Gabriel's Obsession

Redemption and Reunion

Gabriel sat slumped over the bar counter, his fingers wrapped tightly around a half-empty glass of whiskey. The dim lighting cast heavy shadows across his face, accentuating the exhaustion and torment etched into his features. His once-piercing blue eyes were now bloodshot, dulled by the numbing embrace of alcohol. He had lost count of how many drinks he had downed, but it wasn't enough—not nearly enough to silence the relentless voice in his head, the one reminding him of what he had done.

He had betrayed her.

Amelia.

The weight of his sin pressed down on him, suffocating, unrelenting. He had shattered something sacred between them, broken the fragile trust she had placed in him. The worst part? He wasn't sure he even deserved to feel guilty. Their relationship had never been built on truth to begin with—it was a foundation of lies, of manipulation, of selfish desires.

But even so, she had trusted him.

How much longer could this facade last before it all came crashing down? He had no answer. And so, he poured himself another drink, hoping to drown the truth before it devoured him whole.

Back at the mansion, Amelia remained exactly where Gabriel had left her, curled in the corner of their room. Her entire body trembled, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if that alone could shield her from the suffocating wave of fear and heartbreak crashing over her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and endless, but she barely registered them. Her breaths came in short, panicked gasps, the familiar onset of an anxiety attack clawing at her chest. Breathe, Amelia. Just breathe. She clung to the memory of her mother's soothing voice, the only anchor keeping her from slipping into complete hysteria.

She had believed in him.

She had believed that Gabriel had changed. That he wanted to be better—for her, for their future. And yet, in the blink of an eye, everything had crumbled.

His accusations still rang in her ears. His rage had terrified her.

She thought he knew her. Thought he would see through the lies, that he would defend her against his sisters-in-law's venomous schemes. Instead, he had doubted her.

Was she nothing more than a possession to him? A trophy to display, a convenient accessory to his life?

The weight of betrayal settled deep in her bones, cold and unyielding. The room that had once felt like a sanctuary now suffocated her, the walls closing in, pressing against her fragile heart.

Had she made a mistake marrying him?

And, worse... had she fallen in love with a man who would never truly love her in return?

A muffled thump against the door sent Amelia's heart catapulting into her throat. Fear clamped down on her chest, suffocating, unrelenting. She shrank further into the corner, her body trembling like a fragile leaf caught in a merciless storm.

Was it him?

The mere thought that Gabriel had returned filled her with dread so intense that it numbed her limbs. Her breath hitched, uneven and shallow, her wide, tear-glazed eyes locked onto the door as if it might burst open at any moment.

Then, the knock came again. Softer this time, persistent yet gentle.

"Amelia, my child, are you in there?"

The warm, familiar voice of Mother Grace drifted through the door, breaking through the suffocating fog of fear. Amelia's chest tightened further, a fresh wave of emotion swelling within her. She wanted to call out, to let the housekeeper—the only person in this place who had shown her kindness—know she was there, but the words wouldn't come. Her throat felt raw, strangled by silent sobs.