Chapter 13 - THE QUESTION HE COULDN’T BUY HIS WAY OUT OF
Gabriel left the meeting before the vote.
Daniel followed him into the hallway.
“The board needs you.”
“My daughter needs an answer.”
“We can handle the rest.”
At the house, Léa sat on the stairs with the rabbit in her lap.
Claire stood nearby.
“I tried to explain,” she said quietly.
Gabriel crouched two steps below Léa.
“Can we talk?”
She nodded without looking up.
“Did somebody tell you about the test?”
“The lady on the phone said you had to find out if I was really yours.”
He sat on the step.
“The test helped us know something important.”
“So now you have to stay?”
“No.”
Her face tightened.
He corrected himself immediately.
“I mean nobody is making me stay. I want to be here.”
“Because I’m yours?”
“Because you’re Léa.”
She rubbed the rabbit’s ear.
“Would you have helped Mommy if I wasn’t?”
“Yes.”
“Would you still make pancakes?”
He swallowed.
“Yes.”
She finally looked at him.
“Even the bad ones?”
“Especially the bad ones.”
For a moment, she studied him with Claire’s seriousness.
Then she shifted sideways, making room.
Gabriel sat beside her.
She leaned against his arm.
He stayed still, afraid even breathing too deeply might break the moment.
Later, Claire found him washing dishes.
“You didn’t have to leave the meeting.”
“Yes, I did.”
“You could have called.”
He rinsed a plate.
“I’ve spent years calling from somewhere else.”
Claire leaned against the counter.
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Neither do I.”
“I’m still angry.”
“I know.”
“Some days I’ll be angry about something small because it’s standing in for something big.”
He set the plate down.
“Then tell me which one it is.”
She laughed softly.
“You make that sound easy.”
“I’ll probably get it wrong.”
“Probably.”
For the first time, the silence between them felt comfortable.
Then Daniel called.
The board had placed Lucien on leave and authorized an independent investigation. Vivienne had resigned from the foundation’s oversight committee.
Gabriel closed his eyes.
“What about Claire?”
“The complaint against her is falling apart.”
Before Gabriel could share the news, Claire’s phone rang.
An unknown number.
She put it on speaker.
Lucien’s voice filled the kitchen.
“You think he chose you?”
Claire went still.
“He’ll do what Valmont men always do.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Lucien.”
A pause.
May you like
Then the line disconnected.
Outside, a car door slammed.
