispered nervously, “you wouldn’t do something like that to me.”

“You leave me no choice Gia. I’m trying to be good to you. I’m not a little woman, I’m not running around the streets telling my friends I was cheated on. But you’re picking on someone who hasn’t done anything to you.”

“He embarrassed me in the middle of a restaurant! Where you and I used to go every week!” she shrieked in annoyance.

“No,” he corrected releasing her. “You treated her like crap, and she treated you right back, just like I will if you ever cross my path again or if you ever fuck with Melody again.”

“Timi...”

“Go away. I have to meet my fiancée,” he turned to the living room window, the one that overlooked the main avenue itself and gave a view of the whole panorama. He waited until he heard Gia’s footsteps walking away.

When he heard the elevator leave, he relaxed almost completely.

That woman was stressing him out, but he hoped that the lesson was clear and engraved in his memory forever.

No one was going to discredit his future wife. He didn’t care what the terms of their agreement were. She was going to be his wife and that was clear to him.

Whatever the cost.

He dared not analyze that thought. It was too deep, and he knew it would lead him to realize things, which even his heart did not want to understand.

He put on his shoes and picked up his cell phone, put on his silver watch and slowly combed his hair. He was sure he would find Melody’s exact location, as sure as he was to listen to her and know her side of the story.

He would not rest until he knew whether she was guilty or not.

And if she wasn’t, God help him to get her forgiveness.