Chapter 3 - The Ghost in the Glass
The private salon smelled of rich mahogany, expensive bourbon, and old secrets. Outside the frosted double doors, two dozen armed enforcers stood guard, keeping the anxious whispers of New York’s high society at bay. Inside, the quiet was terrifying.
Julian and Mateo sat side by side on a tufted leather sofa, their legs swinging slightly, while Leo stood beside me, refusing to sit. All three of them watched Gabriel with solemn, perceptive eyes. Children notice everything, especially the strange electricity that hummed between their mother and the towering stranger who shared their features.
Gabriel stood by the marble fireplace, an unpoured crystal decanter in his hand. He hadn't touched a drop. His eyes were wild, bloodshot, tracing the contour of Julian’s nose, the sharp angle of Mateo’s jaw, the cowlick in Leo’s dark hair that refused to lie flat.
"Why didn't you send word?" Gabriel demanded, his voice fracturing the heavy quiet. "Even an anonymous letter. A photo. Anything."
"And what would have happened, Gabriel?" I countered, crossing my arms to hide my trembling fingers. "You would have swept in with an army, torn them from my arms, and raised them to be monsters like you. Or worse—Serena would have made sure they never survived their infancy."
He set the crystal decanter down with a violent clatter that made the boys flinch. Instantly, Gabriel’s expression softened, an instinctive guilt washing over his harsh features as he glanced at the children. He took a slow breath, forcing his posture to relax.
"Serena had nothing to do with us," he ground out quietly. "You left. You packed your bags while I was in Chicago, signed the non-disclosure agreements, and accepted twenty million dollars from my holding company."
I stared at him in pure disbelief, a harsh, humorless laugh escaping my throat. "Twenty million dollars? Non-disclosure agreements? Gabriel, what fantasy world are you living in?"
He frowned, his brow furrowing deep. "The wire transfer went through your personal account. The legal firm provided your signed waiver forfeiting all claims to the Vance estate."
"I left this city with two hundred dollars in my purse and an old canvas duffel bag," I said, my voice dropping to a fierce, ragged whisper. "I left because your head of security delivered a folder to my hotel room containing photographs of me sleeping, with a note stating that if I didn't vanish by sunrise, my sister’s medical equipment at St. Jude’s would accidentally lose power."
Gabriel’s entire body went rigid. The color drained from his face, leaving behind a terrifying, deathly pallor. "What did you say?"
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"I signed the divorce papers because you left them on our dining room table with your signature already on them," I continued, tears of long-buried rage burning in my eyes. "And two days later, Serena sent me the video of the two of you in our penthouse suite. Don't play the betrayed husband with me, Gabriel. You threw me away."
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