Claire Oxford was smiling so unusually, it made the women around her very curious and a bit worried as they heard she was left out of her son's wedding to a divorcee.

But the woman had no care in the world about what they all thought. They were looking for a topic for gossip anyway. So, she excused herself and made for her room, making sure to tell the housekeeper to entertain her guests well.


As soon as she closed the door of her huge, plainly decorated room which held more of her clothes and accessories in a way that irked her husband but comforted her, she became even more relaxed.

Taking out her phone to call Charles, Mrs. Oxford wondered if he would be with Isabella Shade. She then wondered if he knew that she had a thing or two she was keeping from him. The woman wore a smile.

She knew her son well. When he learns about the secret, he would feel betrayed and he will certainly see how the woman was not the one for him. And he would finally follow his mother's wishes. As her mind went to the discovery she had made the previous day, her hands fisted in anger.


How dare that Shade woman boldly accept to marry her son? She wished she could say a few words to the woman. As she proceeded to call her son, Claire felt something cold against the back of her neck.

As she tried to tilt her head to the side, the coarse and unforgettable voice of Gabriel Manifold commanded gently, "Don't move ma'am."


Swallowing hard, she gave a short nod while wondering why he was there. "What do you want?"

"I want you to sit first." She was surprised at how solemn his voice was at that moment. So, out of a kind of curiosity, she complied and walked to the closest chair.

After she had had her seat, Gabriel's heavy footsteps filled the room and he settled in front of her. As he looked down at Claire, she didn't fail to notice how dark his eyes looked.

She was aware he went to prison.

She orchestrated it. But she definitely did not picture him looking like a soul deprived of life for a thousand years.

Scratching the back of his head with the tip of the gun in his hand, he said, "You must be wondering why I am here. I should be in prison right?" Head dancing slowly, the man assumed a squatting position before he continued. "I escaped two days ago. See… I just wasn't calm with the idea of not having Isabella by my side."

"She-" A large dirty hand came up and shut her up.

"I know you are the one who sent me to prison. You made it possible. I should make you suffer for it." The way he wore calmness still bothered the woman. "I won't kill you." Gabriel shook his head.

"That would be too much of an easy revenge."

"What exactly do you want then?" Mrs. Oxford asked cautiously.

"Good question." His face wore a thinking expression after. "How about we make your son suffer? Uh?" He wore a smile that sickened the woman. "I know he won't let me have Isabella, so I'll just get rid of him. And when he dies… boom! His mother becomes sad and suffers the pain of losing her child for a long, long time."

"You are a very disturbed person."

Gabriel's lips formed as though they discovered something distasteful. "No. I am not disturbed. I am very sick."

Claire Oxford's lips fell apart at his statement. But she really had no time to wonder if he used to live in a psychiatric hospital. "You know I won't let you even dream of touching my son."

Eyes bulging as he tilted his head to the side, Gabriel soon let out a small chuckle before saying, "You can't stop me ma'am. You can't stop a man who has love and hatred running in his veins."

"Love?" She scoffed. "You are not capable of loving someone. I might not want Isabella for my son, but I won't even wish her to be with you ever again."

"So what?" He seemed disgusted at her words. "You will let her stay with him?" She looked to the side. "You want your son to die?"

"Please, leave. I need to think."

Gabriel slapped the side of his thighs as he got up. "I hope you think fast enough." Her eyes stayed on her hands. "If you don't, you could hear a devastating news right after concluding your thoughts."

"Are you still here Gabriel Manifold?" A huff answered her and by the time she lifted her head, the man was gone and she could finally breathe normally.

Without wasting a second, she grabbed the phone she had earlier set aside and dialed a number. As soon as the recipient answered, she said swiftly, "I need you to keep an eye on Gabriel Manifold. Be smart about it. And prepare a car, I need to visit my son."

She gave the man on the other side no chance to speak and her phone was being tossed aside again while her mind raced and prayed for her son's safety.

~

"Any news about Gabriel yet?" Charles looked up from the laptop and shook his head.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his hands tucking beneath his chin.

Sighing, she had her seat opposite him. They were presently in his study and Isabella joined him as she was bored to death with just sitting alone in the living room. "I know he is coming for me."

"That sounded so sexual Bella." Her brows cocked at his statement. "Why on earth would you say your ex-husband is coming for you?"

"Yeah… he is." Her eyes were narrowed. "It is very obvious that he is… Wait a minute…" She chuckled in bits as it occurred to her that her husband was trying to make a sexual joke.

"It's a good one, isn't it?" He gave her a grand smile as she broke into a full laughter. "Your husband is quite funny isn't he?"

Isabella shook her head while still trying to reduce her laughter. "That was not funny at all."

"But you are laughing," he retorted.

"Yes, because you tried to make a joke." He snorted and shook his head.

"Don't worry Isabella, that man won't be stupid enough to hurt you when he knows you are mine now."

"You always know what to say, don't you?" His response got interrupted by the doorbell. "Are you expecting someone?" she asked.

"No." The man got up.

"Do you think it is Daphne?"

"She knows better than to do the opposite of what I tell her to do. Come with me." He offered his hand and she gladly took it. When the door finally opened, they were greeted by an unexpected sight.

"Mother," Charles monotonously said.

The woman who was, as usual, dressed richly with the satin gown flaunting the pearls around her neck, had her eyes swinging towards Isabella. Isabella greeted her with a small bow and Charles's mother simply looked away.

"Charles, let's go in. There is something about your dear wife you need to know." Her voice dripped with bitterness.

"What could that be?" asked her son.

The woman pushed her way into the house while saying, "You will find out soon."

After sharing a look, Charles and Isabella went in after the seemingly enthusiastic woman.