Chapter 149 Your Mom Isn't Dead, She's Back!
When she let go, Isabella whimpered again. Arabella immediately patted her back gently, and the little girl frowned briefly before surrendering to drowsiness, her tiny face relaxing...
The reluctance in her heart was overwhelming, a searing pain like acid burning through her body, corroding every fiber of her being.
Tears instantly filled her eyes. She wiped them away harshly, took a deep breath, and forced down the ache in her chest, then stepped back.
But Gabriel was sitting by the car door, blocking her way.
Their bodies were pressed close together, though Arabella had her back to him.
Gabriel stared at her back, fighting a powerful urge to pull her into his arms, but he held himself in check.
Knowing she wanted to get out, he didn't make things difficult on purpose. His tall frame shifted backward, making room for her.
Arabella was somewhat surprised.
She'd expected Gabriel to deliberately block her path, forcing her to ask for passage so he could cut her down with harsh words or even force another kiss or embrace before letting her go—but instead, he'd moved aside without her even having to speak.
Her heart sank momentarily, but then she felt relieved.
She got out of the car, stood up straight, and glanced at him with mixed emotions. After several moments of hesitation, she finally spoke, "Well... you should take them home. I'll be going..."
She still hoped for an amicable separation to make future visits with the children easier, so she maintained the necessary politeness.
But Gabriel wasn't particularly receptive.
He stood coolly by the car door, his handsome face devoid of warmth, his gaze brushing over her as he spoke indifferently, "Fine... you're more ruthless than I imagined. I hope you never regret this for the rest of your life."
These words made Arabella's heart clench, tears spilling down her cheeks.
She quickly turned away, not wanting the man to see, forcing a smile as she replied with feigned nonchalance, "I won't. I know what I want."
The mocking expression on his face grew more pronounced.
The atmosphere was so tense it felt ready to crystallize. Just as Arabella was thinking of something else to say, her phone rang in her pocket.
She thought it was Mary calling back, but when she pulled out her phone, she saw a number she never would have expected in her wildest dreams.
Frowning, she stared at the screen for a long moment, making sure the caller wasn't mistaken before answering.
"Hello, Jenny..."
Gabriel noticed her hesitation about answering and initially thought it must be Manuel calling—assuming she didn't dare answer in front of him but was worried that not answering would concern the other party, hence her indecision.
But he hadn't expected her to answer with "Jenny."
Gabriel paused, trying to remember who Jenny was, a flash of confusion crossing his features.
Arabella was also startled. Before she could ask what Jenny wanted, the other woman dropped a bombshell!
"Arabella... your mother's back. Did you know?"
Arabella stood there, all the various emotions from confronting Gabriel paling compared to the impact of that single sentence!
She was so shocked her ears rang, instinctively asking, "What? Who's back?"
Jenny raised her voice, speaking very clearly, "Your mother! Your mother isn't dead—she's perfectly fine, driving a fancy car. My husband says it's called... a BMW, that's right, a BMW! It's parked right outside your old house right now!"
Arabella's face froze, unable to distinguish between joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.
Jenny continued, "I was walking by... recognized her immediately. Your mother hasn't changed much after all these years—she looks even prettier than before! I could hardly believe it!"
After all, rural women who did hard manual labor were usually gray-haired and wrinkled by their forties or fifties, not looking as beautiful as a young woman.
"Your mother asked if I knew anything about you. I almost told her you'd been back recently... but something stopped me at the last second. I figured I should ask what you wanted first, you know? A mother who's been gone nearly twenty years, no idea if she was dead or alive, abandoning her family and not caring about her daughter... if it were me, I couldn't accept it. I was afraid you couldn't either, afraid that if she found out about your situation, she'd suddenly come looking for you... so I said I didn't know, said you hadn't been back..."
Arabella's ears were buzzing. It took her a while to calm down and accept this reality.
That birth mother who'd been missing for nearly twenty years, whose fate had been unknown—had suddenly returned!
And she was doing well, apparently having become wealthy...
Arabella couldn't describe how she felt at this moment. There was definitely no excitement or joy, only hatred—intense hatred.
Forcing herself to remain calm and absorbing Jenny's words, she replied gratefully, "Thank you. Please don't tell her anything for now... I don't want her disrupting my life."
"I understand! I get it! She's living so well, but she abandoned you all without a care. It's really too much! I figure she probably remarried and doesn't want people knowing she has a family and children..."
Jenny was old enough to have seen all walks of life, and some things became clear with just a little thought.
"Yes... whatever her situation is, it has nothing to do with me. Thank you."
"Don't mention it... just take care of yourself... If I get a chance to chat with your mother and find out anything else, I'll let you know."
"Alright, thank you."
Actually, Arabella didn't want to know anything about her birth mother, but since Jenny had offered, she just agreed casually.
When the call ended, she stood there in a daze, staring blankly ahead for a long time, unable to snap out of it.
Gabriel stood nearby, also remaining silent.
Seeing her lower the phone, looking completely lost as if she'd suffered a major blow, he frowned and couldn't help asking with concern, "What happened back home?"
Arabella slowly turned her eyes to look at him, her gaze filled with confusion, helplessness, and fear.
Yes, fear.
Learning that her birth mother had suddenly appeared and was asking about her, she felt no joy or excitement, but rather a strong sense of rejection and fearful panic.
She didn't want to meet or acknowledge that woman.
Gabriel saw her expression, his brow furrowing deeper. "What exactly happened?"
Only then did she swallow and move her lips, saying dazedly, "Jenny said... my mother came back."
Gabriel's eyebrows shot up, clearly shocked as well.
"She seems to be asking about me..." Arabella continued in a dazed murmur.
Gabriel watched her expression and understood. "You don't want her to find you?"
She didn't speak, but mechanically shook her head.
Putting himself in her shoes, Gabriel could understand her feelings.
Abandoned at such a young age, living in hardship and loneliness all these years, enduring countless cold stares.
Now that she'd grown up and survived the most difficult, helpless, and pitiful times, her birth mother suddenly remembered to come looking for her—anyone would feel resentful.
"If you don't want to see her, then don't. Luminara is a big city—it won't be easy for her to find you," Gabriel said comfortingly, completely abandoning his earlier cold attitude.
Arabella said nothing. The phone in her palm rang again.
This time, she glanced at it and switched it to silent.
Gabriel noticed her guilty behavior, and the concern and sympathy that had just appeared in his eyes instantly vanished without a trace.
This call was from Manuel, probably worried that she might be in trouble with Gabriel while visiting the children.
Arabella didn't want to answer in front of Gabriel, afraid he'd misunderstand and make sarcastic remarks.
"It's cold out here... you should take them back quickly. I'll be going..." Her emotions were chaotic, floating and unfocused, filled with an indescribable anxiety and unease. Right now she just wanted to be alone.
But Gabriel misunderstood, curling his lips mockingly, "What, so eager to get to your new lover?"
Arabella didn't want to explain anything. She just turned back to look at the car—unfortunately, from this angle, she could only see the children's little feet.
"Please take them back quickly, it's cold outside." After urging him again, she started walking away with rapid steps.
She'd only gone a few steps when crying came from the car. Arabella didn't look back, walking even faster.
Gabriel stood by the car, seeming not to hear his daughter's cries. His hands hanging at his sides uncontrollably clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white with tension.