CHAPTER FORTY TWO
GABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One week slowly went passed.I felt different, I couldn't tell how so.I had thought I would be relieved and carefree by Lucian's absence but instead, it was quite the opposite.I tossed and turned on the empty bed, I couldn't manage to fall asleep.It's been seven days, I still had not seen nor heard anything from Lucian.Aside from knowing that he was in the hospital, I knew completely nothing.What exactly happened after I passed out that day?Loretta was also behaving so secretive about it which gave me the impression that something was wrong with him.Derek was getting more and more distant from my mind. Everything I thought we shared all turned out to be an illusion after all. Ever since that day at the airport, I haven't given him a single thought.I shouldn't be this concerned about Lucian either but somehow my mind always managed to drift back to hiCHAPTER FORTY-THREEGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~He didn't move and my heart kept thumping harder and harder until I thought I would pass out on the tiled floor.Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Gabrielle.I should have just stayed in my room, but I decided to go sound hunting so late in the night.I wondered if it was mere curiosity that had led me to this place or that it was perhaps I had already guessed that it was him who would be playing and had dared take the risk to see him.Whatever the reason was, it was turning out to be one of the most foolish things I've ever done.He still didn't move and I suddenly wondered if he could really see me from his spot.Maybe I still had a chance to leave.Just as I started to inch my head away, the shadow suddenly moved."Gabrielle?"I panicked at the sound of my name, and even more when he reached to where I was in a blur.
CHAPTER FORTY FOURGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~His eyes widened as the fingers slowly started to ease until they completely slipped away. "What did you say?" His voice was low, his silvery eyes deeply glued to mine. I saw the anger vaporizing out of them, replaced by an intense hopeful look that made guilt pierce at my insides."You just said that..." He paused, staring at me expectantly for an answer. My throat suddenly went tight, I was practically trembling out of fear, nervousness as well as guilt. Even for someone such as him, it didn't feel right to deceive him in a manner. "I'm p..pregnant." I repeated, hoping I sounded and looked convincing enough. I clenched my fingers tightly as he seemed to process the information in his mind. A pregnancy wasn't something I could lie about forever, it was only a matter of time before I got discovered. There was no time for regrets, I couldn't afford to worry about t
CHAPTER FORTY FIVEGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I woke up to the feeling of warmth beside me, I remembered Lucian had carried me back here last night.Oh god!Panic flared as all of the memories rushed through me.I had lied about being pregnant! Of all the lies in the world, it had to be just that. I had managed to get away with it last night, but for how long?The pills I had taken would keep me safe for another one month, so I couldn't even hope to miraculously get pregnant. After last night, I discovered that Lucian might not be that bad of a father as I thought he would be. Even though he didn't love me, he appeared to adore the baby he thought I was carrying.If he wasn't as immune to emotions as I thought he was, did it mean that there was still the slightest hope for us?Now that I fully accepted that I was going to be with him, maybe we could try to make us work?The proble
CHAPTER FORTY SIXGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Silence followed. Whoever it was outside was either going away or thinking of a way to enter inside. Lucian met my gaze, then held a finger to his lips. My heart missed a beat when he started to approach the door slowly, his gun firmly clenched in his hand.Panic jolted through me, why was he heading towards danger, whoever it was out there was probably armed, what if he gets hurt? Or killed? My heart clenched tightly in terror, I didn't want him to die. The door kicked open, splinters of wood flying everywhere, shortly followed by gunshots. My eyes were shut close, I didn't realize that the scream that rendered the air was mine until I felt a touch on my shoulders. My eyes flew open, words couldn't express the relief that soared through me when I saw Lucian. His arms went around me, almost the way one would hold a scared child. "It's okay, now. We are fine." He mu
CHAPTER FORTY SEVENGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I put on forced bravery and managed not to stumble with each step that made my legs feel like heavy blocks of lead."Is this her?" He hissed at Julia, shaking her roughly."What do you want with me!" I gritted, an ugly smile twisted on his lips and before I could guess his intentions, she shoved Julia forcefully away from him and a shot rang out."No!!" I screamed in terror as I watched the red flower that bloomed at her chest begin to spread.He shot her!My eyes blurred with tears as I watched her struggle to breathe. Painful noises escaped her mouth. It didn't take long before she went completely limp.Dead?I prayed not.The man looked absolutely unremorseful as he tilted my chin with the mouth of his gun.I couldn't help but feel that Julia had died because of me, maybe if she had just told the truth from the begi
CHAPTER FORTY EIGHTGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I was uncomfortable. My head hurt, so did my stomach, was it the cramps at this time of the month?The sound of a door opening and yelling voices engaged in an argument welcomed me to reality. I groaned at the pain in my head, it felt as though my skull had been cracked open by a wicked axe.The last thing I remembered was that big hairy man___oh god!I had been kidnapped! The thought made my eyes fly open.I was lying on a bed in what looked like a bedroom.I started to move when two figures walked inside the room. An older man who looked to be in his sixties and a younger man who I could guess to be in his late twenties or early thirties at most.I recognized them almost instantly. They were present during the wedding! Lucian's family, why would they attack us and kidnap me?Their gazes started to shift in my direc
CHAPTER FORTY NINELUCIAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Use the worm to draw out the fish, it was an old saying, one that proved useful most of the time. That was the reason Brie had been abducted, they saw her as a weakness I had.Barging inside just like that would give them exactly what they wanted, putting me at a disadvantage, so I waited. Finding the exact warehouse that Brie was located had taken some time and now it was so hard to be only a few distances away from where she was and yet so far that I couldn't get in. I waited impatiently for my men to give the signal that they had performed the task I assigned to them. When I had removed Nicholas from the group, that had meant to teach him a lesson, still he made this huge mistake. All I could think about now was several ways to put an end to his miserable life and fuck whatever restriction about not killing blood relatives.He should have known better.I would make t
CHAPTER FIFTYLUCIAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I stared down at Brie, willing her to be alright, desperately praying that our baby was safe.I had carried her home and quickly ordered for a doctor.She was bleeding. I had the dreadful feeling that it was too late, miraculously as our baby had appeared, it had been too good to be true, and now it was going to leave. We would never get to know if the baby would have been a girl or a boy. Despite these negative thoughts, I desperately was clinging to a last straw of hope. The doctor's gaze held confusion mixed with uncertainty."What's it?" I spoke, expecting to hear the worse from him."How far along was she?" He asked and a frown formed across my face, what had that to do with anything? I only wanted to know if the baby was fine."About four weeks." Brie provided the answer and my eyes shifted in her direction, she wet her lips, lo
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHTLUCIAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Months went past, soon it was spring once again, we had lived the past months to the fullest and I could say it was the best of my entire life.I lay in bed fully awake and conscious of my wife's warmth and familiar smell. It was the best fucking place to be. Not until the sound of low whimpers which soon transformed into full-blown cries reached my ears. It seemed Brie heard it as well as her eyes fluttered open almost immediately."I'll get her baby, you stay in bed." I kissed her forehead, kicking the blankets off my body as I walked right to the crib only a few feet away.There she was.Our precious Jasmine. The name suited her just right. She was the only perfect and innocent thing I had a hand in creating. Her eyes were shiny with tears, her little face was red from all the crying as I gently picked her up and her pink blanket. My protective fatherly instincts
CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVENGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It started off as another dream. I could see Lucian calling out to me, his lips were moving but I couldn't make out his words. I was pleading with him not to leave me while holding on to him."I won't." He murmured in my ears and it dawned in my brain, Lucian had never spoken in my dreams before..."Brie, open your eyes!"Suddenly, the grip I had onto him felt too physical, all too real. With a gasp, my eyes popped open, and then I saw him.Lucian!I froze. Staring at him, my heart pounding hard and loud against my rib cage.He was sitting beside me, looking very much awake and vital. This had to be one of my many dreams, or my head was playing cruel games with me.I blinked twice, my vision dimmed and cleared but he was still here, staring at me. A bandage was wrapped across his head, he looked slightly pale but his grey eyes ha
CHAPTER SEVENTY SIXGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I collected fresh flowers from the garden as I had been doing for the past two weeks. Has it been two weeks already since my world fell apart?Yesterday, I had visited the cemetery along with mom, we were all going through a tough phase, Phoebe was still convinced that I was responsible for our father's death, we haven't seen or heard from her after dad's funeral service. Mom told me that she was only confused and grieving at this stage of her life, and it was easier for her to just put the blame on another person but I had also been thinking about it every single night and hated to admit that if I had allowed Lucian to kill Derek back then, he would have been beside me right now.Words could express how much I miss him and it hurts so much.I finished arranging the flowers and walked to join Loretta and Devin."Anyone could have done that, why do yo
CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVELUCIAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It was too late, there were already inside the building.Fuck!The cold rational part of my mind registered one thing, there was nowhere to run!They were no doubt searching for us across all the rooms right now!"We need a plan now!" Devin spoke.There wasn't much time to think but the last thing I wanted was for Vladimir to use my sister as leverage against us, or worse, she could end up injured or dead.I met Loretta's panicked gaze, she shouldn't be going through this all over again. I doubted she would ever forget this event and had never been so thankful that I had found out Brie just in time and sent her home.A mixture of rage and panic filled me as I suddenly thought if I didn't make it out of here, I would never get to see Brie ever again, never hold our baby in my arms.No!All the more reason I had to get out of
CHAPTER SEVENTY FOURGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I could only seat helplessly as Devin drove us farther away from Lucian.He started to answer a call and I turned away in frustration. Tension was building its root inside of me until I felt like I would burst from it all.I inhaled deeply closing my eyes, there was no option left but to believe Lucian and wait for him to return unharmed."What the..." The startling sound left my mouth when the car suddenly screeched to a halt.My head spun to meet Devin's grave expression and knew instantly that something was wrong, I was almost terrified to ask."What happened? What's going on?"Devin stared at me, his expression filled with urgency and uncertainty. "One of our men reported to have spotted Vladimir, why would he arrive in New York all of a sudden?"Vladimir Petrov? Why would Lucian's rival be here, dad and Vladimir were part
CHAPTER SEVENTY THREEGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You have to take me with you." I said, his reaction was immediate."No, you are staying here" He asserted, frowning.I had only an hour to reach the location Derek had given to me. I was to come alone or he promised to kill everyone I cared about.Derek seemed to have lost it, I was scared for Lucian's safety and my family's as well. I wanted to meet Derek, maybe I could make him change his mind, things don't have to end tragically between us."If he doesn't see me, he's going to kill them! We can't risk it, Lucian!" I urged as he yelled something to Devin about preparing the car. I started to speak again when he grabbed my arm, tilting my chin to meet his gaze."I'm not about to use you and our baby as bait!" He glares at me. "You are going to sit your pretty ass down here while I go get the job done! I will be back in an hour and I promise you that nothi
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWOGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Please wait here! don't go anywhere." Devin told me."But..." I started, but he was already gone, I watched anxiously as he blended with the slight crowd.What was that sound all about? Why was Derek here? Was Loretta alright?I was too nervous to standby and wait any longer, I hurried after him, and at the same time, I could hear the sound of sirens.I finally found Devin, he said the first thing I noticed was the bloodstain on his hand which spiked my anxiety, I looked behind him but there was no sign of Loretta, nor Fred."What happened? Where are they?" I barely finished talking when my eyes fell on the paramedics walking out with a stretcher, I couldn't tear my eyes away, not even a blink. The person lying unconscious was Fred. Was he dead?god no!Without a word, Devin grabbed my arm, hurrying us out of the mall and more security that wer
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For the next few hours, I was anxious. I called mom from time to time but there was no positive update, how could my father and Phoebe just disappear without a trace.Mom spoke that Phoebe had gone for her dancing classes but had sneaked away from the men that were supposed to protect her. This wasn't the first time she had done that, only this time, she never returned home. As for dad, his assistant said that he had insisted on leaving alone after receiving an urgent call.I couldn't help the worry that gnawed my insides, we weren't close but they were still family after all. I only prayed that they were alright where they are.I thought about telling Lucian but quickly decided against it. What if it wasn't anything serious? My mother had always worried about the slightest things. Who knew, Phoebe might be having a hangover after partying hard, she might be at one of her friends' places. Then what ab
CHAPTER SEVENTYGABRIELLE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~That evening, we lay down together, and Lucian switched off the light, enclosing us in the darkness. I was lying on my sides when he pulled me closer to him so my head is pillowed on his chest.He appeared to be in deep thoughts and this was one of those times when I would give anything to read through his mind. Draping a hand across his ribcage, I closed my eyes, even though I was not feeling sleepy."There's something about me that you need to know, I probably should have told you sooner..." His voice was barely audible, his warm breath tickling the side of my cheek made my eyes flutter open. I lifted my chin to meet his stare. His tone and stare held every bit of seriousness and my heart was suddenly hammering in my chest, my mind thinking of all the possibilities that could make him be this serious."My mother was the daughter of one of the men in my father's organization, t