“Sorry, Bas, can you drive faster?” Gabriella asked as she continued to stare ahead. The road was empty, but their car had been overtaken by other cars several times.
“Sorry, Mrs. Evans. I have to put safety first,” the secretary said casually.
“But, there are not many vehicles on this road. I guess it’s fine if you increase the speed.”
A second later, Sebastian turned his head and sighed faintly. “Now I understand why Max fell in love with you. You’re so sweet and caring,” he said unexpectedly.
Gabriella’s blinks suddenly froze. With furrowed brows, she tried to break the tension. “Why did you suddenly say that?” she sighed with a small crease on her forehead.
In an instant, the secretary’s expression became even. “Are you feeling uncomfortable? Sorry. I’m just trying to help you ease your worries.”
Blinking flatly, the woman returned her gaze to the road. Her hands were squeezing together again.
“Do I need to call Max? Maybe, he will answer,” Gabriella muttered, not bothering Sebastian anymore.
“I’ve sent him a message to contact you as soon as his mission is done,” the secretary interrupted, making the woman next to him sigh. “Be patient, soon you will meet him.”
While relaxing her shoulders, Gabriella finally leaned back. With the gaze through the side mirror, the woman imagined what was happening to her husband.
After a while, Sebastian suddenly got her attention. “Mrs. Evans?”
Gabriella blinked and straightened up again. “Yes?”
“Your phone is vibrating.”
With a stiff motion, the woman took the phone out of the bag. In just an instant, her eyes were fixed on an unknown number, while her eyebrows were raised to match the pounding of the heart.
“Is this the mastermind? Why is he calling?” The woman’s mind grew restless. Biting her lip, she received the call.
“Hello, Mrs. Evans. Do you miss me?”
Gabriella spontaneously swallowed hard. “What do you want?”
“I want to meet you without your husband knowing. I’ve managed to separate you two. Now is your chance to solve all problems.”
“What do you mean?”
The mastermind chuckled for a moment. “Are you happy to see Max fall for his status as your husband? If not, come to me. I have a special offer for you.”
“You must intend to frame me! I’m not going to be provoked by you,” Gabriella rebuked, not sounding scary at all. The caller even laughed at the sweet voice that was forced fiercely.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t have the heart to set up a girl as gentle as you, Gaby. So, how? Do you want to save your husband or not?”
The woman was silent as she clenched her fists. Her heart and logic didn’t match.
“You are curious about my true identity, aren’t you? You can see my face if you accept this invitation, because I want to have a one-on-one conversation with you.”
Gabriella bowed deeper to balance the burden of thought. With lips trembling by doubt, she asked, “What do you want to offer me?”
“A choice. I’ll only explain when you’re standing in front of me. So, how?” the mastermind persuaded in a reassuring tone.
Feeling the confusion in her brain was too big, Gabriella closed her eyes, hoping that common sense would come to give a clue.
“What will you do if I refuse this offer?” she asked a moment later.
“You will see your husband thrown out of Quebracha tomorrow morning, and all the media will report his failure. In the future, no one want to work with a former CEO who was branded a traitor.”
The woman swallowed hard at the predicament that threatened Max. After taking a deep breath, she finally gave an answer. “Where can we meet?”
“Once this call ends, you will have my address. In fifteen minutes, I’ll wait for your arrival. After that, don’t expect this kind of opportunity to come to you again.”
A second later, the call ended. Sebastian immediately glanced at her with a stiff expression. “What is it?”
Gabriella sighed as she clutched her phone. “Can you take me somewhere?”
“Where? Why?”
“The mastermind wants to meet you. I have to stop him from bothering Max again,” the woman explained with the corners of her lips pulled down, just like the tips of her eyebrows depicted resignation.
“Are you sure? This could be a trap,” the secretary said worriedly.
Although she hesitated for a while, Gabriella finally nodded. “I want to do at least one thing that will make Max happy. All this time, I am just a burden to him.”
After a moment of silence, Gabriella’s phone vibrated again. An incoming message delivered the information promised by the mastermind.
“So, can you take me to this address?” she asked hopefully.
“What’s the address?”
Gabriella started reading the message. However, as soon as she finished, Sebastian’s hand was asking for something. “May I borrow your phone?”
Without thinking, the woman handed over her cell phone. However, three seconds later, it slipped from the man’s hand and fell under the chair. Gabriella gasped and looked at Sebastian with round, quivering eyes.
“Don’t panic. I already remember the address. Earlier, I just wanted to read the entire message. Who knows, I can recognize the mastermind from his language,” the driver said while focusing on the road.
Actually, Gabriella didn’t care about what Sebastian said at all. She was still tilting her head, trying to look at the phone. Her mind had been clouded by worrying if Max called and she couldn’t answer.
“Do you want us to pull over to get your phone? But, it will take about a minute,” the secretary asked, successfully making Gabriella raise an eyebrow.
After pondering, the woman shook her head firmly. “I’m afraid if we run out of time. The mastermind only gave me fifteen minutes.”
Sebastian nodded and didn’t continue to speak. A second later, he stepped on the pedal deeper, obeying Gabriella’s request which he had once refused for safety reasons.
***
“Max called me three times,” Gabriella mumbled after she got her phone back.
“So, do you want to contact him? Telling about your plan to meet the mastermind?” Sebastian asked with an eyebrow raised high.
A second later, the woman’s shoulders released the tension. “No. The mastermind said it’s a secret meeting,” she sighed.
“Then keep your cell phone. The bad guy will be happy to know that Max is trying to reach you. He could have taken advantage of that fact.”
With a heavy heart, Gabriella put the cellphone in her bag. Her mind was still on her husband who must be worried about her.
“Do you want me to accompany you?” Sebastian asked with a brow raised up.
“This is a secret meeting, Bas,” Gabriella repeated.
A second later, she cast a glance at the magnificent building that resembled a palace. After exhaling faintly, the woman opened the car door and said, “I’ll finish it quickly.”
Before the secretary had time to respond, Gabriella had gotten out of the car and was walking fast. She didn’t know that behind her back, the man continued to watch her with the corners of his lips raised slightly.
“Whose house is this?” the woman thought as she almost reached the main door. “Was the mastermind someone in a high position? Is he a rich man? But, why would he take down Max if he already has a lot of treasures?”
“Good evening, Miss,” a maid greeted, making Gabriella’s heart almost jump. With round eyes, she looked at the young woman who had just appeared at the door. “You are ordered to enter the living room.”
Mrs. Evans’s brows suddenly furrowed. “Is your master there?”
Instead of answering, the maid waved her hand, inviting the guest to enter.
Left with little choice, Gabriella finally stepped through the door.
In a few steps, the woman’s eyes fell on the piano that was displayed in the corner of the room. After taking a closer look, she gasped. “Isn’t that my piano?”
Without thinking, the guest approached the instrument and checked. As soon as she found a scratch on one side, the woman sighed in disbelief.
“Right. This is my piano. Why is it in this house?”
Before the woman’s shock had finished, her eyes were fixed on the row of trophies on the side shelf. Another sigh escaped from her mouth, while tears began to well up. “Mom’s trophies?”
“Isn’t that your trophy?” a man asked from behind.
Hearing the unexpected voice, Gabriella suddenly turned around and blinked.