At night, I couldn’t sleep. Gio was with me, but I was plagued by various thoughts. I knew it was wrong, and I should trust Gio, but I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by dark thoughts.
Nothing bad will happen to Gio. Everything will be okay.
I glanced up at Gio. He was asleep. The night had grown late, and I was the only one still wide awake.
I gently stroked his face and hugged him tightly. No, I trust him. If he said everything would be fine, then everything would be fine.
I didn’t get much sleep last night, but I woke up early and found Gio getting ready.
I approached Gio, who was talking to his men. The only people in the room with us, aside from Gia and Dario, were Gianna’s associates.
When Gio noticed me, he looked in my direction. He flashed a brief smile before quickly adopting a poker face as he turned his attention back to his men. He signaled them to leave, and they obeyed promptly.
“Good morning,” he greeted me before giving me a tight hug.
What’s good about the morning? He was leaving, and I was worried about what might happen to him.
“Morning,” I greeted him briefly. I knew he had noticed my unusual silence, but Gio didn’t say anything more.
I felt his soft kiss on the top of my head before he gently combed through my hair. His actions were comforting until the thought of what was about to happen today overwhelmed me, and my calm demeanor disappeared.
“We’re going now, Millie.”
I gripped his shirt so tightly that he must have felt I didn’t want him to leave.
“I’ll be back soon.”
I wanted to speak, to tell him not to leave, but I also didn’t want Gio to think I was trying to stop him from carrying out his plans. I knew he was doing this for our future, and as the leader of his organization, it was his responsibility to take care of threats, including Marion.
Marion wants revenge. He wants Gio to experience what he went through. I knew the true reason behind Marion’s parents’ deaths, although I wasn’t sure if Marion was aware of it yet. But even if he found out, I didn’t think his anger could be appeased.
I pulled away from Gio but couldn’t bring myself to look at him. He gently lifted my chin with his thumb and forefinger to make me meet his gaze. I saw the happiness vanish from Gio’s face when he saw my expression.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I wanted to scream ‘no’ so badly, but I refrained and simply nodded, forcing a smile.
The door to Gio and my room opened, and Gianna walked in. “They are waiting, Gio,” Gia announced. Gio nodded and kissed me once before he left the room.
I clutched my hand, struggling to hold back the tears in front of him. I don’t think I can bear to see him go.
When I heard him bid farewell to Gianna and take steps away from me, I rushed to the door.
“I won’t forgive you if you don’t return, Gio!” I shouted, trying to catch my breath.
Gio stopped in his tracks and faced me. He slightly parted his lips.
“That’s why you need to promise me that you’ll come back. Please promise me you’ll come back, and when you return, I’ll forgive you for your sins you did to me.”
I saw a slow shift in Gio’s eyes, but it quickly receded, and he managed a restrained smile before stepping closer to me.
Gio approached me, and my traitorous tears welled up again. I slapped his chest as I reached him.
“I won’t forgive you if you don’t come back, Gio. I’ll be even angrier with you! So promise me you’ll return.”
Gio reached out to me, causing me to cry even harder. He hugged me tightly.
“I have a bigger reason to come back alive. I promise, Millie, I’ll come back.” He pulled away from me and held my cheeks with both his hands, wiping away the tears on my face. “So, stop crying, you’re making it hard for me to leave. I promise, I’ll come back no matter what happens, so please wait for me, alright?”
I nodded repeatedly to Gio and couldn’t speak anymore. He kissed me on the forehead before embracing me tightly once more.
A brief moment later, his men approached him, and Gio separated from me and smiled before turning and walking away with his men.
I engraved the image of him smiling at me in my memory. I held on to his promises to find solace.
He’ll come back; I’m sure he’ll come back. Gio always keeps and fulfills his promises. So, I’m going to wait for his return.
I was on edge the entire day, worrying about Gio. There was no news about him, and no one had been in contact with any of them. Gianna and Sienna were with me in our room. I wanted to know that I wasn’t alone, but I also didn’t want to talk to anyone.
“You should relax,” Gianna said, probably noticing my absent-minded state.
“I can’t,” I replied. “No matter how much I tried to convince myself, I didn’t know how to relax.”
“Gio can take care of it. Let him be. He’s just prolonging it because he enjoys taunting his enemies, but really, he’s not the kind of person you should worry about.”
That should ease my mind, right? I mean, Gianna had spoken. But no, I still couldn’t calm down.
By three o’clock, I still couldn’t sit still. I couldn’t even eat my food earlier unless I forced myself.
“I want to go see Gio.”
Dario and Gianna immediately looked at me.
“Sis, it’s dangerous. Don’t-”
“I can’t sit still. I need to know what’s happening. It’s so late, and we still have no news. I can’t close my eyes because of how worried I am for him.”
My hand was trembling, and I clenched it to try to stop it, but the trembling wouldn’t cease.
“Please.”
Gianna stared at me as if she were scrutinizing me. Eventually, she sighed.
“Dario, you take care of her. You know where Gio is. I won’t be coming because Millie’s sister needs someone here. Bring some of my men with you.”
I was surprised by Gianna’s statement. I thought she wouldn’t allow me to go.
“What?” Gianna hissed. “You want to go there, right? Then go. I won’t stop you. I’d rather let you go than listen to your complaints all day long. It’s painful to the ears.” She rolled her eyes before signaling to Dario.
Despite Dario’s evident hesitation, he eventually nodded.
I collected the weapons I could use before we set off to find wherever Gio might be.