Chapter 138 The Savior Arrives!
Seeing Emily's reaction, Arabella knew she had her hook set deep. After a deliberate pause, she continued her psychological manipulation, "You're absolutely right—Gabriel has been suffering in this loveless marriage. The agony of loving someone he can't have... only he truly understands that pain. Which is why now is your chance to rescue him."
Emily's voice came out hoarse and pitiful, "So... how can I help him?"
She wasn't offering to help Arabella—she was talking about helping Gabriel.
But Arabella didn't care about that distinction.
Heart racing with excitement, she steadied herself and explained, "I had my bags packed, ready to move out and give you both space, but Gabriel has people keeping me prisoner here. I can't leave—could you find a way to get me out?"
Emily considered this briefly, "That shouldn't be too difficult, right? I'll come pick you up, and you can just leave with me. They wouldn't dare stop my car, would they?"
"You're sure that would work?"
"Of course. Everyone knows about my relationship with Gabriel."
The comment made Arabella's skin crawl, but once again she ignored it.
Emily, however, suddenly had a moment of clarity, asking with genuine confusion, "Gabriel's such a catch—any woman would kill to be with him. Yet you're desperately trying to divorce him? What game are you really playing?"
Arabella smiled calmly, "He is indeed exceptional, one in a million. But we have no emotional connection. If anything, he resents me. What's the point of such a cold marriage? Besides, everyone knows you're the one he truly loves. If you were in my position, could you stand that humiliation?"
"Our only connection is our two children. If not for the unexpected pregnancy, we would have gone our separate ways long ago. No matter how wealthy he is, that's irrelevant to me. I grew up in foster care—I can survive anything. Without him, I'd actually be free. Why waste my life in this kind of marriage?"
Some of these words were calculated to manipulate Emily.
But part of it came straight from her heart.
Emily listened with growing approval, even laughing, "Well, at least you know your place. Honestly, someone from your background should find an ordinary family. Maybe they'd appreciate your youth and beauty enough to treat you well for a few years, let you enjoy some happiness. Marrying above your station just puts you on thin ice—no wonder you're miserable."
Emily had slipped back into her lecturing tone, speaking from her imagined position of superiority.
Arabella bristled internally but agreed aloud, "Yes, you're absolutely right. That's why I need to cut my losses."
Her submissive attitude made Emily feel even more magnanimous, "Fine, leave this to me. I'll come by tomorrow and figure out how to get you out of there."
"I'll be waiting."
After hanging up, Arabella felt considerably lighter.
With Emily's involvement—fighting fire with fire—Gabriel would never see it coming that his former obsession had now become his enemy.
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After confining Arabella to the estate, Gabriel couldn't think of any way to improve their relationship, so he started working late into the night before coming home.
This way, he could avoid seeing her and prevent more conflicts.
Arabella equally wanted nothing to do with him, so she had returned to sleeping in the guest room.
In the deep of night, when car sounds echoed in the courtyard, she heard them.
When his heavy footsteps approached from a distance, she heard those too.
Fortunately, the footsteps passed by without stopping and gradually faded away, allowing her to breathe a secret sigh of relief and settle back into sleep.
The next morning.
She encountered Gabriel at the breakfast table.
Both ate in silence, the suffocating atmosphere making even Mary, who was standing nearby, afraid to breathe too loudly.
The weather was overcast, with howling northern winds. They said snow was expected in the coming days.
Arabella felt a twinge of worry, fearing that Emily, so recently post-miscarriage, might not be able to venture out in such weather.
Looking at Gabriel's demeanor, she worried he might not go to work today but instead stay home to personally oversee things.
The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She wracked her brain for conversation topics, trying to figure out how to provoke him enough to make him leave.
But before she could find an opening, Gabriel spoke first.
"If you're truly bored at home, you could come to the office with me. We're swamped with year-end work, and my executive assistant's office could use the help." Gabriel finished eating first, setting down his utensils and reaching for a sanitizing wipe. As he elegantly cleaned his mouth and hands, he looked at Arabella.
Arabella jumped in surprise, her eyes widening as she stared at him.
Go to his company? Be his secretary?
She couldn't help but laugh coldly, "Do you think that's even remotely possible?"
"I was just asking. If you don't want to, I won't force you." Gabriel spoke casually, his deep eyes lingering on her face. After a few seconds, he added, "Don't think about asking anyone for help—you'd only feel guilty about dragging others into this mess. Why bother?"
Arabella felt a chill of fear, her heart clenching.
Did he know about her reaching out to Emily?
Had Emily called him?
Gabriel saw the guilty panic flash across her face and immediately understood, chuckling, "Don't tell me you actually contacted Manuel?"
Arabella's heart eased as she realized he'd misunderstood.
"No," she said coldly.
But Gabriel didn't believe her.
"Looks like... we might need to block the phone signal in this house too." He glanced around casually, as if considering the logistics.
Arabella panicked, thinking about her work obligations, "No! Even prisoners get yard time—you can't treat me like this! You have so many people watching me, what could I possibly do?"
Gabriel hadn't actually intended to cut off internet or phone service—he just wanted to provoke Arabella into talking more.
"You don't have to be a prisoner. You're choosing not to appreciate what you have."
If she'd just agree to make their marriage work, she could be treasured and pampered. But she scorned that possibility.
Arabella understood his meaning, her expression darkening, "A life I don't want isn't any different from being a prisoner."
The implication was clear: marriage to him was a cage.
Gabriel's face darkened with anger. He'd wanted to continue their conversation, but suddenly had nothing left to say.
After a tense standoff, he stood abruptly, pulling on his custom-tailored overcoat and storming out.
Arabella remained seated, watching through the glass windows as the car quickly disappeared from the courtyard, her anxiety slowly subsiding.
Mary approached carrying Isabella, who was grinning happily with drool trailing down her chin. Seeing her mother, she eagerly tried to reach out.
Arabella's expression softened as she took her adorable daughter, holding her close and playing with her.
"Baby, Mommy is so sorry... When you grow up, you'll understand why Mommy had to do this, won't you?" She touched her daughter's soft, delicate cheek, guilt weighing heavily on her heart.
Around ten in the morning, both children had fallen asleep, and she found herself anxiously checking her phone.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait much longer before car sounds echoed from the courtyard.
She immediately stood, looking down from the second-floor window—a white Maserati. Emily had arrived!
In the courtyard, Samuel was startled to see Emily and hurried forward to open her car door, "Mrs. Kingsley, what brings you here?"
Emily stepped out, annoyed by his question, "Why shouldn't I be here? I know this place better than you do."
"Yes, yes, I meant... Mr. Sterling is at work. He's not home."
"Who said I was here to see him? Can't I visit the children?" Emily shot him a withering look, slammed her car door, and swept gracefully toward the house.