54

GABRIEL
A few hours ago…
“Son, is this girl who I think she is?” Dad whispered when he brought me to the corner so others wouldn't hear. Apparently, there was no point in denying it. If there’s a family member who knew my situation, it was Dad and Coulson. Mom knew where I came from, but she didn’t thoroughly know everything, and so did Maya.
“She doesn’t have anything to do with her family. She’s also a victim. I found her again, Dad—or she found me.”
Elazar Stark, the man I looked up to the most and who accepted me for who I was, patted my back, consoling me. “Are you going to tell her?”
“Soon. I’m afraid that she might run away from me. I can’t have that.”
His eyes gleamed. “You love her. Still. Does she feel the same?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “That’s why I’m more afraid. I will tell her everything when she’s ready. She’s not, and we’re still new.”
He looked at me. “You’ve grown up to be a great man, Gabriel. Your father would be so proud of you.” He grinned.
“Well, I was raised by two great fathers,” I inserted.
“As a matter of fact, you resembled him in all ways. I see him in you all the time,” he went on. “When we became friends at Columbia University, we were inseparable. He was also always there to rescue me from my pathetic self.”
I chuckled. “You are one of the greatest men I know, Dad. I can’t picture you like that.”
“But I was and changed because of your father. He would constantly tell me that ‘Nothing will happen if you don’t try. Of course, I told you this many times already.” Indeed. And he’d never get tired of telling about it over and over.
“So he really was like you, son,” he continued. “Determined and passionate. But I just want you to be careful. The path you chose isn’t an easy road. Always make sure you are one step ahead of your enemy.”
“I’ll make sure I am ten times ahead. Don’t worry about me, Dad,” I assured. “Audrey is different. She’s not like her family.”
“She’s a very lovely girl, Gabriel. True love doesn’t come twice. Your mother wasn’t my first love, but she was my last.”
We exchanged a brief hug before I excused myself to find Audrey. I noticed that they were taking too long. I wouldn’t know what Maya was telling her…

AUDREY
The days in the office went by normally—normally, like those days when I didn’t exist at all in his eyes. Gabriel would only call me if he needed something work-related. He stopped texting me, he would go home without letting me know, and he’d always respond to me in such a short manner.
I wanted this. Space. I asked him for it, and that’s exactly what he was giving me, but he never had been any colder.
His words to me back then kept me going. I was never going to run because there was no point in running. I needed my job as well and having to put food on the table was also important.
Unfortunately, I still couldn’t see him as Liam Cross. He looked absolutely like the man who’d almost claimed me, but he was different now—too different that I couldn’t blame myself for thinking he was a different person.
But there were times reality would strike me. Looking at him the other way won’t change the fact that he was Liam, and I wasn’t daydreaming. The person seated in that luxurious office, holding a thousand-dollar fountain pen, wearing a designer suit, and a man who was fucking sexy as hell was Liam Cross. He was the same man who made me feel wanted and beautiful, but I couldn’t grasp the whole situation. I was still confused.
I wouldn’t know how to approach him, either.
My hours went on. There was no idle time in Stark’s office. There’s always so much to do, and at this moment, I needed to deliver Mark Collins the signed documents he needed for the Sports Fest tomorrow. I sprang up to my seat when our General Manager suddenly appeared.
“Audrey.” He grinned.
“Bryan. What’s up?”
“I need you to give this to Gabriel.” He passed on the campaign-related portfolio. I grabbed the files and placed them on my desk. “Are you ready for tomorrow, Audrey?” he asked with a smile.
“Nah. Sports aren't really for me.” I chuckled.
“But you should know that it’s mandatory for everyone to join, right?”
I nodded. “I’m aware, but I’d probably just watch.”
“Oh, that means you aren’t on the team yet!” he stated cheerfully as if it was something to celebrate.
“The others asked to have me join them, but—”
“You refused,” he finished my sentence. “Very well, I’m hoping you won’t refuse me. There’s a game I want to play, but I don’t have a team for it yet. I don’t exactly need an entire team. It is played by two people.” He scratched his chin. “Do you mind being on my team?”
I blinked. I always knew Bryan was direct, but I didn’t expect that he would invite me.
“I’m not sure—” I paused as I caught sight of a tall, red-head stunning woman in an emerald dress who went into Gabriel’s office. I watched him as he moved from his seat and flashed out a very charming smile, one I didn’t get to see the past few days, and kissed her cheek.
What the hell?
“Audrey? Audrey,” Bryan called, snapping me back to reality.
“Hi, yes!” I shifted my attention back to him, but then he took a glance at Gabriel’s office.
“Francesca Moretti.”
“Huh?”
“That’s Francesca Moretti. I didn’t know she was back.”
Back from where? “Who is she?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Gabriel didn’t really say. I saw her a few times, and one, in particular, was last year at the company Christmas party. Their relationship was unclear, but they were pretty close. The first time I saw Gabriel flirting in public.” He laughed, then shrugged.
My heart clenched. Was there anything else he wasn’t telling me? Aside from having an ex-fiancée and being the man I didn’t think he was—was she another lover he wasn’t telling me about?
God. Stop assuming already, Audrey. You needed space from him to think, not cloud your mind on something unnecessary.
“So, I was saying, will you join my team?”
“Oh—yeah, sure. Let’s play tomorrow. Might as well enjoy it.”
He clasped his hand. “Great! Thank you, Audrey,” Bryan said, and that was the same time I saw Gabriel with the redhead coming out of the office while clinging onto his arm, giggling as they headed to the elevator. I shut my eyes.
Bryan disappeared out of sight and continued digging into my daily task. However, I waited and waited for Gabriel to come back, but he didn’t.