It was Saturday and many people showed up at The Browns Corporation building to hear about the company's future. Giovanni sat at the rounded table with his family and from afar, he could see Leah amongst the crowd with a proud look on her face.
But she had another thing coming once it came time to make the speech of having such a strong man as a father.
It was perfect because of the many eyes that were going to be witness to it all. The cameras that were all over the room were going to see who Giovanni is and he was going to make sure of that. The first step was taking care of this little lie Leah has spread.
Daniel, Giovanni's father, opened with a warm greeting and went into details on how this company thrived within the generations and the support that was shown by all of them.
"Giovanni, my son." Daniel motioned over to him, waving him to come up.
Giovanni walked across the stage and stood beside his father.
"My son is a good man. I know all of you have heard about his reputation at a time but now all that has changed. I've seen a big change in my son these past months. I want to thank the woman that has helped him get past his doubts and helped him love again. I am glad to have another daughter and will always support the relationship. Giovanni has proved himself to be the next best thing that this company needs which is why I am sitting down and passing everything on to him. He will be a great CEO."
Giovanni looked at his father in surprise but before he could say anything, Daniel continued.
"Leah Summers is a liar, a deceiver, and will ruin something as good as a healthy marriage."
Murmurs went through the crowds as everyone looked over at Leah who flushed red at an instant.
"She wrongfully told everyone that she was having my son's child when he had nothing to do with her. There is proof that she took advantage of his kindness and will be faced with the same consequences with the two men that bid her dirty work."
"How dare you embarrass me!" Leah stood from her seat, glaring over at Giovanni with so much anger. "He's faking his marriage with Kira! They are fooling all of you. They aren't married!" She pointed her finger.
The murmurs amongst people grew as they tried to figure out what was going on. Suddenly, Joshua entered along with a policeman and a paper in his hand.
"This paper here states that Kira Sanders and Giovanni Brown are both legally and happily married. If I were you, Miss Summers, I would stop while I am ahead. You did not win."
Leah protested as the guard pulled her out of the event with swiftness. Left stunned, Giovanni turned to face his father. Just by the look on his face, he could see that his father knew. He knew everything and he didn't seem the slightest bit upset.
"Dad-"
"I'm sure there is a plane leaving to Las Vegas within the hour if I'm not mistaken."
"You're not mad?"
His smile only grew. "Why would I be mad? You found happiness, Giovanni. I know I've been tough but it was only for the best. Seems like it worked because you wouldn't have met Kira."
Shaking his father's hand, Giovanni gave a sincere look. "Thank you."
"Go get her son." Daniel smiled, supporting Giovanni.
Giovanni briefly glanced over at the table his mother and sister sat at and they both had a supporting look on their faces. Without waiting any longer, Giovanni walked off the stage and made his way past everyone. He was running to get to his car. Running to get to the airport.
Running to get his woman back.
—
"Afternoon." Ben greeted his daughter the moment she entered the kitchen.
She looked tired. Her eyes were puffy and red. It looked like she tried to look normal with her hair slicked back in a high middle center ponytail and dressed in a simple pair of blue jeans and a shirt.
"Afternoon, dad." Kira took a seat at the round table.
"Want some late coffee?"
"Yes, please," She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Once Ben made both him and her a cup, he placed one at each end of the table before sitting down across from her. Kira could feel his eyes on her as she drank from the mug. Placing it down, she looked up at her father.
"Is everything alright?" Concern laced in her voice.
"I should be asking you that, sweetheart. You haven't said much these past few days about what you are feeling. You didn't even tell me if something happened between you and Giovanni."
Kira shook her head, her heart hurting. "Giovanni and I weren't going to work out so I went back to living my life just like he is going to do the same."
"So it had nothing to do with him having a child on the way?"
Kira looked at her father in shock. "How did you know?"
"You could say Robyn and I have been trying to figure out what's been going on with you because you haven't said a word since you came back."
"The child isn't his but she won."
"You mean his ex-fiancee? How did she win?"
Her eyes watered. Just thinking about it all over again made her want to break down. She didn't want to but even she can admit that her heart was hurting so much.
"Can we please not talk about any of this right now?"
"That's exactly what you need to do, Kira." The sound of Robyn's voice entering the kitchen. "Things like this will eat at you if you don't talk to someone about what your feeling."
Kira looked back and forth between her father and Robyn, before locking on Robyn.
"When did you get here?"
"Just now," Robyn responds, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs beside them. "But I want to help you, Kira."
Kira sighed. "I will be fine."
"You're lying to yourself, Kira."
The next moment took both Ben and Robyn by surprise. Kira's calmness flew out the window and the restraint that she had, broke.
"Why are you trying to push me to talk about it? Do you both want me to admit that I'm hurt by all this? That I stupidly fell in love with a man that is high above me? I did. And yet Leah won by taking advantage of his kindness. How can I compete with a woman that has the power to do anything with her money? I was a nobody when I met Giovanni and I still am a nobody. I shouldn't have allowed myself to think beyond the contract but I can't blame no one but myself." Kira blurts, frustrated. The tears she had in her eyes fell.
"Kira-" Ben began but was unable to finish what he was about to say.
Kira stood abruptly, wiping her tears. "I need some air."
Ben and Robyn watched as Kira walked out of the kitchen. A second later, the sound of the front door opening and closing caught their ears. Robyn saw the worry on Ben's face. She too was worried about her friend but she believed that her friend was going to get past it.
"All she needs is time, Ben." Robyn offered, hoping it would bring peace to his mind.
"I know but I have never seen her act like this. There's more to it and Giovanni is going to give me answers."
Just as Robyn opened her mouth to respond, Ben's cell went off. He pulled it out of his pocket and frowned when he saw the name.
"Well, if this isn't good timing." He murmured before answering, lifting the phone to his ear. "You got a lot of explaining to do, Brown."
Robyn watch quietly as the two went into the conversation. By the looks of whatever Giovanni was saying, Ben didn't appear to be happy.
"What?" Ben questioned after Giovanni explained everything that happened and that he was on his way to fix things with Kira.
Robyn stood to go check on her friend and leave Ben to talk with Giovanni. Opening the front door, she closed it behind her, calling out Kira's name. Worry filled her when she didn't see her on the porch. Figuring she went back inside to her room, Robyn made her way back inside. Looking around, Kira wasn't in sight.
Robyn made her way back downstairs only to bump into Ben.
"Giovanni is on his way here."
"But Kira's not here at all. I checked everywhere."
"She left?" Ben panicked, rushing around the house to look for Kira.
When it became clear that Kira wasn't at the house anymore, Ben's worry level escalated high.
"Where did she go?"
Robyn almost gave up until one specific place came to mind. And knowing her best friend, that was the only place she would be at whenever she was upset.
"I know where she is." Robyn gave Ben a knowing look and it didn't take long for him to understand either.
—
Kira walked along the pavement as the night's chilly air surrounded her. She felt bad for just leaving without telling anyone where she was going, something she's been getting good at lately.
But she couldn't stay there at the moment. They wanted to talk about Giovanni and Kira couldn't do so. At least not right now. Her emotions were everywhere and she didn't want anyone to be around, witnessing.
She stared across the street at the building that's been in her heart since she was a little girl. Construction flags were all around the building. The men that were working hard on completing it have already gone home and wouldn't return till tomorrow.
The memories that she had here came rushing back to her. The images of her mother smiling down at her as she played assistant. When her mother picked her up when she fell and the empowering words that led Kira to be the woman that she is today. Kira smiled sadly, missing her mother dearly.
"I don't know what to do, mommy." Her voice broke, tears cascading down her cheeks as she cried silently.
Silence surrounded her except for nearby traffic. She took in this moment to try and relax and remind herself that things could get better.
"Kira,"
Gasping, she turned to the source of the deep, hypnotizing voice.
A tall familiar figure inched closer until finally revealing his handsome face. It was Giovanni and Kira took a moment to believe that he was here in Vegas. He also looked exhausted.
"W-What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to get you back."
Sniffling, Kira shook her head. "I told you, Giovanni, that—"
"I know what you told me, Kira." He walked closer. "But I believe what we have is real and I don't want to give up on that." he stopped in front of her. "And I know you don't either."
"Why do you want me? I don't have the money as you do or Leah has. I don't have much value and surely I won't be the best thing considering you come from money and power."
"I don't care about how much money you have, Kira. And Leah is not important. She never has been. The woman did illegal things just to find out about you and me. She is going to get what she deserves along with those that helped her."
"How did she..."
"Someone broke into Joshua's office."
"It doesn't change anything. We're too different and we should have never agreed to it in the first place."
"I disagree."
"Giovanni, please."
"I know what you're doing, baby. And I'm not mad at you for trying to protect yourself. I was the same. I never thought I would feel so strongly about a woman after Leah and what she did to me."
Suddenly, he reached out and cupped her face. "I swore I would never allow myself to truly be happy, to love someone again. But that all changed when I got to know you."
"Giovanni, I...What are you saying?" The tears that welled in her eyes slipped, having a feeling of what his words meant.
She needed to hear him say it.
Inhaling sharply, Giovanni stared deep into her eyes, not letting go of her.
"I love you, Kira. I'm in love with you and wouldn't know what I'd do if I lose you." He said sincerely.
Her lips trembled, fighting to hold back the sob that wanted to escape past the seams of her lips. She was only able to hold it back for a few more seconds when a soft cry sounded in the hair.
"You love me?"
"Yes, I do."
"Why?" She sniffed.
"Why not? I meant everything I said to you, Kira. You're an amazing woman and you make me happy. I could care less about how much money you have. You do what makes you happy and that's one of the things I love about you. I want you for you."
Kira couldn't say anything yet. She was still trying to register the three big words he told and the words that followed.
"I fly here because you're worth it to me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you if you'll have."
Kira searched his eyes and her heart melted. Everything he said to her was true and she felt the same about him in return. Her hands moved and cupped his face, lowering his head down to hers, kissing him passionately.
"I love you, Giovanni." She spoke softly against his lips.
He dug into his pocket and pulled out her wedding ring. Grabbing hold of her left hand, he kissed the back of it.
"Don't ever take this off again." He whispered painfully as he slipped the ring on her finger.
The tears never stopped. "I promise not to."
"And promise me that you'll never run from me again, Kira."
"I promise not to run from you. I'm sorry I did that. I just..." She sighed, looking down.
Giovanni wiped her tears away. "I know."
Another gust of wind brushed past them causing Kira to shiver. Noticing, Giovanni grabbed her hand and led her in the direction of his car.
"Where are we going?"
"To make up for lost time and show you just how much I truly love you."
Kira blushed the same time he smiled, resting his arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer against him, happy to have her back in his arms once again.