The Return of the Mafia Boss

"Damn it, Andrès!" Emilia yelled at her husband in a fury.

"What is this, Emilia? What are you getting so worked up about?" Andrès inquired, his voice tinged with confusion.

"Are you actually slow? Or are you just pretending to be slow? She spat, with no remorse.

"I am neither, but I need you to explain what this is about." Andrès requested.

"Oh, Sweet Lord..." Emilia became frustrated and rubbed her tempo.

"My friends always go shopping for nice things and take vacations with their husbands." Here I am, being mocked at every chance they get for being so broke and sticking to your sorry ass." She nagged.

Andrès understood why she was fighting after hearing what she said, but he still did not get her point. She seemed to be trying to insinuate something, but she had not quite nailed it.

Her nagging eventually became an echo in the room, but he still needed her to relax and understand him.

He needed her to understand that not everything that glitters is gold, but how could he possibly explain this to someone who is obsessed with new bags and shoes?

He tried his best in making sure she didn't lack, but it felt like no matter what he does, it was never enough for her. Her eyes would always be fixed on big things.

He took a deep breath in and gently pulled her closer to himself, "I am sorry baby, but everything will be fine soon." He tried to reassure her, but his words went unheard.

"The boss adores you; in fact, you are the employee he values the most. Use this to your advantage and become wealthy. Dummy!" Andrès was perplexed by what she spat out this time.

"Please, my love, stop fighting me." Andrès urged, clutching her tender hands into his.

She snatched her hands away from him and gave him a death stare: "If you truly value this marriage and want it to last, the best advice I can give you is to stay the hell away from me." She warned him and dashed out of the house, picking up her phone.

Andrès remained in the same position, allowing the silence to envelop him.

The slam of the door echoed in his ear, leaving him with the hope that she would be calm when she returned.

Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, and she was yet to return home, which became cause for concern.

The ticking of the clock on the wall filled the air, making his wait increasingly uncomfortable.

He kept pacing back and forth in the living room, checking his phone for messages from her. He buried his face in his hands, overcome with fear of losing her.

In the stillness of the night and the quiet solitude of the house, Andrès was startled by a sudden sound at the door.

"I apologize; the door was open and I let myself in." His best friend, Gael, said to him.

"It is absolutely fine, man. I assumed it was Emilia." Andrès responded coldly.

"What is wrong with you?" "You look like shit!"

"I would be surprised if I don't." Andrès responded, his mood remaining sullen.

Geal took a seat beside Andrès and placed his left hand on his shoulder, "Tell me what is going on." He persuaded him.

Andrès explained everything to Gael, and until he finished, Gael did not interrupt him. "She is simply being a woman. I believe she is acting out because she wants to have flashy things like her friends do. There is nothing wrong with wanting those nice things. Gael encouraged Andrès, who was wearing a blank expression.

"Do not look at me that way; you know I am correct. I will speak with her, okay? She will eventually come around."

"Please do; I do not want to lose her. Please..." Andrès pleaded with Gael.

"You will not, okay. I need to get home now; I just stopped by because I was in the neighborhood. Gael said to him.

"Thank you," Andrès said, as he watched Gael exit the door and his footsteps fade away.

He quickly fell asleep on the couch while waiting for Emilia's return.

Andrès is awakened by raindrops on the window after only a few hours of sleep.

He rubbed his eyes to remove any remnants of sleep, and then recalled sleeping on the couch while waiting for his wife to return home.

He got up from the couch and walked to the bedroom, hoping to see her there, but was disappointed to find the bed exactly as he left it and the room empty too.

He rubbed his forehead in frustration before returning to the living room to retrieve his phone and call her.

He was concerned about her whereabouts and safety.

She did not respond to any of the calls he had placed for her after several rings.

He decided to call Gael because he had promised to help him talk to Emilia about returning home, and there had been no word from him either.

He tried calling Geal's phone several times but received no response. He kept on trying to reach the both of them for a few minutes, but he received no response.

He gave up and went into the bedroom to sleep, hoping that they were safe and that he would wake up to find his wife in the morning.

As he lay on the bed, he could not help but have negative thoughts about the worst-case scenario.

He ignored them because he could not imagine his life without her in it.

He laid still on the bed, his back against the surface of the bed and his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He kept looking at it as he tried to imagine Emilia laying right next to him with her usual happy smiling face.

But his face was instantly etched in a frown when he realized she wasn't there. She was somewhere else and he had no idea if she was safe. He feared that something bad might have happened to her.

The air was crisp and birds chirped around, their melodies wearing through the morning.

Andrès stirred awake as his alarm rang, breaking the dawn of day. He got up from the bed and had a quick shower in preparation for the start of a new day.

In a few minutes, he was done with his bath and hastily dressed up for work. His favorite part of the day was dressing up and going to work.

After getting dressed, he wasted no time in leaving the house.

As soon as he got out of his apartment, he hailed a taxi and told him the location of his office.

The drive to work was a very smooth one and in about thirty minutes, he got to work.

The second he arrived at work, he headed into the office in anticipation of seeing Emilia inside the office.

He pushed the elevator button to the top floor, in less than a minute, the elevator dinged and he made his way out.

He looked around to see if Emilia was around but he felt disappointed when the only person he saw was Gael.

He made his way to Garl's desk,"Good morning, have you seen Emilia? I'm getting restless already." His tone, calm.

Gael looked up from his desk, his eyes leaving the screen of his computer. "No, I haven't set my eyes on her." Gael replied curtly.

Andrès could feel something different in Gale's tone but he waved it off. He felt he was just being paranoid.

"Andrès, Gael." A feminine voice called out, causing Andrès and Geal to turn to the direction the voice came from. "The boss needs you both in his office." Abigail, the secretary to Andrès boss informed the both of them.

They both stood up and made their way to their boss' office. Andrès knocked on the door before going in.

The both of them walked in and their eyes met with the boss's eyes.

"Good morning sir" Andrès greeted.

"Good morning sir" Gael greeted.

"Morning, please sit." The boss, Don Simon said to both of them.

Andrès and Gael sat down on the chairs opposite him. Andrès could sense the tension in the room and he also noticed the worry etched on Don Simon's face.

Andrès has a close relationship with the boss so it made it quite easy for him to tell that something was amiss but Gael was the direct opposite of Andrès. Gael is so self centered that he barely cared about anyone but himself. All he was concerned about was to be seen as good and the best among other employees.

Sadly for him, Don Simon did not appreciate it which was why he never liked him as much as he likes Andrès. Andrès is more like the apple of his eyes and Gael is just a normal employee.

Most times, Gael felt bad when Don Simon chooses Andrès over him but he always hoped that one day, Don Simon will recognize him and he will somehow be the favorite of Don simon.

"I will be going on a long trip. I would be away for a while and I would need the both of you to work together. I do not want troubles with the company while I am away. I believe I can count on both the of you?" He addressed them.

"Yes sir, you can." They both chorused.

"Thank you. Having said that, I will need to talk to Andrès alone. If you would excuse us, Gael?" Don Simon requested.

Gael gave him a puzzled look as he wondered why he wanted him to excuse them but he could not debate it either. He got up from the chair he was seated and walked out of the office feeling a little but jealous.

Don Simon ensured that he waited for him to shut the door and then he listened carefully to hear the sound of his footsteps receding.

"Andrès, I need to have a very important discussion with you. I need it to remain exclusive and you must tell no one else " Don Simon said to the Andrès who nodded in agreement.

"I promise to keep it to myself, it shall not be spoken of," Andrès assured Don Simon who smiled.

"I will be traveling and will not return, I_"

"No, you can't say that. I don't understand it... it..." Andrès stuttered, trying to calm himself down and say the proper words. "Why are you leaving? Why won't you return?" Andrès asked his boss, his voice laced with worry.

"I'd rather go knowing that I left the business in good hands. You are the best man for the job. I need you to look after the company like it is your own. Nurture it and enjoy it, make it grow and ensure its stability." Don Simon instructed Andrès with a smile on his face.

"But_"

"No buts." Don Simon said, preventing him from saying whatever it was he wanted to say.

"This is not nice, it is not fair you can't just leave. The company needs you and I also need you." Andrès lamented.

Don Simon is the closest thing he's had to a father and listening to him say that he was not going to return back from his trip felt like torture in his ear.

Thinking about it all, he furrowed his brows in curiosity.

"That'll be all Andrès. You can enjoy your day," Don Simon said dismissively.

"Thank you sir." Andrès replied and got up from the chair he was seated on.

"By the way, where is your wife?" Din Simon asked Andrès.

"Oh! Emilia..." he stressed, trying so hard not to stutter. "She has an emergency appointment with the doctor." Andrès replied.

He felt he had to lie for her just to protect her job.

"Wherever she was, I hoped that she was safe." He thought inwardly.

"Okay, she should call in sick next time " Don Simon instructed and Andrès nodded in response.

He walked to the door and he paused his steps as soon as he placed his hand on the door handle.

He turned to look at Don Simon who had a stick of tobacco in his left hand.

"What Andrès?" Don Simon asked.

Andrès facial expression was readable, thus, it sold him out.

"I understand you said you wouldn't return from your trip, but that is a bit bland. I really want to know why you said so. Please." Andres insisted.

Don Simon fixed his gaze on him and a tired smile played on his lips, "sit"

Andrès walked back into the office and sat down on the chair opposite Don Simon.

"I am not getting any younger Andrès, and I have had an unhealthy eating habit in my younger years. I will be going for a heart surgery and the chances of me coming back is very slim. My survival rate is 50/50. As you are well aware, I have no family at all. I love you like a son which is why i will transfer the ownership of the company to you and put it in your name. I will also_"

Andrès instantly felt a lump in his throat, "No, you can't do that. I am not worth it." Andrès interrupted Don Simon.

"That is your low self esteem speaking, you deserve everything good in life. Better than this in fact. Not to debate on this, just see it as you keeping it for me. Take care of it, nurture it. Then you can give it back when I return." Don Simon suggested.

Andrès still felt uncomfortable with that. He loves his boss so much and inwardly, he was convinced that his boss would return. He couldn't bring himself to accept the offer.

Silence filled the air for a few seconds as Don Simon waited for Andrès response.

With a genuine and happy smile spread across Don Simon's face, "You can get back to work Andrès. I won't change my mind." He instructed Andrès.

Wordlessly, Andrès got up from the chair and walked towards the door. He placed his hand on the door handle, turned and looked at Don Simon who nodded his head, still smiling.

Andrès fought back the tears in his eyes and exited Don Simon's office.

As soon as Gael sighted him leaving Don Simon's office, he was eager to kmow what Don Simon had wanted to discuss with him that he asked him to leave the office and give them privacy.

"Hey, are you okay? You look like you have seen a ghost." Gale asked Andrès as he sat on his chair.

Andrès ignored his question and stared blankly into space, he was trying to process everything that his boss told him and it wasn't sitting right in his head. Gael wasn't making it easier for him either. He kept on asking him questions non-stop and the words kept echoing in his head.

"Gael, please! I can't right now." Andrès said to his friend in a low tone.

"Now you keeping secrets? Huh? You can't tell me what you both discussed? I thought you are my best friend and we do not keep secrets from each other." Gael blurted out insensitively, trying to guilt trip Andrès into telling him what he had discussed with the boss.

Andrès scoffed in disbelief. He knew that Gael was a lot of things but hearing him say what he said surprised him. He turned to look at Gael, a frown etched on his face. "Not right now Gael."

Gael felt slightly embarrassed with Andrès response but he clearly knew that whatever it was, he wasn't in the mood. "Im sorry man, take your time." He said to him and walked back to his sit.

Both men did not say anything to each other all day, neither did Emilia show up at work which was another worrisome part of Andrès day.

Hours passed by very fast and the close of work approached soon. Andrès hoped in his heart that he was going to meet Emilia at home when he returned from work.

Aftr sending the last file he was working on, he check his wristwatch. "Finally!" He exclaimed excitedly at the close of work.

He picked up his bag and headed out of the office without wasting a second. He missed his wife so much and he was so eager to tell her what Don Simon had discussed with him.

He flagged down a taxi as soon as he reached outside the office building. "Fray's apartment." He said to the cab driver as he settled into the passenger's seat.

They passed through the bustling city and weirdly, there was no traffic that evening. Andrès felt like God was on his side

"Thank you." He said to the cab and stretched out his hand to pay him.

Headed into his apartment and he was so excited to see Emilia seated in the living room in front of the TV watching her favorite show.

"Mi amor," he called out excitedly but he tried his best to contain his excitement.

She turned at the sound of her name, "I'm sorry for leaving like that. Please forgive me." She apologized, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Its okay my love. The most important thing is that you are back home, and safe too. I missed you so much." He replied, pulling her into a hug.

"I missed you too." She replied.

They remained in each other's embrace for a while before breaking it off. "So tell me, what did I miss?" She asked him.

Andrès did not think of it as strange because he felt like she was trying to lighten up the place.

"Well, you didn't miss much but I have something to tell you."

"Okay?" She replied curiously.

"Don Simon said something really weird to me today. I am still trying to wrap my head around it though." He started.

"Okay?"

"He said he would be going on a trip and he might likely not return."

"And?" Emilia asked impatiently.

"He wanted me to be in charge of the company before he returns. As a matter of fact, he wanted to temporarily put the company in my name until his return." Andrès explained.

"What did you say? Did you accept the offer?"

"No, i couldn't. I didn't want to take advantage of the situation."

"Wow, you are the dumbest man I've ever met. No, the dumbest human. Are you daft? Why? Why did you say no? This is a golden opportunity and you threw it away. Jesus!!! I can't even look at you right now." Emilia snapped and cursed.