Gabriel's POV - a few weeks after
Gabriel was mistaken. The trial hasn't been resolved straight away. It dragged on for longer, much longer. But the packages kept on coming. Each helped him further the trial. Sometimes, they were signed with 'Truly, E.C.' and other times with nothing.
It was nearly a year since he married Claire. Four months after her death. Today, he sat in yet another meeting in the company. He struggled to focus. His company took a deep dive since he stood in the trial but he had many loyal clients who didn't care for the politics between the rich.
"I saw something rather interesting. The design magazine features an idea that I think we might be able to apply for this project." Derek Wood spoke. He slid the magazine across the table. It was an intriguing design with eco-friendly features. It came from an American design company named Harris Design Studio.
"Yeah, let's get in touch with them and see whether we can form a partnership." Gabriel agreed. He was still absent-minded. He struggled. But he was better at hiding it.
"I already did." Derek smiled with satisfaction. Some of Derek's mannerisms reminded Gabriel of Claire. He obviously treated her as a role model and he led the department very well. "Harris Design Studio was happy to collaborate and the CEO will overlook the partnership himself."
"That's fantastic to hear." Gabriel nodded, his enthusiasm non-existent. "And the designer, are they good?"
"The designer is Elise Cooper. She's an emerging design talent in America. She's very private but her designs won several prizes in the last few weeks."
"That's good."
"Actually, here…" Derek passed another printout of the article about Elise Cooper. The article was published in TIME magazine. It was written by no other than Katherine Miller. Katherine wrote that Elise Cooper was the best designer of the time. Gabriel sneered. They were wrong, of course. The best designer of the time was Claire. But then, with her gone, maybe Elise Cooper had a chance. But Katherine Miller was known in the circles as a diligent journalist. Maybe she saw something in that Elise Cooper that was beyond their knowledge.
"She seems good." Zoe said. She was a senior designer and she has been taking over some of Claire's projects, along with Gina and a few more of their colleagues. She started laughing which startled Gabriel. He still hasn't really laughed. He couldn't. Claire still occupied his mind more than he was willing to admit. "Oh, that sounds so much like our Claire. Did you read it?" She asked Gabriel as she pointed to the article. "Functionality, liveability, and home-like feeling are far more important than beauty to most of the clients. However, we can use specially chosen aesthetics to allow our designs to be perceived as beautiful for their purpose. Most attractive hotels tend to have warm undertones and welcoming auras. Clubs are designed to attract attention with their shiny appearances using lights and mirrors. This gallery is designed to bring intrigue and novelty by using intricate geometries and lightning, whilst utilising natural resources." Zoe read out loud before passing the article back to Gabriel. "You know, maybe we should scout her."
"Maybe. See how the meeting with Harris Studio goes." Gabriel decided.
Zoe nodded to Derek.
"It would be good if you could attend the meeting with Samuel Harris." Derek said carefully. "If the CEO of the company is so willing for partnership, maybe…"
"Okay." Gabriel agreed unenthusiastically. "As long as it is not on the trial date or 21st of April."
"What's on the 21st of April?" Zoe tilted her head.
"My marriage anniversary." Gabriel said quietly.
"What are you planning to do?" Zoe asked again. She dealt with her grief in her own way. In the opposite way to Gabriel. At times she acted as if nothing ever happened. She hid behind a facade.
Gabriel couldn't. His pain was clear. He struggled to speak of Claire without crying. But he managed. Somehow he managed.
Well, that was a lie. He hasn't come to terms with it but rather he grew more and more convinced that Claire was alive. Zoe hated that. Gina was sympathetic. Mark mostly ignored it. Zoe was angry whenever he spoke of it. She hated the false hope that might've come with it. She tried to deal with the loss head-on.
Gabriel couldn't.
"I don't know. It seems like just going to her grave isn't special enough."
"Probably not if you're there every couple of days." Zoe said. Her voice came across rather sharply.
"Joseph invited me over for dinner so I might go and see them."
"How's Leanne?"
"She's been feeling worse again." Gabriel admitted. He came to care deeply for Claire's family, and since Alex bailed him out of custody after he was arrested for trying to dig Claire's grave up, they were very close to each other. Claire's parents went back to living in Julian Estate, refusing much help from Gabriel.
Everyone tried to give the money back from Claire's inheritance. Gabriel explained to them that it was solely Claire's money. He never fully explained how she came to have it. He didn't have a full explanation yet. He didn't know a lot of things yet.
With Zoe's refusal of this topic, Mark grew hesitant in researching it. In the end, Gabriel was left alone with it. He didn't trust anyone else to rummage through Claire's history. Not whilst the trial was there.
Eva visited more regularly too. She was closer to him than ever before.
He didn't fully understand how the previous loss pushed them apart, and the current one brought them closer together. That's the thing about grief. It was unpredictable.
More things happened that he never expected before. Like becoming friends with Pierre. That one came about later the same day.
He came across Pierre at work and he couldn't ignore him much more. He was curious and intrigued by him.
"Mr Moore." Pierre nodded to him as he was entering the elevator.
"Mr Martin." Gabriel nodded back. He hesitated. "Am I right to believe that you went to the same university as Claire Thompson?"
"Yes, sir. I even shared some classes with Claire." Pierre spoke in a friendly tone. He was definitely a likeable person.
"I've heard plenty of stories from Gina and Zoe but I was curious as to what you thought of her then?"
"Well…" Pierre chuckled nervously. "She was quiet and kind and very intelligent. And frankly, very beautiful."
Gabriel smiled at Pierre's words. He already knew that about Claire.
"She spoke fluent French by the end of the first year." Pierre added. "She was the kind of a person that always achieved what she set her mind to."
"Yeah." Gabriel nodded in agreement.
"I've heard of your relationship only recently, Mr Moore. My condolences."
"Thank you. Also, I go by Gabriel. I never liked being called Mr Moore. It sounds too much like my father." Gabriel twisted his face in disapproval.
"At this stage, you can probably tell me more about Claire than I can tell you. I was very awkward at uni and after a failed attempt at asking her out, I've avoided her until just the past few months."
"I might've heard." Gabriel smiled.
"Oh no. That's just embarrassing." Pierre blushed.
"Claire mostly felt bad for you and she might've said that she was upset that you avoided her after the incident. On the other hand, I am very glad about it. Who knows whether otherwise, I would have even had a chance."
"You're Gabriel Moore. I'm sure you would've had a chance even if I were lucky to marry Claire." Pierre laughed.
"Oh no, Mr Martin. I have no idea what lucky shit I did to have had a chance with Claire because I can tell you that she was ready to gut me when she first met me."
"What?" Pierre raised his brows.
"Claire didn't really like me when she first got to know me. She hated me, even." Gabriel smiled as tears glassed over his eyes. "Sorry. I'm still an emotional wreck."
"Of course. It hasn't been that long." Pierre was more understanding than he ever anticipated.
"Not many people still want to speak of her." Gabriel admitted.
"Look, if you want to speak about her, I am more than happy to grab a coffee or something. Claire was a dear friend of mine at the university, at least for a few months before I embarrassed myself in front of her. I might've isolated myself from her but I've missed her dearly and I will always think of her as a friend."
"Thank you, Mr Martin."
"It's Pierre." He smiled in his usual charming way.
Gabriel hesitated, at first unwilling to accept the offer, but as Pierre mentioned the coffee again in the lobby, he nodded and they found a spot in a nearby cafe.
Somehow, Gabriel got onto the subject of his theories about Claire.
"I know that it sounds crazy but I think that Claire might still be alive."
As he said, he realised that he sounded like a madman. He expected Pierre to react the same way but he didn't. Pierre nodded instead.
"I'm guessing you have reasons to think that."
"A few. It's probably a huge stretch but…" Gabriel sighed.
"I guess that it's always a possibility. Unless you've already seen her body and conducted DNA testing."
"The approval for exhumation hasn't gone through yet." Pierre nodded. "You must think me crazy." Gabriel chuckled nervously.
"What? No. Not at all." Pierre shook his head. "Whether it is your hope that makes you believe that, or whether you have genuine evidence towards it, it's perfectly understandable. I completely wish for it to be true. I guess part of me believes that Claire would be perfectly capable of such a thing." Pierre smiled as he said it.
"She would be, I'm sure. Claire is a genius. She knew more about what was going on than anyone else, and she could play everyone."
"I don't think she ever played me or anyone I know. But I agree that she was a genius. She definitely had a way around things."
After that coffee, Gabriel felt a sense of relief. Having someone support his thoughts gave him a feeling of validation. Pierre might've been the one he least expected of it, but it still gave him an unspeakable relief.
He came across Pierre every couple of days and each time they ended up grabbing coffee together. Pierre had a very interesting insight into the business which he found refreshing.
"Did you hear of Samuel Harris?" Gabriel asked another day.
"Oh yes. The greatest design studio in America."
"Indeed. I came across them recently. They're willing to form a partnership. I know that your building design has been finalised so it's probably not in your interest. But I was hoping to scout one of their designers. They call her a design prodigy."
"A design prodigy?" Pierre scoffed.
"Yes. Perhaps you heard of Elise Cooper?"
Pierre inhaled his drink and started coughing violently.
"Yes, I did. Are you planning to meet her?"
"I'm not sure. It has been confirmed that Samuel Harris will be attending the meeting. I'm trying to find a pretext as to why Miss Cooper should attend too. I thought that maybe you will have an idea."
"I'm afraid not. Although, I'm surprised that you want to scout her. I know that she's amazing, but she's only an apprentice."
"Claire used to strongly support getting employees with little to no experience so we could re-train them easily to our standard. That would be ideal."
"I see." Pierre nodded. "Make it seem like you want a consultation with the designer. That might draw them out to you."
"Maybe." Gabriel bit his lip in thought.
They couldn't be any more contrasting. Gabriel went back to wearing his tailored suits. Dark suits with a fitted white shirt and a tie. Pierre, on the other hand, wore dark denim trousers, a blueish shirt and a tweed jacket, and no tie in sight.
Gabriel understood more than ever why Claire liked him. It was almost impossible to dislike him. Pierre was open and friendly. He made everyone feel at ease around him.
Pierre also became helpful with the trial. Once in a while, he asked Gabriel a question about a trial that provoked him to think about something from a new angle, helping him to form a new argument using a different article of law.
He hated to admit it but he liked Pierre a lot. At one point, he even introduced Pierre to Alex and they went for a drink. Even Alex enjoyed Pierre's company.
It turned out nearly impossible for him to get Elise Cooper to come to Diamond Corporate. Samuel Harris was keen to represent her though, and a partnership was blooming. He was glad, of course. But something tingled inside of him, like a gut feeling, that he ought to have Elise Cooper in his company. Perhaps it was the similarities in her style to Claire's.
Gabriel insisted that Claire was still alive but no one listened to him. He had one last idea of drawing Claire's attention, wherever she was. His idea was evil, and potentially hurtful, but what better way than a scandal?
He had just a perfect scandal in mind. Mark outright called him crazy and neither Gina or Zoe spoke to him afterwards. Even Alex was reserved to him.
He managed to find a way to get photographed with Francesca. He made it seem like they whispered to each other. Francesca played along. Not intentionally, she was still hopeful that there was going to be something between the when Gabriel asked her to dinner.
But Gabriel just made sure that their photos were taken before he excused himself and left Francesca alone. He barely explained himself to her. He still detested her. As a goodbye, he made it clear that he wanted nothing more with her but he needed the publicity. Francesca swore at him as he left the restaurant. But it was enough. For the next two weeks, that was all that media wrote about.
Gabriel Moore and Francesca Jones, once betrothed, now reunited.
Gabriel quickly forgot about it. He did have to pay a price for it. Many people looked down on him for the suspected relationship. He tried to explain his madness but no one wanted to listen. He stopped at last. Only after a few weeks of no more news about them, his friends started to forgive him and dismiss it as just bad media.
Things took a turn for the worse when the bounty on Gabriel's head reappeared just before the last hearing. It was as if Michael Moore didn't care anymore and attempted to hold onto the last thread.
Gabriel stared at Mark who informed him of it. He dismissed everyone from the villa, including the security.
Mark watched him with terror but hasn't said anything.
Gabriel had the last idea to make it till the end. He packed Claire's things up and made sure that every one of them was moved into the storage under someone else's name. And then, he poured gasoline across the floor.
Mark stood beside him as Gabriel threw a match and they both stood aside, watching the villa burn.
Mark understood. Gabriel wanted his father to believe that he perished in the accident.
Then Gabriel went to stay with Joseph and Leanne for the last night. The last place that Michael would have ever looked for him - an apartment in the Julian estate.
At last, the final hearing came about Leanne was getting worse still. Gabriel hated his helplessness so he tried to help them as much as he could.
He helped Joseph cook. He was learning how to, whilst learning how to use his arm with the support of an exoskeleton.
They all sat down to eat together for a brunch. Joseph was surprisingly reassuring, again. Joseph and Leanne watched the trial on the tv ever since it began and they promised to watch it again.
Then the last hearing happened. It was scary and unnerving. At one point, Gabriel was sure that he lost. The jury scowled at him and made it seem like he was an ungrateful brat for suing his father.
But… he won. His father was sentenced to life in prison. He hoped for his father to die but this was the closest thing.
He was found guilty of manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, negligence, and so much more.
Gabriel cried happy tears, tears of relief, as his father was dragged out in handcuffs.
He left the courtroom with an unspeakable relief. He saw hundreds of people cheering within the square. Every hearing, more and more supporters showed up. Today there were so many that they barely fit the square. Some held up posters, some waved cheerfully, and some cried with him.
In the afternoon, once he escaped the crowds, he went to the local florist and picked the biggest bouquet he could find. He already had a small box in his pocket, and he went to the cemetery.
He stood in front of a stone.
'Claire Elise Moore née Thompson, 16 November 1994 - 11 November 2020'
He carefully placed the flowers by the gravestone. He tidied any of the branches and leaves that have fallen onto it. He took out the small box and held onto it. The box had letters. He still wrote her letters and brought them along. And then he sat down in front of the gravestone and read them out.
But today, he had something else to say to her.
"Hi, Claire dear." He started. He was always a little unsure when he first started speaking. It felt almost stupid to speak on a cold slab of stone with someone's name and a photo on it. "I ought to tell you that we've won. We did it." He started sobbing almost immediately. "I thought that it was a good way to mark our first anniversary." Gabriel could barely utter the words between the heavy sobs. "I've promised you that I will finish this and I did." He let out a sigh. "I had a rather rough day yesterday. If you were here you would have definitely told me to buck up. I know. But it was hard. It was hard because you weren't here." Gabriel spoke quietly and sincerely. "Some days are hard beyond anything. I struggled to get up again. I was afraid. I was lost. But I've made it. And today I finished what I've set myself to do. I've done it."
He fiddled with his wedding ring as he did every time he was anxious or upset. He turned it between his fingers.
And then… the ring opened. Gabriel's heart stopped. He never realised before that the silver line in the centre of the wrong was actually an opening. He wasn't even sure how he opened it. He hated himself for not seeing it earlier.
A small strip of paper fell out.
He picked it up.
He read it but the words didn't make sense.
He read it again.
And again.
His brain finally was registering the meaning of the writing.
'I will return once all is over. Please wait for me.'
Gabriel stood up, swept the dust off himself, and he straightened out.
His heart was pounding.
His head was spinning.
He read it again and again.
He looked straight ahead, trying to see his surroundings.
He was starting to struggle to breathe.
Claire was alive.
He was certain.