Clairessa’s POV
I woke up, my arms instinctively reaching out for Gabriel, but the side of the bed where he slept was empty. A wave of disappointment hit me as I realized he was gone. The memories of last night started flooding back, and I tried to push away the thoughts of that horrible man, Marco. The fear and pain he had inflicted still lingered in my mind.
If Gabriel hadn’t arrived in time, who knows what Marco might have done? I shuddered at the thought but quickly pushed it away.
It felt like all my hopes were crashing before they even began. I couldn’t help but feel sad, knowing today was the last day of the trip, and we still hadn’t secured an investor. But I didn’t want to dwell on the negatives.
I needed to focus on the fact that I was safe. And it was all thanks to Gabriel.
