Our Lies

Chapter 45

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Serogia!!" Two students waved at Gia as they left the school ground. He waved back. It was past lunch time, he wondered if Agata had her lunch at home. Should he go back to check up on her? But his other job at the grocery store would start soon and the owner was not exactly the friendliest person he knew and he was very particular with time. While contemplating for his next action, he felt someone approached him. He looked up and saw Leo's secretary.

"It has been a while, Mr. Serogia." Trowell lowered his head.

Gia stepped back. "What... are you doing here? Don't tell me..."

"Mr. Leo is here. Would you like..."

"Leave me alone." He turned and walked away. He was not ready to meet Leo again.

"Mr. Serogia!! Wait!!" The secretary chased after him. "Your grandfather wants to talk to you. Please, just listen to him!!"

Gia kept walking. "He is not my grandfather."

"Serogia..."

Gia stopped the moment he heard the familiar voice. He turned and saw Leo Dignita.

"Are you going to waste your life living like this here?" Leo asked, looking repulsed by the interior of the house they were in at the moment. The pipe leaks had since increased to three spots and the sound they created from water drops falling into the plastic tubs only made the house looked even more miserable.

Gia did not answer. He just sat there with his lips closed.

"Grandpa, this is not how I told you to speak." Agata glared at him.

Leo cleared his throat. "You don't have to be a Dignita to work at Lumina Capital. You can come back. Why waste your talent here, in a small village like this?"

"Mr. Dignita, please..." Trowell stopped him from spouting more rude remarks. He should have reminded his employer that work topic should be avoided even when he did not know how to talk to his grandson.

"Are you done? Leave my house if you have. Don't come again." Gia stood up.

"Leave...? What...? Are you kicking me out??" Leo could not believe what he just heard. The Serogia he knew would never talk back to him – and why was he angry with him? Should it not be the other way round? He had lied to him for years!

"I don't know what you are here for but if you are here just to make fun of my current life, don't waste your time."

"You little...!!!"

"Hold on, Sir!!!" Trowell held his master. "Mr. Serogia, please!!"

"Gia... I know this is not what you wanted to say..." Agata pulled his hand.

Suddenly they could hear someone rapping on the door. "Hey, you new hire!! Are you inside?? Open the door!!" It was the grocery owner. Gia quickly opened the door for him.

A man with rough appearance stood outside the door. He pointed at Gia's face. His finger almost touched him. "Don't think because you have this handsome face you can do anything you want! I am not as lenient as my wife. Didn't I tell you to come earlier today because we have delivery coming today? Come with me now!! As our agreement, you will not be paid for today!"

"Now hold on a second, Mister. Who do you think you are?" Agata got up and ran to the entrance. She could no longer bear to see Gia being treated rudely.

"I'll handle this. You go back inside." Gia shushed her.

"You have girlfriend?" The grocery store owner eyed Agata from head to toe. "No wonder you are picking up many jobs. She looks expensive."

"Don't talk about her like that. Just leave her alone." Gia pushed Agata backed inside and pulled the knob to close the door. "Let's just go now and get the work done."

"Do you think you can leave just like that after insulting them?" Leo held the door open and stood facing the rough man.

"Who is this old man?"

"He doesn't need your damn job. He quits starting today! You can go back to your pathetic store and unload your stupid grocery alone!!" Leo shouted, pointing his walking stick at the man.

Gia looked at Leo in disbelief and the grocery store owner's face was red from anger. He cursed everyone there and left the house angrily, not forgetting yelling at Gia to never come again.

"What an idiot!" Leo lowered his walking stick and turned to Gia. "You see? Are you sure you want to work with barbaric people like him? You don't belong here, Serogia. Just come..."

"Mr. Dignita."

Leo frowned. He did not like how his ex-grandson called him.

"I will tell you now clearly. I will never go back working for you." Gia told Leo firmly.

"Working for me...? Serogia, Lumina Capital is your..."

"I am not your grandson, remember?" Gia cut him.

"But I..."

"Give it to someone else, I don't care anymore. I am tired. Please leave." Gia strode past him and locked the door, leaving the three outside.

"Grandpa!!!" Agata cried. "You ruined everything!! Now I am kicked out too!! You are here to persuade him to come home, aren't you?? Why complicates things??"

"He is the one who is stubborn!! I've come all the way to see him and look how he treated me!!" Leo defended himself.

"He is as stubborn as you, really." The secretary murmured.

"Did you say something??" Leo asked.

"Nothing, Sir."

"He doesn't want Lumina Capital? Fine!! I'll give it to someone else! There are many smart executives in the company who can't wait to replace him!! Let's go home, Trowell!! I'll never come again!"

The secretary shook his head in despair.

Gia opened the door and found Agata sitting by the front door. "Aren't you coming in?"

Agata grinned and got up. She held his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "You know grandpa didn't mean anything he said, right? You have lived as his grandson for so long. You should know how he truly feels."

"I don't know."

"Jeeezz. You are both hard headed." Agata watched him standing in front of the opened fridge, thinking of their dinner. She let out a sigh and walked to him. "We will both die soon if we eat what you serve so let me handle our meals from now on."

That night, Gia did not complain about Agata taking space on his bed. To her surprise, he pulled her closer and hugged her to sleep.