Lift Me Up | A Gabenath Story

Chapter 5: Hurting You Kills Me

Gabriel had a stressful day working in the atelier without Nathalie's presence. When Nathalie left the mansion, she had taken her stack of work papers. Gabriel took this as a sign that Nathalie wasn't quitting. Of course, he wouldn't fire her, so he decided to let her work from wherever she was staying without the need to confront her.

I don't need her here. She's fine working at a distance, he constantly reminded himself, his thoughts distracting him from his work. And when he'd finally grown exhausted from his mental reminders, he walked over to the window at the other side of the atelier for a breather.

His glance set on Nathalie's empty desk next to the window and back out to the protecting gate in front of the mansion. A cab had arrived in front of it and out stepped the Bourgeois' butler from the backseat. Gabriel didn't think much about it until he saw the man extend his arm to help his assistant out of the car.

Gabriel wanted to know why Nathalie was with the butler. Did she need his assistance? Why was she in the backseat with him? Had she been friends with him? If so, since when?

He watched as they talked. He watched as they slowly drew closer. He refused to believe that there was something more between them. That was until Nathalie took the butler's hand in hers.

Wait. Why is she holding his hand? Nathalie isn't like this. That . . . can't be possible, he thought to himself, not knowing why a subtle burst of fire indignated his heart, Of course it's not possible. It can't be. They're probably close friends.

He attently observed their movements. They were moving even closer together. Too close. And Gabriel suddenly felt a flaming arrow pierce his already indignated heart as he watched Nathalie and Jean tenderly kiss.

He stared in anger. His stare was expressly set coldly on Jean as he walked away, then at Nathalie as she unlocked the gate and walked up the steps towards the front door.

In a haste, Gabriel ordered Adrien's bodyguard to receive the paper's from Nathalie at the front door. Gabriel was still processing what he had watched happen outside, locking himself inside the atelier.

Gabriel listened to the short-lived conversation between his assistant and the bodyguard behind the atelier doors. And as soon as he heard the front door shut, he walked over to the empty desk only to find a forgotten pencil in one of the drawers.

The pencil was snapped in half, just like his heart. The two halves were flung across the room, soon to be forgotten; just like him. Then, the surface of the desk took a fist. And when that didn't help Gabriel down his fury, he slammed his fist once more. He decided to take the feeling with him to his upstairs office in a fakely composed manner.

Gabriel paced back and forth in his office.

But why the hell do I care? Why does it hurt to see her with another man? He thought to himself. She had, afterall, loved him for a long time. But he never expected the day in which her love for him would subside to come early.

I know I used her, he thought in shame. I had to. I'm doing this for Emilie, Adrien, and the family's happiness. 

Isn't that what she wanted for him? Isn't that what she wanted for Adrien?

I should have listened to her. I should listen to her, he added, recalling Nathalie's words:

"'I want more.'"

And that's what he was going to do. He was going to listen to Nathalie's advice. He was going to be a better father for Adrien. By all means, he was going to do what he thought any good father would want for his son—their safety. And to Gabriel, part of Adrien's safety was to keep him away from bad influences. Gabriel knew who he considered his son's bad influences—Adrien's friends.