The Vanished Fiancé Has Returned - Chapter 6

“Ah… yes.”

It felt like a prickly beast had allowed her into its space. Like a predator who had been playing a subtle tug-of-war finally left a seat next to it.

Gabrielle nodded, oddly elated. “Please just call me Gabrielle too. Or Gabi, if you prefer.”

Dominic stared at her for a moment, then suddenly asked, “I heard you moved. Have you settled in?”

“How did you know that?”

Startled, Gabrielle’s eyes widened.

“I heard it from Clerk Colton. Said you moved quietly during the week.”

“Oh, well… there were some family circumstances.”

Gabrielle trailed off and looked out the car window, trying to change the subject. But another question followed.

“How is it? Are you managing alright?”

The seemingly indifferent but gentle question made Gabrielle turn her head sharply. He was staring straight ahead with both hands on the wheel.

“At first, it was hard to adjust. I worried if I could really live there.”

“……”

“But it’s better than I expected. I even have a nice neighbor.”

They only exchanged greetings when they ran into each other at night, but she was getting along fine with the man from downstairs. In an unfamiliar, isolated neighborhood, just having someone to nod and greet made her feel a little safer.

At the very least, the fact that he came and went at night meant he wasn’t involved in anything illegal or dangerous. At least, she hoped.

“You seem to trust people easily.”

“Pardon?”

It was a curious remark. She turned to him, puzzled, but he didn’t answer.

“I’ll open the window.”

Feeling like the air inside the car was pressing down on her, Gabrielle rolled the window down.

Her casually drifting gaze caught his hands on the steering wheel. The veins on the back of his hand stood out, his fingers long and elegant. His cufflinks peeked out beneath the folded sleeves.

“You seem close.”

“No. We’ve only exchanged greetings. He’s just a kind neighbor who helped carry my trunk on the first day.”

There was no need to mention that she had nearly fallen to her death. In the awkward silence that followed, just as Gabrielle opened her mouth to say anything at all—

“Can you be sure someone’s good just because they helped you once?”

There was no emotion in his voice. Facing his impassive profile, Gabrielle looked away. He had the face of a sculpture, but this man was definitely sharp-tongued. Just when she thought they were getting along, he’d pull out a remark like this.

“It’s a woman’s intuition.”

Nonsense had to be met with nonsense.

“Intuition?”

“Yes.”

Her confident response made him chuckle faintly. Before they knew it, the car had reached the entrance to District 7. Slowing gently, the vehicle stopped in a dingy, musty alleyway.

“Thank you for the ride. Goodbye.”

Gabrielle gave a polite farewell and got out of the car without waiting for a reply.

***

The next day, the acting deputy director Dominic Moore was officially appointed to the position of executive director. Everyone who saw the notice on the bulletin board was confused. Gabrielle included.

“Tax evasion and bribery?”

“No way. The director was like that?”

“He didn’t seem like it at all. Wasn’t he known for being honest? He has a wife and kids, too.”

“You never really know people. Guess he was just wearing a mask.”

Some people were pale with shock, some clicked their tongues, and others excitedly dredged up gossip.

Gabrielle stood away from the noisy crowd and stared at the bulletin board when someone grabbed her shoulder.

“Gabi!”

“Supervisor?”

“You knew about this?”

“No. Not at all.”

“But you were with him all day yesterday on business.”

At her supervisor’s comment, all the murmuring employees turned to Gabrielle. Their stares were heavy with implication.

Flustered, she shook her head firmly. “I was, but we only talked about work.”

“What? You’ve been working together constantly, and you’re not close?”

The accusatory tone made Gabrielle frown.

“We’re just coworkers. There’s nothing more to it. So please—”

“Is that so.”

She hadn’t even noticed how quiet the room had become. Her voice trailed off as she turned her head. There stood Dominic Moore, where every gaze had landed.

“I thought I heard my name just now.”

“Ah, no!”

“We’re sorry.”

At his quiet words, people scattered like startled mice. Left alone like a lamb in the spotlight, Gabrielle shrank her shoulders.

“Miss Brooks.”

Drawing out her name teasingly, Dominic asked in a businesslike tone, “Where is the meeting record you mentioned yesterday? I need it by this morning.”

Just as she finished the meeting minutes, nearly setting her hands on fire to do it, another task was dumped on her.

It was Dominic’s inauguration speech for his official appointment as executive director. Gabrielle compiled the previous directors’ speeches and crafted a decently polished draft. She hoped it was good enough to make up for the morning’s delay.

But the draft was discarded before he had even finished reading the first paragraph.

“Boring. I’m already falling asleep from the first sentence.”

“……”

“Rewrite it. It’s an important speech.”

Without even looking at her stiffened face, Dominic returned the script.

“Yes… understood.”

Watching her hours of effort crumble was not a pleasant experience. Gabrielle took a deep breath and returned to her desk, diligently writing another version.

But the second draft was also rejected.

“What’s better about this than the last one?”

“I’m… not sure what exactly you’re looking for.”

He had never been a gentle superior, but now he was outright icy. Trying hard to suppress her frustration, Gabrielle asked calmly, “If you have something specific in mind, I’d appreciate it if you told me.”

Only then did Dominic lift his head to look at her. With a faint smile, he replied, “Something appropriately witty, formal, not too heavy, but not so light that it floats away.”

What kind of nonsense was that? Like a dessert that isn’t sweet, pasta without noodles, or a salad with no vegetables. Dumbfounded, Gabrielle stammered while he casually picked up his pen again.

“I’m busy, so you can go now. Bring something better next time.”

It was only on the fourth attempt that the draft finally passed. Though ‘passed’ was more like a notice. Dominic left with a wordless instruction to go home, having reviewed the final script.

Barely holding back her irritation, Gabrielle dragged her tired body out of the office. She felt completely drained. The sun had long set, and outside was pitch dark. She got off the bus and trudged into her quiet neighborhood.

She realized something was off when she was about three blocks from her place.

Footsteps echoed through the narrow, cluttered alley. What started as a distant sound drew steadily closer. Her heart pounded violently, and her legs began to shake. She remembered something her supervisor had said.

“Aren’t a lot of young women going missing around there? I heard they still haven’t caught the guy.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. If it were another district, the police would’ve handled it already, but it’s District 7… just be careful. Don’t go home too late.”

She had tried to ignore the warning, but it now clawed at her brain and squeezed her heart. She stopped walking, and the footsteps behind her stopped too. Blood rushed to her head, and her hands trembled. Gabrielle took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly, counting silently.

‘One, two, three…’

At the count of three, she took off running. Curses and the sound of someone chasing echoed behind her. She ran with all her might, desperate. If she was caught, she had no idea what would happen.

Thankfully, the footsteps grew fainter. Gabrielle spotted her villa and sighed in relief as she grabbed the front door.

Click.

“What…?”

She didn’t remember hearing anything about a curfew. Her heart dropped. Frozen in place, she heard curses and the man calling out behind her.

She looked up at the windows, but all the lights were off. Not that lit windows guaranteed anyone would help. Her final hope was the nearest unit, but it too was dark.

“Kyahhh!”

Someone grabbed her shoulder from behind. Gabrielle shrieked and collapsed on the spot.

“Please help! Please, I’m begging you!”

Eyes clenched shut, she pleaded again and again. Let it not be the criminal behind the disappearances. Let someone come out at the sound of her scream.

But silence followed. When Gabrielle finally cracked open her eyes, all the strength left her body.

“…Gabrielle?”

“……”

“What are you doing here?”

It was Julian. Gabrielle’s arms went limp. Frowning at her pale expression, he crouched to meet her eye level.

“What’s with your face? You look like you saw a monster.”

“Someone was following me…”

“What?”

“He was tailing me for several blocks. I ran like crazy…”