Earlier, I thought Gio didn’t care about what happened, but now I realized I was wrong. He was affected, he just couldn’t show it.
We both went home. Elliott wasn’t with us because he was leading the squad searching for the Bellezas. I also heard Gio speaking to his dad, asking him to handle the company while he was away.
The household staff helped me freshen up because I couldn’t move on my own. When left alone, I couldn’t function due to weakness. I still couldn’t believe that Sienna was no longer with us.
I lay on the bed, crying silently. No matter how much I wanted to stop crying, every time I remembered the last words Sienna said to me, tears welled up uncontrollably.
I clutched my pillow tightly and buried my face in it. It was soaked from my tears, which had been flowing since earlier.
The door to the room opened, so I concealed myself under the duvet. I knew it was Gio, and I didn’t want to show him that I was crying again. I felt the bed shift beside me, indicating that Gio had sat down.
His hand gently stroked my hair before he spoke.
“I need to go, Millie. I have something to attend to. You stay here and rest. Don’t leave the house under any circumstances without me knowing. I’m tripling my men to ensure no one dares enter this house.”
I could sense the anger in his voice, but it disappeared after a moment. Gio fell silent for a while before speaking again.
“Millie, I need you to trust me.”
Gio got up, kissed the side of my head, and left without waiting for any response.
I wanted to know where he was going, but I was afraid he’d hear me cry, knowing Gio didn’t like me crying.
~*~
I fell asleep amid my tears. I woke up in the middle of the night. I hadn’t eaten dinner earlier; I had lost my appetite. I turned to the other side of the bed but found it empty. I opened my eyes and Gio wasn’t beside me.
I got up and scanned the surroundings. Gio was nowhere in our room. Hadn’t he come home since earlier?
I decided to leave the room and see if Gio was in his study. I gently opened the door but didn’t find him there, and the lights were off, so I was sure he hadn’t been there.
The house was quiet, probably because the servants were already asleep. I glanced at the large clock and realized it was already one in the morning.
I was on my way to the kitchen when I passed by the patio. The door was open, so I couldn’t resist peeking to check if there was someone there.
I paused when I saw Gio sitting on a long wooden bench on our patio. There were two beer cans next to him. He took one and gently tapped it against the other before taking a quiet sip.
My forehead furrowed in confusion. Why is he here so late at night, and why are two beer cans open when he’s alone?
I was about to walk closer to Gio when I felt someone approach me.
“They used to do that back in our youth.”
I turned to see Elliott. I hadn’t expected him to still be awake and here in the house. I thought Gio had given him some task.
“Always with Dario.”
I bit my lip for a moment when he mentioned Dario. It felt like a stab in my heart, and it reminded me of my sibling’s situation, which was linked to Dario.
“Whenever there was a problem, in anything really, Dario and Sir Gio would do this. Quietly drinking, as if they understood each other without speaking. I rarely joined them because I have a low alcohol tolerance, so I didn’t drink.” Elliott smiled sparingly as he observed Gio from a distance.
I turned my gaze back to Gio. For the second time, I saw him tap his beer can against another one on the bench before taking a sip. It was only then that I realized what Gio was doing.
I cried when I understood the significance. After Elliott explained what Dario and Gio used to do, it dawned on me. Gio was pretending to be with Dario, just like in the old days. One of the beer cans was for Dario, and he was clinking it against his own as a symbol of their cheers.
While I was hurt by Sienna’s loss, I now understood that Gio was hurting too over Dario’s departure, whom he considered a brother. Even if he looked like he didn’t care about what happened to Dario, it was difficult for him to accept that the person he treated like a sibling could no longer be with him. He didn’t show it because he didn’t want other people to see how affected he was by Dario’s passing. But me, and Elliott even if Gio didn’t express his feelings, we knew that he was hurting now.
I know in my heart that Dario protected my sister, but something must have happened that led to all of this.
~*~
Lost in my deep thoughts, I didn’t notice that Mariana was already here. I looked at her, her eyes were red from crying, like us, clearly pained by the news.
I wanted to talk to her, but I thought it might be better not to. Perhaps it would be best to give each other some space.
I turned back to Gio, and I couldn’t stop myself. I saw my own feet step closer to him. Slowly, I embraced him from behind when I got near. I buried my face in his neck. I cried not just for what I was feeling, but also for Gio.
Gio held the hand that was wrapped around him. He didn’t say anything, but I understood the message he wanted to convey. I knew he had received my concern and was thanking me for being here with him.
“I know you’re hurting too,” I whispered to him. “Dario wasn’t just an employee to you; he was your friend, someone you considered a sibling. You both grew up together, and I can’t even fathom what you must be feeling right now. I’m here, Gio. I’m here for you.”
I tightened my hug around him, and I felt Gio hold me even closer.
I accompanied Gio until he decided to go to his room. I couldn’t have a proper conversation with him because every time I tried to speak to him, he remained silent. In the end, I thought it would be better to respect Gio’s need for space.