Chapter 20 What She Thought Was "Care" Was Actually Surveillance
"Nothing serious. Samuel mentioned you went to the hospital, so I'm calling to check on Grandpa's condition. With you sounding like this... is his condition getting worse?"
At the mention of William's illness, Arabella's heart filled with grief again, her barely composed emotions instantly spiraling.
"Grandpa sleeps most of the time now, rarely conscious... He just talked with me for a while, and now he's sleeping again." Arabella's voice was soft and hoarse, lacking yesterday's sharp edge.
Gabriel understood—her tears were related to whatever William had said.
"What did he tell you?"
"He talked about my grandfather, about those days dodging bullets on the battlefield, how his comrades all perished while he lived these extra years... He's grateful. I think... he just doesn't want us to grieve too much."
She didn't mention William's words about supporting her divorce, afraid it would anger Gabriel again.
She didn't have the energy to fight right now.
"Yes, Grandpa truly had a narrow escape back then. Growing up, we heard him tell those battle stories countless times. Mr. Wentworth was indeed a hero—he saved several comrades."
Talking about Robert, they managed to maintain a peaceful atmosphere for once.
Arabella said, "Such a shame he lived in poverty his whole life, and had to endure such suffering from illness at the end."
He immediately understood, "So you're this heartbroken because seeing Grandpa seriously ill reminded you of when Mr. Wentworth passed away?"
Arabella suddenly fell silent, her ears warming.
When had he become so perceptive about her emotions?
Sensing that continuing this conversation would lead them into awkward territory, she quickly changed the subject after her silence, "Well... it's almost noon, I need to head back. If there's nothing else, let's hang up."
Gabriel felt a strange reluctance—whether from guilt or concern for her current state, he simply felt uneasy leaving her like this.
But her obvious avoidance made him hesitate to continue, worried about making her more resistant. He could only give a low acknowledgment and end the call.
Arabella gripped her phone, Gabriel's words still echoing in her ears.
On the way to the hospital just now, Samuel said it was Gabriel who asked him to stay and take care of me.
She hadn't responded then, but her heart had fluttered.
She'd thought Gabriel still had some conscience, that he cared for her somewhat.
Now it seemed more like Samuel was there to monitor her.
But what was there to monitor?
Was she going to abandon the children and run away? Or was he afraid she'd have an affair behind his back?
Arabella gave a cold, bitter smile, unable to name the complex emotions churning inside her.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Gabriel had just landed and was sitting in his car, equally conflicted.
Yesterday afternoon, his father had called to give him a thorough scolding, undoubtedly after hearing his mother's embellished version of events. The man was ready to disown his unfilial son.
Gabriel's mood had soured even more, and he hadn't even gone home that night.
He'd originally planned to meet Dominic for drinks, but worried about Emily finding out and causing more trouble.
In the end, he'd spent the night at the office and headed straight to the airport for his business trip that morning.
He'd hoped some time apart would help them both cool down.
But staying away from home while in the city would invite gossip, so the business trip provided the perfect cover.
As soon as he'd turned on his phone after landing, he'd seen Samuel's message.
Thinking of how devoted she was to William, he'd felt like a complete bastard and decided to call her.
She was clearly heartbroken—her voice hoarse from crying.
But if her background was so pitiful, why couldn't she just live peacefully with him?
As long as she didn't bring up divorce, she'd be his wife for life, with endless wealth and luxury at her disposal.
Gabriel's thoughts wandered chaotically as he leaned back in his seat, letting out a heavy sigh.
————
Over the weekend, Sophia's family of four moved to Luminara.
It was a family of four, not because they had two children, but because her mother-in-law had also come along.
Sophia's daughter had just turned two and wasn't in preschool yet, requiring round-the-clock care.
Seeing her friend again finally brightened Arabella's spirits somewhat.
She'd bought thoughtful housewarming gifts and presents for the child, her considerate gesture earning her polite treatment from Sophia's mother-in-law.
At lunch, Arabella joined them to celebrate both the move and a promotion.
Sophia's husband, Zachary Baker, was a lawyer. His promotion involved his law firm opening a branch office in Luminara, with him heading the operation.
Knowing Arabella had married well, he didn't want to appear inferior, so he'd made reservations at an upscale steakhouse for their celebration dinner.
Before leaving, Sophia's daughter, Lily Baker, had fallen asleep.
So Zachary's mother stayed home to watch the child while Sophia ordered her takeout, and the three of them went out to eat.
On the way, Sophia noticed Arabella looked exhausted and listless. She nudged her gently. "What's wrong? You seem unhappy. Did you fight with your husband?"
"No..." She smiled weakly. "You're experienced too—you know how exhausting it is caring for children, and I have twins."
"But you have so much help. It shouldn't be that overwhelming."
"I don't sleep well at night, and Isabella wants me the moment she wakes up."
"Oh, children can be quite attached. That is troublesome." Sophia nodded understandingly.
Zachary, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned back to look at Arabella and asked politely, "Arabella, how much do you know about your husband's company?"
Arabella blinked, looking at Zachary with confusion. "His company... I don't really know much about it."
Actually, she knew nothing at all.
After all, she hadn't planned on a lasting marriage when they wed, so why would she investigate his business?
Besides, between pregnancy and caring for babies, she'd had no time to pay attention to anything else this past year.
Sophia looked at him with a complicated expression. "What are you up to? Looking for him to throw business your way?"
Zachary smiled, openly admitting, "That's exactly what I'm hoping for."
Arabella didn't know how to respond.
She'd be divorcing Gabriel soon, and with their awkward, strained relationship, she couldn't possibly help Zachary make connections.
"When headquarters decided to send me to Luminara for this position, I did some research beforehand. The Sterling Group's contract with their current law firm is expiring, and they'll be accepting new bids next month. I plan to submit our materials in the next few days. Landing a multinational corporation like Sterling Group would be huge for my career."
He smiled with anticipation and pride, clearly viewing this opportunity as crucial.
Whether he could establish himself successfully in this city depended entirely on Arabella.
Sophia glanced at Arabella, seeing the polite smile on her face barely masking the discomfort and awkwardness in her eyes. She immediately understood.
"What are you thinking? If you're going to succeed, do it with your own skills. Don't look for shortcuts." Not wanting to put Arabella in a difficult position, Sophia firmly shut down her husband's plan.
Zachary's expression faltered as he understood his wife's meaning. He could only manage a strained smile at Arabella. "I was just asking casually. Don't feel any pressure."
"None at all. I really don't get involved in his company affairs." Arabella also felt the awkward atmosphere and smiled politely while explaining again.