Female Novel
Chapter 373
Chapter 373
Aria
We said our goodbyes to the Lambertis, and the driver took us to the infamous Garcia Factory. Manywho had either worked or been there stepped out traumatized.
From the inside, the heavily protected Garcia Factory looked like an innocent paper mill, but thoseaffiliated with the Garcias knew better.
May it be money laundering, forging documents, sending out trucks to deliver and spread the wordsabout their product-the Garcias could do it all.
At one point, they were big enough to give the Lambertis and the Alfonzos a run for their money-butwith Fabio Garcia out of the picture, rumor had it a lot had changed.
As we walked through the building, many women went above and beyond to grab Vince’s attention.From accidentally dropping a pencil and bending so low, we could see their panties from under theiruniforms to brushing his shoulder, not giving a shit I was standing right next to him.
Vince didn’t forget to acknowledge every single one of them, showing me this was not his firstencounter and would not be his last.
He would touch them, but he would not touch me.
“So, what are we doing here again?” I could release a breath after reaching a hall that hadn’t beenoccupied with Vince’s fangirls.
“I have to sign some papers.”
“What do you have to s-”
“Vince, I’ve been looking all over for you!” An older man interrupted our conversation, almost out ofbreath, to catch up with Vince. “One of your cousins mentioned you’d be here.”
“Nico.” Vince didn’t appear to be excited.
“Yes?” The man called Nico spoke, not giving me as much as a glance. “By any chance, do youhappen to have the key on you?”
Vince nodded.
“Vince-I’ll be leaving the country soon, and I am going to need you in that basement.” He was in ahurry. “We need to discuss-”
“What we are going to do with all of those boxes?” Vince grabbed my shoulders, pushing me in front of
him.
Right. The boxes.” Nico fixed the glasses on his nose to take a better look at me.
“Aria Morales. My wife,” Vince introduced us. “Aria…Nico.”
“Yes, yes I’ve heard a lot about you.” Nico shook my hand for a few seconds. “Nice to meet you. I’man… old family friend.”
“I missed you at the wedding.”
“I missed an invitation.” He clapped his hands together. I knew for certain mom made sure to inviteeveryone on the Garcias list.
“Aria, you can look around if you want!” Vince ran away from the subject. “I’ll just catch up with youlater.”
“Can’t I join?”
“Trust me. You don’t want to do that.” He clicked his tongue. “My wife shouldn’t be moving boxes, nowshould see? Maybe some other time?”
With no one to hold my hand, I was left behind as Nico and Vince made their way to the elevator.Before the door closed, Vince gave me one last wave.
All of this came off as suspicious to me. Why couldn’t I join him to move these so-called ‘boxes’ andwhat was happening in the basement?
Was there something I couldn’t know about?
Strolling around the factory, I noticed a woman staring at a board and tapped her shoulder, hoping shecould tell me some more about this basement.
“Hey, you!” I greeted her, forcing a warm smile.
“yes?”
“You don’t happen to know what’s in the basement-do you?” I lowered my voice, looking around.
Bewildered, the woman shook her head. “We don’t speak of the basement!” Her voice was only abovea whisper.
“Why not?” The situation got a whole lot more strange. I wasn’t crazy and knew I heard that older mantelling Vince he needed him in the basement.
“That’s the spot you know who used to operate from.” The woman told me. “No one can get there.People,
he took the key to the other side when he died.”
say
“You mean, Fabio?”
With a finger in front of her mouth, the woman shushed me, grabbing my arm. “Don’t say that name outloud, new girl.”
New girl? I could work with that.
“What do you think he was hiding down there?” I made good use of my new identity.
“Bones, eyeballs, human balls-bodies?” The woman went into deep thoughts. “We’re talking abouthim,”
so who knows,”
All the employees knew now to drop Fabio’s name-yet here I was, speaking of his name as if I was theone to put it on his birth certificate.
I really had to stop doing that.
“Thanks”
“No problem.” The woman looked over my shoulders, and the next second she was gone. What’s upwith
these people working here!
I assumed Fabio Garcia was an evil man who had scared everyone to the point not even his familywantednovelbin
to be associated with him. After all, he was a man who had shot his own son, intending to kill him.
Stop
What if his ghost was haunting the Garcia Factory?
A sudden hand on my flank made me jump in surprise, and I let out a loud squeal.
“Calm down-it’s just me.” Vince spun me around. This was the part where he would normally laugh atmy stupidity, but this time was different.
In just a matter of seconds, bags had appeared under his eyes, his face was pale, and he looked tired.It must’ve been whatever he was hiding down there in that basement.
“Is something wrong?” I gave it my best try, not expecting Vince to open up.
As always, he shook his head, not giving in.
“I’m fine.” No matter what, I could see straight through his lies. “Are you ready to go home?”
“Didn’t you have to sign something?”
“No?” Vince glanced around uneasily. “I’m ready to go.
What was he hiding?
Just when I thought he began being a bit more accepting of my presence, everything changed.
Several days had passed, and Vince was back to being cold. He made suspicious phone calls, didn’tinclude me in anything, claimed he didn’t need my help and avoided being around me at all costs.
The good thing was that my post-wedding break was finally over, meaning also I was back to work.Angelo, who had returned from his trip, kept me company and guided me whenever needed-the sameway I was supposed to guide Vince.
The Garcias weren’t back on top, but our marriage and combined names had changed people’sperspective of them.
Angelo had brought my attention to one issue and mentioned that the Garcia men looked down on theMorales men, and the two groups who behaved like rivals couldn’t work together. They naturallyfollowed their leader, and word must’ve spread that Vince wasn’t fond of me.
Luckily the news hadn’t reached dad, who was still enjoying his vacation-but once it did, all hell wouldbreak loose, and I did not want that to happen. Finding a solution and communicating with a husbandwho didn’t want anything from you was nearly impossible, but I was afraid I had no other choice.
“Do you want me to talk to him for you?” Angelo suggested, sitting on my bed. Rather than being anadvisor, he had become my close friend and a shoulder to rely on.
“No, I’ll do it.” I made it clear. “He’s been pretty sensitive since that basement thing.”
“Basement thing?”
“Never mind.” I pursed my lips, remembering Angelo was not up to date with everything.
He made himself comfortable and laid down on my bed. “No, tell me.”
“This weird man showed up at the Garcia Factory and told Vince he needed him and his key to get tothe basement.” I vented. “Of course, I was not allowed to come.”
“Tell me more.”
“I asked this employee, and she said the basement had been locked even before Fabio’s death andthat it’s off limits,” I explained. “Bones, eyeballs, human balls-bodies? No one knows what’s downthere.”
“Aria, listen.” Angelo sat up straight. “Fabio was a wealthy man who left a lot of money behind.” Hespoke. “More than what he could’ve made with the factory and his side businesses alone.”
“I guess.
“What if it’s not bodies, but something which could be useful to both families?” He tried pulling me tothe wrong side as if I hadn’t thought about that scenario.
“No, no, no.” I facepalmed. “Vince already hates my guts. Let’s not make it any worse.”
“You’re right, and I’m sorry.” Angelo chuckled. “I was only thinking of ways for you to make Oscarproud.
“W-why?” I took a breath, doing everything in my power not to panic. “Isn’t daddy proud of me?” Thethought of my hero not having my back frightened me.
“I do not know.” Angelo shrugged. “He hasn’t called you his genius since you let Vince walk away afterhe paid off one of his clients’ debts.”
Displeased, I balled my fist. Getting dad to forgive Vince for his actions and taking the blame in hisplace was all to protect him-but somehow, I was the only one facing the consequences. So much forsaving him.
After reconsidering it, I had the right to see whatever he had been hiding in that basement, and maybewhatever it was could be helpful for both of us.
A way to gain back dad’s trust since he was an unpredictable man who had no issue taking back thebusiness.
“I want you to talk to Vince and tell him about the disagreements between the two groups.” Angelo hadreturned to the original problem. “The two of you need to come up with a solution.”
“I will, and thank you, Angelo.” I reached for the hand of the person who truly had my back. “I’m glad tohave you by my side.”
Angelo accepted my hand before playfully pushing it away. “Always.” He smirked. “We’re a team now.”