Chapter Six—Gianna

Chapter Six—Gianna

Justin’s tongue rolled right across his lips. It was good whiskey too. Ignoring the ongoing chattering from the other customers at the restaurant whose eyes clearly glanced over at his corner, he grabbed a napkin from the other side of the table and wiped his face clean.

It was a good suit too, one of his favorites, which his ex wife had soiled with expensive whiskey. He didn’t think she had it in her, to pull off something as bold as throwing a drink on his face. She was different—Gianna was definitely different.

Justin rose to his feet and walked out of the restaurant, without so much paying his behind a glance and made straight for the door which was opened for him by the driver.

Nico, the ever drowning chauffeur pursed his lips tightly, his boss was clearly in a bad moon. Thinking about it almost made him chuckle softly, when was the ever arrogant Justin Santiago not in a bad mood??

“Where to boss?” He finally mustered the courage to ask.

Justin, soiled in booze and despair, sent his driver a death glare seeing the amused glint in his eyes, he would think it was funny until he got a termination letter the next morning. Sighing deeply, he looked down at his watch and muttered, “Just take me home.”

Gianna paced back and forth in a stance of panic, biting her nails, a usual habit when she was tensed. Seated across her on the sofa was Aiden, with a skeptical look on his face watching his friend tense over a minuscule matter.

“You’re bugging me Gianna.” He finally spoke.

She turned her head sharply to his side, “You don’t know Justin like I do Aide”, resuming her pacing, “Oh God he’s gonna sue me.”

“He’s not going to do anything,” Aiden rolled his eyes, got up and strode over to her kitchen where he poured himself a glass of water, “He stalked you remember?”

“Yes but I have no proof he did so!” She lashed out, frustrated to be even put in a situation like it, “He has proof I poured drinks on him and he’s definitely going to use it against me! This wasn’t the plan Aiden!!”

She plopped herself down on the couch and placed a hand over her face, a stance of even more frustration. The plan was to return and take him down with a vengeance, whilst doing it in the shadows—a plan of surprise, it was perfect in every way.

Justin just had to ruin everything, just as he ruined her life and send her family into crippling debt. Thinking about it made the hatred in her heart grow even yonder, suddenly her regret didn’t hold an ounce of weight over her anymore. She say upright, face devoid of fear as she turned to Aiden who remained by the kitchen counter.

“You know what?” She shrugged, “I don’t care if he sues me. I’m prepared to fight it.”

Aiden’s eyes beamed with admiration, “Atta girl.”

Gianna smiled, “What’s the next plan?”

********

The apartment was even more desolate than he thought it was. He ignored the lights, not bothering to turn it on and headed straight for his study where he grabbed another bottle of whiskey. A crevice of sleep didn’t touch his eye lids, they were as wide as ever when he poured himself another glass since he down the first one in a second.

Gianna. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and the events of today. He expected someone else to be his enemy—wanted someone else to be his top rival, and not his ex wife. Seeing her at the conference room, eyes void of soft emotion towards him sent a spiral of chills down his spine which he didn’t even know he had.

The investigator he hired was slow to find any information about her, not even where she disappeared to or the whereabouts of the rest of the Lawson family. It was like she just appeared out of nowhere, with the sole aim of taking him down.

It was amusing in a way, seeing the spark of anger in her eyes. He definitely didn’t think she had it in her, his soft spoken ex wife who trembled at the mere sight of trouble, the same Gianna who always bursted into tears whenever he came home from work late. He rubbed his cheek gently, reminiscing the slap, she had definitely changed.

“Damn it Gianna”, he murmured, almost drunk, now on his third glass, “I can’t believe I have to take you down.”

Slowly he got up, with the bottle in his hands now, with no need for a glass anymore and staggered towards his room. He was in a disheveled state, as he plopped down on the edge of the bed. His eyes traveled towards the huge photo book, carefully placed on the chest of drawers right across him and he frowned.

His wedding photo book. He hated the stupid thing, a reverie of him telling Gianna it was a dumb idea to pass it down to their kids if they ever had one crossed through his mind. He was right, it was a dumb idea and he always hated the damned photo book, but for some reason he couldn’t throw it away. It was the last piece of memory of his past. A reminder to never make the same mistake again—marriage.

He took one last gulp from his bottle and his body finally relented as he plopped right onto the folds of his bed. Sleep finally overtook him, not caring if the dreams of his ex wife was bound to haunt his night.

**********

The sound of a blaring phone blasted through Justin’s ears the next morning. He groaned in his sleep, ignoring the throbbing headache that was oncoming when another phone call came blasting again . He jolted to his feet finally.

Stifling a yawn, he looked down at his pathetic self. Still clad in his booze-soiled clothes from last night, his socks reeked of a pungent smell of dejection and fatigue which made his nose twitch. His brows furrowed deeply as he heard his phone ring again, his head throbbed badly from hangover as he reluctantly picked it out from his pocket.

“This had better be—-

“Uhh sir,” He heard the unsure voice of his secretary, “You might want to come in. There’s someone here to see you.”