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The cool air of the Grand Plaza Mall felt refreshing after the heat of the morning, but the tension between Gabriella and Felix was still burning. As they walked through the luxury wing, Felix's gaze dropped to Gabriella's hand. His face softened instantly when he saw the white bandage wrapped around her palm.
He knew exactly how she got it—he had watched her catch a blade with her bare hands to protect Jake. But he kept his voice steady, pretending to be in the dark. "What happened to your hand?"
Gabriella hesitated, her heart skipping a beat. "It's nothing," she lied, looking away. "Just a small cut while I was doing some crafts."
Felix felt a sharp sting of disappointment. He hated that she was lying to protect a man who didn't deserve her. "Wait here," he said quietly. A few minutes later, he returned with a tube of medical ointment he'd grabbed from a pharmacy nearby. He didn't say a word as he gently applied it to her hand right there in the middle of the mall, his touch so tender that Gabriella felt her icy resolve melting.
"Let's go back," Felix said, his voice deep. "I think our families might be searching for us." Gabriella nodded, her mind a whirlwind of secrets.
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Hide and seek Game
The next day, Gabriella sat in a sunlit corner of the Mall Coffee Shop, wearing distressed jeans and a black leather jacket. She sipped her iced latte, her mind racing. Why did Richardson pay the hospital bills for Marina? Was he just being a philanthropist, or was Kevin's mother someone he knows?
"I need to get into that hospital's archives," she whispered.
"Hi! Did I keep you waiting long?" Dona arrived, looking bright. Gabriella waved her over. "No, I just got here."
"Then let's go to our favorite spot!" Dona winked, and soon they were at the Mall's Shooting Range and Arcade.
Dona was focused, her eyes sharp as she fired at the targets. "I get so much stress relief every time I shoot," she laughed. But then, her eyes widened. Behind Gabriella's shoulder, she saw Ajax walking toward them.
"Gabriella! Go to the juice shop and order for us," Dona said, suddenly pushing her friend toward the exit. "I have to make a quick call. I'll join you in a second!"
Gabriella blinked, confused. "Let's go together—"
"No! Go! Order first!" Dona insisted until Gabriella finally walked away.
Dona dragged Ajax behind a large pillar near the kids' play zone. "Why are you here?!"
Ajax smirked. "You told me to meet you here, remember?"
"I forgot! But you have to go. Gabriella is here, and I haven't told her we're dating yet!"
"Why hide it?" Ajax asked casually, grabbing her hand. "Let's just tell her."
"No! Give me time!"
Suddenly, Gabriella's voice rang out. "Dona? Are you still here?" In a panic, Dona shoved Ajax into a kid's play pit filled with colorful sponge balls and pebbles, hiding him completely.
Gabriella narrowed her eyes as she approached. "Are you a kid now? Why are you hanging out by the pebble pit?"
"No... just... came here by chance," Dona squeaked.
"I have to go," Gabriella said, looking serious. "But before I do... my marriage is fixed with Felix. It's next week."
Dona's jaw dropped. "So sudden?!"
"Are you really going to marry Felix?" a muffled voice asked from the sponge balls.
Gabriella shrieked, clutching her chest as Ajax's head popped out from the colorful pit. "What is going on?!" she demanded.Dona awkwardly smiled.
Moments later, the three of them were sat at the Juice Bar. Ajax looked perfectly cool, while Dona was a nervous wreck.
"What's the deal?" Gabriella asked, crossing her arms.
"Ask your bestie," Ajax said. "She's the one who hid me in the pebbles."
Gabriella stared at Dona until her friend finally nodded. "Is he the mystery crush you told me about?" Gabriella asked, stunned. Ajax smirked, but his expression soon turned serious. "Let's talk about you. Why marry Felix so suddenly? You barely know him."
"I don't take decisions blindly," Gabriella said coldly. "I've thought this through."
Few seconds later,"Did you see the pendrive in that post?" Ajax asked.
Gabriella Casually replied. "Yes. How did you get that?"
"It doesn't matter. Do you still believe in Jake after seeing that?"
Dona gasped. "Wait! You were the mysterious person sending the photos? We were terrified!"
Ajax gave Dona a small, soft smile and reached out to brush a stray hair from her face.
"Why are you so sure Jake is behind Kevin's death?" Gabriella asked, her voice is cold like ice.
"Because before Lara died, she left me a note," Ajax revealed. "She found out a member of the Silverstorm was involved. Then, six months ago, I found that video footage. My doubt was cleared. It was Jake."
Gabriella went pale. Dona whispered, "So Jake really is a murderer..."
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The Hospital's Ghost
The City Hospital smelled of sterile bleach and secrets. The hallways were a maze of cold white tiles and flickering fluorescent lights. Gabriella navigated the corridors in a fitted black turtleneck and cargo pants, her hair tucked tightly into a cap. She looked like a shadow moving through the sterile light.
She accidentally bumped into someone near a corner. "Sorry," she muttered, keeping her head down.
"Looking for something, Gabriella?"
She froze. She looked up into the piercing gaze of Felix. He was dressed casually in a dark denim jacket, holding a visitor's pass. "Are you following me?" she snapped.
Felix waved the pass. "Meeting a friend. Bone fracture. What's your excuse?" His eyes narrowed, searching hers. "Still chasing the ghost of revenge?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes, but before she could argue, they found the Document Archiving Room. The door was slightly ajar, the digital lock blinking green. They slipped inside, the air heavy with the scent of old paper and humming servers.
Suddenly, footsteps and chattering voices echoed from the hallway. Doctors were approaching. Without a word, Felix grabbed Gabriella's waist and spun her into a dark, narrow gap between two massive filing cabinets.
There was no space. Gabriella was pressed firmly against his chest. She could feel his heart hammering against his ribs—it was fast and rhythmic. His skin felt hot, and his scent, a mix of cedarwood and rain, clouded her senses. In the dim light, his jawline looked like it was carved from marble. Gabriella found herself mesmerized, her breath hitching.
"Am I really that handsome?" Felix whispered, his voice husky and low, vibrating against her forehead.
Gabriella blinked, snapping out of it. She reached up and pinched his ear hard.
"Aww!" Felix hissed, rubbing his ear as the voices outside faded away.
They stepped out of the shadows. Felix sat at the main terminal and began typing with lightning speed. Within seconds, the system beeped—he had cracked the password.
Gabriella looked at him suspiciously. "How do you know how to do that?"
Felix didn't look up. "I told you, I was in the Army. We learned more than just how to shoot."
"Find the file for Marina. Twenty-two years ago," she commanded.
The screen flickered, revealing the dusty digital records. Gabriella's heart stopped as she read the lines:
Patient Name: Marina. Cause of Death: Complications during childbirth. Note: Second child, a baby girl, also deceased 2 hours post-delivery.
"Why are you digging up this tragedy?" Felix asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft.
"Because," Gabriella whispered, her eyes burning, "is the girl died, —"
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
The voice came from behind a tall shelf of medical binders. Felix flinched, and Gabriella froze. A young woman, the office in-charge, stepped out. She was wearing a lab coat, casually buffing her nails, looking completely unfazed by their presence.
"You..." Gabriella gasped.
"What are you two doing?" the woman asked, her eyes glinting with a dangerous spark. "Stealing hospital records is a serious crime. I could have you both arrested right now."
Gabriella squared her shoulders. "Are you going to inform the authorities?"
The woman laughed, a cold, sharp sound. "No. If I did, they'd punish me too for being careless enough to leave the door unlocked."
Felix stepped forward, his face turning lethal and serious. "Then what do you want?"
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To be Continued...
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