Chapter 379
"I was so drunk at the time that I had no clear idea of what was happening. But I'm crystal clear now—if Liam sees this video, any good impression I've made in his eyes would be shattered," Diana hurriedly added, seeking Gabriel's understanding.
"If Brian simply wanted an accidental run-in with Teresa, do you think he'd steal Lee Moore's number to lurk in your college alumni group?!" Gabriel asked incredulously, squinting at Diana. "Knowing that he infiltrated the group under Moore's account, do you honestly believe his intentions were that innocent?"
"I'm sorry, Gabriel, I really dropped the ball there. All I could think about was making sure the video didn't get to Liam, and I neglected everything else. Plus, I figured Teresa was always guarded by security, so Brian couldn't really hurt her," Diana hurriedly explained, her voice tinged with urgency.
Gabriel said nothing in response, the corners of his mouth turning into a mysterious smile. Then he swung his leg into the car and settled himself in the driver's seat.
"Gabriel, please trust me. Teresa is my best friend; she's done so much for me, and her son Croissant is my godson. Besides, given Teresa's status, how could I ever think of harming her?" Diana's voice escalated as she saw Gabriel reaching to close the car door. "Hurting Teresa would be the end of me, too. So why would I harm her? Gabriel, I swear every word I'm saying is the truth. Please..." she implored, but her plea to believe her was cut off.
"Slam!"
The car door shut just as Diana's final plea hung in the air. Then the engine roared to life, and the black Rolls-Royce sped away, leaving a trail of dust behind.
Standing still, Diana watched the car shrink into the distance and couldn't help but give a bitter laugh. If Teresa hadn't lost her memory, she would have forgiven her and might even have put in a good word for her with Liam.
But Teresa had amnesia, forgetting everything from the last three and a half years—years in which their friendship had truly blossomed.
The adage' wrongdoing will ultimately bring about one's downfall' seemed spot on.
Now, all Diana could hope for was that Gabriel, seeing the bond she shared with Teresa and Croissant, would trust her enough not to take action against her. Otherwise, she might find no haven anywhere in the world.
...
In the black Rolls-Royce, Gabriel reclined in the back seat, eyes closed, conserving his energy.
He hadn't slept a wink since yesterday, but he felt no weariness now. Diana's words were genuine, and he had monitored her closely; her gaze was open without a trace of panic.
Moreover, Diana was right. If her true intent had been to harm Teresa, she would've been digging her own grave. There was no benefit to harming Teresa, and Diana wasn't foolish—she wouldn't be so reckless.
So, even with irrefutable evidence proving Diana had deliberately leaked Teresa's whereabouts to Brian, he couldn't do anything to Diana.
Otherwise, if Teresa ever regained her memory and found out he had touched Diana, she might blame him.
The car glided smoothly on the road and, after about twenty minutes, pulled into the hospital where Madison was kept.
Madison was confined to a very basic room. When Gabriel arrived, she lay on the bed, her face ashen.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed immediately when he saw her face, marred only by an additional scar but otherwise identical to Teresa's.
Hearing the door open, Madison turned her vacant eyes towards the entrance. At the sight of the person appearing, a wave of terror and fear flooded her eyes.
"Garcia... Gabriel, you..."
"Get me a mask and cover her face," Gabriel commanded, cutting off Madison's trembling voice.
"Yes." A nurse promptly fetched a mask and roughly strapped it over Madison's face.
With her face covered, her eyes still resembled Teresa's, but the look in them was entirely different. Gabriel found it less unsettling now.
"Madison, do you want to live or die?" Standing by her bed, Gabriel's presence towered as he asked coldly.
"I want to live! I want to live," Madison nodded frantically.
She had already experienced death once, and during the surgery, it felt worse than death itself.
Right now, all she wanted was to live.
"Good," Gabriel nodded, satisfied. "Then spill every dirty deal you've done with Yvonne and Brian."
"Brian? Who's that?" Madison asked in terror, looking at Gabriel.
Gabriel eyed her; it seemed she truly didn't know who Brian was. So he rephrased, "After Yvonne went to prison, who contacted you? And who arranged for you to replace my Sweetheart in the ladies' room at the XX club last night?"
"I don't know who that was. We never met in person; we always talked on the phone. I don't know their name," Madison stammered in reply.
Gabriel watched her, eyebrows furrowed.
It looked like Yvonne had been messing around with Brian for a while now, planning to use him to harm Teresa.
Yvonne, she was truly insidious.
One after another, Madison, Lauren, and Brian seemed to take turns making Teresa's life a misery.
With the suffering Teresa endured, he was determined to make Yvonne pay back a thousandfold.
"Just spill everything you know," he demanded.
"Alright, alright... I'll talk, I'll talk!" Madison nodded, recounting every detail, from when Yvonne first used her to the events of the previous day.
Gabriel listened patiently, quietly taking it all in.
As expected, Madison had undergone surgery, only fully recovering a couple of days ago and resuming her activities.
Had she recovered sooner, Brian would have already taken action against Teresa.
Madison's faked death and subsequent shipment to a plastic surgery hospital in the neighboring city were all orchestrated by Yvonne.
Initially, Madison resisted, but she had no choice. The alternative was real death.
To take down Teresa, Yvonne had indeed gone to extraordinary lengths and spared no expense.
What if Liam found out everything that happened, the agony Teresa suffered, all because of him? What would he do?
With a low, mocking sneer, Gabriel turned on his heel and instructed Luke, "Change Madison's face, then ship her off to Africa and make sure she never sets foot on American soil again."
"Yes, Gabriel."
...
