The silence that followed was thick, too heavy to ignore. Luca stood there, jaw clenched, as if trying to swallow every truth I had just thrown in his face. He looked like he wanted to say something, defend himself, twist the story—but for once, there was nothing left to twist.
I didn't wait for him to speak.
I grabbed Gabriel's hand, shocking even myself. His fingers curled around mine, warm and firm.
"We're leaving," I said sharply, turning away from Luca.
Gabriel opened the car door for me, and I slid in without a word. He followed. The door slammed shut behind him, sealing us in a bubble away from the chaos Luca always brought.
The car sped off.
I didn't ask where we were going again—I didn't care. My heart was pounding, not from fear, but from the rush of finally standing up for myself. Of walking away.
"You okay?" Gabriel asked softly, glancing at me.
I nodded. "I will be."
We drove in silence for a few moments. The city blurred outside the window. My mind replayed everything—my wedding dress, the betrayal, Emma's smug face, Luca's excuses, and now… this strange comfort beside me.
I turned to Gabriel. "Why didn't you tell me who you were? That you were the buyer?"
He sighed. "Because I didn't plan for it. When Mark told me about the company shares, I almost said no. I didn't want to mix business with... feelings."
"And yet, here we are."
He looked at me, serious now. "Aria, I didn't come back to mess with your life. I came because… I couldn't stop thinking about you. That night—it wasn't a one-night mistake to me."
I stared at him, unsure of how to respond. My heart beat faster. Gabriel was trouble, yet peace. Fire, yet warmth. Everything I shouldn't want—but did.
After nearly thirty minutes of driving, we stopped in front of a beach house. Isolated. Quiet. The waves crashing in the distance.
Gabriel got out, circled to my side, and opened the door. "Come inside."
I hesitated for a moment, then stepped out. The air smelled like salt and freedom. He led me in. The house was modern, clean, and strangely calming.
We sat on the couch, the silence stretching again—but this time, it wasn't uncomfortable.
"I was engaged once," he said suddenly, eyes staring at nothing. "She left me when things got hard. When I needed her most."
My breath caught. "I'm sorry."
"She made me believe I wasn't enough," he continued. "But the morning I woke up next to you… I felt peace I hadn't felt in years. Then you were gone."
"I had to leave," I whispered. "It felt wrong… everything with you, even though it felt right too."
He leaned closer, not touching, just near enough to feel. "And now?"
"I don't know," I said honestly. "I feel everything at once. Hurt. Lost. But when I'm with you… I don't feel broken."
He touched my cheek gently. "Then stay. Just for tonight. No pressure. No expectations. Just… rest."
I nodded slowly. "Okay."
We ate quietly—takeout he had ordered ahead—and watched the waves from the large glass windows. I didn't realize how tired I was until my head leaned against his shoulder.
He didn't move. Just sat still, letting me breathe.
But peace didn't last long.
Just as I began to relax, his phone buzzed. He checked it—and his face changed.
"What is it?" I asked, sitting up.
He hesitated, then turned the screen to me.
A picture. Of me and him. Together at the office. Another one—us holding hands outside the car. And one more—me at his beach house, stepping in.
Sent from an unknown number.
My blood ran cold.
Underneath the photos was a message:
"She cheats just like her husband. Be careful who you trust, Mr. Billionaire."
My heart dropped. "Who—who would…?"
"Someone watching," he said darkly, eyes scanning the windows.
My pulse quickened. I stood up and pulled the curtains closed. "Do you think it's Luca?"
"Maybe. Or Emma. Or someone we don't even expect."
My phone buzzed next. I grabbed it—my stomach flipping.
One new message from an unknown number:
'Nice house. Shame if the truth came out.'
I looked at Gabriel. "We're being watched."
He stepped forward, his protective energy rising like a storm. "Then we stay ahead of whoever this is. No more secrets."
Before I could speak, the lights flickered.
Then—
A knock at the door.
Gabriel's jaw tightened. "Stay behind me."
The knock came again, harder this time.
"Gabriel…" I whispered, panic rising.
He moved to the door slowly, reaching for the handle—