"You do? You truly forgive me After...everything?"
"Yes, yes I do." She repeated "Now let's move on and take care of your daughter,okay?"
"Okay, you're right. I mean you always are."

With that they both smiled at each other and Gabriel's tears seemed to have dried faster than ever as he was already out the door in seconds calling for his child, and his grandchildren.

"Alice! Alice! Come, let's go home!"
The man shouted, but his voice immediately cut off as he saw a very familiar looking guy talking with his only daughter.

It was Martin.

The tall brown haired guy looked at the older man in front of him with an awkward smile and then said:

"I was just looking for Nathalie."

Gabriel immediately felt protective of 'his woman' so he rolled his eyes and spat:
"Why?"

"Oh well...I heard she was back home from London and wanted to-"
"Who told you?"
"She herself."
"Really? You two still talk?"
"Yes we do!" Martin replied feeling rather offended, like he almost wanted to punch the 'superior' looking man, but he couldn't, or at least just wouldn't because he managed to hold himself back.
So after a long, painful sigh he calmed himself down and was able to continue the conversation.

"Anyways...where is she?"
"Somewhere...here...she's getting ready because we're going back to London! So I suggest you leave her alone, and just talk to her once she's back! You can wait, can't you?!"
"I-...of course. I'll be patient."

The brown haired guy couldn't 'behave' himself anymore so with a quick movement he turned around and was about to storm out the house but then he accidentally bumped into the younger blond woman who from the impact lost her balance and fell back.

Of course by this both men got alarmed but since Martin was closer Gabriel just let go of this matter and instead observed.

"Oh gosh I'm so sorry, I hope you're not hurt! I really wasn't looking at where I was going and..."
"It's alright" she cut him off with a sudden giggle "I'm completely fine, no injuries."
"Okay good" he smiled back and without noticing also blushed, causing the blond woman to only giggle more.

So then Martin who couldn't quite understand what was going on looked at her with a questioning face, but before he could've asked, the grey haired man interrupted:

"I guess you won't even need to wait for Nathalie." Gabriel smirked, and as his 'rival' saw that, Martin immediately understood what he meant, but once again he couldn't respond because the designer was quicker "Watch yourself though!! Because that's my daughter right there!"
"Oh I wouldn't-"
"She has two kids as well, and don't you just love adorable children?"
"Who told-"
"Nathalie said, but you know she doesn't like kids so...I'm just saying..."
"Okay enough!" Martin yelled, pulling himself up, and then the blond woman next to him who by the looks of it seemed to be enjoying this conversation so far. "I-...I-...I won't just take your daughter like some goddamn toy!"
"You won't?"
"I won't!"
"That's unfortunate, I guess have fun on your own then."

And with that Gabriel left, leaving the two younger people to stare at each other with their blushing faces and sparkling eyes.

"You won't?" Alice asked again, just like her father did before.

"I won't what?"
"You won't take me?"
"I-...why would I? I mean it's not that you're unattractive or unlikable, it's just simply-...I don't know...I guess there's not much holding me back but this is quite awkward, isn't it?"
"Perhaps." She smirked "Perhaps if we leave it like this then yes. We'll be complete strangers again, and this will be just a small incident that happened but-..."
"But what?" He wondered "Come on say it!"
"But...you could make it...perhaps...a more...funny situation..."
"Funny?"
"Well...you seem like someone fun!"
"I-...I do?"
"You do...Martin? Is that right?"
"Y-yes...that's my name..."
"Good...I like it!"

Alice smiled again, and she was perhaps gonna also smirk again, but before she could've done that of course Gabriel had to interrupt.

So they only had time for a quick phone number exchange, and that was it.

She was gone as fast as she had appeared, but deep down Martin sort of hoped that this wouldn't be the last time they would meet, and so he greatly treasured those numbers she gave him.

-

"Alice!...Look I wanted to talk to you." Began Gabriel "I-...well-...me and Nathalie made the decision that we should take you home."
"Home?"
"Yes, back to London." He repeated "We should really end it all, because Nathalie deserve some love, and I just...have to...you know."
"Yes, yes I do." She smiled before placing a hand on her father's shoulder and gently tapping his back "It's the right thing to do, trust me."
"Yeah...I guess this will be t-the b-best f-for a-all."
"It will. And just think of how happy you'll be with Nathalie who won't ever leave your side."
"Mhm right." Gabriel nodded to his daughter's word "I can't wait...to feel something...again."

...

Well...the designer was sure feeling something as he looked down upon the piece of paper which had an address written on it.

"There, that's her address." Said Alice after thanking her father, and assistant for the drive back to London "She should be home, I think. Or do you want me to call her that you'll visit?"
"Oh no-no-no please! It's best if 'it' stays a 'surprise'."
"Alright then, good luck. And again thanks for the drive!"
"No problem, thank you for...'this'. Oh and...you should probably call 'that' guy!"
"Dad!!!! Get lost already!!" Alice blushed thinking of the exact person her father meant, and so after Gabriel waved the paper in the air and closed the door Alice did exactly what her father told her to do.

She called him.

-

"So? You got 'it'?"
"The address? Yes...so should we-"
"Of course sir. After all you're the one who-"
"Yes I know! But do you want to see her? I mean no you don't and you're only really doing this for me but if it hurts you too much to see Emilie then I think I can-"
"No please Gabriel!" She yelled his name, causing the designer to go dead silent for a second. "Forget my feelings and just say your goodbye to her."
"Are you sure?"
"Please! I want you to!"
"Fine then...but I'm still sorry."
"Don't be, It's alright. It's completely normal to continuously feel something towards someone you thought you let go of a long time ago, in fact...I think you can't really let go of anyone, even if they played a horrible part in your life. Their acts will forever, always, have an impact on you...g-good...o-or...b-b-bad. Y-you just must learn how to cope with it."

Now Gabriel was staring upon the depressed face of his assistant who slowly began crying, but not because of the Emilie situation, instead her tears were caused by all the people she's met so far. Good and bad. They all came into her mind which soon got overwhelmed by all this, and it simply couldn't take it anymore.

"I-I'm sorry." Nathalie mumbled "It's nothing to do with you sir, this is only my own stupid thoughts, so please, just drive!"
"Are you-"
"IM SURE! DRIVE!"
"Woah okay then..."

He asked no further questions, and so without any more hesitation Gabriel stepped onto the gas pedal.

...

Upon arrival at the mansion the designer's whole body was trembling, so bad that he couldn't even knock on the door, instead his assistant had to do that for him.

"Thank you...Nathalie."
"Of course."

They both shared a smile before the door opened, and then after it did, both of their faces turned deadly pale.

"What?" Asked the blond female pretending to be Amelie "What brings you here, again?"
"Well-...uhm-...may I...t-talk to you...in private, please?"
"What for?"
"I-...it's a delicate matter which shouldn't be discussed out here."

Amelie thought for a moment as she gave her husband a death stare, then after considering his suggestion she just shrugged and let him inside.

"Thank you." The designer whispered with a smile, but he got nothing in return, the woman simply pushed him aside into a small room and then locked him in there with herself.

"What is it Gabriel?" She asked emphasizing his name and making the man more nervous than ever.
He almost couldn't ask his question, but then with a quick sharp breath Gabriel exclaimed:
"I know who you are."
"WHAT?!"
"Emilie I-...I know...I know everything. And I came here to say my goodbyes."
"W-wha-"
"Yes, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't hurt you in the past because I truly didn't meant to, and-...and I don't know why you left but I hope it wasn't because of me. I'm just sorry if I messed up or made you feel bad in any way. Please forgive me."

She couldn't and wouldn't speak, the pretend Amelie only stared upon Gabriel with a shocked, maybe even surprised expression, and then after a couple seconds of complete silence she without a warning left the room.

This made the designer feel defeated, hurt, and suddenly destroyed.

He didn't know that Emilie still had so much control over him but apparently she did, and just with that simple single movement Gabriel's heart god completely crushed.

Now the grey haired man couldn't even decide if he would've wanted to run after his wife or simply leave her behind, but before he could've made his decision Nathalie suddenly walked in to spot her superior crying.

"What happened?" She worriedly ran over to the man. "Is she mad?"
"N-no-...I don't know-...s-she-...she just-...left"
"Oh...well...do you want me to call her back or..."
"I-...no. It's best if we just leave."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously..." repeated Gabriel with a certain uncertainty in his voice that not only upset the young woman but also bothered her.

So with great efforts to remain calm she took his hands into hers and stared straight into the designer's ocean eyes which were full of tears, you could call the 'waves' of the ocean.

"Sir. You don't sound sure of yourself."
"I-"
"No. It's alright, take a deep breath and I'll call her back. Then, after you two properly said goodbye, then I'll be happy to leave. But until you're still holding onto her I'm not willing to allow myself to love you!"
"Nathalie-" he gasped "-please don't torture me like this-"
"Sir! Do what I told you to do, then, I'll love you."
"F-fine, call her then!"

Nathalie nodded and without any further acting left to call back the blond woman who as of right now was nowhere to be found.

"Amelie! Ame-"
"Hush!" A voice shouted back "And get out of my house!"
"No! I'm not leaving! And if you have a problem with that t-then-..."
"Then?"

The assistant's voice slowly faded out as Emilie stood before her, looking not gorgeous but rather intimidating and fierce.

"Then what?"
"P-please Miss-...give-...'him'...one last chance! He has been waiting to do this exact thing for quite some time now, a-and-"
"Fine! But then you'll leave!"
"Yes, just as you wish."
"Good." She smiled, somewhat happy, somewhat still grumpy.

But at least now, as Nathalie watched Emilie leave she could see one last shy smile coming from Gabriel before he closed the door and probably began sobbing his heart out to the woman he loved so much, so long ago.

She felt happy but at the same time, the assistant couldn't quite explain the feeling of guilt which was slowly, but surely climbing up the stairs of her heart, and as she heard further sadness coming from behind the door she could barely hold back the tears.

In fact the woman almost fell down to her knees but before she could've done so, a strong pair of arms stabilized her.

"Are you okay?" Asked a male voice not so familiar, but as Nathalie looked up she could see the man she saw earlier with Amelie.
It was most likely her lover.
Ava's dad.

"Y-yes, I'm fine, thank you." Smiled the assistant as she tried to regain her strength again by pushing herself away from him so he no longer was holding onto her, but then Nathalie just failed and now completely fell down.

"Oh!" He exclaimed quite shocked "Are you sure you're okay? You seem-"
"Yeah...maybe I'm not...the best..."
"I see." He chuckled once again pulling the woman up, and this time even closer to him "Is this better? Or do you wish to sit?"
"It's fine...I mean only if this doesn't appear as 'too much' to Amelie. Of course you wouldn't want to make her think that-"
"Oh I'm sure it'll be fine. After all she's talking with your boyfriend, right?"
"Yeah-no-WHAT?! B-boyfriend-...n-no..."

To be continued-