Chereads / Contract with the CEO / Chapter 134 - Everything was fine

Chapter 134 - Everything was fine

Claire knew from Gabriel's sullen face that the doctor's appointment didn't go the way he hoped. She tried to be reassuring but it hardly worked.

When Gabriel asked about her day, she didn't really lie. She spoke of her meeting with Gordon and that she saw her uncle. Only then she realised that Eva was still in the dark. She felt horrible about this. She felt like a fraud for asking Eva to take care of Gabriel whilst she went after their father. It felt like a facade.

"I am suing your father." Claire blurted out anxiously. Really, she wanted to scream at all of the bad their father has done. She wanted to tell them that the only way to keep them safe was for her to die, but not die. She just needed to make it seem like she died.

"Good for you." Eva's response surprised her. Gabriel offered to clue Eva in for which Claire couldn't be more grateful.

"I will talk to you later, Claire dear. I miss you and I love you." Gabriel said, readying himself to share what was going on with Eva.

How was it so easy for him to say that he loved her? Claire pondered for a moment. She still struggled to say it. She should have said it. She should shout it to him at top of her lungs before she disappears. But now, it was even harder to do so. Telling him that she loved him just before her pretend death was going to be too cruel.

Claire went back to preparing for the trial as Gabriel was absent for two more days.

The flight to the States exhausted Gabriel and they decided that it was best to give him time to rest and recover. By them, it meant it was Mark, Claire and Eva. Gabriel didn't like the idea but he hardly had the energy to protest.

Claire burnt the files from Pierre as she promised, leaving no sign of their arrangement.

This was interrupted by a call from panicky Gordon.

"What's up?"

"We're under a security threat." Gordon went straight to the point. "A cyber attack. A ransomware attack, to be precise."

"Remind me what that means."

"Number of our computers had all of the files encrypted and they are inaccessible to us. We are expecting a call asking for ransom but this hasn't happened yet."

"Yep." Claire let out a long sigh. "Okay, get a meeting with IT and security teams. Work out what kind of data was stored on those computers. I have a feeling that there's going to be no ransom demand."

"Will do. Will you dial in for it?"

"You know I shouldn't." Claire said honestly.

"You're the only one who knows our policies through and through."

"Besides Gabriel, of course."

"I am not going to go over that now. I need help." Gordon said earnestly.

"Sure, I will. But this is the last time I'm saving your ass." Claire grumbled. She attended the meeting and dealt with it the best she could. Again.

As Gabriel was returning, she acted as if nothing had happened. Like she didn't get threatened and pushed off the stairs by Michael Moore, and as if she weren't to fake her own death with the help of a National Crime Agency worker who was once her crush.

Everything was fine.

She run out of the car, arriving at the airfield later than she wished because of the traffic. She tripped over and broke the only umbrella she had, but she had no time to waste. There was not a second to waste. There simply wasn't enough time left for them.

She run up to Gabriel, explaining herself nervously, explaining her lateness, feeling like she was about to break down and beg him for forgiveness. It wasn't the lateness she really wanted to apologise for, but rather for what was yet to come.

Gabriel's warm and soft kiss stopped her anxious rumbling. It made her feel safe, comforted and loved.

Gabriel spoke to her, gently, in a forgiving sort of way, like there was nothing she could ever do to make him hate her.

This comfort was never going to be again.