Chapter 5

Gabriel stepped out of the apartment building and released a long, heavy sigh he hadn’t even realized he had been holding in. It felt as though the weight of the night finally settled on his shoulders the moment the cool air brushed against his face. Without looking back, he got into his car and instructed his chauffeur to take him home.

When he arrived at his mansion, he stood for a brief moment, staring at the enormous structure before him. The place looked just as grand and impressive as always, yet tonight it felt oddly hollow. Nicole’s words replayed in his mind, and for the first time in a long while, he admitted to himself that she wasn’t wrong. Under normal circumstances, he should be married by now. But nothing about his life felt normal anymore. The pressure from his mother, the expectations, the constant reminders of what his life should look like—it all pushed him into doing something he never imagined he would do. If this was what it took to finally get her off his back, then he was willing to do whatever was necessary.

He made his way to his bedroom, stripped off his clothes, and headed straight for the shower. The warm water cascaded over him, but even that did little to wash away the thoughts crowding his mind.

After his shower, Gabriel lay flat on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Doubt crept in slowly. Was he doing the right thing? This wasn’t how things were supposed to be handled. None of this felt right. He knew he needed to let go of Ashley, to truly move on, but that was far easier said than done. Her memory lingered stubbornly in his mind, refusing to fade. Still, despite everything, he found himself silently hoping that Nicole would give his proposal serious thought. At this point, she was his only hope.

Eventually, exhaustion took over. It was already 2:00 a.m., and he had an early morning ahead of him. Work was the only place where he could focus, the only place where his mind found some sense of order and peace. With that thought, he finally drifted into sleep.

Nicole, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep at all.

She lay awake, staring into the darkness of her room as the events of the night replayed over and over in her head. The image of Gabriel standing in her living room refused to fade. She had always dreamed of being rich—of living the good life, a life filled with luxury, comfort, and pure bliss. And now, somehow, that very opportunity had come knocking on her door. Yet instead of excitement alone, confusion gripped her tightly.

She didn’t know whether accepting such an offer was the right thing to do.

What if something went wrong along the way? What if he had a girlfriend who suddenly showed up and everything blew up in her face? But then again, he never mentioned having a girlfriend. And if anything did happen, surely a man like him would be able to defend her… right?

Her thoughts spiraled endlessly. She was supposed to be enjoying a blissful sleep after a long day, but instead, her mind was restless and overcrowded. The amount of money involved was unbelievably tempting—anyone would accept such an offer without thinking twice. Yet there was something else she couldn’t ignore. She sensed desperation beneath his stern exterior. He needed her to say yes, even though he tried so hard not to show it.

Why was he still single anyway?

It wasn’t really any of her business, but she needed to know what kind of man she was getting involved with. And then there was another thought she didn’t expect—she hadn’t been with a man in quite a while.

Gosh, why am I even thinking like this?

It wasn’t as if anything was going to happen between them… or was it?

The thoughts alone were enough to give her a pounding headache. Realizing she was getting nowhere, Nicole finally decided to force herself to sleep. She needed rest, badly.

Gabriel was already in his office the next day, flipping through some documents when his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and noticed it was an unknown number.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Hello?… It’s me, Nicole.”

The moment he heard her voice, Gabriel straightened in his chair. He didn’t understand why, but hearing her name stirred something unexpected inside him. Excitement flickered quietly beneath his composed exterior.

“Um, I called so we could talk about your proposal,” Nicole continued.

Her voice sounded soft—calming even. Gabriel remained silent, allowing her to speak. He didn’t want to pressure her, didn’t want her to feel forced into making a decision she might regret.

“I thought about it all night,” she said, pausing briefly, “and I think I accept. I’ll do it.”

Gabriel released a quiet sigh of relief, one he kept to himself. Gratitude washed over him as the tension he had been carrying finally eased.

“I’ll send my chauffeur to pick you up from your apartment,” he said. “He’ll drive you to my place. That’s where we’ll sign the contract.”

“Okay. I better get prepared then… oh, wait. When do I, um… start?”

“Today,” he replied. “You’ll be moving in today. I suggest you grab whatever you’ll need before my chauffeur arrives.”

“Really? Today?!” Nicole exclaimed, her nerves clear in her voice. “That’s so soon.”

Gabriel understood her anxiety. Anyone would be nervous about moving into the house of a complete stranger.

“You can pack some of your things today,” he suggested calmly. “You can get the rest later.”

“Oh… okay. Goodbye then.”

“Goodbye.”

The line went dead.

Gabriel immediately called his chauffeur to get the car ready and then contacted his personal assistant, canceling every remaining appointment for the day. He needed to be home before Nicole arrived. There were employees to inform about that new lady boss, arrangements to make—and he wanted to give her enough time to pack. Picking up the contract papers he had personally printed earlier, he left his office.

Nicole had been extremely nervous before making the call, but once it ended, a sudden wave of relief washed over her. She couldn’t believe it had gone that smoothly. Excitement burst out of her as she screamed softly to herself, rushing into her closet to start packing.

Soon enough, she was going to be a millionaire.