Chapter Text
Nathalie met Gabriel long before Emilie came into the picture. She also loved him first and she always thought he felt the same way. That's what it looked like at least.
She was only 18 and studying for a degree in economics. He was a 23 year old budding fashion designer. He had yet to catch his big break, but she stuck by his side and encouraged him all the same. What little money he made went towards the rent for their shared flat in Paris. She had no idea how they had managed to score a place for so cheap, but most of her thinking wasn't done when she was with him.
Their time together was spent going to art showings and schmoozing with bohemian artsy types. Their nights were spent drinking cheap wine and making love for hours on end. Their passion for each other was like that of the deepest romance stories of old. Nathalie only had eyes for Gabriel and Gabriel only had eyes for Nathalie…until someone else came along.
He had been thrilled when Audrey Bourgeois discovered him. His break had finally came and it meant that things could only go up for them. They did at first.
He used the money from his first contract to buy a mansion in the heart of the city. She felt that it was rather large and lonely, nothing like their small intimate flat, but she said nothing. He was happy and that was all that mattered to her.
Soon he was working day and night to produce his art. She threw herself headfirst into her studies and worked as hard as she could. They rarely saw each other during the day. Their nights were still spent in bed, but she felt like the passion had dwindled. Still she said nothing.
It had only dwindled because they were more mature now. The relationship was more serious and had transcended teenage lust. Their cheap wine had been replaced by expensive chardonnay and their mattress on the floor was now a king sized behemoth filled with feathers. Still she said nothing.
When they went to small parties and shows, he never left her side. His arm would be practically glued to her waist and his lips always found her neck when he wasn't talking. Now that it was actual fashion shows and parties filled with the elite members of the industry, he kept a respectful hand on her hip and nothing more. Maybe she would say something funny and earn a kiss on the cheek, but he suddenly hated the idea of pda. Still she said nothing.
It was at the Cannes Film Festival that the trouble began. Nathalie found herself separated from Gabriel well into the after-party. She figured she would find him eventually and went on with her conversations with other people. Later she did find him and she was not very happy with what she found.
He looked enamored with the beautiful blonde woman beside him. She recognized her as an actress from one of the films that had been shown earlier, it had been terrible. It was only when she got closer that she realized why the woman had evoked such a strange feeling in her.
Luckily she didn't have to confront them as someone called the woman away. Gabriel was still staring at her when Nathalie walked up beside him.
"Having fun?" she asked, causing him to jump.
"Oh, Nat there you are. Yeah I'm really enjoying myself tonight."
Why was he avoiding her gaze?
"Who was that woman you were talking to?"
"Oh Emilie? She's an actress and a remarkable person. We were just talking about fashion and how she used to model for a bit."
"That was my sister."
He visibly choked on air, turning to stare at her incredulously.
"What? You two look nothing alike."
He was right. When the two sisters stood next to each other, you would never be able to tell that they were related, but it was an entirely different story if you looked at a family portrait.
Louis Sancoeur had golden blonde hair and deep blue eyes while his wife Vivien had dark hair and vibrant green eyes. Their daughters were a perfect mix of the two of them. Nathalie had inherited her father's height and calm exterior while Emilie had gotten her mother’s very sharp features and shining charisma. Gabriel was still floored even as she explained it to him.
"But she doesn't even have the same last name as you."
"That's true. Emilie had a falling out with Father a few years ago. I don't know what it was about, but it was so bad that she took on our mother's maiden name, Hailett."
"Why did you never tell me about her?"
"We were never very close."
The conversation thankfully ended after that and she wasn’t brought up again for the rest of the night. When they finally went home, Nathalie made sure to drag Gabriel straight into bed and make his night worth it. She couldn’t understand why, but seeing her sister had made her scared about her relationship. Growing up, Emilie had always tried to take away everything that belonged to her and she always did it without an ounce of remorse.
Things eventually went back to normal after a couple of months. Nathalie even allowed herself to think things had gotten better between them. Gabriel was staying home more and doting on her more than ever. She had even once caught him looking up information on ring sizing one night. The prospect of him finally proposing sent her over the moon. She found herself in nothing but cheerful moods and could often be heard humming away while she worked in the mansion. Everything was perfect.
Until she came downstairs one day and saw a familiar blonde head loitering in the foyer. She turned and looked up, her green eyes going wide when she took in her sister for the first time in forever.
“Nathalie? Oh my goodness, what a pleasant surprise!”
She ran over and pulled the taller woman into an awkward hug. Nathalie had definitely not missed the fake sweet voice she used in public.
“I didn’t know you worked for Gabriel.”
“He’s my boyfriend. I don’t work for him.”
“Not wife? Woah. You would think a man of his status wouldn’t drag his feet in a relationship like that. It's always the rich that are quick to put a ring on it so they can parade their women around like prized cattle.”
“Gabriel is nothing like that. We’re just taking it slow.”
“Oh honey, all men are the same. You’re what, 25 now? You're old enough to know that.”
“I’m 20 actually, you’re the one that’s 25. What are you doing here, Emilie?”
“I just wanted to see my baby sister. That’s not a crime.”
“It is when you haven't wanted to see me for the last six years. Why are you suddenly showing up now?”
“Your not husband invited me. He wants to discuss me modeling for some of his designs. I do believe the word ‘muse’ was mentioned a few times.”
“Oh Em, there you are! I’ve been going over some designs you might like and oh-”
Gabriel had rushed out of his office when he saw her, but his elation suddenly faded away when he saw Nathalie behind her. A second later he had slapped a smile on his face and walked over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Hey Nat, I thought you would still be sleeping.”
“It's 9am. When have I ever slept in this late?”
“There's a first time for everything.”
He directed it at Emilie, earning a bought of laughter from her. Nathalie was already not in the mood so she excused herself and found solace in their sprawling library. Every so often she would hear more laughter coming from the office all the way downstairs. She always worried when it came to him, but she tried to tell herself over and over that he wouldn’t leave her. He was too smart to fall for her sister's wicked spells.
That night, when the three of them went to dinner, she found herself repeating her earlier mantra in her head. He wouldn’t leave her. He’d never do something so cruel. Even when she stepped out to take a call and returned to catch them scooting away from each other, she still said it religiously.
He won’t fall for her tricks. He loves me. Doesn’t he?
Luckily she didn’t see her sister after that. Whenever he had business with her, he would do it in his corporate office on the other side of the city. She was grateful for the peace as well as the fact that his work space was always crawling with employees. There was very little they’d be able to get away with without being seen.
He still came home at reasonable times with a smile on his face and the occasional bouquet of flowers. Though she had never been the biggest fan of it, she also couldn't be upset with all the gifts he started getting for her. One day it would be a pair of emerald earrings. The next she would get a ruby tiara. They started to pile up, but he was insistent on spoiling her.
The only thing that worried her was when he started making her wear it all to bed. He tried to say that it was a turn on to see her decked out in diamonds and pearls, but she didn’t feel that way. She thought back to the days in their flat when he would hold her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her for her. Even when she would mention the pretty models on the billboards, he would silence her with kisses and tell her that she was worth a hundred of them. What was a dozen plastic faces to one genuinely gorgeous Nathalie?
She still asked him that fateful question, one night while she lay next to him.
“You love me, right?”
He almost shot out of bed at that. The very notion that he didn't was ridiculous to him.
“Of course I do! You’re my everything,” he had said as he pulled her closer.
“Are you sure? I feel like lately there's been some rift developing between us.”
“What do you mean?”
“The jewelry for one. I feel like you can't look at me naked unless I'm blinding you with my earrings.”
“That’s not what this is. I just love how glamorous you look. You’re already my goddess, but the jewels just intensify it. It makes you intoxicating.”
“Can’t I be intoxicating without all of that?”
“I suppose. Do you want to cut back on it?”
“Maybe a bit. I just miss...you know. I miss the old days when we were just crazy for each other.”
“We still are you silly goose. I’ve just been so busy with the company. How about we go on vacation? Just the two of us.”
“That does sound nice.”
“How about Milan? We can go to all the parties you want and check out all the extravagant restaurants and stores. It’ll be amazing.”
“Or...we could just go to the beach. I'd rather sunbathe with you and drink mimosas than socialize with other rich people. We already do that at your shows.”
“Yeah that works too.”
She could tell he hated the idea.
“Gabe?”
“What?”
“Do you ever think about our future?”
“Sure, all the time.”
“Do you ever see us getting married?”
For a second she truly thought he was going to be serious about the topic. He sat up and stared down at her, his face unreadable. Of course that all went away when he started to laugh.
“Damn that was good. I can’t believe how funny you still are after all this time.”
“I’m glad you found it funny.”
She lowered her eyes and focused on the silk sheet wrapped around her chest. She suddenly felt very exposed and uncomfortable, but he was oblivious.
“Marriage is something I don’t want to think about for a long time. Anything I've said about it in the past was when I was young and didn't know any better. You understand, right?"
“Of course.”
“I love you, Goose.”
“Love you too.”
How was she shocked when she checked the mail the next morning and found a lengthy bill from some jewelry company? Why was she surprised when she saw a set of jewelry all set in 24 karat gold on the list? Why was she upset when she realized everything she owned was silver? Still she found herself filing it away and trying to forget she ever saw it. Maybe he had gotten it to surprise her later.
She only allowed herself to cry when she opened a magazine and saw her sister at her latest movie premiere. The caption was sure to point out the lovely jewels that adorned her wrists, ears, and throat. All of them were set in a bright glimmering gold.
She knew she was losing him, but she fought until the very end. Deep down she knew he was the greatest love of her life. She'd never find someone like him again. She'd never love someone as much as him.
The sudden uptick in his business trips never fooled her. He seemed to forget that they shared a bank account and she was able to see that he never purchased plane tickets. He was also a lousy fake packer, often leaving without simple toiletries. Where most people would come back from a trip to another country tired and spent, he always came back in the best of moods. It was almost like he never left the city.
The day he took a long shower and left his phone on the bedside table, she couldn't pass up the opportunity. How many times did she listen to those voicemails? The sultry voice on the other end singing his praises and calling him back to her own bed. The text messages between them were even worse. Sometimes it was nothing but pictures being exchanged and other times it was long paragraphs where he professed his undying love. He even called her Goose, his nickname that he had originally saved for Nathalie and Nathalie alone.
That night she slept in a guest bedroom. He wasn't even bothered by it. He just asked if she had enough blankets and left her to her own devices. Thankfully the pillow was thick enough to muffle her pained cries. The pain that permeated her body the next few days was so great that she briefly wondered if she was having a heart attack. She wasn't of course, even though she wished she was. It was nothing more than heartbreak.
It was on a cool Fall night at Audrey and Andre's anniversary party where everything finally crumbled. She had picked out a lovely light blue dress for the occasion. It was made of a shimmering silk that flowed down to her feet and hugged her curves effortlessly. It was the first time in weeks that she had felt pretty when she looked at herself in the mirror. Even Gabriel made a comment about how nice she looked.
Emilie, on the other hand, did not think she looked good and made sure she knew it. As soon as she walked in, her sister was upon her telling her how she looked like she was wearing some cheap costume. She was even wearing the jewelry set that Gabriel had gotten her as if to really rub it in that she had stolen her man. Too bad Nathalie was already too inwardly broken to be affected by her cruel words.
Thankfully there was an open bar at the party. She didn't think she would be able to stay put together if she didn't have a glass to nurse through it all. And boy did she need the drink as she was forced to sit and watch Gabriel dance with her sister for six songs in a row. Not once did he ask Nat if she wanted to dance or even look her way. She was stiff as a board and emotionless as ever as she took in his loving gazes directed toward the devilish blonde in his arms. If they hadn’t been in public, they surely would’ve been undressing each other.
Strangely enough, they were playing a slow song when he finally acknowledged her. She wordlessly took his hand and let him lead her to the floor. There was something in the air in that moment. Something that was telling her to run. Run and never look back. Still she let his hand come to rest on her side as he twirled her around.
"Are you enjoying the party?" he asked in a pathetic attempt at small talk.
"I guess."
"Well that's good."
"You seemed to be having a wonderful time with Emilie."
"Hey that was nothing. She was just very persistent. It's hard to say no to her."
"Oh I'm sure it is."
"You feeling ok?"
She chewed her cheek and weighed her options. It was better to just get it over and confront him. She didn't care if this wasn't the place or it caused a scene. She deserved answers.
"How long have you been cheating on me?"
"Huh?"
She glared at him.
"You heard me."
"Goose, this isn't the best place to do this."
"Answer the question."
"We barely talk-"
"Tell me!"
"Since June."
"So right after the film festival."
"It wasn't serious at first. I swear. I even tried to leave at one point."
"Those are empty words since you decided to stay."
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know you don't deserve any of this."
She took in a shuddering breath and leaned her head towards him. He still knew what made her feel better and leaned forward as well, letting his forehead rest against hers. Why the hell was he doing this when they were clearly meant for each other?
"Lie to me," she whispered.
"What?"
"Lie to me. Say this is all a joke. Say you love me and I'll forget everything else. I can act like this never happened."
"Nathalie."
"Please."
"I can't-"
"Don't do this to me."
She finally looked up, her blue eyes filled with tears.
"Please…please Gabe."
"Don't make this harder than it has to be."
"I know you love me. I know you did. Never in a million years. Do you remember when you said that?"
"I…"
"You said never in a million years could you ever stop loving me. Humans could be extinct and the world could be dust, but you would still love me. What happened to that?"
"We were young and foolish. We didn't know what love was. This is honestly for the best when you think about it."
"I don't want to think about it. I don't even understand why this is happening."
"We were already drifting apart anyway. This was inevitable."
"I admit things weren't perfect, but you still could've tried to work with me to fix them! Completely forgetting me and sleeping with my sister behind my back wasn't inevitable. You chose to do that. You chose to tear us apart."
"Don't you think you're being a little ridiculous?"
"How dare you. Gabriel, I was there for you through everything. I stayed through the thick and thin because I believed in you. I stayed because I always have and always will love you. Can you honestly look me in the eye and say you feel the same?"
He could not. There must have been something very interesting on his shoes that she couldn't see. She pulled away from him and stopped dancing. People around them were starting to look, but she didn't care.
"We are over. I don't know what I did to warrant you to just stop loving me one day, but I won't stand for it. I hope you and Emilie are happy. You deserve each other."
She could feel the eyes on her as she left. Thankfully her driver got the hint and didn't add to the stares. He was even gracious enough to offer her a tissue when she burst into tears halfway into the drive home. She wasn’t expecting Gabriel to come home that night and she truly didn’t care. She didn’t care if he never showed his face around there again. She took a long hot shower to calm her nerves and ended up collapsing under the water. She let it pour over her back as she cried her eyes out.
The next day, she woke up with a splitting headache and that ever present pain in her chest. Her clothes were discarded on a nearby chair and her glasses were lost to the world at that point. It didn’t matter though. When she flipped onto her back, she could still make out his familiar shape sitting upright in the space next to her.
“Good morning, Goose.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Her voice was hoarse and weak from how much she had screamed the night before, but if he noticed it, he didn't say anything. She felt his fingers intertwine with hers, but it was so wrong. She no longer got the usual rush she felt when he touched her. When she spoke, she kept her eyes closed, lest she cry again.
“Where did I go wrong? What did I do to make you stop loving me?”
“Goose-”
“Don't call me that! I’m not a fucking bird.”
“Alright then...Nathalie. It's not like I don't love you anymore. I'll always care very deeply for you, but your sister. She just completes me. She's exciting and adventurous and she's already so engrossed in the industry.”
“So you just like the connections she has?”
Mediocre as they are, she wanted to add.
“That's only a part of it. Emilie...understands me on a level no one else has ever come close to. I truly feel like she knows everything about me and I haven't even known her that long.”
“She knows how to weasel her way into people’s lives. Don’t think you're special. Your bank account is all she sees when she looks at you and you're either too dumb to see it or you choose to ignore it.”
“It's nothing like that. This is love.”
“And what we had was?”
“We had fun and we had a wonderful friendship. Emilie and I have true and real love. I know that and it's time I stop pretending that I can be happy with you. You’re keeping me from happiness, but it's not your fault. You did nothing wrong.”
“Except exist apparently.”
“Nat…”
She shook her head, “Save it. If this is really what you want, then who am I to stop you?”
“Are you serious. You’ll leave just like that?”
Her gaze locked onto the blue of her dress. It was the symbol of the night her life truly fell apart. She wanted to burn it. Still he waited for her answer.
“All I want is to see you happy and if this is what it takes…”
“Oh my god, you are an angel.”
His weight felt like a thousand tons when he threw himself on top of her in a hug. She didn’t return it, choosing to savor the feeling of him pressed against her for what was most likely the last time.
She was numb throughout the entire moving process. Gabriel was able to get all her things in order while she followed him, her motions slow and robotic. The joint bank account problem was solved when he just opted to give her a huge chunk of money. It was nice to know that their relationship and everything that had happened to them could be dissolved for a cool 1.5 million euros.
Emilie was strangely nice to her through this time. For the first time in her life, she found her sister to be amicable and sympathetic to her plight. She still didn’t trust her for a second, but maybe she really did feel bad for breaking them up. That or she was just thankful for the millionaire she had handed to her and found it in her best interests to at least give her a pat on the back before she shoved her out the door.
Rouen was just the same as she had left it though she hated the terms that brought her back home. Her parents were delighted to see her again though. She didn’t have the heart to truly tell them what had happened so she settled to say she had gone through a breakup and decided to leave Paris behind. There were plenty of job opportunities at home anyway and she didn’t have to deal with any more stuck up fashion designers or critics. The boring monotony that came with being a personal finance advisor actually suited her much better. She was able to talk numbers and money from 9 to 5 then come home to her loving parents. There was no stress brought on by deadlines or him yelling about some employee that pissed him off. No more desperately hoping he would give up his fascination with her sister and come home to where he belonged. With her.
She ended up selling all the jewelry he had bought her. She never wanted it anyway and it just brought up horrible feelings she would rather forget. The extra funds were a welcome addition to her already sizable account, but she didn’t much care for it. She just wanted everything of him gone.
The only thing she couldn't bear to part with was a ring. It was nothing more than a gold band set with a single diamond, a trinket. She remembered exactly how Gabriel had given it to her.
He came home late after another failed meeting with a fashion critic. He was trying to get someone to write something good about his designs to get better coverage of his work. He had stopped at the bar first and had gotten a little more buzzed. The alcohol had apparently told him that he needed to spend what little money he had in his pocket and he did just that.
She remembered the smell of whiskey on his breath as he plopped down on the couch beside her and pulled her into a hug. She hadn't even been mad that he scattered her textbooks. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled like crazy—he always said her orange scented shampoo was the best thing ever when it came to calming him down. Soon enough he had his head in her lap while she ran her fingers through his wild hair.
"I see you had a rough day," she said gently.
He sighed and looked up at her. She was currently spinning, but he still thought she was breathtaking.
"None of them will even give me the time of day," he slurred.
"We just have to keep trying then. One day someone will recognize your talent."
"Why do I need them when I have you? You always say my work is good."
"That's because it is. The clothing you make for me looks like it's hot off the runway and I'm always getting compliments about your genius work. The industry just doesn't know what it's missing."
"God, I love you so much."
"I love you too. More than anything."
"Goosey Goose...please don't be mad, but I might have gotten you something on my way home."
"What is it?"
"I don't know why the man sold this to a drunk guy, but I'm glad he didn't turn me away. You deserve to have something as pretty as you."
He fumbled with his pockets for a bit before she guided his hand to the opening he was looking for. He dug his hand inside and came out clutching a small black box. She had no idea what was happening, until he had it open and was trying to turn it upright.
"I understand that it would be better to be sober in this situation, but I might never have the guts to ask you this again."
"Gabriel. Do you know you're doing right now?
"Unfortunately I do. The headache I'm bound to have in a few hours will be prime evidence of it."
"Okay, but you know what you're holding?"
"Yes it's my future. Nathalie…will you marry me?"
Her fingers in his hair had stilled as well as her heart. It was a miracle she was still sitting upright given the fact that her entire body was nothing but shock at that point. She was dreaming, right?
"I'll be the gander if you'll be the…oh, I don't know what they call a female goose."
"I think it's just goose."
"They made it simple just for me. Good shit. I'll be the gander if you'll be my goose."
"Gabe you know my answer is yes and will always be yes, but I don't really think we can afford an engagement right now."
"I don't care. I just want you to be mine."
"I am yours, but I also think you're very drunk right now and not thinking straight. Maybe we can talk about this when you're sober."
"So this was a mistake?"
"Not at all, my sweet. I love it, but don't you think we should wait a while? What about when you finally get discovered and we have enough money to throw ten weddings."
"That would be pretty awesome."
"I would just hate to waste your beautiful gift on an endless engagement."
"I see where you're coming from. Will you still wear it at least? Think of it as a promise ring."
"Aww. I'll wear this every single day."
"And one day I'll swap it for something bigger."
"No you won't, mister. I like this one."
"Can I at least get it engraved? So you always know who gave it to you?"
"Of course."
Nathalie now stared at the ring in her hand. She hadn't worn it in a very long time. It was still pristine as ever though and you could clearly see the engraving on the inside of the band when you put it under a light.
To my lovely goose, your gander.