The Ultimate Chance-Chapter 108

Song recommendation : Calm down--Rema, Selena Gomez

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"I have to run, love." He pecked her lips. "Can you pick Angel up from school?"

"Sure." She decided to ask him about the rings later. Even so, she couldn’t think about anything else. If it was an heirloom from Amelia’s maiden family, why did Damon have a similar one? Was it a coincidence?

"Did you even hear a word I said?" Gabriel’s frustrated voice brought her back to her senses and she dropped the ring in shock.

"Gabe! When did you get here?" She asked as she picked the ring up awkwardly.

"When you were so caught up looking at that thing that you didn’t hear me rattle on the report you asked for. You made it sound like you were listening."

She didn’t remember any such thing happening but at the same time, she knew she had been too deep in thought so she couldn’t entirely dismiss it either.

"I’m sorry. What did you say?" She asked.

As expected, he wasn’t pleased as he repeated everything he had said. "The deal with Johnson is sealed. It’s time for you to sit back and reap the benefits." He showed her the contract, which she didn’t think she wanted much to do with anymore.

"What did you do to the D’Abovilles when you took them away?" She asked, remembering Dorthe’s sudden reaction to Mina’s words.

"Nothing. I only locked them down and let Mina have some fun with them." He grinned mysteriously. That was more confusing than thinking Gabriel himself had done something as punishment for what they did years ago.

"How exactly did Mina have fun with them?"

She regretted the question nearly as soon as she asked it. Gabriel looked like he had been asked the most difficult question on earth and would do anything to avoid answering it. Whatever it was Mina did, it might change her impression of her.

"Never mind." She cleared her throat. "Leave them alone."

"Leave them alone? I was only getting started." He complained. It was a relief to not talk about what Mina did but this was no better.

"There’s no point, Gabe. The past is in the past. As long as they don’t try to come at us anymore, forget about them."

Gabriel was displeased. "Are you really ready to let them of for...."

"They are Angel’s relatives." She cut him off. As expected, he didn’t argue anymore once he remembered how sad Angel would be if he knew they were going against his family. He had not formed any relationship with them but they were still his family nonetheless.

"Fine. I’ll let them be, but if they ever do anything to hurt you or my nephew, they are dead." He relented. "What’s this ring that has you so lost in your world anyway? Did Damon propose already?"

The mention of the ring reminded her to show it to him. "Have you seen this ring before?"

He was going to say no but took it to inspect it closer. "I’m sure I’ve seen it before. I just can’t remember where."

"With Damon." She sighed. It would make sense, since Gabriel had hovered over him for ages in the past for a chance to get back at him for taking advantage of her.

He frowned. "I was much younger when I saw it but now that you mention it, Damon has an identical ring." He gave it back to her and a thought crossed his mind. When he saw the disgusted expression on her face, he knew she had thought about the same thing.

"Don’t you think it makes sense that Amelia has a ring similar to one seen in the D’Aboville family? Besides, these are ruby hearts." He said it out aloud, and he was not just speculating. He was using it as a chance to throw a jab at her. "This ring was a sign of love between your mother and your grandfather-in-law."

"Shut up!" She wanted to tear the smirk off his face for thinking it was funny.

"Do you think I’m wrong?" He burst into laughter at her expense. When he’d had his fair share of fun, he finally revealed his discovery. "This ring doesn’t belong in this century. It looks at least ninety years old. So no matter how it got into mother’s hands, she is not its original owner."

She was only slightly relieved. "He could have given her a family heirloom for all you know. The question is, why does Damon have one? Besides, why is there a D crafted inside it?"

"Why don’t you ask him?" He finally dismissed her, frustrating her all the more. So much for thinking she could get answers.

.....

He had planned to work overtime today so when Mina came over to his office, he didn’t know what to do.

"You don’t look happy to see me." She chuckled.

"I am. It’s just...can I see you later? I’m trying not to evoke Avery’s fury against me." He pulled her over and held her waist.

"I’ll not be here to wait for you. I’m going to my grandma’s in Luxenville. See you tomorrow, then."

"Grandma. Of course!" He shot to his feet and kissed her deeply. "You’re a genius. Thanks babe."

He blazed out of the office, leaving her touching her lips and blinking in confusion. What just happened?

....

"It’s grandma!" He yelled as soon as he ran into Avery’s living room, making her jump in horror.

"What the hell, Gabe?"

"Sorry. I couldn’t risk forgetting it." He steadied her. "It’s grandmother." He repeated before she could ask what their grandmother had done. "The ring. I saw her with it when I was younger."

"Gabe, we don’t have a grandmother." She reminded him with an eyeroll.

"Are you sure?" He eyed her meaningfully.

"Grandma Sophie!" Realization dawned on her. "But hey, didn’t she cut father off years ago and us along with him? When did you see her ring?"

"Before you were born." He revealed, knowing she wouldn’t believe him. "I know what I’m talking about. I remember asking her why it had a D when her name is Sophie Vaillant. I’m pretty sure she gave it to mother at some point."

Avery wasn’t sure but it was much better than their earlier speculation. "Oh, Damon’s here."

She hugged him as soon as he walked in, and he knew what she was waiting for. Luckily, he had brought his ring.

"There’s a V inside." He showed her, and she immediately figured out what it meant.

"Vaillant."

"If you are right, D is D’Aboville." Gabriel added. "Although I want to continue making fun of you, a D’Aboville has no business crafting the initial of his rival’s name in a ring to gift his beloved. I think these belonged to our great grandfathers."

Damon agreed. "My great grandfather gave this to me. He said something about not regretting the past, just his decisions."

"They switched rings. If that was their gift to each other’s family, then it makes sense that grandmother owned a ring with a D crafted inside it. Maybe she then passed it down to her daughter-in-law, our mother, and it ended up among her valuables?" She finally had a clearer picture.

"Pretty much. If you like it, you can keep it." Gabe told her.

She glanced at Damon for confirmation but although he agreed with Gabriel, she had something else in mind. "I should give it back to grandmother."

"I knew that was coming one day." Gabriel shrugged. Knowing he was the only one she would ask about their grandmother’s residence, he grabbed Angel’s crayon and a piece of paper from his drawing tools, then used it to write Sophie’s address.

Avery crossed her arms. "If the last time you saw her is when we were young, you wouldn’t remember."

"Of course not." He didn’t deny the indirect accusation. "The reason why grandmother disowned her family is because of how father treated me after getting a clear picture of the past. She kept in touch with me."

She nodded and handed the ring to him. "Can you give it to her when you see her?"

He took the ring but her hand as well. "Why? She would love nothing more than to see her granddaughter. Coincidentally, she doesn’t live too far away. Do you want to pay her a visit?"

"I..." She hesitated. "Angel just got home. Once he is done taking a shower, he will want to play with me. And Damon..."

"If you want to go, go ahead." Damon held her shoulders in reassurance. "I’ll take care of Angel."

She peeked at him to wordlessly ask if he was sure about this. She thought he would be reluctant to let her go anywhere with Gabriel but he was calm about it. In truth, she didn’t suspect him anymore either. If he wanted to hurt her, he would have done so ages ago when she was still under the impression that they were biologically related.

Besides, Dorthe’s words couldn’t leave her mind now that she had remembered the only family she had apart from Gabriel and Angel.

Perhaps the woman knew about her grandmother with whom her entire family had been estranged in the past and was advising her against letting their relationship be lost forever.

So when Angel ran downstairs after his shower, she hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Baby, your uncle and I are going somewhere and will be back before you know it. Can you play with daddy for a bit?"

Angel nodded, only asking that she bring him snacks on her way back.

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AN

What kind of person do you think Sophie will be?