My Artistic Mafia Man

Chapter 7: Sweet Eltan?

Chapter 7: Sweet Eltan?

Eltan Storm

"You're a bad boss," said Candy all of a sudden, interrupting me and Faith in the middle of a fun conversation.

"Excuse me?" I arched an eyebrow.

"—is what everyone has been saying," Candy completed.

"Why? Eltan is a really good boss," Faith said instantly, and a smile formed on my lips.

Just a few days ago, if someone asked her this, she would have to think twice before answering. But due to my regular presence at the casino for the last few days, her opinion of me had drastically changed, and so had her attitude toward me.

"Well, you would think that, of course, because the boss favors you. But the rest of the bartenders think that Boss has a crush on you and that's why he doesn't pay attention to any other employees. He just comes here to chat with you." Well, all of that might be right. "By the way, none of these are my words. I lost a bet, so I had to come here and say that." Candy flashed me a tight-lipped smile. "So now please excuse me, Boss."

Once Candy walked away, I looked at a jaw-dropped Faith.

But when she realized my gaze, she hurried to say, "I swear I had no idea they were saying such things—"

"It's fine. I don't care either way," I shrugged. Only if she knew that no one was lying technically. They were just saying what they saw.

Faith frowned. "How do you not care? Don't you come here not to disappoint your employees? Your employees are getting disappointed either way because you only come and talk to me," she reasoned.

I chuckled.

Gosh, how could someone be that dense? How did she still not figure out that by 'employees,' I meant her only? I came to see her here, and that was a fact that everyone else in the casino had figured out, except the one I wanted to.

In a way, her denseness was adorable.

"Eltan, why are you laughing? Did I say something funny?" she demanded.

I placed my elbows on the counter and rested my chin on my clasped knuckles, shaking my head innocently. She narrowed her eyes at me, and it made my smile widen.

Since we became friends, Faith had really opened up to me. She was no longer a stumbling mess around me. She told me that she didn't have a lot of friends, so she was really loving that she had another new friend now and she wanted to give her all to our friendship. Though I really hope she never friend-zoned me so much that I could never recover.

On the other hand, whenever she would ask me questions about myself or my family, I would keep my answers neutral and limited. I told her about the members of my family who were still alive. I also told her about Xian and showed her a photo of him. She had gushed over him so much as if he was her nephew; it made my entire body feel warm with affection for her.

"Seriously, Eltan, it's a serious issue. You should really go around and talk once in a while with other employees, too. They would feel nice."

"I don't want to." Enough of playing nice. What part of me made her think that I care about what they would feel? I didn't care. Not a dime about anyone else. Just Faith.

She should know the real me. The me who didn't give a crap about anyone else's life. The me who wouldn't hesitate to take thousands of lives for her. The me who could only think of her.

"Does that mean you only come here to talk to me?" she asked, a little surprised.

I nodded unreluctantly.