The Debt That Changed Everything

CHAPTER 11

Gabby noticed something was wrong the moment she walked into the dining room.

Manuel was already seated at the table, having all his attention fixed on a document lying on the table, beside his breakfast.

He looked tired, not physically tired, but inwardly tired.

Gabby took a seat opposite him.

"You're reading again?"

His eyes remained on the paper.

"Apparently."

"At breakfast?"

"Apparently."

Gabby sighed.

"You know, you could try enjoying one meal without working."

Manuel finally looked up at her.

"Could I?"

"Yes."

"And would you allow me?"

Gabby smiled.

"I might."

For a brief moment, his expression softened.

Then he returned to the document.

Gabby watched him quietly.

She had noticed something since the Henderson Group withdrew from their contract.

Manuel had not spoken much about it.

But he had not stopped thinking about it either.

"You're still thinking about Henderson."

His eyes lifted.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because you've been staring at that same page for almost five minutes."

He glanced at the document.

"I was reading."

"You were not."

His brow lifted.

"You seem to know a lot about what I do."

"I'm beginning to."

Manuel leaned back.

"You shouldn't."

"Why?"

"Because knowing too much about me can become exhausting."

Gabby laughed softly.

"I think I can handle it."

His gaze lingered on her for a moment.

"We'll see."

He picked up his coffee.

Gabby smiled to herself.

There were moments like this when she almost forgot how intimidating Manuel Reyes could be.

"You're coming to the office with me today," he said.

Her smile faded.

"Again?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I have work."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"It wasn't supposed to."

Gabby rolled her eyes.

"You're impossible."

He said nothing and simply stood up from his chair.

"Five minutes."

"Five minutes for what?"

"We're leaving."

She stared at him.

"You could at least ask nicely."

Manuel paused.

Then, with a completely straight face, he said,

"Don't keep me waiting."

Gabby sighed.

Reyes Enterprises was busy when they arrived.

Gabby followed Manuel through the lobby, noticing how employees straightened whenever he walked past.

Some greeted him.

Others simply moved out of his way.

She still found it strange.

"Do they always act like that?"

Manuel glanced at her.

"Like what?"

"Like you're going to fire them."

"Perhaps some of them deserve it."

Gabby frowned.

"You're serious?"

"Completely."

They entered the elevator.

"You're actually ruthless, aren't you?"

Manuel looked at her.

"I never pretended otherwise."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out.

As they approached Manuel's office, a man walked towards them carrying a tablet.

"Good Morning, Manuel."

"Morning Josh."

"The operations report is ready, I left it on your desk."

"I'll look at it later."

Josh glanced briefly at Gabby.

"Good morning, Mrs. Reyes."

"Good morning, Josh, how're you?"

"I'm good, still surviving the workload."

Gabby smiled.

"I thought people at Reyes Enterprises were supposed to enjoy their jobs."

Josh laughed softly.

"We're supposed to say that."

Manuel cleared his throat and said.

"Are you two finished?"

Josh looked at him.

"I was just leaving."

Then he nodded towards Gabby.

"Have a good day."

"You too."

As Manuel and Gabby neared the office, Gabby spoke up.

"He seems friendly."

"He's competent."

"That's your favorite compliment, isn't it?"

"It's an important one."

They entered Manuel's office.

Gabby settled onto the sofa while Manuel began working.

For almost an hour, they barely spoke.

Gabby watched him move between emails, phone calls, and documents.

He was completely different here.

Focused, cold, and commanding.

During one phone call, his voice became so sharp that Gabby instinctively looked up.

"No."

"I don't care what your lawyers advised you."

"If you want this contract, you follow the terms we agreed upon."

Then, he ended the call.

Gabby stared at him.

"What?" He asked her.

"Nothing"

"You were staring."

"You scared me."

Manuel frowned.

Gabby shook her head.

Then she noticed that his expression hardened the moment his eyes fell on his ringing phone.

"Yes." He answered.

"Send the revised proposal to my office."

"No, don't contact them again."

Then he ended the call.

Gabby looked at him.

"Another problem?"

"No."

"That didn't sound like a no problem situation."

Manuel returned to his desk.

"It's business."

She didn't push him.

Instead, she noticed the untouched coffee sitting beside his laptop.

"Your coffee is cold."

"I know."

"You've barely eaten."

"I'm not hungry."

Gabby walked towards the small table.

She picked up the cup.

"I'll get you another one."

"You don't have to."

"I know."

She walked towards the door.

"Then why are you doing it?"

Gabby looked back.

"Because you're impossible when you're hungry."

Manuel stared at her.

Then something almost resembling amusement crossed his face.

"Go."

She smiled.

"You're welcome."

When Gabby returned, Manuel was standing near the window.

She placed the coffee on his desk.

"You should take a break."

"I don't have time."

"You always say that."

"Because it's true."

She sighed.

"You know, you're allowed to be tired."

Manuel looked at her.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he quietly replied,

"Being tired doesn't make the work disappear."

Gabby understood.

There was something about Manuel that she was beginning to notice.

He wasn't simply obsessed with the company.

He carried it.

Every success, every failure, and every decision, seemed to rest on his shoulders.

"Maybe you don't always have to carry everything alone."

His eyes met hers.

Something flickered in them.

But it disappeared quickly.

"You should be careful with statements like that."

"Why?"

"Because one day I might believe you."

Gabby's heart skipped slightly.

Before she could answer, his phone rang.

He picked it up.

"Yes?"

His expression slowly hardened as he listened to the caller.

"What do you mean they changed their position?"

Gabby stopped moving.

Manuel turned towards the window.

"That wasn't what they told us yesterday."

A long silence followed.

"Send me the correspondence."

He ended the call.

Gabby watched him.

"What happened?"

Manuel looked at the phone in his hand.

"Henderson changed something."

"What?"

"They've given us another explanation for withdrawing from the contract."

Gabby frowned.

"Another explanation?"

He nodded.

"And it doesn't match the first one."

Silence filled the room.

Manuel looked down at the phone again.

His jaw tightened.

"Someone isn't telling me the truth."

Gabby watched him carefully.

For the first time, she understood that the Henderson situation wasn't simply an unfortunate business decision.

Something about it was wrong.

But neither of them knew what it was.

Manuel picked up the documents from his desk.

His expression became cold again.

"Find the truth."

He said to himself.

And somewhere beyond the walls of Reyes Enterprises, a secret had already begun to move.