Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Emmanuella Headed Out
Gabriel’s POV
Shocked by the news, I couldn’t hold myself together any longer. It felt like a massive blow to the face.
“The Authentic Authentics and Rebecca pulled that off?” I muttered in disbelief. It was surreal, like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.
This revelation pushed me into a deeper pit of despair. The entire day was a haze—I didn’t leave the couch where I had slept. I couldn’t even muster the energy to brush my teeth or take a bath.
My business felt like a sinking boat. Water had seeped in, and no matter how desperately I paddled, I knew it was only a matter of time before it capsized.
I sighed. “What am I supposed to do now?”
My mind wandered through an endless desert of thoughts, parched for a solution. None came. I had tried everything—to partner with Lorenzo, then with Chris—and failed each time.
Another partnership with a prominent figure crossed my mind, someone who could turn things around. But the idea was as fragile as the others.
“What if it fails again?” I thought bitterly, running a hand through my hair.
No answers came, only more despair. I couldn’t shake the thought ot the image of myself on TV, reduced to a public joke, mocked by everyone I’d ever known.
As if my business wasn’t enough of a disaster, Emmanuella was making life harder too.
But I refused to focus on her anymore. Soon, she’d be out of my life, and I wouldn’t have to deal with her, right?
The sound of clashing plates from the kitchen pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Does she have to make so much noise just to wash dishes?” I grumbled internally, irritation flaring. It sounded like a full-blown war in there.
Then came the sour aroma of her cooking, seeping into the living room. My lips curled into a smirk.
“Not like she made any for me,” I thought as my stomach growled in protest.
I hadn’t eaten since morning. Grabbing my phone from the stool beside me, I checked the time.
“5:30 PM.”
I reached for my car keys, ready to go out and grab something to eat, when Emmanuella stepped out of the kitchen. She was dressed in a gown almost identical to the one she wore last night. The only difference was the color—this one was blue instead of pink.
“Heading out?” I asked casually.
“Why do you care?” She snapped, setting a flask on the table before disappearing into her room.
I couldn’t have been mistaken—a flask was only used to keep food warm.
As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, I leaned over and opened it. Rice and beef.
I smirked, but the expression faded as she returned. Pretending I hadn’t moved a muscle, I watched her pick up the flask, sling her handbag over her shoulder, and make a show of holding her car keys in plain sight.
She left without a word.
As the door closed, a strange calm settled over me. I knew exactly where she was going—to the man she’d slept with last night. They’d probably meet again this evening. But, I didn’t care. Not when she was a monster in my life.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed. The screen displayed “Private Number.”
Curious, I answered and stayed silent, waiting for the caller to speak first.
“Gabriel,” a familiar voice said.
I frowned, trying to place it. “Luke?”
“Yeah, man, it’s me.” His tone was sharp, straight to the point. “Listen, I can’t do this shit for 30k. I need more money. I’ve gotten myself into some deep trouble, and I need cash to get out.”
I sighed, already suspecting what this was about. “Are you using again?” I asked flatly, recalling the kind of person Luke had been back in college.
Everyone knew him as the guy who could get you any substance you wanted—if you had the cash.
Luke laughed bitterly. “Not this time, man. But yeah, I’m in deep. And if you want me to do this right, you’re going to have to pay more.”
I leaned back on the couch, closing my eyes for a moment. Money wasn’t something I could afford to throw around. At this rate, I’d end up broke and on the streets.
But knowing Luke, I relented. “Fine. Okay.”
“Great!” His tone lightened instantly. “Now, tell me about your wife. What does she love?”
I smirked, the answer coming to me easily. Emmanuella loved one thing above all else.
“Money,” I said. “She loves money.”
Luke chuckled darkly. “Then we’ll need more of it to pull this off.”
“How are you going to make it look like a natural death?” I asked, my voice calm despite the gravity of the question.
“I’ll make her fall deeply in love with me first. Once she’s completely hooked, you’ll see for yourself,” Luke said, his laughter sharp and unsettling before the line went dead.
I stared at the screen, my mind racing. Setting the phone down, I leaned back on the couch, a smirk tugging at my lips.
But it didn’t last.
Doubt slithered in like a snake, cold and constricting.
What if Luke botched everything? What if he got caught? Worse, what if he mentioned my name?
The consequences played out vividly in my mind—arrests, trials, headlines. The thought of Emmanuella’s smug face as she watched my downfall sent a chill down my spine.
My chest tightened, the weight of it all crushing. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to steady my breathing, but it felt like I was suffocating.
For the first time, I wondered if this plan would end up burying me instead of her.
The room felt oppressively silent, the air too thick to breathe. And then, as if on cue, the front door creaked open.
I froze, heart pounding.
“Gabriel?” a voice called softly from the shadows.
It wasn’t Emmanuella.