Chapter 84 - Adopted into a Modern Family

Chapter 84 – Dinner with Friends

The restaurant was one of the most exclusive in Los Angeles, discreetly located in one of the city's most luxurious neighborhoods. The atmosphere was sophisticated, with soft lighting, instrumental music playing in the background, and waiters trained to offer the best service without ever interrupting important conversations.

Gigi and Bella Hadid were seated at a private table in the back of the restaurant, surrounded by some of their closest friends: Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Stassie Karanikolaou, Hailey Bieber, and Lauren Perez. They were all eager for this get-together, especially after everything that had happened in Gaza. The news had been devastating.

"Girls, seriously... you have no idea how worried we were!" Hailey Bieber exclaimed, placing her glass of wine on the table and looking directly at Gigi and Bella.

Kylie Jenner, seated next to Kendall, nodded quickly.

"It was hell watching the news and not being able to talk to you guys right away! We just kept seeing those videos, those shootings... My God, it was terrifying."

Stassie shook her head.

"When that video of the confrontation came out and we saw the bodies on the ground, I swear I almost fainted. Bella, Gigi, you need to tell us everything. From the beginning. What happened?"

Gigi looked at Bella, taking a deep breath before beginning.

"Well... It all started when we arrived in Cairo. Our flight landed there and we were greeted by the UNICEF team and some representatives from local NGOs. But the big issue upon our arrival was security. That's when we met the guy who practically saved our lives: Grant Tucker-Pritchett."

"He's that security guard who appeared in the videos, right?" Kendall asked, leaning slightly forward.

Bella nodded.

"Yes, him. Grant was assigned to be our head of personal security. And, look, I didn't know what to expect at first. But as soon as we started talking to him, we realized the guy was just… on another level. Elite military, combat experience, had already provided security for other celebrities and even politicians."

Kylie raised an eyebrow.

"He was, like… tough?"

Gigi chuckled.

"Totally! He wasn't rude or anything, but he was direct, cold, calculating. He made it clear from the beginning that Gaza was no joke and that if we wanted to get out of there alive, we needed to follow all his instructions without hesitation."

Lauren Perez crossed her arms.

"And you trusted him right away?"

Bella nodded.

— "Yes. Especially after he explained how tense the situation on the ground was. He told us that after the Hamas attack on the music festival in Israel, everything there turned into chaos. Israeli forces were on maximum security, while Hamas was trying to maintain control over Gaza. It was a powder keg."

— "And how was the trip to Gaza?" Stassie asked, curious.

Gigi stirred the ice in her drink before answering.

— "We went in SUVs. Three cars in total. Grant was in the passenger seat of the first car, the driver was a local who knew the area well, and the two of us were in the back seat. Right behind us were two more vehicles with the rest of the security."

Bella continued the story.

— "It didn't take long for us to realize we were being followed."

Hailey's eyes widened.

— "Followed?! By whom?"

— "Grant didn't know at first. It could have been Israeli intelligence, it could have been Hamas, it could have been anyone. But it was clear that two cars had been following us since we left Cairo."

Kylie looked at Kendall and then at Bella.

— "And what did you do?"

Bella sighed.

— "We didn't do anything. Grant and his team, on the other hand, decided they needed to identify who was following us. So, they did a maneuver called 'vehicle blockade.' Basically, they accelerated a lot and then braked suddenly, blocking the cars behind them."

— "Oh my God!" Lauren exclaimed.

Gigi nodded.

— "Exactly. And that wasn't all. As soon as the cars stopped, Grant and the other security guards got out armed and ordered the guys in the vehicles to get out."

Kendall stared, speechless.

— "And who were they?"

"Israeli intelligence. Basically, they were watching us because they thought our visit might draw unwanted attention to the area. But Grant talked to them, confirmed that our mission was purely humanitarian, and we continued our journey."

Kylie fiddled with her necklace, still trying to process everything.

"Weren't you terrified?"

Bella shook her head.

"At that moment? Yes, but Grant and the team seemed so in control that we felt safe. At least until the real danger appeared."

Stassie leaned forward.

"You mean… Hamas?"

"Exactly." Gigi confirmed. "After we finished the humanitarian work and were heading back, we noticed two cars following us again. But, this time, you could see that they were pickup trucks full of armed men."

Hailey covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh my God, how awful!"

Bella continued.

"Grant knew immediately what was happening. He told us, bluntly: 'They want to kidnap you.' And we knew what that meant. Hamas uses hostages as bargaining chips or for political propaganda. If they caught us, you'd be seeing our faces in completely horrific videos."

Silence filled the table for a few seconds.

"And what did Grant do?" Kendall asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"He contacted one of his contacts and asked if there would be any political problems if they eliminated the threat." When the contact confirmed there would be no repercussions, Grant simply looked at us and said, 'We're going to neutralize them.'"

— "It sounds like a scene from a movie," Kylie murmured.

— "And that's exactly how it happened," Gigi agreed. "The SUVs ambushed us, and Grant and the others started the shooting. It was brutal, but they kept us safe the whole time."

Stassie shook her head, still in shock.

— "I can't imagine you guys going through that."

Bella gave a small, sad smile.

— "We never imagined it either."

Hailey looked at Gigi and Bella with a mixture of respect and admiration.

— "You guys are very brave for doing that. But please, next time... bring a whole army with you."

They all laughed, but they knew that what they had experienced wasn't a movie adventure. It was the brutal reality of the world we live in.

Even after everything, Gigi and Bella knew they would continue their activism. But one thing was certain: they would never do it again without Grant Tucker-Pritchett by their side.

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Chapter 43 - Chapter 84