The next morning, Gabriel met up with Louis at a quiet corner of a café, hoping for any leads on Jessie’s whereabouts. Louis shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Gabriel. Still nothing," he said, his voice heavy with frustration.Gabriel sighed deeply, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "I didn’t tell Camella about the call from the kidnapper," he admitted, staring at his hands.Louis frowned, confusion evident in his eyes. "Why didn’t you tell her? She deserves to know."Gabriel’s expression tightened. "Because she’s already falling apart, Louis. If I tell her and something goes wrong, it will destroy her. I need to handle this on my own terms."Louis considered his words, then nodded slowly. "That makes sense," he conceded. After a pause, he asked, "Could it be Fredrick behind this? He had a grudge after you took over his company."Gabriel shook his head firmly. "Fredrick and his family left the city a long time ago. He’s not the type to come back just for reve
Zoe couldn’t bear the heavy silence that followed Dan’s words. She turned to him, her voice tense. “Are you going to help me or not?”Dan leaned back to the nearby wall, arms crossed. “Why do you do so much for Gabriel, Zoe?”She hesitated, avoiding his eyes. “He’s a friend. He’s in trouble, and he needs help.”He shook his head, his eyes narrowing. “I can see that, but I want to hear it from you, Zoe. It’s written all over your face.”She stiffened. “What are you talking about?”“The way you smile when you talk to him, the way your whole demeanor changes when his name is mentioned. It’s like you’re on cloud nine. I’ve seen it, Zoe. I’ve watched you in the office. Don’t try to deny it.”Zoe felt a pang of discomfort. She quickly tried to deflect, her tone light. “You’re overthinking things, Dan. Gabriel is just—”“Don’t gaslight me, Zoe!” Dan’s voice rose, frustration breaking through. “Just tell me the truth.”The room seemed to close in on her as she finally admitted, “Okay, fine. I
Gabriel took a deep breath, a mixture of relief and determination washing over him as he prepared to save his daughter.He excused himself and rushed into the house, his heart pounding with urgency. He grabbed his jacket from the chair and hurried back out, his movements frantic. As he walked briskly toward his car, he suddenly halted, spinning around at the sound of footsteps behind him. Zoe stood there, a determined look on her face.“Let’s go, Gabriel,” she said, her voice firm.He shook his head, his expression hardening. “No.”Zoe’s eyes narrowed. “Let’s go. I’m coming with you.”Gabriel took a deep breath, trying to rein in his frustration. “Zoe, I said no. You can't come with me.”Their argument escalated quickly, tension crackling between them. Zoe wouldn’t back down, and it drove Gabriel to the edge. “It's dangerous, Zoe!” he yelled, his voice cracking with the weight of his worry. “I’m going. Alone. Obey my wish!”He turned away from her, storming to his car. Without anothe
Gabriel found it hard to recall any potential enemy of the past who could have a relation with the man standing before him. "Hmm, you don’t know my father? It’s true that killers tend to forget their victims, but this is never the case for the victims," Ric taunted, his eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction.Gabriel clenched his fists, his patience wearing thin. "Enough with the games! Who the hell was your father?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.Ric’s smirk grew wider. "Let me do a full disclosure. I’m Ric. Gaganda’s son."“Gaganda?” Gabriel’s expression shifted as realization dawned on him. His jaw tightened, and he stared hard at Ric, the pieces falling into place."You remember now, huh?" Ric said, his voice dripping with satisfaction."I didn’t kill your father. Your father deserved death, anyway. He killed my subordinate’s wife," Gabriel retorted, his voice cold and steady."Oh, Louis. My father told me a thing or two about him while I was in jail. Louis killed h
Gabriel stared at him in shock, his heart pounding in his chest. He tore his gaze away and ran toward the building, dread gripping his heart.Inside, Zoe had acted just in time, throwing herself in front of Jessie and taking the bullet meant for her. She fell to her knees, clutching her bleeding arm, but felt a small sense of relief as she saw Jessie sprinting through the door.The guy, seeing Jessie escape, moved to chase after her, but Zoe wasn’t done. With a fierce kick, she sent him stumbling backward and engaged him in a desperate brawl. She wasn't going to let him get to Jessie, no matter the cost. Zoe fought with every ounce of strength she had left, her determination unwavering even as pain radiated through her body.Gabriel reached the building just as Jessie came running toward him, her small frame trembling with fear. He dropped to his knees, scooping her up into his arms, his eyes frantically scanning her for any injuries. "Jessie, are you okay?" he asked, his voice thick
Camella held Jessie close, her voice soft and filled with concern. “Sweetheart, how are you feeling? Were you scared?”Jessie nodded slightly, her small fingers clutching her mother’s shirt. “A little bit, Mommy. But I knew Daddy and the nice lady would save me.”Gabriel, who had been standing nearby, knelt down beside them, his eyes filled with a mix of relief and guilt. “You were so brave, Jessie. I’m so proud of you.”Jessie looked up at her father, her eyes shining. “I just wanted to come home.”Zoe, who was still seated on the stretcher, smiled at Jessie. “You did amazing, Jessie. You weren’t a crybaby at all. You were so strong.”Jessie blushed, burying her face in her mother’s shoulder. “Thank you, ma’am.”As they spoke, Zoe caught sight of Dan standing off to the side, his arms crossed as he watched the reunion. She tried to catch his eye, offering a small, tentative smile, but Dan exhaled sharply and looked away, his expression tense.A pang of guilt twisted in Zoe’s chest. S
The following morning, Anna and Jia were startled awake by the sound of Magdalene screaming. They rushed to her side and found her sitting up in bed, her eyes wide with panic as she clutched her bandaged head.“My son, my son, my son,” she muttered frantically, her voice trembling with desperation.Anna quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. “Magdalene, are you alright?” she asked, her own heart racing with concern.Magdalene shook her head vigorously, tears welling up in her eyes. “My son… I… I remember…,” she stammered, her voice choked with emotion.“Calm down, Magdalene,” Anna urged gently. “I promise we’ll find your son, but you need to take care of yourself first.”Magdalene grabbed Anna’s hand tightly, her grip almost painful. “No, dear. I know my son. I remember…”Anna’s eyes widened in surprise, and she exchanged a quick, uncertain glance with Jia. Just then, the doctor walked in, his expression calm but alert. “What’s going on here?” he asked as he
When they finally pulled away, breathless and content, Camella rested her forehead against his, a peaceful smile on her face. Gabriel brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his voice barely above a whisper. “I love you, Camella. Always.”“And I love you, Gabriel,” she replied, her heart swelling with gratitude and love as they stood there, wrapped in each other’s warmth, the troubles of the past few days fading into the background.Gabriel cupped Camella's face gently, his thumb brushing across her cheek as he smiled down at her. “So, do I still seem angry with you now?" he asked, winking playfully.Camella leaned in, her breath warm against his ear as she whispered sultrily, "Maybe you can do more to make me believe you're not." Her hands started to mischievously unbutton his shirt, her fingers trailing over his chest with a teasing touch.With a growl, Gabriel grabbed her waist and pulled her closer, crashing his lips onto hers in a heated kiss. Camella responded eagerly, her arms