Chapter 345: Breathing In Fire

While Angela hoped their evening would get better during dinner, Gael's phone rang. She watched him check the screen of his phone, his jaw tightening before answering the call. The phone call only lasted for a few seconds, and he didn't even say anything. Then he spoke to Rick in Italian. After the latter acknowledged whatever Gael said, the car made a U-Turn.

"We're not going to the restaurant?" she asked.

"Sorry. I'll take you there next time. I've been called for a…meeting." His voice was impassive as he turned his head in her direction but looking downward and not meeting her eyes.

"Oh."

Angela was slightly disappointed that he had to cancel dinner. But she pushed the heavy feeling down and worried that something had happened. "Is everything okay?"

"Nothing to worry about."

She wanted to press on, but nothing came out of her mouth, so she clamped her lips shut as they rode back towards the apartment.

Arriving at the building, Gael was still quiet as they descended the vehicle and headed towards the elevators. She was starting to feel agitated because of his coldness. He answered when asked, but that was it. Taking a deep breath, she walked closer to him and slid her hand in his. Thankfully, he didn't recoil or retract his hand away from hers. His large hand swallowed hers as she interlaced their fingers together.

She was relieved to feel the warmth of his hand. But it wasn't enough.

They stepped into the car and rode it up to their floor. Two other people were inside, and the car stopped twice before they were finally alone. "Are we going to talk about this?" she asked gently.

"Talk about what?"

"About what happened in the office?"

His jaw tightened, a small crease forming between his brows as he kept his gaze in front. "Not right now."

The elevator stopped on their floor, and they headed towards the unit.

"Why not?" she probed, watching as Gael opened the door to the apartment. The lights turned on, and the door closed behind them, then she asked again, "Why don't you want to talk right now?"

He turned around, his face looking like he was trying to reel in from snapping at her. His expression reminded her of when he got mad at her back in Hillberry when she told him she'd give him a portion of the sales from her book—only this time, he tried to control himself. His expression was hard.

Gael huffed. "Because I'm feeling all sorts of shit right now, and I don't want to say something I might regret or something you won't like. So like I said, not right now."

Her brows drew together. She didn't do anything wrong. Did she? Why was he acting like she kicked a puppy? "Whatever it is, I want to hear it."

"Angela," he warned.

Angela. She didn't like when he called her that. It felt so distant and cold. What happened to Angel? Baby? Babe? Her hands clenched and unclenched before she folded them under her breasts, feeling the need to hold herself together.

"Say it. You're clearly mad, and I prefer you mad but talking rather than ignoring me or being cold to me."

Gael looked up, briefly closed his eyes as he let out a harsh breath, and then faced her again. "Fine. You wanna talk?" he asked, taking steps towards her until they were nearly a foot away. She remained in place. "Andrew McCarthy. Who is he to you? And don't bullshit me. I will know when you lie."

Angela's chest heaved up and now, feeling a little intimidated by his size and aura, but she didn't back down. "He's just someone from the past. He doesn't matter anymore."

He scoffed, then gritted his teeth, humor absent in his eyes. "I just told you not to fucking lie to me."

"I'm not lying!" Damn it. She felt like the walls were closing in on them. Gael wasn't shouting, but his grave voice snaked under her skin. "We dated, but he's history. I haven't even seen him in almost four years."

"History?" He narrowed his eyes. "The way you looked at him didn't seem like it was a mere 'history' like you make it out to be, Angela. I'm pretty sure he's more than that."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

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"Have you forgotten that I've seen how you were with other men during your arranged dates? McCarthy had his hand on you and kissed you, and there was a look in your eyes—of what, I don't fucking know. But you never shrunk like you did earlier when you dealt with other men. Why was your reaction different if he doesn't matter like you're fucking insisting?"

Oh, my god. She could not believe this. "I was surprised to see him! How did you think I would react? I haven't seen the guy in a long time, and he suddenly appeared and was apparently your investor. Of all the people, it was someone I didn't expect. And why are you this mad? You can be mad about Andy but I can't with Miss USA? Some double standard."

"Because she's nothing but a forgettable quick lay! Did you hear me stutter when she was around? I don't think so. Can you say the same for McCarthy?"

She didn't need to hear that another woman was a 'lay' even if she was forgettable. Hearing everything he said felt like her chest was being squeezed dry, causing her eyes to sting and a lump to form in her throat. 

"What are you really mad about? That I used to date him?"

"I don't know!"

"Then how am I supposed to deal with that? What do you want me to do?"

"When did you date? Were you in love with him?"

Angela swallowed. "Before I met you at the wedding… We broke up a few weeks before that. And no… I wasn't. I don't think so."

Gael slightly leaned back, studying her face as though he was deducing something. What, she didn't know. 

Dating Andy back then wasn't meant to become serious. Their relationship didn't start from courtship either. She couldn't remember when it started as they were on and off, casually dating but nothing exclusive until a few weeks before they broke up. But despite the blurry line of when they started, their ending was definitely clear. After all, she was the one who ended it.

She thought she could be with the man who had everything. All she had to do was say yes, and everything would have fallen into place. But the perfect man just wasn't right for her. She didn't feel he was right—that and Evan's words that he drilled into her brain.

"Do you want me to cancel our arrangement?" he asked in a toneless voice.

"What?"

"His investment. I'll do it if that's what you want. I'll call him right now."

Angela's lips wobbled, and tears gathered in the rims of her eyes. Gael's firm was not only for him; it's for his family too. She didn't like the idea of Gael and Andy working together, but she could get past that. She would. Making him sacrifice a willing investor just because she didn't like the arrangement was unreasonable, which was why her heart dropped to her stomach when he asked.

"No. It's business. Your business. Do what you've planned to do."

Silence hung above them for a minute, his jaw tightening before he spoke again. "Are there any more of your exes that I should know about? I don't want any more surprises."

The hell? She glared at him. "Are you implying that I whored around?"

"What?" He snapped. "That's not what I said, and you know it!"

"You might as well have! But I'm not the one getting married in less than a month while keeping a side chick in his apartment."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," he muttered, dragging a stiff hand down his face. "You were never like that!"

The ringing of Gael's phone sliced the tension between them. He fished it out from his coat and answered in an angry tone, "What?" He released an exhausted sigh. "Follow them, and don't lose sight."

He ended the call and met Angela's glare. Her nails dug into her arms, trying her best not to let the tears fall from her eyes. She was so mad. This was ridiculous. This entire argument was ridiculous.

He contemplated before reaching out to touch her face, but she looked away before his fingers could make contact. It took everything in her not to run into his arms and tell him to end this fight, but she was still seething. 

And with that, Gael dropped his hand and left the apartment.

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