Chapter 100

Chapter 100
Isabella POV

I turn on my phone. The messages burst in. Most of them were from Eddie and his team from PR, some from Nancy, Christian, Sarah, Rainey, Tony, Drew, and even Katherine Dale. Everyone tells me the same things 'don't trust the article. Gabriel wouldn't do this to you.' I also believe Gabriel wouldn't do this to me. But... there is no message from Gabriel himself... Why?
I go back to my house despite Ruby's argument to ask me to stay there. I don't have any energy to socialise with anyone right now. I desperately need to go back to my cave. I need time for myself.
Where are you, Gabriel? Why, suddenly you've become radio silent. It's not like we kept contact with all the lovey-dovey messages as well, but at least he still texted me when he arrived in China, finished his meeting, and came back to the hotel. He even called me just to say goodnight, even though his voice sounded so distant.
My eyes find a box near the door. I delivered it from Oakwood Town. I have had no time to open it, and because I promised to move in with Gabriel, I thought I would bring this box to his house. But now, I think I just opened it here. I go to the box and open it on the floor. Most of it is the photos from my house in Oakwood Town, some stuff from Mom and Dad. I laugh when I lift a small box. It's mom's treasure box, inside containing mom's favourite thing. Dried flowers from her wedding with dad, her and dad's first picture ever, their train tickets on their honeymoon trip, a pregnancy test when she found out she was pregnant with me, my first handwriting saying 'I love Mom', and many more. I put Mom's box on the side and unpacked the rest of my stuff. There are a lot of pictures in the box. My picture with my parents, their wedding picture, and there is one picture of me and a boy. I was 5 back then, this boy... this is the same boy I looked at when I decorated Gabriel's Christmas tree. Wait, a minute... It's Gabriel! Oh my God. We've known each other since we were kids. I remember I was close to this boy.
I was 8 years old. I was having my first crush back then...
That was me...
I take out the photo from the frame and touch the boy's face. "Hi Gabriel," I whisper.

December 28th.Isabella: Happy birthday, Gabriel. I want to say it in person. I tried to call you earlier, but your phone was off. I know you don't celebrate your birthday anymore, but I wish you were here with me, not to celebrate your birthday. I just want to spend time with you. I miss you so much, Gabriel. Let me know when you will be back in LA. I'll make dinner for you, okay?
So here I am in Gabriel's house. Gabriel still hasn't replied to any of my messages since the day I saw the stupid headlines about Gabriel walking to the strip club.
He found a new woman!!
Shut up, toxic mind. I have trust in Gabriel. He wouldn't do that to me.
I got a secret recipe from Nancy; she said Amanda Remington, Gabriel's mom, always made this for Gabriel's birthday. It's a simple fried noodle. Nancy said that in China, people celebrate their birthday with birthday noodles. For a long life. So, here I am in Consuela's kitchen, trying to make a birthday noodle for Gabriel. I want Gabriel to remember the happiest moment in his life. When his parents celebrated his birthday.
"Izzy, I can help you. Tell me what to do," Consuela says to me. I refused her help because I wanted to make the noodles from scratch.
"It's okay, Consuela, I can handle this." I smile at her. But the more I look at the food, the more hungry I am. "Um.. you can make something light for me. I am kinda hungry," I say shyly.
She laughs and nods.

I fell asleep on the couch. Maybe I'm more tired than I thought. I check my phone. It's 10 pm. 2 more hours before the birthday is over. Gabriel is still in radio silence. I exhale. Where are you, Gabriel? The pilot told me they arrived in LA around 3 pm. I assume Gabriel will go to Oakwood Town and come back to LA. But...
I try to call him, but his phone is still off. I sigh.
Isabella: Gabriel, where are you? I made dinner for you. If you have eaten nothing, please eat the food I made, okay? I'm going home now. Hope we can meet up tomorrow. I love you, Gabriel. Happy Birthday.
Just in time, the message was sent and my phone was off. I forgot to charge it again.
I stand up slowly. These few days I am always dizzy every time I stand up too fast, so I need to do it slowly. I walk to find Consuela and tell her I'm going home. She asks me to stay, but I refuse. I'm not sure whether Gabriel wants to see me in his house.
I walk to the front door. The Christmas Tree is still in the middle of the house with its light. It's so beautiful. I stare at it for a full minute. I guess I need the magic from Christmas to bring him back...
I arrive at my apartment and go to my door. When I want to close my door, someone holds the door and pushes it open. I stumble back. My eyes snap at the door. What I see is worse than the devil. It's my ex, Alex.
Hair like a rat nest, red-eyed, face flush from the alcohol, his shirt crumbled, he smells alcohol and... pot? But that's not important because he has a gun in his hand and is pointing at me.
"Hello, Isabella Montenegro's.”