"I might've changed." Gabriel said which
"Uh-huh." Claire shifted her gaze to notice the onlookers standing in the circle around the dance floor.
"You rejected my job offer."
"Indeed. It wasn't particularly appealing."
"How so?"
"I already was your Chief Design Officer at quadruple the salary. With plenty of shares. Assets. And a contract with no break clause. What you offered is a downgrade in comparison to what I already had."
"But it was still an upgrade from your current role."
"Not if the price is that I have to be associated with the Moores." Claire answered honestly. "You sold your soul by merging the companies with your father."
"Why would you say that?"
"Merger won't have any business or financial benefits to you or Diamond Corporate. If anything, it probably sucked the money out of DC with all the necessary rebranding and legal fees. It's a endless pit for your money to support Moore Pharmaceuticals."
Gabriel swallowed as Claire's words were true.
"Why would I do it then?"
"Likely because you were coerced by your father and your current state, the memory issues, has been exploited." Claire said quietly as she leaned in towards his ear. Her breath tickled his neck causing the goosebumps that went down his body.
"You act as if you knew everything about me."
"I do." Claire replied with confidence.
"You have said that my favourite musician is Tiersen." Gabriel said slowly, calculating his every word. "It isn't."
Claire froze. Somehow it hurt more to think that Gabriel changed in the months that she was away from him.
"I see." Claire nodded then she forced a smile as she held back her tears. "Once… you explained the infinite. I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time that the universe was made just to be seen by my eyes." She said as she squeezed her hand on his shoulder.
Gabriel stiffened. The very words Claire spoke were the words of the song that he didn't remember listening to for the first time but which he couldn't stop listening to ever since he dreamt those exact lyrics.
"What you just said, those words, do you know where they are from?"
"It's a song I used to love. The song I shared with you." Claire answered honestly. "I listened to it every day when things were tough. And then I shared it with you."
"I see."
"We used to dance to Tiersen's compositions. But also we went to the philharmonic for a classical music night and a few concerts." Claire paused and then she smiled through the tears that run down her face. "You used to put Tiersen on when you drove the car. Our dancing song was Penn Ar Roc'h." Claire pursed her lips. "I am not crazy." She repeated. "I haven't stalked you. I-…" she stopped. "If you truly do not remember things, I cannot imagine how difficult it must've been for you. I cannot imagine how difficult it was to wake up with no memory of so many things from your life. As hurtful as it is for me, it must be so much more difficult for you. I do not wish to cause you any distress. I am trying to stay out of your way." Her hand squeezed his shoulder. She was calmer than before. She was hurting but she was calmer. Something changed in her demeanour.
"I know." Gabriel admitted.
"I cannot work at Diamond Corporate because I cannot be in the same place that I have met you without breaking. I cannot be so close to you without wanting to reach out to you. I've said it before. I just want you to know that because I don't want you to misunderstand." Claire let out a quiet sigh. "Perhaps I was wrong in telling you of us. I approached you because… because I was hopeful. I didn't want to hurt you."
Gabriel was silent as he watched how vulnerable Claire was as he held her.
"Tell me what we used to do together."
"Everything. All the mundane things. You learnt to cook and we would cook together. We would read books side by side. I would play piano for you. You took me out for dates. I took you out for a date too."
"You did?"
"Yes. I took you roller skating. It went bad. And then we had a picnic in a park while watching a French movie."
Gabriel felt a pit in a stomach. He felt like he would have never done those things with anyone. He would never risk embarrassing himself by going roller skating. It didn't sound like him. But… he didn't think Claire was completely lying. He tried to imagine how she must've laughed. Her smiles were enchanting, her laugh must've been even more magical.
"If it is true that we were married, how did it happen?"
Claire chuckled at the ridiculousness of the memories.
"Well… it was your stubbornness and unwillingness to let go of something you wanted. That's it."
"Tell me."
"You didn't like that I didn't bend to you as a head of a department. We disagreed a lot about work. So… after a particularly bad fall out, I gave you my resignation. You fired Mark as well. I remember that I sat with him for hours, awaiting whatever was coming."
"Mark?"
"Mark Pattison. He was your assistant, and then our friend."
"Hmm…" Gabriel remembered Mark Pattison. Barely. "Continue."
"You called me and asked me to see you in your office. It was a night. I was tipsy and insistent that I am not staying at Diamond Corporate as I already secured a better job with X6 Group. So…" Claire blushed in embarrassment. "I laid down my terms. I wanted over 20% of the shares. Full autonomy over my department. Quadruple of my pay. And I wanted no break clause so that I could stay even if you were voted out as the CEO. You got the lawyer and you asked him how I could get that without causing issues with the amount of shares and risking you losing the golden share. He jokingly said 'marriage' and that planted a seed in your mind. The next day you brought me a marriage contract with the working conditions written in it."
"That's not very romantic. Did we even date?"
"No. But it is you. You weren't romantic. You were practical. I run the department better than anyone and we were responsible for 20% of the annual income at that time. Even more later down the line. I had customers loyal to me and the colleagues not the Diamond Corporate. Majority would have left DC as soon as I did. You would have lost 20% of the company value within weeks of me leaving. That was a loss that you couldn't allow. Even if it meant that you had to deal with me. It was practical."
"If you intended to leave, why did you sign that contract?"
"Honestly? Money. I hated you but I needed the money for my mum's healthcare expenses."
"Of course, money." Gabriel sneered.
"As if your reason to marry me was that much better." Claire scoffed. "But then, we both fell in love with each other."
"What did you love about me?"
"I loved the way you loved me. I loved that you made me want to be better. I loved that you were good and caring. I loved your human side." Claire subconsciously moved her hand from Gabriel's shoulder and touched his cheek. "I loved the way you used to look at me." The saddest smile graced her lips. "Thank you for all that you did for me. I won't ever forget it."
To Gabriel it almost sounded like a quiet goodbye. He dug his fingers into her back, unknowingly pulling her closer.
"If you had a contract with no break clause, you still own those shares and are still entitled to that pay and position. Bring it to me."
Claire's smile vanished and she moved her hand away from Gabriel's face.
"I do not have that contract. Everything that I ever had was taken away."
"By whom?"
"I do not know. I don't even know why or how I am alive."
"Why?"
"After I was shot, I woke up weeks later in Switzerland. I have no recollection of how I've got there. There were no records of it. I do not know who saved me that day."
"You were shot?"
"You were there when I was shot. They've almost killed us. Do you really not remember any of it?"
"Who did?"
"Your father." Claire's forehead creased. "If you don't remember that, then I shouldn't have told you." She pursed her lips. "Thank you for the dance, Mr Moore." Claire let go and moved a few steps away. The music stopped and other pairs started coming off and onto the dance floor. Claire used it as an opportunity to vanish in a crowd and escape Gabriel's burning gaze. She has said too much.