Chapter 22 Wild goose chase II
“Stop chortling, Mirabel. This isn’t funny,” Gabe snapped, gripping the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white.
Mirabel leaned back, unfazed, as she waved a lazy hand. “Ohhh, calm down, pretty boy. You really should stop hiding behind that cap of yours. You’ve got a cute face, you know?” she slurred, tapping his nose playfully.
Gabe ignored her flirtation, his tone hard. “Who told you to leave Lucas?”
She leaned in dramatically like she was sharing a secret. “Well… the other big guy in the room. He scolded me and called it a dirty job.” She made a bad face.
“Oh, he also insisted I leave and told me to tell you I did my job. And guess what?” She giggled. “I think he might’ve gotten in bed with him instead. He was way too protective of that pretty guy.”
Gabe’s face twisted. “Mirabel, are you hearing yourself? What other guy? Who the hell are you talking about?”
She placed a finger over her lips. “Shhh… don’t tell anyone,” she whispered, then leaned closer with a crooked grin. “He threatened me, said he would call the cops if I didn’t leave. He said if I opened my mouth, he would make me regret it. I was scared. A real scary guy. Tall, built, and pissed.”
Gabe blinked. “Wait… he was in the room when I came?”
Mirabel nodded as she hiccupped. “Yup. Right there, while you did your big man act. You didn’t even notice, huh?”
“Damn it,” Gabe cursed under his breath, standing abruptly. “This changes everything.”
“Oh yeah,” Mirabel leaned forward, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “He was hiding in the restroom the whole time. We totally fooled you into thinking everything was going smoothly.”
Then, without warning, she threw her head back in loud, drunken laughter, drawing unwanted attention from nearby patrons at the bar. “We made a complete fool out of you! Isn’t that hilarious?”
Gabe’s jaw clenched. His temper flared. “Damn it, you silly idiot! You had one job. One simple job!” he growled, voice low and sharp. “I want that money back. Every damn cent I paid you!”
Mirabel, swaying slightly, scoffed and waved him off. “Hey, don’t look at me. It’s not my fault if your golden boy prefers a male escort.”
That did it. Gabe reached out, trying to snatch her handbag, but before he could pull it away, a tall, rugged man appeared beside them, stepping between them like a wall.
“Hey!” the man snapped, glaring at Gabe. “What the hell do you think you’re doing with my girl? Trying to rob her or what?”
Gabe raised both hands defensively. “No, not at all. She owes me money, that’s all. I paid for her, but she didn't…”
“I don’t owe him a damn thing,” Mirabel cut in smoothly, clutching her bag tightly to her chest, suddenly playing the innocent card.
The man narrowed his eyes at Gabe. “You heard the lady. She says she owes you nothing, so beat it. Whatever you two have going on, sort it out when she’s sober. But for now, back off.”
With that, he helped the stumbling Mirabel up and guided her out of the bar, leaving Gabe standing fuming by the counter, his fists clenched as his heart pounded.
“Son of a—” Gabe muttered, then turned to storm out. This wasn’t over. Once outside the bar, he kicked the empty space. “Damni it, and damn that silly girl.” He was filled with anger and disappointment.
As he cursed under his breath, he pulled out his phone from his pocket to call his boss—but he froze, thumb hovering over the dial pad. His jaw tightened. “How the hell do I even explain this messed-up disaster?” he growled, voice laced with frustration. After a long pause, he shoved the phone back into his pocket with a hiss of breath. “I'm so screwed."
He stormed towards his car, flung himself into the driver’s seat, and slammed the door with a loud thud. Engines roared as he tore off toward the lodge, his mind racing faster than the wheels on the asphalt.
Minutes later, he arrived and bolted up to Room 443. He shoved the door open without knocking—only to find the place empty.
Lucas was gone.
Gabe’s eyes swept the room in disbelief, then narrowed in rage. “Fuck this,” he barked, slamming the door behind him. “How the hell does this son of my boss always manage to slip through our fingers?”
He paced the room like a caged animal, fists clenched, heart pounding. Every single setup, every carefully orchestrated trap—they all ended the same way. Lucas saved. The plan, ruined.
This wasn’t just bad luck anymore. Someone helped him yet again, and it made Gabe believe that the guy should be left alone, but still, he decided, he had to report to his father about the failed plan before he found out by himself.
So that afternoon, while Alex was still hot on the trail of the brown-haired mystery guy, tension brewed elsewhere. Gabe stood stiffly outside Mr. Westman's office, nerves buzzing. He knocked once, then stepped in.
Mr. Westman didn’t even look up from the papers in front of him. “Yes, Gabe? What’s so damn important you couldn’t say over the phone?”
Gabe hesitated, eyes lowered like a guilty schoolboy. “Boss, it’s just that… that—”
Westman’s head snapped up, his eyes sharp and voice rising. “That… What, Gabe? Spit it out!”
Gabe clenched his fists. “The plan didn’t work out again.”
A tense silence filled the room. Westman’s face went blank for a second, then darkened with fury. “Don’t you fucking tell me…” he started, voice booming, “...that Lucas slipped through again!”
“I’m sorry, sir,” Gabe said quickly. “I only found out last night. The girl admitted a man interrupted. He threatened her and kicked her out of the room before anything could happen.”
Westman’s face twisted. “What man? Who the hell keeps protecting that boy?”
“She couldn’t say. She was too drunk, and scared.”
Mr. Westman slammed a fist into his desk. “Damn it, this is the third setup that’s failed. Does Lucas have a fucking guardian angel we don’t know about?”
He stood abruptly, pacing. “I’m done playing games. If seduction won’t work, threats won’t work,..then it’s time to force his damn hand.”
Gabe blinked. “Boss?”
Westman’s gaze turned icy. “Lucas is getting married. And if he won’t choose a bride, I’ll choose one for him. Let’s see him slip out of a marriage arrangement.”
Back at the beach
As Alex got closer to where the brown-haired guy was chatting with others, the guy pulled out his phone and started walking faster away from the others. As Alex saw him, he started running after him, shouting, “Please wait up, I just want to talk.”
The guy turned back at the person screaming after him, but Alex stopped in surprise. It was not his mystery guy. His heart twitched painfully at another failure.
The guy he called went back to Alex, who seemed confused as he stared at him. “Yes, may I help you?” The guy asked, confused as well by the way Alex stared at him.
‘Sorry, I mistook you for someone” Alex apologized while the guy walked away to make his call.
“Damn it, what the heck? “ He cursed angrily. Filled with disappointment, he placed his two hands on his waist and stared into space.