Chapter 18

The sun was shining bright, Ingrid woke up and began to feel the bed for Giovanni. She remembered that she fell asleep in his arms after she finished her soup. She looked at the time, it was 10AM on a lovely Sunday. She uncovered her blanket to get off the bed when the door flew open, "Well, she's carrying my baby so obviously we shall....oh, Good morning Sunshine," Giovanni said when he saw her sitting on the bed. He walked into the room with some plastics and Mrs. Brown followed behind him, "Good morning dear, how are you feeling?" she asked. Ingrid responded to Mrs. Brown and told her that she was feeling better, just a little headache.

"You better drink a lot of water, I need you to be healthy for our baby," Giovanni said, "Relax yourself, its barely a month old," Ingrid laughed a little. Giovanni put the plastic bags on the bed and grabbed the boxes from Mrs. Brown. "In case you're wondering, I went shopping for you for just a few things early this morning, and Mrs. Brown helped me pick what was necessary for you," Giovanni explained.

Ingrid's eyes beamed with astonishment. She gave both of them her gratitude, "But...Giovanni, what about my other clothes? I still have those," she asked. Giovanni told her that he didn't want her to get anywhere close to Clover and that it was for that reason why he decided to go shopping for her.

He sat by the bedside and gave her a glass of water and a pain killer. Mrs. Brown excused herself and told them that she would bring breakfast when it was ready, "Its a Sunday, so you too get to rest, Giovanni," she said. Giovanni nodded and saluted at her before she shut the door.

"So, how was your night?" he asked. Ingrid smiled. She told him that she had slept like a baby, she had never felt so safe in her life, although, the thought of her being constantly watched didn't leave her mind. Giovanni moved closer and held her in his arms, "you will not have to worry about anything from now on."

Ingrid was quiet, something had crossed her mind, "So this means that, I won't have to go back to being a stripper?" she asked. Giovanni nodded. He told her that she had no reason, and even if she did, he would make her stay by force. "I made a contract with my boss, that I was in charge of the 70 percent profit that I would make, is there a way for me to still get that back? Because he told me that he only planned to start paying me as an employee when he entered a partnership with my cousin" she explained.

Giovanni told her that she didn't need that dirty money. He assured her that whatever she needed, he was willing to provide, and that he was going to help her look for a decent job if she wanted to work so badly, "Well, I guess we can worry about me getting a job later," Ingrid joked. Giovanni looked at her, soon I'll be getting a confirmation from James about your Aunt's sentence, when the does get her sentence, that house will be yours again, what will you do with it?

Ingrid thought for a while, then it clicked, "Well, I'm going to put it on rent, but first, I'll need to wait for Kate to pick herself up. I'd love to help her but...in her eyes, I’m but an enemy. When she realises that Clover is an asshole, she will come running back to me."

"That day isn't so far away from now," Giovanni said with his hand at the back of his neck. Ingrid looked at him, surprised. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Ingrid, back at the hospital, the doctor told me that Clover did quite a lot of damage. The scars caused by your Aunt still stood fresh but she is about to pay her penance....and so should Clover," he explained. Ingrid crawled up to him, closer to his face, "So what are you going to do?" "I'm going to press charges against him for being violent. He will never hurt you again," he said.

***

Kate was leaving the lingerie store when she met a woman with deep black hair and dark sun glasses standing outside. The woman walked up to Kate, "Hi, my name is Matilda," she started, " Hi, my name is "Not lesbian," Kate rolled her eyes and started to walk away. Matilda posed a statement that made her stop dead in her tracks, "You are about to lose everything, Kate, “she leaned on her car and began to look at her nails.

Kate turned around in shock, "how do you know my name?" she asked. Matilda explained how she watched her lover fall head over heels over Kate's cousin, "he was supposed to have married me, my dad's company is failing, and he proposed a wedding between me and the great CEO of G.SOR so that there could be a partnership, but he didn't see it fit to marry someone he didn't love." Kate rolled her eyes again, "your broke ass has got nothing to do with me, okay? So buzz off!" she started to walk again.

Matilda moved in front of her, "how dare you insult me, my father may not be making billions but he puts thousands into my account every month, something that you don't have," when she said this, Kate shrunk, "That's right, you're about to lose all your opportunities, your mother is in prison by now and she won't be out for a very long time....and you know what else is exciting? You're "lovey dovey" boyfriend will soon be behind bars too," Matilda said.

Kate put her hands over her head, she began to worry, "You're lying! You don't even know me! How can you be so sure?" she asked. Matilda told Kate that she was capable of spying on whoever she wanted to spy on, " Your cousin is about to start living an amazing life with a billionaire who is supposed to be mine," she said, "So I'm here to make you an offer, you and I can work together to get rid of that bitch. When I get to be with the billionaire, I'll give you a payment to help you for a lifetime, you might even inherit that mansion you just left."

Kate was getting tempted, she shook her head, "No! I don't want anything to do with murder, now if you excuse me, I've got a boyfriend to get to." "Very well, but if you change your mind...." Matilda pulled out a card with her number on it, "call me." Kate stared at it for a while before grabbing it and stuffing it in her purse. Matilda chuckled as she watched her walk away, "It won't be long before she does call, she's so easy."

***

"May Tanner, You have been found guilty of bribery, extortion and will be held responsible for the death of Lilly and Logan Kramer," the judge said, "I sentence you to life imprisonment." After the announcement was made, James took in a deep breath and watched as the police officers dragged May out of the court room after it was dismissed. The first thing he thought to do was call his best friend, Giovanni.

*Phone rings*

"Hey, James. I've been waiting patiently for your call."

"Yeah, sorry, we just left the court room. I've got great news. It's been done, May is going in for life imprisonment."

"I can't express the joy I feel, she was a dangerous woman."

"She was responsible for Ingrid's parent's deaths, she deserved what she got."

"Thank you so much James, you're the best, best friend and lawyer anyone could ever have."

"Anytime bro. So how's Ingrid? Did you tell her how you feel?

"Well, she's actually home with me. I did tell her that I love her and I'm even happier because she feels the same."

"Wow, that was quick, she accepted to move in with you so fast."

"Now, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Ingrid's boss was pretty much too abusive to her a few days ago. When she went to work, I witnessed him throwing a blow at her. I rushed her to the hospital, she's on bed rest for most of that reason and well.....James, she's carrying my baby. How can I let her stay in the hands of an abusive man?"

"Oh crap! Congratulations Bro! I didn't know you went to that extent of doing the devil's tango!"

"Oh, real funny James, neither of us knew, okay? Anyway, the issue now is her boss, this guy named Clover. I can send you his location if you want it but..."

"Right! right! right! I was just about to mention, you have to press charges against him for abuse, it's not right."

"Nothing gets past you, so this is like a gig for you, I don't know if you would like to help me out."

"Say no more! I met Carl this morning and he said he was going to be a little bored after all this, I'll let him know so that we can go to "Clover's". But I'll need Ingrid's hospital reports and pictures of her wounds as evidence. I'll pass by in the evening to collect them."

"No problem James, I'll catch you later, Bye."

Giovanni hang up and looked over at Ingrid, "I'm sure you heard all that." "Loud and clear," she said, "my mind has never felt so free, I feel like a child again." Giovanni smiled as he watched her spread out her arms and lay on the bed. "Do you mind sitting up straight so I can take a few pictures of you? It's for the...."

"I know," Ingrid cut him off. She sat up and waited for him to finish taking the pictures. He asked to be excused and left the room. He went to his office and printed out the pictures that showed the finger marks on her neck, the plastered patches on her face and stitches on her legs. He shook his head and then put the images in an envelope.

On his way back to the bedroom that he left Ingrid in, he found her standing at the entrance of the lounge. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Well, I figured that it would be healthy for me to get some fresh air, staying in one room the whole time doesn't make me feel better," she said. Ingrid walked into the living room and started to explore the textures of the furniture. She looked at Giovanni, intensely. "Do you want to come sit next to me?" she asked.