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Gabrielle couldn’t sleep that night. The uneasy feeling about Evelyn gnawed at her, pulling her from one restless thought to another.

She couldn’t stop replaying the details—the way Evelyn had spoken, the cool composure that seemed like a mask, and the unsettling energy she had radiated.

It wasn’t just paranoia; Gabrielle was certain something was off, and she couldn’t shake the sense that Evelyn’s presence in Matthew’s life might bring trouble.

She tossed and turned in bed, the silence of the room amplifying her concerns. The clock on the nightstand ticked loudly, each second dragging on like an eternity.

Gabrielle could hear Matthew's steady breathing from across the room, his deep sleep unaffected by her inner turmoil. Despite the comfort of his presence, she couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that something darker was on the horizon.

The next morning, the tension didn’t dissipate. As they sat in the office, the weight of their conversation from the night before hung in the air like a storm cloud.

Matthew was at his desk, reviewing contracts, but Gabrielle noticed the way his eyes kept flickering over to the door. She knew he was thinking about Evelyn too, though he had yet to speak about it again.

“Matthew,” Gabrielle said softly, hesitating before speaking her mind. “Have you thought about what we talked about last night?”

Matthew looked up, his usual calm demeanor flickering for a moment as he met her gaze. “I have,” he replied, his tone clipped. “But Julian insists that we’re overthinking things. He’s convinced there’s nothing to worry about.”

Gabrielle didn’t trust Julian’s judgment in this matter. She had never known him to dismiss things so easily, especially when they both felt the same way about Evelyn. “But we both feel it, right?” she asked, leaning forward slightly. “There’s something off about her.”

Matthew let out a deep breath, running his hand through his hair as he stared at the papers in front of him. “I know. But she’s been smooth, so far. I don’t think she’s done anything that warrants immediate action.”

“Maybe not yet,” Gabrielle muttered, “but I don’t think we should wait until it’s too late. She’s too calculated.”

Matthew stood up and walked over to the window, his back to Gabrielle. “I’ll handle it, Gabrielle. We’ll figure out what she’s after, but right now, I need to focus on this damn meeting later.”

Gabrielle bit her lip, feeling more uncertain by the second. The tension in the room thickened, as if everything—her growing suspicion of Evelyn, her worries about Matthew—was building to something they both couldn’t control.

Just then, the office door opened, and Julian stepped in, his usual grin wide on his face. “What’s going on? You two look like you’re planning world domination or something.”

Matthew glanced at him briefly before turning back to the window. “I’m not in the mood for your jokes today, Julian.”

Julian raised an eyebrow but chose not to press the issue. Instead, he strode toward the desk, his tone shifting to something more serious. “Is it about Evelyn? I know she’s been on your radar, but I told you, she’s harmless.”

Gabrielle could tell that Matthew wasn’t buying into Julian’s dismissal, but he didn’t respond right away. He folded his arms across his chest, his lips pressing into a thin line. “You’re the one who pushed for her, Julian. And now you’re telling me to just ignore it?”

Julian sighed and rolled his eyes, clearly uninterested in a drawn-out argument. “Okay, okay. I’ll get you the details on her background. But I still think you’re overreacting.”

Gabrielle could see that Matthew was struggling to hold onto his patience. The last thing they needed was for Julian to downplay the situation. The weight of the unknown—of Evelyn’s potential motives—was too much to ignore.

“I’ll be watching her,” Matthew muttered, his voice low and dangerous. “And if she tries anything, I won’t hesitate.”

Gabrielle felt the heat of his words, but she also felt the concern behind them. Despite everything, Matthew was trying to protect her in his own way, even if it meant confronting something he didn’t fully understand.

Julian gave a nonchalant shrug. “You’re both paranoid,” he said with a smirk. “But fine, I’ll take care of it.”

With that, Julian left the room, leaving the two of them alone again. Gabrielle turned to Matthew, her heart still racing, but there was something in his eyes now—something darker, as if the full weight of the situation had just hit him.

“I don’t want you to worry,” he said, his voice softening for the first time in hours. “I’ll handle it. But I need you to trust me.”

Gabrielle nodded, but her gut told her that trusting blindly wasn’t the answer this time. She wanted to protect him, to protect both of them, but she wasn’t sure how.

The day wore on, but Gabrielle couldn’t shake the feeling that Evelyn was always one step ahead. As she moved through the office, the woman’s image kept haunting her thoughts. She wasn’t sure if it was her instincts or something else, but she couldn’t let go of the nagging fear that something terrible was about to unfold.

The hours passed, and Gabrielle’s unease only grew. She caught herself glancing at the door every so often, wondering when Evelyn would reappear. What was she really after? What if it wasn’t just a job she wanted?

Just as Gabrielle started to push those thoughts aside, the phone on Matthew’s desk rang, and he answered it without hesitation. His expression hardened as he listened to the voice on the other end. Gabrielle’s heart skipped a beat as she watched him listen intently, his jaw tightening.

When he finally hung up the phone, his eyes locked onto hers. “Get ready. We have a new problem.”

Gabrielle’s stomach twisted in fear. She hadn’t expected this to escalate so quickly, but there it was. The storm was coming, and neither of them was prepared for what was about to unfold.