6 A Twist Of Fate

Gabriel's POV

I hadn't planned on staying at that hotel. After my breakup with Clara, I just needed a place to clear my head. She had shattered my heart in ways I couldn't explain. One moment, we were planning forever. The next, she was gone—no explanations, no goodbyes. I told myself I wouldn't let any woman get close again.

But that day, I met her.

Aria.

I wasn't looking for anything—not friendship, not conversation—but the moment I saw her sitting by the pool, I couldn't look away. Her calm presence drew me in like gravity. We talked. We laughed. It felt good... too good. I didn't mean for things to go as far as they did. It just happened. One moment turned into the next, and suddenly she was in my arms, and I wasn't thinking about Clara anymore.

The next morning, I woke up before dawn. Aria was still asleep, her face soft and peaceful. I watched her for a while, and for a split second, I saw Clara in her—not physically, but in the way she looked so trusting. And it scared me. It reminded me of how love can turn cruel. So I left quietly before she woke up.

When I got home, my phone rang.

"Gabriel! Congrats, man!" It was Mark, my best friend.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your company just ranked number one in New York for the first quarter! And get this—there's a firm putting 50% of their shares on sale. Big move. You've gotta jump on this."

I paused. I wasn't sure. I didn't feel ready to take on something so huge. But then I heard my father's voice in my head, clear as day: "Son, not every opportunity comes twice. You either take the risk or let it slip away forever."

I knew then what I had to do.

"Check it out," I told Mark. "If everything aligns, I'll go for it."

Two days later, Mark confirmed it—the company was real, serious, and open to negotiations. They wanted to meet in person.

I agreed.

I had no idea that the woman I shared one night with, the one I couldn't forget, would be the very same Aria standing on the other side of that boardroom door.

The same woman who made me forget my pain. The woman I thought I'd never see again. She looked stunning, even more beautiful than I remembered.

I walked in slowly, smiling. She was shocked—frozen in her spot—but I kept it professional. I stretched out my hand like we were strangers. But inside, everything was shaking. I wanted to hold her again. To feel her close.

She looked into my eyes, confused, breathing hard.

"I tried to forget," I said. "But you… you're unforgettable."

I moved closer, my hand brushing her arm, wrapping her gently in my embrace. I wasn't sure what I wanted to happen—but all I knew was I didn't want to let her go. Not again.