Chapter 497 - Gripe

Monday — March 18

Gael suggested to Angela that she should stay at Nonna's so she wouldn't get bored in the apartment alone all day, but Angela said not to worry because she would be writing anyway, and she had enrolled in an online culinary class in the afternoon about healthy eating or something. She said Katherine Young had suggested this course to her, so she wanted to take it seriously.

He was so proud that Angela improved a lot and was actually able to cook them a decent meal now. Granted…her pasta dishes had been repetitive, but she wanted to perfect the dish before moving on to the next one. So Giovanni, Rick, and Trigger had been helping them consume the food whenever she made them.

At least he didn't have to eat five batches of Aglio e Olio consecutively alone. And Rick was probably sick of it too that he'd offered to teach her his mother's recipes if she wanted. Angela wasn't sure if she should be offended or thankful.

While Gael supported her culinary venture, he had one request from her, and that was to not deprive him of meat even though she wanted him to eat healthier. He needed his protein to function. Thankfully, she didn't fight him on that and agreed that good meat and not the processed kind only, considering she had become quite anal about his liquor intake. She was OK with him drinking occasionally but also responsibly.

He had already made an agreement with her to cut him some slack for the upcoming gathering with the De Luca family for the death anniversary of his great-grandfather this week. The family always commemorated his passing where everyone was expected to drink and "party" because the man they were celebrating was big on parties when he was still alive.

Although it was a little challenging, given the stressors all around him, Gael was thankful that Angela was always there when he needed her. He loved going home to her every day. A domesticated Angela whenever he came home always made his stress go away.

***

At work, Perry didn't show up to their weekly meeting.

Malia was there, though, but even she had no clue why Perry was not there that morning. She tried calling him before the meeting, but it went to voicemail.

This made Gael uneasy, wondering where he was because he hadn't left any messages for his absence. Not that Gael was worried. Perry could die for all he cared.

For the past two weeks, their work relationship was…tolerable despite the several times that Gael and Giovanni wanted to wring Perry's neck for the moments he opposed their assertions in meetings.

They wanted to rip each other's throats, but doing it in front of their employees was not ideal.

After that drive-by and confronting Perry, Gael thought maybe it wasn't Perry or Filippo who did it. Perhaps it was one of their family's enemies. After all, they didn't fall short on that list.

But Perry missing at work today when that guy had been uptight since the beginning? It just didn't sit right with Gael, and he didn't like not knowing what Perry was up to.

They were supposed to finish an important deal with a big client today, and Perry decided to play hooky. Unless…this was him rebelling after finding out Gael got the 2% share from Volkov, making him the major shareholder of KMH. But if that was the case, Perry's reaction was kinda late.

When lunchtime came, then three o'clock rolled in, and there was still no sign of Perry, Gael decided to check with Malia. She was temporarily working for Perry in KMH while Perry's actual secretary was still in Ohio and was supposed to come this month. So Malia should know where her "boss" was. She had her own office and not just the desk outside Perry's door because Perry doted on her, and it wouldn't be good for his "image" to not treat his fiancée right.

Gael could understand this, of course. If he were in his shoes and Angela had to work for him—even temporarily—he'd set up a proper office for her…if he couldn't persuade her to share his office, that is.

He knocked on the door and waited for Malia's "come in" before pushing the door open. She glanced up from the document she was reading, and her brows immediately raised, surely confused why he was there to see her. "Yes?" she asked.

Gael quickly scanned behind him to make sure no one was within earshot and leaned against the door frame. "Where the hell is he?"

Malia sighed. "I don't know. I'm just as clueless as you are, Mr. De Luca."

"You're his fiancée, Ms. Rose. Shouldn't you know where your future husband is?"

Her jaw flexed, and she looked down at her document, continuing her work. But then she uttered under her breath, "I know, right? I should know."

Gael's brows drew together as he continued to study her. She looked annoyed and was ignoring him now. If she were an ordinary employee, this attitude would be disrespectful. But he didn't dwell on that now, thinking she must already be having a hard time at the moment, judging by all the paperwork on her desk, and her being in Perry's mess.

He was about to turn around when Giovanni came over, and their eyes met. Gael knew his uncle was on his way over to him as they were supposed to meet at three in the afternoon. Stopping next to him at Malia's door, Giovanni glanced between Gael and then Malia, his brow cocking in question to him as if to ask: "Why are you here?"

Then Giovanni darted his eyes back to Malia and a silent look passed between them. She looked away first when her desk phone started ringing.

"Keith Perry's office. How may I help you?" she answered, pausing as she listened. Then she closed her eyes for a brief second, tilting the receiver away from her as she exhaled a slow sigh before bringing it back to her mouth. "I apologize, Sir, but Mr. Perry's currently unavailable…due to an emergency. I'll reschedule the appointment for a later date. Would you like to leave a message?" she asked, a pen and paper already in her hand.

She winced as she abruptly pulled the receiver away from her ear, the sound of an irate voice loud from where the men stood. Malia pressed the phone back to the side of her head, scowling as she slammed the receiver onto the phone base and muttering, "Oh. Fuck you too."

Gael and Giovanni exchanged a look, and when she glanced up at them, she quickly snapped, "What? He cursed and hung up first. Do you need anything else besides asking me what I don't know? I'd like to go back to my work."

Gael shook his head, nudging Giovanni with his elbow as he turned away and headed back to his office. "She has a temper," he said.

A small chuckle escaped Giovanni's lips, but he didn't say anything else as they closed the door behind them.

***

Meanwhile, in a hotel suite a couple of hundred miles from New York, a woman wearing a foot brace sat rigidly in an armchair, her hand clutching the phone against her ear. A deep scowl etched on her face as she argued with her cousin.

"Then what the hell is taking you so long? I can't wait anymore, Fil," Lauretta spat, her other hand gripping the arm of the chair.

"Don't raise your voice at me! You're the one who needs me, Laurie. Not the other way around. I can work on my own without you."

She pursed her lips, trying to calm herself, but the anger inside her continued to bubble. "When?" she asked, lowering her voice just a tad bit.

"Soon."

"You already said that before."

"Goddamn it, Laurie. I don't need your gripe. I already have enough on my plate right now to deal with your bitchiness. Just sit tight, and I'll call you when I send a car to pick you up."

She hissed but did not argue with Filippo anymore.

"How's the old man?" he probed.

"Still the same…" Lauretta sighed. "I don't think he's coming out of it, Fil." Closing her eyes, she tried to forget about her grandfather's state in the hospital. Instead, an image of someone crossed her mind, and she wondered. "I haven't been able to reach Evan. Has he been deployed?"

A dark chuckle sounded from the other line, and Filippo scoffed. "Don't you read the news? Your boytoy's been missing for weeks. Forget about him. He's probably dead by now. The last time I saw him, the De Lucas' monkeys surrounded us."

Rage coursed through Lauretta's veins, blaming everything on Angela and Gael. They ruined everything. She ruined everything. Lauretta couldn't let them win. There was no way she'd allow them to be together after she was cast aside. Her hands clenched so tight her nails cut her palm. "I can't wait any longer, Fil. Hurry up, or I'll go crazy, and I just might do something."

"Don't you dare! Sit the fuck down and wait for me."

The call ended, and the irritating beep grated her ears.. Lauretta slammed her phone onto the carpet, her breathing ragged as the images of what she planned to do to them flickered in her head.