ALL BECAUSE OF YOU

Chapter 9: What is love?

As Priscilla descended the staircase, the weight of sleep still clinging to her frame, she greeted the morning with a tired yet genuine smile. With a gentle yawn, she made her way to the kitchen. As she embraced Gabe from behind, the warmth of her affection met with an unexpected chill, his body stiffening beneath her touch.

"I am so hungry, can you please cook for me?" Priscilla requested in a playful lilt.

"Even Kelly tried to cook herself, why don't you cook?" His words, though uttered with a hint of frustration, betrayed a deeper turmoil that simmered beneath the surface. For Gabe, thoughts of Kelly were always present ever since she left his house, haunting his every waking moment with her weird laughter and enigmatic presence.

"Her again? Are you seriously going to bring Kelly into every conversation we have? She can't even cook." Priscilla's retort, laced with thinly veiled resentment, mirrored the simmering tension that had come to define their fractured relationship.

"At least, she made an effort," Gabe's mumbled response was barely audible, a whispered confession of his own inner turmoil. question he dared not answer, even to himself.

"Answer honestly, babe. Are you in love with her?" Priscilla's question, though delivered with a gentle yet firm resolve, pierced through the veil of his denial, a question he dared not answer, even to himself.

"I think I know my answer," Priscilla uttered, with a heavy heart, she turned away, her footsteps echoing the weight of her unspoken goodbye. And as Gabe watched her retreating form, a part of him longed to reach out and pull her back into his embrace, yet he remained rooted to the spot.

***

Emma's worried gaze flickered over to Maxwell, her fingers tapping anxiously on the bedspread. "Kelly hasn't been picking up my calls," she confided, her voice laced with concern.

Maxwell's brow furrowed, a sigh escaping his lips as he shifted away slightly. "Can we take a break from talking about Kelly tonight?" His tone was gentle, but his reluctance was obvious as he pressed a tender kiss to Emma's forehead. He couldn't understand why Emma was so fixated on Kelly's absence, especially since their past conflicts had seemingly been resolved.

Emma's eyes flashed with frustration, her words tinged with hurt. "Why must you always dismiss her? Kelly's our friend," she protested, her accusatory finger pointing squarely at Maxwell. "You're acting just like Gabe's snooty girlfriend, always making the issue worse."

As Emma rose from the bed, Maxwell's heart sank, his pleas falling on deaf ears. "Don't leave like this, Emma," he implored, the weight of their unresolved conflict hanging heavy in the air. Despite knowing Kelly meant well, she was becoming a wedge in their relationship, and Maxwell couldn't shake the feeling of frustration gnawing at his heart.

***

As the sun bathed the city in a golden glow, anticipation hung in the air like a finely woven tapestry. Kelly's heart beat in sync with the rhythm of her dreams. With Brian's visionary ideas and connections igniting the path and Evelyn's wealth fueling the journey, Kelly's art showroom was going to be opened today. At this point, she didn't even care about Ethan anymore, all she wanted was to be her own boss and make herself happy just as Zeke had made her happy.

"You look gorgeous, hun," Evelyn's voice echoed, a chorus of encouragement as she walked into Kelly's room. Kelly nodded, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, her confidence soared like a phoenix rising from the ashes of uncertainty.

As the hours passed, the art showroom transformed into a sanctuary of creativity, a haven for souls seeking solace in the beauty of expression. Each step felt like a graceful movement towards destiny. And then, amidst the throng of eager faces, Kelly spotted Emma, she didn't contact her because she dedicated those few weeks to her life long dream and tried to avoid any distraction. The embrace they shared spoke volumes, Emma was so happy that Kelly finally found herself.