Chapter 4

Gabriel's POV

I shook my head frantically. "Those calls were from Serena—"

Joanna cut me off with a sneer. "Seriously, Gabriel? You're going to lie about that? Everyone in Yewton knows you two have hated each other since you were kids."

My heart sank. She wouldn't even let me explain.

Instead, Joanna insisted on trading me for Ashton, regardless of what I wanted. She pointed at me and told Tristan, "You've got the wrong man. He's Ashton."

Tears streamed down my cheeks before I could stop them.

For the first time in our lives, Joanna had told me she needed me, only because she wanted me to save another man.

Afraid Tristan wouldn't believe her, she continued, "My husband, Gabriel Fuller, is supposed to attend a Piano Association exchange program in Pember today. He even has the invitation with him. Please, just give me back my husband!"

Her voice trembled as she pleaded with him.

Joanna had always been too proud to beg anyone for anything, yet here she was, desperately trying to save Ashton.

I'd been kidnapped so many times because of Joanna that it had practically become a regular occurrence. Most of those kidnappers had only wanted money, but one incident had nearly cost me my life.

I'd been dumped into the open ocean, where the water was over six miles deep. By the time I was rescued, I was barely alive.

Joanna had leaned over my hospital bed and cried, "Gabe, I'm starting to hate being rich and famous. This is all my fault. You're suffering because of me."

She'd repeated those words over and over, sounding like a helpless child.

I'd shaken my head and reassured her, "But the more powerful you become, the better you'll be able to protect me, right?"

Now, Joanna had more money and influence than ever, with several teams of armed security guards protecting her wherever she went.

She'd become everything I'd encouraged her to be. But instead of using that power to protect me, she'd turned it against me.

This time, she was personally handing me over to a kidnapper.

Tristan, whose face was covered in scars, finally seemed convinced.

"Then, bring me my son!" he demanded. "Otherwise, I'll kill your husband and myself!"

Joanna looked terrified, but it wasn't my safety she was worried about.

"Gabe, Ashton has covered for you so many times over the years. Can't you do it for him just once?"

I'd lost count of how many times she'd used that excuse.

Ashton could wear my wedding ring and attend exclusive parties meant for wealthy heirs in my place. He could even fool around with my fiancée and sleep in her bed.

But when it came to putting himself in danger for me, suddenly that was asking too much.

Dad had hired Ashton to protect me, yet somehow, I was now the one expected to die in his place.

Joanna kept pushing me toward Tristan despite my desperate attempts to break free. In the end, all I could do was scream, "I'm Gabriel Fuller, not Ashton Barker!"

Joanna silenced me herself, stuffing a handkerchief into my mouth.

It was the silk handkerchief I'd bought her while studying abroad in Belmont, a gift meant to remind her of my love and how much I missed her whenever we were apart.

"Gabe, you know how to swim. I'm sure you'll find a way out of this. But Ashton can't swim. He's terrified of the water. We're talking about someone's life here. I can't take that risk…"

After that, I could barely make out another word she said. The waves crashing against the rocks below drowned out everything else.

We were standing near one of the most dangerous stretches of coastal cliffs, yet Joanna was convinced I could escape on my own.

She couldn't bear to take even the slightest chance with Ashton's life, but she was perfectly willing to risk mine.

There had been a time when Joanna called me the love of her life, the person she cherished most, and the only man she'd ever love.

Now, even when I broke down crying and practically begged her on my knees, she refused to change her mind.

Eventually, I stopped fighting. By then, I'd become strangely calm about what would happen.

Joanna forced me closer and closer to the cliff until she suddenly shoved me forward, sending me crashing to my knees.

Tristan grabbed me and dragged me the rest of the way to the edge, letting my body scrape against the jagged ground as though I were nothing more than a piece of trash.

"You worthless brat! You should never have been born! I lost every damn penny I had because of you!"

The sharp, uneven rocks cut into my back and waist as he dragged me along. As if that weren't enough, he deliberately picked up a rock and smashed it against my arm 18 times.

"You think you can swim? Let's see you try now!"

The last thing I saw was Joanna picking Ashton up and walking away without a moment's hesitation.

As soon as they were gone, someone shoved me over the cliff and into the sea.