Pampered After Divorce - Chapter 97: Chapter 97

Giovanni’s Pov
I knew Don Black might try some tricks, but I never expected something as shallow as this. Thanks to Molly, I had some insight into his identity, so he couldn't fool me completely.
Suddenly, Hank's voice came through the earpiece I was using to communicate with him discreetly. Molly was unaware of our communication.
"Gio, Don Black is at a hotel near the restaurant. I think he might ask for Molly. I'm heading there now."
I wanted to inquire about Roger, but then I heard a voice in the background.
"Uncle Hank, I'm tracking the location."
Hearing his voice lifted my spirits, but I realized I still had a gun pointed at the person in front of me and the bodyguards around had guns pointed at me and Molly but that was the least of my worries.
My men were right behind the door and would enter at my signal.
"Don Dawson, you've got it all wrong. I'm here to deliver a message from Don Black."
As I looked up, Santiago had vanished, and the woman was still trying to flirt with me, but those tactics never worked on me.
"I heard him call you Don Black. Are you going to deny it?" I was ready to pull the trigger when he spoke up.
"I apologize, but Santiago is unaware of Don Black's identity. I was sent by him tonight."
Seeing his fear at the sight of the gun, I lowered it and instructed him, "Go and bring me Don Black." He smiled nervously and handed me his phone. "Don Black wants to speak to you directly," he said.
I took the phone and answered. "Coward, come out or every man in this building will die," I heard his laughter on the other end of the line.
"Don Dawson, I have a proposition for you. If you agree, I will reveal myself, but if not, don't blame me," he said.
"I'm not falling for your tricks," I retorted. He apologized, "I'm sorry, but you've made more progress this time. At least you get to speak to me directly," he replied. I scoffed.
"How do I know it's not a fake voice? You already sent someone to impersonate you," I challenged.
His laughter echoed before he spoke again. "Don't worry. It's Molly I want, so you might get to see me," he teased.
Relying on Hank’s information that he was nearby, I decided to play along until Hank reported back to me. "You can't have her, not even in your dreams," I asserted. He sounded confident in his response.
"We'll see about that. The man in front of you is Jamie. He will give you the tasks to see me. Good luck with both women," he said before the line went dead, leaving me with unanswered questions.
Handing the phone to Jamie, he nervously explained, "Don Black wants to know which of the women sings better. The bodyguards and guests will be the judges."
I didn't bring Molly for this and felt it wasn't the right time for her to be in the spotlight, even though she mentioned being ready to go viral.
"I won't allow it. Whatever it is, it should involve me, not her," I stated firmly, while the woman by Jamie's side smiled flirtatiously.
"Unfortunately, Molly can't show her face to the public. Her voice is not up to par, so it's best not to embarrass her by competing with me," she said, trying to undermine Molly's talent.
Feeling proud of Molly's singing abilities, I retorted, "Even if she was asleep, she would sing better than you. She didn't sign up for a karaoke competition," I said, but Molly interrupted, "I will sing."
Murmurs erupted in the room as I noticed the girl next to Jamie standing up excitedly.
"I don't think you know her. She's Erica, a popular actress and singer," Jamie proudly announced. Erica giggled. "I'll go first."
The waiters quickly rearranged the room, setting up a stage in the middle before handing her the microphone.
To be honest, I couldn't hear what she sang until the applause started. I didn't pay much attention to a woman who wasn't under my protection, so if I were to vote, I would be biased.
"Do you have a song in mind that you'd like to hear?" Molly asked. I remembered the one she composed about betrayal and suggested she sing it. With a smile, Molly made her way to the center as Erica returned to her seat.
My focus was on Molly as she began to sing.
"It's easy to be deceived when you're at your lowest, to believe you are loved. Love can hurt, but it can also heal. You shattered me with your love, completely destroyed me, and for a moment, I wanted to give up.”
“But then someone came into my life and guided me back to strength, showing me how to be stronger than before, giving me back the voice I thought I had lost. Thank you, stranger, for loving me more than I loved myself."
It was amusing how I was referred to as the stranger in her life, our secret code to keep our relationship hidden.
The room fell silent as Molly's voice rose and fell, hitting the highest notes. I even got goosebumps from the sound of her voice, and the lyrics brought tears to my eyes no matter how many times I heard them.
There were tears being wiped away by some people, which made me realize I wasn't the only one feeling emotional, before the room erupted in deafening applause.
She walked back to her chair with a smile, but I noticed the expression on Erica’s
It was evident that she knew she had lost. "How is that possible when you haven't even been singing?" she asked, as Jamie made an announcement. "Keep the votes coming. You have just five minutes."
"Molly, that voice didn't sound like yours," Erica said. Molly responded sarcastically, "Stop being a pain, Erica. I was born with this talent."
"The winner is Molly Campbell," Jamie declared, and the audience erupted in applause.
However, Erica suddenly stood up and shouted, "It doesn't change the fact that she's a homewrecker."
Before I could react, Molly beat me to it, her response not only stunned me but everyone in the room.