Chapter One Hundred And Ninety One
Mateo’s pov
The cold rain had returned to Manchester, tapping a loud, rhythmic beat against the glass window of my small fashion studio downtown. I sat alone at my wooden work table, the bright overhead lights casting a sharp glow over the white fabrics and drawing sketches spread out before me. The success of the runway show had opened so many doors, but my mind was completely elsewhere. I couldn't focus on the charcoal lines of my new designs. My heart was still heavy, replaying the terrifying afternoon when Victoria had stormed into Gabriel’s house like a winter storm.
Gabriel’s words still echoed in my mind, a warm shield against the cold world: “Mateo is my partner. He is my present, and he is my future.” He had stood up to his own mother, a powe
