The Wedding Night

Giovanni POV

Just like Kendra planned, we waited for George’s call but it never came. The two days had elapsed but still, he didn’t show up neither did he planned anything. I was almost tempted to call him but Melody asked me to wait but time just passed by and I anticipated the worst. While anticipating George’s call, I made sure everyone was heavily guarded by highly trained Ex-military men. If he were to attack any member of my family he wouldn’t be able to get to them. On the fourth day, I came to the office to review some business proposals and that was when it happened.

In the middle of reviewing the proposals, I got a call from an unrestricted number. A number I have been expecting for days.

“Hello,” I was quick to answer the phone.

“Giovanni!” I heard my mother trembling voice sounded over the phone.

“Mum,” I couldn’t believe that George allowed her to make the call. “Where are you mother? Tell me, I’ll come to pick you.”

“George has gone mad Giovanni. Give him whatever he wants. ”

“Where is he? How are you even making this call?” I inquired

“He left for something a while ago and he left his phone. Please son, just gives him whatever he wants.”

“Where are you?” I asked.

“Erm, we are in an abandoned building around the land road.”

“Stay there mother. I’ll come to get you.” I promised and ended the call.

As soon as the call ended, I put a call through to Lorenzo and Kendra informing them about George’s location. Ten minutes after making the call, Lorenzo arrived first into my office followed by Kendra and Lara who arrived fifteen minutes after.

“You can’t just go like a superman all because of a phone call. It could be a trap.” Kendra pointed out.

“It’s my mother we are talking about here. She could be in danger. ” I reminded them.

“I understand you Giovanni but what Kendra is trying to say is that this could be a trap. ” Lara added to what Kendra had said but I was having a hard time trusting their words. I just wanted to save my mother from the maniac man who had ruined our family.

“Please Lara, help dispatch some cops to the building. We can get my father. ” I pleaded.

“I still think something is off about this,” Kendra said but I didn’t reply to her instead I turned to Lorenzo and gave him instructions.

“Make sure you and Dennis save mother while the police surround the building.”

“Okay Giovanni,” he answered back.

We all moved out of the office and entered into different cars. Dennis, Lorenzo, and I rode in my white Venza while Lara and Kendra took a different car. On our way down to the abandoned building, I was feeling anxious. I scratched the tip of my left thumb with my right thumb. I didn’t know why I was doing that but I just had a weird feeling.

A feeling that’s something wasn’t right.

The ride from the office to the land road took about forty minutes. Those forty minutes were the longest time of my life. As soon as we got to the abandoned building, I rushed out and looked around. The building wasn’t what I expected. It was a bungalow with no windows and no roof.

“This was the place he was hiding. He could do better.” I thought.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The sirens of the police could be heard as they approached the building.

“Let’s go get my mother, she is inside the building,” I said to Lara but she stopped me by raising her left hand.

“He is a dangerous man so leave everything to the police.” She instructed and walked towards the police officers that had to surround the building.

“Something is not right,” Kendra commented as she came to stand beside me. She was right because I had the same feeling.

Lara ordered the police officers to enter the building while she requested that the rest of us stay outside the building. After giving the instructions, she entered the building with the officers.

I folded my hands together and prayed silently for a good outcome. I prayed the police catch George and rescued my mother but it seems my prayers didn’t get answers.

“No one is inside,” Lara cane out of the building with a frown. “You got a prank call.”

“But my mother sounded sincere,” I argued.

“She could be threatened and as I have said before coming here, It’s a trap.” Kendra declared.

What the hell is going on?

“What’s are we going to do now?” Lorenzo asked, “George could be planning something as we speak.”

Just as he finished speaking, my phone rang and it was the restricted number that had always been calling me.

“He is calling,” I announced.

“Pick it up and act natural,” Kendra whispered.

“Hello,” I said.

Instead of hearing a voice, I heard laughter. “You are so foolish, son. I can’t believe you fall for the prank call.” He burst into another round of laughter.

He was having fun mocking me.

“Where are you?” I simply asked.

“I’m at the abandoned building, ” he replied sarcastically and then laughed. “It’s so fun watching you running around like a fool.”

I looked around to see if I could see anything unusual but there was none.

“Where is my mother?”

“I don’t think you should be worried about your mother at this moment instead I have someone whom you cared about.”

“Giovanni,” my heart jumped when I heard Melody’s voice. “He has us, Giovanni. He has hope,” she cried out.

“Melody, I will find you and get you out ” I promised. “H… how did he find you?” My voice shook as I struggled to form words.

“It seems your guards were incompetent ” The phone was back on George’s hold. “All it took was a poisonous gas and they All went down. ”

“Don’t you dare hurt my family,” I warned?

“You don’t get to use that tone on me, young man,” he retorted and then laughed. “You think you can get me but I’m sorry because you failed. I also have Benjamin and Lucas here.” He announced.

“You are a crazy psychotic bastard,” I shouted at him.

“Of course I am,” he laughed.

I hated his laughter. It sounded like pains in my ears.

“What do you want?”

“You know what I want son,” he whispered. “Bring what I want and don’t you dare bring your police friend,” he warned.

“Where are you?”

“You know where to find me. Bring Lorenzo along with you. It’s time for some family reunion. ” he said before I could reply, he hanged up on me.

“What’s going on?” Kendra questioned.

“He has melody and hope,” I announced and they all gasped.

“Do you know where he is?” Lara asked and I gave her a nod. “Let’s go get him.”

“No,” I refused.

“What do you mean no? This is our chance to catch him.” Lorenzo stated but I shook my head.

“He also has uncle Benjamin and Lucas. He warned against police officers. This is our family issue and we are going to sort it out. ”

“But he is a criminal and he is dangerous,” Lara argued.

“He has my family!” I shouted at her but quickly apologized when I realized my mistake. ” I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I understand. Go meet your family.” She implored.

“We will find a way to help but do not forget everything we’ve planned. ” Kendra added.

“I won’t. Thanks” I said to both of them. “He wants to see you too,” I informed my bother who didn’t argue and followed me to the car.

“Should I drive you, sir?” Dennis offered but I politely rejected it. “Alright sir,” he handed the key over to me. “Call me if you need me.” He stated.

I inhaled and exhaled before starting the car. As I drove out of the land road, Lorenzo’s green eyes met with my brown ones and we both nodded at each other.

“It’s going to be fine,” I didn’t say it aloud but I hoped he got the message.

We were going to end our problems and whatever the outcome may be, it’s was our fate.

Melody POV

Heartache, love, regrets, and sadness were all I felt ever since Lorena got into the accident. I wanted her to wake so I could tell her how much I missed her and love her.

“Why can’t my wish come to pass for once?” I questioned my subconscious mind.

Everything wasn’t working exactly how we wanted. George hasn’t made an appearance ever since the two days he gave us elapsed. I didn’t know why he decided to stop pestering us but I was going to do everything to protect my family if an attack happens.

Giovanni increased the security guards protecting hope and me. He didn’t want us to get into harm’s way but he wasn’t doing anything to protect himself. I was worried when he left for work that morning. I tried to talk him into resting but he didn’t work. He said he was fine but I knew that he was not. He was trying hard to hide his pains but I could feel it.

Due to everything that had been happening, I haven’t had the chance to tell Hope about Giovanni but I was planning on doing that once everything is over.

Around 11:00 am that morning, the unexpected happened. I was in the living room with Hope sleeping peacefully in my arms. At first, I thought they were arguing until I saw them coughing and rushing inside the living room. I quickly stood up and held my daughter tighter in my arms. The impact made her woke up.

“What’s going on mummy?” She asked.

“Nothing baby. Just sleep.”

The noise grew louder and I moved towards the stairs. I wanted to call Giovanni and informed him but I remembered leaving my phone inside the bedroom. There was no way to rush up the stairs with hope in my hand. While thinking about what to do, the guards who had rushed in dropped to the ground. They all held their throat as if they were struggling with breathing. No one needs to tell me that we were under attack. Somebody else entered the room but he had an oxygen mask on. I thought it was one of the guards and moved closer to him but it was my greatest mistake. The masked man grabbed me by the arm while ignoring my daughter’s screams. His grip on my arm was so tight that I felt my bone breaking but still, I didn’t let go of my daughter. He took something out of his pocket and stabbed me in the neck with the syringe he bought out of his pocket.

“W… who are you?” I struggled to breathe as whatever he gave me was starting to work. My vision became hazy and I got lightheaded. I could hear my daughter shouting and screaming for me as the masked man grabbed her from my hold. I tried to fight back but it was futile. Soon, I dropped to the ground and blacked out.

Was this the end? I thought the fight was about to finish.