Ariella's resistance hung in the air like a brewing storm, revealing a crack in Gabby's flawless façade for the first time. It was brief—a glimpse of something dark and threatening—but Ariella noticed it.
And she understood.
Gabby was not just controlling; she was strategic.
The blonde woman took a sharp breath, smoothing her hands over her silk blouse as if to erase unseen creases. Then, with the poise of a skilled performer, she let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as if Ariella's resistance was simply amusing.
"Oh, sweetheart," Gabby said, tilting her head. "You really don't grasp what's at stake here, do you?"
Ariella stood firm. "I understand completely. You thought you could manipulate me. That I'd just give in and do what you wanted. But I won't give up my rights to this child."
Gabby's lips curled slightly, her nails tapping rhythmically on the desk. "That's where you're mistaken, darling. You believe you have a choice, but you don't."
Ariella felt a knot in her stomach, but she wouldn't let Gabby see her fear. "I read the contract, Gabby. I know my rights. You can't make me give up my child."
Gabby raised an impeccably shaped eyebrow. "You're charming when you think you're winning."
Before Ariella could reply, Gabby turned to Wellington, her tone sweet. "Darling, why don't you explain to our dear Ariella how things operate in our world?"
Wellington's jaw clenched, his posture tense. He hadn't spoken much, but his presence was heavy with tension. Ariella looked to him, searching for answers on his face.
"Leo?" she asked, the name coming out easily now.
He paused, and that pause revealed everything to her.
Gabby smirked. "Oh, that caught your attention, didn't it? I wonder—do you even know why he left you all those years ago?"
Ariella felt a tightness in her chest.
Wellington's expression darkened. "That's enough, Gabby."
Gabby ignored him, leaning closer to Ariella and lowering her voice. "Do you want to know the truth, darling? The real reason he disappeared from your life?"
Ariella's heart raced. "Tell me."
Gabby's smile was sharp. "Because he had no choice. My family made sure of it."
Ariella felt her stomach drop. "What?"
Gabby sighed dramatically. "Wellington—Leo—was meant to marry someone else. Someone better." She waved her hand dismissively. "You were just in the way of his future."
Ariella's hands shook. "You're lying."
Gabby laughed, moving around the desk and sitting on the edge. "Oh, darling, I never lie. Ask him yourself."
Ariella turned to Wellington. "Is this true?"
Silence filled the room.
The pain in her chest grew stronger.
"Leo," she begged.
Wellington sighed, rubbing his face. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with weariness and regret.
"I didn't leave because I wanted to," he confessed. "I left because I had to."
Ariella shook her head, feeling the sting of betrayal. "By who?"
Gabby grinned victoriously. "By me."
Ariella froze. "You?"
Gabby's eyes sparkled with malicious joy. "Oh, darling, did you think Leo's disappearance was just a sad twist of fate? No, it was planned."
Ariella gasped for breath.
Gabby continued, her voice smooth and mocking. "My family had big plans for him. He was destined for greatness. And you? You were just a pitiful, lost girl with no future." She pretended to pout. "I had to ensure he forgot all about you."
Ariella's hands balled into fists. "You ruined my life."
Gabby sighed dramatically. "Oh, come on. You made it through, didn't you? And look at you now—you're useful again."
The words stung.
But something inside Ariella broke.
Gabby had controlled everything: her past, her suffering, her grief. Now, she thought she could take her child?
No. Not this time.
Ariella straightened up, determination filling her. "You may have gotten away with it before," she said, her voice firm. "But you won't succeed this time."
Gabby's smirk wavered, just a bit. But Ariella noticed.
Wellington—Leo—stepped in front of her, protective. "Gabby, this stops now."
Gabby turned to him, her eyes narrowing. "What did you say?"
"You don't control me," he replied, his voice strong. "And you definitely don't control Ariella."
Gabby's expression hardened, and for the first time, she looked unsettled.
Ariella took a step closer. "I won't give up my rights. If you think you can scare or manipulate me into submission, you're mistaken."
Gabby's face darkened. "Oh, darling," she said softly. "You still don't understand."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a slim folder.
Ariella's heart raced. "What's that?"
Gabby grinned, opening it to reveal a stack of papers. "Your whole life, Ariella. Every dark secret, every mistake, every failure."
She flung the papers onto the desk, and Ariella felt her stomach drop.
Criminal records. Eviction notices. Medical history. Foster care documents.
Gabby tapped a page with her perfectly manicured nail. "This one is my favorite. The night you were arrested for trespassing at seventeen."
Ariella gasped. How did she get this?
Gabby smiled. "Oh, darling. Did you really think I wouldn't find out everything about you?"
Ariella clenched her fists. "What do you want?"
Gabby's tone was eerily calm.
"I want you to leave. Quietly. Vanish. Sign over the child. And in return? I won't ruin you."
A heavy silence hung between them.
Gabby leaned closer. "I can make you disappear, Ariella. For good."
Ariella felt a chill run through her.
Gabby stood up, brushing off her blouse as if nothing mattered. "You have two options, sweetheart. Walk away with nothing or stay and lose everything."
Wellington slammed his fist on the desk. "That's enough, Gabby."
Gabby looked at him, her face devoid of emotion. "Oh, darling," she whispered. "You haven't seen anything yet."
Ariella took a deep breath.
Gabby had shown her hand.
But she had made a critical error.
She underestimated Ariella.
Ariella was no longer the broken girl Gabby thought she could control.
She would not submit to Gabby Armstrong.
Not now. Not ever.
And as Gabby left the room with a smug smile, Ariella vowed silently.
This was far from over.