The Enticing Proposal

Chapter One - Eight Months Later

Giovanni sat quietly in the custom black leather chair he had behind his large oak desk while listening to Elaine Brown, his thoughtful and caring mother, speak her mind on the matter of his nighttime affairs. Something he truly didn't care about. But they were the same nighttime affairs that are currently being spread around the media and other public outlets for the umpteenth time this month.

It was a poor representation of not only him but the family company that's been building for four generations now. He was next in line to be CEO of Brown Enterprises. A real estate holdings company built from the ground up here, in Phoenix, Arizona. The founder was Giovanni's great grandfather, Harold Brown. Giovanni admired the hard work and determination his great grandfather had put into this company. Starting small before expanding. Buying small land was challenging to even do in his time era but of course, he pushed through it otherwise this company would not be here if he hadn't.

Grooming his son, Harold Brown II, Giovanni's grandfather, to continue growing the company and construction. It was small, but he could buy property after property, and then the role was passed down to his son, Daniel Brown, Giovanni's father.

As of now, the Brown family owned a good deal of properties in Arizona and was one of the world's wealthiest African American families to own billions.

It has been a tradition to pass it down to the men in the family and in Giovanni's case, though his father was still head of the company and planning for retirement, he will soon take over.

"All I am telling you, Giovanni, is to come up with a better way to deal with what happened. It's been eight months and after your emotional breakdown, you went off the grid for months and when you came back, we thought you were getting back to normal." She sighed, tossing down the tablet that showed off his name on the headline and the photos. "I guess I was wrong. These nighttime affairs have been going exclusive and your continuous behavior is ridiculous."

He respected his mother highly but wouldn't confess how he truly did not care what others thought about him or what he did in his private time. It didn't affect doing his job and handling the responsibilities for the family business.

"Mom," She looked his way. "It will get handled. It will go away within a couple of weeks."

She scoffed, displeased with his response. "You're missing the point, Giovanni." She paced around the office. "You're the face that represents the company next to your father, and you're setting an image for yourself that will not end well for you. Look," She stopped pacing in front of his desk. "I know what Leah-"

"Mom," His voice was a deep rumble, quickly yet swiftly interrupting her from finishing. "There is no reason for you to bring her name up."

She walked closer to his desk with a sorrowful look on her face. A look he knew too well. How her son felt happy once upon a time and how she rarely sees that side of her son. Happy and swooned in love. He was different now, and that was thanks to the one person he gave his heart to. The woman that left him embarrassed at the altar in front of family and friends.

She never once sat down and talked to him about it right after. She left him with unanswered questions that he assumed he'd never get.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help but piece together why you are doing all this. Is it overdue payback? Spite? Are you trying to get her attention because you're doing quite the opposite, son? You're letting her have power over you without even knowing it."

Giovanni said nothing. Glaring out the window at the heavy morning traffic seemed to be his best bet. His mother's words went in one ear and stayed. He questioned himself mentally. Was she right? Am I still allowing Leah to have control over me?