Karl Gordon Is Back

Chapter 2: Not The Same Guy

Karl's eyes darted open in shock. Where is he? His blurry vision finally settled around his surroundings. White walls, the gentle sound of the air conditioner, the clicking of keyboards in the corner, and that noisy printer in the farthest end of the office…

‘Where am I?’ He thought.

“Come on, Mr. Karl! What were you going to do? We can see a ring box in your hand!”

Karl finally took a glance around to see that he wasn't alone. He was surrounded by faces, faces of people he knew all too well. Faces of people who worked for Melody..

He glanced down at his hands, he was indeed holding a ring box and a bouquet of flowers. It all felt too familiar, like he'd been here before.

He was dying moments ago! Hell, he thought he was dead already but..

Karl glanced down at his hands, he was here. Real. In flesh. What the hell happened?!

Melody folded her arms, her brows creased. “I hope he's not trying to propose to me!” She said out loud, loud enough for Karl to hear and draw his attention to her.

She was wearing a red dress, the dress he'd begged her to wear back home earlier in the morning before they made it down to the office.

“Of course he is! We all know how hard Mr Karl wants to get married to Ms Melody. It's almost embarrassing..”

Karl took a step back in shock, he'd heard those words before. No. It can only be a coincidence. Just then, his eyes roamed over to another member of staff whispering in the corner. Before the words could leave the staff's mouth, Karl already knew what he was going to say.

“I know right? It's almost like he's trying hard to be in her good graces.”

Karl gasped, did he…did he go back in time? Was he…given a second chance at life? He died! Heck it was so real!

Melody walked closer to him, eyes scanning Karl's from head to toes in disdain. “What do you think you're doing?” She glanced down at the ring box and the boutique of flowers in his hands. “Are you trying to propose to me?”

Karl's grip on the ring box tightened, eyes fixed on the ground as realisation started to dawn on him. He was given a second chance at life! He was returned back to the very place where it all started, six months ago when he proposed to Melody.

“I wonder what Mr Caden will feel about this. It's clear Ms Melody only wants Mr Caden and Mr Karl..he’s just a throw wheel..” Another staff member whispered.

But he could hear them. He had heard them in his past life and he could hear them now. Heck, he wasn't going to ignore those warnings this time. He's going to make Melody and Caden pay for what they've done!

Melody snatched the boutique of flowers from Karl, glancing at it like it was the cheapest thing she'd ever touched.

“Is this for me?” She asked but Karl didn't say anything. Heck he was way too mad to respond.

She sighed dramatically. “Even if you wanted me to marry you, you couldn't choose a more romantic place?” She asked, face twisted in disdain. “You're very cheap, Karl.”

Back then, he had proposed to her in the office because he couldn't afford a romantic setup. He'd spent his money buying the most expensive ring he could afford, hoping it would make up for what he couldn't give her.

Of course her reaction now was the same reaction back then. She'd told him yes if and only if he threw her a proper proposal in the most expensive hotel in the city.

Karl met her gaze, “Who told you the ring is yours?”

The entire office went dead silent, eyes wide in shock and others in disbelief. Is that really Karl? The soft spoken Mr Karl?

Melody's mouth hung open slightly. A chuckle escaped her lips as she stared at him in shock.

“What?” She muttered.

Karl snatched the flowers away from her hands, earning a gasp from everyone around them.

“The flowers aren't yours either..”

“No way..” a staff whispered

Melody chuckled, folding her arms. “What is this? Some kind of a game? Who else did you buy that for?”

Karl exhaled, “Someone more deserving.”

Another round of gasps filled the office in an instant. There's no fucking way! Karl Gordan, the same man who would rather eat rats than insult his girlfriend, is standing here, glaring at her and snatching things away from her hand.

“Is this a joke?” Melody snapped, “Are trying to play hard to get?” She accused and laughed. “This is pathetic. You're the one proposing and you're playing hard to get? Are you for real right now?” Melody mocked.

“What's going on here?”

It was Caden and he just happened to have walked in right at this moment.

Karl clenched his fist as Caden got closer, rage boiling deep within him but he chose to contain it.

“Karl is about to propose to me.” Melody said, her entire gaze is now fixed on Caden.

It has always been this way with Melody, the only man in her world was Caden, how could he have missed the signs?!

She'd leave him for Caden at the slightest opportunity and when he asked about it, she'd tell him it wasn't anything serious. And when he asked Caden, he'd say it was a harmless hangout and he was being too much.

Too much.

Caden's eyes lowered to the ring box in Karl's hands, the flowers he held and his eyes seemed to darken.

“Propose? Right here? In the office?” Caden asked, seeming dumbfounded. His gaze returns back to Karl in forged concern.

“Bro, if you want to propose to a woman, at least have the decency to do it in a more elaborate manner. Wh0 do you think Melody is? She is more deserving of something proper, not this…cheap flower and that cheap ass ring..”

The office burst into laughter, some snickering, others full on laughing. He had always been the laughing stock but for some reason, all that mattered to him back then was Melody's approval.

His eyes landed on Caden, cool, expressionless, but his fist clenched tight next to him. He had always taken Caden's words as ‘reasonable criticism’ only that it wasn't.

It was humiliating. His friend had been humiliating him and he'd been too blind to see it.

Not anymore.

“Who said I was going to propose to Melody?” Karl said again and the laughter died down.

He'd said this before but right now, he sounded more serious than anyone would like to admit.

Karl's eyes caught Anna behind Melody, curious eyes staring right at him. That was the only person who cared enough to come for him. Heck Anna had always had his back, she was even the one who told him where to get Melody's ring..

Caden chuckled, "You're joking right?” He said, giving Karl a playing tap on the arm.

Karl glanced at his arm and then back at Caden with cold eyes. Caden's smile faltered, something wasn't right..

“Goodness Karl, will you quit already? Who else are you trying to propose to?” Melody asked. “If you keep humiliating yourself like this, I will not accept your proposal and you will only make yourself a laughing stock.”

Karl chuckled, “Is that so?”

Melody raised her head high arrogantly. “The only way I will accept your proposal is if you beg me on your knees and apologise for trying to embarrass me..” she offered.

Caden smirked but it faded almost instantly, unfortunately not fast enough to miss Karl's eyes.

So this was what it had been all this while? Melody humiliates him and Caden enjoys the show, woah. Just woah.

“Karl, you heard the woman. You can't treat the woman you love this way, you know? It's embarrassing. Apologise already..”

“I should apologise?” Karl asked.

“Yes.” Caden said, forging concern to his friend.

Karl nodded, “Okay.”

Karl walked closer to Melody who pulled her hair behind her ears, arms folded as she turned away from him.

Just as he stepped closer, Melody prepared herself for his apology only for Karl to walk right past her and get on his knees for someone else.

“Will you marry me, Anna?”

The stack of papers Anna had been holding fell to the ground as she stared at Karl, eyes wide open in shock.