Chapter 98

Isabella POV

I go back to my apartment with Uber. I don't even bother to turn on the light in my apartment.

Everyone warned me about Gabriel's mood during this time. Why I did nothing better. I should have known better than anyone about Gabriel's feelings. At the office, I try my best to not cry. But now, I'm in my apartment. I'm free to do anything I want. Finally, I let the tears come. I cry so hard.

And after my long cry, now I'm super hungry. I ate little at lunch and I was too busy munching any snacks. I need to eat so I can have some energy to soothe my boyfriend's anger.

Morning came, I couldn't sleep last night. Gabriel hasn't replied to any of my messages. I don't know whether he listens to my voicemail. He doesn't pick up my phone as well.

I'm getting ready for the office with half spirit, but somehow my appetite is still good. So I devour my omelette and still eat yogurt. All done, I go to the lobby. Finally, I can go to the office in my car. Instead of happiness, I feel a lump in my throat.

I almost jump when I see a black Bentley, but the only person who emerges from the car is Jack. He comes to me. "Morning Izz, I'm here to drive you to the office."

"Where is Gabriel?" I whisper.

"He flew to China last night. There was an urgent matter there," Jack says in his infamous expressionless voice.

I try to nod, but it fails. The only thing that comes out is my tears. I wipe it abruptly. "I can drive my car, Jack. You don't have to pick me up"

"Gabriel asked me to."

I bite my lower lip and shake my head. Jack stares at me a tad bit too long, and finally, he nods. "I'll follow you."

"Thank you," I whisper and go to my car. My phone beeps when I just fasten my seatbelt.

Gabriel: Sweetness, I need to go to China. Take care, okay?

My vision is blurry from the tears. I face up to swallow my tears. Not going to ruin my makeup. I don't know why I cry. Is it relieved because finally, he texted me, or sad because I can feel the coldness from his text, even when he called me 'sweetness'?

I go inside Gabriel's office and inhale deeply. I can smell Gabriel's Oakwood's scent here. I miss him so much. Somehow, it killed me more than Thomas's betrayal.

I walk to his desk. This desk was clean of any pictures and small useless things. Now there are 2 frames and small figurines. Us. Is there still an us?...

Jesus, Isabella! Don't be pessimistic like that!

Right... maybe it's only a few months since we've been together, but what we've been through is far, far more than some other couples who have been together for years.

I tap my cheeks and force myself to smile. I believe in Gabriel. He is upset with me, and there is some work in Asia. Soon he will be back to me. I start to plan what should I do for him when he comes back, but my stomach growls. Gosh! Why do I keep hungry? I just know when you are utterly upset, you tend to be hungry. Why, when I was upset with Alex, I didn't feel any different with my appetite?

I am munching another granola bar when Jack comes to my floor. I just finished my lunch in an hour, but my stomach asks for more food.

Izz, this is what you want. Check it." He gives me a brown envelope. I asked him to help me check some kids' shelters. I'm planning to spend Christmas with the kids in the morning. Gabriel loves the kid, he will love this activity.

Jack and I talked about the shelter and finally, I chose the one with the most lack of supplies for us to visit. It's a small shelter, but somehow they always have more kids than their capacity.

"Thank you, Jack." I smile and stare at the envelope. It looks familiar... Geneva's envelope.

I look at Jack. He looks at my face and shrugs. It's him.

"Jack, you are the one who sent me the envelope about Geneva?" I ask in a lower voice. He shrugs with his no-expression face.

"Is Gabriel asking you to do it?"

"No, Izz. Gabriel asked to check what happened to you that day. I found it was Geneva who was with you in the toilet. The next day, you checked on her and Chelsea Smith from your computer. So I put two and two together."

"You checked my computer?" I ask dumbly.

"I got access to all the data from every computer in Remington. It's legal." He says it's a normal thing to do. Jesus Christ! Thank God I never checked on something inappropriate from the office computer.

It's like he can read my mind. "Yeah, there are some scumbags who came here to watch some porn movie. Normally, they'll quit in 2-3 months. And yes, I can hack your phone too if I want."

"Oh my God!" I say scandalize. He shrugs. "as for Geneva, I gave you the details about her and Gabriel because I thought you need to know. I don't know what she said to you that day, but I'm sure it's nasty. You need to learn the truth before you are ready to fight her back." he delivers in the way a boring professor says in class. "Now, if you have nothing to ask me. I'm going to buy your Christmas list for these kids."

I smile. "Thank you, Jack. Thank you so much.”