The Wedding Night

“I’m done!”

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Melody POV

I knew coming to the Aderemi’s mansion was all wrong. I should have just turned away and rejected his offer when he asked that I accompany him but I didn’t

Why?

Sitting together with the people that hated each other takes more courage than I thought. I had to make sure I didn’t have direct eye contact with any of them. I could feel Lorenza piercing green eyes on me but still, I didn’t raise my head.

“Welcome everyone to this family gathering. I am happy that we are all here together again as a family.” Marissa announced happily.

No one of them responded. It was as if they were all forced to come to the party. No one wanted this. They were all just pretending.

“I think you made a mistake in that family aspect Lorenza.” The man I found out to be Franklin’s uncle said. He was sitting opposite me and I knew no one to tell me that he was watching me.

“What do you mean Benjamin?” Marissa asked him.

“If this is a family gathering then who is she and what is she doing here?”

I knew they were talking about me but still I didn’t raise my head because if I did then Marissa will find out about me and Lorenzo will condemn me for coming.  Even if nobody remembered me, I knew Lorenza would.

“I don’t see how is it any of your business uncle Benjamin.” I heard Giovanni replying to him. “She is my guest and I bought her here. ”

“That’s doesn’t mean she is family.” Lucas, his cousin whom I’ve heard about added.

“What are you implying?” Giovanni asked him. “Who are you to talk about family? The last time I remember your father tried to kill his brother!” He yelled.

I have never seen Giovanni so angry before. The last time I saw him angry was when he argued with his parent over me and it was happening again.

Lucas slammed his hand on the table causing a loud bang. “If you were truly family, you won’t let my father stay in prison for twenty years!”

Giovanni chuckled beside me and then slammed his hands the same way Lucas did except that it was different. Giovanni’s was louder.

“Your father deserved everything for the pain he caused this family!” He hit the table again. “He is a murderer!”

“Stand down Giovanni!” His father ordered but Giovanni didn’t back down but he went on.

“I know everyone is trying to put on a fake smile tonight but it won’t work on me because we are not family! We are all bunch of strangers trying to get along!”

“I said stand down!” His father shouted and stood up from his seat. “This is to resolve the past not to add more to it.” He calmly said.

“I think my brother is right. We are family and we shouldn’t fight over the past.” Benjamin added. “Lucas,” he called his son. “You and Giovanni are brothers so please act like one. ” he pleaded with them but I could sense the lies in his tone.

Giovanni heaved a sigh and didn’t say anything and I think Lucas also stopped arguing.

“Young lady,” I heard Benjamin calling on to me but I pretended not to hear him. “Since this argument was centered on you, can you please raise your head?” He requested politely.

What was this man’s issue?

I could not raise my head because if I did, they will recognize me and will try to harm me and take my baby away from me.

“Raise your head young lady.” Marissa supported him and before I knew it, everyone was waiting for me to raise my head. The dining hall grew silent and I knew I had to raise my head.

Here we go.

I slowly raised my head and when I did, I expected Marissa to recognize me but from the way she looked at him, it seems she doesn’t.

“You are one beautiful lady,” Benjamin commented.

Giovanni sneered at him and then proceed to hold my hand possessively. “Now that you have seen her, can we continue this gathering?”

“Very well then,” Marissa said and began to speak about how the family had been in division for over twenty years and how they could come together as a family again and be happy together.

All through her discussion, I could feel Lorenzo glaring at me. He was looking at me like I had done something wrong. I knew coming to the mansion was a mistake but I didn’t come on my own.

“Happy birthday Benjamin and you too my darling husband,” Marissa said and everyone on the table clapped.

I took my time to look around and the only people I was familiar with were Marissa, Lorenzo, and George, Giovanni’s father, and his uncle and son. Although I just met Lucas and Benjamin, I have heard a lot about them from Giovanni.

The rest people at the table were not familiar. They seemed like family but they didn’t act like they were. The girl that was sitting opposite Lorenzo spares a few glances at Giovanni but he didn’t even notice her.

The family wished Benjamin and George a happy birthday except for Giovanni. He looks as if he doesn’t want to be in the gathering. He didn’t want to be there and I could sense his discomfort.

“Son, do you remember Abigail?” Marissa pointed to the girl that kept staring at Giovanni.

Giovanni looked at the girl but didn’t say anything. He observed her for a while and looked away like he was not interested.

“You and Abigail were best of friends before she traveled to the united states. It’s a long time so I’m sure you don’t remember. “Marissa tried to cover up Giovanni’s attitude but she was failing at it.

“Hi,” Abigail greeted him but Giovanni didn’t even bother replying to her. He just pretended as if he didn’t hear her.

“Let make a toast to this family.” George raised a glass of red wine in his hand. He stood up and everyone at the table did the same except for Giovanni who remained seated with his face bearing no emotions.

Everyone ignored him as they all make a toast.

“It’s nice to see this family happy  again.” A woman on the table commented. “Father would be glad.” She added. With the way she sounded, it seemed to me that she was Giovanni’s aunt.

“Yes, veronica.” Marissa agreed. “Why don’t we take a look around and bond together after dinner?” She suggested.

“I agree with you on that one Marissa,” Benjamin told her and she smiled at her.

Their interaction was different.

“So young lady, what do you do?” Marissa turned to ask me.

She was pretending not to know me or maybe she didn’t recognize me.

“I-i,” I stuttered.

My encounter with Marissa has always been scary. I couldn’t communicate properly when I’m with her. Although we have met like three times, I was still finding it hard to communicate with her. Giovanni seemed to sense my situation that he came to my rescue and gave his mother a reply.

“She is my assistant. Any problem?” He asked.

“No problem son. I just want to bond with the woman my son bought home.” Marissa admitted.

She was pretending.

She smiled at me and then looked away.

She recognized me.

“So she is your assistant?” Lucas teased. “She is too pretty to be just your assistant.” It sounded like a compliment but to me, it wasn’t. He was teasing Giovanni like he wanted something out from him.

Giovanni balled his left hand into a fist and I knew if I didn’t stop him, he might give Lucas what he wanted. I grabbed his fisted hand and caress it gently. He turned to face and I nodded at him.

Giovanni closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he tightens his hand with mine and then spoke up. ” if you are going to talk about my assistant then we will leave. I didn’t come here so you can talk about her.”

“Son, don’t get it the wrong way. He is only complimenting him.” Benjamin tried to convince him that Lucas didn’t mean any harm.

“Listen, Uncle Ben!” Giovanni shouted at him. “You just came out of prison so I don’t think you know what the word means. Don’t you ever call me son again? I am not your son!” Giovanni declared.

“Giovanni franklin Aderemi!” His mother called his full name which means she was angry. “How dare you talk to your uncle like that because of some girl?”

“Don’t act as you care about anyone other than yourself. I don’t give a damn about this family because none of you were ever there when I needed you. Family is about been there for one another but none of you cared about anyone other than yourselves. ”

“Everything isn’t always about you Giovanni. You should be grateful that everything was given to you on a gold platter. Every Aderemi’s inheritance belongs to you. What more do you need?” Lucas retorted. He stood up from his seat and pointed to Giovanni. “You should be grateful you have everything.” He told him.

“Everything was not given to me because I worked for it. I grew DReam when your father and mine destroyed it with their hands.”

I could feel Giovanni’s pain through his words. He must have suffered a lot after the fire incident. The Giovanni I always knew was a carefree man. A man who doesn’t care about what others think of him but seeing him acting this way shows that a lot had happened to him.

“You think you are perfect huh?” Lucas questioned him.

What was he aiming at?

“You think because someone is standing beside you now means you are not alone in this world. You Giovanni Aderemi will forever remain lonely as long as I am alive. I shall give you a taste of what your family gave to mine twenty years ago.” Lucas threatened and I knew from his look that he met what he said. He looked at me and grinned wickedly as if he was scheming an evil plan.

“My son doesn’t mean anything. Whatever he said was out of anger. I apologized on his behalf.” Benjamin bows his head in apology.

“Please,  let bygones be bygones” Marissa pleaded but Giovanni didn’t agree to it.

“I am done here. I am going to file a restraining order on every one of you. If I see you close to me or my property, I’ll get you arrested. ” he threatened and stood up from his seat with his hands still on mine. “Let’s go,” he commanded me and I quickly stand up.

“You are turning your back on your family because of some girl.”Lorenzo who had to remain quiet for a while now spoke up.

” Keep your mouth out of this Lorenzo,” Giovanni warned him.

Lorenzo didn’t listen as he stood up from his seat and walked towards us. He looked at our hands that were joined together before looking up at me with his glaring eyes.

“I told you to stay away but you didn’t listen. Just have it in your mind that you have just ruined a family party.” He said to me and walked back to his seat.

His words got to Me and I began to blame myself for what happened. I know It wasn’t my fault but still, I continue to blame myself.

“I am sorry,” I apologized to all of them.

“This family is messed up on its own. Don’t blame it on anyone Lorenzo.” Giovanni concluded and walked out of the mansion with our hands joined together.

When we entered the car, our hands were still together until Giovanni pulled away.

I didn’t want him to pull away because I love the feeling of his hand on mine.

“Don’t let their words get to you. We are a messed up family.” Giovanni said to me.

I nodded but didn’t give him any reply. I just faced the other side and thought about the Aderemi’s. The way they all acted to one another today shows that there was more to the family. They all had a secret and every one of them was trying to protect the secret.

It wasn’t a birthday celebration, it was a bad day celebration.