CHAPTER 15
1296 Words
Gabby was in the middle of cleaning her brushes when Manuel appeared at the doorway.
"We're leaving for the office soon."
She didn't look up.
"I'm not going."
"You said that yesterday."
"And I meant it."
"We're not going to Reyes Enterprises."
That made her pause.
Gabby looked up.
"Then where are we going?"
"Valentine Holdings."
She frowned slightly.
"Why?"
"I have a meeting with their executives."
Her eyes brightened up a bit.
"Another company?"
"Yes."
Gabby placed the brush down.
"What kind of meeting?"
"Contract negotiations."
A small smile appeared on her face.
She had spent most of the previous day feeling miserable, and perhaps getting out of the mansion was exactly what she needed.
"I'll come."
Manuel stared at her for a moment, then lifted one eyebrow.
"I thought you didn't want to go."
Gabby gave him a shy smile.
"I changed my mind."
He turned away.
"Be ready in twenty minutes."
Gabby smiled to herself.
She felt a little lighter from yesterday.
The drive to Valentine Holdings was quiet and smooth.
Mara sat in the front beside the driver, going through the documents for the meeting.
Gabby sat beside Manuel in the back seat.
She looked out the window as the city passed by.
She had not realized how much she needed to leave the mansion.
Yesterday had left her emotionally drained, but today felt different.
Not completely better, but better enough.
Manuel glanced at her.
"You seem happy."
Gabby looked at him.
"Do I?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
"Maybe I just needed to get out."
He nodded.
"Perhaps."
Mara looked back briefly.
Her eyes settled on Gabby for a second before returning to the documents.
She didn't say anything.
Valentine Holdings was already waiting for them.
The moment Manuel stepped out of the car, several people approached.
"Mr. Reyes, welcome."
"Thank you."
Cameras were already positioned near the entrance.
Gabby slowed.
She hadn't expected that.
Mara stepped out behind Manuel.
Almost immediately, the attention shifted towards her.
"Miss Steve!"
"Miss Steve, over here!"
Mara smiled confidently.
Gabby stood a few steps behind them.
Nobody called her name or asked who she was.
She followed quietly.
Inside the building, the situation became even more noticeable.
Valentine Holdings had several content creators and business media personalities waiting to cover the meeting.
As Manuel approached, cameras began flashing.
"Mr. Reyes!"
"How does it feel to be visiting Valentine Holdings for the first time?"
Manuel stopped.
Gabby stood beside him.
But the cameras were focused entirely on him.
He answered calmly.
"It's a pleasure to be here, Valentine Holdings has built an impressive reputation, and we're looking forward to discussing a potential partnership."
Another interviewer stepped forward.
"Do you think today's meeting could lead to a major deal between both companies?"
"That's what we're here to discuss."
"Are you confident?"
"I don't enter negotiations without confidence."
A few people laughed.
The cameras continued.
Gabby smiled faintly.
She had never experienced anything like this before.
Then someone else called out.
"Mr. Reyes!"
Manuel turned.
A female interviewer smiled brightly.
"How does it feel visiting with your wife?"
Gabby's smile disappeared.
The interviewer looked at Mara.
Mara on the other hand moved closer to Manuel, smiling confidently as the cameras focused on them.
For a moment, Gabby didn't know what to do.
Mara's expression changed.
She looked pleased.
She didn't correct the interviewer.
Instead, she simply stood there as though the assumption didn't bother her at all.
Gabby lowered her gaze.
The interviewer continued.
"You two look wonderful together"
"Is this your first business trip as a couple?"
Mara's lips curved.
Gabby felt something tighten painfully inside her.
She didn't understand why it bothered her.
Mara was his assistant and she knew that.
Yet, standing there unnoticed while another woman was being mistaken for Manuel's wife made her feel strangely insignificant.
She stepped slightly backward.
The cameras followed Manuel and Mara.
Nobody noticed, neither did anyone seem to care.
Then Manuel spoke.
"You have the wrong person."
The interviewer blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"My wife isn't Mara Steve."
The entire group became quiet.
Manuel turned towards Gabby.
She looked up, startled.
He reached for her hand.
Gabby felt stiff.
Then he gently pulled her beside him.
"This is my wife."
The cameras immediately turned towards her.
Flashes filled the entrance.
Gabby's breath seized for a minute.
Manuel's hand remained around hers.
The interviewer looked embarrassed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"It's fine."
Manuel didn't sound bothered.
He looked down at Gabby briefly.
Then back at the interviewer.
"As I said, we're here for business."
The interviewer smiled nervously.
"Of course, and how does it feel having your wife accompany you today?"
Manuel glanced at Gabby.
She didn't know what he was going to say.
"Good."
His answer was simple.
"She makes the trip more pleasant."
Gabby's heart skipped.
She looked at him.
His expression remained perfectly calm, as though he had not said anything unusual.
But for Gabby, those few words changed everything.
The loneliness she had carried from yesterday suddenly felt a little lighter.
She squeezed his hand unconsciously.
Manuel looked down.
Neither of them said anything.
The meeting itself went smoothly.
Gabby remained mostly quiet, listening as Manuel and the executives discussed the proposed partnership.
She noticed how different he became during negotiations.
He was so confident, sharp, and focused.
But this time, she didn't feel invisible.
Every now and then, Manuel glanced towards her.
It was small and almost unnoticeable, but she noticed, and even Mara noticed too.
And every time he did that, something inside Gabby tightened.
But Mara, on the other hand, found it so discomforting.
She had worked beside Manuel for years.
She knew his schedule, his habits, his preferences.
She had been there through countless meetings.
Yet today, all anyone seemed interested in was the woman beside him.
His wife, Gabby.
Mara clenched her fingers around her pen.
She told herself it didn't matter.
Manuel had only held Gabby's hand because the interviewer had mistaken her for his wife, that was all.
But then she remembered his words.
‘She makes the trip more pleasant.’
Mara looked towards Gabby.
For the first time, the smile on her face disappeared completely.
When they finally left Valentine Holdings, the cameras were still gathered outside.
Manuel walked ahead with Mara.
Gabby followed.
But this time, she didn't feel quite as invisible.
She still felt embarrassed by all the attention.
Yet she couldn't stop thinking about the warmth of Manuel's hand around hers.
Once they were inside the car, the doors closed.
Silence settled over them.
Mara immediately began reviewing the documents.
Gabby looked out the window.
Manuel sat beside her.
After several minutes, he spoke.
"Are you okay?"
Gabby turned.
"Yes."
He studied her face.
"You don't look okay."
"I'm fine."
She forced a smile.
"I'm just tired."
Manuel remained quiet.
He seemed unconvinced, but he didn't push.
Gabby turned back towards the window.
She didn't tell him what had really hurt.
She didn't tell him how small she had felt when everyone ignored her, or even how much his simple gesture had meant.
She kept all of it to herself.
Mara slowly lowered the document in her hands.
Her eyes moved towards Gabby from the side mirror.
There was something different in her expression now, something colder.
She had spent years believing that she understood her
place beside Manuel.
But today had shown her something she didn't want to see.
Gabby had entered his life only recently.
And somehow, she was already beginning to take a place Mara had always believed belonged to her.
Mara looked away.
Her jaw tightened.
She didn't know what she was going to do about it yet.
But one thing had become painfully clear.
She no longer saw Gabby as harmless.
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