Chapter Forty-Nine: Who Are You, Karlo?

Chapter Forty-Nine: Who Are You, Karlo?
Glaidel left the mansion when Karlo and Timothy dismissed her, so she could return to the headquarters or to the personal life I know nothing about. According to Karlo, she also has a worldly job aside from being an assassin. I just don’t care that much, so I didn’t ask further.
“Timothy and I will just talk in the drawing area. Stay in your room-“
I cut Karlo off with a poker face. “I want to go shopping,” I muttered.
He didn’t react and just stared at me.
“You said that you would escort me yourself, right? That was your reminder at the airport,” I said and placed my hands on my hips. “So I will just change my clothes, add makeup, and fix my hair.”
His eyes went down to see Timothy manipulating his phone. Currently, we are on the second floor, just near the staircase. We just got out of his study when we tailed Glaidel before she was gone. Karlo stepped forward so he could be near my face. I was taken aback by what he did, so I stepped backward once, but didn’t show on my face that I was a bit affected.
“I just want you to know that I didn’t hear your conversation with Melanie,” he whispered and glanced at Timothy again before placing his gaze on me. “And the confession that you did in my study, I want to hear it again, because I couldn’t catch up.”
My heart was in my throat. I didn’t have any words to say. The embarrassment that I felt a while ago after I confessed some stupid things to him returned. I looked away, refusing to let him notice that I got weak in the knees.
“Will you just forget it?” I said, trying to sound irritated to him.
He chuckled and took the opportunity to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Sorry, but I won’t. Minerva, you just made me happy. Promise, baby. I will make it up to you. Just now, there are things that we have to take care of, okay?”
I feel fainting just by the gentle and excited look in his eyes. I don’t want to give in, so I forced myself to roll my eyes and turned my back on him. Every beat of my heart is almost drumming out of my chest, so I held the hem of my dress tightly, hoping that it would calm down.
I prepared my navy green romper and wore it. To make it fit, I used a black belt. With white Nike shoes and Tom Ford eyeglasses, I was already good. I wore my golden tear necklace, hoop earrings, and bangles in my last preparation before I went outside. When I was in the middle of going down the staircase, I watched Karlo and Timothy talk. They were serious and stern.
“She will be alright. I made sure of it,” Timothy said. “I’m letting Glaidel take over in her health. In the meantime, she has to be kept safe.”
“Who?” I asked in curiosity.
They both turned to me. Timothy thinned his lips tightly, while Karlo hovered his gaze from my head to toe. For the first time in my life, I was conscious that I was not beautiful enough in his eyes. But yes, of course, he has never denied his feelings towards me ever since we married each other. I also saw his admiration in all of his actions and expressive words.

“Nothing,” Timothy said and cleared his throat, looking over at Karlo before regarding me again. “Where are you going? You are supposed to read the portfolio that Glaidel gave you so you would have an idea what is happening in the Red Cartel.”

“You are right, but I was a bit stressed by the conversation with you all. I want to unwind. I’ll go shopping,” I said and smirked at my cousin.

He slapped his forehead and frowned at Karlo. “Are you sure my cousin is to be the Red Cartel queen when all she thinks about is shopping, clothes, and makeup?”

Karlo slowly walked beside me and snaked his arm around my waist. I looked up to him as he was taller than me. He smiled at my cousin that made my heart skip a beat.

“Trust me. She has what it takes,” he explained and met my eyes while tilting his head cockily. “You may think of her as shallow, but I can see right through her; she is more than you think she is…”

My knees wobbled. I was melting just the way he said those words in sincerity, and he meant it. Damn it. Before, I got irritated by how sweet he was, but now, it is making me excited like a stupid high school girl.

“We will go home later. See you,” Karlo said last to Timothy before pulling me away.

“Hey! Are you sure it is safe for her to go outside? You don’t know if Helen’s assassins are spying on you!” Timothy tried to catch up to us.

“You forgot that I am also a leader in my organization, Timothy. My wife will be fine,” Karlo assured my cousin.

I hit the air between my cousin and me using my bag so he would stop following us. “Will you knock it off? We are going shopping!” I said in irritation.

Timothy didn’t have a choice but to halt and glare at us walking away from him when I nearly hit his face with the bottom of my bag. Karlo kept pulling my hand, but it was not hurting me. There was already his car parked in front of the house. Our family driver, who was on standby, gave him the car’s key fob, which he pressed to unlock his car. He let go of my hand so he could open the car door of the passenger’s seat. I silently sat on the seat while I felt his gentle hand cover my head with his rough, big palm.

When I was about to look up, he had already closed the door. I saw him approach our family driver and talked to him. I pouted, opened my phone, and scrolled through social media. I had never searched Karlo’s name on Instagram, so out of curiosity while waiting for him, I had to search for him.

Karlo Rodriguez.

What?

Why is nothing showing?

I tried to interchange the order of his name. No results. Random arrangement of his letters with his favorite number. Nothing! I went to Facebook and Twitter. There was nothing with his name, nor even his face!

Does this guy even have social media? Or literally nothing? Does he even know any apps?

Biting my lower lip, I searched him on Google. I leaped mentally when his name, his background, and his business achievements showed up. All his biography, recorded interviews, and articles flickered in my eyes. I read every link and skimmed the indispensable information.

Karlo Rodriguez. 27. Young, successful entrepreneur. Featured in Ford Magazine. Studied and graduated from Harvard University. Owned Real Estate companies and led manufacturing establishments in the Philippines and some countries abroad. Married to Minerva Santiago.

Oh, that’s me! At least they didn’t skip that part, huh?

Family. Deceased. Both parents and his seven-year-old brother were found murdered in their own home during his middle school years.

What the hell…

I covered my mouth in shock.

Am I reading it right?

I had to read it a lot of times. Several links showed up relating to his family’s murder case. It was so brutal that the photos for reference from the time of the murder were censored and blurred.

Why have I not known about this?

I looked up and saw Karlo dismissing the conversation with our driver. With a smile on his face and his hands in his pockets, he went to the car and opened the door so he could sit in the driver’s seat. I closed Google and pretended I was doing selfie using my Instagram camera.

“What are you doing?” he asked while buckling his seatbelt.

“Just taking photos. I discovered a filter,” I gave an excuse.

“Right,” he said. “We’ll be on our way now.”

“Sure.”

He fell silent as he started the engine and began to drive. I cleared my throat and stopped manipulating my phone so I wouldn’t be tempted to read the articles about his family again.

But why…

Why did he never mention that his family is dead because of murder? And why is he saying that they are in separated missions in different countries?

Was he just lying to me? Did my parents even know about it?

Should I ask? I mean, his family was dead for a long time, but I don’t know if he is still sensitive about the topic.

His phone suddenly rang. He answered it. From the look of his expression, he didn’t like what he heard.

“Shut it down. I will kill that motherfucker,” he said coldly before ending the call. When he looked at me, he smiled. “How are you feeling?”

Karlo, who are you, really?