Chapter 14
Weeks had gone by since Nicole accepted Gabriel’s offer, yet they had never gone out together as the supposed couple.
The realization made Nicole feel quietly sad.
Gabriel had asked her to act as his fiancée for six months, but she had never truly felt like one — not even for a second.
He was always buried in work, surrounding himself with files, meetings, and endless responsibilities.
Nicole was beginning to feel concerned.
He needed some kind of distraction, something to pull him away from his busy lifestyle, even if it was only for a day.
She had tried in her own way, subtly and sometimes directly, but Gabriel never gave her the chance.
No matter how hard she tried, work always came first.
She had no idea why he was like that. Maybe he still saw her as a stranger and didn’t want to warm up to her. Or maybe his past wasn’t as smooth as he made it seem. Either way, Nicole was still willing to try again. She just hoped she wouldn’t end up disappointed in the end.
Gabriel was in his bedroom getting ready for work when he heard a knock on his door.
“Come in,” he said, still struggling to knot his tie.
Nicole walked into the room and, without hesitation, made herself comfortable on his bed.
“Good morning,” she greeted with a small smile.
“Good morning,” he replied, his attention still focused on his tie.
“Don’t you get bored?” Nicole suddenly asked.
“Excuse me?” Gabriel questioned, genuinely confused.
“Don’t you get bored working all the time?” she repeated, making her question clearer.
Gabriel didn’t answer the way she expected. Instead of responding, he continued what he was doing. Nicole sighed softly, then stood up and walked toward him. Once she was standing right in front of him, she gently stopped his hands and took over knotting his tie herself.
She was close — closer than necessary.
She needs to stop doing this, Gabriel mentally groaned.
“You know, we haven’t gone out together,” Nicole said casually, her fingers working on his tie. “It’s not like I’m asking us to or anything, but… I’m bored,” she added with a pout.
Gabriel mentally slapped himself. He had been so wrapped up in work that he hadn’t even considered taking her out — not once.
“What do you want to do?” he asked after she finished fixing his tie. The moment the question left his mouth, he noticed the smile that immediately appeared on her face.
“Take the day off,” she said brightly. “And you won’t regret it.”
“I can’t do that,” he replied, and just like that, her smile faded.
“Please?” she pleaded, making him roll his eyes.
“Fine,” he said at last, giving in.
“Yes!” Nicole squealed in excitement.
Gabriel reached for his phone and called his PA, instructing him to cancel all his appointments for the day.
“Change into something more comfortable,” Nicole said before leaving his bedroom.
Nicole dressed in a white long-sleeved button-down shirt, denim shorts, and black ankle boots. She went light on makeup, wanting a natural look. Once she was satisfied, she left her room and headed toward Gabriel’s.
She was just about to reach for the doorknob when the door opened, revealing Gabriel dressed in a white shirt and denim pants. Nicole immediately noticed they were wearing matching outfits, and the sight made her smile.
“Why are you smiling?” Gabriel asked, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.
“Nothing,” she replied, still smiling.
“Shall we?” he asked.
“Sure,” Nicole said excitedly, grabbing his arm and dragging him down the hallway.
Nicole took Gabriel to Central Park first, then to the zoo.
After that, she dragged him into a fast-food restaurant.
Gabriel hesitated at the entrance — he felt like he didn’t belong in such a place.
It was far below the standard he was used to.
But Nicole didn’t give him the option to refuse, already pulling him inside.
The restaurant ended up being Nicole’s favorite part of the outing. She wanted Gabriel to know what real food tasted like. She ordered fried chicken, fries, meat tacos, and hamburgers. When the food arrived, Nicole burst into laughter at the surprised look on Gabriel’s face — it was priceless.
“Are we going to eat all of this?” he asked.
“Yup,” she replied confidently.
“This isn’t healthy,” he added.
“Please, do this for me,” she pleaded.
After a bit of persuasion, he gave in, making her visibly happy.
“They aren’t bad,” Gabriel admitted while eating the fried chicken.
“Told ya!” Nicole replied proudly.
When they were done, she ordered pizza to take home since they were already full. Then she took him to an ice cream store for dessert.
Gabriel genuinely enjoyed their outing. He hadn’t had this kind of fun in a long time. His life had always revolved around work, charity events, and company dinners — the usual routine expected of someone in his position. He was glad he hadn’t rejected Nicole’s idea.
They arrived home and were both heading to their rooms when Gabriel stopped her.
“Do you feel tired?” he asked.
“No, why?”
“Go change into something else,” he said. “We’re going out.”
“Is that your way of asking me out on a date?” she asked with a smirk.
“I change my mind,” he replied teasingly, wanting to see her reaction.
“Don’t!” she pleaded.
“Then stop asking questions and go get dressed.”
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll shower first, so you’ll have to wait a little longer.”
She rushed into her bedroom, and Gabriel couldn’t help but smile. There was something about the way she behaved — childlike, spontaneous, and completely unfiltered — that amused him.
Actually… it amused him every time.