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

Whether he listens to me or

3

and helpless. Every second in this drama was

our family! Who else can

fruit of your grandfather’s painstaking efforts! I don’t want it destroyed at my hands!” Tobias said in

that he had to beg Gabrielle for help. If the stocks hadn’t fallen too low, he would never have begged her like

offended Westley even more. I can

do

It was

Westley didn’t trust her. Tobias

up now. I’ll talk to you later.” Gabrielle hung up and looked

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

he would never treat her like his wife. She was just a scapegoat for everyone. As soon as Nellie would be back, she would have no home. She could not imagine

poor and lonely

in an orphanage was much

okay?” Ronin asked, looking at her sad

could roughly tell what the conversation

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

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

a moment.” Ronin pulled up and got out

climbed to the driver’s seat

He rushed toward the car and

at him calmly. “Ronin, you can take a taxi home.

do that,” Ronin said anxiously, scared of what

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

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