Chapter 6

The next morning, Eliana heard Gabriel moving around in the living room. She opened her bedroom door and found him already dressed in casual clothes. He was standing by the door, checking his watch. "Hurry up," he said, not even looking at her. "I don't have all day." Eliana didn't budge. "I'm not going." "Hurry up and come out." With that, Gabriel turned and walked out, his footsteps echoing down the stairs, followed by the sound of his Jeep starting up outside. Eliana knew all too well that if she really didn't go, she'd only have worse waiting for her later. She took a deep breath and followed him out. The drive was suffocating, the silence so heavy it felt like it could crush her. Gabriel gripped the steering wheel and kept his eyes glued to the road, not sparing her even a sideways glance. Eliana stared out the window at the world rushing by, wondering what this marriage even was anymore. When they got to the rink, she saw all the other guys crouching down to help their girlfriends with their skates. Meanwhile, she sat alone on the bench, fumbling awkwardly with the buckles on her own skates. By the time she finished and looked up, Gabriel was nowhere to be seen. She glanced around and finally spotted him across the lounge, talking to a woman in a white puffer jacket. He looked completely focused, like nothing else around him mattered. The woman turned around, and Eliana's heart just about stopped. She looked so much like Linda. Eliana couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Gabriel wouldn't so much as look at her, but some woman who just happened to resemble Linda had him completely spellbound. How had she not seen it before? How had she wasted her whole life chasing a man whose heart had always belonged to someone else? "What are you just standing there for?" Gabriel's cold voice jolted her back. She hadn't even realized he was back, waiting by the rink entrance and looking impatient. Eliana skated onto the ice while Gabriel kept his distance, not even letting their clothes come close. All he did was bark orders like a drill sergeant. "Bend your knees. Keep your weight low." His voice was colder than the ice beneath their feet. Suddenly, there was a thunderous crash from overhead. Eliana instinctively looked up and saw the steel beams above twisting and snapping. Huge chunks of concrete were swaying dangerously. "The roof's coming down! The whole place is collapsing!" Screams broke out everywhere. Eliana tried to run, but her legs, still new to skating, refused to cooperate. She fell hard on the ice and couldn't get up. "Gabriel!" she yelled, but her voice was swallowed by the chaos. She spotted Gabriel not far away, but he was shielding the woman in the white puffer jacket, guiding her out as fast as he could. He never even glanced back. "Help..." Eliana tried to call out. Just then, a huge slab of concrete came crashing down. The last thing she saw was Gabriel's back disappearing into the safety of the exit, swallowed up by the light. She woke up to the sharp, sterile scent of disinfectant and heard a doctor speaking in a serious tone. "Commander Ford, your wife's in rough shape. Her right leg's broken, two ribs are fractured, and there's some bruising in her lungs too." The doctor's voice reached her ears, distant and muffled, like it was coming from underwater. Eliana turned her head slightly and saw Gabriel standing at the foot of her bed in uniform, his face expressionless. He simply said, "Okay." He didn't even show the slightest trace of concern. Eliana wanted some water, but just moving sent pain jolting through her whole body. Gritting her teeth, she reached for the cup on the bedside table, but her hands were shaking so badly it slipped and crashed to the floor. Finally, Gabriel bothered to turn her way. "You're awake?" He walked over, looming over her. "How are you feeling?" Eliana's voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Not dead yet."