Chapter 41 Love at First Sight
"Xavier, he's bleeding a lot; it must be painful," Jessica implored. "Please, stop hitting him."
Looking into Jessica's eyes, Xavier's hardness softened. He lowered his cane and let out a deep sigh, "Take him away immediately. I don't want to see him again."
"Yes, Xavier." Jessica nodded promptly, then turned to the person beside her, "Timothy, help me, please." Five minutes later, Jessica and Timothy supported Gabriel back to his room.
"Does it hurt a lot?" Jessica's voice trembled as she spoke.
Blood was everywhere. How could it not hurt?
"Just hang in there, I… I'll take care of your wounds right away." Her words were urgent as she scrambled to find the first aid kit, fumbling around several places before finally laying hands on it. Even opening it up, her hands shook.
Gabriel’s back was a mess of blood, crisscrossed with lacerations that looked gruesome. The bruises added to the horror, a patchwork of red and purple.
Normally, a cane would leave a person sore, at most causing a bruise or internal discomfort, but Xavier’s custom-made dragon-head cane was a different story, guaranteed to inflict excruciating pain.
"You've lost a lot of blood; I need to cut your shirt open," Jessica informed Gabriel.
"Okay," Gabriel simply replied.
With his consent, Jessica took the scissors, cautiously snipping away at his shirt, terrified to the core.
Terrified, she might cause him more pain. Or that she might accidentally cut his skin. Every snip went with her heart in her throat, the fear almost too much to bear.
When she finally exposed the wounds, Jessica's eyes welled up with tears. The gashes were so deep; he must have been in agony.
Taking a deep breath, Jessica pushed past the lump in her throat to clean his wounds, disinfect them, and proceed to carefully bandage them up.
Throughout, Gabriel cooperated, biting back any sound of pain.
Jessica couldn't help but admire his grit. Usually, an average person would have cried out long ago.
"All done with the bandaging," she said once finished.
"Thank you," he replied with gratitude.
"You know, you didn't have to confront Xavier. He already gave me the documents; you'd already obtained what you wanted. Why put yourself through that beating?" Jessica sadly asked.
Gabriel managed to smile. "It had to be done. Xavier needed to vent, to feel some relief by hitting someone."
"But your injuries..." Jessica couldn’t hide her concern.
"It's nothing. When we were kids, Xavier often hit me. He knows how far to go; it hurts, but he never does life-threatening damage."
"Mhm," Jessica just nodded in acknowledgement.
Glimpsing the time and after a moment of hesitation, Jessica finally asked, "It's past noon; the Marriage Registry Office is closed. Should we still go?"
"Let's go. I'll treat you to lunch," Gabriel said, cooly.
"All right." Jessica's eyelashes fluttered down as she clenched her hands in silence.
He would rather endure a beating from Xavier than delay the divorce any further. Even with his severe injuries, he was adamant about proceeding with the divorce. It seemed he couldn't wait another second.
If that was the case, she would grant him this last wish. It would be the final thing she could do for him.
Jessica slid the safe in front of Gabriel. "Let's get it open and take out the documents."
"Okay," he simply agreed.
Gabriel expertly dialed the combination and removed the items inside. Their household registration books and marriage certificates.
Jessica took her documents back, grouping them with her ID and other paperwork.
As they got into the car, Gabriel asked what she wanted to eat. After some thought, Jessica surprised him with her answer, "Wontons."
"Wontons? Are you sure?" Gabriel asked, clearly taken aback.
She nodded earnestly, "Yes, wontons. From that shop across from my high school."
"Which high school did you go to?" he asked.
"City No.1 High School," Jessica answered.
"That's a coincidence. That's my alma mater too," Gabriel said, surprised once again.
"Oh, is that so? Did you attend City No.1 High School too? What a coincidence," Jessica feigned surprise.
But it wasn't a surprise at all. She had always known they shared the same high school; he simply didn't remember. A tightness formed in Jessica's chest.
Arriving at City No.1 High School during the lunch rush, the area was crowded.
Together, Jessica and Gabriel stepped out to look for that wonton shop. The Gourmet Street outside the school wasn't very large, just a few minutes' walk from one end to the other.
But despite several rounds, they couldn't find that specific shop. After asking around, they learned that the uncle who used to sell wontons there had long since left. A wave of disappointment washed over Jessica.
But then she thought, of course, it had been so many years. So many things had changed. Looking back, places remained, but people didn't.
They ended up at a different wonton shop. It was bustling with customers, a good sign for the business. They squeezed into the tiny establishment, finding a spot by the wall only after a couple left.
After waiting several more minutes, their wontons finally arrived. Hungry, Jessica didn't hold back and started eating immediately. By the time she had finished, Gabriel had only gotten halfway through his portion.
Through the window, the view opened onto the school's athletic field, surrounded by tall and lush trees, thriving in all their verdant grandeur.
Her train of thought suddenly derailed, taking her back to that summer. She was a freshman then, and Gabriel was a senior.
"Lost in thought?" Gabriel had finished his wontons and was gazing at her curiously.
Jessica turned to look at him and, on a whim, asked, "Gabriel, do you remember the first time we met?"
"I do." His eyes rested on the jade bracelet adorning Jessica's wrist. "You came to the Walton Family with that bracelet, claiming you, Giselle, were Xavier's lifesaver."
Jessica offered a faint smile and nodded, "Mm-hmm."
He'd forgotten. Indeed, he had forgotten… completely forgotten. Their first encounter was long before that. But alas, he had not even the faintest recollection.
"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Jessica ventured once more.
"I do," he declared, with simple and decisive assurance.
But soon after, he qualified it with, "Though, it wouldn't happen to me."
"What about Diana?" Jessica asked, curious.
"It grew from spending time together," Gabriel replied.
But Jessica believed it. Because she had fallen for him at first sight. And that love had persisted for an entire decade, never once fading.
Jessica didn't question further; it was already half past one.
A thirty-minute drive and they would reach the Marriage Registry Office by two—just as they had predicted, without a hitch.
Yet, unforeseen by anyone. No sooner had they settled into the car when Jessica's phone rang. It was Timothy.
Like a bombshell, his words exploded in her mind. Holding the phone, she couldn't believe her ears, "What did you say?"
"I'll be right there," she choked out, covering her lips as she broke down in tears.
