Chapter 30- Gabriel's pov(part 4)

As I stepped further into the room, my gaze fell upon a table at its center, covered in an assortment of sharp tools that sent a wave of anger coursing through my veins. What kind of twisted plans did they have for her? I thought, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

The burly man led me to a sleeping bag in the corner, and my heart skipped a beat as I realized Betty was inside. They'd made her sleep on the cold, hard floor, and the thought of what she might have endured made my blood boil.

"Get up!" the man barked, but I spun around, my eyes blazing with warning. "Don't speak to her like that," I growled, my voice low and menacing.

Betty jumped up, her eyes wide with fear, and I felt a pang of regret for not being able to shield her from this ordeal.

I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down. Despite the rage simmering beneath the surface, I wanted to make a good first impression. This was, after all, our first official meeting since that chance encounter on the street corner. I forced my brightest smile, hoping to put her at ease.

But Betty's expression remained wary, her eyes darting between me and the burly man, who now stood silently, his head bowed in submission. Fear and confusion etched her face, and I couldn't blame her. She had no idea who I was or why I was there.

I gently took Betty's hand in mine, trying to offer what little comfort I could. But as I looked down, my heart sank. Her hand was bandaged, and a wave of rage washed over me. All rational thought abandoned me as I demanded to know who had hurt her.

Betty's eyes widened, fear spilling out like a palpable force. She remained silent, her gaze darting wildly around the room. I spun around, my glare pinning the three men behind me. "Who did this?" I thundered.

The burly man crumpled to his knees, his eyes fixed on me with a mixture of fear and pleading. He muttered something incoherent, his words lost in the surge of my anger.

My anger boiled over, and before I could rein in my emotions, I pulled out the gun I'd brought for self-defense. In a flash, I aimed and fired, the sound of the shot echoing through the room. The burly man's body crumpled to the ground, a single bullet wound to the head.

I stood there, frozen, as the reality of what I'd just done sank in. Betty's eyes were wide with shock, fixed on the lifeless body. The other two men cowered, paralyzed with fear.

I stood there, frozen, as the reality of what I'd just done sank in. Betty's eyes were wide with shock, fixed on the lifeless body. She suddenly turned and stormed out of the room, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. I followed close behind, my mind racing with the consequences of my actions.

As we emerged into the bright sunlight, I ordered the two remaining men to act as chairs. They hesitated, then slowly positioned themselves on the ground. But Betty stood frozen, her eyes fixed on some point in the distance, her chest still heaving with ragged breaths.

Betty's voice was barely above a whisper as she asked to leave. I nodded and led her to the exit. As we stepped outside, her eyes landed on my car, and a faint glimmer of relief flickered across her face. Her breathing had slowed, and her hyperventilating had stopped. I told her to wait for me in the car, and she nodded, her eyes still fixed on the vehicle.

I turned back to the house, my mind refocusing on the task at hand. I demanded to know the name of the organization they belonged to, but the two men remained tight-lipped. My patience wore thin, and I shot them both in the leg. They cried out in agony, clutching their wounds.

I signaled to one of my men to take them into custody and turned to leave. But as I stepped outside, my heart sank. Betty was nowhere near the car. Instead, she was running down the road, her feet pounding the pavement in a desperate bid for freedom.

Betty's eyes locked onto mine, and for a fleeting moment, I thought she'd stop. But instead, she surged forward, her legs pumping furiously as she sprinted down the road. I took off after her, my heart racing with fear. I yelled for her to stop, desperate to halt her headlong dash.

My warning came too late. A vehicle hurtled around the bend, its tires screeching in protest. I watched in horror, my scream echoing through the air, but it was no use. The impact was inevitable.

I reached Betty's side in an instant, my heart heavy with dread. She lay motionless, her body bruised and battered. I gently lifted her into my arms, cradling her unconscious form as I rushed back to the car. The hospital was my only hope – I sped towards it, praying that I wasn't too late.

As Betty's eyes fluttered open, a wave of relief washed over me. She looked surprisingly energetic, considering what she'd been through. Our conversation flowed easily, filled with a witty banter that left me craving more.

But beneath the surface, I discovered a newfound awareness of my own desires. A part of me, which I hadn't acknowledged before, emerged - and I couldn't help but wonder what Betty thought of me.

I had unfinished business to attend to, so I left Betty in Pete's care. My men had extracted a confession from the two kidnappers, and I passed the information to my father, knowing he'd be eager to absorb the new organization.

The kidnappers begged not to be handed over to my father, but I didn't care about their pleas. My men escorted them away, destined to become my father's "playthings."

Next, I headed to New Mexico to meet Betty's mother, who was still with my men. I considered punishing her for putting Betty in harm's way, but I refrained, thinking that Betty might not take kindly to her mother being harmed. Instead, I issued a warning and left.

With my business concluded, I returned to the hospital, eager to see Betty again. Two days had passed since our conversation, and I was excited to help her return to her normal life.

My father's call interrupted my progress to the hospital door as I stood at the hospital entrance. "Keep Betty with you," he said, his voice firm. I hesitated, knowing Wu's presence in her life. "She has Wu," I replied. "She won't take kindly to that suggestion." A pause followed, and then a gunshot echoed through the line. "Problem solved," my father said coldly. "Wu's dead. So you can keep her with you." The line went dead, and I stood there, stunned.

I stood frozen at the hospital entrance, my phone still pressed to my ear. My father's words echoed in my mind: "Problem solved, Wu's dead." A chill ran down my spine.

I struggled to process the news. It seemed unreal. My father and Wu had been close friends and allies for decades. The thought of him killing Wu was unthinkable. Yet, my father's tone had been cold, detached.

My mind reeled with questions and doubts.

My doubts lingered and I received a chilling video text. The footage showed my father standing in his office, phone to his ear as if he was talking to someone. Wu sat across from him, fear etched on his face. My father nodded at someone in the distant corner of the room, I couldn't make up the person well because he was not clearly in the frame, and a gunshot rang out. Wu slumped forward, lifeless. My father's voice sent a shiver down my spine: "Problem solved, Wu's dead. So you can keep her with you." The words echoed exactly what he'd said to me moments earlier.

I attempted to rationalize the video, telling myself it was a deepfake, but the image of Wu's lifeless body lingered. Pushing the thought aside, I decided to take Betty to my place and investigate the truth later.

I entered the hospital room, handing Betty a change of clothes I'd brought. She quickly dressed, and we headed to my apartment. The car ride was tense, but it wasn't until Betty asked me to take her to Wu that my heart sank.

My mind racing, I struggled to find the right words. If Wu was truly dead, Betty would be devastated. But if I revealed my father's involvement, her desire for revenge would put her directly in harm's way. I knew my father's tactics all too well - he would toy with her, torturing her before ultimately deciding her fate.

I took a deep breath and made a difficult decision. I told her that I was responsible for Wu's death.

Betty's reaction was intense. She pounded her fists against me, cursing me with every ounce of strength she had. I stood there, silently enduring her anger, knowing I'd made the choice to protect her from a far greater evil.