Chapter 92
Gabriel walked out of the bathroom, his hair still damp from the shower. He had changed into a simple black T- shirt and soft lounge pants, but even the comfort of clean clothes couldn’t soothe the heaviness in his chest.
He climbed into bed and leaned back against the headboard, staring blankly at the wall. His eyes were red. Not from exhaustion alone, but from the storm that had been tearing him apart since last night.
From the outside, Gabriel always looked composed, powerful, even untouchable–the kind of man who never lost control. But right now, he didn’t look like the Gabriel everyone admired. He looked like a broken man, more like a broken lover.
He might never admit it aloud, but there was no doubt that he truly loved Isla. That love was what made everything hurt even more.
His thoughts spiraled, dragging him into a place he didn’t want to go. He saw Isla in Jeffrey Cavalier’s arms. In his imagination, they were laughing, touching, doing all sorts of imaginable things.
His imagination turned bad, and unbearable as he saw Jeffrey’s hands on her body, his mouth against her skin, Isla’s voice whispering another man’s name. He was losing it.
“Stop…” he muttered under his breath, squeezing his eyes shut. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the bed. But the images wouldn’t fade.
A strangled sound escaped him. It was part anger, and part pain–then suddenly, he screamed. The sound ripped through the quiet room, echoing off the walls. He shot up from the bed, chest heaving, jaw clenched tight.
“Isla is mine,” he hissed to himself, his voice breaking. “Mine. My wife p>
He didn’t say it to anyone, he did it just to silence the aching part of him that still wanted to believe her. But the doubt had already rooted itself too deep inside of him.
Gabriel dragged a hand through his hair and paced the room, his mind a battlefield. Every thought contradicted the next. One side of him burned with love and longing; the other was filled with betrayal and rage. The confusion was too much. He felt like his head might explode.
Isla lay awake on her bed. Sleep had long abandoned her. The tears had stopped, but the pain hadn’t.
She wasn’t crying anymore. But she he was angry. Angry at herself for being careless. Angry at Gabriel for not trusting her. Angry at whoever had replaced her real test results with a fake one.
She was sure that the doctor gave her the right results. How her results were swapped into a fake one, she
couldn’t understand.
Her eyes were swollen and red. Her body felt heavy, drained. She had cried until there was nothing left to cry out.
Now she just stared at the empty ceiling.
What happens now? she wondered. Will he file for a divorce? Will he even give her the chance to prove her innocence?
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Her thoughts were tangled with many emotions. Everything had changed so suddenly.
She sat up slowly, hugging her pillow. Then she nodded to herself, as if reaching a quiet decision. Tomorrow, she will go back to the hospital and do another test. She will do it not to convince Gabrie, but for her own sanity.
Once she got the truth, she would protect herself and the baby. She would stop begging, stop explaining. If Gabriel still doubted her, then he could test the paternity when the child was born.
By then, it would be too late to mend what he had broken.
A sigh left her lips as exhaustion finally enveloped her. She drifted off, her mind still echoing with the same thought—he didn’t believe me. And that hurts her more than anything.
The Next Morning
Gabriel was dressed and ready before sunrise. He left the bedroom quietly, avoiding even the slightest sound. But when he walked into the living room, he stopped.
Isla was there, sitting on the couch, waiting for him. Her eyes were swollen, her face pale, but her posture was
calm. It was too calm for someone in her situation.
Gabriel’s throat tightened. He couldn’t look directly at her–not after what his mind had shown him last night. Not after imagining her with Jeffrey.
He looked away, pretending to fix his cufflink.
“I-” they both started at the same time, then stopped.
“You can go first,” Isla said softly.
Gabriel gave a stiff nod. “I thought about everything,” he said finally, his voice low and detached. “I’ll take responsibility for your pregnancy. This doesn’t need to become public p>
The words hit her like ice. They were colder than any accusation.
“How exactly? Just like you took responsibility for Delphine’s pregnancy?” She accused him.
“Her case was different.” He shot back. “She wasn’t pregnant in the first place. So, this was different p>
Isla forced herself to breathe evenly. She had promised herself she wouldn’t break again. But his confession
wouldn’t let her.
She stepped into his space and faced him. “How did you know that Delphine wasn’t pregnant?” She asked. “And why were you still quiet about it? Tell me, Gabriel p>
She screamed. She was definitely pissed.
Gabriel felt the impact of her loud voice. But he stayed calm. Just like he always does. “You’re not in the right position to ask me that. You should focus on yourself now p>
His words hit her more than a slap could. And she stepped back. She almost tripped.
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His hands shot forward, thinking she would fall. But she grabbed the chair instead. Then, she raised her hand, stopping him from coming closer.
Seeing how she reacted. He nodded and continued. His tone was flat.
“Let’s go back to how things were. You know, the perfect couple in Carminton, for the family’s sake p>
Isla didn’t respond. She simply nodded, her expression blank. He still wouldn’t look at her. Content originally comes from.net
“You wanted to say something,” Gabriel said after a pause. “Make it quick. I have an early meeting p>
She exhaled, her voice quiet. “It’s nothing important. Just that… I’ll be away for a while. I need time to think p>
He clenched his jaw but said nothing. Without another glance, he turned and walked out.
The door closed behind him with the same heavy silence that had filled the house all night.
Florence
Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.