Lock You In My Heart

Chapter 23 I’d Rather Be An Orphan

Wendy arranged a driver to send Gabrielle to Vineyard Villa. She instructed him repeatedly to take her only there.

Gabrielle could tell why she was so erratic, She was afraid Gabrielle would run away.

“Ronin, stop the car!” Gabrielle urged the driver when they reached downtown.

Wendy had told Ronin not to let Gabrielle out of the car. She was rather stubborn. Wendy knew if she got out, it would be difficult to coax to get in again.

“Miss Jones, what is the matter?” Ronin asked in a low voice. He took a look at Gabrielle through the rearview mirror. She looked calm and composed.

Before Gabrielle could say anything, her phone rang. It was a call from Tobias.

She hesitated for a while, then answered the phone.

“What’s up, Dad?”.

She was in no mood to fake niceness.

“Gabrielle, have you reached Vineyard Villa?”

anxiously.

“We are just crossing downtown. It will take a while. Dad, what can I do for you?”

Gabrielle knew something was up. Otherwise, Tobias would never have called her.

“Our stocks are falling! It must be because of Westley. When you reach Vineyard Villa, can you urge him not to brutally drive us to a dead end? The Jones has brought you up. I know you are upset with your mother. But I can assure you once this problem is solved, such a thing will never happen again!” Tobias was a middle-aged man. He had never been humble, and was dragged into this trouble by Wendy. 4

Gabrielle was shocked to hear him. Their stocks were falling?

acting

you know why Westley did this. Whether he listens to me or not

3

felt desperate and helpless. Every second in this drama was causing harm

our family! Who else

help us! Our business is the fruit of your grandfather’s painstaking efforts! I don’t want it destroyed at my hands!” Tobias said in a low voice. He was trying his best

beg Gabrielle for help. If the stocks hadn’t fallen too low, he would never

on bringing Bryce and Nellie back. The Jones family has now offended Westley even more. I can try to talk to him. If he doesn’t agree, I can’t

know you can do it. I

Tobias through his teeth. It was useless

trust her. Tobias had begged her

I’ll talk to you

from the city lit up the night sky. But for the first time, she

As soon as

poor and lonely she would

and living in an orphanage was much better. At least there she wouldn’t have

Ronin asked, looking at her sad face in the rearview

could roughly tell what the conversation

further. Ronin had watched her grow up. She had always been a gentle and kind-hearted girl. If Bryce hadn’t acted so ridiculously, her life

you get me a cup of iced coffee? I need to drink something cold.” She

Ronin pulled up and

opportunity. She climbed to the driver’s seat and locked the

rushed toward the car and tried to

window and looked at him calmly. “Ronin, you can take a taxi home. I’ll drive to Vineyard Villa myself. Don’t tell my mother. I promise I’ll

you can’t do that,” Ronin said anxiously, scared of

would not go to Vineyard Villa, but that she was mentally unstable and she could meet

and I know what I’m doing.” Gabrielle turned the key and drove