Chapter 362 Gabriel's Rescue Mission: Confronting Brian on the Speedboat
Gabriel's bloodthirsty eyes fixed on the speedboat below, a cold rage emanating from him, fists clenched so tightly they creaked.
He shook his head slowly to the commander's suggestion and spoke in a hoarse, subdued voice, "Let me go down there."
First, it was nighttime, and the poor light made shooting risky. Moreover, the speedboat was moored on the churning sea, heaving unpredictably. It was entirely possible that a shot could veer off course and hit Teresa instead of Brian.
He couldn't let Teresa get hurt again. Not ever!
The commander locked eyes with Gabriel, considering for a moment before nodding and instructing the crew to release the rope ladder. Once the ladder was down, Gabriel quickly descended from the helicopter to the bobbing speedboat below.The commander locked eyes with him, mulling it over momentarily before nodding and ordering the crew to drop the rope ladder.
As soon as the ladder was released, Gabriel swiftly descended from the helicopter to the bobbing speedboat below.
Once Gabriel was safely on the speedboat, William also made his way down.
Down there, Gabriel didn't bother with William; he immediately had the driver steer the boat toward the one carrying Brian and Teresa.
The closer they got, the clearer Teresa's injuries became to him.
At that moment, each of Teresa's wounds and every drop of blood that they shed felt like knives cutting him, torturing him so intensely he could barely breathe, almost going into spasms.
"Release the hostage and surrender with your hands up, or we won't be gentle," someone shouted through a megaphone at Brian.
"Gabriel, you want your sweetheart, huh?" Brian taunted as he caught sight of Gabriel, whose profound torment was as though his flesh was being torn and stripped away. Brian laughed triumphantly, pressing the sharp blade of his dagger closer to Teresa's alabaster neck. "If you want her alive, come alone. Otherwise, Teresa and I will die together."
"Everyone, get off the boat," Gabriel commanded his team sternly as soon as Brian finished speaking.
No matter the cost, he had to ensure that Teresa would not suffer any more harm.
Believing that Brian was indeed capable of a murder-suicide with Teresa, Gabriel couldn't take any chances.
The team looked at Gabriel, exchanged glances without a word, summoned another speedboat, and quickly departed, leaving Gabriel alone on the vessel.
"Gabriel, such a good boy you are! Who knew you could be so obedient to a woman? Ha ha ha..." Brian cackled with wild glee, watching Gabriel.
Growing up, all the relatives from his grandparents' side, even his parents, always sided with Gabriel, endlessly praising him. Not once did anyone pay attention to Brian's existence or consider his feelings.
The only time he'd had the opportunity to play a prank on Gabriel was at their grandparents' house. He ended up being severely punished and forced to kneel for an entire night.
He always held disdain and hatred for Gabriel, which never faded. However, it wasn't until he learned about Teresa marrying Gabriel that he fully grasped the gravity of his situation.His disdain and hatred for Gabriel never ceased.
It wasn't until he discovered that she had married Teresa that the full weight of his predicament hit him.
Just when he thought he couldn't despise Gabriel anymore, the woman he cared for became Gabriel's sweetheart.
Life was so unfairly stacked against him!
"Brian, let my sweetheart go, and I'll give you anything you want," Gabriel pleaded as he watched a thin blade in Brian's hand draw a delicate line across Teresa's pale neck, a small bead of blood beginning to seep out. Gabriel longed to ram his speedboat into Brian, tearing him to pieces.
But reason held him back. He couldn't act rashly.
"Gabriel," Brian taunted with a halt in his laughter and an evil glare, pressing the dagger firmly against the artery in Teresa's neck. "Do you think I'm an idiot? If I release Teresa, do you think I'll live to see another day? Call off your men, or I swear, I will kill Teresa, and then you can kill me. Eye for an eye—it's a fair trade."
Gabriel trembled as he observed Teresa, bound against Brian's chest, motionless and with a trickle of blood from her lips. Her face was swollen from a blow, and the sight of vivid red fluid running down her legs made him shudder.Gabriel trembled as he looked at Teresa restrained against Brian's chest, motionless, with a trickle of blood running from her lips, her face swollen from a blow. The sight of vivid red fluid running down her legs made him shudder.
‘What had this monster done to her?’
"Fine," Gabriel agreed without hesitation and signaled the federal agents to withdraw.
From another speedboat, William watched the terrible sight of Teresa being tortured and couldn't feel any ease despite the distance.
Understanding Gabriel's intent, William didn't interfere and left with the agents.
Once all were gone, the raging sea was left with only Gabriel and Brian's boats.
"Aren't you going to release her now?" Gabriel's eyes, red with bloodlust, narrowed at Brian. He ground out each word. "Hand Teresa over to me, and then you're free to leave."
Brian's knife was still against Teresa's throat. Brian waited until the agents were gone, and no more lights or the sound of helicopter rotors could be seen or heard; he then gave Gabriel a wicked smirk and, in the next second, shoved Teresa off into the speedboat before making his escape at high speed.
As Gabriel saw Brian push Teresa, making her hit a seat corner and fall into the sea, his heart raced with fear and resolve. Returning to reality, he sped after Brian as fast as he could in his speedboat.Watching Brian push her away, Teresa's head striking the corner of a seat and tumbling into the sea, Gabriel's heart nearly burst from his chest. Snapping back to reality, he throttled his speedboat to maximum power and chased after Brian with all the speed he could muster.
"Ha ha ha..." With a glance back at Gabriel closing in, Brian let out a mocking laugh, then started to toy with him by steering the speedboat in circles around him on the open sea.
Gabriel brought his boat to a halt, standing resolute, his eyes a fiery crimson fixed on Brian.
After circling a few times, Brian, perhaps bored or aware of the danger he was in, decided not to linger. With a whoosh, he gunned the speedboat, heading for international waters.
As Brian made his escape, Gabriel, steady and silent, drew a pistol from his lower back, aimed at Brian's retreating figure, and fired three times—bang, bang, bang—the bullets streaking toward Brian.
Hearing the shots, Brian turned his head in alarm...
And in that instant of turning, the first bullet pierced his neck, spattering blood; the second hit his left shoulder, leaving a gaping wound; the third struck his thigh, blood spurting out...
As Brian struggled to hold on, his grip slipped, and he fell backward. Gabriel, in hot pursuit, raced after him in his speedboat, closing the gap rapidly. Ready to confront Brian and save Teresa, Gabriel's determination remained firm as he neared the vessel.One second, two seconds, three seconds—he couldn't hold on. Brian's hands slipped from the wheel, and he fell backward with a thud.
At the moment Brian fell, Gabriel was in hot pursuit, driving his speedboat at maximum speed.
Unmanned, the other boat careened wildly like a decapitated fly. Gabriel struggled to catch up, and just as he closed in—a mere two meters away—he positioned himself on the edge, leaped, and landed on the other boat.
His body crashed down with a heavy impact, but he felt no pain, quickly getting to his feet and lunging toward Teresa.
"Sweetheart!" He scooped Teresa up, and the first thing Gabriel did was check her neck for a pulse, feeling the faint rhythmic thumps beneath his fingertips.
Feeling her heartbeat, his crimson eyes misted filled with tearsover.
Looking down at Teresa, bloodied and hanging on by a thread in his arms, tears uncontrollably fell, large drops landing on her bruised and swollen face.
Trembling, he raised his hand, afraid to touch her, fearing to inflict more pain.
Bowing his head, he kissed her forehead tenderly, closing his eyes as tears flowed unrestrained, like those of a woman, streaming down without pause.
Lying on the brink of death, Brian slowly opened his eyes to see Gabriel tightly embracing Teresa, his back to Brian. Struggling to move his battered body, he reached for the dagger that had fallen next to him. With the last ounce of strength, he propped himself up, gripped the blade firmly, and lunged at Gabriel...
