Page 67 of Reeling in Love

I’m not sure if I can trust her. The only thing that makes sense is that she wouldn’t drag Gabriel’s image through the mud. If she had gotten that recording, she would probably have used it more discreetly, not sullied both of our names and images on social media.

But if not Sophia and Daphne, then who could it be?

Chapter 28

Gabriel: #AngryYoungMan

I disconnect the call with Mom as I enter the hotel lobby. I spent the last hour in a nearby cafe, mulling over what happened and how I could get us out of it.

I spoke to Alex. He assured me no one could’ve recorded anything in that office. He discusses a lot of sensitive information with clients and has adequate security systems in place.

Could TruthSeekerBob be bluffing? Unlikely, because how did he even guess that it’s fake? Even our close friends and family believe it to be true. He definitely has some proof. But what? And how?

That’s when I received a call from Sophia. I’m shocked by what she says. It appears Nora accused her of bribing Kevin for the information. I pacify her, telling her that Nora and I are both very upset and that she probably doesn’t mean what she’s saying.

As soon as I hang up, I see Mom’s number flashing on my screen. I pick it up only to hear her say exactly the same thing. The poor woman was on the verge of tears, wondering how I could accuse her of such a thing. All I could do was tell her it was all a misunderstanding. Worse, she also knows that it’s fake. That we lied to her. That her son lied to her about his relationship! How does she know it? Because Nora accepted it. So all of this has been for nothing!

Nora’s behavior has me flummoxed. Completely gobsmacked.

I march over to the elevator and get off on our floor. I can’t believe Nora accused Mom of bribing someone. For Sophia, I could forgive her, but Mom! And then accepting that we lied to her. This is all such a mess. And worse, it’s all for nothing now, because apparently, I need to stay with Sophia and her family for the rest of the week from Tuesday, once I drop Nora off at the airport in the morning.

Well, not nothing. Because now I’m branded a liar in front of people who I don’t even know. Instead of trying to build a digital image, I’ve ruined it. Right before the board presentation on digital image and online presence. Wow! Way to sabotage my career before even starting.

And why is Kevin in the picture? I don’t even want to think what it implies. That she had the audacity to blame me for something she did!

Nora has gone too far this time. My face is burning up from anger when I enter the room and see Nora sitting on the bed, scrolling through her phone.

She doesn’t even look up when I enter. “Oh, good that you’re here,” she says with her head buried in her phone. “You think Paula could be behind this? I don’t have her number.”

“You need to take a step back, Nora.” My voice is a little loud and probably has an edge to it, because she finally stops scrolling and raises her head.

“What happened?”

I don’t believe it. She’s still acting like an innocent party.

“What happened? Really? You accused Sophia and then Mom of bribing Kevin for the recording, and you ask me what happened?”

Her eyes are still fixed on me, her brows knitted. “I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.”

“Damn right you shouldn’t have. You shouldn’t have let me believe I leaked the information when it was you who did it. Making me feel like a traitor for discussing it with Alex, accusing me of breaking trust because that went against what we’d discussed. You made me feel like shit, while you yourself discussed it, not with one, not two, but three people that we know of. One of them is Kevin, a man we don’t even know well and definitely don’t like. How could you, Nora?”

She lowers her head, and her voice comes out as a whisper. “I didn’t know Kevin was listening. He was supposed to be upstairs, working.”

“But he did. You could at least have told me you had told Carla and your mom when you were pointing fingers at me. But no. You sat there all prim and proper, accusing me of letting us down and never saying a word about yourself. I always thought you were better than that. I’m so disappointed.”

She gets up and walks toward me. “I’m sorry, Gabs. I should’ve told you. I don’t know why I didn’t. Maybe it was because I never thought there was a way for what I said to Mom and Carla to get out. But I’ll set this right. Trust me.”

She holds my shoulder, but I shrug off her hands.

“Trust you? How? You started this mess and now you’ve made it worse by accepting that it was fake to Mom. So all of this was for nothing. And now Mom thinks I lie to her.”

Her lips are set in a straight line, and her face is getting redder by the minute. I know that look. I’ve seen it a thousand times when she’s getting upset and angry, but right now I can’t stop because I’m furious, too.

“My colleagues think I’m a fool, a social butterfly. A rich guy who doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Who uses women to get what he wants? That’s the image your friend, TruthSeekerBob is portraying for me. All because of you.”

“Well, I was only trying to help,” she almost yells. “And if you can’t understand that, then maybe you don’t deserve me. Don’t deserve my friendship. After all these years, how can you speak to me like that? You’re just an angry young man who doesn’t deserve any help.”

“Help!” I can’t help but scoff. “Nice help there, Mother Teresa.” I give a slow clap for effect. “Everyone knows that we’re not dating. We’re branded liars. I don’t know whether the board will even take my ideas seriously. Mom is upset. Sophia is also upset. So great going with your help.”

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