Chapter 25

Night had fallen. The weather took a nasty turn. After a few flashes of lightning and thunder, rain started pouring down hard over the Ashbourne Manor. Inside the study, the lighting was dim. Gabriel sat at his desk, clad in a black shirt that made his already cool and detached aura even more unapproachable. Photos were scattered across the desk. He stared at them without blinking, eyes as dark and still as deep water—chilling to the bone. In the photos, Jackson was handing a bouquet to Lilah outside a hospital. Then, the two got into a car together. Rain slammed against the windows without pause. Gabriel slowly shut his eyes, cold air radiating from him as the room's temperature seemed to plummet. As the downpour worsened, his slender fingers curled tightly into fists, knuckles turning pale, faint tremors betraying his composure. It took a while before he opened his eyes again. That jet-black gaze not only held a lethal chill, but also deep pain buried within. Just then— There was a k