Anna hurried out of the Springfield family house, her thoughts solely on Gabriel. She knew visiting hours were over, but she was determined to see him.As she reached her car, her father, Mr. Mac, called out, forcing her to halt."Anna, where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked, approaching her.She gave a quick excuse, "I just have something urgent to attend to, Father."Mr. Mac frowned, blocking her way. "Why did you decide to leave the house and relocate to your own place? You've been gone for weeks, and you just visited tonight. Now you're rushing out again."Anna rolled her eyes and looked away. Just then, Zendaya quietly walked out of the house and stood by a corner, watching them."I just wanted my space, Father. And I got it," Anna said, trying to sound nonchalant."It's been weeks, Anna. You came to see your grandfather tonight, and now you're rushing out again," Mr. Mac said, his tone softening with concern."I need to see Gabriel," Anna blurted out before she could sto
Gabriel stared at her for a moment before saying, "It was... no one. They called the wrong number."Camella shook her head. "It was a 'she'. I heard her voice clearly."Gabriel scratched the back of his head. "Really? I couldn't decipher."Camella moved closer to him, smiling. "Anyway, you know… yesterday, I was so worried about you, Gabriel."He arched a brow, pretending to be surprised. "Why?""Considering the kidnapping at the bank and all that must have happened, I thought you got involved and it almost scared me to death," she confessed.Gabriel pulled her close. "I'm fine and safe, right here."They leaned in and began to kiss passionately. Camella's fingers tangled in his wet hair as their lips moved together, both seeking and offering reassurance. When she broke the kiss, she attempted to hug him, but he stepped back, surprising her.She noticed he was fully dressed and asked, "Why are you dressed?"He chuckled nervously. "Just a new habit, I guess."She frowned, confused. "Yo
Some days later, after leaving the supermarket, Gabriel headed to his daughter Jessie’s school to pick her up. As Jessie spotted him, her face lit up, and she ran toward him. “Daddy!” she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.“Hey, Jessie,” Gabriel smiled, lifting her up.As they were talking, two kids rushed over and hugged Gabriel, calling out, “Mr. Hero!”Gabriel looked around, noticing some parents and teachers watching them with interest. He knelt down to the children’s height and recognized them as the kids from the bank robbery.“Hey there, little heroes,” he greeted warmly. “What are your names?”The boy, with bright eyes and a wide smile, said, “I’m Tommy.”“And I’m Lily,” the girl added, her pigtails bouncing.“It’s nice to see you both again,” Gabriel said. “You were so brave at the bank,” he added in a cheerful whisper. Tommy grinned. “You saved us, Mr. Hero!”Gabriel chuckled. “We all helped each other, right? High-five!”He gave each of them a high-five. As Tommy and Lily r
Vincent looked desperate. “I know you have a hand in what’s going on with my business.”Gabriel’s expression hardened. “Are you accusing me of something?”“No, no, I’m sorry,” Vincent stammered. “Is there any way you can help me?”Gabriel pretended to consider. “I might talk to someone. No promises, though.”Vincent’s gut told him Gabriel was lying, but he had no choice. Gabriel cryptically asked for a glass of juice to soothe his throat. Vincent eagerly turned to call the waiter, but Gabriel stopped him, motioning to Barry. “Have him get it,” Gabriel said, eyes cold.Vincent nodded to Barry. “Go get Gabriel a juice.”Barry returned with a glass of juice, placing it in front of Gabriel before turning to leave. Gabriel took the glass and deliberately spilled half of it on his shoes.Barry turned back, frowning, thinking Gabriel wanted him to clean his shoes. Vincent almost yelled at Barry, “Don’t be a dummy. Clean Gabriel’s shoes.”But Gabriel intervened. “No. I want you, Vincent, t
Camella's gaze lingered on Gabriel, her eyes searching his face for any hint of the lie. He felt her scrutiny but maintained a calm facade. Leaning forward, he pecked her lips gently."Goodnight, love," he whispered before heading to the bathroom.Early the next morning, Gabriel was deep in a dream. He was a young boy again, standing in a crowded train station. His mother was walking away, disappearing into the throng of people. He tried to follow, but the crowd seemed to swallow him whole."Mom! Mom, wait!" he cried, his small hands reaching out desperately.His mother turned, her face full of sorrow. "I have to go, Gabriel. Be strong.""Don't leave me! Please!" His voice was choked with tears, and the distance between them grew.In the real world, Camella was awake, lying next to him. She heard his distressed murmurs and turned to see him thrashing in his sleep. Concerned, she reached over and placed a hand on his face.Gabriel's hand shot up, grabbing hers tightly. "Don't go! No, p
Zoe held his arm gently and guided him to the couch. "Sit down," she instructed softly. "Don't worry, I will take care of it."He asked what she could do, and she reassured him, "Just sit here and relax. I will be right back."Zoe quickly walked away to gather first aid supplies. As she rummaged through her cabinet, her mind raced with worry and determination. She returned moments later with a first aid kit and knelt beside Gabriel."Let's take a look," she said, her voice steady. She carefully unbuttoned his shirt and examined the wound. "It's not too bad, but it needs to be cleaned and dressed properly."Gabriel winced as she began cleaning the wound, but her touch was gentle. "Thank you, Zoe. I don't know what I would have done without you.""You're welcome," she replied, focusing on her task. "But you really need to take better care of yourself."He nodded, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude. "I will. I promise."As she finished dressing the wound, she looked up at him and smi
Meanwhile, Dan, who had stopped to see Zoe, frowned as he saw Gabriel driving away. He got out of his car and headed inside the building, seething with anger. Reaching Zoe's condo, he knocked aggressively. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see him."What are you doing here, Dan?" she asked.He started confronting her. "I saw Gabriel leaving. Why are you entertaining him in your house?"She was taken aback. "Mind your business, Dan! Stop being nosy and annoying.""I won't," he said curtly.She stepped out of her apartment, closing the door behind her, and glared at him. After quickly looking around to see if anyone was watching, she retorted, "You better do, because I don't like it.""I won't stop interfering in your life because I care," he insisted.She scoffed, "Why do you care? We're not related."He huffed, "You know why."She hissed, "No, I don't, and I don't want to know."Dan's expression darkened. He clenched his fist and punched the wall behind her. Zoe's eyes
In the middle of the night, Gabriel was tossing on the bed, his body restless and drenched in sweat. His mind was trapped in another dream about his mother. This time, he found himself wandering in an unknown, dark place, the shadows thick and oppressive. "Mom!" he called out, his voice echoing through the emptiness."Gabriel, my boy," a familiar voice answered. He turned around and saw her, standing there with a sad smile on her face."Mom, I've missed you so much," Gabriel said, his voice breaking. He rushed toward her."I've missed you too, Gabriel," she replied, her eyes filled with love and sorrow. "I watch over you every day.""I don't understand why you had to leave," he said, his heart aching. "I need you."She reached out to him, her hand trembling. "I was taken too soon, my dear. But you must be strong. We're going to see each other again at the right time."Just as their hands were about to touch, a sudden gust of wind swept her away, her form dissolving into the darkness