"You are equally our lucky charms," Roman and Zeus chorused. The three of them burst out laughing afterwards.
"Why does it feel like you two have gotten even closer these past days? I mean you even said the same words now," Giavanna teased and finally climbed out of the car whose door Zeus was still holding.
"Go on now. I am sure he must be close by now," Zeus urged her after the air of excitement died off.
Giavanna approached the exit but only to halt after taking less than four steps. She swerved and peered at Roman and Zeus' faces.
"Don't worry I won't keep you both waiting for a long time. If not for anything but for both of you, I will make sure I wrap this up as soon as possible," Giavanna beamed at them and made her way towards the glass entrance.
At first, Giavanna had no intentions of spending more than five minutes in the restaurant but things took a different turn when the person she had an appointment with didn't arrive on time.
She started to get impatient after fifteen minutes passed and she saw no sign of the one she was waiting for.
Giavanna stared at her wristwatch for the neon times. Her frown deepened when she noticed how long she had been there. "I promised the guys that I would join them in the car in a short while but that senile old man made me go back on my words," Giavanna growled, her fist clenched until they were almost bleeding.
"Although he was one of my Mum's closest people, I promise to make him pay dearly if he doesn't show up tonight," Giavanna grimaced, her murderous glare fixed on the cup of coffee she finished drinking about five minutes ago.
Just when Giavanna got tired of waiting and stood up to leave, she spotted her companion approaching her direction.
"He should be thankful that I have tons of respect for him or else I would have given him a piece of my mind and made him pay for wasting my precious time," Giavanna retorted.
Reluctantly she sat back on the white chair with her intertwined hands placed on the brown table.
When he reached their table, Giavanna stood up and welcomed her visitor.
"Welcome Mr Elvis. I am happy you were able to make it even though my invitation came late," Giavanna muttered and reached her hand for a handshake.
The elderly man whose hair was a mixture of black and grey hairs stared at Giavanna's outstretched hand.
Giavanna bit her lower lip when the elderly man didn't take her hands even though many people were staring.
"There is no need for such formalities Miss Giavanna... or should I be referring to you as Madam now that your husband has taken over the Group's management?" His sarcasm made Giavanna raise an eyebrow but she couldn't blame him for this.
Maybe she wouldn't have been so understanding of him if she wasn't aware of what Xander and his people did to Mr Elvis after her mother's death.
"Of course not uncle. You can call me Gia as you always did in the past..."
"I don't think I deserve that, Miss Giavanna," Mr Elvis cut in sharply. He pulled out the white chair opposite her and sat.
Just then, a lady wearing a white short sleeve shirt with her hair tied into a ponytail approached their table with the menu.
Giavanna stretched forth her hand and collected the tablet from the waitress when Mr Elvis acted as if he didn't see the waitress.
"Uncle, if I remember correctly you love jasmine tea, so how about I ask the waiter to serve you that..."
"That's not necessary. Besides, I have no intention of staying here for long. If not for the close relationship your mother and I shared, I wouldn't have graced you with my presence," Mr Elvis retorted.
His angered expression resembled that of a person who was forced to do what he detested.
'It's just been a year that I haven't seen him and he has become so grumpy. How am I gonna talk to him if he is this way?'
Giavanna gazed at the elderly man's face, lost at how to approach the matter that brought her there.
"Even if you will be staying for two minutes I still insist you have a drink," Giavanna insisted as she handed the tablet back to the waiter.
"Get us everything I marked on the menu," Giavanna addressed the waitress. She returned her attention to where Mr Elvis sat after the waitress left.
"So how have you been, Uncle? And what about Auntie and..."
"Miss Giavanna, I don't have the whole time in the world to spare you that is why I will advise that you go straight to the reason why you asked us to meet here," Mr Elvis cut in rudely, his fierce glares fixed on Giavanna's smiling face.
Giavanna's smile faded after sensing the hostility in his voice.
"What on Earth were you expecting Giavanna?" She mumbled and leaned her back against the chair.
As Giavanna tried to think of the next step, she didn't see a man who entered the restaurant pause in his tracks the moment he set his eyes on her.
"It's her again!" He muttered. His neutral expression turned chilly as soon as he saw her.