AUTHOR’S POV
AVERY WAS ABOUT TO SCREAM when Gabriel wrapped his hand around her mouth.
Her eyes were wide with shock and fear as she got a good look at him.
His hair was moist with sweat from delivering lumber and he looked weary. Moving in and out of Beverly Hills to deliver lumber was by means no small feet. It exhausted him greatly. He was second guessing if to return to the heinous Hospital, but he had no choice; he had promised Sydney he’d be back, and he wasn’t the type to go back on his promise.
His eyes warned Avery not to scream as he slid his hand off her cigarette-wilted lips.
Avery stood firmly and glared at him.
” How dare you drag me that way?” She snarled.
Gabriel corked his brows sardonically. ” Sorry, I forgot you had a twisted leg.” He said with raw sarcasm.
Avery blushed in embarrassment. She’d forgotten she was pretending to be wounded. Thank God no one saw her.
” Can you get straight to the point?” Avery said smugly.
” I warned you not to harm Sydney’s, you went against me. You’ll regret it.” Gabriel threatened, unsmiling.
Avery scoffed loudly making his temper rise. She had no idea what he saw in Sydney that made him so protective of her.
” I didn’t hurt your girlfriend; cool down, lumberjack,” Avery said with unhidden condensation.
Gabriel’s anger sprouted. His hatred for Avery was unthinkable. He’d never hated anyone so much. Gabriel’s hand wrapped around her neck and he pushed her hard against the wall, his gaze pivotal.
” I’m not Gavin, watch the way you speak to me. I won’t f**king hesitate to kill you right here and right now.”
Avery struggled for air. Was this man insane? He didn’t look like he was kidding. She knew best not to get on his nerves again.
“I- I’m sorry.” She choked out.
Gabriel’s grip on her neck tightened. Sorry, she said. He’d wonder how many times Sydney had told her sorry. His anger rose every inch remembering the look on Sydney’s face. What if she’d gotten badly injured? Worst, what if she had died?
Avery was on the verge of passing out when Gabriel pushed her recklessly away, making her fall to the ground.
She gasped and panted, hitting her chest. When she saw Gabriel coming, she moved back in fear. There was something wrong with this man. He had lost his mind!
” Can’t you see I’m pregnant? What the hell is wrong with you.” Avery coughed.
Her back hit the hospital bed and her eyes widened in fear when Gabriel crouched in front of her, his eyes dark with anger.
He didn’t look like someone who had the balls to harm anyone a few minutes ago, but now, he looked like a psychopathic serial killer.
He grabbed her tightly by the jaw and whispered venomously. ” Do you want to see what’s wrong with me?”
Avery could swear his eyes were brown a moment ago. She shook her head rapidly, she’d never been more afraid of anyone in her life.
” No, I said I’m sorry.”
” No, I don’t listen to sorries Avery. Once I say something, I don’t go back on it. You’ll pay, I assure you.”
Avery tried to scream for help but he held her mouth shut. He reached into his pants and pulled out a dagger. Avery’s eyes widened, she struggled in his grip, but he grabbed her by the hair and pushed her to the bed.
” It’s your turn to bleed.” He whispered maniacally.
Avery began to cry as she closed her eyes. She wasn’t ready to die, not yet, not before Sydney and Gavin did.
” Please, please, I’m sorry,” Avery mumbled on his hand with hot tears running down her cheeks.
The corner of Gabriel’s lips curved into a wicked smirk. He wanted to see her fear. He wanted her to cry the way she made Sydney cry. Even if he was going to kill her, it wasn’t now, not this easy way.
He held the dagger to her throat and spoke. “Cry louder, f**king cry louder!”
Avery did cry louder. Her cry was like music to his ears.
He trailed the tip of the dagger down her throat and to her chest with an inhumane smile on his face. Avery gasped and cried hoping he’d have mercy.
” I don’t appreciate it when you harm someone I care about. You made her bleed. You made her cry.” Gabriel said menacingly, his expression turning bitter.
He pressed the nice softly into her chest, digging it into her flesh and making her cry louder and beg faster.
” Three days Avery, three days. If she doesn’t sign the divorce papers, I promise you, your porn wouldn’t be the only thing trending on the news.”
He moved away and slid the dagger back into her pocket. Avery cowered with fear, afraid to look at him.
His bright innocent smile returned as he maintained a good distance from her. ” You are bleeding, Avery; go meet Gavin; I’m sure he’d fall at your feet seeing you this way.”
Immediately after Gabriel left, Avery quickly got out of the bed and grabbed a pair of scissors, almost throwing it at the door in frustration, but stopped when she realized she was in the hospital.
Her fist clenched and unclenched in raging fury. A loud groan fell off her lips. No one dared make her cry and cower like a coward.
This was all Sydney’s fault. God knows what she had done to Gabriel that would make him so protective of her. Her hatred for Sydney skyrocketed.
Avery wiped her tears with a grimace and soliloquized evilly. Gabriel, Sydney, and Gavin wouldn’t know what hit them by the time she was done with them. She wouldn’t relent to put a knife in Gabriel’s chest when she got the chance.
If Gabriel wanted Sydney to divorce Gavin so badly, he’d get it.
She took out her phone and sent a ten-minute voice note to Aaron.
Sitting on the bed, she crossed her legs and threw her head backward with her finger tapping the bed.
If this plan wouldn’t make Sydney divorce Gavin, nothing would.
_____________________
Sydney spent half an hour trying to decide what to do. Her brain was scrambled. She didn’t have up to twenty million.
She refused to collect her salary without working, and she had spent most of her savings on food, the country club, and many other things.
She barely even had fifteen million left.
She held her throbbing head in frustration. Think Sydney think. Her mother was too young to die. She couldn’t leave the world till Sydney gave her the life she deserved.
Sydney knew the only reasonable option was Anita. Ashley’s parents were dead and none of her relatives treated her well. They all turned their backs on her and fled with her parent’s wealth as soon as they died. No one would be willing to help her.
Sydney called Anita thrice before she answered.
She asked Anita to lend her eight million. When Sydney told her what it was for, Anita’s voice turned cold.
” I don’t have that amount of money besides Sydney don’t you think it’s time for that woman to meet her maker?”
Sydney couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
” Anita, she’s your mother, she raised you-‘
” No, she didn’t. She sat by the corner sulking like a depressed b**tch and watched my childhood go to shreds.”
” She tried, she was hurting too. You know what Dad did to her; how do you expect anyone to heal from that?” Sydney’s eyes gathered moisture.
” I don’t care Sydney. If you need the money so badly go ask your husband. I have nothing to do with this family anymore. Don’t ever call me if it isn’t for something important.”
The call went dead.