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"Young Madam, your friend has just entered the gates. Would you like to send her in?" the butler informed Angela while she fixed a sparkly silver ribbon on the tree. 

She set down the box of ribbons on the table and picked up a white gift bag—her gift for Nina. "It\'s okay, Elias. I\'ll meet her out front. Thank you."

"Heyyyyyyyyy!" Nina greeted as Angela emerged from the house. The trunk of her car opened as she got out. "What are you guys doing? Are you having fun?"

"We\'re decorating the tree." Angela\'s eyes widened upon seeing the trunk full of presents. "Wow. Did you become Santa Claus and forgot to tell me?"

"I had to send Rudolf to the vet because his nose didn\'t light up, so I\'m driving instead." Her voice was sing-songy and full of sarcasm.

They hugged each other and giggled. Nina greeted Oliver who followed his sister out, as she handed over three gift bags for them. He promised to give her one sometime this week.

"Where\'s your dad?" Nina casually looked towards the front yard where she suspected he would be as he mostly spent his time there in the afternoons. Surprise filled her face when she saw Gael playing chess with Charlie. "Oh… You…guys are okay?" she hesitated.

Angela felt a lump in her throat. She hadn\'t even told Nina about Gael being with her family today. It seemed like she was living a double life. The secrets she tried to keep were weighing down on her shoulders, and she didn\'t know what to do. 

Forcing a small smile on her face, she told her, "It\'s...complicated."

Her best friend studied her face. And she wasn\'t sure if she wanted Nina to read that she was barely hanging, so she broadened her smile.

Letting out a sigh, Nina placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Hang in there. Call me, okay?"

It was as if her best friend knew she wasn\'t ready to talk yet. Angela was never ready. And she felt even guiltier that Nina was patient and being understanding. She didn\'t deserve her best friend.

Angela pulled her into a hug, squeezing the other a little tighter than usual. "I\'ll see you once I get back. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Anj," Nina answered, and then she left after saying goodbye to Oliver who was trying to peek inside the gifts.

Once Nina\'s car was gone, Angela and Oliver stood at the steps, watching their father and Gael from a distance. It seemed as though they took a pause from playing and were in a deep discussion. Her brows furrowed in curiosity, and she asked, "What do you think are they talking about?"

Oliver pivoted and headed back inside the house, already bored. "Dad probably proposed to adopt your boyfriend and then emancipate you."

The crease between her brows deepened. "You\'re so full of crap." She smacked his head, and he winced, complaining that she hit too hard and attempted to get back at her, but she already ran back inside.

***

Considering Gael had to fly later, Charlie ordered the kitchen to serve dinner earlier than usual so they could still enjoy it without having to rush. Gael told him he didn\'t have to do that, but the older man insisted, saying, "You\'re a guest at my house, and I don\'t want your father to think you weren\'t treated properly here by letting you leave without feeding you."

The four of them had a lovely meal prepared by the house chef. Everything that night seemed to be calm—not much in Angela\'s chaotic mind, though. She hadn\'t had the chance to speak to Gael privately as he spent the whole afternoon with her father. Did they only play chess the entire time? She attempted to ask Gael about it but didn\'t have a chance. The food was enjoyable, but she couldn\'t help overthinking what the two men had talked about.

Angela tried to read Gael\'s body language, but he seemed to be...fine...normal. Or maybe he was just that good in hiding? She had to question him, or she\'d go insane.

After their dinner, they moved to the living room for some wine. Charlie and Oliver went ahead, and as she and Gael walked together, he took her hand and tugged her to his side.

"What\'s bothering you?" he asked.

"What did you and Dad talk about?" She didn\'t hesitate to ask now.

He looked at her considerately, but his expression was unreadable. "Why are you being nosy?"

"I\'m not being nosy. I\'m just...curious." Angela tucked her hair behind her ear. "Surely you didn\'t just talk about chess."

A few beats passed before he tilted his head to the side and answered, "We talked about our next shopping spree. There\'s an end-of-the-year sale in the city this weekend, but we didn\'t want to tell you to avoid competition."

She blinked, unsure if she should laugh or smack his head. Why are men so annoying? "Be serious."

He chuckled, interlacing their fingers together and walking her out of the dining room. "There\'s nothing to worry about. We were just chatting random stuff. He talked about his life while I talked about whatever I could tell him about mine."

Angela couldn\'t take her eyes off him, wanting to see if he was hiding something, but it was hard to guess. It seemed as though he and her father were good friends, seeing as they were okay during dinner—more than okay, actually. It looked like they were best friends now.

The topic died as soon as they reached the living room. Oliver gave his father and Gael each a glass of scotch and then some bubbly for Angela. Charlie sat in an armchair and Oliver in the other while she and Gael sat on the sofa across the tall Christmas tree. Lights twinkled around it, and the ribbons sparkled. There were many presents under the tree as they included all the servants in the mansion.

They chatted about the year-end celebration for Su Corporation that\'s happening in a few days. It was a casual conversation until Charlie suddenly changed the subject. "There\'s someone I\'d like you to meet. Not right now. But perhaps early next year."

Oliver and Angela exchanged glances, confusion lacing their faces. "Who?" they probed.

Charlie took a sip of his drink and gazed at the Christmas tree, taking his time to answer. "Someone I\'m...seeing."

Oliver was swallowing his drink when he heard his father. He choked on it and was sent into a coughing fit. Angela nearly dropped her glass too. "You\'re seeing someone? How? Who?" she asked again.

"Sort of. I met her online a few months ago."

The corners of Gael\'s lips curled upward. He was quiet as he watched the scene play out in front of him. Angela\'s brows knitted and relaxed and knitted again, thoroughly confused. Why hadn\'t she known about this? Not only was her father seeing someone, but he also met her online? She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, not knowing what to say.

And before she had the chance to speak again, Charlie got up and patted Gael\'s shoulder. "Well, I\'ll be upstairs. I don\'t know about you kids, but I don\'t think I can wait for midnight. Good night."

"B-But…" she trailed off.

Oliver slapped his chest several times, still coughing as he stood up. "I need to lie down."

And then there were two. All the servants left the room, leaving Angela with Gael alone in the living room.

"Huh…" She slumped against the backrest. That was a weird turn of events. Looking to the side, she caught Gael\'s grin, and she let out a sigh, shaking her head. She saw the clock on the wall, and her chest tightened. He was supposed to leave at nine and it was already 7:30.

"Can we talk?" His expression turned serious, his gaze intense.

Angela swallowed. "Let\'s go to my room." The living room was fine, but the walls and ceiling were too far. She felt the need to be in a smaller space with him as if being in one would help stop the ramming of her heart. Surely, it wouldn\'t. But at least they\'d have their privacy. That was all she wanted—a place to talk without disturbance. Nothing more.

He followed her to her room upstairs, the walk taking longer than he liked it to be. Watching her sway her hips in front of him didn\'t help the tension that\'s building up inside of him. He asked for a talk, but he didn\'t want to just talk.

They entered her room, and she turned to face him. "Gael, I—"

She swallowed the rest of her words when he pulled her by the waist and smashed his lips to hers. The door closed, and all of a sudden, she forgot about everything else. Closing her eyes in surrender, Angela floated towards the sky and brought Gael with her as she slid her arms around his neck.

\'What am I doing?\' she asked herself as she let him kiss her. It was impossible to stop.