After that day he went and found as many events as he could where Crimson Tech was on the invite list. He narrowed down the list to the ones where their new Chief Sustainability Officer might be requested to attend. The first few events were unsuccessful, but at last, Gabriel found the one event that Claire was bound to attend: "Sustainability in Business National Conference".
Gabriel spotted Christopher quite quickly and made his way towards the group that he was with, infiltrating the conversation with an ease.
He was paralysed as he spotted Claire in a long evening dress that hugged her body just perfectly. He was breathless and equally speechless.
His fury grew as Claire was invited to the circle by Christopher's eager wave and as Christopher placed his hand on her bare back. It wasn't long and usually Gabriel wouldn't have even noticed, but… it was her.
"As appropriate for a sustainability in business conference, this is my Chief Sustainability Officer, Miss Elise Cooper." Christopher introduced her to the crowd of men. Claire shook everyone's hands very clearly omitting Gabriel which caused a few of the men to raise his brows and which hurt his ego.
"Mr Moore." Christopher smiled at Gabriel which made Claire feel sick to her stomach. "I hope that there are no hurt feelings between us."
Gabriel looked at Christopher in surprise.
"Why would there be?"
"You had a shareholder leave you in our benefit. I have no idea what happened in that meeting and how Elise pitched Crimson Tech against Diamond Corporate that it ended up being chosen. Did your employees lack in preparation?"
Gabriel placed his glass of champagne down. He felt offended by the suggestion as it wasn't his employees but him, but also, he was going against Claire.
"No, they didn't. I have attended the meeting myself. But it should be noted that I went against Miss Cooper herself."
Christopher looked over at Claire with a quizzical look, mouthing 'how?' to her. This didn't escape Gabriel either. She deserved the praise. His praise. No one else should be praising her. No one else should be speaking to her.
"You have never mentioned that you attended that meeting along with Mr Moore." Christopher said to Claire.
"I didn't think it was relevant, Chris." Claire mumbled nervously trying to avoid Gabriel's burning gaze. Gabriel felt like a new game was unfolding. It was him versus Christopher, and the prize was Claire.
"Did you sell your soul to the devil?" Chris asked her in a whisper. Claire couldn't resist an urge and she looked at Gabriel, drowning in his ocean blue eyes.
"I suppose I did." Claire responded rather sharply. "I have gotten those extra shares because I have presented an argument to the rep that they couldn't resist. It was fair. If anything, I felt that Mr Moore didn't put a sufficient amount of effort to pitch his company. I guess that he is so established in his position that he never once had to defend it. It is naive." Claire spoke as she still held an eye contact with Gabriel. "Mr Moore is a type of a man who won't recognise the value of things until he loses them." Claire finished with a bite in her voice. Gabriel felt equal amount of desire towards her and anger for undermining him and pointing out his faults to others.
"I am so sorry, Mr Moore." Christopher said nervously. Although Christopher was subjected to Claire's bluntness before, he didn't expect her to be so blunt to someone like Gabriel Moore.
"The apologies are unnecessary." Gabriel didn't care for his apologies and instead he smiled which shocked Christopher. He rather Claire to be feisty than quiet and withdrawn. "Miss Cooper is right. She did present an argument in favour of Crimson Tech that I couldn't beat."
"I see." Christopher nodded. Claire stared at Gabriel in disbelief. For once their gazes met and stayed unmoved for a while. Gabriel could see the wonderful shades of brown, green, and amber that formed her iris.
"Aside of Miss Cooper's sharp tongue, she seems to be faring well in your company." Gabriel spoke to Chris while maintaining that long desired eye contact with Claire.
"Elise is an extraordinary employee. She has a natural talent that is hard to come by." Christopher smiled. "She is a loyal employee and she pushes me and the company to be better than we already are."
"Do you fancy Miss Cooper?" Gabriel asked directly. Claire's eyes darkened at that question and her lips tightened. This made Gabriel's smile wider and more victorious.
"No." Christopher chuckled. "I like Elise very much but my ex-wife was the woman of my life."
"Excusez-moi, mademoiselle Cooper." Someone approached Claire which made her turn around momentarily.
"Oui, monsieur Dubois." Claire faked a smile as she looked at the man beside her.
"Quand a lieu notre réunion?"
"Nous avons une réunion la semaine prochaine, monsieur Dubois."
Claire quickly exchanged a few sentences in French with her client before she turned back to the group.
"Mr Hayden." The older man beside them spoke up to Christopher with a wide smile. "Can I borrow Miss Cooper from you?"
"What for?" Christopher asked directly.
"She is fluent in French. I could use a new assistant with such a skill. It would make our partnerships with the French so much easier."
"Miss Cooper is an executive in Mr Hayden's company. I doubt that she has an interest in being your PA." Gabriel replied instead, all his smile and softness vanished instantly as he looked at the older man.
"That is the shame. She just changed between languages like nothing." The man seemed disappointed. Gabriel had a thought appear in his head.
"Actually, I would have a counter offer for Miss Cooper." He spoke to Christopher with little thought, feeling Claire's burning gaze on him.
"And what is that?" Christopher asked.
"I can offer her double the salary that you do."
Christopher put his champagne glass down too.
"You want to negotiate Miss Cooper's position now?"
"Why not?"
"I am not willing to let Elise go." Christopher became serious.
"Miss Cooper, what would you say about a job at Diamond Corporate?" Gabriel smiled at her but it wasn't a nice smile. It was his competitive smile. The victorious smile that signified that he had an upper hand or that he had someone trapped. Claire didn't like that. She remembered vividly that she saw it when Gabriel gave her the marriage contract. The issue was that now she didn't know his intentions.
"Why would I do that?" Claire asked. Her question took all of the men aback.
"I will offer you double the salary that Crimson Tech does."
"Again, why would I do that?"
"You are the designer. Diamond Corporate is much more appropriate for you." Gabriel continued with confidence that he was going to get her.
"Miss Cooper, if it is a matter of pay or your responsibilities, we may discuss it as you wish." Christopher said quickly. "I will double your salary as of this instance."
"No, Chris, it won't be necessary." Claire's jaw tensed up in irritation. ""Mr Moore must've gotten a wrong idea. I am more than happy in my current role as a Chief Sustainability Officer as I know that this is where I can drive a real change."
"I will create a new role for you." Gabriel proposed.
"Really?"
"Same level of responsibility as at Crimson Tech but with design responsibility instead."
"Perhaps a Chief Design Officer?" Claire asked with her head tilted.
"Perhaps." Gabriel was taken aback that she knew what he had in his mind.
"What happened to your Chief Design Officer?" The old man asked Gabriel.
"I never had one." Gabriel furrowed his brows as he replied to the man.
"Really? I was certain that there was someone. A woman. A youngest woman to ever be an executive or something." The man continued to mumble. "Was it in some other company? I must've mixed things up." The man continued in confusion.
Claire scoffed. People remembered her even if they didn't know that it's as her. It was a reassurance but also a bit on the nose as the very person that she was married to didn't know her.
Her eyes reached his again but momentarily Gabriel felt as if the earth was ripped from underneath his feet.
"I am afraid that I am not willing to accept the offer, Mr Moore. There is very little you can offer me that will entice me into your company and…" Claire hesitated. "And into any association with the Moore family."
Gabriel stood frozen as Claire's words and the words of the old man beside them echoed through his head. He head even more questions now.
"I am so glad to have found such a loyal employee." Christopher smiled victoriously, not realising that his win had little to nothing to do with him or Crimson Tech.
"I wouldn't be so glad." Gabriel said coldly. "Miss Cooper is only declining my offer to spite me." Claire pushed all of his buttons for months and now she pushed the wrong one.
Claire scoffed again which infuriated Gabriel further.
"No, Mr Moore. It is not spite but my attempt to keep the remnants of my dignity." Claire paused before adding. "As Horace said, he makes himself ridiculous who is for ever repeating the same mistake." Without another word she turned around and left. Christopher's mouth dropped open, but Gabriel looked behind her. He didn't like not getting what he wanted. He wasn't used to it.
"I-…" Christopher stuttered.
"I hope that you still will double her salary." Gabriel said in a cold tone.
"Sure. I mean yes. But…"
"Have a good evening gentlemen." Gabriel cut him off before taking a quick gulp of his champagne and leaving the building.