Pretty Lies

Chapter twenty-three

Gabriella rubbing her arms as she stood next to the opened window in her office, exhaling a deep breath that formed a small fog in front of her face.

Monday turned out to be grey and depressing, she even thought about taking the day off and stay in her bed, but her OCD subconscious had other plans.

She hadn't talked to her father since the argument they had yesterday, and since he wasn't the type of person who would make the first move,he hadn't spoke either, and if she was honest with herself, she wasn't looking forward to it, but she knows that her brother, Alex, would force her to do so, she even winced at the thought of him dragging her towards their mansion, reminding her that they were a family and shouldn't be fighting all the time and all the blah blah blah that any peace maker would say under such circumstances.

A light knock distracted her from her thoughts, and Patrick appeared at the door holding two mugs in his hands.

"Since it's a bit chilly outside, I thought, it's maybe time for hot chocolate." He said handing her a mug and she smiled at him.

"Are you trying to trick me into falling for you? Cause I'd like to inform you it's working." She winked at him playfully, bringing the steaming liquid to her lips.

"So...I do have a shot to melt the princess's cold heart after all." He raised a brow at her, his hazel eyes twinkling with amusement as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm not cold-hearted, why would you assume that?" She asked him, she could be hot-headed sometimes yes, but uncompassionate? No.

"It's not only me, the whole floor shares the same opinion, the floor below as well." He mumbled against his mug and her eyes widened.

"Oh come on, have you been discussing me or working? What did you discussed other then my cold heart?" She questioned, growing a bit irritated.

Patrick avoided her gaze as he seemed suddenly interested in the window, and she did notice the tip of his ears growing pinkish.

"I think I should head back to my office...you know, duty calls." He chuckled awkwardly as he made his exist.

"This conversation is not over!" She called after him.

Shaking her head in disbelief, she walked towards her office, taking a sip from the hot liquid, enjoying the feeling of the sweet goosebumps as the warmth traveled through her body, whoever said that the chocolate was every woman's weakness, he got that damn right.

She settled behind her white mahogany desk as she scanned the documents in front of her that should be copied on her computer.

And before she could touch the keyboard, her phone rang from beside her and she let out a frustrated sigh.

She reached for it, realizing that it was her cousin Isabella.

"Hello there, good to finally hear your voice." Gabriella greeted her tucking the phone between her ear and shoulder as she reached for her work papers.

"I'm sorry! I just have been so busy with work and now there's Mike too, and everything is moving fast between us, i just couldn't find time to call, sorry it was so bitchy from me." Isabella apologized through the line and Gabriella knitted her eyebrows in confusion.

Mike, the name ringed oddly familiar in her ears, but she couldn't put a finger on the owner.

"Sorry, who's Mike again?" Gabriella grimaced as she asked the question , hoping she didn't sound very careless about her cousin's sex life.