Grieving Soul [#Wattys2019 Winner]

Chapter 28

#GrievingSoulWP

Chapter 28
Trust

The dining room was awkwardly quiet when Gio and I arrived. Everyone watched us while he pulled out a sit for me and took care of my plate like how he usually does. Eventually, my family started to act normally when they noticed nothing wrong exept for Mayor Valiente and Leo who kept on watching us with uncomfortable stares.

"Do you want more rice?" he quietly asked me after he put a scoop of rice on my plate.

I shook my head and smiled at him. "I'm fine with this."

"Okay," he simply said and smiled at me.

Hindi ko sinasadya na mapadpad ang aking tingin kay Leo na pinanood ang bawat pagkilos ni Gio. I creased my forehead when I wasn't able to read his expression, but I know that I didn't like the way he looked at him.

"Gio..." Leo bravely called Gio's attention.

Gio lazily raised his head to look at Leo. Mas lalong natahimik ang hapag kainan nang magtama ang tingin nilang dalawa sa isa't isa. The intensity of their stares frightened me.

I secretly hold onto Gio's arm and tried to calm him down. I felt how stiff he was but his body immediately relaxed with my touch. However, his eyes were still declaring war and screaming murder.

"Papa told me that you're the one who's managing our land in England," Leo said with an insulting tone. "I'm assuming that it is in good shape."

Gio smirked at that. "Of course, it is."

A very proud and arrogant look was etched in Gio's face—showcasing his full confidence. I've never seen him that way because he always looks humble.

"Well, that's great!" Leo exclaimed and chuckled. "I hope you'll continue doing a great work before I inherit and manage the whole land."

Gio let out a baritone laugh with no humor in it. "I never thought that you're interested with it since it's not your thing, right?"

Leo slightly lost his cool but he still managed to give his clapback. "I am the only Valiente who'll inherit the land, it made me very interested with it."

Tumango-tango si Gio at nakuha pang kalmado na uminom ng tubig habang may mapaglarong ngiti sa kanyang labi. Para bang hindi man lang siya apektado sa mga sinasabi ni Leo.

"Since you're here now and you've finally accepted your responsibility as the heir of the land, why don't you start managing it?" Gio challenged him. "Napakiusapan lang naman ako na pangalagaan at palaguin ang lupain ninyo habang hindi pa napagdedesisyunan kung sino ang magmamana. I should give it to you already lalo na't wala na akong balak na bumalik ng England."

Leo wasn't able to hold the amusement on his face when Gio stated his last sentence. Kahit ako ay nakaramdam ng hindi pagkatuwa sa kanyang sinabi. Agad ko siyang nilingon nang may pagtataka ngunit hindi niya man lang ako sinulyapan.

"Gio..." mahina ngunit mariin kong pagtawag sa kanya pero hindi siya natinag at mukhang wala nang balak na bawiin ang kanyang sinabi.

Mayor Valiente laughed in the middle of silence. "What do you mean by that, hijo?" he asked, very confused with Gio's words. "You'll still finish your Masters, right? Plus, Leo isn't ready yet. Iarra will still help him learn the things that he needs to know and understand."

"I can still manage the land from here since there's not much work to do while Leo's not yet ready. Our business needs me, and I'm also planning to start my own," Gio flawlessly stated his reasons. "The truth is... I really don't have any plan getting my Masters but since I'm going to England, I realized that I should maximize my time to enhance my knowledge regarding the career I took. Not enrolling for this coming term and dropping the remaining subjects to graduate isn't a problem to me."