Chapter 16: Clashing Loyalty
Chapter Sixteen: Clashing Loyalties
Gabriel stord into the hospital, commanding answers as the staff scrambled to get out of his way.
His tailored suit stood out in the ssy environnt, but his expression showed he wasn't here for questions.
Riot was outside Diane's hospital room, keeping his arms crossed, looking at the floor.
He didn't see Gabriel at first, but the hard footsteps and the angry voice snapped his attention upward.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Gabriel snarled as he approached, his eyes narrowed on Riot.
Riot straightened, eting Gabriel's glare. "Doing my job," he replied coolly.
Gabriel's lip curled.
"Your job? Protecting her? Look at her! She's in this state because you're useless!"
He shoved Riot hard in the chest, making him stumble back slightly.
"You're fired. Get out of here."
Riot stood his ground, brushing his suit jacket.
"Only Diane can fire ," he said calmly, though his voice carried an edge.
Gabriel's face darkened, his fists clenched.
"She doesn't know what's best for her right now. I do. I'm her husband, and you're nothing more than a failed bodyguard. You're done."
Before Riot could respond, Gabriel turned to the hospital staff nearby, ringing with authority.
"Prepare to transfer her to my private clinic. I want her in my care imdiately. I don't trust this place."
The staff exchanged glances, then nodded hesitantly, scrambling to make arrangents.
Gabriel pointed a finger at Riot.
"And you. Get lost. If I see you anywhere near Diane again, you'll regret it."
Riot's jaw tightened, but he didn't move.
"You can bark orders all you want," he said evenly. "But I'm not going anywhere."
Gabriel glared at him for a long mont before letting out a frustrated growl.
"Fine. Stay out of my way, then."
Minutes later, Diane was loaded into an ambulance, still unconscious.
Gabriel climbed into the vehicle alongside her, shooting Riot one last warning look
. "This is your last chance to leave," he said.
Riot didn't respond.
He got into his car and followed the ambulance at a distance, his grip on the steering wheel was as tight as his jaw.
>___<
In a low lit bedroom filled with the sll of expensive cologne and silk sheets, Richard leaned back against the headboard, with a cigarette dangling from his fingers.
Evelyn, Rachel's niece, was beside him, her makeup looked smudged, and her hair was a ss.
His phone rang on the nightstand.
With an irritated sigh, Richard picked it up, glancing at the caller ID.
"What do you want, Adrian?" he snapped.
Adrian's voice ca through, shaky and angry.
"I need help. That bastard bodyguard of Diane's beat the crap out of ."
Richard rolled his eyes, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Of course he did. Because you can't do anything right, can you?"
"Father, I—"
"Shut up," Richard cut him off sharply.
"You've been nothing but a disappointnt since the day you were born. You can't even handle a simple task without screwing it up. Don't call
unless you actually manage to do sothing useful."
He hung up without waiting for a response, tossing the phone onto the bed with a grunt of frustration.
"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked softly.
Richard glanced at her.
"What's wrong? My son is a complete waste of space, that's what. I swear, if I could trade him for soone with half a brain, I would."
Evelyn sat up, running a hand through her tangled hair.
"He's your son, Richard. Don't you think you're being a little harsh?"
Richard's eyebrow raised, he looked at her, and his eyes narrowed.
"What did you just say?"
Richard glanced at her hair that looked like a nest.
Evelyn flinched but held her ground. "I just an—he's your blood. Maybe he just needs—"
"How many tis have I told you to look perfect when you're with ?" Richard interrupted, coldly.
He reached out and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back.
Evelyn cried out, her hands flew to his wrist.
"Richard, stop! You're hurting !"
Her words only seed to fuel his anger.
"Look at you," he spat. "You're a ss. You think I want to see this?"
"It's because of you!" Evelyn shouted through her tears. "We just slept together, Richard! That's why I look like this!"
He shoved her roughly, and she fell back onto the bed.
"Excuses," he muttered, standing up and buttoning his shirt.
"I don't care what you were doing. When you're with , you look flawless. Got it?"
Evelyn was on the bed, her hair looked ssy and out of place, and her cheek red where it had hit the mattress.
Tears stread down her face as she watched him walk out of the room without another word.
The door slamd behind him, leaving Evelyn alone.
She sat up slowly, wiping her tears as she looked at her reflection in the ornate mirror across the room.
Her mascara was smudged, her lipstick sared, and her hair tangled.
She clenched her fists, her reflection turned to a blur through her tears.
"I'm not going to take this anymore," she whispered, her voice started shaking with anger.
She reached for her phone. Scrolling through her contacts, she stopped at Adrian's na.
"You want to prove yourself, Adrian?" she muttered to herself, her lips curled into a bitter smile.
"Let's see how far you're willing to go."
Evelyn pressed the call button and held the phone to her ear, her heart pounded harder as the line rang.
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