Chapter 10

As Gabriela recalled the passionate night they had shared, a chill rippled down her spine-the memory of how intense Brenden had been in bed made her skin prickle.

Absolutely not!

If sleeping with Brenden again was the price for his fake-boyfriend act, she'd rather scrap the whole plan.

Why should she feel uneasy attending her cheating ex and backstabbing cousin's wedding? If anyone should crawl under a rock, it should be them.

As for Josh... if he wound up bawling, well, she'd just sit beside him and sob too.

Gabriela was seconds away from texting him that she didn't need his favor anymore, when another notification flashed on her screen. "There's a banquet tonight,and I want you by my side."

Gabriela's eyebrows shot up.

Brenden had enough girlfriends to form a soccer team.

How could he possibly be lacking a date?

Almost as if he'd heard her thoughts, another message popped up. "It's a formal event."

So he really did know none of his so-called girlfriends could pass for decent in public.

She stifled an eye roll and replied, "Noted. I'll be on my best behavior at tonight's banquet."

Inside the spacious CEO's office, Wesley divided his attention between a mountain of paperwork and the constant stream of notifications on his phone. The corner of his mouth curled into a subtle, self-satisfied smile.

Then, as if an unwelcome thought had slipped in, his gaze darkened and the smile vanished.

He sent off a message, his words sharp as ever."Don't get ahead of yourself. You're not that impressive. Still, compared to the women I usually date, your looks are at least acceptable."

Gabriela stared at her screen, momentarily stunned by the blunt reply.

Why did Brenden seem to relish making things so difficult for himself? If he was so dissatisfied with his choices, what was the point of chasing after one disappointing girlfriend after another?

Despite her confusion, Gabriela had managed to rope in a fake boyfriend for the wedding. With that problem checked off her list, she turned her focus back to work.

At lunch, Aubrey slid into the seat across from Gabriela, eyes alight with gossip. "Did you hear about Alphacom Electronics?"

Whenever there was company news, Aubrey never failed to find Gabriela first, bursting with details long before anyone else.

Gabiela, on the other hand, was usually out of the loop."What happened with Alphacom Electronics?"

Aubrey leaned in, lowering her voice as if sharing a state secret. "They're about to go through a full restructure, and there's a massive deal coming-think,at least a billion dollars. Every sales manager in the building is fighting tooth and nail for it. Can you imagine the commission on something like that?" She shook her head in awe, envy flickering in her eyes."Of course, there's no way us interns would ever be allowed anywhere near something that big."

A wave of shock washed over Gabriela.

Just last night, she'd offhandedly mentioned to Rhys that the company was chasing a multi-billion-dollar contract. Now it was happening for real.

Was she some kind of corporate lucky charm? Had Wesley somehow caught wind of her accidental prediction?

Maybe-just maybe-she'd get pulled into the middle of it all.

Gabriela was tempted by the deal.

If she managed to play a part in securing it, her spot at the company would be practically guaranteed.

All day, the atmosphere crackled with tension. Sales department buzzed like a hive,each team hellbent on landing the contract.

Gabriela also dove deep into her research,combing through every scrap of information she could find on Alphacom Electronics.

Just as evening settled over the office, a sharply dressed young man appeared at her desk.He handed over a sleek gift box, his manner impeccably polite as he asked her to sign for it.

Aubrey, unable to contain her curiosity,peered over Gabriela's shoulder and gasped, "Isn't that the SK Elite Boutique logo? That's top-tier luxury. Not just expensive-exclusive. You can't even get your hands on their stuff unless you're part of the club."

Her voice dropped to a hushed tone. "The membership alone starts at a million-just to walk through the door." Gasps rippled through the office as her colleagues clustered around, eyes fixed on the extravagant gift box.

Gabriela barely got a glimpse before she was jostled to the edge of the crowd, her pulse racing just as wildly as everyone else's.

Even in her wildest dreams, she couldn't imagine owning anything from SK Elite Boutique-not even Phyllis could afford that level of luxury.

It was impossible. There was no chance this was actually meant for her-it had to be some kind of mistake.

Gabriela had barely opened her mouth to protest when Phyllis swept in, all drama and flair in a cherry-red wool coat that set off her freshly dyed,wine-red hair.

Trailing her was an obedient assistant clutching her designer handbag, the perfect prop for Phyllis's self-appointed aura of command.

All the noise in the office had drawn Phyllis like a moth to a flame. The moment she spotted the gift box,her expression soured.

Inside was the newest SK Elite Boutique design-a dress so exclusive so exclusive that even deep pockets couldn't guarantee acquiring it.

Phyllis instinctively glanced down at her own ten-carat ring. When Dustin first slipped it on her finger,she'd felt like royalty. But now, after she knew it was just a standard eight-thousand-per-carat diamond fitted into a custom setting, it suddenly seemed almost ordinary next to this dress.

How the hell was Gabriela supposed to afford a dress that expensive? Even if she auctioned off everything she had, she wouldn't make a dent in the price.

With a sharp, mocking smile, Phyllis scoffed,"Did you seriously bring a fake? If you can't afford the real thing, don't bother showing off. It's just sad."

Phyllis's grand entrance turned every head in the room.For a moment, nobody spoke. All eyes swept over her,silently wondering who she was-someone with that much presence had to be important.

Catching everyone's gaze, Phyllis tossed her hair back smoothly and flashed a confident smile as she offered a poised introduction.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Gabriela's cousin," she announced,her voice ringing out with effortless charm."I'm sorry to intrude, but I just had to deliver Gabriela's wedding invitation myself. It means so much more when it comes from family, don't you think?" Aubrey edged closer to Gabriela, murmuring under her breath, "Is it just me, or does your cousin come off a little two-faced?"

Gabriela met Aubrey's eye and replied, equally low,"Trust me, you're not wrong."

With all the grace of a pageant queen, Phyllis passed the invitation to Gabriela, her smile sweet but edged with malice. "I know you adore designer labels," she said, her tone dripping with honeyed condescension."But honestly, you shouldn't wear knockoffs, even if you love them. Imagine how humiliating it'd be if everyone noticed. Isn't that right?" She turned to the crowd,looking to gain their support.

At her words, the mood shifted. Gabriela could feel the room's energy curdle as colleagues eyed her with suspicion, their previous impressions unraveling.

Gabriela, once considered approachable and unpretentious, now found herself painted as the type who shamelessly paraded around in knockoff designer labels.

She leveled Phyllis with a frigid stare, her patience stretched to the limit.

As always, Phyllis seized every opportunity to tarnish her name.Gabriela wasn't concerned about Phyllis's petty digs,but she did care about her job-and how her colleagues saw her.

She opened her mouth, ready to defend herself.

Before she could get a single word out, the deliveryman interjected in a steady, professional tone."Please don't make baseless accusations, miss. This dress is a genuine piece from SK Elite Boutique. I'm an official courier for the company-here's my employee number. You can verify it yourself online if you have doubts."

He spared Phyllis a pointed glance-no interest in stirring up drama, but unwilling to stand by and let anyone question the dress's authenticity.

Protecting the brand was his job, and he took it seriously.