Our Lies

Chapter 17

Agata was staring at the colorful charts on her computer screen when she felt someone poked her on the shoulder. She spun her chair and saw a curious grin on her desk mate' face.

"What is it? Something hot?" Agata raised one of her brows. Known as the office's walking newscaster, her coworker moved closer to her. About to relay the latest office gossip, I see, Agata presumed. She then hit Agata's arm playfully.

"Hey! What's that for??"

"You don't look the type but you are actually dating our big boss' son??"

"Date... WHAT??!"

Agata's semi loud remark attracted a few pairs of eyes around them. She smiled apologetically and turned her attention back to her neighbor.

"What are you talking about???" The words came out as whispers but the explanation demanding tone was there.

Her coworker cocked her head to the side. "Aren't you... dating Jean Crown?"

"No, I am not! Where did you hear that from??"

Seeing Agata denied it firmly, the girl's lips twisted to the side. "Weird. Someone told me the boss was asking for your personal information from the HR. Anddddd... a few people saw you and the golden prince leaving the Tower's lobby together a few days ago."

"Oh... that..." Agata promptly recalled what Gia told her last time she saw him. He and Jean had lied to his grandfather about their relationships. But why was Eric Crown looking into her? She did not think she made any impression when they met. Just a friend of his son. Just one of his thousand employees. Had that fake story made it to his ears?

"That was just a coincidence." Agata dismissed the claim.

"Is it...? Ohh..." The girl paused her sentence abruptly and then giggled again. "Well, looks like it's not."

"What?"

"Behind you." The girl pointed to something behind Agata. Agata turned around and saw the rumored golden prince standing behind the glass wall of her office, waving at her, accompanied by his brighter-than-the-sun smile.

***

"So why is Agata going to your house?"

"Well, Dad asked me to bring her home?" Jean shrugged.

"And why would he want to meet her?"

"He said he wants to know her better?" Jean shrugged again.

"Why would he want to know her better?"

Agata rubbed her forehead. The questions were going circles with more questions generated rather than answers.

"Dad sure is acting strange. The last time he did this was when I had just started dating Alex. He never bothered to know who Jean dates because he changes girlfriend faster than he changes his clothes," Sera Graham looked at her brother disapprovingly.

"Seems like grandpa Leo told dad about Agata but yeah, it's strange. Dad never cares about this before. Someone told me he even did a background check on her." Jean leaned back with his hands behind his head. He recalled the HR lady he spent an evening with a few days ago.

"Well, no. She is not going."

"Why are you deciding things for me, Gia?" Agata frowned. The four of them were sitting in her living room. Jean had gone to find her and Gia after a call from his father regarding the matter. Sera caught them just in time when she entered the Tower.

"All this misunderstanding happens because I lied to my grandfather. I am going instead. I will explain everything to Uncle Eric." Gia decided.

"Calm down, my dear friend. She is just meeting my dad. Not getting married to me or anything." Jean grinned at his best friend. "You know you are acting more and more like an overprotective parent."

"Overprotect...? I've told you I just don't want Agata to be dragged into this."

"If Agata doesn't accept this invitation, my dad will surely find this strange and..." Jean did a dramatic pause. "We never know if he will blabber this out the next time he sees old Leo."

Gia's face turned dark. Surely, Jean's father would not find it strange? He would just regard this as one of his son's short-term flings. Something else bothered Gia. He did not like the fact that Eric Crown had personally looked into Agata's profile ... was there something that interest him?

"Is it that bad? I mean we didn't do anything wrong in the first place. I can just go with Jean and explain..."

"Just... stay out of this, please. Pretend you don't know anything. I will handle this." Gia decided.

Agata bit her lower lip. Frankly, Jean could just lie to his father (again) that they had broken up or something (nothing strange for someone with records like Jean) so she did not have to go. But there was something in Gia's strong refusal that did not sit right with her. His behavior was unnatural. Why was he so worried that someone like Eric Crown had interest in her? It was almost like he was pushing her away, he did not want her to be involved with someone he was close to. Her mind wandered back to the last time Gia was in her apartment. He had shown his reluctance to let her meet his grandfather too. Agata looked at the man sitting beside her. His troubled expression.

Gia, are you hiding something from me?

The room was silent as a graveyard as everyone seemed to be busy with their own thoughts. Sera, who was watching the whole thing while sipping her tea suddenly rose from the sofa and pulled her brother's arm. "It's late. Let's go."

"Huh? But we are not done..."

"Let Agata decide this herself okay?"

"But what about Gia?"

Sera smiled. "Like he said, this is his fault. He should help Agata think about this. Right, Gia?" She did not wait for Gia's reply and dragged Jean out with her after bidding them good night.

"What was that about?" Jean protested. They were now outside Agata's unit, waiting for the elevator to arrive.

Sera did not respond. Her eyes were staring straight at the closed metal doors in front but her thought was elsewhere. Her childhood friend, Gia. They had known him for more than a decade. A calm, kindhearted young man but also, a very private person just like his grandfather. Always tolerating her and Jean's foolishness and quietly listening to his grandfather's often unreasonable demand. But tonight, looking at him losing his cool over someone he barely knew. And there was something about his expression. Worried? Terrified? It was clear to her that her childhood friend was hiding something from them. Something to do with Agata. Something he definitely did not want his grandfather to find out.