chapter 3

The old lady's voice was stern as she scolded, "Young man, I let you slide for walking into my shop without a shirt because it's still morning.

But now, you're distracting my customers from buying!" Khan turned around, his eyes scanning the room as he took in the sight of students in uniform peeking through the shelves, their faces agog with curiosity.

Older ladies were blushing at the sight of him, their eyes fixed on his chiseled physique.

Khan's rugged life had sculpted his body, making his abs, triceps, and biceps visible beneath his skin.

No wonder the ladies were swooning!

He grabbed his purchases and made a quick exit, leaving behind a trail of chatter.

"Do you think he's an actor?" someone asked.

"Never seen him on TV, but he's got the looks and bod for it!" another replied.

Khan's face flushed as he stepped out into the bright sunlight.

Gabi, however, was not impressed. "How rude of him to cut me off mid-sentence! And why did he suddenly bail?" She was so annoyed that steam was practically coming out of her ears!

Khan returned, still looking a bit flustered, and tossed some clothes through the window to Gabi.

"I just grabbed some cheap stuff from the convenience store.".

Gabi raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "How arrogant of him, not even looking at me while talking!" The car was so steamy, you could've smoked fish in there!

As she changed, Gabi noticed strange stains on the shirt. "Gross!" Later, Gabi rolled down the car window, and Khan asked, "Can I get my shirt back now?" Gabrielle shook her head, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

He entered the car for another hour in complete silence.

The tension between them was palpable, and Gabrielle couldn't help but wonder what Khan was thinking.

He dropped her off at the Thompson residence, waving goodbye as he drove off. Gabrielle tiptoed three steps forward when a guard screamed, "Young Miss!" She jumped to a nearby bushy area, hiding behind the foliage.

Khan, who was still in the car, giggled. "Ssssss," he called out, his voice low and husky. "See you around, thought I'd tell you we had a good time."

Gabrielle's face flushed as memories of the previous night flooded her mind.

In front of the Thompson gate was a lineup of five guys, all on their knees. They were her personal guards, and she had managed to evade them the day before to meet up with Juvani. Sensing the danger, Gabrielle Thompson plotted about a thousand and one plans in her head. Her house had even more security than the presidency, from drones to military personnel. There was nothing she could do to sneak in without being noticed.

As she turned back to the main entrance, a black Range Rover was before her. "How wonderful, Madam Thompson, we found your daughter," the man in the car told his wife sarcastically.

Gabby, who had been noticed, slowly stood up. She gazed at the disappointed look on her mom's face and almost froze under the cold glare her dad gave her.

"Where were you?" her dad asked, his tone strict and unyielding.

Gabrielle sat in her father's home office, her seat at the center of the hall. The five guards were on their knees behind her, their eyes fixed on the floor. Gabrielle knew she was in trouble, and she could feel the weight of her parents' disapproval bearing down on her.

Gabrielle's eyes widened as she met her father's glare in the opulent home office. The room was dimly lit, with only a few rays of sunlight peeking through the heavy curtains. The air was thick with tension, and the scent of old leather and wood polish hung heavy over the space. Gabrielle felt a cold sweat trickle down her spine, and her heart racing in her chest, as she stood before her father's massive mahogany desk.

She was so afraid of her dad that she almost lost control of her bladder. The fear was palpable, making her legs tremble beneath her.

Her father's voice was like a whip, cutting through the air and making Gabrielle flinch. "Where were you?" he demanded, his tone strict and unyielding.

The sound echoed off the high ceilings, making Gabrielle feel small and insignificant.

Gabrielle swallowed hard, trying to find her voice.

She knew she was in trouble, and she could feel the weight of her parents' disapproval bearing down on her.

The five guards behind her seemed to be holding their collective breath, their eyes fixed on the floor. The soft hum of the air conditioning and the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner were the only sounds that broke the silence.

Gabrielle knew she had to come up with a plausible explanation, or else she'd face the consequences.

She stuttered, her words tumbling out in a jumbled mess as she desperately tried to concoct a convincing explanation. "I-I was studying, Dad. I was...I was studying," she repeated, her voice trembling beneath her father's skeptical gaze.

Her father raised an eyebrow, his expression a mask of disdain. "Studying?" he repeated, his voice dripping with incredulity. "At such an ungodly hour? For a whole night?" Gabrielle nodded, attempting to exude confidence, but her eyes betrayed her, darting nervously around the room.

"I had a test coming up, and I went to study with Juvani," she explained, her words spilling out in a rush.

That was the only thing her dad was interested in, her studying.

Her father's expression softened slightly, but only for a fleeting moment. His eyes landed on the clothes Gabrielle had left in front of the door, and his face darkened once more, like a storm cloud gathering on the horizon.

He took the dress and scanned through it, his eyes narrowing as he examined the fabric.

"Studying?" he repeated, his voice dripping with disdain. "Are you sure you were studying? You're supposed to be the face of this house, the first daughter of this esteemed family. But instead, you're out gallivanting, making mistakes, and bringing shame to our name."

Gabrielle felt a stinging sensation in her eyes as tears began to well up, threatening to spill down her cheeks. Her father's words cut deep, slicing through her defenses like a sharp knife. She felt like she was walking on eggshells around him, never knowing when he would lash out next. The education she received was elite, but it came at the cost of her own sanity. Her father's strictness was suffocating her, leaving her feeling trapped and helpless, like a bird in a gilded cage.