Chapter Forty-Eight: Take Over, Queen

Chapter Forty-Eight: Take Over, Queen
What am I even waiting for? New Year’s Eve?

Am I afraid that I am going to be rejected by Karlo?

But how would he reject me when I am the hailed muse in my university? If I didn’t have any boyfriend before, boys would flock to me; does he know that?!

I shook my head and confidently turned the doorknob so I could go inside.

Karlo Rodriguez was writing on his papers with his eyebrows furrowed and firm, thinned lips. He had reading glasses that is not my first time seeing, but still, he takes my breath away whenever he looks like a handsome nerd. I hate myself for being attracted to him, nevertheless.

There was a lot of paperwork in his study; even his table was full of it. A laptop was in front of him, but he was not using it. Whatever he was reading from the screen, he was writing his thoughts based on it.

At first, he didn’t notice me, because he was too fixated on what he was doing. When I finally reached in front of him and cleared my throat, his eyes flew to where I was and blinked repeatedly in amusement. He removed his glasses from his eyes and even sat straight, leaving his laptop and paper so he could focus on me.

“I’m here now,” I announced.

“Minerva-“

“I know you heard my conversation with Melanie,” I cut him off and clenched my fists behind me. “And it must have surprised you with the fact that, yes, I might have gotten feelings for you. I don’t know when it started. What I know is that every day I see you, it keeps growing. I keep thinking about you. I keep looking for you whenever you are at work…”

He licked his lower lip, but he didn’t say anything. Kinda distracted, but whatever…

“I tried to stop it because I disliked you a lot,” I continued. “Even when we got married, I didn’t comprehend why it had to be you, chosen by my parents, when I didn’t even know you. Of course, you look hot and handsome, but goodness, I had a boyfriend! It felt like cheating on him without grounds with you!”

“I-“ he was about to say again, but I raised my palm.

“I’m not done talking!” I said and inhaled sharply. “I just want to say that I like you. It’s okay if you don’t like me. You still have to continue training me to become a good Red Cartel Queen. Disregard my feelings, and I will do my best to remove them so we can be professional.”

He parted his lips, wanting to say something. But maybe he noticed that I was holding my breath. He must be thinking that I am still not finished. I took a deep sigh in relief.

Finally. I am done with my mission.

“You can talk now,” I said.

“It’s not….” he said and shook his head with a smirk.

“What ‘it’s not’? Don’t you like me? Well, that’s okay-“

“I don’t mean that, baby,” he said and stood up. “It’s just not the right place to talk about this, because we have guests.”

Confusion was plastered on my face. I stared at him so much that he noticed I was not getting it. He sighed, and his eyes darted to a silent part of his study where his books were on the shelves and two black sofas. There were two people there - Gretel and Timothy, who were discreetly watching where we were.

I felt my feet getting rooted on the floor, couldn’t do any single move, because of the mixed shock and embarassment I was getting in my system.

Please don’t tell me they have heard everything I said…

Timothy prolonged a whistle and smirked at me. “Little cousin, I didn’t know that I would see you confessing to a guy! I thought you had always boasted guys chasing you! Look how the tables have flipped, huh?”

“Sir Timothy,” Gretel called out my cousin and shook her head. “They are husband and wife. Whatever Miss Minerva is feeling, it’s valid.”

“Oh, no, you are wrong in that area, Gretel. Karlo and Minerva were just arranged in a marriage. They don’t really love each other. Even Karlo has told me that Minerva kept begging him for a divorce. He just doesn’t want to.”

“Timothy…” Karlo called him, but his tone was warning.

“Ooppss, sorry, Karlo. Just stating facts, my cousin-in-law, hehe,” Timothy said and even raised both his hands as if surrendering.

I furrowed my eyebrows. The thing is, while they were having a conversation, I was slowly stepping backwards, refraining from being part of it. I have already humiliated myself enough. Might as well imprison myself in the room.

“Still, we are not here just to talk about our marriage,” Karlo firmly stated and suddenly spun his head in my direction. “And where do you think you are going, young lady?”

They all looked at me, witnessing how I was already holding the doorknob of the study. Karlo shifted his weight to face my direction. He casually piled his papers and arranged them without taking his eyes off me.

“Please sit with them,” he said, but it sounded like a command to me.

I don’t even know why I found him sexy commanding me, though.

I rolled my eyes and grunted in frustration. Timothy was already smiling at me when I was going towards them. Karlo strode from behind until he had passed by me. I planned to sit beside Gretel so he could sit beside Timothy.

But I was so massively surprised as I watched him sitting beside Gretel instead of my cousin. Even I saw Gretel widen her eyes in surprise while staring at Karlo. I pouted and clenched my fists, walking loudly towards the sofa where Timothy was sitting. I even hit his shoulder aggressively that he exclaimed in pain, but I only crossed my arms and faced Gretel and Karlo in front of us.

“Why did you call me here?” I asked, but was gritting my teeth tightly.

“It’s about the missions in your organization, Minerva,” Karlo stated emphatically, “and the assassins leaving.”

“Assassins leaving?” I echoed, confused by the thought of it. “What do you mean?”

Gretel looked at Karlo and Timothy before taking a glance at me. “Actually, Miss Minerva, ever since your parents died, the Red Cartel assassins have been turning back from the organization. They are afraid that our enemies will locate them, and no one would protect them and their loved ones from certain circumstances.”

“Like what?”

Timothy answered my question, “It will not take long time that Helen and the others to locate our headquarters and raid us,” he explained and sighed while shaking his head. “We don’t have any months or years left before we get to our doom.”

I got goosebumps all over my body and instinctively had to look at Karlo, who was already watching my every reaction. It was his cue to add more statements in there. 

“It only means you have to take over as soon as possible, Minerva. Or else, there will not be enough time left for us.”

I bit my lower lip and felt the ponderous weight all over my shoulders. My head got dizzy for a moment; I couldn’t think anything straight about what they revealed.

And if our enemies track us down, what would happen to me, then?

“We should start training her by next week. She is already skilled in fighting and shooting. It will be in no time that she can be fit to lead the Red Cartel,” Karlo said and took a look at Gretel. “Do you think you can train her in the headquarters after her work?”

“Yes,” Gretel answered him and nodded. “Only if the queen would give me permission…”

Even though I was still processing everything in my head, I nodded diligently. I heard Timothy sigh and softly tap my shoulder, but I didn’t look at him.

“Everything is going to be fine, Minerva,” Timothy tried to comfort me.

I crossed my arms and lifted my chin. “Just tell me everything right here, right now, about the activities inside the Red Cartel ever since my parents died,” I said.

“I knew you would ask that, Miss Minerva,” Gretel stated, now offering me the black portfolio on the marble table that she just slid in front of me. “You can read all of the reports and some statistics here in this portfolio. It is only right that you have all the knowledge in the organization, especially what has happened after your parents were, umm, ambushed…”

She was struggling to find the right words. I can see it by the way she couldn’t look me straightly while clearing her throat. She must have thought that I would still be taken aback by my parents’ death, which is supposed to be my loss.

But for some reason, I don't feel mourning or sad at the thought of them. I love them with all my heart, but I wouldn’t waste my time shedding tears because I lost them.

Instead, I’ll make sure to let the people pay for what they did to my mom and my dad.