It shocks me. The old Mr Alfonso has been seated on a wheelchair all this while and I fail to notice!
I watch the Chef takes the old man away, leaving me alone in the dining. Is that why old Mr Alfonso asked to see me? To just eat food in my presence and drive his wheelchair without a word?
I stare at my Macaroni, debating on whether to eat or not. I stay in my seat without eating as I just watch the clock on the wall ticking.
Seven minutes later, the Chef emerges again. "So, I assume you don't want to eat, isn't it?" He ask as he come close to me and take the next seat.
"Not until your boss tells me why he brought me here."
The Chef laughs softly. "You mean the disabled old man. He can't even speak why will he have you brought here?"
"What?" I shift my eyes to him, feeling confused. "Mr Sergio Alfonso is not the one who ordered the maid to bring me here?"
"Of course, he's the one." He smiles. "Sorry I mean I'm the one. I'm Sergio Alfonso. And that disabled old man is my Father, Mario Alfonso."
I don't blink for a few seconds. Oh, so the Chef is actually the boss around here, I swallow. At least I didn't badmouth him or something.
"You ordered Federico to steal gold, kill people and kidnap me and. . ." Oh right, Areum. I remember I'm not the only victim. "My friend. Where is she? Where did you take her to?
"Hold on. Don't get so worked up." He says. "I'm not the Consigliere. The Consigliere is my Father's adopted son and he's not here at the moment. I also don't know what you're talking about regarding the gold and whatever. I ordered the maid to bring you here so I can make a deal with you."
So who is this Consigliere? Anyway, not now. "What deal are you making with me?" I ask.
"You'll tell me what you know about Kai, and where he's hiding the Codice Segreto. In turn, I will tell you everything you don't know about your parents."
Is he trying to play a prank on me? "You don't know anything about me. I've never even seen you before, you think I will buy that crap?"
He smiles, "Hana. You are too naive to understand what is happening around you. But I don't blame you because of your age, you're just nineteen. That man you're trying so hard to protect, who is he to you?"
"Kai is my family! Don't use this advantage to tell me we're not blood related because I already know. I know everything."
"Trust me, you don't know everything."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Kai has deceived you. Right from your childhood. I know you won't remember that incident because he did an excellent job in erasing that memory in your head."
I feel my knees shaking and my heart significantly changes rhythm. "What do you know about my past? Tell me everything!"
"I will. Only after you help me."
"Everyone keep asking me about the secret code when I don't even know what kind of people my brother works for. If it's something that important, you think he will just tell me where he kept it? Are you even sure that this Codiceu Segreto of a thing exist?"
Sergio expels a long air from his nose as he put down his elbow on the dining table. "I will allow you to rest more. I was told that you were brought with an injury on your arm. How are you feeling?"
I nod and stare at the plate of Macaroni before me. "I don't know how I'm supposed to be feeling after all this. You make me doubt my brother. And now you expect me to just go and put my mind to rest as if it's that easy."
"Because I want you to start opening your eyes. See things as they are. Feel the doubt and think critically. Try and remember the most important details I want from you. Then you will know what really happened to your parents."
With that, he stands up and leaves me alone in the dining area.
Not even up to a minute after he has left, the same uniformed maid walks in, nodding her head to greet me. "You have to leave now, Ma'am."
I don't hesitate to stand up and leave the dining room, following the maid all the way back to the same room I had slept in.
My head feels heavy with different thoughts that I fail to notice the changes in the room. The previous bedsheet has been changed with another pink, flowery designer. I can count up to sixteen shopping bags sitting on the bed. Along with some dresses also spread on the bed.
"What are those?" I ask the maid who is about to leave the room, and she stops at the door.
"The Consigliere sent them to you. It's the basic essentials you'll be needing for your stay."
This is so frustrating. I really don't like those kind of games. Who the hell is this Consigliere toying with me?
"Well tell your Consigliere or whatever he is that I won't be touching any of those stuffs. Not until he shows himself with an explanation about why he had me and my friend Kidnapped."
"I think there's a misunderstanding. The Consigliere only ordered for you to be brought here. No one else was brought together with you."
"But Federico took me and my friend!"
"Who is Federico, Ma'am?"
"Forget it!" I sigh. "What will you know, just go. I need to rest."
The maid walks out and closes the door. I'm now alone with all those wild, crazy thoughts floating in my head. What is going on? Who is Kai, and why did he lied to me that he adopted me from an orphanage?
He doesn't know that I sometimes remember some little strange memories about an incident that must've happened to me as a child.
I don't know what to believe anymore. But for sure, that man, Sergio Alfonso, looks like he knows so many things about me. Things that I don't know about myself or my parents.
I throw myself across the bed, face flat as I scream out, muffling my own scream with a soft pillow.
Behind me, I hear the door opening, which causes me to turn around. It's the same maid again, probably here to disturb me with more orders.
"Sorry to interrupt you again Ma'am. The Consigliere has come to see you. To respect your privacy, he's asking to know if you'll be fine if he comes into the room to speak with you."
Seriously? Does he even have to ask for permission after having me kidnapped and forcefully brought here?
"Let him in." I say, sitting upright on the bed.
As the maid disappears, I keep my eyes on the door, desperate to see who will be coming in after her. And of course, someone comes in. A familiar tall guy with a dark and frizzy hair in a bowl cut. A peach colored lips that almost take the shape of a heart. Oh my gosh, impossible!
Is that really Haru? The shy guy from before whose money I borrowed?