Chapter 394 - Blindside (3)
Angela and Trigger were drying dishes and putting them away in the cupboards. Her conference call with Nina and Samantha about her books took longer than she expected, so it was already almost 2 p.m. when they ate. She had decided she would be writing her next book very soon and told them about the three novels she had planned to write this year during their call.
With her current project with Love Tales still in the works, she wanted to begin the next installment while the urge flared inside her. That's the thing about creators... You couldn't force them to make something; otherwise, the results would be crappy. But when they're in high spirits and inspiration fuels their brain juices, that's when they'd flourish. At the moment, the scenes for Angela's next book had been playing in her head constantly, begging her: "please write me already". She had most of the plot written down in her drafts, but she refused to actually start writing because once she did, there's no telling what could stop her.
Once Angela would get in the zone, she could lock herself up in a room for days. And she didn't want her time with Gael here to go to waste. So despite the nagging voices in her head—she wasn't crazy, the voices were from the characters of her new book—she willed herself to wait. It was pretty hard, of course. She itched to finally start putting life to the people she saw in her head. She would daydream about the scenes over and over—that is if she hadn't written them down in her notebook yet, though even if she did, she would still daydream.
Trigger's chuckle snapped her out of her trance, and she glanced at him. He was looking at his screen, finding something amusing.
"What's so funny?" she wondered, very much curious.
"Oh… Sorry. I was just checking my phone." He looked slightly apologetic for getting distracted while technically still on the job. Then he showed his screen to her. "Gabby sent me this."
Angela peered at his phone and saw a photo of Gabby and J goofing around with blown-up surgical gloves and a stethoscope—which she guessed was from Mika's private nurse. They both looked like they were having fun with their smiles reaching their ears.
"What's up with Gabby and J? Are they a thing?" she asked as she leaned against the counter next to Trigger.
He pocketed his phone and began wiping the counter, pursing his lips as he contemplated his answer. "Jino is obviously in love with Gabby and maybe she feels the same way. But he doesn't admit it to her."
"Why is that?"
"Jino respects Boss too much to make a move on his sister. Boss is generous; I'm sure you know that already. He took care of Jino like he's his own brother—maybe even like a son. He gave Jino and Mika shelter and education, just like any parent should, and Jino doesn't want to lose him. Boss cares about his sister a lot. One time, a couple of guys harassed Gabby at a frat party years ago when she was in the university. When he found out, he was so mad. We—Gael, Gio, Seb, Jino and I went to find them. Let's just say those guys lost their dreams to be football stars—Boss made sure of it."
Angela swallowed.
"Not trying to scare you," Trigger reassured when she saw her concerned expression. "Boss is a good man. He's just…intense sometimes. No one wants to cross him, and Jino knows that."
"J would feel like he'll cross Gael if he pursued Gabby?" she probed, and Trigger shrugged.
"I guess," he said.
"What about you? You have a girlfriend?"
Trigger straightened up, touching the moon tattoo on his neck as he looked away quickly. "No."
Angela wanted to poke him about it—the writer in her couldn't help wanting to get some story. But then her phone beeped from the back pocket of her pants. It was a direct message notification from Lauretta through Instagram.
Her brows drew together, thinking that she shouldn't open the message because she knew whatever Lauretta wanted to tell her, it wouldn't be any good. Angela should have blocked her after that first time. It seemed as though Lauretta wanted to keep tormenting her.
Sighing, she opened the message, and the crease between her brows deepened when she saw two files were sent: a video and a couple of photos. Angela played the video first. The screen was nothing but black, and she thought it was sent by mistake until voices came through the speakers.
"It was a pleasure sharing a meal with you, Don Mario," said an older man—who Angela guessed must be Alessandro De Luca.
"Don Alessandro. I'm glad we're finally going to be families soon," replied a much older man.
Then Luretta's voice came next, "I'm looking forward to the wedding this Saturday."
There was a few beats of silence before another one spoke. "Can't wait." Angela was certain that was Gael.
"What's going on?" Trigger asked what Angela had been wanting to voice out.
She had no idea, and her heart hammered against her chest when the video stopped, and she opened the photo that Lauretta sent next. The latter sent her a picture of a prenuptial agreement signed by her and Gael with red marks next to their names. There was a separate contract where she could barely read the clauses through the water in her eyes, but the wedding dates were highlighted and clear as a day. This, too, was signed by the two of them.
Angela waited for the shattering of her heart as she froze on the spot. She didn't even realize that Trigger was shaking her shoulders. Feeling too numb to feel anything, she blinked. She felt nothing when she should be feeling something. It was as if she was in shock.
"Angela!" Trigger gripped her shoulders hard until she looked up at him. "Are you okay?"
"I… Uh…"
Her phone beeped again. This time, Lauretta sent a message.
[ Lauretta: See that? You lost. I'd invite you to our wedding but I doubt you'd want to see me kiss him at the altar. But I can send you a video of the night of our consummation. I can even live-stream it just for you. ]
[ Lauretta: Is he good in bed? I bet he is. I'll find out soon anyway. ]
"Don't listen to her!" Trigger snapped.
How? How when all she could think about now was the two of them in bed. Lauretta put that picture in her head, and it wouldn't go away. Angela knew Lauretta did this to piss her off.
Gael would never do this to her. Would he?
She gasped, realizing she was holding her breath the entire time.
"I'll call Boss. I'll tell him—"
"No… Don't…" Angela tried to smile, but her reddened eyes betrayed her expression. She blinked them away. "I'm okay. I'll just… I have something to do. Are all the dishes wiped dry?"
"Y-Yeah…" Trigger stepped back, feeling strange that Angela was trying to act like nothing happened.
"Good. I'll just be in the room."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
She smiled her usual smile. "I'm fine."
***
Gael's father had filled him in about the plan as soon as they got in the rental car. He was even more enraged that they fought the whole flight back home. He couldn't believe his father forced him to sign.
Alessandro did what he did because if Gael found out beforehand, he would never agree to it. As the Head Don of New York, he chose what he thought was best for his family. He believed he did the right thing.
There was a clause in the other contract where they finalized the wedding agreement that said both parties were to stay civil from then on. It meant there must be no violence or any act of harm against each other, or the wedding and marriage agreement would be null and void.
The first plan was to drain the Morellis of their funds, and the De Lucas would attack them while they were vulnerable, knocking them off on all sides: their businesses, their family, their properties—whatever kept them afloat. However, it was taking longer than expected, and with the pressure from the council and the Morellis "readily cooperating" to the council's order, they were running out of time.
When J returned yesterday, he apparently offered to help, saying he'd do whatever he could to stop the marriages from happening. It was Alessandro's consigliere who proposed the plan, got the approval, and made the contracts. They were going to use J as bait, and Gael didn't like this at all. He was furious.
Once they landed back in New York, it was almost 6 p.m.
Gael's phone rang, and he meant to ignore it as he was in a hurry to get to J. But when he saw that Trigger was calling, he immediately picked it up while getting in the backseat of his Escalade.
"Boss! I've been calling you!" Trigger sounded anxious.
"What's going on? Is Angela okay?"
"She's… Um… You need to hurry back home. Miss Su packed her stuff. I think she's leaving."
Gael barked at Rick to drive him to the apartment. Confused why Angela was suddenly leaving, he clenched his hand into a fist as he told Trigger, "Don't let her leave."