Chapter 138 Why Lie
The Taylor Villa.
Yves opened the door, and upon seeing who was standing there, ran into the house excitedly.
"Mrs. Taylor! Mr. Taylor and Ms. Taylor are back!"
Hayden and Olivia were startled and quickly stood up.
Chase and Tobias also hurried downstairs.
Gabriel and Bianca came in one after another. Both of them looked like they'd been through some kind of disaster - their clothes were dirty and torn, their hair was messy, and their faces were covered in grime.
This experience had been truly unforgettable for them.
"Bianca, are you okay?"
"Bianca, are you hurt?"
Chase and Tobias were most worried about Bianca. Seeing the bruises of various sizes on her legs and arms, they couldn't help but question Gabriel.
"Where did you take Bianca?"
"Bianca's hurt like this, and you call yourself her brother? Is this how you protect her?"
Gabriel already had a belly full of grievances and anger, and now that he'd finally made it home, he still had to be blamed by his two brothers. He was instantly furious.
"What do you know?"
"Getting kidnapped wasn't my fault!"
"Those people attacked the driver and had guns - I couldn't fight them off!"
Gabriel still hadn't figured out what exactly happened. He just assumed it was a kidnapping.
"Besides, how did I not protect her?" He angrily pointed at his own wounds. "I got hurt like this protecting Bianca - are you blind? Can't you see?"
Only then did Chase and Tobias notice the bandages wrapped around his waist.
Bianca stepped forward and said softly, "Chase, Tobias, don't blame Gabriel. This wasn't Gabriel's fault. Gabriel tried really hard to protect me."
Chase and Tobias's expressions softened a bit.
"What exactly happened?"
"What do you think happened?" Gabriel said through gritted teeth. "Someone tried to kidnap Bianca, and I got dragged into it too - we were both taken!"
It's all Bianca's fault!
Gabriel's resentment was written all over his face.
Bianca lowered her head and pressed her lips together, looking very wronged.
"Gabriel, how can you talk like that?" Olivia frowned. "Bianca is your sister. She was kidnapped - you should be caring for her and protecting her. How can you say Bianca dragged you into this? And take all your anger out on Bianca?"
"I did protect her! I treated her like a sister, but what about her? Did she treat me like a brother? When things got dangerous, she just left me behind! She didn't care whether I lived or died—"
Gabriel angrily told them everything that happened in the woods.
How he fought with those people, how they hurt him, and how Bianca ran away alone while he was unconscious...
"Bianca isn't that kind of person," Chase denied. "Bianca is so kind - she would never leave you behind and run."
Bianca wiped her tears on the side. "I didn't leave Gabriel behind. If I really had left Gabriel and run, I wouldn't have been caught either."
Gabriel was about to lose his mind. He glared at Bianca. "You're lying! You did leave me behind!"
"What's wrong with you?" Olivia didn't believe Gabriel at all. "Why would Bianca leave you behind? She got caught herself, didn't she?"
Gabriel gritted his teeth. He finally understood how Isabella must have felt when she was accused of pushing Bianca down the stairs.
The only problem was he had no evidence, no way to prove that Bianca really did abandon him.
Hayden looked at the defiant Gabriel and the tearful Bianca, and said in a deep voice, "How did you escape?"
"It was Isabella. She saved us. She brought some people and found where we were being held, and took down dozens of guards there."
When Gabriel and Bianca snuck out, they saw the carnage at the entrance, and that's when Gabriel realized how hard Isabella had fought to save them.
Thinking about this, Gabriel couldn't help but get teary-eyed.
Isabella treated him like a brother. Even though she had a cold face, when things got most dangerous, she still recklessly came to save him. But what about him? For the sake of an outsider with no blood relation to him, he drove Isabella away, leaving Isabella all alone outside...
"Gabriel, did I hear wrong or have you gone crazy?" Chase said in disbelief. "You're saying... Isabella saved you? And brought people who took down dozens of guards?"
How was that possible?
He didn't believe it at all.
Isabella was just a little girl. Bringing a few people to take down dozens - that was just... absurd.
Seeing Chase didn't believe him, Gabriel immediately argued back, "I'm not joking! It was Isabella. She joined an organization called The Obsidian Circle. Those people with her were from The Obsidian Circle."
"What's The Obsidian Circle? What is that?" Olivia asked, confused.
Chase knew something about it and explained, "The Obsidian Circle is an official organization under the United Nations of Concord. This organization has a lot of power and can move around the world without obstacles. They have their own independent communication system and technology, as well as advanced weapons for handling cases. So The Obsidian Circle is generally made up of top experts in various fields."
This organization was only established in recent years, and since they only dealt with criminals, many people didn't know about it.
Emerald City used to have many people from international cult organizations lurking around, but now there were gradually fewer - all thanks to The Obsidian Circle.
Chase narrowed his eyes and looked at Gabriel. "You're saying Isabella joined The Obsidian Circle?"
Gabriel nodded emphatically.
"Nonsense." Olivia sounded like she'd heard a joke. "Gabriel, didn't you hear what Chase said? That organization is very powerful and authoritative. The people who get in are all top talents and experts - not just any trash can get in. How would Isabella be qualified?"
"But..."
"Enough, Gabriel. Stop fantasizing. Even if Isabella did save you, she couldn't possibly be connected to that kind of organization."
Gabriel protested, "What do you mean 'even if Isabella saved us'? She did save me! If you don't believe me, ask Bianca!"
Everyone immediately looked at Bianca. "Bianca, Gabriel said Isabella saved you two. Is that true? Is she really that capable?"
Gabriel also stared intently at Bianca.
Under everyone's gaze, Bianca pressed her lips together and lowered her head. "I... I don't know..."
"I didn't see Isabella at all."
Gabriel froze.
"How could you not see her? You clearly told me she was the one who unlocked your restraints - you said that yourself!"
He couldn't help but grab Bianca's arm, staring at her in disbelief, very agitated. "I saw her! You saw her too - she's the one who saved us! Why are you lying?"
Bianca looked like he'd scared her, crying while saying, "Gabriel, I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't see Isabella at all."
"Gabriel, what are you doing?"
"Let go of Bianca - you're scaring her!"
Chase and Tobias worked together to pull Gabriel away.
Gabriel stared at Bianca with red-rimmed eyes.
Why?
Why lie?
She clearly saw her - why say she didn't?
It really was Isabella who saved them. How could he be mistaken?
This was all Isabella's doing. He could have used this opportunity to make Hayden and Olivia see Isabella in a new light. Maybe then they would change their view of Isabella, and Isabella, feeling the family's warmth, might come back.
But with Bianca's denial, no one would believe what he said.
Was Bianca lying on purpose? She didn't want Hayden and Olivia to know how good Isabella was. She didn't want the family's attention focused on Isabella, and she didn't want Isabella to come back!
Realizing this, Gabriel's blood rushed to his head. For the first time, he became aware of just how calculating Bianca was beneath her seemingly innocent exterior.