Chapter 23
Drake seemed to suddenly remember his girlfriend was still there. Like waking from a trance, he dropped his hand from Sienna’s waist and stepped back.
His friends, following his gaze to Gabriella, scrambled to smooth things over.
“Let’s keep playing. Sienna, skip the drinks if your stomach’s bad-just do truth or dare instead.”
“Yeah, truth or dare’s perfect!”
Drake composed himself and returned to the sofa.
He expected Gabriella to be jealous, to show some sign of hurt.
But she said nothing.
Her indifference unsettled him more than any
The silence stretched between them.
reaction could have. Something about her felt different tonight.
Drake was considering an explanation when another round of cheers erupted from the group.
“Sienna lost again! Truth or dare?”
His attention snapped back to Sienna.
“Dare,” she said, throwing Drake a loaded glance over her shoulder.
“Alright, pick from the dare cards.” Someone produced a stack of cards.
Sienna drew one casually. The reader’s eyes went wide, darting between Sienna, Drake, and Gabriella.
A girl peeked at the card and gasped.
“What is it?”
“What’d she get?”
“Kiss any guy in the room of your choice,” the reader announced, shooting Drake a nervous glance.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees as Drake’s expression turned glacial.
Sienna, apparently oblivious to the tension, stood up with a playful smile and approached a handsome man nearby.
“Chase, mind if I kiss you?”
Chase glanced at Drake’s murderous expression, frozen in place.
When he didn’t respond, Sienna leaned in, arms sliding around his neck.
“Enough!”
Drake’s shout cut through the room. He stormed over, grabbed Sienna’s hand, and pulled her out the door.
The remaining guests exchanged looks before turning sympathetic eyes to Gabriella.
She took a sip of her drink, smiling easily. “Why are you all looking at me?”
They quickly looked away, pretending to be absorbed in their drinks and conversations.
Gabriella nursed her drink, feeling her heart grow colder.
In her experience, Drake rarely showed strong emotions about anything.
Chapter 23
This was the first time she’d seen him lose control like this.
When her glass was empty, she headed to the restroom.
Through the door, she heard women talking by the sinks.
“Drake’s lost it-leaving his girlfriend here to run off with Sienna.”
“Shows who he really cares about, doesn’t it?”
“Did you see his face when Sienna was about to kiss Chase? Terrifying.”
“Poor girlfriend, watching her man lose it over another woman.”
“She’s just a replacement anyway.”
“They’ll break up soon, obviously. Everyone can see Drake’s in love with Sienna.”
“Yeah, I-” The voice cut off abruptly as Gabriella emerged from the stall. The women hurried out, avoiding eye contact.
Gabriella calmly washed her hands.
They were right about one thing-she and Drake were headed for a breakup.
But it wouldn’t be him ending things. She was done.
Back at the penthouse, exhausted, Gabriella fell asleep quickly after her shower.
Drake returned the next afternoon.
He pushed open the bedroom door and frowned at the open suitcase on the floor.
“What’s this?”
Gabriella looked up from behind the closet door. “Oh, you’re back. I’m heading home for a while.”
She had accumulated a lot over two years. Some clothes and shoes could be donated, but she needed to sort everything. When she left, she wouldn’t leave a trace of herself behind.
Her eyes caught on the fresh mark on his neck. She looked away, unfazed.
She was done caring about what-or who-he did.
“Why the sudden trip home? Still angry about last night? Running away?”
“No, just missing my family. Want to visit.”
Drake’s expression relaxed. “That’s good.”
In three years, Gabriella had never gone home.
She’d spent every holiday alone.
He couldn’t leave his family to spend holidays with her, and he certainly couldn’t bring her home for holidays.
His mother, Caroline Ashcroft, would never accept someone without the right background.
“I’m swamped with work, so I can’t come with you. When’s your flight? I’ll have James drive you to the airport.”
Gabriella folded her favorite pieces carefully into the suitcase.
“No need. I’ve got a ride.”
Drake tried to hide his relief.
He’d dreaded her asking him to meet her parents.
After three years, normal couples would be discussing marriage.
But he wasn’t normal. He was Drake Ashcroft, sole heir to Ashcroft Capital.
Their social divide was an unbridgeable gap.
Drake knew they had no future.
Meeting parents would be pointless.
He was grateful Gabriella understood this, never pushing for more.
His friend’s words echoed: “Keep both. If you feel guilty, just buy her nice things. Women are easy to please.”
Maybe he could marry Sienna, keep Gabriella as his mistress.
A woman like Gabriella would never find another man of his status.
She loved him too much to leave.
He’d talk to her after she returned.
“Text me when you land,” Drake said. “Let me know when you’re back in New York-I’ll pick you up.”
Gabriella murmured a soft “okay.”
I won’t be back, she thought.
Drake’s phone rang.
After a brief call, he turned to her: “I need to go. About last night-I shouldn’t have left you there. I got you something. My assistant will drop it off.”
Gabriella gave a noncommittal response.
As soon as Drake left, Gabriella’s phone lit up with a message from Asher.
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.