Chapter 137

Chapter 137
Isabella's POV

I leaned back against the living room sofa, warm afternoon sunlight filtering through the curtains, casting dappled patterns across the floor. The air was filled with a faint lavender scent—the pregnancy-safe aromatherapy Gabriel had specifically chosen for me. This tranquility formed a stark contrast to the world outside, one filled with blood and calculated moves.

"Don't move." Gabriel knelt beside me, carefully positioning the fetal heart monitor's probe against my slightly rounded abdomen. His movements were so gentle it was as if he were touching a piece of fragile porcelain, his green eyes filled with concentration. "I need to make sure everything's okay."

The familiar "thump-thump-thump" emerged from the device—our daughter's heartbeat, strong and steady like a tiny drum. Every time I heard that sound, my heart would soften.

Dr. Martinez quietly recorded the data nearby. She glanced at the numbers jumping across the screen, then looked up at us with a smile. "Heart rate is perfect, 140 beats per minute, strong and steady. Mrs. Sullivan's vitals are normal too."

Gabriel's shoulders relaxed slightly, but his brow remained furrowed, his gaze still fixed on the screen as if trying to etch every number into his mind. "Are you sure the equipment is working properly? Should we check again? Or use the backup monitor?"

I couldn't help but laugh softly, reaching out to grasp his wrist. "Gabriel, she's just very active. That's normal for a baby at this stage."

"Active is one thing." He looked up at me. "But I just felt her kick really hard. What if—"

"We have the best medical team in the city on standby 24/7." I gently stroked the back of his hand, reassuring him. "Dr. Martinez is staying in the guest wing, and there's a fully equipped medical suite downstairs. You really don't need to worry so much."

Gabriel's jaw tightened slightly. He placed his other hand over my belly, his voice low and firm. "Being careful never hurts. I can't—" He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I can't just watch something happen to either of you."

The fear in his eyes was so real, reminding me of that day he'd burst into the room and found me nearly collapsing from Marcus's video. Since then, he'd become extraordinarily careful, as if the baby and I were glass that could shatter at any moment.

I was about to say something more to comfort him when there was suddenly a knock at the door.

"Come in." Gabriel didn't move his hand from my belly, only turned his head slightly.

Quincy pushed the door open, tablet in hand. He saw Gabriel kneeling on the floor with his hand on my stomach, and something soft flickered in his eyes before quickly returning to his usual stern expression. "Sorry to interrupt. We have updates."

Gabriel stood up but remained by my side, one hand resting on the sofa back, as if silently declaring his protection. "Go ahead."

Quincy swiped across the tablet screen, his gaze sharp. "Marcus sent people again. Third time this week."

My heartbeat involuntarily quickened. Gabriel's fingers tapped lightly against the sofa back, but his voice was unusually calm. "What did they want this time?"

"Same old routine." Quincy's lips curled into a cold smile. "They said Marcus wants to 'cooperate,' help me eliminate obstacles and take control of the entire Sullivan operation. In exchange, he'd give me—" He paused, his tone full of mockery. "—a generous share of the profits."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "And your response?"

"I told the messenger to go back and tell Marcus that if he really wants to cooperate, he needs to show some sincerity first." Quincy's mouth curved into a dangerous smile. "Words alone won't do."

I watched them, gradually understanding this was part of the plan—making Marcus believe Gabriel's core team was truly fracturing, truly vulnerable to being bought. The internal conflict at the docks wasn't just a performance, but the beginning of a power struggle.

"Besides that," Quincy continued, sliding to another file, "Marcus has tried multiple times to find my weak spots. Sent people to dig deep into my past, my family, even tried to track down old comrades from my military days."

Gabriel's expression didn't change. "And then?"

"Those operatives? All dead." Quincy's voice carried a trace of cold satisfaction. "I sent their bodies back to Marcus, with notes attached."

"The most recent was two days ago," Quincy added. "Marcus sent another messenger, said he wanted to discuss a deal."

"Let me guess." Gabriel's tone was flat. "You killed him too."

"Sent the body back in pieces." Quincy nodded. "With a message: 'Too scared to show your face? Afraid I'll put a hole in it?'"

The room fell briefly silent. The fetal heart monitor's "thump-thump" continued its steady rhythm, creating an eerie contrast with this conversation about death.

Gabriel thought for a moment before finally speaking. "Next time he sends someone, you need to change your attitude."

Quincy immediately understood. "You want me to seem... interested?"

"Not interested," Gabriel corrected. "Conflicted. Make him think you're considering it, but still cautious. Make him work harder for it."

"How much hope should I give him?"

"Enough to make him feel like he's gradually winning you over, but not enough to make him suspicious." Gabriel's voice grew colder. "Tell the next messenger you need guarantees. Proof that he can actually deliver on his promises."

Quincy made notes on his tablet. "What if he demands something in return, like estate defenses or your movements?"

Gabriel considered for a moment. "Give him something. Old patrol schedules, outdated security codes. Nothing current, nothing truly important, but make it look valuable."

I watched them methodically lay out their plans, suddenly realizing how skilled Gabriel was at all this—not just violence, but this kind of calculated, step-by-step strategy. He was playing a large game of chess, and Marcus remained oblivious, walking straight into the trap.

"One more thing." Quincy's tone became serious. "Our contact in Douglas's office confirmed that Marcus's cash flow is starting to dry up. The frozen accounts are hitting him harder than we anticipated."

Gabriel nodded, then turned to me, his expression instantly transforming from cold gang leader back to worried expectant father. "Are you alright? This isn't too stressful for you, is it?"

I squeezed his hand, saying softly, "I'm fine. Just... please be careful."

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "I will be, always."

Quincy tactfully left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Gabriel knelt down again, placing his hand back on my belly. The fetal heart monitor continued its steady heartbeat.

"She's going to be born into a safe world." He said quietly, more like a promise to himself. "By the time she arrives, Marcus will be nothing but a bad memory."