What kind of woman is Evelyn? Pathetic!
Gabriel’s POVWhen she got out of bed and went to the bathroom, I caught a faint smirk on her face. It was subtle but unmistakable. She was up to something—something involving me. I clenched my jaw as the bathroom door clicked shut. That look wasn’t innocent. It was calculated, a silent taunt. And I could not help but wonder what her game was.She spent an eternity in there, the sound of water running grating on my nerves. When she finally emerged, she wore that pink gown—the one that clung to her curves and made me think of the times we’d fucked in the office. Back then, she was irresistible. Now, she was just a haunting shadow of my mistake.Her voice cut through my thoughts. “Enjoying the view, Gabriel?”I snapped out of it and folded my arms. “Are you going out?”She paused by the dresser, giving me a sideways glance. “Well, doesn’t it look like it?”Her smirk returned, daring me to respond. But I didn’t. Instead, I watched her grab her purse and head toward the door.When the do
Gabriel's POV If life had been different, if I were the happy husband with a happy wife, I would be home right now, sleeping soundly in our bed. But life wasn’t different, and here I was. As confusion swirled in my head, I answered Lawyer David’s suggestion with urgency. “Can we meet now?” I asked, not minding what it was by the time. David hesitated. “Uh… now? Well, okay… ” In the background, I heard a woman’s voice, Lola, David’s wife. “You’re not going anywhere, David. It’s midnight!” Of course. Which happy wife would let her husband leave their bed for someone else at this hour? Her resistance was understandable, but I couldn’t wait. “I have to go, love. I’ll be back soon,” David reassured her before returning to me. “St. Louis Café. Now.” The call ended, and I didn’t waste a second. Grabbing my keys, I headed to my car. Waiting any longer wasn’t an option, not when my life felt like it was crumbling by the second. ***When David arrived at the café, his eyebrows lifted sl
Rebecca’s POVA new gossip had surfaced on the internet, spreading quickly across a blog site and then picked up by others.I was still awake, sitting on the couch with Natasha as we binge-watched a K-drama on Netflix when my phone buzzed with a notification.“Gabriel Moretti now a laughingstock?” the headline read. Instantly, I was curious.I showed my phone to Natasha, and she immediately got the same notification on her own device.Both of us were intrigued, so we clicked the link and opened the article.“Gabriel Moretti, one of Madena's millionaires, humiliated himself at St. Luis Café earlier today. Sources say he was stumbling drunk after downing several bottles of beer alone. Could this be a sign of depression, or is he just a reckless man who no longer cares about his reputation? Let’s dive into the details.”Under the post, there was a division line, and another post began.“Recently, we saw the fashion store, The Authentic Authentics, next to Moretti Shoes, reopening with a
Gabriel’s POV“Authentic Authentics got a partnership with Valentines Conglomerate?” My eyes widened as I watched the vice president of the Valentines Conglomerate shake hands with Diana.“Is Rebecca getting back at me?” I muttered, recalling the moment I saw her leaving Chris Bruno’s VIP room that night, her smirk lingering in my memory.“This can’t be a coincidence,” I said, pacing around the room.Problems piled up around me like a landslide, and I didn’t know which to tackle first. As I thought about Rebecca, another thought about Emmanuella stabbed through my mind. I sank into the chair. My head felt as if it were filled with lead. If I claimed to have control over my life, I’d be lying. I was lost, desperate for someone to lead me to clarity. But who could be that guide?This was Madena, a place where nobody had time for anyone else’s problems. There was no sense of community. If you were lucky enough to marry a decent partner, you might have companionship. But if you were fooli
Gabriel's POVBack in college, I got into trouble—I beat up a girl for bullying me relentlessly. I thought it was justified—a moment of righteous anger. But then she turned out to be the mayor’s daughter, and my world crumbled. Luke was the one I called when I felt the walls closing in. He didn’t hesitate. He silenced her permanently. That one act became the first domino in the series of events that landed him in prison.We used to have a spot near the college where we’d meet whenever trouble brewed—a place hidden from prying eyes. Tonight, I was headed there again. Mandena hadn’t changed much, but I had. I was no longer the scared, reckless boy I once was—or so I told myself.When I arrived, Luke was already waiting, leaning against the cement bench, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. The glowing ember burned like a warning in the dark.“You’re late,” he barked, his voice slicing through the silence of the empty street.“Sorry,” I muttered, taking a seat beside him. The bench
Rebecca’s POVPatience wasn’t my strong suit, but I found it occasionally rewarding. As the partnership of Authentic Authentics with the Valentines Coglomerate aired across multiple news outlets, I leaned into my network to amplify its visibility and maximize sales.As a businesswoman, selling came naturally to me. Leveraging connections? That was second nature. My first step had been simple yet effective: ensuring the store made headlines. Now, nearly everyone in Mandena knew about Authentic Authentics. If not all, then certainly the majority.The second step was to ensure the event’s success by drawing in influential personalities. People are naturally drawn to success, and when they see prominent figures frequent a place, it cements an unshakable trust in its authenticity.I composed a message, deliberate and precise:“I will be hosting an exclusive event showcasing luxurious goods at Authentic Authentics. Your presence would be an honor.”I sent it to an elite group of contacts—the
Gabriel’s POVShocked by the news, I couldn’t hold myself together any longer. It felt like a massive blow to the face.“The Authentic Authentics and Rebecca pulled that off?” I muttered in disbelief. It was surreal, like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.This revelation pushed me into a deeper pit of despair. The entire day was a haze—I didn’t leave the couch where I had slept. I couldn’t even muster the energy to brush my teeth or take a bath.My business felt like a sinking boat. Water had seeped in, and no matter how desperately I paddled, I knew it was only a matter of time before it capsized.I sighed. “What am I supposed to do now?”My mind wandered through an endless desert of thoughts, parched for a solution. None came. I had tried everything—to partner with Lorenzo, then with Chris—and failed each time.Another partnership with a prominent figure crossed my mind, someone who could turn things around. But the idea was as fragile as the others.“What if it fails again?” I t
Gabriel's POV“Aunt Racheal?” I exclaimed, rising abruptly from the couch as she strode into my living room unannounced, dragging a battered suitcase behind her.“Why have you been ignoring my calls, Gabriel?” She snapped, her sharp tone cutting through the air. She didn’t bother with greetings. “You know if you ignored me, I’d show up myself! You think you can avoid me forever?”I sighed, running a hand through my disheveled hair. “I’ve been busy, Aunt Racheal. Life’s been... complicated.”Her frown deepened as she dropped the suitcase by the wall, crossing her arms. “Complicated? What’s so complicated that you can’t answer your phone? Your uncle is sick, Gabriel! So sick he might die. Do you want him to die? Is that what you want?”Her voice trembled with faux urgency, but I wasn’t buying it.“Sick again, huh?” I said with a bitter chuckle. “Or is this another one of your scripts?”Her face twisted in indignation. “How dare you, child! Your uncle needs $10,000—at least—to get proper
Micah’s POV“What do you mean they stole everything? What exactly did they take?” Rebecca asked me almost immediately, her brows furrowing with concern.I should have planned this better. I had to admit, I hadn't. I should have known she would ask me for details. I should have prepared a solid answer, something airtight. But now, standing here, caught off guard, my mind spun like a top. I needed the perfect excuse—one that would evoke her sympathy, making her feel obligated to help me.After all, what was the use of her wealth if not to support her boyfriend?Ever since things had taken a turn for the worse in my life, I had been desperate to get back on my feet. And not just any kind of recovery—I needed to return to the life I had always dreamed of. The latest cars, lavish vacations, an existence where I had everything at my fingertips.And now, with Rebecca in my life, someone so rich and generous, it would be foolish not to seize the opportunity.I swallowed hard, ensuring my worr
Rebecca’s POVBreaking news spread like wildfire across Mandena. The voice of the newscaster echoed through my quiet living room.“A certain prisoner, Gabriel Moretti, has been unalived by electrocution,” the news anchor announced, her tone professional but laced with intrigue.My breath hitched. My entire body went still, my hands frozen in place.On the screen, Gabriel’s picture appeared, a mugshot I had never seen before. His sharp features looked almost lifeless, even in a still image. It felt surreal, like an illusion.How was this possible?Just a few days ago, he had been sentenced to prison. And now—he was dead?The remote slipped from my grasp, landing on the plush carpet with a soft thud. My pulse pounded in my ears as I leaned forward, my eyes glued to the television. The house around me seemed to disappear.I was alone in the living room, though the mansion was far from empty. My housekeepers, bodyguards, and chefs were somewhere in the massive estate, going about their du
Gabriel’s POVWith the voice of the man in the hat, I knew instantly that they were the one who propelled the red light in the room. They were the one who made the room so hot that it burnt my skin.“Please!” I screamed.The torturing was too much. My skin was already turning red, my inner flesh was already showing. I was being grilled alive.“Please. I will strip!” I pleaded again.“Do you say you will strip, Mr. Moretti?” the man in the hat asked.“Yes! Yes! Yes, I will!!!” I screamed my response.And just like that, I saw how he pressed a button on the desk. Instantly, the light in the room changed to normal. And my skin was not burning any longer.I needed not to hear their instruction again. I darted my hand to my jumpsuit buttons and began to loosen them.In the blink of an eye, I loosened all buttons and stripped right in front of the glass wall.“Toss the jumpsuit to the side, Mr. Moretti,” the man in the hat ordered, and with this, I obeyed humbly.As I tossed the jumpsuit to
Gabriel’s POV“AH!” I screamed heavily in the pit cell. Something large in the water had cut my feet and entered into my body.It moved like a worm in my body. The more it crept in my body, the more I felt the pain.“AHH!” I screamed loudly. It crept upwards. I saw its sign on my leg now. Then on my stomach side. It crept more upwards until it eventually came out of my ear.And like I guessed right, this was a large worm with no sign of the head or its tail. It was as long as a baby snake, and it stuck in my ear opening like it was getting some fresh air and was going to return inside when it was done.My heart raced. The pain I experienced when it crept in my body was so torturing. I couldn’t allow this to happen again.Hence, I shook my head rapidly, bent it sideways, and turned the ear of which it was downwards.I just wanted it to fall off, but it felt like it glued itself there. No amount of pressure from me, no amount of shaking my head, got it off me.It stayed like that for th
Rebecca’s POV“No! Are you silly?!” Natasha nagged on the phone.“Okay! This is where it ends. You are going to call him back right now, and you will tell him that you are done!”“If you won’t, I swear I will!” she nagged.I knew Natasha was someone who was always true to her words. If she said she was going to do something, she was going to do it. Micah’s behavior irritated her that much that I had to see this side of her.“It was a red flag,” she had calmly said before she nagged. But before, I kind of made excuses for him. She needed to put more action into her voice and let me know I was making a mistake.Deep down inside of me, I knew this too. But there was another part that didn’t want to write it off just like that. I mean, we only just started, right? I shouldn’t judge him like that too early, right?“Okay,” I said on the phone to Natasha.“I know what to do about this,” I said again, and then we ended the call.I wanted to give myself adequate time to think. So, I didn’t cal
Micah left with so much joy in his eyes, and I was glad about it. I watched as he climbed his bike and rode off from my gate. When I could no longer see the traces of him on my street, I turned and was going back inside when I saw Natasha’s car up ahead.Seeing Natasha’s car, I knew she was coming to my mansion. Hence, at the moment she drove through the gate, my bodyguards bowed to her in humble respect, knowing who she was to me.When we both got into the house,“I know I am the one who referred Micah to you. But I think he is no longer whom I thought he was,” Natasha sounded, her tone serious.We both sat down, and my curiosity grew inside me like a tree.Why did she say that all of a sudden?“Why do you think so?” I asked her.“Because you said he is just eating all the way at the restaurant and all of that...”“Oh!” I interrupted Natasha. With this, I realized I had not really updated Natasha since Micah and I left the restaurant. Everything she knew was that he ate everything he
Gabriel’s POVI quickly rolled aside. Seeing the speed and the strength Luke rolled into the swing he was coming down with his arm, I knew if the sharpened spoon should mistakenly touch me, then I’d be damned. It was going to sink into my skin like a knife, and it was going to be very fatal.As I rolled to the side. “Where you running, loser!” Luke yelled. He moved on his knees towards me, his face rigid. He looked like there was nothing that was going to stop him from using the spoon on me.On the other hand, his crew were laughing hysterically now. They enjoyed how I was running from Luke and how he chased me.When I reached the wall, I was right beside the latrine. This particular one was full of shit as it was not flushed.The breath stunk, yet, it did not matter at this moment. What mattered was Luke holding a weapon to use against me.“He is going to kill me. And there’d be nothing that will happen right after that,” I thought as I remembered Dr. Rosemary’s words again.This was
Gabriel’s POV“Gabriel Moretti.” I stammered, reminded her of whom I was.“Oh!” she sounded. And then, immediately, the call went dead.I opened my eyes. Not like I was entirely shocked by this, but it was evident that she was indifferent about me now.If it were the Rebecca that I knew, even if she couldn’t help, you’d see her putting in the effort, trying to help you out, bringing suggestions on what you could do to get out of the fatal situation. But that she ended the call at the mention of my name?She had sabotaged anything that had to do with me. I was her past, and her past I would always be. I did not matter anymore.My heart raced. I glanced at Luke, but the look on his face was not something I wanted to mess with.He knew the one I called hung up on me. He was already boiling. He knew there was no way I was going to pay him anything. I was doomed. I knew he was going to collect the money in another way.I dialed Rebecca’s number again. I didn’t want to see the bad and uglie
Gabriel’s POVGomelo burst into an episode of laughter suddenly, and I wondered what happened.It was as though he realized that the number of inmates behind Luke was far more than the number of inmates behind him.So when they fought, there was a high chance Luke was going to win. It didn’t matter if Gomelo’s men had weapons or not.“You win. But I will keep an eye on him!” Gomelo said after his episode of wicked laughter.“He is far too sweet to ignore,” he added, then winked at me as he waved with both hands to his men.“Let’s go, guys,” he said.When he winked at me, my heart sank. I didn’t need anyone to tell me what he meant by I was far too sweet to ignore.He r*ped me the other day, and certainly, I was an inmate who had never done anal sex before.My anus was still tight, and this sensation he felt while he did it was far too enjoyable for him. But would I say the same for me?My fucking ass bled, and he thought I would allow him to fucking do that to me again?Before my thou