Karl Gordon Is Back

Chapter 3 : Yanked 2

Karl pulled the ring box open just as the papers in Anna’s hands fell to the ground.

The sound seemed to echo throughout the office as silence gripped the entire floor, a brittle scatter against the polished office floor that seemed far louder than it should have been.

People who weren't paying attention before suddenly turned towards the scene at the center of the office as dozens of eyes followed the movement from the fallen documents to the open ring box in Karl's hands.

Anna froze.

Her breath caught painfully in her throat as she stared at the ring, then at Karl, then at the dozen of eyes now fixed on them in amusement.

Her fingers trembled uselessly at her sides, unsure whether to reach for the papers or shield herself from the attention she hated with her entire being.

“Wh…what?” She muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Marry me.” Karl repeated, his voice clear. The certainty in his eyes made Anna take a step back. What is he doing?

Melody laughed as she stepped forward, heels clicking against the floor, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene before her.

“Woah! You're willing to stoop this low?” She said, her voice ringing throughout the office. “You’ve completely lost your mind! Karl, look at her. She’s my assistant.”

Karl remained on his knees, not sparing melody as much as a glance. His grip on the ring box remained firm, waiting for an answer from Anna.

He would rather have Anna turn him down due to the awkwardness of the situation that let Melody think she was even an option.

He knew how embarrassing that would be but he would take that. He'd take anything except Melody.

Caden scoffed loudly, shaking his head as he stepped closer, arms folding across his chest.

“Karl, what do you think you're doing? Do you even hear yourself?” he said, looking down at Anna in disgust. “Her? You're proposing to her?”

Karl's eyes remained fixed on Anna. “Anna.” He called but she couldn't look at him. She was horrified, he knew she was. Her boss's boyfriend was proposing to her, it looked like a horrid mess from every angle.

“Karl, do you know that even Anna is below you? Or is this your way of humiliating yourself further?” Caden glances at Melody. “You have a beautiful girlfriend right over here and you want to give that up by doing this?”

A ripple of murmurs spread through the room.

“Karl,” Anna whispered, her voice barely audible. “Please stand up.”

He didn’t move. Not until she refuses him. His eyes were fixed on her face, surprisingly calm.

“I’m waiting for your answer,” he said.

Melody’s disbelief twisted into fury.

“This is ridiculous,” she snapped. “You think this little performance is going to make me jealous?”

She laughed again, harsher this time. “If that’s your plan, you’re doing a terrible job. You’re embarrassing yourself and this is only going to make me end things with you!”

Anna took a step back and then another, shaking her head. Her job was at risk and Karl was behaving strangely.

He could be using her to get back at Melody, she couldn't have herself thrown into that mix regardless of her feelings for him.

“I'm sorry..”

Anna hurried out of the office, not daring to look back.

Karl exhaled and got on his feet just as Anna hurried out the door.

Melody bursts into laughter, unable to conceal her happiness.

“Look at yourself, Karl! You're just embarrassing yourself! Even Anna doesn't want a man like you!”

Karl stood on his feet, putting the ring box in his pocket. “I'll take a rejection from her over a yes from you, Melody.”

She was stunned, taken aback by his words. “What?” She whispered, he talked …you think you're some big shot uh?”

Karl nodded, “Yes I am. Even now, you want me to apologise and still propose to you.”

Melody opened her mouth but words seemed to fail her. “I..” stammered, “I'm just trying to be a responsible girlfriend!”

“Karl, this is unnecessary.” Caden said, "She's your girl. Embarrassing her like this isn't right. Come on.”

Karl chuckled, the fact that those words were coming from him was unbelievable..

Caden leans closer, “I'll try to persuade her okay? I'll convince her to forgive you but you'll need to apologise to her first."

Caden taps Karl shoulder like he often does when he's trying to tell him he has his back.

Karl reached for his hand and yanked it off his shoulder much to Caden's shock. Karl walks right past, “Don't make me laugh.”

Karl walked out of his office and didn't look back once.

“I can't believe this!” Melody gasped.

“I'll go talk to him. This is insane..”Caden said.

“Don't!” Melody snapped. “He'll be back soon to beg. This silly trick is not going to work on me!”

~~~~

Karl sat still on a bench in the park, his eyes staring into nothing in particular. If he had stayed in that office any longer, he might do something very drastic.

Being thrown right into the office and seeing Caden and Melody when he hadn't prepared for it was enough to drive him insane.

Karl leans his head on his knees, breathing hard, this was a lot.

He had expected the rejection from Anna. Hell, he didn't even think it through before throwing her into this madness.

She's Melody's assistant, he would only make things very difficult for her.

Karl leaned back on the bench, feeling the sun on his skin but his heart was as cold as ice. His death kept replaying in his head and almost the horrible decisions he made in his past life followed right after.

He glanced at his phone, still very indecisive. Should he call? Does he still have a place in that world?

He hesitated briefly before dialing a number he hadn’t called in years. It rang.

Karl exhaled, clenching and unclenching his fist.

“Who is this?” a familiar voice finally answered.

Karl exhaled, “…Grandfather?”

There was a pause.

“About damn time you called.”