CHAPTER 4

With no assurance on whether she'll get help from her neighbours, Leanda took the card and made up her mind to go and see Diego.

She begs her father to wait for her. Promising to be back with help. She ran out of the house and went to meet a neighbor to help watch over her father.

Her neighbor comes up with excuses. Leanda doesn't bother waiting to listen to her neighbours words.

She hurriedly left the area, got herself a cab and made her way to Diego's resident.

Inside a very large and beautiful mansion, sat the Mafia Lord on his cream and golden couch. He was listening to reports from his men that went on a mission.

They came back successful. Reporting the good news to Diego. The Mafia Lord shows his gladness to the news, by promising to reward them for it.

He tells them to leave. They left the Mafia Lord alone. Diego sighed, resting his back against his couch.

He takes his mind to Leanda and recurs the kiss. He wondered what her decision will be. If she'll work for him or not.

Just then, the living room phone rings, right beside the couch. Diego picks it up and answers it. "Yes?" He said.

It was the security at the gate of his mansion. He called to inform Diego that a lady was here to see him.

On hearing that, Diego asked for her name. The security paused for a minute. Leaving the Mafia Lord desperate, as he rose from his couch.

"Her name's Leanda sir," The security reported back.

With so much delight on hearing the name, Diego tells the security to let Leanda in. He cut the call and dropped the phone back. His heart glowed with excitement.

"Just the angel I was talking about," He smirked.

Diego gets himself ready to see Leanda. He walked out of his living room, heading for the entrance of his mansion.

The door comes opened, and Leanda is there, standing and glancing at the corners of the mansion.

Leanda is amazed to see such a big mansion. Her eyes fell in, and she sees Diego coming towards her.

"Leanda darling. Do come in," Diego said, getting closer to her.

Frightened within, Leanda stepped into the mansion. She greets Diego respectfully. Acting like one of the servants in Diego's home.

Diego chuckled at her. Taking hold of her right hand and kissing them. "Welcome to my home. I was just thinking about you," He said, lifting his dazzling eyes up to her.

Leanda stared at him when he kissed her hand. She didn't know how to react at the moment. All her mind was on saving her father.

Diego takes Leanda into his mansion. Leading her to his living room. He offers her a seat beside him and asks if she needed any drink.

Leanda, who managed to sit beside the Mafia Lord, tells him that she wasn't interested in any drink.

He smiled at her and accepted her wish. "So, what brings you over to my lovely abode? " He asked. Pretending not to have a clue on why she's here.

Leanda clears her throat. Dropping her eyes down on her hand, which was already dancing on her lap.

Diego noticed her hands shaking. His lips curved to the side slowly. "Feel free to talk with me Leanda," He said. Dropping his hand on Leanda's lap.

Her entire body shivered. She looked up at Diego, to find him gazing at her, waiting. She gets herself and finally opens up to him.

"Mr Giovanni sir," She started.

"Diego is fine," Diego said to Leanda. Drawing his hand off her lap.

Leanda swallowed her saliva with a nod. "Mr Diego sir..."

"Can the sir be placed aside please? Just call me Diego. I'm fine with that," He corrected. Smiling at Leanda.

Leanda nods again and calls him Mr Diego. The Mafia Lord chuckled. Telling her to go ahead.

"I thought about your offer from last night. I thought carefully about it and..." She paused. Getting all tensed within her.

Diego's eyes were fixed on her. He didn't want to rush her. But waited for her to take her time instead.

Leanda sighed and completed, "I'm ready to work for you sir." She looked at him.

With so much delight, Diego grinned at Leanda. He snapped his finger and a guard came in to meet him.

He whispered into the guard's ears. Leanda watched them. She sees the guard nodding his head. She wondered what Diego was telling him.

Done, Diego faces Leanda, while the guard went in through the path he came from.

Her eyes followed the guards movement. Wondering where he's off to.

She's brought to reality when she feels Diego's hand on hers. She directed her attention back at him.

"You've done the right thing by agreeing to work for me Leanda. Like I told you last night..."

The guard returns back with a wad of dollar notes in his hand. Leaving Leanda stunned at the sight of the money.

The guard gives it to Diego. He collects it and waves it for Leanda to see. "I'll give you lots of money as you work. I always take care of my workers," He completed.

Diego hands the wad of notes to Leanda. Leanda felt all her troubles vanishing at the sight of the note. She holds it closely to feel it's weight. She couldn't wait to leave the mansion and straight back to her father.

The guard leaves Diego and Leanda. Seeing they were alone again, Diego drew himself closer to Leanda.

The excited lady, lost at the sight of the money, felt Diego's hand caressing her laps.

She turns to look at him. He's closer to her than before. Leanda gets scared within and tries to shift. But she didn't realize that she was already at the other end of the couch.

"See this money as a way of saying welcome from me," Diego said hoarsely to Leanda.

His body covering up the distance between the both of them. His face drawing nearer to hers. Leanda is rendered helpless. She stared at Diego. Watching his body press against hers.

She closed her eyes. She feels his kiss on her cheek, but not the lips like last night. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her.

His sparkling and daring eyes, hovering around her. He smiled and said, "I can't wait to start working with you."