The Mafia Boss' Heart

CHAPTER 10

HAZE and Janine were in their company’s cafeteria and they were having lunch. Napansin ni Janine na pinaglalaruan lamang ni Haze ang pagkain nito. Ibinaba niya ang hawak na tinidor saka tinignan ang kaibigan. “Haze, have mercy on your food.”

Haze stopped and stared at her own food. Napabuntong hininga siya.

“Are you alright?” tanong ni Janine.

Tumango si Haze. “I’m alright. May iniisip lang ako.”

Janine smiled teasingly and what Haze said piqued her interest. “Someone? Could it be the man you met in Italy?” she asked, being gossipy. “And why are you pulling a long face? Are you missing someone?"

“Hindi ko gusto ang ngiti mo,” Wika ni Haze saka nagtaas ng kilay.

Janine chuckled. “Come on, Haze. Who’s the someone? Tell me.”

Haze didn’t answer Janine. She just ate because they still had work to do. Hindi siya pwedeng magutom dahil marami siyang trabaho na kailangang asikasuhin.

“Haze, come on. Tell me.” Janine insisted.

Umiling si Haze. “Kumain ka na lang, Janine. Wala akong sasabihin sa ‘yo. Wala kang makakalap na tsismis mula sa akin.” She said as she rolled her eyes. She doesn’t want to be teased by her friend until the end.

Janine pouted. Hindi niya pwedeng pilitin si Haze na magsabi ng totoo. Haze was reserved. Even if she would beg her friend to tell her what she was thinking, she wouldn’t. Kaya naman hinayaan na lamang niya ang kaibigan at nagpatuloy sila sa pagkan.

“By the way, Madam Grace's assistant resigned a few days ago. Up until now, Madam Grace doesn’t have an assistant. I wonder who will be her assistant,” Janine said.

Haze fell in her thoughts then she shook her head. “Hindi ko alam.” Aniya. For the past few days, she was the one who became the CFO’s assistant until Madam Grace found a new assistant. Sa mga nakaraang araw, ramdam niya ang pagod niya dahil doble ang kaniyang trabaho. She’s the Senior Accountant and she also needs to assist Madam Grace with her work.

After eating, Haze and Janine went back to work. Stepping out of the elevator, Haze was stunned when she saw a familiar back of a man entering the elevator. “Nicolo…”

“Haze.”

Napatingin si Haze kay Janine nang tawagin siya nito. “What is it?”

Janine smiled. “Look at this watch.” She showed her phone to Haze. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Haze nodded and looked at the man he saw but the elevator had already closed. “Maybe I was just hallucinating. Why do I think I saw him? But that’s impossible,” she mumbled. Nicolo is in Italy. He can’t be in the Philippines.

“What are you saying?” Janine asked her friend when she saw Haze mumbling.

Umiling si Haze. “Wala.”

“Oh.” Then Janine asked, “What do you think of this watch?” she asked, still showing the picture of a watch on her phone. It was a watch in an online store.

Haze frowned. “Do you want to buy it?” tanong niya.

Tumango si Janine. “Nasira ang relo ko kahapon. Alam mo naman na hindi ako komportable kapag wala akong suot na relo. At isa pa, legit naman ‘to.”

“Kung gusto mong bumili ng bagong relo, pumunta ka na lang sa tindahan. Huwag ka ng bumili online. Baka ma-scam ka pa. Hindi ko naman sinasabing ma-scam pero mag-ingat ka na lang,” Sabi ni Haze habang binuksan niya ang glass door ng opisina nila saka sila sabay na pumasok sa loob.

“You don’t really trust online selling,” Janine said. “Accompany me to the watch store after work.”

Haze halted on her step and looked at her friend. “It's better to buy online,” she said, smiling, fixed her eyeglasses that come down slightly to her nose and went back to her cubicle.

Nataw ana lamang si Janine saka napailing. “Haze is really something,” she said, going to her own cubicle and starting her work.

MEANWHILE, Nicolo just arrived at the CEO’s office. CEO of Romero Company and also the husband of his cousin, Grace.

“You finally arrived,” saad ni Liam na siyang CEO ng Romero’s Company nang makita niyang pumasok sa loob ng kaniyang opisina ang pinsan ng kaniyang asawa.

Nicolo smile. “Long time no see.”

Liam stood up from his seat and greeted Nicolo with a man hug. Tinapik niya ang balikat ni Nicolo. "Have a seat."

Nicolo sat on the sofa and he couldn’t help but wander his eyes inside his cousin-in-law’s office. “Nice office.”

“Thanks. But I think it’s not as nice as your office in Italy,” Wika ni Liam.

Nicolo chuckled. Liam is older than him but they became good friends. Liam was nice to his cousin, so they became friends and he looked to Liam as his older brother since he doesn’t have siblings.

Liam stood up and entered a door inside his office. When he came back, he was holding two sodas in a can. Liam gave Nicolo the soda he was holding.

“Thanks.” Nicolo opened the soda saka uminom.

“It’s your second time in the Philippines, right?” Liam asked.

Tumango si Nicolo. “My first time was your wedding with my cousin.”

“When Grace told me about your visit here, I was thrilled but was more thrilled when I found out the real reason why you came here,” Ngumiti ng mapang-asar si Liam kay Nicolo. “Cupids hits you hard, huh. You really followed her here.”

Nicolo let out a sigh. “Liam, don’t tease me. My father and my assistant had been teasing me these past few days. Give me a break.”

Malakas na natawa si Liam. He put down his soda on the center table and leaned on the sofa as he crossed his legs. “So, how long will you stay here?”

“I don’t know.” Umiling si Nicolo dahil hindi naman talaga niya alam.

Liam nodded. “If I were you, if you wanted to stay here for long. You should apply for dual citizenship. Though you will pay high, it’s alright. You’re here. You have a lot of money. You can make that happen in a short time.”

“Pull some string for me.”

“No problem,” Liam agreed immediately. Then he couldn’t help but pry, “So, who’s the lucky lady? I was asking my wife but she doesn’t want to tell me. She told me that it was disrespectful to you if she voiced out the lady’s name without your consent. So, I didn’t ask anymore. I could only ask you.”

Nicolo sighed in defeat. Since, he was already here, and his cousin-in-law already knew the reason why he was here, he didn’t have a choice, but tell him the name of the woman he liked. “Haze.”

Napaisip si Liam. “Haze?” Inisip niya kung sino sa mga empleyada ang may pangalang Haze pero isang tao lang ang rumehistro sa utak niya. “Oh. The Senior Accountant. She’s smart but she’s a reserved person. I heard that many single men here wanted to court her but she’s distancing herself from them,” said Liam. Then he realized something. “I just heard it.”

“When I first met her, I already saw that she was a reserved person,” Sabi ni Nicolo.

Liam smiled. “So, tell me, what position do you want?”

“A position close to Haze.”

Natawa si Liam saka napailing. “The woman you like was in the accounting department. And she’s the Senior Accountant. My wife is the Chief Financial Officer. Her assistant resigned the other day. You can fill up that position. Be her Assistant Financial Officer. I know you can do it since you were the one managing your company in Italy.”

Nicolo could only scratch his neck hearing his cousin-in-law talking about the company he was managing in Italy.

“You can start next week if you want.” Dagdag ni Liam.

“Thank you, cousin-in-law. But you must not tell anyone about my relationship with you and Grace.” Nicolo said.

Liam nodded to agree. “Alright. No one will know.”

“Thank you.”

“Anyway, how about your accommodation? Do you want to stay in the mansion?” Liam asked.

“Thank you but no. I have already bought a condo near your company using Grace’s name since I can’t buy it in my own name. Moreover, it was more convenient for me. As you know, I am part of the Mafia. If my enemy learns about my stay in the Philippines, I might drag you and Grace. Grace had already turned her back to the Mafia World so, I don’t want to cause trouble.” Sabi ni Nicolo.

Liam nodded, understanding where Nicolo was coming from. “Have dinner with us tonight.”

“I would love to but I want to go to my condo and take a rest first. Maybe some other day.” Nicolo said as he looked at his wristwatch. He was exhausted from sitting in his plane for almost eighteen hours.

“Then you should go home and have a rest. You need it,” said Liam.

“Thanks.”

Nicolo left and went to his condo.

ITALY…

“Boss, will the Young Master be safe in the Philippines?” Marcello asked in a worried voice.

“Right, Boss, we can ask Alessio to follow and protect him,” Luca suggested.

“Marco can go too,” said Matteo.

Rafael sighed. He put down the withdrew his gaze from the magazine he was reading. “Nicolo will be safe there. I already blocked everything that could find his location. Our enemy wouldn’t find him.”

“Boss, we’re worried,” said Marcello.

Rafael looked flatly at Marcello. “Do you think I am not worried? I am worried for my son too but this is the best arrangement I can do for him to be safe,” he said. “Italy is the most dangerous place for him. And I couldn’t bear it if something happened to him.”

Rafael’s subordinates looked at each other.

Rafael continued. “As you know, the enemy was nearby. We have to be careful.”

The enemy was nearby and yet I couldn’t kill him because I was valuing the promise, I had made to my parent’s grave to take care of my younger brother. Rafael thought.