-------
The City Hospital garden was bathed in the pale, silvery glow of the midnight moon. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of wet earth and jasmine. Gabriella stepped into the hallway, her white hospital gown stark against the clinical walls, looking small and fragile.
The Desperate Embrace
She froze when she saw a tall, familiar figure pacing the hallway like a caged lion. It was Felix. His dark designer suit was wrinkled, his hair a mess, and his eyes were bloodshot with desperation. The moment his gaze locked onto hers, he sprinted forward.
Before she could speak, he pulled her into a crushing, protective hug. Gabriella felt the frantic thrumming of his heart against her chest. "I'm so glad nothing happened to you," he whispered, his voice thick with relief. "You're safe."
Gabriella pulled back slowly, her heart aching. "Sorry... I made you worry," she murmured. She explained that she had gone to find Jake to uncover the truth about her past, but she hidden the dark truth—she didn't tell him that it was Han, her own flesh and blood, who had stabbed her.
-------
The Vow at the Fountain
A few minutes later, they were sitting on a smooth stone bench near the hospital's outdoor fountain. The sound of splashing water was the only thing breaking the heavy silence.
"You should have told me," Felix said, his voice soft but firm. "I would have come with you."
"Sorry," Gabriella whispered.
Felix looked at her, his gaze turning sharp. "Who actually struck you, Gabriella? It was Raina, wasn't it?"
Gabriella stayed silent, her eyes dropping to her lap. In her silence, Felix found his answer. His jaw tightened, his muscles tensing with a cold, simmering fury. He assumed it was Raina, and Gabriella didn't have the heart to tell him it was actually Han.
"Thanks for covering for me with my mother," she said, trying to change the subject.
"Don't worry," Felix replied. "I know Roselette Auntie well. She won't know the truth."
The silence stretched between them until Gabriella spoke again, her voice trembling. "Did it shock you? Finding out I'm an orphan? I... I always knew, but I was too scared to say it. You probably think I'm a liar."
Felix didn't let her finish. He placed a gentle finger over her lips, silencing her. "No," he said, his voice dropping into a deep, soulful tone. "Whether you're an orphan or not, it doesn't matter. You are Gabriella to me. More than that... you are my wife."
Fresh tears blurred Gabriella's vision. She threw her arms around his shoulders, hugging him with everything she had. Felix held her back, his strength grounding her in the middle of the chaos.
After a few seconds, Felix pulled back and tenderly wiped her tears with his thumb. Then, he did something that made Gabriella's breath hitch. He began to unbuckle the old, worn smart-watch—the one Jane had given him—from his wrist.
"Wait! That's important to you," she protested.
"Not as important as you," he countered. He tucked the old watch into his pocket and pulled out a different box. Gabriella froze. It was the brand-new smart-watch she had bought for him—the one that had shattered in her closet.
Felix smiled, a rare, genuine expression that lit up his face. "This was your present, right? But you never gave it to me." He playfully brushed her nose with his finger. "So, I took it myself."
Gabriella smiled through her happy tears. She looked at the watch and noticed the spiderweb crack across the glass. "But the glass is broken..."
"I don't mind," Felix said, holding his wrist out to her. "It's a small break. I'm not missing out on your first gift to me because of that."
With trembling hands, Gabriella fastened the watch onto his wrist. He looked down at it, a satisfied smirk on his lips. "You have excellent taste."
Gabriella leaned her head against his shoulder, her hand tucked into his arm. For a moment, the revenge and the blood felt a million miles away. They were finally in a "happy mode" after the storm.
---------
The Bitter Peel of Truth
The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of the VIP Hospital Room, casting a warm, deceptive glow over the white walls. The room was filled with the scent of fresh lilies and citrus. Gabriella was leaning back against the propped-up pillows, looking ethereal in a soft, baby-pink silk nightgown with delicate lace along the neckline. Despite her pale skin, her eyes held a spark of life as she watched Felix.
A Moment of Sweetness
Felix, looking effortlessly handsome in a relaxed black button-down with the sleeves rolled up, was focused on peeling an orange for her.
"Enough," Gabby said with a small laugh as he offered another slice.
"You didn't finish," Felix countered. He sat on the edge of the bed, a playful glint in his eyes. "If you don't eat, I have another way to feed you."
Gabriella smiled, arching a brow. "What way?"
Instead of answering, Felix placed a slice of orange between his own teeth and leaned in. His face was inches from hers until their lips met in a sweet, citrus-flavored exchange. After the orange was gone, the sweetness turned into heat. Felix began to kiss her with a growing intensity, his hand roaming toward her waist to pull her closer.
"Aww!" Gabriella winced suddenly, pulling back.
Felix froze, his eyes wide with shock. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
"The stitches... they just stung for a second," she whispered, her breath hitching.
"Should I call the doctor?"
"No," she denied, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning into his ear. "The orange was sweet... but your lips were sweeter."
Before he could lean in again, the door swung open. Gabriella quickly pushed Felix away. He stood up straight, smoothing his shirt just as Roselette walked in. Gabriella gave an awkward smile, but it vanished instantly when she saw the person following her mother.
Han.
Gabriella's grip tightened on the bedsheet until her knuckles turned white. Her eyes, which had been soft moments ago, were now filled with a blazing fury. Felix noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere—the air in the room felt like it had turned to ice.
Han walked toward the bed, his voice sounding perfectly genuine. "Are you okay, Gabriella?"
She didn't speak. She just stared at him, her gaze locked on the man who had stabbed her. Finally, she gave a stiff, robotic nod. Roselette began explaining the "accident" with the broken bottle, and Han listened with a fake look of concern.
"You have to be more careful while walking," Han said, his gaze shifting into something dark and sharp. He leaned down, whispering so only she could hear, "I told you many times... stay away from Raina."
Gabriella's eyes turned a dangerous red. Roselette, hearing only half, asked, "Stay away from what?"
Han turned to Roselette with a charming smile. "Stay away from harmful, sharp objects, Auntie. That's all."
Felix's eyes narrowed. He felt the vibration of a lie in the room. He stepped forward and placed a heavy hand on Han's shoulder, flashing a fake, polite smile. "Let's have lunch together, Han."
--------
The Cold War Outside
Once they were in the hallway, Han pulled away. "I have to go. Urgent meeting. Take care of my sister, Felix."
Felix's smile faded into a cold, expressionless mask. "Of course I'll take care of her," he said, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Because no one can harm my wife anymore—whether it's Raina, or someone else."
Han's face turned dark, a flicker of shadow passing over his features. He didn't say another word. He turned and walked away, his eyes darkening with every step.
Felix didn't watch him leave. He immediately pulled out his phone and called his private assistant. "I want a full background check on Han. Something is going on between him and Gabriella. He's hiding something... and if I'm not wrong, he also one behind Gabriella strike incident."
"What?" the assistant gasped over the line. "Wait,... is it possible he found out the truth? Does he know that Gabriella is his father's illegitimate child, just like we discovered?"
Felix's world stopped. He gripped the phone so hard the screen almost cracked.
"What did you just say?" Felix whispered, his eyes widening in total horror.
--------
To be Continued....
--------