Chapter 5

Gabrielle blinked, unable to grasp what had happened, when a low voice resonated in her ear.

“Please be careful.”

“Oh…”

Only after a moment did Gabrielle realize what had happened and hurriedly thanked him.

“Thank you for saving me. That could have been serious.”

Instead of answering, the man picked up the trunk that had almost tumbled down with her. Gabrielle reached out, thinking he was handing it over.

“You even grabbed my bag in the middle of all that. Thank you.”

Black hair, black eyes. He was a tall, broad-shouldered young man with an ordinary appearance. He seemed to be another tenant in the building. Relieved to have at least one kind neighbor, Gabrielle glanced at him, noticing the silence lingered. He didn’t hand over the trunk, leaving her hands empty.

“Um… excuse me?”

She wondered if he might run off with her trunk. With a hint of worry, Gabrielle cautiously spoke.

“What floor are you on?”

“Sorry?”

“I asked, which floor?”

The man calmly repeated his question. Gabrielle blinked and awkwardly replied.

“Oh… The top floor. But you don’t have to carry it for me… Excuse me?”

Before she could finish, the man brushed past Gabrielle and started up the stairs. Surprised by the sudden situation, Gabrielle quickly followed him up. Only after reaching the top step did the man set the trunk down.

“Excuse me.”

With no parting words, he turned to leave, so Gabrielle quickly called out to him.

“Thank you so much. My name is Gabrielle. What’s your name?”

Instead of replying, the man stared intently at Gabrielle, as if wondering why she’d ask. He seemed kind, but maybe he was suspicious after all.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Thank you anyway.”

“Julian.”

Just as Gabrielle awkwardly tried to smile and turn away, a quiet answer stopped her.

“Julian. I live one floor below.”

From the beginning, Gabrielle had noticed his voice—it resonated deeply, surprisingly pleasant for someone with such an ordinary appearance.

Gabrielle belatedly greeted him.

“Nice to meet you. I look forward to getting along.”

The man simply nodded and went down the stairs. A kind man with a nice voice, but somehow suspicious. That was Gabrielle’s first impression of the downstairs neighbor.

* * *

She met her former fiancé again one week after their reunion night. Gabrielle stiffened as she faced him.

He hadn’t changed. He looked just as composed and relaxed as before. It made Gabrielle feel foolish for all the time she’d spent suffering alone.

Sunlight slanted through the window, tinting his platinum hair. Julian, reclining with his arm on the sofa’s back and legs crossed, asked slowly,

“Did you get home safely that night? You twisted your ankle.”

Gabrielle didn’t answer. She only lowered her gaze to her hands. Julian watched her intently and gave a bitter smile.

“Looks like you forced yourself to come.”

“Let’s keep this brief.”

“Aren’t you curious about me?”

“Curious?”

She was. She had a lot to ask—enough to last all night.

But she didn’t want to satisfy this man’s shallow pleasure. Gabrielle slowly raised her head and firmly denied it.

“No.”

She hoped he’d feel awkward, get angry, or leave first. But none of that happened.

Instead, his lips curled slightly, making her flush with anger.

“Why are you smiling? What’s so amusing?”

“You finally looked at my face properly.”

He looked like a boy suffering from first love. Julian lowered his long eyelashes and touched his teacup with elegant fingers.

He had always been so striking that anyone who looked at him would be drawn in. For him, meeting and leaving people was as easy as stepping on an ant.

Gabrielle bit her lip and shot back coldly.

“What are you trying to do?”

“Gabrielle.”

“Why did you ask to meet me? Do you enjoy manipulating people by using Chris’s company’s investment as leverage?”

“Gabby.”

“Don’t call me by that name!”

Gabrielle finally lost her temper. Her sharp voice drew the attention of people around them. Feeling their stares, Gabrielle tried to calm herself.

“Whether your name is Julian or Dominic, I don’t care. Stop controlling people and calling them out through threats. Or else.”

“I can’t.”

He refused shamelessly, wearing an apologetic face. He was a man full of deception from head to toe. Unable to hold back, Gabrielle picked up her cup.

A chilly silence spread through the café. She realized what she’d done only when she met his eyes as he brushed back his wet hair.

“For the record, my name is Julian Rogers. Dominic Moore was an alias.”

Even with tea spilled in front of everyone, Julian’s face remained calm. As Gabrielle hesitated, he pleaded,

“Ten times.”

“What…?”

“Meet me ten times, Gabrielle.”

“…….”

“If after that you never want to see me again, I won’t cling to you anymore. I won’t bother you about your stepbrother either.”

His bright yellow eyes sparkled, desperate and earnest like someone at the edge of a cliff. Gabrielle had never seen this face, not even when she was his fiancée.

“And if I refuse?”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to hold onto you.”

Julian replied shamelessly, looking like someone barely holding onto a wild beast’s leash. Gabrielle instinctively stepped back, feeling he might let go if she tried to escape.

Seeing his face, as if he’d given up on controlling himself, Gabrielle instinctively retreated.

“…Are you serious?”

“I promise.”

His sullen face instantly brightened. Annoyed by his quick change, Gabrielle drove in a final nail.

“Don’t get your hopes up. This is just a waste of time.”

She had no intention of meeting him all ten times. If she acted cold enough, he’d give up on his own. She was no longer the naive, yielding person she’d once been.

“How could meeting you ever be a waste?”

His affectionate voice made Gabrielle snort. Where was the man who’d found every moment with her boring? The one who’d been the worst at the end.

“You’ll regret saying that.”

Gabrielle stood up and left without saying goodbye.

The next day, after meeting Julian, Chris barged in late at night, reeking of alcohol, and hugged her.

“Thank you, Gabrielle. My cute little sister!”

He had always seen her as an object with value, nothing more or less. Now, his gaze was suddenly full of affection.

“Why are you acting like this?”

Gabrielle, creeped out, coldly pushed him away.

“So cold.”

Chris staggered to the couch in the living room. Gabrielle, exasperated, put her hands on her hips.

“What is this? Showing up unannounced like this.”

This was the first time Chris had set foot in her place since she’d been pushed out to live independently.

“Thanks to you, the investment deal went through. They promised even more investments in the future.”

“…….”

“Honestly, I’m surprised. I thought I’d have to use Angela instead.”

Chris laughed, thrilled with his success, while Gabrielle went to the corner and rummaged through a drawer, pulling out a pamphlet.

“Send Mom to this nursing hospital.”

“Nursing hospital?”

Her mother Sabrina’s alcoholism had reached a critical stage.

Drunk day and night, she was violently unpredictable when intoxicated. No regular hospital would take her, and Gabrielle didn’t feel right about sending her to a nursing home or psychiatric hospital.

After much thought, she’d settled on a well-equipped nursing hospital.

“It’s in the countryside, with good air and water. It’s famous for treating alcoholism.”

The only downside was the cost. It was more than she could manage alone.

“That’s unexpected.”

Chris looked down at the nursing hospital pamphlet, sneering.

“I thought you’d gladly take care of her yourself. Finally facing reality?”

Gabrielle was no longer obsessed with a mother’s love that would never return. She replied with a cutting edge.

“They accept advance payment, so pay for ten years upfront and admit her. If you don’t agree, I won’t meet Julian Rogers.”

“What?”

Chris, hit by one surprise after another, widened his eyes. Gabrielle informed him calmly.

“I won’t repeat myself. This is a deal.”

“No family love at all. When did you change so much?”

“Family?”

Gabrielle laughed as if she’d heard a ridiculous joke.

“Were we ever really family?”

“You…”

Her face looked like she wouldn’t flinch even if stabbed in the stomach. When had that soft child changed so much? Chris rubbed his eyes and finally nodded.

“Fine… I’ll do it.”

* * *

The chaos of moving soon passed. People are creatures of adaptation, after all. Gabrielle quickly adjusted to her new environment and got by. Even her boss Dominic became a little easier to work with, and her heavy workload eased over time.

Even when they went on business trips together, it wasn’t too awkward. As soon as she got into the passenger seat, Gabrielle spoke first.

“Acting Director, I typed up the minutes from the meeting, but just to be sure, I’ll proofread for typos and send the final version by tomorrow morning.”

“Alright. If you have too much work, you can finish it by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Just call me Dominic.”

“Sorry?”

“We’ve worked together for over a month now. It’d be nice to stop being so formal.”