Chapter 9
Nicole stood in front of Gabriel’s bedroom door, staring at it as though it might suddenly speak back to her.
Was this a good idea? She internally asked herself.
Her fingers hovered uncertainly near the door, her heart beating just a little faster than usual.
It won’t hurt knowing what his room looks like… or will it? She thought, biting her lower lip.
After a moment, she shook her head slightly, as if physically shaking off her doubts. She had never been one to overthink things this much, and she wasn’t about to start now.
Gathering what little courage she had, she raised her hand and knocked.
A few seconds passed, each one stretching longer than the last, before she heard his calm, firm voice from inside.
“Come in.”
Nicole took a deep breath, steadying herself. Slowly, she reached for the doorknob and turned it.
As she opened the door, the first thing she saw was Gabriel buttoning his shirt.
His hair was slightly damp, and he looked like he had just stepped out of the shower.
He was dressed casually this time, wearing a white long-sleeved button-down shirt paired with a simple pair of jeans.
The sight of him like this—relaxed, unguarded—made her pause for a brief second.
“Hey,” she greeted.
Gabriel looked up, clearly startled by her presence. His brows furrowed slightly as he turned fully toward her. He had been expecting his house administrator, probably coming in to inform him of something routine. Nicole was the last person he thought he’d see standing at his door.
“How did you know this was my room?” he asked.
“I got a little help from the house administrator,” she replied casually.
Gabriel nodded in understanding, accepting her answer without further questions.
“Your room… it’s lovely,” Nicole added.
She wasn’t trying to flatter him or force a conversation.
She genuinely meant it. Gabriel’s room was similar to hers in design, but on a much grander scale.
It was massive—far bigger than her entire apartment back home.
The dominant colors were blue, white, and cream, giving the room a calm yet powerful presence.
There was a lounge area inside the room, complete with a bar.
Everything about it screamed wealth, taste, and authority.
It was the kind of room fit for a king.
If she had thought she couldn’t describe her own room earlier, this one left her completely speechless.
Gabriel watched quietly as Nicole took in every detail, her eyes moving slowly from one part of the room to another. He didn’t want to interrupt her thoughts or make her feel uncomfortable by speaking too soon.
Once he noticed she was done staring and had finally settled her gaze back on him, he spoke.
“Why are you here?”
Nicole blinked, clearly taken aback by his bluntness.
“Jeez! You don’t always have to be rude, okay?!” she snapped. “I only came to visit you… being your fiancée and all. I don’t want to look stupid living in the same house with you and not have any idea where your room is or what it looks like.”
Her words made sense, and Gabriel knew it.
He had been immature.
Gabriel hadn’t lived with anyone for a very long time, and he wasn’t used to being disturbed or having his personal space invaded—even in the smallest way. But things had changed now, whether he liked it or not. He guessed he would have to start getting used to it.
“So… what is it you do?” Nicole asked, deciding to change the subject.
She made herself comfortable on one of the couches in his room. Although his bed looked tempting, she chose to stick with the couch.
Gabriel was relieved that she had shifted the conversation. He wasn’t particularly good at apologizing over trivial matters, and this gave him an easy way out.
“I’m an engineer,” he began, walking over and joining her on the couch.
“It’s a family thing. It’s been that way for generations.”
“Wow, that’s pretty cool!” Nicole commented.
“We have our construction company in almost every part of North America,” he continued. “We’re also into real estate.”
“So you guys are like aristocrats?” Nicole asked, wanting to be sure she understood him correctly.
“Yeah,” he replied simply.
Nicole took in the information, nodding slowly as she processed everything he had just said.
“So… you’ve got any siblings?”
“It’s just me.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Wow! Don’t you feel lonely?”
The question slipped out before she could stop herself. She wondered how he had managed growing up all alone.
Gabriel stared at her blankly, his expression unreadable, as if he was trying to decide whether or not the question deserved an answer.
Nicole quickly realized he wasn’t planning on saying anything.
“No wonder you’re like this,” she muttered.
The moment the words left her mouth, Gabriel’s face hardened. His gaze sharpened, and she immediately realized her mistake.
She had said it out loud.
“I didn’t mean to say that!” she blurted out quickly.
“Okay, okay… I’m sorry,” she added, raising her hands in surrender.
She noticed his shoulders relax slightly, his expression softening just a bit.
So he was that easy to pacify, she thought to herself. At least that was something.
“What about you?” Gabriel asked.
Nicole was surprised by the question. She hadn’t expected him to continue the conversation after that awkward moment.
She didn’t like talking about her past. It always left her feeling exposed and vulnerable. But since he had shared a part of his life with her, it only felt fair to do the same.
“Well…” she began hesitantly.
“I don’t know who my father is. I grew up with my mom. She was the best thing that ever happened to me, but unfortunately, I lost her on my eighteenth birthday. She got involved in a car accident, and all efforts to save her proved abortive.”
Her voice wavered slightly, but she pushed on.
“I couldn’t go to college because of her death. Then I realized I had to learn how to fend for myself since I had no relatives to help me. That was how I started doing multiple jobs before ending up at the pub.”
Nicole felt her tears threatening to fall. She blinked repeatedly, forcing them back. She couldn’t cry—not here, not in front of Gabriel.
“So… that’s my story,” she concluded with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Gabriel could see through it easily. He could tell how hard she was trying to hold herself together. She must have been through a lot, and he instantly regretted asking.
Just as he was about to say something, a knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” he called out.
The house administrator entered the room, informing them that dinner was ready.
Gabriel turned to Nicole. “Shall we?”
He hoped she was in the right mood to eat.
Nicole nodded quickly, eager to leave the room and put some distance between herself and her emotions.