It was obvious, in this case, to her alone, that Gabriel was pulling one of his usual tricks. Trying to play the role of a sweet asshole in hopes to jump ħla responsibility towards Angelina's pregnancy. "Ha, you don't ever change, do you Gabriel?" Pulling her hand free, this tshe pulled away with much force than she had previously done, intending to show how much his tricks irritated her. And her message was well gotten, well, halfway gotten. Gabriel understood the fact that she was angry at him, but he didn't know what made her angry at him Left for him, spart of his mind had been singing with one tiny little voice, trying to convince him that Leonica would be glad in the tiniest bit to bear the news.
But she wasn't. She didn't look the least hit pleased, instead she looked somewhat... disgusted? "You're still the sas you were five years ago. You only ever keep people around when you need them, however, the moment you no longer need them, they becuseless to you." "What the hell are you talking about?" "Do you really need to ask? I'm damn sure you know what I'm tallding about." Leonica retorted, sighing at the end as she attempted to keep her temper from spilling over.
Not here. Not now, and certainly not for him. Gabriel Bryce wasn't worth a drop of her spit.
"You can pretend for all you want; I don't really care." She shrugged. "And I don't really care whose child Angelina was carrying, never mattered tobefore and wouldn't matter tonow." She gave him one final explanation before turning to leave but recalling one last thing she needed to say to him. "Oh, and do yourself sgood; don't get any ridiculous idea into that head of yours. My visit here was only to make sure Angelian wasn't well, dead So don't go thinking I call the way here because I've got sridiculous obsession with you. It'd be a shfor a mm such as yourself to entertain such..deplorable thoughts, alright?" Completing the last of her words, she flashed him that same, cold and indifferent smile that never quite reached her eyes and turned around w walking away and never for once looking back.
Now, Gabriel would be a damn lair if he said her words hadn't stunned him. And he also would be a liar if he says for a second, he could have ignored the look of disgust swirling in Leonica's eyes.
He couldn't And for the first ever time, a thought crossed his mind.
"Was he really that much of an asshole?" Mind preoccupied by his thoughts, Gabriel failed to hear the approaching footsteps, and only when the dumpling locking youngster was in front of him, waving her hand and calling his name, did he snap out of his trans like Isaze. Mr. Bryce, can you hear me?" Blinking a few times, be recognized the female in front of him was none other than Angelina's apeut. Riley Grant "Riley," He finally acknowledged the girl's present, resulting in an Innocent beam akin to Angelina's own However, knowing the type of persen Angelina now was, Gabriel wondered if it was alright to loep a truly pure soul like Riles around bet.
The answer to that question cas quickly as the question itself had conse, convincing Gabriel that the steps he was about to take were the right ones. "Hello Mr. Bryce, Are you by any chance here to see Ms. Fernandez?" Riley questioned. "Yes. I assyou're also here to do the s"Comet!" Riley shot a handgun at him.
Nodding his head, Gabriel suggested. "Well, let's go together." Of course, Mr. Bryce After you. She pointed her open palm in the direction of Angelina's mon Gabriel turned around, journeying down in the directions, Riley beside him, for only a few minutes before they stumbled upon the familiar door.
One knock on the door and he slid it open, palckly locating Angelina beside the trash bin, trashing the fruit basket Leonica had brought for her. unbeknownst to Gabriel's knowledge.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe moment Angelina saw Gabriel, her expression becmeek, demeanor returning to the lily lower she had portrayed as her public image. "Gabe, you came." She smiled innocently at him.
"Hello Ms. Fernander," Riley bowed her head, brown bungee curls following her movement. "L. I brought you a fruit basket." The female raised the assortment of filts, which Gabriel only just now realized she had been carrying. "Oh, Hello Riley," Angelina smiled at her agent.
Less honestly, Gabriel could instantly tell.
Weird if you asked him, seeing as ten hours ago, he couldn't even differentiate a truth from lie when cout from her mouth.
Watching her, she stepped forward, retrieving the basket from Riley and examining it for a moment. "Ali, what a lovely basket. Thank you, Riley. I'll cherish it." She plastered yet another fake smile of hers onto her lip.
After placing the basket down, she turned to face Gabriel, her smile switching over to the gemine side. "Gabe, 1 called a number of times last night, why didn't you pick? "I was busy," He answered vaguely, moving from where he stood by the door and sinking into a nearby couch, while Riley nervously fidgeted, unsure of where to go. "We need to talk, Angelina." "Oh? What about?" She questioned, brows knitting when Gabriel pointed towards the second couch. Without much delay, she took her seat, sensing that the topic at hand must be serious.
Talk about their marriage, she hoped "What.what is it Gabe? *... I've made several arrangements with a recovery hin England, for you Angelina. They're going to make sure you recover to the best of your abilities and cater for your every need while you're there." "What?" The smile on her face began to fade once she heard this But for sreason she didn't want to think the worst. "That.. that's great. So, when are we leaving?"" Gabriel shook his head. "Not 'we, Angelina, Just you' Now the smile completely faded. "What? You're... you're sendingaway?" "Exactly." "Gabe Gabriel- "Ms. Fernandez, perdon my intrusion, but I actually think it's for the best," Riley spoke up and presented her tablet to Angelina. "The press had been on you a lot lately. Being gone from the spotlight for a while can be a good thing" Angelina nearly glared at the agent who was spitting nothing but obvious facts, "Riley, please stop outside for a moment, I'll like to talk with my fiancé, privately." "As you wish, Ms. Fernandez." Riley said with a bow and exited the room.
As soon as she was gone, Gabriel spoke. "I'd advise you to stop callingthat." Angelina's brows knitted at his words, and she strained a chuckle. "You're kidding right, Gabe? You're not going to send my away and you certainly aren't having thoughts of breaking off our engagement, right?" Gabriel remained quiet as she spoke, only mustering a tired and long sigh at the end. "Angelina, answer the this one question; what do I hate the most?" He questioned and while the brunette was racking her brain, trying to cup with a suitable answer, Gabriel raised his head, loying his eyes on hers." Betrayal, Angelina, the answer is betrayal." Angelina's eyes trembled and yet another strained chuckle escaped her lips as things were becoming clear to her.
Gabelel knew something.no, he knew everything And the aftermath of that, was simple and Obvious. Gabriel was going to end their relationship.
The thought, about to becreality, instilled fear in Angelina. The type of fear that she only ever felt each ther position as Gabriel's fiancée was threatened.
Except this time, it wasn't being threatened by anyone, her fiancé himself was about to strip it from her.
Shaking her head from side to side, she said. "Gabriel you.. you can't do this. Have you forgotten how hard I've saved you? I saved your lite Gabriel, se 5 you have no right to do this." "That you did, and for that, I have forever been grateful." For the first tever, Gabriel bowed his head to Rogel loved you, but Angelina, I don't love you anymore." Those words completely shattered Angelina's heart. "What did you say, Gabriel? bcese of thee] "I no longer have feelings for you, Angelina. I'm certain and if we were to try and force this us," He pointed his finger index between them "The without a doubt we'll only end up going down a path that has no future for us, Angelina The Truth Even He Dended.
April fools, that was what Angelina wished today was.
But it wasn't. Currently, it was May 3, April's fool was far from over. So that meant everything little thing Gabriel was saying was not a prank, Tears began to pull in her eves, and she snapped without holding back, yelling at the top of her lings. "Yo you don't loveanymore? There's no future for you and I? What the hellyou saying Gabriel?" Gabriel remained quiet even though he had been addressed. He hal prepared for something like this, her outrage and on flowing tears, so be wasn't in the least bit .
When Angelina noticed this, eyes locking unto his interent and unfazed ones, she felt a painful sting in her chest. It was the kind of pinch one felt core they had realized something painful that they had been trying to fight oft, And for Angelina, her realization in this case, was that Gabriel's words were He wasn't Iving to get rid of her but telling the truth. He actually no longer loved her. - But why? And when did he fall out of love with her? How long had it been? And if he no longer loved her.., who did he love? As much pain as the thought brought, Angelina had the feeling that she needed to know the answer. Was the person he now loved better than her? Prettier than her? Could she perhaps have children for him, like her? Fear of the unknown slowly drove her crazy and her hands crept up to her hair, tugging painfully on it in other to keep her mind from wandering into the depth of insanity.
She could still salvage this situation, get her position as his fiancée back if she knew how to handle her opponent. Those were the comforting words she told herself and they were more than enough to snap her back, giving her enough courage to look up at Gabriel With a forced smile, that broke every now and then, showing the pain she was feeling, she tentatively asked. "Would you mind telling me. If you don't loveanymore," She paused, swallowing thickly before she continued. "Then who is it you love now?" Gabriel remained silent for a few seconds, but Angelina knew he was thinking of the person that had replaced her, when his expression softened, and a wistal smile crept onto his lips.
* Are you sure you want to know the answer?" Gabriel asood, wanting to spear any more pain than her heart was already going through. When she remained silent, he continued, finally about to speak a truth that even he himself had been denying for months now. "It's-" "That enough!" Angelina's hand quickly went up, covering her ears with her eyes shut tight as she interrupted his words.
she no longer wanted to hear, even if that meant she wouldn't know who her opponent was, that was fine. She was fine with that, but having to bear to see that familiar expression of warmth and adoration that once was for her, belonging to someone else now, she couldn't bring herself to stand the pain that calong with it It was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
"No. More. Please, please stop," She sobbed.
At this point, Gabriel could only feel sorry for her. The way she was, the way she currently was crying was after all, only because she fell in love with him. It was saddening, but what was more saddening would be when he continues to ignore the whispering words of his heart... fighting the feelings that wen he has tried to ignore.
It would be best for them both if he told the truth. "Angelina," "Please don't." She begged, but Gabriel continued.
"The person I love Angelina, is..." He paused and swallowed, trying to convince his mouth to utter the remaining word that even though they felt right to say, his egotistical brain refused to accept, unlike his heart. "Leonica." The nrolled out of his mouth at last, providing a wave of relief that even he didn't know existed.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmBut for Angelina, however, hearing those words far from relieved her. It caused a sudden fire to rise in her chest, momentarily overtaking the pain she was feeling "Leonica? You love her? Why, because she can bear your children.. and I can't?" "Of course not!" Gabriel denied it, honestly "Then what is it? What does she have that I don't? Why can you love her but not me?" Angelina questioned, waiting for an answer, but Gabriel remained silent for the next few seconds, trying to think of an answer.
But he emaldi't. No, it wasn't that he couldn't, but rather, because the little he law about Leonica, the little that drew him towards her constantly and caused his chest to tighten each tshe looked at him with disgust, each tshe smiled at Arvan and not him and each the thought of her spending her life with someone else, that little knowledge, was too big to be put into words.
But if he was to say one word, then it would be; "Everything" Angelina breathed out, intending to calm bet nerves. However, the breath cout more shaldly than she had expected, and her fingers tightened around her hospital gown, crambling the fabric as she thought about how hard she had worked for ten freaking yours, just so she could win Gabriel's Yet, Leonica had only been back for less than three months, and she had successfully captured Gabriel and many more's heart.
"Ah, I underestimated that bitch." She thought
vision being "But you don't need to worry, Angelina," Gabriel's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up but could barely make out the expression on his face due to hem blurred by her tears. "Even with everything that has happened, I still intend to support you. To make sure you recover the fastest you can and live the best life opportune for you, I owe you that much after you've saved me. But" He slowly shook his head. "I can't continue doing this. Denying my feelings and acting like they don't exist. I did it five years ago, and I don't intend to do it again." "Five... five years ago? Are you listening to yourself Gabriel?! You loved Leonica five ago while she was busy creating a schthat led to your grandmother's death."
Hearing his grandmother mentioned it, Gabriel's jaws tightened, and he shook his head. "Don't do that, Angelina. Grandmother's death m wasn't Leonica's fault, so don't try to pin it on her." He warned "What?" Angelina was shocked, after all, she knew when it cto Lila, Gabriel was always sensitive. So, if she played her card well, then she could trick him into hating Leonica again. But apparently, that trick had expired
"Medical test, detailed records and all were carried out, investigations even.
Nothing was able to prove that Leonica was responsible for om Grandma's death. They all boiled down to the sconclusion; death from old age." He explained. "So, Angelina, Leonica is innocent. And if you were to speak about my grandmother, then I can beat my chest and tell you that I'm damn sure she would be rolling in her grave if 1 mistreated Leonica any more than I already have." And those words were enough to seal the deal. Just as much as Gabriel was a softie for his grandmother, his convictions also stood firm when it cclose to having anything to do with her, partially one of the reasons he mistreated Leonica a lot when he blindly believed she was responsible for the older woman's death.
End note, Angelina now knew that no matter what she said or the tricks she tried to pull, Gabriel's mind wouldn't be changed. And neither was hers. She refuses to admit defeat.
"I know this may have hurt you deeply, Angelina and I'm sorry for that." "L. See." She felgned understanding while the sound of his phone ringing echoed in the room. Fishing his phone out of his pocket, Gabriel sighed once he saw it was an important business call, one of those ones Bill couldn't handle. "I need to answer this," He informed, rising to his feet and walling towards the door, only stopping one last tto look over his shoulder. "Rest well, Angelina." And with that, he was gone, leaving Angelina where she set, heartbroken and all. But she refused to cry. Instead, the pain she felt, she channeled in in a new direction, Revenge.
Getting up, she located her phone and dialed Stuart's number. The phone, as usual, rang for only a few seconds before the lovesick fool picked up. *Angelina, what is it?" He asked.
"Stuart," Standing in front of the window and watching Gabriel walk towards his car, phone held to his ear, she spoke. "There's been a change of plans." "Change of plans, how come? And what is it being changed to?" *Something even better. TellStuart, what's the best way to make two people suffer?" To make their lives a Living hell from right under their noses.
'Just you watch Leonica, Gabriel, I'll make you both pay for hurtinglike you've done." Spin to Claim Your Surprise A Reward!