“Honestly, I started to get suspicious when he called me Gaby. It’s weird when someone who isn’t very familiar uses that name,” Gabriella said before shaking her head faintly. “But that’s just based on my feelings.”
The eyes of the man watching immediately narrowed. “Is there anything else?”
The woman nodded. “He’s been asking about your secret project too many times, as if something was urging him to know right away.”
“Besides?”
Gabriella’s brows furrowed even deeper. “The mastermind said that we had met face to face several times. The only man who fulfills that condition is Sebastian.”
“What about Julian? Haven’t you two met before?”
“Before I received the call, we had only met twice. And I’m sure it’s not him.”
A faint sigh escaped from Max’s mouth. “Why do you suspect Sebastian instead of Julian?”
“Because the mastermind sounds like a womanizer. Your brother is not that kind of man,” Gabriella explained, successfully making her husband silent. Max seemed to be weighing something in his mind.
“Is my guess not the same as yours?” the woman asked, shaking her head slightly.
The man’s forefinger suddenly raised. “Your analysis supports my suspicions. We just need to look for concrete evidence now.”
Gabriella’s eyes suddenly widened. “Do you also think Sebastian is the person?”
“Yes. The clues point to him.”
“But, don’t you suspect Sharp Knife since he’s the most likely to install the hidden camera?” the woman asked with her head tilted in confusion.
“I got information about him from Sebastian. My cousin’s also the one who gave the Sharp Knife contact to me,” Max explained with a hint of regret.
Hearing this confession, Gabriella’s lips immediately rounded and her head began to nod.
“Then, what are you going to do next? Where can we find concrete evidence that Sebastian is the mastermind?”
Max took a deep breath and shrugged for a moment. “That’s what I was thinking about this morning. But as it turned out, my time actually spent by looking for my wife who ran away, jumping over the fence.”
In just an instant, Gabriella’s brow arched again. Looking down, the woman began to squeeze her fingers on the lap.
“Sorry. It seems, whatever I do always causes trouble,” she said in a low voice.
Watching his wife punishing herself again, Max sighed faintly. A second later, he reached out, lifting the woman’s chin so it was not dragged away by the sadness.
“There will be no problem if you take my word for it. Now, eat. You have to recharge.”
Without nodding, Gabriella reached for a spoon and fork. The woman had no reason to go against her husband’s orders. She had to eat with a full mind. The more she chewed, the more questions piled up in her brain.
When the plate was empty, the woman finally returned to the discussion. “Did you previously know about the incident that killed my father?” Gabriella asked with a small frown on her brow.
Hearing the impromptu question, Max tilted his head. “I’ve heard of it before I joined Quebracha. Is there something wrong?”
“What about Amber and Julian? Where did they get such detailed information from? I just never knew that much.”
After a moment of silence, the man started tapping his fingers on the table. “Do you think we need to trace their source of information?”
Gabriella nodded. “Is it too difficult?”
“No. Actually, this morning I was going to see Julian. I feel like I can get additional clues from him. It’s just, I’m a little confused where to start. Your idea could be a great opening.”
Getting a positive response from her husband, a little burden was lifted from Gabriella’s shoulders. “I hope you can reveal the identity of the mastermind soon,” she said heartily.
An automatic smile appeared on Max’s face. A second later, he took his wife’s hand and held it warmly. “Thank you, Gaby. Keep supporting me like this.”
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Evans. I just found out that this house has a late afternoon meal schedule.”
Max and Gabriella spontaneously turned their heads. As soon as the couple found a man walking towards them, both of them stared at each other in unison.
“Sebastian?”
Without waiting for orders, the uninvited guest pulled up a chair and sat on Max’s right side, in front of a woman who couldn’t hide her surprise.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong? Does my presence interfere with your romantic moments?” the secretary asked innocently.
“What are you doing here?” Max asked, breaking the tension.
“It’s weekend, Mr. CEO. Do you forget that we used to spend a lot of leisure time together? Even though in the end, it’s still the work that you talked about.”
A second later, Max raised an eyebrow. He realized that his question was a bit silly.
“So, how was your wedding? Is it harmonious?” Sebastian asked before the host could speak.
“Why are you asking as if you are not happy?”
The secretary’s laugh was dry. “Don’t get me wrong, Max. I’m not unhappy, but disappointed. I thought you had considered me as your confidant. But it turns out, you hid your marriage from me.”
A second later, the corners of the CEO’s lips lifted, though heavy. “I don’t want my father to know. If I hadn’t hid it from you, my marriage to Gabriella might not be a secret anymore.”
“Wouldn’t that be tantamount to you distrusting me?” Sebastian said with narrowed eyes.
“I can’t believe you because of your relation with my father. I think you realize that Mr. Herbert loves his nephew more than his own youngest son,” Max explained as he lifted his teacup casually. He began to manage to control the situation.
Hearing the CEO’s statement, Sebastian’s face suddenly turned sour. “If it’s a secret, I won’t tell anyone, including your father. Tsk, it seems, I’m not your confidant anymore.”
“Are you jealous of Gabriella?” Max inquired with an eyebrow raised high.
“Of course,” his cousin replied without hesitation. “She has shifted my position.”
A snort of disgust suddenly escaped from the CEO’s mouth. “You make me a little nauseous. But…, if I remember correctly, didn’t you ever like my wife?”
The woman’s eyes automatically opened wide. Her husband’s words were new to her.
“Yes,” Sebastian admitted as he looked at the woman in front of him with mysterious eyes. “Unfortunately, your relationship has become official. My plan to approach her fell through.”
Unknowingly, Gabriella’s back became straighter. The cells in her body felt threatened.
“What’s this? His manner of speaking reminded me of the mastermind. Is this man really that person?” the woman thought as she was unable to relax the tension.
Suddenly, Max grabbed the tightly clenched hands under the table. Stiffly, Gabriella glanced at her husband who was smiling at her.
“Aren’t I very lucky to have a girl like this?” the CEO asked, raising an eyebrow for a moment. “I’m glad that the mastermind sent Gabriella to me. Regardless of his evil plans, he has been instrumental in bringing me to the only love in my life.”
The secretary was silent for a moment. After blinking flatly, his smile widened again. “Do you realize that you have changed a lot? Max Evans I know is anything but romantic. Look at you now! Gabriella has really knocked on your heart, Mr. CEO.”
“Yeah, that’s why I want to thank the mastermind. He didn’t pick the wrong target.”
Hearing that confession, Sebastian’s lips curled up. After furrowing his brows and letting out a faint sigh, the man rested his elbows on the table.
“Why do I feel that you are talking to the mastermind? You can’t possibly think of me as that person, can you?”
Max snorted and lifted his chin. “Isn’t it?”
Gabriella’s heart suddenly raced. She didn’t expect her husband to be so brave. Cautiously, she shifted her gaze to the secretary. The man no longer looked at the CEO casually. His jaw briefly throbbed before the mouth let out a sigh of disbelief.
“Wow, you really disappointed me, Max! My intention to congratulate you on your marriage is completely destroyed.”
“If that’s what you came for, you should have done it from the start,” Max said before taking a sip of the almost cold tea.
Sebastian was no longer hiding the twitch in the corner of his lips. The CEO’s accusation had pierced right through his heart.