I used to beg him for sweet words, for any sign of affection, and he would never give in. Now, he was finally saying he loved me, and the words felt like ash in my mouth.
But I don’t love you anymore,” I said, my voice devoid of emotion. “It’s over, Gabriel. Let’s just try to be civil about this.”
Chapter 2
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I used to beg him for sweet words, for any sign of affection, and he would never give in. Now, he was finally saying he loved me, and the words felt
like ash in my mouth.
“But I don’t love you anymore,” I said, my voice devoid of emotion. “It’s over, Gabriel. Let’s just try to be civil about this.”
“No, Vivi, you’re lying. You can’t have stopped loving me…”
He grabbed the hem of my pants, his face a mess of tears and desperation. I had never seen him so broken.
But I felt no pity. Only a profound sense of exhaustion.
I turned and walked out of the noisy banquet hall without a backward glance.
Just like he had once done to me.
10
Gabriel didn’t show up again after that night.
His lawyer contacted me a few times about the company shares he’d promised me as “compensation,” but I never accepted them.
had to admit, he had sheltered me well in the past. During my years in New York, I’d lived a comfortable life, never worrying about rent or bills. But there was a different kind of satisfaction in making it on my own, without his protection.
ل الله لا اله الله الله الله الله الله الله
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Now, if I wanted a piece of jewelry, I didn’t have to wait for him to gift it to me. If I wanted to fill my apartment with flowers, I didn’t have to worry
/about his pollen allergies.
My life in Havenport was peaceful and fulfilling.
As graduation approached, ‘I made a trip back to my old university. I heard the full story then–Gabriel had made a huge scene, taking his complai- nts all the way to the president’s office. In the end, Chloe’s appointment was rescinded, and the scandal had even affected Cora, who was demot- ed and transferred to a dead–end department at her job.
After graduation, I returned to Havenport for good.
Instead of going back to work for Leo, I opened my own small creative studio. His strength was in the supply chain; mine was in branding and marketing. It made perfect sense for him to become my primary supplier while I built my own independent brand.
On the day my studio officially opened, I took Leo out to dinner to celebrate.
He clinked his glass against mine, a smile playing on his lips. “So why didn’t you want to stay at my company? Had to strike out on your own, huh? I
didn’t stiff you on the bonus, did I?”
I met his gaze and said, with all the seriousness I could muster, “Because I like you.”
For a split second, I saw a flicker of panic in his eyes, quickly replaced by a wide, delighted grin.
“Even a confession has to be a competition with you, doesn’t it? You’re impossible. Good thing I came prepared.”
He slid a small, velvet–wrapped box across the table. Inside, nestled on a bed of silk, was a magnificent Tahitian black pearl, its luster deep and
iridescent.
“I saw it at an auction and thought of you immediately,” he said, his voice soft. “It’s like you. It has this unique, captivating charm. You can’t look
away.”
“Well, it’s a good thing Tcame prepared, too.”
I presented him with my own gift: a pair of custom–designed pearl cufflinks from my studio’s first collection.
Lea took the gift, the smile never leaving his face. He understood. He knew I didn’t want to be dependent on anyone, that I wanted a relationship of equals.
That autumn, Cora’s baby was born. I heard that Gabriel was by her side, helping take care of her and the newborn, but that they hadn’t gotten
married.
