Chapter 12 - Elena Questions Gabriel’s True Motives And Hidden Past
Elena woke up to the sound of rain tapping against the reinforced glass of the safehouse bedroom windows.
She slipped out from under the thick wool blankets, walking quietly down the carpeted hallway toward the lit study.
Gabriel stood near the fireplace, staring into the flickering flames while holding the 1999 photograph in his hand.
“You haven't slept at all, have you?” Elena asked softly from the doorway, startling him slightly.
Gabriel quickly slid the photograph back into his pocket and turned around with a reassuring half-smile.
“I don't sleep much when there are loose ends waiting to be tied up in this city,” Gabriel confessed.
Elena stepped further into the room, crossing her arms as she looked up at the intimidating federal investigator.
“Why are you risking your entire career and your life just to protect a former maid from the Vance family?” she asked.
Gabriel walked over slowly, stopping just inches away so she could see the genuine sincerity in his dark eyes.
“Because back in 1999, I failed to protect the people who mattered most... and I swore I’d never let it happen again,” he said.
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Elena’s breath caught as she realized the depth of his devotion was rooted in a shared, tragic history.
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