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

Westley did this. Whether

3

desperate and helpless. Every second in this drama was causing

hope of our family! Who else can we rely on? We have raised you for

don’t want it destroyed at my hands!” Tobias said in a low voice. He

If the stocks hadn’t fallen too low, he would never have begged her

Bryce and Nellie back. The Jones family has now offended Westley even more. I can try to talk to him.

you can do it.

It was useless

her.

now. I’ll talk to you later.” Gabrielle

sky. But for the first time, she felt she had been abandoned by the whole world. There was no place where

wife. She was just a scapegoat for everyone. As soon as

and lonely she

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

okay?” Ronin asked, looking at her sad face in the

had heard her talk to Tobias and could roughly tell what the conversation had been

girl. If Bryce hadn’t acted so ridiculously, her life wouldn’t have

a cup of iced coffee? I need to drink something cold.” She looked at him with a somber expression. She could tell he felt

Miss Jones. I’ll be back in a moment.” Ronin pulled up and got out of the car without

She climbed to the driver’s seat and

the car and tried to open the door. “Miss Jones,

can take

can’t do that,” Ronin said anxiously, scared of what might happen

Vineyard Villa, but that she was mentally unstable and she could meet with an

fine! I’m completely sober and I know what I’m doing.” Gabrielle turned the key and drove off, leaving Ronin