LOVE AND IT CIRCLE

Chapter fifteen

Gabriel•

On this fateful Monday, the beginning of a new and exciting week, I found myself with only a mere six days to thwart whatever nefarious scheme Almanzer had brewing in the depths of his twisted mind. Determined to outsmart her, I hatched my brilliant plan B, aiming to confuse her henchmen and wipe the suspicion from their faces. With no embellishments or disguises to hide behind, I embraced my true, natural self - no makeup, no facade. Summoning my courage, I boldly knocked on the door, anticipation coursing through my veins.

As the door swung open, revealing one of the maids, her expression morphed from bewilderment to shock. I understood her disbelief, for who in their right mind would return to the very house where they had been held captive mere three weeks ago?

"Gabriel ?" She said as if she was learning to read a book.

Undeterred, I flashed a confident smile, reassuring her with my presence. Closing the door behind me, the maid's eyes lingered on me, her throat visibly swallowing her astonishment.

Dressed unassumingly in black sweatpants and a hoodie, I couldn't help but feel a part of me was missing. It was a stark reminder that I, in my current guise as Amelia, had experienced a stark descent from the glamorous life of a model - a life I left behind, along with my family, due to a regrettable mistake.

"Mam, she is here." The maid informed Mrs. Patel .

Mrs. Patel graciously turned towards me, offering a warm smile before gesturing towards the inviting couch.

As I settled into the seat, I couldn't help but find humor in the fact that we had planned this rendezvous just the night before, yet we were now acting as if we were virtual strangers. I watched as Mrs. Patel returned, holding what appeared to be my uniform with care. The household maid then proceeded to provide me with all the necessary instructions, ensuring that I was well-prepared for the tasks at hand. Although I found it exhausting, I knew it was something I had to do.

In that moment, I couldn't help but reflect on the path I had chosen. If I hadn't come across Zach, my life would have unfolded very differently. My terrible mistake had not only ended my career but also stripped me of everything I had worked so hard for. Although I didn't come from a disadvantaged background, my foolish actions had resulted in me relinquishing my famous life for someone I barely knew. Choosing to adopt another identity had not been a wise decision either.

I never imagined I would find myself on my knees scrubbing the floor, as I endured countless insults.

However, everything came to a halt when I spotted him. The devil himself. And to make matters worse, he was in the company of another Lucifer, intimately close to each other.

I hadn't expected her to be with him so quickly. Suddenly, a wave of jealousy engulfed me, without any logical reason. Despite the fact that he was not someone I loved, witnessing his closeness with Almanzer stirred unsettling emotions within me.

"I will kill this little brat."

I couldn't help but mutter under my breath as I watched Zach's hands caress Almanzer's behind in a romantic manner.

It felt like a stab to the heart, a feeling of defeat and betrayal washing over me. I couldn't help but wonder if he did the same things when I wasn't around, as Amelia. It was only natural for someone with power and wealth like him to indulge in such behaviors.

But why was I letting it affect me so deeply? I reminded myself that I was not truly Amelia, just in disguise as her.

"Focus Gabriel,  focus," I said to myself.

I didn't love Zach, no, I couldn't. I had a task at hand, I needed to focus. I'm sure  Stella was counting on me to gather information and find out about her whereabouts.

I forcefully pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind and rubbed my temples to erase the image I had witnessed.

"Gabriel please get hold of yourself, you are being suspicious. "

Just as I was lost in my thoughts, Mrs. Patel's voice snapped me back to reality. She warned me to concentrate,

"Mrs. Patel, why is he holding her like that?"
shaking her head disapprovingly. With a comforting pat on my shoulders, she urged me to refocus.

"No, that's just her plan, to make you jealous. But she won't win." She assured me.

"But she is already winning," I added.

"Not until my son sees you ."

...

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Zach•

I hadn't seen Amelia all day and I wondered where she could have gone. Maybe she had taken a walk or left again. I didn't want her to come back right now and find me stuck in this unsettling situation. I felt incredibly uncomfortable, but I had to understand her plan of exposing the imposter, even if I wasn't entirely sure about it. My mother would be furious if she saw me mingling with the workers, so that was certainly the last thing on my mind.

Just as I was caught up in my thoughts, a phone call interrupted my tense interaction with Almanzer. I stormed out of the garden, feeling a wave of relief. Without wasting any time, I brought the phone to my ear and immediately recognized Amelia's voice."Long time no see darling, where are you?" I asked.

"At a friend's. " She simply said.

"Look I'll be back soon I just missed my friend and I needed some fresh air ."

Her voice was like a nostalgic melody, tinged with a touch of mystery that instantly captivated me.

"Okay see you soon then."

She hung up.
I took a deep sigh as I was heading back to Almanzer but an echoing sound from trees had my attention, I went to take a look.

  The once familiar face from a bygone era, stood before me adorned in a maid uniform, as if she had stepped out of a different time and place.

The realization hit me like a jolt of electricity when I saw it was someone I knew.

Gabriel.

Gabriel and I shared a complicated history, one of missed chances and unresolved emotions. As our eyes locked, it was as if the universe conspired to bring us together once more, urging us to confront the past we had buried deep within ourselves.

With a subtle shift of her gaze, Gabriel's eyes betrayed a hint of vulnerability. Her grip on the phone behind her back revealed a secret she was reluctant to unveil. What was she hiding? What secrets did she hold? The unanswered questions danced on the tip of my tongue and in that split second of connection, we both voiced the same enigmatic words.

"What are you doing here?"

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