Failed Escape

Pattison pulled up to the villa. He opened the door for her and she slowly got out of the car. She stopped crying and she composed herself since.

"Claire, I'm sorry," Pattison said as he walked beside her. "Will you be okay here alone? I'll get back as soon as the issue at the Joneses is resolved."

"You mean after you tidy the mess he made?" Claire asked grumpily.

"Claire, please…" Pattison walked up to the door which Claire shut right in his face.

Pattison sighed heavily knowing that it was going to be a long night.

Claire already knew that there were bodyguards all around the house that were probably instructed to watch out for her.

She stood in the hallway and screamed at top of her lungs trying to unload some of the frustration.

But soon, she took a deep breath and decided that it was time to get the h*ll out of there. It was the last time she ever wanted to be in that prison.

She hurried into her bedroom and pulled the stained dress off. She put on some plain clothing and trainers, making sure to layer up and put a jacket on.

She took her wallet out of her handbag, making sure to take all the cash that she prepared for years into a backpack she was preparing. She made sure to leave her credit cards behind as well as the phone, whilst writing down all the phone numbers she thought she needed.

She was smart enough to pack herself a water bottle and enough food to last two or three days.

She looked at a time warily, trying to make sure that she left before Gabriel came back. He would make things difficult.

She walked up to the security switchboard and switched all the alarms on, meaning that any window or external door opened would trigger it.

She needed two more things in her bag - a torch and a first aid kit. She found the torch in the storage at the back of the kitchen, but the first aid kit was a much harder find. She checked the kitchen and bathrooms, at the end she stopped in front of Gabriel's study.

She hesitated but to her surprise, the door was unlocked. She searched for the first aid box but something else caught her eye. Letters, and more than one kind.

Firstly, she noticed the death threats. They were labelled and analysed carefully.

Claire froze, realising that Gabriel wouldn't be behind them if he were the one analysing them. She read through his annotations on each letter, pointing out the patterns. But as Claire looked through the death threats, she found a few letters written by Gabriel. She recognised his best handwriting immediately. Each of them was dated making it easy for Claire to find the first one.

'Dear Claire,

Today my therapist suggested that I write you a letter even if I never intend to send it. She said that it's meant to help with my anger or some other bullsh*t.

She said something about how my anger is a facade for my true self but I no longer know who I am. I've lost myself a long time ago. I guess losing people close to me turned me into a ticking bomb.

Always yours,

Gabriel'

The first letter was brief as if Gabriel wasn't sure about it, but each letter after had more depth and it was so much longer.

Claire started reading them one by one, realising how much Gabriel kept from her, and his only way of dealing with things was writing them down as he didn't feel like he could share them with her. And there was so much.

Meanwhile, Pattison was back at the Joneses' villa.

"Did you get her home?" Gabriel asked as he lit up his fifth cigarette in the row.

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Gabriel seemed much calmer but he was still angry kind of calm. The kind of calm that was equivalent to him plotting some evil plan silently.

"What happened with Mr Jones?"

"He was just arrested. Blo*dy sc*m!" Gabriel's face twisted in disgust and anger momentarily.

"Finally." Pattison sighed. Gabriel sat down on the step.

"What am I even supposed to do with Claire?" He asked as he covered his eyes with the palm of his hand.

"I'm afraid that I have no advice," Pattison said quietly. He saw something in Gabriel right now that he didn't see before. He was heartbroken. Whatever happened it must've been bad. "Did he hurt, Claire?"

"He blo*dy tried. Again."

Pattison stared at Gabriel unsure how to support him.

"Gabbie!" Francesca ran towards him. "Gabbie, please, stop them. Why are they taking my brother?" She was flustered.

"He deserved it."

"Over what? Because he fancied some stuck-up b*tch? Don't be funny, Gabbie." Francesca laughed.

"You're a stuck-up b*tch!" Gabriel roared at her. "Every connection with your family will be now severed. If I see you again I'll make sure that you end up in the next cell over from your brother!"

"What's gotten into you?!" Francesca cried. Gabriel didn't care. He put out his cigarette and walked towards the car.

"Pattison, I'll see you later. I need to go see Claire. I need to make sure that she's okay." Gabriel sighed. He was angry that she defended a very man that wanted to hurt her. He was angry that she hated him and that he loved her so much. He was angry that after trying his hardest to change, he snapped again. He was angry, yet he wanted to make sure that she was okay. That Daniel didn't hurt her.

As Gabriel entered the villa quite a while later, the alarms started blazing. He hurried to turn them off, wary as to why they were on in the first place. He searched for Claire but he didn't seem to find her. He passed by her room which still had her wallet and phone in, but there was no sign of her. He went to the drawing room and he found the attic, but nothing. At last, he walked into his study where Claire had tears running down her face whilst holding the letters.

"Claire…" Gabriel felt a relief that she was there, yet he was still worried about her. "Claire, are you hurt?" She shook her head. "Why are you crying?"

"Are those letters true?" Claire asked with irritation in her voice.

"Yes." Gabriel looked down in shame.

"Why didn't you tell me any of these?"

"I was ashamed" Gabriel admitted. "I was afraid that'll you judge me. But, I think it's time we talked." Gabriel said carefully. "I am calm now."

"I have so many questions!" Claire exclaimed.

"And so do I." Gabriel nodded as he sat opposite his own desk. "Would you like to start or shall I?"

"Why did you terminate the contract with Joneses and Chi Group?"

"Do you remember when we accidentally stumbled upon you and Daniel having lunch and you ended up joining us in the Horton Club?"

"Yes." Claire nodded. "At least, that is as much as I remember."

"They seemed overly keen to get you drunk, pouring you more alcohol than anyone else. However, you've started fazing out and you seemed very absent very quickly. Too quickly for it to be caused by alcohol. That was when I realised that Daniel added something to your drink. You were drugged by him."

"Oh my God!" Claire finally realised why she couldn't place that night together.

"You left to the bathroom and I've finished the meeting with the chi group. Daniel stayed behind to wait for you. He was hoping to use your drunken state and a pretext of being a doting boyfriend to take you home with him. Anyways, I've knocked that one out of his head there and then. After some careful investigation, I've found out that there were few previous allegations against him when it comes to date rape and sexual assault. He wasn't meant to get out of prison but he managed. His company went into administration because we further uncovered bribery and money laundering business. He evaded the law for the past few months hence I wondered if his family is not covering for him. The thing is, they suspected you to be responsible for Daniel's demise rather than me. I think that they've used today as a setup to trap you." Claire listened with her mouth widely open. "As for the Chi Group. They refused to collaborate and act as witnesses. I have a very strong belief that defending a rapist is just as bad as being one."

"But… how did my earring get in your car?" Claire asked openly.

"Your earring?" Gabriel was confused. "I didn't realise that you've lost your earring."

"I found my earring in your car when you offered me a ride back home."

"I see. Well, after you were unwell and sick in the bathroom for a while I wanted to ensure that you were safe. Even though you insisted on making your way home, you were barely in a state for it. I ended up getting you home that night."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Claire asked in shame knowing that she went against Gabriel's wishes to reinstate the contract with the Joneses and Chi Group.

"I was gathering evidence to ensure that Daniel was prosecuted accordingly. I didn't want it all to seem like a baseless accusation. I knew that you wouldn't believe me. And frankly, I didn't want you tangled in the investigation."

"And then you asked me to trust you?"

"Yeah, I didn't really think it through back then." Gabriel smiled.

"And, Is Julian Estate truly yours?"

"Yes. It's a sister company to us that I'm still the owner of."

"And you realise that the rent is below market average?"

"Yes. Pattison shared with me that you were worried about your parents and when I researched you I realised that you had a lease in Poger Estate. I couldn't overturn The Marble Project at a time and I felt guilty for causing you so many worries over your parents."

Claire laughed as she wiped her tears away.

"You're such a cunning b*stard."

"Do you have any more questions?"

"What about that private villa project I was to design with such a little brief?"

"Frankly, you didn't like the first villa I owned so I've sold it and bought this one temporarily. And I did assign you that project so that you had a chance to design your dream home."

"When did I say that I didn't like your previous home?"

"We drove past it from a banquet once. I'm pretty sure you commented that it was too edgy or sharp and that it lacked soul."

"Oh my goodness, that was your house?" Claire gasped. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't. You barely shared your opinion after I asked you what you thought of it." Gabriel shrugged. "By the way, thanks for your first drafts on the new villa. I really like it."

"Is there anything else that you've done behind my back?"

"Not much, to be honest. Let me think." Gabriel went silent. "I upgraded your mum's hospital room once I realised that she was a person that you were visiting at St Anne's. I didn't bin your belongings even though I've said I did. They're all in the storage boxes in the garage. The change in extension for the Poger Estate was my fault but then there was no clerical error, I've reinstated the extension once I've learnt of your circumstances."

"Why did you do all of these?"

"Why do you think?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I knew," Claire grumbled at which Gabriel chuckled.

"I did it for the same reason as to why I married you, Claire."

"Which is?"

"Because I fell in love with you."

"You fell in love with me?" Claire asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I don't think I've shown it very well," Gabriel admitted. "I mean, I've tried, but possibly not in the ways you needed."

"Is that therapy talking?"

"Okay, I might've talked about it with my therapist before but it doesn't make it untrue."

"I didn't realise that you were seeing the therapist."

"Every Thursday at lunchtime," Gabriel admitted with a smile. "I've been going for a couple of weeks now. I did hope I was almost there with it until I got drunk and buggered it up again." Gabriel sighed. "Which I don't deserve forgiveness for. I screwed up badly that night."

"Why did you get so drunk that night anyway?" Claire asked.

"I-…" Gabriel stuttered. "I don't think there's a way of saying it that wouldn't make it sound ridiculous."

"Go on." Claire encouraged him.

"I knew you previously had a crush on Pierre Martin. I was jealous and afraid, and angry, that you and him…" Gabriel hasn't finished the sentence, but instead, he rubbed his eyebrows.

"There was nothing between me and Pierre."

"So, he didn't ask you out?"

"Not exactly. He asked if I was seeing someone and that's as far as that conversation went."

"And how did you answer?"

"Aren't you nosey?" Claire laughed. "I've said that I'm seeing someone, of course."

"Was the dinner really 6 hours long?"

"Pierre is opening a new office for his company. He actually asked for us to help with the design. I've surveyed the site for the build with him and took a note of his design requirements."

"May I ask you something else?" Gabriel asked cautiously.

"I guess it's only fair," Claire said with a reassuring smile.

"I wanted to know why you defended Daniel tonight," Gabriel said as he looked down and clenched his fists.

"I didn't want you to be a murderer. It wasn't that he didn't deserve the beating. He honestly did, and that doesn't even take into account the events from a few months ago. But I didn't want you to be found guilty over his battery or murder." Claire admitted. "As angry as you get. As blinded by your rage you get. You never seemed to lose control quite like at Daniel."

"You defended that sc*m because you were worried for me?" Gabriel looked up in shock.

"I didn't want my husband to be a murderer," Claire said in an almost a whisper. "Especially, not in front of me."

"Oh, Claire…" he sighed as he fell back in the chair. Some tears escaped his eyes.

"I was angry at you for Daniel before as I didn't know everything that happened and I thought that you destroyed his company. I was wrong though." Claire went silent for a minute. "I think I have one more question."

"Yes?"

"The people on the news that are being prosecuted for an assault during their university. The men from my university. Did you have something to do with it?"

"Ah, yes." Gabriel nodded as he wiped his eyes. "I found out what happened to you and why you stopped swimming from one of the members of the junior swim team. She wasn't a witness but she heard the rumours. I needed to make sure that these monsters were brought to justice." Gabriel straightened out quickly. "And so did the people that mugged you. They all received a life-sentences."

"What?"

"I've told you before that they will never hurt you again. I know you thought for a while that I had something to do with it. But I didn't. I worked with Pattison to find enough evidence to prosecute them too. We did find CCTV footage that police wasn't previously aware of."

"I only suspected you because of your threats."

"Nah, that's not how I do things. I usually choose to torture people with emotional anguish rather than getting them mugged."

"Your hands seem to be saying otherwise." Claire stood up and grabbed the first aid box that she eventually found on his desk. She got Gabriel to sit down on a sofa in the corner of the room, sitting beside him. She gently cleaned the blood off his hands.

"I've lost all control when I saw him and you…" Gabriel grunted trying to unclench his fists.

"I'm not sure whether Miss Jones will be as happy with you now," Claire said carefully.

"As if I cared." Gabriel shrugged.

"Weren't you two betrothed or something? Childhood sweethearts?"

"Do I sense a hint of jealousy?" Gabriel looked at Claire with surprise as she started bandaging his hand.

"Maybe," Claire said in a whisper.

"We were hardly childhood friends. Joneses were friends with my dad so they often came and forced us together. They've had the idea that we should marry one day and join our families' fortunes. But as we thought of maybe starting to date, Francesca had a scandal involving my best friend at a time. She left abroad for several years after that as her family wasn't best impressed with it. But I don't think I ever really liked her."

"I see." Claire was focused on his hand for a while.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were getting death threats?" Gabriel asked.

"I thought that it was you."

"Seriously?" Gabriel raised his brow.

"I'm guessing you worked out where they come from."

"Joneses. As I've said, they blamed you for Daniel's fall." Gabriel sighed. "That's also why I smashed your phone. I saw yet another text you've received and I've lost it."

"It did kind of work. I didn't receive death threats by text message since."

"If I work on my anger issues and my communication, will you consider staying married to me?"

"Do I have a choice?" Claire asked. "No break clause, remember?"

"I am giving you a choice," Gabriel said quietly. "If you truly hate me, say it to my face. If you truly hate me and you know that you'll never change your mind, say it."

"And what if I say it?"

"I'll ensure that our marriage contract is as if never existed."

"Why?"

"Because you've said earlier that you hate me. Besides, I cannot stand the pain of seeing you unhappy, and you do seem to be unhappy around me the most."

"You almost killed someone in front of me earlier tonight. I think I had enough of an excuse to have an angry outburst myself."

"Claire, just say a word and I'll leave you alone. I promise."

"Are you serious?"

"That's what you wanted, isn't it?" Gabriel looked at the packed backpack that was on the floor beside the desk.