Chapter 3 - the false obituary
The private penthouse lounge on the top floor of the Plaza Hotel was a fortified sanctuary of dark leather, walnut paneling, and bulletproof glass overlooking the rainy Manhattan skyline.
Downstairs, Gabriel’s tactical team had secured the building perimeter, while inside the lounge, a warm room-service spread of chicken tenders, sliders, and fruit sat on the low mahogany table. Ethan, Noah, and Lucas sat together on a large leather sofa, happily eating their dinner while Marcus guarded the reinforced doors.
Across the room near the floor-to-ceiling windows, Gabriel stood with Claire. The distance between them was heavy with unresolved history.
"Five years, Claire," Gabriel said low, his voice carrying a mix of agonizing pain and deep anger. "Five years you kept my sons in the dark. You let me believe you walked away from our marriage because you hated my life."
Claire looked up at him, her chestnut hair falling over her shoulders, her brown eyes blazing with quiet strength. "I didn't walk away because I hated your life, Gabriel. I walked away because five years ago, your senior advisor walked into my hospital room in Boston and showed me a signed order with your seal on it, telling me to disappear or my unborn children would be eliminated!"
Gabriel froze as if struck by lightning. "What?"
"I was pregnant with triplets, Gabriel!" Claire whispered fiercely, tears glistening in her eyes. "I tried to call your private line a hundred times! Every time, the line was disconnected! Then I received a formal notice that our marriage had been annulled by decree, and a burial plot had been purchased in my name in Paris!"
Gabriel’s chest heaved as a wave of terrifying realization washed over him. Five years ago, after the syndicate war broke out, his senior advisor—Arthur Vale, Serena’s father—had reported to Gabriel that Claire had been killed in an ambush while fleeing to Europe. Gabriel had grieved for months, burying himself in blood and work, eventually allowing Arthur to arrange his public partnership with Serena to solidify regional alliances.
"Arthur," Gabriel growled, his dark eyes darkening into pure, lethal fury. "It was Arthur Vale."
Claire looked over at her three boys, who were giggling softly as Lucas accidentally dropped a fry onto Noah’s shoe.
"I raised them alone in a quiet town in Maine, Gabriel," Claire said softly, her voice breaking. "I worked two jobs to give them a normal life. I only brought them to Manhattan tonight because three days ago, an anonymous courier delivered a package to my house containing five million dollars in bearer bonds, four tickets to this gala, and a note saying my sons were in danger if I didn't meet you here."
Gabriel reached out, his warm, broad hand grasping Claire’s shoulder. "Who sent the package, Claire?"
May you like
Before she could answer, Noah stood up from the sofa, holding his small tan suit jacket. He walked over to Gabriel, pulling a heavy, antique brass key from his suit pocket.
"A lady with blonde hair put this in my coat at the park yesterday," Noah spoke quietly.
