Mistakenly Eaten

86. Things getting taken care of...

Gigi paced back and forth inside the surveillance room, where he was alone at that hour of the morning.

He looked at the watch in his hand, which was an old Rolex, gifted to him by Alejandro Santiago when he completed his fifth year in the company.

The suddenly gaze on that watch, immediately drowned Gigi’s heart in guilt, regarding what he was about to do and how he was going to backstab the very own people who treated him like family.

Gigi immediately snapped his wrist back and down and cleared his head from any maneuvering thoughts that occupied his mind and prohibited him from doing what he was about to do.

I am doing it for the safety and security of the Santiago dynasty!

My first and foremost duty is protecting this family and the integrity of their ordeals. It is my obligation to make sure that nothing ever veers and breaks the hierarchy of the Santiago family and any potential threat against it must be dealt and handled in the righteous manner, without causing any schism and schmaltzy rift within the Santiago cooperations.

And what Gigi had mapped out was the perfect way in he could deal with the threat that Santiago cooperations internal structure faced. And the dealing would be done in a very intricate and silent manner.

His mole, Sofia, pretending to be Lana’s assistant at the city police office, down in the city hall was given a perfect script and also the video that she was to show to Irene and Jacob.

The vide would expose where Althea was and for what purpose she was taken for and he also urged Sofia to ask Irene and Jacob, to use that video to first and directly contact with the Santiagos and the first point of contact in case of emergencies in such legal situations was going to be Alejandro. He was a man of great mental capabilities and there was no way he would ever risk his company’s integrity and image that he had spent years building and crafting with great intricacy. He would then be forced to give up Althea and further pressurize everyone on the island to immediately let go off the girl and as for Sofia, he had prepared her ticket to Russia, with a safety corner booked for her.

Gigi had made sure to never tell about Sofia to anyone and she was nowhere on the Santiago contract papers and employment history and that’s why, even when she would reveal everything to Irene and Jacob, she would get an easy way out and also a way in to safety.

Everything was perfectly aligned with his plan and he just couldn’t wait to hear back from Sofia.

Gigi: Is she there yet?

He texted the woman, who replied negatively.

Sofia – the mole: No, not yet.

Gigi: Do it, as soon as she arrives.

His plan was set in line and now just needed the perfect execution.

Sofia had told him that Irene usually visited Jacob every morning before leaving for work, where she had joined the office of the public policy implantation and worked under the mayor’s chief secretary. She had a good pay and that also put her in a good place to make a move as bold as the one Gigi expected her to, after she would get the video of Althea being fooled to believe that she was at the secret chef hunter’s society, whilst the reality was far beyond it.

The door to the surveillance room opened up and Gigi straightened, finding it weird that someone had come in to the place, where even those getting paid to work, hated coming in and even since the whole guard crew was appointed as the fake camera crew, everyone enjoyed staying inside the house, holding cameras and mics, instead of doing their real duty.

He just wished that soon all of that would be over and guards would be confined back to their zones.

He watched as the door to the surveillance room opened up and Anthony walked inside, wearing a crisp polo t shirt, flashing his slightly fainted tattoos, paired with a crisp khaki pants.

“I knew I would find you here.”

Gigi straightened up, finding it odd that Anthony would visit the surveillance room that early in the morning, while usually he was present in the dining hall.

“How can I help you?”

Gigi inquired and Anthony stepped towards him, sparing a glance at the entire wall that had surveillance monitors fitted, showing different parts of the mansion and even the island.

“I see people have started ignoring their actual responsibility around the house.” Anthony commented, making Gigi look at him with concern.

“I also get why Althea is such a nuisance for you.” He told Gigi, who this time was taken aback by Anthony’s remarks.

“It must have been hard for you to handle everything on your own and just like you guys work as regular employees at the cooperation and then deployed here on the island, why couldn’t she do so. I also don’t get the idea…”

Anthony scoffed a bit, making Gigi anxious and wonder where the conversation was going.

“… but Salva has told us all that it is for Nicholas and you must know… I mean, you out of all the people on earth should know how important Nicholas is for Salva and vice versa. The two are just like the opposite poles of a magnet and the two complete each other.”

“Sounds a little gay, don’t you think?” Gigi smirked as he said those words, making Anthony scoff as well.

“It does. I know but that doesn’t stop the two from being close to each other. Anyways, my point is that Salva is blinded by his love and care for his brother and he is not seeing how much of a problem it might be for you and Serena to adjust to things around the house. That’s why, I am asking you to be a little comprehensive of what Salva is doing and for whom. We all have our ulterior motives behind the entire scenario of pretending to be the Secret Chef Hunters’ Society. Some want to just slack off from their work. Some want to help Nicholas get better and perhaps move on and out of the island. Some like my wife, are simply trying to relive some exotic moments. But I wonder what motives do you have? Because I know that everything that is happening at the island at the moment, is totally and completely against the idea of your integrity.”

Gigi stood tacitly, suddenly a pang of guilt resurging inside his heart.

“I am just trying my best to make sure that anything that Salva and Nicholas decide to do on the island, doesn’t threaten anyone’s security.”

He gulped hard, as he repeated those words, remembering his true motive that was supposed to mirror the actual integrity of his job.

“Hmm…” Anthony hummed, “I get that you can not always agree with your superiors. Take it from me. I know it is hell to follow orders or to listen around to people when you think that you can do better. And I know you must feel burdened at times by the remembrance of the fact that when you father was at the verge of collapsing in the hospital bedroom, when it was Nicholas who had a perfect blood match and donated blood to your father and Alejandro, paid entirely for your mother’s cancer treatment as well. But always remember, that is only because we treat our employees like family and your family is our family as well. We just want you to accept us as your family as well and whatever you are doing today, consider Nicholas as your brother as well. As someone in place of Garry. If he had ended up saying something rude to you…”

“I am sorry!”

Garry held back his urge to cry and Anthony stopped in the middle of his little sweet melodious lecture, that he had prepared to add some sense and sensibility in Garry’s mind.

“Huh?”

“If Garry or I did something, that ever hurt you or Nicholas. I will make sure that Nicholas gets better and we will see the very end of this fake, pretend competition. From now on, it is happening in real time. Let’s just say that we are the Secret Chef Hunters’ Society and our ultimate goal is to make our director get better.”

Anthony softly smiled at Gigi and patted his shoulder, as he finally walked out of the surveillance room and Gigi immediately dialed Sofia’s number, knowing that a text might not be enough and only wished that it wasn’t too late.

Anthony’s words had knocked Gigi out of his anger and made him see what was actually important for him and why was he truly and sincerely loyal towards the Santiagos.

It was because they had also loved and treated him and his entire family like their own and with Garry’s little endeavor, Gigi should understand and remember that his own brother was problematic and he shouldn’t have acted so irrationally with Fiona or with Althea as well.

The call went through after the eighth ring, until them Gigi’s breath remained hitched inside his throat.

Finally, Sofia picked up the call and hummed nonchalantly.

“Yes! What happened now?”

“Did you show the video to anybody yet?” he asked right away.

“No! Irene is about to come and I was waiting for her to show up and…”

“Don’t.”

“Huh?”

Taken aback by the sudden, change of plans.

“Why? What happened now?”

“Just don’t show that video to anybody, alright?”

“Okay!” Sofia retorted and soon cut the call short.

Gigi sighed in relief and sat back down for a moment, realizing how big of a mistake he was about to commit.

He had actually forgotten what his first and foremost duty was and that was to protect and care for the Santiago family. He wasn’t just a regular employee. He was someone hired to make sure that the integrity and the peace of the Santiago family remained intact.

And he was about to breach that very limpidness of his obligations, that he had worked so hard to maintain over the past few years.

He thanked God that Anthony had arrived just in time and helped him see through his own anger and instead of getting angry, he needed to actually work on Garry and knock some sense in to him.

He sighed, walking out of the surveillance room, watching as Anthony stood far off in the gardens, with his satellite phone attached to his ear.

He understood that Anthony had many important businesses to attend to and that’s why he held a call outside the house, where Althea would not be able to spot his phone and question about why there were mobile phones being used on the island when they were prohibited for contestants.

As he walked past Anthony, he remained oblivious of the fact that Anthony, stood with his phone attached to his ear, listening Sofia describe him the situation in Gragnano.

She stood leaning next to one of the pillars at the entrance of the city hall, smoking a thin stick of cigarette, that she blew on as she continued talking to Anthony.

“He just called and asked me to not to show the video.” She informed Anthony, who simply hummed and Sofia could hear the satisfaction in his voice but little did she know that the man was smiling out ear to ear, as he had successfully made Gigi realize that he must stay loyal to the Santiagos.

“Good! Remember, anything that he asks you to do, you must report to me from now on.”

He guided Sofia, who knew better than to ever go against Anthony, who was the boss of the man, Gigi, who had hired her to begin with.

“Yeah! I know, who not to mess with. Don’t worry and also, just so you know, I told Gigi this as well and I would tell you the same. Irene and Jacob are having their little meetings every morning. Irene is working at the public policy implementation center and is closely working with the mayor. So, you guys better watch out.”

“Thanks for the heads up! Will take care of it.”

With that Anthony cut the call short and Sofia also brought her phone in front of her, moving it away from her ear and watched as Irene got out of the building, finishing her morning meeting with Jacob.

Sofia passed a small smile to Irene, who nodded at her and simply walked ahead, entering the building that was the mayor’s office, right across the street.

Irene had been at Jacob’s office, way before Gigi even texted her to not to show her anything but she was obviously not acting on Gigi’s commands anymore.

Anthony had contacted her already a few days back and had been asking her to report her everything, including what Gigi asked her to do and the day before when Gigi had sent her the video and also asked her to show that to Irene, she immediately reported it to Anthony, who understood what play Gigi was trying to orchestrate.

He had asked Sofia to pretend that she was still acting on Gigi’s commands but at the very same time, he had asked her to delete that video right away.

Sofia knew better than to ever go against Anthony, who was the right hand that controlled all the legal and illegal operations of the Santiago family.

Anthony made sure to trigger Gigi emotionally regarding his job and remind him why he was truly that loyal to the Santiagos and how his family was feeble and depended on the conglomerates for their survival.

Gigi was nothing but Alejandro selected him and made him, a powerful and goal oriented guy that he was and hence when reminded about his true duties and obligations, he would do anything to prove his loyalty to the family.

As Gigi walked inside the house, crossing the main foyer, walking in to the kitchen, in that very main foyer, Nicholas jumped down the staircase and came right across his aunt, Martha, who was also making her way up the staircase but stopped when she saw Nicholas coming down.

Once, he was standing in the main foyer, right in front of him, she walked up to him and held a stern expression.

Sensing through her expressions, that Martha may hold some grave news, Nicholas initiated the conversation.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?”

“Yes! I am.”

“After what happened yesterday…”

“About that…” Martha took in a deep breath and decided to share her concern with Nicholas.

“I have realized that the reason why everyone is so hostile towards Althea is because she is brought here to work as a chef and yet we are working day and night to make that girl feel like she is part of a competition.”

“Weren’t you guys the one to stop me from revealing the truth to Althea?” Nicholas c****d, remembering how hard Anthony, Martha, Salva and every one else had worked only to make Nicholas agree to let Althea stay and continue their little charade on the island.

“Yes! We did.”

Martha huffed in exhaustion.

“And I am not asking you to send the girl back to Gragnano unless you don’t feel better.”

Nicholas immediately shook his head.

“I still don’t want to shift back to regular diet.” He lied right away.

Diet was not even his concern anymore. In fact, he was ready to eat anything, unless and until he got to eat Althea.

He cleared his throat, shifting away from the clouding thoughts and decided to clear the mud with Martha, wanting to know what she had in her mind.

“Fine! we get that but I think we should make Althea work around the mansion, just like a regular employee.” She suggested, making Nicholas c**k an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, even Andrew, who participates in the cook offs and his name is already given in as someone who will not be eliminated and would be kept till the very end, still performs his duty as a regular chef and the others also work in hiding from Althea, where they still clean the house, guard the fences and trim the bushes in our garden. So, don’t you think it is a bit unfair for them and a little too much edge has been given to Althea?”

Martha suggested and Nicholas remained frozen for a moment, pondering on Martha’s thoughts.

“So, what do you have in mind?” wanting Martha to further elaborate her plans.

“I guess we can give her some extra chores that would lessen other housekeepers’ burden. We could tell her that the contestants have to work around the house as well…”

Nicholas shook his head right away.

There was no way he would ever want Althea to perform any activity that she would not have to in case, she were to be actually recruited by the real Secret Chef Hunters’ Society.

“No!”

He stated sternly.

“But…”

Martha was about to put forth her thesis statement but Nicholas held her back, not wanting to listen more to an idea that was not just hurtful to Althea but also to his own feelings towards Althea.

“I said no! the girl was brought her under a pretense. We are already lying to her. We are already on the wrong. How could you even suggest something so cruel?”

He c****d at Martha, hitting her with a humongous pang of guilt.

“Was she brought her after being told what the purpose of her journey was going to be? No! we lied to her and we have chosen to continue lying to her. If anyone has a problem with Althea’s stay on the island, they can leave. I know we must try and please everybody but Althea’s case is purely different. Not everyone can be happy with a decision and it is a part of human behavior and nature. I already gave a raise to everyone due to the recent circumstances and it had been promised to them by Salva that they would be paid extra. So, even if someone is having issues with Althea and the current situation they can leave happily. But this topic should never be repeated. If anything, Althea should be respected and not treated like the rest of the employees. She is different from everyone else and that should be concluded and dictated to everyone else as well.”

With that Nicholas stormed out of the place, leaving Martha feeling ashamed and dejected.

She understood why Nicholas was so touchy regarding Althea’s topic.

Her food was curing him and helping him come back to life and there was no way, he would ever disregard her, since he was already cooking up a huge lie to her, whilst she was simply cooking food that was helping him.

But she remained oblivious of two facts.

One being that Nicholas was not just dependent on Althea’s food anymore. He was dependent on her for his safety, sanity and well being. A part of his had attached himself deeply to her and he didn’t know whether that connection feigned due to the yoking that developed given to Althea’s culinary skills or perhaps her heartfelt words that had somehow reached to Nicholas’s heart.

The other fact that Martha was oblivious was that even though her attempt to urge Nicholas to bring Althea down to the status of a regular employee failed but at least she had tried and that try was noticed and seen by Serena, who stood behind the staircase.

She didn’t intend to eavesdrop on Martha’s conversation with Nicholas but she was just getting out of her room and had happened to just come across the main foyer where he heard Martha urging Nicholas to let go off Althea’s special status in the house and let her be treated like a regular employee. But the manner in which Nicholas reacted, was enough to let everyone know that the man was quite affable towards the girl and the rest of the house needed to understand that their employer and their boss needed that girl and in times like those, Serena needed to put her personal feelings aside and understand that Althea’s existence, even though cantankerous for her, was something that she would need to make her peace with.

She watched as Martha disappeared in to the kitchen and stood back, feeling drowned in guilt as she had ended up picking a bone with the poor woman, who was just trying her best to make sure that Nicholas got better.

Serena immediately rushed back to her room and dug out her phone out of her cupboard, getting her hands on it right away and dialed in the number, that was out of service and Serena couldn’t get a hold of the person on the other line anymore.

She regretted the call that she had made, the day before, in order to ensue trouble for Martha. But she didn’t want that anymore. Instead, she wished to have gone back in time, realized earlier how much love she owed to the Santiagos and why she should’ve put Nicholas before, even Fiona.

As she thought of how much blinded she had gotten for her love for her daughter, the girl in question, tensed and still lugubrious from what had happened the night before, stood in front of her vanity mirror.

Putting on her denim jacket, she made her way out of the bedroom, deciding to join the kitchen, even though she had zero alacrity to be with anyone at the moment.

She was glad that Althea had not left her the night before and only did once she slept but what really hurt her was Serena’s lack of cognizance and astuteness to comprehend that Fiona was going through a phase and simply needed Fiona’s support rather than her apprehension and indications on how she should be or should have been so that she wouldn’t have ended up in the phase that she was.

Fiona wanted moral and emotional support rather than lectures on behavior that Serena always pounded her with and that’s why, when Serena didn’t show up at her room after the entire debacle took place, Fiona was somehow relieved that she didn’t get to hear another earful from Serena but at the same time, she also felt doleful that Serena didn’t show up to just be there for her.

Nonetheless, she decided to go along the regular flow and tried her best to forget everything that had happened. And her mind was willing in fact, more than enthusiastic to forget about Garry, who had given her nothing but embarrassing and hurtful memories but still she couldn’t get over one person, no matter how hard she tried to and just as she had just stepped out of the room, the person who was the center of her thought, ever since the night before, stood right in front of her.

Andrew wore a lose t shirt and a pair of skinny jeans, which emphasized how meek and timid the guy was and being only a few inches taller than Fiona, he stood facing her plane.

“Fiona, I was about to knock on your door.”

He told her, making her look at him with even more confusion.

She closely assessed his look and he was nothing like the guys that she usually crushed on.

They were broad, tall and muscular and Andrew was everything but those attributes. In fact, he was the entire opposite of the guys that Fiona went after.

“Andrew… I still haven’t decided and…”

“Oh! Wait before you say anything about that.” He scoffed a bit, mustering up the courage to say what he had spent his entire night practicing. It was still hard for him to accept reality and come in terms with the fact that his love for Fiona was one sided and he was simply putting the poor girl in a difficult situation.

“I am sorry for what happened yesterday.”

The spoke up blatantly, taking Fiona by surprise.

“What do you mean? What are you sorry for?”

“I mean for whatever I said yesterday. It shouldn’t have been said.”

Fiona knitted her eyebrows together, “Do you regret confessing your feelings for me?” she asked in a horrendous tone and Andrew shook his head vigorously.

“No. No. No! in no way I am saying that I regret exposing my feelings for you. What I so regret is that I shouldn’t have put in such a difficult situation. I should have respected your boundaries and also respected the fact that you were already suffering from a difficult situation with Garry and I shouldn’t have further pressed my feelings for you as well. Because Fiona you are a girl full of love in your heart and I know that you would never want to break anyone’s heart or hurt anybody. And that’s not what your teachings are as well. I know Serena had taught you to be always kind and humble, so I am highly adept to the fact that you might accept my feelings and might try and push things ahead with me only in the name of keeping my heart intact but that only puts you in a difficult place because I know you would never love me. So call it, self pity or self wallow, I have decided to pull myself back and not to project my feelings out for you. I am glad I got it out of my system but at the same time, I have decided to respect your space as well. So, you don’t have to worry a bit about me Fiona. Enjoy your life and once my contract ends in the upcoming months, I would not renew it with the Santiago Cooperations. I know because of Serena, you can not go anywhere away from this island and the town but I can. So, I would not make things uneasy for you and for the last few months of ours that are to come ahead of us, I hope and I will try to not to become a nuisance for you. I will try my best to stay out of your sight and to be as less of a trouble for you as I could be.”

With that Andrew turned over on his heels and walked away leaving Fiona stunned and bewildered at how much love can someone carry in their heart, that they would not want to put them in a tumultuous situation and instead, would take back their confession only to give them peace.

That was the moment when Fiona realized what was the importance of a confession and how it actually made someone realize if they truly loved someone or not.

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Thoughts on Andrew and Fiona?

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