"Up to you. Just know when you should let go. You've already experienced a hell of a life with your father. Don't let your life with your husband be the same. Leave immediately if you see that it's not good for you." Nin held my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. I smiled at her because I really appreciated her concern for me.
Our conversation shifted to our friend Rae. We heard that he's planning to come home next month. Rae said he didn't want to miss any gossip about me and my husband.
I spent the day with Nina. My thoughts wandered, and my feelings lightened. I was so happy that day. It reminded me that I could always be myself with my friends, that I had nothing to hide from them. Among all the people, they were the ones who embraced me without judgment.
I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I entered the house. One of the househelper opened the door for me, and I was still all smiles. It faded only when I ran into a familiar man who seemed to be leaving our house.
The man also stopped in front of me. His blank yet piercing eyes locked onto mine. I was taken aback. Gio and this man had similar but different eyes. They were both lifeless, but this man's thoughts were more readable than Gio's, who was truly enigmatic.
"Hi!" I greeted him warmly. If I wasn't mistaken, he was Gio's cousin.
"Hi," he replied tersely.
I tried to recall his name. With the multitude of names in Gio's family, they sometimes got mixed up.
"Taddeo..." a voice came from the second floor. I saw Gio looking at us with a glass of alcohol in his hand.
His cousin, whose name I now remembered, turned to me. Right! He's Taddeo! Gio's consigliere!
"I thought you already left. Why are you still here?" There was something in Gio's voice that I couldn't quite pinpoint. What was it? A threat?
"I was about to when I bumped into her," Taddeo replied, his expression still emotionless.
"You are Gio's cousin. Hi, Taddeo! Nice meeting you. We already met at the wedding." I extended my hand to him for a formal introduction. "Millie."
"I know," he replied curtly before glancing at my hand. "I will think twice before doing that."
"What?" My smile slowly faded.
Taddeo raised his gaze from my hand to my eyes.
"Shaking hands. Your husband and I have the same blood-we're territorial. We don't want anyone else touching what's ours-family members not excluded." He put his hands in his pocket. My hand dropped to my side. "I don't want to lose my hand by just shaking my cousin's wife. I have many uses for my hand. Have a nice evening, Millie." And he left.
I was so confused by his words. Was that some kind of riddle I needed to decipher?
"Millie."
I stood up straight when I heard Gio's voice. He had come down from the second floor and was walking towards me.
"You're home," he said, even though he had seen me a while ago.
"Y-Yes, I'm home."
Taddeo's words repeated in my mind-that Gio is territorial, and he doesn't want anyone touching what's his. Am I his?
"Have you eaten dinner?"
I nodded at him. "Yup! Nin and I had dinner before coming home. How about you? Have you eaten?"
I observed the movement of his Adam's apple, a sign that he was swallowing harshly. My brow furrowed in response. Is he nervous or something?
"Yes, I ate already-"
"Sir, Ma'am Millie is here! Shall I prepare your dinner now? You've been waiting for her, haven't you?"
Gio and I both looked at their housekeeper, Alicia.
"Huh? I thought you already ate?" I turned back to Gio, puzzled by the contradiction between what he said and what Manang mentioned.
"Sir hasn't eaten yet." Alicia said. "he's waiting for you, Ma'am-"
"Alicia, if you love your job, you'll shut up."
Alicia quickly covered her mouth, realizing what was going on. She excused herself and returned to the kitchen.
"Are you waiting for me, and that's why you haven't eaten? You said you already ate?" I wanted to conceal my smile, but I couldn't help it. I approached Gio, and he couldn't hide the slight frown on his face.
"I just thought you hadn't eaten yet."
I bit my lip, attempting to suppress a smile. I took Gio's hand and grabbed the glass of alcohol he was holding.
"In that case, let's eat. It's a shame to let the food go to waste." I let the smile escape my lips because I was finding it increasingly hard to hold back.
"I am not forcing you to eat again just because I haven't eaten, Millie." Despite his tone, I was still smiling.
"You're not forcing me. There's still room in my stomach for more food, Gio. Let's eat."
I didn't know I had this power over him, that I could make Gio Locatelli comply.
Gio sighed and stared at me for a long moment. The moment he closed his eyes, I knew I had won, and he had conceded.
"Fine."
I led him to the dining area and instructed Alicia to prepare the food.
~*~
"Can I work, Gio?"
I left my job in our company before I got married to him. I was training myself so that when my father retires, I'll be ready for the position he plans to pass on to me - if he decides to leave the company to me.
Gio paused eating and looked at me. I smiled at him as that was the only way I could hide my nervousness.
"I'm not doing anything here at home. I can't stay here doing nothing. I think... I need to work, too. I'll return to my job in my father's company."
Gio's jaw tensed as soon as I mentioned my father, clearly not happy with what I said, especially the reference to my father.
"I don't want you near him. He's going to hurt you again," Gio said, shaking his head and returning his attention to his food.
I'm glad he's concerned about me. Even though his actions are often confusing, and it's hard to pinpoint his true feelings for me, I'm still happy that he's vocal about my safety, and he doesn't hide it.
"My department is far from where my father works. We're on different floors, and we rarely see each other. Besides, Papa has a reputation to maintain. He won't do anything to harm his image, especially in front of employees who greatly respect him. I don't think he'll hurt me at the office."
Gio took a deep breath but didn't respond immediately. I knew he didn't like the idea.
"Dr. Meghan also suggested that keeping busy would be good for me. I think working will probably help me-"
"It will only stress you out. Cut it off."
I pouted. I wondered where I found the courage to argue with him. Maybe it's because he doesn't threaten me, and compared to our past conversations, this one felt lighter. I felt no fear. Gio might get mad at me, but he'd never hurt me. That's what I held onto.
"I get more stressed here at home when I'm alone. Please?"
I clasped my hands together to appeal to him. Gio looked at me, and despite the intensity of his gaze, I kept smiling at him.
"You're going to bring your bodyguards with you," he said to me.
Gio gave me a few more reminders while I couldn't believe that...
"Is that a yes?"
When I saw Gio nod, I was overjoyed. I almost stood up to hug him but managed to restrain myself.
"Can I please not bring the guards-"
"Non-negotiable, Millie."
I didn't press further. I didn't want to risk him changing his mind and not allowing me.