The press conference with Michael made Claire even more anxious. The news kept flashing with statements, bashing Claire and tearing her down.
She did her best to ignore it, focusing solely on Gabriel.
She distracted herself by cooking and doing house chores, drawing, playing the piano, and reading a lot of books about law. And of course, she spent the majority of the time by Gabriel's side.
Within a few days, Gabriel started to feel better and started to slowly move around. His arm was still without any sensation and he still couldn't move it, but the wound was healing pretty well and he wasn't as fatigued. One of the reasons was the decrease in pain relief which made him drowsy as a side effect. Claire knew that he was hiding his pain from her.
The only time she left the house in the following days was to see her uncle Adam. She was awaiting impatiently the date of the first court hearing, terrified of how that was going to unfold.
And Gabriel wasn't improving as much either. His right arm was completely paralysed. This only added to his mood swings and irritation that was caused by the sudden withdrawal of medication. Claire promised herself that she will stand by him through thick and thin as he was struggling but it was getting increasingly difficult.
"Fucking shit on fire!" Gabriel groaned in pain as his face twisted.
"That's enough." Claire declared as she quickly walked up to Gabriel. She just returned home from seeing her uncle and caught Gabriel trying to use tension bands to exercise his sprained wrist to build up his strength again, way too soon though. "That's enough, cuore mio." She took the tension bands off him and kneeled in front of him.
"When did you come back?" Gabriel looked at her with worry. He still tried to hide his struggles from Claire but it has been becoming increasingly difficult.
"Just a few moments ago." Claire admitted as she tidied the equipment away. "You're not meant to be pushing yourself this much."
"I still can't feel shit in my right arm and shoulder." Gabriel admitted. "I can't just let my left side die off now. I need it." Claire paused and took a deep breath.
"It serves you right for jumping in front of a bullet." Gabriel sneered at Claire's statement.
"How did your meeting go? How's your uncle?"
"It went well. He's nervous even if he doesn't show it." Claire admitted as she walked back up to Gabriel.
"How are you?" Gabriel asked but Claire didn't answer straight away. She squatted in front of him, gently caressing his hands. "Claire dear, how are you?" He repeated as he tried to study her face, looking for any microexpression that would show her discomfort.
"I'm fine." Claire said quietly. It wasn't a very convincing statement.
"Claire…" Gabriel let out a frustrated sigh.
"I'm fine, cuore mio. I am stressed out and nervous. I am also very worried about you."
"What can I do to make you stop worrying about me?"
"It's too late, cuore mio." Claire smiled. "You don't get to choose anymore."
"I wish I wasn't yet another thing you had to worry about." Gabriel mumbled. He was sat on the edge of the bench, bending over in a defeated pose, with his paralysed arm resting on his thigh. The doctor suggested that he wore a hinged arm brace or a sling to hold his paralysed arm in place but Gabriel still was hesitant about the idea.
"What do you worry about?" Claire asked as she tilted her head.
"You." Gabriel answered without a second thought.
"And what can I do to stop you from worrying about me?"
"Nothing."
"Exactly. It's a universal truth and you must accept that I worry about you, too." Claire smiled at him.
"I think it can be written into the contract that you must not worry about me."
"How will you reinforce it?"
"You will have to follow it otherwise you'd breach the contract."
"That's interesting. If I were to breach a contract, what would be the penalty?"
"I haven't thought it through that far. I am pretty sure that the contract is the worst kind of punishment." Gabriel mused.
"It is not." Claire said decisively. "I am a billionaire because of it." She laughed as she helped Gabriel stand up. "I'll make you dinner tonight. Any special requests?"
"Anything, dear. I have been right spoiled by you recently. If I knew that all it takes is getting shot, I would have taken a bullet a long time ago."
"I really wish you didn't say things like that." Claire grumbled as she held onto his left arm as they walked. The pain in his shoulder was worse when he stood up so she tried to support him in case he would've felt faint. "Your doctor called earlier today." Claire remembered.
"Yeah, he mentioned that he was going to speak to you too."
"I think he hopes that I can persuade you to go and see the specialist in the States."
"I ain't going anywhere." Gabriel said sharply.
"Cuore mio." Claire said softly. "Why not?"
"I can't leave you alone."
"But you won't. There are so many people around. I am not going to be alone. And you really should go. The specialist he mentioned seems to be the best in the world. It's your best chance for recovery."
"I am not going." Gabriel stated in a voice that suggested that it was not up for discussion.
"Well, tough. I've called Eva and she's taking you." Claire shrugged. "And if you keep fighting, you'll just make me worry more." She said with a huff. "Not to mention that the consultation shouldn't take long. I think we counted it as a three to four-day trip, maybe longer if you will need more time to rest before returning."
"I am not going, Claire."
"You are." Claire gave him the look of determination that he hasn't seen in a while. Arguing with her over it was futile but he felt too anxious to leave her alone whilst someone was intending to kill her. "And one more word of protest and you'll see."
"See what?"
"How truly cruel I can be." Claire moved a chair into the kitchen where Gabriel sat down as she was cooking.
"When will you tell me the details of the lawsuit? Can I get you more lawyers to consult with? Can I meet your uncle to see what the plan for the trial is?"
"All in due course, Gabriel." Claire smiled at him as she started prepping the food. "Let's make a deal, cuore mio. You'll go and see the specialist and then I'll tell you all of the details. That's my offer."
"How about, you tell me about the lawsuit regardless and I'll just stay here with you?"
"You have five seconds of the deal is off the table. There will be no counter offers." Claire said seriously as if she was negotiating the deal at work.
"Wait!" Gabriel panicked at Claire's threat. "Okay." He agreed at last. "But you will speak to me whenever possible and I will have Mark stay in the villa. Plus, I want Harry working here at full capacity."
"Harry must be so confused. I've told him I will no longer need him and now he's on red alert and around me even more so than ever before."
"Why did you anticipate that you won't need bodyguards?"
"I was sure that you'll kick me out and I was anticipating that." Claire said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Claire, from now on you should anticipate me to always be by your side." Gabriel said as his face twisted in pain as he tried to shift to make himself more comfortable. He hated every minute of it, of his inability to be of any use. Clare pretty much managed everything, including the company with Gordon and Mark standing up in the eyes of the employees and the public.
Claire had another meeting with uncle Adam the next day. They were preparing statements and agreeing on the details for the court hearing.
Gabriel was home alone, having already dismissed his staff, he was sitting on the sofa downstairs with the tv on. He managed to get dressed this morning into some beige trousers and a navy-coloured sweater. He hasn't worn his signature tailored suit in a while now, starting to get accustomed to his much more casual attire.
It took him by surprise when the watch on his wrist vibrated. He stood up with difficulty, realising that it meant that his security system was down.
"Let it be, Harry." He said into the watch. "But stay on standby."
He already had a good suspicion of who it was. And as he entered the hallway, it was confirmed.
A middle-aged man entered the darkened hallway. Gabriel's heart skipped a beat. His first thought was that the man was responsible for his injury, but it was soon replaced with his worry over where Claire was and whether she was safe.
"Glad to see you all patched up." Michael said with a fake smile.
"Why do I owe the pleasure?" Gabriel asked coldly. He was struggling to hide his pain but so far he didn't let it show. He knew that he wouldn't be able to conceal it for much longer though.
"I was worried about you. You're my son." Michael continued. Gabriel could tell how fake his voice was and he felt a chill go down his spine.
"That must've been the first." Gabriel's sarcasm was clear. Michael's eyes landed on him, piercing through him with a slight warning.
"Well, I needed a way of approaching you without everyone trotting around you."
"Ah, I see." Gabriel's sarcasm was evident. He leaned against the sideboard in the hallway, aware that if things go down south he will be in a better position to protect himself.
"Frankly, I came today in hope that you'd be on your own." Michael tucked one of his hands in his suit trouser whilst holding a briefcase with another, walking closer to Gabriel.
"Why? Is it because of Claire?" Gabriel asked rather bluntly, tilting his head.
"Well, yes." Michael smiled briefly but his smile was that of disgust and mockery.
"What do you have to say then?"
"I've warned you about her." Michael said without much emotion. "I thought I've taught you that you should never let your heart affect your judgment. That Thompson girl is a capable manipulator. She will do anything to achieve her goal. Including seduction and murder, as it seems."
"Why exactly are you here?" Gabriel asked coldly.
"To warn you. To protect you." Michael said with a sudden but faked warmth and care. "You're blinded. You're my child and I am worried about what this woman did to you. She tried to get you killed!"
"Really?" Gabriel asked with a raised brow.
"She paid that man to get you killed." Michael took out bank statements and Claire's partial medical records that he was so keen to show on tv and then passed them to Gabriel. "Let me help you."
"Help me?" Gabriel couldn't contain his curiosity. "How do you want to help me?"
"Tell me where she is and I'll make sure that she never hurts you again."
"What will you do?"
"You know, there are ways." Michael smiled wickedly.
"What ways?"
"Look, you can do as you want. But be mindful of the fact that you almost died at her hands."
"This doesn't prove anything." Gabriel said decisively as he waved the papers that Michael gave him.
"Are you that blinded?" Michael asked with a scoff.
"No." Gabriel replied shortly. "Leave. Now."
"Oh." Michael looked surprised. "You became quite rebellious, haven't you? But listen, Claire Thompson is a vile human. She will destroy you to get what she wants."
"And what would that be?"
"She has some imaginary grudge against our family. She is a lunatic and she is delusional."
"What grudge?"
"Honestly?" Michael asked. "Okay." He nodded. "Years ago her mother worked for my company. She had a mental breakdown and started spreading lies which resulted in her being pushed aside by the science community and her entire career falling apart. Claire Thompson already then believed that it was my fault that her mother failed. Then, her mum had cancer and on top of that Claire was assaulted at the university. It is very sad, to be honest. To make sense of it she developed that belief that I must've had something to do with it. She had a whole psychotic breakdown and then she believed that all bad that happened to her was my fault. I don't know why would she think that I've got her own boyfriend to assault her with his friends. That's some sick delusion, don't you think?" Michael tilted his head. Gabriel watched him carefully trying his hardest to try to work out what game he was playing. "But by extension, you're a Moore. She's after you because of her delusions. Not to mention that she's a fantastic manipulator. She probably found a way to get you to feel sorry for her and to cover for her. She probably got out of you what she wanted. Now, she's ready to get rid of you. Your purpose in her plan is to get you killed to get back at me."
"So… let me get this straight. You want me to believe that Claire is a psychopath that tries to get at me because she believes, of course incorrectly, that you've harmed her and her family?"
"Indeed." Michael nodded. "I mean, it's tragic really. That girl is really messed up though."
"So, you had nothing to do with an attack on Claire or her mother's ruined career?"
"Why would I bother myself with such a vermin?" Michael held his hands together. "A cockroach, even. Nothing. She has no real power or connections. She's using you to hide."
"And why are you telling me that? I'm sure I've heard enough at your amazing conference."
"I wanted to make sure that you definitely knew."
"You didn't bother to check on me in the hospital but you have enough of care for me to come to my home and warn me of Claire?"
"I knew you'd be fine." Michael answered shortly. "But the real threat is right under your nose. Don't be naive and blinded by your heart. Don't let it be your weakness. Just because you like her or fuck her doesn't mean that she's who you think she is. You can't just blindly trust her because she's managed to seduce you."
"You know nothing." Gabriel said shortly.
Michael scoffed. "Maybe. You'll find out when she stabs you in your sleep."
He left without much more than that, leaving Gabriel alone in the hallway.
Somehow, even if Gabriel didn't want to admit it, his father's words planted a seed of doubt.