Our Lies

Chapter 11

"You are lucky to have a friend like me to back you up. Your grandfather didn't even question my story."

"Recognized for making headlines with scandalous relationships is not something you should be proud of, Mr. Clown." Amaria interrupted. By this time, Gia was sure his secretary called his friend a clown on purpose.

Jean waved his hand. "This is why I love you, Amaria."

The secretary ignored him and turned to her employer. "I am outside if you need me, Sir."

Gia nodded. His head was in a mess. He did not mean to drag Agata into this mountain of lies. This is my fault.

"Are you going to tell your grandfather about Agata?" Jean asked.

"NO! No... I mean..."

"Calm down. It's just a suggestion. I just thought if she is really someone you knew from your past... perhaps your missing mother..." Jean scratched the back of his neck.

Gia looked away, feeling unsettled about his own words. "Grandpa has been dealing with this for years. I don't want to see him running around chasing false leads only to be disappointed in the end. I don't wish to see him getting agitated over nothing."

Jean pondered. "True."

"Please don't tell anyone about this yet. It's no use making this matter messier than it already is. Just let Agata out of this for now."

***

"Mr. Crown?" Agata was surprised to see Sera's brother waiting for her in the Tower's lobby. She never thought they would meet again.

"Hey." Jean waved his hand.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Do you have time? Let's go have dinner together."

"Huh? I do, but..."

Jean sensed her hesitation but he knew how to handle this. "It's about Gia. There are things I want to ask you."

Agata eyed him suspiciously. "Why would I talk to you about Gia? Did he ask you to?"

"Not really..." Jean smiled.

"Then..."

"Jean?" A man's voice came from behind them.

Jean and Agata turned and saw a man in his fifties walking toward them, accompanied by two other younger men, probably his subordinates.

"Dad?" Jean muttered.

It was not surprising to see his father in the Crown-Graham Tower. His family was the co-owner of the building. The other being his in laws.

"What are you doing here at this hour? And this lady..." His dad's gaze turned to Agata. For a moment, a shock registered in his eyes. "You are..."

"Ah, she is my friend, Dad." Jean introduced the two.

Jean's dad eyes did not leave Agata. There was a strange look in his eyes. "I see... What is your name, miss? Do you work here?"

Agata nodded. "Agata... Agata Fores. I joined the company last year."

The older man smiled. There was something in his gaze that Jean recognized but could not put into words. The executive glanced at his son and turned around. "I'll leave you now. Jean, don't fool around too much."

Jean responded lazily.

Jean looked like he was lost in thoughts. He almost did not touch the food.

"Is the food not to your liking?" Agata asked as she removed the strawberry slices from her fruit salad. She agreed to have dinner together in the end.

"Do you perhaps know my father too?" Jean twirled the pasta with his fork.

"What do you mean? Eric Crown is the co-owner of the place I'm working at. Of course I know him. Today is the first time I met him though."

"Is that all?" He murmured. He could not forget his father's strange look when he saw Agata. A longing gaze. "Say, do you remember Gia's family from back then? His house? Who was he living with? His parents?"

Agata stopped eating. "Why are you asking?"

Jean shrugged his shoulders. "Just curious."

"He lived with his parents. That's all I remember." Agata continued eating.

"You saw his mother before??" Jean's eyes were twinkling.

"Step mother." Agata corrected.

"Step mother? Is his biological mother..." Jean's words trailed off.

"I don't know. I've never seen her."

"I see..." Jean nodded his head a few times. Divorced and left Gia to her husband? Or... passed away? Jean thought of the possibilities.

"Is Gia really Mr. Leo's grandson? How did they find him after the crash?" Why didn't his grandfather come to get him sooner? Away from that awful family...

Jean raised his brows. "Of course he is, old Leo introduced him as his grandson himself, although Gia doesn't remember anything from the unfortunate accident. He just accepted whatever his grandfather told him." Jean let out a sigh. "He is always afraid of his grandfather."

"Afraid? Why? He is his family!"

Jean shrugged his shoulders again. "Beats me. They don't speak to each other much."

Agata did not say anything for a while. "Do you know anything about the accident?"

Jean shook his head. "I heard from my sister that your parents were traveling with Gia on that day?"

Agata nodded. The next day after she learned about the car crash from Gia, she had gone to the police station to inquire about it, giving out her parents' names – but there was nothing. Their names were nowhere to be found. She was dumbfounded. She was sure her parents were with Gia that day. Did that mean they went separate ways? But why? The police had refused to tell her any further regarding the accident as the family of those involved had agreed to close the case, citing a full investigation had been held and it was declared as a single vehicle accident.

"I heard old Leo changed a lot after he found Gia."

Agata shot him a puzzled look.

"Gia's biological mother, who is also old Leo's only daughter went missing 10 years before Gia was found. I heard the family searched for her for years, using all their power and resources, but they never found anything. And then, after a few years of despair for losing her only child, her mother passed away of broken heart, never knowing what happened to their daughter." Jean let out a heavy sigh. "I pitied the old man sometimes. But you know what, despite what everyone thinks, particularly Gia, I think he actually adores his grandson very much. He just doesn't show it. But who doesn't love Gia? He is sweet, too sweet sometimes."

Agata smiled warmly. "He is... he always is."

"No wonder his fiancée is so enamored of him."

"Fiancée...?" And then Agata remembered the lady she met at the party.

"Agnes Lassham, the country's sweetheart. Daughter of a respectful minister. A supermodel every girl strives to be. Lucky Gia." Jean giggled.

"I... didn't know that..."

Jean laughed. "You will. She is a celebrity and the press loves her. Hope Gia can handle that."