The dimly lit bar hummed with tension as Gabi Hernandez nursed her whiskey, her eyes fixed on the entrance. She'd heard whispers about Stefan's affair, and the rage inside her threatened to spill over. But it wasn't just Stefan she blamed—it was the whole DiMera clan. They were all cut from the same deceitful cloth.
EJ DiMera, the prodigal son, sauntered in, his tailored suit clinging to his broad shoulders. His eyes locked onto Gabi, and she felt a surge of anger. He was the embodiment of everything she despised: privilege, arrogance, and betrayal.
"Gabriella," EJ drawled, sliding onto the barstool next to her. "What brings you to this charming establishment?"
She clenched her jaw. "I could ask you the same thing, EJ. Or should I say, 'Mr. DiMera'?"
He chuckled, the sound grating on her nerves. "Touché. But let's not pretend we're strangers. We've danced this dance before."
Gabi's fingers tightened around her glass. "You're right. We have. And every time, it ends in heartache."
He leaned in, his breath warm against her cheek. "Heartache, or something more?"
She scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. You're not my type."
EJ's eyes flickered with amusement. "Oh, I think we both know that's not true."
Before she could retort, he signaled the bartender. "Two shots of tequila. On me."
Gabi downed hers, the liquid burning a path down her throat. "What's your game, EJ?"
He leaned even closer, their lips almost touching. "Revenge, my dear. Revenge against Stefan and Kristen. They've underestimated us."
Gabi's mind raced. EJ was offering an alliance—a twisted one, fueled by hate and betrayal. But she needed an edge, a way to bring down the DiMeras. "What's the plan?"
His lips brushed her ear. "We expose Stefan's affair. And then, when the dust settles, we reveal our own secret."
Her heart pounded. "Our secret?"
EJ's gaze bore into hers. "You're pregnant, Gabi. With my child."
The room spun. Pregnant? She hadn't even suspected. But now, the truth hit her like a tidal wave. "Why tell me now?"
"Because alliances are forged in fire," he murmured. "And our child deserves a legacy beyond vendettas."
Gabi's anger melted into something else—a mix of fear, longing, and vulnerability. "What if this is a mistake?"
EJ's thumb traced her jawline. "Maybe it is. But sometimes, mistakes lead to unexpected blessings."
As the night wore on, they hatched their plan, fueled by tequila and desperation. Their hate-fueled alliance blurred the lines between enemies and lovers. And when the truth spilled out—about Stefan's affair and their unborn child—the fallout would be cataclysmic.
But in that dimly lit bar, with EJ's lips on hers, Gabi wondered if perhaps fate had other plans. Maybe, just maybe, their twisted alliance could lead to redemption.
