Chapter 5

Gabriel's POV

Freezing water closed over my head, and my life flashed before my eyes. Every memory was of Joanna promising that she'd always keep me safe.

So much for that promise.

At this rate, there wouldn't even be a body left to bring home.

…

Third-person's POV

Joanna rushed Ashton to the hospital and ordered the doctors to examine him thoroughly.

They immediately assured her, "Of course. We'll do everything we can to save your husband."

Joanna almost corrected them when she heard the word "husband." As far as she was concerned, Gabriel was the only man who would ever hold that title.

She pulled out her phone to call the rescue team, but before she could dial, Ashton woke up and began complaining weakly about the pain.

"Joanna, am I going to die? Is this cut on my neck going to leave an ugly scar?"

Ashton had always been stubborn and aloof, so seeing him depend on her for everything now was immensely satisfying.

She immediately put her phone away and clasped his hand tightly. "Don't worry. There's no way I'm letting you end up with a scar. I've already got the best doctors in the country ready to treat you."

Ashton finally relaxed at her promise.

A moment later, he brought up Gabriel himself.

"Is Mr. Fuller okay? I feel terrible about all this. If I'd dealt with my family problems sooner, none of this would've happened."

For some reason, Joanna couldn't get through to the rescue team.

They should have called to let her know he was safe by now. The longer she went without hearing from him, the more uneasy she became.

She couldn't stop picturing him crying and struggling as he begged her not to hand him over. Looking back, she wished she'd at least tried harder to reassure him.

A thin layer of sweat broke out across her forehead, and she reached for her handkerchief. When she couldn't find it, she searched her pockets, growing more frustrated by the second.

Something felt terribly wrong, and she couldn't shake the fear that she was about to lose Gabriel for good.

Just then, Ashton caught her hand.

"I'm sure Mr. Fuller is fine. You hired the best rescue team in the world, didn't you? He's probably just mad at you. That's why he hasn't called."

Of course.

She'd hired the most experienced rescue professionals in the world. Even if Gabriel couldn't make it to safety on his own, they'd be there to help him.

Joanna gradually relaxed. At worst, Gabriel would be mad at her for a few days.

She decided to make their wedding even more extravagant and memorable. Gabriel had always loved having things that were one of a kind, so perhaps a truly spectacular wedding would make things right between them.

With that settled, she turned her attention back to Ashton and gently coaxed him into taking his medicine.

"Didn't you want to go to Pember Fashion Week? Finish your medicine, and I'll have my assistant Carrie take you."

The event happened to fall on the same dates as her wedding to Gabriel. Joanna didn't want Ashton's presence upsetting Gabriel on their big day.

Ashton agreed, though all he could think about was finally marrying Joanna.

Gabriel might have been born into money and privilege, but what good had any of that done him? Ashton had beaten him in the end.

…

Three days passed, however, and Gabriel still hadn't replied to a single one of Joanna's messages.

Every time she opened their conversation and saw that she'd been talking to herself, she felt a little more anxious.

Meanwhile, news outlets were reporting that fishermen had recovered an unidentified man's body from the ocean. Worse, the body had been found near the very beach where the kidnapping had taken place.

Joanna might have been determined to win Ashton over, but Gabriel was still the man she'd wanted to marry ever since they were children.

Just then, she received a call from the bridal boutique.

"Ms. Stiles, your husband called earlier about making some changes to the suit. Unfortunately, it's a custom designer piece, and the designer put a great deal of work into it. We'll need her approval before making any alterations."

If Gabriel was still making requests about their wedding outfits, he had to be fine. Surely, he couldn't be all that angry with her, either.

With her worries finally put to rest, she replied, "Do whatever you can to accommodate my husband's requests."

But when the wedding day arrived, Joanna walked toward the center of the stage, surrounded by all the splendor of the celebration, only to find Ashton waiting for her.