Chapter 6

I followed Gabriel in confusion. I watched him navigate the secret room like he knew it by heart, and I was stunned by what I saw. The room was covered wall to wall with strings. And hanging from those strings were photos of me. When did he take these? Was he actually some kind of stalker? A wolf in sheep's clothing? I felt dizzy and confused. Then I heard a choked sob from deeper in the room. "Joanne, you idiot! How could you choose him? I only needed six more months! "If you'd just waited six months, I would have made it big and come back to marry you. Why couldn't you wait? "No... I should blame myself. It's my fault. I decided to wait until I was successful before telling you how I felt. I didn't want you to suffer with me, so I hid my feelings when we graduated. "Joanne, please be alright." What? I was completely shocked. Now I understood where all these photos came from. Besides the recent ones, there were pictures from our school days. I never knew Gabriel had those sorts of feelings for me. Lucas and I were basically in an arranged marriage set up by our families. I knew Lucas had spent his school years chasing after Roxanne. I figured the two of us would never have anything to do with each other because of her. But one night changed everything and dragged me straight to hell. I'd gotten wasted at a party and wandered into the wrong private room to sleep it off. The alcohol really hit me hard, and in my drunken state, I ended up sleeping with some guy. When I woke up, I discovered it was Lucas. Lucas had gotten drunk at a company retreat and, like me, had come to sober up. Neither of us expected anything like that to happen. Afterward, Lucas demanded I never tell anyone about what we'd done. I watched him frantically pull out his phone to call Roxanne, even willing to pay thousands to have someone fabricate an alibi for him. But then, half a month later, Nancy dropped a bombshell at a family gathering between the Millers and Sanderses. She announced Lucas' and my engagement. She even revealed what had happened between us and that I was pregnant. Lucas stared at me in shock, and I'd never forget that look in his eyes. They were filled with fury, disgust, and pure murderous rage. But I'd never told Nancy anything. All I knew was that Roxanne had left the gathering in tears that night. Lucas had chased after her, and when he came back much later, he had surprisingly agreed to Nancy's request to marry me. Little did I know this marriage would push me into an endless abyss. I just couldn't figure out why God wouldn't take me after I died, instead leaving me to drift like a lost soul, pushed forward by some invisible force. Either I was stuck watching Lucas and his disgusting displays, or I was here with Gabriel, witnessing the deep feelings he'd once had for me. Gabriel was curled up in the corner of the secret room when his phone rang outside. He jumped up like a startled deer and rushed out. I snapped back to reality and hurried after him. His face went white as he answered the call. "Are you sure? Got it. I'm on my way." Gabriel hung up quickly, grabbed his car keys and jacket, and bolted for the door. In a blink, I found myself in Gabriel's passenger seat. His face was tight with urgency and anger. I still didn't know what was going on. Not until we arrived at the edge of a forest dozens of miles away. Dozens of bodyguards stood at the forest entrance, stretching into the pitch-black woods. Before I could process what was happening, a man rushed up to us. He was breathless and gestured for Gabriel to follow him. Gabriel took several deep breaths before stepping into the forest. When they dug up a small mound of dirt with their shovels, revealing the tiny body before me, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I was already dead. But seeing my child, buried in this remote wilderness by his bastard father like some dead pet, made my heart clench with pain. My baby. My poor baby. Gabriel had his men carefully dig out the remains of the six-month-old fetus and place them in a small box. His assistant, Andre Hughes, stepped forward quickly to report on the arrangements. "Mr. Dutton, everything you requested has been handled. Now, where should we take the body?" The bodyguards who had children of their own couldn't bear to look at the mangled little body. It was just too heartbreaking. "We still can't trace where Joanne went. Get a medical examiner to determine the cause of death. Even if we can't find Joanne, I'm going to avenge her." Gabriel's gaze was firm and unwavering. Andre nodded and hurried off without delay. I crouched on the ground, watching as someone carefully cradled my baby like a precious treasure, gently placing the tiny remains in the small box beside them. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry. Mommy should never have left the house. I should have just stayed home with you." Why did I have to go out for Lucas, dragging my pregnant belly to get that cake, only to be humiliated and murdered? Even my precious baby couldn't escape. Gabriel's people worked quickly. The medical examiner was already waiting at the morgue. They took the fetus whose little face had been damaged and brought him to the autopsy room to begin their work. Since I couldn't leave Gabriel's side, I could only wait quietly. Soon, Andre returned, accompanied by a man in a black suit carrying a tiny coffin. "Mr. Dutton, we've found the perfect burial site and arranged for a priest. Once Ms. Miller's child is examined, we can begin." Gabriel's cracked lips moved slightly as he said hoarsely, "Alright. Got it." He looked up at the sky. "Joanne, please don't be upset. I have no other choice. "But don't worry. If we find out who the killer is, I'll make them pay. "Don't be afraid now. When this is all over, I'll come find you." Half a day passed quickly. The medical examiner emerged carrying the fetus, whose face had been carefully reconstructed, and delivered his findings. "The baby who died so brutally was a boy. His face was smashed with stones. Based on his condition, I estimate he was about six months along. "There's still an untreated placenta and umbilical cord attached to his abdomen, with chunks of uterine tissue stuck to it. The smell of blood is overwhelming. So I suspect... he may have been cut out while still alive. The mother couldn't have survived." Gabriel had guessed it. The world wasn't that big, and he'd sent everyone out searching for me. A living person couldn't just vanish without a trace, so there was only one possibility. I was dead. And the circumstances of my death were probably horrific. But even though he'd suspected it, he nearly collapsed when his worst fears were confirmed.