Complicated bond

BOUTIQUE FOU

nths Later – H

ear the window, one hand gently cradling her now-showing baby bump. Her glow wasn't jus

er office after closing hours, dialing his number, her fingers trembling slightly before

t everything-her boutique, his growing charity projects, the books they used to read at night during their contract marriage

ancy. Maybe he didn't suspect. Mayb

ready.Until M

Apartme

pened it to find Marcus-her ex-boyfriend-

forward with practiced ch

. "What are y

hinking a lot about us. About what we lost. I made

sly. Marcus had never be

oto-Gabriel at a café, seated

multiple times. Word is,

nted to scream that it didn't matter, but it did. It sha

called, she let the phone

dn't a

Later – Bo

de her laugh sometimes, and part of her wanted to believe he'd changed. But her heart remained ca

e dismissed it at first. But then small things started going missing. Orders were delayed. Money was unaccounted for.Marcus slowly

d. She missed Gabriel terribly but felt betrayed. And Marcus... at

t honed by heartbreak and rebirth, wou

el's Apartme

phone, listening to

red to love you the way you deser

een anyone else. The photo was a misunders

er. He had to te

eal love... didn'

iel's Apart

y he couldn't let go of. Gabriel sat on the edge of his couch, finger

red to love you the way you deser

. He hadn't stopped thinking about her. About the boutique. The

door cre

impeccably dressed in navy and pearls. Her heels clicked against the floor as

. "What are you d

esn't deserve him." She paused, watching the phone in his hand. "Still listening to tha

heavily. "You d

ed you for your money, Gabriel. You said it yourself-contract marriage, remember?

was a front. We made that choice toget

er do-wrap themselves in vulnerability and make men like you feel like h

acing. "That bab

k she hasn't moved on? Haven't you seen the pictures?

tures. And I still trust her more th

omeone who's of your world. A woman who understands legacy, business, s

ted," he cut her

ed, poised, from a family of influence. She wouldn'

way she touched fabrics like they were alive, the strength in her si

ietly. "She ran from herself. From h

invisible lint from her coat. "So you

. "I'd rather be a fool in lo

ped nod, she turned and walked out, her p

le Lounge –

stead of shouting them. Gabriel sat at a corner table, sipping a glass of scotch, his mind heavy with thoughts of Helen

n Marcus a

and oozing a charm Gabr

tended a hand. "Name's Marcus. I

ebrow but shook his

nto the seat across from him without bei

s body s

onfidential. "You see, I dated her before you. And I thought

n disbelief and fury. "What th

xt thread and a manipulated photo of Hele

d the marriage contract. She was... wel

nched. "What are

just a cover. I thought you deserved the truth, man. You don

cream that Marcus was lying, that Helen wasn't like

lls. She never told him abo

bruptly, his sc

aid stiffly. "