Our Lies

Chapter 22

"That's all for today, Sir." Amaria retrieved the last folder from Gia and tapped on her digital notepad. "For tomorrow..." She looked up and saw her employer staring into his phone blankly. She turned off her notepad and nodded before leaving his room silently.

It had been two weeks since her boss came looking like he had lost his will to live. He still was, but now with additional heavy eye bags under his eyes. Sure, Serogia Dignita looked like a half-dead before, always listening and obeying his grandfather's wishes, like a doll with no desire or hope, but lately he looked completely dead to his secretary. Amaria turned her head to the double doors behind her, looking worried. She thought something changed in him lately. Something different. He looked... alive. But now...

Her mother noticed that too. Just two days ago, Georgia found him sitting alone in the kitchen at midnight. He told her he could not sleep so he came down to drink. She told him alcohol was not good for his body and offered him hot milk instead but was refused. He said he needed something stronger than what babies needed to sleep.

Amaria grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contact list. Her finger stopped at a particular name. She was about to press the call button when someone from the reception called to inform her that there was a package waiting for her below. Amaria closed the contact app and headed downstairs.

Gia looked at the messages on his phone. Agata did not reply to his message today. In fact, all his calls and messages were left unanswered since that day. He had gone to her home but as an outsider, the security system had denied him entry. What should he do now? This was not going the way he had hoped for. They had finally found each other (or he was found), but now it looked like she did not want to see him ever again. Did she hate him now? The room was silent. All Gia could hear was the sound of the clock ticking. It was eight in the evening and the noise from the crowd more than a hundred meters below had started to die down. He glanced at his phone again. Without hesitant, he picked up his car key and left the room.

It was late in the evening when Agata came home finding a familiar car parked outside her apartment building. At the entrance of the building, Gia was standing with his back facing her. Both his hands were inside the pockets of his coat. It was a cold night.

"Why are you blocking people from entering?" Agata asked as she strode to the entrance.

Gia turned. "Agata? Oh... you are outside..."

Agata stared at him, which made Gia nervous.

"Can I go in?" Gia asked with eyes full of hope.

"If you have something to say, just say it here." Agata sulked.

Gia sniffled. His cheeks flushed pink. "But it's cold here." He rubbed his nose. The night was getting colder.

"Then make it as short as possible." Agata continued talking in a cold tone.

"Are you still angry with me?"

"Why do you care?" Agata was about to launch another verbal fight with him.

Gia decided to change his approach. "You ignored all my calls and messages. I am worried about you."

"Nobody asked you to. And why would you worry about me? You don't even remember me. We are strangers now." Agata walked past him and started keying the security code on a panel near the door. The double door opened and Gia followed her inside.

"Agata..."

She turned and stared at him in the eyes. "You shouldn't do this, Mr. Dignita."

"Don't call me that." Gia looked away. He did not mind others but not Agata, she did like her calling him something he was not.

"You are engaged. It's indecent to visit another woman who is not your family and is living alone..." Agata paused abruptly.

Gia noticed the sudden change in her expression. "Agata?"

Agata looked up and shot him a questioning look. "How... did you know I was living alone?"

Gia's heart almost stopped. "What do you mean?"

"You said that, didn't you?? When you first came here. That I shouldn't bring a man home. That you were worried because I am living alone."

Gia stood motionless, staring at the girl in front of him. His dark eyes could not leave her puzzling eyes.

"How did you know about that?" Agata pressed him.

"I..." Gia could not find any words. He felt a throbbing pain in his head and his vision began to blur. He rubbed his tired eyes.

"Look, Agata... can we..."

"Answer me, Gia." Her anger from before seemed to have evaporated in that moment and was replaced by a deep suspicion. "Are you hiding something from me?"

***

"Eat more, Gia." Dara said as she ladled a huge scoop of chicken soup into his bowl.

Gia nodded sheepishly. "Thank you." He had changed into a new set of clean clothes prepared by the lady. There were only the two of them in the house.

"When you are done, drink this medicine and get some rest." A bottle of syrup medicine was placed nearby.

Gia nodded and thanked the lady again.

Dara smiled warmly but the boy noticed the grieving gaze in her eyes.

"If he were alive, he would have been the same age as you. You could have been good friends." She murmured absentmindedly.

Gia munched the bread on his hand and watched her silently.

Dara left the kitchen for a moment and then came back carrying a first aid kit in her arms. Much to his discomfort, she rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to reveal many wounds on his arms. Some had turned purple blue while some looked new. Her eyes did not show any emotion. She opened the box and started treating them in silence.

"How could he do this... to his own child..." She gritted her teeth in anger.

Although he was the one getting hurt, why was she the one looking sad? Young Gia had thought. His small hand reached for her face.

"Oh, my. What was I doing?" Dara quickly wiped the tears that were building up in her eyes. Gia pretended he did not see them.

"Don't tell Agata or my husband, okay?" She patted his head.

Gia nodded again and continued eating his bread.