The Wedding Night

“In case you never get a second chance: don’t be afraid!” “And what if you do get a second chance?” “You take it!”

C. JoyBell C.

*********

Melody POV

“You want to give him another chance?” Lorena asked again and I found myself explaining for the umpteenth time why I was giving Giovanni a second chance.

“I still don’t get it, Mel, do you have to work for a jerk like him?” Lorena asked like a concerned mother would ask her little daughter.

“Yes, Lorena. You and hope need  identification and Giovanni has offered to help if I come back to the company.”

“You are even on first name base with him. Sounds interesting, ” she said sarcastically and winked at me.

“Ew, don’t give me that nasty look. Although I found Giovanni attractive and that is because he looks like Franklin but I will never date a bastard like him, ” I shook my head at the thought of dating someone like my boss.

“What if he was Franklin? What will you do then?” Lorena’s question made me think of what would happen if Giovanni was Franklin.

“Let us not think about that for now Lorena. There is no possibility that he is Franklin. You said it yourself and even if he was Franklin, I would have known by now” I said but Lorena only stared at me suspiciously.

“Whatever Mel. So now you are back to the company right?” Lorena asked and I nodded.

“Congratulations. I’m going down to get dinner, what will you like to have?”

“Whatever you are having,” I told her and she nodded and walked out of the room.

I laid on the bed beside my daughter who was sleeping peacefully. I thought of my decisions and wondered if I was doing the right thing. When my boss asked me to give him a second chance, I thought of the first thing that came to my mind. Closing my eyes I flashback to the conversation my boss and I had.

” I want you back to the company on Monday”

“Why?” I asked to make sure I heard him right.

“Because I need you, Melody. The Chinese investors are threatening to pull out if you are not in charge of the project”

I laughed at what he said and shook my head at what he said. ” I can not go back to that company after you humiliated me in front of everyone.”

“What do you want me to do again? I already apologized, ” Giovanni said in a frustrated tone and I found his current situation amusing.

“If I give you another chance, would you take it?”

“Of course I’ll take it.”

“Fine, here is what I want in return for a second chance,” I said and smiled at what I was about to say anything. “First, you call a meeting again and apologized for insulting in front of everyone, ” Giovanni opened his mouth to say something but I stopped him with my hand. “Listen, boss!” I yelled and rolled my eyes at him. “After you’ve apologized, announce me as the new person in charge of the project.”

“Is that all boss lady?” He questioned in a tone that made me raise my brows.

“Boss lady? That’s a good one, ” I chuckled but when I saw his glaring eyes, I cleared my throat and continued. “The second thing is I need you to do something for me. Use your influence and power for this because you’ll need it.”

“My influence and power? What is it?”

I cleared my throat and inhaled and exhaled before saying anything. “The thing is my friend and daughter…”

“You have a daughter?” He exclaimed.

“Yes, I have a four-year-old daughter, and refrain from interrupting me please,” I said and he nodded in agreement. “We immigrated from Italy weeks ago and per the law, my friend and daughter are illegal immigrants so I need you to….” I stopped for a while and looked straight into his brown eyes. He stared at me as if he was waiting for me to say the worst thing but what he said next surprised me.

“You need me to help them with their identifications right?” He asked while raising his left brow.

I gulped and nodded my head at him. Giovanni sighed briefly and looked at me. “I’ll do it but….”

The sound of the door opening bought me out of my thought as I opened my eyes to see who has entered.

“Stand up babe, it’s time to eat,” Lorena announced her presence as she walked into the room.

“What time Is it?” I yawned as I stretch my lazy body.

“8 pm, ” Lorena replied and tapped Hope that was still sleeping peacefully.

***********

Just like that, the weekend was over and Monday came as usual. Since I have agreed to resume work at a DReam company, I arrived that morning at the company dressed in an outfit I called my come back outfit. The outfit was a black tight skirt that’s put all my curves in the right places and a white blazer with a white camisole. As I entered Into the company, I watched people’s glances at me and pointed at me. No one needs to tell me what they were talking about. I smiled to myself and walked into the elevator with my built-in confidence. When I got to the 35th floor, I walked to my desk and looked around the place. I sat down on the chair behind the desk and giggled like a little child.

I missed this place.

Soon, Giovanni arrived into the office with his hulk-looking, bodyguard. I stood up from my chair and waved at him as he walks past me. He stopped at the front of my desk and frowned at my hand that was still up in the air.

I think waving looks unprofessional.

Smiling at him, I dropped my hand and bow my head. “Good morning, ” I said more professionally.

“Set up a meeting with the board of directors now!” He commanded and walked into his office.

Rude much.

I whispered some words and sat down on my chair. Turning on the computer on the desk, I sent a message to all the board of directors and the CEO’s department. Seeing the way the computer and the files were arranged exactly the way I left them, I figured that he hasn’t employed another assistant.

“Melody is that you?” Anita’s sweet voice bought my head up from the computer. “Oh my God, it’s you.” She rushed to me and hugged me. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Same here, ” I replied and smiled at her.

“Are you back fully now? You and the boss have sorted out your differences, right?” She eagerly asked.

“Yes we have and in the next few minutes, we should be having a meeting.”

“A meeting!” She exclaimed in a shrilled voice. “Oh my goodness, why are we…..” She stopped talking and I looked up to see why. There at the front of my desk stood Lindsey and Cassandra.

“Back again?” Lindsey mocked.

“I think she begged to be taken back,” Cassandra remarked and burst into laughter.

“Guys, stop this. We have a meeting ASAP!” Anita informed them.

“That where I’m heading but I was surprised when I saw her sitting where she belongs. ” Cassandra said in a tone of mockery.

I stood up from my chair and smirked at both of them. They thought that I begged for another chance to be here, I bet they would be surprised when they found out that it was the other way round.

“If you’ll excuse me please, I have a boss to notify about the meeting. This meeting is going to be great….” I sang as I walked past them and entered Giovanni’s office.

*****

Twenty minutes later, the meeting had started with Giovanni informing them about some new products coming from America, and then he went on about how he wanted the best for the company.

“Just get on with it, ” I thought impatiently as Giovanni hasn’t gotten to the point of the reason for the meeting.

“Well, as you all know, I fired my assistant last week for her incompetence and lack of proper speech, ” Giovanni informed them. He didn’t look towards me because if he does, then I’ll make sure that he dies right on his chair with my murderous look. Incompetence?

When Giovanni paused for a while, I thought he was finished talking about the bad news but he wasn’t instead, he continued talking about how sorry I was to the board of directors and also to him. His lies got me angry and it made me diverted his attention by coughing.

“Sorry for interrupting sir, but I’m sure the directors know how sorry I am now. I wished you could get to the point of the meeting. ” I said without making eye contact with anyone in the room.

Giovanni cleared his throat and I could feel his burning gaze on me.

“Please just say what I wanted to hear so I can leave here.” I thought as I closed my eyes and waited for what Giovanni had to say.

“The Chinese investors and I have decided that miss melody should be in charge of the project,” Giovanni announced and murmuring filled the room. I raised my head and opened my eyes to see how the people reacted.

Oh no!

The directors didn’t react well and as for Cassandra, she didn’t take it so well as she stood up and pointed an accusing finger at me.

“What did you do? How dare you think you could come back here and take my position?” Cassandra yelled.

“Cassandra,” Giovanni called but she didn’t reply to him and continue to yell at me. “Silence!” Giovanni shouted and banged his fist on the table. “Cassandra sit down this instance or you walk out of this company forever, ” he commanded.

Cassandra cursed angrily and sat down. Giovanni looked at the faces of everyone in the room and when his gaze met mine, he quickly looked away.

“This is a final decision. The investors wanted her to be in charge of the project.”

“But she is incompetent, ” one of the directors who seems to be a middle-aged man interrupted and disagree with Giovanni’s decision.

“Mr. Cameron, telling her that she is incompetent is like telling me that I’m incompetent. ” Giovanni admitted and the man quickly apologized.

“Since melody is in charge of the project, she would be given another chance to present again and I hope you do well melody.” He encouraged with a smile.

I bow my head and smiled back at him. I was going to use this chance to prove that I was capable and good for the job. As for Cassandra who was fuming on her chair, she shouldn’t be sad because this project was mine from the beginning.