As he grappled with the profound revelation, a kaleidoscope of emotions washed over him—longing, fear, vulnerability.
“Gabriel…” Theodore’s voice pulled him for his thoughts.
Gabriel perked up, a sense of anticipation building within him.
“I believe it’s crucial for you to truly grasp your feelings for Miss Balfour.” Theodore’s words hung in the air, laden with meaning. “I understand your hesitance. But if you?—”
“Yes, I have fallen in love with Evelina,” Gabriel declared, his voice firm and resolute.
His confession rang out, the weight of his words reverberating in the room, instantly making him feel lighter.
Theodore’s eyes widened in surprise, and a knowing smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “I always had a feeling it would come to this.”
However, Gabriel’s reaction was starkly different. A deep frown creased his brow as he shook his head.
“There’s nothing to smile about.”
With a heavy heart, he drained his glass in one go, the bitter taste of truth lingering on his tongue as he struggled once more to ignore his feelings.
Het let out a hollow laugh. “Yes, I’m in love with her, but what does it matter now? It’s too late.” his voice carried the weight of his resignation.
I missed my opportunity. She’s getting married to another man.
“I spent so much time with her in Dunmore House that I could have proposed. I could have…” He shook his head, and his eyes darkened with sorrow. “I saw how heartbroken she was, the day I reminded my daughter that she’s not her mother.”
His admission hung heavy in the air, regret seeping into his every word.
“I did not think before I spoke. I simply did not want to cause her distress, to make her feel burdened by responsibilities she did not ask for.”
I did not want a repeat of what happened with Annabelle.
With a heavy heart, he winced as he downed his glass again. He coughed before delving deeper into his inner turmoil, expressing the worry that now haunted him. “Now she thinks herself replaceable to me, she thinks that I’ve never cared for her.”
Raising his glass in a gesture of bitter irony, Gabriel’s laughter held a trace of self-deprecation. “And now I’m going to lose her forever,” his words laced with a sense of impending loss, a finality settling over his confession. “I’m going to lose her and she never even got to know the truth about how I feel.”
As he finished, he stared off into space, contemplating the severity for a few seconds. Then, with a sharp intake of breath,he downed his glass, seeking solace in the numbing buzz that momentarily dulled the ache in his heart.
“Do you remember the soirée at the opulent Palau Güell?’
Theodore’s words steered his hazy thoughts to the memory of a time nearly forgotten. Gabriel glanced up at his friend to find a smile on his face.
“It was there that our business deals began, did they not?”
Gabriel nodded in acknowledgment, a smile curving his lips as his finger traced the rim of his glass. “Indeed. We got to where we are today simply because we managed to catch the attention of their prince’s adviser.”
“We’d attended the event because you received confirmation that the man would be in attendance. Negotiations with him were always a delicate dance of wit and strategy.” Theodore let out an amused laugh. “You recall how the sons of the Duke of Westshire tried to sabotage us that night?”
“How could I not? Terrible rascals.” Gabriel clucked his tongue as he poured himself another drink.
“Yes, but when they spread rumors about us in a strange land, Gabriel, what did you do?”
Ah.
Gabriel’s hand paused mid-air. “That prince’s adviser refused to acknowledge to us. He passed us by when our turn came and nearly headed out without giving us the time of day.”
Theodore’s narrative painted a vivid picture of the memory, the challenges they faced and the triumphs right after.
“The moon cast a silvery glow over the city, and we managed to finalize the terms of our deal under the watchful eyes of the Gaudí-inspired architecture, with the very same man who passed us by. How?”
