"Are you sure about trusting this guy?" Hannah bounced the small ball in front of Ashton. She arrived just that morning and Samantha had filled her in about what happened while she was gone.
Samantha was lying down on the soft carpet as she thought about a lot of things. She wondered how she could help Daniel. She had wanted to do things but her father did not allow her to move and because of her promise, she wanted to honor it. However, it seemed like the chance was placed before her. Maybe she needed to meet Gael for this to happen. Maybe…
"Sam?" Hannah called.
Samantha's train of thoughts was interrupted. She turned her head to the side and raised a brow, "Did you say something?"
"I asked if you trust this Gael guy. How much do you know him?" Hannah questioned.
"I don't know him a lot… but Han, shouldn't I do something? I can't just let Daniel do the work alone. It's been so hard for him since..."
"But what exactly could you have done, S? You were pregnant and now you're a mother."
"Yes, but now… Isn't this a sign for us? Was I not meant to meet this guy so that I can do something for me and Daniel?" Samantha wondered. There was nothing else that she could do, she didn't have any connections in the underworld and even Daniel who was connected to it was already having a hard time.
"What if he asks you to do something inapporpriate for him?" Hannah was concerned, after all, Gael was in the mafia.
Samantha sat up straight and looked at Hannah seriously. "I don't think he's that kind of person."
"Didn't you hate him so much? What changed your mind?"
"I don't know, Han. I just… I feel like I just misunderstood him. The whole time that I was with him, I didn't feel anything that said he was that kind of person."
Truth be told, Samantha was conflicted about how she should behave towards him but she found that the easiest way was to just hate him because of what happened in the past. That was why the entire time she had been rude to him. But Gael never disrespected Samantha and had always been a gentleman.
"I don't know, S…" Hannah hesitated. "It's not that I don't want you to do anything, believe me, I am very much looking forward for you to reunite with Daniel but this…"
"I know, Han… I know but I don't have any other choice."
"Did he even agree to help you already?"
"No… but he will."
Hannah laughed at Samantha's positivity. "Why do you say so?"
"Because… Well… I don't know! I will make him, okay!? He's my only hope for now, Han. I should at least do something. "
Just then, Philip knocked on the door and peeked his head inside the nursery. "Sam?"
The two women turned their heads towards the door. "Yes?"
Looking at the overly neat man in a blue suit sitting leisurely in their living room, Samantha became nervous, unsure of what she should expect from him that day. "Do you want anything to drink?" She asked.
"No, but I need to talk to you," Gael replied as he got up the sofa, looking so noble. He stood tall and confident.
"Oh… okay, then talk," Samantha tentatively walked forward and waited for him to start talking but Gael only smiled at her.
"Go grab a coat, let's go for a walk."
Her brows furrowed, seemingly confused, "Walk?"
Gael glanced at the window and appreciated the weather, "It's a nice day today, we should enjoy it." He strutted towards the door and opened it before he turned to Samantha again and gestured.
Uncertain why he suddenly wanted to go out for a walk, Samantha looked at Hannah and Philip.
Hannah was holding Ashton in her arms when she nodded to her. She was actually hesitant but since Philip was there anyway, she thought that it will be fine. "I'll watch over Ashy for a while."
Nodding, Samantha then retrieved a coat from the closet and headed out with Gael, Philip following them from behind.
Unlike the previous days, Gael was there alone. Or so what Samantha thought but in reality, Gael's men were just a few meters from them so she was not aware that they were being watched close as they started to walk.
The sky was clear, the weather was nice and there were not a lot of people on the sidewalk. The two of them walked silently side by side as Gael enjoyed the scenery in Samantha's neighborhood. They headed towards the lake nearby.
"What did you want to talk about?" She asked, curious as to why Gael was delaying whatever he wanted to say. Did he agree? No?
Samantha wished that he would just say yes or no and be done with it. However, Gael remained quiet.
Reaching the lake, they found a bench to sit in where it was facing a beautiful scene. Gael was actually still debating with himself if he was going to go through with what he had in mind so before he told her his condition, he asked, "How did you feel when you knew about the things that he did in the past?"
Samantha swallowed and looked at the calm water in front of her, wondering how she should explain her side.
When Samantha told him about what happened that night in the hospital, he could understand perfectly well why Daniel did what he did. Gael thought that he probably would have done even worse but they were two different people. He was more curious about what Samantha thought of her ex-husband when she knew about his dark past.
"It was hard," she started. "I won't lie… I was hurt. I thought I knew him completely already… that's when I realized that knowing a person…" she sighed and trailed off.
"It was hard looking at him when I knew. It was confusing. I don't know what else to think but it was harder to imagine being away from him. In the end, I… I just couldn't leave him."
Gael smiled. He had moved on from his relationship with Becca already but he wondered if he was going to ever find someone like Samantha, someone who would accept who and what he was. He turned to look at her and stared, "Very well, I'll help you."
Samantha snapped her head to him. Her heart raced, suddenly excited about finally seeing the end of their troubles. "You will?" She probed.
The corners of his mouth tugged upwards when he saw her reaction. Getting up and walking forward a bit, he announced, "Yes, but on one condition."
Without hesitating, she shot up from her seat and followed him, her eyes widening. "What is it?"
"I'll be attending a charity gala next week." He turned his body towards her and spoke in a serious tone, making her nervous.. "And you're going to be my date."