LONELY HEARTS (COMPLETE)

Chapter 16: The Promise

*Warning: This chapter contains distressing content.

Gemma rolled over, reaching her hand in search of Matteo. Unable to make contact, she looks up to realize he was gone. A note was laid out on his pillow attached to a single rose.

"Sorry, had to work, didn't want to wake you. Be ready by 8, we're going out. ", it read. "P.S. Don't throw this one in the trash".

"Still ordering me around, I see", she thought. Gemma couldn't help but smile and let out a little laugh. She puts the rose in a glass of water and heads to work.

————————————————
That particular day was a relatively normal one. She met with clients, filled out mountains of paperwork, and made a few phone calls. The day comes to an end, Gemma the last one in the office as usual except for Welsh, the new senior lawyer working in his office. She starts packing up for the day when there's a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Welsh opens the door just enough for his head to peak in.

"Hey, Gemma, you have a minute"?

"Sure, come on in. What can I help you with?" Welsh slides in through the door and closes it behind him. He places himself on the leather chair in front of her desk, papers in his lap.

"I'm here to discuss your internship. As you know, it's ending soon and we need to do your evaluation to put you up for consideration in being a part of this firm", he explains. Gemma should be thrilled, but she wasn't. She had wanted this for a long time, this is what she was waiting for. "But why so I feel so indifferent about this"?, she thought. She knew she never got into law for the love of it, it was a means to an end for her. She didn't want the title and money for materialistic reasons, she wanted them to drown out her loneliness. But maybe now, she didn't need these things. She realized she had no need for these things anymore because she was no longer alone, she had Matteo.

So, she decided to go through with the evaluation just to keep her job. Gemma gives Welsh a quick smile to show her excitement, but her eyes said otherwise. "Alright, let's do this", she says. Welsh sifts through his papers and begins the process. He asks her several questions pertaining to her court experiences, until he abruptly stops.

"Alright", he starts,"we've gone through your professional experiences here, but let's talk about out personal experiences".

"Okay", she answers. It wasn't unusual in evaluations to discuss the personal experiences in the office, Gemma didn't bat an eye when it was brought up. Welsh stands, smoothing out his suit and starts slowly pacing the front of the room.

"Gemma, you need to understand this job is cutthroat. There are tons of people that wish to be in your position right now. This particular firm is one of the most successful ones here in the city and it's an honor to work here...", he trails off. He casually walks over to her desk, his fingers lightly tracing the sides of it. He sits on the corner, inches away from Gemma with his hands clasped in his lap. "Gemma... you are a very talented lawyer. You're detail oriented, smart, organized... but all of these traits are... generic, any lawyer can be these things..." Welsh gets up and walks around the chair, now behind Gemma. His hands are on her shoulders, rubbing them slowly.

"...I need you show me what kind of specialty you bring to this firm..." He begins to descend his hand down for Gemma's breast. She shoots up out of her chair and turns to face him.

"What the fuck are you doing!?", she says in disbelief. She clutches her top with both hands, feeling violated.

"I thought you wanted this permanent position, Gemma", he asks. The way he says her name is eerie and makes her cringe, sending shivers down her spine. "Don't you want this job?"