Husband With Benefits
Chapter 372: Never Together

Chapter 372: Never Together

"I never would have believed that I’d be risking my life for Arabelle, of all people. Hoping to find her alive." Seb commented as he slouched in their makeshift camp, holding the coffee mug in his hand.

Demetri and Ian exchanged quiet glance, their silence in agreement with Seb. They would have preferred to single handedly send Arabelle ten feet under and not leave her a way to come back. But with the way she had died, leaving a wound in Gabe was not what they wanted! Dam* it! Gabe had been crazy with guilt and worry.

Ian did not even have the heart of exposing Arabelle’s reception anymore though he hoped that Gabe was not going to be too sad for the non existent child. Sedpite wanting to kill her themselves, the three of them had been working relentlessly with the rescue team, hoping to either find her or at least her remains.

The lead officer walked to them and sat down as Ian offered him a cup as well. "How is your brother doing?"

"Not great, actually. So, when are we going back to look for Arabelle?"

The man looked troubled as he looked at the weary but determined faces of the three men. He was well aware of their identity and had believed that they would be an obstruction to their task. But surprisingly, these men had proven themselves. So he decided to answer truthfully," I don’t know if we will be going in again. We’ve looked intensively all day today and..."

Demetri stared at the captain and raised a brow, causing the man to fidget under his gaze,"She fell from a great height. The chances of her survival are already next to none. However, even if she was alive somewhere, the night animals won’t even leave a carcass...The rescue teams are volunteers and need to return to their work."

Ian and Seb winced at the imagery, but Demetri nodded, adding," I understand. Would you ask if any one is able to continue the search for us if we compensate for their time?"

The captain hesitated. He knew of course many of his team members would be willing to do that. But the reality was," Mr Frost, it would be a waste..."

"It won’t be to us. My brother needs closure. For that, I want Arabelle- dead or alive."

The captain thought back to the man who’d had to be restrained by so many of them and then tazered to calm him down and take to the hospital. He knew, even now, Gabe Frost was in shock and being kept under medical supervision.

"Then, I’ll ask them to look for another day."

***

In a dimply lit hospital room, even though his eyes were open, Gabe lay still, staring at the ceiling. Despite his physical presence, he seemed to be haunted by a flickering emptiness. The steady beep of the machines provided a rhythm to the surrounding stillness.

Staring sightlessly, there was only one thing that continued to play in his head. Arabelle’s last words were going to be with him forever. "I love you, Gabe Frost. But I hope I never meet you in my next life. We should never be together. Never. Goodbye."

He should have reacted faster when she said goodbye. Instead he’d been too stunned to even make a move. But his inaction was notcaused him to feel guilt. It was what he felt after that. That feeling when she fell into that vastness... the feeling of being unburdened and liberated.

His eyes frowned and he wanted to scream at himself. How could he do that? How could he feel free when Arabelle had just jumped to her death? The paradox of feeling unburdened yet burdened left him trapped in his own thoughts.

***

Outside the room, Lucien and Nora sat in silence, each quietly thinking of the future when Elena arrived at the hospital in a mess.

She straightaway went for Nora and quickly grabbed her," What did you do to my daughter? Where is she?"

When Nora pushed her away, and rubbed her arms in pain, she turned to Lucien, trying to scratch his face as she screamed," You won the battle today, didn’t you? I surrendered. Then why did you go after my daughter? Couldn’t you show some sympathy to my little girl?"

As Elena continued to rant and blame the two and their silence only seemed to fuel her rage as she continued to scream, "You think you can just waltz anywhere and ruin everything? My daughter is missing and you’re here acting like nothing happened! That Gabe acted like he would do anything for her! If he is so concerned for her, why isn’t he looking for her now? Why is he in that room comfortable while my daughter is nowhere to be found?" Her eyes ablaze with fury.

Lucien sighed, choosing his words carefully, "Aunt Elena, I understand your anger, but we’re not responsible for what happened to Arabelle. Blaming us won’t change the situation. We’re all trying to find her."

Elena scoffed, her nostrils flaring, "Find her? She’s gone! And it’s because of you all!"

Nora stepped forward, attempting to diffuse the tension, "Elena, we didn’t cause this. And you know it!"

Looking at Nora seemed to trigger Elena even more and she lunged at her, attempting to harm her once more. Nora quickly restrained her while the hospital security arrived quickly, pulling Elena as she kicked and screamed curses as she promised that she would avenge her daughter’s life by making sure that they would soon bury someone they loved as well.

Finally, the security was able to drag them away as Lucien and Nora leaned against each other in relief at the silence that followed.

Nora shook her head and sighed," I don’t know how Gabe is going to react when he wakes up. I just hope that he is able to handle himself... Things are not looking so up right now..."

Lucien sighed as well. "I know. But Gabe is stronger than that." However, only Lucien knew that this might not be the case this time...

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