Chapter 2: The Billionaire’s Rescue

He offered me a ride, and I agreed. I really did not want to stay on the road because I knew people would just stare at me nonstop with judgement in their eyes while I die from the humiliation and whispers.

I sat in the passenger seat and stared out the window, too embarrassed to look at him or say anything. My hands were still shaking from the anger, hatred, and humiliation of what happened inside the church.

As he drove, I looked around the interior of his car, feeling incredibly awkward. Running into my ex-fiancé’s uncle while fleeing from my own wedding was also embarrassing. I could only assume that he was judging me in his mind without even looking at me.

My phone buzzed nonstop against my lap, and I already knew the reason why. I did not want to look at it because my mind was a complete mess. Too many questions were running through my head, and I knew that looking at those notifications and messages would make me explode with emotion.

“Do not push yourself to understand this situation right now. Just clear your mind first and arrange your thoughts. That way, it will be easier for you to process it without feeling too much pain,” he said softly.

I was moved by his words and nodded slightly. I really needed to clear my head, so I decided to turn off my phone until I got home.

But right when I was about to shut it down, I noticed it was not just a text from Evan and his family. It was an article about me. Right there on the screen was a photo of Gabriel carrying me in the middle of the road, and my white wedding dress was covering his tailored suit.

The headline read: “Hartwell Heir Marries Another Woman on the Day of Their Wedding, While His Ex-Fiancée Flees Into The Arms Of His Billionaire Uncle.”

The internet was already turning my deepest heartbreak into a cheap public scandal. I was completely shocked. First, I was left behind at the church by my fiancé on our wedding day, and now, a scandal? I sighed deeply, wishing I could just melt away. The humiliation felt way bigger than I could handle.

Gabriel looked over at me with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. I did not want to talk about it because it would only make things more awkward, but he insisted and snatched the phone from my hand. He read the headline, smirked, and handed the phone back to me. I could only look at him in disbelief. How could he have the audacity to smile while I was practically drowning in embarrassment?

“The media really moves faster than I expected,” Gabriel’s deep voice cut through the silence. He was driving effortlessly, one hand resting on the steering wheel while the other loosened his tie. “By tonight, everyone in the city will be talking about us.”

I just stared at him as the reality of what was about to happen slowly sank in.

“I need to get out,” I whispered, my voice cracking as a fresh wave of panic hit me. I reached for the door handle even though the car was still moving. “Please, just let me out here. I can't do this. I need to go home.”

“Look at yourself, Ayanna,” Gabriel said, his tone dropping into a commanding, unyielding pitch. He did not slow the car down. “Your face is all over social media. If I drop you off at your apartment, the reporters will be waiting at your doorstep before you even step out of the elevator.”

“Then where am I supposed to go?” I turned to look at him, tears finally spilling over my lashes. “My wedding just turned into a circus. The man I loved for years just married a stranger. And now, I am trapped in a car with his uncle while the whole world thinks I am having an affair with you!”

Gabriel pulled the car up to a quiet place away from the main road and shifted into park. He turned his heavy gaze toward me, his icy-gray eyes dark with an intense, unreadable emotion. He did not look angry. He looked completely in control of the chaos around us.

“I am not here to create a bigger scandal, but to help you take your revenge on him,” Gabriel said with complete seriousness in his eyes. “I know you walked out of the church and decided not to beg for his love. And I know your pain. Don't let this pain ruin the fire you have in your heart just because of what is happening today. Let this be your motivation to strive and climb higher than him.”

I lowered my head, burying my face in my hands as a sob escaped my chest. The adrenaline was finally wearing off, leaving me completely exhausted and overwhelmed. I felt so small and incredibly broken.

“I won't leave you alone out there to be torn apart by the press,” Gabriel continued, his voice softer now but still carrying that terrifying weight of authority. “Evan made his choice, and it was a pathetic one. Now, you have to decide if you want to be the victim of his story, or the person who destroys it.”

I looked up through my blurry vision, my heart beating fast against my ribs. “Why are you doing this? You don't even know me, though I guess you have heard about me. But he is your nephew.”

A slow, dangerous smile played on Gabriel's sharp lips as he reached over, his large, warm hand gently gripping my chin to force me to look at him.

“Evan has been trying to play a man's game using his family's name,” Gabriel whispered, his eyes locking onto mine. “And I never liked it when people take things and don't cherish them. Let me take you somewhere safe, Ayanna. Let's see how long your ex-fiancé can smile when he realizes what he actually lost.”