Chapter 189

Chapter 189

[Can we talk?]

I was surprised to get a WhatsApp message from Sandra.

Thinking back to what happened the other day, I felt annoyed. I texted back that I wasn't available and ignored her after that.

Apparently she didn't take the hint, because she cornered me in the company parking garage.

"Look, it's not a big deal. I just want you to stop targeting Azure. She works really hard and she's genuinely kind." Sandra looked at me seriously, like Azure was her actual sister or something.

"Are you sure you really know this girl?" I looked at Sandra, almost laughing.

"Or better question—what gives you the right to defend her?" I was getting irritated. Why was everyone around me so blind? Why couldn't anyone see that Azure was a manipulative two-faced snake?

"If you need me to have a title, then just think of me as Azure's sister," she said.

I found that amusing. "So you hate me that much, but you're totally fine with her being a replacement for your actual sister and staying by Gabriel's side?"

We were still talking when a familiar figure appeared in the garage. Azure.

Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed. She didn't look well.

"Ember."

Despite looking miserable, Azure forced a smile when she greeted me.

I gave her a flat "mm-hmm." I wasn't interested in playing along with her act.

Seeing my cold attitude, Azure suddenly burst into tears.

"Ember, I've resigned. I won't be around to bother you anymore."

That successfully triggered Sandra's protective instincts. "Azure, why would you quit? It's just a job. You didn't do anything wrong."

Sandra positioned herself as some kind of righteous defender, standing by Azure's side.

"After that team-building event, everyone at the company's been saying I'm a homewrecker. That I destroyed someone's marriage. I just couldn't face staying there anymore." Azure sobbed out her explanation to Sandra.

"Sandra, thank you for looking out for me all this time." Azure wiped her eyes and looked at Sandra.

"I told you from the beginning that you didn't need to do part-time work. Gabriel's not going to let his little girlfriend starve, right?" I still couldn't manage to say anything nice.

"Stop playing the victim around me. You know exactly what you've done."

"Ember, I didn't mean to—" Azure's crying suddenly got louder.

I didn't want to deal with her anymore. I turned to leave, only to see Gabriel standing right behind me, staring at me hard.

From the look on his face, he'd clearly heard everything I'd just said.

"Ember, why do you keep bullying Azure?" Gabriel glared at me through gritted teeth, like I was the villain in all this.

"Azure's just a student. Where would she get all these manipulative schemes you keep talking about?"

"Just a student?"

I let out a bitter laugh.

Gabriel really was blind. He couldn't see any of her little tricks.

Deliberately calling him away when he was with me. Faking a suicide attempt to get his sympathy. "Accidentally" leaving her earring in his car.

One thing after another, and Gabriel had been oblivious to all of it.

Whatever. You can't wake someone who's pretending to be asleep.

I laughed dryly, done dealing with this toxic couple. But Azure took it a step further, grabbing my hand tightly. "Ember, if you're really that angry, just slap me twice to make yourself feel better."

"I know you resent me for being with Mr. Sinclair."

Azure said it all through tears, making it sound like I was the other woman.

I nodded. "Fine. I've never heard such a reasonable request."

A sharp crack rang out as my palm connected hard with Azure's face.

"Ember, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Sandra rushed forward and shoved me hard.

Azure looked terrified and hid behind Gabriel.

I grabbed my lower abdomen as I felt something warm flowing from below.

"Gabriel, take me to the hospital."

I looked at the man in front of me, gritting my teeth.

Azure was still holding her right cheek, looking pitiful as she stared at Gabriel. Clearly she didn't want him taking me anywhere.

"Forget it. If you don't want to, I can go myself."

I forced myself through the pain in my abdomen and started moving toward my car, one agonizing step at a time.

The next second, my feet left the ground. A familiar woody scent filled my nose—Gabriel's signature scent.

"I'll take you to the hospital," Gabriel said coldly, his tone unreadable.

I looked back to see Azure staring in our direction, looking completely dejected. She probably hadn't expected Gabriel to choose to take me to the hospital first.

My lower abdomen hurt terribly. Sweat was already beading on my forehead, but I didn't have the energy to say much.

---

At the hospital, I was taken to the OB-GYN exam room. Gabriel, at least, had enough conscience not to leave. He waited outside.

The doctor did a thorough examination and said the fetus was in an unstable condition. I needed bed rest to prevent a miscarriage.

The doctor was about to call Gabriel in to explain everything when I stopped her.

"Sorry, he's just a friend."

"Alright." Foreign doctors tended to respect privacy. Seeing that I didn't want to share my situation with a friend, she didn't push it.

After I was moved to a hospital room, Gabriel stared at me for a long moment before finally speaking. "I asked the doctor about your condition just now. She wouldn't tell me anything."

"I..."

I hesitated, unsure whether to tell this man the truth.

Just then, Gabriel's phone rang. I didn't need to guess who was calling.

"I know. I'll be right there."

I could hear the anxiety in Gabriel's voice.

Whatever doubt I'd had a moment ago instantly solidified into certainty.

He didn't deserve to be this child's father. Even with me lying in a hospital bed, he was still ready to rush into another woman's arms without a second thought.

If our baby ever found out about this, they'd be heartbroken.

"I might need to go..." Gabriel's eyes flickered with hesitation as he looked at me.

I knew he'd already made up his mind. No matter how much I tried to stop him, he was going.

"Go ahead. I'm fine now anyway."

I might as well act understanding. It would just make things harder for Azure in the long run.

Gabriel opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he swallowed the words.