Chapter 2 - Gabriel

Ferrars men tended to be obsessive about the woman they loved.

Gabriel had been less than eight years old when his grandfather had told him this, shortly after he had seen his grandson chuckle the way he always smirked when his wife walked past them as they played together in the living room. Of course, at the time, Gabriel was too young to understand why his grandfather was advising him to prepare for the future. In fact, even as he got older and one day he found himself unable to take his eyes off the girl who had been his classmate since he was in elementary school, Gabriel still refused to understand the true meaning of that phrase.

It was ridiculous and depressing to remember how the only thing that had made him realize how he felt about Andrea Vamcap was having his life saved by her. And now, here they were. He had spent the last ten years thinking about those black eyes every second of every day and she...

She clearly hated him.

"What did you say?" slowly, Andy's face took on a furious expression, as if she was ready to punch him "What do you think I am...?"

“I want your time.” for the millionth time that day, Gabriel's mouth acted faster than his mind, not giving him the opportunity to formulate the apologies he knew he should be saying to Andy at that moment.

"What?" Andy grimaced and took a step back, seeming to think he had lost his mind.

“You think I spent all these years trying to contact you because I wanted to torment you, but that's not true.” he said, hating how nonchalant his voice was sounding because of all the tension that had gripped him since the day his secretary had let him know that someone named Andrea Vamcap wanted to set up a meeting with him “I'm not who I was the last time we saw each other. I know how much I wronged you... And I regret everything I did.”

"Do not make me laugh." she rolled her eyes coldly "Do you really want me to believe that you took those pictures all those years ago with good intentions?"

“I know my word is worthless, but when I hired the detectives who took those pictures, my intention was not to harm you.” Gabriel admitted, with all the weight of guilt he had carried around for years sagging on his shoulders “All I wanted was to find something about your mother that would convince my father that my mother wasn't worth trading for... But, I never found anything.”

“Wouldn’t showing your mother the pictures be enough?” Andy asked, looking away from him and, surprised, Gabriel noticed that she looked embarrassed, as if what Imogen and Edgar had done in the past somehow concerned her.

“Your mother never cheated on anyone.” he revealed, making her look up immediately “My parents… They had a sham marriage. My mom always knew about the two of them and didn't care. In the end, none of them did anything wrong… Other than me.” Gabriel told him, feeling his own heart a little lighter as he saw the relief in Andy's expression.

“So… Everything you did when we were at school…” she narrowed her eyes, after a moment “Was it just because you wanted to? Is that what you're telling me?"

"No. I didn't know about how my parents had decided to live, so...” for years, he had wondered what words he would use to explain himself and apologize to the woman he couldn't get out of his mind, but at that moment, Gabriel couldn't find no speech that was good enough “I was an idiot. I have known this for a long time.”

“Yes, you were.” Andy sighed, putting a hand to his forehead as if he was giving him a headache “But, the past is the last thing I care about right now. Just say, loud and clear, what you want in exchange for all that evidence you've accumulated while spying on my mother's life.”

“I never had the chance to apologize to you for the way I acted...” Gabriel felt compelled to explain, even if that wasn't what she wanted to hear “And much less thank you for saving my life that night at the lake."

“And what does it matter?”

“That's why, what I want…” he spoke at the same time as her, making their voices scramble for a moment “It's a little bit of your time… So that I can finally do all these things. ” Unable to contain himself, Gabriel moved closer to her again, wanting to study every part of her face up close, which was still round and lovely, but more mature and more attractive than he remembered “If you agree to meet me for the next few months… Then I will give you all the information I have, even new ones if you wish.”

“You…” her jaw dropped open “You can't be serious!”

"I am." Gabriel solemnly assured.

He wasn't stupid enough not to know that what he was asking of her wasn't fair, let alone the behavior of a man who had come to terms with his mistakes. She'd put up with a lot of shit because of him, and especially, if it hadn't been for Andy, he wouldn't even be alive right now. Anyone with a brain could tell that the least he should be doing right now is accepting whatever demands she might have, in exchange for her forgiving him, not the other way around. He should tell her not to worry because he was going to get her all those files as soon as possible. And if she walked out of there saying she never wanted to see him again, it was his job to just accept and obey her.

But even though he wasn't that stupid, vengeful boy anymore, there was still a part of him that refused to leave her alone. A part that, a long time ago, his grandfather had warned him about.

“So your way of getting my forgiveness is by blackmailing me?” Andy laughed bitterly “Well then, you're forgiven. Happy now?"

"No." Gabriel sighed "Because I know you're not serious."

"For God's sake! You're the CEO of your family business, aren't you? Ask for money, some business contract or something!” she snarled, full of revolt "What's your problem...?"

“This company does not belong to the Ferrars. She is mine alone.” Gabriel told her, even though he knew she wouldn't understand what that meant.

“And what does it matter?” Andy grunted, before taking a deep breath, seeming to be mustering the patience to deal with her “Listen, neither of us are teenagers anymore. We are adults and we should argue as such. So I know you can understand why accepting such a proposal would be uncomfortable for me and why I am asking you to find another alternative. After all, I'm sure there's something else you want..."

"No." Gabriel cut her off, "I don't want nothing else."

There was nothing Gabriel wanted more than her, especially now that, after so many years of thinking about her, Andy was right there in front of him and the possibility of having to watch her go again made him want to throw her over his shoulder, so he could keep her all to himself.

Well, at least he managed to control himself enough not to reveal that to her.

"You..." Andy glared at him "Do you really want me to believe you've changed when you're acting like this?"

With no arguments to respond to that, Gabriel remained silent, not taking his eyes off her for a single minute, not knowing how he was supposed to admit that he had been in love with her since their last year of elementary school and that even when he was full of rage at what was happening between their parents, he didn't stop thinking about her for a single moment. But, the truth was, he knew he couldn't tell Andrea all of that, especially about the part where he had spent the last ten years longing to see her again, not just to get her forgiveness, but... For her.

So even if it made him a son of a bitch in her eyes all over again... He just couldn't stop himself from taking that opportunity.

"You're not going to give up, are you?" Andy asked with a snarl, as if he'd heard what he'd been thinking, or at least part of it.

“That is my only condition.” Gabriel nodded “If you agree to meet with me regularly for… One year.” he regretted it the moment he set such a short time “So, I'm not only going to give you all the information I have… But I'm also going to help in whatever way I can with the case against your father.”

"To help...?" Andrea's face suddenly changed, as if his words had reminded her of something important "With anything?" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I guarantee."

"And you're only going to give me the evidence you have after this year is over?" she raised an eyebrow, alert, as if she were dealing with a snake about to strike.

"No. If you agree, then I will transfer everything to you immediately.” Gabriel promised, lost in thoughts of what it would be like to have her staring at him with anything other than hatred "All I need is your word."

“Frankly…” she snarled for a moment, before straightening her shoulders, returning to look directly into his eyes, with a confidence she didn't have when they were younger, but which made her even more beautiful “Okay…” Andy took a deep breath, before continuing, through clenched teeth “I accept both conditions. Since…” she raised her finger in his face, menacing, at the same moment that Gabriel's heart had been racing “You assure me you won't let anyone know about this. And that, after this year is over, you will finally leave me alone!”

“Even if you say otherwise?”

“I will not say otherwise.” Andy snorted, adjusting the strap of the bag he carried over one shoulder, before turn around, without even looking one last time in his direction “I'll leave my personal number with your secretary. As soon as you send me what you promised, we can set up our first… Meeting.” she said that last word full of disgust.

"Andrea..." he tried to call her, but Andy had already closed the door behind him, leaving him alone in the silent office and free to smile, knowing that, this time, she wouldn't stay away from him for too long "See you soon."