Chapter 40 Gabriel Takes a Beating
"I remember," Gabriel nodded, adding, "Give me a moment, I need to take care of something." With those words, he turned and left.
Jessica watched his retreating figure, unsure of his intentions but knowing he asked her to wait, indicating he would surely return soon.
So, she decided to wait. After all, they had agreed to meet at two in the afternoon. There was still plenty of time.
Gabriel practically jogged to Xavier's room. Upon arrival, he found Xavier resting on a wooden recliner with his eyes closed, the room infused with a delicate fragrance, while Timothy stood by, attending to his needs.
"Xavier," Gabriel called out to him.
With a call from Gabriel, Xavier opened his eyes to meet his gaze, unsurprised. "You're here, take a seat!"
But before Xavier could finish, to everyone’s surprise, Gabriel knelt before him. "Xavier, I'm sorry. I know you didn’t want this divorce; I’ve failed to honor your wishes.”
“So, you’ve truly set your mind on the divorce?” Xavier asked, striking at the heart of the matter.
Kneeling, Gabriel pressed his lips together, saying nothing. His silence, however, spoke volumes.
"No wonder Jessica insisted on the divorce. With an attitude like yours, anyone would be disheartened." Xavier’s voice was stern yet composed. "Timothy, help him up."
As Timothy approached, he reached down to help Gabriel to his feet. Suddenly, Xavier grasped his cane and whacked Gabriel with it. Xavier's blow was fierce. Pain erupted across Gabriel's back in an instant.
Seeing him endure, neither groaning nor begging for mercy, Xavier grew even more infuriated. She swung the cane once more.
After two strikes, Gabriel’s back was ablaze with pain.
"Still want a divorce?" Xavier asked again.
"I'm sorry, Xavier." Gabriel remained stubborn, insistent.
He stood straight as a pine, without a furrow of his brow, fists clenched, teeth gritted in silent endurance. Xavier's anger only intensified at the sight. He lifted the cane high, poised to strike again.
Gabriel watched the raised cane, lips pressed tightly, bracing himself for the blow.
Timothy darted forward, grabbing the cane, "Xavier Walton, you mustn't hit him again. Any more and you might truly hurt him!"
"He seems pretty sturdy to me, not easily broken," said Xavier, seething.
Timothy turned to Gabriel, shouting anxiously, "Gabriel, apologize to Xavier, boy. You can’t withstand much more of this."
"Timothy, I know you mean well, and I'm aware Xavier is angry. If beating me makes him feel better, let him do it," Gabriel responded, defiant.
Gabriel's obstinacy made Xavier tremble with rage.
Shoving Timothy aside, Xavier brought the cane down hard on Gabriel. The beating had been vicious.
Gabriel lurched forward, a muffled grunt escaping him as blood spilled from his mouth, quickly soaking the carpet in a vibrant shade of red.
"Gabriel..." Timothy rushed to his aid.
It wasn't until Timothy tried to support him that he realized Gabriel's entire back was drenched - not with sweat, but with blood. A deep crimson had spread across nearly his whole back.
Timothy glanced up to see Xavier Walton fuming with rage, his blood boiling; Gabriel was just as hot-headed, completely oblivious to the idea of backing down. If they kept at it, the outcome would be disastrous.
Suddenly, it hit him. Jessica! She was the only one who could save Gabriel now. With that thought, Timothy steadied Gabriel and dashed out the door to find Jessica.
Having swung his cane in anger three times, Xavier finally grew tired, setting it aside to take a sip of tea. He then turned to Gabriel with a look of bitter disappointment. "Just like your Dad, tossing aside a good wife to chase after other women."
"I loved your grandmother through thick and thin. We faced all our hardships together, truly embodying 'help each other' and 'accompany you for a lifetime.' And then I end up with a son like your dad, and he raises someone as ungrateful as you."
Gabriel listened in silence. He didn't dare make a sound. Nor did he dare to argue. In matters of the heart, he had indeed failed Jessica. It was his fault. Indefensible.
"Gabriel, for all your power at the helm of The Walton Family empire, with all your strategizing and countless decisions - divorce? Have you ever truly considered Jessica's feelings?" Xavier asked.
"I have," Gabriel asserted without hesitation. "When drafting the divorce papers, I told her she could make any financial demands, and I would accommodate her needs."
"Financial demands?" Xavier scoffed.
He looked at Gabriel coldly. "In the two years you've been married, count how many times Jessica has spent a dime of your money. Does she care about your wealth? Is that what she wanted from you, Gabriel?"
"It's not just about money. I'm willing to leave her the house, the cars, the jewelry - anything she wants," Gabriel insisted.
But those words barely left his mouth when Xavier's lips began to tremble with anger, struggling to form even a single coherent sentence. He gripped his cane and swung it hard, striking Gabriel again.
Gabriel stood tall, his stance unwavering, with no thought of pleading for mercy.
"She's just a woman, fresh out of a divorce, jobless. And with Giselle gone for years... her Dad…" Xavier said with a pang of heartache, "That Gambler Dad might as well not exist—at least it'd be better than having him around.
"Brothers, sisters, grandpa and grandma, not a single relative to turn to; she's all alone in the world. Have you thought about how she's going to live post-divorce? How she will deal with the whispers and gossip?" Xavier asked, seething with anger.
"Xavier, after the divorce, she's still a Walton. I'll still care for her, look after her, protect her from harm," Gabriel insisted.
"Hmph...," Xavier scoffed, his voice laced with a deep sense of defeat, "Once it's done, if Jessica runs into trouble, do you think she would turn to you for help, to us?"
"Enough, I can see it now; you can't take care of her. Let the divorce happen." Xavier said with finality. "But remember this, Gabriel, Jessica is my beloved granddaughter, the savior of the Walton family. Divorced or not, no one is allowed to harm her, period."
"You have my word, Xavier," Gabriel raised his hand solemnly in promise, "I swear, no one will hurt her on my watch."
"And as for Diana, forget about it. Even if you divorce Jessica, that woman will never set foot in the Walton household."
"If you want to marry her, you’ll have to step over my dead body to do it." Xavier spoke with steely resolve, just as Jessica and Timothy arrived and stood outside, overhearing everything.
"Xavier, I've made a promise to Diana, and I intend to keep it," Gabriel said, stubbornly.
"What did you say?" Xavier, enraged, raised her cane ready to strike Gabriel.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Jessica sprinted in, throwing herself at Gabriel.
