Samantha didn"t know why Gael wanted to talk to her because they didn"t really have anything to talk about. However, when they arrived at the garden pavilion of the resort, she suddenly found a lot of things to say to him.
Gael wore cream-colored pants and a black s.h.i.+rt with sleeves rolled up to his elbow. Samantha, on the other hand, wore a casual fresh pink s.h.i.+ft dress, making her look youthful.
The two of them sat on a bench that was facing the view of mountain ranges and sea. Samantha fidgeted her hands for a bit before she started, "Gael… I… I wanted to say thank you."
"For what?"
"I asked for your help and you did so much more than bring an end to the mess — I just… I just wanted to thank you for that."
A small grin appeared on his face as he digested what she said. He doesn"t really hear that word so often. People around him, although they say thank you, it was rare for him to hear a genuine one… and it came from her.
"You don"t really need to thank me. It was a deal that we made. I only held my end of the bargain."
Samantha scoffed and almost rolled her eyes at him. "What kind of a deal was that? I only went to that event with you and did nothing else. While you… however, you provided a lot. You have spent a lot and even went on the extra mile. I only asked you to help me one bit but… you did more. And for that, I don"t think I can thank you enough."
"It"s nothing, Sam."
"It"s not "nothing"… okay? I really appreciate what you did. Despite my bitter comments and all the snarking back then, you still helped. And now it feels like I owe you."
Gael"s heart warmed the more that Samantha spoke. He knew it was a bad decision to talk to her that morning but he was a selfish man. And all he wanted was to give in for just one last time before she gets married.
"Why did you do that, by the way?" She wondered.
"Hmmm?"
"Why did you help me? I mean… you… me… Daniel… and just everyone else involved… we don"t really have-"
"It"s because it"s you, Sam." Gael interrupted. He looked at her in the eye and saw the confused expression on her face.
"I don"t get-"
"You may think it"s absurd and won"t possibly believe me but…" Gael s.h.i.+fted his gaze back to the view in front of him. Samantha"s heart thumped slightly and she realized what he was saying. And she could only keep quiet and let him speak.
"It"s not hard to like you." Gael breathed deeply as though he was contemplating what he had to say. "For the very short time that I have known you… I didn"t realize that it was even possible. But even then… It still happened... and it was something that I couldn"t control. And I don"t think anyone could really."
Gale lowered his gaze. "Samantha, I-"
"Don"t." Samantha breathed deeply and with a smile on her face, she continued, "Don"t say it. I know… And you don"t have to say it."
"I"m sorry… I didn"t plan on saying these things. It"s selfish of me to do so." He chuckled.
"It"s okay…"
"But I"m not saying this hoping or expecting for you to change your mind. I know how much you and Daniel love each other. So, I"m not saying this because I want to ruin your wedding. I would never want to cause you sadness. I"m being a big idiot and selfish right now because… I think by telling you all this I can... move on."
Samantha didn"t have anything to say to that. She felt bad for Gael but there was really nothing that she could do.
"You"re probably thinking how silly or messed up I am and how bad of a person I am, huh?" He asked.
She shook her head and played with the seam of her dress. "No… I don"t think that at all. You"re not bad because of what or how you feel, Gael. People aren"t bad for whatever they feel since that"s something that they can"t control. However, if one acts based on their feeling and they end up hurting someone, then… that"s bad."
Gael was already trying hard to suppress his feelings and here she was again... Just adding sprinkles of fairy dust to his already throbbing heart.
"You"re not going to kidnap me, are you?" Samantha nonchalantly asked. "Just… don"t kidnap someone you like in the future. That"s probably the best advice I can give you."
Gael"s head snapped to her and the two of them laughed. "I will keep that in mind."
"How come you believed what I said so easily? Others might"ve not believed it. Do you really think people can fall in love that fast?" Gael questioned, curious as to what she had to say.
"Of course…" A small smile formed on her lips. " That"s how I fell for him in the first place. "
Gael clutched his chest playfully as if he had just been stabbed in the heart. "You just had to rub salt in my wound."
The two of them talked a little bit more before Samantha got up from the bench. "I need to head back, Ashton is probably awake by now."
She was about to turn when Gael grabbed her hand, making her stop. "Sorry-" he said as he released her hand right away.
As if she had read his thoughts, Samantha revealed a smile and gave him a brief and friendly hug that lasted for only a second, "You"re a good man, Gael. I"m sure you"d find her one day."
Pulling apart, Gael gave her a gentle smile. "Thank you, Sam."
After their meeting, Samantha left and Gael headed towards his room. Seeing Daniel by the hallway, he chuckled as he walked closer.
"Are you here to make sure that I wasn"t going to steal her?"
"As if that were even possible." Daniel scoffed. Gael opened the door to his room and heard Daniel"s chuckle.
"What"s so funny?"
"I just find it amusing how you used that favor I owed you for a conversation with her." Shrugging his shoulders, Daniel crossed his arms as he leaned on the wall. "If people were to find out about this, it could put a dent on your image as the mafia prince."
Gael laughed at his remark. He also found it amusing but for him, it was all worth it. "Thanks," he said as he tapped Daniel"s shoulders twice before he entered the room.
"You know this is the last time that you get to do that right?" Daniel retorted, facing him so that they see each other eye to eye.
"Of course. I"m a man of my word and you know that. I would never do anything to ruin your relations.h.i.+p." With a confident look on his face, he tilted his head and added, "But... hurt her... and I will take her away from you."
"She"s my life. That won"t happen." The corner of Daniel"s mouth curled up and with a cold tone of promise, he said, "Not in a million years."