Chapter Seventeen

Antonia's POV.

I walked into Gabriel's mansion, feeling a strange mix of nerves and anticipation. This was only the second time I had been here, but this time was different.

This time, I was staying for a few days, and the reality of it was sinking in fast. Gabriel ushered me inside, his hand gently resting on my lower back. The warmth of his touch was comforting, but it did little to calm the fluttering in my stomach.

Earlier that evening, Gabriel had driven me back to my apartment so I could pack a few clothes and essentials. The idea of staying with him had taken a lot of courage to accept, but the thought of getting his help and having his protection against whoever was stalking me outweighed my reservations.

I had nothing to lose, and it was only logical to accept my boyfriend's help, even if he was just a fake boyfriend.

As I stood in the foyer, my eyes wandered around the room. High ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and expensive-looking decor only reminded me once again that Gabriel was living a life that was far different from mine.

His life and his place were worlds away from my less majestic lifestyle and apartment. My thoughts drifted, and I almost missed Gabriel's question.

"Would you like to eat first, or should I show you to your room so you can settle in and take a shower?" he asked.

Without much contemplation, I responded, "I'd like to take a shower first. As much as I would like to have dinner, it's already past 8 p.m., so I can't eat anything else today. I can't afford to have a puffy face for my photoshoot tomorrow."

Gabriel nodded, an awkward look crossing his face. "Of course. Follow me."

I followed him up the staircase, my suitcase rolling behind me. The house was eerily quiet, the only sound being our footsteps echoing off the marble floors.

He led me down a hallway and stopped in front of a door, pushing it open to reveal a beautifully decorated guest room. The soft lighting, king-sized bed, and beautiful furnishings instantly made me feel more at ease. I couldn't help but compare it to my bedroom at home.

"This will be your room," Gabriel said, stepping aside to let me enter. "The bathroom is through that door," he added, pointing to a door on the left side of the room. "If you need anything, my room is just down the hall."

"Thank you, Gabriel," I said, giving him a small smile. "I appreciate all of this."

He returned the smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's no problem at all. Make yourself comfortable."

As he left the room, I took a deep breath and began to unpack my suitcase. I couldn't help but feel a little out of place in this lavish setting.

Everything about Gabriel's world was so different from mine, but I reminded myself that this was temporary. I was here for a reason, which was to temporarily get away from my stalker, so I needed to focus on that.

After unpacking my clothes, I headed to the bathroom to take a shower and get rid of the stress I had been through the entire day.

I turned on the shower, letting the steam fill the room before stepping under the hot water. As the water ran down my skin, I felt some of the tension and nervousness melt away. It had been a long, stressful day, and this was exactly what I needed.

I thought about Gabriel and how kind he had been to offer his home to me, even when he wasn't obligated to mind my business.

He could have easily insisted that I stay at a hotel, but instead, he had no problem asking me to stay at his place.

Despite the awkwardness of our arrangement and my awareness that, besides the agreement we had with each other, I was no one to him, there was something undeniably comforting about his presence.

Because of that comfort, I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to his offer than just a sense of responsibility for his public girlfriend. But almost as quickly as I had those thoughts, I was just as quick to push them aside.

Our relationship was a facade, a mutual agreement that benefited us both, and there was no point in reading too much into it.

After my shower, I dressed in a comfortable pair of pajamas and brushed my hair. Feeling somewhat refreshed, I decided to explore a bit. The mansion was massive, and I was curious about the place I'd be calling home for the next few days.

I left my room, closing the door quietly behind me. Standing in the hallway, I looked left and right, wondering where to begin my exploration of Gabriel’s mansion.

Should I ask Gabriel for a proper tour of the house, or should I just stay back in my room and know my place? I didn’t want to inconvenience him, and getting too comfortable felt risky given that I was only here for a few days.

After a moment of deliberation, I decided to explore on my own. Gabriel might be busy or taking a shower, and I didn't want to disturb him.

I made my way back downstairs. Since the lower level of the house was clearly huge, I figured it would be a good place to start.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I heard voices coming from the entrance hallway. One of them was unmistakably Gabriel’s.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I moved quietly towards the source of the conversation. As I rounded the corner, I saw Gabriel standing with a woman.

The woman, who I didn't recognize at first, had tears in her eyes, and the sight of her stopped me in my tracks.

I pressed myself against the wall, trying to stay out of sight while still being able to hear their conversation.

"Gabriel, get out of the way. I'm tired, and I don't want to argue," the woman said, her words coming out a little rushed, like she wasn't in her right mind.

"Since I'm already here, just let me stay the night. It's not like it would be the first time I'd be spending the night at your place," she mentioned confidently, and I couldn't help but wonder what her relationship was with Gabriel.

Was she his lover? I wondered to myself, still staring intently at her from the corner where I hid.

The woman had quite a familiar face, and I was trying to place where I had seen her until her image finally clicked, and I remembered who she was.

She was Camila. I had only met her once, but there was no doubt that the woman speaking to Gabriel about wanting to spend a night at his place was none other than Camila, his assistant.