Chapter 2 Chapitre 2

Chapter 2

The next morning, Léna joined her father for breakfast, but she already felt the tense atmosphere. Sitting at the other end of the table, Victor Moreau seemed lost in thought, a dark and worried expression frozen on his face. He hadn't spoken a word since she entered, and Léna, aware that something was bothering him, was hesitant to break the silence.

Finally, he looked up at her, his serious gaze fixed on hers. "Lena, there is something I would like to talk to you about," he said in a more serious tone than usual.

Léna put down her cup of coffee, attentive. She guessed it was Gabriel Beaumont. Since their meeting the day before, she had never stopped thinking about this imposing figure, this man with enigmatic words and a disturbing smile. She hoped to finally get answers.

"I know you met him yesterday in the garden," Victor continued, his voice low and measured. "And I want you to understand: this man is not a reliable person. He has... a complicated past and questionable methods. »

Lena frowned. "But Dad, you still haven't told me why you deal with him if you don't trust him. Why not just keep it out of our business? »

Victor sighed, visibly frustrated. "If it were that simple... There are alliances that we don't have the luxury of refusing. Gabriel Beaumont has significant shares in certain projects which, unfortunately, affect our interests. I can't explain everything in detail, but trust me: it's best to stay away from him. »

This speech only aroused his curiosity. Lena was not a naive child; she understood that in the business world, not everything was black and white. However, the insistent way in which her father warned her against Gabriel awakened in her a thirst for understanding. "Dad, I'm an adult. You can't just tell me to stay away from him without explaining why. I deserve to know. »

Victor looked at her with a certain tenderness, but his face remained firm. "Léna, I don't want you to get involved in this matter. Gabriel has nothing good to bring you. He hides behind his smile and elegant manners, but he is dangerous. I don't want you to get mixed up in his affairs. »

" Dangerous ? » she repeated, surprised. "Dad, you talk about him like he's a criminal. Is this really the case? »

Victor shook his head, avoiding her gaze. "No... He's not a criminal, at least not officially. But he has aggressive methods, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. That's all you need to know. »

Léna understood that he would not tell her anything more. She felt frustrated and a little upset. She knew that her father was trying to protect her, but she didn't like this way of keeping her in ignorance, as if she were incapable of understanding the complexity of the world in which they lived. She acquiesced, however, to please him, and decided not to insist further.

But part of her was determined to learn more. Gabriel Beaumont did not look like the image his father tried to give him. This mystery, these implicit warnings... all this made him want to discover the truth even more.

She spent the day trying to concentrate on her own projects, but her thoughts kept returning to Gabriel. His words, his look, the confidence with which he had occupied the garden as if he were its master... She couldn't get him out of her mind.

It was then that, late in the afternoon, as she was preparing to leave her office, her phone vibrated. She grabbed it mechanically and opened the message she had just received. Her heart pounding, she immediately recognized the sender: Gabriel Beaumont.

*"I hope our first meeting wasn't too confusing for you, Miss Moreau. I would like to have the opportunity to talk more calmly with you, if you wish. Maybe tonight at the Jardin café? See you soon, I hope. »*

Lena felt a mixture of surprise and excitement rise within her. She hesitated, rereading the message several times, wondering if she should accept. Her father had specifically asked her to stay away from this man, but she felt irresistibly drawn to the mystery he represented.

She bit her lip, weighing the pros and cons. Her curiosity got the best of her, but she knew it wouldn't be wise to tell her father. Gabriel wanted to see her again, and deep down, she longed to know what this man could possibly have to say to her.

She finally replied, typing with a certain feverishness: * "Very well, this evening at the Café du Jardin. »*

Time seemed to slow down until the meeting time. She changed her outfit several times, wondering why she attached so much importance to this meeting. Finally, once she was ready, she took a deep breath and quietly left the house.

The Café du Jardin was a discreet place, out of sight, a perfect place for private meetings. She arrived slightly early, her heart racing, and took a seat at a table near the window. She watched the people passing by, trying to calm herself, to remind herself that this was just a simple conversation. But everything in her screamed that this evening would be different.

Gabriel arrived shortly after, still as elegant as ever, and greeted her with a smile that aroused in her a mixture of suspicion and fascination. He sat down across from her, and from that moment on, she felt the palpable tension between them.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation, Lena," he said in a soft voice. "I was afraid your father might have talked you out of it. »

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You know my father doesn't like you being here? »

Gabriel gave a slight smile. "I suspect it. Your father and I... let's say we have different visions. »

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes fixed on his. "My father told me to be wary of you. He suggested to me that you are dangerous. »

Gabriel did not lose his calm, and his smile even widened. "I'm not surprised. Men like your father often perceive me this way. They are used to dominating, controlling their environment. I'm... let's say, an unpredictable element. »

Lena frowned, trying to understand where he was going with this. "But why are you here, on our land? What interest do you have in moving closer to my family? »

Gabriel paused, watching her face carefully, as if gauging how much he could confide. "Léna, there are many things you don't know about your family's past, about the alliances and enmities that have been forged over the years. »

She felt a wave of confusion and anxiety pass through her. " What do you mean ? »

"Simply that the world you grew up in is much more complex than it seems. And that certain secrets, certain rivalries, could well end up affecting you, too. »

Lena held her breath. This man seemed to know more than she would have imagined. She didn't know if she could trust him, but she couldn't ignore what he was implying either.

She watched him in silence, feeling her heart beat faster. Gabriel was staring at her with this intense look, as if he wanted to warn her, but at the same time keep her at a distance. She understood that he was confronting her with a choice: agree to discover the truth, however dark it may be, or remain in the comfort of her ignorance.

"You tell me all this, but why should I believe you? Why should I trust you? »

Gabriel sat up slightly, his eyes shining with an indecipherable light. "You have no reason to trust me, Lena. But if you want to understand what's going on around you, then I may be the only person willing to tell you the truth. »

She remained silent, torn between her instinct for caution and this curious fascination for this man who seemed capable of questioning everything she thought she knew.