Gabriel turned sharply toward the mirror, staring intently at his reflection. His eyes scanned his face, particularly focusing on his pupils. *"My lenses are in place,"* he thought with relief. *"Phew. I thought she saw my real eye color."* He glanced back at Camella, puzzled by the dazed look on her face. *What’s wrong with her?* he wondered silently."What?" he asked softly, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Why are you staring like that? Do I have something on my face?"Camella shook her head. "No.""So, answer me then," he prompted, a bit more insistent this time.“You’re asking about a safe," she replied. "That’s why.""Huh?" Gabriel blinked, feigning confusion."I’m surprised by your question, Gabriel," she continued, her tone almost suspicious. "If we had a safe, you’d know about it. Why are you acting like you’ve never been in every nook and cranny of this house?"Gabriel quickly searched for an excuse. “Oh… I, uh, thought maybe you got one recently, you know, for extra secu
Gabriel’s patience was wearing thin. He almost dropped his spoon with a noisy clatter. “Why are you all looking at me like that?” he snapped.Camella looked at him, puzzled. “You should know where you've kept them.”Oliver, his father, added, “It’s strange you're asking us where you kept them.”Gabriel shrugged, trying to mask his nervousness. “Father, I can’t recall. It feels like I’m losing my memory slowly.”Oliver frowned. “Losing your memory? Since when?”Gabriel sighed dramatically. “I’ve been feeling off lately… forgetful, you know?”Camella leaned forward, concern etched on her face. “Well, it should be in the bank. The documents and other valuables. I recall you saying you've got them safe in the bank.”“What bank?” Gabriel asked too quickly, his voice tinged with urgency.Camella stared at him, baffled. “You really don’t remember?”He chuckled awkwardly. “I must have opened lots of accounts in different banks. I’m unsure of the exact one I kept them in.”Oliver raised an eye
The manager watched him closely, confused. “Is there a problem, Gabriel?”Gabriel forced a smile. “Just a moment. I’ll get it right.” He tried to think hard, but nothing came to mind.His frustration was growing. “What could the special passcode be?” he muttered, his voice tense.The manager frowned, a bit perplexed. “Gabriel, you should know the passcode. You set it yourself just a few months back.”Gabriel ran a hand through his hair, his patience thinning. “I’ve forgotten it,” he snapped.The manager looked taken aback. “Forgotten? This is unusual. It's crucial information, Gabriel.”Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. “Isn't there another way to get my money? Just bypass all these protocols?”The manager shook his head firmly. “I'm afraid not. The bank has strict procedures. We can’t release any funds or valuables without the correct passcode. It’s for your own security.”Gabriel clenched his jaw, his fingers tapping on the desk in irritation. “What if I can’t remember it?”The manager notic
Camella blinked, trying to process what Gabriel had just done. Marie’s smile widened while Anna gave Camella a taunting side glance. Unable to stand the tension, Camella took Jessie by the hand and walked toward their room."Why did Daddy do that, Mommy?" Jessie asked, her innocent eyes filled with confusion.Camella took a deep breath, forcing a calm expression. "It's nothing serious, sweetheart."Jessie frowned. "No, Mommy. The other day, that aunt hugged Daddy. I told them it was wrong, and Daddy promised he wouldn't let that happen again. He broke his promise!"Camella stopped in her tracks. "What? Jessie, just go to your room and rest, okay?""But why was he acting like that with her?" Jessie insisted, her voice rising."Just go!" Camella snapped, losing her composure. Jessie nodded on understanding and left. Camella's shoulders dropped as she exhaled. Later, Gabriel entered the room and immediately sensed Camella’s anger. Her face was tense, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Camella's eyes flickered with doubt. “Why are you hiding things from me? You’ve never done this before.”Gabriel's heart pounded. “I’m not hiding anything, just handling some things… privately.”Camella folded her arms, her eyes narrowing. “Privately? Since when do we have secrets?”Gabriel stared at her, trying to read her expression. Was it game over? Did she hear him? Her tone suggested she might have, but he had to keep his composure. “I didn't mean I'm keeping secrets,” he replied carefully. “I just came in to answer a call.”“In the bathroom?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow.“Yes,” he nodded, forcing a smile. “I didn't want to disturb you. You were sleeping.”Camella’s eyes remained fixed on his. “I know. So, what were you talking about on the phone?”“It's nothing." He sighed, trying to stay calm. “Look, I don’t want to explain now. Can we just… drop this?”Her eyes darkened, but she nodded slowly. “Fine, for now. But just know, I’m watching you, Gabriel. Closely. And from
Anna’s shock was evident. “What do you mean?”Noticing her distress, the manager asked, “Didn’t he inform you about this?”“No,” Anna said, her voice tight. “Please, speak clearly. What happened?”The manager sighed and clarified, “It appeared that there was a problem with his authentication. He tried to access the documents and money, but the system didn’t recognize him. It was quite unusual.”Anna’s expression shifted to one of worry as she processed this information. She felt a surge of concern about Gabriel and his intentions.“I’m sure he wanted to use the money for some business," Anna muttered, almost as if convincing herself.“Yes. He did mention something about an investment,” the manager replied, but his eyes narrowed slightly as if measuring his next words carefully. He hesitated, then added, “Though he acted... differently.”“Go on, manager,” Anna urged, her voice tightening. “What do you want to say?”The manager cleared his throat. “Uh, your husband... I think something
"So, Zoe, I want to ask you something important," Gabriel began, trying to maintain his composure.Zoe tilted her head, looking at him deeply. "So that's why you came? Because you need something from me? That's quite unlike the Gabriel I know."Gabriel laughed lightly, "Oh, come on, Zoe. You make me sound so serious. I just need a favor from a friend."She rolled her eyes playfully. "Alright, but you owe me a special treat.""Sure," he grinned. "I'll get you some fried calamari from La Bella Bistro. I know you love it."Zoe's brows creased, and she quickly stopped him. "Fried calamari? No, Gabriel, you know I don't like it."Gabriel paused, his smile faltering. "Huh?""It also causes me allergies! Remember? You were the one who noticed the last time I was tempted to try it, and you scolded me,” she recalled, a teasing smile on her lips.Gabriel looked down, scratching his head awkwardly. He had failed to guess right, and now he wondered what she would make of his mistake."Gabriel, ha
Dan stood fuming as Gabriel's car sped away, his tires kicking up dust. He turned to Zoe, who was still staring in shock."Why did you let him hit you like that?" Dan demanded, his voice sharp with frustration.Zoe shook her head, trying to stay calm. "It's okay. He's under the influence of alcohol."Dan's eyes widened in disbelief. "And you let him drive? Wow, you're such a great police officer then."Zoe sighed, feeling her frustration build. "I don't think all is well with him," she murmured.Dan scoffed, crossing his arms. "I know he's your friend, but don't make excuses for him." He turned abruptly and walked away, his anger still simmering.Zoe watched him leave, a knot of worry tightening in her chest. "What's wrong with Gabriel? He didn't act like himself for one bit," she whispered. She tried calling Camella several times, but there was no response. Frustration grew within her as each call went unanswered.Later that evening, Gabriel pulled up to a small bar. His hands grippe