Chapter 186

Chapter 186

"Nason!"

Gabriel ground out his name through clenched teeth.

"When the hell did you two start hooking up?"

Always with the degrading comments.

I didn't want to deal with him anymore. Worried the two of them would actually come to blows, I grabbed Nason and pulled him inside with me.

I shut the door firmly behind us and finally let out a breath. I looked at Nason apologetically. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. Now you two can't even be friends anymore."

Nason shook his head. Instead of addressing what I'd said, he asked, "So you still have feelings for him?"

His eyes showed clear disappointment.

I shook my head. "What just happened has nothing to do with feelings. I just feel guilty that you two are fighting because of me."

I couldn't finish the sentence. I rubbed my temples in frustration.

"Alright." Seeing I didn't want to continue, Nason tactfully dropped it.

"What do you want to eat? I'll make something."

Nason smiled, changing the subject.

I slumped onto the couch, exhausted. "I have no idea. Whatever's in the fridge, just make something."

He was a guest—technically I should be the one cooking for him. But ever since I got pregnant, I'd been constantly tired.

Delivery would take forever, so having Nason cook seemed like the best option.

"Alright, let me see what we're working with." Nason opened the fridge with a smile.

Soon, the smell of fish soup drifted from the kitchen.

My stomach lurched violently. I covered my mouth and bolted for the bathroom.

"Ember, are you okay?" Knocking came from outside. My reaction had clearly alarmed Nason.

"I'm—" I couldn't even finish a sentence.

I dry heaved until there was nothing left in my stomach, then braced myself against the wall and shakily opened the door.

Nason was frowning at me, his expression complicated.

"So you're pregnant?"

I was washing my hands at the sink when I looked up to see Nason watching me in the mirror.

I froze. After a long moment, I slowly nodded.

"Gabriel's?" Nason asked, though he clearly already knew the answer.

I nodded, forcing a weak smile.

"So you're planning not to tell him? Be a single mom?" Nason frowned.

"Can you please keep this a secret?"

I looked at Nason pleadingly.

Gabriel didn't love me—I knew that. I didn't want to use a baby to try to hold onto this relationship. More importantly, I had no intention of staying with him. Azure wasn't pregnant yet, and I was worried the Sinclair family would try to take my child.

"Ember, are you just going to keep sacrificing yourself like this?" Nason looked even more upset than I was.

He threw the door open and stormed out.

Surprisingly, Gabriel was still there. He was leaning against his car, a cigarette between his fingers, the ember glowing on and off.

He rarely smoked unless he was really stressed out.

Without hesitation, Nason rushed forward and punched Gabriel hard in the face.

"Nason, what the hell is wrong with you?" Gabriel was furious. He threw down his cigarette and the two of them started fighting.

"Gabriel, do you have any conscience at all? Why do you keep hurting her?"

Nason, usually so calm and collected, looked like an enraged animal, his eyes bloodshot.

"I never should have let you have her!"

Nason's voice rose sharply.

"Let me have her? Like you were ever competition," Gabriel said coldly.

The two were at each other's throats, and I stood there completely confused. Nason had always liked Azure, hadn't he? When did I suddenly get dragged into this?

I didn't dare ask. I didn't dare try to break them up either. I wasn't the same person I used to be—I had a baby to protect now. That was the most important thing.

"If I'd known it would come to this, I never would have—"

Nason's voice cracked.

His fist was about to connect with Gabriel again.

Before someone actually got killed, I gritted my teeth and rushed forward, grabbing Nason's arm. "He and I are over. Please stop. I'm begging you."

Nason turned to look at me, his anger melting into concern.

I looked at Gabriel. "Just go. I don't want to see you anymore."

"You're something else, Ember."

Gabriel got in his car and slammed the door so hard it seemed like he was trying to take all his anger out on it.

I watched his taillights disappear and finally relaxed.

"Let's go upstairs. He's gone." Nason turned to me, his tone gentle again.

"Can you please keep this a secret?"

I looked at Nason seriously. "I want to keep this baby, but I don't want to deal with him anymore. I just want to live my own life. I can't let the Sinclair family know about this baby until Azure gets pregnant."

Nason paced in frustration, then finally agreed.

I let out a quiet breath of relief. "Okay, the show's over. It's late. You should head home."

I didn't mention what Nason had said about liking me.

Tonight had been a lot to process. I needed time to think.

But what confused me most was Gabriel. I'd already given him what he wanted—I'd stepped aside as Mrs. Sinclair. So why did he keep showing up and disrupting my life, acting like he was madly in love with me?

Just this morning, he'd been all tender and sweet with another woman.

Then it hit me. Someone as proud as Gabriel probably couldn't handle the fact that his former biggest fan had suddenly stopped loving him. He was confusing possessiveness with actual feelings.

I was probably Gabriel's first real romantic failure.

The thought kept me up most of the night. I showed up to work the next day with massive dark circles under my eyes.

The only good thing was that I didn't run into Gabriel at lunch. He'd probably gone back home. Or maybe he was with Azure.

I didn't care what he was doing as long as he left me alone.

The company had a team-building event that weekend. To my surprise, Azure and the other part-time livestreamers were there too.

"Ms. Blake." Azure greeted me politely.