Chapter 61

Gabriella sat beside the street, exactly where she had almost been robbed last night, crying her eyes out. "I'm ruined. Where am I going to start from? I don't even know my older sister. I would have started searching for her now, knowing we'll still have each other as a family if we find each other. But I don't know her or have any pictures of her from when she was young. Maybe I can find her that way, but I don't know where to look or where to start," she mumbled tearfully.

She couldn't help but think about how unfair life had been to her all this time. "Why did it have to turn out that my parents are dead now when I thought I would finally be happy and have good parents? Why did everything have to get worse?" Gabriella cried harder, feeling utterly alone.

"None of this would have happened if it weren't for that family. They'll all suffer for the rest of their lives, even in prison and after they die. They made me like this, with no one to turn to," Gabriella cursed, feeling a deep hurt in her heart.

Even though Mr. and Mrs. Smith were sentenced to life in prison and Isabella received fifteen years, she still felt it wasn't enough. It couldn't heal the wounds they had caused within her.

"I hope she's looking for me too. Does she think I was killed along with our parents? Where is she? Is she still alive?" Gabriella mumbled, a flurry of questions racing through her mind. Despite her uncertainty, she held onto hope that nothing had happened to her sister. She was determined to find her, even if she didn't know where to start now.

She's sitting there all alone at night because she has nowhere to go and doesn't want to return home because of Carter. She hates him the most now, as he was supposed to be here for her when she needed him the most. Instead, he's busy getting angry at her, even though he was the one in the wrong.

She couldn't deny that she was waiting for Nolan, hoping he would show up like he did last time. He was her knight in shining armor anyway, and she needed comfort right now. Maybe he could provide that since Carter wasn't here for her and would never be again.

Even if Nolan doesn't show up tonight, she'd rather sleep on the street until Monday than go back home. She's moving out first thing in the morning, even though she doesn't have a place to stay in mind. She would rather wander the streets than spend another day inside that house with Carter.

He helped her, and she helped him too, so she has nothing to feel bad about. Yet, she can't help but hate him.

She was still sobbing silently, her face buried in her lap, unaware that someone was already in front of her.

"Why didn't you find somewhere else to cry? This place isn't for you; you're disturbing my ears."

Gabriella hurriedly raised her head to see the person she had been hoping for, and she couldn't explain the surge of happiness that rose within her as soon as she set her eyes on Nolan, who looked expressionless. She quickly stood up to her feet.

"You... are... you're here!" Gabriella said happily.

"Why do you look like you were expecting me? I thought you were crying and sad," Nolan said with a scoff.

"Yes, I was expecting you, and I was still sad, but I got excited the moment I saw you," she replied. Nolan fell silent for a few seconds, just staring at her before scoffing again.

"Why are you expecting me? Why are you excited? Do I look like your boyfriend? And..." Nolan was about to say more when Gabriella suddenly hugged him tightly.

"He's not my boyfriend, and please let me stay like this for a while," Gabriella begged, holding him tighter as she took the opportunity to inhale his sweet fragrance, just like his personality. He smelled so good, even though his fragrance was mixed with the scent of cigarettes, suggesting he had just finished smoking. It didn't diminish his fragrance; in fact, her heart raced in her chest just from being close to him and feeling his body against hers.

Nolan was dumbstruck; he hadn't expected her to hug him this tightly at all. He was about to push her away when Gabriella spoke up.

"Can you comfort me? Please, I need it right now," she begged again. Nolan scoffed before pulling her away from himself, and Gabriella's eyes widened.

"Do you walk around looking for someone to comfort you? What do you think I am, a comforter?" Nolan smirked as he finished speaking, completely unaware of how his words pierced Gabriella's heart like a knife. She felt a wave of hurt wash over her, and she was on the verge of tears again.

"You won't understand why I need comfort from you. You're not just anyone to me; you're not a comforter, but my knight in shining armor," Gabriella said, her voice cracking. Nolan looked at her as if she were crazy, a sarcastic expression on his face.

"Maybe you're not in your right mind. Me? A knight in shining armor? If you called me a devil, I might have agreed, but not that," Nolan replied with a devilish smile before turning away and starting to walk off.

Tears began to roll down Gabriella's face, but she wasn't ready to back down now. She hadn't expected him to like her right away; she would have to make him like her. Quickly, she wiped the tears from her face.

Although she didn't know why Nolan was acting like this tonight-he hadn't behaved this way the last time-they still didn't scare her at all. She was just hurt by his words. He didn't look like a devil to her; no matter what, she still saw him as her prince charming and knight in shining armor.

"Nolan!" Gabriella suddenly called out before he could walk out of sight, and Nolan stopped.

"Could you please take me with you? I have nowhere to go, and I'll repay you with anything you want."

Gabriella's words surprised him, but he turned back nonetheless, a smirk on his face. "Are you a virgin?" Nolan asked, and Gabriella gasped in shock.