Gonzalo ✔

Chapter 16

My eyes narrowed into slits at him.

"Your hand is bleeding. What happened? Bea, get me the first aid box." I called to one of the maids who was rushing to the maids quarters because they weren't allowed to hang around whenever Gonzalo was being like this.

Gonzalo still didn't answer my questions as he just stared at me with what I could only describe as admiration in his eyes.

The people whom I guessed were his parents standing not too far from us were both staring at us with suspicions, curiosity, skepticism and other different expressions.

"Are they your parents?" I leaned closer to whisper and saw a smile tug at the corner of his lips at my action while I removed the scarf I'd used to tie my hair and tied it around his hand.

"Hmm." He was still staring down at me.

With wide eyes, I dropped his hand gently after firmly knotting the tie and approached them.

"Good evening sir, ma'am. I am Rosa Matteo, Mr Rodriguez Romano's personal assistant and personal adviser. I've heard a lot about you, it's nice to finally meet you." I told them with an outstretched hand towards the woman.

I never thought I would meet them under such circumstance, where Gonzalo would do something that was a bit worrisome and then in the next second, he'd switch moods so fast that it would leave one to wonder how his brain sometimes worked.

But we would have to talk about that later.

The woman stared at me for a few seconds, then a small smile graced her lips and she accepted the handshake, patting my shoulder.

"The pleasure is all mine." She told me and shared a look with her husband. "You are not what I expected to meet, from what I've heard."

I blinked as I released her hand.

What did she hear about me?

Mr Rodriguez eyes pinned me under his scrutinizing gaze.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Matteo. I am Nick Rodriguez and my wife is Josephine Rodriguez." He told me curtly.

I smiled a little. "Please, let the maids guide you to your room. It has been cleared since we got notified about your arrival." I told his mom, hoping the maids assigned earlier were done cleaning.

"Not until we have a word with our son." His father strictly said, his frosty eyes returning to Gonzalo. 

I frowned and collected the first aid box from Bea. "Thank you Bea. Please, would you like to chat in the other living room? This one would be cleared out and squeaky clean in the next few minutes."

I knew they weren't going to chat, or maybe they would, in a tense atmosphere. But it was better than standing around broken glasses here and there.

"Where is Agatha? Why isn't she here to welcome us?" Mr Rodriguez asked.

Without even observing the couple for a long time, I easily noted the fact that the husband did more talking than his wife, even though he looked unapproachable, like some military general.

I didn't know how to answer his question about Agatha, so I grabbed Gonzalo's hand and gently led him towards the second sitting room which was smaller than this one but still large, at least twice the room I shared with my siblings— which was equally large for a room. 

"This way please." I called and walked before them with Gonzalo's hand in mine.

He was awfully quiet.

We sat on a couch and I immediately started treating his wounds. He didn't even flinch, just sat and stared at me all through.

If he could be as calm as this barely minutes later, why did he take his time breaking those things earlier? What happened actually? I sighed inwardly and shifted my gaze to his parents while still working on his hand.

"Would you like some juice? Or coffee?" I asked his parents politely.

"Coffee. I think we really need it." Mrs Rodriguez replied as the couple sat opposite us and pinned us under their scrutinizing stares.

Well, this was awkward.

Asking for coffee in the evening?

"How long have you been working for us?" Mr Rodriguez asked.

Gonzalo immediately snapped his gaze from my face and turned to glare at his dad. The man didn't seem fazed by this and just focused on me.

"A few months sir."

"And how has your experience been so far? What has working for us been like?" His mother added.

"She's working for me mother, so rephrase that sentence right now and stop claiming her because she's just mine!" He growled, his gaze cold and penetrating.

Mine? I frowned at that. I wasn't an object. Did he see me as his favorite toy or something? I would need to speak to him about this later.

His mom scoffed. "Pardon his manners, Ms. Matteo, though it seems you're handling him just fine."

I smiled at her. "No offense taken, ma'am."

"Please, call me Josephine."

"Oh, alright. Please call me Rosa too then." My smile widened. "Also, I enjoy working here. Mr Rodri-" Gonzalo's glare cut me off from stating his surname. "Gonzalo is an easy man to work with, if only you can understand him well."

I finally bandaged the hand and then patted it softly just as Dana returned and set the table for them, moving a small stool and setting the tray on it before leaving.  

"That's good to know. We don't come here often, and lately, Agatha hasn't been giving us updates about anything happening here. I wonder who's fault that is." Josephine narrowed her eyes at Romeo, who had been standing not afar off from his boss ever since we migrated in here.

Romeo didn't budge or reveal any expression on his face.

"The room is ready, miss Rosa." Bea bowed her head to announce and I thanked her.

"That's good, get some men to carry their things in." I ordered and she immediately excused herself to do so. "I apologize for the delay, we did all this under a short notice."

"It's surprising to know that you manage this house better than Agatha, who is being paid to do so. It's good we came unannounced." Mr Rodriguez commented with a stern expression and I didn't know if he was pleased or displeased.

"I'll escort them to their room." I murmured for only Gonzalo to hear me but the fondness on his face instantly vanished, only to be replaced with a frown.

"Do you know the way?"

"No." I deadpanned.

How would I know the way when I'd quickly went to change earlier? Also, it wasn't like they lived here for me to know their rooms.

"Then you don't have to take them. Romeo will do that." He narrowed his eyes at me but I shrugged it off and got up as soon as they did, leading them to their room with one of the maids whom I'd signalled walking before the three of us.

After settling them in their room, I gave the couple another warm smile.

"Have a lovely night, sir, ma."

Mr Rodriguez exchanged a look with his wife, who now had lines of worry etched on her forehead. "Perhaps it would be ideal to have that conversation now, since-"

"Eh, honey, it's late, and I am sure Ms. Matteo would also love to get some rest." Gonzalo's mom said.

"Oh, what is it? I can always make some time to talk if it's not something casual. I mean, we could talk casual over breakfast tomorrow or before we leave for work. Also, please you both can call me Rosa." I complained gently.

"Only if you call us both our names, and yes, whatever we want to say can wait till tomorrow. Right, Nick?" She shared that look with her husband again and they seemed to have a silent conversation about whatever it was but I just calmly waited for them to reach their own conclusion.

The man simply nodded. "You're right. Tomorrow."

"Alright then, you both have a lovely night, Nick and Josephine."

With that, I left their room.