Gabriel's eyes narrowed as he recounted the shop owner's threat, his voice low and dangerous. "He threatened to chop off my arm and send it as a gift to my wife," he stated, his words heavy with contempt.Don Makul and his men exchanged glances, their expressions darkening with anger. The shop owner stammered in denial, but his feeble protests only fueled their fury."How dare you accuse Boss Gabriel of lying!" Don Makul thundered, his voice echoing through the dimly lit alleyway.With a swift motion, Don Makul delivered a resounding slap across the shop owner's face, the sound echoing in the stillness of the day. The shop owner staggered back, his cheek stinging with pain as he realized the gravity of his mistake.Sensing the situation spiraling out of control, the antique dealer made a desperate attempt to escape. But before he could take a single step, he found himself seized by Don Makul's men, their vice-like grip rendering him immobile.Trembling with fear, the shop owner fell t
Running late, Gabriel boarded a cab to the McConnell House. As he stepped out of the cab some moments later, he spotted Camella and Jessie waiting for him at the corner, their faces brightening as they caught sight of him. With a smile spreading across his face, he hurried over to them, opening his arms wide to receive the warm embrace his daughter offered."Hey, Daddy's home!" Jessie exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she wrapped her arms around him tightly.Gabriel chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Hey there, princess. Did you miss me?""Of course, Daddy!" Jessie replied, pulling back to look up at him with a grin. "Though Mommy said you were coming to the banquet too. Why didn't you come with us back then?"Gabriel glanced at Camella, his expression briefly clouding with concern before he replied, "Oh, you know, just some last-minute work stuff I had to take care of. I had to deal with some bad guys. But I'm here now, aren't I?"Jessie nodded enthusiastical
Gabriel's expression darkened momentarily, a pang of hurt piercing through him as he realized his gift had been disregarded. He forced a tight-lipped smile, swallowing his pride as he nodded in acknowledgment of Nora's words.Noticing her grandmother's displeased look at her father, Jessie said, “Grandma, my papa's gift is one in a million.”Jessie's straightforward declaration caught Nora off guard, her eyebrows lifting in surprise as she looked at her granddaughter. "Is that so, Jessie?" Nora asked, her tone softening as she regarded the young girl.“Yes, Grandma. Papa's gift is really special," Jessie insisted, her eyes shining with sincerity.Meanwhile, Fredrick, sensing the shift in attention, attempted to divert it back to himself by showcasing his gift to Jessie. However, Jessie's unwavering loyalty to her father remained evident as she politely declined Fredrick's offer. "No, thank you, Uncle Fredrick," Jessie replied, her eyes gleaming with pride. "But my daddy's gift is the
Nora's curiosity peaked as she turned her attention to Fredrick, eager to learn more about his involvement in assisting Carissa."So, how did you manage to pull it off, Fredrick?" Nora inquired, her tone laced with curiosity.Fredrick flashed a confident smile as he replied, "It was all thanks to my father. He has some connections in the right places."Aliyah nodded in agreement, her expression filled with conviction. "I knew it had to be something like that," she remarked, her confidence in Fredrick unwavering.Nora then turned to Gabriel, expecting him to express gratitude to Fredrick for his supposed assistance. However, Gabriel's expression remained neutral, a hint of skepticism in his eyes.Camella offered her gratitude to Fredrick with a polite smile, her words sincere despite the nagging doubt in her mind. "Thank you once again, Fredrick," she said politely, her voice carrying the weight of obligation.Gabriel, however, remained silent for a moment, his expression guarded as he
Aliyah's frustration simmered as Gabriel persisted in his accusation against Fredrick. "Gabriel, you're making baseless accusations," she retorted, her voice tinged with annoyance. "Fredrick wouldn't stoop so low as to take credit for something he didn't do." Undeterred, Gabriel maintained his stance. "Aliyah, it's time to see the truth," he countered, his tone unwavering. "Fredrick, make the call and put it on loudspeaker." Nora, torn between supporting her son-in-law and reprimanding him, hesitated for a moment before Fredrick agreed to Gabriel's request. The guilt weighed heavily on him, knowing there was no other way out of the situation. With trembling hands, Fredrick dialed his father's number. As the call connected, he took a deep breath, silently thanking Gabriel for putting him on the spot. "Hey, Dad," Fredrick began, his voice strained with guilt. "I just wanted to thank you for helping out Carissa earlier." The room fell silent as they waited anxiously for his father's
As they made their way to the dining room, Gabriel couldn't shake the feeling of tension emanating from Mikealson McConnell, Camella's father. He knew that Mickelson hadn't been pleased with their marriage, a fact that had always weighed heavily on him.Once they were all settled at the table, Camella noticed her father's discomfort and decided to share some good news to brighten up the atmosphere. "Dad, I have something exciting to tell you," she began, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "I've been promoted to Sales Manager at work!"Mikealson's expression softened slightly at the news, though he still regarded Gabriel with a hint of skepticism. "Congratulations, Camella. That's wonderful news," he said, mustering up a smile for his daughter.Nora, ever eager to sing Fredrick's praises, chimed in, "And we must thank Fredrick for his support. He's been quite helpful to our family lately."Mickelson nodded in agreement, though his expression remained guarded. "Indeed, Fredrick. Thank yo
Gabriel's voice was firm as he defended the authenticity of the antique. "It's not fake, mother-in-law. Please don't jump to conclusions without proper evidence," he urged, his tone tinged with frustration.Aliyah chimed in, echoing her mother's sentiments. "I agree with Mother. Just by looking at it, anyone can tell it's a fake," she remarked, her skepticism evident in her voice.Gabriel bristled at the implication and shot back, "You can't judge a book by its cover, Aliyah. This antique has a history, a story behind it."However, Nora, unmoved by Gabriel's defense, rose from her seat and marched back to the living room, determined to show the antique to the other guests. With a sense of superiority, she ridiculed Gabriel in front of the gathered crowd, casting doubt on his taste and judgment. “Look at this awful thing my good-for-nothing son-in-law has dared to present as a gift to my husband. Isn't this worthless?” She scoffed as murmurings filled the room. Gabriel, feeling the w
Camella's frustration boiled over as she faced off against her mother, her voice filled with righteous indignation. "You've gone too far, Mother!" she exclaimed, her words ringing out with authority. "That was a genuine antique, and you've destroyed it without a second thought!"Nora's expression remained impassive, her gaze unwavering as she shrugged off Camella's accusations. "I don't care," she replied dismissively, her tone dripping with disdain. "Your husband is a disgrace, and I won't tolerate his presence in my house any longer."Camella's jaw clenched as she fought to contain her anger, her eyes blazing with fury. "He may be my husband and whatever you think of him, but he doesn't deserve this kind of treatment," she shot back, her voice trembling with emotion.Just then, an antique expert at the party, intrigued by the commotion, stepped forward to examine the broken pieces scattered on the floor. With a practiced eye, he assessed the fragments and confirmed what Gabriel had