Chapter 30
Gabriel: #TruthWillSetYouFree
Y ou want to see the epitome of foolishness? Come find me.
What was I thinking? First yelling at her and then kissing her when she was so upset. Jesus! Way to fuck everything up. And now she doesn’t want me to be near her. How could I blame her for everything? I mean, I was a party to that entire plan. I could’ve stopped it anytime I wanted, but I didn’t. And when things went south, I blamed her. What a gentleman!
I’m seriously the worst. Maybe Nora doesn’t deserve someone like me. I’m better in the background of her life. Look what a few weeks at the forefront have done. I’ve messed up the one thing I’ve treasured my whole life. Who cares about this stupid TruthSeekerBob? Everyone knows he gossips. Things die down after a few days. But what I’ve done is far worse. I made a dent in our friendship. Shit!
My phone rings. Is it Nora?
I grab it from the bed, where I’d thrown it earlier. Sophia! Now what does she want? Probably wants to rail about Nora again. Ugh! I let it ring. She calls again. I guess I have to pick it up or she won’t stop calling.
“Hey, Sophia.”
“Hi. Is Nora also with you?”
“No. She’s… gone out for a walk.”
“Okay. Come over to my office once she’s back. I might have something for you.”
“What’s this about?”
“I have a guy. You may call him a private eye if you like. He’s found something and is coming over to my office right now. It’s about TruthSeekerBob and the proof he claims to have. I’m getting into a meeting now. Let me know when you’ll reach. I’m usually in the office till around nine.”
She hangs up, and I glance at my watch. It’s seven o’clock. Her office is barely fifteen minutes from the hotel. What could she have on the stupid guy?
I call up Nora. She doesn’t pick up, so I send her a text. “Come back asap. Might have some information on TruthSeekerBob.”
She calls back in a few minutes. “Sorry, it was too noisy. I didn’t hear the phone ringing. I’m almost there. What have you found out?”
Thankfully, she seems okay. Her tone is normal, not furious or upset. A little toned down, but at least not angry.
“I don’t know the details. I’ll explain when you’re here.”
I take a quick shower before she comes. It always makes me feel better. It’s as if the water washes away the bad feelings and thoughts, leaving me with more optimism and hope.
I’m already dressed when the door opens and a timid Nora walks in.
“I’m…,” I say, but she doesn’t let me finish.
“I’m sorry Gabs. You’ve been a good friend. Always. You’ve always been by my side, even when I tried to shun you. You’re the one constant that I’ve had. Believe me, I was only trying to help,” she whispers and a tear rolls down her cheek and she slumps down on the floor by the bed, her legs folded, her knees close to her face and her face buried in them.
I feel as if someone is tearing my heart apart with their bare hands. It’s she who’s crying, but every cell of my body feels the pain. What have I done? Why was I so harsh on her? I know she’d do nothing to intentionally hurt or harm me. Everything she’s done, right from the time she told Mom we were a couple, has been to help me and I… Jesus! I’m a fool. I don’t deserve a friend like her. I’ve made her cry, for God’s sake. I’m really the worst monster in the history of monsters.
I slide down on the floor next to her, hold her shoulders, and pull her closer to me. She complies easily, buries her face in my shoulder, and breaks into sobs.
“Easy, Nora. It’s me who should apologize. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I know you had only my best interests at heart. Please forgive me if you can.”
“No. No,” she says through her sobs. “The mistake is mine. I acted rashly. But I was so upset when I found out that it was Kevin who leaked that information, and that you’re in a mess because of me, that without thinking more thoroughly I called up Sophia and Daphne. Instead of helping you, I made things worse. I’ll leave tomorrow morning and accept that it was my stupid brain behind this all.”
“Shh. Calm down. We’ll figure it out together. Okay? I’m as much to blame as you. I could’ve told Mom you were kidding, but I didn’t. And I did talk to Alex when we’d decided not to tell anyone. You didn’t force me to do anything. So don’t blame yourself. Now, look at me.”
I hold her face and turn it up. Her eyes are red. The kohl is smudged and her nose seems to be leaking. I kiss her on the cheek and hand her a tissue from the side table.
She blows her nose, her sniffles soft and shaky. I gently wipe away her tears, feeling the dampness on my fingertips. As she lifts her head, her eyes meet mine, glistening and filled with a raw vulnerability that makes my chest tighten. I've never seen her like this before, not even during those nights when she’d rush over to our house as a kid, escaping her parents' fights. Back then, she’d put on a brave face, cracking jokes or changing the subject to anything but what was really going on.
Now, though, there's no mask, just the pain she's been holding back. She looks hurt, angry, and upset. And worse, I am to blame for making her feel like this. I’d beat myself senseless if that could bring back a smile on her face.
“Sophia called.”
Her eyes grow wide, uncertainty written clearly over her features.
“She says someone has found out about the proof this TruthSeekerBob is talking about. She didn’t know the details. Her ‘guy’ is on his way to her office and she’s called us both there. You up for it?”
She bites her lips and nods.
“You wanna freshen up before leaving?” I ask, handing her a glass of water, and she nods again and gulps it down.
She stands up, picks out her clothes, and takes a shower while I message Sophia that we’ll be at her office in twenty or thirty minutes. I book a cab and we’re ready to go in ten.
The ride to Sophia’s office is eerily quiet. Neither of us knows what to say to the other. I hold her hand throughout and she lets me. That’s all I need for now. We’ll take it one step at a time.
We’re ushered into a huge cabin. My office room in Boston is tiny in comparison. It has a full-length tinted glass wall that gives a beautiful view of the city’s skyline. Abstract paintings, probably by some famous artist, adorn the other walls. I don’t want to comment because I know nothing about art and I don’t want to start a conversation by appearing ignorant. There’s a large couch on one side and an enormous wooden table on the other.
Sophia’s sitting on a chair behind that table, two monitors open in front of her. She stands up when her secretary announces us.
“Hi. Glad you could make it,” she shakes my hand, then Nora’s and gestures us toward the couch. She turns to her secretary, who is standing respectfully by the door. “Please call Monsieur Dupont. Merci.”
Nora shifts uneasily on the couch. “About earlier… Sophia. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you. It was rash on my part to do that and uncalled for.”
“It’s okay, Nora. It happens.” She’s surprisingly calm.
Someone brings us glasses of water and by then the secretary is back with a short, balding man, with rimless glasses, dressed in a blue suit.
“Ah, Monsieur Dupont. Merci d’être venu. Je crois que vous parlez anglais?”
“Oui, Mademoiselle.”
“Great. Then let’s talk in English for the benefit of my friends here. This is Gabriel and Nora. These are the people TruthSeekerBob is talking about nowadays.”
We stand up and shake hands with the man.
“Happy to meet you both,” he says with a very strong French accent.
Sophia turns toward us. “Monsieur Dupont has done a bit of digging, and I believe he’s found something. Maybe he can tell us all what he’s discovered.”
“Sure,” I say as we all sit down again.
“Well, this TruthSeekerBob is relying on an audio recording. He has apparently heard it and he’s making his posts based on what he has heard, but as of now, he doesn’t have it in his possession. Someone has agreed to send him that recording tomorrow morning. That is when he has promised to his followers that he’ll reveal more details with proof.”
“Who is that someone?” Nora asks, leaning forward, her eyes boring into Dupont. “And from where did that person get the recording?”
He turns to face Nora, then me. “She got the recording from an American named Kevin. He works as an illustrator and used to live with Ms Nora’s sister.”
“Who is the ‘she’ you refer to?”
Dupont shifts uneasily in his seat and eyes Sophia.
“Go ahead. Tell us. Is it someone we know?” she asks. “We know you’re only relaying facts, so just say it.”
“Madame Bardot.” His gaze locks on mine. “Your grandmother. I’ve traced the money trail back to her.”
“What?” Nora, Sophia, and I yell in unison.
“Are you sure you’re not out of your mind? Mamie! Why would she do it?”
“Well, I can’t be certain as to the reasons. Lack of time, you know. You’ll need to speak to her directly for that. But I have my theories.”
“What theories?”
He clears his throat.
“Are you aware of your grandfather’s will, Monsieur Gabriel?”
I nod. “I believe he left half of his estate to Mamie. The rest he divided between his two daughters—my mom and my aunt.”
“You’re partly correct. He left half to his wife, your Mamie. Twenty-five percent to your mother’s sister. The remaining twenty-five percent was not exactly to your mother. He had made it abundantly clear that he wouldn’t give her anything. He left that to you , his grandson.”
He pauses and fixes his gaze at me. I’m too dumbfounded to say anything. My jaw falls open and I stare blankly at the balding man’s face. Is he crazy? Grandfather left twenty-five percent to me ? Someone he had never even met? Why didn’t Mom ever tell me?
“He did it, but on the condition that you marry Ms Sophia. You see, he wanted Ms Sophia’s father, who was his friend’s son, to marry your mother. But Madame Daphne married your father, against your grandfather’s will and much to his displeasure. But when you were born and Monsieur Martin had a granddaughter, they both believed a union between the two families could still be done.”
“Have you gone nuts?” My gaze oscillates between him and Sophia, who is sitting there, nonplussed. “You know about this? Is this true?”
She shrugs. “Yeah. I told you I knew our parents wanted us to get married.”
“Yeah, but did you know my supposed inheritance was based on that?”
She nods. “I did. And that’s why I knew you would have to come to me, whoever you decide to have a fling with before marriage. I’m surprised your mother never told you about this. It’s potentially your money, after all.”
Nora’s face has gone pale as she sits there. It’s probably too much for her to take, just as it is for me.
“Is there something linked in your inheritance too?”
Sophia smiles and shakes her head. “No. I agreed because it’ll be good for our business. And I really don’t care much about who I marry.”
I turn to Dupont again. “Who gets my share of the inheritance if I don’t marry Sophia?”
“It’ll be divided equally between your grandmother and your aunt.”
“Then why would Mamie do this? There’s nothing for her to gain. I mean, she benefits if I don’t marry Sophia. Why would she do this?”
“Perhaps because she has not been getting along too well with her other daughter. So she doesn’t want her to get any more of the estate. But my theory is that your mother asked her to do it. There’s a lot for her to lose if you don’t marry Ms Sophia. She has acted as the caretaker on your behalf, assuring everyone here that you’ll definitely marry Ms Sophia. I believe she has been spending some good amount of money every year and if you don’t get the inheritance, she’ll have to return it all.”
“You seem to have found out quite a bit, Mr Dupont. How long have you been investigating all this?” Nora asks. Her brow is wrinkled, and she’s sitting with her arms folded. Well, at least one of our brains is still functioning.
“Merci mademoiselle. I’m good at what I do. I’ve had barely a couple of hours to investigate, but since I know TruthSeekerBob’s real identity, it wasn’t a big deal to find out the truth. As for the inheritance, I’ve known that for years. I’ve worked for Monsieur and Madame Bardot occasionally and know the family well.”
“Sure. Okay. What’s your assessment of the sudden urgency in all this? I mean, Gabriel has been dating girls forever.”
“Well, as per the will, he has to marry before he turns thirty, which is, I believe, around a year from now. That’s why Madame Daphne has been regularly in touch with Ms Sophia and has been planning for them to meet and get to know each other. Also, from what I know, Monsieur Martin hasn’t been too pleased with the flings and has raised it multiple times with Madame Bardot and Madame Daphne.”
Who says the truth will set you free? Truth can as well bind you in its clutches so you can’t do anything, blindfold you so you cannot see where to go. Yes. Truth can as well be your jailor.
Dupont is quiet for a bit, as are the rest of us. He finally turns to Sophia. “Anything else that you need, Mademoiselle?”
“I’ll let you know. Merci beaucoup Monsieur.”
“Thank you, Monsieur Dupont. Are you sure that the audio is not with TruthSeekerBob as of now?” I ask. The cells in my brain have finally started showing signs of life.
“As of an hour ago, he didn’t have it. As far as my resources tell me, he’s expected to get it tomorrow morning. So you still have the night to convince your Mamie not to do it.”
He stands up to leave, but as he reaches the door, he turns to Nora. “And Ms Nora, I adore your posts. I follow you on a lot of platforms. If you need dirt on TruthSeekerBob, let me know. I have enough to keep him quiet for the rest of his days.”
Nora shakes her head. “While I thank you for following me and for your offer of help, this is not how I play. If I stoop to his level, what’s the difference between him and me? But thank you nevertheless.”
He nods and leaves. As for me, I’ve never felt more proud of Nora.