37. Griselda
Icouldn”t help but feel terror after what Emilio’s brother had just revealed. Despite them not being very close, Carlo was still his brother.
I glanced at Emilio, my heart palpitating at the worry etched on his face. His jaws clenched tightly, his lips pulled back, exposing his grinding teeth. He looked like a wounded animal in agony. I reached out and placed my hand on his thigh, trying to ground him in the present.
”I have to get there,” he said with desperation.
With swift movements, he began tapping on the car screen. I wasn”t entirely sure what he was doing, but it seemed like he was sending his GPS location to someone. Before I could ask him, Emilio spoke up.
“I don”t know what”s happening, but I need to help the Fiore family,” he explained. ”I”m sending our location to Enzo. He”ll meet us on the way and make sure you get back to the penthouse safely.”
I nodded, understanding the urgency that propelled him into action.
”Be careful,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
Emilio”s grip on the steering wheel didn”t relax, his knuckles turning white from the strain. He met my gaze briefly, a flicker of reassurance passing between us before he redirected his focus back to the road.
As we sped through the streets and the city lights blurred into streaks of color, his desperation to reach his brother was reflected in every sharp turn and sudden acceleration.
Although the timing was highly inappropriate, I couldn’t help but secretly admire his vehicle and his driving skills.
Emilio pulled up at a discreet corner, surrounded by tall buildings. I saw another car waiting there, a sleek white BMW 7 Series, its luxurious yet understated design blending seamlessly into the urban surroundings. The windshield was entirely black, tinted so dark that I couldn”t see who was inside.
As Emilio”s car rolled to a stop, previously opaque glass morphed into a clear surface, providing a sudden view of Enzo sitting calmly behind the wheel. Despite knowing that Emilio modified his cars with high technology, the seamless transformation left me awestruck.
Emilio turned to me, his gaze filled with concern.
”Take care of yourself,” Emilio said softly, his voice laced with an unmistakable worry.
”You too,” I replied, holding his gaze. ”Remember, I”m not the only one waiting for you.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I placed a hand on my abdomen, a silent reference to our unborn child.
His expression softened.
”I promise nothing will happen to me,” he assured me, leaning in to press a tender kiss to my forehead before pulling away.
”And you”ll be safe with Enzo,” he added, his tone gentle yet firm.
I nodded and stepped out of the car before turning to watch Emilio”s sleek black sedan drive away until it vanished from my sight. I couldn”t help it, but my breath hitched. Gathering my resolve, I made my way toward Enzo”s waiting vehicle and settled into the passenger seat.
As Enzo started the car and merged into the flow of traffic, his reassuring voice broke the heavy silence.
”Emilio will be fine, Griselda,” he said, his words offering a sliver of comfort. I could only hope his words rang true.
Lost in thought, I mulled over what I had been told about my father. My father, who had once been Riccardo Mancini, was now Riccardo Esposito.
I frowned.
The name ‘Esposito’ lingered in my mind as if I”d heard it before. My curiosity piqued, and I reached for my phone, intending to search the web, but as I unlocked the screen, a new notification stole my attention. It was from Sophia.
My mind raced back to the time I was suspended and how my interactions with my team had dwindled. At first, the messages had poured in, filled with complaints about working with Carmella, but eventually, the discussions had all but ceased.
I had assumed they were busy with work, never giving the firm or my suspension a second thought. It felt more like a prolonged break than a suspension.
I opened Sophia”s message, my curiosity heightened by the unexpected communication. She revealed that the boss was planning to lift my suspension, revealing Carmella”s mishandling of several significant cases as the reason behind the decision.
Although I felt vindicated in my position as a lawyer, I felt really bad for the clients who had received shoddy representation, maybe even blatant mishandling of their case, all because of Carmella’s conniving and incompetence.
According to Sophia, their silence had been due to the overwhelming workload caused by Carmella”s missteps and the subsequent efforts to salvage the cases. A scoff escaped my lips as I read Sophia”s message.
Carmella”s mistakes causing such chaos within the firm were almost comical if this were a reality show, albeit in a grim way.
I quickly composed a response to Sophia, expressing my skepticism about the sudden change in the firm”s stance. Wasn”t my suspension a direct consequence of Carmella”s sway over our boss?
Had her influence finally waned? Sophia”s quick reply hinted at the financial struggles the firm was facing due to Carmella’s screw-ups.
A wry chuckle escaped my lips at the image of my boss scrambling to contain the fallout. Despite the possibility of my reinstatement, the thought of returning to an environment that consistently undervalued my efforts didn”t sit well with me. I nodded to myself, silently reaffirming my decision to carve out my path far from the suffocating limitations of the firm.
Refocusing on the group chat, I swiftly fired off a message about the name ”Esposito,” hoping for a prompt reply, but the dots, indicating that someone was typing, had stopped dancing in the group chat window.
A few minutes passed by with no response, and I looked up to see familiar buildings surrounding us, meaning that we were almost at the penthouse. A buzz from my phone drew my attention back to the screen, revealing responses from the group members.
Matthew: No idea, sorry.
Dave: I think I”ve heard it before, but I can”t recall.
Luca: How could you guys forget? It was that case we worked on, the one she lost, remember?
Luca: It was the Esposito v. Moretti lawsuit. It”s crazy how you guys blanked on that!
It was one of the few cases I had ever lost, and suddenly, the memory came rushing back to me, recalling a young adult client embroiled in murky dealings and accused of murder. Although the details were hazy, I distinctly remembered the mention of the name ”Esposito” during our interactions.
As the messages continued to pour in from the group, my attention was fixated on Luca”s responses.
Me: Luca, do you have more details about the case? I need to know everything.
Luca: I can’t remember, but I think the case file is still around somewhere. I”ll look for it.
With a sigh, I fired off another message.
Me: Can you check now? It”s urgent.
Luca: I wish I could, but I”m being called to do something right now. I”ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Exasperation surged through me, and I cursed under my breath. Ignoring the concerned look, Enzo shot my way through the rearview mirror, I quickly composed a response.
Me: Can you get the file for me? I”ll head to the firm and pick it up.
Luca: No problem. I”ll let you know once I have it.
Me: Tx. You’re a star!
Enzo”s voice cut through my thoughts, ”We”ve arrived.”
I raised my gaze to confirm that we were indeed parked in front of Emilio”s building. Glancing back down at my phone, I read Luca’s response.
I ignored the flood of astonished messages from the rest of the group, who were surprised to see signs of life from me after so long finally and leaned forward between the front seats, halting Enzo”s exit from the car.
”Wait,” I exclaimed with urgency, ”I have to go to my law firm.”
Enzo settled back into his seat and regarded me with a raised eyebrow.
”Weren”t you suspended?” He asked, unsure of what to make of my request.
”I still am, but I need to get something,” I replied, meeting his gaze directly.
”With what”s happening at the Fiore family house, Emilio wouldn”t want you to go anywhere until he”s sure it”s safe,” Enzo cautioned.
”It”s about the Esposito family. I need to find out more,” I explained.
”Esposito family?” Enzo”s voice expressed surprise, and when he turned to look at me, curiosity danced in his gray eyes. ”What did you find out?”
”I don’t know yet,” I admitted. ”And that”s why I need to go to the law firm.”
Enzo didn’t say anything, but I could see the struggle on his face. On the one hand, he was tasked with keeping me safe, and on the other hand, we needed to find out everything we could about the Esposito family.
”Enzo, you”ll be with me, and it”s during work hours, so there”ll be plenty of people around,” I attempted to assuage his concerns and hopefully persuade him that this was the right thing to do.
He muttered, clearly not entirely convinced. ”That”s also a problem, you know.”
I chose to brush off his lingering doubts, focusing on my goal.
”I”ll be fine. Trust me,” I replied, my voice laced with determination.
Finally, Enzo relented, his tone carrying a mix of resignation and caution. ”Fine, just buckle up.”
As we arrived at the familiar building of Joe and Burrows Law Firm, nostalgia washed over me. It had been quite a while since I last stepped foot here. Shaking off the sentimental pull of memories, I made my way toward the entrance, only to halt when I noticed Enzo close behind.
Realizing his intent to accompany me, I blurted out, ”You can”t come in with me, Enzo.”
Enzo”s expression turned serious as he asserted, ”I compromised on you coming here because of the Esposito family information, but I won”t compromise on this.”
I let out a sigh, feeling a twinge of frustration, though I couldn”t help but appreciate his protective instincts.
Mentally grumbling about Emilio”s similar behavior, I asked, ”Then what should I introduce you as?”
Enzo waved off the concern.
”Doesn”t matter. We”re here for something important,” he said firmly, signaling that there was no time to dwell on formalities.
With his words left hanging in the air, we entered the building.
The interior of the law firm was as I remembered it. The firm”s reception area boasted a sleek, modern design, its spacious layout adorned with minimalist decor.
A large logo was subtly embedded into the wall behind the receptionist”s desk. As we moved deeper into the building, the hallways revealed numerous private offices with glass walls, creating a sense of transparency while maintaining a level of privacy.
Making our way through the corridors, the muted hum of work and the click-clack of heels echoed around us. Finally, we reached my office, situated at the end of the corridor.
It was spacious and well-organized, with a large wooden desk positioned in front of a floor-to-ceiling window that offered a good view of the city.
To my surprise, standing in front of the desk were none other than my group members, with Luca holding the file. Relief flooded through me.
We exchanged greetings and pleasantries, their warm words creating a sense of familiarity that I hadn”t realized I had missed.
”You look good,” Matthew remarked with a grin, ”like you”ve been on holiday or something.”
Dave nodded in agreement, adding, ”We”ve missed having you around. The office isn”t the same without you.”
I was immediately enveloped in a warm hug from both Sophia and Luca.
”Griselda, you”re finally back!” Sophia exclaimed, her voice tinged with genuine joy.
Luca chimed in, ”We missed you! It”s good to have you here again.”
I couldn”t help but smile. I reciprocated their warm embrace.
”I”ve missed you too, both of you,” I admitted. Looking around the office, I added, ”I can”t say I”ve missed the firm, but I did miss my office view.”
Their laughter filled the room, momentarily lightening the tension that had built up within me. However, amidst the laughter, I noticed that Enzo was not near me, and I looked around, trying to locate him.
My gaze finally fell on Enzo, standing at a cautious distance away. It was enough to give the impression that he was someone else, not overtly attached to me.
I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that Enzo had given me the space I needed, especially in the presence of my colleagues. At least for the moment, I wouldn”t have to answer any awkward questions from them.
As much as I wanted to catch up with them, I reminded myself of the reason why I had come here. There were matters I needed to attend to, and I couldn”t afford to linger longer than necessary. Looking at Luca’s hand, the sight of the familiar folder, its edges slightly worn with time, evoked a surge of memories.
As I took the file from Luca, murmuring my thanks, Dave”s curious question interrupted my train of thought. ”What do you need the file for?”
I hesitated for a moment, frantically searching for a plausible excuse. Before I could muster a convincing response, a familiar, sharp voice sliced through the air. I quickly moved the file behind my back.
”Griselda, what are you doing here?” Carmella”s sharp voice sliced through the air, demanding to know why I was back at the firm despite my suspension.
”How is it any of your business?” I shot back, meeting her gaze with defiance.
Carmella”s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a disdainful smirk. ”You think you can just waltz back in here as if nothing happened? You”ve caused enough trouble already. You should be glad we didn’t press charges for what you did.”
I clenched my jaw, refusing to let her rile me up. ”If anyone has caused trouble, it”s you. Don”t act like you”re innocent in all of this.”
Carmella retorted that she wasn”t the one who went against the firm”s policies and got suspended. She smirked and said that I should feel fortunate that I wasn”t fired, considering how much damage I had done to the firm”s reputation.
My patience was wearing thin, but I maintained a cool facade. I took a deep breath, gathering my wits before letting loose and pelting Camilla with a string of insults.
”Carmella, do you ever shut up? It”s almost impressive how you manage to keep running your mouth even though you”ve single-handedly botched more cases than anyone else in this firm! You”ve become a laughingstock, a byword for incompetence. Everyone here knows how much money you”ve managed to lose for the company. Yet astonishingly, you”re still employed.”
Carmella”s expression contorted in a mix of humiliation and fury as my words hit their mark. Her eyes widened in a moment of disbelief, her cheeks flushing red with indignation. She seemed to be struggling to find a response, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly. The mask of superiority she usually wore cracked, revealing a vulnerability she rarely let others witness. Despite the anger in her eyes, she appeared momentarily at a loss for words, which was a rare sight.
My voice was sharp, and I didn”t mince my words. ”So, do yourself a favor and stop trying to antagonize people because, frankly, it”s beneath you. You”ve sunk low enough already.”
Feeling no need to remain in her presence any longer than necessary, I bid my group members goodbye.
”See you later, guys,” I called out to them, while they looked quite shocked but secretly exchanged satisfied glances as I walked away.
I couldn”t help but feel a sense of relief as I made my way out the door and past Carmella, who seethed with fury but had nothing more to say. I also noticed that Enzo had moved closer during our verbal spat. It made me feel safe, also for my baby’s sake, and I felt grateful towards Emilio for tasking Enzo with my protection.
We walked back down the corridor toward reception. Holding the file as nonchalantly as possible, I walked by the last offices with a confident stride. With the exit straight ahead, I mentally started counting down from ‘three.’ But before we could reach freedom, we were intercepted by the arrival of Mr. Gilbert.
His haggard appearance spoke volumes about the struggles he had endured to keep the company afloat despite the havoc Carmella wreaked. I couldn”t fathom how she had managed to retain her position despite all her missteps.
Mr. Gilbert cleared his throat, and I sensed a combination of surprise and relief in his expression as he addressed me.
”Griselda,” he paused to clear his throat, “I”ve heard you”re back. I was just about to contact you to let you know that your suspension is going to be lifted,” he said, his voice hesitant yet eager.
I glanced at my former colleagues, noticing their curious glances and hushed whispers.
”Mr. Gilbert, there”s no need,” I replied evenly, my tone firm but composed.
Perplexed, he pressed on, his brows furrowing with concern.
”What do you mean? I don”t understand,” he inquired, leaning in slightly as if to catch every word I uttered.
I met his gaze with an open expression, making sure my decision was clear.
”I mean, there”s no need to lift my suspension because I am resigning,” I declared, enunciating each word carefully.
The room fell silent for a moment, and I could feel the weight of their collective gazes on me. I saw Luca”s eyes widen with surprise, Sophia”s worried expression and Dave”s eyebrows shoot up, his mouth slightly agape.
Carmella, meanwhile, wore a sly grin, clearly relishing the turn of events. Mr. Gilbert”s mouth opened and closed a few times as he struggled to find the right words.
Close behind me, I hear Enzo cough, no doubt covering a laugh.
”Griselda, are you sure? You”ve been an integral part of this firm, and we value your contributions,” he implored, his voice tinged with a hint of desperation.
I couldn”t help but scoff inwardly as Mr. Gilbert struggled to find the right words. Was he truly desperate to have me return, or was this merely an attempt to make up for Carmella”s losses? I couldn’t remember a single incident when my work had been praised, appreciated or respected.
”I meant what I said,” I responded coldly, my resolve unshaken, ”I”m not interested in working for someone like you.”
As I turned and walked away, Mr. Gilbert called out my name, but I paid no heed to his pleas.
I felt a pang of sympathy for my group members, who hadn”t been privy to my plans to quit. I hated leaving them in such an abrupt manner, but I had no choice. I couldn”t stay at a firm that had lost sight of its principles.
What was fortunate was that no one paid much attention to the file I clutched in my hand.
Heading towards the exit, I noticed Enzo standing there, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement. Without breaking stride, I walked past him, letting him know it was time to leave.
“Let’s go.”