Chapter 4

Isabella entered just as the nurse reached for her phone.

"The police? Gabriel, why would you call them?"

"Owen shoved me to the floor and deliberately exposed me to tulip pollen. I want to report him for assault."

Isabella frowned. Anger tightened her expression. She snatched the phone from Gabriel and returned it to the nurse.

"Don't be ridiculous. Owen didn't know about your allergy. He didn't mean to hurt you. You're fine now, so let it go."

Gabriel stared at her. "He nearly killed me, and you're still defending him? Whose boyfriend are you? Does my life mean that little to you?"

"I'm not defending him. He's young, and young people make mistakes. He's like my brother, and you're practically his brother-in-law. Can't you be more understanding?"

Seeing that Gabriel wouldn't back down, she sighed.

"Of course your life matters. If it didn't, I wouldn't have risked mine pulling you out of that fire. But Owen's parents saved me. I can't stand by and let him be arrested. Please forgive him this once, for me."

Once.

How many times had Gabriel forgiven Owen in the past five years?

He'd forgiven the ruined proposals, the sabotaged dates, the humiliation at parties. Now Isabella wanted him to forgive an attack that had nearly cost him his life.

Gabriel started laughing. Tears streamed down his face.

"Fine," he said hoarsely. "I won't call the police."

He could consider it repayment for the day Isabella had saved him from the fire.

Before she could relax, he added, "But Owen has to move out."

Isabella went still. "His mental health is fragile. If I refuse him, I'm afraid he'll hurt himself again."

Gabriel grabbed the vase beside his bed and hurled it to the floor.

"Will you only care about my feelings after he kills me?" he shouted, eyes red.

The raw anguish in his voice stunned her. She had never seen him like this.

Isabella hurried forward and pulled him into her arms.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel. I handled this badly. I know I've hurt you. Whatever happens, please believe you're the only person I love."

He let her hold him without responding to the embrace.

"Then make Owen leave."

She hesitated. At last, seeing his bloodshot eyes, she agreed.

During the rest of Gabriel's hospitalization, Isabella came by occasionally, offering to accompany him to tests or help change his dressings. But every time Owen called crying, she rushed away.

And whenever she left, Owen sent Gabriel messages.

"I refused my medicine, so Bella wrapped every single pill in candy paper. Is she ever that thoughtful with you?"

"Yesterday I was upset, so she dressed as a clown and performed magic tricks to make me laugh. Her shirt was soaked with sweat afterward."

"The doctor said I needed some fun, so Bella took time off and brought me to an amusement park. We rode the bumper cars and the water ride. We even kissed at the top of the Ferris wheel. People say that means we'll be together forever."

Each photo and video left Gabriel struggling to breathe.

It wasn't simply that Isabella kept abandoning her boyfriend of six years. Owen had been taunting him for five of them.

If Gabriel was finally letting go, why should he keep swallowing the insults?

For the first time, he replied.

"For all she does for you, one word from me still got you kicked out of the house."

Owen responded almost immediately.

"You ignorant nobody. So what if I moved out? Bella came with me."

"You're an idiot if you think she really loves you. You're just something she plays with. Wait another ten years if you want. The McCarthys still won't accept you."

Gabriel stared at the messages, too drained even to feel angry.

So that was how Isabella had fulfilled his one request about his safety.

A few more days. Then he'd finally be free.