Chapter 152 He Came Late at Night
Sophia could hear the severe hoarseness in her voice and immediately shook off most of her sleepiness. "Arabella, what's wrong? Are you sick?"
"Yeah... I don't know how, but I suddenly caught something. I have a fever, no medicine at home, and I feel terrible..."
Sophia knew her well—if she wasn't suffering to the extreme, she would never call and trouble her in the middle of the night.
She quickly got up and started getting dressed while comforting her friend, "Don't worry, you're at your apartment, right? I'm coming over right now."
Before she even hung up, Zachary beside her rolled over with annoyance and continued sleeping.
After ending the call, Sophia shook her husband, "Honey, Arabella's sick and has no one to take care of her. I'm going to check on her. Keep an ear out for the kids tonight."
Zachary grumbled irritably, "How can she have no one to take care of her? She has a husband and staff..."
"She moved out. She's planning to divorce," Sophia replied.
"Crazy..." Zachary muttered, pulling the covers over his head.
Sophia didn't bother arguing further. She quickly gathered her things, grabbed her car keys, and rushed out.
After hanging up, Arabella wanted to go back to bed and rest, but between being sick and not eating dinner, she was too weak and her muscles ached too much to get up.
She could only curl up on the couch in a daze, waiting for her friend to arrive.
The high fever left her mind unclear, drifting in and out of consciousness with occasional hallucinations. In her confused state, she heard her phone ring again. Thinking it was her friend calling, she fumbled for it without looking at the screen and called out in a broken, hoarse voice, "Sophia... where are you..."
"How are you right now? What's wrong? Fever or headache?" The voice on the other end was cold, deep, tense with displeasure, and seriously inquiring.
Arabella's eyes snapped open. She pulled the phone away to look at the screen and discovered it was Gabriel calling!
Her mind went blank momentarily. She forgot to speak until the voice on the other end became more serious and annoyed, "I'm asking you a question! Are you mute?"
Only then did she snap back to reality, putting the phone back to her ear. "I... I don't know. Headache, fever, sore throat... everything hurts."
After saying this, she realized something and added in a weak, hoarse tone, "I... I'm fine. You don't need to trouble yourself. Just take care of the children... that's enough."
She had no idea how he found out about her illness to call her in the middle of the night.
Did Sophia notify him?
But she didn't have his number!
For a moment, Arabella wondered if he had installed cameras in her apartment—otherwise how would he know her every move?
Gabriel didn't acknowledge her words and simply hung up.
About fifteen minutes later, someone knocked on the apartment door.
Arabella thought it was Sophia and struggled to stand up to open it.
As soon as she unlocked the door, it was pushed open forcefully. She couldn't steady herself and nearly fell backward.
Fortunately, the person outside reacted quickly, extending a long arm to catch her, and she leaned sideways against the wall.
Gabriel strode in decisively, instantly appearing before her. One hand still gripped her arm while the other reached up to touch her forehead.
"You... why did you come? Who told you?" Arabella leaned weakly against the wall, her eyes red from fever, staring at him in confusion.
Gabriel was too impatient for explanations. "Get dressed now. We're going to the hospital!"
"No... that's not necessary. I just need some medicine. I called Sophia to come over..." Though her mind was foggy, she still retained some rationality.
Sophia would be here soon. If she left, wouldn't Sophia's trip be wasted?
Gabriel had no patience left. Seeing her entire face flushed with unnatural color, worried that continued fever might damage her brain, he didn't waste words and went straight into her apartment.
Soon he returned, quickly wrapping her in a down jacket and scarf. "Come on, I'm taking you to the hospital."
"I won't... Sophia's coming. I have to wait for her." Arabella still remembered their impending divorce, that she'd already filed in court. They shouldn't have any involvement now, or things would get more complicated.
Gabriel was furious. He suddenly bent down and scooped her up horizontally, snapping, "I'll notify her she doesn't need to come! We're going to the hospital!"
Arabella, suddenly lifted into the air, instinctively wrapped her arms around the man's neck.
Shutting the door behind them, Gabriel carried her straight to the elevator.
At the parking spot, he pulled open the passenger door and roughly deposited her inside.
The cold outside made her head throb even worse when the bitter wind hit, like small knives slicing through her brain.
Even sitting in the warm car, the pain didn't subside but continued racing through her mind.
Tears emerged from the pain, and she couldn't help but groan, causing Gabriel to look back while fastening his seatbelt, "What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"
"My head hurts, everything hurts..." She had no defenses left, responding purely on instinct.
Gabriel gritted his teeth and muttered, "Serves you right!"
Don't blame him for being heartless.
Living a perfectly good life but insisting on divorce, insisting on moving out—otherwise would she suffer like this?
Arabella heard what he said, and her tears fell even more uncontrollably.
Indeed, she deserved it.
A pitiful woman like her—unwanted, unloved, and uncared for—shouldn't be alive in the first place.
Gabriel watched her cry silently, looking utterly pitiful, and immediately felt regret. Complex, bitter emotions churned in his chest until it felt tight, and he didn't know whether to comfort or continue scolding her.
Starting the car, he ultimately softened, though not exactly gently, "Bear with it. We'll be at the hospital soon."
Before he finished speaking, Arabella's phone rang.
She immediately wiped her tears and tried to see the screen clearly before answering, "Hello, Sophia..."
"Arabella, Zachary just called me. He said he contacted Mr. Sterling's assistant, so Mr. Sterling might know about your illness. I don't know if he'll come looking for you..."
After receiving her husband's call and learning about this, Sophia had complained, saying he was meddling.
After all, they'd reached the point of divorce, so Arabella certainly wouldn't want to trouble Gabriel.
That's why she called first to give a heads-up and explanation.
Arabella glanced slightly at the man driving, seeing his cold, stern profile, and didn't dare say much. She only replied, "He's already here... taking me to the hospital. I was just about to call you... don't come over, it's too cold. Go back home..."
Sophia was surprised, "That fast?"
"Yeah..."
Since that was the case, Sophia didn't waste words, "Alright then, go to the hospital for a proper examination first. I'm relieved someone's with you. I'll head back. Call me if you need anything."
"Okay..."
After hanging up, Arabella rested her head against the seat and turned to look at him, quietly studying his profile.
So it was Zachary who called his assistant—that's how he found out and rushed over.
At two in the morning on this winter night, having multiple people disrupted because of her illness made Arabella feel terribly guilty.
Though she resented him, objectively speaking, she still said, "Thank you... I shouldn't have troubled you. I really didn't expect..."