Chapter 3

                                    

                                          
Gabriel's presence in her bedroom became a constant night venture. He comes in when he's sure she's sleeping, and stands at the foot of her bed. He stares at her with lost eyes, as he wonders why he began to do this. Gabriel knows he wants her out of his house, but somehow watching her sleep brings a sense of peace to his mind, and that peace has become something he craves.
They hardly speak during the day, merely conversing when needed to for work. He shows his dislike towards her on a daily basis, and he knows that Nathalie's aware that her presence is unwanted, but he just can't seem to stop doing this. His restlessness is so extreme that it seems that observing Nathalie sleep is the only thing that helps him feel better.
———
Her shifting on the mattress startles him to the core, he stiffens for a few moments as he watches her sudden movements. He's about to leave when her wearily voice enters his ears.
"Gabriel?" Her voice is rough with sleep and she sounds so confused that it causes a sudden feeling of guilt to enter his chest.
"Gabriel is that you?" She calls again.
He clears his throat before speaking and he can see her slightly quiver at the sound.
"Yes... I uhh..."
But Nathalie suddenly turns on the lamp on her nightstand, causing his words to fall mute.
"Gabriel, are you okay? Is something wrong?" She asks, and he notices the worry on her face as she stares at him in confusion.
"Yes, I'm fine..." he replies with a harsh tone as he begins to leave the room.
She quickly gets off the bed and goes after him.
"Gabriel, why were you in my bedroom? Do you need anything?"
"Your bedroom..." he almost laughs, "this isn't your house and nothing here is yours."
Nathalie looks at him with hurt in her eyes, as she listens to his cruel words. This has been his attitude since they were married weeks ago, and she simply can't comprehend why.
"Why are you so cruel to me?" She finally asks. "I haven't done anything to you, I didn't have any type of obligation to marry you, yet you haven't thanked me once for what I've done."
"I didn't know you were expecting a 'thank you'" he says, rolling his eyes.
"I wasn't, but I also wasn't expecting to be treated this poorly by you."
Nathalie looks directly at him as she speaks, and she's able to see the shadow of anger on his face but also the dark circles adorning his eyes. Exhaustion seems to be hanging over him so deeply and gravely.
"This is the way I am. If you don't like it, you can leave." He tells her, pointing at the door.
"You're forgetting something." She utters in disbelief. "I can't leave. If I do, your sister-in-law will attempt to take the house again, and all of this would have been for nothing."
Gabriel simply turns his back to her. She's right and he knows it. He hates that she's right, but he hates even more his own behavior towards the woman who has done nothing to him. Yet, he can't seem to stop, his words are always filled with poison when directed to her, but somehow that doesn't seem to scare her away. Even his cruel words just now weren't enough to stop her from thinking about him once more and he wonders why, why does she care about him.
"Why are you this way?" He suddenly asks, his face still turned from her.
"What?" She asks in confusion.
"You're kind to me, even after the way I've treated you these past weeks." He says, turning to face her. "Huh?" He mumbles, expecting for her to answer his question.
But Nathalie doesn't say anything. She doesn't know what to say, his question has caught her by surprise.
Gabriel then lets out an inwardly chuckle as he realizes she won't say anything. "You probably pity me like everyone else. You think I'm some miserable lonely soul who..."