"Falling for each other?" Jeanne snorted, her chest twisting with rage. "Are you even listening to yourself? He is the father of your ex-boyfriend."
"Yes, ex-boyfriend," Tania snapped back. "Denis and I broke up cleanly. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. I stayed far away from the Beaumonts all these months, didn't I? I didn't disturb him. I didn't chase him. I kept my distance."
Her shoulders squared as she met Jeanne's burning glare with cool resolve. "My encounter with Gabriel was pure coincidence. I never tried to lure him or trap him. I only wanted to help him."
After a moment of pause, she added, "He was drunk that night, creating a nuisance in the bar. People were laughing at him, mocking him. The bartender was cursing him and was about to throw him out. If I hadn't stepped in, he would have landed himself in trouble."
She took a step closer to Jeanne. "I didn't want to see him humiliated. My intention that night was nothing but to help him."
